Review: Sothys Paris Reflet Make-Up Collection (Fall/Winter 2017)

The Sothys Paris Fall/Winter 2017 Reflet Make-Up Collection features refined and mysterious colours for a bold and sophisticated look.

Sothys, an avant-garde beauty expert, offers a line of innovative skin and body care, as well as a makeup line with limited-edition collections inspired by the seasons. I was lucky enough to test out four products from the Reflet Collection that create a beautiful, seductive reflection with shades of grey, plum, and red.

Essie Gel Couture Off Duty Style and Blush-Worthy Review & Swatches

I have been lucky enough to try out a few more Essie Gel Couture polishes thanks to my friends over at Nail Polish Canada.

Back in February, I wrote a full review on Essie Gel Couture (read it HERE). If you are not familiar with the Gel Couture line, it’s a manicure system with a range of beautiful polish shades and a special top coat that provides up to 14 days of wear without a UV lamp or base coat. It’s quick to apply since each coat only takes 60 seconds to dry and it’s easy to remove with a regular polish remover.

So far, I have swatched and reviewed Spool Me Over, a pretty peach colour, and Take Me To Thread, the perfect greyish-purple shade. Today, I am excited to share two new shades that are perfect for fall and winter.

Review: Sothys Paris Detoxifying Anti-Free Radical Youth Serum

Today I have another serum from Sothys Paris to share with you.

If you are unfamiliar with Sothys, it is an avant-garde beauty expert that produces products sold exclusively in beauty institutes and spas. This highly specialized brand has an extraordinary commitment to research and innovation, which is shown through its innovative line of luxurious skin and body care.

The Detoxifying Anti-Free Radical Youth Serum* is unlike any skincare product I have tried so far as its focus is on visibly protecting the skin against free radicals and optimizing cell renewal. It’s ideal for those who smoke, live in cities, have dull complexions, or have tired skin from a lack of sleep. While I’m not a smoker, I live in a fairly polluted city and am definitely sleep deprived, so this product is something I need in my skincare routine.

May 2017 Julep Maven Customized Box

I know it’s a bit late to be reviewing a May 2017 subscription box, but a busy summer and an even busier start to fall kept me from sharing a few exciting spring/summer releases. Now that I’m on a consistent schedule, more posts are on their way.

Since 2014, I have been subscribed to Julep Maven, which is a monthly nail polish subscription service that also offers makeup and skincare products. The best part is that you have multiple options for your monthly box: receive it as is, customize it, or skip it. If you are interested in Julep, you can learn more or sign up HERE. Even if a monthly subscription is not your style, Julep also sells its products individually, and standard shipping is always free!

To keep my beauty collection under control, I often skip months until I come across a must-have product. In May, I opted in because one of the foot care products really sparked my interest. I decided to customize my box to receive this item and a couple unique polishes. Read on to see what I received and to find out why I’m saving these items for winter.

April 2017 Beauty Box 5 (BB5)

The April 2017 Beauty Box 5 (BB5)* features gold inspired products to keep us glowing through spring and summer with its Stay Golden / You’re Golden theme.

BB5 is a subscription service that sends its members five cosmetic samples each month. Boxes, which are always worth at least $35, include mostly full size products with occasional deluxe samples. Subscriptions start at $12 per month and shipping is free to the US or $3 to Canada.

Now let’s talk about the April items.

Review + Swatches: Cirque Vice 2017 Nail Polish Collection

If you’re not in the summer mood yet, wait until you see what Cirque Colors has in store for this season. With its vibrant shades, pops of neon, and holographic glimmer, the Cirque Colours Vice 2017 Nail Polish Collection* captures the colourful energy of summer.

Speaking of summer, mine has been busy. In fact, I got salon gel manicures in June and July because I didn’t have time to paint my own nails. So, when my friends over at Nail Polish Canada asked if I wanted to try out the Vice Collection, I couldn’t wait. The whole swatching experience was incredibly refreshing and reminded me of how much I love painting my nails and trying new polishes.

Read on for my review and swatches of the Vice Collection.

Review: Sothys Paris Instant Energizing Corrector (EE Cream)

So far, I have reviewed seasonal makeup collections and serums from Sothys Paris (you can read my reviews of these products in the Makeup Reviews and Skincare Reviews sections on my blog). Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the Instant Energizing Corrector*, a product that is a makeup/skincare hybrid.

