I'm Outta Here!

Hi lovelies!!!

I'm so excited to be heading back to the motherland tonight - my flight for India leaves Toronto at 6pm. 
I'll be back in the country on Octber 1st.

Have a great couple of weeks - I'll resume blogging upon my return :)

- Anjali
xoxoxo

I'ma be a Makeup Teacher - Register Now for my Blush Pretty Workshop!

Ya, you read that correctly.

Stephanie over at Blush Pretty is hosting a series of makeup workshops out of her studio in downtown Toronto during the month of October and has chosen yours truly to be an instructor! 

I'll be leading the Sculpt workshop on Thursday, October 27th, 7:45 - 9:15pm.  

Sculpt
Date: Thursday October 27th, 2011
Time: 7:45 - 9:15 pm
Instructor: Anjali
You really should love what God gave ya ...  but if you can fake it with makeup, then why not? It's just for fun, right? A slimmer face, a thinner nose, higher cheekbones or one chin less than normal (ha!) - this 90-minute workshop is about using multiple shades of foundation, concealers and highlighters, bronzers and blush ... all to your advantage.
The perfect workshop for: the everyday beauty junkie 
Cost: $21.50 plus HST, includes food and drink
Please email beautymail@blushpretty.com to register

Each class is set up hold a maximum of 6 participants, so it will be a small, intimate and interactive gathering with food and beverage provided - a great deal for only $21.50!!!!  If you are interested, make sure you register now as seats are very limited and they are selling fast!

For more information on this and other courses, see the Blush Pretty Workshop Page.  

I love that I'm finally getting an opportunity to combine my makeup experience with my learning/training work background (I've been in corporate learning for over 4 years and am currently working on a degree in Adult Education).  This is going to be a fab class - I'm so excited and hope to see some of you there :)

So don't wait or hesitate - just go sign up now.  Do it!

- Anjali
xoxoxo

FOTD with L'Oreal Infallible Eye Shadow + a new makeup iPhone app!

I just want to thank you all for your wonderful and positive feedback on my first YT video :)

Because it might have been hard to see the colour on my eyes, I wanted to share my FOTD pics from that morning.  I was wearing the L'Oreal La Couleur Infallible Eyeshadow in Permanent Khaki: 

 

 

 

 Here are some photos without the flash:

As I mentioned in the video, I've been searching for a shade like this for a long time.  It's a shade of green that's perfect for the transition from Summer to Fall makeup.  Metallics are going to be HUGE this Fall, and it's got the right amount of shimmer to wear during the day OR at night.  Being waterproof, crease-proof, rub-proof AND wink-proof, this shadow was applied at 7:30am and lasted me the entire day, right through to 10:30pm.  You can't go wrong with that kind of wear.

One thing I forgot to mention in the video however is that I found it hard to apply these shadows with a synthetic brush.  So make sure you have a natural-hair eye shadow brush for optimal application.

On another note...did you know that celebrity make-up artist Tracy Peart has her own iPhone app????
Hellz ya!!!  I downloaded it as soon as I heard the news and started playing right away.  It's a cute, fun, and informative game that quizzes you on your makeup knowledge.

Makup IQ is the 1st makeup app of it's kind. It's a quiz and makeup game mixed into one. Answer the skill testing makeup questions...the more answers you get correct, the more makeup and hairstyling you can apply to your model. The goal of this app is to help you learn more about makeup application, and have fun while you're learning.

I have to admit that it took me more than a few times to get a perfect score...but eventually I did (while learning new tips on makeup!) and decided to make my model look like me (I temporarily switched to a bangs and bun look because my hair was a dis-as-ter): 

 

What do you think?  Close, huh?  HAHA okay fine, she's prettier.  But still!!!

This app is totally worth the $0.99 - it's entertaining, fun, and informative :)  

You can should download it here.

And just for fun I'll throw these in...

Anyway - hope you like this FOTD.  I'm really impressed with the quality and wear of the L'Oreal shadows, I know you'll like them too.  And don't forget to download Tracy's app!

Have a good one ;)

- Anjali
xoxoxo

L'Oreal Bold Eye Beauty Blogger Contest = My First YT Video!!!

Oh-em-gee guys, I did it.  My first YouTube video.  It sucks, I know, but I needed to get it done for L'Oreal's Bold Eye Beauty Blogger Contest.  You see, I've always wanted to do videos but never had the balls to do it.  Finally this contest came and I thought it would be a great opportunity.  Unfortunately I did not have the time to research how to make good videos and got stuck using the camera in my iMac.  Ya...not a good idea for beauty videos.  I couldn't show a tutorial so instead I swatched 9 eyeshadows that I was kindly sent.  I love these shadows.  Check them out:



I have no idea how to make good videos.  I guess it will start with using a real camera haha.  I'll figure it out.  In the mean time, please feel free to provide any tips, advice, feedback, suggestions...ANYTHING that will help this clueless girl to make better YT videos :)

Thank you dolls!!!

