OPI Nail Lacquer in Step Right UP! – This is a beautiful sheer pink. Perfect for a bride/bridesmaids.
Diorshow Bold Brow in 002 Dark (read my review)- I really enjoyed this tinted brow gel. You get a bigger tube than Benefit Gimme Brow, but there’s only three shades to choose from and the darkest one is a bit gray (cool toned). If they come out with a shade that’s closer to my brows, I would definitely repurchase it. Until then, I’m trying out other brow gels.
Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil Ultra Fine Shape & Define in 6 (read my review) – This has become one of my favourites since I received it from Topbox Circle. A good drugstore dupe for it is the NYX Micro Brow Pencil.
Pixi By Petra + Aspyn Ovard Glow-y Powder in Santorini Sunset – I spotted this at Winners and it’s a beautiful champagne highlighter. Unfortunately, since it’s a collaboration, it’s not available any more.
As you may have already gathered, I really like The Body Shop skincare products. The tea tree oil line has been great for controlling and preventing acne.
The Body Shop was having a Buy 2, Get 1 Free sale, so I decided to pick up products that I haven’t tried yet. I chose three of the tea tree oil products, an aloe cleanser and the pink grapefruit exfoliating gel scrub.
Tea Tree Oil
I tried this out already and it’s not oily like the Tarte Maracuja Oil (which I was expecting), it was similar to the Anti-Imperfection Daily Solution. It smells very strong (more than the solution).
Targeted care for blemished skin
Can be used direct on skin or for facial steaming
Soothing
Does not dry out skin
Tea Tree Oil Anti-Imperfection Night Mask
I have not tried this yet, but I’m excited to see how well it works.
Skin instantly looks and feels refreshed, purified, and soothed.
In the morning, imperfections* appear reduced.
Skin looks healthier, smoother, and mattified.
Improves appearance of pores.
Helps maintain clearer-looking skin.
Tone, texture, and oiliness
Features a refreshing memory-gel texture and is infused with tea tree oil grown in the foothills of Mount Kenya.
Alcohol-free, no pillow-staining formula.
TOP TIP: Pop the Night Mask in the fridge for an ultra-refreshing feeling.
Tea Tree Oil Skin Clearing Mattifying Toner
I haven’t tried this yet because I recently picked up the Thayers Witch Hazel toner and just started using it. I didn’t want to try too many new products all at once.
Refreshing, purifying toner
Made with purifying tea tree oil from the foothills of Mount Kenya
Removes residual make-up and impurities
Shake-to-activate mattifying powders reduce shine
Skin appears visibly clearer
Pores appear tighter
Pink Grapefruit Exfoliating Body Scrub
I’ve used their body scrub before, but they’ve reformulated it since then. I’ve tried the one that’s more like a sugar scrub. This one is interesting because it’s a gel texuture, but then when you rub it in, you can feel the grittiness of it. It smells refreshing and it works well. Is it worth $22 though? I’m not sure.
Body exfoliator
Smoothes and refines skin
Buffs away dead skin cells
Leaves skin beautifully softer and refined
Fresh, energizing gel texture
Energizing scent
Aloe Vera Gentle Foaming Wash
This is very light and I like that it’s foamy. My sensitive skin hasn’t reacted to it, but it is a bit pricey when it’s regular price.
Formulated for sensitive skin
Pure Community Trade aloe from Campeche, Mexico
No added fragrance, color or alcohol
Formulated without preservatives
I will post reviews of the Tea Tree Oil products once I’ve tested them out properly.
I was at Winners the other day and I picked up a few things. I kept seeing this Zoe Ayla Makeup Brush Cleaner & Dryer, but the boxes were always destroyed. I know it didn’t really matter as long as everything was inside, but they just always looked so dirty. I finally spotted a few boxes that were in perfect condition and picked one up for $29.99. I don’t think there’s any specific brand name one that’s better than the others, but here’s a link to one I found on Amazon- Makeup Brush Cleaner & Dryer.
This revolutionary electronic tool magically cleanses you brushes in seconds and allows you to dry them in seconds without creating any mess or hassle. Professionals strongly recommend cleaning your makeup brushes every few weeks, but traditional cleaning methods are messy, time-costly and often leave brushes wet and unusable for up to 24 hours.
You just attach any makeup brush using one of eight collars, before dunking it for 10 seconds, spinning for another 10 seconds and then drying for 5-10 seconds.
