Project Pan Monthly: July Roundup & August Items

August 6, 2019August 5, 2019 littlebeautyloves2 Comments

I have been keeping my makeup extremely minimal in July since it was a pretty warm month. There were some items in my July Project Pan that I used so much and then there were some items that I hardly touched at all! I think it’s partly because I didn’t anticipate it being as warm so I was really not in the mood to wear a lot of makeup that would melt off. I’ll break it down more in my July Roundup below. All in all, I used my items about 24/31 days.

In case you didn’t know, this is my Project Pan objective;

Project Pan Monthly

Each month I choose 4 items to use, sharing reviews of those products if they aren’t already on the blog. At the end of the month, I’ll share an update of how well I did and then list the items for the next month. The products are chosen from these categories;

One Eyeshadow Palette
One Lip Item (lipstick, lip balm, gloss, etc.)
One Face Item (foundation, highlighter, blush, bronzer)
One Random Item (can be another item from the categories above, or be something else like a mascara, liner, skin care, body care, fragrance, etc.)

July Roundup

Let’s start with the eye makeup items I chose for this month. It was so easy for me to use the three Nudestix products I have in the photo above because they were great as one and done shadows or applying two for a slightly more done up look. The bronze tones were prefect on my slightly tanned skin and went with a lot of my summer outfits.

When it came to the lip item, I used Pulse the most this month. I also used it quite a bit as a blush because it was a nice natural shade on me. As much as I wanted to use the dirty little secret lip liner it just wasn’t something that I was reaching for at all! I think it’s mostly because I was happy with Pulse on it’s own so I always forgot to add lip liner.

Now, as much as I thought the Clinique Powder was going to work perfectly for me in the summer, it just didn’t work on my dry skin. It actually made me feel really dry and itchy and I didn’t like that at all. Even though it was very warm my skin remained super dehydrated so this got immediately tossed to the side in my project pan. I’m tempted to toss this out only because having my skin feel itchy after applying it made me a little nervous about using it.

My August Items

This month I’ve chosen;

One Eyeshadow Palette – Smashbox CoverShot Palette in Ablaze (reviewed here)
One Lip Item – Laritzy Cosmetics Lip Stix in Wafer
One Face Item – Yves Rocher Flawless Skin Foundation
One Random Item – Sephora Blush in Apricot Sheen

I thought I’d stick with a warm palette for August as an ode to summer! I know warm toned orange/red/gold palettes like Ablaze are not as popular as they were two years ago but I still love these colours so I’m sure I’d get good use out of it. (If you want to see the inside of the palette, check out the link here since it seems I totally didn’t upload the photo of the open palette for this post). Same goes for the Sephora blush I’ve included for this month. I bought this blush on sale and I don’t think Sephora carries it anymore but it’s a gorgeous warm blush with little flecks of golden sparkle. It looks really pretty and dewy on and I think with the eye shadow palette it’ll look really good.

For this month’s lip item I decided to include the Laritzy Lip Stix I received in my Topbox. I enjoy the texture of this lip crayon. It’s very smooth and hydrating and the colour is a beautiful nude which will also work with a lot of the looks I want to create using the Ablaze palette. I’ve included my Yves Rocher Foundation since the colour is a bit darker which is working for my complexion now. I mostly use it around my eyes and the centre of my face for a very light amount of coverage.

Here’s hoping I get good use out of these items for August! I have already used these this 3 times since the start of the month so that’s really good so far!

How is your progress been for Project Pan this month? What are you hoping to use up for August?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Bye Bye Empties, July 2019

August 3, 2019August 2, 2019 littlebeautyloves5 Comments

Happy Saturday! I feel like I rarely post on the weekends but I finally got around to taking some photos so I figured why not! Also, happy Civic Long weekend to those who have Monday off! I love long weekends in the summer!

It had been a gorgeous July! The days were hot and beautiful and I enjoyed it so much. I’m really excited for August and enjoying more of this summer especially since there are a few things that happen around the city that I enjoy – Food Festivals, here I come! I didn’t use up too many products this month but I’ve also been changing up my skincare and makeup routine for the summer which meant that a lot of my usual products are on a break.

