REVIEW: A Look At NARS Creamy & Blendable New Stick Foundation
NARS Velvet Matte Foundation Stick goes on creamy and silky. It blends beautifully with fingers, a Beauty Blender and my favourite Artis Oval 7 brush. Best of all this foundation comes with its own sponge applicator built in meaning it’s great for travel!
Based on my past experiences, stick foundations and I don't mix. They're thick, cakey, and hard to blend and somehow I always end up looking like I have a pound of makeup on my face. I mean, how many times have you guys tried a stick foundation only to regret it because your pores end up looking huge and every single dry patch on your face is now noticeable? Yup, I’ve been there too.
When the new NARS Velvet Matte Foundation Stick hit my desk, I was scared. Scared of trying it because I didn’t want cake face and scared because I’m a hardcore NARS fan and I’d want to keep it that way. Finally, after a couple of weeks of playing chicken, I finally decided to see if NARS has finally broken down my stigma with stick foundation. Here's what I found.
I applied the foundation from the stick, straight to my face, on a morning where I had enough time to wash my makeup off and start over in case I hated it. Right away I was surprised to see how creamy and silky the formula is. Any stick foundations I’ve used in the past have had a thick/dry texture so this was a nice change. I blended half of my face with my damp Beauty Blender and reached for my Artis Oval 7 brush for the other half. It all blended like buttah.
It evened out my skin tone right with one swipe. While the formula says matte, my makeup looked like skin, not cakey.
To finish the rest of my makeup I concealed my under eyes using NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer in Custard (probably my all-time fave concealer !) and set my makeup with a light dusting of Chanel’s Natural Finish Loose Powder in Doré. It’s usually after I powder my skin that it starts to look a bit cakey depending on how heavy my foundation is. With NARS my skin was matte but still looked like skin. Here’s an easy tip- take your foundation from matte to dewy and natural by simply misting your makeup with a bit of mineral water.
Voila! My makeup game was on point.
How To Wear Velvet This Fall + 20% Off At REVOLVE
Textures are such a big part of fall fashion and the best time to play with the stuff. I'm talking leather pants, faux fur jackets, oversized cable knit sweaters, and let's not forget about good ol' velvet. You can easily concoct an outfit with everything mentioned above and still look like a freakin' rockstar. All you really really need is one luxurious velvet piece to make a statement this season and voila!
Velvet works for fall because it looks and feels luxurious but it's pretty affordable. (It is a synthetic fiber after all.) It's one of those textiles that we've seen mainly in upholstery up until recently, but Gucci really made us look twice with the introduction of the velvet Marmont bag in FW16. Now every time we see velvet our mind automatically screams "Wow, I wanna piece of that". At least mine does anyway...
I've put together two looks below showing you guys how easy and effortless it is to wear velvet without feeling dated. TIP: Just keep your colour palette simple and have fun with texture!
Use promo code FALL2017 for 20% off site-wide at REVOLVE! (Expires Nov 3rd, 2017 at 6:59pm EST)
THE VELVET BOOT
Velvet Boots: REVOLVE | Jeans: TOPSHOP (similar here) | Belt: BRAVE LEATHER (similar here) | Velvet Cap: ZARA | Crossbody Bag: SAINT LAURENT (similar here) | Striped T-shirt: SEARS (similar here and here) | Leather Moto Jacket with faux fur trim: ALL SAINTS (similar here and here) | Sunglasses: ARMANI (similar here) | Lipstick: BITE BEAUTY in Spiced Plum
THE VELVET DUSTER COAT
Velvet Duster Coat/Dress: REVOLVE | Jeans: TOPSHOP (similar here) | Black T-shirt: ARITZIA (similar here) | Patent leather bag: CHANEL (similar here) | Platform boots: SAINT LAURENT (similar here) | Sunglasses: ARMANI (similar here) | Lipstick: BITE BEAUTY in Spiced Plum
Use promo code FALL2017 for 20% off site-wide at REVOLVE! (Expires Nov 3rd, 2017 at 6:59pm EST)
These Fresh Marc Jacobs Scents Are Perfect For Layering
It’s layering season - and that doesn’t just mean clothes. Marc Jacobs perfumes aren’t new on the block, but damn are they fresh. Available in Cucumber, Cotton, Pear, and Rain, these scents are uplifting, crisp and wonderful when worn alone and when layered together. What’s our fave combo? Pear x Cotton, which smells like clean laundry and fresh, picked fruit procreated. Oh, baby.
