Monthly Faves: July 2011

I am very excited to post my July monthly favorites! This is the first time I’ve done a video for an actual post topic. Moving forward, this will be the format that I use for all of my monthly favorite posts.

Let’s get rolling!



This month’s favorites include:

- Clinique Perfectly Real Makeup (purchased from Sears)
- Clinique Blended Face Powder (purchased from Sears)
- Benefit Benetint (not in picture above - whoops!) (purchased from Shoppers Drug Mart)
- MAC Mineralize Blush Duo in A Little Bit of Sunshine (purchased from MAC.ca)
- MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study (purchased from MAC.ca)
- Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original (new tube) (purchased from Sephora.ca)
- MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow in Mineral Mode (purchased from MAC.ca)
- 4 Grey MAC permanent collection eye shadows (Scene, Copperplate, Concrete, Coquette) (purchased from MAC store)

Here’s the video!



I have used the feedback from my last video to improve this one:

- Changed the filming location to somewhere with a solid-color background
- Spoke louder (I think it’s improved from last time, but let me know if it’s still hard to hear me - it may be my MacBook)

If you guys have any constructive feedback about how I can improve for next time, leave me a comment here and NOT on my YouTube channel (I have disabled comments on the video as I will not be monitoring my YouTube channel more than once a month).

I hope you enjoy my monthly favorites post! I am looking forward to putting up more reviews for you this coming week, as well as revealing my contest winner - who was contacted via e-mail earlier today!

What are your July favorites? Do you share any with me? Leave me a link in the comments so I can check yours out!

Monthly Faves: June

I have been away from my blog for a little while now. I don't have a good excuse, just the usual ones: work, being sick,...life...

Anyway, I'm back on the last day of June to share my June favorites with you!

NARS Eye Shadow Single in Nepal
This is such an easy color to wear. I've been lazy this month, so I usually whack on some of this eye shadow and some mascara, and that's the extent of my eye makeup. Nepal is a pretty pink with a bronze tone to it - great for summer! Purchased at Sephora.ca

Benefit Benetint
Again, I've been very lazy this month. I put this on under my foundation to create the look of a natural flush on my cheeks. I can't be bothered with powder or cream blush at the moment...just give me a stain and I am good to go! I put a few streaks of this on and blend it in with a stippling brush. I am super excited to get my hands on the new shades of Benetint - Posietint (yes, I know it's been out for awhile, I just haven't bought it yet) and Cha Cha Tint. Purchased at Shoppers Drug Mart

BioSilk Silk Therapy for Hair
When my hair was longer and really damaged, I was using this every night on my damp, post-shower hair. Now that my hair is still short, I find I'm still using it! This oil helps give my hair a healthy shine and keeps it more manageable. It feels softer, and less brittle (even though I don't use heat on my hair!). Purchased at Wal-Mart

Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Shampoo
I don't know what it is this month, but I have been obsessed with coconut! The scent, the flavour...I just can't get enough. This shampoo smells divine - good enough to eat! It lathers very well and leaves my hair completely clean (no residue) and my scalp nice and moisturized. Purchased at Wal-Mart and Pharma Plus

L'Oreal Paris Studio Mineral FX Control Cream
Now that I've got a shorter 'do, I have an actual need for styling products. I picked this up because it's cheap. I've been using it at least 2 or 3 times a week to give my short pixie cut some definition. It doesn't leave my hair crunchy - it's got just enough hold to control hair but without making it wind-proof :) Purchased at Pharma Plus

Clinique Perfectly Real Makeup in Shade #1
Now that I've used the last of my Clinique Almost Makeup, I've moved on to using their Perfectly Real Makeup instead. I have to say, I'm impressed! The foundation provides light coverage, which is perfect for the summer. The foundation has not reacted with my skin, and it doesn't oxidize or make me oily at all. The drawback is the size of the bottle/amount of product for the price. While $30 doesn't make it the most expensive foundation I've ever bought, it certainly makes it pricey to re-purchase. Purchased at Sears.ca

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat
I absolutely LOVE this top coat. I does a great job of instantly drying my nail polish after I've given myself a manicure or pedicure. Will I buy it again? Absolutely! Purchased at Pharma Plus

Cover Girl LashBlast Volume Mascara
Ok - so if you're a follower of my blog you know I'm a fan of Cover Girl's LashBlast Fusion mascara. I had tried this version first, and didn't like it, so tried Fusion instead and fell in love with this. I was in Wal-Mart earlier in the month and was going to pick up another tube of Fusion when I saw that the Volume formula is actually a dollar cheaper. So, I bought the Volume formula instead. Honestly, I don't notice a big difference in the two formulas. Until the price of Fusion is the same as Volume, I'll be buying the Volume formula because it's cheaper. Purchased at Wal-Mart

GOSH Velvet Touch Lipstick in #86 Kitch
My go-to lip color for the month has been this GOSH lipstick. I really didn't know what to expect from this color since I really did not like Darling...but Kitch is a whole other story! This shade is a pretty nude/berry color. It's a shade or two darker than my natural lip color, which is why I have been using it this month. It's not often that I completely finish a lipstick before it expires (goes bad), but I can see this lipstick being one that I do manage to finish! Purchased at Shoppers Drug Mart

Here's a swatch of some of the products I have mentioned above:



Left: GOSH Velvet Touch Lipstick in Kitch
Middle: NARS Eye Shadow Single in Nepal (for whatever reason, it looks very gold in this swatch!)
Right: Benefit Benetint

What are your June favorites? Do you share any with me?

