Product Review: Cover Girl Wetslicks Fruit Spritzers Lipgloss

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Today is the last day for Comment for a Cure! For every comment left on this blog until midnight tonight (the witching hour!), I will donate $1 to the Canadian Cancer Society, to a limit of $50. ALSO, your comment enters you into the draw to win this lovely bottle of Donna Karan's Cashmere Mist!


There are lots of reasons to buy a drugstore lipgloss these days. There's that big bad recession thing, of course. Even in more abundant times, we often want to pinch our pennies in the "frivolous spending" department to save up for bigger and better things. But for me? The best reason to buy a cheapie lipgloss is that it's just really really terrific.

I'm not sure that I had ever tried a Cover Girl gloss prior to this. I think it had something to do with the name... "Wetslicks". Sounds like seal skin, or oil spills, or um... something really X-rated. Not exactly appealing things to think about as you're applying goop to your lips.

Even when they came out with the Fruit Spritzers, even with the alluring fruity scent and the ANTM-hawking, I somehow resisted. Until I tried it during one sleepless, late-night drugstore amble (anyone else do that?).



Needless to say, I was really impressed! The shade I picked up, Raspberry Splash, is a sheer cool pink, with a really attractive "watery" quality that I like. The feel is anything but watery though, it's just right - not too sticky and thick, but not so thin it feels like it's going to run all over the place. Pretty moisturizing too! Strangely, it smells nothing like Raspberry, but rather exactly like Hubba Bubba Watermelon bubble gum, which I LOVED as a kid. So this is a-ok by me!

I liked this gloss so much that I picked up another 3 shades whilst on a Binge Shopping trip in Buffalo NY. (Don't knock Buffalo. It has a Target AND outlets!) Guava Splash is equally awesome - it is a very slightly peachy pink... paler and warmer than Raspberry, and gives what I call a "baby lips" effect. Really innocent and soft, and the scent is pretty much the same watermelon-y yumminess.

Berry Splash was just ok. (I think either this or Guava Spalsh is the pink shade pictured above) There's more cool shimmer in this one, so it leaves my lips kind of frosty. You have to work a bit to blend the colour in, otherwise the frost sits unevenly. Still, not a bad choice for certain looks. Scent is some vague but pleasant combo of watermelon and berry.

Fig Spalsh was a big disappointment. It looks like a pale caramel in the tube, and I had high hopes for it both in the colour (perfect subtle nude???) and the scent (figgy deliciousness???) departments. Sadly, this shade is just way too frosty/pale and hard to blend on me. If I use a very thin layer, it is not too bad, but generally it gives me what I call "90's lips". And the scent is this weird chocolatey thing, which I'm not into.

Oh well, so they're not all perfect, but overall these Spritzers are a great buy. Lasting power is med-low, but hey, they cost $5 and are fun to apply, so I'm not complaining. Always happy to find a deal!

Bwahahaha

Okay okay, I'm working on an actual review for you folks (crazy, I know!) to go up tomorrow, but I've also been taking advantage of this hard-to-come-by down time by catching up on this season's Gossip Girl.

I've obviously got a lot more catching up to do, but I just wanna say:

"What's this? Chuck's date and Blair's date are mother and son? And Nate and Blair are ex's? And Nate and the mother are in a book club?! Now there's a novel plot twist."

Brilliant! God I love Kristen Bell. And Gossip Girl. And downtime.

Alright, back to reviewing. See you tomorrow!

Still Looking for a Halloween Costume?

This ad might give you a few ideas. NSFW, depending on where you work, due to rather copious swearing.





Comment for a Cure is still on! For every comment left on this blog until Halloween, I will donate $1 to the Canadian Cancer Society, to a limit of $50. ALSO, your comment enters you into the draw to win this lovely bottle of Donna Karan's Cashmere Mist. It's sexy to comment!

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Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign Update & a GIVEAWAY!

Hey folks! 2 quick things:

First, I've decided to extend my Comments for a Cure campaign until the end of the month. That means, for every comment made on this blog until October 31st, I will donate $1 to the Canadian Cancer Society, up to a limit of $50. Please note that you don't have to pay a cent to participate in this. Just comment, and *I'll* donate. Easy peasy! My heartfelt thanks to those who have already commented, and please feel free to leave some more comments, because...


