Category: Hair

Beauty, Favourites, Hair, Makeup, Perfume, Skincare

My 2021 Beauty Favourites!

by Lea1 Comment on My 2021 Beauty Favourites!

Hey guys! It’s finally time to share my 2021 beauty favourites! If you watched my newest Youtube video, you might have noticed that I only mentioned makeup products. Well in this blog post I’m going to be talking about everything. I have makeup, skincare, haircare, body and perfume! I will try and keep things brief because I know this is going to be a long post. Let’s get into it.

Makeup

I feel like 2021 was the year of base products for me, so I don’t have many eye products. The one eyeshadow palette I picked is the Violet Voss Olive Your Forever Palette. I also featured this in my Best of Boxycharm 2021 post. I love the colour story and the quality is amazing. It’s one of the few palettes I reached for over and over again.

My eyeliner favourite is the same as 2020, the Make Up For Ever Artist Colour Pencil in Boundless Bisque. In the past, I gravitate to wearing browns and blacks in my waterline. This year it was all about nude eyeliner for me. I just wanted something to brighten my eyes and this always did the job. Or if I didn’t sleep a lot and my eyes were red this helped as well. I want to get more into eyeliner in 2022 because I have a bunch in my collection that I want to use more!

My two mascara picks are both from the drugstore! The Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara has easily become my everyday mascara. I love a lengthening mascara that adds a little volume as well and the Maybelline Sky High Mascara delivers exactly that. It adds some length to my lashes but isn’t too dramatic. My favourite mascara for my lower lashes is the L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara. My lower lashes naturally curl down so I often must mascara wands too big to coat my lower lashes. The L’Oreal mascara’s wand is super thin so it’s easy for me to coat my lower lashes. I also like using this after I apply false lashes to help everything blend together as well. Two great mascaras!

When I thought about which pair of false lashes were my favourite I couldn’t pick one. So I picked four haha. When I want something BIG I reach for the Lavaa Lashes in the style Flirty. There is something about big lashes that make it seem like your makeup is impressive even when it’s just a crease and shimmer. These lashes are super feathering which I like. When I want something a little less big but still long I reach for the Elise lashes in the Kash Beauty Secret Treasure Luxury Lash Set. These lashes have a beautiful wing to them so it gives a cat-eye effect which I love. A very similar-looking lash is the Colourpop Queenie Falsies Faux Lashes. The Kash Beauty lashes have a thicker band so it’s harder to conceal compared to the Colorupop lashes but a thicker band makes it’s easier to apply and more comfortable. I would recommend either. My favourite pair of lashes for more soft glam looks are the Ardell Faux Mink Demi Wispies. I love these because they’re wispy and the band is clear so people often don’t even realize I’m wearing falsies. I always get compliments when I wear them AND they’re from the drugstore. All of these lashes get two thumbs up from me.

This year when it came to brows I went back to the pencils. I find pencils the quickest and easiest to use. My favourites are Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, Benefit Cosmetics Precisely My Brow Pencil and NYX Precision Brow Pencil. My favourite brow gel is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel. I already have thick brows so I don’t need to use a tinted brow gel and then I don’t have to worry about matching the gel to my brows. This ABH one is strong enough to keep my brows in place but not too stiff that or crunchy. And that’s it for brows, pretty simple.

I have three primer favourites this year, all of them I was madly in love with at different parts of the year. The first is a continuation from 2020, the Touch In Sol Pretty Filter Glassy Skin Balm. If you’re looking for a primer that delivers glowy and smooth skin, then you have to check this one out. I think it’s all the skincare ingredients that stop this from looking greasy but instead dewy on the skin. I can wear this all over the face no problem. Another dewy primer is the Rodial Soft Focus Glow Drops. This primer makes me look SO dewy. I keep this on the periphery of my face because it does have a bit of shimmer that I don’t want to emphasize my pores. But this is so dewy that sometimes I can skip highlight when I’m using this serum. The final primer favourite is the NYX Marshmellow Smoothing Primer. This is for everyone who wants a pore-filling primer but hates the silicone texture. This primer does an amazing job at smoothing and creating an even base on my face. The texture is very similar to marshmallow fluff, probably why it’s named after it haha. A great drugstore primer that I recommend everyone check out!

I also have three foundation favourites! The first is the Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint. I think this foundation is going to be on a lot of people’s 2021 favourite’s list. This skin tint is one of the best light coverage foundation I’ve tried. I think it’s because it has a buildable formula so it applies a light wash everywhere but I can build up the pigment where I had some redness or discolouration. And it’s Fenty Beauty so you already know the shade range is amazing. My dewy foundation pick is the Wet n Wild Photo Focus Foundation Dewy. It has good coverage but the dewy formula means that it doesn’t look cakey or dry on my skin like some other full coverage foundations. It’s got a decent shade range, but it’s such an affordable price that I can buy multiple shades and mix to create my perfect shade. The final foundation favourite is a hidden gem. Not enough people talk about the Smashbox Studio Skin 24 Hour Oil-Free Hydra Foundation. I think a lot of people would like this foundation because it’s right in the middle with medium coverage and satin finish. It’s not too much or too little of anything. It’s long-lasting and has a great shade range, what more could you want!

It wouldn’t be a favourites post without mentioning the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. I love this concealer and I’ve talked on and on about this concealer. My other two favourites are the Makeup Revolution Conceal & Define Concealer and the ELF Hydrating Camo Concealer. The Makeup Revolution concealer is quite similar to the Nars one just a little less creamy. But it’s not too high coverage and lasts well. The ELF concealer is the wrong shade for under my eyes but I’ve been using it constantly on my face. Even though it’s hydrating I’ve found it stays put and does an amazing job of concealing any acne I have. I would recommend all three concealers!

Powder is the category where I haven’t fallen in love with anything new. My favourite that I kept on returning to is the Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Powder. This powder has been a staple in my collection because it’s creamy but does a great job of mattifying any shininess I have going on. Whenever I’m looking greasy I just use a touch of this and the grease is gone without making me look cakey. I also pack this with me when I need a powder to touch up. And it’s drugstore so it’s quite affordable!

My two bronzer favourites are both cream! My more expensive favourite is the Milk Makeup Matte Cream Bronzer. This cream is so easy to blend but lasts long on the skin. And the shade is the perfect bronzing shade for me. My affordable favourite is the ELF Putty Bronzer. The formula is a little stiffer but I find that it dries down almost to a powdery consistency. This makes it extremely long-wearing, especially under masks. I can also apply powders on top of it no problem. If you haven’t tried cream bronzer yet you need to!

I have a lot of blush favourites. This was the year of blush for me. A continuation from last year is the Nudestix Nudies Blush. I love this blush formula because I can easily swipe it on my face and blend it out easily. My favourite shades are In the Nude (a warm peach) and Picante (an orange coral). In the Nude and the Milk Makeup bronzer are what I wear together almost on the daily because they go together so well. My other cream blush favourite is the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in the shade Love. The formula is a little more difficult to work with, I usually have to put it on the back of my hand or a palette and then onto my face. But this shade is so gorgeous I work around that. It gives the most beautiful flush to the face. I blush very red so it looks quite natural for me. And it dries down matte so it lasts a long time. My favourite blush favourite is the Colourpop Pressed Powder Blush in Flower Power. This was a collab between Colourpop and Animal Crossing. I thought I would like the other blush shade in the collab but I have been loving Flower Power. This lilac shade is quite unique for cool tone blushes but I think it gives the most amazing fresh-faced look. Whenever I want something cool toned I always reach for this blush.

My two highlights are both cream and are quite similar. A carry-over from last year is the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter. My other favourite is the Auric Glow Lust Radiant Luminizer. If you want to know the differences between the two, I would read my original Auric Glow Lust review. But what I like about both of them is that the shades are more skin tone and therefore very natural. It looks like my skin is dewy than some shiny stripe on my skin. They are also both easy to blend. Both are expensive highlights but they come with so much highlight that I will never run out of product!

