Makeup look - MAC Brave Red and Stila Eyeshadow

Hi beauty lovers! After a rough week, I indulged in some makeup loving therapy this evening. :) Just wanted to share a quick look I did. I was going for a minimal eye and a red lip. This is one of my favourite reds!

I'm wearing Brave Red by MAC on my lips. On MAC's website, it's described as a bright yellow red, and it's a Cremesheen forumla. I love red lipsticks and own quite a few. I find this shade very flattering for my skintone. I don't find it drying, and I find it lasts for hours. I took this pic many hours ago, and it still looks fresh on my lips. You can purchase this lipstick for $18 CAD at MAC, of course. :)

On my eyes I'm wearing Bare and Kitten eyeshadow by Stila and Stila's Smudgestick eyeliner in Damsel. All from the In the Light palette. I wrote a little review on the In the Light palette here. You can purchase this palette from Shopper's Drug Mart or Sephora for $50

On my short, thin lashes, I'm wearing Lancome Cils Booster XL Super Enhancing Base Mascara and Benefit Bad Gal Lash. I also curled them with my Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler. My lashes need all the help they can get, and I find myself really loving the Lancome Base and Bad Gal Lash combo. I'll have to do another post later showing a before and after of my lashes with and without these products. I bought both of these at Shoppers Drug Mart, but you can purchase them online at Sephora.ca. The Lancome Cils Booster XL Super Enhancing Base Mascara (that's a mouthful and a half...lol) is priced at $28, and the Benefit Bad Gal Lash is $26.

On my cheeks I'm wearing Dollymix by MAC. This is a powder blush, and MAC describes it as pure candy pink, sheertone shimmer. I find it lasts a good four hours before I need to touch up. Other blushes last longer on me, but I do love the colour of this! You can purchase it for $24 CAD at MAC.

Thanks so much for reading! :)

Lancome Rouge in Love Lipstick

Just another quick post. :) I wanted to share a lipstick that I fell in love with last week. I bought it during a bad day while I was at Shoppers Drug Mart picking up a prescription. I had been coveting Lancome's Rouge in Love for months! I don't know why I didn't pick one up sooner. I purchased the shade 185N Rouge Valentine for $30. I couldn't find this shade on Sephora's website, but Sears has it. It's a beautiful cool, pinkish-red colour. It feels hydrating upon application and has a lovely lustre to it. But the best thing about this lipstick is that it lasts...and lasts. When it eventually did begin to fade it left a lovely stain that still looked pretty. I definitely want to try more from this line! And then there's Lancome's Baume in Love, their new lipstick line for this spring. Oh, my poor wallet!

Mail Haul - Nars, Smashbox, Real Techniques

Hello beauty lovers! :)

I just wanted to share with you a midweek mail haul. The Real Techniques brushes by Samantha Chapman are wonderful for the price! I’m sure most of you know Samantha from her Pixiwoo vids on YouTube. I love all of her and her sister’s videos, and I love the tiny brushes they use on their faces, and how the brushes seem to blend everything so seamlessly. I just had to get my hands on them!  I purchased the Expert Face Brush. I actually received this brush last week, so I’ve been able to use it several times since. It applies my Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation flawlessly! I always have a tough time finding reasonably priced brushes that won’t streak, and this one is perfect.  I love this brush! It is so dense and soft. My only gripe would be the thick handle which makes it impossible to store with my other brushes. I know it was designed this way to stand upright on your vanity, but I prefer to store my brushes away. 

Here’s the write up from their website:

Ultra firm and broad for application and blending of cream or liquid foundation:

Look pixel-perfect even in harsh light

Ultra-plush, synthetic taklon bristles are hand-cut and
100% cruelty-free
Self-standing for easy storage
Extended aluminum handle is light and easy to use

The brush sells on their website for $9, but they only ship to the US. I bought mine on eBay, and it can also be purchased for $8.99 USD on iherb. I’ve ordered from iherb many times over the last few years, and I’ve always had excellent service!

Yesterday I received the Real Techniques Core Collection brush set. I haven’t tried these brushes yet, but I think I’ll post a review when I do. Included in this set is:

The Contour Brush (delicately applies highlighter to contour or create sheer, soft-focus finish)

The Pointed Foundation Brush (use with liquid foundation to build custom coverage)
The Detailer Brush (precision cut to effortlessly conceal problem areas; or, use with lipstick for long lasting shape and definition)
The Buffing Brush (ideal for full coverage application of powder and mineral foundation)

These are all included in a Panoramic Case:

Dual carrier and stand keeps brushes organized on your counter or on the go.

I’m excited to try these! I bought these on ebay, but again you can get them from iherb for $17.99

USD. They are all very soft, dense (though not as dense as the Expert Face Brush) and small. I like the size of them as I find many brushes are just too large for my face.  

