Maybelline Lash Sensational Full Fan Effect Mascara → REVIEW
Diorshow Bold Brow Gel in 002 Dark
Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gioia Eau de Parfum. I’ve had it since 2014, so I’d like to finish it so I can try new ones. It’s still one of my faves, but I’d love to try another one.
Today, I’m going to share some of the makeup and skincare products that I’ve regretted buying over the past couple years. Most of the products were impulsive and ever since writing my post on how I want to streamline my makeup collection (read it here), I’ve done my best to cut down on the impulse buying (especially for the blog).
Bobbi Brown Bobbi On Trend Eyes & Cheek Palette
While it’s a beautiful palette, the eyeshadows don’t wow me. Bobbi Brown isn’t necessarily known for amazing eyeshadows (like Urban Decay). The blushes and bronzer aren’t the right shade for me. The illuminating bronzer is chunky.
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Deauville
While I can’t say 100% if I liked or didn’t like this foundation, I know the shade was a terrible choice that made me look pale as a ghost. Because of the bad shade choice, I think it made me not like the foundation. I didn’t like that it had no pump. If I’m paying that much for a product, I want a pump
Thayers Witch Hazel Toners
Everyone loves this, so I thought I would too. I did like that they had unscented ones and I like that the spout on the lid wasn’t like other toners. Unfortunately, this made my skin breakout even more because of the witch hazel. I tried the Cucumber one and also bought the Unscented one. After using the Cucumber one though, I won’t even try the Unscented because I don’t want another breakout.
L’Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara
I knew it was like a dupe for Too Faced Better Than Sex and I just don’t like that mascara. It dries out too quickly and I don’t like the brush.
The Estee Edit products
I bought 3 different products: a blush, eyeshadow sticks and an illuminator. The shadow sticks are nice, but the blush I got was way too bright and the illuminator was no good.
Formula X Polish The Twenty-Two Limited Edition Set
It was just such a good deal, but I ended up giving away half of the shades and I never liked how skinny and round the brushes are; I prefer fat, flat ones.
I also regret buying most of the products from the MAC Warehouse Sale when I first went. At least the products weren’t full price. I did my best to use up the products (even when I didn’t like them). Most of the products I purchased were the wrong shade, but it was a good way for me to find out if I like the formulas/applicators. I bought a lot of lipsticks because they were only $7.50 and at the time, the shades looked good. Most of the lip products I bought were way too coral/pink for me.
Estee Lauder Pink Perfection Kit for Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign
The blush is too pink and it’s shimmery
The eyeshadow shades are nice, but they didn’t have a nice transition matte in the quad
The lipstick- love the formula, not a good shade for me
GLAMGLOW THIRSTYCLEANSE Daily Hydrating Cleanser
Estee Lauder Double Wear Makeup To Go Liquid Compact in 1N2 Ecru
this one was accidental. I picked it up to look at it and I must’ve thrown it into my shopping bag when I was deciding and forgot about it.
MAC Lip Glass
I bought three different types of lip glosses by MAC and I didn’t like the doefoot applicator on this particular one. I do like the applicators on the Mineralize Glass and the Cremesheen glasses.
Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Hi-Lustre Light Sculpting Lipstick
While I regret buying the shades I got, I did like the formula of the Estee Lauder lipsticks
MAC Huggable Lipcolours
These are similar to the Benefit Lip Balms. I liked the formula of the lip balm, but did not like the shades I chose
MAC x Helmut Netwon Point ‘n’ Shoot
I was so mad that I bought one of these because it ended up being in the $20 charity bag (and you get two of them)
I didn’t like the shades, they were too cool for me
Mac x Star Trek Luna Luster Trip the Light Fantastic Powder
This was a bit chunky for my liking.
Smashbox Photo Filter Powder Foundation
I can’t even say whether I liked the formula of this powder because the shade I bought was too light. I can’t give it a fair review unless I bought the correct shade
The powder did feel very smooth though
I’ve come to the realization that I don’t like palettes that have everything, i.e. blush, eyeshadows, bronzers, highlighters. Especially if the bronzer or blush is matte and then you get the shimmer from the highlighter on the matte blush/bronzer.
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.
This month I went through a lot of products! So, let’s get started!
Bioré Blemish Fighting Astringent – This would sometimes sting my skin (even if I didn’t have a pimple. The alcohol content was very high and would make my eyes water.
Repurchase? No.
belif bergamot Toner – This was a very nice, gentle toner.
Repurchase? Maybe.
Spectro AcneCare Wash – This was a great acne wash that wasn’t too strong.
Repurchase? Yes.
COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patches (read my review) – Cannot get enough of these patches, they’re amazing!
Repurchase? Yes.
Clinique Pep-Start Quick Cleansing Swipes – These were gentle and removed makeup okay.
Repurchase? No longer available, I believe.
The Face Shop Clean Face Clear Away Spot Treatment (read my review) – This wasn’t very strong, I would rather buy the Kate Somerville eradiKate or Mario Badescu Drying Lotion.
Repurchase? Probably not.
The Face Shop Jeju Volcanic Lava Self-Heating Clay Mask (read my review) – This was interesting. The self-heating factor might be good for body aches (although it would be a bit messy).
Repurchase? Probably not.
Live Clean Baby Colloidal Oatmeal Eczema Cream – This cream definitely smelled like oatmeal. I don’t know if it did anything to help. I was using it when I didn’t have any eczema flare ups.
Repurchase? Probably not, I would rather get a Cetaphil cream bottle.
got2be Guardian Angel Gloss Finish Flat Iron Balm – I have only ever tried 2 heat protectant sprays, but this did the job and made my hair look glossy.
Repurchase? I have.