Now on to what I used up!

*Note: I’m on a no-buy this year. If I mention repurchasing an item, it just means that I really liked it and would buy again, just not in 2019.

Skincare

Victoria Secret Shea & Vitamin E Shower Gel. VS have some nice smelling shower gels and I really like them. The scent Cabana Breeze has an ocean/vacation scent and whenever I used it I would be taken back to my trip to Jamaica. They lather up quite a bit which makes taking a shower feel like a standing bath. I also love using them in my bubble bath because they do make so much thick bubbles! I would definitely repurchase these shower gels over and over again.

L’Occitane Almond Shower Gel. I used to be into this shower gel but after a while, I got bored with it. I really like super sudsy shower gels and this isn’t like that, or at least it stopped being that way after a while. It just doesn’t get super foamy. It’s weird but I almost feel like the formula started getting old and it wasn’t as nice as it was for the first couple of months I had this. I still enjoyed it for prepping my legs before shaving, but as a shower gel on its own, it lost its lustre for me. If you want to read my original review of this product you can here. I don’t think I’d repurchase this product.

NeoStrata Glycolic Renewal Smoothing Lotion. I included this product with a short review in a haul I had back in March 2018. You can read it here. Although I really enjoyed this product it’s been over a year that I’ve had it so I’m sure it’s time I just toss it out since I don’t think it’s as effective as it once was. I used this about half-way. I’m not sure I’d repurchase this.

Haircare

Head & Shoulders Conditioner in Smooth & Silky. Every few months I add another Head & Shoulders product into my empties. If there is one product that I repurchase over and over again it’s this. I really enjoy how well it cleans my hair.

Makeup

Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil. This product got old before I used it up but it’s because I haven’t been using pencil liners for quite a while now. Lately, I’ve been using either eye shadow or my Nudestix Crayons to create a smokey liner on my eyes rather than a sharp line or wing. This guy is ok, it is a deep intense black and I like that it’s a twist up liner. I used this a lot in my waterline which is another reason I am throwing it out since I want to get into the habit of using new items for delicate areas such as my eyes. I won’t be repurchasing this anytime soon.

