Sheet Mask Diaries: My Boyfriend, the Good Sport

Last weekend, two of my oldest, closest friends came up to Toronto for a visit. We had such a great time! For our Saturday evening festivities (yes, we are wild), we thought it would be fun/silly/amusing to have a few drinks and play around with some Asian skin care products, namely the wonderful, creepy phenomenon that are sheet masks. You know, those superbly hydrating fabric masks that form to your face and also make you look like a mannequin/ghost/serial killer? Yeah, those ;) We opted for the My Beauty Diary Broccoli Face Masks, and hilarity ensued. 

I chose to spare my friends some public embarrassment here, but I decided to share the most charming aspect of our little spa night- that my boyfriend decided to join in as well! He's such a champ! And I must say, his skin was all the better for it ;)

I offered my help with the mask application, but he was determined to go it alone. When he emerged from the bathroom looking like this, I nearly fainted from laughter:

Turns out, sheet masks don't adhere to beards. I did my best to make the mask fit, but his facial hair was a definite obstacle. 

We took one more ridiculous photo together, then he decided to get creative.

"I'll just trim the mask!", he exclaimed, and off he went to the bathroom with a pair of scissors and an air of determination. Here are the remnants of his experiment:

And voila! A perfectly-fitting sheet mask that let his beard breathe. I must say, he looks rather serene here ;)

No matter how many minutes passed with him wearing that mask, I couldn't get over just how hilarious and endearing the whole experience was. Despite my best efforts, I could not, for the life of me, stop laughing. Here I am chuckling so hard that it looks like I'm crying. He thinks it's pretty amusing :)

So there you go, even more evidence that my boyfriend it pretty awesome. I don't feel bad sharing these picture (and I did get his permission, of course), because clearly he looks way better in this mask than I do. While I looked like a dilapidated ghoul, he somehow ended up resembling some badass superhero. I think it was the headband. And the fact that he is pretty badass ;)

I hope you enjoyed this peek into how I spend my weekends. Despite my uncontrollable laughter, I was able to maintain my blogging integrity and truly put this product to the test. Look out for a full review of the My Beauty Diary Broccoli Masks coming soon! 

Have a wonderful Monday! xo

In the Nail Polish Queue

Happy weekend, everyone! So we all know that I have a bit of a lipstick hoarding problem, but it seems that I've amassed quite the nail polish collection over the past year as well. Although my makeup collection is ridiculously large, I've typically prided myself in the fact that all of my beauty goodies are properly used and loved right from the get-go. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case with my nail polishes. General laziness with my nail care is partly to blame (nail varnish seems to take forevaaah to dry). Another hindering factor is that nail colours can be so incredibly cheap that often it's way too easy to grab a bottle or two when you really don't need any! 

I re-assessed my nail polish stash recently and it turns out that I have 10 lovely polishes that have yet to be used. Some of them are brand-spanking new and others have been collecting dust for a while longer (sorry little guys!). So, just as I set out on a lip colour purchase ban earlier this year, I want to put a temporary moratorium on buying new nail polishes, at least until I've given these 10 little beauties a proper go! 

(L-R, Top-Bottom): O.P.I. Nail Lacquer in Live and Let Die, Essie Nail Lacquer in Sexy Divide, Revlon ColourStay Longwear Nail Enamel in Velvet Rope, Essie Mirror Metallics Nail Lacquer in Nothing Else Metals, Anna Sui Nail Colour N #402, Revlon Nail Art Mood Candy Nail Enamel in Orbit, Essie Nail Lacquer in Smokin' Hot, Essie Mirror Metallics Nail Lacquer in Blue Rhapsody, Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Midnight Glitz, Revlon Brilliant Strength Nail Enamel in Enrpature

To motivate me with this aim, I thought I'd feature my 10 still unused polishes here, providing a little description of each! You can see that my taste for shades and finishes is eclectic and wide-reaching. A little of this, a little of that... shimmer, metallic, glitter, cream- you name it!

O.P.I. Nail Lacquer in Live and Let Die
Got this shade ages ago- not sure why I haven't taken it for a spin! It's a deep greenish black with golden and green shimmer. Edgy, but sophisticated!

