Hard Candy Stroke of Gorgeous Eyeliner

This calligraphy style eyeliner pen is a keeper! The applicator it is a felt tip with a precise point and flexible body that gives you a lot of control on the thickness and intensity of liner. The products applies with just the slightest bit of pressure without any running, leaking, smearing or tugging. 

The lighter your touch, the less opaque the colour, although it is never patchy. When I apply a thin line the colour is a blackened gray, but thicker lines show up as a deep black (albeit not the blackest black I have tried). 

This product had impressive staying power (4+ hours) that can be extended if layered with a black shadow.

Grade: A-

Disclosure: **Product sent for review consideration**

Hard Candy Glitter Mascara Doesn't Sparkle

Hard Candy describes this product as:


A gel-based mascara with serious sparkly. Glitter Mascara creates lashes that are full of brilliant glitter for an all-out glam-tastic look! Steal the spotlight at your special occasion or simply flaunt a little shimmery flair for the fun of it!

What a load of bunk. 

My description:

A gel-based mascara with too much chunky glitter that adheres to the brush but transfers only three particles of product to your lashes after a gazillion swipes with the scratchy applicator. The clear gel will cause clumping and smudging of your previous mascara for a spider effect. 

Honestly, this product is so bad that it makes me wonder if it was even tested before distribution. I know this review comes across harsh, but I have never had a product perform this poorly. I tried to give it a fair chance by applying it with and without a mascara base, but the results were the same.

Grade: F

**Disclosure: Product sent for review consideration**

Beauty Link Love 24/09/11

Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed revels in the luxury of lash extensions - come admire her fluttery lashes and find out what they have in common with Gremlins!

Christina Aguilera was the inspiration for the celebrity makeup challenge over at SocialiteDreams. Check out the recreated makeup looks and participate on the next celeb!

Addicted to Beauty gets fresh and fruity with her Strawberry Nail Art Tutorial.

Madame B Fatale finally continues on with her Decades Past series with a 70's inspired makeup look.

From Benefit to Dior, theNotice has all of your new-product-needs sorted. Check out this week's recent launches, products, and deals!

Amy Antoinette reviews Topshop's new Smoke & Mirrors collection.

Midnight Violets shares some bargain brushes that have become a part of her everyday routine!

Kajal Couture shows you a cheap and easy storage solution for makeup and skincare that you use on a daily basis.

Dollar store beauty - trash or treasure? Check out Confessions of a Glitterholic and you be the judge!

Is there a dupe for the new minty-blue shade from Color Club? Find out in polish insomniac's Color Club New Bohemian comparisons and dupe search!

Still looking for the perfect red lipstick? Anita thinks she's found hers in Guerlain's Garconne Rouge G! 

Lydia from Perfectly Imperfect shares her daily beauty plan of attack and favourite products.
--- Head over to Adorable On Your Vanity for a chance to win NINE amazing L'Oreal Paris Color Infallibe Eyeshadows. 

Phyrra is giving away the entire Madre Labs bath and body product line from iHerb! 

Enter to win a chance to win a NEW Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Pink Raspberry from the "Blushes You Can't Have" series on the Pink Sith Blog. Giveaway ends September 30th!

The Palette With Two Names: Stila NaturalEyes (or In The Light) Eye Shadow Palette

The mystery of the palette with two names. My palette (purchased at Ulta) says NaturalEyes Eye Shadow Palette, yet it is listed on the Stila and Sephora websites as In the Light Palette. They are exactly the same palette, so this is bound to cause confusion. Nonetheless, I have been testing this palette for a month now and have come to the conclusions that...it is just okay. Let's

Let's stare with the good things. 

This was absolutely an impulse buy that I thought I was going to adore. I think the colour selection and range is amazing; all the colours can be paired together for any look so the possibilities are endless. 

(Bare, Kitten, Bliss, Sunset, Sandstone, Gilded Gold, Luster, Night Sky, Ebony)

Now for the bad.

I really should have swatched all the shadows before buying this. Impulse buys should not be uninformed buys. The metallic and shimmer shades are twice as pigmented than the matte shades. At first, I thought the soft texture was amazing, but as soon as you stick a brush into the bright colours, they start to break apart and crumble. This equals a fallout and smudging during application. The finish and payoff is really lovely, but you need to be patient and apply your base after you do your eyes. 

And because I hate ending on a low, note...

The hero of this whole kit is the Smudgeproof Eyeliner in Damsel. WOW. Now I want the whole range of these liners. It do not move all day! It applied so smoothly and opaque from the first swipe. The ultimate in control and precision for a pencil liner. 

