Lululemon Dog Runner Pant

With the cooler weather, desperately in need of a pair of pants to walk my Goldendoodle. It is not quite cold enough to wear snow pants and my regular Lululemon groove pant is too thin.

Lululemon dog runner pant in size 6(black)

Lululemon is my favorite brand of workout attire. Yes, they are pricey but they last a long time with countless washes and the fit is just flattening on any body type.

I believe the dog runner pant is new to their fall collection. They have been promoted in previous years but not in their stable stock. 

It is basically a water-proof shell with a cozy liner which will keep you nice and warm while running or walking outside in the cold weather. Layering is the key to keep warm in the chilly weather. The inner liner is made of quick-wicking rulu fabric so would keep you dry when you go running.

This pant has 2 zipped up side-pockets which comes extra handy to put in keys, doggie bags, phone or kleenex for sniffling season. 

Elastic waist band which is super comfy

Inner liner is soft and the outside fabric is also water-repellant. So it would be weather-proof and good for rain or light snow. 

I wear a size 6 for Lululemon tops and bottoms. For reference, I am a size 4 in J. Crew and Banana Republic/Gap. 

This pant has got to be one of my warmest and coziest workout pants. It may be too warm to lounge around inside the house. But for temperatures from -10 to 5 degree celsius outside, it is perfect. It is so comfy that I can wear them all day and night. 

I highly recommend this pant for walking dogs and running in cooler weather. This comes in black and grey. This has been very popular in previous years so they may sell out fast(especially the black ones). 

October Empties

Another month flew by and cooler weather has arrived. With the daylight saving time switching this Saturday, we are going to enter shorter days. Yay for an extra hour of sleep but when it gets dark at 4:30pm, it can get depressing :(

I have gone through quite a bit of products this month which I am happy about. I am not quite a hoarder yet but I have so many products in my stash that it is hard to stick with one product and finish it till the end. 

3 Candles from Bath & Body Works:

Summertime S'Mores, Rio Glow & Honey Suckle

I go through about 2 to 3 3-wick candles each month. I switch them up so I would not get bored of each scent. I get tired of scent easily so unless I am really in love with one candle, I rarely buy back-ups with the exception of Honey Suckle. This is my second one and I still have one left. The scent is so nice and refreshing. Even though it is from their summer collection, this candle is a pleasant scent for all year round. Summertime S'Mores is very similar to Fireside Marshmallow which I adore. I got a couple from last fall so this year I pass on those and try new ones. Rio Glow is a bit too sweet to my taste. You know sometimes some candle scents can be so sweet and over-powering that would give you headache. This one is borderline like that. 

Lush Ocean Salt Facial Scrub

Lush Enchanted Eye Cream (in sample size)

Neutrogena Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover

With oily skin, Lush's Ocean Salt facial scrub is very effective in unclogging pores. This is my second tub and is a staple product in my skincare routine.

I received a generous sample size of Lush's Enchanted Eye Cream. It is a lighter textured moisturizer for delicate under eye area which I thoroughly enjoyed. Will probably pick up a full-sized one with my next Lush trip.

Neutrogena oil free eye makeup remover is one of my favorite eye makeup removers. It is reasonably-priced, and really does a great job in removing my waterproof eye makeup including those stubborn mascara. 

Lush Party On Shower Jelly

Tresemme Thermal Heat Protector

NuMe Hair Finishing Serum

Another Lush product I finished up this month. Party On is from the retro products which were so popular in the past that they decided to bring it back for a limited time. Party On is a very refreshing citrusy scent. Perfect wake-me-up for morning showers.

Tresemme heat protector is my favorite. I blow dry my hair and I have thick hair. This does an excellent job in protecting my hair.

I received the NuMe finishing serum in probably my Ipsy bag. This does the job in giving the ends of my hair a nice finishing touch. Not too greasy which I like. But I have other hair finishing serum that works similarly and more accessible to purchase so don't think I would go out and purchase it in full-size.

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

Buxom Full-On Lip Cream in White Russian

The Clinique bottom lash mascara is such a great product to use for my barely-there bottom lashes. It has the tiniest brush so I can apply mascara to my bottom lashes, making them visible. It stays on and doesn't smudge. I already re-purchased another one.