SHOP THE POST
Marc Jacobs Cucumber Perfume
Refreshing, light and soothing this scent lifts our spirits and makes us feel like we're walking on air. Or water if that's your thing.
Top Notes
Watery cucumber, Lotus leaf, Crisp bamboo
Heart Notes
Lily of the Valley, Linden blossom, Dutch freesia
Base Notes
Frosted musk, Blonde woods
Marc Jacobs Pear Perfume
Our favourite of the Marc Jacobs collection. It's light, a touch fruity, a touch floral, and fresh. Best of all it's memorable and unique. Those who love warmer scents will love this one.
Top Notes
Bergamot, Lemon, Pear
Heart Notes
Freesia
Base Notes
Teak wood, Amber, Musk
Marc Jacobs Cotton Perfume
If you love the scent of fresh, clean laundry then you'll love the scent of MJ's Cotton. It's warm and inviting and layers beautifully with other scents.
Top Notes
Peach, Mandarin, Bergamot, Aquatic accord
Heart Notes
Lavender, Jasmine, Cotton accord, Lily of the Valley
Base Notes
White suede, Blonde wood, Musk
Marc Jacobs Rain Perfume
This uplifiting scent is unique and sparkling, like a cross between fresh-cut grass with a splash of clementine and strawberry.
Top Notes
Clementine, Cypress, Strawberry
Heart Notes
Sunflower, Passionflower, Orchid
Base Notes
Teak wood, Amber, Musk, Oak moss
The Best Red Accents from PFW 2107
I can't remember the last time red was the hot colour of the season but I'm all over it for fall 2017. My wardrobe has always been sprinkled with red accents for as long as I remember and most recently, I just picked up a beautiful bright red Celiné bag that I can't get enough of.
During the Paris Fashion Week Spring 2018 shows, editors and models were also feeling the red vibes as they rocked some pretty unique looks.
⭐ Pernille Teisbaek went for pops of red in her sunglasses and in the lining of her plaid trench instead of going full-on with the colour.
⭐ Gilda Ambrosio paired red pointed toe boots with a pink silk dress for an understated glam look.
⭐ Anna Dello Russo also went for the red pointed toe boots, but opted for a knee-high version paired with a mini black ruffle dress that suits her personal style amazingly.
⭐ Model off duty, Romee Strijd, took a more casual approach while remaining to make a bold statement with red lace-up skinny pants, a red cap, and Balmain graphic tee.
⭐ Caroline de Maigret, one of my personal favourite fashion icons, went for a more classic and comfortable look with her red and pink shearling bomber.
Red Accents
Break up the intensity of red by pairing it with neutrals. For this look, I mixed and matched textures with these modern Balenciaga pant/boots with a embroidered cotton Celia Dragouni frock. Layer in a Loewe shoulder bag and a wool Isabel Marant scarf and you're fall ready.
My Faves
Red is one of my favourite colours to play with. I love orange-reds because it's a warm shade that compliments my olive complexion nicely. My aesthetic is very rock and roll inspired so I love the idea of a red band jacket paired with some badass ankle boots and a glossy red lip.
Marc Jacobs new Eye-Conic Eyeshadow collection
Marc Jacobs Beauty launched six new eyeshadow palettes this fall, all inspired by his fashion runway shows. Named the Eye-Conic collection, each palette contains seven stunning shades for everything you need to create your own bold eye. From metallics, mattes, and shimmers, MJ Beauty has you covered. Yes, there are even three new eye brushes in the collection and a new Coconut eye primer too.
I've been playing around with these shadows for a while now and I'm hella impressed. So far all of the shades are beautifully pigmented and go on the way you see them in the pan. I find some of the mattes are a bit too powdery, but that's simply fixed by tapping off the excess first. With the metallic shades, I simply press them onto my lids using the Shadow Brush. They go on so well, like BAM, even without using a primer. It's exactly the kind of quality that we'd expect from Marc Jacobs Beauty.
Marc Jacobs Beauty can be exclusively found at Sephora and marcjacobsbeauty.com.
