Becca · Rose Quartz Shimmering Skin Perfector

The latest from Becca, a brand that has become known for using ‘light to amplify the features you love’ comes their latest, Rose Quartz Shimmering Skin Perfector, a limited edition pale pink highlighter that launched without any buzz or fanfare, yet instantly sold out on day 1 on Sephora’s website (but has since been restocked & will become available in store next month). I usually don’t fall for hype and buy sight unseen, but my beauty radar was telling me to go for it, and I’ve learned to listen to that instinct. So happy I did, as this shade is like nothing I already own.

One of Pantone’s two colours of the year for 2016, rose quartz is a mineral and has been called the ‘Stone of Love’, having been also used as a love talisman as early as 600 B.C. Also synonymous with beauty, this stone is purported to have a nurturing and calming effect on those around it. Regardless of whether you believe or not, I love the positive message just the same.

Becca · Rose Quartz Shimmering Skin Perfector

Rose Quartz Shimmering Skin Perfector, limited edition (CAN $46.00) | Housed in a flying-saucer shaped compact (right?), it differentiates from Becca’s usual casing by its metallic rose-gold colour that’s just so pretty. The surface of the pattern is in raised geometric shapes that I’m sure will eventually wear down with continued use — not that I’ll ever get to that point (I think), and which shouldn’t affect how the product applies in any way.

The formula is apparently enriched with ‘ultrafine luminescent pearls that absorb, reflect & refract light’, and can adjust to your skin’s natural undertone. The texture is fine-milled and can be applied as a lighter dusting for just a touch of radiance (a fan brush works best for this), or layered for a more editorial-like brilliance. Longevity (over foundation), seems to be excellent and remains visible until removed.

This pale pink hue is quite unique in that it bears neutral undertones, thus making it workable on all skin tones across the spectrum. As someone with a light-medium complexion that has a golden undertone, I tend to avoid pink anything — but I was totally surprised by how Rose Quartz seems to adapt to my skin, and just seems to look better & better with the wearing.

Becca · Rose Quartz Shimmering Skin Perfector

Becca · Rose Quartz Shimmering Skin Perfector swatches

Apart from the cult-fave Champagne Pop shade shown above, I actually own another Becca coppery highlighter with the same pattern as Rose Quartz, but it seems to have gone MIA and I couldn’t find it to compare. As the swatches show, these two are nothing alike although surprisingly, the pink hue of Rose Quartz appears more wearable than the more golden colour colour of Champagne Pop. I totally did not expect that, and it further backs up the ‘neutral undertone’ part of the claim.

Becca · Rose Quartz & Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector swatches

Pulling out a few more pink-toned highlighters to compare (although something tells me that I probably have more lurking about, but I was just too lazy to hunt them all down), it’s clear that none are a match for Rose Quartz, leaning either too pink or too shimmery.

Note that all have been swatched with a heavy hand in the photo below, in order to show their differences and/or similarities. Press samples are marked by *

Shu Uemura Pink Blush Satin Radiant Stick* – cream formula & definitely the most pink of the group, although it can be sheered out.
Pat McGrath Skinfetish 003 Iridescent Pink – the strongest iridescence, cool toned
Urban Decay Aura Afterglow Highlighter* – a true pale pink, cool toned
Guerlain Cruel Gardenia – a few degrees more pink, slightly more shimmery but along the same finish
MAC Trophy Pearlmatte Face Powder* – the least pigmented of the group making it wearable as an overall face powder as a result
Laura Mercier Illuminator – the most metallic finish of them all, peach based & warmer toned

Becca · Rose Quartz Shimmering Skin Perfector & comparison swatches

Even though I trust my gut when it comes to beauty products, I still had hesitations about Rose Quartz … until it arrived and I swatched it. After that, it was all “hello beautiful & welcome to the family”. Somehow Becca managed the impossible: getting a colour usually reserved for the fair-complexioned, and making it universally wearable. Bottom line: totally worth picking up, especially if you happen to have a bit of a fetish re: highlighters (guilty).

