Sparkled Beauty

We did it, folks, we almost reached 0 today (2 degrees/ 36F, feels like -2C/ 28F), and it would be even worse tomorrow morning (-4C/ 25F, feels like -10C/ 14F). How wonderful... not!

Let's talk beautiful skin care instead. This is Korres Pomegranate line, for oily to combination skin (i.e. me lol). The outside packaging is beautiful, and the product packaging is practical and cute. Sold me first thing.

About what's inside the packaging, the Pomegranate fruit contains three times the antioxidant properties of red wine or green tea, effective in fighting free radicals that cause premature aging of skin cells. Pomegranate extract is a rich source of anthocyanins, vitamins (A, C, E) and minerals, also has significant astringent properties due to its tannins content. It  helps tighten pores and rejuvenates the look of skin.

Worth noting is that the whole line is dermatologically tested, paraben/ mineral oil/ silicon/ propylene glycol/ ethanolamine free.

First product - Pomegranate toner (99% natural content).

This is an oil free toner with Alpin Willowherb and Witch Hazel extract that clarifies and mattifies, and minimizes pores. It also gently exfoliates to remove excess oil and dirt for a tighter and smoother skin.

Suggested use: apply with cotton pads to the face and neck, morning and evening after cleansing.

Ingredients: Water, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-5 Laurate, Sodium Citrate, Epilobium Fleischeri extract, Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Gluceptate, Fragrance, Sodium Hyaluronate, Punica Granatum Fruit extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Leaf extract.

I gotta say this is one of the best smelling toners I have ever tried. It is gently and refreshing to use, though note the alcohol ingredient, if you don't want it in your toner. I am not normally one to care much for toner after washing my face, but I really enjoy this one. The pore minimizing effect though needs the support with other relating products reviewed below.

The bottle is 6.76oz/ 200ml, retails $26.

Then we have Pomegranate Mattifying treatment (83.2% natural content), is also supposed to mattify the skin and refine pores.

It is a runny gel with Pomegranate extract, Willow bark extract and rice starch that help absorb excess oil, long wearing and light weight. The pump is always a nice brownie point.

I used the product on full face without a moisturizer to test its full effect. It does quite a good job in mattifying my face, to the point that I had to add a bit of highlighter and bronzer to avoid a dull look. I also suggest not to skip your moisturizer, especially in the winter, or only use the product on the T-zone, depending on how oily your skin is normally.

The scent is very subtle, and did not linger but you do get a quick whiff of it when applying it on the face.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Oryza Sativa (Rice) starch, Alcohol, Salix Nigra (Willow) Bark extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Hamamelis Virginiana Flower water, Xanthan Gum, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Caprylyl Glycol, Carrageenan, Sodium Levulinate, Lactic Acid, Fragrance, Sodium Anisate, Glucose, Menthyl Lactate, Sodium Phytate, Punica Granatum Bark extract, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran oil.

The tube has 1.35oz/ 40ml, retails $49. It is a little pricy, I admit.

And lastly, the Pomegranate Purifying Natural Clay mask (91.1% natural content).

The Pomegranate extract and white argit natural clay, with sebum-absorbing capacity, are to remove impurities and deeply cleanse the skin, and Zinc helps to absorb oil.

Suggested to use on clean, dry skin, leave on for 10 minutes and rise with lukewarm water once a week after exfoliating.

This mask also has a light refreshing scent and dries super quick on the skin. You can add more layers to the desired coverage. I always opted to leave my mask on for at least 20 minutes, did not notice any irritation or redness because of that. With two thin layers, it did not give a tight feeling when dried nor cracked on the skin. And of course, the skin felt smooth and refreshed after. Super!

Ingredients: Water, Kaolin, Glycerin, C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Isodecyl Salicylate, Isodecyl Laurate, Butylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Benzyl Alcohol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed oil, Zinc PCA, Xanthan Gum, Fragrance, Allantoin, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Punica Granatum Extract, Sodium Phytate, Lactic Acid.

