I was scrolling through Instagram and the Style Democracy H&M Online Warehouse Sale came up. I took a look and ordered some things.
Originally, this post was supposed to be a haul, but it has turned into more of a review…keep reading to find out why.
I wanted to buy some loungewear because my current loungewear consists of old gym shorts and old volunteer t-shirts that I’ve received over the years. I was hoping to find some tshirts, sweatshirts and maybe some shorts or pants. I was excited because the sweatshirts looked cozy. I was also going to buy a belt for my mom, but the only ones available were thicker belts that are more for style than function. There were a few cute dresses on sale too, but
1) I have no use for them
2) I have too many clothes that I’ve never worn
3) they weren’t available in my size anyway
Here’s what I ended up ordering:
The total was about $85 which isn’t too bad for 7 items. Only the sweatshirt dress and the black sweatshirt with zippers were over $10. I know I only chose basic colours, but I’m plain/neutral when it comes to my style. My closet mostly consists of black and dark blue. It said it would take 10-14 business days to process…
July 16th (13 business days later) – My friend received a shipping notification for her order. She made her order on the same day as I did.
I decided that I would wait until the 15th or 16th day before sending them an email to ask for an update on my order.
July 21st (16 business days later) – I sent them an email asking for an update.
July 26th (almost a month placing the order) – I receive an email saying that my order has been cancelled and a full refund has been issued. See below
July 30th – Paypal refund is still pending. I’ve read it could take up to a month for a Paypal refund? Also, I have yet to receive the discount coupon/free shipping for the H&M site.
Aug 4th – received full refund, but have not received the ‘discount coupon/free shipping.’
This would’ve been my first clothing purchase in a year. I haven’t bought any new clothes, I’ve only been selling my old clothes (check out my poshmark blog post). I’m not trying to complain about it since I did get a full refund, but it is disappointing that I had to wait almost a month until I got any information on my order. I know Style Democracy runs a ton of warehouse sales in collaboration with other brands, so I don’t know if it was because this was H&M’s first warehouse sale. I feel like they should have some idea of how much inventory they have. I ordered seven items and I didn’t even get a single item shipped.
When it comes to warehouse sales, it’s probably best to go to the in-person ones. As long as you’re making sure to follow all the safety protocols in place. For me, it seems like the only warehouse sales that I have had a good experience are beauty ones. I’ve been to a Nordstrom Sale and I purchased a few items. From what I remember, that was before Nordstrom was in Canada (we might’ve had a few Nordstrom Rack stores in Ontario). I’ve also been to the Designer Shoe Sale in Markham (in 2019) and also popped into a Puma one that was there too. The MAC/Estée Lauder and Shiseido Warehouse Sales were the best.
Love,
*Pictures were taken from the Style Democracy website.
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.
Each primer has a small blurb on why I love, like or didn’t like. Some I’ve grouped together because they were similar to me. First, I’ll start with Hits, then Likes and end with Misses.
HITS
Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer – This one is great for my dry skin. Before I started using facial oils and drinking more water, my nose was super dry and flaky (ew). It’s still a bit dry and can get flaky at times, but around the nostrils aren’t as bad as they used to be. This primer was the first that would keep my nose moisturized enough by the end of the day. You can also use this as a moisturizer if you’re in a pinch and need some moisture.
Good Molecules Silicone-Free Priming Moisturizer* & Sonia Roselli Water Balm (read my review) – These are also 2-in-1 primers that can double as moisturizers. I wouldn’t say that these should be used as your only part of your skincare routine, but they can definitely be one of the steps in your morning routine to help prep your skin. The Sonia Roselli Water Balm is more moisturizing than the Good Molecules. I wouldn’t use the Good Molecules as a moisturizer on its own though. I usually pair it with a face oil.
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water – This is a nice hydrating primer that has a bit of tackiness. You can also use at the end of your makeup routine, but take note that the spray nozzle isn’t the finest so don’t get too close to your face. It has a slightly citrus scent from the Limonene, so if you don’t like citrus, you’ll want to skip this one!
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer Primer (Smoothing) – This is a nice smoothing/blurring primer that smells really nice. I use it on my cheeks and forehead where my pores are larger.
