Bye Bye Empties, March 2019

April 1, 2019March 30, 2019 littlebeautyloves4 Comments

Spring is officially here in Toronto! It’s slowly getting warmer and although there are some rainy days it’s been equally sunny and I love it! The days are getting longer, and soon it’ll be patio season! I’ve had some ups and downs this month, but I’m looking forward to what April has in store. The last two months I’ve had quite a lot of empties so I’m not surprised I don’t have as many items in March because a lot of my current items are recently opened.

*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

L’Oreal Revitalift Triple Power LZR (Sample). The texture of this face cream is interesting. It’s like a hybrid between a gel and cream and it feels so good on the skin. It blends in so easily and it was good at leaving my skin moisturized. The sample lasted about 3 uses so I can’t say that I noticed a brightening effect but I did really like the texture so I might be interested in picking this up in a full-size.

L’Oreal Micellar Water Complete Cleanser. I thought this micellar water is alright. I think the big test for me is how well a micellar water can break down my eye makeup and mascara. This one did a good job but it did leave behind some residue for some of my more stubborn makeup (waterproof mascara). I did like it as a precleanse for before I washed my face. I have quite a few micellar waters to use up so I’m not sure I would repurchase this one until I’ve tested the other new ones I’m currently using.

Garnier Moisture Bomb Gel Cream (Sample). I received this sample in my July 2018 Topbox. Once I finally got around to opening this I used it up after 5 uses, I enjoyed it so much. This is a great everyday moisturizer that leaves my skin super hydrated but is also really light in texture. I would definitely repurchase this.

Shiseido Facial Cotton. This is an item that I’ve shared in an empties post before. Whenever I there is a spend your points event through Shoppers Drug Mart I always pick up a pack of these. I actually have two packs of the MUJI Cut Cotton pads which are practically dupes of these guys so I won’t be repurchasing these any time soon.

Makeup

Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Pencil. I picked this up when I was shopping online on the Tarte website a few months ago because I needed a brow pencil and I figured I would test this out. I got the shade medium brown which works with my brows. I like this formula because it’s creamy but not so much that I’m afraid it’s going to rub off my eyebrows so quickly, but it does apply easily. I really like it and I would repurchase this.

Benefit Dew the Hoola Bronzer (Sample). This is a bronzer I got at the Benefit booth at GenBeauty 3 years ago. When I first started using this I didn’t really like it until I found a method that worked for me which was to use my beauty blender to blend this into my skin and then I was using this all the time. I was pretty sad when I used this up so I know when I’m done my no-buy for this year I’m going to pick up a full size of this!

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There you have it! My empties for March. There isn’t that many items, but I’m glad I used up some items that I’ve had in my stash for some time.

What items have you used up for March?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Bronze it Up! My Current Bronzer Collection

March 30, 2019 littlebeautyloves12 Comments

I love wearing bronzers to give dimension and glow to my face. I was going through my collection and noticed I had four in my current rotation. I thought I’d go through some of the bronzers, especially since I have one of them in my Project Pan for March.

Physicians Formula Super BB Instaready Bronzer

I picked this up at GenBeauty 3 years ago and the bronzer is still going strong! This was part of my Project Pan in 2018 which you can read the round-up of here. I did hit pan with this item but it’s so dry that it ended up crumbling and I had to press it back together, hence the pan looking quite bumpy.

I like this bronzer because it gives a really sutble hint of colour. Just enough that it’s noticeable on my skin, which is great because when I’m in a rush out the door I don’t have to worry about blending it out too much. If I wear contour, I tend to prefer to blend that out with this bronzer because it’s very cool toned and helps everything look smooth.

Ciate London Bamboo Bronzer (Sample)

This guy is in my current Project Pan for March so I definitely wanted to include a little review of it here. The formula is very smooth so it looks really pretty on the skin. It is a lot more pigmented in comparison to the Physicians Formula bronzer so I do have to be careful that I don’t over apply it and make sure that I blend this out very well.

This is warm-toned so I prefer to wear this when I’m wearing warmed toned eyeshadow and blush or else it can look muddy on me. I’ve been diligent about using this so I have hit pan which I’m very excited about. I love wearing this in my crease as well, so it has doubled as an eyeshadow for me.

Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzing Powder (mini size)

I must say that I’m always repurchasing this particular bronzer because when it comes to shade, pigmentation and formula I’m most comfortable using this. It’s as pigmented as the Ciate London Bronzer but the cool shade is a better match for my skin tone so it looks a lot more natural on me. This formula really blends into the skin rather than sits on top so overall it does look more flattering on me.

My one qualm with this palette is that I’m not into the box packaging. If I had room in my magnetic palette I would de-pot this. I don’t think you’d have the same issue with the regular size, but my bronzer brush hardly fits in the mini size so it never picks up product equally. I know this is the Benefit style packaging, but it’s pretty bulky.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit – Volume 4 Bronzer in Filtered Bronze Light

I originally wasn’t going to include this bronzer because the palette is no longer available and I couldn’t find this colour in the single style compact but I am loving the formula and you can get other shades in this range from Hourglass.

This palette is recent to my collection so I haven’t used it too often, but whenever I have I am always so happy with how it looks on my skin. The bronzer is so finely milled and so soft that it really melts into the skin. It’s lightly pigmented like my Physicians Formula bronzer which again I like because I can quickly apply it and be out the door. This, however, has a slight sheen to it which really makes my skin glow.

Mix it with the other face powders in this palette and my skin looks so nice and healthy which is a happy change for me compared it looking really dry. The only downside is that the pan is pretty small and my bronzing brush is large so I find I have to be careful I don’t mix in the other colours.

Swatches

There you have it, my little collection of current bronzers that I rotate through on a daily basis. What bronzers are in your collection? What bronzer do you love the most and why?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Unboxing BoxyCharm, March 2019

March 26, 2019March 24, 2019 littlebeautyloves8 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 “’la vie en rose”.

I think it’s a cute theme for spring and a lot of the items has rose gold packaging.

PRICES ARE IN USD, CONVERTED TO CAD AT THE END

CoverFX Perfector Face Palette
MSRP: $45.00 USD

I am loving the layout and colours in this face palette. It fits with my style and I like the colours in it. I like CoverFX products so I’m pretty excited to try this formula. The highlights are beautiful and the blush is a pretty pink that I would wear everyday.

The packaging feels very sturdy so I suspect it would be great for travel. The nice thing about taking this on the go is that you will have everything you need for the face in one place. I personally would even use the contour and bronze shade on my eyes.

Wander Beauty Lift off Purifying and Brightening Pell Off Mask
MSRP: $34.00 USD

This mask contains acai, goji berry, blueberry, lychee, mangosteen, kaolin clay and green tea extract all which are great items for the skin. I haven’t used a peel-off mask in a while but I am interested in trying one to purify and replenish my skin. What makes this mask interesting is that it is rose gold.

MODA Brushes Powder and Soft Glow Kit
MSRP: $29.99 USD

This is a 2-piece powder and highlight brush. They are really soft and fluffy brushes. I like the style of the brush handles too, the rose gold and tapered style makes them easy to hold and really fancy.

I have brushes that are similar so I might save them as a gift for a friend but I think they are fantastic brushes.

Ofra Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick
MSRP: $20.00 USD

These liquid lipsticks are creamy and soft in texture and are meant to be long-lasting and full colour. This colour is really pretty but it’s darker from what I would usually like to wear so I think I might save this for a friend who likes darker shades.

Manna Kadar Bloom Mascara
MSRP: $29.00 USD

I find it’s interesting that I’ve been receiving a lot of Manna Kadar products through my subscription boxes. They may have a marketing initiative to get more and more people to discover and test their products so they’ve decided to send a bunch to subscription box companies to increase their reach. This mascara looks really interesting. I mean the packaging is really cool, but it’s also formulated with a built-in primer. I didn’t open the packaging but if you are interested in what the brush looks like you can check out their website here. The brush is very interesting with long and short bristles which are supposed to ensure easy application without leaving any clumps.

My Thoughts

This is a really good box! I’m really excited to try the CoverFX palette because I generally like items that I’ve tried from this brand and the face palette looks so good. I’m also looking forward to testing out the mascara and peel-off mask.

Total Value: $157.99 USD ($212.44 CAD)

Did you get BoxyCharm this month? What was in your box?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Unboxing Topbox, March 2019

March 22, 2019March 22, 2019 littlebeautyloves4 Comments

Price: $12.00 CAD (plus tax, free shipping) 4 items.

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 or fall within a theme and you know what they are. This month I got a surprise box!

March will be my last Topbox for 2019. Until I end my no-buy for this year I’m going to put this hold for now.

