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Wearing The Pattern Down

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Wearing The Pattern Down

This post is nothing more than an appreciation for embossed products – ones I’ve loved enough to wear down the gorgeous pattern that’s been imprinted on it. Enjoy!

Physicians Formula Bronze Booster
Physicians Formula Bronze Booster

Let’s start this post off with one of the more infuriating products I’ve had the pleasure of working with; the Physicians Formula Bronze Booster was in my Use Up 2014 project… and as you can see I clearly did not finish it up (or even hit pan!). The only thing I managed to do was dust away the sun emblem that used to appear in the very middle. I became so enraged with my lack of progress on this bronzer that I really don’t think I touched it at all in 2015. Damn thing hurt my feelings! 😉

MAC Sea Me, Hear Me
MAC Sea Me, Hear Me

With the infuriating product out of the way, let’s talk about something I love immensely. My MAC Sea Me, Hear Me blush is one I’ve reached for continuously since I bought it in 2014 (I even mentioned it in my 2015 Favourites video). I seem to have been focusing on wiping out the curve of the wave as well as the repeated MAC logo on the upper half.

MAC Whisper of Gilt
MAC Whisper of Gilt

Another stunner from MAC – the highgly coveted Whisper of Gilt. I purchased this when it was repromoted and it’s been my go-to highlighter when I want a gold shade. Unlike the blush above that has the same pattern, this one seems to flake off in odd chunks. It never looks that way on the skin, but it’s certainly left behind a mottled pattern!

Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo #1
Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo #1

Although the bronzing side from this Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo (#1) hasn’t been touched much, I can’t say the same for the highlighter! The iridescent pinky-beige highligter is unbelievably epic. Since it can lean quite pink, I tend to reserve it for days  where it’ll work with my makeup, but that definitely doesn’t mean it gets neglected in my collection! I’ve swiped clean the center of the upraised bumps and I’m sure I’ll have the whole thing cleared off by the end of the year. (Full review on the Pro Sculpting Duo right here.)

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow

I’m sensing a pattern here… everything I adore with an embossed pattern seems to be either a bronzer or a highlighter! Although the highlight shade of the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow has seen some action, it’s really the sculpting/bronzing side that’s taken a beating. I love that Sculpt shade for almost any makeup look together – it’s just so versatile!

essence Autumn Peach
essence Autumn Peach

essence‘s Autumn Peach was a surprise winner for me. When I first used it, I knew next to nothing about essence as a brand, nor what to expect out of such low-cost products. But this blush completely blew me out of the water – I couldn’t believe just how flattering it looked on my face! As a result, I’ve worn this sucker over and over again and the center ring has already been destroyed as well as some of the other circles to the sides. Love, love, LOVE!

Tarte Park Ave. Princess
Tarte Park Ave. Princess

My Tarte Off The Cuff blush and bronzer palette saw a lot of love from me over the years, but it’s the bronzer that’s carried the bulk of my love. Park Ave. Princess is such a smooth and buildable bronzer that it’s easy to see why so many people are in love with it! I’ve seemingly destroyed the middle of the Amazon River imprint. Oops!

So how about you? Can you bring yourself to dab your brush into beautifully embossed products? I know I’ve got a few friends out there that find it difficult to dip in for fear of ruining the pattern!

The essence blush and Make Up For Ever duo were provided for my consideration (clearly many, many moons ago).

What’s On My Face – Volume 44

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Alright, it’s been a while since I’ve done a roundup of looks. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a lot of pizzazz in my looks throughout December as I felt like I was eternally rushing around, so this roundup is going to include my actual New Year’s look, some guest posts and a suuuuper old look from June I still hadn’t posted yet. Enjoy!

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So here’s what I actually wore on New Year’s Eve. We didn’t have extravagant plans (we ended up going to an arcade), but I wanted to at least have a splash of glitter on! I ended up applying false lashes later on, but didn’t get around to reshooting the pictures, so what you’re looking at is sans falsies. This look does use the Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons palette, but I promise there’s a full Challenge Week coming up focusing on that palette soon!

