Feb 27, 2015

February Empties




Another "brrrrrrr" month has gone and we are closer to spring(wishful thinking :). With the bitter cold weather and heat turned on high inside, I grab hand cream constantly and finished 2 this month.

Glysomed Hand Cream
Soap & Glory Hand Food
Lavanila Vanilla Grapefruit Healthy Deodorant
Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover
Dior Creme de Rose lip balm
Olay Regenerist Luminous Moisturizer
Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Biotherm Blue Therapy Serum-in-Oil
Bath & Body Works Mint Mocha Bark 3 -Wick Candle
Spiced Latte Candle
Yankee Candle Chocolate Peppermint Candle

Glysomed and Soap & Glory Hand Food are two staple hand cream in my collection. They are probably the most moisturizing hand cream I have tried. There are other brands I have used before but they don't last long on my dried and chapped hands. 

Three other staples used up this month are Lavanila Healthy Deodorant, Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover and Dior Creme de Rose. I didn't quite understand the hype about the pricey Dior lip balm before but since I started using that last year, I could not rely on other lip balms. This is pricey but it lasts me a good 6 months so I could totally justify on the splurge.

I have used Olay Regenerist moisturizers for years. This has got to be the best drug-store moisturizer. With the price, it beats a lot of high end moisturizers I have tried. This luminous version is my first one and I like this better than the regular one. It gives your skin a more luminous finish which I love.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance is a deluxe sample size I got from one of the Too Faced gift set. This is quite a good eyeshadow primer but I still prefer my Urban Decay primer potion. I just find it applies easier.

Biotherm Blue Therapy Serum-in-Oil is another deluxe sample I have used. I haven't tried a lot of Biotherm products and I enjoy this serum. This has a bit of fragrance which I am not a huge fan but can deal with it. I apply this in the morning before my moisturizer.

3 candles I have finished this month. These are all Christmas-scented ones. As you could tell, I love peppermint and chocolate scented ones. This is my first Yankee candle I have used up. This is not as scented as my other Bath and Body Works ones but they last a long time and the scent is subtle.

What have you finished using up this month?




Feb 26, 2015

February Favorites


This month, I am all into lip products. Found a few gems from the drug store which I am head over heels in love with.

Maybelline Fit Me Matte Foundation in 220
I don't usually go for drug store foundation but I have found a real winner. Maybelline Fit me Matte is made for oily-combination gals like me. You would think matte formula would make your face look dull, cakey and dried-out. But no, not a chance. This new formula gives medium coverage. Skin looks so flawless and it does stay matte most of the day. 

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer
I have had this for almost 2 years and the chocolate scent is still going strong which I love love love. I am proud to say I am almost hitting pan which is a first for me. That tells you how much I love this bronzer.

Anastasia Brow Wiz in Dark Brown
I have a love-hate relationship with this hyped up brow product by Anastasia. I have had this for a few months and the reason why I love this is it gives your brow a very precise definition since the pencil is so tiny and you do short strokes to shape up your brow. It also last all day. As it requires small strokes, it could take a while to do my brows in the morning. As I am almost out of my other favorite brow pencil: Lioele Auto Brow, I switch back to this and loving it this month.

Sephora Cream Lip Stain in Marvelous Mauve
I have only had this for a week or so but I have been loving it so much. It is the most popular shade in the Sephora cream lip stain line. So highly recommend you stalk their website of go to the stores if you want to get one. It is the prettiest rose mauve shade. It has a sweet, cotton-candy scent which I love. It doesn't dry out your lips and the color stays on all day.

Rimmel Provocalips in Make your Move & Kiss Fatal
I can't get enough of these. Oh my, these change my life. Maybe I have exaggerated this but this is the most amazing lip stain I have tried. It is quite liquid-ey in consistency and more like a liquid lipstick. There is the lip stain part and on the other end is a seal/lock gloss. You really have to take your time to apply it and have to be patient to wait for it to dry. Once it is dried, you apply your seal gloss and you're set for the WHOLE DAY. I am not kidding. After coffee, drinks and greasy food, your lips still look like you have just applied the lip stain. It does dry out a bit after 4 or 5 hours and I either re-apply the seal gloss or other lip balms and they are good to go. I have got 4 shades so far and Make Your Move and Kiss Fatal are my favorites.

