Tag Archives: Neutrogena

What I Bought This Month – November 2015

November 30, 2015HaulsGuerlain, Make Up For Ever, Neutrogena, Revlon, The Body Shop, Too FacedChelle

Although I didn’t go absolutely balls out during the Sephora VIB sale, I did get a few items throughout the month that have definitely been a lot of fun to play around with!

Guerlain Météorites - Flocons Enchantés — Guerlain Météorites – Flocons Enchantés

Guerlain Météorites - Flocons Enchantés ($89 CAD) — Guerlain Météorites – Flocons Enchantés ($89 CAD)

Let’s get this one out of the way quickly cuz I’ve already done a review on it and blamed Steph for making me purchase this. The special edition Guerlain Meteorites for holiday 2015 set me back a ridiculous amount of money for a single product. Having always been curious about the Meteorites, I was excited to spend my money on this gorgeous one. In the end though, it’s nothing earth shattering… except for maybe the cost.

Emery boards! Riveting! I always forget to buy these and my cats steal them constantly (and hide them under the rug) soooo I’m sure in a week’s time I’ll only have one left!

Make Up For Ever Smoky Stretch mascara ($28 CAD minus 20% during the VIB sale)

Buying a high end mascara feels physically painful to me since you basically have to throw it out after four months. So I was really glad to pick up the Make Up For Ever Smoky Stretch during the VIB sale. After having been introduced to this mascara back in April, it has hands down become my absolute favourite mascara of life. It separates and coats my lashes like nothing else. Best mascara ever and I am so happy to have it back in my life! (Full review here.)

Too Faced - Melted Villain ($25 CAD - 20% during the VIB sale) — Too Faced – Melted Villain ($25 CAD – 20% during the VIB sale)

I use the VIB sales as a way of helping me to complete my Too Faced Melted collection. I only opted for one shade this time, and that was Melted Villain – a very intense dark plum. I haven’t worn it yet, but I will soon!

Neutrogena Hydrating Cleansing Clothes ($8.99 CAD)

I don’t know what it is with these particular Neutogena cleansing wipes, but the Hydrating ones almost never, EVER go on sale at Shoppers. I was surprised when I saw them knocked down five bucks last week and quickly snatched one up. Unfortunately, all the other ones had been opened (ew!), or I would have bought more. These are my absolute favourite wipes – they’ll remove even waterproof makeup AND they don’t require you to scrub at your face. Love.

The Body Shop - Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel ($11 CAD - sale) — The Body Shop – Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel ($11 CAD – sale)

The next four items are courtesy of The Body Shop‘s amazing Black Friday sale. They were doing 3 for $33, 4 for $44, 5 for $55, etc. Almost everything qualified for the sale, so you were getting some items more than 50% off! The first item that went into my bag was the Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel. I have been through scads of this particular shower gel over the years and it still remains my absolute favourite. This bottle is also an enormous 750 ml… for ELEVEN DOLLARS! So happy with this one!

The Body Shop - Shea Butter Body Butter ($11 CAD - sale) — The Body Shop – Shea Butter Body Butter ($11 CAD – sale)

The Shea Butter by The Body Shop is probably my favourite scent in their Body Butter line. It verges on being masculine without actually going over the edge, and that may be why I like it so much. I’ve used up one of these before and felt the need to have it back in my life.

The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in Light Matte ($11 CAD - sale) — The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in Light Matte ($11 CAD – sale)

The Body Shop‘s Honey Bronzer has become a thing of legend amongst the beauty community. Since my summer tan is fading, I’ve found the need to reach for lighter and lighter bronzers. I thought this one would fit the bill (plus I’d always wanted to try it) for the winter months. Sadly, it does not smell like honey. 🙁

The Body Shop - The Sparkler in Silver Glimmer ($11 CAD - sale) — The Body Shop – The Sparkler in Silver Glimmer ($11 CAD – sale)

I discovered this by accident while I was walking around The Body Shop and it was love at first sight. This is a shimmer spray! It actually poofs vanilla-scented shimmer out the top! HOW AMAZING IS THAT? I’ve never heard anyone mention it before, but this little bottle of amazingess is called The Sparkler. I chose the silver shade, but in hindsight I wish I’d gotten the gold instead. (Honestly kind of tempted to make another order before their sale ends…)

That’s it for November! (That’s enough, right?) Tell me what one item you got in November that excited you the most!

