Sparkled Beauty

Lancome Juicy Shakers have made quite a buzz in the beauty industry because of the quite contradictory verdicts of how people either love or dislike them :)

I think it would come down to expectations (what you expect the products to do) based on what brands or other people tell you, so let's get the basics out of the way first, then I will tell you how I feel about them.

I received 2 shades - Boom-Meringue and Wonder Melon, came wrapped nicely inside a real metal cocktail shaker (resembling the mini shaker shape on the Juicy Shakers).

Juicy Shakers are described as the first pigment infused bi-phasic lip oils that provide a wash of color and a hint of shine. Each shade coordinates with a scent, hinted in the shade names.

The first phase is a transparent oil for a lightweight, non-sticky shine, with a blend of 5 nourishing oils:

- Peach kernel oil softens lips
- Sweet almond oil conditions
- Apricot oil hydrates
- Cranberry oil provides rich antioxidant properties, and
- Muscat rose oil, rich in essential fatty acids, helps to soothe the lips.

The second phase is supposed to provide pigments for a touch of color.

By default, the 2 phases would slowly separate inside the "shaker" (tube) until being shaken to mix. They would emulsify but separates again on application so the pigmented phase can fuse with lips while the glossy film rises to the surface to sublimely coat lips.

This is potentially where most people dislike the product. Sure the lips feel great upon application but the oil sits on the surface for a short period of time and are too easy to rub off on things that your lips touch (i.e. the hydrating feeling is gone quickly too), hence the constant reapplication.

Note the 3 holes on the top of the tube where the cute and soft pointed cushion applicator comes into contact with the small amount of pigment and oil mixture underneath.

Instructions: Shake the tube like a cocktail shaker to mix the pigment and oil, then tap the applicator onto lips for a tint of color with sheer finish (or only on the corners of the cupid's bow on the upper lip for a plumped lip look).

For more pigmented lips: use a lip liner or matte lipstick as a base before a Juicy Shaker.

Boom-Meringue is described as a pink with lemon meringue scent but goes on almost clear, and Wonder Melon, a fuchsia with watermelon scent, looks more like a pale pink on. The scents are great, quite fresh and non chemically.

So, these Juicy Shakes make you look cool during application (conversation starter, maybe) and feel awesome freshly applied (plus your lips smell gorgeously) but they need to be reapplied within the hour, which will make a lot of us question the price tag.

If you want to grab a shade to try, there are 14 on Lancome Canada website:
- Pinks: Berry in Love*, Boom-Meringue, Piece of Cake*, Mangoes Wild, Meli Melon and Lemon Explosion*/**
- Reds and Corals: Apri-Cute, Wonder Melon, Freedom of Peach, Cherry Symphony, Bohemian Raspberry**, Walk the Lime*, Great Fruit*/** and Vanilla Pop**.

Sephora and the Bay don't carry all shades (shades marked with *: not available on Sephora website, **: not available on the Bay website). Canada also seems to miss out on Berry Tale, Show Me the Honey and Mint to Be (a blue colour!), plus 3 LE shades - Spice It Up, Good Kara-mel and It's my Jam.

Ingredients: Diisostearyl Malate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, C18-36 Acid Triglyceride, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Dimethicone, Alcohol, Mica, Peg-10 Dimethicone, etc.

Juicy Shakers are 0.22oz/ 6.5ml, $28 each.

It was a super busy weekend with Squirt's bday party, I didn't have much time to browse around, so this is a small (but a good) haul :)

The moment I saw Lancome Star bronzer from the LE Golden Riviera collection, I had to hunt it down.

The brilliant colour placement makes the compact glow from the core, too pretty to miss.

I found it at Sears, with a GWP offer, so there gone my money. It is a good buy though, 1.5oz/ 30g, $52 compared to the regular Star bronzers selling at $47 for 0.47oz/ 13g. It is meant for both face and body, which explains the large size.

Also grabbed the (matte) Color Design 5 Shadow & Liner palette in Beige Brulee from the Hypnotic Eyes collection (also LE).

I was watching for this collection like a hawk when I heard it has 3 matte palettes. Beige Brulee swatched beautifully and there was only 1 left, I gotta do what I gotta do right? 0.14oz/ 4g for $55, not super affordable but I caved anyway.