Grade: B-

I'm a Finalist!

Last night I opened my email, stared in stunned silence, and then began to dance around the kitchen shouting something unintellible along the lines of "jkaduibvsvbiamn235y8hsjkfvkjavdclyao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I was chosen as 1 of the 5 finalist in the L'Oreal Paris "Best Bold Eye" Beauty Blogger Contest! I am so honoured to be chosen, especially after seeing the incredible looks that the other ladies put together. 

Now that the L'Oreal panel has chosen the finalists, it is up to you to pick a winner. The winner will be flown out to LG Fashion Week in Toronto and have backstage access. All you have to do is "Like" the L'Oreal Paris Canada page on Facebook and leave a comment under the playlist link. Feel free to  rate and comment on the videos on YouTube. 

All of the other videos are amazing, so I encourage you to vote for whoever you like. I already consider myself to have won just for being included in such amazing company. 

To see all the videos, click HERE.

Dove Diaries Challenge: My Daily Beauty Plan of Attack...I Mean Routine

The Australian fashion and beauty site 2threads.com has partnered with Dove to share beauty secrets, tips, and tricks. I was asked to contribute my beauty routine to the Dove Diary Campaign, so here it is. I have included a list of products that I use regularly and will mourn if they are ever discontinued. 

Morning 

1) Stare blearily with pre-caffeinated eyes into the mirror to survey the damage. Sip warm water with lemon (or green tea) and mull over outfit options.

2) Tame unruly hair by drowning it in a shower and beating it into submission with a paddle brush and blow dryer (Dove Sensitive Skin Unscented Beauty Bar, Barefoot Venus Body Washes and Lotions, Bumble and Bumble Creme de Coco Shampoo and Conditioner, Kerastase Serum Oleo-Relax)

2) Skin care is a top priority. Perform exorcism on new blemishes and quench skin's thirst with moisturizer. (Dermalogica mediBac Clearing System, Eminence Naseberry Cream, Caudalie Premier Cru Eye Cream)

3) While moisturizer is working its magic, eat breakfast and perform all other morning necessaries

4) Apply a primer (Clearprep FX Matte Foundation Primer)

5) Depending on the activities of the day, choose a foundation, concealer, finishing powder (Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation, Laura Mercier, Tinted Moisturizer, Vichy Dermablend Foundation, MUFE HD Powder, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish)

6) Considering activities, outfit, mood, creativity, sense of adventure, and time, apply eye makeup and lipstick. 

7) Spritz on perfume of the day and face the world

All Day 

Guzzle water and green tea, don't touch my face (Trader Joe's Fresh Brewed Unsweetened Green Tea)

Evening (8:00pm)

1) Brew some tea to help unwind. I like spicier drinks  in the evening (Stash Premium Vanilla Chai or Cinnamon Vanilla Tea)

2) There may or may not be a small dose of dark chocolate...you know, antioxidants and all that...

3) Scrub off war paint (Marcelle Cleansing Water, Dove Sensitive Skin Unscented Beauty Bar)

4) Cleanse, purify, exfoliate, treat, and moisturize skin (Dermalogica mediBac Clearing System, Eminence Lime Stimulating Mask, Dermalogica Sebum Clearing Masque, Eminence Naseberry Cream, Caudalie Premier Cru Eye Cream, Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream, Clarisonic)

5) Read until I am cross-eyed (beauty of the mind is important to maintain) and then get 7-8 hours of beauty sleep

Wake-up and repeat. 

Be Bold and Beautiful with L'Oreal Couleur Infallible Shadows

Is it a cream? Is it a shadow? I don't care-all I know is that I love them! Introducing the L'Oreal Paris Couleur Infallible Eye Shadows. These may be a drugstore product but they are not drugstore quality (in the best way)! 

11 gorgeous shades to chose from: Time Resist White, Hourglass Beige, Forever Pink, Flashback Silver, Purple Obsession, Burning Black, Unlimited Sky, All Night Blue, Permanent Khaki, Endless Chocolate, Eternal Black (not pictured)

These swatches were taken from one swipe of product. They apply almost opaque but are easily softened with blending without losing any of the high metallic shine or colour vibrancy. I didn't have any fallout with these shadows, not even the darker shades. They layer beautifully making colour combinations endless with possibility. The wear time is very impressive. I didn't experience any creasing or fading all day. I'm not about water proof, but they are certainly humidity and sweat proof.

