Festive Makeup Look, Strong Wing & Fluttery Lashes

December 5, 2018December 4, 2018 littlebeautyloves9 Comments

I rarely post makeup looks on the blog, but for the holidays I thought I’d share some I know I’ll be rocking for December.

I do a lot of celebrating during the month. There are work parties, potlucks, lunches, friends-mas, cousins-mas, Xmas Eve and day, and let’s not forget topping it all off with New Year’s Eve!! In a nutshell, I’m busy eating, drinking and celebrating with those I love.

I find that during this time I really like to play around with makeup. Today I’m sharing the winged eyeliner and fluttery lash look I shared on my Instagram a week ago.

I received these items in a recent Influenster package and I couldn’t wait to put together this look!

I love a good wing because it frames my large eyes and is pretty fun yet still elegant.

I start off with a skin-toned base all over the lid and just use bronzer in the crease to give my eyes depth. I then hold my breath as I create an exaggerated wing. If you mess up, a little micellar water or makeup remover on a small brush always does the trick to clean it up.

The eyeliner I used is the Covergirl Get in Line Liquid Liner. This has a fine 0.1 mm tip so I can create a really sharp wing. I also like it for getting super close to the lash line. This formula is liquid but not runny and is super black. It dries down quick but I still have time to work on the wing before it fully sets. I like it. It’s also has a comfortable grip which helps keep my hand steady.

To finish off the eyes I applied Covergirl Exhibitionist Mascara. I find that it coats my lashes well and the shape of the brush helps to fan out the lashes for a full and fluttery look.

The mascara doesn’t give me all the length I’m looking for but it’s great with the wing because it draws attention to my eyes, it’s a mascara I enjoy wearing during the day because it’s bold but not too dramatic. I have this in the very black shade which is a very intense black.

Since we’re on the Covergirl train, I finished the look off with Covergirl’s Exhibitionist Cream Lipstick in Sweetheart Blush. This is a metallic baby pink shade. I think this looks best on me as a lip topper. It is a very comfortable formula that is balm-like. This comes in 27 shades.

I would wear this look during the day for an office event or holiday lunch because it’s a bit extra to how I do my makeup usually for work. Plus it’s a very quick look to put together in the morning that will last me the whole day.

Do you like wearing a bold eyeliner and fluttery lashes?

Lots of Love,
Dal

I received the items mentioned above complimentary from Influenster.

Bye Bye Empties, November 2018

November 29, 2018November 28, 2018 littlebeautyloves9 Comments

I’m so happy with the number of products I was able to empty this month.

Yay me!

November has been pretty chilly, but I’m embracing the cold weather by bundling up and keeping cozy by the fireplace. I finally upgraded my coffee machine (thank you Nespresso black Friday deals) so I’m really going to be getting cozy with a hot drink under a comfy throw watching lots of Netflix (or Prime)! I’ve been watching a lot of Parks and Rec lately.

I also put up my holiday decorations two weeks ago which definitely put me in the Christmas spirit! Does anyone else put up their decorations in mid-November or do you wait until December?

Now on to what I was able to use up;

Skincare

Ole Henrikson Nurture Me Moisturizing Cream. I shared a review of this not too long ago when I tested Ole Henrikson but in a nutshell, I really like this product! It’s a thick moisturizing cream that I enjoyed applying onto my skin in the evenings. It also smells like an orange creamsicle! I would repurchase this.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Serum. I applied this every evening around my eye area for about three weeks. I’m impressed that this little sample lasted that long. It’s a really nice light serum that absorbs into the skin quickly and left my eye area looking bright! I think I have the full-size of this in my collection, but I’m currently testing out the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix so I’ll hold off opening it until that is used up.

Dermovia Lace A Peel Black Bamboo Charcoal Peel Off Mask. I received this in my October Boxycharm. So many people who got BoxyCharm that month were reviewing this item and a lot of them felt it was very painful to peel off. Knowing that I only applied the charcoal to target areas on my face to reduce the pain. I found that the lace did help when it came to peeling off the mask but it was pretty painful to remove. My skin was very clean afterwards but it’s not something I would repurchase.

Body Care

Yves Rocher 3 in 1 Nourishing Lotion. I was in love with this product when I first got it but after trying so many other creams since then I find I don’t reach for this as often. I was able to use this all up and although this is nourishing and smells really good, there are other products I like better. I won’t be repurchasing this item.

Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Cream. I’m obsessed with this cream, I make everyone I know smell it! I love it not only because of the smell but because it absorbs into my skin really quickly and leaves me feeling hydrated. I especially enjoy this after I shave my legs because it helps to calm any irritation I get from my razor. I’ve put this on my Christmas list 🙂

Haircare

John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Shampoo and Conditioner. If you didn’t know, my hair is naturally curly and frizzy. I’ve always struggled with it being extremely dry. I enjoy the frizz ease line by John Freida so when I got these products I had a feeling they would be good. This leaves my hair very hydrated and silky. If I left it to air dry, it did minimize my frizz by a bit, but I mostly loved how smooth it made my hair whenever I would heat style it. I won’t be repurchasing this only because I have other hair care products I need to get through and also because recently I’ve been applying a hair mask after I shampoo rather than a conditioner.

Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair Deep Conditioning Mask. Speaking of hair masks, I really enjoy this one from Briogeo. It’s not as good as the Shu Uemura Hair Mask I reviewed a while ago, but it’s still pretty good. I think I have a few samples of this that I’ll get through, but right now I’m in the mode of testing hair masks so I won’t be repurchasing this just yet.

Makeup

Benefit Browvo! Conditioning Primer. Usually, I like Benefit brow products, but I just think this particular item just isn’t for me. This would make my brows feel heavy and thick and it would pill-up on me. I won’t be purchasing this.

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner. This is my favourite high-end felt-tip liner. It’s a nice intense black and the formula is really easy to work with. It’s not too liquidy that it bleeds on me and it’s not too dry that I don’t have time to create a wing before it sets. Currently, I have a few eyeliners that I’m using up (a lot are from subscription boxes I want to test) so I’m going to hold off on repurchasing this for a little while.

Tarte Tartiest Mascara. I like this mascara quite a bit. I like that it has a rubber applicator which brushes out my lashes and coats them evenly, leaving me with fanned out lashes. I would repurchase this.

Benefit Boi-ing Airbrush Concealer. I received this in my Topbox and although I really liked this and included it in my favourites from the boxes back in January, the formula got old and dried out. I think it’s because I was using other concealers rather than trying to just use this one up. I need to use up what I have before I repurchase this.

Beauty Blender Sponge. Well, another blender coming up to its 6 month mark! Haha! Although I could have tried to stretch out the life of this blender another month or so, I’m trying to be more hygienic with these types of sponges. Since discovering the L’Oreal Infallible Sponge (which is way cheaper than the blender) I don’t feel like I need to stay attached to a sponge. I did have another Beauty Blender that I unpackaged for use and I noticed something interesting.

The tip of the old blender is a lot pointier than the new one. Could it be they changed the design slightly, or I just happened upon a less pointy sponge? This may not be a big deal to some, but I like using this to blend out my concealer and I really like having a pointy tip.

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lipgloss and Lippie Stix. Believe it or not but I’ve owned these for about 2 and a half years! They are beyond old and I hardly ever used them so I’m just going to toss them out. As much as I like Colourpop lippies I don’t think I’ll be repurchasing them any time soon.

Well, that’s all the items that I used up in November! What product did you add to your empties stash this month?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Unboxing Topbox, November 2018

November 22, 2018November 19, 2018 littlebeautyloves7 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 Rexall was offering 3 different prive boxes. I opted for one of them and got it!

All prices in Canadian Dollars.

Physicians Formula Spotlight Illuminating Primer
Full Size: $14.95 (30mL), Sample Size: $4.19 (8.4mL)

This is a universally flattering illuminating primer that blurs, corrects, and protects leaving you with a glow. I love illuminating primers because it makes my dry skin look radiant and I always enjoy the look of dewy skin. I might do a comparison of this with other primers I have that are meant to do the same thing.

Iman Cosmetics Luxury Lipstick in Scandalous
Full Size: $10.00 (3.7g), this is a full-size item

This is a creamy, semi-matte lip colour that offers full coverage and long-lasting smooth finish. The formula is creamy but not super smooth when I first applied it to my lips. I felt it drag a bit but it did offer full coverage. Once it was on it did feel really creamy. I’m the worst at applying lipstick straight from the tube, especially when it’s very opaque. Next time I will try it with a brush.

