• feb 2020 empties

    February 2020 Product Empties

    February 28, 2020

    Hi Everyone!

    Here are this month’s empties!

    Daiso Razors – I like these for shaving the face. They come with a plastic protector for storage.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Tarte Maracuja Eye Treatment – This cream is quite thick and I finished it a lot faster than I finished other products with the same amount.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Good Molecules Pure Cold-Pressed Rosehip Seed Oil* – really liked this oil.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Kopari Coconut Deodorant (read my review) – I had to declutter this because my underarms got a reaction when I would use it. I think it’s the coconut. It smells nice, but it didn’t do the best job when I would work out. Of course, it is a deodorant and not an anti-perspirant.

    Repurchase? No.

    Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser – This is a good cleanser for me to use in the morning. I sometimes use it on the body as well.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Rael Miracle Patches (read my review) – LOVE THESE! If you haven’t tried hydrocolloid patches for your acne, you need to try them! It doesn’t have to be these specific ones, but these and the COSRX ones are favourites of mine.

    Repurchase? I purchase mine from Amazon (4 packs of 24). This is my second time buying 4 packs. It took me about a 8-12 months to finish all 4 packs.

    Moom Aromatherapy Foot Spa Cream* – Why are all foot creams mint-scented? Not that I’m complaining. This was a nice foot cream, but I didn’t notice a huge difference in how smooth my feet felt.

    Repurchase? No.

    Joico Moisture Recovery Shampoo – I like this shampoo. I wouldn’t say it’s my fave, but I haven’t gotten any reactions (when I was using a Pantene shampoo, I noticed I was getting breakouts along my hairline and I don’t use many other hair products so it was easy to narrow it down).

    Repurchase? Only on sale.

    Australian Bodycare Tea Tree Oil Face Tonic* (read my review) – I enjoy tea tree oil for my acne-prone skin.

    Repurchase? I would purchase more products in their Tea Tree collection (like the body wash).

    Tula Acne Clearing + Tone Correcting Gel – This is a nice salicylic acid acne gel. When I first got it, I would use it every day which I realized was too often and the reason my skin was a bit red. Once I cut down to using it less frequently, it was better and still kept my skin fairly clear.

    Repurchase? Tula no longer ships to Canada, but I’m sure I can find a similar acne gel with salicylic acid.

    Grounded Sage Pure Amore Gel Facial Cleanser* – I didn’t love this cleanser mainly because it came I a glass jar. I prefer a pump because I don’t want to stick my wet hand into the jar and I also tend to use more.

    Repurchase? No.

    Nars Velvet Matte Foundation Stick in Fiji – This wasn’t my favourite stick foundation I’ve used.

    Repurchase? No.

    Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil in 09 Red Berry Glam – I wanted to try this lip oil and I won it in a giveaway. It wasn’t the shade I wanted, but I got to see if I liked the formula. I was expecting it to be more of an oil, but it’s basically like a gloss (quite sticky).

    Repurchase? Maybe, but in a different shade.

    Revlon Mega Multiplier Mascara – I like that this is a fiber mascara. You just have to wash it off with warm water and you don’t get raccoon eyes. Unfortunately that means it’s not waterproof if that’s what you’re after.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Sephora Solid Clean: Solid Brush Cleaner – This is a nice little thing to travel with and it comes with a little silicone pad to help get a deeper clean.

    Repurchase? Maybe.

    What did you finish this month?

    Love,

    Products marked with (*) were gifted to me.

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  • Revisiting My 2018 Favourites | Part 2

    May 17, 2019

    Hi Everyone!
    It’s been almost six months since Part 1 of Revisiting My 2018 Favourites. So, here’s Part 2! This post is for July to December’s beauty faves.

    Click here if you missed Part 1!

    JULY

    BCL Spa Sugar Scrub Lavender + Mint – I absolutely loved this. It smelled amazing and the scrub made my skin feel so soft and smell good.

    Repurchase? If I could find it for cheaper than $40 somewhere, I would! I’ll have to check salons in Toronto to see if they sell in-store. I’ve only found the brand on Amazon for $50+ or on wholesale sites.

    BCL Spa Dead Sea Salt Soak Lavender + Mint – As much as I loved this, I probably wouldn’t buy it again since it’s so expensive. I would rather buy the sugar scrub.

