#GuerlainLover Event Recap

I recently had the pleasure of attending one of Dave Lackie's famous VIP Followers Events and today I'm sharing a quick recap of the event. The #GuerlainLover dinner was held in celebration of the launch of Guerlain's newest lipstick,  Kiss Kiss Matte. This was Dave's first ever VIP follower event with Guerlain and we had not one, but two special guests in attendance!

The dinner was held at the Arcadian Court in a beautiful room modeled after the great palaces of Europe. The room was adorned with fragrant flowers and luxurious Guerlain product displays. We were greeted with a signature cocktail aptly named Kiss Kiss. The drink consisted of Ketel Vodka, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, pink grapefruit & lemon juice and it was garnished with a vibrant (and edible) Violet flower. Unfortunately, I arrived a bit late and totally drank my drink before taking a photo.

The room was abuzz with excited conversation, photo taking and lots of hugs! Dave has brought so many of us beauty lovers, bloggers and artists together. Thanks to Dave and these events, many friendships have formed. We all posed for a group photo and I love how it turned out. I'm sitting in the front row with the pink skirt!

📷 Credit : Dave Lackie @davelackie

After our photo we were seated at a large table that ran down the center of the room. Each seat had a Guerlain gift bag (more on that later 😍) and the table setting was very chic. We ate a delicious three course meal prepared by Oliver & Bonaci and drank perfectly paired wine.

During dinner, Sandrine (VP of Guerlain Canada Marketing) spoke with us about her fascinating career in the beauty industry and how she came to be part of the Guerlain family. Sandrine was a student in Shanghai and after having difficulty finding work, decided to move to Europe. While in Paris she scored an interview at Guerlain.  The woman who hired Sandrine did so because she had spent time in Shanghai herself. The best piece of advice Sandrine gave was to be dedicated to what you do. What stuck out in my mind was when she said that you need to be you, because authenticity is what gets you noticed. Another really important topic she touched on was how with success comes failure. You can't be perfect all the time and not everyone will like what you do (especially in the world of beauty). What's important is being yourself and never giving up. Success will come!

During dessert, our second guest of honour spoke with us about his career. Maxime Poulin is Guerlain's International Makeup Artist and one of the nicest people you could ever meet! His approach to makeup is easy to follow and combines both art and functionality. Maxime believes that all women can wear red lipstick (so do I) and he suggests trying it on at home first to build confidence and to become comfortable wearing it.

The beautiful @WhatsupLiz finding her perfect red lipstick

Another fabulous tip he gave was to avoid harsh lip lines and texture (this can 'age' you) by lightly applying lipstick, pushing your lips together and gently blurring the edge.

As I mentioned earlier, all guests received a very generous gift bag with 5 amazing Guerlain products, 3 of which are new. I will be reviewing all of the items we received in a separate post so stay tuned for that!

Thank you so much to Dave Lackie, Cookie Gigan, Beth and the Guerlain Canada team for this incredible opportunity.


If you're not already following Dave on Twitter, I highly recommend you do! He offers daily pro-tips, luxe giveaways and so much more! and don't forget to check out beautytheguide.com for the latest and greatest in beauty!


You can find Guerlain products at Hudson's Bay, Sephora and Beauty Boutique.

RuckPack Energizer Shot's ~ Review

RuckPack is a veteran owned and operated nutrition company whose supplements are manufactured in the United States. RuckPack gives a small percentage of their sales to the Marine Corps - Law Enforcement as well as other charities.

RuckPack Energizer Shot is combat nutrition for everyone. Gym lovers, busy moms, students, soldiers - anyone who needs a boost of energy. They provide instant nutrition and energy without the jitteriness of traditional energy drinks or the crash and burn of caffeine.

RuckPack Energizer Shot's are designed to maximize energy and focus without attacking the central nervous system. They're formulated with Nootropics, Theanine, Citrulline, CoQ10 and naturally sourced Caffeine from Green Tea (in select Energy Shots). They don't contain any Sucrolose or artificial caffeine.

Here's a breakdown of the ingredients and how they can benefit you!

AlphaSize® Alpha-GPC - AlphaSize Alpha-Glyceryl Phosphoryl Choline (A-GPC) is a brain nutrient used to combat memory loss, cognitive dysfunctions, and dementia. A-GPC optimizes muscular power output, sharpens agility, and can delay mental fatigue.

Theanine - Caffeine and Theanine are a found together in nature (in green tea) and Theanine supplements can increase alpha brain wave production and lessen the harsh side-effects that caffeine can have on the central nervous system. Theanine is the most common nootropic pairing for cognitive enhancement.

Tyrosine - Tyrosine is an amino acid used to combat depression, attention deficit disorder, stress, Alzheimer's, and Chronic Fatigue syndrome. It is also used to improve alertness following sleep deprivation.

