• Review | Maybelline Lash Sensational Full Fan Effect Mascara

    December 12, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    Today, I’m reviewing another mascara! The Maybelline Lash Sensational Full Fan Effect Mascara. I decided to pick it up because I’ve seen so many amazing reviews and I heard that Meghan Markle uses the Luscious one from the Lash Sensational collection (that will be next on my list).

    It separates lashes really well giving the “full fan effect” and darkens my lashes. I applied the mascara to my lower lashes and they looked very natural (not spidery at all). If I run my finger under my lashes, you can definitely feel that you’re wearing mascara because the lashes are stiff. The mascara flaked a little bit when I rubbed my lashes.

    I like that the brush is curved, it helps lift my lashes. I used to not like silicone wands, but I’m coming around to them. This mascara and the CoverGirl LashBlast have made me like silicone wands more. I think I will do a This or That post comparing this mascara to the CoverGirl one.

    I have the washable mascara and it did not hold up after crying a bit. I was re-watching the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows movies and cried (obviously). I actually forgot I was wearing mascara and wiped away the tears. Later, I went to the bathroom and thought, “OMG! Why does it look like I have a black eye?” (That’s probably a bit dramatic; it didn’t really look like I had a black eye, maybe super bad dark circles). Then I remembered that I had mascara on. My lashes still kept the curl (I used my Shu Uemura lash curler before applying the mascara) despite getting damp from my tears.

    To test how well it curls and maintains a curl, I curled the lashes on my left eye and didn’t curl the right eyelashes. After 6 hours, the left lashes were still curled and even the right look like I had curled them because the mascara lifted them. When I was checking them, I did notice a few mascara flakes on my right lid. After 10 hours of wear, it had definitely smudged onto my under eye area and flaked off a bit.

    RATING: 5/5

    I can see why everyone loves this mascara so much! It has definitely been added to my faves list! I would be interested in trying the Luscious one because it says it makes your lashes feel soft. I think I also want to try the Total Temptation one with Coconut Oil.

    What’s your favourite mascara?

    Love,

    jen

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  • ouai texturizing hair spray wave spray

    First Impressions with OUAI Haircare

    December 5, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    Today, I’m doing a first impressions review for two OUAI products I picked up at Sephora: Texturizing Hair Spray and the Wave Spray. When I first heard of the brand, I thought it was pronounced Ou-Ai…anyone else?? I’ve been searching for a texture spray that helps my hair from looking frizzy and gives me volume. I bought the texturizing hair spray in a Sephora favourites kit and I thought I would give the OUAI wave spray a try as well. Let’s get started on the reviews!

    Texturizing Hair Spray

    Like dry shampoo and hair spray had a baby—this ultra-lightweight hair spray builds incredible volume and texture. Packed with volcanic minerals to absorb oil and refresh hair.

    Wave Spray
     
    A weightless texture mist for effortlessly chic, undone hair. Infused with rice protein to add hold and memory for that “just got out of the ocean and my hair dried perfectly” look.
    Both sprays have the same mix of fragrances listed:
     
    North Bondi: Bergamot, Italian Lemon, Rose De Mai, Magnolia, Lily, Blackberry, Violet, Cedar-wood, Amber, Patchouli, Sandalwood, and White Musk.

    I prefer the Wave Spray to the Texturizing Spray since it comes in a plastic bottle instead of an aerosol can.

    RATING: 3/5

    I’m rating them both the same. They both work well to texturize and give some volume, but I had to dock off points for the fragrance. They’re a bit too perfume-y for me, so unfortunately, I will be giving the texturizing hair spray to my friend and returning the wave spray.

    What’s your fave texture spray?

    Love,

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  • First Impressions with Saturday Skin

    November 14, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    Today, I am reviewing a few Saturday Skin products that I purchased during the Sephora sale. I got the No Bad Days kit ($48 CAD) that includes 4 travel-sized products:

    • Daily Dew Hydrating Essence Mist
    • Wide Awake Brightening Eye Cream
    • Featherweight Daily Moisturizing Cream
    • Rub-A-Dub Refining Peel Gel

    I’ve seen this brand on Instagram and I wanted to try it. I love the pink packaging that they use. Although, it can be quite tricky to photograph without washing out the pink or making the SATURDAY SKIN labels illegible.

    Daily Dew Hydrating Essence Mist

    Hit refresh. Concentrated extracts of kiwi and grape quench and nourish, drenching skin in a veil of moisture.

    RATING: 4/5

    It’s a 2-in-1 product – a toner and an essence. I like that it’s not scented. With the travel-sized bottle, it disperses the liquid so well that you could spray your whole face in one spritz. Originally, when I saw the price for the full-sized bottle, I thought it was expensive, but it’s almost the same as MAC Fix+ or the Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist. It even comes in a larger bottle than those two mists.

    Wide Awake Brightening Eye Cream

    Brighten up. Date Seed extract illuminates and refreshes the area around the eyes.

