Beauty, Favourites, Makeup, Skincare

Revisiting my 2020 Beauty Favourites

by LeaLeave a Comment on Revisiting my 2020 Beauty Favourites

Hey guys! It’s now becoming a tradition that along with doing my yearly beauty favourites, I revisit my favourites from the previous year. So today I will be sharing with you my thoughts on my 2020 beauty favourites. I’ve already selected my 2021 beauty faves (post coming next week) so it’ll be interesting to see what’s different between last year and this year. Let’s get into it.

My primer pick was the Touch in Sol Pretty Filter Glassy Balm and this is still a favourite of mine. I love using this in the summertime. This primer gives that dewy look without the sparkle or glitter that some other glowy primers have. It also helps smooth the skin. Still love this primer.

My two foundation picks were ones that I haven’t used in a while. The first is the Bite Beauty Changemaker Foundation. It’s funny because I thought that this foundation was glowy. Now that I’ve tried actual dewy foundation this one is surprisingly matte. It has a very moussy texture. I will say that it’s not a bad foundation, I just have found others I prefer more. The second foundation pick was the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Foundation. I wore this the other day and it’s been forever since I’ve worn a matte, full-coverage foundation. It’s a good foundation it’s not just what I prefer to wear anymore! I like something with a little lighter coverage and a more satin finish. My 2020 favourites have now become mid-tier foundations for me.

My two concealer picks were the Makeup Revolution Conceal & Define Concealer and the Sephora Collection Bright Future Gel Serum Concealer. It’s funny because in my post I mention that I wanted to pick something else besides my Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer and honestly I’ve gone back to using that one on the daily! The other concealers are good but Nars is just my favourite.

My love of the Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer continues. This bronzer is so creamy that it blends out super easily. But it lasts super long on the skin. And the shade just matches me perfectly for that natural bronze glow. I do have another bronzer favourite though this year so stay tuned!

My first blush favourite from 2020 was the Nudestix Nudies Blush in In The Nude. This is still a favourite and I have since added another shade of this blush to my collection. It blends easily but has a matte finish to it stays put all day. My second blush favourite was the Burt’s Bee Blush in the shade Fresh Apricot. This was a blush I had to pull out of my collection because it had been a while since I had used it. I forgot how pigmented it was so I accidentally used too much. But with a light hand, it’s a very nice warm-toned blush.

It’s funny because I recently started using the Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter after not using it for months and fell in love with it all over again. The shade is skin toned so it’s one of the most ‘natural’ highlight I’ve used. It makes me look naturally glowy which I love. And I find that I can wear this with powder blush and bronzer so it’s very versatile. Love this highlight.

My favourite brow product was the Glossier Brow Flick. In my post, I said I wanted to try out other brow pens and I haven’t oops. I like the idea but I find that brow pens are a lot of work. I find when using a brow pen I have to be very precious and it therefore takes me way longer to do my brows. I’m often rushing in the morning and don’t have time so I’ve gone back to my pencils.

My first of two eyeshadow palettes was the Jaclyn Hill X Morphe Vol II. It’s funny because I’ve been using the first edition palette quite a bit this year since it’s a project pan product for me. Honestly haven’t used the palette much this year. The one issue with doing a project pan is that I’m not using my full collection which is something I want to change moving forward. My second palette pick was the KASH Beauty Secret Treasure palette. I do like this palette. I love the mattes and the colour story. My only complaint is that the shimmers are a little chunky so it’s hard to blend them out softly. It’s either full on bright metallic or nothing. I love using the mattes in this palette paired with an eyeshadow topper. Great palette!

My two eyeliner picks were the Tarte Tarteist Double Take Eyeliner and the Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil. I stand by what I said for both of these eyeliners. They are both easy to use, show up well on the eye and last long. These are probably the two eyeliners that I get any use out of in my collection.

Next up is mascara, which unfortunately I can’t say much about since I have gotten rid of all these mascaras. I’m trying to be better arthrowing out expired makeup and mascara is the one product that I’m trying to stay on top of. So I haven’t used my mascara picks in a while so it wouldn’t be fair for me to comment.

