FOTD | Now I know what a fool I've been but if you kissed me now, I know you'd fool me again ♥

At the beginning of December (yes, I am late, as always!) was held my work's Christmas party and I had an amazing time with my coworkers! It is always fun to relax and hang out with friends in a different atmosphere than at work. We ate, drank and danced all night, but of course, I had to wake up at 5:00 the following morning for work - oh well, it was worth it!

I wanted to show you my FOTD but as for my OOTD, I did not have the time to take proper pictures but I chose to wear the dress from Winners I wore to Geneviève and Robin's wedding this summer, and I accessorized it with a blazer from Suzy Shier that I borrowed from my mother. I also wore some new boots I found for a bargainous price at Giant Tiger - I will probably feature them in an upcoming OOTD post.

Too Faced Natural Eye Palette | MAC Eye Pencil - Ebony* | NYX Doll Eye Mascara - Long Lash Black | Katy Perry Lashes by Eylure 'Cool Kitty' | Wet n Wild Color Icon Liner Brow & Eye Pencil - Taupe

I never had the patience for false lashes but when I it was brought to my attention that the new Katy Perry Lashes by Eylure ($7.99), the UK’s #1 false eyelash specialist, have now officially launched in Canada, I simply could not resist - they all looked so gorgeous and absolutely stunning! 

When the four styles landed on my doorstep, I knew I had to wear some to the party, but which one? It was love at first with 'Oh, My!' since they looked so big and beautifully layered, but when I tried them on, I found them a bit too dramatic for what I had in mind. I decided that 'Sweetie Pie' and 'Oh, Honey!' were too natural-looking, so I finally decided to go with 'Cool Kitty', and I was not disappointed! 

Katy Perry Lashes by Eylure 'Cool Kitty'

'Cool Kitty' is said to be one of Katy's favorite lashes since it is the perfect evening-wear lash with manicure tips. I love how they frame my eyes beautifully by adding just the right amount of length and volume without feeling heavy. Of course, my application was not perfect since I'm a beginner at false lashes, but I quite enjoyed the result, except when the left lash started to fall off at the end of the party, but I must admit I have been dancing like crazy all night, so I don't think the glue is that bad. 

Katy Perry by Eylure Lashes are handmade, 100% natural and each style is reusable. The lashes are available at Shoppers Drug Mart, Jean Coutu, London Drug and Ebeauty.ca

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye - Neutral Medium | NYC Loose Translucent Face Powder* | Annabelle Biggy Bronzing Powder - Caribbean Sun | Annabelle Mineral Powder Blush - Au Naturel | I Love... Lipbalm - Blueberry & Smoothie | tan - St Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mousse 'Dark' | hair color - Fudge Paint Box 'Blueberry Hill'

Lyrics are from Last Christmas by Wham!

*Please note that these products are NOT cruelty-free

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 | Everything that I want, I want from you, but I just can't have you ♥

Friday night, my friends and I decided for something a bit different - a pyjama party! What, you can't get drunk party at a nightclub every weekend, can you? Sometimes it's fun to have a more laid-back and relax night, so we put on our cutest pyjamas (OK, I was the only one with an actual pyjama), cooked a delicious dinner (it was the first time I ever had curry rice, yum!), talked about our plan to escape to Cancun this summer and watched Seconds Apart, an horror movie (which is more of a weird thriller in my opinion, but it was OK).

I wanted to play with my Marcelle BB Cream-to-Powder for a while but of course, being a beauty blogger, it was out of the question for me to even swatch it if I had not taken proper pictures of it before, which is hard with this crappy winter lighting! To my great surprise, there was a ray of sunlight in the morning and I was able to take some pictures in preparation for an actual review, and I could not wait to try it on since I love the original BB Cream so much, and I was not disappointed! It conceals redness - damn eczema! - and the few blemishes I have without feeling heavy. I have never been a fan of foundation but this might just be my new faorite product! And to say I have waited five months before trying it... So I decided it would be fun to show you my FOTD featuring this product... and pyjama!

