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Project Pan 2018 | Update

September 12, 2018

Originally posted on February 25, 2018

Hi Everyone!

In February, I selected 10 makeup products to finish before the end of the year and here’s an update! I chose products that I’ve had for a while and I wanted to use them before they went bad or dried out. I tried to pick at least one product from each category: Face (Foundation, Concealer, Bronzer, Blush), Eyes/Brows, Lips.

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Deauville – This shade is way too light for me. Of course, it looked fine in the store under the bright lights, but I look like a ghost when I wear it. I mix it with my Maybelline Fit Me Foundation to darken it.

STATUS: Finished!

Bella Pierre Mineral Blush in Autumn Glow – This was the first non-drugstore blush I bought. It was kind of a pinky-brown shade that looked really nice when blended out.

STATUS: Decluttered

Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer in Park Ave Princess – This is a pretty bronzer, but since it was Made in China, I wouldn’t repurchase (read my post: Where Were Your Beauty Products Made?). If I’m spending that much money on a bronzer, I want it to be made elsewhere.

STATUS: Finished!

Revlon Colorstay Concealer in Light/Medium – I won’t be repurchasing this concealer. I don’t like the smell of it and I prefer the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer anyway.

STATUS: Finished!

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Light – One of my fave concealers.

STATUS: Finished!

NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Black – I really like this brow pencil, it fills in the gaps and it’s not too dark.

STATUS: Finished!

Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara – I liked this mascara. The brush was good and it gave me very natural looking lashes.

STATUS: Finished!

Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara – I liked this mascara. I kept the wand.

STATUS: Finished! (I must’ve forgotten to include this in a Product Empties post)

Too Faced Mini Chocolate Bar – This was redeemed from Sephora Rewards. I love this mini palette, the champagne truffle shade is beautiful.

STATUS: Decluttered (the shadows and bronzer were starting to smell off)

L’Oreal Colour Riche Collection Exclusive Nude Lipcolor in 370 Jennifer’s Nude – I think this is my favourite lipstick. I bought it when it first came out and fell in love with it. The makeup artist who did our makeup also used it on my sister and me for my sister’s wedding reception in Toronto. This is my go-to and that’s why I sort of want to use it up so that my other lipsticks have a chance of being used.

STATUS: Finished!

What’s on your list of products you want to finish before the end of 2018?

Love,

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August 2018 Product Empties

September 3, 2018

Hi Everyone!

I finished some makeup products which brings me one step closer to streamlining my makeup collection! Yay for progress! → Check out my makeup goals

Pearlessence Cucumber Water – I bought this at Winners for $10. I liked that it was in a glass bottle, but the mist would sting my eyes. I got it in my mouth a few times and it tasted horrible.

Repurchase? No.

Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation + Concealer in 01 Creamy Vanilla – If you’ve been reading my blog for a while now, you’ll know that I am planning to only purchase high-end foundations from now on. This was a very thick foundation/concealer, if you used a beauty sponge to blend it, it could sheer out a bit. It looked nice, but it was way too full coverage for me. I’d rather use a sheer, dewy foundation and then use a spot concealer on areas that need covering up. I would’ve used this more as a concealer, but the shade I bought was a tad too yellow for me. So, if I didn’t use it all over the face, I would have random yellow splotches on my face. It had a bit of a perfume-y scent to it that I didn’t really like. I didn’t really give this a proper wear test (as a foundation). I mostly used it when I took pictures for Instagram and practised applying my makeup.

Repurchase? No.

The Body Shop All-in-One BB Cream Colour-Adapting Tinted Cream (read my review) – I gave this a 5/5 in my review, but since then, I have tried the Lancome Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation which I really love (read my review).

L’Oréal Colour Riche Collection Exclusive Lipstick in 370 Jennifer’s Nude – This is one of my fave lipsticks! It’s interesting because when I swatch it on my arm, it’s like a sheer peachy-pink, but when it’s on my lips, it’s a beautiful pinky-nude.

Repurchase? I bought another tube a few months after purchasing the first one because I thought it was going to be limited edition. I think I will wait until I’ve used up some other lipsticks before breaking out the new tube though.

GOSH Click’N Conceal Pen in 01 Light (read my review) – I liked this concealer, but they no longer sell it at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Repurchase? Unavailable.

Repurchase? Probably not. I really like it, but I looove the Lancome Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation.

Live Clean Exotic Nectar Argan Oil Restorative Shampoo – I don’t love the smell of this one, but it does make my hair look shiny and feel soft.

Repurchase? Not this particular Live Clean shampoo.

Live Clean Apple Cider Ultra Light Conditioner – Like the shampoo, this conditioner smells like apple juice to me. It doesn’t make my hair feel as soft as the other ones.

Repurchase? Not this particular Live Clean conditioner.

