Monday 30 September 2013

Harry Potter Series : Gryffindor Inspired Makeup [Take 2]

Welcome back to the second installment of my Harry Potter Series! Today I'm sharing a look inspired by my favorite house (a probably most people's) : Gryffindor! It's a gold and red intense makeup look! I hope you like it! In case you're interested to see how I did this look the first time around, check it out here.





Products used :

Eye Bases
  • UDPP
  • NYX Jumbo Pencil - Milk

Eye shadow & Brows
  • BH 120 Palette (1st Edition)
  • Wet n Wild Trio in I'm Getting Sunburnt
  • Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
  • Milani Brow Fix

Liner & Lashes
  • Ardell Demi 120 Lashes
  • Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara
  • Black Liquid Liner (Unknown brand)
  • Milani Liquif'Eye eyeliner pencil in black
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Which version of this look do you prefer? The old one or the updated one? Let me know in the comments! :D

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Saturday 28 September 2013

What's in my Z Palette + Quick Review

Hey all! Recently, I ordered the Makeup Geek exclusive Damask Print Z Palette from Amazon.com. I have wanted a Z Palette forever now, so I decided to go ahead and get it to help me store my drugstore shadow collection. The concept is that you remove the shadows that your own from their original packaging, magnetize them and finally place them in this convenient palette. This way, you have everything in one place and it's easy to see and reach for what you have. It's also very easy to store and helps maximize your space.

Here is what's inside my Z Palette

On the left I have a few misc shadow from NYX, Maybelline, Revlon, Rimmel, Wet n Wild and one high end shadow from Estée Lauder (large round pan). On the right, I have all my Wet n Wild trios which were very easy to depot, by the way.

Review

My thoughts on the concept and the product

♥ The process of depotting the shadows itself was pretty straight forward, but it was kind of messy at times and quite time consuming. I'm very happy with the results so I think it was worth it though. If you want to learn how to depot your shadows, there are many very useful tutorials on Youtube on how to do it. I used one of those.

♥ The palette is very sturdy and has a cute print. I love the look of it.

♥ The magnets, while strong enough to adhere efficiently to the palette, don't stick that well.  Mine had trouble  staying glued to the back of the shadows' metal pans. I had to reinforce it with super glue or else the magnet would stay on the palette, but the shadow would fall out of it.

♥ The magnets that come with it are round and quite large which was obviously a problem with the long rectangular shaped pans I wanted to use. I cut them in half using scissors, but it made the magnets crooked and I had to straighten them out individually which made the process even longer. I would say it might be a good idea to forgo the magnets included completely and to get your own from a craft store.

♥ I wish these palettes were less expensive. I paid mine around the 20$ mark. As you can see, it does fit quite a few shadows, but I would of liked to depot more shadows than that. I would say this is about half of the ones I own. If the palettes had been cheaper, I would have gotten two. I still might do that eventually, but now yet.

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Thursday 26 September 2013

Harry Potter Series : Slytherin Inspired Makeup [Take 2]

Hey all! Today, I'm continuing my Harry Potter Series! I'm doing a makeup inspired by each house of Hogwarts! I'm continuing with Slytherin today and I have a green and silver look to share with you (you could have guessed that though, right? :P) In case you're interested, you can check out my old Slytherin makeup look here.

Slytherin Inspired Makeup Look


For this look I went for a green gradient on the lid and silver liner. I think it looks pretty cool!

Products used :

Eye Bases
  • UDPP
  • NYX Jumbo Pencil - Milk

Eye shadow & Brows
  • BH 120 Palette (1st Edition)
  • Wet n Wild Trio in Cool as a Cucumber
  • Darling Girl Cosmetics Loose Shadow in Lucky
  • Stila In the Lights Palette (crease and highlight colors)
  • Milani Brow Fix

Liner & Lashes
  • Ardell Inspired Lashes
  • Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara
  • Black Liquid Liner (Unknown brand) - Underneath silver liner 
  • Ardène Silver Liner
  • Milani Liquif'Eye eyeliner pencil in black
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Which version of this look do you prefer? The old one or the updated one? Let me know in the comments! :D

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Tuesday 24 September 2013

Maybelline Babylips Lip Balm Review

Hey everyone! Today I have a review of the Babylips lip balms by Maybelline to share with you all! I have most of the colors they came out with in the last year to review for you, but I couldn't find their new collection of brightly colored ones anywhere :( (the ones in the black packaging). I really wish I could get my hands on those! I also don't have Quenched (the blue and pink one), because I finished it.

