Hey guys! Today I am reviewing my second Ipsy-owned Boxycharm box. For those who don’t know about the merger, I recommend you check out my last Boxycharm post because I go into more detail there. Let’s get into the May box!
First, I got a product that I didn’t pick! I had picked out the YC COLLECTION Wake & Shine Lip Balm and instead, I got the Ace Beaute Smoky Roses Eyeshadow Palette. Now I’m not too mad because the eyeshadow palette is pretty and worth more money. But it is annoying that I received a product that I didn’t pick. Part of the reason why I didn’t pick this eyeshadow palette is that I own many palettes already and don’t often use them. That being said, I think the colour story of this palette is gorgeous and I love the quality of Ace Beaute shadows. While I haven’t had the chance to play with this palette, I am excited to have it. Price: $39 US
The second item I picked was the SLMISSGLAM Cotton Candy Trio (note: I can’t find the brush set on their website, only on the Ipsy website). I always love getting brushes because, in my opinion, you can never have too many brushes. I think the brush hairs are very soft. The handles are pretty lightweight and I prefer something a little heavier. But overall I think these are nice brushes. Price: $38 US
The final product I picked was the one I was the most excited about, the SKYLAR Vanilla Sky Eau de Parfum Rollerball. I love perfume and it was so cool to pick one! While normally I would be careful about picking a perfume I’ve never tried before, I’ve smelled this specific perfume at Sephora before and knew I would like it. I own two different SKYLAR scents already! I find that the scents are very powerful when you first apply them but don’t last the longest. The notes are cappuccino, pure vanilla, and caramelized cedar. I find the scent to be almost creamy and while it’s sweet it’s not sickly. I like this scent and I’m excited to wear it! Price: $29 US, $39 CAD
The first of two pre-selected items was the Violet Voss Whispering Rosé Blush Palette. I like this blush palette! Two blushes are matte and two have a bit more shimmer to them. The orange shade is unlike anything I have in my collection but is perfect for summer. I’ve worn the blushes a few times and found the formula to be quite long-lasting – which is impressive because blush often fades quickly for me. Overall I like this blush palette and I’m excited to continue using this. $43 US
And the final product was the PUR Big Look Extreme Mascara with Argan Oil. I’m on the fence about this mascara. I find the formula to be very wet, so I have to be careful or else I get mascara everywhere. I’m also not a big fan of the brush, I find there is a lot of product on it so I have to wipe it off before I go in. That being said I don’t think it looks bad on the eyes. It gives some nice separation and volume. Sometimes a mascara formula can change as it dries so I’ll wait and see how I feel in a month before I make any final decisions on this mascara. Price: $22
The total value of my box was $136 US. Overall I liked my box, enough though I got a product I hadn’t picked. There weren’t any products that were an immediate no. I see myself using many of these products after this month. Probably one of the best boxes I’ve received lately. Let me know what you think in the comments.
Hey guys! I know I’m quite late posting getting my Sephora sale haul and review up. If you follow me on Youtube then you know it’s been a hectic month for me! I got my Sephora order right before I went to Vancouver and then a few weeks later I started a new job. I’m starting to get into a new routine so I finally have the chance to write this post. While the sale has long been over, it’s always a good time to talk about makeup 😉
Let’s start with some repurchases since I made a few. The first thing I got was a Beauty Blender Makeup Sponge. I’ve tried a bunch of sponges and this is still one of my favourites. I like to have a couple of sponges on hand so when one gets dirty I have another clean one available. It’s expensive so I like getting a new sponge during the sale.
The next repurchase is the MAC Cosmetics Prep + Prime Fix+. This is one of my favourite setting sprays and I always like to have a bottle in my collection. It helps the makeup melt into the skin and gives a soft look. Whenever I’m not happy with how my makeup is looking I spray this on my face and it always makes it look better. Such a classic makeup staple and since I was running low it was time to stock up.
The final repurchase was not in my original haul but purchased after. I’ve been having some issues with my skin lately so I decided to switch my cleanser to one of my favourites – the OLEHENRIKSEN Find Your Balance Oil Control Cleanser (for some reason I can’t find just the cleanser on the website but I bought it in-store and it’s still available on the Ole website so idk). This cleanser is meant for acne and oily-prone skin, with lactic and glycolic acid to help deep clean the skin. My skin responds well to this cleanser so I’m happy to have it again.
