• mascara

    Mascara | Hits & Misses

    June 10, 2020

    Hi Everyone!

    Today, I’m reviewing mascara! Find out which ones I love, like and wouldn’t repurchase.

    Check out my other Hits & Misses posts!

    MAKEUP || Primers | Foundations | Powders | Concealers | Brows

    SKINCARE || Eye Creams

    BRANDS || Bobbi Brown | Burt’s Bees | L’Oréal | Maybelline | Nude by Nature | NYX | TULA | Volition Beauty

    Before you read this post, please remember that we all have difference preferences and skin types. These are MY hits, misses and likes. You might love something I don’t like or dislike something I love.

    HITS

    Buxom Lash Mascara – I really loved this mascara when I tried it and seeing the cost per ounce, it’s actually a better price than other high end ones.

    Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara – This is an expensive one, but I bought one of those Sephora Favorites kits and redeemed a full size tube of this mascara. The mini size had such a short wand, so I look forward to using the full size wand.

    L’Oréal Voluminous Original Mascara – This was one of the first drugstore mascaras I tried. I know the first mascara for everyone would probably be the Maybelline Great Lash Mascara, but I skipped straight to trying this one. It’s still one of my faves.

    Benefit Roller Lash Curling & Lifting Mascara – Here’s another mascara that I tried a mini of, but the curve of the wand made it easy for me to apply to my lashes. I would purchase the full size of this one.

    Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara – I really loved the wand of this mascara and it separated my lashes nicely for a natural look (but with an extra oomph). However, this is the most expensive mascara on this list (cost per ounce).

    Essence Volume Stylist 18 hr Lash Extension Mascara – I tried this one out because Tati recommended it. If Tati, someone who tries out tons of mascaras, likes this then you know it’s a pretty good one.

    Maybelline Lash Sensational Full Fan Effect Mascara (read my review) – This is a great mascara that lifts the lashes. I tried the washable one, but I’m sure the waterproof one would be even better.

    Revlon Mega Multiplier Mascara (read my review) – I know there are probably better fiber mascaras out there, but this is one that I’ve tried and enjoyed. It easily washes off with warm water.

    LIKES

    Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies Mascara – I tried this mascara before I started reviewing products. From what I remember, this was a great mascara. I’d have to try it again to see if it would get bumped up to my HITS list.

    Maybelline Total Temptation Mascara – Maybelline mascaras are some of my faves. This one isn’t my fave out of the ones I’ve tried, but it’s still a good mascara.

    L’Oréal Telescopic Intense Lash Length Original Mascara – My friend recommended the telescopic mascara, but I bought the wrong one. I think she likes the black one and I bought the gold tube. This one has a nice, thin wand that’s great for bottom lashes.

    Essence The False Lashes Mascara (read my review) – This mascara is not my favourite. While I rated it 3.5/5 in my review, I probably wouldn’t purchase it again. Even at its low price.

    Essence Get BIG! Triple Black Lashes Mascara (read my review) – This brush is too fat for my lashes.

    Covergirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara (read my review) – While I liked this mascara, I would prefer if the wand was a bit more tapered. It’s quite a fat wand and my lashes aren’t that long.

    Clinique High Impact Mascara – I think this was one of the first mascaras I tried. My mom used to buy mostly Clinique makeup and she would buy the makeup during the bonus makeup bag at Hudson’s Bay. The ones that come with eyeshadow, lipstick, perfume and mascara.

    Tarte Amazonian Clay Smart Gifted Mascara (read my review) – This is a great mascara for a natural look.

    Tarte Lights Camera Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara – I liked this mascara, but I probably wouldn’t buy the full size. There are ones I prefer more.

    Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara – The makeup artist for my sister’s wedding used this one. If a makeup artist uses this, then you know it’s a good one.

    Benefit They’re Real! Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara – Benefit mascaras and brow products are some of the best. I enjoyed this mascara and would get it again.

    Benefit BADgal BANG! Volumizing Mascara – I’d say this one is my least fave of the Benefit mascaras, but it’s still a good mascara.

    Urban Decay Perversion Mascara – This makes your lashes look darker and not clumpy at all. This is one of the few mascaras where I’ve tried a mini that has a fairly long wand.

    Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara – I was excited to try this one because I know a few people who really like it. It wasn’t anything special for me. I’d rather buy a drugstore one that I like more.

    Bourjois Twist Up The Volume Mascara (read my review) – This one is cool because you can get two different looks by twisting the brush. It’s not my favourite though.

    MISSES

    L’Oréal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara (read my review) – I know this is going to be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t like the shape of the wand. I need a cone-shaped/smaller wand because I don’t have long lashes.

    Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara (read my review) – This mascara dries out too quickly (the tubes I’ve tried at least) and I don’t like the shape of the wand.Covergirl Total Tease Mascara (read my review) – While I did like this mascara, I didn’t like the tip of the wand.

    Burt’s Bees Nourishing Mascara – I didn’t love the smell of this one (not that it really makes a difference because you can’t smell it on your eyes). The brush was quite hard and there are better mascaras for a similar price.