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Eyes
(Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons palette)

  1. Pecan Praline through the crease.
  2. Cafe Au Lait on the lid.
  3. Bordeaux on the outer half of the lid.
  4. Divinity on the brow bone.

I applied Make Up For Ever Glitters in 13 to my lower lash line using some Too Faced Glitter Glue. I created the wing with Kat Von D‘s Tattoo Liner in Trooper and applied Make Up For Ever Smoky Stretch mascara to my lashes.

Face

  • Bronzer: Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow
  • Blush: Clinique Cola Pop
  • Highlighter: Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow
  • Lips: Sephora lipgloss in Queen Bee

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This look was completely focused on featuring Too Faced’s Melted Villain lipstick. Although it’s a dark purple, I have to admit that it mostly comes out looking black on me. that’s okay though! I love the colour and it’s NOT patchy! (And yes, I did wear this exact look to work that day!)

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Eyes
(all Makeup Geek)

  1. Peach Smoothie through the top of the crease.
  2. Grandstand on the lid.
  3. Hipster through my crease.
  4. Burlesque on the outer half ofthe lid.
  5. Vanilla Bean on the brow bone.

I applied Make Up For Ever‘s Smoky Stretch mascara to my lashes.

Face

  • Foundation: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum 51 Vanilla
  • Concealer: Collection Lasting Perfection concealer in 2
  • Bronzer: The Body Shop Honey Bronzing Powder in 01 Light Matte
  • Blush: Hourglass Luminous Flush
  • Highlighter: MAC Soft & Gentle
  • Lips: Too Faced Melted Villain

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I looooved this look! I did this as a guest post for Up The Rollercoaster last month and just adored how the shots came out. I wasn’t sure how the cranberry tones in the shadows would work with a red lip and if I’m honest, I think it’s a LITTLE bit off, but the overall effect is WA-BAM!

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^^ That right there’s a money shot. I’m so pleased with it! 😀

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Eyes

  1. Makeup Geek Peach Smoothie through the top of the crease.
  2. Makeup Geek Glamorous all over the lid.
  3. Makeup Geek Bitten on the outer half of the lid and through the crease. I also used Bitten to liner my lower lash line.
  4. Makeup Geek Corrupt to deepen up the outer corner.
  5. Makeup Geek Vanilla Bean to highlight the brow bone.
  6. I used some old MAC gold glitter flecks to add some sparkle to the inner corner. Any gold glitter will do!

I created the wing with Kat Von D‘s Tattoo Liner in Trooper and tightlined my upper water line with Marc Jacobs‘ Highliner Gel Crayon in Blacquer. I coated my lashes with essence‘s get BIG! lashes volume boost waterproof mascara and applied a pair of Noir Fairy false lashes by House of Lashes. My brows are filled in with Anastasia’s Dipbrow Pomade in Blonde.

Face

  • Foundation: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 51 Light Vanilla
  • Bronzer: Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 30M
  • Blush: Clinique Cola Pop
  • Highlighter: Becca Champagne Pop
  • Lips: MAC Russian Red with Brick lipliner to even out the lip lines

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Another guest post! (This time for Writing Whimsy.) I really love doing guest posts because it gives me an opportunity to be totally creative. Usually I’ll take a Saturday afternoon and spend a couple hours working on one. This is very different from my usual makeup roundups which are done almost exclusively as my daily work makeup (which doesn’t always afford me the luxury of playing around with glitter since I’m usually in a rush!).

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Eyes

After priming my eyelids, I applied NYX‘s Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Black Bean all over the lid and blended out the edges. Then:

  1. I deepened my almost non-existent crease (thanks hooded lids) with MAC‘s Cork.
  2. I covered the entire lid with Urban Decay‘s Blackout, making sure to blend it into Cork.
  3. I then patted on Lit Cosmetics’ glitter in Disco Diva using their glitter adhesive.
  4. MAC‘s Blanc Type is on the brow bone to even everything out.
  5. On the inner corner, I blended together Naked Cosmetics IV-05 and IV-03 and patted it on.

I created the inner corner point with Kat Von D‘s Tattoo Liner in Trooper,  thinly lining my upper lash line with it as well. I tightlined my water lines with Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Crayon in Blacquer and applied essence get big! lashes waterproof mascara to my lashes. I lined my lower lash line Lit Cosmetics Peacock glitter.

