World MasterCard Toronto Fashion Week: Vawk/Vawkkin & Express

I love this picture!

It was done with a back light with no flash. I wasn't sure how it would come out but it's gorgeous!

EXPRESS comes to Canada!

This post brought to you by Express. All opinions are 100% mine.

Ladies! Have you heard? Express Canada is here! My boyfriend and I would always make a note to visit their stores whenever we were in USA. Last time we went they had a great sale and he came out with five ties! Now that they are local, we don't have to do the two hour drive.

I also had the opportunity to attend the EXPRESS Fashion show at Toronto Fashion Week last friday. They wowed the crowd with their Holiday line. I took a lot of pictures to share with you all!

Halloween: imPRESS Press-On Manicure

Just because I'm in my 20's that doesn't mean that I can't go all out for Halloween!

 I know I can't dress up.. well maybe I can. 

I'm 5'2.. probably the size of a fourth grader..haha!

imPRESS nails came out with a
limited edition Halloween Collection!

World MasterCard Fashion Week: Joe Fresh

I can not explain how much I LOVE this picture!
Her makeup, hair, look and expression is amazing!
For day three of World MasterCard Fashion Week, I decided to check out Joe Fresh.

World MasterCard Fashion Week: Holt Renfrew, Pink Tartan & Pavoni

World MasterCard Fashion Week kicked off to a great start. Designers from day 1 were Holt Renfrew, Pink Tartan & Pavoni. I was able to go backstage and get the scoop from Grace Lee, lead makeup artist Maybelline New York Canada and Jorge Jao, Redken's Lead Artist on the looks/inspiration for the show.

Holt Renfrew
Holt Renfrew decided to do something different this time around. They decided to make their collection based on what is available this season! Basically you could shop what you want off the runway. The look is wearable for everyday. Nothing over the top or overly glam. Grace Lee calls it "The Holt Renfrew it girl" look.

Eyes
Cat eyes mascara
Expert wear eyeshadow Nutmeg & Taupe
Gel liner
Face
Fit me foundation
Darker fit me power for contour
Lips
Color Whispers Mocha Muse

Givenchy Makeup & Fendi Fall 2012

Have you ever had the opportunity to be inside a Sephora before it opened to the public?
 I have!

Anastasia Beverly Hills: Want You To Want Me Eye Shadow Palette & Kisses On My List Gloss Set

 It's about time I start sharing holiday collection information. 

 I need to come to the realization that Summer is gone. 

We're fully into Fall... coasting into Winter! 

 Do you remember my past post on the Anastasia Beverly Hills See or Be Seen Kit?
I have nothing but good things to say about the Anastasia Beverly Hills line.

Want You To Want Me Eye Shadow Palette 

A deluxe eye shadow palette featuring an array of nude and plum shades and all that you need for a beautiful holiday look.

Dinner with OPI's Suzi Weiss-Fischmann

I recently had the opportunity to do something amazing.
I had dinner with Suzi Weiss-Fischmann!

Suzi Weiss-Fischmann is OPI's Executive Vice President and Artistic Director. For two hours, a table full of Canadian Beauty bloggers and I talked about the wonderful world of nail polish. It was amazing!

How do you set your make up?

On each of my past visits to IMATS, I've always came home with something new. 

I'm always looking for ways to make my make up last longer. 

Liquid setting sprays are becoming very popular lately.

Fight Bacteria with GoSwipe

I'm obsessed with my phone, I bring it everywhere! I swear it's like a third limb to me. 

If I forget it, I'm feel completely empty.. Haha!

You would never believe how many germs are currently your phone. I once read an article stating that your phone as the same amount of germs as a toilet seat.

New products from Korres Fall 2012

Korres is a beauty brand that makes some amazing skin products. Everything in the line is made of organic and natural ingredients. These products are gentle on the skin and can be found in select Shoppers Drug Mart and Sephora stores. I honestly feel like there is something for everyone in the line.

9th Annual White Cashmere Collection

Did you get to see the White Cashmere Collection this year?

The collection was in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. I’m still in awe that these collections are made with REAL Cashmere bathroom tissue. Each piece was carefully crafted by some of Canada’s top Canadian designers. 

That’s pure talent!

 I fell in love with a piece by a designer named Label. 

I had the opportunity to “style” a pinterest piece around the dress. 

I love the pieces that I chose.
Of course I had to add sparkly shoes, ombre cake and a cute boy to match!

Check out this great video showcasing the whole collection:

Hey Ladies!
Can you please fill out this survey. Matchstick will donate $2.00 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation for each survey completed.

Pretty in Mink: First Time Lash Extension Experience

I've been debating getting lash extensions for a while now. My first experience wasn't the best but it was totally my fault. Note to self (and others): Don't use OIL BASED mascara on them!!

