Holiday 2010: All I Want For Christmas Is...LAVANILA Deluxe Mini Roller Set!

Fragrances for me can be a little iffy. If a scent doesn't sit well on me, I immediately get a headache. So when I find one that smells divine and doesn't make my head spin, I hang on to it! I've always wanted to try Lavanila products so I was excited to receive this mini holiday set. I think this would be a great set for anyone since Vanilla is a pretty likeable scent. I've always been a vanilla lover - it's warm, cozy, inviting, and yummy!

This mini roller set includes: 

• Vanilla Lavender
• Pure Vanilla
• Vanilla Coconut
• Vanilla Grapefruit

These scents will not only make you smell good but they're actually good for you too! These lovely scents contain all natural, skin-friendly ingredients that are free of parabens, sulfate, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, and petro-chemicals. The fragrances are infused with pure essential oils which makes for a long-lasting scent. At the end of the day, I can still smell it the vanilla all over me. The roller ball and deluxe size make it easy for applying on-the-go and for carrying around in your purse. I especially love roller balls for precise application like behind the ears.

My favourite two that I always reach for are Pure Vanilla and Vanilla Coconut. Every time I wear either scents, my lil' guy can't help but sniff me. He immediately thinks of cake or cookies. I sometimes layer the two for an extra vanilla scent. The Vanilla Lavender is more floral with a hint of vanilla. It's a calming scent but I like it better when I layer the Pure Vanilla over top. The Vanilla Grapefruit is surprisingly not too sweet which I like. I reach for this when I'm in a more fruity mood. 

LAVANILA Mini Roller Ball Set retails for $40 CAD and is available online at The Shopping Channel. 

www.theshoppingchannel.com

Holiday 2010: All I Want For Christmas Is...Moroccanoil With Vanity Case!

 

Gimme good hair please all year round! I instantly fell in love with Moroccanoil when I started working at a salon a couple of years ago. I love the light-weight feel, the silky texture, and the gorgeous shine it gives my hair. It works amazing on curly, frizzy hair without weighing it down. 

I love the new kits that are coming out for the holidays from Moroccanoil. This particular set includes: 

• Moroccanoil Orange Vanity Case
• Glimmer Shine Spray
• Moroccanoil Treatment 100 ml
• Moroccanoil Treatment 10 ml
• Retails for $66 CAD

I am loving the Glimmer Shine Spray. I've been wanting to get my hands on this! It gives the hair a beautiful shine, enhances the colour of your hair and prevents hair static.When I air dry my hair, it has a frizzy wavy finish. I spray a little of this and my hair looks less scary! The argan oil is a powerful antioxidant and protects against the harsh environmental factors. So, let the wind blow your hair any way it wants because your hair will still look gorgeous and healthy! 

Moroccanoil is available at fine salons and spas nationwide.

Have you tried Moroccanoil products? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em?

www.moroccanoil.com

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

Holiday 2010: All I Want For Christmas Is...Too Faced Enchanted Glamourland!

 

Pop-up palettes seem to be all the rage right now and when they come as pretty as Too Faced's version I can see why. This one is a good buy for a gal pal who is a princess and even more perfect for that makeup obsessed teen. 

Too Faced Enchanted Glamourland palette includes:

• 15 x 0.03 oz Eye Shadows in: In The Buff, Exclusive Nude, George & Weezie, Velvet Revolver, Honey Pot, Teddy Bear, Exclusive Purple, Boy Toy, Peach Fuzz, Exclusive Green, Label Whore, Glamazon, Exclusive Plum, Ooh & Aah, and Stiletto
• 0.35 oz Shadow Insurance primer
• 0.12 oz Glamour Gloss in Pillow Talk
• 0.08 oz La Vie en Rose Blush
• 0.14 oz Snow Bunny Bronze
• Three Get-the-Look instruction cards

The pink blush gives the skin a nice rosy flush with shimmer. However, I did find even with my face primer that the colour did fade by the end of the day. I layered a pink cream blush underneath and found the blush lasted longer. The bronzer on my skin tone worked more as a highlighter rather than a bronzer, but will work well on lighter skin tones. I also prefer to use non-shimmery bronzers. 

