Faestina

November Favourites

2013-12-03T23:11:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! I'm going to try something different where at the end of each month I'm going to pick out my favourite products, or products that I just keep going back to. For this month the products I keep going back to are my Annabelle CC cream and Maybelline BB cream. These are my must haves for my every day look routine. Mixed together they give me the perfect coverage and make my skin look flawless! Add MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium on top and my face is good to go!

I recently went to the Annabelle and Marcelle warehouse sale and picked up a few goodies. One item in particular that I keep going back to is the multi-colour powder blush in Pink Fusion. This blush is perfect for a flushed look that's really natural looking. Top if off with Lancome's Hypnose Star mascara and l'Oreal's super slim liquid eyeliner in black and I have my everyday look that's perfect for the office and only takes me ten minutes in the morning to do! Haha I need a quick look in the morning because I keep hitting the snooze button on my alarm!

When I have a bit more time to do an eye look I love using my Naked 2 palette by Urban Decay. I love this palette so much it's crazy! You can create almost any look using this palette and the color possibilities are endless! I also really like using Tease to fill in my brows. It's not too dark but has the right ashy shade in it to fill in my brows.

Here's a list of my November favourites:

Annabelle CC Color Control - Natural Finish

This is a perfecting base that's good for all skin tones. I really like how smooth and silky this product is on my face. I'll use this as a base before applying my BB cream to help diminish the redness in my cheeks and to have a smooth canvas to work with. It says it's supposed to help neutralize redness, dull and uneven complexions. This CC cream is a definite thumbs up!

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream - Light Sheer Tint

I love using this BB cream because it's not greasy, gives me the coverage I want and has a neat applicator. I like the idea of not having to use a pump so I can squeeze out whatever amount I want to use. It has an SPF 30 which is great and is supposed to help blur imperfections, brighten, adjust skin tones, hydrate and more. I've tried a few other brands of BB creams and this is the only one so far that hasn't made me break out.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural - Medium

This pressed powder is perfect for setting my makeup or even just to apply over my moisturizer when I'm not in the mood to apply foundation. I like how it applies because it doesn't leave my skin too matte or too shiny so it makes for a really nice natural finish.

Lancome Hypnose Star - Black

Ah I think I'm in love! I used to love the Hypnose Drame mascara until I discovered this one! This was another whim purchase where I liked the holiday packaging and decided to buy it since it was a box of multiple items (Makeup remover, artliner and mascara) for the price of the mascara. I was apprehensive of not liking this because of the brush tip but oh my this is an amazing mascara! It applies evenly, gives me the effect I want with one coat and doesn't flake off during the day. I noticed that my eyes get irritated during the day when wearing other mascaras and no such luck with this one, bonus points!

L'Oreal Paris - The Super Slim Liquid Eyeliner - Black

This eyeliner was a random purchase I made when wanting to test out new liquid liners. The last one I got ended up looking nice with the applicator, but when applied it was like it was really watery. You didn't get that nice black solid line you were looking for. On the other hand, with this here nifty liner, you not only get a really fine tip (Which is awesome for me when trying to apply to my inner corners) the pigmentation is a super rich black. It lasts all day, is waterproof and comes off easily with makeup remover. This is a nifty little pen I will definitely be purchasing again!

Marcelle Multi-Colour Powder Blush - Pink Fusion

Aside from the cute packaging, this blush is great for a natural flush on your cheeks. From my plethora of blushes I can't help but keep going back to this one. It was a lucky find at a warehouse sale and I'm really glad I picked it up (All because I thought it looked cute haha!).

Urban Decay Naked 2

This is seriously the best palette ever! It's a bit pricey but well worth it especially since I keep going back to it every time. I love these neutral shades that can make the simplest look or create a dark smoky eye. I can create almost any look with this palette so it's really handy. Lately for a quick look I've been using a mix of Bootycall, Tease and Snakebite.

New Holiday Promo!!!

2013-10-29T21:09:00.000-04:00

Easy way to clean your makeup brushes!

2013-10-23T16:09:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone! Am I the only one who hates cleaning their makeup brushes? I have so many brushes that by the time I'm done cleaning every single one, my hands are all pruny and smell like baby shampoo for hours! It also takes forever to get them clean too. Especially the ones that are caked in foundation or concealer; those are the hardest to clean because you want to make sure you remove all of the product that's wormed its way in between the bristles.

