I’ve been trying out a lot of mascaras lately. I’m on the hunt for a drugstore mascara that lengthens my lashes and holds a curl (if it also volumizes too, that would be great).
Get a blast of bold, volumizing mascaras! COVERGIRL LashBlast Volume Mascara gives you full and voluminous lashes. LashBlast’s patented volume-boosting hypoallergenic mascara formula and patent-pending brush are designed to max out each and every lash, leaving you with the ultimate big-lash look. This amazing volume mascara is now available in waterproof, too!
I find the tube a bit slippery to open. Especially since the top is slanted, so there’s less surface area to open…is it just me?
I love the silicone wand on this, it separates my lashes nicely. From what I remember about the Buxom Lash Mascara, this one could be a dupe for it. Although, I don’t have the Buxom one to do a side-by-side comparison, so I’m not 100% sure.
There’s no clumps and my lashes look natural and don’t feel too stiff. The wand is good for my bottom lashes too, it darkens my bottom lashes without making them look spidery.
My lashes looked so natural that when I asked my mom if she could tell I was wearing mascara, she said she didn’t notice until I mentioned it. The mascara makes them look natural, but darkens my lashes. I have the shade Very Black.
Some time after the 4th hour mark, the mascara had transferred onto my eyelid. Hopefully, if you get the waterproof version, it won’t do that.
Weirdly enough, I was wearing this on a different day during Black Friday weekend. I was at the mall most of the day, I got hot and sweaty from wearing my coat and it was raining (spitting, not heavy downpour), my mascara didn’t smudge at all.
RATING: 4/5
I would prefer if the wand was a bit more tapered so I could get the inner corners of my eyes a bit better. So, I don’t think this is my new, absolute fave mascara, but it definitely goes into the top 5 drugstore mascaras I’ve tried.
I definitely prefer this mascara over the CoverGirl Total Tease (read my review).
If you have any drugstore mascara recommendations, I’d love to hear them! I’ve already tried the L’Oréal Lash Paradise one, and it’s not one of my faves.
Today, I’m going to be taking a look at my expenses from last year. So, it’s going to get a little analytical and I have pie charts!! Earlier THIS year, I went through my receipts and I started an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of my beauty purchases.
As you may have read before, I have an allowance of $25/month to spend on products to review for my blog. This allowance started this year. I didn’t really have an allowance last year. I think it’s a reasonable amount since I can buy 2-3, maybe even 4 products from the drugstore. I prefer doing drugstore products because it’s more accessible (financially) for everyone. The higher end products that I have reviewed are mostly products that I wanted to try myself, i.e. Lancome Skin Feels Good Foundation, Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation stick, etc.
With my receipts and some guessing, I logged all of my makeup, skincare and hair purchases from last year and this year. For some products, I just rounded up to the nearest 0 or 5. So, my total 2017 expense could be lower than what I actually recorded.
In the excel sheet, I am only including makeup, makeup tools (brushes, sponges), skincare for my face and extra hair products (like masks and styling sprays).
I did NOT include things like soap, body wash, toothpaste, mouthwash, body cream, cost for hair cuts, eyebrow waxing, manicures, etc. I didn’t include essentials like bathroom essentials because those are necessary for good hygiene. I didn’t include things like hair cuts, waxing or manicures because I don’t do them often enough to need to track them. For hair cuts, I get one once a year (if that) and I haven’t gotten a manicure since last year for my sister’s wedding reception in Toronto because I mostly get my nails done for special occasions only.
In 2017, I spent a little over $1900 on makeup items and skincare. I am going to round it up to $2000 because there could be products I missed in my tracker or maybe I underestimated a price of something.
I’m pretty proud that I haven’t spent that much on a single item. My most expensive individual items are about $50. My 6 most expensive purchases were:
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation Kit – around $80
You receive the foundation, primer and a foundation brush
Foundation retails for $52
Tory Burch Eau de Parfum kit (had a full-sized perfume, a mini perfume and a bottle of hand cream) – $80 (at MAC Warehouse Sale)
Sephora Brush Kit (3 brushes) – $60
Laneige Water Bank Serum – $46
I gave it to my sister, because my skin reacted to it
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer Primer (Redness Correcting) – $45
Tarte Bronze & Glow Double-Ended Contour Brush – $41
I have no idea why I paid full price for this when I could’ve waited for a sale!!
I was going to do my top 5 most expensive items, but I wanted to add the Tarte brush to mention how dumb it was to pay full price for a brush.
I split up the costs to see how much was spent on makeup and how much spent on skincare.
I spent about $450 on skincare, $250 on makeup tools (brushes, sponges, makeup wipes), which means I spent about $1300 on makeup. If you’ve read my MAC Warehouse Sale haul, you’ll know I spent almost $400 in September and then I went again in December and spent about $200, I think. So, almost half of my makeup expenses were from the MAC Warehouse Sale. I’ve decluttered quite a few of the products I bought at the sale because I just went so crazy buying lipsticks and I came home and realized the shades weren’t the same as when I swatched them. I’ve learned my lesson since then…the swatches will look very different from the actual shade because it’s hot in the warehouse and tons of people are touching them. Most of the shades looked more sheer when I swatched them. I bought a lot of shades that were too coral for me. Luckily, I could Back to MAC the lipstick tubes to get a full sized one (after returning 6 empties).
I bought 135 items in 2017. Only 29 of those purchases were (21%) planned purchases. After seeing this, I was shocked. When I say ‘planned purchases,’ I mean it was something I had wanted for a while and actually read reviews on it. That means the other 79% of my purchases were impulse buys where I was at the drugstore/Winners/MAC Warehouse Sale and decided, “I’m going to get this.”