If you are unfamiliar with Sothys, it is an avant-garde beauty expert that produces products sold exclusively in beauty institutes and spas. This highly specialized brand has an extraordinary commitment to research and innovation, which is shown through its innovative line of luxurious skin and body care.

As the latest generation of Energy Enhancer (EE) cream, the Instant Energizing Corrector is a true representation of the company’s dedication to creating beauty advances. It contains encapsulated pigments to instantly target and correct visible imperfections while transforming during application to adapt to all skin tones.

Review: Sothys Paris Energizing Booster Serum

Today I have another innovative skincare product from Sothys Paris to share with you.

If you are unfamiliar with Sothys, it is an avant-garde beauty expert that produces products sold exclusively in beauty institutes and spas. This highly specialized brand has an extraordinary commitment to research and innovation, which is shown through its innovative line of luxurious skin and body care.

The Energizing Booster Serum* is not the first Sothys serum that I have had the pleasure of trying. Back in February, I reviewed the Perfect Shape Youth Serum, a product to reshape, redefine, and protect the facial contours while smoothing the décolleté. Whereas the youth serum’s focus is anti-aging for those 25 and older, the Energizing Booster Serum promotes a radiant complexion for all skin types at any age.

Canada Day Nail Art + FREE Nail Vinyls for YOU!

Thanks to the wonderful Nail Polish Canada, many of us will be celebrating this year's Canada Day with perfectly patriotic nails.

Have you ever wanted to adorn your nails with a maple leaf design only to realize how difficult it is to achieve those precise points? This year it’s going to be different since Nail Polish Canada is giving you the opportunity to receive Canadian Flag Nail Vinyls* from Whats Up Nails for free. Yes, 100% FREE (including shipping).

Read on to learn more about my nail design and to find out how you can get a free set of nail vinyls for Canada Day.

Harry's Truman Shave Set Review

For me, summer is a time of breezy evening walks, shameless weekly trips to the ice-cream parlour, wearing my favourite dresses and heels without having to worry about tights, and lots of leg shaving. I like to give my razor and my skin a break in the winter by only shaving my legs once per week, but in the summer shaving becomes part of my daily shower routine.

I’ve been shaving my legs for the past twenty years and have tried many different razors and shaving creams to try to make the process as quick, painless, and affordable as possible. I never wanted to commit to a reusable razor with replaceable blades because I couldn’t find one that was worth spending the money on, so I always used the best quality disposable razors that I could find. They were a little scratchy and only lasted a few shaves, but I had been looking for years and they were the best out there…or so I thought. Little did I know that I was limiting my shaving experience by only considering razors available at the drugstore and those designed specifically for women.

Recently, I had the opportunity to try a shave set from Harry’s and everything I thought I knew about razors changed. Unlike large brands that overdesign and overcharge, Harry’s offers fairly priced, high-quality razors that feature high-grade steel blades and handles designed using modern ergonomics. Harry’s ensures quality by focusing on innovation and customer satisfaction while taking part in the entire production process .

Since Harry’s avoids excess costs by making its own products in one of the world’s best blade factories in Germany and selling them directly to customers online, its razors retail for half the price of a traditional razor. The online store also offers a shave plan option for those who want to receive replacement blades in the mail based on shaving frequency. The cost is less than $2 per blade and those who sign up will receive a free razor handle. To put the price difference in perspective, I pay close to $15 for a package of three disposable razors at the drugstore, but with the shave plan I can get four replacement blades for only $8.

At the moment, Harry’s is also offering a shave plan free trial that includes a razor handle, blade, travel sized foaming shave gel, and a travel blade cover for free. You just pay the $3 shipping!
Although Harry’s is generally considered a men’s razor brand, it has many female customers due to the affordable prices, efficient design, and quality shave its razors offer.

Read on for my full review, as well as Mr. Writing Beauty’s thoughts, on the Harry’s Truman Shave Set*.

Beauty Giveaway!!!!

I’m giving away these pink and purple beauty products for spring.

