Temptation Tuesdays: Burberry Beauty

I first heard about the launch of Burberry Beauty a few weeks before it became available in stores. Since then I've been wanting to so badly to indulge in these little bits of what seems like beauty heaven!

The collection is split into 4 categories: Skin, Glow, Eyes, Lips

The Skin collection contains 9 Foundations, 9 Compact Foundations, and 2 Powders.
The Glow collection is made up of 5 Light Glow blushes, 4 Warm Glow Bronzers, and a Burberry Beauty Brush.
The Eyes collection has 20 Sheer Eyeshadow shades, 1 Effortless Mascara, 5 Eye Definer liner shades.
Lastly, the lips *oh the lips* - there are 21 Soft Satin Lipstick shades, 12 Lip Glow glosses, and 6 Lip Definer pencils

Can I please have some???? I have to make a pit stop in Yorkville on Friday...I'm thinking I might stop by Holt Renfrew to buy swatch a few products :)

In the meantime I'm going to drool over Michelle's Burberry post over at Lipstick Rules!

Are you a Beauty Blogger who's indulged in and posted about Burberry beauty products? If so, drop me a line and I'll include a link to your post here :)

Cheers!

"Miracle" Lips and an OOTD

Back in November I purchased a gift set (for myself - heehee!) of Lancome Juicy Tubes (read about it here). I like to reach for these glosses once in a while as they are sheer, sparkly, and smell delish! Today, I wanted a pretty lip but was not in the mood for a lipstick, so I chose to apply Miracle, the pinkest of the bunch, to give me a pretty summery lip. Here's the swatch from the website, which is actually surprisingly accurate - in the tube, the colour does in fact look like this:

On me, however, we get a less pigmented lippy:

I have been so into lipsticks lately I forgot how sexy it feels to wear a shiny gloss! Miracle has a pretty yet subtle sparkle to it that (I find) immediately draws attention to the lips. It is fairly sticky but not as bad as MAC LipGlasses. Unlike most people, I actually like a slight stickiness in my glosses, so this was perfect for me! My only criticism is that the shade in the tube does not translate onto the lips - so if you are looking to buy a Juicy Tube, I would recommend you try it on to see just how sheer it is before buying. I do appreciate though, the high shine and glamorous sparkle the gloss brings to the pout - it makes the name "Miracle" a very fitting one! I am glad i rediscovered this gloss.

What's your favourite Juicy Tube?

Because I didn't get around to posting pics of my Montreal haul, here's an OOTD featuring a tube top I bought at Simons:

I thought this was super cute for the summer! I love how the belt adds shape and dimension to both the top and to my biggest problem area ;) Of course we cannot wear tubies to work, so I threw on an off-white t-shirt shrug. Here's the combo:

It felt nice to wear something light and summery throughout the day. This was quite a change for me as I never wear white or tan colours...EVER! But I really did like this combo and now feel inspired to find more clothes in these lighter colours :)

Thanks for stopping by!

FOTD with Annabelle Zebra Bronzing Powder

Image from annabellecosmetics.com

For the past few weeks, the bronzer I've been pulling out of my makeup drawer on the daily has been Annabelle's Zebra Bronzing Power - Haute Gold.  This powder is comprised of a few different shades of that are artistically placed in the palette to create a bronzed zebra-printed pressed powder - how FUN!!! 
I love multi-pigmented (is that the word?) makeup primarily because I am so interested in how the colours will blend together and appear on my face.  As you can see from the photo to the left, this bronzer is made up of a dark brown shade that gives it some pigment, a sheer gold shade that adds a sun-kissed effect, and a soft illuminating shimmer that helps reflect light.  Combined, these three bronzing agents create a beautiful glow that I cannot seem to stop wearing this summer!  Here's how it looks after a light application (2 swipes over the cheeks):

I like that it is pigmented enough to create a nice contour along the cheekbone, yet it is not overpowering against my skin-tone.  There's a subtle shimmer that reflects just enough light to leave a sun-kissed glow on the skin!  Here are some more pictures of the bronzer on one of my previous FOTD posts (read about it here).  On this day, I was a little more generous with the application...not sure if you can tell:

After comparing it to some of the other bronzers I have reviewed, I found that Annabelle's Zebra Bronzing Powder is a perfect mix between the shimmery gold found in Faces' Duo Hi-Liter/Brozer and the matted bronze that I loved in MAC's Springsheen Blush Ombre (shown in this FOTD post). 
With just a few swipes, this bronzer has just the right amount of shimmer to make it appropriate for daytime wear but can also be applied more with a heavier hand for more glam and intensity. 

