IPSY Glam Bag - October 2013

It's IPSY Glam Bag time again! I received my bag of goodies again and am really excited to share what I got.

• be Delectable Hand Cream - now that the weather is getting cold, my hands are extremely dry and I've been digging through my stash to find hand cream samples that I may have forgotten about to throw in my purse. This came at a perfect time!

• Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Gel - I'm not a huge hair product junkie, but this looks interesting. Unfortunately I normally wash my hair at night so it is already dry by the morning, but I'm going to give this a try on the weekend to see if I can get some extra volume.

• H2O Plus Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment - again, the cool weather has also made my face a bit dryer than normal. I've heard great things about the H2O+ line so I'm excited to give this moisturizer a try.

• Zoya Nail Polish - I love Zoya polishes, and this one is a gorgeous colour. Can't wait to use this!

• Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Dolly - I've never tried Buxom Lip Polishes, but I've heard they are fantastic! This is a really pretty pink and the sample is a great size! 

Again, my IPSY bag is a hit!

Thanks for reading! 

Favourite Fall Nail Polishes

top: I'm Not Really a Waitress
middle: Lincoln Park After Dark
bottom row (l to r): Bahama Mama, Angora Cardi, Over the Edge

Like most of us with large nail polish collections, I like to change up what I'm wearing as the seasons change. I'm trying to avoid purchasing any new colours this year as I feel my current collection is enough to last me for several more years, so I went through to find my top picks for fall. I believe all of these have been included in permanent collections and are still available.

I think that OPI's I'm Not Really a Waitress is one of those classic shades that everyone should have in their collection. It's a go-to for me as I love the deep red shade it gives. In the summer, you would most likely find this on my toes. But for fall, I definitely love this on my fingers.

OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark is a great deep purple that is nearly black. Honestly, I think this is another classic, at least if you have a large OPI collection. I'm sure most nail polish lovers already have a bottle of this! 

Essie's Bahama Mama is a gorgeous rich plum shade that is not quite as dramatic as the above two shades. I would wear this all year round, but I especially love it for fall.

I've been wearing this non-stop for the past two weeks. Essie's Angora Cardi is one of my all-time favourites, but it works especially well in fall. It's almost a neutral to me - a sort of dusty mauve berry colour. It really looks good with any colour of clothing, which makes it extremely wearable.

I have not worn Essie's Over the Edge yet this fall, but I'll probably select it next. It's a bit more edgy, not quite black but a very dark charcoal grey. Very nice.

What are your fall polish picks?

Thanks for reading!

Fall Wishlist!

So I have not purchased a ton of new products recently - just a few things here and there. Of course this means that my wishlist is quite long at this point. Here are the items that I'm hoping to pick up within the next couple of months.

Urban Decay Revolution lipstick in the shade Rush - I've been dying to get one of these lipsticks. There was a mini size in one of my Ipsy bags, however, the colour ("69") was not that wearable for me. Rush is a gorgeous pinky-mauve that I would wear on a daily basis.

Another lip product that I've been wanting to try is the new Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo. I recently swatched them all at Sephora, and even though my skintone is quite fair, I prefer #6, which is actually the deepest of the range. #6 is a nude mauve, and I think it is really pretty. 

I've been loving the two Ambient Lighting Powders that I have already been using from Hourglass (Mood Light and Diffused Light) so I would love to pick up on a third in Dim Light. These are lovely setting powders and really do give a flawless finish. I would love to have them all, but Dim Light is the one that I currently have my eye on.

Becca Mineral Blush in Gypsy is a product that I have heard a ton of raves about and have been interested in trying it. The Becca line is not sold in my local Sephora, so unfortunately I have not been able to see it in person, but I think it would work well for me.

This gift set from Tarte looks amazing! I purchased their holiday set last year, and am still enjoying using it, so I think this one would be a no-brainer. Of course everyone knows they make lovely blushes, but I really do enjoy everything I have ever purchased from the line. Can't wait to get this one!

