Lea – Page 35 – Leave it to Lea

BIG Sephora Haul

May 18, 2018by Lea1 Comment

So I bought a bunch of makeup from Sephora to do haul both in March and April and I forget to write them! I decided to combine all the makeup that I recently purchased into one big Sephora Haul. There is a combination of new and older products. A bunch I got during the Sephora VIB Spring sale.

Photo 2018-05-17, 2 12 40 PM

Now the whole reason I did a Sephora order in March was to buy the Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eyeshadow palette. This is my first Anastasia palette, but I was very excited because I have heard good reviews of her other palettes. This palette is just beautiful and has many everyday, wearable shades. The shades are mainly warmed tone, but there a few cooler toned shades. The eyeshadows are very pigmented, so there is a decent amount of powder that kicks up in the pan, but nothing like I saw with reviews on the Subculture palette. The metallics are super creamy but have a lot of fallout, so I just make sure to do my eyes first with this palette. I am very happy with this purchase and I know I will continue to use it a lot.

Next I decided to buy the Huda Beauty Easy Lash in the style Camille after seeing Rachhloves rave about them in her videos. There are a demi lash, which means that only cover half of the eyelid and are generally easier to apply. Even though these are demi lashes, they are full of drama. I liked them because sometimes I find big lashes can completely cover my eyelids, but since these are a demi lash you can see my eyeshadow. The only thing I didn’t like was that since they were a demi lash, it was harder to conceal my lash band. Overall they are really well made and I am interested in trying some of Huda’s other lashes. Check out my Instagram to see these lashes on my eyes, in my St. Patrick’s day makeup!

Photo 2018-05-17, 2 14 04 PM

Next I got a mini of the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Microfinishing Pressed Powder. I received a sample of this powder and liked it so much I decided to buy a mini of it. I like this powder because it’s pressed but when I swirl my brush in the pain powder comes off very easily. There is nothing I hate more then having to swirl my brushes a ton to get powder on my brush with a pressed powder. This powder makes my skin look and feel super smooth and is pretty good a controlling oil. I got the mini mainly because it’s cheaper haha!

The final product in my March haul was the Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick. I had many good reviews that this was one of the best liquid lipstick and I must agree! I personally prefer comfort over transfer proof and this one delivers what I want. While the line has a large shade range, I find all the shades very dark. I ordered the shade Babe Alert, and while it’s described as a nude rose, I found it to be very pink instead of being more nude. It’s still a lovely shade, but I would have preferred if they had more nude options.

The second haul I did during the Spring VIB sale. I bought a bunch of stuff I had my eye on for awhile, but was waiting for a sale to buy. The first is the Tarte Tarteist PRO Glow Highlight and Contour Palette. I was looking for a creme contour and I thought this palette would be a good fit for me since if I decided I don’t like creme contouring I could still get use out of the palette with the highlight shades. This palette comes with one creme contour, one powder contour and four powder highlights. I really like this palette. The creme contour shade is smooth, pigmented and easy to blend. The powder is super pigmented, so make sure to tap off the excess. The highlight shades are beautiful and feel so creamy. I am really happy with this purchase and I know I will use it a lot.

Next I decided to get the Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Glow Highlighter in the shade Oyster which is a rose gold shade. This liquid highlight definitely has a learning curve to it. I tried to apply it with a sponge and it just removed my foundation underneath. Using my fingertips is the best way to apply it I find. I also was excepted this to be a more blinding highlight but it’s more of a glowy sheen. This is great for no-makeup-makeup days.

I wanted to get a eyeshadow primer so I decided to get the Smashbox 24 Hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer (because it was the same rating but cheaper than the Urban Decay Primer Potion). I have very oily eyelids, so I need to use a primer to make sure my eye makeup doesn’t get are creasy and greasy. This primer is tacky to it’s useful to just go over the primer with a nude/skin tone eye shadow. This primer does a great job keeping the eyeshadows vibrant looking. The only thing is that the whole the primer comes out of is quite large, so I have to be careful not to squeeze too much out.

Finally, I repurchased the Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Setting Spray. It’s my favourite setting spray, hands down. The mist is so fine and nice. This also makes my makeup look great! It takes away the powdery look and locks in the makeup. I use this setting spray, and a little MAC Fix+, every single day.

And that is my massive makeup haul! Let me know what you guys think of the products I bought, and what I should buy next time I place a Sephora order. 🙂

xoxo

Lea

Fashion

HUGE Spring/Summer Try On Haul ~ Forever 21, American Eagle, Winners and more!

May 13, 2018by LeaLeave a Comment

Hey guys! This weekend I did a bunch of shopping and got lots of cute stuff for spring and summer. I wanted to make this a try on haul so I convinced (or bugged really) my brother into taking photos for me! So shout out to my brother 🙂

Forever 21

I got a lot of stuff from Forever 21. I actually went twice because I decided to return something and bought more stuff in the process haha!

