ALIVE!!

Yes I am still alive! Just taking a temporary hiatus for the Summer.
Will be back soon!!!

Much Love,
Nunu.

She to Shic Beauty Lounge and BookingNest

Summer is finally making an appearance in Vancouver, and that means it's sandal season! Although sandal season has always historically coincided with unsightly feet season, it need no longer be that way!
BookingNest is a brand new Vancouver based website that allows you to book appointments with wellness and beauty professionals. Think OpenTable, but with spas, hair salons, fitness instructors, and  massage therapists instead of restaurants! BookingNest allows you to find professionals offering the service you want in your area, view their real time availability and instantly book an appointment with them online, any time.
Currently they have over 90 professionals located throughout the greater Vancouver area, treating yourself to some pamper time has never been easier!

BookingNest recently approached me to review one of their members, so with my feet in desperate need of a pedicure, I toddled off to She to Shic Beauty Lounge in Kerrisdale.

The first thing I noticed when I walked into She to Shic Beauty Lounge was the scent, specifically the absence of that chemical scent usually associated with nail salons, instead the air smelled of luscious fresh citrus. This is because She to Shic prides itself in being the first completely green and eco-friendly beauty lounge in Vancouver. All their products are organic and contain no formaldehydes, preservatives or dyes. Because of this expectant mums and little princesses can visit worry free!
In addition to the usual manicures and pedicures, She to Shic also offer waxing, lash extensions, and hair and makeup services.

No dark and dingy interiors here! The award winning design includes plenty of natural lighting and open airy spaces. The decor is minimalist yet comfy (I so wanted to take a snooze in their loungers!). The nail stations are situated across from a big screen tv and there is a good selection of new releases they can pop in for your viewing pleasure.
I got to experience their classic pedicure which included a scented soak, shaping and buffing, cuticle cleaning (much needed!), a sugar scrub, lotion massage (glorious and you get to chose your own scent!) and polish application. You even get to take home the orange stick and nail file and all just for the sweet price of $35!

Spa Ritual polish is the salon's nail polish of choice, the polishes are vegan friendly in addition to being 3 free. Should you desire something more longer lasting than conventional polish they also offer gel polish.
For my pedicure I chose a gorgeous bright pink called Dreamsicle. In the interest of keeping this blog feet free, I will spare you photos of Sheryn's handiwork, but let me assure you that my toes are tres pretty and that despite the pedicure being over a week ago, the polish is still fresh and glossy looking with minimal wear.
Thank you BookingNest and She to Shic Beauty Lounge!! I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and can't wait to go back!
She to Shic Beauty Lounge
2315 W 41st Avenue
Vancouver, BC

Make your appointment with She to Shic Beauty Lounge at BookingNest.com

L'Oreal Miss Candy (US version Spring/Summer 2013) Color Infallible eyeshadow swatches

I had to whine ultra hard to a friend in the US to get my hands on these so you guys better appreciate it.
Whilst a similar collection was released in Canada under the name of "Miss Pop", the Canadian collection lacked the Infallible eyeshadows that were a part of the US collection. To further add to the confusion, a collection called Miss Candy was released in Canada and the UK IN 2012.
Contrary to my speculations, Dive Right In was not a dupe for Innocent Turquoise. It is lighter than Innocent Turquoise, bordering on silver, and the formula is smoother than Innocent Turquoise. Cherie Merie was also not a dupe for either Pepsi Coral or Magnetic Coral, it is darker and also lacks their flecks of gold and fuchsia respectively. Strawberry Blonde is an iridescent light pink, pigmentation is poor and it applies patchy and crumbly. With A Twist light purple reminiscent of grape gummies. It has a pink flash in the light.
If I wasn't such a hoarder I would probably only get With A Twist and Cherie Merie if I didn't have Pepsi Coral or Magnetic Coral.
I think I paid just under $10 including tax each.

With A Twist:

From left: With A Twist and Purple Obsession

Strawberry Blonde:

From left: Naughty Strawberry and Strawberry Blonde

Dive Right In

From left: Innocent Turquoise; Dive Right In; and Endless Sea

Cherie Merie

From left: Pepsi Coral; Cherie Merie; and Magnetic Coral

Clinique A Different Nail Enamel for Sensitive Skins review + swatches

Clinique has decided to re-enter the nail polish world with their new A Different Enamel for Sensitive Skins. Yes, that is apparently its full and proper name xD.
From their promo material:

"Did you know a person touches their eyes on average 200 times a day? With all that comes in contact with
hands and fingers throughout the day, there are many culprits that can irritate the eyes. Did you know that
nail enamel can cause irritation and even contact dermatitis on the suspectibly thin skin around the eye?
Amongst the dermotological community, nail enamel is also considered a significant allergen source for
periorbital dermatitis - a facial rash that develops around the lower and upper eyelids. People who suffer from these conditions often-times do not realize the connection between touching and rubbing the eye area, and fresh manicures."