Lastly, I have a skincare product. I feel like my skin could use a bit of a boost, so I've been thinking of picking up the REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask. I've heard a lot about this product and how it is quite helpful in evening out skin tone and texture. I may try it as a 100 point perk if that is still available. 

What's currently on your wishlist?

Thanks for reading!

It Cosmetics Your Lips But Better Waterproof Lip Liner

I'm going to start this by saying that these lipliners are amazing. Hands down, my favourite liners, and honestly, I never really saw a need for liner in the past. These are different. They are actually a stain and they last so long, without being drying. 

When this formulation was first released, I purchased the nude shade, and found the colour a bit too dull for me, but now that new shades have been released, I immediately grabbed the pink duo (as sold on TSC in Canada). On the IT Cosmetics website, there are currently seven shades available. The pink duo that I purchased includes Romantic Rose and Pretty in Pink.

left: Pretty in Pink
right: Romantic Rose

Romantic Rose is a deeper mauve-y pink. Perfect base for the berry lipsticks that I love for fall.

Pretty in Pink is a true pink shade and is so pretty under my lighter lipstick shades.

top: Pretty in Pink
bottom: Romantic Rose

Both colours are amazing on their own, or with a light layer of gloss over them. For work, I often wear either one of these alone. I find that it gives a very nice and professional look that lasts even after I go for my morning coffee break. I highly recommend these!

Thanks for reading!

IPSY Glam Bag - September 2013

I haven't been posting for most of September, but I thought an Ipsy Glam Bag would be a good way to get back in the swing of things. 

If you have read any of my previous posts on Ipsy, you will know that I really enjoy this monthly subscription service. I've discontinued all of my other monthly sample boxes now so this is actually the only one I receive, but it is still totally worth it, in my opinion.

This month the cute little blue and black cosmetics pouch included the following items:

• Cailyn Cosmetics Tinted Lip Balm
• Elizabeth Mott It's So Big Mascara
• Jessie's Girl Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
• NYX Single Eyeshadow
• Butter London Nail Lacquer

So far, I have tried the Cailyn lip balm, the Jessie's Girl liquid eyeliner, and the Butter London nail polish. All of these are hits for me. I was most excited to receive the Butter London nail polish - this is one of my favourite brands and it is kind of pricey. This was a sample size, but is still a very generous amount. It will last a long time. I'm not so sure about the NYX eyeshadow - only because of the colour though. In general, I really enjoy all NYX eye products. I'll be saving the mascara as I'm currently using something else.

Not to sound like a broken record, but I still am loving my Ipsy bags, and would still recommend them to anyone!

Thanks for reading!

Blush Collection - Hot Pink

top: Smashbox Blush in Radiance, MAC Mineralize Blush Duo in Band of Roses
middle: Nars Blush in Mata Hari, Bobbi Brown Blush in Pale Pink
bottom: Sleek Blush by 3 in Pink Sprint

There is something about a hot pink blush that I find irresistible. To many it may look a bit scary or intimidating, because of course no one wants to have bright clown cheeks. But a hot pink blush applied lightly and blended well gives such a pretty and healthy look to the cheeks. It is absolutely gorgeous in summer, but also works all year round. These are some of my favourites from my collection.

l to r: Radiance, pink side of Band of Roses, Mata Hari, Pale Pink, center shade from Pink Sprint

Smashbox Blush in Radiance - This was the first blush I purchased in my experimentation with the shade. I purchased this so long ago, and the packaging/formulation has since changed so I'm not exactly sure if the new version (called Blush Rush in Radiance) is exactly the same or not, but it looks similar on the website. Anyways, it is safe to say that this product started my fascination. It looks beautiful on the cheeks and easily blends into a soft rosy cheek. It gives a soft matte finish - no shine. I love it.

