Showing posts with label Beauty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beauty. Show all posts

Thursday, 27 March 2014

My Current Products and Treatments for Bleached/Over Processed Hair

This is a subject I happen to know a lot about, as I've had bleached hair since I was 14! At 22, this is the longest my hair has been in a long time, so I believe the products that I've been using are working. I use products that are targeted at moisturizing, preventing/fusing split ends, putting protein/keratin back into your hair and preventing and reversing heat damage. Here are my current go-to products!


Pantene Advanced Keratin Repair Split End Fuser: I did a review on the Pantene Expert Advanced + Keratin Repair line back in December, so if you're interested in reading that, you can find it here. I did repurchase the Advanced Keratin Repair Split End Fuser in the full size, and I absolutely love it. I apply it only to the ends of my hair by scrunching it in if I'm leaving my hair wavy, or combing it in if I'm heat styling it. It's a super thick conditioning treatment, so two small pumps will definitely do you. The Pantene website claims that this product is mean to fuse and prevent split ends, as well as fight frizziness, dullness and dryness, which is definitely does. I would recommend this to anyone who suffers with split ends, especially due to bleaching or heat damage.


Organix Coconut Milk Conditioner & Anti-Breakage Serum: This is a product line that I  recommend over and over again, as it really is one of the best lines I've ever tried for my type of hair. These are the Organix Coconut Milk Conditioner and the Anti-Breakage Serum. Organix has recently come out with a Coconut Water line, which I'm really excited to try. These products provide everything that damaged hair needs, including egg white proteins to strengthen your hair, and coconut oils to balance and moisturize. The Anti-Breakage Serum is specifically meant to promote longer hair, as it reduces the everyday damage that causes your hair to break off. I prefer to use this on dry hair, especially when I leave my hair wavy. It provides noticeable body and shine, and you can tell my hair is instantly moisturized. I've been using these products for years, and I'll definitely continue to. You can find these at the drug store, so they're super affordable as well.

Pantene Silky Moisture Whip: I actually did not expect to like this as much as I do, as it's so rare that I find a product that works really well for me. This product is not like a mousse, as it does not expand in your hand, but literally comes out like whipped cream. It's meant to condition your hair for up to 48 hours, which is a huge plus for me. It also protects against heat damage, so I use this both when I heat style and when I leave it naturally wavy. I most likely would not have thought to purchase this if my Mom hadn't given me a sample, so I'm really loving sample sized products  for this reason. I have recently run out this, so I will be purchasing more soon!


Lush Curly Wurly Shampoo: This is another amazing coconut related product. Curly Wurly is like a shampoo and conditioner in one, as it leaves your hair so nice and moisturized. You can use this if you have damaged straight hair as well, but I find you get the best results with wavy or straight hair. The reason why coconut related products are so amazing for your hair, is that coconut is one of the only oils that can get right inside your hair shaft, while others tend to just sit on top and coat it. Not only does this shampoo contain coconut oil, but it contains creamed coconut, fresh eggs and avocado butter. This product is a little pricy at $25.95, but it's definitely worth it if you can afford to spend a little extra money. Plus this pot lasts you a long time, as you need really little per wash.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep Conditioner: If you are into hair care, it's unlikely that you haven't heard of the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep Conditioner. I tend to use the one from the Moist line, but there are a few different kinds. This treatment is super cheap. If you're lucky enough to find it in Canada anymore, it's usually under $5.00. I picked up a new bottle when I was in Ireland, as they seem to be everywhere over there. In my opinion, this is one of the best deep conditioners out there, high end or drug store. It really does transform dry, damaged hair within a few minutes. The only thing about this product, is it should not be used more than once a week. If it's used more than that, it builds up on your hair. This can be fixed by using a purifying shampoo, but it's best to avoid.



