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

Top 5 - September and October 2015

**UNFAVORITE: Blogger will not let me format things to stay centered and it is severely pissing my off. ***

          This favourites post is pretty Clinique heavy, if you want to read about some more Clinique products check this out. The background is a bonus favourite item, it is an electric blanket that Beast got me from Walmart and it is AMAZING. I love fuzzy couch blankets and one that heats up can only be better. My cats also love it and at night I have two companions close by snuggling up to the warm.

Clinique Stay-Matte Oil Free Makeup in 02 Alabaster (VF-N) 

          I can say without hesitation that this is my favourite foundation to date and I have tried a foolish number of foundations. If you have oily skin give this a try. My t-zone does still get shiny but the makeup does not separate and it holds up well if I blot throughout the day. My makeup looks matte much longer then with any other foundation I have ever used. I was concerned about the colour range as this was one of the two palest shades and I did not think it would work for me. I had a woman at Shoppers colour match me and I decided to give it a shot. As long as I make sure to blend well it works perfectly. I would say this is right in the middle of drugstore vs high end makeup at about $30. I am not used up my first tube so my opinion may change but I hope this love stays true.

Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder in 01 Stay Buff (VF)

           Since I love the foundation so much it only seemed natural that I would love the powder and that is exactly the case. It does a great job of absorbing oil and keeping my skin shine free for hours longer then other powders. I don't carry it in my purse but I imagine it would be perfect for touch up when the oil starts to shine through. The green, marbled packaging is also gorgeous. 

Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black

          I got this as part of a gift with purchase from Sears and am a big fan. It lengthens, gives enough volume that it's not too much for everyday and does not flake or smudge. I use other mascaras I have and always come back to this one. 

L'Oreal Pop Balm in 518 Tender Mauve 

          I bought this and quickly went back to the store to buy five more L'Oreal Balm products. For a full review click here.

The Balm, Balm Girls Lipstick in Mia Moore 

          The Balm was recently on Hautelook and I picked up a few things. I am in the process of doing a review but I could not wait to talk about this lipstick. First, the packaging is adorable, very retro and classic. Second it is the perfect red lipstick, it doesn't make my teeth look yellow, it dries to a sort of satin matte look without over drying my lips and lasts for hours. Even through two cups of tea and a muffin! It isn't an all day wear but once it does start to wear off it does so somewhat evenly, not completely but more so than a lot of other dark lipsticks. 

          I really love all these products and have been talking about them to anyone that will listen. I've gotten numerous compliments on my foundation and the Mia Moore lipstick since I bought them. 

Thanks for reading!

A. 

@dirty_cupcake 

Check out my last favourites post. 

L'Oréal Pop Balm Collection Review + Bonus Nude Balm and Colour Riche

          I picked up one of the L'Oreal Pop Balm lip products as pick me up after a rough day and within the week I picked up three more and then a Nude Balm and Colour Riche Balm. I found them for a couple different prices but they were all under $10.

          I now own 518 Tender Mauve , 430 Fiery Red, 410 Wild Lily, 440 Electric Pink, from the Nude Balm line 318 Heavenly Berry, and from the Colour Riche line 819 Caramel Comfort. 

          The first swatch of each colour is one swipe and the second is with it built up a little bit. 

          The bottom swatches here are the originally swatches of Electric Pink and Heavenly Berry. At first I was disappointed because the pigmentation was so lacking but then I twisted up the product to see the tip was discoloured and dried out. I used a card to slice off the top portion and got the top swatches. I bought these two at Walmart and the rest at Shoppers so I think it is more of a commentary on the product control or whatever at Walmart then on L'Oreal. 

          The first one I bought was Tender Mauve and I loved it enough to go buy the whole Pop Balm collection. It really feels like a balm and moisturizers like one as well. I am a huge fan of lip products but not of maintaining the look throughout the day. With these you get a wash of colour that moisturizers, goes on like butter and you don't even need a mirror to apply. I get the most use out of Tender Mauve, Fiery Red and Caramel Comfort. I am ecstatic that I found a nude lip colour I am comfortable wearing. In writing this I realized I haven't really used Heavenly Berry so I will have to dig that one out (to return it and then get a new one). The other colours will be put into my lipstick organizer and come back out in the spring/summer. Overall I am a big fan of this line and will be looking into the Nude Balm and Colour Riche lines some more once my Christmas Shopping is done. 