The Ordinary “Buffet” Multi-Technology Peptide Serum (read my review) – After my initial first impressions review, I realized just how tacky it made my face feel. I want a skincare product that doesn’t feel tacky or cause my makeup to pill.

Repurchase? No.

Love,

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Decluttered | August 2018

August 29, 2018
Hi Everyone!

I decluttered a lot of makeup because I’m sort of just using a lot of products just to finish them. I’d rather be using ones that I enjoy and want to be using. I also decluttered a lot of nail polishes because they’re old. This declutter brings me closer to streamlining my makeup collection! Yay for progress! → Check out my makeup goals

I finished quite a few products too, check out my empties post.

Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara – I really liked this mascara, but it’s way too expensive.

Repurchase? No.

L’Oréal Voluminous Original Mascara in Blackest Black – This was a mascara I originally picked up in high school and I still love it.

Repurchase? YES!

Life Brand Clear Action Medicated Acne Gel (with 5% Benzoyl Peroxide) – I bought this to try as a spot treatment. I would use this before bed and every single time I woke up, I would wake up with red, puffy skin where I applied it (and the surrounding area). My face would be itchy for the rest of the day and part of the next day. I’ve found that anything stronger than salicylic acid will anger my skin. I can use benzoyl peroxide cleansers because you cleanse the skin and then wipe it off, but I’ve tried different percentages of benzoyl peroxide gels, and they’ve all made my face red and/or itchy.

Repurchase? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer – I got a deluxe sample of this from Sephora. I had to declutter this because the cocoa smell was starting to smell off. I never reached for it as my bronzer anyway because it was too dark for me. I would use it as an eyeshadow more than a bronzer.

Repurchase? No.

Smashbox Photo Filter Powder Foundation in Shade 1 – This powder was way too light. I don’t know what I was thinking when I chose shade 1. I couldn’t even tell if it was any good because I just looked like a ghost.

Repurchase? It was velvety smooth, I would consider trying the right shade.

Milani Bronzer XL All Over Glow in 01 Bronze Glow – I had to declutter this because I think the fragrance in it was causing breakouts. Plus, it was too orange for me – if I didn’t blend it out really well, I would look splotchy.

Repurchase? No.

I know there’s two Milani products in this list that I wouldn’t repurchase, but I do love other products from the brand → Check out my haul!

L’Oréal Infallible Le Rouge Lipstick in 337 Refined Ruby – This is a really nice vampy red shade. Now that I have two MAC ones, I decided to declutter this one because it’s a bit too dark on me.

Repurchase? I’d consider buying another shade in the infallible lipstick line.

Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in Blacquer 42 – I assume I had the shade Blacquer because it was the black shade. Apparently the full-sized crayons don’t dry out as quickly? I saw in a YouTube video (can’t remember who it was) and the YouTuber said she loved the full-sized ones, but the deluxe sample sized ones dried out faster.

Repurchase? Probably not.

I decluttered 14 nail polishes. I will just list them below instead of describing each one and saying if I’d repurchase. I wouldn’t repurchase any of the ones listed below. The only brand I would purchase again is OPI. Revlon’s brush was flat and thick which I liked. The Maybelline Color Show and Wet N Wild ones were super thin and round which I find useless because my nails end up streaky and it takes a long time to paint.

I was going to show swatches of them, but they’re all so old that I don’t think they even sell them anymore.
- Revlon Colorstay 120 Red Carpet (not pictured because I accidentally threw it out before taking the pictures)
- Wet n Wild Wildshine C485D Black Crème
- Wet n Wild Wildshine C488B Who is Ultraviolet?
- Quo by Orly Mega Silver 59397
- Claire’s Glitter 46813 Click Your Heels
- Maybelline Color Show Paint the Town 260
- GOSH 600 Matt Effect Top Coat
- OPI Louvre Me Louvre Me Not (OPI collection de France)
- OPI On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (Holiday 2012- skyfall collection)
- OPI Ski Teal We Drop (Fall 2010- swiss collection)
- Formula X Need for Speed
- Formula X Racy
- Formula X Indelible
- Formula X Flashy
Love,
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15 Beauty Favourites I’ve Repurchased | 2018

August 13, 2018

Hi Everyone!

I love a lot of different makeup products, but surprisingly I’ve only repurchased a small number of products and most of them are skincare. There are so many amazing products out there that I want to try and I only really started getting into makeup a few years ago. I mean I’ve always liked makeup, but I’m still learning and hearing about new brands and products.