Tarte Timeless Smoothing Primer (read my review) – This is one of Tati’s fave blurring primers. So I thought I’d give it a try. This is a thicker primer and it’s easy to use too much – Less is more! Sometimes I would get too much on my fingers and then just apply it to areas I didn’t really need it. I would notice my makeup would look more cakey in those areas. That was totally my fault though. This is a great primer if you need to blur those pores. If you do end up trying it, press it into the skin, do not rub.
Winky Lux Whipped Primer – Tati also tried this one to compare. I can’t recall exactly what she said, but I think she liked it. Although not as much as the Tarte one. This one is a softer texture since it’s whipped – It’s like this one is whipped cream cheese while the Tarte is regular Philly cream cheese. It might be easier for a beginner to try this one first and then upgrade to Tarte Timeless Smoothing Primer when you’re ready.
Mac Strobe Cream (Pink) – I guess this is more of a liquid highlighter than a primer. If you have larger pores, you might want to use a blurring primer before applying this to the face. You can use this underneath foundation, mix it in with foundation or apply as a liquid highlighter. This pink is so pretty to give you that ‘glow from within’ look. The Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer in #7 is also really pretty and I haven’t personally tried it, but the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter is so pretty too.
LIKES
Smashbox Photo Finish Pore Minimizing Primer – I don’t really like the silicone-y feeling blurring primers, but if you don’t mind them, you’d like this one.
Touch In Sol No Poreblem Primer – This one broke me out, but it blurs really nicely. If it works for you, this is one of the cheaper primers available at Sephora and in this blog post.
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer Primers (Nourishing & Hydrating – These two primers were both really nice, but again didn’t provide my dry skin enough moisture. The Nourishing one is a bit richer in texture while the hydrating one is more of a gel cream texture.
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil – I really loved this primer when I first tried a sample, but once I bought the full size bottle, I didn’t reach for it as often. You could use any facial oil you already have instead of spending money on a primer oil. Also, this isn’t the best smelling facial oil I’ve used either. I ended up having to use it as a facial oil and then ended up decluttering because I had it so long that it started to smell off.
First Aid Hello Fab Coconut Skin Smoothie Priming Moisturizer, Stellar Brilliant Primer & Mac Prep + Prime Natural Radiance – From what I remember, these three primers were illuminating and they had similar textures. They weren’t shimmery or anything, but there was a glow to them. While they were nice, they didn’t provide quite enough hydration for my dry skin. Also, I didn’t like the smells of these primers. I’d rather use a really good hydrating primer and choose to add in some liquid highlighter on my own instead of getting an illuminating primer like these ones.
MISSES
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer – I know some people love this one, but this smells like school glue to me and that just turned me off. I also didn’t notice anything special about it.
Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer – Similar to the Smashbox pore minimizing primer, this is silicone-y. It’s a good drugstore alternative to the Smashbox one, I believe. I didn’t compare them so I don’t know if Smashbox was better at blurring, but they both have the same texture.
Make Up for Ever Step 1 Equalizer Primer – Redness Correcting & Smashbox Photo Finish Colour Correcting Primer – Redness Correcting(read my review) – I didn’t really find these two primers to work that well at concealing redness. If you need to colour correct, use a colour corrector instead of a primer that corrects.
L’Oréal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream (Anti-Redness) (read my review) – This smells really bad, but it does work great if you have a slightly darker skin tone than I do. It works well for my mom. It starts out green, but then it turns ‘skin-coloured.’
Maybelline Facestudio Master Primer Blur + Redness Control Primer – This did nothing to conceal redness OR blur.
Nude By Nature Perfecting Primer (read my review) – Even though I rated this a 3/5 in my review, the smell is too sweet. It smells like Rockets (or as the Americans call them ‘Smarties’).
The Body Shop Moisturizing Primer – I don’t think this is available anymore, but it was basically a moisturizer. It had a similar texture to the First Aid priming moisturizer.
The Body Shop All-In-1 Blurring Primer – Again, this is silicone-y and one of the first primers I tried.
Smashbox Photo Finish Under Eye Primer – Originally, I loved this primer because I thought it made my under eyes look illuminated and bright. After a while, I didn’t notice anything. I don’t know if I was just imagining things in the beginning. This was meant to illuminate the under eyes. You don’t need this (even if it did work)…just get a good eye cream that already illuminates. This one has a similar texture to the First Aid/Stellar/MAC illuminating primers.