What I Bought This Month – October 2015 Haul

October 30, 2015HaulsBoots No7, Bourjois, Neutrogena, Real Techniques, Soap & Glory, Wet n WildChelle

There’s some exciting things in this haul! I got a bunch of stuff from overseas and that’s always enough to make me start squealing!

Neutrogena Healthy Skin CC Cream in Fair to Light (free)

This Neutrogena CC Cream was such a surprise to me – it was in my Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon goodie bag! At first I thought it was just sunscreen, but nope – it’s definitely a tinted cc cream. SO COOL! I’m excited to try this one out.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge ($7.99 CAD)

Time for my yearly repurchase of the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge! I’ve started picking them up whenever IMATS happens, but they were only taking cash at the Farley Co and I hadn’t brought any this year. So anyway, I picked this one up at FTB Beauty and I’ve already started using it. As a note, if you take care of your sponges, they do last a really long time. There was nothing inherently wrong with my old Complexion Sponge as I clean it frequently enough, but after a full year of use, I just wanted a fresh one.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation - 52 Vanilla (£10.99) — Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation – 52 Vanilla (£10.99)

The next few items are via Natalie of Ivory Avenue! She was in England for a little while and she managed to snag me every single item on my wishlist. What a champ!

So the first item of my list was the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation in shade 52 Vanilla. I LOVE THIS STUFF. I ran through an entire bottle this year and when I finished it I was so so sad. This stuff is freaking magic on the skin (full review over here) and I am so happy to have it back in my collection. I still have a few other foundations I want to finish before I get to use this one but YES – SO HAPPY! Also, the reason I asked her to pick it up for me in the UK is because even with our Canadian dollar being pretty shitty right now, it’s still cheaper to buy it in the UK than it is to get it in Canada. How frustrating is that??

The other item I wanted to try was the Bourjois Delice de Poudre. I’m a bronzer fiend so every time I see something new or unique, I want it. Not that this powder is especially new on the market, but since I hadn’t picked it up before, it’s new to me! The powder is supposed to smell like cocoa or chocolate, but honestly? I smell coconut. Lots and lots of coconut. It also comes with a whopping 14g of product (a bronzer normally has 9-10g) and looks like chocolate. Adorable.

Soap & Glory - Glow All Out (£11) — Soap & Glory – Glow All Out (£11)

Soap & Glory‘s Glow All Out is kind of weird to me. When you open the compact you’ll notice the powder is full on PINK. So I was a liiiitle bit skeptical this would work as a highlighter and not a blush. As it turns out, the pigmentation of the actual colour is fairly weak (which is good!) and it instead packs a bunch of shine. It’s pretty, but more of a subtle highlight.

Soap & Glory - Solar Powder (£11) — Soap & Glory – Solar Powder (£11)

Annnnd another bronzer. Soap & Glory‘s Solar Powder bronzer has a dark side and a light, but really… I’m just going to end up swirling my brush through both of them.

Soap & Glory - Sexy Motherpucker in Nudist (free) — Soap & Glory – Sexy Motherpucker in Nudist (free)

I had asked Natalie to find me Soap & Glory‘s Sexy Motherpucker in Nudist since I loved my Raplumzel so much. She wasn’t able to, but she gave me HERS instead! I wasn’t expecting that at all and yet I’m so pleased because this colour is stunning on me. It’s a gorgeous translucent nude that adds just a little bit of colours but a whole lot of shine. Plus the scent is to die for. By the way, I don’t know if these are discontinued now, but they’re no longer on Soap & Glory’s UK site and Natalie was saying they were sold out almost everywhere. :s

No7 Foundations: £18.75 for both (buy one, get one 50% off!)