Face

  • Foundation: Revlon Colorstay in 200 Nude
  • Bronzer: Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil
  • Blush: Hourglass Diffused Heat
  • Highlighter: Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo #1 (highlighting shade)
  • Lips: Sephora Good Fairy lipgloss

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Alright this one’s just super old. I had toyed with doing a Challenge Week for Laura Mercier‘s Artist palette, but I never got around to finishing it (likely something new and exciting caught my eye!). I did this look sometime in June of 2015.

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Eyes
(all Laura Mercier Artist palette)

  1. Plum Smoke through the crease.
  2. Guava on the lid.
  3. Kir Royale on the outer half of the lid.
  4. Sparkling Dew on the brow bone.

I coated my lashes with essence‘s Lash Princess mascara.

Face

  • Foundation: Boots No7 Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla
  • Bronzer: NYC Fire Island Tan
  • Blush: MAC Sea Me, Hear Me
  • Highlighter: Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo #1 – Highlighter
  • Lips: MAC Mystical

 

What’s On My Face – Volume 43

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With Halloween over, I can finally catch up on my backlog of posts to get through. I had hoped to have my Kat Von D Mi Vida Loca Remix Challenge Week up this week, but it seems that isn’t happening, so that’ll be up next week! Till then, here’s a collection of looks that I wore at some point throughout October with a couple guest posts chucked in for good measure. Enjoy!

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I wore this to a preview of the H&M Beauty Department and got a lot of compliments on it. It’s one of my favourite colour combos so I was really happy that others seemed to like it as well!

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Eyes

  1. MAC Illusionary Burning Ambition Duo –  used the white gold shade all over the lid.
  2. Inglot Matte 317 and Matte 338 mixed together on the outer half of the lid with a little bit of Urban Decay Blackout in the very outer corner.
  3. Wet n Wild Brule on the brow bone.

I created the winged liner with MAC‘s Blacktrack fludline and applied Urban Decay‘s Perversion mascara to my lashes.

Face

  • Bronzer: Hard Candy Hula Hula
  • Blush: essence pinky flow
  • Highlighter: Becca Champagne Pop
  • Lips: Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Maple

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The Soul Sister glitter I picked up from Lit Cosmetics at IMATS is quite possibly the most beautiful glitter I’ve ever encountered. My shots don’t do it justice, but it’s primarily green with gold and copper flecks. It’s absolutely incredible.

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Eyes

  1. MAC Club all over the lid.
  2. Inglot Pearl 418 on the outer half of the lid.
  3. Lit Cosmetics Soul Sister glitter applied on top of Club.
  4. Wet n Wild Brulee on the brow bone.

Urban Decay Perversion mascara is on my lashes.

Face

  • Bronzer: SST Cosmetics Radiant Finish Bronzer
  • Blush: Hourglass Incandescent Electra
  • Highlighter: MAC Whisper of Gilt
  • Lips: NYX Spongecake gloss

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I was headed out to Halloween Haunt at Canada’s Wonderland and had to wear something festive. Because even though it may not be seen by anyone due to how dark it was, *I* still knew I was wearing something fun! And by the way? Canada’s Wonderland Halloween Haunt? TOTALLY worth it. I had so much fun!

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Eyes

  1. Too Faced Millenial at the top of the crease.
  2. Viseart matte orange from the Editorial Brights palette.
  3. Too Faced Girl’s Night on the outer half of the lid.
  4. Too Faced Chandelier on the brow bone.
  5. Lit Cosmetics California Soul all over the lid on top of the orange.

I created the wing with Kat Von D‘s Tattoo Liner in Trooper and applied Urban Decay Perversion mascara to my lashes.

Face

  • Blush: MAC Gingerly
  • Lips: Revlon Papaya

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I did this look for a guest post over on JustJ last month while she was away getting married!

