FOTD & OOTD | Sometimes I give myself the creeps, sometimes my mind plays tricks on me

On January 3, some of my friends and I gathered for a Christmas party and we really had a blast! I wanted to hurry up with this post since Christmas has been over for some times now, even though it saddens me a bit - I always hate to put down the decorations, they were so festive and cheerful! I might keep some of these "fairy lights" in my room all year long though (:

Benefit The POREfessional | L'Oreal Touche Magique Concealer* | Marcelle BB Cream-to-Powder 'Light to Medium' | NYC Loose Translucent Face Powder*| Annabelle Biggy Bronzing Powder 'Caribbean Sun' | mark Good Glowing Powder Blush 'After Glow'*

Annabelle Volumelash Mascara 'Black' | Annabelle Mono Eyeshadow 'Goddess' | Anastasia She Wears It Well Eye Shadow Palette ('Onyx') | MAC Eye Pencil - Ebony* | Wet n Wild Color Icon Liner Brow & Eye Pencil - Taupe | EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm 'Strawberry Sorbet'

It might not look that bad but trust me, Annabelle Volumlash is a nightmare! That brush - I just don't get it, what were they thinking? It is a brush and comb hybrid, but it just doesn't work - the brush barely infuses any volume, and the comb just makes the lashes clump together. Not to mention that even though I have the shade 'Black', my lashes are barely grey... Next, please!

leopard print dress - H&M | tights - my mother's own | multi-spike charm layered necklace - ROMWE | leopard head ring - ROMWE | nail polish - Essence 'Grey-t to be here' | hair color - John Frieda Precision Foam Color '3VR Deep Cherry Brown'

I had not tried to properly style my hair since I chopped them short very recently, so I had a look at a couple of YouTube videos for inspiration and tips, and I came across this one, which is absolutely amazing, and I must say, I am quite proud of the results!

Lyrics are from Basket Case, by Green Day

*These products are NOT cruelty-free

FOTD & OOTD | They can't, they won't, they never will, stop the party

Some times ago, my friends and I gathered for a cocktail/dinner party a bit before Christmas (hence the long hair) where we decided to dress up just for fun, so the ladies were in pretty dresses and the men wore chic jacket with tie. I figured out it would be the perfect opportunity to wear my Ruby Sequin Dress by DreamGirl since it's just so festive and chic at the same time!

Benefit The POREfessional | L'Oreal Touche Magique Concealer* | NYC Loose Translucent Face Powder*| Annabelle Biggy Bronzing Powder 'Caribbean Sun' | Annabelle Mineral Powder Blush 'Sugar Rush' | BH Lipgloss 'Wine & Dine'

NYX Doll Eye Mascara Long Lash 'Black' | Anastasia She Wears It Well Eye Shadow Palette (Glow, Foxy and Onyx) | MAC Eye Pencil - Ebony* | Wet n Wild Color Icon Liner Brow & Eye Pencil - Taupe

Since I really wanted to sport red lips to match my dress and look a bit more sophisticated, I opted for a more muted eye look and I went with a gold, brown and black smokey eye. I don't really own a proper red lipstick so I chose BH Lip Gloss in the shade Wine & Dine, which is a super sexy deep red, but it's a shame that it disappears after the first sip of beer - speaking of beer, have you tasted the limited-edition Rickars's Oakhouse Winter Lager? Succulent!

Ruby Sequin Dress - EdenFantasys | blazer - Suzy Shier | heels - Walmart | necklace - gift from my grandmother

I absolutely could not resist adding this dress to my wishlist when I spotted it on EdenFantasys, and while it is also available in sapphire, I just thought that ruby red was so sexy! It's a shame that it is so short though - next time, I will definitely have to wear tights or leggings, or at least, not bend down!

*These products are NOT cruelty-free

Lyrics are from Don't Stop The Party, by Pitbull ft. TJR

FOTD & OOTD | Christmas & New Year's Eve 2012

I was really looking forward to Christmas this year because since our parents are not together anymore, my brothers and I attended two Christmas parties instead of one and we had tons of fun! Both parties were held at my brother's house on December 23 and 24, where we enjoyed amazingly decadent food meticulously cooked by my sister in law Magali - oh, and don't even get me started on the desserts... and the drinks - let's just say that the girl who used to only drink beer discovered a new love for whiskey sour cocktails (Magali's secret ingredient is frozen lemonade concentrate)!

