Tag: product review

Beauty, Drugstore, Makeup, Project Pan, Review

Project Pan Update July 2021

by Lea1 Comment on Project Pan Update July 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Boxycharm, Makeup, Review, Skincare

June Boxycharm 2021

by Lea1 Comment on June Boxycharm 2021

Hey guys! I survived my first week of work! One of the benefits of going into an office is that I now wear makeup every day during the week. So I’ve been able to really put this month’s Boxycharm products to the test. For those of you who don’t know, Boxycharm is a subscription beauty box that sends out 5 full-size products every month. The base box is $25 US and I pay whatever the exchange rate is at the time by card is charged. Let’s get into this month’s box!

Boxycharm's June box that includes Glamglow cleanser, Touch in Sol highlight palette, Jecca Blac primer, Nars lip pencil and Aceology lip maks.

The first product in this month’s box is the GlamGlow Supercleanse Clearing Cream-to-Foam Cleanser. This cleanser has a blend of three charcoals to detoxify the skin, clear pores and remove makeup. With most cleansers, I would wet my face and then apply the cleanser to my wet skin. With this cleanser, I squeeze some onto my hands, wet the cleanser and then apply it. I do find that sometimes I have to add water to my face after applying because it’s too dry. Overall the Glamglow cleanser isn’t bad but it stings my eyes so I don’t use it to remove makeup. This would be a good shower cleanser because it would be easier to get it wet and easier to remove. I think this might be breaking me out, or I could be breaking out from wearing a mask more (since I’m leaving the house more for work). I need to test it out a bit more so it doesn’t quite yet have my stamp of approval. Price: $32 US, $42 CAD

Up next is the product that I selected. Boxycharm now allows you to pick one product in your box. I often forget to pick (I didn’t pick in time for July oops) but I did remember for June and picked the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil. I picked Dolce Vita, a dusty rose, which was one of the few natural options Boxycharm had. I really like this lip pencil. I’ve been wearing it every day to work this past week. The name matte can be deceiving because people would think this lip might be drying and uncomfortable. But I would just describe this as not-shiny. It’s still very creamy and applies easily to the lips. It’s not the most long-lasting, it will come off after I eat. But colour and formula make this a great everyday lip product. Highly recommend! Price: $27 US, $35 CAD

Touch in Sol Pretty Filter Glowdient Makeup Palette highlight palette.

The next product is the Touch in Sol Pretty Filter Glowdient Makeup Palette. I was excited to try out this product since I love the primers from Touch in Sol. I’m on the fence about this palette. I’ve said this before many times, but I’m not a huge fan of face palettes because I often don’t use all the shades. I would wear the three shades on the left, but the two shades on the right are just too dark for me. On the other hand, the formula is nice. These highlights are so soft and creamy that they blend seamlessly onto the skin. Such a great formula. While I love the formula it is annoying because I would prefer having one highlight instead of a full palette. Also, the packaging is plastic and very cheap feeling. As I said, I’m on the fence. Price: $34 US

Up next is the Aceology Overnight Lip Mask. This lip mask is pretty mediocre. First not a huge fan of the packaging. I wish the tube had an angled applicator because I find those easier to apply to the lips. Instead, I have to squeeze it onto my finger and then apply it to my lips. The mask itself is pretty average. It does hydrate but by morning my lips are dry again. For example, the Lanolips lip ointment is so good that the next morning I still have product on my lip. This lip mask isn’t bad it’s just not that impressive. It does have a coconut scent which is nice though! Price: $19 US

The final product is the Jecca Blac Hydrate Primer. This primer isn’t bad but it’s not my thing. This primer is meant to just hydrate the skin. To be honest the texture and finish on the skin just remind me of a moisturizer. Since I have oily skin I don’t need extra hydration because I use a moisturizer during my skincare routine. I want my primers to either smooth my skin, blur my pores or add some luminosity. This primer doesn’t do any of those things so it’s kinda pointless for me. I can understand if you have very dry skin this would be nice to add some extra hydration. I’ll keep this for the winter when my skin is on the drier side, but I don’t see myself reaching for this every day. Price: $20 US, $27.75 CAD

The overall total of my box is $132. Not the most impressive value and not the most impressive box. I really like the Nars Lip Pencil. The rest of the products are mediocre. I’ll continue to use them but they didn’t wow me and they weren’t products I would repurchase.

