Author: littlebeautyloves

I love make up, fashion, living healthy and having fun. I'm always up to try something new when it comes to make-up and I want to share that exploration in my blog.

Unboxing Boxycharm, October 2017

littlebeautyloves3 Comments

Price: $21.00 USD (+$5.00 shipping to Canada)
Number of items: 4-5 full-size items
Boxycharm_Oct 2017_LBL1
Boxycharm is a monthly subscription box of full-size makeup, skincare and beauty tools. The theme for this month is “Spellbound”. It really made me start thinking about Halloween and candy corn!

All prices are in USD, converted to CAD at the end

Dr Brandt Poredermabrasion
Retail Price: $58.00 USD
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It is really exciting to receive another Dr Brandt item in my Boxycharm. Now I don’t have to worry about purchasing another one when it runs out. Like the one I received before, this has micro-crystal to deep clean and refines pores.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlight in Presecco Pop
Retail Price: $38.00 USD
Boxycharm_Oct 2017_LBL8
I love Becca highlighters! They are so shiny and creamy, a great formula in my opinion! I already own Champagne Pop and it is a stunning peach shade. Presecco Pop looks like it’ll be a beautiful gold shimmer.

Tarte Tarteist Quick Dry Matte Lip Paint in Homeslice
Retail Price: $20.00 USD
Boxycharm_Oct 2017_LBL7
Hurray for a Tarte product! You may not know but I really love this brand. I’ve tried their matte lip paint formula before and think it is a comfortable lip product to wear that dries really quickly after application. I just don’t think it’s very long wearing.

ncLA Nailed It Tool Kit
Retail Price: $18.00 USD
Boxycharm_Oct 2017_LBL5
This is a pretty interesting item to receive in a subscription box! It’s great to receive a manicure set that I’m sure I’d get a lot of use out of! I definitely prefer items like this over nail polish.

Jonteblu Lip Liner Pencil In Brown Sugar
Retail Price: $5.00 USD
Boxycharm_Oct 2017_LBL6
I don’t wear too many lip liners, but whenever I wear lipsticks I don’t find lining my lips does help. I just wish it came in the same colour as the Lip Paint from Tarte.

Swatches!

Boxycharm_Oct 2017_LBL9

My Thoughts
Boxycharm threw in a few exciting and surprising items this month and I’m totally feeling Fall vibes with them!  Total Value; $139.00 USD ($175.50 CAD).

Did you get Boxycharm this month? What was in your box? What do you think of the items I received?

Lots of Love,
Dal

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One Look, One Week Reviews; The Roundup!

littlebeautyloves9 Comments

This week was so much fun reviewing all the items I used to create my Fall go-to look. It was a perfect way for me to share my thoughts on some of the items that I have purchased over the last few months.

Once again, this is the look that I created for Fall;

 

And here are all the items I used;

  • Eyeshadow – NYX Perfect Filter Palette in Olive you – review here
  • Mascara – Revlon Mega Multiplier – review here
  • Eye Brushes – Inglot 10S, 4SS & 26P, Artdeco Blending Brush – review here
  • Foundation – Tarte’s Rainforest of Sea Water Foundation – review here
  • Concealer – Tarte’s Shape Tape Contour Concealer – review here
  • Blush – Tarte’s Sheer Passion Maracuja Hydrating Cheek Tint – review here
  • Lipstick – Tarte’s Color Splash Hydrating Lipstick – review here

Lots of Love,
Dal

One Look, One Week Reviews; Tarte Sheer Passion Blush & Color Splash Hydrating Lipstick

littlebeautyloves4 Comments

To complete this week of reviews I will be sharing my thoughts on the blush and lipstick I used in my look. If you want to see the complete look I created head here to read Monday’s post.

Let’s start off with cheeks, shall we?

I purchased Tarte’s Sheer Passion back in January with other Tarte items such as the shape tape. The best part about it is it was on sale and I got an extra 30% off. That brought the total of this gem to $7.00 CAD!

