December 2017

This or That | iBeauty Oval Brushes vs. Simple Glam Girls Lush Rose Gold Oval Brushes

December 29, 2017

Hi Everyone!

Today, I will be comparing two different brands of oval brushes: Simple Glam Girls and iBeauty (that I bought from Winners). Oval brushes are the brushes that resemble toothbrushes, made popular by the Artis brushes. I’ve never tried an Artis brush so I can’t compare the quality of the Simple Glam Girls and iBeauty brushes.

I’m going to start by saying that I prefer damp beauty sponges to apply my foundation and concealer, even though sponges absorb a lot more product than a brush. Comparing oval brushes to regular brushes, I feel like it’s harder to clean them because the bristles are packed so tightly.

Lush Rose Gold Oval Brushes (set of 10)

10 high-quality oval shaped brushes made with grade “A” synthetic nylon hair.

Contoured oval shaped brushes with different sizes allow you to blend makeup onto any part of your face effortlessly.

Rose gold neck handle & a firm & anti-slip holder for that extra hold when applying makeup

iBeauty Oval Makeup Brushes (set of 3)

Very easy and comfortable to use for putting on your daily makeup

Used for: contour/setting powder, contour/blush, & concealer

Gives a flawless air-brushed finish of all types of skin makeup formulas

I have 3 brushes that are similar to the ones in the link, but they are slightly different (same sizes though). Even though it says it can be used for setting powder, I wouldn’t use an oval brush to set my makeup because it would blend out all the foundation and concealer I just applied. A fluffy brush is best to set your face.

Both sets of brushes are very soft. The Simple Glam Girls brushes are packed more tightly than the iBeauty ones and therefore less streaky. You can tell from the picture above, the top brush is the iBeauty one and the bottom is Simple Glam Girls.

For the swatches, I used liquid foundation and a powder bronzer, the top swatches are the iBeauty oval brushes and the bottom ones are Simple Glam Girls brushes. The liquid foundation swatches look similar (although the iBeauty brushe absorbed a lot more of the liquid). For the powder bronzer swatches, you can tell the top swatch is a bit more patchy and uneven. The smallest oval brush in the iBeauty set is a bit thicker than the Simple Glam Girls brush so it gave a thicker swatch.

Since the iBeauty ones aren’t packed as tightly, it absorbs more of the liquid foundation and when you clean the brushes, it takes longer to clean them. When I run my finger along the brushes when they’re wet from cleaning, the Simple Glam Girls brushes’ bristles spring back into place, whereas the iBeauty brushes’ bristles clump together. The neck of the brushes is also sturdier on Simple Glam Girls brushes. The iBeauty ones, the neck of the brushes bends really easily. The oval brushes are so soft, I can’t wait to try the Unicorn or Perfect 10 brushes from Simple Glam Girls.

WINNER: Simple Glam Girls Lush Rose Gold Oval Brushes

The iBeauty brushes do a decent enough job, I think they are better with powdered products (like for contouring) since it absorbs so much liquid.

Have you tried oval brushes? What are your thoughts?

Love,

*I received the Simple Glam Girls brushes for free (just paid shipping) as part of their ambassador program, but I was not paid to write a review of any sort nor do I receive any commission if you use the discount code.

Read More
Review | The Face Shop Clean Face Clear Away Spot Treatment

December 28, 2017

Hi Everyone!

If you have acne-prone skin like I do, you probably know about Kate Somerville’s EradiKate Acne Spot Treatment and Mario Badescu’s Drying Lotion. Last year, I bought The Face Shop’s Clean Face Clear Away Spot Treatment thinking it was a dupe, but it contains different ingredients. The EradiKate and Drying Lotion contain sulfur, whereas the Clean Face Clear Away Spot contains salicylic acid and tea tree extract.

It works in the same way as the Drying Lotion and EradiKate, you use a q-tip to pick up the sediment at the bottom and dab it onto your problem areas. Because it doesn’t have sulfur, the smell isn’t nearly as strong, it smells more like rubbing alcohol and tea tree oil.

