Recent Makeup Purchases (And Mini Reviews!)

Hey guys! Today I'm going to show you some recent makeup purchases, both from the drugstore and Sephora. I haven't tried all of these products yet, but for the ones that I have, I'll give a short review.

Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in 103 True Ivory

I have yet to try this foundation, but I've heard super great things about it and I'm excited to try it. Plus, I found it on sale for $7 (instead of $10). It claims to be a feather light, liquid mousse foundation that controls shine.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light

I really like this finishing powder! It is different than any other powder that I own because it has very sheer coverage. Most of the powders that I own has at least a light coverage. Diffused Light is described as "A soft, warm, pale yellow that reduces redness, eliminates shine, and gives skin clarity." I agree that this product does reduce redness, and does eliminate shine for a short amount of time (it is definitely not mattifying). It gives the skin a flawless, luminous finish. I like it for setting my under eye concealer because it is so finely milled that it doesn't look cakey. I love the luxurious, mirrored packaging, and overall, I would highly recommend this product.


MAC Cosmetics Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20



I think this is the best concealer I have ever tried! It is matte, has AMAZING full coverage, and also blends right into the skin and doesn't look cakey! I love the pump applicator and this colour matches me perfectly. 

 

Rimmel Match Perfection 2-in-1 Concealer & Highlighter in 230 Fair/Light

I picked this product up on a whim from my local drugstore because my dark under eye circles have been AWFUL lately. I like that this product is both a concealer and a highlighter so that it covers because (I'm hoping) it will cover and brighten all in one easy step. I can't wait to try this product!

 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel

To me, there is nothing special about this product. I have tried it a few times and it's just okay. It's a brow gel.. similar to the clear Maybelline Great Lash, but 4x the price. I will probably keep this product because I don't hate it enough to return it, but next time I will just stick to drugstore brow gels that do exactly the same thing.

L'oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara in Blackest Black

I like this mascara so far! It has a super black, not too watery but not too dry formula and doesn't flake off. The "butterfly" brush is also super cool and nice to use.

 

Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm in 130 Tease

I think this may be my lip colour of the summer; I LOVE it! Although it looks very orange when swatched, it turns more of an orangey-coral when mixed with my natural lip colour. I love the super shiny formula and minty taste. 

 

NYX Butter Gloss in Eclair 

I like this gloss, and don't like it at the same time. I like how affordable it was, the yummy, sweet scent, the non-sticky texture and pretty light pink colour. I DON'T like how this product dries on my lips. It seems that after about an hour of wear, this gloss really dries out my lips! Although it starts off feeling very creamy and moisturising, after wearing for a while, my lips look really flaky. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat

I like this blush so far! The packaging is gorgeous and luxurious. The formula is very lightweight, but long lasting. It has a really nice sheen to it. The colour is described as a "vibrant poppy blush combined with Diffused Light for a subtle halo effect", although the colour looks more pink on my skin than poppy. I'm happy with this blush and would like to try more colours, but the $41 price tag is holding me back for the moment.

 

The Balm Instain Blush in Lace

I was SO excited to find The Balm cosmetics in my local London Drugs! I have never seen it in stores in Canada before! I was really excited to pick up one of their staining blushes because they claim to be long wearing and to give a flirty flush. I haven't tried it yet, but swatched this Lace colour looks soooo pretty and would be perfect for long, hot summer days. The packaging is also super cute (as all packaging from The Balm is!)

My (Small) Perfume Collection

 Hey guys!
I thought I would go through and show you the 4 perfumes in my relatively small collection. I don't wear perfume everyday, so these are the ones that I wear for special occasions and nights out.

Miss Dior Eau de Parfum

This is my newest perfume, and my favourite! It features notes of sambac jasmine absolute, essence of Italian Mandarin, essence of Indonesian patchouli and musk. I LOVE the way this one smells and I love the cute packaging. I would highly recommend checking this one out.





