When you wish upon a star....

The Sephora VIB Sale is this weekend and after a few weeks of utter chaos in my life, it was a welcome cause for celebration. Being a VIB Rouge member, I was treated to 15% off my purchases this weekend. Being a compulsive list maker as well, I put together a little "wish list" of some things I could justify getting. You know, because of the sale....    

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Highlighting Palette

The Tarte Rainforest of the Sea collection is really quite interesting. Tarte is rapidly becoming one of my favourite makeup brands, as I alluded to earlier in the Primer Post, and their newly launched Rainforest of the Sea lives up to the hype. I actually ordered the eyeshadow palette from the collection about a month ago, and although I haven't actually busted it out yet, I am super thrilled with it. Beautiful neutral browns and taupes, all shimmery and gorgeous and begging to be played with. The above highlighting palette is just too beautiful. I have been all about highlighting and strobing lately, and I feel this could be a welcome addition to the roster. 

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Highlighting brush

This is another piece from the new Tarte collection and definitely something I can justify getting. I've been using another Tarte brush from their Holiday 2015 brush set I purchased last year, but I'm not thrilled about it. I need an actual brush meant for highlighting and this one looks like it could do the trick. Plus.... 15% off. Need I say more? 



   

Too Faced Melted Matte Liquid Lipsticks

When I discovered Too Faced would be launching a new Melted Liquid Lipstick, I immediately launched into 16 cartwheels around my house. The OG Melted Liquid Lipsticks have a foam tip applicator and go on the lips by squeezing it and applying directly from the tube. If I had any criticism of them.... they don't really make for a flawless application. So when I saw these new little babies I was pumped. I can't wait to try them and see how they compare to my beloved Stila.   

Sephora Favourites Give Me Some Nude Lip

I have long been a fan of any value set or palette. It is the greatest "bang for your buck" and the best way to try new things without spending a million dollars. This set intrigues me greatly, as the nude lip continues to dominate any and all lip trends. In this set you also get some really cool lip products and they are all in my OG favourite lip shade. And the price? Can't be beat at 30 bucks. That's price for just one of the lip products available in this charming little set. Just. So. Good.   

Sephora LashStash To Go

This is perhaps the greatest thing ever invented. Earlier this week, I was having a conversation with my friend Amanda where we were discussing all things makeup. The conversation lead to mascara sampler sets. They are a work of complete genius and I can't even talk about them without hyperventilating from pure excitement. Both of us would probably have flags made with pictures of these things on them, and mount them on our vehicles and homes to show our pride and devotion. Basically, a mascara sampler set is a box with several different brands of mascara inside them, all in deluxe sample sizes, and a gift certificate for a full-sized one of your choice after you've tried all of them and chose a favourite. I couldn't find a picture of the Sephora 2016 one yet, so the above photo is the one from last year. I bought it during the VIB Sale around this very same time a year ago. They are just complete perfection. You basically have mascara for almost a year, and pay $30. Excuse me while I respond to the Call To Prayer to the mascara sampler God.     




The rest of the items on my VIB sale wishlist aren't as exciting as the ones mentioned above. Just repurchases of some necessities like the Anastasia DipBrow pomade, the Too Faced Shadow Insurance eyeshadow primer and some other must-haves. Feel free to let me know what's on your WishList.     



  I'm always up for a few jealousy purchases or two....

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.