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Eyes

  1. Makeup Geek Frappe through the top of the crease.
  2. Makeup Geek Burlesque through the crease.
  3. Makeup Geek Bitten on the outer half of the lid and a bit through the crease. I also used this shade to line the lower lash line.
  4. Makeup Geek Corrupt in the outer corner to deepen up the look.
  5. Makeup Geek pigment in Utopia all over the lid. I used Too Faced’s Glitter Glue to make sure it stayed on my lid!
  6. Makeup Geek Bleached Blonde on the inner tearduct.
  7. Makeup Geek Vanilla Bean on the brow bone.
I created the winged liner with essence‘s easy 2 use jumbo eyeliner pen and tightlined both of my water lines with Maybelline‘s Lasting Drama Waterproof Gel Eye Pencil in Sleek Onyx. I applied a few coats of Urban Decay‘s Perversion mascara to my lashes and popped on some Ardell false lashes in the style 102 Black. I filled in my brows with Anastasia‘s Dipbrow in Taupe.
Rest of the Face
  • Foundation: IT cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream with SPF 50+ in Fair and Light mixed together
  • Bronzer: Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 30M
  • Blush: Clinique Cheek Pop in Cola Pop
  • Highlighter: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft & Gentle
  • Lips: Too Faced Melted Berry

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And another guest post, this time for Zoe! I was going for unicorn inspired and this is what I came up with!

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Eyes

  1. Inglot Matte 334 through the top of the crease.
  2. Naked Cosmetics Ivory stack (white shade) on the inner tearduct.
  3. MAC Crystal Avalanche on the lid.
  4. Inglot Matte 325 on the outer half of the lid.
  5. Urban Decay Blackout on the very outer corner to deepen it up.
  6. Wet n Wild Brulee to highlight the brow.
  7. Inglot Matte 317 on the outer edge of the lower lash line.
  8. Inglot Matte 343 right beside it to the halfway line of the lower lash line.
  9. Inglot Matte 370 beside it as well.
  10. Inglot Matte 383 as the very last colour on the lower lash line.

I used the Kat Von D Ink Liner in Neruda to create the wing and applied Urban Decay’s Perversion mascara to my lashes. I filled in my brows with NYX’s MicroBrow in Taupe.

Rest of the Face

  • Foundation: Revlon ColorStay in 220 Natural Beige
  • Bronzer: Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 30M
  • Blush: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat
  • Highlighter: MAC Iridescent Powder in Silver Dusk
  • Lips: Inglot AMC Lipgloss in 544

Empties – February through September 2015

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These Empties posts fill me with dread. Made worse by the fact that I haven’t done an Empties post since January, so that means I’ve got 8-9 months of garbage to talk about. This type of post isn’t even something I enjoy reading on other peoples’ blogs because it’s soooo cluttered with deodorant, toothpaste and shampoo. (Sorry guys.) But let’s be real here… no one cares if you finished up your deodorant.

With all of that being said, I do get asked for Empties posts and I do see it come up in search terms for my blog, so I thought I’d keep going with them. I do approach my Empties posts with the mentality of “if I wouldn’t put it in a monthly haul post, I won’t include it in an Empties”. So this is primarily makeup with some skincare. Enjoy!

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Duralash by Ardell: These single lashes are great for fluffing up your lashes without adding too much “fakeness” to them. I finally ran through the whole package  and decided to chuck them. Repurchase? Yes

Ardell Demi Wispies: I got a lot of uses out of these (maybe 7-8?) and really loved wearing them. They recently started to not stick to my lash line, I think due to glue build up, so I had to chuck them. Repurchase? More than likely, but not anytime soon since I’ve got a bunch of House of Lashes waiting for me.

Femme Fatale lashes in Catwalk: I was sent these and absolutely loved them. They’re soft and gorgeous (full review here). However, I don’t know if I was too rough with them, but after the third time I wore them, while I was pulling the glue off the band, a chunk of the lashes just fell right off. So now they look patchy and I’d rather not deal with them. They were gorgeous when I used them though. Repurchase? Unlikely. At the elevated price point, I don’t think a section of lashes should be falling off the band.

J. Cat lashes in EL13: These came in an Ipsy bag and I really enjoyed them. Easy to wear and just the right amount of oomph. Repurchase? Maybe, but I don’t even know where you can get this brand.

