Author: Lea

Beauty, Review

The James Charles x Morphe Palette Review

by LeaLeave a Comment on The James Charles x Morphe Palette Review

Hey guys! For those of you who don’t follow me on Instagram, I am currently in the middle of my final exams for university. I had my first exam at 4pm yesterday, which is when I normally post around. That is why this post is going up on Saturday! I have another exam on Monday and then my last two on Thursday, so next week’s post should go up on Friday.

Sometimes in life you see something and know immediately that you need it. That’s how I felt when I saw the James Charles palette. I like James, but I’m not a hardcore fan. But when I saw the palette and watched his full reveal, I was blown away. I was actually looking to get a colourful palette when he released it, so it was perfect timing. I ordered the palette the day it released (I bought it in class haha). I got the palette within a week, which is pretty great because this was during the postal strike. The palette cost $50 CAD, and I bought a few other items to get the few international shipping. The other times I’ve ordered from Morphe I had to pay duties, but this time I didn’t have to!

Photo 2018-11-25, 12 43 36 PM

I asked you guys on Instagram if you wanted my first impression on the palette or an in-depth review, and the later won. So I took a couple weeks to play around with the palette. I was busy with end of term papers and studying for exams, so I still haven’t had the chance to use the entire palette. But I have done three different glam looks, along with playing with it for more everyday looks. I’m going to start the review saying that this palette is amazing, but it’s not for everyone.

This palette contains 39 eyeshadows, ranging in colour and finish. The top two rows are the more traditional glam shades, including transition shades, highlighting shades and a few metallic shades. In the middle are 7 larger pans, which James thinks people will use the most, along with one face highlight. The bottom two rows are all the fun colourful shades. I really like the layout of the palette. It is logical and eye-catching. It makes me inspired. My only compliant is that I could have done without the large highlight. There are already some shades to highlight the inner corner and brow bone, but I always forget about the one in the palette when I’m doing my face makeup.

Photo 2018-12-08, 11 37 54 AM

I have decided not to swatch the full palette – mainly because it’s a lot to swatch all 39 shades haha. I did just the rainbow to show you a few of the shades. As well, there has been some controversy about some of the shades not swatching well. If you are curious about seeing swatching, I suggest you watch James’ reveal video, he explains that some shades are better packed on than swiped. While it is sometimes useful to look at swatches to see how shimmers or metallics look, they don’t often trying represent how mattes preform.

Now for the actual formula of the shadows. These colourful mattes are amazing. I find the darker shades are super pigmented, and the lighter ones are pretty good as well they just need to be built up a bit. For example, when I used the shade Bee (the bright yellow) at first it was a nice light wash of yellow but I was able to build it up to intense yellow. The shades are overall pretty true to what’s in the pan. Some of the shades do get darker the more you use it, but that’s true for most mattes anyways.

Now the shimmers/metallics in this palette are mediocre. I’ve used a few of the shades thinking they were going to be bright and intense, but they were all right. For example, the shade Wig is a classic gold shade. I decided to compare the shade to the golds in the Jaclyn Hill x Morphe palette and the 35O (order in photo top to bottom is James, Jaclyn 35O). The other two shades are definitely creamier and more impactful, with the Jaclyn Hill one being my personal favourite. I’m not saying this shimmer shades are bad – they are still pigmented and easy to use. They are just not the best I’ve ever used, but they get the job done.

Like I mentioned above, I decided to do multiple looks with this palette to test out some different shades. I am definitely planning to do more looks with this palette, so check out my Instagram (@xoxoxoleelee) for more. The first look is definitely a little out there, but I loved it! I used the shades Punch Me, Mary and a little Code James in the crease, and then I put Bee all over the lid. My housemate said it reminded her of pink lemonade! All the colours I used for this look blended easily – like I mentioned before the mattes are definitely the best part of the palette.

The next look I decided to do a fun Christmas look for the next one. I also wanted to test out the red as well. I used Punch Me and 10% Off in the crease, then all over the lid I put Guac. While Guac was very pigmented, there was surpisingly not that much shimmer even though I used my finger to apply it. On my lower lash line I used You’re Kidding and WOW is this shade pigmented. It also such a true red. Some people were complaining that the red stains and yes this did stain my lower lash line, but it wasn’t that bad. I wore makeup the next day and it wasn’t noticeable underneath it. Finally in the inner corner I put some So Good along with some glitter. This was a pretty easy look to do! (Also excuse the massive bags under my eyes, I was so tired when I did this look. I took my makeup off and went to bed immediately after haha).

