First Time: Brow Lightening

Today I had a new beauty experience. This morning I got my eyebrows bleached for the first time. My roommate, Sam (mentioned many times through out my blog) is training for a new job and is having to complete all kinds of testing. Today was her eyebrow lightening test and I was her model. 

I wasn't nervous about getting my eyebrows bleached although I have had dark brows all my life. I actually chose to keep the bleach on longer then she needed to. If I was going to do this I wanted to push it as extreme as we could go. (Side note: My brows could have gone lighter. The pictures I will have posted here are after 30 minutes of the bleach sitting on my brows.) The true experiment was to see if it would make it any easier when apply my brows in the morning, weather they be brown or pink.

When I got home I got rid of some of the tiny dark hairs that couldn't be reached with a spoolie and then applied my make-up as usual. Today I did my brows pink to see if the lighten made a diffrent to the ease of application and the over all effect. 

Getting my eyebrows lightened or bleached has had no effect on how easy it is to fill in my brows thus far. The reason I say so far is because I have not tried filling them in brown. I can imagine that with my brows already being dark it helped the process. Only time will tell. 

Now for the actual vibrancy of my pink brows, yes lightening my dark brows definitely made a diffrence. I find that the pink in my brows is a lot more even across the entire brow. There aren't any dark patches or spots. I feel like anything there will be pros and cons to this transformation. If I find that lighter eyebrows are becoming a bit of a burien I will simply tint them back to a shade closer to what they were previously.

The ligthening itself was awesome. Very comfortable and relaxed. The bleached that is used on brows is slightly diffrent and less strong then bleached used on your actual hair. There was no harsh smell or burning senstation either. Please note that not everyone has the same skin and that diffrent people will react diffrently. I do have sensitive skin and had no problem getting my brows lightened. If for some reason you do feel a burning sensation I would bring it up to your stylists attention immediately. 

I am happy to announce that Sam of course did pass her exam! :) She does awesome work, espeacially if you are looking for on point brows. I wish I could devulge the secrect information of where she actually works, but I can't. However you can follow her on instagram or twitter at @samantha_opal. 

I will definitely be posting an update on my bleached brows. If you have any questions or comments please leave them in the box below.

Peace & Luv  

Anastasia Liquid Lipstick Review

Over the past couple of weeks I have been trying all kinds of liquid lipsticks. Liquid lipstick isn't something new in the make-up world. It's just something that has become extremely poplar in the past couple of months.

This week I tried Anastatisa Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Rio. Rio is a bright blue based pink. It is extremely vibrant and packed with color. To be honest the reason I chose this shade was because I was looking for something better to do my eyebrows with.

First, lets start with packaging. Striaght forward and simple. No surprises here, which I kinda like. The lipstick comes in a simple lipgloss like tube. It has a pretty average wand applicator and basic screw on lid.

The first thing I did was try this liquid lipstick on my eyebrows. I simply put some product onto a palette and began to apply it to my brows using an angled brow brush. When it came to my eyebrows the liquid lipstick worked great. It was extremely bright and vibrant. Got into all the spaces in-between hairs and sat well through out the day. The liquid lipstick did not rub off or fade through out whhch is a huge plus. I would have to say the only down fall is the stain it leaves in your eyebrows and on your skin. When you go to remove your brow make-up you will probably need to use a remover, making sure you get inbetween all the little hairs. Your also going to want to clense and tone your face (as everyone should always be doing) to remove acsess dirt and color. With all this said and done, you may still have a slighty pink stain on your skin. Just a warning.

Next I tried Rio on my lips, where it "should" be. The liquid lipstick applied nice and smooth allowing me to get a nice edge with no bleeding or mess. The wand that is provided in the bottle worked just as many other wands do. (You may want to apply around the edges with an actutal lipstick brush depending on your confidence.) The color, as it was on my brows was very bold and vibrant. Then a couple minutes went by and my lips began to feel really cakey and cracked. The liquid lipstick was begining to seperate and build up on my lips. It made my lips feel very dry and dehydrated. So before calling it a lost cause I decided to try again after using a lip scrub and lip mosituizer. I of course waited for all these products to soak in before applying my liquid lipstick. And again, cakey, cracking, dry lips. I even found that a lot of the product was buiding up and getting into my mouth. 

The picture above was taken right after the lip color was applied. I don't have a photo of Rio after a bit of wear, however after only 5 minutes of wearing it to take this photo it was already cracking and caking.

Unfortunately I did not have the best experience with Anastasia's Liquid Lipstick while being used on my lips, and probably won't use Rio as a lip color, however I absolutely loved using them on my eyebrows. It worked very well and lasted a long time. 

Remember, I have only tried one shade from the entire line. Unfortunately sometimes not all liquid lipsticks are made the same. It could vary from color to color however something like this is usually a warning for across the board. 