I’ve also tried the Benefit The POREfessional Face Primer and Tatcha The Silk Canvas Protective Primer in samples. I think the POREfessional was dried out by the time I tried it, but I know a lot of people love it. I think it’s similar to the Make Up For Ever Smoothing Primer, so I might give the hydrating version a try. I really liked the Silk Canvas primer and would definitely consider purchasing the mini. I know the full size is more cost effective, but I don’t know if I could get through the full size one fast enough. I’d rather spend a few dollars more per ounce than buy the full size one and end up throwing it out because it expired.
To Try
Becca First Light Priming Filter Face Primer
Becca Velvet Blurring Primer
Benefit The POREfessional: Hydrate Primer
Bite Changemaker Skin-Optimizing Primer (normal to dry skin)
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter (This was on my 2020 Beauty Wishlist)
Cover FX Gripping Primer
Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer – Blurring
Laura Mercier Pure Canvas Primer – Hydrating
Tatcha The Silk Canvas Protective Primer
In my next Hits & Misses post, I’ll be writing about foundations!
Marcelle Velvet Gel Lip Liner in Rosy Nude – Still working on this one because I don’t wear lipstick that often.
FINISHED
Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Color in Bare Pink – This was a beautiful lipstick shade. I’ve been leaning more towards glosses and lip balms lately, so I probably wouldn’t repurchase this one.
Lancôme Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation in 01N Nude Vanilla (read my review) – Loved this foundation, but I wish it came in more shades. If they expand to a shade that matches me better, I would definitely repurchase!
DECLUTTERED
MAC Cremesheen Glass in It’s A Strike – I bought this at the MAC Warehouse Sale in 2017 and it started to smell different, so I decided to declutter it.
MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Kittenish – I also bought this at the MAC Warehouse Sale and I liked it, but again, I am leaning more towards glosses and balms.
TheBalm Batter Up Eyeshadow Sticks in Dugout and Shutout (read my review) – I decided to declutter these because I just didn’t reach for them when I would wear eyeshadows.
So, my 2019 Project Pan kind of failed since I ended up decluttering quite a few of the products. It did make me realize that I need to think twice before I go and buy something that I can’t return (from a warehouse sale or Winners – TheBalm Batter Up sticks were from Winners).
Her skin type is oily and she uses powder foundations. She tried a cushion, but ended up giving it to me because she doesn’t like liquid foundation. She dislikes eye makeup (especially mascara), so she only ever curls her lashes.
Morning Skincare – Update
Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Day Emulsion – Mom loves the Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 collection. Originally, I bought her the Day Cream, but she didn’t like that it came in a pot (for her day cream…for some reason, she’s fine with using the potted creams for nighttime). So, we got the Day Emulsion which comes in a bottle with a pump. She must like it because she bought two more bottles at the Shiseido Warehouse Sale.
She also has a few different SPF products floating around. I don’t know which one she’s currently using on her face, but we have the Shiseido Ultra Sun Protection Lotion and the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer one.
Primer & Colour Corrector – Update
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer Primer (Smoothing)
L’Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream- Anti-Redness (read my review) – My mom said the smell is starting to affect her too, so if anyone knows of a product that’s similar, please let me know!
Foundation – Update
After the Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Foundation, she used the Shiseido Sheer and Perfect Compact Foundation in I20 Natural Light Ivory. This was a nice foundation, but the shade wasn’t quite right and she finished it fairly quickly compared to the Sephora foundation because the pan isn’t very deep.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation in 5.5 – The shade 5.5 is a bit dark, so if she were to repurchase, she’d go down a shade or two. She’s enjoying the foundation – it’s very smooth and looks beautiful. One thing she doesn’t like about the compact is that it comes with a sponge and the middle part with the powder flops back and forth (like the Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer), powder collects in the sponge section which is wasteful.
Concealer – No Update
Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Flawless Wear Concealer in Warm Light Medium
She still uses this concealer and she likes the consistency.
Eyes – No Update
Tweezerman Lash Curler
She doesn’t wear eyeshadow or mascara.