Let me know what you guys think. Do you think this is a good box? If you get Boxycharm let me know what products you got in your box!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Makeup, Review

I tried TikTok’s favourite mascara: Maybelline Sky High Mascara Review

by LeaLeave a Comment on I tried TikTok’s favourite mascara: Maybelline Sky High Mascara Review

Hey guys! First I want to start this blog post by sharing some exciting news – I have started a new job! And it’s in my field!! I’ve very excited about this new opportunity, but I’ll be honest this might affect my posting schedule. I going to try and stick to my current schedule right now but that might change. I recommend making sure to follow me on all my platforms but especially Instagram since that’s where I announce new posts and video or if a post is delayed. For now, I plan to continue posting on Tuesday and Fridays, 3 PM EST but if that changes I’ll be sure to announce that here. Okay, let’s get into it!

Today I have a mascara review! I’ve been trying to get my hands on the Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara for a while now. It went viral on Tiktok and ever since then it’s always been sold out at the drugstore. But I finally got it and I’m excited because so far I love it.

This mascara is meant to deliver length and volume as well as being long-lasting. The wand is on the thinner side to be able to coat all the lashes to create an impactful look for each angle.

Now everyone wants different things with their mascara. It’s almost like foundation where everyone has different wants. For me, I like a mascara that gives a lot of length with some volume to balance it out. Having all length with no volume just looks spidery for me. And all volume no length generally makes my eyelashes look clumpy. So I was very excited about the description of the mascara.

The wand has short bristles and is plastic. I know some people don’t like these types of wands because they can poke you in the eye. But I prefer this type of wand because I find big wand get mascara on my eyelids easily. This wands allows me to easily coat my lashes with mascara.

I have one coat of the mascara on the left and no mascara on the right

I have to say this mascara delivers on its claims. My lashes are long but have a bit of volume at the base to help balance them out. They also last throughout the day. I hate when my lashes look long at the beginning but fall and look short by the end of the day.

I didn’t experience any flaking or smudging underneath my eyes, but that’s not something I usually deal with other mascaras. The mascara also comes off pretty easily with makeup remover. Not as easy as a tubing mascara, but it’s not as stubborn as the Benefit They’re Real mascara which is one of the most difficult mascaras to remove in my opinion.

Overall I’m impressed with this mascara so far. I do find that mascara formulas can change over time as they dry, with some improving and others diminishing in quality. But so far I’m in love!

Let me know in the comments if you guys tried this mascara and if you think it lives up to the hype. And also let me know what your favourite drugstore mascara is!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Review

Is Native Deodorant Actually Good? Review

by Lea2 Comments on Is Native Deodorant Actually Good? Review

Hey guys! Today we’re talking all about deodorant. Not necessarily the most glamourous topic, but it’s something I use every day so it’s an important product! This might be a little unusual but I’ve been using Old Spice Fiji for about eight years now, give or take. When I started working as a lifeguard, one of my coworkers introduced me to it. Men’s deodorants are typically stronger than women’s and working at the pool we would get sweaty and needed something stronger. The Fiji scent is lavender and pina coladas so I loved using it!

The only thing is that Old Spice deodorant is made with aluminum, which everyone says is bad for you. Now I haven’t done any research into this, but I thought it wouldn’t hurt to switch to a natural deodorant. The only issue is that I haven’t found a good one. The other two I tried had very wet and sticky formulas that stained my clothes. They also did nothing to stop the sweat and smell. I wasn’t impressed and stuck with my Old Spice.

For a while now I’ve heard a lot of hype about Native deodorants. Native is known for making a clean deodorant made without aluminum and other nasty ingredients. The deodorants are also cruelty-free and made in the USA. They have done a lot of influencer marketing so I’ve seen so many ads about Native deodorants. When you see so many ads you question if the product is good or not. But I’ve also seen some influencers talk about the brand organically so I felt like the deodorant must be legit.

I wanted to test out the brand for myself and see if the products were worth the hype. For a while, their deodorants were only available on their website, but I found out they were available at Walmart in Canada – I actually vlogged my trip to Walmart when I picked it up.

On the Native website, they have seven classic scents and five limited edition scents. At Walmart, they have only five of the seven classic scents. I decided to go with Eucalyptus and Mint since it was the strongest scent. The deodorant is on the pricier side, being $15 CAD (they are $12 US on the website, which is basically the same when you do currency exchange). This is a lot because other deodorants are around $4-6.

