Make Up For Ever Summer Perfect Rouge Artist Natural Lipsticks

Are you in the market for a new summer lip shade?
Looking to try the Make Up For Ever lipsticks you have heard SO much about but not sure which to buy this season?

Let me help!
Here are 2 of the many shades of Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural Lipsticks that I'm really loving.

#41 Watermelon and # 28 Purple

From the moment I opened the packaging on these beauties I was in love. The ultra-creamy formula really kept my lips hydrated and they were translucent enough for a lighter finish if you wanted but can easily be built up for a richer pigment. It also adds a sheen to the lips that's so flattering and eliminated the need for a gloss which I liked.

I wear #41 often as I find it compliments my tanned skin well. Its been my go to shade as of late since its all about corals this season but the purple shade looks stunning for a dramatic night out!

A few years ago a friend gave me a MUFE lipstick as a gift and I wasn't crazy about the formulation so when I tried these for the first time I wasn't expecting too much of a change but I was pleasantly surprised to see that they had improved it quite a bit. I'm so happy with the addition of these 2 MUFE lippys to my collection that I would suggest anyone looking for a great moisturizing lipstick with an amazing colour selection to head straight to your nearest Sephora and check these out!

Baby Talk: What Was It A He Or A She? Our Gender Reveal Party Revealed!

I've been up since 6am tossing and turning constantly thinking about last nights events. I'm feeling a mix of shock, happiness, disbelief & sheer joy and I wanted to share some photos with you all :)

Last night we had our much anticipated (mostly by me and the hubs) gender reveal party for Baby B! We invited a small intimate group of our immediate family and a handful of close friends to our place to celebrate with us.

It all started early this week when I went for my scheduled 19 week anatomy ultrasound (often when you also find out the gender). Apparently baby was in an awkward position and although the tech could get most of the measurements she couldn't get all. I had mentioned before we started that I didn't want to know the sex but that if she could find it to write it down on a piece of paper I had brought with me. Turns out she wasn't able to make a sure assessment so I left there with an appointment to come back in 2 weeks and no gender results.

With the gender reveal party already planned for Friday I called my husband to let him know the results of the ultrasound (mostly that baby looked healthy). He then took matters into his own hands and booked me a 3D ultrasound at BabyView for that afternoon!

We walked in kinda skeptical that they too wouldn't get us an answer but was greeted by Cheryl who made us feel welcome and confident that we would have a great experience. Once I explained to her our whole finding out with our family she was excited for us and asked us to close our eyes so she could scan for the gender. Once she had done that we got to see baby (which Scott says looks like a ninja turtle lol) moving around which was a very cool experience.

Cheryl then wrote down the gender for us and placed it in a sealed envelope for us. We were so thrilled with our experience at BabyView that we are going back at 30 weeks to see baby look more like baby and less like a ninja turtle :)

With the results in hand we handed it over to a friend of a friend who then passed it along to our wonderful friend and owner of Custom Cakes By Jenz (whom also made our wedding cake!). She was the only one that knew our secret and when she arrived on Friday with the cake we could not have been more pleased, I mean just look at it!

Once everyone got there and we had a bite to eat it was time to cut the cake and reveal if we would have a baby girl or boy :) We had taken a poll and it seemed to be pretty evenly split!

Well, I'm so pleased to announce we are expecting a baby...............

GIRL!!

My reaction?

Complete shock! Since most everyone had been saying boy I guess deep down I assumed boy so once I turned around and saw the pink cake I started to cry I guess because I was taken off guard and so happy all at the same time. Everyone started yelling GIRL and the room filled with watery eyes, laughter and hugs.

This was truly a special day for both Scott and I and I would not change finding out WITH our family and friends for the world! It was so amazing to have them share in that moment and the videos and photos will be in our memory forever to hopefully show our baby one day.