Photo 2018-05-07, 6 09 07 PM

First I got this Plus Size Floral Button-Front Dress. I actually didn’t know this dress was plus sized until I got in the dressing room because it was in the wrong section. The dress is a little big on me, but I often have the problem of dresses being too short on me so getting the larger size made it longer. I love dark florals and this dress is no exception. I also love the silhoutette and the button details. This is a great easy-breasy summer dress. Photo 2018-05-07, 5 56 25 PM I really wanted to get something gingham, and I really like this dress (I couldn’t find the link but there are many similar dresses at Forever 21). I’m not sure if I love the off the shoulder sleeves, but I can easily tuck them in or cut them off to make it a strapless dress. This is such a fun and simple print, and an easy-to-wear silhouette. I can already see myself rocking this dress with a bold lip this summer!

Next I got the first of three pairs of shorts. A lot of my shorts are too small for me so I had to get new ones (clearly I ate too much ice cream at school this year haha!). I got these black high waisted ones (a similar pair). I personally like Forever 21 denim. I know not everyone does, but I like that all their stuff has a good stretch to them. I like these because they are a little longer compared to some other pairs that I tried on, but I can easily roll them up if I want. Can’t go wrong with a simple pair of black shorts. Photo 2018-05-07, 6 07 50 PM This Striped Ribbed Knit Tank comes in a few different colours but I got it in navy/cream. I like this top because it comfy but looks nice. I really like these types of tank to just wear to and from work. It’s nothing fancy but still looks good. Even though it is knit it is not a heavy top. I know I will wear this top a lot. Photo 2018-05-08, 6 13 16 PM Photo 2018-05-08, 6 13 50 PM

I got a two sports bras from Forever 21. I like to wear sports bra both to the gym (obviously) but also to work so I bought a bunch during this shopping trip. The first I got was the Medium Impact Sports Bra in Pink (the bottom image). I have large shoulders, so I have sometimes have issues with the shoulder straps not being big enough. Because these are elastic they easily stretch over my shoulders. I really like this shade of pink, but it comes in some other nice colours. The second Sports Bra I got on sale for $7.00. They grey charcoal colour is simple, and I like the breathable mesh on the back. It’s a simple but well built sports bra.

American Eagle

At American Eagle they had a sale on their denim buy one get one 50% off. I’ve always liked American Eagle denim so I decided to invest in two pairs. Also just to note, the prices online are like $10-20 more expensive than what I paid in store. I don’t know why, but I would suggest going in store because the prices in the links are not what I paid.

Photo 2018-05-07, 6 05 45 PM

First I got these plain High-Waisted Denim Shorts. Everyone needs a plain pair of high waisted shorts. They go with everything! I like American Eagle because they have a little bit of stretch to the fabric but hold their shape after multiple washes. I know I will get lots of wear out of these shorts.

Photo 2018-05-07, 6 03 19 PM

The second pair I got was these floral detailed shorts. I saw these shorts and knew I had to have them. I love floral in general, and I have been looking for a cute pair of floral embroidered shorts. What I also like is that these shorts are also a little distressed, which makes these shorts less dainty. These shorts are also a little longer, so I won’t have the issue of my butt showing which can happen with high waisted shorts.

Photo 2018-05-08, 6 11 46 PM

Finally I got this cute pair of Rainbow Heart Sunglasses. I have been looking for a cute pair of heart sunglasses ever since by brother accidently sat on my last pair (rip). I like these because they have a thin frame and cool duo coloured lens. They shift from orange/pink to blue! The only thing is I didn’t look at them in the mirror, and I bought a pair that looks crocked on my face! So I’m either going to try and return them or see if I can get them fixed.

Winners

Next I went to Winners, which for those of who who are not Canadian is like Marshalls/TJ Max, aka a designer off-price store. So it sells designer clothes, shoes, etc. at cheaper prices. Due to the nature of the store I can’t really find links for you guys, sorry!

Photo 2018-05-07, 5 59 06 PM

First I got this gingham bathing (can you guys tell I like gingham haha!). This bathing suit is actually Juicy Couture and I got it for $33. It is a one-piece but has like big cut out in the stomach, and scoops down like a bikini top. I really like this bathing suit! I think it is fun and flirty and I am so excited to wear this to the beach!

Photo 2018-05-08, 6 12 47 PM

Another sports bra! I got this sage green sports bra from New Balance. This sports bra reminds me of the Calvin Klein ones, but had a semi circle cut out in the back. Unlike the Calvin Klein ones, this one had more supportive material so I could actually use it to work out in. I was able to get the sports bra for $16.99.

