Its been a few months since I did a Loves & Letdowns so I’m a bit overdue; lets jump in, starting with what I’ve been loving!:
IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream: This has been my go-to face product all summer because its just so easy to apply. I’ve got a full review on this product coming up shortly so I’m not going to get into too many details buy the Coles notes version is that I love it!
Delectable Ultra Nourishing Hand Cream: I go through hand cream like a mad woman because my hands are chronically dry, although less so in the summer. This one smells like lemon cookies and is thick and creamy without being greasy. Its made the list of one of my favourite hand creams!
Muji Canada Blush: I received this blush as part of StashMatters Muji giveaway and I can’t stop wearing it! The colour is gorgeous and the formula is fantastic – so happy with this!
BareMinerals Double Ended Brush: This was included in a BM set and its made me realize how much I love a good angled blush brush. Its been working really well with the blush noted above but it just blends any blush beautifully. The fact that it has a small flat eyeshadow brush on the other end makes it handy for travel too!
Barefoot Venus Lip Bliss (Spearmint): This lip balm was included in my final Luxe Box; I’ve been using it regularly since and its wormed its way into my favourites! It has a bit of a waxy texture but it melts nicely into my lips, leaving them feeling soft, smooth and moisturized. And while Spearmint isn’t my first choice for lip balms, the scent is really subtle. I’m getting to the bottom of the tube though so I need to figure out where I can repurchase some more of these!
Laura Mercier Transparent Setting Powder: I’ve only been using this for about 3 weeks but it’s quickly became one of my favourite products. I was looking for a setting powder that would keep me matte and wouldn’t settle into my pores – this does both. The powder is so soft and finely milled and applies beautifully and I really recommend it.
Kiko Milano Fusion 01 Powder Brush: I use this brush every day as a final step to ensure my makeup is completely blended. The fact that I only paid $12 US for this brush kind of blows my mind – it’s amazing! The bristles are so soft and fluffy and overall it just feels like a luxury, high-end brush.
LETDOWNS
Nivea Gentle Cleansing Wipes: These may be the worst makeup removing wipes I’ve ever used. I picked them up because they stated they were to be gentle on skin but they were anything but! They had a intense fragrance, made my eyes sting and irritated my skin. I made the mistake of using them prior to applying my makeup and they left a film on my skin that resulted in me not being able to blend my makeup. Would not recommend these!
CoverGirl Ready Set Gorgeous Concealer: I used the foundation in this line and was quite happy with it so I thought I’d give the concealer a try. Unfortunately this was a big disappointment. The formula is super thin so it does next to nothing in terms of concealing, plus it creases horribly under my eyes.
Maybelline Master Precise Skinny Gel Eyeliner: This was a “YouTube Made Me Buy It” purchase but it wasn’t a good one. I can’t recall which Youtuber raved about this eyeliner but I found it to be extremely dry and difficult to apply. It also smudges like crazy.
That’s everything I’ve been loving and been letdown by – what products have you been loving lately? Let me know below!
I’m a little behind on this month’s favourites – but on the bright side I’m actually doing it this month. I completely forgot to do February favourites! Oops!
I’m going to jump right in – here’s what I loved this month:
Gap Open Front Cardi: I love cardi’s any time of year, but especially for Spring and Summer. This one is super lightweight so it’s perfect to throw overtop of a t-shirt or tank in the morning when it’s still a little chilly out. They offer this sweater in a wide variety of colours; I selected it in Heather Grey colour but I’m tempted to pick up another in Turquoise or Blue.
Tarte Maracuja Oil: This was included in a Tarte set I bought on Black Friday and I was a little hesitant to use it as I haven’t really had much success with using oils on my face. My skin is super sensitive and I usually break out when I try to use them. This one is different though! I’ve been using this off and on throughout the month as a night-time moisturizer and mixed into my foundation in lieu of primer and it works so well! I totally expected it to leave me greasy and oily by the end of the day when I mixed it into my foundation but it just made my skin look glowy and healthy and my foundation applied like a dream. Used as a nighttime moisturizer, I couldn’t believe how supple and smooth my skin felt the next day. I’m about halfway through my little mini bottle of it but I plan on purchasing the full size, or at least another of the same size.
