Makeup Eraser & ProCIV Reusable Pad Review

February 13, 2020February 13, 2020 littlebeautyloves6 Comments

I received the Makeup Eraser in my Winter FabFitFun box. I had seen a lot of great reviews about this product so when I got it I was very excited to give it a try. Another item I had seen good reviews about that I wanted to share is the ProCIV Makeup Remover Pads from Amazon. I figured since they were both reusable cleansing products I would share my thoughts in one post.

Makeup Eraser

First, let’s talk about the Makeup Eraser (check it out here). I have only been using this for about a month and a half but it’s seriously become a staple product in my face cleansing routine. It has a long oval shape with soft fabric on both sides of the cloth. It’s large enough that I can use it 4-5 times before I need to wash it.

How I use this

I only need to use a small section of the cloth each time I use it so I mentally divide it into quarters and use each side on a different day. I might be able to use this a 5th or 6th time if I go back into the areas in between the quarters I did not use. I use this at the end of the day by dampening the cloth with warm water and gently rubbing it on my face. At first, I was worried I would tug at my skin too much but I’ve started to become comfortable with applying the right pressure to remove my makeup without tugging my face.

The cloth has different textures on each side. One side has short fibres for removing makeup and the other side has long ones for exfoliating.

I use the short fibre side to remove all my makeup and cleanse my face and then flip to the other side to help exfoliate my skin to ensure everything is deeply cleansed. What’s great is that I don’t need to use any other products with this it does a good job on its own and I don’t have to rinse my face afterwards either.

Washing it

I don’t wash this between uses but I make sure that I hang it to completely dry so that it doesn’t start to smell. At the end of the week, I’ll just throw it into my washing machine with my other clothes and wash them all in a normal cycle. I then hang it to dry, I don’t put this in my dryer. I’ve machine washed this about 4 times now and the fibres and cloth have held up pretty well! Any dark makeup stains are completely lifted and the cloth itself remains soft and sturdy.

My Thoughts

I’ve been using this at the end of the day because it’s so quick and convenient for removing makeup. With there being dual sides, I can flip between the two fibre textures to cleanse my face and exfoliate it in one step. I might still use some makeup remover around my eyes if I’ve got a lot of makeup on around there but for the most part, it takes off all my other makeup with ease. I really enjoy this and extremely happy I received it in my FabFitFun box. You can find it at Sephora or on the Makeup Eraser website and I would highly recommend picking one up.

ProCIV Makeup Remover Pads

Another reusable item that I’ve been enjoying lately is the ProCIV Makeup Remover Pads I ordered from Amazon (check them out here). This came as a set of 16 and while there is an option to get all white pads, I went for the set with blue/green pads only because I know that white clothes tend to stain quicker for me when I use them to remove dark makeup such as eyeliner or mascara. There are a bunch of different sellers of similar products on Amazon but this one had high reviews so I figured I would try it.

How I use this

These are made with bamboo fabric which is soft. It has a double layer of thin fabric that’s been sewn together on the edge. It’s gentle by not flimsy. I would soak an area of the pads with micellar water and use one side of the pad to remove eyeliner and mascara and the other side to remove makeup on my face. These pads are great for removing face mask residue too.

What I personally like about the ProCIV Makeup Remover Pads is that they are large, about 3 inches in diameter. The pads are really large that I could easily use it to remove makeup from all over my face. I’m happy I chose a set that came in multiple colours because I could designate each colour for something different, ie blue cloth for eyes, green for face, white for nail polish removal etc. Currently, I’m only using this for my face but I could see how these could easily do everything I use my current cotton pads do.

Washing it

I keep the clean pads in a glass jar. I use one pad each day to remove my eye makeup and lipsticks/glosses. The set came with a draw-string mesh bag that I use to collect all the dirty pads into and then at the end of the week I throw the bag and its contents into the washing machine. After the wash, I’ve put these into the dryer and they come out great. The pads hold together well and I don’t see any changes in the fabric itself. They’ve gone through the washing machine a few times now since I’ve purchased them and they are still the same.

My thoughts

I’ll be honest. I was a bit skeptical about these pads because you can’t always trust the quality of the items you purchase from Amazon. I was nervous they might not be soft or would fall apart after a wash or two but they’ve been amazing so far! As much as I love my thick cotton pads that I purchase from Shiseido and Muji, I really wanted to make an effort, especially for 2020, to reduce my use of disposable one-time use items and go for reusable ones. These have completely replaced those cotton pads with ease. I would highly recommend them!