After 3 years of research and a further 3 years of product development, Clinique has finally debuted their Different Enamel for Sensitive Skin.  
I personally don't suffer from any sensitivity towards chemicals in nail polish so I can't really comment as to whether or not these polishes perform as claimed, however, the final formula underwent a 1 month trial on women with sensitive skin and eyes and is also approved by dermatologists and ophthalmologists.
Unfortunately my press samples did not come with an ingredient list for these polishes. I have made a request for them from Clinique's PR and will update this post when I receive them. Since majority of nail polishes nowadays are "3 Free", meaning they are free of Dibutyl Phthalate, Formaldehyde and Toluene, it would be interesting to see what other chemicals Clinique has eliminated from their version. 
Formula wise, the creme finish polishes verge slightly on the thick side, the jelly finishes are lovely and trouble free as always and the foil finish was even and streak free. All the shades I tested were 2 coat opaque. Unlike some of the organic/vegan polishes I have tested in the past *cough* Spa Ritual *cough*, these Clinique polishes all had a decent wear time. I was able to wear them for 5+ days with minimal tip wear.
There are 12 permanent shades and 9 limited edition shades for the Summer (my favourite is Really Rio!!!).
At $18 for 8.9ml/0.3oz of product it is on the pricey side, and I still don't really know how these differ from the other 3 Free polishes out there but if skin sensitivity is a concern of yours, or if you're trying to cut out harsh chemicals from your beauty products, then definitely check these polishes out.
Available from May 2013 for CAN$18 from Clinique counters, Clinique.com and Sephora

All swatches are done without topcoat.
Really Rio (Creme)

 Pinkini (Creme)

 Sweet Tooth (Jelly)

 Hula Skirt (Creme)

Red Red Red (Jelly)

Black Honey (Jelly)

Strappy Sandals (Metallic foil)

Flower Beauty Color Play Creme eyeshadow swatch and review

I swear I had no intentions to collect these, it just happened...somehow. The silver lining is that I can provide you guys with swatches of the entire line xD.
From the Flower Beauty website:

• Enriched with Vitamin E for antioxidant protection
• Long-wearing formula
• Water-infused, weightless finish
• Lid-smoothing texture
• Buildable, blendable coverage
• Moves beautifully during application then sets without creasing
• Easily removed with make-up remover

All Flower Beauty products are made in the USA and not tested on animals. Currently the Flower Beauty collection is available exclusively at US Walmart stores. No word yet as to when or if they will be available in their Canadian counterpart.
The Color Play Creme eyeshadows are available in 12 shades and retails for a paltry $7.98 each. True to the brand's philosophy of affordable luxury, the small price tag belies a great little product.

The heavy glass packaging with the brand's characteristic rose gold accent is unassumingly elegant and more typical of a high end product than a drugstore brand. Under the lid lies a plastic keeper, much like those found inside the L'Oreal Infalliable Color eyeshadows. This keeper is the source of all my antagonism towards this product. Unless you are extremely careful every time you remove or replace this keeper, you'll end up with a huge mess on your hands because there's either a big blob of eyeshadow stuck to the bottom of it or you're rescuing it from its half sunken position in the jar. I'm mighty tempted to just do away with the keeper but then it will probably dry up like my Chanel Illusion D'ombre -______-;
The texture the Color Play eyeshadows is unlike anything else I've seen on the market. They are not as firm as the MUFE Aqua Creams or the Chanel Illusion D'Ombres, but also not as liquidy as the MAC Big Bounce, instead they have the consistency like that of a dense whipped mousse. Also unlike the MUFE and Chanel cream shadows, these never really dry down to a powder finish and for those with oily eyelids, the dewy finish might mean some creasing without use of a primer. I personally experienced some slight settling of this product in the creases of my eyelid when worn without a primer.
I found the pigmentation of these eyeshadows to be superior to that of the Chanel Illusion D'Ombres but not as intense as the MUFE Aqua Creams or Maybelline Color Tattoos. The darker shades definitely have more colour payoff compared to the lighter shades such as Lilac You A Lot. I think the reason why this product doesn't receive much love from MakeUpAlley is because it takes a bit of patience to make it work. I apply using my fingers, the tiniest bit of product is enough to cover your entire eyelid, I pat it on, I don't blend it out too much and I wait about half a minute between each layer. Due to their creaminess, these eyeshadows have a lot of slippage so it's very easy to over blend. Use gentle patting instead of the ol' back and forth windscreen wiper action. They are definitely a softer look but they can be sheered out for a light wash of colour or built up for vibrancy. They can used on their own or as a base for powder eyeshadow. On me they last about 5/6 hours before any noticeable fading without primer.
I want to call these the poor (wo)man's version of Chanel Illusion D'Ombres (and in fact several of the shades are passable dupes for the Illusion D'ombres! Orchid-ing Around = Illusoire; Midnight Garden = Mirifique; Awesome Blossom = Ebloui; Rest On Your Laurel = Fantasme) but with better pigmentation. I haven't been this excited about an eyeshadow line since the L'Oreal Infallibles and definitely recommend that you try them out if you come across them.