I decided to purchase a different shade of the MAC Cosmetics Matte Lipstick. I was looking for a dupe for a discontinued lipstick that I have and the shade Yash matched perfectly. I love the formula of the MAC lipsticks and I know that Yash is one of their classic shades. The shade is described as deep neutral. It’s the perfect shade to wear with a bold eye look because it’s very neutral. I think this will be a great addition to my lipstick collection.
While doing my most recent makeup declutter, I discovered I needed some new brown eyeliners. I picked up the Sephora Collection Hot Line Brush Tip Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Brown and Sephora Collection 12-Hour Contour Pencil Eyeliner in Cappuccino. I was able to save 30% on these eyeliners since they’re Sephora Collection! I tested out the liquid liner a few times and it’s good. It’s easier to use and remove and lasted well. I like the brown shade for more everyday wear as it’s less harsh than black. I haven’t tested out the pencil yet as I like pencils for more intense looks and I just haven’t done any yet! If I have any strong opinions (good or bad) I’ll be sure to share them with you guys.
I picked up two Rare Beauty products during the sale. The first is the Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick. I got the shade Happy Sol, which is described as having cool undertones but I find it to be quite warm. That’s my only real complaint. I find that the bronzer applies and blends so easily onto the skin. It also lasts a long time as well. It’s a pretty good bronzer! The other product I got is the Positive Light Under Eye Brightener. I put this product to the test because I have been super tired the past few weeks. This colour corrector adds that little pop of brightness I need under my eyes. It’s quite thin so it doesn’t make my under eyes look cakey when I apply my concealer on top. On very light makeup days I apply just this to my under eyes for just a little something. If you’re looking for a lightweight colour corrector this is a great product.
The final makeup product I got is the Makeup By Mario Soft Pop Blush Stick in the shade Pale Petal. I like this blush! The stick formula makes it easy to apply to the face. It takes a little more effort to blend but that’s okay because the longevity of this blush is crazy! I find that blush is usually the first product to fade from my face but this one lasts until the end of the day. The shade is so pretty and adds such a youthful flush to the face. My only complaint is that I don’t like the dense brush that the blush comes with. I find it harder to blend my blush using that brush than my normal brush. I often accidentally open the brush side while trying to open the product side because there isn’t much space between the caps. I honestly would be fine if this product didn’t come with a brush to be able to lower the price.
The other skincare product I purchased was a mini of the Clinique Take The Day Off Charcoal Cleansing Balm Makeup Remover. I needed a mini cleansing balm for my trip to Vancouver and this was the smallest one I could find in the store. Now I’ve never tried the original Take The Day Off so I’m not sure if the charcoal one is different but I wasn’t that impressed with it. The dark colour meant that it stained any white towel I used. I had to use a lot of product to remove my makeup and sometimes had mascara residue. I’ll continue to use it since I like having the mini size for travelling but it’s not my favourite.
A product that I absolutely love is the OUAI North Bondi Eau De Parfum. I’ve had this perfume on my list for a while so I’m very happy to finally have it in my collection. It smells exactly like the texturizing spray I have so it’s nice to match the scents. The main notes are Italian Lemon, Jasmine, and Bergamot. It’s fresh and floral with a little bit of musk to balance it all out. The longevity is also pretty great which I always appreciate. The perfect scent for spring and summer!
The final product I got is the Sol De Janeiro Bom Dia Bright Body Cream in the mini size. I find with the Sol De Janeiro body creams you either love or hate their scents. You have to go in-store and try it for yourself. I personally love this scent, as you can tell from the perfume I just bought I like the scent of jasmine haha. I also enjoy the formula of the Sol De Janeiro body creams. I find the creams to be rich but blend easily into the skin and the scent will linger throughout the day. I’m slowly building up my collection to have all the scents – I’m missing one more before I own all of them haha. The original scent is still by far my favourite.
And that’s everything I got during the Sephora sale! Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products before. And if you have any recommendations for me (especially perfume) let me know in the comments!
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.
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.
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!
Hey guys! It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for – my Sephora Sale haul and reviews! If you haven’t seen it already, I posted my Sephora Sale haul on my Youtube channel last weekend and that was filmed a couple of weeks ago. I’ve now used the majority of the products and am now ready to give you my thoughts on all the products. If you haven’t, I would check out my wishlist post so that way you can see what products I was thinking of purchasing and can compare to this list. Let’s get into it!