Second, and possibly more exciting: I will be running a giveaway for a gorgeous, limited edition bottle of Donna Karan's Cashmere Mist perfume! Full review to come, but this soft and warm scent is perfect for cooler weather... it's really like wrapping yourself in a cozy sweater. Wanna win? There are 2 ways:

1. Make a comment on this blog between now and October 31st. Each comment you make will count as one chance to win! (Limit of one comment per poster per day please)

2. Donate to the Canadian Cancer Society before November 30th by using the ChipIn widget on the sidebar. ChipIn is a secure way to donate -- all you need is a PayPal account or an American credit card. The money gets transferred to me at the end of the campaign, and I'll post the receipt from my donation at the beginning of December. Every dollar you donate counts as TWO chances to win, and of course, there is no limit to how much you can donate! So, if you comment every day between now and October 31st, plus donate $20 for example, you'd have 45 entries in the draw (5 from the comments, and 40 from the donation)!

I will do the draw and announce the winner on December 1st. Due to shipping issues, this contest is only open to Canadian and US readers. Sorry to the folks abroad, it doesn't mean I love you any less!

Hopefully all this isn't too confusing, but I really want to continue to support the cause, even into November. While it is absolutely wonderful that so many bloggers and companies focus on Breast Cancer Awareness during October, our fight against this disease doesn't end when we take down the Halloween decorations. I've seen too many friends and colleagues battle this illness, and I believe that with our efforts, a cure can and will be found.

So yes, I hope there will be lots of comments over the next week, and lots of donations! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments. A great contest for a great prize, all for a great cause!


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Pink Product Review: Clinique Buttershine in Ribbon Pink

The Comments for a Cure Campaign continues! Please leave a comment -- for every comment made until the end of October, I will donate $1 to the Canadian Cancer Society, up to a cap of $50. I extended the campaign since so far, I've raised a very impressive ONE dollar. Seriously people, help me out! ;)


So, unless you've been hiding out under a rock lately, you will know that the economy is suffering on a global scale. So much so, for some countries, that the underside of a rock actually seems to be a pretty good place to take cover until all this kufuffle settles down.

But in reality, life must go on, and part of life (mine, at least) involves makeup. And if you're going to be buying makeup during these tough times, then you might as well do some good with your consumer dollar, right? Of course, there's a slew of lovely "Pink" products to choose from, but if you're looking to get the biggest donation-bang for your buck, then look no further than Clinique's Buttershine Lipstick in Ribbon Pink.

A whopping $10 out of the purchase price of $16 goes towards the Breast Cancer Awareness Research Foundation. That's 62.5% of the sale price!

Other equally-important reasons to love this Limited Edition lipstick is how great it feels on. It's not as "smushy" as a lipbalm, but it glides on nicely, with no oily or goopy feeling. It lasts pretty much as long as a regular lipstick, but feels much more moisturizing -- even after the colour's gone, my lips feel soft and smooth.

And of course... the shade! A light-medium pink that's sheer enough to work on most skintones, Ribbon Pink packs a sparkly punch! The micro-glitter is plentiful, but not gritty, and adds great sparkle to your lips. If you're really not a sparkle-lip kind of girl, you might want to check out Estée Lauder's lip trios instead (I know I will... tomorrow!), but me, I love the sparkles. It ain't no gaudy disco glitter either... from a distance, it just looks like a nice natural shine. Here, see for yourself:

       

Bare Lips on Left, wearing Pink Ribbon on Rigth. Pretty!

I could definitely see putting this over a peachy lip pencil, or used to tone down a too-dark shade as well. Finally, if all that wasn't enough for you, it comes in the most darling silver case, with a magnetized closure, mirror, and pink ribbon within (of course!). Smooth glossy lip colour for a good cause... you can't lose!

For a detailed breakdown of where your "Pink" dollars go, check out Jazmin's list at Makeup Moxie. It's not surfing just a great beauty blog, it's *education*. ;)


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Pink Product Review: Jo Malone Red Roses

Today is the first day of the Comments for a Cure Campaign at Brain Spam! Please leave a comment -- for every comment made between today and Friday October 24th, I will donate $1 to the Canadian Cancer Society, up to a cap of $50. Help me reach my goal and join the fight against Cancer!