My first impression was that the Native deodorant stick looks like other deodorants. Sometimes natural deodorants have gel textures, but this one is normal which I like. I will say that the deodorant is a little harder compared to normal formulas. I have to rub a little harder to get it on my armpits, but once it ‘warms up’ it glides on easily.

So far I haven’t noticed any issues with staining. I wear black pretty often and haven’t noticed any white substance on my clothes that can sometimes happen with deodorant. Can’t confirm if it stains white shirts though because I haven’t worn any white shirts in the two weeks I’ve owned it (what can I say, I don’t wear a lot of white). I haven’t noticed any product build-up in my armpits as well.

I couldn’t have picked a better time to test this deodorant. I’m a naturally sweaty gal and I’ve been living with a broken AC during a heatwave the past two weeks. So I really put this to the test. I would say this performs just as well as my Old Spice deodorant. To say I never get sweaty and smelly is a lie. I will never not smell if I’m outside in 30-degree weather or working out. But for everyday wear, it’s pretty good.

I will say that I do kinda regret getting the eucalyptus and mint scent. It’s nice when I first apply it and just chilling. But when I do get sweaty, the scent just doesn’t mix well with my natural body odour. The eucalyptus just as a musty quality to my B.O. But I think this is just due to my natural body chemistry. I don’t think I would have this issue with other scents.

Do I think this product is good or overhyped? I have to say I’m team Native deodorant. This is hands down the best natural deodorant I’ve ever tried. It competes on the same level as other mainstream deodorants but without the nasty chemicals. I would buy this again in the future, but just a different scent. I do understand that the price tag is high, but to be honest a stick of deodorant lasts me a decent amount of time so it’s not like hair conditioner which I go through in it like two weeks. Also Native is cheaper than other natural deodorants that you can get at Sephora so it’s all comparative.

Overall I like the Native deodorants. Let me know in the comments if you tried Native deodorants and what your thoughts were about it. And if you have other natural deodorants like you like or prefer more let me know in the comments!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Makeup, Review

10 Best Beauty Products Under $10

by Lea2 Comments on 10 Best Beauty Products Under $10

Hey guys! I love a good drugstore haul or product review, but I usually focus on the product over the price. Today I thought I would share some of my favourite products under $10. I also plan to do a post for products under $15 and $20. Just want to note that the majority of prices are in Canadian dollars since I live in Canada. But a few things are only listed in US dollars (such as Colourpop products) – which I will mark with an asterisk*. Since currency exchange varies I’m just going to include the US price in this post. I also have one product that is $9 US which is over $10 CAD, but I just decided to include it since it’ll be under $10 for all my American followers. Okay this intro is getting rambling. Let’s get into it.

The best beauty products under $10

Up first we have the Wet n Wild Photofocus foundations. Both the matte and the dewy finish are $8.79. These foundations provide great coverage, perfect for those days where I have some acne on my face. The foundations also mix well with other foundations. So I can use these foundations to mix with a foundation that is too light or dark for me. Both the matte and the dewy finish last long. A great foundation at an affordable price.

I’ve mentioned these eyeshadow palettes before, but the Wet n Wild Colour Icon palettes are some of the best at the drugstore. The shimmers are mediocre, but the mattes are great. They are quite pigmented and easy to blend. If you’re looking to getting into eyeshadow, these are a great palette to pick up since they are $7.27.

If you’re looking to build your eyeshadow collection but don’t want a palette OR are looking for a specific shade, single shadows are a great option. Colourpop has a great variety of single shadows. Their shadows are $4.50* and their pressed glitters are $5.00*. Some of my favourite shades include Bel Air, Made to Last and Get Lost.

Another great option from Colourpop is the Super Shock Shadows. Most are $6.00* and their limited edition Super Shock Shadows are $7.00*. You could pair one of these with a single shade and have a great eyeshadow look. I’ve owned many over the years, but the ones I currently own are Balloon Pop and Set to Stun.

If you’re looking to get into false lashes, then it’s great to get affordable pair. No sense in spending lots of money on something you might not wear often. Colourpop has great lashes, with a pair starting at $8.00*. My two favourite styles are Queenie and Dame.

Pressed powder is not exactly the most exciting product to purchase, but it’s important especially if you have oily skin like me. The Wet n Wild PhotoFocus Pressed Powder is a great affordable powder. It helps set the face and control oil. It also leaves my face smooth and soft. And it’s formulated to not flashback in photos. The best part is that this powder is $5.97.

