Necessary Blogging Tools

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You may or may not realize but beauty blogging comes with its own set of necessary tools. One solid day of swatch and product photos can't be done without some makeup removers on hand. For removing face makeup, I rely heavily on makeup wipes but for repeated arm swatching, the Marcelle 3-in-1 Micellar Solution* has been a boon.

In the Moment #18: November (Spark Sessions, Miracle 10, Meeting Sam and Nicki Chapman, MissLyn)

This month has been crazy!!!! With the Sephora sale and the events, I've been a really spoiled beauty blogger!

Guest Post: Megan's Avon Stardust Nail Enamel

First off I am so excited to be guest posting on A Beautiful Zen! Jenn is one of my favourite bloggers, she has great posts that always make me laugh. Her sense of humour is amazing, though if you are reading her blog right now it means you probably already know that :) Thanks for having me Jenn! This months theme is Silver and Blue in honour of the winter snowflakes that start to fall this time of year. When I found out the theme I knew exactly what to do! I have been dying to try out this new Avon Stardust Nail Enamel in Jewel Blue. And wouldn't you know it - it just so happens to be both silver and blue!

 

Wet N Wild Giveaway!

It took me forever to take this photo but I'm finally putting up my Wet n Wild giveaway. Many commented in previous Wet n Wild posts that they would love to try the products. Since the last contest was for Canada only and this brand is hard to find in some countries, I've pulled together some products and will be giving away two prize packs with a random selection of Wet N Wild products.

This is opened internationally until Dec 10th, 2014. There will be two winners.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Last Day to Vote for Made in Blog Awards

Hey guys,

I hope you don't mind but this is my last push to get some votes in for the Made in Blog Awards! Its the last day, and I'd appreciate the support :)

- Jenn

In the Moment #17: IMATS Toronto 2014 and Haul

Alright, Its annual IMATS time. See my "Game Plan" post here for tips and general hilarity.

This last weekend was IMATS. Click on the above link for explanations etc. This year, I though I would take it easy. There wasn't much I wanted and I thought I would cruise in around 10am with my press pass and just skip the whole MUFE, MAC madness. I was wrong.

Surviving Spark Sessions ft. Estee Lauder Matte Perfecting Primer

Spark Sessions, a room full of fashion and beauty bloggers,  room full of curated tastes and aesthetic analyzers. Show me a fashion/beauty conference, and I'll show you true fear.

I knew that when I step through that entrance, lock-on-target, cross-haired, fashion blogger's eyes would hone in on my outfit with fashion police beacons at the ready. I may be a lowly beauty blogger but damn it, I was going to rise to the challenge. I was going to wow the frickin' crowd. I was going to be the Queen of the Parade while acting cool as a cucumber ("I woke up like this") and with flippin' grace that's...if my face would stay on.

Multi-Masking

I am my own spa specialist, at home mask apothecarist and do-it-yourself skin fixer-upper. Since I can't spend my non-existent $$$s on pros to skin map my face every week, I will try and solve my skin issues solo by mapping out my facial in a process of multiple maskings. I bespoke skincare, people. I am the McGyver of at home facials.

My "I Have Too Many Things" Post

Find any beauty blogger and I will find you her/his "I have too many things" post (its almost as mandatory as the "why I blog" post). This, formally, will be mine.

Hello Kitty An Apple a Day Trio Balm Set*

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Fine. I will admit that these are cute.  My hardened basic-bitch heart has thawed slightly for these plastic apple shaped, stamped on, Hello-Kitty-faced lip balms. The An Apple a Day Trio Balm Set almost wins my heart over.

Hello Kitty's Kind of Party ft. the Hello Kitty Pop-Up Party Eyeshadow Palette*

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 The Hello Kitty Pop-Up Party Eyeshadow Palette* prompted me to consider the type of party Hello Kitty would have. At the very least, those attending would be party ready with these shades where nothing is too dark and nothing too smokey. Hello Kitty is a young impressionable youth and we can't have the usual b*tches, h*es, and foam jets at her shindig, so leave those back-room snogging eyes for next week at the club, ladies.

Would you accessorize with Hello Kitty (Milk Money Makeup Bag and Ruby Compact Mirror)*?

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I have a friend, who would have loved these accessories. I can image her using them and loving their aesthetic and just cherishing the youthful cute-ness that are embodied in this Milk Money Makeup Bag and Ruby Compact Mirror. However, this is not exactly my aesthetic, so I can't say I relate. 

On Hello Kitty

Currently, as the world is filled with amazing amounts of trivial pieces of knowledge, there are probably two things you need to know about Hello Kitty. 1) She is not a cat. She is a girl (I am still not convinced). 2) She is not really a girl (but not actually a cat) since she is 40 years old (but apparently ageless, and perpetually in third grade).

The Body Shop Holiday Sets*

In this video:

- I am practically an ad for The Body Shop.

- I wear inappropriately smokey eye make up to discuss skincare.

- I get tongue tied more than once.

Eyeing any of The Body Shop sets?

