Category: Review

Food, Review

REVIEWING COFFEE SHOPS – DOWNTOWN OAKVILLE

by LeaLeave a Comment on REVIEWING COFFEE SHOPS – DOWNTOWN OAKVILLE

Hey guys! Today’s post is a little different than what I normally do. Since quitting my job I’ve been working more often in coffee shops around town. So I thought it would be nice to share my thoughts on some coffee shops around Oakville! Today I am sharing my thoughts on the five coffee shops that can be found in downtown Oakville.

I want to share my criteria for what I think makes a good coffee shop. This might be a bit ironic, but I’m not a huge coffee fan – I know I’m going to coffee shops and don’t drink coffee! But I like to get out of the house sometimes and I enjoy the ambiance in a nice coffee shop. So instead of rating their coffee, I’ll be rating their chai lattes, my drink of choice! The three big things I look for in a good coffee shop are good food and drinks, reliable wifi and a nice atmosphere. Let’s get into it!

Second Cup

PROS:

  • Affordable
  • Lots of seating options

CONS:

  • Corporate feeling
  • Bland chai latte

Let’s start with the two chain coffee shops downtown. There has been a Second Cup downtown Oakville for as long as I can remember. Since it’s a chain the prices are quite affordable. On the flip side, the atmosphere is trying to be cute and cozy but also has a big dose of corporate feeling to it. That being said, there are lots of seating options. The wifi was free and no password was needed. The wifi was fast and reliable. My chai latte was alright. It was pretty nice but also on the bland side. It’s affordable but not my favourite option available.

Aroma Espresso Bar

Forgot to take a photo outside, got this from Google!

PROS:

  • Lots of seating
  • Free chocolate with a drink!

CONS:

  • Need to use Facebook account to connect to wifi
  • Mediocre latte

The second chain downtown is Aroma Espresso Bar. I’ve been quite a few times before so I knew what the place is like. The lower level is pretty sparse but the upstairs has many tables. I love sitting by the window and getting the overhead view of the street. While the chai is alright (very cinnamon heavy) all the drinks come with a piece of chocolate which I love! The wifi is free but you have to connect through a Facebook account which was annoying. I think this cafe is better for socializing than working.

Tribeca Coffee Co

PROS:

  • The best latte (and donuts!)
  • Amazing atmosphere
  • Small business

CONS:

  • Busy and limited seating
  • Hour wifi limit

Near the top of my list of favourites is Tribeca Coffee Co. It has probably my favourite chai latte of all the coffee shops in this post. It’s the perfect sweetness level, very creamy and the perfect spice blend. They also sell fresh-made donuts in store so the whole shop smells lovely. While there is a good mix of seating (high top, table, chairs) it’s always pretty busy and it can be hard to find a good table. The biggest con is the wifi. The wifi network isn’t open. Once you purchase something you get a voucher for an hour. Now I haven’t tried asking for another voucher so I don’t know how strict the one-hour policy is. I generally like to work for two hours at a time so it’s a little annoying to be limited. I will usually do work that doesn’t require wifi, such as editing videos, during the second hour I’m there.

Pilot Coffee Roasters

PROS:

  • Lots of seating
  • Small(er) business

CONS:

  • Free wasn’t very reliable
  • The atmosphere felt a little old

One of the newer coffee shops downtown is Pilot Coffee Roasters. I know they have a few other locations so I was excited to try this shop but I have to say I was a little disappointed. They were the only coffee shop on the list that didn’t offer coffee mugs. I don’t mind paper cups but it’s nice if you’re sitting down to have a mug. The latte itself wasn’t bad but very cardamon heavy. The shop has a very industrial feeling which some people enjoy but isn’t my favourite. There was free wifi but it wasn’t very good. It was super slow and disconnected a few times on me. Overall I think this is a great place to great grab a coffee to-go but not to sit down.

Figaro Coffee House

PROS:

  • Outlets and great wifi
  • Lots of seating

CONS:

  • More modern than cozy

The final coffee shop in downtown Oakville is Figaro Coffee House. The latte was quite nice. While the spice blend was a little more subtle the mug was huge. They had lots of seating options, with two levels of space. I was able to get a cozy corner banquet. And they had lots of outlets, not something every coffee shop offered. There was some lovely jazz music playing – I normally listen to my own music but this time just listened to the music playing in the shop. They had free wifi available as well. I don’t have any major complaints. The only thing is that’s more ‘modern’ than ‘cozy’. But overall a great option.

And those are the coffee shops I checked out in downtown Oakville! Let me know if you’ve been to any of these coffee shops before and what you thought about them! And please let me know if I should be a part two – I’ve been going to more coffee shops and I’d be happy to share my thoughts about them with you guys.

