June Favorites

Summer is here and hot weather is making me wear minimal makeup every day. 

1. 10x Macro Mirror
2. Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in Emerveille
3. Becca Beach TintShimmer Souffle in Watermelon
4. GlamGlow Thirsty Mud
5. Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Multi-Color Powder
6. MAC Enchanted One (matte)
7. Fresh Sugar tinted lip balm in honey

Found this 10x Macro Mirror at my local Winners. I have a vanity mirror in my bathroom which is 5x. Don't you find the best place to check your makeup is the little mirror on the visor in your car? But I rarely do touch ups in my car. This mirror is quite "cruel", not filtering any imperfections on my face but I need that so I can fix as much as I can.

My first Chanel cream eye shadow is Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in Emerveille. It is a champagne pink shade which I love. Even though it looks a bit shimmery, it doesn't show up much on my eyelids. I have had this for a couple of years and it does dry out a bit, no matter how tight I keep the lid closed. 

Becca Beach Tint Souffle has got to me my favorite cream/souffle blush for the summer. This is the shade Watermelon and not only it does smell like watermelon, the shade is quite vibrant in the tube but it transfers beautifully on cheeks. The lasting power is also amazing.

MAC Enchanted One is from their limited edition of Alluring Aquatic Collection released last month. This is my first matte lipstick from them and I am surprised I love the formula. I thought matte lipstick would be drying on my lips but it is surprisingly creamy. Love the your lips but better color.

Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Balm has been in my staple for years and years. My latest shade is Honey which is a nude, pink with brown undertone shade. I like to apply this first and then my MAC Enchanted One and gives the most natural lip look.

I have been using the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Multi-Color Powder every single day since I got it. See my post for swatches. Ever since I refrain myself from sun-tanning anymore, I still want the bronze summer healthy glow and this powder is perfect applied to give my skin some color.

Last but not least is the GlamGlow Thirsty Mud treatment. Who would guess this oily combo skin gal would need a good hydrating mask in the summer time? I always thought that I need extra hydration in the cold winter months. But I find with more frequent deep-cleansing, unclogging pores, my skin can be left quite dry and I need it to drink up all the goodies from the Thirsty Mud to keep hydrated and stay healthy. I also find keeping my skin hydrated would minimize blemishes.

What have you been loving this month? Care to share?

June Empties

Yes, another month flew by and it is end of June and summer is finally here. Yay!

As usual, finished a couple of Bath and Body Works 3-wick candles. This month, they are Honey Suckle & Cheers to Capri(Limoncello). As you can tell, I am a big fan of citrus lemon scented candles. This Honey Suckle has got to me my third one and love it. Cheers to Capri is a nice lemon scented one and it reminds me of the lemon-scented Pledge.

2 Hair Products: Tresemme Keratin Smooth Heat Protection Shine Spray & Organix Moroccan Argan Oil. Tresemme heat protectant is the best I have tried and this keratin smooth version is my first one. I don't find a whole lot of difference from the original one. Just the scent is a little nicer. Organix Moroccan argan oil is a more affordable version for the Moroccan oil which is 3 times more. I just find you just have to use a bit more of the Organix version to get silky soft hair but still as good. 

La Roche Posay Anthelios is my must-have sunscreen. I use the facial one year-around and refuse to try any other brand. The body version is nice but a bit sticky to the touch. 

My holy grail foundation as I have mentioned zillion times in this blog. Marc Jacobs Genius Gel in 32 Beige Light. Hands down, it is the best foundation I have used for oily combo skin. Light to medium coverage. Don't have to apply setting powder to stay matte. If you have extremely dry skin though, it may emphasize on dry spots. Yes, it is a pricey foundation but I love it so much that I'd rather splurge on a good one and save on other products.

Origins A Perfect World Age Defense Treatment Toner is my first one and my usual is their United State Balancing Toner. This one is nice but I find the United State really helps with controlling blemishes.

Ole Henriksen Ultimate Lift Eye Gel is a very nice and interesting texture of eye gel. I apply it at night time and it is perfect for overnight moisturizing and lifting. I heard they come up with a new formula and I will definitely re-purchase it.

Another deluxe sample-sized product I used up is the Josie Maran Pure Argan Oil Light. I have tried both the original version and the light version and for facial application, definitely go for the light version. I use the original one for the roots of my hair.

Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Cleansing Foam came with one of the White Lucent set I bought last November. I love their White Lucent Dark Circles eye cream but not sure about this foaming cleanser. Just so-so and it is quite pricey so don't think I would buy the full-sized one.

Last but not least is Lush Sweetie Pie Shower Gel. Love this sweet-scented shower gel and this is my third or fourth tube I finished. Will definitely re-purchase after I use up my other Lush shower products.

Have you tried any of the products? 

Buy because it is limited edition? Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Multi-Color

Have you ever seen something you wish you could have but found out that it is limited edition and no longer available? It happens to me very often and when I find out it is limited edition, I act a little faster to grab that before it disappears.

Here is my latest "grab" or "score":

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Multi-Color in No.2

Described as " Lightweight multi-stripe powder offers a palette of effortless effects. Acts as a highlighter, sculpting powder, bronzer and blush - all with a sheer, natural finish and broad spectrum sun protection. "

Chanel offers this limited edition multi-color palette in 2 colors, No. 1 & No.2 in their 2014 summer collection. No. 1 is lighter shades and more suitable for pale to fair skin tone. I got No. 2 which is perfect for my medium skin tone.

Three stripes which you can use separately or blended together. Top shade is a highlighter shade which has a bit of shimmer. Middle stripe is a chocolate brown shade bronzer and the bottom stripe is rich brownish coral blush.

L to R: Blush, Bronzer & Highlighter

Top swatch is all 3 blended

I am pleasantly surprised by how pigmented the shades are. I have read mixed reviews about ladies saying they don't show up well on skin. Each stripe is wide enough and I could use my NARS Ita brush and dip in the bronzer stripe. The blended shade may be a bit too dark to use as an overall bronzer for my face. I would probably use the shades individually. 

Overall, I am very happy with how this palette turns out. I am also glad I picked this up while it is still available. By the way, I got mine from the Bay.

Would you buy a beauty product just because it is limited edition?

TopBox June 2014

I opted for the regular TopBox this month. In case you are not familiar with TopBox, it is a monthly beauty subscription. We are given a few choices of boxes we would like. There are featured brands every month and we can pick which box we prefer. No guarantee that we would get the desired boxes but the earlier you send back your request, the bigger the chances you get what you want. That's at least my experiences.

4 products included:

KMS California Hairstay Style Boost

Teeez Chain of Stones Nail Lacquer

Bioderma Atoderm Gentle Shower Gel

Barefoot Venus Lip Fable

KMS is a hair styling brand that I use regularly. I don't like to receive hair products in my beauty subscription boxes as they are mostly items that I would not use. But this time I receive the style boost which I don't mind. Apply this on towel-dried hair to help your style last longer.

Bioderma is another brand I love. I have not tried their shower gel and I am excited to try this one. This one is aimed for dry sensitive skin and it is a soap-free foaming cleanser.

Teeez is a brand I am not familiar with. The nail polish I was sent is called Jealously Jade which is a pretty turquoise color.

Barefoot Venus is another brand I haven't heard of either. I love lip balm and always reach for one. Plus the packaging for this one is adorable.

Overall, I am happy with what I received this month and know I will use all of them.

What did you receive in this month's TopBox? Are you happy with what you got?

Sigma Eye Brushes

I have tried many of Sigma makeup brushes and their eye and foundation brushes are my daily essentials. 

E50 Large Fluff Brush *

E60 Large Shader Brush *

I use cream shadow quite often and E60(large shader brush) is perfect for quick application. E60 has a large and flat head. The bristles are firm and it picks up enough cream shadow and distributes evenly on the whole eye lid. When I am in a rush in the morning, I always slap a bit of cream shadow and this one saves so much time. 

E50 is a rather large brush in their eye brushes collection. It has a wide, flat and round-shaped head. The bristles are very soft. I use this to apply highlighter to my brow bone and top of my cheeks. This is a compact brush and it picks up enough highlighter and apply softly and evenly, giving it a natural look. 

I got most of my Sigma brushes from Sigma website. For us Canadian gals, shipping is costly. I am so excited to find out Obsessed Look now carries Sigma Brushes. They have a wide variety of brands offered, including ELF, Barry M, Beauty Blender, the Balm, Lime Crime etc. Even better, they have free shipping for all Canadian orders, no minimum. They have brands which I have wanted to try for a long time but haven't tried since I don't want to pay so much extra for shipping cost. Now I can splurge a little bit.

Have you tried any of Sigma makeup brushes? What is your favorite brand of brushes?