Buytopia and Charming Media gave me the opportunity to get a full set of lashes to review my experience with you all. I totally did not know what to expect. All I know is that I didn't want to look like a drag queen!

No offense but overly dramatic lashes are not for me at all. I was so nervous at first! 

Would I like them? Would my lids get glued shut? Will they be office friendly?

My overall experience was great! Deborah, the owner of Pretty in Mink was very helpful with all of my questions. Trust me I had a lot! I love how she allowed me to tell her what look I was going for. I wanted a naturally full look which was office friendly.

Even though this wasn't my first time getting last extensions, I was at ease when showed me pictures of her clients to give me an idea of the work she does. Everyone looked gorgeous and I knew I was in good hands.

Since I knew the process would be 1 to 1.5 hours, I brought my headphones because I thought that she may be boring. We talked the whole time! 1.5 hours went by and we didn't even realize. Throughout the process I had no pain or discomfort as the lashes were being applied.

Final look:

They're gorgeous!!!

Day 1 to 3 (notables):
I lost a few lashes nothing to be concerned about.
I have sensitive eyes so it took my left eye some time to adjust.

Day 4 and BEYOND:
This is when you really have fun. My make up time has cut down significantly! On top of having amazing skin at the moment (I'll leave that for another post) my only issue is finding a great lip product for the day!

I want to share these tips with you all who are getting them for the first time.

• Know that some lashes will fall out. It's normal.
• Your lashes will grow out and some lashes may lift with them as time goes on. This is also normal. That's why you go for refills every 3 to 4 weeks. If your lashes grow extremely quick like mine refill every 2 weeks.
• Be gentle with them. It sounds obvious but pulling them would hurt and damage them! Only use water-based makeup remover on your lashes. Oil-based remover will break down the glue and they will fall off.
• Get acquainted with your lash technician because you will have questions.
  Especially if it's your first time!

Deborah was amazing! If I had an issue, I let her know. Even after she my lashes, I still stayed in contact if I needed some assistance. She always responded with the right answer (thankfully). I'd definitely would recommend Pretty in Mink to anyone in Toronto/ GTA surrounding area. 

I hope my post helps anyone getting them for the first time!
Let me know if you have any questions below.

$50 MAC or Sephora e-giftcard Giveaway

Can you believe that in December i'm celebrating my 4 year blogging anniversary!

I can't believe it! Time really flies when you love what you do. 

As a pre-celebration Rai from Glam-Morena and I are having a joint giveaway for a 

$50 MAC or Sephora e-giftcard.

Rules:

Must be a Glam-Morena & Spiced Beauty Google friend connect follower

Must be 17+

Must be a Canadian or USA resident 

Fill out the form below and good luck!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to Authenticate a Designer Bag

 I recently was sent a few tips by Shop Bella Bag founder Cassandra Connors
on how to authenticate a designer bag.

We all know that thrifting & buying pre-owned luxury items is on the rise. Nothing is worst that thinking that you got something authentic and getting home and realizing that it's a straight FAKE!

Check out these five tips from Cassandra:

• Counting stitches. While tedious and somewhat frustrating, counting stitches can really be a deal breaking when it comes to authenticating a bag. Keep in mind that the real deals often have a much more complex stitching design that most knock-offs.

• Examine interior and exterior logo stamp. While knock-off logos might look like the real deal at a glance, a thorough examination is necessary to find the minor detail differences between the real logo and the knock-off logo.

• Trace serial numbers. Serial numbers almost always seal the deal in authenticating a bag. The serial number assigns a specific number to one designer piece that involves the history of the bag. A knock-off serial number will not show up in a designer database as it was most likely made up.

• Test hardware magnetism. This has a lot to do with the materials there are generally used with a specific brand. When the material used of the real deal is known, it’s easy to compare the differences.

• Inspect zipper heads. Each brand uses a different zipper brand, and almost always uses the industrial ones. Also, zipper head designs are almost always altered, and because the zipper is such a small details, it can sometimes be hard to catch.

I hope these tips help! Feel free to share them with a friend.

GRATiAE Exfoliating Body Scrub & Body Butter

As a child, I remember my mother having the most luxurious cream and perfume bottles.

Now that I'm older, I totally understand why.

I know I'm not the only one who buys things because of the packaging!
It totally makes you feel good.

That's how I felt when I received GRATiAE.

.

GRATIAE is a skin care line that has been designed with one purpose in mind: anti-aging. It successfully makes use of Gratiae's thermal spring water and combines it with exclusive materials, flora native to the Sea of Galilee and organic plants.

 I remember taking the products out of the box and my mother "ohh-ing" and "ahh-ing" about how 

great the packaging looks without knowing about the contents.

