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.

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 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

Unboxing Topbox, August 2018

August 22, 2018 littlebeautyloves5 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 opted for the Prive Box! Topbox was offering 2 or 3 versions of the Cosmetics Magazine Awards Privé Boxes this year and I wished for the first one and got it!

Prices are in Canadian Dollars.

Shiseido Urban Environment UV Protection Cream SPF 40
Full Size: $34.00 (50 mL), Sample Size: $10.20 (15 mL)

This was my main attraction to this specific Prive Box. I really enjoy Shiseido products, especially their skincare so whenever I have an opportunity to test them out I always go for it. I think the other boxes had Shiseido products as well but I really wanted the UV protection to take with me on my weekend trip to Chelsea, Quebec. This is an ultra-hydrating, feather-light daily sunscreen for face and body.

Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Lip Colour in Pink Bliss
Full Size: $7.98 (6.5 mL), this is a full-size item

Gosh, the colour on this is sooo pretty! It’s a rose pink which I thought looked really pretty when I wore it. It has an interestingly shaped applicator, with it being a little more triangular and edgy. The texture is whipped and creamy but it does apply streakily so what I did was apply one layer, allow it to dry for a minute and then applied a second layer.

Once it’s completely dry it looks pretty and matte. It also was long-wearing, more than I thought it would be. It lasted through my day including drinking and eating which surprised me. I might actually pick up more shades of this formula.

Narciso Rodriguez For Her Fleur Musc
Full Size: $144 (100 mL), $1.44 (1mL)

I love Narcisco Rodriguez scents, one of my favourites is the For Her EDT perfume. This has notes of roses, spices, and amber wood. I think it’s very pretty.

Vichy Laboratories Minéral 89 Fortifying and Plumping Daily Booster
Full Size: $39.95 (50 mL), Sample Size: $4.00 (5 mL)

This was the second item that I was most drawn to in this Prive Box. I really love Vichy skincare and have written about them in previous blog posts and on my Instagram. I had tried a few packet samples of this daily booster serum and really loved it. This is a mix of Vichy’s mineral water concentrated to 89% with natural origin hyaluronic acid. It is made to help skin stronger against aggressors like pollution, stress and fatigue.

Clarins Double Serum [Hydric+Lipidic System]
Full Size: $120 (50 mL), Sample Size (x6): $12.96 (5.4 mL)

More skincare! Can you start to see why I wanted this Prive Box?! This is an anti-ageing treatment. Although I would have preferred this in one little tube rather than a bunch of tiny packets I do really like this for travel. I’ve actually used this when I’ve been travelling before and this really does re-invigorate my skin. Clarins has so many skincare items, I really want to explore more from this brand!

My Thoughts

Whenever I chose a prive box over a surprise box I know I’m going to love every item because that was the reason why I chose that box in the first place. I really am happy that I got this box because you aren’t guaranteed to get the prive boxes, it’s always dependant on how many they might have to go around. All of the skincare items are ones that are tried and true to me or ones that I really want to try. I’m also really surprised by the Rimmel Liquid lipstick so that’s always nice too!

Total Value: $36.58 CAD

Did you get Topbox this month? What is your favourite skincare item?

Lots of love,
Dal

Bye Bye Empties, May 2018

June 9, 2018 littlebeautyloves13 Comments

This is coming out a tad late but I figured I still wanted to share my empties for May 🙂

May was an amazing month! The weather has been gorgeously warm and sunny and it makes me so excited for summer!

June is going to be crazy hectic for me (which is partially why this is going up late). So much is happening at my work. We are moving our head office, expanding our branch office, and hiring new people which all fall under my responsibility. I also have some fun birthdays coming up! June is going to be super busy 🙂

Now let’s get through some empties!

Skincare

Marcelle Make-Up Removing Cleansing Cloths. I was really surprised by how well this worked for removing my make-up. I used to have the liquid Marcelle Makeup Remover which didn’t work as well for me. However, these wipes work wonders at removing makeup. The cloths are thick and soft and feel super good against my skin. I would repurchase this.