Cover FX PowerPlay Foundation (sample). I love picking up sample foundations to test out before I commit to a new foundation. I got about four applications from this foundation and I really liked how it looked. It feels really light on my face but provides a good amount of coverage. I would purchase a full-size of this.

~~~

Like I mentioned above, I didn’t use up too many items for this month but I did clear out some things that were old or weren’t getting a lot of use in my collection of stuff.

What have you used up for July?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Unboxing BoxyCharm, July 2019

July 26, 2019July 25, 2019 littlebeautyloves4 Comments

Price: $21.00 USD (+$5.00 shipping to Canada)
Number of items: 4-5 full-size items

So before we get started I just wanted to say that I’ve been debating cancelling my BoxyCharm and trying out FabFitFun for a year. It’s not that I dislike BoxyCharm, because I absolutely enjoy this subscription, but I really want to try something new. If you’ve tried FabFitFun I’d love to know what you think of it.

Boxycharm is a monthly subscription box of full-size makeup, skincare and beauty tools. The theme for this month is “Au Naturale”.

PRICES ARE IN USD, CONVERTED TO CAD AT THE END

Elemis Superfood Vital Veggie Mask
MSRP: $35.00 US

This is a mask that nourishes, smoothes and brightens, for softer, smoother, more radiant skin. It has avocado and broccoli seed oils to help support the skins moisture barrier. I love moisturizing masks for the cold months especially so I look forward to trying this.

Butter London Natural Goodness Eyeshadow Palette
MSRP: $32.00 US

I am really loving the packaging of this palette. It’s small and sleek, with flowers and jewerls all around the edge. It feels very sturdy so I can image it being a good palette to take on the go.

Except for the blue shade, a lot of the other colours are great for everyday. I think I would get really great everyday use of this.

Luxie Gaea 3 Piece Brush Set
MSRP: $30.00 US

These brushes came in a recyclable envelope and the brush handles are a natural wood with pink on them. I think they are really soft too which it what I’ve come to expect from Luxie brushes. The ones that I’ve used before have all been really good. This set uncluded the Luxie Large Eye Blending Brush (25), The Precision Crease (246), and The Foundation Brush (510).

Luna By Luna Lip Gloss in Venus
MSRP: $18.00 US

I wasn’t too sure about this lip glos when I first opened it because it looked like it would be very sparkly, after swatching it on my hand and trying it out and it looked really good on.

Koh Gen Do Spa Cleansing Water Clothes
MSRP: 17.00 US

These cleansing wipes remove waterproof makeup and impurities while nourishing skin with mineral-rich cleansing spa water. Now, I use makeup removing wipes all the time and always find it difficult to remove waterproof makeup with them, especially mascara but I’m always willing to give these a try and see if they are any better! I love using makeup removing wipes so I’m always happy to receive them in my BoxyCharm.

My Thoughts

This was a decent box and I like a lot of the items I recieved. I think after over a year of subscribing to BoxyCharm I am ready for something new though.

Total Value: $132.00 US ($173.72 CAD)

Lots of Love,
Dal

Review, Vasanti Cosmetics Brighten Up! Exfoliator

July 10, 2019July 10, 2019 littlebeautylovesLeave a comment

A few weeks ago I shared a review of the First Aid Beauty cleanser that I have been enjoying as my gentle daily cleanser. You can read it here. I mentioned that every few days or so I also use an exfoliating cleanser for a deep cleanse and today I’m going to be sharing that review. Currently, I’ve been using Vasanti Cosmetics Brighten-Up Exfoliator.

Vasanti Cosmetics reached out to me back in April to try out their Vasanti Brighten-Up Trio and I was very excited to test them out. I had used other items from Vasanti before and I’m always happy to support Canadian brands. I’ve been using the product ever since receiving them two months ago.

What It Is

An exfoliator with micro-crystals. This papaya and aloe enriched exfoliator will remove dead skin, reveal a radiant complexion and fight common skin concerns like dull skin, dark spots, acne scars, wrinkles & more. (vasanticosmetics.com)

Price

$29.00 CAD (70g) I use a very small pea-sized amount of this product so I think it’ll last me a while.

Application

I took this on vacation with me to use with the moisturizer and serum booster (more on them in a little bit). I still used an everyday cleanser but every third evening or so I would use this to wash my face. I lathered a pea-sized amount between my hands and gently massaged this over my face. Since this has micro crystals I always ensured that I was gently applying this. I also found that the more water I used to dilute the product the better it worked on my skin. More water helped to loosen the formula and convert the dense cleanser into a soft and liquid cream which helped glide the crystals over my face.

The texture of the crystals is very fine and sand like but if you aren’t careful I can definitely imagine it irritating the skin because the crystals are very gritty. This is also why I used it every few days rather than every day. I have always loved physical exfoliators but if you don’t then this product is definitely not for you. I also don’t think it would be good for sensitive skin. I don’t have sensitive skin, but I was still very careful with how I applied this product. Since I mostly use physical exfoliating cleansers, it’s how I’ve always been with those types of products.

I mostly focused around my nose since that’s where I find my skin needs the most attention. I would then massage this over my forehead and chin and spread whatever remained over my cheeks. I find that starting from the middle of my face and moving outwards is the best cleansing method for me.