I love that this is bold red shade though, it will be perfect to wear around the holidays.

Almay Goddess Gloss in Rainbow
Full Size: 10.49 (0.96 oz), this is a full-size item

When I first saw this in the box I was a bit intimidated by the colour, it’s a very bright fuschia with iridescent silver glitter. I really wasn’t sure I was going to like this. When I applied it to my lips, it was a lot more wearable. It’s bright, yes, but not crazy bold. The base of the gloss looks a lot more sheer on the lips so you get a bit of the bright pink and the sparkles are a lot more subtle and just add sine.

You can wear this on it’s own or even on top of other lipsticks. I actually tried it on top of the Iman red lipstick and thought it looked pretty good. It has an interesting smell though. Almost like hot chocolate but a bit more on the sweet side. This is very comfortable on the lips. Usually glitter can feel gritty, but this one does not.

Batiste Dry Shampoo Original
Sample Size: $5.99 (50ml)

Having dry hair, I don’t use dry shampoo all the time but that doesn’t mean I don’t like keeping a bottle around for when I do need it. Batiste dry shampoo is a staple in my vanity. I like always having one in my collection of hair products.

Earthsafe Hand & Body Lotion
Full Size: $7.99 (400mL), Sample Size: $0.90 (60mL)

Here’s a cold weather staple for me, hand and body lotion! My hands get really dry this time of year, so I always collect new hand lotions. When I saw that this was offered in the Prive box, I definitely wanted it because it saves me from having to purchase a large container and I’ll have the opportunity to test this out. This is formulated with a natural blend of essential oils that will leave your skin feeling hydrated and refreshed.

Swatches

My Thoughts

This is a good selection of products! I really enjoy the Rexall curated boxes because then I can try items from the drug store that I normally wouldn’t imagine myself picking up, like the Almay lip gloss. The other items I know I will definitely use, such as the illuminating primer from Physician’s Formula, dry shampoo from Batiste and lotion from Earthsafe.

Total Value: $31.57

Did you get Topbox this month? What did you think of the November box?

Lots of Love
Dal

Unboxing BoxyCharm, November 2018

November 20, 2018November 19, 2018 littlebeautyloves9 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 “Goal Digger”. It’s a really fun play on gold digger and I love how all the products have gold packaging or gold theme. I’m super excited about what is inside.

All Prices in USD converted to Canadian at the end.

CoverFX Glitter Drops in Nova
MSRP: $44.00 USD

How about this for gold! I have always drooled over the CoverFX Glitters and I’m so happy to get this in my box. It’s a very intensely pigmented product. I think this would make a really pretty body glitter or used as a highlight on the cheeks or eyes. I think I can find a lot of use for this.

These drops offer multi-dimensional glitter that create a high impact, reflective finish. You can use this alone, under or over makeup or mixed into foundation.

I can imagine this product lasting me a really long time. I think it would be really pretty over the shoulder for a cute little holiday party.

Ace Beauty Grandoise Palette
MSRP: $24.99 USD

Whenever I come across a brand that I’m not familiar with, I always like to look them up and get more information on them. Ace Beauty started in 2016 and mostly sold lashes. Since then, they have gone completely cruelty-free, replacing their mink lashes with faux-lashes and expanding their range into colour cosmetics and tools like brushes.

This palette features 4 shimmers and 4 mattes to create a variety of eye looks. I wasn’t planning on using this palette because I recently bought a new one at the Sephora VIP sale BUT the colours in here are so pretty that I could not help but want to swatch it!

I’m also really loving the packaging. Although this has no mirror, it does have a very interesting gold pattern. I love the sleek cardboard packaging. I’ll be sure to create a few looks with this and share them on Instagram or the blog!

Luxie Luminous Eye Set
MSRP: $21.00 USD

When I first looked at this I thought about saving them for friends/family since I have a lot of brushes in my collection but the packaging and size of these brushes are different from what I currently have so I’m going to use them myself. I love the glittery gold barrels. This came packed exclusively for BoxyCharm and I think it’s cute if you wanted to give these as a gift because they make a nice set. The brushes themselves are super soft!

The 121 mini tapered allows you to blend in the crease. The 131 mini angled can be used for adding highlight to the brow bone or to precisely add colour to the crease. The 141 mini round can be used to smudge or smoke our the upper or lower lash line. The 111 mini flat angled can be used to blend out harsh lines or pack cream products on the lid.

