Review | NuMe 25mm Curling Wand

I'm starting this post off a little differently than normal by beginning with a thanks. A thank you to Style Haul for hosting a little Snapchat/Twitter giveaway, and to NuMe Products for providing the prize - a 25mm Curling Wand. I feel I'm like everyone else in that I love giving contests a shot, although I'm rarely (extremely rarely) lucky enough to win a free coffee, let alone an amazing hot tool, so you can imagine how over the moon I was when I found out I had actually won. So, with all that being said, if it wasn't for these two awesome companies and a little bit of luck on my behalf, I would not be able to do this review at all. 

Now let me say, I've never been one of those gals who yearns for pricey hot tools, I've always just made due with whatever I could find at my local Walmart etc. Don't get me wrong, you can find lots of great tools at places like that, and they'll get the job done, sure! But this, this beautiful piece of curling magic has finally shown me the light - how could I have not known THIS is what I was missing out on?

I've been using my normal curling iron as a wand for quite a while now (ignoring the clamp all together and just wrapping my hair around the barrel), so this is absolutely perfect for my wants/needs. The wand is so light and easy to handle, and the ability of the cord attachment to the handle to swivel makes it even more of a breeze to work with. The tool also heats up in no time flat - nothing worse than deciding to curl your hair and then having to wait a solid five minutes just for the styling tool to heat up. It also curls my hair incredibly quickly - these two things combined made me fall in love, because I can be seriously lazy when it comes to spending time styling my hair. It's an added bonus that a heat-resistant glove is also included.

My biggest surprise with this wand came when I used it for the first time and saw how amazingly smooth and soft my curls were. They also hold all day, even without hair spray, which is excellent for anyone who has hard to curl hair like me - I've always had problems with my curls falling within a few hours, but not with this. I would also say this size of barrel is versatile for all lengths and thicknesses of hair - my long thick hair and long layers can be turned into tons of curls or thick waves. Depending on the style I'm going for it can take me 5-15 minutes to do my hair, as opposed to a more typical 30 minutes plus it takes me with other hot tools I've used.

The only small complaint I do have with this product is the fact that you need to be careful about where you set it while it's on - with no stand unlike a typical curling iron you must ensure you set it on a heat resistant surface - in the grand scheme of things this is only a minor problem when the end result of using it is so amazing. 

I am so incredibly impressed with this little beauty I am certain I will want to acquire more sizes/styles they have to offer eventually. 

A Little Sephora Haul | March 2015

It had been so long since I grabbed anything from Sephora - quite proud of myself for actually showing restraint and giving my pocket book a break - but when I noticed my St. Tropez tanner was running low I knew it was time to place an order.

I ended up keeping it straight forward and only made two major purchases - I got a replacement St. Tropez Self Tanning Mouse, this time I went for the dark, I've been interested in trying it out and seeing how it compares to the original (post will be coming soon on that!).

I also ended up caving and picking up the Naked2 Basics. I've had the original for quite some time now and I use it pretty well every day so I thought I would add this one to my collection as well since matte shadows have been my jam lately - of course going to do a review/comparison post on this as well!

I typically like to save my points for a big point perk, but I had 400 just sitting there calling my name so I went ahead and used them since I was interested in trying out some skin care samples. I ended up choosing the Philosophy Renewed Hope in a Jar, Clinique Repairwear Sculpting Night Cream, Ole Henriksen Truth Serum and a Kat Von D Immortal Lash mascara. I also used a code at check out and got the Ole Henriksen Ultimate Lift Eye Gel. I've been pretty basic with my skin routine lately and haven't tried anything new in quite a while so hopefully I'll enjoy some of these samples enough to buy the full size. 

February Beauty Favorites 2015

I'm back again with another monthly favorites round up, so here is all my absolute favorite beauty products from the past month! Can we also talk about how it is now March - FINALLY! - which means Spring, and all good things that come with it are right around the corner! 

I've been keeping my face makeup pretty simple this past month - it has pretty well just consisted of my Loreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB, which is my favorite drugstore BB cream by far. Prior to applying the BB cream I've gotten back into the habit of applying Maybelline Baby Skin as my pores have been extra noticeable the past while. My go to concealer has been the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch which I've been especially focusing on the inner corner of my eyes, and along my cheek bones for a nice highlight/brightening effect.

I've been really slacking on my self tanning the last while, so to give my face a little bit of color and glow I've been loving the combo of Rimmel Natural Bronzer to warm up and contour slightly, and this Mac blush in Fleet Fast. This blush has a satin finish which gives a lighter wash of color, perfect for my pale skin at the moment.