With that said with all the rave reviews and talk about Anastasia Liquid Lipsticks I will most likely try another color again. I'm hoping it was maybe just that shade and will have a diffrent experience next time around. 

If you have any questions or comments please leave them in the box below.

Peace & Luv

Nails... New Years Eve 2016

Usually when I go to get my nails done I don't usually choose to get any crazy designs or go all out with them. This is honestly is usually due to one of two reasons. One being that I am in too much of a hurry to get anything done and can't be bothered to worry about trying to take care of the design (being careful nothing is falling off) and two why am I paying someone else to do a design or add gems when I can do it myself at home. With all this said I choose to treat myself and get a wicked design right in time for New Years.

I wear false nails. They are a basic acrlyic nail. The polish covering my nail is a gel reaction polish called.. by... This color is a bright shade of hot pink when cold, and a beautiful light peachy shade when warm. This polish has a light sparkle giving it a more pearly finish. The glitter polish on my right thumb and left pinky is by Essie. This glitter polish is called ... (I chose to apply this glitter myself at home.) The designs done on three of my fingers were ceated with a gel color called ... My manicurist used a thin brush dipped in the black gel to create the design. (Everything was painted on by hand.) The three fingers with the gems on them were applied wit a clear gel as adhevisive.

This design was inspired by other nail designs found online. I got my nails done by Lynn at Y2K Nails in Brampton. 

If you have any questions or comments please leave them in the box provided below. Also feel free to send or tag me in any of your New Years nail pictures. Add or tag me @WarPaintLuv 

Happy New Year everyone! Best wishes to you all in 2016. Have wicked fun and be safe. 

Peace & Luv

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Polish

Sally Hansen has come out with a new polish called Miracle Gel. Its claim is that it acts just like a gel polish with out the inconvenience of having to use a UV light. It suppose to be strong and shine like a gel polish, as well as last anywhere between 10-14 days.

 

Before I actually tired this polish I was a little sceptical. I didn’t know how the “gel” was going to work without a UV light. Was it really going to last? I was looking for a tough, long lasting nail polish that I could do anywhere. 

 

Once I tried the polish myself I was able to make a final decision. I was happy to find the gel polish didn’t take as long as I thought it would to dry. If even layers are applied with a few moments to dry in between the polish seems to dry over all pretty quickly. I was quiet pleased with the final product. The polish lasted easily over 10 days without chipping, or loss of shine. 

 

I have now accumulated 3 different shades, as well as a top coat.

 

Top Coat #100 – Clear 

Tidal Wave #360 – A deep true blue (Matte)

Too Haute #520 – Dark magenta (Shimmer)

Crème de la Crème #430 – Pale pink (Satin) 

 

Sally Hansen has offered a wide variety of colors for people to choose from. 

These polishes are sold at Wal-Mart, Shoppers Drug Mart or where other Sally Hansen nail polishes are sold. They usually retail for anywhere between $8-$11 CND.

 

Peace & Luv

Nails… Heavenly Angel

A few weeks ago I went to get my nails filled and polished. While checking out their selection of nail polishes I discovered the salon had polish by Perfect Match called MoodGel, a color changing nail gel polish. I was, of course very excited about this and had to try it.

 

When I checked out the ring of sample nails I was happy to find a decent variety of colors. Don’t get me wrong there weren’t a bunch of shades in every color but there was definitely something for everyone. The real magic happened when I ran the sample nails under hot water and watched all the colors change. (The polish is based on temperature and will change depending on if your fingers (nails) are hot or cold.) 

 

(Above photo is during color change.)

The first time I tried this polish I had my nails painted in a shade called A Bit Chilly. It was a shade of blue that went from a bright blue when warm to a dark blue/black when cold. 

 

This time I tried a shade called Heavenly Angel. It’s this beautiful shade of Magenta pink when cold that turns into a creamy white when warm. I have fallen in love with this dramatic transition. I love the fact that this polish goes from bold to neutral. Another thing I love about these Mood Polishes is that once they do start to cross fade they create a beautiful ombre. 

I have tried to purchase these polishes myself but have had a hard time finding them in stores. I have however found them online at places like EBay or Amazon. I have also found them on specialty nail sites. These polishes go for anywhere between $10-$14 US.

 

Peace & Luv

NARS Dual Intensity Blush- Spring 2015

For Spring 2015, NARS Cosmetics introduces the new Dual-Intensity Blush. Featuring NARS’ exclusive Translucent Prismatic Technology, the newly-imagined formula allows for multi-dimensional effects with a uniquely weightless, luxurious texture. Six modern shade pairings curated by François Nars offer a universal spectrum of hues that works across all skintones. Sweeps on dry for a bold flush or wet for a translucent wash of color. Dry pigments impart a natural glow that warms the complexion and fuses weightlessly. Dampen NARS’ exclusive Wet/Dry Blush Brush before application for a watercolor effect—dab over the apples of the cheeks and swirl in a circular motion to paint on a subtle tint. Designed in a sensorial, soft-touch square case with a modern magnetic closure, six luxuriously embossed duos heighten the art of transformation.