Products include Jelly Pong Pong Liquid Gossamer in Ethereal, Nails Inc. Bruton Street Nail Polish, Nails Inc. Sloane Mews Nail Polish, Benefit Sugarbomb Ultra Plush Lip Gloss, and Styli-Style Line & Seal Twist Mechanical Eye Liner in Raisin.

You can enter to win by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.

Review + Swatches: Sigma Beauty Loose Shimmer & Glitter

Let’s start the weekend with something sparkly!

Today I’m sharing my thoughts on the new Loose Shimmer and Loose Glitter products from Sigma Beauty.

Loose Shimmer and Loose Glitter are powder products that work as an eyeshadow, a facial highlight, or an extra pop of sheen when mixed with a lipgloss. When used minimally, these products provide a subtle, shimmery finish, and when worn full strength, they give a foil-like appearance. The shimmer is dimensional and loose to create an ethereal effect. There are currently six shades of Loose Glitter and fourteen shades of Loose Shimmer. I was lucky enough to try three Loose Shimmer products in shades of bronze, pink, and champagne, and two Loose Glitter products in iridescent shades that look white in the pan but reflect pinks and purples on the skin. It’s also important to note that these products are free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and casein.

Read on for my review and to see swatches of these beautiful pigments.

Review: Sigma Beauty Highlight Expert Brush Set

I have a confession to make: I love makeup brushes, especially when they come in sets for performing specific beauty tasks. Over the years, I have collected quite a few brushes and brush kits, mainly from Sigma Beauty. If you are not familiar with Sigma, it’s a beauty brand that specializes in innovative makeup brushes, brush care, and cosmetics.

In 2016, I had the pleasure of reviewing the Nightlife By Camila Coelho Brush Set with its beautiful glitter handles inspired by the city lights from New York to Rio de Janeiro, and today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the Highlight Expert Brush Set*, which includes three uniquely engineered brushes designed to highlight the face. All three tools in this set work together to apply highlighter with the perfect strobe on high-points of the face from cheekbones to chin.

Read on to learn more about these must-have brushes for achieving highlight perfection.

March 2017 Beauty Box 5 (BB5)

The March 2017 Beauty Box 5 (BB5)* features products to keep our lashes and looking fresh for spring with its Be Dramatic / Lash Bash theme.

BB5 is a subscription service that sends its members five cosmetic samples each month. Boxes, which are always worth at least $35, include mostly full size products with occasional deluxe samples. Subscriptions start at $12 per month and shipping is free to the US or $3 to Canada.

Now let’s talk about the March items.

March 2017 Bakers Krate

There’s no better way to start the weekend than with something sweet! The dessert lover in me has been eager to share this post with you since the March 2017 Baker’s Krate* arrived in my mailbox.

If you are unfamiliar with Bakers Krate, it’s a subscription box featuring hand-crafted gourmet baked goods produced by Canadian dessert experts. The Bakers Krate team searches for Canada’s best desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth so that you can enjoy local tastes and delicacies in the comfort of your own home. Each monthly box contains at least six fresh baked goods such as cake pops, pie jars, cookies, dessert squares, and more made by Canadian artisans. Each item in the box is packaged well to guarantee freshness.

Subscriptions are $19.99 per month plus $9.99 shipping across Canada. You can save a bit each month by signing up for a three month or six month plan, and you will receive the current month’s box if you sign up before the 20th of the month. There are options to skip a month and cancel at any time. You can also send Bakers Krate as a gift. I have done this a few times for friends who are living away from home for work or school, and they always love receiving a surprise box of delicious gourmet treats.

For the month of March, Bakers Krate sent its subscribers a St. Patrick’s Day-themed box that features sweet sprinkles of green, buttery crumbles of gold, and a little chocolate for extra luck.

Read on for my review of this month’s decadent desserts.

Spring Julep Beauty Giveaway

In honour of the new season, I’m giving away Julep nail and lip products in pretty spring shades.

Products include Julep Reese Nail Polish, Julep Annalise Nail Polish, and Julep Admired Lip Gloss.

You can enter to win by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.