Peppermint, Melon Mania, Twinkle, Grape Vine, Peach Kiss, Pink Punch, Yummy Plummy, Pink  Wink and Cherry Me

Color payoff : It varies greatly from one color to another. While some are completely sheer (Peppermint, Twinkle and Quenched), some which are colored only offer a very subtle tint (Twinkle, Melon Mania, Yummy Plummy and Peach Kiss). The most saturated in color are Cherry Me, Grape Vine, Pink Wink and Pink Punch.

Texture, Application and Wear : These apply very smoothly to the lips. They're more of a slippery balm, which not everyone likes, but I prefer. They are quite hydrating and help soften the lips. They hold for quite a long time for me, but I do need to reapply every 1 to 2 hours.

Finish : They look quite glossy on the lips.

Packaging : Very cute, definitely doesn't look expensive or anything, but I like all the bright colors.

Price : 3.99$ each

Scent : I love the scent of the majority of the Babylips lip balms. They are unflavored though, which is kind of a bummer since some of these smell so good I wouldn't mind it tasting like that wonderful smell. Here is what I think each of the Babylips that I own smell like :

Peppermint : smells like mint. It kind of tickles on the lips. It's the only Babylips that does that to my knowledge.

Melon Mania : Even though it's called Melon Mania, this one smells just like Swedish Berries to me. I adore this one.

Twinkle : I can't exactly pin point what this one smells like, it smells fruity, that's all I can tell. Maybe some sort of berry? Raspberries maybe?

Grape Vine : Like the name says, this one smells like grapes.

Peach Kiss : Smells like peaches.

Pink Punch : I find that this one smells like strawberry lemonade. Also one of my favorite scents by Babylips.

Yummy Plummy : The smell of this one is quite faint in comparison to other Babylips. I'm not sure what it smells like, but it kind of smells like Cherry Dr. Pepper to me, but I might be completly wrong, ahah :P

Pink Wink : I'm not too fond of the smell of this one. It's kind of sickly sweet. I guess it smells like Bubble Gum, which I'm not a fan of.

Cherry Me : This one smells like cherry gummy candies.


Overall : As you can see, I have almost bought all of them, which kind of tells you how much I like these. They're exactly what I'm looking for in terms of a lip balm. I have a preference for glossy looking, very slick feeling lip balms, which is exactly what these offer. I also love the tinted ones. My favorite ones at the moment are Cherry Me, Grape Vine, Twinkle and Melon Mania. Another bonus of the Babylips lip balms is that all the balms from the regular line have SPF 20 in them which I think is fantastic. 10/10

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Sunday 22 September 2013

Drugstore and High end Bronzers Review

Hey everyone! My friend from French Gypsy has recently asked me to review the Rimmel Natural Bronzer on my Facebook page so I decided to review it for you all. In fact, I decided that I would review all the bronzers that I own for you all so that I can review them while I compare them!

All the bronzers I own are drugstore except for a deluxe sample from Benefit that I got at Sephora.

The bronzers I'm reviewing today

Wet n Wild - Bikini Contest

Color : The color of this bronzer is quite dark. It almost has a mahogany color to it. It's a dark reddish brown basically. A lot darker than any other bronzers that I own. I would say that it might be a bit too dark for fair skin tones like me, unless you are very careful not to over-apply.

Texture
: Like most Wet n Wild products, the powder is very soft and buttery. 

Finish
: This bronzer has a definite sheen to it. It's less noticeable when blended out, but you still have a sort of reflective quality to it. It wouldn't be a good choice for contouring, but it looks nice to warm up the complexion during summer time.

Application
: Because the powder is very soft, a lot of product transfers onto your brush during application, which means that you have to be careful and tap your brush of any excess product. Also, the bronzer is very pigmented, so a little goes a long way. Other than that, it blends out nicely and easily.

Packaging
: The packaging of this bronzer is probably my least favorite part of this product. It's so much bigger than any of my other powders. It doesn't fit anywhere. To make it worse, the top is domed, which makes it impossible to stack it with other products. 

