MAC Cosmetics – Leave it to Lea

Sephora Sale Haul + Review

May 23, 2023May 21, 2023by LeaLeave a Comment

Hey guys! I know I’m quite late posting getting my Sephora sale haul and review up. If you follow me on Youtube then you know it’s been a hectic month for me! I got my Sephora order right before I went to Vancouver and then a few weeks later I started a new job. I’m starting to get into a new routine so I finally have the chance to write this post. While the sale has long been over, it’s always a good time to talk about makeup 😉

Let’s start with some repurchases since I made a few. The first thing I got was a Beauty Blender Makeup Sponge. I’ve tried a bunch of sponges and this is still one of my favourites. I like to have a couple of sponges on hand so when one gets dirty I have another clean one available. It’s expensive so I like getting a new sponge during the sale.

The next repurchase is the MAC Cosmetics Prep + Prime Fix+. This is one of my favourite setting sprays and I always like to have a bottle in my collection. It helps the makeup melt into the skin and gives a soft look. Whenever I’m not happy with how my makeup is looking I spray this on my face and it always makes it look better. Such a classic makeup staple and since I was running low it was time to stock up.

The final repurchase was not in my original haul but purchased after. I’ve been having some issues with my skin lately so I decided to switch my cleanser to one of my favourites – the OLEHENRIKSEN Find Your Balance Oil Control Cleanser (for some reason I can’t find just the cleanser on the website but I bought it in-store and it’s still available on the Ole website so idk). This cleanser is meant for acne and oily-prone skin, with lactic and glycolic acid to help deep clean the skin. My skin responds well to this cleanser so I’m happy to have it again.

I decided to purchase a different shade of the MAC Cosmetics Matte Lipstick. I was looking for a dupe for a discontinued lipstick that I have and the shade Yash matched perfectly. I love the formula of the MAC lipsticks and I know that Yash is one of their classic shades. The shade is described as deep neutral. It’s the perfect shade to wear with a bold eye look because it’s very neutral. I think this will be a great addition to my lipstick collection.

While doing my most recent makeup declutter, I discovered I needed some new brown eyeliners. I picked up the Sephora Collection Hot Line Brush Tip Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Brown and Sephora Collection 12-Hour Contour Pencil Eyeliner in Cappuccino. I was able to save 30% on these eyeliners since they’re Sephora Collection! I tested out the liquid liner a few times and it’s good. It’s easier to use and remove and lasted well. I like the brown shade for more everyday wear as it’s less harsh than black. I haven’t tested out the pencil yet as I like pencils for more intense looks and I just haven’t done any yet! If I have any strong opinions (good or bad) I’ll be sure to share them with you guys.

I picked up two Rare Beauty products during the sale. The first is the Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick. I got the shade Happy Sol, which is described as having cool undertones but I find it to be quite warm. That’s my only real complaint. I find that the bronzer applies and blends so easily onto the skin. It also lasts a long time as well. It’s a pretty good bronzer! The other product I got is the Positive Light Under Eye Brightener. I put this product to the test because I have been super tired the past few weeks. This colour corrector adds that little pop of brightness I need under my eyes. It’s quite thin so it doesn’t make my under eyes look cakey when I apply my concealer on top. On very light makeup days I apply just this to my under eyes for just a little something. If you’re looking for a lightweight colour corrector this is a great product.

The final makeup product I got is the Makeup By Mario Soft Pop Blush Stick in the shade Pale Petal. I like this blush! The stick formula makes it easy to apply to the face. It takes a little more effort to blend but that’s okay because the longevity of this blush is crazy! I find that blush is usually the first product to fade from my face but this one lasts until the end of the day. The shade is so pretty and adds such a youthful flush to the face. My only complaint is that I don’t like the dense brush that the blush comes with. I find it harder to blend my blush using that brush than my normal brush. I often accidentally open the brush side while trying to open the product side because there isn’t much space between the caps. I honestly would be fine if this product didn’t come with a brush to be able to lower the price.

