Category: Beauty

Beauty, Review

Comparing the NEW Fenty Foundation to the Original

by Lea1 Comment on Comparing the NEW Fenty Foundation to the Original

Hey guys! When I saw that Fenty Beauty came out with a new foundation I knew I wanted to test it out. I loved the original, but recently I’ve been liking dewy foundations more. So I have decided to test out both foundations and see which one I like more!

Photo 2019-09-25, 12 46 09 PM

The original Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation is a full coverage, long wearing, matte foundation. The new foundation, the Pro Filt’r Hydrating Longwear Foundation, is full coverage, long wearing but hydrating instead of matte. Both have 50 shades and retail for C$45.

I decided to do a full day wear test for both foundations. To keep the testing fair, I used the same primer and powder, the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Luminizer Primer and the Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder. I love both of these products and I know how they preform. For my testing, I took photos right after I applied the foundation and six hours after application.

I definitely forgot how full coverage the Soft Matte foundation is. I had some acne spots and it covered them no problem. I found that it did last longer throughout the day. At six hours later by foundation was still on. From far away it looked good, but up close my t-zone was oily and my under eyes looked and felt dry.

First hour
First hour
Six hours later
six hours later

The Hydrating foundation didn’t conceal my acne as much as the Soft Matte foundation, but still had more coverage than I anticipated for a hydrating foundation. My skin looked more natural. After six hours my foundation had faded and my skin was peaking through. It might bother some people to have the foundation fade away, I like that it didn’t look as dry and cakey as the matte foundation.

First hour
Six hours later
Six hours later
First Hour

My winner is the Hydrating foundation. I think it looks more natural and I prefer the way it wears through the day. I will be keeping the Soft Matte for those times I do want more coverage. Have you tried either of the foundations? Which do you like more? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, empties, Review, Skincare

Product Empties September 2019

by Lea2 Comments on Product Empties September 2019

Hey guys! Remember last product empties post I said I would post more often so there would be less products in one post? Ya that didn’t happen… today we have sixteen products! I honestly think I’m going to turn this into a monthly series in order to shorten these posts. On the plus side I am really proud of myself! I have been making a conscious effort to finish up half-used products, these posts really show that I have been doing that! So without further ado, my empties:

Photo 2019-09-18, 12 38 16 PM

So starting off with lip balm, I have three empties. I’m really bad at having multiple lip balms all over the place, so I’m trying to whittle my collection down. First I still had the old version of the Bite Beauty Agave lip balm (there new one is called Agave+). I won’t ramble on about the old formula since it’s not available anymore, but I do like the new formula. I also finished up a mini sample of the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. This mini sample took me almost a year to finish, I’m sure the large size would last forever. I already have another mini of the grapefruit flavour, but I would personally suggest their balm over the mask. Finally, my favourite lip balm is the Nivea Hydro Care Lip Balm. It’s super light weight on the lips but also super moisturizing. And it’s like $3 for a two pack, which is way cheaper than the other two I finish. Nivea is my ride-or-die, I have seven littered around my house.

Next empty is something that doesn’t exist anymore. I got an NYX single shadow in a holiday kit, and I finished the eyeshadow! It was a bone coloured creme, and I used it to set my eye primer every single day. I’m not sure if the quality of other NYX shadows are similar, but based on this single shadow I would purchase a palette of theirs.

Sticking with the drugstore, I finished my Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless powder. This was the first powder I purchased, about three years ago. I like this powder way more than their loose setting powder. It is just so buttery and creamy, and doesn’t leave your face looking cakey. I did decided to repurchase this powder because I really do like it. I don’t necessarily use it everyday, but it is create for touch ups. I highly recommend, best drugstore powder in my opinion!

Next up is pair of lashes – the Lashaholic Instaglam lashes. These ones are finally too full of mascara and lash glue to be worn anymore. But I friggin loved these lashes. I got them in a Boxycharm box once I just feel in love. I like them because they are very fluffy and not too full, so it is still possible to see the eye look behind the lashes. I also have hooded eyes, and I find that they just suited my eye shape so well. I would love to repurchase these, but it’s not just very economical of me to buy one pair of lashes from an American website. I will thoroughly miss these though.

Now to take a break from makeup, I have some skincare products. If you are new here, check out my last products empties post, I have already reviewed the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser and the Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Mattifying Lotion. You can tell I love these products just by the fact that I have already finished them again since my last product empties post.

Another skincare product is a sample of the GlamGlow Supermud Activated Charcoal Treatment mask. I know this is one of the most popular charcoal face masks on the market, but I have to be honest – I didn’t like it that much. It made my face feel really tingly and tight afterwards. While it did a good job of cleaning out my pores, it did nothing for my active breakouts. It also smells like licorice – not my favourite scent.

