• 15 Beauty Favourites I’ve Repurchased | 2018

    August 13, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    What products have you repurchased?

    Love,

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  • benefit precisely my brow lancome brow shaping powdery pencil diorshow bold brow

    My Brow Routine

    January 28, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    Let’s talk about brows! First, a little history of my brows. You can skip ahead if you want to see what products I use!

    My Brow History

    010_nr.jpgMy brows have gone through a lot over the years. I only started using brow products in 2016. Before I started grooming them, my brows were very thick (they were shaped like triangles, I had the arch where it was supposed to be, but then there were lots of hairs that needed to be tweezed underneath). Look! Triangles! →

    I started tweezing them in grade 8 (aged 12/13). I overplucked them, and I don’t mean they were too thin, I mean I plucked them so they were too far apart (wide gap between brows). They were like that in my high school years too- they got closer though. I don’t know when the first time I got them professionally waxed was, but I assume high school or university. Twice I’ve gotten them done where the lady waxed them and they were too thin. The head of my brows are a bit sparse and in pictures, it makes my eyebrows look farther apart than they are in person. The tail of my brows sometimes has gaps if I overpluck or trim the hairs too short. In the past, I used to overpluck underneath the head of my brows and it would look like the head of my brows had a hook. My eyebrows are arched, so when I overpluck and have a hook, my brows had a ‘C’ shape.

    I may need to just let them grow out and then get them done professionally.

    Captureas.PNG

    2010- they’ve started to grow closer together

    2013- too thin and far apart

    2016- eyebrows have a hook

    2017- success at last! No hook and not too thin

    Brow Products

    There are so many different brow products out there: Pencils, Mascaras, Gels, Pomades, Powders and more!

    Micro pencils are the most natural, in my opinion, because you can do feather-like hair strokes. They’re great for filling in gaps.

    Brow mascaras/gels are good if you want to darken your brows, but don’t want them filled in.

    Tips: For tinted ones, make sure to only touch your hairs and not the skin, or it will tint your skin and you’ll get random spots filled in that you don’t want. If you like clear ones, Maybelline’s Clear Great Lash Mascara is great because it’s duo purpose (brows and lashes in one) and good for throwing in your bag.But I prefer using a tinted gel though because it has a matte look. I’ve used a clear gel that hardened and made my brows feel crunchy.

    Powders are good if you want to fill in the brows, but still have a natural look.

    Tip: You can use a matte eyeshadow, just use an angled liner brush

    Pomades and cream gels give you the most colour. They’re great if your brows are non-existent or if you want a more dramatic look.

    NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Black – The spoolie side comes with a cap too, but I took it off because it was annoying taking it off everyday. The cap is useful if you throw it in your purse though, it keeps the shape of the brush intact.

    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.

    Maybelline Eyestudio Brow Precise Shaping Pencil in Deep Brown – I bought this because I heard good reviews on it and it was on sale. I don’t like this, I don’t like the waxy feel. Now I know what I don’t like and won’t be buying anymore wax pencils. I use it for taking makeup selfies.

    This natural wax pencil creates fine, hair-like strokes while the grooming brush blends and softens for a natural finish.

    Benefit ka-BROW! Eyebrow Cream Gel Colour in 5 Deep – This is a deluxe sample size, the full size looks different. I should’ve just saved this for a giveaway or given it to someone. It’s so dark, but it’s good if you like to fully fill in your brows.

    Brush on rich, buildable colour! This all-in-one eyebrow cream-gel easily fills, sculpts and defines brows.

    Here’s an idea of what the three different products look like. Obviously the cream gel is the darkest, while the micro brow pencil is the lightest.

    media-20180128eeeeeeeaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
    From Top: Maybelline Brow Precise, NYX Micro Brow, Benefit ka-Brow

    Maybelline Great Lash Clear Mascara – This is a great 2-in-1 product. You can use it for your lashes and brows.

    The classic Great Lash brush cnditions, grooms, and separates eyelashes and brows.

    Benefit Gimme Brow Volumizing Fibre Gel in 5 Deep – This was recalled back in 2017 (I was able to return mine). Since recalling it, they’ve reformulated it and released more shades.

    Our cult-favorite gimme brow tinted eyebrow gel contains tiny microfibers that adhere to skin & hairs, creating natural-looking fullness and definition. The custom, tiny tapered brush blends easily while the precision tip shapes hairs into place.

    My Brow Routine

    I personally prefer using a pencil or tinted brow gel. I use a pencil to fill in gaps and the brow gel to tame hairs that are unruly.

    My favourite is the NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Black and the Benefit Gimme Brow in 5- Deep. My eyebrows are dark to begin with and I just need help with the gaps. I’ve tried samples of pomades and cream gels, but I just look scary because they make my brows so dark. The only time I would use them is if I’m trying out a look and taking a picture for Instagram.

    My routine is fairly quick since I’m just filling in gaps here and there. I comb out my brows with a spoolie and then I use the NYX pencil. Then go over with a spoolie to soften any darker lines. Sometimes I will use the brow gel if my brows are being particularly unruly. At the very least, I use the pencil.

    I’ve written a few comparison blog posts on brow products, check them out:

    Lancôme Brow Shaping Powdery Pencil vs. Benefit Precisely, My Brow

    Diorshow BoldBrow vs. Benefit 24 Hour Brow Setter Shaping & Setting Gel

    What brow products do you use?

    Love,

    jen

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