July Favs

Is it just me or did summer go by really fast? I can't believe were a week into August already :( But I do have to say July was a good month for makeup, there were so many products that I absolutely loved!!

Beauty

My most favourite beauty product was definitely the IT Cosmetics Celebration Foundation & Brush Duo, but specifically the brush, it is amaaaazing!! I really liked the powder as well. Usually, Powder dries my skin out but not this one, and the coverage is definitely full and flawless!

While were talking about foundation, another I've been alternating with this past month was the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hr Foundation. When I first got this foundation I wasn't too thrilled with it, it felt too heavy but after playing around with a couple different brushes I found it works best with a flat top kabuki, like the IT cosmetics brush. It definitely feels nicer now that I'm using the right brush with it!! It is a full coverage foundation and a really good one at that, it covers any blemishes and even the redness I get in my cheeks that is so hard to fully cover.

Continuing with face products, I got a Purlisse Pur-Moist Moisturizer in a Topbox back in April and I've loved it ever since. I refuse to pay over $50 for the full size so I've been swapping for it and I've accumulated about 6 or 7 of the samples which are a fairly decent size at 15ml and they last so long. I don't know what it is about it but unlike every other moisturizer I've used, this one actually made a difference in my skin and cleared up all my blemishes and even reduced the amount of acne I would get weekly.  

  I just recently picked up the Essence Beach Cruiser Blush is 01 -  I ♥   Summer Break from Shoppers and lemme tell you, it is absolutely stunning. I've been dying over the Mac Blush Ombre in Ripe Peach, which unfortunately discontinued, so when I saw this I had a major freakout and had to have it, it is just soooooo perfect and it doesn't hurt that it's $4!!! 

Can we just take a minute to bask in the glory that is this blush, ahhhhhh.
 

 I've had a couple of lip products I've been loving this month, The Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub, which I just realized was in my May Favourite (goes to show you how much I love it) and the Soap & Glory A Great Kisser Lip Moisture Balm in Sweet Coconut. As I've said before, my lips are constantly chapped so I need lip scrubs in my life, I really want to try the popcorn one from Lush too, their scrubs are just so good!! The Lip Balm from Soap & Glory, which is one of my favourite beauty brands out there, is so moisturizing, it's clear but it has a little sparkle to it. Best part is I got it on sale for $5 at Shoppers!!

Now, onto fragrances, I've mostly been using my gorgeous metallic pink Travalo filled with See By Chloe, which is a perfume I have yet to own (soon, very soon.) I can't get enough of it, it smells like heaven, and the Travalo is just so convenient, I always keep it in my bag so I don't have to carry around a full perfume bottle!! I got the Something About Sofia by Benefit quite awhile ago and forgot about it since I used to leave it in its adorable packaging, but I rediscovered it earlier in July and I've been using it ever since, it smells so so pretty, I believe it has notes of mangoes, peonies, lilies, vanilla, and caramel!! It's now discontinued but Benefit has a lot of really nice fragrances for sale on their website right now!!
 

Accessories
There have been three accessories I've been loving in July!! My black round glasses from Forever 21, they are just so fun and I pretty sure they were only like $2!! 

I've also been loving my new Cara necklace from Chapters, It is honestly the prettiest necklace I own. I'm very cheap when it comes to jewellery since I don't wear it enough to justify spending loads of money on necklaces or bracelets so when I saw this in Chapters a few months ago, I fell in love with it but I did not fall in love with the price! Thankfully, I was perusing their clearance section online and I found it for only $10 and had to buy immediately since there were only a couple left!!

Lastly, I'm obsessed with the makeup pouch that my Ipsy products came in this month, it is a bright neon pink faux leather material. I didn't want to use it for makeup though since I don't want any spillage to ruin it so I use it as a  makeshift wallet for when I don't want to carry my full wallet and only need a couple cards and cash. It's also perfect passport size!!


