themakeupnut

COVERGIRL Exhibitionist Mascara

2019-05-26T13:00:00.000-05:00

COVERGIRL Exhibitionist Mascara claims that it is a volumizing mascara, lashes are full and defined after only one coat. Get soft lashes with no flaking or smudging. Vegan.

Sounds good right?

I received the COVERGIRL Exhibitionist Mascara 800 Very Black in my May Topbox (Canadian beauty subscription).. I have so many mascaras to try right now but I pulled this one out to try first because the brush caught my attention. It has an hourglass shape similar to Too Faced Better Than Sex and L’Oreal LashParadise mascaras. It even has the slightly thicker viscosity the Too Faced and L’Oreal mascaras have. The COVERGIRL Exhibitionist mascara also has a drier formula.

But does it perform the same?

I have short sparse and straight lashes. So I ~~want~~ need a great mascara to give volume, length and hold a curl. Basically it has PERFORM.

Below the top picture is with no mascara. In the bottom picture, the left side has 3 coats of the COVERGIRL Exhibitionist Mascara and the right side has 2 coats.

I have only used this for two days so far and while I think the COVERGIRL Exhibitionist mascara gives me great volume, it doesn’t give me as much lengthening as say the Too Faced mascara does. On its own the COVERGIRL Exhibitionist Mascara held a curl as long as I curled them beforehand. I did give my lashes another curl after I took this photo to bump up the curl factor and it is still holding well.

The COVERGIRL Exhibitionist Mascara does live up to it claims of being volumizing and defining while still looking soft. I did notice clumping on the third coat so try to stick to two coats if you can. The hourglass shaped brush does give me some difficulties on my lower lashes as you can see. I seemed to have missed the middle lashes! Duh. I usually use a different mascara with a smaller brush for my lower lashes but I wanted to see if it smudged at all during the day. It did not nor did I see any flaking?

I find the COVERGIRL Exhibitionist Mascara less clumping than the L’Oreal LashParadise but the LashParadise has an edge with the lengthening factor. But the L’Oreal LashParadise also seems to dry out really fast for me. I only seem to get a months use out of it before it gets too dry for me to want to continue using. Let’s see how the COVERGIRL Exhibitionist Mascara develops over the next month or so.

If you like a thick formula slightly on the drier side mascaras, you will probably like this one too.

XO Teresa

The Ordinary “Buffet” | review

2019-04-09T23:08:00.002-05:00

I really wanted to talk about this The Ordinary No Brainer set but Sephora.ca no longer carries it and for some reason Deciem (The Ordinary parent company) does not deliver it to my area. Whatever that means! So that is disappointing because if I were to recommend a set from The Ordinary it would probably be this one.

Since it doesn't seem to be available anymore, I will discuss what drew me to the set in the first place: the multi-technology peptide serum “Buffet”.

I initially tried out the “Buffet” for the first time last year when Sephora began carrying The Ordinary. I thought for $14.90, I couldn’t be mad if it doesn’t work. But it did work and I used it every day for 3 months until I ran out. I went to order more but by then The Ordinary was no longer carried in Sephora. Plus every time I went to order it on Well.ca, it was sold out. So I moved on…sadly.
Come January 2019, The Ordinary came back in stock online at Sephora. YAY! I immediately went online to order the “Buffet” but once I saw this 3 piece No Brainer kit that included the “Buffet”, a retinoid and a HA moisturizer, I chose to upsize my “Buffet” to this No Brainer full platter. Haha bad pun.

I really like the simplicity of The Ordinary products; the no nonsense let’s get to business feel of it. Plus the price is right and my bank account really likes that.

Like the majority of The Ordinary’s product line, the "Buffet" comes in a 30ml glass bottle with a pipette. The “Buffet” is a thick watery peptide serum that is almost bordering on being a gel. It’s chalked full of peptides complexes, probiotic, amino acids and hyaluronic acid for a party of anti-aging goodness for your skin that will help reduce fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, hydrate, brighten, and improve texture.

Key ingredients: Matrixyl 3000 peptide complex, Matrixyl Synthe'6 peptide complex, Syn-Ake peptide complex, Relistase peptide complex, Argirelox peptide complex, probiotic complex, 11 amino acids, hyaluronic acid.

How I use it: I put a couple drops on my fingers and pat my hands together and then pat the serum on my face. Once on the skin, it sinks in pretty fast. I usually only wait 10 seconds before going in with the next product. I use this on its own in the AM and PM as the first step of my skin care after cleansing my face.

There is something about the mix of peptides and Matrixyl 3000 that my normal to dry dehydrated skin just loves. Immediately, my skin feels soft, supple and my pores are a bit more minimized. Plus it plays well with other skin care products. This is such a simple step in my skin care regime but I also think it is one of the important steps that I needed to help my dehydrated skin pop back to life.
Can you tell I am obsessed with the “Buffet” from The Ordinary? I already have ordered another one as I am almost out of my second bottle. The “Buffet” has fast become a staple in my daily skin care regime.

The other two items in the No Brainer kit were the Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion and Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA. Both of which are little work horses in their own right. I am still playing around with the Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion, seeing how it works and forming my opinion on it (so far I like it).

Sephora.ca doesn’t carry this particular kit anymore just the individual The Ordinary items. Well.ca has several bundles available for different skin concerns under $30, just not this one. So if you are interested in getting a bundle, check them out.
xo Teresa

UD Naked Reloaded vs UD Born to Run | closer than you think

2019-04-04T17:45:00.001-05:00

So as I am playing with and loving up my new palette, Naked Reloaded, I noticed that the shade Burn looked really familiar. I grabbed some of my palettes to see where I had seen it before. Wasn't I a little surprised to see where the 'dupe' came from.

A lot of people compare Urban Decay Naked Reloaded to ABH Sultry palette or the OG Naked palette but perhaps Naked Reloaded should be compared to its sister palette, Urban Decay Born to Run.

When I first started swatching Naked Reloaded, I noticed a familiarity with these shades. Not just Burn but several others looked and felt similar. Born to Run came to mind as I had just used the that palette that morning.
It turns out NR’s Burn and BTR’s Double Life were almost dead on dupes of each other. I also swatched a few more shades and the similarities are pretty damn close. Close enough that I started getting a little buyers remorse for picking up the Naked Reloaded and then I remembered that I essentially got it for free so I can live with this betrayal. Just kidding, it wasn’t a betrayal just a F$@k Me moment.

UD Naked Reloaded vs UD Born to Run

Look at these swatches!

- BTR Stillshot is more on the coral side of pink whereas NR Retro is more a rosy pink

- BTR Double Life has a smidge more of a blackened base than NR Burn

- BTR Riff is teeny bit darker that NR Boundaries but not on the eyes

- BTR Stranded is ever so slightly more golden that NR Barely Baked.

- also to note, if you put down a base of NR Bribe and top it with NR Angelfire, you kind of can get something similar effect to BTR Blaze.

Do you need Naked Reloaded if you already have Born to Run?
I’d say no. Almost half the shades are so close to what you can find in the Born to Run palette. I would say only grabbed it if you really want those coppery metallic shades or really love Urban Decay.

Some key players in the Naked Reloaded are already covered in the Born to Run palette. With some nuance differences, you can probably create the same looks. In fact I created this look below using the Naked Reloaded on one eye and Born to Run on the other. Can you tell the difference?

My Right Eye – Naked Reloaded My Left Eye – Born to Run

Crease/upper lid Boundaries Riff

Lower crease/mid lid Retro Stillshot

Outer V Endgame Good as Gone

Outer third of lid Burn Double Life

Inner third of lid Barely Baked Stranded

Inner crease highlight Bribe Breakaway

Bottom lashline Burn + Endgame Double Life + Good as Gone

What do you think? Am I seeing things? Are they close enough to be considered 'dupes' or repeats? Is it a dupe if it is the same brand?

XO Teresa

Urban Decay Naked Reloaded | Review

2019-04-01T19:31:00.002-05:00

Urban Decay Naked Reloaded

This past weekend I got my hands on the new Urban Decay Naked Reloaded palette during the Shoppers Drug Mart redemption event. I had originally intended to pick up one of the Benefit Cheerleader Cheek palettes but once I saw Reloaded in my cart it went (essentially for free). J

It’s hard not to compare the Reloaded to the original OG Naked palette. But they are not the same palettes at all. The original Naked was cool toned and more brassy while the Naked Reloaded is a warmer rosier neutral palette.

What drew me in to Naked Reloaded was the pink copper tones in the first half of the palette and the warm neutrals in the second half of the palette.

I like the packaging. The bronzy brown orchids on the pillow top packaging are quite beautiful and gives you an insight as to what’s waiting on the inside. The palette is smaller and lighter with a magnetic closure instead of the hard plastic casing of the previous Naked palettes. Inside, the brush slot is gone (making the palette cheaper than if previous counterparts) and the two outmost shadows pans on each side are larger that those in the center.