Thanks for reading!

A.

Check out some other reviews! 

PS I do not know why the formatting is so off on this but it just wont fix.

          

Haul - Hautelook, drugstore, and Winners June 2015

          I am trying to curb my spending on beauty products with mild success at best, here are a few things I have picked up here and there.

Walmart

Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Hydrating Sulfate Free Body Wash  $4.98

          To say I like the Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco line would be a huge understatement. Every time I wash  my hair I wish I had a body wash in the same scent. I was walking through Wal-mart when I saw this and it literally stopped me in my tracks. Besides argan oil it has a lot of moisturizing and soothing ingredients like shea butter, aloe vera, and vitamin E. You can also add it to running water for "an invigorating spa bath soak". I am way too excited over the body wash; unfortunately I have so many body washes that I am forcing myself to put it away until I use up some of my stash. I will be attempting my very first project pan and this will be my motivation and reward.

L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation in Classic Ivory  $16.96

          I am still on a mission to try every foundation there is, starting at the drugstore brands and working my way up, until I find my perfect match. This is a demi-matte, 24 hour, medium coverage foundation and my oily skin defeated it within six hours. Based on the description online "The micro-sponge technology absorbs excess oil and shine to create a dimensional matte finish without the need for a heavy or caked-on look" I thought this would be a good place to continue my quest but no such luck. It does go on very nicely for a smooth and natural skin finish but it did nothing to absorb oil or shine. I will continue to use this but only on days that are not very hot, with a setting spray and keep powder close. I will not repurchase.

L'Oreal Infallible Makeup Extender Setting Spray $14.96

          I had been walking past this in Wal-mart for some time and finally caved. I normally use Model in a Bottle from Made You Blush which may be a local company but I am not sure. Model in a Bottle works wonderfully,I could go to war and emerge from my hiding spot with minimal makeup damage, my only complaint is that it has a very strong smell somewhere between perfume and medical alcohol. The L'Oreal spray is much lighter, without much of a scent and just feels like you are spraying a fine mist of water on your face. Unfortunately it is so much less effective than Model in a Bottle. It is like Model in a Bottle is for special events while L'Oreal is more of an everyday setting spray. I will use it up but I likely will not be repurchasing it. 

Hautelook

Skyn Iceland White Cloud Spot Corrector with Pigment Lightening Complex 

Regular Price: $45.00

Hautelook Price: $19.00

           First of all what a deal! I love Hautelook, if you don't know it is a flash sale website and you can get amazing discounts on everything from home items, makeup, or men's and women's clothing. I got a $600 watch set for Beast and paid about $60 for it. I had been looking into products to reduce redness and acne scars, I have not had a lot of issues with acne but since I am so fair skinned I mark up easily and they do not go away for some time. This comes out as a medium thickness white lotion that is supposed to fight dark patches, age spots, acne scares and uneaven skin tone in about six weeks. You are meant to use this morning and night after cleansing and before moisturizing.  I was noticing some slight differences but not going to lie I sort of forgot to use it for a couple days/weeks so I will not swear by the results I may have seen but I will get back into the habit of using it. I would pick it up if I saw it on Hautelook again but I would not pay full price for it. 

Skyn Iceland Anti-Blemish Gel with Willow Bark

Regular Price: $15.00

Hautelook Price: $7.00

          Another good deal from Hautelook. There is not a lot to say about zit cream but this stuff does seem to work. I have a hard time judging if this type of product is working on myself but Beast had a beast sized blemish and after the first application it was reduced to half its size, after three it was all but gone. I will repurchase this again when it runs out and I would pay full price for it. Luckily Ipsy frequently send out Skyn Iceland products and that usually means a discount code of some sort.

Hautelook

BH Cosmetics 11 Pcs Pink-A-Dot Brush Set

Regular Price: $28.95

Hautelook Price: $19.00

Sale on BH Cosmetics as of June 4th 2015: $14

          How cute are these brushes? I am not even mad that I just found them for a better price. I have been looking at buying a couple brushes but it is just so expensive to buy even just the specific brushes not to mention a decent set. I have tried makeup from BH cosmetics before and liked it so I decided to add these to my Hautelook order. If nothing else they are super cute, happily I have ended up really liking these brushes. The brushes are extremely soft and have not shed a single bristle since I opened them. The set includes a deluxe fan brush, powder brush, angled blush brush, classic foundation brush, tapered shadow blending brush, classic shadow brush, angled shadow brush, small smudge brush, tapered eye liner brush, and a lip brush all in a snap closure hard shell travel case. I use both the top and bottom of the case to store brushes on my desk.