Featuring

• 24 hour long lasting hold
• A waterproof formula that is smudge, rub, and blink resistant
• A new patented colour structure which allows pigments to be revealed in their maximum intensity
• A breakthrough formula that creates a hybrid texture that lies between a creme and powder for an unprecedented velvety feel
• ColourReveal Technology to enhance and heighten colour for a dramatic, prismatic effect
• Easy application with bold colour in just a stroke of your fingertip

Easy smokey eye using Burning Black, Flashback Silver, Hourglass Beige and Endless Chocolate. View my tutorial HERE.

Grade: A++

**Disclosure: Products provided by L'Oreal for editorial and contest purposes**

Beauty Link Love for 10/09/11

Retrodiva is excited about the end of summer, but not all that excited about losing her tan. Find out what product she is using to keep that glow.

Midnight Violets shares her favourite new contour shade - great for those on a budget!

 Phyrra's Independent Spotlight for August is Silk Naturals. Learn all about Karen and her company.

Do the Cs and Ns and Ws of MAC shade names leave you feeling rather... dazed and confused? Then make sure to check out Rae's MAC colour system lesson to figure out how it all works!

Learn how to do a quick and easy DIY French Manicure from Audrey Dao!

Beauty Bloggers get to test tons of products each season. Ever wonder what they keep using after the fact? Gouldylox shares her favorite discoveries from the summer!

Lauren from Love Laugh Lauren shares the products that are currently in her makeup bag.

Daily Polish attends the global preview launch of Tom Ford Beauty in Selfridges and gets a makeover to boot!

Beauty's Bad Habit shows her intergalactic, galaxy themed glittery nails.

Miss Beauty Nerd test drives Benefit's They're Real Mascara - can they really compare to falsies?

Jellyminx goes on another swatching mission and shares her MAC eyeshadow palettes, all ten of them! 

Madame B Fatale talks about her ten favourite products at the moment!

Want to get rid of puffiness, fine lines, and dark circles around the eyes? Check out Kajal Couture's secret weapon eye cream!

Read Makeup, Beauty and More's take on the super affordable ELF Studio Powder Brush.

If you love The Muppet Show, then you'll love this gorgeous theBalm Cast Your Shadow Palette which is all about them! Check out swatches over at Beauty Addict's blog!
--- Want to win three nailpolishes of your choice? Mehak from Peachesandblush is hosting a international nail polish giveaway! 

Enter to win a mineral face package worth $30 from Purely Pleasures Cosmetics, ends September 11th!

Victoria Secret's Silk Eye Shadows are Nothing to Gossip About

Usually in the beauty community the word "dupe" is a good thing-it means that you found a a cheaper version of something you love. In this case, I didn't find a dupe...I feel duped. In other words, the Silky Eye Shadows from Victoria Secret are a fail.

Why do I feel duped? Because when I swatched these in the Victoria Secret store I felt like I heard the beauty fairies singing. I thought to myself, "Hey makeup addict! Look at these gorgeous colours that are only $10!" I should have known that it was too good to be true, especially since I never heard anyone mention them before. My joy was short lived.

When I got home a few hours later, I opened these packages and growled. Yes, growled.

From there it only got worse.

There are two finishes in this range: lustre and sparkle (or what I refer to as bad and worse). Neither formula was consistent across the range. The strong point of this line is definitely the colour range. They are perfect wearable hues that swatch beautifully, but their execution falls flat.

(left to right) Lose Control, Luscious, Pure Honey, Champagne, Between the Sheets, Private Beach, Beloved

The pigment that sold me disappeared after a few blending motions of my brush. In order to get the pigment to show up even remotely as vivid as they swatch, I had to pat on a lot of product. The texture of the shadows is very fragile (as noted by the two shattered shadows), so I had to tap my brush to pick up product. Only problem with that is the product wasn't soft enough to transfer to the brush with just tapping. The more you rub, the more the layers broke away and caused a crumbly mess. The application reflected the poor quality with patchy and uneven colour distribution. The wear time of these shadows without a primer is a couple of hours maximum before creasing and disappearing (4 hours with a primer). 

With some patience I was able to create this look that shows the colour payoff after much layering. Unimpressive to say the least. 

Wrinkles and Blemishes Be Gone! Murad's Solution to Two Skincare Woes

Skincare companies have been a little slow to catch on to the need for products targeted for adults who suffer from acne. Thankfully, Murad is on the ball and has developed a great skincare system that addresses women's two skin enemies: blemishes and wrinkles. 

