Author: Lea

Beauty, Review

Jaclyn Hill Palette + Morphe Brushes

by LeaLeave a Comment on Jaclyn Hill Palette + Morphe Brushes

Hey guys! Sorry for being really MIA this month, I’ve just been really busy with school. But I am going to try and be way more active from now on!

jaclyn hill palette

So today I have my full review and swatches of the Jaclyn Hill palette. I was hesitant at first whether or not I wanted the palette. I decided to wait and read the reviews before buying it. After reading multiple good reviews I made up my mind that I wanted the palette, but it was sold out! I was finally able to purchase the palette when it restocked in late September. I received my palette and brushes about a week and a half later.

This palette is beautiful. There is a wide range of shades and colours – this palette just makes me inspired and wanting to create different makeup looks. This palette is definietely more warm toned, but there a few cooler tones through the palette. There is also a nice balance between mattes and shimmers. Also there are some really fun shades down in the bottom left corner. The only shade that I believe is missing is a bone/cream coloured matte shadow to set my eyeshadow primer with. Bellow I have swatched all the colours, and included pictures with both flash on and flash off.

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The formula of these shadows are amazing. Honestly these are probably some of the creamiest mattes I have ever used. The blend really easily on the eye which is super important to me. There is a bit fallout in the pan but none on the eyes with the mattes. There is a little fallout with the shimmery shades on the eyes, but nothing too bad. The shimmery shades are so creamy and pigmented that I feel that I do not even need to wet like some other shadows. The eyeshadows are just so easy to use that every look I have done with this palette is good!

Overall I love this palette. It is probably the best eye shadow palette that I own. It is even more amazing that it is such a great price! I highly recommend that everyone picks up this palette!

morphe brushes

I also got two different brushes. The first brush is the Y6 Pro Flat Buffer. One of my favourite Youtubers, Laura Lee, loves this foundation brush so I decided to give it a try. And I must say this brush is AMAZING. It does such a great job of seamlessly blending out my foundation and it is a great size. The only issue I have is it’s a little big and awkward around my nose piercing because it’s a flat top instead of rounded, but I love this brush regardless of this small flaw. If you like using brushes to blend out your foundation you need to get this brush.

The other brush I got was the R31 Highlight Definer. This brush is pretty good. It’s a little big but still does a good job. What I really like is that it’s not completely rounded but has two sides, so I use one side with gold highlights and the other side with rosy highlights. Overall it’s a pretty decent brush and I would recommend if you like bigger highlight brushes.

And that is it for my review of some great Morphe products! Both times that I have ordered from them I have been really happy with what I got. What are some other Morphe products that you think I should try? Let me know!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Uncategorized

September Boxycharm

by Lea1 Comment on September Boxycharm

Hey guys! So this month I got my Boxycharm box super late. I usually get my box near the beginning of the month, around the 10th-14th, but this month I didn’t get my box until the 21st. I actually had to email the Boxycharm support because two weeks after I had been charged I still had no received any tracking information for the box. Boxycharm’s support was really good though, they emailed me back within the same day and gave me my tracking information. Now they did send it to my parents house even though I updated my address….but that’s another story! Either way I got my September Boxycharm and this is my review!

This month’s theme was Boxy Baddie and I was very excited to receive the box from the sneak peaks they gave.

sept 1

First I got the MAC Eyebrows. I got the shade Spiked, a rich brunette shade. Luckily for me this is the perfect shade for my eyebrows. The shape of the pencil is perfect to create tiny hair like strokes. If I were to compare it to my favourite pencil, the Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Brow Wiz, I would say the MAC pencil is slightly waxier but still very good. While I am very happy to receive this product it is just unfortunate that the everyone got they’re perfect shade. Price: $18.00

sept 2

Now while I got the perfect eyebrow shade, I did not get the perfect liquid lipstick shade. Everyone got a different shade of Colourpop’s Ultra Satin Lip. I got the shade Littlestitious and I personally dislike this shade on myself so much. Don’t get me wrong, it is a nice shade, but I knew as soon as I saw the shade that it would be too light for me. This shade is much lighter than my lips so it gives me a pink hued concealer lips kind of look. As well, this liquid lipstick is very cool toned, so it pulls almost grey on my lips. Honestly I will probably never wear this lipstick, but that’s just my personal taste on the shade. The formula itself is not bad, I just can’t handle the shade. (Unrelated side note to the quality of the product, but I accidentally dropped the lipstick twice while trying to swatch it so it’s now all over my sheets. I think this lippie hates me lol) Price: $6.00