NOTD: Essie Take Me To Thread (Gel Couture)

Here’s another polish from my Essie Gel Couture Haul. Aside from pastel pink, my favourite nail polish colours are purple and grey. If I can find a shade that’s a combination of the two, I’m eager to give it a try; however, many of these grey-purple polishes are much too brown or warm-toned for my skin. Before placing my polish order, I looked at quite a few swatches and had high hopes for Take Me To Thread since it looked like the perfect shade of greyish purple for cool-toned skin.

March 2017 MissFresh Review + Coupon Code

Eating healthy involves planning, but sometimes our busy schedules make it difficult to choose recipes for the week, purchase all the necessary ingredients, and have time to actually cook after long days of work or school.

Luckily, eating well can be easy with MissFresh, a Canadian company founded in Quebec that strives to help you lead a healthier lifestyle by making eating healthy at home easy and accessible.

MissFresh delivers weekly pre-portioned fresh ingredients and delicious recipes across Canada. Each week, you get to choose from a range of different recipes and then the ingredients and directions are shipped to you overnight. This completely takes the guesswork out of planning meals, figuring out which ingredients are necessary, and making a trip to the store to purchase what you need. All you have to do is cook, and you won’t spend the entire evening in the kitchen since all meals are ready in 30 minutes or less.

There are four different dinner meal kits to choose from.

Vegetarian Box - Vegetarian recipes packed with seasonal vegetables, hearty grains, and animal-free proteins.

Chef Box - A family-friendly selection of meat, fish, produce, and grains.

Custom Box - Your selection from all available gourmet recipes including meat, fish, produce, and grains.

Kilo Solution Box - Nutritionist Dr. Isabelle Huot’s calorie-controlled selection of healthy, delicious, and tasty recipes that are developed following rigorous nutritional criteria.

Depending on the needs of your household, you can customize your meal kit by choosing 2-5 meals per week and 2-6 portions per meal. Meal kits start at $7.99 per portion with free shipping, and you can use the coupon code BEAUTYWRITER for $25 off your first meal kit. MissFresh also offers ready-to-eat snacks in four different box options starting at $14.99 per box.

I was lucky enough to try the Vegetarian Box* meal kit. Read on for my review and photos of each recipe.

Sothys Paris Désert Chic Make-Up Collection Review (Spring/Summer 2017)

The Sothys Paris Spring/Summer 2017 Désert Chic Make-Up Collection features warm colours inspired by the desert for a sun-kissed look.

Sothys, an avant-garde beauty expert, offers a line of innovative skin and body care, as well as a makeup line with limited-edition collections inspired by the seasons. I was lucky enough to test out three products from the Désert Chic Collection that illuminate the complexion with shades of sand, coral, and khaki.

February 2017 Beauty Box 5 (BB5)

The February 2017 Beauty Box 5 (BB5)* features a lip kit.

BB5 is a subscription service that sends its members five cosmetic items each month. Boxes, which are always worth at least $35, include mostly full size products with occasional deluxe samples. Subscriptions start at $12 per month, and shipping is free to the US or $3 to Canada.

Now let’s talk about the February items.

Review: Sothys Paris Perfect Shape Youth Serum

I learned at a young age the importance of investing in good skincare. My mom has always taken great care of her skin and has been using quality products since she was a teenager. I followed in her footsteps and have done the same since high school. I approach skincare with the philosophy that the more I care for my skin, the less makeup I will need to wear. My mom didn’t start wearing foundation until she felt that she needed it—in her 50s! I still don’t think she needs it. My long-term goal is to keep my skin in the best condition possible so that I can continue viewing makeup a fun accessory for special events or days when I have some extra time to play with it, not something that I need wear to feel youthful or confident.

Because of my passion for skincare, I love trying out innovative products from companies that devote time and effort to craft the most effective formulations. One of these companies is Sothys Paris, an avant-garde beauty expert that produces products sold exclusively in beauty institutes and spas. This highly specialized brand has an extraordinary commitment to research and innovation, which is shown through its innovative line of luxurious skin and body care.

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of reviewing the Sothys Baroque Makeup Collection (click HERE to read my review), and today I will be sharing my thoughts on the Perfect Shape Youth Serum*. This serum has an enveloping texture that reshapes, redefines, and protects the facial contours, while smoothing the décolleté.

February 2017 YUMiBOX Review

It’s always nice to end the week with something delicious, so this Friday I’m sharing my review of the February 2017 YUMiBOX*.

