Empties and Repurchases

I'm bad at saving my empties but these are just a few of the things I remembered to save. I remembered to save these as they are mostly products that I like and repurchased. I love trying new products so it takes a lot for me to repurchase something. Even if I like a product, there are just so many other products I need to try!


It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in- I have already done a post on this stuff so you know I like it. It's been my favourite leave in product I've tried. I don't like the price but it works so well I got the bigger size which was a better value ($35 for 10oz). This detangles so well and leaves my hair feeling so soft and silky. It is easy to use too much though which weighs my hair down and makes it feel like its a bit greasy. I only need a few sprays of it which also makes it last a bit longer than cheaper products. I also saved the little bottle and refilled it so I can use it as my travel one (because I can't wash my hair without it).

Blistex Lip Balm- I had to include this because I was so proud that I used up an entire lip balm before losing it! I always have to bring a lip balm to work because it's so dry, and I always forgot to empty my pockets so most of my lip balms get ruined in the laundry. I like these because they're affordable. I get an 8 or 10 pack from Costco for like $8. They're nothing special but I find they moisturize well. They're small so they fit in my pocket. I like them better than the EOS because they're too bulky to keep in my pocket and I honestly don't find they moisturize my chapped lips well.

MAC MSF Natural- I have gone through a bunch of these. I remember to save them because of the MAC recycling program. I was debating between getting another one of these or the Rimmel Stay Matte powder but I think the talc in the Stay Matte foundation is what was breaking me out and the powder has talc too. It's just hard to pay $36 for setting powder but I justify it because they last me like 6 months. I used to use the Studio Fix powder because I liked the extra coverage but switched to the MSF about a year ago. This has a nice finish to it without looking powdery or too matte. I think I'll always buy MAC powder.

L'Oreal Shampoo/Conditioner- I recently tried the L'Oreal Repair 5 line and really liked it. After colouring my hair I got the colour radiance line instead and find it to be very similar. As far as colour preservation goes, my hair colour faded a lot so I don't know how well that part works. But I kind of wanted the colour to fade so I wasn't complaining. The shampoo cleans well and the conditioner leaves my hair feeling soft. I'm not super picky with my shampoos/conditioners and usually stick to drug store brands such as L'Oreal, Pantene, or Tresemme. I went through two bottles of this stuff (threw out the bottles) but have since bought Pantene to shake things up. It's also good to change your shampoos/conditioners up every so often.

Maybelline Vivid in Pink Pop- I lost this one on vacation so it's not really an empty but I like this colour so much I repurchased it. I love bright pink lips and this one is a nice, fun colour for summer.

Dove Dry Shampoo- I have only ever tried 2 dry shampoos, the other being the Tresemme dry shampoo. The Dove one is much better. It doesn't feel like hair spray with baby powder in it like the Tresemme one does. It is easy to over do it which leaves a bit of a film in the hair but a few sprays does the trick to refresh my bangs. This does leave a white cast though. When I was blonde it wasn't that big of a deal, but now that my hairs darker, I have to make sure I just use a small amount and rub it in well.

Benefit The Porefessional- I've already done a full review on this if you're interested. It's not exactly a repurchase but the little sample actually lasted a really long time and I purchased the full size when it was empty. I don't think this primer is a miracle worker like everyone seems to think. I feel like it's all psychological, but I just feel better when I use a primer. Of the ones I have tried, this is my favourite.

                                     

                                           What are some products you will continue to repurchase?

Makeup Geek Eyeshadows- Swatches and Comparisons

I've been really excited about this post. I got these in the mail a few weeks ago and started writing up my review but held off on posting it so I could try out more of the colours in different looks.

Left to right. Top: Vanilla bean, shimma shimma, peach smoothie, creme brulee, latte, hipster, gold digger
Bottom: Cocoa bear, brown sugar, mocha, prom night, wisteria, sensuous, corrupt

I bought 12 pans, one pigment, and the large Z palette. I don't know why I didn't look these up sooner. I just assumed they were $10-12 each so when I found out they were only $5.99 I got really excited. The quality really is as good if not better than MAC. They are so creamy, velvety, and pigmented. Best of all, they blend like a dream. Its so easy to get an airbrushed, blended look with these colours because they are so soft and blendable. I wear urban decay shadows everyday (Naked palettes) and these are so much better. Some colours initially didn't swatch well but when applied on the lid they are very nice. I describe each colour below because some colours looked different in person than the online pictures.

