Inglot Freedom System Lip Color in shade 30 - Leftovers from a Coral Craze!

Once upon a time, there was a crazy gal who refreshed her shopping websites every 30mins to see if new coral lipsticks/glosses were added or not... And in her quest for that perfect coral shade, she found many gems , a few maggots and finally the truth - that she still loved her plum-pink lipsticks the best...
And so she lived happily ever after, buying plum-pink lipsticks every now and then....





But what happened to her coral lip colors? Even in her obsession with her new berry lipsticks, she didnt forget them...and here is the tale of one such color- a nice pretty coral shade that looks scary bright in pan, but is actually a soft sweetie on lips...

 What is in a name? So I am not naming this exact color shade [too hard for me]. This looks bright orangey coral in pan and on the swatch on white paper below, but on skin it shows up as a softer peachy coral shade.

One benefit of this creamy lip color is that its a perfect for using as a lip color and as a blush - in fact, I use this more as a creamy blush. Such a nice shade for summer!

You can apply it sheer or can build the intensity up - Inglot's lip colors are superb in their pigmentation and staying power.

Since I have already reviewed 2 shades from this line, I am not reviewing the entire product. But if you are on a coral quest and is afraid to try some of the bolder shades, you should definitely check this one out.


My review of shade 65
My review of shade 47

What not to buy: SPAResource Pro Series On the Go Face Essentials [A letter]

Dear SPAResource team,

As a recent user [a pretty disappointed one] of your brush-kit, here are my questions to you:

1. If you advertise a brush kit as PRO, then if its not exactly PRO quality, it should at least be something that even an amateur can use daily -right? Or did you mean that this should only be a Take-on-trips-use-if-you-have-nothing-else kit?

2. In your website, you have advertised that this brush kit is all a customer needs for contouring, concealing etc.. and you have also marketed this as a FACE essentials.. well, how come 3 out of 5 brushes are for eyes?



3. Which pro or for that matter an amateur would , in your opinion, like a powder brush that actually scratches the skin, a foundation brush that cannot apply even the lightest of foundation properly [couldn't even apply a moisturizer properly, i tried!]  and a set of eye brushes that really hurts the sensitive eye skin? If I want my face to look so scratched, I'd get a mean kitty, thank you - I don't expect that from my brush set!

This is my request - I appreciate that you have brought out a kit with 5 brushes for $10 and it kinda looks all pretty with nice handles and nice packaging - can you kindly focus of the quality of a brush set that is touted to be pro level instead of the packaging?



And finally this is my suggestion - for $10, give us something similar to the face brushes that E.L.F has for their studio line. Don't worry about quantity and focus -if you say FACE set, don't mix it with eye set.

Hope to see a better version in my local Walmart soon!
Ciao...


[Dear Readers, I didn't think it worthwhile to take individual brush pics as to be quite honest, they are soooooo useless that my only request to you is to use that $10 to buy something else]

To Correct or conceal - Whats best [my thoughts] & A Super Mask! :)

A fortnight back, I met a blogger friend of mine and she was concerned about finding that perfect under-eye concealer. She had tried many high-end brands but she'd yet to find a concealer that gave her that 'faked-your-skin' effect.



I suggested mixing some oils to her concealer to avoid caking or drying out, but then her concern stuck in my head cos she is just 23-ish - dry under-eyes & concealers shouldn't be an issue for her. So here are my thoughts and suggestions on the subject; feel free to ridicule & pooh-pooh.. :)


Correctors - What the heck?
During my make-up artist course, I got introduced to the world of correctors. I am not here to teach you about what it is and which corrector to use - there are so many better websites & makeup gurus for that. Here is one from Beautylish . My purpose is to try and make sense on when to use what - based on age, skin condition etc.


When to use a concealer?
This is a very personal decision, but let me try to help you. Concealing is something you do for your imperfections like a scar or that unsightly pimple. This usually implies hiding a particular spot or a small area on your face, by covering with a foundation or concealer, to blend in with the skin.



The strength and type of concealer you use depends on how different in color is the problem spot from your skin color - the more different it is, the stronger the coverage of the concealer. Note that the concealer should match not your entire face, but the color of the skin next to the problem spot - especially if your face has an un-even skin tone.

Another aspect you have to consider is that if you are using a full-coverage concealer and you have many problem spots, then you have to use a medium-full coverage long stay foundation.One of my co-workers had a bad day when her foundation faded off by noontime but her concealer stayed - a funny sight, but not pretty!