The powder was a limited edition item released in the summers of 2008 and 2009, however, due to high demand from beauty junkies like us, it was recently added to the permanent Annabelle collection - yay!  I'm happy to inform you that at an approximate retail value of  $11CAD this is an item we can afford to keep in our daily makeup routine - even bigger YAY! 

I have to say, up until this year I never really gave the Annabelle section a second glance as I browsed the beauty department aisles...but now that I've been introduced to a few of their products, I am quite impressed with the quality, practicality, and value of Annabelle Cosmetics!  I'll definitely be keeping a small stock of this bronzer handy - both for personal and professional use :)

Disclaimer: This product was provided to me by Marcelle Group for consideration only. The above post consists of my honest opinion and thoughts on the product.

An Anjali Update

Hello Darlings,

I realize I've been MIA for the past week and a half.  I was in Montreal for a business trip last week and needed the weekend to relax a bit and get back into the groove of things!

So what's new and exciting over here?  Well, I obviously went shopping in good ol' MTL - I would do a haul post but right now everything is piled up on my closet.  If I can get around to sorting it all out this week I'll definitely share with you.  If not, I'll try to show you OOTDs (Outfit of the Day) where I can.  While in Montreal I had a chance to connect with the lovely Naz (check out here YouTube channel here and her blog here).  Here's a pic of us after dinner:

I first met Naz at the Toronto Beauty Blogger Meetup a few months back...but we didn't really get a chance to talk.  This was a great opportunity to sit with her one-on-one and get to know her better - and I'm glad I did :)
 
What else?  I've been trying out some new products and will be writing about them in the upcoming weeks...I'm working on getting some good photos together for you guys so bare with me please!  I've added a new tab to this blog called Product Reviews - I will list my review posts there for easy reference...and for me to keep track of everything I've done so far ;)

I've also been continuing with my training for the half marathon.  I have to admit, the past few days have been really tough.  I brought my running gear to Montreal and managed to run 2 out of 3 scheduled days, but I definitely was not drinking enough water or eating the proper foods to fuel my workouts.  I tried to run a 4km run on Saturday (the day after I got back) and then a 9km run on Sunday and I literally had to stop and walk for most of it.  My body was stressed, my mouth was salty and I just wanted to get out of the heat.  These are symptoms of dehydration which is just not acceptable for the kind of training I am doing.  So for the past few days I've been drinking liter upon liter of water and am trying to focus on energy-packed foods to keep me strong.  Today I went for a 4km run and it was a breeze.  What a difference!  For the sake of training, I will be making a big effort to be healthy over the next few months, otherwise there's no way I'll get through training.  My running schedule for the rest of the week is as follows (wish me luck!):

Wednesday - 4km

Thursday - 3km

Friday - OFF

Saturday - 4km

Sunday - 9km

And last but not least, I'll leave you with an OOTD pic from Montreal.  This is a dress I bought on my DC Haul from Banana Republic.  I thought it was cute for work, but of course I cannot have bare shoulders in the office, so I paired it with a short black cardi.  I'm also wearing my new black pumps from Nine West which, by the way, are suuuper comfy: 

What do you think?  

I hope you are all well and staying cool and safe in this ridonculous summer heat!  More posts to come...

- Anjali

Choosing and Preserving your Summer Workout Clothes

Now that the snow is long gone and the sun is regularly shining down, outdoor fitness activities are very popular.  It's the time of year when we can pick up a game of soccer, go for a brisk walk, enjoy a bike ride, or challenge ourselves with an outdoor run.  When engaging in these activities in the heat of the summer, it's normal to build up a good sweat within just a few minutes of being outside.
*The past few days have been ridiculously humid in Toronto - I went for a 4.5km run in what felt like 50-degree weather and ended up looking like I walked out of a shower with my clothes on!  While I love a good sweat, this was just gross!!!*
With the potential for our bodies to be over-heating and leaking puddles of sweat from every pore, it's important that we dress appropriately to keep ourselves cool and protected from the sun's harmful rays.  Here are a few tips on choosing the right clothing that I picked up from my Running Room Half Marathon Clinic:

• No cotton!!! While cotton is a great absorber of sweat and moisture, it does not have a release mechanism.  That means the sweat will absorb into your clothes, but cant escape, leaving you with soaking wet, heavy clothing which will eventually lead to chaffing.  Instead, choose a synthetic fiber that is wet-to-dry.  Most athletic shirts will be labeled with "Dri-Fit", "Cool Max" or something similar (made of polyester or nylon), to indicate it's drying capabilities.  A fiber like this will absorb the sweat from the body, then move it to the outside of the shirt where it can be evaporated leaving you with lighter, dryer clothing and significantly reducing the chances of chaffing. 