Swatches from left: Awesome Blossom; Flirty Floret; Lilac You A Lot; and Wild Geranium.

Swatches from left: Mum's The Word; Vine Of The Times; Good As Mari-gold and Cocoa Camelia.

Swatches from left: Orchid-ing Around; Rest On Your Laurel; Time Willow Tell and Midnight Garden.

After 8hrs of wear:

BeautyMate Anti-Blemish Repairing Nano Mask review

I must be on my 6th box of these masks by now so it's really high time for me to review them.
Whenever I have a particularly nasty breakout, the first thing I do is slap on one of these masks. After a single use, the swelling and redness is noticeably lessened and after the 2nd application the pimple is almost completely flat. My pimple healing time has pretty much been cut down to 3 days. Damn, where were these during my teenage years where I would inevitably breakout just before an important event?!

Observe, the photo diary of a pimple:

  Day 1 ---------------------------->Day 2------------------------------>Day 3

After 2 applications. Tada!

The BeautyMate Anti-Blemish mask comes in a box of 7 individually wrapped masks and retails for $7.70 on Sasa.com (they go OOS pretty often so stock up!). Each mask comes packaged with a perforated backing sheet and is loaded with serum. The cut of the mask fits my face pretty well, but I have a quite a wide face so maybe those with a smaller face might find it too big. I especially like how the eye holes have additional slits on the sides so that those with wider set eyes won't suffer the fate of having serum drip into their eyes because the holes are too small.
I experience some mild stinging whenever I use this mask, I'm not sure which ingredient is causing this but since it goes away after a few minutes and I don't break out in hives or anything, I'm willing to endure a few minutes of stinging for the sake of clear skin.
I usually keep the mask on for 30-40 minutes. Other than pimple zapping abilities, this mask also brightens and hydrates. The brightening effect is, however, temporary,
If you suffer from breakouts, I definitely recommend giving this mask a try!

Ingredients and instructions:

Flower Beauty Balm BB Cream review

Flower Beauty is a new cosmetics line launched by Hollywood actress Drew Barrymore. With a focus on affordable luxury, all products are priced under $15.
Currently available exclusively in US Walmarts, the entire line is made in the USA and products are not tested on animals. No word yet on when or if the line will be available at Canadian Walmarts, but I have been seeing bits and pieces pop up on E(vil)bay.
I managed to pick up a few items from the line and will be reviewing them in the next few weeks (with luck heh).
The Flower Beauty Balm BB Cream is available in 4 shades and retails for $12.98.
From the Walmart website:

"Flower Beauty Balm BB Cream can be used daily to eliminate skin dullness. It covers imperfections, pores and discolorations.

