Sampling About, Using up my Sample Packets

March 16, 2020March 15, 2020 littlebeautyloves7 Comments

At the beginning of the year, I thought about doing another Project Pan, but after looking at my beauty items I thought the one thing that seems to add to the overflow is my collection of sample packets. Now, I loved collecting samples whenever I went shopping at any beauty related store because I always thought it was a great way to try out products or to carry something easy to dispose of while on vacation. After years of collecting, I just find that a LOT of this stuff isn’t being used up so I figured why not just pull them all out and focus on using them up over the next few months and just clear them from my collection.

Now, I’m currently working from home for the next few weeks due to the rising fear of COVID-19 so I figured I would put extra focus on these items. It’ll be a good way for me to focus on something fun during this time and maybe I can provide some updates along the way of what I use up.

On a serious note, my work decided to promote social distancing and asked those who can work from home do so. I just wanted to take this opportunity to ask you to stay safe and pay attention to your local government’s update. There is a lot of information out there on COVID-19 and I encourage you to read creditable sources on what to do in your area so that we can protect the most vulnerable in our communities.

On to my Samples! I’m going to divide these into a few categories so that it’s easier to follow. I’ll include how many I have of each so that as I use them up I can update the counter.

Makeup and Makeup Prep

Smashbox Original Primer x1
Elizabeth Arden Cleanser x1
YSL Primer x2

Benefit Concealer x1
Philosophy Cleanser x1
Glamglow Cleanser x1

Body Care

Josie Maran Body Butter x2
Nivea Care Cream x2

Nuxe Body Oil x1

Hair Care

John Frieda Hair Care set x1

dpHUE Scalp Scrub x1

Moisturizer

Teology Matcha Cream x1
Tatcha Moisturizer x1
No7 Skin Paste x1

Glamglow Moisturizer x1
Jowai Youth Concentration x2
Biotherm Gel x1

Serum and Other Creams

Neostrata Night Serum x1
Neostrata Eye Cream x1
Shiseido Ultimune x1
Shiseido Serum x1
Vichy Mineral 89 x1
Marcelle 2in1 serum x1
Elizabeth Arden Serum x2

Clarins Double Serum x5
Biotherm Elixir x2
Kose Sekkisei Gel x1
Kose Sekkisei Mask x1
Lancome Genifique x1
Filorga Serum x1

I can’t wait to use all these products up!

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

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!

