Go Flawless with Laura Mercier: A Tutorial and Review

Hi guys! So in my last post I mentioned that I picked up the Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation, a foundation that has been getting a lot of hype recently.  The foundation is full-coverage and is supposed to “increase skin luminosity and clarity for a radiant glow” (as per Sephora online).

I was a bit hesitant to pick this up because the stuff is just so expensive.  It retails for $55 in Canada and $42 in the United States (I picked it up in the U.S.).  Because of all the hype and good reviews I decided I would bite the bullet and pick me up a tube in the shade Bamboo Beige.  I usually have a summer shade and a winter shade and it just so happens I ran out of my Joe Fresh foundation ($6 at Superstores) while on vacation so I thought I would give this one a try. Okay, so my thoughts?  It’s pretty good, it definitely gives you full coverage and my face really does look flawless with this on. It’s very light weight and you don’t need a lot to cover your whole face.

Is it better than the Joe Fresh Light Weight Foundation?  Well, it’s a bit thicker than Joe’s but I would say that the JF one could be a dupe for the Laura Mercier; both provide a full coverage look but at different price points.

Alright so now for the fun part!  I thought I would do a quick little tutorial using this product to show how you can achieve a flawless face!

My "Before" Shot. No makeup whatsoever!

First things first, make sure you prime your face! I used Smashbox’s Photo Finish Foundation Primer (I got it as a sample at Sephora).  When you use a foundation, always use a primer, it makes your foundation set better and fills in small lines.  Your foundation should literally glide on your face.

Next you are going to put a dab of your foundation on a face brush and stipple it all over your face.  I used my E.L.F Flat Top Studio Powder Brush. Next, with that same brush buff the foundation in all over your face and blend down onto your neck. Once that’s done grab some concealer and apply it anywhere you see spots or blemishes.  I pretty much only apply it under my eyes.  I used my It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer. Next you are going to set your makeup.  I used Make Up For Ever’s HD Microfinish Powder.  Use a light hand with this, you don’t need a lot. Basically you are just setting your foundation, too much of the powder can make your makeup look white. Now that that’s done grab your bronzer and contour your cheekbones. The easiest way to do this is by sucking in your cheeks and then putting the bronzer in the crevices in your face.  All I can say is practice, practice, practice! It will take you awhile to achieve it.   Finally grab your favourite blush and lightly sweep it on your cheeks.  I used NARS’ Angelika, the light pink pictured above.

And you are done! If you want you can stop here or go ahead and do your regular makeup routine!

Eyes: Urban Decay Primer Potion, MAC All That Glitters on the lid, Satin Taupe on the crease, Electric Eel on the lower lash line, and Liquid Eye Liner. On the lips I used NARS' Turkish Delight lip gloss.

That’s it!  Let me know your thoughts on Laura Mercier’s Silk Creme Foundation.  Have you tried it?  If so, what were your thoughts?

 

Las Vegas 2011: The Haul/August Favourites!

Hey guys! So this is my last Vegas post unless I can come up with something else (let me know if you want me to talk about anything else).  I didn’t do that much shopping this time around (I made one really big purchase, see the end of this post), but as usual, I bought a ton of makeup.

Like last time I went a little nuts in Sephora at the Venetian, maybe it was because everything is cheaper in the U.S., or it may have been that oversized margarita, but nonetheless I bought a ton of stuff.  Because I didn’t really buy anything in the month of August leading up to my trip I combined this haul post with my favourites, because I liked everything I bought (or I wouldn’t have bought it, duh!)

MAC PRO Eyeshadows in Bottle Green, Electric Eel, and Colbalt From top to bottom: Bottle Green, Electric Eel, Colbalt Alright so the first things I’m going to talk about are from the MAC Pro store at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace.  I actually got my pro palette from that store as well as five shades so I thought I would bring it full circle and buy my last three shades there to fill it up. The colours I got are all Pro shades, meaning that you can only buy them at Pro stores or through the Pro hotline. The majority of the Pro colours are very bright, which was what I was looking for.  As much as I love neutrals, I have my Naked palette so I wanted to get some fun colours to spice things up.  I really wanted a bright blue to use on my lower lashline so I picked up Electric Eel, then I saw Colbalt, which is like an indigo colour which I thought would look nice with Beautiful Iris (the purple pictured above, middle colour on the right hand column).  I could also use this colour with Phloof!. The last one I picked up was Bottle Green which I can use as a green smoky eye, the colour itself reminds me of a hunter green, it’s really pretty and something I definitely don’t have in my collection.

MAC Liquid Eye Liner While I was at MAC I also picked up a new liquid eye liner.  Their Liquid Eye Liner is my favourite one so I thought I might as well buy it in the United States because the prices are always cheaper and I needed a new one.  I’m going to make this short but I really do love this liner and it lasts forever.  I bought my last one in the summer of 2008 and it has lasted me up until now and I usually wear it at least five days of the week.  Highly recommend this product.

