• may 2020 empties

    May 2020 Product Empties

    Hi Everyone!

    I’ve got quite a few empties for you this month. I love trying travel-sized products to test things out. I know they’re not the most cost effective, but I’ve found a fair share of products that I don’t like. So I’m glad I didn’t buy the full size versions right away.

    Amorepacific Purify & Polish Set

    Amorepacific Purify & Polish Set (includes Treatment Cleansing Foam and Treatment Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder) – Both of these cleansers are so strongly fragranced. I have dry skin and I feel like the cleansing foam was too drying for me.  

    Repurchase? No. They’re both quite expensive and too fragranced for my liking.

    Tosowoong Repair Sleeping Hair Pack* – At first, I enjoyed this because it was a rinse free hair mask and it smelled pretty good. But once it dried, it felt like I had left product in my hair and forgot to wash it out. 

    Repurchase? No.

    Institut Esthederm Cellular Water Gel* – I liked the consistency of this, but it was very fragranced. It reminded me a lot of the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel (read my review).

    Repurchase? No.

    tatcha the water cream

    Tatcha The Water Cream – I didn’t want to like this cream because of the price, but it’s quite nice for the warmer weather. It’s very similar to the Sonia Roselli Water Balm (read my review).

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer – I’ve had this concealer for almost 2 years and I thought it was time to declutter it. I really loved it for spot concealing.

    Repurchase? Absolutely!

    Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Brows Eyebrow Gel in Perfect Brow – I loved the size of this brush. I don’t really have any complaints about it, but I think I slightly prefer the Benefit Gimme Brow because of the selection of shades.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Cinema Secrets Makeup Brush Cleaner – This did a good job of cleaning my brushes, but the vanilla scent started to get to me. I originally put this in my July/August 2019 faves post, but I’ve changed my mind. The scent would linger on the brushes and make my room smell like the scent.

    Repurchase? No.

    What products did you finish this month?

    Love,

    Products marked with (*) were sent to me for review.

  • concealers & colour correctors

    Concealers & Colour Correctors | My Hits & Misses

    Hi Everyone!

    I’m sharing my hits and misses for concealers and colour correctors that I’ve tried.

    Check out my other Hits & Misses posts!

    MAKEUP || Primers | Foundations | Powders | Brows | Mascara

    SKINCARE || Eye Creams

    BRANDS || Bobbi Brown | Burt’s Bees | L’OréalMaybelline | Nude by Nature | NYX | TULA | Volition Beauty

    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.


    HITS

    Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer – This has become one of my favourites. I still need to try the Radiant Creamy Concealer.

    Maybelline Fit Me Concealer – This is a great concealer, but it needs more shades.

    Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer – This is another great concealer from Maybelline, but I feel like I finished it really quickly compared to other concealers.

    Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Concealer – Love this concealer and would definitely repurchase.

    Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Self-Setting Concealer – I really enjoyed this concealer and would definitely repurchase.

    concealers

    LIKES

    Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer – I tried this before I started beauty blogging so I never tested it out in different ways. I really enjoyed it, but I need to try it again to see if I would bump it up to my “Hits List.”

    Cle de Peau Concealer – This is a really nice concealer, but I don’t think it’s worth it for me.

    Coastal Scents Eclipse Palette (read my review) – I liked the colour correcting shades from this palette.

    Milani Retouch + Erase Light-Lifting Concealer – I liked this concealer, but it needs more shades.

    Colourpop No Filter Concealer – I know this concealer is affordable, but it’s hard to find the perfect shade match online. Also, this concealer oxidizes which I didn’t love.

    Cover FX Correct Click Color Corrector in Brick – A Sephora associate suggested this corrector to cover a dark spot I had on my leg for my sister’s wedding. It was a very nice, blendable corrector when I bought it in 2016.   

    Hard Candy Sheer Envy Concealer Palette – I liked the colour correcting shades in this palette. It was very emollient and not too thick. The concealer shades weren’t quite right (even when I tried to mix them to get my shade).

    Urban Decay Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid in Green – I liked this colour corrector. It was nice and creamy.

    RMS Beauty Un-Cover Up – I liked this concealer, but it started to smell different after a few months.

    Maybelline Super Stay Better Skin Concealer – This concealer was okay, but I prefer the Fit Me Concealer.

    NYX HD Photogenic Concealer in Green – The shade of this colour corrector is very minty-green compared to the Urban Decay one (see swatches).

    Physician’s Formula Concealer Twins 2-in-1 Correct and Cover Cream – I tried this when I was first getting into makeup. It was a great starter concealer and colour corrector.

    concealers

    MISSES

    Marcelle CC Concealer + Corrector (read my review) – This was probably the worst concealer I ever tried. It was gritty!

    Bobbi Brown Intensive Skin Serum Concealer – This was too thin to provide any coverage for me. It also settled into lines and made my dry under eyes look even drier.

    Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage Concealer – This was way too tacky for me. I also got the wrong shade in this one.

    Revlon Colorstay Concealer – I didn’t like the smell of this concealer. It was an okay concealer, but it doesn’t have a very wide shade range.

    Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer – This is an unpopular opinion, but I don’t like this concealer at all. This is too full coverage for me and the scent is way too strong for me.

    Sephora Bright Future Color Corrector (read my review) – I didn’t like this colour corrector.

    Cover FX Correct Click Color Corrector in Yellow – I don’t know if they changed the formula since I purchased the shade Brick in 2016, but the Yellow would pull on my skin and it wasn’t as blendable.


    Concealers I Own, but Haven’t Used

    • Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer in Neutralizer
    • Laura Mercier Secret Concealer

    To Try

    • Bare Minerals BARESKIN Complete Coverage Serum Concealer
    • Bare Minerals BAREPRO 16-Hr Full Coverage Concealer
    • Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Concealer
    • First Aid Hello FAB Bendy Avocado Concealer
    • Ilia True Skin Serum Concealer
    • Kosas Revealer Concealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer
    • Milk Flex Concealer
    • Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer
    • Revlon PhotoReady Candid Antioxidant Concealer
    • Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Multi-Use Sculpting Concealer

    What are your fave concealers?

    Love,

  • sephora vib sale haul 2019

    Haul | August 2019 Sephora VIB Sale

    Hi Everyone!

    Here’s what I bought from the Sephora VIB Sale last month. I made two separate orders:

    Laneige Multi CleanserA cleanser with Papaya Enzymes that removes makeup and impurities
     
    Amorepacific Purify & Polish Set – A daily, cleansing and exfoliating duo to reveal visibly smoother, refreshed skin
    • 0.5 oz/ 15 mL Treatment Cleansing Foam
    • 0.53 oz/ 15 g Treatment Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder
     
    Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder in 2 – A multipurpose, modern pressed powder sets, perfects, and finishes, leaving skin with a diffused, luminous glow
     
    Cover FX Pressed Mineral Foundation in G20 – A talc-free powder foundation that provides buildable coverage, a weightless matte finish, and shine control with kaolin clay
    Samples:
    • Tarte Creaseless Concealer
    • Stellar Limitless Foundation

    I bought the two powders for my mom. G20 was a bit light and golden, so I exchanged it for N30. I don’t think we’ve found her shade match in the Cover FX Powder yet.

    bareMinerals Beautiful Finish Foundation Brush – A finishing brush with synthetic fibers for sheer-to-full coverage of Original and Matte foundations
     
    Sephora Collection Solid Clean: Solid Brush Cleaner Mini – A gentle, solid sponge and brush cleanser featuring argan oil and a warm Moroccan fragrance
     
    Sephora Collection PRO Featherweight Powder Brush #91 – A lightweight powder brush to apply powder foundation and translucent powder to the face and body
     
    Cover FX Dewy Finish Setting Spray – A weightless, alcohol-free setting spray that locks in makeup for up to 12-hour wear while imparting a dewy, hydrated look
     
    Samples:
    • Laura Mercier Flawless Lumière Radiance-Perfecting Foundation
    • Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer in Vanilla, Custard, Hazelnut, Caramel

    Except for the solid brush cleaner, it’s the first time buying the products above. I haven’t opened the bareMinerals brush yet, but the Sephora PRO brush is soooo soft!! The brush has a tapered end that’s really skinny, so it’s a bit top heavy. I would recommend a different brush that has a more even weight distribution if you buff/swirl powder on.

    What did you pick up from the sale?

    Love,

  • My Beauty Faves of 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    HAPPY NEW YEAR!

    It’s my first post of 2019!!!

    From now on, I will be posting on Tuesdays & Fridays. Posting Mon-Wed-Fri was getting to be too much for me, so I think cutting down to twice a week will be okay for now.

    Here are 19 beauty faves that I will definitely repurchase once I’ve finished these:

    • Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette – UPDATE: I no longer plan to repurchase this palette or any products from the brand. I do want to find a similar contour shade to sombre from this palette though
    • Tula Acne Clearing + Tone Correcting Gel
    • Tula Discovery Kit
      • Purifying Cleanser
      • Pro-Glycolic Resurfacing Gel
      • Illuminating Face Serum
      • Hydrating Day & Night Cream
    • Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
    • Kopari Coconut Deodorant
    • L’Oréal Skin Pure Sugar Scrub (Kiwi)
    • Physician’s Formula Murumuru Butter Butter Bronzer in Deep
    • Physician’s Formula Butter Highlighter in Pink
    • Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Longwear Foundation Stick in 260 Bisque N
    • Tarte Timeless Smoothing Primer
    • Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation in Light Neutral
    • Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser Treatment Concealer in Light
    • Milani Baked Blush in Dolce Pink
    • NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer in Custard
    • Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel
    • Make Up For Ever Lustrous Palette (Limited Edition, but the shadows are available in singles) – I love the transition and shimmery shades in this palette. I need to work on using the darker shades more. I took these shadows out of this palette and put them into an empty MAC palette. The black part surrounding the shadows was made of foam. Every time I opened the palette, I would get a whiff of plastic/foam. Luckily, I was able to take the shadows out since it was just glued onto another layer of foam.
    Make Up For Ever Lustrous Palette

    What were your faves of 2018?

    Love,

    jen