Flower Beauty Balm BB Cream:

• Smoothes and softens skin
• Helps eliminate unwanted shine
• Primer, foundation, and concealer in 1
• Talc free"

 Hide yo kids, hide yo wife and hide yo husband for the before photo:

 After:

 Look left, look right:

After about 5 or 6 hours of wear time:

I've been using this BB Cream for the past 2 weeks and haven't been able to stop raving about it!
I got shade 01 and find it a bit too light for my NC20ish skin so I either use bronzer or mix it with a darker foundation if I want a better colour match, however, the colour difference isn't severe and it gets less noticeable after a while (oxidation perhaps?). Definitely look into shade 01 if you have fair, yellow toned skin. Next time I'll try 02.
Texture wise it reminds me a bit of the Coffret D'or Soft Gel Foundation, it's quite thick and feels almost like a gel. It's definitely not like thin tinted moisturisers that Western cosmetics brands have been passing as a BB cream.
Due to the thicker formula, it does feel a little heavier than some of my lighter foundations and takes longer to set. A little goes a long way with this BB cream, too much and it'll look cakey and mask-like, especially on areas with dryer skin such as the under eye area. I use a wide, flat top brush and work from the middle of my face outwards. I did find that it required a bit more work to blend and that if you don't blend it well, it has a tendency to sink into fine lines.
I would rate the coverage as medium and buildable, most redness and imperfections are covered by this BB cream alone without the addition of concealer. Finish is matte.
Unlike Asian BB creams the Flower Beauty Balm BB cream does not have any skincare properties or SPF.
The oil control of the BB cream is amazing, the matte finish lasts about 6 hours before it started showing shine. For reference I had this on from 7am in the morning and this was what I looked like by 9pm after a full day of work and a heavy cardio class with no blotting:

Close up:

Pros:

• Amazing oil control;
• Great coverage;
• Long lasting; 
• Yellow based;
• Lightest shade will match palest of the pale;
• Affordable.

Cons:

• Small colour range;
• Thicker formula;
• Not available outside of America;
• No SPF;
• Contains parabens and silicones;

I really love this BB cream for it's oil control properties and its long-lasting ability and would recommend the Flower Beauty Balm BB Cream for anyone with oily or combination skin looking for an affordable Western BB cream.

p.s Don't forget to enter my contest to win $100 worth of Shu Uemura products! Last day for entry is 30 April, 2013!

Giveaway time!!! Win $100 of Shu Uemura products!!

Internationally renowned Japanese cosmetics brand Shu Uemura recently launched their Canadian e-boutique. The entire range of Shu Uemura and Shu Uemura Art of Hair products are now available on shuuemura.ca!!
This is awesome news for those of us who don't live near a Holt Renfrew or prefer to do their shopping in their pajamas...or in a vengeful rage from the office at 9pm on a weekend...
To celebrate the opening of their e-boutique, Shu Uemura has given yours truly, $100 worth of products to give away to one lucky blog reader!
Sooooo, what would you pick?

 Their famous cleansing oil?

 Their amazing eyelash curler?

Some of their beautiful lashes?

(psst you can get the curler plus TWO pairs of lashes for under $100!)

Their new, highly squee-worthy, ob collection?

 Or maybe even something from their Art of Hair range?

The choice is up to you! Because as winner, you will receive your choice of Shu Uemura products up to the value of $100!! I am quite jealous actually because I don't get to enter boooo-urns :'(

How to enter:

1. Live in Canada;

2. Visit Shu Uemura's new Canadian e-boutique at shuuemura.ca;

3. Leave a comment on this blog with the URL to your favourite Shu Uemura product;

4. Bite nails frantically in anticipation until April 30.

A winner will be drawn on April 30 using random.org. I will contact the winner so please leave a valid email address. Shu Uemura will send the winner their favourite products for a value of $100 max.

Alas, not everyone will win, but to soothe the burn, Shu Uemura is offering everyone $10 off their order  $50 or more from their e-boutique. Simply enter promo code "SHUBLOG" at checkout. To further sweeten the deal, they are currently running a free shipping with any order promo right now!

GOOD LUCK!!

Spring Day FOTD with Lise Watier Pastel Power

Since Wednesday was the official first day of Spring here in the Northern Hemisphere, it was only apropos to pull out my Lise Watier Spring 2013 Pastel Power goodies for a FOTD. For swatches and my review of the Pastel Power collection visit this post.

Products used: 

1. Apply coral shade from Lise Watier Pastel Power Quartet over entire eyelid;
2. Apply light grey shade to brow bone;
3. Apply teal shade to outer V and crease;
4. Use pale blue shade to blend the teal shade into the coral and light grey;
5. Line upper lash line with Clio Urban Khaki liquid liner;
6. Line lower lash line with Lise Watier Vert Sarcelle Eye Shine liner;
7. Lise Watier Pink Powder blush on cheeks;
8. Lise Watier Corail Punch and Gosh Cool Lip Jam in 104 on lips;