Biotherm Life Plankton Sensitive Emulsion. I thought this was OK. This had a light texture but it’s not as hydrating as I would like it to be so I won’t be repurchasing it.

Yves Rocher Elixir 7.9. This is an eye creamI wore every night before bed. I didn’t take a photo of it but I liked that it had three little roller balls at the end which helped to message the product into my skin. In true Yves Rocher style, I think this is now discontinued or it’s been rebranded at the Elixir Jeunesse. If you click here you will see what it looks like on the YV website. I have so many other eye creams that I need to get through so I won’t be repurchasing this, and I am not sure I can.

Saturday Skin Daily Moisturizing Cream. This little Sephora sample packet lasted me about three uses. I liked using this in the morning because it absorbed into my skin quickly and it kept me feeling hydrated. I have a lot of skincare so I don’t think I’ll be purchasing this.

Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream. I love Fresh products, I’ve been using them for a long time and I always pick up the newest sets from Sephora. I used this cream every single night after my serums and it just helped lock in all the moisture in my skin. I would repurchase this.

L’Oreal Revitalift Bright Reveal Brightening Daily Pads. I received the whole Revitalift line via Influenster a while ago and after some time sitting inside a drawer I finally moved this guy to my bathroom counter and used it up! I liked using this every evening after I had washed my face of makeup and before I applied my skincare. The pads were smooth on one side and textured on the other. I also love the added glycolic acid to help reduce fine lines. If I didn’t have another toner to use right now I would have probably repurchased this!

Body Care

Kiss My Face Active Life Deodorant. I recently dedicated a post to my favourite deodorants and this was one of them! I absolutely love this deodorant and have two backups ready to go!

Fragrances

Estee Lauder Modern Muse Eau de Parfum. I love the scent of this perfume and wore it everyday! It’s such a nice clean scent. Notes include; Jasmine Accord, Woods Accord. I would repurchase this. I also have the Modern Muse Le Rouge that I wanted to use up!

Dolce & Gabanna Dolce Eau de Parfum. This is maybe one of my all time favourite scents! I fell in love with this from the first sample I tried. I love the travel size spray bottle. I’ve taken it with me on every trip I’ve been on because it’s such a great scent on me. Notes include; Neroli Leaves, Papaya Flower, White Amaryllis, White Daffodil, White Water Lily, Cashmeran, Musky Notes, Sandalwood. I am repurchasing this.

Makeup

Givenchy Noir Inderit Mascara. You can read my full review of this mascara here. It’s so expensive for what it is, $38.00 CAD for mascara isn’t really worth it to me when there are more affordable options out there. Granted I loved the way it applied and it was nice for everyday looks and I did enjoy the parfume scent. At the end of the day, the bending brush didn’t make it any easier or better for applying mascara and the formula was too thin so it didn’t give me big flirty lashes which I prefer.

So that’s it! All my empties for May! I think I did a decent job of using up some products.

What did you use up in May? Have you tried any of the products I mentioned above? If so, what are your thoughts?

Lots of love,
Dal

Too Faced Just Peachy Mattes: Palette Review Series

February 7, 2018February 7, 2018 littlebeautyloves15 Comments

I was going through a few posts in this series and I’m actually surprised at how many palettes I own!! And I haven’t reviewed them all just yet so look forward to more posts in this series.

This post is going to be focused on the Just Peachy Mattes palette I bought on a whim, for really no reason other than just wanting it. The colours are stunning as you’ll see below. I also compared some of the shades to my Too Faced Sweet Peach palette.

What it is

A long-wearing eyeshadow palette with 12 highly-pigmented, matte hues for endless eye looks. Matte shades of warm peaches, buttery creams, and rich browns. (Sephora.ca)

Price

$55.00 CAD (0.48 oz/ 15 g), this works out to $3.20/g. It’s not too bad per gram compared to my other palettes.

