Tag: Makeup

Beauty, Boxycharm

July Boxycharm Review

by Lea2 Comments on July Boxycharm Review

Hey guys! Sorry I haven’t posted a lot, it has been a crazy month for me! Here is my July Boxycharm review 🙂

july 1

First, the product I was probably most excited to try was the Invisible Light Translucent Powder Duo by Bare Minerals. I like my setting powder and highlight to do very opposite things: I want to be very matte where I put my setting powder and very glowy where I put my highlight. I found that this duo did a mediocre job of both. I used it a few times and then gave up. But now reading reviews on Sephora, every is raving about how good this powder, I feel like I want to give it another shot. Very undecided on this product. Price: $32.00

july 2

Now the Electric Eyes Palette by Blinc is probably the opposite of the powder duo. At first I didn’t think it was going to be very good, but then when I tried it I was blown away! The shadows in this palette are super pigmented and super creamy. They almost look wet or like a creme when applied. I apply the shadow to my lid using my finger and it looks amazing! While these eye shadows are beautifully, I will probably only use them for bold looks not every day use. The other drawback I have is that besides the pink shade, I find most of them to be very similar. Overall I like this palette and will use it again. Price: $45.00

Next is the Uni-Brow Universal Eyebrow Pencil by WinkyLux. While the pencil itself works really well – I like the shape and that it comes with a spoolie – I can’t get over the claim that this is a universal eyebrow pencil. The colour is just a little too grey-toned to work well with my hair. This just did not work for me, and I can imagine it didn’t work for many other people too. Price: $12.00

An okay product was the Spay Set Go Makeup Setting Spray by Project Beauty. It did set my makeup, but I find it did not help it last through the day or anything. The sprayer on this setting spray sucks though – it got little water droplets all over my face. Overall a meh product. Price: $32.00

july 3

Finally everyone got a ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip in a different shade. ColourPop makes great lipsticks, but I was disappointed in the shade I got. It is called Lock Diary, from their Hello Kitty collection, which I am unsure if they discontinued it or not. The thing that really bugs me that is is almost exactly the same shade as the Ofra Liquid Lipstick that I received last month. As you can tell in the photo above (Ofra is on top and Colourpop is on the bottom) they are quite similar. If this was a nude shade I would let it slide, but this is a bright berry fuchsia, a colour that I don’t exactly wear every day. It’s not a bad liquid lipstick I just don’t like the shade I received. Price: $6.00

Total price is $127.00 USD. Overall I was kind of underwhelmed by this month’s Boxycharm. I had so hope for this month and I felt disappointed by many of them. Hopefully next month will be better!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty

Colourpop Haul

by Lea4 Comments on Colourpop Haul

Hey guys! So around three weeks ago I finally got my Colourpop order in. I had ordered a while back – when they were selling their birthday special and when they had free international shipping on orders over $35. My order took around 3 weeks to come in. The only item that broke was my super shock shadow, which thankfully due to it’s texture I was able to mold back into place.

colourpop haul

The first item I got was their Colourpop Palette. This is an empty palette that you can put their single eyeshadows in. It’s a perfect size, as it can hold up to 12 of their eyeshadows.

Next I got three of their Pressed Powder Shadows. I got (left-right in photos) Bel Air, Play by Play and Made to Last. As well, I got their birthday special Super Shock shadow in Birthday Cake (which was unfortunately limited edition).

 

I love the formula of these shadows. They’re super soft and pigmented. They also apply really nicely to the eyes and blend easily. There is some powder kick up when I dip my brush into them but it is unbearable. My favourite is definitely Made to Last because I do not own anything like it!

eyeshadow swatches

As well, I have never tried their Super Shock shadows before but I am in love! They are creamy and pigmented, but once applied to the eye they do not budge. I really want to get more of their eyeshadows now, in both formulas!

lippies

Next I got two different lip products. The first is the shade Aquarius in the Lippie Stix creme finish. I love the formula of their lippie stix, as you can tell from the photo this one is super creamy. This shade is slightly cool tone so I think it will look great in the fall and winter. The other lip product I got was their newer Blotted Lip in the shade Drip. I think this is the perfect summer lip product! It is sheer but buildable – the in photos I did one swipe on the bottom and multiple swipes on top. This shade is a nice warm rosy mauve, which I find is the perfect shade to add a little colour to my lips. I have been wearing this so much since I got it!

eyeliner

Finally the only product I was not wow with was their Creme Gel Liner in the shade Stomper. I had heard that their liners were super creamy and great for the waterline, but I found that I had to run the liner back and forth to get pigmentation. I also find that the tip is quite large so it’s hard to get a precise line. I’m not sure if it’s just this shade or not but I probably will not get another one of their liners.