Since this is a physical exfoliant, I always made sure I thoroughly rinsed my skin. Nothing is worse than putting on moisturizer with leftover crystals (ouch!). After rinsing my skin I applied the Boosting Serum and then the Moisturizer.

After a couple weeks, I started to notice a difference in my skin. It wasn’t as dull and looked a lot more clear. My nose area especially was clear. I usually have a hard time reducing the appearance of blackheads on my nose, but this really helped to diminish their appearance. My skin felt really soft and I found that it was much smoother. I hardly break out in the first place but it just felt like my skin was looking a lot more vibrant.

Glow-Boosting Serum and Amplify Moisturizer

While using the Brighten-Up Exfoliator I also made sure that I was testing out the Glow-Boosting Serum and Amplify Moisturizer, all are part of the Brighten-Up line. I think that the combination of the three really made a difference on my skin so I wanted to talk about them as well as they are part of my skin care routine.

Glow-Boosting Serum

The serum is supposed to help give you glowy skin. After cleansing, I would shake the bottle to the oil and serum together and place one or two drops on my hands and massage it over my skin. It has Arbutin which has anti-oxidant and anti-ageing ingredients to help reduce dark spots and shadows. It also has Abyssinian oil to hydrate the skin and aloe vera to soothe the skin. For my dry skin, this serum is a dream because it’s pretty moisturizing. Sometimes I just wear this and it’s enough for me. Serums that I’ve used in the past can be more gel-like so they quickly dry onto my skin but I don’t feel like they do much. This guy, however, leaves me feeling moisturized all day. It’s a pretty thick serum.

Amplify Moisturizer

I really like this as an everyday moisturizer and I use it with both my everyday cleanser as well as the Vasanti Exfoliator. This is infused with aloe, vitamin C, and arbutin from bearberry leaves to keep your skin hydrated and protected. It’s very light-weight too which is why I enjoy this for every day. Even during the day if my skin is feeling extra dry I will apply this to re-hydrate it. Since it’s really thin I don’t feel like I’m wearing a lot of products if I then add my sunscreen over it. It works very well on top of the Glow-Boosting Serum, so I do enjoy wearing these two products together.

My Thoughts

Since I love physical exfoliators I know that I’m probably going to repurchase this product myself when the time comes. I feel like I see a difference in my skin and I like that this has been working really well for me.

Have you tried this product? Do you use physical exfoliators?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Bye Bye Empties, June 2019

July 8, 2019July 7, 2019 littlebeautyloves1 Comment

June was a great month! The weather got warmer and although there were still a lot of rainy days, whenever there were sunny ones I took advantage of them. I enjoy the warmer months for hanging out with friends on patios and walking around the city which I did a lot of in June. I’m looking forward to doing more of that in July! It’s been pretty hot and humid the last few days in Toronto and I love it!

Now on to what I used up!

*Note: I’m on a no-buy this year. If I mention repurchasing an item, it just means that I really liked it and would buy again, just not in 2019. However, I did break my No-Buy to purchase the Alyssa Edwards x Anastasia Hills Palette in June, but I’ve been really good otherwise.

Skincare

Aveeno Ultra-Calming Sensitive Skin Make-Up Wipes. These makeup removing wipes were alright. I found that they started to dry out a lot sooner than other wipes I’ve used in the past. I also found the wipe itself to feel a bit harsh. I won’t be repurchasing these.

Dr. Roebuck’s Pure Moisturizer. I got this with other Products from Dr. Roebucks back when I was still subscribed to Topbox. This moisturizer is extreme, it’s great if you have very dry skin and is made for those who may suffer from eczema. I used this at first for my face when I was feeling extremely dry but then I started using it a lot on my hands because they are always dry and really loved this product. I would repurchase this.

Haircare

Pantene Intense Rescue Shots. I received this treatment mask from Influencer to test out and while I did think the mask itself was good, I was not a fan of the packaging. Each tube is supposed to give you enough product for one use which I think gets to be a little wasteful. I’m on the fence whether I would repurchase this.

Shu Uemura Silk Bloom Restorative Treatment. Another hair mask that I used up this month, I absolutely love and recommend this hair mask. You can read my full review here. I would repurchase this product.

Makeup

Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara. I love this mascara because it gives me instantly full and dramatic lashes. At first, I would only wear it when going out because it was super bold on me. As it started to dry though I would were this during the day to use it up and loved how it really made my lashes look flared out. This is one of my favourite mascaras to wear and I have a few small samples of this that I’m going to use up. I would repurchase this.

Ciate London Bamboo Bronzer. I shared a review of this bronzer back in March which you can read here. I loved this warm-toned bronzer but it got more and more difficult to use because this pan was too small that it made it really difficult to dip my large bronzer brush into so I figured I might as well just toss this out now since I can’t get it to evenly cover my brushes.