CoverGirl TruBLEND Blush (Light Rose): This might be one of the best drugstore blushes I’ve ever tried. Be warned this particular shade is quite light so it probably wouldn’t work well for those with darker skin tones. But for any of my fair-skinned friends, I’d recommend this. It’s a really soft pink-ish peach and you can build it to your desired intensity. On top of that the formula is great – it’s silky, soft and buttery. Highly recommend this!
Frilly Lilly Argentinian Lemon Shea Butter Creme: I’ve found my new favourite hand cream! Frilly Lilly is a local mani/pedi/waxing boutique with locations in Alberta & British Columbia, and California. I’ve been using this cream for probably a month and a half and it has really helped my chronically dry hands. It’s not at all greasy – it absorbs quickly but moisturizes really well. I also love that it doesn’t leave white marks on darker clothes if you touch them before it’s absorbed (one of my biggest pet peeves with hand cream!). I picked up the Argentinian lemon scent and at first I wasn’t sure about it but I’ve grown to really like it – it’s very refreshing.
NYX Butter Gloss (Angel Food Cake / Strawberry Cheesecake): I’ve talked about how much I love the NYX Butter Glosses before and that hasn’t changed. I gravitate towards lip glosses and these are some of the best I’ve tried. They’re glossy and pigmented and so easy to wear. Angel Food Cake is a lovely nude/mauve shade and Strawberry Cheesecake is a warm medium pink. I really haven’t been wearing any other lip products aside from these this month!
L’Oreal Brow Stylist Definer (Blonde): I have to admit I’m kind of lazy when it comes to brows – half the time I forget to do them. However this eyebrow pencil is so good I’ve pretty much done my brows every day this month. I can’t believe the difference between this and my previously beloved e.l.f eyebrow pencil – they don’t even compare! Not only is the shade perfect for me, the precise tip makes it so easy to fill and define my brows (hence the name). I’ve heard others say that this is a dupe for the Anastasia Brow Wiz – not having tried it, I can’t confirm but if that’s true, but I see why everyone was going crazy over them if they are indeed similar.
Letdown:
NYX HD Concealer: I’ve been researching new concealers for a while and I had heard some good things about this one. Unfortunately this did not work for me. The reason: it’s ridiculously drying! It seemed a little dry when I initially applied it but it only got worse as the day went on. I used this to cover blemishes so I can’t imagine using this as an undereye concealer – it would totally emphasize and enhance any fine lines. So this was a disappointment and the search for a new concealer continues…
Maggie wanted to join in and share her love for the month. She’s really been enjoying these salmon treats that I found at Homesense for $6.99. Love that these are a Canadian product and made with wild pacific salmon. And they stink so of course Maggie just loves them. This is the second bag we’ve gone through and I haven’t seen these again at Homesense, so I’m going to have to track down a retailer here that sells them.
Woo hoo it’s finally February! And with that comes another month of Loves & Letdowns. First off I’d like to rid January good riddance – what a crappy month that was. I had pink eye and a virus for two weeks straight and I just finally started wearing contact lenses last week. It’s been a long month and I’m glad to see it go!
Now on to my loves and one, lonely letdown for the first month of 2016:
LOVES
e.l.f Contour Palette: I picked this up back in September at the e.l.f store in New York and I hadn’t really used it that much since then as it was buried in the back of one of my drawers. I re-discovered it early in January and realized how good it actually is. I still find the bronzer shade a little orange but I use it a light hand and it’s wearable. But I’ve really grown to love the contour shade, highlighter and yellow-toned “banana” powder to set my concealer. While they are a little powdery, they blend easily and are just pigmented enough for my fair skin.
Buxom Full & Fabulous Mascara: Buxom and Bare Minerals were really having a moment with me this month. This was the mascara I chose to use while my eyes were healing and I can’t say I was disappointed with this. It gave my lashes some serious definition, separation and length. The formula is a good balance between wet and dry, which is perfect if you like to build your mascara (which I do). That said, I’d say you can only apply about 3 full coats before you’re just wasting product because it’s not making any kind of a difference. So I would have preferred for it to add a little more volume and thickness but sometimes I can get a bit carried away in that area. I also appreciate the fact that this didn’t flake or smudge throughout the day and I loved how long the brush was – it made it really easy to get those little lashes in the corners of my eyes.
Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette: This was a birthday gift and I was able to use it a few times in December before my eyes got infected. I just started using it again last week because I definitely did not want to risk contaminating this. It is a beautiful palette! I can’t get over how soft and blendable the shadows are and I love the cocoa scent.
