Not a huge purchasing month for me which is probably for the best since I’m heading down to Florida for a week long vacation next week and will more than likely be diving head first into Ulta!
CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara ($8.99 CAD sale)
CoverGirl‘s Clump Crusher is a a staple in my collection and I’m glad to have it back. I’ve been so busy using other mascara samples that I haven’t felt justified purchasing one. Until now! I’ve finally run through all my samples and now I’m back to using this baby. I’ve mentioned before, but this is a foolproof mascara: easy to apply, unique wand shape that actually works and yep, it doesn’t clump!
MAC – Burmese Kiss ($21 CAD)
Man, what is it with MAC lately? They keep knocking it out of the park for me with their lipsticks! Burmese Kiss is a matte lipstick from the Bao Bao Wan collection. The shade is a lovely bright coral pink (which I’ve just decided is MY COLOUR NOW OKAY) and the packaging is to die for. Unfortunately, I think this shade sold out rather quickly, but if you can get your hands on it, I wouldn’t hesitate!
Kryolan – UV Dayglo Pressed Powder in Neon Red ($13.19 CAD)
Oh baby, come to mama! When I was at IMATS, I wanted this shade so much, but they oddly didn’t have it on hand, despite having it out on the display. I can’t imagine that many people picked up Kryolan‘s UV Dayglo pressed powder in Neon Red, so I was a little confused. Anyway, I was at a shop in Toronto recently and they had it on hand so I snatched it up without a second thought. I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect neon red shade, and I think this may be it. It does veer slightly more orange than pink, but I’ll have to see how it applies on the lids.
February turned out to be a month full of MAC purchases. I hadn’t planned it really, but there was one item in particular that I wanted to pick up (hell yes RIPE PEACH re-release!), and it kind of snowballed from there!
MAC – Kinky (free)
To start it off though (and really, I think I can hold this fully accountable for some of these purchases), I have MAC‘s limited edition release of Kinky. I won this lipstick on Julie’s blog (Swatch and Review) in a giveaway. The shade is similar to Russian Red (which I’m getting down to the end of), but it’s in their (new?) Retro Matte formula. While slightly drying, the retro matte formula doesn’t feel quite as dry as other mattes I’ve owned. The formula has spurred me on to make more purchases of shades in the Retro Matte formula because I love the longevity that it seems to have on my lips.
Makeup Revolution – Emerald Goddess (free)
Along with the lipstick, Julie snuck in a foiled eyeshadow from Makeup Revolution inEmerald Goddess. I haven’t tried it yet, so I can’t offer much insight. At first glance, however, the shade is lovely and I’m curious to see how it works in conjunction with the mixing medium that’s also provided with the product. These seem near identical to Stila‘s foiled eyeshadow release, although I’ve not tried those.
MAC Ripe Peach ($39 CAD)
I knew I was going to buy this. There was no getting around it. I have been DYING to get my hands on MAC‘s Ripe Peach Ombre Blush for four years now. FOUR YEARS. I refused to pay the astronomical prices on Ebay (over $100 I think) and so I sat and waited. And waited. And I watched the years slip by before this damn thing got released again! But finally… it did with the MACToledo collection. So I did the nutbar thing and I ran to MAC on the morning of release and snatched it up. And I’m glad I did because it was sold out the very next day!
MAC Prep + Prime Lip ($19 CAD)
You’ve seen this before in my hauls, so it’s nothing new. I needed a new MACPrep + Prime Lips because the one I keep at the office was running low (I keep one at home and one at work). This keeps my lip product in place and prevents that awful lip line bleedout that I’m prone to.