Coconut Oil: Last but not least, this has been my go-to treatment/hair mask for the past few weeks. Any kind of coconut oil will do, but try to look for both "organic" and either "virgin" or "extra virgin". Extra virgin is best if you don't mind spending a little more! The one I'm using right now is just the Omega Nutrition Organic Coconut Oil. I've been using this sporadically on my hair for a long time now, and have recently picked it up again. Like I said before, coconut oil really is incredible for your hair. I take a few tablespoons and heat it up for about 30 seconds before applying it to my hair. I either leave it on overnight, or just for an hour or two if I'm staying in for the day. I especially like to apply this on heat styled hair. It does not leave your hair super greasy, so just wash it out with shampoo (no need to repeat) and conditioner, and you're done! I have seen growth in both my hair and nails when this is continuously applied. 






Hope this helped! xx










Thursday, 27 February 2014

Sephora Spring Wishlist 2014

               There has recently been a huge amount of new beauty launches for the spring, and they are beautiful. Spring is probably my favourite season for makeup launches, as the colours are bright, beautiful, and really signify the changeover from winter to spring to summer. Going through the Sephora website, I was pretty much drooling over the new arrivals. Any girl who really loves makeup knows what I mean! Here are some of my top picks for my spring wishlist of 2014!








 













      















I'll be back with my February favourites soon!! xx












Sunday, 12 January 2014

First Impression Review: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation


         Let me just say, I did not think I would end up liking this foundation as much as I do. Whenever I look for a foundation lately, I always look for a brightening effect or a glow. So when I saw that Rimmel had come out with the Wake Me Up Foundation, I decided to try it. The reason why I did not have high hopes for this product is that firstly, I did not think Rimmel was known for having great foundations. And secondly, I've come to think that a foundation that only costs $7.99 can't be that great. Even my L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation, which costs $17.99 wasn't comparable to my Bourjois Healthy Mix Gel Serum Foundation ($27.99). The Wake Me Up Foundation is meant to be light, moisturizing, contains vitamins and has an anti-fatigue effect.


When you first pump out this foundation, it's relatively thick and not runny at all. The colour looked a little too dark on my hand, but thankfully it lightened up to my perfect shade when applied to my face with my fingertips. I'm not someone who will take the time to blend my foundation extremely well, so I like there to be an exact match right from the get go. I purchased the shade 100 Ivory, which is the lightest they have. There are only about 6 shades available, so not the greatest colour selection so far. This foundation contains 1 fl oz, which is the average for any foundation. The container is extremely breakable (as I learned by smashing a bottle open at the drug store by accident). 

Natural Lighting
As it turned out, this foundation is pretty much perfect for the winter months! There really isn't anything bad I can say about it. It's quite moisturizing, which is something that the L'Oreal True Match Lumi doesn't have. It's about medium to high coverage, making your skin look flawless. It's light enough so that you can't even feel it, and looks relatively natural. This is definitely a great foundation to take photos in. 

With Flash
The only slight criticism I have about the actual foundation, is that you have to blend extremely well underneath your eyes so it doesn't crease, as you can see above. I would recommend this foundation to anyone with normal to dry skin, of any age. This will most likely be my go to foundation for the rest of the winter! I love it!



Hope you had a great weekend! xx








Friday, 10 January 2014

Top 5 Drugstore Lipsticks (Winter Edition)

         During the winter, I don't want to wear anything on my lips but moisturizing, protecting lip products. I've finally become one of those girls who doesn't want to leave the house with just lip balm on anymore. I need some colour, even if it's just a light pink or a nude. Here are my top picks for drugstore lipsticks that will get you through the winter season without drying out your lips.



The Revlon Super Lustrous Collection has about 50 beautiful colours, which range from the lightest pink to black. It's essential in the winter months to find a lipstick that will moisturize your lips, and these lipsticks are infused with both silk and vitamins. Revlon has an exclusive LiquiSilk formula, and it's packed with mega moisturizers. These retail for only about $7.99 in the drugstore, so they're definitely worth taking a look at.





These were my go to lipsticks this fall, and I was quite happy with them! They come in 22 shades, including Nude Delight which is my favourite. Not only do these moisturize your lips, but they contain antioxidants and vitamins A, C and E. I would always exfoliate my lips before going out into the cold with these on, as you want to start with a smooth surface for these lipsticks. These retail on average for $6.99.


3. Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter


Although these are not technically lipsticks, I had to put them in. These lip butters are fantastic to wear all year round for a surge of moisture without giving up colour. They contain mango, shea and coconut butter, and claim to boost lip's moisture by 156%! They also contain a gel formula, which is known to glide right over dry spots. These are available in 20 shades, and have a sheer to medium colour. I only own this lip butter in Pink Truffle, but I have heard that the shade Creme Brulee is the perfect nude, so I'll need to test that out eventually. These retail for about $7.49. 





This was my top choice until very recently. I absolutely love these lipsticks, and was obsessed with the shade Cappuccino. These are incredibly shiny, moisturizing and glide on easily. There are 12 shades available. I just purchased the shade Darling, which I can't wait to try, as I think it may be even more of a perfect nude than Cappuccino. These lipsticks also contain SPF 6, which is important for any time of the year. They retail for about $12-$14, but are definitely worth the price. 




I adore everything about these lipsticks! I have never put on any lip butter or lipstick that glides over your lips like these do. I decided to try these on a whim when I was in Ireland, as they are almost half the price over there than they are in Canada. These contain orchid blossom extract, which helps hydrate and protect your lips for 10 hours. This collection contains 12 shades so far, and I currently own 02 Beige Touch which is an amazing everyday nude, and 03 Peche Cosy which is great for a subtle pop of colour. These lipsticks retail for $20 in Canada, so not the most affordable, but if you feel like spending a little more on a lipstick you definitely won't be disappointed. 




Goodnight! xx








Thursday, 9 January 2014

First Impression Review: Ted Baker Paint the Town Pretty Nail Set


        This nail set is one of the prettiest I have ever seen, and was a ridiculously good price. I picked it up from Boots in the half price sale for about $10.00, which was a complete steal. I miss Boots so much already! All of their Christmas gift sets were reduced by 50%, so you really can't go wrong with that.


The best part about the majority of the gift sets that were on sale, was that they could easily be purchased as a gift for any other time of year, as many of them were not Christmas themed. I regret not picking up more as gifts now!


This tin set comes with four amazing nail varnishes. It includes a semi matte pink and black, as well as a sheer sparkly gold, and a sheer sparkly silver with coloured flecks. These are all perfect for this time of year, and can be mixed for a day or a nighttime look.


When first applying the pink shade, I wasn't sure how I was going to like it, as it seemed incredibly thin and sheer. It was a nice colour, but I wouldn't particularly want to wear it on it's own. As soon as I applied the silver over top, I was blown away! No photo does it justice, it's just such a unique, amazing colour. It's subtle, but super beautiful. 


I cannot take adequate photos of my nails for the life of me, especially because I do not take the time to do a proper manicure before painting them! In this photo, I've managed to capture all of the different colours reflecting off of the flash of the camera.

Extreme close up!

Another amazing thing about these nail polishes, is that they dry super fast. If you're like me, and don't always wait for your first layer to dry before going in with the next, the sparkly silver shade completely covers up any imperfections.


Overall, I am completely thrilled with this set, and I would recommend picking it up at Boots ASAP before they disappear! 


Have a good night! xx











Tuesday, 7 January 2014

Irish Beauty/Skin Care/Hair Care Haul!

              As most of you know, I recently returned from my 10 day vacation in Ireland and it was absolutely amazing! The shopping there is quite different than in Canada in some ways, including the selection of beauty, skin and hair products. Some brands are significantly cheaper than in Canada, and some are more expensive. Here is what I picked up while I was there!



Ooh La La Paris Makeup Bag: I have come to LOVE Penney's (or Primark) for affordable, inexpensive shopping! Ir reminds me of Forever 21, but with better deals in my opinion. Primark is actually an Irish retail chain, but has hundreds of locations all over Europe. This bag is the perfect travel bag for your toiletries and/or makeup, as it fits a ridiculous amount of products inside. I actually only paid 4.00 for this bag, which works out to just under $6.00. 