Next up I have three setting sprays, because I go through setting sprays like water. From the drugstore I have the Milani Make It Last setting spray and the NYX Dewy Finish Setting spray. I like both of these because they do what they say. The Milani one makes my makeup last longer compared to other setting sprays, and the NYX one makes my face look dewy. Both are reasonably priced, therefore I would recommend both (and I have repurchased both). The other setting spray is the Mac Prep + Prime Fix +. Listen, this is a cult classic for a reason. I don’t know what they put in this spray, but my makeup just always looks ten times better after applying it. It takes away the powdery look and makes the makeup just melt into the skin. It is also amazing for enhancing any eye shadows, pigments or highlights. I will always have Mac Fix+ on my vanity.

Next up are two products from Sol de Janeiro. I finished a mini of the Coco Cabana Body Cream. I love this scent and I do find the textures between this one and the original slightly different. The original is a true cream whereas this one is more of a gel. Anyways I love it so much and I did repurchase it. Then I had a mini of the Brazilian 4 Play Moisturizing Shower Cream-Gel. While I really liked using it, I will not be repurchasing it. The shower cream smells exactly like the cream, but I found it had not staying power. Sometimes I will use a shower gel or soap and can smell it on my skin afterwards. This wasn’t the case for this one. So while I enjoy using it in the shower, I didn’t notice a huge difference in my skin. I rather by the lotion which has a strong lasting power than buy the shower gel.

Another body product is The Body Shop Body Butter in the scent Mango. Oh I love their body butters. They are just so moisturizing but also fast drying. I don’t have to wait forever for it to absorb into my skin. I have tried three of their scents so far, and next time I want to try another one. The Body Shop has such a nice range of scent, there is one for everyone.

My final product is the L’Oreal Dream Length Saviour Mask. It was a good mask but it wasn’t amazing. Like my hair did feel smoother and felt less dry after using it, but I didn’t feel blown away by it. I am on the hunt for a good hair mask, so let me know in the comments your favourite one!

And that is my product empties! What are some products that you finished lately? Let me know in the comments down below 🙂

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Review

Colourpop Haul Part 2

by Lea2 Comments on Colourpop Haul Part 2

Hey guys! The long awaited part two to my Colourpop haul! Took me almost a month to get this up, and I am very sorry about that. Today’s focus is all the ‘fun’ products aka tons of glitter. Most of these products are not for everyday wear but for fun makeup, so that’s why it took me longer to review these products. The only products I haven’t really tested are the Creme Gel liners, but everything else I have a definite opinion about. So without further ado, my review:

Photo 2019-08-13, 12 54 27 PM
For other products not mentioned, check out my Colourpop Haul Part 1

First up are the most wearable/everyday products – the Colourpop Super Shock Shadows (or SSS for short). I love Colourpop’s SSS, and I highly recommend them to everyone. I got the shades Ladybird (worn in photo below), Set to Stun, and Drift. I like this formula because they all have a base colour along with a ton of glitter and shimmer. They add such a mutli-dimensional look to the eyes. They are also super easy to apply, I just use my finger and swipe it across my eye lids. Colourpop has such a wide range of shades, I am sure you can find a shade you look. I highly recommend this product.

Photo 2019-08-15, 2 22 13 PM (1)

The next product is not as easy to use as the SSS, but still pretty user friendly. I got one of their pressed glitters in the shade Get Lost. It has a base of gold glitter, with larger holographic glitter without. Colourpop is also introducing this formula in some of their palettes. I really like this glitter. It is way less messy than using loose glitter. I used a brush to apply the product, but a finger would also do. I am not sure how long lasting it would be, since I didn’t keep my makeup look on for long. But for $5 USD, I think this is a great way to get glitter if you are interested in trying it out.

Now moving onto something a little more finicky is the Colourpop Jelly Much Shadow. I got mine is the shadow Whistlin Pixie, which is a gorgeous red-brown with a gold sheen. I liked this product and I would use it again, but it does take some work. The product dries down very quickly, so it can be hard to blend out. If you have the patience it can look really nice. But I would suggest the Super Shock Shadows over this product.

Probably the hardest to use are the Loose Pigments from Colourpop, but that is to be expected. Loose pigments are difficult to use, that is why most eye shadows are pressed and not loose. The two pigmented I got were Redzone (pale champagne) and Gotta Jet (holographic glitter). I like Redzone better because it is pigment instead of just glitter. That means that Redzone has a base colour along with the glitter, whereas Gotta Jet is just pure glitter with no base colour underneath. So I tried to pack Gotta Jet along my lash line to do a liner effect, and it didn’t work because there is no base colour to it. Gotta Jet would look the best and just a loose dusting over top another shadow. Redzone, on the other hand, and be worn along since it has pigment underneath. It is a lighter shade on me, so I would mainly use it for highlighting purposes. I would get another loose pigment similar to Redzone, but probably not another glitter since I found Gotta Jet difficult to use. Overall these are not the most user-friendly products, definitely for more advanced users looking to step up their looks than for the average users.