    ProductPrice in CADSize (oz)Cost per ounce
    Essence Get BIG! Lashes Triple Black3.990.419.73
    Essence Volume Stylist 18hr Lash Extension4.990.412.5
    Covergirl Lash Blast9.990.4422.7
    Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies9.490.3130.6
    Maybelline Lash Sensational Full Fan Effect10.490.3232.8
    L’Oréal Voluminous Original10.490.2837.5
    Revlon Mega Multiplier10.990.2839.3
    Burt’s Bees Nourishing15.990.440
    Maybelline Total Temptation11.490.2742.6
    L’Oréal Voluminous Lash Paradise14.490.2851.8
    L’Oréal Telescopic Intense Lash Length Original13.990.2751.8
    Buxom Lash Volumizing280.3775
    Urban Decay Perversion320.480
    Bourjois Twist Up The Volume230.2792.9
    Clinique High Impact260.2892.9
    Hourglass Caution Extreme (mini)18.50.1997.4
    Lancôme Monsieur Big330.33100
    Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay (mini)160.16100
    Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 (mini)160.16100
    Too Faced Better Than Sex (mini)170.17100
    Hourglass Caution Extreme360.33109
    Benefit BADgal BANG!330.3110
    Benefit Roller Lash330.3110
    Benefit They’re Real!330.3110
    Too Faced Better Than Sex320.27118.5
    Benefit BADgal BANG! (mini)170.14121.4
    Benefit Roller Lash (mini)170.14121.4
    Benefit They’re Real! (mini)170.14121.4
    Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay300.24125
    Lancôme Monsieur Big (mini)170.13130
    Urban Decay Perversion (mini)180.13138
    Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye410.2205

    What are your favourite mascaras?

    Love,

    Read More
  • concealers & colour correctors

    Concealers & Colour Correctors | My Hits & Misses

    April 3, 2020

    Hi Everyone!

    I’m sharing my hits and misses for concealers and colour correctors that I’ve tried.

    Check out my other Hits & Misses posts!

    MAKEUP || Primers | Foundations | Powders | Brows | Mascara

    SKINCARE || Eye Creams

    BRANDS || Bobbi Brown | Burt’s Bees | L’Oréal | Maybelline | Nude by Nature | NYX | TULA | Volition Beauty

    Before you read this post, please remember that we all have difference preferences and skin types. These are MY hits, misses and likes. You might love something I don’t like or dislike something I love.

    HITS

    Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer – This has become one of my favourites. I still need to try the Radiant Creamy Concealer.

    Maybelline Fit Me Concealer – This is a great concealer, but it needs more shades.

    Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer – This is another great concealer from Maybelline, but I feel like I finished it really quickly compared to other concealers.

    Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Concealer – Love this concealer and would definitely repurchase.

    Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Self-Setting Concealer – I really enjoyed this concealer and would definitely repurchase.

    concealers

    LIKES

    Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer – I tried this before I started beauty blogging so I never tested it out in different ways. I really enjoyed it, but I need to try it again to see if I would bump it up to my “Hits List.”

    Cle de Peau Concealer – This is a really nice concealer, but I don’t think it’s worth it for me.

    Coastal Scents Eclipse Palette (read my review) – I liked the colour correcting shades from this palette.

    Milani Retouch + Erase Light-Lifting Concealer – I liked this concealer, but it needs more shades.

    Colourpop No Filter Concealer – I know this concealer is affordable, but it’s hard to find the perfect shade match online. Also, this concealer oxidizes which I didn’t love.

    Cover FX Correct Click Color Corrector in Brick – A Sephora associate suggested this corrector to cover a dark spot I had on my leg for my sister’s wedding. It was a very nice, blendable corrector when I bought it in 2016.   

    Hard Candy Sheer Envy Concealer Palette – I liked the colour correcting shades in this palette. It was very emollient and not too thick. The concealer shades weren’t quite right (even when I tried to mix them to get my shade).

    Urban Decay Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid in Green – I liked this colour corrector. It was nice and creamy.

    RMS Beauty Un-Cover Up – I liked this concealer, but it started to smell different after a few months.

    Maybelline Super Stay Better Skin Concealer – This concealer was okay, but I prefer the Fit Me Concealer.

    NYX HD Photogenic Concealer in Green – The shade of this colour corrector is very minty-green compared to the Urban Decay one (see swatches).

    Physician’s Formula Concealer Twins 2-in-1 Correct and Cover Cream – I tried this when I was first getting into makeup. It was a great starter concealer and colour corrector.

    concealers

    MISSES

    Marcelle CC Concealer + Corrector (read my review) – This was probably the worst concealer I ever tried. It was gritty!

    Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Concealer – This was too thin to provide any coverage for me. It also settled into lines and made my dry under eyes look even drier.

    Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage Concealer – This was way too tacky for me. I also got the wrong shade in this one.

    Revlon Colorstay Concealer – I didn’t like the smell of this concealer. It was an okay concealer, but it doesn’t have a very wide shade range.

    Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer – This is an unpopular opinion, but I don’t like this concealer at all. This is too full coverage for me and the scent is way too strong for me.

    Sephora Bright Future Color Corrector (read my review) – I didn’t like this colour corrector.

    Cover FX Correct Click Color Corrector in Yellow – I don’t know if they changed the formula since I purchased the shade Brick in 2016, but the Yellow would pull on my skin and it wasn’t as blendable.

    Concealers I Own, but Haven’t Used

    • Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer in Neutralizer
    • Laura Mercier Secret Concealer

    To Try

    • Bare Minerals BARESKIN Complete Coverage Serum Concealer
    • Bare Minerals BAREPRO 16-Hr Full Coverage Concealer
    • Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Concealer
    • First Aid Hello FAB Bendy Avocado Concealer
    • Ilia True Skin Serum Concealer
    • Kosas Revealer Concealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer
    • Milk Flex Concealer
    • Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer
    • Revlon PhotoReady Candid Antioxidant Concealer
    • Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Multi-Use Sculpting Concealer

    What are your fave concealers?