I want to send a huge thank you to every one of our friends and family who came and made it so memorable. Special thanks goes to my dear friend Jen who made our cake and kept our secret, to our friend Josh who we have to thank for these awesome photos and to Cheryl at BabyView who was so sweet and also kept our secret ;)

Vasanti Cosmetics NEW Summer Products. Its all about Skin, Corals & Pinks!

Introducing Vasanti Cosmetics brand NEW items for Spring/Summer 2012!

For the last few weeks I've been using Vasanti Cosmetics brand new products (except their new A2 Wonders of the World Concealer).

This season Vasanti added 2 new skin care products to their line. Their facial cleanser Detox ($24) and their makeup remover Face Off ($20). Ive been using both daily since they arrived and although I'm not surprised by the great quality (love all Vasanti) I can say I'm very happy they do NOT disappoint and get the job done!

Detox requires only a tiny amount to get all my makeup off which for me is important because I'm a one step kinda gal, it lathers rather than foams and is super gentle leaving my skin feeling hydrated and clean.

While I will admit I only use makeup removers only when wearing a full face or a ton of liquid liner I have found myself reaching for their Face Off remover more often. I actually compared it to a VERY popular and expensive brand the other day and found I liked the results of Vasanti's remover better. It left NO liner or mascara while the other brand left tiny traces. GO Vasanti!

The Sun Peached Brightening Mineral Powder ($25) was love at first "online" sight. The moment I saw the image of this product I knew I would love it when it arrived and I was right. It comes in the same packaging as their popular Brazilian Bronzer only with a different brilliant design. 

It applies nice and is pretty pigmented so I generally have a soft hand when applying it but its buildable so it can get as peachy as you like. Its a fantastic shade for summer and comes with the prettiest little pink kabuki brush for on the go use!

With the addition of 2 new lip shades Kara Sea Lipshine ($15) and Belarus Ultra Luxe Lipstick ($15) Vasanti's vast colour selection grows. I've admitted many times that I'm not generally a lipstick or gloss wearer but Vasanti's formulations I do love. 

Kara Sea is the perfect blend of pink and coral with a hint of gold spec's so it looks amazing in the sun worn on top of lipstick or alone. Its non sticky and contains Vitamin E so it keeps your lips soft all day.

Belarus Ultra Luxe Lipstick is one of those shades that can be dabbed on for a softer look or built up to showcase a brilliantly bold coral pink. When I first swatched it I was excited to see that it was indeed a bold shade that when applied looks so rich and moist that it has a slight gloss/sheen to it. Its a great shade for summer and Ive already gotten several compliments on it when wearing it out!

Their newest Eye Shadow Duo Saint Basil's ($20) is probably one of my favourites simply because it includes a Matte Peach (such a hot shade right now) and a complimentary Champagne Pearl Shimmer and is right up my alley!

I've worn both alone as well as combined and have to say I'm in love! I love that the peach shade is matte as it looks so velvety on the eye and really brings out the pigment. The pearl shimmer is great for highlighting the brow bone and inner corner of the eye and is a nice balance to its matte counterpart.

Overall I'm really impressed with Vasanti Cosmetics new items. They offer their standard great quality and maintain that reasonable price point. If you haven't got your hands on this line yet what are you waiting for? 

If you are in Canada check out their store locations on their website and if you are in the US or anywhere else in the world not to worry you can go direct to Vasanticosmetics.com and order online to have it shipped right to your door!

Giveaway: Win an Exclusive Lancome Luxe Box from Loose Button! Canada Only

Win an exclusive Lancome Luxe Box with items hand picked by famous YouTuber Michelle Phan from Loose Button!

Sneak peak of whats inside ;)

Love Michelle? Want to meet her? Michelle will be making a personal appearance at:
THE BAY, YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE, TORONTO on JUNE 21, 2012 between 5:00PM - 6:30PM

Canadians, now is your chance to WIN an exclusive Luxe Box filled with Michelle's favourite Lancome products!