The final product is the Glitterly Obsessed Body Glitter in the shade Ur A Firework. This is a thick, chunky glitter that is meant for the face, body and hair – not the eyes. I use this lightly on top of my highlight and it looked for fun. I would love to use this product for a music festival or for fun Halloween looks. Not an everyday product, but for $8 it was worth picking up for me.

And that is my Colourpop haul! Not exactly the most wearable products for the everyday person, but hey these are the products I bought! Let me know which was your favourite look of the four that I did using the products!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Review

August Boxycharm 2019

by LeaLeave a Comment on August Boxycharm 2019

Hey guys! So the last couple weeks have been crazy for me. At the end of summer I was taking extra shifts to cover for everyone who was going back to school. Then I went back to school this week, and it has been definitely overwhelming to say the least. I also feel like I was in a writing lull for awhile, and then I got all this stuff at once to review and well – my life is all over the place. At first I wasn’t going to post this review, because at the time I hadn’t really tried out any products in the box. But now that school has started I am wearing more makeup regularly, so I have had a chance to try the products. Anyways, that is a very long winded way to say here is my August Boyxcharm:

Photo 2019-08-30, 2 41 16 PM

First up is the Steve Laurant Lip Liner. This lip liner isn’t worth your money – Maybelline makes much better ones. I do like the colour; I got the shade Chic which is a warm, slightly brown nude. It would work for a range of skin tones. What I don’t like is that the lip liner is very stiff. I really have to press hard to get any colour payoff. I don’t use lip liners very often, but when I do I like to use creamy pencils, and this ain’t it. Price: $15 USD

The product that I was most excited to try was the Becca Hydra-Mist Set & Refresh Powder. As someone with oily/combo skin, I am always looking for the best powder. I always wanted to try this powder when it first came out, but never got around to buying it. Now after trying it I’m unsure how I feel. What’s cool about this powder is that it claims to feel like applying water to your face when using this powder. This is true. The first time I applied the powder it felt so cool and almost wet. The only thing is that if you leave your powder out/open, this cooling effect goes away. I often pour some powder into the cap, and if I pour too much I just leave it in the cap for the next time I do my makeup. I did this with this Becca powder, and the powder didn’t have the same cooling effect. The cap does have a disclaimer to keep cap close, so just keep this in mind. Now I am on the fence about how I feel about this powder. The first time I used it I baked with it and my under eyes felt sooo dry. The second time I didn’t bake and it wasn’t as bad, but I still wasn’t super impressed. I feel like I have to play around with this powder a bit more. Price: $39 USD, $51 CAD

Next up is the Tarte Big Ego Mascara. I believe this is a new mascara, but I didn’t hear much press about it. This mascara claims to be a lifting mascara, and I definitely would say that’s true. It doesn’t give crazy volume, but does make my lashes look longer. It also lasts long through the day. I find that some mascaras almost ‘fall’ throughout the day, so by the end my lashes don’t look as long. This Tarte mascara lasted me though a good 10 hours no problem. I have yet to compared it to my other Tarte favourite, their Tarteist Lash Paint. Overall it wasn’t bad but didn’t WOW me. Price: $23 USD, $30 CAD

The next product is the Wander Beauty Glow Ahead Illuminating Oil. K I don’t get this product… like what is it? Is it a skincare product? Is it a primer? Honestly I have no idea. I would apply this to my face before applying makeup and honestly I didn’t really notice much of a different. My face didn’t look any dewier with it, and my Dr. Brandt primer is much better at illuminating. My face didn’t feel any more hydrated. I might try using it to sheer out a matte foundation, but that is really the only thing I could think it might be good at. If you have any idea on how to use this product let me know. Price: $42 USD, $50.40 CAD

Photo 2019-09-06, 12 22 49 PM

The final two products are the Glimmer Shadow Duo from Ace Beaute. I was skeptical at first, I won’t lie. These shadows look like a dupe for the Colourpop Super Shock Shadows. I was unsure if they would be that good. And I am hear to report that I am wrong, these are amazing. I got the duo with Cotton Candy and Iced Latte, and wow these shades are beautiful. The pink shade has a gold/peach shift to it, which is just so beautiful on the eyes. And the gold shade has little glitter in it that just look so great on the eyes. These shadows are easy to apply using a finger, and they are super pigmented. The only thing is that they are more expensive that Colourpop’s SSS, so they are not exactly a cheaper dupe… I would probably recommend the Colourpop ones over these just because they are cheaper but of equal quality. Price: $25 USD

And that is my August Boxycharm box! Let me know what you guys thought of the products. Also just an update – the part two of my Colourpop haul will be coming out next Friday, so stay tuned for that!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Haul, Review

Colourpop Haul Part 1

by Lea2 Comments on Colourpop Haul Part 1

Hey guys! So about a month now I placed a Colourpop order. I don’t order from Colourpop often, so when I do I usually do a big order. My order came in a couple weeks ago (you would have seen this if you follow my Instagram @xoxoxoleelee). I have mentioned this before, but I am currently working at a pool this summer. Which means that I don’t wear makeup most days, so it is taking me longer than usual to test out products. I have decided to split up my haul into two parts. Some of the products I already have an opinion on, but others I still haven’t tried. So today I have five products, and the rest will be up within a week or two.