Remay Shave Gel Bar – I received this for free and while it smelled nice and was very nice to shave with, I probably wouldn’t purchase it.
Repurchase? Probably not.
Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo – I got this in a Topbox and I knew it was expensive so I kept not using this little bottle. I love the smell of this dry shampoo and I got compliments twice when using it that I smelled nice.
Repurchase? I finally splurged and bought a new one. I got a mini because the big size was out of stock.
Live Clean Mineral Clay Rebalancing Shampoo + Conditioner – I liked this shampoo and conditioner.
Repurchase? Maybe.
Coastal Scents Eclipse Palette (read my review) – This is a good concealer palette if you’re just starting out and don’t want to splurge. You can use it to colour correct, conceal and contour.
Repurchase? No, because Coastal Scents charges shipping to Canada.
Colourpop No Filter Concealer in Light 20 – This concealer was bought before they added more shades, so there’s no longer a shade called Light 20. This concealer was okay for me. It oxidized really quickly. I would rather get Maybelline Fit Me Concealer since that’s easier for me to pick up.
Repurchase? No.
Milani Retouch + Erase Light-Lifting Concealer in 02 Light – This is a thick concealer that blends out nicely. I wasn’t sure if I would like it because I thought it might cause creasing under my eyes, but I wore it for over 8 hours and it didn’t crease
Repurchase? Maybe.
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer (Colour Correcting- Adjust) (read my review) – This did nothing to cover redness.
Repurchase? No.
Nude by Nature Perfecting Primer (read my review) – This was an okay primer, I didn’t love it and didn’t hate it.
Repurchase? No.
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer Primer (Smoothing) – This is one of my fave smoothing primers.
Repurchase? Yes.
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation in Y245 – This was a great foundation, but the shade was too yellow. I think I’d need to mix two shades with different undertones to get the right match.
Repurchase? Maybe.
Burt’s Bees Goodness Glows Liquid Foundation in 1025 Natural Beige (read my review) – Because this foundation is very natural, it washed away easily with water. I didn’t like the smell of it either and it lingered after applying it.
Repurchase? No.
Fenty Pro’Filtr Soft Matte Longwear Foundation in 150 – This was too matte for me. While it was beautiful, I prefer something more luminous and natural.
Repurchase? No.
Coastal Scents Revealed3 Palette (read my review) – These had some great neutral colours if you’re starting out with eyeshadows.
Repurchase? No.
Urban Decay troublemaker Mascara – This deluxe sample was hard to judge the full-sized because it was such a short stick, I couldn’t apply the mascara very well to my lashes.
Repurchase? No.
Bella Pierre Cheek Stain in Coral – It was pretty, but I feel like I never gave it a fair shot. I think I’d prefer a cheek stain that twists up or in a pan instead of a pot.
Repurchase? No.
Burt’s Bees Nourishing Mascara – While this was easy to wash off, it didn’t do much for my lashes.
Repurchase? No.
bareMinerals Gen Nude Radiant Lipstick in Tutu – It was a pretty pink shade, but a bit too pale pink on me. I might consider buying a different shade.
Repurchase? Probably not.
Dior Addict Lipstick in 983 Insoumise – My mom bought this for my sister’s wedding, but it was way too pink for her and had shimmer in it, so she gave it to me. It’s a beautiful pink shade, but it’s a bit too pink for me too. I would sort of do an ombré lip with this on top of a nude/pink lipstick and it added the perfect amount of shine and pink.
Repurchase? Not this shade, but I loved how hydrating this lipstick was, so I would definitely consider getting the Dior Addict Lip Glow or purchasing a different shade.
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:
I decluttered a lot of makeup because I’m sort of just using a lot of products just to finish them. I’d rather be using ones that I enjoy and want to be using. I also decluttered a lot of nail polishes because they’re old. This declutter brings me closer to streamlining my makeup collection! Yay for progress! → Check out my makeup goals
Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara – I really liked this mascara, but it’s way too expensive.
Repurchase? No.
L’Oréal Voluminous Original Mascara in Blackest Black – This was a mascara I originally picked up in high school and I still love it.
Repurchase? YES!
Life Brand Clear Action Medicated Acne Gel (with 5% Benzoyl Peroxide) – I bought this to try as a spot treatment. I would use this before bed and every single time I woke up, I would wake up with red, puffy skin where I applied it (and the surrounding area). My face would be itchy for the rest of the day and part of the next day. I’ve found that anything stronger than salicylic acid will anger my skin. I can use benzoyl peroxide cleansers because you cleanse the skin and then wipe it off, but I’ve tried different percentages of benzoyl peroxide gels, and they’ve all made my face red and/or itchy.
Repurchase? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer – I got a deluxe sample of this from Sephora. I had to declutter this because the cocoa smell was starting to smell off. I never reached for it as my bronzer anyway because it was too dark for me. I would use it as an eyeshadow more than a bronzer.
Repurchase? No.
Smashbox Photo Filter Powder Foundation in Shade 1 – This powder was way too light. I don’t know what I was thinking when I chose shade 1. I couldn’t even tell if it was any good because I just looked like a ghost.
Repurchase? It was velvety smooth, I would consider trying the right shade.
Milani Bronzer XL All Over Glow in 01 Bronze Glow – I had to declutter this because I think the fragrance in it was causing breakouts. Plus, it was too orange for me – if I didn’t blend it out really well, I would look splotchy.
Repurchase? No.
I know there’s two Milani products in this list that I wouldn’t repurchase, but I do love other products from the brand → Check out my haul!
L’Oréal Infallible Le Rouge Lipstick in 337 Refined Ruby – This is a really nice vampy red shade. Now that I have two MAC ones, I decided to declutter this one because it’s a bit too dark on me.