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This is a really pretty pinky-red stain that I prefer to apply with my fingers. A little goes a long way so I like to apply this lightly with my fingers and then build up the intensity afterward by adding more if needed. Because I was wearing a darker lip I chose in my look to keep the cheeks sheer.

This blush does have Tarte’s famous maracuja oil to make this a hydrating blush which works for me and my dry skin. This also looks good with my skin tone because it enhances my natural blush. I love this during the Fall and Winter time because the colour is very light.Tarte Sheer Passion blush

I love the applicator style of this blush because it’s liquid so the twist style applicator dispenses a small amount of product at a time.

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I like to dot this on my cheek and then blend it out using my fingers. This surprisingly lasts long on me. It’s a perfect blush whether I wear makeup or on no makeup days when I just want to look alive.

The last item I wanted to review as part of this series and the last item I put on my face actually is Tarte’s Color Splash Hydrating Lipstick in Set Sail. I purchased this back in my April shopping haul.

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This is a pretty dark nude. I like how it really makes the look I created feel like Fall. This is described as a hydrating 24hr formula that provides full coverage.

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I do find this formula very hydrating and comfortable to wear. It appears matte which is really nice too. I don’t always wear lipstick so when a formula is a lightweight like this one I really appreciate it because it doesn’t feel like I’m wearing lipstick.

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It provides full coverage so one swipe is all it takes to create an intense lip. The only downside is that this does not last 24hr. I found after about 4 hours the colour started to fade and I needed to reapply. It’s not something I really mind because if I’m wearing a lipstick I will carry it with me to touch up throughout the day.

I really love these two items and I find I actually wear them more often than not in my everyday makeup routine.

Have you tried any of these items? What are your favourite blushes or lipsticks?

That rounds up my one look, one week of reviews!

Lots of Love,
Dal

One Look, One Week Reviews; Tarte Shape Tape

littlebeautyloves12 Comments

I have been wanting to post a review of the Shape Tape Concealer for the longest time. I shared my initial thoughts when I received my Tarte Cosmetics Haul. Since purchasing this I have had so much time to really test it out. I made sure to include this in my Fall look, you can see the completed look here.

I understand the hype around this concealer and know a lot of users swear by it. I, however, have love-hate feelings toward this. Depending on my makeup or how dry my skin feels that day this either works amazing for me or it doesn’t at all! Anyways, on to the review!

What It Is
A full-coverage, vegan, blendable concealer that brightens, smooths & shapes skin (tartecosmetics.com)

Price
$35.00 CAD. I only shop at Tarte when they have a sale and they were offering 30% off for Boxing Day so when I saw my shade come back into stock I picked it up!

 

Packaging
This is a large tube of concealer. The applicator on the shape tape is way too big in my opinion. When it comes to this formula, a little goes a long way and I find the applicator deposits more concealer onto my face than I might actually need. It also has a dip in the applicator to house more product which I personally don’t like.

Colour
This is the second lightest shade in the line and although it matches me well, I think I might be able to wear the lightest shade instead. Depending on the foundation I wear underneath, this can either look super flattering on me or terrible. I think it looks best on me when I wear my pink toned foundations. If I wear a foundation that is more yellow, it only brings out all the yellow in the concealer and I end up looking washed out.

This looks the best with my favourite foundation, Shiseido’s Synchro Skin Lasting Liquid Foundation. You need to read my review of it here. It looks so good with that foundation in particular on me. It also looks good with Tarte’s Water Foundation which I reviewed in the post before because that shade is neutral.

Full Face Review_LBL (9)

Application & Wear
This is the thickest concealer I own. If I’m wearing a full-coverage foundation I can’t wear this because it just makes me look cakey. I prefer to wear this with medium coverage foundation because I can blend this out easily and it will make the medium coverage feel more full coverage. That’s one thing I like about the shape tape, it does blend out really well and I can wear lighter coverage foundations with this.

