tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29250051967202775162024-03-05T17:49:19.042-05:00sou-douzaine.lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.comBlogger186125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-49975181781099428182015-11-13T17:04:00.001-05:002015-11-13T17:04:09.211-05:00Seattle 2015<center>
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Seattle, Washington! What a fun day trip. I was really excited to finally get to Seattle after having a 10 hour layover in the city, about 6 months ago (but overnight no less). I had taken a Bolt Bus from Portland to Seattle and arrived in the Emerald City around 11 in the morning.<br />
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The bus stop was in the International District (a.k.a. Chinatown, Japantown, etc). I decided to walk around there first before making my way into the downtown core. I walked into a Japanese food market and was overwhelmed by its sized and all the goodies it had. I decided to have lunch here. I was also able to purchase a little bag of my favorite Hawaiian chocolates, Hawaiian Host, that made me happy. After finishing up a lunch of onigiri, I walked into my first ever Daiso store. I've always heard so many good things about Daiso so I was pretty thrilled to finally get to see what it was all about. It reminded me a lot of One's, a similar concept store we have in Canada, however things are not as cheap as Daiso. I had to keep myself from buying everything because I brought a tiny suitcase with me and was worried that I'd have to ship things back. I resisted all temptation and walked out empty-handed. Gasp. I know.<br />
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I then made my way back to the bus stop station to purchase an Orca card, which is like Seattle's version of the Presto card that we have in Toronto, except a million times better. It's basically your bus ticket for the day. After picking that up, I took a tram into the city, where my first stop was the Pike Market Place.<br />
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It's a massive indoor market with produce, fish, sweets, snacks, crafts, and more. Although I will be honest, I was there to be able to say that I got to visit the first ever Starbucks store.<br />
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I didn't care to purchase a drink there, but I did pick up 2 of the You Are Here mugs specific to the Pike Market Place for my collection and a fellow coworker's.<br />
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Did I mention that Seattle has steep streets?? Because I had no idea that they did! It wasn't all that bad and I don't mind the mini workout, I just wasn't expecting it. The surrounding area of the market place is really quaint and nice. It has a nice character to it that reminds me a lot of our St. Lawrence Market in Toronto. <br />
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I eventually made my way up the steep streets and onto another tram towards the infamous Space Needle.<br />
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On recommendation of a friend, I visited the Chihuly Glass Garden which is right beside the Space Needle. I purchased a packaged ticket for both the museum/garden and an elevator ride to the top of the needle.<br />
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Needless to say, the garden/museum was absolutely gorgeous. I have never seen anything life it before and I would highly recommend it as somewhere to visit if you find yourself in Seattle.<br />
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The Space Needle was my next stop, naturally.<br />
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There were some really nice views from up there, especially of the mountains, including Mount Rainier. I took my time at the top to relax and just take it all in and figure out what to do next as I still had a few hours to kill before heading back on the bus back to Portland.<br />
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I really wanted to go and visit the famous "Haunted Coke Machine" that I heard about a few weeks prior to my trip, but it was too out of the way to make the trip, just for a pop. Instead, I decided to slowly make my way back towards the stop while making stops along the way, along the Pier to be specific. I ended up eating dinner at a Red Robin because it was convenient and familiar. I have a tendency to forget to eat while on vacations (oops).<br />
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After my meal, I decided to take a ride on the Great Wheel! I love ferris wheels and carousels alike.<br />
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Seattle reminds me a lot of Vancouver, but just a lot more older and worn down a bit. After the ride on the wheel, I walked along the Pier some more and discovered Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, which sold some pretty cool wares.<br />
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By this point I was fairly exhausted so I decided to find a Starbucks and park myself in it until the bus came. I mean, it's Seattle, the Starbucks capital of the world, there's got to be a bunch of them around, right? While yes, that holds true, the one I found closed so early! Thankfully it was fairly close to my departure time so I didn't have to wait long to be on the bus again and back to Portland.<br />
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In all, Seattle was a fun city to be in. It's definitely a lot bigger than Portland, but still not quite the same as Toronto. I was able to see quite a bit and it's a good city to walk in if you want a nice workout. There were some places that I definitely missed out on and had to exclude because of timing and just lack of energy. I would definitely need more than a day to conquer Seattle, but I was pretty content with everything that I did end up seeing during those few hours.<br />
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If you'd like to see more photos from my Seattle trip, you can find them <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/crashclover/albums/72157660199631210/with/22028316943/">here</a>.lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-7947303374958853872015-11-13T16:28:00.000-05:002015-11-13T17:05:15.667-05:00Portland/Oregon 2015<center>
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Yes, I've managed to get my butt in the air again and to a new place that I've never been to. This past October, I decided to make a trip out to Portland, OR, which also included a day trip up to <a href="http://sou-douzaine.blogspot.ca/2015/11/seattle-2015.html">Seattle, WA</a>.<br />
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I never really had considered Portland to be a place worth visiting; Seattle? Yes, but not so much Portland. After having a not-so-short layover in Seattle, earlier this year on my way back from Hawaii, I didn't feel content enough to leave Seattle without exploring it properly, so I vowed to return some day. I knew of Portland, of course, but I didn't know too much about it. After seeing many internet posts about the kind of people in Portland, and yes, even getting myself into the show <i>Portlandia</i>, I knew I had to add it to my list of cities to see. I figured I would make a trip of Seattle as well, since it's only about a 3 hour drive north of PDX. I also had purchased tickets to see one of my favorite bands, MUTEMATH, who had a stop in Portland on their tour, so I <i>had</i> to make a trip of it!<br />
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I started my first full day by exploring downtown Portland and all it had to offer. I started off by visiting the Lan Su Chinese Garden. It was absolutely beautiful! It was also really neat to see such a green space in the middle of a city.<br />
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Portland is a very small city, compared to a metropolis as Toronto, where I'm from and where I go to work. It was honestly a nice change of scenery as I found that the hustle and bustle of a big city, was almost non-existent in Portland. It could have also been the west coast vibe, but it was a still just a nice place to be.<br />
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I did as many touristy things that I could in Portland: I visited the "Keep Portland Weird" sign, skipped out on the tourist trap Voodoo Donuts (opted for Blue Star instead!), got lost in Powell's City of Books, sat in the Pioneer Courthouse Square, and so on and so forth. It was pretty simple and quick to see these spots in a day. I'd say you wouldn't need more than 1 or 2 days to see this city.<br />
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For those wondering, the city is known for their love of food trucks, and believe me, there are a LOT of food trucks. I only ended up visiting one of them since I stayed in the Alberta Arts District in the North Eastern quadrant of Portland. Portland is also known for their love of craft beer, hipsters, hippies, and strip clubs. I can confirm all of them. The atmosphere and people are super friendly and super amicable. The city seems a little rundown than what I'm used to, but it has a charm and character that's very appealing, in my opinion.<br />
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I also got the chance to see one of my favorite bands of all time—MUTEMATH—in this new city. I had such an amazing time and encourage any and everyone to listen to them or even go and see them live. It's worth every penny!<br />
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One thing that I absolutely love as well is the accessibility to nature! Portland is part of the Pacific Northwest and if you know anything about the PNW, you know it's a nature lover's fantasy! I love all things mountains, trees, winding roads, lakes, oceans, etc. I did my best to see/do as many nature things as I could without having access to a car. I only ended up renting a car for one of the days that I was there and drove out to the Oregon Coast. My trip took me through Washington State, back into Oregon to reach the northern most part of the coast. The weather wasn't the greatest so I didn't spend as much time as I wanted to, to see what I wanted. In retrospect, I'm kicking myself for not stopping in Astoria, Oregon as I found it absolutely beautiful while driving through.<br />
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I made an attempt to find the Shipwreck of Peter Iredale, and failed. My next stop was Seaside, OR that has a nice beach, boardwalk and promenade. Again, because of the wet weather, I couldn't see or do much there.<br />
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My last stop was Cannon Beach. It was the one stop that I had hoped out of all the stops I made, would be the best, and it was! The weather calmed down just enough for me to make the windy walk out onto the beach and towards the absolutely stunning Haystack Rock and the Needles.<br />
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I made my way back to Portland after this stop, but I was just absolutely blown away by the gorgeous scenery of my drive in both Washington and Oregon. It's absolutely breathtaking and beautiful. I'm glad that I made it while the leaves are still turning colors. The roads are lined with gorgeous evergreens and other trees that had leaves turning colors. So even though the weather wasn't the greatest (I did get some periods of the sun coming out from the clouds though), the drive alone made the trip worth it.<br />
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I spent the remainder of my trip just wandering around and not really doing too much. I definitely wished I had rented a car for the entire week so I could have seen either Mount Hood or the Columbia River Gorge, etc., but that just means that I have to go back some day (:<br />
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On my last days of trips, I like to give myself some sort of "send off". I decided to make my way downtown to the Portland Aerial Tram for a different view of the city. The sun had finished setting by the time we got to the top, but we were all greeted with a gorgeous, massive, full moon. My kind of send off~<br />
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In all, Portland was a nice city and it'd even be one of those places that I could potentially see myself living in, but probably not any time soon. It's relaxed, the people are good and friendly, the transportation is amazing and done right, the food was good, plus they even have a bit of a music culture there, which is something I love and value. I would definitely recommend it as a stop for anyone doing the west coast. I wouldn't suggest needing an entire week there though as you can get through it fairly quick. It's a nice little gem of the PNW and I was happy to call it my home for about a week.<br />
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If you'd like to see more pictures from my trip, you can find them <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/crashclover/albums/72157658277837104">here</a>.<br />
lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-10185035139961004742015-10-02T20:16:00.000-04:002015-10-02T20:16:10.448-04:00LANEIGE Water Bank Serum ReviewHeyo, long time no see. I am back with a review of a product line that I've been dying to try for nearly a year now, from the amazing people at Influenster! <br><br>
If you haven't heard about it already, LANEIGE is a Korean skincare brand that has finally landed in North America! The range is now available at Sephora across North America, and I must say, I'm so excited to have this line finally accessible to me. When I saw the email to apply for this VoxBox, I got SO excited! I've been dying to try their sleep mask for a while now. See the below unboxing video to see which product of the 4-step, 24 hour hydration system that I got.<br><br>
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<br>I was a tiny bit sad, because for some reason, I thought I was getting the <i>entire</i> set (oops!). I mostly wanted to try the sleep mask, but nevertheless, I was excited and grateful to be able to try at least one product from the line, and full size too, no less.<br><br>
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Like I said in the video, I was very impressed by the amount of product that this serum comes with: all 60ml of it! I use serums from Estee Lauder and Ole Henriksen and they range between 15ml–30ml of product, so this is impressive. I've been using this product daily for the past 2 weeks.<br><br>
The serum itself is white and lightly fragranced. I find that the fragrance dissipates as you spread it over your face so it's not too overwhelming. I usually use about a pump and a half to cover my face and neck because I find that one pump is not enough and 2 pumps is too much. The formula itself is nice and <i>very</i> moisturizing. I love that it doesn't dry out or tighten my face, like I find that Ole Henriksen does. I have also applied the serum without moisturizer after and my face still stays fairly moisturized, which I am quite impressed about. I did find a tiny dry patch appear on my face after using it, but this generally happens when I introduce new products to my face, but something I don't consider a deal-braker of products.<br><br>
I've always loved skincare products that have water in them because I find them extremely moisturizing and what I need. (Reasons why I love Vichy's Aqualia series *ahem*)<br><br>
The product retails for <b>$46.00</b> at <a href="http://www.sephora.com/water-bank-serum-P399795?keyword=LANEIGE%20Water%20Bank%20Serum%20%20P399795&skuId=1749712&country_switch=ca&_requestid=186678">Sephora</a>, which, given the amount of product in the bottle, is a really good value! I've paid more for 1/4 of the amount that comes with this serum and it's only just a serum for the <i>eyes</i>.