    Repurchase? No.

    Sonia Roselli Water Balm – Loved this!! It was a great moisturizer and primer, I will definitely get this again!

    Repurchase? Yes!

    Tarte Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Birthday Suit – I liked this, but I need to find a shade that’s more my style.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Colors by Llarowe Nail Polish in The Deep End – This is a pretty mermaid-y shade.

    Repurchase? I would repurchase from the brand, but I probably wouldn’t buy a similar shade. I want to streamline my nail polishes and purchase shades that don’t have shimmer (neutrals, reds, wines, etc.)

    AUGUST

    Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge -I love the flat side of this sponge.

    Repurchase? Yes! It would be great if I can find a 4-pack for $20 again!

    Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil – I enjoyed the little deluxe sample I had!

    Repurchase? YES!

    Soo’Ae Juice Mango Glow Mask – No offense to face masks, but I feel like (for the most part), they all feel the same. Unless one is specifically meant for something like drawing out impurities, the hydrating, brightening, plumping sheet masks all make my face feel the same.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    elf Studio Matte Lip Color in Tea Rose -This lipstick felt nice for a matte lip colour. This specific shade did not look good on me. It looked okay once I topped it with gloss though.

    Repurchase? No, I prefer satin finish lipsticks.

    Laneige BB Cushion Hydra Radiance SPF50 – As someone who deals with acne, I can’t just use this product. I need something with a bit more coverage. This is a very nice and affordable product, but I need something with a bit more coverage than what this offers.

    Repurchase? Possibly (when my skin is clear and when they have a better shade range). Although the scent is quite strong.

    SEPTEMBER

    Benefit Precisely, My Brow Ultra Fine Shape & Define in 6 – LOVE THIS!

    Repurchase? Absolutely!

    Diorshow Bold Brow in 002 Dark – I love this, but won’t repurchase until they expand the shades (if that ever happens). The shade 002 Dark is the darkest and it leans gray.

    Repurchase? I would if they had a darker shade.

    OPI Nail Lacquer in Step Right Up! – I love this shade! It’s a beautiful sheer pink.

    Repurchase? If It’s still available when I finish my current bottle, I would definitely repurchase.

    Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel – This gel works well, but since it has salicylic acid, it can make my face a bit itchy and/or red.

    Repurchase? Maybe.

    Pixi Aspyn Ovard Glow-y Powder in Santorini Sunset – This is a beautiful champagne highlighter.

    Repurchase? No longer available.

    OCTOBER

    Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation in Light-Neutral – Loooove this powder! I think I need a lighter shade though.

    Repurchase? Yes!!

    Thayers Witch Hazel Alcohol-Free Cucumber Toner – I think I’m allergic to witch hazel (or at least, I can’t tolerate a heavy concentration of it).

    Repurchase? No.

    The Face Shop Multi-Layer Cotton Pads – I love these! They are much stronger than the Muji Peelable Cotton Pads.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Unknown Brand of Cotton Swabs (flat end and pointy end) – These are really useful! I like that it has a pointy end.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Tarte Timeless Smoothing Primer – I love this primer.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    NOVEMBER

    Kopari Coconut Deodorant – It’s aluminum-free! It also smells really nice when you sniff it from the tube, but it can sometimes be too much for me (especially since I don’t looooove coconut). Also, since it’s got a strong scent, I feel like I shouldn’t wear my perfume when I do wear it because it will clash.

    Repurchase? Yes, I would try one of the other scents (or even unscented).

    Etude House Lip & Eye Remover – This is great for removing my makeup.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer in Light – Really love this concealer.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    TULA Acne Clearing + Tone Correcting Gel – When I first got this, I was using it twice a day and then I stopped for a bit and realized that while it does work, my face was so dry because of the salicylic acid. I’ve cut down to using it only when I feel a pimple coming (like a spot treatment) instead of using it all over.

    Repurchase? I would.

    DECEMBER

    NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer – This concealer is awesome for spot concealing and I would definitely purchase in a lighter shade as an under eye concealer.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    The Body Shop Aloe Calming Foaming Wash – This was very gentle and I love foaming cleansers.

    Repurchase? Yes, but on sale.

    EcoTools Shading Brush – Love this brush. It’s so soft!!

    Repurchase? I would definitely buy more EcoTools brushes.

    Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette – I really just wanted to try this once to see why everyone loved it so much. I’m glad that they offer a duo now instead of having to get all six shades.

    Repurchase? I love the sombre shade for contouring, but I would rather buy another brand for obvious reasons.

    Do you still love your favourites from last year?

    Love,

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  • My Beauty Faves of 2018

    January 1, 2019

    Hi Everyone!

    HAPPY NEW YEAR!

    It’s my first post of 2019!!!

    From now on, I will be posting on Tuesdays & Fridays. Posting Mon-Wed-Fri was getting to be too much for me, so I think cutting down to twice a week will be okay for now.

    Here are 19 beauty faves that I will definitely repurchase once I’ve finished these:

    • Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette – UPDATE: I no longer plan to repurchase this palette or any products from the brand. I do want to find a similar contour shade to sombre from this palette though
    • Tula Acne Clearing + Tone Correcting Gel
    • Tula Discovery Kit
      • Purifying Cleanser
      • Pro-Glycolic Resurfacing Gel
      • Illuminating Face Serum
      • Hydrating Day & Night Cream
    • Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
    • Kopari Coconut Deodorant
    • L’Oréal Skin Pure Sugar Scrub (Kiwi)
    • Physician’s Formula Murumuru Butter Butter Bronzer in Deep
    • Physician’s Formula Butter Highlighter in Pink
    • Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Longwear Foundation Stick in 260 Bisque N
    • Tarte Timeless Smoothing Primer
    • Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation in Light Neutral
    • Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser Treatment Concealer in Light
    • Milani Baked Blush in Dolce Pink
    • NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer in Custard
    • Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel
    • Make Up For Ever Lustrous Palette (Limited Edition, but the shadows are available in singles) – I love the transition and shimmery shades in this palette. I need to work on using the darker shades more. I took these shadows out of this palette and put them into an empty MAC palette. The black part surrounding the shadows was made of foam. Every time I opened the palette, I would get a whiff of plastic/foam. Luckily, I was able to take the shadows out since it was just glued onto another layer of foam.
    Make Up For Ever Lustrous Palette

    What were your faves of 2018?

    Love,

    jen
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  • November 2018 Faves

    November 30, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    We’re starting this month with something a little different from my usual favourites. I think everyone is always on a quest to make their skin look healthy. Last year, I took spin classes for two weeks with my friends and I was drinking a lot of water then. My skin was probably the best it ever looked because I was staying hydrated. In October, I decided that I should make it a goal to drink the recommended daily intake of water (8 x 8 mL = about 2L).

    View this post on Instagram

    F E A T U R E F R I D A Y // Something a little different from my usual feature friday posts. Drinking enough water makes your skin look and feel hydrated. Drinking from a bottle or cold cup with a straw has really been helping me to take sips throughout the day and increase my water intake. (I'm using up the rest of our plastic straws right now, but will definitely be switching to reusable or paper straws in the future). Last month, I downloaded an app to help me keep track of my water intake and I think it's helped my skin a lot. Apart from the horrible breakout I'm healing from right now, my skin is a lot more hydrated and not as dry. #hydrate #water #featurefriday #friyay #tgif #discoverunder5k #skincare

    A post shared by Jen (@jencatbeauty) on

    Drinking from a bottle or cold cup with a straw has definitely helped me increase my water intake. (I’m using up the rest of our plastic straws right now, but will definitely be switching to reusable or paper straws in the future). I’ve also been cutting down on sugary drinks. I haven’t bought any 2L bottles of pop or juice in a long time. I mostly drink just water throughout the day and have one cup of tea. If I’m going out for dinner, I usually just get water, but occasionally, I will order a ginger ale or coke.

    Last month, I downloaded an app called Water Drink Reminder to help me keep track of my water intake and I think it’s helped my skin a lot. I just chose the first Water Tracker app that I liked the interface. I tried this plant one that had a cute plant and this other one, but both had spelling mistakes which drove me crazy. Apart from the horrible breakout I had at the beginning of this month, my skin is a lot more hydrated and not as dry.

    So far I’m loving this Kopari Coconut Deodorant. I haven’t done a rigorous workout with it, but I did some exercises to work up a sweat and it still smelled nice and coconut-ty.  I was wearing it for a whole day and I did notice that the scent had faded and I could start to smell a bit of sweat. So, I don’t think this would be good for a rigorous workout and you would definitely have to reapply during a hot day. It is a bit pricey, but deodorant lasts a while, so I think it will be worth it.