I bought the acne treatment for $17 CAD for 18 mL (at the time of purchase last year, price may have gone up).

A special care product that instantly soothes and controls breakouts

Contains Tea Tree Extract that soothes the acne and purify the skin, and Salicylic Acid that removes dead skin cells effectively

Provides soothing effects and controls the excessive sebum production with Calamine Powder

Prevents inflammation, pigmentation, and anti-aging concerns such as wrinkles and dehydration

To compare, I have the EradiKate (I’ve never used the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion). I have acne-prone and sensitive skin, so my skin gets very dry from products that contain ingredients like benzoyl peroxide.

I wouldn’t suggest using this overnight because after a few minutes, it hardens and gets very flaky. If your face makes the slightest movement, it will start to flake off.

RATING: 4/5

Obviously it doesn’t work as well as the EradiKate, but if you’re looking for something gentler than the EradiKate or Drying Lotion, this is a great alternative because of the salicylic acid.

What acne treatments do you use?

Love,

Read More
Dupe It Out | L’Oréal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara vs. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

December 19, 2017

Hi Everyone!

Today, I’m comparing two best-selling mascaras: Too Faced Better Than Sex and L’Oréal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara. Better Than Sex retails for twice as much as the Lash Paradise. I wanted to write this review before the Better Than Sex mascara dried out. I think out of all mascaras I’ve owned, the Better Than Sex mascara is the quickest to dry out. Continue reading to find out which one I named the winner!

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara – I’ve tried this several times and I just don’t love it. It dries out too quickly and I prefer cone-shaped wands.

Experience a Mascara so amazing… It’s Better Than Sex! This unique collagen-fueled formula thickens, lengths, and curls after just one coat. Swipe on 3 coats for the most luscious, dramatic, volumized lashes possible!

L’Oréal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara – This was a bit pricey for a L’Oréal mascara. Similar to the Better Than Sex, I just don’t like the wand.

Take your lashes to paradise! Our 1st mascara for voluptuous volume & length. Soft wavy bristle brush holds maximum formula for a dramatic volumizing charge. 200+ bristles catch every lash for a full fringe effect. Smooth glide formula provides silky volume in one coat. Lashes are feathery soft to the touch.

I’m going to start off by saying that I try not to pay more than $15 for mascara because I don’t want to spend that much on mascara when I’m going to be throwing it out in a few months (because three months is when you should throw out your mascara). I’d rather save on mascara and splurge on products for my base (foundation, primer, etc.). The high end mascaras that I do own are travel-sized ones that I got as rewards or in a kit.

Too Faced Better Than Sex (top), L’Oréal Lash Paradise (bottom)

I think the Better Than Sex mascara has dried out a bit and there’s not as much mascara on the brush, whereas the Lash Paradise brush doesn’t look as hourglass-shaped because there is more mascara on the brush (I didn’t wipe off either brush to show you what they look like straight from the tube. When I applied them to test the two, I did have to wipe off some excess from the Lash Paradise.

The first time I got the Too Faced mascara, I think it was dried out. It went on clumpy and my lashes weren’t curled. I prefer a tapered wand, the brushes on these two mascaras are hourglass-shaped. I wanted to see how smudge-proof the mascaras were, so I rubbed my finger across my lashes. The Better Than Sex mascara flaked onto my hand while the Lash Paradise didn’t. Both versions of mascara that I have are not waterproof, I just wanted to see how well they would do if I were to get caught in some rain. I sprayed my face with some face mist and blinked a few times, both mascaras smudged.

I wouldn’t say either of these mascaras are on my top ten list, but if I had to choose a winner, it would be the Lash Paradise. When I tried the mascaras (one on each eye), the Lash Paradise held the curl of my lashes better. I do love L’Oréal mascara though, the Voluminous Original was one of the first mascaras I tried and I still love it. See my Best of 2017 post to see which four mascaras I liked best this year! I chose two high end ones and two drug store ones (one retails for $5.49).