If I had to pick something negative about this product, it would be that the fragrance is not my favorite (but like I mentioned above, it dissipates), and my second <i>concern</i> really—not so much complaint—is that the bottle is glass and it's heavy. I worry that if I drop it, it'll shatter. It's honestly difficult to find anything wrong with this. The value of this product is excellent and I see this product lasting a long time.<br><br>
Because this product turned out well for me, I would absolutely be interested in trying out the rest of the line (of course, including the coveted sleep mask I've been dying to try for so long). I also love that they have a sample/travel pack of the entire line! I would definitely try that out first before deciding to either go for the entire line in full size or just specific products.<br><br>
All in all, I would absolutely recommend this serum! Thanks Influenster<br><br>
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It's been a while since I've posted anything. It's hard to stick to blogging when people you know are no longer into it. It also gets tiring and whatnot, but because I've been having a lot of downtime lately at work, I thought I should update you all on my most recent trip. At the beginning of May, I had the opportunity to return back to my favorite place in the world: Hawaii. The island of Oahu, to be more specific. I was able to enjoy a 10-day trip, <b>solo</b>, and it was amazing.<br />
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Because I had been there before, 2 years ago, I had already gotten a lot of the tourist things out of the way (luau, climbing Diamond Head, Waikiki Beach, Kalakaua Ave, etc). Because I only stayed for 5 days on my prior trip, I didn't get to see the entire island, and that was my main goal for this trip. I also wanted to be able to live the Hawaiian life and relax, instead of cramming as much as possible into my days and exhausting myself. I also took the trip over my 25th birthday and thought it would be the best way to celebrate 25 years of my life: by myself, in the place I love the most.<br />
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Because I was solo, I was able to walk around aimlessly and make all the mistakes I possibly could, without feeling bad for toting someone along. It's something that I've always wanted to do and Hawaii was the perfect place to test my theory. The first few days were spent walking around downtown Honolulu, revisiting Ala Moana and just getting reacquainted with the familiar surroundings.<br />
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On this trip back, I booked my lodging through <a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.airbnb.ca/c/lmoore221?s=8" target="_blank">Airbnb</a> and ended up staying in Honolulu for <b>less than $100(CDN!!) a night</b>. I did have a coupon offer however, that saved me even more, but I would have been paying around $100 a night...which is still a lot less than paying for a hotel. I ended up with a really nice, small, bachelor's apartment on Ala Moana Ave and was within walking distance to pretty much everything I needed. It was perfect!<br />
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The first place I visited outside of Honolulu was Kailua. I had briefly driven through Kailua during my previous trip, but hadn't gotten to explore anything. I had rented a kayak and did some kayaking for the first time ever on the Pacific Ocean. While it was pretty easy, I didn't last very long because we were hit with a little bit of a storm with high winds and rain, thus making me return to shore within an hour. After the rain had cleared and I had gotten some lunch, the kayak rental place was nice enough to let me rent a bicycle to cycle around the town with. I think I had more fun cycling around and taking in the beautiful scenery of Kailua and neighboring Lanikai, than I did on the ocean haha. I seriously began to question what I was doing living in Canada.<br />
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A few days later, I had gone on an island photography tour as a way to 1) get to see the entire island, 2) get to see all the scenic parts of the island, 3) learn some new photography tips. We started at 7am on the east coast of the island. There were lots of clouds and wind, which created a very interesting mood. We started at Makapu'u Beach and spent a few minutes here. It was absolutely beautiful and quiet. We stopped at a lot of beaches and lookout points. I couldn't believe how much beauty there was on such a small island.<br />
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One of the things that I wanted to do for myself with this trip was to get myself out of my shell and make sure that I didn't waste too much time being spent indoors. I won't lie though, it did get lonely at times, especially being in a honeymoon and family vacation destination, so going for many walks with my camera was a good way to keep myself busy. Oddly enough, I did get a lot of people applauding my bravery for being there alone or a lot of people thinking I was local as well haha.<br />
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The island is so incredibly rich in culture, especially from Asia and Polynesia. I was just constantly blown away by the preservation of all the cultures you could find everywhere you went. I even made the trek out all the way to Kaneohe to visit the beauty Valley of the Temples. It's so gorgeous that you wouldn't feel so bad about dying if you were to be buried in this place. I know I would love to be. <br />
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The main purpose of my visit to the Valley of the Temples was to see the beautiful Byodo-In Temple. For any of you Losties out there, it's the temple where Sun and Jin got married. It was beautiful! But a lot smaller than I had expected. You could even go inside the temple to be greeted by a giant Buddha statue and the fragrant scent of incense. There was even a bell on the premises to ring for good luck and a little gift shop as well.<br />
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A few days after my visit to the temple, was my birthday. Normally I am not a fan of such a day, but I figured since 25 is a milestone, I should suck it up and do something extra special. I woke up and treated myself to a tasty breakfast of a coconut macadamia soufflé pancake at a nearby restaurant. A few hours later, I was on my first ever helicopter tour!! I was so excited for it. I had originally booked my tour with another company that boasts having the doors of the helicopter off. Unfortunately they had to cancel my booking because their helicopters were out of commission for repairs. It was sad, but I wasn't going to let it ruin my day. I'm glad I went through with it because the views from a helicopter are stunning!<br />
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I had even gone to a concert that night to see local Toronto-based band Silverstein for the first time. I was so impressed that when I came home, I went to see them on the following Friday.<br />
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The next day I had made the 2 hour bus trip to the North Shore. Haleiwa, to be more specific. The little surf town was adorable! I walked up and down the little strip they had and visited a bunch of shops. I even passed by the infamous Matsumoto's Shave Ice, but wasn't in the mood to have any, despite the short line-up.<br />
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I didn't spend too much time there since there isn't very much to do if you're not surfing/swimming. It was still very cute and a very memorable part of my trip as well.<br />
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My trip was finally coming to an end, so I spent my last full day there shopping my heart's content. I was so happy that Lupicia was open this time around since last time I was there, they were closed for renovations. I picked up a bunch of tea and Hawaii exclusives as well. I did most of my souvenir shopping this day as well and managed to grab some things for friends/family. I then decided to walk over to the Hilton Hawaiian Village to watch the firework display, as a sort of send off to myself. It was really nice. I was so sad to be leaving...<br />
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Unfortunately my return home was a little stressful as I had almost missed my flight because the shuttle service I had booked had missed my stop, leaving me forced to take a cab. Ah well. The entire experience of the trip definitely trumps that little incident. I had a 10 hour layover in Seattle, WA to look forward to. Unfortunately it was overnight, so I didn't get to see much of Seattle. That being said, I think Seattle and even Portland are on my radar for my next possible trip.<br />
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If you're interested in seeing more photos from my trip, <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/crashclover/albums/72157650901467824" target="_blank">visit my Flickr page</a>.
lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-2437482880260914302015-01-17T10:29:00.001-05:002015-01-17T10:30:56.963-05:00Memebox Superbox #80: Pumpkin Pie Cosmetics<center>
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I've been hearing a lot of about Memebox for quite some time now and I finally took the plunge in purchasing a box. I had seen boxes that I wanted, but were too late to order since they were already sold out, so I took at look at their upcoming boxes and since it was around October/November that I ordered the box (yup!), it was time for pumpkin season, so I decided to order this box. Generally their site has disclaimers about when the boxes would be shipped out. Mine was slated for a December 12th shipment. I didn't get my box until this year! But for free shipping, it doesn't matter really.<br />
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Let's start at the beginning though, shall we? What is Memebox? It's a site that features these themed boxes, full of full sized Korean beauty products from beauty/make-up to skincare. They also have a webshop where you can purchase any of the products featured in their boxes, individually, if you really liked what you received and don't know where to buy them. <br />
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Upon opening the box, I am greeted with a double-sided info card with product information (in English ^^) and even directions on how to use everything. I was a bit confused as to why this box was called "Pumpkin Pie" because it only appears one product has pumpkin, but upon reading the description of the box, it's suppose to feature "other yummy ingredients that you'd find in a pumpkin pie". Read on...<br />
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<b>Dearberry | Coco's Secret Recipe Pumpkin</b><br />
How cute is this packaging??? Unfortunately it's the only real "pumpkin" item in this entire box. This is supposed to be a "wash-off pack", made with real pumpkin extracts. Pumpkin is great for the skin as it's full of vitamins and beta-carotene—great for dry skin! This is also said to brighten the skin/complexion. It's basically the equivalent of using a face mask: you apply it after a cleansed face and keep it on for a few minutes. I look forward to using this because sometimes it's a little difficult to do much when you have a cold sheet on your face.<br />
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<b>Insobeau | Multi Complex V-Line Repair Sleeping Mask</b><br />
I was pretty excited to receive this type of product because I LOVE sleeping packs! I've been eye Laneige's Sleeping Pack for a while but this came just in time to try something new. Don't get me wrong, I love my Vichy Night Spa, but I've been dying to try a Korean brand version for a while. This product in particular contains rich nutrients and protein from its egg (!!) complex. It melts quickly into the skin with minimal stickiness to revitalize and firm dry, tired skin overnight. It contains a blend of adenosine, peptide, argan oil, collagen, albutin, and ceramide (a lot of things I don't know about :x). I have already used this product and found it similar to my Vichy one, however the texture was a lot more thick and less gel-like. I wasn't sure if this was because the product was leaking a bit when I opened my box or not... Either way, this product worked well for me.<br />
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<b>Enesti | Shea Butter Hand Cream & Verbena</b><br />
This stuff smells so great! I have already used it quite a few times and it does a great job of keeping my hands moisturized and smelling great, without being too strong. It absorbs into the hands quite well, albeit a little thick.<br />
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<b>Tonymoly | Gold Black Sugar Mask</b><br />
Like the name suggests, this is an exfoliating sugar mask using black sugar. I have yet to use it, but I am hopeful it'll be effective. Unlike most exfoliators, you keep the product on your face for 10-15 minutes before washing off. Looking forward to this one.<br />
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<b>Enesti | Day to Day Rice & Milk Foaming Cleanser</b><br />
I've heard a lot of good things about rice/milk cleansers, so I'm definitely looking forward to trying this out as soon as I'm done with my egg cleansers—yes, I don't like opening all these products before finishing one. This particular product claims to gently cleanse away all makeup residues and skin impurities while also clarifying uneven skin tone for a brighter, more youthful complexion.<br />
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Overall, I'm SUPER impressed with memebox! The price ($29.99) is definitely right for the amount of full-sized products that you get to try. I am a little disappointed that a "Pumpkin Pie" themed box only features <i>one</i> actual product with pumpkin, but after looking back to see "the other ingredients you'd find in a pumpkin pie" (eggs, lemon & verbena (?), sugar, milk), I'm still pretty happy with the products I received and will definitely be using ALL of them!<br />
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Next time, I would maybe select a faster shipping since it took a while to get here (although it could have been holiday rush time as well;;) or probably select a box under their "ready to ship now" tab.<br />
<br />lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-63141467724830365242015-01-09T20:21:00.000-05:002015-01-09T20:21:22.603-05:00My Skincare Routine<center><img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0646-1.png"></center><br>
Hello all! Happy 2015.<br>
Since January is usually the month of "resolutions", I thought I would share my new skincare routine that seems to be working quite well for me. First off, this isn't a resolution of mine as I've begun using this particular routine for about 3 months or so now and have seen some fantastic results on myself!<br><br>
Let's begin. I'm not an expert on skincare, nor do I care whether I'm doing things in the right order. I was inspired to add new products into my routine because of a blog post where I read that in Korea, women usually have no less than 10 steps in their skincare routines! I had to read up on it and see some videos myself to see all the products they use. I decided to take my own spin on it by catering it to the amount I have to get ready in the morning and at night.<br><br>
<H1>Cleanse</H1>
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<b>Tony Moly Eggpore Shiny Egg Soap</b><br>
There's not particular reason as to why I chose a soap cleanser where you have to foam it up yourself, but I have seen these egg soaps for years now and I decided to try it out for myself as I felt that some sort of foaming cleanser will cleanse better than say, Philosophy's Purity cleanser (which I was using prior). These soaps claim to clear out blackheads. You use the white soap in the morning and then the brown one at night. I have found that the number of black and white heads have decreased from around my nose area and most of my face, but not entirely. I normally don't get black heads so that's not much of a problem for me to begin with. The soap also claims to shrink pores as well and I can't really testify if that happened for me or not because I'm lucky enough to not have many areas with large enough pores.<br><br>
I start off by wetting my face with warm water, running the soap briefly under the water and lathering it into the palm of one of my hands. I try to make it foam as much as possible in my hand instead of on my face. I then apply it to my face in circular motions, starting with my t-zone and then the rest of my face. I then rinse off the soap with the same warm water, then switch the water to cold, to close the pores. I then lightly pat the water into my face with a towel. One of the Korean skincare routine videos I watched recommended to let the water air dry, while pressing the water into your face and neck. I did try this at first but I just had no time or patience to wait for it to dry, so a light towel pat will do.<br><br>
<h1>(Optional) Face Mask</h1>
You know, those fantastic, but slightly creepy full-face beauty masks. I usually do this once a week, generally on the weekends since I have more time. My favorite face masks are usually the ones with red ginger, but I havent met a face mask that I didn't like. I generally keep them on between 10-20 minutes, depending on time (or irritability). After taking them off and disposing of them, I rub the leftovers into my skin.<br><br>
<h1>(Optional) Face Scrub</h1>
Not pictured above, but I try to exfoliate my skin at least once a week to get rid dead skin cells. I really like using St.Ive's Apricot scrub. I know a lot of people find it abrasive, but I love it! Personally, it makes me feel like it's really scrubbing off the dead skin that I don't need. I don't find it at all irritating and find that my skin gets quite smooth right after using it.<br><br>
<H1>Face Serum</H1>
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<b>Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster</b><br>
I had received this serum in a smaller bottle as a deluxe sample from Sephora and had only used it 2-3 times. I always liked the smell of it, but never really understood the purpose of it, until now. This serum smells absolutely amazing and is packed with so many things that are good for the face. It also claims to brighten, reduce lines and support the natural collagen production. I have noticed a slight brightness in the face and a little bit of redness reduction too, even. It's not a cheap product, but it does make all the difference for me in my routine and I love using it. I generally use this serum in the morning.<br><br>
After my face is fairly dry from the towel pat, I pump the product into my hand and spread it between my hands to cover both palms. I then press both hands into my cheeks, then forehead, nose, chin, neck, etc. I don't rub it into my skin, but press.<br><br>
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<b>Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Treatment</b><br>
Like the name suggests, this serum is a night treatment to which I use at night. This serum—or rather a gel—claims pretty much the same things as the truth serum, but is more formulated for night time use. I find that this stuff smells a bit unpleasant. It reminds me of some sort of glue or adhesive, but I still use it regardless. The only thing is, I find it dries out my skin a bit more than compared to the truth serum and I find it makes my skin a little red/irritated in my cheeks. However, when I wake up in the morning, it's usually gone by then.<br><br>
To apply this, I pretty much do the exact same thing as the truth serum.<br><br>
<H1>Eye Serum</H1><br>
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<b>Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Serum</b><br>
I always thought the concept of eye cream or serum was silly and pointless (heck, I may have been right for all I know), but I did feel strange that I can treat everything else on my face, but my eyes! I made my way to Shoppers Drug Mart to ask the beauty consultant there for recommendations in serums (I didn't do the best of research beforehand and was too excited to get my hands on something to complete my routine). The lovely associate recommended me this (quite expensive) eye serum and had given me a seemingly honest opinion and recommendation for it. I've never tried Estee Lauder products before so I was a little unsure. She was very knowledgable about it and i decided to take the chance. After bringing it home and doing some research on it before opening the bottle, I read a lot of rave reviews on it and decided to keep it. This serum claims to help fight against environmental/pollution effects on our skin, to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, brighten and get rid of puffiness (which is something I need in the morning!) Although the product says "Night" in the name, the associate told me that it was good for both morning and night and that was that.<br><br>
To use this product, I pump out a tiny rice-grain sized blob onto the back of my hand. I take the serum into one of my fingers and rub it between 3 fingers of both my hands and start lightly patting it around my eyes. I had no idea beforehand that there was a particular method for applying product to around the eyes.<br><br>
<h1>Moisturizer</h1><br>
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<b>Vichy Aqualia Thermal UV</b><br>
I'm a huge fan of Vichy's Aqualia Thermal collection and have been using this moisturizer quite regular for almost 2 years now. I love that on top of it being a moisturizer, it has a really good SPF content of 25! It also comes in a nice pump form so there's no worry of sticking my fingers into a jar. It's very moisturizing, although the formula is a little of the thick side, which makes spreading it a bit difficult. My favorite thing about this particular product is that it has SPF that's good enough for every day wear and it's what I do. I have very sun-sensitive skin being as pale as I am and I take pride in keeping my complexion that way!<br><br>
To use this product, I pump it onto my hand, then like the serum, spread it between my palms and press it onto my face and neck, as well as rubbing it a bit. I generally only use this in the morning as there's no point in wasting product with SPF at night ;)<br><br>
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<b>Vichy Aqualia Thermal Night Spa</b><br>
