Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Amazing give away!

Please check out this amazing beauty blog! LadyCrowX has a give away going on right now, so follow, comment, and enter! It's for a Karmin G3 Salon Pro Tourmaline Hair Straightening Flat Iron, which is probably the best blog give away I've ever seen!!

  • 1" Pure Tourmaline Ceramic Plates
  • Ionic Technology for shiny, healthy hair
  • Infrared Heat
  • Maximum temperature of 420° and a minimum temperature of 180°, perfect for all hair types
  • Straighten, Curl, Flip and Wave Styling
  • Flash Quick Heating
  • Free Heat Mat/Carrying Case Combo worth $25
  • Instruction Manual
  • 3 Year Manufacture Warranty

Check out the give away here: http://ladycrowx.blogspot.com/2011/01/valentine-giveaway-for-karmin-g3-salon.html

Also be sure to check out the rest of her blog!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

My Sephora came!

So after almost 3 weeks of waiting, my Sephora box came yesterday! Longest wait ever, as it got searched at the border. I got the Sephora Favorites LashStash Deluxe Sampler, Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Lip Deluxe Sampler, Sephora Mineral Powder Foundation and Mineral Matte Setting Powder, Sephora Eyeshadow Transformer, and Sephora Vanilla Cupcake Dry Oil (not in the pictures). It was also my birthday month, but I have a pretty precise hair and skin regimen, so I got the men's gift (face cleanser and shave gel) for Kyle. I was very surprised to see some full sized bottles and larger sampler's in the boxes.

Since there isn't a photo of it, I thought I'd let you know that the Vanilla Cupcake Dry Oil is amazing! It was on sale for $5, so I thought I'd give it a try. I find it's very hard to find good scented vanilla or cupcake products, but this stuff is amazing! It has a small hint of almond scent in it as well. It doesn't have a lasting moisturizing effect, but is it worth it for the scent!I am in love with these! The lipgloss was $33.00 CAD and the mascara was $45.00 CAD. I've already tried out all the lipgloss', but not any of the mascara's.













I didn't swatch and show the very first lip gloss, as it's clear. It's CoverFX Mint Glaze FX. It's one of my favorites from the set. I used it two or three times yesterday, and even after the first time my lips felt so much better. It's a lip treatment as well as lip primer. I also love the subtle tingle from it.

1 - Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss in Radiant - This gloss has moderate pigment, but loads of shimmer and sparkle. It goes on with a little bit of purple pigment. It has kind of a chocolate smell.
2 - Lorac Multiplex 3D Lip Gloss in Cliche - The picture doesn't do this justice, but the whole line is very sparkley, very pigmented, and holographic. It's a really neat look, and I love how holographic it is. The Cliche colour is also a very bright pink, but as the light hits it, it has hints of purple and blue in the holographics. It also smells a bit like bubblegum.
3 - Buxom Lips in Roxanne - This is very thick and super pigmented. It goes on as a rusted brown, and looks amazing! I wasn't sure when I sampled it on my hand, but after applying it I fell in love! It has a cappuccino scent.
4 - Tarte Vitamin Infused Lipgloss in 40 Winks - This has little to no pigment, and very little sparkle. It does however make the lips feel great, and smells fruity and delicious!
5 - Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss in Tease - This has moderate pigment, no sparkle. It goes on with a dark purple with little a touch of red in it.
6 - Two Faced Glamour Gloss in Sex Pot - I didn't find this to have any pigment, no sparkle, just shine. I'm not a huge fan, it just seems like a regular lipgloss.
7 - Tarte Rise and Shine Lipgloss and Lipstain in Cherry - This gloss and stain go so great together! The red isn't too powerful, but very pigmented. Quite the perfect red, I feel it would look good on anyone! The stain isn't as runny as most I've used before, which made it easier to apply. The gloss matches perfect, and adds a great glossy shine.
8 & 9 - Sephora Collection Super Shimmer in Rusted Rose and Pink Ballerina - The rusted rose had decent pigment, but the pink ballerina did not. I already had a set of 12 other ones from this collection of gloss, and I wasn't really a big fan. There's a few colours I like, but for the most part they are just a basic gloss.

I think the Mint GlazeFX, Smashbox in Radiant, Lorac 3D in Cliche, and Tarte Stain and Gloss in Cherry are my favorites!

I haven't used any of these, but I have looked at the brushes! I'm just going to let you guys know what kind these are, and what I've heard.
1 - Tarte MultiplEye Lash Enhancing - Pretty basic mascara, free of harsh chemicals
2 - Sephora Advanced Lash Booster - Great mascara, add's lots of length
3 - HourGlass Film Noir - Great for length, volume and defining
4 - Blinc Kiss Me - I've read it clumps, and isn't that great at all. No good reviews found.
5 - Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash - Lengthens and holds curl well, read mixed reviews
6 - Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume - Very defining, good length, a bit flaky
7 - Too Faced LashLight - Something neat, this has a little light built in! I however read bad reviews of this clumping quite a bit, and adds very little volume and length.
8 - Buxom Lash - Makes lashes fuller and longer, doesn't clump, and free of harsh chemicals
9 - Benefit BadGal Lash - Perfect amount of volume and length, gives great curl.
10 - Josie Maran GOGO Natural Volume - Free of harsh chemicals, moisturizes lashes, makes lashes look feathered, lots of mixed reviews.

