Retail Therapy: Small Sparkly Things

I was having a sad day about two weeks ago and decided to stroll around the Toronto PATH during my lunch break.  Don't you find that when you're sad it sometimes helps to fade into a crowd of busy people?
Anyway, as I was dragging my feet to a food court I came across Obsessions Accessories store.  I had never shopped there but decided to step in to check out the 40% off sale (bracelets and necklaces only).  I managed to find a few pretty pieces but nothing that really stood out.  I was about to walk out when I noticed the rings up by the cash register. Lately, I've formed a bit of a ring fetish so you can imagine my excitement when I found (and bought) these guys:

These two rings capture everything I love about costume jewelery - they are big, shiny, sparkly and super fun!  Over the past week they've also proven to be great conversation pieces :)
The elephant ring is my favourite - I've worn it almost everyday since I got it.  Something about it just makes me feel calm and happy...I don't think I'll ever have a sad day with that little guy on my finger!

As you can imagine, my day turned around from that point forward...funny how small sparkly things can make a world of a difference!

OH!  PS:  Cancel my last temptation.  I went to the Coach store to check out the charm bracelet and it was not what I expected.  The charms were too big, the bracelet was too tight, and it looked a little cheap overall.  Glad I didn't order it online!

In Toronto this Thursday...

Hello!  If anyone is in Toronto this week, I wanted to fill you in on two awesome events happening this Thursday night.  Yes, it's a little last minute, but if you're looking for something to do, check out one of the following:

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Presented by FASHION Magazine and benefiting the Coast-to-Coast Against Cancer Foundation, STRUT FOR A CURE starring supermodel Coco Rocha, promises an unforgettable party. On Thursday May 27, The Berkeley Church will host this illustrious one-of-a-kind event which will bring fashion and music to life with the collection of international designer Todd Lynn, emceed by Canadian fashion icon and host of CTV’s FashionTelevision Jeanne Beker and headlined by electro-pop sensation Dragonette.

 Check the website for more information:  www.strutforacure.com

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The fabulous ladies behind What Women Want invite you to enjoy the evening of May 27th at Toronto's 99 Sudbury, right in the heart of downtown's King and Queen St W.  In celebration of the sequel and its tremendous influence beyond the silver screen, the evening will feature complimentary Sex and the City "Carrie" Cosmos and over 20 Sex and the City themed vendors.  Your ticket includes admission, a Cineplex Odeon movie pass, a complimentary "Carrie Cosmo", a swagbag with generous gifts from our fragrance, beauty and beverage sponsors. 

For further details visit What Women Want's official page at http://ilovewhatwomenwant.com/. 

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Unfortunately I won't be able to attend either event, although both have been on my radar for a long time!  Is anyone going?  If so, be sure to let me know much fun you had :)

Temptation Tuesdays: Coach Letan Beach Charm Bracelet

I was recently browsing through the current jewelery collection at Coach and just fell in love with the Letan Beach charm bracelet:

Here are all the things I love about this bracelet:
- 3 charms concentrated in one area - makes it clean, classy, and not too jingly
- Beachy charms - they remind me of my recent Caribbean vacay!
- Colour scheme - doesn't it remind you of a sunny day at the beach?
-  Relatively inexpensive - retailing at $138 it's totally affordable!

So far I've been really good with resisting my Tuesday temptations, however I really, really want this bracelet - it would be so cute this summer!  A girl can great herself once in a while...right?

Maybelline Eyestudio FOTD: Legendary Lilac

A little while ago Matchstick Marketing contacted me with an opportunity to be part of the Maybelline EyeStudio Dare To Inspire Contest.  After agreeing to enter , I received the entire Maybelline EyeStudio line and have been asked to enter looks, using the product, into a Facebook contest.  The contest closes on May 23rd and the entrant with the highest number of votes wins a feature in MNY Magazine.

At this point, because I'm a little late in the game, I don't think I have a chance of winning, but it's still fun to create looks and enter the contest...so if you are so inclined, once this post is shared on the Maybelline Facebook site, please vote for me for your chance to win the entire EyeStudio collection as well!

For today's look, I used the following products:  EyeStudio Legendary Lilac eyeshadow palette, Blackest Black Gel Eyeliner, and XXL Pro Volume Mascara

And here's the subtle lilac look I came up with:

 This look is super easy to create:

1. Cover entire eyelid with the lightest shadow (first one on the left)
2. Use a fluffy dome brush to apply the middle two colours to the centre of the lid - try not to blend too much into the inner or outer corners of the eye!
3. Blend the darkest shadow (on the extreme right) into the crease line and outer corner of the eye
4. Use the lightest shade again to create a highlight under the brow bone, then lightly dust over the entire lid to create a more subtle, shimmery look!
5. Apply a thin like of gel liner to the top eyelid, thickening it out at the outer corner of the eye
6. Apply mascara to your liking
7. Use the applicator brush (that comes in the palette) to apply a small touch of the darkest purple shade as a liner under the eye

...and Voila! 