As for my eye makeup I've been keeping it pretty standard with my UD Naked Basics - I've been putting Naked2 all over the lid, Foxy on my brow bone and inner corner, and finally blending a bit of Faint into the crease. I've been using my Maybelline Gel Liner in Blackest Black for my tight line - so super black and lasts all day long! Lastly I've been re-loving my Maybelline Illegal Length mascara - it gives such a nice length and lift to my lashes without clumping, and creates a nice soft look that is perfect for everyday. 

Valentines Lips | Three Ways

Whether you're going on a date with that special someone, choosing to stay and have a good pamper session, or doing a night out with friends, Valentines is a day for love. It's always nice to look nice, regardless of what you're doing on the 14th, so I've rounded up three combos - lip-spiration as it were -  that work perfectly with a variety of different makeup looks for whatever kind of V-day you're choosing to have.

Nude

For the nude lip I chose my favorite lip liner in Natural by Rimmel, and filled in my entire lips. Then I applied Revlon Soft Nude and topped it off with the Maybelline Color Elixir gloss in Nude Illusion.

Pink

I had a bit of a harder time deciding on a pink lip, but narrowed it down the Elf lip liner in ... , which I lined and filled in my lips with. Next I took one of my all time favorite pink lipsticks - Mac Creme Cup. I chose not to go with a gloss and keep it more on the creamy/natural looking end of things and I'm happy with the decision.

Red

Finally, and most boldly of all - I had to do a red of course (Valentines and red go hand in hand) - so I grabbed my only go to red of the past couple months. The NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Monte Carlo is simply stunning.



I hope this little post gave you some inspiration! Let me know what your plans for Valentines are in the comments! 

My Go-To Triple Threat Concealer

Concealer is something that seems to be a staple for me - even on non foundation days when I'm hanging around the house I tend to at least dot a little under my eyes to cover all signs of my night owl ways. It's also one of those products that I am constantly looking for "the next best thing" in. I feel that I may have finally found one of my holy grails though with Benefit Erase Paste - I was mainly alerted to this because over the past six months or so I've been continually reaching for this one, and I can't seem to replace it in my every day makeup bag. 

I have mine in the lightest of the three shades offered (truly the only negative aspect to this product is the lack of shade selection). Other than that somewhat sad detail, I consider this concealer my ultimate triple threat. What are the requirements for this you may ask? 

1. Covers dark circles - The tone of this is absolutely perfect for disguising my dark circles. I apply it in thin even layers using my Real Techniques pointed foundation brush as well as my ring finger to blend. It doesn't crease and lasts all day.

2. Covers blemishes - I'm human, I get blemishes, and I also like to conceal them if I'm feeling a little worse for wear because of them. This stuff does an amazing job of doing the hiding without looking cakey, and without drying out the area. 

3. Covers redness - I have always had a problem with redness on certain areas of my face - chin, around my nose and slightly on to my cheeks as well. This concealer does a wonderful job disguising the redness with only the slightest bit of product - again, amazing for days when you don't want to wear a full coverage foundation. 

How To | Wear Pink Makeup the Non-Girly Way

I am certainly not the type of person that would consider herself to be a 'girly girl'. I know that logic seems a bit off considering I write a beauty blog about makeup and fashion, but really in terms of my life as a whole I cannot define myself as such. Although you would have an extremely hard time finding anything pink throughout my wardrobe aside from small details on an item I am not in the least opposed to wearing pink hues in my makeup looks. Pink is an especially lovely shade for this time of year because it can bring life and brightness to an otherwise dull complexion. I find wearing pink, wether it be on my lips, cheeks or eyes, can really make me look and feel much more fresh, and give my spirits a little boost as well.

Starting off with lips, probably the easiest way to pull off pink because of the wide variety of textures and intensities available. If you want to start at the more sheer end of things I really love the Rimmel Vinyl gloss in Keep a Secret, a light pink with shimmer. My choice pink lipstick is Mac Creme cup, which is excellent if you're looking for something pigmented, but by no means bright pink. If you've fallen for the balm/stain kind of products than something like the Revlon Balm Stain in Sweetheart Valentine, or the Rimmel Color Rush in Give Me a Cuddle would be excellent options - they are easy to apply and once the initial color has worn off, your lips are left with a lovely stained effect.

creme cup, give me a cuddle, sweetheart valentine, keep a secret

Cheeks are another way to add pink into your daily makeup routine, and there is a pink out there for everyone! Three of my favorites are all sporting the same 'rosey' type of undertone, which in my opinion is the easiest form of pink to wear for pretty well any skin tone out there - rose undertones in pinks make your cheeks look most natural, while still adding a glow. A new addition to my collection is Rimmels powder blush in Pink Rose which has a very slight shimmer to it. Mac mineralize blushes have always been a long time lover of mine because they are so easy to work with, and this one in Subtle Breeze is no exception. My favorite cream form product goes out to the Maybelline bouncy blush in Pink Plum, which is so soft, blendable and buildable.