I'm most excited about Buxom Lash, Benefit BadGal Lash, HourGlass Film Noir and Sephora Advanced Lash. They had the best reviews.

I also got three Sephora brand products to try out.

I got the Loose Powder Mineral Foundation and Mineral Matte Setting Powder. The foundation was on sale for $12, the setting powder was $23. The foundation is a little dark for me, but I plan on using these in the summer when my skin is a little more oily. I also picked up a Eyeliner Transformer. Basically it's a clear coat eyeliner, and you put it in eyeshadow, and TA-DA! Liquid Liner! The brush is a bit thick though, more so because of the shape of my eyes. I really like it for eyebrows though.

Well guys, that's it for what I got! As I use the mascara and the new foundation set more, I'll give you guys an update!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Clean & Clear Morning Burst - Empty bottle review!

As I mentioned before, I had started using the Morning Burst Facial Scrub and Facial Cleanser. I'm completely finished the bottle of facial scrub, the cleanser however, I don't ever want to touch again.

Facial Scrub: This is an okay exfoliator. It's soft and not harsh on the face, which allowed me to use it more frequently on problem area's with blackheads. What set it apart from other exfoliators is that it's creamy as well, not just a dry paste with sand or salt. It does however have polyethylene (plastic) beads and methyl lactate, a form of menthol, that irritates the skin a bit.

Facial Cleanser: This product had nothing to offer, but an annoying dose of menthol. It's basically a thick gel with "beads" in it. It doesn't really get foamy, and doesn't even feel like it's cleany. My face actually felt less clean after using it. I've never really battled dry skin much, but this definitely dried my skin out an INSANE amount. It did nothing for dirt either. I always put my cleanser to the test: use it while make-up is on, then use make-up remover on a cotton ball and see how much make-up is left. This failed the test, horribly. I also have a blackhead problem, and this stuff never helped. The only thing I remotely liked about this product was the refreshing smell.

I recommend skipping both products, and the whole Morning burst line for that matter. Everything contains fragrance and menthol (and irritating amount) and will irritate skin. If your looking for a soft creamy cleanser like the facial cleanser, I recommend trying Olay Total Effects Anti-Aging Cream Cleanser. It's what I've switched to, and I LOVE the results!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Avon Calling :) + Tons of Skincare Freebies and REVIEWS!

Hey guys! So I've been super interested in Avon, the quality of the products, and well ... Selling it! I'm super excited to be a representative, not to mention all the new products and chances to review! After a long discussion on skin products, my mom told me how she couldn't use her Avon products. It's not because there's anything wrong with them, but my mom has the most sensitive skin ever, everything makes her break out, and we're always on the search for a perfect product. Anyways, she was kind enough to give me her whole collection, about $400 worth, of Avon skincare products. The best part: Totally full bottles! I've tried a few out, and some of these I've already been using for years! Read on to hear my thoughts, reviews, and some internet research on just how great these products are! I'm super excited to of had the chance to use all these, especially to help give me seller points along the road.

Just a tip: Most young girls are lucky enough to not have wrinkles. I'm 22, and have fine lines (crow's feet) on my eyes, and deep nasolabial line (the "parentheses" around the mouth). I know it's not quite a huge deal yet, but I'd like to stop and repair these problems young. Another great tip: Most "anti-aging" creams have many more great attributes than reducing fine lines, such as repairing sun damage, evening skin tones, reducing acne and blemishes, and are AMAZING hydrators. If your current creams aren't working for you, try an anti-aging cream out!


Avon Solutions Tinted Moisture Shield SPF 15: This stuff isn't too heavy, and seems to be a good tinted moisturizer. I've read more good reviews than bad. Good points: good coverage for a moisturizer, great for days you want to skip foundation, great for very dry skin Bad points: can be oily, doesn't work well with make-up.

Avon Hydra Gel Intensive Moisture Booster: I used to use this back in the day. It's a very thick gel, and is great for dry or flaky spots on your face. It can also be used as a face mask. I prefer using it as a mask, as it is kind of sticky as a moisturizer.

Anew Ultimate Age Repair Day Cream SPF 25: At first, it seemed a little greasy, but the greasy feeling didn't last more than a few minutes. My face definitely looks more glowy and radiant than most face creams I've experienced. Also, can I mention that I love that it's SPF 25? I'm super pale, so having extra SPF on the face is always needed. I searched high and low for a bad review, and there was none to be found. Some good points: pores shrink, evens skin tones, super hydrates your face without causing breakouts and repairs dry patches, plumps out fine lines... Lists go on and on and on! The only 'bad' things I have to say, is I'm not huge on the smell and packaging.

Anew Clinical Advanced Wrinkle Corrector: I find these wrinkle creams are like botox, it only works for certain stages of wrinkles. If you have heavy wrinkles, say that of the average 65-70 year old, these won't work! They are most definitely aimed at the 25-50 age group. I've read this to be a good moisturizer, evens skin tones, stops blemish.. but the best factor I've read is the help for sun damage. I've read a few reviews that this stuff doesn't work, but I read lots saying it does what a good cream should - plump your skin enough to remove the appearance of fine lines.