Feb 23, 2015

Small Sephora Haul


This is a small Sephora haul as I only purchased 2 products and the others are samples. I have been into lip products this month and I can't stop buying lippies, especially lip stains.

So when I see Sephora Cream Lip Stain in Marvelous Mauve is back in stock, I knew I had to grab it. It is probably one of the Sephora brand lip stain shades and it is always out of stock. 


It is a true pink mauve shade I love. It has a sweet scent which I don't mind. The application is smooth and it does not dry out my lips.


This is very comparable to the Kat Von D Lolita liquid lipstick(original). The reason why I said original version is it is supposed to be mauve pink shade. The shade I got is from a batch which is more brown-toned and a tad too brown on my lips. I like to mix it with some pink shades to make it less "vampy". 

I also got the Origins United Toner which is a staple toner in my skin care routine. I added that so I could grab the Benefit's new mascara Roller Lash sample.


Benefit has to be one of the cosmetic brands which I love about their packaging. Just the sample sized product, it comes in this very cute and sleek package.



The wand is with very tiny plastic bristles which is designed to grab every tiny lash. I have only tried this mascara a few times. I have straight stubborn Asian lashes which I only wear waterproof version so it could help keep my curls. This formula is a bit wet for my liking so it doesn't hold my curls. But with every new mascara, I like to wait a week or two to really conclude if I like it as the formula is dried out a bit. But the wand is tiny which I like so it could grab my shorter inner lashes.


2 samples I got are Dr. Brandt Needles No more and Fresh Rose Face Mask. I have tried the Fresh rose face mask before and really enjoy it. I haven't tried any products from Dr. Brandt before so excited to try this.




Feb 15, 2015

$90 Worth of Free Stuff


One of my 2015 New Year resolutions is to limit my beauty purchases. I don't "buy as I please" anymore but to carefully pick and choose my products. I also take advantage of redeeming points I have collected through various loyalty programs. I have already redeemed points from Sephora to get goodies. Now it is the time for Shoppers Drug Mart(similar to CVS or Walgreens in US).

This weekend, Shoppers Drug Mart is having a bonus redemption on beauty items and I redeemed $90 worth of goodies.

Benefit PoreFessional Primer
Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser in Light
Soap & Glory Calm One Calm All Bubble Bath
Neutrogena Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover
Maybelline Fit Me Matte and Poreless Foundation in 220
L'oreal Color Riche in Eva's Nude

Most of the products I got are my staples. Benefit PoreFessional is my everyday primer and it is the only primer I have tried so far to really minimize pores. Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser is the best under eye concealer, drugstore or high-end. So affordable and I layer this on top of my corrector and regular concealer to give my dull under eye area a bright lift. Neutrogena Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover is the best eye makeup remover. Gentle on the eyes and remove all my waterproof mascara and liner.

Soap & Glory Calm One Calm All Bubble Bath is my second bottle. I love bubble baths in the cold winter months and this one smells so nice and creates lots of bubbles.

L'oreal Color Riche Lipstick is my second one. I have the Jennifer's Nude and this time I got the Eva's Nude which is also a nice nude. Really enjoy the moisturizing formula and how smooth it applies.

Only new product I grabbed this time is the Maybelline Fit Me Matte and Poreless Foundation in 220 Natural Beige. This is a new formula released and I am trying it first time today and so far very impressed. It really gives medium coverage and I haven't set it with powder and so far it is staying matte and poreless as it claims.

I love doing redemptions and it really feels like I haven't spent any money(yes, I know, I have spent enough to collect the points).