pink rose, subtle breeze, pink plum

Last, and probably the most difficult to pull off is eyes. I find with shades in the pink-red family it always works out best when you pair these shades with a good liner and lots of mascara. The easiest 'pink' shade in my collection to wear is certainly Mac All that Glitters, although it is much more on the champagne end of the spectrum. Two of my other favorites I wear in a very similar way - Elf mineral eyeshadow in Sweet and Urban Decay Grifter are both ones I love to rock on the bottom lash line with various looks on the lid. They're both lighter and add a beautiful glow to the eye. The most 'stop you in your tracks' of my picks has got to be Urban Decay Last Call - it's like the bolder sister to Mac Cranberry. I wear this best when it involves being smoked out with a matte black shadow, lots of eyeliner and mascara.

all that glitters, sweet, last call, grifter

Brand Boast | Maybelline New York

Hey guys! So I'm back with a second installment of my series called 'Brand Boast', and this one is going to be focusing on Maybelline New York. 

Maybelline began with a Chicago chemist named Thomas Williams who was trying to help his sister Maybel enhance her beauty in an attempt to win over the man she was in love with. She would use petroleum jelly to enhance her brows and lashes, but Thomas took it one step further by adding carbon dust into the petroleum jelly to further enhance her features. The creation was a success, and in 1915 Thomas Williams founded the company that is now a global giant.

Now that I've given you a run down of what the brand is about, let me break down why I absolutely love this company and its products so much!

Eyes
I'm starting off with eye makeup because well.. that's apparently where this company started, and that's where they are still rocking it 100 years later. Maybelline totally knows how to do eyeshadows well, and I feel like they just keep getting better and better. I think their best launch in recent years has to be the color tattoo cream eyeshadows however, they are amazing!
They also really know how to make a mascara - really - I can't even tell you how many I've bought since my mom first allowed me to buy makeup, but  I do know my first kind was the 'Great Lash' mascara, which I still buy to this day. Maybelline is the one brand that sends me into excitement mode with each and every new mascara - new formula, gotta try it!

Lips
I find I never used to gravitate towards Maybelline lip products, but in the past couple years I feel like I've been seeing more and more amazing things come from them. They've always have good lipsticks, but I feel like they took it to the next level with their releases of the vivid line, nude line and now they have a matte line. All amazing quality lipsticks for the price of about 6-8$ CAD. As far as lip gloss goes I was never completely over the moon about anything until the Color Elixir glosses were released, now they are my absolute favorite drugstore lip gloss - they seriously rock!

Face
With a wide range of products that do everything from prime, to cover lightly using a BBcream, to a full coverage foundation I feel like they offer something for everyone. Their powders are also some of my favorites from the drugstore - so finely milled and provide the perfect finish without looking over done. They also offer a variety of cream and powder blushes and bronzers to complete your look. The bouncy blushes have long been one of my favorite cream blushes from the drugstore, and who doesn't love a good cream blush product!



I hope you enjoyed this run down of Maybelline New York and my thoughts on some of my favorites from the brand. If you would like to see more of these 'brand boast' posts comment below and request my next brand to feature! 

Beauty Tip Thursday | Current Favorite Beauty Hacks

The beauty world can be an amazing place, but it can also be time consuming and confusing and (of course) expensive! I formed this list of 5 of my favorite beauty hacks that I use on a regular basis to save myself some time and effort during my beauty routine. I rounded up these 5 because they are literally my most used, but I have many more little tips and tricks that I could share, just let me know in the comments if you would like to see more of these beauty hack posts for Beauty Tip Thursday!

1. Voluminous Ponytail - If you have problems with your ponytail maintaining volume throughout the day just use this trick. Tease and pull the top section of your hair into a half up style and secure with an elastic. Gather the remaining hair and incorporate it into the ponytail with a second elastic. BOOM! All day volume! 

2. Lipstick - Make lipstick last longer by dabbing lips with a tissue after applying your lip color, then dust a translucent powder over your lips. This trick will help your lip color last longer and can easily make any lip color matte. 

3. Dull/Dry Hair - Make your own leave in conditioner by simply mixing a touch of your regular conditioner with water in a spray bottle.

4. Clumpy Mascara - Add a touch of saline contact solution to your dry or clumpy mascara to revive it. *Note : mascara should be discarded every 3 months so this trick should only be applied to mascaras less than 3 months old. 

5. Perfume - If you find your favorite scent doesn't last as long as you would like, apply vaseline to your pulse points prior to your perfume. This makes the scent last longer by preventing the perfume from being absorbed as quickly as it normally would. 

