Tag: high end

Cinderella is one of those movies that reminds me of my youth. Though all Disney cartoons were special, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Pocahontas were some of my most watched VHS tapes. Those characters always felt extra special to me. When it comes to Cinderella, there was (and still is) a lot to love. The beautiful dress, the cute animals, and of course, the idea that miracles happen to good people. I loved it all. Fun fact: my wedding theme was actually Cinderella! Needless to say, the movie, the music, and the characters will always be important to me. I suppose it is fitting that my last Charmed Aroma review and reveal is a Cinderella themed one. The Charmed Aroma stores have all shut down where I live and I do not like the idea of shipping breakable items to my doorstep. So…this is it as far as I can tell. There is just one last candle to review. Ready for this final Charmed Aroma post? It is time to take a look at this Cinderella themed jewelry tray and candle.

The Cinderella Gus and Jaq Jewelry Tray and Scented Candle is ideal for a Disney fanatic like myself. Sure, there is the candle and the jewellery hidden inside, but it is the actual design that makes me happy. The base has a beautiful blue and gold Cinderella themed print (with clocks, mice, stars, shoes, and silhouettes all over) and the top portion is a removable jewellery tray with Gus and Jaq sitting in a teacup. One thing I really like about a lot of the specialty Charmed Aroma candles is the fact that the candle bases can be reused. Once the candle is done, this can be washed out, and jewellery can be stored inside and on the saucer portion of the lid. Cute, fun, and totally practical. I just love the way this candle looks sitting on my dresser!

As for the candle itself, this is a two wick candle, but it doesn’t burn evenly on the sides, which is a bit frustrating. There is a large build up of wax along the edges. I prefer when candles are designed thoughtfully so the wax will melt evenly, but perhaps I am being picky. When it comes to the actual candle scent, it is described by Charmed Aroma as being “a harmonious scent blend of bergamot, fig, citrus lime, and orange.” It is light, sweet, and fresh. Definitely ideal for this time of year.

Now for the reveal…ta da! There were a few different possibilities in terms of the design tucked away inside. There was a glass slipper, Cinderella silhouette, teacup with Gus and Jaq, and the clock. As you can see from the picture above, the clock was inside my Charmed Aroma candle. It has a tiara style design on top and little clock hands in front of a blue stone. According to the Charmed Aroma appraisal, this has a $60 value. Though I like the necklace inside, it is not my favourite, because it isn’t as obviously Cinderella themed as some of the other options. That being said, it is cute, and the candle holder is everything I needed and so much more. All in all, this was a pretty good send off for the brand. I will certainly miss these fun reveals!

Have you ever purchased a Charmed Aroma candle? Who is your favourite Disney princess?

Have you ever bought makeup from a vending machine? Oddly enough…I have. When my family was coming home from Walt Disney World last month, we had a lengthy wait at the airport because of a delayed flight. That meant lots of time to wander around the various shops. And lots of time to consider an expensive makeup purchase. See, there was a Kylie Cosmetics vending machine with all sorts of tempting products. The longer we waited at the airport, the harder it was for me to stay away from that machine. Though there were many items that I wanted to take home (including an airport exclusive lip kit) it was the eyeshadow palette that won out. Though I’ve been able to try out some smaller eyeshadow palettes from the brand, it was a little too tempting to see a large Kylie Cosmetics palette with 24 eyeshadows: the 24K Birthday Collection Eyeshadow Palette.

This is one heck of an eyeshadow palette. Though it was expensive at $90 CDN, this is one expensive item that I do not regret purchasing. For starters, the packaging is gorgeous. I love the photo of Kylie on the front of the eyeshadow palette and the fact that all of the gold parts are raised on the lettering and on her outfit. This is a small detail but it makes it all feel a little extra special. All that said, this particular eyeshadow palette is likely something only a fan of Kylie Jenner would want, since her photo is right there on the front of the palette. What else do I love about this palette? The Kylie inspired eyeshadow names, the large mirror on the top, all of the gold details, and most importantly, the downright phenomenal eyeshadows.

The colour story is impressive. There are tons of warm eyeshadow shades to choose from. Lots of browns, golds, oranges, yellows, metallics, and there is even a fun pink eyeshadow with flecks of gold glitter throughout. This is the ultimate summer eyeshadow palette. I love that there are all sorts of different finishes, that there is a lot of colour variety, and that each eyeshadow is boldly pigmented. These are rich and colourful, blend well, and feel buttery to the touch. I have tried an awful lot of eyeshadow formulas over the years and this one really stands out. Some of my favourite eyeshadows in the palette are: Shine Baby, Cheers to 24, Love It Here, Fine Metal, and Gold Fever. The mattes perform brilliantly (Twenty Four and Such a Gem are standouts) but the shimmers and glitters in this palette make me especially happy. They look absolutely incredible.

