Showing posts with label Crown Brush. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crown Brush. Show all posts

Wednesday, 13 January 2016

15 Beauty Favourites of 2015



           I have been watching "Best of 2015", "2015 Favourites" and "Top 2015 Products" on YouTube nonstop. I easily picked out my top 15 beauty products of the past year so I thought I would do up a quick overview of items I discovered in 2015 and share them with you. In no particular order we have:





Julep Bare Face Cleansing Oil
           I think this was technically a 2014 discovery but I rediscovered and really fell in love with it this year. I have quite oily skin and I avoided any cleaning oils for a long time, this came in a Julep Maven box and I am so glad I forgot to skip that month. It just melts my makeup off,even if I do have to scrub at waterproof eye makeup there is no stinging or irritation. To help balance oil production I use this at night instead of a more harsh cleanser. I apply once to remove makeup and then again to make sure everything has been removed. I already have one as a back up and as soon as I open that one I will add another to my next Maven box.



 
Jergens Wet Skin Moisturizer 
            I originally got a sample of this in a Sample Source package and honestly did not expect much. So wrong. I do not moisturize nearly as much as I should but this makes it so easy. While you are still warm from the shower, before drying off you put this on like normal lotion and then pat dry. I have a full size in my shower and use it everyday, it takes seconds and has really helped keep my skin soft in these winter months. 

 

Clinique Acne Solutions 
            While I no longer use this regularly I will always suggest this to someone struggling with blemishes. I have never been acne prone but for a good portion of this year I could not get my skin to clear up. I decided to try this three step system and before I had to repurchase my skin was clear. Like I said, I do not use this regularly since my skin has returned to its original state but I plan on continuing to keep it at hand for when my skin rebels or I go too many nights without removing my make up.


 

Redken All Soft Shampoo and Conditioner 
           I have always loved Redken products and used many over the years. I have hair that is dry, thin but easily weighed down and prone to get oily very quickly. This set gives my ends the moisture I need without leaving behind greasy build up.

 


 
Urban Decay B6 Complexion Prep Spray
          I live in a small, East Coast, Canadian city so high end makeup is pretty hard to find anywhere but online so when I saw the Urban Decay display at Shoppers I went a little overboard. (Review to come!) One of the items I picked up was this spray. I love what it has done for my skin, my pores are smaller, redness around my nose has been reduced and my skin is becoming less oily. If I have to go right from work to somewhere else I spray this over my makeup for a refresh, powder and go.



 

Crown Brush C476 Crease/Shadow Brush
          This is the perfect eyeshadow brush. Just look at it, what else do I need to say? It is all you need. I have another one coming from Hautelook right now.

 

Straight up stole this photo from tonyatalksbeauty.blogspot.ca. Go check her blog out so it makes it ok.
 
Marcelle Soothing Cleansing Water
          I think this was a Winners find and I use it pretty much everyday. It takes off the most stubborn waterproof makeup without any irritation, redness or leaving any residue. It is also alcohol free and recognized by the Canadian Dermatology Association.



 

 
Revlon Color Stay Gel Envy
           This product was a serious game changer for me. I had converted to exclusively gel polish manicures, even have my own little pink lamp, but it was starting to damage my nails. I mean pealing the polish rather than soaking didn't help but moving on... I decided to give my nails a break and after reading some great reviews I picked up a couple colours, I now have seven or eight and rarely use my actual gel polish anymore. It does not last on me for two full weeks without chipping like some say but I can wear it for two weeks with minimal chips.


 

Covergirl Pop Balm
          I believe I have the entire Pop Balm collection and a couple from the Nude Balm collection as well. I love tinted balms and Covergirl has a great colour range. Check out this post out for a more in-depth review.



 
 

Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder in 01 Stay Buff (VF)
         I have a few Clinique products and have never really been disappointed with the brand. I love this powder, it has light coverage and helps set my makeup and keeps it from looking oily for a little longer through out the day, I have hit pan but will likely be purchasing it again once I use up all my setting powders. If you have oily skin give this powder a shot.


 

Acure Unscented Argon Oil Towelettes 
          I can honestly say these are the best face wipes I have ever used. The came in an Ipsy bag in 2015 and I fell in love. Not only did they remove all my makeup but my face actually felt like I had removed my makeup and used cleanser. I never thought I would get a deep clean from makeup wipes but these were amazing, I might have to break down and order a bunch online.
 