Photo 2018-05-07, 5 57 49 PM

Finally I got these Naturalizer mules. I like these because they can be both casual and fancy. Mules/slides are really popular this year and I wanted an open toed pair. This pair has a small heel but nothing too unmanagable because I do not do well with heels. I think these were a good find at $60! (You guys also get to see my tattoo in the photo! And my toes…I’m getting a pedicure today okay haha!)

Garage

Photo 2018-05-07, 6 03 07 PM

The final stop was Garage. It is definitely more of a teen style store but it has some nice basics. First I got this simple Smocked Off-Shoulder Top in black (of course lol). Off the shoulder tops are still very big this year, but this one is a little different with its lettuce hems. This is a great basic that I see myself wearing with shorts, skirts and even a pair of black jeans for a night out. This shirt is going to get a lot of wear.

Photo 2018-05-07, 6 06 01 PM

The final piece of this massive haul is this cropped Coca-Cola tee. Red has been a very popular colour this year, and will continue to be this summer. I feel in love when I saw this tee. I love Coke, and my family loves collecting Coca-Cola products. I also like that even though this is a cropped tee, it’s not too short. As you can see in the picture, this tee hits just above the waist band. This is a fun graphic tee, and the shade would also be prefect for Canada Day haha!

And that is the end of my haul! I am set for the season, now I just need the weather to get warmer. Let me know what your favourite piece was from this haul 🙂

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Review

April Boxycharm

May 3, 2018May 6, 2020by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys! Sorry for being MIA for a month and a half. I got really busy with school and my personal life, so my blog had to take a back seat. But now I’m done school and ready to commit more time and energy into my blog! 🙂 And what a better post to come back to than my April Boxycharm! This month’s theme was Eye Candy and man this was a good box!

april 1

First I got two brushes from SL Miss Glam. They are very cute looking brushes! They are soft, synthetic brushes. The purple brush is a great crease brush while the pink one is great at packing on colour. I love getting brushes in my box, and these brushes are quite nice! Price: $38.50 USD

Next is the BrowGal Instatint Tinted Eyebrow Gel. Now this is a good product but the completely wrong shade for me! I have dark eyebrows and this tinted gel was way to light for me so I gave it to a friend. My friend really likes the brow gel. She said it applied nicely and does a good job of keeping the brow hairs in place. She also said it is more natural looking in comparison to other brow gels that look more slicked back. While some people may find a tinted brow gel nice, I think since Boxycharm doesn’t ask for our shade preferences it would have made more sense to give us a eyebrow gel. Price: $22.00 USD

I received a MAC Cosmetics Liptensity Lipstick in Burnt Violet. I think this is a really nice lipstick but I’m not a big fan of the shade I got. Burnt Violet is a deep plum shade, which I would wear more in the fall/winter versus the spring. As well, I prefer wearing dark shades in a matte finish instead of a creamy satin. Finally, because of the lipstick bullet is flat, it is extremely hard to make a crisp line. Now I wouldn’t mind if the lipstick was lighter in colour, but because it’s dark it looks messy. Overall, I would have loved if I had gotten a different shade, but I probably won’t wear this lipstick until the fall and would need to use a lip brush. Price: $21.00 USD or $26.00 CAD

Every subscriber this month received the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Vacuum Cleaner. While it’s great to receive such good quality and expensive skin care, this is my third Dr. Brandt product, and I would enjoy trying skin care from other brands. This mask itself is very interesting. It comes out like a gel and has these tiny little beads that break and turn the mask blue as I apply it to my face. The mask definitely reduced the oil on my face and made my pores look cleaner. This mask is an oily girls dream but definitely not for dry or sensitive skin. Price: $47.00 USD

Finally each person received one of five possible Colourpop eyeshadow palettes. I received the Element of Surprise Eyeshadow Palette. I am really happy that I got this palette! It has a nice mix of mattes and metallics to create so many different looks. I really like Colourpop eyeshadows – they are creamy and the metallics are super pigmented! This palette is also surprisingly small. This might bother some people because it means the pans are small, but I actually like that because it makes it easy to travel with. Overall so happy with this eyeshadow palette, and excited to do so many different looks with it! Price: $18.00 USD.

Overall total was $144.50 USD. I really liked this box! There were no products that were bad, just products that I wished I had received a different shade! Let me know your thoughts on the box 🙂

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Favourites, Skincare

Updated Skincare Routine

March 14, 2018by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys! It’s been awhile since I’ve shared my skincare routine and I have updated it since then. I have very oily and acne prone skin – my skin still acts like I’m fourteen. I was using Proactive for a really long time, but since I started taking birth control for my acne, I found Proactive to be to harsh for my skin. My skin has cleared up, but I still get the occasional stress zit. I will break down both my morning and night routine for you guys!

skincare routine march 2018

Morning Routine

I always cleanse, tone and moisturize in the morning. I know most people do this at night but it’s just the habit that I am in. To cleanse my face, I use the Philosophy Clear Days Ahead Oil-Free Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment Cleanser (long name I know). What I really like about this product is that even though it’s designed for oily skin and acne it’s not very harsh. Some products designed for acne can be very strong and irritating but this one is gentle. I feel refreshed after using it – which is great since I use it in the morning.