Annabelle Single Eyeshadow - Goddess | MAC Eye Pencil - Ebony* (smudged on top and lower lashline, under eyeshadow)| NYX Doll Eye Mascara - Long Lash Black | Wet n Wild Color Icon Liner Brow & Eye Pencil - Taupe

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye - Neutral Medium | Marcelle BB Cream-to-Powder - Light to Medium | NYC Loose Translucent Face Powder* | Annabelle Biggy Bronzing Powder - Caribbean Sun | Milani Baked Blush - Luminoso | I Love... Lipbalm - Blueberry & Smoothie 

What does Peach do while I'm busy taking pictures? Oh yes, right, she is sleeping - on my legs - of course!

pyjama - Sears (my mother's!) | tan - Clarins Intense Bronze Self Tanning Tint For Face and Decolleté | hair color - Fudge Paint Box in Blueberry Hill | 

Have you done anything fun this weekend ladies?

*Please note that these products are NOT cruelty-free

Lyrics are from Stray Heart, by Green Day

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

CLOSED - Giveaway | Win A I Love... Prize Pack In The Flavour Of Your Choice!

I recently had the opportunity to try some I Love... products, and now I want to give the chance to one of my Canadian reader to try some of their products too - in fact, the winner will receive a Bubble Bath & Shower Gel, a Shower Smoothie and a Body Butter in the flavour of their choice.

Rules:

• This giveaway is open to Canadian residents only (sorry!)
• You have to follow Gaby's Beauty Blog either via GFC, bloglovin or Hellocotton (you don't need to have a blog)
• Giveaway/freebie "hunters" or blogs made solely for giveaways will be disqualified (my giveaways are to thank the lovely ladies who truly read my blog!)
• This giveaway ends on June 26 at  12:01 am.

To enter (mandatory):

• Fill out the Rafflecopter form at the bottom of this post

Good luck!!!

Please wait for the Rafflecopter form to load!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is sponsored by I Love... Cosmetics.

I Love... Strawberries & Milkshake

Back in January, I was given the wonderful opportunity to test and review some I Love... products in the flavor I wanted and even thought I had a hard time making my mind, I finally decided to go with Strawberries & Milkshake.

I was kindly sent a Bubble Bath & Shower Gel, a Shower Smoothie and a Body Butter which I imagined would smell sweet and creamy, but even though they actually smell more like Strawberry Daiquiri or an alcoholic drink of the like to me, they are still very yummy! Another thing I noticed about these I Love... products right away is their strange resemblance with the packaging of the Philosophy products...

At first sight, I thought the Strawberries & Milkshake Shower Gel bottle was huge for the price, but I must say I, despite my excitement, I was quickly disappointed. I don't ask for much in a shower gel - I like it to be on the thicker side, to lather well and to smell great. While this product does fulfill the last requirement, its texture is so runny and liquidy that I have to be very careful not to let half of the bottle of product run down the drain everytime I bring it with me in the shower, and also, I have to use a crazy amount of product to get the tiniest amount of foam, not to mention that the foam disappears super quickly once I start rubbing the shower gel on my skin. So much for "a frenzy of rich fragrant bubbles", as claimed on the I Love... website...

Since this product was such a let-down in the shower, I realized that it was called Bubble Bath & Shower Gel for a reason, so I decided to give it another chance and to try it as a bubble bath. I was not expecting much and I guess it does perform average - I seem to be on a neverending quest for the perfect bubble bath that actually creates bubbles, not just cheap foam - but of course, the foam disappears after around 10 minutes. Even though the smell is lovely, I wish it would linger on my skin after my shower! Overall, this Strawberries & Milkshake Shower Gel is nothing to be super excited about. I guess I will have to keep using it as a bubble bath to use it up.

