Makeup Review – Page 3 – Leave it to Lea

Sephora Sale Haul + Review

April 26, 2022April 26, 2022by Lea1 Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Makeup, Review

Bite Beauty Upswing Full Volume Mascara Review

April 19, 2022April 19, 2022by Lea2 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Hair, Makeup, Skincare

March 2022 Boxycharm

March 29, 2022March 28, 2022by LeaLeave a Comment

Hey guys! Long time no time from me! I’ve been feeling quite burnout lately when it comes to creating content so I just took a bit of a break. Posting might be a bit sporadic for a bit while I try to find my groove again. But do not worry I have no plans to stop any time soon! With that being said, today’s post is going to be my March Boxycharm. I always filmed my video version, so make sure to check that out to see the products in again. Let’s get into it.

The first product, which was chosen product for the month, is the Korres Santorini Grape Velvet Skin Drink. I’ve heard good things about the brand but haven’t tried any of their products before. This serum is meant for all skin types to help with imperfections, texture and give hydration. It’s kind of meant to do everything. I’ve only used it for a week, so it might take a little longer to notice a difference in imperfections and texture. I will say that it’s a thin serum but still manages to give some instant hydration to the skin. Not as much as a hyaluronic acid serum but still good. It absorbs into the skin quickly which I also appreciate. I’m excited to continue using the serum and see if it helps improve my skin. Price: $48 US, $60 CAD

The next product is the LYS Beauty Secure Skin Gripping Serum Primer. This primer is meant to help with the look of pores and shine control. It’s a serum so it’s a very thin product and I often find I pour out too much. It’s easy to blend onto the skin and is slightly tacky, which helps grip the foundation. I find that the primer works better with matte foundations. When I use this primer and a dewy foundation it doesn’t help keep the shiny at bay. While I find it doesn’t help the look of pores or shine, it does help my foundation last longer which is nice. I’m not in love with this primer but am willing to continue testing it out. Price: $20 US, $26 CAD

The second skincare product I received is the Frank Body Brightening Vitamin C Mask. This mask is packed with active ingredients to help with hyperpigmentation, scarring and fine lines. I’ve only used this mask once and this is something that needs to be used regularly to notice a difference. It reminds me of the Inkey List Apple Cider Vinegar Acid Peel where it’s using a very strong concentration of active ingredients to help brighten and clear the skin. I prefer using a serum over a mask because I don’t have to rinse it off. But I’m willing to continue trying this mask and see if it makes a difference. Price: $19.95 US, $25.95 CAD

This month I have two products that I have decided not to test. The first product is the Aesthetica Cream Contour Kit. I have quite a few reasons for not testing this out. First I own a powder contour kit that has the same layout of three highlight shades and three contour shades, so I felt like I didn’t need the cream versions. I also don’t use the contour kit that often so I can’t justify having two. Second I already have cream contours so I didn’t feel like I need to test out more. Third, this is a universal kit so I won’t use every shade anyways. Overall I couldn’t see myself using it very often after testing it and therefore thought it best not to open it. Now that it’s unopen I can donate it to someone who will use it more than me. Price: $40 US

The final product in my box is the Styledry Coconut & Fig Hair Mask. I’m trying to be mindful of what products I use on my hair and trying to stay clear of products containing sulphates and silicones. The mask is sulphate free but contains a bunch of different silicones. Silicones often coat the hair to make it feel soft and silky but ultimately weigh down my curls, which I’ve trying to avoid. So I will be passing along this mask to someone who doesn’t mind silicones! Price: $16.95 US

The total value of my box is $144.90, which is great! While I might not be using two products I still got great value I believe. If you guys are subscribed to Boxycharm let me know in the comments which products you received. And if you tried out any of these products let me know what your think of them!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Makeup, Skincare

February Boxycharm 2022

March 8, 2022March 8, 2022by LeaLeave a Comment

Hey guys! I’m back!!! I took a little longer than predicted off because the week I got back from vacation I was crazy busy at work. I will be posting a full breakdown of my trip with links for you guys within the next few posts. I know it’s not February anymore but I still wanted to post my review of the products in my box. I got the box while I was away so I didn’t get to try any of the products until I got home. This post will be more of a first impressions review but I thought it was still worth sharing. Let’s get into it!