    Love,

    Read More
  • maybelline fit me loose finishing powder

    Powders | My Hits & Misses

    March 20, 2020

    Hi Everyone!

    I’m sharing my hits and misses for all powders that I’ve tried. This includes setting and finishing powders as well as powder foundations.

    Check out my other Hits & Misses posts!

    MAKEUP || Primers | Foundations | Concealers | Brows | Mascara

    SKINCARE || Eye Creams

    BRANDS || Bobbi Brown | Burt’s Bees | L’Oréal | Maybelline | Nude by Nature | NYX | TULA | Volition Beauty

    Before you read this post, please remember that we all have difference preferences and skin types. These are MY hits, misses and likes. You might love something I don’t like or dislike something I love.

    HITS

    Bare Minerals Barepro Performance Wear Powder Foundation – I got a deluxe sample of this from Sephora as a promo. I really enjoyed it AND it was even in the wrong shade, but it was nice on the skin. Would definitely buy a full size.

    Bella Pierre Mineral Foundation – This was the first mineral foundation I tried. This woman at a kiosk sucked me into her chair and put this on me. It was beautiful and I ended up buying this powder, a blush and others.

    Shiseido Sheer Mattifying Compact Powder Foundation (read my review) – This is no longer around, but Shiseido still has some gorgeous powders. You just have to hope they don’t discontinue them.

    Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder Compact – I think this is meant to use as an all-over face powder to illuminate, but I use it as a highlighter. It’s perfect for a subtle glow.

    Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder – I really do love this powder, but the shade isn’t right. I wish they had more shades or a translucent option.

    Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder – This is my fave translucent setting powder I’ve tried.

    Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation – This powder looks beautiful. I just need to get it in the right shade.

    Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder – This made my skin look like it had a filter on it. I don’t know if it was just a combo of a good skin day and a nice primer, but it looked really good every time I used it.

    charlotte tilbury airbrush flawless finish setting powder

    LIKES

    Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder – It’s a beautiful powder, BUT it pans so quickly and there’s only 3 shades. Fair is too light and Medium is too dark.

    Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder – I don’t find anything special about this one. I had a deluxe sample and the powder would come out in clumps. I didn’t store it where any moisture could get to it, so I don’t know why it was like that.  

    Rimmel Clear Complexion Clarifiying Powder – This was a good powder from what I remember. I want to try the Rimmel Stay Matte one.

    Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Powder – This was a nice powder, but I didn’t like the scent of it. I don’t think any powder needs to be scented.

    Burt’s Bees Natural Mattifying Powder* – I had the wrong shade of this, so it made me look really pale. It was a nice pressed powder that did mattify. I probably wouldn’t repurchase though (even if it was the right shade).

    Revlon Nearly Naked Powder – This was a nice powder that felt silky smooth. It doesn’t have the best shade range and it’s fairly expensive for a drugstore powder. I’d rather get a bare minerals powder for the price.

    Smashbox Photo Filter Powder Foundation – This felt silky smooth, but the shade I got was way too light, so I can’t say for sure if I really liked it or not. It made my skin look patchy because it was too light.

    Nude by Nature Mattifying Pressed Setting Powder* – It mattified and gave nice coverage. It wasn’t my fave setting powder though.

    hourglass veil translucent setting powder

    MISSES

    Bobbi Brown Nude Finishing Illuminating Setting Powder – If this didn’t have the shimmer in it, it would be a beautiful powder.

    KVD Beauty Lock-It Brightening Powder – I bought this at Winners when I wanted to try baking because it was before I knew that baking powder is its own thing. I also mistakenly bought a shade meant for dark skin tones. I tested it out anyway just to see if I liked the consistency, but it was way too heavy for my dry under eyes.

    Catrice Light Illusion Loose Powder (Yellow Matt) – I didn’t like this because as I’ve said, I have dry under eyes and it just emphasized it. If you have oily skin, it might work for you.

    To Try

    • Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder
    • Lancôme Long Time No Shine Setting Powder
    • Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder
    • Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Custom Finish Powder Foundation

    What are your favourite powders?

    Love,

    Products marked with (*) were sent for review.

    Read More
  • hera black cushion foundation

    Foundations | My Hits & Misses

    March 17, 2020

    Hi Everyone!

    I’m sharing my hits and misses for all foundations that I’ve tried (that I can remember).

    Check out my other Hits & Misses posts!

    MAKEUP || Primers | Foundations | Powders | Concealers | Brows | Mascara

    SKINCARE || Eye Creams

    BRANDS || Bobbi Brown | Burt’s Bees | L’Oréal | Maybelline | Nude by Nature | NYX | TULA | Volition Beauty

    Before you read this post, please remember that we all have difference preferences and skin types. These are MY hits, misses and likes. You might love something I don’t like or dislike something I love.

    Just a heads up that there are quite a few cult fave foundations that I don’t love as much as everyone else. There are more foundations that I’ve tried samples of, but 1) this post would be way too long and 2) I don’t have a full opinion on them since I only used them a handful of times. This post will only include liquids/creams/cushions/sticks. I will include powder foundations in my Powder Hits & Misses post since I haven’t tried as many. It will also only include foundations that are still available. I’m going to keep my little reviews as short as I can especially if I have a full review of the foundation. I will link them so you can read them if you’d like.

    In no particular order, here are my Hits, Likes and Misses:

    Hits

    Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick (read my review) – This might be my favourite stick foundation I’ve tried to date. I even had the wrong shade. It was perfect for a girls trip. I packed this to use as foundation/concealer. This is one of my favourite Bobbi Brown items (Bobbi Brown Hits & Misses). I  bought it at the MAC Warehouse Sale and would definitely pay full price for it.

    Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Longwear Foundation Stick SPF21 – This would be my 2nd favourite stick foundation.

    Lancôme Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation (read my review) – Love this. Even though it’s labelled as a foundation, it’s more like a tinted moisturizer. If only they had more shades available (I’m in between shades).

    Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation – I need to find the right shade because the one I was using is too pink for me.

    Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer – I feel like this has a little more coverage than what I’d consider a tinted moisturizer. It’s a great product though.

    dior backstage face & body foundation

    Likes

    Shiseido Synchro Skin Glow Luminizing Foundation – Beautiful foundation and one of the closest matches I’ve ever had. It does have fragrance in it and oddly enough, it doesn’t smell that great. I would rather try the self-refreshing one that doesn’t have any fragrance in it.

    Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation (read my review) – While this was a beautiful foundation, it just didn’t last long on me. I don’t know if the primers I tried were just too slippy or something. It looked beautiful on the skin, but I just couldn’t find the right shade match. It was either too pink or too orange.

    Laneige BB Cushion Hydra Radiance SPF50* (read my review) – Nice cushion foundation, but I’m between shades.

    Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation – Can’t find a good shade match, but this is a nice foundation.

    Maybelline Fit Me Hydrate + Smooth Foundation (read my review) – I wish this had a pump. I’m also not crazy about the scent of this. Not my fave foundation.

    Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick (read my review) – I liked it, but didn’t love this enough. It was just too full coverage for me (even when I used a very thin layer).

    Hera Black Cushion Foundation – My sister got this for me in Korea. I just picked a shade that I thought would be okay based on pictures. Even though I’m quite light, the shade is too light for me. Plus, this is very fragranced (like a lot of K-Beauty products). The foundation itself is nice, but the fragrance is just too much for me. Plus, it’s hard for me to get in Canada. If it is available, it’s more than I’m willing to spend. So, I’d rather spend the money on something else.

    The Ordinary Serum Foundation (read my review) – not my fave, but not my least fave.

    The Body Shop All-in-One BB Cream (read my review) – At the time I wrote the review for this, I really enjoyed it. Since then, I’ve tried other products I prefer more.

    Perricone MD No Foundation Serum Broad Spectrum SPF30 (read my review) – Nice foundation that looks natural and provides sheer coverage.

    shiseido synchro skin luminizing glow foundation

    Misses

    For the foundation misses, there are ones that either just didn’t impress me much, didn’t provide enough coverage or had too much coverage.

    Almay Clear Complexion Make Myself Clear Makeup* – I don’t really want makeup that has salicylic acid.

    NYX Bare With Me Tinted Skin Veil* (read my review) – not my shade and coverage was too light for me.

    Bali Body BB Cream (read my review) – This provided no coverage whatsoever.

    NYX HD Studio Photogenic Foundation – Broke me out and smelled like plastic.

    Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation and Concealer – Was way too thick for me and shade range wasn’t great.

    Garnier BB Cream – Shade range is terrible and it made my eyes water. Too much alcohol in it??

    Nars Velvet Matte Foundation Stick –  I bought this at the Shiseido Warehouse Sale and it just didn’t wow me. It sounds kind of mean, but there’s a reason that this is rarely on lists of Fave Stick Foundations.

    Burt’s Bees Goodness Glows Liquid Foundation – Washed off easily with water and looked patchy on dry spots. What would happen if I wore this when it’s raining or went on a Maid of the Mist boat tour??

    Nude by Nature Luminous Sheer Liquid Foundation* (read my review) – Not enough coverage.

    Nude by Nature BB Cream* (read my review) – Not enough coverage.

    Wet N Wild Photofocus Foundation – Shade was wrong, too matte for me. I know they came out with a dewy version, but I also didn’t like the smell or the fact that it used a spatula instead of a pump.

    The following foundations are ones I can’t give a definitive opinion on:

    Becca Ever-Matte Shine Proof Foundation – I think I had the wrong shade and also knew nothing about applying it. I ended up throwing this out despite not using it very often.

    Holika Holika Gudetama Photo Ready Cushion Foundation – wrong shade. Wasn’t my fave cushion though.

    Maybelline Superstay Better Skin Foundation – This was one of the first liquid foundations from the drugstore that I bought. It smells like chemicals, but I remember it being nice (I had the wrong shade though).

    Nars Sheer Glow Foundation – I can’t say if I like or hate this because I bought the wrong shade. I bought this before I knew what I wanted in a foundation. I never fully tested it out. I would prefer a foundation that has a pump (instead of buying one separately and NARS has nice foundations that come with a pump).

    To Try

    • Bite Changemaker Micellar Foundation
    • L’Oréal Infallible 24Hr Freshwear Foundation
    • Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer
    • Make Up For Ever Matte Velvet Skin Full Coverage Foundation
    • Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Foundation

    What are your fave foundations?

    Love,

    Products marked with (*) were sent to me for review.

    Read More
  • 2019 beauty expenses

    Worth It? | My 20 Most Expensive Purchases

    January 24, 2020

    Hi Everyone!

    Today, I’m sharing my 20 most expensive beauty purchases. I wore makeup in high school, but I just wore eyeliner and a dab of concealer if needed. I thought foundation was unnecessary for some reason. My face was relatively clear, I would get breakouts every now and then, but nothing unmanageable. I started wearing foundation in university. Also, I would just use the same moisturizer my mom used…Complex Moisturizer from the drugstore. It wasn’t until a few years ago that we both decided to upgrade from that. Since I started blogging, I’ve tried a lot more makeup and skincare, but I’ve still only scratched the surface. I’ve tried a few higher end products which are on the list. Keep reading to find out if all 20 were worth it!

