Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadows in Metal, Truffle Glitter, Dragonfly, and Rosette

Since its launch late last year, Anastasia Beverly Hills eyeshadows have been getting more and more attention and really helping ABH expand out of their eyebrow and contouring categories. For those of us outside of the US, the ABH single eyeshadows are only available online to purchase right now; as it is, they're only available to buy in-store at select Macy's locations. When I went to NYC in September, I picked up a total of 16 eyeshadows in four quads. Like Makeup Geek, ABH only offers their eyeshadow singles in pan-form right now, so you will need a magnetic palette to put them in. ABH describes them as "finely-milled, highly-pigmented powder eyeshadow [that] is available in 84 hues and eight finishes for maximum versatility." Each eyeshadow contains 1.7 grams of product and comes in a standard size round pan, and retails for $12 USD. 
Top row: Metal and Truffle Glitter Bottom row: Dragonfly and Rosette
Metal, Truffle Glitter, Dragonfly, and Rosette

Metal is a light cool silvered gold in a Titanium finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, dense, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and warmer than Anastasia Beverly Hills Victorian, warmer than MAC Retrospeck, lighter than Ardency Inn Sunday, lighter and more gold than Makeup Geek Charmed, and more silver than Make Up For Ever D504 Celestial Beige.

Truffle Glitter is a medium-dark warm olive brown with gold sparkle in a Titanium finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, dense, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker and more brown than MAC Sumptuous Olive, similar to Make Up For Ever I328 Bronze, darker and more sparkly than Make Up For Ever I628 Reptile, more brown and more sparkly than Make Up For Ever D320 Golden Khaki, and darker and more olive than Ardency Inn Vintage Gold.

Dragonfly is a medium-dark cool smoky teal blue in a Duo Chrome finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, dense, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is more blue than Anastasia Beverly Hills Mermaid, lighter and more blue than MAC Deep Blue Green Pigment, more muted and more blue than Makeup Geek Houdini, brighter and more teal than Make Up Geek Ocean Breeze, and more muted and smokier than Make Up For Ever ME230 Peacock Blue.

Rosette is a medium-dark warm rich burgundy wine in a Titanium finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, dense, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation to opaque colour pay-off. It is darker and more red than Anastasia Beverly Hills Sangria, darker than MAC Cranberry, darker and more red than Make Up For Ever ME840 Pink Chrome, darker and brighter than Make Up For Ever D826 Fig, and brighter and more red than Makeup Geek Burlesque.

Gorgeous, buttery textures with rich, saturated colour; Anastasia Beverly Hills definitely hit the mark with their eyeshadows, with a huge range of shades and a variety of different finishes to compete with some of the best shadows on the market (e.g. MAC, MUFE, Urban Decay, NARS, Makeup Geek, etc.). When these initially launched, ABH had provided both four- and eight-pan empty palettes for free when you purchased the shadows to fill your palette, and the more you bought, the better value it would be (if you bought four shadows, the four-pan palette was free and each shadow was $10, and if you bought eight shadows, the eight-pan palette was free and each shadow was $8.75). But it seems like this deal is different depending on where you buy it from: ABH's website doesn't even offer building your own palette anymore, whereas the Macy's location I went to had only the four-pan palette offer but not the eight, but the Macy's website (in the US only) offers both the four- and eight-pan palettes. (If you're outside of the US, though, forget it — you gotta pay for shipping and duties, too.) That's not to say ABH's shadows aren't worth ordering because they are absolutely worth every penny; it's just annoying that their customizable palette offerings aren't the same across all retailers. So, if you're in the US, or know someone who's in the US and is going to come visit you soon, definitely order from the Macy's website, where they consistently have stock, there's free US shipping for purchases over $50, and they have both the value palette options. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadows in China Rose, Burnt Orange Matte, Wine, and Sangria

Since its launch late last year, Anastasia Beverly Hills eyeshadows have been getting more and more attention and really helping ABH expand out of their eyebrow and contouring categories. For those of us outside of the US, the ABH single eyeshadows are only available online to purchase right now; as it is, they're only available to buy in-store at select Macy's locations. When I went to NYC in September, I picked up a total of 16 eyeshadows in four quads. Like Makeup Geek, ABH only offers their eyeshadow singles in pan-form right now, so you will need a magnetic palette to put them in. ABH describes them as "finely-milled, highly-pigmented powder eyeshadow [that] is available in 84 hues and eight finishes for maximum versatility." Each eyeshadow contains 1.7 grams of product and comes in a standard size round pan, and retails for $12 USD. 
Top row: China Rose and Burnt Orange MatteBottom row: Wine and Sangria
China Rose, Burnt Orange Matte, Wine, and Sangria

China Rose is a light-medium warm pinked coral with gold pearl in a Duo Chrome finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, dense, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It darker and more pink than Anastasia Beverly Hills Fresh Peach, darker and more vibrant than MAC Expensive Pink and Inglot 407 Pearl, similar to Makeup Geek Cosmopolitan, and less sparkly than Make Up For Ever D750 Frosted Peach.

Burnt Orange Matte is a medium-dark warm orange-brown in an Ultra-Matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is more orange than Anastasia Beverly Hills Caramel, lighter and more orange than MAC Saddle, slightly more orange than MAC Texture, darker than Makeup Geek Crème Brulee, and similar to Make Up For Ever M664 Fawn.

