Purchased & Reviewed: Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Luminous Blush in Tigerlily

Posted on June 13, 2016 by Jennifer Pamela

It’s been a while since I’ve published a purchase post but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been making them 24/7 all around town. What better way to get back to it than by reviewing a Becca product? They’re hotter than me running around a mall with 13 different shopping bags. Shall we?

Packaging: Compact, snap to close circular shell, akin to most Becca powders & blushes. I was a little surprised at the smaller size of this particular product (I guess I’m used to the larger highlighters. The only aspect I can’t get comfortable with is the outer shell of Becca compacts – the material picks up a lot of makeup transfer and are hard to keep clean unless you’re Lysol wiping on the daily. Minor.

Product: Ever since Champagne Pop and the Champagne Glow palette – I have been sold on all things Becca. I had no idea who Jaclyn Hill was nor do I watch her videos but I knew that the highlighter palette she conjured up with the brand was straight out of the golden gates and the rest is history. Anyway, back to the product – it’s sublime, perfect, the ideal blush, the holy grail if you must. The pigment, the shimmer, the multi-dimensional matte/glow effect and the staying power – 10’s across the board. I have not one complaint.

Colour: This is my favourite shade out of all the Shimmering Skin Perfectors. I love me a nice orange especially for my skin tone. This particular shade is a medium orange with red undertones. The gold flecked finish is what’s making makeup hoarders lose their shit. The colour is build-able but I find that a little goes a long way (also depends on which kind of brush you’re using). The end result for me is semi opaque, medium orange and gold glow that’s the focal point of my face. I blend in a little highlighter and add a nude-y lip and have pretty much secured my go-to face for the rest of the summer.

Wearability: All over town. If you use a light hand you can wear it alone for a little pop of colour or if you got your Go – Go – Gadget Sephora hands on you can add it to a matte blush of your choice and up the force shield. I myself wear it as a blush alone over my contour and the colour pay off is more than enough…intense even. I find that I like this particular shade better with a nude/light lip because the orange/red undertones are a little too #ootn for a daytime look.

Verdict: You have to have at least one Becca product to experience what the hype is all about. Whether it’s the blush, the highlighter, or the new eyeshadow palette – the hype is legitimate. These blushes have staying power, nice pigmentation and allows you to build it up to create either a flushed peach look or one that mimics the Snapchat filter of that cute trans. You hold the power.

(Photo above was taken au natural).

Try it for yourself here.

Friday Favourites: Weekend Edition

Posted on January 17, 2016 by Jennifer Pamela

Since I haven’t posted a “favourites” post in over a month, you should grab a glass of wine, your credit card, and a cozy blanket. This is a humdinger.

Favourite Hair Product

Lush Solid Shampoo in Karma Komba

I’ve been using Lush shampoo bars for the last 6 months now and don’t plan on switching it up anytime soon. They last forever, require a small rub for the biggest lather, and they smell amazing in the tin and on your hair. This one contains patchouli oil, pine and lemongrass oil (among others) and the Karma fragrance is heavenly. All their shampoo bars leave my hair feeling really clean and soft so unless you hate clean and fragrant hair you have no excuse because they come in like, 20 different scents.

Favourite Skincare Product

L’Occitane Weekend en Provence Almond Discovery Set

I got this little set in my stocking for Christmas and was thrilled because my almond supple skin oil was half empty (half empty is enough to give me anxiety). The set contains Almond Shower Oil (which is heavenly in the shower), Almond Milk Concentrate (body lotion for post shower), and Almond Delicious Hands (perfect for a luxurious travel lotion). The smell is divine, definitely something to try if you’re looking for a trial pampering session.

Favourite Scent

Jo Malone Mimosa & Cardamom

I know I’ve mentioned it before but honest to sh*t this smell is one of the softest, elegant, musky and sweet scents I’ve ever worn. Mimosa, spiced cardamom, tonka and sandalwood, powdery heliotrope (which is so intense with each spray) and Damask rose. I cannot emphasize how cozy and dignified this particular scent is. Jo Malone is a scientist. I was gifted it for Christmas and a day hasn’t gone by since I’ve worn it.

