I ain't no Hollaback Girl

Gwen Stefani has been a mainstay in the pop culture world I live in since I was ten years old. While I enjoyed some of her songs from her days with No Doubt, I was always more interested in her fashion, makeup and hair choices than her music. That is, until she released her solo album which I spent the entire year after I turned 18 dancing my little heart out to on the stage at my local bar. Then, it became more about her music which I was drawn to and less about her appearance, which I was not. So when Urban Decay announced they were collaborating on a collection with Gwen, I was less than thrilled. Excitement evaded me, and everything I read online promoting it was greeted with a yawn from yours truly. I just wasn’t excited about it. On the Sephora website, I looked at a picture of it when they were “pre-ordering” it, and none of the shades stood out to me. The packaging either. I resigned to the fact I wouldn’t be purchasing it, and I was totally cool with it.



Until I wasn’t.



Everyone in the online beauty community was working themselves up into a frenzy over it. I was inundated with photos, comments and information about it. These girls were PUMPED. It was then that the “Jealousy Fairy” started to pay a visit to me almost nightly. There was just NO WAY someone else was going to have something cool that I didn’t already have. After yet another sleepless night of stress and worry over it (“What if they’re all gone? What if they aren’t making anymore, ever?” “Is this me starting to ‘lose my edge’ with the cool kids?”) I drove like a bat out of hell towards the Shoppers Drug Mart that carries Urban Decay closest to me. As I pulled into the parking lot, visions of the Beauty Advisors pointing and laughing at me as I entered the store filled my head. After I Patrick-Swayze-In-Roadhouse kicked in the front door and sprinted towards the Urban Decay section, I lunged towards the nearest Beauty Advisor.



“Excuse me miss, do you happen to have any of the Gwen Stefani eyeshadow palettes in stock?” was what I meant to say. Instead I merely pointed to the Urban Decay section and started grunting, wheezing and saying things like “Me. Is. Eyeshadow.” All while bending over to catch my breath, sweating profusely and hacking up a lung. Somehow the poor girl understood what I was attempting to say and put one of the palettes in my outstretched hands. I was PUMPED. The colours Gwen chose were all totally wearable and all totally beautiful. The packaging was chic and felt luxurious. And the best part? It came with four samples of her upcoming lipstick collection. I was thrilled with my decision to purchase the palette.

About two months went by and she not only launched her lipstick collab, but a blush palette containing six of her must-have shades. You’d think that I would have a different mindset about these next products as I was quite happy with the eyeshadow palette and you’d think I would want to be the first in line to try anything else.



You thought wrong.



This was another “Oh, I don’t know if I’m really bothered” moment for Bri. It wasn’t until I was, yet again, completely bombarded with information and excitement from other girls over the blush palette that I was, yet again, consumed with jealousy over it. Upon a sporadic trip to Sephora one random Sunday to exchange something, I decided to check the blush palette out in person. You know, just to see. I FLEW out of the store and into my car, careening down the highway towards SDM with only one thing on my mind.



GET THE PALETTE.

The same poor girl happened to be working that day and history repeated itself as she gingerly placed the gorgeous blush palette into my waiting arms. I also chose two lipsticks, both Gwen’s signature red shade, to accompany the blush. I am so happy with everything and am actually looking forward to her next product she launches.


Which, I’m sure, I “won’t be too bothered with”.

Primed and ready to go

When I told my friend Marcy I was relaunching Shimmerette, she said two things. The first was “Oh good it’s about time you came back, idiot hooker” and the second was “Can you please do a post on primers?”. Well Marcy my sweet little papoose, your wish is my command. Foundation primers are a mysterious and confusing subject to most. There are so many to choose from and they all claim to have all kinds of superpowers.  When it comes to my primer, I’m a simple kind of girl. I’m not interested in the bells and whistles (Anti-Aging! Redness Relief! Pore Minimizing!) that so many of them offer. I just want something to “prime” my skin for my shellac of a Lancome Teint Idole. Primers are also a slippery slope, because once you start using one, you can NEVER wear your foundation without one again. (In my opinion, that is.) My foundation feels and looks so much better with one, and lasts so much longer. It is grounds for Warfare if I happen to run out, which I did on a trip back to see my family two summers ago.