Wine is a medium-dark warm amber copper with gold pearl in a Titanium finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, dense, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and more gold than Anastasia Beverly Hills Copper Shimmer, darker and more copper than MAC Amber Lights, darker and more copper than Ardency Inn Copper, much more muted and less metallic than Makeup Geek Untamed, and more orange than Makeup Geek Goddess.

Sangria is a medium-dark warm cranberry pink with pearl in a Satin finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, dense, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation to opaque colour pay-off. It is slightly darker than MAC Cranberry, warmer and more pink than MAC Plum Dressing, brighter and more red than Urban Decay Last Call, less metallic than Make Up For Ever ME840 Pink Chrome, and more metallic than Make Up For Ever M842 Wine.

Gorgeous, buttery textures with rich, saturated colour; Anastasia Beverly Hills definitely hit the mark with their eyeshadows, with a huge range of shades and a variety of different finishes to compete with some of the best shadows on the market (e.g. MAC, MUFE, Urban Decay, NARS, Makeup Geek, etc.). When these initially launched, ABH had provided both four- and eight-pan empty palettes for free when you purchased the shadows to fill your palette, and the more you bought, the better value it would be (if you bought four shadows, the four-pan palette was free and each shadow was $10, and if you bought eight shadows, the eight-pan palette was free and each shadow was $8.75). But it seems like this deal is different depending on where you buy it from: ABH's website doesn't even offer building your own palette anymore, whereas the Macy's location I went to had only the four-pan palette offer but not the eight, but the Macy's website (in the US only) offers both the four- and eight-pan palettes. (If you're outside of the US, though, forget it — you gotta pay for shipping and duties, too.) That's not to say ABH's shadows aren't worth ordering because they are absolutely worth every penny; it's just annoying that their customizable palette offerings aren't the same across all retailers. So, if you're in the US, or know someone who's in the US and is going to come visit you soon, definitely order from the Macy's website, where they consistently have stock, there's free US shipping for purchases over $50, and they have both the value palette options. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadows in Glisten, Birkin, Fresh Peach, and Copper Shimmer

Since its launch late last year, Anastasia Beverly Hills eyeshadows have been getting more and more attention and really helping ABH expand out of their eyebrow and contouring categories. For those of us outside of the US, the ABH single eyeshadows are only available online to purchase right now; as it is, they're only available to buy in-store at select Macy's locations. When I went to NYC in September, I picked up a total of 16 eyeshadows in four quads. Like Makeup Geek, ABH only offers their eyeshadow singles in pan-form right now, so you will need a magnetic palette to put them in. ABH describes them as "finely-milled, highly-pigmented powder eyeshadow [that] is available in 84 hues and eight finishes for maximum versatility." Each eyeshadow contains 1.7 grams of product and comes in a standard size round pan, and retails for $12 USD. 
Top row: Glisten and BirkinBottom row: Fresh Peach and Copper Shimmer
Glisten, Birkin, Fresh Peach, and Copper Shimmer

Glisten is a light-medium warm muted peachy copper with a sparkly, metallic sheen in a Metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, dense, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It denser and more copper than MAC Honey Lust, slightly more orange than ColourPop La-La, slightly brighter and more sparkly than Viseart Marais, more orange than Urban Decay Chopper, and lighter and more muted than Makeup Geek Roulette.

Birkin is a medium-dark warm muted peachy brown in an Ultra-Matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and less orange than Anastasia Beverly Hills Caramel, slightly lighter than MAC Soft Brown, lighter and more pinked than MAC Texture, slightly darker and cooler than Makeup Geek Crème Brulee, and slightly more pinked than Makeup Geek Purely Naked.

Fresh Peach is a medium warm coral peach with a subtle sheen in a Velvet finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, dense, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and more peach than Anastasia Beverly Hills China Rose, brighter and more orange than MAC Paradisco, more orange and less frosted than MAC Expensive Pink, slightly more orange than Urban Decay Freelove, and darker and brighter than ColourPop Cheeky.

Copper Shimmer is a medium-dark warm orange copper with bronze pearl in a Shimmer finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, dense, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation to opaque colour pay-off. It is brighter and more reddened than Anastasia Beverly Hills Wine, less red than MAC Coppering, much more muted and less metallic than Makeup Geek Flamethrower, brighter and more orange than Makeup Geek Goddess, and more orange than ColourPop Game Face.

Gorgeous, buttery textures with rich, saturated colour; Anastasia Beverly Hills definitely hit the mark with their eyeshadows, with a huge range of shades and a variety of different finishes to compete with some of the best shadows on the market (e.g. MAC, MUFE, Urban Decay, NARS, Makeup Geek, etc.). When these initially launched, ABH had provided both four- and eight-pan empty palettes for free when you purchased the shadows to fill your palette, and the more you bought, the better value it would be (if you bought four shadows, the four-pan palette was free and each shadow was $10, and if you bought eight shadows, the eight-pan palette was free and each shadow was $8.75). But it seems like this deal is different depending on where you buy it from: ABH's website doesn't even offer building your own palette anymore, whereas the Macy's location I went to had only the four-pan palette offer but not the eight, but the Macy's website (in the US only) offers both the four- and eight-pan palettes. (If you're outside of the US, though, forget it — you gotta pay for shipping and duties, too.) That's not to say ABH's shadows aren't worth ordering because they are absolutely worth every penny; it's just annoying that their customizable palette offerings aren't the same across all retailers. So, if you're in the US, or know someone who's in the US and is going to come visit you soon, definitely order from the Macy's website, where they consistently have stock, there's free US shipping for purchases over $50, and they have both the value palette options. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadows in Pink Champagne, Dusty Rose, Rose, and Truffle

