NOTD - Essie Shop Til I Drop

This is a very pretty peach/coral polish. It is VERY sheer even with two coats as you can see....
I put a layer of OPI Hollywood Blonde over top of my ring finger and that was really nice!

Cosmetics and Fragrances 40% OFF - Alberta Only

$40 FREE BEAUTY!
Saturday and Sunday if you spend $100, you get $40 back!

There is no reason to feel gulity about a new spring splurge this weekend at Shopper's Drug Mart!

Go ahead, get that new perfume, or the new spring make up collection, or enough nail polish to paint your house...you deserve it!

NOTD - Essie Tart Deco

 Tart Deco by Essie

For some reason my camera makes this look MUCH "pinker" than it actually is. This colour is a very true Creamsicle coral/orange. I think this will go in my "pedicures only" polish category. That being said, I have received a few compliments while wearing it out-and-about.

Huge Contest from Beauty Crazed!

Wanna win more makeup then you can shake a stick at?? Then enter to win over $500 worth of luxe cosmetics! Contest!

2011 Beauty Grand Prix Awards

2011 Beauty Grand Prix Awards - - Elle Canada*

We asked 750 ELLE Canada & ELLE Quebec readers to review and test 255 products and then pick their favourites. Here are their top 47 steals, saves and splurges!

Toxic Brazilian Blowouts? - CAUTION

Health Canada says it has discovered almost a dozen more hair smoothing products that contain formaldehyde above the accepted limits. (Source)
The products aren't sold directly to the public but are instead used in salons.
Health Canada says it discovered the products "as part of its ongoing work on hair smoothing products."
Formaldehyde is sometimes used in cosmetics as a preservative. Health Canada has capped the allowable level of formaldehyde at 0.2 per cent, but says it found some products with as much as 8.0 per cent.
Formaldehyde is a known irritant, and has been linked to cancer, when inhaled over a long period of time, the agency said.
It said it has received complaints of burning eyes, nose, and throat, breathing difficulties, and hair loss associated with use of professional hair smoothing products.
"Health Canada believes that the reactions are being caused by formaldehyde becoming vapourized during the blow drying and flat ironing stages of the treatment," the agency said in a statement.
It adds that any procedure using products containing high levels of formaldehyde "places clients and stylists at increased risk."
Stylists who use these professional hair smoothing solutions are advised to stop immediately.
Consumers who are aware of salons using products should report it using the incident report form on the Health Canada website.
The following products are listed in the warning (The level of formaldehyde is listed in brackets):

• Keratin Complex Express Blowout by Copomon (Coppola) contains (1.70 per cent)
• Brazilian Keratin Treatment (Mint) - Royal Keratin Professional Line by Keratin Connection (also available in Chocolate and Strawberry) (1.54 per cent)
• Veloce by La Brasiliana (0.35 per cent)
• Zero (Apple) by La Brasiliana (also available in Clear and Mocha) (0.76 per cent)
• Moroccan Hair Treatment by Inoar (2.84 per cent)

The following products contain unacceptable levels of formaldehyde based on data submitted to Health Canada, though the agency a has not yet tested these products:

• Original by La Brasiliana (also available in Original Chocolate)
• Domani by La Brasiliana
• Spruzzi by La Brasiliana
• Brazilian Keratin Treatment by Pro Skin Solutions
• Marcia Teixeira Chocolate Extreme De-Frizzing Treatment EU by M&M International
• Marcia Teixeira Brazilian Keratin Treatment EU by M&M International

A previous advisory named the following products:

• Brazilian Blowout Smoothing Solution by Brazilian Blowout (8.4 per cent)
• Brazilian Keratin Treatment by Marcia Teixeira (1.8 per cent)
• Advanced Brazilian Keratin Treatment by Marcia Teixeira (1.7 per cent)
• Chocolate Extreme De-Frizzing Treatment by Marcia Teixeira (1.6 per cent)
• Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy Treatment by Copomon (Coppola) (1.8 per cent)
• Global Keratin Taming System Strawberry by Global Keratin (3.0 per cent)
• Global Keratin Taming System with Juvexin Strawberry Resistant by Global Keratin (4.4 per cent)
• Global Keratin Taming System with Juvexin Strawberry Light Wave by Global Keratin (1.4 per cent)
• Pro-Collagen RX Keratin Treatment (2.8 per cent)
• IStraight Keratin (Advanced Keratin Treatment) by IBS Beauty (2.3 per cent)
• Brazilian Thermal Reconstruction by Cadiveu (7.0 per cent)

CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Wednesday Apr. 13, 2011 7:57 AM ET

Clarisonic Classic Skin Cleansing System

 

 Clarisonic on The Shopping Channel

What it is:
From the creators of the Sonicare Toothbrush comes the Clarisonic Skin Care Brush. Sonic technology first changed the way we clean our teeth, it's now changing the way we cleanse our skin. The sonic frequency moves Clarisonic's soft, gentle brush back and forth at more than 300 times per second, thoroughly clearing pores and skin's surface.