The other skincare product I purchased was a mini of the Clinique Take The Day Off Charcoal Cleansing Balm Makeup Remover. I needed a mini cleansing balm for my trip to Vancouver and this was the smallest one I could find in the store. Now I’ve never tried the original Take The Day Off so I’m not sure if the charcoal one is different but I wasn’t that impressed with it. The dark colour meant that it stained any white towel I used. I had to use a lot of product to remove my makeup and sometimes had mascara residue. I’ll continue to use it since I like having the mini size for travelling but it’s not my favourite.

A product that I absolutely love is the OUAI North Bondi Eau De Parfum. I’ve had this perfume on my list for a while so I’m very happy to finally have it in my collection. It smells exactly like the texturizing spray I have so it’s nice to match the scents. The main notes are Italian Lemon, Jasmine, and Bergamot. It’s fresh and floral with a little bit of musk to balance it all out. The longevity is also pretty great which I always appreciate. The perfect scent for spring and summer!

The final product I got is the Sol De Janeiro Bom Dia Bright Body Cream in the mini size. I find with the Sol De Janeiro body creams you either love or hate their scents. You have to go in-store and try it for yourself. I personally love this scent, as you can tell from the perfume I just bought I like the scent of jasmine haha. I also enjoy the formula of the Sol De Janeiro body creams. I find the creams to be rich but blend easily into the skin and the scent will linger throughout the day. I’m slowly building up my collection to have all the scents – I’m missing one more before I own all of them haha. The original scent is still by far my favourite.

And that’s everything I got during the Sephora sale! Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products before. And if you have any recommendations for me (especially perfume) let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Haul, Review, Skincare

Sephora Skincare Haul

July 23, 2021July 22, 2021by LeaLeave a Comment

Hey guys! Today I have a mini Sephora Haul. I had to repurchase a few things and decided to pick up two new things with my order as well. Not a huge haul but still exciting nonetheless. Okay, let’s get into the products.

Sephora haul featuring MAC, Belif and OleHenriksen products.

First I repurchase the Ole Henriksen Balancing Force Oil Control Toner. If you read my product empties post you would know I finished this toner recently. I need it in my life so I repurchased it! I’ve said this before, but if you have oily skin you need this in your life. I really notice a difference in my skin texture and oiliness. It just helps smooth my skin and reduces how quickly I get oily. I use this every morning after I cleanse my skin and I don’t see myself stopping any time soon.

The next repurchase is the MAC Prep + Prime Fix+. I’ve had a MAC Fix+ in my makeup collection for years now, but decided to switch things up and get the coconut scent this time. If you’re going to have one setting spray in your collection, make it this one. The mist is super fine so it won’t ruin your makeup and just feel soft and gentle. The actual formula is great because it helps melt powders into the skin so they don’t look powdery or cakey. But it won’t add extra shine which is great for me since I’m an oily gal. It helps improve the look of my makeup. The coconut scent is nice – not too strong and sweeter than sunscreeny. I love this setting spray and would highly recommend it.

Now for new products. The first being the belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb. I needed a new moisturizer and decided to give this one a try since I’ve heard really good things about it. I also decided to get the mini size just in case I don’t like it. This is a lightweight gel that is supposed to give a burst of hydration and quickly absorb into the skin without looking heavy or greasy. I’d say that the claims are true! It’s a gel formula which I prefer. It does leave my skin feeling hydrated and does absorb into the skin super quickly. It absorbs so well into the skin that my skin almost looks matte, very similar to the Origins Matte Moisturizer. While I do like it and will finish it, I’m on the fence if I would repurchase it. I will update you when I finish the product.

And for the final product, I purchased the Ole Henriksen Lemonade Smoothing Scrub, which I also purchased in a mini size. I’ve mentioned this in my product empties post but I’m on the search for the best exfoliator for my skin. I thought I would hit a home run with this one but it’s just average. This scrub has AHAs, lemon peel and sugar to provide both a chemical and physical exfoliation to the skin. I like the consistency of the scrub – it’s not too thick and abrasive but enough that I can feel it on my face. And I like the light citrus smell as well. The only thing is that I don’t really notice a difference. With an exfoliator, I want an instant result so it’s a little disappointing to not notice anything. I’ll continue to use it but I wouldn’t be repurchasing.