Physicians Formula Organic Wear Tinted Moisturizer in Ivory to Fair $17.99

          I picked this up at the Superstore only because it was 50% off and ended up really liking it. This is 100% free of harsh chemicals, parabens and preservatives and 100% natural origin. Being a tinted moisturizer there is not much in the way of coverage but combined with my usual powder, Maybelline Dream Wonder, it gives enough coverage for a casual day. I would consider purchasing this again. It does smell kind of like celery which is a little strange but the smell does not stay long after application.

Winners

Ever notice that you can only ever find anything at Winners if you either have no money or at least should not be spending money? Every time.

Marcelle Soothing Cleansing Water

Regular Price: $17.95

Winners Price: $7.99

          Now, I had convinced myself that I did not need fancy water to cleanse my face but as I was setting it back down Princess said that she has it and loves it. I will admit here on the internet for everyone to read that my sister was right. This is so gentle but removes makeup better than any other makeup remover I have tried. Even after a face oil and cleanser it still picked up foundation when I thought my face was perfectly clean. This product is paraben, oil, alcohol and perfume free. It also works to tone your skin and removes even my strongest waterproof makeup but afterwards there is no irritation or residue. I think this will become my new makeup remover.

Lise Watier Lip Kiss Crayon Gloss in Pink Jelly

Regular Price: $18.00

Winners Price: $7.99

          I need another lip product like I need a hole in my head but there was no passing this up. I have wanted to try Lise Watier products for sometime but was avoiding splurging, I was missing out. This goes on as almost a light dusty rose but as it fades it leaves behind a bright pink stain. It it truly a moisturizing gloss and I am in love, it is not sticky, does not feather and has serious lasting power. My only complaint is that it has to be sharpened. I have not yet had to do so but hopefully it sharpens without any trouble.

Lise Watier Lip Kiss Crayon Gloss in Pink Jelly

Thanks for reading!

A.

@dirty_cupcake.

Looking to go down the rabbit hole? Here is another haul post.

Empties #4 April 2015

          This empties post is a lot of bath products and not a lot of makeup items. I have become rather obsessed with organizing, reorganizing and using up my huge stash of bath/shower products. They are just so much easier to use up than makeup. Alrighty, here we go:

          Like I said, a lot of bath products. 

Vanilla Bean Bubble Bath from Bath and Body Works

           I was not a huge fan of this scent, it just didn't smell like the usual vanilla scent. It was not unpleasant but I just found it too strong I guess. 

French Lavender Sea Salt Body Scrub by Thymes Essentials 

           I already have another in the shower, I really loved this but the last couple times I used it I noticed it's really stung my legs. If you have dry skin I would not recommend this to you. I will try another scrub once the one in my shower runs out.

I Love Raspberry and Blackberry Bubble Bath and Shower Gel

            I bought this such a long time ago from Shoppers, probably about two years ago. It smelled great, was a fine bubble bath and body wash, my only wish is that the scent would stay on my skin after leaving the shower. 

Peony Pomegranate Blush Bath Salts, The Macbeth Collection by Margaret Joesphs 

           This was one of the items in a set that was on sale at Shoppers, I did not include it in a haul because some of it went to the gift pile. The bath salts were nothing to write home about, pretty cheap really but they smelled amazing. They smelled like a sweet, floral perfume. I am sitting here smelling the empty container. 

Fruit Frappe Grapefruit with Gooseberry Exfoliating Shower Gel by Upper Canada Soap and Shea Butter and Caramel Body Polish by Nirvana Spa

          These were both good products but didn't send me offer the moon, I like my exfoliants to remove at least two layers of skin so they were just too gentle. They both smelled great and were good body washes though. 

          I also used up some hair products. 

Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Volume Hairspray by Marc Anthony 

         I got this from Ipsy and I did like it, I found it was better for when I was wearing my hair down to keep it straight and frizz free. I know I sound like a broken record but it also smelled great. 