Anew Perfect Eye Care Cream SPF 15: I've actually been using this product since I was about 16. Like I said earlier, I've had a few lines and little wrinkles for a long time. I found it to work great, got rid of dark circles and really made my eyes POP! I haven't been using this the last few years, and sure enough, all these problems came back! So I'm excited to have another jar of this. The internet reviews have also told me this does it's job decently. It helps keep fine lines away for a small period of time, and is a great moisturizer, and best of all, doesn't interfere with make-up! However, it doesn't really cause more impressive effects over time, it's a very temporary effect after use. I'm personally attracted to trying the Clinique All About Eyes, so if this cream isn't working for you, I suggest giving that a try.

Anew Force Extra Triple Lifting Night Cream: Another cream with insanely good reviews. I'm actually starting to wonder why women even use the high end brands? Good points: Firms and plumps, fine lines appear softer, skin feels hydrated and soft in the morning. Bad points: Quite sticky (but not oily).

Anew Clinical Deep Crease Concentrate with Bo-Hylurox
: This is the product I'm most excited about. I HATE the creases around my mouth, and I want them gone! I haven't used much of this yet, but it's such a neat cream. It's gold and sparkly, and just feels great to rub in. Even though I can't say much about this product quite yet, I have heard and read nothing but great things!

My over-all recommendation: Go buy some Avon products! Some of these products are quite expensive, but you can get insanely good deals on them during sales. Aside from the eye cream, I've read nothing but great reviews for all these products. It blows my mind that they aren't more known, and I really hope this gets some of the word out there! Girls - Start using these products in your skin care regimen, and I swear, when your in your 40's, you'll thank me!

I 100% promise to do another review when the products run out, and whether or not I'll be purchasing more. As it stands now, there's quite a few that are going to be keeps for me!

Nail Polish Review + OOTD

I got a new nail polish around Christmas, and had been dying to use it. I never really painted my nails before, so bear with me while I still kind of suck :) I used Nicole by OPI in Too Rich For You. It's a dark blue/green with subtle sparkles in it. I also used OPI Nail Envy as a base, and Rimmel Base Coat/Top Coat Pro. Just for kicks, I threw on a sparkly little flower.
Even though I have a high quality cam, it's late at night, and I'm unable to show a good shot of what the nail polish really looks like. The two on the left are my nails, and the 3 products I used. Below are other picture's I found on the net, to show you a little better what they look like! This colour definitely has quite a few different looks. Again, I suck at painting nails, but I'm practising, and will be better in time :)






As you can see, depending on the lighting and angle, they totally look colour changing! Personally, I find it to be more green, the flash just makes it much more blue. It's definitely one of my favorite green polish's. I also promise to learn how to take a better photo of my nails, and to learn to apply polish a little better to my nails :)



I also had this super cute outfit on today, that I'd like to show off :) It's probably one of my most favorite looks, and can be done quite simple! Tunic, waist belt, leggings and flats! I also see the irony of me posting a picture without make-up on my make-up review blog. Haha





Tunic
: Boathouse (Melissa) $15
Leggings: Ardene's 2/$12.50
Waist Belt: I made it! All materials were purchased at Fabricland, approx. $10
Flats: Boathouse (Young Hollywood) $15

Mind the no make-up, I was late for running errands and just rocked it. Hope you like the look!


Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Soap & Glory Review - LOVES IT

So as you guys know, I picked up Soap & Glory's Flake Away Spa Body Polish.


I've used lots of different body exfoliators such as St. Ives and one from Avon. Flake Away blows them all away. It has subtle exfoliators that don't hurt to rub on your skin, but are definitely powerful enough to get all that dead skin off. During this dry winter, it's definitely a must to have something getting that dry, flaky skin off. But it's so much more than just an exfoliant! Have you guys ever had a body treatment at the spa? You know how it leaves your whole body in this remarkably soft and moisturized state that you wish you could have at home? This totally does it! It's insane how I can go from having scaly skin, to the most amazing skin in the world with this stuff!! Not to mention is smells amazing! It's impossible to explain just how soft your body will be, it's amazing! I am completely blown away by this stuff, and it's going to be a forever product!

I definitely recommend this stuff to everyone, especially for winter! I'm going to be trying more of their products soon! I've been unimpressed with my current pore fighting wash (Boire) so I'm definitely going to try out the Scrub Your Nose In It wash to help minimize the size of pores. I'm also going to be trying The Righteous Butter, Slimwear Balm and Clean On Me shower gel. I've read great things about all 3 products, and can't wait to try more from this line.

If you have a chance, check out the website, I'm sure they have something you need! I promise you won't be disappointed, this brand is amazing! Definitely compares to high end brands - even spa's! - for a great price! Basically everything is $9.99-$14.99 CAD. They also sell this brand at Shopper's Drug Mart!

http://www.soapandglory.com/ca/

Exfoliating Tips! - While exfoliating removes dead skin and dirt, keeping your skin cleaner and healthier, try not to use exfoliators more than twice a week. While a softer exfoliant is great to use almost everyday, more course products can be harsh if used everyday. Always remember to lotion up, no matter how soft you feel after!