On to the 2-day sale at Shoppers on selected Maybelline for $6.99. Most of the items are $11.99 and up regularly, incredible savings to be had.

I got some backups and a few things I wanted for a while.
- Dream Lumi Touch highlighting concealer in Buff
- Eye Studio Master Glaze in Make A Mauve
- Dream Wonder powder in Natural Beige, and
- the Elixir in Petal Plush.

There are other lines on sale too - Dream makeup, mascaras, Colour Tattoos, etc. One could definitely go crazy :) Bonus sizes and LE shades are excluded though. The sale is still on today, if you missed it yesterday.

As a bonus, I found a bunch of Quo by Orly nail polish on clearance for $5 each. Recognized some repeat shades from the Orly line at Sally, but I do want to own to Quo versions, especially glitters :)

From L-R: Star Formation, Light Years, Redshift, Mind, Smooch and Trash Glam.

Stock definitely varies among locations, but keep an eye out on the clearance corner at yours for these :)

How have you enjoyed the weather where you are?

Nothing says "Welcome to Halifax" better than a frost warning (check out the windshield cry @haligonia tweeted on the left) and near-zero temp this morning while Toronto's high for the day would be 29. Isn't Canada fascinating you guys? :)

I will announce the giveaway winners in the next few days. Didn't get a chance to verify entries yet. thank you for your understanding.

If you haven't indulged already, Lancome is having a GWP promotion at the Bay.

With a Lancome purchase of $35 or more, you'll get a free 8-piece gift, values up to $178. Yeah, take a deep breath to take it all in! The gift is beautiful and customized to you.

I was generously sent the gift pack to show you the options you can choose from. Keep reading for the breakdown :)

This is the red cosmetic bag with it, very luxurious looking with the embossed rose pattern. You can choose the dark blue if red is not your colour.

I was also sent the Dream Tone Ultimate Dark Spot corrector for Pigmentation Profile 1 - Fair skin tone. I have heard good things about this product, but we'll see if the shade works for me :)

Now where were we? Ah, the gift :) Like I mentioned, there are choices for you to make to suit your taste/ preferences.

First is the choice of serum & skin care duo:

- The black & white theme: Advanced Genefique Youth Activating concentrate (8ml) & Creme Bienfait Multi-Vital SPF30 High Potency Daily moisturizing cream (15ml)

- The purples: Renergie Lift Multi-action Reviva concentrate (10ml) & Renergie Lift Multi-action Lifting and Firming cream (15ml)

- The teal & white: Visionaire [LR2412 4%] Advanced skin corrector (7ml) & Absolute Premium βx Absolute Replenishing cream (15ml).

Make sure to talk to the SAs to choose the right products for your skin.

Next, choices for perfumed body lotion - La Vie est Belle or Tresor (60ml each).

Tresor is classic when it comes to Lancome's fragrances, at least to me. But I did splurge on the La Vie est Belle gift set before, because it's newer.

So if it's up to me, I'd pick La Vie est Belle body lotion. The size is a bit bigger than the one that came in the set, but is still travel friendly.

I can't wear fragrances to work (scent free policy), so I opt for wearing a scent to bed. These lotions would work for that purpose too.

Choices of makeup duo:
- Color Design 5 shadow and liner palette in Taupe Craze and Color Design Sensational Effects lip color in Pale Lip
- Color Design 5 shadow and liner palette in Petal Pusher and Juicy Tubes gloss in Raspberry Ice.

The lip product is a tough choice. I am not typically a gloss girl, but Pale Lip is quite nude looking. If Raspberry Ice is pigmented, I'd be happy.

Both eyeshadow palettes are shimmery, Petal Pusher more than Taupe Craze. I don't see much matte at Lancome in general anyway.

2 more items in the gift:
- Bi Facil Double action eye makeup remover (50ml) and
- Hypnose Star mascara (4g).

Bi Facil doesn't need any introduction? Mascara wise, I tried the original Hypnose but not Hypnose Star, so this would be fun :)

If you want either version of the gift, make your purchase by Sunday, November 3, in store or online. The gift did go OOS online last week (back now), yes it was popular.

Estee Lauder has a fun (and LE) PWP at the Bay too, available in store and online.

