• Revisiting My 2018 Favourites | Part 1

    January 4, 2019

    Hi Everyone!

    I thought I would do a post revisiting last year’s favourites to see if they were still my favourites. I’ve already done a post for my September to December 2017 favourites.

    Revisiting My 2017 Favourites

    I’m going to split the posts into 2 parts so it’s not too long. Part 1 for January to June and I’ll post the Part 2 in six months’ time for July to December since they’re still fairly recent. These posts are only going to include my beauty favourites.

    JANUARY

    Maybelline FaceStudio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter in 100 Molten Gold – LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

    Repurchase? Yes! I want to get one of the lighter shades (since they’ve expanded their shade range) because this one can be a bit too dark on me.

    Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm – Love this balm!

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector – I enjoyed the metal applicator and it kept my under eyes soft and hydrated.

    Repurchase? I would buy it again, but I want to try other products. I’ve only tried a couple eye creams and it’s the best one I’ve tried so far, but I know there are ones that people rave about even more.

    Tangle Teezer Original Detangling Hairbrush – I haven’t used this in a while, but I still love it. I think I’m just worried the bristles will come off and I’ll have to get a new one.

    Repurchase? Yes, but I would get one with a handle. (UPDATE: I won a giveaway and now I have one with a handle!)

    Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo – I love the smell of this. I was surprised to read reviews about it smelling too much.

    Repurchase? I’ve already repurchased it.

    MAC Vamplify Gloss in What’s Going On – I loved the applicator of this lip gloss, but I didn’t like this particular shade. The only shades available are bright colours.

    Repurchase? No. If MAC made a lip gloss with this applicator in a shade I liked, I would definitely get it though.

    FEBRUARY

    MAC Strobe Cream – I love the Pinklite!

    Repurchase? Probably.

    Pixi Glow Tonic – LOVE THIS!

    Repurchase? I already have. (UPDATE: I have since realized that I may be allergic to witch hazel which is in the glow tonic).

    Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder – The powder itself is great and I love the puff. I don’t love the smell of the powder though.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    MARCH

    Coastal Scents Eclipse Palette – I enjoyed this, but I feel like I only used a handful of shades. Even at $5, it felt like a waste. Plus, you could tell the quality of the packaging was not great because it was basically just foam that had a piece of plastic material glued onto it. It started to peel.

    Repurchase? No. Shipping to Canada is an extra charge. I’d rather spend the money on the product instead of shipping. I’ve been using a Hard Candy palette that has a fraction of the colours, but I will be able to use all of them.

    LOVE OPI XOXO Mini Nail Lacquer 10 Pack – This pack had 4 colours that I wasn’t a fan of, but it was a good price at Winners.

    Repurchase? I wouldn’t have bought the pack at full price, but I would buy individual shades at full price.

    Dove Advanced Hair Series Regenerative Nourishment Serum-in-Oil – It made my hair super smooth, but I think I’d rather use a hair mask.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    APRIL

    Physician’s Formula Murumuru Butter Butter Bronzer – Great bronzer.

    Repurchase? Maybe.

    Physician’s Formula Butter Highlighter in Pink – Pretty cream highlighter.

    Repurchase? Maybe.

    Soo’Ae Caada Purifying Brightening Peeling Gel – LOVE!

    Repurchase? Yes!

    Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick in Ivory 0.75 – This is a beautiful foundation!

    Repurchase? Undecided. I want to try other stick foundations to see how they compare. If I do end up buying this again, I need the right shade.

    MAC Pigment in Stardream – It’s a beautiful shade!

    Repurchase? No. Pigments are too messy for me.

    Miniso Flawless Baked Blusher in Rosy Pink – I decided to declutter this. This was a pretty shade, but I didn’t love that it was made in China. If you’re on a budget and you don’t mind where your products are made, this was a really pretty blush.

    Repurchase? No.

    MAY

    Bobbi Brown Instant Long-Wear Makeup Remover – This easily removes eye makeup.

    Repurchase? No. Too expensive for a product that will be on your face for seconds. I’d rather spend money on a moisturizer.

    INGLOT x Jennifer Lopez LipGlossy Lip Gloss in J225 Pinky – I liked the colour of this lip gloss, but I don’t think it’s worth $28. Plus, the smell reminded me of drugstore lip glosses.

    Repurchase? No.

    Cake Beauty (Delectable) The Everything Powder – I used this to set my makeup and it works beautifully. It doesn’t have talc…it’s basically just corn starch! But, it had a smell that was quite powerful (like the Baby All Gone dolls where you feed the baby cherries from a spoon – anyone old enough to know what those are?) This was annoying to use as a setting powder because I had to use an old setting powder container to use it (since this is shaped like a baby powder bottle).

    Repurchase? No.

    Live Clean Exotic Nectar Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner – This made my hair look shinier and smoother. Although, I’m not a huge fan of the scent of Argan Oil, I didn’t mind this.