So there you have it! A little review of the Makeup Eraser and the ProCIV makeup Pads. Have you tried either of these products or something similar from other brands? What other reusable beauty products do you use?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Bye Bye Empties, January 2020

February 7, 2020February 7, 2020 littlebeautyloves10 Comments

I took a break from my Instagram during January. It was great to take a small step back from social media and focus on myself. I feel like with the weather (which is really grey and snowy) and with the new year, I felt like I just wanted a refresh. After a large December empties and declutter, January had much less used up items.

Here’s what I used up!

Skincare

Nivea MicellAIR Skin Breathe Micellar Water. This was gentle and effective, removing my mascara and eyeliner with ease. As well as using micellar water to remove my makeup at the end of the day, I used it in the mornings to rinse my face before I applied makeup. This worked super well. I would repurchase this.

Caudalie Grape Water. This mist lasts forever!!!! I have had this bottle for a couple years and over that time I’ve been making an effort to use it every day. I’ve finally used it up! The mist is very fine and it disperses evenly on the skin. I would use this after washing my face, before applying serum or moisturizer. I also used it on top of makeup as a re-hydrating, finishing spray. Some people swear by this product and say that it helps hydrate their skin. I personally thought it was OK. It wasn’t super hydrating and I would have to follow-up with moisturizer if I was going to keep my skin from feeling extremely dry. It just left my skin feeling wet. I’ve used face mists that work a lot better than this and cost me a lot less too. I won’t be repurchasing this.

Body Care

Being by Sanctuary Spa Hibiscus & Coconut Water Shower Burst. I am obsessed with shower gels and soap bars. I think of all the bath items, these are things I get most excited about. I mean, if you got me a basket full of Bath & Body Works shower gels I would be the happiest person! I enjoyed that this was a foaming wash. The scent is really fruity which is not my favourite. I also like my shower gel to double as bubble bath and this, unfortunately, does not. I won’t be repurchasing this.

