Yesterday, on Christmas Eve, we traveled from Toronto all the way over to Wisconsin for the holidays. We drove (well, I’m writing this in advance and yet I’m referring to myself in the future… so this is weird) the 11 hours or so it took to get to Wisconsin and brought the cats along with us. By the time you’re reading this on Christmas Day, we’ve hopefully made it safe and sound and I don’t want to strangle Kolme (she’s a howler when we travel). We’ll be staying with my husband’s family near Madison for Christmas and New Year’s, and I *pray* they get snow because Toronto sure doesn’t have any!
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow and Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons
Two of the palettes I’m bringing are the brand new Too FacedChocolate Bon Bons and my Charlotte TilburyFilmstar Bronze & Glow.
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow and Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons
The Too Faced Bon Bons is a bit of a risk because I’ve barely played with the palette yet so I don’t really know what kind of looks I can come up with. It’s quite neutral which at least makes it fairly easy to play with while on vacation. The Charlotte Tilbury duo is going to be my only highlighter and bronzer on this trip. I like bringing more expensive products to use around Christmas time because it makes me feel kind of fancy. 🙂
House of Lashes falsies in Noir Fairy and their lash glue
And of course, what’s the holidays without some dramatic lashes? I’m bringing along my Houses of Lashes lash glue and a pair of their lashes in Noir Fairy. They’re already cut down to size since I’ve worn them before so I needn’t worry about trimming them while on vacation.
Illamasqua Skin Base in 6.5 and the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer
I say this every time I bring foundation on vacation, but I’ll say it again regardless… I haven’t a clue if I’ll even wear these. I’m not generally in love with foundation as I find I just want to tear it off my face after about 8 hours or so (it has nothing to do with the foundations thesmelves, just the general feeling of having paint on my face). I like the Smashbox primer because it’s tiny and works well, and the IllamasquaSkin Base is lovely to wear but doesn’t get enough use in my collection so I thought I’d bring it along as well.
The Body Shop – Shimmer Spray in Silver
And what’s the holidays without a little bit of shimmer spray?? Smells like vanilla and spews out silver shimmer… I loooove it!
Clarins Rosy Nude, MAC Russian Red, Too Faced Melted Berry and Bite Beauty’s Maple Agave Lip Mask
I never ever feel like I bring enough lip products when I travel because I swear I’ll get there and wish I brought different items! My ClarinsRosy Nude is a perfect neutral shade for every day wear, MACRussian Red is a holiday staple for me, as is my Too FacedMelted Berry. The Bite BeautyAgave Lip Mask in Maple is along for the ride to keep my lips hydrated and because the scent is so stinking delicious!
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper, H&M Beauty lip primer, Make Up For Ever Glitter (25), MAC Brick lip liner, Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel crayon in Blacquer and Make Up For Ever Smoky Stretch
Random assortment of items here… My Kat Von DTattoo Liner in Trooper is a surefire liquid liner for all my travel purposes. I’ve got an H&M Beauty lip primer in there, a Make Up For Ever glitter (hello New Year’s!), MACBrick lipliner, Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Crayon in Blacquer and my favourite Make Up for EverSmoky Stretch mascara.
Another bit of a risk here… two medium to deep-toned blushes and no basic pink! TarteExposed has gotten a lot of love from me over the years (I’ve even hit pan on it!) and it a foolproof shade to match with the neutral eyeshadows I’ve packed. And of course, there’s my beloved CliniqueCola Pop. I can’t believe I haven’t worn the flower embossing down a bit more, I wear it constantly!
And all of that is crammed into a medium sized Sephora makeup bag. Merry Christmas everyone!
During the cold months, one of my most beloved makeup tricks is to give myself the appearance that I’ve just come in from the cold. Few makeup things please me as much as the appearance of a red cheek in the winter! I don’t actually flush very pretty naturally from the cold air – in fact my face turns blotchy red and I get weird sun sports that appear out of nowhere. BUT, I have this vision of rosy red cheeks that make me look like I’ve been kissed by the cold air and that’s what I try to replicate with my makeup when the air temperature drops.