Here’s a breakdown of where I bought the products:
It’s really interesting and eye-opening to track your beauty purchases. I know I can definitely cut down on the impulse buys. The makeup goals I set for myself have helped me a lot. When I was adding things to my cart for the Sephora sales, I went through and reviewed the products asking myself, “Do I really need this?” and “Let’s check out the reviews for this.”
Last year, I was tagged in a Best of 2017 Challenge on Instagram. Today, I’m going to be revisiting my picks from last year. Since then, I’ve tested and reviewed a lot of makeup. Like I said last year, it’s hard to choose favourites from each category because different products do different things for you, i.e. a hydrating vs. a smoothing primer or a lengthening mascara vs. a mascara that can keep a curl. I’m still trying to find my holy grail products, but I have found some great products over the last year.
Primer
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primers (hydrating primer and smoothing primer)
Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer
Essence’s I 🖤 Colour Intensifying Eyeshadow Base
The MUFE smoothing primer is still a fave of mine. The hydrating one wasn’t quite hydrating enough for my dry skin, so I picked up the Nourishing one to see if it’s better. The Smashbox under eye primer does help to slightly illuminate and hydrate my under eyes, but I’m not sure if it actually helps that much. I think you could just replace it with a good eye cream. The Essence eyeshadow base is great for intensifying colour, but it doesn’t really prevent creasing.
Foundation
Lancome Miracle Cushion Liquid Cushion Compact Foundation in 025 Beige Naturel
This is definitely still a favourite of mine. I haven’t purchased it since I finished, but I plan to buy it in the future once I’ve finished my Laneige BB Cushion.
Setting Powder/Spray
Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray
Cake Beauty’s Everything Powder
The UD setting spray is great, but I want to find one that’s a bit cheaper if I can. The everything powder smooths, sets and mattifies very well, but I just don’t love the smell anymore.
Brow products
NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Black
Benefit Gimme Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel in 05 Deep
Too Faced Chocolate Bar (Sephora Rewards mini palette)
At the time, the Winterberry palette and Too Faced mini were the only ones I had. After trying out other brands, these are no longer faves. I still like shades from both palettes, but the Coastal Scents palettes doesn’t have any neutrals in the palette and I no longer have the Too Faced palette.
Blush
Smashbox Soft Lights Duo in Passion/Shimmer
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Paaarty
The Smashbox blush was nice, but it was a bit too dark for me (I bought it at Winners). The Tarte blush was a fave of mine, but I didn’t love that it was Made in China (check out my post about Where Your Products Were Made). I still love Tarte blushes, but you just have to be careful to get the full-sized permanent collection ones.
Bronzer
Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer in Park Ave Princess
Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer in Chocolate Soleil
These were the only two bronzers I had last year and both were from Sephora rewards, so they weren’t in shades that I would’ve chosen. While the Tarte one did work with my skin tone, I didn’t like the sheen on it, and I know they have a matte one, but I’d rather use the Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer. The Too Faced Bronzer was too dark for me, I needed the Milk Chocolate one, not the Chocolate.
Face Mask
Lush’s Cup O’Coffee Face and Body Mask
The Face Shop sheet masks
I still agree with these face mask choices. I haven’t bought the Lush one since I finished it, but I would get it again.
Highlighter
Wet N Wild’s MegaGlo Highlighting Powder in Precious Petals (read my review)
Maybelline’s Face Studio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter in Molten Gold
Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter in Sin
Still absolutely love these highlighters. I would repurchase the Wet N Wild and Maybelline ones in different shades because both Precious Petals and Molten Gold are a bit too dark for me. The Urban Decay one is nice, but I don’t know if I would purchase the full-sized (I have a mini).
Eyeshadow Singles
Coastal Scents Single Shadow in Jewel Teal (read my review)
Coastal Scents Single Shadow in Teal Green (read my review)
Stila Shadow in Golightly
I still like all three shades of these, but I haven’t actually just worn the Stila shadow to test out the longevity of it. The Coastal Scents ones definitely need a primer. Even with a primer, they sort of faded a bit on me after a few hours. But they are very nicely pigmented and great to practise doing vibrant colours on your eyes. I have bought a few Anastasia eye shadow singles and those are beautiful, although I haven’t tested out the longevity of those either, but if they’re as good as the palettes, I’m sure they are great. I also have some Make Up For Ever shadows that you can buy as singles, I really love those.
I still agree with all of these choices except for the Pearlessence Cucumber Water. A few times, I’ve gotten it on my eyelids and it stung a little. Also, if you accidentally get some in your mouth, it tastes horrible.
Makeup Brushes
Tarte Bronze & Glow Contour Brush
Bella Pierre Powder Dome Brush (this isn’t the exact brush I have, but it’s similar)
Simple Glam Girls Lush Rose Gold Oval Brushes (read my review)
Arbonne Angled Blush Brush
Fluffy Powder Brush
Sephora Shadow Brush
I love the Tarte brush and my Bella Pierre brush, although I think it’s time to replace it because the handle’s plastic is chipping off. I enjoy the Simple Glam Girls brushes, but I think oval brushes are a pain to clean because it’s packed so tight. I’ve actually realized that I don’t love angled blush brushes. It’s a lot easier to use a slightly fluffy one to blend. I’m not good at dipping my brush lightly into the pan, so I end up looking like a clown until I blend my blush out. I still agree that a fluffy powder brush is needed to set your face and a shadow brush is great for packing on colour.
Milani Color Statement Lipstick in 26 Nude Creme (read my review)
Coastal Scents Lipstick in 2
Pixi Mattelustre Lipstick in Plump Pink
MAC Lipstick in Brave (satin finish)
The L’Oréal Colour Riche lipstick is still an absolute fave. The Refined Ruby one is a beautiful shade, but it’s a bit too dark for me. The shade of the Milani one is beautiful, but I’ve realized that I don’t like scented lipsticks that much. The Coastal Scents lipstick…I don’t know what I was thinking putting in my faves. It was patchy and didn’t look good. I don’t really like the Pixi Mattelustre lipstick anymore. The shade wasn’t right and it didn’t smell that nice. The MAC Lipstick is still a fave of mine.