Next I use the Origins Zero Oil Pore Purifying Toner. This toner is great for oily skin. My skin feels so refreshed and clean after I use this toner. I feel like it really gets all the gunk out of my pores. I wipe my face with this on a cotton circle and let it sink into my skin for a minute.

As I mentioned in my Winter Essentials post, I have been loving the Pacifica Kale Luxe Oil-Free Multi Cream. This moisturizer is vegan (and cruelty-free) so it does not have all the bad ingredients that will clog up my pores. It is also oil free, which is super important for me. I also enjoy this moisturizer because it makes my skin feel hydrated and refreshed without feeling heavy. And you can find it at certain drugstores!

After that I let my moisturizer sink in and then I apply my makeup if I am wearing any that day.

Night Routine

The first step of night routine is to remove my makeup. First use the Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover to get rid of my eye makeup. I personally enjoy using a liquidy remover to get rid of my eye makeup because I find it’s the best at getting rid of mascara. I have been enjoying this Neutrogena one because it’s not too harsh or oily compared to some other ones. The only thing is that it does not have a special cap to stop the flow of the product. So one I took off the cap and dropped the whole and lost a third of the product because it’s just a big open hole. So don’t be a klutz like me when using this product.

If you have read any of my empties post, you know that I love the Garnier Micellar Water to remove my face makeup. I will wet a cotton round and wipe my face to remove my foundation and concealer. It does a good job of removing the makeup and leaves my face feeling refreshed after.

Next to cleanse my face at night I use two different cleansers depending on what my faces feels like. Most days I use the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. It’s a gentle cleanser use which is all I need after removing my makeup. Double cleansing is good to get rid of any leftover product. It also enjoy the cucumber smell – it reminds me of a spa. The only cleanser I like to use if my skin is feeling particularly oily that day. The Sukin Oil Balancing Pore Refining Facial Scrub has a very liquid consistency with tiny beads to help exfoliate the skin. It does an amazing job of really doing a deep clean and my skin feels so refreshed after I use it. I also personally enjoy the charcoal smell this product has.

After I cleanse my face I will apply my Pacifica moisturizer again. Finally I use a retinoid prescribed by my doctor – the particular one I am using is called Differin XP. I put the cream on top of my acne and it really helps spot treat the area. I personally have much success with this product, but just be careful when using retinoid because they can be irritating.

And that is my skincare routine! Let me know what products you guys like and any that I should maybe try 🙂

xoxoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Review

February Boxycharm

March 10, 2018May 6, 2020by LeaLeave a Comment

Hey guys! I know I am quite late on this post, but to be fair I got my box really late this month. Anyways, I have never missed a month since I got my Boxycharm subscription, and I am not letting a late box ruin that streak! So here is my review (only a week late haha). This month’s theme was Galaxy Glow, so there are some pretty fun items that I might not necessarily wear every day, but are still pretty fun to have.

feb 1

First is the CoverFX Shimmer Veil in the shade Amethyst. This is a creme product that has multiple uses and it crease-proof. It can be used on the eyes or the face. The purple shade might not be the most approachable shade, but I really enjoyed it the day I wore it. It also did not crease and lasted at day which is great for a creme shadow. Overall, not a product I would wear all the time, but does exactly what it claims! Price: $28.00

Next is a pretty cool product! The Naked Cosmetics Holographic Highlighter Palette is not your average highlight palette. It has all the colours of the rainbow! I was very impressed by the quality of this palette. The colours were very vibrant and showed up very well on my skin. The powders are quite pigmented. Now I personally don’t work a green highlight every day, but this palette is very fun and I will definitely use it for some more fun makeup looks. Price: $38.00

The lip product for this month that I received was the PUR X-Faux Lip Plumping Lip Exfoliator. This product is not bad, but I personally don’t like the packaging. This does a good job of hydrating and exfoliating my lips, but I’m not sure how much plumping it does. I also wish this was in a flat-twist-up-lip-balm like tube instead of a point. I found the point to be weird and it actually broke off for me. Personally wished I had gotten the other lip exfoliator they were giving in the box last month, but oh well! Price: $17.00

Next is the Smokey Eye Pencil by Vintage Cosmetics. I don’t often use black eyeliner pencils, I usually use liquid ones instead. This one wasn’t bad – it was very creamy and intense and glided on the lid pretty well. I want to try and do a smokey eye with this eye pencil since it’s what the pencil is advertised to be used for. Price: $21.00