~~~

I’m happy with my empties for this month. I used up some hair, skincare and makeup items. Now that I’m half-way through my no-buy year I feel like I’m making a lot of progress of using up the items in my collection. I’ve also really started to appreciate the makeup and skincare I have without being consumed with the new products that I have been realized. It feels really good to just use up what I have.

What items have you used up for June?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Project Pan Monthly: June Roundup & July Items

July 4, 2019July 1, 2019 littlebeautyloves3 Comments

Another month, another monthly project pan to discuss on the blog today! I feel like I was consistent with all my products in June not just with one or two of them as I find I have been the last few months. I even got good use out of my lip product which I’m so happy about. I break down my usage below, but I used my products about 27/30 days!

In case you didn’t know, this is my Project Pan objective;

Project Pan Monthly

One Eyeshadow Palette
One Lip Item (lipstick, lip balm, gloss, etc.)
One Face Item (foundation, highlighter, blush, bronzer)
One Random Item (can be another item from the categories above, or be something else like a mascara, liner, skin care, body care, fragrance, etc.)

June Round-Up

Starting with the eye products I chose for June. In the warmer months, I love keeping my makeup really simple and quick and the Lid Lingerie and Jumbo Eye Pencils from NYX were perfect for that. I would usually just pick one colour and sweep it over the lid, add a black or brown eyeliner, mascara and then be out the door. They lasted really long on me too which is great during a hot day. I rediscovered how much I love these products and got really good use out of them this month.

For June, I opted to use this IBY Contour and Highlight Palette because it had been a while since I used it. I did share this in one of the Favourites from the Boxes Post but since then I stored it in my makeup box and only used it once in a while so it felt really good to bring this palette back out and use it again. You can tell that the pans are still full which is just because this is pretty pigmented and I didn’t need a lot to highlight or contour my face. I also used these as eye shadow which was great for days I wanted a more matte look. I used this every single time I wore makeup in June which is pretty awesome.

You can’t really tell that any of this VS Body spray was used, but I have made it up to where it says “love me” on the packaging. I sprayed 3-4 sprits every morning during June and I think I brought the bottle down about 10-15 mL. Perfumes and body sprays do take a bit longer to use up, but I’ll continue to use this and hopefully re-introduce it another month in my Project Pan this year.

The biggest surprise to me is how often I ended up using the Sexy Mother Pucker Pillow Plump XXL Lip Plumping Gloss! I actually used this everyday, and sometimes a few times a day! You can’t tell because, but I think I got through 1/4 of the product! I had no idea I would enjoy plumping lip gloss as much as I did. I kept this in my purse and used it a lot! I really like it.

My July Items

This month I’ve chosen;

One Eyeshadow Palette – Nudestix Jetsetter Nude(Art)ist Box Eye Crayons (reviewed here)
One Lip Item – Jetsetter Nude(Art)ist Box Lip Crayons & Dirty Little Secret Lip Pencil
One Face Item – Clinique Perfectly Real Compact Makeup Powder
One Random Item – Using the Jetsetter Box as a highlight, eyeliner and blush

This month I wanted to do something a little different. Since my Jetsetter Palette is full of items that I can create a full-face with I figured I would focus on using it. I also wanted to continue my theme of cream makeup since I enjoy wearing that more in the summer months.

I’ve raved about Nudestix before, whether on my Instagram or here on the blog so I figured I would dedicate a month to using their products. Instead of an eyeshadow palette, I’m going to use the above eyesticks to create eye looks with. Plus, as part of my random item, I can use Gilt as a highlighter on my cheeks.

I’m going to attempt to incorporate three lip items this month into my Project Pan Monthly. I found myself using lip liner a lot the last time I included it in a project pan so I’ve got a new one for this month. I can also use the Lip crayons from Nudestix on my cheeks, I hope I can get more use out of them by doing that.

The last item I’m including in my Project Pan is this Powder from Clinique. I think they’ve since updated the packaging, so this is clearly in need of some good usage. Now, I usually keep my dry skin away from powders but with July generally hot and humid I think it’s the perfect time to use this on my face. I wore this the other day I really enjoyed how it looked on my face and how long it lasted.

