theNotice

Skip this Fix from NIP+FAB

February 21, 2011

11 Comments

What it is: NIP+FAB Scrub Fix Facial Polish

The line: Created by Maria Hatzistefanis, the brains behind Rodial, NIP+FAB is landing on Canadian shores after gaining popularity in the UK. It launches in March (which, frighteningly enough, is just over a week away), and it’s kinda like Rodial’s little sister – each of the eleven piece line is a “targeted treatment,” but instead of snake venom and silver tubes, you get cute, quirky packaging and a price tag you can actually stomach.

The product: To be totally honest, Scrub Fix was a huge letdown for me. The scrubbly bits (that’s the technical term) are large, hard, and sharp, and it feels more like they’re chewing up my epidermis than gently sloughing off dead skin cells.

Normally, when a scrub is this abrasive, I just chuck it in the shower and use it on my body, and I’m not out an entire product. Not so, with this one – the scent drives me nuts, so it’s probably off to the bin later this week. Upon an initial whiff, the smell’s not that bad: it’s a bit like linden blossoms, which I quite like, but the lingering odour is more similar to “floor cleaner” than “clean floral”.

The ingredients:

The verdict? While I love the packaging and think the brand’s outlook is pretty cool, I just can’t get on board with this scrub. There’s usually one or two redeeming qualities to any product (which is why you so rarely see “bad” reviews on theNotice), but for this one, it’s just a huge no.

In fact, I feel so strongly about this product that I’ve gone and re-named it…

So, to our readers in the UK – have you tried NIP+FAB yet? Any winners in the line? I do have a Multi-Fix Oil that’s I’m hopeful for, so expect an update soon if that one wows me!

Tags: /Black List Beauty, Cleansing, Other, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Silicone-free

11 Comments

I spy with my little eye…

February 21, 2011

Rae Chen

6 Comments

I came across this photo on Eva Chen’s Twitter/Twitpic account, and of course (being the product junkie that I am), I just had to investigate further.

via

Aside from a bunch of Eve Pearl, Inglot palettes, theatre foundations, a N.Y.C (!) palette, and a few Madina Milano brushes (they have the cutest front page right now), I spotted…

Rimmel, LORAC, Bobbi Brown, L'Oreal, Lancôme

What else did you notice? & is anyone else as crazy as I am about knowing what makeup artists have in their kits? :P

Tags: /Uncategorized

6 Comments

Deja vu: Marcelle dupes… itself?

February 20, 2011

Rae Chen

6 Comments

While swatching the nine new Rouge Xpression lipsticks, I had a major case of deja vu. Now, my memory isn’t the best, so at first I thought I had already swatched all nine and simply forgotten where I put the photos – until I opened my lipstick drawer to investigate further!

L-R: Marcelle Rouge Xpression lipsticks in Delightful, Jezebel, Mauve Avant-Garde, and Curious.

What I found out is that Marcelle as essentially reproduced the two lipsticks featured in Trend, this winter’s seasonal collection, and put them into the permanent line. Delightful has become Jezebel, and Curious has morphed into Mauve Avant-Garde. As far as I know, the latter was unintentional (they just happened to put out two very similar shades), but the former was definitely intended!

The initial confusion aside, I’m actually pretty alright with this decision. Read on to find out why!

Tags: /Canadian beauty, Dupes, Fall/Winter 2010, Lips, Marcelle, Product Photos, Product Swatches

6 Comments

Open thread Feb/11

February 18, 2011

Rae Chen

20 Comments

Reading week is coming up, which of course means three things:

Procrastination & avoidance,
Boredom, and
A huge to-do list that, of course, will inevitably be left 40-60% unfinished.

Anyhow. I spend all year enabling you lovelies with beauty-related things, so why not help me with that first task? Hit me up in the comments with any question you may have, beauty-related or non-, or just say hey & introduce yourself! Now’s the time to de-lurk, chat about what’s going on in your life… seriously, anything goes.