Bare Minerals READY Eyeshadow 2.0 (Top Shelf): As mentioned above, when I was dealing with my eye infection the last thing I wanted to do was contaminate my eye makeup. SO I dug through my makeup collection and pulled out this eyeshadow duo and figured I would use it (and only it!) until my eyes improved. I didn’t expect much from it but I’m happy to report that this little palette blew me away! Each shadow is super buttery and soft and pretty darn pigmented, particularly the gold/bronze shade. And they have some serious lasting power! These were still going strong by the end of my 12 hour day – no creasing or fading at all! The only drawback I did notice was that there was definitely some fallout from these which was a little annoying (you can see how messy it gets in the picture above). But ultimately it’s convinced me that I need to try some additional Bare Minerals shadows because I think they’re hidden gems!
Buxom Full On Lipstick (Brooklyn) / Full-On Lip Polish (Sophia): I received each of these in separate gift sets late last year but only started using the two of them together in January. I love the formula of each of these – the lipstick is super moisturizing, very pigmented and the polish is super glossy, tingly and not sticky. I wasn’t super crazy about the shades on their own – Brooklyn is a brownish/pink and Sophia is a very sheer pink. But together they’re fabulous! These are just small sample sizes but I’ve made a significant dent in both of them as I’ve basically been wearing these the entire month.
Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask: I already raved about this in my 2015 Favorites so I won’t repeat myself except to say that I’m still using this and I’m still loving it. Totally buying the full size of this once I run out.
St Ives Fresh Hydration Lotion (Citrus & Vitamin C): I’ve had this for a while but have only started using in regularly the last month or so. I really wanted to try out one of these aerosol spray lotions and I’m really glad I did! I like the ease in which I can apply this – I can spray with one hand and rub it in with the other. I also really like how lightweight the actual lotion is. If I’m being honest I hate thick lotions that take forever to sink in, especially in the mornings when I’m getting ready for work. This absorbs quickly but still keeps me moisturized throughout the day. And it smells really bright and fresh!
Marc Jacobs DOT Fragrance: Normally I wouldn’t include a little fragrance sample in my favourites but this was a pleasant surprise! This was a small little spritzer but I was able to ration it out over 5 days because this is a POTENT perfume. Which in my mind is great, I hate fragrances that wear off throughout the day. The scent is described as one containing red berries, dragonfruit, and honeysuckle and notes of jasmine, coconut water and orange blossom. Ultimately its sweet, fruity and a little musky which is totally my preference when it comes to perfumes.
Hot Tools Hot Styler 1 1/2″ Thermal Hot Brush: I’m not going to say too much about this because I want to do a full review of it later on but I LOVE this tool! It literally takes me half the time to round brush my hair with this as it does with a regular round brush. And it leaves my hair much smoother. Bonus – it’s currently on sale!
The Mindy Project: I started watching this at the beginning of this month and I’ve been hooked ever since. I love finding shows that truly make me LOL because that’s rare (maybe I have high standards?) – I hate cheesy humour. The Mindy Project isn’t free from the odd cheesy moment, but the majority of it is filled with inappropriate, non-politically correct humour. Totally gained a new respect for Mindy Kailing through this as well; I used to watch the Office and while she had some funny moments, it pales in comparison to her performance here. I may see glimpses of myself in her at times as well – not sure if that’s a good thing but it makes me laugh and I love it!
LETDOWN
Tom Ford Black Orchid: My second perfume sample that made it into this post but this one didn’t fare so well. It’s my lonely letdown for the month. This may be the most overpowering, heavy perfume I’ve ever tried and I hated it. It’s super musky and warm and sweet. I really didn’t like it as soon as I applied it, but I gave it a chance to sit on my skin for a bit to see if it would change once mixed with my skin. It didn’t, it just got stronger and more potent. Not a fan!
What products did you enjoy (and not enjoy!) this month? Let me know below!