Next I got the Bare Minerals Face Perfecting Brush. This brush is designed that you put your foundation in this special fluid reservoir of the brush and then buff it in. Now my favourite foundation, the Maybelline Fit Me Foundation, does not have a pump nor a dropper so I could not put the foundation in the fluid reservoir, so this might affect how I feel about the brush. But overall I thought the brush was alright. I did a decent job of blending out my foundation, but nothing spectacle. The main thing about this brush that I do not like is that it is so small. I generally use a foundation brush almost double the size of this brush so it took me way long to blend out my foundation. Overall not a bad brush but not my favourite. Maybe if I was using a more liquid-y foundation I would like it more. Price: $28.00

sept 4

sept 3

Next, my favourite item in the box, is the Soiree Diaries Eyeshadow Palette by PUR Cosmetics. The palette comes with 12 eye shadows, eight matte and 4 metallic/shimmery shadows. Now I have only swatched the metallic/shimmery shadows but they are so sparkly, I cannot wait to use them on my eyes! I have used many of the matte eye shadows on my eyes and I really like them. They are smooth and blend really nicely. What I also liked about this palette is that each vertical row matches to create a different eye look. Overall I really enjoy this palette and I am excited to continue playing with it. Price: $34.00

Next is a Loose Blush by Studio Makeup. This blush is pretty pigmented! The first time I used it I put way too much one, so definitely use a light hand. There are tiny little shimmers in the blush which I don’t mind too much but would prefer not to have. The many thing is that since it is a loose blush I have to tap some out onto a cap before I can use it. Overall not a bad product but not my favourite mainly due to the simmers and it being a loose powder. Price: $35.00

This month we got six products! The sixth product is a deluxe sample of the Don’t Despair Repair Deep Conditioning Mask. I am unsure about how I feel about this product. While I love the fact that it doesn’t have any sulfates or parabens, I felt like it only did a mediocre job. I have deep conditioners that leave my hair smoother and softer than this one. I did only use it once so I am willing to try it again since it has good reviews online. Price: $20.00

The total price of the box is $141.00 USD. Overall it was a pretty decent box. I liked the eyeshadow palette and brow pencil a lot and will continue to use them. I am also very happy to receive six products this month instead of the normal five!

October is my one year anniversary of my Boxycharm subscription! I am thinking of doing a post about my favourite and least favourite product that I have received, what do you guys think?

xoxo

Lea

Beauty

Mini Makeup Haul

by Lea5 Comments on Mini Makeup Haul

Hey guys! So before I went back to school I decided to buy a few products that I have been waiting awhile to get. I decided that going back to school was the best time to get these products!

mini makeup updates

I got two products from MAC, both of which I have been wanting for awhile. First I got the Prep + Prime Fix +. This product is a staple within the beauty community because it has multiple uses. It can be used to both prime your face and set your makeup. It is also known for intensifying makeup. My favourite use for it is spraying my makeup brush when applying a glittery/metallic shadow to my lid. While I was really hesitant at first to buy the full size bottle I am really enjoying it.

mac lipstick

The other product I got from MAC is their matte lipstick in the shade Velvet Teddy. This is actually not the first MAC lipstick; I also own Russian Red but I don’t wear it very often since I’m not a big red-lipstick person. I really enjoy the formula and I find the shade is a great your-lips-but-better.

Next is product is actually a repurchase: the NYX HD Eye Shadow Base. I feel like it has been slightly reformulated since I last bought it because it is not as sticky and way greaser than the first one I had. I still like it though because it does great job of keeping my eye shadow in place in spite of having very oily eyelids.

maybelline blushes

Next I decided to buy the Maybelline Facestudio Master Blush Colour and Highlight Kit. I mainly decided to buy this because it was on sale for a good price! These blushes are very pigmented – only the slightest tap in the pan will do. They apply nicely to the face but don’t really last that long through the day, but honestly most blushes don’t last on my face. Surprisingly I like the highlight in this palette. Most highlights in these types of kits aren’t very pigmented but this one applies nicely for a medium highlight – it isn’t subtle nor blinding but right in the middle. I also like the packaging; the pans are big enough to get your brush it but overall the kit is sleek.