Purchasing the 24K Birthday Collection Eyeshadow Palette from Kylie Cosmetics was a unique experience. After all, it isn’t every day that you choose makeup from a vending machine! It was also an expensive experience. However, despite the price, this was ultimately a successful choice, because this eyeshadow palette is fantastic. These shadows perform so well.

Have you tried anything from Kylie Cosmetics? What do you think of this birthday themed palette?

Eyeshadow palettes will always be my weakness. Truth be told, there is something about a thoughtful assortment of colours and finishes that excites me. After all, it is with those colours and finishes that I am able to express the inexpressible parts of myself. The right combination of eyeshadow shades can reveal my emotions, fears, desires, and hopes. Those products seem to speak words unspoken. Other makeup items are wonderful, and I love a good blush or lipstick, but eyeshadow is special. It is the heart of every creation. I suppose that is why there are so many eyeshadow palettes in my collection. Each one has the power to inspire and reveal. More recently, the 35A Up ‘Til Dawn Artistry Palette from Morphe has been in heavy rotation. I just love all of the grungy greens and warm browns. Here are two makeup looks for the latest 2 looks 1 palette post.

Look #1: Grungy Browns. Though there is an awful lot of colour in the Morphe 35A Up ‘Til Dawn Artistry Palette (as seen in the colourful pink makeup look featured in the initial review). In addition to the pinks and greens, there are also some really fabulous shades of brown. These are all really warm and can be paired with other shadows to create a grungy kind of look. To create the look above, the shade Wild Abandon was applied on the inner portion of the lid and Spicy Haute was applied on the outer portion of the lid. A bit of Jungle Boogie was mixed with Mystique to create contrast through the crease. Since it difficult for me to stay away from sparkly things, Pearly Hours, was applied lightly on top and in the inner corner. There was lots of In Deep applied along the lower lash line for a smokey and dramatic finish. Some eyeliner and mascara finished off the eyes. As for the rest of the makeup look, it was simple and muted to make sure the eyes were the focus of this grungy brown creation.

Look #2: Glorious Greens. The green eyeshadows in this palette continue to call out to me. I especially love Lush Life and Jungle Boogie, but all of the greens are fair game. For this look, Lush Life was applied all over the lid, then Jungle Boogie was added to the outer corner, and Nocturnal was blended through the crease. A bit of Nude Swim was used to blend everything out and some 2AM Gem was added to the inner corner. Nocturnal and Lush Life were applied along the lower lash line. Eyeliner and mascara finished the eye look. Bronzer was used on the cheeks and Gingerbread Kiss from r.e.m. beauty was on the lips.

What eyeshadow palettes have you been using lately? What do you think of these makeup looks?

For the last few years, my mom has gifted me different Lise Watier products around the holiday season. Specifically, the Lise Watier Eye Glitter Liners. The reason? Those Eye Glitter Liners are ideal for seasonal makeup looks. Adding on a little extra glitter is always a good idea, but it is especially wise once the winter weather arrives. This year, she gifted me a replacement set of the glitter liners as well as some other products from the brand. It has been a lot of fun to put everything to use. Ready to find out more? Keep reading for some mini reviews and a makeup look featuring some Lise Watier products.

Lise Watier Glitter Eye Liners. The best place to start is with the products from the brand that are familiar to me. This set is the same as the one from last year, which means these check off all the boxes for me. It is wonderful to have replacement liners to use. There are three colours, Opale (iridescent white), Silver Stars (classic silver), and Smokey Glow (warm gold). Though all of them are wonderful, the Opale colour is my favourite. I love the gorgeous iridescent finish. These are described as glitter eye liners, and they are, but these are also really great glitters in general. I have applied them all over the lid before just to add on an extra splash of glitter – without needing to reach for a glitter glue. Whether worn as a liner or as a fun and sparkly add on, these Glitter Eye Liners are fabulous. It has been such a delight to use these…because glitter is always a must.

Lise Watier Magnifix Lips. Next is the Magnifix Lips product, which is a lip primer designed to smooth and soften the surface of the lips so lipsticks apply better and stay put for longer. This is such a great product and it works just as advertised. When it comes to lip products, I am a pretty low maintenance person. I don’t like to reapply over and over again, which is why lip stains and liquid lipsticks are my preference for a day (or night) out. It’s great to have a lip primer that can increase the wear time for some of the other lipsticks in my collection. This has become a new must have product for my makeup collection.