See you down in the comments! xx

Tags: /Uncategorized

20 Comments

Je suis dans Amour avec ça rouge à lèvres!

February 18, 2011

Rae Chen

26 Comments

Still just a preview; Amour is the only lipstick I’ve worn thus far so I’m far from ready to review the line. Marcelle seems to have sorted out some of the problems with their Rouge Xpression lipsticks, though (notably, the cremes are actually cream finishes and the pearls are discernibly pearled), so I’m optimistic!

Edited to add: a few lip swatches of Amour! My apologies for the tone inconsistencies in the review; I took these photos around nine or ten in the morning, when (as I’m sure my blogging and photog friends know) the light comes in pale and cold. You should I have seen these photos before they went through Photoshop; I’m practically a smurf!

Check out a few product photos here (Amour is the red lipstick in the center of both photographs; second row in the first image and right up at the front in the second).

Tags: /Canadian beauty, Lips, Marcelle, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Swatches, Silicone-free

26 Comments

A few brilliantly bright new lipsticks

February 17, 2011

Rae Chen

19 Comments

I haven’t any swatches for these new Marcelle Rouge Xpression lipsticks yet (just got them in the mail this afternoon!) but I thought I’d share a few teaser pics…

Check out our previous Rouge Xpression posts:

Tags: /Canadian beauty, Lips, Marcelle, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Silicone-free, Teasers

19 Comments

A quick, natural LOTD with Marcelle and Annabelle

February 17, 2011

Rae Chen

8 Comments

Thought I’d share what I’m wearing today; I haven’t a full-face shot but it’ll have to do!

I’m wearing just a smidgen of Nude Attitude, one of the Marcelle liners I was raving about this morning, which I’ve topped with a tiny (tiny!) bit of Annabelle Pixie for a touch of shimmer. The result? My favourite kind of lip colour – it feels (and looks) like I’m not wearing anything at all, but is a definite step up from my natural lips.

(Which, let’s be honest, are kind of blah.)

P.S. The next Group Marcelle warehouse sale dates have been confirmed! Montréal girls, mark your calendars for April 8-10 ;)

Tags: /Annabelle, Canadian beauty, Lips, Marcelle

8 Comments

Try out matte lips with this fab lipliner

February 17, 2011

Rae Chen

12 Comments

What it is: Marcelle 2 in 1 Retractable Plumping Lipliner

The unexpected: As far as formulas go, these are my new favourite matte lipstick substitutes! Everything about them is utterly perfect – they feel smooth and creamy (rather than dry and gritty), go on without a hitch, and are free of scents, parabens, silicones, and gluten.

Pencils L-R: Nude Attitude, Perfect Nude, Natural, Rose Velours, Cinnamon

The shades: I have five of these, though ironically, the one I’m missing would have probably been my favourite. (It’s Cool Berry – two of my favourite words to hear in relation to a lip colour!) For the five that I have swatched here, I do find they run a bit warm and a few shades pull orange on my lips because of it. This is a common thing, though, with my lips and skintone; I’d say 70% of the lipsticks I try on will do this.

(If you’re one of the lucky majority whose lipsticks and lip liners don’t usually pull orange, Michelle has a fantastic swatch of Nude Attitude over at Lipstick Rules that’s definitely worth checking out.)

Swatches L-R: Nude Attitude, Perfect Nude, Natural, Rose Velours, Cinnamon

Swatches under a slightly different colour setting

The packaging: Marcelle’s retractable pencils are packaged in just an utterly ingenious way. I’m not sure who came up with it first, or when this happened, but I basically think it’s the coolest thing since stick gloss. (And I mean, those are pretty awesome.)

Basically, these super-sleek pencils house a built-in sharpener and brush (in the case of the eyeliners it’s a smudge tip), all in one brilliant little removable piece. It’s actually an incredibly simple concept, but I’m kind of crazy for it!