Available at Sephora

Purchased Item/All opinions my own

The Loop Duty Free Montréal & ommorphia

September 14, 2016

If you follow me on social media (and if not, I would love to have you join me! @Instagram @Twitter @Facebook and Snapchat @ommorphia), then you were the first to see the sneak peeks I posted last week about a very special project I was working on. I’m so thrilled to announce my partnership with The Loop Duty Free (Montréal Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport), a drool-worthy emporium of beauty, fragrance, fashion & more — and an absolute must-stop for travellers.

Owned by Aer Rianta International, their first duty-free store was created in 1947 at Ireland’s Shannon Airport in 1947, and since then the chain has added several more worldwide locations (Europe, Asia, Middle East, India, New Zealand, Barbados) as well as four stores across Canada (Montréal, Ottawa, Halifax, Winnipeg).

I absolutely love travelling (I just need to do more of it) and what The Loop offers is some seriously major discounts off most major [beauty] brands you’ll find at retailers (starting at -20% and MAC the exception at -15%), with the price you see being the price you pay: no taxes, no surprises. When I came face to face — so to speak — with this store’s entire stock of beauty, I swear I actually did a happy dance (see below for proof). To say I was actually giddy with glee (yes, GLEE), would not be a lie.

Over the course of the next few months, I’ll be spotlighting many of the unique features that The Loop offers so whether you’re either A) travelling B) about to travel C) planning on travelling or D) know someone who’s travelling, and if beauty + saving money is your thing (duh), you’ll definitely want to tune in and read/see all about it. I’ll also be interspersing that with some flash posts on my social media channels (all listed above) so follow me to stay “in the loop”! I couldn’t resist #sorrynotsorry

Visit The Loop Duty Free to learn about all their extra perks & special promos

So totally doing a happy dance because BEAUTY

Imagine: this is just one end of The Loop’s vast beauty range (insert OMG here)

When confronted with Armani Beauty, one must swatch. It’s totally a rule.

#GuerlainPhotobomber

Dior lippie heaven (also, just making sure I already have these shades. I swear)

An entire wall of La Mer to play with — couldn’t resist applying some for free, naturally

Busted in selfie-mode (true story: I was busy snapping that massive bottle behind me)

That smile? Because of the words ‘Duty Free’ Enough said.

Planning…

Selected! Passport ready & I’m good to go!

Dress: Zara · Shoes: Stuart Weitzman · Purse & Agenda: Louis Vuitton · Jewellry: Hermes, Tiffany, Dior

Many thanks to The Loop for sponsoring this post/All opinions are my own

Marc Jacobs · Lines & Last Night Air Blush, Angled Blush Brush

September 13, 2016

We live in amazing times, where innovations in the beauty world just keep upping the game daily; take for example the recently launched Air Blush Soft Glow Duo from Marc Jacobs — a range of of 5 blush shades that come in a dual-striped powder format and which will blow you away. You’ve been duly warned.

Marc Jacobs · 502 Lines & Last Night Air Blush, 10 Angled Blush Brush

10 Angled Blush Brush (CAN $58.00) | I’m someone who firmly believes in investing in quality vs quantity (where possible) and beauty brushes are something I refuse to compromise on; let’s face it (see what I did there?!), your makeup will definitely apply that much better if the tools used are top notch.

That being said, this is my first foray into Marc Jacobs’ brushes and already I can immediately see & feel the quality of the product. This natural-bristled dense yet velvety soft brush has been created to not only easily deposit the colour along your cheeks, but to also be able to diffuse it seamlessly into the skin for a flawless finish. The perfect companion to Lines & Last Night Air Blush, this brush — more than any others I tried — was the best one for the job, laying down the product so effortlessly and leaving behind that flush of colour I was looking for.