I have a whole bunch of lip products (and spoiler I still have a bunch for this year). Products that are on my 2021 favourites list again are the Steve Laurant Lip Liner in Chic and the Burt’s Bee Satin Lipstick in the shade Blush Basin – so I’ll save my thoughts on those. I did finish my tube of the Tarte SEA Quench Lip Rescue Balm! It’s such a great balm. I reconsidered repurchasing it but decided to get the Laneige one instead. But I still recommend the lip balm and might repurchase it in the future. My lipgloss favourite was the Essence Shine Shine Shine Lipgloss. I do like this gloss, I just found myself gravitating towards coloured lip gloss, not clear. But if you want a clear lip gloss I highly recommend this one. The final lip product was the Glossier Generation G Sheer Matte Lipstick. I like this lipstick and still use it occasionally. I don’t find myself gravitating towards it that often because it’s a sheer lipstick. There are times that I want a sheer lipstick but not as often as in the past.

The final section was my skincare favourites. I’m going to summarize this section real quick. The products I still love and use in my routine are: the OLEHENRIKSEN Balancing Force Oil Control Toner, the Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil, and the Glow Recipe Watermelon + AHA Glow Sleeping Mask. The following products I have since finished and not repurchased are: the OLEHENRIKSEN Truth Juice Daily Cleanser, the Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream, the Farmacy Very Cherry Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm, and the Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads. None of these products are bad, if anything I still stand by my reviews of them. Part of being a content creator is trying new things, so I did not repurchase those products in order to try new things. I would still recommend all of them.

And that is a look back at my 2020 beauty favourites! Let me know if you agree or disagree with my updated thoughts. And like I mentioned my 2021 beauty favourites will be coming soon so stay tuned!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Makeup, Skincare

Best of Boxycharm 2021

by LeaLeave a Comment on Best of Boxycharm 2021

Hey guys! Every year I like to look back and pick out my favourite products that I received in my Boxycharm. There are so many products that I have discovered over the years from my Boxycharm. But sometimes it’s hard when I first get my box to truly know which products are going to be fan favourites. So today I am going to be sharing the 10 products that received this year that are my personal favourites.

1. Violet Voss Olive You Forever Palette

I have three products from my January Boxycharm, the first being my Violet Voss Olive You Forever Palette. I’ve received so many eyeshadow palettes this year and this is hands down my favourite. The colour story is unique but also extremely wearable. There are tons of warm browns and wearable golds but also some fun pops of green. The eyeshadow formula is also amazing. I used this palette for my holiday makeup tutorial! Definitely a palette I see myself reaching for more in the future.

2. Farmacy Daily Greens Oil-Free Gel Moisturizer

I love getting skincare in my box, and this Farmacy moisturizer that I got in my January Boxycharm was amazing. This is formulated for oily skin so it was meant for me! The gel formula is lightweight and skin easily into the skin. It dries down matte as well. This is a great daytime moisturizer. I enjoyed it so much that I’ve already finished it!

3. Qveen Studio Dragon Duo

The final favourite from my January box is the Dragon Duo eyeliner set. Eyeliner is not necessarily something I get excited about, but I’ve used this set quite a lot and it’s great! The liquid liner is easy to use, which is not always the case with liquid liners haha. It’s black and applies smoothly. The pencil is super black and is pretty smudge-proof. I did a battle of the eyeliner and this Qveen pencil came on top! If you’re looking for some black eyeliner, I would recommend this set.

4. Saturday Skin Yuzu Vitamin C Sleep Mask

I received this Saturday Skin sleep mask in my February box and I have enjoyed it! I love using this in the evening, especially after a yoga class, to add some extra moisture to my skin. It sinks into the skin pretty quickly so I don’t have to wait forever for the mask to dry. In the morning my skin feels smooth and plump. I also love the citrus scent. The best face mask I’ve received this year.

5. KAB Cosmetics Hydrating Lip Oil

This KAB Lip Oil from my March box is easily one of the top products I’ve received this year. The formula is amazing, it’s not sticky and feels so comfortable on the lips. It’s super hydrating as well. It has a light coconut scent as well. I have the shade Blue Raspberry which just goes on clear on the lips. It also has a large doe-foot application so it’s so easy to quickly swipe on the lips. This lip oil is beautiful by itself of over top other lip products. I’m just so in love!

6. Maven Beauty Rose Water Setting Spray

A second product from my March box is the Maven Beauty setting spray. It’s funny because I wasn’t a huge fan of this setting spray at first. I was testing it out and then I found myself continuing to reach for this setting spray over and over again. It does a good job at setting my makeup and lasting longer! This was amazing during the summer months when I was wearing a bunch of dewy makeup products and didn’t want to use a dewy setting spray on top. I would use this one and it would tame everything. Still not a fan of the rose scent but the formula is great.