There you have it! Five of my favorite beauty hacks that I use regularly! Let me know if you would like to see more posts like this. Also let me know if you have any cool beauty hacks in the comments! 

Beauty Favorites | January 2015

I don't know what it is about January but I always seem to be caught off guard at the end of it thinking - where did the month even go? All of a sudden its January 27th and I'm finding myself rushing to gather my monthly favorites together so I can finally get one of these posts up at the end of the actual month I'm talking about (lets cross our fingers I make it happen more than once!). Without further delay, lets get into these favorites, and start also making our way through the shortest (and most gloomy in my opinion) month of the year. 

First off, I found myself reaching for these couple face makeup items pretty much every single day this month except for the days I wore no makeup at all. Loreal True Match foundation was always a favorite of mine, and after repurchasing it a couple months back I've found it back in my everyday makeup bag from the depths of my makeup drawers. Perfectly paired with the foundation was my Benefit Erase Paste which does a double duty of blemish and under eye concealing. I've been pretty constant on my bronzer and concealer this month as well - Nars Laguna Bronzer paired with the Rimmel blush in Pink Rose have been my dream combo. 

As for the rest of my makeup I've been keeping it pretty simple as well. I've really been enjoying a more simple eye look with lots of mascara - the one I haven't been able to keep my hands off of is Loreal Miss Manga which I did a full review of this month as well. As for lips I have to say a shout out to one of my favorite bloggers and fellow Canadians Estee (Essie Button), as I saw in her Best Beauty Products of 2014 video that she mentioned the Revlon Balm Stain in Honey was a favorite of hers. Lets just say any lip product specifically that Estee calls her favorite of the entire year has got to be purchased, like.. yesterday.

(Top to bottom) Nars Laguna, Rimmel Pink Rose, Revlon Honey 

There you have it guys! A very small but to the point January Beauty Favorites! Comment down below with some of the products you've enjoyed this month! 

Beating Winter Blues With Champagne Shades

I love a good glow in my makeup all year round, but I seem to be craving that lit from within look even more during this gloomy time of year. We're right into the thick of the winter right now, and it's not our skins best friend. The dry weather and short days tend to make skin dull and lack luster - my solution is to pull out the champagne tones. 

(Top to bottom) CG Champagne, MAC Naked Lunch, Hard Candy Tiki Bronzer

(Top to bottom) Benefit Watts Up, Smashbox light luminizer, NYX cottage cheese, 

Rimmel bullet proof beige 

My first and most obvious choice - note the name - is the Covergirl Eye Enhancers eyeshadow in Champagne. So soft and buttery, it makes for the most amazing inner corner highlight that will truly make your eyes pop. Naked Lunch from MAC is also one of my favorite powder eyeshadows for bringing extra brightness to my eyes - the bonus is it isn't a heavy glitter shade so it never looks over the top. As for cheeks my go to powder product is the Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer in Tiki. It's labeled as a bronzer but for that purpose I think it would be impossible to pull off. It is however one of the best drugstore highlighting products I've ever found. 

If you're more of a cream product type of person, especially in terms of face highlighters, then Benefit Watts Up is the perfect product. In a stick form it makes for super easy application and adds the most wonderfully natural glow to the skin without looking like you actually applied a highlighting product. Smashbox Artificial Light Luminizing Powder - what a mouth full - is yes, technically, a "powder", however I kind of find it to be an in between kind of product. The applicator dispenses small amounts of this creamy powder that adds such a beautiful glow to the cheeks or eyes. Just a tip, I dispense it onto the back of my hand and then use a brush to apply it to where I want it - applying it straight from the container can get a little tedious. 

My final two picks are both eyeshadow sticks, and seriously, who doesn't love a good eyeshadow stick - so easy to use and convenient. The NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in cottage cheese - the name leaves little to be desired - is a stunner. It's shimmery white with undertones of gold. Finally the Rimmel Scandaleyes eyeshadow stick in bulletproof beige, which I must add is waterproof, adds a gorgeous light golden glow to the lids. I love wearing this both alone and as a base to make other shadows really pop. 

Ready In A Rush | My Five Minute Face

Being rushed in the morning to get all the things done that you need to before you have to get out the door and on with what your day entails can be a struggle for everyone. Some days I just find myself wondering where the time has gone, and realize I need to get myself publicly presentable in only a matter of minutes. 

The look may change slightly (specifically my lip color of choice), but in general these are the products I use to get my face and hair looking fresh and awake without taking up any extra time. 

When time is of the essence I love to reach for a BB Cream. I've really enjoyed this Loreal Skin Beautifier BB - it primes, perfects, hydrates and corrects. It leaves my skin looking good and natural, but much improved on my bare face. Once I've applied my base I have to reach for a good concealer. The one I love to reach for is the Maybelline Age Rewind because it conceals my under eye circles, and also does a nice light cover up of any blemishes I may have going on. 

