November 2016 Empties

It's the 21st of December, but it's never too late to do an Empties post right? Let's get into it.

Lots of the usual suspects...

Another tube of Estee Lauder Double Wear Light foundation has bit the dust. My shade is 2.0.

I have finished yet another bottle of the Klorane Floral Water Makeup Remover. I have already repurchased two more bottles...I just realized I have been using this product for 5 years straight. Crazy!

My bottle of Beautyblender Liquid Blender Cleanser is finally finished. I had some mixed feelings about this product and I have linked to my thoughts on it in aforementioned product name. Think I will stick with the solid and have bought just that already.

I have been trying to get rid of this hand soap for years and I finally did. That being the Bath & Body Works Sea Island Cotton Moisturizing Hand Soap. I moved it around my two guest bathrooms and it took forever. Partially because I don't have a lot of guests spend the night and also because I am foolish enough to offer my guests more than one hand soap option in my guest bathrooms. I liked the smell of the Sea Island Cotton at first but the smell got old on me after awhile.

Another First Aid Beauty FAB Pure Skin Face Cleanser is done. I am not crazy about this product but one of my good friends loves this. I got this tube in a set and I felt compelled to use it and get rid of it. Will not be repurchasing.

Ok on to the sample tube of Origins By All Greens Mask Cleanser or whatever this is. Will not repurchase. Link to review in the product name in last sentence.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair - another one gone. I fear my stash of these little gems is coming to a end. I might actually have to dig into my pocket and buy a full sized bottle. Shiver me timbers! It would be worth it though.

I finished a trial sized Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper. Good stuff. I have a couple more of these lying around but this one is now bone dry. I can't believe it but I have never done a review on this! Sheesh. Ok must do in the new year.

Last, but not least, I finished a tube of a MAC Cremesheen Glass in Double Dare. This was a Coral Red. I really like the formula of these Cremesheens. I will be buying more but perhaps in another shade even though I liked this shade well enough but I wasn't in love with it.

So there it is, my November 2016 empties! Tarte palette review is up next.

Bobbi Brown Everything Eyes Palette - Review and Swatches

I have had this palette sitting on my vanity for months in anticipation of doing a review on it. I am so behind but I am finally getting to it now. This palette was a nightmare to get ahold of. None of the Bobbi Brown counters in the Toronto area seemed to have them. Sephora didn't have them. The only place I could get it was on Nordstrom's website. I agonized for months over whether or not to take the plunge and order it. It cost me a fortune with shipping, duty, currency exchange etc. not to mention the jacked up ridiculous price that Bobbi Brown charges for their palettes in the first place. I don't remember exactly what I paid for it in the final analysis and I think I prefer not to remember. The total burn came when I saw it for sale at the Estee Lauder/MAC show back in September. It was around $40 or $50 even at the sale! Still that was a hell of a lot less than I paid for it. I can tell you that as of this blog post Nordstrom still has it in stock and it is 25% off as I type. It's still an outrageous price in Canadian dollars 25% off and all.

Ok, moving on from the price point. You get 9 eyeshadows for 0.33oz. or 9.6g total palette weight. Not bad. The palette has some cool old school silver hinges on the back of it. Four brushes and a beginners guide to eyeshadow application is included. I haven't tried any of the brushes but I am sure they are fine.  

I have to have a mini rant now. This is a rant I meant to have months ago and it's been a long time in coming. I'm just going to say it and put it out there. Bobbi Brown and tarte make terrible light coloured eyeshadows. Their pigmentation, brightening effect, application and longevity suck. Every single palette I have ever had from either company, and I own quite a few, the light colours have blown. That's my rant.

The good news is that Bobbi Brown makes great dark matte eyeshadows. That's the consolation.

I have to say that the swatches below of the lighter shades look fantastic except the middle one - Halo. They do not look that great on the eyelid I assure you. From left to right we have Ivory, Bone, Halo, Hot Stone and Birch. I like Hot Stone and Birch but Bobbi Brown can keep the other three as far as I am concerned.