    1. Sigma Essential Brush Kit (12 brushes) – $99 from Winners
    2. Tula Illuminating Face Serum – $88.30 (15% off)
    3. Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation Kit – $83 from Sephora (included full-sized foundation, primer and a foundation brush)
    4. Tory Burch Eau de Parfum kit – $80 from Mac Warehouse Sale (included a full-sized perfume, a mini perfume and a full-sized hand lotion)
    5. Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel – $73.95 (15% off)
    6. Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia Eau de Parfum – $69
    7. Tarte Maracuja Oil (supersize) – $66 (25% off)
    8. Sephora Flatter Yourself Contour Brush Set – $60 (includes 3 brushes – angled blush, duo fiber, buffing)
    9. Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer – $58.65 (15% off)
    10. Clé de Peau Stick Concealer – $55 (more than 40% off, purchased at Shiseido Warehouse Sale)
    11. Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder Compact – $55
    12. Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado – $51 (20% off)
    13. Dior BACKSTAGE Face & Body Foundation – $50
    14. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder – $49.30 (15% off)
    15. NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer – $49.30 (15% off)
    16. Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Longwear Foundation Stick SPF21 – $46.75 (15% off)
    17. Laneige Water Bank Serum – $46
    18. Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer Primer (Redness Correcting) – $45
    19. Lancôme Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation SPF23 – $45
    20. Sephora PRO Featherweight Powder Brush #91 – $45.05 (15% off)

    I don’t know why I was so dumb before, but several items on this list were purchased at full price when I could’ve waited until the Sephora sale. Now I know better!

    Sigma Essential Brush Kit – This is a great brush kit. I’m glad I was able to find it at Winners for $99.

    Worth it? Yes!

    Tula Illuminating Face Serum (read my review) – This was one of my favourite serums, but Tula no longer sells to Canada.

    Worth it? Yes!

    Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation Kit – This was a beautiful foundation, but I still haven’t found my shade even though there are 40+. This is where I first tried the smoothing primer which I love and there brush is nice and soft.

    Worth it? Yes.

    Tory Burch Eau de Parfum kit – I love this perfume. I would’ve paid $80 or more just for the perfume.

    Worth it? Yes!

    Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel – I haven’t used this as an everyday cleanser, but it’s nothing SPECIAL.

    Worth it? No.

    Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia Eau de Parfum – Loved this perfume! It’s so much more expensive now though and the bottle is different. I don’t know if that means the formula has also changed.

    Worth it? Yes.

    Tarte Maracuja Oil (supersize) – I bought this during a Black Friday sale so instead of $88, it was $66 for the supersize bottle which is twice the size of the regular one.

    Worth it? Yes!

    Sephora Flatter Yourself Contour Brush Set – Sephora Collection brushes are okay, I’ve since bought a Sephora PRO brush which isn’t the same as any of the three brushes in this set, but it’s so much softer.

    Worth it? I would pass on this one.

    Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer in #7 – I was buying my mom the Luminous Silk Powder Foundation and wanted to try the fluid sheer. It’s beautiful and looks great under foundation, mixed with foundation or on top of foundation. I have a shade that’s kind of pinky and it wasn’t the one I wanted originally, but it was all they had in stock. It’s beautiful though.

    Worth it? Yes! Would definitely try other shades.

    Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder Compact – This is a face powder, but I use it as more of a highlight. Although it would be beautiful as a face powder for that glowy/dewy luminous look.

    Worth it? Yes.

    Clé de Peau Stick Concealer – This stick concealer isn’t as emollient as other sticks I’ve tried. I don’t know if it’s dried out because I bought it from the Warehouse sale, but it definitely wouldn’t be worth the full price at $93.

    Worth it? No.

    Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado – My under eyes had a reaction to this eye cream. I had to give it to my sister.

    Worth it? No.

    Dior BACKSTAGE Face & Body Foundation (read my review) – While this was a beautiful finish and looked very natural, it didn’t last very long on my skin. Dior foundations are also very fragranced. I gave this to my friend.

    Worth it? Not for me.

    Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder – This powder is a very finely milled pressed powder. It’s beautiful on the skin, but can look cakey if you apply too much. It also pans really quickly and there’s only 3 shades available. The medium one is the shade that I bought and it’s too orange for me.

    Worth it? Not for me.

    NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer – Beautiful tinted moisturizer!

    Worth it? Yes.

    Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Longwear Foundation Stick SPF21 – I really like this foundation stick.

    Worth it? Yes.

    Laneige Water Bank Serum – I originally loved this, but after using it for a month or so, my skin started having a reaction. This is also very scented. Ended up giving this to my sister as well.

    Worth it? Not for me.

    Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer Primer (Redness Correcting) – I love the Smoothing primer from Make Up For Ever, but this redness correcting one didn’t do a lot. If you want to colour correct, use a colour correcting concealer.

    Worth it? No.

    Lancôme Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation SPF23 (read my review) – The shade range of this foundation is crap, but it’s a beautiful foundation/tinted moisturizer. I would definitely repurchase if they came out with more shades because the one I had wasn’t quite right and the shades above are too dark.

    Worth it? Yes.

    Sephora PRO Featherweight Powder Brush – According to the reviews on Sephora, this is called the ‘bunny punch’ because it’s so soft and fluffy. I really like this brush. Although it’s a little top heavy, it’s nice for setting.

    Worth it? Yes.

