Givenchy Lunar New Year 2018 ~ Prisme Libre + Le Rouge

In honour of Lunar New Year, Givenchy has taken two of its best sellers and adorned them with limited edition packaging. Prisme Libre Powder in 01 Mousseline Pastel and Le Rouge Lipstick in 305 Rouge Égérie. The formulas remain the same, just the packaging has changed!

Prisme Libre Powder in 01 Mousseline Pastel ($69) is a made-to-measure, colour correcting loose powder. It features 4 different pastel hues that complement each other, leaving the skin with a radiant yet matte finish. To use, you gently shake the container (with the lid closed) and then apply with the included puff or a fluffy powder brush.

If you've never used Prisme Libre, you need to get your hands on this! It's finely milled, sets makeup beautifully and leaves skin matte, but radiant. The opal effect makes my skin look almost ethereal and almost flawless. It really is unlike any other powder I've ever tried.

The LE Lunar  New Year edition features an imitation leather lid that has a vibrant, and extremely eye catching, red floral print. It also has a customized puff. Kudos to you if you can use the puff - I can't bring myself to dirty it 🙈

If you can't get your hands on the LE version, I still highly recommend you pick up the original - you won't be disappointed! It's available in a few different shades for deeper skin tones too.

Givenchy Le Rouge in 305 Rouge Égérie ($45) is a stunning coral-red shade that is not too bright nor too dark. It's literally perfect 🙌

First of all, the packaging..oh my! The cap features the same red floral pattern, but it's printed on genuine leather. I can't even begin to explain the sensory experience - it's smooth and sensual. The luxe cap isn't the only special feature either - just look at that embossed lipstick. Stunning!!

Beautiful packaging aside, this lipstick has to be one of the most luxurious and comfortable lipsticks out there. It's creamy, pigmented and glides onto my lips with ease. The finish is demi-matte and it wears for a long time - much longer than most bullet style lipsticks. Even after back-to-back coffees and a light lunch, it's still there. When it does fade, it does so gracefully and evenly.

This beauty is only $2 more than the regular Le Rouge Lipstick in the same shade and it's worth every penny.

What I love about this collection is that it's only LE packaging and not products. There's nothing worth than falling in love with something that's limited edition, only to be  unable to repurchase it. Are these products budget friendly? Not really. But they certainly are special and have withstood the test of time. Besides, don't we all deserve a little pampering sometimes?


You can find these beauties in-store and online at Sephora 💕

*press samples were generously provided for editorial consideration. As always, all opinions are my own.

Ready. Set. Holidays! Shoppers Drug Mart Holiday Gift Guide

One of my favourite things to do is browse the aisles at Shoppers Drug Mart during the holiday season. I can always find something for everyone on my wishlist (myself included) and even better, the gifts are affordable!

Every year Quo releases a selection of gift sets with varied tastes in mind. From lipstick to brow products and brushes, there's something for every beauty lover!

The Matte Lipstick Bar ($20 CAD) is sure to be a hit with lipstick lovers! You get 8 deluxe-sized samples of liquid lipstick, ranging from nudes to bolds with a matte finish. The lipsticks are pigmented and long wearing, however, they're not transfer proof. They do feel a bit sticky until they dry down, so it's a good idea to blot after application. Alternatively, you can dust your lips with translucent powder.

Quo Beauty On The Go ($35) is perfect for the traveller in your life. This set contains 3 palettes that cover all the basics! You get an eyeshadow palette with 6 neutral shadows in shimmer and matte finishes, a palette with two highlight shades plus a blush, and a lip gloss palette containing 6 pigmented lip glosses ranging from nude to bolder. The only thing missing from this set is applicators. It would have been nice to get a brush for the gloss, but I'm sure we all have tons of those already 😜

The Quo All About Eyes Shadow Palette ($22) contains two matte base shades, 7 mattes and 5 shimmery shades. This palette is great for day-to-day looks as well as smokey eyes. This palette pairs very well with a nice bold lip. I recommend pairing it with the red liquid lipstick from the Matte Lipstick Bar for a classic Christmas look.