With any Estee Lauder purchase, you can buy the Colour Portfolio palette for $40 (values over $245, left in the pic). I went straight to the store to buy it, as the SA told me they only got about 15 of them. Didn't want to risk missing it.

The Holiday collection was out already, with its festive packaging. I decided to go with the Delectable Eyes set in Decadent Truffles ($42.50). The red box and polka dotted packaging theme definitely kill it!

There were a few other sets from the collection too, if you haven't seen them.

Decadent Truffles has:

- Pure Color eyeshadow compact (0.17oz/ 5g) with polka dots on the lid. The colours are Sandbar Beige, Lavish Mink and Wild Sable, all matte, yay!

- Double Wear Stay in Place Flawless Wear concealer in Light Medium (only 1 shade available, 0.06oz/ 1.9ml)

- Pure Color Intense Kajal eyeliner in Blackened Black (0.039oz/ 1.11g)

- Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume mascara in Extreme Black (0.27oz/ 8ml, full sized) and a polka dotted makeup bag.

The Colour Portfolio looks really nice in person, and is bigger than I thought. It has:
- 30 Pure Color eyeshadows (0.01oz/ 0.35g each)
- 11 Pure Color Long Lasting lipsticks and 4 Pure Color Crystal lipsticks (0.009oz/ 0.28g each)
- 3 Pure Color blushes (0.22oz/ 6.4g each) and 1 Bronze Goddess powder bronzer (0.21oz/ 6.1g)
- 2 Pure Color glosses (0.16oz/ 4.6ml each)
- a Pure Color Intense Kajal eyeliner duo (0.067oz/ 1.9g)
- Brush applicators, a mirror and 2 face charts.

The fold-in cardboard packaging in dark blue tone, with magnetic closure and stars all over the front, is very eye catching. The box is quite heavy too :)

The first flap has the mirror (took half the size) and 2 face charts at the bottom. The other two flaps both have the plastic covers with shade names (and finishes for the eyeshadows) printed on them. 2 glosses and the eyeliner are strapped in between flaps.

The Pure Color eyeshadows are in satin, shimmer and matte finishes. Interestingly, there are a few shades without the finishes noted, I'm not sure why. The size of each shadow is a bit small, but it is a trade-off with the number of shades you get, I guess. Lots of lighter shades, not enough dark ones, which is my only complain so far :)

The Pure Color glosses - Praline Paradise and Fuchsia Fantasy - are shimmery and festive, by the look of them.

Some brush applicators are included, but we all know we won't touch those unless we are in a pinch while travelling. I appreciate the plastic covers that help minimize contamination to the lip products on the other side. Powder and cream, you know what is waiting to happen!

The Pure Color Long Lasting and Pure Color Crystal lipsticks come in a good range of colours. Again, small size.

The Bronze Goddess powder bronzer in Medium (top left of the quad) has visible shimmers in the pan. The 3 Pure Color blushes - Sensuous Rose, Peach Passion and Pink Kiss - don't seem to have shimmers, but I haven't swatched them yet to confirm.

The Pure Color Intense Kajal eyeliner duo is in Blackened Black and Blackened Cocoa, good size, safe/ standard colours.

All in all, this is a good palette to get first dip of the Pure Color range offered by Estee Lauder, which I can't say I have tried a lot.

It is a bit heavy to travel with, but it does have almost all colours you need for the face. I'll have to swatch the shades to confirm the quality.

Grab some snacks, everyone. This is a long collective post of stuff I found in the last two or more weeks :)

This is my new love from the Bay. A good sized (if not large) Trapeze handbag, mint, studded, with a bow and on sale, enough said? This is Material Girl Romp bag in Mint, reg. $60, 30% off right now.

It was love at first sight and I took it straight to the cashier, not even thinking twice. Unfortunately, both versions of this bag (mint and white) went out of stock within a week, online and at my store. I am not sure when or if they would be back. Sorry if I enabled you with a hard to find item.

I have been wanting Lancome La Vie est Belle perfume (reg. $95 for 50ml) for a while, was happy to find the Spring gift set for $99 with:
- La Vie est Belle EDP spray (50ml)
- Body lotion (50ml)
- Shower gel (50ml) and
- Mini Hypnose Star mascara (2ml).

My pictures did not turn out well with the flash glare, so this is a stock pic which shows the items better.

