Tea & Topaz

Like concealer , there are so many ways to apply foundation. I just started using this method and it's by far the best I've ever tried. It looks totally natural while providing great coverage. Squeeze about a dime size amount of liquid foundation onto the back of your hand. With a clean finger, dot foundation all over your face. Using a flat top brush, stipple the foundation into your skin and lightly buff it into your face and neck until blended. Repeat these steps if you want full coverage. That's it!

When it comes to applying concealer, there is tons of advice out there - apply it before foundation, apply it after foundation, apply it with your fingers.... Today I am sharing my favourite way to apply concealer. My favourites: Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof 12-Hour Concealer, $26, available at Sephora stores, sephora.com or tartecosmetics.com . EcoTools smudge brush and highlighting brush from the Essentials Eye Set, $7.99 at Rexall drug stores or ecotools.com Over the years, I have learned that less is more. That definitely is true when we are talking about concealer. I find that the more you use, the more obvious it is that you're covering something up. Instead of a concealer brush, I like to use two tiny brushes, either eye or lip, to apply my concealer. First, I apply foundation to my face. I then use the smaller brush to apply concealer to the blemish and I use the bigger brush to blend. Finally, I set the concealer with a little bit of powder to make sure it lasts...

Lately I've been trying to break all my bad beauty habits. Things like touching your face and not drinking enough water can wreak havoc on your skin. These are 10 bad beauty habits that you must break!  1. Don't touch your face without washing your hands first. Your hands are full of germs that you don't want to transfer to your face as they can cause breakouts. 2. Drink more water. Make sure you stay hydrated as dehydrated skin looks dull and tired. 3. Don't forget your SPF. We're all guilty of this. Remember to apply sunscreen before you apply your makeup, and if you're out in the sun, make sure you reapply often. When I was growing up, my mom used to say that we didn't need to wear sunscreen after 4 pm. Well the sun has become so strong since then that it is now recommended that we wear sunscreen until sunset! Don't forget about your lips either! 4. Don't hoard makeup. I've seen some pretty impressive makeup collection videos on Y...

A few months back, I blogged about an Essence blush . Today I thought I would share a new beauty favourite with you, which happens to be another Essence product.   Essence is without a doubt the most affordable drugstore line at my local Shoppers Drug Mart, with products ranging from about $1.99 to $5.99. The product range almost looks a bit juvenile due to the packaging (and its low price),which may make it seem like not a serious cosmetics line. However, the Essence products that I've tried are among the best drugstore products I own, and definitely rival products from Revlon and Loreal, the "high-end" brands of the drugstore. Their I Love Extreme Volume Mascara and Gel Eyeliner are cult beauty favourites. I recently picked up Essence Lipstick in All About Cupcake and Like a Lady for $2.49 each. All About Cupcake is a cool toned pinky nude while Like a Lady is a cool toned dark pink. Like a Lady is not on Essence's website, which makes me think t...

1. Starbucks Teavana Shaken Iced Blackberry Mojito Tea Lemonade : This drink is such a delicious blend of mint, blackberry and lemonade. It is limited edition and I will be sad to see it go now that the summer is over. 2. Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara : Another month, another Tarte product. I do love Tarte. I don't normally buy high-end mascaras since you're supposed to toss them every 3 months, but I received a trial size of this product a while ago and have just now gotten around to using it. I love everything about it. The formula is great (not too dry and not too wet), and it lengthens, thickens and curls my lashes without clumping.  $24 at Sephora stores, sephora.ca and tartecosmetics.com 3. The Mindy Project : I just started watching (or should I say binge watching) the Mindy Project on Netflix. What took me so long to watch this?! If you are a 20 or 30 something year old woman, you need to watch this show! It is so hilarious and real. I can...

Physicians Formula isn't the most popular drugstore makeup brand by any means, so today I am devoting this post to their Talc-Free Mineral Correcting Powder . This little gem has been one of my go-to products for years. This product seems to be completely one of a kind as I'm not aware of anything similar, either drugstore or high end. Physicians Formula describes this products as a 3-in-1 corrector, primer and powder that "colour corrects the most common skin imperfections, smoothes skin texture and evens out skin tone." It is available in four shades, Translucent, Creamy Natural, Buff Beige and Natural Beige, and it costs $19.99. Each shade combines yellow, pink, green and beige coloured powders. Yellow cancels out purple/blue under eye circles on olive skin tones, pink highlights and cancels out purple/blue under eye circles on fair and light skin tones, and green cancels out redness. I use this powder as a primer. Every liquid primer that I've ...

