Review: Naked Princess Lipgloss in the August 2012 Glymm Box

Has it really been over two weeks since we've posted? I think we have both been so depressed by the end of the summer that we were drinking as many iced coffees, spending as much time outside, biking everywhere, and taking weekend trips out of town, ignoring the blog that will inevitably be here when we get tired of living our summer lives. Now that labour day is past though, we can dedicate more time to writing, reviewing, and creating.

I got my Glymm box almost two weeks ago, and just like the last one I was pleasantly surprised at  its contents. Rather than listing the contents of the box, which you can easily find here or on a million other blogs, I wanted to use products to the greatest benefit their tiny size could give. And I'm happy to report that I've fallen in love.

First, here are a few of the other noteworthy items that, if you're thinking about signing up for the monthly box, you can look forward to.

I love clay masks, so the mini pot by Vitamine & Sea was a real treat (and Canadian! which is awesome). But certainly not something I'll be buying more of.

The Mai Couture cheek-tint paper, blotting paper–like sheets with a pretty pink colouring, were cool but don't at all compare to Tarte's Blushing Bride that I'll likely wear until the day I die.

Finding something special in Naked Princess lipgloss really took me by surprise, and totally made me reevaluate being such a judgemental and cynical person—at least in terms of the judging a book by its cover style. I almost didn't even try this gloss, a decision I made based solely on its name. It's a really bad name, especially for an enlightened female who has come to see the term princess as almost derogatory and to whom a product named Naked Princess is the epitome of everything that is wrong with female beauty products. I also don't like gloss, how it feels tacky and your hair gets caught in it and it's usually shiny which is just not appealing to me. 

But this lipgloss tastes, feels, smells amazing, and after I couldn't stretch the sample any longer than a week, I shelled out the 25 odd dollars that it costs. And I can't wait for it to arrive. The sample was in the Coral shade, which goes really well with my pale-pinky colouring, blonde hair, and blonde eyebrows. It doesn't look like shiny gloss; it makes my lips look the way they would ideally look all the time.  

All photos are from the Glymm website.

Review: July 2012 Glymm Box

While Amanda has been doing Luxe box reviews forever now, I was never that impressed with them; for a while now I've been looking to try a different kind of monthly sample box. I heard really great things about Glymm from the owner of beauty line who has worked with them and said that they really had their shit together. And after looking at the Glymm site (which is awesome (a magazine, a blog, and a place where you can actually shop for the products you love) and what they are doing on social media (engaging and listening, not just pushing out content) I decided on my next candidate.

Glymm is $12 a month and gets shipped around mid month.

The packaging might not be as pretty as the little black Luxe Box, but it's what on the inside that counts.

The little orange nylon bag is perfect for people like me who hoard little makeup bags. 

And here are the goods. Quite a nice little package.

First up we got a little pot of exfoliator from Dirt. It smells amazing and is best used on your face. It's got a really grainy texture, and when you rinse it off it leaves a nice layer of moisture that you have to wash off. It left my skin feeling insanely soft, not greasy at all, and I'm still feeling the effects a few days later. This was definitely my fave product of the bunch.

I am under the belief that a lot of hair creams do exactly the same thing, and if it's doing that thing right, it'll keep your hair healthy, untangly, and somewhat shiny. I use all these creams and oils somewhat interchangeably and don't notice much of a difference—but I prefer products like this that you rinse out in the shower. 

I was super sceptical when I saw that this hair perfume was vanilla scented (though 14-year-old me would have been psyched). I'm not much of a scent person to begin with, and a scent for your hair seems totally unnecessary. But I wanted to try it before I knocked it, and when I was walking home after a 9-hour day and my subtly sweet-smelling hair blew in my face, I was surprised in a really nice way. It was like a stop and smell the flowers moment. Would I ever buy this product? No. But I'll definitely use this little spray vial, especially before the summer's out.