Liquid Concealer - Usually low-to-medium coverage. Use this if you have dry skin, if you have low-to-medium dark spots and if you are using a liquid or cream foundation

Cream concealer - Most common type of concealer [stick form]. Depending on coverage, you can use it to cover spots. If you have very dry skin or if you have lot of wrinkles or lines, you may want to stay away from this. Use with any type of foundation, preferably liquid or cream.

Powder concealer -Usually provides light -medium coverage and is best suited for low-to-medium dark spots. Can easily look cakey so if you have lines or wrinkles or too dry skin, use with care.


One great thing about concealer is that if your skin is pretty nice, then you can usually get away with some concealer and very light makeup. Also sometimes, concealer can be your foundation - especially if you need a stronger coverage - just mix with your moisturizer for easy blending.

When to use a corrector?
If you understood from my notes on concealer that it is best suited for spot-treatment - Great! Now here is what I suggest for problem areas of your face - like under eye darkness, redness etc  - use a corrector. 



Correctors work by neutralizing the underlying color when you apply your foundation over the area - which means:
1. You need to apply foundation or else, it doesn't really work & will look weird
2. No coverage - so if you are trying to hide spots, it wont work

Once you identified your problem area and the corrector that best helps it [note that correctors are vary from very fair to darker skin tones] use it as follows:
1. If your corrector has strong pigmentation, use it after priming your skin. Make sure, your foundation covers the corrector.
2. If your corrector has medium-low pigmentation, use it after applying either foundation or concealer and then apply another coat of foundation.

To understand how to best correct your 'problems' you need to play around with the various shades. I suggest getting a color palette like Lise Watier's Portfolio Professional Corrector Wheel  or Ben Nye's Color wheels.



Long term.. solution is to address the problem areas through skin care - after all makeup can only do so much.
Mixing 1-2 drops of a good skin care oil like Carrot seed oil with your concealer or foundation can help address the underlying skin concern. Also, no concealer and corrector can replace a well-hydrated healthy skin -so load upon on H2O, vitamins and other skin healthy minerals.

If dullness or under-eye darkness is a problem - use this super mask at least an hour before sleep:

Grind some carrots, pumpkin [including the peel], oats, 2-3 slices of beets & pomegranate. Mix 3-4 drops of yoghurt, honey and lime juice into the mess. 
If you have very dry skin, add 2-3 drops of any good skin care oil. Leave on your face for at least 15 mins.
Don't use soap on your face for 2-3 hours after applying this mask.

Finally the best skin care tip of all - a good night's sleep - don't skip on it, no concealer can completely remove that tiredness from your face.


All Images in this post are Courtesy of www.pixabay.com . 

Spring colors - Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm in shade Provocateur 135

Hello everyone,

A very good day to you; may your lives be prosperous and your makeup stash be ever-growing. 

Notice how every brand is trying to come with lip crayons or jumbo lip pencils? Thank you Clinique, for starting the trend with their chubby lip pencils and thanks to Revlon for bringing it to drugstores with their Just Bitten Balm Stains. NYC and Rimmel are the latest to jump on this with their versions to hit drugstores soon [Expect reviews on them soon].  

I am not complaining; I love ‘em! They are quite handy for travel or for office use when you don’t want to goof up with applying lip colors. Also it reminds me of the crayons I used to play with as a kid; fun eh? 

Anyways, Revlon has added 2 new balm stain ranges to its repertoire - Colorburst Lacquer & Matte balms. They are very similar to Just Bitten Balm Stains; in fact, I really don’t know if there is any huge difference other than shinier packaging for the lacquer balms. They launched this last year around Halloween here, but I picked this beauty quite recently. It costs around $9.99 CAD but it differs from store to store and on sales.

What Revlon says:  “High Shine Lacquer. Moisture Rich Balm; A lacquer finish that’s beyond brilliant. Balm that’s beyond comforting. Our Triple Butter Complex of Shea, Coconut and Mango butters nourishes lips. In 10 collectible, craveable colours” Link: http://www.revlon.ca/Revlon-Home/Products/Lips/Lipcolor/Revlon-ColorBurst-Lacquer-Balm.aspx   

My experience:

I’d tried some of the shades when this launched, but at the time I was not impressed enough to buy this. I can't remember which shade I tried but it had some glitter in it and I didn't like it much. Then a month back, I found myself without a lip balm and in the harsh winter here in Toronto, my lips soon started cracking. So I darted into the nearest Rexall [a drugstore chain in Toronto], found that this range was on a half price sale & grabbed this shade as it was the only one remaining that was not broken into [Seriously, people should stop trying to break and use products!]