Farah Galaxy Gold Tweezers
MRSP: $12.00 USD

This is an interesting dual-ended tweezer. I’ve never seen or used something like this before! Again, I love that this has gold splatter on it which really goes with the over all theme of the box! Plus, I like when we get other useful beauty tools inside of our boxes. This really goes along with the eye shadow palette and eye brushes.

This thin side is used to remove really fine or short hairs. The flat side is good for removing really coarse hair.

I would have thought that because this was dual-ended that it would be very stiff and difficult to use. That’s not the case at all. This bends very easily and tweezes out the hair without snapping it.

Bodyography Makeup Brush Cleaner
MSRP: $12.00 USD

Another really useful beauty tool to have around! For a quick clean, you can use a spray of this on your brushes and wipe them on a towel. If you want a deep clean, you work the cleanser into the brush and rinse it out. This is made from natural orange peel and gentle cleansers.

I did a quick read of the website and Bodyography is a brand based out of the US that offers cruelty-free, mineral-based makeup with clean ingredients that are infused with skincare benefits. They have a full line or makeup, skincare, tools, etc. I’m excited to try something from this brand!

My Thoughts

I am absolutely in love and excited to try everything in this box. This is probably one of the most well-thought out boxes I’ve received from any subscription box. Everything went with the theme, I got some fum makeup items, new brushes and tools that I’ll actually use!

Total Value: $113.99 USD ($150.21 CAD!)

Did you get BoxyCharm this month? What was in your box? What did you think of this month’s box?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Favourites from the Boxes, November 2018

November 13, 2018November 11, 2018 littlebeautyloves6 Comments

It’s been a while since I’ve shared some favourites from my subscription boxes. I have so many items currently open in my collection that I need to get through so it’s been difficult to try products right as I get them every month. That being said, the items below are ones that I have been able to test and use over the last few weeks.

Pretty Vulgar Eye Liner
Received in Boxycharm May 2018

It has been a long time since I’ve used a gel liner and I’ve forgotten how much I really like them until I received this in my BoxyCharm. Before I became good at applying liquid liner I used gel all the time.

This one from Pretty Vulgar is a super deep black that dries matte fairly quickly. It’s very creamy and easy to apply. I really love this for creating a wing and for my waterline. I love this packaging! It looks like an old ink jar which is adorable.

Everything Balm by Cake Beauty
Received in Topbox September 2016

I’m so happy that this hasn’t gone bad! I got this a long time ago in Topbox, but it wasn’t until the weather started getting colder that I finally cracked it open. This is an everything balm, which you can use on your lips, cuticles, cracked skin, eyebrows, split ends, etc. It’s pretty emollient which makes it easy to spread over the areas you want to hydrate.

I’ve applied this on my lips and cuticles to help them from drying out. Usually, items from Cake Beauty are strongly scented, but not this guy. It has a nice cream scent that is not overbearing. This is a gem for the colder months! It reminds me a lot of my favourite ointment, the Dr. Lipp Nipple Balm but this one by Cake Beauty is a lot more creamy and I can easily find this at my local Shoppers Drug Mart Store.

Aesthetica P12 Face Brush
Received in BoxyCharm May 2018

This super fluffy domed brush is one that I have been using whenever I want to lightly dust powder all over my face. This could also work perfectly for blush.

I love that the bristles are long, flexible and soft and the dome shape helps disperse powder evenly. I use this way more than I did my other powder brushes so I know it’s good.

Well, there they are! Some of the items from my beauty boxes that have really been standing out to me. Have you been enjoying any items from your subscription boxes?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Bye Bye Empties, October 2018

November 2, 2018November 1, 2018 littlebeautyloves7 Comments

How has your October been!? Mine was super fun! My very good friend was married in the middle of the month and since I was her bridesmaid I helped her prep for the big day! The wedding was beautiful. We even performed a song at the reception together. One thing you may not know about me is that I like singing and a few years ago myself and two of my friends started a little band and played a show for our family and friends. So it was like a little reunion at the wedding.

I also celebrated Halloween by watching scary movies and tv shows all month long and celebrated Halloween parties at two of my company’s offices. The first party I dressed up as a unicorn and the second party I went as a flapper!