Hair Care

Head & Shoulders Shampoo Deep Moisture. Another Head & Shoulders shampoo in the empties bin! It’s my favourite shampoo and if you’ve been here before you know every few months I use one up! I already have one open and would repurchase.

~~~

There you have it, my little collection of empties for January. I am happy that at least I used up items that were large bottle sizes. After December and my big empties and declutter post, there wasn’t much left to use up in January.

What items did you use up in January?

Lots of Love,
Dal

FabFitFun Box, Winter 2019 Edition

January 30, 2020January 30, 2020 littlebeautyloves7 Comments

I subscribed to FabFitFun because I wanted to try something different than the monthly makeup subscription boxes I had before.

FabfitFun (“FFF”) is a seasonal subscription service with beauty, skincare, fitness, health, jewelry and other items. The box comes with a magazine that shares articles on life, health, beauty etc. as well as details on all the products in the box.

Membership Breakdown

Annual Membership

When I signed up I chose the annual subscription option. If you sign up for the annual box you get select status. As part of select status, you can get early access to add-ons and the ability to customize some items in the box prior to shipping. You also get early shipping. The annual membership costs $179.99 USD plus shipping and taxes (shipping is $8 USD to Canada each quarter, you are billed for 4 quarters in advance). You save $20 by signing up for the annual subscription (which in my case covers some of my shipping costs). I prepaid for the boxes and shipping for 4 boxes in one invoice.

Seasonal Membership

For the seasonal membership, you pay $49.99 USD plus shipping. You purchase each box individually but this is a great way to just test out a box without committing to the annual subscription. Seasonal members don’t get access to select status.

For annual and seasonal members the contents of the boxes are valued at $200+ USD.

Annual Access Membership

If you don’t want the box but want access into the other perks of FabFitFun there is also an annual access membership for $79.99 USD. This membership gets access into FFF’s digital perks which include FFFTV, FFF Community, early access to member-only sales, and early shipping.

All FabFitFun members get access to FFF TV, FFF Shop and sales. Membership also includes access to the FabFitFun Community.

On to what was in my box! I’ll include a note if this was something I chose or if it was an item everyone received in the box.

ban.do Bluetooth Shower Speaker
MSRP: $35.00 USD

This is a water-resistant speaker with up to a 32-foot range. I like the floral pattern on this speaker. I put it into my shower and used it a few times now. It has a loud, clear sound even with my shower running. I like that I can skip songs, adjust the volume and answer calls while in the shower. It’s a really great device that I might not have purchased for myself but I like that I have it

I chose this item

Karuna Face For All Face & Eye Mask Set
MSRP: $42.00 USD

This included 6 face masks and 1 eye mask. I haven’t tried any of these masks just yet but I do like having them for when I have a pampering day or when I want to prep my skin before wearing a full face of makeup. I feel you can never go wrong with a face mask and I like that this has a variety of them including anti-ageing, purifying, hydrating, exfoliating, etc.

I chose this item

Vooray Sidekick Crossbody Bag
MSRP: $17.99 USD

This is a water-resistant small crossbody bag. I really enjoy bags like this in the summer because I can easily carry around my essentials. One thing about me is that I don’t like carrying around large bags. This has one large compartment that I can keep everything in. I chose this partly because I liked the bag and because I thought it would be fun to get something different than skincare or makeup.

I chose this item

Ahava Salt Bag
MSRP: $17.00 USD

Sea salt helps ease muscle tension and leaves you with soft skin. Again, another great item for pampering. For a bag of sea salt, this is pretty expensive but I decided to get this because I wasn’t really interested in the other items being offered.

I chose this item

Cuccio Somatology Calm + Clean Epsom Salt Hand and Body Wash
MSRP: $39.95 USD

I love me some new hand/body wash. This has a relaxing blend of lavender oil, pro-vitamin B5, and shea butter. I think this would make a great body wash because it has the added hydrating benefits which I love since I have dry skin.

I chose this item

Drybar Prep Rally Prime & Prep Detangler
MSRP: $23.00 USD

This lightweight detangler uses biotin, vitamins B and C, and seaberry oil to protect hair against heat (up to 450 F) and leave hair soft and conditioned. I heat style my hair so I like having a product that is meant to protect it. I like Drybar products so I’m really excited I get to try more from this brand.

Everyone received this item.

MakeUp Eraser
MSRP: $20.00 USD

This reusable makeup remover removes makeup using only water. I’ve been using this for the past few weeks since receiving it so I’ll share a review of it soon.

I’ve always wanted to try this item because it does get a lot of good reviews. One side has sort fibres to remove makeup and the other side has longer fibres to exfoliate the skin. You just wet it with water and use it to wash your face. I like that this is large so I can use it multiple times before I need to wash it. It’s machine washable.

Everyone received this item.

R+Co Television Perfect Hair Shampoo and Conditioner
MSRP: $64.00 USD (for both)

I love getting shampoo and conditioner sets because they are great to travel with or as a gift. I’m excited to try these and see if they actually give me TV hair, haha!

Everyone received this item.

My Thoughts