I was not very sure of the color, but my purpose mainly was to get a nice tinted lip balm. I applied around 3-4 layer of this to soothe my lips and it worked perfectly well. The balm effect remained for another 2-3hours and even though I didn’t reply till night, I felt like it did the job.

Regarding the color, I was very favorably impressed by the glossy finish and staying power. Provocateur is a blue-toned cherry red; it comes off as a very pink-coral-reddish shade on my lips. Actually on lips, it goes a shade deeper than on swatches. If I apply just one layer, it looks more coral pink than red [which actually doesn't suit me very well]. The color can be built upon but gives really good pigmentation on a single swatch.

This shade has no noticeable shimmer; there are other shades with shimmer, so I am glad I picked this as I am not a huge fan of the glittery lips. On applying, this has a minty scent and effect which I like; there is no taste and it does not feel heavy on lips at all.

Staying power depends on if you eat something heavy but on an average it wears around 3-4hours on my lips. Even after the glossiness goes away, it leaves a tint on lips. I don’t expect long wear from these kind of glossy-finish lippies, so I am okay.

The packaging of these lip crayons are nice and pretty and since the casing is the same as lip color, selecting your fave color is easy.

On my lips with 2-3 swipes of the color- note the glossy finish [no lip balm applied]

Overall: This is a great lip product especially if you like jumbo lip pencils and don’t mind the average staying power.

Will I buy again – I may not buy the same shade but I will definitely try a different one like Coy or Enticing. 

I wish Revlon would add some purple and berry shades... come on Revlon, you know not all gals are fair and can carry off all the pretty nude, pastel and coral shades!

Self Adjusting Lipsticks -Do they work? Testing it out with Du Wop's Private Lipstick in Private Red

When I saw this lipstick at Shoppers Drug Mart for sale, I thought - 'Hey, a nice Red lipstick, but how many can you buy, so nahhh'; then I saw the description - Self Adjusting lipstick. 
Well, like any normal shopaholic , I was lured by the promise of buying something new & may be getting that perfect Red Lips.
Aaaand here is the result...



What Du Wop says - They say a lot, so I am not copying it here.. check it out at their website here
There are 7 shades and it costs around $22 CAD.


Packaging: Totally appreciate the sleek greyish black packaging - Awesome!





My Experience:

I have read reviews where people didn't notice much color change, so I thought I will test it out on 3 surfaces -  a white paper, my hand and my lips.



On the white paper, it appears as a blue-toned coral red shade. I didn't honestly care much for this shade.



On my hands, it appears as an orangey red shade. Loved this effect - I am a fan of orange.







Finally on my bare lips [no lip balm, pigmented lips] with its naturally mauvish tone, this appeared to be a darker red with brown tones. It came out as a warmer shade and I feel that it suits my skin tone -so Muy Contento!

Regarding how it applies- it is very creamy and its red -so beware of feathering. I suggest using a lip liner. You can see in my lip swatches how it has feathered.



It stains my lips but because of its creaminess the staying power is not very high - around 3-4 hours at the max without food or drink.

The intensity can be built upon; I am wearing it with 2-3 swipes which is almost a semi-intense look.

I don't think I would have been so happy with this lipstick if I'd paid the full price, considering that it does bleed and it is not a very long wearing lipstick. Also, another issue I find is, it does some how highlight all the lines on my lips; not a deal breaker for me but I guess it would be for dry skinned ladies.

OVERALL: 
This lipstick does seem to change color so I agree with their claim. I have read a lot of reviews where people didn't find any difference; however, unless my eyes are deceiving me completely, I find some amount of difference in the color.

Of course, the difference is not that wonderful or that significant and I honestly don't think that this lipstick does any magic in turning to the perfect Red. Its a gamble I guess- the lipstick changes color a bit subtly; if it matches you well and good!

I love this lipstick, it applies like a dream, no scent, no irritation, no taste and I dont mind reapplying.

