Givenchy Dahlia Divin Eau Initiale Eau de Toilette

This spring we see a new take on Givenchy's modern icon - behold Dahlia Divin Eau Initiale Eau de Toilette.

The Blooming of a divinity

At the root of Eau Initiale is a divine flower, the Magnolia.

Hubert de Givenchy regarded fragrance as the final touch of style and elegance and his perfumes have carried a distinctive and timeless olfactory signature since 1957. The creation of Dahlia Divin in 2014 brought couture to fragrance and this new interpretation brings feelings of pure beginnings.

"Dahlia Divin is a golden fragrance, an elixir of pure sensuality. The fragrance of a modern godess who shines like the sun and captivates by her presence." 

/source/

This fragrance is light but noticeable with an average sillage. It maintains a good balance between fresh, floral and musky without being over the top. The notes shine on their own and together in harmony. Out of all of the Dahlia Divin's I've tried, I have to admit this is my favourite. There's something about it's purity that I love and I think it's perfect for wedding season.

If you like musky scents than you will love this. And if you found the other Dahlia Divin fragrances too intense, you will like this one far better.

You can find Dahlia Divin Eau Initiale Eau de Toilette ($113) in Canada exclusively at Hudson's Bay and thebay.com

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

Givenchy Live Irrésistible Blossom Crush EDT

This may come as a surprise to some of you because I rarely blog about it, but I'm a HUGE fan of fragrance. At any given time I will have at least 3 (usually 4 or 5) different perfumes open and I rotate them based on the season and mood I'm in. I don't have a signature scent anymore (it used to be Very Irrésistible in my teens/early twenties). Nowadays I opt to wear fragrances based off of my mood and plans for the day.

I am SO picky when it comes to fragrance and you will never catch me wearing anything that isn't a brand name - no body sprays either. Givenchy has and always will have a special spot in my heart. Naturally I was excited to try Live Irrésistible Blossom Crush.

"Live Irrésistible, Givenchy’s most joyful fragrance, boldly sings the praises of joy in its purest form. Its latest variation, Blossom Crush, is a sparkling and irresistibly charming Eau de Toilette that advocates spontaneity as an asset and freedom as power."

 /source/ 

Live Irrésistible Blossom Crush is a contrast between the freshness of Peonies and the bitterness of Chocolate.  If that sounds different, it is! This fresh - floral -  musky scent is quite  different than your typical spring rose scents. The peonies add a freshness to the rose, while the cocoa adds a bitterness to it that playfully clashes with the floral aspect. It's important to note that the addition of Cocoa Bean does not cause it to cross into the gourmand category. It maintains it's fresh floral start with a base of musk. It has an average sillage and wears for close to 6 hours on hydrated skin.

The packaging stays true to the Irrésistible line and features the Givenchy House trademark studs. The bottle is a gorgeous mauve-y pink shade and it looks stunning on display.

Givenchy Live Irrésistible Blossom Crush EDT is available in Canada exclusively at Beauty Boutique and beautyboutique.ca it retails at $113 for 75mls

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

Gentleman Givenchy Eau de Parfum

Distinguished lines, modern curves, sensual volumes...The Gentleman Givenchy Eau de Parfum bottle is an emblem of authentic coolness.

"A single sliver of light, the bottle's transparent underside makes this fragrance appear as if suspended in glass, reminding us that dawn is never far away... "

Gentleman Givenchy EDP is a rich and eruptive fragrance. Designed for the night owl, this fragrance is bursting with Iris Pallida, Patchouli Essence and Black Vanilla. It's deliberately disturbing and addictive. Very addictive.

Master perfumers Nathalie Lorson and Olivier Cresp did an outstanding job with this fragrance. The scent, the bottle - it's so well thought out. Designed for men, yet it appeals to me so much so that I have yet to gift it. I am secretly wearing it and debating just keeping it alllll to myself.

Describing fragrance is so difficult because it really is a personal experience. And this is a cologne - even harder to describe. I will say that it's magnetic, it keeps me coming back for more! It's spicy, slightly exotic and sophisticated.

Do yourself a favour and grab a sample (or for your husband/boyfriend/brother) and give it a try. You will certainly fall for its magnetic charm!

Gentleman Givenchy EDP Will be available May 9th at Hudson's Bay, Sephora  and Shoppers Drug Mart.



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

Givenchy's Couture Edition 2018

If you're looking to feast your eyes on some limited edition luxury, you've come to the right place. Behold Givenchy's Couture Edition!

This gorgeous duo is available for a short time only, so if you like what you see, I highly recommend you grab it while you can.