- Anjali
xoxoxo

A new staple in my night-time routine - Dermalogica's Overnight Repair Serum

A few weeks ago I was invited to attend Dermalogica's Up Close & Personal which was the launch of their newest AGE smart product - the Overnight Repair Serum.
When I first heard of the product, I wasn't sure how it would benefit me.  I am 26 yrs old with what I'd call relatively healthy and youthful-looking skin...why would I need an "AGE smart" repair serum?   Well, luckily I sat in on an info session the explained more about the product.

Let's start with the NEED:
It was Coco Chanel that said "At 50 years old, you get the skin you deserve"...how we treat our skin today will impact how healthy and youthful looking it will be in the future.  Even if we do not see the apparent need for anti-aging and repairing products now, we can begin to use them as a preventative measure to ensure our skin is taken care of by the time we hit 50.
Also, it is a medical fact that the time we spend sleeping each night is when our bodies engage in active, system-wide repair and  healing.  Dermalogica created this product to help our skin restore its capacity to maintain suppleness and moisture so our skin feels rested after a full night's sleep.

The INGREDIENTS:
This Overnight Repair Serum "delivers stimulating peptide action and anti-aging benefits in a soothing, aroma-therapeutic base of botanical oils" (Dermalogica Fact Sheet) - doesn't that just sound refreshing?

The serum contains:

• Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 - accelerates production of collagen and Hyaluronic Acid
• Argan Oil - an antioxidant that penetrates the skin without a greasy feel
• Brown Seaweed - stimulates collagen 
• Rose Oils - an antioxidant with Vitamin C
• Jasmine - helps to soften skin and is anti-inflammatory
• Sunflower Seed Oil - antioxidant
• Carrot Seed Oil - antioxidant with Vitamin A
• Geranium - boosts circulation
• Rosemary, Curry Leaf, Sesame Oil - antimicrobial (works against bacterial)

The STEPS:

1. Wash your face
2. Use toner (if it's part of your regular routine)
3. Apply 4-6 drops of Overnight Repair Serum (if you are under 30yrs old, instead of spreading across the face you can focus on eye area)
4. Massage into skin
5. Apply moisturizer
6. Sleep well!

My TWO CENTS:
The most attractive part of this product is the aroma therapeutic factor.  After a long day one of my favourite things to do is get in a hot shower, scrub myself clean, then treat my face to this serum with a soothing moisturizer after.  The Jasmine scent is so calming and relaxing it really eases any left over tension and helps me fall asleep in no time.  Using the Overnight Repair Serum has easily become a favourite steps in my night-time routine.
My only criticism is that it's hard to get the serum out of the bottle.  I really have to shake it hard many times to get a useable amount of product out...but in the grand scheme of things I consider this a small inconvenience.  


GET IT!
The Overnight Repair Serum will be launched in October 2011 and will retail for $88CDN.
It comes in a 15mL white glass bottle which helps to preserve the active ingredients.
The product will be available in select skincare centers, salons, and spas across Canada.
You can visit www.dermalogica.ca for more details, or click here to watch Dermalogica's 2min promo video.


At the event we were fortunate to walk away with a few other goodies including a complimentary skin treatment at Dermalogica (sweet!!), a bottle of the Overnight Repair Serum, Precleanse (which is my ULTIMATE favourite makeup remover), and a product kit to hold all of our new products.

A few of my blogger friends were there as well.  You can read their posts here:  Meredith, Elaine, Arianne, Davida.  

I would like to thank Dermalogica and Faulhaber PR for the opportunity to attend the event and to try out the product :)

Just remember, we've got to act now to enjoy our skin later!

Drop me a line if you have any questions!

- Anjali
xoxoxo

Temptation Tuesday: Five Fall Faves from FLARE

I have a love/hate relationship with Fall issues.  I want everything in them but can't have most of the items on my wishlist.  I really wonder how people on (what I'd call) average salaries are able to buy designer clothes and luxury beauty products on the regular.  This thought process inspired me to bring back Temptation Tuesdays.  Flipping through the pages of the October FLARE issue, these were 5 of my many, many temptations...some of them affordable, some of them quite the opposite:

1)  Dior Addict lipstick in Pink Dentelle 

It's the shade Kate Moss is wearing in this ad.  It looks like such a lovely, luxurious pink.  I want. I know I'll be moving into darker tones this Fall, but it would be nice to pop this out once in a while.  Retailing at $31, this lipstick is affordable, but considering the mountains of lippies I still have to get through, it would be silly for me to buy.  Or would it?