Of all the products, I am most impressed with the gel liner - it's smooth, sleek, and super black :)  I hope to try out a few more of the products before the 23rd - be sure to check back for more looks!

Vacation Pics: Carnival Cruise April 24th to May 1st

Okay so these are a little overdue but I owe you some vacation pics! Here they are...enjoy :)

The boat!

Me on the balcony of our room

Relaxing in Mexico :)

Lunch in Mexico - soooo good!

The Boat at night - so pretty!

Aanchal on the balcony

A day on Cayman Islands :)

Cayman Islands

Cayman Islands

View of our boat in Jamaica

Heading to Dunn River's falls in Jamaica

Turquoise water in Jamaica

Chillin on the balcony

South Beach Miami

I'm Rockin'...Annabelle Smudgeliner

If you haven't heard, Annabelle Smudgeliners have been all the buzz in beauty blogs across the internet!  Everyone is raving about these eyeliners...so you can imagine my excitement after rummaging through my swag bag from Toronto Beauty Blogger Meet-up in February, and finding a Smudgeliner in Oh My Goth.  I've finally had a chance to try it out over the past few weeks and I must say, I'm very impressed!  I'm not typically a fan of pencil liners, but this may be the one product that changes my mind.  As you can see in the picture to the left, the liner comes with a sponge-tip end that can be used to "smudge" the line. 
 
Here's a swatch - the first line is two layers of the pencil, the second is the same line, but smudged using the sponge tip:
 

You can see the versatility of the product - use it as a normal pencil to create intense lines, or smudge it out to create a softer or smokier look. The more you smudge, the softer and less intense the line becomes.

To make it easy, I've listed out what I love about this product:

• Pigmentation - Oh My Goth is a black-black (the extra "black" is to express how black it is!)
• Longevity - my hesitation with pencil liners is that they are usually faded and half gone by the end of the day...the Smudgeliner however stays on for several hours with the same intensity as when I put it on.
• Texture - this is not a dry or hard pencil!  The creamy texture makes it easy to apply - it literally glides on!
• Smudgeability - don't let this fool you...once the liner is on, it does not give raccoon eyes or end up on the crease of your eyelid (which I was expecting from a pencil).  What I mean by smudgeability is that it comes with a stiff sponge on the end of the pencil which you can use to soften the liner.  Once smudged, the liner will stay in place :)
• Versatility - this one liner can be used to create different lines and therefore different looks - very convenient for a makeup artist or someone who likes to experiment with makeup!

What I don't like about this product:

• Sorry, can't think of anything yet :)

Overall, I'm very happy with the Annabelle Smudgeliner!  I'm looking forward to buying and experimenting with the other colours.  On that note, you can buy Smudgeliners in many stores across Canada including Rexall, Shoppers Drug Mart, Zellers, and Wal-Mart and they retail for under $10 CAD (bonus!).  Check out the Annabelle website for more information.

You can also stay up to date with Annabelle on Twitter!  Follow them:  @AnnabelleTweets

Temptation Tuesdays: Dotted Greetings Dress

I was perusing the Anthropologie website and came across the Dotted Greetings Dress:

I want it.  It's on sale for $69.95 on the US site.  If I am still thinking about it by the end of the week (and if they still have it), I might just have to order it :) 
Happy Tuesday!

FOTD: Back from Vacay!

I'm back!!!! After 7 days on a Caribbean cruise I am relaxed, rejuvenated, and oh so very tanned! I'll be going through the 800+ photos this week and choosing the very best to share with you, so stay tuned for my vacay post! In the meantime, here's my Face of the Day for my first day back to work. What I love best about tanned skin is the minimal amount of makeup needed to create a fresh, glowing face! Here's how I did this morning:

I'm not sure if you can tell, but I am significantly darker then when I left Toronto on April 24th! My Vasanti makeup in V3 is too light, I may need to switch to a V4 or V6. For today however, I just dusted a very light application of MAC Studio Fix in C40 over my nose and forehead (these are the darkest spots on my face so I used the powder to even the skin tone and mattify these oily zones). I then added a touch of MAC Springsheen blush to the cheeks and brushed over it with Faces Duo Hiliter Bronzer to add a soft shimmer. I also used the hiliter on my temples and jawline. Eyes were easy - I lined the the waterlines with Annabelle Smudgeliner and coated my lashes with Vasanti mascara. I finished it off with my new Victoria Secret lip gloss in Cherry Cola (smells soooooooooooooo good!) for a fresh, but very natural look!

Now that my skin tone has changed, I need to re-look at some of my go-to products. For example, the light, nude pink lips I was sporting before I left now make me look orange, as if I belong on Jersey Shore. To avoid being mistaken for Snooki, I'm going to be experimenting with a few shades over the next little while - I'll be sure to keep you in the loop and will be asking for your input throughout it all!

Hope you are all happy and well :)