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation So the first thing I picked up at Sephora is the Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation. I wanted this foundation for a long time because I have only heard great things about it but I have put it off because one, I didn’t need a new foundation at the moment, and two, the price (it retails for $55 CDN at Sephora).  I brought my Joe Fresh foundation with me on the trip but I quickly ran out of it so I thought it was time to pick up a new summer foundation. This foundation retails for $42 in the U.S., which is still expensive, but considerably cheaper than buying it in Canada.   My next post is going to be a demo and review on this product so I’ll save my opinions for that but I really do like this foundation a lot, it is full coverage and definitely worth the hype.

Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder Okay this is another one of those products that has its own cult following.  I have heard a ton of stuff about this product.  My thoughts? I think it’s okay. It certainly does its job by setting your foundation.  I think the part that makes it “high definition” certainly comes into play in terms of photography.  I have noticed my makeup looked better in photos, but in real life, there isn’t anything different about my makeup.  Also, I hate that when I open it the product gets everywhere!  The only setting powder I have ever used is the Bare Minerals one and it was similar to their foundation as in you slide open the top, dump some in the lid and then close it shut.  In this one there is nothing to slide open so the product gets stuck in the top if you travel with it. Super annoying.  Other than that it does it’s job. I just started using it so I’m going to reserve my judgements until I have tried it out for a couple more months.

Bare Minerals Original Foundation I was just about out of my Bare Minerals Original Foundation so I figured I might as well buy another one of these guys because of the price difference. I have blogged about this product a ton in the past so I’m not going to go into detail but I highly recommend this product, I can’t say enough great things about it.  For a powder foundation, this really does it job and then some.  It’s super light on the skin, it has an SPF, and provides pretty good coverage to boot!

Thierry Mugler Angel Perfume Purse Spray I have wanted Thierry Mugler’s Angel perfume since I was in Grade 9, so about nine years, and yet I have never bought it. Don’t ask me why, I just never have.  So when I looked online and saw that Sephora sold a mini one I knew I had to have it.  I do plan on buying a full size eventually but for now I like the little spray because I can carry it around with me in my purse, so if I need a touch up it’s handy.

As for the actual scent, it’s definitely not for everyone.  I can’t really explain it, it’s pretty unique.  It’s not floral, they describe it as “an oriental gourmand of fruits and honey, kissed with a breath of fresh air”.  I personally think it’s kind of musky.  Anyways, for all you Canadians, I think it is sold exclusively at The Bay (unless they sell it at Holt Renfrew, I’m not too sure) but I don’t think they sell the purse spray, so if you want to grab it, pick it up at an American Sephora or Sephora online.

YSL Rouge Volupte #7 Lingerie Pink Okay you guys should know by now how much I am obsessed with these lipsticks.  Everything from the colour payoff to the packaging to the scent to the creaminess, they are basically the most perfect lipsticks ever.  So naturally I had to pick one up.  I bought number seven (Lingerie Pink) this time around which was the original shade I wanted way back when I bought my first one. I have to say that I am in love with this colour.  It’s a really pretty soft baby pink with a hint of nude.  It goes great with my skin tone, as in it doesn’t wash me out.  I have to say that it’s my new favourite colour, perfect for day or night. I think this is one of YSL’s most popular shades in the line so if you see it and if you like it I would for sure pick it up.  My city doesn’t have a YSL counter so whenever I’m in a city that does have one I make sure to buy one.  I also picked up a YSL Rouge Volupte Perle shade in 108 Celestial Mauve which is a really pretty lavender colour.  I only bought one so I gave it to my mom but it’s a super pretty shade (I’m not sure of the difference between the regular line and Perle).

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Liberte The last beauty product I got was my very first Chanel lipstick.  I chose one of their Rouge Coco Shine products in the colour Liberte, which is a soft coral colour.

Sorry for the clown hand, I didn't have a cloth handy to wipe off the previous swatches

The only ever Chanel product I have tried in the past was one of their powder foundations which I have to be honest, wasn’t that impressed by (plus it was like $50).  So far, I really like this lipstick, they are really nourishing and feel like a lip balm, also the colour isn’t that pigmented; it’s quite sheer which I kind of like.  I shied away from my regular pink and chose a coral because it was a colour I didn’t have yet.  I usually only buy pinks or nudes so a coral is something different.

I got this directly from the Chanel store in the Wynn only because I wanted the shopping bag (might as well right?) and packaging (and to say I bought something at Chanel).  Also, I wanted a Chanel lipstick to put in the next product I talk about.

When it comes down to it though, as much as I do like this product, if it was between YSL and Chanel, I would still go with the YSL, there is something about Yves Saint Laurent lipsticks that make them stick out from the rest.

Chanel Wallet on Chain (WOC) in Timeless Cavier This was hands down the biggest purchase from my trip.  There is a bit of a story behind it but I’m going to sum it up briefly.  I actually paid for this before I got to Vegas because WOCs are in demand right now.  All of the Chanel boutiques were out of them and couldn’t guarantee that they would have them for when I got there so when I called Neiman Marcus and learned that they had some I grabbed the opportunity and charged it about a month prior to my trip so all I had to do was pick it up when I got there.

