Revlon Photo Ready Compact

I haven't posted in a long, long time. *sheepish smile* It's been pretty hectic, so I'd kind of given up on blogging for a while.

Now that I have a job, I can enjoy buying lovely beauty products again :) and I wanted to tell you all about a new product I've been testing out.

I've been testing out the new Revlon Photo Ready Compact Foundation, about $16.50 plus tax. Revlon's Photo Ready line has been pretty popular- people either love or hate it. I tried the Photo Ready liquid foundation last fall I think and found it to be too glittery for my taste. I was surprised that the lightest shade actually matched my skintone, though. Trying to find a foundation light enough for my skin is usually a nightmare. When I saw Revlon had come out with a cream version, I was dying to try it! From reviews it seemed to be good for oily skin, and the packaging seemed like a cool idea.

I have the shade Ivory. It's important to note that this foundation looks darker in the package than it actually is. It appears to be kind of a beige color in the package, but when applied, Ivory is a very pale shade that matches well.

This foundation isn't exactly my favorite, though. I like the packaging, color match and the fact that it has spf 20. It doesn't even appear to have those annoying sparkles the liquid version has. The problem with this makeup is that it doesn't give great coverage. It's good for undereye circles but not for any spots or redness in my cheeks. I normally have oily skin but lately my face is dry from being out in the cold too much. This foundation really cakes up on dry patches even after I've exfoliated and moisturized. It might be better once my skin is back to normal. However, it's pretty pricey considering the amount of product you get. You get a small square of foundation covered by a liquefying screen. My guess is this would last a month and a half or so before the sponge wouldnt even be able to pick up any more product.

Overall it's decent, but not HG material. It's worth trying out, though, to see if it will work for you.

Review: Maybelline Superstay Lip Colour

 

Anyone who's been reading this blog would know that I'm a fan of drugstore beauty products. They're easy to get a hold of, and some of them perform better than high-end brands. But, of course, one simple drugstore product in Canada can set you back $20.

 

It's crazy. And I hate it when you lucky American girls complain that a lipstick cost $7. That's crazy cheap here.

 

I know that for the price I should just give in and buy high-end. But I live nowhere near a Sephora, and I'm so close to a drugstore that I could walk there. So it's just easier for me to get drugstore beauty products.

 

One drugstore beauty product I picked up today was Maybelline Superstay Lip Colour, about $15 with tax at Shoppers. I had a gift card, so it was ok. Now normally I just use lip balm or lip gloss. I hate lipstick... it just dries out my lips and most lipsticks turn bright red on me anyway. I've always hated my lips- they're not thin or anything, they're a good size for my face but they are too pigmented imo. A clear or pink gloss is all I usually use or sometimes I just use my Smackers Dr. Pepper lip balm for a rosy tint.

 

But I'm getting back into the whole dating thing and school and everything which for me means awkward moments where reapplying lipgloss every hour just isn't practical, but I still want to know that my lips don't look hideous. So I figured I'd give longwearing lipcolour another shot. I've tried a Joe Fresh lip stain with no luck and L'oreal's Infallible lipcolour which was a disaster. But I just don't give up! I picked up Maybelline's Superstay Lipcolour in Blush and Blossom.

 

Blush is a mlbb (my lips but better) shade for me. It's pink with a golden sheen to it.It's prettier than naked lips but looks very natural. Blossom is darker and a bit more pinkish. Blossom seems to have much better staying power than Blush; at the end of the day I had to scrub my lips with baby oil just to get Blossom off but Blush is gone by that time. I think Maybelline does sell a product to remove the lipcolour but I haven't seen it anywhere.

 

For those who aren't familiar with the process, you apply the lipcolour first with the doe foot applicator, then wait 2 minutes and apply the included lip balm.

Pros:

• long-wearing
• there are many great color options (most longwear lipcolours seem to come only in dark, harsh colors, but Maybelline's has a nice variety)
•  nice fruity smell
• not too drying
• balm gives a healthy sheen to lips

Cons:

• expensive for the amount of product
•  lips can get a little dry if you don't remember to keep applying the balm.

Review: Annabelle Le Gloss Lipstick

Annabelle is just one of those drugstore beauty brands that is often overlooked. I've only tried a couple Annabelle products, and none of them have really suited me.

However, I'm always willing to try out makeup and see if it works for me. Most drugstores have a pretty good return policy and since I buy sooo many beauty products I feel no guilt if I return something that really fell short of my expectations.

I recently purchased Annabelle's Le Gloss Stick, which I guess is a glossy lipstick. It comes in a super slim tube with just a sticker to seal it. The sticker left behind a lot of residue when I peeled it off, which is one annoyance.

It was pretty cheap- $6.99 on sale at Shoppers. I bought the shade 711 which, from the color of the name label, I expected would be a kind of dusty rose-ish color, something light and wearable for someone of my skintone. But to my surprise, 711 is actually more of a slightly shimmery cherry popsicle red.