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Makeup, Review, Skincare

December Boxycharm 2022

by LeaLeave a Comment on December Boxycharm 2022

Hey guys! Been a hot minute since I’ve done a blog post. In December I decided to do Vlogmas, so any free time I had this past month went to the vlogs! But I have lots of end-of-year content planned, so you’ll be seeing lots of posts here within the next few weeks. Before we can get to that, it’s time to share my December Boxycharm. Let’s get into it.

December Boxycharm 2022

The first product is the Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum. Murad is a great brand and I love getting eye creams because they’re often expensive. I find it hard to get eye cream out of little jars so I appreciate that this serum comes with a pump. The serum is very nice, it sinks quickly into the skin and hydrates the eye area. I can’t speak to the anti-aging benefits as I’ve only used this serum for a week. But I like it so far and will continue to use it! Price: $89 US ($114 CAD)

The next product is the Laruce Beauty Special Edition 3-Piece Brush Set. This brush set is exclusive to Boxycharm but the brushes in the set are available on the website. I love getting brushes, especially eyeshadow brushes. The more brushes I have the less often I have to wash them haha. The brushes are synthetic, vegan, cruelty-free and feel very soft. The set comes with a tapered blending brush, a shadow brush and a detail blending. I’m very excited to have these brushes in my collection. Price: $38 US

The second skincare product in the box is the Lapalette Beauty Vita Yellow Fresh Cleanser. This is a jelly cleanser with vitamin C that is meant to brighten and hydrate the skin. It claims that it can remove makeup but I didn’t test that out. The jelly consistency does lather nicely. The citrus scent is very nice in the morning. I like this cleanser and will continue using it! Price: $32 US

The next product is the Realher Blurring Veil Set Your Goal Powder. I could only find this product through the Boxycharm website, which is a little odd. This product claims to be super fine to set makeup in place and control excess oils. I’ve only used this powder once so I’m still not sure how I feel about it. I find the powder has a been of a sheen to it – it’s not shimmery but it’s not completely matte. I was hesitant to put it under the eyes but I used it on the perimeter of my face and it was nice. I think if you have drier skin you might like this more. I’m still on the fence about it. Price: $25 US

And the final product in my box is the Dominique Cosmetics Unconditional Palette. I have decided not to try this palette as I don’t think I’ll get much use out of it. I have so many eyeshadow palettes so unless a palette screams my name I rather pass it along to someone else. The colour story is pretty, with roses and burgundies, but I don’t wear those colours often. It’s nice but not for me! Price: $28 US

The overall value of the box is $212, with the value being driven up by the Murad eye serum. Overall I think this was a good box. I like the skincare items and the brushes. I didn’t like the other items as much, but that was due to personal preference not because they’re bad products. Let me know what you guys think in the comments!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, empties, Hair, Makeup, Review, Skincare

Product Empties November 2022

by LeaLeave a Comment on Product Empties November 2022

Hey guys! I’m back with another product empties. As I mentioned in my last empties, I’ve been going through products faster than I can write about them! I have fifteen empties to share today and I have about another twenty in my empties bag. Maybe I should do an empties Youtube video? Let me know what you think. Let’s get into today’s post!

Starting with body lotion, I finished the St Ives 24 Hour Moisture Body Lotion in the scent Almond & Flaxseed. I’ve mentioned my love of almond-scented products before and someone recommended this to me (I think on Insta). I liked this lotion! The pump made it easy to apply and it absorbed quickly into the skin. My only complaint is that it didn’t smell like almonds! If you prefer lightly scented products then you’ll love this but if you’re like me and want almonds this won’t hit the spot. I have other lotions that I like more but if you’re looking for a good drugstore lotion, this is a great option.

If you watched my USA shopping haul, then you’ll know that I’ve fallen in love with the Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch. It’s just as good as my beloved Peace Out Acne Patches but more affordable! If you’re in the US you can get them at Target. For my fellow Canadians, they are available at Shoppers but currently only online. I put it on a whitehead before I got to bed and by morning the pimple is all gone! I will be purchasing these again in the future.

Another favourite is the OLEHENRIKSEN Cold Plunge Pore Remedy Moisturizer. I finished both a full-sized and a mini travel size of this moisturizer. I recommend this to all my fellow oily & acne-prone friends out there. It’s super lightweight and doesn’t feel heavy on the skin. If you have sensitive skin I would be careful though because it has BHA and LHA in the moisturizer to help with pores. While I decided to purchase something else to review, I would purchase this moisturizer again in the future.

I had a deluxe sample of the First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser and it was alright. It’s a fragrance-free, gentle cleanser and I would say that it does exactly as it says. But for my skin I just like a little something more. If you have sensitive skin you would love this!

The next product is the Cerave Moisturizing Cream. I much prefer Cerave’s Moisturizing Lotion over the cream. The lotion comes in a pump so it’s easier to apply. I find the cream to be a little too thick for my skin. It’s nice in the winter when it’s super cold and my skin is super dry. But for the majority of the year, it’s just not the right moisturizer for my skin! If you have drier skin you’ll love this though!