I know Cyber Derm by reputation. They focus on a "new kind of moisture formula" with more medically safe and cosmetically trendy ingredients. They focus on different skin needs of their customers—this sample came with a hydrating sunscreen and a PM anti-age. This stuff is scentless and doesn't leave any kind of residue. It's a but unclear that this stuff is moisturizer and not sunscreen—honestly, it would have felt like the best sunscreen ever—which makes me curious and want to try more of Cyber Derm's stuff. Some reviews I've read are pretty negative about the packaging, but I think it's hilarious and it helps the product to stand out.

And lastly, a coupon for 25% nail polish on the website. I'm assuming it's a one-time thing, but seeing as they offer Butter and RGB, I'm pretty into it. 

You can read more about all the products on their website. 

If you like what you see and want to try out a Glymm box, please use my referral link HERE to sign up.

You can check out all these pins and more on my 

Beauty tutorials

I love watching videos of people telling me how to do simple, everyday things that I should already know how to do. And I do this exactly for the same reason that I am an obsessive Googler, write down everything Penelope Trunk says, and save every tumblr post that lists ways to be creative, get out of a bad mood, accomplish your goals, or get the perfect wardrobe staples—because it's so much easier to follow someone else's tried and true advice and instructions than thinking it through for myself. Sound a bit pathetic? Maybe, but I like getting advice from people who are really passionate, and it in turn inspires me to live better, and sometimes to give my own advice.

Anyway, here are some of my current favourite beauty and makeup videos. If you have any that you love, please let me know!

The Persian Babe:

Hey Kayli:

Loepsie:

BEAUTYetc:

Cut by Fred:

The Take Home Series:

Sweaters, brunch foods, and tiny apartments

A couple things I'm serious about lately:

Those Jonathan Saunders waffley knit sweaters 

I got a sweater similar to these from Amanda's castoffs, though it's in a much more neutral brown and greige. These pastel hues are making me dream of walks on cool-ish days with a coffee and a pair of big sunglasses.

via Susie Bubble

This baked French Toast recipe
I love everything that comes from the Sweet Potato Chronicles blog, and a pre-made, challah-bread, berry-topped French Toast is no exception. I would make a slight change to the recipe, though, and would include some super crispy bacon on top.

via Sweet Potato Chronicles

This blog feature about living in small spaces

Reading my Tea Leaves talks about life in a tiny apartment, and I follow her advice religiously (since I can't think of anything more useful myself). This post—which you should totally check out yourselves—is about changing up the artwork on your walls or having a little gallery wall, showcasing the art that inspires you the most. I also love the post about hiding your clutter, buying beautiful cleaning supplies, and store thoughtfully.

via Reading My Tea Leaves

HBO's Girls

via pakistantvdekho

I haven't even watched it yet, (I checked to make sure the link was for real and then had to blog about it first) but I don't have to tell you that the buzz around this show has been enormous. And if you are reading our blog, then it's also safe to say that this show is being marketed towards you. Wunderkind Lena Dunham's HBO show is going to be difficult to access for most of us (a bit ironic, no?) but just to hook everyone, HBO has made the first episode of the series widely available. Enjoy it, and let us know what you think!

WATCH GIRLS HERE!!!!!

Eclipse

If I've seen you sometime in the past week, I've probably talked your ear off about the new Vietnamese sub-inspired shop I've been to five times in the past two weeks, Banh Mi Boys. What is a banh mi, you ask?

Well, this.
via

A crusty baguette topped with sandwich meat, pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, mayo and cilantro, among other things. Traditionally, they're very cheap, but Banh Mi Boys goes a little more upscale, offering panko tofu, kalbi beef, squid and duck confit options, as well as taco or bao (steamed bun) versions. My favourite is the five spice pork belly, which is slightly crispy on the outside and so, so ridiculously tender inside. Well, that, and a split order of the kimchi fries, which is basically a Vietnamese poutine with kimchi, pulled pork, mayo and fresh green onions over crispy fries. Oh god, just thinking about it has my mouth watering. If you're in the Queen/Spadina area of Toronto, this is must try.

ed note: Oh look! Laura loves this place too! She wrote a review about it here.