It can be hard to find an affordable cream blush. They’re either expensive or don’t work well. The Colourpop Blush Stix is the best affordable blush and easily competes with my high-end blushes. They are quite pigmented and last a surprisingly long time for being a cream. The Blush Stixs are $9.00*.

I have two different highlight options for you. If you are looking for something bright and bold, then check out the Wet n Wild Megaglo highlights. At $7.47, these bad boys pack quite a punch but are still very creamy. No harsh lines with this highlight. If you want something softer, check out the Essence Pure NUDE Highlighter. This is a baked highlight so it’s quite soft and will give a glow from within look. And this highlight is only $5.49.

Colourpop has so many affordable lips, but if I had to pick my favourite it would be their Just a Tint lip tint. The formula is very comfortable on the lips but still gives off nice pigmentation. I have the shade Rise n Shine and I wear it all the time. And at $8.00* you won’t break the bank buying it.

And those are my best makeup products under $10. I hope you guys enjoyed this post and found it helpful! Let me know what some of your affordable makeup products are!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Review, Skincare

Nighttime Skincare Routine

by LeaLeave a Comment on Nighttime Skincare Routine

Hey guys! Today I decided to share my nighttime skincare with you. The last time I shared a skincare routine it was my morning one, so I thought it was time to share my evening routine. While some things are the same, I have to remove my makeup in the evening so it’s a slightly different process. Let’s get into it.

Nighttime skincare routine including: Laneige, Versed and KylieSkin cleansers, OleHenriksen toner, Murad moisturizer, MineTanBodySkin hyaluronic acid and Farmacy eye cream.

Now if I’m feeling particularly lazy I will just remove my makeup with some micellar water on a cotton round. But the majority of the time I will use an oily cleanser to remove my makeup. I find that oil-based cleansers are the best at breaking down my makeup. There are two oil-based cleansers that I currently like to use.

If my makeup isn’t super heavy or if its already worn off, then I’ll use the Laneige Cream Skin Milk Oil Cleanser. This cleanser is quite thin so I use about three to four pumps for my whole face. It just melts the makeup off my face and leaves it feeling soft and smooth after. The milky consistency is suitable for all skin types. It removes all my makeup, but I find it’s not as effective as a balm.

If I’m wearing a lot of makeup then I reach for a cleansing balm. I just find that it’ll get really oily and breakdowns stubborn mascara or eyeliner the best. I’ve used quite a few, but the one I currently own is the Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm. It has a light eucalyptus scent and doesn’t irritate my eyes. This one is cheaper than the other ones I’ve tried but just as effective. I always make sure to double cleanse when using a balm though, because my oily skin doesn’t like excess oil.

After I remove my makeup I go in with a second cleanser. If you’re unfamiliar with the double-cleanse method, the idea is to use a cleanser to remove your makeup and then a second cleanser to clean your skin. Since I have oily, acne-prone skin I find that it makes a difference to do a second cleanse. But I like to use a gentle cleanser as to not strip my face and irritate it.

The current cleanser I’m using for my second cleanse is the Kylie Skin Foaming Face Wash, which I got in a Boxycharm box. This cleanser is formulated to be gentle so it’s perfect for my second cleanse. I wouldn’t use this as my morning cleanser because I find it isn’t strong enough by itself. But after a first cleanse it just ensure that my face is clean and ready for the next steps in my routine.

I focus most of my skincare use in the morning, so in the evenings I try and use up products that I have already open. For example, the Ole Henriksen Oil Control toner is my favourite, but I have the Glow2OH Dark Spot Toner as well so I use it in the evening to try and finish it. I just don’t find it very effective but I don’t want to waste it so I use it at night. This toner has AHAs to help brighten dark spots. I find my dark spots react better to vitamin c serum, which I use in the morning. So I don’t necessarily recommend this toner, but it’s what I’m currently using.

After my toner, just like in the morning, I go in with hyaluronic acid. I finally finished that Inkey List one and I’m now using the MineTan.Body.Skin Hydra Glow Sleep Serum, which I also got in my Boxycharm. And I notice a difference using this hyaluronic acid! It gives me some hydration and makes my face feel plumper. I also will spray my face with a facial mist before applying the serum. I find that’s the best way to get results. So I’ve concluded that hyaluronic acid does work for my skin, just not The Inkey List one.