The ingredients:

Ethylhexyl palmitate, microcrystalline wax, vegetable oil, candelilla wax, ptfe, jojoba seed oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil, palmitoyl oligopeptide, tocopheryl acetate, tribehenin, pentaerythrityl tetra-di-t-butyl hydroxyhydrocinnamate, sorbitan isostearate, stearalkonium hectorite, propylene carbonate. +/- titanium dioxide , iron oxides, mica, red 7 lake, red 6.

The verdict? At just over $10,these are definitely, definitely worth your time, whether you’ll be using them to lock down your lip line or if you’re going to wear them alone. I’d love to see some shades with more cool/muted undertones, though!

Great if:

You’re looking for a smooth, scent-free lipliner with a great wear time,
You want to try out the matte lip trend on the cheap (& without a crumbly, dry formula)

And perfect if:

You want all of the above + have neutral to warm undertones and/or a medium to dark skintone

Tags: /Canadian beauty, Lips, Marcelle, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Silicone-free

12 Comments

Pretty in Prints: Q and A with makeup artist Kayleen McAdams

February 16, 2011

Rae Chen

1 Comment

Thought I’d share a quick bio and Q&A with Kayleen McAdams, the makeup artist behind the Milly for Clinique Pretty in Prints Spring 2011 look. Enjoy!

The Bio

Kayleen McAdams’ eye for beauty and dedication to the art and technicality of makeup has quickly led to a remarkable career in the beauty industry. Kayleen’s signature style focuses on bone structure and natural, clean makeup with an individual color palette to suit the occasion.

Originally planning on a career in psychology, the Canadian born Kayleen studied at the University of Western Ontario. Her time assisting in the beauty department at Flare magazine peaked her interest, but it wasn’t until she visited her sister, Rachel McAdams, on the set of The Notebook that she knew she had found her calling. Seeing the makeup artists’ work first hand was what inspired Kayleen to pursue a career in makeup.

A mini Q&A

Trends to keep an eye out for:

“Something that we will see quite a bit of this spring is a beautiful, bright lip. Think vibrant and fresh – bright pink, an orangey-red, corals, peaches. There are several shades that work for different skin tones so this is a universally wearable trend.”

Her favourite item in the collection?

“My absolute favorite item is the blush, Precious Posy. I’ve loved playing with this shade because it really works for everyone. It’s such a beautiful, delicious shade of watermelon pink! Regardless of how light or dark your skin tone is, it’s will flatter your complexion and give that extra pop of color.”

Her tips on getting a perfect base:

“Always use [concealer] sparingly and only where you need it. So if you have a pimple, use concealer there. If you want to conceal under eye bags, use concealer there.

“If you want more coverage, use foundation as well. The key to applying foundation is to use a good foundation brush. [Hit me up with your fave here!] It ensures you layer on the right amount of coverage so it’s not too thick. Try this makeup artist trick – put the foundation on your hand first to help warm it up allowing a more even and smooth application. Then follow with concealer where you need a little more coverage. The end result will be smooth, natural and flawless.”

The three-piece Milly for Clinique Pretty in Prints Spring 2011 collection is on counters now and includes:

Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Milly Pink, a very on-trend sort of… melon-honeysuckle.
Pretty In Prints Compact, which contains a Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad in Printed Pinks and a Blushing Blush in Precious Posy, all housed in a super-cute Milly-adorned compact.
High Impact Mascara (perm)

The first two are limited edition for the Spring 2011 season, and the mascara is a permanent item being promoted to compliment the collection. I haven’t got the Milly products yet, but I’ll try to get reviews and swatches up soon! What do you think of the line so far?

Tags: /Clinique, Spring/Summer 2011

1 Comment

Poll: what’s your go-to foundation brush?

February 15, 2011

Rae Chen

12 Comments

I’m looking for a new (traditional) foundation brush, and I’m curious as to what everyone’s been loving recently!

My favourite: Aura Science made absolutely phenomenal brushes – but I can’t pick up another, as the line no longer exists! I’d like to get another brush just like theirs, though; perhaps a bit softer. (It’s well-weighted, springy, and fairly flat.)

Leave your answer in the comments!

Tags: /Tools, YOU

12 Comments