Now the million dollar question or in this case $22 CAD question is - will I buy again for $22CAD? Hmmm...to be honest, I don't think so. It is not that special; I would consider buying Du Wop's Mini collection - check it here

Du Wop is a cruelty free company so here is a huge THUMBS UP!

A wearable blue eyeliner - Avon Glimmersticks Eye Liner in Starry Night Blue

I love seeing all those bold eye colors and shades - especially the bright blue, green shades that remind me of Spirits of Spring & Summer. But unfortunately, dressing for office, especially an IT job, can be pretty dreary - no bold eye, lip colors is usually taken for granted. So, a wearable dark blue shade like Avon's Starry Night Blue is such a welcome product for me.

Here is what Avon has to say [From their Canada website]: Smooth, glide-on color. Retractable, self-sharpening. Wears up to 12 hours. For eye definition, draw a bold line from the outer to the inner corner of the top lash line, then a finer line along bottom. 0.28 g .   Price: $7.99 [buy during sales for a cheaper price]



My Experience: I go by my preferred method of validating what company says against what my experience, and here we go:

1. Smooth Glide -on color: Make that not-soooo-smooth but acceptable glide on color. It didn't tug but it was not very smooth or creamy either. Its okay for my eyelid as I dont have any folds [yet! ] but for eyes with lines or folds, this may tug

2. Retractable, Self sharpening : Yep yep, though I don't really understand why companies stress on self-sharpening considering the product is retractable. Its given right?



3. Wears up to 12 hours: Hmm.. I didn't really test this, cos honestly wearing eye makeup that long is a no-no for me. But I noticed that if I apply at 8am, it usually stays till 1-2pm without any smudging or fading. By the time I reach home [around 6-7pm], it would have faded in some areas but the color is still there. Then again, I don't usually wear it with a primer, which might help increase the wear time.

What I really like: To be honest, I didn't care much for the feel or the staying power of this pencil. What I liked is that this is a very wearable blue eyeliner that I can apply without much fuss. This also smudges to create a nice smoky eye effect [use a black or brown eyeshadow with a light hand to avoid any creasing], which is pretty nice. I think this color would especially flatter those lucky green-hazel eyed ladies and should suit most skin & color tones.



What I don't like: I know Avon has a lot of reasons for not going Retail way, I honor that,I really do. But to be honest, I prefer if I can look and buy stuff from my local retailer. And it helps that I can just go and buy any time and I don't have to wait a lot. Unless the product is that WOW, I don't know if I would always try to find an Avon seller - this eyeliner aint that WOW-ing!

Overall: Well, Avon has some great sales, this is a nice eyeliner and if I plan to buy some Avon products in future I may include this- not because that eyeliner is that great, but because of the color.

Cats VS Dogs: Feel the Difference - A super funny video!!!

This is one funny video, especially towards the end!!!

And then I got my Liebster...

Kristen Doyle, from www.everybeautytalks.com, thank you dear for nominating me for a Liebster.. I am so honored..
 <sighs, smiles & hugs>  :) :)

These are the rules:
 ->You must link back to the person who nominated you.
-> You must state 11 facts about yourself.
-> You must answer the 11 questions given to you.
-> You must nominate 11 others,and set 11 questions for them to answer.
-> You can't nominate the person who nominated you.
-> You must tell the people you've nominated them,so they can take part!

11 Facts about me [dont start yawning yet :)]

1. I am proud of being an Aquarian, a Woman and a nice cook!

2. My dad, my mom and me share the same birth date :)

3. I can drink tea any time of the day..

4. I cant wear eyeshadows most of the time as they trigger my migraine.. :( :( :(

5. Some day, I want to go out wearing a Neon Green Lipstick

6.I am super duper scared of Spiders

7.I cry everytime I watch Titanic

8. I dont like Icecreams and Chocolates - I think I may be the only person to say that in this world

9. I have read Pride and Prejudice at least a 100 times.

10. My fave fruit is Watermelon but I don't like if it drips, so I cant usually eat that!

11. My fave color is Yellow.. I love the brightness and life in that color..


Whewwww...that was harder than I thought!


And these are the questions that Kristen set for me:

How often do you paint your nails?

Hmm, once in a week, sometimes twice a day.. depends on my mood.. :)

What is your favourite food?













If that means the one food I cant live without, thats a hot cup of Tea [Indian style]. Thats my wake me up, pick me up and glucose!!

If it was a rainy day and you were rugged up watching TV, what would you be watching?

