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Last year, Georgia posted about her splurge on some Havaiana flip-flops, and now it’s my turn to discuss my favorite Brazilian sandal: Ipanemas.

While I wasn’t really in the market for a $40 flip-flop, I saw the new line of Ipanemas by uber-model Gisele Bundchen and I couldn’t resist.  These sandals are made from PVC, and apparently mold to your foot as you wear them (Birkenstock-style).  While I was a little hesitant about the pricetag, I justified it by determining that they are eco-friendly, and part of the proceeds go toward water conservation efforts in the Amazon Rainforest. 

BUT, the main selling point…these are by far the most comfortable thing I’ve ever put on my foot.  I’ve been known to wear Crocs (I know, I know), but these sandals take the cake.  That PVC must also have some magic in it, because plastic footwear should not feel like this.

Gisele has quite a few styles, in a number of metallic and summer-friendly colors, and all of them are pretty nice.

Now I know a number of people have been having trouble finding these in Canada.  I bought mine at Little Burgundy (and ALDO affiliate) here in Montreal, but there isn’t a location that I know of in Vancouver.  There  are a few of the styles available on their website, but not all of them.  Some StoneRidge locations have a few of the styles, and select Browns Shoes as well.

So, if you’re looking for a new sandal this season (or even if you’re not) I highly suggest you try a pair of these on!

~Roni

I got the opportunity to try the new YSL fragrance Parisienne, and here’s what I thought:
 

First, it comes in a really cute bottle.  It looks kind of like a gemstone, so I felt pretty glam putting it on.  Also, Kate Moss is in the ad, and I love me some Kate Moss.
 

While the packaging was definitely up my alley…the scent was not.  This is definitely not a perfume for someone in their 20s.  It’s got a fairly mature appeal to it, and I personally would rather not smell like my mom.  It’s also not really an everyday scent.  It’s much too overpowering to wear to work, and if I were to wear it, it would be out at night.
 

Now again this is just me, I’m more of a fruity/flowery perfume kind of girl.  If you like sandalwood, this one is worth a try, but otherwise I would avoid the people trying to spray you with this the department store.

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer

This particular primer seems to be the most popular choice.  Personally, I don’t care for it.  It’s greasy and if you’re prone to dry skin, especially in the winter season, you might find that this primer dries out your skin.  It does smell pretty good though.  $40 CAD at Sephora.

Fresh Twilight Freshface Glow

I bought this 45 dollar bottle of face cream in the frenzy of the downtown Sephora opening.  I was briefly convinced that I needed to have this supposed wonder cream.  I read reviews, all of them along the lines of “this changed my life forever” and “my skin will never be the same.”

Sephora.com claims that it instantly smoothes skin, minimizes the and makes your complexion appear absolutely flawless.

I’m always on the hunt for the right product to give me the perfect “dewy glow” and I didn’t find it in Freshface Glow.  It gave my face more of crap it’s hot and now I’m all sweaty and redfaced kind of look.  I was disappointed, especially after dropping a hefty sum of money.  On the plus side though, it smells great.  $45 at Sephora.

MAKE UP FOREVER HD Microperfecting Primer

Meet the Cadillac of foundation primers.  I picked it up in a sample size the last time I raided Sephora and I’m obsessed with it.  The first time I wore it to work two co-workers commented on how clear and fresh my skin looked.  Since then I’ve saved the tiny remnants of my sample to wear on vacation and at my cousin’s wedding. $37 CAD at Sephora.

Before Vancity’s Sephora opened I made a wishlist of makeup lines to check out, and Urban Decay was at the very top. To me, Urban Decay is all about sexy, rock ‘n roll glamour with an edge. And many of the products in their line are vegan and cruelty-free to boot! During my trip to Seattle last year I snagged their infamous Eyeshadow Primer Potion and have been in love ever since. Their packaging is fun and a little quirky but don’t let that fool you! The quality of UD’s cosmetics is absolutely top-notch. Here are some of my favourite eye products from their line:

Eyeshadow Primer Potion ($22 CAD)
What else is there to say that hasn’t already been said? It’s LIFE-CHANGING.

Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner ($23 CAD)
This stuff definitely rocks! It’s densely packed with glitter so you’ll be blingin’ in just a few strokes. For daytime try brushing a bit on top of some black liner for a hint of sparkle, or go crazy and paint it over your entire eyelid. Besides the normal gold/silver/bronze glitters they’ve got ridiculously bright ones like fuschia and green. Its staying power is excellent! I wore this out clubbing and I still had purple glitter cat eyes when I woke up hungover the next day.