ALL PRICES IN CANADIAN DOLLARS.

Chapstick Total Hydration Lip Balm in Vanilla
$4.97 (3.5 g), this is a full size item

I’ve been using lip balm quite a bit the last few months and I’m happy I have this new one to open once my current chapstick is used up! This has advocado oil, coconut oil and shea butter. I think it’s supposed to smell and taste like Vanilla. The only thing I would have liked better was to get one of the tinted balms, but I’m really happy to have this.

MesmorEyes Lashes
$5.99, this is a full size item\

Topbox had asked if I would want to try lashes when I was completing their monthly survey before receiving the box. I said yes because I always like to keep a pair of lashes on hand. I don’t wear lashes often, only during special occasions. These are designed to fit the shape of your eye which is great if you have issues with lashes cooperating to fit.

The style I have is 220 and is designed to fit almond, monolid, and hooded eyes. Since I have almond eyes I’m excited to try lashes designed to fit me. The style is natural but full so it will look really nice when I wear them out. I’m excited to give these a try.

Doucce Ultra Precision Eyeliner in Blue
$22.00, this is a full size item

I’m happy I got a blue liner to wear as we roll into spring! Spring is always a time I’m into wearing brighter and more colourful makeup.

I would wear this in my waterline or as a winged liner. The blue is really pigmented and the formula seems really good. It glides on easily and doesn’t smudge. The Liner is long wearing and waterproof.

Delia Organics Nail & Cuticle Oil
$11.99 (10mL), this is a full size item

Another item I enjoy, cuticle oil! I received a nail & cuticle oil in my BoxyCharm some time ago and I use it quite a bit. Since I don’t actually paint my fingernails, I like keeping the nail and cuticle area healthy and shiny with these oils, they also help with preventing cracked skin around the nail. This has sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, rosehip oil, to name a few ingredients.

Manna Kadar Beauty Miracle Balm
$25.28 (6.5mL), this is a full size item

This is designed to be an all over balm that you can use on your lips, nails, and other areas of the body to rehydrate. It’s enriched with Argan Oil, Vitamin A & Vitamin E. I have received balms like this before from Cake Beauty and Dr. Lipp and I absolutely love them because I just keep them at work or in my pocket and use as needed.

My Thoughts

Overall, this is a really great box. I’m so happy with every item and know I’m going to use them right away. I’m most excited about the eyeliner and the chapstick. I’m also impressed that this is the first time I’ve received all full-size items in Topbox!

Total Value: $70.23 (I think this is the highest value I’ve ever received in a Topbox)

Did you get Topbox this month? What was in your box?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Morphe X Jaclyn Hill: Palette Collection Review Series

March 19, 2019March 18, 2019 littlebeautyloves4 Comments

Ever since this palette was announced by Jaclyn Hill and Morphe and I saw the shades I really wanted it. Once Morphe started selling their products on Sephora Canada I purchased the palette and I’ve been happy with it so far. Since this is part of my Project Pan Monthly for March it made sense that I put up a review for it.

What It Is

A palette with 35 dreamy shades, created in collaboration with YouTuber Jaclyn Hill. Mattes, shimmers, satins, foils, and glitters are all pressed to perfection—just the way Jaclyn wanted. (Sephora.ca)

Price

$49.99 CAD (56.2g – $1.12/g). I bought mine during the Sephora VIB sale and saved myself 20%.

Packaging

This is a large palette so it just barely fits into my makeup case. It’s 9″ x 6.5″ in size, it is thin though which I like. I’ve had my palette for a while now so it’s starting to get dirty but I do like white with silver lettering, it’s very Jaclyn Hill aesthetic. I don’t mind that there isn’t a mirror in this one only because I think it would make the palette feel heavy. I like the layout of the shades because I can easily see looks with this palette before I start putting them together.

Colour

This has mostly has brown shades with a few pops of blues and greens. For me, it’s a palette that I’m very comfortable wearing because I can easily pick out shades that work well together without having to think too much about it.

I feel like a few colours are similar (ex. Enlight & Beam, Silk Cream & M.F.E.o., and Soda Pop & Abyss), but for the most part a lot of the shades are different tones of each other which I think is actually great.

One of the biggest critiques I have of this palette is that both Enlight & Beam are shimmer shades, I really wish one of them was matte. I also wish that they replace Soda Pop with a different colour, since it looks similar to Abyss on me. No matter weather it’s the lightest shades, the shimmers or the various mattes, these are all bold and pigmented colours.

