Review: August ipsy Glambag

This month's glambag wasn't the best but it also wasn't the worst. Some really great items that made up for the less good ones.

Dr. Brandt Pores No More Pore Refiner
I've used this a couple of times and while it's good, I don't see a big difference between this and the benefit porefessional that I normally use. But it's a perfect item to keep in my makeup case for on-the-go and/or vacation.


Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
I used it once, and it was AMAZING! The sample tube is tiny so I plan on using this only for ultra special occasions only. Like my wedding...LOL


J. Cat Beauty Flying Solo Eye Shadow in Half Naked
Yes, another eye shadow. I don't think I need to tell you how little I use eye shadow and that this is the third (or forth?) time I've received one. Hopefully I stop getting them soon. However I did try it once and the colour is nice, not too bold, and goes on lightly allowing you to layer. What I really like is that there's a teeny tiny brush under the shadow making it perfect for bringing along.


Jersey Shore Sun Mongongo Lip Conditioner
I really didn't care for this lip balm. There's nothing special about it and I didn't care for the flavour. But I'm always misplacing lip balms (and nail files!) so this is an emergency one for the car.


Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk
I have not tried this yet but that's b/c I'm saving this perfectly-sized dry shampoo for vacation. I have no doubts that I'll love b/c I've read nothing but fabulous reviews. I will let you know otherwise!

Review: July ipsy Glambag

I was pretty happy with my July haul and the goodies were packed into yet another cute pouch. I'm using it to store a few travel-sized products in my gym bag.

derma e BB Creme with SPF 25
I'm glad I received this when I did because the current BB I have doesn't have any SPF and I like to protect my face as much as possible in the summer. This formula goes on a bit greasy but sets in a few minutes. If I'm short on time, I brush on a bit of translucent powder to help it set faster. I really like how long the formula lasts & if it wasn't so expensive ($30 for 60mL) I would buy it once my sample finished.

Pixi Beauty Mini Tinted Brilliance Balm in Unique Pink
This thing is so cute! In my experience, 'tinted' lip balm is either full on lip gloss or completely clear. This is a true tint - it goes on smooth & moist, with a hint of colour. I'm happy I got the shade that I did b/c the other option was quite dark. I think this will last me a while but I wouldn't definitely buy this!

POP Beauty Sunkissed Bronzer
Another product with perfect timing. My current bronzer is matte, for all-over dusting. This bronzer has a hint of sparkle and is the perfect not-too-dark shade for my skintone. I've been using it as blush/highlighter for a more natural everyday look and I love it. In terms of formula, I don't know that it's much different than any other bronzer and apparently this brand only ships to the US & EU so it wouldn't be easy to get anyway.

Pur~lisse pur~protect essential daily moisturizer spf 30
Is the 'perfect timing' thing getting redundant? I'm currently using a Cetaphil daily moisturizer (hate it, but that's a different story) and it only has an SPF of 15. Like I said, I need extra SPF in the summer but it's more or less a standard moisturizer. Great size for keeping in my makeup case.

bareMinerals READY® Eyeshadow 2.0 in The Illuminated
Honestly, I didn't try this product. I meant to but I almost never wear eyeshadow (though you'd never know it by my collection) and the occasion to test it out just didn't come around. The colours are a white-ish and a deep plum. I don't doubt that they are pretty good considering what I know of the bareMinerals brand but I don't have a review of this at the moment. Fail, sorry.

Have you tried any of these products and/or brands? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

If you're interested in ipsy & want to get me some bonus points, click here! :)


 

Review: June ipsy Glambag

Well I'm finally caught up with my glambag reviews! While May was pretty disappointing, June was definitely redeeming and I was super pleased.

First and foremost, I totally adored this little makeup bag by Rebecca Minkoff for ipsy. I've checked our her site since then and she's got some pretty fabulous stuff! That I will probably never buy myself. Whomp.

Anyway, here's what I thought of the products...

Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray
I've always wondered whether beach sprays are all that better than regular mousse. Oh yes, this one definitely is. I got the curls without the crunch. I can totally see how this would be great for the beach after getting your hair wet b/c it makes your hair look good so effortlessly. I loved it on my short hair so I can just imagine how awesome it would be on longer hair. I am tempted to save it till my hair grows longer! haha Or I could just buy the regular-sized version.

Butter Gloss by NYX
I received the gloss in Creme Brulee, which is cool with me. I like the colour and I've wanted to try the NYX brand forever but honestly, this lipgloss was just meh for me. It was nothing crazy different from any other [good] lipgloss I've tried and despite claims that it's not at all sticky, it was definitely a bit sticky in my books. I will gladly use this gloss but I don't think I'd buy it again.

