• Review | Revlon Mega Multiplier Mascara

    Hi Everyone!

    I received a complimentary VoxBox from Influenster Canada with the Revlon Mega Multiplier Mascara in Blackened Brown (803)!

    I prefer using the darkest shade of mascara that they offer. So I would get the black or blackest black mascara from this line. A few times when I looked in the mirror, it almost looked like I had powder on my lashes or in certain lighting, my lashes looked gray because the blackened brown shade is too light for me. This is my first time using a Revlon mascara, but right away I liked the fact that it wasn’t a silicone brush and I liked the shapes of the mascara tube and the brush.

    The mascara tube is sort of almond shaped, so it’s easy to open (unlike the round ones which can be hard to grip). The top part with the wand is shiny while the bottom part is a matte black and feels a bit textured.

    My lashes look natural and there are no clumps. I like slightly tapered brushes that aren’t silicone for my top lashes. This is a great brush and I would definitely keep it to apply other mascaras. Since this is a (fiber) mascara that coats your lashes with tubes, I can definitely feel that there is something on my lashes.

    I prefer non-fiber mascaras for my everyday makeup look, but the fiber ones are good for some extra oomph for a night out.

    Are the claims true? Let’s see!

    Flake-free? I ran my finger along my lashes and no flakes or residue on my finger! (It does flake if you rub your eye, but if unprovoked, it shouldn’t flake just from blinking)

    Smudge-proof? I rubbed my eye and nothing smudged, although a few fiber flakes came off on my finger.

    Water Resistant? It doesn’t claim to be waterproof, but if you get caught outside when it starts raining lightly, you should be okay. As long as it’s dry, it won’t smudge if you use a setting spray. I splashed some cold water on my face and squeezed my eyes shut to see if any mascara would come off, it didn’t smudge. I splashed some more on my face and this time it smudged a bit, but easily came off with a qtip.

    Removes easily with warm water? No eye makeup remover needed! Using warm water, it came off with little effort and unlike other mascaras, I didn’t get raccoon eyes trying to wash it off. I would avoid hot tubs or anywhere with steam.

    Plump and extend lashes for mega volume and extreme length? My lashes aren’t very long to begin with, but I can definitely tell that this mascara has added length and volume. Would I say MEGA volume and EXTREME length? No, but it’s definitely noticeable (the only way I will have long enough lashes to be noticeable in pics is if I wear false lashes).

    RATING: 5/5

    I give it a perfect score because it’s easy to take off and I love the brush. I just need to buy the darkest shade and I will love it even more!

    Thoughts: I really like this mascara! I like that it doesn’t flake and that you don’t need to use makeup remover to get it all off (I hate when I thought I took off all of my mascara and then after a shower, I find that I have raccoon eyes!)

    I always like to have a mix of high-end and drugstore products. I prefer to spend more on the skincare products like primers, moisturizers, toners, foundations and concealers. Since mascara can dry out fairly quickly and you’re not supposed to keep them for too long, I prefer to buy drugstore brands for mascaras. I tend to like drugstore brand mascara more anyways and this way I can buy a few for the same price as one designer brand. I only have high end mascaras because they were deluxe samples or a birthday present. Two of my favourite mascara brands are Maybelline and L’Oreal and it looks like I’ve just added Revlon to the mix!

    What are your fave brands of mascara? Do you prefer high-end or drugstore brand mascaras?

    Thanks to Influenster Canada for sending me this Revlon VoxBox!

    Have a great weekend!

    Love,

    jen

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  • Using a Silicone Sponge to Apply Face Masks

    Hi Everyone!

    In the past year, I started using a flat foundation brush to apply my face masks. Before then, I always used to use my hands, which wasted a lot of product. Also, if your face mask comes in a pot, it’s less hygienic to stick your fingers in the pot to scoop some up (most of my face masks come in tubes anyway though). Using a brush is better in multiple ways because you use less product, it’s more hygienic and it applies the mask more evenly. The only drawback is that I find it hard to clean the brush after, especially if it was a clay face mask, it takes a bit more effort to make sure the bristles are all clean on the inside.

    A few months back, I bought a set of 2 silicone sponges from Amazon after seeing a lot of reviews about them to apply foundation. So I thought I’d try them out, but I like beauty blenders/sponges and brushes better than the silicone sponge. I found that silisponges don’t blend as nicely as a beauty sponge or brush. So, I thought, great, now I have two that I probably won’t use, but then I had an epiphany! The silisponge would be good for applying face masks because it will apply a nice even layer and it will be super easy to clean after! I just tried it with my L’Oreal Exfoliate & Refining Red Algae Clay Mask and it’s 100 times easier to clean than a foundation brush.

    Have you tried silisponges? Do you like using them to apply foundation?

    Love,

    jen

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  • Taco Fest Toronto 2017

    Hi Everyone!