I’ve picked some of my favourite blushes that help me achieve that red cheek look. As with anything, if the colour intimidates you, try using it with a lighter hand!
Clinique – Cola Pop
With the dropping temperature here in Toronto, I’ve gone absolutely ham on this blush. Clinique‘s Cola Pop looks like NOBODY’s colour in the pan – in fact you’d expect it to just be an eyeshadow with that kind of dark pigmentation.
Wearing Cola Pop
But on the cheeks this is freaking BOMB! On my NW20 skin, it goes on fairly rosy, but if you have a deeper skin tone you can definitely keep building this up. I’ve started pairing this with dark red lips and it’s a great way to help balance out the colour and make me not look washed out.
Tarte – Natural Beauty
It took me a while to pick up Tarte‘s Natural Beauty. It was one of those products that sat in my Sephora Loves list for not just months, but years! And yet, it’s exactly the kind of colour I love to wear.
Wearing Natural Beauty
Because of Tarte‘s blush texture, this goes on my cheeks a little bit softer, so this is a good one for those of you wanting some of that red cheek look without looking like a clown.
Illamasqua – Tweak
A word of warning – Illamasqua‘s blushes are pigmented AF. In fact, the first time I wore this blush I applied way too much and kind of gasped in horror. I’ve since learned the error of my ways and barely touch my brush to the product now. That being said, Tweak is a phenomenal colour that feels rather akin to a “power colour” to me. (Forgive me, I hate that term, but I couldn’t figure out how else to express my affinity for this shade!)
Wearing Tweak
Tweak is easily one of my favourite colours to apply to my cheeks. It gives me look and feel instantly alive. I love how it makes the apples of my cheeks pop and I just really feel good about myself when I’m wearing this colour.
Burberry – Poppy
Burberry‘s Lip & Cheek Bloom in Poppy has a mousse texture and can be used on the lips and cheeks. This item was my first foray into Burberry products and it jumped out at me because it was so dissimilar to the rest of their line. In general, Burberry is a beautifully classy line of makeup, so they don’t tend to have shocking colours. So when I saw this one I just gravitated towards it like a moth to a flame.
Wearing Poppy
Due to the mousse texture, Poppy applies more like a cream. I find this to be more of a soft colour, so you’ll get more subtle red cheek glow with this one. (The shot above is with a few layers applied to my cheeks.)
Elizabeth Mott – Tints & Sass
The last one on my list is a liquid stain by Elizabeth Mott that I received in an Ipsy bag a while ago. Tints & Sass, although it’s a stain, does blend out quite easily on the cheek. I apply three dabs to my cheekbones and then blend it out with a stippling brush. Due to the staining nature of the product, I prefer to wear this one when I know I’m going to be outside a lot because even if I end up wiping most of it away, at least I’ll be left with a stain! (Bonus: It smells good too!)
Wearing Tints & Sass
On the cheeks Tints & Sass is glorious. I can get instant red cheeks without much fuss with this product and I appreciate that so, so much. I even brought this on vacation with me last year when I went back to Ottawa for Christmas!
Red cheek swatches
And for comparison, here is each of them swatched side by side. You can see a few of them are quite close in colour, but they all have enough variety amongst them to keep me happy!
Red Cheeks for Winter!
So how about you? Do you like red cheeks in the winter?
One of my most popular posts was my Drugstore Foundation Roundup from 2013. At the time, I only owned drugstore foundations so it was a fairly inexpensive collection. I’ve now branched out a bit more and have a few new foundations to share.
I know colour matching can be difficult , so here’s a little information about my skin:
At MAC, I’m in the NW20/NC20 colour range.
My skin is mostly normal. I get a bit dry during the winter and a bit oily during the summer, but I’m never dry like the Sahara nor do I ever turn into a greasepit.
My veins appear blue, which means I have a cool undertone.
