Okay so I’m always going on about how I love full-coverage foundation. Although I have nice skin already, I just prefer the way that full-coverage foundation makes my face look.
A couple of years ago I was on the hunt for a new foundation. I went to Sephora (as one does) and did their Color IQ machine to find the perfect match for my skin tone and the corresponding foundations in those colours. I ended up going with the Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation since it is very full coverage and it made my skin look amazing.
I ended up taking that foundation back because it was just too thick on my skin. Yes, I like full coverage, but this stuff is next level. It’s like the consistency of paint. Once it’s on, it covers everything. I ended up replacing it with NARS Sheer Glow and never looked back.
Kat Von D Lock-It foundation is quite popular, and after using it, I can certainly see why. It provides a very long wear, it has an abundance of pigment (and then some) and it dries quite quickly in a matte finish. Since the foundation, available in a staggering 19 different shades, is so cult-worthy, it’s no surprise that the brand has recently released some new products in the Lock-It umbrella.
Released this past summer, I was most excited about the Lock-It Concealer Creme (C$34). Also available in a wide range of shades (21 to be exact), this concealer is just as thick as the foundation. It’s amazing though because it brightens the underage area, covers blemishes, corrects discolouration, contours, and even bakes (seriously, what doesn’t it do?!).
I received two shades, M19 (medium peach with cool undertone) and M21 (medium peach with neutral undertone), and I’ve been using the latter pretty much nonstop since I got it. This concealer is great because you can pair it with a lighter foundation, and then between the two you get amazing coverage. The concealer also contains Hydra-Boost Complex, making it crease-proof and hydrating.
I actually had a wedding this past Friday, so since these products are not for the faint of heart, I thought it would be an amazing opportunity to put them to the test. I applied the Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation in the shade Medium 52 with the new Kat Von D Lock-It Edge Foundation brush (C$43). I usually like applying my foundation with a buffing brush or a beauty blender so this brush, which features a sculpted shape, is much different than what I’m used to. I actually didn’t think I would love it, but it works wonders with the foundation since the product is so thick. Because the brush is so dense, you can really paint on the product and the brush contours to fit any crevice in your face.
Next up I used the Kat Von D Lock-It Concealer Creme in M21, and although you can use the foundation brush to blend in the concealer, I chose to blend it using the Sephora Collection Confetti Set of Five Mini Sponges (C$15). These are new for fall and should be hitting your local Sephora store soon if they haven’t already. I used the teal tear-shaped one, and I have to say that Sephora has really stepped up their game with their sponges. I’ve used a few different ones in the past and they were really dense; this one was nice and bouncy and blended in the concealer quite nicely considering how thick the product is.
To finish up the face, I applied some of the Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder just to set the undereyes. Kat Von D also released a Lock It Setting Powder recently as well but I haven’t had the opportunity yet to try that one out. Like I said, this foundation dries matte and fast, so you don’t really need to set it, but if you have oily skin then that may be a good idea.
The brush I used to set everything is another one of her new brushes, the Lock-It Setting Powder Brush (C$47), which is a synthetic soft-bristled brush that features a round shape with a long tapered tip. It allows you to gently apply the setting powder to your face and feels amazing in the process.
I still think that the Lock-It foundation is a product that should be reserved for special occasions; it’s just too thick for my liking for everyday wear. I really love the new concealer cremes and the brushes she’s put out, so if you’re looking for a new amazing concealer, I would give this one a try. Also, the brushes work amazing, regardless of the product you’re using them with.
Have you tried any of the new Kat Von D Lock-It products?
Please note, this post contains products sent by PR. All opinions are my own.
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There’s only about a handful of brands that I can think of that when they reached out to me I get fangirl excited for. Considering I’ve worked with a large number of companies and brands, when McDonald’s Canada sent me an email inviting me to experience the new Create Your Taste concept here in Manitoba, I was ecstatic.
I’ve always been a huge fan of the fast food giant. From going there as a kid to now as an adult, everyone just seems to be nostalgic about McDonald’s. Whether it’s fantasizing about the long-gone McDonald’s pizza (RIP) or visiting locations wherever my travels take me (I made sure to scoop up some macarons at the McCafe in Paris three years ago), McDonald’s is just one of those places everyone knows and loves (who can say no to a nugrun at 3 a.m. after the bar?).
Anyways, my bestie and I were greeted at the McDonald’s location on Regent this past Tuesday to get the full Create Your Taste experience and try out their new touchscreen self-ordering kiosks. Create Your Taste and the touchscreen systems aren’t new in Canada, they rolled it out this past fall first in Ontario and now it’s making it’s way across the country, one province at a time. Once it’s fully rolled out here, there will be 29 participating restaurants in Manitoba to offer it.
We were greeted at the door by the manager of the Regent McDonald’s (located at 1475 Regent Avenue West), a couple PR reps, a customer experience rep, and a server (yes, a server). We were walked through how the new touchscreens work, as well as how to build our own burgers using Create Your Taste, which is a totally customized burger with heightened menu options (they also have some pre-set burgers if your creativity gets stumped). A lot of the toppings are included in the price ($7.49), but there are some add-ons as well.