24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil ($21 CAD)
As a devout gel/liquid liner convert I was a little skeptical. I picked up Zero, a matte black. It’s super smooth, but not so creamy that the tip breaks and gunks up your lashline. And I liked that it is black, none of that silly blue-black nonsense. Even with my oily skin and the hot weather it didn’t give me mega raccoon eyes, though I find that it smears after a few hours if I don’t use Primer Potion. Can easily be smudged right after applying for quick smoky eyes that last!

I plan on making many more visits to their display at Sephora! I’d like to try their eyeshadows next. Have you tried any Urban Decay products? Share in the comments!

– Jacks

I, along with thousands of other Vancouver girls and boys, waited in line and braved the crowds at the Sephora grand opening in Pacific Centre last Friday. Even after 6:30 pm it was PACKED; I’d never seen anything like it! Pretty exciting. As I wriggled through the displays I focused mainly on looking at brands that previously hadn’t been available in our neck of the woods.

Now if ya didn’t already know, Sephora teamed up with celebrity tattoo artist Kat von D and released a line of cosmetics. She’s pretty much the only reason I watched Miami/LA Ink (do people really think Ami James is hot…seriously?), and I love her heavy metal persona and style. Okay, so I’m not gonna walk around in a ripped t-shirt and gold lamé bra but I can at least take a cue from her signature makeup look: sexy, smoky eyes and red lips.

I snagged the True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Beethoven. It comes with 8 shadows, housed in a slim black case adorned with silver roses. Cute! You also get 2 double-ended brushes but they’re useless for eyeshadow application. They’re stiff and flat…hell, I’d use ‘em for gel eyeliner, lipstick or concealer.

The shade descriptions on the website are bang-on: there’s Lucifer (matte charcoal black), Speed Blue (dark metalic blue), Razor Gray (warm gun steel shimmer), Tequila (metallic cornsilk shimmer), Sinner (metallic purple black shimmer), Rad Purple (matte purple black with purple glitter), Leather (matte dark brown), and Galeano (metallic medium plum shimmer). Everything you need for glam, smoldering eyes like Kat’s is in here. Or try pairing the cream or silver with the lighter purples if you’re not in the mood for full-on smoke. The shades don’t run too cool so warm-toned ladies like me can rock this palette. I gotta say, the quality of these eyeshadows is excellent! Pigmented, creamy, and easy to blend.  Colour me impressed.

Currently there are 3 palettes available: Beethoven, Ludwig (muted greens and browns), and Gypsy (bright green and yellow). They retail for $44 CAD at Sephora, which is about $5.50 per shadow. Not bad. I will definitely come back and explore more Kat von D products.

Have you tried this palette or anything else from the Kat von D line? Share in the comments!

– Jacks

So, I’m probably going to get lynched for this review but here we go…

I decided to hop on the mineral powder foundation bandwagon a couple of months ago, and I thought if I was going to make the switch I would go with the best: Bare Escentuals.  For the first two weeks I used the minerals with a regular powder brush, and not with the Buki Brush like you’re supposed to.  The problem I had with this method is that the powder just didn’t blend well and you could really see how much makeup I was wearing.  A few people at work even commented that I had been wearing more makeup than usual.  That was when I decided to suck it up and buy the right brush. 

It should also be noted that there is in fact a “correct” way to apply mineral foundation that I was unaware of initially.  Expert Village has a set of video how-tos that I found helpful; you can find them here.

After I started using the Buki Brush (I bought the Handy Buki Brush from Bare Escentuals because it was the cheapest at $20), I did see a difference.  The minerals blended better, and my skin really did look smooth and perfectly even.  Still though, my major issue is that it looked (and felt) like you were wearing more makeup than usual.  From far away, and in photos, my skin looked amazing.  Up close though, you could actually see the powder and I’m not into that.

My recommendation is that if you are someone who finds that liquid foundation or concealer sinks into crevices in their skin, mineral powder may prove to be a good option because it kind of creates a layer over top of your face.  Just make sure you use the right brush!!

If you already have pretty smooth skin, mineral powder, at least for me, was too heavy and much more visible than any liquid foundation.

Bare Escentuals products are available at Sephora, and the basic mineral foundation retails for about $25.  They also offer a number of starter kits, which include foundation, brushes, blush and other things.  They’re a pretty good deal, so if you’re serious about the minerals, they’re worth a look.

Now I know a lot of people love mineral foundation, so have you tried it?  If so, did you like it?  Comments are welcome!

~ Roni