I was looking forward to try the Shower Smoothie as it doesn't look like your average body scrub - it has a very lovely creamy and thick texture that spreads evenly on the skin and it just smells so delicious! Sadly, there is not enough exfoliating beads in this product and they are not abrasive enough formy liking, but maybe someone with sensitive skin would appreciate this Shower Smoothie more. I liked the smell so much though that I contemplated using it as an exfoliating shower gel, but it doesn't lather enough.

Because of my dry and eczema-prone skin, the product I was the most excited about was the Body Butter, but I honestly can't say I was very happy with it. First of all, this is not what I would call a proper "butter" because it's just not thick enough. It has a light whipped texture that spreads easily on the skin and is absorbed quickly.

While it does moisturize, it's just not enough for my parched and irritated skin and when I apply this Body Butter at night after showering, I find my skin itching in the morning and I need to apply another moisturizer. If you don't need heavy-duty moisture, I guess you could enjoy this body butter and its delicious smell.

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. 

The Seasons Change - So Does Your Beauty Routine!

Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all mine. Visit http://www.discoverbeautywithin.com/.

When the warmer weather sets in, it's important to switch up your beauty routine as well. It's time to say goodbye to heavy body butters and welcome to light lotions, and throw away this heavy-duty foundation and opt for a tinted moisturizer instead. I have been thinking to write a post about how I switch up my products as the seasons change but I guess I have always been too lazy - time to stop slacking now!

Because I have dry skin that is prone to eczema, I still have to be careful to moisturize it properly, but not overdo it. I try to switch my super heavy products for a lighter alternative that is still able to properly moisturize my skin.

In the winter, I like to use a serum followed by a moisturizer day and night. I will continue to use my current combo at night because I don't care if it feels a bit heavy because I will be going to sleep anyway, but for the day, I will switch up Marcelle Hydra-C 24H Moisturizing Gel Cream for dry skin for Marcelle Hydra-C 24H Energizing Hydrating Gel. These products are from the same range, hence they deliver similar benefit, but the Hydrating gel feels lighter and it also melts when it comes in contact with the skin, which is very refreshing.

My two favorite cleansers are from Burt's Bees - the Soap Bark and Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream and the Orange Essence Facial Cleanser - because they take great care of my easily irritable skin while leaving it feeling pampered. However, both tend to be a bit heavy for the spring and summer months, when my skin needs less TLC. As much as I appreciate the fresh and tingly feeling Noxzema Noxzema The Original Deep Cleansing Cream with Eucalyptus Oil provides, it tends to dry out my skin if I use it morning and night, so I use it only a night, followed by an heavy duty night cream.

I have a soft spot for body butters in the harsh winter weather because my eczema tends to flare-up much more easily and I have to be careful with which products I use on troubled spots. I have been trialing I Love...  Strawberries & Milkshake Body Butter recently and even though it's not the thickest butter I have tried, it's still a bit too much in the hot weather. A lotion I have discovered back in November and that I instantly fell in love with - it rarely happens, believe me - is George's Light Special Moisturizing Lotion. It has a light texture but it never fails to relieve dryness and itchiness, meaning significantly less eczema flare-ups. Also, I could feel my skin being moisturized all day, which I don't think I have experienced before!

L -R: e.l.f. Shimmer Gloss Pink, NYX Mega Shine LA~LA~, Revlon Super Lustrous SPF 15 Pink Afterglow, Annabelle Big Show (my own concoction), Eyeko Liptastik Hot Lips, Barry M Glossy Tube 11

I am not a regular lipstick wearer because I am cursed with constantly dry and chapped lips, but while lipsticks can look dull and harsh in the warmer weather, why not switch for a bright colored lipgloss? If you are not a fan of lipglosses, maybe try some colorful lipsticks such as NYX, Essence and Barry M.

My all-time favorite fragrance is, without any doubt, Jessica Simpson Fancy. I don't even understand why I have never properly talked about it on this blog, maybe because I find fragrances so hard to describe and so, hard to review? Still, Fancy is a deliciously sweet gourmand fragrance that smells just like dessert. While not everybody likes to smell like a cake fresh from the oven, when the warm weather comes, I like to wear something a bit lighter, fresh and even fruity and floral. My favorite pick would be Harajuku Lovers Baby, which is described as a powdery musk, fresh, clean and soft scent. To me, this perfume smells a bit of baby powder with a hint of fruit and vanilla. 