I will be back bright an early tomorrow morning with my First Annual Blog Birthday Giveaway! All of the details about how to enter and what the prizes are will be posted tomorrow!

Top 5 Most Re-Purchased Items

5. Clinique 3-Step Skincare System
Soap (bar), Toner & Moisturizer - Number 2

I use this system every morning - sometimes just the toner and moisturizer, sometimes all 3 products. I shower in the evenings to save time in the morning when I'm getting ready for work, so I don't always need to re-wash my face when I wake up. I use to use the cream moisturizer, but recently switched to the gel. I find the gel helps reduce oil production on my face, and it isn't as heavy. For awhile, I had stopped using the system because it's expensive, but my skin loves it. I buy the bar soap (you get three in a package) because I feel I'm getting more bang for my buck (the liquid soap runs out very fast). The toner is the item I go through the fastest, followed by the moisturizer. I always have one of each of those on standby for when the bottle I'm using runs out.

4. Non-Acetone Nail Polish Remover

I love to paint my nails, but the damage that polish does can be harsh. Using a Non-Acetone (Acetone Free) remover helps reduce the chemical wear-and-tear on my nails, and the smell isn't as intense. I don't favor a particular brand...I just buy what's cheapest (usually generic drugstore or Wal-Mart brand).

3. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

This is my go-to everyday skin cleanser that I use in the shower. It's a very gentle (as the name states) cleanser, and it does a wonderful job of removing eye makeup (yes, I use this on my eyes!). It comes in a pump bottle or a squeeze bottle (the pump bottle is larger) and it usually between $12 and $18. Sometimes it goes on sale for $9.99, which is usually when I scoop up a bottle. I have never had a reaction to this cleanser; my sensitive skin (I also have periodic breakouts of eczema) loves it.

2. Cover Girl LashBlast Fusion Mascara

This is the Cover Girl mascara in the chubby purple tube, and I LOVE it. It's my favorite mascara. I use to buy it in black-brown, but have recently switched to black. It does a great job of defining my lashes without flaking away on me. I also love the price!

1. Rosebud Salve Lip Balm

This is a pink-tinted, rose-scented vaseline type product that can be used on lips as well as dry or irritated skin. I typically use it on my lips at night before I go to bed and while I put my makeup on to prime/moisturize my lips before I put on lipstick or gloss. I'm actually trying to get away from using it now, because I can only get it from Sephora (which is a pain in the butt for me, as I either have to travel or order it online and pay exchange on it).

What are your Top 5 most re-purchased products? Do you share any with me?

REVIEW: Clinique Brush-on Cream Liner

Product Brand and Name, Price (CDN), Where Purchased

Clinique Brush-on Cream Liner in Shade 03 Smoke Grey and 02 True Black, $16.00 CDN @ Sears

Reason for Purchase

I have tried Smashbox’s cream eye liner, as well as Maybelline’s - both disappointed me. I decided giving the Clinique product a try couldn’t hurt.

Notable Features

The cream liner comes with a small brush (I’ve thrown mine away in favor of a full-size liner brush).

Packaging

The liner is packaged in a small plastic pot with a silver twist-off lid, to keep an air-tight seal on the product.

The pot is about as big around as a quarter. It’s probably close to an inch deep.

Experience Using Product

This eye liner truly is creamy. It is very easy to load your brush with product and it applies very easily. What really surprised me was how quickly the liner dried once applied; you don’t get any of that crappy ‘double line’ on your lid when you blink.

The pigmentation of these liners is also amazing. The black shade is very deep and true-toned. The grey shade that I bought is kind of a taupe grey, which I don’t mind (if you’re looking for a true gray, this one ain’t gonna work for you).

Here is a swatch of both colors I own:


L: True Black, R: Smoke Grey (it looks really brown here, but that's just the lighting)

And here is what they both look like in the pot:

True Black

Smoke Grey

Another great thing about this liner is that it can be removed very easily - just soap and water will take it off!

Would I Re-Purchase, Recommend, or Reject

If you are looking for a really well pigmented, easy to use cream eye liner, you will love this product! I would definitely re-purchase this eye liner. I hope it is a big seller and they don’t discontinue it.

To learn more about this product, you can visit the Clinique website. It can be purchased from Sephora (if you’re in the USA) or from Sears (if you’re in Canada).

Monthly Faves: May

I love monthly favorites - both posting them and reading them!

I don't know what's been up with me over the last few months, but my monthly favorites in entries past have been small. This one is no different!

These are products that have seen a lot of use this month; some I have used over the whole month.