We are well into November now but I still wanted to share the products I enjoyed and those that we letdowns in the month of October. Let’s jump right in:
I’ve been using this “mask” for quite a few months now and I’m so impressed with it! First things first, my preference isn’t to use this as a mask but as a scrub. I’ve tried it a few times as a mask but I didn’t really notice any extra benefits from doing so. Instead I exfoliate my face with this a couple of times a week and it works really, really well. It has a thick grainy texture which really helps to exfoliate dead skin and unclog pores – I particularly love using this around my nose. When applied, this leaves a tingly, warming sensation on my skin and has a pleasant scent (I struggle to describe it – slightly sugary maybe?). Most importantly, I don’t experience any breakouts or sensitivity with this; my skin just feels soft, smooth and clean. For the price, you can’t beat this!
I’ve been using this off and on since the summer and religiously for the last month or so since I used up by PTR Glycolic Acid moisturizer. When I was using it off and on I didn’t really see much in terms of results from it but now that I’ve been using it regularly, I notice a real difference in my skin. I notice a difference if I’m experiencing breakouts – the next morning they are greatly reduced. It also helps with healing any dry patches that inevitably start appearing at this time of year.
I always appreciate a moisturizer that absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave my skin feeling greasy; that factors in to why I’ve been enjoying this. I”m not big on using super intense, thick moisturizers on a regular basis (only when I feel my skin needs them) and this offers just the right amount of hydration.
I never thought I’d like the Beauty Blender as much as I do. It’s just a makeup sponge, right? Wrong! It’s definitely not your typical makeup sponge, it’s so much more than that! Not only does it apply my liquid foundation flawlessly, I’ve learned to use it to apply primer, mineral powder foundation, finishing powder, bronzer and blush. I’m not normally a fan of using one tool to apply my entire face, but this makes it possible to do that successfully. Not to mention the fact that I’ve been using this since March this year and it’s still in pretty much perfect condition. I know it says to replace them every 3 months but meh, I wash it regularly and there’s no signs of rips or tears in it, so why not?
After hearing rave reviews about Milani’s Luminoso, I figured it was time for me to give it a try. The problem: the only place that sells Milani products here was sold out when I went to purchase it. I was disappointed… until I saw Bella Rosa! This is described as a Matte Bright Raspberry Pink and it looked like such a gorgeous colour. I own nothing like it – so I figured I’d try it out. And I’m glad I did!
Milani’s Bella Rosa Baked Bush
This is a INTENSE blush. Probably the most pigmented bush I’ve ever used. The only drawback with this is that I have to use what I can only describe as something even less than a light hand. I dip a fluffy blush brush ever so slightly into it and then I blend. And blend. And blend! Because I’m so pale I have to be really careful with this to avoid looking like a clown. So that would be the only drawback. But I’d much rather have a blush that’s too pigmented than one that is not pigmented enough. Thank goodness this is highly blendable!
Swatch of Bella Rosa
I’m happy to report that I finally have Luminoso in my hot little hands – I’ve yet to use it but I’ll be reporting on it soon.
Repurchase?: Yes*
*Because this is so pigmented, I feel like this blush will last me until the day I die so I’m not likely to re-purchase it. But I would if i needed to!
Sample size of Living Proof’s Instant Texture Mist
I seriously dream about having texture in my hair. Most times it’s so fine, and flat and limp. So when I saw this as a Point Perk option at Sephora, I eagerly exchanged it for 100 points. And like most Living Proof products, it’s great. The sample size was big enough that I got 2 uses out of it (although I sprayed quite a bit of it throughout my hair both times) I sprayed this on damp hair and styled it as usual (loose curls with my curling iron) and the curls lasted much longer than usual. Plus I had extra volume and my hair just felt springy and bouncy. But it didn’t leave any sticky residue behind which is key!
The only thing I’m not a fan of is the price. I contemplated picking this up at the Sephora VIB Rouge sale but I actually found what I think might be a comparable option for less so I’m going to use that up first. But eventually I would like to try the full size of this. Or the travel size if I could find it in store.
L’oreal’s Voluminious Extra Volume Collagen Mascara
I used to use the original Voluminious mascara religiously, until I think they changed the formula and it started flaking and smudging on me. I actually kind of like this one better because it gives me crazy volume and thickness. Must be the collagen in it? The brush is huge and fluffy which also helps.
The full bristly brush
A few drawbacks – the price! This is never on sale! It can be a little hard to find too – it’s usually hidden away at the bottom of L’oreal’s mascara displays. Also, if I apply to many coats of this, I do find that it flakes off a bit. But I tend to go a little crazy with coats of mascara. And lastly, it can definitely clump. A mascara comb is a necessity with this. I’m always willing to sacrifice a few clumps for thick lashes though.