Win it!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

On the Search for the Perfect Nursery Glider...

We've recently been on the look out for nursery furniture and one of the key pieces happens to be the glider. All my mommy friends say to invest in a good, comfy glider for the nights I'm up with baby till 4am rocking them to sleep.

Since I happen to agree Ive been looking everywhere including non traditional baby stores for "THE" glider. We want to be able to use this glider in other parts of our house down the line too so we wont be choosing a bright colour or print.

Here are a list of my top 5 keeping in mind I will be choosing a plain medium grey fabric and am looking for comfort...

Urban Barn's Belvedere Recliner - $1,199.00

•  The Belvedere recliner offers comfort and elegance along with an adjustable head rest and full swivel base. 
• Dimensions: 29”W X 35-63”D X 39.5”H (63”D reclined)
• 100% top-grain leather
• Available in black, brown, snow white and graphite

Braxton Swivel Glider - $549.00

• Features rolled, corded arms, and a semi-attached blown back with premium cushioning fibers. 
• Reversible seat cushion and tall dressmaker skirt. 
• Available with choice of special cording, along with a matching glide ottoman.   

 Newco International Grand Glider - $627 (US)

Would need to figure out how to get this across the border as they only ship to the US :(

• Smooth glide, rock and swivel motion
• Bella Velvet fabric is soft to the touch Medium firmness for ultimate comfort 
• Easy to clean polyester fabric

Tryp Swivel Glider Recliner by Best Chairs - $629.99

• Fully Upholstered Glider
• The Tryp swivel glider also has a recline feature and is available with power recline. 
• It is also available with optional contrast piping.

Babyletto Kyoto Glider - $699.99

• Water-repellent and stain-resistant micro-suede
• Water-based and biodegradable glue
• No formaldehyde
• Solid wood base
• Hand-sewn piping
• Smooth and effortless gliding motion

Any recommendations on places to look for not so expensive, modern looking gliders that are comfy would be appreciated....is this asking too much?

I Miss You Already My Ford Edge!!

Its been 2 weeks since I picked up a beautiful cherry red fully loaded Ford Edge which I was so generously allowed to test drive and 1 week since I had to return it....

I miss it!! Not only do I miss it but my husband talks about it ALL the time...

We are currently in the market for an SUV due to our now expanding family and gear (baby stroller) and in the last month have gone around test driving a lot but nothing (so far) has compared to the Ford Edge which surprised us.

What features we LOVE about the Ford Edge SEL Limited model:

• Panoramic Sun Roof that goes almost the length of the car
• Push button start (you can never lock your keys in)
• Sirius Radio (I rediscovered Howard Stern!)
• I felt really high up when driving which I loved as I felt safer
• Touch Screen for everything from climate control to radio!
• Very roomy
• Was really easy to sync my cell phone to the bluetooth
• Trunk space was amazing
• Able to fold down rear seats with a button in the trunk for extra space
• Only took about $70 to fill the tank with gas (my little coupe can get up to $90!)
• Plus many many more!

Things I didn't love about the car:

• Sometimes the bluetooth wouldn't pick up my calls properly and I would manually have to engage the bluetooth on my iphone, hubby had the same problem but perhaps we didn't set it up right.
• This car was SO comfy, easy to drive and great that its kinda made looking at other cars hard..

True Story:

One day after I get home my husband turns to me and says "can I have the keys to the Ford" I say "ok where are you off to?" he replies with "no where, I just love it so much I want to go sit in it and look at all the cool features".....

Now THAT'S love!!

If you are in the market for an SUV I highly suggest checking out the Ford Edge!

Giveaway: Win a Pair of Tickets To See Rock Of Ages Starring Tom Cruise! CAN Only

The people at Splat Rebellious Hair Color  have been kind enough to offer TWO of my readers a chance to win a pair of Cineplex Odeon tickets to check out the new movie Rock of Ages starring Tom Cruise amongst some other big hollywood names!