What are your fave products that you discovered this year?
I went a little crazy during the Sephora Sale! This is the most I’ve spent at Sephora in one go. I always saw these massive Sephora Hauls and thought, “Wow! This person bought so much!” But, those people are smart because there are usually 3 or more sales each year. So, if you buy everything you’ll need/want during a sale, you’ll be good for the next six months until the next sale. Over the years, I’ve been buying things during the sales AND also buying things throughout the year at full price! WHAT A DUMMY! From now on, I am only going to make purchases during the sales. This will also help me cut down on impulse buying because if I have to wait for the next sale, I can properly test things out and research reviews.
If you read my wishlist, you’ll know that I didn’t pick up some things and I bought some things that weren’t on the wishlist.
I didn’t pick up the MAC Fix+, Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector or the Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion, but I bought a Saturday Skin facial spray and eye cream, and I picked up the NARS Eyeshadow Base. I still have half a bottle of the Mac Fix+ and I’ve been using my Thayers Witch Hazel Toner as a spray as well, so I can probably replenish during the next Sephora sale.
I didn’t get a chance to go in store to get a sample of the Waso Fresh Jelly Lotion, so I decided to pass on it this time. I still have my Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel, so I didn’t get the Origins Super Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Gel. I think I will skip on getting those types of spot treatments from now on because they have alcohol in them and tea tree oil has been working so far. I still have a concealer and colour corrector for under eyes, so I skipped the Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector. I have two brow pencils at the moment, so I didn’t get the Lancome Brow Pencil.
All of my purchases were skincare, hair or makeup bases. I didn’t buy any eye, cheek or lip products because I’m trying to finish some of the products I already own before purchasing more. Everything is new to me; I haven’t previously purchased anything on the list. So, here’s what I purchased online during last week’s ROUGE sale.
Saturday Skin No Bad Days Set
Daily Dew Hydrating Essence Mist
Rub-A-Dub Refining Peel Gel
Wide Awake Brightening Eye Cream
Featherweight Daily Moisturizing Cream
I’ve heard of Saturday Skin, but never tried anything. The brand is only available online for Sephora Canada. Although, sometimes I see things that are ‘online only’ in store, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen Saturday Skin in store. If I end up liking the products, I will pick up the full size bottles in the next sale.
Sephora Daily Brush Cleaner
I bought this years ago and it worked well, so I thought I would get it again. Although, it smells different than it used to (it used to be more perfume-y).
KOPARI Coconut Deodorant
I want to start using deodorant that doesn’t have aluminum in it and I’ve see good reviews on this and it smells really good.
Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Long Wear Foundation Stick SPF21 in 260 Bisque N
I know a lot of people love the Hourglass stick, but I wanted to try this one and review it first. I will eventually get my hands on the Hourglass stick. I’m planning to test this one out and see if I like it enough to keep it.
Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage Concealer in 260 Bisque N
I bought this concealer to match the foundation since they have the same shade names and I swatched them and it matches. Although, I think the foundation blends out a little better, so we’ll see if this is too dark for me.
Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo
The larger size wasn’t available, so I went with the travel size one.
NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base in Medium
I’ve seen a lot of positive reviews on their old eyeshadow base and a lot of people commented saying it should be tinted and now they’ve come out with a tinted one. I wanted to get an eyeshadow base that’s not as thick as others I’ve tried.
Sephora Favorites Party Hair Kit
IGK Beach Club Texture Spray
Living Proof Full Dry Volume Blast
Amika Un.Done Volume & Texture Spray
Drybar Triple Sec 3-in-1
Ouai Texturizing Hair Spray
Verb Sea Spray
I wanted to try out some texturizing sprays, so I thought a Sephora Favorites Kit would be the best way to sample different brands since you get 6 travel-sized bottles.
So, that’s all I bought online for this sale. Once I’ve properly tested out the products, I will review them on the blog and on Instagram.
Spot any favourites from my haul?What did you purchase during the sale? If you wrote a post on your haul, link it down below!
Happy Hallowe’en! Here are this month’s product empties.
Dove Advanced Hair Series Regenerative Nourishment Serum-in-Oil (read my review) – I don’t do a lot of things to my hair, so it’s in pretty good shape. I don’t think I really need a hair oil, but I think every now and then I’d use a hair mask. This did make my hair feel soft, so if you need something to help smooth and soften your hair, I’d recommend this.
Repurchase? Probably not.
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil – I got a little sample of this and it lasted a long time (probably because I liked it and I was saving it until I bought another). I mostly used it on and around my nose to moisturize those areas. It could sometimes look cakey in those areas after a few hours of wearing foundation. So, I learned to be light-handed with it and make sure it absorbed before applying my makeup on top.
Repurchase? Absolutely. Although, right now, I’m using the Tarte Maracuja Oil instead (it’s cheaper because it has more in the bottle for the price).
Milani Keep It Sweet Sugar Scrub (read my review) – Initially, I really liked it, but I realized it was kind of just moving the loose skin on my lips back and forth instead of actually scrubbing it off. I would rather use a warm, wet cloth to exfoliate or use the elf lip scrub.
Repurchase? No.
Sonia Roselli Water Balm (read my review) – When I first got this, I used way too much of it. I learned that a smaller scoop went a long way because when you rub your hands together, it turns to water beads.
Repurchase? Absolutely!
Bobbi Brown Intensive Long Wear Makeup Remover – This was a really good makeup remover, but there are tons of drugstore brands that are more affordable. I only had this because I got it free when I purchased a palette from Nordstrom.
Repurchase? No.