By far my favourite product this month is the Crown Pro Trio Brush Set. I always love getting makeup brushes in my box, because Boxycharm always gives good quality ones that I would normally not buy myself. These Crown brushes are no exception. They are soft and apply powder products like a dream. The largest powder brush has now become my favourite brush to apply bronzer with. I have no tried using these brushes with cream products, but apparently they are designed to work well with those too. These brushes are also very pretty, which is always nice! Price: $29.99

And that was my belated February Boxycharm review! Here’s to hoping that my March box comes sooner this month!

xoxoxo

Lea

Fashion, Review

Romwe Haul

March 5, 2018by LeaLeave a Comment

Hey guys! So a couple weeks ago my friends and I were talking about cheap online clothing retailers, so I decided to try ordering some stuff from Romwe. Oh boy! I am sharing with you guys my full experience and that way hopefully you can learn from my mistakes!

I placed my order on Feb 1st, got a tracking email on Feb 5th, and received my order on Feb 14, which I was pretty impressed with. I thought it was going to take way longer for me to get my package. Another pro about Romwe is that it has a bunch of different currencies on it’s websites. There is nothing more annoying than when they list all the prices in American and I have to manually convert the exchange rate myself. But something to note, Canadian prices obviously fluctuate with exchange rates, so prices have gone up since I have ordered. I have noted the price difference with each item.

black flute shirt final

First is the Fluted Sleeve Surplice Tee. I ordered it in a large and it cost $11.29 CAD (the price has now gone up to $11.80 CAD). It’s hard to tell in the online photo but the top is very low cut and very short. This is definitely going to be a ‘going-out’ top for me. Also the bell sleeves are huge. As you can see on the photo on the right, this top is on my queen size bed and the shirt spans the whole width. I personally do not mind the large bell sleeves, but it is something to keep in mind it you are thinking of ordering the top. Overall this top is a little small, but I have decided to keep it.

check shirt final

Next is the Checked Print Dip Hem Cuffed Blouse. I ordered it in a large and it cost $9.03 CAD (now $9.44 CAD). This top is probably my favourite thing that I ordered. The material does feel slightly cheap but not too bad – it is slightly see through but not too bad. This top is very cropped though. I thought it was going to be longer but I definitely have to wear this top with high waisted jeans.

black knit final

Oh, this top did not work out! I don’t know why I ordered it, because these tops never fit me to begin with, but I got the Rib Knit Lettuce Edge Crop Bardot Top. I ordered a large and it barely fit around my shoulder. The elastic was stretched out all the way. It is also very short, it came out just underneath my bra. I also did not like the quality of the fabric, it was a weird grey colour and felt itchy on the skin. I did not like it and decided to return it (more on returning process further down). It was $10.03 CAD when I bought it and now $10.49.

sweater final

Next I got a sweater that is currently sold out so I can’t link it, but I decided to return it so maybe it’s best that you can’t get it haha! It is the Rose Embroidered Applique Sweater and I was very disappointed in this sweater. First I thought it was going to be a sweatshirt like material, but the material is very weird and cheap feeling. Next, the sweater fits weird. I got a large but it is a weird length – it’s not short enough to be cropped but not long enough at the same time. Finally, I did not like the rose appliques. They were only partly sewn on, which I did not like. Overall this sweater just felt cheap so I did not like it. It paid $12.42 for the sweater.

pants final

Finally, the biggest disappointment was these pants. I got a pair of Vertical Striped Elastic Waist Pants for $10.41 (now $10.88). I got these pants in an x-large and they did not fit at all. Usually a pair of x-large pants should fit me, and because this pair has an elastic band in the waist I thought they would fit. But I couldn’t even pull these all the way up! They were too small in the thigh area, and if they had made it up probably would have not fit my butt. Very disappointed at how much small these fit.

So after trying on all of these clothes and half of them not fitting right, I went back to the website to double check that I got the right sizes. That’s when I learned two things. The first is that every article of clothing has a review, similar to Amazon. THIS IS SO HELPFUL READ IT BEFORE YOU BUY ANY ARTICLE OF CLOTHING. Honestly almost all of the complaints I had about the clothes were similarly expressed in the reviews.

The second thing I wished I had know before ordering from Romwe was that their small, medium and larges do not follow traditional US or UK sizing. That basically means that while you might be a medium everywhere else, they’re medium size is probably different (or it seems more likely to be smaller). Whenever someone commented that an item was too small, Romwe told they’re customers to refer to the size and fit guide instead of using sizes. Which means that you need to know your measurements and compare them to their measurements to determine what size to order. I find this to be super misleading that the sizing is not standardized through the different articles of clothing. Also I don’t personally know my measurements, so it is really annoying that to ensure the clothing will fit that I have to measure myself and compare it to the size guidelines.