Before 2013, I never wore foundation or primers. My first foundation was the Becca Ever-Matte Shine Proof Foundation. I rarely wore it because it was so expensive and I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t know primer was a thing back then and I told the Sephora lady that I wanted full coverage and I liked matte. She told me to buy a flat liquid foundation brush because it’s better for applying full coverage. I learned about using sponges years later and even then, I didn’t know it was supposed to be damp. *idea pops into head*…maybe I’ll do a blog post on things I’ve learned over the past few years. It could help someone who’s just getting into makeup. Watching videos on YouTube and reading other blogs has helped me a lot. There have been so many times where I was like “OOOHHH!!!! that makes so much more sense!!!” Anyway, the Becca foundation went bad before I even finished it (it oxidized- I had no idea what ‘oxidizing’ was back then. I just knew that the foundation had turned orange). Before 2016, I had never worn bronzer or highlighter and didn’t like wearing lipstick; I mostly wore lip balm, vaseline or gloss.

I have yet to find a lot of my holy grail products. I have a lot of favourites, but I don’t have products in each category that I could safely say, “I only need to buy this mascara/concealer/foundation from now on!” In my favourites list, I have a lot of products that I am planning to repurchase, I just haven’t had the chance to do so. I want to finish up other products I have first (as you’ll know from my mid-year makeup inventory). Since doing my makeup inventory, I’ve decluttered a lot of things.

Here are the 15 products I’ve repurchased (I’m sure there’s more, but these are the ones I could think of so far):

L’Oreal Voluminous Original Mascara – This was a favourite of mine in high school and I decided to get it again. It’s still a fave of mine- I wouldn’t say it gives amazing volume, but it helps my lashes.

L’Oreal Colour Riche Collection Exclusive Lipstick in 370 Jennifer’s Nude – I’ve probably talked about this lipstick so much that you’re tired of it by now, but it’s such a beautiful pinky-peachy-nude (it’s peachy when I swatch it, but not on my lips).

NYX Micro Brow Pencil – I love this brow pencil. It’s a great pencil for the price, but recently, I have been loving the Benefit Precisely My Brow Pencil.

Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser (read my review) – I really like this cleanser and the fact that it removes makeup is a plus. I’ve been buying the tiny travel-sized ones from Winners because it’s hard to get Glow Recipe in Canada (their website ships to Canada, but I’m worried I’ll get charged duties- anyone order from Glow Recipe and know if there’s any duties?)

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask (read my review) – This sleeping mask smells so good and when I wake up in the morning, my face feels hydrated.

Garnier Micellar Water – I love this micellar water. I feel like I should try a different brand just to compare it. Maybe I’ll do that once I’ve finished the bottles I have.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Targeted Gel Blemish Stick (read my review) – I bought more of these on sale, but I think I will purchase something else for spot treatments. I don’t really like how it’s like a concealer where you use a doefoot applicator to apply it and then put it back into the tube.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Anti-Imperfection Daily Solution (read my review) – I used this everyday until I finished the bottle. As a test, I stopped using it for a few weeks and then started applying it again and my face cleared up. Of course, I still have the dark spots from the acne, but it flattened them out which makes it easier to apply makeup.

COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches (read my review) – These things are great. If you haven’t tried acne patches, you should!

The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Rice Bran Foaming Cleanser, The Face Shop Phyto Charcoal Cleanser & The Face Shop 365 Spearmint Cleanser – I’ve bought these cleansers multiple times. I would use them every day when I showered (rotating between the two that I had in the bathroom). I think these cleansers were so good that they were making my face dry because I ran out of these cleansers a while ago and I’ve noticed my face hasn’t been as dry (still dry in some areas, but not as bad). When I buy these cleansers again, I’ll only buy one at a time and use it once or twice a week instead of daily.

Simple Makeup Wipes – I’ve been buying these at Winners because they’re cheaper there. I really like these makeup wipes and they’re great on the go, but since I’ve been using them, I haven’t been using my micellar water as much. Once I finish my current pack, I’ll go back to micellar water.

Soo’Ae Purifying Brightening Peeling Gel (read my review) – This peeling gel is awesome. It’s disgusting how your skin exfoliates off in little balls, but it works so well.

Pixi Glow Tonic – When I was using the little bottle of this from a holiday kit, my face looked brighter and clearer.

What products have you repurchased?

Love,

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July 2018 Product Empties

August 1, 2018

Hi Everyone!

There were quite a few products this month that I finished that I will not be repurchasing. I decluttered a bit of makeup while doing my mid-year makeup inventory (read the first post of my makeup inventory). Keep reading to find out which ones!

Live Clean Apple Cider Clarifying Shampoo – I won this in a giveaway and I got 5 shampoos and 5 conditioners. I tried all 10 by using about 1/3 of each shampoo before switching to see which one I liked the best. This one made my hair feel clean and look shiny, but it was my least favourite scent of the 5 shampoos. Since it’s apple cider, it smelled like apple juice to me.

Repurchase? Not this particular shampoo, but I would purchase others from Live Clean.