Shampoo is such a source of frustration for me. If I find something I like, I can use it for a bit and then my hair either gets used to it or just all out rejects it and it stops being as fantastic as it once was. Well didn’t have to worry about that with this one because it didn’t work from day one. Zero volume. Lifeless hair. Wouldn’t hold style. Ironic given that it’s supposed to provide thicker, fuller hair. Fail. At least it was cheap?
Philosophy’s French Vanilla Bean Shampoo, Shower gel & Bubble Bath
When Philosophy first became available in Canada I was so excited. I mean, all of their scents just sound amazing, plus they include related recipes right on their bottle! I received a few bottles of their bubble bath a few years ago and I was largely unimpressed. While the scents were nice, it produced next to no bubbles and the scent disapated right after I poured it into my bath. Then my husband bought me this for Christmas last year. I figured I’d give it a try again and basically my opinion didn’t change. Nice scent in the bottle but lackluster in terms of an actual bubble bath.
Then one day I happened to read the back of the bottle. And came across this:
Close up of the warning on the back of the bottle.
Caution: use only as directed. excessive use or prolonged exposure may cause irritation to the skin and urinary tract. discontinue use if rash, redness or itching occurs. consult your physician if irritation persists. keep out of reach of children.
To which I exclaimed WHAT??!??! WTF is in this stuff? I see that sodium laureth sulfate is listed as the second ingredient which I know isn’t great for you but is a pretty common ingredient in many shampoos and body washes. Beyond that there is a very long list of things that I couldn’t even attempt to announce, Perhaps these are common ingredients in many foam baths but the fact that there is an actual warning on the bottle makes me think there must be additional ingredients in here that aren’t in others. Upon doing a bit of research, I guess its widely known that bath products are known to cause urinary tract infections. The problem being, this is the only bubble bath that I’ve came across that actually has this warning on the product. Regardless, this has totally turned me off Philosophy products – not that I was a huge fan to begin with.
This is a foundation I purchased earlier last year and was using it regularly in combination with some other new products and I was experiencing some of the worst skin of my life. I was breaking out like crazy. So I stopped using all those products and tried introducing them back one at a time. In doing so, this got thrown back in my makeup drawer and I forgot about it. Then I re-discovered it a week ago and thought I might as well give it another try. I wore it ONCE. The next day I woke up to breakouts all over my chin. And not just regular, run of the mill breakouts. Painful, under the skin, cystic acne. So I don’t know what is in this that reacts with my skin so badly, but I could care less to find out. I don’t know what it is about Rimmel products but they just never work for me. I’m pretty much scared off of this brand now.
Repurchase?: Never!
And that’s it! I didn’t have a chance to try too many new products this month, it was mostly things that I’ve been using for a while that I realized I needed to talk about. Which is a good thing because I like to make sure I’m making headway on the products I own prior to going out and purchasing more. What were your favorite products in October? Unfavorites? Have you tried any of these? Let me know below!
Welcome to July! I’m super behind on posts – I was away for a little over a week on vacay and lately it’s been super hot here, which means I’ve not been sleeping well, which means I haven’t had much energy to do much at all lately. Thankfully it sounds like it’s going to be cooler this week so I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things. I’ve noticed it seems a little slow in terms of posts for everyone so I guess it’s just that time of year! Gotta get out and enjoy the warm weather while it lasts right?
Moving on to my loves and letdowns for the month of June! Let’s start with my loves:
I’ve had this foundation for just about 2 months now but I’ve only started using it regularly in the last month. About a month ago I was breaking out like crazy and I was a little worried that this was one of the products causing it. Having used this everyday for a few straight weeks I can confirm that this was not the culprit. Which is great because I really like this foundation! First off – the plastic tube packaging is great! I really dislike foundation in glass bottles – it’s just a matter of time before I drop of the bottle on the floor and smash it to pieces. I don’t have to worry about that happening with this.
Secondly, in terms of coverage I’d classify this as medium, that could be buildable to full if desired. My only caution with that is that I think it may look a little cakey if you pile too much of it on. I still need to wear concealer with it as it doesn’t completely cover the broken capillaries under my eyes and old acne scars. On my skin this dries to a demi-matte, slightly powdery finish but it doesn’t look dry at all. My only complaint is that I do get slightly oily about mid-day which is easily remedied by blotting with powder. I wear shade 115 which is their lightest shade and it matches my skin tone really well and doesn’t oxidize at all. I find this applies best for me with a damp beauty blender. For the price, I’m super impressed with this and definitely plan to re-purchase!