The texture of the shadows felt velvety smooth but the colours weren't too different than shadows I already own. I did like that there were a few matte shadows thrown in there but for the most part the shadows had a metallic finish. I thought the colour payoff was pretty good and had good lasting power. I'd say if you love your neutrals but are trying to ease into colour this palette is a great start. The gloss is a sheer nude pink and really didn't show up too much on my lips. I applied my Benefit Lip Plump to cover my natural lip colour and it showed up much better but I couldn't get over the sweet yet waxy flavour of the gloss. 

My favourite part of the palette has to be the Shadow Insurance Primer. I have been wanting to try this for a long time and I love it. In terms of crease-resistance, I think it's comparable to my kit must-have, Urban Decay Primer Potion. However, Too Faced's comes in a squeezable tube which means no wasting product! I always felt I was leaving a lot behind with UD's wand version.

Overall, this pop-up palette truly is a beauty. if you love Too Faced products already and if you're a sucker for packaging and love eye candy, you or your special friend will love it!

What do you think of this palette? Love it? Hate it? Want it?

Too Faced Enchanted Glamourland retails for $49 USD (value of $145) and is available at Sephora locations and Sephora.com. 

http://sephora.com

Product was sent for editorial consideration.

Holiday 2010: All I Want For Christmas Is...CARGO Lumieres Holiday Palette and Holiday Event at Sears Toronto Eaton Center!

 

I love palettes especially when they come in such pretty and sleek packaging. I will have to do a more in-depth review with swatches when I have more time but wanted to get this palette on your wish list! If you're looking for a holiday gift for someone that loves CARGO this palette is beautiful. It comes with 8 jewel-toned shadows and the medium bronzer and Rome blush in the middle. 

Come to the Sears Toronto Eaton Center for CARGO's Naughty Santa event! There are a tonne of great GWP going on. Here are the deets: 

Where: Sears Toronto Eaton Center
What: Naughty Santa Event - book a makeup application and you automatically receive a full-size Plant Love lip balm!

• Buy 1 product: picture with Santa with cd to take home and 1 free travel size CARGO Bronzer in Medium
• Buy 2 products: picture with Santa with cd to take home, 1 free travel size CARGO Bronzer in Medium, and a full size Lash Activating Primer
• Buy 3 products: picture with Santa with cd to take home, 1 free travel size CARGO Bronzer in Medium, full size Lash Activating Primer, and a full size Plant Love Lipstick in Muir Woods (one of my faves!)

Date: December 10 and 11
Time: 4-7 pm
Book: Come by and book your appointment or call 416-349-7111 Ext. 2801 to book your appointment. 


I'll be doing makeup at the event but only for today - come and get your makeup done by me! Hope to see you there!


www.cargocosmetics.com

Holiday 2010: All I Want For Christmas Is...Smashbox The Gold List!

 

Give me gold and I'm a happy girl. If you're looking for that gorgeous glow this season, look no further. I love the holiday sets from Smashbox especially The Gold List! Nothing says festive than a little holiday bling!

This is a great gift that keeps on giving. With each purchase from the Smashbox WISH collection, Smashbox will donate $1 from every purchase, up to $25,000, to Children's Miracle Network, a nonprofit organization that grants the wish of life by providing medical care, life-saving research and ongoing education to help millions of kids overcome diseases and injuries. The set includes: 

• Fusion Soft Lights in Baked Starburst (Regular Size)
• Photo Finish Luminizing Foundation Primer (Travel Size)
• O-Gloss Gold (Regular Size)
• Photo-Op Under Eye Brightener (Regular Size)
• gold metallic cosmetic case

Smashbox's original Photo Finish primer is a best-seller and is great for normal to dryer skin tones. The luminizing version is definitely for someone that has close to perfect skin and who isn't too oily. It feels amazing on the skin and gives you the perfect canvas. The primer gives the skin a subtle but noticeable luminous glow.The gold warm hue gives pale winter skin a much needed boost. Makeup stays on all day but because I have an oilier t-zone, my nose did get really shiny throughout the day.