First Aid Hello FAB Coconut Skin Smoothie Priming Moisturizer – I don’t really love the smell of this. I’d rather get the Sonia Roselli Water Balm if I’m going to get a 2-in-1 moisturizer and primer.
Repurchase? No.
Live Clean Biotin Extra Body Shampoo & Conditioner – This shampoo says it thickens and volumizes. While I could use some volume in my hair, it definitely doesn’t need to be thicker. I liked the smell of this shampoo and conditioner. I didn’t really notice if it did, in fact, thicken and volumize my hair. I noticed that this conditioner was the thickest of the Live Clean conditioners I tried.
Repurchase? No, my hair is already thick.
Garnier Skin Active Micellar Water (Waterproof) – This micellar water is great to remove makeup. Although, it does have an oily feeling. So, if you prefer not to have that feeling, get the pink one that’s not for removing waterproof makeup.
Repurchase? Absolutely, but I want to try other micellar waters.
Shiseido Benefiance Extra Creamy Cleansing Foam – This had some type of bead in it which I didn’t like. If I’m using a foamy cleanser, I want it to be nice and smooth. This was very fragranced and I’m not sure if my skin had a reaction from it.
Repurchase? No.
Earth Therapeutics Purifying Foot Scrub – I bought this a loooong time ago at Winners. It’s a good scrub and it made my feet and hands feel smooth, but I don’t know if they still sell it. One thing that I didn’t like is that it was really hard to squeeze out product, I don’t know if it was a flaw in the design or something, but I always had to use both hands to squeeze out the scrub.
Repurchase? Probably not.
Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub – I think this was an old formula, so it still had the plastic beads to exfoliate. I was using it every day which was too much for me. If I use it a few times a week, I think it would’ve been okay. I didn’t really love this product.
Repurchase? Probably not.
The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Body Wash – This product worked well. It concerned me that it said not to use on the face though- how much stronger is it than their other tea tree products?
Repurchase? Possibly.
Essence Get BIG! Lashes Triple Black Mascara (read my review) – This mascara does darken and volumize my lashes…and it’s a great price! The brush is just too big for my lashes.
Repurchase? No.
Inglot x Jennifer Lopez Lipglossy Lip Gloss in Pinky (read my review) – This is a beautiful lip gloss shade, but it’s so expensive and I don’t really like that it’s scented.
Repurchase? No.
Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Concealer in Warm Ivory – I did not like this concealer. I would rather get a drugstore one than use this one. I got a bit of a reaction from using this concealer under my eyes. When I swatched on my hand and blended it out, it would look beautiful, but when I used it under my eyes, it would just look terrible. I’m glad I didn’t pay full price for this (bought it at the MAC Warehouse Sale).
Repurchase? NO.
Maybelline Fit Me Shine-Free Balance Stick Foundation in 130 Buff Beige (read my review) – I actually really loved this foundation (I think I preferred it to the liquid Fit Me). It lasted throughout the day on hot summer days. Of course, I would still get shiny in the t-zone, but it still looked really good after 8 hours of wear. I don’t know how it would do on someone with oily skin, but it worked great on my normal-dry skin. I’ve compared it to the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation stick (read my review).
Repurchase? If I were going to continue buying drugstore foundations, I would definitely buy this again.
bareMinerals BAREPRO Performance Wear Powder Foundation in Cashmere – This was a sample size and I really liked using it to pop in my purse (because of the size of the sample) for spot conceal touch-ups. I also liked using it to clean up my brows.
Repurchase? I prefer loose powder foundations, but I would definitely consider bareMinerals.
OPI Mini Nail Lacquer in Tickle My France-y – I love this colour, it’s a pinky-purple shade. I have to declutter this mini because the polish was starting to get really thick when I painted it onto my nails.
Here are October’s favourites! I’ve also added some non-beauty faves at the bottom of the post. Keep reading to find out what I’ve been enjoying this month 🙂
Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation in Light-Neutral – I have been absolutely LOOOOVING this foundation, although the shade I chose is a bit dark for me. I’ve used it several times now and it looks like I have a filter on my face because it just blurs out my pores. For about a year, I was having trouble deciding which powder foundation I wanted to try and finally chose this one and I’m so happy I did! I wore it yesterday and I wore it for about five hours and it didn’t break up on my chin or nose (yay!) and my bronzer, blush and highlight layer beautifully on top. I use a kabuki brush and take my time to blend the foundation out so it doesn’t get cakey (one time I wore it, it did get a bit cakey). It did get a bit shiny on my forehead, but that’s to be expected.
I love multi-layer cotton pads from The Face Shop. They’re so handy for toner and each pad is 5 layers. I’ve been looking into making reusable pads because as nice as these are, the multi-layer cotton pads can be expensive. I also love these cotton swabs from Winners (just a random brand) that have a pointed end and a flat end. The pointy end is great for cleaning up your winged liner. The flat end is great for using my Clinique acne gel and also it’s easier to use for removing nail polish (for those harder to reach corners that a cotton pad can’t get).
I’m really liking this Thayers Witch Hazel Cucumber Toner! It smells refreshing and I’ve been using it in the morning. I’m so glad I spotted this at Winners last month. I’ve poured some into a spray bottle so I can use it as a facial spray. I checked the Thayers website and both the toner and the facial spray have the exact same ingredients, so I’m assuming that it’s the same product in a different bottle.
I broke out while I was using the Witch Hazel Toner.
I guess it’s a Tarte Appreciation month. I have been loving this Timeless Smoothing Primer. I have a Limited Edition one, so the lid is different than the regular primer (which has a gold lid). Check out my full review on the primer.
5 Songs I’ve Been Listening To
These weren’t necessarily released this month, but I discovered them this month.