Speaking of food, if you've ever asked the question, "Is this still good?" about some jar you've stumbled across in your fridge, your new best friend is a site called Still Tasty.

via

Touting itself as the ultimate shelf life guide, it gives you recommendations on how best to store various foods and when to know when to fold 'em and toss away. It seems very based in common sense, offering tips on how to tell if an item's still okay, as best before dates are usually just when a food's quality is at its aesthetic peak, not when it's actually still edible.


The AV Club's been hitting my sweet spot lately and this week, it's with a walkthrough of the stories behind cultural gem Freaks and Geeks with creator Paul Feig.

via

It's one of those cancelled-after-one-season, never-given-the-chance-it-deserved, voice-of-a-generation type shows that transcends the hype and feels real in a way so few series are able to articulate: it's equal parts innocent, awkward, miserable and ecstatic. In short, it feels like puberty. And, as the interviews reveal, it's an interesting case of art-imitating-life, as Feig admits much of the show was based on his personal experiences and those of the other writers. It's been a great way to revisit one of my favoruite series, and it's totally got me in the mood to watch it all over again. See interview parts one / two / three / four / five here.

I use my Baggu every day, but I may have to retire my current fave in neon poppy to make way for a few new prints, including this moon one, labelled with all the phases of the lunar cycle. Now I'll never have to guess what a waning gibbous looks like again!

via

Some faves 'round these parts have been at it again – Fieldguided has a released a new collection called Light as a Feather, a set of four gorgeous huge silk scarves printed with photos taken in the late 1800s. The dream team of Anja from Clever Nettle and Megan of Summerland photographed and styled them into mystical perfection. I'm trying to convince myself that a $120 silk scarf of an ice cave is a good investment, oui?

To see more beautiful images, check Clever Nettle and the Fieldguided blog, shop and Flickr!

Game Changers: A Stylish Set

Blogs are near and dear to my heart for lots of reasons. Some have interesting takes on daily life; some teach me things both big and little; some are eye candy, pure and simple. Some of them I've already told you about (Penelope Trunk, Coke Talk, Ravelry). But being a gal who likes to challenge her wardrobe on the daily, there's a big section of my Google Reader dedicated to style bloggers, gals who inspire me to try new things and expand my personal style horizons, a select handful of which I read as often as I change my underwear. Here's a sampling of stylish blogs that I just can't get through the day without reading.


Love Aesthetics
Ivania Carpio's modernist style is just so inspirational to me. Her stripped back aesthetic marries the best of easy minimalism and colourful accents in a way that seems so natural and so bold all at once. I like that she admits she wears the same pieces over and over, and isn't afraid to be daring, like wearing a balls-out 80s burgundy suit or using hardware nuts and bolts as jewelry. Her DIYs are really great, practical ideas that add a little extra cool to your life, and her site is well-organized and simply designed. Somehow, she always looks effortless and thoughtful. She is the ultimate 90s dream girl for me, right now.

Arriving in London

Half Way Manicure

Thrifted Slit Dress

Miss Moss

Man, I don’t even know if I have words to describe Miss Moss (aka. Diana). She is the patron saint of aesthetes, the saving grace for those who love beautiful things. She is the ultimate curator of the web and insatiably curious, scouring the LIFE archives, latest runway shows, and breathtaking interiors and design – and she somehow shares it all while writing with a voice that sounds like your best in-the-know girlfriend. She makes way-cool mixtapes, pairs food and paintings with street style photos, and delivers lots of attainable prettiness for right now, like finding adorable (and affordable) Etsy shops. You never quite know what you're going to get when you check her blog, except that you know it's going to be wonderful. Oh god, is my girl crush showing enough yet? Just read her blog. Do it now.

Food & Fashion

Six Months in a Leaky Boat Mixtape

Prunella Soap

Clever Nettle

Portland-based Anja feels like a lost soul sister. She digs cats, mysticism, nature. She takes gorgeous pictures, sells way cool vintage duds, and now, makes clothing and leather accessories under her new label, Ann-ya. She is warm, friendly, and totally personable online, calling people ‘buddies’, which I find utterly charming. I feel like she’s really come into her own the past few months, pairing up with great labels and retailers like Natalie Joy, Hopeless Lingerie, Sara Bergman and Summerland to shoot their lookbooks, and I feel this weird sense of friend pride for her, even though she’s like, so out of my league.