I got the Clean Skin Club Pineapple Glow Mist in my Boxycharm box and I ended up liking it! It’s like having hyaluronic acid in mist form! It’s super easy to apply to the skin, it provided some extra hydration and smelt great. I would consider repurchasing in the future but I don’t want to deal with shipping and customs so I’ll be passing on that because I’m sure there are similar products available in Canada.

Now I wish the St Ives lotion smelled just as good at the L’Occitane Almond line. I finished the Almond Smoothing and Beautifying Milk Concentrate and it was amazing. It smelled just like almonds and applied so well to the skin. It left me feeling so soft after. I used this only on special occasions because this is a pricey body lotion. But if you’re looking to treat yourself (or badly want an almond-scented product) then I highly recommend checking it out! I see myself purchasing from this line again in the future.

It takes a lot for me to not like a mascara, but the PUR Cosmetics Fully Charged Mascara just wasn’t it for me. I like length, definition and a little volume with my mascara. This PUR one gave me barely any length and was so clumpy. As the mascara aged it also became flaky, which is not something I normally deal with mascaras. It was almost impossible to remove! There are so many better mascaras out there, don’t get this one.

Another item I received in my Boxycharm was the Skin & Co Truffle Therapy Radiant Dew Mist. The website says this can be used to set makeup but I preferred using this as a skincare mist. I would spray this all over my face and then apply my hyaluronic acid. This mist is supposed to be good for breakouts and oil but I didn’t notice a difference. Based on the photos from the website it looks like they changed their packaging, which is good because I found the nozzle wasn’t the greatest. I won’t be repurchasing this mist because it was fine but not great enough to deal with shipping it to Canada.

A product I’ve repurchased is the Dove Exfoliating Body Polish. I decided to pick it up again since it’s a great body scrub available at the drugstore. I’ve come to realize I’m not a huge sugar scrub fan because I find they dissolve before I can scrub my body. This one is great because it’s not sugar so I can get a good scrub in. And I love the Macadamia & Rice Milk scent it’s nutty and sweet. I would repurchase again in the future.

Another scrub, this time a face one, is the Origins GinZing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser. I struggle with texture so I love having a good physical exfoliator. This one was pretty good. It has tiny beads to buff away the dead skin. It has a very refreshing and citrusy scent which I enjoy. Overall I like this cleanser and would recommend it!

I finished a deluxe sample of the IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Makeup Primer+. Honestly, I wasn’t that impressed by the primer. It wasn’t bad. But if a primer claims to be a gripping primer, I expect it to grip my foundation and not budge throughout the day. I found it didn’t make much of a difference in the longevity of my makeup. If you want a gripping primer, the ELF one is much better and cheaper.

Another product I was completely unimpressed with was the Bumble and Bumble Curl Defining Cream. I didn’t finish this product, I’m throwing it away. It’s way too heavy for my hair. I could feel the cream in my hair and it weighted my hair down so the curls couldn’t form. I tried using this cream a few times using varying amounts and each time it was too heavy for my hair. It’s a real shame because I love Bumble and Bumble’s Curl Reactivator. But this curl cream wasn’t for me.

The Mudmasky Vitamin-infused Eye Serum was like the neverending eye cream. Most eye creams are 15 ml (or 0.5 oz) and the Mudmasky eye cream is double at 30 ml (or 1 oz). It took me forever to finish the eye cream. Overall I found it to be an alright eye cream. It did a good job of hydrating my under eyes and that’s all I ask for in an eye cream. It absorbs quickly into the skin and it worked well under concealer. But I don’t love it enough to ship it to Canada.

And the final empty is the Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara. I liked this one! It was great at adding length to my lashes. I liked the skinny wand because I find it easier to not get mascara on my eyelids with the skinny wands. I wish it was a little bit more volumizing but overall it was great for everyday wear. I would repurchase this mascara.

And those are my product empties! If you have tried any of these products let me know what you thought about them in the comments!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Makeup, Review

October Boxycharm 2022

by LeaLeave a Comment on October Boxycharm 2022

Hey guys! I’m on time with my Boxycharm review for once! It got the box pretty early this month – and I did a little unboxing in one of my Vlogtober vlogs. Without further ado, let’s get into this month’s box.