    I hope you’re having a nice weekend and Happy Father’s Day! Yesterday, I went to Taco Fest Toronto (located at Ontario Place) with my friends.  Here are my thoughts on going to food festivals and the food:

    Food Festivals

    First of all, I think food festivals are a nice thing to try with friends, but it’s quite expensive because you have to pay to get in ($10 for a ticket). You choose a 2-hour window when you have to enter, and you can stay as long as you want once you’re in. Once you leave, you can’t go back in. You pay for food and drink tickets once you’ve passed security and check-in. Plus, if you add the subway and streetcar rides to get there and back, that’s another $6 (if you’re using tokens, $6.50 for cash). So, you’ve already paid almost $20 just to get in the festival and to make it worth it, you buy a few strips of tickets to try at least 3 or 4 tacos and a drink. I paid $30 for 15 tickets and most of the tacos that appealed to me were obviously the tacos that were worth 3 or 4 tickets (so I got a booze popsicle, 4 tacos and a bottle of water for 15 tickets). The one good thing about food festivals is that the vendors are all in one spot so you can try them all and know which ones you would go visit their restaurant or food truck.

    It was a fun experience with delicious food, but I probably wouldn’t go to another food fest. I think you could easily have a mini food fest with your friends by finding restaurants that are in close proximity and sharing a meal from several restaurants.

    The Tacos

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    Sav

    There were 24 vendors at the Taco Fest (2 popsicle/slushie drink stands, 2 dessert stands, 1 corn on the cob stand and the rest were taco vendors). Amongst the three of us, we tried 12 different vendors. The servings were pretty good (especially the Mexican Poutine, they sold out at around 5pm, I don’t know if they restocked for the evening crowd). Despite the good portions, it was still quite expensive to pay the equivalent of about $4-6 for one taco.

    What I tried:

    Avocado Tempura Taco from The Food Dudes

    Avocado Tempura Taco from The Food Dudes – creamy poblano sauce, grilled corn salsa, pickled cabbage, hot sauce, cilantro (I asked for no hot sauce because I can’t handle too spicy. I’m sure the hot sauce gives it extra flavour, but it was delicious even without it) 

    Watermelon Margarita Boozy Pop from Chill Pops

    Fish Taco from Buster’s Sea Cove

    Fish Taco from Buster’s Sea Cove – fish, roja, creamy coleslaw, pico de gallo, and sour cream on a corn tortilla shell

    Beef Short Ribs Taco from Playa Cabana

    Beef Short Ribs Taco from Playa Cabana – Ontario beef shortrib braised in ancho chiles wrapped in fresh corn tortillas. Served with pico de gallo, guac and homemade crema

    Carolina Fried Chicken Taco (rated #1 in 2016) from Fidel Gastro’s – Carolina BBQ sauce, corn and tomato salsa, fried chicken

    I can honestly say that I would get all four tacos again. It’s hard to choose a fave but I think I liked the beef short ribs the best (I love my beef/steak). The battered fish from Buster’s Sea Cove was good, but there wasn’t a lot of toppings. The fried chicken from Fidel Gastro’s was yummy and the Avocado Tempura taco would be a good vegetarian choice.

    My friends tried other things:

    Bulgogi Ground Beef Taco from The Food Dudes

    Bulgogi Ground Beef Taco from The Food Dudes- FD cheese sauce, kimchi spicy slaw, cilantro, mint, scallions, taro crisps

    Mexican Poutine from Heirloom

    Mexican Poutine from Heirloom– crispy potato, local cheese curds, pickled jalapeno, chipotle and lime aioli and cilantro

    Lobster Taco from Buster’s Sea Cove

    Lobster Taco from Buster’s Sea Cove – chunks of lobster claw and tail, coleslaw, pico de gallo, chipotle mayo, and roja on a corn tortilla shell

    Tuna Sashimi Taco from Frida Restaurant & Bar

    Tuna Sashimi Taco from Frida Restaurant & Bar – fresh raw tuna, pineapple, and white cabbage with chipotle mayo

    Shrimp Ceviche Taco from Little Fin

    Shrimp Ceviche Taco from Little Fin – citrus-y Wild Northern Pink Shrimp, avocado, tomato, and srirach a-lime aioli

    Banh Mi Chorizo Taco from Los Vietnamita

    Banh Mi Chorizo Taco from Los Vietnamita – spicy chorizo sausage sauteed with green peas and spices, served in a soft flaky taco shell layered with lettuce, cucumbers, scallion verde, pico de gallo, and pickled carrots and daikon- spiked in-between with our famous ancho chipotle sauce

    Pollo (Chicken) Taco from Taco.TO (not pictured, forgot to take a pic)- homemade corn tortilla filled with shredded chicken topped with fresh vegetables, salsa and homemade taco sauce. Garnish: cilantro and lim

    Yummy Mango Lassi from Kathi Roll Express- mango and yogurt smoothie

    Mango Lime Ice Pop from The Pop Stand

    Both of my friends liked the lobster roll and would get it again. A favourite was the Bulgogi Ground Beef Taco from The Food Dudes. Both of them have gone to a few food fests: Brunch Fest and Mac & Cheese Fest. They both liked the taco fest.

    We didn’t get any of the desserts (they had funnel cake and ice cream) or corn on the cob because you can get those at any fair .

    Where do you get your tacos and what are your faves?

    Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

    Love,

    jen