“911 what’s your emergency?”

“OH MY GOD I RAN OUT OF MY MAC PRIMER AND I CAN’T GO BUY MORE OH GOD HELP ME WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS SUFFERING WHY GOD WHYYYYYYY” *Amidst sounds of sirens, car alarms, explosions, crying babies and howling wolves*



Primers are seriously THAT important (to me at least). I wanted to highlight a few that I have tried and my opinions on them. Enjoy.

The MAC Prep and Prime is probably the one that I have used the most. I started using it years ago, and everytime I try something new, I always go back to this one once I’m done. It’s a basic primer, slightly on the thick side and not silicone based. I do like it. I like how it comes in a pump, so you can really control how much you want to apply, and I like how you get a good sized amount in each container. It’s nothing exciting, doesn’t have any extra properties and is a basic primer. I thought I loved it. That is, until I tried the next one I’ll talk about. If you prefer not to have a silicone-y primer this is definitely one I’d recommend.

Cover FX Illuminating Primer. To be honest, when I received this primer after doing some product training last year, I wasn’t overly excited. I was used to using my Prep and Prime, and I wasn’t really keen on trying out a different one. But, when I ran out of the tube of Prep and Prime in January, I decided to bust it out. I am SO happy I made that decision. Cover FX is arguably the best primer I have ever used. My makeup looks more or less the same at 11 o’clock at night as it did at 7am when I applied it the same day. It feels so nice on the skin, almost moisturizing. Strobing is something I have been into lately, so I don’t know if it’s the highlighting powder I’ve been using or the “illuminating” effects of the primer but I have noticed my skin have a “dewier” look to it. I’m actually obsessed with this primer and will most likely repurchase when I inevitably run out of it. Highly highly recommended. And it’s not silicone-y either. So so good.

Smashbox Photofinish Primer is probably the most recognizable primer product. It’s super popular and I believe it’s also Smashbox’s highest selling product from their entire line. I used to use this exclusively when I started wearing primers over 10 years ago. I don’t like it. However, that’s because I don’t like silicone based primers. I find them greasy and they almost defeat the purpose of a primer, as the foundation seems to slide off upon application. (For me, anyway). I much prefer the Cover FX or a Prep and Prime, as they are a different texture than this one. The Smashbox Primer line is quite vast and they have different primers for every skin need. (Mattifying, Light, Colour Correcting, etc). I’m not a fan, but they are quite popular with everyone else it seems. To each their own.

Too Faced Hangover Rx Primer. I received a deluxe sample of this little number in a Too Faced limited edition “Try It” set I purchased last year from Sephora. It was a box with five of their most popular products from the line, all in deluxe sample sizes. I thought it was genius, as it’s a great way to try new things without investing in full sized products you may not necessarily like and paying full price for them. (The set was $30 I believe). The Hangover Rx primer was one of those deluxe samples included in the set. I brought it with me when I went to visit my family this past Christmas, as I wanted to minimize the weight of my makeup suitcase (no really….) as much as possible. I liked it,  but it didn’t blow me away like Cover FX. It was a simple, very liquid-y and non-silicone based primer that seemed to soak into my skin like a moisturizer. It did the job I guess, as my makeup wasn't melting off my face and was a lot better than the Smashbox one but not nearly as amazing as my beloved Cover FX. Not something I will repurchase again.




I’m already anticipating the sounds of “What? The bitch just said she is obsessed with Cover FX and only wants to use that one now!” when my next statement is revealed. I do have a (short) wishlist of some primers I want to try at some point (soon.) I know, I know. The Cover FX primer is the bomb. But what if there’s something better out there?  So the hunt continues. On my travels, I would like to try the Tarte Poreless Perfecting primer as Tarte is rapidly become one of my favourite makeup lines currently. I also would like to pick up the Marc Jacobs Undercover Perfecting Coconut primer. The name just sounds cool. And the VIB Rouge sale is coming soon….


Because you know I can justify anything.