Revecen lashes in 6: THESE ARE FUCKING GARBAGE. They’re super plastic (like, they even look shiny), the band doesn’t bend and the edges would ping off my lash line. Repurchase? NO. Get the hell out of here you garbage lashes. Ugh.

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Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original and NARS Smudeproof: The Urban Decay one used to be my holy grail primer. It would keep my shadows in place without creasing and I loved it. Then, oddly, about a year and a half ago, it just stopped working. It’s like my eyelids adapted to the formula and decided to overpower it. Now it’s crease city if I use this primer by itself. However, I have noticed that if I layer it with the NARS Smudgeproof base it works very well. The NARS one won’t work on its own for me either though which is kind of shocking since EVERYONE raves on about it. Repurchase? Possibly, but I’d have to buy them together, which is just kind of silly and expensive. Right now the Milani primer is working just fine for me.

Duo lash adhesive: I used to love Duo, but I’ve found lately that it’s just not sticking as well as it used to despite the tube being relatively fresh. I think I finished about half of this tube before I gave up on it. Repurchase? Nah, I’ve moved on to House of Lashes glue.

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Barry M Nail Paint in Diamond Glitter: All finished up! I use this kind of silver/disco glitter polish exclusively on my toes at all times (and have since my teens). I loved this brand so I’ve actually had three bottles of this. I will say though that it tends to peel off in rather large chunks so I’ll probably move on to a different brand soon. Repurchase? I already have another back up bottle I’m in the midst of using right now!

OPI Nail Lacquer in My Boyfriend Scales Walls: I got 75% of the way through this bottle before it got too goopy to use. So handy to have a white nail polish in your arsenal for french tips and gradients, or even just wearing it on its own. Repurchase? I can’t since this one was limited edition. The OPI formula was great though!

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Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper: This is the absolute best liquid liner on the market. The brush tip makes this so, SO easy to use and I love that the formula is water resistant (it may say waterproof, but I wouldn’t say it’s totally waterproof). My only beef is that it’s not truly matte since it has a bit of a sheen. If they could only just make it totally matte this thing would be utterly legendary. Repurchase? Yes, absolutely. I already have another one cracked open!

Benefit They’re Real Push Liner: BE GONE DEVIL. This thing is an effing disaster to use. Chunky, not smooth and hard to apply. I’m so glad I got a sample size as I would’ve hated to pay full price. Repurchase? BAHAHAHAHA. …No.

Tarte gel liner in Black: Loved this so much. It stayed soft and creamy for over a year and I actually ran through the entire pot of it. Super rich in pigmentation and so very easy to apply to the lid. Repurchase? Eventually, but I’m already working through MAC’s Blacktrack fluidline and I have an Inglot black gel liner waiting in the wings… so it could be years before I purchase this one again. I do really, really love it though!

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Nivea Lip Butter in Caramel Cream Kiss: I loved the pants off this lip butter! I loved the scent and the texture of it so much that it became my nightly balm. It worked well to heal my lips overnight and kept them very supple. Repurchase? I’m working through the Macadamia one right now, but yes, eventually!

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Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara: This gave me soft and fluffy lashes. Great formula! The only downer for me is the damn brush – I hate the double bubble. 🙁 Repurchase? I wouldn’t buy full size just because I never have to with all of the minis going around. I’m currently using another mini of this right now.

pur minerals Big Look waterproof mascara: A waterproof mascara is always nice to have on hand, but this one wasn’t my favourite. It added enough volume, but it made my lashes feel crispy. Repurchase? Nah, pass.

essence Lash Princess mascara: This one gave me a ton of volume, which is not something I expected from such an inexpensive mascara. I even liked the shape of the cobra wand since it made it easy to apply. (Full review here.) Repurchase? I would, but not in the near future as I’ve got a backlog of mascaras at the moment.

CoverGirl Clump Crusher mascara: This used to be the be all, end all mascara for me. I used it for a year straight and loved it. I found this tube wasn’t as great as I had remembered, which made me a little bit sad. Still, a great drugstore mascara. Repurchase? Yes, but not right now.