MAC Viva Glam Rihanna 2 ($19 CAD)
I bought this because I freaked out when the Miley Cyrus Viva Glam lipstick got released. I kept meaning to pick up Viva Glam Rihanna 2, but kept putting it off. So when I eventually went to the counter to get it, the woman told me they weren’t allowed to sell it anymore! What the hell? Like, she was implying they physically had it on site, but she could not sell it to me at all and that I’d have to order it through their web site. Excuse me? How stupid is that? Anyway, I ordered it online and had it shipped for free with a code. So they sent me an enormous box… with a single lipstick in it. Ridiculous. ANYWAY. This is by far my most adventurous lipstick, but I did stick to my guns and wore it to work. Oddly, I got told two or three times that it looked BLUE on me, something I’m still rather confused by as it’s very decidedly a grey-brown. I’m not sure how often I’ll wear it, but I like owning it because it’s very different from anything else I own. (And no, it’s not flattering, but it sure is interesting.)
MAC – Relentlessly Red (free, Back 2 MAC)
Are we noticing a trend yet? I really did go hogwild at MAC this month. I picked up Relentlessly Red because it looked STUNNING on Sharon Farrell and she is far and above my most beloved YouTuber (here’s the video she used it in). This shade veers pink on my lips (as it does her) and I appreciate that because I didn’t need another “almost red” in my life. It’s another lipstick in the Retro Matte formula which means it stays in place like nobody’s business. It’s also not dissimilar to Too Faced‘s Melted Candy which makes me love it all the more. I’m really looking forward to wearing the bejesus out of this shade in the spring and summer (not that it’s stopping me from wearing it now).
MAC – Barbecue ($21 CAD)
And lastly… another Retro Matte lipstick from MAC. This time from the Toledo collection. I had fallen oddly in love with the packaging for the Toledo collection (after having spent months thinking it was tacky as all hell) and loved the name of the lipstick calledBarbecue. It’s a red that swerves orange on my lips and was one of the more unique shades out of the collection. It’s not a shade that’s especially flattering on me, but I find it a nice change from my usual colours.
That’s it for the month. I was surprised how much I picked up from MAC because I’ve been opting for other brands over the last year or so. They have, however, definitely sucked me back in with this retro matte lipstick formula!
I’m one of the fortunate ones that has their birthday in mid-January. So just when I’m getting over (aka sad) the fact that I was showered in presents over Christmas, I get to do it allll over again for my birthday! Woohoo!
Sephora BI Birthday Gift (free)
I also get to get my hands on the Sephora Beauty Insider gift early. This year they were handing out a duo of NARS in Cruella and Rikugien. I’ve never picked up any NARS lip products before so this was a nice surprise.
Some Makeup Geek shadows….
…and then some more Makeup Geek shadows. ($5.99 per pan, $9.99 per foiled)
I also went haywire this month with Makeup Geek. An order I placed mid-December finally showed up (problems at the border due to a shipping method they tried out) annnnnd then I placed another order. I won’t list them all, but I ordered 32 shadows, including the full line of foiled shadows which are just as incredible as everyone else has been saying. I think it’s now my life goal to own all her eyeshadows… (As a note, Marlena has said that she expects to be raising the price of the eyeshadows by a dollar in the coming year because she needs to be able to pay her staff before… hence why I’m going bonkers.)
Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black (gift)
My aunt had given me a Sephora gift card for Christmas and I knew exactly what I wanted to pick up with it. I had gotten a sample of the Elizabeth & JamesNirvana Black perfume a few months back and while I hadn’t loved it right off the bat, I definitely fell head over heels for it over the coming months. This stuff is NOT cheap, so I was really happy to use a gift card to pick it up. This is not my typical kind of scent either. This is definitely heavy and sexy, whereas my usual fragrances are all aquatic and watery. I really don’t know why I’m drawn to it so much either.
Smashbox – On The Rocks palette (gift)
And then, a very good friend of mine (the one I went to Prague with this past year) gifted me a palette by a brand I’ve oddly never used before. (And holy crap the packaging… shiny rainbows?!?!?) Sara knows how much I love palettes and I’m impressed that she managed to grab me something that I didn’t already own!
Smashbox – On The RocksSmashbox – On The Rocks
Having never used Smashbox before, I’m excited to use this palette especially given how many options there are in there! I believe the On The Rocks palette was limited to the holidays.