These are awesome items! I’m so happy with the variety of products I received. Some other customizable options for this box also included; a beanie and arm warmer set, a candle, blanket, slippers, lash serum, necklace, makeup palette and monthly planner.

What was great for me is that I was able to customize 5 of the 8 items in the box which meant that I got products I knew I would personally enjoy. That’s what really set this subscription apart from others for me. While I love a good surprise box, I also like being able to choose what I know I will want for the season.

Total Value: $258.94 USD ($342.27 CAD)

Do you subscribe to FabFitFun? What did you receive in your Winter 2019 Box?

Lots of Love,
Dal

FabFitFun Box, Starter Box

January 20, 2020January 20, 2020 littlebeautyloves8 Comments

I recently subscribed to FabFitFun. I always see advertisements for this and I’ve watched a few unboxings on YouTube that I thought I might as well sign up and try it for a year.

FabFitFun is a seasonal subscription service. The items in the box range from beauty, skincare, fitness, health, jewelry etc. I figured this would be a great way to get other items rather than just makeup like I was receiving in my other boxes.

FFFStarter2020_LBL (1)

When I signed up there was a promotion to receive a second box of surprises worth $150US ($195CAD). I figured that was a better deal than just receiving $10 off the box (their usual promo). Unlike the Winter Box, I didn’t get to choose any of the items so I didn’t know what I was going to get in the box.

Today’s post I’ll focus on the Starter Box and then in my next post I’ll share what I got in the Winter Edition Box.

FFFStarter2020_LBL (4)

What I really enjoy is that both the winter edition and this box included a magazine. This has a lot of great little articles as well as descriptions of what you received in the box. I enjoyed reading this!

On to what was in the box!

Grown Alchemist Hydra-Repair Day Cream ($60.00CAD)

FFFStarter2020_LBL (5)

This is a facial moisturizer that hydrates the skin without leaving residual oil or shine on the skin. I had to go into the website to figure out what this was because the packaging didn’t have too much information. I enjoy moisturizers so I’m happy to receive one in this box.

Moroccan Gold Series Leave-in Mask ($50.95 CAD)

FFFStarter2020_LBL (6)

This leave-in mask seals in moisture, protects against heat and UV damage, detangles hair and seals split ends. I have a lot of hair items so I ended up passing this along to someone else. I do think this would have been a good product to try because I do have dry hair and I’m always styling my hair but, again, I do have a lot of hair masks and serums so I thought it didn’t make sense to hold on to it.

Spongelle Black Orchid Body Wash Infused Buffer ($20.88CAD)

FFFStarter2020_LBL (7)

This was a limited edition product made exclusively for FabFitFun. These buffers have a built-in body wash and are infused with extracts of yuzu, edelweiss and vetiver root. I like the idea of a body wash infused buffer. I can see this being very handy to travel with.

FFFStarter2020_LBL (9)

I haven’t tried this yet but I hope that it lathers up well. I like that the sponge looks like a flower and feels like it could be very soft. I wasn’t able to smell it but looking at reviews a lot of people seem to enjoy it!

Yumi Kim Wunderlust Makeup Travel Case ($65.35CAD)

FFFStarter2020_LBL (8)

I was most excited about this item in the starter box. It’s a travel makeup/toiletries bag that has three internal zippered sections to keep everything contained and a hook to hang on a doorknob or hook.

FFFStarter2020_LBL (10)

I have a few different travel bags that I enjoy using but I really how this is all compact while still being able to carry a lot of items in one place. I like the compartments to keep everything organized. Two of the compartments are deeper so that I can put in bottles and larger items, and a smaller zipped compartment for little tools or items that would normally get lost in the large compartment. I can’t wait to use this for an overnight stay. I wonder if it will completely replace the 2-3 separate bags I carry now.

Thoughts

Overall, for a free box that came with the purchase of the Winter Box, there are a lot of good products in here that I’m happy to try out. What I love about this box is that it had a variety of different items that I will use.

Total Value: $197.18 CAD ($150.88 USD)

Are you subscribed to FabFitFun? What do you think of this subscription box and service?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Bye Bye Empties, December 2019

January 4, 2020 littlebeautyloves7 Comments

December is always a fun month for me. Everyone is in the holiday spirit and I get to enjoy time off from work to spend with my family & friends.

I wanted to start the new year fresh so this month I not only used up a lot of products but I also went through what I have and did a declutter. Any opened item that I had not been using over the last year or smelled like it was getting old was tossed out. I no longer have the desire to build a huge makeup collection or hold on to items that aren’t doing anything for me. While I love trying new things if those items no longer bring me joy months afterwards what is the point of keeping them. By having a no buy this year I really felt like I was using up what I had and paying attention to every item I keep in my stash. Anyways, it’s so refreshing to start the new year with more space! I’m debating if I do a no-buy or low-buy for 2020.

On to what I used up!

Skincare and Makeup