MAC Mineralize Blush Duo in Band of Roses - I believe this is from an old MAC collection, but I found it relatively recently on Beyond the Rack. The swatch above is just of the pink side on the left of this compact. This blush is a bit shimmery, but it gives a really pretty glow in the cheeks.

Nars Blush in Mata Hari - I actually wore this one on my wedding day! Of course I blended it in so it wasn't quite as vibrant on the cheek. I read in one of Bobbi Brown's makeup books to use a neutral blush, layered with a bright on the apple of the cheek for a flattering, natural blush look, so that is what I did, using Mata Hari as the bright. It is a bit deeper and more on the berry shade than the other pinks, but still vibrant and gorgeous.

Bobbi Brown Blush in Pale Pink - I think this is one of the more popular and well known blush shades in the Bobbi Brown collection. I only purchased it this year, but it is a great addition to my collection. The shade really livens up my face.

Sleek Blush by 3 in Pink Sprint - The swatch above is just the shade in the center which is called Pink Ice. This pink is super intense. Honestly, out of all of these, this is the one that is trickiest to apply. It is so pigmented. I actually don't reach for it that often because I'm afraid of accidentally over-applying when I'm in a rush in the morning. All three shades in the palette are really gorgeous though. If you want a high-pigmented blush, you should cheek out the Sleek palettes!

Do you have any favourite bright pink blushes to recommend?

Thanks for reading!

Ipsy Glam Bag - August 2013

I continue to be impressed with the items I receive each month in my Ipsy Glam Bag, August was definitely no exception! As usual, I received five items and a cute cosmetics pouch. The items are as follows:

• Michael Todd Pumpkin Nutrient Rich Facial Mask - I love Michael Todd products. I've found that my skin responds much better with natural skincare, and therefore, this line of all natural products has been my go-to for the past several months. However, I had not yet purchased this pumpkin mask (I love their Kaolin Clay Mask), so I'm really excited to try this one out. The size of the sample is so big! Very nice.

• Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick - I received the shade 69 which is a deep red (see swatch below). The lipstick is extremely creamy and feels quite luxurious. I have been wanting to pick up a couple of these, although this would not have been the colour I picked out, but it is still nice to give it a try.

• Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer - I think I first tried this primer over ten years ago when primers still seemed very new and exciting. Back then I thought they were a bit of a gimmick, but now, I am a believer and use one almost everyday. This is a very nice primer, and I'll take this mini with me when travelling for sure.

• Pixi Beauty Lash Booster Mascara - Who doesn't love a mascara sample? I can usually get several weeks out of a sample size mascara. Actually, I haven't purchased a mascara since last year because I'm trying to use up the massive collection in my drawer. Interested in giving this a try.

• Mica Beauty Eye Shadow in Bronze - This is a loose pigment eyeshadow. It is a gorgeous colour (see swatch below). I'm sure I have tons of similar shadows in my collection, but nonetheless, this is really pretty and I love it.

Swatches of Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in 69
and Mica Beauty Eye Shadow in Bronze

So, I repeat myself every month, but I loved my bag again!

Thanks for reading! Have a great weekend!

Product Review - Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense Lipsticks

So I've been looking around at new (to me) lipsticks to update my collection, and I found these gorgeous lipsticks from Make Up For Ever. The Rouge Artist Intense lipsticks are said to be 50% more pigmented than other lipsticks, and are supposed to be very long-lasting.

I picked up two shades: 29 and 38. I don't love numbered colour names, but Sephora's website describes 29 as Satin Rosewood and 38 as Satin Coral, which I think gives you a much better idea of what the colour actually looks like. I ended up choosing two satins, but the line also carries matte and pearl finishes. I would say the majority of the time, I prefer a satin finish. 

left: 29, right: 38

And the swatches:

top: 29, bottom: 38

As you can see, these are gorgeous colours! So rich and pretty, but not dry looking at all. I see these two colours as being able to take you from spring, right into winter. 