Overall I was quite happy with the products I got! I love their eyeshadows and I enjoy the lip products I got. I will definitely be making another order in the future 🙂

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Favourites

June Beauty Favourites

by LeaLeave a Comment on June Beauty Favourites

Hey guys! I hope everyone had a great June and long weekend (if you are Canadian or American). Here are my June Beauty Favourites!

June Favourites

First is the Bare Minerals GEN NUDE Buttercream Gloss in the shade Must Have. It is a neutral rosy colour so it adds just a hint of colour without being overpowering. I find the consistency is perfect – not too goopy but still shiny and long lasting for a gloss. The perfect lippie for the summer.

Next is the Lash Paradise by L’Oreal. I personally like this mascara for every day wear. It adds a decent amount of length and some volume. I find that does make my lashes look a little clumpy but I personally don’t mind that look. I also find that the mascara lasts well through the day. Finally it is super easy to remove. Overall a very good drugstore mascara!

The second lippie that I have include in my monthly favourites is one I received in my Boxycharm this month. It is the Ofra Cosmestics Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in the shade Santa Ana. It is a berry rose shade and it is the perfect bold lipstick for the summer. I pair it with a simple eye look and I feel so glam. The formula is very comfortable and while it does not last through eating it is easy to reapply.

Finally is the blendercleanser solid. This cleanser can be used for both beauty sponges and brushes. I have been looking for something to use to clean my beauty sponges and this worked wonderfully! It also did a great job of cleaning my makeup brushes. I wet the brush, swirl it in the soap and then rub it against the pink silicone pad it comes with. My brushes have never been this clean before! Very much worth the cost.

And those are my monthly beauty favourites! Can you believe we are half way through the year basically? Crazy!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm

June Boxycharm Review

by LeaLeave a Comment on June Boxycharm Review

Hey guys! So a little late but here is my review of this month’s Boxycharm!

june 1

The first thing I noticed with this box is that they changed the inside packaging a bit. Instead of paper swigglies they had foam in the box. Unfortunately the new packaging was not that great because my brush got slightly bent. The brush is the Luxie Rose Gold Pro Precision Tapered Face Brush 640. I washed the brush and fortunately the brushes bent back to the regular shape. Overall while I love the quality of the brush, I am not a big fan of the shape of this brush. I find the brush too big and too fluffy for my under eyes and way to big to apply highlight. I love Luxie brushes but not in love with this one. Price: $24.00

june 2

Next is the RealHer Eye Shadow Palette. I got Volume I, which the website describes as their nude collection. I think this palette is okay – isn’t the work I got but not the best. As you can tell from the pictures, the pigmentation varies through the colours. The top row is full of shimmers and that have very low pigmentation. But the matte shades and the two bottom shimmers are very pigmented. I find the best way to apply this shadows are with a flat synthetic brush. My major issue with this palette is the colour selection. It does not have a cream colour shade to go all over to set my eye primer. Also it only has two matte shades, and only one real ‘crease’ colour. Overall I feel meh about this palette. I’m sure I will use it again but it won’t be my go to palette. Price: $28.00

june 3

Next is the Diamond Glow Powder by Artist Couture in the shade Illuminati. I was so surprised and happy to get this product! I have heard amazing things about it, but probably would have never bought it myself. So I am very happy to get this product. This is an amazing blinding highlight in a pretty champagne colour. The only negative I have with this product is that it is a loose highlight, so if you’re not careful it is easy to get everywhere (trust me I got it all over the lid as you can tell from the false photo). As just a warning, this highlight also has glitter particles in it, so it can emphasize texture. This is not an every day highlight, but it is amazing for going out or false photography. Price: $26.99

june 4

Probably my favourite item in this month’s box is the Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick by Ofra – I got the shade Santa Ana. I was very happy to get this product because last time we got an Ofra lipstick I found the formula very good but the colour not wearable. I am in love with this shade! It is a nice berry shade; I do not like wearing reds but this kind of shade has a similar impact. I found the formula quite nice, it does not dry down completely so it is comfortable to wear through the day. Love this lipstick! Price: $19.90

Finally I got three sheet masks from Biobelle Cosmetics. I have only used one mask so far and I found it was okay. I personally find that sheet masks don’t do much for my skin. So I will use these masks but will probably not buy more masks. Price: $14.97

Overall price for this month’s box is $113.86 USD. I liked this month’s box, but I find it funny that one of my favourite items was not about of the sneak peeks that they usually give!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Fashion, Nail Polish

MASSIVE Summer Haul

by Lea4 Comments on MASSIVE Summer Haul

Hey guys! So this post is a collection of this that I have gotten recently within the past few weeks. I have included everything from makeup, clothes, accessories and home decor. I have included pictures of everything that I got, and you can click on the picture to see it full sized. I unfortunately threw out all my receipts (good job Lea), so I will put the prices if I can find them! I hope my big summer haul gives you some inspiration for any summer shopping you will be doing!