It comes with a bowl, 8 silicone collars to fit different brush sizes, a plastic stand to hold the collars, 2 spindles to connect the collars to the device and the device to spin the brushes. The device takes 2 AA bateries and you press a button to spin it.
A lot of my Sephora brushes don’t really fit properly in the collars. The best eye brushes that work with the collars are ones that have a tapered end. I found that half of my brushes don’t fit comfortably in the collars and obviously double-ended brushes aren’t going to work. I either have to shove the brush into a smaller collar or I will need to wrap something around the brush for it to fit into a bigger collar.
Obviously when you clean an eye brush, it spins really fast because it’s so small and when you clean a powder brush, it spins a little slower because it’s heavier. Because a powder brush is heavier, the spindle has fallen out once or twice while I’m spinning the brush. I don’t know if I’m just not pushing the spindle in all the way or if it’s as far as it goes. I think I’m supposed to put more pressure, but I’m worried I’ll break it if I push too hard.
This product works best for brushes you use for powder products. For liquid products, it doesn’t get in between the bristles and therefore doesn’t clean it properly.
For liquid products, I use a cleaning mat that I got from Saks Off Fifth. I lightly swirl my brushes to make sure the inner bristles are cleaned.
After my brush is clean, I like to run the brush under the tap to rinse off the soap and then I spin it to dry it. I wouldn’t say that this completely dries the brushes, but it does cut down on the drying time. Usually, I lightly swirl it on a clean towel to get rid of the excess water.
The device fans out the brushes a lot, so I put it back into it’s normal shape before I hang it on my drying rack. I wouldn’t use this on more expensive brushes just in case it ruins the shape of it or something.
RATING: 3.5/5
I think $20-30 is still a bit expensive, I definitely wouldn’t pay more than that. This product is a bit gimmicky, but it does dry brushes really fast. Although I rated it fairly high, I don’t think I would recommend it. One thing for drying makeup brushes that I would recommend is a makeup brush drying rack. This isn’t the specific one I bought, but it looks exactly the same.
Last month, I received the Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil from Topbox Circle. I thought I would compare it to my fave, the NYX Micro Brow Pencil. Keep reading to find out which one I prefer!
NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Black (brown-black)
Available in 8 shades, twist-up & retractable pencil with a spoolie on the other end.
Build full beautiful brows with our ultra-thin Micro Brow Pencil. So precise it coats even the finest hairs with color for a natural-looking finish.
In the picture, I don’t have a cap on the spoolie, but it does come with a cap.
Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil Ultra Fine Shape & Define in 6 (cool soft black)
Available in 8 shades, twist-up & retractable pencil with a spoolie on the other end (mini doesn’t come with a spoolie).
This ultra-fine eyebrow pencil draws incredibly natural-looking, hair-like strokes that last 12 budge-proof hours.* A few strokes of the rich yet blendable colour will transform brows from shapeless & undefined to filled & defined eyebrows.
Top is the NYX Micro Brow Pencil (you can tell it’s slightly more brown).
I have the darkest shade for both pencils and the NYX pencil looks darker and more brown while the Benefit pencil is more gray-black.
For both pencils, they are available in 8 shades. No need for a sharpener, you twist it up and you can retract if you need to. They both come with spoolies on the other end (although the Benefit mini size doesn’t have a spoolie).
WINNER: Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil
It was a very close competition, but I have to give the win to Benefit. They are known for their brow products and they just came out with more shades for each of them!
My brows are black (and my hair has grown out since I last dyed it), so when I use a brow product that has brown, it looks like I’ve obviously filled them in with a pencil. The Precisely, My Brow looks more gray and looks more natural on me. My brow pencils last a long time because I’m fairly low maintenance when it comes to brows. I only fill in the gaps and nowhere else and then I’ll go in with a brow gel to keep them in place. So, for me, I’m okay with spending a bit more on brow products because they last so long.
If you don’t want to spend $30 on a brow product, then NYX is a great alternative, but I personally think the Benefit pencil works better for my brows because it’s not as harsh-looking. I think the NYX pencils cater more to blondes and brunettes whereas the Benefit ones just came out with more shades and they have the different undertones (warm, neutral and cool). I haven’t tried the Anastasia Brow Wiz, but I’m interested to see if it’s better than or performs the same as the Precisely, My Brow. Once I finish some of my current brow products, I will probably pick up a Brow Wiz pencil to compare (especially since it’s cheaper and you get a little more product).
