Nudestix: Go nude, but better SWATCHES

I feel like 2015 is going to be about natural looks. 

The point is to look polished but never over done. 

If that's you.. then should check out Nudestix.  

Their slogan is "Go nude, but better".

They come packaged up in a sleek black tin along which has a large mirror and a pencil sharpener.

The line is actually the brain child of Jenny Frankel who is a chemical engineer with over 20 years of beauty experience.  Her muses are her daughters Ally & Taylor. I had the opportunity to try out some products from the line. Immediately, I fell in love with Nudestix concealer pencil ($28.00 Cdn). The consistency is amazing. I had NO idea if the colour would match me but it ended up being perfect! I'm a deep 8. That is the darkest colour in the line. The colour is not muddy or red, it's the perfect matte chocolate brown. I should also add the pencil is very soft so it glides instead of drags.

Left to right: Angel, Deep8 & Ripe

I also tried out a lip/cheek pencil ($28.00 Cdn) in Ripe (not sure if it has the right colour for me but I loved the consistency as well).  I want to try sin. Also I tried one of the magnetic eye colours ($28.00 Cdn) in Angel. If not used over the lid, this would make a great inner eye colour.

TIP: 

"If you have an oily lid like me, you’ll love the way the magnetic eye color never creases, fades or smudges."- Ally

Nudestix is sold at Sephora.

Shop the line below:

My Easy Women of Colour Foundation Guide

I get asked "What foundation/concealers work for dark/deep skin?" daily.
So I decided to make a compilation of my past posts to help out anyone who is on the hunt.
Please click the image to be sent to the full post!
Hope this helps!

LA Girl High Definition Pro Concealer

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB in Deep

Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation- Chestnut

Avon MagiX Cashmere Advanced Liquid Dark/Deep Foundation

Make Up For Ever PRO Finish Foundation

L'oreal Paris Magic Beautifier BB cream

L'oreal Paris True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Foundation

Make Up For Ever - HD High Definition Foundation

COVERGIRL Ready Set Gorgeous Liquid Foundation

MAKE UP FOR EVER Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation

Revlon ColorStay 2-in-1 Compact Makeup & Concealer

Everyday Makeup: Cat eyes & Pink Lips

Right now my to go look is a cat eye and pink lips. It's a face that I can do in 5 minutes flat! I find it also looks best whenever I go with a natural canvas. That means no foundation, contour, highlighter or blush. No extras!

It's important that your cat eye is clean. There are so many advances out there right now to help you achieve that! A pointy tip liquid liner pen is vice of choice. Essence's liquid eyeliner waterproof “Black” is one of my top fives under $5.00.

As a woman of colour, finding a perfect pink is crucial. I always go with the one that has a blue base. If you see L’Oréal Paris Extraordinaire by Colour Riche  “Rose Symphony” in stores- Pick it up! It's a pigmented lip gloss that has a smooth application.

On the brows, I'm actually using a Revlon® Colorstay™ eyeliner. It's long lasting and the perfect shade.

What is your everyday makeup look?

Hair: Cleansing Conditioners?

To shampoo or not to shampoo that is the question. 

I started my hair journey a few years ago which now entitles me to do 

my own hair 90% of the time.

One thing I can tell about my hair is that loves moisture! There are a lot of talks out there saying that shampoos actually strip your hair moisture and conditioners cannot replace the full amount of moisture that has been lost. I have switched to a cleansing conditioner. Best decision ever! Most cleansing conditioners are really good for the hair because they don't contain harsh chemicals and they really help your hair maintain moisture. I love how soft my hair is after using them.

Click the product below and check some of my favourite cleansing conditioners!

Here is a shot of my natural hair- 

I have combed out my curls after putting in the Pantene damage repair cleansing conditioner ($9.99 CAN).

Do you have a favourite cleansing conditioner?

Check out the Mary Kay skinvigorate Cleansing Brush

A new skin care gadget is on the market.

It's the Mary Kay® skinvigorate™($60.00 CDN).

