Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Product Rave: Nuxe Rêve de Miel


Everybody and their mother has been talking about this product, so I thought it was about time that I gave it a try! I am so glad that I did, because I really love it. It has a citrus/honey scent, but the scent isn't overpowering. I like to use this before bed, because it really sinks into the lips and I can still feel it lingering there in the morning. When you put it on, there are tiny little granules in it that melt away as you rub it into your lips. I think these granules help to slough away any dead skin, and once dissolved the balm helps moisturize and protect against the freezing winter we've been having lately! The balm dries in an almost matte finish and has no colour once on the lips. 


I have to say I am really loving this product! For all you Canadians out there, I picked this up at Shoppers Drug Mart for $17 CA.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Everyday Eye Makeup ft. UD Naked Basics


The other day I picked up the ever-so-raved-about Urban Decay Naked Basics palette. I have to say, I think I favour this one over the first and second version, as I am quite the neutral lover and this palette offers a variety of matte, neutral shades. It is so versatile, and I've found myself reaching for it every day since I bought it. I thought I'd show you the everyday eye makeup look I've been going for lately.



I start with my MAC Painterly Paint Pot (featured in my cream eyeshadow post, which you can read here!) as a base, and then sweep the shade "Naked 2" all over the lid. I dust a little bit of "Venus" onto my brow bone and in the inner tearduct, and finish off with a smudging of "Crave" along my upper lash line. I then use mascara to get big feathery lashes, and I'm done! It's so simple and yet looks so polished.

Do you think you'll pick up this palette? Or if you have it already, how do you like it?

Friday, January 18, 2013

MAC 130 Brush

I've never really put much thought or money into my makeup brushes, but after trying a few nice ones lately I've realized they really can make makeup application so much easier! Lately I've been sporting cream blushes in favour of powder ones, and I was on the hunt for the perfect brush for cream blush. I used to use my Sigma F50 brush, but I found it much too large. It was difficult to place the colour exactly where I wanted it. So I did some research and decided on the MAC 130 brush! 


I'm a little ashamed at how much I spent on this ($50.50 CA), but it does the job so nicely that I definitely don't regret the purchase. The bristles are so soft and dense, and its the perfect size for placing blush on the apples of the cheeks. It blends it out so nicely too!



Do any of you have this brush? What do you like to use it for?

Monday, January 14, 2013

My Evening Skincare Routine


Over the past few months I've collected some skincare gems and I'm quite happy with my current routine! I find that by using all these products, I wake up with glowing, fresh, healthy looking skin.

I first use the Bioderma Sensibio on a cotton pad to remove my makeup. I then cleanse with the Origins Never a Dull Moment Cleanser. This cleanser is meant to brighten up your complexion, and I find that it does just that! It also smells really nice, very fruity. Every few days, I use my Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream. This is gentle enough to use everyday, but I tend to stick to using it every other day or so. It leaves my skin feeling so soft!

About once a week, I use the Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. I apply a thin layer of this to my skin, let it dry, and then use a wet washcloth to remove it. As the mask dries I can really feel it just sucking out all the bad junk that has gathered in my skin. It leaves my skin a bit red after I've used it, which is why I stick to using it just at night.

For toner, I've been using my Clinique #3 Clarifying Lotion for years. I find that this toner helps renew my skin and leaves it with that tingly clean feeling.

I've recently purchased the Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst Quenching Serum and am loving it! It smells amazing, and instantly takes away that dry "tight" feeling that you can get after cleansing and toning. I use my Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion for extra moisture, and finish off with the Korres Wild Rose + Vitamin C Advanced Brightening Sleeping Facial. This night cream smells quite strong. I usually love the scent of rose, but this smells of rose plus something else that I can't quite identify. I love the effects it gives however! My skin looks so fresh and healthy in the morning! 

I forgot to picture it above, but I also use my Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Eye Concentrate for eye cream. I haven't been using it long enough to see the results yet, but it smells lovely (of lavender) and feels very soothing on my eye area.

I dab on a bit of the Origins Super Spot Treatment on any spots that have popped up, and then finish off with a healthy application of the Korres Lip Butter in Guava. This lip butter has a bit of a white tint and makes my mouth look a bit ghostly, which is why I use it at night. It is super moisturizing though, and I frequently wake up in the morning with this still on my lips.

So that's it! I am loving my routine lately and think the results look amazing. My skin is bright, clear, smooth, and healthy looking! I still get the occasional spot, but for the most part these products help keep acne at bay. 

Have you tried any of these products? What skincare are you loving lately?