⭐
Marc Jacobs Beauty Eye-Conic eyeshadow palettes
Each palette has it's own runway personality.
- PROVOCOUTURE (pink)
- SCANDALUST (warm brows & scarlet)
- EDGITORIAL (camouflage & gold)
- GLAMBITION (bronze & gold)
- FRIVOLUXE (purple)
- SMARTORIAL (blue)
⭐
Marc Jacobs Beauty eyeshadow brushes
These three new brushes will be a part of Marc Jacobs permanent lineup - a smudge brush, crease brush, and shadow brush. They feature super soft, synthetic bristles that are shed-free and make blending my eyeshadows a dream. Dare I say, even better than my MAC eyeshadow brushes? The sleek black handles have a nice weight to them and don't feel as heavy as some of the other MJ face brushes. I love the bronzer brush more than anything but it is a heavy beast. If I could only recommend one of these, it would be the crease brush. It has a really nice tapered end that makes it perfect for blending underneath the lashline.
⭐
Marc Jacobs Beauty Under(cover) Perfecting Coconut Eye Primer
MJ's coconut face primer is probably the brand's most popular item so it makes sense they would extend the collection to an eye primer as well. This one is crease proof with coconut extracts to lock in colour for the whole day.
PIN IT!
Battle of The Brows: Benefit VS. Shu Uemura
PRESS PLAY & WATCH THE BATTLE OF THE BROWS NOW!
Show me a woman who's not concerned about her brows and I'll call liar. JK. (kinda...)
I spent the weekend elbow deep in beauty products, planning out my sister-in-laws makeup for her upcoming November wedding. She asked that I be her makeup artists for the big day and I couldn't say no. Any chance to play with makeup and try something new always makes me really happy so I was all in! Her beauty routine is very simple, mascara and SPF and that's it! The best approach for someone like her is to keep everything natural. A light foundation, peachy toned blush, a swipe of mascara, flesh toned lipstick and some brow powder to fill them in.
Being the minimal girl she is, my sister-in-law surprised me when she said she hates her brows and really needs help in that area. Turns out she has freaking awesome brows because she hardly tweezes so they're nice and full. With a little help of Benefit's Foolproof Brow Powder she has lust worthy brows in no time. This product is a bit too light and natural for my thin sparse brows but it was awesome for someone like her!
As for her overall makeup, it was radiant and glowy and she looked beautiful! I can't wait to see her in her dress on her big day!
Self Love (no, not that kind)
Ok here goes.
I started seeing a therapist recently.
While this might not be a big deal to most people, this is a HUGE deal for me.
There's so much that's happened this year that has proven to be incredibly challenging, even without the aid of a therapist. My best friend's father passed away from cancer at the start of the year, and that alone was tough enough to deal with. In my mind, being there for her meant putting her first and myself last. I didn't even give myself time to grieve until the day of her dad's funeral - it finally hit me that he was really gone. After that, I spiraled into a horrible depression, and my anxiety was at an all-time high. My fears were out of control and it affected everything in my life. I couldn't even open social media without a panic attack!
Long story short, after months of feeling like crap, I started to look after myself again. That was when I knew I had to talk to someone because I wanted to continue to heal. In hindsight, I should have been kinder to myself and taken the time to deal with my own pain but I felt guilty.
It's so easy for us to put the people closest to us first when they're going through a crisis. We take on their hardships as if they're our own and we put ourselves through the emotional wringer which benefits no one.
Something my therapist talks about is being mindful. For example, I hate traffic. I hate it so much I get anxious and angry just thinking about it. I mentioned it to her during one of my appointments and told her I had a friend's baby shower to drive to that afternoon in peak rush hour. How the hell was I going to be mindful in sitting in rush hour? HOW?! I can't remember her exact words but she said something along the lines of "breathe" and envision the end result and seeing my friend at her baby shower. It helped a lot that day, but I still hate traffic.
Being mindful is just one of the ways I practice self-love. Another is by taking the time do things that bring me joy -for example watching YouTube first thing in the morning to help me get out of bed or lighting a scented candle while I read a good book. Above all else, putting on makeup is probably my favourite mindful activity because in that time I'm fully present in the act of getting my face on. I can easily spend a couple of hours getting ready and I'll never feel bad for that again.
