Simple Back to School Makeup {budget}

back to school by beautyparler featuring covergirl mascara

Physicians Formula Cashmere Wear Ultra-Smoothing Blush, shade Rose
Every student can use a bit of pink on their cheeks, especially after pulling an all-nighter. This blush is great for the student on a budget!

Cover Girl NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara
Instead of working on your essay you procrastinated watching beauty tutorials on YouTube. Well atleast your in the know because this Cover Girl mascara is on every YouTube must-have beauty list and for good reason. Awesome mascara!

Maybelline BabyLips LipBalm, shade Peach Kiss
So maybe this lipbalm does look a bit teeny bopper (did I just age myself, is that term still in use). Anyhow, I love this stuff. Just a hint of colour and moist lips. Perfect for any girl regardless of age!

Vichy Pureté Thermale Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover
We all know that back in highschool we were too lazy to remove makeup but seriously ladies take the eye makeup off atleast. You'll thank me later in your 30's.

Marcelle BB Cream
Grab yourself a BB cream or tinted moisturizer and skip the heavy foundation. Let your skin breathe, believe me your skin is not bad and enjoy the youthful glow.

Maybelline Define-A-Brow Eyebrow Pencil
Don't touch your brows (atleast just a little clean-up) and fill in the sparse areas with a pencil. Full eyebrows are always in style!

Back to school, the good old days. Late nights working on essays that should have been complete days ago. Staying up late discussing your latest crisis. Don't sweat the small stuff ladies! Especially in the makeup department. Stick to a budget, you'll need the money for university books and lots of lattes. Keep your makeup simple but fresh looking and never let anyone on to the fact that you stayed up last night. Let them all think you always look great! A little pink blush on the cheeks, the blackest mascara and clean streamlined brows is all you need to fool them.
I know I've been there!

Beauty from the Fall 2012 Shows {trends}

My favourite season is around the corner, Fall. Mainly my love is for; the crisp afternoons, leaves falling, the change of colour and of course the fashion. But when it comes to makeup I too tend to change it up a little. I try to hide the bronzer, which usually makes an appearance. In general, I go darker. Darker eye makeup, a darker lip and a darker nail polish. A smokey eye makes more of an appearance as well. I find I tend to wear less makeup in hot weather thus the Fall is also the perfect climate for no melt-downs. What will you be changing for the Fall season?

smokey eye and black liner

{Chanel Couture Fall 2012}

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the perfect red lip

{Jean Paul Gaultier Fall Couture 2012}

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bleached brows and a dark lip

{Gucci Fall 2012 Ready-to-Wear}

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a smokey eye only

{Jason Wu Fall 2012 Ready-to-Wear}

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(images: sources attached to link via style.com, photographer: Luca Cannonieri for GoRunway.com)

MAC Carine Roitfeld-Preview {Fall 2012}

So what has the former editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris conjured up at MAC Cosmetics? Back in April news of Carine Roitfeld's collaboration with MAC Cosmetics hit the beauty circuit. Her signature smokey eye would be the focus of the MAC Carine Roitfeld Collection, also included full face products and tools.


A few products that I have my soon-to-be smokey eye on are:

Desert Camouflage Palette

$52 CDN

Eyebrow pencil in Brunette

$18 CDN

Mineralize Concealer in NC33

$24 CDN

Studio Fix BoldBlack Lash

$19 CDN

Tropical Mist Lipstick

$20 CDN

UnderFire Red Nail Lacquer

$21 CDN

MAC Carine Roitfeld Collection available in North America September 6, 2012 & Internationally October 2012

(images courtesy of MAC Cosmetics)

Festival of Flowers-Medellin, Colombia {Travel Tuesday}

One social event that is a must to attend is the annual Feria de las Flores. The Festival of Flowers is an explosion of colour, the festival occurs every August and lasts for ten days. Within those ten days; the city is under a siege of flowers, parties, and a must-see parade. Having purchased tickets for the Desfile de Silleteros parade in advance, I was excited to partake in a cultural parade of flowers, music and good company.

TIP: its not necessary to purchase tickets to see the parade but tickets guarantee a better and comfortable view. Included are; a snack, covered benched area, access to washrooms. My ticket also included a traditional straw hat, cloth bag and flowers.

The Desfile of Silleteros is a parade of flower arrangements made by local farmers, these arrangements are placed on silletas. These silletas are wooden chair backpacks, that traditionally were used by the farmers to bring their flowers to market. Prizes are given for the prettiest flower arrangements which fall in various categories including arrangements by children. Truly a sight to see and smell as the scent of flowers fills the air.