The first product is the Ace Beaute Glow Essentials Highlighter Palette. Now I’m not usually into highlighter palettes but I’m a big Ace Beaute fan so I decided to give it a try. Highlight palettes are the one face palette that I’m somewhat okay with being universal since I can use shades that are too deep on my eyes. I think there is a nice range of undertones from silver, gold, champagne and rose. The formula is super smooth. It blends in easily to the skin. I like using Icy in my inner corner, adds a beautiful pop of brightness. If you’re looking for a good highlight palette I would recommend checking this one out. Price: $40 US

The next product is the Teami Blends Green Tea Detox Mask. I love getting skincare in my box and as someone who deals with acne, a pore-purifying mask sounds right up my alley. The mask smells faintly of lemongrass, which makes sense since that’s one of the ingredients. It’s a fun green colour. It works like any other mud mask but drying down and tight. If you have drier skin you’d want to apply a good moisturizer after using this mask. Overall I think it did a decent job of cleansing my skin. Excited to use this more. Price: $29.99 US

A product I was very excited to see in my box was the Wander Beauty Wandress Escape Eyeshadow Palette. If you saw my January Boxycharm video, you might remember that I said I wanted this palette in my box. Well, I guess the makeup gods listened because I got in this month! I just love the colour story because it has all the warm tones but a pop of pink and blue included as well. It’s wearable but also fun. The mattes aren’t the most pigmented that I’ve ever used but the powders are buildable. The shimmers are very buttery and look great on the eyes. I think this palette is pretty and I want to play with it so I’m excited that I got it! Price: $42 US

A product that I decided not to test is the Bali Balm Pineapple Lip Scrub. This lip scrub has sugar to exfoliate the lip and oils to help hydrate. I already have a lip scrub that I don’t use very often, so it doesn’t make sense to me to open another if I won’t use it much. As I don’t like pineapple so that is another reason why I’m passing this product onto someone else. I’ll either let my friends have it or donate it! Price: $23 US, $30 CAD

And the final product is the Illamasqua Hydra Setting Spray. I like this setting spray! The mist is quite fine and it’s easy to press because there is nothing more annoying than a bad mister. The setting spray isn’t sticky and dries quickly. It leaves my makeup looks so flawless. It’s also the perfect level of dewy where I look plump but not greasy. So far loving this spray, excited to use it more. Price: $25 US

The overall total of my box is $160.99, which is pretty good! Overall I think this is a good box! I like everything that I’ve tried and the one product I didn’t use was just because I don’t use lip scrubs. If you guys tried any of these products let me know your thoughts in the comments.

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Makeup, Review, Skincare

January Boxycharm 2022

January 28, 2022January 28, 2022by LeaLeave a Comment

Hey guys! It’s time for the first Boxycharm review of 2022. It’s crazy to me because I’ve been subscribed to Boxycharm since November 2016… that’s insane! I’ve received my fair share of boxes so you can expect me to always be honest and upfront about my thoughts about Boxycharm. So let’s get into this month’s box.

The first product in my box is the NARS Blush in Orgasm. I just want to mention how incredible it is to get this product in my box. NARS is a huge brand and Orgasm is one of their best-selling products so it’s cool to get it in the box. I have a mini of the shade Deep Throat, so I was already familiar with the formula. This powder is very light so it gives a more subtle look to the skin. I much rather have a subtle blush that I can build up than a super pigmented blush but it can be easy to overdo blush. The shade Orgasm is a peachy pink with a subtle shimmer running through. I almost don’t have to wear highlight with this blush. I like this blush and I’m excited to have it. Price: $30 US, $39 CAD

Now a product that I wasn’t excited to receive is the Chella Slanted Tip Tweezers. I have received these tweezers before, back in October 2019. It’s not very often but it sometimes does happen that I get a repeat product. As I mention in the intro, I have been subscribed for over seven years. I think I’ve only received a repeat product twice before, which is pretty good considering I know repeat items are an issue with other subscription brands. I will be giving those tweezers away since I still have my other pair. And I use these slanted tweezers to help me with my cross-stitching haha. The grip and the slant help me tie knots with tiny embroidery floss. Price: $20 US