L'Oreal Touche Magique Concealer* | NYC Loose Translucent Face Powder*| Annabelle Biggy Bronzing Powder - Caribbean Sun | Annabelle Mineral Powder Blush - Au Naturel | NYX Doll Eye Mascara - Long Lash Black | Anastasia Want You To Want Me Eye Shadow Palette (Brass In Pocket and Iron On) | NYX Liquid Crystal Liner - Crystal Onyx | Wet n Wild Color Icon Liner Brow & Eye Pencil - Taupe | L'Oreal Colour Riche Sheer Perle Chiffon*

I totally forgot to snap pictures of my makeup and outfit from December 23 but oh well! Since it was Christmas - OK, Christmas' Eve, technically - I decided to go for a heavy smokey eye with hints of purple - which left me with swollen eyes the morning after, of course (thanks, disgusting carmine!) - and glitters with nude lips. 

I absolutely don't know what my right hand is doing in the far left picture -_-

I thought it would be the perfect occasion to wear my Stepping Out Little Black Dress by DreamGirl that fits soooo well and is so flattering! The material is just so stretchy and comfy, it's amazing! I added tights before going out to make it look a bit more dressy and elegant.

I was very lucky to have just recovered from a cold just in time for the New Year - is there a worst time of the year to be sick in bed? Our New Year's Eve party was held at my mother's home, where we ate, drank, sang, danced all night - I had not gone to bed at 5 am in such a long time! We also opened our remaining gifts - we had so many, we could not bring them all to my brother's house for Christmas! I will show you what I was fortunate enough to receive in an upcoming post but in the meantime, I posted a little sneak peek on my Facebook page.

L'Oreal Touche Magique Concealer* | NYC Loose Translucent Face Powder* | Physicians Formula Bronze Booster Glow-Boosting Pressed Bronzer - Medium to Dark | Annabelle Mineral Powder Blush - Sugar Rush | tan - St Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mousse 'Dark' | NYX Doll Eye Mascara - Long Lash Black | Annabelle Galaxy Eyeshadow Palette - Shooting Star | Marcelle Lux Diamond Liquid Eyeliner - Pure Gold |  Essence Lipliner - Red Blush | Essence XXXL Shine Lipgloss - Red Blossom

I was recently spoiled rotten by the amazingly generous people over at Essence so I decided to finish my subtle makeup look with a touch of red lipgloss, and Red Blossom is incredibly shiny and so moisturizing! As for my outfit, since I wore a dress for both Christmas parties, I decided to a bit more casual. Oh and yes, I did chop my hair for the new year, but I will probably write a separate post about this too!

top - Giant Tiger | white tank - Jean Bleu | leggings - eBay | hair color - John Frieda Precision Foam Color in 3VR Deep Cherry Brown

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

(image: weheartit)

(image: weheartit)

*These products are NOT cruelty-free

Unveiling of Diamond Spa's New Spa Space

Last week, I was cordially invited to the unveiling of Diamond Spa's new 10 000 square foot space in Dorval, Montreal.


I was so proud to actually have had the time to take pictures of my makeup and outfit, so here they are!

Benefit The POREfessional* | theBalm Time Balm Concealer - Light | NYC Loose Translucent Face Powder* | Annabelle Biggy Bronzing Powder - Caribbean Sun | Annabelle Mineral Powder Blush - Sugar Rush | I Love... Blueberry & Smoothie Lipbalm

NYX Doll Eye Mascara | Anastasia Want You To Want Me Eye Shadow Palette ('Brass In Pocket' and 'Iron On') | MAC Eye Pencil - Ebony*

*Please note that these products are NOT cruelty-free

tunic & belt - Giant Tiger | leggings - eBay | multi-spike charm layered necklace & leopard head ring - ROMWE | hair color - Fudge Paint Box in Blueberry Hill

Beautiful and chich deco!

Diamond Spa also announced their commitment to being a social spa, which provides more than a typical spa experience - on weekend nights, Diamond Spa invites its clients to sumptuous evenings of papering enhanced by cocktails, cupcakes and music. The spa is also available for unique private parties - such as birthdays, bachelorettes and girls’ nights - taking special requests such as chocolate facials, a crowd favorite. Diamond Spa also will regularly give back to the community - in December, they will be at the Children’s Hospital brightening everyone’s day with mani-pedis. How awesome is that?

Live music and event coverage was supplied by 94.7 Hits FM.

I attended the event with my mother and I was pleased to encounter Sanya and Marjorie - what a nice surprise! We were greeted at the door by the very lovely Ania from KUSK Communications and we were invited to enjoy cocktails, appetizers and decadent desserts such as cupcakes, cake pops and chocolate covered strawberries while visiting the spa’s newly expanded space.

It was actually the first time I tasted cake pops - yum!

My mother and I enjoying some Cale Pops and cocktails

Members of the media were given a cute little gift bag containing a gift card valid for a facial or a mani-pedi and a sample of the vegan, organic and cruelty-free SpaRitual Close Your Eyes Organic Moisturizing Lotion. My mother left with a $20 coupon for a Shellac manicure or pedicure, a mini-facial or a massage.

