Spring Beauty Review 2012: Clinique Almost Lipstick Collection

Not quite a lipstick and not quite a lip balm - Clinique Almost Lipsticks are the perfect marriage of both. Here are some scenarios these almost lipsticks are great for: 

• When you're rushing out the door and don't have a mirror. The lipsticks are so sheer it's like applying a lip balm. No mirror necessary. 
• A long plane ride. I wore one on the way to Paris and it kept my lips pretty moisturized with a sheer pop of colour. 
• For the not-done-up look like when you're going grocery shopping, the gym (who am I kidding) or taking the kiddies to the park. 
• When you're looking for a polished look but don't want a severe or super slick lip. The Almost Lipsticks give enough colour and shine to define your lips naturally. They contain transparent pigments that merge with the natural tones in your lip to create your own unique shade!
• If you're a lipstick newbie or afraid of lipstick. These lippies may come in a stick form but they apply smoothly and softly onto the lips. The braver you become, you can layer and layer for a stronger effect and before you know it you'll be addicted to lipstick! Ahhh!

Top to bottom: Flirty Honey, Lovely Honey, Luscious Honey, Tender Honey, Spicy Honey, and Chic Honey

I'm really glad Clinique launched new shades because Black Honey just didn't work for me. My lip's undertones brought out the reds in the shade which look dated on me (think the '90's). Sadly, I've misplaced Shy Honey which was a sheer mauve but looked almost clear on my lip. It was great for those days when I just needed some shine and hydration. You won't find any stickiness, but with that means it won't wear for too long. If you don't mind reapplying, you'll find yourself reaching for these often because they are so easy to wear. The ones I use the most are Flirty, Luscious, Lovely and Tender. They really are a glorified tinted lip balm, but the Almost Lipstick is a cult classic so if you're a fan you will love! I also think the slim packaging makes it very purse and kit friendly. 

If you're looking for a lip that is effortless for spring or summer these are definitely one to check out! 

Retails for $18 CAD and is available worldwide. 

www.clinique.com

Products were sent for editorial consideration and I truly love them!

Spring Beauty Review 2012: Bite Beauty High Pigment Matte Pencils

Don't put away your matte lipsticks away just yet. Matte, bold lips and bare faces were all over the runways this season. Sometimes all you need is a pop of colour on the lips to brighten up the whole face and a matte texture - while not easy for everyone to carry off - is effortless. Depending on how thick you apply it, you can dab it on to look like a stain from a just eaten popsicle. Rule of thumb: your lips must be in tip-top shape to pull of a matte lip. Matte textures can enhance already dry, cracking lips. I like to either use a lip scrub or a more fool-proof way, a warm wash cloth. Just rub gently in a circular motion and then apply your favourite lip balm. Let your lip balm set for a while before applying a matte lippie. 

If you've read my site, then you know I adore Bite Beauty lippies. I finally got my hands on the popular High Pigment Matte Pencils and tested out their Spring picks. These 5 shades are permanent to the line: Madeira (nude pink), Chablis (soft coral rose), Amarone (raisin berry), Rhubarb (plum rose), and Zinfandel (electric coral). The pencils are described as a "long-lasting matte pencil", but I found the texture to apply very creamy which was great for my dry lips. 

What I loved: 

• Creamy texture doesn't accentuate fine lines or chapped lips.
• Amazing vibrant pigment. The shades are beautiful.
• The pencil allows you to line and fill in your lips easily for a perfectly defined pout. 
• Contains super antioxidant reservatol which fights free radicals with long-term anti-aging benefits.
• Paraben, sulfate, phthalate free.
• Self-sharpens.

What I didn't like: 

• While I loved the creamy texture, I didn't find it to last as long as some other matte lipsticks I've tried. It kissed off on my cups and my lil' guy's cheeks. The brighter shades lasted a bit longer than the lighter shades. 
• It did bleed a bit, but was ok when I applied a clear lip pencil. When I didn't wear lip balm or took off excess balm, it didn't bleed as much. 