Brows are a must for me, I just don't feel like I look right if I don't give my brows a quick fill in. This Revlon Brow Fantasy is the quickest and best for the job, and there has been a reason I've been raving about it constantly lately. It's both a pencil and brow gel, so it seriously doesn't get any easier than this two in one product. 

To wake myself up a little more I like to add just a touch of color to my eyelids, and the easiest way for me to do that is with a cream product. You all know I love my Mac Paint Pots, but I adore the Maybelline Color Tattoos as well - today I used the shade 'Bad to the Bronze', simply applied with my finger tips. 

We're almost there, next is mascara. Obviously any mascara will work the exact same, I've just been really love this Miss Manga mascara from Loreal. When it comes down to it I can really skip the cream shadow step, but there is absolutely no skipping mascara for me, I truly don't feel human without it. 

Finally I like to add a touch of color and moisture to my lips, and my favorite product for being able to accomplish both is the Revlon Lip Butters - today I went with the shade 'sweet tart'. Once I've gotten all that done I spray some dry shampoo through my hair to freshen it up and then do my go to quick hair style of a couple bobby pins to pin my hair half up. 

There you have it! The products I use and steps involved in me getting ready in a rush! 

Loreal Miss Manga Mascara | First Impression & Photos

Like a faithful beauty blogger I am always up for trying a new mascara - I feel like I'm on an eternal search for the perfect mascara. I don't believe this is a super new product in stores but I felt instantly drawn to the packaging, and I've also heard some positive reviews floating around so I thought I would give it a shot. This is actually the first Loreal mascara I've picked up in a long time. Lately I've been more devoted to my Covergirl and Maybelline ones, but it's always nice to switch things up! 

The Claim:

Voluminous Miss Manga Black Angel mascara featuring the 360 degree Flexor Brush to build bold volume with high intensity from top to bottom. Instantly builds oversized volume for up to 15x lash volume in a flash. Top lashes amplified and bottom lashes maximized for an ultimate wide eye-look. 

The brush, as you can see, is smaller at the tip, and then the bristles grow in size the closer you get to the cap. I really enjoy these kinds of wands because it always makes it super easy to get the lashes at the inner corner of your eye, as well as you bottom lashes. 

The above picture is full makeup minus any mascara or lash primer. I think as far as lashes go I've got decent ones. They're moderately long and decently thick, but not very dark in color. 

After applying the mascara (3 coats, just as I always do every day), you can visibly see it added length and volume to my lashes. The formula is very black, which I love, and pretty thick/sticky, which I also love. I imagine, as with all mascaras, the formula will change slightly after a couple more uses once some air has gotten into the tube. This demo is based on my very first time opening, applying and wearing the product so just keep that in mind! 

Overall I'd have to say I believe I'm really going to love and enjoy this mascara. It creates a great bold lash which is what I love. Even on a day to day basis when I'm not wearing foundation, concealer and the whole works I still do mascara, which is why I love when one single mascara can accomplish both length and volume. 

Let me know if you've tried/want to try this mascara and leave any opinions below! Hope you enjoyed this quick little review/first impression! 

December 2014 Beauty Favorites

I know, I know, it's basically half way through January of a new year now, but I figured better late than never. With that being said, here are my favorite beauty products that brought me into the new year!

Bath and Body Works Frosted Wonderland Body Cream

The scent of this is absolutely heavenly, and the formula is my favorite as far as body lotions go from Bath and Body Works - extremely moisturizing for this time of year especially. 

Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation

I've previously mentioned this foundation in another favorites post, and have also done a review which you can read here. 

Covergirl Lash Blast Volume (waterproof)

This mascara is an old favorite. I decided to repurchase it a while back and can't believe I ever stopped using it. It is one of my top drugstore mascaras ever for sure. 

China Glaze Evening Seduction Polish

I truly love dark polishes all year round, but especially through the fall and winter. This has been my go to quite a bit lately - almost black, but not. It's actually a very deep purple shade that I find extremely flattering, long wearing and shiny, even without a top coat. 

Benefit Hoola Bronzer

This bronzer is completely matte (love), and has a cooler tone (also love), which makes it perfect to give you some color this time of year, but does the job without making you look overdone or orange. There's really no time of the year that I'm not obsessed with this bronzer. 

St. Ives Smooth and Nourished Oatmeal Scrub + Mask 

I've tried this product as a scrub, but I was not a huge fan, but I have absolutely loved it as a hydrating mask. I remove my makeup, cleanse my skin and then apply this for about 10-15 minutes once or twice a week. It leaves my skin feeling super soft, plump and hydrated and has really helped with some of the dryer areas around my nose and chin that I tend to get this time of year. 