Having just gone through The Summer Of Weddings, I have amassed a fair amount of wedding-related advice. The obvious one (don't wear white!) is a no-brainer, but a more subtle etiquette tip stuck out at me: Don't wear red.

Whether you choose to accept this advice or not is clearly a personal choice, but the advice-giver says that red is too eye-catching, too dramatic and passionate, and too strong. Weddings are purportedly about romance rather than drama, about a comforting, gentle love rather than a fiery, passionate one. And so, to reflect the romantic theme, one should stick with pinks if one wants to wear something in the red-family (either on the body or on the lips!).

Okay, so that might be the case for weddings, but when it comes to cancer awareness, I say we need to add a splash of Red to the Pink campaign. In the fight against cancer, yes we need compassion and understanding, but we also need the fire. We need to be dramatic and bold and attention-getting, to tell our friends and loved ones that they CAN and SHOULD take care of themselves. (Put down that cigarette! Do your monthly self breast-exams!) We need that passion, devotion, and strength if we are going to end this disease that strikes 1 out of 8 American women.



To me, Jo Malone's Red Roses cologne is a perfect combination of Pink and Red. It is the most realistic scent depiction of a real rose that I have smelled. It starts off supple and lush, with a jammy, greenish toothsome-ness, as if you'd stuck your nose in a big bouquet of freshly-cut roses with plump petals. The sweetness of the rose is balanced by a slight but bracing spiciness, reminiscent of lemon verbena (probably the lemon and spearmint notes coming through). As it dries down further, a touch of cream is apparent, with the slightest suggestion of water droplets sprinkled on petals, but it mostly stays true to the rose. Near the base of the fragrance, there is a salty earthiness that I don't detect often in floral scents, but somehow fits perfectly here.

Red Roses is a fresh and young scent -- there's no overpowering musk or sickly sweet powder associated with it. But, it has a headiness, assertiveness, and composure that usually isn't present in fragrances marketed toward younger crowds. It is at once girlish and womanly, and I could imagine myself wearing it at a day in the park or for a romantic night out with equal ease. Indeed, it might last all the way from a day at the park to a big night out -- this fragrance, despite being labeled a cologne, lasts longer than any other floral I've tried. I can still detect traces of it lingering on my coat collar days after first wearing it. I cannot imagine needing more than 2 spritzes in the morning to last you through the day, and so the 100mL bottle will last for years and years and years.

The matching bath oil in the line smells pretty much identical to the cologne. I find it works tremendously as a post-shower moisturizer, especially on the legs. It is silky, non-sticky, and leaves my sheets deliciously scented if I put it on before bed.


So if you love a beautiful rose, and want to envelope yourself in its sensuous fragrance, Jo Malone Red Roses is a beautiful candidate. Because it is relatively straight forward, I imagine it will be easily paired with other scents to create endless combinations. Plus, you'll be doing some good: Jo Malone will donate $15,000 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation in connection with the North American sales of Red Roses Cologne and Bath Oil. So get some Red into your Pink Month, and when your friends and coworkers ask you what alluring scent you're wearing, be sure to take a minute to tell them about the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign!


Check out other blogs participating in the Comments for a Cure today: All Lacquered Up, Makeup Makes Me Happy, Mystical Beauty, and see my last post for other blogs participating in the campaign!



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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Oh wow, blink twice and already we're half way into October! I've been crazily trying to prepare for what may well be the most un-fun conference ever, but I do want to take a minute to talk about Breast Cancer Awareness month. As some of you may know, the members of the created a campaign last year, both to raise funds for various cancer charities, and to raise awareness about cancer prevention and treatment. It was such a success that we're doing it again this year!

I'm excited to participate -- not only will I be writing some pink-related posts, I'll also be doing the Comments for a Cure fundraiser. For every comment left on this blog on October 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, I'll be donating $1 to the Canadian Cancer Society, up to a limit of $50. (That's Wed, Thurs, and Fri next week!) Plus, there's going to be a contest for a great prize! So please stop by on those days to comment about the Pink campaign, share stories about how cancer's touched your lives, or just say 'hi'!