Lise Watier Rouge Fondant Supreme in Freida. Another new to me Lise Watier product was the Rouge Fondant Supreme, which is a lipstick that combines “the benefits of a lip moisturizer with the power of antioxidants. Infused with concentrated Labrador Tea extract, this lipstick glides on easily, provides a lustrous finish, and leaves lips feeling incredibly soft and luminous.” I love the fact that this lipstick is ultra hydrating, because I cannot stand having dry lips at all. (I always have a lip balm on hand. Literally always.) True to the brand claims, the Rouge Fondant Supreme is hydrating and glides on easily. As for the colour, Freida is a gorgeous berry colour with a nice shine. It is definitely the kind of lipstick colour that I love to wear.

Lise Watier Stardust Eye Set. The final item from Lise Watier is the Stardust Eye Set, which includes three different Glitter Liner and Shadows. The three colours above are Pegasis (pink), Vega (purple), and North Star (black). These can be worn as liners or as eyeshadows. Essentially, these are similar to the Glitter Eye Liners, but have a lot more colour. Though I love all of these, North Star is especially wonderful, because it can be added over a black liner to create a glittery effect. Since I adore black liner (which is clear if you have been reading my blog for any amount of time) it is a really wonderful add on. The other two colours are great as shimmery and glittery eyeshadows. I absolutely adore them o their own or paired with other products.

Above is a makeup look that put some of those products to the test. I used Pegasis and Vega on the eyelids and then wore the lip primer and lipstick on the lips. Since I have used the Glitter Eye Liners many times before, it made sense to highlight some of the new-to-me products instead. All in all, these Lise Watier products were a total success. I have absolutely loved using them.

Have you tried Lise Watier products before? What do you think of these makeup items?

Hard Candy and the holidays are a perfect match. For many years now, there have been Hard Candy holiday themed items added to my collection during the month of December…and this year was no different. There is a lot to love about Hard Candy in general. The brand offers some stellar products for pretty affordable prices. Their holiday releases are especially easy on the wallet. The three sets above ranged from $5 CDN to $10 CDN. Ready to take a closer look at these budget friendly products? Find out whether these Hard Candy holiday sets perform well? Here is everything you need to know about these items…

Eye Candy Shadow Palette Trio. The most expensive item was the Eye Candy Shadow Palette Trio, which included three different eyeshadow palettes. There was Lap of Luxury (warm neutral palette), Indio-Ing Steady (cool toned purples and greys), and Berry Delish (warm berry tones and neutrals). Each one of the small palettes has eleven eyeshadows with a combination of matte, shimmer, and glitter shadows. Something to note? The packaging is really terrible. Some of these are difficult to open and shut property – and the plastic used is super cheap. On the plus side, the quality of the actual shadows is impressive. I especially love the Indigo-Ing Steady palette. Purple eyeshadows are often difficult to get right, but these are fabulous. I also really love the cool toned greys included. That is easily my favourite palette out of the three, but all of them perform well. However, it is important to remember that the glitter shadows in each of the palettes need a glitter glue in order to adhere properly. That being said, for just over $3 CDN per eyeshadow palette, these Hard Candy products were a real holiday delight.

Glow Getter Highlighter Set. Another purchase from Hard Candy was the Glow Getter Highlighter Set, which was about $5 CDN. There were three different highlights: Rose Gold, Fix My Halo, and Put A Ring On It. The Rose Gold highlight is one that I have had a full sized version of in the past, so it was nice to see a smaller version of an old favourite. It delivers a gorgeous rose gold glow to the skin. The next was Fix My Halo, which had a silvery white finish, ideal for wintery makeup looks. The last was Put a Ring On It, which looked the most interesting right off the bat. I love the blue marbled look and had hoped that this would have a blue-ish kind of finish, but ultimately, this was a glowy champagne shade instead. All in all, these were great highlights for an unbeatable price. Hard Candy really excels at cheek products and the highlights included are no exception.

Hydrated Ever After Lip Balm Set. I love a tinted lip balm. A lot. I especially love when there are tinted lip balms that are colourful and comfortable on the lips. This Hydrated Ever After Lip Balm Set checks off all the boxes and then some. There are four different options: Barely There (no colour), Strawberry (berry colour), Flushed (pink and gold shimmer), and Caramel (warm brown). I love all of the tinted balms, but the Caramel one is my personal favourite. These have a nice amount of colour, are creamy and smooth, and feel ultra hydrating on the lips. I am super picky when it comes to lip products, so the fact that these are so moisturizing and add a little colour is fantastic. The balms smell sweet and pleasant, which is another bonus!

The makeup look above made the most of these Hard Candy holiday products. On the eyes were the cool toned purples and greys from the Indigo-Ing Steady palette, the Rose Gold highlight on the cheeks, and the Caramel lip balm to finish it all off. I love the combination of cool and warm colours. (It is always fun to mix and match!) So…does it work?? All of the Hard Candy products this holiday really wowed. Though the packaging could have been better for the eyeshadow palettes, the actual quality of the eyeshadows was solid. I love the colour stories and the level of pigmentation. The highlights and lip balms were also fantastic. These products added to the holiday season and are sure to make the winter months feel extra special.