Marc Jacobs · 10 Angled Blush Brush

502 Lines & Last Night Air Blush (CAN $57.00) | An ultra-finely milled powder blush in alternating stripes of colour (champagne & coral) of varying widths, enabling you to create a customized ombré cheek hue. The genius behind the layout of this design, is that you can truly dial the colour up or down depending on whether you focus your brush more on the large lighter portion on the left or the large darker portion on the right.

When I used my finger to combine the shades for the swatch below, I ended up smudging the colours into one another, but as soon as I applied the Angled Blush Brush to the pan for a proper application, the surface pattern basically bounced back to its original striped condition. What sorcery is this? Wear time is amazing, staying true and without fading or caking until removed. Another bonus? This powder seems to have the ability to fuse beautifully along the skin, never coming off as the type that just sits there at surface level and which ends up looking powdery. Again, sorcery, I tell you.

Marc Jacobs · 502 Lines & Last Night Air Blush

Marc Jacobs · 502 Lines & Last Night Air Blush swatches

Marc Jacobs · 502 Lines & Last Night Air Blush

Blush is to the face (totally reviving) as mascara is to the eyes (totally brightening), and equally important in the beauty hierarchy. But not all blushes are made equal, especially those that come in a powdered format. What makes Lines & Last Night Air Blush stand out for me, is the unbelievably refined quality of the powder along with the duality of shades, lending a depth of tone to the overall colour and leaving behind that perfect flush at the finish. My brush collection is quite vast and while I have several tried & true favourites (CHANEL, NARS, Dior & Make Up For Ever), I am nevertheless still impressed with the quality and performance of the Angled Blush Brush and how perfectly it works in tandem with Lines & last Night. As I haven’t had a chance to wash it yet, I’ve yet to see how it fares long term, but my Spidey sense tells me that it’s a keeper. So basically, I guess this means I must have the rest of both blush and brush ranges in my arsenal. #buyingspreeimminent

Available at Sephora and online

Press samples/All opinions my own

Giorgio Armani Beauty · Mascara Eccentrico Rouge Iron

September 12, 2016

Drawing inspiration from the Giorgio Armani Spring/Summer 2016 runway collection, Linda Cantello, International Makeupup Artist for the brand, has created Eccentrico Mascara in Rouge Iron — a shade so revolutionary and avant-garde, it will change the way you look at lashes.

In theory, you’d figure that wearing a red mascara would be basically impossible to pull off in real life or that it’s a colour best left to supermodels in an editorial shoot, but when I wore this on my lashes just last week at a media event (paired with a flawless complexion that was only lightly shaded along the cheeks, groomed brows & a matte oxblood lip), the response was immediate and unprecedented: people were literally stopping me left & right to find out what I had on my lashes. To say that Rouge Iron is a showstopper, would not be far from the truth.

Giorgio Armani Beauty · Mascara Eccentrico Rouge Iron

Mascara Eccentrico Rouge Iron (CAN $41.00) | A deep & opaque red mascara hue made with a textured gel binding polymer formula which allows it to adhere to lashes with ease and is also flake & smudge-proof for all day wear. The rubber brush has alternating rows of bristles that perform like ‘hooks’, enabling them to grab onto lashes to deposit an even coat all along their length, providing length as well as lush volume.

My thoughts: after stepping out of my usual comfort zone of wearing black, I dove in to testing Rouge Iron full throttle. Shaking off my initial fear that wearing a red mascara would make me look like I was either crying hysterically or sporting a vicious eye infection, after application I then spent a good chunk of time admiring the effect — which was nothing short of WOW. Forget those insipid hues of the past that barely gave off any colour; this is an in-your-face shade that somehow manages to look totally wearable and not theatrical (although it definitely is far from the norm, that’s for sure) and makes eye colour really pop.

The swatches below show Rouge Iron in two versions: full out (2 coats applied on both upper & lower lashes) and as an accent touch (1 coat applied over black mascara).