Buxom Lip Cream in White Russian has to be my favorite lip cream/gloss. I rarely finish any lip gloss since I have so many. But this White Russian is my go-to lip cream almost daily. It is a light pink shade which I love to apply on top of almost all my other lipsticks. It tones down brighter shades and this gloss is not sticky at all. Has a very pleasant scent and I love the menthol-tingling sensation. Repurchased another one already. Love this.

Last product is of course my Target brand makeup wipes. I don't have a Target store near me and every time I go to the city, I stock up on a few. I am out of that already and switch back to my other favorite brand, Simple.

Do you have a lot of staples in your beauty stash that you would use up month after month? Or do you prefer to try out new things?

Sunday Sephora Wishlist

As the holiday season and my December birthday approaching, what better thing to do on a Sunday than to drool over beauty products from Sephora.

Every year, Sephora is having their VIB sale in November. I believe it is 20% off. Time to stock up on staples and try on new products.

Nars Guy Bourdin Holiday Collection One Night Stand Cheek Palette(here)

I have the famous Orgasm and Laguna from Nars and want to try out other shades. This palette seems like to be an excellent value palette.

Urban Decay Ocho Loco 2(here)

Think this is a new set from Urban Decay and consists of 8 24/7 Glide on pencils which I adore the formula. So silky and smooth. 

Marc Jacobs Lust for Lacquer LIp Vinyl(here)

If you haven't heard me rave enough about my recent obsession about the Marc Jacobs genius gel super-charged foundation(read post), I am impressed with the new makeup line and want to try other products as well. 

Glam Glow Gift Sexy(here)

Heard so much great reviews about this brand and haven't tried anything. This set is pricey but you can try out 2 products: SuperMud and YouthMud treatment. 

On a side note, not something I am proud to say but I have made VIB Rouge at Sephora. For the past few years, I have been a VIB insider. This year, they introduced a new level which is the VIB Rouge(yes, don't ask me how much I have spent in the past year to make it to this level). The benefits are exclusive VIB rouge events, free shipping with any order, surprise gifts, and unlimited access to beauty studio. The one I love the most is free shipping as sometimes when you need just one item, I always have to add other items to make it to CAD $75 to qualify for free shipping.

I received my VIB Rouge welcome kit with my last Sephora order which comes with this beautiful Bite lipstick in bright red. I don't usually go for bright red lipstick but this one is very creamy. It is still a bit bright for me so I put on a nude lipstick underneath and then apply this to tone it down a bit and it is beautiful.

Are you planning to get anything with the Sephora VIB sale? What is on your wishlist?

Bourjois Rice Java Smoothing & Setting Powder

I go through beauty products purchasing in phases. I would go for blushes for a while then I would hop onto eye shadows. Lately, I have been obsessing with look of my skin so I am in the foundation, setting powder, highlighter phase.

 

I came across Bourjois Rice Java Setting Powder a couple of weeks ago. I believe this particular packaging is a limited edition to celebrate the brand's 150th birthday. I got mine from ASOS from their Bourjois sale and scored this for only CAD $11.78. An awesome awesome deal in my opinion.

The packaging is totally adorable with the 50's retro feel. The powder is a very fine pinkish-tone highlighting shade with a bit of shimmer. 

When the powder is applied, you can barely notice the shimmer. I apply it as a highlighter on the cheeks or sometimes I apply it as a setting powder for my under eye area to give it a lift. It is very subtle and gives you the prettiest glow. 

This powder does have a significant scent. Hard to describe the scent but it reminds me of a powder blotting paper my Mom used when I was a little kid. It is hard to describe the scent. It is not a floral scent or a strong perfume scent. You only notice the scent when you twist open the package. Once you have applied it, the scent wouldn't linger on.

Overall, the Bourjois Rice Java Smoothing powder is a very nice illuminating powder. Can be used as a highlighter and setting powder. If you can get your hands on the limited edition package, it is a bonus.

Have you tried this from Bourjois? What is your favorite illuminating powder?