I Love Deux Lux!

I came across this amazing website, http://www.deuxlux.com/ (click shop to see the goodies)! They have some really amazing stuff, very original but trendy. I really like big leather bags with the metal accents, but the sparkly stuff is a-maz-ing! They have great quality stuff, and even though there isn't a huge stock, they have lots of different lines and styles. Prices are a little high, but nothing insane.

Super cute things I really need, and you should consider buying too:
- Seychelle Clutch in Rose Gold - I really like the design of these. I started making jewelery and bags a while back, and the whole clunky gems, pearls and big metal accents are my favorite all jumbled onto something!
- Sparkle Baby Train Case in Twinkle & Cosmetic Pouch in Cosmo - I love sparkles so much! These are super cute, and have the multi-shade sparkles. These two colours are amazing!

Anyways, hope you guys find something cute as well! I'll definitely be ordering soon, let you guys know how it goes!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Shoppers Haul + Sephora and Partylite Order!

Hey guys! So I finally got a late paycheck after 11 days, and ordered my birthday present (it was from the boyfriend, but ofcourse I ordered it). Anyways, I treated myself to some new stuff, mostly some necessities, and some new candles!


So while my mom was waiting for her prescription at Shoppers, I did some shopping! I've been trying to get a perfect face ritual that works for me. I had been using Clean and Clear Facial Scrub and Facial Cleanser, as well as Boire Pore Minimizing Face Wash. The Boire is doing nothing for my skin. The Clean and Clear duo has helped a little, no break outs or blemish, but my skin as still been oily, isn't helping black heads or my complexion. I had been using Dove Energy Glow Moisturizer, but am retiring it until summertime. I also use Neautrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream SPF 15, but only days I'm out in the sun. So my new line up is Olay Total Effects Nourishing Cream Cleanser and St. Ives Apricot Scrub. I've heard a lot of good things about the cream cleanser, and since it was on sale I decided to pick it up (regular $18.99 CAD on for $13.99 CAD). I also used to use the St. Ives Apricot Scrub on my face in the past, and it was amazing for me! I really don't know why I stopped using it. For night cream and for days I don't go out, I got Neutrogena Moisture Oil Free for combination skin. I've also heard a lot of great things about the oil free line they have.

I also got a few other things. All of the Got2Be hair products were on sale for $3.99 CAD, and my mother swears by them, so I figured I'd give them a try. I decided to try the Fat-Tastic Thickening Mousse, since I'm always trying to find something to pump my volume up when my extensions aren't in. For days they are in, and I don't need extra volume, I got Smooth Operator Smoothing Mousse. I've always been meaning to get something to protect my hair before I iron or blow dry it, so I'm giving the Guardian Angel Heat Protect lotion.

For the longest time, I've been hearing about the Soap & Glory line. It's kind of pricey, but the Flake Away Body Polish was on sale (regular $12.99 CAD, on for $9.99 CAD), so I decided it's time to try it out.

The nail polish wasn't all me! I have a 2 1/2 year old daughter, and she LOVES nail polish. While I was looking at face wash and cream, she grabbed the Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Extreme Wear in Strobe Light. It's a super sparkley nailpolish in a pinkish hue, and on top of another colour is a very chunky flaky sparkles, and has a very neat look. Since I was already in the isle, I grabbed the Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro in Violet Metal. The two look great together! I also picked up the Rimmel Lasting Finish Base and Top Coat.

Last but not least, there's that white box! It's a tooth whitening system I've never heard of, Sanaswiss. It was on clearance for $5, so I figured I'd give it a try.

I also ordered from Sephora!! I ordered the Sephora Favorites LastStash Mascara Deluxe Sampler, Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Lip, Sephora Tricks of the Trade Eyeshadow Transformer (turns eyeshadow into eyeliner), Sephora Mineral Foundation + Mineral Matte Setting Powder, and Vanilla Cupcake Body Oil. I was really hoping to get a few more of those box sets like LashStash, but they were all sold out. I'm also so mad! The weekly specials are so much better today than yesterday! I got a free face cream, today was a Lancome mascara and make up remover!

I also made an order with Partylite for the Forbidden Fruits tealight sampler, the 16 piece votive sampler, a huge Caramel Pear Brulee candle, two of those break away melts (banana leaf and tamboti, tamboti smells like sexy men), and the cutest tealight holder!

Anyways, that's it and that's all! It was a fun shopping day yesterday!

Friday, January 7, 2011

Nars, bareminerals, L'Oreal, DuWop, Maybelline = Cancer?

It was brought to my attention today that a lot of NARS products contain a deadly ingredient - aluminum powder. These have been linked to cancer, along with a lot of other serious problems.

I'd like you all to review this website, learn the ingredients, and be aware of what your putting on your face and into your skin. Many of the brands you ladies are using contain deadly chemicals, that cause cancer's, developmental/reproductive toxicity, organ problems, and many other health concerns.

