Loves & Letdowns – September 2015

So I may have completely forgotten to do my favourites for August so I’m combining two months worth loves and letdowns into one very late post.  The good thing is that I only have ONE let down for those two entire months!  That never happens so I can’t decide if I should give the credit to my purchasing skills or the products themselves.

First of my, LOVES:

Cake Supremely Rich Bath and Shower Froth – Strawberry Sugar (not available online)

Whenever I see these @ Winners or Homesense, I always make sure to scoop them up.  I love Cake products because a) they’re always awesome and b) they are a Canadian company.  I was so disappointed when Sephora stopped carrying this brand and it’s near impossible to find their products anywhere now aside from on their website.

I use this exclusively as a bubble bath and because it’s such a generous size, it lasts me at least 4-5 months.  I’m a huge bath person so I have high standards for my bubble bath.  It needs to have a great scent both in the bottle and once its actually poured into the bath.  It also needs to foam up well and leave behind bubbles that last – not ones that dissipate within a few minutes.  And it needs to leave my skin feeling soft but not greasy.  This one checks all the boxes which is why I continue to buy it.  I’ve never tried this particular scent before so I’m assuming it was limited edition or something but I wish it wasn’t because it smells delicious.  Kind of like a strawberry daiquiri.

CHI Magnified Volume Finishing Spray

This is another Winners find that I’m really impressed with.  I’m really picky about my hairspray as I have fine hair that can’t handle something that is too heavy/sticky/crunchy but it needs to provide some good hold as I do have a lot of hair.  And it most definitely cannot make my hair greasy.  This does the job well and I like that I paid $12.99 for it versus the $20 I see it for in the salon.  However I will re-purchase it at the full price if I can’t get this at Winners once I’ve used it up!

Marc Anthony Strictly Curls Curl Enhancing Styling Foam

I used this mousse years ago and I can’t remember why I stopped using it.  First off disclaimer: I don’t have curly hair.  In fact my hair is stick straight.  However I typically curl or round-brush it every day and I like to add a mousse after washing to add volume and keep my style in place.  For whatever reason, this works really well in my straight hair.  It’s a pretty thick mousse so I do have to be careful about how much I use as it tends to build up in my hair.  Otherwise, I really like this for the volume it adds, as well as it’s ability to keep my curls/style in check.

 

 

 

 

Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation & Suncreen – Classic Ivory

I’ve been using this foundation since July and you may be wondering why its just showing up in my favourites now.  My skin is super sensitive, particularly to ingredients in foundations.  I want to make sure I gave this a really good try to ensure it wasn’t causing any breakouts or irritation before I wrote about it on here as I’ve made that mistake before.  I’m excited to report that this has passed the test!  And I’m really glad because this has become the foundation I reach for on a daily basis.

What I love about this is the coverage – I’d say it classifies as full-coverage, but it doesn’t look llike it.  Meaning it covers up any imperfections but doesn’t look cakey or thick.  I use my beauty blender to apply it and I find it just makes my skin look pretty close to flawless.  Its lasting power is also worth mentioning; if I use a makeup remover wipe at the end of the day and there’s foundation on it I’m impressed because it’s usually 14 hours after I’ve applied it.  I’ve been using this with the Too Faced Hangover Primer and I love the combination of the two – I feel like the primer gives my skin a bit of a glow while the foundation gives me the coverage I need.

If I had to pick something to complain about it would be the claim that this can be used as a primer, concealer and foundation in one.  I personally still use a bit of concealer (under my eyes and on any blemishes) because it doesn’t cover those areas up enough for me.  Also I always need a primer under my foundation so I can’t skip that either.  So for me, this can’t replace those products but depending on your skin type, it may do that for you.

Essie Gel Setter Top Coat

I did a full review on this product a little while ago so I won’t bother repeating my thoughts.  I’ve been using it regularly and I still love it – it makes my at-home manicures last for days longer!  Plus it makes them super shiny.  I definitely see myself re-purchasing this!

 

 

 

 

Bath & Body Works Pumpkin Pecan Waffles Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel

This is my favourite fall scent from B&BW.  I always keep one of these in my purse and I find that using them, especially as the weather gets colder and flu season sets in, has really reduced the number of times I get sick. Also very handy if public bathrooms run out of hand soap – which I’ve had happen before!  #ick

 

 

 

 

 

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

I have a review coming up on a Too Faced sample set that I picked up this Summer so I’m not going to get into too many details about this.  Except to say that this is my favourite high-end mascara.  I rarely buy mascara that’s not from the drugstore because to be honest, I’ve never tried one that has justified its cost, and the drugstore is FILLED with great mascaras for cheap!  I will definitely be picking up the full size of this!