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.

~~~

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

Project Pan Monthly: October Roundup & November Items

November 11, 2019November 10, 2019 littlebeautyloves2 Comments

This month I wanted to get this post out earlier than I did last month so that I could share with you what I plan on focusing on in my makeup stash! Then I totally got lazy for a week and here we are… late again… haha!

Looking at the before and after of some of my liquid items from October it really feels like I didn’t make much progress although I used my items 28/31 days. While I usually don’t wear makeup on the weekend I did find myself out and about a lot more in October so I did wear some makeup and used my Project Pan items. Let’s jump into my progress!

But before we do that….

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.)

October Round-Up

One thing I love about focusing on specific items in my collection is that I can judge how much I actually like them. When I bought my Smashbox Minimalist Cover Shot Palette I was sure I would use this a lot, however, I realize after having this in my Project Pan I realize I don’t love the colours in this palette. One side is neutral, the other is cool. I leaned towards using neutral brown tones because the grey tones were not appealing to me.

My Guerlain lip balm remained in my purse and I continued to use it frequently throughout the month. I like this lip balm and I think that I am going to go back and purchase more shades. It’s the only lip item I’ve enjoyed in this whole Project Pan series. Granted the before and after doesn’t show much has been used up believe me when I say that I used this quite a lot.

At the beginning of October, I used the Becca Backlight Primer pretty often but after about a week I stopped using it and then that was that. It was just another step in my morning routine that I was too lazy to do.

I used my Maybelline Concealer every time I wore makeup, however, you wouldn’t guess based on the photo above that it was ever used. I do want to just use this up so I am avoiding using my other concealers for now that I finish this up. Maybe it’ll make it onto an empties post in a few months!

My November Items

For this month I chose;

One Eyeshadow Palette – Dose of Colors Eyeshadow Palette in Baked Browns
One Lip Item – Urban Decay Lipstick In Sheer Liar
One Face Item – Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit – Volume 4 (reviewed here)
One Random Item – CoverFX Custom Enhancer Drops in Moonlight (reviewed here)

I love how I chose items will all chrome packaging! It’s so aesthetically pleasing.

I’m really excited about the items I’ve picked for this month. I’m enjoying the eyeshadow so far – lookout for a review coming soon! I’m also very much in love with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Palette so I’m excited to use it. Now is also the best time to try to use up the CoverFX drops. I’ve had this mini bottle for such a long time now and it was in last year’s Project Pan so I’m really hoping I use up more of it.

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

Lots of Love,
Dal

Bye Bye Empties, October 2019

November 5, 2019 littlebeautyloves7 Comments

It has been a beautiful fall season so far! Toronto weather has been mild and the leaves are changing colours! It’s looking gorgeous out there! October was a relaxing month for me. We had Canadian Thanksgiving at the beginning of the month which was a nice time spent with family. I also did Halloween Haunt at Canada’s Wonderland which is when they turn the amusement park into a scary playground at night with lots of haunted mazes, I loved it! Now it’s slowly easing into colder weather and we might have our first snowfall this week. I know some places in Canada have already experienced that. I’m really looking forward to it!

Now on to what I used up in October!

*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 & Makeup

Ko Gen Do Makeup Wipe. I received this in my BoxyCharm and it was one of my favourite makeup wipes. The cloth itself was thick and the makeup removing solution worked extremely well at removing makeup. I’m having a hard time finding these from Canadian retailers so I’m not sure if I’ll be able to repurchase this. I will if I can find it!

Shiseido Ibuki Smart Filtering Smoother. I did a full review of this product which you can read here. This is like a blotting sheet but in liquid form. As someone who has dry skin, it didn’t work for me. I held on to it for the summer but I think it’s time I just removed it from my stash. I think the product is discontinued but I would not repurchase this anyways.

Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara. I received this from Influenster a while back and spent the last 2 months focusing on using it up. This is a pretty good mascara. I loved how rich the colour was and how it fanned out my lashes. I have so many mascaras I like more than this one though so I won’t be repurchasing it.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost Moisturizer (sample size). I absolutely love this line from Neutrogena, it has hyaluronic acid which keeps my skin moisturized. I love the consistency of the formula, where it feels like a light cool gel rather than a heavy cream. I would definitely repurchase this.

Hair, Body, Misc.

Dove Derma+Care Scalp Conditioner. This hydrated my hair way more than I thought it would. I used it after the Dove Anti-Dandruff shampoo and together these worked so well. I think it might give my Head & Shoulders’ shampoo and conditioner a run for it’s money! Plus the Dove conditioner smells so good! I would repurchase this.

Yves Rocher Monoi Lagoon Moisturizing Perfume Body Mist. This has such a tropical flower scent that I enjoy so much in the summer. It’s sweet but not super heavy so I can easily wear this all day without it giving me a headache. I used this about half-way through but I think it was getting really old because it was getting clumpy and gross on the inside. I decided it was best I just throw it out. I have a lot of perfumes and body mists to get through so I won’t be repurchasing this.

Marvis Jasmine Mint Toothpaste. I used up another one of my Marvis tubes of toothpaste. The Jasmine mint tasted like soap! yuck! I think there might be a few more uses in this tube but I’m not going to bother using it. I would not repurchase this particular flavour.

~~~~

That’s all I was able to use up in October! I have a couple of items that were near finishing I thought would make it on to this month but alas will probably show up in November. I feel like I’m making good progress through my skincare and body items but it’s taking so long to use up any makeup! Even with my no-buy and project pan!

What items have you used up for October?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Project Pan Monthly: September Roundup & October Items

October 16, 2019October 15, 2019 littlebeautyloves2 Comments

So I totally wrote up this post last week and then just forgot to come back and actually post it! haha! Anyways…!!! We are on to a new month and another set of products for my Project Pan Monthly! I have been enjoying wearing a lighter foundation and keeping my makeup very minimal. By using products that were lighter coverage I used the items in my Project Pan for September 26/31 days! Since I’m not wearing a heavy foundation or a lot of eye shadow I was wearing a lot of my project pan items on the weekend as well. I’m excited about the items I chose for October. You can see them below!

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

Project Pan Monthly

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

September Round-Up

I enjoyed using my Too Faced Just Peachy Mattes palette! I created so many simple looks with it. I would put one of the lighter shades over my lids (peach meringue or peaches and cream) then take the mid-tone shades (just peachy or fresh-picked) and apply that into my crease. I then took any of the shades in the last column and applied them into my lash line to make a quick smoky liner. It was so easy but with these types of colours, it just makes the look a little more fun!

To ensure I got good use of my Guerlain Lip Balm I put it in my purse so I would apply it whenever my lips needed a little hydration. With the weather all over the place, my lips have started to feel dry. Having the lip balm with me all the time just meant that I never forgot to wear it and I was using it all the time. I absolutely love this balm!

