Essence for Justin Bieber • Beauty Beats Shimmer Powder in 01 Swaaag!: Swatches & Review

Essence Beauty Beats Shimmer Powder in 01 Swaaag!

I have to say upfront I'm not and never been a Belieber but I'm just a fan of the essence face powders that get manufactured from Poland. I could not resist this one! This Shimmer Powder retail for $3.99 each at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Kat Von D Spellbinding Eyeshadow Palette: Swatche & Review

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Kat Von D Spellbinding Eyeshadow Palette

The Kat Von D Spellbinding Eyeshadow Palette retails for $55US and $66CAN for 1.2 oz of eyeshadows products (24 pans). It sold out online but there are plenty in store still which is where I picked up mine. I've love the formula but know of the palettes over the past year and a half enticed me like this one.

On a random note in store they had this palette the Naked 3, and the Too Faced Too Faced 'Few Favorite Things' palette i was trying to decide between and a really could not afford to get all three or two right now. So in the end I used my VIB $20 to get this one. ;)

Coastal Scents Revealed Palette: Swatches & Review

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Coastal Scents Revealed Palette

If the Urban Decay Naked and Naked 2 palette were ever merged this is the palette you would get. Retails for $19.95US or $9.98 right now one sale for 30g (1oz.) of product from Coastal Scents! The naked palettes are 0.6oz. of eyeshadow with the 12 pans per palette.

The Color Workshop Beauty Admirer Gold Set: Swatches & Review

The Color Workshop Beauty Admirer Gold Set

The Color Workshop is a brand I usually see pop around the holidays here in Canada but always passed it by due to it's lack of exposure. BUT I started to do research on Wet n Wild and Black Opal once I saw they had similar packaging to find out they are made by/owned by the same parent brand Markwins.
Markwins also makes the The Color Workshop, The Color Institute, Monster High, Barbie, and Disney makeup lines geared towards teens. Technically these are trickle down brands to Wet n Wild. ;)

This set Retails for $4.99CAN / 3.99€ and comes in 3 shadeset, this Gold set, a Blue set, and a Red smokey eye set. I pick this one up at Rexall.

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balms in Unapologetic & Audacious and Lacquer Balm in Vivacious: Swatches & Review

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Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balms in Unapologetic & Audacious and Lacquer Balm in Vivacious

The newest shades and formula in the chubby lipstick line from Revlon. I picked these up from Zerhs for $8.99CAN each which it the cheapest I've found them in Ontario.

Coastal Scents 252 Ultimate Palette Part 3: Swatches & Review

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Coastal Scents 252 Ultimate Palette Tray 3 Daylight

Part 3, and Tray 3 of the Coastal Scents 252 Ultimate Palette review. You can read the review of formula review and the colour of the Tray 1 and Tray 2 in the links.

Tray 3 contains what I refer to a desaturated shade, it doesn't make them less gorgeous but over all the colours are less vibrant or less saturated then the first two trays.

I will be swatching and review this tray starting from the top left corner to the bottom right corner in columns.

Coastal Scents 252 Ultimate Palette Part 2: Swatches & Review

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Coastal Scents 252 Ultimate Palette Tray 2 Daylight 

Part 2, and Tray 2 of the Coastal Scents 252 Ultimate Palette review.

You can read the review of formula review and the colour of the Tray 1 and Tray 3 in the links.

I will be swatching and review this tray starting from the top left corner to the bottom right corner on a diagonal from left to right upwards (60 degree angle) as that seems to the natural flow of the shades on this palette.

Coastal Scents 252 Ultimate Palette Part 1: Swatches & Review

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Tray 1 Daylight

Since this week is flack Friday I thought would finally review this beast! I'm reviewing one tray at a time. This Coastal Scents palette retails for $24.95 for 126.0g / 4.44 oz of product. Palette dimensions are 8.75" x 5.80" x 0.90" (22.23cm x 14.73cm x 2.29cm). The pan diameter is 0.3" or 7.62 mm which are smaller then Yaby at 15.5mm for their eyeshadows.