Hi-Ho Hi-Ho It's Back 2 MAC I go

For those of you unfamiliar with Back 2 MAC, it's a loyalty program offered at any MAC store across the country. For every 6 used products you bring back to the store to "recycle", you get a lipstick, lipgloss or single eyeshadow of your choice for free. For organization purposes, I keep two MAC bags going in my makeup room at all times. One bag is where I drop my "used up" products, and once the minimum number of six is reached, I transfer all of them to the second bag, ready to be taken into my local MAC store to recycle. This program is a great way to reward yourself with a fresh new gloss or eyeshadow to try. Usually, I end up getting lipsticks, as I am a complete lipstick junkie (in case you couldn't tell). This weekend I had to make a trip into the Promised Land to grab some things for my friend Amanda that she needed with my Pro card. This was a great opportunity to bring my "Back 2 MAC" bag with me, as I had enough empties to choose four new lipsticks.

Having quite a large collection of new MAC lipsticks, I actually ended up having to consult a photo in store I posted on Shimmerette to see which ones I already had. Being as the products I would be getting would be free, I felt compelled to try some different shades than I normally would.

MAC Red and Syrup

Upon first glance I was quite attracted to Syrup. Lately I have been all about the rosy brown nudes that seem to be ever so popular online, and Syrup was no exception to that. Also, I felt that I needed a new MAC red, so why not pick up one that literally said it?

Heroine and Up The Amp

The next two shades were quite unusual and different than my normal colours of choice. Heroine has long been a MAC cult classic, and I decided there was no time like the present to try it out. A deep purple, it is definitely not for the more conservative lipstick lovers. I followed it up with Up The Amp, a slightly lighter shade of purple. I am really looking forward to busting these little babies out soon enough.



Free lipsticks, Amanda's bag of goodies, and I was out the door unscathed from having to spend any of my own money. Awesome, right?



If only it were true.

The Zac Posen collab he did with MAC launched a few weeks ago and I really liked everything. What I didn't really like? How I had to wait a few weeks before I could use my Pro card on anything in the collection. But, I made it through, and was delighted to see not everything was sold out. Surveying the scene with a "responsible" attitude, I chose two products. A matte red-magenta lipstick and a contour brush that I was absolutely dying over when the collab launched. I am SO happy about both items, and I love everything about them. The packaging is so sleek and chic and makes me feel happy inside. I can't wait to start using them, the contour brush especially. It's just so beautiful.

Zac Posen Contour brush

Zac Posen Lipstick in Dangerously Red

Wishing you a shimmering, sparkling makeup-filled week ahead everyone!

Please NYX I have a family

It's only been a week since I last posted a NYX haul BUT.....



I got sucked in again.



NYX is just The. Bomb. Lately I've been addicted to watching short little makeup "tutorials" (not even since they are literally about 15 seconds long in fast-forward) on Instagram, and time and time again I keep seeing their Butter glosses being used. Being a lipgloss "conaisseur" if you will, I am very particular when it comes to glosses. Sticky texture is not something I tolerate. The NYX Butter glosses aren't sticky, and the colours are all super nice. I will admit I went completely psycho. The makeup beast took over my body and soul, and I literally blacked out. When I came to, I was the proud new owner of 8 new NYX lip products.

I regret nothing.




IN MY DEFENSE... I started pretty tame. The Butter glosses were really the only thing I was after. I kept seeing the shade Creme Brulee everywhere on Instagram, so that was naturally the first item that went into the basket. Oh but then Creme Brulee was located directly beside another enticing shade, Maple Blondie. I started swatching them on the back of my hand, my excitement growing. From there it just escalated until I had four Butter glosses in my clutches. The Soft Matte Lip Creams were directly beside the Butter glosses on the wall and I simply could not ignore how beautiful they all were. Stockholm was the chosen shade, a lovely nude brown that seems to be all the rage currently.

From there I made the large error of glancing at the NYX Liquid Lipsticks. Swatching them all, well all the ones that had testers available, I grew absolutely in love with them. Yesterday was a beautiful Spring day where I live and it made me feel like some bright and bold lip colours needed to be in my life. I chose Pink Lust, a vivid hot pink reminiscent of Stila Bella, and Life's A Beach, a bright and beautiful coral. I can't wait to sport them around town.