The first product in the box is the Natasha Denona Cupid Cheek Duo. In my September box, I received the Natasha Denona Cupid Eyeshadow Palette and I couldn’t find it anywhere online. Same thing with this cheek duo. Now I can’t confirm this, but based on the name and the fact that I can’t find these products for sale, I believe these are leftover limited edition Valentine’s Day products. I don’t necessarily mind because Natasha Denona is a great (and expensive) brand but I feel like it’s a little cheap to be getting discontinued products. This is something I notice that happens often with Boxycharm, brands give either discontinued products or products that they discontinue a few months later. Makes sense that they’re trying to get rid of old stock. This is a tangent so I digress. The product is nice, both the blush and highlight applied nicely to the skin and lasted well throughout the day. This duo has a cream blush and powder highlight and I prefer having the same formula in one pan but it’s not the end of the world. Price: $42 US (A similar one available on Sephora is $25 CAD so not sure how accurate Boxycharm’s MSRP is)

The next product is the Wander Beauty Double Date Eyeshadow Duo. I got the shades Smitten/Swoon. These are very similar to the Auric duos that I love but are more affordable. There is a cream shade on the bottom with a shimmer on top. I really like the cream shade, it’s gorgeous and sheer enough that I could wear it every day. The shimmer is very yellow gold and pigmented, so it’s a little strong for my everyday look but perfect for going out. My only issue is that I have oily eyelids so when I wore the cream share by itself it creased really badly by the end of the day. But if you set it with the shimmer it’s fine. I think this is a really great duo and would recommend it! Price: $26 US ($36 CAD)

The next product is the Half Caked Airbrushed Complexion Duo. I love getting brushes in my box and these two brushes are excellent! The 110 Complexion Brush gave my foundation such an airbrushed (haha get it) look. It doesn’t soak up any product so it kept the coverage. My only complaint is that the brush is a little on the small side so it takes more work to blend. The 160 Concealer Brush is the perfect size for the under eyes and just blends my concealer so well. I am very impressed with more of these brushes and would recommend both of them! Price: $25 US ($35 CAD)

If you love dewy setting sprays, then the Saint Luxe Setting Spray is for you. I used a matte foundation and powders and after using this setting spray I looked so dewy after. Now I have oily skin so I don’t usually want a super dewy face. But I can see myself reaching for this spray on the days when my face is dry or looking powdery. The spray is quite fine but I do find that sometimes the nozzle gets clogged. Overall not a bad setting spray. Price: $25 US

And the final product in my box is The Beauty Crop Stuck On You Eye Primer. I have decided to not open this product because it takes me forever to go through eyeshadow primer and I already have two open. Two eye shadow primers are more than enough for me. I will be donating this to someone else. Price: $18 US (website says $16.50)

The overall total (according to Boxycharm) is $136. I’m pretty happy with this box. I really like the brushes and I do see myself using all the products besides the eye primer again. Let me know what you think in the comments!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Review, Skincare

Juno & Co Cleansers Review

by LeaLeave a Comment on Juno & Co Cleansers Review

Hey guys! Sorry for the sporadic nature of my posting lately. My life has been a little chaotic and it’s been that content creation has taken a bit of a back seat. That being said, I’m here to share a product review!

Juno & Co cleansers

Back in April, I was kind enough to receive some products from the lovely Juno & Co. This post is by no means sponsored, I’m just writing it to show my appreciation for my first beauty PR package *eek*. Juno & Co is a small skincare brand from California that focuses on clean and sustainable products. They sent me three different products to try. Since I got the package back in April, I’ve had plenty of time to test the products. So let’s get into it.

The first product I tried was their CLEAN 10 CLEANSING BALM. This is an oil-based cleansing balm meant for all skin types to remove makeup. It has only ten ingredients (hence the name). I think this is a pretty good cleansing balm. It’s really good at breaking down all the makeup on my face. I will say it struggles a bit with eyelash glue so I find that I have to use a little more than usual to get rid of any residual glue. It has a nice citrus scent and leaves my face feeling clean. It’s a reasonable price at $20 so I would recommend it!

The second product I tried was their CLARIFYING CLEANSING POWDER. I’ll be honest, I was a little skeptical when I first got this cleanser. It’s a powder that turns into foam once you add water to it. The cleanser has papaya enzymes and rice powder to help exfoliate the skin and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate the skin. I honestly thought I wasn’t going to like this cleanser but I do enjoy it! The powder does foam up really well and keeps a bit of the grittiness to gently exfoliate the skin. I think if you travel often this would be a great cleanser because it’s a powder so it won’t count as a liquid for a carry-on! My only negative is that I dropped the cap and it cracked in half, so I had to hot glue it back together. But that might be my fault. 😅

The final product I tried was their CLEANSING COOKIE. I will say that this works but it’s just not my favourite way to cleanse my face. I think that reusable makeup removers are great at cutting down waste. They’re also perfect for those moments when I just don’t really feel like washing my face but still need to remove my makeup. That being said, I find they don’t do as good of a job compared to using a cleansing balm which is why I don’t reach for them often. This Cleansing Cookie does a great job of removing the makeup but I still feel the need to double cleanse after. But if you love reusable makeup removers then check this one out.