After hearing this song on Tati’s Halo Launch Party Video, I have been listening to this song non-stop: Ruelle – Hold Your Breath. After listening to some of her other songs and reading comments, someone mentioned The Originals. I looked it up and found out that this song is from 5×03. No wonder I like it. I’ve gotten so many songs from The Originals.
Rita Ora – Let You Love Me
Halsey – Without Me
Nick Jonas & Robin Schulz – Right Now
The Chainsmokers ft. Kelsea Ballerini – This Feeling
I received the Revlon Kiss Cushion Lip Tint in Naughty Mauve complimentary from Topbox Circle.
• The look of a stain and comfort of a balm. • Infused with coconut oil so lips feel moisturized and smooth. • Pillowy soft cushion tip gives a touch of color and builds for more impact. • Juicy tint with a balm-like finish, dries to a blotted lip look.
It glides on smoothly and feels very moisturizing from the coconut oil. It has a light vanilla scent which I don’t mind. The shade is a bit dark for my personal preference, but it’s a beautiful shade especially for fall.
I don’t love cushion products especially if it’s a lip product. The sponge is always wet because of the tint unless you wipe it off every time, but then you waste a lot of product. I also feel like because you have a sponge, you’re twisting a lot more product out than you need.
Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadians!! I have another mascara review for you today! This was my first time trying a Bourjois product. My friend gave it to me and I assume she got it as a free gift with purchase or something.
It’s really interesting because you twist the top and the wand can go from long and straight to shorter and coiled like DNA ← this is probably the extent of ‘science-y talk’ that I will have on my blog.
Twist Up The Volume Mascara in Ultra Black
1 TRANSFORMABLE BRUSH WITH 2 RESULTS: DEFINED LENGTH + OVERSIZED VOLUME Two transformable brushes in one! Use position 1 to lengthen and separate lashes. Use position 2 to volumize and intensify lashes. Its ultra black formula quickly builds full coverage and volume on every single lash.
It’s kind of funny. The fact that you can twist the top part so that the wand is straight or coiled makes me think of going to the eye doctor. Is it a 1 or a 2…1 or a 2? The mascara coats the lashes nicely and it doesn’t look clumpy. The mascara will transfer a bit if you rub your lashes. When I applied the mascara, my lashes were curled. After a few hours, the lashes on my left eye were straight and the lashes on my right eye were a bit curled, but not as much as when I initially applied it. For some reason, the lashes on my right eye can hold a curl better.
The wand definitely give you two different results. When it’s in position 1 (straight), it separates the lashes and makes them look very natural. In position 2 (coiled), you can definitely tell that it intensifies the lashes and gives you a thicker coat of mascara. So, you can get a natural look or smokey look with just one mascara. I think I prefer the natural look on myself. I don’t like when it looks like I’m wearing mascara or when I can feel the mascara weighing my lashes down.
RATING: 4/5
I like the silicone brush and I like the fact that you can get two different looks in one mascara. I think this would be worth splurging on because it’s the same as buying two cheaper drugstore brand mascaras.
I realized I haven’t done a review in a while. Oops! So, here’s my latest review on an Essence mascara.
After trying out the Essence Volume Stylist 18hr Lash Extension, I thought I would try other Essence mascaras to see how they compare. Essence mascaras are so affordable, they’re about $4-$6! This one that I’m reviewing was $3.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart. Essence mascaras, I believe, only come in one colour: black.
Although I love Essence mascaras, they don’t come in plastic packaging (like Maybelline and L’Oréal ones). So, that means they could easily be opened in store, exposed to bacteria and also dry out faster. I know some Shoppers have started to put tape on products that come without packaging to prevent people from swatching/using products which is good, but then you get that stupid tape residue and using oil doesn’t always get it all off. Anyway, I’ll stop ranting about the packaging, and get on to the review of the actual mascara!
Essence Get BIG! Lashes Triple Black Mascara
Black, blacker, triple black! This is the deep black mascara in the popular get BIG! Lashes family by Essence. The large, innovative fiber brush offers maximum volume and adds density to your lashes. Its carbon black texture ensures an expressive look with a triple black effect!
The brush on this is really fat. It’s a bit difficult for me to use (I definitely can’t use it on my bottom lashes). The mascara does darken my lashes and they felt natural. Some mascaras make your lashes stiff and I don’t like that. I wore it for 6 hours and it didn’t smudge at all. After the mascara dried, I gently rubbed my lashes to see if it transferred and it didn’t. It removes easily with micellar water.
RATING: 3.5/5
I’d rather pay $1-2 more and get the 18hr Lash Extension Mascara. I’m still searching for a mascara that will keep a curl once I use my lash curler. By the end of the day, my lashes are usually weighed down and go back to being stick straight.
Have you tried Essence mascaras? What’s your fave?
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.
I realized I have tried quite a lot of Bobbi Brown products and I thought I would share my hits and misses from the brand. Of course, I might not like something that someone else loves and vice versa, but keep reading to hear my thoughts on the products I’ve purchased over the past year. Surprisingly, I think Bobbi Brown is the brand that I have the most products from (I originally thought it was Tarte, but after doing this post, it’s Bobbi). All products were purchased by me (the majority were purchased at the MAC Warehouse Sale). Let’s start with my favourites!
HITS
Skin Foundation Stick in Ivory 0.75 – This shade is too light for me, but I really liked this stick foundation. I really want to try other sticks to compare (like the Hourglass and Lancome ones), but this has a very nice finish and I would sometimes use it as concealer and dab the areas that needed a bit of coverage. Update: They’ve changed the corresponding numbers of the shades. I don’t know if they’ve reformulated, but I’m assuming Ivory is still the same shade. The corresponding number has changed from 0.75 to C-024.
Smokey Eye Mascara – I loved this mascara. The wand was the perfect size and it separated my lashes nicely. It made my lashes look natural, yet added some oomph.