For those that know me, you know that I'm a big fan of Sigma products and that I have a lot of brushes! When it comes to cleaning my brushes, I try and prep myself for doing them once a week but it seems daunting with the amount that I have and the state of my hands by the end. To solve my issue I found out that Sigma released a product that works like a charm!

It's called the Sigma Spa™ Brush Cleaning Glove and it's like the name states, a glove for cleaning your brushes. What's awesome about it is that you don't have to get your hands wet and you don't have to wash your heavy duty brushes multiple times to make sure all of the product is removed. If you look at the glove you'll see that there are nifty little sections that help you wash, rinse, refine and shape your brushes.

The Sigma Spa™ Brush Cleaning Glove provides 6 unique cleaning textures for both eye and face brushes. In the example above, you can see how easy it is to wash, refine, rinse and shape your brushes! Combined, the Sigma Spa™ Brush Cleaning Glove and Dry’n Shape thoroughly clean, dry, shape and ultimately extend the life of professional makeup brushes.

Product Information

Cost: $39

Collection Status: Permanent. Available now on sigmabeauty.com!

Features & Benefits:Unique textures for efficient brush cleaning. Constructed with high-grade silicone for durability and a microfiber inner-glove for added comfort. New patented method of brush cleaning for minimizing the time spent washing your brushes.

If you're interested in purchasing the glove don't forget to use the current promo code!

Save 10% on your order with the code FALL2013

Annabelle Cosmetics TwistUp Retractable Lipstick Crayon - Sparkling Corals

2013-10-16T23:45:00.004-04:00

Hey everyone! We're finally at the last collection from Annabelle Cosmetic's twistups. This collection is called Sparkling Corals and is a mix of really fun colors. My favourite from this collection is Orange Pop. For someone who wasn't big on bold lip colors until I started playing with the twistups, this one really surprised me. It's a rich, vibrant orange that is really pigmented. I love that you don't have to apply multiple layers to get the color that you want. One sweep and BAM! Bold lips!

Here's a swatch on my arm in order from top to bottom: Bubble, Kiss, Mimosa, Orange Pop and Sorbet

Here are a few swatches on my lips in order from top to bottom: Bubble, Kiss, Mimosa, Orange Pop and Sorbet

Annabelle Cosmetics TwistUp Retractable Lipstick Crayon - Trendy Basics

2013-10-16T23:32:00.004-04:00

Hey everyone! Here's the second to last post for the Annabelle Cosmetics twistups. This collection is called Trendy Basics and features shades that can be worn everyday, dressed up, dressed down and more! Like the collection says, they're good basics to have.

Of the four shades, I have to say my favourites are Breeze and Fizz. I'm not a big fan of Tease of Divine because I don't find them that flattering on myself. They're great colors that can be considered nudes/little pop of colors.

Here's a swatch of the colors on my arm in order from top to bottom: Tease, Divine, Breeze and Fizz

Here's a few swatches of the colors on my lips in order from top to bottom: Tease, Divine, Breeze and Fizz

Annabelle Cosmetics TwistUp Retractable Lipstick Crayon - Vibrant Pinks

2013-10-16T23:20:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! Here's another collection from Annabelle Cosmetics for the twistups. This collection is called Vibrant Pinks. The title is right on the money because some of these shades include hot pinks, barbie pinks and more!

My favourites from this collection that I keep going back to are Fuschianista and Bazooka Pink. They're crazy pigmented colors and I just love them!

Here's a swatch of what the colors look like on my arm in order from top to bottom: Bazooka Pink, Fuschianista, Plump It Up and Kinky Pink

Here's a few swatches of what the colors look like on my lips in order from top to bottom: Bazooka Pink, Fuschianista, Plump It Up and Kinky Pink

Annabelle Cosmetics TwistUp Retractable Lipstick Crayon - Glamourous Reds

2013-10-16T23:05:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! Here's another collection from Annabelle Cosmetics twistups. This collections features the glamourous red shades that vary from a sheer red tint to a pure, intense red.

I love all of these shades, and that's saying a lot because I have issues in finding the right shade of red. Some are too blue while others are too warm. My favourite of all though is Red Carpet which is a pure red. It's shocking and makes for an amazing bold lip color. If you're looking into channeling your inner Marilyn Monroe you can try the shade called Monroe. It's a really nice pigmented red, but it's not as intense as Red Carpet. On my lips it seems to be a warmer shade with a hint of orange/coral.