The final look I decided to do a warm smokey eye to test out the middle shades in the palette. I used all the big pans in the middle – Tune, Code James, 10% Off, No beans and Spooky. I used a combination of Halloween and Shook on the lid. In my inner corner I just used my highlight. Once again I wasn’t that impressed with Halloween and Shook – they were decent but not mind blowing. I am also not a huge fan of Tune, I would have preferred it Punch Me was bigger, but that’s my personal preference when it comes to matte crease shades.

Overall, I think this palette is great for people looking to get into colourful and creative looks, because the matte shades are the best part of the palette. If you are someone who wears prefers to stick to neutrals, I wouldn’t recommend this palette. Only half the palette are neutral, every day shades and $50 is a lot to spend on only half a palette. As well, the shimmers are not that impressive. If you are someone who likes neutral shades but wants a little colour, I would recommend the Jaclyn Hill palette. There are way more neutral shades and the shimmers are way more intense. If you are someone looking to experiment with colour, this is an amazing palette. It has all the colourful shades you could ever wish for. I am really happy that I purchased this palette, and I’m excited to continue playing with it.

Hope you guys enjoyed this really in depth review, let me know if you liked it and I should continue doing palette reviews like this!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Review

November Boxycharm

by Lea1 Comment on November Boxycharm

Hey guys! I’m just gonna start off this post with saying that this is probably one of the best Boxycharm I’ve received in awhile. It’s not perfect, and I will give a fair review of all the products, but it was pretty good. I also loved the goal theme they had going on. Every product was black and gold, it gave me real New Year’s Eve vibes.

Photo 2018-11-20, 2 40 05 PM

The first product is the Instaglam False Eyelashes by the brand Lashaholic Lashes. First I love the sparkly gold box that these came in. The lashes themselves are beautiful. They are long but wispy, which means that I can see the eye look behind them. The band on these are very thick, so they are not the most natural looking. I also had some difficulties putting them on, but I honestly find that I struggle putting lashes on the first time and then after that they are easy for me to apply. Overall, I really liked these lashes, but they’re not my absolute favourite because I did struggle to apply them. Price: $14.99 USD

Photo 2018-11-20, 2 40 36 PM

Next is the Luxie Luminous Eye Set. As you guys know, I always love getting brushes, and these are no exception. I really like that Boxycharm sent this set because these brushes are minis, so they are smaller than typical brushes. I have received larger brushes, so it’s nice to get some variety. These brushes are great for small eyes or doing detail work. The gold packagaing is also beautiful. Very happy with these brushes. Price: it says $21 on the card, but the website says $30 USD

The next product is the Coverfx Glitter Drops in the shade Nova. This product is beautiful, but definitely not an everyday kind of highlight. This is basically liquid glitter. I drop a little bit on the back of my hand and then use my finger to apply it to my face. It dries down and leaves little flecks of glitter where I apply it. I think this would also be beautiful all over the body. While I don’t wear glitter every day, I will definitely reach for this product when I want glitter. Price: $44 USD, $54 CAD

The Jonteblu Glittering Star Eyeliner is probably the only product that I don’t really like. Jonteblu is a repeat brand for Boxycharm, and to be honest I’ve never been a huge fan of any of the products I received from them. This eyeliner is not the worst, just the glitters back it a little crumbly. I put it in my waterline and it didn’t stay very long. Not the worst eyeliner, but at least the packaging is pretty. Price: $5 USD

The final product is for sure my favourite: the Ace Beaute Grandoise Palette. The eyeshadows in this palette are amazing. They are pigmented and creamy. They apply well using both my fingers and brushes. Overall the quality of the eyeshadow in this palette are amazing. I do have a few personal preferences towards the palette. The shade Patchouli is a little too dark for me to set my eyeshadow primer but I could use it for other purposes. The shade Primerose, which I used all of the lid for one of my looks, is a little yellow for my taste since I prefer lighter gold shades. I also wish I had a darker shade, because the shade Poppy is a little lighter on the eyes, and I wanted a shade to deepen some of my looks. But the shades Clove and Rose are so beautiful and unique, and Jasmine is a beautiful highlight. I really liked the pink look I did with this palette. For the second look, I tried to do a cut crease, but had so many issues with my hooded eyes haha! Overall, I really liked this palette and I would recommend to anyone looking to purchase it. Price: $24.99

The total value of this month’s price was $109.98. Like I mentioned before, I really liked this box even. I try to give you guys a critical review of all the products, to let you know whether the products are worth purchasing separately. I hope that is helpful! If you guys got Boxycharm, what was your favourite product this month?

