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...

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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...

Sephora & Lush Haul ♥

Hello Beauties,

            If you follow me on Instagram, y'all know that I make a stop at Sephora and Lush on Saturday. I posted a pic of my bags but this post will give you a peek inside to see what I got my sticky little fingers on. So here goes...

Sephora

I went in Sephora without a plan, and if you ever shop at Sephora, you know that going in without a plan is like going into the unknown. You can end up doing some serious damage. After walking around aimlessly for about 30 minutes, oohing and awing at everything I saw I finally settled on two things. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in 'Ebony'
I have been eyeing this pencil forever but the price tag ($26) kept stopping me from committing. Finally I cracked. Was it
worth it? Well, so far I give a resounding 'Heck Yes!!!'. I love how thin the tip is and how it doesn't give off a harsh pigmentation. This little spooly in the end also helps tame strays.

OCC Lip Tar in 'Stalker'
If you read my post in the Lip Tars then you know I am a fan. I love red but they never seem to last, so I thought I'd pick one up in red.












Lush Cosmetics

This was my first encounter with Lush and after hearing dozens of Youtube gurus and a fellow Instagrammer rave about this store, I thought i'd give it a whirl. One thing I will say, this store is like a candyland for bath lovers so tread lightly.

Cupcake Face Mask
This mask is meant for oily or acne prone skin and since I love mud masks I thought I'd pick it up. The downside to these is that they do expire after 14 days and need to be refrigerated. But it smells of chocolate mint and that makes up for it.







Magic Wand
Not gonna lie, this was probably the one thing I was determined to get. I had heard about what it did and I knew I needed it.
Basically you swirl it around in your bath water or hold under running water and the water turns pink and bubbly, not to mention it smells like cotton candy. EEK!! Love this thing.

 Shoot For the Stars Bath Bomb
I also heard a bunch of things about this one. It smells like Caramel and it apparently spins whilst shoot out glittery stars. It also shoots colors of pink, blue and silver. Sounds like it's gonna be a fun one.







Sex Bomb

Apparently this is supposed to be a romantic bath bomb...WHO KNEW?! Anyways, I will be enjoying this one solo...it has a combination of herbal scents and turns the water pink. Sounds sexy...lol

Twilight Bath Bomb
This was another one that I actually knew i was going to walk out with. I had seen pictures on Pinterest for this one and I was in love!!! This one is supposed to recreate the magic of a starry night...in your bath. It is a bedtime bomb so there are scents of lavender. The water turns blue, purple and pink gives off glitter, imitating a starry night. I look forward to this one.






 Click here to see my coinsiding Yotube Video!!!




Well Ladies and Gents, That all for now. I will be making another trip to Lush soon so please let me know what I should get next time. Comment below!

Until next time...

Life Update & What's Coming up...

Hello Beautiful People,

           Well, as you can see, due to my lack of posts recently, life has been yet again, crazy!! I have been so busy trying to get things done and I still have a ton to do before the year is out. I have been working like a mad woman and just being trying to catch up on life. I have been working hard trying to figure out what is wrong with my movie maker program, which is preventing me from loading the multitude of videos I have sitting on my computer, but I am still working on it. I am going to try my hardest to upload a new video for you guys tonight but i cant make any promises.

            So, what's coming up on The Pretty Pauper? Well, I do have a few reviews on the Revlon Matte Balms and Revlon Colorstay Whipped Foundation. I also have a tutorial all about a cool way to get lasting beach curls. I have some fashion posts coming up about some fun winter accessories to spice up any outfit.

I hope you all come back to read all my upcoming posts.

Thanks so much to all my loyal readers and I will see you soon!!! :)

Tuesday Review: Physicians Formula FakeOut Mascara

Hello Beautiful People,

                  I hope you all had a great day today and are all ready to step into Wednesday. I know I am! This week is getting exhausting. Anyways, for today's review we are talking about Physicians Formula Organic Wear FakeOut Mascara. That was a mouth-full, try saying that 10 times fast...

              I picked this up about 3 months ago when I had a major car fire that totaled my car (obviously!). I was feeling really washed up and decided to treat myself to something. This was the one drugstore mascara I had hear lots of good thing about but never wanted to spend the $18 for it. I decided to splurge and get it anyways because I was feeling so sad. So here are my thoughts...

This mascara comes in a .26 oz Hot metallic pink tube. The brush is very thick and sport shorter bristles on the ends and they gradually get longer as you move toward the middle. This mascara has a ton of promises. This mascara claims to be the first ever mascara to have 100% natural origin lash extension fibers that claim to provide length and volume without the irritation of traditional fiber mascaras. Promised 100% natural origin ingredients, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free and safe for sensitive eyes and contact lens-wearers.

When I first used this mascara I noticed a difference right away! The lash fibers did really lengthen and volumize my lashes. The large brush really swept across my lashes with ease. After the day progressed I noticed that when I touched my eyelash while itchy my eye or whatever, the mascara was still wet. I also noticed that it did get on my lids because it wasn't dry as well. That was the one thing I really didn't like.

Overall, this mascara is good. I would, however suggest, pairing this with another mascara or sealing it with a waterproof mascara for the simple reason that it does not dry! I think it has something to do with the organics of the ingredients. Now, the price point is a little high for a mascara that does not dry. It runs for about $18 CAD. I will probably not repurchase this mascara. :(

So, that's it ladies and gents! I hope you enjoyed this review and I look forward to posting on Thursday.

I want to know, have you tried this mascara? What did you like? What did you hate? Will you purchase this product? Let me know below!