                        ~All swatches have NYX Milk on the top row and UDPP on the bottom row~

Left to right (indoor lighting). Vanilla bean, shimma shimma, peach smoothie, creme brulee, latte, hipster, gold digger, cocoa bear, mocha, prom night, corrupt

Vanilla bean, shimma shimma, peach smoothie, creme brulee, latte, hipster

Hipster, gold digger, cocoa bear, brown sugar, mocha, prom night, corrupt 

Wisteria, sensuous, sweet dreams (pigment)

Vanilla Bean- Satin, neutral light beige (less yellow than it looks online). When I swatched this colour I was dissapointed and was going to tell you to skip it because it didn't seem very pigmented or show up on the skin at all. It's a satin finish so it's not shimmery but when applied as a highlight it looks beautiful. Subtle but very noticable still. My new fav highlight.

Shimma Shimma- Neutral, champagne frost colour. It is gorgeous! This is maybe my favourite colour. I used it as an all over lid colour like I do with Naked Lunch. It is so creamy and soft. Could also be used as a more dramatic highlight.

Peach Smoothie- Matte, light orangey-beige. This colour is deceiving because it looks dark orange online (and even in this picture...) and if it wasn't for the fact that I've seen it used in tutorials and it looking beautiful as a transition colour I probably would have skipped it. This colour looks beautiful on the brow bone and warms up any look. This one initially swatched poorly too (off to a bad start) and was very dissapointed because I wanted to love it, but when applied in the brow bone it was very pigmented and blended really well.

Creme Brulee- Matte, warm beige. This colour is said online to be a dupe for soft brown from MAC. I don't own soft brown so I can't compare them myself, but this colour is quite warm. It doesn't look quite as dark as it does online and is a perfect transition colour for the brow bone. Pairs nice with peach smoothie. 

Latte- Matte, medium brown. On my pale skin, this is a colour for darkening the crease. A shade darker than creme brulee and pairs nicely with it.

Hipster- Satin, light browny-grey. Not too metallicy but a nice, light shimmer. A little too brown to be called a straight taupe. A nice lid colour for darker looks. A little less brown than how it looks online.

Gold Digger- Frost, gold. This is a straight up yellow gold. Not a champagney-gold like Half Baked by Urban Decay. Would look beautiful on the lid. Really nice finish. I was debating between this one and Bleached Blonde (this I preferred from the pictures) but I read one review online that said it was their least favourite colour and not very pigmented so I went with Gold Digger instead. I wore this colour over a champagne to make it less yellow and it didn't really show up well.

Cocoa Bear- Matte, Reddish Brown. I almost passed on this colour because it looks really dark, but so many reviews online mentioned this colour and how it was their favourite. It is a beautiful warm brown for the crease. I got a lot of warm colours so they all pair well together. I looks beautiful in the crease for a smokey, brown look.

Brown Sugar- Dark brown with gold shimmer. I got a bunch of matte brown colours so I felt I needed a more metallic one for the lid for darker looks. Pairs nicely with cocoa bear.

Mocha- Matte, dark brown. This is more a neutral brown than the rest, a bit cooler. Its a darker shade for the outer V.

Prom Night- Frost, brownish taupe. I got this colour to replace my broken Satin Taupe by MAC. It is described by Marlena as a dupe for satin taupe. I swatched them side by side and satin taupe is a bit more pigmented (however its broken which makes it more of a pigment) and more grey. Prom night is just a bit more brown. This is a beautiful lid colour.

Corrupt- Matte black. This is describes as matte but mine definitely has shimmer in it. It could just be on the top though. It's described as more pigmented than carbon, but I don't have it to compare. It is very pigmented and easy to blend.

Wisteria- Matte, pale purple. I saw this colour used in a youtube tutorial by jaclynhill and I've been wanting it ever since. She used it as a transition shade on the brow bone for a smokey purple look and it pulled the look together beautifully. Because it's a pale purple, it's subtle and can be used on the brow bone for many looks. I really like using this colour for looks with my Naked 3 palette.