Urban Decay Naked Loaded

Some of the shadows are a bit soft and crumbly. When I was swatching Bribe, I almost took out a huge chunk of it. You do not need to press down hard on these shadows. Then there was Dreamweaver. It was a soft chunky shadow to touch and the glitters were gritty. It didn’t swatch the greatest and had to be patted on with my finger while on the eye it was just a dark brown frost? The pinky silver glitter parts just fell on my face or disappeared. I am left to wonder what the purpose of Dreamweaver was? It is pretty much a dud for me in this palette. Blur basically is the same colour as my skin so it barely shows up. Boundaries is a satin with gold flecks. Since Boundaries is a lighter warm brown, I would think it’s to be considered a crease shade. I normally do not like satins in the crease but I did like how Boundaries blended out. The gold flecks don’t really transfer over on the eye in an obvious way.

Naked Reloaded swatches

Bribe – satin cream

Barely Baked – light gold shimmer

Angel Fire – pinky glittery champagne shimmer

Retro – matte pinky coral

Reputation –warm copper frost

Burn – bronze copper metallic

Endgame – deep brown satin matte

Dreamweaver – medium brown with silver glitter on top

Distilled – golden bronze

Bucked –warm matte medium brown

Boundaries – orangier warm medium brown with gold fleck in it

Blur – light peachy matte

I think this the Naked Reloaded is a decent reinvention of the everyday neutral palette. If you found the Naked Heat palette to orange and the Naked Cherry too bold but still want warm shadows, then the Naked Reloaded is probably the neutral girls answer in the Naked range.

Urban Decay Naked Reloaded

On my eyes: Blur all over lid, Boundaries in crease and outer half of lid, Endgame in outer v, Reputation pressed on center lid, Barely Baked inner half of lid, Bribe highlighting inner corner, Endgame and Reputation on lower lid with Boundaries diffusing out. L'Oréal Lash Paradise mascara

Naked Reloaded $55CAN is available at Shoppers Drug Mart, Sephora and Urban Decay.

XO Teresa

L’Oreal Infallible Total Cover Colour Correcting Concealer kit review

2017-04-27T22:43:00.001-05:00

The L’Oreal Infallible Total Cover Colour Correcting Concealer kit is my first foray into colour correcting. How did I get this far in life with just winging it with concealer?

Like most people, I have uneven skin tone. Everyday external stressors like weather and accumulated sun damage have taken a toll on my skin. I have red patches on my cheeks and mild melasma on my cheek bone area and above my lips, in addition to dark circles via a continuous vicious cycle of sleep deprivation.

I also struggle with finding a good concealer that will totally hide those annoying brown spots while leaving a smooth non-cakey finish. Most of the colour correcting concealers I have been checking out were in the high $20+ range and I didn’t really want to spend that much on a green concealer if it wasn’t something I could use. I did look at the NYX colour correcting palette but I didn’t really like the texture of it. But now that I think of it, the NYX one was a tester and was probably a bit dried out from being open so much.

For ‘drugstore’ makeup, this concealer palette was a bit pricy still. It was $16.98 at Wal-Mart! I had gone to Wal-Mart a couple times looking for this palette and they were always out of stock. Or so it seemed. Wal-Mart has all the palettes (eyeshadow, concealer lip etc) locked up in a display case. Now this display case always had carts or boxes around it so I walked right past it several times. Has this always been a thing? How did I not know that Wal-Mart did this? I guess palette theft is quite a problem at Wal-Mart. Anyway It kind of annoyed me. I like to be in and out of Wal-Mart; have a list, get in and get out.

Once I got the palette home, I started swatching to see how the texture was. I cannot stand stiff or waxy concealers. My dry skin is very prissy with pan or stick concealers which is why I mostly stick with liquids. So I was quite happy when the L’Oreal Infallible Total Cover Colour Correcting kit swatched quite smooth. It actually came across almost oily. Would it work though?

The L’Oreal Infallible Total Cover Colour Correcting kit comes in a black rectangle compact. It includes a small square sponge and four colour correcting shades; Peach – disguises dark circles, Yellow – combats discolouration, Green – neutralizes redness, Purple – brightens dullness. The formula is quite lightweight and blendable but like I mentioned earlier a bit greasy. The shades are more muted compared to other correctors I swatched. They looked quite pastel-y.

With a small dual fibre eyeshadow brush, I applied the peach corrector under my eyes and the yellow to the brown spots on my cheekbones. For good measure, I also applied a little green on my chin and around my nose atop of the bits of redness I had. Then I blended everything out with a dampened sponge. Initially, I tried blending with the brush but it left streaks. Using a sponge definitely works way better. I didn’t even try using the sponge pad that came with the kit. It didn’t look like it would do much.

I was a little alarmed at how unnatural my face looked after blending the shades out. I looked ghostly pale. Fortunately once I applied foundation I couldn’t see any of the correctors peeking through. My skin looked pretty even overall. I was also surprised that the correctors lasted all day (in conjunction with the foundation) without fading or separating given how they felt a little oily. Since I have dry skin, I didn’t really notice the ‘oily’ feeling during the day. I am not sure how well these would work with oiler skin types.

While the correctors neutralized any colour imperfections on my skin, they did enhance the texture of my skin and it did cling to some dryness on my skin but not horribly. To combat that issue, I sprayed a bit of MAC Fix+ on my sponge and dabbed over the dry areas. I do highly recommend prepping your skin beforehand; exfoliate, moisturize thoroughly and apply a good pore minimizing primer first. It seems to be a bit of work to get a colour corrector to work but there is a reason why I am using it in the first place right? Hide those dark circles and brown spots!

Do you use colour correctors? What is your favorite?

Topbox | April 2017

2017-04-24T01:03:00.000-05:00

Hi all hope everyone had a great weekend. We are having a little bit of snow here in Winnipeg. Winter is not going without a fight it seems.
Sorry I haven’t posted in the last week. I had to travel to see my father. He has been having some health issues. I get the feeling I will have to make more of these trips in the future. But this time I didn’t take my laptop when I left as I was only going for a short spell. I did bring my tablet but it just doesn’t have the power to edit and post photos. And what’s a post without pictures?
Anyhhooos I am back today with my April Topbox. Let’s see what April has to offer.

Cake The ‘Do Gooder Volumizing Dry Shampoo Spray

Full size: 200ml/$19
Spray generously into hair in sections, concentrating on scalp and roots. Lightly brush through. Sweet tip: Use as a quick fix during the day or on freshly washed hair to add volume. Available at Shoppers Drug Mart, cakebeauty.com, ulta.com
I am loving dry shampoos now that my hair is longer. When I use it, I always have great hair days on second day hair. The volume I get from dry shampoo is fab. The Cake Do Gooder has a the signature sweet scent the most Cake products have and I love it.

LARITZY Cosmetics Lip Pencil - Retro Red

Full size/ $18
This creamy lip pencil can be worn alone or under your favorite lip gloss or lipstick for long-lasting color. Available at laritzy.com
I kind of wish this was in a more neutral colour as I usually don’t gravitate towards red lippies. These are your standard pencil lip liners. Laritzy is cruelty free.

Pureology Strength Cure Shampoo and Strength Cure Conditioner

Full size: 250ml
Gentle, concentrated ZeroSulfate® shampoo helps fortify micro-scarred, damaged colour-treated hair and provides a velvety soft finish. Opulent formula with our exclusive AntifadeComplex™ detangles, strengthens and conditions to improve hair's touch and light reflection. 250mL Find a salon near you or at pureology.com
I don’t think I have ever used Pureology products before. I am happy to see these are sulfate free and a strength building formula for colour treated hair. Right up my alley. I really like these travel friendly sizes and am saving these for my next trip.

L'Occitane Dry Skin Hand Cream with Shea

Full size: 150ml/$32. 30ml/$12
This hand cream is enriched with 20% shea butter; the rich texture is rapidly absorbed to leave the hands soft and smooth with no oily traces. Available at ca.loccitane.com
These L’Occitane hand creams are a favorite of mine especially the shea butter one and I already have this one in my purse!

There were a few extra items included in April's Topbox: a Garnier Moisture Bomb sheet mask and a couple samples of L’Oreal Hydra Genius moisturizer. Gotta love some extras!

While it may not be the best Topbox I have had it is still pretty good. I do like more ‘makeup’ in my boxes but I am always pleasantly surprised how much I end up liking the skin/hair care. I receive.
Topbox.ca offers 4 deluxe samples at $12 a month. Sign up at topbox.ca.

Annabelle Skinny Palette – New Eve Goldy Browns

2017-04-07T16:07:00.000-05:00

I recently picked up and reviewed some products from Annabelle’s Spring 2017 collection. One of the stand out and one of my favorites is the Annabelle Skinny Palette ($9.95). There are six palettes to choose from ranging from rosy, taupes to purples and khaki tones. The one I have for you today is the New Eve Goldy Browns.