There is another set called La Vie est Belle Hearts collection, with a mini EDP (5ml) instead of the shower gel and the mini mascara, same price. Both sets are LE, I heard.

And the GWP I chose:
- Bienfait Multi Vital SPF30 (15g)
- Color Design eyeshadow and liner palette in Mauve Cherie (not included in the pic, sorry)
- Blush Subtil powder blush in Brilliant Berry
- Absolue Rouge lipstick in Exotic Orchid
- Visionnaire LR 2412 4% Advanced skin corrector (7ml)
- Bi-Facil makeup remover (50ml)
- Hypnose Star mascara in Noir Midnight (4ml) and
- Polka dot cosmetic bag.
Also not pictured were the 3 bonus Juicy Tube glosses as I spent over $85.

Moving on to Sears with another GWP.

This is Estee Lauder Double Wear makeup lesson kit ($49.50, valued over $70) with:
- Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place foundation (30ml) - my shade is 2, the range is from 1 to 6
- Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Wear concealer in Light Medium (1.9ml)
- Matte Perfecting primer (15ml)
- Foundation brush, and
- Advanced Night Repair Eye Synchronized Complex sample (0.5ml).

Considering the foundation itself sells for $42.50, I'd say this is an awesome score. I missed this set last time when Estee Lauder ran the promotion, not again this time :)

Also bought the Pure Color blush in The Siren, $32 to take advantage of the bonus gift and the $25 coupon (see below). An intense looking blush, sorry I forgot to take a pic of it opened :)

Now the gifts:
- Eyeshadow quad with Sugar Cube Satin, Amazing Grey Shimmer, Amethyst Spark Shimmer and Lavish Mink Matte, with Lilly Pulitzer print on the packaging
- Pure Color Crystal lipstick in Rose Petal
- DayWear Advanced Multi-protection creme SPF15 (15ml)
- Advanced Night Repair (7ml)
- Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume mascara in Extreme Black (2.8ml)
- Sensuous Nude Body veil (30ml), and
- Lilly Pulitzer cosmetic bag.

I'm happy that I now own something with Lily Pulitzer prints.

And more prints in the Deluxe gift, lots of pinks:
- Pure Color lipstick in Rubellite
- Double-ended Pure Color gloss in Mod Poppy and Shocking Pink
- Pure Color nail polish in Berry Hot (5ml) and
- Nail file with same Lilly Pulitzer print.

The $25 off $100 coupon was a bonus promo, I'm not sure if it's still on. Not redeemable on cosmetics and fragrances, so it was used on some swimsuits for Squirt and my niece (30% off), earrings on clearance (B2G2F) and an Attitude (by Jay Manuel) structured satchel in black and red (35% off) for me.

Yes, it resembles the famous designer bag that almost every fashion blogger owns one or several, just a lot smaller, fits my petite size :)

At Lawtons, I found Marcelle (LE) Nutrilux body line on 75% off. Only 3 products left:
- Supreme nourishing hand cream (75ml), reg. $10.96
- Supreme silky body lotion (300ml), reg. $16.96
- Supreme SOS replenishing butter (50ml), reg. $12.96.

I could not find the Supreme repair lip balm, which I heard good things about. Marcelle skin care products agree with my skin, so I'm excited to try this line out. If you tried it, let me know what you think.

I found the (untouched) Essence Vintage District display at Shoppers two weeks ago, just by luck. Surprisingly, I feel hard for the makeup and not the nail polish.

What I grabbed:
- Eyeshadows in I'm So Retro and Shopping @ Portobello Road, CAD2.49 each
- Blush in It's Popul-Art, CAD3.49
- Duo lipstick and gloss in Vintage Peach, CAD3.49
- Gel eyeliner set (the gel liner and mini brush) in Shopping @ Portobello Road, CAD3.99.

Note that Canada did not get the full collection (there is a red lipstick and gloss duo, a grey gel liner and maybe 2 more nail polish colours), but I'm happy with what I got. The blush is definitely a must have.

More items on sale at Shoppers this week:
- Neostrata Treat Yourself to Flawless Complexion set, reg. $72 (valued $109.50), 30% off.

The set includes a full sized Neostrata Intense Skin Brightener and 3 mini bonus gifts: a gel cleanser, a Night Repair cream and a jar of Vitamin C Concentrate capsules.