Clinique Almost Makeup in Shade 01 Fair
This foundation has been discontinued by Clinique. This is my last bottle of it. :( I figured I might as well use it up before it expires rather than hanging on to it for special occasions. I still have not landed on a good replacement for this foundation. Clinique Even Better Makeup was close, but not quite perfect! Purchased at Sears

NARS Bronzer in Laguna
I love all three of NARS's Bronzers (I have them all), and Laguna is my second favorite (Irresistiblement is first!). Spring has been quite dreary where I live, so the shimmer in this bronzer has served to brighten my face nicely. Purchased at Sephora.ca

NARS Concealer in Vanilla
I have been using this to brighten the skin under my eyes; I just put three small streaks on under each eye (vertical streaks) and then blend them out with a foundation brush. Purchased at Sephora.ca

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin
I have been using this as my eye shadow base all month. I love this primer - more than the original one! It's slightly more pigmented and shimmery than MAC's Bare Study Paint Pot. It came with my Naked Palette - so technically I bought it at Sephora.ca

Calvin Klein CKIN2U (100 mL)
I got a really really really good deal on this eau de toilette. I bought it for $20.00 on sale for Mother's Day. The scent has notes of citrus; it's a very fresh scent that I've been wearing a lot of. It's perfect for summer. Purchased at PharmaPlus

Essie Nail Polish in Shade 383 Innocent
I have found my 'perfect pink' nail polish. I am totally in love with this shade. In the bottle, the polish has a blueish-pink shimmer to it - which disappears on your nails. However, depending on what you are wearing, the shade can pick up other notes of color, switching between being more of a coral pink to a blue based pink. I love it! Purchased at Shoppers Drug Mart

Here is what the polish looks like on my nails (excuse the chipping - I've had it on all week and I need to take it off tonight!):



Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick in Shade 200 Latino
Yet another blue-based-pink shade of product (I seem to be using a lot of them lately!). I love this lipstick. I've worn it most of the month. It's not obnoxiously bright pink, and it's not super muted either. Just pink enough! Purchased at PharmaPlus

Here is a swatch of some of the other products I've talked about:



L: Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Shade 200 Latino
ML: NARS Concealer in Vanilla
MR: Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin
R: NARS Bronzer in Laguna

One of my other favorites that I can't seem to stop watching is a clip of Justin Timberlake's appearance on Saturday Night Live recently. It's a skit he did with Kristen Wiig and Lady Gaga, called 'Liquorville'. I love it!



I've also been picking up some items to include in my 1st Annual Blog Birthday Giveaway (full details to be announced July 1st!); I have picked up some NARS items, Essie, and an NYC item or two. The prize pack is going to be AWESOME! I'm totally stoked to get June over with and post the details of the giveaway!

I am planning a relatively quiet weekend. I have some homework to do, and a book I want to finish reading. I also have to get my butt into gear and do some more posts - I have lots I want to share with you all!

Enjoy your Friday night!

Combinations: Nude Peach Lip

I am not a fan of the traditional nude lip - mostly because I cannot pull the look off myself. This is the unfortunate side effect of being pasty pale.

Breaking away from tradition, I recently decided to try out a different type of nude lip - peach!

One of my favorite Wet-n-Wild lipsticks is from the Megalast line, in shade 903C Just Peachy. This shade is a completely matte light peach color with pink undertones - perfect for spring and summer.

However, the Megalast lip colors can be drying on your lips - so I decided to put a gloss on top of it. The shade I selected is from the Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss collection, in Shade 01 Apricot (I have a mini sample size). This gloss is a matte apricot/peach color, with no shimmer - just glossiness.

Combine the two products together and you get a milky-peach nude lip shade that will be flattering to most skin tones. I wore it this morning to go out to breakfast with my family.

Here are the swatches:


Here are the swatches with a flash. L: Just Peachy, C: Apricot, R: Blended


Here are the swatches in regular daylight. L: Just Peachy, C: Apricot, R: Blended

This is what it looks like applied to lips:



Isn't it pretty? I really love this combination; so much so that I am thinking of investing in a full-size tube of the Clinique gloss.

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

Tomorrow I'll be posting two more things - a haul from this Saturday, and another Combination!

What's in my Travel Makeup Bag?

I was trying to think of a new post that nobody really does, and this is the first thing that came to my mind. A lot of people post what they carry in their regular kit, professional kit, and purse - but nobody really does their travel kit. So, that's what todays post is about!

The kit (brush roll + bag):

My brush roll is miniature; my mom got it for me for Christmas from Sephora; it's by Bare Escentuals and comes with four mini brushes (powder, blush, eye shadow, liner):

I love that the brush roll is lined with pink fabric and that the tips of the brushes are pink - the bright color makes me happy!

My travel makeup bag is actually a Clinique 'gift with purchase' bag that I got the other day, which contained minis and sample products. I took most of those out (left in a mascara) and replaced it with the contents of my rather run-down and old makeup bag.

Here is what is in my travel makeup bag:


- NARS Blush/Bronzer Duo in Sin & Casino - Full Size
- NARS Essential Eye Palette 9952 (Unconditional Love, Night Star, Galapagos, Nepal, Ondine, Thunderball) - Full Size
- NARS Bronzer in Laguna - Mini (.08 oz/2.5 g, same size as their single eye shadows)
- NARS Makeup Primer with SPF 20 - Full Size
- NARS Multiple in Orgasm - Mini (.14 oz/4g)
- NARS Illuminator in Orgasm - Mini (.29 oz/8 mL)
- The Body Shop Blush Dot in #4 - Full Size
- Clinique High Impact Mascara in 01 Black - Mini (.14 oz/4g)
- Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer - Mini (.02 fl. oz/.5 mL)
- Cover Girl NatureLuxe Foundation with SPF 10 in 305 Alabaster - Full Size
- Clinique Super Balm Moisturizing Lip Gloss in 01 Apricot - Mini (.24 fl. oz/.7 mL)
- Bare Escentuals Buxom Lips in Zena - Mini (12 mL)
- An Eyebrow Razor - Full Size
- Maybelline New York Gloss in Shade 130 (.8 fl. oz./2.4 mL) - Full Size
- DKNY Be Delicious Eau de Toilette (.05 fl. oz/1.5 mL) - Sample
- Marc Jacobs Lola Eau de Toilette (.05 fl. oz/1.5 mL) - Sample
- Tocca Colette Eau de Toilette (.05 fl. oz/1.5 mL) - Sample
- Lip Smacker Natural Lip Balm in Vanilla - Full Size
- Pantene Pro-V Mirror Compact (free with a bottle of shampoo!)