Below we have Buff (really pretty), Royal Navy, Smokey Brown and Rich plum. All four are solid eyeshadows. Great pigmentation, easy application and lasting colour.

I am glad I have this palette? Yes. Do I wish I would have paid a lot less for it? Yes. None of these colours are super unique but put together they make for a nice palette.

Packaging: 10/10   

Pigmentation: Light Shades 3/10  Medium Darker Shades: 9/10
Easy to Work With: 6/10 (average of all shades)
Longevity: 6/10 (average again - they stay on as they go on with no change)
Colour Stays True: 10/10
Texture: 7/10
Price: 4/10
Ingredients: 8/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 6/10 some great some not so great
Would I buy this again? Sigh yes but only at the sale price!
Overall Rating: 6/10 (price sucks and the lighter colours are just bad - dark colours are awesome though!)

Zoya Nail Polish Lacquer in Storm - Review and Swatch

I had heard how pretty Storm was for some time. So I picked up a mini bottle of it a couple of months ago. I finally put it on the other day and it is super nice. My nails haven't chipped yet and we are going into Day 3. For me, that is impressive. Everything chips on my finger nails. Zoya describes Storm as full coverage, holiday black with a high concentration of micro fine diamond holographic glitter. Storm is elegant, powerful and versatile their website says. I would concur. For some reason this shade just screams Christmas and New Years. Not sure why as I don't normally consider black nail polish particularly Christmasy. I plan on reapplying Storm again once this chips off. I'm really taken with it. Somehow it goes with everything. Here is what it looks like on my nails. Not the best manicure I know, but I was in a rush the other day. I am wearing two coats and a clear top coat. You can not get away with one coat of this stuff it's too sheer but two coats is perfect.

I own only a couple of Zoya polishes, but this is the first time I have actually worn one of them. Sad I know. I will definitely be buying more. I like that they are 5 free as well.

I finally had my exam this past week for a professional work related course so now I can relax and get back to blogging. I have my November empties and a palette review both going up over this weekend so stay tuned!

Origins By All Greens Foaming Deep Cleansing Mask - Review

I am not sure what this product is and I am not sure Origins knows what it is either. I have copied the description of this product straight from Sephora's website:

This two-in-one mask and cleanser detoxifies to draw out dirt, debris, pollutants, and makeup from skin and pores. Inspired by detox juicing cleanses, the foaming formula features green superfoods—including green tea, spirulina, and spinach—and gently cleanses without stripping or drying skin.

I got a good sized sample of this from Sephora. My sample was 0.9 oz. or 26g or 25ml. The regular can is 2.6 oz. The price is $45 Canadian or $36 U.S. Not chump change.

When you put it on, you can only sweep it on quick. If you rub too much or you are slow about it, it won't foam, it just becomes gummy goo. So once you have swept it onto your face, you wait for the magic to happen - its supposed to turn into a foaming lather. I am still waiting for the magic to happen and I have finished the bottle. Yes, it does foam up, but it's barely noticeable on me and it's very anticlimactic. A real bore actually. Once you give it a few minutes to do it's thing, you circulate the suds and wash it off. I found it slow to wash off and my skin didn't feel a thing. No tingle no nothing. My skin felt dirty still.

Did it strip my face? No. If you have dry skin maybe you would like this. It wasn't for me. I didn't feel like my face was clean and I really felt like it did nada for me. No glowing skin appeared and it seemed to ignore my blemishes. Not sure what else I can say. This must work for someone, but I didn't feel the love and didn't get the concept.

Oh and the smell. Like minty spirulina. Not my jam, but maybe it might be yours?

Packaging: 5/10 (my sample was kind of crappily made and the nozzle was terrible)

Texture: 1/10 (slime) 

Price: 3/10

Ingredients: 7/10

Easy to Work With: 1/10  

Travel Worthy: 5/10 (contents may explode) 

Deep Cleans: 0/10 (not for me)

Moisturizing: 6/10

Comfortable/Softening: 8/10

Blemish Fighting: 0/10

Smell: 2/10

Would I buy this again? Glad I didn't in the first place - No!  

