Blue & Orange
Holiday Wishlist- DavidsTea
Holiday Wishlist – Lush
Lush makes me drool, seriously. Here are some of my picks for this holiday season. Of course I’m most likely going to wait until boxing day to get my Lush fix when things hopefully go 2 for 1.
On my list:
Treats set $44.95 (Fun, Sikkim Girls, Gorgeous moisturizer, Buffy, From Dusk ‘Til Dawn, Snowcake soap)
Noriko soap $6.95
Stardust set $55.95 (Angel’s Delight, Bubble Gum lip scrub, Honey Trap lip balm, Fun, Rock Star soap, Snow Fairy shower gel, Snow Fairy massage bar)
Joy to the World set $14.95 (Snowcake soap, Dream Cream)
Orange Jelly soap $6.95
Christmas Kisses set $22.95 (Santa’s lip scrub, Santa Baby lip tint, Chou Chou toothy tab)
AUGUST 2013 TOPBOX
I got my Topbox in the mail this morning! This month I opted for the regular Topbox and here’s what I got…
Clinique – Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion (15ml sample) // Full size: 50ml $17
I already own and use this moisturizer for day and night so I know I like it.
B Kamins – Lip balm SPF 20 (3g sample) // Full size: $21
Seems like an average lip balm. It feels good on lips, there’s no taste or smell. Nothing special but I’ll use it.
FULL SIZE: AVON – MEGA effects mascara $12
I saw this in the AVON catalogue and it looks pretty cool. Looking at the actual product it feels so cheap and plastic and is really odd to use. It looks like a paintbrush. It definitely adds length to the lashes, I’m just not sure that I’ll ever reach for it.
Miyu De-stress Mi Beauty Essence (15ml sample) // Full size:$34
I’m a facial mist addict so this is right up my alley. There were two different ones that you could get, and I got the de-stress one which is fine by me. It seems to have a light minty scent to it. It came in a nice pouch with a bag of tea. Cute!
Overall, this Topbox seems to have a lot of great things to try and the value of it is well over the $13 I paid.
Total value: $5.1+$4.2 +$12+$6.38 = $27.68
Products I’ve Used Up: 2013 – Part 1
I love watching Empties videos on YouTube so I figured I’d show some products of my own that I have finished within the past few months and give some mini reviews of each. This post will be in two parts since I have a TON of finished products to share.
Lancome Bi Facial eye makeup remover $35/4.2oz
I think this is Sephora’s most-rated product; it’s received rave reviews all over the web. I’ve used it a few times over the past few years and there’s no doubt is a great for removing all makeup but with the exorbitant price, it’s not one I’ll ever purchase (this one was a sample size). There are other alternatives that work just as well – I typically have success with the Yves Rocher cleansers and removers.
Bath & Body Works supercharged body scrub in Country Chic $14
I’m a body scrub addict, and I’ve been using this one since last year. I freaking love it. Scent aside (though the Country Chic one is awesome – I recommend it) it’s a great product. I love it because its a harsh scrub but it also doubles as a body wash- if you rub it in under water the beads disappear and you’re left with foamy soap. This totally solved the problem of having exfoliated and then getting out of the shower and still finding the beads on your body. I’ve used it on my face as well and it’s great. Now that I’ve hyped it up, I hate to say that I think this formula has actually been discontinued. However I just checked the B&BW website and I’m pretty sure they’ve just rebranded it and are now calling it 2 in 1 Superfruit Body Scrub & Wash. In terms of the scent, I find this one isn’t too girly, it smells very fresh and IMO it’s one of the underrated B&BW scents.
Cake Milk Made shower cream
I won’t go over this one for too long because I think it’s been discontinued. If you happen to see it at Winners or TJ Maxx you should totally pick it up though because it’s an awesome product. I’ve gone through two of them and the large bottles can last you a few months at the very least. It’s basically a shower gel but it has a creamy texture, I usually would use it to shave with. It has the infamous Milk Made vanilla-y smell that stays on the skin after you leave the shower. Love it.
Cake Lemon Cupcake smoothing body scrub
You win some, you lose some. I hated this scrub. Like I said above the scrubs I go for are the harsh, abrasive ones because I really like to get a good exfoliation if I’m gonna exfoliate at all. It was the most liquidy exfoliant I’ve ever used and I had to force myself to even use it.
