All posts by Chelle

Kat Von D Metal Crush (Review & Swatches)

Kat Von D Metal Crush

I am laaaate to the party with the Kat Von D Metal Crush shadows! They were really hard to get my hands on when they first launched (and some of the shades are continuously out of stock because they’re so popular!) and the price point was a bit jarring ($25 CAD per shadow!).

Kat Von D Metal Crush
Kat Von D Metal Crush

However, I was at IMATS earlier this month and they had reduced prices so I decided to pick up two shades I’d had sitting in my Sephora cart for a VERY long time! It worked out kind of well because I’d also been sent one shade from PR (although it had arrived completely shattered and I had to repress it) so I was able to try out a few more shades and speak to the formula a bit more.

Kat Von D Metal Crush shadows in Raw Power, Thunderstruck and Synergy
Kat Von D Metal Crush shadows in Raw Power, Thunderstruck and Synergy

Oddly, I didn’t pick up the more vibrant shades (for once in my life) – I was sent Synergy (the bronze metallic) and I bought Raw Power (red/mahogany) and Thunderstruck (white duochrome/pearl). Thunderstruck is the shade everyone seems to rave about and it is ALWAYS out of stock on Sephora’s web site!

Kat Von D Metal Crush shadows swatched: Raw Power, Synergy and Thunderstruck
Kat Von D Metal Crush shadows swatched: Raw Power, Synergy and Thunderstruck

Swatched, you can see just how intense the pigmentation is. All of these shadows are metallic (hence the name Metal Crush), so you’ll need to pull in some mattes to complete your look.

Kat Von D Metal Crush shadows swatched: Raw Power, Synergy and Thunderstruck
Kat Von D Metal Crush shadows swatched: Raw Power, Synergy and Thunderstruck

This is a semi-out of focus shot (and unedited) to show you the colour dimension in Thunderstruck. It can look pure white straight on, but from an angle it reflects pink and orange and occasionally some tinges of blue (it’s quite opalescent). It’s a great shadow to put all over the lid and then pair it with other colours on the outer corner because it can shape itself to fit a lot of different colours. I know a lot of people also wear it as a highlighter on their cheekbones, but I was oddly not as keen on it that way.

Eye Looks Using Metal Crush

Wearing Synergy on the lid, Raw Power on the outer half of the lid and through the crease.
Wearing Synergy on the lid, Raw Power on the outer half of the lid and through the crease.
Wearing Synergy on the lid, Raw Power on the outer half of the lid and through the crease.
Wearing Synergy on the lid, Raw Power on the outer half of the lid and through the crease.
Wearing Thunderstruck on the inner half of the lid.
Wearing Thunderstruck on the inner half of the lid.
Wearing Thunderstruck on the inner half of the lid.
Wearing Thunderstruck on the inner half of the lid.

My Thoughts

I found that the Metal Crush shadows were extremely pigmented and beautiful. The shade range is gorgeous and exciting, and I do wish I had some of the brighter shades because they look absolutely incredible. The major stickler for people may be the price point ($25 CAD/$21 USD). Sure, the pans are much larger than your average eyeshadow (you’re getting about 1 gram more than normal), but if you want to pick up a handful of shades, you’re pushing close to $100 which can be a bit of a punch to the wallet. I am INCREDIBLY happy that Kat Von D released her Metal Matte palette for the holiday season which is an amazing value since you get not only a huge variety of her Metal Crush shadows, but you also get a ton of her matte shadows. While I don’t own this palette (yet) myself, the reviews have all said that the quality is amazing and on par for the brand. The Metal Matte palette is limited edition, so make sure you pick it up while you can!

To sum up my feelings on these shadows… I like the packaging, I think the shadow quality is excellent, the colours are beautiful (they’ve got some GORGEOUS vibrant shades!) and you’re getting quite a bit of product in the pans.

The Kat Von D Metal Crush eyeshadows can be purchased on Sephora.ca for $25 CAD each or on sephora.com for $21 USD each. Or, get a bit more bang for your buck by grabbing the Metal Matte holiday palette ($74 CAD/$60 USD).

The shade "Synergy" was sent to me for consideration.