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Fashion, Haul, Review, Tips and Tricks

Black Friday Sales Roundup + Haul

by LeaLeave a Comment on Black Friday Sales Roundup + Haul

Hey guys! Short story time: if you didn’t know, I am Canadian, so we celebrate Thanksgiving in October. In Canada, our big sales is actually after Christmas, on Boxing Day. Only until recently have stores done Black Friday sales here in Canada. So this was my first year going out to the mall to go Black Friday Shopping. So I decided I would share the things I got today, and also any online sales that I thought you guys might be interested in.

black friday

Haul

I’ll try and keep my haul brief, and focus more on the deals than what I actually got. If you want more details on what I got, go check out my stories on Instagram (@xoxoxoleelee)! I have my full haul saved under BlackFridayHaul.

First, the classic Black Friday Stop – Bath and Body Works. They had a deal where you buy three of anything, get three of anything free. I realistically should have gotten six candles to get my money’s worth, but I didn’t need six candles so I got three hand soaps instead. I actually really like the hand soaps anyways, so I don’t mind. The soaps I got were Winter, Frosted Coconut Snowball and Vanilla Bean Noel. The three candles I got were Fresh Balsam, Campsite Coffee and Snow Fall. I saved $22.50 in total, which is close to one candle basically. At Bath and Body Works they also had a deal where you spend more than $30 you can get a tote with goodies for $35. Finally, all of these deals are also available online.

Next I went to M, which is a great Canadian Boutique. Unfortunately because they are a boutique you can’t shop them online, but if you guys live in the GTA area you should definitely check them out. They have really good quality pieces, and while they are pricey they also have great sales. For example, before 10am today everything in store was 50% off, and then after that it was 30% off.

At America Eagle, they had 40% off the majority of their story. First I got a pair of black jeans with rips in the knee, but I was in serious need of a new pair. The second thing I got was a dusty rose waffle knit. Overall I was able to save $39.96 because of the sale!

At Indigo, they had basically everything on sale. All books were on sale, ranging from 10-50% off. I bought two candles, because I love the Indigo candles. The way the candle holder is painted, there are tiny holes that allow the candle light to shine through. The two I got were Snowy Pine and Balsam Fir and Paperwhite. I would definitely head in to Indigo or go online because they have so many deals.

The final I went to was Sephora. I didn’t get much since I have bought some much makeup lately. At the front and around the store they had a few items on sale, but most of the story was full price. First I got the Bite Beauty four piece lipstick set, on sale from $29 to $17.50. Then I got set of two eyelashes from the Sephora Collection for $15, which unfortunately I can’t find online. Finally, I got my VIB Rouge gift!

Sales Roundups

I wanted to share a few other great sales with you guys! Most of these are either online exclusives, or just weren’t at the mall I went to.

The first is Urban Outfitters, where everything is buy one get one 50% off. I love Urban Outfitters, I think their clothes are well made and they always have unique things. There stuff is just outside my price range, so I only buy from them when I really love an item or when there is a good sale. Also their home section is also amazing!

Topshop is also having an amazing sale! In store they had items marked from 20-60% off, while online they have everything up to 50% off. I find Topshop prices to be really fair, like you can get a t-shirt for under $20, but then they also have amazing and high quality coats and outwear, which are obviously more expensive. They also have some really trendy and unique pieces as well.

If you are looking for makeup, I have two recommendations. The first is Anastasia Beverly Hills. The deals they have on their website are amazing. They have $15 eyebrow products, 30% off eyeshadow palettes, 40% off Glow Kits and lips, and 50% off eyeshadow singles. ABH is an overall great brand, so you can’t go wrong with any of their products.

The final recommendation is Glossier. I have actually not tried any of their products yet, but I really want to because I have heard so many good things about this brand. They currently have 20% off and free shipping over $30, so I think it would be a great time to check out the brand. If I only had more money… haha I can’t complain I bought so much stuff today!

And that is my round-up of some great Black Friday sales, along with what I personally got. I hope you guys score some great deals, let me know where you are going/went Black Friday shopping!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Review

Huda Beauty Amethyst Obsessions Palette Review

by Lea1 Comment on Huda Beauty Amethyst Obsessions Palette Review

Hey guys! Today I am sharing with you guys my review of one of Huda Beauty’s mini palettes! I have heard so many good things about the quality of her eyeshadows, and that the formula on her mini palettes are just as good as her bigger palettes. When I saw her gemstone collection, I knew I had to get the Amethyst  Obsessions palette. Purple is one of my favourite colours, and I was actually looking for a palette with some nice purple shades in it, so it was a win-win for me!

Photo 2018-10-12, 12 16 07 PM

I also may or may not have been super excited to be take a photo of the palette with my amethyst rock. The palette comes with nine eye shadows, all different shades of purple. There is a range of finishes, from matte to metallic to glitter. All the eye shadows are very pigmented, which is really important for colourfully shades. As someone is not very experience with colourful shades, I was very happy that these shades were blendable, because it made it easier to do my makeup. Finally, the glitters did have a little fallout while applying, but once they were on the eyes they were set.