Application & Wear

First off, I’ve never tried Morphe shadows, but if all the formula is similar to this one than I can see why people enjoy the brand. They look really great on, even the shades above that look like they’ll be patchy based on my finger swatches (Enchanted, Jacz, Pukey, Mocha) blend out nicely on the eyes. The shimmers are super creamy and look good on the lid without me needing to use a primer or Fix+. The mattes are great builder shades and the darker shades add so much depth to a look without needing to use a lot.

For a lot of my day to day looks I find I’ll swipe Enlight or Beam all over the lid and then take Silk Cream into my cream, blend it all out and be on my way with a nice strong wing. When I want a deeper look, I love have so many warm tones to choose from, there are cool tone browns, or red-brown shades, or neutral browns that help me create so many varying looks. I didn’t know that different brown options would become so important to me! LOL!

I also like having a few colour options, which for me are easier to incorporate. I created such a beautiful pink look using this palette. I’ve worn purple shades, blue shades and my favourite, green shades, in the lower lid when I was looking for pops of colour.

These wear so well too! I have no issues with these shades lasting all day on me and I like wearing them because I know they will last.

My Looks

The first look is taken from my Pink Makeup Look Post where I used the shades Faint & Sissy on my lids along with some shades from my Too Faced Peach Palette.

In the look below, I used Silk Cream in the crease just to have something for the brighter shades to blend in with. I then used Jadas on the outer half of my lid and blended into the inner half of my lid to give it a more ombre effect. For the lid I used Pool Party, and to help keep the look bright and lessen the intensity of the colours I added Obsessed into the inner corner of my eye and blended it gently on the lids.

On the lower lash, I took my NYX Jumbo Pencil in French Fries into the waterline just to add a little bit of bronze to help balance out all the teal.

My Thoughts

If I could edit down the palette, I might remove some shades that I think are really similar, but overall I love the colours and love how they blend. For a palette with different shades of brown, I think that they can all help create different looks and I like that I can easily pick out shades from this palette to put together without much hesitation. I’m impressed with the formula and pigmentation so I would recommend it.

Have you tried the Jaclyn Hill or any Morphe palettes? I would love to know your thoughts!

Lots of Love,
Dal

Review, Nudestix!

March 8, 2019March 9, 2019 littlebeautyloves16 Comments

This post has been a long time coming because I truly enjoy Nudestix! I’ve mentioned them here and there and I did a review of the Nudestix Gel Lip & Cheek Balm when I included it in my Project Pan Monthly for January, but I really wanted to devote a post to the products that I have.

I have two Nude(art)ist sets; the Jet Setter Set and the Rose Gold Set that I’ll be sharing in this post.

The Jetsetter Set is a mix of eye and lip crayons as well as a Nudies All over Face Stick. The Rose Gold Set is a collection of eye crayons.

What it is

First off, Nudestix is a Canadian brand started by two sisters and their mom. Their crayons for the face, eyes and lips add a touch of colour to enhance your natural look. Their products are vegan and cruelty-free.

The Jetsetter Set is a limited edition exclusive palette curated by celebrity make-up artist Mary Phillips. With a collection of warm bronzy tones from nude to deep, for anyone looking for the perfect travel makeup essentials. (nudestix.com)

The Rose Gold Set is bubbly pink and gold magnetic nudes for an elevated natural look. (nudestix.com)

Price

The Jetsetter Set – $75.00 CAD (includes 6 makeup crayons for the eyes and lips, and a Nudies stick)

The Rose Gold Set – $65.00 CAD (includes 6 makeup crayons for the eyes)

Regularly, one lip or eye crayon is $28.00 CAD and the Nudies All Over Face Stick is $33.00 CAD each, so you save over $100 by buying them in the sets. Also, the Jetsetter set came with a zippered pouch which would increase its value. If you’re going to get Nudestix products, I suggest you buy them in sets like this.

Packaging

Each Nudestix item purchased comes in a mirrored metal tin with a sharpener. The sharpener can double as a lid so you can take a stick on the go if you wished.

The Nudies All Over Face Stick is a bit different. It has a twist up applicator so you don’t need a sharpener. One side is the produce and the other side has a brush. The brush is a bit stiff so I prefer to use another brush to blend it out but it does work if you’re in a pinch, as long as you use it with light pressure. You can always use your fingers too, which is what I like to do too.