I also received an order from Kiss and Makeup. I got a Nars Blush in Sin and Smashbox Shades of Fame,Reflection High Shine Lip Gloss Set

The Nars Blush in Sin is a beautiful , highly pigmented shade of mauve/plum with some fine shimmer. It’s unlike any other blush I own, so I’m happy to have it in my collection. :) I own many Nars blushes, and I love them all.

The Smashbox Shades of Fame Lip Gloss Set contains 5 glosses in the shades Candy, Buff, Hibiscus, Papaya and Star. I didn’t find these glosses overly sticky, and I haven’t been able to test their longevity yet. I’ll report back when I do. I’m most excited to use Star! I think it will look lovely over a red lipstick.

I purchased the Smashbox gloss set for $29, and the Nars Blush for $26 from  kissandmakeupny.com. Shipping in the US and Canada is free! I didn’t get charged any duty or customs fees, either. Shipping took about 5 business days. I couldn’t be happier, and I would definitely recommend this company!

Here's a few pictures...sorry about the bad quality. It's been very overcast here lately:

 

From left to right, the Expert Face Brush, the Contour Brush, the Pointed Foundation brush, the Detailer Brush and the Buffing Brush

 

 

Nars Blush in Sin, Smashbox Shades of Fame Reflection High Shine Lip Gloss Set, from left to right in, Candy, Buff, Hibiscus, Papaya, Star

 

Here's some swatches of Nars Sin and the Smashbox Lip Glosses in Candy, Buff, Hibiscus, Papaya and Star

 

Thanks so much for reading! :)

January Lip Factory Box - My First!

Hi beauty lovers! I finally received my first lipfactory box today, and I honestly found it mediocre. Lipfactory costs $22 per month. Here's a little write up from their site.  Lip Factory Inc is an exclusive, affordable, makeup subscription service.  We provide the easiest and most economical way to explore the makeup brands that you have always wanted to try. New brands and color palettes are delivered to your door each month.



Included in my box for January was:

Cult Nails Nail Lacquer in Deception
Naked Advanced Skin Cream
Burt's Bees Rejuvenating Lip Balm with Acai Berry
Smashbox Lipgloss in Fame (I think this might be from the Lip Enhancing Line, but it doesn't state so anywhere)
Two Cosmetics Lips Gloss in Sun-kissed
Senna Cosmetics Lipgloss in Sugar Cookie
NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in ECP01 Black/Gray
C158 Angle Liner/Spoolie
E.L.F. Eyebrow Stencil Kit
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel
Dermalogica Sheer Tint spf 20 in Medium
2 Beauty So Clean Cosmetic Sanitizer Wipes

The Cult nail polish went on very sheer. The light will catch a faint pink hue, but overall I'm not impressed with it, and I would have preferred some of the other shades I saw in other blog posts and pictures. I also found it very runny. In the picture, I am wearing three coats.

I found the Naked Cream hydrating and I liked the light texture. I read that some ladies didn't like the scent, but I found it inoffensive, and it smells like many of the unscented creams I own. I really like this cream!

The Burt's Bees Lip Balm was wonderful. It had a sweet smell and was very moisturizing.

The Smashbox Gloss in Fame was probably my favourite item of the group. Not just because of the name, but I liked the shade and the pigmentation. Just a personal preference, I think.

The Two cosmetics lipgloss was quite sheer on me as you can see from my swatch. The gloss was non-sticky and had a nice texture, but I doubt the longevity of it. I know I should't judge it before giving it time, but I have glosses that feel similar and just don't last past one drink.

The Senna Lipgloss was much stickier than the Two lipgloss, but still felt soft. It was also slightly more pigmented. I think I prefer this to the Two lipgloss. But still, can I have something with more pigment please? This just isn't my style. I prefer a bold lip or a bright, pretty colour to something so neutral.

Unfortunatley, I won't ever use the NYX eyebrow powder. It's in a black/gray shade. My brows are pretty dark. I'd say they are close to black. But actually using a black powder on them seems way too bold. I think I'm happy with my Smashbox brow powder, in brown. It did however come with the most adorable little spoolie I've ever seen. :)

The double ended brush/spoolie is kind of cute. I will probably try this out, but I'm not a huge fan of double ended brushes. I probably would have preferred just a liner brush. Sorry I'm so picky. :)

I've actually tried the ELF brown stencil kit a couple years ago, and I wasn't impressed. I found the stencils far too thick for my face. They are quite large! I think I'll pass these on to someone with a larger face.

I haven't tried the Dermalogica Cleansing gel.