Something funny and mood-lifting -may be a rom-com or may be an episode of Two and a Half Men :) I prefer to watch movies or sitcoms that relaxes me than what makes me think and strain.. gah!

What is your favourite day of the week any why?



That would be Thursday.. when I start planning my weekend and I can look forward to something special on Friday :)

Do you have any pets?

No.. :( but I love dogs.. will adopt one soon I hope!

If you could go to any holiday destination, where would you go?

Once upon a time, it was Provence in France.. now its the beach near my house in Kerala, India in September... That has to be the most relaxing place, there is something in watching the ocean & waves that soothes and calms.. :) However, wouldnt say No to a vacation in France or Austria though !

Do you prefer to be given flowers or chocolates?

Neither - I prefer to be given a Sephora Gift Card or a Paypal transfer for my online shopping :) :) [hubby, are you reading this?]

What is your favourite beauty product?

Lipstick...lip balm..lip gloss...lip liner... lip paint.. lip tint..Well, you get the idea!

Do you collect anything?

For now, I am trying hard to collect as many Red Lipsticks I can buy without breaking my bank!

What can't you live without? The city or the countryside?

I wish I could say countryside.. I love it... but the shopaholic in me screams Liar!!!


And I nominate these lovely dears for my Liebster:

1. Stylecupcake  @_Stylecupcake  http://stylecupcakee.blogspot.ca/
2. Just Because Beauty @justbecozbeauty http://justbecausebeauty.wordpress.com/
3. Vibussha @beautyroomxox http://www.beautyroomxox.blogspot.ca/
4. Katherine Rose‏@viavioletdotcom www.viaviolet.com
5. Sara‏@happysara89  http://saralotus.blogspot.ca/
6.Melissa B‏@Melissa_Bubbles  http://bbubbles16.blogspot.com.au/
7. Alexasunshine83‏@Alexasunshine83 alexasunshine83.blogspot.com
8. Kaileigh‏@kaileighr8 http://kaileighsbeautyreviews.blogspot.ca/
9.Carley Bonnett‏@carleybe24 carleysworldofbeauty.blogspot.com
10. Jessica Casillas‏@jesscasillasx  http://jesscasillasx.blogspot.co.uk/
11. Euge ♥‏@eugeetcheverryv http://myobsessionsdiary.blogspot.com.ar/

And these are my questions for the lovely ladies:

1. If you could listen to only 1 song, which one would you pick?

2. What is your favorite lip color?

3. Cats or Dogs or snakes or..u get the idea

4. What is your deserted-island book or movie?

5. If you get to meet one celebrity, who would that be?

6. What is your favorite cuisine?

7. If you had to pick 1 skin care, 1 makeup and 1 hair care product from the best all over the world, what would you pick?

8. Of all the names in the world, what name do you like best? And if you have a why, tell us that also..

9. You get a genie and your 3 wishes are [at least the ones you can say in public are :)] ...

10. Do you ever dream of being a Disney princess? If so, who is your fav?

11. Your favorite makeup/skincare/haircare tip, the one that you may pass to your kids blah blah..


Last but not least, do visit my giveaway - Estee Lauder, NYX and more..

 

Ipsy Glam Bag for March 2014: Destination Beauty

Ipsy's March bag is an awesome one - nice products, pretty bag -overall very well planned. I have always wanted to try the 2 brands - Bare Minerals and Pixi, so I was very happy to see them.

I am just showing you the products I received - no swatches, sorry. I will do a detailed review of each of these products later.

I absolutely love this bag, so artsy and quaint!

NYX palette- not too excited as already have so many neutral palettes.

Chella Eyeliner pen- looks interesting and I can never have enough blue eyeliner, can I? :)

Pixi Primer and Bareminerals Marvelous Moxie lipstick in Get Read - Me loves..

Overall, I am happy with this month's Ipsy - especially love that bag!

What not to buy! Tresemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo

This is a rant post. I used this product today & yesterday and after screaming at my mirror [thankfully it didn't break] I immediately took some pics and decided to post this today.

Okay,here is my question to Tresemme -When you buy a dry shampoo aimed for fine oily hair, it is supposed to make your hair 1.) more oily and sticky  2) Dry ?