Price
: 4$

Overall
: A nice bronzer that is very affordable, but too dark for me. Also, because it is shimmery, I can't use it everyday. I hate the packaging. 6/10


Benefit - Hoola

Color : This one is a lot less orange in tone than any of the other bronzers. It's a flattering medium brown that I think would suit most skin types if applied properly.

Texture : Hoola, just like the Wet n Wild bronzer, is a very soft and buttery powder.

Finish : It's completly matte, great for contouring if you're fair.

Application : It's very easy to apply and quite pigmented. It applies evenly and blending is easy and quick.

Packaging : Can't really speak for this one, since I have a deluxe sample of it. Therefore, I don't have the actual packaging to review. I know the full size comes in a cardboard cube shaped box, but I've never owned one.

Price : 36$

Overall : Probably my favorite bronzer that I own, but it's far too expensive for my budget. I don't think I will be repurchasing after I finish this sample. 9/10


Marcelle - Tropical Bronze

Color : It's lighter than the other two bronzers I have mentionned before, and also has slightly more of an orange tinge to it.

Texture : It's a bit more powdery than the other two bronzers, but the texture is still quite nice.

Finish : Glittery in the pan, less noticeably so on the skin.

Application : Applies kind of sheer and a bit patchy. Needs to be built up to get the full color payoff. You need to work a bit more with this one to get it even and nicely blended.

Packaging : I like the packaging. It's easy to open and to store. I like the square pan and the sun imprint in the powder.

Price : 12$

Overall : I think that for the price, it's not as good as other bronzers, but it's still a good bronzer. 7/10


Rimmel - Natural Bronzer - Sun Glow

Color : Like the Marcelle bronzer, the Rimmel Natural Bronzer is more of an orangey toned bronzer. It's not too dark so it can be worn even if you have a pale complexion.

Texture : Very soft and buttery.

Finish : This is the most shimmery of the bunch. It has a very noticeable glow to it, even once blended out on the skin. It's nice for a glowy summer look, but might not be the best choice in the winter months.

Application : Since the powder is so soft and pigmented, it applies very nicely. It's easy to blend out and you only need a little bit to see results.

Packaging : I like the round packaging that Rimmel has for their powders because it looks quite nice and it's easy to store in my makeup collection. It is not the most practical though. It doesn't have a mirror and the top doesn't close that tightly meaning that it could open in your bag if you're not careful.

Price : 5$

Overall : I like the shimmer in this one. It's not as easy to wear because of it, but it's perfect for a bronzed goddess kind of look. The color suits my skin tone and really warms it up. Will definitely be using it in the future! 8/10

NYC - Sunny

Color : While very subtle, the color is not too orangey or dark and it looks very nice on the skin. It's easy to pull off, especially if you're fair or uncertain about experimenting with bronzers.

Texture : It's a bit less buttery than other bronzer I have reviewed, but it's also not as powdery as some others. It's somewhere in between.

Finish : Completely matte, a rare find for such a good price at the drugstore!

Application : This one applies the most sheer of all the bronzers I have reviewed today. It can also be a little patchy if you're not careful. You have to build it up if you want to have a more dramatic effect. It is, however, great for beginners, because it's so sheer. It gives a really subtle effect and it's kind of hard to over-do it.

Packaging : The packaging looks and feels kind of cheap and it doesn't withstand time very well. However, it closes very tightly and has a mirror included which is a bonus.

Price : As you can see, this bronzer has been well loved. It was my first bronzer ever, because of the incredible price point. 2.79$

Overall : While it's not the best bronzer in terms of application, the fact that it is a nice color, very inexpensive and matte makes it one of my favorite bronzers, even today. 8/10


Comparison swatches


 That's it for today's review! I hope it has been helpful for all of you looking for a new bronzer! Let me know what you thought of this, would you like more comparison reviews like this one in the future? Also, let me know if there is any other bronzers I should try!

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Friday 20 September 2013

Wearable Kim Kardashian Inspired Makeup

Hey everyone! Today, I'm sharing a makeup look inspired by Kim Kardashian! I saw this picture of her wearing a more subtle eye makeup look and I thought I would recreate it for you! I also paired it with different lip color options to show you  how versatile the look really is!



