Oscar Favourites

The Oscars yesterday fell flat, hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway, just didn't have that youthfulness that was expected. Atleast Hathaway gave it her all, although her enthusiasm and little girl charm was a bit too much. I found her yahoos distracting everytime she introduced a presenter. As for Franco, thankfully he's got the looks but the charm was lacking. And the most exciting is the red-carpet therefore lets get to the real reason women love watching the Oscars...fashion.

Natalie Portman in Rodarte

Michelle Williams in Chanel Haute Couture

Cate Blanchett in Givenchy Haute Couture

Sandra Bullock in Vera Wang

Hailee Steinfeld in Marchesa

Mila Kunis in Elie Saab Couture

 Rhea Durham in Naeem Khan

Who were your favourites?

(images via Style.com/GettyImages)

MAC Future Face {a new want}

MAC Future Face is now available in stores atleast in Canada/US for international locations available in March 2011. I'm always on a lookout for a new tinted moisturizer and MAC Future Face has released: 

Studio Moisture Tint SPF 15 in two shades;

• Medium Plus-tan beige 
• Dark Plus-neutral tan beige 

Studio Careblend Pressed Powder: 

• Light Soft pale beige (Permanent)
• Light Plus Pale golden beige (Permanent)
• Medium Soft creamy beige (Permanent)
• Medium Plus Tan beige (Permanent)
• Medium Dark Caramel beige (Permanent)
• Medium Deep Rich golden tan (Permanent)
• Dark Deep caramel (Permanent)
• Dark Deep Rich golden bronze (Permanent)

Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 foundation in various shades:

• N18, NW18, NW22, NW33, NW44, NW46, NW48, NW58 (Limited Edition)

Brushes:

• 190 Foundation Brush (Permanent)
• 150 Large Powder Brush (Permanent)

I've also been loving using brushes to apply foundations so the 190 looks like it would make a nice addition to my brush family. 

Anyone else having a love affair with tinted moisturizers?

February Faves & not so much {monthly edition}

February by beautyparler on Polyvore.com

Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer in shade beige medium
I bought this after reading all the rave reviews on Makeupalley, just didn't work for me. Firstly, the shade beige medium was way too dark & in all fairness that's not the reason for the negative review. This concealer is a dry, flakey mess, nothing great about it at all. I bought this to use as an under-eye concealer, not as a spot concealer.

Maybelline New York Volum’ Express One-by-One Mascara
Seriously it wasn't my intention to diss Maybelline but what's with the awful formulation lately of their mascaras? Not THE worst mascara but doesn't do anything for my lashes. Just a natural looking lash, no length & no volume. And why does Maybelline keep adding that rose scent to their mascaras, there shouldn't be any fragrance in mascaras, period.

Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies
Same comments apply from above. Except this actually flakes!

Dove Clinically Visibly Smooth Anti-Perspirant
Fantastic! And its not for the minimizing hair effect that I like this its because this deodorant keeps you dry & I LOVE the scent, reminds me of laundry detergent. As for the hair minimizing effect, won't eliminate your hair but I noticed that hair doesn't grow as fast nor as long.

Live Clean Argan Oil Treatment
I didn't like this product at all at first. Why? Wasn't using it properly. This must only be applied to wet hair, although it says its an oil, this emulsifies into a milky liquid & when applied to dry hair doesn't spread properly however on wet hair works great as a leave-in.

Maybelline Colossal Volum Express Mascara
Another fail for maybelline! Too clumpy...

Mary Kay Liquid Foundation Brush
Excellent synthetic hair foundation brush. Foundation & concealer brushes should be synthetic & this new brush from Mary Kay is excellent. No shedding, applies foundation evenly and size is great.

Maybelline Define-A-Brow Eyebrow Pencil
See I do like Maybelline products! Great dupe for MAC brow pencils. Although the shade light brown doesn't match my favourite MAC brow lingering shade, works great for an expensive brow pencil.

What were your favourite or not so favourite beauty products for the month of February?

Fall 2011 beauty trends {sneak peak}

As much as I love the warmer weather I absolutely love Autumn, not just for the layering of clothes but the earth tones which can translate into makeup trends.

green eyshadow at 3.1 Phillip Lim

orange creamy eyeshadow/pale lip at Donna Karan

dark red lip/flawless skin/thick mascara at Gucci

(images via style.com, photographed by Luca Cannonieri/GoRunway.com)

around the World {beauty products}

For those that have been following my blog for some time know that I pick up alot of beauty products from my travels. For those that have recently started following my blog, which by the way thank you, reason for all these travels is due to my job as a flight attendant. Fortunately, my job allows me the luxury of discovering new products that either can't  be found in North America or are way too expensive to ship. Trust me there are alot more products that I love, not just these items. There are such interesting products across the globe, let me know which products you love to buy from far away places! 