WINNER: L’Oréal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara

What are your fave mascaras? Are the Too Faced Better Than Sex and the L’Oréal Voluminous Lash Paradise on your top ten?

Love,

Read More
This or That | Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primer vs. Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primer (Redness Correcting)

December 18, 2017

Hi Everyone!

Today, I’m comparing two high end colour correcting primers: Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primer- Adjust and Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primer- Redness Correcting Primer.

I own the travel-sized Smashbox primer, but used the 1 oz price to compare it to the Make Up For Ever primer.

Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primer- Adjust

Look less red! This green-toned primer color-corrects redness, blurs pores, evens skin tone & reduces the appearance of fine lines.

Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primer- Redness Correcting Primer

REDNESS CORRECTING PRIMER instantly neutralizes and evens out red tones for flawless foundation coverage. Green Spectraflex® pigments color correct redness and boost radiance while moisturizing agents provide hydration. Skin tone is evened out for a flawless makeup all day long.

The Smashbox primer didn’t reduce any redness, when you blend it into your skin. It’s like they added a green tint to their silicone photo finish primer that blurs pores. The green sort of just moves around and doesn’t blend in as well.

The Make Up For Ever primer has the consistency of a moisturizer/serum and when you blend it into your skin, it actually neutralizes redness. Although if you constantly have to cover up redness, I suggest investing in a colour correcting concealer instead of a primer.

WINNER: Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primer- Redness Correcting Primer

If you’re looking at which primer actually conceals redness, Make Up For Ever is the winner. If you prefer Smashbox Primers, I would just buy the Photo Finish one and then use a colour correcting concealer on top of it because when I was blending the swatches on my hand, I was just moving green chunks around on my hand.

I get red on and around my nose and chin, and sometimes the Make Up For Ever primer doesn’t cover it. I think if you get very mild redness, then the primer is okay, but if you constantly need to cover up redness, I think it’s best to invest in a colour correcting concealer and just get a regular face primer. I absolutely love the two other Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primers that I’ve tried: smoothing (For Large Pores & Fine Lines) and hydrating (Universal formula for normal skin with occasional dryness). They have a light scent to them, like a nice perfume. Make Up For Ever has four natural finish primers: hydrating, redness correcting, nourishing and smoothing. They also sell a mattifying one and radiant finish colour correcting primers (blue, pink, yellow, peach, caramel and mauve).

Some recommendations for a colour correcting concealer: Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid and the NYX HD Photogenic Concealer Wand- Green. The Urban Decay and NYX ones are similar, the NYX one is a dupe for the Urban Decay one in terms of the type of product, but the shades of green are very different and the NYX one is thicker. Even from my swatches below, you can see that the NYX one has absorbed into my skin a bit and the Urban Decay one is more liquid.

NYX HD Photogenic Concealer Wand- Green

Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid

What are your fave colour correcting products?

Love,

Read More
Best of 2017 | 14 Day Beauty Challenge

December 14, 2017

Hi Everyone!

I was tagged on Instagram by the lovely, @rubiredlipstick to join her and @crystalsmakeup for their Best of 2017 Challenge. #challengesbyjandc

Sometimes my IG posts aren’t daily and it’s too much commitment to do 30 day challenges, but I decided to join them for this one since it’s a two week one and the list of items to feature are fairly easy for me to come up with. I do have trouble choosing favourites so there may be multiple items for each day. Here’s the list of products to do each day, I know two days have past already, but join us for the remainder of the challenge!

So, let’s get started, I’ve already posted a few days and will update this post until the last day of the challenge.

Day 1 • Primers // I chose four primers because they all do different things. Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer Primers smell amazing and I love the hydrating and smoothing ones. I also chose Smashbox’s Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer and Essence’s I 🖤 Colour Intensifying Eyeshadow Base. The Smashbox helps brighten under eyes and the Essence makes my shadow colours even more vibrant and it’s less than $6.