The reason for me choosing to review this palette is in the past I've owned the 88 and 120 palettes but unlike those, this is a coastal scents custom palette with shadows that you can buy in full size if you use up a shade in this palette. ;) Each tray houses 84 shadow! I've had this palette for close to a year now to really work with it. I spent a full day tacking photo of this over Christmas last year. lol

I will be swatching and review this tray starting from the top left corner to the bottom right corner on a diagonal from left to right upwards (60 degree angle) as that seems to the natural flow of the shades on this palette.

You can read the review for the colours of the Tray 2 and Tray 3 in the links.

Coastal Scents Elite Brush Set: Review

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Coastal Scents Elite Brush Set

Coastal Scents Elite Brush Set

The set retails for $69.95 US for 24 brushes and a brush folder and is the latest line of brush for Coastal Scents with 24 synthetics bamboo brushes and leatherette brush roll.

TheBalm Meet Matt(e) Nude: Swatches & Review

TheBalm Meet Matt(e) Nude

Retails for $42US and $46CAN for 9 x 0.1 oz of product. I tried the original  Meet Matt(e) palette but wasn't impressed with the shadows (they where good but not great) so I wanted to try this one out. ;)

Sonia Kashuk Eye Couture Eye Palette - Eye On Neutral 02: Swatches & Review

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Sonia Kashuk Eye Couture Eye Palette - Eye On Neutral 02

Retails for $19.99US and $19.99CAN. A universal palette for everyone! This is also the most affordable of the Sonia Kashuk palettes as you get more shade for $20 then the  6 pan palette for $15.99 and the 4 pan palette for $13.99.

IMATS TORONTO 2013 Recap and Haul

IMATS TORONTO 2013 Student Competition • Fantasy elements 3pm

I arrive this year at the Toronto Congress Centre at 9:20AM this time after getting up at 5:30AM. ;)  I got off the greyhound near the Royal York this year and walk back to Union then took the skywalk to the MTCC/IMATS. This is probably barest I've ever seen the MTCC floor space as it's usually packed with people come convention time and bridal shows! lol

I stay most of the day until 5pm this year. ;)

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar All-Star Mini x 4 Set and Mini x 12 Set: Swatches & Review

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar All-Star Mini x 4 Set and Mini x 12 Set

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar All-Star  Mini x 12 Set photo

Retails for $20US or $25CAN for the Mini x 4 Set and $58US or $69CAN for the Mini x 12 Set. Each tube is 1/4 the size of a full Lip Tar so the price for the mini x4 is practically the size and price of one Lip Tar. The same for the mini X 12 is the volume and price of 3 regular size Lip Tars. So what you getting is a trial size for each shade which is great consider how little of the product you actually use.

These set contain both Matte Lip Tars and Metallic Lip Tars from the permanent link.

Urban Decay Ocho Loco 2: Swatches & Review

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Urban Decay Ocho Loco 2: Roach, Twice Baked, Crave, Perversion, Deep End, Mars, Ultraviolet, Tornado, and Grindhouse Double Barrel Sharpener  

This set of 8 full-size Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil retails for $59US / $68CAN. I haven't bought a liner set since the 15th Anniversary set a few years back so it was time.

IMATS TORONTO 2013 travel advisory & eateries.

Toronto lake view: Skydome, CN Tower,  Ripleys Aquarium of Canada, and MTCC/Skywalk

If you not a native to the GTA (Greater Toronto area) I thought I'd post this for you about what to expect getting the the MTCC (Metro Toronto Convention Centre) South Building this year.

Dare to Compare: Embryolisse Lotion Micellaire (No Rinse Make-Up Remover) VS Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution

Embryolisse Lotion Micellaire (No Rinse Make-Up Remover) VS Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution

The Embryolisse Lotion Micellaire retails for $23.00US 125ml or $32.00US 250ml. The Bioderma Sensibio H2O micelle solution retails for $12 for 50ml, $22CAN for 250ml and $39 for 500ml.

I get a bottle of this every year at the Embryolisse booth at IMATS Toronto for $20. Their no Embryolisse booth this year but I suspect one of the resellers like Blur Makeup Room will have them at their booth.