7. Farmacy Honey Grail Ultra-Hydrating Face Oil

From my April box is the Farmacy face oil. I started using this oil once the weather got colder and it’s great! I use it as a moisturizer at night and it does a good job of adding moisture to my skin. Even though it’s an oil it doesn’t congest my skin or break me out. This is a dry weather favourite!

8. Murad City Skin Overnight Detox Moisturizer

From my May box, I picked the Murad moisturizer. I recently finished this and featured it in an empties post. The packaging is a pump which I love because it dispenses the perfect amount and I don’t have to stick my fingers in a jar. This is a great nighttime moisturizer because it’s thick but not so thick that it clogs my pores. I think the fact that I finished the moisturizer shows how much I love it.

9. NARS Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencil in Dolce Vita

I received this Nars lippie in my June box and it’s become a perfect everyday lip. It’s not a super matte and drying lip so it’s very comfortable on the lips. I also find that it’s not super pigmented so it gives more of a wash of colour. The shade Dolce Vita is a dusty rose so it’s perfect for everyday use. Whenever I want a nice pink lip I reach for this.

10. Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops

I was so happy to receive the Glow Recipe Dew Drops in my October box. This was a product I had my eyes on so it was great to receive it in my box! These drops are a makeup-skincare hybrid. Whenever my skin is looking dry or dull I’ll use these drops before applying my makeup. It adds such a beautiful glow to the skin that is more light-from-within than blinding highlight, which is what I prefer. Very happy to have this product in my collection!

And those are the top products that I received from Boxycharm this year! If you are subscribed to Boxycharm, let me know in the comments which products were your favourite this year! And if you like end-of-the-year content, stay tuned because I have more planned for the following weeks!

xoxo

Lea

Fashion, Holiday

Holiday Outfits Inspo 2021

by LeaLeave a Comment on Holiday Outfits Inspo 2021

Hey guys! If you’re like me, I love pursuing Pinterest for some fashion inspo. With the holidays coming up, I thought I would share some ideas for some holiday outfits so you don’t have to look through Pinterest. I’ll include some links to some options as well! Let’s get into it.

Red Sweater

There is nothing more festive than a bright, red sweater. It’s a simple piece so it’s easy to style it. A red blouse with some pants can be a very sophisticated look, perfect for office holiday parties. A red sweater with some details and a pair of pants are great for a dinner party. For a more casual affair, wearing a red knit sweater and jeans is great!

Silk Skirts

I think silk skirts are a great piece for holiday parties. They’re very popular right now so I think most people have one in their closet already. I think it’s all about how you style it. By wearing a nice sweater or turtleneck with the skirt it takes it up a notch. I also think wearing a cream skirt and a cream sweater is a very elegant look. It plays with the whole idea of winter whites. With a simple updo, I think it would make a great outfit.

Sequin Pants

If you’re looking for something super blingy or something for New Year, consider sequin pants. Sequins are always popular during the holidays but getting sequin pants allows you to dress up or dress down the outfit. A sequin dress is always going to be formal. But pairing a pair of sequin pants with a sweater or a t-shirt can help dress it down. Or you can go all out with a blazer or fun top. Consider silver, gold, or black because they’re also easy to pair with other pieces.

Jumpsuit

If you have a very formal holiday party I recommend a jumpsuit. I think jumpsuits are super comfy, so you can eat all the food you want and not have to be constricted by a tight dress. They also stand out compared to people wearing dresses. You can get something in the festive colours of red or green, you can get something sparkly or a LBJ (little black jumpsuit).

And those are my holiday outfits ideas! My family likes to wear our pjs so I probably won’t wear any of these outfits but it’s fun to look haha! Let me know if you have any other ideas for holiday outfits in the comments.

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Hacks, Tips and Tricks

Five Tips for Transitioning Your Beauty Routine for Colder Weather

by LeaLeave a Comment on Five Tips for Transitioning Your Beauty Routine for Colder Weather

Hey guys! If you’re like me and live in a temperate climate, then right about now things are probably starting to get pretty cold. I’ve had a few light snowfalls already and things are starting to freeze over here. As we transition from fall to winter, I wanted to share five beauty tips that help make the transition more seamless.

