EmiliaStyle: May 2016

Benefit CHEEKATHON Palette Review| Beauty

This purchase was the perfect way to start my summer. At the end of my semester, after I'd gotten all my grades back, I thought I would treat myself to a little something. This was that little something. Because it was such a beautiful purchase and I was so excited, I decided to really utilize it and make sure I tested out every shade and do a proper review... And so here it is :)

Firstly, the packaging screams Benefit, and while I have to say it isn't exactly my favourite, the product is so good, it really doesn't bother me. The palette itself comes with 3 blush shades, "Dandelion", "Rockateur", "Coralista", and two bronzer shades, "Hoola" and "Dallas".

Here in Canada, it retails for $75, which is quite a pricy palette, but when you think of the fact that each shade is full size and individually, the shades retails at $36, you realize you end up getting a pretty good deal if you utilize all the shades.

That was the one thing that made me hesitate. When it comes to palettes, I don't usually use all the shades given, I have my favourites but the others are left untouched. This is the first palette I own that I feel I'll use every shade in it. While there are some I love more, each one of them is wearable for everyday use.

First and foremost, I've been really impressed with the quality. I mean, everyone knows that "Hoola" is an amazing bronzer and "Coralista" will suit pretty much any skin tone. But I've always found Benefit to be quite hit or miss. I can't really say it's one of my favourite brands but this palette has definitely made me think twice about them. The pigmentation for each shade is right up there and "Dallas" is one of the few bronzers that actually stays on my face all day long.

At the start, I thought I would really like the brush that comes with the palette, it felt very soft to the touch. However, to be completely honest, I used it once and really didn't like it. It felt like nothing was getting onto the bristles, so I've just opted to use my own brushes.

Dandelion: Is the first blush in the palette and it's a gorgeous dusty pink, perfect for summer. It's not the most used bush out of them all, but I'll use it when going for a very soft, minmal look.
Hoola: Of course, not much description needed for this one. This is a really nice bronzer for contouring because it's soo matte. Finally, the pigmentation is great, there's no orange in it, so you simply get a nice golden bronzed effect when wearing it.
Rockateur: This is definitely my favourite blush out of the 3 because I can also use it as a highlight. It's a very shimmery rose colour that gives a beautiful glow. I love a good highlight, so the fact that I can use it for both is definitely a plus for me.
Dallas: At first glance, I didn't think I would like this bronzer. Probably because I was scared of the red-ish tones in it. While "Hoola" is completely matte, this one has just a little shimmer to it. However, this is the shade I've been using the majority of the days. I think it's perfect for my skin tone and I think that's because my base is quite yellow, olive but I do have quite a bit of redness. It contours my face really nicely and blends in well with the natural tones of my face.
Coralista: The ever-loved blush. This was the first shade I tried because I was so happy I finally owned it. It's gorgeous. I love a good coral blush and when my skin is clear, this is definitely the colour I reach for the most. A coral blush is also pretty much an essential when going for a golden bronzed, beach summer look. ;)

I've super happy with this purchase. If it's in your budget and you've been looking for a beautiful cheek palette, then I definitely recommend you go and pick this up.

I was watching one of Lily's vlogs and she made a joke about how so many beauty bloggers use the excuse of buying palettes because they are "great for travelling". And while I definitely agree that I use that excuse more times then I should, this will be the first place I don't ;) While I won't give up this palette any time soon, it's quite bulky and large. So, definitely not the most convenient for travelling. However, on the bright side, it does have a large mirror, which comes in very handy.

Thanks for reading my review! I hope you found it useful and let me know if you decide to pick it up for yourself. As well, I'd love to hear about some of the new products you've been loving and that you recommend I should check out. Have a wonderful day! <3

Emilia

11:00
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Spring/Summer Makeup Look | Beauty

Beauty Blogger

I've been loving this makeup look lately. It's a purple eye and nude lip, which has been perfect for work. It's a little heavier in terms of quantity, it's still quite full coverage, but at the same time, I think it works really well for summer. I love how I can apply my makeup early in the morning and it stays put all day long.

My base routine remains relatively the same. However, I have added a few new steps to it. Along with my primer, I've also been mixing the Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base into my foundation. It gives off a perfect subtle glow without being overbearing and it brightens up your complexion beautifully.