Givenchy has taken two of its most popular items and adorned them with LE packaging. This year, we see a vibrant floral pattern on a beautiful black background. Le Rouge Lipstick is a favourite of mine and I'm obsessed with floral patterns, so this is a match made in heaven for me.

This year's couture edition sees Le Rouge in shade N315 Framboise ($48.50) as the LE lipstick. The case is wrapped in genuine, printed leather and it can be used with other Le Rouge Lipstick, should you want to switch it up (or if you finish the lipstick but want to reuse the cap). This beautiful berry shade would look great on a wide variety of skin tones and can be worn throughout the seasons. It truly is luxury at its finest!

I'm a huge fan of Le Rouge Lipstick for so many reasons. It's very pigmented, comfortable and long wearing. Honestly, I'm sort of over liquid lips and have been reaching for comfortable lippies like this instead.

The second Couture Edition item is Prisme Libre Loose Powder in the shade N01 Mouseline Pastel ($75). This colour-correcting setting powder provides a matte yet radiant finish, while helping to camouflage slight imperfections. The shades are housed separately but combine into one when shaken.

I'm a huge fan of Prisme Libre Loose Powder, but I'd be lying if I said that I'm slightly disappointed that they chose this shade as their Couture Edition. Only because Givenchy chose the same shade for their LE Lunar New Year collection. As they say variety is the spice of life, so it would have been nice to see a different shade offered. But it's not like I won't use it so I'm not mad about it 💁

This collection is so pretty, I highly recommend you check it out. You can find Givenchy's Couture Edition in store and online at sephora.com

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

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.

Givenchy Teint Couture Balm Blurring Foundation

One of the biggest trends coming this spring in makeup is a fresh and natural complexion. The no makeup, makeup look with an emphasis on glow. Well actually more of a glossy look.. but we'll save that topic for another post 😉

To achieve the look you need to start with a good base. The idea is to cover imperfections, while allowing your skin to peek through. In other words, pass on the full coverage foundation and opt for light to medium coverage instead.

Givenchy recently launched a few new foundations in Canada that have been very successful in the US. Today, I'm sharing my thoughts on Givenchy Teint Couture Balm Blurring Foundation ($58, 30ml). I'm also swatching every single shade!

Before I get into my review, I have a few things I need to get off my chest. For starters, I really love this foundation! But...the shade range is terrible. There's currently only 8 shades available. That means a whole group of people won't get to try this foundation, and that's a shame because it's good. Like really good.

To put it in perspective, I'm usually considered 'light' with warm yellow undertones. I wear 2W1 in Double Wear in the spring/fall and Y225 in MUFE in the dead of winter . I'm currently wearing 1 Nude Porcelain, the fairest shade of Givenchy Teint Couture Balm Blurring Foundation. On the flipside, I can totally see myself wearing the darkest shade in the summer when I have a deep (faux) tan. So if you're super fair or deeper than medium, you probably won't be able to find a match.

Shade selection aside, the formula is amazing! It has a beautiful fragrance to it (seriously, Givenchy always smells good) and the packaging is luxe. I'm a huge fan of the squeezable tube - it stays clean and keeps it fresh longer.

As the name would suggest, Givenchy Teint Couture Balm Blurring Foundation has the texture of a balm with the coverage of a foundation. It's on the thicker side, but easily spreadable. A little goes a long way and it's definitely best to apply it with your fingertips. I find that it just melts into my skin when I use my fingers. As much as I love my brushes, it feels so organic to apply foundation by fingertip!

Shades 1 & 5 have warm, yellow undertones

Shades 2 & 4 have cool, pink undertones

Shade 3 has a neutral balance 

Shades 6 & 8 have gold undertones

Shade 7 has caramel undertones

Although you can build this foundation up, you really don't need to. I find it evens me out and covers any small bumps and spots perfectly fine with one layer. I have applied a second layer, and it still looked good. If you have a pesky zit or serious dark circles, you're going to need concealer.

Shades 1 & 5 have warm, yellow undertones

Shades 2 & 4 have cool, pink undertones

Shade 3 has a neutral balance 

Shades 6 & 8 have gold undertones

Shade 7 has caramel undertones

Givenchy Teint Couture Balm Blurring Foundation has a radiant and natural finish. It doesn't accentuate dry patches - unless they're super flaky. It feels so damn lightweight that I can't feel it at all which I love. To extend the wear time, I apply it on top of hydrated and primed skin and set it lightly with powder.

I'm so happy to have discovered this foundation and I'm not kidding when I say I love it. I've been wearing it every day and I don't see that changing anytime soon!


You can find Givenchy Teint Couture Balm Blurring Foundation online at sephora.com

*PR samples were generously provided for editorial consideration. As always, 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