A Few Of My Favourite Things in 2010

I can't believe it the end of 2010. I know everybody says this, but boy did this year go by fast. Really fast.
As I bid adieu to 2010, I think it's only proper to mention a few of my favourite things.

Favourite Foundation: It's a tie between Laura Mercier Crème Smooth Foundation and Laura Mercier Moisturizing Foundation. I also am loving Lancome Tient Miracle, which I'll be reviewing for you in a bit.


Favourite Blush: This is just entirely impossible for me to choose just one. I am a blush freak.
  NARS Douceur is one I reach for a lot because it just goes with everything, Sue Devitt Solomon Islands gives me a great pinky bronze, healthy blush, and of course I can't forget The Infamous MAC Stereo Rose!

Favourite Mascara: Covergirl LashBlast Original or Fusion never let me down. But I sure did enjoy my sample of Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume!

Favourite Eyeshadow: I've only had them for one week, but my Burberry Eyeshadows are divine. But I was also really pleasantly surprised with Wet N Wild Eyeshadows-they are great!

Favourite Eye Liner: I am so happy that I discovered Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencils. These pencils are great for lining and for shading and they last all day.

Favourite Makeup Brand: I'd have to say is Josie Maran. I love everything I try. Her Orglamic Revolution Kit is just fantastic. Fantastic!



I know everybody says this, but boy did this year go by fast. Really fast.

This past year was trying at times for me, so I'm hoping for a better year in 2011. But the one thing that I've enjoyed this year is blogging, so thanks for sticking with me!

I wish you all a Wonderful, Happy, Healthy 2011! See you next year!

Burberry Makeup Is The Only Iconic Burberry Plaid I'll Probably Ever Own

Have you ever walked into a Burberry Store? I have. It's one of those stores where you walk in and immediately realize that there is NOTHING you can afford in there. And the staff knows it too.
Maybe some day I'll be able to swallow the cost of a Burberry handbag, or a scarf, or maybe even a trench coat but until that day comes, I can at least own some Burberry makeup!

Now I can't get Burberry Makeup here in Edmonton, but it's available at Holt Renfrew in Vancouver and that's where my sneaky husband purchased some to surprise me with for Christmas! He bought me three Burberry eyeshadows in the colours Trench, Rosewood and Taupe Brown and I love them. A lot.

 Check out the packaging:

It's so pretty! And solid too-this has some weight to it.

Burberry eyeshadows in: Trench, Rosewood and Taupe Brown

Trench, Rosewood, Taupe Brown

Trench is a beige with just a slight shimmer to it. It's a great all over colour or highlight colour. Rosewood is a shimmery rose taupe-not as dark as MAC's Satin Taupe, and not as rosy as NARS Nepal. It's a blend of those two shades and is beautiful. Taupe Brown is just that-a great dark taupe brown with just a hint of shimmer and looks great blended on the crease.
Burberry calls their eyeshadows sheer, but these are anything but sheer. I'd say they are a medium pigmentation that's very buildable. The texture is so soft and smooth and really luxurious. I don't notice any fallout either when applying them. I love wearing all three shadows together for a beautiful neutral look that somehow glows.

Now I don't own a lot of high end eyeshadows. NARS would be the most expensive shadows I own and I don't have a lot of them. I have one palette that I bought in the fall, and I have two single eyeshadows in Galapagos and Nepal. That's it. Truthfully, I always look at them but then I get disappointed upon swatching them. I feel the same way about Chanel- I do not own any Chanel eyeshadows for that same reason.

But these Burberry eyeshadows are the BEST eyeshadows I have ever owned. I could live happily ever after with just these three shadows. Yup, you heard that right. Done. Except for maybe adding one more colour-Burberry Pearl Blue. Then I'd be done.

If you have the chance and the means to try Burberry eyeshadows, I highly recommend that you do. You won't be sorry!