I'm all for new skin care innovations which make my life easier. I think I've tried almost every single skin care device on the market but this is quite unique because of it's features.

Features:

• White & pink
• Small (perfect for travelling)
• Two-speed power brush
• Two brush heads in the package

I love it's small size but I think I'm more impressed with the two-speed options. I find that most skin care devices under $100 only come with one speed. That one speed is not suitable for every user. When my skin is overly sensitive using a device with one speed is the worst thing I can do. Now I can use my skinvigorate™on the lowest setting and not worry about anything.

Out of all of the brush heads I've tried, I have to say that these are one of the softest. 

I'd recommend it for anyone with sensitive skin. 

Mary Kay recommends four steps to get great skin this holiday season:

• Remove eye makeup
• Wet face/brush head and apply favourite Mary Kay® cleanser to face
• Turn on speed control to the speed you prefer
• Use gentle motions on cheeks, nose, chin and forehead (approximately 15 seconds per area); avoid eye area

Would you use a skincare device like this?

Blush for Dark/Deep skin tones?

I have noticed, getting some ladies who are dark/deep skin tones to wear blush is difficult. I will admit it, a lot of us have had a bad experience with blush (or know/seen someone who didn't do it right). What a lot of people don't know is that blush can be the missing piece to putting a look together.

Dark/Deeper skin toned girls, whenever your lost picking a blush just go for oranges and fuchsias. 

For Spring/Summer, opt for a powder blushes.
For Winter/Fall, opt for cream/gel blushes. I used E.l.f. Studio HD Blush in Encore and I'm very happy with the pay off. I bought this one at IMATS.

Do you have a favourite blush at the moment?

RiRi Hearts MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in RIRI WOO Pictures + Swatch

I need more lip pencils in my life. 

Especially when they are as amazing as MAC's Pro Longwear Lip pencils. 

Probably one of the best formulas out there!

In the RiRi Hearts MAC collection, RiRi Woo comes in the form of a Pro Longwear Lip pencil.

Pro Longwear Lip Pencil

RIRI WOO cool red cream

SRP $21.50 US/$25.50 CDN

A new generation of longwearing lip pencil technology. Glides on fluidly and adheres instantly. Defines the lips with an instant release of rich, saturated..colour. Pro-longs the hours between re-application. Transfer proof.

SWATCH:

RiRi Woo Lipglass (top)

RiRi Woo Pro Longwear Lip Pencil (bottom)

SWATCH:

RiRi Woo Lipglass on top of RiRi Woo  Pro Longwear Lip Pencil

Are you getting Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in RiRI Woo?

Available in M·A·C Stores September 26, 2013

Available online September 30, 2013
Available in all other locations October 3, 2013 – October 31, 2013

NYFW: Maybelline Cosmetics- Richard Chai Spring 2014

Loved the minimal makeup look MUA James Kaliardos for Maybelline did for 

Richard Chai Spring 2014 collection.

The theme was “Soft geometry” for Richard Chai. 

The line features "fluid fabrics and optically mesmerizing shapes and colors". 

Get the look!

Skin:
Dream Fresh BB Cream
Dream Lumi Concealer
(highlights) Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24HR Cream Gel Shadow in Barely Branded

Lips:
Color Whisper in Bare to Be Bold
Color Elixir in Nude Illusion.

Check out stills from the runway!

Sneak Peek: CoverFX has a new CC cream!

I always get so excited whenever I find a new foundation that caters to dark/deep Women of Colour. It took us a while to get a good BB cream in our colour and I was having a huge issue finding a CC cream. Every brand was way to light or I would have to mix it with my original foundation. 

Finally, I found one that sounds quite promising!  

Cover FX’s NEW CC Cream Time Release Tinted Treatment ($45.00 CDN)! It’s all you need for all day colour and complexion correction. This Do-it-all CC Cream treats, corrects and protects your skin with buildable coverage and is available in 8 inclusive shades. As with all Cover FX products, it is also clinically tested, Vegan and Free of the Inflammatory 5: Paraben-free, Fragrance-free, Gluten-free, Mineral Oil-free and Talc-free.