Please check out this website:
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

Here's some pages I'd like you to view, please click on the product to view concerns. The higher the number in the circle, the higher problems they cause.

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/browse.php?category=eye%20shadow&&showmore=products&start=1680

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/browse.php?category=foundation&&showmore=products&start=1660

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/browse.php?category=lipstick&&showmore=products&start=1380

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/browse.php?category=mascara

Tag!

A friend mentioned to me that lots of blogs have beauty tags and fun little quizzes, so she was kind enough to track one down from someone's blog and send me it (oh, and not to mention found me this great blog, bubblegarm!)

1.Would you rather go out with messy hair and nice make-up or Nice hair and no make-up? When I wake up I always have the fun sexy messy hair that looks amazing, but I often to go out without make-up.. that's tough.. If it was something like a club, then I'd rather messy hair, because I can pull it off!

2.Would you rather shave your eyebrows or have your eyelashes fall out? Eyelashes fall out, because I wear falsey's every now and then anyways. I can't imagine looking like one of those girls who thought Sharpie marker's were for your face.

3.Would you rather be forced to shop at only MAC or Sephora for the rest of your life? Sephora!! So much selection, so many brands!

4.Would you rather wear lipgloss/lipliner look or 80's perm? They both look terrible. But I think I'd rock the perm, lie and say I travelled through time. I'd be a fun story to tell.

5.Would you rather leave the house with an obvious foundation line or overdone blush? Overdone blush! Seriously, any amount of blush looks over done on me. Although, I remember years ago, after years of wearing foundation, I was confronted about foundation lines. That girl saved my life!

6.Would you rather wear MC Hammer pants or biker shorts in public? LOL, biker shorts for sure! Tight is always sexier than baggy!

7.Would you rather have a bad orange-y spray tan or really weird tan lines that can't be covered? I've suffered from both throughout time, and I can say tan lines aren't nearly as bad as being orange. The worst was my first spray tan, I was both orange and covered in funny tan lines.

8.Would you rather have a bad haircut or bad hair color? Bad hair colour. I had to deal with it for a month or so during the in between stages to go blond.

9.Would you rather have youtube or twitter taken away forever? Buh bye twitter!

10. Would you rather give up using makeup brushes or mascara? Brushes! I've been stuck using other people's make-up brushless, I can manage!

What would YOU rather do?

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Be Trendy For Less!

I've been super obsessed with two online stores lately. I usually don't like online shopping, but I can't help but look everyday at new items on these sites. I live in a small town with limited shopping. Sure, we have more "designer" stores, but everyone has the same thing, which isn't worth the hundreds of dollars your going to spend. These two websites I'm reviewing are super affordable, trendy, and best of all, no one at the club will have the same outfit as you!

GreatGlam.com
I absolutely LOVE the dresses on this website. My main problem with dresses is that I can't go strapless, not until these dresses. Lots of them have built in bra's, and elastic around the bra line to keep things tight. A lot of the long V-necks also have built in bra's. There is so much to look at on this site, dresses, clubbing shirts, day shirts, skirts and shoes. Mostly everything ranges from $20-$40.

MakeMeChic.com
The absolute best website for shoe shopping, ever! I've used shoedazzle and wasn't completely amazed, so I'm glad I found this website! They have every kind of shoe or boot imaginable, plus clothes, swimsuits, lingerie, accessories and costumes. Almost everything is $20-$50, not to mention an amazing sale area with lots of great shoes for under $15. One thing I was pumped to find on here was monokini's with support. As I said before, I have large breasts (38D-DD, depending on the bra), so things that don't offer support are out of the question. These monokini's have the drawstring under the breasts to tie in the back, so you don't sag like in a regular one piece.

I love being able to get a whole new outfit (including shoes and accessories!) for under $100. It's great and affordable for special events, weddings, shags, even just a new outfit for a night out with the girls. It's great to be able to look like your wearing something designer, or look like a rockstar, without emptying the bank account.

I Don't Like It! + Things I'm Loving + Recent Shopping

I know I already did a post today, but I can't sleep, and I'm bored. As you can tell I had to take down my AMAZING layout, because it just wasn't working right. I'm still trying to figure out how the heck to get the "Older Posts" tab to click at the bottom. Anyways.

I didn't like it!
I bought the Smashbox Photo Finish Lip Primer just before Christmas, and I really don't like it. It's very heavy and greasy, and doesn't hold make-up quite as well as Urban Decay's Primer Potion.

Things I can't live without right now!
My hands get insanely dry in the winter, and I find myself applying hand cream 5-6 times a day. Last year I bought the Almond Oil Hand Rescue from The Body Shop, and it's amazing! I only need it twice a day, and my hands are soft and silky all day.

Here's my recent clothing haul! I did buy a bit of make up, but I've already reviewed it all. I decided to go on a second boxing day trip. I got some really cute clothes, and accessories, and some really great deals!







Melissa Tunic - I got this at Boathouse. It was on sale for $15, regular $40. I absolutely love it! Love great with the new white leggins, and the long beaded necklace. I'm sure I'll blog the outfit when I wear it next :)

Polkadot Miniskirt - This was from Ardene's. The day I went they had a deal on, spend $20 get a free lip tint. I had to buy so many things, because there was such a huge sale in the store. This skirt ended up costing me $4, regular $14.