Overall Rating: 3/10 

Estee Lauder New Dimension Shape + Sculpt Eye Kit - Review and Swatches

I had this little palette on my radar for quite some time. TiffanyD of YouTube fame raved about how much she liked this and I was intrigued. Now I love me some Estee Lauder. You can call it a mature woman's brand if you want, but they have a lot of solid products. This is not one of them.

Why didn't I rush to buy it? Price point. It's $44 Canadian or $40 U.S. I think that is a lot of money for a 3 "eyeshadow" palette from Estee Lauder. I ended up finding mine at the quarterly Estee Lauder warehouse sale for $15 Canadian. Much more reasonable. Haha. The primer, the first shadow, if you can call it that, is 0.03 oz. or 0.9g. The consistency is pretty much a greasy wax. It's a slip and slide on your eyelid and I can't get any shadow to stick to it. I have even tried a regular primer under it and same thing, slip and slide and won't stay put. It's useless I am afraid.

The second shade, Highlighter is 0.035 oz. or 1g. This too is waxy and a slip and slide on my eyelid. It won't stay put on it's own nor on top of the primer nor on top of a regular primer. It does stay put more than the primer in this set in general but it goops up and doesn't spread evenly. It is not even an attractive shade when laid down. I've tried it in the inner corner and on the brow bone you name it. You can barely see it and what you can see looks sloppy and clumpy. Dreadful. I have oily lids. Maybe this works on drier lids??? 

Finally, the "Powder" is 0.035 oz. or 1g. I use this as a crease colour. I've got to say that the first couple of times I used this, the colour barely showed up. The pigmentation is not good. I had to really work to get it to even show up a little bit. I have since used it a few more times and it is showing up more. Maybe there was a slight eyeshadow film on top that you had to break through? It's better and usable now, but it still isn't great.

On the far left is the primer which you probably can't really see. To right of it is the highlight shade. Looks nice enough but doesn't translate as such on the eye area. Finally we have the powder eyeshadow. It swatches much better on my arm than it applies to the eyelid or crease.

To sum it up, save your money and don't buy this. You really get almost nothing for a steep price. I truly don't get what Estee Lauder was thinking when they created this palette. The idea was good but the execution of it is beyond awful. The packaging is nice, small and sleek. It would be perfect for travel if it were any good. The dual end brush is useless.

Packaging: 9/10  it's cute

Pigmentation: 4/10 powder shadow only
Easy to Work With: 0/10
Longevity: 0/10 primer and highlight and 7/10 powder
Colour Stays True: 10/10 powder
Texture: 0/10 primer and highlight 5/10 powder
Price: 0/10 (for what you get)
Ingredients: 8/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 2/10 average of the 3 products
Would I buy this again? No Way in Hell
Overall Rating: 2/10

Shiseido Facial Cotton - Review

Jaclyn Hill was talking about these cotton "pads" a little while ago and I was intrigued. At $11 Canadian or $9.50 U.S. these cotton squares are not cheap. I understand some people are taken aback by the price but for some reason I didn't think it was that outrageous, considering I have seen a pack one third of the size of some no name brand in the drug store for more than half of the price of this. There are 165 sheets or cotton squares in this pack.

I have been buying a big pack of cotton pads from Costco because the price was right. However, I am finding them to be a bit scratchy and that was starting to tick me off. So I thought what the hell I'll treat myself and tried these. Um there is no comparison. These are by far the best cotton pads I have ever used. I now get the hype. They are so soft it's ridiculous. Nothing compares. The size of the square is quite generous and I find one is all I need for eye makeup removal. I also use these when I use toner. I haven't tried them for nail polish removal yet, but that is next on the list. I will report back on that!