Luxe Lipstick in Brocade – My grandma uses this and it’s her favourite lipstick out of 4 lipsticks that we boughht for her (NARS, Sephora and Urban Decay). It’s a beautiful purple-y pink and it looks really good on her.
Instant Long-Wear Makeup Remover – I liked this, but it’s expensive and I’m sure I can get one that performs equally well for a cheaper price.
LIKES
There are a few products that I didn’t mind, but didn’t love either:
Blushes in French Pink and Nectar – They are pretty shades, just not for me.
Bronzing Powder in Medium – Too dark for me.
Rich Lip Color in Bare Pink – This is a really pretty nude-pink shade with a satin finish (it’s described on the website as a beige).
Lip Color in Sandwash Pink – I hear Princess Kate wears this shade. It was a beautiful shade, just not for me.
Tube Tint in Naked – My mom uses this and she really likes it. I think she also likes how it’s a squeeze tube, so it’s easier to keep clean and it’s more hygienic than lip glosses with wands.
Eyeshadows – The eyeshadows are good and blend well, but I think if you’re going to buy a high-end eyeshadow palette, you should get an Urban Decay or Anastasia Beverly Hills one (a brand that’s known for their eyeshadows).
The Bobbi On Trend: Eyes and Cheek Palette – This was an impulse buy. I saw it at the Nordstrom sale for $120 and I had to have it. I didn’t do my research and that was my downfall. Next time I buy a palette, I will be making sure I love it before taking the plunge.
Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink – I am terrible at doing winged liner and I prefer kohl liner, but I got this for free when bought the Bobbi On Trend palette at the Nordstrom sale. I gave it to my friend so she’d get better use out of it. So, this goes in the IN BETWEEN section because I just don’t do wings and if I put liner on my lid, then I usually smoke it out (that’s why pencil liners are better for me). Performance-wise, I think this was an okay liner? I’m not really sure.
Lip Gloss in Rose Sugar 3
MISSES
Long Wear Cream Eye Shadow in Galaxy – This was so patchy and had no pigment. I don’t know if it’s because I bought it at the MAC Warehouse Sale or it got hot and melted or something because it’s so soft. Maybe if you have a different shade, it would do better, but this looked terrible on me. It didn’t blend well and it set fairly quickly, so when you tried to blend, you’d create a bald spot. I tried using this as a base for dark powder shadow, but the powder was not layering over it well.
Lip Gloss in Rose Sugar 3 -This lip gloss has shimmer in it. My mom used this one too and she didn’t like it at all. It was so sticky that her hair would get stuck on her lips. Also, you know when you talk and you get that trail of lip gloss between your lips? It did that.
Intensive Skin Serum Concealer in Warm Ivory – I think this was breaking me out. It’s really weird because when I swatched it, it looked beautiful and blended nicely on my hand, but when I put it under my eyes, it just wasn’t giving me that seamless application I wanted.
Nude Finish Illuminating Powder in Bare – This is a translucent powder with shimmer in it and I don’t like it. It just makes me look like I put highlighter ALL over my face. If this were just a translucent powder, I’d love it because it did look really beautiful without the shimmer.
Illuminating Bronzing Powder in Halo – I don’t like this highlighter. It’s chunky and has glitter in it which gets EVERYWHERE.
Out of all the products, I would consider purchasing the Skin Foundation Stick in my shade. I think that’s the only product I would consider repurchasing. I hope I haven’t offended anyone who is a Bobbi Brown lover and I hope I also didn’t put anyone off the brand. I love Bobbi Brown packaging and they have a lot of great products, but I just don’t think the products work for me.
I was at Winners the other day and I picked up a few things. I kept seeing this Zoe Ayla Makeup Brush Cleaner & Dryer, but the boxes were always destroyed. I know it didn’t really matter as long as everything was inside, but they just always looked so dirty. I finally spotted a few boxes that were in perfect condition and picked one up for $29.99. I don’t think there’s any specific brand name one that’s better than the others, but here’s a link to one I found on Amazon- Makeup Brush Cleaner & Dryer.
This revolutionary electronic tool magically cleanses you brushes in seconds and allows you to dry them in seconds without creating any mess or hassle. Professionals strongly recommend cleaning your makeup brushes every few weeks, but traditional cleaning methods are messy, time-costly and often leave brushes wet and unusable for up to 24 hours.
You just attach any makeup brush using one of eight collars, before dunking it for 10 seconds, spinning for another 10 seconds and then drying for 5-10 seconds.
It comes with a bowl, 8 silicone collars to fit different brush sizes, a plastic stand to hold the collars, 2 spindles to connect the collars to the device and the device to spin the brushes. The device takes 2 AA bateries and you press a button to spin it.
A lot of my Sephora brushes don’t really fit properly in the collars. The best eye brushes that work with the collars are ones that have a tapered end. I found that half of my brushes don’t fit comfortably in the collars and obviously double-ended brushes aren’t going to work. I either have to shove the brush into a smaller collar or I will need to wrap something around the brush for it to fit into a bigger collar.
Obviously when you clean an eye brush, it spins really fast because it’s so small and when you clean a powder brush, it spins a little slower because it’s heavier. Because a powder brush is heavier, the spindle has fallen out once or twice while I’m spinning the brush. I don’t know if I’m just not pushing the spindle in all the way or if it’s as far as it goes. I think I’m supposed to put more pressure, but I’m worried I’ll break it if I push too hard.
This product works best for brushes you use for powder products. For liquid products, it doesn’t get in between the bristles and therefore doesn’t clean it properly.
For liquid products, I use a cleaning mat that I got from Saks Off Fifth. I lightly swirl my brushes to make sure the inner bristles are cleaned.
After my brush is clean, I like to run the brush under the tap to rinse off the soap and then I spin it to dry it. I wouldn’t say that this completely dries the brushes, but it does cut down on the drying time. Usually, I lightly swirl it on a clean towel to get rid of the excess water.