Dermalogica Powerbright Treatment Kit Review*

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My never ending skin crusade is to rid myself of the dark spots, acne scars and weird pigmentation blobs that are on my face. If it hasn't been apparent, I'm always interesting in new skin brightening products. The Dermalogical PowerBright TRx Treatment Kit ($50 CDN, each bottle is 10ml) which features a serum, day cream with SPF and a night cream for evening skintone, and offsetting hyperpigmentation.

Thoughts While Watching S1. Arrow

Leave it to Netflix to enable binge watching. After successfully making it through an increasingly tiredsome K-drama, I turned my hours towards Arrow. I might have finished the first season in four days.  *three in the morning* "just one..more...episode..." and if you cared at all, here is a small tally of thoughts I had during the show. 

Another Stuffer Options ft. Sephora Endless Kisses: Lip Pencil Set*

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Following up from my post about Christmas ignorance and to give you another stocking stuffer option, here is the Sephora Endless Kisses Lip Pencil Set ($35CDN). I'm a fan of lip color more than lip glosses and so I was a bit more excited about this set when I got it in the mail.

Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipsticks*

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Since I've proven what an exceptionally faulty crystal ball I am, I don't often mention or forecast trends. But even I, clueless of beauty junkies, walker into walls and noobiest of nails, have noted a slight resurgence in the love of matte and now Maybelline has put their hat in the game with their Creamy Matte Lipsticks.

Stocking Stuffer Confusion ft Sephora Endless Kisses: Lip Gloss Set*

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Guys...it's almost Christmas? Is 32 days an appropriate time to say its "almost Christmas?" With Halloween decorations coming out sooner and sooner before Oct 31, I feel like Christmas planning can almost start right on Nov 1st nowadays.

Maybe you can blame it on my immigrant parent/family background but stockings and stocking stuffers weren't adopted by my family around the holidays (I also didn't understand Christmas crackers for a very long time until I bought a box to figure out what those things actually did). When I think stockings, I think old ladies. Or (a complete 360) sexy thigh highs, but that's an aside. I didn't understand the concept of getting 'extras' aside from your christmas present but for those of you who make this a practice, there are a few Sephora sets that make economical stuffing options ie. the Sephora Endless Kisses: Lip Gloss Set* ($35CDN).

Rethinking the Wet n Wild Trios* (Spoiled Brat, I'm Getting Sunburned, Silent Treatment)

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After feeling sort of meh about Walking on Eggshells, I didn't explored the Wet n Wild trios further. I know they're all pretty good but I already had more than a few shadows in my stash so nothing screamed "Take me home".  But then I cracked open and swatched Silent Treatment and Vanessa can attest that I said "WOAH" outloud. Then it was sdownhill from there and a swatchfest began with the rest of the trios Wet n Wild sent to me last month. I have no resolve!!!

Clown Cheek Brush Options

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A domed dense brush has become my go-to for cream blush application. They dip into the pan easily, pick up color well, and help me achieve an bright but still publicly appropriate clown cheek to whatever degree of public indecisency I want. Nothing quite like frightening the kiddies and yourself with those massive pink rounds...

Picks from Mary Kay's Holiday Releases*

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Alright, another round of Mary Kay* release for this winter and the upcoming holiday season. Here are my picks for what's worth getting with a few surprises.

Colorred Eyebrows?

I've seen images of fun colored eyebrows before. The look is daring, alternative and NSFW. At the Inglot preview, an artist was coloring in a model's brows in true red and I was struck but how awesome it looked! I wanted to try and so I picked a dark teal to, not-so deftly, try my hands at coloring in my brows using a spoolie. Results as above.

The effect was...completely amateur and after a "uh, let's...get you touched up" remark from one of the SA's, I offered up my brows as tribute and had a proper lesson in how to do it right. Results as below.

5 Things

Sometimes I have a couple things on my mind I want to share but no real place to put it. So here are a few things cluttering up my brain lately.

1) This clever makeup Tutorial inspired by the Jian Ghomeshi story. So brilliant!

Made in Blog Awards

Hey guys,

Just a heads up that voting for the Made in Blog Awards has started and is on till Nov 26th.  

I understand. I understand. There are so many more deserving blogs out there that constantly BRING IT with side splitting humour, on point social commentary,  the promise of unicorns and images of food.  Everyone loves food and I can always lure you with food if you'd like...in fact, I would Oprah food to all of you if I could, but that would require even more Harry Potter magic than I currently possess. I'm not above bribery but I also don't believe in empty promises. 

Even contemplating that I'm the best beauty blog in Canada emits a good "BWAHAHAHAHAH!" (a surprisingly accurate portrayal of how I laugh) from my lips but I had the most amazing show of support last year with something like 5 votes. HUZZAH! That was four more than I expected since I'm also not above voting for myself just to get the ball rolling. 

Let's try and scale some new heights and see how I get on this year. 

If you'd like, you can vote for me, by clicking the button below. I'm not going to lie that I wouldn't appreciate it.

For the Beauty category: 

Hope your weekends are awesome.

Jenn