(images: cannot be reproduced without my permission)

who wants ice cream? {Mulberry S/S 2012}

Just when I thought the Summer heat was surely gone and I could get in stores to shop for Fall. These past few days have been so hot and humid I don't even want to think about layering for the crisp coolness of Fall. The Mulberry campaign for Spring/Summer 2012 sums up how I feel today...like a melting ice cream.

images by photographer Tim Walker

for Mulberry S/S 2012

Have you started your Fall shopping?

Vichy Normaderm Hydrating Acne Care {Review & Giveaway}

Vichy is one of those skincare lines that seldom disappoints and they have answered my prayers with their latest product. Vichy's Normaderm Hydrating Acne Care is an oil-free moisturizer that is light weight, creamy gel texture, that actually hydrates but doesn't leave skin oily. As a woman in my mid-thirties I still get clogged pores and blackheads in the t-zone area and most products targeted towards acne related problems tend to be too watery and not hydrating enough so I end up layering too many products to get the results I want.
What makes this product so different and effective:
3 active ingredients

• Salicylic Acid (a must for me) in a 1% strength, a great ingredient for unclogging pores
• Glycolic Acid penetrates into the pores, stimulates skin regeneration, anti-bacterial properties
• LHA which gently exfoliates the surface of the skin & stimulates regeneration, purifies the skin

A plus is actually works well under makeup, almost like a primer because it has a mattifying effect. The Vichy Normaderm Hydrating Acne Care will be a skincare staple this Fall in my beauty regime.

GIVEAWAY!!
Two lucky readers will receive one 50ml bottle each of Vichy Normaderm Hydrating Acne Care
retail value $29.95 cdn
Must be residents of Canada
deadline: September 7
(image: vichy.ca)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Summer 2012 Faves: Hair Edition

Summer Faves:hair edition by beautyparler featuring a haircare

DermOrganic Leave-In Treatment with argan oil
I have raved about this argan oil leave-in treatment before but have to rave again as this product is awesome! I found mine at Winners but available at most hair salons or specialty haircare stores. Doesn't leave hair oily, tames frizzies, and works on both dry and wet hair.

Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo
Again another product I have raved about. Inexpensive, sulfate-free, moisturizing shampoo that smells amazing. Love this stuff! Need I write more?

Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Conditioner
The beach did havoc on my hair and having tried Carol's Daughter in the past I was slightly hesitant as I had tried a Carol's Daughter shampoo (discontinued) & wasn't thrilled. This on the other hand is the right amount of moisture I need; creamy, leaves hair manageable in water, and conditioning. Smells fantastic!!

Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Shampoo
I had a samples of this Ojon shampoo and took this with me to the beach portion of my trip. Although its not sulfate-free my hair really liked it! Washed off all the ocean water and sand from my hair without leaving my hair tangled. 

Sebastian Potion 9 Hair Treatment 
This is an old fave! I have been using this on-&-off for over 10 years. The only way I use this product is on wet hair and then I let it air dry in a loose bun or clip. It will not work well for me any other way. Don't blow dry, don't style afterwards, and don't air dry loose. Hair will dry beautifully if you do the above; again after applying it let air dry but in a loose bun or clipped. Trust me on this one!

Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Hair Lotion
A super inexpensive product, easily found at most drugstores or mass retailers. My hairdresser Eva Therese uses this so of course I had to buy it! Apply to ends of hair while wet and a dime-size on dry hair around the hairline. Works well as a smoothing agent when you want to wear in a sleek ponytail.

My most used Summer haircare products, a mix of high-end and budget friendly. Meaning you don't have to spend a fortune on gorgeous conditioned hair. Of course take into account; I have thick, dry, wavy hair. After hair is washed I tend to mix the hair lotions with oils and make my own concoction and layer more if needed. 
What were your Summer hair favourites?

el Totumo Volcano-Cartagena, Colombia {Travel Tuesday}

What can be more soothing and calm than a face mask? Your body immersed in a volcano mud bath! On my recent trip to Colombia, one tour my husband and I really wanted to take was the El Totumo tour.

Located 45 minutes outside of Cartagena, Colombia this little volcano at aprox. 49 feet tall is a tourist attraction. Tourists emerge themselves in a volcano mud bath for a total body spa experience. However, don't expect luxury.

We booked our tour with our hotel, Arsenal Hotel, and they had the tour company Mary Tours pick us up at our hotel in the afternoon. Once you arrive you can either lock up your personal belongings in a locker or leave it on the tour bus which the driver locks. You proceed to the stairs, leave your flip-flops at the bottom, and wait your turn to enter the mud bath. Depending on how many tourists are there you can have a bit of a wait. About 30 other tourists end up in the mud bath at one time, which gets pretty cramped. But nonetheless hilarious as you try to balance and float yourself upright expect to get knocked around.

