Quo 2015 Holiday Collection: It's Still Not Too Late!

I've been holding onto this stuff for a while now because I originally wanted to do a proper review on each of Quo's Holiday Sets that I have but wanted to wait closer to the holidays. Then I got swamped with life and that obviously couldn't happen. But I don't think it's ever too late to share these awesome holiday sets with you that you could still pick up as a last minute addition to a gift. 

First off, the Quo Cosmetic Cracker Set ($20). This is a set of 4 crackers with 4 lipsticks and 4 eyeshadow duos. There are two different types of crackers you could get. I'd say this is super fun for a girl's holiday party, or even a good idea for a birthday party! 

Secondly, the Quo Contouring Craze Set ($30). Comes with a contour powder, highlighter, and applicator. The two brushes are super soft synthetic fibers and kind of remind me of some of Sephora's holiday brush sets that I tried out last year. The products seem pretty unscented, the darker contour powder (left) is quite light and really likely won't show up unless used on very fair-light skin. The highlighter (middle?) seemed more like a mattifying powder to me, and the other contour shade (right) had a little more shimmer to it and I think would be ideal to add slightly more colour to the face after contouring.

And my favourite, the Quo Back to Basics New Nudes Eyeshadow Palette ($25). It is a gorgeous palette and soooo obviously a Naked Palette look-alike. I can't say it's a dupe though, because the pigmentation isn't the same of course. I was impressed with the shimmery shades in this palette but not so much the matte at all. 

And last but not least, Quo Lips All Around Lip Gloss Set ($25) comes with 8 mini sized lip glosses and the packaging is quite nicely done. The glosses are a mixture of a pigmented gloss and glossy shimmer shades. I think there are about 4 sparkly/shimmery shades and 4 without. I love the shades of these glosses and think this is an excellent present for a teenage girl. Not to mention they are mini sized, I think us girls love that. I think I was younger than my teens when I got into lip glosses and I had so many, I was obsessed so I know how badly girls can obsess over these things!

Overall, Quo makes some excellent holiday gifts but they are of course marketed to a slightly younger crowd of girls. I would highly recommend the Lips All Around Gloss Set and the Crackers as the best gifts out of the bunch! The best part about these sets are that the packaging doesn't totally scream 'holiday' and could definitely be gifted well after the holidays (well, except the cracker set, that screams holiday). Quo is available at Shoppers Drug Mart.

These products were received for consideration. All opinions stated are my own and are not influenced by any affiliates. 

Scarlet & Julia; A New Canadian Online Beauty Boutique

Scarlet & Julia is a new online beauty boutique based in Canada. Their website is composed of two sections, a Boutique section where you can browse and purchase many mid to high end skincare, haircare, fragrance and cosmetics. They have brands you can't (or may have a hard time) finding in stores such as Babor, Dr. Hauschka, Coola, Reversa, Lipstick Queen, Eve Lom, and popular brands such as Stila, Lise Watier, St. Tropez, Bliss, REN, Neostrata. There is also a Beauty Outlet section featuring exclusive member only time-sensitive deals.

Scarlet & Julia was kind enough to send me a giftcard to try out their new shopping experience and I ended up picking out two things. The Stila Eternal Love Liquid Lipstick Set and a Dr. Hauschka Concealer. 

Now I don't want to focus this post on the products I picked up, but just a quick first impressions.... I'm in love with the Stila Liquid Lipstick Set, it's a great value and I'd choose it again. Baci is my favourite shade from the trio, (see me wearing it here), Beso is a gorgeous vibrant red, and Ricco is a very dark red plum shade. I'll definitely work on a proper review for these liquid lipsticks. And then there's the Dr. Hauschka Concealer which I am SUPER disappointed with because the pigmentation is just not there at all.

Along with my order, I received a few samples which was a nice surprise. I'm not sure if they will be doing this with all of their orders but it is a great incentive to shop there again if they do!

So the major problems with online shopping is always: SHIPPING AND RETURNS right?

Scarlet & Julia offers a standard shipping service through Canada Post of $9.95 for orders $75 and under, but Free Shipping for orders above $75! Free shipping is my favourite word to hear when online shopping. The downside to purchasing from Scarlet & Julia is their return policy. Obviously, it isn't going to be as lenient as a place like Sephora. Scarlet & Julia requires items to be returned unopened and unused, and sent back within 15 days at your expense. So I'd suggest making sure you know what you want before ordering. 

Besides their low-cost/free shipping and samples with your order, Scarlet & Julia also created a Rewards Program for their customers. Receive 5% in credits on your order to be used towards your next purchase. And for just simply signing up, inviting friends to join, and for every purchase made there are points to be awarded! See more information, here.

PS! 1% of their sales are donated to Look Good Feel Better, an organization supporting women going through and battling cancer. 

They currently only ship to Canadian addresses but there might be room for expansion in the future (don't quote me on this one, I'm just guessing). I'd totally shop here again if I'm ever in the market for something they have on their website, and of course if I can make it over the $75 dollar mark to get free shipping! Would you consider shopping online at Scarlet & Julia?

On The 14th Day of Christmas Giveaway {Canada Only}

So on the 14th Day of Christmas (if this isn't a thing it is now!), I'd like to give you all a chance to win this beautiful and highly coveted Modern Muse Eau De Parfum by Estee Lauder, and 2 gorgeous Nail Lacquer shades (Blue Blood & Explosif). Okay.. well not everyone is eligible I'm sorry x100000. Because there are a lot of shipping regulations when shipping internationally, especially with perfume and nail lacquers, I will only be shipping the prize to a winner within Canada OR if they can provide a Canadian address. 