This is the inspiration picture
In comparison to many of her looks, this one is quite wearable in my opinion. 

Nude Lips

Red Lips


Fuchsia Lips


Products Used

Shadow

Naked 2 Palette by urban Decay
Inner Third of the Lid : Half Baked
Rest of the Lid : Suspect
Outer corner : Snake Bite
Lower lashline : Busted
Liner : Blackout

Stila In the Light Palette
Crease : Bliss
Brow highlight : Bare

Base

Inner third of the lid : Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded
Rest of the lid : Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze

Lashes

Katty Perry Lashes in Cool Kitty
Cover Girl Clump Crusher Mascara

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That's it for this look! What did you think of this one and which lip color is best? Let me know in the comments!

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Wednesday 18 September 2013

Lush Lip Scrub Review

Hey everyone! Today, I'm reviewing a lip scrub that I got recently from Lush! It's called the Popcorn Lip Scrub and it's a sweet and salty tasting scrub. The name is different on mine, since here in Quebec, everything has to be translated in french. I don't know why they didn't call it "maïs soufflé", but whatever. Let get on with the review!



Texture : This lip scrub has a very coarse sugar texture to it. It doesn't seem to have a whole lot in terms of emollient to bond the grains together though, unlike some other scrubs. Therefore, it's kind of messy to pick it up and it can fall all around your lips during exfoliation.

Effectiveness : The effectiveness of this product is definitely the best part. I would say this scrub is quite abrasive if you press hard enough while exfoliating. It does an amazing job to  remove all the dead skin from your lips and make them smooth again. Like I mentioned earlier, there isn't any emollient ingredients in the scrub though, which means that you need to apply a nice hydrating balm afterwards. I like to apply the EOS lip balm after exfoliating if I'm going to wear lipstick, because it's very waxy (I do not like it as a balm in itself but its a nice lip base).

Packaging : All of lush packaging is similar. It's black and white with accents of yellow and green. It's simple and classic. It looks relatively nice, but it's not my favorite. As far as the product itself, it comes in an heavy, sturdy-feeling glass jar which I think works perfectly for the product.

Scent/Taste : I have the Popcorn flavor, which smells salty, but has a definite sweet and salty taste to it. I actually like sweet and salty stuff, but this is a little strong for my taste. I don't mind licking the excess off, but I usually remove most of it with a wet cloth after exfoliating.

Price : 9.95$

Overall : I love this product and use it every single day! I have very dried/chapped lips which have a tendency to become crusty. (gross I know) This has really made a difference in my lips! I can now wear lipstick without it looking ugly and crackly. I wish I had chosen a different flavor though. I'll probably pick up the mint-chocolate one next time. Definitely recommend this product! 9/10

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Monday 16 September 2013

Wet n Wild ColorIcon Blushers Review and Swatches

Hey everyone! Today I have a review of the Color Icon Blusher range from Wet n Wild! There are four of the inexpensive blushers to choose from and today I will share them all with you.


Color Selection : The color selection of this blush range is unfortunately quite limited. While I think the colors that they have are very nice and wearable, I think they are mostly safe options. The colors are also all pretty much in the same color family. I wish they did some brighter pinks, reds, corals, etc. However, the colors are all incredibly pigmented and vibrant.

831E - Pearlescent Pink

832E - Heather Silk


833E - Mellow Wine

834E - Berry Shimmer

Swatches

Texture : Like all Wet n Wild powder products, the texture of these blushers is very soft and buttery feeling.

Finish : Except for Heather Silk, which is matte, these are all shimmery. Pearlescent pink has some glitter in it and Mellow Wine has a very subtle sheen.

Application : Because these are so pigmented and soft, you need to be very careful to apply only a tiny amount otherwise it's easy to over-do it. You also have to take the time to blend it well and make sure it's not patchy because of that. They apply well and blend nicely though.

Packaging : The packaging is nothing special to me, but it's sturdy enough and minimalist. They are easy to travel with and close properly. They are also easy to store because of the thin, rectangular packaging.