Live Clean Exotic Nectar Argan Oil Restorative Conditioner – After trying each of the shampoos with their matching conditioners, I would switch back and forth between using the Apple Cider Ultra Light conditioner and this one. Since the Apple Cider one is very light, it didn’t make my hair as soft as this conditioner.

Repurchase? Not this particular conditioner, but I would purchase others from Live Clean.

Bioderma Hydrabio Gel-Cream – This cream was okay. Nothing special for me.

Repurchase? No.

Purlisse Blue Lotus 4-in-1 Eye Adore Serum – Sorry, Purlisse, I did not ADORE this serum. My under eye area always felt tacky.

Repurchase? No.

The Face Shop Smart Peeling Mild Papaya – I liked this when I first got it, but now there are so many other peeling gels out there. Since this one is goopy, I’d rather pick up the Soo’Ae peeling gel (read my review).

Repurchase? No.

Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser – I like this cleanser and it removes makeup too!

Repurchase? Yes.

Tarte Deep Dive Cleansing Gel Rainforest of the Sea – It cleansed okay, but it’s a bit pricey for the size.

Repurchase? No.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Targeted Gel Blemish Stick (read my review) – As you may know, I love the tea tree oil line from The Body Shop. This is a good spot treatment, but since you’re treating blemishes, I feel like it’s a bit unsanitary to stick it back in after applying to my pimple. I want to try something else for a spot treatment; maybe I’ll try the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion (I’ve tried the Kate Somerville EradiKate and one that’s similar from the Face Shop).

Repurchase? If it’s on sale, maybe. I prefer other products from the Tea Tree Oil line even though this one does work pretty well.

Garnier SkinActive Micellar All-in-One Cleansing Water – Surprisingly, this took a long time to finish. It’s probably because I started using makeup wipes. I should probably start using micellar water more because it’s gentler.

Repurchase? Absolutely! I love Micellar Water for removing makeup.

Simple Eye Make-Up Remover Pads – My mom picked these up at Walmart because they were on sale. They removed makeup well, they were basically cotton rounds soaked in makeup remover.

Repurchase? No. I don’t feel like they did any better at removing my makeup than regular makeup wipes.

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara – This was a good mascara, but not my fave. It did darken my lashes though.

Repurchase? Probably not.

NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Black – I love this brow pencil. It gives me natural, but not too harsh brows (even with the black shade).

Repurchase? Already have!

NYX Makeup Setting Spray (Matte) – This setting spray is okay; sometimes it made my face feel tight and occasionally, I would (accidentally) get it into my eye and my eyes would water. I plan to pick up the Mac Fix + in its place.

Repurchase? Probably not.

Here are the products I decluttered:

Coastal Scents Lipstick in 2 – The shade I got was a bright purpley-pink which I didn’t love. It sunk into the lines in my lips.

Repurchase? No. Unfortunately, living in Canada, I get charged for duties when ordering from Coastal Scents, so I’d rather get a $10 lipstick instead of a $4 USD lipstick where I’ll get charged for duties.

Tarte Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Birthday Suit – I got this in the Sephora Birthday gift last year. I didn’t start using it til a few months after my birthday, but I think it’s time to retire it because it’s drying out. I really liked this. The formula wasn’t too drying and it looked pretty with a lip gloss on top too.

Repurchase? I would consider buying a full-sized lip paint, but I know there are a lot of liquid lipsticks from the drugstore that are cult favourites. I would prefer to pay more for a bullet lipstick since those have a longer shelf life.

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Créme Cup – I love MAC lipsticks and this is a beautiful lipstick shade, but it was too light for me. I prefer the more nude/mauve/brown shades instead of the pink ones on my skin tone.

Repurchase? Not in this shade.

MAC Fluidline Pen in Retro Black – I bought this at the MAC Warehouse Sale (check out my haul) because I’ve only used drugstore liquid liners, so I thought I’d give it a try since it was on sale. I am terrible at doing wings and I don’t line my lids with liquid liner that often. I prefer using kohl liner and smoking it out. I think I will stick to drugstore brands. I know Kat Von D’s Tattoo liner is a cult fave, but I don’t use it enough to want to splurge on it.

Repurchase? They no longer sell it in Retro Black, but if they did, I don’t think I would repurchase.

Estée Lauder Sumptuous Knockout Defining Lift and Fan Mascara in Black – I didn’t like the brush; the bristles were hard and short.

Repurchase? No. If I bought high-end mascaras, this would not be on my list of mascaras I want to repurchase.

L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara in Black – I just don’t like the hourglass shape of the Lash Paradise mascara.

Repurchase? No, I prefer other drugstore mascaras.

