06/17/13
Up Close

Spotlight On: Shellac Polish

Over the past few years, the shellac polish trend has been gaining steam, becoming a popular alternative to the traditional mani/pedi. I recently had a shellac mani done and was incredibly impressed, so much so that I was inspired to write this post!

How it works:

  • Nails are prepared the same way they would be for a traditional manicure (soaked, filed, buffed, etc.)
  • A special shellac base coat is applied to nails, followed by two coats of shellac polish and a shellac top coat. Nails are dried between coats under a UV lamp that dries them in roughly 30 seconds.
  • When the top coat is done and set under the UV lap, the nail surface is wiped with a soft cloth and alcohol and the manicure is complete.

The pros:

  • A chip-free manicure for up to 2 weeks.
  • Rich colour and texture – polish is thicker than normal polish so it tends to have a more opaque, gel-like appearance.
  • No drying time – walk out of the nail salon minutes after the top coat is applied. BONUS: this is ideal for pedicures in the winter when you don’t want to wait forever for your toes to dry before applying socks/shoes!

The cons:

  • Once your polish starts to chip, it can tear off parts of your nail surface, leaving your nails weaker and uneven. Your best bet is to have your mani removed at a salon, but this is at a cost (both time and financial). If you have the time and patience, you can remove it at home: follow these instructions and use a 100% acetone solution.
  • Shellac costs more than traditional polish applications. At the very affordable salon near me, a shellac manicure is $32, the same cost as a mani/pedi.
  • It is challenging to DIY – most shellac manufacturers only sell to licensed professionals, though select at-home kits are available.

Below are some pictures of my recent manicure using CND’s Cake Pop shade:

Fresh Manicure!

Fresh manicure!

Up Close

Up close

Two weeks in - you can see the growth!

Two weeks in – you can see the growth!

Have you tried shellac?

06/9/13
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May 2013 Beauty Favourites

A late happy June, readers! The fun has finally emerged in Toronto and summer is in the air. I hope you’ve been enjoying the heat too :)

While I don’t have a ton of favourites from May, I have been loving some new products and rediscovered old favourites.

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My first skincare favourite is the Peter Thomas Roth VIZ-1000 75% Hyaluronic Acid Complex. At $65+ a bottle, it’s not cheap, but my mom actually gave me hers after a few uses. (Thanks, Mom!) It’s a lightweight, gel-like serum that applies beautifully after cleansing and dries quickly, making it a breeze to use under moisturizer. While my skin has been quite sensitive recently (I blame a new handsoap for that), using this serum has overall improved my skin texture, making it less dehydrated overall. I used to find it hard to wear foundation without it looking dry after a few hours, but this problem has been lessened considerably. This could also be due to my moisturizer and/or the warmer weather, but this serum does seem to help too.

Peter

Peter Thomas Roth VIZ-1000 75% Hyaluronic Acid Complex

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05/26/13
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Essie Nail Polish Collection: Part 1

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you will likely be aware that I LOVE nail polish. Given so many of my polishes are pretty spring-ready pastels from Essie, I thought I’d showcase my Essie nail polish collection in place of repeating last year’s top 10 favourite spring nail polishes post.

As should be said before any type of collection post, the intention of this post is not to brag or show off – it is simply an opportunity to showcase my favourite shades from the brand in hopes it inspires your next polish purchase!

The majority of the descriptions below are from Essie, and I’d be happy to do a Nail of the Day feature or swatches on any of the shades mentioned. Part 2 will be relatively small – there were just a few Essie polishes that I couldn’t find before shooting these photos! :)

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05/20/13
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How To: Get Your Beauty Sleep

With our busy lives and numerous priorities, it can be hard to get a good night’s sleep. Tossing and turning can lead to a restless night, leaving you looking tired the next day. While under-eye concealer can be a miracle-worker, no one wants to feel depleted and draggy throughout their day. Read on for my tips for getting your beauty sleep.

Start relaxing early. Create a bedtime routine that promotes relaxation. Whether it be journaling, reading a book, or relaxing with a cup of tea with a candle burning in the background, these activities will help you unwind and prepare for sleep. Bonus: journaling is an amazing tool for managing stress and anxiety, as writing down your thoughts can be therapeutic.

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Clear your thoughts. Along the same lines of journaling, meditation has myriad benefits for your mind. Promoting mindfulness, taking a few minutes each day to practice meditation will help you hone this skill and enable you to clear your mind of rampant thoughts before bedtime as well as more regularly throughout your day. I was recently sent the Butterfly Spirit Connections Super Hero Meditation Practice CD and I plan on making an effort to begin meditation as a tool for increased mindfulness.

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Butterfly Spirit Collections Super Hero Meditation Practice

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05/14/13
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Beauty Tip Tuesday: Polish Your Ponytail

Whether you’re pressed for time in the morning, haven’t washed your hair, or are simply frustrated with your mane, a ponytail can be the perfect go-to hairstyle. A classic updo, ponytails get the hair out of your face and can work for a multitude of occasions. The key, however, is making them look polished and professional and not channel a “just woke up” look.

Here are some tips for achieving a polished ponytail look:

1. Use a fine-tooth comb or bristle brush to brush your hair back. This adds little time but makes a big difference in how smooth your hair looks, eliminating bumps.

2. Secure your ponytail with an elastic. Some of my favourites are the small, clear elastics and fabric elastics in a colour close to your hair colour.

3. Cover the elastic. My go-to look is to take a small section of hair from the bottom of the ponytail and loop it around the elastic to hide it, securing it with a bobby pin under the ponytail. Another option is to use a ponytail cover. I’ve seen some cute metal ones at H&M.

