Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Beauty Haul: L’Oreal Warehouse Sale Fall 2013


Let the conspicuous consumption begin! I recently had the chance to check out the L’Oreal Warehouse 
Sale thanks to a dear colleague who had a buttload of passes. If you’re unfamiliar with this sale they’re held bi-annually and by invitation only. Many of the brands under the gargantuan L’Oreal umbrella are available, including Lancome, Vichy, La Roche-Posay, Biotherm, Redken, Matrix, Garnier, Maybelline, Giorgio Armani, Ralph Lauren, Cacharel, Yves Saint-Laurent  and of course L’Oreal Paris and L'Oreal Professionnel.

I didn’t take any photos at the sale because a) I needed my hands free for the grabby grabby and b) even on a Wednesday night it was crazy in there, I can’t imagine the chaos on a weekend. I did set a budget for myself and though I wasn’t sure what to expect I made a list of items to keep an eye out for, most of which I didn’t find. So here’s what I picked up:



Skincare: I was thrilled to see a small selection of Kiehl’s products were available. I found a gift set (the Kenny Scharf Holiday 2012 collection) priced at 46.75$ chock full of products I’ve already tried and loved. I know that in store 100% of the proceeds from the Kenny Scharf products went to various children’s charities. I would like to think that the same holds true for those sold at the warehouse sale but not even I’m that much of an idealist. I’m currently pretty well stocked in skincare so I bypassed the La Roche-Posay, Vichy and Biotherm.


Hair: I needed shampoo, conditioner and a hair mask. Sadly there was no Kerastase in sight. There were Redken products but none from the Color Extend line which is what I’ve been using so I ended up getting a couple of regular L’Oreal shampoos and conditioners. At 2.50$/bottle they were hard to pass up. There was a variety of L’Oreal Professional products available (including Mythic Oil) but hey, I had a budget! For the hair mask I just finished the Living Proof restore mask that I’d gotten as part of a 500 points perk at Sephora and I love it but it’s regularly priced at 50$ and so at Sephora it remains. I ended up getting a Matrix Biolage mask (or "conditioning balm", if you prefer) that I’ve heard good things about for 18$.

Make-Up: When I saw the brand list on the invitation I had my fingers crossed for Armani and YSL cosmetics but none were to be found. If there were any they probably flew off the shelves during the employee pre-sale. I’d also been hoping for a Lancome mascara but the closest thing I found was the brow shaper. For those interested in Lancome I saw foundation (ex. Teint Idole was priced at just under 15$), bronzers, quads and glosses, and there were testers out. I couldn’t spot the Touche Eclat dupes by L’Oreal and Maybelline through the hordes of shoppers so all I picked up in terms of drugstore make-up was a L’Oreal Infallible eyeshadow in Bronzed Taupe (4.50$)

Nails: There were tons of Essie nail polishes priced at 4.75$ with a buy 5 get 1 free deal so I picked up a base coat, a top coat, a cuticle cream, a metallic polish (L'il Boa Peep) and two reds since I don’t actually have any red polish. Jag-u-are is a sexy-glossy-race-car-meets-Kitchenaid-mixer-of-my-dreams red and Leading Lady is a gorgeous red glitter, it looks like Christmas in a bottle!

There were a variety of fragrances and I was very tempted to pick up a bottle of Stella McCartney (30$ for the mini EDP) but I have more than enough perfumes at the moment.

My budget was 125$ and my total was 118.42$ with tax. And a free Skinny Cow bar.

Have any of you been to this type of warehouse sale before? Haul-a back! (Terrible. I’m so sorry.)

Have a happy day!xx

Monday, November 18, 2013

Where Have I Been?

Here are a few highlights of the past year+: return to Maui with my love in December, with the girls and my love celebrating our friends tying the knot, return to Turks & Caicos with my girls in June, celebrating my 35th Birthday with family and friends(including a new little friend! Not mine!), and Montreal's Diner en Blanc in August. 