Packaging

It seems like Too Faced used a plastic gold-coloured packaging. It’s a sturdy package but it’s not like the tin packaging of the chocolate bar palettes. This has a magnetic closure with two cute peach clasps. I love the gradient peach/pink to white cover.

I love the mirror in this, it’s the size of the packaging (3×4 inches) and is high quality and super clear. I use the mirrors in my palettes whenever I put on my makeup so it’s important to me that they are as nice as this one is.

The inside is a matte black so the colours really pop against it.

Scent

If you’re a person who hated the Sweet Peach Palette scent, you are going to be in for a treat! This has such a small hint of Peach that it’s barely there and really enjoyable. It’s not even as strong as the chocolate bar palette.

Colour

Except for Peach Sangria that has sparkle, all of these shadows are matte (which is made obvious by the name). I love these reds, browns and peaches. They also swatch amazingly and have a great colour payoff on the lids.

If you look at each row individually the four shades going across work together to create one look, which makes it easy if you want to throw together something quick. Although the tones in this palette are similar I do think it’s very versatile.

Colour Comparison to Sweet Peach Palette

Since I have the Sweet Peach Palette (“SP”) I wanted to compare this against the Just Peachy Mattes Palette (“JPM”). Not surprisingly, a couple of shades were VERY similar;

I colour coded each shade I wanted to compare in the photo above. Each is swatched below.

SP White Peach vs. JPM Peach Meringue – White peach is a white with a hint of pink while Peach Meringue is more yellow but the difference is hardly noticeable.

SP Candied Peach vs. JPM Just Peachy and JP Peach Punch – I thought Candied Peach in the Sweet Peach palette was shade in between Just Peachy and Peach Punch. Candied peach is a bit brighter with flecks of glitter but otherwise, I think they are very close.

SP Charmed, I’m sure vs. JPM Peach Tarte – These two colours might as well be the same shade in my opinion.

SP Summer Yum vs. JPM Peach Cobbler – Summer Yum is slightly more orange in tone (it’s my favourite shade in this palette) but other it is similar to Peach Cobbler, they even have the exact same texture and feel.

SP Georgia vs. JPM Peaches & Cream – In the pans I thought these would swatch similarly but on my arm, they are pretty different. Georgia is very pink while Peaches & Cream looks more orange.

I don’t think it’s worth having both palettes. If you can stand the scent, I would recommend the Sweet Peach Palette because there is a wider variety of shades and finishes. However, if the scent of the Sweet Peach Palette is too strong for you but you want similar peach and brown shades then I recommend the Just Peachy Mattes. If you are curious about my overall thoughts on the Sweet Peach Palette you can read my review here.

Application and Wear

This applies like a dream! I enjoy how my eye makeup looks when I use this palette. It’s easy to blend and build and eyeshadow application easy because it’s so pigmented. None of the shadows are patchy.

This also wears extremely well. The colours don’t fade and I can go a day with it holding up. If I’m going to be going out after work I’ll wear these shades in the morning because I know they will last. I wear concealer on my eyelids which does help, but overall this lasts fairly long.

In the look above I started with Peach Butter all over the eyes. I blended Peach Tea into the crease and darkened the outer half of the crease with Just Ripe. All over the lid, I put Peach Punch and then used Chocolate Dipped as liner along the lash line. In the lower lash line, I used Peach Punch on the inner portion and Just Ripe on the outer portion. I finished the look off with some Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara.

Breakdown:

Pros

blends well
very pigmented
great packaging
barely there scent

Cons

similar shades to Sweet Peach Palette

My Thoughts

In my collection, I can grab shades from different palettes that I think would work similar to the ones in this palette. Even so, I enjoy the application of these shades very much and prefer this palette when creating a warm-eyed look.

If you have something like this in your collection, like the ABH Modern Renaissance Palette, there isn’t going to be anything new here for you. That being said, if you were on the fence about this particular palette, I think it performs extremely well and would recommend getting it.