1. Switch up your moisturizer

Everything about winter is dry. The cold air outside is drying and the heating inside is drying. I have oily skin but my skin still gets drier in the winter months. I recommend switching up your moisturizer to something a little heavier to provide that extra hydration. If you have dry skin consider the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration or the Cerave Moisturizing Cream. Both of these moisturizers are very thick and will help give you that boost of hydration. If you have oily skin like me you’ll probably find these moisturizers to be a little too much. I like using the Farmacy Honey Grail Ultra-Hydrating Face Oil at night. The oil has more hydration than my normal moisturizers but it isn’t heavy feeling and absorbs quickly into the skin.

2. Moisturize the body

Similar to how it’s important to switch to a heavier face moisturizer, it’s important to take care of your body’s skin as well. If you don’t normally moisturize your body, I highly recommend you incorporate it during the winter months. First I will use an exfoliator in the shower such as the Dove Exfoliating Body Polish. This helps get rid of any dead skin. I always like to rub some body lotion or body butter all over after I get out of the shower. I like to get some nicely scented ones to as well because it feels like such a self-care moment to use a nicely scented body lotion. Some of my favourites include Lush Sleepy Lotion, Hempz Natural Herbal Body Moisturizer and L’Occitane Almond Smoothing and Beautifying Milk Concentrate.

3. Switch to using more powders

While I love using cream products year-round, the winter months are when I break out the powder products a bit more. Since I’m inside I’m wearing a mask more often. If I’m wearing makeup underneath a mask I find powders just last longer. They don’t move around as much and don’t get all over my mask as much. I also find I just gravitate to a more matte look in the winter. Something about the summer screams dewy and creamy to me and since winter is the opposite I go for mattes! Let me know in the comments if I should do a blog post sharing some of my favourite powder products!

4. Give your hands some TLC

If you’re like me, I often forget my gloves and my poor hands suffer from the cold. It’s important to get some products to help them out. I love the Bath and Body Works hand creams, I currently have the Eucalyptus Spearmint scent and it’s divine. Another great product to invest in for the hands is good cuticle oil. I’m not the best at remembering to use it, but whenever I do use cuticle oil I notice such a difference in the health and strength of my nails. I have the CND Essentials Nail & Cuticle Oil and it’s great. It smells like almonds and has a brush so it’s easy to apply. I just to apply it at night and my cuticles are looking great the next day

5. Refresh the hair

Right before the holiday season is a great time to get a haircut if you didn’t get one during the fall. It’s nice to freshen things up. I always love going darker for the winter as well. If you’ve recently got your hair done or it’s just not in the budget, then getting a good hair mask is also a great option. I highly recommend the Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Vegan Apple Honey Deep Conditioning Hair Mask. The mask is limited edition to pick it up soon! If you have a good hair mask that is Curly Girl friendly please let me know in the comments!

And those are my five tips to help you transition to winter! Let me know in the comments what you like to do to get you ready for the winter weather in the comments.

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, empties, Hair, Makeup, Review, Skincare

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Makeup, Makeup Brushes, Review

November Boxycharm 2021

by LeaLeave a Comment on November Boxycharm 2021

Hey guys! And just like that November is done. Can you believe that 2021 is almost over? I still sometimes find myself saying 2020 and not 2021 wow! Anyway, it’s time to review my November Boxycharm. Which by the way I do an unboxing and a first impression video on my Youtube channel, so I recommend checking that out! Let’s get into my thoughts.

November Boxycharm

The first product is the Violet Voss Violet Sunset Eyeshadow Palette. I like this palette. I’ve used other Violet Voss eyeshadows before and the quality is amazing. All the shimmers and metallics work easily. The mattes and pigmented and easy to blend. I haven’t used the bright mattes in this palette only the neutrals so far but I’m sure they’re good quality just based on my previous use. I also love the colour story. There is a nice balance between wearable warm tones and fun pops of colour. I can see myself creating so many different eyeshadow looks. I see myself reaching for this a lot in the spring and summer. Would recommend checking out this palette! Price: $37 US

The next product is the Luxie Por La Noche Brush Set. I love Luxie brushes. I have a bunch in my collection and they are the ones I always reach for. The brushes are so soft and they stay soft after multiple washes. The handles are pretty and feel nice in the hand. This set comes with a blush brush, a concealer brush and an angled brush. It’s funny because I use the blush brush for highlight and I found it worked beautifully! Just goes to show that you can use brushes for whatever job you want. I always recommend Luxie brushes for those looking to invest in some good-quality brushes. They also have some good sales going on right now! Price: $40 US

