Is your skin ready for Spring? {Palmer's Giveaway}

Tired of the cold and dry Canadian winter? I know I am but my skin is not quite ready for Winter. If your not ready either enter my Palmer’s® Cocoa Butter Formula® Skin Therapy Oil giveaway (now try that as a tongue twister..kidding). Palmer's has introduced a new therapy oil to their skincare line; Palmer’s® Cocoa Butter Formula® Skin Therapy Oil, its a preservative-free, non-greasy lightweight formula that can be used on face &/or body. Helps improve the appearance of stretch marks, scars, blemishes, hydrates skin, and doesn't leave residue on clothes. I have yet to try it so who ever wins my giveaway would love to hear feedback!

Details:
Palmer’s® Cocoa Butter Formula® Skin Therapy Oil
a Palmer’s® Cocoa Butter Formula® Swivel Stick
a travel bag (isn't it so cute with the little airplane zipper)
eye mask and comfy throw blanket
$25 value
Deadline:
April 4th, 2011 midnight-CONTEST NOW CLOSED
Only OPEN to residents of Canada
Please enter here on my blog, one entry only!
Just let me know what you do to get your skin ready for Spring.
Goodluck!


And the Winner is....(using random.org)
AGNES please email me your snail mail + phone # for shipping purposes only
CONGRATULATIONS! And thank you to all that entered:)
Visit Palmer's at Palmers.com or their Facebook page 
(image via palmers.com)

wanted! {O.P.I nailpolish)

What happens when beauty bloggers &/or beauty editors get together at events? We admire the latest PR promotional items that we're wearing which have reached our mail boxes before items hit the streets. Case in point, at a recent beauty event (unrelated to O.P.I) beauty editor Carole from Front Row Mag, pretty little hands were typing away on her blackberry when I gasped at her (she must've thought I was crazy). Her nails had the prettiest muted sage nailpolish I'd ever seen, nailpolish in question was Stranger Tides from O.P.I's Pirates of the Caribbean Collection. That same day I went back frantically searching my inbox looking for my O.P.I "dealer" only to realize I was too late in requesting a sample, they were out. Anyhow, I'll just have  to wait like till the collection comes out in May.  If you want to see the shade Stranger Tides head over to Makeup Junkie's blog where Joy has posted a review! What do you think of the shade?

(image O.P.I)

take a tour {Sex & the City-On Location Tours}

Being a fan of the Sex and the City show, more so than the movies, I realized this past weekend that I actually suck at SATC trivia. This realization occurred this past Saturday in New York on a bus full of out-of-town ladies (me included) on a On Location Tour of Sex and the City hotspots. Get a bus full of; Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha characters makes for an interesting morning! There I was Saturday morning, one eye open and the other still sleeping (I was in town searching for my wedding gown, follow Bonita Bride for more details) with my New York native friend running to make the 10:15am pick-up time near the steps of The Plaza Hotel. Thankfully Emily the tour guide was wide awake and her morning enthusiasm was welcoming as an alarm clock. She was great and SATC knowledgeable, like really knowledgeable. I feel like watching all the old episodes now! Without giving all the tour details away, here's the breakdown of what to expect;

• 3.5 hour tour which includes a bit of walking (goes by really fast & an excellent way to get to know New York city in general) 
• have a cupcake like Carrie & Miranda did! 
• drink a cosmo at "Scout", the bar owned by Aidan, great way to wash down the previous cupcake (or two)!
• visit the church where Samantha meets "The Friar", such a darling little church!
• see the furniture store where Aidan designed his pieces
• shop at the store where Charlotte bought her "Rabbit"
• stop at Buddakan, where Carrie & Big's wedding rehearsal dinner took place. Gorgeous venue!
• see much more!

yummy cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery

cosmos at Scout

Buddakan

Such an enjoyable way to finish my mini NYC getaway & I made it on time to the airport to catch my flight.
Finally, thanks to On Location Tours for such a fabulous time. They sponsored a giveaway last year on my blog and I'm glad I finally got to go on the tour!
(top image via HBO.com, no affiliation with the tour company)

New York state of mind {travel}

Feels like this month is flying by...was hoping to write-up lots of posts but time is not on my side. Wedding planning is in full swing, head over to Bonita Bride for the latest, if you haven't already. Off to New York City tomorrow, specifically Kleinfelds (the famous bridal store from TLC's "Say Yes to the Dress"), to find a dress. Although, I have found a few bridal dresses recently in Toronto that are spectacular. Decisions, decisions...Hope to be back to full blogging duties soon as I miss my little blog and all your wonderful comments.
xo
Monica
(image via Merci: New York, photographer: BrianDeMello)

Simply Flawless {Spring 2011 Makeup trends-part2}

I have a confession to make...I normally don't wear alot of makeup! Yup, that's right. Perhaps you assumed a beauty blogger loves to wear lots of makeup but nope not moi. Oddly enough I favour a clean, fresh, no-makeup look, flawless skin is achieved by application technique and not masking flaws. If you notice in the images, skin is the standout feature. For me, the perfect foundation or tinted moisturizer, blush and mascara are my go-to products. Forget eyeshadow, I rarely apply it. Could be because no matter which eye primer I use eyeshadow slides right off so I don't bother using it except for special occasions. What is your everyday look?