Blush – Update
Lancôme Blush Subtil in Aplum – Plum-mauve blushes are her favourite! The compact for this blush isn’t the best though. My mom accidentally dropped it and it chipped off the edge because it’s just plastic. Also, why do high end blushes have to come with those useless brushes?
Lips – Update
MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Spontaneous – I bought this at the MAC Warehouse Sale and my mom is just using it to finish.
MAC Cremesheen Glass in It’s A Strike – Same as the patentpolish pencil, this is not the right shade for her and she’s just using it to finish it.
Makeup she has in her purse to touch-up throughout the day:
Clinique Superpowder Double Face Makeup in Matte Neutral – to get rid of the shine.
MAC Lustre Lipstick in Midimauve – I gave her this one since it’s a more sheer lipstick than the satin lipsticks. It has a bit of pigment and shine – looks more like a tinted balm.
Vaseline – glossy and easy to apply without a mirror.
I finished quite a few makeup products this month. Check out my monthly empties:
MAC Strobe Cream in Pinklite – This is a great product to put on before foundation to give you that glow from within.
Repurchase? Yes.
Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer– When I got a sample of this, it worked well. I could tell that it illuminated my under eyes. After buying the full size tube, I don’t know, it didn’t really do that much to illuminate and I don’t think it’s that different from other hydrating primers.
Repurchase? No.
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer (Hydrating) Primer – I enjoyed this product, but I tried the nourishing primer and it hydrates better because it’s for dry skin.
Repurchase? No, but I love the MUFE primers.
MAC Prep + Prime Natural Radiance – If I wanted to get a glowy look, I would use the strobe cream.
Repurchase? No.
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick in 0.75 Ivory (read my review) – This was beautiful. I really liked it even though I had the wrong shade.
Repurchase? In the correct shade, yes.
CoverGirl LashBlast Volume Mascara (read my review) – I liked this mascara a lot.
Repurchase? I want to try others and there’s so many to try. I did enjoy this though, so I definitely would consider repurchasing.
Tarte Amazonian Clay Smooth Operator Finishing Powder – This made it look like I had a filter on my face. It instantly blurred pores.
Repurchase? I want to try others, but I definitely would repurchase.
elf Lip Exfoliator in Mint Maniac (read my review) – I chose this exfoliator as the winner in both of my This or That lip scrubs.
Repurchase? Maybe.
Soo’ae Purifying Brightening Peeling Gel – This gel sloughs off dry skin. It makes your face feel so soft after using it.
Repurchase? Yes.
Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm – Loved this!
Repurchase? Yes.
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circles Treatment Concealer in Light – This is a pretty good concealer (if you are wondering, I took off the sponge). I think this shade was a bit too brightening on me, I might try the Neutralizer shade next time.
Repurchase? Yes.
Tarte Maracuja Oil– I bought the supersize bottle of this (which is twice the size of the regular one) and I poured half of it into the regular bottle because I was worried I would be clumsy and knock it over and then I’d have a huge mess to clean up.
Repurchase? Yes.
TULA Acne Clearing + Tone Correcting Gel – This is a great acne gel with salicylic acid that doesn’t irritate my skin. This bottle lasts 3 months using 1 pump night AND day. If you only used it during the day OR night, it could last 6 months. I think I will cut down to just using it at night because it’s probably not good to use it as often as I have been.
Repurchase? I already bought two replacements. It sells out quickly, so I thought I would stock up on 2 bottles.
It’s been a month since I posted my Project Pan 2019 post. It turns out I was pretty close to finishing some of my products, so here’s an update.
I am very close to finishing the Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer Primer and I’ve finished the Smashbox Under Eye Primer, MAC Radiant Primer, and Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick. I decluttered the Essence Eyeshadow Base because it was older than I thought. I also decided to declutter the Burt’s Bees Blush because I was just using it to finish it and not because I loved it. It’s a gorgeous shade, but I have a love-hate relationship with blush. I either apply too little or too much and making that mistake with a pink blush is not good. I don’t want to look like a clown. Anyway, I have been leaning towards the peachy/nude/coral shades lately instead of bright pink.