The Skinny Palettes come in a pocket sized rectangle black plastic case that opens length wise from the left. It took me a minute to figure out which side opened. They also comes with a small dual ended brush; a sponge on one end and a brush on the other. To be honest, I do not know what happened to my brush as I lost it. It didn’t do much for applying the shadows anyhow. It is probably under my bed in the 'Sami nest'. My dog is like a squirrel with toys and bones under there. I occasionally find stuff I have been looking for like missing socks, brushes, my glasses.

There are five warm golden bronzy toned shadows in the New Eve Goldy Browns palette. They don’t have names but the back of the palette has them numbered;

1 Highlight is the lightest is a cream shimmer
2 Lid Colour is a peachy light brown satin
3 Crease Colour is medium bronze satin
4 Crease Colour is a dark bronze satin
5 Eyeliner is a dark matte brown

While #5 is considered an eyeliner, I have been using it as an matte shade to deepen my outer V area. All the shadows are quite smooth, creamy to the touch and reasonably pigmented. When I was checking my collection for any dupes, I found that formula wise these almost compare to my Too Faced Semi Sweet Chocolate palette. What? Yeah I said it! The Skinny Palette only being a hair drier. I mean very slightly. The middle shade #3 is close in shade to Mousse and #5 is very close to Puddin’. I haven’t experienced any fallout from these shadows and with a primer theylast all day for me with minimal fading by the 9 hour mark.

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much from this palette as I thought it was a little basic. DO NOT judge a book by its cover! The Goldy Browns is a nice surprise for me. I think Annabelle has a winner with these Skinny Palettes at least the New Eve Golden Browns. It’s turning out to be a great every day palette for me. Now I have to try some of the other Skinny Palettes. You get yourself some too.

New Eve Goldy Browns on lids: 1 in corner and under brow, 2 on lid,4 in crease and outer lid,5 in the outer v

Available online at Annabelle.com, Shoppers Drug Mart, London Drugs, anywhere Annabelle cosmetics are sold.

What would you get for $100 at Sephora?

2017-04-04T21:56:00.000-05:00

It's almost time for Sephora's Spring VIB/Chic Sale. Time to get your wish list updated to be ready to drop your hard earned cash on some splurge worthy items.
I am only an Beauty Insider this time around. For past few years actually. But I will take 10% off no problem. I love watching Sephora hauls just to see what is hot, swatches, first impressions and just how much people spend. They always invoke a reaction from me. Whether it is “Ooh yess that looks good I need one too” to "No way that is like $800. What the hell? And it isn't even a sale." It’s a guilty pleasure.

I recently cleaned up my Sephora wish list and thought it would be fun to make a post about what I would get if I had a $100 Sephora Gift Card for the VIB event.

My top items in my wish list would be:

Kat Von D Light + Shade Eye Contour Palette $62 CAD/$48 USD

This is the big ticket item I would get. I was playing around with this in Sephora a little while ago and I almost got it then but the $62 price tag has me gasping. Do I really need that many mattes? But I rationalize that it is on sale and I really really want it. HA! These mattes are incredibly pigmented and so buttery soft.

Smashbox Photo Finish Oil Free Foundation Primer Pore Minimizing 15ml $20 CAD/$16 USD

I had a sample of this last year and I really loved it. So now I want more. It was super effective in filling in my pores and makes almost any foundation work awesome on my textured skin. Plus it works quite well smoothing over dry skin. There is a larger version available 30ml/$50 CAD but I wanted to stay as close to $100 as possible.

Becca Glow on the Go Highlighter Set $24 CAD/$20 USD

I have never tried anything from Becca and thought the best place to start would be with Becca’s best selling Opal luminizers. The kit includes travel sized versions of the Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed and Spotlight Wand in Opal. While I am not super crazy into highlighters, I do want to understand the hype over the Becca highlighters. I want to experience the awesomeness.

These are not new beauty items but very loved products. Just these three items brings me to $106 CAD. With the 10% off from the VIB sale, I would still have $4 to go towards taxes. At least I qualify for free shipping. I prefer shopping online with Sephora because you have access to better samples. I always feel disappointed with only the one sample I get at counter in Sephora. I do have to say the new online site is killing me. Geez Loiuse! Why does it take so long to load? The mobile version is so much faster.

What is the big item on your VIB wishlist?

I also recommend using ebates.ca when shopping online. Get some extra cash back for shopping. Right now Sephora is at 8% cash back but I suspect that it will drop down to 4% once the VIB sale starts. But 4% is better than most cash back offers I have seen. I do have a referral link on the side bar if you wish to sign up.

Makeup Forever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation #review

2017-03-28T00:13:00.003-05:00

I know I am late to the game with the Makeup Forever Ultra HD Invisible Cover foundation. I did try the original HD foundation a few years ago and wasn’t a fan. It clung to my dry skin and texture so bad, I wasn’t in a hurry to run out and buy the new Ultra HD formulation. But I got a sample in Topbox a few months back and well it set me in such a tizzy, I had to go get a full sized pronto.

Makeup Forever revamped its cult favorite HD foundation with the Ultra HD Invisible Cover foundation. The Ultra HD is made to look invisible to 4K technology and the naked eye. The Ultra HD Invisible Cover foundation comes in almost the same bottle as the HD; glass bottle, silver trim (vs black), black pump and cap. I love that the cap snaps back on really snuggly. There is something so satisfying hearing that snap when you put the cap back on. Is that just me? Plus I still get the giddies when a foundation has a pump. This should just be mandatory!

Texture-wise the Ultra HD formula is quite different from the original. The Ultra HD is much thinner and liquidy. Makeup Forever has 40 shades of the Ultra HD Invisible Cover to choose from. 40! It was a little overwhelming so I went in to Sephora to be colour matched to Y245 which is a pretty good match for me. All colours are identified with a R (red) or a Y (yellow) indicating the undertone. I didn’t notice any discernible scent to the Ultra HD at all.

MUFE Ultra HD Invisible Cover foundation Y245

The thinner consistency of the Ultra HD Invisible Cover foundation makes application so easy. It takes two pumps for me to cover my face. I used both a sponge and a RT buffing brush to apply. Both worked great with this foundation. The coverage is medium at most. I could still see some of the melasma around my mouth and freckles on my nose showing through. So if you are like me, melasma and freckles, concealing will be a must.

The finish is a demi-matte. It was so lightweight and left my skin feeling hydrated, I couldn’t tell I had foundation on. It also didn’t enhance my pores but it didn’t completely blur them out either. Nor did it sink it any of my fine lines (hello forehead). It just leaves your skin looking like skin just better.

The Ultra HD lasted maybe 7 hours for me before it wore off in a few places. Mainly above my eyebrows. I tend to scratch at them during the day. I notice I do that when I am at work. They call it my WTF face. It seems to happen a lot. I do set my concealed areas (under eyes and nose) with a loose setting powder which definitely helped the longevity factor. Thankfully, I don’t really get dewy during the day but I can thank my dry skin for that.

Sami is peeking out at the top of the stairs

$52 is lot for me to spend on a foundation. So I have to love it before I commit to it. And I love the way the Ultra HD Invisible Cover foundation looks on my skin. Love it. It keeps my skin looking hydrated (but not dewy) and is so lightweight that I find it a great foundation for someone with dry skin. It blurs out most imperfections and doesn’t cling to dry areas and it doesn’t make my shitty textured skin look worse. I have had so many compliments on how nice my skin looked in the last two weeks, it make me a believer. Would I buy it again? You betcha!

The Makeup Forever Ultra HD Invisible Cover foundation is available exclusively at sephora.com ($52 CDN/$43 USD).

Annabelle Cosmetics Spring 2017 mini haul

2017-03-22T21:34:00.003-05:00

During the International Women’s Day Sales, I picked up a few items from Annabelle Cosmetics. Annabelle was having a 40% off and free shipping event, so how could I resist?

My initial purpose was to grab a new Romance Twist Up Retractable Lipstick. I love that lippy. But I ended up perusing the new products for Spring 2017 and of course I found myself picking up a few items.

Top - Twist Up Retractable Lipstick Romance
Bottom - Skinny Gel Liner Black Onyx

As I mentioned I had to get another Annabelle Twist Up Retractable Lipstick in Romance. I totally fell in love with this creamy shade a couple years ago and I NEEDED another. Romance is a nude mauve pink and it is my go to shade. I absolutely love the formula in these crayon lipsticks. They are hydrating and do not dry my lips out and do not enhance any dry patches on my lips. The Twist Ups are a winter favorite and one is always rolling around in my makeup bag.