Lolita Lempicka Eau de Toilette

I finally purchased this perfume after searching for it for what felt like forever. AND I found it on clearance in a Shoppers Drug Mart for $20!! This lovely, sweet perfume features notes of lemon zest, apricot nectar, black cherry, iris concentrate, jasmine sambac, violet wood and musk. It smells amazing and, again, has very cute packaging! I would highly recommend this perfume if you can find it.

Taylor Swift Wonderstruck Rollerball

This is the only rollerball perfume that I own, and I really love it. I tend to go for sweet, girly  perfumes, and this one is no exception. It features notes of raspberry, dewberry, green tea, freesia, apple blossom, sweet vanilla, sun drenched honeysuckle, white hibiscus, golden amber, musk, sandalwood and peach. I'm not sure how widely available this perfume is anymore, but if you can find it, definitely try it out.



 

Calvin Klein IN2U Her Eau de

This perfume is an old favourite of mine. I received it for Christmas a few years ago. It features notes of fresh pink grapefruit, bergamont, red currant leaves, sugar orchid, white cactus amber, red cedar and vanilla. This is a great perfume, my only complaint would be that the bottle is a little boring.



Finally, I wanted to show you my bowl (from the dollar store) filled with perfume samples. It features scents from Lush, Marc Jacobs and Lolita Lempicka. I love having these easily accessible so that I can try new scents all the time.

Until next time!

Kelsey

Nail of the Day

China Glaze "Flip Flop Fantasy"

Hey guys! I just wanted to do a quick nail of the day to show you what colour I just put on my nails! Flip Flop Fantasy is a NEON coral pink. It's so vibrant and I love it for spring!  The formula isn't as opaque as I would like, it normally takes 3 coats. But overall, I love the colour so much that it makes up for the formula. 

Until next time,

Kelsey!

The Best Hand Cream Ever!

Hey guys!

If you're not familiar with the Soap and Glory Hand Food, you need to try it out! The scent alone was enough to get me to buy the product. It actually reminds me quite a bit of the Miss Dior perfume (my favourite perfume of all time), but slightly sweeter. The scent is quite perfumey and strong, and may not be for everyone, but I love it! The product itself is not too thick, yet not too watery. It's just right. It sinks right into the skin and isn't greasy at all in my opinion. The product features shea butter, macadamia oil and sweet almond oil which are all super hydrating. I love applying this hand cream right before bed and I wake up with super smooth and hydrated hands. 

This is the product shown on my skin. It can be purchased for $5 for 50 mL at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Until next time,

Kels

My Favourite Lip Glosses!



Hey guys! Considering my blogs name, I thought that it was only time before I showed you my favourite lip glosses. I have 5 different lip glosses and 4 different formula's to show you. Here they are (in no particular order):

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in 180 Pink Pop (SPF 15)
I love everything about this product from the price ($7 at Walmart) to the finish. The Revlon Super Lustrous Glosses have one of the best formula's out there. They last a long time without being too sticky, have just enough colour and shine and overall just feel really nice on the lips. Pink Pop, my favourite colour from the line, is a bright, vibrant, semi-sheer hot pink and is one of my go-to summer colours! Plus I love that it has a little bit of SPF. This product has no scent.

Maybelline New York Color Sensational The Elixir in 080 Captivating Carnation
This product is my newest, yet one of my favourite lip gloss finds. This product actually claims to be more than just a lip gloss, claiming that it is a lip balm, lip stick and lip gloss all in one, and I agree. The formula is super smooth and hydrating like a lip balm, very opaque and pigmented like a lipstick and has the glossiness that I look for in a lip gloss. This product feels AMAZING, has a great, large applicator, and a fantastic vanilla scent! The colour is a creamy rose/mauve colour. It has no shimmer or sparkle whatsoever and is perfect for everyday. It retails at Walmart for $9.

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in 129 Beige
You'll notice that all of my lip gloss favourites have a similar feel- smooth and not at all sticky. This NYX gloss is no exception. It has a creamy texture and shiny finish with no sparkle. The colour is a beautiful midtone pink (not at all beige) that,is again, great for everyday wear. It looks great on its own, or paired over a pink lipstick to amp up the colour. The applicator is a great doe-foot applicator and the product has a yummy candy scent. I highly recommend this gloss! You can find it at Target in Canada.

Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Sophia
This gloss is actually a sample size that I received from Sephora (it is 0.07 fl oz. instead of the full size 0.15 fl oz.) but it has lasted such a long time and I absolutely love it. The formula is, again, not sticky and very shiny. This gloss, though, unlike the previous 3 has quite a bit of shimmer, which I like because it adds a nice, shiny lustre. It is definitely NOT glittery, so you don't have to worry about that! Sephora describes it as a "sweetheart pink", I would describe the colour as a sheer, pale, shimmery pink. The scent of these is lovely! It almost starts as a caramel scent, then turns into a peppermint scent. I like that because I find that it makes my breath fresher and minty. This product retails for $23 at Sephora.

 

 

Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Dolly
Another sample sized Full-On Lip Polish, Dolly is said to be a cult favourite colour and I can see why. It is described as a "shimmering sultry mauve" and I completely agree. The colour is just so beautiful on its own! These glosses are said to have a tingling, plumping effect, and they do, but it is very, very subtle. This line of glosses is also great because it features TONS of colour selection and is formulated with no parabens or sulfates. I 100% recommend them.

From left to right- Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Sophia, Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Dolly, NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Beige, Maybelline Color Sensational The Elixir in Captivating Carnation, Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Pink Pop.

 

Do you own any of these glosses?

 

Until next time...

 

Kels

Go Grease Lightning!

 

Hey guys!

 

Meet Grease Lighting- my favourite spot treatment of all time! You can find this little baby at Lush Cosmetics (I will link it down below). Grease Lightning combines tea tree and rosemary infusion with soothing aloe vera gel, thyme, lavender oil, witch hazel and sea water among other fabulous ingredients to clear up problem skin in no time. It goes on clear so that you can wear it under makeup or put it on at night. When I'm breaking out, I like to apply it twice a day to freshly cleansed skin. It has a subtle tea tree, herb-y scent (as most Lush products do) but I don't mind it at all. It is fast acting and more effective than any salicylic acid spot treatment that I have ever used!It is effective at controlling oil, as well, so I will often put a thin layer all over my nose and forehead which is where I get the most oily. I have been using this product for over two years now, and it is still my go to spot treatment. I can't say enough good things about it, and of of course I highly recommend it! Go Grease Lightning!

 

This product retails at Lush Cosmetics for $13.95 for 45g.

http://www.lush.ca/Grease-Lightning/02896,en_CA,pd.html

What is your favourite Lush Product? Until next time,

Kelsey <3

FAIL Products #1

Hey guys! Some of my favourite things to read about are fail or disappointing products. We always hear about great products that we should try, but sometimes it's good to know what products just SUCK so we don't waste our money on them. These products may or may not have worked for you, but they DID NOT work for me, so I thought I'd share them.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder, 005 Silky Beige
Luckily this product was very inexpensive, because I hate it. I hate the packaging, I hate that the main ingredient is talc (it clogs pores), I hate that it has mineral oil, I hate the finish, I hate that it doesn't keep me matte at all (this may be the most disappointing thing as this product claims to keepshine free for up to 5 hours) and I HATE how cakey this powder makes me look! Basically, I don't have one good thing to say about it. I have tried it on countless occasions and I just can't make it work for me.

I hate the junky packaging!!!!

Nars Pro-Prime Pore Refining Primer Oil-Free

 This was a sample that I received from Sephora a while back, and I will definitely not be purchasing the full-size. There wasn't anything wrong with this product, per say. It just didn't do anything for me. It has no colour and went on very watery. It felt light and smelled fine, I just don't feel that it refined my pores at all or helped my makeup stay on any longer. This product retails for $38 for 1 oz. at Sephora, but I would skip it.