Soap and Glory's The Greatest Scrub of All: Soap and Glory is considerably cheaper in Ireland than in Canada! I would say it's about half the price, if not more. I bought this in Boots, which is by far my favourite drug store over any in Canada. They constantly have offers such as buy 2 get one free (or 3 for 2). Although this scrub can feel a little drying (it does have salicylic acid in it) it works really well, and leaves your face smooth and clear. It can be used for any skin type, as it works for dry patches and for acne. I paid 7.00 for this, which works out to just over $10.00!


Lee Stafford Treatment For Hair That Never Grows Past a Certain Length: I have heard so many good things about this treatment, and having never seen it anywhere in Canada, I picked it up in Boots as soon as I saw it. Since I've only used it twice, I can't say if it's helping my hair grow, but it makes your hair feel absolutely amazing. This is a between shampoo and conditioner product, so you leave it on for a minimum of 5 minutes after you've shampooed your hair, and then follow up with a conditioner. This is not a cheap product as it worked out to about $20.00, but I believe it was worth it.

Bourjois Liner Pinceau Eyeliner: I am.....so disappointed with this eyeliner. I thought it was amazing when I first put it on, as it was super intense, shiny, and didn't budge. However, this first time I did notice a bit of a burning sensation, but I ignored it. I used it the next day and experienced the same burning sensation, but it went away after it dried. The next day when I woke up, my eyes were very swollen and sore where I applied the eyeliner, so I had to stop using it right away. So bummed out! Here's an instagram shot of what one of my eyes looked like:

Excuse the eyebrows!
L'Oreal Super Liner Eyeliner Blackbuster: I bought this eyeliner even though it was more expensive in Ireland than it would have been in Canada. However, after my eyes started breaking out like that, I stuck with a brand that I have had more experience with in terms of eye products. Although this eyeliner doesn't blow me away, it doesn't budge and is easy to apply. Most importantly, I am not allergic to it!

Provoke A Touch of Silver Twice a Week Brightening Shampoo: I had high hopes for this product, and to be honest I don't think it does much of anything! It's a nice shampoo, but I wouldn't repurchase it.

Botanics All Bright Hydrating Day Cream SPF 15: Looking at this day cream, it hits all the marks: natural ingredients, sun protection, brightening, hydrating, not tested on animals, under $5.00. Unfortunately, this cream turned out to be a little too light for me right now, so I'll revisit it when it's not as cold outside!

L'Oreal Skin Perfection Daily Moisturizer: This turned out to be one of my favourite finds, and I just picked it up at random! I don't think this is available in Canada, so I'll have to order some when I run out. This cream really does perfect your skin. It's targeted towards women in their 20's and 30's, to combat any irregularities in your skin. It makes your skin feel extremely soft, and diminishes your pores significantly.

Trevor Sorbie Colour Enhance Oil: I've only used this once so far, so I can't say for sure if it enhances my colour. However, this product does help moisturize your hair and smells really nice! It's enriched with avocado and argan oil as well.

Kadus Professional Coil Up Curl Cream: My boyfriend's sister actually gave me this, and I love it! It makes my waves incredibly soft and helps define them. Having used this on both wet and dry hair, I definitely prefer it on dry. An all around great product though!



Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick: Last but not least, my new favourite lipsticks! These are both perfect colours for me, in 02 Beige Touch and 03 Peche Cosy. These are half the price in Ireland than they are in Canada, as I purchased each of these for just over $13.00. These lipsticks are incredibly moisturizing, shiny, and are unique, beautiful colours. They are meant to protect your lips for up to 10 hours as well, which is perfect for the winter months. These will definitely be my go to lipsticks throughout the winter season. 



That's it! Hope you enjoyed! xx






Thursday, 19 December 2013

Mini Drugstore Haul: Skin Care and Lipstick


       Now that I've gotten my skin used to more expensive face wash, I've come to slightly dread the time where I'll need to buy one again! I have seen a big difference in my skin since I've invested a little bit more, so I'm not too willing to go back to the products I used to use. However, I decided to try a new face wash this time, and picked up a few other little things from Shoppers Drug Mart that I needed while I was there.