Sensuous- Dark plum with gold shimmer. A dark purple for smokey looks. Can be used all over the lid for a darker look or in the crease to deepen a purple look. It is described online as having silver shimmer, but I thought it was more gold.

Sweet Dreams Pigment- Metallic champagne, slightly pink. I couldn't decide between Sweet Dreams and Afterglow but went with Sweet Dreams because it looked a bit more neutral. This is obviously very pigmented but the colour is fairly neutral. It is very similar, if not the exact same to shimma shimma so in hindsight I probably should have gotten Afterglow for some more variety.

Favs- Shimma shimma, Cocoa bear, peach smoothie

Least Favs- Gold digger, hipster

MAC Naked Lunch beside shimma shimma

Left to right- Naked Lunch, shimma shimma, MAC Grain, Sweet Dreams pigment. Naked lunch and grain are not quite as frosted as shimma shimma and a bit more pink/warm.

MAC Satin Taupe beside Prom Night

Left- Prom night. Right- Satin Taupe. Prom night is just a bit more brown.

Comparing the neutral shades with the Naked 1 palette. Left to right- Peach smoothie, vanilla bean, creme brulee, latte. The MUG colours are a bit warmer.


 

I'm a terrible blogger. I forgot what these are lol. I THINK it's Buck (UD), creme brulee, latte, peach smoothie 

These eyeshadows are my new favourite thing and I recommend them to everyone. There are so many more colours I want (all of them!). In particular Frappe, chickadee (both were sold out), Cinderella, beaches and cream, cosmopolitan, cupcake, glamourous, homecoming...the list goes on. Word to the wise, I don't know if I'm blind, but some colours I couldn't for the life of me find but came up in the search. So if you can't find a colour you've heard of, search for it!

The Z palette is nice. I wasn't sure what the quality would be like but it's pretty solid. It looked like it would be cardboard but it seems sturdy. It comes with extra magnets so you can use any brand in it (MAC pans need the magnets). Coastal scents has magnetic palettes too for $10, however, I think I like the Z palette better because you can see the colours, the pans are easier to get out, and I think it is smaller. I can use my coastal scents quad for taking just my fav four colours when I go on weekend trips. I will definitely be placing another order and filling up my palette!

What are your favourite Makeup Geek colours?

My Experience with Eyelash Extensions

I started this blog post a few weeks ago but decided to hold off publishing it until I could give my full start to finish, updated experience. These are my thoughts on them, pros and cons.

                                                      ~Sorry, I never took any pictures!~


So I recently got eyelash extensions for the first time. I got them using a Groupon so I got them for a really good deal. The only reason I hadn't gotten them sooner is I didn't want to pay $150+ every 3 weeks. I got them for my beach vacation so I wouldn't have to worry about getting waterproof mascara or fussing with my makeup. They are totally waterproof and you can treat them just like your normal lashes. That being said, you shouldn't touch them because of the oils in your fingers, which is hard to do.

I got synthetic mink lashes with a "C" curl and I think 10mm. They should last around 3 weeks but everyone is different. They last 2 weeks on some and 6 on others. I needed to get mine filled after 3 weeks.


The Pros:

I really like how they look. They look more natural than strip lashes because they are attached to your individual lashes. But they're still very dramatic and noticeable. I was worried they would be too dramatic for everyday use when not wearing any makeup, but they aren't. Not having to wear mascara saves time in the morning and I never have to worry about raccoon eyes. I don't even have to wear eyeliner during the day either. I wore a line line of eyeliner with them and barely even noticed a difference. Of course, if you wanted thicker, more dramatic eyeliner or winged eyeliner it would be noticeable, but for everyday, basic eyeliner, it's not even necessary. I love anything that saves me time in the morning! They're very comfortable and you can't even tell you are wearing them. They're great for times when you don't want to fuss with make up or mascara like on vacation.