Contouring isn't going anywhere, so why not gift someone a chiseled complexion this year. The Quo Face Sculpting Palette ($22) has 3 highlighting shades and 3 sculpting shades in a mix of warm and cool tones. The powders are creamy, pigmented and blendable. I personally find it hard to get a contour palette that isn't too dark for my fair complexion, so I'm happy to see that this one is quite light. I'm also glad that it's a completely matte palette. If you're fair to light skinned, you're seriously going to loooove this palette!

Another fabulous stocking stuffer is the Quo Brow Essentials Kit ($10). It contains a dual ended pencil to shape and fill in sparse brows, a highlighting pencil and a brow gel. I am absolutely, positively, smitten with this set! The pencils are sooo creamy, pigmented and they blend so well! The shades are perfect in every way possible and look really natural (well the Brow pencil does lol). I'm seriously considering clearing out the stock at my local SDM 💸

Quo by ORLY Breathable 12 Days Of Colorful Healthy Nails Advent Calendar ($40) is a must-have for any beauty lover. This grown-up version of an advent calendar features 11 polishes and 1 treatment product. This is my first beauty advent calendar, and I want to savour it. Which means no spoilers! If you want to see what's inside, be sure to keep an eye on my insta stories in December 😉

If you're looking for a stocking stuffer, you should check out Quo by ORLY Marvelous Minis ($16). You get 4 colours that compliment each other beautifully. When you do the math, it works out to cost only $4 per polish which is a great deal. Fairy Godmother is such a gorgeous shade and I seriously can't get enough!

Last, but certainly not least, is the Quo Lip Gloss Ornament ($5). This cute little lip gloss comes housed in a small box that you can hang off of your tree (or put in a stocking). I'm seriously considering decorating my tree with makeup and this would be a great start 😉

Quo has 30 limited edition holiday items this year, so you're sure to find something to appease the makeup lover in your life. And don't forget, Shoppers carries all sorts of products ranging from food to electronics. You might just be surprised at how much of your holiday shopping you can get done there.

Have you picked up anything from Quo's Holiday Collection? Which items tickle your fancy? Lets chat in the comment section below 👇



*Press samples were generously provided for editorial consideration. As always, all opinions are my own.

Incoming! Dior Rouge Liquid & Double Rouge ~ Review + Swatches

Peter Philips (Creative and Image Director for Dior Makeup) has revamped Dior's Iconic Dior Rouge lipstick in a big huge way and it's everything you've dreamed of and more! Meet Dior Rouge Liquid Lipstain and Dior Double Rouge 😍

"Laced with featherweight pigments that produce intense, vibrant colour that lasts up to 12 hours. Dior's first liquid lipstick is the next generation of liquid lipstick. A combination of wax, moisturizing oils, and setting agents make for a seamless, second-skin finish in one swipe."

Dior Rouge Liquid Lipstain ($43 CAD) is available in 29 shades (3 of which are Sephora exclusives) and three finishes (Rock Matte, Pop Satin and Electric Metal). Each shade boasts high impact colour, staying power and comfort. Optimum pigment dispersion reinforces colour intensity and each finish is formulated as follows:

- Matte effect: 2 to 7% pigments

- Satin effect: 1 to 3% pigments + 4 to 7% iridescence

- Metallic effect: 17 to 20% iridescence

When it comes to luxury packaging, Dior takes the cake. The sleek, navy tube has a vertical window that allows you to quickly view the shade as well as product usage. The wand is comfortable to hold and the doe foot applicator is by far the best I've ever used. There's a bowl shaped reservoir that holds just the right amount of lipstick and the tapered doe foot shape allows for precision lining and filling of the lips.

I have three shades (one from each finish category) and they are all very similar in formulation. They're definitely liquid lipstick, not a lipstain as the name suggests. It's important to note that they don't dry down completely which means that they will transfer. Having said that, they can hold their own when it comes to drinking and light snacking.

375 Spicy Metal is a stunning pink lipstick with a high-shine, metallic finish. It feels light on my lips and wears similar to a satin lipstick. Out of the three finishes I've tried, this one is the most pigmented, opaque and dries down the most (aka less transfer).

427 Delicate Satin is a light, peachy brown lipstick with a beautiful satin finish. It's incredibly comfortable to wear and gives off that 'my lips but better look'. From first application to end of the evening, this lipstick feels (and looks!) great.