Make Up For Ever Smoky Stretch mascara: This is it folks. This is my holy grail. Smoky Stretch gives me the BEST LASHES. The formula stayed quite wet for months which is something I personally enjoy in a mascara. (Full review here.) Repurchase? Yes, absolutely. I’ve got one in my Sephora cart right now just waiting for the November VIB sale!

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Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation in 52 Vanilla: I finished it and now I want more. This foundation is the absolute best. It smells amazing and provides just the right amount of coverage for my tastes (light-medium). The shade range isn’t extensive, but it works for me! (Full review here.) Repurchase? YES! A wonderful blogging friend was in England recently and picked one up for me!

Pixi Flawless Beauty Primer: This is an oddly pink toned primer that I got in an Ipsy bag a while back. I didn’t notice it doing anything amazing really. Repurchase? Nah.

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Lavanila Vanilla Grapefruit perfume: I freaking loved this scent so much. I remember using it a lot when I went on vacation to Prague last year, so whenever I wear it now (I got another one) it reminds me of that awesome vacation. It’s a very sweet, candy-like smell, so use it sparingly when you first start wearing it. Repurchase? Yep, I’ve already cracked open a new bottle.

Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black: I don’t typically include little samples in hauls/empties, but I loved this perfume so much that it actually lead me to purchase the full size bottle. It’s not a typical “me” scent, since I tend to prefer aquatic/water scents (not that the Lavanila one is anything like that either) but I still really, really enjoy it. Repurchase: Yes, I think I’m always going to have a bottle of this on hand now.

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Bioderma Crealine H2O: Always a winner. I keep a bottle in the bathroom and one by my makeup table because I love it so much. I use it to clean up makeup mistakes, remove makeup and to refresh my face if it’s feeling grungy. This stuff is fantastic. Repurchase? Yes, definitely!

L’Oreal Skin Perfection Micellar Gel: I saw this at a drugstore in Prague last year and since it wasn’t available yet in Canada, I decided to purchase it. I really didn’t like it though – it’s awkward to use (since it’s a goopy gel) and it didn’t do a very good job of getting my makeup off. I was really happy when I finished the damn thing. Repurchase? Not a chance.

Marcelle Gentle Make-Up Remover for Sensitive Eyes: This is my favourite makeup remover ever. I’ve easily gone through over 30 bottles in the ten years I’ve been using this makeup remover. There is nothing better on the market that I’ve ever experienced. 100% worth it. (Full review here.) Repurchase? Absolutely. I have another bottle already open and three more (they were on sale) sitting in my closet ready to be used.

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Dermal Therapy Heel Cream: I have gross heels – they crack and get dry. Yum, right? This stuff is freaking magic on them and actually heals the deep cracks. Much love. Repurchase? Yes, I already have another tube open.

Nameless tub on the bottom left: My friend Alison made this awesome body butter for me and I finished it all up! Repurchase? It was a gift and only she makes them!

Miracle 10 Light Serum: This is a gel type facial moisturizer that I wasn’t in love with. The scent is overly medicinal and it wasn’t enough moisture for the winter months. Definitely more of a summer moisturizer. Repurchase? I wouldn’t buy it, but I do have another bottle because of a blogger swap. So I suppose I like it enough to use it again, but it wouldn’t be my first choice of moisturizers to spend my money on.

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre: When I first got this a few years back, I didn’t think much of it. It’s a simple moisturizer that doesn’t smell like much, what’s there to fall in love with? But I kept going back to it, and buying it times and time again. This is my fifth tube and I’m still using it just as much as ever. Repurchase? Yep! Already have another one waiting for me.

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Jealous Body Scrub: I was sent this, but there’s no denying the amazingess of this coffee and coconut scrub. It smells like a highly caffeinated dream and does wonders at restoring moisture to your skin. (Full review here and here.) Repurchase? Yes, definitely.

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The Body Shop Shower Gels in Pink Grapefruit and Fijian Water Lotus: The Body Shop can do absolutely no wrong with their shower gels. The Pink Grapefruit scent has been a favourite of mine for something ridiculous like 15 years and I still love it! The Fijian Water Lotus is a new one to me and my mom gave me some for last Christmas. I love the watery scent of it. Repurchase? Yes! And definitely yes to both scents. They’re wonderful.