Consonant Come Clean Makeup Wipes. These were really good makeup wipes. They do a great job of gently removing makeup around my eyes and face. The cloth is very sturdy and soft too. I’m reducing my use of makeup wipes and moving towards more re-useable options (makeup eraser and reusable cotton pads) but I still have a few packages of this left so I will use them. I like to keep makeup wipes on hand for extremely lazy days or travelling but I’m not going to be using them as often as I have been in the past so after I finish up the other packets I have I will refrain from repurchasing this unless I’m going somewhere.

Delectable Everything Balm. I used this whenever my hands or cuticles felt really dry, over my lips, on my face, on my hair. It really is a good balm for anywhere on the body. I enjoyed the cupcake scent that wasn’t too sweet or overpowering. I currently have a balm that is very similar to this from Dr. Lipp so I won’t be repurchasing this anytime soon.

Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment. I did not enjoy this at all. I have pretty resilient skin but this was very harsh and made it feel itchy. The moment I put it on I felt I strange sensation on my face. I’m not sure if maybe I might have some aversion to an ingredient but this, unfortunately, was a pass for me. Lucky it was only a sample size so I got to test it out but I won’t be purchasing this.

They’re Real Mascara (Sample Size). This will always be one of my favourite mascaras. Sample size or full, I use this up so easily. It separates and coats each lash with a deep black colour and helps fan out my lashes for a fuller look. I would definitely repurchase this. I actually have one as back up!

Haircare & Body Care

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Beautiful Brown. While I don’t use dry shampoo too often because my hair is dry naturally I still enjoy it every once in a while if I need to make my style last one or two more days. I enjoy the Batiste brand because I enjoy the scent and feel like it doesn’t weigh my hair down or make it feel extra greasy after a day. This particular one had a brown tint which I really didn’t care for. I actually just like the original so I won’t be repurchasing this particular one.

Hadaka Butterful Marula Butter Cream. I started using this towards the end of summer in rotation with other body creams I have and fell in love with it. It has a citrus scent which I enjoyed and the texture was very light and creamy. It absorbed into the skin so nicely. I would repurchase this.

Decluttered Items

I wanted to share in pictures some of the products I decluttered from my collection. I won’t go into each product in detail but a lot of these items are not empty, they just either smell old now or I know I haven’t been using over the past year.

A lot of these are are all mascaras, eyeliners and lipsticks. There are a few body care items here too.

All are items that shouldn’t have been in my stash for more than 3-6 months after being opened but a lot has been with me for 2-3 years!

It was about time to just toss them out. This was good because it was just taking up room in my makeup box and making it harder to find the stuff I actually do enjoy.

So these are my empties for December! Clearly, including the items I decluttered here makes me feel pretty good about what I’ve used up or tossed out. All in all, having a no-buy for 2019 really helped keep my stash manageable and helped ensure I focus on using what I have.

What items have you used up for December?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Favourite Products of 2019

December 31, 2019 littlebeautyloves9 Comments

This year there were a lot of products that I enjoyed and I’m going to share a few of them here. For 2019, I was on a no-buy and that allowed me to really use up a lot of products that I have in my collection and figure out what I enjoyed. I also had a monthly Project Pan so that I could focus on using up some products in my stash too. I did a lot of decluttering and had lots of empty products. Overall, I was able to reduce the amount of makeup and skincare I had which really felt so good. It’s interesting because a year or two ago, I was obsessed with collecting and buying new beauty items and wanted to grow my collection. I think I started to find last year that I wasn’t as excited with new makeup as I was with re-discovering what I had.

Jacklyn Hill x Morphe Eyeshadow Palette

I did a full review of this product which you can find here and I also featured this in my Project Pan for March which you can read the round-up of here. I even used it for my pretty pink makeup look. What I love about this palette is that I can open it up and create so many easy day looks, some elegant or smokey evening looks and some fun colourful looks. The shades work well all year long because you have some nice neutrals, pinks, oranges, blues, greens and even a purple.

The formula is also pretty good. I was creating a blue eye shadow look with my Alyssa Edwards x Anastasia Palette and I couldn’t get the blue in that palette to work so I ended up creating the looking using mostly the Jacklyn Hill palette because that blue was so much easier to work with! I don’t get bored with this palette either. I loved this in 2019!

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit – Volume 4

I could go on and on about how I love how this palette looks on my skin so if you are curious about my thoughts on this take a look at my reviews here and here It’s so finely milled that it really takes on a second-skin effect rather than looking like powder on the face. I was hesitant at first to purchase the palette because it is very pricey and the only way I justified getting this was during the Sephora VIB Sale. This is one of the only palettes where I wear all the different pans of products. The face powder, highlight, bronzer and blushes all work so well together and work well on me. Plus, I’ve been using this almost daily for the past two months and I don’t see a dent in the pans! It’s really not cakey or powdery.