Raspberry Red Grapefruit Lip Balm (gift)The next few gifts are from my friend Alison who is incredibly crafty. This woman can DIY the bejesus out of anything. So when she gives me beauty/bath products for my birthday, I get kiiiind of excited. First up are two pots of Raspberry Red Grapefruit lip balm, which are my absolute favourite flavours so I’m pretty over the moon. These taste DELICIOUS. Plus hello, look at that ombre.
Handmade soap (gift)
Next up are three different scented soaps: Chocolate Orange, Rosemary Mint and Guinness Oat Sage. I’ve not opened these yet as I’ve got a lot of soap I’m trying to finish first, but these are sitting in the linen closet making everything smell amazing.
Golden Rose Lotion (gift)
Last year Alison gave me some lotion for either my birthday or Christmas and I finished it up pretty quickly. I love this smell of this one and can’t wait to use it.
Coconut Lime Sugar Scrub (gift)
And then, to round it all out, she made THIS. THIS SUGAR SCRUB THING SMELLS FREAKING AMAZING. Lime in anything I’m all like hellz to the YES. But then add in coconut too? Jesus, just add some vodka and I’m good to go.
Omnia Botanica – Beurre de Karite (gift)
I’m not sure why these didn’t get included in my Christmas haul, but oh well. My brother picked up a few things from France and distributed them amongst my family members. I snatched up the body butter from Omnia Botanica because it’s winter and I need ALL THE MOISTURE… but this thing is hard as a rock. It’s been cold pressed, which I think is part of the issue. Once you get it on your skin it definitely melts, but man, digging it out of the container is a chore in and of itself.
Chemins de Provence – Sels de Bain en Lavende (gift)
Another one from France. Since I almost never have bath salts, I grabbed this one out of my brother’s pile and claimed it as my own. Mostly because I need something to soak my sore ass muscles!
The Body Shop – Fijian Water Lotus Shower Gel (gift)
My mom knows I like anything aquatic-scented, so she picked up two shower gels fromThe Body Shop in Fijian Water Lotus for my birthday. I didn’t even know this stuff existed, but damn does it ever smell good. She said she would’ve gotten me one in the larger size, but it seems they only make a 250ml version? It very faintly reminds me of the Oceanus scent they used to have wayyyyy back in the day. Man I loved that stuff. I had the oil, the perfume, the soap, the shower gel… I was Oceanus everything back in my teen years.
The Balm – Meet Matte(e) Nude (gift)
Another birthday gift! This one was a total shock to me. I’ve always been interested in trying The Balm, but just never really got around to it. It’s also not a brand I’ve ever brought up with anyone either. So imagine my surprise when my aunt had a package sent to me for my birthday and it was the Meet Matt(e) Nude palette! I’m so pleased with this! It’s a completely matte palette (duh), which I definitely need more of, and the colours are all ones I can incorporate into my brighter looks to help ground them.
Marcelle waterproof makeup remover (~$13 CAD)
And what’s a monthly haul without makeup remover? As I always say… I either buy this on sale, or when it’s in the larger packaging (for the regular price). Marcelle’s waterproof makeup remover is all I need and I have zero intentions of everything trying out another brand again for makeup remover.
You know, aside from dropping like $200 at Makeup Geek (lol) over the last two months, I’m actually surprised how little I spent on myself this month. The bulk of everything was gifts or gift cards that were given to me by very generous friends and family!
Oh December. So filled with holiday presents and limited edition palettes that I just want to devour. Forget spending money on other people, I swear I end up spending more on MYSELF during the holiday season. I feel like I need/want/can’t live without it and it’s not necessarily a mindset I want to be in because the closer I get to being a Sephora VIB Rouge, the more and more scared I get!
That being said, I was the recipient of some pretty sweetass gifts this Christmas (plus, you know, I bought things as well), so I am more than happy to share it all and pass on the lust that product photos induce!
Too Faced Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar palette ($59 CAD)
Oh god. The Too FacedSemi-Sweet Chocolate Bar palette. Like, do I really need another neutrals palette? I mean honestly, I’m not even a neutrals kind of female!