Flirtini is a cute lip color that I can see myself wearing to the office or as an everyday color because while it's pigmented, it's not a bold statement. It makes for a nice pairing with a simple look (Think of a "I'm wearing makeup so it looks like I'm wearing no makeup" looks).

Last but not least is Mai Tai which is a cute red with a hint of orange making it a nice warm lip color. This would be another shade that's perfect for everyday wear. It's a nice pop of color without being too bold and in your face.

Here are swatches taken on my arm in order from to bottom: Mai Tai, Monroe, Red Carpet and Flirtini

Annabelle Cosmetics TwistUp Retractable Lipstick Crayon - Dramatic Bordeaux

2013-10-16T22:46:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone! So here's another set of the twistups from Annabelle Cosmetics. These three are from the Dramatic Bordeaux collection. This collection features some of their darker shades and would be great if you were looking into creating a vampy look.

Out of the three I have to say Cherry is my favourite and that Vamp is my least favourite. Vamp is a really amazing dark and rich color but it doesn't suit me that well whereas Cherry is more of a color that I could wear for a night out. There's also Royale which is a nice mix between the two. It's more sheer than the other two which are really pigmented so it would be nice for an every day shade if you want a pop of color that isn't nude or too crazy in color.

Below are swatches from on my arm and on my lips.

In order from top to bottom: Cherry, Royale, Vamp

Annabelle Cosmetics TwistUp Retractable Lipstick Crayon - Essential Nudes

2013-10-16T21:13:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone! I recently took advantage of Annabelle Cosmetics 24 hour sale where you got 24 twistups for 24$. This was an amazing deal! These twistups average about 10$ each in the pharmacy and with this deal they came out to 1$ each. I love buying things on sale and I just couldn't resist this one, especially for the amount you got for the price!

If you're not familiar with Annabelle Cosmetics you should know that they're an amazing cosmetics company right here in Montreal. You can purchase their products in pharmacies all over (including Pharmaprix and Jean Coutu) and you get an amazing product for a pharmacy price instead of a high end price. You can also check out their website here: http://www.annabelle.ca/en/products

Also if you have any of the twistups you should join in on their #24days of twistups. You can check it out on their Instagram page or Facebook

These twistups have a creamy formula, are really pigmented and are long lasting. If you're looking for a great lip color I recommend checking out the twistups. They have a great color payoff, stay on for hours (even after a few cups of coffee) and moisturize your lips while making them fabulous!

Enough of me droning on, here's what the nudes look like on my wrist and on my lips. If you're looking for a great everyday color you should definitely check these ones out!

In order from top to bottom: Absolute, Naked, Havana and Romance

Wet n Wild Fergie Collection

2013-09-11T21:15:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! I recently went to the States for a mini shopping spree to hook up my younger cousins with new school outfits and couldn't stop myself from heading over to the cosmetics section of each store we went to. I know, I know...I have an addiction! Haha, but it's an awesome one!

During our little shopping trip I noticed a new Wet n Wild collection at Walgreen's and just couldn't resist! I've been looking for a nice navy blue eye shadow and this one in particular caught my eye. The price tag wasn't bad either! I think it was on sale for something like 3$ which is not expensive at all, especially for a quad! The pigmentation isn't terrible and there's a bit of fallout but for the price it's decent. To the right you can see the swatches on my hand, the darkest colors show up pretty nicely though the mint green is really sheer. My favorite is a toss up between the teal and the navy blue, they're so nice and I'm excited to try them as liners!

Centerstage Collection
Eyeshadow Quad

On the left is Ferguson Crest Cabernet
and on the right is Penthouse Sweet

Along with the quad I chose two of the Fergie lipsticks also by Wet n Wild. I've been into the pinks lately so I couldn't resist this bubblegum pink shade. But then I also noticed this red wine color and thought it'd be something new to try. The lipsticks were also on sale and I think they cost around 2$. You can see the shades swatched on my hand to the right. I'm curious how I'm going to work the red wine color. I've never really worn dark shades but this one called out to me. It seems like a great color to wear this fall, maybe paired with rosy cheeks and a simple cat eye liner.