LOC Ultimate Collection 
           I cannot rave enough about this launch from Birchbox and Tati Westbrook. Both the eyeshadow sticks and lip colours have seriously impressive staying power. If you want to hear more click here.
          



 
Beauty Blender 
           I was a little late to the Beauty Blender obsession but now I use it everyday and have a backup waiting for when mine needs to be replaced. With most foundations it leaves a more natural finish, lasts longer and blends seamlessly. Bonus: it is way easier to clean than a brush full of foundation.




 
Aromatherapy Collection from Bath and Body Works
            I am all about the Stress Relief bubble bath from BBW. I also have the candle in the same scent, the Sensual bubble bath and the Sleep Pillow Mist. When I use the candle and bubble bath together I practically go catatonic, for an anxiety case like me it is amazing to be able to let go of all the constant stress and just relax. I have repurchased this many times and will continue to do so. (When it is on sale)

 


 
Aveeno Dry Shampoo
           I have decided that I am going to "train" my hair to need washed less often. This is not going to be easy since I religiously wash my hair everyday. I have tried a number of dry shampoos and for the most part thought they did nothing but make my hair feel gross. My sister used this on my hair over the holidays and while it still felt like I had dry shampoo in my hair I did not feel disgusted every time I touched it and my hair looked great.


          There you have it, 15 of my favourite beauty products from 2015. I hope everyone had a great year and wish you health and happiness in 2016.

Thanks for reading!
A.
 






Friday, 31 July 2015

Ipsy - July 2015

          When I first saw my Glam Room I was not excited for my bag, there were a couple things I would get some use out of but nothing had me stalking the mail man. Luckily so since it shipped later than usual again. I'm not sure why it has been shipping so late the last few months, maybe when you redeem for points items it takes longer to process. Once I tried a couple items I completely changed my mind, I love the eyeshadow and bronzer. Let's get into it:


Shea Moisture Lip Crayon in Sarah $9.99 Full Sized Product
          This is an item I redeemed my points for, I am always looking for more lip products. This one is not my favourite and at first I was quite disappointed by it but I noticed that once it wore off it left a really nice stain that looked great under a pink gloss. I do not like it by itself mostly because I'm not a fan of the iridescent quality. Swatched below. 

Crown Brush Professional Tweezers $10.50 or $6.99 on sale Full Sized Product 
          I would not replace my current tweezers with this as I prefer to have ones that are a little bit longer but these are excellent. I do not have any in my purse makeup bag so these are going right in there. 

Jor'el Parker Eau to Parfume in Classico $21 Full Sized Product 
          I love receiving perfumes even though I am rarely able to wear them. The description says "Indulge in the spicy seduction of Indian Tuberose, the striking and sweet sensation of Turkish Cyclamen and the purifying calm of Spanish Mandarin." Now, I do not know what most of those things are but it sounds very exotic and smells so as well. It has a very energizing or awakening scent. 

Jersey Shore Cosmetics Mongongo Vanilla Coconut Cream Lip Conditioner $10 Full Sized Product 
          This is a 100% natural and USDA certified Organic with UV protection as well as being cruelty free. It is a lip balm, not exciting but always useful. I would not pay $10 for it but I will use it for sure.

Nicka K New York Eye Shadow Quad in NY075 Sierra $4.99 Full a Sized Product
          I was surprised this quad was so inexpensive, I love these shadows. This product completely changed my opinion of this month's bag. They are so soft, pigmented and blend together perfectly. The colours are perfect for brown eyes and I am glad I did not get the other option which I think would be best for green eyes. With these four colours you can create a nice, everyday neutral look or a more dramatic smokey eye. If I was to go on a trip I would just grab this little quad and leave my other palettes at home. See swatches below. 

Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer in Park Ave. Princess $10.31 Sample Value $20.31 Full Size
          I am not skilled in the art of contouring or much of a bronzer user. I already have a hard time finding foundation that is pale enough so added bronzer just makes me look dirty or like I can't shade match. This one is perfect for pale girls like me, with a light hand it added some warmth to my face without being too dark to work with my skin tone. Easily blendable, smooth application and hours of budge proof wear make this a beautiful product and also turned my opinion of the bag. 

Swatches for Shea Moisture Lip Crayon, Nicka K New York Eye Shadow, and Tarte Bronzer along the top.


          While still not my favourite bag I ended up liking it more than I originally thought I would. The bag itself is super cute and certainly one of my favourites. Overall I ended up liking this bag and the value is pretty decent. 


Total value of bag: $56.80


Thanks for reading!
A.