    Repurchase? Possibly.

    JUNE

    Clinique Sonic Systems Purifying Brush – I enjoy this brush and the charge lasts a really long time! I got this at the MAC Warehouse Sale for $40 and the brush heads were $10.

    Repurchase? Although I like the brush, I wouldn’t pay full price for the brush heads. If I ever go back to the MAC Warehouse sale, I will pick some up.

    Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask (read my review) – I gave it a 5/5, but I’m not sure if it actually helped to clarify and exfoliate my skin. When I wake up the next morning though, my skin does look quite refreshed and hydrated.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser – If I wanted to replace the Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm, I could buy this to use as a makeup remover. I love that they changed the packaging from a tube to a bottle!

    Repurchase? Possibly.

    Clionadh Cosmetics Mother of Pearl Highlighter – This is so pretty!

    Repurchase? Yes, but without the scent.

    The Body Shop Tea Tree Targeted Gel Blemish Stick – I’m so torn. This blemish stick worked well, but it felt unsanitary to stick the wand back in after using it on a pimple. Plus, it’s expensive for a small stick.

    Repurchase? Undecided. But if I do, it has to be on sale.

    The Body Shop Tea Tree Anti-Imperfection Daily Solution – I believe this is no longer available, but it felt like it was the same product as the tea tree oil from The Body Shop.

    Repurchase? Unavailable.

    The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Body Wash – This worked okay, I would still get a pimple here and there on my back.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Burt’s Bees Blush in Shy Pink – This is a pretty matte shade, but sometimes I go too heavy-handed and have to really blend it out.

    Repurchase? Probably not. The shade is a bit too pink and I’m not a huge fan of the packaging. Since blush lasts so long, I’d rather pay for a high-end one with nicer packaging.

    Click here for Part 2!

    Did you spot any of your favourites on my list?

    Love,

    Read More

  • 2018 Mid-Year Makeup Inventory | Highlighters

    July 11, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    Continuing my makeup inventory, today’s post is on highlighters! Check out my other mid-year makeup roundup!

    Primers & Foundations | Bronzers | Blushes | Mascaras | Highlighters

    Current inventory:

    • 12 powder highlighters
    • 1 liquid strobe highlighter from Milk Makeup

    You can never have too many highlighters, especially when you can get different shades and you can use highlighter as eyeshadow too. I won’t be putting a makeup buying ban on highlighters.

    Physician’s Formula Butter Highlighter in Pink

    I love this, it’s creamy and gorgeous. I will definitely be picking up other shades of this highlighter.

    Maybelline Facestudio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter in 100 Molten Gold

    This is a fave of mine. I would definitely pick up another shade since this is a bit too dark for my skintone.

    Wet N Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder in Precious Petals

    This is beautiful. I wish I could get other shades of this highlighter, but that’s all that was left in stock at Rexall.

    Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter in Sin

    I got this as a rewards bonus from Sephora. It’s really pretty and the nicest out of the higher end ones that I have. I don’t think I would pick up the full-size because there are so many pretty drugstore highlighters.

    Clionadh Cosmetics Marble Highlighter in Mother of Pearl (read my review)

    I picked this up at Indie Expo Canada. It’s a gorgeous marble highlighter. It’s more of a fun highlighter since it has different colours- it looks purple, but when you move it in the light, it changes.

    Stila All Over Shimmer Powder

    I picked this up at Winners. I don’t think I’d pay full price for it. The darker shade in the duo is beautiful, but the lighter one is a bit powdery. When mixed together though, they make a beautiful rosy gold shade.

    Essence Light Up Your Face Luminizer Palette (read my review)

    I really want to try the Pure Nude Highlighter by Essence which I plan to pick up at some point. One of the shades in this palette is kind of chunky which I don’t love.

    MAC X Star Trek Trip the Light Fantastic Powder in Luna Luster

    When I first swatched this, I was surprised that it wasn’t buttery. It’s actually better to use a fan brush with this one so that it can disperse the shimmer nicely. If you used your finger, you’d get a splotch of shimmer in one spot of your face. This highlighter looks better when wet.

    H&M Spotlight Glow Powder in Sumptuous Peach (read my review)

    The pan of this is huge and it’s a beautiful highlighter for a brand that’s known for clothing.

    Inglot x Jennifer Lopez Livin’ the Highlight Illuminator in J201 Radiant (read my review)

    I prefer to use this as a body highlighter since it’s a loose highlight.

    Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder in Halo

    This is kind of chunky which was surprising since it’s Bobbi Brown. After using the blush, bronzer and highlighter, I don’t think I would pick up a Bobbi Brown product from any of those categories. If I were to get a Bobbi Brown product, it’d be an eyeshadow palette or skincare-related products like primer and foundation.

    Smashbox Blush Soft Lights Duo in Passion/Shimmer

    This highlighter is pretty, but it’s a bit powdery, if you wet your brush, it looks better. The duo would be great for travel since it has a blush and a highlighter.