I was at Winners last month and they had a bunch of Garnier products in their cosmetics section. I picked up this primer, read the description, was intrigued and was even more intrigued when I noticed it was priced at $5! I figured I didn’t have much to lose by giving it a try for that price! When I finally cracked it open a little over a month I was pleasantly surprised about how good it was. It really does most of what it claims: “Our light reflecting technology creates a visible blurring effect: lines and wrinkles are filled, pores and irregularities minimized, shine is mattified.” It really does blur over large pores (and I have large pores on my nose and cheeks) and any acne scars. Does it make them disappear completely? No, but I’ve yet to find a product that successfully does that. I do have some fine lines under my eyes and unfortunately I don’t find it does much for those.
It does have a very silicone-like, slippery texture which I am personally fond of because I like how it allows my foundation to blend flawlessly into my face. I use this with the Covergirl foundation I mentioned above and it works wonders on me. I always have the problem of foundation and powder sinking and sticking into my pores and this has completely solved that problem for me. The only thing I’m not crazy about is the packaging; I find air gets caught in the tube so when I’m trying to remove it I’ll get a puff of air out of it and sometimes a bit of product with it and it’ll go flying across the room. That doesn’t bother me too much though, and even though I’ve seen this in the drugstore being sold for pretty much triple the $5 I originally paid for it, I would definitely repurchase this!
I’ve been on the never-ending search for my holy grail mascara for months now and this was my newest candidate. I was intrigued by the flexible brush as well as the gel-mousse formula so I thought I’d give this one a try. Overall, I’d say this is a pretty solid mascara. Is it the most voluminous mascara? Not for my lashes. But it did separate and define each lash, didn’t clump and provided really great length. I liked how it left my lashes feeling quite soft and natural and not hard and crunchy. There was also minimal smudging and flaking while wearing throughout the day which is really important to me. I can’t stand having racoon eyes!
My only gripe about this is that I think the flexible wand is a little gimmicky and might contribute to the lack of volume this provides. I find the flexibility means that the brush can’t grip your lashes as much as a non-flexible brush can. But the brush itself is quite full and bristly which is a preference of mine. Another thing I liked – you can build this up quite a bit without it getting clumpy. Again, it’s not perfect but it’s definitely one that I’d purchase again!
I’m a bit late on the Real Techniques train but I thought I’d start slow with this Expert Face Brush. Now I realize how much I’ve been missing out because I absolutely love this brush! I’ve used it to apply mineral powder foundation, liquid foundation, and finishing powder and it applies them all fabulously! The bristles are so soft and dense and it gives my skin an airbrushed finish. I can’t believe how fantastic this brush is for $10! If you’re looking for a new foundation and/or powder brush I’d highly recommend this one! I can’t wait to try some of the other brushes they have!
Apologies for not having a photo of this item; I realized I forgot to include it after I edited the picture and I was too lazy to go back and retake and re-edit the photo! 😦
I purchased one of these way back in April prior to our trip to Mexico. I used it on that trip, loved it and then my husband eyed it up and stole it for a work trip. So what is it and why is it so great? It’s a re-useable, TSA approved bag meant to store your liquids in when you travel. It’s made of a thick, transparent plastic with a sturdy zipper at the top. Previously I’ve used ziploc sandwich bags which work fine but would often rip and tear by the end of a one-way trip. I’m constantly digging into my purse and/or carry-on for chapstick, hand sanitizier and hand cream before, during, and after my flight so I loved how no matter how much I did this, this bag stayed intact and didn’t rip or tear. I also appreciate the zipper because I often forget to zip the ziploc bags (or I think I zipped it and I actually didn’t) and I’ve had products fall out of my purse. I purchased another one of these for my most recent trip to Vegas and it just re-affirmed how much I love it (and why my husband stole my original one!). I received this free @ Sephora because I purchased 3 travel sized products (the ones around their cash registers) but you can buy it on it’s own for $5.99 and I personally think it’s well worth that and more! Particularly if you travel a lot!