The most disappointing product in the box is the Bodyography Makeup Brush Cleanser. I love the idea of having something to be able to spot clean my brushes. Sometimes it’s helpful to have something to quickly clean if I want to go from blue to brown. I have the Sephora Daily Brush Cleanser and it works so much better. I find that I have to spray and wipe the brush twice to get the same result as the Sephora cleanser. If you’re looking for a spot brush cleanser I recommend the Sephora one over the Bodyography one. Price: $19 US

The next product is the Aesthetica Sunset Bronzer. First, they have only one shade which is completely abysmal. How is one shade of bronzer going to match everyone? I sometimes like to switch between a lighter and darker bronzer in the summer and winter – so how is one shade going to work for all the gorgeous, unique skin tones in the world? Besides the lack of shade range, it’s a pretty average bronzer. It applies easily to the skin and is pretty long-lasting. I would say that the Maybelline City Bronzer is pretty similar in formula but has at least three shades and it’s much cheaper. Price: $24 US

The final product is the Inc.redible Cosmetics Crystal Ball Rollergloss Duo. Just want to note that it seems that the duo is only available through Boxycharm. On the Inc.redible website they are only sold individually. I like the idea of the rollergloss, it’s very nostalgic. I remember using Lip Smackers roller balls when I was a kid. I have two issues with the packaging. First I find that it never rolls out evenly so I have to turn the thing upside down and roll over the lips like seven times. The second issue is that because it’s a rollerball it’s hard to clean. I often like to wear a lip liner or lipstick under my gloss. With a normal lip gloss wand, I can wipe it before putting it back in the tube. With the rollerball, it rolls under before I can clean it. So I can only use it on bare lips, which sucks since it’s a clear gloss. The actual gloss formula is nice. It’s almost oily so it doesn’t feel sticky and is hydrating. But the packaging is more of a pain than cute. Price: $24 US

The overall total is $144. I initially liked all the products in the box but when I tested them out more I noticed a few more flaws. I like the Violet Voss eyeshadow palette and Luxie brushes. The Aesthetica bronzer isn’t bad but it isn’t special. The Inc.credible Rollergloss is a cute idea but not my favourite. And finally there are better brush cleansers on the makeup compared to the Bodyography one. Let me know what you guys think in the comments. Is this a good box? If you get Boxycharm let me know what you got in your box!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Haul, Makeup, Perfume, Review, Skincare

Sephora Sale Haul & Reviews

by LeaLeave a Comment on Sephora Sale Haul & Reviews

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 Plungeâ„¢ 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!

xoxo

Lea

Holiday

Holiday Gift Guides for Everyone In Your Life

by LeaLeave a Comment on Holiday Gift Guides for Everyone In Your Life

Hey guys! I recently asked on Instagram if it was too early for gift guides and the overwhelming majority said to give the gift guides now! So here we are! While it might not be December, we are a month away from Christmas so now is the time to start the shopping. I have 20 different gift ideas that I’ve broken down into different categories. Obviously, the gifts are not exclusive to the categories but I thought the categories would be helpful. Let’s get into it!

For the girls in your life

These gifts are perfect for any feminine friends in your life, any girlfriends, sisters, cousins, etc. First I would recommend checking out my Sephora holiday sets post. I give so many suggestions, so if you know someone who loves makeup or skincare, check out that post!

The next recommendation is a jewelry box. I generally don’t recommend buying jewelry for someone unless you know exactly what style they like. If you get someone a piece of jewelry they don’t like then they won’t wear it! But if you know someone likes jewelry, getting them a jewelry box is a great gift because it shows you know their tastes. There are so many different options from small travel cases to small chests. Just take into consideration the size of their collection and their home decor tastes.

A great inexpensive gift is a silk pillowcase. A good silk pillowcase is not that expensive but it can have a great impact on someone’s life. Silk is known to be softer on the skin and hair. Silk also helps keep the pillow cooler longer. I got a silk pillowcase for Christmas last year and I love it!

If the person your shopping for is a homebody then getting them a nice blanket is a great gift. Getting a huge, queen size blanket is one great option because it allows them to have a huge blanket to themself or share with someone else. A weighted blanket is another great option to upgrade someone’s blanket game. Finally, getting someone a wearable blanket such as The Comfy is another great blanket option.