The next step in my routine is my moisturizer. I’m currently using the Murad City Skin Overnight Detox Moisturizer, which I also got in my Boxycharm. As I’ve said, I like to finish up products in my nighttime routine, so that means finishing up products that I tested from my Boxycharm. This moisturizer is pretty nice if a little on the thick side. I usually gravitate to something lighter but it doesn’t break me out and leaves me feeling hydrated so I use it!

Then I go in with my eye cream, the Farmacy Cheer Up Brightening Vitamin C Eye Cream. And you guessed it – I got this in my Boxycharm ahaha! I only use eye cream for hydration. This eye cream is supposed to help with fine lines and darkness but I haven’t noticed a difference. It doesn’t irritate my eyes so I use it to finish it up.

And then I’ll finish up with a lip balm, whichever is close by. And that’s my nighttime skincare routine! Besides my first cleanser, everything else I’m using to just to finish up. Because I focus on making sure that my skin is properly cleansed and treated in the morning, I just like to use up products in the evening. I have so many opened products and I’m making an effort to finish them up before purchasing more.

Let me know in the comments what products you guys like to use in the evening. And if you have any recommendations for me let me know, I always love trying new stuff!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Favourites, Makeup, Review, Top 5

My Top 5 Products from My Top 5 Brands

by Lea4 Comments on My Top 5 Products from My Top 5 Brands

Hey guys! Today’s post is inspired by the lovely Allana Davison, who recently did this in video format. She shared her top five products from her top five makeup brands. I wanted to do this myself. This was a little harder than I expected because while I might love a certain brands, I didn’t necessarily have five products from them. But I managed to figure it out. I have 25 products so I will try and keep it brief otherwise this post will be super long! Let’s get into it.

Fenty Beauty foundations, bronzer and lip gloss

When thinking of my top brands my mind immediately went to Fenty Beauty. I have three foundations and I love each one. I have the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation, the Pro Filt’r Hydrating Longwear Foundation and the Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint. I discussed this in my Eaze Drop review but each foundation is unique. Both long-wearing foundations are full-coverage, but the finishes are different. The Eaze Drops have a lighter coverage but last just as long. Fenty Beauty is also known for having a large shade range, so there is a very high chance that you can find a shade that matches you. If you are looking for a new foundation Fenty Beauty is a great place to look.

Another one of my favourites is the Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’r Instant Warmth Bronzer. Just like the foundations, the bronzer range is quite extensive with nine different shades. This is unlike other brands that might have three shades. The bronzer is quite pigmented so just make sure to use a light hand!

I can’t talk about Fenty Beauty without mentioning the Gloss Bombs. These came out right when gloss was becoming big again. The doe-foot applicator is larger than other glosses so it’s easy to apply the gloss in one easy swipe. I have the original Fenty Glow, which is a rose nude. But the shade range has expanded, and they also come out with limited edition shades all the time. If you love gloss then you have to check this one out.

Maybelline bronzer, highlight, powder, concealer and lipstick

The second brand that came to mind is Maybelline. When I was a teenager and didn’t know anything about makeup, Maybelline was the brand that I gravitated towards. Now that I know more about makeup I still reach for them. My absolute favourite product from them is the Maybelline Fit Me! Matte & Poreless Powder. This was the first powder I purchased, and after testing out other powders this one is still great. It’s silky smooth and feels so soft and does a great job of mattifying my skin but doesn’t make me look cakey. This powder is an oily girl’s dream.

Within the Fit Me! range, I also love the Fit Me Concealer. I’ve found that I prefer more natural concealers, and this one fits the bill. It’s thinner and so it blends out seamlessly. The shade I have is my summer shade. This is the perfect concealer to wear in the summer when I want some coverage but don’t want anything heavy or cakey. A great drugstore concealer.

Maybelline powder products are amazing. The Maybelline Master Chrome Highlighters are gorgeous. The formula is so creamy, so I can apply a small amount for a soft glow or pack it on to make it blinding. Another great powder is the City Bronzer. This is the perfect summer bronzer. It has a soft sheen in the powder so it creates a beautiful, bronzed, glow-from-within look. A great drugstore bronzer.

And my final favourite product from Maybelline is their Colour Sensational Lipsticks. Their formula and colour remind me of MAC lipsticks. There are different finishes and SO many shades that you’re bound to find one you like. So if you need a new lipstick, check out Maybelline.