Also a little over my regular price range for a mask (1.35oz/ 40ml, $44) but it is a nice weekly treat for the skin at the same time.

In short, I am a fan of the pomegranate fruit itself and this skin care line with it.

A quick post today to let you know some awesome deals I found in the weekend. While doing my Winners check, just in case another Cargo Mediterranean set shows up, I found ...

... Nubar Polka Dots (reg. 24, on sale for $20 on Nubar website vs. $17 at Winners), I was so excited.

Not a huge saving but I have wanted all 3 bottles for a while - White Polka Dot, Black Polka Dot, and Diamont top coat.

A few Korres products showed up on the shelf too. This must be "Boxing Month" at Winners, they have brought in so many new brands.

I got the Antioxidant Sunflower and Hydrating Evening Primrose Eyeshadow quad - Cool Collection (reg. $35, Winners' price $9). Each shade - Silver, White, Plum and Purple - has its own lid, supposed to be long wearing and creaseless.

Also found a Korres Lip butter in Plum (reg. $12, I paid $4). There seems to be only one shade available.

Macadamia Natural Oil hair care products were at Winners for a long time but this Discover the Secrets of Healthy Hair gift set was on clearance for $36 (retails $99, Winners' original price: $70). I didn't pass it up:
- Rejuvenating Shampoo 300ml (reg. $21)
- Moisturizing Rinse 60ml ($6)
- Healing Oil Treatment 125ml ($39.95)
- Deep Repair Masque 250ml ($33)
- Healing Oil Spray 60ml (%14.50)
- Nourishing Leave-In Cream 60ml ($6.50), and
- A wide tooth comb.

Looks like the Healing Oil treatment is the most expensive by itself, already costs more than what I paid for the whole set. I'm happy.

There are some Smashbox from the Untamed collection (lip glosses, eyeliners, etc.), if you are a fan of the brand. Check out your Winners, you never know what you can find.

A side note: There is a great deal on Physician's Formula at Shoppers this week - 40% off sale plus mail-in rebate stickers on certain products which would end up costing you close to nothing. You'll need the stickers, the rebate forms from the brand's website, and your receipt to do the rebate.

A little math here for you:
- pH Matchmaker blush in Natural, reg. $17.99, after 40% off: $10.79, after $9 rebate: $1.79

- Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Felt-Tip Eyeliner + Serum in Ultra Black (this is the felt tip, not the thin brush), reg. $16.99, down to $10.19, $1.19 after $9 rebate.

Note that there are certain products with $6 rebate stickers but I think the rebate period for them has passed. So please check the list of current rebates to grab the right products in store.

Have a great first day of the week, everyone. I'm at a conference till Wednesday but will be thinking of good food and shopping most of the time :)

Korres is not new to any of us in the beauty world, but recently more Canadians have easier access to the brand when it arrived at (certain) Shoppers stores. I did randomly find some Korres products at Winners, but stock there has not been stable, as you all know.

I was excited to be sent some products to test out.
- Basil Lemon Body Butter
- Wild Rose Face and Eye Serum
- Quercetin and Oak Anti-ageing & Antiwrinkle Eye Cream, and
- Quercetin and Oak Anti-ageing & Antiwrinkle Night Cream.

This winter has been quite strange with extreme cold days follow by a sudden rise of the temperature, just to fall back down the next day. I gotta say these products have become really handy for the season.

The Basil Lemon Body Butter is suggested as an extra moisturizing cream for dry skin, especially elbows, heels and knees. Retails $33 for 7.95oz/ 235ml. Love the tube packaging.

The formula packs shea butter and quince extract to soften the skin, and lemon zest for kicks.

It's probably more appropriate to call this a cream, as it is thicker than regular body butters. It absorbs easily though, no residue, and moisturizes the skin well.