Swatching Festival 

Honestly, I was going to stop there. But something caught my eye as I prepared to walk away. It was their Wonder Pencil; a reverse lipliner, concealer and eye brightener all in one. It's safe to say I will only be using it as a reverse lipliner, as I have other products that serve those other needs. And the price? It could not be argued with. Ended up costing me around $4.

Wonder Pencil in Medium

After this, I am not allowing myself to be around the NYX section for AT LEAST a month. Well, maybe like two weeks. More like one week.



Who am I kidding, I'll see you tonight NYX.

Netflix and Chill

It should come as no secret to anyone that knows me that Netflix runs my life.



There's no better feeling to me than crawling into my calming sanctuary of a bed, at the very late hour of 9pm (Yeah....) and turning on my iPad, ready to catch up on whatever delicious episodes of any of the shows I am watching on Mother Netflix. I wanted to do a quick post on the shows I currently have on tap (Just on Netflix, I watch other shows as well on regular TV. As stated previously.... I heart TV.) or have watched and loved recently.

House of Cards. This was a complete no-brainer. Season 4 was released last Friday and I am re-watching Season 3 to get in the zone before I delve into any new episodes. I absolutely love this show. It makes me feel like I could feasibly run a country (which is a frightening thought I'm sure to literally everyone that knows me).

The Mindy Project. Season 4 was released on Netflix a few weeks ago and I was beside myself with excitement over it. It's seriously one of my all-time favourite shows. The writing, the fashion, the plot and characters are so up my alley. Words can't describe how much this show has warmed my heart over the years.

Love. This was a Judd Apatow produced joint and it is easy to see why. I would best describe it as an Indie comedy with some real-life romance thrown in. I started watching because I was a fan of the show Community which the lead actress in Love, Gillian Jacobs, starred in as well. I ended up hammering out the entire season in a matter of three nights. Highly recommended if you like indie movies.

Chelsea Does. Honestly, I was never a super-fan of Chelsea Handler. However her new series, Chelsea Does, is really really captivating. Each episode is dedicated to a different topic (i.e Marriage, Technology, etc) and is quite well put together. I started watching this show during the AFC Championship game when it became clear to me that my beloved New England Patriots would lose (about two minutes into the game, hey Maegen and Jordan?!) and quickly became transfixed.

Cartel Land. I have long been obsessed with anything to do with the Mexican Cartels and this documentary was insanely compelling. Upon the first few frames of this riveting film, you are instantly pulled into this crazy (REAL) world of how the cartels are affecting the Mexican province of Michoacan. So. Good.

Scandal. I will admit, it has fallen by the wayside of House of Cards and GOT (we are in the process of re-watching from Season 1 to prepare for the newness that arrives on April 24 EEK). My BFF Maegen is obsessed with the show, and after many moons of resisting starting yet ANOTHER new series, I gave it a shot. I love it. Usually, my taste in TV shows lies more along the lines of HBO or Showtime but there's something about Scandal that I am drawn to. It's total escapism, and I can just turn my brain off and get swept away in the salacious drama of each episode. I will admit I actually started watching Scandal as something to "bond" over with Maegen, who does not watch TV whatsoever save for Keeping Up with the Kardashians (which I do NOT). It's a huge bonus that Scandal is actually really good. Once I have dealt with House of Cards I will come back to this little piece of gossip-y heaven.




As always, I welcome all suggestions of anything in Netflix Land. Feel free to send me an email, which can be found in the "About Me" section. And thank you, as always, for reading!

It puts the lotion on its skin

Unlike Buffalo Bill, I have never been interested in the application of creams or lotions on anyone's skin, much less my own.



Makeup has always ruled the roost in my world. Skincare was never something I was remotely interested in much less valued. I would much rather spend my money on shiny and sparkly makeup products than invest in “boring-ass skincare” (to quote myself). Having had a particularly stressful year in 2015, for the first time in my life I saw signs of aging. (I was mildly horrified that it turned out I was not in fact the female version of Benjamin Button but that is neither here nor there).  Stress can do terrible things to the human body, and I will admit I bore the brunt of it on my face. So, I began to look for an alternate moisturizer and eye cream, both with some anti-aging properties in them.