And that is my review of some Juno & Co skincare goodies! If you’ve tried this brand before let me know what your thoughts are in the comments!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Hair, Makeup, Review

April Boxycharm 2022

by Lea2 Comments on April Boxycharm 2022

Hey guys! Today I’m sharing my thoughts on my April Boxycharm. I will say that this will be a mixed review because of some products I’ve tested and otherwise I haven’t even tried – oops! Let’s get into it.

May Boxycharm 2022

The first item is the Beauty Bakerie Sour Ya Doin’? Eyeshadow Palette. I was excited to receive this palette because I’ve heard great things about Beauty Bakerie eyeshadows. I like the colour story but I will say they’re not necessarily the most wearable everyday shades for my skin tone. I think this palette would look gorgeous on deeper skin tones. For me, it’s a more bold, colourful palette. I’ve yet to use the shimmers because they’re a little deep for everyday use. I have used the mattes and they are a great formula. I like the palette so far and can’t wait to play with it more. Price: $38 US

Beauty Bakerie Sour Ya Doin'? Eyeshadow Palette

I was just thinking to myself the other day that it’s been a while since I’ve tested a new powder and then BAM I got the Viseart Seamless Setting Powder. I must say that the shifter on this powder is one of the best I’ve seen on a loose setting powder. It keeps the powder locked in when it’s closed but it’s easy to tap some out when I open the lid. So many loose-setting powders either let powder fly everywhere or are so difficult to get the powder out of so I appreciate that. The actual powder is pretty good. It does a good job of setting everything and gives a slight blurring effect to the last. By the end of the day, my face is a little oily and creasy which is pretty good since I have very oily skin. Overall I like this powder and I’m excited to own it. Price: $35 US

I am unfortunately not a huge fan of the Christophe Robin Instant Volume Mist. This mist is supposed to make thin, fine or flat hair feel thicker and have more body. I don’t normally struggle with that but I thought that a little more volume couldn’t hurt. If it did add any volume I didn’t notice because it made my hair so fizzy. Every time I used this mist as well my hair didn’t curl very well. This is quite surprising because this is a curly-girl-approved product. Either way, this mist just didn’t work well with my hair so I will not be using it again. Price: $39 US, $51 CAD

A product I really really like is the Item Beauty by Addison Rae Lash Snack Lengthening Mascara. You guys know I love lengthening mascaras, and this is one of the best I’ve tried yet. I will say that it gives barely any volume but the length is insane. This is great everyday mascara. It would also be great on the lower lashline. My only gripe is that the brush head is quite small so it just takes a little longer to coat all the lashes. But this mascara, along with my new Bite Beauty mascara, are easily my new favourite mascaras.

The final product is the Persona Cosmetics 24HR Waterproof Eyeliner. I’ll have to be honest, I haven’t tried this eyeliner yet. I’ve been keeping the eyes very minimal lately so I haven’t had the chance to try it. I do want to try this eyeliner eventually because I’ve heard great things about Persona Cosmetics. Price: $14 US

The overall total of the box is $141 US. This box is quite hit or miss. I like the mascara and the powder. On the other hand, I haven’t even used the eyeliner yet and I don’t like the hair mist. Let me know what you guys think in the comments. And if you are subscribed to Boxycharm, let me know what products you got in your May box!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Haul, Makeup, Review, Skincare

Sephora Sale Haul + Review

by Lea1 Comment on Sephora Sale Haul + Review

Hey guys! I am finally sharing my Sephora Spring Savings sale haul with you all. I know the sale has been long over so sorry about the delay. It’s been a very hectic month, to say the least. I gave my first impressions of the products in my Youtube video that I posted on Sunday. I filmed that video over a week ago so I’ve been able to test the products more. Let’s get into it!

The products I picked up during the Sephora Spring Savings event.

Starting with my one skincare product, I picked up the Origins GinZing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser. I picked this up because I finished my other exfoliator and had this on my wishlist. This cleanser has natural jojoba and carnauba wax to gently exfoliate as well as ginseng and caffeine to boost radiance. I initially liked this cleanser. It’s not too abrasive but still does a good job of leaving my skin feel soft and smooth. I like that it has a slight ginger and citrus smell. My skin has been breaking out lately and I’m not sure if it’s because of this cleanser or some other products I’m testing. I’m going to continue testing it and I’ll give you guys an update if I figure out if it’s this cleanser or another product.

I decided to pick up another perfume this sale. It’s starting to become a thing that I pick up a new perfume each sale haha. This time I got the Ellis Brooklyn SALT Eau de Parfum Travel Spray. I got this travel-sized spray because this is a very summery scent, so I don’t see myself using this much except during the summer. The notes are ylang-ylang, violet leaves, tiare flower, magnolia, ambergris, musk and sandalwood. It reminds me of a beach in the summer but without the coconut. I can’t wait for it to be summer so I can wear this all the time!