Check out these steamy images of Mr Cruise :)

It almost doesn't even look like the Tom that jumped up on Oprah's couch does it?

If you're wondering what Splat is all about well its a bold and colourful line of wash-out & semi-permanent hair dyes that will bring out the rocker in you!

This is going to be a quick giveaway and you will have until Monday June 11th to enter. Canadian residents only.

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

UPDATE** Congrats to our 2 winners Amelia N and AquaKuh. I have emailed you both with details!

Baby Talk: It's starting to sink in...yikes!

Last night I had an interrupted sleep even with my snoogle (body pillow for preggos) because my belly hurt when I turned. This morning I woke up and was struck by an allergy attack sneezing up a storm, my poor belly muscles killed like never before and thats when it hit me.

IM PREGNANT!

Yes, Im 17 weeks in but I haven't really "felt" anything in the belly area till now and its kinda surreal.

Im not really sure what I expected pregnancy to be like but its been nothing like what was in my head. We have faced challenges and continue to face them, the pregnant glow lasted only a few weeks and then lead to break out city :( and because my placenta is in front (according to my midwife) I probably wont "feel" the baby until much later.

Everyday I thank god for the blessing inside my belly though and look forward to each ultrasound and dr's visit where I get to take a peak or heart the baby's heart beat.

*swoon*

Baby B's first stuffed animal.. Introducing Lambie :)

Maybe Its Maybelline.. In Fact I Know it's Maybelline!

Yesterday I was honoured to attend a media event for Maybelline's newest products and fall trends in downtown Toronto. I was excited as I haven't really played around with the brand but have been hearing amazing things about some of their new and innovative products.

Each seat held a Maybelline "Bible" talking about the global beauty trends for fall 2012.

After listening to their beauty trends expert (coolest job ever!) Liz dish out on the upcoming seasons trends (Barely There, Dark Angel, Striking Strokes & Golden Eye) and watching talented Grace Lee (lead artist for Maybelline Canada) work her magic on some stunning models we were invited to walk around and view some of the products displayed.

I wandered over to the "rainbow" of Color Show Nail Lacquers. The other ladies there were raving about them so when they said that we could take them I was excited but stuck on which of the many colours to choose. I finally settled on Coral Crush and Bold Gold.

 I tried them on last night and was so impressed. Not only were these so easy to apply but they were so opaque I could have gotten away with only one coat. Out of habit I applied two but it really wasn't necessary.

(Right: Under Yellow light, Left: In Natural day light)

I cant wait to test out some of the other Maybelline goodies I got because if they are anything like the quality of these polishes I'm sold!!

Whats your favourite Maybelline product?
Have you tried these polishes? What are your thoughts?

YSL Glossy Stains Are Bright & Bold For Summer!

For women on the go lip stains are a must! YSL has done one better with its new Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stains launched this past April.

A beautiful blend of lip stain meets lipstick meets lip gloss!

(R to L: shades 14,3,12)

With its sleek black and gold packaging it can be easily mistaken for a polish however these glossy stains are not only revolutionary but a step above when it comes to lip colour.

The doe foot applicators make it super simple to apply and ensure a clean even application no matter how rushed the job.

(R to L: shades 3,14,12)

You can see from the swatches below just how strong the pigment is and how glossy they are.

(R to L: shades 3,14,12)

I found #12 to be the glossiest however it was also the sheerest of the bunch. #14 stained the best out of the three and left a mark on my wrist for hours after these swatches were done despite the fact that I wiped them off really quickly.

I wouldn't say that these stains lasted all day on me however they have lasted a LONG time which is more than I can say for the majority of stains Ive tried. They feel light on and there's no stickiness to it which is a huge plus for me.

These stains would be great for my bridal clients or for anyone going out who wont have time to touch up often. I absolutely LOVE the bright bold shades I tested and think these are perfect for adding a little something to my makeup look this summer.

