Autumn Nails

All summer long I have been wearing bright colors on my nails but I have slowly started to move away from all the pretty pastel shades and opt for some more fall appropriate colors...

Chanel Graphite - A shimmery steel grey with silver glitter

Essie Chinchilly -  A muted grey/brown shade 

Deborah Lippmann Naked - The perfect nude 

Chanel Peridot - A metallic green/gold color that looks different in every light

Essie Aruba Blue - A metallic sapphire blue

What are you wearing on your nails this fall?

Blushing

As the weather is getting cooler my beauty routine has been changing along with the seasons. As my skin is losing its summer tan I have replaced my favorite bronzers with a bright pink cheek that gives a touch of warmth to my face while staying on trend for the fall season. 

Kim Kardashian shows off her glowing pink cheeks

Applied to the apples of your cheeks, a bright pink blush gives a pretty glow and really brightens up your face, especially on cold days when you never want to get out of bed. To make your skin look extra dewy and glowing, apply a highlighter to the top of your cheekbones and dust it up to your temples. 

Some of my favorite pink blushes include...

MAC Pink Swoon 

MAC Well Dressed 

NARS Desire 

Dior Amber Rose - a shimmery pink hued highlighter

Candy Dipped Hair

A few months ago I shared with you guys a new look that I had done to my hair, the ombre effect. 

Recently, many celebrities have been playing with this look and applying different colors to the tips of their hair instead of the typical blonde. 

I am loving these bright styles:

Rachel McAdams with pink highlights 

Lauren Conrad with a rainbow ombre

Sienna Miller dyed her hair a pinky orange hue

Kate Bosworth with blue ombre

Katy Perry recently went all pink!

My best friend Gill with her version of the Lauren Conrad inspired ombre - My fave!

This is definitely a bold look to try but so pretty for the summer, especially on blonde hair

Face Off

Experimenting with new makeup products can lead to some amazing results but there are times when it can turn into a complete nightmare. I recently tried a new face primer and ended up breaking out really badly from it. I went into overdrive to help clear up my skin and get it back to normal.

I decided to try a face mask and chose the Clinique Acne Solutions Oil Control Cleansing Mask. 

This clay-based mask works to control oil, clear up and heal blemishes and breakouts and clean out pores. I apply the mask all over my face and leave it on for 5 minutes. After washing it off with warm water my skin feels clean and oil-free and I can instantly see that blemishes are slowly clearing up. The mask reduces any redness which leaves behind a much more even skin tone. The formula is very gentle and does not leave your skin feeling overly dry or tight and I have not had any irritation from it (and I have very sensitive skin). 

This mask helped clear up my skin in just over a week after applying it every other day. This is truly a life saving product and on top of clearing up my skin - it's only 20 bucks! A must-have product that I will definitely repurchase once I run out of this tube! 

Cover Me Up in Chanel

In the summer I don’t like wearing heavy makeup so I opt out foundation for a creamy, lightweight concealer that offers long lasting coverage. This is especially important to me since I do have oily skin and I need a concealer that will hold up not only to my oily skin but also to the added summer heat.

This summer I have been loving the Chanel Correcteur Perfection concealer. This concealer is a gel-based formula that has amazing staying power. I use it on any blemishes or redness on my face and it leaves behind a smooth and velvety finish. This is a great concealer for discoloration or acne prone skin because it really evens out your face leaving your skin looking naturally clear. It feels lightweight on your skin but is pigemented enough to cover any imperfections you want to hide without being heavy or cakey. I’ve used it on the hottest of summer days and it stays in place for hours without needing any touchups. A new favorite for sure!

Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara

I adore big, bold and thick lashes and have gone through what feels like hundreds of drugstore mascara’s to always be left disappointed. I find that I can never come across a formula that I really love and they are either too wet and sticky or end up being dry and flakey. 

Since I have always had such bad luck with drugstore formulas I have been using department store brands like Benefit and Dior. But at $25-$29 a pop, I felt that I was spending too much on a product that I use so much of and go through so quickly. I had almost given up on trying to find a cheaper alternative to my all time favorite Benefit BadGal Lash when I decided to give Revlon’s Grow Luscious formula a try.

