Beauty Haul 01/16/14 ♥

Hello Beautiful People,

      Hope everyone a fantastic week and are ready to head into the weekend. I know I am...phew! So in light of 'payday' and since I haven't treated myself in a while, I decided to go shopping. I was planning on buying clothing but couldn't find much of anything so I settled for some makeup I have been wanting for a while. I was going to film a video but since my editing program is being douchy, I decided to just blog it. So, here is my little beauty haul.

Revlon Matte Balms Review ♥

Hello Beautiful People,

              Welcome back from the crazy holidays! As a person who works in Retail, I am so glad that it's all over and life can get back to normal. As the winter continues I hope to see more beauty products hitting the shelves for Spring and all the spring fashion hitting the rails. Anyways, I was looking a post I did a few months back on what was coming up on the blog. I made a few empty promises about some reviews. So here we are with one of the reviews I promised, the Revlon Matte Balms.

Hair Products I Love ♥

Hello Beautiful People,

             Not to toot my own horn but I do get alot of people asking me how I keep my hair so healthy looking (when it's really not!) and what products I use to style. So, today I am going to share with you all some of my favorite products to style and keep my hair appearing healthy.

One of the biggest things when trying to keep your hair healthy is using a good shampoo. I usually like a shampoo with a slight (and I mean SLIGHT) moisturizing component. My favourite brand so far has got to be Biotera. This shampoo has several different lines for different hair needs. Right now I am using the Volumizing line and I really enjoy it. I also really like the smell of this product, it has a very clean and fresh smell. I personally can't stand shampoos that smell perfumed and heavy. This shampoo offers that light scent I am looking for.

Another component to hair that appears healthy looking is moisturizing. I like to use an oil based product on my ENDS ONLY! This helps to seal split ends and helps to nourish dry hair. My favourite one is the Mystic Divine Dry Oil Spray. This is a mixture of Argan Oil and Minoi Oil and offers moisture without being too preachy. Because it is a dry oil, it doesn't give your hair a greasy look and if applied to wet hair, the hair absorbs it nicely.

As far as styling goes, I like a good dry shampoo for my 'inbetween' days. Alot of people brush dry shampoo off because they believe it is a product that means they are skipping washes all together. WRONG! Dry shampoo is not intended to replace washing your hair. When used properly, Dry Shampoo can help prevent drying of the hair and fade of color. I use this on the third day. Because I have Black hair and color fades quickly I try to prolong my wash for 3 days. By the third day my bangs and roots look a little slick so I like to give them a shot of dry shampoo. My personal favourite is the Beyond the Zone Dry Shampoo for Medium to Dark hair. This one has a shot of pigment that helps to disguise roots and wont leave a white cast on dark hair. 

A new found love for styling is my Volumax Sea Salt Spray. What is all the hype surrounding sea salt sprays? Well, think about how luscious mermaid hair is...with it's carefree waves and effortless volume. Well, that is what sea salt spray is. If you don't want mermaid hair...step away from the sea salt spray! I usually use this after twisting my hair around a wand a few times. I spray it in and grab handfuls and scrunch upwards. It creates effortless looking waves and smells great!

The final step in all hair styles is a good hairspray. My personal favourite is a The VitaE Brushable Hold hairspray. It holds great without the crunch! It even holds my styles for a few days. A good hairspray will give you a good hold without being to crunchy! The only time you want a helmet like hold is when you are setting an updo of some sort. For daily use, you don't need something that intense.

Anyways Loves, those are a few of my favorites! I won't include a lot of pics because these are guidelines for products, they don't necessarily only come from the brands mentioned. Use whatever you like for your needs and hair type! That being said, if you have any questions regarding any of the products I use, leave a comment below and I will try my best to get back to you. Also, tell me about some of YOUR Favourite products!

Thanks for taking the time to read guys!

Until Next Time...





Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are that of my own. I have never accepted money for my opinions. These are thoughts that of my own!

Real Techniques Brush Review ♥

Hello Beauties,

      So, I just bought the Real Techniques Core Base Brush set and I thought I would a review for you guys. I purchased the core eye set a while back and I was obsessed. My mom also purchased the Core face set as well which she loves. So let's get on with it.
     First off, if you aren't familiar with the Real Techniques brushes, they are a makeup brush line designed by Samantha Chapman (of Youtube's Pixiwoo). If you aren't familiar with Samantha Chapman, she a makeup artist based in the UK. Her and her sister Nic have a youtube channel entitled Pixiwoo and they do makeup tutorials for pro's and armatures alike.

    The biggest thing about these brushes that I LOVE is how affordable they are. The core kits are a mere $18 CAD at Walmart. Considering that these brushes are some seriously good quality that is an amazing deal. I have a few Sephora brushes and none of them are as good as these bad boys. I was thrilled to find that these guys were even sold in Canada considering that Canada sucks when it comes to new beauty products. We usually get them months after the US gets them. Anyways, I was excited to see them a few months ago and ofcourse I needed a set.

So, How do I feel about them? These brushes are beyond affordable considering that professional brushes usually go for about $30 to start. They do sport synthetic bristles but they apply beautifly, ALSO when washed, they dry quickly and hold their shape. So far, I really love the Domed Shadow Brush. It applies shadow beautifly on the lid, brow bone and crease.