Options include:
- 3 buns: Black + White Sesame Seed Brioche-Style Bun, Artisan Style Bakery Roll, or Lettuce Wrap
- 5 cheeses: McDonald Classic Cheese, Monterey Jack Jalapeño, Natural Cheddar, Swiss, or Crumbled Blue Cheese
- 12 toppings: Tomato, Lettuce, Guacamole, Sundried Tomato Pesto, Caramelized Onions, Crispy Onions, Sliced Jalapeños, Long Sliced Pickles, Grilled Mushrooms, or Red Onion Rings
- 9 sauces: Ketchup, Garlic Aioli, Mustard, Smokey BBQ, Big Mac Sauce, Chipotle Aioli, Grainy Mustard, Mayo, or Sriracha Sauce
Since McDonalds was paying, I didn’t hold back on choosing the ingredients for my ultimate burger. I went with the sesame seed bun, monterey jack jalapeño, tomato, lettuce, guac, caramelized onions, jalapeños, long-sliced pickles, red onions, garlic aioli and chipotle aioli. Like I said, Create Your Taste starts at $7.49 here in Manitoba, but it also includes fries and a drink (the one on Regent will give you any drink you want, so my friend and I both got McCafe frappes). For a limited time here in Manitoba, they are also doing unlimited refills on the fries and drinks. Yes, you heard that correctly, unlimited McDonalds fries.
Once our order was put through, we were handed a tracking number, which the server will use to find you and give you your order. Once you’re done paying, go sit down and the waiter will find your tracker using this really cool system that knows exactly where you are sitting. Before we sat down though we were taken into the kitchen where we got to watch the chef make our burgers.
Shortly after we sat down out waiter came and placed down two wooden trays with our mouthwatering creations. The presentation on these are totally new and so not your typical McDonald’s. The fries are placed in a basket and the burgers are much larger and more gourmet than your traditional Big Mac. But the taste is still there.
My creation was a big messy, so thankfully the waiter brought me tons of napkins. He also brought over some ketchup and McChicken Sauce for our fries and checked up on us after a while to see if we needed anything else. This was the first time I’ve had tableside service at McDonald’s and it presents such a heightened experience to the whole brand.
Like a lot of Canadians, I’ve been going to McDonalds for as long as I can remember. The manager, my friend and I were getting nostalgic about our neighbourhood locations and how they evolved through the years. We’ve grown with them and just like us, the brand has evolved. You would think by having the self-order kiosks implemented in locations, that would take jobs away, but that isn’t the case. To give a heightened experience, they’ve hired new guest experience leaders to engage with guests, whether that be a hello or a goodbye. There’s also dedicated wait staff that will deliver the Create Your Taste meals to tables.
Just as we thought we couldn’t eat anymore (as a side note, no I didn’t get the refill on the fries..), we were brought an assortment of the new McCafe offerings. We got to try the new cream cheese danishes, brownies, lemon pound cake, French croissants, the mini chocolatine, and other delicious creations that are making their way across Canada in McCafe locations.
Once we finished our desserts I don’t think either of us could breathe and I thanked god I wore stretchy pants. Since the restaurant industry is so oversaturated – especially with fast food – these new features that McDonald’s is implementing really are game changers. I even mentioned to my boyfriend last night that we’ll have to go back to try out the Create Your Taste concept again, and believe me, I would never usually have recommended going to McDonald’s on a date night ;).
Are you excited for Create Your Taste? Have you tried it yet?
Special thanks to McDonald’s Canada for letting me try this out. I am being compensated for this post, however, it will probably all go back to them for more Create Your Taste burgers ;).
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I’ve never been a huge blush girl.
I always have friends asking me if I got any new blushes in, as they seem to go through them so fast. I love getting lipsticks or eyeshadows, but I’ve never known what all the hype was about blush. Yeah, it’s a must in every makeup routine, but it’s blush. Blush is blush.
Well now I know what everything seems to be freaking out about.
In case you haven’t heard, Marc Jacobs Beauty recently introduced a new blush that keeps you flushed all day. The Marc Jacobs Beauty Air Blush Soft Glow Duo is a powder blush duo with two shades that are totally customizable. Available in five different colours, the two shades in the compact end up merging together, so it creates the most beautiful glow that applies effortlessly and like air. The texture isn’t powdery, but very soft, almost cream-like.
I received two of these to try out, 502 Lines & Last Night (described as a creamsicle/deep tangerine) and 508 Night Fever & Hot Stuff (cherry/deep plum). The blush is housed in the signature Marc Jacobs Beauty black glossy compact and retails for a staggering C$57 each. They are expensive, but they’re a great product.
The first thing you’ll notice is definitely the pattern on the actual product, which is inspired by a Marc Jacobs dress. The two colours work together and complement each other. Sephora says the light shade highlights and the darker one contours. A little goes a long way, so go easy on the brush for a glow that will have you blushing all day long.
The only downside I can see with this product is honestly the price. For C$57 for one blush, you can easily pick up a blush palette for less money, or about 20 drugstore blushes (okay, maybe not that many, but you get the idea). it is a great blush so, you if you feel like treating yourself, you won’t be disappointed.
Have you tried any of the Marc Jacobs Beauty Air Blush Soft Glow Duo?
Please note, this set was sent by PR. All opinions are my own.
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