Whatever is happening in your life, make sure to take time for you. Because you're important and you're worth the effort. You'll be better to your people, and at the end of the day, happier for it.
Oh, and don't feel shame about needing help with your emotions, whichever way you choose to seek it.
Hope you're all happy and healthy. If not, hope you're healing.
DISCLAIMER: NARS PRODUCTS IN THIS POST WHERE PROVIDED BY THE BRAND.
ALL PHOTOGRAPHY IS MY OWN.
How to style a killer bar cart
Geoff and I recently got the cutest little bar cart without actually trying! Well, the truth is we had been looking for one for a few years but never found the right style to suit our decor. Geoff's taste is more masculine and he likes natural wood finishes and clean lines. I, on the other hand, love shiny finishes like mirror, brass or silver and it's not unusual that I'll decorate (and dress) with mix metals in mind. Through trial and error, we realized the mid-century modern aesthetic suits us both beautifully so that's what we lean towards with home decor. We also have an unspoken rule, if we don't love the piece in question then we don't bring it home. I have to admit, this rule is much easier when it comes to my closet because it's just me who has to be happy. With home decor, Geoff has to love it too so it always feels like a triumph when we find a piece that makes us both happy.
So back to the bar cart.
We did some cross-border shopping the other day and went to Target. There was our little bar cart, displayed on the top of a shelf in the home aisle waiting for us. But no really, it was actually the last one in store and we were freaking out a little because the sale price was too good at $68 USD! All of the other bar carts we had previously looked at were $200 upwards and it didn't even remotely leave a lasting impression on us like this one. Long story short, it's ours now.
Once we got the cart home, I started to work o the setup. Geoff knew he wanted all of our booze bottles on display and I knew I wanted to get some cute quirky little decor bits and bob.
Decorating without the help of Pinterest was interesting, to say the least. I thought I had a good grasp of how I wanted to style everything but I got overwhelmed quickly. That's when I took out the iPad and hit my Woahstyle Home board on Pinterest. From there it took me minutes to get everything in order and I was able to move in with my day.
Here's with the perfect bar cart should look like.
The Perfect Bar Cart
Start with the perfect bar cart that will suit your home and your personal taste. Think about how it'll flow with the rest of your decor. Do you prefer a metal finish? Wood? Brass? Silver? Acrylic? Like I said in the intro, Geoff is more keen on natural wood finishes and I prefer metals like brass. We found the ideal cart to suit both of our needs and the overall style of cart blends perfectly with our mid-century modern aesthetic. If you're more on the minimal side, look for something with clean lines a sleek finish.
Think Green
Back in the day, I was a stylist for a television channel and every time I dressed my sets I would incorporate plants. They happen to be fake because we were under hot studio lights that were only on while we were filming and otherwise the lights on set would be off. Having real plants wouldn't have worked in the TV environment but I was adamant that plants, fake or not, were necessary for livening up the sets. I use the same philosophy at home, and my living room is sprinkled with cacti and snake plants throughout. I figure my new bar cart shouldn't be any different so I added a real plant on the top level and a faux orchid that my mom gifted me on the bottom level where it gets less light. (Also I don't have to worry about my cats munching on it.) If you're curious about what plants are excellent for low light settings, make sure to check out my post on 10 Low maintenance indoor plants.
Art
It's no surprise that I love art - everything from abstract to whimsical, animated and Renaissance, I love it all. I'm also very lucky because my brother is an artist and I have a few of his paintings displayed around my home.
Whether your into photography or paintings, hanging artwork above your bar cart will give it some life and personality and it'll provide your guests with conversation starter as they pour themselves another drink!
Make it Personal
Just like fashion, your home decor should reflect your personality. In the entire three years of WoahStyle I've always said "forget the trends and buy what you love". This holds true to home decor as well and in particular, styling your bar cart.
Here are the three key things I went for when styling our bar cart:
Something shiny (the mirrored tray I laid down on the first level of the bar cart)
Something scented (my seasonal candle and diffuser from Nest! Right now I love the Pumpkin Chai scent which was gifted to me by the brand.)
Something whimsical (the gold pineapple and brass alligator head that I've had for ages!)