Repurchase? I’d consider buying another shade in the infallible lipstick line.
Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in Blacquer 42 – I assume I had the shade Blacquer because it was the black shade. Apparently the full-sized crayons don’t dry out as quickly? I saw in a YouTube video (can’t remember who it was) and the YouTuber said she loved the full-sized ones, but the deluxe sample sized ones dried out faster.
Repurchase? Probably not.
I decluttered 14 nail polishes. I will just list them below instead of describing each one and saying if I’d repurchase. I wouldn’t repurchase any of the ones listed below. The only brand I would purchase again is OPI. Revlon’s brush was flat and thick which I liked. The Maybelline Color Show and Wet N Wild ones were super thin and round which I find useless because my nails end up streaky and it takes a long time to paint.
I was going to show swatches of them, but they’re all so old that I don’t think they even sell them anymore.
Revlon Colorstay 120 Red Carpet (not pictured because I accidentally threw it out before taking the pictures)
Wet n Wild Wildshine C485D Black Crème
Wet n Wild Wildshine C488B Who is Ultraviolet?
Quo by Orly Mega Silver 59397
Claire’s Glitter 46813 Click Your Heels
Maybelline Color Show Paint the Town 260
GOSH 600 Matt Effect Top Coat
OPI Louvre Me Louvre Me Not (OPI collection de France)
OPI On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (Holiday 2012- skyfall collection)
OPI Ski Teal We Drop (Fall 2010- swiss collection)
I think it’s safe to say that I won’t be needing blush any time soon. I won’t be purchasing any new blushes until I finish at least 5. I have a combo of matte and shimmery shades. Shimmery shades can be nice for the daytime during the summer, but I feel like they’re more for the night time. I think next time I buy blushes, I will get matte shades because you can use highlighter to add shimmer.
Bobbi Brown Blush in French Pink & Nectar
French Pink is the hot pink shade on the left. Both are beautiful shades.- great for summer time!
Burt’s Bees Blush in 1210 Shy Pink
I received this from Topbox Circle along with a bunch of other Burt’s Bees products and I’m so glad I did! I love this blush and it’s from the drugstore too!
Bella Pierre Mineral Blush in MB002 Autumn Glow
This was the first blush I bought that wasn’t from the drugstore…in fact, it may be time to declutter/dispose of it (I bought it when I was in university :/). It’s really pretty, but since it is more of a brown shade, I use it in the Fall/Winter. I don’t really like that it’s a loose powder, it takes up so much more space and it’s more messy than a regular, pressed blush.
Miniso Flawless Baked Blusher in 02 Rosy Pink in 02 Rosy Pink
You can’t get any better than this Miniso blush. It was $2.99 and it’s such a beautiful, shimmery pink.
Milani Baked Blush in 01 Dolce Pink
This is so pretty, it’s a gorgeous, shimmery pink.
Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Blush in 03 Pink Ingenue
Since this is in a ‘kit/palette,’ I tend to forget about it. It’s a beautiful pink though and I need to use it more often.
The Estée Edit The Barest Blush in 03 Purr Pink
This is a very bright pink and I need to use a very light hand with this. I few times I put way too much on and looked like a clown. I’ve had to dab my face with my sponge to add some of the residual foundation to dial it down.
Smashbox Blush Soft Lights Duo in Passion/Shimmer
I like that this is a 2-in-1 blush and highlighter. 2-in-1 is great for travelling and this is a very nice mauvy pink.
Smashbox L.A. Lights Palette in Culver City Coral
I haven’t touched this palette (I didn’t swatch it below), but I’m excited to use it. Once I finish a few blushes, I will take it out.
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Paaarty & Concept
I love the Tarte blushes. This one that came in the Sephora birthday present is so pretty for a naturally blushed look. I haven’t used the shade Concept yet.
Bella Pierre Cheek and Lip Stain in Coral
I haven’t used this much because I don’t know if I love cream blushes that much. Sometimes cream products just make my face feel oily. Maybe I’ll use it as a lip stain and sheer it out with vaseline.
From L-R: Milani Dolce Pink (shimmery), Miniso Rosy Pink (shimmery), Tarte Paaarty, Tarte Concept, Burt’s Bees Shy Pink, Bella Pierre Autumn Glow (shimmery), Bobbi Brown French Pink, Bobbi Brown Nectar, Smashbox Passion, Estee Lauder Pink Ingenue (shimmery), Estee Edit Purr Pink, Bella Pierre Coral
I think my favourites are Tarte, Burt’s Bees, Miniso and Milani. Surprisingly, the higher end ones swatched a bit patchy.
I really want to buy a NARS and a Physician’s Formula blush. If you read my post on Beauty Recommendations from Instagrammers, I was recommended a few different blushes to try.
I thought I would do a mid-year makeup inventory on some of my makeup. Today, I will be doing an inventory on Primers & Foundations. Check out my other posts:
I’ve decided not to do eyeliners because they’re all more or less the same shades (nude, black, brown). I’m not going to be doing eyeshadows either. Right now, my eyeshadow collection is a bunch of singles and a few palettes. With the exception of my Bobbi Brown palette, the palettes I have in my makeup inventory were not selected by me (I won two in giveaways and received one in a monthly Topbox). I sort of just use them as practise because I’m not adventurous enough to wear some of the shades in the palettes. I’m also not going to inventory my lip products because I have bought a fair amount of lip products from MAC Warehouse sales, so a lot are no longer available and there’s no use providing mini reviews for products that can no longer be bought.