Since I finished so many products already, I added some more:
Bobbi Brown Lip Color in Bare Pink
MAC Cremesheen Glass in It’s A Strike
Marcelle Velvet Gel Lip Liner in Rosy Nude
MAC Patentpolish in Kittenish
TheBalm Batter Up Eyeshadow Sticks in Dugout and Shutout (read my review)
Lancome Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation in 01N Nude Vanilla (read my review)
Today, I’m revisiting my favourites from 2017. I’ve posted Part 1 of revisiting my Best of 2017 post (read here). There’s some overlap in my monthly favourites and Best of 2017 post, so if they aren’t listed below, they’re in that post.
SEPTEMBER
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer – When I used this, I never tried it as an under eye concealer. I need to buy it again and compare it to the Age Rewind Concealer.
Repurchase? Yes.
Milani Color Statement Lipstick in 26 Nude Crème – I love the shade, but I don’t really like that it smells like a watermelon jolly rancher.
Repurchase? Maybe.
Milani Keep It Sweet Sugar Lip Scrub – Initially, I liked this, but I didn’t really like it after a while. It would just make the dead skin move back and forth and not slough it off.
Repurchase? No.
Milani Eye Tech Perfection Liquid Liner – This was a great liner, but I just don’t use liquid liner that much.
Repurchase? No.
Milani Retouch + Erase Light Lifting Concealer – I liked this concealer; it was thick, but it blended nicely.
Repurchase? Maybe.
Estee Lauder Pink Perfection Breast Cancer Awareness Kit – If you’ve read my post on Products I Regret Buying, this kit is on it. The eyeshadows were nice, but the shades they chose weren’t useful for me. I need a transition shade that’s matte and this didn’t have one. I did enjoy the lipstick, but not in the shade that came with it.
Repurchase? Unavailable because it was limited edition. But I wouldn’t if it were still available.
MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Kittenish – I really like this lip pencil. It’s a hybrid of a balm and a lipstick.
Repurchase? Yes.
OCTOBER
Garnier All-in-1 Cleansing Micellar Water – Love this!!
Repurchase? Absolutely! I do want to try other ones first to see how they compare.
NOVEMBER
Clean and Clear Morning Burst Fruit Infusions Purifying Cleanser – I really liked this cleanser. It woke me up in the morning with the citrus scent.
Repurchase? I don’t think you can buy this anymore.
Dove Nutritive Solutions Coconut and Hydration Shampoo – So, a few years ago, I got eczema on my hands and legs and I stopped using a bunch of products to rule them out as a cause of the eczema. I stopped using Dove products and haven’t started using them again. I used to use Dove products all the time and had no problems, so I don’t think it was the cause, but I just haven’t purchased anything since I finished this shampoo.
Repurchase? Maybe.
Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler – I love this!! I wish I had bought this when I first started using lash curlers.
Repurchase? YES!!!
DECEMBER
Tory Burch Perfume (Original) – I love this. It makes me feel grown up, but it’s not old lady-ish.
Repurchase? Yes!
GummiBand Hair Cords – I love these. I use them every day!
Today, I’m going to share some of the makeup and skincare products that I’ve regretted buying over the past couple years. Most of the products were impulsive and ever since writing my post on how I want to streamline my makeup collection (read it here), I’ve done my best to cut down on the impulse buying (especially for the blog).
Bobbi Brown Bobbi On Trend Eyes & Cheek Palette
While it’s a beautiful palette, the eyeshadows don’t wow me. Bobbi Brown isn’t necessarily known for amazing eyeshadows (like Urban Decay). The blushes and bronzer aren’t the right shade for me. The illuminating bronzer is chunky.
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Deauville
While I can’t say 100% if I liked or didn’t like this foundation, I know the shade was a terrible choice that made me look pale as a ghost. Because of the bad shade choice, I think it made me not like the foundation. I didn’t like that it had no pump. If I’m paying that much for a product, I want a pump
Thayers Witch Hazel Toners
Everyone loves this, so I thought I would too. I did like that they had unscented ones and I like that the spout on the lid wasn’t like other toners. Unfortunately, this made my skin breakout even more because of the witch hazel. I tried the Cucumber one and also bought the Unscented one. After using the Cucumber one though, I won’t even try the Unscented because I don’t want another breakout.
L’Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara
I knew it was like a dupe for Too Faced Better Than Sex and I just don’t like that mascara. It dries out too quickly and I don’t like the brush.