I tend to use more than one cotton pad for eye makeup removal sometimes but with these one is plenty. I think it is a combination of this pad being so large and the fact that any product you put on it disperses nicely throughout the pad and is not absorbed by the pad like many cotton pads do. You can use every piece of this cotton square. Somehow this pad gets into every nook and cranny in your eye area and gets every trace of makeup off. Some other pads you end up avoiding the edges because they are scratchy or just not soft on your face. Not an issue here.

I bought my first package of these a number of months ago. While I am still trying to use up those nasty Costco cotton pads, I have been using the Shiseido ones primarily and I still have half the package!!! It's like the package that won't end. This, of course, is a good thing. I fill up my cotton pad container in the bathroom with these and it's full in no time and the bag still has lots left. Anyway, needless to say, I will be repurchasing again and again. You've got to try these!

October 2016 Empties

It's already November 17th! Where does the time go? Here are my October 2016 Empties. Better late than never. Not too exciting last month but a few big bottles are dunzo.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light in 2.0 -  Another one bites the dust. It's my fave and I keep going back to it. Nothing compares. Already repurchased 2 tubes.

L'Occitane Dry Skin Foot Cream - This stuff is fantastic. Went through another travel sized tube (how many of these do I have!) and I have repurchased the full regular sized version. (review here)

A La Maison de Provence Honeysuckle Liquid Soap - I had the Sweet Almond version of this and liked that smell much better. I've decided I am not crazy about anything Honeysuckle scented. Still a great hand soap if you can find it at Marshalls, TJ Maxx or Winners.


Wen Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner - Another one bites the dust. I've mentioned before I have a cupboard full of this stuff. I was on Wen's mailing list but finally cancelled it. I have a lifetime supply at this point and I get so bored with shampoo and conditioner that it doesn't make sense to continue this madness. I have so many other shampoo and conditioner products on the go that it's time to clean out the cupboard before I bring more stuff in. (review here)

Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara Already repurchased again times 3....enough said. (review here)


Estee Lauder Little Black Primer I got this travel sized sample from an Estee Lauder counter a little while ago. I did find that it added length, volume and curl to my lashes. I will definitely repurchase but just haven't yet. I will do a full review of this product when I buy the full sized version and work with it some more.


Colleen Rothschild Balancing Gel Cleanser I am not sure that this product was for me. I didn't feel that it got deep down and cleaned my pores. I used it all as you can see but I don't see myself repurchasing it. (review here)


Murad Time Release Acne Cleanser I quite like this product. I have a travel sized version and I have already repurchased the full sized version. (review here)


Estee Lauder Advanced Time Zone Cream I got this in a gift with purchase set. It's not bad. I can't say that I would rush to repurchase it, but I would gladly use it again. (review here)


Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream So I am out of this and am not very happy about it. My skin is not digging some of the other moisturizers that I am trying to use up. Will need to repurchase stat. Love this stuff to the moon and back. (review here)


I am planning to have a post up tomorrow and Saturday. The palettes are piling up.



Beautyblender Liquid Blendercleanser - Review

I have owned a couple of the blendercleanser solids to date and loved them so I thought I would try the liquid version. The bottle version has a pump action lid which normally I love but it just doesn't work for the purpose of cleaning brushes or the beautyblender in my opinion. It just becomes a big old mess that bleeds into the product that is in the bottle! Do I think the liquid version works well? Yes, but frankly I prefer the solid as it's less messy and more travel friendly. I am still debating whether the liquid is better value for your buck. The liquid does go a long way at $28 U.S. for 5 oz. or $42 U.S. for 10 oz. but you can also get a lot of use out of the solid. Also I'm convinced that the solid works better on the actual beautyblender and uses less product than the liquid to clean it. I swear I must have to reapply the liquid to the beautyblender at least 7 times to get it reasonably clean.