When you redeem your hard-earnt points on products, do you grab your usuals or try new products?


Feb 13, 2015

Mid-Month Purchase Report

Mid-Month Purchase Report
Happy Friday everyone!

Half way through the month and I want to summarize of what I have got so far this month. I am happy to say I am still doing pretty good in my beauty purchases.

It may seem I got a lot but some of the products are deluxe sample sizes that I got from redeeming perks or promos from Sephora: Benefit Roller Lash, Beauty Blender solid cleanser, Marc Jacobs Kiss Kiss Bang Bang lipstick and the Algenist skincare set.

I am all into lip products this month and I notice I don't have a lot of lip liners in my collection. I grabbed a couple including NYX mauve and Sephora nano lip liner.  Realized how much of a difference with lip liner applied.

I just find my beauty purchases are always in phases. This month I am all about the lips. How about you?




Beautyblender beauty product
20 CAD - sephora.com


Sephora Collection lip pencil
6.31 CAD - sephora.com


Lip pencil
4.41 CAD - nyxcosmetics.com



Sephora
44 CAD - sephora.com


SEPHORA COLLECTION Cream Lip Stain
16 CAD - sephora.com


Sephora
1.26 CAD - sephora.com

Feb 6, 2015

Morphe Jaclyn Hill Favorites Palette

I got the Jaclyn Hill Favorites by Morphe Brushes a couple of weeks ago in the mail. It is a limited edition eye shadow palette which stirred up so much action on their website when it was first available on their website on Jan 1. I was ready to give up after a while and luckily grabbed one.




This is a 28 eye shadow palette which goes for $27.99 which is about $1 a piece. It is currently sold out online but I think they are re-stocking it in the coming weeks.


This palette comes in a black plastic palette. It does not say Jaclyn Hill on the palette itself but it comes in a cover with  the beautiful Jaclyn Hill on it. She is so big on Youtube and I lover her makeup tutorials. She is known for loving warm shades so I am not surprised at all that this palette contains mostly her favorite warm shades.




Other than her warm neutral shades, there is a good mixture of brighter shades. I have been trying out this palette non-stop since I got it. It is so versatile and you could create endless looks with it. This is my first time trying Morphe shadows and I am pleasantly surprised by how great the quality it is considering the price. Some shades are more powdery than others, but most shades are super pigmented and creamy. 

Only complaint about this palette is the actual palette. It is not a very sturdy palette and I am afraid of breaking it soon. The opening/closure is quite flimsy and the little tab is due to breakage any second. And I always need to use both hands to open it. Just wish it is one of those magnetic snap-close palette which would be so much better to handle, especially with the size of this palette.

Have you tried any Morphe Brushes products?


Feb 3, 2015

Rimmel Provocalips(Make Your Move,I'll Call You)


One of the most satisfying lip products I have ever experienced: long-lasting, non-drying and the colors are beautiful. Yes, Rimmel Provocalips have done it.

I got two more shades after I got my first shade(Kiss Me Fatal). I got Make Your Move and I'll Call You.




"Make Your Move"

Make Your Move is the "your lips but better" shade. It looks more brownish-nude on the tube but when it is applied, it has a bit of coral to it.



"I'll Call You"

I'll Call You is slightly-brighter pink shade. 


L to R: I'll Call You, Make Your Move, Kiss Me Fatal

I am just loving all the 3 shades I have and I am trying hard not to get more shades. One thing about them is you really have to take your time when applying. Since the consistency is quite liquid-y, you just have to apply the product evenly on your lips. Be patient and let the product dry for a good minute or two before applying the lip-seal. I have tried a few times when applying it in a rush in the morning and I have the habit of smacking my lips after it is applied. The product smeared a bit and the color is rubbed off in the centre of my lips, leaving a not-so-pleasant outer rim behind. But once it is applied and set, it lasts all day long. No more lipstick transfer on white coffee mugs and Starbucks coffee lids which annoy me.