Tag: Makeup Review

Beauty, Boxycharm, Favourites, Review

My Favourite Boxycharm Products from the Past 3 Years

by Lea1 Comment on My Favourite Boxycharm Products from the Past 3 Years

Hey guys! This October marks three years of subscribing to Boxycharm! I have received over 180 products from Boyxcharm over the past three years! That’s crazy! To celebrate, I have chosen eight of my favourite products from the past three years. Most products I picked were from past years. I will be doing my annual favourite products of the year in December. Also, I have one item not pictured because it broke – more on that down below.

Photo 2019-10-25, 12 55 22 PM

November 2016 – Studio Makeup On-The-Go Eyeshadow Palette

The first product is from my second box ever and is the only eye shadow palette I decided to feature. I have received many eye shadow palettes from Boxycharm, but the Studio Makeup On-The-Go eyeshadow palette has survived multiple makeup declutters. I’m not a huge cool-toned person, but this is the palette I always reach for when I want to do cool-toned makeup looks. There is a serious dent in the middle shadow because I have used this palette a lot. I received tons of palettes from big brand names and palettes with fun bright colours. But this basic palette does the job!

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January 2017 – PUR Cosmetics Mineral Glow Bronzer

Rest in peace my beloved PUR bronzer. This bronzer broke back in April and I have missed it ever since. This bronzer was the bomb. It was my summer-bronze-goddess-glow bronzer. It’s darker than the Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer, so I like to use it in the summer to deepen my tan. It also had the most beautiful slight shimmer to it. It made my face look so bronzed and health. This was such a bomb product. I decided to not repurchase it because I’m trying to go through some of my other bronzers, but this was a good one.

April 2017 – OFRA Cosmetics Rodeo Drive Highlighter

I received this highlight back in the craze of blinding highlights. To this day OFRA Rodeo Drive is one of the most blinding highlights I own. Just a little creates the most beautiful bright glow. The formula is so smooth. The highlight is not chunky and doesn’t have any big glitter particles in it. It is also a super flattering colour for my skin tone – a gold-champagne. While I don’t use this highlight as often anymore, I still pull it out whenever I want a really bright highlight.

December 2017 – Tarte Tarteist Lash Paint Mascara

You know it’s a good product when you repurchase it. I’ve received a lot of good mascaras from Boxycharm over the years, but I decided the Tarte Tarteist mascara is my favourite. This gives me volume and length without making my lashes clumpy. My lashes are prone to getting clumpy, so I don’t often like volumizing mascara. But this one just makes my lashes look amazing. This is my everyday mascara, I love it.

January 2018 – Girlactik Long Lasting Matte Lip Paint

The reason why I like Boxycharm is that I get to try products I would have never had the chance to try. This Girlactik liquid lipstick is a prime example. It doesn’t sell at Sephora, and I probably won’t bother to ship it into Canada. But because I have Boxycharm I was able to discover this amazing liquid lipstick. This is probably one of my favourite formulas because it’s so comfortable on the lips. I also always receive so many compliments on my lipstick whenever I wear it. So while I could have picked many different lipsticks as my favourite, that is why I picked this one.

June 2018 – Battington Lashes

It was a tie between these Battington lashes (in the style Monroe) and my Lashoholic lashes for my favourite pair from Boxycharm. I chose the Battington pair since I recently talked about the Lashoholic ones in my September Product Empties. I love receiving lashes in my Boxycharm because I generally don’t buy them myself. But these lashes have lasted me so well! I recently ripped them (RIP lol). But they lasted me almost a year, definitely worn them like 30 times. A really good quality pair of lashes.

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September 2018 – Laura Geller Baked Blush-n-Brighten

Man, I use this blush almost every day and it looks like I’ve barely made a dent in it. I have mine in the shade Tropic Hues and it’s so beautiful. This was the first blush that made me realize it’s nice to have a little shimmer in a blush. It makes me look so healthy and awake. I sometimes forget I received this in my Boxycharm box since I use it on the daily.

February 2019 – Sol de Janeiro Coco Cabana Cream

I love this cream. What I like about Boxycharm is that sometimes I receive a product that I wanted but hadn’t bought yet for myself. I love the original Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum cream, and when I saw that they had released the Coco Cabana Cream, I knew I wanted to try it. I decided to wait, and bam I got it in my Boxycharm box! I love this formula because it’s also different than the original, so it’s not the exact same product. I brought this cream with me to Europe, and now every single time I smell the cream it reminds me of my time there! I also decided to repurchase it as well once I finished the one I got in my Boxycharm box!