Anyways, now November is here and Christmas is edging ever more closely!

Here’s what I used up for October;

Skincare

Fresh Soy Cleanser. This is a gentle everyday cleanser that was great at removing all my makeup, including my eye makeup. I used this day and night (in between other cleansers like the Ole Henrikson which I reviewed a few days ago). I have another deluxe sample size of this before I need to repurchase it. Plus, I have so many cleansers that I’ve been using and testing so I won’t be purchasing any new cleansers for some time.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser Cloths. I wasn’t the biggest fan of these facial cleanser cloths. I felt like the cloth would tug at my face whenever I tried to remove any eye makeup like mascara or eyeliner so I ended up just using these as morning cleanser wipes before I applied makeup to my face. I will not be repurchasing them.

Grande Lash MD. If you’d like a full review of this product read here and here. This is pricey so it’s really hard justifying having to get one every 3 months BUT it does work on me. Right now I have the Lash Enhancer from Shiseido open so I won’t be repurchasing it so soon, but I think it might be something I add to my Christmas list.

Bella Aura Skincare Night Cellular Renewal and Instant Lifting Eye Contour. I received these two items my Topbox subscription. This formula is very runny, but it absorbs into the skin like a dream and left me super hydrated. It has a very perfumed scent which I don’t mind, but I know that might turn off some who are sensitive to scent or don’t like fragrance in their skincare. I really do enjoy this brand it’s just that I have quite a few skincare items that I have not opened so I don’t imagine purchasing this anytime soon.

Youth to the People Superfood Firm and Brighten Serum. I received this deluxe sample in a Sephora Favourites bundle and I was super excited for it because it’s designed to target fine lines and wrinkles and uneven skin tone. The sample size lasted about 3 weeks but I didn’t really notice anything special happening with my skin so I will not repurchase this product.

Body Care

Jo Malone London Red Roses Bath Oil. I received this as a Christmas gift last year and I’ve been ever so cautious with how much I use so I could stretch this out as long as possible. I love Jo Malone and own a few fragrances and body items from this brand. This oil made me feel so fancy whenever I used it, but it also was super effective. I would put a few drops into my bath and it had this lovely scent of wild roses. It was also very hydrating without feeling greasy. This is going back on my Christmas list!

Yves Rocher Organic Oats Hand Cream. For Fall and Winter, I live on hand cream. I keep ones at home, in my purse, in my car and at the office. I constantly need some. Yves Rocher has some really good hand cream and this one is pretty good except that the scent turned bad so I couldn’t use it anymore because it smelled gross. I have other hand creams that I need to use so I won’t be repurchasing this.

Gold Bond Ultimate Moisturizing Aloe Hand and Body Cream. SOOOOO I’m not kidding when I say I live on cream in the colder months. This is nothing fancy but it’s good! It hydrates my skin and doesn’t have a strong scent. The best part is I can probably get a large bottle for about $8.00! I’m purchasing this again!

So that’s what I used up in October. Nothing really wowed me that I’m running to repurchase but I’m glad a lot of these items have been used up!

What is in your empties stash for October?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Ole Henrikson SkinCare Review

October 29, 2018October 28, 2018 littlebeautyloves9 Comments

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been testing some items from Ole Henrikson. Whenever I’m on Sephora searching for skincare, this brand always seemed to pop up with a lot of positive reviews. I thought why not give it a try and bought one of the skincare favourites pack to test out. I also received an item to try as well so I figured why not test it all at the same time.

Cold Plunge Pore Mask

I used this cooling clay mask about once or twice a week when I was looking too deeply clean and exfoliate my skin. It has a nice cooling effect which feels really good, especially after a long day. I would apply this all over my face and leave it on for about 10 minutes. Afterwards, using a little bit of water I would work this into a lather and wash it off. A lot of clay masks can be a bit messy to take off but I found that this rinsed off easily. Even though I have dry skin this still worked really well for me.

This is a bright blue mask with different ingredients to aid in skin care. I’ll include all the active ingredients of each of these products and what they are meant to do for the skin. Note that I got this information off Sephora.ca.