I have a new review up! I compared the Benefit Precisely, My Brow with the Lancôme Brow Shaping Powdery Pencil (click here)!
I’m excited to write this review for the Laneige BB Cushion Hydra Radiance SPF50! I was gifted this product, but they didn’t ask me to review it. Since it is a new product, I decided I would share my thoughts on it! Read on to see what I thought about this BB Cushion!
It retails for $49 CAD on Sephora and it comes with a refill and an extra puff! At the moment though, I don’t think you can just buy a refill for when you finish the two Cushions. Cushion foundations are great to just pop into your bag to touch up throughout the day.
I chose the shade No. 23 Sand (for light medium skin with neutral undertones); No. 23 is a bit light on me at the moment, but No. 33 would be way too dark. It’s available in 6 shades (neutral undertones): fair porcelain, light, light medium, medium, medium dark and dark.
It has a very fresh scent that smells like the Laneige Water Bank products.
A radiance-enhancing, ultra-hydrating version of LANEIGE’s global award-winning BB Cushion, this formula features Melacrusher™ and double-coated pigments that instantly brighten and moisturize.
I’m not 100% sure if I’m just imagining this, but when I pat the puff into the cushion sponge, it doesn’t seem to saturate the puff as much as other cushion foundations I’ve tried. Perhaps they don’t put as much product in them because they provide you with a refill? Or maybe it’s because the sponge is stiffer than the other ones I’ve used and therefore I’m not pressing my puff into the container as much.
I tried this product in a few different ways. I wouldn’t say that it’s super long-wearing (in hot weather). I’ll have to try it out again when the weather is cooler. It’s very lightweight and you can see your skin under it.
I have a bit of redness on and around my nose and it didn’t do the best job of covering it. If you have hyperpigmentation or acne/acne scars, this BB won’t cover those areas, so you’ll definitely need concealer.
I also tried using this BB cushion with my Dior Backstage foundation and it still looked very nice. You could still see my skin underneath and it had a nice, dewy finish. I used the Dior foundation to help cover up some of the redness that the cushion didn’t cover.
I think this product will be great for the winter time because it can hydrate dry, winter skin. Plus, I didn’t find it particularly long-wearing in the hot weather, so if I use it in the winter, it won’t be as likely to melt off my face.
RATING: 4/5
I think this BB Cushion is best for those who already have nice skin and you just want that extra, dewy glow. As someone with acne-prone skin, I do need to pair it with a good concealer to cover up redness and acne/acne scars, but I love the look of it. At the moment, I don’t think it will become one of my makeup staples because I prefer a foundation that can cover the redness around my nose.
Whenever I’m scrolling through Instagram, I always see all these pretty flat lays with gold, black and silver packaging. High end products have such pretty packaging! A lot of drugstore brands’ packaging are getting prettier too, but there’s something about the look of a YSL or Dior lipstick tube that just makes you go “oooohhh!” As I became more obsessed with makeup, I bought more drugstore products to blog about because they’re more affordable. Ever since I wrote the post about streamlining my makeup, I’ve been decluttering makeup that I don’t use and doing my best not to buy new makeup. My plan is to find high-end favourites so that I have 1 or 2 holy grail items in each category (foundation, concealer, blush, etc.) and then, for the blog, I’ll buy drugstore products to review.
(items in bold have been purchased since this post was published)
There are so many brands out there that I want to try:
Since I just made my first order from Tarte, I thought it’d be fun to do a post on my first online order from Sephora! I made my first order in 2013. I can’t remember if it was my first purchase ever at Sephora. I may have bought a few things like nail polish or something before then, but liquid foundation was my first online order.
Since grade 9 when my mom started letting me use makeup, I would mostly use eye makeup- mascara, coloured shadows and liners. I don’t remember when I started using concealer, but I was using the same one as my mom, a Clinique one which was meant for under eyes. Both my mom and I have since moved on from that one. My mom likes the Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Flawless Wear Concealer. I’ve been testing out different concealers to find a favourite. I recently bought Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer, Maybelline Age Rewind and Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer. From the drugstore, I like the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer and the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer.
In 2013, I wanted to try foundation for the first time, so I went to Sephora. I was new to face makeup. I don’t think I even used blush at that point and I was using an under eye concealer for spot concealing. When it comes to buying foundation now, I put it through a testing phase to see how it wears, what it pairs well with, how the finish is, etc. I’ve learned a lot from YouTubers and blogs over the years. I didn’t know a lot back then.