And those are eight of my favourite products that I have received in my Boxycharm! Should I do a part two? Or maybe my least favourite products? Let me know in the comments below!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm

September Boxycharm 2019

by Lea1 Comment on September Boxycharm 2019

Hey guys! Sorry this post is a little late – I was going to post it on Tuesday but I was so busy I didn’t get the chance to get it up. But it’s here now! This month’s theme is All Access, which I didn’t really get. I did like the products in my box thought.

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First set is the MODA 5 Piece Brush Set. I’ve always loved MODA’s brushes. I actually went to IMATS this past weekend (I will write a whole blog post on that), and I learned so much about their brushes. All their brushes are synthetic because they can be used wet or dry. They are so soft and are very durable. I always love getting brushes in my box because you can never have too many brushes! Price: US$27.95

Next is the MAC Cosmetics Frost Lipstick in the shade CB 96. I’ll be honest, I wish I had received the Stila Liquid lipsticks. This shade is a bright orange-red, which is something I don’t wear very often. On top of it’s a semi-lustrous finish. While I love MAC lipstick, this shade is just not for me. Price: US$18.50, C$23

A skincare product is the Dr Brandt Hydro Biotic Recovery Sleeping Mask. I am on the fence about this product. I love the scent of it and it feels super nice to apply. I always use a thick layer so it takes awhile to soak into the skin – probably why it’s a sleeping mask. But I think it might be breaking me out. Every time I’ve used it I got a break out a day or two after. I’m not a 100% sure, because it could be stress or some other product, but I don’t think my skin likes it. I would recommend getting a sample and trying it out for yourself before buying it. Price: U$52, C$68 for a full size, I only got a deluxe sample.

Next up is the Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator in the shade Peach Glow. I have heard so many amazing things about this highlight, so I was very happy to receive it. It gives a natural yet blinding highlight at the same time. It has so glitter or any chunky particles to it, and it blends into the skin very well. I wish I had received Gilded Honey, the gold shade, but I do enjoy the peach shade as well. Price: US$26

The final product is the Violet Voss Essentials Eyeshadow Palette. I have always heard good things about Violet Voss but never got the chance to try out their shadows. And well this palette did not disappoint. The mattes are easy to blend and the metallics are pigmented. They shades just look so beautiful on the eyes. I know the trend for eyeshadow palettes is to be huge right now, but this ten pan palette has such a variety. I was able to create everyday looks but also this super fun green fall look with the palette as well. The quality is just so good that I definitely would buy another palette from Violet Voss. Price: US$29 – this palette is unfortunately not for sale on Sephora Canada.

And that is my September Boxycharm! What did you guys think? What was your favourite item in this month’s box – let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Review

Comparing the NEW Fenty Foundation to the Original

by Lea1 Comment on Comparing the NEW Fenty Foundation to the Original

Hey guys! When I saw that Fenty Beauty came out with a new foundation I knew I wanted to test it out. I loved the original, but recently I’ve been liking dewy foundations more. So I have decided to test out both foundations and see which one I like more!

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The original Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation is a full coverage, long wearing, matte foundation. The new foundation, the Pro Filt’r Hydrating Longwear Foundation, is full coverage, long wearing but hydrating instead of matte. Both have 50 shades and retail for C$45.

I decided to do a full day wear test for both foundations. To keep the testing fair, I used the same primer and powder, the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Luminizer Primer and the Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder. I love both of these products and I know how they preform. For my testing, I took photos right after I applied the foundation and six hours after application.

I definitely forgot how full coverage the Soft Matte foundation is. I had some acne spots and it covered them no problem. I found that it did last longer throughout the day. At six hours later by foundation was still on. From far away it looked good, but up close my t-zone was oily and my under eyes looked and felt dry.

First hour
First hour
Six hours later
six hours later

The Hydrating foundation didn’t conceal my acne as much as the Soft Matte foundation, but still had more coverage than I anticipated for a hydrating foundation. My skin looked more natural. After six hours my foundation had faded and my skin was peaking through. It might bother some people to have the foundation fade away, I like that it didn’t look as dry and cakey as the matte foundation.