Since its launch late last year, Anastasia Beverly Hills eyeshadows have been getting more and more attention and really helping ABH expand out of their eyebrow and contouring categories. For those of us outside of the US, the ABH single eyeshadows are only available online to purchase right now; as it is, they're only available to buy in-store at select Macy's locations. When I went to NYC in September, I picked up a total of 16 eyeshadows in four quads. Like Makeup Geek, ABH only offers their eyeshadow singles in pan-form right now, so you will need a magnetic palette to put them in. ABH describes them as "finely-milled, highly-pigmented powder eyeshadow [that] is available in 84 hues and eight finishes for maximum versatility." Each eyeshadow contains 1.7 grams of product and comes in a standard size round pan, and retails for $12 USD. 
Top row: Pink Champagne and Dusty RoseBottom row: Rose and Truffle
Pink Champagne, Dusty Rose, Rose, and Truffle

Pink Champagne is a light-medium cool rosy taupe-brown with a sparkly, metallic sheen in a Titanium finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, dense, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is  darker and pinker than Anastasia Beverly Hills Rose, lighter and pinker than MAC Sable, darker and more taupe than MAC All That Glitters, lighter and more metallic than Make Up For Ever ME612 Silver Brown, and cooler and less metallic than Makeup Geek Grandstand.

Dusty Rose is a medium-dark muted cool rosy brown in a Velvet finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, dense, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is more brown than MAC Haux, warmer and less taupe than MAC Quarry, slightly lighter and warmer than Make Up For Ever M546 Dark Purple Taupe, lighter and pinker than Makeup Geek Vintage, and darker and warmer than Makeup Geek Unexpected.

Rose is a light-medium warm pinked golden beige with golden sparkle in a Metallic finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, dense, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It is warmer and more golden than Anastasia Beverly Hills Pink Champagne, more pink than MAC Honesty, cooler than MAC All That Glitters, darker and pinker than MAC Sweet Heat, and more pink and more metallic than Makeup Geek Cinderella.

Truffle is a medium-dark warm reddened chocolate brown with bronze pearl in a Shimmer finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, dense, almost buttery texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation to opaque colour pay-off. It is slightly lighter than MAC Mulch, slightly lighter and more bronze than MAC Twinks, darker and more reddened than MAC Bronze, lighter and more reddened than NARS Galapagos, and similar to Makeup Geek Brown Sugar.

Gorgeous, buttery textures with rich, saturated colour; Anastasia Beverly Hills definitely hit the mark with their eyeshadows, with a huge range of shades and a variety of different finishes to compete with some of the best shadows on the market (e.g. MAC, MUFE, Urban Decay, NARS, Makeup Geek, etc.). When these initially launched, ABH had provided both four- and eight-pan empty palettes for free when you purchased the shadows to fill your palette, and the more you bought, the better value it would be (if you bought four shadows, the four-pan palette was free and each shadow was $10, and if you bought eight shadows, the eight-pan palette was free and each shadow was $8.75). But it seems like this deal is different depending on where you buy it from: ABH's website doesn't even offer building your own palette anymore, whereas the Macy's location I went to had only the four-pan palette offer but not the eight, but the Macy's website (in the US only) offers both the four- and eight-pan palettes. (If you're outside of the US, though, forget it — you gotta pay for shipping and duties, too.) That's not to say ABH's shadows aren't worth ordering because they are absolutely worth every penny; it's just annoying that their customizable palette offerings aren't the same across all retailers. So, if you're in the US, or know someone who's in the US and is going to come visit you soon, definitely order from the Macy's website, where they consistently have stock, there's free US shipping for purchases over $50, and they have both the value palette options. 

Makeup and Beauty Blog: Monday Poll, Vol. 348

This week's Monday Poll:

1. Where do you usually spend the holidays? At home. I can't remember the last time I actually went away for the holidays. The holiday season, along with summer (wedding season), is one of the busiest times of year for me at work 'cause everyone needs to get their makeup done, so I can't really go anywhere. But I don't really care, 'cause the holidays to me means bargain shopping and eating a lot, and I can do that both just fine here. Plus, most of my friends and extended family live here, anyway, and my brother comes back up here for Christmas, so I don't usually need to go anywhere.
   
   
2. What's your Thanksgiving specialty dish? Well, I am very good at picking up pie from the grocery store.
   
   
3. What's your preferred method of filling in your brows? Gel, powder, pencil, a combination of a few things, etc.? A mechanical brow pencil; my favourites are MAC's Eyebrows in Lingering (my staple for over a decade now) and Anastasia's Brow Wiz in Medium Brown. They allow the best control for me to draw in the shape I want and fill in without looking over the top because these fine-tipped pencils are meant to mimic real hair. When you don't have a lot of brow hair, gel-creams and pomades end up looking way too fake, and powders end up looking patchy.
   
   
4. Rimming your water lines: a do or a don't? I don't generally like to do it on myself because I find that dark liners in my waterline makes my eyes look smaller and nude or white liners in my waterline look really creepy and fake. Only if I'm doing a really smoky eye, then I might line half my waterline with black to give it more depth. That having been said, it's a definite do on a lot of people, especially for those who have rounder or bigger eyes or if they're rocking a really smoky eye.
   
   
5. Do you have freckles? Yes, on my cheeks, and I hate them. They are not the cute kind of freckles that make you look dainty and youthful. It just looks like sun damage, and I have gone to great lengths to fade and cover them.

Sunday Video Love: Empty Threat

So glad CHVRCHES made this their next single; it's one of my favourite songs off of Every Open Eye. I love that the idea behind the video embodies everything CHVRCHES stands for, too.

Birthday Dinner: Café Boulud

This is the last birthday dinner post, I swear. (Well, at least from this year.) So, Birthday Dinner #3 happened on Sunday (on my actual birthday) with my friend Ronsee at Café Boulud. If it sounds familiar, it's because it is the Toronto branch of French celebrity chef Daniel Boulud's highly-lauded Café Boulud. It surprisingly flopped when it first opened in Toronto (you can read all about it here) and they had contemplated closing it down, but they decided to revamp it instead, and it re-opened this past September to much more fanfare. It's continually busy nowadays, even on the chilly November Sunday evening that we went. The space, which was once described as "cold and soulless," is now warm, comforting, and inviting. It's sort of rustic-meets-retro-cool with lots of dark woods, banquette booths, slouchy leather chairs, and spherical hanging lamps. The menu is more streamlined with bistro classics and contemporary dishes that reflect Toronto's multi-cultural flair. Everything, however, is tinged with French sensibilities.

Charcuterie Board
30-Day Dry-Aged Strip Loin
To start, we shared the charcuterie board. I would be lying if I said I remembered everything on said board, but I do know there were two different types of terrine, plus salami, ham, and some sort of chopped meat salad (maybe rabbit?). Served with toasted sourdough, beer mustard, and house-made pickles. It was a good assortment of meats and a great representation of meat preparation. I think the bigger board would've been more impressive (I imagine it to be more akin to the one we had at Hearth), but charcuterie lovers will be satisfied, nonetheless. For my main course, I ordered the steak. It really was between this and the duck confit, but my love for beef just won out. And no regrets, whatsoever. It was just perfection; so juicy, so moist, and so goddamn flavourful that the béarnaise sauce at the side just seemed like overkill (it didn't go to waste, though, 'cause I dipped all my frites into it). Honestly, after eating this, I've realized that Toronto seriously needs to work on its steak game. So many restaurants here serve steak, but the majority are sub par by comparison, whether it's in the cut, the preparation, the type of cow, etc. (That reminds me: Next year, I'm checking out Harbour Sixty. It needs to happen.) The staff here is also lovely, from the hostess to the manager, and our server was delightful. He was nice, personable, informative, and prompt despite it being a near full-house on this Sunday evening. Some people complain that it is overpriced, and maybe I've just eaten at too many truly overpriced restaurants (e.g. every restaurant in NYC), but I actually think you get what you pay for here. And while Café Boulud has received some mixed reviews (like, the people that hate this place really fucking hate it), I honestly had a phenomenal experience and would come back again in a heartbeat. 

Café BouludFour Seasons Hotel Toronto60 Yorkville AvenueToronto, ON M4W 0A4(416) 963-6000

Birthday Dinner: Terra Restaurant

As I mentioned, birthday weekend means eating all the things. So on Saturday, I went for Birthday Dinner #2 with my friend Austin at Terra Restaurant. I've been wanting to try this place for some time but was just looking for the right occasion to go, so I figured my birthday was the perfect opportunity to eat some delicious overpriced Italian food.

Raw oysters: Raspberry Point Malpeque and Lucky Limes
Imported Italian Burrata Cheese and Heirloom Tomatoes
Wild Mushroom Crema Pappardelle
Roasted Bone-Marrow Breadcrumb Garlic and Citrus Ravioli
Decadent. Indulgent. Divine. These are the words to describe a meal at Terra. Their raw bar just opened back up, so we obviously had to order oysters (also because Austin had never had oysters before, and we had to rectify that situation). We followed that with the burrata cheese (!), something that every single Italian restaurant should offer, but so few do. It's mild, soft, plush, and addictive. I could eat it with everything. (I do, however, prefer the version at Campagnolo, which is drizzled with olive oil, topped with a flurry of salt and pepper, and served with grapes instead of tomatoes.) What really sings at Terra, though, is the pasta. That night, we decided to share two of the daily specials: pappardelle (my favourite!) in a wild mushroom crema made with osso buco broth and topped with shaved parmesan and pink peppercorns, and a bone marrow stuffed ravioli (!) with broken veal osso buco, peas, and shaved parmesan. Just spectacular. The menus change seasonally here, but I can't imagine the food being anything less than fantastic. 
Roasted apple and mascarpone tart
Flourless chocolate cake
Desserts included a warm roasted apple and mascarpone tart (on a plate that our server had cheekily wrote, "Happy 21st Birthday!") and a rich molten flourless chocolate cake served with vanilla bean ice cream, both of which just hit the right spot after such a savoury meal. Our server (I think his name is Douglas?) was an absolute joy; so polite and informative, and attentive but not cloying, and just generally personable and humourous. It can get pretty pricey at Terra (and there are extra costs for almost everything, so make sure you are aware of them; pop refills are not free, and they offer three types of water, so make sure you're getting regular ice water if you don't wanna pay for it), but it is really a wonderful place to bring someone for a special occasion. The live jazz band playing "Smooth Criminal" was also a nice touch. Many thanks to Austin for joining me for a truly memorable birthday meal!

Terra Restaurant 8199 Yonge Street Thornhill, ON L3T 2C6 (905) 721-6161

Birthday Dinner: Le Modern Japanese Cuisine

I turned 29 today. This is not the important part. (You know, I find after you turn 25, all the other ages until you're 30 is just the "late 20s" and no one gives a shit about it.) The important part is that this was my birthday weekend, and that means eating all the things. It's an excuse to eat out at fabulous restaurants and not feel remotely guilty about it. (Wanna get me a birthday present? Buy me food.) I somehow managed to get the entire weekend off from work and so my mom decided to take me out on Friday night for Birthday Dinner #1 at Le Modern Japanese Cuisine. It is important to note that this is not an all-you-can-eat restaurant, which is usually my first choice when I'm craving Japanese fare ('cause then all I care about is variety and stuffing my face with mediocre-to-decent quality food). This place gets mixed reviews, but I've been there three times now and have been thoroughly satisfied with my experience there every time.

Sashimi sampler
Aburi Nigiri
Pirate Roll (uni, salmon, snow crab, cucumber, and tobiko)
Salmon Oshizushi
Le Modern Japanese Cuisine has become my favourite sushi restaurant in Markham; their ingredients are ultra-fresh, and I find the offerings to be far more unique and more beautifully presented than many other places. They do offer a lot of your regular fare, of course, but they have lots of specialties, too, like oshizushi and torched nigiri. The prices are on par with mid-to-upscale Japanese restaurants, so it is on the more expensive side (expect to spend at least $30 a person here), but I truly think the quality is worth paying for. On that note, I do recommend getting sashimi and sushi over their other offerings because this is where they excel. The flavour combinations in their rolls are interesting but cohesive, their fish is gorgeously plush and so fresh it's almost sweet, and the rice is fluffy, slightly warm, and densely packed (no falling apart or crumbling here). Plus, their plating is really just goddamn gorgeous. The decor is stark but clean and sleek (I guess this is their take on "modern"), and the service is prompt, polite, courteous, and informative (I can't say the same for many sushi places). Really, my only complaint is that they never seem to have uni (or sea urchin). I have asked for it every single time I've been there, and every time, they say that they're out of it. Why have it on the menu if you're never gonna stock it? At this point, it's a freaking unicorn. Stop teasing us. Other than that, I whole-heartedly recommend coming here for special occasions, date nights, or when you just wanna eat some fucking delicious sushi.

Le Modern Japanese Cuisine 8920 Woodbine Avenue Markham, ON L3R 9W9 (905) 604-7800

Friday Favourites: Vol. 1

I thought I'd start doing "favourites" posts here, because I'm always intrigued by other people's favourites. Most bloggers or YouTubers do monthly favourites, but I don't necessarily want to limit myself in that way; I've called them "Friday Favourites" so I can post as many or as little as I like (on Fridays). They will be beauty-related for the most part, but I will add other random favourites, too, like if I've read a particularly excellent book or eaten something really spectacular. So, without further ado, here is my first Friday Favourites post!

Viseart Eyeshadow Palette in 01 Neutral Mattes — The most silky smooth, finely-milled, ultra-pigmented matte eyeshadows I have ever used. Truly the only neutral palette you'll ever need. 

Hourglass Ambient Bronzer in Luminous Bronze Light — Creates a most gorgeous, natural glowy warmth on the skin without being shiny or shimmery. I also like to use it as a soft bronzy blush on the cheeks. So great to fake a healthy complexion as we head into winter. 

MAC #196 Brush — The most perfect foundation/concealer blending brush. It's dense so you can add more coverage effortlessly, but blends out like a sponge so make-up never looks cakey or streaky. The size and the angled top are excellent for using under the eye and around the nose. 

MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Oh, Darling! — I almost wasn't going to put this because it's sold out everywhere and going for $100 on eBay (seriously, I just looked it up), but it really has been my favourite highlighter since it launched. It's a weightless liquid-powder hybrid that imparts the perfect champagne gold colour with a gorgeous metallic finish and makes the skin look ultra-smooth and super luminous. Blends out like a dream, too. Honestly, I prefer this over the Becca highlighters. It's a damn shame that this is limited edition. 

Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in 665 Vibrato — The perfect royal blue cream shade. Ultra-pigmented, self-levelling, no streaks, and no staining. 

YSL Rouge Volupté Silky Sensual Radiant Lipstick in 3 Ultimate Beige — YSL's Rouge Volupté is definitely in my Top 5 lipstick formulas of all time (it's creamy with full saturated colour pay-off, dries down to a satin finish, and is comfortable to wear) and this shade is my ultimate MLBB; it's a medium rosy brown with a hint of mauve. I've been reaching for this more than any of my other lipsticks recently because it's so low-maintenance but looks so polished.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell — I honestly didn't think I was gonna love this as much as I do. It's a novel that is based on a fictional fanfic that was originally introduced in Rowell's Fangirl (another favourite). It's described as "a ghost story, a love story, and a mystery." Basically, it's like a parody of Harry Potter, but featuring mages instead of wizards, vampire existentialism, and two gay boys as the main characters. It's funny, it's charming, and it's freakin' fantastic.

Raisin gelato from Love Gelato — Not rum raisin. Just raisin. The flavour of raisin without the gross shrivelled up texture of actual raisins. It has a hint of nutmeg or cinnamon in it, too. Absolutely, positively delightful for the fall season. Fuck pumpkin spice, this shit is where it's at.

Carrie Underwood's Greatest Hits: Decade #1 — I don't know why I'm into country pop all of a sudden, but Carrie Underwood makes it hard to resist. I was indifferent to her for a decade, and then I watched a video of her performing Guns 'n' Roses' "Paradise City" (which she absolutely, 100% slays), and now I'm obsessed with her. But, not obsessed enough to buy her entire catalog of music. Enter her greatest hits album. Highlights for me include "Little Toy Guns," "Before He Cheats," "Wasted," "Good Girl," and "Two Black Cadillacs."

What are your most recent favourites? 

Makeup and Beauty Blog: Monday Poll, Vol. 346

This week's Monday Poll:

1. Something that saves you time when you're getting ready in the morning? Using powder foundation instead of liquid. This is how my love affair with MAC Studio Fix Powder started. I used to spend so much more time on my foundation routine, dotting my face with liquid and then blending it out down to my neck, and going over areas where I needed more coverage, and then having to wait for it to dry to set it with powder. Now I use the tiniest bit of Urban Decay Naked Skin concealer on my cheeks (where I have some redness and freckles), blend it out with a MAC #196 brush (my new favourite), and then buff my face with MAC Studio Fix Powder. In reality, my old routine only took like, three minutes longer than it does now... but hey, three minutes is three minutes. In the morning, that makes the biggest difference.
   
   
2. Cheesecake or pie? Pie. Don't get me wrong, I love cheesecake as much as the next person, but if it's a choice between the two, I will always pick pie. I pick pie over any and all cake.
   
   
   
3. Would you rather read a romance, or a mystery? It really depends on my mood. I mean, I love romance in novels (and almost every single novel I've read has a romantic aspect to it, from sci-fi to fantasy to coming-of-age), but I don't tend to like books that are solely romance because I find that most of them are too predictable. At least with mysteries, it keeps you in suspense and makes you wanna read more. But there's also something comforting and uplifting about a good romance novel... Conclusion: Why pick one when I can read both?
   
   
4. What's the weather like today? Cool (around 10°C), mild, partly sunny, partly cloudy. It's a nice fall day here.
   
   
5. When was the last time you wore a uniform? When I worked for Lancôme seven years ago. It wasn't a terrible uniform or anything; it consisted of a dark grey zip-up jacket and black pants. It was actually kinda nice because I didn't have to think about what I had to wear everyday. 

Sunday Video Love: Paradise City

And this is why Carrie Underwood is my girl crush right now.

Friday Five: Symbol

This week's Friday Five:

1. Which of the standard keyboard symbols best describes your mood right now? & (I just ate dinner and am really full.)
   
   
2. On your brand-new family coat-of-arms, created right now whether you already have one or not, what animal is the central figure, representing the spirit and character of your family? An elephant. Among other things, it symbolizes reliability, dignity, and pride.
   
   
3. In what ways is your vehicle symbolic of you? Small, quietly powerful, reliable.
   
   
4. What charms, figurines, or objects do you keep at hand to remind you of something or someone? I don't keep a lot of charms or figurines, but I keep a few stuffed animals that remind me of various times in my life, and I've kept birthday cards from when I was a baby to now that remind me of good friends and family.
   
   
5. What song lyric best sums up your feelings heading into the weekend?
   

   "There is a strength in enduring." — CHVRCHES, "Dead Air"

Too Faced La Crème Color Drenched Lip Cream in Honey Bear, Razzle Dazzle Rose, and Juicy Melons

After discovering and falling in love with this formula last winter, I went back to Sephora during the last VIB sale to pick up three more shades. (Yes, I've been wearing these for the last six months and it's taken me that long to finally write a post about them. I'm a procrastinator, okay?) There's been a lot of hype over their Melted liquid lipsticks, but not nearly the same amount of hoopla over the La Crème formula, and it completely baffles me because they are wonderful. Too Faced describes it as "a rich and creamy lip colour infused with moisturizing and strengthening benefits including white lotus flower and power peptides." There are 22 shades in total, 18 of which are available at Sephora and six on Too Faced's website, and have a light lemon cake scent but no real discernible taste. Each La Crème lipstick comes in a slim matted gold tube, contains 3 grams of product, and retails for $26 at Sephora.

Honey Bear, Razzle Dazzle Rose, and Juicy Melons
Honey Bear, Razzle Dazzle Rose, and Juicy Melons

Honey Bear is a medium-dark rosy brown with fine gold micro-shimmer in a luminous shiny finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy, balm-like texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque to opaque buildable colour pay-off. It is lighter and pinker than Too Faced Sweet Maple, lighter and more brown than Too Faced Cinnamon Kiss, slightly darker and more brown than MAC Creme in Your Coffee, and sheerer and more pink than Bobbi Brown Uber Nude.