    Check out my full review

    The Etude House Lip & Eye Remover is awesome at taking off eye makeup. I use a cotton pad and it took off the majority of my eye makeup in one swipe. I don’t have waterproof mascara, so I don’t know how well it takes it off, but it’s great for regular, non-waterproof makeup.

    I can see why everyone loves the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Concealer. I have the shade Light and it’s the perfect shade for my under eyes. It brightens and has a beautiful, natural finish. I took off the sponge because I just don’t think it’s hygienic. One twist is enough for both of my eyes now that the sponge is gone.

    Lately, I’ve been using the Tula Purifying Cleanser, Illuminating Face Serum and the Acne Clearing + Tone Correcting Gel. I was slowly incorporating the Tula products to my routine (just in case I have a reaction to one of the products). I still have to add the Pro-Glycolic Resurfacing Gel (which is a toner) and the Hydrating Day & Night Cream to the routine. I am very impressed by the acne gel because it’s one of the few salicylic acid products that hasn’t made my face red, irritated or puffy. Yay!! Usually, my face is fine with salicylic acid cleansers because it’s not on my face for very long. With salicylic acid products that you leave on overnight or during the day, I haven’t been so lucky. That’s why I was using tea tree oil products for a while. I still love my Body Shop tea tree oil products, but the smell is just so strong. So far, I am liking the Tula products I’ve tried. I will write a full review once I’ve started using the other 2 products.

    What were your fave this month?

    Love,

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  • Haul | October 2018 Sephora VIB Rouge Sale

    November 2, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    I went a little crazy during the Sephora Sale! This is the most I’ve spent at Sephora in one go. I always saw these massive Sephora Hauls and thought, “Wow! This person bought so much!” But, those people are smart because there are usually 3 or more sales each year. So, if you buy everything you’ll need/want during a sale, you’ll be good for the next six months until the next sale. Over the years, I’ve been buying things during the sales AND also buying things throughout the year at full price! WHAT A DUMMY! From now on, I am only going to make purchases during the sales. This will also help me cut down on impulse buying because if I have to wait for the next sale, I can properly test things out and research reviews.

    If you read my wishlist, you’ll know that I didn’t pick up some things and I bought some things that weren’t on the wishlist.

    I didn’t pick up the MAC Fix+, Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector or the Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion, but I bought a Saturday Skin facial spray and eye cream, and I picked up the NARS Eyeshadow Base. I still have half a bottle of the Mac Fix+ and I’ve been using my Thayers Witch Hazel Toner as a spray as well, so I can probably replenish during the next Sephora sale.

    I didn’t get a chance to go in store to get a sample of the Waso Fresh Jelly Lotion, so I decided to pass on it this time. I still have my Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel, so I didn’t get the Origins Super Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Gel. I think I will skip on getting those types of spot treatments from now on because they have alcohol in them and tea tree oil has been working so far. I still have a concealer and colour corrector for under eyes, so I skipped the Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector. I have two brow pencils at the moment, so I didn’t get the Lancome Brow Pencil.

    All of my purchases were skincare, hair or makeup bases. I didn’t buy any eye, cheek or lip products because I’m trying to finish some of the products I already own before purchasing more. Everything is new to me; I haven’t previously purchased anything on the list. So, here’s what I purchased online during last week’s ROUGE sale.

    Saturday Skin No Bad Days Set

    • Daily Dew Hydrating Essence Mist
    • Rub-A-Dub Refining Peel Gel
    • Wide Awake Brightening Eye Cream
    • Featherweight Daily Moisturizing Cream

    I’ve heard of Saturday Skin, but never tried anything. The brand is only available online for Sephora Canada. Although, sometimes I see things that are ‘online only’ in store, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen Saturday Skin in store. If I end up liking the products, I will pick up the full size bottles in the next sale.

    Sephora Daily Brush Cleaner

    I bought this years ago and it worked well, so I thought I would get it again. Although, it smells different than it used to (it used to be more perfume-y).

    KOPARI Coconut Deodorant

    I want to start using deodorant that doesn’t have aluminum in it and I’ve see good reviews on this and it smells really good.

    Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Long Wear Foundation Stick SPF21 in 260 Bisque N

    I know a lot of people love the Hourglass stick, but I wanted to try this one and review it first. I will eventually get my hands on the Hourglass stick. I’m planning to test this one out and see if I like it enough to keep it.

    Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage Concealer in 260 Bisque N

    I bought this concealer to match the foundation since they have the same shade names and I swatched them and it matches. Although, I think the foundation blends out a little better, so we’ll see if this is too dark for me.

    Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo

    The larger size wasn’t available, so I went with the travel size one.

    NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base in Medium

    I’ve seen a lot of positive reviews on their old eyeshadow base and a lot of people commented saying it should be tinted and now they’ve come out with a tinted one. I wanted to get an eyeshadow base that’s not as thick as others I’ve tried.

    Sephora Favorites Party Hair Kit

    • IGK Beach Club Texture Spray
    • Living Proof Full Dry Volume Blast
    • Amika Un.Done Volume & Texture Spray
    • Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1
    • Ouai Texturizing Hair Spray
    • Verb Sea Spray

    I wanted to try out some texturizing sprays, so I thought a Sephora Favorites Kit would be the best way to sample different brands since you get 6 travel-sized bottles.

    So, that’s all I bought online for this sale. Once I’ve properly tested out the products, I will review them on the blog and on Instagram.

    Spot any favourites from my haul? What did you purchase during the sale? If you wrote a post on your haul, link it down below!

    Love,

    jen

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  • Sephora 2018 Wishlist

    October 22, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    I decided to do No Buy October (no makeup or skincare products) in preparation for the Sephora sales. I didn’t realize there would be a sale so soon! I think I will spread out my purchases across the upcoming sales. I will buy the things I NEED during the first one and then things I WANT later.

    I have quite a few products on my wishlist. I probably won’t buy everything on the list during the sale. Whatever I don’t buy, I will pick up during the sales next year. I have some favourites that I want to repurchase, but most of the products on the list are ones that I haven’t tried/purchased before.

    I am on the fence about purchasing a Charlotte Tilbury product. I know I want to own Charlotte Tilbury products (lip cheat, lipstick, blush and airbrush powder), I just don’t know if I should purchase now or wait until my current makeup inventory has gone down.

    …I think I will wait because I have a feeling that I will love the products I purchase and I won’t want to use anything else.

    PRODUCTS I LOVE

    Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo – I looove the smell of this! I got two compliments from my sister and aunt when I used it.

    Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector – I originally got this at the MAC Warehouse Sale, and I really liked it. The metal applicator felt very cooling when I applied it and it helped my under eyes feel moisturized.

    Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion – This is a great eye shadow primer. If I’m finished my current one, I will replenish my stock.

    PRODUCTS TO TRY

    Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector – I want an under eye product that brightens and doesn’t emphasize my dry under eyes.

    Kopari Coconut Deodorant – I want to try a deodorant without aluminum and I’ve read some good reviews on it.

    Origins Super Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Gel – I’ve used the Kate Somerville EradiKate and I wanted to try this one.

    Waso Fresh Jelly Lotion – I tried this out in store and it smells nice and I love the texture of it.

    Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation – I’ve heard amazing things about this and I really want to compare it to the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick. I know they’re different finishes and coverage, but it’d be interesting to see how they compare.

    Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Long Wear Foundation Stick – Before I wanted to get the Hourglass stick, I really wanted to try this because it’s a soft matte finish that feels so smooth when I swatch it on my hand. I’m thinking of getting both sticks to compare them with the Bobbi Brown one.

    Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage Concealer – I want to get this in the same shade as my foundation because then I don’t have to try and colour match a different brand’s concealer with my foundation.

    Lancôme Brow Shaping Powdery Pencil – I haven’t seen a lot of reviews for this and I was at Sephora and swatched this. The strokes are even finer than the Benefit Precisely, My Brow, so I thought I’d give it a try.

    WISHLIST FOR A FUTURE SEPHORA SALE

    Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder – I’ve heard amazing things about this powder. If it’s in stock, I’m going to grab this.

    Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat – Again, if this is in stock, I will get it in Pillow Talk.

    Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Long Wear Foundation – Lancôme foundations are beautiful and I wanted to get this one after trying a sample.

    Click here to see what I got during the sale!

    What’s on your wishlist?

    Love,

    jen

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