Colourpop eyeshadows, false lashes, blush and lip tint

The brand that I easily own the most products from is Colourpop. The majority of products I’ve ordered myself, but I have received a few from my Boxycharm as well. My favourite product is their Super Shock Shadows. I own quite a few of these. These are creamy eyeshadows that dry down on the eyes and last all day. I prefer the glittery ones because they’re just so pretty and such an easy way to apply glitter to the eyes. I will often just put bronzer on the eyes and a Super Shock Shadow for an easy but fun makeup look. I highly recommend this.

Colourpop’s eyeshadow formula is also amazing. I have so many palettes from them. The one I put in the photo is the So Jaded palette, one of my more recent purchases (which of course is now discontinued. Of course I pick the palette that’s discontinued lol). But I also have a magnetic palette with some of their single shadows. Their mattes are pigmented and easy to blend. And the shimmers are impactful and easy to apply. I love all their palettes, but they do discontinue them quite frequently so it’s hard to recommend one. So just pick one that has a colour story you like because it’s probably good.

Another eye product is their false lashes! Besides Ardell, these are the best affordable lashes that I’ve tried. They have a thick band so it’s easy to apply and stays put pretty easily. I have the styles Queenie and Dame. If you’re looking to get into lashes but don’t want to shell out a lot of money, check these out.

I love cream blushes, I really do. But most of my favourites are quite expensive. The Colourpop Blush Stix is the best affordable option I’ve tried. It’s quite pigmented AND blends easily, unlike a lot of affordable cream blushes. I can swipe this on my face and blend it out no problem. I have the shade Splash, which is a warm rose, but there are other shades as well.

Colourpop has so many great lip options, but my fave is their Just A Tint lip tint. There are some of the best hydrating lipstick formulas I’ve tried. It’s very hydrating and comfortable on the lips. But for being a tint it has a pretty good colour payoff. I have the shade Rise n Shine, which is a peach tint. I would recommend adding these to your cart.

Tarte blush, setting mist, liquid lipstick, lip balm and mascara.

When I was thinking about what some of my favourite products are, I realized I had quite a few from Tarte. They’re not necessarily a brand that’s always on my radar, but everything I own from them I love! Tarte mascaras are some of my favourites. The Tarteist Lash Paint Mascara is one of my all-time favourites. I don’t currently own it, but I have the Maneater Voluptuous Mascara and it’s pretty good as well.

I also love Tarte lip products. The Tarte SEA Quench Lip Rescue Balm is one of my all-time favourite lip balms. I bought a new one at the beginning of winter and I’ve almost finished it already. The packaging is sleek and I prefer twist-up balms the most. It hydrates by chapped lips and adds the lightest tint as well. I also have one of the Tarteist Quick Dry Lip Paints and they’re some of the most comfortable liquid lipsticks. My favourite shade is unfortunately discontinued by the formula is still great. It dries quickly, doesn’t crack and is long-lasting. Everything you need with a liquid lip.

I got a Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in one of my Sephora birthday gifts many years ago and it looks like I’ve barely made a dent even though I’ve worn it so much. This is a blush that will take you forever to get through. It’s a very soft formula so you don’t have to worry about getting clown cheeks with this blush.

The final product is one I just recently finished – the Ready, Set, Radiant Skin Mist. I always found it a little too wet for makeup use. But then I saw someone using a mist before applying hyaluronic acid so I got the idea to use this mist. And it works perfectly for that! It’s easy to wet my face and it has skincare benefits as well! Just goes to show that sometimes getting creative and reworking products can be beneficial!

Wet n Wild foundations, powder, highlight and eyeshadow

My final brand is Wet n Wild. I’m not a huge fan of the packaging, it’s pretty cheap, but the products are worth it. For example, I am in love with the Wet n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder. The lid doesn’t even properly close, but I deal with it because the powder is so beautiful. It’s very similar in consistency to the Maybelline highlight; it can be soft or blinding depending on how you apply the powder. Great drugstore highlight.

Another great powder product from Wet n Wild is the PhotoFocus Pressed Powder. Unlike the Maybelline one, this almost feels like a baked powder. It’s quite light so it’s perfect for setting the skin. And with all the products in the PhotoFocus range, it’s meant to not create photo flashback.

Speaking of PhotoFocus, the PhotoFocus foundations are great. I have both the Matte and the Dewy foundations. Both foundations provide great coverage and are quite long-lasting. The only difference is the finish. I love using these foundations to mix with others. They add great coverage and can alter the finish depending on the one I use. And because they’re affordable, I own different shades as well. So I can use mix them or with other foundations to create my perfect shade. A great affordable foundation.