So I decided to return three of the items because they did not fit. I was really bad at replying promptly to their questions (my bad), but Romwe on the other hand was very quick in responding to my messages. I told them that I wanted to return some of my order due to them not fitting, which was no problem. I told them the specific items and I was instructed to mail them back. Unfortunately they do not pay for the shipping cost back to them, and on top of that they wanted tracking information, so I had to pay around $20 to send it back. I was offered a store credit or my money back for the returns. I choose to take my money back on my card, which I am currently waiting for.

Overall, I probably will not shop at Romwe again. I was not very impressed by the quality of the clothing and half of it did not fit. It was not only a hassle but also cost me more money to return the items. I was not very impressed, and while the clothes were significantly cheaper compared to even cheap places like Forever 21, I do not think it is worth it. If you do choose to shop there, I highly suggest reading reviews and looking at the size measurements while shopping.

I hope you guys enjoyed this post! Even though it was kind of a bust, I had lots of fun writing it! What are your thoughts on Romwe and other similar sites?

xoxoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Review

January Boxycharm 2018

February 3, 2018May 6, 2020by Lea3 Comments

Hey guys! Today on the blog is the first Boxycharm review of 2018! Like I mentioned in December, I accidentally received an item I have got in a previous box in December, so I got an extra item in my January box. So while everyone else didn’t get this item, I will still review it for you guys.

Jan 1

First is the Crown Brushes Glam Metals Palette. I haven’t really use this palette. The shades just don’t excite me. As well this shades are not ones I would reach for on an everyday basis so I honestly have only used this palette once. Also I don’t like how the only matte shade is the black. If a palette is going to be all simmers then I have to really like the palette. Not my favourite palette I have received in my Boxycharm. Price: $25.00 USD

Next is the PUR Bronze and Brighten Check Palette. I don’t understand what PUR did, but I do not like the bronzer in the palette. It is too warm, glittery and does not blend. Which is so weird because I love their other bronzer. The blush in this palette is super pigmented but still nice. I just have to apply with a light hand. Finally the highlight is nice, but very light. Good for people with a paler complexion but not universal, I probably couldn’t wear it in the summer. If the bronzer was better I would enjoy this palette, but it sucks so I don’t enjoy the palette as much. Price: $34.00 USD

I didn’t think I was going to like the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Luminizer Primer. I’ve never tried a luminizing primer before because I have oily skin so I generally don’t need help making my skin look dewy. But I decided to try this primer and I really liked it! I does a really good job of making my makeup look smooth and not cakey. Now while it does say that it is a pore minimizing primer, it’s not as good as the Benefit or Smashbox primers. I will definitely use this primer again when I want a smooth look to my makeup. Price: $38.00 USD

Next is the It Cosmetics Brow Powder Universal Eyebrow Pencil. I once again didn’t think I would like this product but I was pleasantly surprised. The consistency of the pencil is great – not too creamy and not too hard. I wish the pencil was a little smaller but it still possible to get a nice defined brow. Also, I dyed my hair a shade darker half way through testing the brow pencil and found it nicely matched me with both lighter and darker hair colours. I do think there is a limit to how dark or light this pencil could work for, but I think it would work for the majority of hair colours. I will continue to use with pencil. Price: $25.00 USD, $32.00 CAD

Another product I really liked was the Girlactik Matte Lip Paint. I received the shade Posh. I really liked this liquid lipstick! It was easy to apply, and was very comfortable on the lips. It also did not emphasize any of the lines on my lips. It also wore really nicely through the day, and was able to withstand eating to a certain degree. Overall really love this liquid lip! Price: $23.00 USD, $28.35 CAD

*Bonus Product* I got the Makeup Geek Eye Liner in Plumeria. It’s a beautiful purple shade with red undertones. The eyeliner was easy to apply and stayed all day. It was actually pretty hard to remove. It was also easy to smoke out using a pencil brush. This shade also made my hazel eyes look very green. A great bonus item to receive!

The final total of my box is $144. It’s funny because the products I didn’t think I would like ended up being my favourites! What did you guys think of January’s box?

xoxoxo

Lea

Bullet Journal, Life

Bullet Journal 2018

January 30, 2018by LeaLeave a Comment

Hey guys! So this year I decided to start a bullet journal and I absolutely love it! So I thought since the new month is about to begin, I would share a few things that I learned about bullet journaling just in case you guys were thinking of starting one too!

Just to be clear, you guys don’t have to restrict starting at the beginning of a new month! You can start whenever. I have showed a few people my bullet journal, and whenever they see it they’re always like “I can’t do this, it invovles too much work/creativity/whatever”. It’s important to remember it’s your bullet journal. So you can do whatever you like! I have just offering some suggestions/ideas, because I personally love searching Instagram and Pinterest for ideas.