The Cons:

The biggest downfall for me is that eye makeup application is more difficult. I got lashes with curl so I find they get in the way of my makeup brush and I practically have to hold the brush straight up when applying shadow. It's even harder to apply the crease colour and to blend when your brush is straight up. I always knock a few lashes off when I'm blending. And although it is nice to not have to worry about mascara on days I'm not wearing eye makeup, when I apply shadow, I feel like I still need it. The shadow falls down onto the lashes like with normal lashes, but I can't apply mascara to cover it up. I guess you COULD but it would decrease their longevity.
The other downside is washing my face and eye makeup removal. You can't wipe your eye with a pad or makeup removal cloth like you normally could. You have to get in carefully with a q-tip and oil-free makeup remover to take off eyeliner or shadow. I've been using a makeup remover wipe just wrapped around my finger which doesn't seem to touch the lashes but I sometimes snag one and it comes off. Washing my face and showering is also annoying that I can't wipe my eyes and water gets in them. I got an eye infection right after I got them and I partially blame the lashes. And of course there's the cost of maintaining them.

I got my refills done with the Silks and they might have looked slightly nicer and initially lasted a bit longer but I needed a fill at 3 weeks again. I've decided to not get them filled for the con reasons mentioned. It's going to cost $100 a month to maintain which I can't really justify. I didn't get them professionally removed, I just tried to remove them with mineral oil. It didnt work. I was pulling out my natural lashes with them. I couldn't get them all and was left with a few stragglers which looked horrible. I just trimmed em down to look less noticeable. My natural lashes look damaged and short and I have a few gaps from where they were pulled out. I've bought Rapid Lash and started applying that. That's a review for another day.

I'm glad I tried them out and think they're fun, but I'm kind of excited to get back to normal.


Have you tried lash extensions? What was your experience?

Bright Spring Lips

Although it was snowing the day I bought these, I held onto my optimism and excitement for spring. I'm so sick of winter and ready for shorts, dresses, sandals, and bright lips!

I went to the store with the intention of getting some NYX butter glosses and all Maybelline lip products were on sale and the NYX were full price. They go on sale frequently, so I changed my plan. I picked up some Vivids which I know I like, and the newer Color Elixer glosses. I love Maybelline lip products and deffinately could have bought more so I was good.

 I lost my Pink Pop lipstick in Mexico with all my other lipsticks so this one is a repurchase. I love this for spring and summer. It's a bright, neon pink but very pretty. It's like classic Barbie pink. The other colour is also from the vivds collection and is supposed to be my replacement for the MAC pro longwear colour Forever Love that I lost. It's not the exact same but similar enough. It's a darker, more hot pink colour. Not as bright or neon as Pink Pop so maybe more wearable if you don't like the lighter pinks.

 I've seen these lipglosses before and thought the packaging was adorable. It's lipgloss trying to look like lipstick! I heard one person rave about them on youtube so I bought two to try out. I got a bright pink and a coral. The pink is called Hibiscus Haven and is a bright pink. It looks nice paired over both lipsticks. The coral is called Breath Taking Apricot and actually looks more pink than orange on my lips. So don't let the orangeness scare you. These lipglosses are very pigmented but not totally opaque. They add a lot of colour worn on their own and also look nice paired over lipstick. They're not sticky and feel nice and smooth on the lips. The doe foot applicator is flat and easy to apply. 

What are your favourite lip products for spring?

Benefit Big Easy Liquid to Powder Foundation

I was excited when I heard about this product. It's called "Better than BB" and called a foundation, but it has the moisturizer and SPF of a BB cream. I bought this with the intention of using it as a BB cream.

                                       

                                       

This product is described on the Benefit website as "BIGGER than BB! Why? Two reasons. First, big easy balances moisture & controls oil. Second, the cushiony liquid-to- powder formula melts in like a cream, yet finishes lightweight & velvety like a powder." 

It claims to moisturize, control oil, self adjust on skin, have a liquid to powder finish, protect with SPF. I was drawn to this BB cream because of the claim to be oil controlling. I have the Revlon BB cream now and although I like it for days when my skin is nice and I don't want a heavy foundation, my skin gets super oily, really quickly with it. 

                          

I've worn this product twice now, including on a 12 hour night shift which is the true test of longevity. It blends out nicely and has a light coverage. The powder finish made me nervous, but it doesn't feel powdery or cakey on the skin, It just blends in. It really does keep my skin more matte than most foundations which I love. It evens out the skin while still allowing ur own skin to show through giving a natural appearance. I just use my concealer to spot conceal. 