4. Smooth frizz and flyaways. Spray some hairspray on a bristle brush and run it over your hair to tame flyaways and achieve a more polished look. You can also use bobby pins to pin up any loose hairs under your pony.

Voila! A 2-minute hairstyle that is all chic.

What is your go-to hairstyle?

05/7/13
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Beauty Tip Tuesday: Stay True To Your Lipstick Hue

Good morning, beauties!

Today’s beauty tip is an easy one that requires little time, and no new products.  Whether or not you have pigmented lips, lipsticks, glosses, and stains often look different on your lips than they do in the tube, or when swatched on your hand.

To create a neutral canvas for your lip product, first apply a tiny bit of foundation, concealer, or skin-tone eye base to your lips. This will even out your lip colour and correct for any strong pigmentation, allowing your lipstick to show its true colour. BONUS: adding a base of this type will help your lipstick last longer.

What is your all-time favourite lipstick shade?

05/2/13
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April 2013 Empties (Beauty Products I’ve Used Up)

Finally a short empties post! After blogging about a dozen products for March, I was amazed to see that I only used up three beauty products in April.

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The first product is one I don’t think I’ve mentioned before: the Biosilk Revive Dry Clean Shampoo. I got this as a gift with purchase from Beauty Brands when I was in Dallas last May and only got around to using it over the past few months (since I was too infatuated with the Batiste XXL Dry Shampoo that I love!) It’s a nice dry shampoo that does make the hair and scalp feel refreshed, but doesn’t do much to eliminate oil or add volume. I used this on second day hair that was slightly dull and it was a nice refreshing pick-me-up but didn’t make a big difference in the appearance of my hair. I don’t recommend this nor will I purchase it.

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Biosilk Revive Dry Clean Shampoo

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04/28/13
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April 2013 Beauty Favourites

I know May isn’t quite here yet, but I was too excited to share my April beauty favourites to wait! This month, I tried out several new products, some of which made the grade and earned current favourite status. :)

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Impressing me in the skincare category this month is the Complex 15 Daily Face Cream I mentioned in my March Empties post. This is a light daytime moisturizer which has supposedly been created by dermatologists for those with sensitive skin. I’ve been using this moisturizer both day and night and find it works well both under makeup as well as on its own in the evening. It is lightweight, absorbs nicely into the skin, and my skin seems to love it! My skin has been amazing this month, with no breakouts and little irritation. I’m not sure whether this moisturizer is the cause, but in the meantime I am happy continuing to use it. :)

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Complex 15 Daily Face Cream

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04/22/13
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e.l.f. Makeup Haul

For those of you unfamiliar with e.l.f. (or Eyes Lips Face), they are a value cosmetics brand available online and through select Target stores. With prices averaging $1-3 per product, they are a brand worth checking out, especially for products that are not worth a splurge! (Think: trendy colours and costume makeup!)

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know that I am obsessed with their Essential Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara, an amazing $1 brow gel. I probably go through one every 1-2 months given the small amount of gel per product, so I pick up a bunch every time I’m in the U.S.. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any when I was in Dallas in February so I had to place an order recently. While I was at it, I picked up some other products of theirs that had been on my shopping list.

Below is an overview of what I picked up (though I bought multiples of many of these!):

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First up is obviously some of the brow gels – I ended up with 6! You can check out my post about this for more information, but essentially this is a great product for grooming your brows into place and keeping them there all day.

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e.l.f. Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara

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04/16/13
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5 Beauty Pick-Me-Ups Under $15

Whether you’re having  a blah day or simply want to spruce up your look, a beauty pick-me-up can go a long way in making you feel more polished and pretty. Today’s post shares my top 5 beauty pick-me-ups that won’t break the bank.

1. A Perfect Polish Change. Want to get your nails done, but adverse to spending too much? For as little as $8 at some salons, a polish change offers many of the same benefits as a mani, including a new nail colour, a smooth application, and longer lasting wear. My favourite pick-me-up nail colours are red, coral, and mint green, but there’s something to be said for a classic French polish, too. For a more complete look, shape your nails and trim your cuticles at home beforehand, as many salons won’t offer those services with a simple polish change.

2. Pearly-er Whites. I love having white teeth and whiten mine at home quite frequently (read my full post about it here!). While professional whitening treatments can cost in the hundreds of dollars, and white strips can run $50 and higher, there are more affordable options. My favourite product is Plus White which comes in a gel-filled tube for under $15 ($9 on Amazon!). The Starter Kit is my favourite as it contains a mouth guard that makes using the product a breeze. Plus White isn’t terribly strong, nor has it given my any tooth sensitivity, but it does work – you can often see a difference after just a few uses.

3. Fancy Brows. Despite getting my eyebrows waxed every 4 weeks religiously, I’m amazed at how mangled they look before wax time. After a wax, they are beautifully sculpted, are a dream to fill in, and add a natural polish to my appearance. At roughly $8-12 at your local salon, this beauty habit is well worth it.

4. An Updated Pout. A girl can never have too many lipsticks, and a new one can perk up a look and give you added confidence. A coral or peach-toned hue is perfect for spring or summer, a bold red can be daring and fun, and a light pink can be a neutral shade that works with a ton of different looks. Head to your local drugstore for a plethora of options under $15.

5. A Bronzed Glow. By the time end of April rolls around, many of us have been too pale for too long. Add a healthy (and safe!) glow to your skin by using a lotion like Jergens Natural Glow which works double duty by moisturizing your skin and also adding a hint of bronze. Available in face and body formulas and for different complexions, there are a ton of options when it comes to bronzing up, most of them under $15.

What are your favourite beauty pick-me-ups?