How is your progress been for Project Pan this month? Have you noticed a difference in your products?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Unboxing BoxyCharm, June 2019

June 20, 2019 littlebeautyloves4 Comments

Price: $21.00 USD (+$5.00 shipping to Canada)
Number of items: 4-5 full-size items

Boxycharm is a monthly subscription box of full-size makeup, skincare and beauty tools. The theme for this month is “Getaway”. The items in this box really fit the theme since they are items to get you ready for a getaway and to take with you.

PRICES ARE IN USD, CONVERTED TO CAD AT THE END

Tarte Cosmetics Be You Naturally Eyeshadow Palette
MSRP: $36.00 US

You can never go wrong with a palette in my books. Whether I use them myself or give them away as gifts a new palette is always exciting for me to recieve. I enjoy Tarte palettes, I own quite a few in my collection so I’m excited to recieve another one in my box. This has that same delicious vanilla scent that my Tartelette In Bloom palette so I’m really hoping the formula is the same because I love that palette.

Although this is a neutral palette I love the layout and colours in this palette. This has 4 shimmer shades and 4 mattes.

Touch In Sol No Poreblem Prime Essence
MSRP: $23.00 US

I thought this was a primer to wear before makeup but reading the packaging you can use it as the last step of your skincare routine. It’s infused with Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract to tighten pores and keep your skin smooth. I received The Touch In Sol No Poreblem Primer and I absolutely love it so I’m excited to try another product in this line. The essence will come in handy during the summer heat.

Dominque Cosmetics Lemonade Lipgloss in Pink Lemonade
MSRP: $17.00 US

This lip gloss is supposed to add hydration, shine and fullness to your lips. I’m not sure I’m into this colour but if it is hydrating I will give it a try. A lot of reviews on BoxyCharm website have been positive so I hope it’s got a nice formula.

St. Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mousse
MSRP: $24.50 US

I have a couple of these little St. Tropez Self Tanning Mousse so I really didn’t care to get another one. Not to say that this is a bad product but I have enough self-tanners in my collection. I appreciate that it came with a mitt which is super helpful for application. I might pass this along to a friend.

Dirty Little Secret Lip Liner in Rosie Posie
MSRP: $15.00 US

I find that I prefer to wear lipliner with a gloss or balm on top vs a lipstick or colourful gloss so I’m pretty happy to have a lip liner in my collection. I already started wearing this item and I think it’s great! It has a dark nude colour which looks really nice with my bronze eyeshadow. The formula is dry but still smooth over the lips. It’s the kind I prefer for this kind of lip liner.

My Thoughts

I’m pretty happy with this month’s box. It really aligns with the theme and I’m very excited about a lot of the items, especially the Tarte eyeshadow palette and the DLS lip liner. I’m also really curious about the Touch In Sol primer essence. We will see how well that works on my skin.

Total Value: $115.50 US ($152.40 CAD)

Did you get BoxyCharm this month? What was in your box? What did you enjoy or not?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Project Pan Monthly: May Roundup & June Items

June 7, 2019 littlebeautyloves13 Comments

Before it gets so much later into June I wanted to share my Project Pan Monthly update for May and share the items I’m going to focus on for June. I feel like except for the first week of May I was very consistent with using my items. I had used my items 24/31 days by the end of the month.

In case you didn’t know, this is my Project Pan objective;

Project Pan Monthly

One Eyeshadow Palette
One Lip Item (lipstick, lip balm, gloss, etc.)
One Face Item (foundation, highlighter, blush, bronzer)
One Random Item (can be another item from the categories above, or be something else like a mascara, liner, skin care, body care, fragrance, etc.)

May Round-Up

I used the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Vol. II Palette so much this month, especially the lighter shades which I wore a lot for work. I even would do one sweep of certain colours for really easy looks. You can see that I used conch and marina the most. It’s a very crumbly shadow formula so that’s why it looks like chunks are missing, but it does go on the eyes smoothly.

I also used the Vintage Cosmetics Illuminating Face Highlighter pretty often. I used it for highlighter and as a blush topper. There is so much of this product but you can start to see a little dip in the pan.