Dual Intensity Blush Duo- $57.00 CND

Adoration- Baby Pink/ Hot Pink (Shimmer)

Craving- Soft Pink/ Light Bronze (Shimmer)

Fervor- Light Pink/ Dark Rose (Shimmer)

Frenzy- Gold/ Bright Orange (Shimmer)

Jubilation- Soft Gold/ Peachy Nude (Shimmer)

Panic- Fuchsia/ Burnt Pink-Orange (Shimmer)

This collection also features a new and very pretty looking blush/contour brush. Although I haven’t been able to find much information or confirm a price for the brush at this time but I’m thinking it’s going to be somewhere around $53.00 CND.

This collection will be available at NARS and Sephora on March 4^th online and in store. It will also be released in department stores April 1^st. These shades will become a permanent part of the NARS collection.

Some of these blushes look absolutely beautiful. I personally look forward to trying Fervor, Frenzy and Jubilation, but out of all the items offered in NARS’ new collection I look forward to trying the new brush the most- It looks like it is going to be a great size for the different contours of the face. 

I hope to have a review on these blush duos soon. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below.

Peace & Luv

Stila Lip & Cheek Stain Review

This revolutionary makeup stain reacts to the pH levels in cheeks and lips to create a personalized blush and pout. The nourishing formula contains potent antioxidants, vitamins A, C, and E to moisturize, and fruit extracts to slow the degeneration of collagen—thus supporting the skin's natural structure and slowing premature aging. Packaged in Stila's iconic clickable pen, the revolutionary sheer formula is easy to build and blend, plus it leaves your lips and cheeks with a fresh flush of youth.

Stila has created a super cute lip & cheek stain. This product comes in a ready to apply application pen.

The shade I am reviewing is called Raspberry Crush, a dark pink raspberry color. 

For more pictures and the review, follow the link below...

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick Review

I absolutely love this lipsticks!! Getting to try them was such a pleasant surprise. At first I wasn't sure if they were lipstick or lip glosses.

The lipstick come in gloss like tubes and is liquid. Once applied to the lips these shades dry matte. They are extremely pigmented and will last you hours. I found my color lasted a good 3.5-4 hours. During that time I ate dinner. I was impressed.

If I had to compare this to any other product it would be Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tars. They applied the same way and seem to be just as pigmented. The shade you see in the bottle is the color that will appear on your lips.

The shades I reviewed are...

Bellissima- Taupe

Fiore- Bright Pink

Beso- Red

These liquid lipsticks cost $29 CA. They can be purchased at Sephora in store & online.

These are probably some of the best lipsticks I have ever used. They have fantastic pigmentation and lasts for hours.

Peace & Luv

Sugar Pill's LIMITED EDITION Smitten Loose Eyeshadow

Smitten is a shimmery hot magenta loaded with reflective sparks (not the cheesy-looking glitter stuff)! Looks equally bad ass on eyes, lips, and cheeks, mixed with lip gloss or nail polish, whatever your little pink heart desires! This limited edition color is available only while supplies last. Get her before she's all gone, never to return again! 

Sugar Pill has released a limited edition loose eyeshadow called Smitten. This shadow is a beautiful shade of hot Magenta mixed with sparkles. 

From the pictures of I have seen, this shadow in the packaging and on the skin this color looks gorgeous. 

You can purchase it online for $12.00 US, but remember that this loose shadow will be sold for a limited time, so get yours while you can!!

This is a vegan product. :)

Peace & Luv

Nails... Purple Water Marbling

I recently got my nails done, which of course means a polish change. I decided to go with a light lilac purple from OPI called Do You Lilac It? (Unfortunately I do not have a picture of nails before the marbling design.)

After rocking Lilac nails for a couple days I wanted to jazz them up by adding a design. I choose to do a water marbling effect simply because it is easy & effective. I also wanted to create different layers of color, which can be done using this effect.

I hope to have a 'how-to water marble nails' blog posted soon.

 

To create this design I used the following polishes...

-Do You Lilac It? by OPI

-Berry Smooth by Avon

-Violet by Joe Fresh

-Beauty Secrets Clear Hardener Top Coat

Peace & Luv

Today's Look... Purple Smoke

Today was a beautiful spring Sunday. It was a relaxing at home day but still felt the need for a bit of color. I chose to use Purple because I haven`t in such a long time. Not too much of a story or theme today.

If you have any suggestions or requests for different themes, colors, or products you would like to see please comment below.

 

Follow the link for a list of products used & more pictures..