I decided to do two looks with this palette to really show off the palette. The first look I went full glam, with wing liner and lashes (excuse the wonky liner haha). I used the pink matte shades in my crease, and the bottom right purple/pink glitter all over my lid. I LOVED this look. I couldn’t help keeping myself in the mirror the rest of the night – even though my night just consisted of going to McDonalds and watching Netflix haha. Also, my lipstick was Scorpio Moon from Colourpop.

For the second look, I wanted to do something simple, to show to you guys that you can still use a colourful palette on an everyday basis. I used the dark purple to do a shadow wing, and I put the middle glitter in my inner eye. I really liked this look as well, and thought it was a fun-yet-basic look.

Overall, I really like this palette! This palette really inspired me to play with more colour, and I can’t wait to use this palette again. I also want to now try some of the larger Huda Beauty palettes. Let me know if you guys have any of her larger palettes, and which one I should get!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Favourites, Review

Sephora VIB Sale Recommendations

by Lea1 Comment on Sephora VIB Sale Recommendations

Hey guys! It’s that time of year again – time for the Sephora Sale!! This weekend is the sale for those who are VIB Status, which is 20% off. Next weekend is the sale for everyone who is a Beauty Insider, which is 15% off. Sephora doesn’t do sales very often, so this is the time of the year to make some purchases! I have decided to round up my recommendations on what to buy from Sephora.

VIB Sales

1. Stock-up on frequently used products

If you’re like me, you probably have some ride-or-die products that you go through pretty quickly. For me, that’s my Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz and my Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray. This are products that I use daily, so it’s nice to stock up on them.

2. A Beauty Blender or Brushes

Having good tools make applying makeup easier. If you have a good brush you can make even a mediocre product look better. Things like Beauty Blenders are expensive and maybe not the most exciting thing to purchase, so it’s nice to buy them when there is a discount available. I use my Beauty Blender daily to blend my concealer and apply powder, and while there are some drugstore dupes they’re not as great as the original. There are so many different brushes available at Sephora, but some of my favourite are the actual Sephora Collection ones. They have both sets and individual brushes, and some really cute ones too!

3. Skincare

Skincare can be expensive man! But it’s important to take care of your skin, because it makes makeup apply easier. There are so many amazing skincare brands at Sephora, and obviously every has different skin types, so what I like might be different than you. Some of my favourite brands are Origins, First Aid Beauty and Peter Thomas Roth.

4. Palettes

Palettes are probably some of the most expensive makeup items, so getting them during a sale is a great way to save money. Last VIB sale I bought Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam palette and the Tarte PRO Glow Highlight and Contour Palette. I really like both of them! Urban Decay and Too Faced also make some great eyeshadow palettes. Maybe I do a palette collection post sometime, let me know if you guys want me to do that!

5. Fun Purchases

I know that is a broad category, but I mean something that you would not purchase/use on a regular basis. Some examples include a new lipstick, some glitter or even false lashes! My lipstick recommendation are the Bite Beauty ones! They currently have some nice gift sets, so perfect time to try them out. For glitter, you can never go wrong with the Stila glitter eyeshadow – I own two and love them both. I also just bought the Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner, I will let you guys know how I like them. Finally, for lashes there are so many different ones, so it really depends on what you like/are looking for. I’ve tried the Sephora Collection ones and they are pretty good!

Those are my recommendations for the VIB sale! I also recommend to just try whatever product you have had on your wish list for awhile! The best time to try something is when you can get it on sale!

I personally only got a few products, so I will probably not being writing a full blog post of what I got. But check out my Instagram (@xoxoxoleelee) because I will definitively be showing what I got on there!

xoxo

Lea

Book Review, Uncategorized

Book Review 001

by LeaLeave a Comment on Book Review 001

Hey guys! This week’s blog is a little different than usual – it’s a book review! While I love talking about beauty and makeup, there are other things that I am passionate about that I want to share. Something you might not know about me is that I am a big reader. So I have decided to write some reviews for you guys! I was totally inspired by Jess of Sunbeamsjess. She has an amazing Youtube channel and a blogger, and she is definitely one of my idols haha! I totally recommend you guys check her out 🙂

Please keep in mind that while I love reading and writing, I don’t study literature or anything like that. So my reviews are going to be pretty superficial, but I thought they might be useful if you are looking for some normal suggestions. I’m going to group a couple books together in one post because I won’t be writing in depth reviews of them. The three I’m going to write about today I read in the summer. I am currently in the middle of a series that I started at the end of the summer – expect a review of that once I’m finally done that!