I really think the packaging is cute. The tins help keep the sticks steady inside my makeup box at home and if I take them on the go I know they’ll be protected. The only downside is that the tins are the perfect size for just the 6 sticks so I can’t put the two sets together if I wanted.

Colours

The shades in all the Nudestix eyes, lip or cheek items fall into more of the natural or everyday makeup category. They don’t have really bold or bright colours (although thinking of it now, could really work in their formula).

The Jetsetter Set

This set includes items for eyes, lips & cheecks. I can easily put together a pretty look for the day or use some of the darker and bronzy shades to create a nice sultry evening look. The eye sticks can be worn as shadows or as eyeliner. The two lipsicks can be worn on the lips or cheeks. I’ve worn Pulse numerous times as blush and like using Posh as a blush topper when I want an extra glow.

The Nudies stick is a nice natural rose, it’s described as a neutral nude. This is almost like a blush/bronzer hybrid so I find that I can put this over my cheeks and a bit around my temples and it gives me a healthy glow. I love this shade! It’s very natural, true skin-tone type of blush. You can even wear it on the eyes or lips, I think it looks so pretty as a crease shade so I’ve used it for that so many times.

The Rose Gold Set

These are all eye shadow sticks. Although the colours are similar the tones are different enough that wearing one versus the other does change my overall makeup look. I like that these are light and shimmery which makes them great for day time and I think it really compliments a lot of the darker shades in the Jetsetter Set.

I like colours like Angel and Gilt because they double as highlight. Although there is only one dark matte shade, Fig, it works perfectly as eyeliner or as an eyeshadow to help deepen the look.

Application & Wear

These are so creamy and easy to blend and the formula is consistent across the board. I love a nice everyday look and it’s so easy for me to put one together fairly quickly using only these sticks. I also find the wear time to be pretty good, especially on the eyeshadow sticks (last about 6-7 hours). I usually don’t apply primer, but if I did, I know they’d last longer. What’s nice is that it just gives me a natural look, so even as it fades out it doesn’t look like I was wearing a lot of makeup, to begin with.

The lipsticks are pigmented and apply bold on the lips. Since this is in a crayon form I find them easy to apply and they are super comfortable to wear. When applying them on my cheeks I dot a bit of colour on the apple of my cheek and along my cheekbone and then blend it with my fingers.

The eye sticks are easy to just sweep over the eyes directly from the stick or I can apply it with my finger for a more natural look. They easily blend with the fingers but sometimes I go in with a brush just because it’s quicker.

One thing I have found with Nudestix is that less is more. Usually using 1 to 2 shades gives me the best results vs layering more and more colours. Because they are creamy shades, the more that you put on your lids, the higher chance it will crease or wear out.

My Look

From the Rose Gold Set I used Fig in the crease and the lower lash line. I then took Rustique from The Jetsetter Set and put it all over the lid. I then used Cocoa on the outer edge of my lid, keeping it close to my lid. Going back to the Rose Gold Set, I added Nudity as an inner corner highlight and Spirit in the inner half of my lid.

My Thoughts

If you’ve ever thought about trying Nudestix I definitely think they are worth checking out, especially if you like natural, easy-to-apply makeup. The formula and pigmentation are really good and it’s so easy to take these where ever you go. I personally like that a lot of the sticks can be used for multiple things so if I don’t want to use a million different products that day I don’t have to.

Have you tried Nudestix? What’s your favourite item from the brand? What do you think of makeup in a stick form?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Project Pan Monthly: March 2019 & February Update

March 6, 2019March 4, 2019 littlebeautyloves5 Comments

For the most part, I was really consistant about using my February products whenever I wore makeup. Towards the end of the month though, I wore the palette a little less because I was so excited about using my Nudestix sets (review is coming soon!) and of course, I was using my lip item less and less. All together I used my items 17 of 28 days in February.

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

Project Pan Monthly

Each month I chose 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.)

February Progress

Alamar Cosmetics Reina Del Caribe Vol. 1 (reviewed here) I mostly stuck to using more of the warm-toned shades in this palette because they were easier to put together for everyday looks that I would wear to work.

I used coco-taxi the most of this whole palette and loved it with a bare lid and just a touch of that orange in the crease. When I wanted to go a bit more bold I would wear Tropico and Guantanamera on the outter edge of my lid and cafecito as a liner. The shade that I gravitated to every once in a while was La Costa, which looked so gorgeous swiped across the lid with some liner. You can see a few dents where I used the shade, which I’m really happy about.