I didn’t know that:
you could try out products and ask for samples
you should check to see what the foundation looks like in natural sunlight
you should blend it down to your neck
primer was an important part of priming your skin
makeup sponges could be used
you should wear it for a bit to see how much it oxidizes
you should set foundation with powder
I basically did all the things that I shouldn’t do before buying a high end foundation. I didn’t really know what my skin type was back then either. I sort of just assumed it was oily because my mom and sister are oily and since I was acne-prone, I figured I was oily too. My acne was pretty bad in middle school and high school; my forehead was so bad that my doctor prescribed me a medicated acne gel. It worked, but it made me super itchy because it dried out the acne so well.
I went to Sephora with my sister and I got an associate to colour match me. I told the associate I wanted full-coverage and a matte finish. She suggested the Becca Ever-Matte Shine Proof Foundation in Nude and a flat liquid foundation brush. After a month or so, I bought it online so I could get 3 free samples and the promo. It took me a while to convince myself to buy it since it’s $51. I don’t know why I didn’t try drugstore foundation first, I went straight to high end.
Since the foundation was so expensive, I think I was saving it or something. I realized that I should start using it before it went bad, but when I started using it again, it would oxidize really bad and I would look like an oompa loompa. I ended up having to throw it out before it was done. I have since learned my lesson not to save makeup (especially when it’s liquid or cream).
I also ordered those Sephora OPI Nail stickers, an Urban Decay Good Karma Optical Blurring Brush for my sister and I got the Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in No Pressure! as a promo.
It’s interesting to look back at old Sephora orders to see what I’ve bought. I don’t even remember using some products I’ve tried. I’ve bought a Sephora mascara and brow pencil and I don’t remember doing that. I guess they weren’t that amazing since I don’t even remember getting them.
In February, I selected 10 makeup products to finish before the end of the year and here’s an update! I chose products that I’ve had for a while and I wanted to use them before they went bad or dried out. I tried to pick at least one product from each category: Face (Foundation, Concealer, Bronzer, Blush), Eyes/Brows, Lips.
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Deauville – This shade is way too light for me. Of course, it looked fine in the store under the bright lights, but I look like a ghost when I wear it. I mix it with my Maybelline Fit Me Foundation to darken it.
STATUS: Finished!
Bella Pierre Mineral Blush in Autumn Glow – This was the first non-drugstore blush I bought. It was kind of a pinky-brown shade that looked really nice when blended out.
STATUS: Decluttered
Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer in Park Ave Princess – This is a pretty bronzer, but since it was Made in China, I wouldn’t repurchase (read my post: Where Were Your Beauty Products Made?). If I’m spending that much money on a bronzer, I want it to be made elsewhere.
STATUS: Finished!
Revlon Colorstay Concealer in Light/Medium – I won’t be repurchasing this concealer. I don’t like the smell of it and I prefer the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer anyway.
STATUS: Finished!
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Light – One of my fave concealers.
STATUS: Finished!
NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Black – I really like this brow pencil, it fills in the gaps and it’s not too dark.
STATUS: Finished!
Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara – I liked this mascara. The brush was good and it gave me very natural looking lashes.
STATUS: Finished!
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara – I liked this mascara. I kept the wand.
STATUS: Finished! (I must’ve forgotten to include this in a Product Empties post)
Too Faced Mini Chocolate Bar – This was redeemed from Sephora Rewards. I love this mini palette, the champagne truffle shade is beautiful.
STATUS: Decluttered (the shadows and bronzer were starting to smell off)
L’Oreal Colour Riche Collection Exclusive Nude Lipcolor in 370 Jennifer’s Nude – I think this is my favourite lipstick. I bought it when it first came out and fell in love with it. The makeup artist who did our makeup also used it on my sister and me for my sister’s wedding reception in Toronto. This is my go-to and that’s why I sort of want to use it up so that my other lipsticks have a chance of being used.
STATUS: Finished!
What’s on your list of products you want to finish before the end of 2018?
I made an order from Tarte because I wanted to finally try the Amazonian Clay Foundation (the powder one). I’ve been eyeing it for a long time now and I finished up enough of my foundations that I allowed myself to buy a new one (read my makeup goals post). I wanted to get a powder foundation for lighter days where my skin is good and I don’t want to put on liquid or stick foundation. I had it narrowed down to a few different powders, but I decided to go with this one because I love Tarte.
