Review: Barefoot Venus Mustard Bath!

Hello Lovelies!

With winter coming up, and the weather being all over the place right now, I think a lot of us will be coming down with a cold... I know that I did! I was able to stop it in its tracks though! How? By taking a mustard bath!! 

Sounds gross right? Well, I didn't actually bathe in mustard, if that's what you're wondering! The Mustard Bath, by Barefoot Venus is actually a therapeutic bath soak. It is perfect if you have a cold, are congested, and have muscle aches. I had all of the above... The cold was ever so kindly passed on to me by my best friend, the congestion was due to my allergies, and the muscle pain was from my whiplash and severe sprains in the muscles in my back from a car accident I was in last week (I'm ok now, just sore, but physio therapy is helping with that!). 

Anyways, I had gotten this as a gift for my mom, and when I told her I was going to buy it but forgot and really wanted to take a bath with it, she suggested I use hers, to first off give it a try before spending my money on it. I loved it, and will absolutely be spending my money on it! Haha!

Barefoot Venus Therapeutic Mustard Bath - $19.99 CAD

What does Barefoot Venus say?

The fine art of primping is a difficult task, especially when you’re feeling under the weather. What’s a girl to do when the primping must prevail? The Barefoot Venus Bathing Beauties know the answer: simply run a hot bath, add the mustard bath, inhale, and relax. The therapeutic properties of mustard go to work pulling nasty toxins from your skin, while the spirit of wintergreen, eucalyptus and rosemary surround you in a curative cape, leaving you feeling top-notch and ready to indulge your next girlish whim.

What do I say?

I absolutely love this stuff!! It smells very strongly of eucalyptus and mustard, but it definitely de-congests! It comes with a handy wooden scoop, and about 5 or 6 scoopfuls in a really hot bath is all you need, but of course, this depends on the size of your tub.

It turns your water slightly yellow, which although is quite the unpleasant sight, is really not that bad. Right away with the vapor of the hot water, the smells filled up my bathroom. 

It was so relaxing to soak in, and I must say that it definitely helps with circulation, because when I got out of the bath, my whole body felt warm, and this is usually never the case! I'm usually rushing for my slippers and warm house coat! It soothed the pain in my back, and the next morning, all of the symptoms from my soon-to-be bad cold were gone and I was feeling good as new!

Ingredients: 100% Natural. Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt), Mustard Seed Powder, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria), Chamomile Flower Powder, Gaultheria Procumbens (Wintergreen) Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil and Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil.

Would I recommend this? Absolutely!! The price is very reasonable, as it should last you quite a while. This makes the perfect gift for pretty much anyone, too! Friends, family... It's also a fantastic idea for a hostess gift, too! Anyone can appreciate this!

Barefoot Venus is a Canadian company, so if you live outside of Canada, I think your best bet would be to visit their website: http://www.barefootvenus.com to place orders. They also make a wide range of amazingly scented and very, very nice bath and body products! You should definitely check them out!

Have you ever used this product before or heard about this brand? Let me know!

Andrée xo

*Please Note: I am in no way affiliated with Barefoot Venus, nor have I been contacted by them, or paid to do this review. 

What's In My Makeup Bag?

Hello Lovelies!

I'm pretty sure that alot of you could agree with me when I tell you that I enjoy seeing what people carry in their makeup bags! It's fun to see what some people rely on as their basics, or emergency touch-up items.

I rarely ever touch up my makeup during the day, however I do find that it comes in handy to carry certain go-to items with me wherever I go! Just in case!

This is the makeup bag I am using at the moment. It's a cute little mint green Balenciaga bag. Even though it's not too big, I do manage to fit quite alot in there! Here's what's inside...

Chanel Vitalumière Éclat Comfort Radiance Compact Makeup

I like the finish of this powder. It's radiant finish never looks cakey, and the texture is so soft!

Dior Shimmer Powder in Amber Diamond

I can safely say that this is one of my all time favorite highighters - ever! I take this out every single morning to do my makeup, and it goes right back into the makeup bag in case I need it. It gives the most beautiful glow and is the perfect finishing touch to any look!

Lancôme Artliner in Noir

This is my HG liquid eyeliner. I have gone through a million of these and will keep repurchasing them for the rest of my life. It's so precise, very black, long-wearing, quick to apply and well basically, it's THE perfect liquid liner.

NARS Lipgloss in Chihuahua

This is my go- to lipgloss. This is one of those 'your lips but better' shades of pink, and is one of my all-time favorite glosses!