L-R: Madeira, Rhubarb, Chablis, Amarone, Zinfandel

I love how highly saturated the pencils are. What you see is what you get. Madeira I found to be a little too nude on my lips. I had to add something a bit peachier or pink to make it work for my skin tone. On lighter skin tones, it's a perfect nude lip. Rhubarb is pretty universal and looks gorgeous with a bronzey eye for night. Chablis is a lovely rose shade for day and a great basic. I love Amarone and Zinfandel. These two shades are the ones I've used the most. Amarone is a deep fuchsia or bright berry. Looks amazing with a bare skin and a bit of liner and lots of mascara on the eyes. Zinfandel is hot for spring/summer. It's very bright and leans more coral with orange undertones. Looks fantastic against flawless, bronzed skin or a modern Old Hollywood glam look. 

Overall, I really love these pencils. I don't mind the creamy texture since I have naturally dry lips. I just wished they lasted longer on the lips. If you love a more matte texture and brighter lips you will love these pencils!

Have you tried Bite's High Pigment Matte Pencils? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em?

Retails for $24 USD and is available at Sephora locations all across North America and Sephora.com. 

Products were sent for editorial consideration and I truly love them!

Beauty Buzz: Strike A Pose With Cover FX's Derek Selby!

Hello Makeup Junkies! It's been a week since I've come back from Paris and I'm trying to adjust to the madness that is my life. There's definitely no easing back into the routine of things when you have kids! 

To kick off my first post in May, I'm calling out all the Cover FX fans to come out May 10 from 1 pm - 2 pm at the Bay/Queen St. location and strike a pose with Cover FX National Makeup Artist and Cityline Beauty Expert, Derek Selby! I pretty much watch Cityline Fashion Friday's religiously and love watching Derek do the makeovers. You can be sure to see him working with some of his favourite Cover FX products. 

An oldie but a goodie, you can read about my SkinPrep FX review here. I've become a big fan of Cover FX's foundation that also doubles as a concealer. It's a staple in my kit and I use it on all my clients. They are very easy to blend and can be sheered out if you need a lighter coverage. MintTint FX in Pink Copper (will have to do another post with a swatch) has become a new favourite gloss! I adore the shade because it's quite unique from a lot of glosses I own. The pink and copper together give it a good mix of warmth that really works for all skin tones. I remember at the first blogger event Cover FX had, I fell in love with the #160 brush and now I own 2 of them. It's that good. It really buffs the foundation into the skin without leaving visible streaks and it just feels so super soft! What's not to love about a healthy glow? Bronzed FX in Golden Peach  is another one of those shades that looks good on everyone. I've even seen Derek use it on the eyes as a shadow and it works! 

If you're in the area, be sure to pick up Derek's favourite products and get your photo taken with him! 

Products were sent for editorial consideration and I truly love them. 

Au Revoir Toronto! Bonjour Paris!

Jet-setting to Paris tonight to celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary! This has been a dream of mine and I finally get to la vie en Paris! 

If you notice there are no new updates on Makeup Junkie for a couple of weeks it's because I'll probably be spending my time gorging on stinky cheese, baguettes, croissants and Laduree macarons! I'm going to try and post a few quick features on Parisian beauty and what I'm wearing but forgive me if I don't get around to it! I will for sure update you on Parisian beauty and fashion when I get back! But my inspiration is definitely effortless and all about lips!

Au revoir for now! 

xo

Makeup Junkie

Get-Clean-Skin Biore Winner!

The winner of the Biore prize pack is...

Julia!

Congratulations! Enjoy your products! You will be contacted shortly. Thank you to everyone that entered the give away! 

Spring Beauty Review 2012 Part 2: Avon/mark. Must-Haves!

Part 2 featuring my fave Avon products for Spring is all about the nails! After makeup, nail polishes are another love of mine. I like dark, I like bright, I love it all! Since I rarely go to get my nails done, I'd say my manicure skills could almost pass as profesh. ;) Hey, you're talking to someone who has been doing their nails since their tweens! That being said, I don't always have time to make these hardworking hands and feet look their best but I try. 