This stuff is amazing! I've been waiting for a product like this to hit North America for a little while. It's pretty much the NA equivalent of many Asian skincare's "sleep packs". This particular product is ultra-comfortable and velvety. It claims that it infuses the skin with hydration overnight, when skin is most receptive to treatments. My skin is honestly so soft in the morning that sometimes I don't feel like doing the morning routine to wash it off. Its texture is quite lightweight and almost gel-like. It also has a really nice light, aqua blue color to it.<br><br>
I generally use this at night and alternate between this and the moisturizer below during the week. I usually take a small amount from the jar and place dabs of the product on my cheeks, chin, nose and forehead, before rubbing it all over the skin. The product also came with these instructions for suggestions as to how to rub it into your face to relax yourself.<br><br>
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<b>Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation</b><br>
This product came in a set I bought with the serums from above so I didn't know what to expect. I was quite pleasantly surprised as what this guy can do. It's pretty light-weight, but does a good job for the off-night moisturizer. Again, because it doesn't have any SPF, I have no use for it during the day, so I chose to use it at night. This product claims to help fade dark spots, even skintone, and prevent premature signs of aging. It smells really good as well and does a good job at making sure my skin is still smooth in the morning.<br><br>
I apply it the same way as I do with the Night Spa.<br><br><br>
Overall, I've noticed quite an improvement in my skin and have noticed that I haven't broken out in quite a long time! I have tried taking care of my skin in the past but always found myself not wanting to clean my face more than once a day or only having the shortest routine possible which usually contained cleanser and moisturizer or just moisturizer on its own! I've learned better by now.<br><br>
And now brace yourself for a picture of my -gasp- no make-up, no photoshop, no nothing face!<br>
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(oh yes, i've dyed my hair green too, btw :'))<br><br>
So that's all. I just wanted to share. Take care!
lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-19229157082715409182014-11-02T19:54:00.001-05:002014-11-02T19:54:10.054-05:00Deborah Lippmann | Across the Universe<center>
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It's been a while since I've shared any sort of swatches for polish. I know this one is not a new shade, but it's a cult fave and I finally got to add it to my collection: Deborah Lippmann's <i>Across the Universe</i>.<br />
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This polish is described as a blue jelly base with chunky glitters of blue and green. It's actually quite a marvellous sight in person and hard to capture in photos.<br />
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Unlike most glitter polishes, the jelly base builds up to a nice shade of navy blue with excellent coverage. It took me about 3-4 coats to achieve this opaqueness. The beautiful thing about the sheerness of the base as well, is that the glitter shines through each layer you brush on to your nails, creating a wonderful jelly sandwich.<br />
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I bought this from Sephora for <b>$22 CAD</b>, however I was lucky to have a Friends & Family 20% off coupon on hand to justify the steep price of the polish :')<br />
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I would definitely recommend adding this to your collection if you ever get the chance to grab it. I received quite a few compliments on it, which is always nice to hear for someone who wears nail polish all the time.lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-45065178701657277822014-10-10T13:21:00.000-04:002014-10-10T13:21:55.564-04:00Vancouver 2014<center><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3889/14915812309_7c5c296308_c.jpg"></center><br>
Yes, it's been a while, but I've been busy moving into a new home and getting settled. I thought it was about time for me to post about my fantastic trip to Vancouver this past summer. Like my <a href="http://sou-douzaine.blogspot.ca/2014/08/boston-2014.html" target="_blank">Boston trip</a>, I'll do my best to spare you too much details and just share photos.
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I will preface this post by saying the reason why I went to Vancouver was to participate in my first ever Supernatural Convention a.k.a VanCon. I'm not a super huge or a diehard fangirl of the show, but I needed an excuse to go to Vancouver since I was denied my chances earlier this year. Either way, I was going to see the other side of my country!<br><br>
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For those of you who may not remember, the 2010 Winter Olympics were held in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. Vancouver, however, is more than just a past Olympic city. Aside from spending most of my time in the city for a convention, I did my very best to explore all the beautiful scenery it has to offer. My friends and I stayed in Richmond, BC, just south of Vancouver city, using Airbnb for the first time as well.<br><br>
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With the recommendation from a coworker, I visited the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, which, as you may have guessed, is home to the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Spanning 140m across and 70m off the ground, walking across the suspension bridge was surprisingly difficult, let alone trying to take decent photos! With the amount of people walking across the bridge from both sides, it made for quite a shaky trip.<br><br>
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park also offered more than just <i>the</i> bridge though:<br>
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In between sessions/panels, I made it to Granville Island as well: a cute, very small, artsy island just south of the city, nestled under a bridge, that you can get to by ferry or bus/car.<br><br>
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Then on the Monday, after the convention was done and over with, I made sure I woke up early enough to explore the downtown core. I started with Gastown for some souvenir shopping as well.<br><br>
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I then explored the rest of downtown, closer to the waterfront and I was absolutely taken aback by the scenery. Absolutely amazing.<br><br>
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The rest of that day was spent packing up my stuff, relaxing a bit and spending a few hours in the Vancouver International Airport. I enjoyed my trip and was so glad to have finally gotten the opportunity to see Vancouver.<br><br>
<b>If you're interested in seeing more photos from my trip, you may do so by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/crashclover/sets/72157647089404642"><u>clicking HERE</u></a>.</b>lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-22557482722824548892014-08-05T15:00:00.001-04:002014-08-05T15:00:45.165-04:00Boston 2014<center>
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Considering it's been about 2 weeks since I've returned, and another 2.5 weeks until I leave for Vancouver, I thought I should share about my trip to Boston recently. I probably won't go into too much detail because my plan with this post is to share my photos instead of boring you with little nothings. I was there, however, for 4 days so it'll be fairly short.<br />
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This was my first ever trip to Boston. It kind of happened by accident or rather under a weird circumstance. I had never considered visiting Boston in my life because I never knew what it had to offer except Harvard University and Fenway Park (both in which I didn't visit). I was going to follow my boss there to keep her company while she attended a conference. Soon after booking our flights, the conference was cancelled and she had to back out while I was left with a non-refundable ticket to Boston. <i>Now what?</i> I decided to make a trip of it.<br />
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I had nonchalantly asked a friend of mine to join me and she actually accepted! I was thrilled. The lonesome trip to Beantown was now an adventure for 2!<br />
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We ended up staying in a hostel called <b>HI Boston</b>, right in the heart of Chinatown and Boston's Theatre District. This had been my first experience in a hostel and I was more than pleased with how it turned out! I was definitely weary about staying in a hostel because I'm not too crazy about sharing a room with multiple strangers. Thankfully the hostel offers private rooms for 2 people and that's what we went with. The facilities were immaculate and you could tell it was perfectly catered towards young people. A more enjoyable and comfortable experience than a hotel in terms of friendliness, services offered and overall look.<br />
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Our first day there, we made our way out around the neighborhood to explore what was near by. We were pleased to see how close we were to the Boston Common and the Public Garden. Absolutely gorgeous!<br />
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Our second day consisted of Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, comic book stores, the New England Aquarium, and dining at America's Oldest restaurant, the Union Oyster House and the infamous Cheers bar. (Nope, no one knew our names)<br />
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The third day we tried to take it as easy as possible because we had worn out our legs already from the previous day and a half, despite trying to use the 'T' as much as possible. It got progressively hot and humid each day we were there, but thankfully being close to the ocean, it helped cool us down every now and then. As soon as we woke up and had our breakfast, we headed towards the harbor to take a ferry to Spectacle Island! It's a fairly barren island with a 5 mile hiking trail and a tiny beach. We didn't do too much walking because it was terribly hot and barely any shade.<br />
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After making it back towards the mainland, we headed towards Mary Baker Eddy library to visit the breathtaking <a href="https://www.google.ca/search?q=mary+eddy+baker+mapparium&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=_CThU_SpGtfpoASmtYHYAw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1196&bih=729">Mapparium</a>, in which we were not allowed to photograph. But seriously google it and you will be amazed! It's a 3-storey high, stained glass globe with the map of the world from 1935, which means a lot of countries or certain provinces from different countries, did not exist! Although we were not allowed to photograph this work of art, I am making up for it by sharing some architecture from around the area.<br />
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The rest of that evening consisted of shopping, walking past the State House—to which we witnessed a Palestinian x Isreali protest of all things—Beacon Hill, stumbling upon a hidden gem of a nice restaurant for dinner, and ending the night off by walking along the Charles River Esplanade for a nightly gaze at the skyline.<br />
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Come our final day, we decided to stay close to the hostel by walking around Chinatown, again because of the heat and also because we had to make sure we left for the airport on time.<br />
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Thankfully we did make it in time and didn't have to wait long. Unfortunately I spent most of my time being so preoccupied that I only ended up shopping for me. I was one of <i>those</i> people who bought souvenirs for everyone in the airport (shame!). Also, the fact that I'm not from the US, means having left over USD is not useful, so I did my best to spend it on little gifts for people.<br />
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<b>IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SEEING <u>ALL</u> OF MY PHOTOS FROM BOSTON, CLICK <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/crashclover/sets/72157645536829658">HERE</a>!!</b><br />
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In all, I was amazed by Boston! It definitely surprised me with its beauty and architecture. The city is also very pro-green, which I love! I can definitely attest that Buffalo, NY (my usual US shopping destination) is not the same. I don't know how many people would consider it to be a destination spot or not, but you should definitely have it on your must-see list if you're hitting up New England.lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-87853103222901420162014-07-15T18:23:00.000-04:002014-07-15T18:23:21.276-04:00The Great Nail Polish Giveaway of 2014!!<img alt="" class="__mce_add_custom__" src="http://www.nailpolishcanada.ca/Giveaway.jpg" height="150" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="350" /><br />
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Have you heard?? <a href="http://nailpolishcanada.com/">Nail Polish Canada</a> is having a <i>massive</i> polish giveaway! <br />
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They’ve partnered with Cirque Colors, NCLA & Picture Polish to host the biggest giveaway <i>ever</i>.