Garnier Skin Active BB Cream 5 in 1 Miracle Skin Perfecter

I really love BB Creams. I am not really picky about what I use as long as it’s light in texture and is moisturizer. This one from Garnier works so well. You can read my review of this here. The texture feels whipped so it’s very light and airy on the skin. It helps even out my skin tone without being super heavy. It’s moisturizing too. Since receiving this in the summer I’ve worn it almost every day. I wore this a lot for work because it gave me enough coverage without looking overdone. I also enjoyed it on days that I was just running some errands because it helped me look awake without it being too much makeup that would feel like it clogged my pores. It was just a solid product that really was versatile for me this year.

Physicians Formula Super BB Instaready Bronzer

Lastly, I wore this bronzer so much this year and it’s almost completely used up! This started off in my Project Pan in 2018 when I had chosen 18 products to use throughout the whole year. I broke it, put it back together and then continued to use it. You can see a review of this here. I found that I was reaching for this bronzer time and time again. This shade is light so it works with my skin tone and my love of more natural-looking makeup. I also like that it’s cool-toned so it didn’t look orange against my skin and also doubled as a contour.

I love the formula because it’s finely milled and doesn’t have a lot of fall-out so I don’t have to worry if I go a bit heavy-handed with this. It is super easy to build up to my desired look. I originally was trying to use this up so I could move on to other bronzers but I think I might just repurchase this one instead because I know it works perfectly on me. Why change something that isn’t broken, right?

All in all, these are some of the products I was loving in 2019. I did have other products I liked but I didn’t want this post to be too long so I focused on items I know I couldn’t go without in my collection and that I genuinely used all the time.

What are some of your favourite products that got a lot of love in 2019?

Lots of Love,
Dal

PS. Wishing you a happy new year!

Project Pan Monthly: November Roundup & December Items

December 12, 2019December 12, 2019 littlebeautyloves2 Comments

I got good use out of my Project Pan items in November. I picked products that were very common for me to apply every day and that made it pretty easy to be consistent with using them often. I used my items about 27/30 days in November.

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 mascara, liner, skincare, body care, fragrance, etc.)

November Round-Up

I used the Dose of Colors Baked Browns eyeshadow palette every day that I wore makeup in the month of November. The palette has a lot of fallout so when you look at the pans themselves it appears as if a lot was used, but it’s mostly because the shadows were very soft. I enjoyed putting a few looks together with the palette but I did get pretty tired of it by the end of the month only because it doesn’t have the greatest variety.

Now, one thing I really enjoyed using in November is my Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette Vol.4. This is a fantastic face palette that has everything I need in one place with a great mirror. I had two options for face powder and blush so I didn’t get tired of it and the finely milled powder sat wonderfully on my face. The shades work well with my complexion too so it was easy to constantly want to reach for this.

My Urban Decay Lipstick and CoverFX Custom Enhancer Drops did not get as much use this month. I think for both I used them in the first week and then stopped. I might have used the lipstick one or two times after that but definitely not the drops. I think the CoverFX Custom Enhancer Drops is starting to really get old so the formula is a lot thicker than it used to be and isn’t blending well on my face. So I think I will toss it out. The Urban Decay Lipstick is still good and I’ll likely wear it from time to time in December when I do a festive makeup look.

My December Items

One Eyeshadow Palette – Anastasia Beverly Hills x Alyssa Edwards Palette
One Lip Item – Weir’s Lane Lavender Lip Balm
One Face Item – Laura Gellar Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator
One Random Item – NudebyNature Perfecting Primer

I am so EXCITED to be switching to a colourful palette this month and using the Alyssa Edwards Palette by Anastasia Beverly Hills! I’ve already started using Headliner, Inspire, Unicorn Tribe, The Supreme, H.O.E and Beast from the palette. I’ll need to come up with a few looks to put up for the Holidays on my Instagram!

This month I also chose to include a lip balm, well because of Winter and dry skin!

Lastly, I decided to include the Laura Gellar Illuminator because the pan swirl and shade is so beautiful that I had to use it! The Primer is in there so that I can use it with the palette and since I’ve been enjoying adding primer around my nose to keep my makeup from coming off in that area. Plus the primer smells like lemons and I love it!

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

Lots of Love,
Dal

Bye Bye Empties, November 2019

December 9, 2019December 8, 2019 littlebeautyloves4 Comments

The November weather was so mild and beautiful. It’s not every year that I actually get to enjoy the Fall season before it starts snowing and it gets really cold. It’s finally caught up with us though, winter came in pretty heavy over the weekend and now it is here. I did a lot of Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping because there were a lot of good deals. Did you do any Black Friday or Cyber Monday shopping?

Here’s 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