Now, let’s get onto the topic of this post: Primers & Foundations! I may not have as many foundations and primers as some people, but I still think it’s more than enough for just one girl. I am not buying any more foundations or primers until I finish 5 foundations and 2 primers. I did just order the Dior BACKSTAGE Face and Body Foundation from Sephora because the samples were good and Ebates.ca was at 8%! I chose a deluxe sample of the Fenty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation.
After I finish these drugstore brand foundations, I’m only going to buy high end foundations from now on. I already buy high end primers because I haven’t found a drugstore one that I love and it’s easier to sample higher end ones. Buying from the drugstore, you just have to hope that it will do what you want since you can’t return them. Although drugstore brands have some amazing products, it’s much harder to find my foundation shade since a lot of drugstores don’t have foundation testers.
I hope to find 3-5 foundations/tinted moisturizers/cc cream that I can keep in rotation. I want to find foundations with different finishes, coverage and different types (liquid, powder, stick). Instead of having 20 different foundations that could go bad before I finish them, I want to have a few holy grail ones that I absolutely love. You may remember that I loved the Lancome Miracle Cushion Liquid Cushion Compact Foundation in 025 Beige Naturel, I may buy that one again when my collection goes down. Lately, I’ve been more into finding a sheer coverage, radiant/natural finish foundation that looks natural (instead of a medium/full coverage). On good days, my skin is fairly clear, and I just need to cover up spots here and there, so I don’t need full coverage on my whole face. I’d rather get a good concealer to cover up blemishes and use a lightweight foundation that shows my skin. I want the Markle Sparkle (aptly named natural, radiant makeup look of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex).
I have a page on the blog of my foundation/concealer shade matches. Not all are an exact match to me, but they are the shades I’ve bought or tested over the years. Click here!
Maybelline Fit Me Hydrate + Smooth Foundation in 130 Buff Beige, NARS Sheer Glow in Deauville, The Ordinary Serum Foundation in 2.0N, Revlon Nearly Naked Presssed Powder in 030 Medium
Only two of the foundations above were more than $30- the NARS Sheer Glow and the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation. The Smashbox Photo Filter Powder Foundation and the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick were both purchased at the MAC Warehouse Sale for $20-25. I don’t think I would repurchase any of the foundations I’ve finished so far. Like I said, I only want to buy high end foundations from now on, and I didn’t love the NARS Sheer Glow. It was nice, but it didn’t have a pump and I don’t want to pay extra for one. Also, since the coverage is sheer, I’d rather use a tinted moisturizer/BB cream or repurchase the Lancome Miracle Cushion foundation.
Since February, I’ve obtained 3 more foundations- Lancôme Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation and the two Burt’s Bees foundations (liquid and powder) from Topbox Circle.
Stellar Brilliant Primer
I’ve tried the Stellar primer a few times and it’s really nice. I haven’t put it to the test, but from what I’ve tried, it seems like MAC’s strobe cream, but it feels smoother since it blurs pores.
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primer (Hydrating, Redness Correcting & Smoothing)
The Make Up For Ever Primers are favourites of mine because they smell so good. The smoothing one is my fave of the three.
Smashbox Photo Finish Reduce Redness Primer
The Smashbox colour correcting primer is not a fave, I bought it at the MAC sale, but it pills and it doesn’t correct redness very well.
Nude by Nature Perfecting Primer
The Nude by Nature primer is nice for hydrating, but I wouldn’t buy a full-size because the scent is too sweet.
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil (not pictured)
I like to use the primer oil on my nose because it’s so dry. I’ve only used it on my nose so far. I plan to write a review after I test it out with different foundations formulas. So far, I’ve tried it with powder and liquid foundations and it looks really good.
TIP: it’s cheaper to buy Make Up For Ever and Smashbox primers in the mini size. It’s $20 for a 15mL tube, but $45 (MUFE) and $50 (Smashbox) for a 30mL tube.
Smashbox Photo Filter Powder Foundation in Shade 1
Thank goodness I didn’t pay full price for this, it’s way too light for me. I bought it at the MAC warehouse sale. I’ll use it to highlight.
Shiseido Sheer Mattifying Compact Foundation in B60 Natural Deep Beige
This makes my skin look amazing! Of course, it has to be when my skin is clear, otherwise you’ll get the powdery bump if you try to cover acne. But, the longevity of this is amazing (I only had to blot once in a 10 hour period). I need to get the updated version of this powder since this is discontinued. Also, maybe I should go a shade or two lighter because it’s a bit dark, but I got it at Winners for $9 and just wanted to see how it looked.
Burt’s Bees Natural Mattifying Powder Foundation in 1115 Sand
This is also too light, but I did get it for free from Topbox Circle and from what I’ve seen (Instagram posts), they gave everyone the same shades. I will also use this for highlighting.
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick in Ivory 0.75 (read my review)
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this is beautiful, but I need the right shade.
Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation in 01 Creamy Vanilla
This shade is quite yellow (even for me). I wish Rexall had more shades- they have a lot more on the Milani website, but I’m still not sure any would match me. This foundation is a bit too thick for me. I prefer to use as a concealer or mix with a sheer foundation or moisturizer to thin it out.
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation in Y245 Soft Sand
I like this foundation, but I don’t know if I love it enough to repurchase. It’s buildable, doesn’t look cakey and gives a beautiful, natural finish. The undertones are Yellow or Red, but I think I’m more neutral than I am yellow. The yellow undertones are just too yellow for me.
Burt’s Bees Goodness Glows Liquid Foundation in 1025 Natural Beige
This washes off so easily (with just water) and I love that. I’ve learned that the best way to apply it is with a damp beauty sponge because it sets so quickly. When I was testing it with a brush, it dried in one spot and wouldn’t blend out. The smell is quite strong, but once it’s on your face, you can’t smell it anymore.