The Dermalogica Tinted Moisturizer is lovely. The shade fits me well, and I found it light and moisturizing. It has a scent that I didn't mind. I would definitely consider purchasing this in a full sized product.

I haven't tried the Sanitizer Wipes. The packages say they are to be used to wipe clean cosmetic products, like lipsticks, gloss, cosmetic pencils etc. I may or may not try these. I'll report back if I do.

Overall, I wasn't overly impressed with my box this month. I did however love the Smashbox gloss, the Naked cream and the Burt's Bees Lip Balm. I would have been a lot happier had my nail polish been a different shade and the glosses, more pigmented. I look forward to being happier with next month's box. :)

Her'es the Cult Nail Polish in Deception:

Here's a picture of the the three Lipglosses. Smashbox Fame, Two Sun-kissed and Senna Sugar Cookie:

 

Thanks so much for reading! :)

My Favourite Hand Creams

Hello everyone! I thought this cold blizzardy day (in the GTA) would be an appropriate day to post a little blog on hand creams. My hands get extremely dry in the winter. They crack and also develop small itchy red bumps that are embarrassing, so I always do my best to keep my hands as moisturized as possible.  I also make sure to drink a ton of water in the winter, but that alone doesn’t seem to cut it. I thought I’d share with you my favourite hand creams in case you also suffer from dry hands and are looking to try something new:

 

Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream  -  I fell in love with this hand cream after receiving a sample from SDM sometime in the fall. At the time, it was perfect for me! It has a nice texture and leaves behind absolutely zero residue. I mean zero! It seems to absorb instantly and your hands are immediately very soft. I purchased it this winter and I noticed that I was reapplying far too often. I started questioning whether it wasn’t making my hands more dry! I’ll definitely be trying this again in the spring! Apparently there is some ingredient in it that helps make your nails grow long and thick if used consistently. Lord knows, I definitely need help there! This 100ml tube retails for $33 at Shoppers Drug Mart and Sephora.

Avene Trixera Selectiose Emollient Balm  – This cream is definitely my HG this winter. I purchased this on a whim from leguidesante.com for $13.69 USD, though they seem to raise their prices often. I bought it thinking that someone in my home would be able to use it on their face this winter, and then I read a review suggesting to use it on your hands. It has literally saved my skin! I apply morning and night, and my hands are so soft. No rough spots or itchy red bumps. Even this past week when we’ve had temps almost reaching minus 30 Celsius. I’m pretty amazed! It’s quite a thick cream and almost has the texture and smell of Elmer’s glue. If you can get past that, I’d definitely recommend this to anyone that suffers from dry hands. Amazing stuff! It comes in a large 200ml tube, and it retails for I believe $28 at Shoppers Drug Mart. Like I mentioned, you can also purchase this online from leguidesante.com, but be warned that shipping is very hefty from that site. I like to make big orders with tons of products so that shipping is worth it.

Avene Cicalfate Repair Cream  –  I also purchased this cream from leguidesante.com for $7.78 USD. The price has raised slightly since then. The texture of this cream almost feels like diaper rash ointment. You know that Penaten stuff? Yeah, like that. Less thick though. It works great at helping heal eczema, dermatitis, and I even dab it on pimples to help them clear up. Good stuff! I use it more as a spot treatment though. This comes in a 40ml tube and is $20 at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Shikai Borage Dry Skin Therapy Hand Cream – This was my favourite hand cream for years before discovering the Avene Trixera.  Here’s a little blurb from Skikai’s website about Borage:  Borage oil, extracted from the seeds of the borage plant, is a natural source of gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA), an important OMEGA-6 fatty acid which is required for healthy skin cell membranes. Without sufficient GLA, cells can't retain enough moisture. This can result in dry skin and other chronic skin problems.Borage oil penetrates deep, delivering GLA and its benefits directly to the cells. As a result, skin retains more moisture and is healthier. I love this cream! It does keep hands soft, and for years it helped keep my itchy red bumps away.  Then it stopped working. It still moisturized just fine, but wasn’t keeping me from getting eczema on my hands. I’ve read so many great reviews on this cream, and I know it’s one of the best out there. It’s cheaper than the other creams, so I’d definitely give it a try if you suffer from dry hands. It comes in a 73 ml tube and I believe I got my last one from Whole Foods in the US.  I’m pretty sure you can buy it from the Superstore, and they have it at well.ca  for 10.99.

Glysomed Hand Cream, fragrance free – Okay, who hasn’t tried this. It’s dirt cheap, in every store and works! What more can you ask for! This one isn’t enough for me during our cold winter’s, but for the rest of the year, I’m more than happy with it. I don’t have too much more to say about this, but I’m sure you’ve read or heard enough about it. If you haven’t tried, pick it up. Well.ca sells it for $3.69 for a 50ml tube. I’m sure it’s about the same price at your local Superstore or Walmart.