Wondering about that one? Well, here is another - What is the purpose of Dry shampoos ?
1. To keep scalp and hair neat & dry for days with no-rinsing
2. To make scalp and hair more oily and sticky so people look at you and think 'hey, get a wash'
3. Waste buyer's money by doing nothing and adding chemicals to the scalp

If you thought,  Well its obvious, its 1, Tresemme thought 2 and 3. I really cant see any other reason why they would think this is a good dry shampoo to be put on market. This from a brand who delivers pretty awesome hair care product! Makes you wonder, whom to trust!

What this dry shampoo didn't do -
It didn't give a dry clean neat feeling to my scalp. It didn't make my hair less funky. It didn't give a fresh look to my hair.

What this dry shampoo does -
It made my scalp itchy, oily all day. My scalp felt heavy and I could actually feel my hair becoming lanky and droopy. It made me feel guilty for buying 2 on sales when I could have just got Batiste for the price.

Overall - Dont dont dont pls dont buy this shampoo! Buy Batiste, buy Klorane or wash your hair!

Where to shop for makeup and beauty in Toronto!

Ever been to Toronto or planning to or wondering what to ask your friend/cousin to bring back from TO?

As a makeup addict and shopaholic, I have found Toronto a great place to shop for, though definitely not as best as its neighbour – NYC [sigh!]

So this is a shopping guide based on my experience of shopping for makeup & beauty stuff here and hope it’s useful for you!

Some superb Canadian makeup brands:

1.      Bite Beauty – Yes, this superb lipstick brand is from Toronto –so 3 cheers! http://bitebeauty.com/blog/sample-page/

2.      Cargo cosmetics - http://www.cargocosmetics.com/    Never tried anything yet.

3.      Vasanti Cosmetics: www.vasanticosmetics.com/ca           - Never tried any of their products but everything looks tempting!

4.      Annabelle and sister company Marcelle - www.marcelle.com http://www.annabelle.ca I love Annabelle’s twist up crayons and Marcelle BB and CC creams.

Drugstore Shopping

1.      Shoppers Drug Mart : I don’t know if its fair to categorize Shoppers as a drugstore as it carries high end makeup as well. They have a specialized Beauty boutique in select locations.

For the budget conscious, they carry Essence Cosmetics which is an awesome and fun brand.

What I like: Lots of stores, friendly sales staff and if you’ve signed up for their Optimum card, you get coupons every Friday

What I don’t like: They can be pricier than other stores. 

Details on brands and locations: https://www1.shoppersdrugmart.ca/en/Home

Online store: www.murale.ca [high end boutique]

2.      Rexall: This is also a popular drugstore and carries NYX and recently Wet n Wild [though usually never the latest offerings from these brands! L]

What I like: They are usually faster in carrying the latest products; I found NYC lip crayons, Revlon balm stains launched 1^st here . Also for some products, they can be cheaper than Shoppers

No online store

Website: http://www.rexall.ca/

3.      Walmart: Well, I don’t think they need intro. Curiously, I find that Walmarts in Toronto are kind of messier and carry lesser product variety than Walmarts in places like Kitchener.

What I like: Sometimes they have good deals. Depending on which store you go to, you can find Milani, Wet n Wild etc. Don’t expect any high end brands.

What I don’t like: Counters are usually messy; products are often left used. Very few staff to support and help.

Details: www.walmart.ca

4.      Real Canadian Super store and Zehr’s : I love these stores cos they have nice displays which are better maintained that Walmart. They carry Milani, Wet n wild and I have seen new ELF palettes sometimes.

What I Like: Better selection and well maintained stores

What I don’t like: Nothing much except that I wish they had more drugstore brand range similar to US stores.

5.      Target: In Canada, Target doesn’t show in full potential – I must admit I am a bit disappointed with them; there was such an expectation and hype of Target bringing some new goodies with it.

What I Like: You can buy Sonia Kashuk and Pixi here. Sonia Kashuk lippies are great; I have never tried Pixi yet.

What I don’t like: It’s a bit disappointing to visit Target after watching all those Youtube haul videos where they show case the amazing stuff available at Target US.

6.      Winners: These are a set of retail stores – similar to Marshalls; they sometimes have ELF and some other cosmetics.

Not a favourite as displays are usually messy and weirdly priced.

Website: https://www.winners.ca/en/index.asp

7.      Marshalls: These stores are part of TJMAXX group but I am not sure if they are as good as their parent stores.

I have not found many brand offerings here; they carry ELF and some other stuff. I go there if I need to find a cute top.

https://www.marshallscanada.ca/en/index.asp

Department stores:

1.      Sears: Again, no need of intro. They carry high end brands like Clarins, Clinique and usually have some or other promotions running.