Too Faced Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar palette
But it’s got (slightly) different colours than the original, it smells lovely and… holy WOW, I was not expecting the slimmer packaging (I have the older, fatter version of the original Chocolate Bar palette) to make so much of a difference, but it really, really does. I’m more inclined to use this because I don’t feel like I’m pulling out a safety deposit box every time I go to use it like I do with the older palette.
I’m hoping she didn’t lick it…
I wasn’t the only female into it. Kolme’s getting a kick out of the smell as well.
And then… and then the Too Faced Melteds happened. I already owned three, but I got five more throughout the month of December. FIVE. I cannot go on about these enough – seriously, best lipstick ever (go check out my rave on Lipstick & Lullabies). So much so that I’m trying to avoid buying other lipsticks because I know they’re just not going to be as amazing as these are. I was gifted Melted Peony by Chantal during a Secret Santa exchange, I picked up Melted Violet and Melted Fig during a Sephora order, and my husband gifted me Melted Fuchsia and Melted Ruby for Christmas. What a serious score. Yessssss!
Bite Beauty Mix N’ Mingle Lip Mini in Musk/Retsina
I was also gifted a Bite Beauty lipstick duo (Retsina and Musk) by Chantal as well! My shot on the right is pretty awful (bad lighting) but it’s nowhere near as pink as the bottom shade on the box depicts! I’m excited to try these shades out as I’ve been using Fig obsessively since I bought it earlier this year.
Lise Watier – Teal ($25 CAD)
Dear god. This eyeshadow. I wasn’t able to photograph it that well (and boy did I ever try), so go check out Kalyn’s photography of it because that’s what made me buy it. At 25 bucks for the SINGLE eyeshadow, I had a little bit of sticker shock. I have to admit I’m still cringing over having dumped the money on it, and even more irritated at myself that I haven’t even used it yet! But… the time will come and I too shall enjoy Lise Watier‘s Teal duochromeness.
e.l.f. Small Stipple Brush ($4 CAD)
I snapped up the elfSmall Stipple Brush when I happened to be at Target over the holidays (I’m never at Target). Emily Noel goes on and on about this brush so I figured I too must have it in my collection.
Real Techniques – Lash/Brow Groomer ($7.99 CAD)
This was bought as a filler item on an Amazon order to bring me up to the free shipping threshold (sigh). I’ve sort of been wanting a lash comb… but not really. I’m sure it’ll come in handy at some point.
Urban Decay Vice palette (2014 edition)
Ohhhh yes. When my mom asked what I wanted for Christmas in November, I essentially told her she had to go rush out and get the Urban DecayVice palette from Sephora pronto because I was worried they’d be sold out.
Urban Decay Vice palette (2014 edition)
And like a champ, she pulled through (and it IS in fact sold out on Sephora’s site now). I had been lusting over this ever since I started seeing it pop up in several YouTube videos. This is the kind of palette I want to have when I’m travelling: A few rows of boring basics, and the rest are bright, loud shades that I can have fun with. Super pleased with this one, which is slightly amusing to me since I had zero interest in the previous iterations of this palette.
Side note: Why the hell are beauty bloggers/YouTubers always so obsessed with the “perfect travel palette”? We’re always talking about the best palette to take on vacation with us like it’s vital to our wellbeing, but let’s be realistic here, we don’t travel THAT much in a given year to warrant the number of “travel-friendly” palettes that we have!
Blistex – Mint, Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm
A couple of lip balms I was gifted as well – both highly necessary for the winter!
The Body Shop – Frosted Cranberry
Pair of stocking stuffers here: The Body Shop‘s Frosted Cranberry scent in a shower gel and a shimmer(!!!) lotion.
The Body Shop – Pink Grapefruit
And yet more Body Shop stuffs! This time in the Pink Grapefruit scent (I’m a huge fan): Body Sorbet (totally new product to me) and another shower gel as well.
Soap box time! I was excited to see Fortune Cookie Soap‘s winter theme of the year… and they’ve gone with products themed after National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, a movie I personally try to watch every Christmas.
Jelly of the Month Club – Official Member
As per usual, their graphic designs are spot on. Sometimes I wonder if I just enjoy FCS‘ creativity more than their products!