Availability: Cover FX products are available at www.coverfx.ca and at leading North American retailers including Shoppers Drug Mart and Sephora.

Once I come back in September from vacation, 

I will have a full review!

Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation Review- Chestnut

I do not wear foundation daily. I usually wear it on a night out or to an event. Lately my skin has been so oily this Spring. I'm serious! Oil blotters are currently my best friend- I cannot leave home without them but that's a whole other post.

I'm always on a look out for foundations that work well for women of color. I've heard a lot of good things about hourglass foundation but the range only went up to beige and obviously that would not work for my skin tone. When I had the opportunity to review one of the eight new Immaculate shades, I first went to Sephora to get the sample to see which colour worked for me.  I met an awesome sales associate who gave me a very large sample to try out before my bottle arrived.

“Miracle Foundation For Oily Skin” - Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation– just got more miraculous. As you may remember, the liquid to powder formula absorbs oil, camouflages imperfections, and delivers a long-lasting velvet matte finish—without the need for touchups. After an influx of emails from customers claiming Immaculate had improved their skin, we came to the realization that Immaculate was not only helping people with oil-absorption and shine-diffusion, it was also remedying their skin.

I was very happy to see how this foundation held up. I honestly could go hours without having to blot my face and not worry about how I looked. I know that seems small but for someone like me who doesn't wear foundation- I always forget to check up and nothing is worst than going to an event or party and taking pictures and seeing how oily you look. Shoot!! No one could have warned me?!?

Plus the Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder($64.00 CDN) has acne fighting properties. This is perfect for the girls who are afraid to wear foundation because they constantly break out.

You might expect such phenomenal results from a high-tech, acne-fighting skincare product—but from your makeup? Not likely. Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation bridges the gap between skincare and cosmetics with its paradigm-shifting formula. And it does so without resorting to ingredients like salicylic acid, which can lead to dryness and flaking. For women dealing with problematic skin, the idea of a foundation that delivers a flawless matte finish and simultaneously helps clear your complexion is a godsend.

The overall look and texture of the foundation was really nice. I really liked applying it with the stippling brush. It doesn't matter what your skin tone is, if you are from light to a dark deep like myself- I would recommend that you definitely go to Sephora try out the foundations for yourself. 

MAC Ririwoo Love

If you follow me on IG or twitter you will know that I've been speaking about this lipstick nonstop since February! I'm so happy and lucky that I got my hands on one. After waiting in cue for almost 30 minutes and then waiting 5 days for it arrive- I was so happy when it turned up on my doorstep!

I had Ruby woo but I lost it recently (in other words it got lost in the pile of lipsticks I own). This is the perfect replacement. Its pigmented, long lasting and gorgeous. Plus it's designed by Rihanna herself! I think the Retro matte formula has to be one of my favourite MAC formulas of all time. It's dry- so if you don't like dry mattes this is not for you. On Mother's day I wore this lipstick all day and it didn't budge. I just use an oil based remover to take it off.

It's so gorgeous!

If you missed out on this lipstick, you will have the chance to get it in June! No word if it will be sold in stores yet.

I'm one of 10 All-Canadian Beauty Blogs You Need To Know Via Flare Magazine

I'm still in awe that Flare magazine named Spiced Beauty as one of 10 All-Canadian Beauty Blogs You Need To Know. I heard about the list on Faces by Farah (one of fave bloggers who was on the list as well) facebook page. Never in a million years would I expect to see my blog. 

The part that really touched my heart was "This blog isn't only for women of colour, but having an editor that showcases colour palettes on a darker complexion is definitely an asset."

That line embodies everything that I've tried to achieve for the past 4 years. It brings me back to the times when I was younger and I watched others shop through the makeup aisles. I felt like nothing matched/would compliment my "dark/deep" skin tone. I do not want anyone to feel how I felt those times. 

That's why I started Spiced Beauty. I really feel that everyone regardless of skin tone has the right to have one beauty product that truly makes them confidently smile when they put it on. If I can help you achieve that feeling, that's truly all that matters to me.

Thank you for reading <3