The final product I haven’t really used because it is too light for me! I bought the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer. I have heard some many good reviews of this concealer that I decided to buy it! Unfortunately for me I am currently too tan for the shade of concealer I bought. I am hoping that once my tan fades away that the shade will work because the next shade up is too dark for me.

And those are all the products I got! I hope everyone is getting well adjusted and back into the school routine.

xoxo

Lea

Fashion

Back to School Haul

by LeaLeave a Comment on Back to School Haul

Hey guys! So a couple weeks ago I went on a big back to school shopping haul! When I went to Forever 21, there weren’t many fall pieces out yet so I tried to get mostly transitional pieces. I also got some miscellaneous things from Chapters. The clothes are going to be hard to find, but I will link everything that I can find. I also got some makeup but I’m going to save that for another post otherwise this one will be really long.

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First I got a grey cropped top that says “Made in the 90s”. I wore this during my school’s Orientation Week since my program’s theme was 90s. Next I got this floral off the shoulder top. I think it’s perfect for fall since it has longer sleeves and is a dark floral. It is made of a silky fabric. Next I got a ribbed halter top similar to this one, but in burgundy (my favourite colour). I think this top because it is slightly longer than some other halter tops that I own so my belly is covered.  Also it may look small in the picture but it stretches out because of the material. Great top for casual going out night. Next I got this boho vibes tank top with red floral at the top. I think this top will be cute with jeans and a jacket for fall. Finally top is a grey suede tank top. The cut is very simple but the suede fabric makes it different. I wore this top and ripped black jeans when I went to the Green Day concert with my brother. A little grungy but something different.

jeans

Next I got two pairs of jeans from Forever 21. Now I am currently in between regular size and plus size at Forever 21 for jeans. Sometimes I fit in a 31 and other times I fit better in 12. Anyways both of the jeans I got were from the plus sized section. The first pair are black distressed jeans that I absolutely love. They’re edgy but can balance nicely against a dainty top. Love them! The second pair I got are these distressed denim jeans. I got them in denim wash. I accidentally got a size that is slightly too big but I lost the receipt so I’m just going to buy a belt to wear these! I love the wash and amount of rips in them. Very comfy jeans.

Lastly from Forever 21 I got two work out tops. Now my school has a policy where you can’t wear tank tops to the gym, and it is hard to find a not-tank not-cropped work out shirt. Luckily I found two, one long-sleeve and one short-sleeve. The long-sleeve one is grey and very soft. I will probably just wear it more as athletic-leisure than to the gym. The other top is similar to this one but short-sleeve. The material is almost see through so I will probably pair it with a cute sports bra.

hat

I also got this cute hat! It was great during my school’s Welcome Week because it keeps my face covered from the sun but it’s also cute!

leggings

When I went to Aerie they had a really sale of all leggings for $35 so I picked up two pairs. They are in the same style just two different colours – True Black and Deep Plum. They are high waisted and have a pocket on the side. I have wore these leggings a few times and I already enjoy the quality of these.

chapters

Next I got a few cute things from Chapters. First I got a large marble pencil case because I needed a new one and marble is so trendy I love it! Also something nice about pencil cases from Chapters is that they come with pencils, an erasure and a pencil sharpener. Next I got a new notebook. I couldn’t resist when I saw this one. The cover is a soft fake leather and has the word “notebook” embossed in gold on top. It is a nice size and the pages are lined and OH I love it. Finally I got another candle (because you can never have too many candles!). It is Blond Tobac by the company Voluspa. It has notes of tobac, vanilla and sandlewood. It is a very neutral scent; not too feminine and not too masculine. My male housemates really like it!