I'm surprised with how creamy these lipsticks are. I'm never sure if a lipstick's going to be creamy, moisturizing, dried out etc. It's nice that even though they're inexpensive they're still a really nice quality. I don't need to apply a lip balm underneath for extra moisture, nor do I have to apply a few layers to get the color I want. These lipsticks are really pigmented and the color you see is the color you'll get on your lips!

A036 Penthouse Sweet

A041 Ferguson Crest Cabernet

If you want to see what else is featured in the Fergie collection by Wet n Wild you can check it out here:
http://www.walgreens.com/search/results.jsp?Ntt=fergie

There's a full range of lipsticks, eye shadows, nail polishes, primers and more. For the price I recommend checking them out!

SIGMA 20% OFF PROMO CODE

2013-07-24T11:11:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone! Sigma has a new promo code for 20% off valid from July 22-29. If you wanted to get a new set of brushes, try out the new brush cleaning tool or any of their new makeup line, now's the perfect time to do it! Usually the discount is 10% but from now until the 29th it`s 20% WOW!

Use this promo code:
SBAP20

http://www.sigmabeauty.com/?Click=59881

Individual Resort Shadows by Sigma

2013-05-03T00:05:00.000-04:00

Have you seen the latest by Sigma? They recently came out with the Resort palette which included 8 eye shadows, a blush, a liquid highlighter and a dual-ended eye liner pencil. Now what they've done is that you can purchase the shadows individually. So if you want just one or a few of the colors you're now able to purchase them without purchasing the palette itself. These colors are gorgeous, perfect colors for this summer and are really pigmented.

They're available now online at Sigma for only 11$ each. And don't forget to use the code RSR2013 to receive 10% off your purchase. The promo code is good until May 31st 2013. Plus if your order is over 30$ you get a free gift too!

Choose from eight highly pigmented shadows that have the ability to transform any look from neutral to vibrant. The colors are as follows:

New Facebook Page

2013-05-02T23:46:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! So I recently enrolled in makeup courses at Annie Young Cosmetics and so far I'm learning so many new things it's crazy!

My mind has officially been blown when it comes to applying eye shadow and lipstick. I always thought you just slapped it on and so long as they were nice colors then you were good to go. But no, I was sadly mistaken. We're being taught about eye shapes, how to even out the eyes and the same for the lips. It's crazy what makeup can do!

With that in mind, I decided to create a Facebook page to showcase what I've personally done. I'm starting slowly with using family and friends and my hopes are to expand as I broaden my horizons with these courses. Come join me and check out what I've done so far! It'd be great to get some feedback on some of the looks or even requests for looks that you'd like me to do!

You can check out my new Facebook page here: Sarah Christensen

Jewelmint Mystery Box

2013-03-06T18:51:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! I made a recent purchase on Jewelmint the other day and my order just came in. Yay! *claps excitedly*

I chose the 4 Piece Timeless Mystery Box and at first I was a bit skeptical because I wasn't sure if I was going to like the pieces selected and I have to say I was really surprised. The way the mystery box works is that you get no say in what pieces are chosen, they're randomly chosen. I was worried I would end up not liking the pieces sent to me since a few of their pieces are a little too edgy for me. But surprise, surprise, I liked every one! Especially the gold bracelet/bangle whatever you want to call it!

The bracelets are really cute, and I'm already planning out outfits to coordinate with the gold one, and the heart shaped earrings are adorable. And coincidentally my birth stone as well..woo amethyst!

Here's a close-up of what I received in my mystery box:

1. Monaco Bracelet
Revive your wardrobe with this recolored favorite! This 7 ½” silver-plated bracelet embodies all the luxury of the original Monte Carlo Bracelet. A unique link design delivers superior style, while a fold over clasp secures each day with easy elegance. Wear this first-class piece, and indulge with tasteful splendor.

2. Heart Shaped Earrings
Unfortunately I couldn't find this one listed on Jewelmint's site for their description so I'm going to assume that they're no longer carrying it. They're silver with a diamond accent along one side with an amethyst stone in the middle.

3. Bird Cage Bangle
Mysterious and memorizing, this statement bangle wraps around the wrist in an intricate woven design.This square piece measures 1” wide and opens at 2 ½”.

Interested in getting your own pieces?
Here's a link to Jewelmint's website: https://www.jewelmint.com

Also if you're not in the loop, Jewelmint changed things so now every time you buy something you earn points. Which is awesome! The Mintsider Rewards can be redeemed for credits on any of their affiliated sites: Jewelmint, Stylemint, Beautymint, Shoemint, Homemint and Intimint.