Are you a fan of Hard Candy products? What beauty items have you been using lately?

Rare Beauty is not a brand that I have tried a lot from, but everything that I have tried so far has been stellar. Something I love about the holiday season is the fact that there are normally different sets released. This year, the brand had the Blush & Glow Four Piece Mini Set available. It came with two liquid blushes and two liquid luminizers. Since my previous experience with those products was positive …I decided to treat myself to this holiday set.

The Blush & Glow Four Piece Mini Set from Rare Beauty came with two different mini versions of the Positive Light Liquid Luminizers. There was Magnetize (described as a set-exclusive light gold liquid highlight) and Transcend (described as a rose gold liquid highlight). Both are gorgeous and add such a beautiful glow to the skin. Magnetize, the golden luminizer, has been the one most used by me so far, just because gold looks wonderful with lots of different seasonal makeup looks. That being said, I can certainly see myself using Transcend, the rose gold luminizer, a lot in the spring and summer months. These are nicely pigmented, blend effortlessly into the skin, and last all day. The quality is super impressive and I just adore the finish.

Also included in this Rare Beauty set were two mini versions of the Soft Pinch Liquid Blushes. Since a little goes a long way with the liquid blushes (no…really…use these sparingly, because the blushes are ultra pigmented) the mini versions are actually preferable. This Blush & Glow Four Piece Mini Set came with the shades Wisdom (described as a set-exclusive mauve plum) and Virtue (described as a soft terracotta). Though both are beautiful, my favourite is Wisdom. I love a mauve coloured blush and had been looking for something that colour for ages. That shade was actually the reason I decided to purchase the set. It was exactly what I had been searching for. The liquid blushes are very pigmented, blend well, and last all day long.

See what I mean about pigmented? These Rare Beauty products really deliver. Not only are they beautiful, colourful, and easy to use…but the products are vegan and cruelty free. Additionally, the brand states that both products are free of parabens, formaldehydes, formaldehyde-releasing agents, phthalates, mineral oil, retinyl palmitate, oxybenzone, coal tar, hydroquinone, sulfates SLS and SLES, triclocarban, and triclosan. The products also contain less than one percent synthetic fragrance. As for the Blush & Glow Four Piece Mini Set, it cost $46 CDN. Though it is a little pricey, it is not too bad for four different products. Since a little bit goes such a long way, the minis are all that I really need, so this set works especially well for me.

Have you tried any Rare Beauty products? What do you think of the items included in the holiday set?

Did I need another face palette? No. Not at all. Not one bit. Despite that…the Bebe Born to Glow 10 Color Glow Palette was a little too tempting for my makeup obsessed self to resist. The palette above was another shopping trip find at one of the discount stores we stopped in. For just $7.99 USD all ten of those tempting cheek products were mine. Curious about this warm and wearable palette? Here is everything you need to know about the Bebe Born to Glow 10 Color Glow Palette.

It is always hard to know how a cheek palette will perform. I’ve tried some blush palettes that were not all that impressive and some that knocked my socks off. The Bebe Born to Glow palette is closer to the latter. This affordable release has an assortment of highlights, bronzers, and blushes to put to good use. According to the brand, these are “smooth and blendable colors that are ideal for a radiant and defined complexion.” There are certainly some pros and cons to consider with this palette. Let’s start with the cons: the packaging and the glitter overspray. The packaging is an ultra flimsy plastic. It is not sturdy whatsoever. Then there is the glitter overspray. The gold and white highlighters have a glitter overspray, which means that the top layer is ultra glittery and gorgeous, but the product underneath that is not. This was so disappointing, because the product underneath is not useful. Thankfully, there are only two products in the palette that have the glitter overspray, but it is definitely a letdown. As you can see from the swatches above, there is a lot of gorgeous shimmer and glow in this palette. It is just frustrating that two of the products in the Bebe Born to Glow 10 Color Glow Palette cannot be used fully. Now for the pros. The blushes and bronzers in this palette are excellent. They are warm, easy to wear, and work well with a lot of makeup looks.

As you can see from the look above, this is a really fantastic palette for the eyes and the cheeks. I used a variety of the Bebe products in the palette on the eyes to create a warm and shimmery makeup look. Then there was a warm glowy blush on the cheeks. I absolutely love the way most of the products perform in this palette. If the glitter overspray situation hadn’t happened, this would be a near perfect palette in terms of the actual product. (The packaging could definitely be improved.) Ahh well, at least there is still a lot to love here. It has been fun to add some warm and wearable colours to my collection.

What are your favourite cheek products? Be sure to share your recommendations in the comment section below!