The first store is Winners. I got a good mix of everything there!

First is this cute little planter, which as you can see from the price tag that I forgot to take off was $14.99. I love plants and this planter is nice than some of the brown plastic pots plants come in. Second I got this striped t-shirt dress. This made of a stretchy material and has lettuce hems. A very comfy and casual dress for everyday use. Next I got one of those Himalayan salt lamps for around $14. I’m not sure if it’s real but it’s so cute! It has a USB plug and so far works really well. Finally I got this flamingo mug that says Pretty in Pink inside. It’s funny because my boss loves flamingos so when I saw this mug I just had to get it!

Next I got two different candles, because I am obsessed with candles. The first is Coconut and Vanilla Bean from Yankee Candle. This candle just reminds me of vacation and summers. Second candle is from Anthropologie and it’s their mini Capri Blue Jar Candle. It is a citrusy scent with a hint of freshness – perfect summer scent. Then from Chapters I found this print in their sale section. It says “You’re just my type” and has a cute typewriter on it. Originally $15.00, I got this print for $4.50 and is still available online. Finally from Bed, Bath & Beyond I got this amazing cosmetic storage. I have been awhile for a good cosmetic organizer to put on top of my desk. While most people prefer acrylic ones, I actually prefer the look of this white one instead. It also has a very large drawer which is hard to fine. While it was expensive, I used a 25% off coupon to bring the price down.

Next I went to a sidewalk downtown in my city and was able to get a lot of clothes at a great discounted price. Unfortunately since all these items were on clearance I cannot link any of them. First I got a pair of super comfy sweatpants from Roots. Roots sweatpants are quite expensive, but I was able to get these for $30 off. The rest of the stuff I got was from Mendocino, a great (but expensive) Canadian store. While the stuff at Mendocino is quite expensive, it is good quality and they have really good sales. Last year I was able to get a $400 sweater for $30. So first I got a grey lace-up sweater. The laces are ribbon and the sweater material is quite soft. Next I got this flowy grey shorts. I originally grabbed the shorts to try shirts on with since I wore a dress to the store, but I found the shorts so comfortable that I decided to buy them. They also wear very differently on the body compared to on the hanger. Next I got this grey and white striped shirt. This shirt is definitely meant for the winter but it’s so simple that I can wait and just wear it next year. Finally I got this simple black tank dress. I love this dress. It’s cotton and flowy so it is very comfortable to wear but looks very stylish.

sephora

Of course I went to Sephora and pick up a few things. First I got the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream for my mother. It was apart of a gift set that I gave my mother for Christmas and she loved it so much so I decided to buy her another one since she recently first the other tube. Next I need something to clean my brushes and beauty sponges, so I decided to give the Beauty Blender Solid Cleanser. This is great because it is meant to clean both sponges and brushes. It is very simple to use – so far I like it! I also decided to get a lip gloss. I forget who but some Youtube recommended the Bare Minerals GEN NUDE Buttercream Lipglosses and decided to give them a try. I am in love! I got the shade Must Have and it is the perfect every day gloss. It gives some colour and shine to the lips, but best of all it does not feel too goopy. I already know this is going to be a favourite. Finally I got a sample of the Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream. I really like the scent of this cream but it is so strong. If you are sensitive to scents this might be too much. I am still unsure if I will buy the full size because it is so strong.

Finally, a summer haul would not be complete without going to Forever 21! First I got some accessories. I found this super cute holographic, mermaid scale print makeup bag. It is everything I want in life. I might use this as a pencil case instead of a makeup bag, haven’t decided, but when I saw this bag I just knew I needed it in my life. Next I got two chokers because they were buy one get one free. I got a black one with a tiny gemstone and a denim one with embroidery on it. Finally for accessories I got these silver hoops. I already opened a pair of hoops but they were very large, this pair is the perfect size!

Then I also got some clothing. First I got this combo white shirt and lace slip dress. I could not find the exact one online but this one is similar in style and this one similar in colour. This 90s style dress is super popular and it’s nice because the shirt and dress come together. Next I got these cuffed black corduroy shorts. The fit a little big but are super comfortable. Finally I got two different off the shoulder tops because they are currently my favourite thing. Unfortunately I can’t find either of these tops online but there are many similar ones! The first I got is a black one with little cactus on them. What I really like about this one is there is a liner instead it so I don’t have to wore about wearing a bra with it. The other one is something a blue and white striped off the shoulder top. I have been looking for a shirt like this for so long. I am happy to finally find one!