Four setting sprays favourites may be a little excessive but I do love all of them. My holy grails are the MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ and the Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray. My first newer favourite is the Maven Beauty Rose Water Setting Spray. I’m not a fan of the rose scent but I love the way it helps my makeup last longer. I like pairing this with a face full of creams because it helps set everything and keep it locked. My other favourite is the Benefit The POREfessional Super Setter Setting Spray, which you may remember from my Sephora haul. This setting spray actually blurs my pores, which I think is just incredible for a setting spray. Whenever I want to look smooth and flawless I grab this spray.

I’m gonna breeze through my lip favourites because I do into detail with swatches in my Youtube video, so check that out if you want more info. But my lip liner favourites are the Steve Laurant Chic Lip Liner and Kash Beauty Rose Nude Lip Liner. Both are wooden pencils and I find that they are the perfect balance between creamy and stiff. For matte lipsticks, I picked the MAC Matte Lipsticks in “Down to an Art” and “Velvet Teddy”, Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk and Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita. My creamier/shinier lipstick favourites I picked the Burt’s Bees Satin Lipstick in Blush Basin and ELF Sheer Slick Lipstick in Golden Pear. Finally, for lip gloss I picked the Tower28 ShineOn Milky Lip Jelly Gloss in Cashew and the KAB Cosmetics Hydrating Lip Oil.

Skincare

Skincare was hard for me to pick because I go through products a lot quicker compared to makeup. I decided to focus on what products I truly loved and that is products that I have repurchased or would consider repurchasing in the future. So let’s get into it.

For cleansers, I have three favourites. My cleansing balm is the only thing not pictured above, but I picked the Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm. I loved this balm so much that after I finished it I repurchased it. I don’t currently have it in my collection because I have other balms I’m trying to finish up but I would get this one again. It’s quite oily so it does a great job of dissolving makeup but it doesn’t leave an oily residue on my face. It’s so good that if I’m not wearing a lot of makeup I can skip a second cleanser. And it’s available at the drugstore so it’s a great price! My second cleanser is the Youth to the People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser. This cleanser was great because it cleaned my skin but didn’t strip it. Whenever I used this regularly I barely had any breakouts. I’m currently using a different cleanser but I don’t like it as much as the Youth to the People cleanser. I will be repurchasing in the future. The final cleanser is the Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser. I treat this more as an exfoliator, using it only about once or twice a week. This cleanser has both physical and chemical exfoliants so it helps clean away any dead skin. This helps keep my skin feeling smooth and soft.

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you will know my love of the OLEHENRIKSEN Balancing Force Oil Control Toner. This is one of the products that has helped the most with my texture. I use this every single day. If you suffer from acne, oily skin or texture you need to check this toner out.

I have two more products for everyone who suffers from acne. The first is the Benzagel 5% Acne Gel (not pictured because forgot to photograph it oops). I switched from my prescription acne gel to this one and it has done wonders for my skin. I apply this daily to the areas where I usually get acne and I’ve noticed a decrease in the amount of acne I get. I still get some but it’s better. When I do get some zits I will apply the Peace Out Salicylic Acid Acne Healing Dots on top. These dots help pull all the gunk out from any whiteheads. It helps get rid of a whitehead without having to pop it, which helps prevent any scarring. They are a little pricey but they are the best I’ve tried on the market.

My favourite serum is a pricey one but I do love the Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil. This is one of the best Vitamin C oils I’ve tried so far. I’m still on the hunt for a more affordable option that gives me similar results. This oil helps reduce any pigmentation or dark spots that I have on my skin while also giving my skin some moisture and shine. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this oil.

And finally my two favourite face masks. These two do quite different things. Whenever my face is freaking out I reach for the Origins Out of Trouble 10 Minute Mask to Rescue Problem Skin. This helps dry up and clear out and breakouts that I’m having. If you have oily or acne-prone skin you have to check this mask out. The second mask is on the opposite end of the spectrum, being very hydrating and rejuvenating. The Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask goes on yellow and turns white and it heats up and helps the skin. If you ever want to turn your skin from blah to wow, then use this mask.

Haircare

Now moving on to haircare. I have been pretty consistent with my haircare products, haven’t tried many new products. But I’ve been loving how my hair looks so I want to share the goodies!

The first product, not pictured, is the Living Proof Restore Repair Leave-In. This is my favourite heat protectant. If I’m going to be diffusing my hair, I always like to add a heat protectant and leave-in products work since they coat your hair. I love leave-in because it doesn’t make my hair feel greasy or weight down my hair. And it smells amazing! I’m trying to finish up some other products but I will repurchase this leave-in in the future.

The two products that have transformed my curls are the Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Scrunching Gel and Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Hair Mousse. The mousse adds definition to my curls and the gel helps the curls keep their shape. My hair is soft and bouncy and shinier. The products are Curly Girl Approved AND available at the drugstore. Herbal Essences, you are never allowed to discontinue these products.

And finally, a hair favourites would not be complete without mentioning the Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Vegan Apple Honey Deep Conditioning Hair Mask. I’ve gone on and on about this mask but it’s the best I’ve used even though it’s limited edition. You get it before it’s gone!

Bodycare

My form of self care is buying myself millions of body scrubs and lotions. I have tried many bodycare products but narrowed down my list of favourites to three.

My favourite body scrub is the Dove Exfoliating Body Polish. The Macadamia & Rice Milk happens to be my favourite scent. I love this body scrub because unlike a lot of scrubs it’s actually quite creamy. I had scrubs that are dry because I find them more irritating than soothing. This scrub gets rid of all the dry skin but also moisturizes at the same time. And it’s available at the drugstore!!

It was hard to pick a favourite body lotion but I decided that the Hempz Natural Herbal Body Moisturizer is probably my favourite. It checks off all the major boxes for me: it smells good, it moisturizers my skin, it sinks quickly into the skin, it has a pump and it’s affordable. There is a great range of scents so you can find one you enjoy!

I’ve mentioned this before, but I get bad acne on my chest and shoulders. For this reason, I usually use a face moisturizer on this part of my body because fragranced body lotions usually irritate the skin there. I’ve been using the CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion and loving it. It moisturizes the skin, dries quickly and isn’t sticky. I love the big bottle with a pump because it’s easy to use. And you guessed it, it’s affordable!

Perfumes

The final category is perfumes! This year I got into wearing perfume on the daily. I had a decent perfume collection but I never wore it until one day I realized I shouldn’t let my perfumes go to wear and now I wear them more. I switch up my perfumes based on the season and my mood but these three have been my favourite.

The first favourite is the Atelier Cologne Orange Sanguine. I enjoy fresh-smelling perfumes but there is a complexity to this perfume that I adore. The orange scent is sweet but there is a bit of sandalwood that adds some spiciness to this perfume. I find this perfume is great year-round as well. Finally, it lasts quite a long time on the skin so it’s worth the expensive price tag.

The second favourite is the Maison Margiela ‘REPLICA’ By the Fireplace. This scent won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but I love it. This is more of a fall/winter scent for me because it’s very spicy with clove, chestnut and vanilla. It’s also a unisex scent which I’ve noticed that I do enjoy wearing more unisex scents. This perfume gives me dark academia vibes which I love.

The final perfume is one I like to mix with both of these previous perfumes or wear by itself. The Atelier Cologne Vanille Insensée Pure Perfume is the perfect grown-up vanilla perfume. Mixing it with Orange Sanguine creates an orange creamsicle like scent. And mixing it with By the Fireplace brings out the vanilla and makes the scent more feminine. I’ll also wear it by itself when I want something simple. Overall a great scent to add to your collection.

And that is my extremely long 2021 beauty favourites post! Let me know in the comments what some of your favourites products were this year. As well just wanted to mention there won’t be a new blog post this Friday since it’s Christmas Eve. Hope everyone who celebrates has a wonderful Christmas!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, empties, Hair, Makeup, Review, Skincare

Product Empties November 2021 (What Beauty Products Would I Repurchase?)

by Lea3 Comments on Product Empties November 2021 (What Beauty Products Would I Repurchase?)

Hey guys! It’s been a hot minute since I’ve done an empties post. I barely had any empties for a while and then within the last couple weeks I’ve finished like five products. I have 12 products for today’s post so let’s get into it!