One winner will take home up to <b>200 nail polishes</b> from over 10 different brands! The prize starts at zero, then bloggers each pick a favourite shade to be added to the prize.<br />
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I chose <b>Douceur</b> by piCture pOlish! I have swatched them for you:
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Try your luck to win this amaaaazing giveaway from entering the Rafflecopter below.<br />
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5e275051/" id="rc-5e275051" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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<b>BEST OF LUCK!!!</b>lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-83850485682084580952014-07-04T18:48:00.002-04:002014-07-04T18:48:42.299-04:00Stila | Waterproof Eyeliner in Midnight<center>
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I have personally not been a huge fan of liquid eyeliner. I've had a love/hate relationship with it over the past few years because I've always struggled to make it look <i>good</i>. I still to this day can't pull off a decent winged-tip because the way the skin around my eyes fold, it makes it hard to draw it without pulling any skin taut. I'll get it eventually...<br />
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I fell in love with this beautiful navy blue shade called <i>Midnight</i> from Stila's range of Stay All Day waterproof liquid eyeliners. I had seen another beauty blogger post about it and she had had blue eyes as well and it looked <i>stunning</i>! Something so simple as a color change from the regular black, really makes a difference!<br />
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I picked up this liner at Sephora for <b>$26CAD</b>. It has a nice marker-like tip for precise lines or thicker, if you please. It's taking some getting used to. I won't lie though, although the formula admits to no tugging or pulling, I find that it does some times. I find myself having to put the cap back on and shake the pen to get a more steady stream, but only when the pen has been out for a few minutes. That being said, the payoff is incredible and I'm not going to let that stop it from being my <b>new fave</b>.<br />
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<br />lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-87388973753322699712014-07-01T19:45:00.002-04:002014-07-01T19:45:49.456-04:00Kelly Osbourne x MACIt's been a while! I've been buying things here and there and havent really felt the mood to write about any of it. I am however excited to tell you about how much I love the Kelly Osbourne collection from Mac!<br />
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Talk about gorgeous packaging!<br />
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I picked up Cheeky Bugger (blush) and Strip Poker (Lipstick). I debated between Strip Poker and Riot House, but settled for SP because it's a nice, light nude that had the possibility of matching my skin tone and was something that I was looking for. I also chose the blush (as someone who doesn't really like blush) because I felt that Kelly and I both share a very similar, fair complexion.<br />
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<b>Cheeky Bugger</b> is a very light pink blush with warm undertones. On my fair skin, it shows up fairly light, however it's dark enough to give me a nice healthy flush of the cheeks. Definitely glad I took the chance to pick this up.
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<b>Strip Poker</b> is a matte, light nude lipstick with an almost pinkish-peach tinge. My camera picked it up more orangey than it actually is. It's similar to Myth from MAC but a little lighter and less brown. I love it because it almost matches my skin tone enough to be a true nude. The formula is also not as drying as many other matte formulas from MAC. Pretty pleased with this grab as well!<br />
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lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-43269832128821877342014-05-13T17:45:00.001-04:002014-05-13T17:45:34.807-04:00Revlon ColorStay Shadowlinks | Revlon Selects<center>
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Hey look at me, posting things so soon. Unfortunately I've had this product for quite a while now and am only now getting around to trying it out. If you remember, I'm part of Revlon Selects and they sent these to me to review. I got to pick my 4 shades in advance and so I went with a simple purple palette instead of picking random shades.<br />
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The cool thing about these shadows is in the name! They're linkable and click into place. You can buy each shade individually and create your own palette! You can grab 2 shades you wear during the day, and link-up a black or some darker shades to transition into night. The combinations are endless!<br />
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From left to right, the shades are: Purple (matte), Plum (matte), Candy (satin), and Petal (satin).<br />
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I swatched all shades on UD Primer Potion (bottom half) and on Nyx's jumbo pencil in Milk (top half). It seemed to grab better to the white base, so I chose that while wearing it on my eyes. <br />
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I wasn't too impressed with the pigmentation of the matte shades (Purple & Plum), but absolutely loved the Satin shades! (Candy & Petal). Combined, however, made everything come together quite nicely. The mattes I found I had to build up.<br />
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I used Purple as an all-over lid color, then applied Plum to the crease, Candy from above the crease until right under the brow bone, then Petal on the brow bone and inner corner of my eye. Not bad! I added some white liner by GOSH and some mascara by Benefit to finish it off.<br />
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Overall, I would say that these are as good as one would expect with drugstore brand eyeshadows. They're decent quality and they offer quite a selection for it's unique gimmick. The pans are a bit small too (1.4g/0.05oz), but seeing as this is something I personally would not use that often, given the selection of colors I chose, it won't matter in the end. These shades go for about <b>$3.99CAD</b> each? I'm not sure, however I have seen them at Shoppers and Walmart. I would like to test out their other shades and different finishes, but so far it looks like the satin shades are the best.lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-54364439514378634622014-05-11T19:48:00.000-04:002014-05-11T19:59:01.722-04:00imPRESS Manicure by Broadway Nails<center>
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If you're a follower of a lot of Canadian beauty bloggers, you've probably noticed a boom of these <b>imPress Manicure press-on nails</b> in all your feeds. This is because this is the latest VoxBox from Influenster Canada! This is actually my first Influenster box as well.<br />
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Each of us were given 2 boxes of different designs of the imPress press-on manicures. Mine were a pleasant surprise with a funky animal print theme. I chose the one on the left, <i>Over the Moon</i> design. I decided to wear them for the weekend, a total of almost 48 hours, despite the fact that these have the potential to last up to one week.<br />
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For me, fake nails have never been my thing. I've never grown my own nails to even half of the length of these press-on ones. It's mainly for sanitary reasons and the fact that my nails are pretty thin, so I'm worried that they'll bend backwards or something. That and I feel like you can't really do many things properly with long nails.<br />
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The nails came in the adorable packaging of a clear nail polish bottle, with a few of the nails on display on the front. To open the package you need to twist of the cap part, then the clear plastic part is hinged at the bottom, which splits apart. Sadly though, when I went to open this part, all of the nails went flying everywhere. So be gentle! After the package was finally opened, the instructions say to start sizing the nails to your own and lay them out in order. Silly me didn't even know that the nails were numbered on the back (see below), so I was trying to figure out how exactly to match the sizes for both hands. A lot of them looked incredibly similar, so I picked at random. Of course the thumb and pinky nails were a breeze to pick.<br />
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After I decided on my layout for my nails, I used the enclosed "prep pad" to clean off my nails and then I started applying them, from pinky to thumbs last. I noticed that there was a little emery board included in the package for which I had no idea of its purpose. I assumed it was for the little lip that the tips had on them. I tried filing them a bit, but didn't do such a great job.<br />
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They were a breeze to apply and felt like a really strong adhesion. I promptly proceeded to try out different things to do with these new nails, including typing, writing, washing my hands, putting clothes on, opening bottles—hell, I even made cookies from scratch with them! They are definitely durable and I can see them lasting up to a week.<br />
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I had also only left my house once this weekend and the one person I interacted at the grocery store noticed them. They're quite funky and match my hair.<br />
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As cute and girly as these are, I did come across many things I didn't like about them. For one, they're not practical for every day wear. I can only see these being used for a fancy night or occasion of some sort. Like I previously mentioned, I never keep my nails long for sanitary purposes. The amount of crap that got stuck behind the nails were disgusting! I had to wash my hands constantly because I felt like if I scratched my head or something, the dead skin cells would get into my food or whatever I touched. I know this happens anyways, it just made me more aware of it. Scratching itches and even going to the bathroom were weird experiences. Another thing that really bothered me was taking my contacts out! I ended up scratching my eye and even debated wearing them to bed because it was so hard to take them out. I eventually figured out a way to get them out, but I've been wearing my glasses all weekend for fear of repeating the same incident whilst putting them in.<br />
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Removal, however was fairly simple. The package recommends either slowly pulling them off from the sides or by using polish remover to soak in them for about a minute or so. They came off my nails pretty clean with very minimal residue. They're pretty gross looking once they're off.<br />