Rimmel Exaggerate Full Color Lip Liner in Enchantment 

These lip liners are my absolute favorite from the drugstore and overall. This is the most perfect neutral plum shade - perfectly pair with many medium toned lipsticks of like color, or just as beautiful on its own (my personal favorite lately). 

Revlon Brow Fantasy

I've been completely obsessed with this little duo pencil and brow gel, it is awesome! I did a review on this which you can find here .

Loreal Carbon Black Lineur Intense 

This is a classic and old love of mine - look back to any post from probably two years ago and it was probably included. I ran out of my Maybelline Line Stiletto around the middle of December and decided to go back to Loreal just to switch things up. I honestly don't know why I ever gave this stuff up. So easy to work with and perfectly bold and black. 

Hope you enjoyed seeing my (very late) December 2014 beauty favorites! 

Go-To Dark Lip of December

It has been a busy month with the holidays coming up and everyone having tons on their plates, but regardless of how crazy its been for me I've still been making time to wear makeup (obviously!), and my number one simple look I've been loving is a speedy concealer and powder routine followed by a little liner and mascara. To top it all off and make it not so boring I've been adding a darker lip. I find I look so much more pulled together and like I had way more time to get ready than I really did. 

I find having a darker lip also distracts from the fact that I'm typically rocking a messy bun (from the pervious night maybe) and what ever baggy sweater I threw on that morning. 

My favorite liner and lipstick combo lately has come down two these two beauties. I've always been a major fan of Rimmel lip liners and this one in 'Wine' is no exception. I fill in my entire lip using Wine, and then dab this NYX butter lipstick in 'Licorice' over top to deepen it a touch more. 

Let me know some of your favorite dark lip options to check out in the comments!

See you in my next post! 

November Favorites 2014

As another month comes to and end it's that time where I round up some of the things I've used and enjoyed the most this month... here's what I came up with! 

NYX Matte Lip Cream in Monte Carlo

Guys, seriously, I've been obsessed with this little beauty this month. It is so soft and creamy (as the name would suggest) and I don't find it drying like other matte lip products I've tried. It's long wearing and smells amazing too! Going to be getting more shades in the very near future because I think I'm in love.

Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation

I plan on doing a full review/how I apply this product really soon but just know it is seriously awesome stuff. I may actually have to dub this my favorite drugstore foundation of all time (wow! now that says something!). 

Rimmel Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner Definer in Natural 

This is an old favorite that really never isn't in my makeup bag, I've gone through at least 4 of these guys in my time and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. It's the 'my lips but better' lip liner shade, and I adore it so much I wear it on its own a lot of the time as well. This month I've been really loving it combined with the next product I'm going to mention. 

Maybelline Color Elixir in Nude Illusion 

This stunner has been going over top of the Rimmel liner and making for my perfect everyday lip combo. These glosses are also an addiction of mine - my goal is to get every single color... seriously. They feel amazing and smell even better! 

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze

Another oldie but goodie. It's such an effortless product and I think that's why I always end up throwing it back into my makeup bag time and time again.

EVAmour Perfume by Eva Longoria 

I must say I did not buy this for myself, my mother in law picked it up on a whim while in duty free while on a trip to North Carolina. I'm usually slightly nervous to receive fragrances as a gift because I'm so particular about what I truly like to wear. She really did amazing picking this up though, it is just me plus fall - I am terrible at describing scents but I highly recommend giving this a sniff next time you're able to because it's simply lovely.

Maybelline Pumped Up Mascara

As you can probably tell, if Maybelline comes out with a new mascara Hannah buys it, and fast. This has been in my makeup bag all month long and I've really been enjoying how plump and full and, of course, 'pumped up' it makes my lashes look. 

Maybelline Gel Liner in Brown

I've been loving this for both lining my eyes and for my water line and tight line. It lasts all day, the formula is smooth and creamy and I've been really digging brown liner because it's not as harsh looking as black can be, which is great for every day wear. 

Sally Hansen Polish in Ruby Do

Really no explanation needed for this aside from that its a lovely creamy burgundy wine color, and is the exact shade that I'm obsessed with at this time of year. I really love the formula of this polish, it's super creamy and opaque in one coat. I also enjoy the brush as it's bigger than ones like Essie/OPI. 

Notebooks

Finally, in the picture above you see I added in a notebook. This has just been the one I've been using over the past few weeks, but in general any form of notebook is always a favorite of mine. I use them for my daily life to keep track of jobs around the house, for my blog, for work, and to keep track of my kids and where they need to be - I would be totally lost without a notebook on the go at all times. 

October Favorites 2014

Finally, after months of not posting a monthly favorites round up I am back in action with my October Favorites!