Favorite Gift

Diptyque Holiday Coloured Glass Trio

I not so subtly hinted to my sister all November long that I would drop to the floor in a dramatic and hugely fraudulent fainting spell if I didn’t welcome this set into my life. She shut me up. This limited edition Diptyque candle trio gives Diptyque cult followers life. Me. It gives me life. The set includes Sapin (pine tree scent with mingling notes of mandarin orange), Liquidamber (amber from a tree with red leaves, mixed with cinnamon, nutmeg and muscovado sugar – which I honestly know nothing about but love), Oliban (woodsy and sweet). I’ll be melting these (I have a handy little candle warmer because there’s no way I’m even remotely comfortable burning 80 dollar candles) all year long. I usually save my muskier and woodsier candles for rainy and overcast days when I’m settled indoors with my pyjamas. The rest are for warmer sunnier days when I’m settled indoors with my pyjamas. (Just keeping it real).

Favourite Wardrobe Item

Wildfox Let’s Stay Home Sweater

I was eyeing this cozy sweater since the day it was introduced but it fell off the radar somehow (the shame). How thrilled was I to find it under the tree this year? Thrilled AF. (Sorry) It’s deliciously cozy, easy to style with a pair of jeans or a skirt and can be thrown over pretty much any set of pyjamas for the utmost at-home comfort. And the saying speaks for itself. If people came with a tagline, this would be mine.

Favourite Wishlist Purchase

Aquazzura Wild Thing Sandals

The Christmas sprites picked me this season and it’s not because I’m their most vocal spokesperson – it’s because I’ve been long-thirsting for these heels right here. I would search my favourite online haunts and never make it to “purchase” because my size was almost always disappointingly sold out. Until now bitches. That last size 37.5 is mine. All mine. Bless you Forward by Elyse Walker. May you always be blessed with abundant stock. The open toe suede fringe, the delicate straps, the 4″ yet comfortable heel. Nothing short of perfection. I’ve never been so pleased with giving away my money. (PS: They’re in limited stock at most online boutiques right now – you’re welcome).

Favorite Pastime

Colouring

I’m fully aware that this is a so-called trend these days but I’m been going HAM with colouring since 83. Fine, I just recently picked it up again but it’s always been within me yearning to come out and show ya’ll what fine tipped markers were made for. I picked this gem up at Chapters Indigo (along with The Time Chamber by Daria Song). I try and sneak in some colouring time during my hours allocated to TV each evening, also I find that when I colour during the Hawks games I’m less likely to jump up from the couch threatening bodily harm to the opposing team when something goes awry.

Favorite Makeup Product

Anastasia Illuminator in Starlight

I kept forgetting that Macy’s carried Anastasia’s full makeup line (most of the time) so this time there was no way I was going to walk past without stopping in to check for her insanely popular highlighters. I chose this shade (an iridescent white gold) because, let’s be honest – I have pretty much every other shade possible. This was a little brighter than the rest, a little more YouTube guru, and a lot more Khloe Kardashian – AKA – this glow is not from within (even though the site boasts that it’s meant to give off that result). I’m going to do a full review but I will say for now that this shade is nice for adding a real sheen, like full on glamazon glow. You can be heavy handed (like me without natural light during application) or go easy with a fan brush (to add a bit of radiance).

Favourite Treat

Soft Peaks Ice Cream

I know it’s the dead of Winter but I rarely get a chance to indulge in Soft Peaks ice cream. Although, I can hardly call it indulging since it’s organic, all natural, low in fat and calories, with just a tiny little smudge of sweetness. When I dive face first into their churning tub – that’s when we can call it indulging.

Happy Weekend

Purchased & Reviewed: Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Jennifer Pamela

I took a month off blogging because Christmas (and the accompanying holiday season) is my favourite time of year and I feel that every fibre of my being must be allocated to that and only that. I slept, ate, and shopped Christmas. The latter which will lend to the next 36 posts for 2016. Here’s to hoping that you holiday season was jam packed with family that didn’t annoy you, presents that were on your wish list for months and treats that didn’t morph your ass and hips into Kardashian assigned proportions.

I’ll take this opportunity to talk about pretty much each and every single beauty gift I received this Christmas. Really. Not kidding.