Wet N Wild Photo Focus Foundation in Buff Bisque – This foundation had a spatula that dips into the foundation bottle instead of a pump. I didn’t like this because it’s much easier for bacteria to get in. Especially if you apply the foundation from the spatula directly onto your face. I decided to declutter this because 1) the shade I got was too orange and I don’t think mixing it with anything would help 2) I haven’t been reaching for it when I’m deciding which foundation to use 3) it smells more like chemicals than other foundations 4) I mostly bought it jut to see if the hype was worth it and since it was under $15 and Wet N Wild was disappearing from the shelves of my drugstores (for some reason), I decided to grab it.

Repurchase? No.

The Estée Edit Flash Illuminator in Spotlight – This illuminates your skin like MAC Strobe Cream, but it’s not liquidy like the strobe cream, it’s goopy. I never really gave it a good try because I didn’t like the consistency (it reminded me of silly string where it pumped out in a long string). I mixed it once or twice with my foundation which looked pretty good, but it had to be a thicker foundation formula so it wouldn’t get clumps of the cream.

Repurchase? The Estée Edit line has been discontinued, but if it were still on sale, I wouldn’t repurchase. I prefer the MAC Strobe Cream.

Love,

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2018 Mid-Year Makeup Inventory | Mascaras

July 6, 2018
Hi Everyone!

Since it’s July, I’ve decided to do a mid-year makeup inventory on some of my makeup. I’ve seen a few people do it on Instagram, and thought I should do that too and decide how many I want to finish of each type of product before I can purchase more.

Today’s post is on my mascaras. I think I’ve done pretty well. I haven’t bought a new one in a while, I obtained a few more from my friend who got them in a bonus and already had a full-size.

If you want to see the other makeup inventory posts I’ve written, click the following links:

Primers & Foundations | Bronzers | Blushes | Mascaras | Highlighters

Current mascara inventory:
- started with 10; 5 (after decluttering some of the ones pictured)
Since taking this picture, I’ve finished the Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara and obtained the Burt’s Bees Nourishing Lengthening Mascara (I also must’ve forgotten one in my collection when I took this picture- an Estée Lauder one). After this post, I’m going to be retiring the 3-step fiber mascara (read my review), L’Oréal Lash Paradise and the Estée Lauder one because I’ve had them for a while. I’m not going to do a makeup buying ban for mascara. After retiring 3, I’ll have 5 and next month, it’s probably going to be time to retire more.

Estée Lauder Sumptuous Knockout Defining Lift and Fan Mascara in Black

I did not like the brush on this mascara. I tried using the mascara with another brush and I liked it. For me, it wouldn’t be worth buying a mascara (if I purchased high-end ones) if I didn’t like the brush though.

L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara in Black

I may be one of the few that doesn’t like either Better Than Sex or Lash Paradise. I’ve compared both mascaras (read my review). I just don’t like the brushes and they both dry out so quickly.

L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Mascara in Blackest Black

I think this was one of the first mascaras I tried in high school. It’s still a fave of mine.

Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara in Black

I really like this one, it looks natural and I love the brush.

Burt’s Bees Nourishing Lengthening Mascara in Classic Black

This one kind of smells (in a different way than other mascara), but once it’s on the lashes, it’s fine. I like the brush and it comes off easily with water.

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara in Black

I like this one too, it makes my lashes look darker and not clumpy at all!

Urban Decay Troublemaker Mascara in Black

I like this mascara, but since it’s a deluxe sample size, the wand is so tiny and it’s hard to use it.

I love most of these mascaras, but I’ve said it many times, I don’t like buying mascaras over $15. There are so many amazing drugstore ones, why buy high end ones? Especially when you should throw them out after a few months. Mascara gets bacteria very easily and you don’t want to get an eye infection. My fave mascaras are by L’Oréal and Maybelline. I’ve only tried a few other drugstore ones because I received them from Influenster for review purposes. I’ve received the Revlon Mega Multiplier (read my review) and CoverGirl Total Tease Mascara (read my review).

What are your fave mascaras?

Love,
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My Mom’s Everyday Makeup | 2018

March 26, 2018

Hi Everyone!

I thought it’d be cool to do a post on what makeup my mom uses! Before I got into makeup and before my sister’s wedding, most of my mom’s products consisted of Clinique. Over the past few years, my mom’s makeup stash has expanded to higher end products and more diverse in terms of the brands. Now she has MAC, Smashbox, Estee Lauder, etc.

Her skin type is oily and she uses powder foundations (she tried a cushion one, but ended up giving it to me). She dislikes eye makeup (especially mascara), so she only ever curls her lashes. Although, for my sister’s wedding, I did a bit of a bronze/gold eye to match her dress.

My mom asked the Sephora associate to help her choose a shade for the Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Foundation and out of curiosity, during a different visit to Sephora, I asked the associate to match me for the foundation and she chose the same shade my mom uses.