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<b><u>Overall:</u> </b>I'm glad I was able to finally try these. I've always been curious about fake nails and love all the designs that Broadway Nails has to offer with these imPress manicure press-on nails. I also like that they even offer medium length nails (which would have been great to try as well). While I don't ever see myself buying these for every day wear, I will most definitely consider them for special occasions as it does step-up your look quite a bit and it's a nice option to consider. I'm going to be saving my second pair for another day, but like stated, only a day. I won't wear them for more than that, especially since my contact lenses experience.<br />
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Don't let this stop you from trying them out however! I've seen these at Walmart and Shoppers. The card says they retail between <b>$8.99-$10.99</b>, which is a fair price for the quality of the product if you compare them to the nail stickers that other brands offer.<br />
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<small>*Disclaimer: I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. All opinions are my own *</small>lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-37680142725202468442014-04-26T19:23:00.000-04:002014-04-26T19:23:45.096-04:00Makeup Geek Haul<center>
<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0258.jpg" /></center>
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I've been following the Makeup Geek brand for a little while and finally decided to make a purchase after seeing beautiful swatches of their gel eye liners. I've been looking for nonconventional shades for a while now and whenever I would find something that looks nice, they always had <i>glitter</i> in it, which I think ruins the shade. I've been looking for teal or purple shades for a while, and while MUG's <i>Amethyst</i>—a purple liner, no less—was sold out at the time, I found other things that grabbed my attention.<br />
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0263.jpg" /><br />
<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0265.jpg" /><br />
<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0270.jpg" /><br />
<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0268.jpg" /></center>
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I chose <i>Fame</i>: a dark aquatic teal with a navy undertone and a smooth shimmery finish, and <i>Poison</i>: a rusty red color with a matte finish. <br />
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0282.jpg" /></center>
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Both swatched. Like their website says, they're "smooth, rich, and long lasting". I've gone a 12 hour day with them and they really do stay! I'm impressed! Their gel liners go for <b>$8.99USD</b>, which I think is a fair price.<br />
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On top of grabbing these liners, I decided to check out some of their other eye products. I purchased 2 shades of their loose pigments:
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0280.jpg" /><br />
<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0275.jpg" /><br />
<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0271.jpg" /><br />
<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0274.jpg" /></center>
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I chose <i>Sweet Dreams</i>: a light fleshed toned beige pink with slight shimmer, and <i>New Year's Eve</i>: a light gold reflective glitter.<br />
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0287.jpg" /></center>
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Both shadows swatched on top of UD Primer Potion. I've been really into flesh/neutral toned shadows with shimmer and gold glitters. I am happy with these shades for sure! I got them both for <b>$6.99USD</b>, which again, I feel like was a reasonable price.<br />
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I put <i>Fame</i> and <i>New Year's Eve</i> together and love the results. I've worn all 4 products interchangeably over the past week or so. I'm so happy with Makeup Geek's products that I will most definitely make purchases in the future.<br />
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0315.jpg" /><br />
<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0308.jpg" /></center><br><br>
I still can't get the winged liner thing down. I don't like how it looks on me, or rather I can't find the right angle for it. Ah well.
lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-38354077349267457222014-04-08T20:10:00.000-04:002014-04-08T20:10:05.021-04:00TONYMOLY | Cat Chu Wink Crazy Tint Stick<center>
<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0102.jpg" /></center>
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Cat Chu Wink Crazy Tint Stick. Try saying that 3 times fast!<br />
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0096.jpg" /></center>
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These colored tint lip balms seem to be all the rage in the Asian beauty market lately. The balm looks like one color, but shows up on the lips as another as if it reacts to your pH levels or even the warmth of your lips.<br />
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0097.jpg" /></center>
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This particular line has 3 different shades: blue, green, and I picked up <b>crazy yellow</b>. I got to sample the other 2 at the Tonymoly store in Pacific Mall (yup, I've got access to Korean beauty products, aww yiss).<br />
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0100.jpg" /></center>
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How cute is this packaging? No doubt it's what caught my eye when browsing the many products in the store. I knew right away what the product was since I currently own a similar product by PeriPera.<br />
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The scent is orangey—exactly like an orange popsicle (not to be confused with creamsicle). It goes on an orangey yellow, then develops into a pale red (enough to give some natural color to the lips). It can be layered to build up the color as well. Even though the packaging says to apply with a lip brush, the stick is shaped like lipstick and is fine to apply directly. (I suppose if you're going for the ombre lip effect, then go ahead and apply with the brush.) The formula is quite moisturizing as well and lasts for quite a long time (of course with eating/drinking, it's bound to wear off).<br />
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0108.jpg" /><br />
swatched on the lips<br /><br />
<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0184.jpg" /><br />
left: swatched once | right: swatched 3 times</center>
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Overall, I'm quite impressed with this product and am glad I made the purchase. It cost be <b>$10.99CAD</b> + tax. I'm sure you could probably find it cheaper online, and with free shipping. I was just glad I was able to sample the product right away, so that helped with the purchase.<br />
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What are your thoughts on these "magic" lip balms?lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-45539985899426430192014-03-18T20:57:00.001-04:002014-03-18T20:57:09.518-04:00Lime Crime | D'Lilac<center>
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Hello, hello! Gather 'round everyone. Most of you already know about the magical wonders of <b>Lime Crime</b>. If you don't, welcome to the club and where the heck have you been hiding all this time? And while I'm still undecided about the reputation and stigma that follows the owner after all these years, she is obviously a successful woman and has done a fantastic job establishing herself in the beauty world with such a bold statement. I remember Lime Crime from back in the day when they only had a small amount of lipstick and used to carry loose pigmented eyeshadows (some of which I still own). Kudos to you, Lime Crime.<br />
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I have previously reviewed from stuff by Lime Crime, so I am absolutely familiar with their products. This product was sent to me for review from the awesome people of <a href="https://www.blogger.com/www.obsessedcanada.com">Obsessed Canada</a>, whom by the way <b><u>ships Lime Crime for FREE in Canada</u></b>!!<br />
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0082.jpg" /></center>
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I chose <b>D'Lilac</b>. Why? Because it's different. I was actually eying Chinchilla or Cosmopop, but this one won. Mostly because of my hair. Also, because Lime Crime is so unique and unconventional, I thought why not choose it?<br />
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0049.jpg" /></center>
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It's probably been almost 3 years since my last Lime Crime lipstick purchase, but I was glad to see that nothing has changed from their mythical packaging: the infamous sparkle unicorn!<br />
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Look at this beautiful pastel color! Absolutely stunning. For those of you who have never bought one of their lippies, it smells delightful: a pleasant vanilla-y fragrance, quite identical to MAC's lipsticks. I know some people gave them flack for copying MAC, but like, who cares??? I love this smell!<br />
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0077.jpg" /></center>
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I am in <i>love</i> with this color! I am so impressed. I know D'Lilac is a bit of an older color, but I was so impressed with its formula! I'm not sure if they've changed since I've bought Coquette and Great Pink Planet, but it is quite an improvement. It's rich and creamy (sounds like I'm talking about choco or yogurt) and quit moisturizing. I find the other 2 I own are a bit drying. The lilac appears to have cool undertones that go great with my pale skin, blue eyes and crazy hair.<br />
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Here's some face shots<br />
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0068.jpg" /><br />
<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/DSC_0067.jpg" /><br />
<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/Screenshot2014-03-18at54708PM.png" /></center>
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If you're interested in picking it up or any Lime Crime products (and you happen to be Canadian), you can find it <a href="http://www.obsessedcanada.com/categories/makeup/lime-crime.html">here</a> @ <a href="http://obsessedcanada.com/">Obsessed Canada</a>. The lipsticks are <b>$18.99CDN</b>, which is just 99 cents more than buying from the Lime Crime website, BUT it ships for <b>F R E E </b>! ! How can you beat that?