Guest Post 13 Surprising Uses for Lip Balm

I’m a pretty big fan of any beauty product that does double duty, so when I found out that lip balm has uses besides keeping my lips soft and kissable, I was blown away! Here are 13 new ways your favorite lip balm can start pulling its weight. 

photo

Beauty Magic

• An easy way to get that natural, dew-kissed look is to skip the powder blush and use your favorite tinted lip balm instead.  Use your fingers to gently pat the balm along your cheekbones, focusing on the apples of your cheeks. 
• Mix some translucent lip balm in with a bit of your favorite powder eye-shadow to create a great cream shadow on the go!
• If you’re looking for an alternative to brow gels tame your unruly eyebrows, try dabbing some lip balm along your brow line and blending it in with a clean brush. 
• Dry and cracked cuticles can be painful and unsightly. Dab a small amount of lip balm onto your cuticles and rub in gently for a perfectly moisturized finish to your manicure.
• Prevent stubborn stains by rubbing lip balm into the skin around your hairline before starting the hair-dyeing process.

Soften That Skin

• Thanks to allergies and colds, the delicate skin around our nostrils can suffer some serious Kleenex related abuse. Grab a tube of lip balm, mark it for nose use only and apply generously to your cracked nostrils. Your sniffer will thank you!
• Harsh winter weather can be rough on our elbows and knuckles. Skip the lotion and moisturize with lip balm!
• Speaking of winter weather, skiers and snowboarders can attest to how harsh cold wind can be on your face.  Before you hit the slopes, apply lip balm to your forehead, nose, cheeks and chin to protect your skin from windburn.

Household Helper

• Quickly stop the bleeding from shaving nicks by dabbing a bit of lip balm directly onto the cut.
• Ring stuck on your finger? Put away the butter and reach for your ChapStick instead! Simply coat your finger with lip balm and gently wriggle the ring loose.
• Stuck zippers can be solved with a small amount of lip balm! Rub the balm up and down the teeth of the zipper and zip your way to freedom!
• Use lip balm as a lubricant on the tracks of drawers and windows for easier opening and shutting.
• If you’re out of shoe polish, a little lip balm will work in a pinch. Rub the balm into your shoe with a cloth and then buff to a shine! 

Thanks to my Yu-Be Lip Balm, my lips are soft, brows tidy, cuticles moisturized and my favorite hoodie has a perfectly lubricated zipper! I’m pretty sure lip balm may be the new wonder product. Duct tape and WD-40 better watch out!

When Selina Torres isn’t shining her shoes with lip balm, she’s writing for Glisten, an amazing new skin care company. 

Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Super-Charged Foundation Review

I have been using the Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Super-Charged Foundation every day since I got my Sephora order almost 2 weeks ago. There is a lot said when I use a foundation consistently for that long. 

What it is:
A breakthrough gel foundation that’s antiaging, long-wearing, and awakens your skin to its ideal radiance and clarity.

What it does:
Erase the past, perfect the present, and protect the future. Formulated with lifestyle ingredients and Buoyancy Gel™ technology, Genius Gel Super-Charged Foundation creates a weightless, natural veil that never settles into fine lines. An infusion of Soft Focus Powder reflects light to minimize imperfections, while revitalizing multi-vitamins provide supreme hydration for even application and luxurious wear.

What else you need to know:
This versatile formula builds easily from natural to full coverage, providing supreme hydration for a radiant finish.

The shade is 32 Beige Light. I am a MAC NC 30 and a Chanel 30 for reference. There are 16 shades to choose from which is excellent. There are some brands of foundation which offer a few shades which make it extremely difficult to match your skin tone perfectly. 

Far left is the swatch of the foundation

This foundation is a lightweight one. Not as liquid-y as the Chanel Aqua Lumiere and the L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation. But it is not as thick as your ordinary high coverage foundation. As you can tell from my swatch, it is easily-blendable and yet still provides light coverage.

I apply this foundation with my Sigma F80 kabuki brush. I use about 2 pumps for my whole face for a light-medium coverage. I have normal combination skin which I get oily easily on my t-zone, especially my nose. I find this foundation perfect for my skin type. I don't even have to use a setting powder to set it which is almost non-heard of in my book. I like how my skin looks with this foundation. Very skin-like but much better. It even out my skin tone making it "almost" flawless. I like foundation like this which "fakes" bare skin but of course I am not one of those gals who can run out the door without any makeup. This is extremely natural and lightweight that you won't even know you are wearing any foundation. 