Thursday, January 10, 2013

My Cream Eyeshadows

I was inspired by a post done by the lovely Lily Pebbles where she featured her cream eyeshadow collection (read the post here!). I have quite a few so I thought I'd show you the ones I've got! I love cream eyeshadows. There is something about them that is so easy; you can use your finger to slap some on your lids and you're good to go, or you can blend them out easily with a brush as well. When I'm having a lazy day and can't be bothered with powder eyeshadows I often just use a cream shadow and some mascara! I also like to use cream eyeshadows as a base and layer powder shadows on top for a little extra staying power. Enough rambling, on to the shadows!


There is an overall of all the little beauties. They are mostly MAC Paint Pots, but there are a few Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows and even a Maybelline one as well.

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in "Birthday Suit"

 Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in "RSVP"

 Maybelline Colour Tattoo in "Tough as Taupe"

MAC Paint Pot in "Artifact"

MAC Paint Pot in "Bare Study"

MAC Paint Pot in "Painterly"

MAC Paint Pot in "Rubinesque"

MAC Paint Pot in "Indianwood"

MAC Paint Pot in "Constructivist"

From left to right: RSVP, Rubinesque, Bare Study, Painterly, Birthday Suit, Indianwood, Constructivist, Tough as Taupe, Artifact 

So there you have it! If I had to choose a favourite, I'd probably pick MAC's Paint Pot in "Bare Study". It fits well with a lot of powder eyeshadows I wear on a daily basis so I can layer it with those, or it looks beautiful on its own too. If I'm rushing off to work, I often just put a layer of Bare Study on my eyes and I quite like the outcome! 

Do you guys love cream shadows as much as me? Any that you have your eye on



Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Face Of The Day Post #1

Today I had to go get a passport photo taken, as my passport expires in about a week. Although passport photos are notorious for being unflattering, I wanted to at least try to look nice! I went for simple, fresh makeup so I would actually look like myself in the photo. 


I first moisturized with my Embryolisse Lait Crème Concentre, and primed my skin with the Clarin's Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch primer. I then started off with my NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in the shade "Siberia", concealed under the eyes with my Bobbi Brown Corrector in "Porcelain Bisque", and concealed any spots or red bits with the Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer in the shade 51. I set everything with my MUFE HD Powder (which I love by the way!). 

I used NARS Laguna Bronzer to give my skin a bit of colour. For blush I chose a cream blush by MAC in the shade "Posey". I used my favourite highlighter, "Pearl" Cream Colour Base by MAC on my cheekbones, bridge of the nose, and cupid's bow to give that candlelit glow to my skin. 

I used an eyebrow powder by Elf on my brows to fill in any sparse areas. I only use the lighter powder, and not the darker coloured wax that it comes with. 

On my eyes I used the lighter shade in the Clinique compact, which is a light champagne colour from Clinique's "Like Mink" eyeshadow duo. As a highlight on my browbone and tear duct, I used MAC's "Shroom". I have a ton of mascaras, but lately I've been favouring my Maybelline Mega Plush Lash mascara, so that's what I chose to use today. 

To finish off, I spritzed my face with Urban Decay's De-Slick setting spray. I quite like this stuff! I think I might try the All-Nighter spray next. Finally, on my lips, I used the Korres Lip Butter in the shade "Mango". This seems like a lot of products but it took me less than 10 minutes to apply everything! 



Sunday, January 6, 2013

Bioderma

I finally gave in to the hype and purchased the Bioderma Sensibio H2O!


I have to say I'm quite excited about this product! I've been feeling under the weather lately, and so my skin has been feeling like it needs a little help. Its unscented, and is specially formulated for sensitive skin, which I definitely have as my skin reacts to a lot of products by breaking out into a rash! This can be used as a toning water, but also as a makeup remover.

I've used it as both a toner and as a makeup remover and I love it for both! Its so gentle and soothing as a makeup remover, yet is very effective. As a toner, I soak a cotton pad with the product and swipe it all over my face. My face instantly feels refreshed and tingly clean! I love that tingly clean feeling; it feels as though its really getting down into my skin and getting the job done.

I can't yet comment on the long-term effects on my skin, as I've only used this a few times. However I can definitely do an update once I've used it for a little while!

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Empties Post #1

I've seen quite a few bloggers (and youtubers) feature posts about the empty products they've used up. I love the idea, so I thought I'd start doing some "empties" posts of my own! If you're new to empties posts, I promise I'm not just some crazy person who is saving up all my garbage. Instead, I'm saving all the packaging from the products I've used up so I can feature them in posts like these and give you an insight into the types of products that actually get finished!