Primer & Colour Corrector

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer- Pore Minimizing

L’Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream- Anti-Redness

Check out my review on the BB Cream!

She uses the anti-redness BB cream to cover up redness on her cheeks and around her nose. It’s a cool BB cream that starts out green and then blends into your skin and turns skin-coloured. I liked it too, but I didn’t love the smell of it and it was a bit dark on me.

Foundation

Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Foundation Face Powder in 25 Beige

My mom doesn’t like liquid or cushion foundations, so the only option is powder!

Concealer

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Flawless Wear Concealer in Warm Light Medium

My mom doesn’t have dark circles to correct, so she just uses this concealer for spot concealing.

Eyes

Tweezerman Lash Curler

She doesn’t wear eyeshadow or mascara.

Blush

MAC Cosmetics Powder Blush in Mocha

Clinique Soft-Pressed Powder Blusher in 02 Honey Blush

She likes blush shades that aren’t too pink. The MAC one is described as a ‘plum-pink.’

Lips

Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in 07 Super Strawberry

Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick in 411 Pink Berry

Sephora Collection Ultra Shine Lip Gel in 06 Deep Rose

My mom loves a mauve lip colour. Some of the ones listed above are more pink, but her fave shade is a mauve-pink-nude. If it has the word ‘mauve’ in the name, chances are she’ll love it.

Makeup she has in her purse to touch-up throughout the day:

Clinique Superpowder Double Face Makeup in Matte Neutral

Vaseline

What do you use for your everyday look?

Love,

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Review | L’Oréal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream Anti-Redness

March 21, 2018

Hi Everyone!

Today, I’m reviewing a L’Oréal BB Cream that corrects redness. Like The Body Shop BB Cream, it adjusts the colour to match your skin tone. My mom uses this in her everyday makeup to get rid of redness on her cheeks. Check out my post for her everyday makeup! I used it for a bit, but I wasn’t crazy about the smell and since I would use it around my nose, I could smell it all day. It smells kind of like plastic. It’s a great colour corrector though, so if you’re not sensitive to smell or if you don’t put it near your nose, you should be good.
L’Oréal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream Anti-Redness

Our Magic Anti-Redness BB cream is formulated with Beautifying Beads, encapsulated, color-transforming pigments that counteract redness. This multi-tasking, ultra-light lotion delivers 4 beautifying actions in 1: neutralizes the look of redness, evens skin tone, hydrates and perfects. It instantly transforms to your perfect shade for a flawless, bare skin finish.

A little goes a long way- as you can see from the pea-sized dot, it covers my hand, so if you only have a bit of redness, I suggest a dab of it. It’s quite liquid (similar to the Body Shop BB Cream), the consistency is like a serum.

RATING: 4/5

It’s great if you have light to medium skin, but I don’t know how well it would do with fair and darker skin tones.

Love,

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10 Products to Finish in 2018

February 25, 2018

Hi Everyone!

I thought I’d do something a little different since I haven’t been trying out too much makeup recently. I’ve been refraining from putting on makeup because of a breakout and I don’t want to anger it. I hope to finish the following 10 products before the end of 2018. I chose some products that I’ve had for a while and I want to use them before they go bad or dry out. I tried to pick at least one product from each category: Face (Foundation, Concealer, Bronzer, Blush), Eyes/Brows, Lips.

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Deauville – This shade is way too light for me. Of course, it looked fine in the store under the bright lights, but I look like a ghost when I wear it. I mix it with my Maybelline Fit Me Foundation to darken it.

Bella Pierre Mineral Blush in Autumn Glow – This was the first non-drugstore blush I bought. It was kind of a pinky-brown shade that looked really nice when blended out.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Matte Waterproof Bronzer in Park Ave Princess – This is a pretty bronzer, but since it was Made in China, I wouldn’t repurchase (read my post: Where Were Your Beauty Products Made?). If I’m spending that much money on a bronzer, I want it to be made elsewhere.

Revlon Colorstay Concealer in Light/Medium – I won’t be repurchasing this concealer. I don’t like the smell of it and I prefer the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer anyway.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Light – One of my fave concealers.

NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Black – I really like this brow pencil, it fills in the gaps and it’s not too dark.

Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara in Black – I liked this mascara.

Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara – I liked this mascara. I kept the wand.

Too Faced Mini Chocolate Bar – This was redeemed from Sephora Rewards. I like this mini palette, but I’m not a huge fan of the chocolate smell. I don’t really like my powders having scents.

L’Oreal Colour Riche Collection Exclusive Nude Lipcolor in 370 Jennifer’s Nude – I think this is my favourite lipstick. I bought it when it first came out and fell in love with it. The makeup artist who did our makeup also used it on my sister and me for my sister’s wedding reception in Toronto. This is my go-to and that’s why I sort of want to use it up so that my other lipsticks have a chance of being used.

