Hey guys! Today I am going to share with you my three favourite lip products that I like to wear every day. They are all a step above a lip balm. It took some time after masking ended for me to find lip products that I love. I stand by all three of these and if you follow me you’ll probably recognize a few of these. Let’s get into it!
For me, a perfect everyday lip product meets three requirements. First, it’s comfortable on the lips. Sometimes I’ll wear a drying liquid lipstick or a super sticky lip gloss if matches the look or outfit perfectly. But for everyday wear, it needs to be comfortable. Second, it must fade nicely (or last all day). There is nothing worst than putting on a lip product in the morning and seeing yourself in the mirror at midday looking crazy. My final requirement is easy to reapply. Sometimes I’m too lazy to go to the bathroom and just use my phone to reapply. I also don’t bring a lip pencil with me so it can’t require a lip pencil to look good. All of the lip products I’m going to mention meet these three things.
My first favourite shouldn’t be a surprise, it’s the Merit Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil. I’ve mentioned these a ton on my Youtube channel but I love this lip oil! Unlike other lip oils, it’s quite thin so it’s very comfortable on the lips while still being hydrating. It adds a little shine and colour to the lips but is still pretty natural. Since it’s an oil it almost gets absorbed into the lips throughout the day. Since it’s sheer it’s easy to apply without getting everywhere. I’ve gotten quite a few of my friends hooked on these, they’re so good!
My next favourite lip product is the Clinique Almost Lipstick in the shade Black Honey. Now I know what you’re thinking, that’s a lot of money for a tinted lip balm, but my cost-per-wear with this lipstick is so good because I love it! The shade changes to match your natural lip tone so it’s super flattering. It’s a sheer but buildable formula which means I apply as much as my mood desire. Since it’s similar to a balm it fades well. Now a good affordable dupe for this is the Covergirl Clean Fresh Tinted Lip Balm in Bliss Your Berry. I prefer the Clinique lipstick for the packaging. It’s slick and smaller so it’s easier to have a precise application. This is a great everyday way to add colour to the lips!
And my final favourite is the Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Glossy Lip Balm. It’s similar to the Merit lip oil but like a lip gloss. It has a slightly thicker consistency and is shinier. It’s comfortable on the lips and not too sticky, unlike a traditional lip gloss. The pointed duo foot applicator makes it very easy to apply to the lips. The formula is a little more pigmented compared to the Merit lip oil but it’s still nice for everyday wear. There are some fun bright shades in the range though if you’re into that.
And those are my current favourite lip products. Let me know in the comments what some of your favourite lip products are right now, I’d love to try them out!
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!
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.
Hey guys! With the Spring Sephora VIB sale starting today for Rouge, I thought now would be the time to share my recommendations for the sale! The Sephora Spring Savings Event runs from April 1-11 for Rouge, April 5-11 for VIB and April 7-11 for VIB. The savings range from 10-20% off depending on what level you are, so it’s the perfect time of year to pick up something you’ve been eyeing. During the last sale, I did a super in-depth list and I still stand by all those recommendations so check out that post! Today I wanted to keep it short and sweet. If someone were to put a gun to my head and say “You’re only allowed to recommend five of your favourite products” then these would be my picks.
Starting with my current obsession, the Merit Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil. I picked this up when I did myTesting Beauty Youtubers’ 2021 Favourites post and my love for it has only grown since then. I brought this with me to Vancouver and let my friend try it. She loved it so much she picked one up for herself. I also gave my mom one for her birthday and she also loves it. So I am sharing this wonderful lip product with all of you to go out and get during the sale. It’s sheer but still has enough pigmentation where it’s not a clear gloss. Since it’s an oil it feels so comfortable on the lips. It can be worn by itself or on top of lip liners or lipsticks. I have the shade Taupe and it’s my perfect your-lips-but-better shade. If there is one product from this list you should buy, it’s this lip oil.
The second makeup product I recommend is one I’ve mentioned dozens of times but it’s the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. I have tried so many concealers and I’ll love them for a couple of weeks and then I find myself going back to this one. The concealer is true to its name, it’s so creamy so it’s a dream to blend. It’s medium coverage so it helps brighten the undereyes but doesn’t look cakey. Because it’s creamy it can get a little creasy near the end of day but it’s easier to touch up with a beauty blender or powder. If you haven’t tried this concealer yet I highly recommend it.
Moving onto skincare, a product that I’ve been hyping up a lot lately is the Peace Out Salicylic Acid Acne Healing Dots. These make such a difference with my breakouts. Whenever I have a gross whitehead I’ll put one on before bed and by the next morning it’s cleaned out all the gunk. I notice my skin doesn’t scare as badly, or sometimes at all, when I use a patch on top of a whitehead. The key is that these are most effective on whiteheads. If you have something that is below the surface it’s not as effective. I know their not the cheapest on the market but these acne patches are by far the best I’ve tried so far.
I recently repurchased the Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm and I’ve fallen in love all over again. I’m telling you it’s the best makeup cleansing balm out there. It does the best job at removing all my makeup, including liner, lash glue and glitter. Yet it’s still pretty gentle at the same time. My skin doesn’t feel stripped after. I would say that the Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm is a close second, but the Farmacy one just leaves my skin feeling cleaner. I also think that if you wear makeup getting a cleansing balm is one of the best skincare products to invest in because properly cleansing your skin will go a long way to preventing breakouts.
The final recommendation I have is not necessarily the most exciting product but it’s something I use every single day – the Smashbox 24 Hour Photo Finish Eyeshadow Primer. I have very oily eyelids and if I don’t prime them then my eyeshadow creases so badly. This primer does an amazing job at ensuring my eyeshadow stays put and doesn’t move around. I know that tinted and tacky eyeshadow primers (such as P. Louise) are popular but I find those so difficult to work with. I just apply a little bit of the primer and then set it with some powder and I’m good to go. I also only need a tiny amount so this tube has lasted me forever. It’s not an exciting product but one that will make a real difference in your final makeup look.
And those are my five Sephora sale recommendations! Let me know what you guys are picking up during the sale in the comments. And of course, I’ll be sharing what I get so stay tuned for that!
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.
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 itThe foundation and concealer eight hours after I 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!
Leave it to Lea 