Clay: Aids in purifying pores.
Snow Lotus and Alpine Willow Herb Extracts: Rich in antioxidants to help nourish and condition skin.
Green Fusion Complex™: A proprietary blend of potent active botanicals—including green tea, eucalyptus, algae (kelp), and Irish moss extracts—with natural antiseptic properties to absorb excess oil and refine pores.
Lactic Acid (AHA) and Salicylic Acid (BHA): Help lift and loosen dead skin cells that clog pores.

The Clean Truth Foaming Cleanser

I love foaming cleansers. I think since this was a deluxe sample size one pump didn’t give me my desired amount of cleanser so I would pump this 3 times to get a nice dollop. It is very creamy and bubbly and smells like fresh oranges. It’s gentle on my skin and I have been using it every day with no signs of irritation. I’ve been using this since the beginning of October and about three quarters of the way through the bottle so I think the size I have (50mL) should last 4-6 weeks. I think it’s good if you want to test the product out.

One downside to this product is that it does sting my eyes so I couldn’t use this to remove my eye makeup. That’s a huge drawback for me. I would use this in the morning to prep my skin before applying makeup. I don’t think I would repurchase this cleanser again since I can’t use it to remove my eye makeup.

African Red Tea Extract: Helps invigorate skin with antioxidants.
Vitamin C: Helps brighten skin.
Carrot Seed, Orange, and Grapefruit Peel Oils: Help cleanse without stripping or drying skin.
Pumpkin Fruit and Chamomile Extracts: Help condition and soften skin.

The Truth Serum

Before applying any moisturizer I would pump a little pea-sized amount of this all over my skin. I think of all the items I’ve tested from Ole Henrikson, this is my favourite. After using it for the past few weeks, it looks as if this has brightened my skin. My skin also feels plumper, areas such as my smile lines seem to be less pronounced which could be due to the collagen in this formula. The serum is a thin oil consistancy that melts into the skin fairly quickly. Even if I’m using a different moisturizer that day, I made sure I would always use this serum in the morning and evening as part of my skincare routine.

The pump itself isn’t the best as the product tends to squirt out from it, but that could be the flaw of just the deluxe sample.

True-C Complex: Helps brighten the skin and fight visible signs of aging; also delivers antioxidants.
Collagen: Improves skin’s youthful elasticity.
Orange and Green Tea Extracts: Nourish skin.
Aloe Juice: Softens and conditions skin.

Sheer Transformation Perfecting Moisturizer

During the day I like applying moisturizers that are thinner and lighter in consistancy because I layer on foundation and don’t like thick-feeling creams. This has a whipped-like feel and no scent which I like for during the day.

Once applied, it has a slight tackiness that goes away after a few minutes once absorbed into my skin. I then like to apply my makeup on top of this. It’s also very hydrating and you only need a small amount to feel it moisturize the face. This antioxidant moisturizer is formulated with multi-fruit acids, licorice and pea extracts to help gently refine uneven skin tone and texture (sephora.ca)

Nurture Me Moisturizing Cream

In the evening once I’ve removed my makeup and applied my serum I would apply this generously over my face. The Nurture me cream is pretty thick but unlike other moisturizers this didn’t feel like it just sat on my face. It melted right into my skin and is extremely hydrated.

Multivitamin Blend (Vitamins A, B5, C and E): Nurtures and soothes skin.
Sunflower and Rosehip Fruit Oils: Provide rich hydration.

This has an orange creamsicle scent which I completely love.

My Thoughts

All together, I enjoy using the Ole Henrikson line and feel like over the past month it has helped to hydrate and brighten my skin and has even improved the appearance of any fine line on my skin. I am most in love with the truth serum and the moisturizers for my skin and what I’m looking for. I think I would repurchase all of the items I’ve tried, except for the cleanser because they work really well together and on my skin.

Have you tried anything from Ole Henrikson? What is your favourite skincare line?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Milk Makeup Hydrating Oil Stick Review

October 24, 2018October 23, 2018 littlebeautyloves8 Comments

I was surprised by this product that I thought I just have to share! I bought the Milk Makeup Hydrating Oild Stick at a Sephora sale and really didn’t think much of it. I was curious about the gel formula and trying something from Milk Makeup since I had not tried anything from the brand. This sat in my unopened collection of makeup and skincare for about 6 months before I finally took it out of my stash and started using it.