Cailyn Linefix Gel Eyeliner in 01 Black, 08 Charcoal, & 04 Green: Swatches & Review

Cailyn Linefix Gel Eyeliner in 01 Black, 08 Charcoal, & 04 Green

Cailyn Linefix Gel Eyeliner in 01 Black, 08 Charcoal, & 04 Green

The Cailyn Linefix Gel Eyeliner retails for $21US on their site. I picked these up for 3 for $30 or they where offering them individually for $15 each at IMATS Toronto 2012 from BeautyD that will be there again at IMATS 2013. ;)

Tarte Off The Cuff Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush Palette: Swatches & Review

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Tarte Off The Cuff Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush Palette

Retails for $42.00US and $50.00CAN for 4 x 0.158 oz Amazonian 12-hour blushes and 1 x 0.158 oz Amazonian clay bronzer. Now I got this in a swap so it didn't come with the bracelet but honestly all I wanted was the palette. ;)

These Tarte Amazonian clay 12-hour blushes individually retails for $26US and $34CAN

Wet n Wild In The Spotlight Coloricon Eyeshadow Palette Collection: Swatches & Review

In The Spotlight Coloricon Eyeshadow Palette in A Great Glistener • Lights, Camera, Attraction • No Neutral Ground

I can count on one hand how many time in the past 8 years I've seen Limited Edition Wet n Wild products in my area south of the GTA. It's probably because I would only get Wet n Wild at Walmart and now Zerhs. Retails for $4.99US and $5.99CAN each at large Zerhs and SuperStore.

IMATS TORONTO 2013 is coming!

Yes it's coming!!!

As for the wigs above well there are no sellers of wigs at the Toronto IMATS like the LA one but I've decided to wear one of these Candy Striper wigs during the show. The styles I own are the Harmony and Phoenix but I'm not sure which one I'll be wearing one the Saturday. ;)

Sleek Face Form Palette in Light: Swatches & Review

Sleek Face Form palette in Light (lowlight)

This palette in LIGHT comes with a contouring powder, highlighting powder, and Rose Gold blush which is a permanent shade blush from Sleek. Retails for $12.49US for 20g /0.68 oz of product. From the description the Fair one only changes the contour shade but that seems to be it. ;)

it Cosmetics Vitality Face Disc: Swatches & Review

it Cosmetics Vitality Face Disc

Retails for $38US for 0.78oz / 22.22g of product. This is an all in one face palette. ;)

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick & 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Streak: Swatches & Review

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Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick & 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Streak

The Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick retails for $22US / $26CAN and the 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil for $19US / $23CAN. It nice to see the new line of lipsticks launched (I bought a few of the old formula ones with shimmer in them that had some major taste issues ;) ) and another option is the market for gel based lip products. Out of all the Shade Streak is the one that call to me the most for it uniqueness in a sea of lipstick products out there.

Light Up Fabric Flame Tutorial! ~ Halloween & Ao no Exorcist / Blue Exorcist Cosplay

Okumura Yukio from Ao no Exorcist / Blue Exorcist - Having a bipolar moment. lol

Is your costume need of some pyrotechnics that are street safe?... or Hair SAFE!!! In the world of CG this can be created in film convincingly but for us mere mortals that dawn our costumes on the street or stage you don't want to be a fire hazard.

I made these flame to be blue but you can get the same effect with shades or red, orange, yellow and white for normal fire. ;)

Adding a Part to the Crown of a Wig ( with no skin top ) & Lifted/Exposed Bangs - Wig Tutorial

Watari Yutaka from 闇の末裔 Yami no Matsuei (Descendants of Darkness). You can see more photo's in the link.

This tutorial will cover how to add a part to a non skin top or button skin top wig.

Dare to Compare ~ NYX and L.A. Color Jumbo Eye Pencils: Swatches & Review

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NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil & LA Colors Jumbo Eye Pencil Shadow Liner in: Pacific, Cottage Cheese, Pots & Pans,
Milk, Baby Blue, Lavender, Strawberry Milk, Horse Radish, Rocky Mountain, Gold, Yellow, Electric Blue, Bronze,
Hot Pink, Rust Cherry, Dark Brown, Purple, Orange, Cherry Blossom, Shimmer Bronze, Sun Kissed, Vacation

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil retail for $4.50US or $6.99CAN and the L.A. Colors Jumbo Eye Pencil Shadow Liner retails for $4US.