I would say if you have drier skin, this foundation may not be the one for you. I have a few blemishes which I apply some spot-healing gel on which dries it up and when I put on concealer on the spot, I notice the foundation clings on the dry spot. So if you have dry skin, you may make this foundation work if you moisturize your face really well to avoid dry patchy spots. 

This is how the foundation looks on me. I am loving it paired with my new favorite highlight, Josie Maran liquid illuminizer. 

Overall, I am really happy with my new foundation. Only downside is its price tag. It is CAD $58 for 1 fl. oz. If you have similar skin type as me, I highly recommend this one to try. With so many shades to choose from, best is to go to Sephora and try out the swatches and request a small sample to use before committing to buy it. 

Ipsy October 2013

This month Ipsy bag arrives later than usual. Being an impatient person as I am, I went to peek from other bloggers and see what everybody else is getting. Then when my patience ran low, I went to my account at Ipsy and looked at what is my glam room.

So when my bag arrives, I knew exactly what I am getting.

Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel 

Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Dolly

Nourish Organic Coconut & Argan Body Lotion

Zoya Nail Polish in Giovanna

LA Fresh Oil Free Face Cleanser Wipes

I am fairly happy with this month's bag after the not-too-exciting past couple of bags from Ipsy. I have the Buxom lip polish in dolly already and love it so much. So happy to get this travel-sized to put in my purse. 

The Zoya polish is a very pretty color. It is a metallic emerald green polish. I don't have any colors close to this in my collection and excited to try it out.

I have received a few products from Big Sexy Hair and haven't tried this blow dry volumizing gel. I enjoy hair products from this brand and I haven't used any gel texture as a heat-styling product so happy to give it a try.

Rose Gold Nail Polish

I love rose gold and have been looking for a nice rose gold nail polish for fall.

Deborah Lippman Glamourous Life (buy here)

*picture taken with flash*

*picture taken without flash*

Real color looks more like the one taken with flash. 

Very beautiful rose gold color. Formula is so silky smooth and I do 2 coats. This shade is a perfect combination of copper and pink. Some nail polish may carry more gold/copper than the pink, making it more earth-toned. 

Do you like rose gold nail polish? What are your favorites?

OOTD J. Crew Factory Beaded Sweatshirt

We are blessed with very nice fall weather this year and it is mid-October and I am just starting to wear my sweatshirts or sweaters.

J. Crew Factory Beaded Sweatshirt in size S (different color here)

J. Crew Factory Gingham Shirt in size S from last year 

I have my eyes set on the J. Crew jeweled sweatshirt earlier as seen here:

J. Crew Jeweled Sweatshirt in size S (here)

The fabric of these 2 sweatshirts are similar. The retail version is softer though. However, I find the fit a bit small. But if I go up a size to medium, would be too long on the sleeves and shoulder part.

The factory version fits me better. A bit more loose on the body and does not quite hug the body as the J. Crew version. 

I am able to layer it with a gingham shirt underneath. 

I got this during one of their sales last month for only CAD $51. Now it is back to its full price. I find factory sales are tricky. They have so many promos going on and sometimes you just have to do your math carefully and grab an awesome deal. I got mine during their sales when they offered 40% off original price with free shipping.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

I have been eyeing on the Hourglass ambient lighting powder for the longest time. Did several swatches at Sephora and as nice as it seems, I find it hard to take the bite to buy a single lighting powder/illuminizer at CAD $52.

Last Friday night when I was ready to go to bed, checked on some Twitter feeds and found out from MakeUpAndBeautyBlog that Hourglass has released a limited edition of Ambient Lighting Palette, I knew I had to make a late night Sephora online order.

Ambient Lighting Palette (@ Sephora)

CAD $67

To me, this palette is an awesome deal. With 3 lighting powders( dim light, radiant light and a new limited powder: incandescent light) and a deluxe sample size of veil mineral primer and priced at $67 seems like a much better deal than getting just the one powder at $52. When I was testing the different powders at Sephora, I had a hard time to choose between a couple of them. This palette is perfect for me. 