L: Twist Up Retractable Lipstick Romance
R: Skinny Gel Liner Black Onyx

I absolutely love retractable eyeliners. They are so easy and unmessy to use. Annabelle actually has a great selection of some retractable liners and they do them so well. I wanted to really try the gel formula of the Skinny Gel Eyeliner- Black Onyx ($8.95 CDN). This pencil thin gel liner is so creamy smooth and really black. It has a very tiny nib so it makes getting in between the lashes easy. But I really like Black Onyx on my waterline. The formula lasted all day in my waterline with only minor fading after10 hours. That is one of the best results I have ever had. Love.

L: Annabelle Matte eyeshadow Ivory
R: Annabelle Chrome eyeshadow Rose Gold

I seem to go through matte vanilla shadows quite fast as I use them for an all over base shade almost every day so it was an easy choice to get the matte single shadow in Ivory ($5.95 CDN). This shade is a pretty pale nude with slight pink undertone. It blends easily and brightens my eye. I do use this as my starting base shade all over the eye to ‘set’ any primer with.

Annabelle Skinny Palette - New Eve Goldy Browns

I also had to try out one of the Chrome eyeshadows ($8.95 CDN) and a Skinny Palette ($9.95 CDN) . I was so impressed with the Chrome eyeshadow in Rose Gold and the Skinny Palette in New Eve Goldy Browns ($9.95 CDN) that I am going to do a separate review for them. Maybe an eye look?

Have you tried anything new from Annabelle Cosmetics?

March Topbox | Bella Aura

2017-03-15T19:56:00.003-05:00

For March, Topbox had an awesomely great selection of privé boxes to choose from; YSL primer and lipstick, Ofra turquoise eyeliners, MaskerAide mask packs, Manna Kadar blush, baremineral glosses and the Bella Aura skincare pack. I wanted them all! It was so hard to decide. Aaiiieee!!!!

But I finally settled on the Bella Aura because I sincerely wanted to try out these products. I already tried the Bella Aura Antioxidant Booster and loved it. It made my skin feel so soft. I think I love the idea that Bella Aura’s products are pure and natural emulsions (argan, fig, nigella and neroli essential oils) plus it is made in Canada!
In this Bella Aura Skincare box, I received the:

Instant Lifting Eye Contour

Full size: 30ml/$120
Our Multi-Functional Instant Lifting Eye Contour significantly reduces the appearance of multiple signs of aging. It rejuvenates the eye area to look 6 years younger within 4 weeks.
I am excited to try this! My eyes are so bad right now. Lack of sleep is really kicking me in the ass. I need help.

Daily Repair Moisturizer

Full size: 30ml/$90
Our Multi-Functional Daily Moisture Repair provides better hydration properties than Glycerin or Hyaluronic Acid. It contains our Kamilah blend combined with breakthrough technology of the active Swiss botanical ingredients.
I am always looking for a great daily moisturizer, especially one that is super hydrating. Normally I really like 30SPF in my daily moisturizer but adding SPF ahead is not a huge issue if this performs well.

Gentle Purifying Cleanser

Full size: 100ml/$45

Wet face with warm water, pump a few drops of cleanser on fingertips and massage into skin for 30 to 60 seconds in small, circular motions.
I thought that the Night Cellular Renewal was in this set but I was mistaken. I have a Daily Repair Moisturizer from last month`s Topbox as well. Oh well I will use it and love it! Now all I need to try is the Night Cellular Renewal to have tried all the products. Maybe I should do a review on how these are on dry dehaydrated (and extremely tired) skin?

These products are all available at www.bellaaura.com.
If you are interested in a Topbox yourself for $12/mth go to Topbox.ca and sign up.

Kamilah means perfect

Essence I Love Colour Intensifying Eyeshadow Base

2017-03-13T23:05:00.000-05:00

I was perusing through the new makeup in Shoppers Drug Mart during my lunch hour and saw that Essence had a new eyeshadow primer, Essence I Love Colour Intensifying Eyeshadow Base $3.99. What attracted me to this primer was that it was a pink base. I am almost out my current primer so it was great happenstance when I came across this one.

The texture of the Essence I Love Colour Intensifying Eyeshadow Base is thin and smooth. Not at all dry or silicon-y feeling. It blends out quite well, dries smooth and has a nice light pink concealing effect on the lids almost a brightening effect. My shadow lasted pretty well all day, with no creasing or wearing off. I did experience some fading after a long day but by this time I had it on for over 9-10 hours. I find the Essence I Love Colour Intensifying Eyeshadow Base on par with more expensive eye primers (Hey you Primer Potion) just not as thick. Good job Essence!

It even made some shadows that don’t show up well (on their own) pop. Below is an example. Without primer I have a hard time making these shadows show up on my eyes. I always need to use a base with them.

I am glad I picked up Essence I Love Colour Intensifying Eyeshadow Base on a whim. It makes my shadow pop, my wallet happy and no makeup guilts for spending $20+ on an eye primer. I recommend trying it out!

Have you ever ... #budgetbeauty

2017-03-06T22:16:00.001-06:00

..bought makeup from the dollar store? How did it work out? Did you like it? I do once in while. I always have to look to see what the new stock is. It is never consistent which makes it fun. Sometimes I see OPI, L'Oreal. You just never what's going to be there.
Normally I stay away from eyeshadow and skin care as my experience has usually been negative. But there are other beauty related items that may intrigue you.

Today's budget beauty find is all about lashes. I am always surprised and excited when I come across Ardell lashes in Dollarama but they are generally of the super dramatic variety that I would never get much use out of. Let down. But Dollarama also carries the Mariposa multipacks.

These are like the 5 pair multipacks you can get from ebay for $2-$5. At Dollarama, the Mariposa multipacks are $3.00. That is pretty cheap! No credit cards or waiting a month for your order.

These ones are the Sapphire Lash 012 Star Struck (made in PRC). They come in a super cheap plastic package, held together with a few pieces of tape. The lashes themselves are very light and natural and the lash band is very thin and black. They actually remind me of the Ardell Lashlites lashes. The size was perfect for me so I didn't have to cut them. These do come with a little vial of lash glue but I am a goof when it comes to applying lash glue. It gets everywhere! I can only use the brush on Duo Lash Glue so I didn't even bother to try out the Mariposa glue.

The one issue I had with these lashes was that they had a really sticky adhesive on the back of them that stayed on the lashes when you pulled them off the package. I had to use another pair of tweezers to pull that adhesive off which came off in tiny little pieces. The second set of lashes I used I got lazy and just left the adhesive on. My eye didn’t fall out or get irritated but this is probably something you don't want to do on the regular. The last multipack that I had from Dollarama did not have this issue.

All in all, these were very natural lashes that gave me length and didn't look like I was wearing falsies.

I also grabbed a pack of Ardell Naturals 110 in Wine ($3.00). There was a few black pairs there but they were half lashes, coloured or has rhinestones on them, The 110 Wines were the most 'natural' lashes that I saw in the Ardell brand. I figure I will just add a couple coats of mascara to hide the wine colour.

I normally don't wear lashes on the daily as application takes me awhile plus I wear glasses a lot and hate when the lashes are too long and swipe against my glasses when I blink. But these Mariposa Star Struck lashes were the perfect length for me.

If you want to pick up some cheap and decent false lashes, take a look in the cosmetic aisle next time you are at Dollarama.

Nexxus City Shield collection review

2017-03-01T21:58:00.000-06:00

*product was provided for review

Nexxus has introduced a new collection that combats the damage of city living. The City Shield collection offers a reinvigorating veil of protection against environmental damage, helps control frizz, makes your hair manageable and gives a natural-looking healthy shine.

The collection includes;

City Shield Shampoo $13.99

Gently cleanses urban-stressed hair and is refreshingly fragrant so you can enjoy nourished hair that feels great and retains its natural movement. Formulated with Wheat protein, the rich formula of Nexxus City Shield shampoo for dry, frizzy hair helps rehydrate and control hair of all types – capturing natural movement while protecting hair from urban aggressors

I loved the scent of this shampoo. From the bottle it was a bit strong but while on the hair, I found it refreshing and awakening. It lathers like crazy. I felt like it took a lot of rinsing to get the shampoo residue out of my hair

City Shield Conditioner $13.99

Smoothes and nourishes hair while restoring a protective barrier that helps to shield it from damage caused by the urnab environment. Using wheat protein for hair, the formula of this Nexxus conditioner for dry hair is designed to help moisturize hair, improve manageability and reduce frizz - all the while protecting your hair fro external aggressors and retaining plenty of natural movement.

I found this conditioner quickly detangled and moisturized my hair. I had no problem at all getting my wide tooth comb through afterwards. My hair had fabulous shine the next day when I was brushing it out and virtually NO FRIZZ! Goal achieved!