38 is such a pretty spring/summer coral with just the right amount of brightness, without being overwhelming on the lips. Actually, coral is quite a departure for me because I'm naturally drawn to the berry shades. You should note that the true colour of this lipstick is more similar to the swatch above, than to the photo of my lips below. For some reason, the lighting didn't capture the colour looking as coral as it really is in real life.

38 on my lips

29 is more of a typical "me" shade. I will definitely be pulling this one out a ton once it starts to feel like fall (well, probably sooner because I cannot resist). I just love this muted berry shade with the perfect amount of rosiness in it. It's so pretty on the lips. 

29 on my lips

So let's talk staying power. Worn alone, these do last longer than your typical lipstick that is not considered long-lasting. I do have matte lipsticks (from Nars, MAC, etc) that may last as long or longer, but that may be because I ended up selecting the satin finish. The Rouge Artist Intense matte shades may last longer than the satins. However, these do last longer than many of my other lipsticks that are not actually intended to be long-lasting, so that is nice. I would say they perform as expected. The great thing is that I do not find them drying at all, which is a pet peeve of anything intended to be long-lasting.

One last note - I believe these are sold exclusively at Sephora, so if you are interested, check out their website.

Have you tried any of the Rouge Artist Intense lipsticks?

Thanks for reading!

Product Review - Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer

With all of the online buzz, I gave in and picked up one of the new Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers. There were a lot of really pretty colours and I swatched a bunch before selecting the shade Celestial. Celestial is a rosey-berry shade that is not too dark, but definitely not a nude. It is a typical colour that I would select, and that's fine with me, because I love it!

I've worn this a few times since purchasing, so I can provide you with my pros and cons:

Pros:

- feels amazing on the lips - smooth and not sticky at all

- great pigmentation - one swipe across the lips and the colour shows up beautifully

- quite glossy - no need for layering a lip gloss over top

- easy to use applicator - there is a little dip in the doe foot applicator that makes it easy to get enough of the product onto your lips the first time. It is also easy to create a precise lip line due to the applicator

Cons:

- a bit of a strange smell - kind of like melons, although I only can smell it during application, and I don't notice any taste

- doesn't last particularly long - this is not a stain, nor does it dry down. It is more like a liquid lipstick

- not that cheap considering it is a drugstore product - I paid $9.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart. Rimmel. I suppose this isn't abnormal pricing for Canada, but if you want to pick up on a few shades, it will get pricey

So overall, I'm really loving this product! I might pick up a couple more shades if I see these on sale.

Have you tried this shade or any others of the Rimmel Apocalips?

Thanks for reading!

Another One From theBalm! Balm Jovi Rockstar Palette

So you have seen me post about theBalm several time before, but this palette deserves a mention because it is simply fantastic. It is Balm Jovi from theBalm! This is a full face palette - my other palettes from theBalm are all just eyeshadow, so this is a little different.

The palette has a rock magazine / album theme and it is just super clever and cute. Inside you get twelve eyeshadows, a highlight and blush, and two lip products. The packaging is extra-great in that the lip products (which are cream), have their own cover and so they are completely away from the powder products. This is perfect because it is terrible when powder gets into creamy products. 

In case you are overwhelmed by all of the colours and options, there is even a little chart to give you ideas on how to create four looks. This is a great starting point, and from there, you can get creative!

On to the swatches:

And here is a shot of the quick eye I did this morning - Alice Copper in the crease, Blink 1982 on the lid and blended out with Third Eye Blinded. 

Thanks for reading!

IPSY Glam Bag - July 2013

Another month, another IPSY Glam Bag! I'm still loving these. This month, the theme was Beach Bag Beauty, with summary products in a cute little plastic cosmetics bag. The products included are as follows:

• Derma e Microdermabrasion Scrub - this is a really good size pot of scrub that I'm looking forward to trying. My shower is currently a bit cluttered with scrubs I'm trying to finish, so hopefully I'll get to this one soon!

