Favourites February 2016

         Favourties posts two months in a row! that has got to be a record! It is sad because it is not far from the truth.

Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy in Perfect Pair

          I have talked about these polishes before and still love them just as much. I was exclusively a gel polish girl until I found this. With the top coat I can get a full week of perfect nails and then another week of pretty decent looking nails. This colour is a favorite this month. Other then my Valentine's Day nails every time I go to paint my nails I end up choosing Perfect Pair. It is just a perfect nude with a hint of pinky brown. I just love it; so elegant and feminine. 

Julep No Limits Luxe Hydrating Crème

           Originally I signed up with the Julep Maven box because I loved the nail polish. Now I rarely get nail polish, instead I fell for the skin care and makeup. When I saw this new product as an option I thought it would be something I would use and honestly I loved the packaging. The lotion is completely enclosed so very little bacteria is getting in there. Photo below. There were many of us that struggled to get the product to come out. As with anything I googled it and found all I needed to do was hold my thumb over the small circle while pushing the dispenser then release and repeat until product dispensed. This is a very rich cream that you can use on your hands, face and body. I don't normally trust these all in one type product for my face but I had too much on my hands one night and I was so impressed how soft and supple my face was the next morning without feeling excessively oily. For the most part I use it as a hand cream but it makes it a little easier to put on a night cream even on the laziest of evenings. 

L'Oreal La Lacque in Lacque-y Charm

             Lip products are my weakness. I had to pick this up to try out when it was on sale. It is sort of a mechanical lip crayon but the tip is very fine so you can line you lips before colouring them in. I found this to be very comfortable on my lips and lasted quite a while, it was not beverage proof but it's so easy to touch up that it's not a problem. I found it wore of fairly evenly as well. Swatch below. 

Cynthia Rowley Eyeliner in Black

          I got this in my February Birchbox and was not initially super excited about it but figured it was something I would use. I was impressed with how pigmented, smooth and long lasting it was. I have issues with liner on my waterline running/smudging, this liner did collect in the inner corners of my eyes before it could set but was easy to fix and did not budge for the rest of the day. Swatch below.

Rimmel Provocalips 16HR Kiss Proof Lip Colour in Make Your Move

           I bought this because I wanted to test out the 16HR kiss proof claim. This lip colour does not screw around. I put this on at before I went to work, around 7am, and it lasted until I left at 5pm. That includes eating twice and at least 4 cups of tea. My lips did feel a little dry after lunch but I just put some balm on top and let that sink in before making my next cup of tea. I only saw a few colours in the display when I bought it but I will be keeping an eye out for more.

L'Oreal, Cynthia Rowley, Rimmel

Elizabeth Mott Thank Me Later Eye Shadow Primer

          Elizabeth Mott makes one of my very favourite masacaras and I was happy to receive a new product from the brand in my ipsy bag a few months ago. Until I started using this I rarely used an eyeshadow primer, I have one from Essence that was like $3 and worked pretty well but I rarely bothered to reach for it. The Elizabeth Mott primer does a great job of keeping my shadow looking great all day and not creasing no matter how long I am wearing it.



 David's Tea Love Tea  #7
             I have a serious problem. I can not walk by David's Tea without going in, which would be fine if I could leave without buying something. I currently have the Spring Collection ordered and will share that when it arrives. In my Valentine's Day post I talked about the sampler box they had out, one of my absolute favorites was Love Tea #7. It is a black tea with chocolate, strawberries and rose petals. I love this so much that I went and bought one of the giant tins that holds enough for like 90 cups of tea. It is chocolaty and fruity at the same time, perfect for a sweet pick me up or a cozy cup of tea before bed.

          I am pretty proud that I have stuck to my Monthly Favourites (two whole months!) and I hope I helped someone discover a new favourite. If I had to pick my top favourite for February it would have to be the tea, it is a serious obsession. What was your number one?

Thanks for reading!

A.

@dirty_cupcake

Check out January Favourites

Ipsy December 2015

 

          I was really excited for my Ipsy bag this month, like the actual bag itself. I love when Ipsy does different styles than the usual front zip pouch. This bag still holds everything I need but fits much better in my purse. I was also excited for all but one of the products in the bag.