I plan on using every drop of this and I only have about 1/3 of the bottle left. My bottle is so gross I don't dare show you. That's how messy this product is to use unless you are pouring it into another container to clean your brushes. I have already repurchased the solid version. Both smell nice but there is something about the smell of the solid that I just prefer. Here is the link to my review on the blendercleanser solid.

MAC Nutcracker Sweet Holiday Collection Sweet Copper Face Compact - Heads Up!

Quick post tonight. I must be living under a rock because I just found out this past weekend that the MAC Nutcracker Sweet Holiday Collection 2016 is out and came out almost  a couple of weeks ago. I must say that I haven't been impressed for at least a couple of years now with MAC's limited edition sets. One, because I'm sick of chasing around online and all over town trying to snap up limited edition products that are sold out the same day they launch. Two, the releases have been just plain boring in my opinion. Nothing has really caught my eye for ages. In comes the MAC Nutcracker Sweet Holiday Collection 2016 and my eye was caught! The colours and packaging are gorgeous!


MAC did a stand out job with the packaging. I poked around and did my online research and at the end of the day what I really wanted was the Sweet Copper Face Compact that includes the cult favourite Whisper of Gilt Extra Dimension Skinfinish (it eluded me the last time it was released) and Pleasure Model Extra Dimension Blush. This face compact is sold out on MAC's website and in most stores. I got lucky today and found one at The Bay in downtown Toronto. They had a few left! The MAC rep told me that they accidentally got a double shipment of these but hardly any of the Peach Face Compact. So if any of you out there want this and you live or work near the Toronto Eaton Centre...run do not walk to The Bay!


If you live anywhere else, run do not walk to your local MAC store and pray they still have some left.


Isn't that pattern on the product gorgeous!!! The blush looks super dark to me but I am hoping I can get away with using just a little and it won't look too crazy. It's darker than most of my bronzers!

There is a really nice huge mirror inside. The outside of this compact is plastic and feels kind of weird. Pretty though. Some of the gift bags that come with the makeup sets in this collection are so nice! I was tempted, but I resisted. I need another makeup bag like I need a hole in the head!

Please let me know if you pick anything up from this collection!

Color Club Nail Lacquer in Cloud Nine - First Impression and Swatch

Hi Guys! I've been sick with a cold for the past week and half but I'm back. I went on a little road trip for a few days to New York State and got sick on Day 2 as did my husband. Boo! I did manage to pick up a few makeup goodies before I got sick so I will have that stuff coming up soon. I have so many blog posts lined up but I thought I would toss this one up while my nails were still done!

So several months back Amanda Ensing the YouTube vlogger was wearing this colour nail polish in one of her videos and my mind was blown. Had to have it. She said it looked like "unicorn tears" and that it does my friends. This is Cloud Nine by Color Club. Under certain lights this shade shimmers and glistens like nothing I have ever seen before. The picture above does not do it justice. It's liquid silver pink glitter on crack. The polish is silky smooth though so there are no "bits" to really see or feel. There is a pink and purple undertone to it. It is wild. Strangely enough I think this colour would go with most outfits.

I only used one coat and it was opague. Pretty much never seen that before. It glided on so easily and flawlessly...it wasn't funny. I'm not a surgeon and I don't have the steadiest hand but this was a no brainer to apply. Cloud Nine is described as a purple holographic. It's $12 Canadian at nailpolishcanada.com and that is where I bought it from. I have ordered from nailpolishcanada.com a few times and I am always happy with their service as a side note.

This was my first Color Club purchase but I have to say that it won't be my last! Very impressive thus far. I will update this blog in a few days time when I can provide some feedback on how long the colour wore for before it chipped. I normally chip after 1 day and it's been a full day and so far no chips so we will see how it goes. 

COLAB Dry Shampoo Rio Tropical Volume Extreme - Review

Do you ever have find there is a product out there that you don't fully get. For some, it's foundation primers, lip liners, face masks etc. For me, it's dry shampoo. My hair tends to be dry so I don't easily get oily looking hair. Before I get into the nitty gritty, I would like to say that this product is wonderful overall, and if you love dry shampoo, unlike me, you may very well think this stuff is the bomb.