    Physician’s Formula Pink, Smashbox Shimmer, Stila Shimmer (light shade, dark shade, both shades mixed), Essence Light Up Your Face Palette (3 shades), Wet N Wild Precious Petals
    Bobbi Brown Halo, H&M Sumptuous Peach, Clionadh Mother of Pearl, Urban Decay Sin, Mac X Star Trek Luna Luster, Maybelline Molten Gold, Inglot x J Lo Radiant

    The prettiest highlighters were actually the drugstore ones (in my opinion). I prefer the wet look instead of chunky, shimmery highlighters. My favourites are the Maybelline Master Chrome, Wet N Wild MegaGlo and Physician’s Formula Butter Highlighter.

    I realized that I forgot to include the Milk Makeup Liquid Strobe Highlighter in the swatches. If you want to see the swatch, you can read my review on it.

    Love,

    Read More
  • the body shop tea tree oil

    June 2018 Faves

    June 29, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    Here are June’s beauty faves!

    20180529_005625.jpg

    I really love this Clinique Sonic Systems Purifying Cleansing brush (read my review). It really gets off all the makeup that I missed with wipes, micellar water, and makeup cloths. I use it with my fave cleansers from The Face Shop. The charge lasts a really long time (but it also takes forever to charge it too). It has an auto shut off feature after 30 seconds and I love that it isn’t battery powered so it doesn’t have a backing. It’s okay if you accidentally drop it into the water (although it’s probably not a good idea to submerge it).

    20180605_114957.jpg

    Now I know why Glow Recipe is so popular. I love both of these products: Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask and the Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser (read my review)!

    JC titles for blog.png

    This Canadian Indie brand, Clionadh Cosmetics, has one of the prettiest marble highlighters I’ve ever seen! This is the Mother of Pearl highlighter (read my review). The bottom swatch is when it’s wet and the top is swatched from the pan. I find it’s more vibrant when it’s dry.

    IMG_20180622_023034_239

    The gang’s all here…or at least my Tea Tree Oil products that I own from The Body Shop. I swear I’m not an ambassador or anything!! I just really love the products and they’ve been great at keeping acne away. Of course, I get the occasional breakouts before that time of the month. The Daily Solution (read my review) has been a great step in my skincare regimen and the Blemish Stick (read my review) is great for spot treatments.

    I’ve been testing out the Body Wash because unfortunately, my face isn’t the only place that gets acne…I also occasionally get it on my back and in the cleavage (TMI?) especially during the summer time. It’s been really good so far, but it’s quite stinky. It also concerns me that it says “not to use it on the face”. I wonder how strong it is, but it does say that it’s okay to use daily. With my sensitive skin, maybe I will use it 3 times a week.

    I will definitely be picking up more tea tree oil products (perhaps the cleanser) in the future!! I’ve been told the toner is good.

    20180627_140524.png

    I really love the Burt’s Bees Blush in Shy Pink (read my review). It’s so pretty and it blends nicely!

    What were your faves this month?

    Love,

    jen

    Read More

  • Review | Clionadh Cosmetics Mother of Pearl Highlighter

    June 14, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    Last weekend, I attended Indie Expo Canada (independent beauty brands showcase their products- it’s mostly Indie nail polish brands). The majority of the vendors sell nail polish, but some had essential oils, wax, bath bombs, etc.

    From one of the vendors, Clionadh Cosmetics, I picked up an absolutely gorgeous highlighter that you can also use as eyeshadow or on the body, but it’s not intended for the lips. I got the Mother of Pearl highlighter (which is on sale right now for $13 CAD). It’s stamped with a seashell impression. The products are 100% Vegan and Cruelty-Free and 100% Talc and Paraben-Free.

    The Mother of Pearl highlighter is part of the Tropic of Capricorn Collection (a set of five summer-inspired marble highlighters).

    Mother of Pearl: A five-toned marble consisting of grey-silver, pastel pink, green, blue and peach. The end result is a frosted pink-lilac with pearlescent notes of blue and silver.

    I got home and tried it out and realized it was scented. You can choose to order scented or unscented. It smells like those sweet tart candies. Since I don’t love scented products that are sweet, I think I’d choose the unscented.

    I did two swatches with my finger: the top one is what it looks like normally and the bottom one is when it’s wet. Unlike other highlighters and eyeshadows I’ve tried, it sort of sheers out if you wet it. So, if you want the maximum payoff for this highlighter, don’t wet the brush or your finger when applying it

    RATING: 4/5

    This highlighter is so pretty and I love the marble effect when you mix the colours. I also love to support my fellow Canadians, especially when it’s an independent brand. A lot of the times, it’s just easier to buy the mainstream products from the drugstore or Sephora because they’re so easily accessible and you see their ads when you scroll through Instagram and Facebook. Indie Expo Canada is a great way to find new brands. I also picked up some nail polishes which I will review in the coming weeks.

    Love,

    Read More