• 2019 beauty expenses

    Worth It? | My 20 Most Expensive Purchases

    January 24, 2020

    Hi Everyone!

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

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

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

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

    Worth it? Yes!

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

    Worth it? Yes!

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

    Worth it? Yes.

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

    Worth it? Yes!

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

    Worth it? No.

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

    Worth it? Yes.

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

    Worth it? Yes!

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

    Worth it? I would pass on this one.

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

    Worth it? Yes! Would definitely try other shades.

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

    Worth it? Yes.

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

    Worth it? No.

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

    Worth it? No.

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

    Worth it? Not for me.

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

    Worth it? Not for me.

    NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer – Beautiful tinted moisturizer!

    Worth it? Yes.

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

    Worth it? Yes.

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

    Worth it? Not for me.

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

    Worth it? No.

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

    Worth it? Yes.

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

    Worth it? Yes.

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

    What expensive makeup and skincare products have you purchased?

    Love,

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  • February 2019 Product Empties

    February 26, 2019

    Hi Everyone!

    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.

    Love,

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  • November 2018 Product Empties

    December 3, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    Here are last month’s product empties:

    Amika Nourishing Mask – I got this on Amazon, so this is the old packaging. The new one looks pretty much the same (design-wise), but the font is a bit bigger. This mask made my hair smooth and shiny.

    Repurchase? Maybe. I did really enjoy it, but I think I would rather get a hair mask from the drugstore because I really enjoyed the Garnier ones I’ve tried.

    Sephora Yuzu Micellar Cleansing Water – The lemon scent makes me think of dish soap. While it does the job to remove makeup, it kind of makes my eyelids tingle. I gave it to my mom (who doesn’t have sensitive skin) and she noticed that when she used it, her face would be red after removing her makeup. She rarely has reactions from products, so it was weird. I used what was left in the bottle to clean my makeup sponge.

    Repurchase? I don’t think they sell it anymore. Even if they did, I would not repurchase.

    Tarte Maracuja Oil – I love this oil! I use it as a moisturizer and a primer.

    Repurchase? I already repurchased a supersize bottle! The supersize is available on Tarte and it’s $22 more than the regular size, but twice the size. I got it during the Black Friday sale when it was 20% off!

    Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer Primer (Redness Correcting) – I love the MUFE primers, but this one is kind of useless. If you want to colour correct redness, get an actual concealer that corrects instead of a primer. I’ve written a This or That post comparing this to the Smashbox primer. While this one performs better than the Smashbox one, it still doesn’t do as much as an actual colour corrector.

    Repurchase? Not the redness correcting primer, but I have already repurchased other MUFE Step 1 Equalizer Primers.

    The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Exfoliating Gel Body Scrub (read my review) – The gel texture of this made me use it faster because it was easy to just scoop some out with my hand and get too much.

    Repurchase? No.

    BCL SPA Lavender + Mint Dead Sea Salt Soak – I enjoyed this a lot and it made me feel very relaxed.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    BCL SPA Lavender + Mint Sugar Scrub (not pictured) (read my review) – I loooved this; it smells amazing and makes your skin feel baby smooth. I’m sad I used it up so quickly because it’s so expensive.

    Repurchase? Probably not. I just can’t justify the price tag, but I will try to duplicate it with a DIY sugar scrub or find one that’s more accessible and affordable.

    Live Clean Coconut Milk Moisturizing Shampoo & Conditioner (conditioner is not pictured) – I liked the smell of this and it made my hair feel soft.

    Repurchase? Possibly.

    Johnson’s Baby Shampoo – I used this to clean my makeup brushes and sponges.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Lady Speed Stick Invisible in Cool & Fresh – The smell is very nice, but after a while, it started to smell different; not as fresh. I want to start using natural deodorants that don’t have aluminum.

    Repurchase? No.

    Delectable by Cake Beauty The Everything Powder – When I first tried it, I loved it. It doesn’t have talc and it was great to use as a setting powder, but I just don’t love the smell that much. I’ve said it multiple times, but it smells like this toy that my cousin had. It was a baby that comes with a bottle and spoon and you put the spoon in the bottle and it ‘fills’ up with cherries and you feed the baby and the cherries disappear.

    Repurchase? No.