I finished up my Bad gal Bang! Mascara which was pretty easy given that this is a deluxe sample. Still, I’m happy I was able to use it up. I didn’t use the Bobbi Brown lip gloss as much as I wanted to but I did try to use it every day even if I didn’t re-apply it throughout the day. I think I used up about one third of the product inside this little sample so I’m happy with that.

My June Items

This month I’ve chosen;

One Eyeshadow Palette – NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils & Eye Lingerie (reviewed here)
One Lip Item – Soap & Glory’s Sexy Mother Pucker Pillow Plump XXL Lip Plumping Gloss
One Face Item – IBY Beauty Highlight & Contour Palette (reviewed here)
One Random Item – Victoria’s Secret Noir Love Me Body Mist

Instead of having an eye shadow palette this month, I decided to use some other eye items and do a Face Palette. I also wanted to use up another fragrance this month.

How is your progress been for Project Pan this month? Have you noticed a difference in your products?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Bye Bye Empties, May 2019

May 31, 2019May 30, 2019 littlebeautyloves2 Comments

May was such a fun month! The first few days of the month I was in Jamaica so that was fun and when I got back I have been enjoying catching up with friends and walking around walking around the city. One of my best friends had a baby in April and I got to meet him this month which was so fun for me!

The weather had been rainy and mild but there have been a few warm and sunny days that I have been taking advantage of. I am so excited for the summer and looking forward to lots of beautiful days in the city.

Now on to what I used up!

*Note: I’m on a no-buy this year. If I mention repurchasing an item, it just means that I really liked it and would buy again, just not in 2019.

Skincare

Dr. Teal’s Foaming Bath Super Moisturizer Avocado Oil. I enjoy these foaming baths but usually, I get the Himalayan Salt version which creates a lot more bubbles compared to the avocado oil. I would not repurchase this particular one but I would repurchase the Himalayan Salt type.

Kiss My Face Active Life Fragrance-Free Deodorant. I shared a review of my favourite deodorants on the blog which you can read here and this deodorant was one of them. I really like this for every day because it keeps me feeling fresh through the warmer months. I already have another one of these open.

Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer. This deluxe sample came in the Sephora Favorites Clean Beauty Set that I purchased last year. I enjoyed the texture of this moisturizer and I’m starting to realize that I’m into gel moisturizers. This is designed to hydrate, brighten and balance skin. It’s very hydrating. I would repurchase this.

REN Clean Skincare Evercalm Ultra Comforting Rescue Mask. When my skin is feeling extra dry I love using this mask to help bring it back to life. You apply a generous amount and leave it on for 10 to 15 mins. Afterwards, you wipe off the excess. I love using this before I go to bed. It has a lavender scent which I really enjoy as well. I would repurchase this.

Bioderma Sensibio H20 Micellar. I did a re-review of this product a few years ago that you can read here. Basically, when I first tried this I was not in love with it, but I started using this without a cotton pad and just splashing it on my face and now it’s one of my most favourite micellar waters. I like this little size because I can take it on the go and use it when on trips and I used this on my vacation. The only downside is that it’s not refillable so unfortunately, I have to recycle the packaging when I would much prefer to refill using one of my larger bottles. I will not repurchase this size of Bioderma.

Caudalie Micellar Cleansing Water. This is a deluxe sample of micellar water that I got in a Caudalie Best Sellers set from Sephora. I’ve been using this micellar water for a long time because I tend to take it with me on trips because it’s a nice small size. I really enjoy this micellar water and I would get another deluxe sample size to take with me whenever I go.

Urban Decay Quick Fix Hydra-Charged Complexion Prep Priming Spray. I used this every time I applied makeup over the last month or so trying to use up this priming spray because, to be honest, I usually don’t apply primer before I do makeup. I did like this but I don’t think I’d repurchase it.

Makeup

Bourjois Healthy Mix Gel Foundation. I try quite a lot of different foundations but I must say that this one is still a go-to of mine. I had been using other foundations for the last year which is why it’s taken me a while to use it up. If you wanted to read my review of this foundation you can here. I would repurchase this product.