nov 2018

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

If you like historical drama/mysteries, you will love this book. The novel is based off the real murder of Grace Brown, from the fictionalized perspective of Mattie. The novel is set in the 1900s in the Adirondack Mountains of New York – a place I’ve been to and love! The story switches between before and after Mattie has learned about Grace’s murder, which really kept me in suspense. While the murder mystery is pretty obvious, I was intrigued by Mattie’s story. I finished this book really quickly because I was so captivated. Highly recommend for all my fellow historical fans.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

This book is very commonly read in high school in Canada, but I actually never read it! I decided to read it so I could watch the tv show (which I still haven’t watched yet…). I’ve never read anything by Margaret Atwood, but I can understand why her works are studied. The text is full of imagery, symbolism, and philosophical monologues. Atwood does a great job of balancing those passages with tons of action, so the reader never is bored. The story is a near-future dystopian tale, and while it was written over 30 years ago, the novel is still very applicable to today. A little funny side story about this novel: my coworker had to read the novel for summer school, and she told me this the day after I finished the novel. She said I really hyped up the book for her, and she actually ended up enjoying it! If you want a thought-provoking tale, I highly recommend The Handmaid’s Tale.

The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

After reading The Handmaid’s Tale, I wanted something a little more light-hearted. This is the second book I’ve read by Jennifer E. Smith. I also read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, and to be honest I liked that one more than this one. The story is about a boy and girl who get stuck in an elevator during a blackout and who basically fall for each other that night. They then almost immediately move apart, and through the whole novel meeting each other for one-off nights. While I think the characters and story was well written, the whole time I was just waiting for them to finally come together. While it was cute, it was a little too drawn out for my liking. This isn’t a bad book, but there are definitely better ones out there.

And that is my little book review! I hope you guys liked this post, and let me know your book recommendations, I am always looking for more books to read 🙂

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Review

October Boxycharm 2018

by Lea2 Comments on October Boxycharm 2018

Hey guys! It’s time to review my favourite thing – my Boxycharm!! Story time about my boxy before I start – it accidentally shipped to the wrong house! It happened during the fall break, when I was at home instead of my student house where I normally ship my Boxycharm too. Luckily I found it when I came back on the Sunday. I assume it was also at a student house, and they brought it over back when they came back to school as well. So glad they didn’t steal my package! Anyways, this month’s theme is Alter Ego, and if you haven’t seen the campaign photos you should check them out – Boxycharm did a great job this month!

Photo 2018-10-17, 1 31 09 PM

The first is the Dermovia Lace A Peel Black Bamboo Charcoal Peel off Mask. I am not a huge peel off mask person to begin with, but I decided to give this mask a chance. I like that it comes as a pack of two, so I can try it again. I also think the lace is cool and innovative, and did help with the peeling process. The lace was itchy while I was wearing it, especially around the ears. This mask was so painful. I did this mask about an hour ago and my cheeks are still red. It did a pretty patchy peel job. Areas around my nose and chin, which are my problem areas, did not peel off. Overall, my skin feels smooth, but when I look closely my pores are still clogged. But to be fair, I don’t like peel off masks in general, so maybe if you like them you would like this one. Price: $30 USD for two masks.

Next is the PUR Midnight Masquerade Palette. I have mixed opinions on the palette. I really like the face side but I’m not a big fan on the eyeshadow side. The face side has a nice balance of shades for lighter and darker complexions. I used the darker shades as eyeshadows and they worked beautifully for that as well. They are pigmented and blend really nicely. The eyeshadows are all relatively pigmented except the purple one – the purple blush is more pigmented than the shadow. My big problem is that it’s hard to create a full look. I would prefer three extra eyeshadow instead of the tiny mirror, and for those shades to be mattes to go in the crease. Overall, this is not that a palette I would recommend you go out an buy, but I will still use it. PUR’s eyeshadow quality is great though, so I recommend checking out some of their other palettes. Price: $38 USD

Another skin care item I received is the Farmacy Beauty Green Clean. I know some people don’t like getting skin care in their box, but I personally don’t mind receiving it. I was a little hesitant about this product, because I’ve tried other cleansing balms and didn’t really like them. This is the best cleansing balm I’ve every tried. It does a great job of removing stubborn makeup, especially mascara. It also doesn’t leave my skin feeling greasy after, and I haven’t had any issues with it breaking me out yet. It also has a great lime smell, which I love! My only concern is that when I use it to remove my eye makeup, my eyesight is cloudy for a couple minutes and then it clears up. It doesn’t hurt, but it’s still not good for my eyesight to be messed up like that. I’ve never had this issue with other cleansing balms. I tried to see if anyone else has this problem, but no one else said anything on the reviews. This makes me hesitant to use this product, but it is a very clean product so this might be a personal issue and not a general product issue. Let me know if you have heard of people having a similar issue! Price: $22 USD, $34 CAD