If you and the women you’re shopping for love sipping some wine or cocktails together, consider getting her some nice glassware. The great thing about glassware is that you can find it in a variety of price points. I’ve seen so much gorgeous glassware at antique and thift shops. You can also get decent glassware at Winners, Amazon or Ikea. I also think that Anthropologie has some nice and unique glassware options as well.

For the boys in your life

These gifts are perfect for any masculine friends in your life, boyfriends, brothers, cousins, etc. I always struggle with getting the men in my life gifts so I had to think about this one.

I know a lot of people got into making cocktails during the pandemic. If you know someone in who loves making cocktails, then maybe give them some upgrades for their bar kit. Get them full bar kit set if they don’t have one already. Get some new glassware like I mentioned above. You can get some interesting mixers or spirits. You could also get them a book to help them get more inspiration!

If you have a man in your life that loves working out, consider getting them a nice gym bag. I feel like every guy just uses the free bag they got when they opened their membership. You can get him one from his favourite athletic brand (Nike, Gyshark and Lululemon are all great options) or just a nice basic one if he’s not picky about brands. What’s great about getting him a gym bag is that it can also double as an overnight bag!

If he always forgets about this coffee or tea, then consider getting him an Ember mug. This mug is designed to keep the contents of the mug at a precise temperature. I’ve seen a few reviews of the mug and everyone loves it!

If they always forget their chargers, then consider getting them a charging station. This will allow them to charge their phone, smartwatch and headphones all at once. There are also charging stations that are meant for multiple phones and iPads – great for if he has a work and personal phone. There are also bamboo ones that are a little more aesthetically pleasing.

The final gift is perfect if they always ask for a massage – get them a massager! There is a neck and back massager which is more affordable but still does an amazing job! My mom has one and I borrow it all the time. A step up would be to get them a massage gun. They can use this all over their body and it packs a punch. You’ll probably be borrowing this from them haha!

For the parental figures in your life

These gifts are great for your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.

The first gift is a nice pair of slippers. My parents wear slippers around the house so it would be great to give them an upgrade. You can get memory foam slippers or fuzzy slippers. Or you can upgrade them to some nice ones such as UGG slippers.

Getting someone a diffuser is such a great gift. There are so many different models nowadays. You can get them one with LED lights or cordless ones as well. You can also get them a sampler pack of essential oils so they can figure out which is their favourite.

If you always do family game night together, then consider getting them a new board game! Two that I recommend are Exploding Kittens and Coup. I recommend reading how the games work because it’s not short to explain. But I’ve had so much fun playing both of these.

If you have a family pet, it would be so nice to customize something for one of your loved ones. You can get a pet portrait, a necklace of the pet’s name, you could even get a blanket of your pet’s face. The options are unless of what you can put your pet’s face on.

If one of your loved ones is into cooking and gardening, consider getting them a Click and Grow. This is what they call a ‘smart garden’ where it has lights and a nifty watering system. My mom has one and she absolutely loves it. It’s a great way to have fresh herbs year-round. I would recommend getting basil because it has so far grown the best out of all the ones my mom has tried.

For the coworkers in your life

Finally, this section is for all the coworkers, bosses or Secret Santa gifts that you have to give. These are generic enough that someone would probably appreciate the gift even if you don’t know them well.

If you live in a cold climate, getting someone winter accessories is always a great choice. A scarf, hat or gloves in neutral colours. These are also easy to find under $25, which is often the Secret Santa gift limit.

If you know someone likes candles, then it’s a great gift because they will probably like and use whatever candle you give them. I recommend sticking to some of the popular scents such as vanilla, citrus and beachy scents. A candle is great because you can easily pick one up at Bath and Body Works or you can get one from Etsy. It’s a great way to support a small business! There are so many cool and unique candle brands out there that you can find something to fit the gift recipient.

If someone in your office is always drinking coffee or tea, get something related to that! A gift card to their favourite coffee shop works. You can always get them a cute mug or some nice quality coffee or tea! I recommend checking out some local coffee and tea shops for good-quality products.

If your office is anything like mine, it’s probably super dry. A mini desk humidifier could be a great gift! Humidifiers help add moisture back into the air. This is great for anyone who has dry skin or dealing with sinus issues. They can also add a little bit of heat to the space depending on which one you get. It can help improve someone’s quality of life at their desk!