And that is everything! I will be posting a makeup haul soon!

xoxo

Lea

 

Beauty, Book Review

August Boxycharm

by Lea2 Comments on August Boxycharm

Hey guys! Sorry for being really late on this post. Last week I was helping out with my school’s Frosh Week so I was super busy. I still wanted to make a post about my August Boxycharm because it had some really amazing products!

august 1

The theme this month was Beach Please which I think is a great theme for summer.

august 4

The first item in the box is probably my favourite in the box. It is the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea: Volume II eyeshadow palette. The shades are cool toned and are of a nice range to make various looks. There is also a mixture of shimmers and mattes. This is my first Tarte palette so I was surprised when I found out that the eye shadows are not as powdered compared to other brand’s shadows. This just means I have to dip my brush in a little more in comparison to other shadows, but a pro is that there is not powder all my the place. Overall I really like this palette. I will definitely continue to use it and might consider buying another Tarte Palette in the future. Price: $36.00 USD

Next I got a Waterproof Gel Eyeliner by Bellapierre. This is a mediocre product. It works well but it isn’t the best eyeliner I’ve ever used. As well, I feel like black eyeliner is not the most exciting product to receive in a beauty box. Price: $15.00 USD

august 5

This month’s lip product is the #GRLPWR Liquid Lipstick from The Beauty Crop. I got the shade Date Night. I actually enjoy this Liquid Lipstick. It’s a nice shade and is comfortable to wear. It did wear off when I ate food and drank water, but it didn’t wear away weirdly. Overall a pretty good lippie. Price: $14.95

august 3

Next I got the Moda Pro 3-Piece Brush Set from Royal & Langnickel. I am always happy to get brushes in my box just because you can never have too many brushes! I was so excited that I used the brushes before taking a picture of them! I really enjoy these brushes, they are super soft and apply product really nicely. The set included a pointed blush, a chisel blender (good for contour) and a crease brush. Royal & Langnickel makes some great brushes! Price: $26.00 USD

august 2

Finally I got a set of Pro Eyelashes from PUR Cosmestics. I am really excited to have these but I have yet to try them on. I don’t often wear false lashes, and I just haven’t had the time/chance to try them out. False lashes, especially expensive ones, are not something I would normally buy so it is nice to receive a pair in the box for me to try out. Price: $14.00 USD

Overall I think this was a pretty good box. There was a variety of products and most of them worked very well! Total price: $105.95

Now that I am back to school, I am hoping to post more regularly once I fall into a schedule. As well, I have an exciting back to school haul coming soon!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Review

Morphe Palette and Brushes Review

by Lea1 Comment on Morphe Palette and Brushes Review

Hey guys! So about a month ago I ordered some makeup and brushes from Morphe and I wanted to let you guys know about my experience with ordering from them as well as a review of the products.

For those of you who don’t know about Morphe, it is an affordable makeup brand that is only available online (except for a few flagship stores). They are well known for their 35 pans eyeshadow palettes and for having great quality makeup brushes.

I decided to purchase some makeup with a friend so we could split the cost of shipping. I decided to purchase the 35O palette, along with the M441 and R39 brushes. The shipment came in very quickly – around a week and a half. This was very surprising since Colourpop took 3 weeks to deliver a package to me and the two both ship from LA. On the down side I did have to pay a duty fee of $25 CND for my package, but I split this cost with my friend.

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Now first up to review is the 35O palette, the main reason why I decided to buy from Morphe. I had heard of many good reviews of this palette and decided it was a reasonable cost to try. I must say that the quality of these eyeshadows are overall great! They are a few shadows that are amazing (especially their foiled/metallic ones); but a few of their mattes, mainly the lighter in shade ones, are a little patchy. There is a nice mix of warm tone and cool tone colours within the palette. The only thing I found was there was not a lot of lighter shades. Most of the shades are very dark, which is great for a glam look for going out at night, but they weren’t many neutrals for every day wear. So my overall opinion of this palette is that while the quality is amazing and the shade range is great, it probably not going to be my everyday go-to palette. I will still use it, that’s for sure!

brushes

Besides the palette I got two different crease blending brushes, the M441 and R39. The quality of these brushes are great! Also excuse the dirty brushes in the picture – I was loved them so much that I used them right before I took the pictures! They are both made of natural hair and are both very soft. The M441 is slightly bigger than the R39, but both do a great job of blending out shades in my crease. They are both on the fluffier side. Next time I think I will get a slightly smaller brush size just because of the size of my eyelids. Overall I am highly impressed by these brushes – especially since they were only $5.99 USD! I will definitively buy more brushes from Morphe in the future.