I wear foundation for aesthetic purposes, not to cover up blemishes. I do not have problems with acne. I also don’t wear foundation on a daily basis as I find it can make my skin itchy. (Make Up For Ever’s Smooth Primer helps prevent this.)
The inside of my arm (where the shades have been swatched) is infinitely lighter than my face.
My face is also not the same colour as my neck (which is lighter), so I don’t even bother trying to match the two since it make me look like I’ve got a pasty face.
Enjoy the comparison swatches and short reviews! There’s a full comparison swatch of every foundation at the very bottom of this post.
Revlon Colorstay foundation
First up are my Revlon Colorstays. This used to be my absolute favourite foundation, but then they went ahead and changed the formula. The ones that smelled like paint thinner and had an SPF of 6 (the bottle on the left is the old formula) were amazing. The stuff would cover anything and everything and it looked better and better as the day went on. With the new formula, I don’t find the coverage is as longwearing nor does it wear as well throughout the day and that’s been very disappointing.
Revlon Colorstay in 150 Buff, 200 Nude and 220 Natural Beige
150 Buff and 200 Nude are in the Combination/Oily variety, whereas 220 Natural Beige is Normal/Dry Skin. If I’m honest, I don’t notice much of a difference between the two varieties.
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup in 30 Buff
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup is a recent addition to my collection and I got a shade that’s really only going to suit me in the middle of summer when I’m quite tan. Right now it’s wearable, but I have to blend it down my neck quite a bit. To me, this feels very lightweight and is easy to blend into the skin.
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup in 30 Buff
Definitely too dark for me right now though!
Boots No7 foundations: Instant Radiance and Stay Perfect
Oh Boots No7, I love you so, so much. I feel their colour matching technology (that gun thing they put on your face) is incredible and seems to nail my skin colour every time.
On the left is Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla. This is my absolutely FAVOURITE foundation. It’s exactly the kind of coverage I enjoy (light to medium with a somewhat dewy finish) and it feels fantastic. Cool Vanilla works for me when it’s late spring into summer.
On the right is Stay Perfect in Deeply Ivory. This is my late summer into fall foundation. It’s way, WAY too dark for me right now, but it blends in seamlessly when I’ve got more of a tan. The only reason I didn’t pick up another Instant Radiance in this shade is that the Boots at Heathrow didn’t have Instant Radiance on hand. However, Stay Perfect is a gloriously matte foundation that works wonders at keeping me from looking sweaty.
Boots No7: Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla and Stay Perfect in Deeply Ivory
Cool Vanilla is quite pink toned and Deeply Ivory looks (frighteningly) orange, but I assure you it really is a good suit for my tanned skin.
Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum
I’ve done a recent review on Bourjois‘ Healthy Mix Serum foundation so I’ll keep this short. I don’t know a single person that doesn’t like this foundation. It’s a soft (I guess that’s the gel?) liquid foundation that smells absolutely incredible and feels wonderful on the skin. It has a light to medium coverage. They’re considered drug store in the UK/Ireland, but they’re high end here in Canada. Absolutely worth the price tag though.
Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 51 Light Vanilla and 52 Vanilla
I will say that the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundations do lean yellow and there aren’t an awful lot of shades. If they do suit your skin colouring though, get them!
Illamasqua Skin Base
Illamasqua‘s Skin Base was a panic purchase when I found out that the brand was leaving North America. The texture is very thick, surprisingly so, and yet it doesn’t feel thick on the skin. I have no idea how they managed to do that, but somehow it works. The name is apt too; Skin Base. It does feel like a second layer of skin and probably one of my more comfortable to wear foundations.
Illamasqua Skin Base in shade 6.5
I have shade 6.5 and it does lean a bit orangey/yellow on me.
it Cosmetics CC+
Last up are my it Cosmetics CC+ Creams with SPF 50+. They are hyped out the wazoo on YouTube, so I *had* to try them out. I picked up the shade Fair when I was in the US in April because Light was so incredibly dark. Of course, then I realized Fair was too pale and gotLight as well when I got back to Canada. Right now I’m in between both shades, so I mix them together to get the right tone. (Seriously, can you believe how dark Light is? I was astounded.) I love that there’s a huge amount of SPF in these, but I haven’t tested them enough to see how they perform through sweaty days.
it Cosmetics CC+ in Fair and Light
I feel these ones have far more neutral colouring than my other foundations which is really, really nice.