First, and probably most obvious to all, since it was October I was most certainly burning through a (couple) Leaves candles from good old Bath and Body Works. As you can see I'm coming to the end of my final one, but I'm feeling okay about it because we all know Christmas candles are next! 

This month I found myself grabbing three old favorites that I had drifted apart from for quite a while and I'm not sure why. I repurchased my Maybelline Instant Age Rewind (light), and the original CG Lash Blast - both AH-mazing and I'm so happy to have them back in my makeup bag. I also brought out an old fave from my stash, the Wet n Wild blush in mellow wine. I tend to forget about this guy until the fall rolls around when I find it the perfect boost to my cheeks. 

Through the entire month of October I really didn't have much motivation to do my nails, but when I did I kept it pretty straight forward and kept reaching for the same two polishes - Maybelline 'mauve in manhattan' and OPI 'I saw..u saw.. we saw... warsaw', and to spice things up I sometimes threw on a little of the Formula X effects top coat in Turbulent over the OPI polish. 

For lips this month I've been back and forth between my usual rosy nude fall lips, and darker reds and plums depending on my mood and what I'm doing that day. My stand out lipstick for the month though, hands down, goes to my NYX Butter Lipstick in 'licorice'. I intend to do a full post on how I wear this lip look, but let me just say now, if you like the vampy look and moisturized lips you need to run and get this! 

(mellow wine,  licorice)

Last, and certainly not least, the item I was searching for nearly a month for, the Maybelline The Nudes palette. This has been out for a while now, but I never really gave it much thought until I saw it featured in a couple of my favorite YouTube beauty gurus videos. By that time I was apparently too little too late and every store near me was sold out. I finally did of course get my hands on the elusive little guy and I could not be happier. I'm going to be doing a complete review post on this palette ASAP.

So there are my October favorites! Let me know some of your favorites of the month! 

Any requests please post them in the comments! 

Talk to you all soon! 

March Favorites

Hello and Happy April!

Throughout the month of March I surprisingly didn't do that much shopping at all, it was more a month of shopping my stash of makeup and using old favorites or things I just hadn't given much of a chance in the past. 

First off, and probably least exciting, lip balm. This is actually one of my few small purchases of the month - EOS lip balm in summer fruit. Hello delish smell/taste! It mainly smells like peach to me so that is right up my ally, I'm obsessed! 

Next off, concealer, and as you can see this is going to be an April (re)purchase - MAC Pro Long Wear Concealer in NW20. I think I may have a couple more makeup days in this before it completely refuses to produce product but holy moly I've been so glad I pulled this out of my drawers after many months of it being pushed aside. I now remember why I loved it so much!

This past month I gravitated toward much more pastel shades on my nails as spring (not so willingly) begins to appear here in my area of Canada. The two I used most through March were Mint Candy Apple and Spaghetti Strap. MCA is still currently on my toes and looks so fresh and lovely. Spaghetti Strap has been my go to "nude" nail lately as its sheer and natural looking but with a little more pink in it.

I feel I hardly have to mention this as its always a resounding favorite, but my MAC Melba blush rarely steers me wrong - pink, matte, effortless, and works with all eye looks.

Josie Maran Argan Oil has quickly become a staple in the face moisturizing routine. I got this sample size forever ago and finally decided it was time I tried it out after hearing so many good things about it. I have officially been converted! I never thought oil of any kind on my combo/oily skin would ever work well but it has transformed my skin! I combine a few drops of it with my usual Neutrogena moisturizer and apply morning and night. I will certainly be buying the full size once this runs out!

My favorite way to apply/buff my foundation this month has been with my Real Techniques buffing brush, it gives an amazing and flawless finish, and I love my foundation so much more when I use it. I plan to do a full review post very soon on RT brushes as they have become my new favorite brushes.

Last, but certainly not least, my Maybelline Illegal Length mascara. I have rarely used this on its own as it gives a little too much of a natural/minimal look, which is not what I typically strive for when doing my lashes. My love for this comes from layering it with other mascaras that are more voluminous so you achieve the best of both worlds - length AND volume! 

Let me know if you would like a more in depth review on any of the products mentioned! 

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My MAC Palette Tour

I've long been a lover and collector of all things Mac, so when I started up my eyeshadow palette I felt so pleased to begin building it into something purely my own. Three years later I've come and gone from adding to it, but it now has 14/15 positions filled and I think it looks absolutely glorious and perfectly my style. 

So without further delay...

(in order from left to right, top to bottom row)

Mylar - A satin finished creamy white with the slightest shimmer. I 

Grain - Another satin finish, this is a lovely golden beige with a slight shimmer, and again does not look like much when swatched but it adds a lovely something special when used all over the lid on a lazy makeup day, and is also extremely useful when bringing down color from the brow/crease if you got too carried away with your blending. 