The next product in my box is the Realher Dreams So Big Eyeshadow Palette. Now, something I’ve decided this year with my Boxycharm is I want to be more mindful with the products I’m testing. Often in the past, I would try a product even if I think I won’t like it for the sake of my video and these blog posts. I would use a product a few times and then never use it again. Going forward if I don’t think I’ll like a product I won’t test it so I can donate it. I was on the fence about whether or not I would like this palette but decided to test it out anyways. And I’m glad I did because I think this is a great everyday palette. The mattes and shimmers are soft, so there is quite a bit of kickback in the pan. But on the eyes, they are also soft, which is perfect for everyday wear. I’m not going into work with a super bold smokey eye, I want something soft and natural. This palette is perfect for achieving that look. This palette also leans a more rosy tone so it stands out in my collection. I don’t think you need to necessarily go out of your way to get this palette because the colour palette isn’t anything special. But I see myself reaching for this palette now that I have it in my collection.

I’ll be honest with you guys, I was scared to try the Dermelect Cosmeceuticals Outcrease Retinol Trifecta Serum. I follow a few skincare influencers online and they all say to proceed with caution when it comes to retinol since it can often cause purging, irritation and dryness. I have never used retinol because I’m still young and most professionals don’t recommend it until your mid-20s anyways. Well, I’m turning 25 this year and I have this retinol so I was like okay it’s time. Except my face wasn’t ready for it. I’ve been dealing with some gnarly breakouts and didn’t want to start a new product until it calmed down. So I’ve been trying it on my neck! Retinol is meant to help with lines and I’m starting to get some tech neck lines already so why not? I’ve used it twice so far. The first thing I noticed is that the dropper is very loose (not sure if that’s the right way to describe it) but a lot of serum comes out very easily. It goes on quite sticky and takes a while to turn down, but does eventually dry down. I’ve only used it twice so I can’t give much of a review. I would keep an eye out for my product empties because that’s when I give in-depth reviews. Price: $39 US

And the final product in my box is the PUR Fully Charged Mascara Powered By Magnetic Technology. I want to first state that mascara is all about personal preference. Everyone has different lashes and most people want their lashes to look different. So far for me, this is not my favourite. This mascara is described to thicken, volumize and separate lashes. I am much more of a length over volume type of girl. I give that it gives good volume at the root of my lash but barely any length or curl. I also find that it doesn’t do a very good job of separating my lashes, if anything it clumps pretty easily. Finally, the wand is pretty thick so I always get mascara on my lids. Now I won’t completely write this mascara off, because I often find I like mascara after it dries out a bit. So I’ll give it more time. But so far it’s not my favourite. Price: $22 US, $29 CAD

The overall total of the box is $129 US. While there were some great products in the box it was also disappointing to get a repeat item. I also wanted to mention that I didn’t receive any of the products that Boxycharm was promoting on their social media in my box, which is somewhat disappointing since some of those items looked nice! Let me know what you guys think of this month’s box and if you receive Boxycharm let me know what you go in your box!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Makeup, Review

Testing Beauty Youtubers 2021 Favourites

January 25, 2022January 26, 2022by Lea3 Comments

Hey guys! One of the things I look forward to every new year is watching my favourite YouTubers’ do their 2021 favourites (if you haven’t read mine yet, check it out!). I feel like yearly favourites are some of the best recommendations because the product made it to the top of someone’s list. I decided this year to pick up a couple of products that made some influencers’ faves list and test them out for myself. I did a YouTube video trying the products for the first time and also mentioned some products that were already in my collection. Today I’ll be giving you my follow-up to that video after using the products a few more times.

New makeup from Make Up For Ever, Merit, Catrice, Maybelline and NYX Cosmetics

Let’s start with the product that inspired this post. I had seen Allana Davison rave about the Merit Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil for quite a few months now to the point where I was like I HAVE to try it out. Allana is not only my favourite Youtuber but also this lip oil just seems right up my alley. Merit describes the product as a sheer slick of colour with rosehip oil and shea butter to create healthy-looking lips all day long.