Prize:

• Estee Lauder Modern Muse 50ML
• Estee Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Blue Blood & Explosif

Rules: Must be 18+ or provide parental consent, provide a Canadian address and respond within 72 hours when the giveaway has finished.

Mandatory Entry: Comment on this blog post and make sure to fill out the Rafflecopter below. You can earn 7 additional entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Baci Lips and Matte Shadows

I've been more experimental with lip colours this year and have sought out to discover the new favourite lipstick - a liquid lipstick. I 100% wouldn't wear any other type of lipstick for the holidays because, face it, holidays means a lot of food, drinking, and lipstick smearing if you aren't careful! A liquid lipstick will last, and with a colour like Stila's Baci, I can be confident in because it isn't a stand out colour. It is a mauve nude and perfect for days you don't want to worry about touching up a bright red lipstick!

Ps. Baci means kiss in Italian. Fun fact!

I know it's typical to have a red lipstick for the holidays (because red + green are Xmas colours, obvi!) but I most likely will be sticking with a mauve neutral like this one for holiday parties. A shade like Baci is very 'in' lately and totally acceptable to wear just about anywhere. 

For the rest of my makeup, I went with a simple full coverage look. I used the Make Up For Ever new Ultra HD Foundation and mixed it with my trusty Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation. I've been doing this lately to get a natural but full coverage look. I've been obsessed with my Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Palette lately, so I did a simple matte look on the eyes with a hint of shimmer over top of the crease using my Urban Decay Naked. A strong winged liner with Stila's Liquid Liner and perfected brows using Annabelle Skinny Brow Liner and Browshow completes the look.

Face: Indeed Labs Nanoblur Primer, Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation (Y235) mixed with Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation (52 Vanilla), Maybelline Master Conceal in Light, Loreal The Touche Magique True Match in Ivory Beige, Nars Blush in Daydream, Kat Von D Shade + Light Palette, Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 25i, Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop, Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Hollow

Brows: Annabelle Skinny Brow Liner in Universal Medium, Annabelle BrowShow in Light

Eyes: Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Palette, Urban Decay Naked Shades Toasted and Hustle, Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara

Lips: Stila Liquid Liner, Stila Liquid Lipstick in Baci

Some products in this post were received for review. (About 6 to be honest!) This is not a sponsored post and was originally written for Fashion Magazine's Beauty Panel.

Philosophy Purity Foaming 3-in-1 Cleansing Gel

Purity is a VERY well known cleansing line by the brand Philosophy, often spotted on the shelves of Sephora. You may be familiar with the Purity Made Simple that comes in a bottle, but I have a feeling this tube packaging might add a bit of confusion! This is the Purity Made Simple Foaming 3-in-1 Cleansing Gel for Face and Eyes, a slightly different product than the Purity we are all used to. 

This cleansing gel comes in a 225 ml/7.5 fl. oz squeeze tube for $28 CAD, and can get a little messy but oh do I like it! It removes all of my foundation, eyeshadow and liner but it isn't a miracle worker so it doesn't get my waterproof mascara off. It lathers well and I can see the tube lasting quite a while. I dislike the tube packaging for such a runny product because it can get pretty messy, and wish it came with a pump. 

This is something you NEED if you want a cleanser to completely remove your foundation and most of your eye makeup, but you just aren't feeling a cleansing oil. Personally, I just don't always want to use a cleansing oil because it tends to be messier. This is super effective at removing makeup and leaves the skin feeling clean. My favourite way of using this is to use a cleansing oil first, and then go in with the Purity cleansing gel to make sure all traces of my foundation are off so there are no chances of my pores getting clogged at night. It does cleanse strongly so it is necessary to add a moisturizer back onto the face afterwards. 

Tips:

If you just strictly want to remove your makeup with this, one lather and rinse will likely be fine for minimal makeup wearers. 

If you are wearing heavy foundation and makeup I would suggest cleansing with this twice, or double cleansing with a cleansing oil first!

Find it at Hudson's Bay in Canada.

Shop Philosophy Purity Foaming Cleansing Gel & Other Purity Products:

This product was received for consideration. All opinions stated are my own and are not influenced by any affiliates. 

eos Holiday 2015 Collection; Tackle those dry lips!

For a harsh winter in Canada, we constantly need something to keep our lips protected and moisturized. eos always comes out with the cutest sets for every occasion! This year for the 2015 holidays, they've packaged 2 familiar lip balms, Pomegranate Raspberry and Sweet Mint, and one Limited Edition Vanilla Bean with a special and fun surprise!

Included in the package of the lip balm trio are a TON of jewelled stickers ready to be stuck onto your favourite lip balms.

I have so many lip balms, but I still keep an eos or two by my bedside... and use one almost every night before bed. They are so handy and cute. Plus they take forever to use up! The stickers in this collection are such a bonus, and great as an early christmas gift or stocking stuffer for children or teens. Just be careful when applying the stickers! I did have a couple break on me as they are sooo delicate. But there will be plenty left over and I realized they don't necessarily have to be used on eos balms.. can you say cell phone case, mugs, cards, keychains?

Find the eos Holiday Collection in Canada at Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart, Loblaws, ,
or shop the products below at Ulta and Target (US).

These products were received for consideration. All opinions stated are my own and are not influenced by any affiliates.