(Wearing shade #14)

The Glossy Stains come in the 19 shades below and can be purchased in Canada at Sephora, Holt Renfrew & selected Bay & Murales stores for $34.

Giveaway: WIN a Year's Supply of Rimmel London's Scandal'Eyes Mascara!

I don't know about you but I'm always on the lookout for mascara's that make my lashes fuller, longer and bolder....

Introducing Rimmel London's NEW Scandal'Eyes Mascara!
With a new oversized brush and a new formula that provides 3x the collagen for plump, sculpted lashes and 3x the keratin for strong healthy lashes, its sure to be a mascara lovers fav!

Downtown Toronto received a massive scandal courtesy of Rimmel London yesterday at Yonge-Dundas Square that brought their ad campaign featuring Georgia May Jagger to life! In case you missed it here's a snapshot from the event.

Well if your thinking Ive got to try this mascara, never fear because we have got you covered Canada!

WIN an entire 1 Year supply of Rimmel London's Scandal'Eyes Mascara!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Open to Canadian residents only.

*Contest closes on midnight May 31st 2012

*Only activated email subscriptions will count towards an entry

Sponsored: Here’s to the patron saint of home shopping!

Poor old St. George. He just doesn’t seem to have the same superstar status as other patron saints, Patrick and David – despite the fact that he was a slayer of mighty dragons. His big day is just around the corner though, which means that a celebration of sorts will be in order.

Now, if there were a patron saint of home shopping, who would they be, and what would we be thanking them for? Banishing sore feet from high streets across the land? Protecting us from bad shopping decisions, made in the heat of an overcrowded changing room? Or simply for making sure that everything we could ever possibly need can now be purchased from the comfort of our very own living rooms? St. Superconvenient – they’ve just been anointed – we salute you!

There’s no doubt that home shopping has completely revolutionised the purchasing experience, changing the way we think, act and make decisions when we are shopping – and all for the better, too. Though there is still something to be said for having a mooch along the high street and meeting friends for lunch, most of us are so busy running homes and juggling careers that what we want is convenience above all else. We want a one-stop-shop – preferably no more than three paces from the sofa – where we can purchase clothes that are hand-picked by buyers who know what we like. So, if St. Superconvenient ever did make it into the national calendar, there’s no doubt that he would have very strong connections to certain home shopping websites!

Home shopping allows us to take that all-important ‘me time’, whether it’s in the morning over a coffee or after work in the evening, when kids, partners and animals are fed and there’s half an hour spare, to enjoy as we please. And even if we’re not looking for anything in particular, just having the luxury of browsing through a huge range of things we might like to buy is a little treat in itself. We are far more likely to make sensible decisions when we have time to consider things carefully. We’re all familiar with shoppers’ remorse, brought on when he head out to buy sensible trousers for work, and come home with something that is anything but sensible and definitely not for work!  

So, to the man, woman or team who came up with the home shopping concept, the great shopping public hereby confers the title of St. Superconvenient upon thy head(s)!

* This sponsored post was not written by nor does not reflect the opinion or thoughts of Faces By Farah

Clearasil gets your skin ready for summer with a giveaway of Clearasil product valued at approx.$100! Open to CAN

Well the hard truth is that acne can hit at any age...your teen years, your 20's (which was the case for me) and even during pregnancy, yup its a fact!

Now that the temps are rising our skin becomes more susceptible to breakouts so what better time to take control with a little help from our friends at Clearasil! 

Introducing the Clearasil PerfectaWash, an innovative, new dermatologically-tested automatic face wash dispenser system that delivers the perfect dose of acne cleanser for visibly clearer skin in as little as 12 hours without overdrying. Used twice a day, the fool proof system will give your readers the clear complexion they're looking for.

How cool is this?!

Win your very own Clearasil Perfectawash Face Wash System Valued at $100!