    Delectable by Cake Beauty The Everything Balm – I enjoyed this when I got a little tube from a Topbox, so I bought a full-sized bottle. The full size comes with a pump, but the pump sucks. It doesn’t dispense the product and it smells a bit different from when I used the small tube.

    Repurchase? No.

    COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches (read my review) – I love these. They’re amazing.

    Repurchase? YES!!

    Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel Cream (read my review) – This didn’t hydrate my eyes as much as other eye products I’ve tried which was disappointing because it’s a good price for an eye cream.

    Repurchase? No.

    Essence The False Lashes Extreme Volume & Curl Mascara (read my review) – This mascara held the curl of my lashes well, but it was quite flaky.

    Repurchase? No.

    Rimmel Moisture Renew Universal Transparent Lip Liner in 001 Universal – This is a clear lip liner that you can use for any lipstick. The only problem with it was that I could see where I was drawing on my lips. Also, it’s retractable and I prefer a pencil that you can sharpen so I can get a more defined line.

    Repurchase? No.

    Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 855 Berry Smoothie – This was a gorgeous shade, but I just didn’t like it on me. It looked like my lips were stained from eating berries and I always wore it with Vaseline on top or underneath to sheer it out.

    Repurchase? I would consider repurchasing a Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick, but not in this shade.

    Bourjois Twist Up The Volume Mascara (read my review) – This was an interesting mascara, but if I were to spend over $20 on a mascara, I would get one from Sephora that I like better.

    Repurchase? No.

    Milani Color Statement Lipstick in 26 Nude Crème – I loved this shade. It was a “My Lips But Better” shade, but I didn’t love the watermelon scent of the lipstick.

    Repurchase? Maybe.

    Check out my Black Friday Haul!

    What did you finish last month?

    Love,

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  • Haul | 2018 Black Friday

    November 28, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    I did a bit of spending on Friday and Saturday. I bought quite a few things, but none were huge purchases (didn’t buy a coat or TV or something). Here’s what I purchased during the Black Friday Sale!

    Tarte Maracuja Oil (supersize) – purchased online

    I love the Maracuja Oil, and it’s much cheaper to buy the super size version. It’s twice the size, but only $20 more! It’s an especially good deal when it’s on sale!!

    Mighty Mug Go Stainlesss Steel (Blue & Red) – purchased online

    The mugs were Buy 1 Get 1 Free

    UPDATE (Jan 15/19): I still haven’t received the Mighty Mugs! I’ve emailed them twice and got a reply saying there was a delay with DHL. Stay tuned for second reply (if it comes).

    2nd UPDATE (Jan 18/19): I was issued a full refund, they also offered to give me the BOGO deal if I wanted to repurchase in the future. They mentioned that Canadians could be charged duties upon arrival, so if you’re Canadian, don’t order from them.

    The first travel mug that doesn’t fall over is now available in Stainless Steel. This vacuum-insulated, spill-free travel mug truly stands up to all others. Using Smartgrip Technology, this mug takes hold on any flat surface and won’t knock over if bumped into making it ideal for car trips and on-the-go coffee sips.

    Sephora – purchased in-store

    Smashbox Holidaze Photo Finish Primer Mini Trio

    • The Original Photo Finish Smooth + Blur Primer
    • Photo Finish Primerizer
    • Photo Finish Primer Water

    I split the set with my friend; she took the smooth + blur primer. I haven’t tried the primerizer or the primer water, so I will write a review once I’ve tested them out.

    Steve Madden Elouise Slip-on Sneakers – purchased in-store

    I’ve always liked the slip-on sneakers and I found one that I liked.

    For an easy-breezy sneaker, look no further than ELOUISE! A perforated upper provides this classic slip-on with fresh surface interest, as well as comfortable ventilation.

    Reitmans- purchased in-store

    A striped Cashmere blend sweater and a striped midi dress

    Hollister – purchased online

    Ribbed Sweater Dress, Faux Leather Skirt, Low-Rise Jeggings (in black and denim) and a PJ set

    I returned the Faux Leather Skirt because it didn’t sit right on my hips – there was too much material where I could fold it over to fit me better. I also returned the denim jeggings because for some reason they were really tight (even though they were the same size as the black ones). I went in store to try on a larger size and even went up a few sizes, and they still felt super tight. So, maybe that’s how those ones fit, but I didn’t want something so tight.

    What did you get during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales?

    Love,

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