First hour
Six hours later
Six hours later
First Hour

My winner is the Hydrating foundation. I think it looks more natural and I prefer the way it wears through the day. I will be keeping the Soft Matte for those times I do want more coverage. Have you tried either of the foundations? Which do you like more? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Review

Colourpop Haul Part 2

by Lea2 Comments on Colourpop Haul Part 2

Hey guys! The long awaited part two to my Colourpop haul! Took me almost a month to get this up, and I am very sorry about that. Today’s focus is all the ‘fun’ products aka tons of glitter. Most of these products are not for everyday wear but for fun makeup, so that’s why it took me longer to review these products. The only products I haven’t really tested are the Creme Gel liners, but everything else I have a definite opinion about. So without further ado, my review:

Photo 2019-08-13, 12 54 27 PM
For other products not mentioned, check out my Colourpop Haul Part 1

First up are the most wearable/everyday products – the Colourpop Super Shock Shadows (or SSS for short). I love Colourpop’s SSS, and I highly recommend them to everyone. I got the shades Ladybird (worn in photo below), Set to Stun, and Drift. I like this formula because they all have a base colour along with a ton of glitter and shimmer. They add such a mutli-dimensional look to the eyes. They are also super easy to apply, I just use my finger and swipe it across my eye lids. Colourpop has such a wide range of shades, I am sure you can find a shade you look. I highly recommend this product.

Photo 2019-08-15, 2 22 13 PM (1)

The next product is not as easy to use as the SSS, but still pretty user friendly. I got one of their pressed glitters in the shade Get Lost. It has a base of gold glitter, with larger holographic glitter without. Colourpop is also introducing this formula in some of their palettes. I really like this glitter. It is way less messy than using loose glitter. I used a brush to apply the product, but a finger would also do. I am not sure how long lasting it would be, since I didn’t keep my makeup look on for long. But for $5 USD, I think this is a great way to get glitter if you are interested in trying it out.

Now moving onto something a little more finicky is the Colourpop Jelly Much Shadow. I got mine is the shadow Whistlin Pixie, which is a gorgeous red-brown with a gold sheen. I liked this product and I would use it again, but it does take some work. The product dries down very quickly, so it can be hard to blend out. If you have the patience it can look really nice. But I would suggest the Super Shock Shadows over this product.

Probably the hardest to use are the Loose Pigments from Colourpop, but that is to be expected. Loose pigments are difficult to use, that is why most eye shadows are pressed and not loose. The two pigmented I got were Redzone (pale champagne) and Gotta Jet (holographic glitter). I like Redzone better because it is pigment instead of just glitter. That means that Redzone has a base colour along with the glitter, whereas Gotta Jet is just pure glitter with no base colour underneath. So I tried to pack Gotta Jet along my lash line to do a liner effect, and it didn’t work because there is no base colour to it. Gotta Jet would look the best and just a loose dusting over top another shadow. Redzone, on the other hand, and be worn along since it has pigment underneath. It is a lighter shade on me, so I would mainly use it for highlighting purposes. I would get another loose pigment similar to Redzone, but probably not another glitter since I found Gotta Jet difficult to use. Overall these are not the most user-friendly products, definitely for more advanced users looking to step up their looks than for the average users.

The final product is the Glitterly Obsessed Body Glitter in the shade Ur A Firework. This is a thick, chunky glitter that is meant for the face, body and hair – not the eyes. I use this lightly on top of my highlight and it looked for fun. I would love to use this product for a music festival or for fun Halloween looks. Not an everyday product, but for $8 it was worth picking up for me.

And that is my Colourpop haul! Not exactly the most wearable products for the everyday person, but hey these are the products I bought! Let me know which was your favourite look of the four that I did using the products!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Haul, Review

Colourpop Haul Part 1

by Lea2 Comments on Colourpop Haul Part 1

Hey guys! So about a month now I placed a Colourpop order. I don’t order from Colourpop often, so when I do I usually do a big order. My order came in a couple weeks ago (you would have seen this if you follow my Instagram @xoxoxoleelee). I have mentioned this before, but I am currently working at a pool this summer. Which means that I don’t wear makeup most days, so it is taking me longer than usual to test out products. I have decided to split up my haul into two parts. Some of the products I already have an opinion on, but others I still haven’t tried. So today I have five products, and the rest will be up within a week or two.