The box is super cute, with a white satin bow on top. There are two other sets with different main products, if you are looking for a treat to yourself or your mom this coming Mother's Day :)

- Gosh Waterproof Velvet Touch eyeliner in Ice Blue, on clearance for $3. I got it to compare with Rimmel Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl liner in Light Blue since they are both light baby blue liners for the waterline.

- L'Oreal Caresse Wet Shine stain in Pink Rebellion, CAD6.99 right now.

On to the finds in Toronto. From a meet-up with some blogger friends, I received two The Balm palettes - Balm-jovi and Nude Tude CP'ed by Rasilla during Rexall's BOGO sale a while back. I'm so excited.

Jillojello found some nail polish on clearance at her Shoppers and picked some up for me - Maybelline Color Show, Quo spring (LE) shades, even a Cover Girl Outlast, only $1 each.

Note that these shades are still on full price at other SDMs last time I checked, so don't run out to find them for cheap just yet, but keep an eye on the display :)

Rasilla also brought me a gift of the two holo nail polish and the sparkly black bow hair clip on the left. The rest were part of the bunch of goodies ettuandyou brought in for us to fight over lol. All around, it was a lot of fun chit chatting over beauty products and good food.

I also met my blogger friends over at My Numerous Diversions and Swatch and Learn for some Thai food and a 3-hour shopping walk for nail polish, fragrances and everything else. I was holding off and not getting anything, but that success did not last. See below what I brought home with me :)

I wandered into a Winners near my hotel and found a bunch of Smashbox makeup. I assume this was a new batch cause I can't recall seeing them at my location before.

I grabbed the Studio Pop eye palette from the 2012 Holiday collection ($19.99, reg. $56) and a Blush Rush in Gingersnap ($9.99, reg. $29).

Also saw the Photo Op Eye Enhancing palette ($14.99, reg. $44) and some liquid bronzer/ highlighter, but I passed. There were some Givenchy makeup too, from $25 and up. A quick check at my local Winners here did not yield the same result, unfortunately.

Found a Shoppers Beauty Boutique near there too, I grabbed Annabelle i-Tranformer (with bonus Studio Pigment) on clearance for $3 each (reg. $10, not including the pigments). Again, my local Shoppers did not even have these on the shelf.

And finally, a shout-out to Dixie Outlet mall. Awesome bargains I found.

Example: The Dynamite store had a "Almost Perfect" section for items with missing buttons or broken zippers. I paid $17.50 for a $60 blazer and $7 for a $40 pair of pants (which are currently on sale for $35 and $22 at regular Dynamite). I just had to sew the backup buttons back on, which I did not mind doing for the price.

Another example: Clearance handbags at the Aldo store there were extra 30% off and selected styles of bags and shoes were up to 50% off. So general conclusion: when there is an outlet mall, go! :)

We'll end this post with some eye candy who is also a do-gooder :) Don't you want to own one of those products with his autograph?

Guess who went to Sears for Lancome GWP? Lol... Me!!! I have been very good staying away from so many GWP offers I blogged about in Flyer deal posts but I gave in this time. And it was for good reasons, lol. It was a good GWP, to start with. Then Sears was doing 20x points for the weekend, plus the $15 Cash card with $75 purchase. And I got some coupons that came with my Sears Card statement a while back: save $10/ $15/ $20 with $50/ $75/ $100 purchase. How can I not get something? :)

The only thing I bought in the picture below is on the far left - The Bienfait Multi-Vital High Potency Tinted Moisturizer SPF30, CAD58. Long name eh?

It's basically a glorious version of a tinted moisturizer, enriched with vitamins and high SPF. It came in 3 shades, and I got #3, the darkest one. As the weather is getting hot, I want to try a tinted moisturizer. I liked the dewy look and the medium coverage it provides, so we'll see how it works this summer.

The rest is GWP, as I had a choice of each item, I picked:
- The colourful bag
- High Résolution Refill-3x Triple Action Renewal Anti-Wrinkle Cream SPF15
- Nutrix Royal Body Intense Lipid Repair Cream
- Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover
- Color Design Sensational Effects Eye Shadow quad with Positive, Luring, Trendy and Garment, and
- Color Design Sensational Effects Lip Color in Sugared Maple.