I decided to stop purchasing full face wipes, as they're not the greatest for your skin, so I chose these instead. These are the Quo Mini Eye Make-Up Remover Pads. I find that it works just fine if I take my eye makeup off with a remover pad or eye makeup remover lotion, and use a washcloth for the rest of my face before going in with my cleanser. Quo is a Canadian brand exclusive to Shopper's Drug Mart, and I generally like their products. These come with 30 in a pack for $5.00, so it wasn't a bad deal. Hopefully these don't sting my eyes, as I've been having quite a problem with that lately!


I didn't go with my usual Biotherm this time, and picked up the RoC Multi-Action Makeup Remover Milk instead. I have never tried this brand, and don't know much about it besides the fact that it originates in France. It has everything I'm looking for in a cleanser for the winter months. As much as I like Biotherm, it always made my skin feel tight afterwards, and I'd have to apply a heavy moisturizer. This 3 in 1 cleanser is meant to remove face and eye makeup, tones and refreshes your skin, and moisturizes your skin for 24 hours. I will likely do a review on this once I've tried it out a few times. It's for all skin types, which is fine for me right now. This cleanser was about $17.00, $2.00 less than my Biotherm one.


Possibly a little TMI coming your way, but I've been having some skin related issues lately. I really needed something that would cleanse as well as soothe and calm my skin. I was originally going to go for the Avene Thermal Spring Water, which I'd tried before and liked, but they didn't have any available in the smaller size. So, I picked up the 1.69 fl oz size of the Vichy Thermal Spa Water for about $7.50. People buy these products for all kinds of reasons, normally to spray on their face in the summer time. I decided to use this for other reasons, as the Vichy Thermal Spa Water has 15 rare minerals, is 100% natural and soothes and protects your skin. I used this when I got home, and right away experienced some relief. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is experiencing sore, irritated skin. 



Finally, I picked up Rimmel's Lasting Finish Lipstick in Airy Fairy. I actually wanted to try this colour, because it's the colour Anna Saccone Joly aka the Style Diet wears all the time, and it looks fantastic on her! This colour is so pretty when swatched, so I'm really looking forward to wearing it. It feels creamy and moisturizing, which I need right now, so let's hope it works out. I'm tired of searching for the perfect lipstick!

That's it for my little haul, hopefully some good reviews coming soon!

xx









Saturday, 14 December 2013

First Impression Review: The Tarte of Giving Collector's Set and Travel Bag


          I received the Tarte of Giving Collector's Set and Travel Bag by Tarte Cosmetics from my boyfriend as an early Christmas present, and I"m already in love with it! I had only ever tried the Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment by Tarte, so this was a fantastic way to try out some of their greatest products. 


This amazing bag folds out into a 3 compartment set, which works out perfectly as a travel bag (which I'll need really soon!) This first compartment contains:

0.23 oz Deluxe Pure Maracuja Oil
0.17 oz Deluxe Cheek Stain in Flush
0.16 Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara
0.08 oz Deluxe Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment
0.05 oz Deluxe Limited-Edition Amazonian 12-hour Clay Blush in Memorable


The second compartment is the one that I was originally most excited to try. When I had asked for this set for Christmas I couldn't believe the amazing price, especially given the fact that this palette was included. This is a beautiful palette, with the perfect amount of extremely wearable matte and shimmery shades. It contains:

20 x 0.7 oz Limited Edition Amazonian Clay Eye Shadows


Even though I'm generally not into silvery shades, this shimmery eye shadow (Staci's Charm Bracelet) caught my attention right away. Such a beautiful colour!


I was very interested to try the third compartment in this set, as I have never been much of a lip gloss fan, but had heard really great reviews on Tarte's lip products. This compartment contains:

8 x .059 oz Deluxe Marajuca Lipglosses


I wanted to try out as many products as I could for this first impression, (and also because I was just really excited to try all of them) so I started with skin care.

I first applied a few drops of the Deluxe Pure Maracuja Oil all over freshly cleansed skin, which absorbed completely after a few minutes. I then applied the Deluxe Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment underneath my eyes. This cream is extremely thick and takes a little while to sink in.

After this, I just applied Smashbox's Photo Finish Foundation Primer before my foundation, which is L'Oreal's True Match Lumi Foundation in Porcelain/Pale Ivory. I then contoured my face with Bourjois Bronzing Powder in 51 peaux claires/medianes. 