Essie Nail Lacquer in Sexy Divide
Another deep, rich shade. This one is a dark violet shade with subtle shimmer. Sexy, indeed! Perfect for Fall, though I will definitely rock it this Spring :)

Revlon ColourStay Longwear Nail Enamel in Velvet Rope
This will be my first polish from the ColourStay range. Curious to see just how long-wearing it is! Velvet Rope is a classic crimson red with a shiny creme finish. 

Essie Mirror Metallics Nail Lacquer in Nothing Else Metals 
I got this lovely polish as a gift from my sister at Christmas (to see all of the pretty goodies she got me, click here) and I'm determined to use it soon! It's a ultra metallic silvery pink lilac that will be just perfect for Spring!

Anna Sui Nail Colour N #402 
I picked this one up recently at Winners (to see the full haul click here)- being a lover of Anna Sui and adorable packaging in general, I was thrilled to find it! #402 is a rich wine shade with golden glitter. So unique!

Revlon Nail Art Mood Candy Nail Enamel in Orbit 
The only reason I haven't used this beaut yet is because I've feared it's a bit over-the-top for work. I need to just get over that I paint my nails with this combo of a deep purple base and blue, green, and gold shimmery flakes! (you can see another shade of Moon Candy, Galactic, in action here!)

Essie Nail Lacquer in Smokin' Hot
I was inspired to pick this one up by Rebecca at more rebe (check out her blog, here), as it was touted as one of her recent favourites. It's a deep creamy taupe with a hint of plum. Super sultry!

Essie Mirror Metallics Nail Lacquer in Blue Rhapsody

Also part of the lovely Christmas gift from my sis, this polish is a metallic icy blue that both embodies the chill of Winter and the pastel hues of Spring. Perfect for this time of year!

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Midnight Glitz

This one was on clearance at Shoppers recently and I couldn't resist. It's designed primarily as a glitter topcoat, featuring black and gold sparkles of various shapes and sizes. Can't wait to give it a try!

Revlon Brilliant Strength Nail Enamel in Enrapture
I really like Revlon's Brilliant Strength line, and Enrapture is a shade that caught my attention right away. It's a warm coppery burgundy with a golden shimmery finish. It's unlike any other shade I've seen! 


So there you go! It was good to finally organize my yet-unloved polishes. Am really dedicating myself to more manicures over the coming weeks. Which means more Nail of the Day posts will be on their way!

Which of these shades would you most like to see featured? Anyone else have a bit of a nail polish hoarding problem?


And don't forget, you can enter my 350 Follower Giveaway, featuring goodies from Tarte, Essie, Revlon, and more, here!

Have a great weekend! xo

Look of the Day: Nude 'Tude #3

Hi, everyone! I firstly wanted to extend my thanks for all of the kind congrats on my recent blogging milestones! Your comments on my anniversary post have been so lovely to read! Thanks also for all the excitement about my 350 Follower Giveaway. So happy to be able to offer you some goodies! If you haven't checked it out yet, you can enter, here! 

Now, onto today's look! I recently received The Balm's Nude 'Tude Palette from a friend and fellow blogger who knew that I'd give it a good home (thanks again, Jenn!). I've been using it like crazy since then and have already posted two looks centred around it (which you can find here and here). Time for the third installment! This Nude 'Tude look features a soft, smokey eye and pink cheeks and lips:

To offset the smokier eye, I opted for a glowy natural base using Elisha Coy Forever Triple BB Cream (got a sample packet of this and it's fab!), Clinique Perfectly Real Foundation, and BeneFit Watt's Up highlighter. I typically opt for a nude-toned blush when I do a smokey eye, but this time I wanted something a bit more colourful. I grabbed Sleek Powder Blush in Flamingo (a stunning, warm watermelon pink) which is utter perfection in a pan, especially for Spring! I wanted my lips to be rosy, but not quite electric (as the intended main focus was still the eyes), so I chose Revlon ColourStay Matte Balm Lip Pencil in Unapologetic (a perky matte coral) and mixed it with Hard Candy All Glossed Up Lip Crayon in Mauveous (a neutral rose). Gave my lips that perfect 'just bitten' look!