It goes on smoothly and looks pretty glossy... it's not bad and I'd recommend it to someone looking for a cheap, glossy red lipstick but I just don't feel that I can pull this off. I'm too pale and too young to wear such bold red shades.

Have you had better luck with Annabelle's Le Gloss Stick? What do you think of this brand?

Roll Your Way To Complexion Perfection

Hi, guys... I haven't written here in soooo long! I've been really busy with life: friends, my boyfriend, family etc.

But I'm back. And today I want to review two new-ish roller style makeup products!

First, L'oreal's True Match Roller Foundation. Now, I'm not a fan of L'oreal products, at all. Their lipglosses smell funky, and the rest is just.. boring, overpriced stuff. I've tried L'oreal's True Match Liquid Foundation, and I hated it. It was thick, globby, messy, looked wet and gross on my face.

This product is definetely a step up. This creamy, lightweight, oil-free foundation goes on effortlessly with the included roller. It's so easy and you don't need to keep buying makeup sponges or anything. Application is so quick and easy. The downside of this product is that it is very expensive for a drugstore product, especially here in Canada. It is normally around $20 plus tax. I got mine on sale for $15. However, I think that's a small price to pay to feel confident about your skin.

The foundation also matches my skin perfectly, which is amazing because I am very fair skinned. No orangey marks here.

The second roll-on product I want to discuss is Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Roller. This is a tinted eye roller with a sheer tint. Apparently in some places you can get it in two different shades but here I only found one shade.

I was instantly drawn to this eye roller because I love a good multi-tasking product. It claims to brighten, stimulate microcirculation and instantly reduce the look of dark circles. Basically it's a concealer and an eye treatment! It feels nice on and the concealer really helps. It is also great on the go. However,  this is also a bit expensive- $18! But I tend to splurge more on face products and buy cheaper mascara, eyeshadow and lipgloss, so it evens out...

Review: Almay Moisturizing Eye Makeup Pads

Having a good eye makeup remover is just as important as owning a great black mascara. Some eye makeup removers sting your eyes. Others leave traces of makeup behind. In the eye makeup remover world, there is plenty of room for improvement.

Almay Eye Makeup Remover Pads, $7.00, are pretty much perfect. The cute little screw-top container makes it easy to travel with them, and most importantly, they do exactly what they are meant to do. Sweep one pad over a closed eye and your waterproof mascara, winged purple liner, or whatever else you wore will be gone. They are also very moisturizing, which is incredibly important. Keeping the eye area moisturized, as well as protected from the sun, helps fight off wrinkles.

There's no need to rinse afterwards, but dabbing the area with a tissue will get rid of the oily effect.

Hard Candy Perfume Review

Today I'm reviewing Hard Candy perfume, only around $25 for a 50ml bottle. Type: Floral Fruity Gourmand.

Typically, (this is not a rule, just a preference,) I like to wear sweet, comforting perfumes in the winter, such as Midnight Fantasy or Pink Sugar, and fruity, summery fragrances in the summer. In autumn I prefer to wear something spicy, and spring... well, thats where it gets difficult. I hate 98% of the floral perfumes on the market- they all seem to either smell like cleaner, or make me smell like I have bathed in a sea of rose petals. Hard Candy perfume, however, is one floral fragrance I can handle.

Hard Candy perfume is a great spring fragrance. It has a great fresh scent that isn't too overpowering. It is not as long-lasting as my other perfumes, however, so I find myself having to reapply it throughout the day.

Top Notes:

White Tea

Pink Peppercorn

Rhubarb

Heart:

Passion Fruit Juice Extract

Enchanting Rose

Jasmine

Dry Down:

Caramel

Sultry Vanilla

Cedar Wood

Cashmere Musk

Frederic Fekkai Technician Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner Review

As a long-time hair abuser, I've stripped, dyed, chopped, straightened and curled my hair so many times. Today I like to maintain a full head of professional blonde highlights, which somehow seem to fade faster than a fake tan.

For girls with hair like mine- colored, dry, naturally curly, damaged- it's very difficult to find a good shampoo and conditioner, but incredibly important. The right shampoo and conditioner can make a big difference for making your hair stay shiny, healthy looking and keep your hair color looking vibrant. This is how I justified purchasing Frederic Fekkai's Technician Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner, around $30 each at Shoppers.

Sadly, I wasn't at all impressed with the results. First of all, the shampoo- it lathered well and did a good job of cleaning my hair but no matter what I did it seemed to leave my hair looking dryer and worse than before. As for the conditioner, I had to use a lot of product to get very minimal results. Overall, I'm not a huge fan of Technician Color Care shampoo and conditioner. It was worth trying, to see if Fekkai would live up to the hype, but personally I am not planning on repurchasing.