Day 2 • Foundation // I did a feature friday on this, but I love this Lancome foundation. For days when I need more coverage than a BB cream, but don’t want a full coverage foundation, I use the Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation in 025 Beige Naturel. It’s a buildable coverage and doesn’t feel like I’m wearing makeup. It doesn’t get cakey either because it’s so light.

Day 3 • Setting Powder/Spray // I just tried out the Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray. I was using a cream shadow and usually after a few hours it’s creased or smudged, but it held up for the day and the rest of my makeup still looked intact. Some parts were a bit smudged, but it was just because I was a bit tired and touched my face. As a setting powder, I’ve actually been using Cake Beauty’s Everything Powder and the powder is so fine that it sets my liquid foundation and concealer without settling in the lines. I am still a bit inexperienced with setting powder and have a few samples that I haven’t put to the test yet, but so far the Everything Powder is doing well to keep my face shine-free. It’s talc-free and has a light sweet scent.

Day 4 • Brow product // My brows are dark to begin with so I just need something to fill in the gaps. The NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Black is great because the tip is really small so the strokes look like hair. I love that it’s not waxy either. The Benefit Gimme Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel in 05 Deep is a great tint for those that need some colour…even my grandma uses it!

Day 5 • Mascara // It’s hard to choose just one…so I chose 4: 2 drugstore and 2 high end ones.

1) I love the Buxom Lash Mascara because it still makes my lashes look and feel natural.

2) The Essence Volume Stylist 18hr Lash Extension Mascara can curl my super straight lashes without using a curler.

3) I love the Revlon Mega Multiplier Mascara (read my review) because it can easily be removed with warm water and doesn’t give me panda eyes. *I received it in an Influenster VoxBox, but I will definitely be purchasing it with my own money.

4) And last but not least, I love the wand of the Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara.

Day 6 • Eyeshadow palette // I don’t own any full-sized high end eyeshadow palettes because I just can’t decide which one I want to actually purchase…there’s so many that I love! Most of the eyeshadows I own are singles and from the drugstore. I really love the Winterberry Palette from Coastal Scents and I love how pigmented and buttery the shades are. Check out my review here. I also really like the Bite-Sized version of the Too Faced Chocolate Bar. There are three eyeshadow shades plus the Chocolate Soleil Bronzer in the palette: Champagne Truffle, Salted Caramel and Semi-Sweet. All of the shades in the full-sized Chocolate Bar palette are really pretty so I’d consider getting that one.

Day 7 • Blush // Both of these are beautiful blushes that blend well and give the perfect pop of colour to my cheeks. The Smashbox Soft Lights Duo in Passion/Shimmer and the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hr Blush in Paaarty.

Day 8 • Bronzer // I love both of these powder bronzers that I got as deluxe samples from Sephora. I would definitely buy the full-sized versions. I have loved everything I’ve tried that’s from Tarte (except for the Opening Act Lash Primer), so it’s no surprise I love this bronzer. I have Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer in Park Ave Princess and Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer in Medium/Deep Matte. Both blend well. Check out my bronzer post for swatches.

Day 9 • Face Mask // I love Lush’s Cup O’Coffee Face and Body Mask and The Face Shop sheet masks (not pictured). The coffee mask lightly exfoliates my skin to make it feel nice and soft. The Face Shop masks refresh and hydrate my skin.

Day 10 • Highlighter // I absolutely love both of these highlighters: Wet N Wild’s MegaGlo Highlighting Powder in Precious Petals (read my review) and Maybelline’s Face Studio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter in Molten Gold. They are both absolutely beautiful and pigmented, and they were a fraction of the price of a high end highlighter. I’m fairly new to the highlighting game, so I haven’t tried a ton, but a fave high end of mine is Urban Decay’s Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter in Sin. I really want to try a MAC highlighter, I have the Luna Luster Trip the Light Fantastic Powder and it’s also gorgeous (although not as creamy as the Wet N Wild or Maybelline ones), but since it was limited edition and would be hard to find, I decided not to include it in my faves.