Up first is the Hempz Natural Herbal Body Moisturizer in the Sweet Pineapple & Honey Melon scent. I was totally influenced by Sierra Schultzzie on this one. She did an “influencers made me buy it” video and fell in love with this lotion which in turn made me buy it. This is a great body lotion! It smells absolutely amazing – it reminds me of this certain gum but I can’t remember the name. I love the consistency because it’s not too thick but still hydrating. It sinks into the skin quickly and the scent lingers a bit but isn’t overpowering. I decided to repurchase the lotion but this time in the Fresh Coconut & Watermelon scent. Would recommend checking out this lotion.

The next product is the Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm. Cleansing balms are one of my favourite products to test out and this is one of the best I’ve tried so far. It’s an oil-based cleanser so I find that it’s incredible at removing makeup. Even the most stubborn mascara, liners, lipsticks and glitters come off easily with this balm. Despite the fact that it’s oil-based it doesn’t leave my skin feeling oily or greasy. Sometimes if I’m feeling partially lazy I won’t double cleanse because my face feels clean enough after using this cleansing balm. AND best of all it’s available at the drugstore. I recommend checking out this cleansing balm if you wear makeup.

My brother has gotten into the habit of using my eye cream. He loved the Farmacy Cheer Up Brightening Vitamin C Eye Cream. We both have very sensitive under eyes and this didn’t both us. I honestly didn’t notice much of a difference but he did. He said it was hydrating and he just found it made a visible difference. He even asked if I was going to repurchase it (to which I replied he can purchase it himself since I have another eye cream open). So this eye cream has my brother’s seal of approval.

The first of two haircare products is the Living Proof Restore Repair Leave-In. I highly recommend this leave-in conditioner. First, it’s curly girl approved so my fellow curly hair friends can use this. Second, it does such a great job of leaving my hair smooth and silky. You can use a leave-in product as a heat protectant since its coats your hair. I will use this if I’m going to diffuse my curls and it helps prevent any frizziness. I currently have some other hair products open but once I finish them up I will buy this again.

The second haircare product is the Playa Healing Hair Masque. Honesltly I was a little disappointed by this mask. I had heard great things about the brand and assumed I would like the mask. It wasn’t a bad mask but it didn’t do anything more from my hair than using conditioner. If I’m going to pay almost $50 for a hair mask I want a noticeable difference and I didn’t get that. Still on the hunt for the best hair mask.

If you suffer from acne, then you HAVE to try the Benzagel Acne Gel. If you’ve followed me for awhile you might remember that I was using prescription acne cream for awhile. Unforuantely I’ve run out of the cream and cannot afford to repurchase it. So I switched over to this Benzagel Acne Gel. This contains Benzagel Peroxide, which is the main ingredient in Proactive. This is the best over the counter cream I’ve used so far. I apply it to wear I break out once a day and I noticed a huge difference in as little as two weeks. I’ll be honest and I still get breakouts but this has helped me. I recommend it to everyone suffering from acne.

Another cleanser I finished is the Laneige Cream Skin Milk Oil Cleanser. If you have dry skin you’ll love this cleanser for removing makeup. Unlike cleansing balms which sometimes can be stripped, this cleanser is quite hydrating. I will say it’s not as effective compared to other makeup removing cleansers so I used this more on my lighter makeup days. I personally won’t be repurchasing it but would recommend to anyone with normal to dry skin.

A moisturizer I finished is the Murad City Skin Overnight Detox Moisturizer. While I like this moisturizer I still find it funny that it has vitamin C. I’ve already heard that it’s best to apply vitamin C in the morning because it helps prevent UV damage, so it’s weird to be that they put vitamin C in a night cream. But besides that this cream isn’t bad. A little on the thicker side, which makes sense since it’s a nice cream. I like the packaging. It’s a push pump so I don’t have to dig my fingers into a jar. Overall it was a good moisturizer but I’m not going to go out of my way to repurhcase it on the Murad website.

A product that I was surprised that I enjoyed so much is the MineTan Body.Skin Hydra Glow Sleep Serum, which is a hyaluronic acid serum. I haven’t had the best of luck with finding a hyalurnoic acid serum that I like but this one worked great! I noticed a difference in how moisturizer my face felt after using this serum. I also noticed that my skin looked brighter as well after using it for a couple of weeks. Overall I enjoyed this serum. Unfortunately it’s only available through their site so I don’t think I’ll repurchase it because I don’t want to deal with the hassle that is shipping to Canada. But if you live in the US check this out!

A finished a makeup product! Doesn’t happen very often but I finished my tube of my Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. You already know that I’ve repurchased another one. I just love the way it brightens my undereyes and it’s so easy to blend. It does start to crease on me around the six hour makeup but it’s creamy enough that I can usually just tap out the creasing and lines with my finger and it looks fine. I think the fact that I finished a whole tube of this is just a testament to how much I love it.

Back to skincare again, I finished a bottle of the Clean Skin Club Vitamin C Brightening Booster. It was alright. At this point I compare all vitamin C serums to the Biossance one and this one just wasn’t as good. Now if you don’t like an oily feeling serum then you’ll probably like this one because it dries down almost matte. But I didn’t notice having any immediate brightening effect nor was it any faster at helping with my hyperpigmentation compared to the Biossance serum. It’s not bad but not good enough for me to want to repurchase.

And the final product is the Versed Look Alive Hydrating Plumping Mask. I thought for some reason based on the packaging that I would go through this in a few uses. But it took me like two years to get through the mask (expiry dates? what’s that lol). If you just want a mask to add some extra hydration to your skin, this is the mask for you. It’s like an extra juicy moisturizer. I leave it on for ten minutes, wash it off and my skin feels plump and juicy. It has a very nice, light floral scent. And best of all like other Versed products it’s affordable! I haven’t yet but I am considering picking another one up.

And that is it for my product empties guys! Let me know if you’ve used any of these products and what your thoughts are on them. And if you have any hair mask suggestions leave them in the comments because I’m still on the hunt!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Hair, Holiday, Makeup, Skincare

12 Holiday Gifts Set To Pick Up From Sephora

by Lea1 Comment on 12 Holiday Gifts Set To Pick Up From Sephora

Hey guys! Today is going to be the final of my Sephora Sale recommendations list. I wanted to share some holiday gift sets that caught my attention and I think would be great gifts. These gift sets are all limited edition, so pick them up ASAP if you’re interested in them! I got a real mix of stuff so let’s get into it!

I mentioned this in my Sephora Recommendations, but Farmacy has their Garden Party Green Clean Trio. This is a set of three mini Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balms in three limited-edition scents: Strawberry Basil, Lemon Mint, Peach Thyme. This is also a great deal because this set is 5.1 fl oz in total for $56, and the original Green Clean is 3.4 fl oz for $45. A great deal for someone who loves Green Clean!

If you know someone who loves Benefit Cosmetics or you just want to get them a variety of products, I think the Holiday Cutie Beauty Makeup Bestsellers Value Set is the one to get. The set includes a full-size bronzer, mascara and brow gel as well as a mini primer sample. These products are some of Benefit’s bestsellers so you know they’ll be great. And it’s a $126 value for $54! A great deal!

The perfect gift set for a makeup lover is the Sephora Favourites Holiday Makeup Must Haves Set. This includes all of the top-selling and trending products for this holiday season – all products the makeup lover in your life probably has their eye on. The kit includes a variety of minis as well as three full-size products. I think Sephora always does a great job of selecting good products but also has the best value, with this set being $202 value for $71.

If your budget is a little smaller, then check out the Sephora Collection Holiday Vibes Favorite Nude Lip Set. Sephora Collection products are extremely underrated with their lip products being some of their best in my opinion. This kit includes three full-size lip products in their bestselling nude shades. The best part is this set has a $53 value for only $25 – perfect for Secret Santa or a small budget!

If you’re unsure what to get the makeup lover in your life because they seem to have everything, consider the MakeUp Eraser Wildflower MakeUp Eraser 7-Day Set. These little clothes are great at removing makeup and just need water! This set is perfect because it contains seven, so one for every day of the week. Every makeup lover needs something to remove their makeup. And these MakeUp Erasers have cute little flowers on them. The set is $33.