All my foundations swatched – click to enlarge
Revlon Colorstay in 150 Buff
Revlon Colorstay in 200 Nude
Revlon Colorstay in 220 Natural Beige
Neutrogena Healthy Skin in 30 Buff
Boots No7 Instant Radiance in Cool Vanilla
Boots No7 Stay Perfect in Deeply Ivory
Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 51 Light Vanilla
Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 52 Vanilla
Illamasqua Skin Base in 6.5
it Cosmetics CC+ in Fair
it Cosmetics CC+ in Light
My Favourites
I feel you really can’t go wrong with the Boots No7 line or Bourjois‘ Healthy Mix Serums. They’re my favourite foundations to wear by far! How about you? Any top picks? Or anything in this list that you love or hate?
Another roundup of looks from the last few weeks. Enjoy!
The last one I have from our trip to Florida. I will never get enough of Peanut Butter as a transition shade, so beautiful!
Eyes (all Too FacedSemi-Sweet Chocolate Bar palette)
Caramel all over the lid.
I screwed up the numbers! This area is still the same shade as #1 above.
Truffled in the outer corner.
Peanut Butter through the crease.
Coconut Creme on the brow bone.
On my lashes is Make Up For EverSmoky Stretch mascara.
Rest of the Face
Bronzer: Hard CandyHula Hula
Blush: AstorFeeling Feline (lip product used as a blush)
Holy crap. Wet n Wild‘s California Roll palette (limited edition from the Silverlake collection) turned out to be a stunner. I even managed to use every single shade from the palette in this look which is fairly awesome.
Eyes
(all from the Wet n WildCalifornia Roll palette, although the shades have no names)
Peach colour all over the lid.
Red shade on the outer corner of the lid.
Pale beige shade on the lid.
Shimmery beige on the inner corner.
On the lower lash line I applied the paler green shade on the inner half of the lid, and then the darker green on the outer half. To create the wing I used MAC‘s Blacktrackfluidline and applied Make Up For EverSmoky Stretch mascara to my lashes.
Rest of the Face
Bronzer: Hard CandyHula Hula
Blush: MilaniCoral Cove
Highlighter: Hard CandyTiki
Lips: BenefitCoralista gloss
Oh wow. I was expecting Colour Pop‘s Bae to look something like MAC‘s Club, but it’s not at all the same. This is so much more intense with a high blue sheen. It’s really, really incredible.
Eyes
Colour PopBae all over the lid.
MACSketch on the outer corner and through the crease. Sketch is also smudged along the lower lash line.
Too FacedWhite Chocolate on the brow bone.
Make Up For EverSmoky Stretch mascara is on my lashes.
Rest of the Face
Bronzer: Make Up For EverPro Sculpting Duo #1
Blush: Physicians Formula Happy Booster in Natural
Highlighter: Make Up For EverPro Sculpting Duo #1
If it’s not already obvious, I often bust out neutral eyes just so I can wear bright lipstick. I feel like I know nothing about matching bright eyeshadows with bright lipstick, so I always default to a look like this when I want to neon on my lips.
Eyes
(all from the Sonia KashukEye on Neutral 02 palette)
Orangey-brown through the crease
Light peach all over the lid.
Dark brown and black on the outer corner.
Palest shade on the brow bone.
To create the wing I used Make Up For Ever‘s Ink Liner and then applied Make Up For EverSmoky Stretch to my lashes.