• Avon Foot Works Mocha Nourishing Foot Butter ($7.99 CAD): Unfortunately the mocha scent is no longer available - late review! But I had to include it because I love the scent. The mix of mocha and peppermint is scrumptious. I always apply this buttery moisturizer after a shower. It promises to hydrate for 24 hours but that's definitely an overstatement. For the price point, it's a great foot moisturizer but the softness only lasts for a few hours tops. Then again, my uber dry nasty feet could be the exception! Check out the latest new Foot Works scents. Mocha is still my favourite. 
• Avon Mini NAILWEAR PRO Nail Enamel ($1.99 CAD): I think mini nail polish bottles are genius especially if you are a nail polish fiend like me. I hate wasting nail polish and sadly a lot of mine end up getting gucky. Nail minis are especially perfect for those trendy shades that will go out of style next season. And the price - lets discuss. $1.99!!! Why wouldn't you buy every shade? The quality is actually pretty awesome and I didn't get a major chip until about the 7th day. The formula glides on really evenly. The brush reminds me of O.P.I.'s but not as wide. 

I'm a huge fan of all their shades, but the one to have is of course Pantone 2012's shade of the year: Tangtastic! It's a sexy tangerine shade and looks equally fab on your tips and toes! 

The normal size polishes are offered in some amazing shades for Spring (pictured above) and are only $6.99! My faves from the line: Aqua Fantasy, Orange Creamsicle, Sweet Mint and Blue Escape! 

If my post has made you want to go out and buy all these products, get in touch with the fabulous Avon rep, Elaine, from Toronto Beauty Reviews if you're in the Toronto area! Stay up-to-date on the latest Avon/mark. news and launches by visiting Elaine's From Elaine Next Door blog. 

www.ca.avon.com

Products were sent for editorial consideration and I truly love them. 

Spring Beauty Review 2012 Part 1: Avon/mark. Must-Haves!

I don't know how it happened, but Avon products have found their way into my kit! I've had the pleasure of testing out a lot of their launches and in just this year alone they've really stepped it up. Check out my latest picks that are worthy of your beauty stash!

Clockwise: 

• mark. All The Highlights Soft Glow Illuminator ($20 CAD): I'm loving all the embossed designs on all the spring beauty launches this season! The pretty flower and butterfly detail alone is enough reason to get this illuminator. Its mix of soft pinks and lilacs are positively spring-y and will give your skin a luminous glow that isn't glittery looking. 

The great thing is that you can wear this on the eyes. When they are mixed together the swatch on the very right is what you get. It's a pale lilac which on very fair skin would show as a soft blush, but on darker skin will appear as a soft highlight. The only disappointing thing is that the product shot is a bit misleading. The butterfly looks like a vibrant pink but in actuality are the shades swatched above. I'm not sure if I got a different one or not...

• Avon Big Color Glossy Lip Pencil ($9.99 CAD): I'm such a big fan of jumbo lip pencils in both glossy or matte. They make for a quick yet precise application. Avons version offers really great pigment and has a longer than normal wear time. I was really surprised by how much pigment the lip pencils offer. It's not too sheer but still very wearable for everyday. The texture isn't too slippery and has a nice thick texture that has a smooth tackiness to it - not in a bad way. The only bad thing is that you have to sharpen with a fat sharpener. It's not a big deal but I prefer ones that self-sharpen. 

The shades are basic but pretty. My favourites were Glossy Sunset (top swatch) and Glossy Rose (bottom swatch). Sunset is a must-have coral for this season and Rose is the lovely nude rose shade perfect for Spring's colourful and bright shadows. 

• Avon Eye Brightening Pencil ($7.99 CAD): Who doesn't want to look bright-eyed and awake? I love highlighting pencils because they make faking it that much easier. Adding a pearly highlighter to the inner corner of the eyes and the brow bones is one of those life changing makeup techniques that will take years off your age. Light illuminates or "brings forward". Dark shades help make features look less noticeable or "recede". I love Avon's little chubby pencils. They fit perfectly in the inner corner and are easy to work with. The pigment is amazing and the texture glides on creamy and smooth making it very easy to blend into the skin. 

Top to bottom: Frosting, Pink Dust and Lavender Blue

These of course can double as a shadow and liner. Frosting and Pink Dust are perfect for fair to medium skin tones as a highlighter. For darker skin tones, I prefer peachy or gold tones - I would recommend Honey Blue from the collection. Lavender Blue is a great shade on the lid or to enhance your bottom lash line. As a shadow, these are perfect for when you don't need your makeup to last all day. If you're in a hurry they are easy enough to swipe on and blend with your finger. Skip these if you need your makeup to stay on a while otherwise they will crease or disappear. I love using these as bases under a powder shadow to enhance the pigment. Otherwise, I prefer to use these as highlighters. 