Lancôme Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation in 01N Nude Vanilla (read my review)
This smells so nice for a foundation and I love it for natural, no makeup makeup.
The Body Shop All-In-One BB Cream in 01 Lighter Skin Tones
I also like this for a natural makeup day. It adapts to your skin tone, but sometimes it can look a bit darker than my face. I always have to set the t-zone because, like other BB Creams, it looks quite shiny if you don’t set it.
Shiseido Sheer & Perfect Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF18 in B60 Natural Deep Beige
Similar to the Shiseido powder, I got this at Winners and it’s a lot darker than my face. I need to thin it out, but since it’s sheer coverage, it does lighten up as you blend. I’ve mixed it with moisturizer, and it looks nice. I’m not a huge fan of the smell, so I don’t think I will be getting a liquid foundation from Shiseido in the future.
Wet N Wild Photofocus Foundation in Buff Bisque
I don’t like that this foundation has a spatula, I feel like bacteria can get in so much faster than if it had a pump. This shade matches my skin if I just do a swatch on my face, but when I blend it out all over, it’s way too orange. I should’ve tried a shade or two lighter. I don’t love the smell, it kind of smells like chemicals and sort of makes me worried that it’s clogging up my pores.
Maybelline Fit Me Shine-Free + Balance Stick Foundation in 130 Buff Beige
This is really nice for a lighter makeup day, it doesn’t build up as much coverage as the Bobbi Brown stick. I remember when I first heard about sticks and I was worried it would make my dry skin look worse, but this one and the Bobbi Brown are both not too drying and look really nice.
I’ve tried the Stellar Limitless Foundation a few times, and I don’t know why there aren’t more reviews on it. It has a radiant finish and medium-full coverage. I didn’t try building it up, but I would say medium is right.
I finished quite a few products this month, so here are my empties:
belif Creamy cleansing foam moist – It smelled like plants and I didn’t notice if it really helped to detoxify my skin or help prevent breakouts. It did make my face feel squeaky clean though (like the other The Face Shop cleansers).
Repurchase? I got a small travel-size one in a kit so I didn’t know how much a full-size tube cost. After seeing the price, I don’t think I’d buy the full-size when The Face Shop has so many other great cleansers for less.
COSRX Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser – This is a great cleanser for a good price. I know it’s safe to use daily, but I use it a few times a week. It also smells planty/botanical, but that’s no big deal since I wash it off.
Repurchase? Absolutely!
Danielle Creations Erase Your Face Tea Tree Purifying Cleansing Cloths – I got these at Winners for a really good price. I liked that it had the plastic that you open and close and it snaps in place so you know it’s closed properly. I don’t like the ones where you just rip off the sticky part and then stick it back on when you’ve taken out your wipes. Sometimes I don’t close it properly and my wipes dry out :/
Repurchase? These were extremely thick, soft and they smelled nice. I would definitely buy these again!
Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Setting Spray – I just had the little travel-sized one that I got as a promo from Sephora. Given the price of a full-size, I’m not sure if I would get it.
Repurchase? It’s a good product, but I want to try out other ones that are cheaper before I consider repurchasing this one.
Milani Eye Tech Perfection Liquid Liner – I am terrible at doing winged liner. The shape of this helped me with the flick. I bought a bunch of Milani products on sale (read my review and a swatch of this liner).
Repurchase? Similar to the setting spray, I want to try out more before I repurchase (not that it’s expensive, but I know there are better liners out there from other drugstore brands).
Chosungah22 Dong Gong Minn Brow Maker in Black Brown – I picked this up at Winners after I had returned the Benefit Gimme Brow when it was recalled. It was similar to Gimme Brow, but then it had that sponge tip at the end which I found made it difficult to comb through my brows without accidentally getting some gel onto my skin.
Repurchase? No.
Tarte Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara – I really liked this mascara (read my review).
Repurchase? I did love this mascara, but there are so many great ones from the drugstore and I prefer not to spend more than $15 on a mascara. I will be keeping the wand though because I liked the brush.
Smashbox 24 Hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer – I haven’t tried a lot of shadow primers, but I think I prefer ones that aren’t so thick.
Repurchase? I hear the Milani primer is really good and there’s other ones I want to try, so I don’t think I will be buying a new one.
I thought it’d be cool to do a post on what makeup my mom uses! Before I got into makeup and before my sister’s wedding, most of my mom’s products consisted of Clinique. Over the past few years, my mom’s makeup stash has expanded to higher end products and more diverse in terms of the brands. Now she has MAC, Smashbox, Estee Lauder, etc.
Her skin type is oily and she uses powder foundations (she tried a cushion one, but ended up giving it to me). She dislikes eye makeup (especially mascara), so she only ever curls her lashes. Although, for my sister’s wedding, I did a bit of a bronze/gold eye to match her dress.
My mom asked the Sephora associate to help her choose a shade for the Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Foundation and out of curiosity, during a different visit to Sephora, I asked the associate to match me for the foundation and she chose the same shade my mom uses.
Primer & Colour Corrector
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer- Pore Minimizing
She uses the anti-redness BB cream to cover up redness on her cheeks and around her nose. It’s a cool BB cream that starts out green and then blends into your skin and turns skin-coloured. I liked it too, but I didn’t love the smell of it and it was a bit dark on me.
Foundation
Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Foundation Face Powder in 25 Beige
My mom doesn’t like liquid or cushion foundations, so the only option is powder!
Concealer
Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Flawless Wear Concealer in Warm Light Medium
My mom doesn’t have dark circles to correct, so she just uses this concealer for spot concealing.