So, those are the 10 products I hope to finish by the end of the year. I’ll probably do an update at the end of this year to say if I did finish them.

What’s on your list of products you want to finish before the end of 2018?

Love,

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Review | L’Oréal Sublime Soft Micellar Gelee Eye Makeup Remover

February 13, 2018

Hi Everyone!

I love using micellar water to remove my makeup, you may have seen my post: Pros and Cons to Different Types of Makeup Removers. Micellar water is very gentle and doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin. When I was at Winners, I bought a few things and this was one of them. So, I wanted to see if micellar gelee worked as well or better than micellar water. I got it for $6.99 at Winners, but it retails for $16.49 at Rexall.

L’Oréal Sublime Soft Micellar Gelee Eye Makeup Remover

The micellar gelee doesn’t have a scent and the consistency is similar to spectro gel (just a tad more fluid). I would compare the gelee to a morph of micellar water and cleansing balm. Like a cleansing balm, you need to be in a bathroom or somewhere with access to water because it removes the makeup, but you need water or a face cloth to wipe off the dissolved makeup and you need to rinse your face after. It’s similar to micellar water because it’s not oily and if you accidentally get some in your eye, it won’t cloud your vision.

Ensures an ultra efficient makeup removal experience without irritations.

I tried several different ways to remove my makeup with the gelee: cotton pad, fingers, and face cloth. If you pour a small pea-sized amount, it takes off your eye makeup well, but you need to wash your hands because they get a bit sticky from the gelee. I tried the micellar gelee using my hands (like I do with cleansing balms), but you need water to rinse off the makeup. I don’t know about you, but when I need to wash my face at my bathroom sink, the water runs down my arms and gets all over the place. I tried using a face cloth and poured some gelee onto it; it easily wiped off the makeup without getting water all over the sink. I think using a face cloth or makeup remover cloth is the best way to use the gelee. The micellar gelee plus a makeup remover cloth will ensure all of your eye makeup is removed- I don’t know about you, but sometimes a makeup remover cloth doesn’t always get all of my eye makeup off.

RATING: 4/5

If you like cleansing balms, but hate when it accidentally gets in your eye and makes your vision cloudy, micellar gelee is a great alternative and it’s cheaper too. Personally, I think I still prefer micellar water as my main method of makeup removal. This was an interesting product to try, but it’s more expensive than micellar water and you get less product.

What do you use to remove your makeup? Have you tried micellar gelee?

Love,

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Winners Haul | February 2018

February 5, 2018
Hi Everyone!

Everyone loves a good deal! I love going to Winners to find some great deals on products. Yes, a lot of the times, they’re discontinued items, but sometimes you get new products! I picked up these items and each of them were under $10 (paid under $60 total).
- L’Oreal Sublime Soft Micellar Gelee Eye Makeup Remover (read my review)
- Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Wipes
- Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free 3-in-1 Correcting Bronzer
- MAC Lip Pencil
- My Beauty Spot Rubber Hair Rollers 5/8″ (12-pack)
- Shiseido Sheer Mattifying Compact Refill (read my review)
Do you shop at Winners? What deals have you found?

Love,
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November/December 2017 Faves

January 19, 2018

Hi Everyone!

Here are November & December’s faves:

Clean and Clear Morning Burst Fruit Infusions Purifying Cleanser is my fave to use in the morning. There are strawberry seeds in it that gently exfoliate. It may not give me that squeaky clean feel like cleansers from The Face Shop, but the refreshing citrus scent helps me wake up in the morning.

I love the Dove Nutritive Solutions Coconut and Hydration Shampoo. It smells good and makes my hair feel smooth and moisturized. It’s scented with coconut water and sweet lime. I’ve used a few other Dove shampoos, but I think this one smells the best so far out of the ones I’ve tried: Energize, Daily Moisture and Cool Moisture.

I bought the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler during the Sephora sale (check out my haul here!) and I must say that I am loving it! I got it for $25 CAD. It just works so much better than the other ones I’ve used and I don’t have to worry about it pinching my eyelid by accident. I’ve used several other curlers, I still have a Tweezerman and a Sephora one. The Tweezerman is a pretty good dupe in terms of how the curler looks, but you can feel the difference when you squeeze the curler to curl your lashes. The shu is almost springy whereas the Tweezerman opens really wide. It’s hard to describe unless you have both and you’re trying them out. I have a purple Sephora one and it’s definitely not suited for Asian/hooded eyes (especially if your lashes are short). I don’t think any of the Sephora ones would be good for Asians (even though they might be $5 cheaper or around the same price, I’d rather spend $25 on the shu. For the Sephora one, I have to hold it at an angle just to get the curler to line up with my lashes.