And that’s my little Sephora haul guys! Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products before and if so what were your thoughts!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Makeup, Project Pan, Review

Project Pan Update July 2021

July 9, 2021July 8, 2021by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys! It’s been a couple of months since I’ve given you an update on my project pan. I want to give you a final update on my original product pan products before I switch things up. It’s going to be a lengthy post, but bear with me because I thought it would be better for it to be all in one post than two!

First let’s start with the product I used the most, the BareMinerals Translucent Powder Duo. I mentioned this in my April update but I figured out that I didn’t like the glow side that much so I stopped using it. I’m happy to report that not only did I hit pan on the matte side, but I basically finished it! It took me a while to hit pan, but once I did it was pretty quick to finish the product. There is barely anything left so I feel satisfied in getting rid of it. I’m proud that I was able to finish one product.

The most disappointing is the Colourpop x Kathleen Lights Dream St Palette. I thought I would hit pan on a few on the shadows but I’ve barely made a dent. I made the most progress on the shade “Shooting Star”. It’s hard to see on the overhead view but I did make a dent in the shade. Until recently I wasn’t wearing eyeshadow much, or when I did I was testing out palettes for other posts. I do like this palette but I have learned that it takes more effort than I thought to pan eyeshadows. I am keeping this palette since I have a lot left in the blush.

The other product I hit pan on is the Wander Beauty Trip for Two Blush and Bronzer Duo. I just barely hit pan in June and by July I fully hit pan on the bronzer. The blush on the other hand looks barely used. It’s funny because I would always use both the bronzer and blush. I guess I just use way more bronzer than blush. I am keeping this but taking a break for awhile since I’ve used this so much.

Next, we have the Maybelline Lipstick Colour Sensational in Nearly Nude. In April I started measuring how much I have left in the bullet to be more empirical. Except I made zero progress. I swear I wore this lipstick but it seems like it didn’t make a difference unless I’m measuring wrong. I’ve decided to not pick a new lipstick for the next round of my project pan. I found that I always wanted to match my lipstick to my outfit instead of using the same one. It’s also nice to have one product that I can switch up while trying to pan the rest. So that’s it for lipstick.

While it felt like I made no progress with my lipstick, I think I did a good job with my MAC Cremesheen Glass in the shade Calypso Beat. It’s hard to photograph, but when I swirl the wand around I can tell that I’ve used it a lot. I can now see through the tube, something I couldn’t do in January. It’s still not done but I’m satisfied enough to pick another gloss.

And finally, I have the Temptu Liquid Glow. I picked this product in April, so it’s only been a few months compared to the other products. And this is the only product I’m going to continue to use since I started using it in April. Unfortunately, I took a different shot for each month (my bad). But you can see a bit of a difference between May and July. It looks like it’s gone down by a millimetre, which I’ll take haha. I would love for the highlight to be at the bottom of the Boxycharm box by the time I do my next update.

And now for my new products. Like I mentioned I was getting bored with my other products and wanted to change things up. I made sure to pick products that weren’t discontinued this time around. I asked you guys which products I should use, so these are the winners.

For my eyeshadow palette, I will be using the Jaclyn Hill x Morphe Eyeshadow Palette. This is a classic palette that I think many people have in their collection. It’s a big palette so I have a lot of options to pick from. I’m going to try and focus on the top row when it comes to my panning project. I’m also hoping that since I’m now working and wearing more eyeshadow, I’ll be better at panning.

Instead of doing a blush and blush palette, I have individual ones. For my bronzer, I picked the Maybelline City Bronzer & Contour Powder. This bronzer has a slight glow to it so it’ll be nice for the summer months. And I thought it would be nice to have a few drugstore products in my project pan.

For my blush, I’m using the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in the shade Paaarty. This was one of the birthday gifts that Sephora gave in 2017. I got this blush four years ago so I’ve had it for a while, to say the least. I’ve made some progress over the years because the embossed pattern is gone in the middle. Not sure if I’ll hit pan soon but I can cross my fingers.