My bullet journal is the Leuchtturm1917, which I got from Chapters. I like it, but almost any pen I use bleeds through the paper (this means that you can see what you written on the other side of the page). If this bothers you I would not recommend this one, but otherwise it’s great! It has nice ribbon to bookmark, a elastic to hold it together and many helpful bullet journal things like an index and page numbers already built it. Another thing to note is whether to get a grid or dotted journal. Grid is similar to grid paper while dotted is kind of like gird just minus the lines connecting all the boxes together. It’s really up to personal preference – I just like the look of dots more, and I don’t need the squares to draw straight lines.

For pens I didn’t want to spend a lot of money just in case I didn’t like bullet journaling. So I got a pack of Sharpie felt tips which came with black, green, blue and red. Then I got another pack of coloured felt tip pens from Dollarama. As I started to get more into it over the month, I bought a pack of Stabilo BOSS Pastel Highlighters from Amazon. Also Michaels had a sale on their scrap booking stuff, so I was able to get a bunch of stickers and washi tape there for super cheap! Always look for sales!!!

Next I am going to show you guys some pictures of my spreads and explain what I did and why I like it. And the end I’m also going to show a simpler example of a bullet journal spread since mine are pretty creative.

My first spread is my future log for 2018. On the left I have the year and my resolutions and then on the right I have all the month spread out. I like having this by seeing my resolutions written down it reminds me of them. I also like having all the months written out that way if I have to quickly look up a date farther in the year it’s easy to find.

A second option for a future log is one that is shorter than a year but longer than a month. Now since I am a university student and our semester are four months long, it made the most sense for me to put in a future log where I can put all my assignment. So this log has all my assignments for my Winter Term. You can put other dates or appointments in your log, but I kept my strictly school related. Sometimes I make mistakes when doing my bullet journal. I usually use white out, but as you can see in March, I decided to cut out a piece of paper and cover the whole area since it was going to be too much to white out. This is a really easy way to fix large mistakes. It is also possible to use pretty coloured paper to makes your mistakes purposeful. (Also looked at my February, I have so many midterms and assignment it’s going to be awful! #rip)

Now this is completely optional, but I decided to do almost like a cover page for the month of January. I like this because it helps split up my months. I found the idea on Pinterest.

Monthly spreads are very useful! There are many different ways to do monthly spreads, but I prefer the full calendar month approach the most. It’s just the best way for me to visualize my month. This is where I put all my assignments, appointments, events, etc. I find it helpful to just flip to this page and see what I have to do in later weeks.

Next is the weekly spreads. I have done four so far this month. I have really switched it up with every spread because I am just trying to figure out what does and doesn’t work for me. As you can see from my spreads, I am less of a schedule-every-day person and more of a general to do list person. So I usually put a few things for every day at the beginning of the week and fill in my days as I go. I also put a huge space for my to do list. Other things I like to include is my dinner schedule and a blog schedule for the week. One of my New Years Resolution is to drink more water, so I decided to put a water tracker to help motivate myself to drink more water. There are so many other trackers and things that you can add to your bullet journal.

Weekly spreads don’t have to be complicated though. So this picture is from Pinterest and it shows that bullet journals can be very simple. As well, two of my housemates also have bullet journals and they are very simple. There monthly spread is all the dates written down in a straight line and then space to write done events, appointment, etc. It’s important to do what you find helpful. My bullet journal will probably become simpler as I become busier.

Finally, one of my favourite things about my bullet journal is that I can put lists in the middle of the weeks. Before my bullet journal I have both an agenda and a notebook for all my lists. Now with my bullet journal I have narrowed it done to one book. As you can see I did a cleaning list for my room and also a page to brainstorm ideas for my blog. But you can do whatever you like! Like I’ve said many times, there are so many different ideas online for what you can do.

And that is my bullet journal! Wow this is probably one of the longest posts I have ever written! Let me know if you guys enjoyed this and if you would like be to continue posting stuff about my bullet journal.

xoxoxo

Lea

Beauty, Fashion, Favourites, Life, Makeup, Review

Winter Essentials

January 22, 2018by LeaLeave a Comment

Hey guys! Today I am sharing some things that help me survive through the cold Canadian winter. Just a miscellaneous of different things that I enjoy and thought would be worth sharing!

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First is a super cozy knit sweater from Forever 21. It gets really cold where I live, so I basically live in knit sweater from November to April. I have been really into turtlenecks, but sometimes they can be really a little too much when wearing a heavy knit. I like this sweater because it has a mock turtleneck so it’s the perfect in between. But ya I’m a sucker for any knit sweater really.

Next it’s important to keep my fingers warm outside, so got to have a good pair of gloves or mitts. My dad got me these ones from The Bay last year and I love them! This year they have a different design but the quality of these mittens are great. They have a fleece inside and then a knit outside to keep my hands nice and warm. Also they’re so patriotic! Highly recommend these for all my fellow Canadians.