The Fusion Soft Lights (left) can be used on fair to medium skin as a luminizing blush and on med-dark (like myself) to dark it works beautifully as a highlighter. The texture is amazing and velvety soft. Photo Op (middle) is an under eye brightener I use to use religiously. I forgot how much I loved this stuff. The tip is to apply only where it is dark - avoid fine lines as it will start to settle in the lines. I love it on it's own when I'm in a rush or doing errands - doesn't give me total coverage but just enough to brighten and not look overdone. I also love layering it under my concealer for an extra brightening effect. 

I LOVE the O-Gloss in Gold. I know from past reviews of the original O-Gloss some people hated it and some loved it. First, the gloss is so smooth and almost feels like a lip balm. Second, when applied on my lips it turns into a lovely shade of peachy-pink with gold shimmer. In case you didn't know, O-Glosses react to your natural body chemistry and is customized to your pH balance. It looks gorgeous on it's own or layered over your favourite lipstick for a pretty pouty effect.

Oh, and the gold makeup bag is super cute! The set is perfect to travel with and is awesome for on-the-go touch-ups. Yes, another must-add to your wish list!

Have you tried this set? Love it? Hate it? Want it?

Smashbox The Gold List retails for $49 USD and is available at Sephora locations and online at Sephora.com.

http://sephora.com

Product sent for editorial consideration and I honestly love it. 

Holiday 2010: All I Want For Christmas Is...Kat Von D Painted Love Lipstick Set!

 

A lip set after my own heart! Fully pigmented, mini lipsticks all packaged in a decorative box set. If you're a fan of celebrity tattoo artist, Kat Von D, you will love her makeup line. From the packaging, logo design, the names, to the colour selection her personal style is all over this line. 

L-R: Celebutard (nude peach beige), Lolita (dusty rose), Cathedral (spiced pinkish brown), Hellbent (blood red), Underage Red (bright crimson) and Rosary (darkest burgundy red)

If you're new to Kat Von D lipsticks like I am, this set is a great way to test out before buying a full size. And if you're buying for a gal pal who loves her lipstick, she will adore these minis. The set has a good range of nude, neutral and bold shades that you can wear each on its own or layer for a custom shade. 

My favourites out of the set are Lolita, Cathedral, and Rosary. Celebutard (love the name) is a bit too chalky for my skin tone but I love layering it over both Lolita and Cathedral for the perfect nude lip. I love Underage for its brightness but don't prefer it on my skin tone. Hellbent or Rosary are reds I would normally reach for. 

The lipsticks apply creamy and are extremely pigmented. They offer long-lasting wear as well. Another holiday set to add to your wish list! 

Have you tried these lipsticks? Will you be adding this to your wish list?

Kat Von D Painted Love Lipstick Set retails for $28 USD and is available at Sephora locations or Sephora on-line.

http://sephora.com

Products were sent for editorial consideration and I honestly love it.

Holiday 2010: All I Want For Christmas Is...Tarte Good As Gold Lipgloss Collection!

 

Just because my lipstick collection is starting to rival my gloss collection, doesn't mean I don't appreciate a good gloss once in a while especially if they are from Tarte. If you're a gloss junkie, this might be a case of the "one for you, one for me" policy. It's a definite must-add to your Christmas wish list!

This limited edition set comes with 15 deluxe size lip glosses in a variety of shades. I love anything mini because well, mini just looks so darn cute! Plus, it's easy to carry especially with this season's little clutch purses. When it comes to gift giving, this set gives you many options. Give the whole set to one lucky gal or divide them up among your friends personalizing the shades and packaging.

 

 Top Row

I love the texture and feel of Tarte lip glosses. They are never sticky or tacky. The collection also offers a range of shimmery, pearl and creamy finishes. If you're looking for full colour look elsewhere. These glosses are sheer, but with noticeable colour. 

Middle Row

Don't feel you have to wear each shade on its own. Layer a shimmery shade over a creamy, flat gloss or lighten a darker shade with a paler gloss.