• BH Cosmetics California Collection Eyeshadow Sample - this mini-palette includes three colours that are from three separate larger palettes offered by the brand. I'd never tried BH Cosmetics before, but have heard of the brand. I tried the colours San Francisco (bronzey-brown) and Malibu (gold) and was impressed. They went on smoothly with good pigmentation. 

• Big Sexy Hair Weather Proof Humidity Resistant Spray - I haven't tried this yet - I'm saving it for when I go away to a more humid climate, which is hopefully soon! Where I live it is very dry, so I don't have a need in my everyday life.

• Coola Mineral Face SPF 20 - I haven't tried this yet either, but I'm excited about it. I've been looking for a face sunscreen that won't make my makeup slide off, so fingers crossed for this one!

• Pop Beauty Pouty Pop Crayon - I got this in the shade Coral Crush, and it looks beautiful, except I don't love it on my lips at all. It looks kind of waxy and dull on the lips and it wore off in the middle, leaving a line of product around the edge of my lips. I don't like this product unfortunately.

All in all, I'm pleased again with the contents of my IPSY Glam Bag. I look forward to this package every month.

Thanks for reading!

Concealer Roundup!

My collection of concealers has grown and can only be described as ridiculous. I don't know why anyone would need this many - I certainly do not need them all. But I love trying new ones, and of course, some are for under the eye, some are for the face, and some are for both. Everything has it's purpose! Sort of. Anyways, I thought I would gather my collection to give my thoughts on each.

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer in Porcelain - for me, this is one of those forgotten products. You know the ones you are excited to purchase and try, but then for some reason, it gets lost in the drawer and totally overlooked? This is a really nice under-eye concealer though - I don't use it anywhere else on my face. Inside the compact is the concealer, as well as a coordinating pressed setting powder. I think there are a couple of reasons why I don't reach for this very often - one is because I don't have extremely dark circles under my eyes, and two is because if possible, I would rather use one concealer that does it all, instead of using separate products for each concern. I have some concealers that are a bit more versatile, and as a result, I use them more.

Youngblood Ultimate Concealer in Fair - I love this concealer! I haven't tried many Youngblood products, but the ones I have, I really like. I even featured this concealer as a monthly favourite this year. I like the consistency because it is creamy, but not too thick or thin. Kind of in the middle. If you just touch your finger or brush in the pot, you pick up a nice amount and it seems to melt into the skin very nicely and stay in place. I use it anywhere on the face. This is a very handy product to have around.

theBalm timeBalm Conceealer in Lighter than Light - I also have this concealer in light, but it was too dark for me. This concealer supposedly has anti-aging properties in it, so it is a bit of a treatment product. I like it - it is quite think so it benefits from being applied with your finger to warm it up a bit, but it is a very good multi-purpose concealer. However, for me, I prefer something a bit lighter under my eye. This could possibly crease in the fine under-eye lines if not set properly. I often keep this in my purse for a mid-day touch-up around my nose.

Hourglass Hidden Concealer in Fair - so far I have loved every Hourglass product that I have tried - and this concealer is no exception. It is another multi-purpose concealer for me. It is in a stick form, but I usually put a bit on my finger and then blend it into the spot I'm trying to conceal. I'm almost finished with this one, perhaps I should have completed it before buying any new ones! The swatch in the photo below shows the shade a bit darker than it actually is in real life, not really sure why. 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer in Warm Light - this is my current go-to concealer that I have been wearing on a daily basis. It is a bit more yellow than some of the above products, but it is summer, I'm a bit more tan and this matches me perfectly right now. This concealer is really long wearing and goes on so seamlessly. I would highly recommend it. I use the doe-foot applicator to dab on the area and then blend with my fingers.