I got two other products I’ve never tried before and a fave of mine: Shape Tape (a cult fave), the Timeless Smoothing Primer (a fave of Tati, Beauty YouTuber) and the Frxxxtion Stick.
After making the order, I now have 9 products from Tarte which makes it the brand I own the most products from; at most, I think I only own 1-4 things from a single brand.
Rainforest of the Sea Frxxxtion Stick 3-in-1 Exfoliating Cleanser (read my review) – My friend told me about this and I got a deluxe sample of it. I loved it. Originally, I thought it was too expensive, but the deluxe sample lasted a while, so I was able to justify the price.
With a clarifying cleansing gel powered by the Rainforest of the Sea™ complex & suspended diatomaceous earth microexfoliants, the vegan friendly formula draws out surface oil & reduces shine, while purifying pores for the deepest clean possible.
The hypoallergenic gel stick gently sloughs away dead surface cells & polishes skin as it cleanses to fight dullness & pump up the radiance. Great for all skin types, it can be used on a regular basis without stripping skin’s moisture or left on as a treatment mask to absorb toxins & reveal smooth, sexy, glowing skin.
Shape Tape Contour Concealer in 12N Fair-Neutral – I chose the shade Fair-Neutral because it’s the next neutral shade down from the foundation I chose (Light Neutral). I swatched it on my hand and I think it will be good for the under eyes. I’ve seen/read so many reviews on it, but no one ever mentioned that it has a scent to it. I thought it would smell like other concealers, but it has a slight perfume-y/cologne-y scent. I also didn’t realize how much fatter it was from other concealers. I knew the doefoot applicator was bigger, but I guess I never looked that closely when other ladies have posted pics of their concealers. The tube is almost as big as my Bobbi Brown stick foundation.
Full coverage with flawless matte finish
Conceals all imperfections & doubles as a contour/highlight product
Creamy, easy-to-blend formula won’t flake or crease
Nourishes with mango seed & shea butters
Helps illuminate skin for a lifted effect
Timeless Smoothing Primer – I picked up the limited edition one because it was $8-9 cheaper than the regular one. I assume it’s the same product with a different coloured lid to match one of their themes. I used it yesterday and it really smoothed out my pores. I will do a proper wear test and post a review later this month. Be careful with this product, I was tilting it to smell it and it must’ve melted off of the jar because the product fell out in one clump. Luckily, I was able to pick it up from my chair and press it back into the jar.
Formulated to fade out your biggest beauty boundaries such as large pores, fine lines and wrinkles
Antioxidant-rich formula gently melts into the skin delivering a surge of moisture, peptides and other naturally-derived elixirs for a firmer, smoother appearance
Has a lightweight texture and fresh powder scent as it provides the perfect blank canvas to enhance the look and wear time of makeup
Amazonian Clay Airbrush Foundation in Light Neutral – I’ve swatched this at Sephora, but I haven’t used it yet. I think this is the closest match based on the description.
Powered by Amazonian clay & light-reflecting gemstones, this hypoallergenic foundation gives you natural radiance & matte coverage in a weightless, flake-free powder. The full coverage formula is all you need to cover redness, unevenness & pores, with Amazonian clay to help control oil & make your makeup last. Precious gemstone tourmaline works to energize skin & diffuse light for natural dimension, & the custom mesh applicator offers buildable & breathable coverage without settling into fine lines.
Other products from Tarte that I’ve used are the Amazonian Blushes (love these), the Maracuja Oil (I’m still testing it, but really like it so far), Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint and the Tarteist Sculpt & Slim Contour Brush.
If you’re planning to go to the MAC Warehouse Sale, check out my Tips/Tricks post. This is an update post to my September 2017 Haul from the MAC Warehouse Sale. It’s been a year since I went to the sale and I’m telling you which products I’ve finished or decluttered and whether I’d purchase them again. If you want to see how much I bought the products for, click the link above to see my haul.
I’m only going to mention products that are still available for purchase. Some shades may not be available any more, but the product, i.e. lipglass is still sold in stores.
Smashbox Photo Filter Powder Foundation in Shade 1 – I made the mistake of buying Shade 1. It’s way too light and I was going to do a review on the powder itself (trying not to judge the shade), but it just looked powdery on my skin because it was so pale. I decided to declutter. It felt very velvety and maybe if I had the right shade, I would’ve loved it.
Repurchase? Probably not.