Too Faced Hangover RX Replenishing Face Primer

This primer was also included in the set I referred to above so I’ll be including a full review of this in a post to come next week.  All I’ll say for now is that I was very hesitant to try this out but I don’t know why because it has completely changed how my foundation applies and looks on my skin!  The only thing I don’t like is the price but I’m going to have to suck it up because I’ve never used any primer as good as this one!

Milani Eye Tech Extreme Liquid Eye Liner

This was on my list of liquid eyeliners to try as I kept reading and hearing reviews about how great it was.  So I picked it up a couple of months ago and thought I’d test it out for myself.  Consider me impressed!  My preference for liquid liners is always felt tip, as I feel they are the easiest to apply.  This one is no exception and I like how the tip is a good balance between being flexible and firm.  I tend to press a little hard when applying my eyeliner so I need one that isn’t going to be destroyed when I do so.  This also lasted a good two months before it started to dry out!  Normally I can get a month out of one of these max so that was a big bonus.

I could be wrong, but I feel like this is the exact same product as the L’oreal Infalliable Super Slim Liner.  The packaging (aside from the name) is almost precisely the same, as is the product itself.  They also perform similarly so I like that I can pick up whichever one is on sale and know that they work equally as well.

Olay Wet Cleansing Towelettes – Sensitive Skin

Facial cleansing wipes are a must for me when I travel, and I brought these with me the last two times I was away from home.  This is another product that I used to use a few years ago and I can’t remember why I stopped using them.  Regardless, I think these are the favourite face wipes I’ve ever used.  They stay moist (even when you get near the end), don’t irritate my skin and can take off all of my makeup with one wipe.  I’ve been exceptionally lazy lately and have been using these to take my makeup off at night and I feel like my skin is looking better than it has for a while.  Which I’m sure is just a coincidence but I like the fact that I don’t have to worry about these causing any breakouts or irritation.

 

 

And lastly, my one, lonely LETDOWN:

Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Setting Gel – Blonde

I don’t know what it is about Rimmel products, but I have zero luck with them.  So I’m not sure why I thought things would be different with this.  I’ve used this all of once and it’s going in the garbage now that I’ve reviewed it.  First of all, the colour states blonde but it tints my brows ORANGE.  Secondly, the brush on this is WAY too big; it’s near impossible to get a precise application with this.  Not sure what they were thinking when they designed it.  Thirdly, I wouldn’t say this classifies as a gel – to me it has more of a thick mousse consistency, which when you add in that brush, makes for a thick, gloopy mess.  Big thumbs down for me on this one!

And that’s all my August & September favourites!  Have you tried any of these products?  If so, what were your thoughts?  Let me know below!

Thanks for reading!

July Loves & Letdowns

Hey everyone!

Well here I am again, behind on posts!  For the last couple of weeks I’ve been trying to put together a travel diary for my trip to Vegas last month.  It’s been a bit of a struggle, mostly because I didn’t take many (aka any) pictures on our trip and I feel like a good post needs lots of pictures to tell a good story….I also didn’t take notes so I’ve been wracking my brain trying to remember some of the details – it just hasn’t been going well.  On top of that I’ve been struggling to manage my time lately – it just doesn’t feel like there is enough hours in the day!   So for the time being I’ve decided to focus on other posts and work on that one on the side and depending on how that goes, I may or may not decide to end posting it if I feel its worth reading.

Anyway it’s time again for my monthly loves and letdowns! These are mostly beauty-related but I do have one non-beauty related item at the end to share with you as well.

LOVES

CoverGirl The Super Sizer Mascara – $6.99 CAD

I decided to give this mascara a try after hearing great reviews online about it.  It’s not normally a mascara I would try based on the brush alone.  As I’ve said many times before, I typically like the traditional bristly-type brushes and this one is definitely not that.  It’s a plastic brush with tiny little comb-like bristles on the wand.  When I opened this up I was very skeptical that this could do anything at all to my lashes.  I was soon eating my words after giving it a try – it’s fantastic!  This separates my lashes, adds volume and length, is very pigmented, and holds curl.  I experience very little to no flaking with this which for me is huge – I suffer from seasonal allergies so I’m constantly rubbing my eyes.  I will get the occasional clump when applying but all I do is run the wand through it a few times and it combs them out.