I have to say their description is pretty accurate. The pigmentation is enough that I can wear it by itself for a very natural look or wear it on top of a lip liner for a more defined lip look. It’s not sticky whatsoever since it’s an oil and it’s very comfortable on the lips. Unlike some glosses, it doesn’t look gross if my lips are dry and crusty. Since it’s a lip oil it’s not the most long-wearing, it obviously goes away if I’m eating or drinking. I picked the shade Taupe because I am obsessed with browns and I love it. They have a beautiful range. I might pick one up for my mom for her birthday because I think she would really enjoy this formula. Allana was 100% right with this product.

The next product was a recommendation from Tati. If you watched my video, then you might have seen that I was on the fence about the shade I picked up in the Catrice True Skin Hydrating Foundation. Once I went into different lighting I realize I did get the perfect shade for my winter pale skin. I got the shade Neutral Ivory and I’ll give the brand major products because this foundation is neutral. I often find with drugstore foundation that the shade can lean either too yellow or too pink but this one matches me perfectly.

The foundation is described to be a long-wearing, medium-buildable coverage foundation with a natural ‘real skin’ finish. The foundation is also supposed to be hydrating, is vegan and cruelty-free and comes in 20 shades. I’ll be honest guys, this really isn’t a hydrating foundation. I find that it leans more matte. If I use a hydrating primer it’s not as bad. But because it’s matte, I find that it takes a bit more work to blend out cream products on top. That being said, this foundation is very long-wearing. I have very oily skin and I didn’t really need to powder until the 8-hour mark. If you have dry skin I would pass on this foundation. But if you need something that will look good all day, then check this one out.

The foundation and concealer when I first applied it

The other base product that I got was the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Self-Setting Concealer. This was another recommendation from Allana. I wanted to try out a new concealer and thought this would be right up my alley. The concealer is described as creamy, with a natural, medium and buildable finish. It also is supposed to have a self-setting formula with up to 12-hour, crease-free wear. I’ve been having issues with my concealers creasing lately so thought this would be a good one to try.

With some concealers, a little goes a long way. Not with this one. Where I apply it is where I get coverage and it doesn’t give much more. This just means that I have to apply more than I usually would. But once it’s applied and blended it’s amazing. The concealer does a good job of neutralizing the blueness I have under my eyes without being really stark and high coverage. I’d be lying to say that it doesn’t crease, especially because I have a very expressive face. But it took a while to crease and didn’t crease that bad. I would say it more just settled into my lines that high creases. From afar you really don’t notice it. I’m not the hugest fan of their shade range because I find that they have more undertones than shades. I wasn’t too confident when picking out a shade, but luckily the shade 20 Soft Sand worked for me. Overall I’m enjoying this concealer and excited to use it more.

The product I’m still on the fence about is the NYX Lift & Snatch Brow Tint Pen. Both Allana and RachhLoves raved about this brow pen. This pen has a micro-brush tip pen that is supposed to be buildable to create hairlike strokes. The pen is supposed to be smudge and transfer-resistant with 16-hour wear. I got the shade Espresso because that’s what I use in NYX’s other brow products.

I think this is a good brow pen, I’m just not sure I like brow pens. When I first tried the pen it had been ages since I’d gotten my brows done. I had to be so precise since my eyebrows didn’t have much shape so it took forever for me to do my brows. The pen is quite pigmented so it created a bold brow very quickly. I have since gotten my brows done so now it’s just a case of filling in the bald spots. I once again find that because the pen is so pigmented that it creates a very bold brow. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if I was doing full game and wanted something to balance out my face. But for every day it’s too much since I naturally have a lot of brow hairs. I think if you’re someone with not a lot of natural brow hairs you’ll love this because it’s easy to create the hairs. I’ll continue playing around with the pen because maybe there is just a learning curve, but for now, I’m not sold on the whole brow pen train.

And the final product I picked up was recommended by THREE Youtubers – Tati, Rachhloves and Jamie Paige. And that is the Maybelline Lifter Lip Gloss. This lip gloss was going around the internet as being a dupe for the Fenty Beauty lip glosses. Maybelline describes their glosses as having hyaluronic acid to deliver lasting hydrating and fuller-looking lips. I got the shade Moon, which is supposed to be a dupe for Fenty’s Fussy shade.