So, girlies, have you had any better luck with Frederic Fekkai products?

Best Little Pick-Me-Ups

It's amazing how the little things can make everything better.

Like Smashbox Photo Op Undereye Brightener, $22 at Shoppers. This little tube does wonders for my tired undereyes. You apply it under your regular concealer for a wide awake effect.

Or like OPI nail polishes, $9.00 each at the Beauty Supply Outlet. With so many beautiful colors to choose from, these high quality polishes can instantly brighten your mood. Today I'm wearing Tutti Frutti Tonga, a pretty, shiny pink. Check out OPI's new Pink SoftShades collection- so cute!

Or try Sephora Nano Lip Liner, $5 at Sephora stores. These cute little lip liners come in twenty cute shades and perfectly define your lips.

Cake Beauty Supreme Body Mousse Mini's are perfect for hydrating your skin and leaving a light scent. This size is perfect for your purse. $7.00 at The Bay.

Best Spring Beauty Gift Picks

One thing to avoid when purchasing beauty related gifts is purchasing something that may offend the recipient- such as a large set of anti-wrinkle creams. Also avoid purchasing lotions and body washes, unless you know it is a scent the recipient will love- chances are, she probably already has enough.


This spring, choose one of these fantastic budget friendly gifts which will delight and spoil the woman in your life- whether she's a best friend, a sister, mother or significant other.




Lush Buttercup Gift Set, $9.95 at Lush stores. This sweet little package contains a Butterball bath bomb and Honey I Washed the Kids Soap. Lush uses fresh, vegetarian ingredients, environmentally friendly packaging and doesn't test on animals. Their fragrant bath products also make lovely gifts!














NARS Temptation Gift Set, $30 at Sephora. This set includes a pretty, sparkly powder blush and golden peachy pink nail polish. They have rather interesting names (orgasm, super orgasm) but this set would be the perfect springtime pick-me-up.

Bare Escentuals Fab Fresh Gift set, $34 at Shoppers. This set contains a mini 100% natural lip gloss, blush, eye liner, and two eye shadows for a fresh spring look.

Flower by Kenzo eau de parfum, $56 for 1oz bottle at Sephora. This springy, florential perfume would make a great gift. It contains hints of violet, rose, vanilla and white musk.

Best Natural Beauty Products- Lip Edition

Many makeup products have been found to contain harmful chemicals, which is something we willingly put on our faces or ingest. While I'm not suggesting boycotting your favorite makeup items, I do suggest giving natural, potentially less harmful beauty products a try. Many natural beauty products are also packaged in more environmentally friendly packaging, which means they are not only better for you, but they are also better for our planet. Here are some lovely suggestions, in order from least expensive to most:

J.R. Watkins Lip Balms, around 3.99 at Shoppers. These 100% natural lip balms hydrate, soften and help protect your lips from the harsh weather, and have such a pretty tube (in my opinion!) Comes in a variety of scents- raspberry, peppermint, etc. I'm a new fan of Raspberry.

Sephora Pure Lip Gloss, $6 at Sephora. Not only are these pretty glosses made from natural ingredients- they are also packaged in 50% previously recycled plastics, and the cap is recyclable.

Korres Lip Butter, $10 at Sephora. These buttery balms can be used to give lips and cheeks a soft touch of pretty color, and are made with natural ingredients.

Bare Minerals 100% Natural Lip Color, around $19 at Shoppers. These creamy, pigmented lipsticks contain exotic oils, natural waxes and conditioning plant extracts instead of artificial dyes and irritants.

Josie Maran Finger Paints, $36 at Sephora. This little gloss palette is made from biodegradable corn plastic, and each pretty shade is comprised of natural, organic ingredients. They also contain argan oil, which repairs skin cells.

Beauty fix: Bags under eyes!

Sleepless nights... We've all had them. Puffy, dark undereye circles can become an annoying part of life for any busy, sleep deprived person. If yours are driving you insane, the following tips might help:

• Make sure you drink enough water- dehydration can lead to puffy eyes. I'd aim for atleast 8 glasses of water a day.
• Try to limit your intake of salty foods, which can cause puffy under eyes.
• Also try to limit your alcohol intake.

If your undereye area could still use some help, try keeping the area hydrated with a good undereye cream. Undereye creams are specially formulated to keep your delicate undereye area moisturized, without causing any irritation, which a regular moisturizer might cause. Fortunately, you don't have to shell out too much for a quality eye cream. Try:
Benefit Eye Con Brightening Eye Cream, $30, available at Shoppers everywhere. This will help keep your eyes hydrated and fade undereye circles.
L'oreal Advanced RevitaLift, $20. This lightweight, moisturizing, anti-aging under eye cream can be used at night or during the day, underneath your makeup to keep it from settling into fine lines.