Whats Included:

• Clearasil PerfectaWash system including refills
• Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Daily Cream Wash
• Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Treatment Cream
• Clearasil Ultra Overnight Wash

Win It!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Open to Canadian residents only.

*Contest closes on midnight May 28th 2012

*Only activated email subscriptions will count towards an entry

Murad's Rapid Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Serum Tested!

For as long as I can remember my gorgeous mother has been complaining about the freckles and age/sun spots on her face. While I happen to LOVE them and think they look cute she hates them with a passion and has purchased every "spot removing cream" on the market!

When I asked her if she would be my guinea pig and test out Murad's Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum for me I already knew what her answer would be ;)

I wanted to give her a month or 2 with the product to really get her feedback on it. I sat down with her the other day to hear her thoughts on Murad's version of a Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum.

So mom have you noticed any change in your "Spots" since using Murad's serum?

"Oh yes! I feel like my spots have lightened can you see it?"

I inspect her face forehead to chin and cheek to cheek and am surprised to see that some of the darker spots have indeed lightened up!

The products description claims to - Fade unwanted discoloration and improves skin's clarity by infusing powerful skin lightening agents and exfoliating damaged cells. - and it seems at least according to my test subject (mom)  that it does just that!


My mother also says shes been using it religiously each night after cleansing her face before bed and says shes really impressed by this serum. In fact her exact words were "Farah, what will I do when I run out?!" in which I calmly explained that the Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum  is available in Sephora for approx. $60 which seemed to diminish the panic in her voice.


So what does mother think of Murad's Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum?

Well.... the smile on her face says it all! ;)

Murad’s Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum is available at Murad.com, the Murad Inclusive Health Spa^®, and the Murad Inclusive Health Medical Group™ as well as Sephora, Ulta and leading spa and salon locations (1.0 FL. OZ., $60.00).

Werther’s Share Your Reaction Contest! Enter today to win BIG!

Werther's Original just introduced their Caramel Chocolates collection yum yum! With 4 delicious flavours (Milk, Caramel, CaraMelts & Dark-Cream) I put them to the test to see reaction they would get.

To celebrate they are hosting a "Share your reaction" contest in which you can win some fab prizes ;)

There is ONE Grand Prize available to be won that includes the following:

- One Sony 8GB bloggie™ Touch Full HD camcorder

- One Sony 16GB Full HD Camcorder with Projector

- One 16GB Sony Tablet

- One Sony VAIO® S Series Notebook

- One Sony BRAVIA® TV

There will be SIXTEEN (16) Weekly Prizes available to be won, each consisting of two Sony 8GB bloggie™ Touch Full HD camcorders.

How can you enter to win?

Well, pick up a bag of the new Caramel Chocolates and record your reaction to your first bite ;) Visit www.werthersshareyourreaction.ca for more details and dont forget to share YOUR reaction to qualify.

I sat down with my BFF Reem to get her Werther's Original "Reaction"!
(filmed on the iphone which is why its just a tiny little video sorry)

 

Want a bag of your very own Werther's treats?

 If you are interested in share your own reaction by uploading a video of yourself tasting these caramel chocolates, Wether’s will send 10 Faces By Farah readers a sample of this product to try.

Be one of the first 10 Canadian readers to email me at FacesByFarah(at)gmail(dot)com and you could be snacking on these treats very very soon ;)

Contest ends May 31st 2012.

Oh Baby Baby! Happy Mothers Day indeed!

The reason things have been so quiet the last few months on the blog.

:) 

 We are due ON our 1 year wedding anniversary! Hows that for timing ;)

I can not wait to share this journey (and oh what a journey its already been) here and look forward to all the advice, wisdom and help you mommies have to offer!

Happy Mothers day to all the Mommies (do I get to celebrate this day yet?). Have a wonderful day tomorrow.

Thank you So very much to our wonderful friend Jen O'neill who photographed us during this special time in our lives. She is the same talented woman who made our wedding cake 6 months ago!