424 Hypnotic Matte is a light, beige-brown nude with a pink undertone. It applies evenly, opaque and doesn't crack on my lips. It feels hydrating initially, but after extended wear it starts to feel a bit dry. Having said that, I don't feel the need to bathe in lip balm after wearing it.

Dior's Double Rouge ($43 CAD) is a dual-textured lipstick that has a highly pigmented matte outer ring with a metallic core. The concept is that the matte and metallic lipstick combine upon application to create a subtle ombré effect and an optical illusion of volume. It took up to 16 attempts to find the perfect balance for certain shades and 4 months to adjust the formula and perfect each stick.

Peter Philips created 4 colour families: fun and sophisticated reds, cheerful corals, electric purple pinks, and nudes. It's important to note that Double Rouge will not be available at Sephora.

Double Rouge is enclosed in the traditional Dior bullet packaging which is absolutely gorgeous. I was expecting these lipsticks to have a stark contrast when applied but thankfully they don't - the ombré effect is quite subtle and pretty. If you don't align the matte outer ring with the edges of your lips you won't get the ombré effect. Both of the shades I have feel very luxurious and comfortable on my lips.

429 Coup de Chic has a matte, rosy-nude outer ring with a soft pink mettalic inner core. When applied, the two combine to create a pinkish nude shade with a pearlescent finish. This shade is very light and feminine - I love it!

590 Dressed to Kill has a deep, matte burgundy outer ring with a champagne hued metallic core. When applied, the two combine to create a stunning wine red shade with a satin finish. I did find that when I tried to accentuate the ombré effect my lips looked a bit patchy as you can see in the photo. I had much better results when I forgo trying to ombré and just blended the two shades together.

You can find Dior's Double Rouge at Hudson's Bay, Beauty BOUTIQUE and Nordstrom or online at thebay.com and beautyBOUTIQUE.ca


You can find Dior's Rouge Liquid at Sephora, Hudson's Bay, Beauty BOUTIQUE and Nordstrom. Also available online at thebay.com, beautyBOUTIQUE.ca and sephora.com




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

Givenchy's Noir Interdit ~ A truly Innovative Mascara

As beautiful as false lashes are, they just aren't practical for daily use (for me at least). That's where good great mascara comes in.

Givenchy recently released Noir Interdit and It's unlike any mascara I've ever tried.  First of all the packaging - it's sleek, luxurious and totally glam. The tube has some weight to it, but it's still comfortable to hold and use.

One of the first things that I noticed about this mascara was that it smells - really good! I've never used a  mascara that had a discernible scent and I must admit, I love it! Now if that's not enough to pique your interest, meet the wand.

No, it's not broken. The comb swivels 90° to help lift, separate and lengthen eyelashes. Although it looks awkward to use, it's totally not!

Once you remove the wand from the tube you gently push the head of the brush against the tube and voila, you have your curved brush. Starting at the base of your lashes, zig-zag the comb up through your lashes. The unique wand combined with the formula creates a lash extension effect with buildable volume and no clumps. To build volume, rotate the comb to the standard position and comb through as you would with any traditional mascara.

I'm not wearing any eyeliner or eyeshadow (just a touch of concealer) in the before and after photos so that you can see the true effects of Noir Interdit. I took these photos the very first time I used the mascara.

My lashes nearly doubled in length with just one coat and I didn't experience any clumping. The Noir Interdit formula is easy to work with (not thick and not too thin) and it holds a curl for the whole day. If your lashes are straight like mine, I'd recommend using an eyelash curler prior to using this mascara (or any mascara).

In the photo I focused on building length since this mascara is marketed as a lengthening mascara. In subsequent uses I experimented with adding volume and I was able to add quite a bit by rotating the wand and applying a second coat.

I didn't experience any flaking or smudging wearing Noir Interdit and removal was fairly easy. Honestly, I'm impressed by Givenchy's Noir Interdit. If you love luxury beauty and long lashes as much as I do, than this mascara is totally for you!

You can purchase Givenchy's Noir Interdit in-store at Sephora and online at sephora.com for $38

*This post contains press samples