And the final product is the Wet n Wild Colour Icon Eyeshadow palettes. I’ve said this before but these are some of the eyeshadows at the drugstore. The shimmers are a little lacklustre, but there are only two in the palette. I can use the mattes to create a beautiful base and then add a colourful single shadow (such as the Colourpop Super Shock Shadows) to complete the look. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get good eyeshadows.

And THAT IS IT. Wow, that’s a long post haha. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Let me know if you would want to see do a second part! And let me know in the comments what some of your favourite brands are!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Makeup, Project Pan, Review

Product of the Month Update & Project Pan 2021

by Lea2 Comments on Product of the Month Update & Project Pan 2021

Hey guys! So today I am giving an update about my product of the month series and introducing my project pan. I have been doing my product of the month series for just over a year but decided I wanted to do things a little differently this year. My product of the month series was good when I was wearing makeup every day and testing out many different products. But my makeup habits have changed and the series doesn’t make sense to me anymore. So I will share my thoughts on my December products and then introduce my project pan, which will be replacing this series.

makeup, makeup palette, bronzer, bronzer palette, ace beaute, colourpop, colourpop jelly much, beauty

The first product I picked for December was the Ace Beaute Bronzed in Paradise Palette. I enjoyed using this palette. I’m usually not a huge fan of face palettes, but the shades of this one work perfectly that I can use it on my face and my eyes. The powders blend beautifully and are easy to use. I enjoy this palette and will continue using it.

The second product was the Colourpop Jelly Much Shadow in Whistlin’ Pixie. I picked this product because it’s almost dried out and I wanted to get some use out of it. This is such a beautiful shade. This is a beautiful warm brown and it has gold glitter running throughout it. It’s really pretty and I loved it every time I wore it. But it’s dried out so it doesn’t make sense for me to keep it, especially because I have similar shades in my collection.

project pan, makeup, beauty, colourpop, eyeshadow, bareminerals, powder, lipstick, lipgloss, mac, maybelline, wander beauty

Now it’s time to introduce my project pan. For those of you who don’t know what project pan is, it’s a makeup challenge where you try and finish your makeup. The term pan is when you can see the bottom of a powder product. There are many different versions of this challenge, so I’m just going to pick what makes sense for me.

I have picked five products to begin my project pan. These are from categories that I have the most makeup. I am going to try and use these products as much as possible but I won’t restrict myself from using other products if it’s for a certain occasion and/or makeup look. I’m going to give an update every three months. I might decide to switch up a product or continue, depending on my mood. We’ll see how it goes. Today I will be sharing the products I have selected and the goals I have for the next three months.

colourpop, kathleen lights, dream st palette, project pan, eyeshadow, eyeshadow palette

The first product is the Colourpop x Kathleen Lights Dream St palette. This palette has been discontinued so it’s not very fair of me to use it in normal posts since you guys can’t purchase it. But it doesn’t make sense for me to not use it. So I thought it would be perfect for a project pan. I would like to hit pan on Shooting Star and Magical and one other matte shade. I would also like to hit pan on Moony and one other shimmer as well. We’ll see how it goes!

makeup, powder, transclucent power, setting powder, bareminerals

The next product is the bareMinerals Translucent Powder Duo. I just found out while writing this post that this product has also been discontinued, which seems to be a running theme in my selections. I got this powder in 2017 so it’s old (and probably expired). I picked this because it has a translucent side and a glowy side that I can use as a highlight. I’ve made a pretty good dent on the matte side but would love to use up more of the glow side as well.

makeup, beauty, wander beauty, bronzer, blush, face palette

I thoughts about using an individual blush and bronzer, but I rarely use my face palettes so I thought it would be smart to use one of those instead. I decided to pick my Wander Beauty Trip for Two palette. I like both the bronzer and blush so I don’t think I’ll hate using this for three months. The bronzer is well used and would love to hit pan on it. The blush hasn’t been used as much so I would love to just make a sizeable dent.

I decided to pick a lipstick and lip gloss since I have a large collection of both that I don’t often use. The lipstick I picked is one of the older ones in my collection: the Maybelline Matte Lipstick in Daringly Nude. I thought it would be good to use a nude since then I can wear it more often. And for gloss, I picked the MAC Cremesheen Glass lip gloss. The shade I have is discontinued so that’s why I want to use it up. I’ve made a pretty good dent in both of these, so ideally I would love to finish or get close to finishing these in the next three months.