Another change has also been to use a finishing spray after applying my liquid products. I find that this is what really helps in keeping my makeup on all day. My new foundation of choice has also been a great help. The Estee Lauder Double Wear (in the shade "Ecru") is a great full coverage product that is easily buildable and has wonderful lasting power.

I wanted a slight contour, so I used the sculpt powder from Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow. I then bronzed up my face a little more with Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick. Finally, for just a little definition on my cheeks, I opted for one of my favourite products, M.A.C's Stereo Rose. I think this is the first time I've talked about this product on here but it's been one of my favourites for years. Unfortunately it was a limited edition (or discontinued, I'm not 100% certain), however "Perfectly Lit" is quite similar.

For the eyes, I wanted to create a subtle, purple smokey look. This M.A.C Zac Posen Palette (Eye Z You) is perfect because you can apply the shadows very lightly and you won't get a huge amount of product onto the eyelids. I used pretty much all the colours except the one in the top, middle. I used the two lightest shades all over the lid and then the darker plum shade to define the outer corner and create more depth.

To then define my eyes a little more, I reached for the MUFE Aqua Eyes in "Matte Plum" and applied it on both the top and bottom lash line.

I've been trying a few new mascaras lately, and for this look I opted for L'Oreal's Butterfly Sculpt Mascara. It's great for defining and lengthening lashes. I already have relatively long lashes but I find this defines them really well and just makes my eyes look much more open and awake.

To finish off this spring/summer look, I reached for Kat Von D's Bow N Arrow. It is a little nude-y for summer, but I got it recently and have been obsessed ever since. It's probably one of the brownest lip shades I own, but I think it suits me nicely. The only thing I would say about this shade is that it doesn't really last all day long. By the end of the afternoon, it gets very patchy and even when I re-apply it, it doesn't look very good. It's something that can last for a night out or an afternoon with friends but not much else. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful shade, so I still find myself reaching for it and dealing with the patchiness at the end of the day.

Thank you for reading :) I hope you enjoyed this spring/summer look and please let me know if you try it out. I'd love to know what you're favourite products are at the moment. Have a wonderful rest of the week and I'll be back with a new post on Sunday <3

Emilia

11:00
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New in my Collection| Beauty

Beauty Blogger

I've recently added a few, new products to my collection, and I thought I would share my first impressions with you. I've had a chance to try them all out and since I'm pretty much in love with all of it, I couldn't resist writing about them. Enjoy! <3

M.A.C Lip Pencil "Soar": I've never been the biggest user of lip pencils but when I saw this one at the counter, I thought it would go really well with the majority of my lipsticks and decided to pick it up. It's the perfect mauvy-nude that goes with everything, just adding a little more plumpness to your lips.
M.A.C Lipstick "Twig": I've been eyeing this satin finish lipstick for a while now and finally decided to put it in my basket. It's perfect for everyday and believe it or not, but some of my lipsticks have been running out and it was the perfect time to justify a new one ;)
Lancome Lipgloss in "403": This is a really pretty sheer, baby pink lipgloss that screams summer. You can definitely layer it to create a barbie pink look but I like wearing this when I'm not doing anything outrageous with my makeup and just want a nice shine.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation "Ecru": I've been looking for a new foundation that gives medium to full coverage without being super heavy on my skin. I've finally found it in this product. I've only been using it for about a week, but I've really enjoyed it so far. The coverage is good because you can layer it nicely but I don't feel it on my skin throughout the day, especially at work, under harsh store lighting.
Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer: This is a repurchase that I got on a whim but I'm so happy I did. I've been using the L'oreal primer and while I like it, I have yet to find anything that works as well as this Hourglass one.
Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer "Custard": Again, this is another repurchase and after not using it for quite some time, I thought I would pick up a new one. It's even more perfect then I remember and it works wonders for my dark circles and blemishes.

Benefit Cheekathon Palette: I'm not the biggest lover of blushers but this palette has definitely lifted my spirits about the product. I love that each colour is its own full size and while it may not be the most practical palette, I wouldn't trade it for the world. I'll be doing a full review of this product soon, so I won't babble to long about it here. Look forward to that post ;)

L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Intenza: I've never really tried L'oreal mascaras in the past (weird, I know) but I thought I would pick this one up and try it out. People have been raving about them for years, and I'm really impressed with this one. I've only used it twice so far but both times, I really like the volume and length it gives. There isn't much clumpiness to the product so it really gives your lashes a lot of height.

