Totally Worth All The Hype: Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush.

April 27, 2011 | 34 Responses

I adore a good blush. My collection is not quite as massive as Tracy’s, but it’s of a good size. I can tell you now that none of my powder blushes are as good as this: the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush ($33).

A little background on my skin: it’s oily. Very oily. My powder blushes — even the NARS ones — don’t stand a chance on my cheeks when I wear them all day. My skin makes the stuff melt off after just a few hours of applying them.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Blissful

Wearing Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Blissful

When I bought Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Blissful, my life totally changed. Colours now appear brighter. Food is more delicious. The sky is even bluer. You get the point, this stuff is the bomb.com.

Why is it awesome? First, I just love that Tarte is a natural line. The pigmentation of the blush is out of this world. The finish is so natural; it is neither totally matte nor shimmery. Aaaaaand today, it lasted through the sticky, thunder-storming day we had in Toronto. Hallelujah!

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface

Wearing Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface

So, to sum up, here’s the lesson of the day: yes, you need this. I don’t know how I lived before this touched my cheeks. Seriously holy grail material.

What’s Your Favourite Long-Wearing Powder Blush?

Go ahead, try me! Your favourite long-wearing powder blush against Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush. Do you dare try?

Booty Camp Update: Halfway Through My 8-Week Challenge! BOOM!

April 26, 2011 | 19 Responses

My Booty Camp New You Challenge is in full swing now that I’m in week 4 of 8! You know what that means — it’s measurements week!

Measurement	Start	Week 4
Upper Arm (left)	10.75	9.75
Upper Arm (right)	10.25	9.75
Chest	34	33
Waist	33.75	32.75
Hips	35.5	34
Buttocks	39.5	37.5
Upper Thigh (left)	24.5	22.75
Upper Thigh (right)	24.5	22.75
My Total Inches	212.75	202.25

Did I actually lose 10.5 inches already? (In the words of my friend Marisol, BOOM!)I have been working really really hard over the past four weeks and I guess the hard work paid off. These numbers are so close to my final goal that well, I have to set a higher goal for week 8.

Today I’m leaving you with a few things that are working really well for me at the moment. I hope it’ll help you out as well.

I’m watching what I eat with My Fitness Pal. I have an app on my iPhone that helps me track my calories in and calories burned during my workouts, so I can easily “budget” my food for the day. I find that I’m not so good on weekends, but as long as I’m good on most days, I don’t let that get me down. If you’re on My Fitness Pal as well, let’s be friends!
We just built a garage gym. We are renting a garage in our apartment building, and we have transformed it into a little gym with mats, weights, skipping rope, and a bench. I’ve only used it once so far, but it is way better than having to keep my feet quiet while working out inside a tiny apartment.
I got a measuring tape. Yeah, I know it’s really scary, but it’s a really good motivator. Those numbers will never lie. I got the Orbitape from a gym supplies store, and it is awesome.

Got a Fitness Goal, Too?

How’s it going so far? Any progress? Let me know how you keep yourself motivated.

First New Bronzer Of The Season: Lancaster Kaleidoscope Illuminating Powder is Almost Too Pretty To Use.

April 24, 2011 | 15 Responses

It’s that time of the year again when makeup companies come out with their latest and greatest bronzers! Lancaster Kaleidoscope Illuminating Powder ($39, at Shoppers Drugmart and Murale) is a beautiful, huge pan of lilac, pink, peach and bronze powders.

Lancaster Kaleidoscope Illuminating Powder

Kaleidoscope is big enough (8 whopping cm diameter!) that you can use the colours separately; the peach and pink would make a beautiful blush and cheek highlight, respectively. For a quick face, I just swirl my powder brush around, and the combination is a warm peach bronze that is neither shimmery nor matte. The finish on the skin is very natural and skin-like. It’s perfect for faking a good complexion when you’re feeling kinda blah. Do you feel the same way? When my skin is looking dull, I always turn to bronzer for a quick pick-me-up.

Lancaster Kaleidoscope Illuminating Powder Swatches (lilac — barely visible, pink, deep bronze, golden bronze, peach, and blended)

As for the shade, I think it’s a good choice for those with warmer skin tones. Try before you buy if you are pale and have a lot of pink in your skin, as it may look more orange on you. It’s pretty hard to overapply because the bronzer applies sheer and builds very well, so layer on as much as your little heart pleases.

Lancaster Kaleidoscope Illuminating Powder — Size comparison to Scherbie’s head

Wearing Lancaster Kaleidoscope Illuminating Powder (all over, no blush)

Besides the gorgeous colour, I have to point out that the bronzer smells so fresh in the pan and I always get a warm fuzzy feeling when I catch a whiff of it. Is that weird? It doesn’t smell like anything once it’s on, but the fresh smell is always a bonus in my books. It is a lot of money to spend $39, but it is very big (20g / twice the size of a MAC Bronzing Powder!). If you have a pressing need for a lot of bronzer, like say, you are the makeup artist for the cast of Jersey Shore, then it is a very good deal. Otherwise, even though it is pretty, it’ll just take up a lot of space in your potentially cluttered vanity table. Am I right? :)

Are You A Bronzer Fan, Or Do You Embrace Your Paleness?

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know how much I love my bronzers (and self-tanners!). Are you a fan as well, or has Jersey Shore scared you away from bronzers for life?