For powder, I picked two products because I think I’ll finish the first quickly. I had a mini sample of the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder and I’m super close to finishing it. I believe I can finish the powder by the end of the month so I selected another one. The powder I’m going to use after Laura Mercier is the TooFaced Born This Way Ethereal Setting Powder. I’ve been trying to finish this powder forever because it’s not my favourite powder. It works well but I find it pulls yellow on me. It’s hard to tell because the packaging is frosted but I think I have about a third left. Let’s see if I can finish it.

The final product I’ve picked for my project pan is the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer in the shade Fenty Glow. I’ve had this gloss since it was first released, so a couple of years now. I do like this gloss and I’ve used it quite a bit. I’m thinking that I might be able to finish this gloss, or at least get close, by the time I do my next update.

And those are my new products for my project pan! I’ll do an update in October on here, but I’ll post monthly updates on my Instagram. I frequently use the products in my Youtube videos as well. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions on the products since this post was focused more on the progress than the products!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Makeup, Review

December Boxycharm 2020

December 29, 2020December 29, 2020by Lea4 Comments

Hey guys! I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season. Because Christmas Day and New Year’s Day land on Friday I haven’t been posting as much. But don’t worry, I will always post my Boxycharm! I got my box pretty late this month so I haven’t tested it much so this post is mainly my first impression. Let’s get into it!

boxycharm, makeup, beauty box, beauty subscription box

I’m very conflicted on the Ofra Cosmetics Pressed Banana Powder. When I wear the powder in person my under eyes look very yellow and unnatural. But then in photos, it looks brighter and more even. So it’s hard because sure it’s nice to have something that looks good in photos, but I rather look good in person. So if you have a yellow undertone you’ll probably like it, but if you’re like me and have a more neutral/pink undertone I would skip this powder. Price: $35 US

In this month’s box, we have two repeats. The first is the Spongelle Body Wash Infused Buffer in the scent Cherry Tonka Musk. In my March box, I got the same sponge in the French Lavender scent. My opinion on the sponge is the same as before. At first, it’s pretty scratchy but over time the sponge softens up. This scent isn’t my favourite for a shower product. I find it to be very spicy and musky which is a little overwhelming in the shower. But hey that’s my personal preference when it comes to scents. Price: $20 US, $27 CAD

Down to an Art (top) and Velvet Teddy (bottom)

The second repeat is a MAC Cosmetics lipstick – this time I got the shade Down to an Art which I love. This is a peachy nude and is similar to Velvet Teddy which is my favourite MAC Lipstick. Down to an Art is just slightly darker and warmer than Velvet Teddy. I’m pretty happy with this lipstick because it’s a shade I like. The only thing is that I don’t wear lipstick much right now with COVID, what with masks and not leaving the house. Price: $19 US, $24 CAD

mascara, tarte, tarte cosmetics, tarte maneater, maneater mascara, mascara wand

The next product is the Tarte Maneater Mascara. You guys know I enjoy Tarte Mascara and this one is no exception. I still want to try it out more because mascaras do change as they dry out a bit. But so far it’s good. I find that this is very lengthening and separating. It gives a little volume but it’s not the most volumizing mascara I’ve tried. But it gives such long and feathery lashes which is right up my alley. Very excited to continue to use this. Price: $23 US, $20 CAD

And the final product is the Artist Couture Caliente Palette. I love the colour story in this palette, it’s unique to anything I own. The neons are so bright, photos don’t do them justice. They are also very vibrant on the eyes. The only thing is that the sensual is very orange on the eyes so there isn’t a brown in the palette. I would use this with a neutral palette to create a complete look. But ya girl has so many neutral palettes, that’s not a worry for me. Price: $30 US, $40 CAD

The overall price of my box is $127 US. I’m conflicted about the two repeat items in my box. On the one hand, I wish I got other things besides the Spongelle buffer. But on the other, I like the MAC lipstick that I got. I guess it depends on the product I’m receiving which isn’t very fair. But overall I would say that this box is pretty good. Let me know your thoughts on repeat products in the comments below!

Oh and P.S. my 2020 beauty favourites will be going up next Tuesday! See you then 🙂

xoxo

Lea