I used my Garnier BB Cream so much in September. I love it because the texture is whipped which made applying this with my fingers super quick. For my everyday look, I would just dot some concealer under my eyes and in areas of my face I needed extra coverage and call it a day on my foundation routine. It was perfect for just apply and go!

I kept my Nest Cocoa Woods Perfume on my beauty counter so every morning when I got ready I would make sure I didn’t forget to apply this. I ended up using about 1/4 of the bottle which I think is pretty good. I’m impressed that it’s lasting so long and really loved the scent!

My October Items

For this month I chose;

One Eyeshadow Palette – Smashbox Cover Shot Minimalist Palette
One Lip Item – Guerlain Hydrating & Plumping Lip Balm
One Face Item – BECCA Backlight Priming Filter Face Primer
One Random Item – Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer

I was tempted to choose my Alyssa Edwards x Anastasia Beverly Hills Palette for the month of October but then I figured I would keep it for December when I might be more tempted to do fun eye shadow looks for holiday time. So instead I picked up my Smashbox Cover Shot Palette in minimalist since the colours are very everyday and well, minimalist. I don’t use this palette too much so I figured why not!

I also figured why not just transfer my Guerlain Lip Balm into October as well since it’s great for my lips and adds a bit of colour. I’m also enjoying this for every day and I think it’ll look great with the eye shadow palette I chose.

I figured that since I’m keeping my foundation simple I could add the BECCA primer for just a touch of glow. I also thought it was about time I used up my Maybelline concealer. I have a few concealers that are open at the same time so I wanted to focus on using up one of them in October.

This time around I figured I’d take a before shot so that I can actually see what a difference a month of use makes on these products. Here’s hoping we can actually see a difference when I take after shots.

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

Lots of Love,
Dal

Five Eye Brushes I use A Lot!

August 28, 2019August 28, 2019 littlebeautyloves5 Comments

I own quite a lot of brushes. I’m sure that is a statement that a lot of us can agree to! LOL!

I’m sure we’ve all gone through so many brushes, ones that we bought thinking they would be perfect only to end up switching them for something else. It took me a long time to build the collection I have and although I’m happy with them I’m always trying new ones to see how they might make my makeup application better or easier.

I decided for this post to pull out five eye brushes that I enjoy using and share them. I have a few posts on brushes in my collection that I’ve reviewed and you can read them here and here. I still use all those brushes but since my collection is large I figured why not share more!

Here are five eye brushes that I use a lot!

Quo Eye Shadow Smudger Brush

This is the first smudger style brush that I ever bought and I’ve purchased more smudger brushes ever since! I think Shoppers was having a sale on Quo brushes at the time so it was the perfect opportunity to grab one and see how I liked this style brush. I love using this to apply shadow to my lower and upper lash line because it gives a nice smokey effect.

The bristles on this brush are short and dense which helps keep everything close to the lash line but the brush itself is really soft. I like that I can get really close to my lash line to frame my eyes. I also like that the ends are rounded so that I can move the brush around the curve of my eyes.

Sephora Pro Featherweight Crease Brush

I use this brush a lot for my crease because I find that it’s soft but not so fluffy so it keeps product from blending out too much around my eyes. It keeps the look precise but still creates a seemless blend. I own a lot of blending brushes but I really like this one when I want to take time to blend out my eyeshadow.

What I love about this brush is that after so much use it continues to hold it’s shape. I love the domed tip which makes it really comfortable to use in the crease. I’m a bit bummed that this is no longer at Sephora and if I knew it was going to be discontinued I might have bought another one.

Artdeco Blending Brush

I featured this brush before on the blog in the post focusing on the brushes in my One Look, One Week Review Series. I mentioned that this brush is quite versatile and it continues to be a well loved and highly used brush. Recently, I’ve been using it a lot for cream shadows I have (ie. the Nudestix shadows) to blend out any rough edges. The brush is dense so it really blends out cream perfectly.

What I love about this brush is that one side is wide, while the other side is flat.

This allows me to use this to lightly blend out shadow in my crease using the flat side or to sweep shadow on my lid using the wider side. It’s even been used as a liner smudger and to blend shadow on my lower lid. It does everything I want a brush to do. Whenever I travel I take this brush with me because I can use it in a variety of ways. I plan on purchasing more of these types of brushes.

Inglot Large Eyeshadow Brush, 28 PO (I think?)

This brush has a special place in my heart because it was one of the first professional style brushes that I ever purchased and it’s held up all these years. I don’t think at the time Inglot had put the brush numbers on their brushes so I’m guessing it’s the 28PO based on their description online. I purchased this brush to help clean around the edges of my eyeshadow because it’s a super big and dense brush.