The device fans out the brushes a lot, so I put it back into it’s normal shape before I hang it on my drying rack. I wouldn’t use this on more expensive brushes just in case it ruins the shape of it or something.
RATING: 3.5/5
I think $20-30 is still a bit expensive, I definitely wouldn’t pay more than that. This product is a bit gimmicky, but it does dry brushes really fast. Although I rated it fairly high, I don’t think I would recommend it. One thing for drying makeup brushes that I would recommend is a makeup brush drying rack. This isn’t the specific one I bought, but it looks exactly the same.
Last month, I received the Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil from Topbox Circle. I thought I would compare it to my fave, the NYX Micro Brow Pencil. Keep reading to find out which one I prefer!
NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Black (brown-black)
Available in 8 shades, twist-up & retractable pencil with a spoolie on the other end.
Build full beautiful brows with our ultra-thin Micro Brow Pencil. So precise it coats even the finest hairs with color for a natural-looking finish.
In the picture, I don’t have a cap on the spoolie, but it does come with a cap.
Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil Ultra Fine Shape & Define in 6 (cool soft black)
Available in 8 shades, twist-up & retractable pencil with a spoolie on the other end (mini doesn’t come with a spoolie).
This ultra-fine eyebrow pencil draws incredibly natural-looking, hair-like strokes that last 12 budge-proof hours.* A few strokes of the rich yet blendable colour will transform brows from shapeless & undefined to filled & defined eyebrows.
Top is the NYX Micro Brow Pencil (you can tell it’s slightly more brown).
I have the darkest shade for both pencils and the NYX pencil looks darker and more brown while the Benefit pencil is more gray-black.
For both pencils, they are available in 8 shades. No need for a sharpener, you twist it up and you can retract if you need to. They both come with spoolies on the other end (although the Benefit mini size doesn’t have a spoolie).
WINNER: Benefit Precisely, My Brow Pencil
It was a very close competition, but I have to give the win to Benefit. They are known for their brow products and they just came out with more shades for each of them!
My brows are black (and my hair has grown out since I last dyed it), so when I use a brow product that has brown, it looks like I’ve obviously filled them in with a pencil. The Precisely, My Brow looks more gray and looks more natural on me. My brow pencils last a long time because I’m fairly low maintenance when it comes to brows. I only fill in the gaps and nowhere else and then I’ll go in with a brow gel to keep them in place. So, for me, I’m okay with spending a bit more on brow products because they last so long.
If you don’t want to spend $30 on a brow product, then NYX is a great alternative, but I personally think the Benefit pencil works better for my brows because it’s not as harsh-looking. I think the NYX pencils cater more to blondes and brunettes whereas the Benefit ones just came out with more shades and they have the different undertones (warm, neutral and cool). I haven’t tried the Anastasia Brow Wiz, but I’m interested to see if it’s better than or performs the same as the Precisely, My Brow. Once I finish some of my current brow products, I will probably pick up a Brow Wiz pencil to compare (especially since it’s cheaper and you get a little more product).
I have a new review up! I compared the Benefit Precisely, My Brow with the Lancôme Brow Shaping Powdery Pencil (click here)!
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:
If you’re planning to go to the MAC Warehouse Sale, check out my Tips/Tricks post. This is an update post to my September 2017 Haul from the MAC Warehouse Sale. It’s been a year since I went to the sale and I’m telling you which products I’ve finished or decluttered and whether I’d purchase them again. If you want to see how much I bought the products for, click the link above to see my haul.
I’m only going to mention products that are still available for purchase. Some shades may not be available any more, but the product, i.e. lipglass is still sold in stores.
Smashbox Photo Filter Powder Foundation in Shade 1 – I made the mistake of buying Shade 1. It’s way too light and I was going to do a review on the powder itself (trying not to judge the shade), but it just looked powdery on my skin because it was so pale. I decided to declutter. It felt very velvety and maybe if I had the right shade, I would’ve loved it.
Repurchase? Probably not.
Mac ZOOM Mascara – I bought one that was green (by accident) and a gray one that I put in a giveaway. I liked the brush of the mascara, but since mine was green, I didn’t do a proper wear test to see how well it kept a curl or if it added any length or volume to my lashes.
Bobbi Brown Crystal Lip Gloss – This was sticky and I didn’t like it that much. I put one in a giveaway and finished the other.
Repurchase? No. Even if I got it at the MAC sale for a cheaper price, I still wouldn’t buy it again. It was so sticky.
Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Hi-Lustre Light Sculpting Lipstick in 210 Bold Innocent – This was also too pink for me.
Repurchase? I would buy another shade in the lipstick.
MAC Lipglass in C-Thru – I saw a video where Tati was wearing this and I thought it was so pretty. Obviously, since Tati is white and I’m Asian, it looked different on me. If I put too much, it would make my lipstick or lips look milky (because it’s a light pink shade).
Repurchase? No.
MAC Mineralize Glass in Lap Dog – I love the applicator on this lip glass. It’s a flat one that bends easily.
Repurchase? I would buy again (in a different shade because I think this one is discontinued).
MAC Cremesheen Glass in It’s a Strike – I love the shade of this one. It’s a mauve-pink.
Repurchase? Yes, but I will have to find a different shade because I think this is also discontinued.
MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Kittenish – I really like this chubby lip pencil and I love the shade. I’ve barely used it because I want to use other ones first.
Repurchase? This is probably one of the few ones that I like that’s still available.
MAC Ultimate Lipstick in Marque– This lipstick was discontinued. I’m still working on it.
Repurchase? Unavailable.