Precision Foam Colour in Brilliant Brunette by John Frieda 

          Does anyone else feel like there is an actual Marc Anthony and an actual John Frieda and they are in a huge hair care feud? No. Just me? Ok, moving on. This is the easiest home hair colour I have ever used, the foam is thick and there was more than enough to cover all my hair. Really easy to use, no drips and great results. 

450 Blow Out Blow Dry Spray by Sexy Hair

          Another item I got from Ipsy and I loved this. It just leaves your hair feeling soft, shiney, protected and it really seems like my hair dried faster. I think I will go online to order more because I can not find it in stores around here. I would also like to order the beach spray from the Healthy Sexy Hair line.

Rosemary Mint Cleansing Conditioner by Renpure Solutions 

           While I was using this I really enjoyed it but I have switched back to regular shampoo after Target closed and I couldn't find it anywhere else. I was having such a hard time with my hair, it was falling out more than usual, it was always limp and I couldn't do anything to it without it getting greasy and this product fixed all of that. Also if you are looking for a dupe of the Wen Cleansing Conditioner this is far cheaper, under ten bucks. I still reccomend this it just became inconvenient for me to keep using it. 

Malibu Heat Beach Waves Hair Mist from Bath and Body Works

          This was the first beach spray I tried and one of the best. I got this from BBW a few years ago but have not seen it there again. It gives beach waves without crunchiness or making my hair stiff plus it smells like coconut and pineapples. If I saw this at BBW again I would buy a couple bottles. 

          Some face/skin care products I used up, a couple of which I have been trying to use up for quite a while. 

Vitamins E, A & D Moisturizing Cream from GNC

            Go buy this. Seriously, such a good hand cream. I bought this because my hands were so dry this winter and this healed them completely. I used half the first tube before I read the directions and they suggest using it as a facial moisturizer and primer. Turns out this is the best primer I have used and you can buy three tubes for under 5 bucks. I have them everywhere, it is quite a thick formula with an almost glycerin feel to it which I do not normally like but this just makes my skin feel so good. It just feels like you are healing dry spots and doing something good for your skin. 

Mary Kay TimeWise Microdermabrasion Step One

            My office-mates mother in law used to be a Mary Kay lady and had a whole bunch of samples to hand off to us, bless her. This was one of the best things. We got this and the lotion that is Step Two. I love microdermabrasion products, it just feel so good to scrub all the gunk off your face and out of your pores. This formula was so thick and full of fine little exfoliants and fragrance free. I loved this but the collection is rather pricey and I don't want to get a Mary Kay last because that would mean talking to someone new. 

Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser from The Body Shop 

          I actually just used up a second one of these as I had two on the go for whatever reason. It really cleared up my skin but it is very drying as well so I switched to something less intense but I would reccomend this to someone having trouble controlling blemishes and oil.

Skin Genesis Skin Perfecting Toner by L'Oreal 

          I have had this for a disgusting amount of time. It didn't really do much for me. I would not repurchase. 

         I only have two makeup products that I used up and one I am tossing. 

Revlon Photoready BB Cream in Light Pale 

          This item is almost used up but I have had it so long that it has separated and won't mix back up. This was a decent BB Cream, very liquidy and not much for coverage but just sort of smoothed out my complexion. I used this when I was in Jamacia for days when we weren't in the pool all day because it had SPF 30 and I was extremely paranoid about getting sunglasses tan lines. I wouldn't repurchase as it isn't great for oily skin. 

Julep Blank Canvas Mattiying Eye Primer 

          This was an excellent eye primer, it went on smoothly and was just a light beige colour. They should really make eye primers clear so all skin colours and tones could use them eh? I mean most primers are, why not eye primers? Anywho, good product, probably expensive since it's from Julep.

Maybelline Dream Wonder Powder in Porcelain Ivory 

          I love this powder. I use it over my makeup to set my foundation, a necessary step for oily skin, but I have also used it by itself for light coverage. This is a staple in my routine, it doesn't leave my skin looking powdery or overly made up, it just glides on and smooths everything out. Love this, I have repurchased a couple times and will continue to do so. 

On an empties binge? Let me help you out: Empties #3

Thank you for reading!

A.

@dirty_cupcake

Let's Just Take A Moment For This:

          This is my lip colour collection:

          

          There is 75 lip colours here and I know I am missing at least two that are in my desk at the office. I have problems. To be fair some of these were gifts, free samples or from sample subscriptions. 

A.

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.