I could have been done there, but something else cought my eyes. It is the Mother's Day Beauty Box, CAD62 with any Lancome purchase. It's a PWP because the thing values up to $240, they couldn't give it away for free, lol.

The box (a deluxe Train case) contains:
- Juicy Tube in Rose Quartz (mini, 8gr)
- Subtil Delicate Oil-Free Powder Blush in Cedar Rose and Aplum (2.55gr)
- Color Design Sensational Effects Eyeshadow in Daylight, Snap, Statuesque and Icy (1.52gr)
- L’Absolue Rouge SPF12 Lipstick in Exotic Orchid (4gr)
- Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover (125ml)
- Creme Mousse Confort Comforting Creamy Foaming Cleanser (small size, 60ml)
- Absolue Precious Cells Advanced Regenerating and Reconstructing Cream SPF15 (small size, 15ml)
- Definicils High Definition Mascara in Black (6.5gr)
- Genifique Youth Activating Concentrate (mini, 15ml), and
- Tresor Eau de Parfum (mini, 7.5ml).

There are 5 full sized products in this cute train case, so the price works out not bad at all.












Here's the box, from up top and from the front. The tag on it shows the contents, which was what got me at the first place.

The whole thing, after coupon and all, cost me CAD100, plus the extras (2,000 Sears points - redeemable for $20, and a $15 cash card to use next time). I don't normally splurge but I think I got a good deal out of this. If you want some Lancome, check it out.

Hope everyone has a good start for the week :)

Shoppers: Sat - Mon: 7,000 points with $50 purchase
- Gosh: 25% off
- Rimmel (selected products): CAD4.99
- Garnier Nutritioniste facial moisturizer: 20% off
- Aveeno skin care: 25% off
- Eucerin skin care: 20% off.

Lawton:
- Milani: 25% off
- Twist & Pout lip product: 20% off
- Skin care products (L'Oreal, Nivea Visage, Aveeno, Neutrogena, etc.): 15-20% off
- L'Oreal Double Extend Last Boosting mascara/ serum: 25% off
- Crabtree & Evelyn Gardeners: 20% off
- Revlon foundation/ primer/ powder: CAD5 off
- L'Oreal Tru Match Roller foundation: 25% off
- Rimmel mascara/ eye makeup remover: CAD4.99.

Superstore:
- Maybelline Super Stay, Mineral Power, Dream Matte Mousse foundation: CAD10
- Sally Hansen Insta-Dri polish: CAD5
- Rimmel Colour Rush shadow, Sexy Curves/ Volume Flash/ Eye Magnifier mascara: CAD6
- L'Oreal Tru Match Roller foundation: CAD3 off (Coupon in flyer).

Walmart:
- Rimmel Sexy Curves mascara, Moisture Renew lipstick: CAD5.

Sears is having GWP for Lancome: For purchases of CAD34 or more (in stores and online) from now to February 15, you will get free gifts valued up to $198 that include:

- Color Design Sensational Effects Eye Shadow Quad (sample size), colours might vary
- Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover (50 ml)
- Definicils High Definition Mascara in Black (sample size)
- Assorted Eye & Lip Brush Set
- Lancôme Signature Cosmetic Bag & Companion
- Your choice between Color Design Sensational Effects Lip Color in Natural Beauty (warm) or Love It (cool)
And your choice among these skincare duos:
(1) Renergie Anti-Wrinkle and Firming Treatment (15 ml) and Renergie Microlift R.A.R.E. Intense Targeted Repositioning Lifter (15 ml)
(2) High Resolution Refil-3x Triple Action Anti-Wrinkle Cream SPF 15 (15 ml) and High Resolution Collaser-5x Intense Collagen Anti-Wrinkle Serum (15 ml)
(3) Absolue Precious Cells Advanced Regenerating and Reconstructing Cream (15 ml) and Absolue Ultimate Bx Replenishing and Restructuring Serum (15 ml)

I guess some of you Canadian ladies already called in to Sephora for an UD Alice BoS, or even better, got one from Whitby launch. Hope you all can manage to get one where you live soon. I'm not interested in this one, so I pass :-)

For the ladies in the US, the Urban Decay Hall of Fame set I mentioned before on this blog is on sale at Ulta for $18 and at Sephora for $20 (reg. $29). For that price, it's a steal for anyone who has an Ulta to shop at :-)

Have a lovely weekend!