What It Is

A face and body oil in stick form for instant moisture and a subtle sheen. Packed with apricot, avocado, calendula, jojoba, and orange peel oils, and housed in a travel-friendly stick. (Sephora.ca)

Price

$29.00 CAD (1 oz). For a moisturizer-like product, I think the cost is not too bad. It’s about mid-range between drugstore and beauty store. Plus, I bought mine at the Sephora VIB Sale so I saved 20% off the price.

Packaging

It’s a large tube which makes it easy to apply all over the face and body, albeit not the most hygienic applicator, but I only use it on myself. I like that it’s twist-up which exposes more product as needed and the lid screws on tight so I don’t have to worry about it drying out. A lot of Milk Makeup products are housed this way which makes them good for quick application.

I don’t know much about Milk Makeup but it just seems like they are a brand that focuses on minimal effort to achieve makeup looks. Most items are in a gel or liquid formula which make it easy to apply onto the skin using your fingers or very few brushes. If you know anything about this brand, let me know! I’d love to learn more!

I like that the packaging is simple. There are no frills, just a simple, sturdy, clear plastic tube with white lettering. I only wish that the lettering was a different colour so I can easily spot this. Sometimes I feel it gets lost among my other products.

Application & Wear

This applies very easily, I just apply it directly to my face (I have not tried this on my body). I have dry skin and this instantly hydrates. After I wash my face and apply serum, I will apply the hydrating oil to the areas of my face that feel the driest and tight. That’s usually my cheeks, forehead and chin. I then follow up with any other moisturizers and blend it all in with my hand. This is slick and it helps to spread any other product I apply. Even though it’s an oil, it does not feel greasy at all, it is more like a gel moisturizer.

I like this underneath makeup as a hydrating primer. It helps my makeup stick and reduces the dry look on my face. I have tried it once over makeup and it’s not bad like that as well. It acts like a makeup setting spray that melts your makeup into place, but much more hydrating and you’re left with a bit of glow. What I did was pat it over my makeup and it instantly brought back a glow.

I am really enjoying this hydrating oil stick. Out of all the moisturizers I’ve been using, this is probably my favourite. My skin feels hydrated and looks healthy. If I want to look glowy without makeup I’ll just apply this guy over my bare face and be on my way.

My Thoughts

For something I threw into my makeup collection and forgot all about I’m pretty bummed I didn’t just open this sooner! It’s a great hydrating product and it has some pretty interesting oil ingredients. I think in the last few weeks my skin has felt great, and I think it might have something to do with this product!

Have you tried the Milk Makeup Hydrating Oil Stick? What are your thoughts? Is there a product that you recently discovered in your own stash of unopened makeup or skincare?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Unboxing Topbox, October 2018

October 19, 2018 littlebeautyloves8 Comments

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

This box only has one item but I really, really wanted to try this so I couldn’t resist opting for it. I saw Tati on Youtube rave about this and I trust a lot of her recommendations. I’m not the biggest fan of cushion foundation, it’s very expensive for so little product and you have to be very careful you don’t leave this unopened or else it will dry. However, I like that the formula is thinner and lighter which works for everyday minimal makeup looks.

The Laneige BB Cushion Hydra Radiance SPF 50 it’s infused with Melacrusher™ to brighten skin and double-coated pigments to brighten and hydrate (Sephora.ca). This is exclusively sold on Sephora, you can’t find it on the Laneige website for Canada.

I like the packaging. It’s a sturdy plastic case in white that looks very elegant and I enjoy the silver detail. The box came with two cushion compacts so you have a backup when the foundation runs out.

I love that it’s broadspectrum SPF 50, one of the higher SPF’s of all the foundations I own.

I opted for the colour No.11 Porcelain (fair porcelain skin with neutral tones). I thought it looked a lot darker in the online swatch but it’s pretty light. It will work for me since the undertone is right and I can match it to my skin tone better using some bronzer. I would definitely recommend swatching these in store to determine your shade. There are only 6 shades in this range and if mine is any indication of them, they all will be lighter than they look online.

I have used this a few times now, even for my friend’s wedding and I think the coverage is good. It is light so you will need to build it up which is very easy to do because the formula is really thin. On me, I can get this to medium coverage which is how I prefer my makeup.

For the wedding, I used the Laneige BB Cushion Hydra Radiance after primer, but then went in with my Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation to build up the coverage (I really love this foundation, see my review of it here). This combo stayed in place all day and really kept my skin looking hydrated and natural.