I gotta comment on the scent, as it is quite an interesting combination. Lemon scent is refreshing, I get that, but basil in a body product seems odd. Together, they don't smell bad or anything, but a bit herbally, just so you know what to expect.

Main ingredients (93.8% natural content): Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, etc.

The Wild Rose Face and Eye Serum is a concentrated Vitamin C serum to hydrate and brighten the skin, and smooth out fine lines. Retails $49, 1.01 oz/ 30ml.

The formula includes Wild Rose oil, a natural source of vitamin C, and Baobab-tree polysaccharide, with a wheat proteins agent to provide line-smoothing effects.

Main ingredients (77.6% natural content): Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Flower Water, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Diglycerin, etc.

I always have a place in my heart for serums, so I might be a little biased. This serum is no exception, and it is the answer to my Vitamin C quest. It's also great to see the product is suggested for both face and eyes. One less step to worry about. The pump is great, but use a light hand as you don't need much product at all.

The Quercetin and Oak Anti-ageing & Antiwrinkle line also has interesting scent. For some reason, I like how the eye cream smells better than the night cream, lol. Again, nothing unpleasant, but it takes a bit of getting used to.

First up is the Night Cream. I accidentally took a pic of the French label, but you get the idea lol. Retails $59, 1.35oz/ 40ml.

Quercetin and Oak are considered a natural alternative to Retinol, plus Myrtle extract agent to help improve skin elasticity, and Mourera fluviatilis extract with moisture-binding properties.

I quite enjoy putting this cream on before bed. Being a thick cream, it does not feel heavy and does not just sit on top of the skin. My skin in the morning feels soft and does not flake nor gives me a hard time with foundation application later on. Long term effects like line smoothing and anti-aging would take more time to recognize at this point.

Main ingredients (96.3% natural content): Water, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Triheptanoin, Behenyl Alcohol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, etc.

The Eye Cream has similar major ingredients as the Night Cream, supposedly targets the eye area with typical wrinkle, dark circle and puffiness concerns. Retails $55, 0.51oz/ 15ml.

I normally use the face cream on the eye area as well, as I don't believe the eyes need something different than what the rest of the face does. For testing purpose though, I did use the Eye Cream and was glad to see it worked quite well in making my eyes look less tired in the morning and keeping my fine lines at minimum. You only need half (or even a third) of a pump, so the bottle would last you quite a while. If you only have the eye area to worry about, this is a good eye cream to use.

Main ingredients (93% natural content): Water, Caprylic Triglyceride, Triheptanoin, Glycerin, Sucrose Stearate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Betaine, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, etc.

Have you been lucky enough to have a Shoppers near you that carries Korres?

Last time Winners had the "Final Clearance" sale where lots of stuff have those pretty red tags on, I got a few things.

Korres Little Natural Products travel set, CAD8 (originally CAD12.99) with 50ml bottles of:
- Vanilla Cinnamon shower gel
- Vanilla Cinnamon moisturizing body milk
- Basil Lemon shower gel
- Aloe & Soapwort shampoo and
- Achillea conditioner.

Orly Glitz, CAD3 (org. CAD5.99)

Simple Pleasures 7-piece lip balm set, CAD3 (org. CAD6.99)

Baby Phat 2-pack tights with cosmetic case, CAD8 (org. CAD12.99).

Nothing exciting, and no makeup, as their shelf was almost empty at the time, a few elf sets and old makeup items that I had no intention to buy.

And this is what I got last weekend. This Borghese hand care set was CAD16 (org. CAD29.99), came with:
- Delicato Exoliating Cleanser
- Radiante Brightening Hand Cream
- Finale Fast Set Nail Spray
- Maximo Nail Growth Treatment
- Rejuvenata Cuticle Oil, and
- A small crystal nail file.

The items are of good size, with the clearance price, I don't mind giving them a try.

Another set that I saw in store came with a nail polish and some cuticle/ callus remover products, on sale for CAD23 (org. CAD29.99), just in case some of you are looking.