Up first I decided to get a mini of the Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser. The cleanser is a product that takes me a while to get through so getting a mini allows me to try more products. This is a gentle cleanser with hyaluronic acid and AHAs to help with pores, oiliness, acne and blemishes – everything that I suffer with! This is a nice cleanser. My skin feels soft and also hydrated after I use this. I think if you have normal or combo skin and suffer from acne then you’ll like this. I’ve found lately that my skin has been looking oilier by the end of the day. I’m not sure if it’s because of this cleanser or some other products but it’s something that I wanted to note that if you have oily skin like me it might be too gentle. I’ll continue to use this but if I notice that the oiliness doesn’t improve this might be relegated to a second cleanser.
I am already in love with the Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional: Super Setter Setting Spray. I have been using this setting spray every day since I’ve received it. It does make my skin looks smoother and poreless. Not sure if it necessarily makes my makeup last longer but I love it for the way it makes my face look initially. The mist is very fine so I do use a good amount to properly cover my face. I wish I had picked up the full size!
I like it but I’m not quite in love with the OLEHENRIKSEN Cold Plunge™ Pore Remedy Moisturizer with BHA/LHA. It has an interesting texture that is not quite a gel but not quite a cream. I find that my skin feels more smooth than hydrated with this moisturizer. Much more of a summertime moisturizer than for the dry winter months. Also because it has active ingredients in it, I just need to be careful not to apply it over top of other actives otherwise it’s too much for my face and I get a reaction. I will continue to use the moisturizer because at this point I wouldn’t necessarily repurchase it.
The next product shouldn’t be a surprise – I picked up the Briogeo Honey Hydration Don’t Despair, Repair! Hair Repair Kit. I have not used the products in this kit yet oops! I have used this deep conditioner before and I absolutely love it so I didn’t need to try it again to let you guys know you need it to try it! It’s one of the most hydrating deep conditioners on the market that is Curly Girl Approved. The scent is also magical. I haven’t tried the shampoo and conditioner yet just because I have other ones open and I try and avoid having multiple shampoos and conditioners open since I have limited space in my shower. Once I finish the products I’ll update you guys in a products empties post.
I did end up splurging and getting the L’Occitane Almond Smoothing and Beautifying Milk Concentrate. And I’m so happy I did. I used their Almond Delightful Body Balm last year and I loved the scent but found it was a little too thick for me. The Milk Concentrate has the exact same scent but is just a lighter cream compared to the balm. It’s still very moisturizing don’t worry! It also comes with a lot of products so I know this will last me a while.
For lip balm, I ended up getting the Laneige Dream Team Lip Set. It’s the same price as the Tarte one I was looking at as well but I get two products for the price of one! I do like the Lip Glowy Balm formula and it’s been forever since I’ve used the Lip Sleeping Mask. The Lip Sleeping Mask comes in Peach Iced Tea and I like that scent (or flavour?). The Lip Glowy Balm is in Berry. I like the slight tint it gives the lips but I do find the Berry to be slightly medicinal. At least it doesn’t linger on the lips. This is a great set and I’m happy with my purchase.
The final product is the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder. First I want to say while the packaging looks absolutely gorgeous, I was surprised by how light it feels. I always expected the compact to be super lux since it’s expensive. But at the end of the day, it’s what’s inside that matters. This is an ultra-fine powder so when I first apply the power it goes on so smooth and looks so good. My face looks flawless and not too cakey. But because it’s just a fine and lightweight power, but at the end of the day I’m a greasy mess. It does touch-up well. I can apply this to do touch-ups and it looks good. But if you’re like me and have oily skin this isn’t going to keep you locked in all day. I think this powder is perfect for dry, normal and combo skin people who need a powder to set everything in place but not necessarily keep the oils at bay. I will continue to use this because I love the way it makes my makeup look but if I need something long-wearing I’ll pick up something else.
I also did want to mention that I picked up the Gucci Mémoire d’une Odeur Eau de Parfum, but it’s going to be a Christmas present so I haven’t used it. I sprayed it in-store and liked it! It has a clean and slightly earthy scent. I can’t wait until Christmas when I can wear this more!
And this is my haul and reviews! Let me know in the comments what you guys picked up during the sale!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
Hey guys! Today I will be giving you an update on the products that I purchased during the Sephora sale. I took my time to test out the products to give you guys a good review on each of the products. So let’s get into it.