So these are the new editions to my collection, I hope you enjoyed reading and let me know some of the products you've loved using for the start of summer! <3

Emilia

11:00
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Constantly Learning| Style

Canadian Blogger

Don't you just love those days when you wake up in the morning, throw something on, look in the mirror and realize "this is actually an awesome outfit". I love days like those, I wish they happened all the time. While I love style, sometimes I look back on old outfits and seriously wonder what I was thinking when I left the house. Oh well.. I think that's just part of growing up and embracing your trial and error ways.

I've been on work mode for the past few weeks and I've come to the realization that my time management skills are even worse then I thought. I don't know... I feel like I should have time for certain things and then the days goes by and I realize all I've done is go to work. So I'm making a conscious effort to relax and enjoy my off days but also stay product. I've also realized that sleep is a truly wondrous thing and that waking up at the same time every morning can help you stay on track with your schedule.

So, while this new system has only been in effect for a few short days, I feel like I should be happy for the progress. Small baby steps right? :)

My new job has also allowed for new ways of learning. While I've stayed in the same world, a new company has allowed me to learn even more about the industry and how similar companies can operate very differently from one to the other. It has also reassured me tremendously concerning my fears for the future and allowed me to realize that the majority of people in their twenties are simply trying to figure out what they want and how they'll survive to the next day. So while my over thinking mind may not have been able to process that knowledge a few months ago, now that I've had to interact with a new group of people, it's slightly comforting to know that I'm not alone even amongst strangers. Is that train of thought a little too morbid? ;)

Well, I hope you've enjoyed this post, or at the very least, have taken inspiration for this "casual-chic/ city style" outfit. I really enjoyed wearing it because it's perfect for those days when the sun isn't always out, so it's a little chilly, but it's not freezing either. Unfortunately, Montreal has had to deal with extremely odd weather these past few weeks, so we are left not knowing if the cool spring weather is still here or if we can finally whip out our shorts for some hot summer days.

Anyways, see you soon! <3

Emilia

15:00
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Current Favourites| Lifestyle

Beauty Blogger

Over the passed few months I've fallen in love with a few new pieces. Well, most are new and some are old discoveries that I've tried out again. I've aways believed there's a special moment when you take out your summer wardrobe and rediscover a key piece or when you realize you have a gem of a product right in your on stash.

That's what it has felt like these last few months as we've be very slowly merging out of winter and progressing into spring. While it has been a long process, it hasn't kept me from putting away my winter coat and seeing how many layers I can throw on to stay warm.

For my key style pieces, I can't go wrong with these little white flats and the paisley bomber jacket. With the snow completely gone, I can finally wear some white shoes with all my outfits without worrying that they'll get completely destroyed.

I got this jacket at a thrift store but it's actually from Zara. The design on it is amazing and if you follow me on Instagram-Here! ;)- you'll know that I haven't stopped wearing it.

There have been a few makeup pieces that have quickly become must-have staples in my collection. Firstly, there's the Kat Von D liquid lipstick in "Lolita", which yes everyone and their mother has it, but for good reason. It looks amazing on anyone and is perfect for everyday. It stays on my lips and I don't need to constantly worry about reapplying it throughout the day. Love.

I have a few old staples and those are M.A.C "Syrup" and Rimmel lipstick in "104". These have been staples in my collection for awhile now because they're perfect with anything and are the exact "my lip but better" shades. As you can clearly see from my favourite lipsticks, I've been loving the neutral shades because I think you can keep things very basic with your makeup or do something a little more extravagant with your eye shadow.

Speaking of eyes, I've rediscovered one of my favourite compact palettes, the original Urban Decay Naked Basics. It's got all the colours I need and still a little something if you want more definition. As well, the darkest colour, "Crave", is perfect for a winged liner.

I've also been loving my Burberry single eyeshadow because it gives me a great base when I want to use my liquid liners. It's got just enough glitter without feeling like I'm about to go on stage.

To prime my eyes, the only thing I've been reaching for is The Body Shop Insta Blurr eye primer. While I haven't been too impressed with their face primer, I've fallen in love with this little product and I haven't felt the need to use anything else.

Lastly is my mascara of choice, which is L'oreal's Butterfly Last Out Mascara. I've been loving the definition the wand creates and it gives me the perfect babydoll lashes effect. No need for false lashes.

I hope I've convinced you to pick up some of these pieces or at the very least, given you something interest to read after a long day of work ;) Let me know what you've been loving and why! Have a beautiful day!