Have you tried this palette? What about other more recent launches from Too Faced?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Unboxing BoxyCharm, January 2018

January 25, 2018January 23, 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 “Rock 2018″. I think it’s a fun and new year feeling theme. I also love that some items received in this month’s box really go with the theme.

Prices are in American Dollars, converted to Canadian at the end

Dr. Brandt Pores No More Luminzer Primer
Retail Price: $38.00 USD

I think this is my favourite product from this box! I was about to purchase the GlamGlow Glowstarter illuminizing primers from Sephora, but when I saw this I decided not to because this is an illuminating primer. It’s like BoxyCharm read my mind!

This delivers a naturally radiant glow while blurring pores and imperfections. Yes, please! I wonder if BoxyCharm has some deal with Dr. Brandt because I see their items quite often in the boxes. I’m not complaining because they are amazing products that are pricey, I’m just curious.

It Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil
Retail Price: $24.00 USD

I received a sample size of this eyebrow pencil a long time ago in an Ipsy bag (I totally miss that subscription) and I remember liking it. Based on the amount of pressure you apply to your brows, the pencil either can be intense or soft.

I like this shade of taupe and look forward to using this again.

Crown Pro Glam Metals Palette
Retail price: $25.00 USD

I was surprised that Crown created makeup because I thought they were mostly a brushes company. This packaging is adorable! I love the flying guitar mirror on the inside.

The colours are pigmented and smooth. Except for Black Metal, these are all shimmers so I will need to use other palettes to build my base but these all make great lid shades. Since getting the Kat Von D shade and light palette I’ve been enjoying colourful eyeshadows.

Pur Bronze and Brighten Cheek Palette
Retail Price: $34.00 USD

Last month I received a shimmery cheek palette, highlight and bronzer through my BoxyCharm that I have no need for this one right away. I do like the highlight and blush colour included but I’m not going to use this seeing as I already have new items from last month that I’ve already started using. I may end up passing this along to a friend.

Girlactik Matte Lip Paint in Demure
Retail Price; $23.00 USD

I have a few of these dark nude lipsticks and honestly, I’m starting to get sick of them in my boxes. I just wish I could get something else! A red, pink, glitter or clear colour would be so refreshing! I usually love these colours but I have too many!!!

I’m not sure if I’ll use this lipstick because this formula is supposedly amazing. I’ve heard it’s longlasting, lightweight and doesn’t transfer.

My Thoughts

Except for the repeat colour on the matte lip paint, I’m super happy with what I received in BoxyCharm. I might give away the Pur cheek set but I still think it’s a great item. I most happy about the pores no more primer! Total Value: $144 USD ($179.95)

Did you get BoxyCharm this month? What was your favourite item?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Unboxing Topbox, January 2018

January 23, 2018January 23, 2018 littlebeautyloves20 Comments

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

I keep hoping that they’ll have a prive box with items I want because I really love those more than the surprise boxes. Here’s hoping they have few good options for February.

All prices are in Canadian Dollars

Cougar Cosmetics Perfect Pout Lip Plumper
Full-Size Price: $25.96 (10mL), this is a full-size item

I’ve never heard of Cougar Cosmetics before but they are a beauty brand out of the UK! That’s exciting! They have skincare, makeup and haircare items. The price is high for this because of the conversion rate from GBP to CAD, so I’m happy I have it in my Topbox to test.

This lip plumper mimic’s hyaluronic acid injection by doubling its synthesis level but also stimulates the synthesis of matrix and dermal-epidermal junction molecules. (www.cougarbeautyproducts.com)

The reviews on the website are pretty great so I’m looking forward to this plumping up my lips. I like that it’s clear and it has a gloss-like consistency. My only drawback is that it smells like Vick’s Vaporub

Glamglow Waterburst™ Hydrated Glow Moisturizer
Full Size Price: $62.00 (50mL), Sample Price: $6.20 (5mL)

YESS!!!! Topbox bringing in the Glamglow samples! I love that this is the waterburst moisturizer, I can’t have too many hydrating products so I’m excited about this.