Rest of the Face
Bronzer: Hard CandyHula Hula
Blush: IllamasquaTweak
Highlighter: Too FacedCandlelight
Powder: HourglassEthereal Light
Lips: Too FacedMelted Candy
Playing around with some of my Colour Pop shades. The lid shade (Too Soon) is very similar to the Pink Sugar shade from the Too FacedSemi-Sweet Chocolate Bar palette, but actually applies to the lid the way the shade looks (as opposed to the glitter bomb that Pink Sugar is). So if you liked the look of Pink Sugar but hated how it applied, check out Colour Pop‘s Too Soon.
Eyes
(all Colour Pop)
Drift through the crease.
Too Soon all over the lid.
Adios in the outer corner.
One & Done on the brow bone.
Make Up For EverSmoky Stretch mascara is on my lashes.
Rest of the Face
Foundation: It Cosmetics CC Cream in Fair
Bronzer: Hard CandyHula Hula
Blush: TarteNatural Beauty
Highlighter: Highlighting shade from the Make Up For EverPro Sculpting Duo #1
I knew this was going to be not only a super exciting month, but also a seriously spendy month. Not only was I in the US for a week, but there was also the Sephora VIB sale AND Makeup Geek was launching ten brand new foiled shadows (which, although I’ve ordered them, they won’t be here in time for this month’s haul, so you’ll see them all next month).
Buckle in. This is a long one.
Colour Pop Super Shock Shadows in Heat, Sunnies, Juicer, Animal, Erotic, Drift and Bae ($5 USD each)
First up was Colour Pop. I asked my parents-in-law (who reside in Wisconsin) if they would mind receiving a makeup order and then bring it to Florida where we would be vacationing with them mid-month. They consented, and this saved me a huge amount in shipping (it was free, versus the $40 I would’ve had to pay to ship it to Canada!). I opted for a lot of bright, warm shades since that’s just my “thing”.
Colour Pop Rebound quad: One & Done, Too Soon, Ex, Adios ($20 USD)
I also snagged the Colour PopRebound quad because the shades just looked gorgeous and they had some neutrals which I hadn’t really added to my order yet. Too Soon is likeToo Faced‘s Pink Sugar (from the Semi-Sweet palette) but far more pigmented.
Unfortunately, once I got to Florida I realized that I had completely forgotten my moisturizer. I snagged Aveeno‘s Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer with sunscreen at Publix because I always default to Aveeno if I can purchase it!
Vaseline Spray & Go in Cocoa Radiant (~$8 USD)
Another necessity out in Florida. I hadn’t packed any kind of body moisturizer and I knew I was going to need something to soothe my skin after being out in the sun for so many hours a day. I’m not a huge fan of aloe vera scented anything, so I picked up the VaselineSpray & Go Cocoa Radiant because I’m already a huge fan of the scent, but I’ve also been wanting to try this spray stuff out. And frankly, I think it’s amazing. Super handy for vacation and light enough to not cause you to stick to everything.
Neutrogena MoistureSmooth in Papaya ($4.75 USD)
I’m not a huge fan of these chubby style lip products, but I’ve heard EmilyNoel83 rave about these for years so I figured I should at least try one out. It’s… okay. It has a very (bear with me on this one) 80s plastic doll smell. If you grew up in the 80s and ever had My Little Ponies that also came with some kind of weird perfume, that’s what this smells like. It’s kind of a plastic vanilla with a fruity-twist scent. Very weird.
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup in Buff ($15.49 USD)
Another a “YouTuber made me buy it” situation. I’ve seen Amarixe wearing this over the last several years and since Neutrogena makeup isn’t available in Canada, I picked this up at Walgreens in Panama City as soon as I saw it.
Milani Eyeshadow Primer ($6.79 USD)
Another brand I don’t have easy access to in Ontario! Walgreens had a small-ish display of Milani stuff, but enough items for me to pick through. I picked up their eyeshadow primer because neither my Urban Decay nor my NARS (alone) can seem to prevent my shadows from creasing anymore. I’ve used this three times and so far so good! I’ll have to use it more heavily to see just how long it holds up.