Switching into skincare, if you’re unsure what skin type someone has, I always recommend First Aid Beauty. Their skincare is designed to be gentle and for those with sensitive skin. Their Your Future Looks FAB Gift Set is great because it includes all of their top products. I’ve tried all of these products (my mom also loves them) and they’re great! Best of all it’s a $148 value for $64.

If you know what skin type someone has, consider Laneige. They have a Hydration-To-Go! Combination to Oily Skin and a Hydration-To-Go! Normal to Dry Skin. These kits are great because it includes a full face but is designed for a specific skin type. I love Laneige skin care and would be so happy if someone got me this set. Both sets are also a great price at $38.

If you know someone in your life who loves face masks, then check out the Origins MERRY MASKS Our 5 Best Mask Minis. I got a similar set from Origins a couple of years ago and discovered one of my favourite masks through it! These minis are also quite large so they will last someone quite a few uses before they run out. This set has a $44 value for $25 – another great affordable gift set!

Of course, I have to mention the Briogeo Honey Hydration Don’t Despair, Repair! Hair Repair Kit. I love this deep conditioner and I think everyone should try it out. But the kit also comes with a shampoo and conditioner, so it’s a great way to try a variety of Briogeo’s products. The other great thing about Briogeo is that their products are made with silicones and sulphates, are vegan and are clean beauty so they will work for a variety of hair types.

If you want to get someone haircare but are unsure of what, consider the Sephora Favourites Healthy Hair Must-Haves Kit. This set comes with 10 different hair care products to help hydrate, strengthen and repair hair. It also includes a full-size Amika product. And like all the Sephora sets, this product has a value of $52.

If you have a candle lover in your life, then consider getting them the Voluspa Mini Candle Advent Calendar. This comes with 12 of their bestselling candles. This is a great way to try their candles and see which ones you like before investing in a large one. My mom and I got this last Christmas and spilt it between us. This could also be great to purchase and break up into multiple gifts. The votives are also really cute, I’ve kept the jars after I’ve finished burning them because they’re so cute.

And the final gift set is the Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Jet Set. This set comes with a mini of their infamous Bum Bum Cream, a shower gel and a body fragrance mist. I love the scent of this set. This is perfect for anyone dreaming of a tropical getaway but are unable to go. This set has a $43 value for $33.

And those are my gift set recommendations! Let me know which set you think is the best or if there are any other gift sets that have caught your attention in the comments!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Favourites, Hair, Makeup, Perfume, Review, Skincare

My 2021 Sephora Sale Recommendations!

by Lea2 Comments on My 2021 Sephora Sale Recommendations!

Hey guys! As promised, here is my Sephora Sale recommendations list! The Sephora Holiday Savings Event runs from November 5-15 for Rouge, November 9-15 for VIB and November 11-15 for VIB. The savings range from 10-20% off depending on what level you are, so it’s the perfect time of year to pick up something you’ve been eyeing. Today I’m going to be doing something similar to my wishlist, where I’ll be sharing Makeup, Skincare, Hair&Body (and maybe a few miscellaneous in Hair&Body). So let’s get into it!

Makeup

Starting off I have two foundation recommendations, and if you’ve been following my blog and Youtube these probably won’t be a surprise to you. For lighter coverage, I recommend the Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint. I love this skin tint because it somehow manages to be light coverage but also helps reduce any redness I have going on. It looks and feels good on the skin and it’s easy to apply. Win, win, win. If you want something with more coverage than the Smashbox Studio Skin 24 Hour Oil-Free Hydra Foundation. This is medium coverage and has a natural matte finish, so it just looks like skin. But best of all is that it’s sooooo long-lasting. I can wear this all day at work and not look like a greasy mess at the end of the year. Not enough people talk about this foundation, it’s so good.

My favourite bronzer is still the Milk Makeup Matte Cream Bronzer. I feel like everyone launched new cream bronzers this year and I just stuck with my Milk Makeup one! The shade Baked is perfect for my complexion. It blends so easily and seamlessly into the face. And it’s long-lasting, which isn’t always the case for creams.

For blush, I have two recommendations. If you’re newer to using cream blushes, then try out the Nudestix Nudies Matte Blush. They have a great selection of shades. The formula is creamy enough where it’s easy to apply but they are matte so they last a long time on the skin. I can swipe these blushes on my face and blend them on in three seconds. If you’re experienced with blush and want something impactful, then check out the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush. This blush is pigmented, so it’s not for the faint of heart. I always apply some to a palette or the back of my hand and then go into my face. But I can get a flushed look and it lasts long on the skin. I love the shade Love because it’s a terracotta that gives me that almost sunburnt look which was gorgeous in the summer. I think you’ll be happy with either blush.

Sticking with the cream theme, my highlight recommendation is the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter. I was in love with this product for a while then took a break to focus on my project pan highlight. Well, I recently went back to the highlight and fell in love all over again. What I like is that the shades are based on skintones so the highlight is very natural and gives the glow-from-within look. Also, the bottle is huge so you’ll never run out.

For eyeshadow, I’m going to give a shoutout to Huda Beauty, especially her nine-pan palettes. I feel like everyone raves about her big palettes but I love my Huda Beauty Nude Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette. It’s small and compact so it’s easy to store. The colour stories are all gorgeous and there is a nice mix between mattes and shimmers. The mattes are so easy to work with. The glitters are a little bit more finicky, but wetting them with setting spray does the trick. There are so many different nine pan palettes that I’m sure you’ll find a colour story to match what you’re looking for.

Another underrated product is the Tarte Double Take Eyeliner. I have the shade brown and reach for this all the time. I find it super handy to have both the liquid and pencil liner in one product. I will often use liquid liner on my lid and then the pencil in my waterline. I’m usually not a fan of felt tip liners but this one is easy to use. And the pencil is easy to apply and lasts a long time. If you’re looking for a new eyeliner check this one out.

For lipstick, I have to go with a classic – Mac Cosmetics Matte Lipstick. The formula is creamy enough where it’s easy to apply but because it’s matte it stays put. It doesn’t make my lips look dry or cakey. It doesn’t last through lunch but I can sip a drink no problem. And the shade range is huge so you can find a shade that you like. My two favourites are Velvet Teddy and Down to an Art.

The final makeup product is Tower28 ShineOn Milky Lip Jelly Gloss. I love this lip gloss – and fun fact, a video I took of this lipgloss was reposted on their Instagram! 🤩 I like that it’s a semi-sheer lip gloss, so I can wear it by itself or overtop of a lipstick. It’s not sticky, if anything it’s quite moisturizing. I have the shade Cashew which is a gorgeous rosy brown, I just love it!

Skincare

I just want to preface this section by saying that most of these recommendations are for my skin type, which is oily and acne-prone. If you have dry or sensitive skin, you might not like these products and that’s okay! I do have a few recommendations for dry skin people though so make sure to read ahead!

I have four different cleansers because I love trying and testing out cleansers haha. First, we’ll start with normal cleansers. A great daytime cleanser is the Ole Henriksen Truth Juice Daily Cleanser. It’s a gel cleanser that helps clean the skin without stripping it. And it has a delicious citrus scent that is amazing to smell in the morning. Next for cleanser, we have the Youth to the People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser. This is for all my acne-prone people who want something that helps fight acne but doesn’t strip their skin. It’s a nice rich gel as well but lathers up well. And it has a scent that reminds me of pine (I don’t know why because there is no pine in it) but it’s a great cleanser.

Now for cleansing balms. My first recommendation is the Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm. If you find that cleansing balms irritate your eyes or skin then you need to check this one out. This doesn’t irritate me at all but removes even the most stubborn mascara or glitters. They also have a limited edition holiday set with fun scents that I’m tempted to get. If you have drier skin, then check out the Laneige Cream Skin Milk Oil Cleanser. This stuff is great at removing makeup but also feels milky and hydrating at the same time. It’s very gentle so might even be good for sensitive skin people!

If you want a good vitamin C serum and don’t mind splurging, then check out the Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil. This oil not only helps reduce my acne scarring and redness but also leaves my skin looking dewy and healthy. I’ve tried other vitamin C serums and nothing has compared so far.