And that is it for my massive summer haul! This post took me so long to make with all the pictures, writing and web searching I had to do so I hope you guys enjoy it!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty

Drugstore Makeup Haul Review

by LeaLeave a Comment on Drugstore Makeup Haul Review

Hey guys! So about three weeks ago I got a bunch of drugstore makeup products and I decided to write a review of these products!

I got two different products from Elf. The first was Powder Brush, the first Elf brush I’ve ever bought. For the price this brush is excellent. While this brush does a good good of applying powder there is nothing wow-ing about it. I mean it is just a powder brush! I am definitely willing to try other Elf brushes.

The other product I bought from Elf was their primer in Tone Adjusting Green. I get a lot of redness and acne on my checks so I thought this would be an interesting product to try. The key with this primer is to give it a minute to adjust before applying foundation over time. While it initially does a good job of covering up my redness, it does not last that long. It is a good primer but not a great colour corrector.

Next I got two products from Milani. First was their Rose Powder Blush. I thought it had picked the shade Coral Cove but I accidentally bought Tea Rose. While it was not the blush I wanted it still is beautiful! I heard great things about the Milani blushes and I agree with what everyone says! It is the perfect level of pigmentation where I do not have to be super careful when applying my blush. It builds and wears nicely. I’m definitely going to pick up the other shade I wanted!

The second Milani product is their Amore Matte Lip Cream in the shade Pretty. First thing to note is that the colours wear differently on the lips compared to in the tube. I found this shade looks neutral but wears cool tone on the lips. This is an okay liquid lipstick but not my favourite. It lasts a long time and feels comfortable but it makes my lips look very dry. It has a really nice scent though, like vanilla cupcakes! I will probably wear the liquid lipstick again but probably wouldn’t buy another one from their line.

Finally is my favourite product from this haul! The Fit Me Concealer by Maybelline. Since I bought this concealer it is the only one I have worn. It is creamy and very easy to blend out. I do need to set this concealer, but once I have it looks beautiful and lasts really well. I have dry under-eyes and this is one of the few concealers that I have tried that does not cling to my dry patches. My only issue is that the shade I pick matches my skin tone perfectly; so it looks nice for every day use but does not do much brightening under my eyes. I think I might pick up another shade!

And these are my thoughts on some drugstore products! If you guys have any drugstore recommendations let me know! Always willing to try new makeup!

xoxo

Lea

 

Beauty, Favourites

May Beauty Favourites

by Lea4 Comments on May Beauty Favourites

Hey guys! So for the month of May I did not purchase many beauty products until the end of the month. So most of my favourites come from my Boxycharm this month!

may fav

First is the Convertible Brow from The Brow Gal. I got this item in my Boxycharm so I won’t go into too much detail about it. I like it because it is easy to use and gives a variety of shades so I can create the perfect match to my brow shade.

Next is the Temptu Liquid Glow. I have never tried a liquid highlight before but I am now in love! This one by Temptu is more on the natural side, giving a subtle glow to my skin. I also find that this highlight does not emphasize texture on my skin as much as powder highlights. It also lasts all day! Really loving this highlight, I use every time I wear makeup!

I recently started using the Baby Lips lip balm by Maybelline and I have fallen in love with them again. It makes my lips feel moisturized by not too thick and goopy compared to some other lip balms. Also the coloured ones give a nice wash of colour to my lips. The only thing is that I do not like the scent. Otherwise loving this lip balm right now!

Another Maybelline product that I have been loving this month is the Fit Me Concealer. This is my first time using this concealer and I love it! It is really easy to blend out and lasts all day! It has medium coverage; it covers redness well but I find my dark circles peak through if I’m not using a colour corrector. I’ve only had this concealer for a week and a half but I am already in love!

Finally is the Crown Round Contour Brush from my Boxycharm. I personally use this brush for my foundation and I really enjoy it. I have never used a densely packed brush like this one but now I wan to try more! I find it gives a nice smooth finish and does not sheer out my foundation coverage. A nice cheaper option compared to the expensive Artis Brushes.

And those are my favourite beauty products for the month of May! I have a bunch of new makeup I am testing out for June so hopefully I will find some new favourites 🙂

xoxo

Lea

Beauty

How to Buy Lipstick Guide

by LeaLeave a Comment on How to Buy Lipstick Guide

Hey guys! This post is inspired by a question my friend asked me the other day. She said “How do I buy a good lipstick?” While I personally spend hours online reading about makeup products before buying something, she was more curious on how to go to a store a select a good lipstick. So here are my five tips on how to buy a lipstick!