    As you can see, most of the purchases WERE worth it. Unfortunately some of them didn’t work out for me.

    What expensive makeup and skincare products have you purchased?

    Love,

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  • signature perfumes throughout the years

    My Signature Perfumes Throughout the Years

    January 21, 2020

    Hi Everyone!

    I think I started wearing perfume in high school. I never really wore perfume on an everyday basis until university. Whenever I leave the house, I spray on perfume unless I’m going to be somewhere like the movie theatre where I’m in close proximity to other people for long periods of time. I usually only do one spray and it’s enough for me.

    This is a longer post with three parts so you can scroll down to the parts you want to read:

    • List of Fragrances and their fragrance families
    • My opinions on the perfumes
    • Descriptions of the main accords and notes of each perfume

    These are all of the perfumes I’ve had over the years (in order):

    • The Body Shop White Musk
      • Floral, Sensual
    • Banana Republic Classic Eau de Toilette (unisex)
      • Citrus, Floral
    • Victoria’s Secret Forever PINK Sparkling Apple and Water Lily Body Mist
      • Fruity
    • Ralph Lauren RALPH Eau de Toilette
      • Floral, Fruity
    • Lady Gaga Fame Rollerball
      • Floral, Sensual
    • Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia Eau de Parfum
      • Fresh, Floral, Aquatic
    • Tory Burch Original Eau de Parfum
      • Fresh, Floral, Citrus
    • Dolce & Gabbana 3 L’Imperatrice
      • Fruity, Aquatic
    Please excuse this super grainy photo. It was taken with an old camera phone.

    For the Banana Republic Classic Eau de Toilette, I really liked the scent of this in-store, but  then it smelled different when I brought it home and I ended up decluttering it after using it a couple of times.

    RALPH by Ralph Lauren was a really nice scent, but I got tired of it after a while and that’s why I picked up the VS Body Mist. The body mist was a favourite of mine even though it was a cheap body mist that I bought 2 for $25. I had this other body mist that was okay, but I don’t consider it a favourite of my collection.

    The Lady Gaga Fame Rollerball was gifted to me for my birthday. I thought it was really cool that the liquid was black (which wasn’t black once you sprayed/rolled it on).  I liked the spiciness of it and only wore it when I went clubbing.

    The Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia is still a favourite of mine, but I had it for 4 years and it was time for a change. It has an aquatic scent, so I only wore it in the spring and summer. It felt weird to use in the winter time which is why I bought the Tory Burch one.

    Tory Burch is sophisticated, but still youthful. It’s not like Chanel No. 5 where it smells like a rich, older lady (no offense if you’re younger and you like it). I bought the Tory Burch perfume at the Mac Warehouse Sale in a set that came with a mini and a body lotion which I gave to my grandma. Before the sale, I researched which perfume brands were owned by Estee Lauder. I went to Hudson’s Bay to smell the different perfumes from Tory Burch, Estee Lauder, DKNY, Clinique, etc. and chose the original Tory Burch scent. Luckily for me, they had it at the sale and I bought it.

    While I was looking for perfumes (before buying Acqua di Gioia), I got different samples at Sephora. I liked the Dolce & Gabbana 3 L’Imperatrice one, but it was an Eau de Toilette and I didn’t want to spend over $100 on it. Last year, when I was at the Shiseido Warehouse Sale, I saw a smaller bottle on sale and I decided to get it.

    Surprisingly, I’ve never finished a bottle of perfume. From university to present day, I’ve always had more than 1 perfume. I’ve had a few perfumes for more than a few years and I stop using them once they smell different. I still have Fame and Acqua di Gioia, but I only use them for display now.

    On me, all of the perfumes are long-wearing. Sometimes I even smell the perfumes AFTER I’ve showered.

    I found descriptions of most of the perfumes’ notes on fragrantica. I am not associated with fragrantica in any way, it was just a website that had all of the perfumes and I wanted to keep the structure of the descriptions the same. People vote on what they smell in the Perfume Pyramid (top notes, middle notes and base notes). I am terrible at identifying scents unless it’s something really obvious like rose. So all of the descriptions are from the website.

    The Body Shop White Musk Eau de Toilette

    Main Accords: musky, white floral, woody, powdery, floral

    Top Notes: ylang ylang, galbanum, basil, jasmine, musk

    Middle Notes: lily, jasmine, musk and rose

    Base Notes: jasmine, rose, iris, amber, patchouli, vetiver, peach, oakmoss and vanilla

    Victoria’s Secret Forever PINK Sparkling Apple and Water Lily

    There’s no description of this one on fragrantica because it’s really old, but there was obviously sparkling apple and water lily in it.

    Banana Republic Classic Eau de Toilette

    Main Accords: Citrus, white floral, fresh spicy, green, woody

    Top Notes: bergamot, grapefruit, clementine, green notes

    Middle Notes: honeysuckle, syringa

    Base Notes: ginger, woodsy notes, musk

    RALPH Ralph Lauren

    Main Accords: floral, fruity, green, fresh, citrus

    Top Notes: Japanese Osmanthus, Apple leaf, Italian Mandarin

    Middle Notes: Magnolia, Boronia, Yellow Freesia

    Base Notes: musk, white iris

    Lady Gaga Fame

    Main Accords: floral, honey, sweet, balsamic, fruity

    Fragrance Notes: belladonna, orchid, jasmine sambac, honey, apricot, saffron, incense

    Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gioia Eau de Parfum

    I bought my bottle a long time ago. The new one looks different and I don’t know if the scent has changed at all. I would describe the one I have as aquatic and fresh.