My Daughter Loves The Kat Von D Tattoo Chronicles Palette

My daughter loves makeup. No surprise there, since her mother is a makeup junkie! She's very brave with her makeup which consists of bold eye shadows with an expertly drawn cat eye that would awe professional makeup artists. She's really very good at it and maybe someday I'll convince her to let me take a picture to show you.
What better gift to give her than The Kat Von D Tattoo Chronicles Palette Vol.1, which after she opened I of course asked: "Do you mind if I swatch it?" She's such a good sport!

The Kat Von D Tattoo Chronicles Palette comes with a pair of false lashes, 12 eyeshadows, 3 eyeshadow primers, and a double-ended perfume rollerball of Saint/Sinner.

Tijuana, Taxidermy, Hollywood, Peanut

Redemption, Solitude, Heartkiller, Baudelaire

Monastary, Poe Blue, Night Owl, Lemmy

Skin, Stellar, Smoky Eyeshadow Primers

Just from swatching the Kat Von D Tattoo Chronicles Palette, I can tell you that the shadows have pretty good pigmentation and are very blendable. With so many colours this palette is great if you're very creative with your eye looks.
 The Kat Von D Tattoo Chronicles Palette is $39 US right now and that's a sale price. It's also on sale in Canadian Sephora stores too.
My daughter loves her Kat Von D Tattoo Chronicles Palette. Mommy knew she would!

MAC Cham Pale Softly Brings In The New Year

I left the house yesterday to do some errands, and stopped by the MAC Counter to check out the new collections Cham Pale and Stylishly Yours. Everything in Stylishly Yours is really bright and a little too scary for me! The Cream Colour Bases are beautiful and really brightly pigmented-too much for my fair skin I thought.

The Cham Pale Collection on the other hand, is more up my alley! However, I only purchased two of the paint pots, a back up Feline Eye Kohl, and a Fix+ Lavender.

I'm not going to show you Feline Eye Kohl, as I'm sure you've seen it before. Some people hate it, I really like it! I love using it on my waterline. The new Paint Pots I decided on getting were Dangerous Cuvee and Vintage Selection.

Dangerous Cuvee, Vintage Selection

Dangerous Cuvee, Vintage Selection

Dangerous Cuvee, Vintage Selection

Dangerous Cuvee is described as a frosted grey colour and I'd say on me it almost swatches a bit lavender. Vintage Selection is described as a frosted dirty peach-to me it's almost a dusty rose colour. These are both pretty shimmery and frosted, but lovely nonetheless. I really enjoy using paint pots as a base to enhance an eye shadow colour, plus they really do make your shadows last longer. And they last forever!

The Caviar Dreams eye shadow quad is pretty and worth it if you like MAC's lustre finish eye shadows (they are quite sparkly!) and only if you don't have most of the colours because two of the shades are permanent shadows.

The Fix+ Lavender is fantastic! Upon spraying, the lavender scent is pretty strong, but dissipates quickly. I really like it a lot and will be getting another one.

That's it! That's all I got. So tell me, did you haul anything from either of these collections? Do share!

Santa Gave Me Josie Maran Orglamic Revolution Kit!

I  guess I was a good girl this year because Santa spoiled me! Santa gave me Josie Maran Orglamic Revolution Kit!

I love Josie Maran's products. LOVE. I love Joise Maran's Argan Lip Treatment. Her GOGO Instant Natural Volume Argan Mascara is a really great mascara. And I can't live without Josie Maran's Argan Oil. I've been using it twice a day in the winter and my skin has never looked better. It's liquid gold I tell you!

I really wanted Josie Maran Orglamic Revolution Kit, mainly because I wanted to try her Argan Infused Eyeshadows.

Josie Maran Orglamic Revolution Kit includes:

• travel size of Josie Maran Argan Oil Moisturizer
• a mini GOGO Instant Volume Mascara
• an Argan eyeliner in Raven
• Argan Infused Eyeshadow Quad
• Argan Infused Lipstick in Birthday Suit
• Argan Infused Natural Lipgloss in Optimism

I love absolutely everything in this kit!