2)  Mulberry Double Handle Carter Bag
 

I love this bag.  It's the new "it" bag for the Fall.  I love the way Kate Bosworth is rockin' it in this photo.  Unfortunately this is on the list of items that are well out of my price range.  Retailing at approximately $1500 I simply cannot have it.  Such a shame, it would look so good on me.  lol.  

3) Elie Saab Mary Jane pumps 

Everything about these shoes is amazing.  The plum colour is gorgeous for fall and I love the unique detailing of the strap.  It's a classic Mary Jane look with an elegant and sexy twist.  I believe these retail for $600-900, I couldn't find a price for these shoes specifically...but either way, that's going to be what I spend on textbooks next year.  Shoes or textbooks?  Unfortunately the latter wins.


4) Benefit Instant Brow pencil

Okay, now we're back to items I can afford :)  Lately I've been using a powder to fill in my brows, but I think I should switch to a pencil to get a fuller look, then perhaps set it with a powder to make it a little more natural looking.  I've heard great things about Benefit's brow pencils, and considering brows are "in" for Fall, I might jump on this one.  It's worth a try, ya?


5) Givenchy Gelee D'Interdit Transparent Shine

Why do I want a clear lip gloss?  I don't.  A look that I've loved for a really long time is glossy eyes.  I know it's not typical and would probably look silly during the day, but I think it's so sexy over a smokey eye for an evening out.  I haven't tried it myself, but would love to test the waters one day.  Flare recommended using this Givenchy lip shine on the eyes, I believe MAC has a product specifically for eye gloss...regardless of the product I want glossy eyes.

There are so many more items in FLARE's October issue that I could add to this list but I thought 5 was good for now.  This issue was a great read - the beauty and fashion were outstanding and the articles were very insightful, especially Hannah Sung's "Girl Crush", Maureen Halushak's 'Viewer Discretion is Advised", Liza Finlay's "Are You Selfish", and Dan Levy's "Goodbye Anxiety". 
I'd love to write blog posts on these articles, but not sure I'll have the time.  All the more reason you should pick up this issue :)

Do you have any of the items I am currently lusting over???  

Let me know...I'd love to hear your reviews!

BlushPretty Beauty Board Event

Okay.  I will admit when others are better than me.  I attended an event on August 14th and am only writing about it now, while others like Elaine, Meredith, and Fiona have already posted their photos and reviews.  They are clearly better at this than I am.
But I am better late than never.  I suppose.

Stephanie of Blushpretty and Fresh Beautiful hosted a Beauty Board event - have you been? 
Basically, it's awesome... so you better be there next time.

What is it?  Well, Stephanie gets a ton of beauty vendors to showcase some of their newest/top-selling items while product junkies like myself walk around and test them all out!  For each vendor you write a review that (I think) goes back to them for feedback.  Some vendors were selling products, while others were there to demo and talk about the brands.

I arrived a little late and didn't take any pictures (because I am sooooo awesome)...so I will refer you to Meredith's post and Elaine's post for full event coverage.  Go now, check them out.

I can show you what I walked away with.  First off, the swag bag:

I love me some good swag.  Look how cute Stephanie is - she wrote a personal "thanks" on each of the bags for every attendee :)  We all walked away with:

- Secret Deodorant
- Covergirl Mascara and lipstick
- Cheeky Monkey nail polish
- Avon/Mark samples including anti-bacterial hand gel, eye shadows and lip gloss
- Revolution Organics beauty balm
- Consonant Body Soap and Lotion samples

Here's a special shout-out to Elaine who is also an Avon/Mark rep - look at her fancy card in the middle!

You can also see Fiona's haul video - she talks a little bit more about each item.  And she's cute and funny ;)

I also came home with a few purchased items...

- 2 Cheeky Monkey nail polishes (Thigh Highs and Dirty Secret)
- 3 Lip/Check Balms from Dalish

Reviews to come separately and soon. 

So the end result?  GO TO THE NEXT TORONTO BEAUTY BOARD EVENT!!!!  It's a great way to:

• Sample new products from local companies
• Get awesome insight into products/brands by speaking with vendors
• Meet and network with other bloggers/people who love beauty products
• Eat great food and chill out to fun  music on a Sunday afternoon :)

Big props (do people still say that?) goes to Stephanie for hosting such an awesome event.
I'll have details on the products coming soon (okay I've said it twice now - means you'll get it). 

Hope your enjoying the long weekend!

- Anjali
xoxoxo