Shiseido Sports BB Cream. I used this a lot while I was in Jamaica back in April and then again in summer here. I love that this has a high SPF which is fantastic on days I know I’m spending the majority of it outdoors. The colour wasn’t the best match for me but otherwise, I liked this! I like that it’s designed for water and sports. I am currently using the IT Cosmetics CC Cream that has SPF as well so I won’t be repurchasing this anytime soon.

Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer. I received this to test out and I really enjoyed it for my skin. Since it’s hydrating I found myself reaching out for it frequently even though I’ve never been someone who would remember to use toner. I would probably repurchase this.

Laneige Water Bank Hydro Essence. I got this sample with an order that I’ve been using under my moisturizer. I enjoy Laneige products because they are so light and gel-like while still being hydrating. I would repurchase this.

Face Mask

#primer mask. I thought it was a great concept to have a mask that was a primer to use before applying makeup. This left my skin feeling smooth and prepped. Although I’m not sure if I’d repurchase this exact item, I’m sure I’ll pick up more masks like it.

Wander Beauty Gold Eye Mask. I broke my no-buy to purchase a pack of these during the Sephora VIB sale. I love this mask for hydrating the skin underneath my eyes. I enjoy using this to prep that area before I know I’m going out so that I look refreshed. I would repurchase this.

Makeup

Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer. This was a real concealer because it was really lightweight. I would repurchase this except that I have a few other concealers in my stash that I need to use up.

Benefit High Brow. I received this in a brow set from Benefit. I didn’t really use this or like it very much. It always just made under my brows look very dry. I decided I would just toss this out since I’m not using it. I would not repurchase this.

Tarte Big Ego Mascara. This came in my BoxyCharm and at first, I was pretty excited to try this out because I like a few mascaras from Tarte. This one was a bit dry and didn’t add anything to my lashes. I would not repurchase this.

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So these are my empties for November! I feel like I did a good job of using up a lot of items. I notice a difference in my stash now that I haven’t been purchasing any new items in my stash.

What items have you used up for November?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Dose Of Colors Bake Browns Eyeshadow: Palette Collection Review Series

November 25, 2019November 27, 2019 littlebeautyloves9 Comments

There are times when I appreciate a simple 5 pan palette especially when all the colours are meant to work together and it’s easy to just put together a couple of looks. That’s what I like about the Dose of Colors Baked Browns Eyeshadow palette. I find it convenient to just throw 2-3 shades together on my lids and be done with it. I don’t mull over the palette thinking about what would look good together and what I feel like wearing that day. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy coming up with fun looks but sometimes, especially when I’m heading to work, I just want something easy.

What It Is

A selection of warm-toned matte shadows, Baked Browns Eyeshadow Palette creates everything from neutral everyday eye looks to deep, dark smoky effects. (beautybay.com)

Price

$48.70 CAD (8.5g – $5.73/g) This is a pricey eyeshadow palette in terms of dollar per gram. I think it’s the second priciest I own after the Estee Lauder Color Envy Sculpting Eyeshadow, see it here.

I received this in my October Boxycharm where I paid $33.00 CAD for the whole box and received other items along with the palette. I wouldn’t purchase this on it’s own. I got the cost from Beautybay.com (which has Canadian pricing and ships to Canada for those who might be interested in getting this)

Packaging

I love the rose chrome colour of the palette itself. I like the sleek style of it too. It’s not very big being only 2″ X 5″ so I can easily store it away. The packaging feels like high-quality plastic. Even though I don’t use it too much I do like that it has a mirror. Inside the shades are laid out from lightest to darkest which is appealing to me.

This comes with a double sided brush. One end is a small blending brush and the other end is a pencil brush. I’ve used this brush quite a bit to apply colour to my lower lash line with the blending end and used the pencil side to apply a smoky line to my upper lash line. It adds value to this product for me.

Colour

I was really happy to receive the baked Browns in my Boxycharm because I knew I’d get good use out of it. These shades are ones that I have been using every day for my project pan. The colours all work together.

I love the warm tone of this palette and how it looks on my eyes. My favourite shades are Outdoorsy and Cherry Wood.

Now, if you like variety in your palettes, this one is definitely not for you. However, if you like a smooth, blendable formula and this 5 pan style, you will enjoy this. It does come in other shades including mauves, berries, etc.

Application & Wear

One thing I’ll address right away here is that these shades are very dusty. They create so much fall out in the pan. After using this for a month I’ve noticed that a lot of excess product is wasted out of the pans and it looks like I’ve used this more than I actually have.

Since it produces A LOT of fallout I have to be careful with how much product I put on my brush, especially if I’m doing my eyes after I apply foundation. I usually go for a simple look day-to-day but if I’m going for something deeper or smokier I need to apply this first and then foundation so I’m able to clean it up.