One thing I mentioned before is that the shape tape does not completely cancel out my dark circles. It does make them less visible but not more than any of my other concealers. Also, this creases and looks dry on me if I set it with powder my under eyes. Now, I have natural creases under my eyes and my skin is dry. I have to moisturize well under my eyes anyways but this just makes it more apparent if I don’t. I find that using the Tarte maracuja oil under my eyes really helps. The shape tape has shea butter and mango seed butter, both of which are supposed to hydrate the skin but on me, it doesn’t do that.

When I use this to conceal my face I find it provides the best coverage for blemishes and redness around my nose. This is also extremely long lasting which I love.

The Breakdown

Pros

  • Blends easily
  • Works perfectly with my fave foundation
  • Long lasting

Cons

  • Doesn’t cover dark circles completely
  • Accentuates dryness and creases
  • Applicator is too large

Can you see why it’s such a strange concealer for me? Have you tried the shape tape? What do you think of it?

See you in tomorrow’s post where I review my blush and lipstick in my one look!

Lots of Love,
Dal

One Look, One Week of Reviews; Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Water Foundation

littlebeautyloves5 Comments

Happy Hump Day! We are now halfway through my one look, one week of reviews! If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, please check out my Monday post here.

I have had this foundation for some time now and have been using it off and on so I knew it was about time that I reviewed it! I ordered this from the Tarte Cosmetics website and shared it in my blog post here.

What it is
Infused with Tarte’s Rainforest of the Sea complex, this is a full-coverage but lightweight foundation.

Price
$51.00 CAD (1 oz) regular price. I actually got this at 30% when Tarte was having its friends and family sale in April. For $35.70 I thought it was worth trying.

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Packaging
I like the dropper style of this foundation because then I can control how much I put on the back of my hand. I love that it has this gradient purple cap and the glass bottle. It feels really elegant.

Colour
I got this in the shade 02 fair neutral and it’s a great match for me. I can appreciate that this comes in 21 shades and Tarte does well to include yellow, pink and neutral tones.

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Application & Wear
For a full coverage foundation, this is very light and liquid. It really does feel like water so I tend to dot this all over my face first and then blend it in with beauty blender so that the foundation doesn’t get absorbed by the sponge. It easily blends into my skin and doesn’t look heavy. I apply one layer and I think it provides medium coverage which I like but I can imagine that this formula would work really well if layered up to full coverage without it looking thick.

I can wear this all day without it creasing or cracking. One only issue for me is that because it’s water based I find that when it dries it looks dry on my skin close up. I have to add a facial oil or moisturize before application. That’s an easy fix for me because I have to hydrate my skin regardless. From a distance though my skin looks super smooth.

The Breakdown

Pros

  • Great shade match
  • Blends easily
  • All day wear
  • Medium to Full coverage

Cons

  • Can make my skin look dry

My thoughts
I really enjoy this foundation. It’s hard for me to find a shade that matches me well especially since I’m at the fairly light end of the spectrum. The coverage is really nice and doesn’t look cakey. I will need to add moisturizer to keep my skin hydrated underneath.

Have you tried this foundation? If so, what do you think of it?

Next up, I’ll be reviewing the ever popular Tarte Shape Tape!

Lots of Love,
Dal

One Look, One Week of Reviews; Inglot and Artdeco Brushes & Revlon Mega Multiplier Mascara

littlebeautyloves6 Comments

To continue with my One Look, One Week of Reviews, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the mascara and the brushes I used. If you’re not sure what I’m referring to, check out this link here to see the look I created.

I wanted to review the eye brushes I used. I shared my purchase of Inglot brushes in my post September Shopping, Inglot Haul. Now, these brushes have quickly become my go-to brushes when applying eye makeup. I’m super impressed with them.

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The 10S blending brush is so precise so I use it whenever I define the crease. I used it in the eye look I created for this series by building the darker olive shades into the crease after applying the transition shades. The brush is really sturdy but soft against the skin and it really helps to define anything I do in the outer crease while blending the colour perfectly.

The 26P shadow brush is just the cutest and perfect brush for packing on shimmer shades all over the lid. It’s thin and dense so it easily picks up eyeshadow. Since the brush is small I can control where I place the colours. It’s my new favourite shader brush because it makes eyeshadow application so easy.