    RATING: 4/5

    I like the consistency of this eye cream and I like that it doesn’t smell like anything. It feels a little bit tacky after you’ve applied it, but it’s not as bad as another eye cream I tried once. My under eye area can get dry sometimes and this has helped to keep them smooth.

    Featherweight Daily Moisturizing Cream

    This lightweight formula still packs a punch. Avocado protein extract strengthens skin’s own moisture barrier, sealing in hydration to protect and soften skin.

    DERMATOLOGIST TESTED. NO PARABENS, SULFATES, SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCE OR SYNTHETIC COLOR.

    RATING: 3/5

    I like that it’s lightweight and doesn’t make my face feel greasy or tacky. I don’t like the smell of this cream; it’s not scented, but it has this plastic smell. I don’t know if it’s from the tub it comes in or if it’s the product itself. I’ve seen other reviews that mention the smell, so it’s not just me.

    Rub-A-Dub Refining Peel Gel

    Start over by gently rubbing dullness away. Natural cellulose lifts impurities from the skin and aloe extract soothes skin. Packed with papaya and bromelain (pineapple) to help remove impurities.

    RATING: 4/5

    This product made my face feel nice and smooth. While I did like it, there are similar products on the market that are cheaper. I prefer to spend more on skincare products that stay on my face. Since this product is a peel, I’d rather save some money.

    I’m glad I got this kit to try a handful of Saturday Skin products. Although if I had bought the individual items, I’d be able to return them easily. I’m not sure how it works with returning a kit…are you even allowed to return kits?

    Since this is a first impressions review, I will continue to use these products and update you on any changes. Based on my initial thoughts, I would repurchase 2 products from this kit: the Wide Awake Brightening Eye Cream and the Daily Dew Hydrating Essence Mist.

    Have you tried Saturday Skin products? What were your thoughts on them?

    Love,

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  • First Impressions with Living Proof Full Dry Volume Blast

    November 9, 2018

    Hi Everyone!

    This is a first impressions review for the LIVING PROOF Full Dry Volume Blast from the Sephora Favorites Party Hair Kit.

    Here’s the description of the product on Sephora:

    An instant, long-lasting volume and texture spray designed with lightweight ingredients that won’t weigh hair down.

    This product contains patent-pending “expandable, textured-aero-spheres,” called ETAs. They are lighter and bigger than industry-standard ingredients, so they deliver big volume and texture without weighing hair down.

    How to Use: Section the hair. Holding the canister 10 inches away, lift and spray from roots to ends. For a desired root lift, you may also spray just the roots. Repeat until the imagined style is achieved, making sure to shake the can between each spray. Tousle the hair with your fingers, then spray onto the finished style for added texture and hold.

    View this post on Instagram

    REVIEW // the 1st first impressions review for the Sephora Favorites Hair Kit – LIVING PROOF Full Dry Volume Blast. I've only used this once, and I used it on a cold day, so I don't know how this product would perform on a hot day. I have thick hair, so keep that in mind too. I went to sleep with my hair in braids yesterday and I used the spray today to add some volume and boy, did it add volume. My hair looked like Hermione's in the first harry Potter movie. It gave my hair texture without feeling tacky or gritty. It has no parabens, sulfates or phthalates. The product itself was great, but the smell is way too scented for me. It smells like perfume and was starting to give me a headache, so I put my hair in a bun to keep it away from my face and when I took out my Gummiband hair cord, my hair felt really soft and smooth. For me, it loses 2 points for having such a strong smell. Plus, it kind of worries me that it says the product is extremely flammable on the Sephora website. I will be giving this to my friend because I won't be using this again. RATING: 3/5 #review #rating #beauty #hair #sephorafavorites #partyhair #discoverunder5k #hairstyling #canadianbeautyblogger #saturday #livingproof

    A post shared by Jen (@jencatbeauty) on

    I’m going to start by saying that I’ve only used this once. I would’ve liked to have tried this a few times before giving my first impressions review, but the scent of this is so strong, it gave me a really bad headache. I tried this out on a fairly cold day, so I can’t say how well this performs on a hot day. I also have thick, long hair, so I can’t say how it performs on thin hair.
    The day before using this, I slept with braids in my hair. I used the spray to add some volume and boy, did it add volume. My hair looked like Hermione’s in the first Harry Potter movie. It gave my hair texture without feeling tacky or gritty. It has no parabens, sulfates or phthalates. The product itself was great, but the smell is way too scented for me. It smells like perfume and was starting to give me a headache, so I put my hair in a bun to keep it away from my face and when I took out my Gummiband hair cord, my hair felt really soft and smooth.

    RATING: 3/5
    The night I used it, I washed my hair because it gave me such a terrible headache. The next day, I could still smell it in my hair. For me, it loses 2 points for having such a strong smell. Plus, it kind of worries me that it says the product is extremely flammable on the Sephora website and it has Butane in the ingredients list. I will be giving this to my friend because I won’t be using this again.

    Have you tried this styling spray? What did you think of it?

    Love,

     

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