Cover Girl Simply Ageless Concealer in Very Light - this was also featured in a monthly favourites post. I purchased this at the same time as the Cover Girl 3-in-1 foundation, and the two products go perfectly together, in my opinion. It is very moisturizing as it has the Olay cream swirled throughout. I think this is a great winter under-eye concealer, so I will use more of it once the weather starts getting cooler and dryer. 

l to r: Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer in Porcelain, Youngblood Ultimate Concealer in Fair, timeBalm Concealer in Lighter than Light, Hourglass Hidden Concealer in Fair, Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer in Warm Light, Cover Girl Simply Ageless Concealer in Very Light

L'oreal True Match Concealer Crayon in W1-2-3 Fair Light - before I purchased the Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer, I was using this one on a daily basis. I wanted to purchase the shade N1-2-3 (neutral undertones), but it was always sold out when I went to look for it, so I gave the warmer toned version a try, and much like my Estee Lauder Concealer in Warm Light, this works great for the summer months when I have a bit more colour. I'm also just really impressed by this concealer in general. I don't love many drugstore concealers, but this one is worth trying out for sure. It gives great coverage and is easy to blend. 

Shu Uemura Cover Crayon - this is a double-ended product. One side is Fair, and the other is Medium. I don't actually use the medium side at all, but I have been meaning to try it for contouring. I bought this to use the light end in my waterline. I love it for this purpose. It lasts all day and I don't notice any eye irritation, like I do with some flesh toned eyeliners. 

Clinique Acne Solutions Concealer in Shade 01 - I mentioned this in my makeup empties post last week - I've purchased it several times. As I mentioned it that post, I really like it, it gives good coverage and blends nicely, but I'm not convinced of its actual blemish fighting abilities. 

Laura Geller The Real Deal Concealer in Light - this is an extremely heavy duty cream concealer. It could probably cover just about anything, but at the same time, it is easy to overdo things with this. Honestly, I haven't used it a lot. I feel like it has a lot of the same benefits as the It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye, that it has gotten overlooked in my collection.

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye in Light and Natural Medium - I have two shades in this thanks to an online order mix-up, but of course light is the shade that works for me. This is a super concentrated heavy duty concealer, much like the Laura Geller Concealer. If you have hard to cover under eye circles, this is worth trying. It is basically crease-free, and lasts all day. It is also suitable to be used allover as a foundation-type product for extremely problematic skin, however I find it too much for my skin. I keep this primarily as an under eye product. 

l to r: L'oreal True Match W 1-2-3 Fair Light, Shu Uemura Fair end, Shu Uemura Medium end, Clinique Acne Solutions Shade 01, Laura Geller The Real Deal Concealer in Light, It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye in Light, It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye in Natural Medium

Wow, that was a lot. If you read all of this, I'm extremely impressed!

In case you did not, here is a quick summary:

Best for under-eye: Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer and Cover Girl Simply Ageless (tie, although prefer Cover Girl in the winter)

Best for on-the-go touch-ups: Youngblood Ultimate Concealer

Best heavy-duty: It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under-eye

Best multi-purpose: Estee Lauder Double Wear and L'oreal True Match (tie)

Favourite all around: Estee Lauder Double Wear

What are your favourite concealers?

Thanks for reading!

Empties - Skincare

This is the last of my empties posts for now - skincare. I had the most empty bottles in this category, but for the most part, I got rid of duplicates. I've tried so many different brands over the years, but I'm starting to realize that my skin responds the best to the more natural products. I tried Juice beauty when a sales person at Murale recommended it to me and just loved it. But since I am never content, I thought I would try the Micheal Todd line after hearing so many good things about it all over the internet. And I really am enjoying the products. I've repurchased several times now. 

Simple facial cleanser - this was a sample of a gel-like cleanser. I found it very good for removing makeup and I like it a lot. Would consider repurchasing to use for removing makeup prior to treatment cleansers.