City Shield Damage Defense Hair Crème 60ml - $18.99

Shields straight and fine hair from city-life damage while also providing soft hold for your style. Hair is left protected and nourished, formulated with lotus extract to achieve a manageable style that lasts throughout the day

For me this is more a styling product rather than a leave-in conditioner. The first time I applied a quarter sized amount of product. It left my hair detangle but once I had fully air dried my hair, it felt very texturized. Very much like I had spritzed dry shampoo on my hair. I have conflicting feelings whether I like or hate that. My hair had body and was so easy to style but the ends of my hair were left pretty dry. So you will need to add an oil to the ends of your hair if you have dry hair like me. The next time I used it, I used less product and the textured feeling was considerably less. So a dime sized amount is all you really need. My hair did still look shiny the next day and frizz and static were significantly reduced. I had volume on the top of head which I normally have to work to get but a quick brush and flip and I had volume. So there goes the conflict.

Nexxus has some great products. I personally love the Therappe and Humectress shampoo and conditioner. While the City Shield line left my hair pretty much frizz-free, it’s not my most favorite Nexxus product. The DD crème gave my tresses some great body and I was easily able to style my hair but I felt like it left a lot of build up in my hair.

Have you tried the City Shield collection yet?

Topbox | February 2017

2017-02-23T18:53:00.001-06:00

February’s Topbox has arrived! This month’s box is all about skin and hair care. EEEK, I am pretty excited for two products in here. Can you guess which ones?

Mettrum Originals Hemp Lip Balm Watermelon

Full size: 5g $$3.99 CAD
Remove lid and generously apply balm directly to lips as required. Available at mettrumoriginals.com

INGREDIENTS: Hemp oil, beeswax, sunflower oil, olive oil, sweet almond oil, wheatgerm oil, apricot kernel oil, calendula officinalis extract, vitamin E.

I tried this out right away as my current lip balm is now living under the driver seat of my car. The Mettrum balm is soooo moisturizing and I can feel the oils instantly plumping my dry lips. The watermelon scent is lovely as well. {Canadian company}

Bella Aura Skincare Daily Repair Moisturizer

Full size: 30mL $90
Our Multi-Functional Daily Moisture Repair provides better hydration properties than Glycerin or Hyaluronic Acid. It contains our Kamilah blend combined with breakthrough technology of the active Swiss botanical ingredients. Available at bellaaura.com

INGREDIENTS: Water/Aqua/Eau, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Avena Strigosa Seed Extract, Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Jojoba Esters, Polyglyceryl-3, Beeswax, Cetyl Alcohol, Bellis Perennis (Daisy) Flower Extract, Propanediol, Cereus Grandiflorus (Cactus) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Peel Oil, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Cellulose, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2 Hexanediol

I am really excited to try out this Bella Aura moisturizer. I previously tried the Bella Aura Antioxidant booster and fell in love with it. I babied that trial sized sample for weeks. Now I am going to baby this one as well. I need to win the lottery so I can get the whole line! {Canadian company}

Caudalie Instant Detox Mask

Full size: 75mL $45
The Instant Detox Mask helps bring stressed, city-dwelling skin back to life. Its 99.3% natural clay formula sweeps away impurities and toxins. Grape Marc: detoxifies and drains, Pink Clay and Coffee: purify, Papaya Enzymes: delivers immediate radiance, Eight Essential Oils: nourish skin. Available at Sephora.com

INGREDIENTS: Water, Bentonite, Glycerin*, Acacia Senegal Gum*, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Alcohol*, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil*, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract*, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil*, Sodium Citrate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Coffea Arabica (Coffee) Seed Extract*, Coffea Robusta Seed Extract*, Citric Acid*, Papain*, Cupressus Sempervirens Oil*, Salvia Sclarea (Clary) Oil*, Commiphora Myrrha Oil*, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Oil*, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil*, Petroselinum Crispum (Parsley) Seed Oil*, Carbomer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Lactic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Algin, Limonene, Linalool. *Plant Origin.

This was the other skin care item I was pumped to see. I only tried the Caudalie water before so trying a mask is awesome. YAY.

St. Tropica Hot Oil Treatment Botanically Infused Coconut Oil

Full size: 3 pack/$25
Advances the amazing hair benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil by infusion it with powerful organic botanicals such as Biotin, Horsetail, and Amla to nourish & strengthen your precious hair. Locks-in moisture to help eliminate split ends and frizzy hair. 100% of the ingredients are Certified USDA Organic. Available at StTropica.com

INGREDIENTS: organic virgin coconut oil, organic biotin, organic horsetail, organic amla, organic hibiscus, organic green tea, organic coconut butter, organic coconut fruit extract.

This looks so interesting. You can feel the hardened oil/butter in the package. You are supposed to heat up the unopened package in the microwave for 20 seconds then apply to hair. At first I am thinking this may just be souped-up coconut oil but we will see.

Bonus sample: Smashbox Cover Shot eye palette sampler. My sample has 4 shadows from the Golden Hour Eye Palette. Pretty neutral everyday colours.

So that is the 'regular' Topbox for February. What item did you like the best?

Topbox is a monthly Canadian beauty subscription for $12 plus taxes ($13.65).

L'Oreal Infallible Lip Paint #review

2017-02-20T22:16:00.000-06:00

Happy Louis Riel Day, Family Day, Heritage Day, President's Day! I hope everyone had fun productive day today. I ran a few errands and did some grocery shopping. Not an especially fun day but necessary.

Today I am sharing my thoughts on the new L'Oreal Infallible Lip Paints. Particularly Spicy Blush. I managed to snag this in a recent Shoppers Drug Mart redemption event so my cost was nothing but these normally retail at $11.49 at SDM. This week, they are on sale for $10.99.
Don't they seem a little pricey for a drugstore lip product? Are they worth the bumped up price tag?

Packaged in a squeezy tube like the Too Faced Melted Lipsticks, the Infallible Lip Paints come with a doe foot applicator instead of sponge applicator. The doe foot has a little dip built into the end to 'scoop' up more product. And they smell like a fruity jube jubes!

Advertised as a Glossy Lipstick, this Infallible Lip Paint came across more as a super creamy lip gloss.

Spicy Blush

As I mentioned, I picked up Spicy Blush for my test subject. Spicy Blush is really pretty light mauve pink. The colour is beautiful mauve pink. Initially, Spicy Blush reminded me of Too Faced Melted lipstick in Peony but Peony is slightly bluer.

L'Oreal Infallible Lip Paint Spicy Blush

The formula is very creamy and opaque. The formula is light weight but I could tell there was something on my lips. It applied beautifully but it TRANSFERRED like crazy everywhere. If my lips had to touch it, there was some Spicy Blush in my wake. On my coffee cup, water bottle, Pepper's head. Even after blotting (which meant you didn't have the full vivacity), it still transferred.
The wear time was typical of a lip gloss. You will need to reapply after eating or drinking. I only got a few hours wear time out of it at any given time.

There are 13 shades available in Canada and 14 in the US. At Shoppers Drug Mart, there were only 8 shades displayed.

I was really looking for the shade Nude Star but it wasn't on display. I don't think I will be tracking it down in any haste. The Lip Paints were okay - just sort of Meh for me and really not worth the $11.49 price tag. The sheer amount this product transferred means I probably won't be reaching for Spicy Blush on a daily basis.

Have you tried the Infallible Lip Paints yet?

January 2017 Topbox

2017-02-15T18:04:00.000-06:00

Topbox January 2017

Hi all! I am quickly posting my January Topbox before my February one gets here.
Topbox is the only subscription box I am subscribed to at the moment. The exchange rate was getting ridiculous for boxes from the US so I cancelled them. I hope to resub again in the future as I quite enjoyed the ipsy bags. But Topbox remains one of my favorites. For $12/mth, I think it is worth it.
I really do enjoy their prive boxes. I just wish there was an option where you could get the regular Topbox and one prive box as well. I am trying to be greedy without seeming gauche.

TheFaceShop character mask

For January, I did choose to go prive – selecting TheFaceShop character masks. Every time I look for these character masks they are sold out. I find them quite hydrating and plus they are fun. Whenever I can get my hands on them I grab them. My favorite mask is the Puppy mask. These Piggy (honey) masks are a bit creepy. I truly look like I have peeling skin. Like something out American Horror Story! Have you tried these?

ddm liquid lipstick in after sex

DDM Liquid Lipstick – After Sex

I took a chance and hopped on the mystery product for $10. I truly lucked out as the soft nude pink that is After Sex really suits me. While I don’t have that much experience with matte liquid lipsticks, I do know that this one is long wearing (powered right thru lunch with no fading) and doesn’t crumble nor is it patchy. I do have deep lines in my lips so that does show through a bit but it is not that noticeable. There is a faint sweet smell to these like caramel?

ddm after sex swatch

Garnier Micellar Water 4-in-1 cleanser

This was a freebie from Topbox. I do use the Garnier Micellar water. Despite the controversy over an ingredient in it (Google Garnier Micellar controversy or polyaminopropyl biguanide), I will still continue to use it.

garnier all-in-one micellar water

So I am back to blogging as you can tell. I had a few issues last year and had to take time off basically from everything. When I was ready in January to start blogging again I didn’t even know where to start. So I am starting small, picking myself back up again and moving on. Life!?! right?