Ok kidding.

I’ll stagger them out. This review is on Becca’s Shimmering Skin Perfectors in Blushed Copper and the Jaclyn Hill collaboration, Champagne Pop (which I’ve reviewed before).

Packaging: The gold boxes these highlighters come in are fancy as heck and are indicative of what you get on the inside. On the other hand, the actual compacts are more utilitarian and no nonsense. I find that the outer shell for Champagne Pop is easy to get dirty with your grubby little makeup covered fingers so have a Lysol wipe handy. Blushed Copper has a shinier compact and for some reason is lighter in weight. I wish they would have made Champagne Pop identical to the box it came in (as they did with Blushed Copper) but I’ll let it slide since the product is like crack for your face. If you’re into crack.

Product: Gold. Crushed, crumbled, pulverized & pounded pieces of gold. If you own these then you know exactly what I’m talking about – if you don’t – you can solidify this shit and deposit it into your bank account. Do not get it twisted. The texture is creamy, and for a powder that is absolutely ridiculous yet marvellous. The fine pearls that are infused into this fairy dust is meant to absorb, reflect, and refract light so it looks like your highlight is natural and not man made. Or woman made, should I say. Compared to dry pressed powders, this one blends it’s ingredients with liquid binders which results in the luxuriously creamy application and consistency. The Blushed Copper has a prismatic appearance whereas the Champagne Pop is completely smooth. They both apply in the same fashion, it’s the collaboration with Jaclyn Hill that has Champagne Pop stand on it’s own.

Wearability/Colour: I use Champagne Pop as a highlighter and Blushed Copper as a blush to blend my contour with. They apply with ease, are wildly pigmented and long lasting and honestly, compliment various skin tones. The rose gold Champagne Pop is amazing as a highlighter and Blushed Copper (a warm copper with rose gold undertones) is one of the most flattering blushes I’ve ever come across.

Verdict: You have to have these. They’re not a fad. They’re not a artsy piece or celebrity collab that you need to purchase just because you have zero control when it comes to makeup, and you have an inch of counter space that needs to be filled. These are versatile, reasonably priced for their product range, flattering AF (I know, I know, super millennial ditz of me), and are long lasting in both wear and wallet. Unfortunately the limited edition Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Glow trio palette is no longer available (unless you can find it on Amazon or eBay) because that’s when my love affair with Blushed Copper commenced. Take my advice and don’t be shy. They’re well worth the hype.

Get them here and here.

(The photos are as is – no filter just enhancement to showcase the colours).

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas: Holiday Gift Guide for the Tech Savvy

Posted on December 6, 2015 by Jennifer Pamela

You know that one person who just can’t seem to put their phone down at dinner? Can multitask with a fork, a knife, and an iPhone? Can scroll through Instagram and carry on a highly intellectual conversation about the Republican platform on gun control? Feels the innate desire to “check in” when picking up tampons at Walmart? Reward them.

Click the photo to shop.

Tory Burch Fret Pendant Necklace/Bracelet

Stelle Audio Mini Clutch Speaker

Baublebar x Frends Headphones

Halogen Tech Touch Cashmere Gloves

BAN.DO Selfies iPhone 6 Case

Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones

Caseify Marble iPhone Case

Polaroid SNAP Camera

Stella McCartney iPhone Case

Chiara Ferragni Flirting iPhone Case

Rebecca Minkoff Notification Bracelet

Kate Spade Cedar Street iPad Air 2 Keyboard Folio

Happy Plugs Sound Piece Mini in Marble

Kikkerland Folding Selfie Stick

Joe’s Flawless #hello Jeans

It’s Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas: Holiday Gift Guide for the Cozy

Posted on November 29, 2015 by Jennifer Pamela

Sunday. The perfect day for reviewing my 3rd instalment of the Holiday Gift Guide. I’ve never understood people who would rather freeze their t*ts off standing in a line up to get into a bar than throw on a pair of luxuriously comfy pyjamas and snuggle up with Netflix. For those who are with me on the cozy evening shenanigans – I salute you. Fuel their wise choices with these…

*Click on the photos to shop

Faux Fur Trapper Hat