Overall I was quite happy with my purchase from Morphe, even though the shipping and duty was a pain to pay. I am considering buying the Jaclyn Hill palette in the future, but I still am undecided. Should I buy it? Let me know!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Review

Getting My Makeup Done at Sephora

by LeaLeave a Comment on Getting My Makeup Done at Sephora

Hey guys! Have you been curious what it is like to get your makeup done at Sephora? Well I am going to explain what the experience was like for me.

So my friend and I decided to go get our makeup done for her birthday party (which happened about 2 weeks ago). To book an appointment it is either done online or in store. We booked a month in advance, but I would generally say you want to book at least 2 weeks ahead, especially if you want the appointment on the weekend. The appointments fill up pretty fast.

We arrived about 10 minutes before our appointment time. The manager sat us at the beauty counter and our makeup artists met us on time. I explained what look I wanted and my skin type and then my makeup artist got products.

Something I really liked is at Sephora they do skincare before applying makeup. So they remove any makeup, cleanse and apply moisturizer before doing my makeup. This is something different compared to other places, like MAC, where they just apply makeup.

The products they used were they samples that they have around the store, but they apply everything with they’re own brushes. What I like is that they also used a variety of products, versus when you go to a specific store it is only that one brand. As well, if there are any products you want to try out they will definitely use it!

What is interesting is that at Sephora the makeup artists do not need any professional training. My makeup artist was actually self taught! She still did any amazing job!

Finally, the cost of the appointment is $50 worth of product. I wore false lashes, so I bought those. I also bought my lip gloss that I wore, as well as a few other random products. What is nice is that you can also buy a gift card if you don’t need to buy anything at the moment.

Overall I was really happy with my makeup! I forgot to take a picture of it but it was flawless! I would definitely recommend going to Sephora to get your makeup done for any occasions that you may have.

If you guys have any questions about the experience let me know and I will try to answer them the best I can.

xoxo

Lea

Life

July Update

by LeaLeave a Comment on July Update

Hey guys! So I usually try to do a monthly favourite every month but July has been so crazy. So instead this month I just want to give you guys an update on my life and why I haven’t been posting much.

Since it is summer I am working instead of studying of school. I work as an Deck Supervisor for my town’s Aquatics department (fancy way of saying I’m the supervisor of the lifeguards and pool). Since the outdoor pools opened in the end of June I have been working 35-40 hours a week – which is a lot. Since I work at a pool I don’t often wear makeup so it’s been hard to really review anything.

As well, in the beginning of July I got an amazing opportunity. My university does a big orientation, with every faculty and residence having their own representatives doing many activities through the week. Another big part of the orientation week is that we raise money for Shinerama, a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis Canada. I was asked in July to become an Assistant Coordinator for Shinerama for my faculty. I am very happy to be able to work on this; but between organizing events and donations for Shinerama and working I have had barely any free time.

So unfortunately the past month I have really not posted a lot. Now that it is August, most of the Shinerama planning has been finished, so I am hoping that I can post more. I will still be working, but I will try!

SO ya, that’s my life right now! I have much planned for this month, including a few hauls (oooooh!). So stay tuned everyone!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm

July Boxycharm Review

by Lea2 Comments on July Boxycharm Review

Hey guys! Sorry I haven’t posted a lot, it has been a crazy month for me! Here is my July Boxycharm review 🙂

july 1

First, the product I was probably most excited to try was the Invisible Light Translucent Powder Duo by Bare Minerals. I like my setting powder and highlight to do very opposite things: I want to be very matte where I put my setting powder and very glowy where I put my highlight. I found that this duo did a mediocre job of both. I used it a few times and then gave up. But now reading reviews on Sephora, every is raving about how good this powder, I feel like I want to give it another shot. Very undecided on this product. Price: $32.00

july 2

Now the Electric Eyes Palette by Blinc is probably the opposite of the powder duo. At first I didn’t think it was going to be very good, but then when I tried it I was blown away! The shadows in this palette are super pigmented and super creamy. They almost look wet or like a creme when applied. I apply the shadow to my lid using my finger and it looks amazing! While these eye shadows are beautifully, I will probably only use them for bold looks not every day use. The other drawback I have is that besides the pink shade, I find most of them to be very similar. Overall I like this palette and will use it again. Price: $45.00

