REVIEW: L'Oréal SUPERSTAR MASCARA & EYELINER

I'm the kind of person who loves big luscious lashes but I don't care too much for falsies because no matter what, I always mess them up. For the last few years I've been using the same mascara but I've recently become more adventurous and stepped outside of my comfort zone. I figure, part of the fun of having Beauty page is testing out new products and seeing how they compare in real life vs. the ads.

The latest eye makeup to hit my (ever growing) cosmetics bag is the Voluminous Superstar mascara and liquid liner from L'Oréal Paris. I have normal/ oily skin it's always challenging for me to find eye makeup that doesn't smudge all over my face. This duo held up after a night of partying AND after an intensely sweaty bootcamp class. I think it's safe to say the Superstars preform well. Keep reading for more.

L'Oréal Voluminous Superstar Mascara
Like I said before, I LOVE mascara and what I'm looking for is simple - long, thick lashes without clumping, smudging or flaking. This new mascara delivers on all of my expectations but I find you do have to use it a certain way in order to get the best results. 

Step 1: Prime your lashes with the hourglass shaped brush to separate and help fatten them up. Work on one eye before moving to the next so that you give the primer time to dry. Don't worry, it doesn't take long. You'll know when you're ready for step two when the white primer turns "clear" on your lashes. 
Step 2: Sweep a few strokes from root to tip with the curved mascara wand. I immediately noticed how long and thick my lashes looked with just one coat of mascara. My lashes were separated and defined without looking clumping and most importantly, without flaking all over my face by the end of the day.

I find this mascara does what my old mascara did in 3 coats, but better. The blackest black colour is richly pigmented, but it's not so highly pigmented that it leaves me with racoon eyes after I wash my face. (Mine is the normal formula. I don't wear water proof mascara.) 

Multiple layers of this mascara is best when it's still wet to avoid clumping. I should also mention that I like to beef up my lower lashes with a coat of mascara. They are naturally long so sometimes I have a bit of smudging, but not aways. It just depends on how I apply the mascara to my lower lashes. I dab instead of pulling the wand down on my lower lashes to avoid smudging. Overall, I find this mascara is excellent and defines, thickens and lengthens in two steps.

Pros: 

• Defined lashes
• Lengthening, after 1 coat
• Thickening, even after 1 coat
• No clumping (1 coat)
• No flaking (yay!)

Cons:

• Extra drying time for primer
• Some clumping after multiple coats
• Minimal smudging (on lower lashes)

L'Oréal Voluminous Superstar Eyeliner
Adele's eyeliner is always so on point and I only wish mine looked like that! This liner allows for the perfect cat eye to go from thick to thin with the flick of a wrist. To be honest, I'm set in my ways when it comes to creating my winged line and what I look for in a liquid liner is staying power and ease of use. The felt tip on this Superstar is comfortable to apply the colour pay off is perfect. It went on smoothly even when I was wearing a ton of iridescent eyeshadow - a sign of a good eyeliner if you ask me. It holds up well throughout the day but I find I do need a primer for the best staying power.

Cons: 

• Smudges on my oily skin without the use of a primer.

Pros: 

• Crisp lines
• Easy to use
• Comfortable
• Superb colour pay off
• No flaking 

To get into the holiday spirt, I'll be gifting two L'Oréal Voluminous Superstar Mascaras and Eyeliners. Think of it as one for you and one for your BFF, sister or mum. It's up to you. Keep your eyes peeled for my IG contest soon!

*All opinions of are my own. View disclaimer for more info.

The Teddy Bear Bomber

A cozy teddy bear bomber jacket for a chilly December day is everything I need right now. I've been sick for almost two weeks now and while I'm still recuperating from this nasty sinus infection, I'm not 100% yet. Comfortable clothes are a must for me and this Chaser jacket gets a big fat checkmark from me.

xo, Nathalie

WHAT I'M WEARING
CHASER, vintage faux fur bomber jacket
ERIS & THREAD, the ingenue black tee
THE KOOPLES, fringe bag (budget here)
RAG & BONE, distressed zippered jeans (budget here)
3.1 PHILLIP LIM, patent leather ankle boots (budget, on sale)
ARMANI, sunglasses (budget here)

Gifting: Sportswear Accessories for Him

For some reason, I always find it daunting to buy presents for the opposite sex. For example, I've been married for eight years now and my husband admitted to me recently that I "shop for myself" when I gift him something. (Case in point: the Tivoli radio I bought him was on my wish list forever. Whoops.) He's guilty of it too but in a different way. One year he gifted me snow boarding mittens (I don't snow board) and an alarm clock (I use my iPhone). It still makes me laugh when I think about it now. I think the secret to gifting is to remove your wants and needs from the equation and actually think about the other person. Admittedly, easier said than done.