 

Elizabeth Mott Thank Me Later Eyeshadow Primer Full Size $20 Sample Value $10

            Eyeshadow primer is something I just don't buy, I have one from Essence that works well and was only a few dollars. I was excited to get this since I just know I am never going to buy it for myself and I have loved everything we have gotten from Elizabeth Mott.

 

Jersey Shore Vanilla Bean Anti-Aging Lip and Hand Polish Full Size $25

          This is a full sized product but if you were to purchase it would come in a jar instead of a squeeze tube. When I first saw this I was pretty skeptical about a lip AND hand polish but I was really impressed with how smooth and hydrated both my lips and hands were after using this. I have been wanting to purchase a lip scrub but one that was not going to be too abrasive or leave my lips sore and this is perfect. There are a number of different ingredients that just leave my hands feeling so smooth and soft. I might have to pick this up once I run out.

 

Pacifica Power of Love Natural Lipstick in Nudie Red Full Size $10

          I can never have enough lip products, the whole bag could be lipstick, glosses and balm and I would not complain. I have tried a few Pacifica products before and to be honest was not impressed with the last lipstick I tried, it was a beautiful red shade but it just feathered everywhere and slid around on my lips. That is not the case with this one, I don't know what the difference is but this one goes on perfectly and has a matte look to it while still moisturizing. It almost feel like I don't have any lipstick on at all. Now that I have discovered what nude shades look good on me I am all about the nude lips and this one has made it into the rotation. If you are looking for more natural makeup check out Pacifica products, they are natural but still effective. Swatches below.

 

Acure Cell Stimulating Facial Masks Full Size $12.99 Sample Value ~$7.50

            I received a facial scrub from this brand from a subscription service in recent months and I loved it so I was very interested in trying this out. I have only used it once so I can't speak to how effective it is over time but after I rinsed it off for the first time I did feel like my pores had been cleared out without over-drying my skin.

 

Peony Cosmetics Eyeshadow Trio Full Size $17.95

           Yes this is full size and yes it really does cost $17.95. The packaging feel a little cheap but the mirror is actually pretty good and the shadows are supposed to absorb oil to last all day. I have worn them a few times and I would say they are very long lasting, all day to me is a lot longer than most but these do have some serious staying power. I think I am just getting a little sick of eyeshadow trios and singles. I have too many cluttering up my life, I really need to get a Z palette. (Swatched below)



 

 

         The value of this bag is about $70, for a $10 ($14.95 + exchange in Canada) subscription service that a really quite good. I am using all the products in the bag and loving most of them so to me that makes it worth the price no matter the value.

 

 

Thanks for reading!

A.

 

Get an Ipsy bag of your very own!

 

@dirty_cupcake

 



 

Products I Want to Use Up - February 2015

          I have so many candles and I just bought three of the new scents from Bath and Body Works so I am forcing myself to use these ones up before I start burning the new ones regularly. From right to left I have Pumpkin Spice, Bergamont Woods, Fireside, Clean Linen, Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin. I have the Pumpkin Spice on a candle warmer now but I think the scent is mostly gone as it does not seem to be putting out much of a scent. Maybe I am just used to the wonderful candles from Bath and Body Works. The Fireside candle is amazing and I may put it aside for next fall/winter so I can fall completely in love with it again. I really want to use up my fall/winter scents before I pull out the spring/summer candles so I do not have to store them. Not that winter is showing any signs of easing as we have a blizzard on the way in a couple days.

          I have had this L'Oreal toner for YEARS, I rarely use toner just because I an lazy. I think I can use this up fairly quickly if I actually remember to use it. The toner is a good product, my skin does feel clearer and smoother after using it. 

          I want to use the Tea Tree Foaming Cleanser because I have two bottles that are almost empty. I do like this cleanser but I have not been using it much as I have fallen head over heels for the Charcoal Cleanser from Biore. I use the Tea Tree Cleanser once a week or if my skin breaks out heavily as it is a good product to use to clear up blemishes however it is a little drying for dry winter skin. Because I was so impressed by the cleanser I bought the Tea Tree Gel for blemishes. I do not like it at all. I do not find it does anything for me at all. I am sure it is slightly beneficial so I will use it up but I will not repurchase. 