Eyes
Tweezerman Lash Curler
She doesn’t wear eyeshadow or mascara.
Blush
MAC Cosmetics Powder Blush in Mocha
Clinique Soft-Pressed Powder Blusher in 02 Honey Blush
She likes blush shades that aren’t too pink. The MAC one is described as a ‘plum-pink.’
Lips
Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in 07 Super Strawberry
Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick in 411 Pink Berry
Sephora Collection Ultra Shine Lip Gel in 06 Deep Rose
My mom loves a mauve lip colour. Some of the ones listed above are more pink, but her fave shade is a mauve-pink-nude. If it has the word ‘mauve’ in the name, chances are she’ll love it.
Makeup she has in her purse to touch-up throughout the day:
Clinique Superpowder Double Face Makeup in Matte Neutral
Clean and Clear Morning Burst Fruit Infusions Purifying Cleanser is my fave to use in the morning. There are strawberry seeds in it that gently exfoliate. It may not give me that squeaky clean feel like cleansers from The Face Shop, but the refreshing citrus scent helps me wake up in the morning.
I bought the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler during the Sephora sale (check out my haul here!) and I must say that I am loving it! I got it for $25 CAD. It just works so much better than the other ones I’ve used and I don’t have to worry about it pinching my eyelid by accident. I’ve used several other curlers, I still have a Tweezerman and a Sephora one. The Tweezerman is a pretty good dupe in terms of how the curler looks, but you can feel the difference when you squeeze the curler to curl your lashes. The shu is almost springy whereas the Tweezerman opens really wide. It’s hard to describe unless you have both and you’re trying them out. I have a purple Sephora one and it’s definitely not suited for Asian/hooded eyes (especially if your lashes are short). I don’t think any of the Sephora ones would be good for Asians (even though they might be $5 cheaper or around the same price, I’d rather spend $25 on the shu. For the Sephora one, I have to hold it at an angle just to get the curler to line up with my lashes.
I only wish they sold replacement pads separately (it comes with one replacement in the box), but then you need to buy a new curler. I’ve heard the Shiseido ones fit in the curler, but they’re just a tad shorter than the shu ones and Sephora sells replacements for $8 CAD. It’s a bit ridiculous because on the box it says that a rubber pad will last about 3 months and you should replace the whole curler once the refill pad has worn down. I don’t use my eyelash curler daily, but my other eyelash curlers’ pads have lasted longer than 3 months. I wish they sold replacement pads separately. I think it’s too expensive to have to shell out another $25 every six months according to the box.
I love both of these powder bronzers that I got as deluxe samples from Sephora. I would definitely buy the full-sized versions. I have loved everything I’ve tried that’s from Tarte (except for the Opening Act Lash Primer), so it’s no surprise I love this bronzer. I have Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer in Park Ave Princess and Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer in Medium/Deep Matte. Both blend well and are great for contouring.
I am loving this original Tory Burch perfume…it’s a mix of citrus and floral and great for winter and fall. I use Giorgio Armani’s Acqua Di Gioia in the spring and summer because it’s got that acquatic, fresh smell. I love the bottle of the Tory Burch perfume and it makes me feel more grown up. It has neroli, grapefruit and peony to name a few notes.
I’m loving the GummiBand hair cords. They don’t make my hair crease after wearing my hair up for hours and they don’t tug on my hair like regular hair bands. I love the colour variety and they’re a Canadian brand!
Everyone loves a red lip for the holidays. This L’Oreal Infallible Le Rouge lipstick in 337 Refined Ruby is a beautiful satiny blue-red. I don’t wear red that often so finding a beautiful red at a drugstore price was my goal.
When I was at Shoppers Drug Mart a few months ago, they were having a 50% off sale for GOSH Cosmetics products. There wasn’t a lot left, but they did have a click concealer pen in light and I thought I’d try it. Since it’s a click pen, I figured the formula would be more runny than the usual concealer you get in the wands and I was right. The consistency is similar to the YSL Touche Eclat pen. I can’t say whether or not this is a dupe for the YSL Touche Eclat, but I really like the Gosh Cosmetics pen. At first, I thought the shade would be too peachy for me, but it actually helps concealer the darkness under and around my eyes. One you blend it, it somehow looks lighter than when you dab it onto your skin.
I like that it’s not drying- after I apply concealer under my eyes, it’s not cakey or heavy. It has a natural finish and it’s a perfect consistency for under the eyes. I also love Rimmel’s Wake Me Up Concealer for under eyes too (I use 030 Classic Beige, but think I could go a shade lighter).
Gosh Cosmetics Click’N Conceal in 01 Light
CLICK`N CONCEAL is a high quality concealer with a smooth and soft texture. The brush will easily brush away imperfections and spots on your skin leaving a refreshed and flawless skin. Ideal for hydrating and protecting the delicate skin around the eyes. Reduces dark circles & puffiness. No perfume, no parabens.
I swatched it on my hand and then the right side is after it’s blended.
Below is before and after I applied it. You can see that before applying it, I have a bit of darkness around my eyes, but once I applied the concealer, it brightened up the area. I primed my under eyes with Smashbox’s Photo Finish Hydrating Under Eye Primer.
RATING: 4/5
I dock a point because it’s not very easy to find, especially now that Shoppers is having a going out of stock sale for it. I found 2 more at another Shoppers and stocked up.
What’s your favourite concealer for under the eyes? I know Maybelline’s Age Rewind and Tarte Shape Tape is a fave for many.
Today, I’m comparing two high end colour correcting primers: Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primer- Adjust and Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primer- Redness Correcting Primer.
I own the travel-sized Smashbox primer, but used the 1 oz price to compare it to the Make Up For Ever primer.