If you watched my haul video, you would know I was quite on the fence of the shade I got in the Merit Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick. I got the shade Slip, which they describe as a warm neutral. I find that it’s quite brown on me. I like to wear a pink lip liner underneath to help warm up the lipstick and make it look less like I have chocolate on my mouth. I really really like the formula. It’s a very sheer and satin finish, so it’s very comfortable on the lips. It does wear off easily but it’s super easy to reapply. I love Merit’s lip oils more, but these are still great lipsticks.

A product that I repurchased is the Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional: Super Setter Pore-Minimizing Setting Spray. I got the mini during the last sale and I just recently finished it. I love it so much that I decided to upgrade to the full-sized setting spray. It’s unlike anything in my collection because it visibly blurs my pores and makes my makeup last longer without making my face look matte. Oftentimes long-lasting setting sprays are mattifying but not this one. But it also isn’t dewy or glowy either. It just helps blur everything. This setting spray is starting to cement itself in the hall of fame alongside my Mac Fix + and Urban Decay All Nighter. It’s so good!!

Another product that is quickly becoming a holy grail is the Nudestix Brow Set Gel XL. I wasn’t the biggest brow gel person before. I would only use it if my brows were getting particularly unruly. Since I’ve gotten this Nudestix brow gel, I’ve used it every day. It does an amazing job of putting my brow hairs in place without looking slicked down or like there is something in my brows. Sometimes clear brow gel will have a white cast but not the case with this brow gel! If you’re looking for something to laminate your brows this might not be the product for you. But if you just want to keep everything in place, check out this brow gel!

I’m so happy I placed my order on the first sale of the sale because the Patrick Ta Major Beauty Headlines – Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush is sold out in the shade that I got! I got the shade She’s Blushing, which they describe as a beige. Not sure why they describe it as beige because I think it’s pink. But I am loving this blush duo! The cream is so pigmented but very easy to blend. And the powder is so long-lasting, which doesn’t often happen with blushes. It’s a little on the pricey side, but it is two products in one in a beautiful compact so I’d say it’s worth it. If you’re a blush fan you need to check this product out.

And the final product I purchased is the JVN Nurture Deep Moisture Mask. If you follow my blog then you would know I’m on the hunt for a good hair mask. I’ve only used this mask once so far so it’s a little early for me to have formed my opinions yet. My first impression is that the mask has a strong scent that has lingered in my hair in the days since I’ve washed it. It’s a unisex scent, almost musky in quality but I don’t mind it. I would say that my hair does feel soft but I want to use it more and compare it to my regular conditioner before making any judgements. I will keep you guys updated on the mask.

And those are the products I got during my Sephora sale! Let me know in the comments what you guys got during the sale. I always love discussing what people got because it gives me ideas for the next time I order hehe.

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Makeup, Review

Bite Beauty Upswing Full Volume Mascara Review

by Lea2 Comments on Bite Beauty Upswing Full Volume Mascara Review

Hey guys! Today I have a mascara review for you! I’m trying to be better about throwing out old, expired mascaras so I’ve recently had to purge quite a few from my collection. Throwing out old mascaras gives me the perfect excuse to pick up a new one! So let’s get into today’s review.

Bite Beauty Upswing Full Volume Mascara

After seeing multiple great reviews, I decided to try the Bite Beauty Upswing Full Volume Mascara. This is a clean and vegan mascara. It’s supposed to be volumizing, deliver lift, length and curl as well as flake-resistant. I prefer a mascara that has that nice balance of length and volume so it sounded right up my alley.

I’ve had this mascara for over a month so I’ve put it to the test. I generally find that I need to test mascara for a longer period of time because I find the formula changes once the tube has been opened for a bit. That was the case with this Bite Beauty mascara. I found that it gave good length right away, but it wasn’t until I had opened the tube for a few weeks that I noticed it helped with volume.

I like this mascara! It gives great volume without looking clumpy. It gives length and most importantly stays curled throughout the day. I hate when my lashes fall through the day. I tried wearing this mascara with bold eyeliner and I was able to still see my lashes so that means that this is a great lengthening mascara for me!

The only claim that I can’t attest to is flake resistance because I don’t normally have issues with mascara flaking on me. But I can also say that the mascara is easy to remove with is also a plus.

Overall I do like this mascara! If it sounds like a formula you would enjoy then I would recommend checking it out! Let me know if you guys have tried this mascara in the comments. Also, let me know what your current favourite mascara is, I’m looking to pick up another one soon!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, empties, Hair, Makeup, Review, Skincare

Product Empties February 2022

by LeaLeave a Comment on Product Empties February 2022

Hey guys! It’s time for another product empties post. I love writing product empties because I’ve finished a product so I usually have formed my opinion on a product. I feel like I can give you guys the best review after using up a product. I had a bunch of empties but decided to break up my collection into two posts, so expect to see another product empties post in the future. Let’s get into it.

