Anne Hathaway has a pretty impressive resume. From iconic movies like The Princess Diaries to Les Misérables, she has had a thriving career for decades. Her latest movie, The Idea of You, is available to watch on Amazon Prime. Anne is known for her work in movies and on television, but also for her fashion. She has had many noteworthy red carpet looks over the years. The latest? A custom Versace gown. It is time to take a closer look at the design and find out if it is a love it or leave it…
What I Love: Where to begin? Honestly, it is hard to know where to start when there is just so much to love. For starters, I adore that gorgeous shade of red on Anne Hathaway. It just pops! I love the elegant dangling earrings, and the fact that her hair is casual, but still on the glamorous side. It goes to show that a red carpet look doesn’t have to involve an overly done updo or something wildly elaborate. A stylish ponytail can make just as much of an impact. Now for the dress itself. In a word? Wow. I love the unique neckline and the sculptural elements. The design is so thoughtful, so creative, and so elegant. I also love the slit in the dress, because it makes sure the dress has movement and doesn’t appear too stiff and structured.
What I Loathe: This is one of those rare red carpet moments where there is nothing I loathe. Not the makeup, hair, accessories, or the dress. This is a look that stands out for all the right reasons. Even the length of the dress is literal perfection!
Overall, this red carpet look is a a clear love for me. From the colour of the dress to the gorgeous sculptural elements, and the casual glam ponytail, this is high fashion done to perfection. Anne looked radiant from head to toe. Love, love, love.
What do you think of this Anne Hathaway look? Love it or leave it?
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?
My love of all things Disney is no secret. I adore the movies, the music, the characters, the theme parks, and even Disney themed beauty products. As for the latter? The Minnie Mouse Eyeshadow Palette from Taste Beauty has been a bit of an obsession lately. Despite one of the other Taste Beauty eyeshadow palettes being a dud this particular palette wowed. Here is everything you need to know about this affordable and adorable makeup product.
To be honest, it is difficult to believe Taste Beauty made the Care Bears palette and this Minnie Mouse themed palette. Not in terms of the packaging, since it is just as cute and well themed, but because of the eyeshadow quality. While the Care Bears eyeshadow palette lacked pigmentation and was a struggle to work with…this Minnie Mouse palette is richly pigmented and an absolute delight to use. The colours are gorgeous, vibrant, and blend well. Also, the black eyeshadow in this palette, Bold Style, is a serious standout. Even when I use other eyeshadow palettes to create a makeup look, I find myself reaching for Bold Style when I want to add in a little black. (Which is often, to be quite frank.) It adds just the right amount of contrast.
It is clear that there is a lot to love about this affordable eyeshadow palette. Though it was just $9.99 CDN, it performs wonderfully. Plus, there is an adorable Minnie Mouse theme throughout, with pictures of the iconic character and polka dots. Even the eyeshadow names are themed. As for the colour story here, these kinds of eyeshadows are my weakness. I love warm shimmery shades a little too much. There is lots of warm gold, burgundy, peach, and brown to choose from. Some of the standout eyeshadows are: Be You, Amazing, Live Your Dream, Bows & Kisses, and Bold Style. However, all perform really well.
To create the look above, the matte shade, Pop of Attitude, was applied through the crease. Then Live Your Dream was applied all over the eyelid with just a bit of Little Miss Bow-It-All added to the center. A small amount of Bold Style was added in the outer corner to make this look a little smokey. Then Own Your Style was added to the inner corner. I just love how bold and dramatic these eyeshadows are. Perfect for someone like me, who loves Disney and loves a warm smokey eye makeup look.
Have you tried anything from this brand? Would you use a themed eyeshadow palette?
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?
So far, the spring season has been sporadic at best. Some days, there is snow, other days, rain, and then occasionally, there is sunshine scattered throughout the day. Despite the inconsistent weather, the spring season always makes me think of pastel colours and blue skies. Perhaps that is why it seemed like an appropriate time to put the Care Bears Eyeshadow Palette from Taste Beauty to the test. The goal? Create a colourful spring makeup look inspired by the much loved Care Bears.