Smashbox Photo Finish Color Correcting Foundation Primer- Adjust
Look less red! This green-toned primer color-corrects redness, blurs pores, evens skin tone & reduces the appearance of fine lines.
Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primer- Redness Correcting Primer
REDNESS CORRECTING PRIMER instantly neutralizes and evens out red tones for flawless foundation coverage. Green Spectraflex® pigments color correct redness and boost radiance while moisturizing agents provide hydration. Skin tone is evened out for a flawless makeup all day long.
The Smashbox primer didn’t reduce any redness, when you blend it into your skin. It’s like they added a green tint to their silicone photo finish primer that blurs pores. The green sort of just moves around and doesn’t blend in as well.
The Make Up For Ever primer has the consistency of a moisturizer/serum and when you blend it into your skin, it actually neutralizes redness. Although if you constantly have to cover up redness, I suggest investing in a colour correcting concealer instead of a primer.
WINNER: Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primer- Redness Correcting Primer
If you’re looking at which primer actually conceals redness, Make Up For Ever is the winner. If you prefer Smashbox Primers, I would just buy the Photo Finish one and then use a colour correcting concealer on top of it because when I was blending the swatches on my hand, I was just moving green chunks around on my hand.
I get red on and around my nose and chin, and sometimes the Make Up For Ever primer doesn’t cover it. I think if you get very mild redness, then the primer is okay, but if you constantly need to cover up redness, I think it’s best to invest in a colour correcting concealer and just get a regular face primer. I absolutely love the two other Step 1 Skin Equalizer Primers that I’ve tried: smoothing (For Large Pores & Fine Lines) and hydrating (Universal formula for normal skin with occasional dryness). They have a light scent to them, like a nice perfume. Make Up For Ever has four natural finish primers: hydrating, redness correcting, nourishing and smoothing. They also sell a mattifying one and radiant finish colour correcting primers (blue, pink, yellow, peach, caramel and mauve).
Some recommendations for a colour correcting concealer: Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid and the NYX HD Photogenic Concealer Wand- Green. The Urban Decay and NYX ones are similar, the NYX one is a dupe for the Urban Decay one in terms of the type of product, but the shades of green are very different and the NYX one is thicker. Even from my swatches below, you can see that the NYX one has absorbed into my skin a bit and the Urban Decay one is more liquid.
I am on the hunt for a new foundation and it’s taking me a while to find a shade that matches me (most of the ones I’ve been colour matched with are too light). I researched a few foundations beforehand to see which ones suit my skin type and which are highly recommended and rated. I usually walk around the store and swatch the foundations on my hand to see if I like the consistency and scent before I ask an associate to colour match me and get a sample. I’ve learned my lesson from previous times where I got colour matched on the spot and purchased that shade right away. The shades looked fine in the store, but once I went in natural lighting or dimmer lighting, it looked too pale.
I decided to put Sephora and Mac associates to the test- I wanted to see if the different associates would colour match me with the same shades. I went to multiple MACs and Sephoras. The lighting in Sephora is so bright that even a shade that’s actually too light looks like it matches you. In store, it looks like you’ve found a perfect match, but then you go somewhere with dimmer lighting and you look like a ghost. I know I can always warm up my foundation with some bronzer or a darker powder, but if I’m going to spend about $50-70 on a foundation, I want it to be a good match where I don’t have to darken it with powder.
All 3 ladies matched me with NC20. At 2 of the stores, they matched the foundation on my hand and at the 3rd store, the lady matched the foundation on my jawline and neck.
Sephora- I went to several Sephoras (one store I went twice, but on a different day)
Listed below are products that I like and plan to purchase in the future, so I got multiple samples of each:
Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream ($37 CAD)
Colour Matches: Vanilla 02 (for light skin with neutral tones) and Bamboo 5.5 (light to medium skin golden tone)
2 ladies matched me with Vanilla and 1 matched me with the Bamboo. Since this is a tinted cream, the shades weren’t completely off even though there are 4 shades between Vanilla and Bamboo. I think Vanilla matches better though because the Bamboo made my skin look a bit more yellow.
Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Water Foundation ($51 CAD)
Colour Matches: Fair Neutral (fair skin with yellow and pink undertones) and Fair-Light Neutral (fair to light skin with yellow and pink undertones)
I got 2 samples of this foundation and one lady matched me with Fair Neutral and the other with Fair-Light Neutral. I think Fair-Light Neutral looks slightly better, the Fair neutral is a bit light.
The following foundations are colour matches by associates from Sephora, Nordstrom and Hudson’s Bay:
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Radiance Awakening Foundation ($65 CAD)
Colour Match: BD10 Warm Porcelain
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation ($65 CAD)
Colour Match: No. 22 Rose
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation ($68 CAD)
Colour Match: 4
Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream SPF 35 ($50 CAD)
Colour Match: Light
The following shades are ones I tried at the store and looked like a pretty close match:
Burberry Fresh Glow Fluid Foundation ($62 CAD) OR Burberry Cashmere Foundation Fluid ($62 CAD)
Shade: Porcelain No. 11 or Ochre Nude No. 12
Nars Sheer Glow Foundation ($59 CAD)
Shade: Fiji
I just bought a foundation and BB cream from Shoppers and The Body Shop:
Maybelline Fit Me Foundation- Hydrate + Smooth ($5.99 CAD on sale at Shoppers)
130 Buff Beige (I love how natural this foundation looks, but the undertone is a bit too pink for me)
The Body Shop All-in-One BB Cream- Colour Adapting Tinted Cream ($23 CAD)
01 (Lighter Skin Tones)
Foundations I currently own:
Nars Sheer Glow Foundation ($59 CAD)
Deauville (way too light)
Lancome Miracle Cushion Foundation ($50 CAD)
025 Beige Naturel (a pretty good match)
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation ($52 CAD)
120 = Y245 Soft Sand (a bit too light, but the next shade up, Y255, is too dark)
Thoughts: Before you spend $50-70 on a foundation, get 3 samples from Sephora from different people to see if different people match you with the same shade. Even one shade lighter or darker can make a huge difference.