• Find a proper bra:  For high intensity activities like running or playing sports, a good bra is absolutely essential!  If our ladies are not supported properly, the excessive bouncing can cause serious tissue tears along the sides of our chests.  I've never experienced this, but can only imagine how painful that would be!  Better to be safe and keep them as steady as possible by investing a good, supportive bra.  I would ask an employee of your local sporting wear store to help you with this - they are specialists and know exactly what bra is right for what activity and for your body.

• Colours:  It is said that light coloured clothing absorbs less light and keeps you cooler than darker coloured clothing.  I can't say I've experienced a difference by wearing light colours, but in theory this makes sense...so I imagine one would notice the difference over a long period of time.

• Socks are important too!  The type of sock you choose impacts any blistering on your feet.  In the summer heat, the no-cotton rule applies for socks as well - cotton will only absorb the moisture, leaving you with soaking wet feet that will rub against your soles and cause blisters.  There are tons of "running" socks out there that are made to help direct the moisture out of the material.  I just bought two pairs of Ironman Lightening Pro socks from WigWam (available at the Running Room) to get me through my half marathon training!

• Choose the right shoes:  I wrote a post a little while ago on choosing the right shoes for running (read it here).  I highly recommend going to a specialty store to have your gait analyzed so you can find the right shoe for your foot type.  In the summer months, try to find shoes that are breathable with air flow - this will help with the evaporation of excess moisture.  

• Fuel/Water Belts:  No matter what activity you are engaging in, I highly recommend investing in a water belt.  This is a belt that goes around your waist and can typically hold 4 small bottles of water (or sports/electrolyte drinks) without any stress on your body.  It frees up your hands and ensures you have fluids with you at all times.  Especially in the summer, it is essential that you sip on water at least every 10 minutes during intense outdoor activity.  Don't wait until you are thirsty to drink - by then you are already dehydrated!  These belts also usually come with a small pouch that is handy for holding keys, a cell phone or an iPod!  I felt a little nerdy the first few times I wore mine, but after seeing the benefits of having water handy, I will not go for a run without it!

Collecting all of this appropriate clothing to prepare you for outdoor workouts can be quite the investment!   That's why you should do everything you can to preserve your clothing for as long as possible!  Here are a few more tips I picked up last week:

• Dry before washing: Let's face it, sweat smells!  There's nothing worse than washing your workout clothes only to find that the stinky sweat smell is still in them!  To avoid this problem, be sure to let your clothes fully dry before throwing them in the hamper.  If they remain wet and are folded up for a few days, bacteria is bound to form, causing the odor to stay for a longer period of time.  I personally either spread the clothing out on the floor until it's dry, or hang them on a banister...only when they are dry do I toss them in the hamper!

• No Fabric Softener!  When washing your synthetic-material workout clothes, NEVER use fabric softener!  Fabric Softener tends to clog up the tiny airholes in the clothing, which prevents the moisture from being absorbed...then you're left with a heavy, wet shirt that may as well be cotton.  

• Hang to Dry:  Tossing your running clothes in the dryer is not a crime...but it does create a lot of pressure on the fibers of the clothing, making them wear out faster.  To avoid this, hang your workout clothes to dry.  I personally throw it all in the dryer (otherwise I'd have clothes hanging all over the house!), but I know that means my gear wont last as long.  That's okay - it gives me an excuse to go shopping :)

Those are the main tips I picked up from my clinic.  It's important to choose the clothing that is appropriate for the weather conditions and for your body.  As I mentioned before, it can get quite expensive so hopefully you can use the tips provided above to help preserve your clothing for as long as possible.

Sweat hard :)

FOTD with Vasanti's France Lipstick

I believe I've made reference to this lipstick in some of my previous posts (and may have even posted pictures of it) but I love it so much I thought I'd write a separate post just to show you how amazing Vasanti's France lipstick is.  Here's how it looks on me:

If you are ever in need of a bright pink shade that looks more like a stain than a lipstick, this is your go-to product!  Not to worry though, it doesn't dry out the lips or leave an un-removable stain - instead, it goes on creamy and smooth and *in my experience* lasts about 4 hours.  I particularly love the way this shade looks against an olive skin tone, however I've used it on clients of all skin types and backgrounds and it never fails to look amazing!  Because of it's versatility and reliability, this lipstick is always in my professional makeup kit...I also have two sticks of it for personal use - one in my makeup drawer and one in my purse so I always have it handy :)

Here is my FOTD using France lipstick:

I'll be writing about the mascara and bronzer used in this look in separate posts, so check back to read about those!  Also, you may have noticed that the blue top is from my recent haul from a shopping trip in the US (read about it here).  I love the look of pink and blue together, so thought it was perfect to wear with my France lipstick!  Here's how the top looks on:

I realize my arm is in the way of the photo, but you get the jist of it!  Thanks to the ruffles at the neck and chest, this top is super flattering around the waist area - which is something I always look for in a new blouse :)  I had to pair it with a black cardi at work though as bare shoulders are a corporate no-no...but you better believe I was rocking this top on it's own during my commute to and from the air conditioned confines of the office!

