Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Lipgloss Love Affair Belated Bloggiversary giveaway

While looking through beauty blog's I generally follow, I came across one of the best giveaways! This is a huge package of Lipgloss Love Affair's 2011 favourites. I have been following her blog for quite some time now, and highly enjoy all her beauty updates and reviews. Check her page out, and definitely check her giveaway out!


Click here to see her blog, and click here to peek and enter the giveaway!

Feet are nothing without a pair of pumps.

I feel like I've been letting you down and not filling you in with new shoes!

A months after my wedding my husband bought me knee high black Steve Madden over the knee boots (and my first Coach purse!). I was super excited, especially with winter here. I had also received gift cards to Le Chateau as a wedding gift, and purchased blue suede Jessica Simpson pumps. They are definitely my most prized pumps, and went amazing with my Snow White costume! While searching for Xmas presents online, I found $80 heels for $10, silver strappy heels with metal studs and couldn't resist since I don't have silver shoes. Then for my birthday (January 1st!) my husband gifted me blue suede Apple Bottom ankle booties and gorgeous purple sparkly wedges.

Steve Madden Boots

Coach purse

Jessica Simpson pumps

Fashion Labs heels

Apple Bottom booties

Fashion Labs wedges

Pretty sure my shoe addiction has been well fed as of late. Though we'll see how sales are :)

Friday, January 13, 2012

The MASSIVE LUSH christmas gifts/haul + Golden Tickets.

Like my last post, this is far over due. I had so much work with the four award category that this got pushed a side for a while.

To start the story off, I want to let you know I have not one, but TWO GOLDEN TICKETS!! If you don't know what those are, it's a ticket that's in the gift sets for a chance to win something. Each store is given between three and five of these, and they are very hard to come by. I got my first one a few weeks before Christmas, but sadly, wasn't an instant winner. Then, for Christmas, my Mom got me the Wonderful Christmas Time 25 piece box set, which had my second Golden Ticket! I was so ecstatic, but sadly wasn't a instant winner, yet again. Not winning puts you in the running for the $500 gift card grand prize (which I'm hoping both win!!). Sadly, nothing I bought boxing day had another Golden Ticket.

The first ticket:

The second Golden Ticket:

So now lets get into the LUSH stuff!! Wonderful Christmas time had SO much stuff in it!! It was what I asked my mom for (as a xmas and bday gift, since they are a week apart). I was still so surprised when I seen it hiding behind the tree! I don't know how she managed to hide all that scent from me for a week!


What it has: Karma Soap, Twilight Bathbomb, Christmas Eve Bubble Bar, Bubble Gum Lip Scrub, Candy Cane Soap, Candy Mountain Bubble Bar, Ultrabalm Body Balm, Dream Cream Body Cream, Golden Wonder Bathbomb, Hottie Massage Bar, Jungle Conditioner, None of Your Beeswax Lip Balm, Pied de Pepper Foot Cream, Rocketeer Bathbomb, Satsumo Santa Bathbomb, Seanik Solid Shampoo, Snow Fairy Shower Gel, Snow Globe Soap, The Melting Snowman Bath Melt, Superstars Bubble Bar, Sweetie Pie Shower Jelly, The Comforter Bubble Bar, Tiny Hands Hand Serum, Buffy Body Butter and Ultrablast Toothy Tabs.

Phew! Lots to type. So if that wasn't a stock pile and a half, we made a trip on boxing day and got even more goodies!!


I forgot to include my Dream Steam Toner Tab and Stepping Stone Foot Scrub, they were already in the bathroom by this point! Ever thing Christmas was buy one, get one free, and the Emotibombs are "retiring" so I scooped some up.

I scored: Magic Wand Bubblebar, 2 Up You Gets Emotibombs, Too Drunk.. Emotibomb, Dream Time bath melt, Pheonix Rising Bathbomb, 2 Jilted Elf Shower Jellies, Golden Wonder Bathbomb, So White Bath Ballistic and Lil LUSH Pud.

I'll be reviewing lots of these items as I use them, and I've used almost everything once (minus all my bathbombs). I was too excited to test things out! I took pictures with all my bathbombs and such, so except posts in the soon future! I figured I'd share what of this haul I've been loving until those reviews.