The mascara claims to help your lashes grow stronger and I’m not exactly sold on that claim but the wand and formula are almost identical to BadGal Lash and DiorShow and instantly made my lashes longer and added full volume and thickness. The wand is large and is extremely lush, allowing your lashes to be coated easily and volume to be created. I was blown away with the results! The only complaint I have is that the formula does dry out rather quickly, but it stays useable for about a month and a half.

I believe that I can confidently say I have found my perfect drugstore mascara! 

...and she's back!

I have been away for far too long!!

I promise to have some fun reviews up soon but in the mean time here are some inspiring pictures that I have found over the summer of looks I have recreated and are looking forward to trying!

I love the bronze and champagne colors used on her eyes, it really makes her blue eyes pop! This summer I have been doing the bronze smokey eye a lot

This is obviously not a wearable look but it inspired me to use different colored eye liners other than my typical black

I love the feathery eyelashes on this look and the contrast between the bright turquoise shadow on the top lids and the green on the bottom. Bright colors have been my go to this summer

Lush and full volume lashes - my fave!

Love the boldness of the bright lip colors with nothing else on the face

Chanel, zebra and leopard print nails - all in one! To die for

Lauren Conrad's bright fuchsia lips are so pretty and the winged black liner adds a bit of an edge to an other wise Barbie inspired look

Little Red Riding Hood

I don't know why, but for over a year I have been obsessed with red polish. On my nails or on my toes. I try to change it up and explore other colors, but I constantly come back to my trusty reds. 

Plus, red is a color that looks great for any season. 

Here are some of my personal favsies. 

Essie Lollipop

OPI Big Apple Red

 OPI Rock Apulco Red

Chanel Rouge Fatal

Chanel Dragon

Essie Red Nouveau  

ombre ombre ombre!

Today I hopped on the ombre hair trend bandwagon and am loving the results. I was super nervous to color my hair but it came out stunning! I have dark brown hair so the ends are a lighter caramel color, not too blonde or brassy. I think this trend is a great way to make a semi-drastic hair change and the upkeep is totally effortless since your "roots" are supposed to be predominately showing.

Love it or Hate it??

(i love it)

I'm a Bad Girl

I tend to talk a lot about mascara's that I hate, so I think it's time to discuss my very favourite mascara in the whole wide world. Benefit BADgal Lash. Its a super dark black color and it has a HUGE wand, which isn't for everyone but I find that the big brush really covers and coats each lash and gives a higher impact level. My lashes get super full and thick from just two coats. I've been using BADgal for about 4 years now, and I don't think I'll ever turn my back on it. If you've never tried it and are a little afraid of it's massive wand, go to Sephora and pick up A Little Bit BADgal. It's only 9 dollars! It comes with the full sized brush but its just in a smaller tube.

 They've also expanded their colors and have a Plum BADgal and a Blue BADgal. 

They are all really pretty colors.

Best. Mascara. Ever. 

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I Don't Feel Like P.Diddy

Out too late? Stayed up all night studying/partying? Just couldn't sleep? We've all had those nights. The next morning usually looks like something that should be in a horror film or a Ke$ha music video. Bags under our eyes, pale, lifeless skin and crazed hair is the truly stunning piece of work that falls out of bed.

For me, black under-eye circles and puffiness are my biggest culprit on these mornings. 

I recently discovered a new product that is great for reducing puffiness and making your eyes feel cooled and look much more awake. The Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller is fantastic. It instantly relives tired eyes and really perks them up. It makes me instantly feel more wide awake. No joke. I was totally skeptical towards this product, but it really does work. What a great discovery. Now you have no excuse to skip your 9:00am class. 

Found A New Love For Foundation

I've never been a big foundation fan. 

Well, that's a lie because I've never really worn foundation.

I hate having a cakey feeling on my face so I tend to choose face products that are light but offer a good coverage, like creamy concealers or tinted moisturizers. 

But I guess I really never gave foundation a chance.

Last week I decided it was time to take the plunge. I didn't do toooo much research on the formula that I wanted, but I have always heard great and positive things about NARS Sheer Glow. 

So I picked myself up a bottle..my color is PUNJAB in case you were wondering. They have a great range of colors as well, so everyone can find their perfect shade. 