My precious

The first thing that changed was my moisturizer. For years I had always used the Vichy Normaderm one, from their anti-acne line. I have been extremely fortunate that I have never had to deal with acne, just the occasional zit on my jawline once in a blue moon. The Normaderm moisturizer always kept this in check, and I never had any issues with it ever. I ended up switching to the Lancome Bienfait SPF 30 day cream and I have been completely in love ever since. It is super luxurious, super hydrating and super scented. I would not recommend this one for any type of sensitive or reaction-prone skin. On me however, it works wonders. A night cream is something that I am still not using (I know I know, BAD) but I think I actually may end up purchasing the Bienfait night and giving it a go. We’ll see.

A complete must-have for thine eyes

An eye cream was the obvious next step. About a year ago, I received the Strivectin eye cream to try. To be completely honest, I wasn’t thrilled. It just seemed rather…. Boring. Nothing exciting or pretty about it or the packaging. Thank the heavens above that I decided to “give it a whirl” one day, not long after I got it. I absolutely LOVED it. I still wear it to this day. It is the BEST eye cream I have ever used and I am beyond happy that I let it sneak its way into my heart. I will not go a day without it and I have absolutely noticed a difference in the fine lines and dark circles I was blessed with after a year from hell.

My other precious. Costs about $20 at SDM

I realize the next thing I want to talk about is going to sound weird considering I did a post raving about an alternate product but….. I changed my face cleanser and I have never been happier. Around the end of October of last year I purchased a few skincare sets as Christmas gifts for my friends and family. Of course I had to pick one up for myself. I was drawn to the Biotherm sets because of the striking cosmetic bag that came in it. It was a stark winter white colour and the perfect size to travel with.  I chose the set containing their basic moisturizer for dry skin and along with a full sized jar, it came with their cleanser and toner. I ended up loving them both so much I repurchased the cleanser when it inevitably ran out. Obsessed is a word I would use to describe my love affair with the Biotherm foaming cleanser. It gives the perfect amount of creamy lather, takes off all my makeup, and doesn’t leave my face feeling “tight” at all, rather it leaves it feeling supple and smooth. This has sadly replaced my Neutrogena foaming facial cleanser as my Holy Grail of cleansers. I still keep the Neutrogena one in my shower though, just so it doesn’t feel too left out.

One thing I have not changed is my eyemakeup remover. It’s still the good old L’Oreal waterproof eyemakeup remover and I believe it always will be. You just can’t beat it.



Compared to some, my skincare preferences aren’t anything crazy or special. But trust me. I’ve come a long way. Not on a Buffalo Bill level, but a long way.

Building a foundation

When it comes to foundation, there’s a category of women who look amazing without it. They don’t consider it a necessity or part of their everyday makeup routine. Their skin is radiant, flawless and gorgeous. They look the same in the mornings when they wake up as they do at night when they crawl into bed. Effortless, easy natural beauty is something they are accustomed to. Rarely will you find them scouring the makeup stores in search of any kind of foundation. They are happy without it.



I am not one of these women.

This girl won't be seen in public without her armor!

A few words come to mind when I think about going a day without wearing my foundation. Words like Horror. Disgust. Fear. I’d rather chew glass, honestly. One time I was overcome with a sense of bravery and ventured out in the early morning to the Starbucks drive-thru, oversize sunglasses plastered across my face of course, completely-makeupless. I kept looking for the Mean Nun from Game of Thrones to chant “SHAME” and toll a bell at me the entire drive there. Alas, that is my only time I have ever been seen in public without a full face of foundation. It is such a security blanket for me and I have tried my fair share of different ones over the years. My OG favourite and only one I will let touch my face now is my beloved Lancome Teint Idole 24H transfer-proof foundation. Amazing does not even do this justice. Having talked about this previously on a few different posts I won’t go into a ton of detail about it but I seriously can’t say enough good things about it. For someone like myself it’s perfection. Amazing coverage, staying power, and available in a TON of shades.