Of course, the best part is that the whole BBN is involved in this! Check out the "Think Pink" widget on the sidebar for links to Breast Cancer Awareness-related posts by network members, and do stop by the blogs below and drop a comment on their fundraising days. Every comment is another step in the fight against cancer!





The Beauty Blog Network Blog - Oct 15-30th

Makeup Junkie - Oct 20-22

Mystical Beauty's Musings - October 21-23

All Laquered Up - Oct 22-24

Sarah's Surprises - October 28-30

Beauty Junkie in SF - all October, on Pink posts

Christina Loves... - all October

Makeup Moxie's Beauty Blog - all October

Mischo Beauty - all October

Temptalia - all October (she has a huge goal of $1000! Let's help her make it happen!)




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Another Lumiere Sale!

Hey, quickie post here. Lumiere is having another sale! The store will be closing down for the rest of October and will open in November with some cool new stuff, but for today only, ALL full sized eyeshadows are only $3 (regular $6), and all blushes, radiances, bronzers, and all over colours are just $5 for the 4g size (regular $9). What a deal.

And, just in case some shades will be made unavailable with the new opening, it would be wise to stock up now, no? Let's stimulate the economy, people. :)

SYTYCD: Real-time!

Okay, so it's the first "real" episode of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, and it's so so hot that I must post. In real-time, because I"m too tired to write a real post!

8:10 - First up: Arrasay and Nico. Yay! Arrasay is my 2nd favourite ... she's so damn cute, and then she dances and it's just a firecracker of sexiness, but she manages to be fun and sassy at the same time. It's a Latin number, which of course is no problem for Cuban-trained Arrasay. Nico holds his own, though it's hard to stop watching Arrasay. Not too enraptured with the guys on this show, but Nico is probably my favourite. Because he's hot. And French.

8:15 - Oh hey! I can actually VOTE instead of just ranting and raving in this SYTYCD! Nifty! I think this pairing (Arrasico?) will do well, because everyone loves those movies about the sweet cheerleader who hooks up with the sensitive bad boy, where she brings a beam of sunshine into his solitary world, and he sheds his tough demeanor to show her his tender and protective side. Right? Right?? Oh, just me? Ok then.


8:20 - Natalli & Kevin. Oh, Natalli. I don't *really* have a problem with her, I mean she is obviously fierce. But her dancing is kinda... I don't know, overly sexualized? Also a bit spastic. Like a ratings play. They have to do Hip Hop... this should be no problem for Natalie based on her slammin' hip-hop/latin solo...

8:23 - Holy crap, it's like MJ in his early days up there.

8:23 - Kevin is not sharp. Natalie is. Oh look, she's sticking out her butt. How unpredictable.

8:24 - Haha, Leah just called them out for dressing like sluts. Luther just compared them to cartoon mice?? Mmm kay. Blah blah blah "technically imperfect, but Natalli's bod is so slammin' we weren't even looking" blah blah.

8:25 - Tre thinks they did not "kill it", but they did "hit it". "I'm not gonna hate, I'm gonna participate, and congratulate." Wow.

8:25 - Jean-Marc is baffled by Kevin's ice-blue eyeshadow, which sparkles past his temple and right into his hair. Okay, maybe that was just me again. Anyway, it's all very Blades of Glory.



8:27 - AHHHHH! Bre! My total total fave! Whitby represent!! Francis is... French? I don't really remember him, but whatever, BRE!!!! Even her nails are hot.

8:30 - Bre looks like Aunt Becky, but blonde and sparkly. And not on that godawful new 90210 show. Wheee, spinny lift! Weird to see sharp reaches in waltzes, but hey, the song is kind of strange too.

8:30 - OMG! Dance-makeout! God Leah is annoying.

8:31 - Luther you are a booooo suck-face. Your MOM's just kinda ~here~. Okay, fine, the dance really wasn't *that* great. But Blake's "you feel like a natural...grandmother" line was harsh, esp since we know that he probably starts every morning by belting out "Natural Woman" into his hairbrush.