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Sheer Liar. I wore this almost everytime I did my makeup the first two weeks of February.

However, I started lacking because I needed to switch to lip balm as my lips started to feel dry due to the cold weather so I didn’t get much use out of this lip stick in the end. But I do like the colour, so I might introduce it back into another project pan at a later time.

Wet n Wild MegaGlo Highlighting Powder in Blossom Glow (reviewed here). I love this highlighter and used it quite a lot this month, but I’m surprised that you can’t really tell.

I mean, if you owned one of these highlights you’ll know that a little goes a long way so I’m not surprised that it barely looks touched. You can see that the beautiful flower print is slightly starting to wear off.

Daisy by Marc Jacobs PerEstfume (reviewed here). Another item that I was using a lot in the beginning of the month, and then for some reason just started using it less often.

I loooovveeee this scent! I must subconsciously not want to waste it all, haha!

My March Items

This month I’ve chosen;

One Eyeshadow Palette – Morphe The Jacklyn Hill Palette
One Lip Item – Tarte Amazonian Butter Lipstick in Watermelon
One Face Item – Ciate London Bamboo Bronzer
One Random Item – Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup (reviewed here)

I wanted to include some items that I haven’t reviewed yet on the blog. I’ve had the Jacklyn Hill Palette for some time now and I really wanted to focus a mont on using it and sharing a review for it.

I was hoping to try to use up my Ciate Bronzer Sample since it’s starting to look like I might hit pan!

Let me know how your project pan is coming along whether you are doing one each month like I am or doing a year-long project pan.

Lots of Love,
Dal

Bye Bye Empties, February

March 4, 2019March 4, 2019 littlebeautyloves3 Comments

February flew by for me! I had a great start to the month with my birthday. I celebrated with everyone I love which was amazing. It was pretty hectic at work and towards the end of the month, it started to take over quite a bit of my time. I’m hoping things can slow down again in March.

I didn’t think I had used up so many items but when I looked at my empties bin I was pleasantly surprised with my progress. Since I’m on a no-buy, I can really start to feel items emptying out of my bath & skincare collection which is great!

On to what I used up!

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

Hair and Body Care

Bath & Body Works Sea Island Cotton Shower Gel. This mini size was sitting in my travel bag for some time now that I decided I would just take it out and use it up. This is such a signature scent for me, I love the freshness and sharp clean fragrance. It’s also just a plain’ol good body wash. I would repurchase.

Dove Exfoliating Body Polish in Crushed Macadamia & Rice Milk (sample). I absolutely love the scent of this! It’s so comforting and delicious. I love exfoliating washes and use them about once a week, especially in winter, to help smooth my legs. The granules on this are sand-like so it always reminds me of being at the beach. I have a large tub of this in another scent that I will be opening up soon.

Being by Sanctuary Salted Caramel & Macadamia Bubbe Bath. Can you sense a trend here with my favourite scents! haha! This is the second time purchasing this very bubble bath. I love it! It smells amazing and it creates such beautiful bubbles. I am definitely going to repurchase this.

Dove Derma+Care Scalp Anti-Dandruff Shampoo. The winter has been really bad on my skin and hair this year. I have a dry scalp and suffer from dandruff occasionally so I always like having anti-dandruff shampoo around to ensure that I get a deep clean. Dove doesn’t really come to mind when you think of these kinds of shampoos, but this guy is awesome! I enjoy the scent because it’s not so harsh and it really leaves my hair and scalp feeling really clean but it’s a very gentle formula. I would repurchase this.

Skincare

Consonant Natural Foaming Face Wash. I’ve tried so many foaming cleansers in the past and this is maybe one of my favourites. It’s super gentle on the skin but it removes makeup with ease. I don’t have any issues using this close to my eyes when I’m removing my mascara. This guy was a mini size because I wanted to test it out, I would definitely repurchase a large size next time.

Kaja Juicy Bamboo Natural Facial Cleansing Cloths. I reviewed a sample packet of this in my September Empties and since I really liked it I decided to buy a pack. The cloths themselves are small but effective. I liked using them to refresh my face in the morning before applying makeup or at the end of the day to remove my mascara. I like that the cloths are biodegradable so I would throw them into my organics bin when I was done with them. They have a lemony fresh scent too. I would repurchase.