Day 11 • Eyeshadow Singles // I don’t own a lot of eyeshadow singles. I have the Coastal Scents ones, but those are a hit and miss (some are more creamy and pigmented than others…although I do love the ones that come in the Winterberry Palette, Jewel Teal and Teal Green. Read my full review on the Winterberry Palette to see which shades are my faves.

I picked this Stila shadow up at Winners. It’s pigmented, creamy and absolutely beautiful. I have the shade Golightly. It seems like they don’t sell the shade on the website, but they have other beautiful shades. I got two of these for under $10 each.

Day 12 • Skincare // Skincare is such a broad topic, I decided to only choose products that I use on my face. The EradiKate Acne Treatment and COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches are great for pesky pimples. Read my review for the COSRX patches: here. The Cucumber Water smells really good, and refreshes and hydrates. I got it from Winners for $10, it’s by Pearlessence which I’ve never heard of before, but they also had Coconut and Rose-scented waters. The Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector has improved my dark circles over the past few weeks and my under eye area feels smooth and hydrated. The Pixi Peel & Polish gently exfoliates and makes my face feel soft. And of course, Vaseline Cocoa Butter Lip Therapy keeps my lips unchapped during the dry winter season.

Day 13 • Makeup brushes // I think it’s always a better deal to buy brushes in sets instead of separately. A few times, I’ve split a brush set with my friend or mom because I’ll need eyeshadow brushes, but my mom needs the powder brush or blush brush. I’ve only bought two high end brushes on their own: the Tarte Bronze & Glow Contour Brush was the most expensive brush I’ve purchased. It was definitely worth it though, it blends really well and it’s so soft. My second most expensive brush that I’ve purchased is a Bella Terra Bronzer brush, but the lady at the kiosk sold it to me as a powder foundation brush. It was the first expensive brush that I purchased and first one that was super soft. I love it and use it for powder foundation.

The Simple Glam Girls Lush Rose Gold Oval Brushes are so soft and much sturdier than a 3-pack that I bought at Winners. The “B” brush is the one in the picture. The smaller brushes (for eyeshadow, lips and concealer) take some getting used to, I still haven’t gotten the hang of them. It’s quite hard to blend eyeshadow because you don’t have the same control as a regular brush.

I included two brushes that I love, but the brand isn’t necessarily important, I just think everyone should have an angled blush brush and a fluffy powder brush to set your face. I got my angled blush brush from Arbonne and a huge fluffy brush from Winners for $10 (I think the brand is IB -Innovation Beauty, I’ve never heard of it, but it was so fluffy and soft, I had to get it). Same with the Shadow Brush from Sephora- it’s not necessarily the best brand and I’m sure other brands have better ones, but I got this in a set and it’s great for packing on shadow.

Day 14 • Lipstick // I love so many lipsticks, it was hard to choose just one, so I chose four nude/pink lipsticks because those are the two shades I wear most often. I also decided to go with ones that I just discovered this year. If you follow me on IG or read previous blog posts, you know that I love L’Oréal’s Colour Riche Collection Exclusive Lipstick in 370 J Lo’s Nude.

(L-R): Milani, Coastal Scents, Pixi, MAC

I prefer sheer/satin coverage, although I’ve added one matte lipstick. I love a red lip though and the L’Oréal Infallible Le Rouge in 337 Refined Ruby is a beautiful red for my skin tone (I don’t like orange-reds or pink-reds, I prefer blue-reds). First is the Milani Color Statement Lipstick in 26 Nude Creme. I love that the tube is gold, it looks so sleek and more expensive than it is, it also smells like watermelon jolly rancher. If you want to see a swatch, click here. Second is the Coastal Scents Lipstick in 2. The shade is very sheer, almost like I’m not wearing anything and it’s moisturizing like a lip balm. The tube is super light for some reason and it also reminds me of Hourglass packaging. Next is Pixi Mattelustre Lipstick in Plump Pink. Last is the MAC Lipstick in Brave (satin finish). Both the Pixi and MAC lipsticks are a bit more pink than I prefer, but they’re both beautiful shades and I love the finishes, I just prefer more nude shades.