SO EXCITED!!

2013-03-04T12:55:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone! I'm so excited it's not even funny haha! I decided to go for it and register for courses to become a professional makeup artist. This is new territory for me since what I know came from observing others in my day to day life and watching Youtube videos!

I love using my family members and friends as guinea pigs and to date they have yet to complain which I'll take as a good thing. I like experimenting and trying out looks where I was inspired; whether that was from a video on Youtube or even a post on Pinterest.

I'm a big makeup junkie and have quite a stash that just keeps expanding and with taking these classes I'll have a legit reason for owning so much makeup! With my hoarding issues aside, I need to bring my own brush sets etc for the classes. Now I want to use a good set and I was thinking of purchasing another set from Sigma Beauty. I bought the Make Me Crazy - Essential Kit a few years ago and loved it! The brushes are amazing quality, they wash really well with minimal fall out and they're really great quality without being too expensive.

What's awesome is that they currently have a promotion for 10% off for the month of March so now would be a great time to purchase a new set, my only hesitation is what color do I get? I'm leaning towards just getting the classic black set since it seems more professional, but the coral/pink and the blue kits are really cute as well. Decisions, decisions...

Until then, if you want to take advantage of Sigma Beauty's 10% off promotion, or you just want to see what products they offer (They expanded a lot so it's not just brushes now! There's eye shadows, brush cleaning tools, skin care tools and more. It's really cool and you should definitely check it out!) then check out the link below:

Sigma Beauty's Website

Birthday Indecisions

2013-01-31T22:29:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone! So I was on Pinterest looking for ideas of what to do makeup wise for this weekends birthday celebrations and I managed to narrow it down to two looks but I'm having a hard time choosing which one. HELP ME!?!?!

I know I want something with neutral colors and sticking with shades that bring out my eyes so I'm looking for something with browns and coppers. Now both of the following looks are gorgeous, but one is a really bold look while the other is more demure and natural looking.

Option #1 - A dark smokey look with a beautiful mix of browns and copper tones.
Check it out on Pinterest to see the original post

Source: ultrainteresting.com via Clarissa on Pinterest

Option #2 - A shimmery smokey eye that's more neutral looking with a brown liner instead of black to make it a bit more natural.
Check it out on Pinterest to see the original post

Source: repinly.machsrichtig.com via Holly on Pinterest

Flawless Foundation

2013-01-26T22:14:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! I went to IMATS Toronto back in November and got my hands on a Beauty Blender kit. If you're not familiar with Beauty Blender it's a sponge that comes in an elliptical shape and is used for applying makeup.
Now the applicator itself can be a bit pricey, for just one it's around 26$ and for a set of two it averages around 34$. At IMATS I was able to purchase the pack of two for 25$ and the solid cleanser for 10$.

The fun part of this little tool is that you need to wet it before use. After you've saturated it (you'll see it grows to more than twice it's itty bitty size) and squeezed the water out you add your liquid foundation. To apply the foundation I dabbed the foundation onto my cheeks, forehead and chin. From there I gently stippled the foundation all over my face until it was blended. It's like using a stippling brush but better! With the elliptical shape it's easy to use the rounded base to apply the foundation all over your face and then use the pointed tip to get harder to reach areas like under your eyes and around your nose.

I was so amazed with this little sponge! Not only does it come in hot pink but it's easy to use, easy to clean and it applies my liquid foundations flawlessly on my face. Whether it's my BB Cream or full coverage foundation. Wetting the sponge seems to be the key because it allows the foundation to soak into my skin and coat evenly. I like using the sponge applicator better than a stippling brush which is what I had been using as of late.

To clean the sponges I used the solid cleanser that I purchased at IMATS. I figured it would be better to swipe the sponge over the solid bar instead of using the liquid cleanser since it would waste less product. I've had no issues removing my makeup from the sponges but I did notice that it still bleeds pink a bit when I wash it. I'm guessing it's just from the dyes and will only happen the first few times.

If you're interested in purchasing the Beauty Blender to try it out yourself I know you can get it at Sephora or on Beauty Blender's website.

If you want to find out more about the Beauty Blender click here

Sigma Beauty Performance Eyes Kit!