Exfoliating Body Scrub - Passion Fruit & Lime

This refreshing body scrub exfoliates and cleanses the skin, leaving you feeling invigorated and revitalized. It accelerates blood circulation and leaves your skin refreshed and soft.

I was totally not expecting literal sugar.

 It's best to take some out add a few drops of water and scrub in a circular motion.

 Body Butter - Passion Fruit and Ginger

This silky body butter is a rich, creamy, all-over body moisturizer formulated with natural and organic ingredients. Easily absorbed into the skin, it conditions, softens, and prevents dryness. 

This is a very rich butter. It melts into your skin without any greasy residue.
I don't think I've ever used a body butter like this before! I'm very impressed.

When applying it make sure to fully moisturize it into your skin and feel your hands after.

Look at my before & after:

Overall, if you're comfortable with paying a little more for a luxurious product I'd recommend GRATiAE.

I promise that you will be happy with your decision!

Beauty Link Love 06/10/12

Is that a new review, or are you happy to see me? Check out Krasey Beauty's review of the latest palette from Benefit, along with some awesomely bad pickup lines.

Shu Uemura has exciting collaboration coming up for the holidays this year, complete with a little Mon Shu Girl. Preview the Karl Lagerfeld for shu uemura collection at theNotice.

Phyrra whispers, That is not dead which can eternal lie, so check out the Geek Chic Cosmetics Strange Aeons Collection, inspired by HP Lovecraft.

Your favourite hair noob figures out how to get perfect voluminous curls on My Funny Valentine.

 Amy Antoinette features one of Benefit's new kit releases which feature all the best base products in one place - Benefit How To Look The Best At Everything Makeup Kit.

 It's a foregone conclusion that Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed with be a crazy old cat lady someday - in the meantime here's a taste of things to come with her Maybelline Colossal Cat Eyes!

You better hold on to your socks while Beauty Reflections shows you the new Mark Star Status Eyeshadow Palettes!

Jenn from Spiced Beauty shares her favourite beauty and fashion items for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

After Lancome receives an FDA warning letter, My Lips But Better wonders: has cosmetics marketing gone too far?

Christina the Glitterholic is ready to spread some Holiday cheer again! See how you can help! Gouldylox turns the returning 90's brown trend around and makes it modern. Get the look for yourself, here!
--- Is you hair starting to thin? Of maybe you just need to inject some life into it? Prime Beauty has your solution! Enter to win a Keranique Hair Care System!

Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Glosses + Swatches

This Fall, Maybelline launched their Color Sensational High Shine Glosses. There are twelve pigmented shades to fall in love with. I was sent three colors to try out from the line. How gorgeous are these shades! 

Appropriate from the porcelain white to dark ebony. 

They are very buildable! I prefer to swipe them 3 to 4 times to get maximum color payoff. 

From what I can see the line is a mix of creams and shimmers. 

Raspberry Reflection and Captivating Coral are gorgeous creams. Mocha- Amazing is a light shimmer. These are great fall glosses because are very moisturizing. They apply smoothly and are not sticky.

Swatches:
Captivating Coral 

 Raspberry Reflection

 Mocha- Amazing

Which color is your favorite?

 

Bio Seaweed Gel Nails

Have you ever heard of Bio Seaweed Gel Nails?

It's a revolution in nail gel polish that rivals all other brands with it's safe and healthy formula that promises chip free shine, long lasting color and the fastest soak off time in the industry.

This is actually my second time getting Bio Seaweed Gel nails. 

The first time I got it was totally by a fluke. I stepped in my local salon and fell in love with their colors.

 I also remember my nails growing a lot in 14 days and the polish lasting a really LONG time!

Comes in over 100 colours, contains calcium, vitamin E and aloe and helps your nails to
grow stronger, faster and longer with every application!

You can use a UV and LED light to cure the gel or you can use direct sunlight!

One of their biggest selling points is how thin the application is.

Most gel polishes are thick which can lead to them chipping quickly.

Bio Seaweed nails are buildable without looking fake. 

As you can see in the picture below.

 

Secondly, the soak off is quick! Just use to my "How to remove Gel polish" tutorial 

and it will come off with NO damage. 

Here is picture of me wearing the nails on day 21. 

This is one week over the 14 day wear time.

 As you can see two of those nails were in pristine condition!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Today marks the start of Breast Cancer Awareness month! Cancer is a serious issue for me because it has affected so many individuals in my family. I would honestly do everything in my power to help out the cause.

In this post I'm going to highlight three amazing causes which you should support:

Rethink Breast Cancer, a charity that speaks to the needs of young women, has collaborated with top beauty, fashion, and lifestyle companies to design products where proceeds benefit breast cancer education,support and research programs. From nail polish and hair products to bracelets and watches, we encourage looking good for a cause this October!