Photo 2019-08-22, 12 27 04 PM

First up is the Orange You Glad palette. Colourpop has been releasing these nine pan colourful palettes what seems like every other week. This palette was the newest one when I placed my order, plus I fell in love with the colour story. While a full orange palette might not seem like the most wearable palette, what I like is that you can take one or two of these shades along with a more neutral palette to make a beautiful look. Oranges pair well with browns and golds, so you can easily create a simple glam look that isn’t too bold. Or you can do what I did and go all out (see look below). But the best part of this palette is that the quality is amazing. Even the neon matte shade called Sunkiss’d (which reminds me of Cheetos) is so bright but also soo blendable. I had no problems blending out the shadows. And the photos don’t do them justice, they are so bight and pigmented in real life. Oh also did I mention that this palette is $12USD?? I highly recommend this palette if you like the colours.

Next up is the Lippie Stix in the shade Brink. This lippie is one of their best sellers and it’s currently sold out – for a good reason. I love this lip, it is definitely my new go to. This is such a comfortable matte lipstick. I wouldn’t even call it matte, it’s much closer to a creamy satin. It lasts pretty well through the day. It didn’t really make it through lunch, but it wear away badly like some other lips. The shade is also so nice. It’s a deeper nude, but not dark by any means. Overall I love this lippie, and will be continuing to wear it a ton.

The next lippie is their Lip Tint in the shade Rise n Shine. I featured this lippie in my simple school makeup look. This formula is like a hybrid between a creamy lipstick and a lip gloss. It’s sheerer than a regular lipstick but more pigmented than more lip glosses that I have tried. It’s perfect for a nice wash of colour on the lips. I also really like this peachy shade, it’s great for summer but also to transition into fall.

Next I tried one of their new-ish launches – their Blush Stix. Listen, I have been watching Youtubers rave about cream blushes all summer, especially the NudeStix ones. Now I have never tried cream blush before, so I was a little hesitant to spend $40 CAD on a product I’m not even sure I would like. So I decided to try the Colourpop ones and if I like the idea of cream blush then I might invest in a more expensive one. Well the answer is yes, I want more cream blushes! I got the shade Splash, which is a midtone rose (aka pink). I could rub a brush against the stick and then apply it to my face. It gave me such a fresh face look. It looks so much dewy and lighter than using powder blush. It is less long lasting than powder, but I really enjoy the look. And for $8USD it’s a great product. I definitely want to get a peachy one now.

The final product is a basic but needed one. I got a single pressed power eyeshadow in the shade Hear Me Out. This matte shade matches my skin tone perfectly. I like to use it to set my eyeshadow primer. I had finish a NYX shadow in a similar shade, so I decided to get one from Colourpop to do the job. I just find setting my primer with a shadow helps blend them out better. A pressed powder could also be used, but I like putting this in my magnetic palette with my other shadows so I have all the shadows I need in one place. I would definitely recommend Colourpop’s single eyeshadows, I’ve never had an issue with any of them.

And that is the first part of my Colourpop haul! Stay tuned for part two, which should be coming within the next couple of weeks! Also if you are interested in seeing swatching of all the products that I got, check out my IGTV!

xoxo

Lea

Back to School, Beauty, Drugstore

Simple School/Work Makeup

by LeaLeave a Comment on Simple School/Work Makeup

Hey guys! Summer is almost over, only two more week! So I am starting up with some back to school/work content. I am personally super excited. I love fall and I am so tired of this hot weather. I am also ready for a change, and I’m excited to start my new program. So to start off my back to school series, I thought I would share my quick 10-minute makeup routine. This look is great for school or work because it’s quick and simple and lasts well. In this post I will be sharing all the products that I use, but check out my Instagram (@xoxoxoleelee) because I filmed myself doing the makeup! I am trying out doing some stuff for IGTV, so it should be up sometime this weekend!

Photo 2019-08-16, 12 17 49 PM

So to start off my makeup look I prime my eyelids and skin. I want my makeup to last me all day, so priming is super important t help it last. I use the Smashbox 24 Hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer on my eyes and the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Luminizer Primer. 