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Johnson’s Baby Shampoo: Oh crap, I was totally bitching about shampoo empties was’t I?  Bahahah. WELL, I use this as a cleanser for my makeup brushes so I’m basically telling you how awesome the shampoo is for my brushes… that’s different right? 😉 Repurchase? Absolutely and I already have!

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Makeup Removing Wipes: My favourites are the two on the left – Neutrogena‘s Hydrating wipes, but I’ll use the Boots No7 ones as a stop gap if I need to. Repurchase? The Neutrogena ones for sure as they’re the most hydrating/wet ones I’ve found and work the best.

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Clean & Clear Deep Action Cream Cleanser: I don’t have an acne problem, but I do use the Clean & Clear products because I love the scent, texture and feel. Plus this cream one has a nice icy feel to it so I find it highly enjoyable. Repurchase? Yep, already have a new one!

Miracle 10 Cleanser II: This was a nice cleanser. Nothing miraculous, but hey, it did the job of keeping my face clean! Repurchase? Unlikely – Miracle 10 products are very expensive and since I don’t have problems with my face I tend to just stick to the cheap stuff.

Olay Fresh Effects Out of this Swirled!:  Ugh, I hated the scent and that just ruined it for me. It’s a fine grit scrub that worked well enough, but I hated the artificial scent of it. Repurchase? Nope!

Annnnd DONE! Wow. Nine months of empties all wrapped up. And, tragically, my empties bin is already filling up again. Ughhhhh. I may stick to doing this twice a year because that was far too lengthy of a post for my tastes. If you made it this far though, kudos to you!

essence easy 2 use jumbo eyeliner pen (Review & Swatches)

Makeup, Reviews

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New for Fall/Winter 2015, essence has released their easy 2 use jumbo eyeliner pen – a black felt tipped liquid liner. With a suggested retail price of $3.49 CAD, this is a pretty inexpensive liner… but how does it perform?

essence easy 2 use jumbo eyeliner pen
essence easy 2 use jumbo eyeliner pen

I’m always a little bit skeptical about felt tip eyeliners as I’ve never had amazing results with them. And I’m even more skeptical about huge, chubby felt tipped eyeliners because I feel like they’re really unwieldy. Oddly though, while I found the felt tip to be on the shorter size of things (I’d prefer it longer and sleeker), the chubbiness of the pen didn’t bother me much when I was lining my eyes.

essence easy 2 use jumbo eyeliner pen - swatches
essence easy 2 use jumbo eyeliner pen – swatches

The easy 2 use jumbo eyeliner pen swatches a dark, opaque black, but you will notice a little bit of skipping around the edges. It’s not super obvious, but since I’m used to brush tip liners, I did notice I had to make a couple passes to fill in the skips. The eyeliner isn’t totally matte as it has a slight sheen.

essence easy 2 use jumbo eyeliner pen - winged liner
essence easy 2 use jumbo eyeliner pen – winged liner

As you can see in the shot above, it’s VERY pigmented. It goes on the eye smoothly and stays put. I didn’t notice any fading throughout the day, although I did notice the liner got a little bit shinier as the hours progressed (probably oil build up from my eye).

essence easy 2 use jumbo eyeliner pen - winged liner
essence easy 2 use jumbo eyeliner pen – winged liner

You can see a I got a fairly clean edge all the way out to the corner. Since the felt tip is slightly thicker than my usual eyeliners, I did find I had a bit of a tougher time getting a super sharp point at the end, but that may just be because I’m accustomed to slimmer tips.

essence easy 2 use jumbo eyeliner pen - full face
essence easy 2 use jumbo eyeliner pen – full face

Overall, I’m quite pleased with how this liquid liner performed. The felt tip has enough flex to get into the crevices of my eyelid, and the pen delivers product all the way to the tip (huge bonus!). The price point ($4 CAD) is also highly attractive and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with the product.

essence is sold exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada and at Ulta and Fred Meyer in the US.

This post features press samples sent for consideration.