Well that was a hell of a hiatus! I think I took the “Idle” bit a little too seriously. I never intended to kill off my dear little blog, but that’s what neglect will do. (Rest assured I do not have any children or houseplants in dire need of my less than tender loving care). Truth be told, I simply ran out of inspiration. I couldn’t figure out how to be an aspirational blogger without the conspicuous consumption side of it all raping and pillaging my finances. Okay, the fact that I’m crap with money is not the blogosphere’s fault, but there’s just… so… much… temptation! And then came Twitter which I had no interest in whatsoever yet seemed to be a requirement. And then Pinterest came along and sucked me in, rendering obsolete all those “inspiration” posts I’d use as filler. (Sorry, guys. You deserve better than half-assed filler posts). It just started to feel like anything I had to say had been said before, and better… with much prettier pictures. I just stopped having fun. But in the end I missed it. I missed interacting with you all, and checking in on your amazing blogs. Unfortunately my self-imposed break extended to my enjoyment of most other blogs as well since they were just a reminder of the failure mine had become. Good lord, melodramatic much? Enough of my whiny crap. I missed you, and so I’m back… hopefully you’re still out there! 

So, what’d I miss?

Friday, June 29, 2012

Blogger Lovin': White Jeans

White jeans have been on my shopping list since last Spring, but the perfect pair eludes me. I'm not willing to throw down as much cash as I would on a blue or black pair (my klutzy nature all but ensures that my light-coloured clothes enjoy a shorter lifespan), pockets you can see through the denim just irk me, I need a nice skinny mid-rise (my butt-crack-flashing days are over) either cropped or that can be folded up into a french cuff, which I do with all my skinnies in the summer. White jeans might intimidate some, but they really shouldn't: they can be easily dressed up or down and they're perfectly paired with sweet pastels, flashy brights and the most basic of basic pieces (simple tees, leather jackets, Chucks). Not convinced? Behold, The Great White Hope:
Sincerely Jules

Karla's Closet

5 Inch and Up

The Northern Light

The Blonde Salad

The Fashion Guitar

Lovely Pepa

Monday, June 25, 2012

Lazy Monday

Forever 21 dress, Dolce Vita sandals, Burberry sunnies, Nixon watch, Rebecca Minkoff bag
Approximately seven minutes after snapping this photo I snagged my dress on the old lock on my front door frame and tore a huge hole in it. Good times! Fingers crossed my Mommy can work her magic on it seeing as my non-existant sewing skills have been known to include a stapler.

Other than that little sartorial snafu I'm enjoying a lovely lazy long holiday weekend. Today I've got nothing much to do, nowhere in particular to be, and it's alright with me! I may spend the rest of the afternoon improving the sad state of my miniscule outdoor space, or maybe even baking, since the sweltering heat has subsided. Followed by a Californication marathon. Mmmm.... Hank Moody...

Enjoy your day, lovelies!xx

Thursday, June 21, 2012

My Summer Beauty Bag MVPs

We're in the midst of a particularly potent heatwave. Since I'm a heatseeker I don't really mind all that much despite the tandoori oven-like conditions in my apartment right now. When it's this hot I tend to forgo full-on make-up face and keep it simple. Here are some of my current loves (and some, like my Nars bronzer in Laguna, not pictured because their packages are all but destroyed):


Opi nail polish in Suzi and the Lifeguard and La-Paz-itively Hot (the perfect shade of popsicle pink), Urban Decay's Naked 2 palette and Primer Potion, Laura Mercier's oil free tinted moisturizer, Michaek Kors Very Hollywood rollerball perfume and lip gloss combo, Diorshow Blackout Waterproof (always waterproof for these peepers... I just get so emotional!) and pretty much everybody's MVP the Shu Uemura eyelash curler gives hope to even the wimpiest lashes. And mine are big ol' sissies.

What are your MVPs?

Monday, June 18, 2012

The 17th Sign Of The Impending Apocalypse...