I should also mention that only two of these creams have a scent;  the faint smell of glue from the Avene Trixera, and the Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream has a distinct and strong smell. I don’t mind it, but maybe you would.

If you read all of this, you’re awesome! lol Thanks for stopping by. :)

Wet N Wild Color Icon - Comfort Zone

Hi ladies and beauty lovers! I just wanted to do a quick review and show a few pics of the Wet N Wild Color Icon Palette in 738 Comfort Zone. You've probably seen this already, but I thought I'd share this for anyone who hasn't. :) The palette contains 8 highly pigmented, shimmer shades. The shadow on the bottom right (Definer) is a beautiful duo-chrome shade that is apparently a dupe for MAC's Club eyeshadow. I haven't tried this myself, but have seen swatches and they do look similar.

There was no fallout for me when applying, and I find these long lasting with a primer. The shadows are very soft, and I'm pretty pleased! I don't usually go for quite so much shimmer, and I have enough in all my UD palettes, but I couldn't resist the great reviews and amazing price tag. I purchaed this for $3.99 at the Superstore.

Sorry for my crazy eyebrows. :) My daughter just told me I need to get them threaded again...lol.

 

Here I've just used the Green Eyelid shade, second from top on the right side, and the Browbone shade on the top left.

 

 

The first four swatches are from the left side of the palette, top to bottom. The last four are from the right side, top to bottom.

P.S. that is my arm, not my leg. Not sure why it looks like a leg.

Thanks for reading!

 

Tarte Amazon Escape, Amazonian Clay Eye & Cheek palette

Hi everyone! Just wanted to do a quick review of a palette I recently purchased. It’s the Tarte Amazon Escape, Amazonian Clay Eye & Cheek palette. The palette is in a clutch type case which is quite heavy, and contains a large mirror. It contains six eyeshadows and two blushes.  Two of the shadows have a matte finish, and the other four are shimmer. The coral shade blush has a slight shimmer to it, and the nude blush is matte. All shades are soft, beautiful and versatile. I also find they hold up really well and do not crease on my oily lids. I can’t wait to try these in the summer and really test them! :)

Also included is a double-sided look card which contains a daytime look and a nighttime look tutorial.

 

 

 

Here’s what the product description on Sephora reads:

What it is:
A stylish mirrored clutch featuring eye and cheek essentials formulated with Tarte’s biggest beauty breakthrough: Amazonian clay.

What it does:
So pretty you’ll want to take it out of your purse for frequent touch-ups, this faux-snakeskin adorned palette contains six Amazonian clay eye shadows that deliver the perfect amount of creamy matte perfection or subtle shimmer. Also inside are two Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blushes in one original, bestselling shade and one new shade. Amazonian clay works to nourish lids, reduce surface oil, and improve overall texture for easy application and better wear.

 

You can purchase this palette on Sephora.ca for $57.00 CAD.

Thanks for reading! :)

Introduction and Stila palettes

Hello, everyone! Welcome to my blog which I've been meaning to start for ages. :) Much love and thanks to my sister Therese for enouraging me (that's the word I was looking for on the phone...hehe). I wanted to create this blog to share all my beauty purchases, as well as product reviews and anything beauty related! I'm in Canada and like many beauty addicts, I'm completely obsessed with Shoppers Drug Mart and their Optimum program. With that being said, there is a 20x the points day tomorrow; if you spend more than $50 and use the printable coupon found here: http://images.email.shoppersoptimum.ca/templates/2013/01_Jan/20x_Jan20_Coupon/SE.pdf?Category=Optimum

To kick this blog off, I'd like to share two of my newest and favourite palettes! Stila "In the Know" (the blue one) palette and Stila "In the Light" (the pink one). Both of these palettes contain ten shades and include a smudge stick waterproof eyeliner. The back of the boxes states, "Stila's award-winning eye shadows in 10 stunning shades that can be worn wet or dry."

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 Both palettes also come with a lookbook featuring six looks. I find the eyeshadows have great staying power and are nicely pigmented. "In the Know" contains all matte finishes, which I love and am always looking for in a palette. The smudge stick waterproof eye-liner included is in the shade Halfmoon, which is a dark gray. "In the Light" contains five matte shades and five shimmer, as well as a smudge stick waterproof eye-liner in Damsel; a dark brown - almost black colour. While I don't find these liners waterproof, I do find the staying power good; though I always use an eyelid primer before putting anything on my oily lids.

You can find these palettes at Shoppers Drug Mart as well as Sephora, and I believe they are $50 each.

Thanks for reading! :)

- Steph