I have two moisturizer recommendations. For something more lightweight I recommend the Laneige Water Bank Hydro Gel. This gel is hydrating but lightweight and absorbs quickly into the skin. Perfect for underneath makeup for more my fellow oily gals. For something a little thicker and with more hydration, then check out the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration. My mom swears by this stuff. It’s super thick and super moisturizing. If you have sensitive skin First Aid Beauty is a great brand to check out. The tub is also huge and will probably last you a while.

For eye cream, this recommendation comes from my brother. He loves the Farmacy Cheer Up Brightening Vitamin C Eye Cream with Acerola Cherry. I got this eye cream in my Boxycharm and he stole it from me and loved it haha. He said that it moisturized the area and didn’t irritate him like some other eye cream. So if you need a new eye cream, this is brother-approved.

Finally, if you’re looking for face masks, check out my top five face masks for acne-prone skin blog post. Three of the five masks are available at Sephora!

Hair & Body & Miscellaneous

For hair masks, I have to recommend the Brigogeo Honey Hydration Don’t Despair, Repair! Hair Mask. It pains me that this mask is limited edition. It’s just so much better than their original Don’t Despair Repair mask. You guys already know I’m picking up the set during the sale. This is the best Curly Girl Approved hair mask I’ve used. It makes my hair feel soft and hydrated. Highly recommend it.

My next hair recommendation is the Living Proof Restore Repair Leave-In. I love using this as a heat protectant before I blow-dry my hair. It just helps my hair stay smooth and not become super frizzy. I also love the scent it’s delicious. And it’s Curly Girl Approved so win-win-win!

The next product isn’t Curly Girl Approved so I use it sparingly, but I do like the Moroccanoil Treatment. Whenever my hair is super frizzy, usually on the second hair, I’ll just take a dime size amount in my palm and run it through my hair. It helps tame the frizz. If you’re not following the Curly Girl Method you need this in your life.

I feel like everyone and their mother has recommended the Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Drops. I do like them and would recommend, but I will give a warning. The nice thing about these drops is that you can add it to your body lotion and don’t have to rinse it off. The only downside is that after a couple of hours and the tan develops I find that it creates a weird smell. It’s not very strong but if my hands or arm is near my nose I can smell a distinct smell. I can only describe it as a combination of rotting flesh and chlorine. It does go away after the tan starts to develop so I recommend using it overnight or taking a shower if you are planning to go out the same day you use this tanner. But besides that, I find the drops easy to use, the tan looks nice and wears for a long time!

I have two perfume brand recommendations. Perfumes are very subjective so it can be hard to recommend them. But from what I’ve experience so far from these two brands I’m impressed. First is Masion Margiela Replica line. I have By the Fireplace and man is this stuff strong. Two sprits and I smell this perfume all day long. I also find the scents to be super unique and unlike anything else on the market. The other brand is Atelier Cologne. I own two perfumes by them – Vanille Insensee and Orange Sanguine. Unlike the Maison Margiela scents that are super complicated, I find that Atelier Colognes have one strong note with supporting scents. The Vanille Insensee smells like vanilla and Orange Sanguine smells like orange. It’s not fussy, very straight to the point scents which I enjoy. They don’t last as long as Maison Margiela but long enough for my tastes. I would recommend these three scents and would consider purchasing more from the brand.

The final product recommend is the Forvr Mood candle. I have a whole blog post about these candles but to summarize these candles are intense. They are also super long lasting. I’ve had mine since August and I’m still not done it. If you know someone in your life who is a candle lover, get this for them for the holidays.

And that my friends is my very long Sephora recommendations list. I left off some classic products that I mention a lot (Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, ABH Brow Wiz, Urban Decay All Nighter, Olehenriksen toner). But I hope you guys found this blog post to be helpful! Let me know in the comments what you’re planning to get during the sale.

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Hair, Makeup, Perfume

My 2021 Sephora VIB Sale Wishlist

by Lea1 Comment on My 2021 Sephora VIB Sale Wishlist

Hey guys! It’s the most wonderful time of the year – it’s time for the Sephora Sale! This year’s Holiday Savings Event runs from November 5-15 for Rouge, November 9-15 for VIB and November 11-15 for VIB. Today I will be sharing with you guys my personal wishlist and then on Friday, I will be sharing my recommendations. My wishlist is pretty large, I haven’t narrowed down yet which products I will be getting. Stay tuned for my haul where I will review all the products. Let’s get into it.

Makeup

My makeup wishlist is actually pretty small. I feel like with my huge Elf order and then all my Boxycharms that I’ve been pretty satisfied with my collection, but of course there are still a few things I wish for. First I’ve been eyeing the Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional: Super Setter Pore-Minimizing Setting Spray. Pretty sure this was on my last wishlist, so the fact that it’s still here means that I will probably pick it up. My setting spray collection is pretty small and I want to freshen it up with something new. I’ve heard good reviews too so I want to try it out.

Next, I’m looking to get another powder. I have my eye on the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder and the Kosas Cloud Set Baked Setting & Smoothing Talc-Free Vegan Powder. I’ve heard great reviews for both powders. I’ve tried Charlotte Tilbury products before so I feel like it would be good but I’ve never tried anything from Kosas and it might be fun to try a new brand. We’ll see which one I pick.

The final makeup product is I’m debating between two lip balms. I’ve tried both the Tarte SEA Quench Lip Rescue Balm and the Laneige Lip Glowy Balm. I love both but it doesn’t make sense for me to get both. So I’ll have to pick one.

Skincare

I’m running low on my current Youth to the People cleanser. I’m really debating if I want to repurchase it, go back to an Ole Henriksen cleanser or try out the Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser. I’m leaning towards trying out a new cleanser because it’s fun to try new stuff! And this cleanser is meant for oily and acne-prone skin so it would be perfect for me.

The Ole Henriksen Cold Plunge Pore Remedy Moisturizer with BHA/LHA came out right after the last Sephora Sale and I have been waiting ever since to pick it up. I’ve also had a bunch of open moisturizers that I wanted to use up before purchasing this, but I think I’m finally going to get it!

The final skincare product I’ll probably pick up another box of the Peace Out Salicylic Acid Acne Healing Dots because I love them and might as well get them on sale.

Hair & Body

I am currently debating between two hair masks. It doesn’t make sense to buy both but I kinda want to buy both. First is the Briogeo Honey Hydration Don’t Despair, Repair! Hair Repair Kit. You guys know I love the Honey mask and it’s limited edition so I can only get it this time of year. But Jonathan Van Ness, who I absolutely love, released a new haircare line called JVN and I want to try out the Nurture Deep Moisture Mask. I think I might wait for the JVN mask just because it’s not a limited edition product but I do really want to try it out, especially since it’s Curly Girl Approved.

I love body lotions and it makes sense to buy a new one now since it’s going to be winter soon. I have my eye on the L’Occitane Almond Smoothing and Beautifying Milk Concentrate. It’s a similar scent to their other body lotion I tried but not as thick so I think I would like this more. If you guys know of any other good almost scented body lotions please tell me because it’s one of my favourite scents!

Finally, I’ve been really into wearing perfumes lately and I’ve been thinking of trying out Gucci Memoire. Lots of people describe it as fresh and earthy at the same time, which sounds right up my alley. I think I want to smell it in-store before I purchase it though, so I might make a trip in person and smell it for myself. I might also wait and ask for a big bottle for Christmas hehe.

And that is my Sephora Sale wishlist! If you’ve tried any of the products please let me know to help me with my decision-making process!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Hair, Review

Testing Curly Girl Approved Mask: Playa Healing Hair Masque

by LeaLeave a Comment on Testing Curly Girl Approved Mask: Playa Healing Hair Masque

Hey guys! So today I have a hair mask review for you guys. If you read my curly girl hair care routine, then you would know that I’ve been on the hunt for a good hair mask.

I like using hair masks about once a week because I found that they helped make my hair feel soft and smooth as well as help improve my hair health. The only thing is most hair masks are full of silicones that aren’t good for your hair. I find with most curly girl approved hair masks that they’re not as effective. So I’ve been on the hunt to find the best one that would give me the results of a hair mask with silicone just without the silicones.