8:32 - Tre feels the same as me about the lack of smooth in smooth-waltz. Whatever, I'm so voting for Bre and her strange FoodTV Chef-looking partner.



8:37 - Why are all ballerinas named Allie? Oh well, Calgary woot! At least I don't hate her like I hated that Jessie girl from The Season of Benji. This Danny dude sure likes jumping on other dudes.

8:39 - Jive! I miss Benji. Apparently man-humper is good a jive, good for him.

8:40 - I love how they put Allie in a tutu even though it's Jive. They do look cute together.

8:41 - Oh those were some painful looking lifts. Allie looks confused during the last part.

8:42 - Please, please Leah, do NOT wear Allie's skirt. I think we've seen quite enough of your legs.

8:42 - Luther totally wants Allie. Or he has a mouse fetish, I don't know. Really? Fave performance so far??? Huh.

8:43 - DON'T TAKE THE SKIRT. Stupid Leah.

8:45 - Hey wait! This is shot in Toronto. I live in Toronto. How do I get in on some live-audience action?



8:50 - Who is this Kaitlyn girl paired with Issak? I have no idea. Haha, they're too young to know what Broadway is.

8:51 - Issak, you totally go around slapping random ass back home in Prince George, don't even lie. And note to choreo guy: it's illegal in some places for these kids to "get to know each others' bodies more".

8:53 - The ass-grab looked decidedly uncomfortable. What is with all this ass-gesturing? I've seen Chicago and there wasn't this much ass in the whole movie. WHAT is Issak doing, breasfeeding?

8:54 - Tre: "I don't see your full reality yet". Huh?

8:56 - Commercial break. Does anyone know if drinking expired almond milk will make you sick? Guess we're about to find out.



9:01 - I am kind of scared of Lisa, but also want to maybe have a beer with her. Or have her teach me about the gym, girlfriend is ripped. Vasson is French and cute. So many French!

9:03 - Why do contemporary dancers always have one pant leg rolled up?

9:04 - I LOVE Lisa's dress!!!(Also her trend-sensitive grey dance pants) Emily Rossum sings? I thought she was an actress. But the dancing... OMG! They are pretty much fan-frickin-AWESOME.

9:05 - Oooh, I just got goosebumps a little. That was really really really good. And it made Luther "get it".

9:07 - Yes Tre, I did inhale during the performance. Thank you for pointing that out.


9:13 - Who is Lara? She looks about 30, and looks just like Christine Taylor, actually. Oh Miles is the Justin Timberlake wannabe! And they get disco, nice.

9:15: - Yay, white Go-Go boots! LOVE her outfit. And the sparkles. And the hair.

9:16: - Heeheee! Disco hands! Keep that groove train rollin'!

9:18 - Kiss?? What kiss? Where was this kiss? I missed a kiss? God I wish I had TiVo.

9:19 - Oh my, that is a nice lil hip thing that Miles does, isn't it. They do make a rather gorgeous (and flexible) couple.

9:20 - Oh. My. God. Romina is in a tacky plastic French Maid outfit. This can't be good.

9:27 - Romina totally looks like Nelly Furtado, so it is surprising that she does not hip the hop. Her booty roll is bombastic though.

9:28 - Oh wow, did she just grap his *nipple*?? On another note, we now know that Leah is desperate and trampy. Know even more, I mean.

9:30 - Blake is really fond of the phrase "pull up". If I ever have a SYTYCD Canada marathon party, that will totally be the trigger phrase for the drinking game. (Of course there would be shots and a drinking game at my SYTYCD party, what kind of person do you think I am?!)



9:37 - Tamina is ridiculous, she looks all of 12 years old. But she is so cute and so fun you can't help but like her. Joey (more Calgary yay!) is the embodiment of a contemporary boy. He's got contemporary eyes!

9:39 - Tamina has some nice kicks, for being a girl from the booty-shaking section of the dance world. Her hands bother me though. And that crotch-mashing hip shake was totally not Tango.

9:40 - Leah. These outfits are for DANCING. Unless you are going to take up semi-professional dancing, that just makes you whorish if you wear them.