Hello Fab Coconut Skin Smoothie Priming Moisturizer. I loved wearing this when I was bare faced and wanted to add a little glow and moisture to my skin. It was alright as a primer but I mostly just liked it as a moisturizer. I’m not sure I’d repurchase this one.

Clinique iD Dramatically Different Lotion + Active Cartridge for Fatigue. I’m sure a lot of you have probably seen the new Clinique iD lotions – the ones where you can add a Cartridge of your choice so that when you pump it you get lotion and serum?

Well, I was really interested in them so I stopped by the Clinique counter and got a sample of a duo that would work for me, the dramatically different lotion+ with the anti-fatigue orange serum cartridge. I really wasn’t sure what to expect, but this ended up being great stuff! The fatigue cartridge is perfect for my winter dull skin and the dramatically different lotion itself was amazing at hydrating my skin without feeling heavy. I would definitely repurchase and highly recommend trying a sample for yourself!

Makeup

CoverGirl Exhibitionist Mascara. I received this through Influenster to test out and I shared a look using it in my Festive Makeup Look. This was good at lifting my lashes. It’s a very nice black mascara and the formula was dry so it lightly coated my lashes which I enjoyed for everyday type looks. It has started to smell so I’m tossing it out.

Bang Beauty Chocolate Eye Liner. I got this in my August BoxyCharm and was so excited to have a brown gel liner. I tried to use this the other day but it was so dry and crumbly so I’m just going to toss it out.

