• Flashback Friday | My First Sephora Order

    Hi Everyone!

    Since I just made my first order from Tarte, I thought it’d be fun to do a post on my first online order from Sephora! I made my first order in 2013. I can’t remember if it was my first purchase ever at Sephora. I may have bought a few things like nail polish or something before then, but liquid foundation was my first online order.

    Since grade 9 when my mom started letting me use makeup, I would mostly use eye makeup- mascara, coloured shadows and liners. I don’t remember when I started using concealer, but I was using the same one as my mom, a Clinique one which was meant for under eyes. Both my mom and I have since moved on from that one. My mom likes the Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Flawless Wear Concealer. I’ve been testing out different concealers to find a favourite. I recently bought Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer, Maybelline Age Rewind and Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer. From the drugstore, I like the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer and the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer.

    In 2013, I wanted to try foundation for the first time, so I went to Sephora. I was new to face makeup. I don’t think I even used blush at that point and I was using an under eye concealer for spot concealing. When it comes to buying foundation now, I put it through a testing phase to see how it wears, what it pairs well with, how the finish is, etc. I’ve learned a lot from YouTubers and blogs over the years. I didn’t know a lot back then.

    I didn’t know that:

    • you could try out products and ask for samples
    • you should check to see what the foundation looks like in natural sunlight
    • you should blend it down to your neck
    • primer was an important part of priming your skin
    • makeup sponges could be used
    • you should wear it for a bit to see how much it oxidizes
    • you should set foundation with powder

    I basically did all the things that I shouldn’t do before buying a high end foundation. I didn’t really know what my skin type was back then either. I sort of just assumed it was oily because my mom and sister are oily and since I was acne-prone, I figured I was oily too. My acne was pretty bad in middle school and high school; my forehead was so bad that my doctor prescribed me a medicated acne gel. It worked, but it made me super itchy because it dried out the acne so well.

    I went to Sephora with my sister and I got an associate to colour match me. I told the associate I wanted full-coverage and a matte finish. She suggested the Becca Ever-Matte Shine Proof Foundation in Nude and a flat liquid foundation brush. After a month or so, I bought it online so I could get 3 free samples and the promo. It took me a while to convince myself to buy it since it’s $51. I don’t know why I didn’t try drugstore foundation first, I went straight to high end.

    Since the foundation was so expensive, I think I was saving it or something. I realized that I should start using it before it went bad, but when I started using it again, it would oxidize really bad and I would look like an oompa loompa. I ended up having to throw it out before it was done. I have since learned my lesson not to save makeup (especially when it’s liquid or cream).

    I also ordered those Sephora OPI Nail stickers, an Urban Decay Good Karma Optical Blurring Brush for my sister and I got the Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in No Pressure! as a promo.

    It’s interesting to look back at old Sephora orders to see what I’ve bought. I don’t even remember using some products I’ve tried. I’ve bought a Sephora mascara and brow pencil and I don’t remember doing that. I guess they weren’t that amazing since I don’t even remember getting them.

    What was your first Sephora purchase?

    Love,

    jen

  • YouTubers Made Me Buy It

    Hi Everyone!

    Have you ever watched a beauty YouTuber review a product and they rave about it so you have to go buy it too? Or read a beauty blogger and saw swatches of the prettiest highlighter that you had to get? Well, there have been quite a lot of products that I’ve purchased over the past two years because I saw a cool video or I watched/read reviews. I’ll let you know if I liked the product and if I’d repurchase.

    Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patches (read my review) – I love these, but I kind of wish they had different packages for different sizes. Sometimes I have a ton of the smallest size left over until I get a teeny, tiny whitehead.

    Repurchase? Absolutely!!

    Cosrx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid – I bought this last year and don’t know if it was working that well. I had to stop because my skin was reacting to something I was using.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Cosrx Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser – I quite liked this cleanser and it didn’t dry out my skin too much from the salicylic acid.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    CUCNZN Blackhead Remover Suction Black Peeling Mask – This is kind of messy. If you put too much on, it can drip. It’s very hard to wash off your hands and clothes. The best way is to let it dry and then peel it.

    Repurchase? No, I’d rather try a Biore Pore strip for the face.

    Essence I Love Colour Intensifying Eyeshadow Base – I haven’t put this through testing yet, but I like the formula and I have noticed that it does intensify eyeshadows.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Essence Volume Stylist 18h Lash Extension Mascara –  This mascara is like $5 and it’s great! It does dry out fairly quickly, but it’s not as painful as buying a $30 tube  and having it dry out on you.

    Repurchase? Probably. I just bought two other Essence mascaras to see how they compare.