After my skin was ready to go, I applied Tarte's Deluxe Limited Edition Amazonian 12-hour Clay Blush in Memorable to the apples of my cheeks. Right away, I was in love with this colour. It doesn't appear that this particular colour is for sale in their full size blushes, so I really hope they decide to make one! It's the perfect light pink colour with a hint of shimmer.

I decided to go for a different look for me on my eyes so I could try out more of the colours. I used:

Kim's porcelain doll (white matte)
Leigh's Locket (shimmery gold)
Erica's dollhouse (light shimmery bronze)
Maureen's soccer ball (dark brown)
Scott's skateboard (matte navy blue)
Staci's Charm Bracelet (shimmery silver)

I found the colour payoff to be a lot better on the darker colours, as a few of the lighter ones seem to have very little pigmentation, but overall the colours were all  beautiful.

I used the Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara, along with my Physician's Formula Eyebooster 2-in-1 Lashboosting Eyeliner + Serum in Ultra Black. I do like this mascara, although I did not like it as much as the mascara I'm currently using, which is the Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara in Jet Black

I then completed the look with a Deluxe Maracuja Lipgloss, labelled SB51 ro, which is the lightest pink. I am already obsessed with these lipglosses. They are sooooo moisturizing! Perfect for the winter months. Even the colours I wouldn't normally wear are amazing. They also smell like mint, and give your lips a nice tingling feeling. These seem to be limited edition as well, as I can't find any of these lipglosses in full size.

Overall, I am a huge fan of this set and am so thrilled I got it as a gift. It's currently sold out at Sephora, but you should still be able to find it on Amazon and/or Ebay. This set is worth over $200, but was sold for about $59 at Sephora, so it really is excellent value!


Thank you once again to my lovely boyfriend! :) xx






Monday, 9 December 2013

Review: Pantene Expert Collection Advanced Keratin Repair Line



         I have never been a big fan of Pantene Pro-V Products, mainly because I never really bothered to buy them. I haven't heard a lot of raves about any particular Pantene product. So when I received two samples with my order from beyondtherack.com of the Pantene Expert Collection, I didn't have high expectations. I do love trying new hair products, so I decided to give them a go. At the time, I received the sample size of the Advanced Keratin Repair Conditioner, and the sample size of the Advanced Keratin Repair Split End Fuser (pictured above). 

I did not look up anything about these products before trying them. My first impression while using both, was that I loved the consistency and the smell. Everything about it reminded me of a high end product. They are both relatively thick in formula and quite creamy. The conditioner was extremely easy to rinse out of my hair, and I felt it detangling as I ran my fingers through it. Once dry, my hair felt nourished and looked quite healthy! All a big thumbs up!

After looking up these products online, I learned that they are meant to do the following things: fight damage and provide shine, as well as fight split ends, frizz,  dullness and dryness. I would say that they definitely fulfill all of these categories. When I went to buy the full sized conditioner (pictured above) I was surprised at how much it cost. Pantene Pro-V is known for being a budget friendly brand, and these products were $9.99 for the conditioner and $12.99 for the Split End Fuser at Target, as well as $2.00 more each at Shopper's Drug Mart. The Pantene Expert Collection line is designed to basically step Pantene's level of hair care up a notch. They have two hair systems, the Age Defy line and the Advanced Keratin Repair line. The Advanced Keratin Repair line is perfect for my hair, as bleaching strips your hair of it's natural keratin. These products are also meant to repair up to two years of damage. 

Overall, I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who colours/bleaches their hair and/or uses heat styling, and needs to start repairing the damage. I've noticed more difference while using these products than I have with any other drug store product in a long time. The only thing I'm not a fan of, is that I don't recognize one ingredient on the bottle, so they definitely don't use any natural ingredients with these products. Seeing as I'm a big believer in using natural ingredients in any product, I do struggle with this a little. However, it does work, so I can't complain too much! Great job Pantene! 



March Favourites 2014! ♥

           Welcome to my March favourites 2014! As showcased in my YouTube video below, I had a decent amount of products to share with you...