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Khaki

This is an amazing shadow pencil! It's so smooth and so incredibly long wearing! I keep this in there because it's basically a smokey eye in one step! I can get a soft look with this, or a super intense one, depending on my mood, and the color is beautiful and goes with pretty much anything!

Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Ébène

Just your basic waterproof eyeliner. I like this on my waterline because it stays put all day.

Chanel Correcteur Perfection Concealer

This is a wonderful concealer. The texture is light and almost feels whipped. It doesn't crease or get cakey, and the doe foot applicator makes it super quick and convenient to use.

Kibio Nourishing Lip Blam

I love this lip balm! It glides on really nicely, is not sticky at all, and is really hydrating!

Benefit They're Real Mascara

I really like this mascara. It's long wearing, doesn't weigh down my lashes at all, and gives amazing volume without any clumps!

See? I told you that I am able to fit quite alot into that thing! Haha! Some of these things change from time to time, but really these are pretty much my every day staples that never let me down!

What are some of your makeup bag essentials? Let me know!!

Andrée xo

Neutral NOTD!

Hello Lovelies!

I have been quite obsessed with painting my nails lately, and have been switching the polish on them every 2 or 3 days! Of course, not much has changed and I'm still very much into neutrals!

Sephora by OPI "Under My Trench Coat"

Chanel Beauté des Ongles Top Coat Velvet

(This is not out yet, but back in August, I had to attend a Chanel training school, and I received this, along with a few other goodies, as a gift!)

I definitely do not use the velvet top coat all the time, as I really do love a nice glossy finish to my nail polish. I do, however, think that this Top Coat Velvet by Chanel has a very beautiful fininsh, that is definitely more velvet-y looking than matte.

And if you're a fan of neutral polishes, such as Chanel Particuliere, Sephora by OPI Metro Chic, Chanel Quartz, etc..., then I definitely think you should check out Under My Trench Coat!! It has a beautiful subtle veil of shimmer, and is really a fantastic neutral that goes with absolutely everything!

What is on your nails right now? And what colors are in your fall nail polish rotation? I'd love to know!!

Andrée xo

This or That Makeup Tag!

Hello Lovelies!!

I know, I know - it's been forever! I moved out into my own place and so life has been a little crazy what with all the running around that needed to be done! I'm almost 100% settled in now, so that means that I can finally go back to doing things that I love! And of course, bloggin is one of them!

Anyway, the lovely Melanie, from Beauty and Bows has tagged me to do the This or That Makeup Tag! I'm so indecisive when it comes to things like this, so I figured that it would be fun to do!

Makeup

Blush or Bronzer?  I almost always wear both, but if I had to only pick one, I would say bronzer!

Lipgloss or Lipstick?  Although there are a few lipglosses that I would hate to ever be without, I'm going to have to say lipstick!

Eyeliner or Mascara?  Definitely mascara!

Foundation or Concealer? Foundation for sure. I rarely ever use concealer.

Neutral or Coloured Eyeshadow?  It's funny, I used to be so into bright and colorful eyeshadow, but I'm definitely all about the neutrals now!! Neutral doesn't always have to be natural and boring, and I absolutely love them!

Pressed or Loose Eyeshadow? Pressed for sure! I'm so accident prone, and I always end up making a mess with loose eyeshadows!

Brushes or Sponges? Brushes! They make the biggest difference!

Nails

Long or Short?  Short. I can't stand when my nails grow too long! Although they are quite strong, they seem to always break, and having them short is just so much easier!

Acrylic or Natural?  I love the look of gel nails with a clean french manicure, but I usually get bored and want to wear nail polish so I don't bother with them!

Brights or Darks?  Ummm neutrals? haha! But that's not an option, so I will say brights!

Flower or no Flower?  No flowers.

Body

Perfume or Body Splash?  Perfume! It lasts so much longer! I really do love the body sprays from Bath & Body Works though to layer on once I've used the matching shower gel and body lotion for a scent that is more subtle.

Lotion or Body Butter?  Both! It really depends on the season! In the summer I will use lotion, and then right about around this time in the fall and for the winter I use mostly body butter!

Body Wash or Soap? Body wash!

Fashion

Jeans or Sweat Pants? Jeans! Although I do love my lululemon yoga pants and pretty much live in those if I'm staying inside my house! =P

Long Sleeve or Short?  Again, this would depend on the season. Right now I'm loving 3/4 length sleeves... But since I have to pick, I'll go with long.