Here is a better look at what the Sin/Casino Duo looks like, as well as the 9925 Palette.

Sin is one of my favorite blushes, and Casino is an amazing dark bronzer, perfect for the summer or as an eye shadow!

This picture makes it look like I haven't used any of the shades, but I swear I have!

These products are both full size, but I don't mind carrying them because they both contain more than one product, which gives me lots of options while taking up less space than brining the individual items contained in the palettes.

Almost everything I carry in my travel makeup bag and in my toiletry bag (not pictured) is a miniature version of a full size product, or is a sample size. I try not to pack too many full-size items with me when I travel. The great thing is that a lot of cosmetic companies are recognizing this and they're starting to produce miniatures/travel sizes of their most popular products.

What does your travel makeup bag look like - or do you even have one? Do you just reduce the items in your normal kit to the bare necessities and take that with you?

I hope you are all having a good week - thank goodness tomorrow is Friday!

Backorder Hell!

Not that long ago, I posted a blog entry about the Urban Decay Naked Palette, and how I’m waiting not-so patiently to buy it.

In that same vein, I thought I would let you know about some related frustration I’m having about some other products: Clinique Chubby Sticks, and CARGO PlantLove products.

CARGO is already a brand of makeup that I really like, so when I found out that Sears was selling their PlantLove line, I was happy. I love their eco-friendly packaging and commitment to delivering a natural makeup product. So, I put in order with Sears back in the middle of February and also blogged about it. I’m STILL WAITING to receive the products. They have been on backorder for quite some time, and the delivery keeps on getting pushed back. The last notice I received indicated that they would be in for pickup at my local Sears depot on Tuesday (April 19th) of this week. I’m not keeping my hopes up - but it would be wonderful if they were in!

Clinique is another brand that has a good record with me; my favorite foundation and concealer are made by Clinique and I also use their 3-Step Skin Care line of skin products. I bought one Chubby Stick as soon as I saw they were in for order at Sears - and apparently I ordered at just the right time! It came in quickly without any hassle. Impressed with the product, I decided I wanted a chance to try out all of the other shades available, so I ordered them and blogged that it would be an upcoming collection haul. I was able to put in my order for all of them but one - the red stick called Chunky Cherry. That was at the beginning of March. Again, I am still waiting to receive them! They were originally suppose to be in on the 9th; the new expected delivery date is also Tuesday (April 19th) of this week.

Since I was in a city with a Sears store and a Clinique counter on Friday, I decided to stop in to see if they had the Chunky Cherry Chubby Stick. Of course, it’s the only one of the line they were SOLD OUT of! I was annoyed but not all that surprised, ether. The girl at the counter told me they were expecting to get more in before the end of the month.

Lord, I hate waiting! I am one of the most impatient people I know. I’ll let you guys know if I finally get my products this week.

I have another insane week ahead of me - I’m teaching three times and dealing with a family crisis. I’m hoping to get more than one or two posts up, but it may be another slow post week for me.

Have a good week!

Monthly Faves: March

I use to be so good about getting my monthly favorites posted on time - now it seems like I am always posting it a few days late!

The good news is, this month's lineup of products is slightly larger than February's. I have a good mix of high-end and low-end products and I have used them all consistently throughout the month (with the exception of one, which I only got last weekend!).

Without much further rambling, I'll just get started.

CARGO BeachBlush in Tenerife - I have been using this particular product as a bronzer this month, whenever I think my skin looks too pasty. This product is matte and is made up of stripes of beige, taupe, peach and pink. I use a big fluffy powder brush to apply the product to my face. I also use this as blush on days where the only other makeup I've applied is foundation and mascara. Purchased online at the CARGO website.

NARS Multiple in South Beach - You may recall a post I wrote not too long ago where I wrote that I would be keeping three of my Multiples in my makeup bag in an effort to use them up. Well, as I had predicted in that post, South Beach is the one that sees the most use. It has no glitters in it (unlike Orgasm) and the color is very natural and soft. It's a lovely spring blush shade, which I have been sporting almost every day. When I want more punch to the color, I dust a bit of NARS Blush in Lustre over top to add a bit more peach to my cheeks. If, by any chance (although I highly doubt it), there is someone on the NARS creative team reading this, I have a message: Please create a South Beach blush. I would buy a ton of them - it's a perfect natural blush color. Purchased at Sephora.ca

Clinique Even Better Makeup with SPF 15 in Shade 01 Alabaster - This has been my go-to foundation since my Clinique Almost Makeup got discontinued. I love the formulation of this product. I have been very happy to see that, as long as I don't go overboard on moisturizer, this foundation stays matte on my skin and I don't have to blot more than once a day. So far, I have not noticed it evening out or correcting my skin, but maybe with more continuous use I will start to see that. I am very happy with this product, Clinique! To see my review about this foundation, click here. Purchased at Sears.ca

