Stila Perfect Me, Perfect Hue Lip & Cheek Palette in Tan/Deep

Stila Cosmetics recently launched their fun new Perfect Me, Perfect Hue Lip & Cheek Palettes and I'm betting these are going to be super hot sellers this summer. After all, who doesn't love an easy-to-use palette?

There are four to choose from based on skin tone (Fair/Light, Light/Medium, Medium/Tan, and Tan/Deep), each curated for a harmonious look. For something more natural, pick the palette that matches your skin tone. For something more dramatic, pick a palette deeper than your skin tone. I personally like more dramatic eye makeup so it worked out great that I received the palette in Tan/Deep from a press preview a few weeks ago.

The square palette comes in Stila's new signature gold packaging. It's lightweight but still feels sturdy and fits really nicely in the palm of your hand. Inside each palette you'll find five eye shadows and two blushes.

The Tan/Deep palette features the most vibrant of all the shades available since it's obviously intended for darker skin tones. It includes: Imaginative (base), Brilliant (highlight), Flirty (crease), Adventurous (lid), Mesmerizing (liner), Vibrant (blush), and Witty (blush).

Stila's Colour True pigments are triple milled for exceptional saturation and vividness. I was very impressed with the formula of both the eyeshadows and blushes... you really don't need a base (although I still prefer one). I used all of the eyeshadows for the FOTD below according to the guide on the back of the palette, as well as Vibrant blush. As you can see, it's quite a copper-based look (largely due to Adventurous on the lid) but still works with my lighter skin tone regardless.

For makeup junkies, I think it'll be hard to resist wanting to collect all four of these palettes! At an SRP of $51 they are a bit pricy but totally justifiable since you're getting a full eye & cheek look in one.

In Canada, you can find these at Shoppers Drug Mart, Murale, and beautyBOUTIQUE.ca.

OPI Alice Through The Looking Glass Nail Polish Collection (Brights 2016)

Apart from OPI x Hello Kitty, my other hotly anticipated collection from OPI this year was Alice Through the Looking Glass... and now it's here in all of its gloriousness!

Alice In Wonderland has been a favourite book of mine since childhood and longtime readers of my blog may recall that some of my first posts were actually swatches from the original OPI Alice In Wonderland Collection (see here, here, and here). Six years later, we've finally got the sequel to Disney and Tim Burton's creepy-crazy movie being released (today!) and a whole new collection of nail polish as well. Obviously, I'm dying of excitement.

Interestingly, Alice Through The Looking Glass is supposed to be OPI's Brights Collection for this year which, as you'll see from the swatches below, doesn't seem quite accurate? I mean, some of the shades are bright but half of them aren't really at all.

Oh My Majesty! is a gorgeous pearly white. I don't typically like shades like this (they always seem very bridal to me) but this one seems to be an exception. It's so pretty with flecks of gold that show when you tilt your nails to the light. You'll need three coats for complete opacity.

I'm Gown For Anything! is a creamy lilac. I found it a bit streaky on the first few coats but the third coat levelled out the polish.

The I's Have It is a pretty powder blue cream. I like this shade a lot and it was pretty easy to work with. This is three coats.

Hmm... how to describe A Mirror Escape? With the last Alice In Wonderland collection, OPI had some interesting glitters so I feel like this might be their "crazy" polish for this collection. It's a gold with white sandy glitter that leaves your nails with a bumpy texture. I'm not really a fan personally.

Fearlessly Alice is what I would consider quintessential Alice In Wonderland since it matches the blue on Alice's dress. I love this shade and it was perfectly opaque in only two coats.

You can't have an Alice In Wonderland collection without a classic red. Having A Big Head Day is just that. It applies like a dream; this is two coats but I could have gotten away with one if I was feeling lazy.

What's The Hatter With You? is a rich burgundy (reminds me a lot of Nails Inc. NailKale in Holland Walk. It does stain the nails a bit though so I'd recommend a base coat.

Mad For Madness Sake is my favourite colour from this collection. It's a hot raspberry pink that's just perfect for summer.

In addition to the above eight limited edition colours, OPI has also released a special edition polish that comes in its own separate packaging. The company describes What Time Isn't It? as a "matte black with slivers of silver" but this is definitely not matte black. It's clearly grey. I don't like bar glitters (fuzzy muppet, anyone?) so I'm not a fan of this one.

Architectural Lines

This sweater dress was definitely one of my best buys from last season (and it's now on sale!). The fit and flare silhouette is fun, not to mention super versatile since I've been able to take this dress from work to play just by swapping out accessories and shoes. Plus, it was the perfect choice for this particular set of photos. I just love how the black and white plays off of all the architectural lines from our shoot location!