Diamond Spa

230 Dorval Ave, Dorval (Montréal)

514-631-7525

www.diamondspamontreal.com

Anastasia Want You To Want Me Eye Shadow Palette

Anastasia Want You to Want Me is a kit within a clutch…a nod to the glam and decadence of the 1970’s. This set includes a deluxe eye shadow palette featuring an array of 70’s rock inspired shades for a beautiful holiday look.

Take the kit out of the cute cardboard packaging, and you get a super gorgeous and luxurious black and rose-gold velvet box.

The mirrored compact with brush features a removable shadow palette containing nine matte and pearlized nude and plum shadows (and also a mirror), Liquid Eye Liner, and Mini Clear Brow Gel to turn your eyes into a velvet goldmine. 

I really like the idea of a palette inside a palette, especially when the compact is so, well, compact - and stylish -  instead of being a bulky mess! 

Top row: Platform Wedge, Front Row Center, Ziggy

Middle row: Members Only, Power Ballad, Jellies

Bottom row: Graphic T’s, Brass In Pocket, Iron On

Of course, the stars of the show are the stunning eyeshadows! I would have personally preferred the names of the shadows to be printed on the actual palette instead of on the bottom of the bigger compact which is just weird and inconvenient, but it's nothing major.

I knew from the start that I would not be impressed by the first row of shades - Platform Wedge cannot even make a nice matte highlight shade because it barely shows up on my skin, and Front Row Center could have worked well for this, if only it was less glittery!  Also, I would have liked Ziggy to be more pigmented and less glittery - I know it's not a shade I will reach for very often.

In the second row, while Members Only is an OK matte tan that requires some build-up, I really like Power Ballad, which is a gorgeous pearly taupe. I'm not sure how I could make Jellies, a shimmery pink champagne, work on my skintone, but it's nicely pigmented.

Graphic T's and Iron On, the most pigmented shadows of the palette, are definitely my favorite shades, although Graphic T's goes on a bit patchy, but it's totally worth it as it's simply stunning! Brass is Pocket is a stunning versatile metallic gold that goes on super buttery.

I almost never reach for liquid eyeliner but Jet is a truly matte and amazingly pigmented jet black, which is always appreciated! The thin brush is great for precise lining and it glides on smoothly. As for the brow gel, the formula is absolutely amazing to keep unruly brows in place all day. The double-ended brush is definitely useable although it could have been just a bit softer - but still, it's a nice bonus!

Overall, I really like this palette! It has a nice selection of mostly neutral shades with different finishes, which allow for various different looks - I do wish some of the eyeshadows were more pigmented though (Platform Wedge, Front Row Center, Ziggy and Members Only), but most of them go on smoothly with a nice payoff.  I also like the super stylish compact which is great for carrying around - toss this gorgeous palette in your clutch for touch-ups wherever your night takes you.

Want You To Want Me retails for $34 and is available at Sephora.

Disclaimer: One or more products were sent to me for consideration to review. I am not affiliated with this company and the fact that the products were free absolutely does not influence my opinion.

FOTD & OOTD | So shine bright, tonight you and I, we’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky

I recently had a meetup that called for something a bit more formal and I'm always a bit clueless in these situations because I don't have a lot of formal clothes in my wardrobe, so I always end up borrowing something from my mother such a classic black pants and a blazer. This time, I took the time to analyze my wardrobe and came up with an outfit that I think is still wearable for everyday but it's a bit more classic than a t-shirt and jeans, for example.

tunic w/ belt - Giant Tiger | white tank - Forever 21 | leggings - eBay | tan - St Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mousse 'Dark'

Marcelle Extension Plus Mascara | Annabelle Single Eyeshadow - Goddess | Anastasia She Wears It Well Eye Shadow Palette ('Onyx' on crease, outer corner, upper and lower lashline) | Revlon Super Lustrous Creme Lipstick - Primrose

ankle bracelet - Anji

I was very kindly sent this super lovely sterling silver ankle bracelet from Anji Jewelry some times ago - I have not worn an ankle bracelet since I was in high school I think, so I was super thrilled to be given this opportunity! The bracelet came in a cute and luxurious little black velvet pouch and as soon as I took it out, I was amazed at how it sparkled in the sun!

It looks very delicate but unlike my previous ankle bracelets which broke within a week or so, I have worn this one every day since I received it about two months ago. It has not lost its shine and there is not even one scratch on it - I even wear it in the shower! The 925 Sterling Silver Ankle Bracelet 25 cm retails at $25 but it has sadly been sold out. Anji offers jewelry for women, men and children and you are sure to find something to suit your taste among all their unique creations.

Lyrics are from Diamonds by Rihanna

Disclaimer: One or more products were sent to me for consideration to review. I am not affiliated with this company and the fact that the products were free absolutely does not influence my opinion.