Photo 2019-08-22, 12 27 04 PM

First up is the Orange You Glad palette. Colourpop has been releasing these nine pan colourful palettes what seems like every other week. This palette was the newest one when I placed my order, plus I fell in love with the colour story. While a full orange palette might not seem like the most wearable palette, what I like is that you can take one or two of these shades along with a more neutral palette to make a beautiful look. Oranges pair well with browns and golds, so you can easily create a simple glam look that isn’t too bold. Or you can do what I did and go all out (see look below). But the best part of this palette is that the quality is amazing. Even the neon matte shade called Sunkiss’d (which reminds me of Cheetos) is so bright but also soo blendable. I had no problems blending out the shadows. And the photos don’t do them justice, they are so bight and pigmented in real life. Oh also did I mention that this palette is $12USD?? I highly recommend this palette if you like the colours.

Next up is the Lippie Stix in the shade Brink. This lippie is one of their best sellers and it’s currently sold out – for a good reason. I love this lip, it is definitely my new go to. This is such a comfortable matte lipstick. I wouldn’t even call it matte, it’s much closer to a creamy satin. It lasts pretty well through the day. It didn’t really make it through lunch, but it wear away badly like some other lips. The shade is also so nice. It’s a deeper nude, but not dark by any means. Overall I love this lippie, and will be continuing to wear it a ton.

The next lippie is their Lip Tint in the shade Rise n Shine. I featured this lippie in my simple school makeup look. This formula is like a hybrid between a creamy lipstick and a lip gloss. It’s sheerer than a regular lipstick but more pigmented than more lip glosses that I have tried. It’s perfect for a nice wash of colour on the lips. I also really like this peachy shade, it’s great for summer but also to transition into fall.

Next I tried one of their new-ish launches – their Blush Stix. Listen, I have been watching Youtubers rave about cream blushes all summer, especially the NudeStix ones. Now I have never tried cream blush before, so I was a little hesitant to spend $40 CAD on a product I’m not even sure I would like. So I decided to try the Colourpop ones and if I like the idea of cream blush then I might invest in a more expensive one. Well the answer is yes, I want more cream blushes! I got the shade Splash, which is a midtone rose (aka pink). I could rub a brush against the stick and then apply it to my face. It gave me such a fresh face look. It looks so much dewy and lighter than using powder blush. It is less long lasting than powder, but I really enjoy the look. And for $8USD it’s a great product. I definitely want to get a peachy one now.

The final product is a basic but needed one. I got a single pressed power eyeshadow in the shade Hear Me Out. This matte shade matches my skin tone perfectly. I like to use it to set my eyeshadow primer. I had finish a NYX shadow in a similar shade, so I decided to get one from Colourpop to do the job. I just find setting my primer with a shadow helps blend them out better. A pressed powder could also be used, but I like putting this in my magnetic palette with my other shadows so I have all the shadows I need in one place. I would definitely recommend Colourpop’s single eyeshadows, I’ve never had an issue with any of them.

And that is the first part of my Colourpop haul! Stay tuned for part two, which should be coming within the next couple of weeks! Also if you are interested in seeing swatching of all the products that I got, check out my IGTV!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Favourites, Review

Revisiting Old Makeup Favourites

by Lea1 Comment on Revisiting Old Makeup Favourites

Hey guys! So the other day I decided to revisit some of my old favourite makeup products. I feel like makeup, like any industry, is always focused on the new. A new palette comes out and every forgets about their old ones. Makeup has definitely improved in quality over the years, but are the old favourites bad or still pretty good? I decided to go through some of my old favourites and let you guys know my thoughts, whether they’re still good or not.

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First is the Too Faced Sweet Peach Eyeshadow Palette. Everyone went crazy when this palette came out a couple of years ago. I actually waited out and bought this palette used in makeup-selling group for $25. Everyone was in love with the peachy shades and smell. So how do I feel now? Honestly, the peach smell is not strong it’s a little much if you ask me. But I still love the matte formula. The mattes are just so incredibly smooth. They have the perfect amount of pigmentation and blend beautiful on the eyes. The shimmers are definitely not like what I remember. Shimmer shades in palettes nowadays are super pigmented/metallic/foiled/glittery looking. The shimmers are still nice, don’t get me wrong. The perfect for a softer look. This palette is still great, and I definitely will still use it, but I don’t think you have to run out and get it for yourself.