OFRA Univeral Brow Pencil
This brow pencil could not have come at a better time! I normally use the e.l.f. eyebrow kit but was running low on the wax and this is the perfect replacement! The shade is awesome - dark brown without being almost black. Plus, unlike the brow kit that took me a little while to get used it, it's an easy to use pencil. I'd definitely buy this again.

Realtree for Her
I was pumped to get a perfume in my bag this month. The scent is nice - it's not what I would normally go for but I'm ultra picky - however I love wearing it & it always gets a compliment. My favourite part is the size. In the summer, I often go out after work and it's great to be able to refresh my perfume without having to bring a full size bottle.

Be a Bombshell Lash Out Mascara
This is another product which I was really excited about. I've been on the hunt for a good mascara lately so I thought this could be the one. Unfortunately, it's not. It's another product I don't mind using until it's done, but I would not purchase it myself. As much as I want a separating mascara, this one barely goes on at all and it takes several coats to be able to see it. The good thing is it doesn't really flake throughout the day but it's a flake disaster once you start to remove it. Oh yes, and it does smell terrible but I feel like that about all of the mascaras I've bought lately.

Have you tried any of these products? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

If you're interested in ipsy & don't mind helping me get some bonus points, click here! :)

Review: May ipsy Glam Bag

Still catching up a bit on my ipsy reviews but I'll be on track soon enough! Catch April's review here.

May was my second ipsy Glambag and not gonna lie, it wasn't terribly thrilling. They were all things that I wouldn't bother buying for myself - not because of price, but just due to lack of interest.

Without further ado, here are my thoughts on the products...


Eva NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask
ipsy website

This hair mask is really a conditioner in my opinion. Since I have really fine hair, I don't use much conditioner because it tends to make my hair greasy. Really just on my ends and even then, not every time. I've used this one a few times and while it's good, I can't see how it differs from any other conditioner.

I will continue using it but I wouldn't buy this once I'm finished with it.












Hang Ten Classic Sport SPF50
ipsy website

Yes it's summer and sunscreen is useful, but you see - I already have an abundance of it.

The sunscreen itself is on the more liquid side and doesn't smell as coconut-y as other sunscreens. But the size is actually perfect to throw in my purse so that I always have some handy in case I need it.

I will continue using it but I wouldn't buy this once I'm finished with it.









Pacifica Mineral Eyeshadow Duo
ipsy website

Continuing with the trend, I'm also not a big eye shadow user. I don't like looking overdone for work and the special occasions worthy of eye shadows just aren't that frequent.

I do like these colours - perfect for summer! - and they go on nicely. The longevity hasn't been extreme but my eye shadow tends to rub off most often than not so it could just be me.

I will continue using it but I wouldn't buy this once I'm finished with it.






Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer
ipsy website

This is the product I was most excited about - another higher end brand - but also the product I've had the most issues with.

The bronzer is medium to dark coloured and it is really dark. If you haven't noticed, my skin tone is pretty ghost-like. However, I've read that a lot of fair skinned people use this successfully so it's definitely the fact that I'm a newb when it comes to contouring & using bronzer properly.

I'm going to continue practicing with this product and learning how to use it properly!






Avène Thermal Spring Water
ipsy website

I have always wondered about products like. Water in a can. I won't deny that it feels great but still - it's water in a can!!

But since I have it, I'll be bringing it with me when the weather gets really humid and I plan on being outdoors for long periods of time. So, like at the beach. It'll definitely feel great then.

Yet another one that I will continue using but I wouldn't buy once I'm finished with it.






Yeah, this bag was kind of a flop but I'm telling myself that they can't all be awesome. Plus...I may or may not have just received my June bag today (yes, remember I'm a teeny bit behind?) and I'm excited to try it all!

Have you tried any of these products? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

If you're interested in ipsy & don't mind helping me get some bonus points, click here! :)

Review: April ipsy Glam Bag

So I'm like a month late with this review but what the hell am I not a month late with these days?! Right, let's not dwell on that shit & just get started!

April was my very first ipsy Glambag and I was absolutely thrilled with it! The US bag is only $10US, but in Canada there is an extra $5US shipping charge plus the conversion. Still, not very much for everything that you get.

Here are my thoughts on the products...

Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm in Acid Pink
ipsy website



Let's call this what it is really is - AMAZING lip tint. It is definitely not just 'lip balm'.
Fuchsia had been on my mind for a couple of weeks so the timing of this could not have been more perfect!
This was also my first experience with lip tint b/c I'd heard they tend to dry out your lips but this definitely did not such thing!

