Sephora VIB Sale Wish List

 

It’s that time of the year again!  If you haven’t heard, the Sephora VIB Rouge sale starts this weekend (November 6-9) and the VIB sale follows shortly thereafter (November 13-16).  I saw the news on Instagram last night and I knew I had to start thinking about what I wanted to purchase.

FACE

Before I purchase either of these foundations I’m going to try and get samples of both beforehand.  These are both pricey foundations so I don’t want to invest in one of them and then figure out they don’t work for me!

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation – $49 CAD

I’ve heard so many good things about this foundation and because I just had a really good experience with the Too Faced Most Loved Set (review here), I’m kind of on a Too Faced kick now.

Makeup Forever Invisible Coverage Foundation – $50 CAD

I’ve heard such great things about this foundation as well.  The shade selection is extensive (40 shades!) so it seems like finding the right one for my face won’t be an issue.  I’m interested to see the differences between this and the Too Faced foundation in store.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder (Diffused Light) – $52 CAD

I’ve been wanting to try one of these highlighting powders for a while but the price just about kills me!  Taking 20% off helps soften the blow; if only they all didn’t look so beautiful!   I think I’d go with the Diffused Light shade given that its meant to conceal redness which is something I struggle with.

Bare Minerals Skin Rev-er Upper – $25 CAD

This is my favourite lightweight, every day moisturizer.  I’m almost out, so I need a refill!  It’s annoying that this doesn’t show up on the Canadian site, so I’m going to have to pick it up in-store.  It’s got a very thin and watery consistency and it absorbs into my skin very quickly, which is key for me in the mornings!

 

 

Nars Blush (Sin/Deep Throat/Mata Hari) – $37.00

I’ve worn Nars Orgasm for years and I think it will always be one of my favourite blushes of all time.  Because I’m such a fan of the formula, I want to add to my collection.  Can’t decide between these three shades though!

EYES

Buxom Dolly’s Wild Side Eyeshadow Palette – $50

I spotted this palette back in the summer and it intrigued me, particularly that shimmery cranberry shade on the far right.  The shades in this one all look really pretty but I’m trying to decide if it’d be more fun to create my own palette within this line for the same price.

Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette – $55 CAD

Another highly raved about palette!  These are all very neutral though which I think is kind of boring, but neutrals and nudes are typically what I reach for on a daily basis.

Tarte Showstopper Clay Palette – $48 CAD

I’ve been looking for a travel-friendly palette and this one looks like it would fit the bill!  It contains eyeshadows, blush, bronzer and highlighter and the colours all look very neutral and warm but versatile!

Too Faced The Chocolate Bar Eye Palette – $59 CAD

The most expensive option of the bunch but probably the one I want most. The chocolate scent of this is what is pulling me in, not to mention the mix of brown and neutral shades, with the occasional pop of colour in there too.

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara – $30

I did a full review on the trail size of this here; I rarely buy high-end mascara but this one has me converted!  My sample size has run out and I’m really missing this so I know I need the full size.

HAIR

Living Proof Instant Texture Mist – $32 CAD

I just used up a trial size of this and I lurrrrrved it!  It made my curls (via curling iron) last longer than anything I’ve used previously and it left zero residue behind.  The cost of this physically hurts but because my hair is so tempermental I’m willing to cough up the change for it.

 

 

FRAGRANCE

Marc Jacobs Decadence – $115 CAD

This might be my new fall/winter fragrance.  First, I’m mesmerized by the bottle, how unique is it?  And the scent is so lovely – a little woodsy, slightly musky but still feminine.  I might try the rollerball to start and then request a full size spray for Christmas.

LIPS

Bite Beauty Luminious Lip Creme (Mauvember) – $28 CAD

I’m not sure if you can use the discount on this product but I might just buy this anyway.  It looks like a great shade, plus its limited edition and supports a great charity!

 

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask – $30 CAD

It’s only November and my lips are already so dry. I feel like I’m going to need something extra-strength to get me through the colder months, and this has been on my must-try list for a while.   I’ve heard the packaging sucks on this but the product itself is really good.

Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick (Melted Peony) – $25 CAD

I  have Melted Fig in this line and I love it.  All the other colours in this line look pretty intense and vibrant, but Melted Peony looks a little more muted and more my style.

 

So I’m obviously not going to buy all of these because I don’t have an unlimited bank account.  Plus, once I’m in store, I tend to talk myself out of things or convince myself that I don’t really need this or that.  Then I regret it after the sale is over and end up buying things at full price.  #logic  So this time I’m going to make sure that I’m thoughtful about what I purchase, why I’m purchasing and why I decide not to purchase something.