As for the eyes, the Nude 'Tude palette was the star of the show. First, I applied Serious (a true matte black) thickly to my upper lash line and smudged it up. Then, I added some of Sleek (a deep matte brown) on top of Serious and blended it up towards the crease. To add some shimmer, I mixed Selfish (a shimmery, cool taupe) and Standoffish (a warm, shimmery champagne) into the crease and blended up (notice all the blending?). I also applied a small amount of Selfish along the outer half of the lower lash line for some extra smoke. The last shadow I used was Sassy (a frosty white), which I popped onto my brow bones and inner corners of the eye as a highlight. The eye shadow primer I used for this look was a bit shoddy (a cream primer from an NYC eye shadow palette), but this actually worked out quite nicely. It gave the eyes an extra glossy, smudgy look that looked perfectly worn in as the day went on. 

I finished things off with some golden black eyeliner (MAC Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner in Black Line) on my upper lash line and on the outer half of the lower lash line and two coats of the amazing BeneFit They're Real! Mascara. 

Here's a peek at the final eye look:

And a full list of everything I used:

The Breakdown: 
Primer: Laura Mercier Oil-Free Foundation Primer 
Foundation: Elisha Coy Always Triple BB Cream Shade #1 mixed with Clinique Perfectly Real Foundation in #1 Ivory
Concealer: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Concealer in Y1
Powder: Revlon ColourStay Pressed Powder in Light 
Bronzer: Bourjois Delice de Poudre #51
Blush: Sleek Powder Blush in Flamingo
Highlighter: BeneFit Watt's Up (on cheekbones and down bridge of nose)

Brows: Maybelline Define-A-Brow in Dark Blonde
Primer: Eye shadow primer from NYC Individual Eyes Palette
Eye Shadows: (All from the Balm Nude 'Tude Palette): Serious (smudged into lash line and blended up), Sleek (blended on top of Serious and up to the crease), Selfish (blended into the crease), Standoffish (blended into the crease and up towards the brow bone, also lightly on the outer half of the lower lash line), and Sassy (as a highlight on the brow bone and inner corners of the eye)
Eyeliner: MAC Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner in Black Line
Mascara: BeneFit They're Real!

Lips: Revlon ColourBurst Matte Balm Lip Pencil in Unapologetic layered with Hard Candy All Glossed Up Lip Crayon in Mauveous

And a few more shots of the look:

So there you have it! I had a lot of fun creating this look- I don't play around with smokey eye shadow nearly often enough! I think my Urban Decay Naked Palette may still win out in the sultry eyes department, but Nude 'Tude also did a killer job at smoking things up :)

Have you tried the Nude 'Tude Palette? What are some of your favourite neutral eye shadow palettes?

And again, don't forget that you can enter my 350 Follower Giveaway, featuring goodies from Tarte, Essie, Revlon and more by entering HERE! 

Thanks for reading! xo

350 Follower Giveaway! (featuring Tarte, Essie, Revlon, and more)

Hi, everyone! If you saw my last post, you'll know that Vibrant Beauty Blog has recently reached several milestones. I just published my 300th entry (crazy!) and am celebrating my 3-year Blog Anniversary this coming Saturday. I've also just surpassed 350 followers on Blogger and 300 followers on Bloglovin'. All amazing stuff!

To thank all of you for your loyal readership and support, I'm hosting a giveaway! It's open internationally, and includes the following 7 products:

Tarte smolderEyes Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner in Gunmetal

NYX Powder Blush in Mauve

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya

Essie Nail Polish in Toggle to the Top

Nicole by O.P.I. Modern Family Nail Polish in Stand By Your Manny

The Face Shop Blueberry Real Nature Sheet Mask

Laura Mercier Radiance Bronze Foundation Primer (mini- 15mL)

You can enter below using the Rafflecopter widget. The giveaway will run until 12:00am on April 1st, 2014, so you have three full weeks to enter! It's open worldwide, so all readers can take part!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks again to everyone for all of your continue comments, support, and love. Means so much to me :)

Good luck! xo

Vibrant Anniversary: 3 Years, 300 Posts, and 350 Followers!