My favourite product in the box is the IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara. I tried a sample of the mascara and didn’t like it that much, but now that I used the full size I absolutely love it. I think this might be my new favourite mascara! It does a great job of lengthening my lashes, more than any other mascara I have tried. It also adds a little bit of volume as well. I really like how it makes my lashes look. The only downside is that the mascara is a little hard to take remove, but I think it’s worth it! Price: $24 USD, $32 CAD

Photo 2018-10-26, 2 27 02 PM (1)

The final product is the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick. Something I’ve noticed about the Kat Von D liquid lipsticks is that they are very different on the lips that in the tube. I got the shade Lovesick, which in the tube looks like a nice mauve nude. I was really excited for this lipstick, thinking that for once I got a shade I would like. Then I applied it on my lips, and it turned out to be so purple!! It’s good for bold looks, but is too much for me for any everyday basis. I’m just annoyed because there were shades I would have preferred to receive over this one. I feel like for every lipstick that I get from Boxycharm that I like, I get two that I don’t like. Patiently waiting for Boxycharm to actually take into account my product preferences… But besides that the lipstick is great! The formula is nice and lasts all day! Price: $20 USD, $24 CAD

Overall, this wasn’t a bad box. Most of the products I didn’t like were personally preference. Total box value is $134, which is pretty good! What do do you guys think of the products I got? How was your Boxycharm? Check out my Instagram for some great Halloween posts!

xoxo
Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Favourites, Review

Drugstore Makeup Guide

by LeaLeave a Comment on Drugstore Makeup Guide

Hi guys! Today’s post is inspired by my friends. They are always asking me what my favourite drugstore products, so I thought I would compile all my faves into one post. I tried to stick to just one or two favourites in each category. I have linked all the products to Ulta’s website, but for all my fellow Canadian girls I bought most of these products at either Shoppers Drug Mart or Rexall. Finally, the one product I do not have any favourites are primers because I do not own any drugstore primers. Let me know in the comments which drugstore primers I should try!

drugstore makeup guide

For foundation I decided to go with my current favourite – the Wet n Wild Photo Focus Foundation. I wear a lot of drugstore foundations, so it was hard for me to pick a favourite. I decided to pick this Wet n Wild one because it’s the cheapest while still being a great foundation. It has a matte finish and lasts a long time on the skin. If you still haven’t tried this foundation, I highly recommend you go get it!

While I like drugstore foundation, I usually prefer high-end concealers. A good one from the drugstore is the Maybelline Fit Me concealer. I really like this concealer in the summer when I looking for something that is a little more natural but still brightens my under eyes. If you don’t like heavy concealer I recommend you check this one out, but keep in mind it does need to be set to stay in place.

My favourite powder is a pressed one – the Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder. This powder is for all my fellow oily girls out there. I love using this powder when I’m looking oily and need a touch up. It’s lightweight and does a great job of controlling shine. I have hit pan on this product,  I really need to buy a new one.

If you follow my blog or Instagram, you probably won’t be surprised that my favourite drugstore bronzer is the Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer. It’s the perfect bronzer shade – not too orange and no glitter. It gives a beautiful glow to the skin, and it’s so easy to apply. It also smells amazing, which is a great bonus! Everyone needs this bronzer in their life.

A great blush from the drugstore is the Milani Powder Blush. I don’t like a very pigmented blush because I have a heavy hand and can really easily apply to much. This blush is perfect for me because it’s a buildable formula, so I look perfectly flushed instead of a clown. I also think the rose pattern is beautiful.

It was really hard for me to pick my favourite drugstore highlighter because I have and love so many. I decided to pick two that are complete opposites. The first is the Maybelline Master Chrome Highligher. This highlighter is smooth but blinding. It’s very comparable to Ofra’s highlighters but at a much cheaper cost. My other favourite is the Essence Pure Nude Highlighter. This highlight is great for when I want a subtle look. The Essence highlighter is great for no-makeup makeup when I want a natural glow. The shade is also very flattering on my skin tone. Both of these highlighters are great for different reasons.

For setting spray, I recommend the Milani Make It Last Setting Spray. This stuff is great for really locking in my makeup look. If I want to make my makeup last all day, I use this spray. The only thing I don’t like is that I can make my face feel a little tight, probably because of all the alcohol in it. BUT I have almost used a full bottle of this because it just does such a good job.

Okay, I’m not sure if this product is being discounted or something, because it’s not on the Ulta website but I was able to find it on Amazon! The L’Oreal Infalliable 24 HR Eye Shadow in Amber Rush is just amazing. It’s an intense eyeshadow that can be easily applied with a finger. I just blend a matte shade in the crease and then pop this on the lid and it’s a beautiful look. The shade Amber Rush specifically is a beautiful rose gold that I 10/10 recommend.