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H foundation in 260 Bisque N

I also use a powder foundation as well, because I want as many layers as possible to hide the Swamp Monster that lurks beneath. The Lancome Dual Finish is amazing and currently what I’m using every day. With powder foundations, I am a lot more easily persuaded to try different things. In the past year I have tried the Estee Lauder Doublewear powder foundation and the Clarins Everlasting powder foundation. I wasn’t thrilled about the Estee Lauder one but I actually really liked the Clarins one and plan on going back to it again when I am in need of something new. However there’s just something so luxurious about the Lancome Dual Finish. First off, the smell is quite enticing to me. I can best describe it as smelling quite similar to L’air du Temps perfume by Nina Ricci and it just so happens that this specific perfume is my mother’s signature scent. Every time I smell it, it always transports me back to being a young girl watching her get ready for a night out or an event and feeling overcome with joy. Overcome with joy because that meant she was going out, therefore LEAVING THE HOUSE and that meant I could sneak and watch TV shows I wasn’t supposed to and eat snacks I also wasn’t supposed to (sorry Mom).  I guess in some small way everytime I open the compact and inhale the scent of the creamy powder, I am reminded of her and feel her presence even though she is currently living in another country. Scent aside, the coverage this powder foundation gives is superb. Perfect for me.

Lancome Dual Finish powder foundation in Matte Wheat II

If you have any suggestions for a foundation or powder foundation I would love to hear about them. Feel free to send me an email (you can find my email address in the “About Me”  section) or comment below.




Any excuse to go shopping.

Bold and the Beautiful

Trends are always changing, but one that seems to be here to stay is the bold lip. It’s also a trend that I have been LOVING. Wearing a bold lip takes some confidence. Rather, a LOT of confidence. It definitely is not for the faint-hearted and for the first few times I will admit I felt slightly self-conscious. Self-conscious that people were talking about me behind my back. Needless to say, several YEARS after this bout of self-consciousness about my deep burgundy lips, having people talk about me behind my back would be a dream come true as I would LOVE to be the topic of Random’s conversations. (As stated before, I own my crazy. One time in Vegas years ago, a drunk girl who was a complete stranger told me to "F**K OFF YA BRITNEY SPEARS WANNABE and it was single-handedly the greatest moment of my life.) No, there’s nothing I love more now than to grab a bright fuschia gloss or a vivid red lipstick and completely rock it. Now I’m actually more drawn to the more bold tones when shopping for lip products to be honest. They can make a basic outfit or hairstyle seem instantly put together. Even when I wear all black from head to toe I absolutely love to throw in a pop of colour to brighten up an otherwise monotone look. These are a few of the bold lip products I have been loving lately.

Looks normal in the packaging but goes on quite dark

One insanely popular makeup product from 2015 was the Stila Liquid Lipstick in Patina. It was insanely popular and subsequently sold out EVERYWHERE because it was the “Kylie Jenner” lip colour. I managed to find this one in DECEMBER of 2015 tucked away in a teeny little Stila display in a Shoppers Drug Mart in Windsor, Ontario. Strolling casually (“LOOK NORMAL, LOOK CASUAL, I DON’T WANT THEM TO KNOW THEY’RE SITTING ON A GOLDMINE, EVERYTHING’S FINE HERE, NOTHING TO LOOK AT”) were some of the thoughts that raced through my mind as I approached the till with deathgrip on the sole Patina I had located in perhaps a months-long search. I have worn it several times since it entered my possession and I really love it. It’s definitely a more muted tone for a “bold lip” post but I felt it necessitated a mention.

A friendship was made over this bad boy

I really had to reign myself in when it came to mentioning the Stila liquid lipsticks as I want to do an entire post dedicated to their greatness. However, I simply could not do this post without mentioning Bella. A Starbucks barista and I bonded over it, as she was wearing it one day last summer when I came in to get my usual latte. For my birthday last year, I chose to go to Calgary to do a day of shopping with Maegen and grabbing this from Murale was a no-brainer. I was actually wearing Bella the day I found Patina, all the way in Ontario, and the Beauty Advisor that rang through my purchase complimented me endlessly on it. Bella is shockingly hot pink but so so chic.

One of many Melted liquid lipsticks I hoard I mean have

Too Faced launched their Melted liquid lipsticks over a year ago and during that time I have amassed a sizeable collection of them. I have really liked every one that I have tried so far from my collection and from the ones I have used, Melted Melon is a favourite. It is an unusual, extremely bright orange-y coral and not something I would've pegged as the one I liked the most. But I think that's what I like about it, that it is so different. I still have a lot to get to from the Melted collection, so I'm sure I will have more favourites to come.