Tip: For those of you looking for higher end makeup or skincare products. Go to Nordstrom!! They have sample containers and you can pump out or spoon out your own samples without asking an associate to help you! Make sure you close the lid tightly and properly. I recommend bringing a ziploc sandwich bag to put the samples in your purse. Mine exploded and by bringing a sandwich bag, I saved my Longchamp tote and all my things in my purse from getting ruined! You can even get your own samples of fragrances too!
What are your foundation recommendations (drugstore or designer)? I have normal/dry skin (dry nose area), I’d love to hear any suggestions if you have the same skin type!
I received a complimentary VoxBox from Influenster Canada which had CoverGirl’s Total Tease Mascara in Very Black and CoverGirl’s Katy Kat Eyeliner in Kitty Katdabra (KP04- black shimmer). I wore the mascara and eyeliner for a little over 8 hours yesterday and here’s my review of both products:
I’ve tried the mascara twice now and I quite like it. The mascara tube is nice and big, it has ridges at the top, so it’s easy to open. The mascara comes with a silicone brush and has a tip at the end of the wand that you use to define your lashes even more. The Total Tease mascara makes my lashes feel natural (not stiff like some mascaras I’ve tried). It’s like I’m not wearing anything on them. The first time I tried the mascara, it was a bit clumpy, but that was my mistake. It was easily remedied by using a clean brush to comb out the clumps. My lashes still look natural, but just with an extra bit of oomph, especially for my bottom lashes. My bottom lashes aren’t super dark, but with the mascara, they were definitely more noticeable. For me, I prefer non-silicone brushes for my top lashes and silicone brush mascaras for my bottom lashes. I will give an exception for mascaras that I really like and would recommend…Total Tease is one of these. The Total Tease adds length and volume while looking natural.
Now, onto the Katy Kat Eyeliner in Kitty Katdabra. I can’t find the shade on the CoverGirl website, I don’t think it has been released yet. The Kitty Katdabra is a black liner with a bit of shimmer. It claims to be a high pigment formula with effortless application and lasts 8 hours. All three claims definitely held up for me. I wore it from 2pm to around 10pm yesterday. It is a pencil liner with a rubber smudge tip (I’m used to a foam smudge tip, so trying a rubber one was interesting). The liner glides on easily and helped create a smokey and slightly shimmery look that would be great for a night out. I did a cat eye on my lid and lined my waterline. I don’t really like the rubber smudge tip because the rubber didn’t glide across my lid as nicely as a foam tip would’ve. I just used a brush to smudge the eyeliner which worked well. The swatch below looks a bit brown/bronze under the lighting. I didn’t use any primer underneath.
On one eye, I put Smashbox’s Shadow Primer, and the other eye I left bare. The primer definitely made a difference, so if you plan to apply it to your lids, make sure you don’t forget the primer! After 3 hours, the lid without primer was creased and I had to reapply the liner. The lid with shadow primer looked exactly like when I first applied it. The liner that was on my waterline was perfectly intact. By the 8th hour, the eyeliner was holding up well, it was a bit smudged under my eye, but that’s to be expected for wearing it so long. It looked like I had created that smokey look so it wasn’t smudged so much that it looked like raccoon or panda eyes. I would definitely buy this eyeliner, especially if it came in a brown or nude.
RATING: 4/5
I give both products 4/5 because the special tip at the end of the comb sometimes gets in my way. I feel like it doesn’t do much for my lashes and I’ve almost poked myself in the eye a few times. For the liner, I would prefer if it was a matte black instead of a glittery black. Glitter is hard to wash off and I’d only wear glittery eyeliner if I’m going out for the night.
Clean and Clear Morning Burst Fruit Infusions Purifying Cleanser is my fave to use in the morning. There are strawberry seeds in it that gently exfoliate. It may not give me that squeaky clean feel like cleansers from The Face Shop, but the refreshing citrus scent helps me wake up in the morning.
I love the 
I bought the 
I only wish they sold replacement pads separately (it comes with one replacement in the box), but then you need to buy a new curler. I’ve heard the 
I love both of these powder bronzers that I got as deluxe samples from Sephora. I would definitely buy the full-sized versions. I have loved everything I’ve tried that’s from Tarte (except for the Opening Act Lash Primer), so it’s no surprise I love this bronzer. I have 
I am loving this 
I’m loving the 
What were your faves from November and December?
Now, onto the Katy Kat Eyeliner in Kitty Katdabra. I can’t find the shade on the CoverGirl website, I don’t think it has been released yet. The Kitty Katdabra is a black liner with a bit of shimmer. It claims to be a high pigment formula with effortless application and lasts 8 hours. All three claims definitely held up for me. I wore it from 2pm to around 10pm yesterday. 
It is a pencil liner with a rubber smudge tip (I’m used to a foam smudge tip, so trying a rubber one was interesting). The liner glides on easily and helped create a smokey and slightly shimmery look that would be great for a night out. I did a cat eye on my lid and lined my waterline. I don’t really like the rubber smudge tip because the rubber didn’t glide across my lid as nicely as a foam tip would’ve. I just used a brush to smudge the eyeliner which worked well. The swatch below looks a bit brown/bronze under the lighting. I didn’t use any primer underneath.