This might be crazy, but I think I prefer the Maybelline formula! The glosses look very similar on the lips, giving a subtle sparkle to the lip and a very juicy and shiny look. The Maybelline gloss is slightly thinner than the Fenty one, which I prefer. I don’t like a very thick and sticky gloss, I prefer something I little thinner and smoother. That being shade, the Fenty one does last longer so it depends on what you rather have. There is no doubt you can’t bet the Maybelline price. The internet loves this gloss and I’d have to agree with the internet that they are pretty great!

And that’s my thoughts on the beauty products I picked up based on beauty YouTuber’s recommendations. If you enjoyed this post let me know and maybe I’ll do a part two? And if you’ve used any of these products let me know if you agree or disagree with my thoughts!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Makeup, Project Pan

Project Pan Update January 2022 – The Final Update

January 14, 2022January 14, 2022by Lea2 Comments

Hey guys! I wanted to give you an update on my project pan products. As the title suggests, this is going to be my final update as I won’t be doing a project pan in 2022. I’ll be sharing the update on my products first, then I will explain why I have decided to not continue doing a project pan. Let’s get into it.

If you don’t know what a project pan is, the idea is to focus on a few products and either hit pan or finish the product. I started doing a project pan in January 2021 but switched products in June. In today’s update, I’ll be showing you the final progress pictures of the products I picked in July. I forgot to take progress pictures a couple of months so sorry about that!

The first product is my Jaclyn Hill x Morphe Eyeshadow Palette. I hit pan in one eyeshadow during my last update and haven’t really made much progress since. I think there is a decent dent in the shade beside it but I still have far to go before hitting pan. It’s much harder than I realized to hit pan on eyeshadow.

I hit pan in my Maybelline City Bronzer & Contour Powder, but I did it accidentally. I was tapping my brush against the side of the compact and the bronzer cracked. Part of it fell off and on my leg. I threw out the part that cracked and fell out but the rest of it is pretty solid so I feel comfortable keeping it. But in all honesty, I was nowhere near close to hitting pan. When I look at the bronzer at the side there is still a good amount left. Probably wouldn’t have hit pan if it hadn’t broken.

A product I actually did hit pan on is the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in the shade Paaarty. I can’t remember when exactly but pretty sure I hit pan while I was filming. I’m pretty happy that I hit pan, but to be fair I’ve had this blush for years and it’s a mini so I feel like it’s easier to hit pan.

I said in my last post that I’m tired of using the TooFaced Born This Way Ethereal Setting Powder. And that feeling has only grown since my last update. It just leaves a weird yellow cast which I’m not a fan of. While there is a little bit left, I’m at the point where it’s difficult to get it out of the sieve. I am throwing out this powder because I don’t want to use it anymore.

Another product that I’m sick of is the Temptu Liquid Glow. I’ve been using this highlight since April. Except I actually gave up in late November and just started using other products. The cap is absolutely disgusting and I could clean it but I think I’m just going to get rid of it. I believe it was a limited edition product anyways, so there is no point in promoting something you guys can’t get. That being said, I did make pretty good progress, but this just shows to me that it takes forever to get through liquid highlights.

And that’s the update on my project pan products. Now before I share why I’m not doing my project pan anymore, I wanted to share a few things I did enjoy about doing a project pan. First, while it does take a while to hit pan on things, it’s pretty satisfying when I do. Second, it made my decision-making process pretty easy in the morning because I knew what products I was going to use. If you have a big collection this can be helpful if you feel overwhelmed. Finally, it helped me realize that I actually didn’t really like some products and that it was time for me to either throw them out or pass them along to a better home.

Now onto the reason why I am not continuing a project pan. As you can tell by some of my thoughts above, I got pretty sick and tired of using the same products over and over again, especially when I wasn’t very fond of them. Another downside is that I have a very large collection, so I felt weird using the same thing over and over again and therefore neglecting everything else I own. I also wasn’t just the most practical all the time. I often wouldn’t pause my project pan to test products out for my blog. Or sometimes I just wanted to use something else to create a certain look.

