• About / Contact
  • Work With Me
  • Food & Drink
    • asian —>
      • chinese
      • indian
      • japanese
      • korean
      • malaysian
      • taiwanese
      • thai
      • vietnamese
    • brunch
    • coffee and tea
    • dessert
    • fusion
    • happy hour
    • italian
    • greek
    • mexican
    • pub
    • seafood
    • steakhouse
    • vegetarian/vegan
    • western
  • Travel
    • Canada ->
      • Kelowna
      • Sunshine Coast
      • Victoria
    • Japan ->
      • Himeji
      • Kamakura
      • Kobe
      • Kyoto
      • Osaka
      • Tokyo
    • Mexico ->
      • Cancun
      • Isla Mujeres
      • Playa Del Carmen
    • USA ->
      • Las Vegas
      • Los Angeles
      • New York City
      • Seattle
    • Europe ->
      • London
  • Beauty
    • beauty events
    • body
    • eyes
    • face
    • costumes
    • hair
    • lips
    • nails
    • skincare

Curiously Carmen

Stila Foundation Haul & Review

August 29, 2015

Following the fall/holiday event I attended for Stila, I was generously given a few samples of their new products to try out! I’ve mentioned the ‘perfectly poreless’ line briefly on my event recap post but today, I will be doing a more detailed review after using the three products for almost a month now.
Stila Foundation Poreless Putty Bronzer Brush

I was first introduced to this line by Sarah Lucero, the Global Executive Director of Creative Artistry at Stila who led us through all the new products that day. The products I will be reviewing today are seen on the far left of this photo.

Stila Foundation Poreless Putty Bronzer Brush

Starting off with the new Wonder Brush, I really liked this brush at the event and was quite happy to see it in my sample bag once I got home! As the name suggests, the Wonder Brush is a versatile brush, which you can use for a multitude of different foundation steps. It was also designed by Sarah herself – how cool is that?!

I liked how dense and soft the brush was. I wish that it came with a cap so that I could bring this around in my purse for touch-ups though.
Stila Foundation Poreless Putty Perfector

Secondly, is the perfectly poreless putty perfector. This product is a combination of a cream foundation and loose powder. The best way to describe this product would be ‘bouncy’ but also slightly more dense due to the cream ingredients in it.

Although it feels very bouncy and slightly dense, the product does go on lightly and is very smooth to the touch. I was quite surprised at how lightweight the product felt, considering that it felt and looked pretty dense in the case!

Stila Foundation Poreless Putty Bronzer Brush

Thirdly is the Stay All Day face and body bronzer’. You might be familiar with the Stay All Day liquid liner from Stila, which I really love! This bronzer is an addition that line.

I really love the detailing of the product and how both foundations can be easily brought on the go. Both feature a mirror inside, and feel very sturdy so you don’t have to worry about the product accidentally opening in your purse or cracking!

Stila Foundation Poreless Putty Bronzer BrushI used the Wonder Brush to apply my foundation. The foundation applied very easily and was pretty lightweight on my skin. The foundation is a light to medium finish, depending on how much you put on as it is very, very buildable! On some days, I used this for a light finish but on days where I wanted more coverage, I simply applied a bit more.

Afterwards, I used the bronzer to contour my face. The bronzer goes on pretty light, which I prefer because I’ve owned some bronzers that look too harsh. Also, you can easily pick how much product you’d like, making this bronzer super buildable as well. For each cheek area, I swiped the brush three times in the bronzer.

If you are new to contouring, I would recommend using this brush as you can easily put it on an angle and swipe bronzer on your face, then blend the product out. Since the brush is so dense, it delivers a nice and even colour on the first swipe.

I always use primer before my foundation, but I decided to test these products out by eliminating it. After a whole day of shopping, I noticed that my foundation was still on but it was not as smooth looking as it initially was. As with most foundations and my slightly oily skin, I touched this up in the evening and it was as good as new!

—

In conclusion, I really enjoyed incorporating these foundations into my routine and will be continuing to use them. I like how lightweight the two products felt, and how easy it was to apply and contour with the Wonder Brush. You could use these products daily, as they look very natural but you can easily build the coverage up if you would like.

You can find these products at Shopper’s Drug Mart and Murale.

Thanks for reading!