This Care Bears themed eyeshadow palette is adorable. I love the classic Care Bears illustrations on the front (as cute as the “new” versions of the Care Bears are…I much prefer the older illustrations and cartoons), the soft spring colours, and the overall sweetness of the palette. Everything about the design is so comforting and nostalgic. As for the colour story, there are actually a lot of similarities to the Violet Voss x Care Bears 12 Color Eyeshadow Palette. Both have purples, blues, pinks, and some warm neutrals. The main difference is the pigmentation level. While the Violet Voss version is richly pigmented, easy to use, and downright incredible, the Taste Beauty version leaves a lot to be desired. Unfortunately, despite how beautiful the pastel shades look in the palette, the performance is lackluster. A lot of the colours have low pigmentation or blend out to not a whole lot. It is a shame, but even so-so palettes can be fun to use. Or at least they make it possible to get creative.
For this spring makeup look, the goal was to focus on the most pigmented shadows in the Care Bears palette. Unfortunately, that meant the purples were out. (Those looked like practically nothing, despite my hope that the pale lilac shade, Care Bear Stare, might be a winner.) Ultimately, it was the blues and greens that won out. The darkest blue eyeshadow, Anything Is Possible, looks quite dark in the pan, but applies more like a sky blue. I did my best to apply that all over the lid and then added some Care Bears Forever (the darkest green shade) to the outer corner for a little bit of dimension. The colour contrast didn’t show all that much, but I did what I could do. The shade Care-A-Lot, a light shimmer, was applied on the inner corner and Kindness Keepers, a warm shimmer, was applied to the center of the lid. It was all blended out with Caring Is Magic (a warm burnt orange) but that shadow didn’t do a whole lot. Essentially, it took a lot of different eyeshadows to create what is kind of a one-note makeup look. That being said, it is important to make good use of whatever I purchase. Despite the not great result, this is a palette that I will continue to reach for and work with to the best of my ability. At least it is Care Bear themed.
How are you enjoying the spring season so far? Share your favourite spring products in the comment section below!
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?
Some days, a makeup look is inspired by an excellent makeup palette. Other days, a makeup look is created to make the most of a disappointing makeup palette. The latter is what happened most recently. I found an adorably themed Disney Villains Eyeshadow Palette a little while ago and was excited to put it to use. Since coming back from my Walt Disney World vacation, my mind has been focused on all things Disney, so it only made sense to reach for this themed palette. Unfortunately, the quality was not there. In fact, this is one of the worst eyeshadow palettes that I have ever used. The colour story is wonderful. The theme? Perfection. The shadows? Downright terrible. At any rate, I did my best to create a semi-colourful #FOTD.
The Disney Villains Eyeshadow Palette has a great theme and features iconic Disney villains like Maleficent, Ursula, Cruella de Vil, and the Evil Queen. There are pictures of the characters on the front of the palette, inside the palette, and there are outlines of the characters to contrast the black background. Some of the shadows even have the Maleficent horns pressed into them. As I said, the theme was excellent. The colour story is also fantastic. I love the blues, purples, greys, and browns. Visually, this palette checked off all the boxes. Unfortunately, when I went to actually use the shadows, the pigmentation was weak at best. It took a lot of time for the colours to make any sort of impact. This eyeshadow palette was such a letdown.
For this #FOTD, I did my best to use this lackluster eyeshadow palette. I started with the light brown shade, Be Prepared, through the crease, but it didn’t look like anything at all. So, I added Pretty Evil, the darker brown, through the crease as well. I applied Dreadfully Delightful, the brightest blue, to the lid, but it didn’t have a lot of pigmentation despite trying to apply the product with different brushes and my finger. So, then I added on as much Don’t Blame Us, a shimmery blue, on top to try to create some sort of colour. Wicked, a matte black, was added through the crease to add some intensity, but even that didn’t do much. I really did my best to make the most of a bad situation! As for the rest of the makeup look, there was some liner and mascara to finish off the eyes, a soft pink blush from Too Faced on the cheeks, and a Winky Lux Flower Lip Balm on the lips. Though the Disney Villains Eyeshadow Palette was a bust, I did my best to create a (sort of) colourful makeup look.