I think there are pros and cons to doing a project pan but ultimately won’t be continuing to do it. That being said, while I might not be doing a project pan, I think I still want to focus on using certain products. I did find it helpful to have a few products set out that I want to use, but I think I want to rotate them more frequently than a project pan requires. Doing a project pan requires a long-term commitment to actually hit pan on anything. I think I want to switch up my products every couple of weeks. I have a large collection so I want to give equal love to all my products instead of a select few for the year.

So those are my thoughts on my project pan. If you’ve ever done a project pan before, let me know if you agree or disagree with my thoughts, I’d love to discuss!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Makeup, Review, Skincare

December Boxycharm 2021

December 31, 2021December 31, 2021by LeaLeave a Comment

Hey guys! I was getting worried that I wasn’t going to get my box in time to write this post. But my box arrived yesterday!! So keep in mind that today’s since I just got my box my thoughts are more first impressions than in-depth reviews. Let’s get into it!

The first product is the Algenist Triple Algae Eye Renewal Balm. I love getting eye creams in my box, it’s been ages since I’ve had to purchase one haha. This eye cream is meant to help reduce basically everything – undereye circles, bags, puffiness, lines, wrinkles and crow’s feet. Obviously going to take me a bit of use to notice a difference. I will say that the circle doesn’t have much of a scent which I prefer over a bad scent. It’s quite thick but it blends on easily on the skin and doesn’t feel heavy so I was able to easily apply makeup over it. Excited to continue testing. Price: $68 US, $87 CAD

The next product is the Seraphine Botanicals Happy Hibiscus Palette. This palette is meant for all skin tones. I’ve said this before and I’ll say this again – I don’t like palettes meant for all skin tones. The palettes either skew too dark or too light and therefore not for everyone OR have shades for everyone but people can’t use all the shades. I find that this palette skews a little dark, like two of the shades are almost bronzers on me. All these shades are ‘luminous’ so they have shimmer running through it. The shade Dewdrop is a straight-up highlight – but it’s a very pretty highlight! The only shade I could use as a blush is Petal, which was quite nice. But it’s just annoying to only like one shade in a four-pan palette. I would pass on this palette and instead get one blush you really like instead. Price: $48 US

The next product is the Whish Vanilla Bean Lip Mask with Bakuchiol. The texture is much more similar to a lip balm/chapstick than a lip mask. It has a bit of a waxy consistency so it’s a little difficult to get out of the jar. It glides easily on the lips and feels very nice. I will say that this is not intense enough for me to use overnight. After an hour or two, my lips are chapped again. The vanilla scent is quite light so good if scents irritate you. It’s not a bad lip balm but it’s not a very good lip mask. Price: $32 US

The next product is the Araceli Beauty Bella Sponge Duo. I love getting sponges because sometimes I’m too lazy to wash my sponges so it’s nice to have more in my rotation haha. These sponges have the classic Beauty Blender shape with a round bottom and a pointed tip which is the shape I prefer. The round bottom is great for blending foundation whereas the point is great for under the eyes. I find that the sponges do soak up a fair bit of product so I would pull these out for full coverage products to help sheer out. The only downside is I find that the sponges don’t have a very smooth texture, which means it’s not very good with powder products. I don’t think these will replace my Beauty Blender but I’ll keep them in the rotation. Price: $24 US

And the final product is the Mellow Cosmetics Gel Lip Pencil in the shade Rose. First just want to mention that the pencil arrived with the tip broken so I had to sharpen it before even using the pencil. The formula is very creamy, it glides on very easily on the lips. The formula reminds me almost of lipstick just in pencil form. I haven’t worn this for long but just based on the initial application I don’t know how long-lasting it will be. I love the shade but I will say the name is descriptive. When a shade is called Rose I always think it’s going to be pink when instead this is a warm peach. It’s a nice shade just not what I anticipated. I’m excited to wear this more. Price: $15 US, $20 CAD

The total of the box is $187 US. That is a decent value!! While the products might not be my favourite I will say that there is a good variety of products in this box. Let me know what you guys think in the comments. And if you’re subscribed to Boxycharm let me know what you got in your box this month!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Favourites, Makeup, Skincare

Revisiting my 2020 Beauty Favourites

December 17, 2021December 16, 2021by LeaLeave a Comment

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, empties, Hair, Makeup, Review, Skincare

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

December 3, 2021December 3, 2021by Lea3 Comments

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