Milani Bella eyeshadows in Taupe, Navy, Rouge and Copper ($4.59 USD each)
I had to really restrain myself with the Milani Bella eyeshadows. In the end, I picked a really weird random assortment of them. I’m fairly certain the grey one is Taupe, then Navy (I don’t know why I keep buying blue eyeshadows… I don’t think I even wear them that often), Rouge (because hello – red. Except it’s not red, it’s… magenta) and Copper.
Milani blush in Coral Cove ($6.97 USD)
One of the first things that was on my list of things to buy in the US was this Milani blush in Coral Cove. I mean, how was I going to say no to that? A beautiful coral shade pressed into the shape of a rose – stunning! Even more astounding is that this blush contains something ridiculous like 8 or 9 grams of product. That’s ENORMOUS!
NYX Tame & Frame in Blonde ($6.99 USD)
We popped into Ulta at Pier Park in Panama City Beach, and while I was unimpressed with some of their brand selections (no Becca, no Lorac, barely any Ulta-exclusive kits), what I was happy with was their NYX display seemed to be relatively well stocked. NYX has been replicating a lot of Anastasia products lately, and I want to see how they compare. I snatched up the Tame & Frame in Blonde which looks gloriously grey. I hope it’s a good match for my brows – the grey looks better than the “pea soup” colour that usually gets assigned to blondes.
NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Taupe ($9.99 USD)
Another very similar item… NYX‘s Micro Brow Pencil in Taupe looks like the right tone for my brows. I’m eager to see how it compares to its Brow Wiz counterpart. The packaging is absolutely identical!
IT Cosmetics CC Cream in Fair ($38 USD)
I’ve seen a lot of YouTubers go on about the IT Cosmetics CC Cream (in particular, Vintage or Tacky) so I grabbed Fair since it was the closest to my skin tone. I think it’s a hair TOO light, but the Light shade was so dang dark that there’s no way I could carry it off without a tan.
However, then the Shopping Channel had a $50 rebate for new customers, so I signed up for that and picked up the IT Cosmetics CC Cream in Light as well. Hilariously, the going price for the Canadian version was also $38, although in Canadian dollars. This makes the Canadian version a much better buy since the exchange rate is just flat out balls right now. Light is way too dark for me right now, but I think it’ll fare well in the summer months.
Sonia Kashuk Eye On Neutral 02 Palette (~$5 CAD)
With Target leaving Canada, we had a few opportunities to go dumpster diving at insane prices. I didn’t manage to find this one myself, but Julie snatched it up at a Target that still had a lot of remaining stock. The Sonia KashukEye on Neutral 02 palette was one I had always wanted to purchase, but couldn’t really justify spending $20 on it. Imagine my surprise and pleasure when the clearance price was something just shy of five bucks! Huzzah!
Garnier Smooth Cream Cleanser
Dear Shawna got us into the L’Oreal warehouse sale (this girl knows how to warehouse sales right), and while I didn’t really pick up many items, I did grab a few. First up was the GarnierSmoothing Cream Cleanser because I’m always interested in different face washes. I don’t have sensitive skin, so I’m pretty much free to try out whatever I want!
Garnier Nourishing Cleansing Oil
Also of interest to me at the warehouse sale was this Nourishing Cleansing Oil, also by Garnier. Aside from makeup removers, I’ve never really used anything oil based on my face so I’m curious to see how this plays out.
Maybelline Mega Plush mascara in Emerald Velvet ($2 CAD)
This thing. This thing is gross. Maybelline‘s Mega Plush mascara in Emerald Velvet just looked nasty on my lashes. I didn’t like the wand, I didn’t like the colour and I didn’t how it looked on me. I used it once and then threw it out. At least it was only two bucks!
MAC Strike While Haute ($10 CAD)
You know you have good friends when they can pick you up an eyeshadow and know you’ll love it. Once again Julie pulled through and picked me up MAC‘s Strike While Haute which came out with the Red, Red, Red collection last year. I’ve only used it once, but it’s bright red and matte, and therefore I love it.