MicroActive® CoQ10 - Coenzyme Q10 (COQ10) is a molecule produced in the body. It serves as a powerful anti-oxidant, protecting the body from the damage of free radicals.

Citrulline Malate - L-Citrulline is used as a sports performance and cardiovascular health supplement. L-Citrulline supplementation results in reduced fatigue and improved endurance while exercising.

I received three different flavours of RuckPack Energizer Shots (Citrus Ambush, Strawberry Assault and Raspberry Grenade). You can drink them chilled or at room temperature. I decided to try them both ways and in my humble opinion, they taste better chilled. I personally wouldn't drink them at room temperature.

At 240 mg, Citrus Ambush has the highest level of caffeine out of the three Energizer Shot's I sampled. The flavour is very citrus-y and refreshing. I noticed an improvement in energy and focus within 10 minutes of consuming it. This feeling lasted a couple of hours and I did experience a bit of jitteriness afterward, but in all fairness I drank a lot of coffee prior to drinking it.

Strawberry Assault contains 120mg of caffeine (half the amount found in Citrus Ambush). I actually like this flavour a lot - it's my favourite of the three I sampled. I found my energy levels rose for a few hours before slowly declining. I didn't have any negative effects after drinking it (no crash and burn).

My least favourite of the three was Raspberry Grenade. I didn't care for the flavour at all. This Energizer Shot doesn't contain any caffeine and it just didn't do much for me. I felt a slight difference in my mood and energy but that feeling lasted for less than half an hour.

RuckPack was kind enough to offer my readers a 20% off discount code! Visit http://www.ruckpack.com and add code BB051  to receive 20% off of your purchase.


*This post was powered by BrandBacker. I received free samples in order to conduct my review

NeoStrata's New Acne Clear Line ~ Review

If you suffer from breakouts, you should check out NeoStrata's new Acne Clear line. Widely available at most major drugstores, this line will help treat active pimples while helping to prevent future breakouts. There are 2 different treatment options and today I'm sharing my thoughts on the system for severe acne.

The first step in any anti-acne routine is cleansing. NeoStata's Acne Clear Clarifying Gel Cleanser (200ml, $24.50 CAD) deep cleanses to wash away bacteria, oil and impurities. It's formulated with 2% salicylic acid to help dry up any active breakouts and unclog your pores to prevent future breakouts.

I love how clean my face feels after using this cleanser! I use it in the evening after oil cleansing and it leaves my face feeling deeply cleansed. A little goes a long way - which means this bottle will last a long time. Since my skin is prone to drying out, I only use this in the evening. If you have oily skin or have lots of breakouts I'd recommend using it twice daily.

The next step is applying NeoStrata's Acne Clear Clarifying Solution (200 ml, $29.50 CAD). Chemical exfoliation is key to treating and preventing acne. This clarifying solution contains both BHA (2% salicylic acid) as well as AHA (10% glycolic acid). In case you're not sure how BHA's and AHA's work here's a quick breakdown as found on NeoStrata's website .

GLYCOLIC ACID

The alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) of choice. Its small molecular size makes it effective in removing the build-up of dead cells on the surface of the skin. Has an ideal pH for better results.

SALICYLIC ACID 

A beta hydroxyl acid that dries and helps clear up acne pimples while reducing the severity of acne pimples, allowing skin to heal.

If you're new to using chemical exfoliants, its best to start slowly to build skin tolerance. Start by applying it at night, every other night, and gradually increase the frequency of applications. If you have severely problematic skin you can use it twice daily. If you have minimal breakouts or just want to prevent them, you can get away with applying it a few times a week. Alternatively, you can use it as a spot treatment. Always wear sunscreen when using AHA and BHA because they make your skin more susceptible to sun damage.

I personally use it every other night and as a spot treatment because my skin tends to dry out fairly quickly. Even though I don't use it daily, the effects are still noticeable - smaller pores and reduced breakouts.

The final step is to apply NeoStrata's Acne Clear Acne Fluid Treatment (50 ml, $29 CAD). It helps to dry out pimples, absorb excess oil and minimize dilated pores. It also moisturizes leaving a shine-free finish, soothes skin and calms redness.

I don't know why, but I was expecting this to have more of a lotion texture seeing how it's the final step in this anti-acne routine. As the name suggests, it is indeed a fluid. Even though it is quite viscous, it feels very hydrating and that feeling lasts. It absorbs quickly and leaves my face looking calm and shine free. I only apply it once a day because my combo skin is prone to drying out when I use too much salicylic acid.

This anti-acne treatment plan has been helping my skin stay clear amidst the stress of moving so it gets a definite thumbs up from me!

You can find NeoStrata's Acne Clear range at most mass drugstores and online at well.ca

*press samples were provided for editorial consideration. All opinions are my own.