Monthly Favourites: November

I am still on hiatus -- I am currently in the middle of Teacher's College Applications (deadline is approaching FAST) plus 2 weeks worth of exams... my last day is Dec 17 -- but I should be able to blog regularly again after next week... I just realized that I really enjoy blogging. Despite this only being a beauty blog and that there isn't much substance to it in terms of my personal life... I just enjoy sharing my thoughts, even if it's about cosmetics (nothing wrong with that!). Plus, I'm sure that if you're here, you aren't interested in knowing about my boring life (it really is boring)...

This month has gone by slowly (unlike the past several months) and I can't wait for it to be OVVEERRRRRR...

Face:
Volcanic Ash Exfoliator: I don't use exfoliants as much as I should -- I simply just don't remember. Don't even get me started with masques. As much as I would LIKE to use these extra products on top of my regular/daily skin care regime, I simply don't have the time. With that said, when I DO remember to use an exfoliator, I reach for either the MAC Microfine Refinisher or the Volcanic Ash one. I think I'm going through this faster than I should though... lol.. I'm already half done and it's a LE item =S I really like the sugar granules and the way it dissolves as I work it in, although I do feel it dissolves a little TOO quickly. Leaves my skin super duper smooth afterwards (definitely a noticeable difference from the microfine refinisher).

Eyes:
NARS Mekong eyeshadow: I've been wanting this for a while, but could never justify buying it because of its pricetag. I picked this up with Sephora's VIB 20% discount a few weeks ago. It's a beautiful shimmery DARK chocolate brown. Some have described it as a black with gold glitter -- it is definitely not. I love this on my crease/outer V... it is soooooo pigmented and sooo easy to work with/blend. I've used this every single time I've put make-up on my face this month.

Lips:
Show Orchid Lipstick: WOW. That is all I can say about this lipstick. I've wanted it since it came out with the Colour Ready Collection in April, but never picked it up and really regretted it when it was taken off the shelves and (I thought) sold out everywhere. Wendy found out that they still carried it at my closest mall, but I kept forgetting to pick it up whenever I was there. When I finally DID remember, they only had THREE left. Phew. I had never officially worn it out, but I admired it a lot. It's a hot hot in your face fuschia pink (I'm a nude lip girl). I finally wore it to the IMATS and OMG I have never received so many compliments for what I wear on my lips lol (I topped it with flashmode lustreglass) -- I even got a compliment from pursebuzz!! Like one commenter (who saw me) said... the pictures really do no justice to what it actually looked like in person. GORGEOUS~

Toronto IMATS (pic heavy)

So I've been trying to upload my haul video all night and I think I'm just going to scrap it all together, because it keeps saying that my video file isn't compatable with YT?? Did YT change anything on me in the past couple of weeks that I don't know about?

Anyway, I attended the first annual IMATS in Toronto today with Wendy and the FIRST EVER IN CANADA woooooooo -- we have been talking about and waiting all year for this event!!!!!!!!!

So the venue was supposed to open/start at 8:30am, but Wendy and I arrived around 7:45am and they let us in by 8am by which we bee-lined to the Make Up For Ever (MUFE) booth -- good move too since its line grew very quickly and soon became the longest line at the event which at first wrapped/snaked around a few booths then straightened out to block Temptu the majority of the day lol

So MUFE's booth had the majority of its collection there (sans lip products) and everything was 40% off!!! Although I do feel they were being a tad dishonest because the shadows they were selling were the refills ($13CAD) and NOT the packaged ones ($21) and they charged us $12 each for them -- NOT 40% off lol.. oh well... still a good deal in general and I spent the majority of my money there=P I regret not picking up the Flash Colour Palette though.. sigh.. that's okay.. I'm in no dire need of it anyway.... =(

We met Kevin-James Bennett! I was somewhat familiar with him before this event, but I can't say I am a hardcore fan (unlike Wendy) -- when she saw him I swear she almost collapsed! She wanted to take a pic with him but was too scared to approach him... lol We finally caught him alone and nowhere near a crowd so it was her chance to meet him and as he was walked by us I nudged her to make her move... but she stood there frozen!!! It was the funniest thing EVER!!!!! I couldn't help myself and bursted out laughing... like LOUDLY -- which caught his attention! So he approached us and we chatted VERY briefly and Wendy was TOTALLY star-struck (AAAAAAWWWWWW)... he's totally "fierce" and soooooooooo pretty/sexy/attractive lol..