Mac ZOOM Mascara – I bought one that was green (by accident) and a gray one that I put in a giveaway. I liked the brush of the mascara, but since mine was green, I didn’t do a proper wear test to see how well it kept a curl or if it added any length or volume to my lashes.
Bobbi Brown Crystal Lip Gloss – This was sticky and I didn’t like it that much. I put one in a giveaway and finished the other.
Repurchase? No. Even if I got it at the MAC sale for a cheaper price, I still wouldn’t buy it again. It was so sticky.
Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Hi-Lustre Light Sculpting Lipstick in 210 Bold Innocent – This was also too pink for me.
Repurchase? I would buy another shade in the lipstick.
MAC Lipglass in C-Thru – I saw a video where Tati was wearing this and I thought it was so pretty. Obviously, since Tati is white and I’m Asian, it looked different on me. If I put too much, it would make my lipstick or lips look milky (because it’s a light pink shade).
Repurchase? No.
MAC Mineralize Glass in Lap Dog – I love the applicator on this lip glass. It’s a flat one that bends easily.
Repurchase? I would buy again (in a different shade because I think this one is discontinued).
MAC Cremesheen Glass in It’s a Strike – I love the shade of this one. It’s a mauve-pink.
Repurchase? Yes, but I will have to find a different shade because I think this is also discontinued.
MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Kittenish – I really like this chubby lip pencil and I love the shade. I’ve barely used it because I want to use other ones first.
Repurchase? This is probably one of the few ones that I like that’s still available.
MAC Ultimate Lipstick in Marque– This lipstick was discontinued. I’m still working on it.
Repurchase? Unavailable.
Estée Lauder x Victoria Beckham in Moroccan Heat (Limited Edition) – I used this a few times and it’s quite sticky. It’s not the best formula to put in a click pen (like the YSL Touche Éclat) because it’s hard to clean the brush after. I hadn’t used it in a while and used it again and when I was wiping it, I saw some gray on my cotton pad. I don’t know if it was from the brush itself or if it was mold. So, I decided to click out the rest of the lip gloss so I can keep the empty gold pen.
Repurchase? No longer available.
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick in Ivory 0.75 – I’m still working on this stick foundation and I really love it. I just need to find the right shade because Ivory is too light.
Repurchase? I would even purchase this at full price, but if I ever go to another MAC warehouse sale and see a better shade match, I would definitely get it.
Estée Lauder Double Wear Makeup To Go Liquid Compact in 1N2 Ecru – I decluttered this because it was way too light and for some reason, the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation makes my eyes water every time. Maybe because of alcohol content (if there is any).
Repurchase? No.
Tory Burch Signature Deluxe Gift Set – I gave the cream to my grandma who loved it. I’m still working on both of these perfumes (it’s the exact same perfume, the small one just doesn’t have a spritzer).
Repurchase? Yes!
Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleanser Brush (read my review) – I didn’t start using this brush right away, so I’ve only had to replace the brush head once so far. It’s recommended to replace it after 3 months.
MAC Strobe Cream in Pinklite (Original) – I love the strobe cream.
Repurchase? Yes. I’d repurchase at full price because it lasts so long.
I originally said that my fave purchases were: the Estée Lauder Pink Perfection Kit, Tory Burch Perfume kit and Victoria Beckham’s lipgloss.
After trying out the products, I still agree with the Tory Burch perfume. I don’t love the Estée Lauder kit as much as I originally did and the Victoria Beckham gloss was just too sticky; I think it was just because I love Posh Spice. Instead, I would add these to my faves: the MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil, Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Lipsticks and the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick.
I’ve been seeing the Neutrogena Hydro Boost products on Instagram and heard so many good reviews, I had to try something. I was kind of surprised how expensive they were for drugstore. A lot of drugstore products are bumping up their quality, but that also means their prices go up too.
Hydro Boost Gel Cream
I love the consistency of the gel cream, but I’d prefer if my moisturizer came with a pump because I’m a bit lazy and don’t like cleaning a spatula after every use. This gel cream didn’t come with a spatula, I had one from another cream. Even though this gel cream is fragrance-free, it has a perfume-y scent that I find too overpowering for me. I’ve been told that the gel cream for extra dry doesn’t have a scent. I also think I had a slight reaction to it, my cheeks felt a bit itchy after applying it.
Our unique water gel-cream formula absorbs quickly, like a gel, but has the long-lasting moisturizing power of a cream to quench your extra-dry skin’s thirst. It contains hydrating hyaluronic acid, which is naturally found in the skin, and acts as a sponge for dry skin cells, absorbing up to 1,000 times its weight in water.
