Review: VASANTI Cosmetics

 

I was dying to play around with these puppies from VASANTI Cosmetics from the second they arrived in my mailbox.  Vasanti is a well known Canadian cosmetics and skincare line that has recently launched here in the U.S., and is one you should watch for.

  

 

The packaging alone was fun and enough to get me excited.  Paying homage to it's name, which means “of spring” in Sanskrit, vibrant pink and orange swirls create the image of a flower, against a sleek silver background.  It's not uncommon for people to be swayed and by fancy packaging, only to be disappointed when the product turns out to be a dud, but not in this case.  Vasanti's sexy look was only a prelude to what was inside! 

 

 

I love a glowing, more natural look and Vasanti's Charmed Life Blush Duo and Love Brights Gel Matte Lipstick are ideal for achieving it.

Retail: $29.00

 

L-R: bottom shade, top shade, blended

 

 The Blush Duo is advertised as soft, blendable, tone-on-tone designed to add a natural looking pop of colour.  It is enriched with Vasanti's unique Flower Power Complex ™ that contains Lotus, Orchid and Evening Primrose with anti-oxidant and hydrating properties to help nourish your skin.  They also boast using pigments and soft sheens, without the use of heavy shimmers or sparkles (insert massive applause here).

 

If I had to dream up a perfect blush, this would be it.  There's so much to like about it.  Charmed Life is described as a "glowing nude flush".  One shade is a pinkish/beige, the other a more golden/beige.  Both are pretty worn either on their own, or blended for a more striking look.  No matter how I wore them, they simply enhanced my natural look, and kept me from appearing overdone. 
They're so beautifully pigmented, that a few swipes went a long way, especially on my fair complexion.  I wore them over a BB cream and they blended beautifully.  The darker beige turned out to work for contouring too.  The formula is so lightweight that if it wasn't for glimpsing myself in the mirror here and there, I'd have forgotten I was wearing any.  It gave smooth, even coverage that was easily buildable.  Considering how light the formula felt, I expected it to wear off by the end of the day, but nope!  The colour was as evident and glorious as it was when I left my apartment at 8am.       

 

Check out all five shades here 

 

Retail: $19.00

 

 

   The concept of a gel matte lipstick intrigued me and I started crushing pretty hard on Puppy Love .  It's described as a "true baby pink", and advertised as:

Beautiful. Bold. Long Lasting. Comfortable. Matte.

8 stunning shades developed to look beautiful on a wide range of skin tones.

Innovative formula with the perfect amount of moisture to keep lips comfortable while still offering long lasting color and a true matte appearance.

Unique bullet designed by Vasanti - sleek and functional, offering you beautiful, precise application.

Infused with luxury ingredients such as Cherry, Pomegranate and Evening Primrose oils. 

This lipstick advertised things that I'd normally be skeptical of, but I'm shocked to say it totally delivered.  The gellified oil complex created an ultra smooth, creamy texture that glided on surprisingly well.  It felt more like applying a soothing blam than a matte lipstick.  Unlike most matte lipsticks that dry my lips out almost instantly, this one maintained a silky feeling for a couple hours after application.  The formula is heavily pigmented and the color applies super vibrant.  By the end of the day, it had left behind a nice stain.  Even though the silkiness was gone, my lips seemed to be holding up well, whereas normally they would have been screaming for chap stick.  Something else I loved was the yummy, fruity fragrance, which I'm guessing is from the various oils.  It's certainly the first of its kind that I've experienced, and I can definitely see myself using it a lot in the future.   

Check out the other shades here 

    

 

What do you think?  Are you interested in trying VASANTI Cosmetics? 

Holiday Gift Guide for the Girly Girl

 

Earth Kiss  is the fabulous line of at home facials that I fell in love with at the SHE's Fit event, and mentioned them in an earlier post.  It's a line of 6 different face masks that cover a range of skin types, all energized with 85 plant micronutrients found in Himalayan Shilajit.  The fun part?  The brand is running an awesome giveaway from now through December 21, 2015, and all you have to do is click here to enter!  Holiday shopping made easy?  I would say so!    