I LOVE THIS STUFF. Its super creamy, goes on so smoothly, feels like velvet on my face once it dries. 

It gives a really good coverage too and it isn't heavy at all. 

Definitely turned a skeptic into a believer.

Thanks, NARS. I know I can always count on you.

K-This Sucks

About a month ago I needed a new shampoo and conditioning team so I decided to be a little adventurous and go for a brand that I hadn't tried before. I picked up the Joico K-PAK Shampoo and Conditioner. I had heard some things about the company, but mostly only positive reviews of their products so I was excited and eager to try the products out for myself. 

Joico is a salon brand that is well known for their hair care system and have a wide range of products to choose from for different hair types.

The K-PAK collection of hair care products claim to have a high concentration of Quadramine Complex, which is unique to Joico products, and helps to rebuild, strengthen, protect and reconstruct your hair. I chose the K-PAK system in particular because my ends are always very dry and I like to keep my hair as conditioned and strong as I can. 

 I found the conditioner left my hair feeling dry after I got out of the shower and after over a month of using the products my hair is no softer and it even appears to be more damaged than it was before. On top of that, they're $25 each! Not a bargain!

Maybe I'll stick it out a little longer with them and hope for a hair miracle....

Not likely.

I really didn't like these products. I'm sticking with my trusty Pantene.

Tweety Bird

Chanel Mimosa is part of the Summer 2011 collection. 

It is a bright canary yellow, perfect for a hot summer day. 

I am literally running to get a bottle. You should as well. 

Cute As A Button

Here are some images from the MAC Quite Cute Spring 2011 Collection. I am SO excited for this collection! All the colors are really pretty light pastels that are perfect for spring and summer. The collection will be in stores April 7th, 2011.  I'm really excited for the Cutie Eye Shadow Quad and the Mineralize Blush's.

Lipstick ($14.50 U.S. / $17.50 CDN)

Playing Koi - Creamy white peach pink (Satin) (Limited Edition)

Saint Germain - Pastel pink (Amplified) (Permanent)

Candy Yum-Yum - Neon pink (Matte) (Limited Edition)

Quite Cute - Bright white lavender (Cremesheen) (Limited Edition)

Play Time - Intense violet (Cremesheen) (Limited Edition)

Plushglass ($18.50 U.S. / $22.00 CDN)

Fashion Fanatic - Creamy pale pink (Limited Edition)

Bubble Tea - Creamy pale nude (Limited Edition)

Girl ♥ Boy - Bright light blue pink (Limited Edition)

I ♥ U - Creamy mid-tone purple (Limited Edition)

Lip Pencil ($13.00 U.S. / $15.50 CDN)

In Synch - Bright yellow pink (Limited Edition) (Repromote)

Naked - Light neutral (Limited Edition) (Repromote)

Boldly Bare - Mid-tone red brown (Limited Edition) (Repromote)

Cutie Eyeshadow Quad ($36.00 U.S. / $43.00 CDN)

Moshi! Moshi!  - Pale white green gold (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Goody Goody Gum Drop - Light white pink (Satin) (Limited Edition)

Boycrazy - Pale lavender with silver pearl pigments (Lustre) (Limited Edition)

Azuki Bean - Mid-tone violet (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Penultimate Eyeliner ($17.50 U.S. / $21.00 CDN)

Rapidblack - True black (Permanent)

Zoom Lash ($14.00 U.S. / $17.00 CDN)

Zoomblack - Rich black (Permanent)

Mineralize Blush ($23.00 U.S. / $27.50 CDN)

Giggly - Light pink with pearly plum heart (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Sakura - Lavender with pearly deep magenta heart (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Miss Behave - Light beige with pearly mint green heart (Frost) (Limited Edition)

Nail Lacquer ($14.00 U.S. / $17.00 CDN)

Ice Cream Cake - Creamy blue pink (Cream) (Limited Edition)

Little Girl Type - Creamy pale lavender (Cream) (Limited Edition)

Mischievous - Creamy pale blue mint (Cream) (Limited Edition)

Product Information: www.temptalia.com 

Images: www.make-up.becomegorgeous.com