And that is my project pan! Let me know if you’ve ever done a project pan before, and if so please leave me some tips to help me out. I will be posting my update at the beginning of April so stay tuned for that!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Drugstore, Makeup, Product of the Month, Review

December Products of the Month

by Lea1 Comment on December Products of the Month

Hey guys! Today I am sharing my thoughts on my November products of the month and picking my December products of the month. I can’t believe it’s already December. It somehow feels like 2020 has been the slowest but also the fastest year. Anyways, let’s get into the products.

The first product is the Milani Make It Last Setting Spray. I did finish their setting spray, which was the goal for the month. It’s not necessarily mattifying but it does help get rid of that powdery look to the face. This is a really good long-lasting setting spray. I do notice a difference in my makeup’s ability to stay put while using this setting spray. I would recommend this if you are looking for a good long-lasting setting spray. Now that I’ve finished this spray I am going to purchase a new one, the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray. I feel better about buying a new one now that I’ve finished one.

The second product I picked was the Glossier Wowder. My biggest complaint the first time I reviewed it was the fact that barely any powder comes out. And I have to agree that I had the same issue. I thought maybe because there was too much powder in it but I’ve used it all month and I still have the same issue. The packaging is a mesh that I find to be too tight to let out much powder. I struggle to get enough out and therefore find that I can’t powder as much as I want. For example, The Becca Hydra-Mist Set & Refresh Powder is also a mesh but it lets the product out. I think I need to cut the mesh or something but this is just aggravating me. Not a fan.

Now for my December products. The first is the Ace Beaute Bronzed in Paradise Palette. Bronzed is something I wear all the time, even when wearing a mask. There is also a range of shades in here, so I can also use it on the eyes. I also haven’t used this palette in a while so I thought it would be nice to get some use out of it. And then the second product is the Colourpop Jelly Much Shadow in Whistlin’ Pixie. It’s almost dried out, so I thought I would use it a few more times before throwing it out.

And those are the products of the month. As always, let me know if you have any suggestions on products that you would like to see me test out!

xoxo

Lea

Beauty, Makeup, Product of the Month, Review

November Products of the Month

by Lea1 Comment on November Products of the Month

Hey guys! It’s that time of the month where I review some products and pick some more to review lol. Every month I picked two products to focus on using up. I used the two items I picked for October quite often, so I have pretty definitive thoughts on the products. So let’s get into it.

The first product is the Too Faced Born This Way Ethereal Setting Powder. I was hoping to finish this powder but it’s still going strong. What I like about this powder is that it looks very smooth and soft on the face. It’s not too matte but it does help keep my oil at bay. The only thing is that I’ve noticed that it has a slight yellow tint to the powder. I always thought it was my concealers but I’ve come to realize that it’s the powder. Now that’s helpful is I apply a concealer that’s pink-based because it will help neutralize it. I just need to be careful because if I apply too much underneath my eyes I notice the yellow tint. For that reason, I prefer other powders, but it’s still good. I will continue to use it until I finish it.

The second product I picked for October is the Tarte Big Ego Mascara. This isn’t my favourite Tarte mascara. This one has a big mascara wand and I’m not a huge fan of those because I always manage to get mascara all over my lids. So that’s somewhat annoying. I also don’t like the formula. It’s more lengthening than volumizing, but even the length is pretty mediocre. It just doesn’t do much to enhance my natural lashes. And finally, I wore this outside one day when it was really cold so my eyes were watery. And it smudged all over the place! I’ve never had that happen to me before. Now this all might be because this mascara is ancient (aka I’ve had it for over a year) so that affects the quality of the makeup. I think based on my experience but also its age I’m going to throw it away.

Okay now for November! I’ve been trying to pick basic products that I will hopefully use even on days where I don’t wear much makeup. So keeping that in mind I have decided to pick a powder and a setting spray. The first is the Glossier Wowder. I got this powder back in August and I don’t think I’ve used it once since. So I thought it would be good to use it. The second product is the Milani Make It Last Setting Spray. I am pretty close to finishing this spray so I thought it would be good to finish it up and give my thoughts on it.

So those are my products for November. Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried either my October or November products and what your thoughts were on them.

xoxo

Lea