1. Decide between Drugstore or Department

It is easier to narrow down the search to one store. Department stores or places like Sephora are more expensive, but offer more variety and often have testers to try. Drugstores are cheaper but offer less selection. Some drugstores do offer testers so if you choose the drugstore route I definitely suggest going to places like Shoppers that offer testers.

2. Choose a Finish

Nowadays there is so much variety with lip products from lipsticks, lip glosses and liquid lipsticks. Even within the lipstick family there is matte, cream and satin finishes. Knowing what you’re looking for in your lipstick can help you select a finish. Generally, lip glosses help create fuller lips, liquid lipsticks are long lasting and cream and satin lipsticks are the most comfortable.

3. Choose a Colour

There are six major colour groups for lipsticks: pinks, reds, oranges/corals, purples, darks and nudes. What colour you choose is up to you. There is no ‘wrong’ colour, but it helps to pick a lipstick when you narrow down to one or two colours instead of looking at them all.

4. Choose a Shade

While it is possible to wear a lipstick that does not match your skin tone, it will look more natural and effortless if it does. This is especially for reds and pinks. There are many ways to figure out your skin tone (Google is an excellent resource), I find the simplest method is to determine if you look better wearing gold or silver jewelry. If you prefer gold then you have a yellow/warm skin tone, silver means pink/cool and both is neutral. Yellow/warm skin tones work best with shades that have red undertone while pink/cool look best with shades that have a blue undertone. Neutral skin tones can rock either! Like I mentioned above, if you are still confused but how shades work, there are many excellent resources online to help you figure this out!

5. Pick Something Pretty

Of all the tips, I think this one is the most important. Pick something you like. You can ignore all the other tips as long as you follow this one. If you pick a lipstick that you think makes your skin tone perfectly but you feel meh towards then you’re never going to wear it! Pick a lipstick that you think looks pretty and that you want to wear every single day!

I hope you guys find this guide helpful! I had lots of fun thinking and writing about it!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm

May Boxycharm

by Lea7 Comments on May Boxycharm

may 1

The theme for this month’s Boxycharm is Makeup Is Art. I absolutely love this theme because I think it’s so true! My dad jokingly calls my makeup brushes my ‘paint brushes’! I truly believe that makeup really is a form of art and self expression so I love this theme. I also love everything I got in this month’s box!

20170520_130238 (2)

First, probably my favourite products I recieved this month is the Convertible Brow  in 02 and Brow Brush by The Brow Gal. The Convertible Brow is a brow powder trio that can be used both wet and dry. I have never used a brow powder before but find this one really easy to use. It also comes with three shades so it fits a wider range of brow shades. The brow brush comes with a spoolie on one end and a nice angled brush on the other. The two products work really well together to create a nice every day brow. I will definitely continue to use this product! Price: $14.00 for the brush and $35.00 for the powder.

Next is the Crown Pro Round Contour Brush. This brush reminds me of the Artis brushes but for a much better price. The handle is kind of cheap but the brush hairs itself are soft and dense and work wonderfully! I personally use this brush to apply foundation instead of contour and find it does a fabulous job of seamlessly blending out my foundation. Great brush! Price: $24.99

may 3.jpg

Next is the Highlight and Contour Palette by IBY Beauty. At first I really liked this product, but the more I used it the more meh I felt about it. There are a nice range of shades of warm versus cool tone but I find that there are quite similar. If you don’t have fair skin this would not work well for you. The contour shades only apply nicely if I set my face with powder before, something I usually do not have an issue with. Also I really like the highlight powders, but recently my face broke out right under by eyes, a place I rarely break out. I’m not 100% sure if it is because of this powder but just to be safe I have stopped using this powder to see if that helps. Overall I was initally impressed but now underwhelmed by the performance of this product. Price: $40.00

may 4.jpg

Finally is the Liquid Glow by Temptu. This product was specially created for Boxycharm and can be applied by hand. I was expecting a blinding highlight with this product but I find it to be much more natural. It makes your skin look dewy and gives a golden glow. This highlight lasts all day, way longer compared to some powder highlights. I sometimes layer a powder highlight for a more blinding glow. I really like this highlight and I think it will be a good product for the summer. Price: $29.50

Overall price of the box is $142.49 USD. This was probably one of my favourites boxes I have received, I loved 4/5 products in the box! Excited for next month’s box 🙂

xoxo

Lea