This rich gel relieves intense dryness to help restore skin’s natural barrier against moisture loss. Plus it’s fragrance, dye and oil-free, and can be worn alone or under makeup.
Apply evenly to face and neck after cleansing, morning and night. For added hydration, use together with NEUTROGENA® Hydro Boost Hydrating Cleansing Gel, Hydrating Serum and Eye Gel.
RATING: 3/5
Hydro Boost Gel Cream Eye
So far I like the eye gel, it’s not sticky at all and it doesn’t have any scent. Although I do get dry under eyes, I think I’d prefer an eye cream that helps with dark circles.
Instantly quenches dry skin and keeps it looking smooth, supple and hydrated all day. The unique light-weight formula absorbs quickly around the eye area, like a gel, but has the long-lasting, intense moisturizing power of a cream.
Use in the morning and at night on cleansed skin. Dot product around the eye area and smooth in until thoroughly absorbed.
I was a bit disappointed with these products. After seeing all the hype, I was expecting more. I would rather pay a bit more money and get something I like better. Higher end products are easier to sample because you can test them in-store or bring home samples from Sephora or Nordstrom. With drugstore products, they’re less likely to have testers unless it’s a higher end brand like Vichy.
I haven’t tried a lot of Neutrogena products. I’ve only used their Acne cleansers and sunscreens which I like: Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Facial Cleanser (this cleanser used to have plastic microbeads, but last year, they replaced them with jojoba beads. Some stores may still have stock of the cleanser with the plastic though), Beach Defense Sunscreen Lotion and Ultra Sheer Face Sunscreen.
Have you tried the Hydro Boost products? What did you think of them?
I finished some makeup products which brings me one step closer to streamlining my makeup collection! Yay for progress! → Check out my makeup goals
Pearlessence Cucumber Water – I bought this at Winners for $10. I liked that it was in a glass bottle, but the mist would sting my eyes. I got it in my mouth a few times and it tasted horrible.
Repurchase? No.
Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation + Concealer in 01 Creamy Vanilla – If you’ve been reading my blog for a while now, you’ll know that I am planning to only purchase high-end foundations from now on. This was a very thick foundation/concealer, if you used a beauty sponge to blend it, it could sheer out a bit. It looked nice, but it was way too full coverage for me. I’d rather use a sheer, dewy foundation and then use a spot concealer on areas that need covering up. I would’ve used this more as a concealer, but the shade I bought was a tad too yellow for me. So, if I didn’t use it all over the face, I would have random yellow splotches on my face. It had a bit of a perfume-y scent to it that I didn’t really like. I didn’t really give this a proper wear test (as a foundation). I mostly used it when I took pictures for Instagram and practised applying my makeup.
Repurchase? No.
The Body Shop All-in-One BB Cream Colour-Adapting Tinted Cream (read my review) – I gave this a 5/5 in my review, but since then, I have tried the Lancome Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation which I really love (read my review).
L’Oréal Colour Riche Collection Exclusive Lipstick in 370 Jennifer’s Nude – This is one of my fave lipsticks! It’s interesting because when I swatch it on my arm, it’s like a sheer peachy-pink, but when it’s on my lips, it’s a beautiful pinky-nude.
Repurchase? I bought another tube a few months after purchasing the first one because I thought it was going to be limited edition. I think I will wait until I’ve used up some other lipsticks before breaking out the new tube though.
GOSH Click’N Conceal Pen in 01 Light (read my review) – I liked this concealer, but they no longer sell it at Shoppers Drug Mart.
Repurchase? Unavailable.
Repurchase? Probably not. I really like it, but I looove the Lancome Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation.
Live Clean Exotic Nectar Argan Oil Restorative Shampoo – I don’t love the smell of this one, but it does make my hair look shiny and feel soft.
Repurchase? Not this particular Live Clean shampoo.
Live Clean Apple Cider Ultra Light Conditioner – Like the shampoo, this conditioner smells like apple juice to me. It doesn’t make my hair feel as soft as the other ones.
Repurchase? Not this particular Live Clean conditioner.
The Ordinary “Buffet” Multi-Technology Peptide Serum (read my review) – After my initial first impressions review, I realized just how tacky it made my face feel. I want a skincare product that doesn’t feel tacky or cause my makeup to pill.