Annabelle Eyebrow Pencil in Shade 040 Medium Brown - While I like a defined brow, I do not like super intense, dark, eyebrows. This pencil is great at helping my brows look more dense while also not looking like I've colored them in! The trick I find is applying the pencil at an angle, with light strokes. I then use the brush attached to the pencil cap to blend the pencil in. I also bought another in the shade Auburn for when I have freshly dyed hair (I dye my hair a light browny-auburn color) and eyebrows. Purchased at PharmaPlus

NARS Smudge Proof Eye Shadow Base - I have had this tube for almost a year now, and it's probably because I switch back and forth between products that I use as eye shadow bases. If I were using this every day, I think I would have needed to re-purchase at least once by now. This is a stand-out product for me. I swear, nothing else I have tried so far has helped my eye makeup last all day like this product can! Purchased from Sephora.ca

Wet-n-Wild Eye Shadow Trios in Shade 381B Sweet as Candy and Shade 335 Silent Treatment - I love these Trios! They are similar, and both are great everyday 'neutral' shades. Sweet as Candy has a shimmery white as the browbone color, a dark shimmery taupe as the crease color, and a shimmery baby pink as the eyelid color. Silent Treatment has a peachy pink shimmery color as the browbone color, a dark espresso brown with dark brown shimmers as the crease color, and an intense shimmery taupe with purple undertones as the eyelid color. I did a review of the Silent Treatment Trio earlier in this past week, and Sweet as Candy is featured in two of the prize packs for my Seven Deadly Sins Makeup Contest. Purchased at Wal-Mart

What are your March favorites? Do you share any with me?

I am really looking forward to warmer weather coming and for more days with sunshine; I am pretty sure that is going to be reflected in my April favorites post! I am itching to go through my collection again and pick out some more colorful products to use.

My weekend is going to be full of me practicing to deliver my first corporate training course (I teach on the 12th!), studying for an upcoming exam for school (I am finishing a course on e-business this month!) and also writing up more blog posts. I am one of those bloggers who feels guilty if she doesn't post something new every couple of days, so I like to have some posts complete and on standby for weeks where things are going to be hectic and I know I can't write 'on the fly' like I am right now!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Don't forget to enter my Seven Deadly Sins Makeup Contest! The Contest closes at 8:00 p.m. on April 9th, so get your entries in soon!

REVIEW: Clinique Even Better Makeup

Sorry about the camera glare!

Product Brand and Name, Price (CDN), Where Purchased

Clinique Even Better Makeup with SPF 15 in Shade 01 Alabaster, $30.00 CDN @ Sears.ca

Reason for Purchase

Clinique discontinued my favorite foundation (Almost Makeup) and I needed a replacement that would work with my ‘blend’ of the Clinique 3-Step Skin-care system.

Notable Features

The foundation is medium coverage, and is formulated to even and correct skin. It promises to give your skin a luminous and natural finish. This makeup is meant for dry combination to combination/oil skin. If you use a 2 or 3 in the Clinique 3-Step Skin-care system (I am a 2) this foundation will probably work for you.

This foundation is dermatologist developed and allergy tested, and is also 100% fragrance free.

Here’s the promise made by Clinique on the box: Perfect today, brighter tomorrow. Makeup meets treatment with naturally luminous minerals to perfect and Vitamin C to restore a brighter tone over time. SPF helps guard against future damage. Apply prior to sun exposure.

Packaging

The foundation comes in a flesh-tone bottle with a silver twist-off cap. Once you take off the cap, you see that there is a nozzle where the product comes out. In order to dispense product, you squeeze the bottle. You do not need to squeeze very hard - the foundation has a very thin consistency so it comes out of the bottle very easily.

Experience Using Product

I have been using this foundation religiously since I bought it (about 3 full weeks now). I squeeze out an amount a little bigger than a pea onto the back of my hand, dot the foundation all over my face and then I blend it in with a foundation brush.

The shade I have matches very well with my skin tone. I like the amount of coverage that the foundation provides; it’s not so thick that I feel like I’m wearing a mask and it’s not so thin that I don’t feel like I’m wearing anything at all. This foundation is a ‘happy medium’ for me (no pun or irony intended).

When I haven’t let my moisturizer absorb into my skin fully, the foundation does get streaky. However, when I’m patient and let my moisturizer do its thing, the foundation works well overtop of it.

The foundation sets quickly and stays put! - even when my skin gets a little oily over the course of a day. The foundation also does not rub off very easily on collars and high-necked shirts/sweaters, which is lovely.

Would I Re-Purchase, Recommend, or Reject

I was not optimistic that I could find another Clinique foundation that I would like as much as Almost Makeup. I am pleased to say that the Even Better Makeup is working well for me and I like it a lot. It’s not my favorite yet - we’ll see how things go!

If you have skin that is like mine, then I recommend you give this foundation a shot. If you really aren’t sure you want to buy it, visit your Clinique counter and see if you can get a sample to try out.

When my bottle of Even Better Makeup runs I out, I will likely re-purchase it.

For more information about this foundation, visit the Clinique website here.

Have you entered my contest yet? Click here for details!

Clinique Chubby Stick - Upcoming Collection Haul

Photo from Sears.ca

I have a problem (she says with a big smile on her face).

When I really like a product, I tend to go a bit overboard with it. If it's a lipstick or blush or something, it usually means me buying the entire shade selection, or damn near close to the entire shade selection. The Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick is my case and point - I own all of the shades available.