Naked Lunch - Light pink champagne staple of eyeshadow bliss! I don't think I would be complete without this (as you can see I've hit pan). It is a frost finish, and you need this in your world no matter what your skin tone!

All That Glitters - Pinky beige with gold pearl and is a veluxe pearl finish. Again, another staple shadow that I time and time again come back to, and if this shade and a sun tan in the summer months is wrong... I don't want to be right! 

Honey Lust - A bronzy peach with a lustre finish for a serious pop of bronzed goddess. This hasn't been in my collection long but I think I'll be doing amazing things with this once the weather gets warmer. 

(mylar, grain, naked lunch, all that glitters, honey lust)

Soft Brown - A golden peachy brown with a matte finish that is one of my absolute favorite transition colors for my crease.

Cork - This is a little cooler and more muted of a golden brown when compared to Soft Brown, but also an amazing crease color. I also love applying this over the lid and smudging it under my lower lash line for a simple and quick soft smokey eye effect.

Espresso - A matte chocolate brown, which actually looks darker in the pan than it does once its applied to the skin. I love this for blending out deeper brown eye looks. 

Mulch - A brown bronze with slight red undertones. It has a velvet finish which makes it a dream to apply and blend, and is one of my personal favorites when combined with All That Glitters. 

(soft brown, cork, espresso, mulch)

Quarry - This is a matte, soft taupe/plum shade. I've had this one for quite a while but I seem to only be drawn to it during the fall months - big love for the sultry eye look this can create!

Copperplate - Before I say anything, just LOOK at that grey! This is a matte mid-tone grey, and unlike any grey I've ever owned before, it's just sooo lovely. It also has the best texture of any of my shadows in the palette, so velvety and silky. 

Sketch - A burgundy/plum with slight hints of red shimmer. It has a velvet finish and is a must have for fall and winter for me. Using Fix+ and a liner brush I line my upper lash line for a different look, a great alternative to black or brown.

Beauty Marked - Velvet finished black/purple with sparkle. This is probably my least favorite of all my shadows as it does not come off half as impressive on the skin as it looks in the pan. Using a wet brush helps, but it just isn't quite as you'd expect. 

Black Tied - A black with silver sparkle throughout and has a velvet finish. I enjoy this as its not quite as black as something like Carbon, and when used correctly you can achieve a lovely sparkle while deepening up any look, or using it as a liner. 

(quarry, copperplate, sketch, beauty marked, black tied) 

I hope you all enjoyed my little run down of my Mac palette, and I'm sure you will be the first to know when I fill my final spot! If you have a favorite that I should maybe consider for the position let me know! 

Review - Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation

When I first heard rumors of this foundation prior to its release I just knew it would be one I'd have to try. I love a matte face, and I love a good drugstore foundation, and if it also claims to have a lightweight formula... well sign me up! I've given this a try over the past two or so weeks so I have now been able to form a solid opinion and have found my favorite way to apply it, so let's get into it! 

The claim:

"lightweight shine control"

"feather light, liquid mousse blends flawlessly for natural-looking all day shine control. silky smooth formula leaves a perfectly matte, baby-soft finish. lightweight texture won't feel heavy or greasy." 

I chose the shade 100 Ivory, which I'm very pleased with. It is maybe a hair too dark for my pale winter complexion but is certainly nothing I could get too worked up about as it is as close as I could get. 

I purchased mine from Walmart for around $7.99CAD. At the time I purchased it I can honestly say I only saw maybe 5 or 6 shades, although I've seen advertisements that show 8 shades. 

For the purposes of this post I began bare faced (only products on my face are my Josie Maran pure argan oil mixed with my Neutrogena moisturizer) 

As I've been using this over the past few weeks I've found my favorite way to apply this foundation is to first dot on the product with my finger tips, and then go in with my Real Techniques buffing brush to blend/buff it into my skin. 

I must say I was shocked the first time I applied it, mainly because the formulation seemed much thicker than I anticipated, however once you begin to blend the product into the skin it does not seem stiff or difficult to work with at all. 

(after foundation application - no other products used) 

The only negative aspect I've found of this foundation is that I doubt anyone with dry skin would enjoy this. It has, on occasion, drawn attention to some of my small dry areas and I really don't have all that dry a skin type. 

(once I applied the rest of my makeup) 

Overall, I would have to say I really love this foundation, Rimmel has really out done themselves on this one. It's lovely and lightweight for being medium coverage. For me it's become a great alternative to my Revlon Whipped Cream 24hr as that can feel pretty heavy, especially for every day when you don't need 100% full coverage. 

Also I must add the wear time on this is great - 6-8 hours on my combination/oily skin is great, especially when the product doesn't even claim to be 'long wearing'. 

Let me know if you've tried, or plan on trying this!