Estée Lauder x Victoria Beckham in Moroccan Heat (Limited Edition) – I used this a few times and it’s quite sticky. It’s not the best formula to put in a click pen (like the YSL Touche Éclat) because it’s hard to clean the brush after. I hadn’t used it in a while and used it again and when I was wiping it, I saw some gray on my cotton pad. I don’t know if it was from the brush itself or if it was mold. So, I decided to click out the rest of the lip gloss so I can keep the empty gold pen.
Repurchase? No longer available.
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick in Ivory 0.75 – I’m still working on this stick foundation and I really love it. I just need to find the right shade because Ivory is too light.
Repurchase? I would even purchase this at full price, but if I ever go to another MAC warehouse sale and see a better shade match, I would definitely get it.
Estée Lauder Double Wear Makeup To Go Liquid Compact in 1N2 Ecru – I decluttered this because it was way too light and for some reason, the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation makes my eyes water every time. Maybe because of alcohol content (if there is any).
Repurchase? No.
Tory Burch Signature Deluxe Gift Set – I gave the cream to my grandma who loved it. I’m still working on both of these perfumes (it’s the exact same perfume, the small one just doesn’t have a spritzer).
Repurchase? Yes!
Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleanser Brush (read my review) – I didn’t start using this brush right away, so I’ve only had to replace the brush head once so far. It’s recommended to replace it after 3 months.
MAC Strobe Cream in Pinklite (Original) – I love the strobe cream.
Repurchase? Yes. I’d repurchase at full price because it lasts so long.
I originally said that my fave purchases were: the Estée Lauder Pink Perfection Kit, Tory Burch Perfume kit and Victoria Beckham’s lipgloss.
After trying out the products, I still agree with the Tory Burch perfume. I don’t love the Estée Lauder kit as much as I originally did and the Victoria Beckham gloss was just too sticky; I think it was just because I love Posh Spice. Instead, I would add these to my faves: the MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil, Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Lipsticks and the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick.
I picked up some things from the Sephora Beauty Insider Appreciation Sale, mostly skincare because I’m working on finishing products I have in my current collection. I have so many products in my LOVES list that it was hard to refrain from buying more things. I only bought products I need to replace other things I’ve finished. Although, I did make an order from Tarte as well (first time ordering from them).
If you haven’t bought anything yet, you still have time! It ends September 3rd!
What do you guys think of the new updates to their Beauty Insider program? It’s awesome if you’re a VIB or ROUGE, but it’s still kind of the same for Beauty Insiders. I guess it makes sense since they want to reward the people who are spending more money. Somehow, last year, I got to ROUGE status and I’m a a bit mortified at how easy it was to do that. I did buy products for my mom, but the majority was for me…Skincare and makeup tools are expensive. As a ROUGE, I plan to take advantage of it while I still can. I will hopefully only make it to VIB in the following years.
I bought two things for my grandma too. She loves scented hand creams and a Bobbi Brown lipstick.
Bobbi Brown Luxe Lipstick in Brocade
The gold tube is so pretty and you can tell it’s a luxury item. This is a beautiful “bright purple plum” shade and my grandma can really pull off purple lipsticks. It’s definitely very pigmented and has a satin finish.
A full-coverage, vitamin C and E-infused lipstick that plumps lips, supports natural collagen, and smooths the look of lines and wrinkles.
L’Occitane Hand Cream in Cherry Blossom
I almost wrote “Cheryl Blossom” there lol (character from Riverdale). Anyone else ready for shows to start up again? I thought this one smelled nice. I don’t personally like hand creams that are scented, but I don’t mind sniffing them. My grandma loves the L’Occitane Hand Creams. For Christmas one time, we bought her the Roses et Reines (roses), Pivoine Flora (peonies) and Arlésienne Velvet (rose, violet & saffron).
A collection of luxurious hand creams to help nourish and protect hands.
For the things I got for myself, it’s the first time buying all four products. I’ve tried other Clinique Acne Solutions products, but not this one. I was going to pick up the Benefit Gimme Brow, but I realized that the Dior brow gel is actually cheaper (it’s $2 more, but there’s just a little bit more in the tube) and I mean, it’s Dior. Who doesn’t want to own a Dior product and have that signature CD emblem?
Waso Quick Matte Oil-Free Moisturizer
Waso is a new brand by Shiseido that’s geared towards Millennials. Similar to the Dior Backstage line, it’s a ‘more affordable’ line from Shiseido. I originally bought this for my mom because she’s looking for a new moisturizer. She decided to go with the Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Day Emulsion Broad Spectrum SPF18 which we will pick up on Sept 5th at Hudson’s Bay when they have the Shiseido gift with purchase. I decided to keep the Waso moisturizer for myself.
An oil-free, oil-balancing gel emulsion to mattify and balance skin with 24-hour hydration. This formula smooths and hydrates skin with a shine-reducing, sebum-absorbing powder to maintain a matte look. The dewy texture feels refreshing and leaves skin feeling smooth, hydrated, and less shiny.
Tarte Maracuja Oil
I’ve tested the Maracuja Oil on my hand and I was amazed at how smooth my hand felt.
A vegan face oil for a healthy-looking, radiant complexion with no greasy feel.
Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel
I’ve used the Acne Solutions Cleansing Foam and Cleansing Gel and both worked well for me, but they are kind of pricey. Right now, I’m using a Neutrogena one since it’s a lot cheaper. I prefer to splurge on spot treatments and buy drugstore acne cleansers.
A daily treatment gel for acne-clearing results equal to a leading topical prescription.
Diorshow Bold Brow in 002 Dark
It’d be nice if they had more shades. They only have 3: Light, Medium or Dark. Luckily, I can use dark, but I wouldn’t mind if it was a little darker.
A brow mascara to achieve lush, full, and groomed brows immediately.
That’s all I got in the Sephora Haul. I’ll write a post for my Tarte Haul once my order comes in and write reviews on these products once I’ve tested them out.
Have you tried any of these products? What did you pick up from the Sephora Sale?