I’m super happy I received this in my Topbox this month! I say this time and time again but I love that with Topbox I can opt to switch my surprise box for a prive option. Getting this full-size foundation for a quarter of the cost is well worth it to me, especially when I want to test it out.

Total Value: $49.00 CAD!

Did you get Topbox this month? Have you opted for any of the Prive boxes? What are your thoughts on the Laneige BB Cushion Hydra Radiance Foundation?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Unboxing BoxyCharm, October 2018

October 18, 2018October 17, 2018 littlebeautyloves7 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 “Alter Ego”. I think it’s a great theme for October, especially since Halloween is a time to be someone/something else!

ALL PRICES IN USD CONVERTED TO CAD AT THE END

IT Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara
MSRP: $24.00 USD

I’ve heard lots of positive reviews on this mascara so I’m really excited to try it. This claims to be lengthening, volume boosting and ultra-conditioning. All sounds good to me!

I also think that the packaging is really cute. This has an Elastic Stretch Technology (not sure what the means – marketing!) and ultra-black tint to give you the thickest and most defined lashes.

Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Meltaway Balm
MSRP: $22.00 USD

If you’ve read my review on makeup removers I’ve tried, you’ll know I love balms. I use a balm when I’m wearing a lot of heavy makeup since it just helps it glide right off. This bottle claims to remove long wear makeup while still being nourishing to the skin.

Farmacy is a brand that uses natural ingredients, is cruelty-free, synthetic fragrance-free, and paraben free amongst other things. I can feel good about using this on my skin.

Dermovia Lace a Peal Black Bamboo Charcoal Peel Off Mask
MSRP: $30.00 USD

Now I love a good charcoal mask, but I’m not sure what the lace is meant to do here. Supposedly, the lace provides compression to give you spa-like extraction results. I guess I’ll see if that does anything. This comes with two masks which is great to truly test out the product. I think it’ll mostly just be fun.

What you do is apply the peel off mask first from the tube, then you apply the lace and leave it on your skin for 15-20 mins. I did check their website and this has some positive reviews. Now, tell me the mask itself does not look creepy!!! hehe!

PUR Cosmetics The Complexion Authority Midnight Masquerade Palette
MSRP: $38.00 USD

I received the PUR The Complexion Authority Eyeshadow Palette in my March 2018 BoxyCharm and I really like it. I used it so much during the spring and enjoy a lot of the colours as base colours to build on other looks. It’s got great pigmentation and lasting colour. I’m sure this palette will be the same.

The colours are super pretty and though I think it’s missing a crease colour, this would make a perfect gift for someone who might enjoy an all-in-one palette so I’m going to save this as a gift to use over the holidays for a friend I think would enjoy this.

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lovesick
MSRP: $20.00 USD

I’ve heard really great things about this formula and I would love to give this a try. The colour is like a cool purply mauve so it might work really well for the cooler vibes I’ve been feeling this Fall.

This formula is described as highly pigmented, vegan and cruelty-free that coats your lips in one swipe. It’s infused with vitamin E and sunflower seed oil to moisturize. That’s very interesting to me!

My Thoughts

There is a little bit of everything in this box, some makeup, some skincare. That’s always something I enjoy! I’m most excited for the IT Cosmetics mascara and Farmacy cleansing balm which together more than makes up the cost of the box itself. I will be trying out the face mask soon so look out for my thoughts in my October empties!

Total Value: $134.00 USD ($174.56 CAD)

Did you get BoxyCharm this month? Anything you’ve been enjoying in your box?

Lots of Love,
Dal

littlebeautyloves

I like Makeup and I blog about it!

Tag: Beauty Blogger

Festive Makeup Look, Strong Wing & Fluttery Lashes

I received the items mentioned above complimentary from Influenster.

Bye Bye Empties, November 2018

Skincare

Body Care

Haircare

Makeup

Unboxing Topbox, November 2018

All prices in Canadian Dollars.

Unboxing BoxyCharm, November 2018

Favourites from the Boxes, November 2018

Bye Bye Empties, October 2018

Skincare

Body Care

Ole Henrikson SkinCare Review

Milk Makeup Hydrating Oil Stick Review

Unboxing Topbox, October 2018

Unboxing BoxyCharm, October 2018

ALL PRICES IN USD CONVERTED TO CAD AT THE END