Argan infused eye shadow quad

Raven eye pencil, Cloak, Cinnamon, Valencia, Partagas

These Josie Maran Argan Infused Eyeshadows have great pigmentation, are very smooth and buildable, have little to no fallout upon application. They last all day without creasing when using a primer. This palette is also so very versatile and can easily go from a day look to a great night out on the town smokey eye. The argan eyeliner in Raven is smooth, soft and very black! It's really great to use to get that smokey eye look that beautiful Josie is sporting on the package cover (which by the way, the box has instructions on how to duplicate her look).

Josie Maran Argan Infused: Lipstick in Birthday Suit, Lip Gloss in Optimism, Lipstick + lip gloss together

Josie Maran Argan Infused Lipstick in Birthday Suit is a true peachy nude and the lip gloss is a very light sheer peach. I'm pretty fair(NC15 in MAC) so this isn't a great colour on me even though I love it and wish I could pull of these nude colours:

I like it better with the gloss which makes it more wearable for me. They are both moisturizing since they are infused with argan oil.

I'm so happy Santa brought me Josie Maran Orglamic Revolution Kit! I adore everything in it so thank you!
So what makeup goodies did Santa bring you for Christmas?

Christmas Perfume Is The Best Perfume-Ricci Ricci Perfume by Nina Ricci

Ricci Ricci by Nina Ricci

If you're a child of the 80s like me then the name Nina Ricci is something that you associate with the fragrance L'Air du Temps. I think it was everybody's first real fragrance after you grew out of Love's Baby Soft, which by the way, you can still get at the drugstore if you're feeling nostalgic!

I usually go for lighter floral fragrances, but there's something about Ricci Ricci by Nina Ricci that I just love. Also, my taste in perfume seems to be changing-different smells seem to be appealing to me.

One reason I love Ricci Ricci by Nina Ricci could be is that it's described for the new urban heroine in the Parisian and sophisticated universe of Nina Ricci. I don't know about you, but I'd love to be living in a Parisian sophisticated universe haha!

I'm no perfume expert and I'm not going to pretend I know all about the subtleties of top, middle and base notes, so I'll just tell you what the website says about that kind of stuff.

The top notes are apparently rhubarb and bergamot that give freshness. 

The middle notes are floral with the most intriguing of them being a flower called Belle de Nuit which is a nocturnal flower that blooms in the evening.

The base notes are patchouli and sandalwood.

All I know is that I really love Ricci Ricci by Nina Ricci. It's a warm spicy floral that's perfect for winter.

Next time you're walking by the perfume counters see if you can get a sample and try it out for yourself! 

MAC Stereo Rose Contest Winner Announcement!

Happy Boxing Day everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and Santa brought you lots of makeup goodies!

The winner of the contest is : ASHLEY!!  Congratulations Ashley! Ashley, if you could email me your address I'll get that Stereo Rose off in the mail to you. Just hit that contact me button.

Thanks everyone for entering! It's been a pleasure getting to know you all! And stay tuned for more giveaways!

Merry Christmas! And Don't Forget To Enter To Win MAC Stereo Rose!

It's Christmas Eve, and I just wanted to wish all of you a wonderful, peaceful Christmas full of love and joy!

One last chance to enter my contest:


WIN A MAC STEREO ROSE MSF CONTEST!

Did you miss out on getting MAC Stereo Rose MSF? Would you like to own MAC Stereo Rose MSF?
Then here's your chance!

All you have to do to enter is:

1. Follow my blog-click on the Follow link- You MUST be a follower-I will check!
2. Follow me on Twitter-click on the Twitter link and click follow
3. Post a comment on THIS POST and answer the question: What's your favourite MAC MSF? Tell me how you use/wear it! Only one comment per person allowed.
4. You must be 18 years old to enter, and if you are not 18 then I need your parent's permission.

That's it. You must do all of the things above! I will check if all of the requirements are met. I will randomly choose one lucky winner.
The contest is open worldwide and I will send it to you, although please don't blame me if something happens during transit.  I will pack it up and protect it as much as I can. I am not responsible for any breakage!