This Canadian subscription service sends its members a monthly box containing a bag of savoury whole grain mix (YUMiGRAINS), a bag of breakfast oatmeal (YUMiOATS), and a recipe card to pair with each mix (YUMiRECIPES). The goal of YUMiBOX is to provide practical nutrition solutions for achieving a healthy lifestyle. The company, led by a team of Montreal-based nutritionists and chefs, introduces its members to healthy whole grains that promote cholesterol, heart, and brain health, and blood sugar management.

There are eight portions in each bag of YUMiGRAINS and YUMiOATS for a total of 16 servings per month. YUMiOATS contain soluble fibre, resistant starches, natural fruits, nuts, and gourmet ingredients. They have no added sugar and are sweetened with Stevia. YUMiGRAINS, which are great options to replace rice and potatoes, include whole grains for blood sugar and heart health. All options are vegetarian and portion-controlled.

YUMiBOX subscriptions cost $29.99 per month with free shipping across Canada. This amounts to less than $2 per serving. The Original YUMiBOX includes both grains and oats, but there are options to customize the box to receive two packs of just one type instead of one of each.

Read on for my review of February’s Original YUMiBOX.

Omorose Cosmetics Review

While I’m not much of a traveller, I love learning about beauty products from around the world. For this reason, I’m very excited to share my thoughts with you on products from Omorose, a cosmetics brand from Malaysia.

Terry, the company’s founder, is an experienced makeup artist committed to creating products that appeal to everyone and deliver exceptional results. He knew from the beginning that his cosmetics would represent a passion for life and the true beauty in people, so he named the company Omorose which means beautiful in Egyptian.

Not only do the products come in appealing packaging and a range of shades that flatter many skin tones, they also contain natural preservatives and are paraben, phenoxyethanol, phthalate, mineral oil, and animal ingredient free. In addition, they are not tested on animals.

Products from this line include BB sticks, finishing powder, blush, eyeshadow, lip balm, lip colour, and fancy false lashes. I tried products from the lip and cheek categories.

January 2017 Beauty Box 5

The January 2017 Beauty Box 5* features products to help us get red carpet ready.

If you are unfamiliar with Beauty Box 5, it is a subscription service that sends its members five cosmetic items each month. Boxes, which are always worth at least $35, include mostly full size products with occasional deluxe samples. Subscriptions start at $12 per month, and shipping is free to the US or $3 to Canada.

Now let’s talk about the January items.

Mid-Winter Beauty Giveaway

Now that winter is half over, I thought it was time for another giveaway.

Products include Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara, Emité Make Up Artist Colour Powder Blush, Lollipops Paris Délicieuse Lip Balm, Jesse’s Girl Nail Polish in Confetti, Ofra Lipliner in Glacier Pink, Elizabeth Mott You’re So Fine Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Glitterati, and Ofra Eyeshadow in Foil.

You can enter to win by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.

Sephora Haul + Mini Reviews

It’s been almost a year since my last Sephora haul, so I decided it was time to purchase a few new items to start off 2017.

NOTD: Essie Spool Me Over (Gel Couture)

Back in December, I wrote about my Essie Gel Couture Haul from Nail Polish Canada. Since then, I’ve been slowly trying out the three colours that I purchased. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you will know that I have a weakness for pastel pink cream finish polishes. When I placed my polish order I couldn’t find a true light pink colour, so I decided to try Spool Me Over since it was the closest Gel Couture shade to what I was looking for.

Sothys Paris Baroque Make-Up Collection Review

Happy 2017, and welcome back to Writing Beauty!

After a busy December of posting about lots of wonderful brands that I discovered near the end of 2016, I took a month off to prepare for the winter 2017 lineup.

I’m starting the year by sharing my thoughts on Sothys Paris, a highly specialized beauty brand that exudes pure luxury.

Sothys, an avant-garde beauty expert, produces products sold exclusively in beauty institutes and spas. The company has a line of innovative skin and body care, as well as a makeup line with limited-edition collections inspired by the seasons. I was lucky enough to test out seven of their top picks from the Fall/Winter 2015-2016 Baroque Collection, and am excited to share my experiences with you. This collection is glowing with its glints of gold and iridescent accents.