The Estee Edit products
I bought 3 different products: a blush, eyeshadow sticks and an illuminator. The shadow sticks are nice, but the blush I got was way too bright and the illuminator was no good.
Formula X Polish The Twenty-Two Limited Edition Set
It was just such a good deal, but I ended up giving away half of the shades and I never liked how skinny and round the brushes are; I prefer fat, flat ones.
I also regret buying most of the products from the MAC Warehouse Sale when I first went. At least the products weren’t full price. I did my best to use up the products (even when I didn’t like them). Most of the products I purchased were the wrong shade, but it was a good way for me to find out if I like the formulas/applicators. I bought a lot of lipsticks because they were only $7.50 and at the time, the shades looked good. Most of the lip products I bought were way too coral/pink for me.
Estee Lauder Pink Perfection Kit for Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign
The blush is too pink and it’s shimmery
The eyeshadow shades are nice, but they didn’t have a nice transition matte in the quad
The lipstick- love the formula, not a good shade for me
GLAMGLOW THIRSTYCLEANSE Daily Hydrating Cleanser
Estee Lauder Double Wear Makeup To Go Liquid Compact in 1N2 Ecru
this one was accidental. I picked it up to look at it and I must’ve thrown it into my shopping bag when I was deciding and forgot about it.
MAC Lip Glass
I bought three different types of lip glosses by MAC and I didn’t like the doefoot applicator on this particular one. I do like the applicators on the Mineralize Glass and the Cremesheen glasses.
Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Hi-Lustre Light Sculpting Lipstick
While I regret buying the shades I got, I did like the formula of the Estee Lauder lipsticks
MAC Huggable Lipcolours
These are similar to the Benefit Lip Balms. I liked the formula of the lip balm, but did not like the shades I chose
MAC x Helmut Netwon Point ‘n’ Shoot
I was so mad that I bought one of these because it ended up being in the $20 charity bag (and you get two of them)
I didn’t like the shades, they were too cool for me
Mac x Star Trek Luna Luster Trip the Light Fantastic Powder
This was a bit chunky for my liking.
Smashbox Photo Filter Powder Foundation
I can’t even say whether I liked the formula of this powder because the shade I bought was too light. I can’t give it a fair review unless I bought the correct shade
The powder did feel very smooth though
I’ve come to the realization that I don’t like palettes that have everything, i.e. blush, eyeshadows, bronzers, highlighters. Especially if the bronzer or blush is matte and then you get the shimmer from the highlighter on the matte blush/bronzer.
I decided to do No Buy October (no makeup or skincare products) in preparation for the Sephora sales. I didn’t realize there would be a sale so soon! I think I will spread out my purchases across the upcoming sales. I will buy the things I NEED during the first one and then things I WANT later.
I have quite a few products on my wishlist. I probably won’t buy everything on the list during the sale. Whatever I don’t buy, I will pick up during the sales next year. I have some favourites that I want to repurchase, but most of the products on the list are ones that I haven’t tried/purchased before.
I am on the fence about purchasing a Charlotte Tilbury product. I know I want to own Charlotte Tilbury products (lip cheat, lipstick, blush and airbrush powder), I just don’t know if I should purchase now or wait until my current makeup inventory has gone down.
…I think I will wait because I have a feeling that I will love the products I purchase and I won’t want to use anything else.
PRODUCTS I LOVE
Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo – I looove the smell of this! I got two compliments from my sister and aunt when I used it.
Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector – I originally got this at the MAC Warehouse Sale, and I really liked it. The metal applicator felt very cooling when I applied it and it helped my under eyes feel moisturized.
Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion – This is a great eye shadow primer. If I’m finished my current one, I will replenish my stock.
PRODUCTS TO TRY
Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector – I want an under eye product that brightens and doesn’t emphasize my dry under eyes.
Kopari Coconut Deodorant – I want to try a deodorant without aluminum and I’ve read some good reviews on it.
Origins Super Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Gel – I’ve used the Kate Somerville EradiKate and I wanted to try this one.
Waso Fresh Jelly Lotion – I tried this out in store and it smells nice and I love the texture of it.
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation – I’ve heard amazing things about this and I really want to compare it to the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick. I know they’re different finishes and coverage, but it’d be interesting to see how they compare.
Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Long Wear Foundation Stick – Before I wanted to get the Hourglass stick, I really wanted to try this because it’s a soft matte finish that feels so smooth when I swatch it on my hand. I’m thinking of getting both sticks to compare them with the Bobbi Brown one.
Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage Concealer – I want to get this in the same shade as my foundation because then I don’t have to try and colour match a different brand’s concealer with my foundation.
Lancôme Brow Shaping Powdery Pencil – I haven’t seen a lot of reviews for this and I was at Sephora and swatched this. The strokes are even finer than the Benefit Precisely, My Brow, so I thought I’d give it a try.
WISHLIST FOR A FUTURE SEPHORA SALE
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder – I’ve heard amazing things about this powder. If it’s in stock, I’m going to grab this.
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat – Again, if this is in stock, I will get it in Pillow Talk.
Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Long Wear Foundation – Lancôme foundations are beautiful and I wanted to get this one after trying a sample.
Whenever I’m scrolling through Instagram, I always see all these pretty flat lays with gold, black and silver packaging. High end products have such pretty packaging! A lot of drugstore brands’ packaging are getting prettier too, but there’s something about the look of a YSL or Dior lipstick tube that just makes you go “oooohhh!” As I became more obsessed with makeup, I bought more drugstore products to blog about because they’re more affordable. Ever since I wrote the post about streamlining my makeup, I’ve been decluttering makeup that I don’t use and doing my best not to buy new makeup. My plan is to find high-end favourites so that I have 1 or 2 holy grail items in each category (foundation, concealer, blush, etc.) and then, for the blog, I’ll buy drugstore products to review.
(items in bold have been purchased since this post was published)
There are so many brands out there that I want to try:
I am absolutely loving the Physician’s Formula Murumuru Butter Butter Bronzer in Deep Bronzer and the Butter Highlighter in Pink.
I got the deep bronzer because it was either that or the sunkissed which was too orange. I could probably use the light bronzer or bronzer shades. I just need to make sure I really blend out the deep bronzer or it will look like I have a bruise. The highlight is gorgeous! It’s a cream-to-powder and I love it. I got the pink one and it gives a beautiful glow!
I loved this Soo’Ae Canada Purifying Brightening Peeling Gel so much that I decided to pick it up at Walmart! It’s a peeling gel that gently exfoliates your skin. It made my skin feel like a baby’s bottom!!
I really need to get the right shade in this Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick. Right now, I have it in Ivory, but I’m more Warm Ivory I think. I’ve really been loving this foundation stick as both a foundation and a concealer. It’s compact and easy to carry around in your purse. I got it at the MAC Warehouse sale for $21, but I would definitely pay the full price. It glides on effortlessly and blends beautiful with a damp sponge.
I pressed some MAC pigment in Stardream into an old Becca pot and OMG it’s absolutely gorgeous! The pigment was part of the Nutcracker set of Pigments. It’s a beautiful coppery bronze for my eyes. It’s a bit too dark for a highlight on my skintone, but it has that wet, metallic look that I love in shimmery shades!!
This Miniso Flawless Baked Blusher in Rosy Pink is just so pretty. It gives you a rosy glow since it has shimmer in it. I can’t believe it was only $2.99!
Get a gorgeous, healthy glow using the MAC Strobe Cream in Pinklite! I bought mine at the MAC sale. They have other shades now: goldlite, peachlight, silverlite and redlite. I love how you can wear it on its own, or wear it under or over foundation to give a beautiul, dewy look. I don’t use it all over my face, I just put it on the places I would put highlighter.
Every Pixi product I’ve tried, I absolutely love. The Pixi Glow Tonic is no exception. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now. After I get out of the shower, I use it before applying my serums and moisturizers. I bought the Glow Tonic as part of the $25 Peel & Reveal kit from Shoppers Drug Mart. It came with the Rose Flash Balm and the Peel & Polish. I wanted to see if I liked them before purchasing full-sized versions. The Glow Tonic has a nice scent to it (not too strong). It has definitely made my skin feel smoother because it gently exfoliates. I am definitely going to purchase the full-sized bottle once I finish the little one I have. After using it for a longer period of time, I noticed that the redness under my nose was worse when I used it. I stopped using it and it got better. I think I am allergic to witch hazel (read about it here).