L - R: Revlon Minted, Julep Blake, Essie Neo Whimsical, Borghese Verona Pink, Barry M Peach Melba

I'm not the kind of girl who only wear pastel nail polish in the spring or summer and swears by dark shades in the winter. I wear what I want when I feel like it, but still, it's fun to pain your fingers joyful shades when the sun is shining! Why not swap those dull and boring dark reds for some happy mint green and banana yellow?

What changes are you making to prep for spring?

Mail of the Week (January 23 - 27)

I Love... Strawberries & Milkshake products to review I was given the wonderful opportunity to test and review some I Love... products in the flavor I wanted and even thought I had a hard time making my mind, I finally decided to go with Strawberries & Milkshake. I was sent a Body Butter, a Bubble Bath & Shower Gel and a Shower Smoothie. These products actually smell more like Strawberry Daiquiri or an alcoholic drink of the like to me, but it's still yummy! Stay tuned for my ucpoming review... as well as a little surprise for you guys (:

My prize from Shaylee Anne I was lucky enough to win a MAC High-Light Powder in Golden Nectar from the Naked Honey collection, which is a muted golden tan with gold shimmer. This powder features a beautiful embossed honeycomb pattern. It is super fine, impeccably pearlized and it creates soft high lights on cheek, brow, shoulders – anywhere on the body. I usually don't bother with highlight powders on a daily basis becaux I don't know, I'm not convinced they really do somethin, and honestly, I'm just too lazy =P But for this one, I will definitely make an exception, it's just too pretty not to to use! Thanks Shaylee! =D

ShaToBu High Waist Get Fit Tight ShaToBu has come up with a revolutionary shaper that helps women shape, tone and burn more calories during everyday activities. Yes, the benefits go beyond ordinary shapewear - ShaToBu instantly gives a sleeker silhouette, but women can also see and feel a difference in their bodies with regular use over time. By incorporating resistance bands right into the garment, muscles work a little harder and more calories are burned during daily activities. This just sounds too amazing not to give it a try!

My 1¢ Julep Maven Intro Box They recently had a wicked deal for a 1¢ intro box so of course, I had to take advantage of it! I'm not telling you which one I chose yet, I want to dedicate a complete post to this box =P

♫  Turn Me On - David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj

Mail of the week (January 3 - 7)

I don't know if you have noticed but I didn't do a "Mail of the week" post last week as it was the Holidays so nothing was delivered in our mailbox.

 

My order from Apothica.com: I finally placed my first order with Apothica! I was so excited to receive it (it only took 3 days to arrive!), but I'm disappointed to see that Too Faced Natural Eye Palette is missing )= It's on back order, but instead of telling me so, they shipped the rest of my order anyway. But I guess it's OK because the palette will be automatically shipped as soon as it is re-stocked. Here's what I received:

• Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils
• Burt's Bees Baby Bee Skin Creme
• NuCèlle Mandelic 10% Serum (free sample)

I can't wait to try this mascara, I've heard lots of great things about it!

 Your Girlfriend My Girlfriend shirt from Zazzle.com for my boyfriend: I thought this was funny! 

February issue of Fashion magazine: This is my last issue. I guess I'm not enough into fashion to fully enjoy this magazine.

  My prize from I Love... Cosmetics: Thanks to Claudia, I recently discovered this UK based brand and entered one of their Facebook sweepstakes, and... guess what? I won a blueberry & smoothie lip balm, which smells absolutely yummy! I will definitely be reviwing this product and testing some more from this brand. Oh yeah, and the best part about I Love... Cosmetics? They don't test on animals!

February issue of Glamour: Am I the only who don't get who are the Kardashian? What do they do for a living?