Talk about milestones. This post represents the blog's 300th entry and this coming Saturday marks the 3-year anniversary of Vibrant, Vivacious, Veracious Beauty! I started this blog three years ago as a hobby to engage and excite me during a particularly stressful time in my life. The way it has grown and developed since then has been the most pleasant, wonderful surprise! I recently surpassed 350 followers on Blogger and 300 followers on Bloglovin'. Crazy stuff! Your support, readership, advice, encouragement, sassy quips, enabling, and overall loveliness means so much to me. 

I can't wait to see what the next weeks, months, and years have in-store for me and this blog. So excited to be sharing the journey with all of you! To celebrate these milestones, I'll be hosting an Anniversary Giveaway, starting very soon. Keep your eyes peeled!

In the meantime, I just want to extend my heartfelt gratitude for reading, following, commenting, and making the blogosphere such a fun, friendly place for me!

Lots of love,

-Jen :)

Look of the Day: Nude 'Tude #2

Happy weekend, everyone! As you read this, I'm spending time with two of my closest, oldest friends (BFFs since 1989, for real!) shopping, eating too much food, and catching up over a glass of wine (or in my case, whiskey on the rocks. Yes, I drink like a grandpa). Super excited to have them in Toronto for a couple days!

Today's post is the second in a series featuring one of my favourite new makeup finds, The Balm's Nude 'Tude Nude Eye Shadow Palette (to see the first look in the series, click here). This gem of a palette was gifted to me by Jenn at A Beautiful Zen and I have been getting a ton of wear out of it! The look on today's roster features some of the lovely pink and plum tones from Nude 'Tude:

I paired the eye look with some shimmery pink blush (the ultra pretty BeneFit Bella Bamba) and a rosy bronze shiny lip (YSL's Beige Anarchist Glossy Stain). I also went a bit crazy with the winged liner for this one. You know when you keep trying to make your eyeliner even on both sides and it ends of being a race for which side can be more dramatic? Well, that happened. And I quite liked the result! It had been way too long since I took my go-to Revlon ColourStay Liquid Eye Pen for a spin.

Not onto how I used Nude 'Tude for this look! I started by applying Stubborn (a shimmery candy pink) all over my lid. Next, I applied Sexy (a deep matte burgundy) to the crease and outer corner of my eye. Then I used Selfish (a shimmery taupe) as a transition colour, blending the pink and plum shades together. Finally, I popped some of Sassy (a frosty white) on my tear ducts and brow bones for a highlight. Here's the end result!

Now for a full breakdown of everything I used!


The Breakdown:
Primer: Laura Mercier Oil-Free Foundation Primer
Foundation: Elisha Coy Always Triple BB Cream Shade #1
Concealer: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Concealer in Y1
Powder: Revlon ColourStay Pressed Powder in Light
Bronzer: Bourjois Delice de Poudre #51
Blush: BeneFit Bella Bamba
Highlighter: BeneFit Watt's Up (on cheekbones and down bridge of nose)

Brows: Maybelline Define-A-Brow in Dark Blonde
Primer: NARS Smudge Proof Eye Shadow Base
Eye Shadows: (All from the Balm Nude 'Tude Palette): Stubborn (all over the lid), Sexy (on the crease and outer corner of my eyes), Selfish (as a transition colour, blending the pink and plum shades together), and Sassy (on my tear ducts and brow bones as a highlight) Eyeliner: Revlon ColourStay Liquid Eye Pen in Blackest Black
Mascara: BeneFit They're Real!

Lips: YSL Glossy Stain in Beige Anarchist

And a few more shots of the look:

So there you have it! This was such a fun look to sport around last weekend and is definitely further proof of how pretty and versatile The Balm Nude 'Tude Palette really is! Will be posting more looks using the palette over the coming week. Stay tuned!

Have a lovely weekend and thanks for reading! xo

February Empties!

Hi, everyone! It's time- better late than never, as always- for my monthly Empties post! Over the course of February, I polished off a variety of goodies, from makeup, to skin care, to a treatment for my tresses. Not a dud among them, but some rose to the top as utter standouts and some are longtime favourites. 

Here's the spread:

And now for my quick take on each. Which did I love, which could I leave, and which have I already repurchased!?