The first product is the Youth to the People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser. It took me a while to start using this cleanser because I was testing out other skincare products. It’s useful to introduce new skincare products one at a time in case a product causes irritation or breakouts. But since starting this cleanser I haven’t had any issues. My skin has been pretty clear lately and I haven’t had any breakouts since starting using this cleanser. The real test will be when I get my period because my acne is mainly hormonal-based. Overall it doesn’t leave my skin feeling stripped or tight. And I like the scent, it reminds me of a forest. It’s hard to review cleansers but this Youth to the People one has been good so far.
The next product is the Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen. This wasn’t like I expected. It has a silicone feel to it, similar to a primer. So it’s easy to apply and wears beautifully under makeup. It doesn’t break me out and it protected me from the sun. My only issue is that because of the consistency you can only apply so much to your face. I think it’s fine for everyday use or if I’m not in direct sunlight. But I wouldn’t feel like I’m using enough and getting enough protection if I was say at the beach in full sunlight. So while I will continue to use this, I feel like I need to continue my hunt for a good sunscreen.
The most disappointing product is the Summer Fridays Summer Skin Nourishing Body Lotion. If you read my wish list post you might remember that I read reviews saying this smells like Play-doh. And I have to agree with the reviews. It doesn’t have the saltiness associated with Play-doh but I will say that this body lotion has a plastic-like smell to it. I could get over it except for the fact that it does linger on the skin. So I’m not a huge fan. We’re currently in lockdown so I’m unsure how I will return this product but I am considering returning it. Overall I wouldn’t recommend this body lotion because the scent isn’t great and the formula isn’t so amazing to make it worth using.
The next product is the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in the shade Love. I do really like this blush but it’s a little difficult to use. It’s extremely pigmented and dries down matte so I have to work quickly to blend it out. For that reason, I prefer to apply it to the back of my hand and use a brush to apply it to my cheeks. Once it’s on my face it sets down nicely and doesn’t budge. And I like this shade, it gives me a sun-kissed look. I see myself using this blush a lot this summer. If you’re new to using cream blushes I would be careful because it’s not the most user-friendly formula. But if you’re a makeup pro you won’t have any issues.
I was quite unsure about the Tower28 ShineOn Milky Lip Jelly Gloss at first. When I first applied it I had just outlined my lips with a lip liner. Because it’s such a sheer lip gloss formula I was able to see the lip liner underneath. Because of that, I like to wear this gloss on its own or over top of lipstick. The lip gloss is also a lot creamier compared to other lip gloss formulas. It looks more like an oil than a shiny gloss. I like the shade a lot and will continue to use it. But I wouldn’t say it’s my favourite gloss I’ve ever used.
The next product is the Replica By The Fireplace perfume. I’ll be honest and I haven’t used this because it’s such a fall/winter scent. I probably could have waited until the next sale to get the perfume but oh well I bought it now. I still love the scent and it does last pretty well on my skin. This is impressive because I don’t find perfumes often last long on me. Overall I like this scent and would recommend you guys smell it if you like spicy, warm scents.
And that’s it for my Sephora Sale haul update! I hope this was helpful for you guys. If you have tried any of these products let me know in the comments if you agree with my thoughts. I love chatting about makeup! 🙂
Hey guys! The Sephora Sale is in full swing and I wanted to share with you guys what I got in my order. If you still want to place an order yourself, you have until April 19th to participate in the sale. I also filmed a video trying out some of the products on my face. That video will be going up Sunday, I’ll update this post with the link once it’s live. I’ll post a follow-up in a couple of weeks reviewing all the products so stay tuned for that. Today’s post will be mainly first impressions.
The first item is the Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen. I mentioned in my wish list that I needed a new sunscreen. This one is supposed to be invisible on the skin, great under makeup and oil-free as to not break out skin. I’ve worn this once so far. And I will say that it doesn’t leave a white cast on the skin and wore well under makeup. I still need to test to ensure that it protects my face from the sun and doesn’t break me out, because I only wore this sunscreen for an hour. I’m really hoping this works out!
I did get my perfume, the Replica By The Fireplace. I forgot how good this smells. It has a smokiness similar to a real fire. But underneath this is a nice spiciness from the clove and chestnut as well as a slight sweetness from the vanilla. This is a fall/winter scent so I probably won’t wear it much right now since I prefer cleaner scents in the spring/summer. But I’m happy to have picked it up!