9:42 - Poor hands-in-pockets Joey. I have the same problem, I never know where to put my hands. It's either pockets or hip, so I perpetually look either shy and defensive or really indignant.

9:43: - Oh darlin' Tamina. "Well we did our best." So cute.

9:43 - Oh my god, the Clover Leaf Energy Zone is either the stupidest or most brilliant thing ever. I loved the random "let's grab our 1.5 seconds of fame" dance troupe doing their carefully-rehearsed choreography. Hilarious!



9:47 - Caroline is another girl I don't remember. Oh boo hoo, she does not have the "best body for dance"... what does that mean? Donyelle had twice the booty you did and look how far she got. Jesse looks like he's throwin' down some kung fu on the dance floor.

9:49 - Hee hee! There are not enough orangne suits in the world. Woah Jesse, that was a weak jump.

9:50 - Oh god, this looks like a hot mess. The strip-tease didn't help.

9:53 - Wow, the judges are being pretty generous. I really didn't think it was that entertaining, but then I've never been asked to dance jazz-pop while wearing an afro, so what do I know.

9:55 - Could they possibly cram any more corporate sponsorship into this? Not only did Leah have to mention Roger's name, she had to spout off their tag line too? Way to whore-out. (But hey, if that's what makes this show possible, then so be it.)

Okay, and that's a wrap! Aren't you glad I don't do this normally? Editing and concentration are the only things that shelter you guys from the inane ramblings that go on in my head. Don't worry, I won't make this a regular thing. But I will toddle off now to vote! Catch ya later!

Product Review: Vichy Dermablend Concealer

So as I sit here, awake at 2am despite the fact that I have to get up in 5 hours, my thoughts naturally turn to concealer. This past summer's been so busy (and cash-poor) that when I ran out of my beloved Cinema Secrets concealer, I had to make do with drugstore brands. (Nice to see Cinema Secrets get some love in Allure's "Best Of" list, this year, by the way) But, to my delight, I came across a fantastic, high-coverage, easily blendable concealer at Shopper's, and it is totally shameful that I call myself a beauty blogger and yet I have waited this long to share it with you all.

Nonetheless, they say better late than never, and here it is: Vichy Dermablend Concealer!



Vichy Dermablend is a gel-cream type of product, and feels almost like a thick-ish silicone primer. On the skin, this translates to the product gliding on beautifully... there's no tugging happening here! Its silky application means that you can apply really sheer layers to cover red areas, but also build up coverage for dark circles.

Ya know how makeup artists are always saying "just apply concealer where necessary and skip the foundation for a fresh-faced look"? I don't know about you, but upon reading that, I promptly go "pfffft" and move along... with most concealers, you end up getting a freaky and patchy-faced look, unless you've also got foundation on. But Dermablend does it right: Just stipple it into your skin with a good concealer brush and it blends pretty much seamlessly. It is even more skin-like than Cinema Secrets, due in large part to the fact that it's in liquid form.

Despite all its good points, Dermablend still didn't give enough coverage for me to use on its own. I think I might have just picked a shade that was a hair too dark (they do have like 12 shades to choose from, which is awesome), but I've achieved great results by layering Maybelline's Age Rewind concealer over top. In fact, I've since bought another little tub of Cinema Secrets, and dare I say it, I think I may even like the Dermablend+Age Rewind combo better! [EDIT: I lied, Dermablend comes in 6 shades. Which is still pretty good.]

(Incidentally, it seems like they may have reformulated the Cinema Secrets concealer... it seems thicker now, and since when was it scented? Of course, the store also didn't have my exact shade for some reason, so I had to pick the next closest one, which could be throwing everything off. Still, I'm pretty sure there was no scent in it before...)

So okay, I should say that despite being available at the drugstore, this concealer demands practically department-store prices. But, for the $23 it costs, you will get months and months of use, and it is at least comparable, if not better than many department store brands. The needle-nose tube is hygenic and doesn't waste product, plus I got mine on sale for like $16, so keep an eye out for that.

But really, the best way to deal with dark circles is to not get them in the first place, so it's off to bed for me! If you've also been bit by the irresponsible-sleeping-habits bug, do hop over to your local Shopper's and check out the Dermablend line.