For my eyes I use three eyeshadows – super simple! Today I am using all Colourpop. First I set my eye primer using Hear Me Out. You could also just use a face product to do this as well. I find that shades blend better when I set my primer. Then I use Bel Air to add a little definition to my crease. You can use as much or as little as you want. A bronzer could also be used instead of a shadow for a more monochromatic look. Then I take my Super Shock Shadow in the shade Ladybird and put it all over my lid. The little bit of sparkle and glitter takes the look from average to fun, but the champagne shade is still neutral enough for everyday wear. To finish off the eyes I apply my Tarte Tarteist Lash Paint Mascara. 

For my base I am currently doing a lot of mixing, just because I am in between shades right now. I used my Physicians Formula Healthy Foundation and Wet N Wild Photo Focus Foundation and buffed it out using a brush. Then I mixed my Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer and Maybelline Fit Me Concealer, placing my Nars concealer (which is paler) closer to my under eyes to help brighten them. Then I took my Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder and used my sponge to pack it under my eyes and around my nose. These are the areas that crease the most/get oily first, so that’s why I densely apply powder here. I lightly dusk the rest of my face with powder just to set it. 

Next I do my eyebrows with my Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. If you are curious about my brows, I have a whole blog post about them. I didn’t set them with brow gel because I find that makes them look harsher, and since I want a simply makeup look I let them be. 

To finish up my face, I take my Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer and place in on my cheeks, forehead, nose and under my chin. Then I take my Milani Rose Powder Blush and place that on the apples of my cheeks and on my nose. Then I finish off with the Essence Pure Nude Highlighter for a soft glow. I like to use powders for my simple makeup look because I find them faster to apply then creams and they last way longer on the skin. I finish off the face with some NYX Dewy Finish Makeup Setting Spray. To finish all the whole look, I apply the Colourpop Lip Tint in the shade Rise N Shine to add a little colour and shine to my lips!

Photo 2019-08-15, 2 22 13 PM

And that is my quick and easy makeup look! I have a lot of back-to-school stuff plan, including a haul, an outfit lookbook and some content about my bullet journal! Ooooh I’m so excited!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Favourites, Review

Revisiting Old Makeup Favourites

by Lea1 Comment on Revisiting Old Makeup Favourites

Hey guys! So the other day I decided to revisit some of my old favourite makeup products. I feel like makeup, like any industry, is always focused on the new. A new palette comes out and every forgets about their old ones. Makeup has definitely improved in quality over the years, but are the old favourites bad or still pretty good? I decided to go through some of my old favourites and let you guys know my thoughts, whether they’re still good or not.

Photo 2019-08-08, 5 11 46 PM

First is the Too Faced Sweet Peach Eyeshadow Palette. Everyone went crazy when this palette came out a couple of years ago. I actually waited out and bought this palette used in makeup-selling group for $25. Everyone was in love with the peachy shades and smell. So how do I feel now? Honestly, the peach smell is not strong it’s a little much if you ask me. But I still love the matte formula. The mattes are just so incredibly smooth. They have the perfect amount of pigmentation and blend beautiful on the eyes. The shimmers are definitely not like what I remember. Shimmer shades in palettes nowadays are super pigmented/metallic/foiled/glittery looking. The shimmers are still nice, don’t get me wrong. The perfect for a softer look. This palette is still great, and I definitely will still use it, but I don’t think you have to run out and get it for yourself.

I think a really underrated product is the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil. I have the shade Deep End and I think it’s absolutely gorgeous. They glide on so well and are easy to smudge. But they also stay put so well, even on the waterline. They are just as good as the Marc Jacobs ones – they are $4 cheaper which isn’t much but still cheaper! Like this eyeliner has been out for almost ten years, that must mean that it’s good if people still use it.

The OG favourite primer for me was the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. I have been using a dewier primer but I recently used this Smashbox primer again. There is a reason this is a cult classic. It does such an amazing job at smoothing out my pores. My foundation also lasts way longer when I use this primer over a dewy one. I don’t think I’ll be converting back over full time, but when I need my makeup to last I will definitely use this primer.

A foundation throwback is the Wet n Wild Photo Focus Foundation. I loved this foundation so much that I bought both a summer and winter shade. First I forgot how full coverage and matte this foundation is. I feel like the makeup community has been into much more lighter coverage and dewy skin lately, so it was a fun change to wear something else. I do still like this foundation because it makes my skin look so good. I think next time I am going to use a dewy primer and a beauty sponge to lighten up the coverage a bit.

A concealer favourite was the Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Flawless Wear Concealer. This was my concealer of choice during the Tarte Shape Tape craze. I couldn’t get Shape Tape in Canada, so this was my go to high coverage concealer. I forgot how high coverage this concealer is. I have been using my Nars concealer lately, which is definitely more of a medium coverage. I think I need to get a different shade in this concealer because it was looking pretty yellow on my skin.

A powder favourite was the Maybelline Fit Me! Matte & Poreless Powder. This was actually the first powder that I ever bought. I have tried so many since that I forgot how amazing this powder is. It makes my face look and feel sooo smooth. It also doesn’t leave me looking cakey afterwards. As you can see I’ve almost finished this powder, but I am definitely going out and repurchasing this.