Bioderma Sebium H2O Micelle Solution - this is an amazing cleansing water. It is so handy to have for lazy nights as you can just swipe a couple of moistened cotton pads over your face and all makeup is removed. I already have a backup.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir - this is a really lovely facial spray. Has a great spa-like feel and I enjoyed using it, however I might try L'occitane next as I believe it doesn't contain alcohol as Caudalie's does.

Biore Warming Anti-Blackhead Cream Cleanser - this was received in a Glossybox. I used it up, but I didn't love it. Actually, I think I have another in the drawer that I received free as well. Won't be repurchasing.

Juice Beauty Blemish Clearing Serum - this is a really nice product. It is for both anti-aging, as well as blemished / oily skin. I really enjoy using this and have purchased it several times (this was in both the tube, and the glass bottle with the dropper in the picture above).

Juice Beauty Blemish Clearing Cleanser - I also really liked using this cleanser from Juice Beauty. This was the first time I used facial products with organic ingredients and my skin reacted very nicely with it. 

Michael Todd Kaolin Clay Mask - this is an amazing mask. I use it every week, sometimes twice a week. My skin feels amazing and so clean after using it. I believe the Kaolin Clay is very good for removing excess oil from the skin, I don't know the exact science, but I've seen Kaolin Clay as an ingredient in a lot of products that I enjoy using, so I think it works very well for oily skin types.

Michael Todd Charcol Detox Cleanser - this is my current cleanser, and I have a backup as well. I love it. My skin feels so clean after using it. I'll continue to repurchase this I'm sure.

Michael Todd Antiox Serum - I'm trying to incorporate more anti-aging products into my routine, so I picked this one up. It contains DMAE and Alpha Lipoic Acid. It is quite a nice serum that also provides moisture to the skin. I don't usually use a separate moisturizer, so I find this serum very nice. These days, I'm alternating this with the Antioxidant Carrot Serum.

Philosophy shower gel in Eggnog - this has been a favourite of mine for several years. Every holiday season I try to pick up a couple to last me for the year. I love the scent. It so delicious - exactly like eggnog. The pumpkin pie version is also great.

Tan Towel On the Glow Self Tanning Moisturizer - I use this in the summer as my body lotion. It gives a nice subtle tan that builds after a few applications. I think I purchased this from Hautelook and if I saw them again on there, I would pick up a few more tubes. Otherwise, I'm not really sure where it can be found. Several years ago, Shoppers Drug Mart sold Tan Towel, but I haven't seen it there in ages.

Soap & Glory Clean on Me Shower Gel - this lasted me forever! At 480 ml, it is a huge bottle. I like it, but I did start to get a bit bored of the scent. I need variety!

Vitabath Blood Orange Shower Gel - this was another product from a Glossybox. It was very nice, with a strong citrus scent. I have seen this brand sold at Shoppers Drug Mart, so sometime down the line, I may pick one of these up again.

Ok, so that was a lot of empties, but I'm done!

Thanks for reading!

IT Cosmetics Your Most Beautiful Collection

Just a quick post because some of you might be interested in checking out the special being offered on QVC this weekend (July 13th). Unfortunately QVC stopped shipping to Canada this year, but I've been a loyal customer of IT Cosmetics on The Shopping Channel in Canada. Anyways, if you are in the US, the kit is available July 13th at QVC.

The kit includes the following items:

• supersize of Bye Bye Under Eye concealer
• Heavenly Luxe Dual Airbrush Foundation/Concealer Brush
• Hello Light Anti-Aging Creme Luminizer
• Heavenly Luxe Pointed Precision Complexion Brush
• YBBB Your Brows But Better Brow Power Skinny Pencil
• Vitality Lip Blush Hydrating Gloss Stain 

I love these products and have talked about a variety of items from this brand. I especially love their brushes. The quality is amazing and they feel so luxurious on the skin. On their own, each brush usually retails in the range of $40 - $50, so I've always purchased mine as part of a kit like this one.

