SST Cosmetics: Composed, Sun Kissed, and Lash Rebel

SST Cosmetics is a Canadian brand created by a professional makeup artist named Sharon Sharpe-Titus and based in Saskatoon. Aside from ordering from the brand online, it can also be found in salons in several provinces. I have reviewed their Meek eyeshadow duo, Vital lip polish, and Stripped lipstick previously.

I received Composed Silky Eyeshadow, Lash Rebel mascara, and Sun Kissed Radiant Finish Bronzer from the Signature Series to take my summer makeup into fall. Here are my thoughts and swatches!

I'll be honest when I say I was feeling fall before it officially arrived. I have especially been craving burgundy and dark berry shades, so I might have let out a squeal (which is the opposite of composed -see what I did there?!) when I saw this eyeshadow. I knew it would be right up my alley before even swatching it. And I was right. SST eyeshadows are so easy to blend with little fallout. Composed has just a hint of shimmer, so I think it would work in any look you choose to do and it would easily take you from day to night.

The Lash Rebel mascara is a dry formula, which I prefer. The wand is simple with natural bristles. These wands are great for natural looks and add a little volume. This mascara was very easy to work with and also layers nicely with others.

I wanted to compare Sun Kissed to NARS Laguna bronzer, which is usually the bronzer I resort to. I'm not saying I don't have a place for Laguna anymore, because it is still a beautiful bronzer! I just have to be more careful with the application because of my pale skin. Sun Kissed is a little lighter and works a little easier for me. Sun Kissed has more of a shimmer to Laguna's sheen in both the compacts and swatches, but once it is blended in it gives the same effect as Laguna. Both are beautiful in their own right, but I'm happy to have another choice in my collection.

**These products were sent to me. I am not being paid and there are no affiliate links. All pictures and thoughts are my own.

Arbonne Intelligence Lip Treatment

This is actually my first foray into Arbonne. I always like those times when I am trying a brand that is completely new to me. Is that weird? I love looking at the websites and seeing what they offer, their ingredients, and just everything about them. When I was contacted to try this lip treatment, that is exactly what I did. Here are my thoughts on the Arbonne Intelligence Lip Treatment!

 Here is what Arbonne says about the Lip Treatment:
·         Replenishes moisture to smooth lip texture as well as reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles on and around the lips

·         Deeply hydrates, moisturizes and protects the natural moisture barrier to help lips look soft and supple

·         Immediately and continuously plumps lips’ appearance, restoring a youthful, well defined appearance

·         Cream formula absorbs quickly and can be worn alone or as a primer to help extend the wear of lipstick or gloss

·         Dermatologist- and allergy-tested; suitable for all  skin types

·         Vegan, formulated without gluten

I love the packaging- a really pretty pastel mint. It won't look out of place on any nightstand. I also like the narrow tip, which helps you not get too much out at a time. It comes out as a white paste, but goes clear when applied on the lips. Arbonne recommends applying the treatment once in the morning and once at night. You can use it on its own or under your everyday lip products. The price is pretty steep at $38 US/$46 CA, but a tube will last you several months.

To me, this is a lip treatment that feels like a lip balm formula. It doesn't feel heavy on the lips and sinks in quickly. After three days, 90% of 20 women in a perception study said that their lips looked more youthful. I can say I agree with that based on my own results. My lips do not feel as dry, lipstick isn't settling into fine lines nearly as much, and they just feel softer to the touch. Now that fall is here and winter is just around the corner, I can see this coming in quite handy during the colder weather.

Let me know if you have tried the Lip Treatment or any other Arbonne product. I would love to hear your thoughts!

**These products were sent to me. I am not being paid and there are no affiliate links. Thoughts and pictures are my own.

My Best Dressed List for the 2015 Emmys

Oh my gosh, this year's Emmys looks were AMAZING. There were a few risks that paid off, but I found my eye wandering more toward the simplistic gowns with that one detail that makes you go "oooooh". Not that I am one to turn away from shiny pretty things either. Kudos to these celebs for looking put together on a hot day, because I would have looked like a puddle of mascara, sweat, and hairspray.