Next is the Uni-Brow Universal Eyebrow Pencil by WinkyLux. While the pencil itself works really well – I like the shape and that it comes with a spoolie – I can’t get over the claim that this is a universal eyebrow pencil. The colour is just a little too grey-toned to work well with my hair. This just did not work for me, and I can imagine it didn’t work for many other people too. Price: $12.00

An okay product was the Spay Set Go Makeup Setting Spray by Project Beauty. It did set my makeup, but I find it did not help it last through the day or anything. The sprayer on this setting spray sucks though – it got little water droplets all over my face. Overall a meh product. Price: $32.00

july 3

Finally everyone got a ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip in a different shade. ColourPop makes great lipsticks, but I was disappointed in the shade I got. It is called Lock Diary, from their Hello Kitty collection, which I am unsure if they discontinued it or not. The thing that really bugs me that is is almost exactly the same shade as the Ofra Liquid Lipstick that I received last month. As you can tell in the photo above (Ofra is on top and Colourpop is on the bottom) they are quite similar. If this was a nude shade I would let it slide, but this is a bright berry fuchsia, a colour that I don’t exactly wear every day. It’s not a bad liquid lipstick I just don’t like the shade I received. Price: $6.00

Total price is $127.00 USD. Overall I was kind of underwhelmed by this month’s Boxycharm. I had so hope for this month and I felt disappointed by many of them. Hopefully next month will be better!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty

Colourpop Haul

by Lea4 Comments on Colourpop Haul

Hey guys! So around three weeks ago I finally got my Colourpop order in. I had ordered a while back – when they were selling their birthday special and when they had free international shipping on orders over $35. My order took around 3 weeks to come in. The only item that broke was my super shock shadow, which thankfully due to it’s texture I was able to mold back into place.

colourpop haul

The first item I got was their Colourpop Palette. This is an empty palette that you can put their single eyeshadows in. It’s a perfect size, as it can hold up to 12 of their eyeshadows.

Next I got three of their Pressed Powder Shadows. I got (left-right in photos) Bel Air, Play by Play and Made to Last. As well, I got their birthday special Super Shock shadow in Birthday Cake (which was unfortunately limited edition).

 

I love the formula of these shadows. They’re super soft and pigmented. They also apply really nicely to the eyes and blend easily. There is some powder kick up when I dip my brush into them but it is unbearable. My favourite is definitely Made to Last because I do not own anything like it!

eyeshadow swatches

As well, I have never tried their Super Shock shadows before but I am in love! They are creamy and pigmented, but once applied to the eye they do not budge. I really want to get more of their eyeshadows now, in both formulas!

lippies

Next I got two different lip products. The first is the shade Aquarius in the Lippie Stix creme finish. I love the formula of their lippie stix, as you can tell from the photo this one is super creamy. This shade is slightly cool tone so I think it will look great in the fall and winter. The other lip product I got was their newer Blotted Lip in the shade Drip. I think this is the perfect summer lip product! It is sheer but buildable – the in photos I did one swipe on the bottom and multiple swipes on top. This shade is a nice warm rosy mauve, which I find is the perfect shade to add a little colour to my lips. I have been wearing this so much since I got it!

eyeliner

Finally the only product I was not wow with was their Creme Gel Liner in the shade Stomper. I had heard that their liners were super creamy and great for the waterline, but I found that I had to run the liner back and forth to get pigmentation. I also find that the tip is quite large so it’s hard to get a precise line. I’m not sure if it’s just this shade or not but I probably will not get another one of their liners.

Overall I was quite happy with the products I got! I love their eyeshadows and I enjoy the lip products I got. I will definitely be making another order in the future 🙂

xoxo

Lea