Dare to Compare: Nude tone Waterproof Eyeliner & Lip Pencils (Urban Decay, Rimmel, MAC, Prestige, & Sytli-Style)

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DaUrban Decay Midnight Cowboy, Rmmel 005 Nude, MAC NC15/NW20, Styli-Style Nude, & Prestige Natural 

A cross section of different waterproof eyeliner and lip liners in nude shades from both drugstore and high end lines. 

This one covers:

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil $19US or $23CAN 

Rmmel ScandalEYES Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner $4.49US or $7.99 CAN

MAC Chromagraphic Pencils $16US or $19CAN

Styli-Style LINE & SEAL 12 $4.99US or $8.99CAN

Prestige Waterproof Lipliner $5.50US or $6.99CAN

Dare to Compare: Brown & Bronze Waterproof Eyeliner Pencils (Urban Decay, Rimmel, Too Faced, & NYX)

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NYX 16 Golden Bronze, Urban Decay Lucky, Urban Decay Bourbon, Urban Decay Corrupt, Urban Decay Stray Dog, Rimmel 211 Sable, Too Faced Perfect Brown, Urban Decay Demolition, & NYX 829 Hot Cocoa.

A cross section of different waterproof eyeliner in brown shades from both drugstore and high end lines. 

This one covers:
NYX Slide on Pencil $7.99US or $9.99 CAN  
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil $19US or $23CAN 
Rmmel Exaggerate Full Colour Eye Definer $5.99 or $78.99CAN 
Too Faced Perfect Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner $18US or $24CAN 
NYX Slim Lip Liner Pencil $3.99US or $4.99 CAN

Dare to Compare: Black Waterproof Eyeliner Pencils (Urban Decay, Too Faced, Physicians Formula, Milani, Annabelle, Sleek, MAC)

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Urban Decay, Too Faced, Physicians Formula, Milani, Annabelle, Sleek (missing from phtoto), & MAC

I'm starting this mini series of one of my favourite products ever. The gel based waterproof eyeliners pencils. As some one that does 16+ hour makeup looks I want the products I use to last with out any or minimal touch ups! The obsession started with cosplay makeup (or as I like to call it Extreme Bridal Makeup!) because the makeup has to look good in person, in photography, and on stage which is a tall order that many braids can attest to as well. As in the fact your probably wearing a number of heavy layer of fabric during the summer doesn't help in staying cool in a braids dress for a cosplay as well.

Also pretty much all the gel based pencils are made in Germany by the same manufactures for all these brands with minor formula tweaking.

Here is a cross section of different waterproof eyeliner in black shades from both drugstore and high end line for review.

This post covers:
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil $19US or $23CAN
Too Faced Perfect Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner $18US or $24CAN
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Eyeliner Trio is $12US or $15CAN
Milani Liquid Eye is $6.99US or $8.99CAN
Annabelle Smudgeliner $8.99CAN
Sleek Eau La La eyeliner $6.50US
MAC Pearlglide $16US and $19CAN.

Milani Baked Blush in 01-Dolce Pink and 08-Corallina: Swatches & Review

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Milani Baked Blush in 01-Dolce Pink and 08-Corallina

These retails for $799US and $9.99CAN at Zerhs. Now there is a rumour that spreading tha Milani will be merging with NYX. It's just a rumour but in the US you can find Milani now at the Dollar Tree with a lot of recent new products (probably the stock from Target as they remove Milani from their stores in the US for space for NYX products). So it's time to haul you lucky US galls.

Milani Brow Fix in 01 Light: Swatches & Review

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Milani Brow Fix in 01 Light

Retails for $6.99 US or $8.99CAN as Zerhs. Other then NYX there very few drug store brands that make a brow kit on the market so I finally picked this up to try out a few months back.

Annabelle Quad Eyeshadows in Chai Chai Chai & Money: Swatches & Review

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Annabelle Quad Eyeshadows in Chai Chai Chai & Money

Retails for $10.95CAN each online this is what I also payed for them at Zerhs.

Rimmel London Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch in 002 Radiant Rose & 003 Peach Glow: Swatches & Review

Rimmel London Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch in 003 Peach Glow & 002 Radiant Rose. 