Photo: Luca Cannonieri / GoRunway.com

Balmain Spring RTW 2011

Photo: Luca Cannonieri / GoRunway.com

Anna Sui Spring RTW 2011

Photo: Luca Cannonieri / GoRunway.com

Calvin Klein Colection Spring RTW 2011

Photo: Luca Cannonieri / GoRunway.com

Versace RTW Spring 2011

(images via style.com)

add a serum! {Yves Rocher, Mary Kay, In & Out}

How do you use serum? Me, two ways; either as a moisturizer in humid weather or under my usual moisturizer in cold/dry weather. My favourite serums are formulas that are milky and/or creamy gel-like lotions. I dislike straight gel-like clear fluids as I find that they feel tacky on my combination skin however those with oily skin will benefit from that type of formula as they feel light. Thus, I have three options here to show you;

 In&Out Different Beauty: Phenomenal Anti-Age day and night serum-this serum isn't cheap so read on. First, the ingredients list which I decided to copy & paste because quite frankly couldn't write it better.

- The exclusive Anti-Age IN&OUT complex made of vitamins and ingredients - restores moisture and elasticity to the skin.- The exclusive IN&OUT Anti-Aging Essential Oils comprised of Ylang Ylang, Clary Sage and Chamomile - This unique blend of oils delivers vital moisture and comfort the skin while promoting cell regeneration.
- Vitamins A & E - Antioxidants that help to slow the visible signs of aging.
- Wheat Germ Extract, Carrot Seed Oil, Superoxide Dismutase - Natural botanicals that calm and moisturize the skin in-depth.
- Artemia Salina Extract - using biotechnology, an ingredient extracted from sea plankton that stimulates the synthesis of keratin and collagen and protects the skin against environmental stress and UV-B.
- Palmitoyl Pentapeptide - This non-toxic peptide complex helps prevent the breakdown of collagen and elastin for firmer skin.

My thoughts: in all honestly I wasn't that impressed with this serum for one reason. Just didn't like the feel of the product, felt tacky and for that reason couldn't review it properly. With that I also want to be fair by stating that this product (as mentioned before) would definitely work well on oily skin simply for the fact that this is a clear gel-like formula. How do I know this because when I was in my teens I had oily skin & loved the feel of these type of formulas. Also add that I am mentioning this product as the ingredient list looks impressive & usually anti-aging products tend to be thick & moisturizing so for those that are in the oily skin category would love to hear your thoughts.
Mary Kay TimeWise® Replenishing Serum+C-ok I'm a big fan of Mary Kay products! I've raved about this serum with vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) before & a proper review was due. Why vitamin C? Its an antioxidant, acts as a defense against free-radicals and promotes the formation of collagen. Packaging of vitamin C in skincare products is vital because if not packaged properly it can break down its effectiveness. This Mary Kay product comes in an air-tight opague vial with a pump-type dispenser (don't bother with vitamin C products that come in jar-like or clear containers). Also, love the feel of this milky lotion leaves skin glowy.  Been using this for over a year, which means its a HG (holy grail) product.
Yves Rocher Elixir 7.9-is an intensive power packed paraben-free serum made with 7 plant extracts and 9 anti-aging patents. Can be used on a daily basis or as a one-month treatment (which is how I use it). Comes in a dropper-style bottle and one milky drop is all you need. For further info click on the link placed in the product title. I'm not going to say this little bottle is the fountain of youth but I will add that my skin looks smoother and hydrated when combined with a regular moisturizer. Look for it when its on sale as it's a great addition to your skincare routine. 
I think its important for women to realize that no matter what products promise there is no stopping us from getting older, wrinkles will form. However, proper skincare and using SPF products over serums will aid in achieving the best skin for you. 
Do you use a serum? 

Mary Kay Time Wise {event & review}

Last month Mary Kay released a series of new products to create a flawless face; Mary Kay TimeWise® Luminous-Wear™ Liquid Foundation &  TimeWise® Matte-Wear Liquid Foundation, Mary Kay® Liquid Foundation Brush (a February monthly favourite), and Mary Kay® Foundation Primer (really nice primer). Professional and fabulous makeup artist Diana Carreiro (read my exclusive interview with Diana here) was demonstrating the new foundations on models at the event and offering tips. 

Diana's tips;
1-colour  match your foundation properly by testing the shade on you neck, not on your hand nor on your face. Foundation is meant to match your skin not meant to be used to darken nor lighten. That's what blushes and bronzers are for.
2-to apply foundation use a synthetic foundation brush
3-all you really need is a little product, she used about a dime-size amount for the whole face. We use far too much foundation than is necessary.

I was colour matched to Ivory 3 however once I got home I realized this shade was a tad off for me...but I wanted to use it as I love the formula of the Mary Kay TimeWise® Luminous-Wear™ Liquid Foundation. Since, I have combination skin I was given both formulas to use however I've been loving the Luminous Wear I haven't even tried the Matte Wear. As mentioned the shade was a tad light therefore I've been using it underneath my eye area in an upside triangle to brighten up that area and just using another foundation/tinted moisturizer on the rest of my face. The foundations contain collagen-building peptides (bonus: I like that!) and vitamin E, the Luminous Wear one is oil-free, non-comedogenic, contains jojoba oil. Good for normal to dry skin, doesn't feel like your wearing any foundation, offers light to medium dewy coverage and the texture reminds me of a tinted moisturizer but more pigmented. The only disadvantage of the product is the packaging, this is a personal preference but I prefer foundations in a pump style or flip top clear bottle. 
Retail $23 cdn & available at Mary Kay
Mary Kay® Foundation Primer, an oil-free gel formula, fragrance-free and non-comedogenic. As I don't wear primers often I do appreciate a good primer for those special occasions and I'll definitely be wearing this on my wedding day. Feels lightweight, non-greasy, and smooths out your pores and *cough* slight wrinkles.
Retail $20 cdn & available at Mary Kay
Anyone else love Mary Kay? Which MK products do you like?