OG's

I could not do a post like this and not mention my OG Wet n Wild lipsticks. Every single solitary time I wear one, especially Cherry Picking, someone pulls me aside to ask what lip colour I have on. They are literally the greatest lipsticks I have ever used and they are less than $3. I have talked about them so much to so many people, but I still get a little thrill to this day about that amazing discovery over a year ago. Hands down, proudest makeup moment of 2015.


As I write this, I have compiled a list mentally of all the lip products I want to open up and use so I can talk about them. I have SO MANY cool things that I've got in the past year that I want to delve into. I can't wait to do a full post on the Stila liquid lipsticks that I have become obsessed with since last summer. The Smashbox anniversary lip palette is another one that I wanna open up and start playing with. Just so many awesome and beautiful lip products begging to be unearthed.

Waiting to be discovered

I should probably buy some more MAC lipsticks don't you think

And I'm sure, a few more to be purchased as well.

Nyx has my heart

A little Nyx haul comin' atcha on this lovely Sunday.


I have long been obsessed with Nyx makeup. At my first job, many moons ago (sob), we carried the brand and I remember loving everything I ever tried. It's hugely popular in the online beauty community and it's hugely popular for a reason. It's amazing. The quality of everything in the line is most comparable to MAC in my opinion. It's a makeup-y makeup line. It's meant for girls who LOVE makeup and who want the latest trends. My favourite thing about the line? The pricepoint is incredible. You're paying the same as you would pay for any of the brands on the mass makeup wall (Maybelline, Revlon, etc) but the quality is the same as any of the brands you would find in your Beauty Boutique or Sephora. I can't say enough good things about Nyx. My only issue with it is it has always been that it's hard to find. That is, it was hard to find until Shoppers Drug Mart started carrying a few weeks ago. I may or may not have screamed, gasped for air, waved my arms wildly around looking for something to brace myself on, and then promptly burst into tears when I saw it moved into it's new home on the mass wall. I couldn't wait to try all the new products I kept seeing on Instagram.

Nyx Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in SoftSpoken and Vintage

Sporting Vintage

The first items I bought were two of the liquid lipsticks in two very different shades. I have recently become unhealthily obsessed with the Stila liquid lipsticks and wanted to see how the Nyx ones would compare. Having only tried one of them so far, I don't feel like I am ready to review them as of yet. Stay tuned.

The Jewel of the Nile... Soft Matte Lip Cream in Copenhagen

Instagram is so important to me for finding out about new launches, new products and look ideas. I kept seeing so many posts about the Soft Matte Lip Cream lip products that I felt compelled to pick one up as well. Someone who also frequents the online Beauty Community told me that the shade Copenhagen was sold out everywhere, which meant that I set the landspeed record for stampeding to the section to see if I could find one. Standing in front of the little Lip Cream display, clutching my sides, wheezing and gasping for air as I began to raise my arms and fistpump in glory as if I had just had accomplished an Olympian victory was not one of my finest hours.

The Motherload

I went a little crazy last night and ended up purchasing a quite a few items that I am over the moon about. Their Contouring palette was one of the best reviewed items of 2015 and tears sprang to my eyes as I cradled it in my arms. I also chose the Strobing palette as well, as I have been REALLY into highlighting lately. The shade selection is incredible. 8 different shades come in the Contouring palette (which is insanity) and 6 come in the Strobing one. You can literally do any look you want, and it will work for every skin tone imaginable. As I type this, I am actually pounding on my keyboard because I AM SO EXCITED about these two products. A full review will follow if you're interested.


Brows are my jam right now, and I always am interested in trying anything new brows-wise. Their Brow Mascara intrigued me, and I knew I needed to give it a whirl. Into the basket it went. Currently I am also on the prowl for a new liquid liner, as the one I am using currently (Clarins 3 Dot) isn't completely thrilling me and it is coming to the end of it's life soon. I thought "Why not?" when I saw this liquid liner; Super Skinny Marker. Nyx actually has a few different varieties of liquid liners, but this one spoke to me the loudest. Rounding up the haul was an Intense Butter Gloss and a Matte Lipstick. Both colours are similar nudes. I swatched them both in the store and was super excited about the colour pay-off.