Another Maybelline favourite was their Facestudio Master Blush Colour and Highlight Kit. I love this face palette when I first got it. The highlight is a nice pinky shade that isn’t too icy. My favourite of the blushes was the first peachy one. It is still gorgeous now. It has a very buildable formula, so I’m not afraid that I will apply too much. It also has a light sheen to it – don’t glittery but more than a matte. I don’t really use the other two shades that much so I’m not sure I would say it’s the best palette. I still like it and I think I will start using it again.

The final old favourite is the OFRA Cosmetics Rodeo Drive Highlighter. I still have the old packaging for this highlight, that’s how long I’ve had it! This used to be everyone favourite highlight. It’s just so blinding on the skin. I have definitely noticed that blinding highlights are not as popular anymore, but like man this is still a good highlight. It’s just so smooth, it doesn’t look chunky on the skin or make my skin look textured. I definitely use a lighter hand but I still really like this highlight.

Photo 2019-08-07, 6 24 46 PM

I was able to create this really fun look using some of my old favourites. Let me know if you guys would like to see a part two of this, I can definitely dig up some other old faves!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Favourites, Makeup

My Fave Youtubes

by Lea1 Comment on My Fave Youtubes

Hey guys! So I watch a ton of Youtube. Like in university I would watch Youtube whenever I ate a meal and whenever I wanted a study aka all the time. Now I watch a variety of Youtubers, but today I am sharing some of my favourites. The ones I will be sharing today are all beauty and fashion/lifestyle. If you are curious what some of my other fave Youtubers are, let me know and I can always do a part two!

Photo 2019-08-01, 5 19 19 PM

Probably My Favourite Youtuber – Allegra Shaw

I have a lot of favourites, but I think Allegra Shaw might be my favourite. Allegra is known for her fashion content, pretty sure she got famous for her changing videos. But the reason why I like Allegra is because of her personality. She posts weekly vlogs that are just so simple and show her personality so well. Some vloggers do vacation vlogs with drones and fancy shots, while Allegra’s are just simple clips of her and her friends hanging out. She is also a Canadian Youtubers based in Toronto, so it’s so cool seeing her around the city. Like I just want to be friends with her.

My Other Favourite Youtuber – Allana Davison

Another Canadian queen. I actually found Allana Davison through Allegra. Allana is also very down-to-earth and super funny. Like during her videos she makes durpy faces and funny noises. Plus I love her cat. Allana posts a variety of videos, ranging from beauty, fashion and vlogs. Allana is also get about talking about Canada things and products, so she feels super relate-able to me. Finally, Allana does simple but cool makeup, so it is easy to recreate her looks. She doesn’t wear crazy falsies so she is very approachable for the average makeup-wearer.

I Always Laugh but also Learn Something while Watching her Videos – Samantha Ravndahl

Guys, I just have a thing for Canadian Youtubers okay? But actually Samantha Ravndahl is amazing. Her humour is so similar to mine, she always manages to make her laugh out loud. Sam is a trained makeup artist, so she does beautiful tutorials and is really good at reviewing products. I find her videos to be very informational. I’ve shared so many of her videos with my friends because she is amazing at explaining. I also recommend reading her description boxes because they’re really funny too.

The First Beauty Youtuber that I Watched – RachhLoves

I found RachhLoves about four years ago, when I really started to get into makeup. I found her because I was looking for some drugstore makeup, and as a Canadian she suggested products I could actually purchase. I find that she is very through in her reviews, and I have bought some many good products from her recommendations.

Queen of Product Reviews – Tati

I known that some shady stuff went down with her and James Charles back in May, but at the end of the day I trust her opinions so much on makeup. Tati is such a great product reviewer. I have bought some many products that she has recommended. She is extremely through, giving wear tests and will often give dupes/similar products for expensive items. A great Youtuber to check out if you are interested in makeup reviews.

Crazy Makeup Fun Girl – Keilidh MUA

I find Keilidh MUA so inspirational. I get so many ideas for makeup looks from her. But she is also so fun to watch. I also lover her Irish accent. I think a big thing is that Keilidh is only a year older than me, so I relate to so many things that are going on in her life as well. Keilidh is great if you are looking just for some fun makeup related videos.

Alexa, Play Glam&Gore

Listen, I am awful at SFX makeup. But I still watch all of Mykie’s (Glam&Gore) makeup tutorials because she is hilarious. Mykie is currently on break, but I am literally counting down the days until she comes back. She is a fabulous storyteller, but also super creative. I laugh the whole time as she does her makeup, and then I am amazed at the end at the final product. Not for the faint of heart, because some of her looks are crazy good. Come back soon Mykie!