 

   

 

Retail: $49.99

  

True fashionistas know that full, natural looking brows are on trend and can sometimes make or break your look.  Achieving them can be a serious challenge, especially when you don't have much to work with (like yours truly).  RAMY beauty therapy Brow Master Set  is designed to take care of that in one fell swoop!  The kit includes three different stencils to customize your brow shape, and the Arch Angel Color Transforming Brow Gel, which applies white and transforms into a universal neutral as you comb it through, creating your ideal look.  This is perfect gift for the girly girl who wants a fast, easy way to keep those brows on fleek!  

 

 

 

Retail: $250.00

 

I've been undoubtedly blessed throughout my life when it comes to my pearly whites.  No cavities, braces, fillings, nothing of the sort.  And while science and genes do play a huge part, one of my go- to products this year has been Dazzlepro's Elite Sonic Toothbrush. 

 

It advertises that at 40,000 brush strokes per minute, the Elite Sonic Toothbrush blasts away plaque while gently polishing your teeth for a whiter appearance.  The lab tested UV Sanitizing Charging Base kills germs and bacteria while keeping your brush charged for the next use. The 30 Second Area Change Alert and Two Minute Smart Auto Timer make it easy to meet the dentist recommended brushing time.

I've used electronic brushes in the past, but only on occasion so my gums were really sensitive to the strokes at first--  it tickled!  A recent trip to the dentist proved the brush has been successful for me.  My dentist actually admitted my teeth were incredibly clean, and I was in and out of his chair in less then 30 minutes.  This is the perfect gift for the health conscious girly girl who's always looking to better her smile! 

 

  

 

 

Retail: $24.00

 

 

 

I'm all about the functionality and practicality of products, and the RAMY  Perfect Eye Wand Liner & Shadow is ideal for the girly girl on the go.  The sleek, double sided silver wand comes with both a shadow and a liner to make life a whole lot easier.  I tried out the shadow in neutral taupe grey, and loved how easy it was to maneuver and get even coverage.  It went on smoothly with no dragging, and the formula is buildable so I was able to play around with the intensity.  To me, the color applied more like a metallic, olive/ silver.  The mahogany liner glided on as a rich, matte brown.  Even though I'm fair with red hair, I always insist on the blackest mascara and liner I can find.  I don't know why.  I just like the boldness I suppose- but surprisingly, I loved the more subtle effect of the brown.  Together they're the perfect smoky eye combo and can easily transition a conservative office look into a sultry smoky eye for happy hour!   

 

 

 

 

 How is your holiday shopping going?  Are you interested in any of these products??

 

 

 

 

FreeBeautyEvents December Giveaway

If you don't already know about Freebeautyevents.com then it's a good thing you're reading this.  The site is a great tool for all beauty lovers alike.  It helps keep you up to date with beauty happenings in your area and serves as an awesome way to snag some killer free samples. Yes- FREEE!!  Each month the site gives away a bundle chalk full of the industry's finest and this month's mouth watering goodies are calling your name.. so let's check them out!  

 

 

December's Beauty Basket Giveaway includes products from Dove, Rimmel, Burt's Bees, KISS, Sally Hansen Miracle Gel and more! The Contest runs from now through 12/31/15, and winters will be chosen on 1/10/2015 and notified by 1/15/2015.  Entering is simple!  Visit FreeBeautyEvents on Facebook (don't forget to like them!) or enter directly on their website. 

 

Besides the monthly giveaways, the site also offers great beauty advice and product reviews on their blog.  Like any of the products you read about?  Keep your eyes open for your chance to stock up!  Easy as 1-2-3, just enter your zip code into the site's search bar to find out which locations in your area might be handing out samples.  It's a helpful way to keep up to date with the beauty events happening in your town.    

   

Get more on FreeBeautyEvents.com:

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Do you read FBE?  Are you going to start?

Holiday 2015 Aurora collection from CND

Inspired by the Arctic tundra, the colors in CND's 2015 holiday Aurora collection are so different then any other and I'm soo obsessed with it.  Instead of your traditional reds and gold shimmers, the Aurora collection boasts four sexy new shades like Nordic Light, Winter Glow, Glacial Mist and Tundra.

 

 Retail: $10.50

 Glacial Mist

Glacial Mist is a beautiful sparkling, glittery teal.  The glitter is very evident and eye catching, and is easily removed.  You definitely don't have to worry about soaking this one off.  I like this because even though the glitter is evident in the polish, you still see a nice color pay off, which gives it a really cool dimension. 

Winter Glow

I can't get enough of this color.  I love pinks and neutrals, and this is the perfect combo.  It's very soft and natural looking.  