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Final thoughts? Love this lipstick and can't wait to turn heads with it. I'm impressed with its quality and applaud Lime Crime for sustaining its mandate. If you haven't purchased anything from Lime Crime, I suggest you do. The quality is right for its price.lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-20043305283190569112014-03-04T21:15:00.000-05:002014-03-04T21:15:36.941-05:00New Business Cards<center>
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It's been a while since I've posted anything design related (or just anything in general *cough*), so I though I'd share my new business cards! It's been about almost 4 years since I made my old ones, and they're brutal! They did the job though, but now I've got something I'm actually <i>proud</i> of and defines me.<br />
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/bc-2.png" /></center>
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I used <a href="http://jukeboxprint.com/">Jukebox Print</a> to print my cards. I got them to send me a sample of their business cards and was sent a plethora of AMAZING samples (see below)!<br />
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They're also based out of Vancouver, so I like to keep it Canadian ;D<br />
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I chose their 32PT 100% recycled brown and white paper business card, using 1 side in full color and 1 in black and white.<br />
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/bc-4.png" /></center>
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Where's the color you ask? I asked them to print my jellyfish side in full CMYK color because black ink wouldn't create the same effect. I used my photos from my trip to the Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto for the jellyfish.<br />
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/bc-5.png" /></center>
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I received the cards without the color edges. I had decided to do them myself because JBP would have charged me close to $100 extra for them to do it. So I went over to Michael's and found me some beautiful neon orange paint (on sale for 49 cents too!) and some sponge brushes. I grabbed a clamp from my grandfather's tool room and painted away! It was super easy and took no time at all. I did a few stacks at a time, just in case I messed anything up. I loved the results right away and continued to do my entire stack of cards in the vibrant orange.<br />
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<img src="http://i892.photobucket.com/albums/ac121/carouselcues/bc-3.png" /></center>
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It's the touch that I needed to make the cards be really <i>me</i>.lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-33367521096303085002014-02-08T18:18:00.002-05:002014-02-08T18:25:35.037-05:00Lunatick Labs AlieNEON Palette<center>
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I am soooo excited to share this with you all! It's called <b>AlieNEON</b> and it's from <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.lunaticklabs.com">Lunatick Cosmetics Lab</a>!<br />
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What is AlieNEON? It's exactly what it sounds like: alien-like NEON, out-of-this-world, super pigmented colors! Think <i>hi-liter</i> neon. Lunatick Labs has taken all of their AlieNeon pigments and pressed them into a palette form. That being said, these colors are available individually and loose. They are also available in matte or with glitter. I chose matte, but after receiving a sample of one of the colors with glitter, I'm slowly starting to regret my decision. One other thing to note is that this is a <b>Special Effects</b> palette, which isn't really meant for regular or prolonged wear (or at least it isn't in the USA). Some of the pigments are also black light reactive! Raves, here I come! LCS does offer other eyeshadows as well :)<br />
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I chose to pick <u>all</u> the colors (because I couldn't pick just a few) and they happened to have it all in this cute, little palette. The palette consists 12 colors of the AlieNEON sfx series, comprised into a 2 level palette, and enclosed with a cute, compact box with a mirror.<br />
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<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img691/341/j9gz.jpg" /></center>
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Upon opening the palette for the first time, you will notice some plastic coverings on each of the colors. I'm not 100% sure on the purpose it serves or whether it was for shipping purposes or what. I thought it was cool.<br />
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On to the swatches! ...Get ready!<br />
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<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img594/4880/dfl9.jpg" /></center>
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CHECK OUT THAT PIGMENTATION!!<br />
The right/top sides of the swatches were swatched over a white base, while the bottom/left half was used with UD's potion primer. <br />
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Here's the white and the black<br />
<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img833/1655/nll2.jpg" /></center>
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I wasn't too impressed with them though (but they weren't the reason why I bought the palette)<br />
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Here's what <i>Radiation Raisin</i> looks like (the glittery version of <i>Plasma</i> (They have different names for the matte and glitter versions of the colors)<br />
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<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img199/6220/xnda.jpg" /></center>
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Here's a look I put together, using Radiation Raisin and Nose Bleed:<br />
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<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img849/7453/rgdb.jpg" /><br />
<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img600/1753/5r0s.jpg" /><br />
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<b>OVERALL?</b><br />
The color pay-off is GREAT! A++ The formula, however isn't too great. It's super chalky and the fallout is crazy. If I end up running out on any color, I would definitely recommend getting it loose, especially since I got a sample of a loose pigment, it worked out better. This was noted in the description of the palette, so I can now see why. That being said, don't let that deter you from grabbing these amazingly bright colored shadows. The palette is available on LCS' <a href="http://www.lunaticklabs.com/AlieNEON-Makeup-Palette_p_139.html">website</a> for <b>$45USD</b> and offers a generous amount of each pigment for the price.lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-39989625327076816882014-01-14T20:14:00.000-05:002014-01-14T20:14:43.931-05:00LUSH | Santa's Lip Scrub<center>
<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img4/4824/97fo.jpg" /></center>
Yes, yes, I know—Christmas is over. Well, considering it's only been a few weeks since then, I wanted to share the awesome find I found from Lush: <b>Santa's Lip Scrub</b>.<br />
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I'm a pretty big fan of Lush's lip scrubs. I've previously reviewed <a href="http://sou-douzaine.blogspot.ca/2011/10/lush-lip-scrub.html">Sweet Lips</a>, which I had to throw away because it expired.<br />
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If you haven't heard, Santa's Lip Scrub is a LE, Christmas/Holiday scrub from Lush. It's a scrumptious cola-flavored, red lip scrub with the cutest little sugar hearts. As far as cola-flavored goes, I'd say that it's more lemon flavored in my opinion. Still really nice as far as natural ingredients goes.<br />
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I'm a huge fan of Lush's lip scrub—in fact, it's all I really like from Lush (then again, I haven't tried much else). It's the perfect coarseness—without being too harsh or abrasive—to be effective enough to get your lips to an amazing level of softness. Seriously. It's my go-to lip scrub.<br />
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And also, if you did not know, Lush's lip scrubs are edible! So after you smooth everything out, you need not be afraid to lick your lips! One thing else that I really like about Santa's Lip scrub over the other ones is that after the scrub is scrubbed off, it leaves a nice rosy, red color on the lips (not to be confused with a stain).<br />
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I picked this up for <b>$8.50CAD</b> AND, I got a second one for FREE as part of their boxing day sale. Super score!lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-21488367261094089342014-01-11T21:47:00.002-05:002014-01-11T21:47:54.289-05:00Website Update<center>
<a href="http://lawrenmoore.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://imageshack.com/a/img542/8100/kzzm.png" /></a></center>
Just wanted to pop in and announce a new update to my <a href="http://wwwlawrenmoore.com">personal website</a>. Click the image above to view it. I'm fairly happy with it. I still feel like I could add so much more. I may add another blog to it since I do have a WordPress account attached to my site :x We shall see. In the mean time, stop by and have a look.<br><br>
You can also check out the agenda I designed for myself this year!lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-82811835216273643682014-01-06T15:23:00.000-05:002014-01-06T15:24:16.300-05:00NCLA | Vacation on Mars<center>
<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img600/1586/w1td.jpg" /></center>
It's been a while since my last nail swatch, and so I thought it's about time to fix that. After laying my eyes on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/101260691595572946/">Pshiiit's</a> swatch of this shade, I <i>knew</i> I had to get this.<br />
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From NCLA's Space Academy Holos collection, <b>Vacation on Mars</b> is a beautiful light purpley-pink, silver, pearl finish, holographic. Although most of the swatches I've seen online are super purple, I personally don't see it that way on my nails. It's more of a pale, purpley grey with pink tones. It's still gorgeous nonetheless.<br />
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The formula is absolutely to die for. It's smooth, and only takes 2 thin layers for me to achieve this perfection. I'm quite impressed since it's my first ever polish from NCLA.<br />
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I would definitely recommend nabbing this shade while you can. I got mine from <a href="http://harlowandco.org/">Harlow & Co.</a> for <b>$18 CDN</b>, which yes, is quite a pretty penny, but it's worth it in my opinion.lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-57977637705764438532013-12-29T20:41:00.002-05:002013-12-29T20:41:35.437-05:00Laura Mercier | Artist's Palette for Eyes<center>
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I kept putting this post off, mostly because of lack of proper lighting, but I finally got the chance to take photos/swatches of this gorgeous palette by Laura Mercier.<br />
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I originally bought this palette for my mom during the Friends and Family sale in October, for her birthday. She was looking for a palette with nice neutrals, so I took a gander at Sephora's website and discovered this magnificent palette. After I picked it up, I decided that I liked it so much, that I wanted to get my own. So I did.<br />
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I'm glad I picked it up when I did because I didn't realize how popular this palette was. I paid <b>$60 CDN</b>, minus the 20% off for the VIB F&F sale. It sold out pretty fast online as well.<br />
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<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img547/5909/au28.jpg" /></center>
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The palette is encased in a fake crocodile-type case with a magnetic enclosure.<br />
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<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img542/4306/k54k.jpg" /></center>
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The palette features 12 shades, of varying matte, lusterous and satin shades, all of which turned out surprisingly complementary to my blue eyes, as well as a mirror on the inside.<br />
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<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img21/5193/hl5i.jpg" /></center>
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<b>Vanilla Nuts</b> - <i>light-neutral-champagen (matte)</i><br />
As you can see, this color is barely visible on my skin. It's great for highlighting or using as an all-over base however. I had to swatch it on top of a white base in order for it to show up on its own.<br />
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<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img69/5792/uw0k.jpg" /></center>
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<b>Sparkling Dew</b> - <i>pale, light pink (sateen)</i><br />
This color is very similar to Vanilla Nuts, except with a shimmery, satin finish. Super gorgeous and again, nice enough to use for highlighting or base.<br />
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<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img32/1912/2nj5u.jpg" /></center>
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<b>Primrose</b> - <i>yellow-pink with golden pearl (sateen)</i><br />
This shade isn't anything too spectacular to me, but the fact that it does have a satin finish, makes it useful for blending with other shades.<br />
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<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img856/2084/ljbq.jpg" /></center>
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<b>Guava</b> - <i>peach stucco (sateen)</i><br />
This has probably got to be my favorite shades of the entire palette. It's a beautiful pinkish-peach color with fine glitter. Looks fantastic by itself or paired with something. I especially love the contrast of the color with my blue eyes.<br />
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<img src="http://imageshack.com/a/img841/4084/p3qy.jpg" /></center>
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<b>Fresco</b> - <i>neutral beige-brown (matte)</i><br />
Another color good enough to use as a base or blending.<br />
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<b>African Violet</b> - <i>violet copper shimmer (luster)</i><br />
Another one of my favorites of the palette. The gorgeous gold glitter mixed in with a beautiful cool-tones purple, screams luxurious to me. This is one shade you'll love to wear on its own.