The 4SS blending brush is a super fluffy and large brush. I used it in my look to blend out the outer edge of my eyeshadow so that it looked more diffused. I really didn’t think this would make a big difference in my eye look but it does. What’s nice about this brush is that it can also double as a highlighter brush because it’s so big.

My most versatile brush is one I purchased and shared in my April Shopping Haul. It’s the Artdeco Blending Brush. This one is both fluffy and flat making it useful as both a blending brush and shader brush. I used this to blend out my transition colour in my crease and then used it to apply some of the matte shadows onto my eyelid.

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Another product I used in my one look is the Revlon Mega Multiplier Mascara in Blackest Black*. I received this product from the Revlon Color Stay All Day event I attended over the summer. I enjoy the tapered cone shape of the brush because it reaches the very inner edge of my lashes. I have a lot of control with the brush and can coat the outer edge of my lashes to create a flirty look. This is a good everyday mascara for me to wear without a liner.

I’m really happy with the eye tools I picked up recently. Have you tried any of these items?

Tomorrow I’ll be sharing my foundation review so look out for that!

Lots of Love,
Dal

Items with * were received via PR. All opinions are honest and my own.

One Look, One Week of Reviews; NYX Perfect Filter Shadow Palette in Olive You

littlebeautyloves12 Comments

This week is the start of something new on the blog for me. I posted a look on instagram and all the makeup that I used to create it. Each day I will do a review of a different product that was part of that look. I hope to do this for every season, or at least as I start playing around with all the new makeup I’ve purchased or received.

This is the look I created for Fall;
One Look, One Week_LBLMost of the products I’m reviewing are from hauls I’ve been sharing over the last few months. I’ve made sure that I tested each item out at least 3 times to get a good impression on how it works on me.

Today I’m reviewing NYX’s Perfect Filter Shadow Palette in Olive You. This is from my September Shopping, Nyx Haul.

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What it is
Olive and Golden neutrals in matte, metallic and shimmer finishes. There are four other variations of this palette on the NYX website.

Price
$22.00 CAD (.6 oz total). This is probably one of the more reasonably priced palettes in my collection. There is a decent amount of product in here too.

Packaging
This is in a sturdy but simple plastic case. It has a clear cover and no mirror. It’s nice and compact being approxmately 3×5 inches. I’m perfectly fine with the packaging not being fancy if it saves on the cost and the product inside is good.

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Colours
Because the palette doesn’t have names for the individual eye shadows I’ve numbered them above and below so you can refer to my hand swatches against the palette pans. The colours are a bit off in the picture above, but I had good lighting for the swatches on my hand below and will give you a better indication of how they look. The olive tones are flattering for my hazel eyes. The colours work perfectly together and although the colours are different from what I have in my collection they are all very wearable “everyday” type of shades. Nothing is too bold or bright but it gives just the right amount of uniqueness. I actually really love this for Fall and think it’s a great change from most of the warm tone or reder shades that are usually popluar for this time of year.

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Application and Wear
To start off, these shadows are smooth and soft. The mattes blend really easily together and the shimmers just pop. There are a few downsides to this palette that I need to mention here. Firstly, it needs a base. I tried applying these directly onto my eye lid the first time and found that within about 4 hours everything muddied together. It performs a bit better with primer but I actually think I got the best result with concealer/foundation all over the lid before application. Secondly, the shimmer shades have so much fallout! I noticed in the look I created that anything I put on my lid that was shimmery gave me the craziest amount of sparkle under the eye and it only got worse as the day went on. Maybe the shimmer shades need a little Fix+ or glitter glue to hold them in place but I know next time I use this palette I’ll do my eyes first and then my foundation so I can wipe away the glitter fallout. With concealer I felt I could wear this all work day, although it doesn’t really last much longer than that. The shadows do fade slightly as the day wears on.

My Eye Look
(please don’t judge my crazy brows! They serious have a mind of their own – LOL!)