As soon as I applied the Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint I knew I was going to like it. It’s a lightweight, buildable light-to-medium coverage. It just looks so skin-like. I’ve been testing out lighter coverage foundation lately so I’m excited to see how this compares to the other ones I have. I’m planning on doing a dedicated post for this foundation so stay tuned for that. I will say that a lot of the shades are sold out, so you might want to hurry if you want to get this before the sale is over.
The next product is the Youth to the People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser. I have yet to test this out since I’m been testing out other skincare products. I generally avoid trying a bunch of new skincare products at once just in case I break out. If I tried three new things and break out it can be hard to know what caused it. So once I finish testing out some other products I’ll introduce this cleanser.
I’m on the fence about the scent of Summer Fridays Summer Skin Nourishing Body Lotion. In the tube, it smells nice like coconut and almond. But when I’m rubbing it into the skin I get that Play-doh like smell that people mention in the reviews. I don’t think Play-doh smells bad, it’s just not the yummy scent I expected. But I will test it more to see what the formula is like. Because while smelling good is nice, the formula is technically the most important thing.
The next product is the Tower28 ShineOn Milky Lip Jelly Gloss in Cashew. When I first applied it I wasn’t sure if I liked it. This is quite a unique formula because it’s a hybrid between a gloss and a lip balm. The first time I wore it I just lined my lips and it looked funny because this gloss is quite sheer. But I’ve worn it again by itself with nothing underneath and I prefer it more that way. I’m excited to continue testing out this gloss. I also love the shade I got, which is described as a rosy brown. It matches my natural lip well.
I decided to go with the Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in the shade Love. I’m really happy with my decision. The shade is a matte terracotta, so it gives me a sunkissed look. It’s a create shade for putting all over the face. I think I’m going to get so much wear out of this blush this summer. The blush is quite pigmented so I’m going to play around to see what’s the best way to apply the blush, will update in the follow-up post.
Besides that, I got my birthday gift that includes a mini Nars bronzer and lip balm. I also redeemed my points for a set of Fresh products.
And that’s my Sephora Sale haul! Let me know in the comments what you guys got during the sale.
Hey guys! The semi-annual Sephora sale is coming up. So this year I thought it would be fun to share my wish list. I will not be getting all of these products because my cart would probably be $1000s if I did. But I thought it would be nice to share some of the products I had my eyes on for two reasons. First to see if anyone has tried the products and if you recommend them. And second to maybe inspire you and show some beauty products that you haven’t see before. So I’ll be sharing some makeup, skincare and body care. Let’s get into it!
The first thing on my wish list is the Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint. I have both the Fenty matte and hydrating foundation and love both of them. So I just know I will love this skin tint. This foundation is lightweight with light-to-medium coverage and a natural finish. It sounds right up my alley lately. I have been into lighter foundations so this just makes sense. There is a really good chance that I’ll be getting this foundation unless they sell out of my shade before I can pick it up.
Next, I’ve heard quite a few good things about the Benefit The POREfesssional Super Setter Pore-Minimizing Setting Spray. This setting spray sounds like a dream: sets makeup, smooths skin, natural-looking and hydrating. Sign me up! I see Allana Davison using this like crazy. And with a 4.6 rating on Sephora, it sounds like a good spray! I haven’t purchased a new setting spray in a while so seems like a good product to pick up.
Even though I have so many primers, I want to try the Laneige Glowy Makeup Serum. I’ve tried quite a few Laneige products and their moisturizers are some of my favourites. And it also sounds perfect for me! This serum primer gives that glowy look while also keeping oil at bay and helps makeup last longer. There is a difference between dewy and oily. I want dewy skin, not oily skin. It sounds amazing and I want it.
I’ve had my eyes on Tower 28 products for a while, specifically their ShineOn Milky Lip Jelly Gloss. I was going to purchase their gloss during the last sale, but the shade I wanted (Cashew) was sold out. I’ve heard so many people rave about the glosses and I want to try them for myself. There is a good chance that I’ll finally pick it up during the sale.
The final makeup products I have my eyes on are the Rare Beauty blushes. I haven’t decided which formula I would prefer, the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush or the Stay Vulnerable Melting Cream Blush. It’s hard for me to decide. Because it seems like Liquid Blush is more long-lasting, so that would be nice for days when I’m wearing more makeup and want my blush to last. Whereas the Cream Blush seems to be more natural and would be nice for everyday makeup, especially going into the summer. I do know what shades I want. If I got the Liquid Blush I could get the shade Love, and if I got the Cream Blush I could get the shade Nearly Apricot.