 Clinique Clarifying Lotion for Dry Combination Skin
 As you can see from the picture below, I did like this product at one time. I got through over half the bottle. The one thing that I did like when I used this after cleansing my face is that it really tightened up my pores and made them look significantly smaller. What I didn't like, and why I stopped using this product is that it contains alcohol which was drying my skin out completely, and this is the version for dry/combo skin! I simply couldn't find a moisturiser rich enough to hydrate my skin when I was using this product. This product also contains salicylic acid, which I avoid because it breaks me out (ironic, hey?). This toner has a very strong alcohol smell which I didn't like at all. I will be giving this product away. You can find it at Sephora or Clinique counters.

Dermaglow Glycolic 10% Gentle Peel Solution
I picked up this product at Shoppers Drug Mart after reading great reviews online. I was looking for a gentle way to enhance the radiance of my skin. You're supposed to use this product like a toner, which I did.I used this product as directed, on a cotton pad at night about 3 times a week. It was extremely gentle and had no scent. But guys, THIS PRODUCT BROKE ME OUT LIKE NO OTHER. I stopped using this immediately after I broke out so I was unable to tell if it really worked. I may keep this product and try using it just once a week, but definitely not more than that. I may even end up returning it.

Until next time,

Kelsey

Bite Agave Lip Mask Review

Hey guys! For my first review, I wanted to talk about a recent Sephora purchase that I have heard sooo many bloggers talk about- The Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask.

 

First of all, let me say that this is an expensive product- much more than I would normally spend on a lip balm. I have to say, the whole lip "mask" idea really suckered me in because I am a huge fan of slathering on thicker lip products such as this before bed, plus this product had great reviews. So here's what I think:

 

The good:

This product tastes very nice, like a sweet vanilla or marshmallow taste. The product also contains good, natural ingredients such as Resveratrol (an antioxidant) and jojoba oil, which is great for adding moisture.

The bad:
THE PRICE! I can't get over how expensive this product is, considering that it is simply mediocre. It does a mediocre job at hydrating and healing my lips, and honestly, I've used better. (Dior Creme de Rose!) Combined with the fact that this product is just too sticky for my liking, this will not be something that I will repurchase. I will finish the tube, though, as the product is not offencive, it just doesn't work so well that I would pay the $30 to repurchase. I also forgot to say that the packaging is horrendous and makes the product so much harder to squeeze out.

 

Here is a look at the thick, sticky consistency of the product. It reminds me a little bit of a thick honey.

The Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask retails for $30 for a 0.52 oz. tube at Sephora. Have you tried it??

Until next time!

Kelsey

Spring Bedroom Decor! (Inexpensive)

Hey guys! I wanted to let you in on a few little decor ideas that I have used to spruce my room up for spring! They are all quite affordable and easy to make. I have displayed them all over my room and love the girly touch that they add.

The first idea is this miniature candle holder that I bought a while back from Bath & Body Works. When I ran out of the 1.3oz size mini candles, I decided to put the holder to good use by filling it with plant-filler beads that I bought in a big bag from Michael's (you'll notice I love these!) and a stone that simply says "Forgive" that I bought from the dollar store. I love the simple message and the elegance of the finished product.
http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/product/index.jspproductId=18409496&cp=12586994.12936192.4147337
(Candle Holder from Bath & Body Works)

 This next idea once again uses the plant filler beads from Michael's; in fact, everything in this decor piece is from Michael's. I simply bought a mason jar that they had on display (I love the look of mason jars) filled it halfway with beads, and placed in some fake white hydrangeas.

 I love the way that it looks displayed on the shelf below!

 

I can't take credit for this next piece-I actually purchased the fake plant and white vase from IKEA before Christmas. I love the pop of green that it adds to my bedroom! It is displayed here it its home on my makeup desk....

 And here in natural light!

And finally, I just wanted to show you the candle holder that I have been using to hold and burn my 3-wick candles (also from Bath & Body Works). I love the flowers and little birds. I purchased this holder a few years ago, but you can find something similar at Bath & Body Works.

 Right now I'm burning my Market Peach candle! YUM.

http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/product/index.jsp?productId=32176916

 

Until next time,

 

Kelsey <3