Find out if all of these products are still my faves! Click here!

What are your fave products that you discovered this year?

Love,

Read More
Review | GummiBand Hair Cords

December 11, 2017

Hi Everyone!

Last year, I first heard about the hair cords that leave your hair dent-free. They were the brand Invisibobble and they sell at Sephora for $10 for 3. I thought that was a bit expensive, so I went on Amazon looking for dupes. I purchased a pack of 3 black and 10 mixed colour hair cords for $6.99. They’re very big (size of a wrist- they look like those cords that people put their keys on) and thick like a telephone cord. When I wrapped it around my hair three times, it’s still a bit loose.

I found out about GummiBands, based in Vancouver, from a blogger group on Facebook. They were had a casting call for Contributors, Partners and Ambassadors. For Partners and Contributors, you need a certain number of followers and they had a limited number of spaces. So, I applied to be a contributor for GummiBand and they sent me a variety of their hair cords. Although I received the bands for free, the following review is my honest and unbiased opinion on the GummiBand hair cords.

Light Pink, Brunette, Clear, Purple, Black, Dark Pink, Teal

They offer Clear, Black, Brunette, Blonde, Light Pink, Dark Pink, Teal and Purple (I received a few of each colour except blonde). They retail for $7.99 CAD for a set of four hair cords and have free shipping in Canada. They gave me a code ‘BONUS38‘ for my readers to receive 2 extra GummiBands with the purchase of a 4-cord pack.

Hypoallergenic (They do not absorb water or sweat so they do not breed bacteria)

Suitable for all types of hair (Long and thick hair? Use 2 GummiBands for extra hold!)

Gentle on hair, reducing breakage and styling damage

Reusable for years. When the cord stretches out, warm it up with hot air from a hair dryer or hot water to return it to it’s original shape!

GummiBand hair cords come with a 1 year full replacement warranty

My hair is quite thick, so I wrap the cord around three times. I love that they’re plastic so if you get them wet, you don’t have to leave it out to dry like you would for an elastic. They don’t pull at your hair and they stay put (unlike regular hair ties where I have to adjust my ponytail after a few hours). After using them for a whole day, they are stretched out, but they get back into shape after a few minutes. When you put them around your wrist, they don’t make an indent around your entire wrist like a regular hair band. Although, they still make some indents from the spiral but it’s not as tight as a hair elastic.

UPDATE (Feb 2018): I’ve been using one hair cord basically every day for a month and a half. I wrap it around my hair three times and after a month or so, it was starting to curl like a figure 8 (but it wasn’t stretched out at all). I filled up my sink with some hot water and soaked it for less than a minute and it sprang back to place. It’s like new again!

UPDATE (Aug 2019): I have since purchased a few packs for myself and family. I had put quite a few of the Gummiband hair cords in giveaways, and found myself with only a few left.

RATING: 5/5

GummiBands are a great stocking stuffer or for birthday party loot bags. I love the variety of colours that they have, they have both fun colours and colours that blend in with your hair if you don’t want it noticeable.

Have you tried hair cords? Do you like them better than regular hair bands?

Love,

Read More
First Impressions with Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush

December 10, 2017

Hi Everyone!

I bought the Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush for $40 CAD at the MAC Warehouse Sale in September. It normally retails for $111 CAD and the replacement heads are $54 CAD for a set of 2 of the purifying ones. Last week, I went to the December MAC Sale and I found the replacement heads for $10, so I got 2 purifying cleanser ones and the Airbrushed Finish Liquid Foundation Applicator brush head (which normally retails for $34 CAD).