Tarte Lifted Sweatproof Mascara. I took this mascara on my trip because I thought it was great for the hot weather. It’s a brown mascara which I really like to wear every day. It was generally sweatproof because it held up in the Jamaican heat BUT don’t wear it into a salted pool! It started coming off onto my face and I ended up having to remove it, haha! I would repurchase this.

~~~

I feel like I used up a lot of skincare items this month which I’m super happy about! Most items were deluxe sizes but even those can take me a long time to use up so I’m always excited when they empty!

What items have you used up for May?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Review: First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser

May 27, 2019May 25, 2019 littlebeautyloves13 Comments

I keep two types of cleansers on my vanity. One is always a gentle, every day type cleanser. The other is a gritty, exfoliating deep cleansing one. Throughout the week I’ll switch through them. Most days I use a gentle cleanser and then I’ll use my exfoliating cleanser a few times a week inbetween. Then, on lazy days I just use micellar water or a makeup wipe and call it a day! Hehe!

If you wanted to read my makeup remover post you can here.

Next week I’ll share a review of my Vasanti Cosmetics Exfoliating Cleanser but today I wanted to share a review of the gentle cleanser I’ve been enjoying. My First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser.

What It Is

A fragrance-free, gentle cleanser that effectively removes makeup, dirt, and grime, leaving skin soft and supple. (Sephora.ca)

I read that this is good for dryness and redness. I suffer from dry skin so I always love cleansers that are designed to be hydrating. This has aloe and glycerin which nourishes, and hydrates the skin and FAB Antioxidant Booster to help with environmental agressors.

This is Allergy-Tested, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Oil-Free, Soy-Free, Suitable for Sensitive Skin, Vegan, Nano-Free. (FirstAidBeauty.com)

Price

$14.00 CAD (2oz). This is pretty reasonably priced especially since you need very little when washing your face. A pea-sized amount is enough for me.

Application

This is a very creamy cleanser that doesn’t foam up too much. The texture reminds me of Origin’s Checks & Balances cleanser because it’s a thicker consistency. Whenever I use it I find that it feels more like cleanser/moisturizer hybrid. It feels very good.

I think it’s super effective at removing makeup. Like, really effective. It might be one of the best makeup removing cleansers I’ve ever tried. It’s very gentle and doesn’t sting my eyes which makes it a dream for removing makeup around my eyes and lashes which is where I tend to wear the heaviest makeup. Even if a little gets in my eyes, it won’t sting them like other cleansers have in the past. It leaves my skin feeling super clean, when I rinse it off. I dry my face with a white towel and a rarely get makeup residue on it. I don’t even need to use a makeup wipe before or after, it’s really good on its own.

My skin always feels really clean, but unlike a harsh cleanser, it still leaves it feeling supple. I find that my skin just feels good and clear and I usually just apply a serum or moisturizer afterwards and call it a day.

My Thoughts

I’ve tried sample packets of this cleanser and liked it but this is my first time using a whole tube of it consistently over the last few weeks. Generally, my skin doesn’t feel tight or dry and it hasn’t been irritated by this product. It’s very good. I would wholeheartedly recommend this! If you are looking for a good every day, gentle cleanser, this is the one!

Have you tried the First Aid Beauty Cleanser? What are your thoughts? Have you tried anything else from this brand?

Lots of Love,
Dal

littlebeautyloves

I like Makeup and I blog about it!

Author: littlebeautyloves

Project Pan Monthly: July Roundup & August Items

Project Pan Monthly

July Roundup

My August Items

Bye Bye Empties, July 2019

Skincare

Haircare

Makeup

Unboxing BoxyCharm, July 2019

PRICES ARE IN USD, CONVERTED TO CAD AT THE END

Review, Vasanti Cosmetics Brighten Up! Exfoliator

Bye Bye Empties, June 2019

Skincare

Haircare

Makeup

Project Pan Monthly: June Roundup & July Items

Project Pan Monthly

June Round-Up

My July Items

Unboxing BoxyCharm, June 2019

PRICES ARE IN USD, CONVERTED TO CAD AT THE END

Project Pan Monthly: May Roundup & June Items

Project Pan Monthly

May Round-Up

My June Items

Bye Bye Empties, May 2019

Skincare

Makeup

Review: First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser