Why Veil Complexion Fix?

For a day to day basis I don't see the necessity of wearing layers of makeup on your skin. My philosophy is to use makeup as a tool to enhance your natural beauty, not to cover it up. So why am I raving about this concealer?

Why? Because it's not JUST a concealer! It's the holy grail! Ok, ok maybe not the holy grail, but it's pretty freaking awesome. 

Benefits: 

- Hydrating

- Soothing 

- Improves under eye circles

- Brightens dull complexion

- Improves uneven skin tone & colour

- Weightless coverage!!!

Veil Complexion Fix uses Lightfast Technology, which means it bounces off light on the area that you apply it on. Which I love because as a lot of the population, I have hereditary indents (not dark circles) underneath my eyes, that can get exaggerated when I'm tired and/or don't drink enough water.   Regardless they are always there, no amount of cover up can help. So this bounces off light on the area so that it's not as noticeable.

"The ultimate brightening, soothing, and hydrating compound. Our proprietary blend of three key actives is found in all our skin care and color products. It targets melanin production, interrupting its development, preventing additional dark spots from appearing, while calming, soothing, and increasing moisture levels not only on the surface but deep down to a cellular level - leaving skin texturally smoother, refined and more even over time."

I find this product perfect for all ages, it's so light & easy to blend. You can use your ring ringer or my favourite is to use the Mini Beautyblender to blend out product. The one thing you do NOT want to do is rub the product in, you want to lightly tap the product until it is nicely blended. 

You can check out my FULL video on how to apply it on my YouTube channel Nomadic Beauty

   

Missing Your Summer Glow? No Problem!

Just wanted to shed some light on one of my daily essentials! I'm all about the glow, ESPECIALLY in the winter when our skin tends to loose it's lustre.

A little goes a long way with this Argan Oil base product. Squirt a droplet & distribute over to your three fingers, then tap away on your cheeckbones as a highlighter. Gold is usually best of olive/tan skin, but because this product is so sheer it perfectly blends into all skin colours. Not to mention, it also keeps your cheeks hydrated throughout the day! Josie Maran's Argan Illuminizer is perfect for easing into spring without feeling pale.

Post Gym Essentials

I'm the type of girl that loves to workout midday. Because of my freelance schedule that usually a possibility, if it isn't...then I get my butt into the gym in the evening. 

But anyways for those of you finding yourself choosing between the gym and something else because you know you will have to look good for it? After having these essentials in your gym bag, choose no more! Look fresh after the gym without carrying your whole makeup bag!

These are a few of my favourites. 

GOSH Fresh Up! Dry shampoo, spray it into your roots & bangs if you've got them. Run your fingers through your roots to make sure all the product is spread out. You'll notice your hair go back to it's original state of voluminous & no sign of grease to be found!

This next one I find to be a GENIUS, it's roll on perfume! I'm very picky with perfume senses, I don't like anything too sweet or strong. The one I'm currently carrying is Torry Burch's perfume. It's perfect and the packaging is pretty too!

All natural Bite Lush Lip Wipes are wipes I cannot live without! These beauties truly get your intense lip colour right off in just ONE swipe. I love wearing intense lip colours but obviously at the gym, it looks ridiculous and wiping with a dry Kleenex just leaves your lips in a stained mess. Then when your done at the gym and want to reapply your lip colour it'll look fresh again.

Last but not least is Arbonne's FC5 Mattifying Powder. Great after the gym because it soaks up oils and because it's light green (green cancels out red) it tones down your red face from all that running and lifting! ;)

This is what I carry with me to the gym and it keeps me looking and feeling fresh!

Nomadic Beauty

5 Night Lip Repair!

Did 3/5 nights already with Bite's all natural 5 Night Lip Repair! Loving both the Cherry Lip Scrub & Agave Lip Mask♡

Full review coming up after the 5th night!

How I became an ex procrastinator

As an ex chronic procrastinator I've adapted the phrase "JUST DO IT" 

Why?! Because the longer you procrastinate the more things pile up & the more things you've got to think about in the long run. This past year have adapted these habits (not perfectly yet, but I’m getting there) and I’ve definitely developed a better quality of life. Here are some ways to help you get things done. 

Wake up. Make a list. 

I know how this might sound! But wait a minute,

I'm serious. Take 5 minutes in the morning to figure out what you can

get done that day. 

Instead of keeping all that in your head, here are a few

ways you can organize these:

      - Plug it into your phone calendar and set reminders

      -Write it down in your notebook, where you can cross things off as you get them done

      -Download the app "Anydo", it reminds you to plug things in and set reminders

Create a morning routine.

Create a morning routine that you enjoy. 

Buy a really nice mug that you will look forward to drinking your morning coffee or tea from.

Wake up early enough so that you’re not in a crazed frenzy getting ready to leave your house.

Eat a breakfast you enjoy.

Blast the radio to get you pumped for the day. 

Remind yourself of things that you enjoy and see how you can incorporate them into your

mornings.  (working out, reading, dancing, ect)

Create a schedule. Your schedule.

Once a week, sit down and organize your week.

Give everything that you need or want to get done space.
Create space. Plug it into your calendar.Set reminders. If you want to workout out 4 times a week,
write it into your calendar, if you need to get your laundry done on Sunday, write it into your
calendar. This has helped me tremendously at staying organized and getting more things done in a
day than I thought possible! 

It’s a beautiful feeling!

Stop scrolling.

It’s a sick disease nowadays, it’s a time killer, but also a killer of time. 

Although I claim to mostly use social media for my work and research, I still get caught “late 

night browsing”. That half hour you just spent scrolling looking at other people’s lives? Well 
you just wasted your own when you have been getting things done or ahem sleeping? It’s nice to stop
thinking for a bit but try to start monitoring how much time you actually 

spend “browsing” social media. You might be surprised. 

Keep your promises

But don’t punish yourself when you don’t get around to doing them.

What I mean is that sometimes we like to put a lot of things on that list to get done, and

sometimes we can’t get around to doing all of them. And that’s ok. Don’t dwell on it, just 

reschedule it for another day. And make sure you get them done next time. 

Just do it.

If something small pops up in your day and you have time for it? Just do it. It’ll be out of the

way and one less thing taking up space in your brain. Getting things accomplished is so

fulfilling! You should try it!;)

Wishing all you more quality over quantity in your beautiful lives!

Nomadic Beauty

Winter. One Easy Step to Protect Your Skin.

Everyone's skin takes a bit of a beating in the area of hydration in the winter. Keeping your skin from flaking and getting dry has proved to be a bit of a challenge and taking a bit more time and effort with your skin care routine. Even when inside, the dry heat can be damaging.

Like an answer to my prayers, I came across some advice to use primer in the winter to protect your face. In the winter, I would normally set aside my primer because I don't quite need it because my skin isn't as oily, so my makeup stays in place all day without it. 

As my Torontonian readers know, the past couple of weeks have gone down to -20C, so it was the perfect time to test this theory. Before trying out this theory I would find my skin being more red, irritated and dry than normal because of the cold.

After testing this theory for a few weeks, to my pleasant observation, my skin isn't as dry as before & redness and irritation has drastically decreased. Yet temperatures are still in the minuses!

Everyone has heard of primers, but what are they actually for? 

Primers are used as a base to created a layer between your skin and your makeup for a smoother application, to increase your makeup's longevity and some primers absorb your skin's oils, have SPF protection and some contain antioxidants such as A, C & E or grape seed or green tea extract. 

Most primers are silicone or water based. Some are tinted for colour correction and others can leave you with a pearlized finish. 

It usually takes a bit of time to find a primer that works for you and your skin. I've had a lot of difficulty because more primers cause me to break out, because come can really clog your pores. But I've finally found one that works for me and I've never broken out from and it's Arbonne's Makeup Primer.

 

So there you are my Nomadic Beauty readers, a little titbit for Beauty Monday! 

Nomadic Beauty

"These boots were made for walkin'...."

Yes, yes they were!!!

Why I love these boots:

~ COMFORTABLE (I can totally see myself dragging around my makeup case on public transit in these bad boys)
~ All leather:) Not a fan of plastic boots....or smelly feet
~ Sophisticated with a side of edge
~ Wide heel for stability

I was walking around Yorkdale Shopping Center Monday evening with no intention of purchasing anything. (If you haven't been there in the past year and are looking for a good shopping haul, I suggest you stop by.)When I spot the Steve Madden store and walk on in. Spot these boots, ask for my size & they fit like a glove, so I can't say no.
The sales associate I was dealing is was very charming and good at conversing which made the experience even better!

Review on these shoes?! LOVE, LOVE LOVE! As a makeup artist my day off is obviously filled with errands. So I bravely put these beauties on praying they don't need breaking in. I was running around in them all day and they are OH-SO-COMFY!...AND stylish if I might add!;)

Although my style has evolved to a bit more on the conservative "good girl" side I always try to find a way to add some edge to my look on a daily basis with one item, because that's who I am. "Velvet paws hide sharp claws" - Polish proverb ;) 

I ended up pairing these booties with my Stradivarius low waisted light jeans, a silk earth green blouse from Dynamite and rose quartz crystal necklace!

Beauty Monday: Batting My Lashes With It's A Long Story Mascara

When clients & models used to ask me about what the best type of mascara I would just give them names of my favourite Drugstore brands like L'Oreal's Volume mascara or Mabelline's Great Lash mascara which I had very good experiences with and used both in my kit and personal makeup. Because I never believed you should spend 40 bucks on a mascara, those were my go to's, although I once got a sample of Dior's mascara and really liked it...I didn't like it enough to spend more than $12 on a mascara.

BUT, after a month of using Arbonne's "It's A Long Story Mascara" for health reasons, I fell in LOVE! My lashes have grown & strengthened, I wasn't promised this so when I noticed I was pleasantly surprised! I'm a two coat girl cause I like the volume and it coats the lashes beautifully!
Without mascara my lashes feel healthy & hydrated, long & voluminous I absolutely LOVE it!

Arbonne's products are botanically based, vegan & cruelty free, which is my reason for switching over and paying a bit more for my mascara. It's basically the dirtiest thing you put on your eyes so you want to be safe as possible. "It's A Long Story Mascara" not only looks great but smells great too!

Nomadic Beauty

Fashion Thursdays: Classic Knits & Plaid

I just checked out Stradivarius(click on the link to view November's lookbook) and I am totally digging this lookbook for November. A mix of classic knits (MY FAV!) & plaid, which I would have personally never put together. But after skimming through this lookbook I feel like I will venture out into that plaid world! 

 Here are two of my favourite images from the lookbook! I love how the makeup is keeped pretty and simply with some eye contouring & cheek contouring with great brows and lip that just enhances her natural lip colour. Although the November lookbook is a bit more "rough" looking, the makeup balances it out!

Definitely looks like a comfy but fashionable transition into winter!

Nomadic Beauty

Beauty Monday: "You can OVER exfoliate?!" Wait...what does stripping mean?

We are always hearing about exfoliating, but rarely does anyone ever explain what it does for the skin.

Exfoliating is meant for the removal of dead/dull skin, to unclog pores & speed up cell renewal. 

Caution: Before you go all scrub crazy, if your under the age of 30 I suggest exfoliating once a week. If you are over 30 you can go 3 times a week, as skin renewal does start to slow by that time. Over exfoliating can lead to stripping the skin causing breakouts and irritation. Of course,everybody's bodies are different so it might take a bit of trial & error to figure out what works for you. 

There are two ways to exfoliate, mechanically & chemically.

Mechanically:

Electronics -  One of the more popular ones at the moment that beauty bloggers and magazines have been raving about is the Clarisonic brush. And yes, I love it too. It's beautiful. Leaves the skin feeling so good and clean. It has one brush but the inside of it and onside of it revolve in opposite motions, creating 300 movements per second. It even has a timer of 30 sec. per facial part (forehead, nose & chin and each cheek side) get 30 seconds. It's great and because it is "gentle" I was using it every morning (bad idea). My skin became stripped (when your have taken off more natural oils of your skin than needed), I knew because I was breaking out more than usual & my skin became more sensitive. I gave my skin 1 month to recover, now, I use it once a week.

Scrubs: like a cleanser, come in either gel or cream form with abrasive materials in it such as sugar or salt crystals, micro-beads, crushed almonds sheds, ect. Likewise, use this once a week, I love Arbonne's Exfoliating New Cell Renewal scrub because you can also use it as a mask. Which is what I do with it once a week. But remember when using a scrub don't rub rigorously as it will irritate the skin because you are already using abrasive products on your skin already.

Chemically: These are scrubs that contain salicylic acid, aglicolic acid, fruit enzymes, citric acid or malice acid. Strong concentrations are used by medical professionals and in lower-concetrations sold over the counter. 

Hope this gives you a bit of insight on exfoliating and understand how it works and how much of it you should be doing. 

        Nomadic Beauty

Something loveable about Stradivarius

First off, let's start off with how much I love their fashion videos. I love film & I love fashion! Stradivarius's videos give you the best of both worlds with their artistic angles paired with models sporting their latest collection. All this with the music they accompany it with? How could you not love their videos?

So I watch their videos for inspiration...and of course pleasure. But one thing that really inspires me is that include the different countries that their stores are in. Stradivarius was started in Madrid, Spain and is now in 57 countries around the world! They interview fashion bloggers from different countries (not just Spain) & show you cool places as well. 

I love to travel & I love diversity! This is one of many reason I've fallen for this company.

Here are a few examples of their videos.

Fashion Blogger from Berlin

Fashion Blogger from Amsterdam

Photographer & Fashion Blogger from Madrid

Blogger from Poland

Enjoy!

Nomadic Beauty

Lips are stained AND hydrated? Yes!!!

BEAUTY MONDAY!

Having fallen in love with Josie Maran's products & brand, I LOVE their new Coconut Watercolor Lip Stain & Shine. I had briefly posted about it on my Facebook & Instagram.

I had barely had to touch my lips the whole day, just some extra gloss if anything. At one side of the stick you have a pen (stain) and at the other gloss. Lips were stained AND hydrated all day! You can find it in 6 different colours from nude to red. Perfect vibrant pigment for November.

Wool Jacket...something to keep warm with!

I love that Stradivarious has come out with a REAL wool jacket! Now. I know it's just 40% wool, but seriously this stuff keep you nice & toasty! 

I love this jacket because it's perfect for everyday wear & wraps around you like a blanket with a big hood to protect you from the windy city. Going out later? No problem! Throw on a pair of booties & lipstick you're good to go! You'll be kept warm on your way home.

Perfect for November weather, a good medium between your fall and winter jacket. And too be honest if you layer up, you can probably sport this jacket during some of the warmer winter days. 

This jacket is perfect for that on-the-go girl.

Check them out at http://www.stradivarius.com/es/en/

Nomadic Beauty

Benefits of eye cream, the difference between eye cream & face cream.

Regardless of how old you are, skin care is extremely important. Cleansing (especially at night), exfoliating (ONCE a week if you're under the age of 30), and of course moisturizing.

We all know about face creams and more or less why we should use them. But what about eye creams? What's the difference? Until I started using an eye cream I struggled with dark circles under my eyes. Now, along with proper sleep and hydration, I don't need to use concealer anymore!

The skin around our eyes is much thinner than the rest of our skin, which makes it more delicate and prone to show signs of ageing. When the area underneath the eyes gets dark circles or puffy, it is a sign from our body that tells us we are dehydrated or not getting enough sleep. As a result, this area begins to age more quickly. Since it's the only place on the skin that doesn't contain oil glands, they need extra hydration, not only from drinking water, but topically as well. This is where the eye creams come in.

Eye creams contain more emollient than regular face cream (emollients help hydrate the skin and help keep moisture in). They also contain collagen, and antioxidants such as Vitamin C & peptides that aid in retaining collagen. You may also want to use an eye cream instead of your face cream under your eyes because some facial creams can contain ingredients that are too powerful for the delicate eye area. 

Tip: Apply your eye cream a few minutes before your makeup so that it can properly absorb into the skin .

I always recommend that you do research on your skin care products and make sure that they are safe for you. But here are two of my favourite products that I switch between:

I love the RE Corrective Eye Cream! Even though it's anti-aging it's still ok to use it under 30

It's a bit thicker & super moisturizing which I LOVE for the dryer/colder seasons.

I like this one for the warmer/humid months. It's not as thick but still packed with all the good stuff

& meant for the younger generations. 

Nomadic Beauty

Good Girl vs. Bad Girl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q22OAQtEFOQ&index=31&list=UU7mg-R8sonGRbOtLYEsy4EA

What I like in this video is their take on "good girl vs. bad girl" because in truth all of us has a bit of both, ying & yang.

Love that Stradivarious gave the conservative look a bit of edge by mixing textures like knit & leather (my favourite!) and pumping up the makeup to give it an editorial edge.
The texture of the hair was also played around with keeping it in the same style (big waves) but giving them a bit more texture for certain looks.

While wearing something conservative, your makeup & hair can be bad ass and vice virsa. Try it out! Play around with your wardrobe, play with your makeup & play with your hair. What's life without a bit of plaisir???

Top Things To Carry In Your Purse For Fall

Now, if your like me and generally change your purse on a daily basis, I suggest having a small travel pouch that you can easily transfer from purse to purse.  It's a great time saver for an on-the-go urban girl.

First off, I recommend throwing in a lip balm, especially with the season now changing to colder dryer weather you might experience chapped  lips.  I love Arbonne's "Lip Saver", botanically based & paraben free!

Blotting tissues, are a great way to  touch up in between meetings, gigs or classes. Absorbing excess oil without disrupting your makeup. Remember, BLOT DON'T RUB. Although I don't recommend shopping at the body shop for skin care (read the ingredients) I have fallen in love with their blotting tissues. 

Mattifying Powder, another great way to touch up your makeup. After blotting with the tissues, just dabbing a bit of powder to keep your face makeup in place. Arbonne's "FC5 Mattifying Powder" works best, a pressed powder that comes in a compact with a mirror and sponge. If you are prone to redness this powder is perfect for you because the powder is lightly tinted green which cancels out any redness on skin.

Lipstick, of course if you've applied lipstick that day, toss it in. If it's a pink toned lipstick you can also use it as blush, just dab some one your cheek to liven up your face when nearing close to the end of the day. 

Visine, if you find that your eyes tend to get itchy or red when the dryer seasons arrive throw this little bottle into your travel pouch for a quick fix!

May this helps your transition into fall!

xo

Arbonne's Garden Palette Review

Arbonne's Garden Palette perfect for transitioning from summer to fall looks. Blush/bronzer combo has the perfect amount of shine and shimmer to highlight those cheek bones! Comes with an awesome 3 in 1 lipstick, lip gloss and lip balm, which I love to use on a daily basis!
BEAUTY TIP: Loving the green eyeshadow, wet you brush with water and use it as a liner. Great for blue eyed babes!
HAPPY MONDAY!!!

“Why do I keep breaking out?! I can't figure out why!"

Listen to your body.

Here is are a series of questions to ask yourself when you notice that you are breaking out more than usual:

1. Is it my time of the month? Or close to it?

If it’s around 2 weeks before your period, chances are that hormonal changes are the main reasons causing you to break out.

2. Have I changed foundations?

If so, the new foundation that you are using may be too heavy for your skin, especially if your previous foundation was of a lighter formulation (silicon vs. water based). Another possibility to consider is that the new foundation contains a certain ingredient that your skin does not respond well to, in which case it’s signalling you to stop using it.
If you haven’t recently changed your foundation, then figure how long you’ve been using it for. If it’s been more than 2 years…THROW IT OUT, IT’S GONE BAD.

Note: Any creamy/liquid products have a shelf life of about 2 years. 

3. Have I changed my skin care brand or regime?

Any change of your skin care products or your regime MAY trigger a breakout. Sometimes when you switch to healthier products, your skin breaks out because it’s cleansing itself of toxins. If you’ve used your new products for a couple of weeks and you're still breaking out, the products might not be right for you and your skin. It’s a trial and error process. 

TIP: If you are trying out new products or switching regimes to improve your skin for a special event (even when getting advice from a professional), remember to do so at least 4 weeks prior to it. Everyone's skin is different, and what might work for one person may not be right for you.

4. Are there any changes to my daily routine, environment, food and/or emotions which can be triggering my body to react in a different way?

For example:
-Travelling (different time zone)
-Not getting enough sleep
-Not eating well (toxins in unhealthy foods cause breakouts)
-Healthy changes in eating habits (switching to a healthier diet plan may trigger you to breakout as a result of a cleansing process)
-Am I exercising more? (Wash your face immediately after sweating...sweat causes breakouts)

In the end, any changes that you go through on an internal or external level affect your body. Listen to what your body is telling you. Your body gives you signs and signals all the time, but your job is to take notice of them and make changes.

That’s all my loves. Please comment and like. I would love to know YOUR opinions.