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I put my foundation all over the lid and put colour 1 on top as a base. I then blended colour 3 all over my crease as a transistion shade. I put colour 8 on my outter V on the lid and then packed colour 5 on the outter half of my entire lid. In the inner part of my lid I blended in colour 10 and then took the oh so pretty colour 6 into the inner corner. I smudged colour 3 on my lower lid, added mascara and that was that!

Breakdown

Pros

  • Easy to blend
  • Interesting but wearable colours
  • Great Fall shades that are NOT berry/red tones
  • Great pigmentation

Cons

  • Shimmers have a lot of glitter fallout
  • Need a base to prolong wear
  • Not super long lasting

My Thoughts
I really love this eye shadow palette because it’s different but still super wearable. It’s totally what I plan to rock for Fall. It’s an easy to use palette and you can create a variety of looks using just this palette.

Have you tried any Nyx eye shadows? What’s your favourite?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Bye Bye Empties, September 2017

littlebeautyloves8 Comments

September has been a busy month for me. With my sister’s wedding at the end of September, most of my time was spent helping her get prepared. September has been a beautiful month and was super warm here in Toronto! It’s like summer finally came and we had some super fabulous days! It’s actually been relatively nice so far in October. Except for a few cooler or grey days, it’s been pretty nice. I’m looking forward to Halloween and Thanksgiving! I’m planning on watching scary movies and shows everyday this month!

I didn’t use up too many items for September mostly because I’ve been using and trying new items!

Skincare
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I didn’t finish up The Body Shop’s Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover but I think it’s old now and it was time to throw it out. I didn’t really think this was that good for removing eye makeup like I would have wanted it to. That’s probably why I hardly used it. I don’t think I would repurchase this.

I did a review of Caudalie’s Premier Cru The Eye Cream that you can read about here. Essentially, I didn’t see a difference in the appearance of fine lines so I don’t think I’ll repurchase this.

I am absolutely in love with Jurlique’s Rosewater Balancing Mist. I did include it as part of my Summer Morning Routine. This smells so good and the mist is very fine which is super impressive for a sample size product. Unfortunately, I don’t think Sephora carries it anymore, but looking on the Jurlique website they have a lot of other beautiful face mists that I’d be curious to try.

Haircare & Body Care

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I have been loving this body wash from a girl’s gotta spa! in Energizing Citrus. Talk about a nice smelling product! I love citrus and this one smells super fresh and natural. It helps wake me up in the morning and always put me in a good mood. There is so much that I love about this body wash and you can read all about it here. I would repurchase this.

Lastly, I have finished up a sample of healthy sexy hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner. I think I got this in one of my subscription boxes. I really liked how it made my hair feel whenever I used it before styling. It left my hair feeling very soft and smooth after I blow-dried it. I don’t think I would repurchase this just yet because I do have other leave-in conditioners and hair products that I want to use up.

There you have it! My little pile of empty items for September.

What have you used up in September?

Lots of Love,
Dal

 

Unboxing Topbox, September 2017

littlebeautyloves9 Comments

Topbox is a Canadian monthly beauty subscription service. Each month you have the option of getting a surprise box or to swap it for a prive box where all the products are from one brand and you know what they are. This month I opted for a surprise box!

I never had a post for August because my parcel got lost in the mail. Topbox did send me a refund for the month but I was bummed that I never received that box because I was supposed to get other items too. Oh well, it happens I guess.

Prices are in Canadian Dollars

IBY Highlighter in Bubbly
Mini size $6.28 (1.8g)
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I think this highlighter has an interesting amount of peach and I first thought it was a blush. I think my photo makes it look darker than it is in person but it doesn’t appear to be an overly sparkly highlight which I like. I have not swatched this yet but I’m really loving IBY Beauty for a complexion that I’m sure I’m going to enjoy this too.

Avry Beauty Chamomile Gloves
1 pair $1.38 (2 for $2.76)
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I’m pretty excited for this hand masks! As the weather turns colder I usually suffer from really dry skin so I’m excited to try these nourishing gloves to help! They are pre-filled with shea butter.