These retails around $5.99CAN to $7.99CAN at different drugstore in Canada. This is a product I passed over until I read the ingredients on the back. ;)

NYC HD Trio Eye Shadows: Swatches & Review

Long Beach Sands (781),  Oh Soho Sweet (783), and Streets Paved in Gold (792)  

These retails for $2.99US and $3.99CAN at Walmart. Another trio product in the Drugstore market.

Hard Candy Lite Bright Whipped Brightening Concealer in Fair: Swatches & Review

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Hard Candy Lite Bright Whipped Brightening Concealer in Fair

Retails for $6US and $8.99CAN at Walmart.

Milani HAUTE FLASH Full Coverage Lip Gloss: Swatches & Review

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Milani HAUTE FLASH Full Coverage Lip Gloss in  106 Quick Flash, 102 Flashy, and 101 Hot Flash

Retails for $7.99US or 11.99CAN at Zerhs/SuperStore. Not all Zerhs carry these however. 

Eve Pearl Priming Moisturizer with Astaxanthin: Swatches & Review

Eve Pearl Priming Moisturizer with Astaxanthin

Retails for $35 US on the Eve Pearl site. This is my second purchase of this primer as well and have been using for 2+ years. (Last about 20 month for me once opened)

Eve Pearl Dual Performance Lip Color-Ultimate Palette: Swatches & Review

Eve Pearl Dual Performance Lip Color-Ultimate Palette

Retails for $40 US but it's 50% off for pro's and Black Pearl sales (which is when I bought this.) I've been tiring for years to get this as it seem to be always out of stock online and at IMATS Toronto. It's a very popular palette for the working makeup artist.

Real Techniques Limited Edition Duo Fiber Collection: Review

Real Techniques Limited Edition Duo Fiber Collection

The set retails for $20 US and is the latest to the Real Techniques but unique in that they are duo fiber style brushes.

Essence Ticket to Paradise Collection: Swatches & Review

Essence Ticket to Paradise Collection: Shimmer Powder in 01 tropical heat &
Long-Lasting eyeshadow in 01 dive with me to the island and 03 tropical heat. 

I've got two tickets to paradise!!! Our at latest that's the first thing that poped into my head when seeing the name of this collection. All the items here retail for $3.99 each at Shoppers Drug Mart. Essence had been doing close to seasonally collections or some special promotional ones (Twilight). I was particularly excited to see the shades in this one.

Aquolina Pink Sugar: Review

Aquolina Pink Sugar

I'm not a huge perfume user because I find my self sensitive to the carriers most perfumes use and find them off putting.

But Pink Sugar is one I look beyond that initial carrier smell and thankfully the disappears quickly as well (some just linger). Retails for $49.00 1.7 oz Eau de Toilette Spray but Shopper Drug Mart has this in their $19.99CAN perfumes right now so I've pick this upgrade up. I have the solid perfume they put out original of this scent.

Condition Culture , Featherlocks, and Knotties: Swatches & Review

Colorsmash

Featherlocks, and Knotties

The Colorsmash pot retail for $15US and $15CAN. The Featherlocks and Knotties I not sure what they retail for as there not on the company site for sale. These items cam from a Summer Loose Button.

Too Faced La Crème in Marshmallow Bunny & Juicy Melons: Swatches & Review

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Too Faced La Crème in Marshmallow Bunny & Juicy Melons

Retails for $21US and $25Can at Sephora. This is about as high end as I'm willing to spend on a lipstick. Fortunately the product is very nice at this price point. You can purchase these lipsticks at either Sephora or Too Faced.

Rimmel Apocalips in Phenomenon, Out of This World, Aurora, & Stellar: Swatches & Review

Rimmel Apocalips in Phenomenon, Out of This World, Aurora, & Stellar

Retails for $9.99CAN at Rexall and $8.99CAN at Zerhs. The line finally lunched in Canada but with added from more shades compared the original 8 in the UK.

Disney Ariel Set the Mood Compact Mirror: Review

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Disney Ariel Set the Mood Compact Mirror

It finally arrived! Retailing at $20US and $24CAN I place my order 3 weeks ago from Sephora to Canada just for this mirror.