I think a really underrated product is the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil. I have the shade Deep End and I think it’s absolutely gorgeous. They glide on so well and are easy to smudge. But they also stay put so well, even on the waterline. They are just as good as the Marc Jacobs ones – they are $4 cheaper which isn’t much but still cheaper! Like this eyeliner has been out for almost ten years, that must mean that it’s good if people still use it.

The OG favourite primer for me was the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. I have been using a dewier primer but I recently used this Smashbox primer again. There is a reason this is a cult classic. It does such an amazing job at smoothing out my pores. My foundation also lasts way longer when I use this primer over a dewy one. I don’t think I’ll be converting back over full time, but when I need my makeup to last I will definitely use this primer.

A foundation throwback is the Wet n Wild Photo Focus Foundation. I loved this foundation so much that I bought both a summer and winter shade. First I forgot how full coverage and matte this foundation is. I feel like the makeup community has been into much more lighter coverage and dewy skin lately, so it was a fun change to wear something else. I do still like this foundation because it makes my skin look so good. I think next time I am going to use a dewy primer and a beauty sponge to lighten up the coverage a bit.

A concealer favourite was the Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Flawless Wear Concealer. This was my concealer of choice during the Tarte Shape Tape craze. I couldn’t get Shape Tape in Canada, so this was my go to high coverage concealer. I forgot how high coverage this concealer is. I have been using my Nars concealer lately, which is definitely more of a medium coverage. I think I need to get a different shade in this concealer because it was looking pretty yellow on my skin.

A powder favourite was the Maybelline Fit Me! Matte & Poreless Powder. This was actually the first powder that I ever bought. I have tried so many since that I forgot how amazing this powder is. It makes my face look and feel sooo smooth. It also doesn’t leave me looking cakey afterwards. As you can see I’ve almost finished this powder, but I am definitely going out and repurchasing this.

Another Maybelline favourite was their Facestudio Master Blush Colour and Highlight Kit. I love this face palette when I first got it. The highlight is a nice pinky shade that isn’t too icy. My favourite of the blushes was the first peachy one. It is still gorgeous now. It has a very buildable formula, so I’m not afraid that I will apply too much. It also has a light sheen to it – don’t glittery but more than a matte. I don’t really use the other two shades that much so I’m not sure I would say it’s the best palette. I still like it and I think I will start using it again.

The final old favourite is the OFRA Cosmetics Rodeo Drive Highlighter. I still have the old packaging for this highlight, that’s how long I’ve had it! This used to be everyone favourite highlight. It’s just so blinding on the skin. I have definitely noticed that blinding highlights are not as popular anymore, but like man this is still a good highlight. It’s just so smooth, it doesn’t look chunky on the skin or make my skin look textured. I definitely use a lighter hand but I still really like this highlight.

Photo 2019-08-07, 6 24 46 PM

I was able to create this really fun look using some of my old favourites. Let me know if you guys would like to see a part two of this, I can definitely dig up some other old faves!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Review

July Boxycharm 2019

by LeaLeave a Comment on July Boxycharm 2019

Hey guys! I don’t know about you, but July went by so quickly. I can’t believe that there is only one more month of summer! Anyways, today post is my July Boxycharm box. Now I haven’t been wearing makeup a ton (to be fair, working at a pool and wearing a full face of makeup don’t go together), but I have tried this products at least a few times! So, my July Boxycharm:

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First up is a three brush set from Luxie – the Gaea brush set. This brush set is supposed to be eco-friendly. The brushes came in paper packaging that is recyclable, and the wood handle has a more natural looking finish. As you guys know, I love Luxie brushes. The 246 Precision Crease is one of my favourites. I use it to cut my crease, apply shimmer shades and apply my inner corner highlight – so I’m happy to have another one. The 250 Large Eye Blending is actually pretty big. For me, I use this to just apply a light crease shade all over. The only one I’m not a fan of is the 510 Foundation brush. I prefer to use a flat top to apply my foundation, so I don’t know how often I’ll use this one. If you are ever looking to get some brushes, I always recommend the Luxie ones. Price: $30 USD