I’m not sure why I bought this. I needed another can of dry shampoo and I happened to be in London Drugs and this was sitting right next to the cans of Batiste. For the record, Batiste is my absolute favourite dry shampoo and I’ve never found anything that even comes close to working as well as it does. This, and Batiste, were on sale for $7.99 so I picked up a can of each. The fact that this was invisible is what intrigued me about it but unfortunately it does absolutely nothing to soak up the oil from my roots. In fact, I almost feel like it makes my hair look and feel greasier/oilier. It also provides no texture as well so if you’re looking for that from a dry shampoo, this is not the one for you. On the bright side, I do like the fact that it’s invisible and it has a lovely scent. But it doesn’t provide what I need from a dry shampoo so I won’t be repurchasing this.
Antiperspirant and I have a long history together and it hasn’t been a great one. I sweat. ALOT. So I need a good, strong antiperspirant to help me get through the day without pit stains and BO. That’s probably TMI but it’s true. I’m always on the hunt for the best antiperspirant and I haven’t found one yet that works for me and this one is no exception. I liked the concept of this – it’s a dry aerosol spray so it just feels cleaner and more effective when you spray it under your arms. The things that annoyed me about it were 1) You have to hold the can 15 cm away from your underarm prior to applying it. I’m not sure who came up with that measurement but it’s ridiculous. I needed to pull out my ruler to figure that one out. If you hold it closer you’ll end up with little balls of deodorant under your arms, which is a good look if you’re wearing a sleeveless shirt! If you don’t hold it close enough it won’t be effective and you’ll smell all day. Made both mistakes multiple times while trying this out. 2) I hated the smell of this. I usually always purchase unscented deodorant because a) I have sensitive skin and b) when I wear scented deodorant that’s all I can smell all.day.long. Wiffs of “Powder Fresh” and “Summer Rain”…..barf! Anyway I thought this one would be a little lighter and smell similar to Dove soap, which I don’t mind. Unfortunately the scent of this is like the dove soap scent on steroids and the scent is REALLY overpowering, to the point where I started feeling nauseous by the end of the day because it’s all I could smell. So, I definitely won’t be repurchasing this but I did manage to find an Unscented men’s version of this that I’m currently trying out so I’ll keep you updated on what I think about that! #sweatypeopleproblems!
Essence I Love Extreme Volume Mascara – $3.99 CAD
This might just be the worst mascara I’ve ever used. 😦 Good thing it was only $4! The brush is huge and way too big (and I like big brushes!) and I had mascara all over my eyelids after attempting to apply this. The first time I wore this I was at home on a Sunday, when I was being lazy and lazing on the couch. An hour in, I had racoon eyes and flakes under my eyes. Which was pretty shocking given that I had done absolutely nothing that day – I hadn’t even stepped outside. I can’t imagine what it would look like if I had wore this to work. So needless to say I won’t be repurchasing this.
Well I figured it’s about time I jump on this bandwagon, because why not? I love reading other bloggers monthly favorites posts as it’s such a good way to learn about new products! Basically I’ll be sharing the products I loved throughout the month, as well as those that were letdowns and just didn’t work for me. Pretty much the same as a favorites and unfavorites post but I thought I’d switch up the words a bit because I’m different, like this goat:
I laughed way too hard at this – hope it made you giggle too! 🙂
I picked up this gloss a few weeks ago at London Drugs and I’ve been using it every day since. It’s the perfect pinkish nude for every day use! I find it works great on it’s own or on top of a brighter lip color to tone it down. I love the formula – it’s super creamy, not sticky and glides on smoothly. It smells delicious as well, I’m not sure how describe it (maybe like a vanilla cupcake?) but not overly sweet. I’ll definitely be picking this one up again and I’d love to try the other shades at some point as well.
Its been a long time since I’ve ventured out to try a new mascara; for years I was happy using L’Oreal’s Voluminous Carbon Black mascara. Then something changed and it began to flake and smudge on me and I was crushed. I’ve been in search of a replacement and so far this one has stood out the most. It has the natural bristle brush that I like and it lengthen and thickens my lashes really nicely with very little to almost no clumps – which is really rare! I find it flakes a little sometimes but I’m willing to live with that given it’s other benefits. The only thing I’m not crazy about is the scent – it smells flowery. Which I find kind of weird – mascara shouldn’t have a scent right?. Doesn’t bother me though so I will definitely be repurchasing this one!