Glamglow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate treatment
Mini Size $24.00 (15 mL)
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I always enjoy receiving Glamglow samples in my boxes because it’s very expensive to purchase the full-size products in my opinion. This gently exfoliates the skin to leave it smoother, brighter and softer. I do like to exfoliate every few weeks to refresh my skin so I’m excited that I got this in my box.

Caudalie VINOPERFECT Radiance Serum Complexion Enhancing
Full Size $89.00 (30 mL), Sample Size $29.67 (10 mL)
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Another expensive product that I enjoy receiving my boxes! There are some products from Caudalie that I enjoy, and others that I really don’t think work for me. I hope this one works for me because I can benefit from a complexion corrector.

My Thoughts
I think my box is OK this month. Nothing is really super exciting to me but I do appreciate that I received some skin care and makeup that will be good for me. I’m intrigued with the mask gloves and looking forward to using the Glamglow mask. Total Value of my box; $62.73
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Did you receive Topbox for September? What did you get in your box?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Unboxing Boxycharm, September 2017

littlebeautyloves10 Comments

Let me start off by saying that September was a crazy month for me. If you follow me on Instagram you would have noticed that I posted a photo from my sister’s wedding. I was her Maid of Honour and the last few weeks leading up to her big day were very busy.  One thing I’ve learned is that wedding preparations are hard! That’s why my posts for my unboxing are late. Anyways on to the post!

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 “Boxy Baddie”.

All prices are in USD, converted to CAD at the end

Pur Soiree Diaries Eyeshadow Palette
Retail Price: $34.00 USD
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Boxycharm has just been sending out palettes month to month and they are all superb! I’m a palette lover so I get so much joy whenever I see one in the box. I love the warm-toned shadows in this palette.
20170920_181949Everything looks so be perfect for every day, with the ability to increase the drama when desired. I didn’t want to swatch this only because I have similar colours so I personally think this would make a great gift.

MAC Cosmetics Eyebrows (pencil) in spiked
Retail Price: $18.00 USD
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This is the very first time I’ve ever seen a MAC product in any of my subscription boxes. I guess MAC has to jump on the bandwagon of sending their items through these types of boxes to introduce themselves to new makeup lovers. I really love how thin this eyebrow pencil is, the issue is that the colour is too deep for my eyebrows. I did end up giving this to my sister since I think it’ll work better for her.

Colourpop Ultra Satin Lip
Retail Price: $6.00 USD
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I can’t write very much about this because I actually lost it somewhere! LOL! I know that I love this formula from colourpop because it’s glossy and very comfortable to wear.

Studio Makeup Loose Blush
Retail Price: $35.99 USD
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I’ve actually never tried loose blush before so this will be very interesting to test out. It’s supposed to give a vibrant pop of colour for a healthy glow. Looking at it now, I can imagine this tub lasting me quite a lot of time.

BareMinerals Face Perfecting Brush
Retail Price: $28.99 USD
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When I first saw this brush I thought it looked really familiar. I then looked into my collection of brushes that I never use and found the exact one there. I figured I’d give it a try because I was intrigued by the dip in the centre which allows you to deposit foundation right into the centre of the brush.
20170920_182327 I used the brush I had before and was really impressed by the how easily it blended out my makeup. I’ve saved this one in its packaging should I want to pass it along to a friend, but my initial thoughts on the brush is that it works really well on me.

Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair Deep Conditioning Mask
Retail Price: $20.00 USD
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Yes! A Briogeo item to test out! Many might know that my hair is very dry so I appreciate anything that will help keep it moisturized and healthy. After you shampoo, you apply the product onto the hair and leave it on for 5 – 10 minutes before rinsing it. Doing this weekly should restore hydration to the hair. I can’t wait to try it out!

My Thoughts
A few things in the box I have passed along to others which I’m ok with. Giving items to my sister I know she will use is pretty great. Then there are the superstars of this box in my opinion and they are the Pur eyeshadow palette and Briogeo deep conditioner. Total Value of my box $144.00 ($179.63).

Did you get Boxycharm? What did you think of the September box?

Lots of Love,
Dal