Something to note: there is a bit of a technique to applying this – you need to twirl the wand through your lashes as you apply it. If you just comb the brush through like you normally would with any other mascara you’re going to get clumpy, stuck-together lashes.  As a result, I wouldn’t say this is a good mascara for a beginner but seasoned mascara users shouldn’t have an issue picking up the technique (if I can do it, anyone can!).  In my opinion the results are worth the bit of extra effort!

Cera Ve Foaming Facial Cleanser – $14.97 CAD

I’ve been using this cleanser for about 3 weeks now and I am in LOVE!  I bought this as part of a 3 piece Cera Ve set @ London Drugs that included their eye cream and PM Facial Moisturizer.  Its been a struggle for me to find a cleanser that is effective in removing my makeup at the end of the day that doesn’t dry out my skin or leave it with that tight feeling afterwards. After trying a few cleansers and having just ok results, I resided myself with the fact that I was going to have to use eye makeup remover prior to washing my face basically forever.  And then this came into my life!

I use one full pump to wash my face and it typically removes all of my makeup in one shot!  If I’m wearing heavier eye makeup I make sure to use an additional half pump specifically on my eye area and that seems to do the trick.  Very rarely have I had to resort to going over my eyes with my eye makeup remover afterwards.

It also leaves my skin feeling great afterwards!  Not dry, sticky, greasy but just soft and clean. It’ll be interesting to see if that changes once the winter months are upon us but for the time being it works great.  It has zero scent so that’s great for my very sensitive skin!  This is at the top of my list of cleansers right now!

Cera Ve PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion – $14.99 CAD

As mentioned above, this came in a pack with the cleanser and eye cream. I’ve been using the cleanser in combination with this moisturizer and I feel like my skin has greatly improved!  My fair skin is quite prone to redness and I feel like this has really helped even my skin tone. I also feel like it moisturizes it just the right amount – if I use a moisturizer that’s too thick, I usually wake up in the morning with a greasy face because my skin just can’t absorb it.  If it’s not thick enough, I end up with dry patches.  When I wake up the morning after using this, my skin just feels soft, hydrated and moisturized.  I notice a little less oil on my t-zone throughout the day as well which is a first for me!

This is also great for sensitive skin because it has zero scent.  No breakouts as a result of using this either, which for me is a huge bonus because my skin can react very badly to certain ingredients.  I’m considering giving the AM version of this a try!

Bare Escentuals/Bare Vitamins Skin-Rever Upper – $26.00 CAD

This is a product I’ve come back to after straying away from over the last few years.  I was searching for a new daytime moisturizer that was light and fast-absorbing and I remembered how much I used to like this.  I picked up a bottle back in June and I’ve been using it every morning since.  This is a super light moisturizer that includes salicylic and glycollic acids.  I find that salicylic acid isn’t always effective on my skin (for instance in acne treatment products) but I’ve been in love with glycollic acid ever since I started using Peter Thomas Roth’s Glycollic Acid Moisturizer years ago (see review here).  The two mixed together however produce really great results on my skin!  I don’t think there’s a large amount of either of these in here (if I’m comparing it to the PTR version anyway) but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I don’t want something super harsh in the morning anyway!

What is important to me in my daily moisturizer is something that is light and fast-absorbing yet still gives me a good base to apply my primer and foundation.  I don’t have time to wait for 20 minutes for something to absorb.  This soaks in quickly but still leaves my skin feeling moisturized.  I think this is actually marketed as a primer but I don’t see it working in that capacity for me, there’s nothing in here that would really make my makeup “stick”.

This has a very thin, watery consistency so if you like thicker moisturizers you’ll probably want to stay away from this.  I use a pump and a half on my entire face every day and that is plenty for me.  While this is a little expensive it will last me a while given how little I need to use.  Overall I’m really glad that I’ve re-discovered this!

Vaseline Lip Therapy (Original) – $2.49 CAD

As I’ve mentioned numerous times before, I have very sensitive skin.  And my lips aren’t exempt from that.  If I use a matte lipstick for a few hours my lips dry out.  It doesn’t even have to be a matte lipstick, if it’s not super moisturizing they typically react badly.  They peel, flake – you name it.  So lip balm is my best friend – I’m constantly applying it.

I bought this little guy a while ago and I threw it in my bathroom cabinet and forgot about it.  When I was cleaning out my drawers a few months ago I came across it and thought I might as well use it.  I put it on my nightstand and started using it religiously every night before I went to bed.  And I’ve really noticed a difference!  My lips definitely feel softer and smoother and peel and flake less often. I’ve also noticed that they can seem to handle drier lip products for longer periods of time now.  The only thing I’m not crazy about is the fact that the packaging is a little unhygienic – you have to dip your finger in to apply it.