The packaging is good. It's eye catching and the can is sturdy. The nozzle is mega powerful. I think I am going to spray myself out of the bathroom sometimes when I use this. I have the scent Rio Tropical. There are other scents and I plan on trying them. This is a nice, fresh scent though. The product is made in the U.K. and it was not easy to get here in Canada for the longest time. I bought mine at Winners/Marshalls but I recently saw some for sale at Rexall. I paid $7.99 for my 200ml or 118g can which is good value for the money.

Does this dry shampoo give you crazy volume? Uh yeah. This stuff is off the chain. Does it get rid of any oily looking roots? Yes. Does it refreshen your hair and make it smell nice? Yes again. I would expect that is what most people want from a dry shampoo so check, check, check.

I find too much comes out of the nozzle, but it's not unmanageable. This stuff is white! If you are not careful, you are going to leave your house looking like your great granny. I highly recommend taking your blow dryer to your hair after your spray it on, even for a few seconds, to help get rid of the white colour and to distribute it better in your hair.

If you wanted to do some crazy high volume updo, look no further than this product. I have tried a few other dry shampoos before and I like this one the best.

Overall though, I'm just not a dry shampoo fanatic. I find they make your hair feel stiff and not super manageable after you have initially styled it. At least this one doesn't make your hair look clumpy or sticky.

That being said, dry shampoo, especially this one by COLAB, is great to have on hand when you are in a rush and really need to shampoo your hair but just don't have time.  

I think it's a bit difficult to rate this type of product, so I won't do a detailed rating, but this is the one to buy if you are a dry shampoo lover.

July, August and September 2016 Empties

It's time to recycle my empties and get them out of here. Three months of them. Enough is enough. Let's get into it.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light in 2.0 -  Another one bites the dust. It's my fave and I keep going back to it. Nothing compares. Already repurchased a bottle.

L'Occitane Dry Skin Foot Cream - This stuff is fantastic. Went through another travel sized tube and I have repurchased the full regular sized version. (review here)


Origins Eye Doctor - Gone through a million of these. Still looking for something a bit better that addresses the dark circle issue more but otherwise this is the best I have found. (review here)

A La Maison de Provence Sweet Almond Liquid Soap - I really liked this hand wash so I am going to mention it here. Great ingredients. Bought it at Marshalls.

Deep Steep Strawberry Hand Wash - This was also quite good. Also bought at Marshalls.

First Aid Beauty (FAB) Facial Radiance Pads - I meant to do a review on these but I haven't gotten around to it. They weren't bad. I felt they made a difference. They are supposed to exfoliate, tone and brighten. I would say they did some of each of those things. I can't say that they made such a huge difference that I had to rush out and buy more, but I would consider buying them again.

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask - Hands down my favourite nonlipstick lip product ever....I am not sure if this was maybe my fifth tube? Bite Beauty has improved the packaging big time so it doesn't flake and shred all over the place anymore. Already repurchased. (review here)


Beautyblender - This was my second beauty blender. It's lost it's bounce and it feels kind of gross on the bottom despite my frequent washings of it. New one already repurchased. Can't live without this now. (review here)
Equate Daily Moisturizing Lotion - I have had this lotion forever. I am not sure if they even sell it anymore. It had to go. Taking up precious cupboard space. It wasn't bad but had petrolatum in it if you care about such things. I do. Not likely to repurchase.


Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover - Doesn't look like I have ever done a review on this product. You aren't missing much. It's greasy and just ok at removing makeup. I got this travel bottle in a gift with purchase.


Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant Mascara - What?! I haven't done a review on this mascara either. Sheesh, I have really dropped the ball big time. I will make this short and sweet. The wand was enormous and nearly poked my eye out on a few occasions. The formula was a bit dry, it flaked slightly and would smudge here and there. Volume? Not much. Length? Not happening. Total dud.


Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil in Rhubarb - This is one of my favourite Bite lip colours. Colour is gorgeous. Already repurchased. I haven't done a review or swatch for you on this one either. I will for sure do that with my new one soon.


Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara - People rave about this mascara but it has never excited me. The brush is ridiculously huge. I find the formula dry. I can't seem to get much volume nor length out of this one. I even tried using a disposable mascara wand to see if it was just the big wand that was the problem. Nope, same issues. This tube was part of some Too Faced set I got a awhile back. (review here)


Clinique Superbalm 16 Black Honey - This was a small sample I got in a gift with purchase many moons ago. I finally busted it out and ended up really liking it. I would repurchase but I'm working on paring down my lip product collection at the moment and don't need another gloss. (review here)


Murad Renewing Eye Cream - I got this in a set of Murad products last Christmas. People love this product but I didn't dig it. It was alright but it did nothing for my dark circles and could burn a tad if it got into your eye. I decided to finish it off but it lasted a long time for a little tube. (review here)


L'Occitane Dry Skin Hand Cream - This is a great hand cream. It feels luxurious and smells great in my opinion. Great to throw in your purse. I would highly recommend it. (review here)


Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Wear Concealer in 02 Light Medium - Wow, I have gone through countless numbers of these and I have never done a full review. I really like this concealer because it is easy to use and blends in well with my Estee Lauder foundation. Just don't use it on your under eye area.


Living Proof. Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Cream - If you don't have it, please go and get it now. Already repurchased. (review here)


Eos Hand Lotion in Fresh Flowers - Best for purse hand lotion. Packaging is great for on the go and works very well. I have gone through many and will go through many more. Fresh flowers is my scent of choice out of the three available. (review here)


I have a bunch of odds and ends coming up plus a palette I have been promising to review for months. Let's hope it's still relevant.

It Cosmetics CC+ Radiance Ombre Bronzer - Review and Swatch

I have had this bronzer for quite some time. So much so that it appears that mine is in the old packaging. The packaging is similar, just the name on the lid is different. I am not aware that there are multiple shades of this product but mine says Warm Radiance. I just checked Ulta's website and there is no mention of the shade or shades available - it looks like a one size fits all compact. I purchased mine from the Shopping Channel ages ago. I think I got it on sale, possibly with a free brush, but I don't recall for how much. It retails for $34 U.S. at Ulta.

This product to me is very pro and con. One pro is the amount of product that you get - 16.17g or 0.57 oz. It's huge. This may seriously last me the rest of my life. I can barely hold the compact in the palm of my hand! If you want to put things in perspective, a full sized compact of a Becca highlight is 8g or 0.28 oz. So this is double the size.

I like the fact that this product has a dual purpose, a 2 in 1 if you like. Highlight and bronzer in one place. Hello....why does no one else do this except in a big palette format? Makes perfect sense to me. It's a definite plus. You would think this would make the product ideal for travel but it doesn't because the compact is so darn big!

I have to say this is not one of my favourite bronzers. It is super shimmery. Not everyone wants a disco ball bronzer. The highlight is even more shimmery of course. I actually tend to use the highlight more often than the bronzer in this compact. It's not my favourite highlight either, but it's quick and easy to use if I'm in a rush. It's hard to over do it with this product, but it is definitely well pigmented. The bronzer is somewhat universal so I think fair to medium skin could pull it off. It's not too warm and it's not too cool.

Would I repurchase this? Probably not. I say that for two reasons. One because I will never hit pan on this product, it's just so big! Two because I have bronzers and highlighters that I prefer to this one. Considering the price point of many high end bronzers and highlighters these days, this compact is some serious value for your money as a 2 in 1 considering the amount of product you get. If you don't mind shimmery bronzer and don't have a huge makeup stash, this product could be right for you.

The packaging strikes me as a little cheap - drug store quality. Call me picky, but that is what I think.

This product goes on easily. It blends well and never looks cakey. Texture is soft and creamy. 