Now the highlight of the trip: Dollhouse's Hugo Cuffed Angkle Boots. I don't own anything like this.

Lovely fold-over cuffs, nice zipper details, pattern on the sole bottome, fun heels, etc. They are a bit higher than what I'm normally comfortable with, but they look lovely on :-)

The thing is: I paid CAD50 at Winners, and Dollhouse has them online for $28.99 at the moment (org. $60). Winners normally has great prices, but not this case :-(

The navy colour is gone (no sizes left) but the site does have the red ones in my size. What to do, ladies, what to do? Shipping to Canada is unfortunately $16 while within US is $6. Do you think they are worth the trouble? I suck when it comes to clothes and shoes, so fashionistas, help me out! If you think they're ridiculous, tell me now, lol.

1 question: Are Dollhouse shoes of good quality? There are quite a few funky styles on their site that I like too, but I'm thinking they might not be too practical, lol.

This is a little haul I did when Winners was having 20% off more than a week ago but didn't want to post up, as I wasn't sure I'd keep all the stuff.

They are fragrances and I shopped by the looks and brands only as there was no testers at Winners, as you know.

What I got:
- J Lo Glow after Dark Night Bright body lotion (200ml), cost me CAD6.50 after discount

- CK Eternity Summer for men (100ml), reg. $75 from retail stores, paid CAD24

- Lolita Lempicka Coral Flower (50ml), reg. $69, paid CAD28

- Gwen Stefani L.A.M.B (100ml), reg. $72, cost CAD22

- Elizabeth Arden Mediterranean Breeze (50ml), reg. $47.50, paid CAD16

I would probably keep the LL Coral Flower, as I heard some good reviews about it, but have no idea what the rest would smell like, lol. If you have tried any of these fragrances before, please do let me know whether they are good to keep.

And this was from the makeup/ bath & body corner.

- Korres Fig set with a body butter (150ml), a shower gel (250ml) and a body scrub (50ml) CAD13.50

- Delon+ Mango body butter (2 in the set) CAD8

- Bare Escentuals Crown Jewels (Mother-of-all-gems) for CAD16, comes with a Clear Radiance all over face colour, True Gold and Opal glimmers, Onyx liner shadow, a double-ended Precision eye brush and an angled Face brush.

I found it at the clearance section, didn't realize the Buxom Big & Healthy lip polish was missing (probably that was why it was discounted). Disappointed.

I bought these Korres Quince body butters (235ml) a few days before this event, so no discount. CAD7.99 each wasn't bad anyway, especially when it's one of the best sellers on Korres' website.

The body butter is supposed to be an extra moisturizing cream for dry skin conditions, so I have been using it on my legs mostly. It is quite thick but not greasy at all. I like the scent, very light and fruity, not too sweet. Hoping it works well for my skin during the coming winter.

No, not contest winners, lol. We went to Winners for its summer sale and had an awesome time. I meant to go there for clothes, surprisingly (maybe not, lol), I ended up at the cosmetics/ bath & body section first. The real surprise was I found some great makeup that I haven't seen IRL before. So let me show you what I got.

First up, the big boxes. I like the concept of being able to do different (and totally opposite) looks with one palette, and the Too Faced Naughty or Nice set might give me just that.
The Too Faced "Lights, Camera, Glamour" Make-Up Collection box could give me even more options, considering the amount of makeup it holds. Never thought I would find Too Faced around here. I don't have a Sephora store, remember?
The Sun Kissed bronzing powder, bulky packaging but has cute little prints on the packaging and on the product which sucked me in. The brand is all new to me though.

