Pink Vibrations // Lip Review

Back in early February I received a lot of comments on the bright pink lipstick I showed you (this post). Many of you were curious to see what the applied colour looked like in a closer up version; et voila - here it is! To make things a little more interesting I'll also do a short review of the new lip products I used in addition to the lip colour.

The 4 products I used

1. Bite Lip Exfoliant in Whipped Cherry - With beyond dry lips during the winter months I grudgingly figured I should put aside my lipstick collection until summer & stick with neutral glosses or stains. Either way I needed to inject a little lot more moisture, so after reading reviews on various lip exfoliants I decided to go with this one. I wasn't disappointed. It makes my lips softer than any other product I've previously tried. It's also naturally flavoured, with the perfect amount of sweetness; so it both smells & tastes delicious. Despite the small container size, you only need a tiny amount of this so it will go a long way. It was $21 CAD ($18 USD on website) at Sephora. Will definitely be repurchasing this product.

2. NYX Lip Liner (835 Pinky) - Not too much to say about this one; a simple drugstore brand in the closest colour to the lipstick. I've read that you should use a neutral lip liner regardless of the top lip colour you'll be using; but currently lacking such a shade, this is what I went with. Usually with lip liner I find the application tedious & the texture chalk-like, despite putting on lip balm beforehand. This time however, I was pretty much amazed at how easily it slid on after the lip exfoliant. Done in about 5 seconds. 

3. Too Faced Lip Insurance Lip Primer - This stuff is magical. Seriously. Looks like a tube of lip gloss, works like extra-strength glue (though glides on very smoothly). It does exactly what it says it will (prevents feathering, fading, [& to an extent] transferring). In the past I've found wearing lipstick a bit of a nightmare, as it tends to bleed & become unattractively & unevenly faded, within 15 to 30 minutes. I've always felt extremely self-conscious about this happening & generally check my mirror every 5 minutes. Never will I feel that way again. This lip primer keeps it looking fresh & perfect hours later. It doesn't dry out your lips at all, although I did add a layer of lipgloss about 3 hours after application to reintroduce the shine. This little wonder costs $24 CAD at Sephora ($19 USD on website).

4. Elizabeth Arden lipstick (49 Pink Vibrations) - I bought this lipstick last Spring & it's still my favourite lip colour. I sometimes worry that bright colours like this don't suit me, but it's so much fun I wear it regardless. I also really adore Elizabeth Arden lipsticks in general, as they provide more moisture than many other lines I've tried; & are well pigmented for great punches of colour. Colours from this line, "Exceptional Lipstick", price at $25 CAD.

Floral blouse from Zara

And that is that! I'm currently on the lookout for the perfect orange & red lipsticks; which I'm sure you'll see in future posts. As for outfit posts - I was excited to get one done today with a photographer friend of mine, but alas the weather put a quick end to that. It's quite the snow storm here currently, so I'll just be staying cosy inside, catching up on the scary amount of blog posts that have piled up in my Bloglovin' (if I follow you, expect an overwhelming amount of comments on your past 2 weeks of posts; just a warning ;)

Have a lovely week! <3

Newness & Change

Finally something new! I know it has only been a few days since I last posted, but it has seemed an eternity to me. I've got some recent purchases to show you & some 'life updates' to share! First off, some new additions to my wardrobe/beauty/book collection:

My new neon yellow pencil skirt from ASOS which I'm completely enamoured with - can't wait to show you the outfit I have planned for it! :)

Sephora is a rabbit hole. Seriously. I stopped by this morning on my way to a coffee date & ended up getting a few items. The Dior Rosy Glow blush you may recognize from my 'Beauty Edition' post last week. The visiting Dior rep who did my make-up used this on me & I've been lusting over it ever since. Today I finally gave in & picked it up. It's 001 Petal & although it looks like a scary bright pink, it's formulated to blend with any skin tone. I also got a Bobbi Brown concealer/corrector to aid in the ongoing battle against my dark under-eye circles. 'Porcelain Peach' is the colour I went with.

Then I decided my lips needed some loving too. So I picked up this amazing new lip exfoliant by Bite. It smells & tastes amazing; like wild cherry. I've read good reviews so I'm excited to try this one out. I then chose the Too Faced Lip Insurance lip primer because keeping my lipstick on & decent looking is always a challenge for me. I decided to pick this product up after reading this lovely post by Tess.

Post-Sephora I stopped by the drugstore, as I had some credit to spend from points accumulated. I needed a new facial exfoliant so I picked up this one from Soap & Glory, which I've heard good things about. I also picked up this Revlon lip stain upon a friend's recommendation. I just tried it out & am not sure how I feel about the colour, as it's a little too plain. I think it'll be perfect for quick & easy use on busy days though. 

And finally, new books! (so not fashion related but the arrival of new books makes me incredibly happy. I've mentioned before that I have a slight obsession with travel guides... well Rick Steves' books are my favourites... his dry sense of humour suits me to a tee)

Hello new favourite hairstyle! I've always adored the fishtail braid but shamefully never learned how to do one. Fortunately I discovered a great how-to video through L is for Lois' blog last week. I've done my hair like this the past 4 out of 5 days hehe. Although I'm pretty slow at it, & still in the 'practice makes perfect' stage, it's a great idea for other-wise bad hair days or busy days out & about. And I must say I've gotten so many compliments on it!

And now, the big-ish news. I'll actually be leaving Vancouver this coming Tuesday (so soon I know!). I'll be spending the next 2 months with my family on the other side of the country. Not only can you expect a big change of scenery, but a definite change in clothes as my mother informs me they are in the midst of several feet of snow. I'm not a fan of the snow & cold at all & to be honest I'm on a huge summer clothes, summer colours kick at the moment. It'll be interesting to see how I cope with the climate change. 

I've also been trying to cram in as much eating out as possible. Whatever picturesque points Newfoundland may score, shawna-friendly dining is not one of them. I've already said goodbye to my favourite burrito place folks, & intend to visit as many of my favourite restaurants as possible over the next few days. A little shopping on the side may also be in order.... though with the prospect of 3 overweight suitcases this may not be the smartest move on my part. 

In the meantime, I have one day of work left & a tonne of goodbye visits to fit in. Coffee dates, strolls, rushed farewells at work. I'm not very good at articulating emotional goodbyes though... I always like to believe I'll cross paths with the people that matter at some point in the future. I am feeling a little blue about leaving Vancouver, but as I always believe, everything happens for a reason. It'll be nice to be around my family, to have my mom baby me for awhile, & to see my favourite rambunctious 3 year old again. It'll be a good opportunity for me to actually focus on my German coursework. I'll also have more time to blog & take photos as I won't be working. See, there is always a silver lining! :)

Hope you all have the loveliest of weekends :) Mine will certainly be a busy one!