Wet Paint Striped Tunic - I bought this at Stitches for $10, it was 50% off. I've been huge on tunic's lately, so it was great to find two in one day!







Blue and black Etnies - I have a passion for runners. Also, these are mens. They were on massive clearance, so I couldn't help myself. They were $20 at West 49, they were regular $80.

Young Hollywood Flats - These were a total steal for $15 at Boathouse, regular $35. Reason I was so excited: My feet are very flat and wide, so I have a hard time wearing flats, aka, my feet are too fat for them. These are the first pair I've found that look good, and their super cute to boot!

Wool Leggings - I LOVELOVELOVE leggings! They go so well with my tunic addiction. These are from Ardene's, and they were $12.50 each, but that day it was buy one, get one. Awesome deal, and look great with both the tunic's I picked up that day! I got both the black and white ones
.





Necklaces - I bought these at Claire's. I've been drooling over these for months, but refused to buy them because they were $20 each. Boxing week rolls around, and they were $5! I was so pumped!!

Military Style Coat - Another great purchase from Stitches. I got this at 50% for $20. I've loved the military style for a while now, and although I have far too many coats, I couldn't resist this! It fits rather tight though.

Rainbow Scarf - So cute! I paid about $2 for this at Ardene's, it was 75% off the sale price. It looks so cute with the new coat!

Dollarama Bargains!

I've wanted to do a post on some great things I've found from Dollarama for quite a while. I've found the most amazing deals there, on SO many different beauty products. I'm not going to include any pictures, because I have so much. Not to mention, nothing costs more than $2.

First off, you can buy so many essentials there. Things you shouldn't be paying more than a $1 or $2 for:

Giant bags of cotton balls - Seriously, your going to use it to wipe off mascara and throw it out. Why pay more than $1?
Make-up wedges and sponges - You can buy huge bags of these that are a mix of wedges and disc sponges. You get about 20-30 in a bag. At MAC, your going to be paying upwards of $7 for these.
Feminine Hygene Products - Yes, they sell menstrual pads, and no, they aren't poor quality. In fact, the wrapper around the actual pad is the EXACT same as Always. They have them in all different absorbency's.
Shampoo and Conditioner - TRESemme, Dove, and Garnier!
Hair Products - Got2B, Garnier, Sunsilk, Salon Selectives, even AXE hair gels! They also sell serums by CharlesWorthington, John Frieda and Chemistry Salon Labs.
Deodorants - They sell quite a few different ones by Dove, I have the Dove Pro-Age and two of the Ultimates; Radiant Silk and Smooth Casmere.
Body Creams - I've picked up quite a few things by Nivea, including things from the Goodbye Cellulite line. They also sell great stuff like Jergen's, St.Ives, Dove and Goats Milk. For the face, they sell Olay Regenerist as well.
Tools - Tweezers, eyelash curlers, applicators, bobby pins, hair elastics, nail files, nail clippers, razors.. Everything! They even sell brand named brushes, curlers and sharpeners by e.l.f. Professional. I also picked up this super handy motorized filer for manicures and pedicures with 5 different attachments

In addition to all your essentials, there's tons of other great products there!
Body Sprays and Parfumes - I've picked up those mini four packs of both Calgon and The Healing Garden, along with full sized bottles. They also sell imitation parfume. There's a few that don't quite smell great, but I bought the knock off of Stella by Stella McCartney, most definitely the same scent! That's a difference of $1 and $80 for a bottle!
Waxing and Hair Removal - They have it all! Veet, Nair, Andrea.. From wax strips, creme remover's, even pre-wax spray!

Some other great things I've picked up that I was surprised to find:
Fake Eyelashes - Such a steal. I spend almost $10 on packs of these, and I bought these for $1.50. I suggest splurging on eyelash glue though, you always want something good, new, and not dried up.
Bump-It's - Yes, they sell brand named Bump-It's. These are what, $20 on TV, $10 at Claire's? Such a great deal. I got both the blond and dark ones, worth it to stock up now in case I dye later!

Some great brands I've spotted that have a lot of different or good products:
Sally Hansen - From Lip plumper, smile brightener, cuticle massage oils, nail polish, to make-up.
Maybelline - They sell XXL Mascara for $2! That's a $6 save!
Bonnebell - Everyone LOVES Lipsmackers! They sell quite a few different ones as well. They have the classic ones, soda flavours, jumbo sticks, liplites, the liquids, lip frosting, vitaglossO2 and the squeezies. I've also picked up quite a few of the EyeDevotions, which are a stick of creme-to-powder eyeshadows.
Dove - They sell shampoo, conditioner, different deodorants. They have creams like Energy Glow, Re-Energizing Night Lotion and Pro-Age.

I've also found great jewelery, socks, thongs, flipflops, crocs, pantyhose, mittens.. I could really go on all day about the thing I find in that store. I absolutely love it! Not to mention my shower and make up storage unit is all organized by my great finds at Dollarama. I'm going to keep you updated on great finds as they come. I make trips there every few weeks, and there was 3 stores in town, so I'm sure I'll be updating you guys on some great finds soon!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

My Brush Collection!