Remember the package that I thought was lost during the holiday? This is it, "Gold Fascination", Lancome's Winter Makeup Collection with limited edition packaging designed by Canadian artist Raphael Mazzucco. I am so excited!

Inspired by the determined spirit of Canadian female athletes longing for gold medals, the collection is released today, just in time for the Vancouver Winter Olympics. One more reason for beauty lovers like us to celebrate the Games, don't you think?

I was impressed with the packaging - both the way it looks and the meaning behind it. I love gold, so it certainly appeals to me by appearance. What even more appealing is that the design was a Canadian marriage of arts and sports. Raphael is an artist from Vancouver, his wife is a make-up artist from Halifax, and both are former athletes. I can't think of a better match for them to be creators of this work of arts.

The art is printed on paper sleeves that slide in outside the products, not on the products themselves. You might argue the usefullness of the extra packaging in this case, but I find it adds great appearance to the products, and makes them more special. We are celebrating Canadian female athletes, and we can go all out, can't we?

You can see a bit more about the project through this Raphael Mazzucco for Lancome video


On to the products. I'll have the design photo side by side with the product photo for each product.

Color Design Quad in Showtopper Style contributes the shimmery gold pigment look, retails CAD48.











I like Lancome eyeshadows, for the luxurious looking and for the quality. I can't always afford them but I do enjoy the ones that come in GWPs. The shades in this quad are mostly neutral which I can rock at work, plus a little dark crease, lol.

Color Design Blush in Model Mocha (shimmer) provides the illuminating qualities, retails CAD38.












Love this blush colour, not too overwhelming. It's creamy with a bit of shimmer. Another shade of blush available is Pret a Plum Sheer, not featured here.

L’Absolu Rouge Lipstick in Absolute Rouge has the very Canadian red look, retails CAD35.














I can't remember the last time I wear red on my lips, but this red just pulls me in. Maybe it's the colour, or maybe it's just the thought of being Canadian proud, lol. Other lipstick shades in the collection are Cherrywood Luxe and Sienna Ultime.

La Base Pro provides the smoothing ethereal texture, retails CAD42.

















I haven't tested out this primer long enough, but I can say it works well for me so far. If you are interested in review or swatches, please leave a comment.

The collection is available exclusively at Lancôme counters at The Bay across Canada for a limited time, starting today. For those of you who live in Vancouver, come out to the Gold Fascination Signing Event at the Bay downtown Vancouver on February 6 to meet the artist and learn more about the collection.

The products were kindly sent to me for an honest review.
Art Work Photo credit: Lancome.

I was browing the web last night and saw the new Lancome Deluxe Brush Set. According to the site, the set includes:
- Foundation Brush #2
- Powder Brush #1
- Precision Shadow Brush #12
- Dual Ended Brush #18, and
- Blending Shadow Brush #17.
Plus the adorable brush case. And everything is black and purple.

The price: $59.

So it's safe to say that Lancome is making a trend here with their luxurious brushes by adding colours to them, not just to their makeup products.

I remember the rave about their "Declaring Indigo" Brush Set (LE, $52) a few months back. They were great brushes, I heard, plus the added colours made them stand out from others, quite a treat to the eyes.

For comparison, Declaring Indigo set had:
- Mineral Powder Foundation Brush
- Foundation Brush #2
- Blender Brush #4
- Dual-Ended Brush (Lining and Shadow) #18
- Makeup brush case: The perfect way to carry and protect your Lancôme brushes.

So, in short, both sets have the same foundation brush #2 and dual-ended brush #18. The powder brushes look different in the pictures to me.

I'm more a fan of the blue than purple colour, but the new set does have more brushes with a few $ extra. I guess it depends on which brushes you need at the time of purchase :-)

As I didn't get the Indigo set, if you did, what do you think about it? If not, are you getting the purple set this time? I don't know whether Canada will be getting anything though :-)

On a side note for weather update, it was raining all day yesterday and into this morning. And we had a tight schedule of 2 birthday parties and swimming lession for Squirt, so I was being in the rain the whole time. No fun. Hope it's dry where you are :-)