I went on a search through all the ones available at Sephora and during that search I found the Playa Healing Hair Masque. Playa is a relatively new brand to Sephora and their unique selling proposition is that they are a clean hair brand. Perfect for me since their products are made without sulphates and silicones. This mask is supposed to moisturize the hair, soothe the scalp, softens strands and add shine. Sounds amazing so I purchased it! The mask is $48 so not the cheapest but not the most expensive.

I heard people say that the Playa shampoo and conditioner smells nice so I expected the same thing for the hair mask. I’m not very impressed by the smell, it reminds me a lot of salt dough – if you ever played with that as a kid. Luckily the scent isn’t too strong and doesn’t linger in the hair. The texture is nice and a little goes a long way. I let it sit in my hair for around 8 to 10 minutes before washing it out. I’ve also used the mask four times so I have a pretty good idea about how I feel.

The mask helps soften my hair but does make them feel smooth or shiny. This might be a very specific reference, but if you’ve ever gone swimming in a soft water lake then you know that your hair gets soft and frizzy after. This mask did the same thing to my hair. It was just soft. I deal with fizziness and it did nothing for that.

As well, hair masks are great for helping curls. My curls after using the mask were very small and very tight not necessarily the bouncy curls I’m looking for. If you’ve ever seen photos of curls with too much protein, my curls looked very similar.

So overall I’m not that impressed with the mask. It did make my hair feel soft but not smooth and I wasn’t a huge fan of how my curls looked after. I will continue to use the mask because I bought it and don’t feel like returning it, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I’m still on the hunt for a good curly girl approved hair mask so if you have any please let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Hair, Makeup, Review, Skincare

July Boxycharm 2021

by Lea2 Comments on July Boxycharm 2021

Hey guys! Can you believe July is almost over already? It feels just like yesterday that I was writing my June Boxycharm post. I’ve been so busy this month that it’s made the time fly by. Anyway today I am sharing my review of the products I received in my July Boxycharm. If you want to know what my first impressions were or to see the products visually, check out my Youtube video!

A variation of Boxycharm's July box.

The first product in my box is the Alamar Cosmetics Brighten & Bronze Complexion Trio. I received the shade fair/light, which matches me perfectly. I much prefer getting something that matches my skin tone than a palette that is for everyone because I can use every single powder in the trio. The trio has a brightening shade, a bronze shade and a deeper contour shade. The powders are very buttery and apply well to the skin. There is a slight sheen to the powders as well. The sheen is nice for the bronzer but I’m not a fan of having the sheen in the highlight shade. I prefer a matte setting powder but that’s my personal preference. If you have dry skin you’ll love this. Overall I think the trio is great and I see myself reaching for this very often. Price: $25 US

The next product is The Lyfestyle Co. Detox Hair Serum. This serum is meant to soothe dry and itchy scalp, strengthen hair and promote hair growth. I did check and it is Curly Girl approved – if you want to learn more about that check out my curly hair blog post. I only used this serum twice because I kept on forgetting to use it in my hair since it’s supposed to be used on the scalp after washing it. The first time I only added a bit and didn’t notice a difference. The second time I used more and found my hair looked so greasy. I don’t use hair serums so I’m not sure what’s the correct amount. Overall I’m not sure how much I’m going to use this serum, it’s just not something I need. And since it’s such a high price tag not sure I would recommend it. Price: $79 US

Another expensive product is the Mudmasky Vitamin Infused Eye Serum. This eye serum is a blend of vitamin c and other ingredients to firm and hydrate the eye area. It takes a couple of weeks to see results but so far I like it! This eye serum goes on easily because it’s quite liquid. It doesn’t have a scent. What I like the most is that it quickly absorbs into the skin. This is great in the morning when I apply makeup after doing my skincare. Some eye creams take a while to absorb and can affect my makeup application. I have no problem with this serum. The only thing I’m not a huge fan of is the packaging. It looks a little cheap and the cap isn’t smooth, the edge feels unfiled. I won’t give my stamp of approval until I’ve tested it for the recommended three to four weeks, but so far so good! Price: $63 US, $79 CAD

The next product is the Grande Cosmetics Grandeglow Plumping Liquid Highlight. I got the shade French Pearl. This highlight is meant to have a plumping system to firm and tighten fine lines while also giving the skin a radiant, luminescent glow. I love how this highlight looks on my skin. It doesn’t have any glitter or chunks, instead it gives a natural glow to the skin. The formula is a little tricky to work with. It dries quickly so I have to work quickly or otherwise it becomes patchy or won’t blend. So not the most user-friendly highlight. Also the first time I used the highlight I didn’t feel any plumping effect, but the second time I used more and felt a tingle on my face. I don’t necessarily need a plumping highlight, my face is already round enough haha. I will say that the tingle effect isn’t consistent. Sometimes I feel it and sometimes I don’t. Overall I like the highlight for its look and I would recommend it for that reason. Price: $25 US

The final product in my box is the Billion Dollar Brows Brows On Point Micro Pencil. I got the shade Taupe, which is quite deceiving. Most brands will call their light brown shade taupe so I didn’t think this would match me. But Billion Dollar Brows named their medium to dark brunette Taupe so it matches me perfectly. The pencil itself is pretty average. It’s quite pigmented so if I press too hard it shows up very dark. But it’s creamy enough that I can smudge away any mistakes. I have noticed that the spoolie at the end is a little short, I’m used to something longer. Overall I found with brow pencils as long as their the right shade I can make it work. It’s nothing special but also not bad. Price: $16 US

The final total of the box is $208 US. The total is high because of the eye serum and hair serum. Overall a pretty good box. I thin besides the hair serum I see myself using all the products. If you get Boxycharm, let me know in the comments what products you got! I’m always curious what the other variations are!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, empties, Hair, Makeup, Review, Skincare

Product Empties May 2021

by LeaLeave a Comment on Product Empties May 2021

Hey guys! Today we’re back with another round of product empties. I love doing these posts because I feel like I give the best reviews after using up a product. Lots of skincare and some haircare in today’s trash pile, so let’s get into it.

A collection of empty makeup, skincare and hair products.

First, we have L’Occitane Almond Delightful Body Balm. Almond is one of my favourite scents and I heard good things about the almond range from L’Occitane so I picked this one up. This stuff is thick. It was perfect during the winter months when my skin was drier. I prefer something slightly lighter because it’s less work to rub it into the skin. I would consider buying another product within their almond range because I do enjoy the scent. If you have dry skin I would recommend this one. It is on the higher end price-wise, just something to note.

The next product is a deluxe sample of the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm. I like to use cleansing balms if I am wearing a full face of makeup – full-coverage foundation, liquid liner, glitter, etc. you get the point. This balm did a good job of breaking down all the stubborn makeup and leaving my face clean and ready for my second cleanser. I would consider repurchasing, but I decided to get the Versed cleansing balm instead. It’s almost half the price and available at Shoppers!

Another sample I had was the Biossance Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel. This eye gel is supposed to reduce puffiness and dark circles. Honestly, I didn’t notice much of a difference. I’ve said this before and I’ll say this again: I don’t think eye creams do much besides hydration. I do have to be careful because I find some eye creams can irritate my under eyes, which makes. After all, the skin is thinner under the eyes. So while the eye cream gets points for not irritating my under eyes, I didn’t notice a difference in puffiness and dark circles. I don’t think you need to buy this eye cream and I wouldn’t repurchase it.

The one makeup product I have is the Laura Geller LashBOSS Bold Mascara, which seems to have been discontinued since I’ve received it in my Boxycharm. This is fine by me because this mascara was mediocre. I don’t remember my thoughts on it because I didn’t reach for it often. It didn’t give me more volume or length so that’s why I didn’t use it. I’m getting rid of it because the last time I used the mascara it flaked on me and it hadn’t done that before, so I took that as a sign that it was done.