• Jillian Dempsey for Avon Professional Perfect Contour Powder ($9.99 CAD): I have clients asking me all the time to make their cheeks look less round. Avon's Global Creative Color Director and celebrity makeup artist, Jillian Dempsey, is here to make applying makeup easier. Love her right? 

Angelic

This contour, highlighting, blush palette from Avon is contouring-made-easy. The palette contains 3 shades: bronzer to contour, colour shade to flush the cheeks, and a light shade for highlighting. For a quick tutorial, check out my post on contouring and highlighting! You can use each shade on its own or swirl together for a peachy luminous cheek. All shades are nicely pigmented and I love that the highlighter is not uber shimmery. It gives the skin a subtle sheen that is not over the top. If you're afraid to contour, this is the palette to have!

If my post has made you want to go out and buy all these products, get in touch with the fabulous Avon rep, Elaine, from Toronto Beauty Reviews if you're in the Toronto area! Stay up-to-date on the latest Avon/mark. news and launches by visiting Elaine's From Elaine Next Door blog. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my Avon Spring faves!

www.ca.avon.com

Products were sent for editorial consideration and I truly love them.

Get-Clean-Skin Biore Give Away!

Remember those funny looking nose strips from high school that would hurt like hell when you pulled it off? You can thank Biore for that. Before facials became a must-do skin care routine, Biore strips were a skin saver for me. Who knew many years later into my 30's, my skin would find refuge again in these nifty little strips. This mama doesn't get a chance to do a spa facial too often (but then again I'm not a big spa fan - you don't want to get me started! I seem to have bad luck with spas even in-home spa businesses...but I digress...), but these strips get rid of my blackheads like none other! Sure, it's not as relaxing and painless as a real facial but sometimes beauty equals pain right? Right... :) And can I tell you, I still get fascinated by the spiky texture that is left after pulling the disgusting blackheads off my nose.

Biore is now more than just nose strips. The brand has an entire line of skin care products targeting your specific skin care needs all in new packaging! The Blue products are for deep skin cleansing and my favourite of the bunch. The Orange products are for complexion clearing - the Warming Anti-Blackhead Cream Cleanser is ah-mazing! The Pink is for makeup removal - wipes are a makeup gal's best friend! 

If you want a squeaky clean complexion, then enter to win the entire line of some of my favourite dirt busting Biore products! Here's what you'll win: 

• Bioré® Combination Skin Balancing Cleanser with Skin Purifying Technology
• Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser
• Blemish Fighting Astringent
• Warming Anti-Blackhead Cream Cleanser
• Pore Unclogging Scrub
• Steam Activated Cleanser
• 4-in-1 Revitalizing Cleanser
• Daily Purify Scrub
• Combo Pack Deep Cleansing Pore Strips
• Make-Up Removing Towelettes
• Total Value: $105!

It's easy-peasy to enter: 

• You must be a Canadian resident.
• 'Like' Biore's Facebook Page. 
• Leave a comment with your email address telling me what your skin type is like and what Biore product(s) will change your life!
• Winner will be chosen randomly and announced on April 16 at 12 pm. 

Thank you to Biore for sponsoring this amazing give away! Good luck! 

www.biore.ca

Products were sent for editorial consideration and I truly love them. 

Spring Beauty Review 2012: Lancome Rouge In Love

Lancome is giving your lips something to love. If you aren't familiar with the beauty posing in the ad (how could you not know?), it's none other than the young, gorgeous actress from Harry Potter, Emma Watson. This once ingenue has turned into quite the beauty and fashion muse. It was a smart move by Lancome to use a younger spokesmodel to target younger women and make them lipstick addicts. 

I'm already a lipstick lover so it's not hard for me to fall madly in love with a lipstick. The Rouge In Love line is a selection of high pigmented, featherweight, lipsticks with at least 6 hours of wear. The collection is broken up into categories to suit your mood: 

JOLIS MATINS: Fresh, light shades Subtle, soft brilliant colour. (Identified with the letter "M" in the shade number)

BOUDOIR TIME: Flashy, trendy shades Bright colour reflection. (Identified with the letter "B" in the shade number) 

TONIGHT IS MY NIGHT: Deep, head spinning shades Deep lacquered effect, luminous colour. (Identified with the letter "N" in the shade number)

  

I got to try Midnight Rose, a bold fuchsia rose. This lipstick falls into the "N" category. The lipsticks have a lot of pigment, but the texture is very light and airy. I wore this for my Christmas dinner (late review!) and it lasted fairly long - until dessert - with little fading. I'm not a huge fan of the rose scent, but I love the colour so I'm willing to wear it. It's not intoxicating and eventually fades. The silver metal packaging is pretty compact and just beautiful. 