2012-03-05T21:28:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone! Sigma Beauty came out with a new kit of brushes!

The kit features 8 brand new brushes: E11 Eye Liner, E16 Tightline Liner, E17 Waterline Liner, E21 Smudge Brush, E36 Blending, E46 Shader – Inner Corner, E47 Shader – Crease and E56 Shader – Lid. The Performance Eyes Kit has been thoroughly tested to ensure quality brushes that are functional and easy to use. Each brush is an original design and available exclusively at Sigma Beauty!

The Performance Kit is a great addition to any makeup collection. Useful for beginners and professionals alike, the kit is perfect for creating elaborate makeup looks. Unleash your creativity!

For more information about the Performance Eyes Kit, click here!

February Glymm Box

2012-03-05T21:06:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! I know I'm a little late on this but here's my review on February's Glymm box!

Products Included:

SULA - Natural Shadow - 0.15oz/$8.00

BURT'S BEES - Tinted Lip Balm - 4.25g/$7.99

GLAMGLOW - Tingling and Exfoliating Mud Mask - 50ml/$78.00

MAI COUTURE - Blush Papier - 50 sheets/$17.50

February Mini Haul

2012-02-08T20:16:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone! Here's a mini haul that I did for this month on a few items I purchased myself or received as a gift! I'm off to Walmart tomorrow so I should have a few other goodies to show you guys.

I'm also going to try and do more videos, they seem to make life simpler for me haha, aside from always figuring out what to say! Let me know what you guys think!

Latest Haul

2012-02-01T19:54:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone, I so did a little shopping this past weekend and picked up a few goodies from Pharmaprix and Sephora. Here's what I got!

Duo Lash Glue in White - $10 at Sephora
Tweezerman Mini Nail Files - $5 at Sephora
Fresh Sugar Kisses - Free at Sephora since it was my birthday gift!
EOS Lip Balm in Summer Fruit - $4.29 at Pharmaprix
Quo Demi Lashes - $5.99 at Pharmaprix

January Glymm Box

2012-02-01T19:44:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone, so I received my Glymm box in the mail for the month of January. While at first I wasn't all that impressed with what was inside, I believe it's safe to say that my opinion quickly swayed after using the products found inside the ever adorable pink box!

For those who haven't heard about Glymm, they're a site that offers you different sample sized products every month. Each box (one for each month) comes with an assortment of products that can range from makeup to nail polishes to even hand creams and lots lots more! Curious and want to find out more, check out Glymm's site here. Like I mentioned in a previous post, what I really like about Glymm and what makes them so different is the fact that you can not only buy the full sized products your testing on their website, but you can earn points which can be redeemed in their store too. An example being, every 100 points you accumulate is $10 you can spend in their online store. Amazing yeah? And it's not like it's really card to get the points either. One dollar per point, you get bonus points for subscribing and getting friends to join, and with each box you get surveys to take which give you even more points. The surveys are really neat too because they're about what you though of the product and more.

Now on to the goodies! In this month's January box there were five items:
Kaia Naturals - Juicy Bamboo Facial Cleansing Cloths - 30 cloths/ $17.99
Vasanti Cosmetics - Brightenup! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator - 120ml / $34.00
Anastasia Beverly Hills - Clear Brow Gel - 0.28 oz / $21.00
Burt's Bees - Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion - 170g / $12.99
Cargo Cosmetics - Eye Pencil - 2g / $16.00

At first I was a little put off by these cleansing cloths because of the smell. I get that they have all of these juicy vitamins and what have you..but the smell? It wasn't all that pleasant... But these cleansing cloths did redeem themselves! They took off all of my makeup, mascara and raccoon eyes included and left my face feeling refreshed and hydrated before applying my moisturizer. One little cloth packed quite a punch. Now as interested as I was in wanted to buy them once I'm done using my current Ponds makeup remove wipes, I noticed the price for 30 of them and that quickly turned me off from them. $17.99 is a little excessive for wipes that will last me a month. I can't justify spending about $20 a month of face wipes...nope can't do it.