• Kerry Washington in Marc Jacobs - Easily my favorite of the night. It stood out from the rest in all of the best possible ways. Armor for our head of the "gladiators"!
• Amy Poehler in Michael Kors - The simple styling of the hair and accessories with the cutouts is what wins. Easy and breezy.
• Sarah Hyland in Zac Posen - Love the neckline and how it continues to the back.

• Aubrey Plaza in Alexandre Vaultier - I love the red sparkles against the black fabric. And just enough skin is showing.
• Lady Gaga in Brandon Maxwell - Classy and elegant. The side embellishment made this more than a basic LBD.
• Gina Rodriguez in Lorena Sarbu - I look at this and think of clouds or cotton candy. So ethereal! The only thing I am on the fence with is the red clutch.

Who stole the show for you?

Currently Listening To

Whoa, the last time I did one of these was September of last year. And with my growing addiction of Spotify this year, it makes it easier for you to find most of these to listen to (except Taylor Swift, as you all know by now). Since I am sharing some of my current favorites, I would love for you to do the same. If you're on Spotify, find me here.

  1. In The Night - The Weeknd (Honestly, that whole darn Beauty Behind the Madness album is AMAZING.)

  2. Black Magic - Little Mix

  3. Don't Wanna Fight - Alabama Shakes

  4. Pain Killer - Little Big Town

  5. Here - Alessia Cara

  6. Like I'm Gonna Lose You - Meghan Trainor and John Legend

  7. Lonely Town - Brandon Flowers

  8. In the Winter - Janis Ian

  9. Girl Crush - Little Big Town

10. Invincible - Kelly Clarkson (Currently my theme song, for real.)

11. Wildest Dreams - Taylor Swift

12. Dark Times - The Weeknd and Ed Sheeran

CoverGirl Blast Flipstick Duo in Whisper

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. Mine was busy with a hospital appointment, physio therapy, and a birthday dinner for my BIL. Good news is that I can start applying 25% weight to my left leg now to get my knee used to walking again. Bad news is that I suck at estimates so who knows what I'm really applying. I'm pretty terrified of screwing my knee up, so I'm probably putting way less than that.

To not be able to walk for three months and now building up to it is a very strange thing. I get that pins and needles feeling up my whole leg, my foot swells, my other leg aches from overcompensating. It's daunting, terrifying, exciting. I can go up to 50% weight in two weeks and hopefully be fully walking in six weeks. That still seems like a long time, but I know I need these baby steps. Anyway, that's just a little knee update! Getting there!

I got this CoverGirl Blast Flipstick in Whisper at the swap during the CBB dinner in June. It looked pretty, it looked pink, and it looked like it needed to be in my already full pink lipstick collection. It's an addiction, ok? I can't help it. Well, I can, but I don't wanna. Here are my thoughts and swatches!

One side is a lighter pink and one side is a mauve. There are some pros and cons for me. First, I love the mauve side except for the gold shimmer. It's a bit overwhelming on my lips. I'd like it more if the gold had been toned down a bit more. I love the lighter pink side on its own, but the true magic happens when the two are layered. The gold all but disappears and the duo creates a perfect lighter mauve.

The smell is kind of like a waxy vanilla, not that pleasant but not too offensive to the nose. The worst part of these is the taste. You know how when you accidentally get perfume in your mouth after spritzing it? These do that same "perfumey" aftertaste that won't go away easily. I got a taste of it when I was removing it from my lips. If you lick your lips, beware.

This is a toss-up. I love the end product of both shades used together, but I sure would hate to get the taste in my mouth each time I wear it.

Blog of the Month: September 2015

In August, Julie from The Saltlife Wife was my featured blogger. You can read that post and see other past featured blogs under the "blog of the month" label! Being my blog of the month gets you a designated blog post, a sidebar button, and a mention on my Twitter account. The sidebar button stays up all month long. I don't believe in necessarily making bloggers pay for advertising and I'd much rather show you blogs that I really enjoy reading. And I hope you end up enjoying them too!