John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Visibly Brighter #Review

2017-02-07T17:35:00.002-06:00

{Disclaimer: I was sent these products for review}

John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Visibly Brighter Subtle Lightening Shampoo, Conditioner and In-Shower Lightening Treatment

First post of the year Woohoo! Today we are talking about the John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Visibly Brighter Subtle Lightening Shampoo, Conditioner and In-Shower Lightening Treatment.

This particular Brilliant Brunette line is designed to subtlety lighten your hair without leaving your hair bleached or orange. When I first got these, I was thinking in my head Yes, DIY balayage! Ummm no...I think my expectations were a bit cray-cray. Silly rabbit.
Let's first talk about the In-Shower Treatment. The In-Shower Treatment is a lightening product that comes in a dual squeeze tube for easy application. It is supposed to be a quick and easy way to lighten your hair. You fold back the plastic tab to reveal a small opening to each tube.

‘Squeeze the product out and apply to wet hair concentrating on roots or all over. Rinse off hands’.

I opted to do this part out of the shower. I brushed and then wetted down my hair. I squeezed the product out directly out on to my wet hair. I paid special attention to applying this solution to the front edges and the lower portion of my hair. It wasn’t too hard to apply to the desired areas although it wasn’t precise. The product, a thin gel consistency, allowed me to squeeze the product out in straightish lines down the length of my hair. Then I patted and stroked it on to the strands.

John Frieda In-Shower Treatment

The whole time, I was either holding my breath or taking breathes through my mouth only. The In-Shower ~~gasp~~ Treatment ~~gasp~~ stinks horribly! You only need to keep it on for 5 minutes and then rinse off but holy crap I don’t think I would have been able to handle being enclosed in a shower with that ammonia-rific smell. I dye my hair all the time and this treatment was possibly the strongest smelling solution I have tried in a long time. Not a fan of the smell.

After the five minutes were up, I jumped in the shower and rinsed off the lightening agent and breathed deep. Then I washed with the Visibly Brightening Subtle Lightening Shampoo and Conditioner. I was pleasantly surprised that the shampoo was ashy gold colour. The colour will give brunette hair a golden boost. The conditioner was beige cream and worked wonderfully. My hair feels pretty good right now. Smooth and soft. Plus I like the smell of the conditioner. All these products are infused with honey and marigold extract. I am not positive what marigolds smell like but I am envisioning they smell like this conditioner.

Now for the moment of truth; does the Visibly Brighter Subtle Lightening system work? Yes I have to say it does. It is subtle, I will say that. It will not give you any sort of balayage situation (what was I thinking? Haha) but your hair will appear a tiny bit lighter and in my case the chestnut tones took on a slightly more golden tone.

Before and After In-shower Treatment

I can attest that the In-Shower Treatment is safe to use on colour treated hair. I recently touched up my roots about a week prior to using the In-Shower Treatment and did not see any ill effects other than my ends were a bit drier than before. But what hair colouring/lightening system won’t do that?

Brilliant Brunette Visibly Brighter Subtle Lightening Shampoo and Conditioner

I have only used the Brilliant Brunette Visibly Brighter Subtle Lightening Shampoo and Conditioner for about a week but I can still only see the change in tone that that the initial In-Shower Treatment gave. Now my roots have a lot of grey so I am interested to see what this does to that. Will it make them yellow? Brown? I am curious.

What do you think of the Brilliant Brunette Visibly Brighter Subtle Lightening In-Shower Treatment? Do you think you want to give it a try - smell not withstanding?

Available at Walmart.ca LondonDrug.com Well.ca

April 2016 Topbox | Model co

2016-05-06T16:44:00.003-05:00

For April I chose the Model Co privé box. I have liked everything I have previously tried from Model Co and when I saw the full sized BB cream I was like 'SOLD!!!`

There were only two items in this privé Topbox: a lipgloss and a BB cream.

BB Plus Cream Daily All-in-One Skin Perfector Broad Spectrum SPF30 Medium

Full size: $22/35ml

Combining serum, moisturizer, primer, foundation and SPF 30-UVA and UVB SPF, BB Plus covers blemishes and imperfections, helps maintain hydration, corrects signs of dullness or fatigue and helps protect the skin from UV rays.

Sweet that we got a full size product! I got the shade Medium which on first glance looked pretty orange to me. But it smoothed out all right on my skin. The formula was a little more liquidy than I am used to for a BB cream. The coverage is quite light on me. Any redness is evened out but I can still see my freckles and any darker imperfections so a concealer is a necessity for me. I have been wearing this to work all week and I really like it for a more natural not done up look.

Shine Ultra Lip Gloss – Fairy Floss

Full size; $20/4ml

Lend a luxe touch to your beauty look with this reflective shimmering gloss that glides on smoothly for a non-sticky, long lasting finish.

This gloss is a very sheer pink. And it does make your lips look super shiny. This strawberry scented gloss feels a little goopy but not sticky at least not so much that it irritated me. I cannot stand sticky glosses or my hair getting in them. It is surprisingly long lasting even on my coffee slurping mouth :)

Bonus item: Schick Hydro Silk razor

I was pretty happy to see this bonus item this month. I love getting these razors every once in a while in my subbies. It lets me try new razors, otherwise I would probably would never change it up from my Olay Venus razor (which I got in a sub). Plus we got a $5 off coupon for new blades. That is pretty generous. I am digging the ergonomic handle on this one. Razor d’ete?

Shine Ultra Lip Gloss in Fairy Floss | BB Plus Cream in Medium (slightly blended out)

I saw this privé box and had to have it. I so wanted to try more from this Australian brand. It did remind me that I have a Model Co. Cheek and Lip tint kicking around somewhere that I quite enjoyed. I am going to go root around for it.

Topbox is a Canadian beauty subscription where you can get 4 deluxe beauty samples sent to your door for $12 a month. Sign up at topbox.ca

Tresemmé Beauty-Full Volume Reverse Wash System

2016-04-19T22:30:00.002-05:00

Tresemme Beauty-Full Volume Collection

When I received this I was like What? Condition first? What? I was so curious to see what this Reverse Washing was all about.

Formulated with Fleximax Volimizers and Fibre Polishing Actives, the Beauty-Full Volume Collection will leave you with smooth, soft touchable voluminous hair.
The Beauty-Full Volume Collection includes;

Beauty-Full Volume Pre-Wash Conditioner
Beauty-Full Volume Shampoo
Beauty-Full Volume Hair Maximizer
Beauty-Full Volume Touchable Bounce Mouse
Beauty-Full Volume Flexible Finish Hairspray

How does the Reverse Wash System work, you ask?

Step 1: Pre-Wash Conditioner Step 2: Shampoo

Step 1: Pre-Wash Conditioner

Apply 2-3 pumps evenly throughout wet hair. Leave on for one minute. Rinse.

Love the pump on here. I think all shampoo and conditioners should come with a pump! The Fleximax Volumizer formula is supposed to leave hair smooth and polished. I used 2 pumps to lather through my hair. I let it soak in for a few minutes then I rinsed out.

Step 2: Volume Shampoo

Apply to wet hair from roots to tips (with the conditioner still in it). Lather. Rinse to remove excess weight from your hair.

This shampoo suds up like crazy. Wow. I had it all throughout my hair in no time. The second ingredient is SLS. So if you are moving away from that in your hair care routine you may need to try another shampoo.

I was worried at first after I rinsed the shampoo out that my hair would be too tangly to get a comb through. It was a little hard to finger comb my hair out. So instead of waiting to let my hair air dry, I immediately applied Step 3.

Step 3: Hair Maximizer

Step 3: Hair Maximizer

Use after the Tresemmé Beauty-Full Reverse Wash System. Apply small amount to damp hair from roots to tips, focusing on the lengths. Blow dry your hair using a round brush to create volume.

I used about a nickel size worth of product and ran it through my hair getting close to the roots (I stayed about an inch away). Then I combed my hair. The Hair Maximizer gave my hair enough silkiness that I was able to comb my hair. I hardly ever blow dry my hair anymore so I let it air dry giving my hair a flip every once in a while to bump up the volume naturally.

I think my hair looks pretty good here without even styling. I would go out like this. Yep.

Hair is 50% dry

My first week of using the Tresemmé Beauty-Full Volume Collection went well. Really well. I was pretty happy with the results. I had bounce, frizz control and manageability. But sometime near the end of the second week, my hair started becoming greasy a day after washing. My hair is dry; I rarely ever get greasy hair. Normally, I can go 2-3 days before I feel the need to wash my hair. I think maybe my scalp rebeled against the Hair Maximizer? But I like how it smoothes out my hair!
So while it does deliver what it promises; volume, bounce and frizz free hair, I don't think reverse washing with Beauty-Full Volume is for me on the everyday.