-Carmen


Filed Under: face, makeup Tagged: beauty, beauty blogger, contour, makeup, makeup blogger, media product, media relations, media sample, PR, public relations, stila

ACI Beauty Fall/Holiday 2015 Media Preview – Part 1/2

August 18, 2015

Following Stila’s fall media preview event, I had the pleasure of attending the ACI Beauty fall collection preview event as well. After doing some research, I found out that ACI Beauty is one of the biggest beauty distributors in Canada and work with big beauty brands such as Anna Sui, Ardell, Bliss, Ceramic Glaze, Clean, Paul & Joe, Stila, and more.

As a result, I was able to see a variety of different products from all the brands that ACI works with. I left the event with a lot more knowledge about these different brands, and am excited to see the 2015 Fall/Holiday collection in stores.IMG_5140

All the different brands were beautifully placed inside the room, I will be discussing the products in the order that they were presented to us in by the wonderful ACI ladies.

The first product we were introduced to were the new holiday collection line from Bliss. The gift sets come in different sizes, which is convenient if you are just looking for a stocking stuffer or a larger present. You can either get a set of lotion or skincare products, which are the two bigger boxes.

We sampled the grapefruit body butter, shown in the big blue box in the middle, which smelled amazing.

IMG_5141I’ve only recently seen Paul & Joe products on social media and other beauty blogs, but this was the first time I’ve seen their products in person. I am absolutely smitten by Paul & Joe’s packaging. It is a mix of classic elegance, with a touch of cuteness.

Pictured here is a makeup bag, with all the contents spread out. This would make a good gift to someone over the holidays, or a great way to be introduced to the brand as it comes with a few of their different products.
IMG_5170

All of us beauty bloggers were in awe with the elegant and innovate packaging for their eyeshadow samples. I’ve never seen them be presented like this before so it was definitely really cool. There is a definite cat theme going on this season – this is for all you cat lovers out there! Meow =)
IMG_5153

The next table featured some of the Fall 2015 Anna Sui products. Starting on the left is the limited edition miniature fragrance gift set. The fragrance set includes the new perfume, ‘Romantica’ along with other returning favourites. All of the bottles are so beautiful!

Beside the fragrance set is the limited edition moisturizing set. This comes with nail care oil, rose hand cream, and moisturizing balm.

On top of these two is the customizable makeup box, available exclusively at Hudson’s Bay. It comes free with any cosmetic purchase of $80 and you are able to choose from Anna Sui favourites.

All of these products will be available in stores in October 2015!
IMG_5154

Following, we were introduced to Cargo Cosmetic’s eyeshadow palette. I love the darker shades of this palette, and it feels very romantic to me. This palette would be great for holiday parties – look at all the shimmery gold tones! The pinks would look nice as a office day time look as well.

Behind the palette are some Fall 2015 nail colours from Ceramic Glaze. Just like Cargo’s eyeshadow palette, the rich and darker shades would pair very well with an evening party dress for holiday parties. I can’t believe I am talking about the holiday season already! =P
IMG_5151

Ending off part 1, we were also introduced to Paul and Joe’s bath & body collection as well! There are two bath & body collections – Arlequin and Columbine. Both smelled very luxurious and feminine – I would love to take a bath with these bath salts!

Which products are you most excited for?

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for part 2 of the ACI Beauty Fall/Holiday 2015 Media Preview!

-Carmen

Press samples featured, all opinions are my own.


Filed Under: body, events, eyes, lips, makeup, nails Tagged: aci, aci beauty, anna sui, beauty, beauty blogger, bliss, cargo cosmetics, ceramic glaze, clear skin, makeup, makeup blogger, media event, paul and joe, PR, public relations, skincare

Bliss Fabulous Makeup Melt- Gel to Oil Cleanser

August 11, 2015

Once in awhile, you come across certain beauty products that you just can’t stop thinking about.

Enter Bliss’s Fabulous Makeup Melt!

Bliss Fabulous Makeup Melt- Gel to Oil CleanserWe had a bit of a rocky start and I initially didn’t like it. However, after giving this product a second try and carefully reading the fine print on the packaging, I was blown away at the effectiveness of this cleanser.
Bliss Fabulous Makeup Melt- Gel to Oil CleanserAs the package states, the Bliss fabulous makeup melt is a gel to oil cleanser. Initially, the cleanser comes out of the tube in a clear, gel form. As you massage this into your pores, the gel slowly turns slightly thicker and into an oil.