This month's featured blogger is Ashley who runs Ashbam. She has great pictures on her blog and covers various topics. Her beauty posts are great with in depth swatch pictures. And her pup is adorable, you know, if you're into pictures of really cute animals. If you're not, did you sell your soul? Serious question. I think you'll love her posts and writing style!

Happy 8th birthday, Fashionable Heart!

My little space on the web turns 8 today. 8! What?! Besides my husband, this is the longest relationship that I have ever had. And much like my relationship with my husband, I love it more and more every day. I've been blogging for much longer than I have been here on FH, but this is truly where I fell in love with blogging. It gave me an outlet while dealing with the loss of my grandmother and I just kept going.

When I started, there weren't nearly as many blogs and it really wasn't looked at as a serious career choice. Fast forward to now and you have people making a living on their blogs and other social media websites. I think it is fascinating. Suddenly, everyday normal people can make a difference, influence others (in positive ways, hopefully), and just be themselves.

Maybe some days I am telling you some of my back story of how I was bullied. Maybe some days I am telling you which red lipstick to buy. Maybe some days I am telling you how to make easy peanut butter cookies. It changes. And I love that. Blogging lets me show different things about me and allow me to keep other areas of my life private. I don't put all of myself out there, but you do get a good dose of who I am.

That's why I stick around and I hope you stick around too. I love sharing on here, but I especially love getting to know you. It's been a wonderful eight years of growth, experiences, and changes- some good and some bad. C'est la vie! Here's to another 8 years? You never know!

InstaMonth for August 2015

August went by quickly and I am so happy about that. September not only means the start of autumn, but also the end of one of my worst summers in a long time. I've been waiting for the September-December time of the year for what feels like ages. I'm ready for pumpkins, boots, changing leaves, and holidays.

This post is to share some of my recent shots on Instagram from last month. But I also want to share a pet peeve of mine that keeps happening. Those accounts that have a lot of followers by using the "follow + wait for follow back = unfollow formula". Not cool, you guys. It's one thing to unfollow someone when they don't follow you back, I like that mutual thing myself. But to get that follow and five minutes later unfollow?

Everyone knows social media is #srsbsns. I mean, come on...but I digress. ;) Let's see how my August played out on my Instagram!

1. Sephora birthday freebie and awesome tote. // 2. My little Indy.

3. National Watermelon Day. // 4. I'm really feeling NARS recently.

5. Dreaming of being rich... //  6. NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Instanbul

7.  New planner. // 8. Planning time is always a favorite.

9. Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. One of the best smells! // 10. Back to basics.

11. August favorites. // 12. Just take all of my money, Ikea.

Annabelle Lipsies in Cherry

I have a thing for red lips right now. There's just something about red that is resonating with me at this moment in time. Not that I'm a red lip hater any other time, I am just not as prone to choose them on a daily basis. But right now? Yessss, give me all of the reds.

I grabbed up this beauty during the Canadian Beauty Bloggers dinner I went to in June (my last hoorah before my broken knee fiasco- womp womp). After every dinner is a swap and I couldn't pass this up when I saw it on the table. I've seen so many fellow bloggers raving about the Lipsies and having not yet tried one, I snatched it up. So thank you to whoever brought this to the swap!

Annabelle Lipsies come in 12 different scents. They do not have to be sharpened, just spin the base for more product. I appreciate the round shape. Makes it relatively easy to apply! I found this to sink a little into my lip lines, but it's not as noticeable in real life. The cherry scent reminds me of a cherry Jolly Rancher. I find the color lasts about 1-2 hours and it still felt moisturizing for an hour longer after that. I think that's pretty acceptable for a lip balm.

If interested in these or other Annabelle products, you can find them in most Canadian drugstores. They also ship to Canadian and US addresses. Right now, they even let you customize your own lip gloss. That sounds fun!