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but the Nivea Hydro Care Lip Balm is my favourite lip balm. I own four of these: one beside my bed, one with my makeup, one in my purse and one in my school bag. And I usually have a few backup ones around the house. What I like is that they are lighter than the regular Nivea light balm, but still give intense hydration. It’s great and I will probably continue using these babies for a long time.

Next is a moisturizer. If you guys remember from my Beauty Empties post, I was looking for a moisturizer that would give my oily skin some hydration but also not break it out. I decided to try the Pacifica Kale Luxe Oil-Free Multi Cream. It is designed for oily and blemish prone skin. I decided to try it because the brand is 100% (and cruelty free!) so it doesn’t have as many bad products that would clog my pores. I have been really liking it! I use a tiny pea size amount and leaves my skin feeling hydrated and fresh! It has an interesting scent, but I like it!

Finally, for Christmas my Mom got me a diffuser! Along with the diffuser my Mom got me some essential oils, and the one I have been using the most is the Immune Antibacterial Diffuser Blend from Saje Natural Wellness. I am always sick, and this blend is supposed to help relieve the symptoms of cold and flu. The combination of eucalyptus, myrrh and cinnamon smell like medicated but I love it! I feel like it helps me breathe much better at night!

And these are my winter essentials! Let me know what you guys like to help you get through the cold winter months!

xoxoxo

Lea

Beauty, Review, Uncategorized

Beauty Empties

January 17, 2018by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys! So today I am sharing a bunch of beauty, skincare and hair empties, letting you guys know my thoughts on the products and whether I would buy them again! I’ve been meaning to do this post for awhile so here it is!

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First I have two empty bottles of the Garnier Miscellar Water. If you guys have been following my bog for a bit, you would know that this stuff is my favourite miscellar water. I prefer using miscellar water instead of using face wipes, it does such a gentle job of removing all my face water, and leaves it feel refreshed after. If you’re looking for a miscellar water, highly recommend this stuff.

Next I have an empty bottle of St. Ives Fresh Exfoliating Apricot Scrub. I remember reading somewhere that some celebrity really likes this scrub so I decided to try it out. I only used this scrub in the shower for some reason, just because I’m lazy like that. The combination of the scrub and shower makes my skin feel a little dry after, but it also makes my skin feel really smooth. It’s an amazing product, but I did buy it again because it is a reasonable price.

It seems like I went through a lot of dry shampoo, but the funny is that I actually finished three of these dry shampoos on the same day because they were are almost empty. First there are two Batiste ones, the Tropical and the XXL Volume. I really like both of the Batiste dry shampoos. They do a good job of getting rid of grease and stays that way all day. They do have a white cast, but it goes away easily. I also was surprised at how much I enjoyed the XXL Volume. If you are looking for a voluminous dry shampoo, this one goes a good job. The Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo I got in my Boxycharm. It was nice but I didn’t like it as much as my Batiste ones. It gave a nice scent to the hair, but I found by like 5pm by hair looked greasy again. Finally was the Dove Dry Shampoo, which was okay. I only used it when I ran out of my other dry shampoos.

My next skincare empty is the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel with SPF 15. I liked this product so much that I bought a second one, but now using the second one I’m not so sure I like it anymore. My face was breaking out when I was using this product, but I haven’t for sure figured out if it was this product or something else that was breaking out my face. It might be the SPF that my face doesn’t like, because my face is really sensitive to SPF. I’m really on the fence about this product. I think I want to switch and get one of Neutrogena’s moisturizes that doesn’t have SPF in it.

Another makeup remover I finished is the Marcelle Gentle Make-up Remover for Sensitive Eyes. I prefer a more oily makeup remover to get rid of my eye makeup, I just find it’s better at removing stubborn mascara. I decided to try this Marcelle one because it has good reviews. It was good, but I found it was really oily. Like after I was done removing my eye makeup, I would have to back over with my micellar water to remove the excess oil. It was good, but I did not repurchase because I also found it to be a tad expensive compared to other drugstore remover.

You can tell I bought my All Nighter Setting Spray awhile ago because it is in the old packaging. I have repurchased the product since then, and I am actually getting close to finishing it. This Urban Decay setting spray is by far my favourite that I own. It really does a good job of making my makeup last longer. It was gives a beautiful finish to my skin. Highly recommend!!

Finally, I finished my POREfessional Face Primer by Benefit Cosmetics. I have also repurchased this primer. What I like about this primer is that it not only feels in my pores and makes them feel smooth, it also makes my face more matte. I have very oily skin, so I really need help making my face matte. This is a staple product that I use almost every day!

Those are all my empty products! Let me know what products you guys finished and think I should try!

xoxoxo

Lea