Dark Mirror for Hopeless

Ann-ya Leather Goods

Friday Variety

What are some of your favourite style bloggers?

Happy Days

I have a few reasons to celebrate lately, one being this article of mine on the Toronto Standard, the other being that Dan and I are going to be moving in less than 2 months! I feel like I'm on a roll. Here is some internet goodness that is bolstering my mood.

via loveraedar

I love grey cats with yellow eyes—they already look like aliens but this just pushes that envelope a little further.

via kennedyholmes

I miss the days when it was fashionable to be a total glamazon. Versace encompassed that whole look so well.

via saltwater

Isn't this beautiful? I just want to hang out here with a coffee and a good book. I've always wanted to grow my own fruits and veggies. One day I'll live on a farm and live the dream.

via thehairpin

Cheesy spinach casserole! If I was only allowed to eat one thing for the rest of my life it would be this. Or meatball subs.

via ritaliefhebber

Perfect day-to-day outfit. And check out the beatiful Rita Liefhebber jacket! Swoon!

What I've Been Watching Lately

The X-Files

via static age

I know I've talked about my love for this show before, but I won't be happy until everyone I know is watching it and loves it as much as I do. I will watch this show forever and for always, even though it makes me distrust weird-looking people on the street and gives me nightmares. The show is a perfect mix between one-off monster stories and episodes that advance the plot in a mind-blowing way. It also makes me worry that I will never experience love as deeply as Mulder and Scully feel for each other, but that's a whole different story. I'm on the seventh season (of nine) and I plan on starting it from the beginning once I'm done. Or maybe I'll just re-evaluate my life and, y'know, go outside.

Bell Book and Candle

via somebody stole my thunder

This romcom stars Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novack and is about witches and the men who love them. Well kind of. It's set in New York in the winter and has a really young Jack Lemon as the cutest damn warlock/jazz musician I've ever seen. They frequent this bar called the Zodiac, which I'm dying to find recreated somewhere, that's underground and dark and secret and filled with music and witches with magical powers. Novack is a witch with a heart of gold, and looks every inch as beautiful as she did in Vertigo.

Picnic at Hanging Rock

via flickering myth

I read about this movie on Fieldguided, and since I take everything she says as the gospel truth—what? I think our tastes are very similar—I watched it, enthralled. This movie is beautiful, dreamy, and mysterious. The story reminds me of my favourite Margaret Atwood short story "Death By Landscape," which is what originally drew me to it—there is something scary and romantic about the wilderness, whether it's Canadian or Australian, and there is an innate fear that the elements are overpowering. It takes place in 1900 on Valentine's Day, and is a perfect girls night pick.The hazy-look of each scene was apparently from a bridal veil cast over the lens, which only adds to the feminine mystique of the film.

Revenge

via thoughts and musings

Something I copyedited yesterday made reference to this TV show, and I decided to watch the pilot—before I knew it I had finished 6 episodes and I'm dying to see more. I should clarify, though, that I don't necessarily think this show is good. If someone I didn't like was openly watching this show I would judge them. But I have fallen into the story without meaning to—it's so juicy! And since you know from the beginning that main character Emily is out to destroy everyone in her circle of the Hampton's, there really isn't a guessing game to what is going to happen. YOU KNOW. It kind of reminds me of The OC (my only other view into this kind of super-rich life) but all grown up. Totally silly and unrealistic and embarrassing, but I love it.


What have you been watching lately? Any recommendations?