Until Next Time...
 *Disclaimer: I am not affiliated or sponsored by any of the above companies. The opinions expressed are that of my own!

Fashion Saturday: My Favorite Fall Shoes

Hello Beautiful People,

           I hope everyone had a wonderful Saturday! I personally worked today and made a bad shoe choice. My feet were aching by the end of the day. Anyways, I am home now and ready to give you guys something to chew on. Today I am going to talk about some of my favorite fall shoes. I have quite a few pairs of shoes but I really wanted to just show you some of my favorites. At first, I was modelling the shoes but by the end of it all, my feet were too swollen to put any shoes on. But here they are...

Chic Combat Boots

Alot of people say that they don't feel like they can pull off combat boots, but I don't agree. I do agree that there is a fine line between juvenile and chic, but I feel like they can easily be turned into a fall staple. I would not normally wear these with no pants, but I was wearing my PJ's when I took these pictures lol. No judging. I think these would look super cute with some blue skinny jeans and maybe some woolly lumber jack socks. I would try and spread the sides out a bit to give them a 'wing' look. I look forward to putting on a cardi and a cute scarf and heading out to the pumpkin patch. I picked up these cute brown ones at Target for a mere $40 CAD. I am in Lurv!!!!

The Silver Bombshell Pumps

These my recent favorite shoes! I have seen in several magazines that this a major shoe trend right now. I think the awesome alot!!!! I picked these up at Target for about $20 CAD.
thing about them shoes is, they can be dressy or casual. They look super cute with skinny stiletto jeans but they also look good with a pencil skirt. I wear these bad boys

The Chunky High-heeled Loafer

I had been looking all over for some chunky loafers in my size but had no luck. I finally came across justfab.ca and they carried my size in these super cute loafers. I bought them and the rest is history. These look very 'sexy secretary' when worn with a pencil skirt and white blouse. I also love to pair these with black or even nude fishnet pantyhose. I got these beauties from justfab.ca for $29 CAD. (See my review on Justfab.ca)

The Foxy Studded Toe

Studded toe shoes have been on trend for a while. They are lady-like but still give a rebel Payless shoes for around $60.
edge. These ones sport a chunky platform sole and a thin heel. I would usually wear these with a pencil skirt and a simple top and scarf. I feel like these have enough sass to carry even the simplest of outfits. I would also pair these with black tights and maybe a long mid-thigh length top. I picked these up at

The Sweet Ankle Boots

These ankle boots may not have a high heel (about an inch and a half) but they pack a powerful punch when it comes to style. I would wear these with burgundy tights and a pencil skirt. I feel like a pencil skirt is a major staple piece lol. You could also pair these with a skinny jean for a more casual look. I picked these up at Walmart for around $15.

Well, That's it for my favorite fall shoes. These are just a few of my favorite shoes. If you liked this, please let me know below and I will do more like this. Also, upload pics or describe you favorite fall shoes!

Until Monday...Adios!

Tips Thursday: When good bangs go bad! How to hide botched bangs.

Good Evening Beautiful People,
  
            I know this post is super late and in all technicality, it isn't even Thursday anymore, but today was jam packed with so many things. I am just catching up on my Thursday night shows and then off to bed because I have to get up super early in the morning. I wanted to quickly give you a post so here I am.

So, I have a tendency to take to the scissors and razor to try and shape my own bangs. FYI...not as easy as you think. For those who have done this, they know what I mean. I usually get them shorter than I want but this time was the worst. I looked up a video and tried trimming. Let's just say, this is proof that youtube doesn't have answers for everything. Needless to say my bangs are super short and I need a way to camouflage them. So, for all you guys who have put your faith in tutorials that claim to be as simple as 1, 2, 3...here it is.

 Things You will Need

Hair Spray, Rat Tail Comb, bobby pins and small foam rollers

 

 Make a Fake Bang Piece

Sometimes you just need to cover it so, a good way is to get a fake bang piece. Some beauty supply stores sell them but if you have a pair of old extensions, then you can make your own.

Tips for pulling this off:

• Take a piece of extensions and measure from one side of the bang to the other. If you need to, re-position the clips
• Separate bangs into two sections and clip back the top section, tease bottom section and then clip piece onto bang
• Un-clip top half of hair and brush over extensions
• If the bangs need to be trimmed or shaped, do so while they are in the hair

Head Bands

This works because you can push and hold the bangs out of the way.


Tips for pulling this off:

• Push head band over the bangs 
• Pin or gel back bangs that are sticking out
• This style works best after using foam rollers to direct the hair backwards

Pin Hair to the Side

This style has a very vintage feel and you can do this two ways, you can do a front faux suicide roll or a side roll.

Tips for pulling off the faux suicide roll:

• Use foam rollers to direct the bangs forward
• Make a 'U' shape by adding hair from the crown, you will need longer pieces
• Use a large curling iron to curl forward
• Tease the bangs and long pieces together
• Take hair and swoop it to either side
• When swooping, make sure they cradle or cover the short bangs
• Secure on side

Tips for pulling off a side roll:

• Use foam rollers to direct the bangs forward
• Make a 'U' shape by adding hair from the crown, you will need longer pieces
• Use a large curling iron to curl forward
• Tease bangs and long pieces together
• Take hair and begin to wrap it around your pointer finger and roll until you reach the scalp, pull to the side and secure with bobby pins
• Spray the hair with hair spray to set and secure

So that's it! Hope this helps all you bang hackers :) Thanks so much for reading everyone!!!