By Rae Chen, Canada, Global Expert

Rae, the easily-distracted Canadian blogger behind theNotice: a beauty blog, is neither the brains nor the beauty of the operation. (The subjective existence of either has yet to be determined – we’ll get back to you on that one.)

She is, however, a rather relentless makeup junkie with a camera, a lack of a filter, and a writing style that’s rather more snark than sycophant.

A Few Canadian Beauty Product Must-Haves

When I think “Canadian products,” my mind goes promptly to Annabelle and Marcelle, gets stuck in a rut, and refuses to move on. It’s probably the result of some sort of secret frontal lobe damage, but I’m just going to pretend it’s because they really are stellar lines. (Which they are – but I’m long overdue to check out more Canadian products! This is clearly ample justification for a trip to Shopper’s.)

Must-haves for… Lips

If you’re a gloss girl, you have to check out Annabelle’s. They do three different formulas (Le Gloss, Le Gloss Star, and Volumelip), and honestly, all three are worth checking out. Basically: they’re scent- and flavour-free, ridiculously shiny, less than $9 apiece, and non-sticky. I’d love them even if they weren’t Canadian drugstore products!

My other lip love at the moment are Marcelle’s cream-finish Rouge Vitality lipsticks, which pack a ridiculous amount of pigment, a buttery, moisturizing finish, and scent-free, paraben-free formula. Most of the shades wear best on neutral-warm skintones, but the brights would make a gorgeous statement lip on just about anyone! (They’re really lovely on the cheeks, too – I tend to use mine as 3-in-1 lipsticks, lipstains, and cream blushers.)

Must-haves for… Eyes

Marcelle’s Waterproof Eyeliners are often compared to Urban Decay’s 24/7 Eyeliners, and while I can see the similarities… for me, these ones come out on top, every time. The formula’s more solid, so it’s easier to create a sharp line – and, unlike with the Urban Decay pencils, I can get all-day wear with absolutely no transfer or smudging. (They don’t apply well to the waterline, but that’s a price I’m willing to pay!)

I’m head over heels for Marcelle’s Lux Liquid Eyeliners, too, in both the Diamond and Metallic formulas. I adore the Diamond ones, but they really are just your traditional glitter liner – the silver one’s an exact dupe of Annabelle Plutonium (a Glitterama liner), but in better packaging The Lux Metallic liners, however, are something I’ve never seen before. Instead of chunks of glitter, they deliver a gorgeous, liquid-metal sheen – not quite opaque on their own (not in one pass, at least), but absolutely stunning when layered.

The Quick List

Lips: Annabelle Le Gloss Lip Shine ($8.95  CDN) Annabelle Le Gloss Star Lip Shine ($8.95 CDN), Annabelle Volumelip Plumping Gloss ($8.50 CDN), and Marcelle Rouge Xpression Lipsticks ($11.95 CDN).

All four formulas are scent-free, but the Volumelip and Rouge Xpression lines are paraben-free, as well. I’m particularly fond of Annabelle’s Flash Dance (a shimmery medium-rose Le Gloss Star) and Cherryoké (a bright, sheer cherry red Volumelip), and find myself reaching for Amour, Cleopatra, and Paris Rose a lot (the three Rouge Xpressions in these photographs – a semi-matte true red, a bold violet-fuchsia, and an intense pinked-coral, respectively.)

Eyes: Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliners ($10.50 CDN), Marcelle Lux Diamond Liquid Eyeliners ($11.95 CDN), and Marcelle Lux Metallic Liquid Eyeliners ($11.95 CDN).

These ones are all paraben-free, too, and they’re quite gentle on the eyes. My favourite Waterproof Eyeliner shade is probably Indigo (a rich, shimmery navy blue), and I get a lot of wear out of the Pure Gold Lux Diamond eyeliner. (They look amazing together, actually – I’ll do a small kitten flick with former, then outline it with the latter). Jade is probably my favourite Lux Metallic shade, but honestly, they’re all knockouts!

See more photos & swatches!

Annabelle Glosses in Bitten, Flash Dance, Coralicious

Marcelle Eyeliners in Metal Green + Jade, Metal Green, Indigo + Pure Gold, Indigo; Pure Gold, Jade

Marcelle Rouge Xpression in Amour, Cleopatra, Paris Rose

Marcelle Rouge Xpression (Stains) in Amour, Cleopatra, Paris Rose