My latest over-like of a product (I refuse to say obsession, lol!) is the Clinique Chubby Stick. In the review I posted last month, I indicated I had purchased the shade Woppin' Watermelon. I have used it a lot since then - it is always in my purse. I am still curious to see how long a stick will last; even though I have been using the one I have religiously, it looks like I haven't made a dent in it. I am still hopeful they will last a long time!

Since I am really liking the Chubby Stick I have and want to try other shades, I ordered the rest of the shades available on Monday of this week:

- Fuller Fig
- Richer Raisin
- Super Strawberry
- Whole Lotta Honey
- Mega Melon
- Graped Up

I wanted Chunky Cherry too, but it's not available for me to purchase until early April. So, I decided I could wait to get that one until I go into the city for Easter.

I should have my order in my greedy little hands by next Friday (the 25th). I'll post swatches then.

Have you entered my contest yet? Click here for details!

Monthly Faves: February

It's March! Before you know it, it will be St. Patrick's Day!

My list of favorites for February is pretty small. I find at this time of year, I usually use a few products religiously and that's all I wear until spring. January was pretty much a write-off for me since I was sick most of the month. February I did get to wear some of my makeup, but I've been wearing much less of it lately. I have to say, I'm happy with that!

With all of that being said, here's the rundown of my February Favorites:



Cover Girl LashBlast Fusion Mascara in Black Brown - This is my favorite mascara; it's been a staple item in my makeup bag for months. I find the black brown shade makes my lashes look more natural. I love how this mascara separates my lashes, and defines them.

CARGO BeachBlush in Sunset Beach - I have been using this product as both a blush and an eyeshadow. When I wear it as an eyeshadow, I either pick one strip of color and use it on my eyes or blend a few together to give my eyes a warm luminous glow. I really love this product and am tempted to order another in a different shade.

Clinique All About Eyes Concealer in Shade 03 Light Petal - This is my favorite under-eye concealer. The product does such a phenomenal job of covering dark circles, it's great! I blend it with another monthly favorite Benefit High Beam, to create an under-eye concealer that both hides dark circles and is also luminous to give me a healthy dewy glow and further conceal anything I'm trying to hide. I dot the blend on my under-eye area with a concealer brush and then blend it out with my ring-finger tip.

MAC Paint Pot in Painterly - I use this as an eye shadow base. It covers discoloration very well, and eyeshadow sticks to it perfectly. Soft Ochre is usually the Paint Pot people recommend for an eye shadow base - but it's a yellow tinted product. I have pink undertone to my skin, so it would do nothing good for me - Painterly it is!

What are your monthly favorites?

REVIEW: Clinique Chubby Stick in Woppin' Watermelon

Product Brand and Name, Price (CDN), Where Purchased

Clinique Chubby Stick in Shade 06 Woppin’ Watermelon, $19.00 CDN @Sears.ca

Reason for Purchase

Prior to purchase, I had seen these lip balms in numerous magazines. Each publication gave them a good review, so I wanted an opportunity to try them out for myself.

Notable Features

This product is a ‘moisturizing lip color balm’.

The balm is allergy tested and 100% fragrance free.

Packaging

The balm comes in the standard floral Clinique box, with the silver Clinique brand name stamped into it.

The lip balm is in crayon form - it looks like a chubby pencil crayon. Each balm stick is colored to match the shade of the product. More product dispenses from the pencil when you twist up the silver end of the stick.

Experience Using Product

I only have one shade of this product; I feel I would be able to give a better review if I had more than one shade. The shade I have is a matte light pink. Taking my skin tone into consideration, I found I got good pigmentation from this shade, and it is surprisingly glossy - adding a nice shine to your lips. The pink does show up on my lips; it gives me a nice wash of color without looking too dramatic or obvious.

Here is a swatch:



In some of the reviews I read, people have commented that when they took the cap off of their Chubby Stick, part of the product had smashed into the cap because someone had twisted up the end. I did not have this issue with my stick; but, I believe this is because I ordered my product through a ‘catalogue’ store (Sears Canada). I am sure if I would have bought it from a Clinique counter at Sears, I may have run into that issue.

Would I Re-Purchase, Recommend, or Reject

I would really like to try a few more shades. Specifically, the ones I am looking at are the Grape, Strawberry and Fig shades.

The downside of this product is that it’s expensive, and I don’t really think I got good bang for my buck. I was surprised at how short the Chubby Stick was; but we’ll see how long it lasts. Maybe I’m wrong and the thing will last me forever!
If you’re curious about these Chubby Sticks, I recommend you get to a Clinique counter and swatch them for yourself before you buy. At this point, I don’t necessarily recommend them to you; there are LOADS of tinted lip balms out there that are cheaper and more budget friendly. I know that I have said it in my reviews before, and I will say it again: if you’re up for paying $20.00 for this product, give it a go!

Temptalia did an excellent post about these sticks; you can go directly to that post by clicking here.

Want to buy one (or maybe a few?) of these from Sears? Click here.

HAUL: Random Haul

Yay! Time for another Haul post!

I picked up the lion’s share of these products over the last 4 days. I had two Sears orders arrive, went shopping in PharmaPlus, and got one (ONE!) item from Wal-Mart.

Here is a shot of the haul:



And here is the run-down of what I bought. There is quite a lot, so bear with me!

I will be reviewing everything I bought in due time. Some of the reviews will actually go up later this week.