Part of the tour includes a body message in the mud-bath by locals. And pictures are taken by one local who holds every camera and somehow is able to remember which camera belongs to which tourist. Bring change for tips as these locals survive on El Totumo's tourism.

After the mud bath, which lasts about 30 minutes, depending how many tourists are in line. You descend the volcano from another set of stairs and proceed to the lake where you can have a local help you wash off the mud.
After, you proceed to the tour bus. There is a unisex change area and outside shower, but not much time is given to dry off. Hence, bring a towel and cotton beach clothing that is easy to change into.
TIP: take the afternoon tour as less tourists
Overall, the El Totumo tour was one of our highlights of our trip and would highly recommend the tour to anyone in the Cartagena area.
How to get there:

• take one of the tours that the hotel offers, price $30 cdn (approx)
• a taxi is also another option but make sure you ask the driver to wait for you as you won't be able to get a taxi afterwards as in a remote area

What to bring:

• towel and beach attire (bring a bikini that you don't mind getting stained as it took me a few days to get the mud out of mine)
• camera
• change for tips
• and no valuables (other than the camera) which I had no problem, give it to the local who is in charge of the cameras

Have you ever taken a volcano mud-bath?

Cutest Darling in Hollywood {Lily Collins}

Tantrums, D.U.I, flashing your panty shots, ah Hollywood has seen it all with the young starlets of today. However, one young lady that has a bright future is actress Lily Collins, yes that darling with the fabulous eyebrows, and her dad musician Phil Collins is pretty cool too. Being hand-picked by Victoria Beckham to appear in Glamour's September issue is a huge compliment.

On being chosen by Victoria Beckham to appear in Glamour…

"I was so honored! I grew up adoring the Spice Girls. And you can’t touch her when it comes to fashion. She owns every outfit she wears. I don’t know how she handles all of those kids—and in heels!"

Her approach to makeup…

"Less is more. When I travel to Europe, I go days without putting anything on. It feels healthier. I just never understood the idea of caking it on. The more you have on your face, the more there is to smudge and go wrong."

On her signature eyebrows…

"Big brows weren’t the look in L.A., where I grew up. But my mom instilled in me that it’s the quirky things that make you beautiful."

On what she has learned working with Hollywood's most beautiful women…

"With Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts, Julianne Moore, and Jennifer Connelly, they weren’t fussy with hair and makeup. They all exude this inner and outer beauty. I learned that no matter how big you get, it’s still important not to let anything go to your head."

Lily Collins has two upcoming movies, The English Teacher and the adaptation of the sci-fi trilogy Mortal Instruments.

(Photo/Fashion Credits: Photographed by Nicholas Moore, Lily Collins wears a knit dress by REDValentino, a Tory Burch hairpin and Chanel Fine Jewelry earrings; a Carven dress and collar, a Tory Burch headband and Tiffany & Co. earrings) 

the latest Cover Girl...Janelle Monáe

One main reason I like the Cover Girl ads are that they don't just use professional models. Cover Girl chooses their girls wisely.  The Cover Girl belief is that their latest choice will encourage women to channel their artistic powers to play, change, and  transform their style. The latest Cover Girl to join the brand is Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Janelle Monae.

“I believe it’s time that women truly owned their superpowers and used their beauty and strength to change the world around them,” said Monáe. “One of my core values is to help redefine what it means to be a strong and beautiful woman in the music and fashion worlds and to empower the wonderful things that make us unique. Becoming a COVERGIRL is truly an honor and a gift: it opens up a new platform for me to inspire women to feel stronger, braver and more beautiful inside and out.”

The ads will be seen this Fall, look for a spread in the September issue of Vogue.
(source & images: P&G, MSLGroup)

Welcome Back!!

It has been a week since I arrived from my getaway to Colombia. More pictures and exciting discoveries to share with you from my trip in the weeks to come. From jumping into a volcano to discovering secluded beaches....
In most part everyone loves to travel, right? There are countless reasons as to why one travels and obviously for myself its not only a job requirement but a passion. Nonetheless, as much as I love to discover new places and meeting new friends its also an amazing feeling coming home.
Travel makes you...

appreciate where you come from
every time I travel I am thankful to live in an amazing country such as Canada
the opportunities my country has provided allows me to travel
when I travel & others ask, where you from? I proudly say Canada! the response has always been positive
nothing better than coming home to your own bed....

And on a side note I also missed blogging...
Do you love coming home after a vacation? What do you miss about your home while travelling?