* product(s) are sent to me from PR companies for product review

Small Sephora Haul

I placed a small online order with Sephora. Honestly, I didn't really need my Origins Ginzing Eye Cream that bad. I still got a bit left but I wanted the VIB rouge gift so here goes my order.

I love Buxom lip products and VIB Rouge members were offered this 3-piece Haute Pink Lips set with any US $35 order.

I got my usual Origins ginzing eye cream which I love and have been using it for almost 2 years. It is my must-have in my morning routine.

I needed something extra to add up to US $35 so I put in these colorful Sephora hair ties in my cart.

3 piece set includes: Mini Full bodied Lip Gloss in Sweet Thing

Mini Full On Lip Polish in Nicole

Mini Full On Bodied Lipstick in Mistress

Left to Right: Sweet Thing, Nicole, Mistress

Buxom has got to be my favorite lip product brand. My favorite is their lip cream in White Russian which is a pale pink lip cream. I like to apply it on top of brighter lip colors to tone it down a bit. It is very moisturizing and yes, it is a bit tingling to get that plumping effect. 

I placed this order mainly to get this Buxom set as lip gloss shades are new summer shades. They are very wearable and goes well with a lot of my other lipsticks in  my collection. Most excited is the lipstick in Mistress. It is a pale pink shade but very opaque. Slides on easily and this doesn't tingle if you are not a big fan of their plumping properties.

Have you tried Buxom products before?

Becca Beach Tint Shimmer Souffle Watermelon Moonstone

Becca Beach Tint Shimmer Souffle has become my favorite shimmery blush for the month of May. I got Lychee/Opal(see my post for a review and comparison for similar blushes) and decided to pick up another one.

Watermelon Moonstone

Watermelon Moonstone is described as" coral red infused with pale gold".  Texture is cushion soft gel but after you apply, it would transform to powder finish. 

This souffle reminds me a lot of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush as they are both infused with their famous  highlighting powder. So basically, it is a 2-product in one. You can skip the step of applying highlighter on top of your blush. 

This watermelon one smells just like watermelon. My other Lychee Opal one does not carry a fragrant scent though. Moonstone is a pale gold which is not as shimmery as Lychee Opal(see picture below)

With Lychee/Opal, it is much more shimmery and really have to apply with a light hand. 

I enjoy both of these Becca Tint Shimmer Souffle very much and they last a long time on my cheeks with the hot weather. Highly recommend this for the summer.

Buy because of gift with purchase

I admit I am one of those gals who always get sucked into buying because of gift with purchase. With Sephora, they always have special promotion codes that you could add into your shopping basket. I love those deluxe sample sized products since I feel like in order to test out a product, you need more than a pea-sized sample size.

Since I am a Sephora VIB Rouge and enjoy free shipping with all of my orders(no minimal amount), I like to split my orders up so I could take full advantage of the gifts with purchase.

I got Benefit Big Easy foundation and GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Treatment.

Sephora offered this trio gift pack a couple of weeks ago. This includes a Benefit Fake Up concealer(in medium), First Aid Beauty Deep Cleanser with Red Clay & Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray.

I heard so much awesome reviews about the First Aid Beauty cleanser and I am excited to try this out. Benefit's Fake Up concealer is another product I want to try. I have tried the one-time use sample satchet but really can't tell what it actually does as the sample was so tiny. UD's setting spray is my favorite and this deluxe sample size is perfect for traveling.

This Fresh lip set was offered last week, which includes a lip treatment, sugar scrub and an advanced lip therapy. I love Fresh products and I haven't tried any of their lip treatments other than my holy grail lip balm.

Josie Maran has awesome products and this is the argan oil daily moisturizer with SPF.

Samples: GlamGlow Eye treatment and Nude Advanced Renewal Eye Complex

Currently, Sephora is offering an awesome Buxom lip products 3 piece set for VIB rouge members. This includes a mini full-on lip polish in Nicole, a mini full-bodied lip gloss in Sweet Thing and a mini full-bodied lipstick in Mistress. I think these are new summer shades and I have had similar sets from Buxom before and these last quite a bit and perfect to throw in your purse.

Would you still buy after negative reviews?

I like to do my homework and research about beauty products before I actually spend my hard-earned money on them. I am more adventurous in getting products which are generally safe to try out. Lipsticks are one of them. But for foundation or BB/CC cream, I like to know if they work for my oily combo skin.