                         

                              

                                  

I got the 01 fair shade with the idea I could add some bronzer if needed, but it might be a bit light for summer. The 02 shade just looked a bit too orange. 

Only downside is the price. It's C$46! That's more than my foundation! Is it just me or are products getting more and more expensive? Hense why I waited for the sale. 

So far I'm loving this product and I'll wear it a lot in the warmer months. 

Sephora Skin Care Purchases

It's the annual Sephora Beauty Insider sale! It's kind of sad that we all loose our minds to save a mere 15%. With all the money we spend a sephora I would think they could fork over more than 15% once a year... That being said, I still take the opportunity to get those products I've been eyeing or things I think are too expensive. Because I just bought a bunch of eyeshadows I didn't need to get any more of those. I just bought new foundation and there was really nothing else I needed. I know, I was so good. My skin has been a bit weird lately. It's been dry and flakey but still very oily. I've also been having a lot of breakouts. So I want to try increasing the hyrdation and using some serums. I currently use cetaphil moisturizer in the morning with Neutragena Deep Clean cleanser and Josie Maran Argan Infinity Cream at night. I like the infinity cream but as a product junkie, I want to try something new! These are a few things I got.

Philosophy Purity Cleaner- I got a sample of this a while ago and didn't like it. It didn't remove my makeup and it didn't lather. I prefer using lathering cleansers as they're more clarifying. However they strip your skin, making them more drying so maybe I'll try something more gentle. I have since added in a step to my routine since trying it, though. I never used to remove my makeup first. I found that washing my face got it all off. I now use makeup remover wipes before washing my face and it's way easier. So now that I remove my makeup first, I thought I would try the Purity cleanser again as a more gentle alternative to the Deep Clean cleanser I use now. The Deep Clean has salisylic acid in it which could be drying out my skin. I find my skin is usually best, with fewer break outs, when I use more gentle products. It smells really nice too.

Philosophy Micro Exfoliating Wash- I recently got a sample of Dr. Brandts Microdermabrasion skin exfoliant and hated that I loved it because it's $90. If you have $90 to spend on face scrub, check it out. It smells like lemon cleaning products, which I love. Anyways, I tried out a few different exfoliators to try to find one similar. It's hard to find one with fine beads but also a lot of them. This one is like a gel cleanser with fine beads and seems pretty scrubby. I'll try this one out and try not to compare it too much with the Dr. Brandts. I'm going to try to get in the habit of exfoliating more. 

Dr. Dennis Gross Clinical Concentrate Boosters- I wanted some kind of radiance boosting concentrate (sounds kind of gimmicky but we all fall for the promises of beautiful skin). I saw these in the store previously (adorable, eye catching packaging) but passed over them, probably waiting for this sale. Dr. Dennis Gross serums go for $80-100 each so I thought this was a nice sample pack for a decent price. To be exact, these are 3, 0.5oz bottles for $63 vs the full sized 1oz for $82. So that's actually a good deal...can't argue with that logic, right? The serums are radiance booster, hydration booster, and purifying booster. These concentrates can be used alone, added to your moisturizer, or added to your makeup. You can use one all over, or use each in targeted areas. I'm excited to try these and have high expectations my face will be a glowing ray of sunshine. 

Tarte Maracuja Oil- I was planning on buying the Josie Maran Argan oil but thought I would try this oil out instead. I love the full sized bottles packaging but couldn't pull the trigger on the full sized, $55 bottle. I figured I would try the small bottle before making the commitment. I don't like the packing of the roller ball for a face oil. I'll already have the concentrate on my face so I'll have to rub it on my clean hands to dispense it. I wish it came in a dropper like the mini Josie Maran Argan Oil. I'll use this as my night time moisturizing as my Infinity Oil is almost out (which has lasted me an entire year by the way). 

Edit: The roller ball is terrible. It actually doesn't dispense enough product and it's annoying to use. The product is nice though, so I think I'll return it and get the full sized bottle.

What are some new products you're adding to your skin care routine?