Have you ever been disappointed by an eyeshadow palette before? How did you make the most of it?
There is something special about the winter season. Sure, there are drawbacks, like shoveling and snow plows, but it is also a magical time when the world slows down a little. In recent days, I have been forced to slow down, since I am still under the weather. But I suppose this was the ideal time for it to happen – if there is such a thing as an ideal time to be ill. To make myself feel better, I have been looking at all sorts of winter inspired photos and have been keeping winter background videos on. I find the snow peaceful and calming, so I thought it made sense to share a little of that here on the creation of beauty is art.
There is a lot to love about the winter season. Even though the temperatures are lower (depending on where you live) and the snow and slush are piling up, there is a stillness that makes the world feel downright blissful at times. As has been said, “Winter is a time to cherish the simple joys of life.” That is something that I am focused on this season. From moments under warm blankets to familiar movies and nights curled up with a good book…this really is the ideal time to cherish those simple joys.
How are you staying inspired this season? Do you enjoy the winter months?
Some brands stand out. Laneige falls into that category as far as I am concerned. Their Lip Sleeping Mask has been a lifesaver on many occasions, especially during the cold and dry winter months. Each holiday season, the brand releases different sets with popular products, and I was fortunate enough to be gifted two of them: the Divine Lip Duo and the Midnight Minis.
Laneige Divine Lip Duo. The first Laneige set that I received over the holidays was the Divine Lip Duo, which includes the Lip Glowy Balm and Lip Sleeping Mask. The balm is in the scent Candy Cane and the mask is in the scent Peppermint. Both of these products are ideal for this time of year, thanks to the cool minty scent. The Peppermint Lip Sleeping Mask is 0.28 oz, so there is a decent amount of product and the smell is fabulous. Like the other masks, this is thick, creamy, and ultra hydrating. The Candy Cane Lip Glowy Balm is easy to use on the go and is also thick and hydrating. The mint scents are refreshing and ideal for the winter season. Another bonus? This set (as well as the Midnight Minis set) came with two Laneige samples. That was such a nice surprise and a fun way to test out some of their products outside of lip care. The samples were the Cream Skin Toner and Moisturizer and Water Bank Cream Moisturizer. Since the brand does hydration so well, it is nice to test out these extras.
Laneige Midnight Minis. The other seasonal release that I received from the brand is the Midnight Minis set. This is something that the brand tends to release semi-regularly, though the scents vary from year to year. (Click here for a peek at the set that was released last year, which included scents like Mango, Mint Choco, Vanilla, Berry, and Gummy Bear. This time around, there is Berry, Gummy Bear, Mango, Watermelon Pop, and Peach Iced Tea. I love that there are some old favourites (the Gummy Bear one is a standout) as well as some different offerings (like Watermelon Pop and Peach Iced Tea). All of these Lip Sleeping Mask scents are fabulous and there is 0.10 oz of product for each. There is also a small little spatula to make application mess free. Out of the new scents, my favourite is the Watermelon Pop. I love the two colours on the packaging and the fresh smell. These masks will definitely come in handy over the next several months. I am grateful to have so many wonderful items.
Have you tried any of the Laneige products? Which scent is your favourite?
Back in November, there was a short shopping trip across the border where a handful of items came back with me. (Like several boxes of the iconic Little Debbie Christmas Tree cakes, which certainly made my holiday season delicious.) One of those items was the JoyBright by Ulta Beauty Box: Happy Hues. At the front of the Ulta store, there were a few JoyBright items, which were essentially different makeup sets for the holiday season. I debated over the different offerings, but ultimately, the happy face details won me over and the Happy Hues item was chosen as a pre-holiday treat for myself. Over the last couple of months, this beauty set has been put to the test. Here is a review (with some pros and cons) as well as a #FOTD.