Benefit Big Easy Liquid to Powder Foundation(buy here)

Benefit has its version of BB cream/foundation released earlier and I have always been a big fan of Benefit products. I would say this is one beauty brand that I have tried most of their products and love them. 

This product is not cheap, CAD $46 so I decided to try a small sample size from Sephora's perks a couple of months back and the little tube actually last me more than 15+ uses. 

I haven't read any beauty reviews on this product so I have an unbiased opinion when I test out the product. I have the shade light/medium and the texture is quite creamy and easy to blend out. As I love lighter foundation, this one impresses me. It is a breeze to apply and my skin does not get oily throughout the day which is very important for me, especially in the summer. The coverage is quite light so if you like a full coverage, this one definitely is not for you. 

This foundation is a liquid to powder formula. When you first apply, it is creamy and it sets quickly to a powder finish. If you like dewy finish, this one may not be for you. But in my daily makeup routine, I apply the L'oreal Lumi primer which gives you a dewy, luminous effect. So when I use this foundation,  it is not as matte as I thought it would be. 

I actually enjoy this foundation so much that I decided to get the full-sized one. Only then, I decided to read reviews on this and am shocked to hear the reviews are so mixed. Some say it is horrible as it leaves the skin so oily mid-day and these are from ladies with dry skin. Some say it is so matte-looking that it makes your skin so dull and lifeless. Some say it is an overpriced BB cream which is nothing more than your typical tinted moisturizer. Others say it is easy to apply and lasting power is awesome. 

I am so glad that I got this new foundation in my collection. Beside my other holy grail, Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Foundation, the Benefit Big Easy is the one I grab the most. If I read all the reviews before I try this, I would have never bought this. So after this little "experiment", I have decided that some products work for some people and even though our skin types may be similar, you really don't know if it is going to work if you haven't tried them yourself. 

Would you totally rely on reviews before you try out new products? Or would you have enough faith in the particular beauty brand that you would try it no matter what?

MAC Enchanted One(Alluring Aquatic Collection)

MAC has really sucked me into their cute packaging of their Alluring Aquatic collection. The lipsticks were sold out online almost immediately and the one I wanted popped back and I grabbed it.

The packaging is one of the most impressive from their recent collections in my opinion. I got the Extra Dimension Bronzer in Aphrodite's Shell (see my post). 

The lipstick packaging is equally as cute if not more. The water droplets on the lipstick are actually 3-dimensional and gives the whole lipstick an extra  texture. 

Enchanted One(Matte)

Enchanted One is a mid-tone neutral pink shade. I have never had a MAC matte lipstick before as I have always thought matte would be a bit drying on my lips. 

The swatch doesn't look too nude on my arm. It has more of a brown undertone to it. The formula glides on pretty smoothly and to my surprise, doesn't dry out my lips.

It does not look too nude on my lips to make me look washed out. It is a perfect mixture of pink and brown.

I have purchased quite a few nude lipsticks from Maybelline Buff Collection and even though they look awfully similar, they are different(or maybe I am justifying to make me feel better haha)

Here are the swatches:

Truffle Tease is the closest dupe to Enchanted One. Compared to Truffle Tease, Enchanted One has more pink in it. 

MAC has released another new collection this morning online. It is the Sharon and Kelly Osbourne Collection. I browsed through the collection and I was online right when they launched and everything was still available but I had to use every single thread of strength not to buy anything. Are you going to indulge in their newest collection?

IOPE Color Fit Lipstick in Violet Pink

I got my first IOPE lipstick a couple of months ago and fell in love with how rich and moisturizing this line of lipsticks. See my post for my review on the popular water fit #44 in forever pink. I decided to get another one but this time from their color fit collection

I am getting more adventurous in trying out new shades. I used to stick with the usual mauve pink or more subtle shades. This time I decided to try #23 violet pink.

This shade is very true to its name: violet pink. It is a purple pink and it swatches exactly as it is applied as on my lips.

The color fit line is not as sheer as the water fit collection. It is much more pigmented and last a long time on my lips.

It is a more solid color and has a bit of gloss to it. Very moisturizing to my surprise as I expected pigmented lipsticks to be a bit drying. I am still new to the concept of wearing brighter lipsticks so I find myself just applying the bright lipstick with very minimal eye and cheek makeup and I am quite enjoying it.

Do you get out of your comfort zone to try different shades of colors you are used to wearing?