Maybelline Define-A-Brow Pencil in Dark Blonde- This one was a very pleasant surprise for me! I purchased it on a whim when I realized that I was out of brow product (emergency!) at my boyfriend's place. I needed to grab something quick, cheap, and pronto! This pencil does a very good job at filling in my sparse brows whilst looking natural and wearing well all day long. The colour match is nearly perfect for my dark blonde hair and the packaging is sleek and handy. No complaints!
Repurchase? Already have!

Revlon ColourStay Whipped Creme Makeup in Buff- Regular readers of the blog will know that Revlon ColourStay is one of my most eternal loves and an ever-present staple in my makeup bag. I typically buy the liquid version in the summer months, and the whipped incarnation during the winter, as it's a touch more hydrating. This provides flawless matte coverage without looking flat or cakey and truly wears all day! A makeup miracle, in my books.
Repurchase? This will definitely be back in my kit come next autumn.

Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Taupe- If there's any makeup I depend on as lovingly as Revlon ColourStay, it's this brow powder. I have been using it for ages and have literally not been without it for the last seven years. Taupe (formerly known as Ash Blonde) is the perfect shade match for me and the formula is incredibly natural, yet impressively long-wearing. I will never, ever be without this!
Repurchase? Already have, obviously ;)

Zelens Triple-Action Advanced Eye Cream (sample)- I snagged this little sample sachet during my recent stop at Space.NK in NYC. The facialist touted this as the best eye treatment in the shop, so I was eager to give it a go! I was super impressed with how silky and lightweight this was, but I actually found this to be slightly drying around my eye area. Maybe an ingredient didn't agree with  me? A seemingly great pick if you want a light, luxurious eye gel. Just not for me.
Repurchase? No.

Zelens Transformer Instant Renewal Mask (sample)- I was so excited to test out this mask, as Ruth at A Model Recommends had raved about its wonders. And I have to say, it lived up to the hype! Unfortunately, the sample only contained enough product for a single use, but boy did I love it! The mask left my skin feeling instantly smooth, even and hydrated, and- most impressively- so soft to the touch! It still felt incredibly soft two days later. The longest-lasting effects of any face mask I've ever tried!
Repurchase? If this weren't almost $200, I'd be on in right away. Maybe Space.NK will have a 75% off sale sometime soon? ;)

NARS Smudge Proof Eye Shadow Base (mini)- I got this little goody as a freebie at Sephora in early January. I'd heard lots of raves about it, so was eager to give it a go. It did a great job at keeping my shadow bold and in-place and had a comfortable, lightweight texture. Did I like it?  Yes. Did it outdo my trusty Urban Decay Primer Potion? No.
Repurchase? No.

Ojon Damage Reverse Instant Restorative Hair Serum (mini)- This was another score from Sephora, using my Beauty Insider points. I'd been wanting to try Ojon products for a while and have been an enthusiastic supporter of the skin/body/hair oil trend of late. I used this product like a leave-in conditioner and it did a great job at keeping my hair smooth and hydrated. I had to be wary of using too much, as this could leave things looking greasy, but in small doses, this was lovely!
Repurchase? No, but only due to the price.

Antipodes Divine Face Oil- I bought this back in September in my first-ever Feel Unique haul. I touted it as an instant favourite and it's been a staple in my morning routine ever since. This smells heavenly, hydrates my oily, yet dehydrated winter skin perfectly, and wears well under makeup. It doesn't break me out and the bottle lasted for 6 months with daily use. Holy grail status for sure.
Repurchase? Already have!

BeneFit Fake-Up in Light- I was cautious about this at first, as I thought the layer of moisturizer in this concealer would result in greasy undereyes and ultra-sheer coverage. After swatching this in Sephora, I realized my pre-conceptions were wrong! This concealer gives excellent coverage, keeps my eye area smooth without oiliness, matches my skin tone quite well, and creases very  minimally. The packaging is cute and handy and it's easy to apply with a brush or straight from the tube.
Repurchase? Already have!

Here's one final jumbo-sized shot of my February Empties:

So there you go, another month of spent products and mini reviews. So happy to have found some new favourites over the past months and to have tested out some new goodies!

Have you used any of the products I featured here? What did you finish up last month?

Thanks for reading! And don't forget, you can Vote for my next Oscars Makeup Tutorial, here!