    Main Accords: green, citrus, aromatic, fresh, white floral, fresh spicy

    Top Notes: Amalfi lemon, mint

    Middle Notes: jasmine, pink pepper, peony

    Base Notes: French labdanum, Virginia cedar, brown sugar

    Tory Burch Tory Burch Eau de Parfum

    Main Accords: citrus, floral, fresh, white floral, woody, musky

    Top Notes: grapefruit, pink pepper, cassis, Mandarin orange, neroli

    Middle Notes: peony, tuberose, mimosa, jasmine, carrot seeds, alyssum

    Base Notes: vetiver, sandalwood, white musk, cedar

    Dolce and Gabbana 3 L’Imperatrice Eau de Toilette

    Main Accords : ozonic, aquatic, fruity, sweet, sour

    Top Notes: pink pepper, kiwi, rhubarb

    Middle Notes: jasmine, cyclamen, watermelon

    Base Notes: musk, sandalwood, lemon tree

    If you’re still here, thanks for reading!!

    Based on a roundup of all of the signature scents, I seem to gravitate toward fragrances with citrus, musk, pink pepper, jasmine, sandalwood and vetiver.

    What are your favourite perfumes?

    Love,

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  • Flashback Friday | My First Sephora Order

    September 14, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    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.

    What was your first Sephora purchase?

    Love,

    jen

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  • 2018 Mid-Year Makeup Inventory | Primers & Foundations

    July 4, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    I thought I would do a mid-year makeup inventory on some of my makeup. Today, I will be doing an inventory on Primers & Foundations. Check out my other posts:

    Bronzers | Blushes | Mascaras | Highlighters

    I’ve decided not to do eyeliners because they’re all more or less the same shades (nude, black, brown). I’m not going to be doing eyeshadows either. Right now, my eyeshadow collection is a bunch of singles and a few palettes. With the exception of my Bobbi Brown palette, the palettes I have in my makeup inventory were not selected by me (I won two in giveaways and received one in a monthly Topbox). I sort of just use them as practise because I’m not adventurous enough to wear some of the shades in the palettes. I’m also not going to inventory my lip products because I have bought a fair amount of lip products from MAC Warehouse sales, so a lot are no longer available and there’s no use providing mini reviews for products that can no longer be bought.

    Now, let’s get onto the topic of this post: Primers & Foundations! I may not have as many foundations and primers as some people, but I still think it’s more than enough for just one girl. I am not buying any more foundations or primers until I finish 5 foundations and 2 primers. I did just order the Dior BACKSTAGE Face and Body Foundation from Sephora because the samples were good and Ebates.ca was at 8%! I chose a deluxe sample of the Fenty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation.

    After I finish these drugstore brand foundations, I’m only going to buy high end foundations from now on. I already buy high end primers because I haven’t found a drugstore one that I love and it’s easier to sample higher end ones. Buying from the drugstore, you just have to hope that it will do what you want since you can’t return them. Although drugstore brands have some amazing products, it’s much harder to find my foundation shade since a lot of drugstores don’t have foundation testers.

    I hope to find 3-5 foundations/tinted moisturizers/cc cream that I can keep in rotation. I want to find foundations with different finishes, coverage and different types (liquid, powder, stick). Instead of having 20 different foundations that could go bad before I finish them, I want to have a few holy grail ones that I absolutely love. You may remember that I loved the Lancome Miracle Cushion Liquid Cushion Compact Foundation in 025 Beige Naturel, I may buy that one again when my collection goes down. Lately, I’ve been more into finding a sheer coverage, radiant/natural finish foundation that looks natural (instead of a medium/full coverage). On good days, my skin is fairly clear, and I just need to cover up spots here and there, so I don’t need full coverage on my whole face. I’d rather get a good concealer to cover up blemishes and use a lightweight foundation that shows my skin. I want the Markle Sparkle (aptly named natural, radiant makeup look of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex).

    Current primer and foundation inventory:

    • 7 primers (1 isn’t pictured)
    • 12 including 3 powder, 5 liquid, 2 sticks, 2 tinted moisturizer/bb cream
      • going to declutter the Wet N Wild foundation
      • 2 other foundations are more than half way finished (Make Up For Ever and Milani)

    I’ve written reviews on several of the foundations and primers, click the links below:

    Burt’s Bees Makeup
    This or That | Stick Foundations
    The Ordinary Serum Foundation
    The Body Shop All-In-One BB Cream
    Comparing Maybelline Fit Me Foundations
    Lancome Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation SPF23
    Shiseido Sheer Mattifying Compact Foundation (discontinued)
    This or That | Colour Correcting Primers
    Nude by Nature Perfecting Primer

    I have a page on the blog of my foundation/concealer shade matches. Not all are an exact match to me, but they are the shades I’ve bought or tested over the years. Click here!

    Maybelline Fit Me Hydrate + Smooth Foundation in 130 Buff Beige, NARS Sheer Glow in Deauville, The Ordinary Serum Foundation in 2.0N, Revlon Nearly Naked Presssed Powder in 030 Medium

    Only two of the foundations above were more than $30- the NARS Sheer Glow and the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation. The Smashbox Photo Filter Powder Foundation and the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick were both purchased at the MAC Warehouse Sale for $20-25. I don’t think I would repurchase any of the foundations I’ve finished so far. Like I said, I only want to buy high end foundations from now on, and I didn’t love the NARS Sheer Glow. It was nice, but it didn’t have a pump and I don’t want to pay extra for one. Also, since the coverage is sheer, I’d rather use a tinted moisturizer/BB cream or repurchase the Lancome Miracle Cushion foundation.

