tarte Tartelette Amazonian Clay Matte Eyeshadow Palette

 I give props to tarte for their innovation in cosmetic products like this all-matte eyeshadow palette made of amazonian clay. This palette and the entire collection of amazonian clay products work well and aren't gimmicky. They managed to take the amazonian clay concept and run with it. The line has been a great success. I'm a huge fan of this all-matte palette. There is a wide array of tones and shades that are sure to suite anyone. The eyeshadows are high-quality, finely milled, pigmented, blend really well and are long-wearing. The packaging is sleek, compact, features a large mirror and over-all is visually pleasing. In addition, I have very sensitive eyes, and these eye shadows give me no problems. This is a great staple palette to have, also ideal for travel because of its sleek design. I'm actually thinking about purchasing a second palette in the event it is special edition and discontinued.

Be sure to check out my video review here

Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette and Face Brush Review

Hey folks. Just posted a video demonstration on the Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette and Brush. Be sure to check it out...

CBB Guest Post Rotation for January - Beauty Resolutions for 2015

As part of the Canadian Beauty Bloggers guest rotation for the month of January, we volunteered ourselves to write about our beauty New Years resolutions for the upcoming year. Our guest post blog goes something like this...

Hey there! It's Miranda from Miranda Loves - this month's guest post topic is Beauty Resolutions, and to be honest I have given this topic quite a lot of thought and have narrowed it down to the following:

1.  Taking care of my body - not just from a diet perspective, but for the purpose of boosting my immune system, I have made the decision to hit the gym at least 2-3 times a week and drinking the 8 glasses of water a day that you hear about. I want to focus on bettering my body and to not get sick so often, so fingers crossed that works! Take some time at the end of each night to unwind, to unplug from social media, youtube, internet - maybe take a book and read it or write in a journal - just trying to clear my mind and be ready for bedtime. This could possibly rid me of the insomnia I sometimes get.

2. Cleaning out my make-up collection - learn when to throw something away, or pass it on to someone who can make use of it more than myself. If it's been sitting in my drawer for weeks or a month, untouched or unopened, it's time to dispose of it to allow room for new stuff!

3. Limit the products I purchase - while being a beauty blogger, it would be nice to always stay on top of everything, however, my wallet isn't that generous. Therefore, think about what I need before buying - do I really need that extra face cream if I have another one at home? If it's a steal or if there's a while until it expires, then yes buy it - but if its for the sake of purchasing something then no. Also, limit myself to buying 1-2 splurge beauty items a month.

4. SPF - yes, I need to use it more. The only form of SPF I use right now is in my foundation. I should have a daycream that has SPF in it.

5. Be adventurous and experiment with color - I admit, I am a lover of all things neutral when it comes to beauty looks, but I think it's time to step out of my comfort zone and experiment with some color! I have been getting some good feedback with some of my looks using colors lately, and it is really encouraging to continue on this path.

What are some of your beauty resolutions? Thanks to Niki for featuring me here! :)

Until next time! XO, Miranda

Irritants and Allergens in Cosmetics

Disclaimer: Please keep in mind everyone will have differing opinions on this topic, this post is merely based on my experience and opinions, I welcome constructive criticism. 

Before I go any further and without sounding like I am contradicting myself, I would like to iterate the fact that I am an animal rights advocate and am 100% against animal testing. While animal rights organizations have moved leaps and bounds in the awareness of animals and their role in product testing, I feel groups like PeTA propagate in a very aggressive and even sexual way and find the imagery used in their campaigns to be very disturbing. However, I am sympathetic towards the fact that it is a method in bringing forward the issues surrounding the unethical use of animals in cosmetic testing, pharmaceutical testing, et al.

What I am trying to get at is, since most indie cosmetic brands and some luxury brands are cruelty-free (i.e. do not use ingredients tested on animals), I have found myself to be the guinea pig (so to speak), as of late. I have had more reactions to cosmetic products and endure more overall irritation when using certain brands of cosmetics than ever before.

Here are a few examples of some products I have had reactions to, the ingredients that I have concluded as a possible culprit of said reaction and highlighted is the ingredient I think may be the main cause of the reaction;

1. Too Faced Everything Nice Palette (all eyeshadows) - Ethyl Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol (an irritant, banned for cosmetic use in Japan), Sorbic Acid, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Polymer

2. Raine Cosmetics Lip Paints - Cyclopentasiloxane, Triethoxycaprylylsilane 

3. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion - Perfluorononyl Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopherol

4. M.A.C. Studio Moisture Tint - Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenoxyethanol (discontinued)

How was I able to pin-point the irritant you ask? All I did was take an inventory of the products I had issues with, and those I do not have issues with, conduct a comparison of common/uncommon ingredients and did some online research. It was pretty easy. Now the hard part, taking an inventory of all cosmetic products I own with the above ingredients and discarding them.

My thesis statement: Cruelty-free does not substantiate the reason to include toxic products in cosmetic products not-tested on animals

Has anyone else had any similar experiences/reactions?

Hope you enjoyed reading this article.

Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette and Brush

Happy 2015! New Years Resolutions

Just wanted to write everyone and take some time to wish all my readers a Happy 2015! I am really looking forward to what exciting things this new year has in shop. I'm feeling optimistic about all the infinite possibilities ahead, and not just in this year alone. I have made more blogging a part of my list of things to do in the new year. Another part of my resolution is to be an overall kinder and more pleasant human being. In addition, I want to enrich my life more, culturally. For example, last year I went to the Opera for the first time and it was a truly moving experience. I kind of felt a `high`and so now I`m like this culture junkie, looking for the next best high! Anyhow... what are your new years resolutions?

In addition to doing more blogging and making more youtube videos, I want to create a more formal method to the madness of conducting a product review, something a bit more substantial than sitting down in front of a computer or camera and just telling you what I think about said product. I am already planning some fun and exciting videos so be sure you are tuned into my social media platforms linked above so you aren`t missing out. Thanks for taking the time to read this and I am looking forward to connecting with more individuals in and outside of the beauty community. Cheerio!