I also really like the Buffing Brush and Contour Brush. The Buffing Brush works great with foundations to help give a flawless finish to the skin without streaking. The bristles are nice and densely packed for getting your foundation melted into the skin nicely.  The Contouring Brush is awesome for exactly what the name implies, Contouring! The brush is small and dome shaped and when I say small I don't mean minuscule. I mean small enough to get under those cheek bones and along that jawline without looking like you rubbed dirt on your face. It really helps get that precise contouring down pat.

Another really awesome brush is the Deluxe Crease Brush. I am not going to lie, this was probably the brush I was most excited about. Even though this brush is technically a shadow brush, the Pixiwoo girls use this brush for a variety of things, one of which being buffing in concealer. When doing so, this brush give a great finish to the concealer and really buffs everything in nicely.

So are these brushes worth it? If you read through this review...then I shouldn't have to say this again...but I will. YESSS! They are worth every penny, I think they may even be worth more. I don't know why these Pixiwoo girls have short changed themselves with these awesome brushes but i hope they don't change. They are an affordable option for all you Pretty Paupers out there!

If you have any questions about these brushes or want to know about each one individually let me know below!

Until Next Time...

November Favorites ♥

Hello my Beauties,
       Hope you all had a fabulous day. My day was quite long and eventful as I worked at my day job. Anywho, in light of there only being a few more days left to the month, I thought I would share my November favorites with you guys. I thought I would do it in a categorized fashion. So, let's get this show on the road.


Facial Cleanser - Cetaphil for oily and ACNE prone skin
This has by far been my favorite cleanser for the last few months. It is a really light product that helps absorb all the access oils on your skin why giving you a deep clean. It is also hypo-allergenic for those of you with sensitive skin. I picked this up for around $7 CAD at Walmart.







 

Moisturizer- Clean & Clear Morning Burst Gel Moisturizer
Although I do love my cetaphil cleanser, products targeting oily or acne prone skin tends to be drying as well. I always, Click here to read my review.
always, ALWAYS follow up with a moisturizer. This one in particular is light and non-greasy. It has a light and clean scent. It also has soothing components like cucumber and mango extracts, so it makes your skin feel super fresh.




 
Foundation- L'oreal True Match 
I cannot say enough good things about this awesome foundation. The one thing I love about it is how light weight if feels on my skin. It makes me feel like I am not even wearing foundation. The formula is also super blendable. They came in a ton of shades with warm and cool tones. I have been trying a few different foundations over the last little while but this one seems the most consistent and the color is bang on. I usually switch between this one and my Revlon Colorstay. Click here to read my review.






 
Setting Powder- NYC Smooth Skin Loose Face Powder
I have been in mad love with this beautifulness lately. I love this product, first off because it's translucent, and second because it really does smooth out the skin. It doesn't hurt that it's dirt cheap either. I usually apply this with the 'press and roll' technique of old Hollywood. This helps to minimize pores and give a smoother appearance to the skin.

Blush- Joe Fresh 'Pink'
This blush is just a gorgeous hot pink. This product is very pigmented and you only need a tiny bit to give off a load of color. The color goes nicely with my alabaster skin tone and makes me look flirty and flushed (That was uncomfortable lol).






 
Bronzer- Real Colors 'Pool Boy'
This bronzer is shimmery and light. Again, it works nicely with my alabaster skin tone and gives me some warmth.

Eyeshadow- Elf Palette in 'Brown?'
I am not really sure of the actual name of this palette, what I do know is this, I am in love with it. It is the best shadow palette that I own and this is a big dupe for the Urban Decay Naked Palette, but a fraction of the cost at a whopping $6 CAD. There a tons shades, with some shimmer and some matte. I do have my favorites but this whole palette is awesome.





Eyeliner- Lise Watier in 'Noir Brun'
I swiped this liner off my Mom like a million years ago and I have been in love recently. I have been having a brown eyeliner
moment because it makes my blue eyes pop. This one does not smudge and lasts forever on my eyes. I know this is a splurge product but it is a good product that won't disappoint.

Mascara- L'oreal Voluminous in 'Carbon Black'
This mascara a was a recommendation from my friend and makeup artist Nora. I have been searching for a mascara that does what this one does for what seems like forever. The formula is great and it really is super black. It gives length, fullness and lasts all day.







Lipstick- Rimmel London Kate Moss Collection in 103
This a great matte nude shade. It glides on nicely and doesn't leave your lips dried and cracked. I usually use this with a liner
a shade darker and blend inwards.

Well, that's it for this month my Loves. This was my first favourites blog post, what did you think? Should I do more? Lemme know Babelettes.

Until next time...

Welcome to all my new followers ♥

Hello Loves,

            This is just a quick post to welcome my new followers and subscribers. Yesterday I posted on facebook and instagram advertising my blog. I will be honest in saying that i have been super shy about people watching my videos and reading my posts. It has been a hardship for me to wave my flag and let everyone in on my secret. The few people who did know told me that I should let people know and to put myself out there and I am so glad I did. I have received tons of love and support and continue to receive positive feedback. I want to thank each and every one of you for all the love. I wish I could give each one of you a big hug and smooch. Please continue to read, comment and let me know what you want to see. Don't forget to share this with all your friends and fam as well.

Thank You all so much again for taking the time to read this post.

Until next time...