Sure, the pineapple and the alligator head don't exactly go together and if you want to be technical, neither does the scent of Pumpkin Chai but I could care less. These little trinkets make me insanely happy and they reflect my personality.
The mirrored tray serves well too. The reflective surface brings in light and femininity to an otherwise masculine bar cart (because of the wood grain). It also acts as an excellent surface for my guests to pour their drinks and I don't have to worry about spills.
Bar & Glassware
I LOVE classic glassware. There was a time when Geoff and I were trying to go the more modern route with stemless wine glasses but we never ended up using them. We also never used the martini glasses, shot glasses and cocktail shakers we had so we ended up donating them all! These days we usually reach for the classics, a good old wine glass from Riedel and some lovely tumblers that were a gift by a family member. An ice bucket is a non-negotiable and we have a simple clear glass one that we keep in storage until it's ready to be used. Other things that could be helpful are tongs (for said ice bucket), napkins and stir sticks. At the end of the day though you have to create your bar in mind with how you and your guests prefer your drinks. As I mentioned before, we used to be fully loaded with a variety of glassware that proved to be useless for us.
I hope this helps you in styling your own bar cart at home or at least gives you some ideas on how to decorate a corner in your living room. I've also included the above image which helped me tremendously when putting mine together. If you aren't already on Pinterest, you need to get on it! It's such an amazing resource for ideas, decor, and fashion. Make sure you add me @woahstyle!
Why White after Labour Day works
Back when I first started WoahStyle, over three years ago, I used a wear a lot of black. Everyone assumed I had an aversion to colour so when it started to creep into my blog life, people took notice. The comments used to make me laugh because they had no idea how much I truly love colour.
So here's the deal. It's not black as a colour that I love, or any colour really, but it's more of the graphic element. Let me explain.
The Subtle Art of Contrast
My personal aesthetic is that I'm drawn to boldness with clean lines. All black with a glittery pink shoe; denim with a beautiful white coat; or in this instance, the warm tones of white with a tobacco coloured shoe and a strong pop of Vermillion to complete the outfit.
Everything about the way I dress is about subtle contrast.
A mini shirtdress is sexy because it shows off lots of leg. I kept it from looking too over-the-top and age appropriate by doing the buttons up all of the way to the collar. I opted for a créme oversized blazer to make the mini dress more sophisticated while still keeping the look modern because I'm playing with the oversized silhouette. The créme colour also diminishes the whole antiquated rule of white after Labour Day because it allows the outfit to be more autumnal by playing off warmer tones. For example, if I was wearing pure white, the overall vibe would have been more summery don't you think? The créme shade also allows my outfit to transition into a tobacco coloured shoe more seamlessly. Black would have worked as well but I really wanted my outfit to be about warmth and not stark contrast. This is where the subtly of playing with colours is key.
Now picture my outfit without the Vermillion coloured bag for a second. It would still work on its own. Now add the bag back and all of a sudden you have that pop of boldness that I was talking about in the beginning. It's all about that subtle juxtaposition between something neutral and something bold that I'm always drawn to.
The Key to Wearing White in the Fall
If you're like me and you're a fan of wearing white in the fall, but you're hesitant, don't worry because it's actually easier than you think. Just keep autumnal textures in mind when getting dressed - cashmere, tweed, denim, basically any cozy texture that you'd wear in the fall goes. Linens, poplins and seersuckers wouldn't work because they're synonymous with summer. I'm a strong believer in wearing whatever you want, at any given time of the year but it's about how you pair it that makes the difference. It's like old design rule - you have to know the rules to break the rules.
Here's another quick example. I did a post back in 2014 wearing a créme coloured Acne skirt with a white Acne knit. The skirt was from the summer collection but that didn't stop me from wearing a piece I loved for fall. I paired it with a black leather jacket, for that bold graphic element that I love so much, and accessorized with my whimsical Comme Des Garcons sneakers. Again the accessories play in important part in breaking up my outfit and keeping it from being too serious.
Personalized eyeshadow palette from Charlotte Tilbury. Thanks Charlotte!!
You Do You
It's so funny how in the beginning of WoahStyle people felt like they had my style pegged. I definitely felt like I was going through a more of a graphic stage at the time while these days I'm embracing neutrals a bit more. The fundamentals of my personal style have remained the same, and they probably always will.