MISC

Random stuff I've been loving this month ; Oreo Iced Caps from Timmies, True Detective(tv), Dr. Dre's Chronic Album, The Fosters(tv), my Ipad, & Ikea trips.


SO, that's it for my July favs, what were your favourite things in July? 

My Can't Stop/ Won't Stop Beauty Product Purchase!!

Woah, that is a mouthful! So, if any of you are like me then you probably have a beauty product that you literally can't and won't stop buying. For me, it's blush, oh my lord, I can't even begin to explain my perpetual love for blush. Whenever I go shopping for makeup I pretty much always gravitate towards all the blush sections in the store before I even think about looking at any other product, it's a serious problem!!

What's your can't stop/won't stop beauty product purchase?

 

*all photography is mine unless otherwise stated

Sephora Haul!!

So, I was long overdue for a little Sephora spree, I only bought a few things but I got a lot of neat little perks. Don't you just love freebies?

   YES, so I was really pumped when I heard the 500 point perk was a Nars cult favourites set. I've been saving my points for Nars and I figured I might as well get some other stuff I've been wanting as well.  The set comes with a 4 adorable minis, a .14 oz. Blush in Deep Throat, a .05 oz. Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien, a .01 oz. Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Via Veneto, and finally a .01 oz Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base.

First of all, I just have to say these swatches literally didn't budge all day, I tidied my bedroom, did some spring cleaning, ran some errands and they were still as fresh as when I put them on in the morning.

 Nars Satin Lip Pencil - $30

The Satin Lip Pencil is a rosy pink colour. I was pleasantly surprised at the size of this sample, it's only .02 oz smaller than the full size which runs for $30 CAD. The only downside is that it's quite shimmery which is something that I usually wouldn't go for, since I'm more of a tinted balm girl but this pencil is very smooth and velvety and pretty much goes on feeling and looking like a balm.

Nars Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner - $28

The Eyeliner is just a plain black, but you can never have enough black eyeliners, amirite? and this one is a mini, so it fits nicely in my to-go bag. Honestly, I didn't feel like it was anything special, it's definitely smooth but I've found other drugstore eyeliners for a fraction of the price with the same quality. 

Nars Blush- $33

The Blush was my favourite item in the set, it's fairly small at 4g but I'm happy with the size because I can finally fit a blush in my small to-go bag and plus it's really cute. Deep Throat is a warm peachy colour with a subtle pink and golden shimmer, it's more sheer than I was expecting but it's buildable and gives a nice glow to the skin for the warmer months. It's definitely subtle enough that it can be used as an everyday blush.

* prices are for full size products

I was in need of a new foundation since my L'Oreal Nude Magic BB cream is nearing its end, and I saw this set in the sale section so I figured, why not? I always love buying from Tarte because their products are formulated without parabens, sulfates, phthalates and other not so great ingredients and best of all, they are 100% cruelty free. It was definitely a good deal at $28, which was $13 off the regular price and at a value of $82. This set comes with an full size Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara in black, a full size Pure Maracuja Oil Roller-ball, an .8 oz Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation, and a really cute makeup pouch. 

Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara - $24
I am a mascara junkie, I've used so so so many brands, from drug store to high end and I just absolutely loved this mascara, it's now made its way into my top 5 mascaras. It stays all day, has absolutely NO clumps and defines + lengthens every single lash (even the dingy ones) The colour is a true black, and best of all; it doesn't smear or flake.

 Pure Maracuja Oil Rollerball - $20

So, I have only used the Maracuja Oil a handful of times but I already feel like it lives up to all the hype about how great it is. I use it as a nighttime moisturizer and my skin always feels extremely soft and radiant after I use it. You'd think an oil would be well.... oily, but nope, it doesn't just sit on the skin like a lot of oils and feel heavy but it really sinks in and moisturizes your skin. I'll definitely repurchase.

 Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation - $49

 The foundation was the only product in the set that wasn't full sized but it's still a fairly generous size. I've only tried it once but my first impression is that it's pretty good. It has a mousse type texture, and it's for sure full coverage foundation but I just wasn't blown away by it, It didn't really feel like it lasted all day and I even used a setting spray. I'll definitely have to experiment with it more to see what brush or sponge works best with it and base my opinion off that.

Benefit's Posietint - $36

I'm obsessed with any and all lip & cheek stains, they are so easy and versatile to use, you just sweep some on your cheeks and/or lips, blend, and you're set. So obviously I love the entire range of tints that benefit offers, they are some of my favourite beauty products on the market. Unfortunately I lost the Posietint that I bought myself for my birthday so I had to repurchase it, because this is something everyone needs in their makeup collection.

Smith's Minted Rose Lip Balm - $8.50

I've heard so many amazing things about the Smith's Rosebud salve but I opted to instead buy the minted rose version and I'm happy I did. So this product was created especially for Sephora, it heals chapped lips but also soothes and heals irritations, minor burns and can be used on the lips, elbows, or knees to condition and relieve dry skin.  I was a bit skeptical about the healing of minor burns, but I did get a small curling iron burn and it actually did relieve the pain fairly quick, I was extremely impressed. This is pretty much a mintier & cuter version of Vaseline.

So here are the samples and I choose:
1. Origins CC Cream
2. Bumble & Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil
3. MUFE HD Pressed Powder

I also used one of their promo codes and choose 3 deluxe samples, I picked:
1. Philosophy Miracle Worker Overnight Moisturizer ( It's funny that the print is off center lol)
2. Urban Decay Long Lasting Makeup Setting Spray
3. Prada Milano Infusion D'Iris Rollerball

So I had to talk about how AMAZING this deluxe sample is, it's not even a sample really, it's a full size rollerball, like what? it''s absolutely gorgeous, it came in a mint coloured leather case and it smells so nice. It's a very gentle, fresh and elegant smell, there are notes of oranges, iris, incense, and it's also a bit powdery as well. The longevity is amazing, it literally lasted all day on my wrists. I'd definitely recommend if you tend to lean towards perfumes that smells of citrus and florals.

So, that's it for my haul, I spent roughly $50 CAD, which I'd say is pretty good!!

Ipsy Review!!

So this months Ipsy theme was "Fresh Picks."  I would show the bag, but I've actually already given it away. It's really cute but it really reminded me of my sister-in-law, so I gave it to her and she loved it. Overall, I'm fairly happy with my glam bag this month, it's not my favourite month but I still got some great products and really, you can't complain when you're only spending 15 bucks.

Palette Wishlist!!

So many palettes, so little money. When it comes to palettes, nude and neutral is a must, whether it's shimmer or matte, I'm obsessed. I've always leaned toward more champagne and gold colours on the lids, bright pinks on the cheeks and subtle highlighting. So I figured I'd throw together a list of some beautiful palettes that I've been drooling over lately.  

1. Marc Jacobs Beauty - Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow in "The Lolita 206" - $71 

This is definitely a splurge item at $71/CAD for only 7 shadows, but it's Marc Jacobs, do we really care? I'm pretty sure this is what Iggy Azalea's "Fancy" is based on...

2. Urban Decay - Naked 2 Palette - $64

I have the first and third Naked palettes and I only need this one to complete the trilogy, and it doesn't hurt that the colours are absolutely gorgeous

3. Hourglass - Ambient Lighting Palette - $67

There aren't many exclusively highlighting palettes on the market, and if there were, I'm sure they'd all pale in comparison to this beauty. 

4. Nars - The NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette - $85

Now, Nars is one of my favourite beauty brands but this is probably one that will stay on my wishlist, $85 is just too steep for me, but a girl can dream right?!

5. Clinique - All About Shadow 8-Pan Palette - Exclusive Nudes - $40

I haven't tried much makeup from Clinique, but I love their High Impact & Bottom Last mascara & I've heard lots of wonderful things about their makeup. Plus, an exclusively nude shadow palette? count me in!!