My final gift recommendation is to get someone plants! Plants are a great way to liven and brighten up a space. Succulents are a great option for an office desk because they’re good in low light and don’t have to be watered often. You can get them some potholders online and then go to your local gardening centre and pick up a few. I would love it if someone got me plants for my desk.

And those are my gift recommendations!! I hope you found this helpful. Let me know in the comments which of these gifts are your favourite and you would like to receive during this holiday season!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Makeup, Review

Jaclyn Hill x Morphe Divine Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette Review

by Lea2 Comments on Jaclyn Hill x Morphe Divine Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette Review

Hey guys! I am a big Jaclyn Hill fan and her other two collabs with Morphe are some of my favourite palettes I own. So when I saw she was coming out with another palette with Morphe I knew I had to pick it up. I purchased the Jaclyn Hill x Morphe Divine Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette when it first came out. But it’s taken me a while to test out the palette and give you guys a thorough review. But I have finally figured out my thoughts so let’s get into it.

When I first saw the palette I thought it was gorgeous. I’ve been into wearing neutrals more lately so the palette concept was right up my alley. After chatting with my friend about the palette I realized that it does skew pretty dark, especially in person. This might be a neutral palette but I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s an everyday palette for me. If you’re someone with a deeper complexion though this would be perfect for you.

I think there is a good range of matte shades. There is a light shade for me to set my eyeshadow primer. There are some lighter shades for the crease and some darker shades to deepen the crease. The shade “Cinnamom Roll’ is the perfect dark shade for doing wing liner. My issue is that all the shimmer shades are quite deep and rich. This is perfect for evening looks but just too much for me for everyday use. I also find the shade “Awe Lux” a weird addition. All the other shades are very warm toned whereas “Awe Lux” is pink and doesn’t match as much.

Besides the colour story is the quality of the shadows. I love the matte shades. They are pigmented but also easy to blend. I also find that the shade in the pan and the shadow on the eye look the same. Sometimes an eyeshadow can look different once it’s blended out but these shades are consistent.

I find the shimmers to be a bit finicky. With my Jaclyn Hill Vol 1 palette, the shimmers can be packed on using a finger or a dense brush AND can be blended out softly with a fluffy brush. I often like using a fluffy brush with shimmers during the day to create a softer look. I find that the shimmers in this Divine Neutral palette look great packed on but barely show up on the lid when I try to do a soft look. I’m a bit disappointed because it feels to me that they changed the formula.

I know it seems like I had a lot of criticisms for this palette but that’s because I had some fairly high expectations for the palette. I thought it was going to be the perfect everyday palette and the quality would be the same as past palettes. It’s still a good palette. For me, it’s more of a special occasion palette than an everyday palette. You can’t bet the fact that it’s a 12-pan palette for $25. That’s an amazing deal.

If you have a deeper complexion or you’re looking for a special occasion palette then this is a great pick. But if you have fair skin and you’re looking for a good everyday palette then I would skip this one. If you guys have purchased this palette let me know what you think in the comments!

xoxo

Lea

Book Review, Review

Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series

by Lea1 Comment on Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series

Hey guys! Thought it was time to take a break from Sephora Sale content and post a book review! I know it’s been a while since my last blog post but it’s taken me about four months to finish this series oops. Today I will be sharing my review of Sarah J Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses (shorten to ACOTAR) series. For those of you who don’t know, ACOTAR is a very popular series online. I had heard a lot about the books before reading the series which affected my opinion. I will do a review on each book, which will contain minor spoilers – such is the nature of reviewing series since each book builds on each other. At the end of this post, I’ll do a spoiler-free overview of the series. So let’s get into it!

A Court of Thorns and Roses

A Court of Thorns is the first book in the series. It follows Feyre, a human who accidentally kills a fae and must go live with a fae lord to make up for her actions. This is a new adult fantasy series.

I heard a lot about this book on book Tiktok before reading it, so I had a lot of preconceived notions. I knew a lot of people didn’t like the love interest, Tamlin, so because of that, I didn’t like him.

I spent a good part of the book waiting for the action that I hear everyone online talk about to happen. It wasn’t until the last 100 pages that the action picked up and I was into the book. I think it sets up nicely for the next book in the series.