Razzle Dazzle Rose is a light-medium cool-toned carnation pink in luminous shiny finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy, balm-like texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque to opaque buildable colour pay-off. It is darker and cooler than Too Faced Marshmallow Bunny, similar though more pigmented than MAC What a Feeling!, more muted and shinier than MAC Divine Choice, and cooler and shinier than Urban Decay Obsessed.

Juicy Melons is a light-medium warm coral pink in luminous shiny finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy, balm-like texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque to opaque buildable colour pay-off. It is lighter and more muted than Too Faced Coral Fire, darker than MAC Sunny Seoul, lighter and more muted than MAC Out for Passion, and more muted and shinier than NARS Natalie.

Too Faced's La Crème has officially entered my Top 5 favourite lipstick formulas of all time — it's effortless, low-maintenance, and makes lips look flawless. They're creamy but not too slippery, have a luminous shine finish without being too glossy, are ultra-comfortable to wear, and have excellent colour pay-off. Unlike Chanel's Rouge Coco Shine or YSL's Rouge Volupté Shine, which are the most comparable in terms of finish and texture, these ones have a longer wear-time (around four hours), have more opaque colour pay-off, and they remain hydrating like an actual lip balm without getting overly creamy or "melty." La Crème actually reminds me of MAC's Huggable Lipcolor, except these have more slip and more pigmentation. These are an amazing option for those who tend to go for lipstick-lip balm hybrids, but want a more saturated colour pay-off. (Also, they have a most delightful lemon cake scent.) Next on my list are the dusty rose and muted raspberry shades for fall/winter. After all, the Sephora VIB sale is coming up...

Pick-Ups & Deliveries: October 2015

So, remember how I was so proud of not buying anything at Sephora in September? Well, it was a seriously short-lived feeling. My friend recently started working at Sephora and she gave me a coupon for the Friends & Family event last month. It's like an early VIB sale, wherein the coupon entitles the holder to a 20% discount on everything during that time period (unlike the VIB sale, however, you must obtain a coupon and it is one-use only). Needless to say, I went a little crazy.

Farmacy New Day Gentle Exfoliating Grains, Rise 'n Shine Daily Moisture Lock, and Sleep Tight Firming Night Balm
Farmacy Lip Bloom in Apple Rosemary and Citrus Lemongrass
I was perusing the Sephora website when I stumbled upon a brand called Farmacy, whose slogan is, "Farmer cultivated, scientist activated." They patented an ingredient called "Echinacea GreenEnvy" that is used in all of their products, and "contains the highest known concentration of the phytochemical Cichoric Acid, a potent natural antioxidant which helps protect and firm the skin by inhibiting the enzymes that break down collagen." All their products also claim the following: naturally derived ingredients, free of parabens, free of formaldehyde, free or artificial colouring, and not tested on animals. I'm not one of those people who actively looks for all-natural skincare, but it's a nice bonus for those of you who do (Sephora only carries a handful of natural brands, so it's great that they're expanding their range). Anyway, I was fascinated by the technology and innovation behind Farmacy, and every single one of the reviews on their products are raves with nearly five-star ratings (and by people of all ages and all skintypes, not just by dry and mature skin or oily and young skin), so I bought the exfoliating grains, the day cream, the night cream, and two of their bestselling lip balms. Go big or go home, right? (It also doesn't hurt that their packaging is cute as hell.)
May Coop Raw Sauce and Sunday Riley Good Genes
As with Farmacy, I was checking out all these new brands that Sephora started carrying but had never heard of or saw in store (seriously, I think I spent like, two full hours on the Sephora website), and two more products really intrigued me. The first one was May Coop's Raw Sauce, which is a "hydrating, nourishing essence featuring a silky formula that's highly concentrated in maple tree sap to create a stronger skin environment, helping prep the skin to better absorb products to follow and boosting their effectiveness." It's sort of like a softening lotion meets a serum, which explains the higher price tag, but people are praising this shit like "it's liquid gold" and it has a consistent five-star rating, so I had to try it. The second product was Sunday Riley's Good Genes Treatment, which is "is formulated with key ingredients that plump the look of fine lines to reveal brighter, renewed skin, and support natural circulation to create a smooth, vibrant complexion. Long term use will help restore damaged skin, reduce hyperpigmentation and scars, reduce the depth and number of lines and wrinkles, even out skintone, and increase skin firmness." Basically, my skin better look like a fucking newborn's.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum, Deep Cleansing Exfoliator, and Beauty Elixir
Philosophy Purity Made Simple Foaming Cleansing Gel, Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream, and Clinique Turnaround Revitalizing Lotion
So, as it turns out, I bought a shit-ton of skincare. Like, I am stocked up until next summer. I decided to try some new Caudalie items because I've been so impressed with all the products I've ever used by them, so I picked up a bottle of their Vinoperfect Radiance Serum, their Deep Cleansing Exfoliator, and finally, their cult-favourite Beauty Elixir. I admit, I was totally that person who was like, "Who the fuck needs a $50 facial spray?" But all the people I know who have used it have said that I have to try it to see what the hype is all about. My friend at Sephora was just like, "If you end up hating it, just return it." So, I caved. I am kind of indifferent to the scent, which is kind of herbal (there's a minty tingle that feels amazing on the skin, though), but I have to eat my words because this stuff somehow makes my skin look smoother and more radiant while also controlling oil. Yeah, seriously. I don't know if this merits a re-purchase yet, but I am thoroughly enjoying it right now. Other skincare I bought includes a new tube of Philosophy's Purity Made Simple Foaming Cleansing Gel (a staple in my skincare routine and a holy grail product), plus a tube of Clinique's 7 Day Scrub Cream (I haven't used this in years but I remember liking it as a mild exfoliator that I can use everyday), and Clinique's new Turnaround Revitalizing Lotion. I never thought I would ever buy a Clinique toner again 'cause hi, burn my fucking face off (seriously, their regular toners have so much alcohol that they could strip paint off a car), but my friend was telling me about this new alcohol- and oil-free one that helps refine skin texture and adds hydration. I've been using it for a few weeks and actually have been pleasantly surprised; it has a really soothing liquid-gel consistency and has made my skin feel and look more hydrated. Honestly, I think it has potential to be a holy grail product.