It has a light and creamy texture that feels like water melting into the skin. I’m also loving the gummy candy scent.

Nioxin Instant Fullness Dry Cleanser
Full Size Price: $25.99 (4.22oz), Sample Price: $9.36 (1.52oz)

Ask me two years ago and I would have told you that I stay as far as possible from anything that claims to be volumizing.

Today, however, I’m all about fullness. I’m looking forward to testing this out and determining how I feel about it.

Cake Beauty Heavy Cream
Full Size Price: $22.00 (150mL), Sample Price: $4.40 (30mL)

I love the scent of the Cake Beauty Hand/Body creams and with winter now I have a use for this.

My Thoughts

I got exciting items in this month’s box. I’m most excited to try the Cougar Beauty lip plumper. I’m really happy with Topbox and I hope they continue to bring boxes like this monthly. Total Value of my box: $45.92

Did you get Topbox? What have you received this month?

Lots of Love,
Dal

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea vol. II: Palette Collection Review Series

January 16, 2018January 16, 2018 littlebeautyloves17 Comments

Ever have a beauty product you didn’t think was going to wow you suddenly become one of your faves? That’s what happened to me after using Tarte’s Rainforest of the Sea Vol. II Palette. I bought this on a whim because it was on sale and when I first looked at the colours I thought they were super basic.

I purchased this palette back in April and shared it in a haul here. Then in August, I received a second one in my BoxyCharm which I gave to my sister.

What it is

Eight long-wearing, cool-toned shades include four mattes and four lusters that can be worn wet or dry, & you’ll get the antioxidant benefits of tarte’s Rainforest of the Sea™ complex with none of the icky, bad stuff. (Tartecosmetics.com)

Price

Currently, this is on sale for $33.00 CAD (o.4 oz/ 12 g) on the Tarte Website (it’s $47.00 CAD on Sephora.ca). I find this goes in and out of sale on the Tarte Website. This is $3.92 per gram which is mid-range of my palettes (based on the regular price)

Packaging

I didn’t think I was going to enjoy this circular packaging but it is actually really comfortable to hold. When I apply eyeshadow I like to hold this sideways and it makes it easy to get product and use the mirror.

This is in packaging similar to the Tarte In Bloom palette which I’ve revieved in my series here. It’s a sturdy plastic gold package and I think the coral reef print on the top is pretty. The size of this palette is about 3.5″ in diameter.

Colour

As mentioned in the description above, these are all cool toned shades. I was drawn to the deep blue shadow in this palette but it’s the brown and beige shades that I use most often. I use conch, marina, seaside and siren all the time. For me, these are my quint-essential everyday shades and they just look really flattering on me. My complexion is neutral, but I do tend a bit cooler so that’s why these types of colours work really well for me.

When I found that I was reaching for this palette more and more over my other palettes I knew that this was spot on for me. The colours are so easy for me to create looks with. Below, I’ve created a really dark smokey look, but for the most part, I keep to a really light look for every day.

The colours are not bold but they are highly pigmented and blend well together. Sunset is a beautiful gold that I will put all over the lid when I feel like a little sparkle and I use breezy when I feel like making any look more smokey.

One draw back is that marina and seaside are very similar colours. When swatched, marina looks caramel and seaside looks like a light brown but it’s a minuscule difference that they look the same on the eye.

Application & Wear

When I look at the palette many of the pans look crumbly and you would think the shadow was more chunky but it’s not at all. They feel so smooth and creamy when applied. Siren can be a bit patchy, but I only use a little bit of this shadow that I find I can blend it out well.

Something that I absolutely enjoy about the application with this palette is that I experience such little fallout. In the look below I experienced none! Yep! I put my foundation on first and then was able to build the dark navy blue into my crease and lid without little bits of it falling on my face.

This is my everyday shadow palette so I have tested it out over an 8 hour work day and it’s held up really well. The shadows don’t budge or move or fade and I usually don’t need a primer.