The best drugstore matte eyeshadows are the ones in the Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadows. I own Rose in the Air, and the mattes in this palette are great. They’re not as pigmented as some of my high-end palettes, but they are builable and blendable which is great. If you’re interested, check out this post for a more in-depth review of the palette.

If you like a brush liquid liner, you have to try the NYX Matte Liquid Liner. This liner applicator is probably one of the easiest to use out on the market. It has a fine tip to create a precise line, and it’s really use to create a wing look. If you have hooded eyes, like I do, then you would enjoy this liner. This is the only liquid liner I use because it’s just the best I’ve ever tried.

I have two mascara recommendations. The first is the classic L’Oreal Lash Paradise. It’s not pictured in the photo because I just threw mine out because it was expired and haven’t picked up another one yet. The L’Oreal mascara is great for making your lashes thick and voluminous. The Essence Volume Stylist Lash Extension Mascara is great for making your lashes nice a long. This adds length and a little volume, great for everyday use.

I don’t wear lip liner very often, but when I do I always wear the Maybelline lip liners. Mine is in old packaging, so I’m not sure if the formula is the same. These lip liners are creamy and very easy to apply. I also find that they last pretty well throughout the day. As well, they have a really nice colour selection, so check them out!

Finally, my favourite lipsticks at the drugstore are hands down Maybelline Colour Sensational lipsticks. They are a creamy matte, so they apply easily but still look matte on the lips. They are so comfortable on the lips and last really well through the day. The colour selection is amazing, but I think the nudes are the best. My favourite shade is Daringly Nude. If you don’t own one of their lipsticks, I highly recommend you go buy one right now.

And these are all my favourite drugstore makeup products! I hope you I gave you guys some suggestions for new products to check out! Let me know down below your favourite drugstore makeup products 🙂

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Favourites, Review

What I Pack in my Travel Makeup Bag

by LeaLeave a Comment on What I Pack in my Travel Makeup Bag

Hey guys! So I have been home this past week because it is my university’s reading week! So I have had a week off classes to relax (and catch up on homework lol). Since I am currently living out of my travel makeup bag, I thought it would be a good time to share what I usually bring with me! I’m not going to go into a full review of every product, more why I bring it with me.

So I usually bring two large bags with me, both purchased from Forever 21. I am looking for a really big bag, so if you guys have any recommendations let me know! Anyways, in my larger bag I keep my makeup and then in my smaller bag I keep my makeup brushes. I won’t go into what brushes I bring because otherwise this post would be super long, but let me know in the comments if you guys are interested in a post about that!

Photo 2018-10-12, 12 06 13 PM

I will go through my makeup in the order I apply everything! So to begin, I bring my Smashbox 24 Hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer. This is the only eyeshadow primer I own so obviously I bring it with me!

Next I brought two eyeshadow palettes with me. The first is my Colourpop magnetic palette with a bunch of single shadows. The single shadows I have are from NYX, Colourpop and Makeup Geek. I bring this little palette everywhere I go because it has a matte shade to set my eye shadow prime and basic shades that are great in the crease. I can just throw on some of these transition shades and I’ll be done. Then I usually bring one other fun palette with me. The one I brought for this trip is the Colourpop Dream St palette. I am currently testing it out, so that’s why it’s with me!

Photo 2018-10-12, 12 07 15 PM

I didn’t bring any eyeliner with me because I don’t wear it on average day, and I wasn’t planning to wear any dramatic eye looks this week. I will just use eyeshadow if I really want to line my eyes. The two mascaras I brought were the Tarte Tarteist Lash Paint Mascara, and the Butter London Double Decker Mascara. The Tarte mascara gives me major drama and volume while the Butter London one gives me fluffy, everyday lashes.

For my brows I brought my tweezers and my Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. This is a great brow pencil and comes with a spoolie so it’s great to travel with.

For some reason I’m extra and I bring two primers. At least both are travel size! The first is the Benefit POREfessional and the second is the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer. This primers are very similar, I honestly just alternate between the two.

My foundation and concealer honestly depend on which actually matches my skin at the moment. My summer tan is still pretty strong, so I am using the Wet n Wild Photo Focus Foundation (shade Soft Beige) and the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer (shade 20 Sand) because they are the only products I own that are dark enough for me right now. I’m sure in a month I will be using a different foundation and concealer once my tan fades away.

For powder I am currently using the Cover FX Pefect Setting Powder because it is the only powder that I have in a travel size. But I do really like this powder! I really like travelling with a mini setting powder because it’s not as messy.