Left: Tarte The Bright Time Deluxe Maracuja Oil & Eye Treatment

Right: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Palette

To qualify for free shipping, I added this Tarte set. I have heard so much about their maracuja oil and I am always trying new eye cream so this set is perfect.

From L to R: Dim Light, Incandescent Light, Radiant Light

What it does:
Create your perfect light. Ambient Lighting Powder is a groundbreaking collection of finishing powders that capture, diffuse, and soften the way light reflects on your skin. Unlike traditional powders, which merely cloak imperfections, Ambient Lighting Powder utilizes photoluminescent technology to filter out harsh light and refine the appearance of the complexion. The powders deliver a multidimensional luminescence to every skintone, making it appear softer and lit from within. The finishing powders enhance skin in any type of light, including flash photography. With three universal shades available in the Ambient palette, you can create your desired effect. 

Sephora has recently improved their shipping time in Canada. This order took only 5 business days to arrive at my doorstep which I am so impressed. I recall orders could take up to 3 weeks before. So this is a huge improvement. 

I am super-excited to try this palette. Have you tried this or other Hourglass products? What are your favorites?

GlassesUSA Sponsored Post

I have been wearing prescription glasses since I was in grade 7. I recall "back in the day", the only way to shop for glasses was to actually go into a store and try on a zillion pairs before finding a few that would fit my round face.

Nowadays, shopping for eyeglasses is so much easier. When I was contacted by GlassesUSA to do a sponsored post, I was excited. As most of you guys know, I LOVE online shopping and shopping for  glasses online is a lot of fun.

Virtual Try-It Mirror

I don't know about you guys but the shape of my face is quite difficult to shop for when it comes to glasses. At GlassesUSA, you can try on any type of glasses using their virtual try-it mirror. Simply upload a picture of yourself and then you can pick any glasses to try on with a click of a button. Easy breezy. 

The prices on the website are very competitive and they have a price guarantee and will price match and give you an additional 10% off. How awesome is that? 

Here are some of my picks:

Click here

Click here

Click here

Currently they are having a 50% off sale using promo code: COLUMBUSDAY and free shipping(for US orders only). 

If you do plan to buy glasses, go to website.

"I Love Fall" Tag

It will be Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada. Happy Thanksgiving my fellow Canadians!

I haven't done a tag for the longest time and the beautiful Chantal from Chantal's Corner to do the " I Love Fall" tag.

1. Favourite fall lip product?

I generally prefer lighter shades of lippies. With fall, I tend to wear more brownish-toned lipsticks. MAC's Spice is a very pretty neutral brown tone lipstick.

2. Favourite fall nail polish?

I love plum-colored nail polish. 

China Glaze's Purr-fect plum is one of my favorites. Such a rich plum color.

3. Favourite fall Starbucks drink?

There is no Starbucks in the town I live in sadly :( I have tried the pumpkin spice latte before but I am not a big fan of pumpkin. So I will just go with my all-year-around favorite: Caramel Macchiato.

4. Favourite fall candle?

I love fall-scented candles, especially from Bath and Body Works. I haven't got around to shop for this year's new collection yet but my favorite from last year is Cinnamon Nut Bread. 

5. Favourite fall clothing item or accessory?

I am such a scarf gal. Cooler weather approaching, I am excited to dig out my scarves to brighten up my boring black/grey usual fall outfits.

6. Haunted house, haunted hay ride or haunted corn maze?

I am not into haunted house or hay ride etc. It has been a Looooooong time since I went to my last one in my college days.

7. Favourite Halloween movie?

I am afraid to say that I don't like Halloween movies. I hate spooky movies or horror movies. It is fun watching but when you can't sleep at night and any freaking little sound outside would be creepy.

8. Favourite candy to eat on Halloween?

Definitely the Hershey's cookies and cream. Now you got my mind wrapped around them. Have to go to Walmart and grab some.

9. What are you dressing up as for Halloween?

I don't dress up for Halloween. Yup, not a fun gal.

10. What is your favourite thing about fall?

Fall is beautiful when the weather is nice outside. This fall, we are blessed with relatively warmer and drier weather, unlike previous years. Changing colors of leaves and the crispiness in the air is nice.

What are some of your fall essentials and favorites?