My preferred gift for dudes this year seems to be the scarf. When my brother turned 30 in September, I gifted him a really beautiful Paul Smith scarf. His personal style is very simple but he loves scarves and his collection probably trumps mine. I'm also thinking of getting Geoff a luxurious scarf for Xmas because he's not the kind of person to buy himself one, but he's always wanted something he could have "forever".

I think this reversible wool scarf and hat from Lacoste make an excellent gift for dad, the bros, your hubby/ bf and your close guy friend. I've worn this scarf myself but Geoff really took a liking to it and claimed it as his own. (Merry Xmas honey. Just kidding!) 

Since we're talking accessories, a backpack (similar here) is a cool gift to think about for the tech guy in your life. Just imagine gifting this with an assortment of his favourite candies!! It's an unexpected added touch and he'll really appreciate it. 

xo, Nathalie

These reversible wool scarf and hat are so cute together, yet still appropriate for manly men!

A quick trip to the dollar store means you can fill up his backpack will all sorts of his favourite goodies!

Negative spacing. 

THE GIFT FOR SOFT SKIN: FRESH COCOA & LIP TREATMENTS

I think the people at Fresh really know how to bring the concept of a spa and deliver it straight home. I know, I know. That sounds major cheese ball but it's true and that's what makes them such excellent gifts. Their body products and Lip Treatments are good for women who love to take care of their skin. Actually, I think the Cocoa products would even be a good gift for my blogger bestie, Michael from Global Garçon!

COCOA BODY EXFOLIATING
I love how Fresh launches these products just in time for the holidays! These are so beautiful, and gentle, and smell beyond decadent. The Cocoa Body Exfoliant and Cocoa Exfoliating Body Soap smell eerily close to the real deal and left me craving brownies post shower.

Crushed cocoa, crushed coconut shells, cocoa butter and coconut oil to gently buff skin. It felt much nicer than the abrasive sugar and salt scrubs that I've tried in the past and they don't feel oily. I hope they add a body cream to this line because it's that good. I can almost see it now, a 3 piece set for next Xmas, cocoa soap, cocoa body scrub, cocoa cream. Can I market that? (Ok Fresh. You can hire me now!)

Anyway, gift this to your bath time loving, chocoholic friend as the ultimate indulgent gift. (Like what I did there?) 

LIP TREATMENT GIFT SET
I like these products just fine but I don't LOVE them. But Diana, WoahStyle beauty contributor, sure does. According to her last review, she attributes her 10 year relationship with her BF to this product. Based on a lot of your comments on my Instagram account, you guys do too, and that says a lot! This set makes an excellent gift on its own, or you can break it up and use the individual tubes as a stocking stuffer, or include it with an Xmas card for your cafe lady (is that weird?). That's why I decided I'm going to be gifting this exact Lip Treatment set to one of you guys. Stay tuuuuuuned!!!! 

Chocolate can be harmful to cats and dogs but Theo doesn't know any better. I'm not sure if the same can be said for the Cocoa bath products, but I don't want to take a chance. I banned him from the set soon after this. 

These items were gifted but all opinions here are my own. 

Beauty Talk with Liz Trinnear

When Upper Canada Mall invited me back to their hood last month, I said "sure". My mission was to help them celebrate the store opening of Topshop at The Bay. I knew Liz Trinnear of etalk, was the special guest, but I didn't exactly know that I'd be sitting down to interview her until 30 mins before it happened. Yikes. Instead of freaking out and making a mountain out of a mole hill (is that how the saying goes?), I decided to approach the whole thing very casually and shoot the shit with her. She's a pretty cool girl and she taught me a couple of things about her beauty routine. Read on to find out what two items she recommends for flawless skin and the one thing she does every single night.

Liz is a believer in protecting her skin from the sun and uses a daily SPF, in particular the Kiehl's BB Cream with SPF 50. I used to swear by a tinted moisturizer that Kiehl's made years ago, but they discontinued it. Really stoked that she told me about their BB cream because it's actually very similar to my old fave.

Liz's bedtime routine is always the same, without fail. Like so many of us, she always washes her face before going to bed. She's keen on removing all her makeup to keep her skin looking flawless. Finally, when her skin needs a pick-me-up, she uses the Sephora Rose Mask. She says it's great for hydrating tired skin.

So there you have it, beauty secrets from the adorable blonde who used to guest host Gossip Girl on MuchMusic. That's how I remember her. Oh, and she looks like Gwen Stefani, who I totally love!

xo, Nathalie

Get Outside

When Geoff and I set out to shoot this post, we wanted to connect the coziness of my outfit with nature and we intentionally set out to do something less urban. We ended up shore side along the lake on a very cold day. I had the "brilliant" idea to ditch my jacket in vain of showing off my outfit and I was shivering like crazy. My only thoughts were "let's hurry this up" and "my ankles are freezing!" By the time we wrapped it up,  my finger tips were bright red and numb.