 
Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque I have to say, I was very sad when this product was gone. I found myself rationing off the final few uses because I loved it so much. Its very pricey, but this tub lasted me for a very long time (almost a year I believe). It smells amazing, and my hair felt like silk when I rinsed the mask out.
Garnier Fresh Essentials Vitamin-Enriched Cleansing Wipes I've gone through several packages of these and have already repurchased a new pack. They remove my makeup, smell great, and they are one of the only wipes that don't make my skin break out into a rash.
L'Oreal Re-Nutrition Nourishing Shampoo Not too much to say about this. I don't tend to go crazy with buying expensive shampoos/conditioners. Instead I like to splurge with a nice hair treatment like the Macadamia masque. This shampoo smelled nice and did the job!
L'Oreal Total Repair Repairing Conditioner This conditioner I actually quite liked. For a drugstore conditioner, it worked really well. I've recently dyed my hair, so I'm in need of very nourishing and repairing conditioners that don't leave it feeling like straw.
Sweet Pea Triple Moisture Shower Cream This was a pretty moisturizing shower cream, more moisturizing than a regular shower gel. Not much else to say about it!
Origins A Perfect World Antioxidant Moisturizer with White Tea This was just a little sample that came with my origins purchase that I made a few weeks ago. I found the smell to be very strong, very citrus-y and smelled kind of like tequila which made my stomach turn a little bit. It felt a little bit greasy, and yet my skin felt dry a few hours after using it. I don't think I'll purchase the full size, but it was nice to try.
Pan Oxyl Acne Wash This is an acne-fighting cleanser that uses benzoyl peroxide to control breakouts. I used to be able to buy this from Shoppers Drug Mart but haven't been able to find it recently. I'm sad about that because I really enjoy this cleanser. The bottle lasts a long time because you don't need a lot per use. It feels very deep cleansing and has really helped to control my breakouts.
DKNY Be Delicious Perfume I love this perfume! I am contemplating buying another bottle of it even though I have so many other perfumes to use up. Its fruity yet clean at the same time and lasts quite a while on my skin.
Philosophy Vanilla Birthday Cake Shampoo, Shower Gel, and Bubble Bath This was a free birthday gift from Sephora back in 2011, so you can imagine that I've had this for a long time! I don't know why it took me so long to use up; possibly because I like to use clean-smelling shower gels rather than sweet ones. This was nice though, it did the job and smelled like cake which is always a plus in my book!
Aussie 3-Minute Miracle Deep Conditioner I love this conditioner! Its cheap and makes your hair feel so soft after use. I've already bought another one of these.
Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, Lashes, & Lips This was just a trial size that I got as a gift with purchase from the Clinique counter. However I have owned the full size before and I do quite like this product. There's nothing really special about it, it just works well at taking off eye makeup. I've been itching to try the Bioderma makeup remover though, so I think that will be my next makeup removing purchase!
Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream This is one of the best facial scrubs I've ever used. The granules in the scrub are very small and very gentle on the skin. The scrub is gentle enough to use everyday, but I kept it in my shower and used it whenever I was in there. It left my face feeling soft as a baby's bottom! I also found that I got several compliments on my complexion while I was using this scrub. Definitely a repurchase for me.
MAC Pro-Longwear Concealer in NW20 I really enjoyed this concealer! Back in the summer I used to skip foundation and would just use this on the spots where I needed coverage. It lasted all day and is fairly full coverage. I believe this was my second bottle of this, and I would purchase it again.
Mango Mandarin Body Lotion  This was my favourite scent from Bath & Body Works, but sadly they discontinued it. I was hoarding this lotion for a while (I'm also hoarding a few of the thicker body creams!) but thought that I should probably use it up. I would repurchase this if I could!

Whew, so that's it! A recap of the products I've used up in the past couple of months. Its odd, but I get a real sense of accomplishment when I use up a product! I need to put myself on a spending ban and use up the products I already have instead of buying new ones. Anyway hope you enjoyed the post!

Mini Beauty Haul

The other day I took a trip downtown with a few friends and came home with a couple of new products. There's nothing quite like spending your day off with good friends and a little shopping in the city! 


The first thing I picked up was the Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask ($27 CA). I've been wanting to try this mask for a while and when I saw it on the shelf at Sephora I thought, "why not?". I've used it a few times and I have to say I really quite like it! If you'd like to see a more in-depth review of this product let me know, and I can make a blog post about it. 


I also picked up the Bobbi Brown Corrector in the shade "Porcelain Bisque" ($30 CA). This corrector is meant to go under the eyes to neutralize darkness and generally brighten up the skin. A pricey product, but I really wanted to give it a try after hearing so much about it.  

MAC Brick-O-La

 MAC Plumful

Finally, I picked up two MAC lipsticks, "Brick-O-La" and "Plumful". Both of these colours have been raved about by one of my favourite bloggers essiebutton, so of course I couldn't resist trying them for myself! Brick-O-La is an Amplified Creme formula, so it is fairly opaque but still moisturizing and comfortable to wear. I love this shade! Its a beautiful berry/terracotta red. Plumful is a Lustre formula so its a little more sheer, but build-able.

MAC Brick-O-La, MAC Plumful, Bobbi Brown Corrector in Porcelain Bisque

I'm very happy with my purchases so far! Has anyone else done some shopping lately?