Price : 3$

Overall : These are the most inexpensive blushers that I own, yet they are the most pigmented and soft of them all. The color range is limited and I wish more colors were available, but these are overall, amazing blushes and definitely worth the price. I would definitely get more of these if they came out with new colors. 9/10


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Have you tried the Wet n Wild Color Icon Blushers? What do you think of them? What are your favorite drugstore blushes? Let me know in the comments! I love blush and I'm always looking to try out new ones!

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Saturday 14 September 2013

Lush Solid Seanik Shampoo Review

Hey everyone! Today I'm doing a review of a product I have discovered recently from lush : the solid shampoo. At first I was skeptical of how the product would work in terms of lather and making your hair feel clean, but I was pleasantly surprised! I hope this review helps in case you were wondering about this product or if you were considering buying it for yourself.


The one I have is called Seanik. It's geared towards people who want volume and shine. It's made from lemon oil and seaweed among other things. To use it, you wet the bar with water and then using circle motions, you rub it into the root of your wet hair, like you would any bar soap. Then, you lather up with your hands and rinse just like any regular shampoo.

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Smell : At first, in the store, I was kind of unsure about the smell. As you may guess for the name of the product, it's sort of inspired by the sea and the smell really does remind me of the beach. It's kind of salty smelling and it's quite pleasing in the shower.

Lather : To my surprise, the Lush's shampoo bars (at least this one) lather very well. You only need to rub it into your hair a few times until you get enough product to get a good lather going. Even though the texture of the bar is gritty and hard, it gives off the perfect amount of product.

Feel : When you rinse Seanik out of your hair, you get the squeaky clean feeling you sometimes get from soaps that aren't moisturising. I'm not sure if this is unique to this particular one (maybe because it's volumizing?), but I am not a fan of the feeling.

Practicality : I bought this initially for travel, because it is supposed to last very long and it's quite compact. It's also won't spill in your toiletry bag since it's solid. So far, I haven't been dissapointed with that. I bring it every time I leave for a few days and it's very practical. On the downside, you need a tin to put it in (3$ at Lush) and you need to let the bar dry after each use. You need to do this either out of the tin, or by placing it at and angle so that it won't stick to the bottom of the tin. It's a bit more work than a regular bottle of shampoo.

Price  : The Seanik shampoo bar is 11.95$ at Canadian Lush stores. The tin is about 3$.

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Overall : 8/10 I like this product and the way my hair looks after I used it. It's great for travel which I love and it's worth the price since it does last quite a few washes. I may try another one of their solid shampoo bar range next time though. If anyone knows whether or not other shampoo bars leave the squeaky clean feeling in your hair after you rinse it, let me know in the comments!

That's it for this review! I hope it was helpful and informative! Let me know if you'd like to see any other Lush products reviews.

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Thursday 12 September 2013

Harry Potter Series : Hufflepuff Inspired Makeup [Take 2]

Hey all! Today I'm sharing the last look inspired by Hogwarts houses : Hufflepuff! For this one, I did a yellow and black gradient. The idea behind the look is actually quite similar to my first Hufflepuff look, but I changed a few things and the execution is different. I hope you enjoy this look!




Products used :

Eye Bases
  • UDPP
  • NYX Jumbo Pencil - Milk

Eye shadow & Brows
  • BH 120 Palette (1st Edition)
  • Stila In The Lights Palette
  • Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
  • Milani Brow Fix

Liner & Lashes
  • Ardell Demi 120 Lashes
  • Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara
  • Black Liquid Liner (Unknown brand)
  • Milani Liquif'Eye eyeliner pencil in black
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Which version of this look do you prefer? The old one or the updated one? Let me know in the comments! :D

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Tuesday 10 September 2013

Back To School Series : Fall Fashion Haul

Hey everyone! I'm back with my back to school series today with a fall fashion haul! I got some workout clothes (I've been trying to be more active lately), some dressy tops (mostly for my internships, but most of it is still casual enough to be worn with jeans) and some jeggings! Keep reading if you're interested to see what I picked up for back to school!

Jeggings
Both from Garage, both 40$

 Tops
From Dynamite, also 40$ each

American Eagle (I paid 20$ on sale), and both tank tops are from Dynamite (10$ each)

Dynamite, Dynamite, American Eagle (can't remember the prices because they were all on sale, sorry)

Workout Clothes
All from the Ardène Dépôt store. The first one was 2$ and the three others were 3 for 15$

Both from Winners, both 25$ each








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