We're embarking on a trip to the Canadian Rockies in a few weeks and it's inspired us to think outside of the box. We wanted to do something different from our usual street shots and minimal industrial backgrounds. With this mindset, we are hoping to bring you something different, and inspire you want to get out doors and explore. Maybe just dress more appropriately than I did here!

xo, Nathalie

WHAT I'M WEARING
Banana Republic, jeans & oversized cardigan (promo code CYBER)
Old Navy, knitted cap (promo code CYBER)
Gap, sweatshirt with side zip (promo code CYBER)
Roztayger, backpack from Bonastre (on sale with promo code Thanksgiving2015)
Everlane, slip ons

#lovewhatyougive

Alright guys. Welcome to my 2015 Gift Guide. I'll be updating this section right up until Xmas to bring you ideas of what to get everyone on your list, from your loved ones to the people who-you're-not-too-keen-on-but-have-to-give-them-a-gift-anyway. (We all have one of those.) If you have any great gift ideas let me know! I'd love to hear it. ;)

This holiday season I’ve teamed up with Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy to bring you guys this holiday gift guide. You’ve probably already seen me wearing some pieces from their fall/ winter collection, like these jeans from BR that crazy comfortable and inexpensive. I normally wear Jbrand and Rag & Bone jeans and I think these are a great alternative to designer denim. Just make sure you go down a size.  

Since the theme with my Gap collab is all about giving, #lovewhatyougive, I felt it was appropriate to share my gift cards with my hubby (aka. photographer) and Diana, my BFF/ beauty contributor. I went shopping with them both and collectively, we came up with these items here.

COZY KNITS
I got one. Diana got one. Geoff got two (here and here). Cozy chunky knits are a great gift idea for Xmas. If you're unsure about the colour, go with a neutral like grey, ivory or beige and go light on the pattern (like the cardi Diana chose). 

ACCESSORIES
I bought this pretty, faux-leather, gold clutch for a lovely colleague of mine who was leaving my workplace. Inside I included a couple of makeup goodies to surprise her and she LOVED it!

A clutch like this one, a makeup bag, a wrap bracelet, a scarf, a pom pom beanie, these are the kind of gifts that are excellent for someone you're not sure what to get, or even as an add on.

COATS & DENIM
So just before this collab landed on my desk, I had made a trip to Old Navy with Diana. I was floored with their prices! That day I bought a pair of work out pants because I wanted a good alternative to Lululemon's. (BTW, the ON version are legit.)  I had never really shopped at Old Navy, but they have great basics and they look luxe when paired with other key pieces. I picked up an olive wrap coat as a layering piece for myself, but I could also see my mum wearing this.

Like I already mentioned, I'm loving BR denim right now.They're an excellent alternative to their designer counterparts, and they're super affordable, especially when topped off with a promo code. I'd like more of these in my life so maybe I'll put them on my holiday wish list. ; )

I had such a great time working on this collab and in part it's because I shared the "wealth" with Geoff and Diana. We all found that it's super easy to be thoughtful with gift giving from all three brands and they're all pretty affordable. Gap, Banana and Old Navy also have promo codes a-plenty this time of year, meaning you get more bang for your buck.

xo, 
Nathalie

Just Bear With Me

December is my favourite month and this year is going to be incredible. It kicks off with Diana's bday (Dec 2nd), then I'm flying out to Banff/ Lake Louise mid month, then I get back in time for my bday (Dec. 21st), and finally Christmas! LOVE December! 

Speaking of Xmas, I've been working on an awesome gift guide for you this year with ideas of what to get everyone on your list. They're items I can't wait to gift my friends and family and I hope they're items you're going to be excited about too. All of that is going down soon so bear with me please and thanks. In the meanwhile, I hope you'll enjoy the first part of this post. We shot this by the lake in Burlington on the weekend. I'm so happy with this series that I had to split it up. Stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow! ;)

xo, Nathalie

WHAT I'M WEARING
Banana Republic, jeans & oversized cardigan (on sale with promo code BRGIVE)
Old Navy, knitted cap & wrap coat
Gap, sweatshirt with side zip (on sale with promo code GAPHAPPY)
Roztayger, backpack from Bonastre (on sale with promo code Thanksgiving2015)
Everlane, slip ons

Disclaimer: The clothes I'm wearing were gifted to me by Gap Inc. They're pieces I love for myself, and would happily gift to a loved one as well. 

Spray On Jeans & Cozy Knits

Snow, hail, gale force winds, sun and cloud. We pretty much faced all of the elements during this shoot. Did I mention it was also FREEZING cold? Sometimes you just have to get out there and get it done! Hope you're all having a good week so far!

xo, Nathalie

WHAT I'M WEARING
Blank NYC, Spray On jeans with faux leather detail on the back.
Old Navy, salt & pepper knit sweater. 
Lacoste, reversible scarf.
Aritzia, cocoon coat.
Mackage, Rubie crossbody bag.
Sandro Paris, black ankle boots.