Volume! after using the Tresemme Beauty-Full Volume Collection

I am a fan of Tresemmé products and use them quite a bit. I especially enjoy the Tresemmé Keratin Smooth line. It helps keep winter dryness and frizz at bay.

While I can't use the Beauty-Full Volume system continuously, I will use it periodically to get me some shiny bouncy hair. Since I don't blow dry my hair that often anymore, I think I may need to try the mousse from this line.
Have you tried Reverse Washing you hair? Did it work for you?
Edited to Add: I went back and tried this system out again for the past two weeks without the Hair Maximizer. The results were fantastic! It was the Hair Maximizer that was causing my scalp to get oily. Yay so excited to figure that out. Do I notice a huge difference in my hair versus using shampoo and conditioner the traditional way? I think so, I seem to have less product build up in my hair. But my hair gets a static-y a bit easier than before.

**products sent for review. All opinions are my own.

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation #review

2016-03-28T22:07:00.000-05:00

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion foundation

L’Oreal recently launched its version of a cushion foundation for Spring 2016 and I was eager to give the True Match Lumi Cushion foundation a try as I love luminous finish foundations and have tried the L’Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation with happy results. And I just wanted to get on the cushion band wagon of course!

Let’s talk about the compact first. It is really pretty. I love the rose gold. The foundation comes in a double lid compact. The pretty rose gold lid is actually the mirror on the inside. It has a round sponge applicator sitting atop the well of the secondary lid that keeps the product air tight. The sponge cushion sits at the bottom of the compact. The foundation looks really dark in the sponge but trust me it is pretty light on the skin. Currently, L’Oreal Paris Canada only has 8 shades available in the Lumi Cushion line. All are in light to medium skin tone range. L’Oreal Paris USA has 12 shades available.

Since I use a mixture of N1-2 (Classic Ivory) and N3 in the True Match Lumi liquid foundation line, I picked up N2 Classic Ivory in the Cushion Lumi. It was a pretty good match for me maybe a bit on the light side.

The Lumi Cushion Foundation has sheer coverage. You can build it up to a light medium coverage but don’t expect anything more than that. I definitely need concealer if I want to cover up the red splotches on my cheeks or any redness.

This foundation is really dewy. Really dewy. I have dry dehydrated skin so the luminosity of this foundation is not really an issue for me. In fact it is what drew me to it. My skin seems to suck this foundation right up and I don’t see the super luminous effect other see. Unfortunately for me, once the foundation set it did cling to dry patches.

The wear time on the Lumi Cushion was about 5 hours. It began wearing off rapidly after that, first on the lower cheeks and then the chin and nose. I tried reapplying it at work in the afternoon but it did not look as good as applying it in the morning on fresh skin.

The price is the real stickler for me. I got it when it was on sale for $16.49 CDN. That was 30% off making the foundation normally sitting at the $24 mark for 0.51oz. It is pricey considering the True Match Lumi Foundation runs about $18 CDN for 1oz.

The Lumi Cushion is an alright foundation for me. But I do not think I will be repurchasing. I consider the L’Oreal True Match Lumi liquid foundation much better coverage, effect and price than the Lumi Cushion foundation. In the end, I have other foundations, CC and DD creams that look better if I want sheer coverage at a better price.

What were your thoughts on the L’Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion foundation? Worth the hype?

Topbox | March 2016

2016-03-20T22:24:00.003-05:00

Bonjour Makeupnuts! It’s monthly Topbox time. Once again, I opted for the regular Topbox for March. I am so predicable right? Honestly I can't remember what the wishlist selections were. I think there was an Elizabeth Arden and So Susan prive box. What I do remember is that I either had or tried most of the Topbox wishlist items previously. So the regular one it was.

March 2016 Topbox

The contents:

Maskeraide All-Eyes-On-Me Hydrating Eye Gel Patches deluxe sample

Full size: 4 eye patches/$25

Place these under the eyes on clean toned skin. Leave on for 15-20 minutes.

I am a big fan of the Maskeraide masks so I am genuinely looking forward to trying these.

Mereadesso Tinted All-In-One Moisturizer deluxe sample

Full size 25ml/$45

From my little swatch fest, I do like how this foil sample is presented with a little resealable flip top in the packet. Although the colour looks a bit warm to me, on the orange-y side. But I will have to try it out before I write it off.

Pop Beauty Pure Pigment in Metallic Charcoal full size

4.14ml/$11.42

I was not expecting a full size pigment in this bag. This charcoal has a slight duo chrome metallic shift to it. I like pigments and think it is quite pretty. But I have learned the hard way to be careful with dark pigments. My carpet can attest to that! But the sacrifice was in the name of beauty.

Nova Scotia Fisherman eXtreme Skin Care Lip Balm - Fisher Mint deluxe sample

Full size: 9.2g/$4.95

Spearmint! That’s all I can smell when I open this. There is definitely mint oil in this. It is so tingly and cooling on the lips. I still haven’t decided whether I like that or not. But it is so moisturizing. I mentioned in my last Topbox post that Nova Scotia Fisherman has a free trial where you can chose three samples for free but pay $5 postage to try out the line.

mereadesso all-in-one-tinted moisturizer | pop beauty pure pigment metallic charcoal

I am really eager to try out the Maskeraide Eye Patches. Tonight actually. It has become a Sunday night ritual to do a mask before bed; get ready for bed, apply the mask and relax for 20 minutes.

Want to try out some new beauty products each month? Sign up for a Topbox. It is $12 for 4 deluxe samples sent your door each month.

Irresistible Me Ruby Auto-Rotating Curling Iron #review

2016-03-15T22:37:00.003-05:00

A couple years ago I started experiencing issues with my right shoulder and curling my hair became a huge pain. So on those bad days, I just didn’t bother curling my hair. I have naturally wave hair so a couple pumps of curling cream and lot of scrunching and I am ready. But to look more polished, I like to curl my hair for a more uniform stylish look. Because of the shoulder issue, I need a curling iron with a clamp. Lifting my arms up to wrap my hair around wands is a struggle for me. It takes me forever and my arms kill me afterwards. Having an auto rotating curing iron makes curling my hair even easier now.

A few weeks ago I was given the opportunity to try out the Irresistible Me Ruby-Auto Rotating Curling Iron. When this professional curling wand arrived, I was super impressed with the lux and sturdy packaging it came in. It even has a little magnetic close on it. I don’t even want to toss it. The top flap has all the cool features this professional curling wand has displayed on it.

Irresistible Me Ruby Auto-Rotationg Curling Iron

The iron itself is sleek and long but it is lightweight and surprisingly evenly balanced. The 360 degree cord makes it easy to place nicely on any counter. No more having the cord drag my iron off the counter for me! The cord is just over 8’ long. Most irons have a standard 6’ cord. I didn’t think that extra 2 feet would make a huge difference but it sure makes moving around with the iron a lot easier.
The barrel is ceramic, fused with tourmaline to easily create silky, smooth curls. The diamond coating enhances its durability and heat transfer. The tourmaline gemstone is a natural source of negative ions and far-infrared heat, which provides faster styling. Negative ions eliminate frizz and lock in moisture by closing the cuticle to create smooth, shiny hair.

The Ruby Auto-Rotating Curling Iron comes with an assortment of features that will make curling your hair so much easier:

Ceramic and tourmaline technology with negative ions leaves your hair smooth and shiny by sealing hair oils, color and moisture in – means no frizzy hair
Diamond coating enhances its durability and heat transfer
Fast heating (less than a minute) with temperature controls between 260F to 410F
LED screen that indicates the selected temperature
Auto standby feature after 1 hour
1 year limited warranty
Rotating auto recovery
Ergonomic design
Light Weight
360 degree cord
2.5m cord
Universal voltage

Once plugged in the infrared temperature light will start blinking but you still have to turn on the heat by pressing the power button for 2 seconds. The iron will start by default at 260 F. To increase and decrease the heat, press the + and – buttons (above the power button). I like setting it at 380F. It has rapid heating so the iron gets hot within a minute. When the LED light stops blinking then you know the iron is heated to the desired temperature.

The time you keep the hair around the iron will determine how tight the curls will be - less than 5 seconds = loose curls more than 10 seconds = tight curls.

In the picture below, I left the iron on for at least 15 seconds so I ended up looking like Lil’ BoPeep. But I just pulled on the curls after letting them rest for a couple minutes. The curls loosened up nicely and after a tousle at the roots I got looser curls. Now I am lucky and my hair holds a curl for the whole day so I don’t need a lot of products to assist that but I do have super dry ends so I do need some styling and conditioning oils. Always a balance, right?