Now let’s talk skincare. I have heard so many good things about Youth to the People. I do need a new cleanser so there’s a good chance I’m going to be picking up the Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser. I know this is great for oily and acne-prone skin aka my skin type. I just like testing out hyped products to see if it’s worth it. So as long as it doesn’t sell out I’ll be getting this.
Another Youth to the People product I’ve heard a lot of hype about is their 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum. I feel like everyone and their mother has been raving about this serum. This serum is meant to brighten the skin, reduce hyperpigmentation and even the skin tone. You know, everything that a vitamin C serum does. Honestly, if I didn’t already have three open vitamin C serums open I would get it. But I’m going to wait until I finish up some products before purchasing this. (Side note: I didn’t realize how expensive it was until I was getting the pictures for the post organized. Wow it’s expensive!!!)
A brand that I love is Ole Henriksen, and because I love their products I want to try the Lemonade Smoothing Scrub. I find that my skin can get really clogged and textured quite easily. Using exfoliators help with this. And I do enjoy something that has a bit of a physical exfoliation it in. One of my recent favourites is the Murad one that is both a physical and chemical exfoliator. This Ole Henriksen one sounds similar with sugar and AHAs to both physically and chemically exfoliator the skin. It sounds like a product I would enjoy using.
A product that I’ve seen a lot of hype around is the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops. This is a hybrid between skincare and makeup. It can be used before moisturizer when doing skincare or right before putting on makeup as a primer. The Dew Drops can also be used mixed into foundation or over top of makeup as a highlight. To be honest, it seems quite similar to the Laneige Glowy Makeup Serum, so I probably wouldn’t purchase both.
And the final skincare product is a new sunscreen. My current one is almost empty and it might even be expired. So it’s time for a new one. I’ve had my eyes on the Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen for a while. I believe it finally launched in Canada last year but was always sold out. I struggle with face sunscreens. They either have a white cast OR break me out. I’ve heard many people say this is the best sunscreen out there so I’m willing to try it out myself.
There are two more products on my wish list. The first is the Summer Fridays Summer Skin Nourishing Body Lotion. I love body lotion. If you’ve read any of my product empties you’ll know that I use body lotions religiously year-round. Since I’ve finished a few I am allowing myself to purchase another one. Since we’re going into the warmer months I don’t need something as thick as body butter, so I think the texture of this lotion would be perfect. There are mixed reviews on the scent, so that makes me a little hesitant but I think I’ll still get it.
And the final product on my wish list is the REPLICA By the Fireplace perfume. I asked for this for my birthday but told my mom she could also just wait until the sale to be able to get it for a cheaper price. So I’m unsure if I’ll be getting it before or during the sale – I guess we’ll know on Sunday when it’s my birthday. Either way, I’ll be getting this perfume. I’ve sprayed this on myself so many times, and every time I get compliments. When I was working at Sephora, one of my coworkers also taught me about layering scents, using a vanilla perfume to tone down By the Fireplace and I loved it. The nail in the coffin though for me was when I was watching Kathleen Light’s zodiac perfume video and she said this was the perfect scent for Aries. I said to myself “this is a sign I need to get the perfume”. So I will be getting it.
And this is my very long Sephora Sale wish list. As I said, I won’t be getting all the products on this list. Please let me know if you’ve tried any of the products to help me narrow down the list.
Hey guys! Today is the first of a few gift guides! I know it’s only November, but I wanted to get these gift guides up early for two reasons. First is next week is Black Friday, so there will be lots of deals (aka perfect time to shop). A second, with COVID-19 I’m sure lots of people will be shopping online so it’ll be best to do your shopping earlier if you want your packages to get delivered on time. So I have this post going up today, a general gift guide going up on Youtube on Sunday, and a book lover post going up on Tuesday. So let’s get into this beauty specific gift guide!
The first thing I’m going to recommend is a gift card. I know that might seem like a cop-out, but let me convince you otherwise. If you are reading this to figure out to get someone who likes makeup and skincare, they probably have a large collection. It could be hard to pick something out that they don’t already have in their collection. My mom doesn’t buy me makeup for Christmas anymore unless I specifically ask for a certain product. So by giving someone a gift card, they can get want they want! As well, the person could pool together other gift cards and money to get a more expensive product that someone might not be able to afford individually. So when in doubt, get a gift card! Okay now into specific products.