I only wish they sold replacement pads separately (it comes with one replacement in the box), but then you need to buy a new curler. I’ve heard the Shiseido ones fit in the curler, but they’re just a tad shorter than the shu ones and Sephora sells replacements for $8 CAD. It’s a bit ridiculous because on the box it says that a rubber pad will last about 3 months and you should replace the whole curler once the refill pad has worn down. I don’t use my eyelash curler daily, but my other eyelash curlers’ pads have lasted longer than 3 months. I wish they sold replacement pads separately. I think it’s too expensive to have to shell out another $25 every six months according to the box.

Smashbox’s Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer and Essence’s I 🖤 Colour Intensifying Eyeshadow Base. The Smashbox helps brighten my under eyes and the Essence eyeshadow base makes my shadow colours even more vibrant and it’s less than $6!

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

I am loving this original Tory Burch perfume…it’s a mix of citrus and floral and great for winter and fall. I use Giorgio Armani’s Acqua Di Gioia in the spring and summer because it’s got that acquatic, fresh smell. I love the bottle of the Tory Burch perfume and it makes me feel more grown up. It has neroli, grapefruit and peony to name a few notes.

I’m loving the GummiBand hair cords. They don’t make my hair crease after wearing my hair up for hours and they don’t tug on my hair like regular hair bands. I love the colour variety and they’re a Canadian brand!

Read my review and get a coupon code for the GummiBand hair cords!

Everyone loves a red lip for the holidays. This L’Oreal Infallible Le Rouge lipstick in 337 Refined Ruby is a beautiful satiny blue-red. I don’t wear red that often so finding a beautiful red at a drugstore price was my goal.

What were your faves from November and December?

Check out my other monthly favourites:

2017

Sept/Oct

Love,

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

December 19, 2017

Hi Everyone!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WINNER: L’Oréal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara

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

Love,

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10 Products I Want to Try/Buy

October 10, 2017
Hi Everyone!

I haven’t been posting as regularly as I’d like because I’m trying out new products. I’m going to try my best to do more posts each week. I think I will try to post more frequently and write shorter posts rather than the long posts I’ve been doing.

Ever since I went to the MAC/Estée Lauder Warehouse Sale, I’ve put myself on a self-imposed makeup ban until the end of the year (maybe longer). I know, a girl can never have too much makeup, but I have more makeup and skincare products than I can store. Plus, I don’t want things to go bad because I’ve neglected them. The only products I’m allowed to buy are products I have finished and need to replace.

Since I’m still trying out some products, I thought I’d do a post about what products I hope to try and eventually buy in the future. These are a handful of products that I know are really popular and everyone loves. I know I’m behind on the times for some of these. They have been cult favourites for years.
1. MAC Prep and Prime Fix +
2. L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara
3. Tarte Tartelette Amazonian Clay Matte Eyeshadow Palette
4. Pixi Beauty Hydrating Milky Mist
5. Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter (Lightning Dust/Fire Crystal)
6. Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer
7. Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Color Changing Lipstick
8. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer
9. Erborian CC Crème High Definition Radiance Face Cream Skin Perfector
10. Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask
UPDATE: I’ve purchased and reviewed the L’Oréal Lash Paradise Mascara, Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask and the Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist.

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

First Impressions with Glow Recipe

Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist Review

What are some products that you want to try? Are any of the ones I listed above your holy grail products?

Love,

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Using a Silicone Sponge to Apply Face Masks

June 20, 2017

Hi Everyone!

In the past year, I started using a flat foundation brush to apply my face masks. Before then, I always used to use my hands, which wasted a lot of product. Also, if your face mask comes in a pot, it’s less hygienic to stick your fingers in the pot to scoop some up (most of my face masks come in tubes anyway though). Using a brush is better in multiple ways because you use less product, it’s more hygienic and it applies the mask more evenly. The only drawback is that I find it hard to clean the brush after, especially if it was a clay face mask, it takes a bit more effort to make sure the bristles are all clean on the inside.

A few months back, I bought a set of 2 silicone sponges from Amazon after seeing a lot of reviews about them to apply foundation. So I thought I’d try them out, but I like beauty blenders/sponges and brushes better than the silicone sponge. I found that silisponges don’t blend as nicely as a beauty sponge or brush. So, I thought, great, now I have two that I probably won’t use, but then I had an epiphany! The silisponge would be good for applying face masks because it will apply a nice even layer and it will be super easy to clean after! I just tried it with my L’Oreal Exfoliate & Refining Red Algae Clay Mask and it’s 100 times easier to clean than a foundation brush.

Have you tried silisponges? Do you like using them to apply foundation?

Love,

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Primer & Colour Corrector

Foundation

Concealer

Eyes

Blush

Lips

Check out my other monthly favourites:

2017