My first haircare empty is the Briogeo Farewell Frizz Blow Dry Perfection Heat Protectant Cream. If you watched my curly hair routine then you would know that I like to use this and a Living Proof Leave-In product as my heat protectant on days that I blow dry my hair. And I have to be honest that I like the Living Proof product more. I like the smell of this Briogeo cream. But I find that it weighs my hair down more and my curls never look as nice when I use the Briogeo cream. I’m not saying it’s bad necessarily. It’s great considering there are so few sulphate and silicone-free heat protectants on the market. But I prefer Living Proof’s heat protectant more.

The other two empties I have are the Briogeo deep conditioners: the Be Gentle, Be Kind Avocado + Kiwi Mega Moisture Superfoods Hair Mask and the Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Hair Mask (not pictured). Of the two I would say the Be Gentle, Be Kind is my favourite. I just don’t find the Don’t Despair, Despair mask to be hydrating enough. I don’t notice a difference when I use it. This is funny because I love the honey version of that mask. But even the Be Gentle, Be Kind is okay. I’m still on the hunt for the mask that will make my hair softer and smoother after using it. Please leave your suggestions for hair masks in the comments.

This product is slightly covered up in the photo, but the next product is a deluxe sample of the Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream. This is a pretty thick cream so I didn’t want to use it on my face. I used it on my body instead. I don’t have any complaints. It did the job of moisturizing my skin. But I can’t necessarily recommend it since I don’t know what it would be like on the face.

I know a lot of people like The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum but I didn’t notice a difference while using it. I would pause and resume using the serum and I didn’t notice a difference. I have another hyaluronic acid serum that I got in my Boxycharm and I do notice a difference when I use that one. Maybe if you have dry skin you’ll notice a difference. But this is a pass for me guys.

A product I loved is the OLEHENRIKSEN Truth Juice Daily Cleanser. This is a great morning cleanser. The citrus scent just wakes me up. This leaves my skin feeling clean and smooth without stripping my skin. But it’s strong enough for my acne-prone skin. If you have normal or oily skin then I would recommend checking it out. I decided to not repurchase and tried a new cleanser, the Youth to the People one I got during the Sephora sale.

The next product is the Farmacy Daily Greens Oil-Free Gel Moisturizer with Moringa and Papaya. This moisturizer is for all my oily skin friends. My brother loves this moisturizer. He was using it behind my back and when I found out I told him to buy it himself. He said it was too expensive (but he’ll steal it from me, brothers 🙄). This is a lightweight gel that gives the perfect level of hydration for oily skin. Also, I feel like there is tea tree oil in this because it smells similar, but I can’t find it on the ingredient list so it must be something similar. Overall a good moisturizer. I have others I want to use up but I would consider repurchasing this one.

I finished my prescription acne cream recently and it’s $200 without insurance so I won’t be repurchasing it. 😭 So instead I decided to try the Benzagel Acne Gel. There are different – Differn XP is adapalene (retinoid) whereas Benzagel is benzoyl peroxide. I used benzoyl peroxide as a teen (I used Proactiv) and it was fine. From my research, it seems that the only difference is that adapalene is only available with a prescription but anyone can get a benzoyl peroxide cream. I just use this as a spot treatment. I find it’s too strong to use all over the skin. It does a good job of helping clear up my acne so I’ll continue to use Benzagel.

The final product is the Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream to Brighten and Depuff. I’ve already explained my grips with eye creams in general. This one has a slight orange tint which I guess helped with the look of darkness. I will say that this took a while to sink into the skin. So I would have to wait for it to sink into the skin otherwise my makeup wouldn’t look right. It’s not bad, but I have other opened eye creams that I will be using next.

And that is a very long product empties post. I hope this was helpful for you guys. Let me know in the comments what products you’ve finished lately!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Favourites, Hair, Review

The Best Affordable Curly Hair Products Available in Canada

by Lea4 Comments on The Best Affordable Curly Hair Products Available in Canada

Hey guys! Today we’re taking a deep dive into my favourite hair products. I will be posting a video on Sunday that will be showing the products in action and explaining how I style my hair. The majority of these products are from the drugstore, and the only products that aren’t I got in my Boxycharm so I’m just trying to use them up. Also, the majority of these products are Curly Girl Approved, but I will mention the few that aren’t. So let’s get into it.

hair products, curly hair products, curly girl approved products, curly girl method, curly hair products, affordable curly hair products, affordable curly hair products canada, Living Proof, Tresemme, Maui Moisture, Drunk Elephant, Briogeo, Herbal Essenses

The first products are my shampoo and conditioner. I know a lot of people within the curly hair community don’t use shampoo but I prefer using it. I wanted to get shampoo and conditioner from the drugstore because I go through a lot of it. So after testing many shampoos I’ve settled on the Maui Curl Quench + Coconut Oil Shampoo. All of Maui’s products are vegan as well as sulfate, silicon and paraben free so they’re safe for curly hair. This shampoo gives me that clean feeling without drying out my hair. It also smells amazing. The Maui website also has lots of resources for finding the right hair products. And the best part is that it’s available at Shoppers and Rexall.

The conditioner I use is the Tresemme Nourish and Replenish Conditioner for Dry Hair. I’ve also been a fan of Tresemme products, it’s what I used before switching to silicone and sulfate-free products. I found this conditioner through the curly hair subreddit. I believe this is the only Tresemme conditioner that is curly hair approved. I love this one because it’s a large bottle which is great since I go through a lot of conditioner. I use about a golf ball size every time I wash my hair. It’s helpful to use affordable products since I use so much conditioner. This also smells great.

Out of the shower I always use a mousse and a hair gel. I use a mousse to help with curl definition because it’s something I struggle with more wavy-curly hair. My favourite is the Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Mousse. It does a good job of defining my curls but doesn’t leave my hair feeling crunchy or dry. I’ve tested so many different mousses because I was using mousse before I switched to the curly girl method. And this one is the best. It works well both airdrying my hair and with a diffuser as well. And once again it’s available at the drugstore.

When I was researching curly hair I noticed that everyone recommended using a hair gel. Since I liked the Herbal Essences mousse I decided to try their hair gel in the same line since it’s also curly girl approved. I love the Totally Twisted Curl Scrunching Gel. While mousse gives me the definition, hair gel gives me the hold to ensure that my curls keep their shape. Compared to other gels I find that it doesn’t leave that much of a cast. Depending on how much I use something I need to scrunch my hair once it dries, but once I scrunch out my hair it’s so soft. I’ve also got my brother to switch over to the gel as well, he likes it.

Now for a few products that I sometimes add-in. These aren’t available at the drugstore but I wanted to mention them because I do use them. So first when I am airdrying my hair I’ve been adding in the Drunk Elephant Wild Marula Tangle Spray. I got this while I was working at Sephora so I thought I might as well use it. I’ll spray this on my hair before applying my mousse and gel when I’m airdrying my hair. I suffer from having frizzy hair (I have a lot of baby hairs), so I use this to help ease the frizz and add some shine. I think it’s okay. I haven’t noticed a huge difference in my hair but I also haven’t had any negative experiences so I’ll continue to use it.

If I’m diffusing my hair or styling it (because on rare occasions I’ll still curl or straighten it), I will apply a heat protectant. I have two that I got in my Boxycharm that I’m using up. The first is the Briogeo Farewell Frizz Blow Dry Perfection Heat Protectant Cream. This cream is curly girl approved, as all Briogeo products are made with sulfates and silicones. I will say I don’t like it as much as the next one because I find that it heights down my hair a bit and my curls aren’t as defined when I use this cream.

I’m happy to find out that the other protectant I like to use is also curly girl approved! I didn’t realize until I looked up the ingredients for this post. Wow, I’m so happy about that! I love using the Living Proof Restore Repair Leave-In. I’ve read online that leave-in products are also good heat protectants because they coat the hair and therefore protect it from heat damage. This Living Proof Leave-In does a great protecting my hair and leaving it soft and smooth. And unlike the Briogeo one, I don’t feel like my hair is weighed down when I use it.

And the final product I like to use is a deep conditioning mask, but I’m still on the hunt for my favourite. I love the Briogeo Honey one but it was limited edition. So if you guys have a favourite deep conditioning mask, please let me know in the comments because I need a new one.