Skincare Saturday: Introduction to Integral Dermo Correction (IDC)

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Integral Dermo Correction (IDC) is one of those brands that you may have spotted at some point or another, but turned away because their selection is ENORMOUS. (Seriously, beautyboutique.ca shows 35 products in the IDC category when I searched for them!) I’ve recently tried out a handful of their product, and, as always, I’ve got some opinions! Hopefully this will give you some insight into what you may be interested in trying by the brand.

What you should know about IDC is that they’re a Canadian brand (huzzah!), “award-winning, innovative and driven by science”. They have a patented Regen-16 technology that targets the 16 causes of skin aging with the highest concentration of active ingredients. They also offer cleansing, correcting and hydrating products alongside the anti-aging effects.

IDC Pearl Ultra-Purifying Gentle Cleansing Gel
IDC Pearl Ultra-Purifying Gentle Cleansing Gel ($29.50 CAD)

One of the first things I tried out was the Pearl Ultra-Purifying Gentle Cleansing Gel. It contains pearl, black radish and green tea extracts. The pearl is there to help with exfoliation (but honestly, it just feels like I gel, I didn’t notice any actual feeling of exfoliation). This also claims to remove makeup – I haven’t used it for that purpose since I prefer a separate oil-based remover, but people looking for a single step instead of two, may find this very helpful. It has a fairly medicinal smell which is doesn’t really affect me one way or another, but people sensitive to scents may want to give it a whiff before buying. In terms of cleansing, I felt it did the job just fine, and that’s all I can really ask for in a cleanser. (Honestly guys, I’ve never had a mindblowing experience when it comes to cleansers – I like a LOT of cleansers and as far as I’m concerned, if it works and I feel good afterwards, it’s a good one!)

IDC SPF 50 Facial Sun Protection Creme ($29.50 CAD)
IDC SPF 50 Facial Sun Protection Creme ($29.50 CAD)

One of these items I absolutely loved was the SPF 50 Facial Sun Protection Creme. It’s a sunscreen, so it does the usual “protects you from UVA and UVB rays” but they also say that it protects from lesser known infrared rays which (a quick Google search told me) is something we should be paying attention to in our sunscreens. What I love about this is that it actually works on my face when I’m playing soccer. I played a lot of hot freaking games during the summer and the best way I know to test sunscreen is on my face during games. Because I’m running and sweating all over the place, it gives me a chance to find out if a particular sunscreen will leak into my eyes and cause me immense pain. Thankfully, IDC‘s product does not! This stayed put and didn’t sweat off or into my eyes which is exactly what I wanted. Winner!

IDC Hydra Seal Healthy Glow ($49.95 CAD)
IDC Hydra Seal Healthy Glow ($49.95 CAD)

Sadly, not everything can work out. This Hydra-Seal Healthy Glow is a gradual bronzing moisturizer but I personally saw no difference on my skin after a week of use. It was hydrating enough for me to be happy using it as a moisturizer, but I really didn’t notice any bronzing effect. For those interested though – it is a white cream and it doesn’t contain any kind of colour guard, so it’s really easy to use on your face without worrying about leaving streaks behind.

IDC Regen Express ($59.95 CAD) and IDC Regen Express Perfection ($59.95 CAD)
IDC Regen Express ($59.95 CAD) and IDC Regen Express Perfection ($59.95 CAD)

IDC‘s Regen Express line is a “multi-benefit integral skin care for the face, eyes and neck, suitable for day and night use, corrects the signs of skin aging and moisturizes in a single step.” At first I was a bit confused by this product since it doesn’t actually state that it’s a moisturizer on the box, it says it’s an appearance corrector instead which would make me think I’d still need to moisturize my face. However, on use, I did feel like it provided enough moisturizing properties that I didn’t need the added moisturizing step. However, that’s the end of the good stuff for me. My mom and I both tried both products since I wanted to make sure it wasn’t just me that felt a certain way…. My mom found the product kind of tacky on her skin… like a little bit too sticky even after it had dried. For me, I just didn’t find myself especially “taken” with the normal Regen Express so I was like “meh”.