Lush Happy Happy Joy Joy conditioner (sample) $12.95/100ml
This conditionner is probably one of the thinest I’ve ever used and that alone killed it for me. Combine that with the smell of grass and you have one conditionner that I really don’t want to use. Though it felt really thin in the shower, I’ll say that it did seem to condition my hair well enough. I won’t be repurchasing the full size of this but it might work for you if you have either shorter hair or thinner hair and like natural products.
Rimmel Stay Matte powder (transparent) $6.99
My favourite all-over face powder of all time. I’ve bought probably 6 or 7 of these things, and I will keep doing so. I’ve tried the Natural and Transparent shades and both are great. I do find the Transparent shade has colour though, but im so pale that it doesn’t look like a white cast on my face. If you’re not ghost-coloured get one of the other colours.
Hard Candy Take It Off Makeup Remover Wipes ~$6/25
Long story short, these burned my eyes. They didn’t take off eye makeup that well either. I won’t be repurchasing.
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion $16/ 1.7oz
I love this moisturizer. A little goes a long way and it’s quite thin yet very moisturizing. The only thing I don’t love is the scent of it, but it’s nothing terrible. I’m on my second bottle.
Lush Fair Trade Honey shampoo $9.95/100ml
It lathered well enough, but I couldn’t get over the smell. Wouldn’t purchase the full size of it.
Cake Raspberry Tart 3 in 1 shampoo, body wash, bubble bath ~$9
It says shampoo on the label, but I think this would be best used as a bubble bath. It was much too thin and liquidy to be used as a good shampoo. It smelled great but didn’t really do what I wanted it to.
July 2013 Favourites
My favourites
Tarte BB Illuminating Moisturizer $42 (CAD)
I’ve been using a small sample of this from Sephora and I like mixing it with concealer for under the eyes. I find it makes the area look less cakey and brighter.
Since this is a moisturizing product, it also helps keep the under eyes hydrated. It has virtually zero coverage though, so the title “BB” (as in BB cream) is slightly misleading. If you’re looking for something to hide imperfections, skip it.
Benefit Girl Meets Pearl $36 (CAD)
It’s described as a “A soft, golden pink, liquid-pearl highlighter.” Same as the Tarte moisturizer, I like mixing this with foundation and concealer to highlight the under eyes and cheekbones. It’s not a moisturizer, but the texture is still smooth and thin so it mixes really well with other liquid products. Comparing this to Benefit’s Highbeam, Girl Meets Pearl is much easier to blend in and not as ‘in-your-face’ of a glow.
Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer $5.99
Admittedly, I wasn’t super impressed with this when I first got it. I found it really thin and didn’t have that great coverage. What I love about this concealer is how easily it blends in. Sometimes I barely even have to blend, it just sinks amazingly into the skin. This month, I’ve been using this under the eyes first and then applying my foundation and I love the finish it gives.
The Body Shop Grapeseed Glossing Serum $12
This is meant to give the hair moisture and shine. I use this in damp towel-dried hair and it gets rid of some frizz and makes hair shiny and it smells amazing.
Julep nail polish in Julia $14
It’s a gorgeous duo triple quadruple-chrome that has a purple-taupe base with silver and golden shimmer, but it changes depending on the light.
Revlon ColorStay foundation $14
A cult-favourite, this drugstore foundation is a keeper. The coverage is great, it blends easily and doesn’t oxidize on the skin. One of the main reasons I love this is that it dries quickly so you don’t need to set it with a powder. The 6 SPF is also a plus; you won’t get a “ghost face” in photos but you have a bit of sun protection. I took this on vacation with me for to ensure a fuss-free, quick application when I was running out the door half asleep at 9 am.
Soap & Glory Righteous Butter and Hand Food
Best thing about these lotions is the smell. So nice. Known as the “Original Pink” scent, it smells like a mix of fruits and flowers “With orange leaf, lemon, peach, sweet strawberries, summer rose, gardenia blooms and jasmine.” The formula doesn’t leave that gross feeling that some lotions have. Everything blends into the skin and the fragrance lasts a while. In the UK I believe Boots sells these, in Quebec you can get select products at Pharmaprix (Shoppers Drug Mart) stores and in the US, Sephora sells them.
Favourite celebrity look of the month
Selena Gomez’s birthday look, featuring this top from ASOS. I am loving white on white on white etc. If only I wasn’t so pale I could pull the look of better myself, ha.
Favourite music of the month
The month of pop music, apparently. 5th Harmony’s “Miss Moving On” and Selena Gomez’s “Birthday” have been played 24/7. Also Justin Timberlake.