Some things I'm really love from this haul:
Bubble Gum Lip Scrub, Candy Mountain Bubble Bar, Dream Cream Body Cream, Golden Wonder Bathbomb, Pied de Pepper Foot Cream, Snow Fairy Shower Gel, Superstars Bubble Bar, Sweetie Pie Shower Jelly, The Comforter Bubble Bar, Tiny Hands Hand Serum, Magic Wand Bubble Bar, Dream Time Bath Melt, Phenoix Rising Bathbomb and Stepping Stone Foot Scrub.

Hope this helps in your future purchases, and hope you had just as great of a LUSH Christmas as I did! I'm sure going to miss the seasonal stuff!!

VFAV Beauty Awards 2011 - Make-Up

So here it is, my last post for 2011 awards! I had a lot of fun doing the these. Hope you've checked out my posts for hair, body and face care awards.

Best face primer: GOSH Velvet Touch Foundation Primer $28.99 CAD


I've only used the clear, not the apricot (it's supposed to firm the face as well). I had only used one by Avon previous to this, and much prefer this one. It's a heck of a lot more expensive, but worth it. It's got a very silky smooth but thick feel to it. It does help fill pores very well, and keep your make up on. It'll make your skin shiny, but once your foundation/powder is on it won't. It keeps my face from melting off in the summer, and I never need to retouch my face (okay, if I'm sweating lots, I need a little powder touch up). I also find I can skip the moisturiser with this, as it's very soft on the skin and gets rid of dry areas.


Best foundation: Covergirl Natureluxe $11.99


I wasn't pleased with the heaviness of my usual brand (Estee Lauder) of foundation, and heard good reviews on this stuff, and figured I'd give it a try. I was also having a hard time finding a really pale shade to match my skin as well. I have been so in love since the first time I used this. It's very lightweight and silky for how great the coverage is, and blends great as well. I never had troubles with it caking (even if I'm wearing it all day) or being to heavy. It's especially great for summer, or when your doing make-up in the blasting heat. I generally don't like budget make-up, and didn't even really like Covergirl before, but this stuff really turned the page on them for me. I also like the smell, a big battle I have with foundations (so many of them smell horrible). This has cucumber water it in, so your face smells nice and refreshing. I have honestly used about 20 different foundations, and this is by far my favourite.


Best concealer:  Mark. Speedway $9.99 CAD



Like foundation, I've used a billion and one concealers. Some are too cakey, some are too oily, some don't work, some are goopy. I had been on a Mark. kick for quite some time, and gave this a go and gave up my coloured concealers. This stick is very silky soft without being oily. It goes on smooth in cream-to-powder form and blends in really great and doesn't create noticable patches under your powder. It works great all over (I generally use it for under eyes, nose and scars). The coverage is great too, I have a very dark scar on my face that it hides remarkably. 

Best powder: Sephora Mineral Matte setting powder $8.99 CAD


This year I gave up pressed powders of all kinds, and even coloured mineral setting powders as well. I thought I wasn't going to find anything I really loved, until I ordered this on a whim on sale. I hadn't used a matte setting powder before, and I think that's what changed everything. I finally had no shine!! Not just that, this stuff is translucent, so matching it to my skin was easy. Plus, being translucent makes you able to wear this year round over any foundation. I found other mineral powders to itch, but this one never did. The way it makes make-up look is just amazing too. Any small brush line from foundation, or spot I didn't blend well in enough is gone! This really pulls everything together for a great, matte perfect face.

Best eye primer: Smashbox Photofinish Lid primer $20 CAD


I've always been an Urban Decay Primer Potion junkie - never strayed. But I ran out, and sadly it's not sold where I live, so I purchased this to get my by. 2 bottles later, I still haven't ordered my Primer Potion. It's the same taupe colour that blends in great, and has the exact same silky texture as Primer Potion. I put my make up through a lot of blood, sweat and tears - okay, just sweat - on lots of occasions, and it ever melts or runs or fades. Sometimes, when I forget to take make up off at night, it's still in place in the morning. This is also a better deal, the shape of the bottle lets you get a lot more out of the product than Primer Potion. It only comes in one colour, but I find it blends well under everything and makes any colour more vibrant.

Best eyeshadow: Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips in Vegas Strip $12.95 CAD


I'm a pretty firm believer that a good gold eyeshadow is your #1 eyeshadow staple. I work golds into so many different looks, whether it's a low key day or a fancy going out look. This palette comes in 5 shades. The pigments are just amazing, and the options from blending are endless. You really can achieve almost any golden colour with this single palette.