Again, don’t expect brand availability like their US stores.

However, I never find their sales staff available in most of the stores I have been to in GTA area.

Online store: http://www.sears.ca/

2.      Hudson’s Bay: They have a history in Canada and is the oldest in NA. I also find their stores excellent from an ambience and brand selections view.

They carry MAC along with other high end brands. They also have Fashion Fair – a line for women of color and Illamasqua.

Online store: http://www.thebay.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/en/thebay

3.      Holt Renfrew: This is a luxury department store; I have never been to one, may visit soon.

They carry Laura Mercier and I have read somewhere that Lime Crime is also available there.

Website : http://www.holtrenfrew.com/

Speciality stores and others:

1.      Sephora: Again, no need for intro. I love em! Its like going to a wonderland

Website: http://www.sephora.com/

2.      Claire’s and Icing: These are a set of retail stores targeted for Teens. But nothing to stop us from shopping.

I like their brushes and eyeshadow sets.

http://www.icing.com/icing/ca/

http://www.claires.com/store/ca/index.jsp?locale=en_CA&flag=CA

3.      Sally Beauty Supply: Mostly targeted for business buyers but they carry lots of interesting stuff like Palladio, Femme Couture & Sally girl.

They usually have deals and if you get a beauty card, you get good discounts

Website: http://www.sallybeauty.com/

4.      Lush: No need for intro, they have amazing bath and beauty products. I especially like the Eaton centre one, the staff is so warm and friendly

Website: www.lush.ca

5.      Yves Rocher: It is a French beauty brand and they have a good store at Eaton Centre. However I prefer buying online as I find more deals and offers.

Website: http://www.yvesrocher.ca/control/main/

6.      Forever21: I like their lipsticks and face wipes. This is not for the serious buyer, but for the fun-seeking ones.

Also if you’re on a budget you might like trying out their products

Website: http://canada.forever21.com/Product/Main.aspx?BR=F21

7.      H&M: They have some cosmetics but it differs from store to store. Not a fan of this, but if you are looking for fun products, why not!

Website: http://www.hm.com/ca/subdepartment/LADIES?Nr=4294966132

8.      Victoria’s Secret: The lingerie brand has some amazing cosmetics; they don’t need any additional ads, just look at their models!

I got a highlighter from their Eaton Centre store and I am sooooooooo in loveeee.. A lipstick costs $14 [MAC costs $15] so they are definitely not a drugstore brand!

Website: http://www.victoriassecret.com/beauty

Malls:

1.      Eaton Centre -> Busy, crowded always but I love shopping at this iconic place. Stores- MAC [not a great store, staff kinda snooty], The Body Shop etc.

2.      Fairview Mall -> More peaceful; has Face shop, L’Occitane –so well worth a visit

3.      Pacific Mall -> Again crowded. I found this kinda confusing on my 1^st visit. Reputed to have some great Korean stores

4.      Scarborough Centre -> I found this mall kind of dingy.

5.      Dufferin Mall -> Okay Dokey but if you are visiting Toronto, don’t waste time going here!

6.      Square One, Mississauga -> Awesome mall; wear a pair of nice walking shoes cos it goes on and on… Lots of stores so a great place for full day shopping  

Makeup Artist shopping:

I am adding some links below for store. I have visited only the KW Magic store. The staff was nice but I find that its easier to do a one-stop shopping during IMATS.

http://www.kwmagic.com/

http://www.blurmakeuproom.com/

http://store.malabar.net/Make-up-Beauty-Make-up/

http://www.hiscott.ca/plus/list.php?tid=48

http://www.candyscostumeshoponline.com/

http://www.alchemycenter.com/makeupartstudio/store.html

Some great online stores:

1.      www.nailpolishcanada.com  - Love, love, love… I got Lime Crime from there recently; superb customer service and FREE SHIPPING!!!!

2.      www.well.ca – a really great online store; I make at least one purchase per month. Only complaint is that they don’t send any coupons or offers…

3.      www.iherb.com – This is a US based store but they carry lots of interesting stuff

4.      www.urbanoutfitters.com – A Great store to check out…lots of brands and options!

This is a living list- let me know of brands and stores you love!