I absolutely love this product and I know it's going to last me ages b/c I used just a small amount to get perfectly-coated, bold pink lips.










Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencil (Travel Size)
ipsy website

I don't love this eyeliner. Don't get me wrong, it's fine. But it's definitely nothing I haven't gotten out of other eyeliners and I just wouldn't spend the money.\



City Color White Gold Shadow & Highlight Mousse
ipsy website

This is another product that's going to last me approximately forever. Which great b/c I really like it! I've used this as inner corner eyeshadow as well as highlighter on my brow bone and am happy with both. It's very light colour but it doesn't end up looking white like some others I've tried. Overall, I'm super happy with this product.







Benefit Lollitint (Travel Size)
ipsy website

This is definitely the product I was most excited about b/c I'm not a Sephora shopper so I don't get to try these coveted brands.
For a little tiny thing, it definitely packs a lot of pigmentation and I love the candy-orchid colour.

It's advertised for lips & cheeks, however I've only used it on cheeks. The only downside is that while yes, they do warn you to apply and blend immediately, I was still left with a slightly darker pigment mark where I first brushed it on. A better way to apply this is to brush it onto two fingers and then blend onto your cheeks to avoid that mark.




KISS Looks So Natural Lashes
ipsy website

This is the only product I haven't yet tried so I can't give you a full review. That doesn't mean I wasn't excited about getting these - I'm just super terrible at applying fake lashes & the opportunity where I want to put that much effort in, just hasn't arisen. I'll check back in when I've tried these!

Have you tried any of these products?? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

If you're interested in ipsy & don't mind helping me get some bonus points, click here! :)

Oh hello, October!

When did you get here - are you early or am I late? Don't answer that. Either way, you snuck up pretty quick! But that's ok, I happen to like you. You're right in the heart of fall and bring quite a lot of things to look forward to from now on...

- More excuses for a #PSL treat

- Chilly fall walks just to come home and cozy up on the couch

- Cold nights in to watch movies & play game

- Thanksgiving for baking apple &  pumpkin pie

- Beautiful fall scenery

- Fall-scented candle

- Getting out the warm accessories - gloves, scarves & hats, oh my

- Finally layering again

- Swapping out the summer clothes for warmer ones & finding excuses to shop :

- Some rainy days so I can wear my rain boot

- Enjoying hot homemade soup

- Staying in to cook up a storm on the weekend

- Starting Christmas shopping without feeling too weird about i

- Getting that much closer to my birthday...


This past weekend had perfect fall weather so we enjoyed a Harvest Fair & cozy TV time to say good bye to September...

Clockwise from top left:
French macaroons at the Fair,
dC's new friend at the Fair petting zoo,
The gorgeous sunset on the last day of September,
More petting zoo animal fun

I'm also trying out a new makeup look for the cool weather...

Happy Autumn & October :)

Nail Files!

Had time to paint my nails this week so I'm linking up with Tara & Vicki for the Nail Files!

sorry not sure why the picture is foggy...

NYC - Park Ave

I've got Park Ave on my fingertips & Chelsea on toes - so ready for the weekend! :)

Shopping, Sushi, Duckface

My mom and sister finally came to visit me this past weekend and we had a jolly ol' good time! Honestly, this visit has been 'in the works' practically since I moved a year ago but schedules just never jived. My sister's busy social life is difficult to work around.

Obviously we started off by hitting the mall, where I picked up two incredible finds at none other than my favourite, H&M!

$29.95CAD at H&M

I've been dying for blue skinny jeans since Tara ranted about them here & I kept seeing them in all the stores. I already own purple ones, so I wanted more colours! The navy skinny pants I came by accidentally but totally love them for work with a beige or brown top & my giraffe heels. All I'm going to say is be on the lookout for some uncharacteristic for me outfit posts!

Shopping was followed up with sushi *om nom nom*

Mom finally getting the hang of chopsticks (instead of poking the maki)! But it was short-lived...

And that deliciousness was followed up by a makeup session!

Yes, my sister owns all that makeup and more!

She also feels the need to own various brands of exactly the same pink lipstick!

Naturally, I modeled most of them. With my duck face.

I also made out with 3 bare minerals eyeshadows [thanks Nik!]

Really pumped to try them all, especially the neutral shades!

But my favourite part was discovering the lipstick [non]colour I've always dreamed of! Naturally, it comes from M.A.C. so I'm going to have to dish out like $20 but it'll be well worth it!

M.A.C. Fleshpot <3

They left today and I did some shopping for an important upcoming event that I shall not mention yet... Overall a truly lovely weekend! Now if only I could skip the week...*le sigh*