Best eyeliner: Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Liner $8.99 CAD


  This year I took a huge leap! I gave up crayons and liquids for my general eyeliner. I always wear heavy black liner, always have, especially on the tops of my lashes. I loved my Dior Styleliner, but it cost a small fortune given I needed a new one every month. I borrowed this product from a friend, and immediately ran out and bought my own. It's so creamy and pigmented, which I often had a hard time finding in a liquid. The thing I really liked about this was that it's really easy to apply - much easier than a liquid! The brush is very fine tipped as well so you can do different thickness' and cat eye effects with it. It goes on smooth, silky and easy, stays on and is good on the wallet.


Best mascara: Lancome Hypnose Drama $29.99 CAD




Hypnose has always been my #1 mascara. I love trying new ones, but it's always my go to. I was super excited to see a new Hypnose came out, especially called Drama, since dramatic is what I go for with eyelashes. I like them long, dark, thick and just HUGE, which is what Hypnose always delivers. It's never flaky, you can cry through it and it makes the most beautiful lashes ever. Drama upped the awesome and delivered darker, even fuller lashes.

Best blush: Covergirl Instant Cheekbones (Contouring Blush) $8.99 CAD




As much as I experiment with blushes, ranges of pinks are always the best on my skin. A flat light pink isn't enough, and a dark pink is too much. This little palette is great because it blends 3 shades that work perfect for my light skin. It blends in great on skin without looking powdery and has a very natural look. This blush also looks great with any make-up look, which is something I find hard to find. It also lasts a really long time, which I love in a product.


Best bronzer: Physicians Formula Bronze Booster $15.99 CAD


This is another product that rocks for my light skin. I've tried quite a few bronzer's before, and all of them are far too dark for my skin, even the lightest colours they sell. This is very subtle and natural, and creates a perfect sun kissed look. It blends great without leaving noticeable lines and is a perfect touch to any look.


Best lip balm: JR Watkins Weatherproofing lip balm in Pomegrante $5.99 CAD



I suffer from extremely dry lips, and am always on the search for a perfect balm. I've tried it all from Blistex, LUSH, Body Shop, Burt's Bee's with little lasting results. I found this in a sale section, and figured it was worth a try. The taste is great, something I don't find often in a good lip balm. You lips feel instantly moisturised, and it's long lasting. I find a lot of them don't have many long term effects, even if used on a daily basis. When my lips are really chapped, I can put this on at night and by morning I have soft gorgeous lips.


Best lip plumper: DuWop Lip Venom $19.99 CAD




This probably doesn't come as a surprise - it'll probably be my winner for many years to come. I tried a few competing products with nothing even close to results. Lip Venom has a very strong cinnamon taste, a big tingle. I don't find it to be a painful sting, I quite enjoy the tingle. I find it really evens my lip thickness out (I try to focus it on my top lip), and gives me a good, long lasting plump.


Best lipstick: No. 7 $19.99 CAD





I can't pick just one colour from this line, because I love them all! They are very creamy rich formula with amazing colour. I have quite a few from the different lines they have out, and have enjoyed them all. I love the rich reds and the high gloss pinks. They are very long lasting, and smudge proof. An added bonus is that they are very moisturising, so your lips don't look dry or flaky. 

Best lipgloss: Lorac Multiplex 3D Lipgloss $22 CAD


I got my first one in a Sephora sampler box, and became completely addicted after. It has holographic pigments, high shine and long lasting colour. The effect is very holographic, and absolutely amazing. The way they shimmer and have a "colour changing" effect in the light is absolutely wild. I wear it over a light pink lipstick for a boost, and it results in the most to die for pink lips you'll ever see. It's definitely different from anything else you'll find!

What I learned about make-up this year:
Gel liner is longer lasting, pencil's leave such an uneven mess at the end of the day. Colouring in my eye brows is not for me - vege dye at the salon is the way to go! Chances are, your lip liner is going to last longer than your lipstick, at some point, it's going to cause you an embarrassing moment. Never forget to blend your foundation. Over blending is better than under blending. If you don't prime, expect to look nothing like what you did in the mirror in a very short amount of time. It doesn't matter what fancy speciality brush you have - it's how you use them.

Well that concludes all the awards this year ladies. I hope you enjoyed them, hope I found a few new followers, and hope you stick around for some other great new posts coming this year!!
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