Have you tried any of these products?  Have I made some good choices?  Not so good choices?  What have I missed?  What are you buying at the VIB sale?  Let me know below!

Thanks for reading!

Review: Too Faced Most Loved Set

I have a confession to make: I love samples.  And I love sample sets even more.  Why?  Because I HATE shelling over major bucks to purchase a full size product to try out only to discover that they don’t work for me.

I came across this Too Faced Most Loved Set at Sephora a few months ago and at the time, I was going to purchase the full sizes of the Chocolate Soleil Bronzer and one of their Long Wear Lipsticks.  When I saw this set and all that it included, those were quickly forgotten.  Not only did it include smaller sizes of the lipstick and bronzer, but it included 3 other samples including their Better Than Sex mascara which I have been wanting to try for a long time.

Unfortunately it appears as though this set is no longer available online (either via Sephora or the Too Faced website).  I believe this was limited edition set but I have seen some of them available in store at Sephora.   I’m not sure why they’d make this limited edition as it seems like it’d make it a good staple product but I guess that’s not for me to understand!   I paid $32 CAD for this and I found it at Sephora in what I like to refer to as crack corner (the section stuffed with all kinds of great little products near the checkout).

Now, on to my reviews of each item included in the set:

Hangover Face Primer

This primer had to be the dark horse of this entire box.  I took a quick look at it when I opened up the set but when I saw the words “Coconut Water” it made me nervous.  Mainly because a few months ago I was using the coconut milk version of the eos lip balm and it made me break out around my mouth.  So I was pretty cautious about using this but after reading some reviews on Sephora’s website and not really seeing any complaining about it causing breakouts, I figured I’d give it a try.  And I’m so glad I did!

I’ve been using it with my Covergirl Outlast foundation and the combination of the two give my skin a dewy yet natural look.  Which I never thought I’d like because I have combination skin and my t-zone tends to get progressively oily throughout the day.  And I won’t lie, about mid day I do use a blotting sheet on my t-zone, but I don’t feel like I look greaseball-ish.  Just a little excess shine that I can easily get away with at this time of year.

The other thing I really like about this is how much skin just soaks this up.  Perhaps my skin is dehydrated right now (which it very well could be) but it doesn’t leave the tacky, sticky feeling behind that many primers do, nor does it take forever to set.  I can apply this and then immediately apply foundation with zero issues.   The consistency of this is similar to a light lotion and it really feels more like a moisturizer than a primer to me.  Which may explain why I feel like my skin’s condition has improved since I’ve started using this – I’ve had zero breakouts in the last month, which for me is really rare. And did I mention this scent?  Coconuts!  It’s nothing overpowering, just light and slightly sweet.

If I had to pick a drawback I suppose it would be the price.  I feel like $40 for a primer is a bit much but when I find something that works for me I’m willing to pay for it.  I just purchased the full size of this last week as I’m close to using up the sample size.  I have been using the sample size for a month straight and I wouldn’t call it particularly generous size-wise.  Therefore I see the full size lasting me a good long while, so I can justify the cost.  Ultimately this gets  a big thumbs up from me!

Shadow Insurance Eye Shadow Primer

I’ve tried quite a few eyeshadow primers over the years and have had some mixed results.  I have very oily lids and if I don’t use a primer, my eyeshadow is guaranteed to crease. Overall I’d say this worked well – I tried it out using a variety of different eyeshadows and I never had to worry about creasing at all.  It has a rather thin consistency so it definitely doesn’t completely cover up any discoloration or visible veins on your eyelids.  I don’t care too much about that – I do have visible veins but once I apply eyeshadow they disappear or blend in.  But if that’s an area of concern for you, this might not do the job.

If I was going to purchase a high-end eye primer, this would definitely top the list.  The problem being I’m currently loving this e.l.f eye primer that costs $2 (review here).  I don’t see any differences between that one and this one and the price difference is significant.  Plus the e.l.f. version has a doe foot applicator which I prefer over the tube format.  So I don’t see myself purchasing the full size of this right now but I won’t rule it out in the future.