From wearing a full face of makeup, this cleanser easily melted away even my toughest foundation & primer regime (Hello, Urban Decay!). The result was moisturized, fresh, and soft skin that lasted until the next day.

In fact, while studying for my final, I was subconsciously touching my face and wondering why it was so soft that afternoon. Could it be the study gods, rewarding me for studying? It wasn’t until a few hours later when it hit me. The only difference in my skin care that day was introducing this amazing cleanser!
Bliss Fabulous Makeup Melt- Gel to Oil CleanserInitially, I had applied this cleanser on wet skin as I usually do. What resulted was a cleanser that did not bind and pull off my makeup, but instead smeared my eyeliner in a slightly horrific manner.

I’m really glad that I gave this product a second chance and that I read the instructions properly. Apply this on dry skin, everyone!

Bliss Fabulous Makeup Melt- Gel to Oil CleanserA disappointing start with a happy ending. I can definitely see myself incorporating this cleanser into my routine, especially if I have a full makeup face on.

This product effortlessly lifts my makeup off, revealing skin so soft I didn’t even recognize it as my own!

Thanks for reading!

-Carmen

Press product featured, all opinions are my own.


Filed Under: face, makeup Tagged: beauty, beauty blogger, bliss, face wash, facial, gel cleanser, oil cleanser, PR, pr product, sephora, skin, skin cleanser, skincare

Estée Lauder Spring/Summer 2015 Preview Event  

March 27, 2015

Hi readers!

Back in August, I had the pleasure of attending my first Estée Lauder media preview event.  I was thrilled when they invited me back to their Spring/Summer 2015 preview event this month!

The format of the media preview event this season was a bit different, but I still enjoyed it. Here are some of the highlights, plus some products that I am looking forward to in the upcoming season!

IMG_2034.JPG

Bronze Goddess shimmer collection: Want to achieve that tanned, golden, bronze look with a hint of shimmer this season?  My favourite from this line would have to be the shimmery body spray, seen in the back left. An Estee Lauder spokesperson showed us how to apply this product by gently dabbing it onto your skin to achieve a glowing sheen.

I love this line because it reminds me of a tropical vacation… if I had these products, I would bring them on my next tropical excursion!
IMG_2029.JPG

Up next, a pretty array of lipstick and nail polish shades for this season! I am a huge fan of coral and pinks, so these products are wonderful to me! My favourite would have to be the coral nail polish in the front.
IMG_2032.JPGNext up, my FAVOURITE Estee Lauder products… their perfumes! I’ve never encountered an Estee Lauder perfume scent that I did not like, so I was quite excited to see how these smelled. Of course, they did not disappoint.

The AERIN line, launched last season from Estee Lauder’s granddaughter Aerin Lauder, has the most amazing scents so I’m glad they came out with a few more this time around.
IMG_2031.JPGThis was definitely an interesting product that captivated my eye. It is their new finishing mineral powder.

It looks like a regular, mineral, loose powder foundation but upon application, it feels like pure silk. It is unbelievably soft and has a nice, smooth finish to it.
IMG_2026.JPGWe also previewed the new Courreges x Estee Lauder line, which the attendees were really excited about. Andre Courreges is a French fashion designer, known for his modern and futuristic design.

This preview session definitely did not disappoint. I’m super excited to see the new AERIN perfumes and finishing powder foundation on the shelves!

What were your favourite products that I talked about? Let me know in the comments down below!

Thanks for reading!

-Carmen


Filed Under: body, events, eyes, face, makeup Tagged: beauty, beauty blogger, courreges, estee lauder, eyeshadow, foundation, lipstick, makeup, makeup blogger, makeup guru, media, media preview, perfume, PR, preview, sephora

Hello!

Hi and welcome to Curiously Carmen! I am Carmen, the girl behind the blog. You can read more about me here!

Recent Posts

  • H&P Noodle House Burnaby
  • Travel: Harry Potter Studio Tour (Watford, UK)
  • Travel: The Resident Soho Hotel, London UK
  • North Noodle House
  • Grand Crystal Seafood Restaurant

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Partnerships

View my food journey on Zomato!

Archives

Theme Design By Studio Mommy · Copyright © 2025

Copyright © 2025 · Young Blush Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in