Dresses or Skirts? Dresses.

Stripes or Plaid?  Although I'm not a huge fan of stripes, I really dislike plaid! So stripes it is!

Flip Flops or Sandals? Flip Flops!

Scarves or Hats?  Scarves!! I love them!!

Studs or Dangly Earrings?  I mostly wear studs! Just a simple diamond or pearl is usually enough and will match with pretty much anything! I'll switch it up once in a while and wear dangly ones though.

Cowboy Boots or Riding Boots?  Riding boots.

Jacket or Hoodie?  Jacket!

Hair

Curly or Straight?  Straight. My hair is naturally straight so I'm pretty lucky!

Bun or Ponytail?  I like a messy bun.

Bobby Pins or Butterfly Clips? Bobby pins.

Hair Spray or Gel? Hair spray for sure!

Long or Short?  Definitely long!!

Light or Dark? Dark!

Side-swept Bangs or Full Bangs? Side-swept!

Up or Down? I usually wear my hair down. I'll wear it in a messy bun once in a while, or a side braid, but it's down more often than not.

Random

Rain or Shine?  Definitely shine!! It's been raining for a few days here and it's so depressing!

Summer or Winter? Summer.

Fall or Spring? Fall! I love, love fall fashion!!

Chocolate or Vanilla?  Chocolate!

This was a fun tag to do! I've been so out of the loop lately, but I would like to tag anyone who wants to do these! Please go ahead and let me know in the comments if you've done it! I would love to read your answers!

Andrée xo

Top of the Taupes: Part Three!

Hello Lovelies!!

Wow, I do have alot of taupes, huh? Oh well! What can I say? They are my favorite and can be worn in so many different ways! Here is part three of this four part little series, featuring MAC taupes! Now of course, considering this is MAC, and they are limited edition happy, some of these may or may not still be available... Either way, they are still pretty taupe colors! Enjoy!

From left to right, top row: Style Snob, Satin Taupe, Magnetic Fields.

From left to right, bottom row: Omega, Mystery, Smut.

From left to right (with flash); Style Snob, Satin Taupe, Magnetic Fields, Omega, Mystery, Smut.

From left to right (without flash); Style Snob, Satin Taupe, Magnetic Fields, Omega, Mystery, Smut.

Style Snob: With the flash, this color looks more like a pinky-taupe. It is rather shimmery, yet looks very pretty either on the lid with a more toned down color in the crease, or to blend out the crease for a darker smokey eye.

Satin Taupe: This is your very basic straight up taupe eyeshadow. I think almost everyone owns this one. In my opinion, even though it's nice, it's totally overrated. I mean, like I said, it's nice but it definitely isn't anything special. It is a staple color to have though as it can be very useful to add depth and definition to many different looks.

Magnetic Fields: Now this one, I love! It is a dark brown-taupe, with the most subtle silvery sparkle. It is pretty nicely pigmented, and looks amazing in so many different ways. It was released a few years ago, but you can probably still find it online somewhere. It really doesn't look very amazing in pictures, or even in the pan, but trust me, it is absolutely beautiful on the eye!

Omega: This is definitely another staple shadow from MAC. If you don't have it, I definitely recommend you go out and get it! It looks so boring in the pan, but it is so, so versatile! It's basically kind of a light dirty gray-brown color, but it definitely fits in the taupe category. My taupe category, anyway! You can use this to fill in your brows if you have light to medium hair, and it is the perfect crease color for either a very light neutral lid, or a dark smokey eye. Seriously, try it if you haven't already and you'll see what I mean!

Mystery: This is another brown-taupe. It's kind of on the plummy side and is pretty dark, but applied with a light hand, it blends beautifully, and works well with pretty much any other neutral shadow! The finish is a satin, but it almost looks a bit more matte.

Smut: This is another one of my favorites! It's a grayish dark browny taupe that is simply fabulous. It's pretty plain looking in the pan, yet it does have this je-ne-sais-quoi... It has a very, very subtle teeny tiny shimmer, but once it's on your eye, it looks more like a subtle satin finish bordering a matte finish. It looks so amazing on! On the lid, the crease, the outer corner, lower lashline... Anywhere!

What is your favorite taupe eyeshadow from MAC? Do you have any of these? What do you think of them? I'd love to know!!

Andrée xo

Top of the Taupes: Part Two!