6. Urban Decay - Naked Flushed in "Native" $35

This will probably be my next purchase. I was never really in love with the colours in "Naked" but when they came out with "Native" I knew I had to have it. The bright pink is the perfect blush shade!!

7. Lorac - Pro Palette - $42/US
Oh, the ever so elusive Lorac Pro Palette. The lengths I will go to get this palette, I live in Canada, and lemme tell you, it's impossible to find it here. I've even checked every Ulta in Michigan to see if I could find in store there, but nope, no luck. Mark my words, I will find get this one day!

April Favourites!!

So it's a little late to be posting an April favourites, but oh well, I do what I want haha.  I found it extremely easy to pick out my favourites as these were clear winners, I definitely reached for them the most during April. So here are my fav beauty & non-beauty items:

BEAUTY
Dior Addict Lip Glow - $35

This will be forever my favourite lip balm. So the price is a little steep for a lip balm, but it's well worth it, it really does create the perfect pink shade for your lips and it greatly moisturizing as well.

Nars Blush/Bronzer Duo - Angelika/Laguna - $50
So I got this awhile ago and I have to say I was a little hesitant at first about using a blush and bronzer with so much glitter, but it actually looks really gorgeous, especially for spring. 

Marc Jacobs - Daisy Eau So Fresh Delight - $89
If you know me, you know I have a slight obsession with all things Marc Jacobs, this is my fourth Marc Jacobs perfume and maybe even my favourite. It has notes of blood orange, pink peppers, white tea, tiare tahiti, violet, raspberry, apricot skin, musk, and amber. It's definitely one to have in your collection.

 

ACCESSORIES

Kate Spade Coin Purse - $24
I bought this a couple of months ago from a local Winners on sale for only $24, it was definitely one of my greatest shopping finds thus far. It is extremely handy, I usually throw some change, my debit card and some lip balm in there and I'm ready to go. Unfortunately I don't know the name of it or if you can buy it anymore but I've linked some Kate Spade coin purses above.

Old Navy - Large Coral Studs - $6
I pretty much love any earrings that are over sized and studs. These are very similar to Kate Spade and Coach studs but without the hefty price tag.

Ray Ban Polarized Original Wayfarer Classics - $325
So, my Ray Bans are a little on the more expensive side since they are polarized with prescriptions lenses in them. They are definitely my favourite pair of sunnies that I have.

MUSIC
Childish Gambino - Pink Toes
Coldplay - Magic
Cold War Kids - Jailbirds
Phantom Planet - California ( a little O.C. throwback)
Calvin Harris - Summer

TV SHOWS
The O.C. - This was my absolutely favourite tv show in high school, I was obsessed, so I felt like it was time for a nice marathon, I'm currently halfway through season 2!

The Good Wife - OMG that plot twist, I still can't believe they killed off one of the leads in the show, WHAT? I definitely ugly sobbed when it aired. 

Crisis - There is nothing better than an insanely dramatic tv show, there are many post twists and turns in this show and I'm a sucker for drama.

 

 

It's that time again...

Time to wash your brushes. Washing your brushes is really important because they hold tiny germs that you wouldn't want to put onto your faces. Using brushes that aren't regularly cleaned can cause major breakouts (not fun!). I usually clean my used brushes bi-weekly and use my e.l.f anti-bacterial daily brush cleaner spray after every use.

To clean my brushes I use the e.l.f Brush Shampoo with some warm water then lay them flat on a towel and leave them to air dry overnight. The shampoo is really great because it's affordable and doesn't have an unpleasant smell.  When they are done drying I separate them into my regularly used ones and the others and place them in my adorable Skurar pots from Ikea.

Top row of the brushes are all Real Techniques.

Middle row are e.l.f studio brushes, coastal scents, and eco tools.

Bottom row are Quo brushes (metallic pink & navy,) a Nars mini bamboo brush, and some randoms.