Weird name and a little bottle and I wasn't sure at first sight what exactly this product was supposed to do for me. Fancy name aside, it's a scrub like the St. Ives Apricot Scrub or even the Queen Helene Mint Scrub. The particles are a lot smaller when compared to the Queen Helene bottle I tend to favor, but it did leave my cheeks feeling nice and buffed after using it. This product wasn't a big wow item for me, but it did give me good results and I did end up liking it in the end. The major downside to this product is the price. $34.00 for a tube is more than what I'm willing to spend on a face scrub. I think I get my Queen Helene for something around $4.00....sames results and it costs me $30.00 less. Though if you wanted to spoil yourself and had the money to splurge a bit, I would recommend this if you wanted to try something new in your skin regime.

Ugh okay..first off the smell is really terrible. Bees wax, milk and honey is not a pleasant scent and especially when the products smell lingers on your skin for an extended period of time, it gets to be overwhelming. The moisturizer itself is amazing for a body lotion and my arms and legs greatly appreciated it's effects...but the smell is just so off putting that I gave the second sample of this product away. My nose just wouldn't take it!

I've tried one of these clear brow gels from Anastasia before and I have to say that I enjoyed it. I didn't use it much and thus I'm not going to be using this sample much either. But hey, when I do decide to do something with my brows I'll be sure to reach for this little tube! I've tried the eyebrow pencils from Anastasia before and I really like her line. Again, it's a bit on the pricey side, but if you want a really good high end product for your brows I definitely recommend checking out Anastasia products!

This little pencil is a full sized product that came in the color Wood which is #18. It's a really cute brown which seems to have some grey undertones mixed in. It's a bit on the light side but I find it great for accenting my green eyes. The shade is perfect for mixing with an every day look when I'm looking for something on the softer side and nothing super edgy. The pencil glides on nicely and though it's not as creamy when compared to the texture of my Stila liner, it still applies nicely without having to do multiple passes before seeing any results. For the size of the pencil it's pretty expensive, though mind you I do like to splurge on my Stila pencils....but that aside, the shade itself is different from other brown pencil liners I've seen before and that might factor into purchasing it. If someone knows of a cheaper dupe let me know! I wouldn't pay for another one of these liners but if I get it in my Glymm box or as a sample I won't say no!

January Favorites

2012-02-01T19:08:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! For the month of January I've been testing out a few products that range from beauty to hair care and these are the ones I really liked. I also have my latest Glymm Box which I'll write another post about. I'm not as excited about this months variety of products as opposed to last months but I guess it's hit or miss with those since they're a surprise in every box haha! Anyways, here are the products I liked!

EOS Lip Balm - Lemon Drop Flavor
I love this lip balm, especially in the cold season because my lips get very dry and chap. Aside from the adorable round packaging with bright colors, this lip balm is a great moisturizer. The lemon drop flavor has a pleasant scent that reminds me of candy necklaces and it applies nicely without having to put on several coats. Another great thing is that it doesn't have a disgusting flavor even though it has SPF in it which is great for protection, but in other lip balms I've tried, it makes them taste really gross!

Rimmel Glam'Eyes Mascara in Black
I'll admit that I was hesitant in buying a drugstore mascara since the last few I tried bombed hard core! Though after some pushing and prodding from my sister I caved and decided to try another one. We'll ignore the fact that my favorite Stila one was drying up and that it's super crazy expensive ($30 for a small tube of mascara...really?) and put our thumbs up that Pharmaprix was having a sale on Rimmel mascaras! Yay! I think I got it for something around $7-8 instead of $9-10, not to sure what the price was any more, and I chose black though there was a darker shade of black up from that one.

The tube itself is really cute with the metallic pink and the graphic pattern imprinted on it. The wand is pretty good too for one of the silicone applicators with the tiny little feelers (They always look so funny to me!) and I really don't have any complaints for this mascara. It doesn't flake off at the end of the day, it's buildable, applies evenly to my lashes without caking it on and I haven't poked myself in the eye with the applicator yet! Bonus for me! I have a tendency to do that with bigger or longer applicators.

All in all I really like this mascara over the Maybelline ones I've tried before. Namely the Falsies mascara. I had liked it at first and then the mascara just went down the toilet for me, gawd it was awful! But Rimmel has made me less wary of buying drug store mascaras, and for that, my eyes and I thank you haha!