So, the box Iberia Protect & to the left of that:
Iberia Protect are from Spain & are laundry sheets that are used in the wash cycle to prevent coloured clothes from bleeding. Also, available in a version to keep clothes white. To the left of it is the German version.

Dove Cream Oil-yes its available in North America but its not the same scent. Trust me on this one, it should be a universal product but there's a difference in scent. Dunno why! 

Shiseido Tsubaki shampoo/conditioner-can't rave about Japanese haircare products enough. Love the gold & red version, not so much their white line. If you search my blog you'l find a couple reviews. 

Fisiogel Liquid Facial Soap-gentle facial cleanser that doesn't strip skin. Found this in Brazil.

Fasio lipstick-another Japanese brand. Nice, creamy, sheer lipstick.

Vaseline Rosy Lips-not available in North America (atleast I haven't seen it). You can find other versions anywhere in the U.K

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream-look for my review in my search widget! Korean brand, actually purchased this off ebay, much cheaper than the Missha store in Hong Kong. 

FANCL-a must have Japanese skincare product. A powdered facial soap that is very gentle. This is a must for a carry-on bag.

Illamasqua-finally available at Sephora, purchased in the U.K. Really good quality cosmetics.

Puresa-paper sheet masks, a travellers dream product to hydrate skin.
Risque-super inexpensive nailpolish from Brazil.
Artdeco Cosmetics-from Germany, a few hidden treasures in this cosmetics line. That's an eyeshadow primer, not the best primer I've used but not the worst.
Heno de Pravia-from Spain, used to be available in Canada but discontinued. Such a shame as I love that scent in any of their bath products.
Loewe Aire perfume-from Spain but available in Europe, Latin America, & Asia. Nice scent for Spring/Summer.
Paul & Joe-can be found at boutique style beauty stores. This was purchased in Hong Kong.
So there you have a run down of a few products I like to grab on my travels!

left over products? {alternative uses}

Admit it, we all have too many beauty/personal care products lying around...impulse shopping will do that. What to do with these products that didn't meet your expectations. Obvious choices are give them to a younger family member to experiment with or try to use them in an alternative method.
A few are obvious:
-lipstick shades that aren't exactly flattering can make great cream blushes
-face creams as hand cream
-clear nailpolish to stop pantyhose run
-colour nailpolish to fix furniture chips/scratches, shoe scratches
Maybe the not so obvious:
-hair shampoo that just didn't suit your hair as hand soap (I do that all the time & my friends always ask where I buy my great smelling hand soap...)
-hair conditioner as shaving cream (I know shampoo & soap work too but the conditioner is much more moisturizing, obviously)
-hand cream to tame flyaways or smooth a ponytail (do this all the time at work as I always have hand cream)
-face cleansing wipes (the pre-moistened ones) that don't work to remove all your makeup are great bathroom counter wipes
-the Purex 3-in-1 laundry sheets (or any other brand) after use such a shame to throw out such a thick sheet so makes a great dust wipe, wash counters, cleaning in general
-Swap! Haven't done this in ages but in the past I swapped quite a few products on makeupalley, but beware there are swap lifters and only swap makeup that can be easily sanitized
I know I'm forgetting an alternative! Anyhow if you know of any not-so-obvious alternatives would love to read about it!
(image collage created with polyvore.com)

Happy Valentine's Day! {Harper's Bazaar}

The mystery that revolves around vampires and their legend is somewhat romantic, no? Harper's Bazaar March'11 issue features a fashion spread shot by Karl Lagerfeld:


"Apparently, I am very scary. But if you get to know me, you see I am very nice. Happily, I don't look like I am." --Lagerfeld
Who are fashion's biggest bloodsuckers? "Boring people." --Lagerfeld

Happy Valentine's Day! Hope your enjoying your day with that special someone. xo
(images: Harper's Bazaar, March 2011) 

Spring cleaning anyone? {interiors}

That time of year is coming around soon...Spring cleaning! Fun right? Ha, not really but the sense of accomplishment and purging brings such relief. Would love to take a few pics of my vanity table but I'd just scare you at the moment...so those will have to wait a couple more months. In the meantime here are a few inspirational images. Who else Spring cleans their closets and/or vanity tables?

Aerin Lauder's dressing room

via House&Home

via House&Home

perfect for small spaces, love the look but not sure if I'd love having my shoes & purses in the bathroom due to the shower steam...

via House&Home

natural light perfect for applying makeup

photo by Michael Graydon

the Easy-Do {Spring 2011}

The bun, the chic and effortless way to style your hair. Also, makes for a good hair day at work (if your paying attention I'm a flight attendant)...glad to see that Spring 2011 has continued with the bun. Although, I don't think it'll ever go out of style.