Chocolate Soleli Matte Bronzer

Bronzer is something I use every day, no matter the season because I’m pretty pale.  And I find even a little bit of bronzer makes such a difference with brightening my complexion.  The key for me is finding one that isn’t too intense or orange and can blend well.  When I first saw this one out of the box, I thought there was no way this was going to work for me.  It looked REALLY dark.  And then I swatched it and realized it’s really not as pigmented as it looks.  Which for me, is great.  If you have darker skin, this may be a disappointment for you.  I can apply this and blend it out to the point where it doesn’t even look like I put any of it on.  Is that a good thing?  I”m not sure.

What I really like about this is the scent – it smells like cocoa powder.   Which, on one hand, feels a little weird, like I’m brushing hot chocolate mix on my face.  But on the other hand, is ingenious!  Why shouldn’t cosmetics smell good?  Between using this and the primer, I’m craving something sweet by 6:30 every morning!

One drawback on this for me is the fact that there doesn’t seem to be much staying power with this.  I definitely do not have any of this left on my face by the end of the day.  So that’s slightly disappointing but not a deal breaker for me; rarely at the end of a 15 hour day do I have much left on my face.  I’m also not a fan of the cardboard packaging; while it is lightweight and can protect powder products pretty well (compared to plastic or metal), I just find its damages so easily.  You can see in the picture above what this looks like after some use.  The good thing is the full-size comes in what looks like a beautiful compact so this is only an issue with this sample size.

This little pan is going to take me a while to get through, so I don’t see myself needing to purchase the full-size of this any time soon.  I think I’ll definitely consider buying the full-size when the time comes but that’s a long ways away and who knows what new bronzers may be out by then? 🙂

Melted Long Wear Lipstick (Melted Fig)

As I’ve mentioned before, me and long-wearing lipsticks typically don’t get along.  I have naturally dry lips so anything matte or long-lasting tend to enhance and exacerbate dryness.  Despite that, I was intrigued to try these after testing out a few of these in store and liking how creamy and smooth they felt.

I can happily report that my initial opinion of these was correct.  I don’t find this drying at all, yet it does have some pretty good staying power.  It definitely isn’t transfer-proof and won’t stay in place through eating or drinking but under normal conditions but it does stick around for a good amount of time.  It has kind of a creamy, light mousse texture that glides on smoothly; I wasn’t sure if I was going to lip the sponge tip applicator but I found it actually made it quite easy to apply and apply evenly at that (and I’m horrible at this).

This colour is impressively pigmented.  It’s described as a “rosy orchid” but its more of a plum/berry shade on my lips which is perfect for fall.  One last thing – this does have a scent.  I’d describe it as a fruity/candy like scent which I personally enjoy.  It fades once it’s applied though, so you don’t have to worry about it lingering.

I honestly don’t have a bad thing to say about this!  I’m looking forward to trying out the other shades to see if they are equally as impressive!

 

 

Better Than Sex Mascara

There’s nothing I like more than a good mascara.  If I had to pick just one item of makeup to wear each day, mascara would be it.  So I’m always on the hunt for the next greatest version but I rarely purchase ones from outside of the drugstore.  If I’m going to spend money on an expensive product, it’s going to be on things like skin care, foundation, primer, eyeshadow palettes, etc.  Things that will last longer than a month or two and where I really feel like I’m getting my money’s worth.  There are so many great drugstore mascaras out there that I just don’t feel the need to splurge on them.

And then I tried this one.  And it may have swayed me from that opinion.  Mainly because this has done amazing things to my lashes.  Using this makes them look natural yet dramatic.  I wouldn’t say they look super voluminious but it adds crazy length and definition.  I find it gives them that fanned out, fluttery look which for me, is a hard look to achieve by using mascara alone.  I also love that I can build this up – some mascaras dry too quickly which always means I end up with clumpy, stuck-together lashes if I try applying more than one coat.  I can apply multiple coats of this within about 30 seconds of each other without worrying about that.

The downside – this does flake.  I find it flakes the most when I apply too many coats of it – but I like a lot (I mean a lot) of coats so that could be my fault.  And when I first started using this I found it a bit clumpy – but as it dried out a bit that disappeared.  Despite this, I will be purchasing the full-size of this.  The pros outweighed the cons so I’ll definitely report back once I’ve purchased the full-size and used it enough to see if I still feel the same way about it.

 

 

 

 

 

And that wraps up my thoughts on this set.  Overall, I was super impressed with everything and I understand why all of these products are classified as “most loved”.  They are all most deserving of the title!  I also appreciated that the samples included were of a decent size so that I could really give them a good try before committing to the full-sized versions.

Have you tried any of these Too Faced products or this set specifically?  If so, leave me a comment below, I’d love to know your thoughts!

Thanks for reading!

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!