I love the shade of course and opted for a fuchsia lip rather than the typical red for the holidays. This of course will be a popular shade for Spring. A bold shade looks better with neutral eye, black liner or no liner and lots of mascara. In this case, I'm wearing my falsies from Velour Lashes in "You Complete Me". I think for Spring/Summer I'll skip the black liquid liner and keep the eyes really clean with a bright lip. 

Here's a closer look of Midnight Rose. Isn't it pretty? To view swatches of the complete collection, visit Karla Sugar!

Lancome Rouge in Love Lipstick retails for $30 CAD and are sold at department stores all across North America. Have you tried the Rouge in Love collection? Love it? Hate it? Want it?

www.lancome.ca

Product was sent for editorial consideration and I truly love it! 

Spring Beauty Review 2012: Dior New Look

Could Natalie Portman be anymore stunning? I love that one of my favourite actresses is the spokesmodel for one of my favourite beauty brands!

Dior's New Look collection features new packaging, but the shades bring you back to Christian Dior's first runway show. It's a mix of the old and new and the results are beautiful! 

If you've never tried Dior's eye shadow quints you must. The colours are gorgeous and the finish is stunning. I only own 4 palettes, but I need more. From one palette, you can create multiple looks and mix with other shadows in your stash. 

Dior 5 Couleurs Eye Shadow Palette in Royal Khaki ($60 CAD): I love, love this palette. It's a neutral with a twist that can easily make a few different smokey eyes. Unfortunately, my camera is ka-putz right now so I can't post any swatches but you can view them on Escentual.com. There are 3 shimmery shades - khaki-gold, white, and silvery-grey. The black and khaki green in the middle have a semi-matte finish with a soft sheen. It's a great neutral to have in your kit because you can mix it with a lot of other shades. I've done a day look using just the gold or khaki green on the lids and lining and accenting with the black. I've also done a smokey eye using the gold and the silvery-grey with the black. Love it! It's such a versatile palette! Oh, and this is Natalie's favourite palette - enough said.

Dior 5 Couleurs Eye Shadow Palette in Bleu de Paris ($60 CAD): I love this palette based on the name alone. Mr. Dior's inspiration for this palette was the blue sky overlooking the beautiful city that he loved so much - Paris. This Makeup Junkie will soon be enjoying the same blue sky he once did - in a few weeks!!! EEEK! Beyond excited! Yes, you will be seeing posts dedicated to Paris coming up - the clothes, the makeup - oh what to bring! 

Alright, lets get back on track! I love the mix of smokey blue, navy blue, silvery-blue, and baby blue. If you want to get away from the typical smokey eye, try a deep navy one. Gorgeous! Blues really make the whites of the eyes pop and make brown eyes really stand out. To see swatches, visit Escentual.com. 

Palettes also available in Grege and Rose Porcelain. 

Diorshow New Look Mascara ($28.50 USD): To celebrate the cult classic mascara, Diorshow, Dior has come out with a newer version featuring a smaller brush. Dior started the fat mascara brush trend, but they've scaled it down to be able to coat each lash. New Look mascara also has Lash Multiplier TM serum treatment formula that thickens, separates, and extends the lashes. 

I was really hopeful that this mascara would be a new fave. Diorshow never worked for me and the brush was way to big for my eyes. I don't know if the formula was just too heavy, but it would weigh my lashes down and never held its curl. The waterproof version did the same thing and smudged like crazy. New Look didn't smudge on me, but again it didn't lift my lashes. It did make my lashes look thicker, but my lashes are stick straight and need more lift than volume. What I did love was the brush. It made coating each lash very easy. The pointed tip also made it easier to coat the bottom the lashes. Overall, not a must-have mascara for me, but if you're not lash challenged like I am you might love this! Also available in Brown and Blue. 

Have tried Dior's New Look collection? Love it? Hate it? Want it?

www.dior.com

Products were sent for editorial consideration and I truly love them!