Lately I’ve found my hair is getting super dry, particularly around the ends. I attribute that to my use of my curling iron on a daily basis, in addition to my hair being colour-treated. I also tend to only wash my hair once every three days, using dry shampoo in between. I find my hair feels and looks pretty dry during those in-between days, particularly on day 3. I came across this and thought I’d give it a try.
This is meant to boost shine, control frizz and smooth your hair without making it feel greasy. I take a dime sized amount, and distribute it through my ends right before I use my curling iron. It definitely makes my curls feel smooth and sleek and I find it does help hold my curls a little longer when the humidity is present outside. It also smells amazing – a little bit fruity but nothing overpowering. I’m very careful to not get this anywhere close to my roots as I can see it weighing my hair down and making it super greasy (it also recommends against doing so right on the bottle). So far I’m loving this and would recommend it!
THIS.IS.AMAZING!!! Best liquid eyeliner pen I’ve ever used, hands down and I have tried them all from the super cheap drug store versions to the higher end brand-name types. Nothing beats this. It is the only liquid liner that I’ve tried that truly stays on all day long and does not budge. Yet it is simple to remove at the end of the day using my regular eye makeup remover! I’m just blown away by this! I also love the super slim tip, it makes it very easy to get precise line! I have a bad habit of pressing down too hard on the tip when I’m applying liner and damaging it. The tip on this is sturdy enough that I have yet to damage it (although I am trying to be more gentle!). It’s also very pigmented and build-able – if you don’t get a thick enough line to begin with you can easily go overtop of it without it dragging and erasing the previous line. If you wear liquid liner and you haven’t tried this yet – go out now and buy this! I can’t rave enough about this, I’m in love!
Okay, I really didn’t want to like this. Previously I’ve used Beauty Blender knock-offs and convinced myself that there really wasn’t much difference between them and the original. The thought of paying close to $30 for a makeup sponge seemed ridiculous. However, I took the plunge over a month ago and ordered one to see what all the hype was about. And at first, I wasn’t crazy about it. But the more I used it, the more I grew to like it and eventually love it and now I’m not sure I can go back to the knockoffs. I feel like I’ve used and abused this and it’s practically in the exact same condition it was when I bought it. No rips and no tears, unlike the cheaper versions where that occurred within a couple of weeks of use. I can also get every trace of makeup out of it when I wash it which is impressive because I usually go an entire week of use before giving it a good cleanse. It also applies my foundation beautifully and I’m loving it for applying mineral makeup! So I suppose I’m a convert now. Which I’m okay with because I see the light now – this thing is really great!
I have super oily eyelids and I usually have trouble trying to find a primer that keeps my eye makeup set all day and doesn’t crease. Unfortunately this was another one to ad to the fail pile. It was super cheap so I’m not too crushed but it sure would have been nice if it had worked! Despite the fact that it did basically nothing to stop my eyelids from creasing, I also hated the formula. It’s super thick and dry and very difficult to blend! The color is a little odd too – it has an orange/yellow tint which I’m guessing is meant to hide any discoloration and even out your lids but the problem is if I got this anywhere near my eyebrows it turned them orange! Won’t be repurchasing this one!
In my hunt for the perfect primer I picked this up a few months ago, used it for a week and it was promptly thrown into my black hole of products never to be worn again. Which is disappointing because I used Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion for years and liked it. Also it was pretty expensive (I should have taken it back, I forgot and now its too late). I found this did absolutely nothing to minimize the appearance of my pores and my skin was just a complete oil slick halfway through the day. Consistency-wise it’s pretty thick and it definitely leaves a bit of a white cast on your face so I can’t see this working well for anyone with darker skin. I tried using it with different foundations and setting powders and I had the same result every time. This could possibly work for someone with super dry skin but it definitely wasn’t for me.
This is supposed to be a 3 in 1 product that you can use as a concealer, eye brightener and lip liner. I’ve tried it for all 3 purposes and I haven’t been impressed. When using it to line my waterline, I could barely get any transfer. I think part of the problem is that it’s just too hard and dry. Same problem when using it as a concealer, I found it really highlighted any dry spots on my face, barely covered the areas that I applied it to and lasted an hour at most. As for using it as a lip liner, I found it hard to apply – again given how hard it was, and it didn’t make any difference in the lasting power of my lipstick. So all in all, a big thumbs down for this one.
Classic Maggie 