I’ve decided to add a new feature to my Haul posts; I am going to state which store I bought each item from. This way, if you’re interested in picking up an item I’ve listed, you know where to go.

CARGO BeachBlush in Sunset Beach - This product was too pretty to pass up. It’s a product with a dual purpose; it is both a blusher and a bronzer. I think it could also be used as eyeshadow. I know this will see a lot of use! Purchased from Sears.ca

CARGO Bronzer in Light - CARGO is a brand that has quite a reputation for their bronzers. They have several formulations available and a variety of shades to choose from. I have never used a CARGO bronzer before, so I am really excited to give this one a try. It is always nice to use products produced by a Canadian company! Purchased from Sears.ca

Maybelline Fit Me! Pressed Powder - I am very intrigued by Maybelline’s entire Fit Me! line; so I bought all of the products available, minus the bronzer (since I bought the CARGO bronzer). This is going to be one of the first tinted powders that I have used, so I hope it works well and does not make my skin look chalky. Purchased from PharmaPlus

Maybelline Fit Me! Blush in Light Mauve - When I saw the display of the Fit Me! blushes that are available for Light skin tones, this was the one that I thought was the prettiest. Purchased from PharmaPlus

Clinique Chubby Stick - Its a crayon for your lips! Fun! I bought a nice bright shade, Woppin’ Watermelon. Purchased from Sears.ca

Cover Girl Lip Perfection Lipstick - This is the latest of Cover Girls new lipstick formulations. It is the one that both Drew Barrymore and Taylor Swift are spokeswomen for; additionally, they both wear the same shade in the adverts - shade 290 Burn, which is also what I picked up! Burn is a shimmery orange-based red. It will look great with bronzed skin this summer! Purchased from PharmaPlus

Sally Hansen Nail Effects Real Nail Polish Strips - I saw the print ad for this product in last month’s In Style magazine, and new right away that I wanted to try this out. I was very excited to see them when I was out shopping on Saturday. I picked up the design number 340 Girl Flower, that has lots of hippie flowers on it. I wanted the pink camouflage print or the white and black houndstooth, but they were out of those ones! Purchased from Wal-Mart

Maybelline Fit Me! Foundation - All hail drugstore foundation! There such a plethora of them to choose from, and now there is one more! I bought the Fit Me foundation shade 115 Ivory - the lightest shade available. I love to try out new drugstore foundations; it’s handy to have one or two in your supply. I am interested to see how my skin looks with this foundation on, and if there is any allergic reaction. Purchased from PharmaPlus

Clinique Even Better Makeup with SPF 15 - As you may recall, my favorite Clinique foundation has been discontinued. I decided to give a new formulation a try, and thought that the Even Better Makeup would be the best fit for my skin type. We’ll see how this goes! Purchased from Sears.ca

Clinique All About Eyes Concealer - I LOVE this under eye concealer. It works wonders to cover dark circles and hide blue veins. I use the tiniest amount of this product and mix it with Benefit High Beam to add some luminosity; I then apply it to my under eye area with a concealer brush and blend it out with my ring-finger. This is my second tube of All About Eyes. Purchased from Sears.ca

Maybelline Fit Me! Concealer - As you can see in the paragraph above this one, I love All About Eyes, so I don’t know if this Fit Me! Concealer will be able to live up to it. I’ll still give it an honest try, though. I bought this concealer in shade 15 Fair. Purchased from PharmaPlus

Rexall Foot Brush - I didn’t buy this so much for looking after my feet, but more for scrubbing my fingers and under my nails. The brush will work great at removing excess nail polish that I may get on my cuticles, and will certainly help me get paint out from underneath my nails. Purchased from PharmaPlus

Rexall Bath Eye Gel Mask - I bought this simply for the fact that I have always wanted one, but could never find one that was at a reasonable price point. This one was cheap, so I snapped it up! Purchased from PharmaPlus

Physicians Formula Powder Palette Mineral Glow Pearls - This powder is so pretty in the pan, and very pretty when applied! I bought the shade Translucent. When you apply this powder, you end up with a very nice light shimmer on your skin. I am looking forward to using it! Purchased from PharmaPlus

I also bought a few other items that I am setting aside as prizes for a contest I am working on. It will be my first contest, so I’m getting excited about it! I don’t expect to be ready for another couple of weeks yet, so hold tight for more details!

Gone For Good: Clinique Almost Makeup with SPF 15

Nothing can be more disappointing than when a company discontinues a product you love.

My case and point: Clinique deciding to discontinue their Almost Makeup with SPF 15 foundation.

Last summer I went to the Clinique counter and got color matched for one of their foundations. At the time, I was using their 3-Step skin-care system and wanted a foundation that would cooperate with it and not compete with it (lookin at you, NARS Sheer Glow). They gave me Almost Makeup - and I was hooked. I bought a tube on the spot and within a couple of months, I was on to my second tube.

Unfortunately for me, the tube I currently have is nearing the end of its life and I cannot re-purchase. So, last night I spent some time hunting for a new Clinique foundation to try out in place of the Almost Makeup. I was cleaning out my bathroom cabinet and came across some Clinique 3-step products that I want to use up, so I want to find a new Clinique foundation to replace the Almost Makeup. I will let you know how I fare out with this quest.

In the meantime, I bid farewell and Rest In Peace to Clinique Almost Makeup - I hardly new ye, and it was to early in our relationship for you to die.