Close up pic inside the Naughty or Nice palette: 6 shadows x 1gr, and 6 lip glosses x 0.65gr. The pull out little tray has a dual ended brush (lip brush on one end and applicator on the other). This set is retailed on Too Faced website for $29.50, and I paid CAD 12.99. Appreciated the low price - something Winners is known of, for sure. For price comparison purpose for you guys in the US, Beauty Crunch has this set for $11.80. They don't ship outside US, so Canadians can't get makeup for cheap. And this is not the only site that does that. I can't tell you how many times I filled up my cart just to get turned down at check out for not being from the US.

The Makeup Collection box has a clasp on the outside, a mirror underneath the lid with 4 little bulbs that can light up (has battery compartment). So fancy. It unfolds into 3 small palettes with:
- 8 shadows x 0.94gr: 2 shades named Hollywood Ho Downs and 2 shades named Cocoa Lillys (according to the box), Fantasy Island, George&Weezie, Skinny Dip, Suzy Ho Maker
- 6 glosses x 0.9gr: Candy Apple, Cocoa Kiss, Pink Taffy (Candy Lips); Trust Fund Baby, Private Jet (Status Gloss) and an Exclusive Lip Gloss
- 2 blushes x 2.8gr: Who's Your Daddy, Lust to Love
- 1 bronzer x 2.8gr: Sun Bunny
- 1 face powder x 2.8gr
- 1 shimmer powder x 2.8gr: Snow Bunny
- 1 brow powder, 1 eyeliner powder x 1.4gr.
This box is no longer available on Too Faced or Sephora website. Beauty Crunch used to have it for $16, I paid CAD19.99.

The Sun Kissed bronzing powder was $9.99, retailed CAD20 (according to the price tag), so I guess it was half price. There is no specific brand on the package, but the company is J A Cosmetics, same one that owns Elf. I picked up this bronzer for the leopard print with pink and bronze colours. Isn't it cute? I'm skeptical about the brush, as brushes that come with products don't normally perform very well. I also question the excessive packaging just to house a regular size bronzer. I wonder whether this product line has similar quality as elf's. I might have to come back to take a closer look, as there were different palettes from J A Cosmetics on the shelf with similar packaging patterns.

Yay, Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy Rides Again set! I found it at the clearance section actually, for CAD7 (regular $32). Crazy right? I was so happy to spot this set, as it basically has "the best of Urban" - Midnight Cowboy shadow, Shadow Primer Potion (sample size), 24/7 Glide-on Eye pencil in Bourbon and Midnight Cowboy heavy metal glitter eyeliner.

Lip Fusion Micro-injected Collagen Lip Plump in Belle is gorgeous. It was the only there, but was in the shade that I really liked, so to home with me it went. I paid CAD6.99 for it vs. the $38 retail price. This is the second time I spotted Lip Fusion products, as I scored the Be Kissed Mini Lip Fusion set for CAD20 before.

Last but not least, the Best of Korres set! This brand is a mystery to me until last time I saw this set at Winners (for CAD20). Obviously, lots of loggers raved about it. This time, it was in clearance for CAD10 and I certainly couldn't pass it up. Imagine all the goodness: Guava Body Butter 50ml, Basil Lemon Showergel 50ml, Vanilla Cinnamon Showergel 50ml, Wild Rose Moisturizer SPF6 10ml, Evening Primrose Eye Cream SPF6 5ml and Yoghurt Cooling Gel sachet 9ml.
Note: According to Best Things in Beauty, Korres US website was just launched in July. I am disappointed again that they don't ship internationally.

For clothes, I did find some nice shirts for me and a really cute dress for Squirt. She wanted to be the flower girl in my sister's wedding, so we were looking around for a fancy dress. It wasn't in the range I normally pay for kids' clothes, but for special occasion, I guess we can splurge. I always rant that kids clothes are even more expensive than aldults'.

The whole experience at Winners took 3 hours - picking out the makeup and clothes, trying the clothes on and deciding what stayed in the cart and what went back to the racks, lol. That wasn't even the biggest Winners in town yet, lol. The damage to my credit card is pretty bad, but I'm happy with what I got.

Have a nice weekend, ladies.