Urban Decay Electric palette ($20 CAD)
As beauty bloggers are apt to do, we buy products that we use once and then decide just aren’t for us. I already had the Urban DecayElectric palette in my cart for the Sephora VIB sale, but when Julie found out I was going to buy a new one, she offered up hers to me for $20. I was elated! It’s in near new condition and she was generous to offer it up for such a great price!
Urban Decay Electric palette ($20 CAD)
Frankly, I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to buy it. Those shades are right up my alley!
Wet n Wild palettes in Embrace Obscurity and California Roll ($4.99 CAD each)
A new launch from Wet n Wild saw the release of these pretty palettes. I’ve had a bastard of a time finding these in stores (they’re at Rexalls in Ontario), but… okay it feels like this entire post is about how Julie is my makeup supplier… she once again tracked these down like a bloodhoud for me. California Roll is my favourite so far – you cancheck out swatches for it here.
Too Faced Sugar Pop palette ($38.25 CAD sale price)
Alright… we’re getting down to the end, I promise… Sephora’s VIB Sale was also this month, which meant… I saved money right? Uh sure. Sure I did…
After watching a few tutorials on the Too FacedSugar Pop palette, I dropped it into my online cart without a second thought.
Too Faced Sugar Pop palette ($38.25 CAD sale price)
There will be an upcoming Challenge Week using this palette, I just gotta get my ducks in a row since we’re moving apartments this week so everything is everywhere at the moment!
Too Faced Melted lipsticks in Strawberry and Coral ($21.25 CAD each – sale price)
Sephora’s sale is also a great time for me to add more Too FacedMelted lipsticks to my collection (I really do want to own them all). This time I snagged Coral (I’m long overdue on buying that one) and Strawberry. They’re both just as glorious as the other shades I own – I’m so happy to have them!
Tarte – Natural Beauty ($26.35 CAD – sale price)
Do you ever feel you’ve been wanting a product for so long that, for whatever reason, you put off buying it? I don’t even know what the reasoning is for that, but that’s the case with this TarteNatural Beauty blush. I’ve wanted to pick this up for… going on four years now? I just never got around to it. I love how red it looks in the pan, but it goes on the cheeks in that perfect “I’ve been out in the cold weather” look. Gorgeous shade.
Lavanila perfume in Vanilla Grapefruit ($59.50 CAD – sale price)
I completely ran out of my bottle of this stuff, so I had to buy another. Lavanila‘s Vanilla Grapefruit is one of those scents I just feel I could drink in day after day. I’m pretty sure I overdo it when I apply this to myself, but my god do I ever love the scent!
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper ($19.55 CAD – sale price)
Another replacement item. Kat Von D‘s Tattoo Liner in Trooper is almost my perfect liner, but not quite. It’s certainly the easiest to use – since it’s a pen style liner with a brush tip, this makes it perfect. What takes away from that perfectness is the fact that it’s not QUITE matte enough. It has a very slight sheen to it which has a tendency to pick up shimmery shadow from my lid and dull the colour of the liner. But that brush tip though… more companies need to get on this bandwagon. Felt tips just can’t compare.
House of Lashes
I placed this order at the very end of March and couldn’t believe how long it took to get to Toronto. (Something like four weeks…) Duo lash glue just hasn’t been cutting it for me lately so I decided to go with the much raved about House of Lashes. Since I was already placing an order for the lash glue, I grabbed two pairs of falsies as well. Noir Fair($14), Bombshell ($7) and the lash glue ($8).
Illamasqua Liquid Metal Palette
Another freebie from Julie. I haven’t had much luck with Illamasqua‘s shadows in this format, but I’ll give it a shot and see how it goes.
Sonia Kashuk Brush Set
And a bunch of free Sonia Kashuk brushes because… why not. (and oh hey, another one from Julie)
Holy god… I’m done. No more! I hope you enjoyed my ridiculous month of purchases!
As a note, all items featured in any "What I Bought This Month" haul are products I either spent my money on, or that friends and family have given to me. They will never include items that were sent for consideration by PR.