The contest closes on Dec. 25, 2010--Christmas Day at Noon MST!  I will send out your prize after Christmas -I don't want to go to the post office before then -LOL!

Good luck to all!



I will announce the winner on Dec.26th! Talk to you all then!
~Hugs, Tracy

OPI Bring On The Bling!

OPI Bring On The Bling!

Definitely some Christmas glitter for the nails this one is! With red, green, and gold glitter my nails match my Christmas Tree! 

OPI Bring On The Bling is part of the Burlesque Collection if you're interested!

There's one more day to enter my Christmas Contest to win MAC's Stereo Rose! Better hurry!

Wet N Wild Sugar Plum Fairy Holiday Palette

Wet N Wild Sugar Plum Fairy Holiday Palette is the last holiday palette from Wet N Wild.

The whole left side of the Wet N Wild Sugar Plum Fairy Holiday Palette is rather muddy when applied and blended and a bit hard to work with, which is sad because they are matte shadows. The colours are just off to me. The right side is better! The most pigmented shadow is the dark browny-purple with glitter, which is a pretty good dupe for MAC Sketch eyeshadow. It makes a great liner.

If you really love purples and had your heart set on getting Wet N Wild Sugar Plum Fairy Holiday Palette, then for $6.99 I say go for it. The left side of the palette is really pretty and worth it if you don't have MAC Sketch or even MAC Beauty Marked.

There's still time to enter my Christmas Contest to win your very own MAC Stereo Rose MSF!! Better hurry!

Wet N Wild Golden Goddess Holiday Palette

Wet N Wild Golden Goddess Holiday Palette is the third limited edition palette out this season.

Wet N Wild Golden Goddess Holiday Palette has 6 shimmery golden shades that are really beautiful. The pigmentation on this palette isn't as great as the Wet N Wild Night Elf Holiday Palette but it's pretty darn good for a $6.99 drugstore brand! Make sure you tap off your brush before going to your eye with this one and any fallout will be kept to a minimum. I would have liked a matte eyeshadow in the mix, but then again this is a holiday palette. The best shade in Wet N Wild Golden Goddess Holiday Palette is the dark plummy brown with gold shimmer. A lot of people say it's like NARS Mekong Eyeshadow-haven't checked that out for myself but from what I remember I'd say it's pretty close.

I got my Wet N Wild Golden Goddess Holiday Palette at Zellers for $6.99. If you've been hunting for this palette then I'd go check for it.

Still a few days left to enter my Christmas Contest to win MAC's Stereo Rose MSF which would look lovely on the cheeks when paired with this palette!

Wet N Wild Snow Sprite Holiday Palette

Wet N Wild Snow Sprite Holiday Palette is another Limited Edition eyeshadow palette that comes with a silver grey eyeliner. 

Wet N Wild Snow Sprite Holiday Palette

As you can see one side has shades of greens, while the other side has blues. This palette is not as great at the Night Elf palette, but it's still pretty. The light greens aren't as pigmented as I'd have hoped and the two silvery blue colours are very similar when swatched. The dark blue shade has some sparkles and is really great-it would make a great eye liner.
I'm still happy I got the Wet N Wild Snow Sprite Holiday Palette, but I feel this one is not a must have if you come across it, unless you really like silvery blue shadows.

Wet N Wild Snow Sprite Holiday Palette is available at Zellers for $6.99.

There's still time to enter my Christmas Contest to win MAC's Stereo Rose MSF if you've been wanting one and didn't get a chance to pick one up this past year!

Easy Snowy Eye Look Of The Day Using Lise Watier Duo Shadow And Glitter In Opalescent

I wanted to show you what I call My Snowy Eye Look using Lise Watier's Duo Shadow & Glitter in Opalescent. It's very simple but pretty and looks like snow on your lids!

So much prettier of you don't have hooded eyelids like me I swear!

Lise Watier Duo Shadow & Glitter in Opalescent is just beautiful. I'm not sure if it's a new product for Lise Watier or not but I like it a lot. The top of the product contains a soft shimmery white cream shadow and the bottom screws off and contains a beautiful white opalescent glitter.