  Nordic Lights

I'd say this is the shade I'll probably wear the least often, but again, I love that the color pay off is good despite the prominent amount of glitter.  This is probably the closest to the more traditional holiday colors and will be great for holiday parties.  It's a bold purple/ reddish mix, which also makes it ideal for fall.      

 

Tundra

Tundra is a gorgeous metallic, silky looking pink.  This shade is my absolute favorite and I see myself wearing it all year round. It's chic and classy and great for any look, whether it's breezy and casual or a fancy holiday party.  I also like it because it's one of those shades that make your nails appear longer then they are!

Featured Benefits: 

CND® VINYLUX® Weekly Polish is a breakthrough system that endures a week of fashion perfection; two-step application for perfect color that lasts; Color Coat with built in base coat; increased durability with natural light; dries in minutes and provides 7-day, chip resistant wear; “5-Free” – no formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin or camphor

 Availability: 

CND Salon Locator

Loxabeauty, 

 ULTA

What do you think of the colors?  Are you planning to rock any this season? 

Holiday Gift Guide for the Fitness Junkie

I'm always on the prowl for new workouts and am totally guilty of obsessing over the latest fitness gear.  So this season, after attending the recent She's Beautiful She's Fit event and experiencing some awesome new studios, I thought it'd be fun to put together some of my favorites to help you shop for the fitness junkie on your list.   Let's take a look!

 

Tritan Flavor Infused

Retail: $9.99

It might sound strange but lately I've had a hard time finding a reliable water bottle to take along on my workouts.  But, this stylish little number from Rove new Diamond Collections is a definite game changer and is great for several reasons.  1. Inside is a flavor infuser which allows you to add a lil something to your water.  A lot of people don't like the taste of plain water and this makes it easy to add in some fresh lemon slices, cucumber, whatever moves you!  The slices stay put in the infuser and only the juices are released into the water.  2.  It snaps shut to prevent leaks, thus reliving you of pulling a potentially half soaked tank out of your gym bag, right before spin class.  But what I like best is that the mouthpiece is it is hard plastic- NOT rubber.  Meaning, I don't have to worry about water getting trapped inside the nozzle and creating nasty mold.  I've had to toss two bottles because of that in the last 3 months alone *tear*. 

 

 

Acumobility Ball

Retail: $24.95

The Acumobility Ball is described as the go to ball for trigger point release and stability exercises and is firm enough for most deep pressure release.  This aims to result in an enhanced length, greater power, improved performance, and less injuries.  It's a great tool for any gym rat looking to amp up their workout, or .  I like them because they're small and easy to store around the house, and light enough to toss in your gym bag and take with you.  There is a sale happening now if you decide to buy two!  The number used are dependent on the type of movement one wants to do.

My Custom Yoga Mat

Retail: $45.00

 

My Custom Yoga Mat is perfect for the yogi lover in your life.  It's a fun way to get creative and a add a personal touch!  You select the mat color, thread color, font style and then personalize it with a name, monogram, initial, inspirational word, nickname, special date-- the sky's the limit!  I own a purple one with my name scrawled in hot pink (duh) and at least one person in every class always takes notice.  The mats are great quality too- very soft and decent thickness.  The site also sells customized pet mats, place mats, bags, etc.- definitely worth browsing for the holidays.

 

Founded by Celebrity Trainer and Bestselling Author, Alycea Ungaro, Real Pilates is the largest studio in NYC dedicated exclusively to the Pilates method and recently debuted its new SoHo location.  The studios feature top of the line equipment including: Reformers, Cadillacs, Wunda Chairs and Towers to name a few.  Classes are offered on a rotating circuit basis so you can get a full body workout over the course of each week, and I was fortunate enough to try one out!  

I'm addicted to mat Pilates and was totally psyched because this would be my first time using the apparatuses.  I attended a private Spring TONE class led by Jordan, where we performed sets of threes, and incorporated the springs/ pulley into various combinations for added resistance.  I was shocked to see how much cardio was involved.  Jordan was super nice, and made sure we kept powering through!  By the end, I was breathing heavy and sweating bullets.  A single group class runs you about $32.00 and is a fab gift idea for the Pilates lover looking to amp up his/her game and seeking a new challenge!  If you're getting tempted reading this, you should know the first class is free when used before December 31, 2015.  Happy sweating! :)