So as you can see I have a decent collection. I'm going to do a small review on all my brushes. I use a large variety of brands, MAC, Quo, true you!, Clinique, Lancome, LaCrosse, Joe, E.L.F, even dollar store brands. I'll break it down into sections, face, eyes, liners, brows; so it'll be easier. Lets start, everything will be from left to right.
Foundation and Concealer Brushes:
-
MAC 109 SE - $38.50 CAD - This is used for small contours. I used it to set my foundation a little better. After applying my foundation, I use this in a circular motion to make sure I have no streaks in my foundation. Amazing brush!
- True You! Foundation Brush - $5 CAD - I put a line of foundation straight across this, dab it on my face, and basically paint in an up and down motion to apply my foundation. I don't like the synthetic feel of this brush, but I find it's the same with all foundation brushes.
- Joe Foundation Brush- $7 CAD - This brush is from Superstore's (also called Loblaws) new line of make-up. I use it the exact same way as the brush previous, except I find it's even more synthetic-ish, but for some reason I use it all the time. I recommend saving up and buying a higher end brand brush for foundation, as I'm not fond of either of these brushes.
- True You! Concealer Brush - $5 CAD - I put the smallest amount of concealer on the tip of the brush, and apply it under my eyes, and as needed on blemishes. I however do not use the brush to blend it in, I use my finger. I find it absorbs into the foundation better that way. As well, do not rub it in, dab it. Remember if it's visible still your powder will cover it. I find all these brushes to be simple and the same, so I recommend getting a cheaper one like I have. This brush does the job well.
- Joe Concealer Brush - $7 CAD - I use this brush the same as explained above, just as much as the other, and will recommend this brush to anyone as well!

Facial Powder Brushes:
-
e.l.f. professional Total Face Brush - $1 CAD - I lucked out and found this at Dollarama, and many other brushes by them. I use this brush for my face powder quite often, I go back and forth between this and my buffer, this I use with my light powder, the other I use with my darker powder. I put a generous amount of powder on the brush, and apply it in a circular motion to assure I have no lines. This brush can also be used for blush, which I find most powder brushes don't well. I highly recommend this brush, it's great!
- True You! Powder Brush - $5 CAD - I completely dislike this brush. It doesn't fan out in a circle the way I need it to, which means lines left over.
- Azziza Face Brush - $1 CAD - This is another Dollarama find. Unfortunately, it's small and doesn't do the trick quite as well as other brushes. If your in the store, I'd recommend grabbing an e.l.f. Total Face Brush (above) for the same price and much better quality.
- Joe Kabuki Brush - $9 CAD - This brush is great! I use it the same as the e.l.f. Total Face Brush, just for a different shade of powder (I wear a darker one in darker environments - bar, movies, fair..). I highly recommend this brush, it does blend much better than the e.l.f. Total Face Brush (I'm going to invest in another so both my powder brushes are one of these). This brush definitely competes well with the $60 one from MAC!!

Bronzer and Blush:
-
e.l.f. professional Bronzing Brush - $1 CAD - Another Dollarama find (did I ever mention I bought actual Bump-Its there? Yeah, deadly place!). I LOVE this brush!! This brand is great, I've seen these at Winner's for $5+. I apply my bronzer everywhere! Most people just do highlighting spots, but I'm pale, so I find I can use some kinds all over (unless they are too shimmery). I definitely recommend getting one!
- MAC 187 SE Duo Fibre Brush - $50.50 CAD - This brush is for light powders, emollient, cheeks and water based foundations, but I find it works best for blush. I can't wear blush to dark, and this applies it very lightly. It's very expensive, and I'd recommend trying something cheaper before splurging for this, as for a multi-use brush it isn't great, I find it's only good use is blush.