A collection of makeup, skincare and hair care products that I recently finished.

The first empty is a hair mask. I’ve mentioned before I’m on the hunt for the best hair mask that doesn’t count sulphates or silicones, which is proving to be difficult. The latest one I’ve tried is Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque. This is the second Shea Moisture mask I’ve tried and I’m a little underwhelmed once again. I want to love this brand’s masks because they’re available at the drugstore. I found the other mask I tried from this brand to be too heavy. With this Deep Treatment Masque, I don’t find much of a difference. Maybe I need to let it sit longer than five to ten minutes? I just find that hair masks with silicone always make my hair feel soft and smooth and I can’t seem to find a similar effect with silicone-free masks. Maybe if you have dry hair you’d like this, but for me, it’s a pass.

Next, I finally finished the Kylie Skin Foaming Face Wash. You know I’ve had this for a while when the packaging has changed since I got this haha. I got this in my June 2020 Boxycharm. This cleanser is very gentle so I only use it as a second cleanser after I use a cleansing balm. It took me forever to go through this cleanser because it’s a foaming face wash. I only need about one pump to wash my face so it just took a long time to go through it. Overall it’s not a bad cleanser, if anything it would be great if you had sensitive skin. But I wouldn’t go out of my way to order it and ship it to Canada for such a gentle cleanser.

A product that is slowly becoming a reoccurring empty is the Peace Out Salicylic Acid Acne Healing Dots. I finished this pack back in January and I’m almost finished my current pack. To be fair my skin has been freaking out lately so I’ve been using a lot of these dots. They are by far the best acne patches I’ve tried and the patches make a difference with how quickly my breakouts heal. The key is to use these when the whitehead has appeared to suck all the gunk out. I will say the only thing that breaks my heart is that they’re not the cheapest at $25 for a 20 pack so I only use them on my had breakouts. Sometimes I’ll also cut them in half if I had a small breakout. Overall if you suffer from acne you have to check these out!

Another product that I’ve received from my Boxycharm is the Farmacy Honey Grail Ultra-Hydrating Face Oil. I’m just gonna put it out there that this oil is no joke. As someone with oilier skin, I generally don’t reach for face oil. I used this oil as my moisturizer found that it gave me more than enough moisture. It claims to be fast-absorbing and I would have to disagree. I found that it took a while for the oil to sink into my skin. Maybe if you had super dry skin you would love this. As an oily skin girl, this just wasn’t meant for me so I will not be repurchasing this oil.

An oil that I do love is the Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil. This is one of my favourite vitamin C serums I’ve tried. I find this vitamin C is potent enough to make a difference in my acne scars. The squalane and rose oil also had a visible brightness and glow to my skin that I haven’t found in other vitamin C serums. My only complaint is that it’s quite expensive, which is why I recently go the Glow Recipe vitamin C serum, you can check out my review of it here!

The next two empties are mascaras! I’m trying to be better about throwing out expired makeup and I’ve had both of these for over a year so it’s time for them to go in the garage. The first mascara is the Tarte Maneater Voluptuous Mascara. I got this one in a Boxycharm. I generally like Tarte mascara and this one is no exception. The shape of the wand means that I don’t get mascara all over my lids. I do prefer the Tarte Tarteist Lash Paint Mascara over this one because I prefer length over volume. My second mascara empty is the Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Lengthening Mascara. I thought I was going to love this mascara and I was disappointed. It’s supposed to be a lengthening mascara and I find it didn’t give me that much length. I also found that so much product got on the wand and it became very goopy very quickly so it would get all over my eyelids. The only pro was that it was easy to remove since it’s a tubing mascara. But I will not be repurchasing this mascara.

A drugstore empty! I decided to pick up the ELF Holy Hydration Face Cream because I wanted to test out some affordable skincare and this was a winner baby! This is a little on the thicker side for my oily side so this is more of a winter/nighttime moisturizer for me. But if you have dry skin you would love this. At $16 this is such an affordable moisturizer and shows you don’t always have to pay a ton of money for good skincare. I have purchased other moisturizers but this is one that I would instantly recommend to people in the future.

If you read my Body Lotion Round-Up post, you might recognize that I mentioned the Bath & Body Works Body Lotion. I had finally finished this Pumpkin Pecan Waffles scent back in January. I had bought this back in August so it took me five months to finish this! I have learned my lesson and won’t be buying seasonal scents anymore because I was sick of smelling like fall in early January haha. But the actual body lotion is great. It’s thick but absorbs quickly into the skin. The scents are strong and do linger so just keep that in mind if you are sensitive to scents. I have already repurchased another one, I like the B&BW lotions!

The final empty for today is the Youth to the People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser. This is an amazing cleanser if you have acne-prone skin. I didn’t realize how effective it was until I stopped using it. It’s gentle enough that my skin doesn’t feel stripped when using it. But it did a great job at reducing the number of breakouts I had. It comes in a glass bottle with a pump, which is great for the vanity but not good for travelling haha. I have purchased a different cleanser since but I am considering getting it again in the future.

And those are my product empties! Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products and what your thoughts were!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Review, Skincare

Body Lotions & Hand Creams Round-Up + Review

by LeaLeave a Comment on Body Lotions & Hand Creams Round-Up + Review

Hey guys! I realized it’s been almost two years since I’ve shared my body lotion and hand cream collection. I will often mention when I finish a body lotion in my product empties post, but I thought it would be worth doing a dedicated post. I use body lotions year-round, but especially love slathering myself in lotions during the cold winter months. Because of that, I’ve amassed quite a collection. So let’s get into it!

A round up of the body lotions and hand creams in my collection.

A great drugstore option is the St Ives Body Lotion. I have the Almond & Flaxseed Oil lotion. I love the scent of almonds, especially in body lotions. I’m sad to say it doesn’t smell much like almonds. But besides that, it’s a great lotion. I find it’s on the thinner side so it’s not as moisturizing but it does absorb very quickly into the skin. It comes with a pump which I prefer and it’s a big bottle so it takes a while to get through it. If you don’t like Almond there are tons of other scents as well! A good drugstore choice.

Another good *affordable* option is the Bath and Body Works Body Lotions. I put affordable in asterisks because it’s not the cheapest on the market but they always have sales so it’s easy to get at a discounted price. I have the scent Watermelon Lemonade that I got after Christmas for $3. They have so many scent options that you’re bound to find one you like. The scents are quite strong and I find they do linger on the skin. I had a pumpkin pecan one and I didn’t put perfume on when I used that body lotion. Besides the strong scent, I do find they’re pretty hydrating and absorb into the skin relatively quickly. It’s a squeeze bottle which I don’t prefer as much as a pump but still not bad. Would still recommend it since they have a great scent selection.

My other drugstore recommendation is the CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion. This is technically a face moisturizer but I use it on my body. I’ve mentioned this before but I’m prone to breakouts on my chest and back. I prefer to use an unscented face moisturizer on those parts of my body to help with the acne since scented moisturizers can be irritating and pore-clogging. This lotion provides the perfect amount of moisture while also absorbing into the skin quickly. It’s also a pump which I love! I would recommend this lotion for both the face and body.

Now switching from my least expensive to my most expensive – the L’Occitane Almond Smoothing and Beautifying Milk Concentrate. As I mentioned, I love almond scented products and I had heard great things about this lotion so I wanted to try it for myself. It’s very luxurious with a glass container. The formula is thicker than some of the others in my collection so it feels luxurious to apply as well. I like using this after I’ve exfoliated and shaved to make my legs feel real smooth. I think there are lotions on this list that do a good job so you don’t necessarily need to buy this expensive one. But if you like the scent of almonds you have to try this one.

Next, I have my two Sol De Janeiro creams. I have the original Brazilian Bum Bum Cream and the Coco Cabana Body Cream. I’ve brought both of these creams to different vacations, so whenever I apply them I’m instantly transported back to that trip. I do like both of these creams. They’re thicker but absorb easily into the skin. The scent is strong but doesn’t linger too much so I can still apply perfume. I don’t use them too often since they are on the pricer side but I would say they’re good lotions.

If you follow my blog then you’ll know I like the Hempz Natural Herbal Body Moisturizer. It’s similar to the St Ives lotion but just a bit thicker so it adds more hydration to the skin. I also find the scent is stronger. I currently have the Fresh Coconut & Watermelon scent and it’s a great neutral scent. I’ve purchased this originally on Amazon but I’ve found them at Winners as well! Great mid-priced body lotion.

And now onto hand creams. First I’m going to shout out a local small business! My friend got me the Maison Apothecare On-The-Go: Lavender & Sea Salt Lotion for Secret Santa and I love it! I apply it every night before bed. The scent is perfect before bed to calm down. For hand cream, it’s very important that it’s fast-absorbing and doesn’t leave my hands feeling greasy. This hand cream ticks both of those boxes! I would recommend checking out this shop if you’re local.

My other hand cream is not pictured because I leave it at work. All my coworkers are obsessed with the Bath & Body Works Eucalyptus Spearmint Hand Cream. They always ask me if they can have some hand cream! The formula absorbs very quickly so I don’t have to wait and worry about greasy hands. But it still gives that boost of hydration when my hands are cold in the winter. The scent is also divine. It’s very calming and I can smell it when other people use it. Like other Bath & Body Works products, it’s pretty affordable but you can get it even cheaper during the sales.

And those are all my favourite body lotions! Let me know in the comments if you have any favourites. I’m always willing to try out a new body lotion!

xoxo

Lea