In the look above, I applied conch all over the lid and blended marina into the outter and inner lid. On the outter half of my lid I blended seaside into a trangular shape and put a little of it in my inner lid. I then used breezy on the outter edge of my lid keeping with the triangular shape and took the tiniest amount onto my inner lid, whatever was let over on the brush I dragged in my lower lash line. Using a blending brush with a little bit of marina I blended out the outter edges of breezy which dragged a little bit of the colour over my crease. I put sunset over the center of my lid using some setting spray for intensity. To end it all off I put pearl under my brow and inner corner of my eyelid. I finished it off with mascara.

The Breakdown

Pros

great pigmentation
no fallout
long lasting

Cons

not everyone will love cool colours
siren can be patchy
marina and seaside are similar

My Thoughts

I really enjoy this palette. If you are looking for a cool toned everyday palette you might really enjoy this one!

Let me know your thoughts on this palette or any other eyeshadows you’ve tried from Tarte.

Lots of Love,

Dal

Milani Everyday Eyes Powder Eyeshadow Collection: Palette Collection Review Series

December 28, 2017December 27, 2017 littlebeautyloves7 Comments

I am easily drawn to new palettes all the time. Every year I buy about 3-4 new ones from both the beauty stores and drugstores. When I picked this one up it was Autmn of last year and I was definately feeling the orange and warm vibes. I use this palette quite often and wanted to share my thoughts.

What It Is
Six richly pigmented shades and a step-by-step guide for professional-looking results (milanicosmetics.com)

Price
$12.99 CAD (0.21 oz/6 g). This breaks down to $2.17/gram which I think is reasonable for the drugstore.

Packaging
I really enjoy the packaging of this palette because it’s sturdy and compact. The palette itself is maybe 3×4.

Although I do like palettes with mirrors I like that this one is clear so that you can see the colours within. If you owned multiple colours of this palette you’d be able to easily distinguish them. I like that the back of this has a useful guide as well.

This came with a double-sided brush. One side is a blender type brush and the other side is a shader brush.

It’s not the worst brush that I’ve received in a palette and I’ve used it a few times with the palette and I think it works well.

Colour
There are eight different palettes in this range so you can find one that suits your personal style. I gravitated towards this palette called Earthy Elements for the beautiful tones and the gorgeous orange shade.

I’ve been able to come up with light everyday looks as well as sultry evening looks with this palette. I experience a bit of fallout so whenever I wear this palette I do my foundation afterwards. One shade this palette is missing for me is a light matte cream shade, something I could put all over my lid, but luckily I keep a few of those in single shadows.

Application & Wear
The shadows are powdery but that makes them really easy to blend. The shades are fairly pigmented. I have no problems with building up the intensity of an eye look. The Speciality (5.) and Base (1.) do need a bit more work for them to appear on my lid but they can be built up.

For the look below I put 1.Base all over the lid and 3.Lid in lightly in the crease and a bit deeper in the outer V. I also put it on my lower lid. To deepen the crease I put a little bit of 4.Crease and finished off the look with 6.Liner on my outer lash line. Lastly, I applied some Benefit They’re Real Tinted Lash Primer mascara.

Milani_EarthyElementsPalette_Review_LBL (9)

Milani_EarthyElementsPalette_Review_LBL (8)

Whenever I’ve worn this I have used an eyeshadow primer or have put concealer as a base. I think it helps the colours pop. One thing I find with these eyeshadows is that even with a primer they are not long lasting. After about 5-6 hours of wear, it starts to break down and the colour fades away.

The Breakdown

Pros

Affordable price
Compact
Nice warm colours

Cons

Not as long lasting as I would like
Needs a light cream shades

My Thoughts
For the price, this palette is pretty good. I love the looks I can create and find that it has good pigmentation. If you’re not willing to pay a high price tag for something at a beauty or department store than this is a great option from the drugstore.

Have you tried any products or palettes from Milani? What’s your favourite drugstore brand make up?

Lots of Love,
Dal

littlebeautyloves

I like Makeup and I blog about it!

Tag: makeup

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