That's it for today - thanks for reading folks!

My Daily Marcelle...

Switching facial cleansers/moisturizers makes me really nervous.  Growing up, I had what I consider to be sensitive skin, so switching products was always interesting.  Most of the time I'd be left with either a really dry or a really red and bumpy texture that I was self-conscious about for as long as I can remember.

Teenage memories of temperamental skin are what held me back from trying Marcelle's Hydra-C ComplexE Moisturizing Gel-Cream (received compliments of Marcelle Group at the Toronto Beauty Blogger Meet-Up in February).  I finally mustered up the guts to try it about 6 weeks ago, and I must say I am so glad I did!

So where do I start?  How about this:  I hate heavy creams on my face (as I am sure most of you do).  In my mind, heavy equals oily, and with a t-zone like mine I tend to run far away from any oil-based formulas for my skin.  That's why the gel-cream formula of this moisturizer caught my attention.  At first touch it was cool on the skin without any sign of a greasy residue...and after applying it to my face it felt light as a feather.   The website says that it contains vitamin C, vitamin E and shea butter, which helps to "heal, soothe, moisturize and rejuvenate skin".  I found this surprising as *from my experience* shea butter typically makes a product heavy and thick...that's definitely not the case with this moisturizer.  I love that a product can have all these good-for-your-skin ingredients without weighing it down!  I found the transition from my normal go-to moisturizer to this one to be very smooth (on all levels) - no irritation, no bumps and no excess oil!  Oh and no funny or stuffy-old-woman kind of smell!  Yay!

What I also like is that it is economical - I've been using it for about 6 weeks now - every morning and every night and I am not even halfway into the 50ml jar.  The product spreads very well so you only ever need a few dabs at a time.  At a cost of approximately $22CAD, a moisturizer that will last over 2 months is a sweet deal, don't you think?

Anyway, I just wanted to share my experience of this product with you.  If you are looking to make a switch I recommend heading to the Marcelle section of your local beauty department and snagging this awesome *light-weight* gel-cream!

Washington DC Road Trip Haul!

I did a little damage on my weekend trip to Washington DC... we stopped in two outlet malls - how could I resist?  On the way to Washington on Thursday, we detoured to Grove City mall in PA then once in Washington, we took a day trip on the Saturday to an outlet mall in Virginia.  Can I just say that I LOVE outlet shopping in the US?!!!  The deals are always soooo good, we never see sales like that in Canada!  Here's a sneak peak at some of the items I came home with:

Dress:  Banana Republic, $29.15

Top:  Banana Republic, $29.69

Dress:  Banana Republic, $48.60

Wooden Necklace:  Banana Republic, $16.19

Cardigan: J Crew

Close up of Cardigan

T Shirt:  J Crew

Necklace: J Crew

Dress:  United Colours of Benetton, $43.99

Running Shirts and Sports Bras: Nike, $130.43 (total)

White pumps:  Nine West

Black Pumps:  Nine West

Gray Peep-toe booties:  Nine West

Brown Peep-toe shoes:  Nine West

Blue Cardigan: Charlotte Russe, $18

Total Nine West purchase:  $130 and some change.  I can't seem to find the receipts for the J Crew and Nine West stuff...but you've got to trust me when I say I got a good deal!  Among some of the non-pictured items are some jewelery from Charlotte Russe, a Fossil Watch and a few casual tees from Esprit, BR and J Crew.

I am most satisfied with my Nine West purchases - I FINALLY found cute shoes in my size!!!  They had an abundance of 10.5s, 11s and 12s!  Two of the pairs above are 10.5, the other two are 11s.

And I just have to say, we had no problem crossing the border back into Canada - the Border Officer was so nice and didn't question us too much!  That was a relief...I get pretty nervous when trying to cross the border with new goodies - I've heard horror stories of people getting caught and couldn't stand the embarrassment of it!

Today I wore one of my new BR dresses with the white pumps from Nine West:

I love wearing new stuff :)

That's all for now!

- Anjali

Outta Town...

Hi Everyone!

I am heading out of town starting July 1st coming back on the 4th...that means no posts this weekend.  I'd like to wish all my fellow Canadians a very safe and happy CANADA DAY!!!  And to all my American readers, enjoy your holiday weekend! If you are outside of Canada or the US, just enjoy your life :)

See you all in July!

- Anjali