I hope you guys found this post helpful. I know when I was researching Curly Girl approved products it was a search to find products curly hair products that are affordable and available in Canada. And if I find a deep conditioner I’ll let you guys know!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, empties, Hair, Makeup, Review, Skincare

Product Empties March 2021

by LeaLeave a Comment on Product Empties March 2021

Hey guys! I’m back with another product empties! I love product empties because I’ve used up the product so I’m able to give you guys my in-depth thoughts about a product. I also try and not waste products so I feel like I usually have a good mix in between hits and misses. This time I have a good mixture of products, so let’s get into it.

empties, product empties, beauty empties, makeup empties, skincare empties, haircare empties, OGX, Biossance, Josie Maran, Tatcha, Lancome, Briogeo, GlamGlow, Murad, Kypris, Tarte, Laneige, Colourpop

Let’s start with makeup products. First I have a mascara that has reached its end, the Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara. I didn’t like this mascara at first because I felt like it didn’t do much. Once it dried out a bit, I would say maybe a month after I’ve opened it, it got so much better. I would say for me this mascara gave my lashes lots of length with a big of volume. I prefer length over volume, but it’s good to have some volume to balance out the eye. This mascara is perfect for when I wanted a bold lash but I didn’t want to put on false lashes. It’s started to get clumpy on me though which is a sign that it’s getting old and tired. To be honest I’ve had this mascara for a very long time so it was time to get rid of it. I would recommend this mascara if it sounds interesting to you. I would consider getting this mascara again. I have a pretty large open mascara collection currently that I need to go through before considering buying another mascara.

Up next is the Colourpop Freckle Pen. I mentioned this in my Colorupop haul update, but somehow the cap accidentally fell off and it was unopened for an unknown period of time. Instead of drying out, the pen turned to a weird blue-green-grey colour that looks like mold. Not cute. So I’m throwing it out. Kinda pisses me off that the cap fell off so easily and now the product is unusable. So I won’t be repurchasing and wouldn’t recommend it. I think it’s possible to create the look of faux freckles easily with other products as well.

I’ve been trying to use up my primers because I have so many open, half-used primers. The only I recently finished a sample of the Tarte SEA Quench Hydrating Primer. This feels and acts just like a moisturizer. It has a gel consistency and blends into the skin and gives great hydration. It’s literally a moisturizer! I think I could just use my moisturizer and get a similar effect. So far that reason I don’t think it’s worth it. When I use a primer I tend to use it to give me a luminous shine to the face or blur my pores. I don’t need hydration. I wouldn’t recommend this primer. I would recommend just getting a good moisturizer that you can use all the time instead of just priming the skin.

The final makeup product is the Laneige Lip Glowy Balm. I do enjoy this balm! I actually like it more than their sleeping mask. I find the packaging to be so easy to use. I just squeeze it out and I don’t have to dip my fingers into a pot. Where the product comes out is curved so I can rub it on my lips. The balm is super moisturizing and has the most beautiful shine. I can wear it on my lips almost like a lip gloss but it’s way more hydrating than a lip gloss. I have the pear flavour and it smells amazing. It’s more expensive than a drugstore lip balm but it’s lasted me a long time. I will be purchasing it again in the future.

Okay let’s talk about my one hair empty. I recently finished the Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Honey Moisture Deep Conditioning Mask. This is the best Briogeo mask I’ve ever tried, which is sad because it’s limited edition. The honey version of their regular Don’t Despair, Repair hair mask came out for the holiday season. I find that the mask does a great job of making my hair feel soft and smooth. I’ve found it difficult to find a good hair mask that doesn’t include silicone and this is the best one I’ve tried yet. It’s been a few years since I’ve tried the original so it’s hard to remember it but I do have a mini of it. So I will try it out and see if it’s as good as the honey version. If they bring this mask back I highly recommend picking it up.

I have two body lotions. The first being a deluxe sample of the Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Unscented. Even though it’s unscented, there is a faint argan oil scent to it – which makes sense, it is argan oil. Even though it’s a body lotion is does have an oiliness to it that is quite nice and hydrating. I liked using it after I’ve shaved my legs because I find that’s when my legs are the driest. I think I would have liked it more if it was scented but I got this for free with my Sephora points so I can’t complain. I like using scented body products more. I probably won’t repurchase because for the price I prefer L’Occitane products. But I would use my points to get it again.

The second body lotion is the OGX Coconut Miracle Oil Lotion. I got this at Shoppers. It does smell nice, a combination of coconut and vanilla. It does a pretty good job at hydrating. But what I find annoying is that it takes a while to absorb into my skin. For being such a thin formula I have to work it in and it takes forever to dry. I have lotions that are just as if not more hydrating that I don’t have to work into my skin as much. So I wouldn’t recommend it. I think there are better options on the market.

Speaking of hydration, I finished quite a few face moisturizers. The first being the Kyrpis Antioxidant Dew. At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about this but the more I used it the more I fell in love with it. It’s a very thin and liquid formula that comes in a serum dropper. I love droppers because they are easy to use. I put it on my palm and I don’t have to dip my finger into a tub. I hate getting products under my fingernails. It’s quite lightweight but still gives me the hydration I need. I will say that it has an odd scent that I’m not a fan of. Even though I love how this works, I will not be repurchasing it. With taxes and duties, this moisturizer would be $112. That’s insane. I cannot afford that and I would never recommend a product that expensive to you guys. I think there are other moisturizers on the market that do just as good of a job as this one.

Moving onto a moisturizer I wasn’t a huge fan of – the Glamglow MOISTURETRIPâ„¢ Omega-Rich Cannabis Sativa Seed Face Moisturizer. There is just something in here that breaks out my skin. I used it on my face and just found that I got breakouts. So I started using it on my body. I do that to not waste any product. But I found it broke out my chest and shoulders. Luckily it’s winter so it doesn’t matter. I thought it did a decent job of moisturizing. It also has a green tinge to help with redness. But as someone who does have a lot of redness, this did nothing for me. Overall not a huge fan of this moisturizer. I wouldn’t recommend it.

Time for another moisturizer. I had a sample of the Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream. This is a pretty thick formula that I knew wouldn’t work for my face so I used it on my chest and back. If you have oily skin stay away but if you have dry skin then you might like this. It is quite moisturizing. It’s fragrance-free but it has the weirdest scent. I guess it’s the natural ingredients that smell weird? Either way, not the most pleasant scent. Listen I’ll never purchase this for my face, but if you’re interested just maybe try and smell it before you purchase it to see if you can handle the funky smell.

The final moisturizer I have is a sample of the Tatcha The Water Cream. I actually didn’t like it. I tried it on my face a few times and then relegated it to body moisturizer. It goes on very watery, just like the name suggests, but then it dries down to almost a matte finish. Which you think, as an oily person, I would enjoy. But I didn’t find it hydrating at all! While I don’t want something thick and heavy, I still need some hydration. I was shocked because I know this cream is a fan favourite. But I wasn’t impressed and wouldn’t recommend it.

On the other hand, I did enjoy the Tatcha The Deep Cleanse Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser. I got a sample of this along with The Water Cream. I don’t know what’s in it but there’s something that gives a gentle physical exfoliation to the skin. It’s not hard beads – it’s hard to explain but you can kinda see it in product shots. It just gently exfoliates the skin leaving it soft and clean. It’s gentle enough that I could use it every day. If you have sensitive skin and are looking for an exfoliator this is a great one to check out. Something I did notice though is that the packaging is made out of hard plastic making it difficult to get the product out. Wish they would change it to a squeezy tube or a pump. I like it and would recommend this cleanser. But I like the next exfoliator more.

The final product is the Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser. I got this in my Boxycharm and fell in love. I keep it in the shower and my brother uses it (much to my chagrin), and he loves it! This is a combination of a physical and chemical exfoliator. It has jojoba beads that great rib of any dead skin and debris. And it has salicylic acid, lactic acid, and glycolic acid to help even the skin and brighten it. My brother and I both have oily, acne-prone skin and find this just helps prevent breakouts and help scars. Highly recommend this one and I am considering purchasing it again.

And that’s my thoughts on some products I recently finished! It’s so funny that I have so many moisturizers. I guess it makes sense since it’s winter and my skin is drier. Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried any of these products, and if so what did you think!

xoxo

Lea