If you made me pick a favourite foundation I’d be tempted to say the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum…. but this is sliiightly better since it provides a touch more coverage. Boots No7 Instant Radiance foundation is freaking BOMB and you can’t find it in Canada anywhere or at Target in the US (they don’t have the Instant Radiance line). This is the foundation that I always notice makes my skin flawless in photos. I ended up getting Cool Vanilla and Warm Ivory because sometimes I feel Cool Vanilla is too pink. I’m so, SO happy to have these back in my arsenal!

Wet n Wild Color Icon trio in Sunset Junction (free)

And lastly, a cast off from another blogger’s collection: Wet n Wild‘s Sunset Junction. Not sure what I think about it yet, but hey, I love trying new things.

That’s it for this month! Have you picked up anything exciting recently?

Empties – February through September 2015

October 21, 2015Empties, MiscellaneousArdell, Barry M, Benefit, Bioderma, Boots No7, Bourjois, Clean & Clear, CoverGirl, Dermal Therapy, Duo, Embryolisse, essence, Femme Fatale, J. Cat Beauty, Jealous Body, Johnson's, Kat Von D, L'Oreal, Lavanila, Make Up For Ever, Marcelle, Miracle 10, NARS, Neutrogena, Nivea, Olay, OPI, Pixi, Pür Minerals, Revecen, Tarte, The Body Shop, Too Faced, Urban DecayChelle

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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!

201510_empties_ardell_jcat_revecen_femmefatale

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.

201510_empties_urbandecayprimerpotion_narsproprime_duolashadhesive

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!

201510_empties_katvondtattooliner_benefittheyrereal_tartegelliner

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!

201510_empties_niveacaramelcreamkiss

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!

201510_empties_mascara_toofaced_pur_essence_covergirl_makeupforever

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!

201510_empties_bourjoishealthymixserum_pixiprimer

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.

an201510_empties_lavanilavanillagrapefruit_elizabethandjamesnirvanablack

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.

201510_empties_bioderma_loreal_marcelle

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.

201510_empties_dermaltherapy_miracle10_embryolisse

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.

201510_empties_jealousbodyscrub

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.

201510_empties_thebodyshop_showergel_pinkgrapefruit_fijianwaterlotus

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.

201510_empties_johnsonsbabyshampoo

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!

201510_empties_makeupwipes_neutrogena_no7

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.

an201510_empties_cleanandclear_miracle10_olay

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!

My Foundation Collection (Drugstore & High End)

June 17, 2015Makeup, Reviews, SwatchesBoots No7, Bourjois, Illamasqua, It Cosmetics, Neutrogena, RevlonChelle

201506_foundationcollection1

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.

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.

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.

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‘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.

I have shade 6.5 and it does lean a bit orangey/yellow on me.

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.

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?

What I Bought This Month – April 2015 Haul

April 27, 2015HaulsAveeno, ColourPop, Garnier, House of Lashes, Illamasqua, It Cosmetics, Kat Von D, Lavanila, MAC, Maybelline, Milani, Neutrogena, NYX, Sonia Kashuk, Tarte, Too Faced, Urban Decay, Vaseline, Wet n WildChelle

Oh god. My wallet. It hurts.

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 Pop Rebound 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.

Aveeno Positivel Radiant Daily Moisturizer ($15 USD)

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 Vaseline Spray & 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.

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.

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!

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!

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 Kashuk Eye 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!

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 Garnier Smoothing 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!

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!

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.

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 Decay Electric 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!

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 Faced Sugar Pop palette, I dropped it into my online cart without a second thought.

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 Faced Melted 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 Tarte Natural 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.

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).

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.

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.