Favourite TV show of the month
Breaking Bad and Big Brother. Probably one of the best TV shows that is on TV, Breaking Bad is basically about a chemistry teacher turned drug dealer manufacturer. The dialogue is smart, the characters are quirky yet realistic, acting is superb. Character development is amazing (film studies nerd for life). The way the plot always connects is genius. I’m still catching up (starting season 4 soon). The final season coming up… I can’t even.
Big Brother. So damn good every single time. How do they do it?!
Thoughts: Andy is playing a smart game by staying under the radar and he is so well liked by everyone so could get to the final (if he stops blabbing). Helen, queen bee, I think may become a target when people realize she is running the house. However, I think she is a genius and deserves to win at this point because she is well liked, respected, and has made big moves while still keeping her hands relatively blood-free.
What have been your favourites this month?!
I’m on bloglovin!
Shopping Wishlist: Chicago
I’m taking a short vacation to Chicago this week and I’ve been making lists like crazy trying to figure out what I must check out while I’m in the States! I definitely plan on hitting up a Sephora so I can save on tax and on USA pricing (needless to say I’m a bitter Canadian).
Here’s a few things I’ll be looking for….
1. NARS Cheek Palette in Soulshine $41
2. Too Faced Tan Without the Twinkle Kit $15
3. Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray $14
4. Benefit Getting Cheeky Trio $17
5. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim light – $45
6. Buxom Time To Shine 6 Mini ‘Full-on’ Glosses $32
Review: Yves Rocher ‘Retropical’ LE Collection
MAC may have come out with 50 summer collections this year, but the one collection that has caught my eye for summer 2013 is from a different brand. Yves Rocher France is a brand that carries makeup, bath products, skincare – the whole shebang. I used to use their products much more often but have forgotten about them for other brands but I was really excited when I saw promo pics for Retropical – a paradise-themed set of products! I opted for three things: their Kohl Duo eye liner in Seagreen/Deep Blue, the (jumbo) Eye Pencil in Pink Orchid and the Blue Lagoon Mascara.
I’ve played with the products for about two weeks, and I’m really impressed with them! The jumbo pencil is a gorgeous rose-copper colour. Depending the light it looks almost bronze with a hint of deep pink. I like applying this in the crease, paired with a lighter white or champagne on the inner corner. Like I mentioned in my June Favourites post, I have tried this on the waterline and while it stays nicely, I don’t like the look. Red-tinted colours tend to make you look more tired, or sick – and I’m usually trying to cancel out redness on the waterline! So I stick to using it on the lid.
I picked up the mascara because I have wanted a blue mascara for AGES. I first used Maybelline’s Teal Appeal, but I haven’t been able to find that one for two years now. Since, then I’ve used a few coloured mascaras (Inglot, another Yves Rocher) and I find that the colour just doesn’t show up once the mascara dries. Unfortunately, I gotta say it’s about the same result with this one (unless you’re in direct sunlight) BUT in terms of just the mascara, I really like it! This is an awesome lengthening mascara (how many times can I write “mascara”). It does an awesome job of separating the lashes, mine are practically touching my eyebrows by the time I’m done applying just one coat. The tube is pretty small, but at $4.95 it’s cheaper than even a drugstore mascara.
The duo-kohl is the product that I wasn’t sure about when I bought it. I was in a rush, so I tried the tester in the store and meh, so-so pigmentation, but I bought it anyway. I’ve been on the hunt for a seafoam-minty eyeliner ever since I laid eyes on the NARS Spring 2013 Larger Than Life eyeliner in Barrow Street which is an absolutely gorgeous green colour. The NARS one is $29 in Canada, the Yves Rocher was $5 so needless to say, the choice was pretty obvious. The shimmery seafoam side of this pencil has semi-sheer pigmentation, and it doesn’t really “stick” to the waterline. However, it looks AWESOME smudged into the lower lash line. The blue side has opaque, deep pigmentation, no shimmer, glides onto the waterline like a dream and looks great paired with the seafoam colour, on the outer part of the eye. When I tried washing the swatches off the back of my hand, I had problems getting them off so I might even go as far as to say they are semi-waterproof, which isn’t advertised on the package (hidden bonus?).
Overall, I’m super happy with the products I’ve tried from Retropical. Have you tried anything awesome recently?
Shop the collection at Yves-Rocher.com.
Jumbo eye pencil – $5.95 // Duo kohl – $4.95 // Mascara – $4.95