The first is the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer. I got a similar one for Christmas last year and it’s pretty good. I know that some higher end brands have their own version, but I’ve seen so many reviews saying that the Revlon one is just as good so might as well get the cheaper one. This is perfect for someone who wants to do their hair but doesn’t know how to do a blowout. I think this is a great present.
One of the best kits when it comes to value is the First Aid Beauty All That Fab set. It’s a $167 value for only $64!! First Aid Beauty has some great skincare products and this set contains all of the best. The brand is also known for being great for people with sensitive skin, so you don’t have to worry about the products irritating someone’s skin.
If you know someone who has been eyeing Charlotte Tilbury products, then the Pillow Talk Lip Secrets Lip Set is the perfect gift. It comes with a full-size of their matte lipstick in the iconic shade Pillow Talk. It also comes with a mini of the matching lip liner. Finally, it comes with two lip glosses – one shimmery and one clear. Listen, if I didn’t already have this lipstick I would pick up this set.
Up next are two gifts for someone who can’t live without doing their eyebrows. Both Anastasia Beverly Hills and Benefit Cosmetics have sets that include both a brow pencil and a brow gel. Brow products are a great gift because it’s something people go through quickly. Also, it can be pretty easy to pick someone’s shade if you know their hair colour. ABH has four shade options and Benefit has three shade options.
The Fenty Beauty gloss sets have now become a staple for the brand. This year’s set includes four new shades – so you don’t have to worry if someone already has these shades. They come in a variety of shades so it matches a variety of tones. A great tip, you can also buy the set and spilt up the lipglosses. So if you are doing stocking stuffers or little gifts for your friends, you can give two to someone, or one each to four people (or to three people and keep one for yourself 😉).
A great skincare set is the Origins Mask Delights Mask Essentials Set. I’ve gotten myself this set in the past (hehe) and I loved it. Even though they are deluxe samples, there is a decent amount of product so I got many masks out of the tubes. This is a great way to try and test out a bunch of masks. I ended up getting the full size of the Out of Trouble mask, and I also loved the Retexturizing mask. This set is great if you don’t know someone’s skin type because there is a range of mask (but I will say it leans more oily). It’s also a pretty affordable gift at $25.
Similar to the Origins set is the Peter Thomas Roth Mix, Mask & Hydrate mask set. The jars are bigger than the Origins set (50 ml compared to 15 ml), but still smaller than a full-size mask (50 ml to 150 ml). This also someone to test and try out different masks. But just based on the size they will probably have these samples for a while. And I find this set more hydrating compared to the Origins set. I have the Irish Moor Mud mask and it’s pretty good, and my mom swears by the Rose Stem Cell mask.
When in doubt, getting a makeup lover a brush set is a great way to go. I picked out this Sephora Collection one because it looks pretty but there are so many great options out there. Brushes are a great option because it’s something that people don’t necessarily purchase for something, but it’s something they can always use more of. Having multiple brushes means I can extend the amount of time I can go in between washing my makeup brushes!
Now I don’t normally recommend perfume because it’s so personal. Everyone likes different scents and how a perfume interacts with someone’s body chemistry can change the scent as well. So I wouldn’t recommend a perfume unless you know exactly what they want. BUT if you know a perfume lover, getting them a sampler is a great option. I found this REPLICA Mini Discover Set. It has different scents so people can test out and see what they like. A bonus is you can offer you purchase the full size of their favourite scent for their birthday!
If you don’t have a lot of money, then getting a couple of Sephora face masks is a great option. This Skincare Surprise Set comes with a nose strip, an eye mask, a face mask and a lip scrub. At $14, this is perfect for a Secret Santa gift. Or you could also divide this up and use it for stocking stuffers as well.
I started with a blow dryer brush and I’m finishing with a legit blow dryer. The Drybar Buttercup Blow Dryer Set is the perfect gift for someone who is looking for a blow dryer. It comes with a brush, clips and three of Drybar’s hair products – a serum, a dry shampoo and a heat protector. This set is the same price as the normal blow dryer, so you might as well get all the goodies that come with it! If I wasn’t looking for a diffuser attachment I would ask for this for Christmas.
And that is my beauty lover gift guide! Let me know in the comments down below what is on your holiday wish list this year guys!
Leave it to Lea 