Halloween Nail Art from KISS and Broadway Nails Press-On Manicure

Halloween is creeping on up which means it's the perfect time to break out some fun nail art! As I have less and less time to paint on intricate designs, however, I've found the easiest way to do this is with products like nail stickers or press-on nails -- especially when it's an occasion like Halloween where you really only need the look for a day or two.

This year I'll be making use of a few different items: KISS Nail Dress and Art Stickers, as well as Broadway Nails Press-On Manicure.

I love a good nail sticker for how fast and easy they are to use, and have recently been enjoying press-on manicures for nights out when I don't have time to do my nails. I first used Broadway Nails Press-On Manicure a few years ago, and have thankfully since perfected my technique. Since my nails are quite short, I realized you can actually trim the press-on nails with a nail clipper and file them down for a more natural look. This can be difficult with longer designs but works in most cases!

findersKEEPERS The Way Dress

As I've mentioned before, prints are not usually my thing. However, on the rare occasion when I'm drawn to a certain one, I kind of have to have it (like my DvF wrap dress). The same thing happened when I stumbled upon this dress from the Australian label findersKEEPERS in this bold "Light Marrakech" print. Wearing it to work has been a nice way to bring brightness to some of the rainy days we've been experiencing here in Vancouver this Fall.

Dress: findersKEEPERS / Tights: Primark

Booties: Report (similar) / Bag: Proenza Schouler (here and here)

The Body Shop British Rose Plumping Face Mask

The Body Shop recently launched a line of Expert Facial Masks featuring five different face masks inspired by traditional beauty remedies from around the world. Being the face mask fiend that I am, I really can't wait to try these all out.

Each mask is made with natural ingredients (vegan/vegetarian) and contains zero parabens, silicones, mineral oils or paraffins. I had the chance to test out the Ethiopian Honey Deep Nourishing Mask in-store recently and was impressed to find it wasn't sticky as expected despite being a "honey mask". Instead, it was more of a jelly-like consistency, similar to the British Rose Plumping Mask which I was given a full-size of to take home.

If you like roses, the British Rose Plumping Mask will definitely appeal to you since it's quite heavily scented (though not in an obnoxious way). On the skin it feels light, cool, and refreshing. This particular formula also appears suitable for sensitive skin since it was quite gentle and left my skin feeling moisturized once I washed it off.

As you can see, the masks come packaged in a 75 mL plastic jar for $28 CAD. I'm told there should be enough product for 20 uses so it actually works out to less than $2 per mask session -- very reasonable! To make application easier, The Body Shop is selling a Facial Mask Brush for $18 CAD, which intrigues me a bit, although you can definitely get by with just using your fingers like I've been doing.

Loving That Lace

After missing out on this For Love & Lemons Guava Two-Piece, I was ecstatic to find this dupe of the top at Express for a fraction of the price. I wish Express had the matching skirt so I could recreate the full look; for some reason they have it in every other colour except white. Maybe it's time to write to the company and ask for a white version...?

Top: Express (here) / Skirt: Pink Tartan
Heels: Prada (here) / Bag: Chanel

Paul & Joe Beaute for Cat Lovers

When it comes to adorable packaging, you really can't beat Paul & Joe Beaute. Founded by French fashion designer Sophie Albou, her products are definitely the ones you'll want to have front and centre on your vanity.

Each season, Sophie releases limited edition paper packaging to match the custom prints from her fashion line. It's a fun concept because it means you can switch your lipstick refill bullet from one case to another for something a little different. Another theme that regularly runs throughout Paul & Joe Beaute, and which I'm featuring in this post today, is cats. If you're a cat lover, prepare to want everything.

For Fall 2016, I can't get over the Paul & Joe Cheek Colour CS105 "Chill in the Air". This limited edition product comes housed in a round cat-patterned container complete with puff. Inside are pearls of iridescent colour pigments, somewhat reminiscent of Guerlain Météorites. However, unlike the Météorites, "Chill in the Air" also contains little cat-shaped cheek colours.

When you have makeup this cute, it can be incredibly difficult to bring yourself to use it. That's been the case with the Paul & Joe cat lipsticks I've been hoarding. The lipsticks are formulated using a unique, Japanese candy-making technique called Kintaro-ame, which consists of two separate tubes (one columnar and one cat-shaped) to ensure the cat face shapes remain visible until the lipstick is used up.

Unfortunately, the cat face etching will be wiped away once you use it -- one of the main reasons I have yet to even swatch these!

Find Paul & Joe Beaute online at beautyBOUTIQUE.ca or select Shoppers Drug Mart beautyBOUTIQUE locations.