The New Inquiry

TNI has been killing it lately, with the addition of a new team of bloggers that clog up my Google Reader and make it harder for me to read about NYFW recaps. They're putting out such interesting, thought-provoking articles that I haven't looked at pictures of cats in days! (Just kidding.) My favourite of the bloggers is Autumn Whitefield-Madrano, who writes the TNI blog called The Beheld, which "examines the concepts of beauty and personal appearance." I think this girl and I may be kindred spirits. She has also worked as a fashion copyeditor (my specialty of choice) and is interested in the feminine appearance, its history, its theories, and how it can be exploited—all in a way that draws you in and keeps you hooked. And this is coming from a girl who couldn't get 20 pages in to The Beauty Myth. Also, I don't think it's a coincidence that I was listening to this song when I stumbled upon her writing.

So seriously, do yourselves a favour and check out The Beheld.

vive magazine issue 4.1

I'm going to have to toot my own horn today because I'm feeling pretty proud of myself: the digital version of vive is now online. The mag looks even better in print, but if you missed our launch party, don't live in Toronto, or are an online-only mag sort of girl, then you are now in luck. 

READ IT HERE!

All I'm allowed to share with you here are teasers of the two major shoots that we did, the first by Dan Epstein and the second by Alan Poon:

So much hard work went into this mag, from the editors on the masthead to the photographers, writers, stylists, models, copyeditors, everyone—not to mention the bake sale buyers and party goers who helped us raise the money to print this baby. It was not easy, nor did I expect it to be. But the experience of putting this mag together with so many talented people has been invaluable and a lot of fun. We've already started on the next issue, due out in the spring.

vive has a very similar look and aesthetic to what we do here on Burgundy Girls, so if you love us (or love our blog) then you'll enjoy the mag as well. And, if you zoom in just enough, you'll see an article written by Amanda! (And seriously, it's a good one.) We'll soon post a list of the shops and cafes in Toronto where you can find vive, so check back on the blog if you want to get your hands on an issue!

We are always looking for new contributors—writers, photographers, illustrators, bloggers, etc., so please get in touch at sayhi@vivemagazine.ca if you are interested.

Oh, and one more thing. I love working for a print magazine, but the digital version is very special to me, because—let's be real—it will be able to spread faster, be seen by more people, and generally be able to go further than print can. This year, we will be releasing an online-only version or two, and I'm excited to take advantage of the digital platform and push the envelope a bit.

Toronto Street Style

As much as I talk about how I want to move to Detroit/rural Quebec/Copenhagen/Ambelos, I really love Toronto. It's my home town! And I love when talented people show off some of what Toronto has to offer. Enter Daniel Goodbaum—my friend and old roommate—and his street style videos. I've always been fascinated by the people that Daniel chooses to capture—not all are typically fashionable but each have a unique look and really interesting quality to them. (And the old dashing men? I wish he'd make a videos exclusively of old men in suits.) Of course, I think his choice of subjects reveals a lot about him as well. Take a look! Below, I've posted a handful of my favourites.

Toronto Street Style - August

Toronto Street Style - 6





Toronto Street Style - 15

Shades of Beige

A few things that caught my eye this week.

Miss Moss posted about these way cool editions of Lucas Massen pieces, which he's hired his young sons to paint. Dutch labour laws mean the kids can only work for 3 hours per week, hence the unfinished nature of the items. Such a beautiful result, and a pretty easy DIY, I think.

via Need Supply

It's not even February and I'm already dreaming about summer footwear. These Azores sandals from Jeffrey Campbell are pretty much my ideal pair – minimal and entirely adjustable, swoon! (Having long, skinny feet will do that to you).

via

Brown sugar blueberry cookies. I can't even, you guys. These are next up on my To-Bake list.

via Found

I saw this Found leash in person at Fetch Canine Social Club on Roncesvalles last weekend and I've been thinking about it ever since. Sure, it's a $60 leash, but it can also be clipped cross-body style so you can walk your dog handsfree. Plus, it's all made with all weather marine rope and was founded with rescue animals in mind. I've already started saving up my pennies.

images via etsy

Speaking of saving up my pennies,  how beautiful are these waxed canvas bags from Southern Field Industries? They look like the perfect size and I love the colour combinations, especially the red+natural and turquoise +tan.

For more of what I'm finding, you can always check my Pinterest.

Have a happy weekend, everyone!