We only attended one class/seminar and it was his (on how to apply makeup and make it last 18hours)-- VERY informative and entertaining =) I am definitely a fan now!

We also got to meet Pursebuzz and Koren! Wendy spotted them as they were arriving so we got to take pictures and briefly 'chat' before the crowd grew... she mentioned how it almost felt like we've known them personally for a long time and didn't feel like we were actually meeting them for the first time, at all! -- it was all very exciting!!

I'm sad I didn't take more pictures... of the crowds... of the booths... or even make small video clips... none of it crossed my mind while I was there because I was in HEAVEN and just was so focused on what was around me and forgot about my camera for most of the day.

I didn't take ANY pictures of the gothic themed student competition -- not going to lie.. it wasn't very impressive.. especially compared to the pictures I've seen from the Pasadena event!

I met some of my subscribers, followers and familiar faces (Kristine ^_^) so thanks everyone for saying hi! Sorry if I was a little awkward -- I was very overwhelmed lol

The show ended at 5:30 but we left by 3:30 -- nearly 8hours there -- we couldn't do it anymore.. we were sooooooooooo tired and soooooooooooo hungry... (plus neither of us got much sleep last night hehe)...

picture time!

MUFE Model -- poor girl was shivering the whole time
(The MUFE booth was right by the main entrance)

Air Brushing
I look so awkward lol
(front entrance)

Cool and realistic looking busts
(wolverine)

This baby was so creepy!!! This pic doesn't show how big it is, but it was the size of like.. a 42inch TV (the old school boxy kind!)

freaky

the pictures turn out different than what it looks like in real life for some reason

SOOOOO scary looking but soo cool

Special effects make-up

eww

so real looking..

burn victim

Wendy and Koren

Wendy and Elessa/pursebuzz

Emmy Award winner Kevin-James Bennett

Me and Koren

Me and Pursebuzz!
UGH.. so unflattering ... but I'll post anyway... lol
A picture never lies... time for Sanderlees to hit the gym =(

IMATS HAUL

MUFE 10-well palette

HD foundation #127

Full Cover Concealer: #8 and #6

HD Primer #0

MUFE shadows!!

#116

#160, #137
#5, #172

Disposable spatulas

cosmetic swabs

Crown Brush: Bronzing Brush

Ben Nye Matte Foundation Sample

feathered, hush, grandma, NSFW

IMATS Toronto

HERE I COME!!!!!

Halloween FOTD

Only one Halloween picture unfortunately... I have a lot of little kids from the school I work at, but for their privacy, I'm not going to post them...

As for Halloween night... I went out drinking and roaming the streets with my bf and his friends... it was a RANDOM night... my first time in the city during Halloween... fun nonetheless... so neat seeing a herd of people in wacky costumes... also the streets were LIVE til at least 5am... especially since it was daylight savings... it was "technically" 6am.... also something I've never experienced here in Toronto.. usually the streets are dead (even on a club night) by 3... 4am MAX...

My look wasn't anything fancy obviously... I was a "zombie doctor" and I wore that make-up and costume combo to the junior school I work at... I scared a lot of kids... I guess that's a good thing?? lol

I mixed black pigment with my MUFE foundation to get the greyish look.. and the contour is all done by black NYX eyeshadow.

The burn on the cheek is done with scar paste with blue and red eyeshadow and clear gloss to make it look puss-filled (it looked really cool)... and the thing under the eye is red eyeshadow from my 88-palette with clear gloss on top.

not very creative. I know.

Hope all of you had a fun and safe Halloween.

I am officially on hiatus until December...

keep leaving me comments and emails -- I still read them!

xoxo

Sanderlees