... I've put up an outfit post! The rarity of this occurance may ultimately prove that the Mayans were right. Now, while I particularly enjoyed my outfit choice for my girl's Krista's birthday party Saturday night you can see that the art of posing gracefully still eludes me. I call the first pose "The Peepee Dance", followed by "The 50 Foot Woman". Nevertheless, it was a great night with wonderful friends and several shots of Patron XO Cafe. How was your weekend, lovely lovelies?


Zara blazer and bag, T by Alexander Wang dress, H&M cuffs, Simons necklace, Payless heels.

Below: Surrounded by babes! Glorious babes!



Monday, May 28, 2012

Vacation Snapshots

Hey lovelies! I'm back from an incredible week in the Turks and Caicos with my love! I don't have to head back to work until tomorrow so today is all about grey gloomy skies, coffee and donuts, unpacking and sharing a couple of vacation snaps with you. And maybe enjoying a little more Bambarra rum later on...

Below: loading up on libations at The Wine Cellar, what deep-fried dreams are made of at Da Conch Shack, stunning Grace Bay beach, conch ceviche under the palms at Coco Bistro, exploring Middle Caicos in my poor, beat-up chapeau at Daniel's Cafe and Dragon's Cay, a little buddy and the breakfast burrito of champions at Somewhere... On The Beach, and one last look... sigh...

 

Monday, May 7, 2012

Met Gala 2012

Some of my personal faves from this years' Met Gala. It seems I'm feeling dark lips, feathers, metallics, lace and legs...

More on the Elsa Schiaparelli x Miuccia Prada exhibit here.
Camilla Belle in Ralph Lauren

Kate Bosworth in Prada

Gwyneth Paltrow in Prada

Rooney Mara in Givenchy

Diane Kruger in Prada

Lana Del Rey in Altuzarra

Linda Fargo in Schiaparelli
Images via New York Magazine, Celebrity_Gossip, Fashionista

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Latest Yums

Happy Sunday! I'm just about to curl up with my love and the first season of Lost, but first I thought I'd share a few recent culinary concoctions of mine... Every now and then the motivation to get cooking strikes, here's hoping the habit sticks this time!
Whole grain penne with mascarpone, lemon, spinach and walnuts. Adapted from this recipe. I made it again tonight with rapini instead of spinach and it was fantastic.
Rapini and cherry tomatoes sauteed in garlic
Harissa-spiced shrimp with quinoa in a lemon tahini dressing with diced yellow bell pepper and avocado (it's like a deconstructed salad thang).
What got me through the winter (and this unseasonable frigid April): Organic Detox tea from David's Tea.
I looooove this stuff.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Liv Loves: Body Rock TV

I started BodyRocking this week, at first I created a sort of mash-up of exercises using various BodyRock workouts and Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred, and finally followed the most recent BodyRock workout this morning, throwing in a much-needed ab bonus. I don't have any of the equipment so I went with the modifications and used an online interval timer. I'm also attempting to make healthier choices when it comes to my meals, which aren't too bad really, however my Achilles heel is definitely portion control (um, and Cheetos. The crunchy kind). The short-term motivation? My trip to Turks and Caicos next month! However I'm approaching this as a long-term lifestyle change: I want to be stronger, have more energy and I'm not gonna lie, looking smokin' hot wouldn't be bad either. But I can be lazy, so I definitely need to kick myself in the butt.

For those of you unfamiliar with the BodyRock home workout movement, it's basically quick, high intensity living room friendly workouts that primarily utilize your own bodyweight. Think twelve minutes a day couldn't possibly make a difference? Why not try? And for those of you thinking that the images on the site look too porn-y to be taken seriously, look beyond, press play, read the posts and the truly inspirational comments from BodyRockers everywhere. I'm completely obsessed with Lisa Marie: I think her charming Brit accent is actually tricking me into torturing myself. In a good way.

Are you all kicking your butts into high gear for the upcoming summer season? Do you ave any recommendations? Or even better, delicious healthy recipe ideas? I've got a gorgeous bunch of rapini to cook up with garlic and cherry tomatoes tonight. Yum!