A lot of anti-ageing products can be aggravating to blemish prone skin and vice versa: anti-ageing products use rich oils and serums that are too rich, and acne products strip moisture to dry out breakouts. In the past, trying to address both problems has been a Catch-22 because one solution inevitably cancelled out the other. This is no longer a problem with Murad these products use a gentler and long term approach to skin care that has lasting effects. This regimen is not only about quick fixes, but maintaining healthy skin long term and preventing future wrinkles and breakouts. 

The regimen includes:

Time Release Acne Cleanser (Salicyclic Acid 0.5%)
-Eliminates breakouts while restoring the suppleness in your skin
-Low foaming so you know that chemicals are not stripping away the natural barriers and oils on your skin (which causes signs of ageing)
-Actively at work all day so the process of protection and renewal is ongoing


Acne and Wrinkle Reducer (Salicylic Acid 0.5%)
-Minimizes fine lines and heals blemishes without drying them (and the surrounding skin) out


Anti-Ageing Moisturizer SPF 20 for blemish prone skin
-Controls the production of oils in the skin while it moisturizers, nourishes, and protects
-Lightweight and absorbs into the skin quite quickly
-Skin is noticeably smoother


Acne Spot Treatment (3.0% Sulphur)
-A long term staple in Murad's product line, this product targets specific blemishes quickly
-Soothes redness and irritation

**Disclosure: Products in this kit were provided by Murad for review consideration**

Grade: B+
 

A Special Edition of Link Love

Beauty's Bad Habit shows off her favourite pink lipsticks and explains why she prefers pinks to the classic, Hollywood red.

 The Pink Sith tempts you with THE PERFECT creme blush. A new product from Besame Cosmetics, Crimson Creme Rouge.

 Find out what My Lips But Better voted as her favorite lip balm ever.

 Are you desperate to keep your summer glow for as long as possible? This week at theNotice, Rae showcases four gorgeous, not-too-orange bronzers that you NEED in your life.

 Love MAC Teddy Eye Kohl, but want a cheaper alternative? Mehak from Peachesandblush shows you a great dupe for it!

Stunning. Exquisite. Quite simply an indulgent luxury beauty range. It's got to be Tom Ford. Check out Hellcandy's post for a sneak peek.

 Tried the Sleek Pout Paints yet? Musicalhouses shows you how to mix a perfect warm rose shade and a wearable purple lip using a few shades of this awesome product!

 Retrodiva is trying to decide which Fashion's Night Out beauty events she will be attending this year. Gouldylox shares one of her deeper beauty junkie secrets.

Have you ever felt this way? Addicted toBeauty falls in love with aperfume atomiser from the 1980s!

 Love pigments? If so, check out Spiced Beauty's Color Infallible Eye Shadow collection.

Want brightly coloured hair without the commitment or upkeep? Check out how MadameBFatale coloured her locks using pigments. Then did it for real!

Lauren tests out Collection 2000's new Cream Puff Lip Cream.

K from Beautifully Addicted To gives here opinion on a W7 Africa Bronzer.

Want to see something pretty? Then go and see Anita's swatches of all her Guerlain Rouge Automatique lipsticks over at Pleasureflush!

--- Looking for a great quality makeup mirror for your vanity? Be sure to enter Pammy Blogs Beauty's OttLite Makeup Mirror Giveaway!

 Claire has TWO competitions running with chances to win a Sigma Travel Brush Kit worth $49 and two

Yves Saint Laurent lipsticks over at The Beauty Scoop!

August 2011 Favorites

Face
-Vichy Dermablend Foundation
-Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation
-Cover FX Cream Foundation
-NARS Deep Throat Blush
-Benefit Coralista Blush
-Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzer
-Nars Copacabana Multiple
-Makeup Forever HD Powder

Eyes
-Loreal Coleur Infallible Eyeshadows
-Annabelle Smoothie Shadow Pencils
-Marcelle Eyeliner in Electric Blue
-Annabelle Le Big Show Mascara
-Clinique High Impact Mascara

Lips
-Lise Watier Plumpissimo Lipstick in Nude Love
-Revlon Colorburst Lipglos
-Marcelle Serenity Lipstick
-Loreal Le Gloss

Skin Care
-Caudalie Premier Cru Eye Cream
-Eminence Organic Skin Care Naseberry Treatment Cream
-Eminence Organic Skin Care Lime Stimulating Mask
-Dermalogica MediBac Clearing Skin System

Nails
-OPI Bastille My Heart
-Essie Delicacy
-Sally Hansen Shell We Dance