JoyBright by Ulta: Beauty Box Happy Hues Review. There is a ton included in this set, making it (or something similar) an ideal item for any beauty enthusiast or interested beginner. The Happy Hues set came with sixty six eyeshadows, four tinted lip balms, three liquid eyeshadows, three blushes, three bronzers, two eyeshadow crayons, two under eye gels, two creaseless hair clips, one highlighter, one illuminating lotion, one eyeshadow brush, and one blush brush. All of these products come in a sparkly and sturdy blue makeup box with adorable happy face zipper pulls. This is adorable and offers a lot of variety. There are all sorts of items included in the mesh zipped pouch, including brushes, hair clips, under eye gels, eyeshadow crayons, tinted lip balms, and the illuminating lotion. Some of the products are more impressive than others. The hair clips are cute and functional, but somewhat flimsy. The under eye gels are cute (with a star design on the end and silver glitter inside) and work well. Though the brush handles are lightweight plastic, the actual bristles are ultra soft. The eyeshadow crayons are fabulous. The warm gold and icy blue crayons are nicely pigmented, creamy, and easy to use. The tinted lip balms look nice and have a decent amount of colour, but I am not wild about the way the actual products feel on the lips. The illuminating lotion is beautiful and adds lots of glow to the skin. On the bottom of the beauty box is a ton of eyeshadow and cheek products.
As mentioned there are sixty six eyeshadows inside. Though the pan sizes are fairly small, there is a lot of variety in terms of the colours and finishes. There are mattes and shimmers available in pinks, greens, blues, purples, browns, reds, and various neutrals. In terms of the quality, there are some shadows that are not that impressive, but the majority are actually really nice. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with so many different eyeshadows, but there are some wonderful options. I’ve been doing my best to put them all to the test. My absolute favourites are the icy blues (those colours are ideal for winter inspired makeup looks) and the cool taupes and purples. There is also an olive shimmer shadow that stands out. In addition to the powder eyeshadows are three liquid eyeshadows. My expectations were low, but these really wowed. Unfortunately, these do not have names, but there are two shimmers and one lilac shade. All of them work well and are easy to use. I will be disappointed once these run out. Finishing it all off are the cheek products: three blushes, two bronzers, and a highlight. I like all of them and was impressed with the level of pigmentation. I especially love the Matte Fuchsia blush, because it is a unique colour in my blush collection. There is one drawback to the Happy Hues set. The eyeshadows and cheek products come in a clear plastic sheet. The plastic sheet is flimsy and often frustrating. This means I need to purchase an empty magnetic eyeshadow palette and then move the products into something sturdy and easier to use. There is a lot to love about the Ulta set…but not the plastic sheet!
For this #FOTD, some of the cool toned eyeshadows were used. Since the winter weather has arrived in full force, my makeup choices seem to reflect the snowy conditions. I find myself reaching for cool tones, icy blues, and wintery white shimmers. This particular makeup look put all of them together. The Matte Periwinkle eyeshadow was applied all over the lid, then a bit of Periwinkle Shimmer on top, with some Iridescent Blue Shimmer on the inner corner. Matte Blue Gray and Navy Shimmer were used in to deepen the outer corner and to add colour along the lower lash line. The Light Matte Bronze was used on the face and the Matte Cool Pink was added to the cheeks. The brown tinted lip balm was used on the lips to complete the look.
The JoyBright by Ulta Beauty Box: Happy Hues offers a ton of different products. Though some of the products are better than others, most are impressive. I especially love the eyeshadow products (powder, crayon, and liquid) and the cheek products.
What beauty products have you been using lately? Have you tried anything from the JoyBright line?