Even though the packaging in bulky, I have to travel with my Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer. It is just my favourite bronzer – I really need to get a new one soon because I am almost done mine! The blush I use is the one I got in my Sephora birthday gift last year, which is a mini of the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes. I make up for bringing a bulky bronzer with bringing a tiny blush!

Once again, I am extra because I bring two highlights. To be fair, they are two different shades. The first is the Ofra Rodeo Drive Highlighter and the second is the Maybelline Master Chrome Highligher in Molten Rose Gold. I bring these two because they are less expensive compared to some of my other highlighters (aka my Becca ones). So if they were to accidentally break while travelling, it wouldn’t be as costly to replace them.

If you read my latest product empties post, then you would know that I cannot live without these two setting sprays. The first is the MAC Fix + and the other is the Urban Decay All Nighter. I really need to look into getting minis for these setting sprays for when I travel.

Finally, I brought a ton of lippies. I brought two lip glosses, two lipsticks and three liquid lipsticks. They are all either different shades or different finishes. I like to have lots of options for lippies haha! From top to bottom in the photo below: Sephora Collection Outrageous Effect Lip Gloss in XXL Nude, Bare Minerals GEN NUDE Buttercream Lipgloss in Must Have, MAC Matte Lipstick in Velvet Teddy, Girlactik Matte Lip Paint liquid lipstick in Posh, Covergirl x Katy Perry Lipstick in Catoure, The Beauty Crop GRLPWR Liquid Lipstick in Date Night, and Stila All Day Liquid Lipstick in Patina.

And that is what I pack in my travel bag. Products do vary, but these are the products that I am currently loving and decided to bring home for the week! Hope ya’ll have a good weekend!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Tips and Tricks

7 Tips and Tricks for Decluttering a Makeup Collection

by LeaLeave a Comment on 7 Tips and Tricks for Decluttering a Makeup Collection

Hey guys! Over the summer I bought a lot of makeup, so when I came back to school in September I did not have room for all my makeup products. I decided it was time to declutter my makeup (and skincare and hair care) collection. It took me a while to go through all of it, but I did it! I originally was going to write about all the products I was getting rid of, but that post would have been huge. So instead I’m just sharing some tips and tricks to help you guys declutter your own collection.

1. Sort through one category at a time

It’s really overwhelming to look at a huge collection and just pick through it. Instead I went through one category – makeup palettes, eyeliners, lipsticks, etc. – at a time and just compared things in that category.

2. Lay out all the products of that category in front of you

It is way easier to be able to decide what to keep and get rid of when everything is in front of you. For example, I laid out all my blushes in front of me and realized I had four pink blushes. I decided that I didn’t need four pink blushes and that I should get rid of some of them.

3. Swatching similar products to help decide

This is really helpful for products like lipstick or eyeliner when you don’t necessarily know what a product is like by looking at it. For example, I have so many nude lipsticks, and I knew I didn’t need as many. I swatched all my nudes, and decided I didn’t need to keep as many with cool undertones since I don’t wear that very often. Using the swatches I decided which ones I liked and which ones to get rid of.

4. Be realistic

I am a collector my nature, and I basically want everything. So decluttering is really hard for me. But I try to be realistic by asking myself how often I use a product. Sometimes I keep an eyeshadow palette because I think it’s really pretty, but I don’t use it very often. If I could create a similar look with a different palette, then I decide to get rid of that palette. I got rid of so many palettes because I found I wasn’t using them!

5. Create two piles for decluttered makeup: garbage and pass along

The first pile is pretty obvious – some makeup should just be thrown away. I threw quite a few expired eyeliners and mascara. I also threw out some lipsticks that I thought would be hard to sanitize, and also anything that was broken. The second pile is a pass along pile. I personally like all my friends go through this pile, and then whatever they don’t like I will try to sale. I mentioned this before, but there are some great online groups to buy and sell makeup. Whatever I have after that I might to donate if I can find a local place that will take used makeup. If you have any un-open I highly suggest donating that!

6. No ‘maybe’ piles

At first, when I was decluttering my makeup, I created a maybe pile. This pile was makeup I was unsure if I wanted to keep or not. The next day I decided to just get rid of all the maybe pile. I decided that if I wasn’t sure if I wanted a product, that I should get rid of it. I already have so much makeup, so why bother keeping products that I’m unsure of?

7. Clean makeup and storage before putting anything away

Once I went through all my makeup, I decided to clean up my makeup products and storage containers before I put my makeup away. Since everything is out, it’s the perfect time to clean up!

And those are my seven tips for decluttering makeup! This tips can also be used for other products like skincare or hair care! Hope this was helpful for you guys 🙂

xoxo

Lea