There is a ton more stuff I can say about this bag but since this post is already so big I’m going to skip it (let me know if you guys want me to blog about it, there really is tons to say).  But basically, the Wallet on Chain is a permanent bag style in the Chanel collection but there are different styles to it with different prices.  The one I got is called the “Timeless WOC” there is also a Classic one with the quilted leather, a Sevruga one, a Camellia one, a reissue, a cambon, a half moon (same as Timeless but a sack shape instead of the rectangle) and a few others.  They also come in a variety of different leathers.  Mine is cavier leather which is the most durable.  Other leathers available are lambskin (which is very delicate and susceptible to scratches) and patent.

I have always wanted a Chanel bag (what girl doesn’t want a Chanel bag) and I thought the time is now or never really.  There really is something so timeless about a Chanel bag and it’s something that I will have forever and never go out of style.  Also, Chanel bags go up in price a few times a year; they really are investment items.  For example, the Grand Shopping Tote (GST) was retailing for $2,350 and then on August 8, 2011 it went up in price to $2,900, crazy hey?

So that is it!  Well aside from a few clothing items and a couple of pairs of shoes.  Let me know if you have tried any of the products I mentioned above or if you want me to do a post on my WOC.  Chanel doesn’t really post anything about their products online at all, the most valuable place to get info is at the Purse Forum (warning though, that message board is seriously addicting and will feed your spending habits.  You have been warned).  I did a ton of info and really for the amount of money a Chanel purse costs, you should really do your research before you buy it.  I know a couple blogs really helped me out with their photos and info.

Las Vegas 2011: The Gambling

Hey dudes! So next up on the list is the gambling.  Up until a few years ago the number one reason people visited Las Vegas was because they wanted to gamble, now I think the number one reason is to shop.

If you are over the age of 21 I think gambling is pretty much mandatory.  Now with that being said, I’m not a gambler at all.  As much as I would love to win a ton of money, the odds are always in the house’s favour, the house being the casino.  I like my money where I can see it, preferably in my wallet. Because we were in Las Vegas, I had a gamble a bit though, nothing too crazy.  All in all, I broke even, I started with $15 and walked away with $15. My friend on the other hand won $300 in one shot.

Okay, here is the thing about gambling, do your research!!  Before going, I looked up the best games with the greatest odds.  I personally would totally bypass the slot machines, sure they are fun, but remember, they are machines.  You can win on some, but the majority of them are designed to take your money away.  I wouldn’t even bother with the penny slots either, they can add up quickly and you don’t really win much on those anyways. According to numerous websites, Craps and Roulette have good odds of winning and so does Blackjack.  The only game I knew how to play going in was Blackjack, I tried teaching myself Craps by downloading apps on my iPhone but I wasn’t comfortable enough to play it.  I did play Roulette (by placing bets on either red or black) and both won and lost.  Same goes for Blackjack.

Okay, if you are like me and don’t ever really gamble, I have two tips for you. One, save your money for Fremont Street.  Fremont Street, located in gorgeous downtown Las Vegas (I’m kidding) is home to the Fremont Street Experience, which is basically a bunch of casinos attached to each other with a canopy over top filled with LCD lights.  Every few hours in the evenings the canopy plays a light and sound show, click here to see what I mean.  They also have entertainment, cheaper souvenirs/drinks, ziplining, etc.  Anyways, the thing about the Fremont casinos is they have lower table minimums. The majority of the Strip casino table mins are $10, on Fremont they have $5 tables (maybe even lower, the lowest I saw was $5).  I don’t really want to lose $10 on a hand in Blackjack, but I don’t mind losing $5. Another tip I have, and I cannot stress this enough, is sign up for the casino player card!  Aside from awesome offers (as well as comped rooms, buffets, shows, etc. if you play for a long enough time), some of them also offer perks when you sign up like free slot play.  Basically what that is is a voucher for free money, now with that being said, you can’t just put the voucher in the machine and cash out, they work like credits but whatever you win you keep.  My friend and I went to the Golden Nugget and got $5 in free slot play. The free slot play machines usually have a sticker on them so we went to the first ones we saw.  Those turned out to be $5 machines, which are like “high roller” machines.  We didn’t realize this until we already put in the promo codes etc.  Well, lucky for my friend, she won $300.  Yes, $300 off a free slot play, something that cost her nothing to play.

I cannot stress enough the importance of getting the casino player’s card. After she won I kid you not, we went to every casino on Fremont and signed up for player’s cards.  Not all of them offer free slot plays (for some of them you have to spend money first), but a lot of them do.  Plus they are kind of like souvenirs in their own rights. I myself won $5 off a $5 free slot play, so I basically got $10 for free.

Well those are my tips for gambling in Vegas.  I hope this post helps some of you out there, I know when I was doing research ahead of time this information would have been really valuable to me.  Like I said I’m not a gambler, but hey, it’s Vegas right?  And just like anything else, there are little tips and tricks to actually winning.

Leave me a comment if you have any advice, or even the highest payout you have ever gotten!  And don’t forget to subscribe :).


1 548 549 550 551 552 569