If you're interested, I'm planning on doing a full review of everything once I've had the chance to really play with everything. I have high hopes for everything I picked up and I am really looking forward to getting them into the mix.


Also, shout-out to the kid I drop-kicked out of the way during my Running of the Bulls to get to Nyx. I'm sorry about your luck, but maybe next time, don't stand in the line of fire when there's a Copenhagen Lip Cream with a world-wide shortage problem available to a crazy lady with a raging makeup problem and PMS. It will end badly for you.

Come into my makeup lair

Let’s get all up in my personal space y’all.  

As I alluded to previously, I moved last year. I moved into my very own HOUSE. In the town I feel should probably get a restraining order against me because I am so obsessed with it. My house is perfect for my kid and I. We have a good-sized yard, awesome deck, plenty of space and….. A MAKEUP ROOM. When I was in the process of moving in I had already reserved the extra bedroom upstairs for my Oasis. Normal thought process would be “This would make a great guest bedroom! For my guests! To be comfortable and sleep next to humans!” Normal thought processes evade this girl on the daily. My guests can sleep in the cellar. Mama needs her Tarte collection to be easily accessible.

 I knew I wanted to keep the master bedroom as decluttered and sleek as possible. In my bedroom at my old place, I had no other choice but to keep all my clothes, makeup and everything else all in the same room. As an admitted clothes, makeup and everything else shopaholic, this made for close quarters. To say I was in awe of all the extra space my current bedroom has is an understatement. It feels positively immense. It also comes with another bonus feature…. A Walk-In Closet. For years I was forced to ram my gigantic clothing collection into one closet, two dressers and two rolling racks squished together and shoved into a corner. Now I have So. Much. Room. Two closets between both rooms as well as a spacious bedroom for racks. As an admitted clothes, makeup and everything else shopaholic however, I had no problem filling up all the extra “room” I had.

 When I moved, I got rid of about half my makeup collection. I purged everything. Nothing was safe. It felt good in a way to be free of so much product that I wasn’t using, and was never going to. Not that I didn’t feel a panic attack heaving buckets of eyeshadows into the garbage. I just felt better knowing that everything I was keeping deserved to be kept. Plus, who am I kidding, that gave me MORE room to fill up with gorgeous gorgeous MAKEUP!  

A little sneak peek comin' at ya

This room is still slightly a work in progress but I feel so peaceful when I’m in it. At times I have literally exhaled “AHHHHHH” upon entry. It’s also given me time and space to really see what I have in my wonderful ALEX organizer “dresser”. As stated before, I still have some work to do with it. Some reorganization, decluttering and perhaps another purge. Having my own pure girlie refuge filled with all my favourite things has made me very happy.

And worry not, future guests. I’ll make sure I throw you an extra blanket for the cellar.

Re-Launch

I'm back bitches.

In a perfect world, you are reading this blog post while you tend to your shrine of me you carefully constructed in my absence. Perhaps you are even wiping away tears as you start blowing out all the candles, taking down the photos, and finally turning off Sarah McLachlan’s “I Will Remember You”  which has been on a continuous loop since I abandoned my precious blog 9 months ago.

Am I being delusional? Probably. But that is my middle name after all.

These past 9 months have brought many changes to my life. Before assumptions are made I can assure you these changes have not been of the “Offspring” variety. That would be an act of God if we’re being realsies. No, these changes have been kind of major, really. I started and ended a relationship after being single for a loooong time, I MOVED (to Casa de B&B, my perfect Bachelorette girlie oasis, which also happens to be in another TOWN), I went through some major changes in my professional and personal life, and I took two trips back to see my family. Since I last posted, I have pretty much gone through the entire spectrum of human emotion over the past 9 months. And one thing was for certain after the dust had settled.

I missed Shimmerette.

So many things to talk about. New makeup products, new TV shows, new EVERYTHING. I can’t wait to share what I have been up to and am looking forward to catching up with you on everything I have missed. And I promise I won’t abandon you Casey Anthony style again.

At least not for another 9 months. (Joke)