Next up is the Butter London Natural Goddess Eyeshadow Palette. This is not a bad palette, but what I have an issue with is the branding of the palette versus what it actually is. When I like natural goddess, I like of very light, easy breezy natural makeup. Playing in with the theme of the box, ‘au naturale’, I think of no-makeup-makeup. But this palette doesn’t really fit my idea of natural makeup I guess. While I think the blue shade is a fun pop of colour, I’m not sure it fits my idea of natural makeup. I would have preferred a lighter crease shade instead of the blue. The only matte shades are the blue and the dark drown shade. To do any eye look I have to dip into another palette, which I don’t like. I want to be able to do a whole look with one palette. Continuing on the fact that this is a ‘natural’ goddess, the shimmers are pigmented and metallic. They have a great formula for a bold look, but I find it hard to apply a light wash. During the day I don’t necessarily want a shiny metallic look, but when I tried to apply a lighter wash it was patchy. I think this palette is the perfect example of how shadows can be good quality but that still doesn’t mean that the overall palette is good. I think the shades are pigmented and blendable, but I’m just not a big fan of the colour story.  Price: $32 USD (I will say at least the price is reasonable)

Next is the Appeal Cosmetics Gel Liner in the shade Forest Green. Okay so when I saw I got this pencil I was a little worried. I have never gotten a good eyeliner from Boxycharm. I find them to be scratchy and stiff. This is the first decent one that I’ve tried. I would say it’s the best eyeliner every and that everyone should go out and get it. But it’s good enough that I will use it again. Its creamy and easy to apply. It does a decent job of staying put, even in my waterline. My only complaint is that when I tried to smudge it out it fades away. I tried to do a smudgy wing with it and found that it didn’t work out. So overall not as good at my Marc Jacobs and Urban Decay eyeliners, but still pretty good. Price: $21 USD

First I’d just like to point out that this is the fourth month now that I have received a lip gloss, so I feel like a lip gloss reviewing expert at this point. This month’s lip gloss is the Alamar Cosmetics Des-Nudes-As Lip Gloss in the shade Coqueta. Man I wanted to love this lip gloss because I love Alamar Cosmetics. But I’m not in love. This is a thick lipgloss. The thickness and stickiness means that it lasts for a really long time on the lips. But I find the texture to be annoying. I am hyper aware of how sticky and tacky my lips are. Second, this gloss is an odd medium coverage. It’s not completely sheer and not completely opaque. Because of the coverage, my natural lip shade peeks through if I am not wearing a lipstick underneath. That would be fine expect that the brown/peachy colour of this gloss doesn’t match my naturally rosy lips underneath. So I could just use this gloss on top of lipstick, but it’s so thick and it feels like I have way to much product on my lips. The one thing I like about this lip gloss is the applicator. It’s like a double sided doe foot applicator, so it’s super easy to apply the gloss and I don’t need to redip the wander to cover my lips. Overall just not my favourite gloss. Price: $15 USD

The final product is the Elemis Superfood Vital Veggie Mask. I actually really like this mask! Sometimes I want to do a mask but I don’t want a pore/deep cleansing mask. I want something that will hydrate my skin. This mask is very hydrating on the skin. It does tingle a little bit on the face, but otherwise is a soothing process. It is also super easy to take off, I don’t find any bits leftover and I don’t have to scrub my face. I will definitely be using this mask again! Price: $35 USD

And that is my July Boxycharm! Total price is $133 USD. Honestly this wasn’t a bad box. I know I was pretty hard on the palette and the lipgloss, but I think both of those products are just personal preference reasons as to why I don’t like them. I don’t think there was any product that was a dud really. I’m pretty happy, let me know in the comments what you guys think!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Review

Makeup Revolution I Heart Revolution 24K Gold Palette

by LeaLeave a Comment on Makeup Revolution I Heart Revolution 24K Gold Palette

Hey guys! So today I will be sharing a review on a Makeup Revolution palette! I know Makeup Revolution is a pretty widely available brand in Europe and in the US, but it’s hard to find in Canada. When I was in France and I saw that they had Makeup Revolution, I knew I wanted to try one of their palettes immediately. They had a few options, but I decided to get the I Heart Revolution 24K Gold Palette. I think paid twelve euros for the palette (it’s been a few weeks I can’t remember exactly), but online it is currently selling for $15 USD.