    Since February, I’ve obtained 3 more foundations- Lancôme Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation and the two Burt’s Bees foundations (liquid and powder) from Topbox Circle.

    Stellar Brilliant Primer

    I’ve tried the Stellar primer a few times and it’s really nice. I haven’t put it to the test, but from what I’ve tried, it seems like MAC’s strobe cream, but it feels smoother since it blurs pores.

    Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primer (Hydrating, Redness Correcting & Smoothing)

    The Make Up For Ever Primers are favourites of mine because they smell so good. The smoothing one is my fave of the three.

    Smashbox Photo Finish Reduce Redness Primer

    The Smashbox colour correcting primer is not a fave, I bought it at the MAC sale, but it pills and it doesn’t correct redness very well.

    Nude by Nature Perfecting Primer

    The Nude by Nature primer is nice for hydrating, but I wouldn’t buy a full-size because the scent is too sweet.

    Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil (not pictured)

    I like to use the primer oil on my nose because it’s so dry. I’ve only used it on my nose so far. I plan to write a review after I test it out with different foundations formulas. So far, I’ve tried it with powder and liquid foundations and it looks really good.

    TIP: it’s cheaper to buy Make Up For Ever and Smashbox primers in the mini size. It’s $20 for a 15mL tube, but $45 (MUFE) and $50 (Smashbox) for a 30mL tube.

    Smashbox Photo Filter Powder Foundation in Shade 1

    Thank goodness I didn’t pay full price for this, it’s way too light for me. I bought it at the MAC warehouse sale. I’ll use it to highlight.

    Shiseido Sheer Mattifying Compact Foundation in B60 Natural Deep Beige

    This makes my skin look amazing! Of course, it has to be when my skin is clear, otherwise you’ll get the powdery bump if you try to cover acne. But, the longevity of this is amazing (I only had to blot once in a 10 hour period). I need to get the updated version of this powder since this is discontinued. Also, maybe I should go a shade or two lighter because it’s a bit dark, but I got it at Winners for $9 and just wanted to see how it looked.

    Burt’s Bees Natural Mattifying Powder Foundation in 1115 Sand

    This is also too light, but I did get it for free from Topbox Circle and from what I’ve seen (Instagram posts), they gave everyone the same shades. I will also use this for highlighting.

    Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick in Ivory 0.75 (read my review)

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this is beautiful, but I need the right shade.

    Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation in 01 Creamy Vanilla

    This shade is quite yellow (even for me). I wish Rexall had more shades- they have a lot more on the Milani website, but I’m still not sure any would match me. This foundation is a bit too thick for me. I prefer to use as a concealer or mix with a sheer foundation or moisturizer to thin it out.

    Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation in Y245 Soft Sand

    I like this foundation, but I don’t know if I love it enough to repurchase. It’s buildable, doesn’t look cakey and gives a beautiful, natural finish. The undertones are Yellow or Red, but I think I’m more neutral than I am yellow. The yellow undertones are just too yellow for me.

    Burt’s Bees Goodness Glows Liquid Foundation in 1025 Natural Beige

    This washes off so easily (with just water) and I love that. I’ve learned that the best way to apply it is with a damp beauty sponge because it sets so quickly. When I was testing it with a brush, it dried in one spot and wouldn’t blend out. The smell is quite strong, but once it’s on your face, you can’t smell it anymore.

    Lancôme Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation in 01N Nude Vanilla (read my review)

    This smells so nice for a foundation and I love it for natural, no makeup makeup.

    The Body Shop All-In-One BB Cream in 01 Lighter Skin Tones

    I also like this for a natural makeup day. It adapts to your skin tone, but sometimes it can look a bit darker than my face. I always have to set the t-zone because, like other BB Creams, it looks quite shiny if you don’t set it.

    Shiseido Sheer & Perfect Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF18 in B60 Natural Deep Beige

    Similar to the Shiseido powder, I got this at Winners and it’s a lot darker than my face. I need to thin it out, but since it’s sheer coverage, it does lighten up as you blend. I’ve mixed it with moisturizer, and it looks nice. I’m not a huge fan of the smell, so I don’t think I will be getting a liquid foundation from Shiseido in the future.

    Wet N Wild Photofocus Foundation in Buff Bisque

    I don’t like that this foundation has a spatula, I feel like bacteria can get in so much faster than if it had a pump. This shade matches my skin if I just do a swatch on my face, but when I blend it out all over, it’s way too orange. I should’ve tried a shade or two lighter. I don’t love the smell, it kind of smells like chemicals and sort of makes me worried that it’s clogging up my pores.

    Maybelline Fit Me Shine-Free + Balance Stick Foundation in 130 Buff Beige

    This is really nice for a lighter makeup day, it doesn’t build up as much coverage as the Bobbi Brown stick. I remember when I first heard about sticks and I was worried it would make my dry skin look worse, but this one and the Bobbi Brown are both not too drying and look really nice.

    I’ve tried the Stellar Limitless Foundation a few times, and I don’t know why there aren’t more reviews on it. It has a radiant finish and medium-full coverage. I didn’t try building it up, but I would say medium is right.

    What are your fave foundations?

    Love,

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  • Review | Revlon Mega Multiplier Mascara

    June 23, 2017

    Hi Everyone!

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

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

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

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

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

    Are the claims true? Let’s see!

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

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

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

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

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

    RATING: 5/5

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

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

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

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

    Thanks to Influenster Canada for sending me this Revlon VoxBox!

    Have a great weekend!

    Love,

    jen

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