I love the Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder with Jeju natural mineral and natural originated mint. I bought it from Chuusi.ca (see my haul) for $9 CAD, and I have been using it to set my makeup. It comes in a small plastic container with a twist-off top and a puff. The puff is incredibly soft and squishy and super useful if you like to carry your powder around (or you can purchase the compact which is $16 CAD). The powder is very finely milled and translucent so you don’t have to worry about matching your skin tone. It leaves my under eye area silky smooth and my concealer has never creased. The mint smell is a bit strong and smells like Chinese herbal medicine.
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).
I’m starting a new blog series for my monthly beauty favourites. Check out September and October’s faves!
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer
This is a great concealer! I just wish they had more shade selections (I have 10 Light and 25 Medium). One of my faves from the drugstore!
Milani products- see my haul and swatches. I’m in love with all of these products. I especially love the lipstick. I have the shade 26 Nude Crème for the lipstick and 02 Light for the concealer.
Kate Somerville EradiKate Acne Treatment
This has become a fave acne treatment. It’s great for drying out those big, pesky pimples that hurt. Sometimes it takes a few applications over a few days to get them to shrink down. You don’t want to use it too much in the same place since it’s so strong and very drying on your skin. I still have yet to try the similar Mario Badescu drying lotion which I’ve heard works really well too. I also bought one from The Face Shop, and plan to do a dupe it out since it’s a lot cheaper than the eradiKate.
Pink Perfection kit from Estee Lauder (no longer sold in stores)
I’m loving this kit. The eyeshadows are velvety smooth and pigmented and the Pure Color Envy lipstick is so creamy and comfortable.
MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Kittenish
Sometimes I don’t want a super pigmented lip product like lipstick and a balm doesn’t always have colour. The patentpolish is like a hybrid of a balm and a lipstick. Kittenish is a mauvey pink shade…wish I bought more of these at the Mac Warehouse sale (I’ll have to get more next time).
Lancome Miracle Cushion Foundation in 025 Beige Naturel
If it’s not obvious from my #motd posts, I love this cushion foundation. It gives you a natural finish and unlike some liquid foundations, it doesn’t look cakey or make my nose look dry. My nose area tends to be dry and foundation can make it look patchy but this cushion foundation doesn’t do that. Originally, my mom bought it for herself but she didn’t like the feel of liquid foundations even though this is a very sheer formula. She gave this to me since we’re the same shade and she opted for the Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Foundation Face Powder (25 Beige).
Lush Cup O’Coffee Face and Body Mask
I am loving this mask. It deeply cleanses pores and buffs dryness to reinvigorate your skin. It’s vegan so it does expire a little faster than a non-vegan one. My face feels super smooth after using this and the coffee grounds aren’t abrasive. Although I don’t drink coffee, I love the smell of it and it makes me feel refreshed and awake after using it. I haven’t used it on my body yet, but I imagine it would have the same effect.
Buxom Lash Mascara
This is a deluxe sample (the full-sized one has a silver top). I don’t usually love silicone wands but this keeps my lashes clump-free and my lashes still feel soft after using this. If only the price tag weren’t so high (I usually stick to drug store mascaras since their shelf life isn’t very long). I definitely need to find a dupe for this mascara.
Garnier’s All-in-1 Cleansing Micellar Water
This removes waterproof makeup and doesn’t leave my eyes feeling sticky like some eye makeup removers I’ve used. Even though it says you don’t need to rinse, I like to wash my face after using it because it has a slightly greasy feeling (even though there’s no oil in it) after using it. I’ve tried the pink one (not for waterproof makeup) and you don’t have to shake it before using.
Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primers from Make Up For Ever
These are some of my faves. I love these three: Smoothing, Redness Correcting and Hydrating. Sometimes I use them for different parts of my face. When I have some redness around my nose and chin, then the smoothing primer on areas where my pores are more visible and then hydrating everywhere else. I’m not usually one to like scented skincare products, but I love the light scent of these.
UPDATE: I have recently added the Nourishing primer to my collection and it’s better than the hydrating one.
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.
MAC Prep and Prime Fix +
L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara
Tarte Tartelette Amazonian Clay Matte Eyeshadow Palette
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer
Milani products- 