 

Bottom Row

All the shades are pretty but none are really different than what's out there already other than the fact that these glosses are all-natural. This is a great starter set for gloss junkies starting out that only have a few shades in their collection. The glosses I've been wearing a lot lately is the bright, clear pink (2nd one) in the top row and the peachy-pink (3rd one) in the middle row. But when you have 15 shades to choose from, a new shade a day is in order!

What do you think of this gloss set? Will you be adding this to your wish list? 

Tarte Good As Gold Lipgloss Collection retails for $29 USD and is available in Sephora locations or online. 

http://sephora.com

Product was sent for editorial consideration and I honestly love it.

Holiday 2010: All I Want For Christmas Is...Add This To Your Wish List!

Shimmer! Glimmer! Sparkling! Shine! You know the holidays are here when all the makeup collections are all blinged out. The next few weeks, Makeup Junkie will be featuring holiday goodies that should be on your wish list whether it's for someone special or yourself. 

For The Ultimate Glamazon - Tarte Cosmetics The Jewelry Box ($52 USD): I. Am. In. Love. This box of makeup heaven is packaged in a luxe gold quilted box adorned with a detachable gold and black necklace that I've been wearing every chance I get! I love layering it with my gold chain link necklace - it looks fab with any party dress or wear with a plain ol' shirt to amp up your look. 

After you've been dazzled by the necklace, your eyes will pop with excitement once you open up the box! The kit comes with 32 new eye shadows, 8 lip glosses, a Tarte best-seller of Park Avenue Princess Mineral Powder Bronzer full-size, full-size shimmer powder, and five deluxe long-wearing shimmery eyeliners.

I did a quick swatching of the shadows so some of the shades might not look as pigmented but they are and have good staying power. I love that it comes with a good amount of matte shadows. A lot of holiday palettes are all shimmery but I love layering shimmer and matte textures together. It looks more wearable and in photos looks more flattering. The liners are pretty and add a little fun and sparkle to your lash line. For long-wearing liners, I found they started to fade towards the end of the night.

The shimmer and bronzer are gorgeous and leave your skin looking radiant. However, on my med-dark skin I have to apply a couple of layers to really see the bronzer. I adore all the lip glosses. I was expecting them to be really sheer but these glosses pack a punch. You can wear each on their own or layer to make a custom shade.

Not only will this thrill the glamazon's in your life (or you), but it will fancy those who only wear all natural products. The price is definitely worth it from packaging to product. Go crazy and create 100 different looks this season!

For The Sophisticate - Tarte The Royal Collection ($43 USD): This is for the woman who just needs all her essentials - no fuss or muss. The Royal Collection will keep you looking polished with 16 exclusive wearable eye shadows that can bring you from day to night. The palette packaged in it's signature purple also includes deluxe sizes of Clean Slate Natural Face Primer, Lights, Camera Lashes!, MultiplEYE Lash Enhancing Primer, a Vitamin-Infused Pink Lip Gloss. 

Again, the palette comes with a good mix of shimmery and matte shadows. Lately, I've been wearing the grey-mauve matte shadow with one of the light matte pinks, black liquid liner, and soft nude pink lips. All the shadows are gorgeous but this combo works for day or night and has a '60's mod feel to it. Love it. 

The primer is great and makes your skin feel really smooth. I love primers and have a collection that is growing! I had always wanted to try the mascara. It promises to volumize, lengthen and curl. When I first apply it, I love it. My lashes look lifted and feathery, but the formula is kind of soft and by the end of the day my lashes start to droop. The primer definitely added fullness to my lashes especially since I've been using Latisse (will have to do a separate review for that), but my lashes would clump more when I applied any mascara over top.

I love the Tarte glosses because they don't feel sticky on the lips and they are good for you inside-out. This pink gloss has gold flecks in it and looks lovely for those days when you want a sheer shine. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the Jewelry Box but it offers great value!

Have you tried any of these must-have limited additions from Tarte? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em? 

Both palettes are available at Sephora locations and Sephora on-line. 

http://sephora.com

Products were sent for editorial consideration.