    Finishing Touch Flawless Facial Hair Remover (read my review) – It removes hair pretty well and I like the light it has attached when you turn it on.

    Repurchase? I’d get the rechargeable one if I get another one.

    Garnier All-in-One Cleansing Micellar Water – Originally, I was like, “why does everyone love this water? Isn’t it just water?” Oh, how wrong I was to think that. I love this stuff!

    Repurchase? Already have!

    Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask (read my review)- I love the smell of this. It smells so fresh and feel so nice on the skin.

    Repurchase? Yes.

    Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Powder – This powder is very finely milled and comes with a cute little puff. I’m not a huge fan of the mint smell, but it sets and mattifies my makeup nicely.

    Repurchase? Possibly.

    L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise (read my review) – I compared this to the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara and I’m sad to say that I’m not a fan of either one.

    Repurchase? No.

    Makeup Eraser The Original Makeup Eraser (read my review) – I saw this in a BuzzFeed video, I believe and had to see if it really worked. I really like it because it’s so soft.

    Repurchase? I bought a dupe that was a 4-pack, so it’ll take me a while, but I’d repurchase when I need to.

    Maybelline FaceStudio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter (read my review) – This is a beautiful highlighter that gives that wet, metallic look.

    Repurchase? Yes, I really want some of the other shades.

    Maybelline Fit Me Foundation – I’ve tried the Matte + Poreless and the Hydrate + Smooth, I preferred the Hydrate + Smooth because it gave a dewy finish.

    Repurchase? No. No more drugstore foundations for me.

    Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara – I read that the Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, uses this (don’t know if she still does) and I had to try it for myself.

    Repurchase? I bought this, but haven’t tried it yet.

    Maybelline Super Stay Better Skin Concealer + Corrector – This smells like chemicals to me.

    Repurchase? No, I’d rather get the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer.

    Maybelline Super Stay Better Skin Skin-Transforming Foundation – This was the first drugstore foundation I got. I bought the wrong shade and back then, I didn’t know what primer was or that you had to wet the sponge. Knowing what I know now, I could probably get a better match and get a more beautiful application, but no more drugstore foundations for me.

    Repurchase? No. I didn’t love the smell of this.

    Nars Sheer Glow Foundation – If you read my Mid-Year Inventory on Foundations (click here), you’ll know that I’m looking to find high-end foundations with different finishes and coverage. I didn’t love this one and I’d rather get the Lancome Miracle Cushion Foundation as my sheer foundation.

    Repurchase? No.

    NYX Setting Spray (Matte) – I think I’d rather pay a little more for a better quality setting spray. I don’t know if this helped a whole lot, but it made my eyes water.

    Repurchase? No.

    Physician’s Formula Butter Highlighter – Why pay $50 when you can pay a fraction of that for a gorgeous, butter highlighter?

    Repurchase? Absolutely!! I need more shades!!!

    Physician’s Formula Murumuru Butter Butter Bronzer – Blends like a dream and smells so good (which is surprising because I’m not a huge fan of scented things!!)

    Repurchase? Definitely!!

    Pixi Glow Tonic – I got a pack that had a travel-size bottle of this and I will definitely be picking up a bigger size when I’m done my current toner.

    Repurchase? Definitely!! (UPDATE: I think I’m allergic to witch hazel which means I can no longer use this).

    Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist (read my review) – I love Pixi and it smells so good and keeps the face hydrated.

    Repurchase? YES!

    Pixi Peel & Polish (read my review) – I liked this, but it smells like paint to me and I’ve found other brands I like better.

    Repurchase? Probably not.

    Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge (read my review) – This sponge gets huge when it’s damp and I love that it has a flat side. I bought this at Winners (4 pack for $20) which was cheaper than at the drugstore.

    Repurchase? Absolutely! At Winners though.

    Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler – I didn’t know what I was missing until I bought this eyelash curler. Previously, I’ve used a Tweezerman, Revlon and Sephora lash curler, but this one beats all of those.

    Repurchase? When I need to buy a new one, yes!! Although I hear that the Shiseido one is good too and you can buy just the refills for that.

    Wet N Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder – So pretty!! I wish I could get more shades, but Wet N Wild is hard to find in Canada and Rexall only has a selection of Wet N Wild products.

    Repurchase? If I can get my hands on it, yes!!

    A lot of the products on this list, I would repurchase. For most of these, I heard more than a few good reviews, which made me buy them. So, it’s no surprise that I love them too.

    What products have you bought because of a YouTuber’s recommendations?

    Love,

    jen