Babyliss Pro Argan Oil
I received this little bottle as a stocking stuffer this Holiday. I'm not sure where my mother found it or how much it costs, but I do know it smells amazing and my hair is really loving it! I apply it to my wet hair when I come out of the shower and let it do it's thing. I don't even need to put in any other hair products to tame my frizziness and curls, it's awesome! And the shine it leaves..gawd my hair is finally starting to looking and feel awesome and healthy and it's great! The argan oil an oil treatment that is supposed to help with the frizzies and smooth out your help, give an amazing healthy shine and condition your hair all without leaving it feeling greasy or weighed down. It's a little miracle bottle if you ask me. My hair was lack lustre, dried at the tips and always super frizzy before I started using argan oils. I've noticed a big difference in my hairs health and how it looks and feels now a days and I have to say it's awesome. I definitely recommend any argan/morrocan oil hair treatments!

Essie Luxeffects Nail Polish - Shine of the Times

Yay another awesome Essie nail polish! I was given this one as a Christmas present so I'm not sure where my friend got it, but what I DO know is that it's an amazing top coat. The glitter in this little bottle is amazing, it's like white glitter with yellow and pink shimmer. It's really cute and unique, I don't own any other glitter polishes like this one. And the glitter when it's applied is great too. I have a few other polishes where I get more clear than glitter but this one coats really nicely with just one application. It's great paired over any color and I had fun using this one when trying to do a cosmic effect on my nails. Needless to my nails turned out bad, but the glitter on top looked nice! I know Essie polishes usually run around $14 at the Pharmaprix by me, but I haven't seen the Luxeffects collection there yet. Hopefully soon because there were some other shades I'd like to get my hands on!

E.V.A. Clip Free Curler - 25-18MM Tourmaline
Here's another awesome Christmas gift that I got from a friend. I was looking into getting a curler that didn't have the clamp since I never could quite get the hang of using them. Plus the one I have gives a bigger curl and I wanted something that would give a tighter curl. First off, I love the pattern, animal print oh yeah! It comes with a glove to help prevent me from burning myself and the base swivels to help make things easier. It's a nice light weight tourmaline curler that heats up relatively fast and is really easy to use. If you're looking for something similar I believe this one was from Winners and it comes in various prints too, from solids to other animal prints. They're really cute and not overly expensive!

Benefit Moisture Prep Toning Lotion
This little guy right here was a sample that my sister received in her luxebox I believe two months ago? It's a toning lotion that you apply to your face before applying your moisturizer. While I'm not too crazy about the scent (It's like a dilute shampoo scent and something really fragrant like a strong perfume) I have noticed really great results with this product. We're in the winter months and with the cold and humidity come dry cheeks. A quick fix for that when just my moisturizer isn't enough? A dab of this toning lotion and my cheeks feel as smooth as a baby's bottom. Well not quite cause that'd be awkward...but you know what I mean! Anyways, the packing is really cute, the product does wonders on my dry skin and it's another great product from Benefit. I've seen the latest collection of Benefit products at my local Pharmaprix and I have to admit that I really love the packaging! The full sized bottles look other wordly, kind of like genie bottles or something old like a glass bottle I'd find my grandmother keeping. All to say that I really like the packaging! While reminding me of little genie bottles, I guess you could say that they also kind of look like potion bottles. Which is a plus for me since it makes me think of Harry Potter...*insert nerdy fangirl here*

Anyways! If you're looking for something to help prep your face before putting on your moisturizer to give your face that extra boost of hydration I would recommend this product, but my one hesitation is the price since it is pretty pricey. I think it's about $30 for the full sized bottle.

NOTW - Nails of the Week

2012-01-21T21:01:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone! So I've gotten back into the swing of painting my nails. Here's what I did this week for a quick mani for at the office. Just switched things up by painting my ring finger a different color.

Here are the products I used:
Essie - All in One Base
Essie - Chinchilly
OPI - Feelin' Hot-Hot-Hot!
Seche Vite - Dry Fast Top Coat

Blonde to Brunette

2012-01-21T20:54:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! After purchasing a coupon from a site called Groupon for a hair cut I decided to dye my hair at the same time since they were having a special. I ended up choosing a semi-permanent color called chestnut; a cool brown/maroon with violet undertones.

I have to say I was hesitant at first because even though my hair has slowly been transitioning naturally from blond to brunette, I wasn't too sure how dark to go without it looking to harsh on me. With a little input from the stylist we ended up choosing the chestnut color and I have to say it was a great choice! It looks natural, I've already received plenty of compliments for the color and it just looks awesome on me haha!

Anyways, here's my new hair color!

This is what my hair looked like before!