What it does:
Clarisonic is the essential first step in an ultra-clean skin care ritual. Gently gliding while cleansing deeply, Clarisonic delivers a sonic micro-massage that feels good and makes your skin look great. The Clarisonic cleanses so thoroughly that skin care products absorb better. In this innovative bundle, you'll receive everything you need for the skin you've always wanted plus a variety of bonuses, adding incredible value to this great kit.


What else you need to know:
• Removes makeup 6x better than traditional methods
• Clears pores and reduces the appearance of pore size
• Creates noticeably healthier looking skin

L'Oreal Infallible Long Wear Lipstick - Review

This collection of L'Oreal lipstick is new in drugstores. So new in fact that none of the 3 stores I went to had any testers! I ended up choosing # 112 "Never Ending Kiss".

Let's start by talking about the colour. It is a really pretty natural mid-tone pink. On me its pretty much a "my lips but better" shade. It's something I can wear with just about anything and look polished. In the two swatch pics' below, it is the colour in the middle. I swatched three colours to show you that I think that if MAC Blankety and MAC Angel had a lipstick baby (wha'?) that this shade would be their offspring!

(Blankety/Never Ending Kiss/Angel)

Now I want to talk about the texture. This applies so smooth and silky. It glides on and feels amazing throughout application. However, after about 15 mins this gets VERY tacky and sticky on the lips. It can't help it I guess...it is a long wear lipstick. I do not like how this feels after the first 15 minutes of wear. They have not yet conquered the "I must have just sucked on a glue stick" feeling. Don't worry too much though...there is a silver lining!

After that 15 minutes, put any other lipstick (Angel is gorgeous with it) or gloss on top and voila! You have a long wearing lip combo that does last for at least half a day.

I will definitely wear and try ti use up this lipstick as I really do like the colour and luckily have figured out how to make it a comfortable wear by adding another product to it, but I don't think I will repurchase another one of these in the future.

Giveaway Time! - (First One!)

I thought it was time for a fun mini giveaway! I have two full size products, a dozen skin care samples and a cute spring flower bobby pin for your hair!

The first item is "Save your Sole" Foot Salve by BeautiControl. This can't be timed better as we all want to get our feet in to some sandals and out of ugly, dry, cracked heels! There is also a Gehwol foot deodorizer sample to go along with your freshly fabulous feet!

The other full size product is my favorite lip balm; Aquafina in Citrus Blend. Here come some luscious lips!

The other items are all samples of the skincare that I use and love. There are enough samples for you to give yourself two "at home" mini facials.

Pop the rosette pin in your hair and YOU are ready for spring!!

Now for the boring part, RULES:
1) This contest is for Canada and US residents only               (international contests will come later)

2) You must GFC follow my blog or subscribe

3) Leave me one comment with your name and contact email

4) Contest closes April 27, 2011 @ 8:00pm MST

5) I will use "Random.org" to generate the winner

6) If I do not hear from the winner within 72 hrs, I will pick another winner

Best of Luck! I will post the winner on the 27th!!!

Strawberry Shortcake!!!

Strawberry Shortcake is having a milestone birthday! She is 30 and doesn't look a DAY over 8!

I stumbled across this new collection from Cake Beauty (who are Canadian BTW) here. What little girl that is now my "age" didn't totally LOVE Strawberry Shortcake and all her friends? I had (still have actually) a Strawberry Shortcake doll that I got for Christmas one year. She had hard plastic arms, legs, and head but a super soft and squeezable body. The COOLEST thing about her was, when you gave her a big hug she would blow you strawberry kisses! I remember being SO careful not to over squeeze her for her delicious kisses because I wanted the "strawberry" to last forever (to this day if you squeeze her tummy there is still a faint strawberry kiss). Ah...remember when toys were just simple, innocent and fun?

Any-who...Cake has a whole limited edition collection that includes the bath and shower suds, body butter, hand creme and lip butter. I am TOTALLY going to order a couple things to try out, for Strawberry's sake!

If you want some Strawberry love, you can order this collection from Well.ca. You always get free shipping in Canada with no minimum order. Right now you can get $10 off a $40 order for new customers when you use the code 10OFF40NEWCUST2 . That means you can get the lip butter for $2!

(This - is a picture of the doll)

Ethereal Beauty: First Ever Beauty Giveaway!!!

Ethereal Beauty: First Ever Beauty Giveaway!!!

NOTD - Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear

Number 03

I had an itch for fabulous nails this weekend and so I thought I would share this awesome colour with you!

This is the Sally Hansen, Hard as Nails Xtreme wear polish in the colour "03".

It is a very pretty hot vibrant pink. It doesn't have glitter but it is shimmery. Kind of has a purple duo-chrome thing goin' on!

I have on two coats and top coat. The polishes I have tried in this collection seem to have good long wear and go on smooth and have a nice consistency and applicator brush...not too big, not too small. The price is awesome too as you can find these for around $3.00!

I have this on my toes too but I thought I would spare you a pic' of my feet!