If ever my eyeshahow is starting to blend out a little too far on my eye and I want to blend out the colours I’ll take this brush to help clean it all up. The brush is also perfect as a shadow brush because it’s so big that I can definitly use it as a one sweep brush and be done with eyeshadow. I don’t use this too often because it is so big, but whenever I need a brush like this I’m also so happy I have it.

Luxie 111 Mini Flat Angled Brush

I received this brush in my November BoxyCharm as part of a four-pack brush set. I use all the brushes in that set but this one is one that I use most out of all of them and I use it specifically to apply eyeshadow to my lower lashes.

Because the brush is angled, it fits perfectly under my lower lashes and applies shadow really close to my lower lash. By being able to apply a thin shadow under my lashes I keep my shadow looking sleek. I really enjoy this brush. I don’t think I would have thought to purchase this on my own, but after receiving it and trying it out, it has really improved my eyeshadow application.

~~~

These are some of my favourite eye shadow brushes. I plan to share more of my favourite brushes for my eyes and face on the blog since I have so many that I really like and I’m curious to know what are some of your favourite brushes too!

Let me know what brushes you use a lot for your eye shadow application.

Lots of Love,
Dal

Unboxing BoxyCharm, August 2019

August 26, 2019August 26, 2019 littlebeautyloves10 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 “totally”. It feels like a nod to the ’90s for me.

PRICES ARE IN USD, CONVERTED TO CAD AT THE END

Becca’s Hydra Mist & Refresher Powder
MSRP: $39.00 US

BoxyCharmAugust20195

This powder sets and refreshes makeup. It creates a mist-like sensation on the skin because it’s 50 percent water and glycerin. I’m actually really excited to try this powder because I’m really hoping it’ll work on my dry skin.

Wander Beauty Glow Ahead Illuminating Oil
MSRP: $42.00 US

BoxyCharmAugust20192

This is a beauty elixir that is formulated to deeply nourish and prime the skin before makeup and to refresh while on-the-go. It has age-defying oils helps to restore skin’s moisture barrier while you a youthful glow. I’m interested in this primer/oil type of product and look forward to testing it out!

Tarte Cosmetics Big Ego Mascara
MSRP: $23.00 US

BoxyCharmAugust20196

This is an ultra-black, vegan mascara that lifts your lashes and delivers a fully-loaded flutter for up to 16 hours. I’ve tried multiple mascaras from Tarte including the Tartiest Lash Paint Mascara and the Lights, Camera, Splashes Mascara that I absolutely love them. This had really good reviews on BoxyCharm website so I’ve got high hopes that it’ll give me a lot of volume.

Ace Beute Glimmer Shadow Duo in Cotton Candy and Iced Latte
MSRP: $25.00 US

BoxyCharmAugust20194

These are described as high pigmented shadows with a creamy texture. They provide bold colour in one swipe without fallout, creasing or fading. I think the shades are really pretty but I was turned off by the packaging because it just looks like makeup I would get at Claire’s. Either way, it’s the product that counts so I’ll see how they work!

Steve Laurant Lip Liner in Uptown
MSRP: $15.00 US

BoxyCharmAugust20193

This lip liner matches closely to the colour of my lips which will allow me to re-shape, re-size & re-define my pout like it’s described it will do and last up to 7 hours. I really like more natural lip liners so I’m happy to have one that isn’t a red or pink tone. I am actually really excited to give this a try!

My Thoughts

This month’s box has a lot of great items that I’m looking forward to trying especially since the face products are made for dry skin. I’m excited about the lip liner and the mascara as well since they are products I use quite a bit.

Total Value: $144.00 US ($191.86 CAD)

Did you get BoxyCharm this month? What did you enjoy from your box?

Lots of Love,
Dal

littlebeautyloves

I like Makeup and I blog about it!

Tag: Canadian Blogger

Sampling About, Using up my Sample Packets

Makeup and Makeup Prep

Body Care

Hair Care

Moisturizer

Serum and Other Creams

FabFitFun Box, Winter 2019 Edition

Membership Breakdown

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

New Light Coverage Bases in My Stash

Project Pan Monthly: October Roundup & November Items

Project Pan Monthly

October Round-Up

My November Items

Bye Bye Empties, October 2019

Skincare & Makeup

Hair, Body, Misc.

Project Pan Monthly: September Roundup & October Items

Project Pan Monthly

September Round-Up

My October Items

Five Eye Brushes I use A Lot!

Quo Eye Shadow Smudger Brush

Sephora Pro Featherweight Crease Brush

Artdeco Blending Brush

Inglot Large Eyeshadow Brush, 28 PO (I think?)

Luxie 111 Mini Flat Angled Brush

Unboxing BoxyCharm, August 2019

PRICES ARE IN USD, CONVERTED TO CAD AT THE END