The Bye Bye Under Eye concealer is a really heavy-duty type product. If you need to cover dark circles, this will really do the trick! My under-eye area isn't too bad, so a tiny amount is all I need. This supersize tube will likely last a lifetime!

The one product that I have not yet tried is the Vitality Lip Blush Hydrating Gloss Stain. I'm so excited about this! Their lipstick stains are amazing, so to combine this with a gloss is definitely up my alley!

Let me know if you have tried any of these products and what you think about them!

Thanks for reading!

Empties - Makeup

 So we all know that makeup products are the hardest ones to use up. I have a few samples mixed in here, so that helps, but I am trying to use up the products in my collection that are nearing their end (to make room for new purchases, of course!).

Here are the items that I have used up recently.

Primers and Oil Control

I use a primer pretty much everyday. Normally I look for ones that are either colour-correcting, or have oil control properties, or both. This was probably my second or third bottle of the Pur Minerals Color Correcting Primer in Green. I really like this one - it has that smooth texture, and the green counteracts redness, so it allows me to apply less foundation. This now comes in new packaging which is a tube rather than a pump bottle, which would be much easier to use as the pump can sometimes stop working, which is annoying, but not the end of the world for me. 

I also finished a tube of the Cover FX Clear Prep FX Mattifying Primer with Anti-Acne Treatment. I don't know if it helps reduce acne, but as long as a product won't cause it, I'm happy. As for oil control, well, I get extremely oily and I don't find that this prevents it 100%. But then again, I haven't found many products that actually do. Overall it is a nice primer, but I'm currently using the Murad matte primer, and I think I like it better. 

I used up a bottle of Urban Decay De Slick Oil-Control Makeup Setting Spray. I usually spray this after applying my foundation and setting powder and I do find that it helps. The Urban Decay version is by the brand Skindinavia, and around Christmas there was a sale on the Skindinavia website and I picked up about three bottles, so while I didn't repurchase the Urban Decay product, this is something that I use on almost an everyday basis!

Eye Makeup Removers

I love the Lancome Bi-Facil eye makeup remover. I have never actually purchased a bottle however. That is because I receive free samples of it so often that I have never had to. But I really recommend this for getting off stubborn eye makeup.

Same story for Clinique Take the Day Off makeup remover. I always receive this free, but it also does the trick for me.

Face Products

Benefit Boxed Blush in Sugarbomb is gorgeous - it is a swirl of four soft colours - peach, deep pink, light pink, and lavender, and together, it is such a pretty colour. I will definitely repurchase this at some point down the line. 

I finished using Maybelline Instant Age Rewind concealer in Fair. I really like it, and if I didn't have so many other concealers on the go right now, I would pick up another one!

This next product is a funny one for me - Clinique Acne Solutions Clearing Concealer - I have repurchased this countless times as I want a concealer to cover blemishes that will heal and prevent new ones, but I'm not actually sure this does anything but cover. I just haven't found anything better, so I continue to purchase. 

Mascara and Lips

I tried It Cosmetics Hello Lashes for the first time and this mascara is fantastic! It made my lashes look really long and pretty, and I love the wand. It is one of the kind that has sort of a ball on the tip so that the bristles go in all direction. This helps with pushing the lashes up so that your lashes have a bit of lift, even if you do not use a curler. I will probably try to get my hands on another tube of this when I'm finished using up all of my samples.

I also used up two of my large stash of samples - Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes, and Tarina Tarantino. Both worked great. But again, I have a stash of samples I'm trying to work through before repurchasing any mascara.

I received this Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Stick in Amsterdam as part of a Sephora free gift. I really like it, in fact, I purchased a full size version already. Amsterdam is a rosy nude colour and it tingles on the lips, which I actually enjoy. I believe it has plumping properties, but I just like the colour and find the formula quite long-wearing. 

So that is all for my makeup empties. I'm working my way through lots of products, so hopefully I'll more to post about soon.

Up next: skincare empties!

Thanks for reading!