Photo 2019-07-04, 7 18 26 PM

First I really like the colour story of this palette. There are six mattes and a ton of fun shimmers. Most of the shimmers are shades of gold or bronze, but there are a few fun but still wearable shades like the green and the cranberry. This is a pretty simple palette, perfect for the average makeup wearer.

What I really like is that there are so many options with this palette. I was able to create two completely different looks using the palette. I was able to create a simple gold look, but also a dainty mauve look as well. I find that some palettes you can only do one look, but there are so many different looks you can do with this palette.

I think for the price point the shadows are pretty great! The mattes are very creamy and very pigmented. The black is amazing for being a ‘drugstore’ shadow. I’ve seen high end matte blacks that are worst than that. The shimmers are pretty good. I find that their quality varies slightly, with the darker shimmers being better than the lighter shimmers.

Overall I think this is a pretty good palette! I think this palette is good for the average person, someone who doesn’t own a ton of makeup. This palette has a lot of shades, so this would be a good palette if you only buy have one or two. If your like me and own a ton of palettes, I don’t think you need to necessarily run out and get it. I definitely have similar shades in my existing palettes. But I think this palette would be convenient to travel with since it had study packaging and everything for a basic look.

And that is my review on this Makeup Revolution I Heart Revolution 24K Gold palette. This review was short and sweet, let me know if you guys like these shorter reviews on one product or if you prefer longer posts!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Review

June Boxycharm 2019

by LeaLeave a Comment on June Boxycharm 2019

Hey guys! Today I am sharing my thoughts on my June Boxycharm! Usually in my Boxycharm posts I share any news or anything that happened to me this month, but it’s been a pretty quiet month for me! Just happy that the nice weather is actually here 🙂

Photo 2019-06-20, 3 42 34 PM

The first product is the Touch in Sol No Poreblem Prime Essence. This product is so new it’s not even on the Sephora Canada website yet! This essence is supposed to help with the look of pores and skin texture while also giving a dewy finish. I think I really like this primer, but I haven’t tested it long enough to officially be in love yet. The first thing I noticed is that this primer is very runny – makes sense since this is an essence. It has a light scent that disappears after it’s applied. What I like is that it makes my skin feel tacky after, and I find that foundation really adheres well to the essence. It makes my foundation look so natural and skin like. I’m currently testing it with other primers and different types of foundation, but so far I like it. I will keep you guys updated about this primer! Price $23 USD

Next is my least favourite product – the Dirty Little Secret Lip Liner. First, I really don’t like the shade I got – Pale Pink. I know some people like really light almost ‘concealer’ lip shades, but that just isn’t for me. This shade is super light, that after I applied it I immediately wiped it off. Second, this lip liner is very stiff, so you have to warm it up before applying it. Overall I don’t like this lip liner, and you can get way better from the drugstore. Price: $15 USD

Probably one of the most long wearing glosses I have ever tried is the Dominique Cosmetics Lemonade Lipgloss. I have the shade Peach Tea. This gloss lasted easily over three hours on my lips without me having to reapply, which is pretty good for a gloss. It’s very creamy and feels nice on the lips. I also like how it’s a flat colour, because I don’t always want shimmer in my gloss. It is a relatively sheer formula, but enough to add just a hint of colour to the lips. I really like this gloss. Price: $17 USD

Next up is the Tarte Be You. Naturally Eyeshadow Palette (which I think is limited edition because I can’t find it on the website). First, this is the third Tarte circular palette that I’ve received in my Boxycharm. While they have all been different palettes, I wish that I could receive different products or palettes from other brands. I will say that this one is probably the best one that I have received. There are four mattes and four shimmers, which is a nice balance. The palette is pretty simple, it has everything you need to create a simple day time look and also a bolder night time look. It’s a pretty small palette, so it would be nice for travelling. I also think the formula is better on these shadows compared to the other ones I’ve tried. I just find that the shades are creamier and easier to blend. While I am annoying about getting a similar palette, I like this one at least. Price: $36 USD (similar palettes are $47 CAD)