I think Feyre is a pretty neutral main character. I don’t hate her but I don’t love her. There are a lot of big side characters in the series, so it helps that she’s tamer.

I gave this book 4/5 stars. It was good but had a real slow start.

A Court of Mist and Fury

A Court of Mist and Fury was much better compared to the first. There is more action and the characters introduced in this book as very interesting. The best part of the book is the romance. I love Feyre and Rhysand’s relationship and how it builds and grows through the book.

I like how Feyre’s mental health struggles are a big part of the book. I felt like the depiction is quite realistic and it was amazing to see it improve throughout the novel.

My only complaint is that the book is quite long. This is a reoccurring complaint I have for the series.

I gave this book 4.5/5 stars.

A Court of Wings and Ruin

I’m still not sure if my reading slump just coincided with reading A Court of Wings and Ruin or was because of the book. Whereas the first two took me about 10 pages to get through, the third book took me a month to read.

I found the beginning to be boring after the excitement of the second novel. This book also has a war in it. I’ve mentioned this before but I’m not a huge fan of war novels and this one was no exception. I found the middle section dragged on. As well, a lot of new characters were introduced and it found it confusing to remember everyone.

The last 150 pages were good and redeemed the novel from being a complete flop for me. For reference, I read the last 150 pages in two days.

I gave the book 3.5/5 stars. I was debating not continuing with the series, but I already owned the other books, so I decided to continue.

A Court of Frost and Starlight

A Court of Frost and Starlight is a novella that is supposed to be a bridge between the Feyre, who is the main character in the first three novels, and Nesta, who is the main character in the next novels.

I don’t think this book is necessary for the grand scheme of the series. There are only a few big plot points that could have easily been included at the end of the last novel or the beginning of the next novel.

The book just had a bunch of unnecessary fluff. It’s set in the world’s version of Christmas so I think it could be nice to read around the holiday to get in the spirit. But otherwise, I don’t think it added that much to the series.

I gave the book 3.5/5 stars. It was quick to read but not the most interested.

A Court of Silver Flames

Like I mentioned, this book switches to Nesta (Feyre’s sister) and Cassian’s point of view and focuses on their relationship. A Court of Silver Flames is probably tied with A Court of Mist and Fury as my favourite books in this series. I’ve always liked Nesta but this book made me fall in love with her. She’s just more complex than Feyre.

Similar to ACOMAF, this book is about Nesta processing her trauma and I felt it was quite realistic in the ups and downs and the long period of time it takes to process trauma.

I love Nesta and Cassian’s relationship. I also love the friendship that Feyre develops with Emerie and Gwen. They’re probably some of my favourite side characters in the whole series.

This book was really really long. It was 750 pages but I think this book could have easily been 500 pages. It was just a little long and repetitive in some parts.

This book was also quite character-driven. It focused mainly on Nesta’s growth, otherwise, not much happened plot-wise. I also found the ending to be a little rushed and the conflict resolved a little too quickly.

I gave this book 4.5/5 stars. It was great and I’m excited to see where the series goes.

Overall Thoughts

If you are not familiar with Sarah J Maas, she also wrote the Throne of Glass series, which I absolutely loved and gave 5/5 stars. I had high expectations going into this series. Overall I think it was good but not as great as Throne of Glass.

First, like I mentioned this series is a character-driven book. This means that the growth and development of the characters are what drive the book forward. Whereas Throne of Glass is a plot-driven book, where the plot and conflict are what drive the book forward. Both are acceptable, I just prefer plot-driven books which is why I didn’t like ACOTAR as much.

For this being a character-driven series as well, I found that I didn’t connect to the characters as much compared to Throne of Glass. I loved the characters in that series. I do realize that ACOTAR isn’t finished yet so this might change but it is something to note.

Finally, I find that ACOTAR is quite long and drawn out. I don’t think long books are inherently bad. But I think if your book is going to be long it better be action-filled or just interesting the whole book. I think the books could easily be 50-150 pages shorter and would still be good books. So if you struggle with long books beware.

I think this is a good fantasy and romance series but I don’t think it transcends the genre. Some books are so good that I think everyone should read them. I would recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy but if you’re not a fan of the genre I would pass. I give this series 4/5 stars. I will continue to read the future books that come out.

And those are my thoughts on the ACOTAR series! If you’ve read this series let me know your thoughts in the comments. And with all my book reviews let me know if you have any recommendations for me in the comments!

xoxo

Lea