Giorgio Armani Beauty · Mascara Eccentrico Rouge Iron

Giorgio Armani Beauty · Mascara Eccentrico Rouge Iron swatch

I’ll keep this short: backup-worthy. Apart from the visual impact (which is MAJOR), this formula is excellent: applies with ease, coating lashes from root to tip, provides the volume I love with the bonus feature of great length, stays put without smudging, creasing or flaking, and removes effortlessly at the end of the day. Enough said – you need Rouge Iron in your life.

Available at The Bay & online

Press sample/All opinions my own

MAC · Viva Glam Ariana Grande II & So Select

September 7, 2016

I’m a big fan of loyalty programs and when you combine that with beauty, well….I’d call that a win. MAC recently introduced MAC Select, a 3-tiered reward program where basically the more you shop, the better the perks become. The levels are as follows:

SEDUCED (first entry level achieved by joining)
DEVOTED (Spend $200 or more in a calendar year on qualifying purchases)
OBSESSED (Spend $650 or more in a calendar year on qualifying purchases)

Some of the benefits of joining include: exclusive members-only products (such as the So Select lipstick featured here today), complimentary samples at online checkout, complimentary makeup applications (DEVOTED & OBSESSED status only), expedited shipping, and much more. As if the brand’s Back-to MAC program wasn’t enough (where for every 6 MAC products you return, you can pick up either a qualifying lipstick, Lipglass or single eyeshadow), you can also now earn even more for every dollar spent — so much to love about this! And joining couldn’t be easier; simply sign up at the link I’ve posted below, and off you go! (for the record, I do NOT receive any compensation for this promotion)

https://www.maccosmetics.ca//account/select.tmpl

MAC · So Select & Viva Glam Ariana Grande 2

Continuing the theme of giving back, MAC’s Viva Glam campaign which was created in 1994 to help raise awareness and fund research into HIV/AIDS, has now raised over $400 million dollars through the sale of VIVA GLAM Lipsticks and Lipglasses, with 100% of the sale price going towards the cause. Unreal, right?

Joining the ranks of so many high-profile celebrities before her, this is the second go for the cause featuring pop star Ariana Grande — with two totally wearable shades that are poised to become as wildly successful as the earlier versions (Ariane Grande II Lipglass not shown).

MAC · So Select & Gift Card

So Select Matte Lipstick, limited edition (CAN $21.00) | A dirty rose nude shade in a matte finish with a creamy feel upon application. This universally wearable colour provides full coverage from the first swipe and while the texture does have a slightly drier feel than I usually prefer, it surprisingly doesn’t leave lips feeling parched. So Select is one of the most flattering deep nude shades I’ve worn, with enough rose in the base to warm things up, and an equal amount of beige to keep it looking modern.

MAC · So Select Matte Lipstick

MAC · So Select Matte Lipstick swatch

Viva Glam Ariana Grande II Matte Lipstick, limited edition (CAN $21.00) | A sizzling cool-leaning yet hot fuchsia shade in a matte finish. Surprisingly for such an intensely vivid hue, I actually find it to be quite wearable and a great way to sport a pop of colour without going overboard. The texture is ultra-creamy and gliding (of the more buttery mattes, especially as compared to So Select) and totally effortless to apply. Wear time is unbelievable as well, without migrating into fine lines either — leaving a light stain behind once the majority of colour has worn off.

MAC · Viva Glam Ariana Grande II Matte Lipstick

MAC · Viva Glam Ariana Grande II Matte Lipstick swatch

As I said at the start, I’m a huge advocate for customer loyalty programs; you’re going to spend the money anyway, so why not get something back? And starting things off right is this stunning So Select lipstick, in a colour that reminds me of the whole Kylie Jenner nude lip craze, but attainable in a single swipe (no liner needed). Bright orchid is not a shade I’d normally reach for, but something about this Ariana Grande II lippie looks really amazing when paired with a simple graphic black liner – you basically don’t need any more than that and BOOM! Done! Plus you’re contributing to a wonderful cause, at that.

Available at MAC Boutiques & online (Viva Glam Ariana Grande 2 also at The Bay)