The auto-rotating feature is something else! I love it! Pressing the right or left button will direct the curl. I take 1.5 inch sections of hair and clamp it about 1 inch from the bottom and let the wand do the rest. There is a teensy learning curve with this iron but after a few minutes it becomes easy, kind of fun actually. Bzzz bzzz bzzz. I played with the Ruby Auto-Rotating Curling Iron for 10-15 minutes before I used it to learn all the features. The coolest feature I think is the Reset button. Press the red Reset button to have the handle clip return to the front position and you are ready to go in for another curl or you can place the iron on the counter. God I love technology sometimes!

The handle is ergonomically designed. As I mentioned before the iron is well balanced, not bottom heavy at all. The buttons are placed so well that you don’t accidently touch them when curling your hair. A common problem with my old iron; I would always turn the temperature down or up with my palm. The base has a little bump on the bottom so that when you set it down, the little stand in the middle and the ’bump’ at the base make the curling iron stand perfectly horizontal to the counter. I haven’t even used my heat mat since getting this iron. The cool touch tip means you don’t have to wear gloves! But I found I didn’t even really use the cool touch tip because the Ruby Auto-Rotating Curling Iron did all the work for me.

I also tested the auto standby feature to see if it would shut off after an hour and it does. I was wondering why an hour but since it is a professional curling wand, I imagine it would be frustrating having it shut off every 20 minutes. I always have weird paranoia attacks sometimes when I leave the house; did I shut the curling iron off? OH Geez! and I will turn around and drive back just to check! Seriously. I am such a weirdo sometimes. So auto shutoff is for me!

I am loving my experience so far with the Ruby Auto-Rotating Curling Iron! I wish I would have had this a couple years ago!

The Ruby Auto Rotating Curling Iron is available at IrresistibleMe.com for $119.00 USD. Irresistible Me offers affordable hair extensions but also offers hair tools and accessories.

**product provide for review but all opinions are my own

February 2016 Topbox

2016-03-08T21:16:00.002-06:00

So this Topbox posting is really late. My Topbox decided it wanted to take the long way around to get to me in Winnipeg. I know nobody likes coming here in the winter but come on! Canada Post took it on a ride from Mississauga to Dieppe, New Brunswick, then on to Montreal before arriving a week or so later in Winnipeg. I guess I should be happy it arrived this month at least! Then my camera decided it would pick last week to die. But it wasn’t dead! The SD card was corrupted and wouldn’t let my camera turn on. I was so happy once I figured that out. After some swearing and smashing of computer equipment, I was able to get some of the images off my card and onto a USB stick. Technology be a bitch sometimes! Teresa Smash!!! Ha but I am thankful I have my pictures now.

February Topbox contents:


Bliss Fabulous Drench 'n' Quench \| Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

Bliss Fabulous Drench 'n' Quench deluxe sample

Full size: 1.7oz/$48

I quite like this moisturizer. It makes my skin feels really soft and smooth. Combine it with the Bliss Radiance serum and my skin looks great sans makeup.

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer deluxe sample
Full size: 1oz/$44

I have tried this primer before and I thought it was good. I think there are maybe better priced options out there for primers. But on the other hand, I do really want to try Smashbox’s new smoothing primer.

Morgan Taylor Later Alligator | Nova Scotia Fisherman Sea Salt Soap

Morgan Taylor Professional Nail Lacquer - Later Alligator full size

Full size $15.83

I have heard that Morgan Taylor is good polish. I kind of wish it was more of a Valentine themed colour but green will do as St. Patrick’s Day is coming up.

Nova Scotia Fisherman eXtreme Skin Care Sea Salt Soap deluxe sample
Full size: 4.8oz/$7.95

I could smell this as soon as I opened the mailbox. Wow it is strong and reminiscent of a man’s cologne. But this oil rich soap was quite moisturizing. I love the fact that it is made with so many good for you oils. Look at these ingrediants...

Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Aqua (Water), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Oil*,Glycine Soja (Soy) Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Parfum (Natural Fragrance Blend), Stearic Acid, Fucus Vesiculosus (Nova Scotia Sea Kelp)*, Maris Sal (Sea Salt), Tocopherol (Vitamin E)*

Psst Nova Scotia Fisherman has a free trial available – select 3 sample sizes and pay for $5 shipping

Overall I think it is a good box this month. I did find an amazing moisturizer in this Topbox this month and get to try out Morgan Taylor. Although, I wouldn’t know where to get Morgan Taylor in Canada.
Now that Birchbox has pulled out of Canada, you might want to sign up for Topbox to fill your beauty box void? Four deluxe samples for $12/month at Topbox.ca.

Canadian Online Shopping with Scarlet & Julia #scarlet&julia

2016-02-27T21:24:00.000-06:00

Scarlet & Julia recently hit the Canadian e-tailer market in 2014. This chic website offers two different shopping experiences; La Boutique and the Beauty Outlet.

Everyone has access to La Boutique, where you can browse and purchase some of your favorite brands; Cargo, Lise Watier, Stila, Ahava, Jouviance, Burberry and harder to find in-Canada brands like Coola.

And then there is the awesome Beauty Boutique; a limited-time sale site. Sort of like Hautelook, you have to register and log in to access the Beauty Boutique but let me tell you it is worth it. Members have access to the Beauty Outlet which has exclusive deals up to 70% off retail price. For example; for the next week there are huge discounts on some Lise Watier cosmetics; kits, eyeshadows, liners, crème blushes.

More savings and value at Scarlet & Julia;

sign up for the Scarlet & Julia newsletter and receive 15% off your first purchase
purchases get you a 5% credit to use towards future purchases at ScarletandJulia.com
limited time sales in the Beauty Outlet get you up to 70% retail
free shipping plus samples on orders over $75
1% of sale for toward Look Good Feel Better foundation. My mother used this program after chemotherapy for breast cancer and it was a wonderful boost to her ego and moral.
orders are delivered within 4 to 8 business days with La Boutique and within 8 to 12 business days for the Beauty Outlet

Scarlet & Julia was kind enough to send me a $50 credit to their site so I purchased the Lise Watier Teint Lift Anti-Rides SPF20 foundation* and purminerals Magic Wands brushes*.

lise watier teint lift anti-rides

Lise Watier Teint Lift Anti-Rides SPF20 foundation $39

This foundation, with anti-wrinkle and smoothing properties, minimizes the appearance of imperfections and makes skin appear firmer, plumper and smoother. Thanks to its SPF 20, it protects the skin from UVA and UVB rays, while also ensuring an impeccable hold – Lise Watier

I had to try this foundation based on its claims. I needed something really smoothing right now. My skin is not excessively dry right now but is extremely dehydrated from recent rounds of antibiotics and steroids from my last flare up. From that process my skin has become very dehydrated and textured.

lise watier teint lift anti-rides

I love the medium to full coverage of the Lise Watier Teint Lift Anti-Rides SPF20 foundation! I chose the colour Neutre which was a pretty good match for my current skin tone. A tricky thing to do when choosing a foundation online! Neutre is pretty light but overall it has a nice yellow neutral base. The thick creamy formula was very easy to blend and a little goes a long way. It smoothed out my skin quite well. In the picture below, I didn’t use a primer. But with the use of a primer, it smoothed out on the skin even better. Since it is a thicker foundation, your skin really needs to be moisturized well or it may cling to dry patches. The wear was phenomenal for me. It lasted the whole work day and had only minor wear along my jaw and cheeks after a 14 hour day. That wear was from me touching my face and my scarf rubbing against it. In short, for my dehydrated skin, I am loving this foundation.

lise watier teint lift anti-rides | no primer

purminerals Magic Wand 5 Piece Pro Brush Kit $19

Okay I totally got this because they were pink brushes! The girly cuteness drew me in. The purminerals Magic Wands are well made, solid and light and all the brushes are super soft and silky. The eye brushes and the foundation brush are dense and flexible, making for great application. The face brush and blush brush were a little too floppy for my liking. I had a hard time trying to control the application. I really only use them just to diffuse or dust off any powder on my skin. The pencil eye brush is now a favorite and comes with me in my makeup bag, which is the purminerals makeup bag now. I love this bag! It’s a yummy summer pink and it fits perfectly in my purse but is large enough to fit an Urban Decay eyeshadow plus all my on the go makeup!

purminerals magic wands

It is always great to find a Canadian online beauty shopping site especially a site that has some pretty great limited time beauty deals. At Scarlet & Julia, you get great product selection, some great sales, plus no crazy shipping prices or exchange rates to deal with.

scarletandjulia.com | Stila Eyes are the Window

There are a few more items I got my eye on... Like the Stila Eyes are the Window palettes. Watch out tax rebate! Have you check out Scarlet & Julia yet?

*Items were provided for review. All opinions are my own