If you read my July Favourites  post, you'll know that I recently purchased the limited edition Tarte Rainforest After Dark Colored Clay Eye and Cheek Palette . Today I thought I would review and swatch this palette for you. Although Tarte Cosmetics is one of my favourite beauty brands, they are not well known for their eyeshadows. In fact, they don't have any eyeshadows in their regular product line, and the only time they seem to be released is in limited edition palettes. I've tried their eyeshadows in the past, and I loved the formulation. As always, these products are formulated without parabens or phthalates.  This is the third disk palette that Tarte has released, and the first one that I've purchased. What initially caught my eye is the fun packaging as well as the eyeshadows, which are perfect colours for my green eyes. It's rare that I find a palette where all the shades seem made for me. This palette is a steal at $46. It contains six...

Here's what I've been loving during the month of July! 1.  Aerie Perky Triangle Bikini Top and Hipster Bottom : I feel way too old to shop at American Eagle/Aerie (it used to be my favourite store when I was a teenager) but every now and then I check their website (they have some amazing sales!) and find a gem. This bikini is one of those gems. I normally hate triangle tops because they can be hard to keep in place if you have a small bust like me. I was looking for a new bikini and for the price, this one was hard to pass up, so I took a chance and purchased it. This bikini top is amazing ! It's padded perfectly, so I never have to worry about it slipping out of place. The matching bottom is in the hipster style and it provides a lot of coverage. This is definitely my new favourite bikini and I plan to order it in a different print. On sale at Aerie stores and aerie.com 2. Tarte Rainforest After Dark Colored Clay Eye and Cheek Palette : The minute I first saw t...

I've never been crazy about orange before, but lately I can't get enough of it . I love it paired with blue or light coloured neutrals, and it looks amazing when added to a head-to-toe white outfit as a pop of colour. Orange and all its shades - from peach to coral to tangerine to amber to ginger - is definitely the colour of the summer for me. Today I am sharing some of my favourite clothes, accessories and makeup that are in all shades of orange. Zara /  Neoprene Printed Dress Topshop / Vienna Jumpsuit by Motel Wilfred / Sabine Dress Anthropologie / Draped Pencil Skirt Anthropologie / Tiered Chiffon Blouse Talula / Chiba T-Shirt Essie / Roarrrange, Summer 2014 Collection Tarte/ Amazonian Butter Lipstick in Coral Blossom Manolo Blahnik /  BB Suede 115mm Pump BaubleBar / Corded Whirlybird Bib Necklace Anthropologie / Stalasso Bib Necklace Kate Spade / Henry Lane Emmy

These are my favourite fashion, beauty and random products for the month of June! Boyfriend Jeans: I've been living in boyfriend jeans all month. I got this pair on mega sale at American Eagle a little while ago. They are no longer online, but these three pairs are similar and are also on sale.  On sale at ae.com Olay Pro X Advanced Cleansing System : I have been loving this cleansing brush so much! It makes my skin feel so clean. As promised in my most recent post in my natural beauty series, my review is coming soon . I highly recommend it if you are hesitant about investing in a Clarisonic.  $24.99 at well.ca and drugstores Strawberries: Fresh local strawberries have been everywhere lately. They're so flavourful and I've been enjoying some everyday.  Yes to Tomatoes Oil Control/Acne Control Gel Cleanser : Between the hot, very humid  weather and wearing sunscreen, my face has been a bit temperamental lately. I've been using my normal ge...

I can't believe it's the end of May already. Hopefully the summer weather will be here soon! Here's what I've been loving during May. This month's list is as random as usual. 1. New Balance SuperLight/SuperFresh 895V2 Walking Shoe : I'm definitely not a sneaker kind of girl. It's been years since I last owned a pair, but I bought these New Balance 895V2 sneakers a few weeks ago in preparation for the Shape Up Challenge , and I love them! They are perfect for walking or running. $89.99 at newbalance.com 2. White Noise Lite App : Sometimes I have a lot of trouble falling asleep at night. I stumbled upon this free app in the Apple App Store and I can't believe how quickly it puts me to sleep! There are a selection of soothing sounds to choose from such as crashing waves, thunder and a ticking grandfather clock. Free, available for iPhone and Android 3. Revlon Lip Butter in Sorbet : Lately I've been turning to this bright cool-toned p...

Today I wanted to share with you a blush that I picked up over the weekend from Shoppers Drug Mart. If you're not familiar with Essence , it is a super affordable makeup brand that has excellent pigmentation and lasting power. This blush is part of the Kalinka Beauty Collection. It comes in one shade only, East Side Story, which is a gorgeous and highly pigmented coral colour. According to Essence's website , this collection was only available during March 2014. However, the Shoppers location that I visited (which is a very busy location in a busy Toronto neighbourhood) had a full display case. Hopefully you can find this product! It is worth buying just for the adorable packaging! Essence Kalinka Beauty Blush in 01 East Side Story, $3.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada, and Ulta, Walgreens and Fred Meyer in the USA