          Something else I have a foolish amount of is perfume. I do not think I will really "use up" the Bath and Body Works products, they are more so a product I want to focus on. Each scent is lovely and I do not want them to go bad. The White Citrus is a clean, fresh scent that is almost masculine but still flirty enough to be feminine. The Merry Marshmallow is a lovely holiday scent, sweet and light. One of my favorite winter scents. I do not know how much progress I will make as I can not wear scents to work but we will see. The little sample I got from Sephora (I think) and is the Dolce perfume from Dolce and Gabbana. It smells so sophisticated, I wish I had somewhere fancy to wear it but for now it works great with my jammies.

          Here we have a couple moisturizers. The first is a sample from Cailyn Cosmetics and I love their lip colours. This is the Water Drops Cream and is a very light, quick absorbing face cream. At first I though it would not take too long to use as it is a little sample tube but has lasted much longer than I first thought it would.

          The Julep Rock Star Hand Cream was in my last products to use up post and I have not really made any progress. It is a lovely cream, Julep has a long complicated  description of why it is the be all end all of hand creams. I like the scent but it is rather strong and perfumey so I do not bring it with me so I forget I have it sometimes.

          This GOSH lipstick in Cappuccino was the very first nude lip colour I ever bought and likely one of the first lipsticks I had ever bought; which is kind of gross but I am over it. It is a nice colour and so creamy and moisturizing. I only stopped using it because I moved on to other colours and it got buried in my collection.

           The little pot is a sample from K&N Body Butter that I got from Madame Ladybug. This is a terrible body butter, it is oily and grainy at the same time. I washed my hands immediately after I put it on. This makes an excellent lip conditioner though, I can't decide if is that is gross or not but that is what I am using it for. It is Candy Cane scented and instantly makes dry winter lips feel conditioned and smooth. 

          I am pretty sure I have mentioned the Elizabeth Mott It's So Big mascara before. It is my everyday mascara and is just so lovely. You can use one layer for your everyday look or put a couple more coats for extra length and thickness. I have a back up and this one is getting close to its expiry date.

          This Protein BB Cream is from an Ipsy bag and while it did not transform my hair into a magical mane it is a a solid hair product. I use it to fight frizz and I find it helps keep style when I wear it straight.

           This is just a simple hand sanitizer from Bath and Body Works. I am not a fan of the scent and I have others that I prefer so this got pushed to the back. It was in my last products to use up post, not much progress and I am not overly optimistic I will make much progress before my next post.

Thanks for reading!

A.

       

November Ipsy Bag - Girl Meets Glitter

           When I first heard November's theme I wasn't really feeling it; don't get me wrong I get distracted by all things glittery but I would rather not ADD shine to my face. Luckily most of the sparkles ended up on the bag, which is adorable. I am not sure how I feel about the contents.

          At first I was only really excited for the liquid eyeliner from Elizabeth Mott. The Its So Big mascara is my new favorite, with a light hand it is a great everyday black mascara, however, layers like you are getting ready to walk the streets. That is what I look for in a mascara, who doesn't really? Admit it. Back to my original point: not pumped. THEN I started seeing all the unbagging photos on Facebook so I am looking forward to trying out everything. Unfortunately I will be waiting a bit, for whatever reason my bag shipped seriously late this month. Can't win 'em all.

November 2014 Ipsy bag with bonus item Evian Facial Spray

          I will post a review video soon but right now I am hungover and look like hell, nobody needs to see this hot mess. Check back for my video!

And here it is: http://youtu.be/AK-JNhAFvjk

          Ok. So this just in: I hate editing and I suck at it. There is a buzzing noise and I have no idea how to make it stop. You probably shouldn't bother watching it. I didn't. I'm only posting it because my cousin wants it.

Click here is you want to get 4-5 deluxe sample or full size items in a cute bag for $10 a month ($5 shipping to Canada) 

 Thanks for reading! Comment, share and spread the word. 

A.