Hello Lovelies!!

Here is Part Two of my Top of the Taupes!

From left to right; Chanel Ombre Essentielle #90 Fauve, Chanel Ombre Essentielle #87 Taupe Grisé, Guerlain Ombre Éclat #187 L'Instant d'un Soupir

From left to right; Chanel Ombre Essentielle #90 Fauve, Chanel Ombre Essentielle #87 Taupe Grisé, Guerlain Ombre Éclat #187 L'Instant d'un Soupir

Chanel Ombre Essentielle #90 Fauve: This is an almost purple taupe. Still very taupe-y, however depending on what it is paired with, it can look a bit more purple. It contains a silver shimmer, which is very, very fine, and oh so very pretty! As with all the Chanel Ombre Essentielle eyeshadows, the texture is amazing. It's so soft and blends so easily!

Chanel Ombre Essentielle #87 Taupe Grisé: I absolutely love this one!! It's definitely one of the prettiest taupe shadows I have. It is a deeper, and slightly grayed taupe color that looks absolutely amazing on its own, or paired with a lighter color on the lid. Chanel released this shadow along with the Fall 2010 collection, and unfortunately, it was a limited edition. I'm sure there are still some kicking around though, so if you can find it, I would definitely recommend getting it!

Guerlain Ombre Éclat #187 L'Instant d'un Soupir: This one is another one of my absolute favorites!! I adore this color and use it all the time! It came out for Spring 2011 and is now in their permanent line I believe. It is absolutely fabulous!! Such a richly pigmented almost browny but not kind of dark taupe. Does that make sense? Anyway, it goes with anything, and also looks wonderful on its own. It does contain some shimmer, but the finish is definitely more of a satin than a shimmer, and it is no way tacky looking.

Okay, that concludes part two! Short and sweet! These shadows are more high end, but totally worth their price, in my opinion. Any one of these would be a fabulous little gift to treat yourself to!

Do you own any of these? What are your thoughts? And what is your favorite taupe eyeshadow? I'd love to know!!

Andrée xo

Top of the Taupes: Part One!

Hello Lovelies!

If you have been following my blog for a while, you will already know that I absolutely love taupe eyeshadows! My go-to look almost always includes a taupe colored shadow! I've decided to share with you my favorites! There are quite a few, actually, so I will be splitting this up into four parts! Enjoy!

From left to right; Bobbi Brown "Grey", Bobbi Brown "Brown Stone", NARS "Bali", Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadow "Stone"

Left to right: Stone, Grey, Brown Stone, Bali. (taken with flash)

Bobbi Brown Long-Wearing Cream Shadow in Stone: This is a gorgeous color that should really be a staple in your collection. It is a muted taupe-y beige brown, that works wonderfully as a base/primer, or as an all over lid color. I usually will wear this all over the lid, with Brown Stone in the crease. Alone on the lid, it doesn't look like much, but once you add anything else, be it another shadow or two, or even just eyeliner and mascara, it really comes together and looks effortlessly pretty!

Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow in Grey: Ok, so it's called grey... So why is it in my Top of the Taupes? Well... to me it's more of a taupe-y grey than just a plain grey. It has a matte texture that is very easily blended out. Yes it is very plain, but it is also very pretty, especially when blended into the crease!

Bobbi Brown Metallic Eyeshadow in Brown Stone: I absolutely love this color. I wouldn't go out and say that it is overly metallic though. It does have a shimmer, but it's definitely on the more subtle side. The color is an almost warm, but still cool-toned medium taupe. Does that make sense? In some lighting it can lean towards the warmer side, but not always. It looks fabulous in the crease, or along the lashlines for a soft smoky look!

NARS Eyeshadow in Bali: This is my favorite NARS eyeshadow! It also definitely is up there along with my favorite overall eyeshadows! It is an amazingly richly-pigmented cool toned taupe. The texture of this eyeshadow is like butter. So smooth, and a little definitely goes a long way! It is probably my most worn taupe shadow, as it honestly goes with pretty much any other neutral! If you are going to get just one taupe shadow, you should probably make it this one. Really, it's that good! It looks incredibly dark in the pan, and if you are not careful to use a light hand when applying it, it will be once it's on too, but there so many ways to work with it!

Alright so this concludes Part One of my top taupe picks! I hope that this is helpful for you all!

Do you have any of these? What is your favorite taupe shadow, if you have one? Let me know!!

Andrée xo