The upside of this is that they blend so effortlessly on the eyes. I can pull a look together very quickly because this is so easy to blend. I enjoy how easily I can put a look together with this.

My Looks

This first look is one that I wear most days for work. I applied Tealight all over the lid and then applied Deserted in my crease and deepened it just slightly with outdoorsy. For liner I used Rock Bottom. I used deserted in my lower lash line.

For this look above I put Deserted all over the lid and then used Cherry Wood in the crease. I then took some of Rock Bottom and blended it into the outer edge of my lash line. I used Rock Bottom in my lower lash line and blending it out with deserted.

The Breakdown

Pros

sturdy palette
easy to blend

Cons

not much colour variety
lots of fallout
price

My Thoughts

Overall, I really love this palette! The colours are ones I enjoy wearing and I like the formula and blend ability. I would recommend this palette except that the price is a bit high.

Have you tried this palette or any others from Dose of Colors?

Lots of Love,
Dal

New Light Coverage Bases in My Stash

November 18, 2019November 16, 2019 littlebeautyloves5 Comments

Recently, I have been using BB Creams a lot more than a foundation. I feel like full-coverage foundation never looked good on me because it always felt like it sat on top of my skin and highlighted a lot of the drier areas. BB Creams and Light-Coverage Foundations were more natural-looking on my face.

Here are two that I’ve been using frequently over the last couple months. (I also picked up a mini size of the It Cosmetics CC Cream which was a recommendation by Cat at MyLipAddiction.com 🙂 I’ll test that one out when I get it and let you know what I think!)

Garnier Skin Active BB Cream 5 in 1 Miracle Skin Perfecter (Normal to Dry Skin)

I received this in the summer at the Chick Advisory Cinq a Sept event. It made it into my Monthly Project Pan for September as well. At first I was mixing this with my foundation to thin it out but then I thought the coverage was good enough on it’s own so I started applying it without mixing it into anything else. This combines skincare and coverage.

This claims to renew, brighten, even, hydrate for 24H and protect the skin. I like that it has a whipped texture which makes the formula feel light and is easy to smooth out onto my skin. It feels more like a moisturizer. I usually apply a less moisturizer when I’m wearing this because it’s pretty hydrating on its own. This has caffeine, antioxidant vitamin C and tinted mineral pigments in the formula.

The colour isn’t the best match on me but because it’s a thin and light consistency you hardly notice the difference. It blends in effortlessly so I find that it will even out my skin tone while letting my natural skin show through so it’s not as noticeable that the shade is not a 100% match.

Overall I really enjoy the texture, tone and hydrating feel of this BB Cream. I would recommend this!

NYX Cosmetics Bare with Me Tinted Skin Veil

I received the tinted veil as part of a ChickAdvisor campaign where I had the chance to try it and then post a review. Unlike the Garnier BB Cream, the texture of the skin veil is a lot closer to a foundation than it is a moisturizer.

This claims to be a smooth and weightless formula with light, breathable coverage and has a seamless, satiny finish. The formula is light and smooth and really does just give a veil of coverage. I just found that it didn’t blend out as easily with my fingers and required a brush to really get it to smooth out.

When I’m wearing the skin veil I make do my full moisturizing routine because it doesn’t have any moisturizers like a BB Cream would. If you like light coverage foundation, this would definitely be for you!

What I like about this product is that the shade itself is a great match for my skin tone. I generally don’t have to worry about it being a perfect match because it is just a thin layer of coverage but I do like that it really mimics my skin. It’s also really easy to layer and blend other makeup on top of it. I find that because this base is more satin-like, any concealer, blush, powder tends to sit on it real nicely.

I would recommend this product too! It’s nice to switch out from a BB Cream every once in a while and use a formula that is more like foundation without the high coverage.

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Those are the new bases I have in my stash that are light coverage. If you are curious of other BB Creams I’ve tried in the past you can take a look at my reviews here.

What do you think of the above products? Do you like items like BB Cream or would you tend toward a veil? Or do you enjoy medium or high-coverage bases instead? I’d love to know your thoughts!

Lots of Love,
Dal

littlebeautyloves

I like Makeup and I blog about it!

Author: littlebeautyloves

Makeup Eraser & ProCIV Reusable Pad Review

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How I use this

Washing it

My Thoughts

ProCIV Makeup Remover Pads

How I use this

Washing it

My thoughts

Bye Bye Empties, January 2020

Skincare

Body Care

Hair Care

FabFitFun Box, Winter 2019 Edition

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FabFitFun Box, Starter Box

Bye Bye Empties, December 2019

Skincare and Makeup

Haircare & Body Care

Decluttered Items

Favourite Products of 2019

Jacklyn Hill x Morphe Eyeshadow Palette

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit – Volume 4

Garnier Skin Active BB Cream 5 in 1 Miracle Skin Perfecter

Physicians Formula Super BB Instaready Bronzer

Project Pan Monthly: November Roundup & December Items

Project Pan Monthly

November Round-Up

My December Items

Bye Bye Empties, November 2019

Skincare

Face Mask

Makeup

Dose Of Colors Bake Browns Eyeshadow: Palette Collection Review Series

New Light Coverage Bases in My Stash