Shower Steamer in I Pledge Allegiance, Amen!
I don’t understand these products at all. They’re called “Shower Steamers” but they don’t actually cause any steam in my shower. Sure, they smell nice… but that’s about it. It doesn’t do anything for my skin and I sure don’t get any kind of a fog in my shower unless I turn the water on burningly hot and open the window to let in the -5 degree air.
Deep Conditioner in Christmas Bonus
This stuff was wonderful! The Christmas Bonus scented (yeah… they haven’t told us what it’s actually scented with… we’re supposed to guess) deep conditioner is pretty amazing. To me, it smells of peppermint candy canes, and on the hair it feels like a thick paste. My hair feels especially soft and pliable after using this, but it’s really the scent I’m in love with. I got two uses out of the little pot they sent us.
Hydrate Me in Sparky
Oh boy. This THING. (Hydrate Me in Sparky) The item itself is lovely – it’s a moisturizer body butter type thing that melts into your hand as you apply it to your skin. And good lord the scent is delicious (vanilla pumpkin waffles – AMAZING)… BUT… and this is an *enormous* but (*insert Kim K joke here*)…
Carnage in the bathroom
It’s just a FREAKING MESS. Who the hell wants to use a body butter that is going to turn your body RED? It gooped red all over my hand, onto my leg and then when I gave up trying to rub it into my skin (it tinted me pink), I ended up wiping it off on my towel… which is now stained. (I sure hope it comes out in the wash!) This product is completely *useless* because of the added colour on top of the body butter. Like seriously, did they not test this before sending it out? It’s completely ridiculous and *totally* impractical. Not to mention that it will stain anything you sit on afterwards (like my brand new white sofa…).
DISLIKE.
Edit: I posted about my problem on their Facebook page and they responded by saying that they’ve removed the green and red Hydrate Mes from their order and are sending out different ones. They asked me to contact customer service to “resolve the issue”. In the end they apologized and offered me 10% off my next purchase. I won’t be taking them up on that though since the cost to ship up to Canada is insane!
Whipped Soap in Fried Pussycat
Now this was interesting. Whipped Soap? Never even heard of it. But the texture was moussy and slippery and it was a pleasure to use. The Fried Pussycat scent was also equally appealing. I wasn’t entirely sure HOW to use it, so I just plopped a bit on my hands and slathered it all over my body. It probably would’ve worked better on a washcloth.
OCD Hand Sanitizer in Mele Kelekimaka
More OCD Hand Sanitizer. Comes in every box, so I’m left to conclude that this is either the most popular product they sell (doubt it) or the cheapest to make (I’m going with that one). I’m over the hand sanitizers at this point – I’ve yet to finish the one I got in the spring soap box many moons ago!
Cuticle Butter in Moose Mug
This is glorious. So glorious that I want to eat it. Cuticle butter scented like egg nog? Holy god, be still my heart. Slippery, slimey, oily cuticle goodness. Hard to go wrong with this product! Just… try not to eat it.
Whipped Cream in Bend Over and I’ll Show You
I love their whipped cream, and I was especially happy to try out a scent that I wouldn’t normally gravitate towards. Bend Over & I’ll Show You is especially tart since it’s scented with cranberries and oranges, with pine, spruce and clove. It’s a weird mix, but I really like it!
Fortune Cookie Soap – Tis The Season To Be Mary
And the final product, usually the most interesting, was ultimately the most disappointing (even Sparky had some pizzazz to him). Compared to last quarter’s red sparkly soap, this was just… meh. It was supposedly scented with sweet almond and tobacco – to me it was just… soap.
And with this box, I’ve done an entire year of Fortune Cookie Soap’s soap boxes. I’ve decided to cancel my subscription just because subscription boxes just aren’t really cutting it for me lately. I cancelled Ipsy a while ago and decided I’d cancel FCS after a year as well. While it was a fun box, ultimately the cost was just a little “out there” for the products I was receiving (particularly since I had to pay international fees). Although I do have to say I’m a biiiit jealous since they just recently announced their spring soap box is going to be Alice in Wonderland themed…