Does Tutorials That You Can Actually Recreate – Kathleen Lights

Kathleen Lights does the most beautiful makeup looks and tutorials, but they are actually are pretty simple and easy to re-create. Kathleen also reviews tons of drugstore/affordable makeup, so I can actually afford her recommendations. Plus she is actually the reason I decided to get Boxycharm, because I love watching her reviews of the boxes.

Another Canadian Queen – Alex Centomo

What can I say, I love Canadian Youtubers. Alex is from Montreal, which is where my mom’s side of the family is from. Even though she’s English, she still reminds me of my French Canadian family. I also love her style, I find that is very similar to mine. I also like how Alex is very vocal about mental health, talking honestly and openly about it. She discusses a wide range of topics, so it’s not always the same thing on her channel. I really enjoy the variety.

My Idol, Who I Strive to Be Life – SunbeamsJess

I want to be like Jess. I discovered her when she was finishing up her last year of university. It was motivating to watch her balance Youtube, a blog and post-secondary education. She also discusses a wide variety of things on her channel. She does fashion content, beauty content, book reviews and vlogs. It was watching her that I kind of realized that I don’t have to pigeon hole myself into one niche. I can talk about makeup but also do book reviews at the same time. She also have the most soft, soothing British accent, it’s very calming to watch her videos.

And those are TEN of my favourite Youtubers! Let me know down in the comments below who your favourite Youtubers are!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Review

July Boxycharm 2019

by LeaLeave a Comment on July Boxycharm 2019

Hey guys! I don’t know about you, but July went by so quickly. I can’t believe that there is only one more month of summer! Anyways, today post is my July Boxycharm box. Now I haven’t been wearing makeup a ton (to be fair, working at a pool and wearing a full face of makeup don’t go together), but I have tried this products at least a few times! So, my July Boxycharm:

Photo 2019-07-18, 12 26 29 PM

First up is a three brush set from Luxie – the Gaea brush set. This brush set is supposed to be eco-friendly. The brushes came in paper packaging that is recyclable, and the wood handle has a more natural looking finish. As you guys know, I love Luxie brushes. The 246 Precision Crease is one of my favourites. I use it to cut my crease, apply shimmer shades and apply my inner corner highlight – so I’m happy to have another one. The 250 Large Eye Blending is actually pretty big. For me, I use this to just apply a light crease shade all over. The only one I’m not a fan of is the 510 Foundation brush. I prefer to use a flat top to apply my foundation, so I don’t know how often I’ll use this one. If you are ever looking to get some brushes, I always recommend the Luxie ones. Price: $30 USD

Next up is the Butter London Natural Goddess Eyeshadow Palette. This is not a bad palette, but what I have an issue with is the branding of the palette versus what it actually is. When I like natural goddess, I like of very light, easy breezy natural makeup. Playing in with the theme of the box, ‘au naturale’, I think of no-makeup-makeup. But this palette doesn’t really fit my idea of natural makeup I guess. While I think the blue shade is a fun pop of colour, I’m not sure it fits my idea of natural makeup. I would have preferred a lighter crease shade instead of the blue. The only matte shades are the blue and the dark drown shade. To do any eye look I have to dip into another palette, which I don’t like. I want to be able to do a whole look with one palette. Continuing on the fact that this is a ‘natural’ goddess, the shimmers are pigmented and metallic. They have a great formula for a bold look, but I find it hard to apply a light wash. During the day I don’t necessarily want a shiny metallic look, but when I tried to apply a lighter wash it was patchy. I think this palette is the perfect example of how shadows can be good quality but that still doesn’t mean that the overall palette is good. I think the shades are pigmented and blendable, but I’m just not a big fan of the colour story.  Price: $32 USD (I will say at least the price is reasonable)

Next is the Appeal Cosmetics Gel Liner in the shade Forest Green. Okay so when I saw I got this pencil I was a little worried. I have never gotten a good eyeliner from Boxycharm. I find them to be scratchy and stiff. This is the first decent one that I’ve tried. I would say it’s the best eyeliner every and that everyone should go out and get it. But it’s good enough that I will use it again. Its creamy and easy to apply. It does a decent job of staying put, even in my waterline. My only complaint is that when I tried to smudge it out it fades away. I tried to do a smudgy wing with it and found that it didn’t work out. So overall not as good at my Marc Jacobs and Urban Decay eyeliners, but still pretty good. Price: $21 USD