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<b>Bamboo</b> - <i>golden brown shimmer (luster)</i>
Just like African Violet, Bamboo is a luster shade which makes it a beautiful all-over color.<br />
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<b>Plum Smoke</b> - <i>smokey amethyst (matte)</i>
This shade surprised me. I never thought a smokey purple color could look any sorts of good on me. However though, the color is more of a greyish purple.<br />
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<b>Truffle</b> - <i>deep chocolate taupe (matte)</i><br />
Another shade that surprised me was this one. I have always stayed away from darker shades because I dfound that I smudged them a lot and that it looked too messy on me. The brown color of this shade actually loks great on its own and the color richness/payoff is fantastic.<br />
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<b>Kir Royal</b> - <i>deep aubergine (sateen)</i><br />
Another great color to wear on its own or blend. It's a purpley-brown with a slight satin finish.<br />
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<b>Espresso Bean</b> - <i>dark brown (matte)</i><br />
Like I was saying previously, dark shades were never my thing, but the richness of these shades are so amazing that I've surprised myself. I also really like that this is a dark brown and not a true black.
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<b>Violet Ink</b> - <i>plum (matte)</i><br />
Don't be fooled, this is actually not the same color as Espresso Bean, there is a slight difference. This is another incredible matte shade with an amazingly rich payoff.<br />
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Here's what they look like swatched on my hand, over a white base:
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Overall? I am incredibly pleased and impressed with this palette. There's so much to choose from and ever color is as gorgeous as the next (despite having a few no-so favorites) A lot of the shades can be worn alone or used in combinations of one another. There are tons of looks to be created! The payoff of each color is very good in quality. I absolutely recommend!<br />
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Despite the fact that this palette is sold out, you can buy most of the shades featured, separately as well.</center>
lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-51781759609378071542013-12-20T19:44:00.000-05:002013-12-20T19:46:13.173-05:00Luxebox Winter 2013<center>
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Christmas is just around the corner and I'm slowly starting to sink into the mood. I found that after I started working and have been out of school, the year flies by so fast that I'm not at all convinced that it's actually the end of it. Nevertheless, this season's Luxebox has helped to lull me into the Christmas spirit.<br />
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I chose to upgrade to a LOULOU box, seeing as I regretted <i>not</i> choosing an upgrade for Fall, and ended up with a dull of a box (hence why I never even posted about it :x). Here's what's inside:
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<b>PANTENE EXPERT COLLECTION // Adavanced+ Keratin Repair Split End Fuser + Repair Conditioner</b><br />
If I had to pick one product that I was a little hesitant in getting, it had to have been this one. I'm not a huge fan of Pantene in particular. Although, it has been a few years and so I'm willing to give them another shot, especially if it has to do with helping with split ends. I don't use heat on my hair that often, but I do dye it quite a bit, thus leading to split ends. I'm not much of a hair care type of person, so why not start now? Such a generous size for both samples.<br />
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<b>ESSIE // Nail polish in <i>Carry On</i></b><br />
Nail polish. Enough said. From Essie's 2011 Fall collection, this color is described as a "romantic deep burgundy". Very appropriate for the season. Can't wait to wear it!<br />
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<b>NO DARK SHADOWS // complexion enhancer</b><br />
As you can see by the second photo, this "enhancer" is too dark for my skin :( Can't say I wasn't expecting it though. This was one of the products I was most looking forward to for this box. I've been dying to try YSL's Touch Eclait and this is quite similar. Alas, no nice.<br />
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<b>KIEHL'S // Ultra Face Moisturizer</b><br />
I've been curious about Kiehl's for a little while now, especially since there's one at Yorkdale Mall. I never knew that it was a fairly well-established brand/store either. I already have a favorite moisturizer, but I always like small, travel-sized products to tote along with me whereever. I especially like how light the moisturizer feels—not greasy or heavy at all. The scent is also quite pleasant.<br />
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<b>L'OCCITANE // Shea Butter Hand Cream + Pivoine Flora Eau de Toilette</b><br />
I've always been curious of L'Occitane. I've seen their hand creams in Sephora and sure enough their own store opened up in Yorkdale mall as well. I've never gotten a chance to try it, so I figured this would be a good opportunity. Sadly I'm not digging it. The hand cream is super thick and greasy and smells like baby wipes to me. Not super pleasant. The perfume on the other hand was quite nice. It's a floral perfume, which I'm not at all fond of, however this one's pretty sweet. I'd probably wear a very little. I love the cute packaging that L'Occitane though! I will need to give them another chance though since I know they have a ton of other products.<br />
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<b>COVERGIRL // LipPerfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in <i>Ruby Twist</i></b><br />
I've got to say, I am SO impressed with this lippie! It looks so natural on me that I can see myself wearing this with no problem. I'm not that much of a bold person when it comes to lip color, so this is perfect for me. It's just enough color to differ from my natural lip color, but again, not too bold. Peerrrrfect!<br />
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<b>LOOSE BUTTON // Lip Brush</b><br />
As usual, Loose Button always has such amazing custom products! I've been needing a new lip brush (:<br />
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Overall, super impressed with this season's luxebox! I definitely made the right choice by upgrading to the LOULOU edition. I always like the element of surprise with these boxes, but sometimes they're not as exciting as what you see for the boxes that have been revealed. I would definitely recommend upgrading to these awesome boxes if you're already a Loose Button subscriber!lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925005196720277516.post-4649013060057868172013-12-19T19:11:00.001-05:002013-12-19T19:12:15.437-05:00Help Make a Christmas Miracurl!!<center>
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It’s a Christmas Miracurl! - NailPolishCanada.com is giving away 3 Babyliss Miracurl’s ($600 value)</h1>
Every holiday season millions experience a sense of sadness at the flatness in their life. In an effort to cope some find themselves straining important relationships.<br />
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“<i>I know my husband loves me, but another day where I’m running late trying to curl my hair in a mad dash is just a fight waiting to happen</i>” - Katie B<br />
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Could people go without curled hair? They could, but experts agree such a lack of regard and care is sure to result in a coal filled stocking.<br />
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“<i>After the economic downturn Santa has had limited resources and he too has to make cuts, it’s not only naughty or nice anymore, but how you present yourself.</i>” noted Mrs. Claus<br />
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Today, Nail Polish Canada has announced their plans to take a stand and solve this important issue with the <b>Babyliss Miracurl</b>. In just seconds the Miracurl literally sucks your hair right in, curls it, then beeps letting you know it's done.<br />
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In order to raise awareness, Nail Polish Canada is <b>giving away 3 Babyliss Miracurls</b>, to whoever can <u>convince us they are the most “in need” of one</u>.<br />
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“This will impact people’s lives. Together we can make a Christmas Miracurl”
- Nikki Smith, VP<br />
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<h2>Simply describe why you or a loved one is in need of a Christmas Miracurl at: http://www.nailpolishcanada.com/products/miracurl-by-babyliss.html </h2>
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In the spirit of a true Christmas Miracurl the winners will be announced <b>Christmas Day</b>!<br><br>
<b>Notes about nominations:</b> Feel free to stretch the truth a bit and most importantly have fun ;)<br>
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Everything seems well in good fun! This looks like such a fun and exciting giveaway. I'm personally not a fan of curls (I'm super boring when it comes to styling), but I believe maybe one of you may find this exciting! Good luck!
lawrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06399396162459713497noreply@blogger.com0