L'Occitane 20% Shea Butter Hand Cream, Drybar Lemon Drop Daily Detangler, and Fresh Sugar Lychee Eau de Parfum
Hourglass Ambient Bronzer in Luminous Bronze Light, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Incandescent Electra, Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, and Becca Translucent Blotting Powder Perfector
I picked up a few other staple products along the way, including a new full-size tube of L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream (my favourite hand cream of all time, and I also find the scent to be oddly comforting), a new Drybar Lemon Drop Daily Detangler (my old one got mangled because my hair dryer melted off the base, but it is the best detangling brush for wet hair I have ever used), and a 30ml bottle of my ever-faithful Fresh Sugar Lychee perfume to keep in my purse (this one is still my go-to fragrance, even after a decade). My Sephora order wasn't completely makeup-free, but I picked up very minimal makeup products from Sephora this time around: a new tube of my favourite Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, the Hourglass Luminous Bronze Light Bronzer, the Hourglass Incandescent Electra Blush, and the Becca Translucent Blotting Powder (because I am forever looking for the perfect oil-absorbing powder). But that's probably because so many other makeup items were exciting me last month...
MAC Magic of the Night Extra Dimension Skinfinishes
MAC Magic of the Night Colourdrenched Pigments
MAC Magic of the Night Lipsticks
Makeup Geek Matte Eyeshadows
... like the entire MAC Magic of the Night holiday collection. (If you're interested, I've already reviewed the collection here, here, and here.) I have been waiting a long time for those Extra Dimension Skinfinishes to come back and they did not disappoint. As predicted, they all sold out within the first two days of launch (at least here the Greater Toronto Area), so I am really glad I managed to get my hands on them. I swear, I got compliments on my skin every single time I was wearing them. My friend was like, "What the fuck is on your face? Your skin looks so fucking perfect, it makes me sick." (She's lovely, I swear.) I was also pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up loving the Colourdrenched Pigments. Though the shades aren't ones that I'd wear everyday, I do love the formula and the nice pops of colour they offer. And I found my favourite lipstick for fall this year from this collection in the form of Evening Rendezvous, which is a gorgeous dark muted berry-purple that I swear looks good on everybody. Finally, I also picked up Makeup Geek's 20 new and reformulated matte eyeshadows. I have a plethora of amazing metallic, frosted, shimmery, glittery, shiny eyeshadows, but I am always on the look out for great matte shades, and Makeup Geek knocked it out of the park with these. I have been using them for the past couple weeks and each shade I have tried is just goddamn stunning, just so pigmented and so smooth and so blendable. They are a serious dream to work with. And for $6 a pop, Makeup Geek makes the best eyeshadows for the value, bar none.
Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Vert Obscur, Vibrato, and Troublante
Cirque Nail Colour in Techno Manifesto, Version Infinity, and Cabaret Voltaire
A-England Nail Lacquer in Cathy, Dancing with Nureyev, and Heathcliff
Last but not least, I went on a bit of a nail polish binge. I hadn't really been interested in any nail polishes in the last few months, but I found some beautiful offerings for fall that I just had to get, including three from Chanel (I have not bought Chanel nail polish in well over a year, since Taboo last June, but I finally passed by a Chanel counter and these three caught my eye — plus I had a $20 off cosmetics coupon from Hudson's Bay so I had to put it to good use), three from Cirque's new Meta collection, and three from A-England (two from their To Emily Bronte collection, and one from the Ballerina collection because Nail Polish Canada was sold out of Spirit of the Moors at the time and offered to replace it with another A-England shade). It's weird, I think after buying so many glitter polishes, I'm now getting into shades that are a little more... subtle? Well, no, I still love me a good crazy glitter polish, but I think I just haven't found any that's really amazing or unique recently... But I'm hoping the holiday collections that are rolling out this month will change that soon.

What have you bought in this past month? Any new skincare additions or changes to your routine? Any makeup must-haves you've bought for fall/holiday? What's on your wishlist for the upcoming Sephora VIB sale?

Sunday Video Love: Moments

Maybe it's because she's the most "alternative" pop artist out there, but Tove Lo is seriously one of the most underrated musicians right now. My favourite track from Queen of the Clouds is finally a single, and this video is just fucking savage.