First I’d just like to point out that this is the fourth month now that I have received a lip gloss, so I feel like a lip gloss reviewing expert at this point. This month’s lip gloss is the Alamar Cosmetics Des-Nudes-As Lip Gloss in the shade Coqueta. Man I wanted to love this lip gloss because I love Alamar Cosmetics. But I’m not in love. This is a thick lipgloss. The thickness and stickiness means that it lasts for a really long time on the lips. But I find the texture to be annoying. I am hyper aware of how sticky and tacky my lips are. Second, this gloss is an odd medium coverage. It’s not completely sheer and not completely opaque. Because of the coverage, my natural lip shade peeks through if I am not wearing a lipstick underneath. That would be fine expect that the brown/peachy colour of this gloss doesn’t match my naturally rosy lips underneath. So I could just use this gloss on top of lipstick, but it’s so thick and it feels like I have way to much product on my lips. The one thing I like about this lip gloss is the applicator. It’s like a double sided doe foot applicator, so it’s super easy to apply the gloss and I don’t need to redip the wander to cover my lips. Overall just not my favourite gloss. Price: $15 USD

The final product is the Elemis Superfood Vital Veggie Mask. I actually really like this mask! Sometimes I want to do a mask but I don’t want a pore/deep cleansing mask. I want something that will hydrate my skin. This mask is very hydrating on the skin. It does tingle a little bit on the face, but otherwise is a soothing process. It is also super easy to take off, I don’t find any bits leftover and I don’t have to scrub my face. I will definitely be using this mask again! Price: $35 USD

And that is my July Boxycharm! Total price is $133 USD. Honestly this wasn’t a bad box. I know I was pretty hard on the palette and the lipgloss, but I think both of those products are just personal preference reasons as to why I don’t like them. I don’t think there was any product that was a dud really. I’m pretty happy, let me know in the comments what you guys think!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Hair, Review, Tips and Tricks

Hair Care Routine + Products

by LeaLeave a Comment on Hair Care Routine + Products

Hey guys! Today’s post is inspired by the fact that when I told my friends I use blue shampoo, none of them knew what that was! So I will be sharing all the products I use on my hair on a regular basis. I just want to preface by giving you guys a little hair story. I have pretty thick hair and it’s naturally curly. My curls have slowly died over the years, probably through a combination of excessive chlorine and dyeing it. I started dyeing my hair only three years ago. I am currently dyeing it slightly darker than my natural hair colour. And finally it is really susceptible to getting dry/damaged looking.

hair care 2019

My favourite shampoo and conditioner brand is Tresemme. I find it to be a step up than other drugstore brands, but still cheaper than high end brands. When I have my hair freshly coloured I used their Keratin Smooth Colour line, but I have used many of their other lines before. I really like that they have bigger bottles because I go through a lot of shampoo and conditioner since I have a lot of hair.

Now when I recently went darker, I asked my hairdresser how to keep my hair from going brassy. It’s not just blondes that suffer from brassiness. When my colour starts to fade, I find that there is an orange quality that peeps through my hair. My hairdresser recommended to try blue shampoo and conditioner. Blondes use purple to cancel yellowness, but brunettes can use blue to cancel our orange. I use the Joico Colour Balance Blue Shampoo and Conditioner. I use this about one a week and I notice such a huge difference in my hair colour. It really does help cancel out the brassiness and makes my hair colour look fresh again.

One more shampoo recommendation is the Paul Mitchell Shampoo Three. If you swim in chlorine water, you need this shampoo. If you guys didn’t know, I work as a lifeguard. When I was in high school I was in the pool around five times a week. The chlorine absolutely killed my hair, so I looked for a solution and found this shampoo. It does such an amazing job and getting all of the chlorine out of my hair. I will use this shampoo and a deep conditioning mask to save my hair. I don’t go in the pool as often anymore, but I keep this product around for when I do.

I like to deep condition my hair around once a week as well. I will put the mask in my hair and let it sit for 5 minutes at least, I usually shave my legs while I wait. The mask I am currently using is the L’Oreal Dream Lengths Saviour Mask. It’s a pretty good mask, definitely leaves my hair feeling softer and shinier after. Another good drugstore brand for hair masks is Garnier.

After I wash my hair and towel it off I like to apply a hair serum, focusing on the ends of my hair. I find that the ends are definitely where my hair gets the most dry, so adding an oil helps keep them strong and healthy. I am currently using the L’Oreal Total Repair 5 Cica Creme, which is meant for breakage and split ends. It’s less of an oil and more like a creamy liquid, but it still does a good job.

Finally I apply a hair mousse to helps give my curls shape and then leave my hair to air dry. People are always shocked when I tell them I don’t blow dry my hair. But blow drying my hair gets rid of my curls, plus my hair is damaged enough I don’t need to add heat damage on top of it haha! I am still on the hunt for the best hair mousse. A good drugstore one is the Tresemme Flawless Curls Mousse. I am currently using the Amika The Perfect Body Whipped Mousse, which I think they changed or reformulated or got rid of I’m not sure. On the website they have the Plus Size Perfect Body Mousse. This one is pretty good, but I think a mousse specifically designed for curls would be better. If you guys have any mousse recommendations for curly hair please let me know!

And that is my everyday hair care routine. I do sometimes curl or straighten my hair, but this is what I do on a more average basis! Hope you guys found this useful 🙂

xoxo

Lea