Eyeshadow Brushes:
- Joe Eye Crease Brush - $7 CAD - I love this brush! It was my second crease brush, my first was huge, and works better as a blending brush. I like that this is small and contoured to the shape of the eye crease. I used to use smudger and shader brushes for this purpose. I always get a perfect eye with this! To use a crease brush, simply close the lid, go from the outer corner, follow your crease line, all the way to the inner eye corner. You don't always have to come this far, but I usually do, as I wear my eyeshadow big.
- Annabelle A-8 Small Shader Brush - $8 CAD - This brush isn't that great for shading in your crease, but works great for popping out the outer corner more. I also use it after my eye is done for more highlighting on my lid after shading, as it's small and doesn't mess up your crease. Good brush, but uses can be accomplished by any regular eye brush.
- e.l.f. professional Eye Shadow Brush - $1 CAD - As you can tell, I have two of these in the picture. I use this for basic application on my lid. Decent brush, I recommend getting one, especially for the price.
- Lancome Blending Shadow Brush #17 - $30 CAD - I got this brush as a free gift for.. shopping too much. I don't really like it that much, I actually use a brush below (in blending or multi-use section) that was about $5 for that. I find this just not fluffy enough for the job of blending.
- this is just a random plushy brush, I actually just gave it to my daughter to play with.
- MAC 239 SE Shader Brush - $29 CAD - I hate this brush. It's so hard that it doesn't blend anything what so ever. I rarely use a shader brush, I just use my big fluffy LaCrosse Brush to blend, but I do have my heart on the MAC 214 Short Shader Brush. I rarely use highly pigmented bright colours, I feel if I did this brush would be more for me, but given I use neutral shimmer's most of the time, a big fluffy brush blends better for me. I do like it for blending lines, especially eyeliner lines for a smokey eye.
- Clinique Eye Shadow Brush - $18.50 CAD - I find this brush only to be useful when applying one colour on the whole lid, or the center. It's too big to work well near the inner corners. I wouldn't recommend buying one.
- Clinique Eye Contour Brush - $18.50 CAD - This brush is pretty good. It works well for blending, and works semi-good for creases. I didn't find it to work well on lines or eyeliner to create a smokey look.
- Quo Smudger Brush - $12 CAD - This brush is okay for blending shadow, but amazing for softening hard lines and bringing out a smokey eye! I highly recommend it.
- this is the second of the e.l.f. shadow brushes listed above
- Annabelle A-21 Large Shader Brush - $8 CAD - I love this brush for all over application! I find almost every brush can be a shader, but it takes a really good brush to be a great shadow brush.

Liner and Angled Brushes:
-Maybelline Gel Eyeliner Brush - $8 CAD - This came with the gel eyeliner. I've only used it once, and I was very impressed. I'm used to a fine point brush, which was much harder to learn. I had an easier time with this brush than I do after years with a fine point brush. I definitely recommend this as well as gel eyeliners!
- true you! angled brush - $5 CAD - I don't really like this brush. It's too bushy and not angled enough in my opinion.
- true you! Small Shader Brush - $5 CAD - This is in the wrong spot, but is small enough to be used with gels and under the eye, so that's okay. I also use this in the inner corners of my eyes. Pretty good brush, many uses!
- Quo Angled Liner Brush - $15 CAD - This brush is great! The hairs are tight and angled deep, perfect for liners and under the eye. Great brush!

Brow Brushes:
I'm not going to review each brow brush, as they all do the same this, same as lash brushes!! The first is Lancome, the second is True You! and the third is no name, and I use for trimming. The last brush is a Caryl Baker Visage Brow Definer Brush. I use this with my brow powder for filling in my brows. I don't really mind it, although I'd like to switch to a gel and proper brush, I don't like these hard brushes and the eyebrow powders.

Other Brushes:
- True You! Fan Brush - $5 CAD - This is the most versatile everything brush out there. It's great for applying blush for a soft, subtle look. It's great for cleaning up fallen eyeshadow, it just sweeps it away. It's great for evening out an area of powder that isn't there anymore, after clean up for instance. The round tip is great for blending as well. Last of all, I sometimes use it to highlight my face. It's basically an everything brush, and great for travelling or having in the purse. I originally got it for sweeping away eyeshadow that falls after application, but it's fantastic for everything!
- La Cross Premier - $12 CAD - I find this brush far too big for the crease, but it is AMAZING for blending!! It's definitely a favorite brush.

I know it's been a long post, but there it is, all my brushes! The only thing really missing is my eyelash curler, but I have a huge collection, and use them all the same. If you have any more questions about brushes and uses, please ask me!!

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Years! Mine was great, and I also celebrated a birthday. Which meant two great things: free stuff from Sephora, and a free facial + make-up application from Caryl Baker Visage! So pumped for both. Some bad news, I already lost my Maybelline Gel Eyeliner, which isn't that bad, since I bought the wrong colour.

So something I forgot to blog about at Christmas, I got a set of Calvin Klein Beauty, which had a 50ml bottle of the parfume, and a 100ml bottle of the luminous skin lotion. I absolutely LOVE it! I've never used those parfume lotions (aside from Victoria's Secret or Body Shop). I had scented a few before, but never purchased them because they didn't smell like anything. Well, once they are on your skin, whole different story!!

Also, while talking about lotions, I was at La Senza buying a double push up bra (I'll have to review that sometime, for now, just take my word that it's fabulous and buy one!), and got some new lotions. They are both from the Love line, I got Perfect Passion and Heart Song. Perfect Passion is peach flower, water lily and pineapple. It smells like candy! Heart Song is egyptian jasmine, apricot and passion fruit, and I find it smells a lot like strong flowers. Both creams have a very whipped feel to them, and leave my skin extremely silky. I also picked up the Heavenly Love Body Wash. I haven't used it yet because I'm waiting for my bottle of PS I Love You from Bath and Body Works to run out, but it smells like vanilla frosted cupcakes! Can't wait to use it. I really need to stop buying lotion, because I honestly have a million! I should do a lotion review one day!

I'm hoping to start doing a youtube channel this month. I just have a few things I need to figure out, and I think I need to view a few more channels (if that's possible!). It would just be SO much easier, plus I could do video's of my hauls and favorites, which I LOVE, and it would go much faster. Plus everyone loves video's over reading right?

Well, that's my post for today, take care everyone!
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