Dress: Club Monaco (here) / Bag: Chanel

Shoes: Valentino (here)

BIO BEAUTÉ by NUXE Body Care Line with Corsican Citron

This June, BIO BEAUTÉ by NUXE (of cult classic Rêve de Miel Lip Balm fame) is launching a new range of certified organic body care. The range will consist of three products and today I have two to share with you.

The main ingredient that remains consistent throughout the line is Corsican Citron extract which apparently has excellent toning properties. Created by macerating the whole lemon in an organic sunflower oil for 12 hours, the Oil Extract of Corsican Citron used in all the products contains essential fatty acids and anti-oxidants to totally treat your skin.

The Toning & Nourishing Satin-Touch Oil absorbs quickly, providing nourishment and leaving skin with a satin feel. I don't really like oils but for those of you that do, this is definitely one to try. Might also be fun to use for a massage!

The 24Hr Refreshing Deodorant (my personal fave from this new range) contains no alcohol or aluminum salts which is perfect because it means no unsightly white marks or staining of clothes. Instead, it's made with starch powder to reduce moisture and smells super fresh.

In addition to these two products, there is also a Toning & Exfoliating Gel for a refreshing face wash.

Look for these products exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada.

White Hot (Almost) Summer

Sunshine and warmer weather in Vancouver mean I've been able to bring out some of my summer staples a little early: an easy-to-wear white dress, a denim jacket to keep warm when there's the occasional breeze, peep toe sandals and, of course, my fave fringe bag from last year.

Dress: Wilfred (Aritzia) / Denim Jacket: Talula (Aritzia)

Shoes: Camper (here) / Bag: Monserat De Lucca (here)

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban (here and here)

The Body Shop Piñita Colada Body Butter

I've got a big sneak preview for an exciting range coming to The Body Shop this July... the new special edition Piñita Colada line! It's like the company read my mind and put together my ideal summer scent. I mean, piña coladas are my fave and who can say "no" to the mouthwatering combination of coconut and pineapple?

Lovers of all things tropical can look forward to four new products: Piñita Colada Exfoliating Body Scrub (made with real shredded coconut), Piñita Colada Body Wash, Piñita Colada Body Sorbet, and Piñita Colada Body Butter.

I was sent the Piñita Colada Body Butter and all I can say is I love it. I remember when The Body Shop's Lip and Body Butters were all the rage back in high school and since then, I have always gone back to the Coconut Body Butter time and time again. And now I've got a new favourite to add to my repertoire!

Unlike the Body Sorbet, which is meant as a lightweight moisturizer, Body Butters really pack a punch thanks to the thick texture that still absorbs easily. You really can't ask for anything more rich or hydrating -- especially for quenched skin that's been out in the sun all day.

Klorane Tinted Dry Shampoo for Dark Hair

Now that I'm a brunette again, I've had to revamp my typical haircare routine (my guide for blonde hair sadly no longer applies). That's why the new Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk Natural Shade could not have come out at a better time!

I have used Klorane's original Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk in the past but it was a major fail for me. Since it was white, like most traditional dry shampoos, I found it made my hair look dull and there would be flakey residue around my scalp after brushing that looked absolutely terrible. This was disappointing because I know many people love Klorane... not to mention the fact that it's also lauded as "the original dry shampoo" since founder Pierre Fabre first introduced the product to the market 40 years ago.

Klorane's dry shampoo features a unique plant-based formula that is aimed at guaranteeing the maximum absorbing power. The new Natural Shade is specifically targeted for light to dark brown hair. The powder is tinted a light brown (or as Klorane describes it, a "nude") and although it doesn't have any colouring action, it is able to blend better into darker hair without the white cast.

Overall, I'm glad to finally have a version of Klorane that works for my hair. It does the job of absorbing oil pretty well and is a good basic dry shampoo for non-hair wash days, but it doesn't give me the volume I get from my HG (Batiste XXL Volume). I also found that it created a lot of product buildup in my hair that I was only able to get out with a clarifying shampoo. This is often the case when I'm using a lot of styling products anyway so I'm not sure if the buildup is necessarily unique to Klorane; however, it is definitely something to keep in mind if you've got hair like mine.

Bye Bye Blondie

So, as you can probably tell from these pictures, I did something kind of drastic... I dyed my hair. My blonde journey started a few years ago and was fun while it lasted but I had been itching for a change. Finally, I just decided to go for it! Dark hair has taken a lot of getting used to (I was in colour shock for a good week or so after), especially since this is the darkest my hair has been in like 10 years. Even pre-blonde, my hair was more of a lighter brown (here's a fun throwback). But the good thing about hair is that it grows out and can be changed easily so I'm totally just going to embrace this new look -- as weird as it feels to be brunette again.

Top: Club Monaco (here) / Leather Jacket: Mackage (similar)

Jeans: Frame (different wash) / Booties: Vince