Lise Watier Duo Shadow & Glitter in Opalescent

Opalescent Glitter

Cream shadow, Cream shadow + Glitter, Glitter

To get this look I used an eye primer like Urban Decay Primer Potion or Too Faced Shadow Insurance first all over my lids and up to the brow bone. I then put MAC Painterly Paint Pot all over. You may not need both if your eyelids aren't as oily as mine are. Then I put the cream shadow from Lise Watier Duo Shadow & Glitter in Opalescent all over up to the brow. I then pressed the glitter on my lid. Some winged dark grey liner on the top lash line and some grey shadow to line the bottom lash line is next, followed by some white eyeliner on the bottom eyeliner. In the photo I've got Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Mascara on my lashes.



Wearing this eye look makes me wish I had a skating party to go too! And I have to say that this Lise Watier Glitter is pretty good at staying put on my lids too.

What's your favourite Holiday Party look? Let me know! I'd love to hear about them and see pics as well!
There's still time to enter my Christmas Contest to get a chance to win MAC Stereo Rose MSF!

Wet N Wild Night Elf Holiday Palette

I've had serious lemmings for the Limited Edition Wet N Wild Holiday Palettes. Almost every blogger and makeup Youtube guru has been showing these since late October and loving them. But of course here in Canada I couldn't find them at that time. I stalked WalMart like you wouldn't believe. I then heard that Zellers sold Wet N Wild so I thought I'd go check and see if these palettes had made finally made their way up north.
I got lucky and hit the jackpot!! So if you're Canadian and have been looking for these, make your way to Zellers.

Wet N Wild Night Elf Palette is the first one I'll show you because it's just so unique for a drugstore eye shadow palette. I mean-who puts a red eye shadow in a palette? Pretty bold of Wet N Wild to do so and just amazing!

Wet N Wild Night Elf Palette

Wet N Wild Night Elf Palette Swatches

 Wet N Wild Night Elf Palette is gorgeous! There's an off white cream, a taupe, a duochrome reddish brown/green that's a pretty good dupe for Urban Decay's Lounge shadow, a beautiful silver, a red with gold sparkles and a matte black with silver glitter. The palette also comes with a black eyeliner that has some silver sparkles in it too.

Wet N Wild Night Elf Palette shadows are creamy and soft and apply very smoothly. They blend oh so easily- I can't believe that Wet N Wild Night Elf Palette is from a drugstore brand. Wet N Wild Night Elf Palette is probably one of the best Holiday palettes out there and I think every makeup junkie need this!

I paid $6.99 for the Wet N Wild Night Elf Palette at Zellers and it's the best holiday bargain out there!

Are you all finished Christmas shopping yet? I am done!
There's still time to enter my Christmas Contest  to win MAC's Stereo Rose if you haven't yet!

Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired By Carmindy Forever Stay Eye Pencil

My favourite part of TLC's What Not To Wear has always been the makeup makeover done by Carmindy. Although, it has gotten a little bit uninspiring since she has her own makeup line. Part of the fun for me was seeing what products she was using and see if I could figure out from the packaging or colours what they were.
Aside from that, the transforming and uplifting power of makeup is so evident after the makeup lesson by Carmindy. The reaction of the women is amazing as they see themselves in a whole new light.

So when I spied Carmindy's makeup line at my local Shopper's Drug Mart, I had to try something. This makeup line is new for us in Canada. Eyeliner is one of those things for me that can make or break a makeup line for me so I chose Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired By Carmindy Forever Stay Eye Pencil in Indigo to try out.

Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired By Carmindy Forever stay Eye Pencil in Blue Indigo

Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired By Carmindy Forever stay Eye Pencil in Blue Indigo

Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired By Carmindy Forever Stay Eye Pencil is a very creamy thick gel eyeliner that goes on smoothly. It's a long wearing eyeliner that's waterproof and stays put pretty much until you take it off. I tested this on my waterline and it stayed put for 7 hours before it started traveling to the lash line a tiny bit. That's pretty major staying power if you ask me! Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired By Carmindy Forever Stay Eye Pencil in Indigo has re-inspired my Carmindy love and I would like to try out more products.


Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired By Carmindy Forever Stay Eye Pencils come in Five colours:Black, Chocolate Brown, Deep Jade, Blue Indigo and Pure Plum and cost about $11.00 and can be found at select Shopper's Drug Marts or online at The Shopping Channel.

Don't forget to enter my Christmas Contest to win MAC's Stereo Rose MSF! There's one more week left!

Benefit Prrrowl Mascara Topcoat and Lip Gloss Duo

I have a love/hate relationship with Benefit Cosmetics. I either love a Benefit product, or I can't stand it. I don't like Coralista blush, but I love Benefit's Creaseless Cream Shadows. When Benefit Prrrowl Mascara Topcoat and Lip Gloss Duo came out, I thought-what the heck is this?
Lately, I've been hearing some good things about Benefit Prrrowl Mascara Topcoat and Lip Gloss Duo so I picked it up at the Sephora 20% off VIB event.

Benefit Prrrowl Mascara Topcoat and Lip Gloss Duo

Benefit Prrrowl Mascara Topcoat and Lip Gloss Duo

Benefit Prrrowl Mascara Topcoat and Lip Gloss Duo is a pretty unique product I have to say. One side contains an iridescent glittery blue mascara topcoat and the other side contains a pink lip gloss that has an opalescent light blue glitter. It's a bit weird pairing these two products together, don't you think?

Benefit Prrrowl Lip Gloss

But you know what? I kind of like Benefit Prrrowl Mascara Topcoat and Lip Gloss Duo! The gloss is pretty-it's a great light pink lip gloss.

 I like to use the Benefit Prrrowl Mascara Topcoat on my bottom lashes for some extra sparkle. I took a picture, but it's hard to capture the glitter with my camera, but I think you can sort of see it:

Of course you can use this on top of your black mascara too, but I like the effect of putting it on my lower lashes. The other thing you can do with it is use it as a liner-just take an angled liner brush and dip it into the mascara spool and grab some of Benefit Prrrowl Mascara Topcoat and then line your eye, or put it on top of your black eyeliner for some extra sparkle. Beautiful!

Benefit Prrrowl Mascara Topcoat and Lip Gloss Duo is a double hit product for me!

Don't forget to enter my Christmas Contest to win a MAC Stereo Rose MSF!

Christmas Nail Bling!

My Favourite gold glitter nail polish of the season is:  

Love it! It's hard to photograph the multi-coloured flecks in OPI Looks Like Rain, Dear- but they are green, red and pearly white.
One thing I hate about glitter nail polish is taking it off, but I think OPI Looks Like Rain, Dear is worth it!

What's your favourite glitter nail polish? Let me know, I'd love to hear!

Also, there's still time to enter my Christmas Contest to win MAC's Stereo Rose!

Subtle Christmas Sparkle

An easy way to add some subtle Christmas sparkle to your holiday makeup is to use some glitter eyeliner. Just a bit of glitter eyeliner on your top lash line over your eyeliner gives you a holiday look without going over the top in my opinion.

The two glitter eyeliners I have are NYX Candy Glitter Liner in Disco Queen and Lise Watier Eye Glitter Liner in Sunshine:

NYX Candy Liner in Disco Queen, Lise Watier Eye Glitter Liner in Sunshine

NYX Candy Liner in Disco Queen, Lise Watier Eye Glitter Liner in Sunshine

I love using NYX Candy Liner in Disco Queen if I'm doing a darker smoky eye and the Lise Watier Eye Glitter Liner in Sunshine when I'm using a gold eyeshadow look. I also use them as a mascara accent by painting a bit of the glitter on top of my black mascara.They are both so pretty and give me that subtle holiday sparkle without trying too hard.

So what's your favourite way to make your makeup sparkle during the holidays? I'd love to hear your tips!

Also don't forget to enter my Christmas Contest for a chance to win MAC's Stereo Rose MSF!!