IDC Regen Express ($59.95 CAD) and IDC Regen Express Perfection ($59.95 CAD)
IDC Regen Express ($59.95 CAD) and IDC Regen Express Perfection ($59.95 CAD)

The one that I definitely had a strong opinion about was the Regen Express Perfection. It’s a tinted formula of the Regen Express, so I would expect it to work just like a tinted moisturizer. Sadly, this made me look exceptionally greasy throughout the day and I just couldn’t bring myself to try it more than the one time.

IDC Trilogy Mask ($59.50 CAD)
IDC Trilogy Mask ($59.50 CAD)

The very last product I tried, and the one that turned out to be my absolute favourite, was the Trilogy Mask.  This is product is half mask, half exfoliator that can be used up to twice a week. You apply this to your dry face (it says one drop, but I found I needed a lot more than that!) and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Once the 10 minutes are up, you chuck some water on your face and then start massaging it in like an exfoliator. Rinse it all off, and you’re good to go with your usual serum, moisturizer, etc.. This was one of those products I just really enjoyed using – it smelled good, it was fun and relaxing to use it and I felt like it actually made a difference in the radiance of my skin by unclogging any junked up pores I may have.

So that was my introduction to IDC! Let me know if you’ve tried out this brand or if you’re interested in any of their products!

The products featured in this post were sent to me for consideration.

Relaxing Halloween Ideas

Low Key Halloween Ideas

I know not everyone enjoys spending an entire month working on a Halloween costume only to wear it for a handful of hours while gallivanting about in the freezing cold! But, I also know that some of you may want to partake in Halloween in a slightly more quiet manner while handing out candy. So here’s a peek at some fun Halloween products that you can pick up last minute if you so desire!

Broadway Nails - Press-On Halloween Nails!
Broadway Nails – Press-On Halloween Nails!

Want some quick and dirty nails to make you feel festive? Keep an eye out for Broadway Nails at your drugstore – they always put out a few sets of Halloween inspired stick on nails and this year there’s a few glow in the dark options!

My 2015 costume - Harley Quinn from Arkham Knight
My 2015 costume – Harley Quinn from Arkham Knight

Last year I wore the red and black nails because they suited my Harley Quinn costume PERFECTLY. They stayed on all night and really added an extra touch to the look that may have not been overly obvious, but *I* knew they were there and that’s what mattered! Quick tip: if you feel the nails are too long, you can absolutely trim them down to fit your desired nail length!

False lashes, eye tattoos and black lips!
False lashes, eye tattoos and black lips!

Halloween is always the perfect  opportunity to play around with your makeup and NOBODY is going to call you on it. Try out some ridiculous feathery lashes (Wet n Wild usually puts out some insane pairs for cheap prices around this time of year) or try a black lip out just for hell of it. If you need some inspiration for the black lip, I did a tutorial recently that may help:

I promise you, black eyes and a black lip are more flattering than you may think!

KISS Temporary Eye Tattoos
KISS Temporary Eye Tattoos

Or, try something else out entirely by using temporary tattoos on your eyes! KISS has some Eye Tattoos that I was initially really skeptical about (I mean, REALLY how the hell was this going to work?) but it turned out really neat! Apply the temporary tattoos as you would any other temporary tattoo, fill in the gaps with black eyeliner, add some mascara and you’ve got a fun eye for the evening! (It also came off relatively easily with an oil-based makeup remover.)

Sheet masks and Halloweeny nailpolish colours
Sheet masks and Halloweeny nailpolish colours

If you’d rather just relax entirely, put on a character sheet mask (doubles as a Halloween mask!) to reinvigorate your skin and give yourself a black and orange manicure. My current favourite colours are China Glaze‘s Liquid Leather and Julie G‘s Albuquerque polishes for the perfect Halloween shades!

THEFACESHOP Character Mask - Pig
THEFACESHOP Character Mask – Pig

Sheet mask bonus: you can take ridiculous selfies and sneak up on your roommate or significant other with it and scare the crap out of them! 😉

And of course, nothing beats chowing down on mini candy bars in a variety of flavours while watching a creepy movie! Let me know what your plans are for Halloween – I’d love to hear them. 🙂

Some of the items in this post were sent to me for consideration. (Sheet mask, eye tattoo, press on nails.)