SPECIAL NOTE: From what I can tell, it looks like Clinique is discontinuing a large amount of its foundation; if you use a different Clinique foundation, you may want to check and see if it's one of the items being discontinued.

HAUL: Drugstore & Sears

I haven't done a haul post since my Boxing day purchases. So, I thought it was about time for me to do one! It's not a big haul, and it's actually not an expensive one either. Most of the things that I bought came from the drugstore - one came from Sears. I find it strange ordering makeup from Sears - which is weird, because I have bought makeup from the Clinique counter at Sears before. It's a bit weird they don't feature makeup in their catalogues, but they do feature perfume...I don't get it.

Anyway! Moving on!

Heres a photo of the haul:



And here is the run-down of what I bought:

L'Oreal Paris Studio Secrets Professional Magic Perfecting Base - I am running out of my favorite primer, produced by NARS. I am still dead-set on sticking to my resolution to order nothing from Sephora in 2011, so I have to find a drugstore alternative to that primer until I can get to Ottawa and hit a NARS counter at Holt Renfrew or The Bay. I have not read any reviews on this product, and I don't want to so that my opinion of it is completely un-tainted when I give it a try. This primer is available at my local drugstore, so the convenience of being able to buy it where I live will be really great if I end up liking it.

New York Color (NYC) Blushable Creme Stick in Shade 644U Plaza Pink - A good cream blush is hard to find. I have my doubts about this one, but I am going to give it a try! The blush kind of looks like a skinnier version of a NARS Multiple (of which I have 5...so that really puts the logic behind this purchase into question!). The shade is very pretty - I'm attracted to the Barbie pink.

Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Shade 06 Woppin Watermelon - This is the one product in my haul that I have read reviews on, and I've seen featured in many a fashion magazine. I'm eager to give the product a whirl. I like the portability factor. I ordered this from Sears - so if I like it I can see myself getting a few more in different colors!

New York Color (NYC) Ultra Moist Lip Wear Lipstick in Shade 305B Ruby - I am not a huge fan of matte red lipsticks. About the only one that I do like is Ruby Woo by MAC. I already have large, full lips and I find matte lipsticks tend to make them look massive. A little shimmer and gloss helps me to minimize them. This is a lovely blue based red with shimmer. I've worn it a few times on its own and with gloss (the one below!) over top. I really like it!

New York Color (NYC) Extreme Lip Glider Lip Gloss in Shade 526U Chinatown Cherry - This gloss I bought specifically to layer on top of the lipstick above. I am really enjoying the fact the gloss is long and skinny - it makes it easier to find in a handbag, and it also fits neatly into my pen container at work! Again, this gloss is a bright true red and shimmery.

I'm pretty happy with all of my purchases, and I promise I will post reviews as I start to use everything.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Monthly Faves: September

It's that time of the month - it's favorites time!



This month, the list is small. Tiny, in fact.

Here's the run-down:

Mariah Carey's Lollipop Bling in Ribbon - I bought the tiny 1 fluid ounce (30 ml) bottle. This is one of the three perfumes Mariah has released recently, which are all suppose to smell like Mariah's favorite candy treats. My pick of the litter is 'Ribbon', which is meant to smell like a blue ring pop - and it does! The scent is sweet and sugary, but not too overpoweringly sweet. In fact, I usually do 5 to 6 spritzes on my neck to make the scent last all day. If I wear this perfume every day, the bottle will be gone by the end of November.

Dove Ultimate GoFresh Anti-Perspirant in Revive - I do like this product, but I hate the name. I know that the whole GoFresh line is suppose to be linked to aromatherapy - in that certain smells are suppose to trigger good moods and positive feelings. But, I don't like having to squint to read the 5 point font to figure out that 'Revive' is actually scented like Pomegranate and Lemon Verbena. The anti-perspirant has a light, floral-fruit scent, and it doesn't overpower any other perfume or scent that I wear - even when I sweat.

Clinique Almost Makeup with SPF 15 in Shade 01 Fair - This is my favorite foundation. It gives light coverage and makes my skin look immaculate. End of story.

Clinique Blended Face Powder in Invisible Blend - I use this to set my foundation. I have never had any problems - no itchiness, and it doesn't cake on my face. If you order it from Sears, it comes with a useless powder brush. This is what I consider to be my 'old faithful' of powders.

NARS Blush in Nico - This is one of those blushes that lives in the 'Blush' section of the NARS website and Sephora, but it is actually more of a highlighter. It is nowhere near as shimmery as Albatross, but does have some shimmery glitter bits (finely milled, not chunks!). I use it as a blush when I want to put on makeup but don't want to look like I am wearing any. I also use it as an under-eye powder to help minimize the appearance of dark circles.

NARS Eyeshadow Duo in All About Eve - I wear this duo every day. The shades are very light, pink-beige colors. I use one as an all over lid color, and the other as a brow bone-inner corner highlight. Love it!

NARS Multiple in South Beach - One of my favorite Multiples. This shade is a very light taupe with an apricot/peach undertone. This is not a matte Multiple - it has shimmers. I use it mostly as a cream blush, but also use it as an eyeshadow primer sometimes.

Want more information about the NARS products I've mentioned? Check out the website here.

Want more information about the Clinique products I've mentioned here? Check out the website here.

Want more information about Mariah Carey's Lollipop Bling line of perfumes? Check out the website here.