Nina Ricci Spring2011

Chloe Spring 2011

Jill Sander Spring 2011

my fave lazy day hair, the messy bun

Mara Hoffman Spring 2011

(via fashionologie)

(style.com images photographed by Luca Cannonieri/GoRunway.com)

not so pretty topic {SinuSense review}

When I was first offered to try the Waterpik SinuSense I thought, "well how am I going to fit this into beauty?". Basically, when we feel congested or have a cold we don't feel all that pretty so why not use that angle for my review. Also, when I mentioned to a friend that I was reviewing the SinuSense Water Pulsator he mentioned he uses a Neti Pot (same idea) all the time. I've actually seen the Neti Pot in my mom's washroom but didn't realize that genie-looking pot was for sinus cleansing. The technical stuff:

Eighty-one per cent of Canadians who suffer from sinus related symptoms do not currently use a sinus wash, relying more on over-the-counter medications.  Designed for everyone – from the mild allergy sufferer with minimal symptoms to consumers that rely heavily on their doctors and medications to treat their sinus ailments – SinuSense™ products provide consumers with a natural, easy, effective and BPA-free option for the treatment and prevention of sinus-related symptoms.Water Pulsator (new to the category) is the first and only product of its kind in this category.  The handheld Water Pulsator features a SoftSeal™ nozzle for maximum comfort and is battery powered for a maximum cleanse that reduces sinus congestion and pressure naturally.   The FlowControl™ trigger creates a gentle pulsating stream of water to cleanse, massage and moisturize the sinus passages.

For further info check out the Q&A page on their site!

My review:

At first, it was amusing to use but overall I do find that I breathe better afterwards. Due to my job, flight attendant, sinus congestion can mean a sick day so having a nasal cleansing system as part of my regime makes sense. I don't use this daily, about every two weeks. 

How do use the SinuSense Water Pulsator? Pour the saline powder in distilled warm water in the water chamber, shake a bit, attach the rest of the system and press the trigger. Easy! 

Do any of you use a nasal cleansing system? 

(product was given to review, no financial compensation was paid nor any obligation to review favorably) 

Pari! Pari! {Pari Beauty review}

Any beauty blogger will tell you that the best high is discovering new makeup lines! Introducing Pari Beauty, a professional makeup line used by professional makeup artists. Actually, professional makeup-artist/designer/stylist Cheryl Gushue introduced me to Pari Beauty so I knew right away this was good stuff. Onto the review, on the vanity I have;

Bronzing Powder in shade BP402, a bronze/peach shimmery powder. Glides on super soft and gives a nice healthy looking tanned glow. Comes in a nice sleek black compact with mirror.

Powder Blush in shade BO10, a peachy/pink (more on the peachy scale). Super pigmented, so a little of this powder blush goes along way. Has slight shimmer & adds nice subtle glow to cheeks. Also, looks nice as an eyeshadow.

Angled Rouge Brush #202, soft pony-tail brush. At first couldn't get the hang of this brush because picks up alot of product. I guess it truly is for the pros! But now that I've learned to play around with it, does apply blush nicely.
My only suggestions to Pari Beauty is change the swatch shades on their site as I don't find they're accurate. Thats all because I liked the above products!
For more info or to purchase check out Pari Beauty
Have you heard of Pari Beauty?

January 2011 Faves {monthly edition}

A few of these might be a repeat but when I like something I like...here are my January beauty favourites. This month I took a snapshot of the items as opposed to making a collage. Let me know which format you prefer.
Left-Right;
NeoStrata Daytime Moisture Infusion Cream-new release this month! Lucky for me I received this earlier and  it came at a perfect time as I needed a new daytime moisturizer. Contains a Neostrata patent called Moist 24TM, a unique plant extract that increases skin's moisture by 40%. Ingredients include, mango butter, petrolatum, and glycerin. For a moisturizing product doesn't feel heavy, feels quite light on the skin and pleasant slight fragrance which I like as I don't like the chemical smells of SPFs.

Avon Ideal Shade Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15-in shade light medium, a sheer tint, spreads evenly and perfect for daily use. I've raved about this product before and definitely look into this tinted moisturizer when it goes on sale. As AVON often does! Comes in a 30ml tube which is ideal for travel.

OPI Nail Laquer in shade You Don't know Jacques-an older shade that was released in 2008. Love this muddy taupe shade for Winter. Either for a manicure or pedicure looks great!

MAC Lipglass in shade LoveChild-gorgeous mauve shade with flecks of gold.

Paula's Choice Targeted Acne Relief Toner with 2% Salicylic Acid-this gentle toner is perfect to combat blackheads, 2% salicylic acid is the right amount for me to keep those nasty buggers from returning.

North American Hemp Co. Finishing Smoothing Cream-a creamy milky lotion that smooths flyaways, apply to damp hair and let dry naturally for a nice wave. Contains certified organic hemp seed oil, B5 pro-vitamin, and shea butter. Smells like suntan lotion (in a good way).

What were your January beauty favourites?