Butter London Stroke of Wow Roll On Precision Eyeliner. This came in my September BoxyCharm I said I was going to give this a try but every time I opened it and saw the pizza cutter style applicator I was turned off from it. Why would I chance ruining my look by using this tool, it’s hard enough getting a perfect wing with just a liquid or gel liner, why make it any harder. This is a stroke of no and I won’t be repurchasing it.

~~~

These are all my empties for February! I was really happy with everything I used up. Some things went straight to the trash but the majority of items were used all the way through.

How was your progress for February? What items did you use up?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Unboxing Topbox, February 2019

February 28, 2019February 26, 2019 littlebeautyloves2 Comments

Price: $12.00 CAD (plus tax, free shipping) 4 items.

Last month I mentioned that I would be cancelling my Topbox. I missed the deadline to cancel this before the March box shipped so I have one coming in March. I’m cancelling it afterwards for the rest of the year. This is to keep in line with my no-buy (exception BoxyCharm) for 2019.

ALL PRICES IN CANADIAN DOLLARS.

Laritzy Cosmetics Lip Stix in Wafer
Full Size: $20.00 (3.6g), this is a full size item

I was pleasantly surprised to see that this was a lip crayon. The outer packaging had me thinking it was another lip gloss and I honestly didn’t want another one of those. Lip crayon though, I’m excited to get! I really love lip crayons because it makes application so much easier. I love the nude colour and this feels really creamy. I’m definitely going to be using it.

Nova Scotia Fisherman Extreme Skin Care Canadian Maple Lip Balm
Full Size: $8.95 (10.4g), Small Size: $4.48 (5.2g)

I love Nova Scotia Fisherman lip balms! I actually discovered this brand through Topbox over 4 years ago and I continue to enjoy them. I love the taste of maple syrup so I’m really looking forward to this agave sweetened lip balm. I find these lip balms the best during the winter months because they are super hydrating.

VDL Cosmetics Perfect Lasting Foundation in V01
Full Size: $37.00 (30mL), Sample Size: $6.17 (5mL)

VDL Cosmetics is a newer brand to me. They are a Korean brand that I think recently started selling in Canada, with a flagship store in Downtown Toronto. I’ve been wanting to visit the store and explore what they offer since it’s very close to where I work. I’m really excited to be testing out the foundation. So far it looks to be very light and liquid but I’m not sure what the coverage will be like. I’m hoping it’s closer to light coverage as that it what I prefer and the shade that I have V01 which is a bit light on me.

VDL Cosmetics Lumilayer Primer
Full Size: $34.00 (30mL), Sample Size $5.67 (5mL)

What better way to test out the foundation, then to also use the primer from the brand as well. I’m happy that Topbox included two items from the same brand that can be used together (or on their own) it’s just a good way to test out more items from VDL. This has a violet pigment to brighten the skin. I’m really excited to try this since I love items that brighten or add some glow.

Manna Kadar Goddess Palette Split Pan Eye shadow
Full Size: $49.00 (palette), Split Pan duo: Price unknown

I did some digging online and it looks like these two shades are actually part of a bigger palette called the Goddess Palette, see it here. The colours I have are Venus (blush colour), and Iris (shimmery golden highlight shade). The pans are a bit too small to use as blush and highlight but I can definitely use this on the eyes (which is why Topbox is calling this a split pan eye shadow). The formula is super creamy and crumbly so you just need to be careful with application but it looks so pretty.

Swatches

My Thoughts

This is a really good box with a nice mix of different products that I could wear all together. I’m excited to try the items from VDL and I’m super happy to get a lip balm from Nova Scotia Fisherman. I also like that I received a split pan eye shadow, and a lip crayon in colours that I think will work nicely together!

Total Value: $36.25 – I wasn’t able to find the price of the Manna Kadar item so it’s not included here.

Did you get Topbox this month? What was in you box?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Unboxing BoxyCharm, February 2019

February 19, 2019February 18, 2019 littlebeautyloves3 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 “’After Glow”.

PRICES ARE IN USD, CONVERTED TO CAD AT THE END

Sol de Janeiro Coco Cabana Cream
MSRP: $20.00 US

I love the original Bum Bum Cream so I was really excited to see the new Coco Cabana Cream in my box! It’s an oil-in-water gel cream with a blend of fermented sugar and coconut oil to moisture for up to 72 hours. The scent is a mix of coconut, toasted praline and warm vanilla latte. I love the original Bum Bum formula because it smells so good and is really hydrating and I’m hoping that the formula of the Coco Cabana is the same.

touch in SOL No Problem Primer
MSRP: $18.00 US

I’ve never tried anything from touch in SOL so I’ve happy to have an item to test out in my box. I don’t usually wear primer unless I’m wearing makeup for a long night out or special event, still, I like having a good primer on hand. This has green tea and collagen to act as adhesive and help your makeup last for many hours.

Pretty Vulgar Shimmering Swan Highlighter
MSRP: $32.00 US

I’m slowly building a nice collection of Pretty Vulgar Makeup thanks to BoxyCharm! I love the pearl-shade of this highlighter and I’m really excited to give this formula a try.

Looking at some of the reviews online, this is described as a subtle highlight which is exactly the time of highlight I love!

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
MSRP: $24.00 US

Ok, so I might be one of the very few makeup-obsessed people who has not tried Better Than Sex mascara. I might have had a sample when this first came out, but I honestly don’t remember. I’m really excited to give this a try and see if it lives up to all the hype. It has Acacia Senegal Tree extract to set volume while film-forming polymers lock in curl.

NudeStix Magnetic Luminous Eye Color in Copper Foil
MSRP: $24.00 US

Yes! Yes! Yes! Finally, NudeStix is getting some much-needed circulation through BoxyCharm! I absolutely love this brand for easy everyday looks. After receiving this in my box, I’m really motivated to post more reviews because I really think NudeStix deserves more recognition.

I already have the Copper Foil stick so I’m saving the one in my box for my mom because I know she will love it. This is a super long-wearing eyeshadow pencil that is easy to blend with your fingers or a brush as an eyeshadow or can be used to as an eyeliner.

My Thoughts

What an awesome box! I’m happy with every single item I received.

Total Value: $118.00 US ($156.30 CAD)

Did you get BoxyCharm this month? What did you receive in your box?

Lots of Love,
Dal

littlebeautyloves

I like Makeup and I blog about it!

Author: littlebeautyloves

Bye Bye Empties, March 2019

Skincare

Makeup

Bronze it Up! My Current Bronzer Collection

Unboxing BoxyCharm, March 2019

PRICES ARE IN USD, CONVERTED TO CAD AT THE END

Unboxing Topbox, March 2019

ALL PRICES IN CANADIAN DOLLARS.

Morphe X Jaclyn Hill: Palette Collection Review Series

Review, Nudestix!

Project Pan Monthly: March 2019 & February Update

Project Pan Monthly

February Progress

My March Items

Bye Bye Empties, February

Hair and Body Care

Skincare

Makeup

Unboxing Topbox, February 2019

ALL PRICES IN CANADIAN DOLLARS.

Unboxing BoxyCharm, February 2019

PRICES ARE IN USD, CONVERTED TO CAD AT THE END