The final product is the St Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mousse. While this is a sample size (the standard size is 4 oz while I received 1.69 oz), I like that I also got the mitt for free! While I understand that getting self tanner might not be something everyone is interested in, I was happy to receive this product. It’s not something I might necessarily go out and bye, but have been curious to try. This was only my second time using self tanner, so I was a little cautious in the amount I used. I used about two pumps per section on my lower body and only one pump on my upper body. I honestly could have used more, but it did give me a nice natural tan. If I had used more I bet if I had used more it would have really made a difference. It didn’t smell bad and it didn’t feel sticky as I was waiting for it to develop. I didn’t notice any streaks or patchiness. Most importantly, I did not look orange!! Honestly I am pretty impressed, and I definitely think I will be using this again. Price: the card says MSRP is $24.50, online $18 USD for the mini, $42 CAD for the standard size.

And that was my June box! The overall price was $115! I am pretty happy with my box. I think the self-tanner was fun to try out, and I like the gloss and primer! What do you guys think? What did you get in your boxes, let me know in the comments below!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Review, Skincare

Influenster #SpringThingsVoxBox Review

by LeaLeave a Comment on Influenster #SpringThingsVoxBox Review

Hey guys! So today I am sharing some products that I got in my Influenster #SpringThingsVoxBox. I did received all these products for free for reviewing purposes, but all the thoughts in this post are my own.

influenster producters spring 2019

The only product I am not fond of is the Juice Beauty SPF Oil-Free Moisturizer. I am really picky with my sunscreens. Most either break me out or give me bad texture so I am very hesitant to try new ones. First I don’t like this because it claims to be a moisturizer but the feel and consistency is just like a sunscreen. I don’t find it that hydrating, if anything it leaves my skin feeling powdery. I have to be very careful not to apply too much or else it leaves a weird white-cast. But realistically I shouldn’t be putting on just a little sunscreen, so I don’t like how finicky it is. Finally I haven’t tried putting makeup over top, but judging from how powdery it makes my skin feel I don’t think it would work well. But while I don’t think I’ll use this on my face, I will probably still use this on the rest of my body. I like that it is made with organic ingredients, and it’s free of a lot of bad chemicals.

Next is probably by favourite product I tried, the Clean&Clean Deep Action Peel Off Mask with Activated Charcoal. I’ve tried a bunch of peel off masks, and this is the first I’ve actually liked. It was easy to peel, didn’t hurt, and actually cleaned my skin. This performed better than some high-end masks that I’ve tried. There is also a lot of mask in one packet, so you could probably get two masks out of the one packet. I would highly recommend trying out this mask, especially since it’s from the drugstore it’s so cheap!

The other Clean&Clear mask is the Night Relaxing Jelly Sheet Mask. The mask was very cooling and relaxing. I also think that it did a great job of hydrating. What I didn’t like is that it’s only covered half of my face. I get that the mask is meant to target the eye area, but if I wanted to do that I would just apply under eye masks. I still want to hydrate the bottom half of my face. I ended up using the extra serum from the packet on my chin and cheeks, but overall I rather use a full sheet mask.

A product I’ve already tried before is the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. The one I received was in their Grapefruit flavour, which I much prefer over the original one. I really do like their Lip Sleeping Mask, but now that I have tried their Lip Glowy Balm I prefer that product over this one. This lip mask is super hydrating and leaves my lips feeling so soft. The only thing I don’t like is how unhygienic the product is. I have long nails, so I find it hard to put my finger in and not get it under my nails. I believe that the full size mask comes with an applicator, but the mini doesn’t. Their Lip Glowy Balm, on the other hand, is a squeezy tube which I find more hygienic.

The final item is the Elf Rose Gold Sunset Palette. This was perfect timing, because I had been thinking about trying a palette from Elf! This palette comes with 10 shades, with a mix of matte and shimmer. I think for $12 this palette is pretty amazing. I definitely prefer the mattes over the shimmers. The matte are super pigmented and blendable. The shimmers are okay by themselves, but I find that adding a little setting spray really makes them shine. I wish there was maybe one more matte brown shade, but overall I think there is a nice mix of shades in the palette. I was able to make a nice warm-tone smokey eye, check out my Instagram (@xoxoxoleelee) to see the look!

And those were the products that I tested out! Thank you to Influenster for sending me these products. If you want to check out my Influenster account, it’s the same username as my Instagram!

xoxo

Lea