I was curious what – if anything- was different in this compared to regular old Vaseline.  I was hoping that there was something different in it because even though I only paid a couple bucks for this, you can get a huge tub of Vaseline for a few dollars more!  So…..um….upon investigating, it appears this is just plain old Vaseline in a smaller container.  Lol!  I feel like this belongs in my letdowns for false advertising…but I like the product so….I guess it can stay here.  Next time I’ll perhaps try the cocoa butter version so I can feel better about paying $3 for the tiniest tub of Vaseline ever.

LIKES

So I decided to add a new category in here called Likes.  Love is a strong word and sometimes I don’t love something but it’s not exactly a letdown either.  But I still like it!  Hence the new category…

Almay Clear Complexion Concealer – $11.99

So you should know by now that I have sensitive skin.  I think I’ve mentioned it twice just in this post.  When I needed a new concealer I did a bit of research beforehand because I didn’t want to pick up something to cover breakouts that was going to make them worse.  I read a lot of good things about this concealer so I picked it up and have been using it for about a month and a half.  And I think it’s a pretty good solid concealer for blemishes!  It covers well and it contains salicylic acid so while its covering my breakouts it’s also supposed to be working to heal them.  Or at least that’s what it claims, I don’t rely on this solely to help heal a breakout because it’s just not strong enough.

I don’t have a ton of breakouts but I definitely don’t find it makes them worse which is a relief.  I do find that the salicylic acid gives this more of a dry texture and can highlight any dry patches so I make sure to moisturize any dry areas really well prior to applying.  Also I don’t use this on any other areas aside from breakouts – especially not under your eyes!  The salicylic acid would likely irritate that sensitive skin and causes dryness.

So overall, I like this and I may repurchase it but I think I’d like to try some other concealers first to compare.  If you have sensitive, acne prone skin, this could be a good option for you!

Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector (Champagne Pop) – $46.00 CAD

So initially I had no intention of buying this.  While it looked like a beautiful product the price just seemed ridiculous to me.  And I didn’t own any highlighters and I wasn’t sure that purchasing one this expensive to start out with was a great idea.

Then I was in Sephora and they had this on display and it was in stock.  I had been hearing about how difficult it was for others to find and those that did have it were just RAVING about it.  So I did a quick swatch and I was impressed – it had such a silky and buttery texture and it just glided on to my skin.  I decided to treat myself and snatched it up.

The first few days using this I was still very impressed with it.  I loved how pigmented it is which means I need very little of it to give myself that glow-from-within-look. Being on the paler side I was a little worried that I was going to look like a super shiny peach but the shade of this is spot on.  I now understand the hype.

However now that I’ve had it for a couple of weeks I still think it’s great but I kind of think that this may be slightly overhyped.  Probably not a popular opinion but it’s my honest opinion!  I was in Sephora this weekend and I was checking out some of the other highlighters they carry and I found a few that seemed somewhat similar for less. Plus, I’m finding it doesn’t have the greatest staying power (at least on my skin).  That said, I do have trouble keeping most products on my face but when something is this expensive I just have higher expectations of it and I feel that’s a fair expectation!  So I will enjoy using this while I have it but I can’t see myself forking over this amount of money for this again (not that I could given that its limited edition).

LET DOWNS

Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector – $18.00 (0.4 oz)

I picked this up a month or so ago and I’m so glad I decided to try out the smaller size of it before committing to the larger, much-more-expensive full size!  I’m always looking for a product that will matify my t-zone and one of the You-Tubers that I’m subscribed to (can’t remember which one) recommended this in one of her videos.

There’s a few reasons why this was a let down.  First off – it doesn’t mattify.  I put this on underneath my foundation and my mid-day my t-zone is just as oily as it is when I use nothing.  Secondly, this is super difficult to apply.  The instructions state to rub a small amount between your fingers and then apply it but it dries really quickly so you have to work at lightning speed.  Lastly – it leaves a white residue behind after application.   No matter how much I blend it in, it leaves a white powdery finish behind that WILL NOT blend away, no matter what I tried.  It stuck around even after applying my foundation and I couldn’t get my foundation to blend over top of it.  So frustrating!

Huge fail for me – do not recommend this and most definitely will not repurchase!  I’ll be using this as an eye primer to finish it up.

NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipstick (Paris) – $6.99 CAD

I received this lipstick free with a $20 purchase of NYX products at London Drugs a few months ago.  I loved the colour of this – it’s a cool-toned mauve shade and its very pigmented. I was intrigued by its creamy consistency but unfortunately that’s where the problem lies – this is just way too creamy.  I found that it tends to move around on my lips after applying so it ends up around my lips and on my teeth, etc.  It also has zero staying power, which I’m usually not a stickler on, but I expect a bit more from a lipstick when compared to a lip gloss or balm, and this just doesn’t deliver.  It transfers on to everything!  Lastly, because it’s so creamy and moisturizing, the product itself is just so soft it smears all over the inside of the cap and mine actually broke in half!  I didn’t even have it outside or in my purse or anything – it was just sitting on my makeup vanity.  So unfortunately although I am normally a fan of NYX products, I can’t recommend this one! 😦

EOS Lip Balm – Coconut Milk – $3.99

I have a slight addiction to lip balms and I’m always open to trying new ones.  A year or so ago I had purchased the Sweet Mint EOS lip balm and I was pretty disappointed with it – I found it waxy and not at all moisturizing – in fact I found it actually dried out my lips!  Because I wasn’t a fan of it after using it a few times I kept it at work and used it every once and while.  Then I was reading online somewhere about how their newer versions were a vast improvement – in particular the coconut milk flavor, so I picked it up and thought I’d give it another try.

My first impression of this was that I really quite liked it.  The smell was awesome  (sweet and light and not overpowering) – I’m a fan of anything coconut related so that was easy to win me over with.  This formula on this is also much better – it’s moisturizing, smooth and creamy.  So I was happily using this everyday for the last few weeks and then I noticed that I was experiencing breakouts around the corners of my mouth.  I couldn’t figure out what was causing it and then it dawned on me that this might be the culprit.  So I stopped using it and viola – the breakouts went away and stopped making an appearance.  Grrrr!

So that’s how sensitive my skin is – a lip balm can make me break out!  But I think the problem lies with two things – first this contains coconut oil.  I know some people slather their skin in it to cleanse and moisturize but you won’t ever catch me doing that!  I’ve read so many things about coconut oil being highly comedogenic and because my skin is so sensitive it just wouldn’t be worth the risk.  Secondly, the packaging on EOS lip balms means that you can’t get a precise application so I was often getting the product around my mouth instead of just on it.  Normally not a big deal but when the product contains coconut oil, those are the results. 😦

So it goes without saying that I won’t be repurchasing this!

True Detective – Season 2

So earlier this year I blogged about how much I enjoyed Season 1 of this series and how I couldn’t wait to watch Season 2   This season’s cast included some big names that I was really excited for such as Rachel McAdams and Taylor Kitsch – who I love – and Vince Vaughn and Colin Farrell.  So going in, my expectations were pretty high.

If you’ve never heard of or watched True Detective it’s a crime drama with  a unique concept in that each season has a completely different storyline and cast than the previous.  Which I really like because you get complete closure on the previous season and start fresh with something completely different, unrelated to the previous set of episodes.  It feels like a brand new show each season.

So the final episode of Season 2 aired last week and I have to say – the entire season was such a disappointment! I found this season so difficult to follow – the plot was confusing, I couldn’t get invested in the characters and there were only 1 or 2 episodes that left me wanting more, one of which was the finale.  The episodes were dreary and depressing as well.  Not that Season 1 was heart warming or anything but there was always something going on in each episode that kept me engaged and excited to find out what was going to happen next.

So big thumbs down for this one.  It’ll be interesting to see who they cast in Season 3 but regardless, they better do a better job of it because I won’t continue watching if it proves to be another dud.

And that’s it for this month.  Have you tried any of these products?  Watched True Detective? If so let me know in the comments below – would love to hear your thoughts on them!

As always, thanks for reading!

Loves & Letdowns – June

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:

Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation – $8.99 CAD

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!

Garnier Skin Renew 5 Second Blur Instant Smoother – $15.99 CAD

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!

Maybelline Volum’ Express the Mega Plush Mascara – $8.99 CAD

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!

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush – $10 CAD

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!

Sephora Beauty on the Fly Travel Bag – $5.95 CAD (No photo)

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!

And now for my letdowns:

Colab Dry Shampoo (Rio) – $7.99 CAD

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.

Dove Original Dry Spray Antiperspirant – $5.97

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.

And that’s it for this month.  Have a great week!