In the box, there is the brush, a charging dock and two replacement heads. It’s a nice cleansing brush, it fits in your hand easily and doesn’t slip. I like how it’s not battery operated so there’s not backing that water can accidentally get into. Once I brought it home, I started to charge it. It takes a while to charge, but once it’s charged, it lasts for a while. I admit that I hadn’t used it a lot because I didn’t want to pay $54 for the replacement heads and it says to replace after a few months. After 30 seconds of use, it will automatically shut off. This is useful because you’re not supposed to use it longer than a minute or so, so two cycles is the ideal length of time to keep it running. The brush heads snap onto the brush, and the purifying brush heads are oval-shaped and stick out from the top of the brush so you can grip the top and take it off easily.

The cleansing brush is good, the sonic vibrations deeply cleanse the skin. It’s best to use a more liquid cleanser, I used one that was a bit too thick and it took a bit of rinsing to get it out of the brush. Obviously, the best cleanser to use is probably one of Clinique’s. The white bristles are softer than the green ones. The green ones are meant for areas like your T-Zone and nose, while the white bristles are gentler for your cheeks.

The brush is great to use when I take a shower after wearing makeup. I use makeup wipes, micellar water or makeup remover to remove my makeup, but my brush still gets dirty from the leftover foundation that I missed or that got into my pores.

I saw the foundation brush head and knew it retailed for $30 or more, so I thought I’d try it for $10. I dabbed some liquid foundation on my face and turned the brush on. It was going on really smoothly and looked really good. It still looked like I was wearing foundation, but it looked as if I used a damp beauty sponge. I’m not sure how much of the foam sponge absorbed my foundation, but I think it was about the same amount as a normal beauty sponge. If you’re not careful, the foam sticks out a bit from the plastic on the head and it caught on my cheek as I was moving the brush. After using it, I realized the foam brush had ripped. It broke after one use! Also, the brush head is round, and unlike the purifying brush head, it was hard to grip and pull off. Also, since the brush head is just foam, you have to be careful or you might rip the foam. I had to use a letter opener to get it off. It definitely wouldn’t be worth $34, I’m upset that I even paid $10 for it.

RATING: 4/5

The brush is great, but I take off a point because the replacements are so expensive and also the foundation applicator was terrible. I’ve heard the Clarisonic foundation head is good (theirs is similar to a brush, not made of foam like Clinique’s) and hope that Clinique comes out with something comparable.

Have you tried a sonic cleansing brush? Which do you prefer?

Love,

Read More
Worth It? | GlamGlow ThirstyCleanse Daily Hydrating Cleanser

December 7, 2017

Hi Everyone!

Back in September, I bought the GlamGlow ThirstyCleanse Daily Hydrating Cleanser at the MAC Warehouse Sale. All the hauls I watched from previous sales, the ladies bought this cleanser and raved about it because it’s half price at the sale ($17.20 CAD for 150g). I bought two because I’ve tried the GlamGlow mud masks and like them, so I thought the cleansers would be good.

It’s a mud to foam cleanser that claims to hydrate, restore moisture, replenish and calm your skin. Here’s the description on the back of the bottle:

ThirstyCleanse is a revolutionary Mud to Foam daily cleanser that transforms from mud into a moisture-rich foaming lather to gently & effectively rinse away makeup, dirt & impurities while deeply moisturizing your skin for a hydrated, silky & dewy fresh complexion. For men & women of all ages and all skin types.

I started using it shortly after purchasing in September, and I have to say I was disappointed. It didn’t give me that squeaky clean feeling I get when I use The Face Shop cleansers (read my review). With a cleanser from The Face Shop, my face feels clean and refreshed (I only use them 2-3 times a week to prevent overcleansing).

They used to sell it at Sephora, but now I don’t see it in their inventory or on the GlamGlow website. I think it retailed for $35 CAD and I don’t think it’s worth the price even at 50%.

RATING: 2/5

I give the ThirstyCleanse a 2/5 because it doesn’t give me that fresh, cleaned feeling and it didn’t hydrate my skin that well (I still got dry patches). I’d rather spend $12-15 on a cleanser from The Face Shop.

Love,

Read More