Here are the swatches. Highlight on the left and bronzer portion on the right.

Packaging: 4/10  

Pigmentation: 7/10
Easy to Work With: 9/10
Longevity: 9/10
Colour Stays True: 10/10
Texture: 9/10
Price: 10/10 (for what you get)
Ingredients: 9/10
Travel Worthy: 4/10
Attractiveness of Product: 7/10
Would I buy this again? Not Likely
Overall Rating: 7.5/10



I'm back! Makeup Geek Pan Porn

Okay, I am officially the horse's ass and there is no way around it. I haven't posted a blog in just over 2 months. I am so sorry friends. Was I in an accident, was there a family tragedy or did I lose my desire to blog? None of the above. I just got super busy and I let things slide a lot. I was away for two weeks in August - I went to Florida for a few days and then went on a cruise. Work has been bananas. I have had a number of social engagements in my spare in time and I have been doing some major spring cleaning. I got on a roll with the cleaning and I didn't want to stop. Rest assured, I threw out no makeup that wasn't "empty" or had spoilt. I'm not that crazy.

So I am back and will do my best to remain back. I have two courses I need to take for work this Fall and I have to be very regimented about budgeting my time, so I plan on actually scheduling in some blogging time each week among other things. I've got a bunch of new makeup and some old favourites and I am dying to chat with you about all of it!  I apologize from the bottom of my heart for being away. I missed you all and I hope you missed me even if only a little.

Quick post today. I have another 4 lined up over the coming days and I will make it happen if it kills me! Lots of empties coming up by the end of the week! It'll be a quarterly empties post. I really have let things slip...

I have a little pan porn I wanted to show you. Both are Makeup Geek (MUG) eyeshadows. In the picture above, I have Vanilla Bean on the left and Rockstar on the right. Even though I have hit pan on both, I feel totally different about them. I would like to start off by saying that I reach for Makeup Geek eyeshadows more often than I realize and I love most of them. There are some misses, but overall it is a fantastic line at a fantastic price. These are the first two MUG eyeshadows that I have hit pan on.

Some of you who have read my previous blogs may know that I never cared for Vanilla Bean. The shade is good, it's a great neutral, wash of colour eyeshadow etc. I just think the pigmentation isn't very good. Considering how solid most of Makeup Geek's eyeshadows are in terms of pigmentation, I am mystified with Vanilla Bean. I would like to note that this pan was purchased soon after Makeup Geek launched their eyeshadow line, so perhaps they have improved the formula on this one. I hope so. It has become a mission for me to finish this shade and move on to other similar shades in my collection. I really have to pack on this colour to get a good amount on my lid. I do not plan to repurchase this shade unless Makeup Geek has reformulated it. Makeup Geek's Baby Face, for example, has much better pigment. It is a slightly similar colour but more cool and grey pink. Not as brightening though.  

On to Rockstar. I wasn't sure I was going to like this colour when I first bought it, but I love it. When you have no idea what to slap on your lids, this is the ticket. It goes with so much and you can just add some black liner and mascara and you are good to go. I tend to use this shade at least 2-3 times a week. Great for work. Fantastic pigmentation. Lasts all day, blends in nicely with your lid if you are fair. Doesn't look obnoxious and is so versatile. I will be repurchasing Rockstar and looks like I need to do that soon.

Okay, that's it! I am actually going to work on another blog post for tomorrow so I better scoot.  



bareMinerals Lasting Line Long-Wearing Eyeliner in Endless Orchid - Review and Swatch

I got this eyeliner sort of free as a birthday promotion from bareMinerals online. I had to order something else, but essentially I got this eyeliner for free. Normally, this eyeliner retails for $16 U.S. I am going to say right off of the bat that I really don't like this eyeliner. bareMinerals is either hit or miss for me. I love their Ready pressed products but a lot of the other ones leave a heck of a lot to be desired.

This eyeliner does not apply easily. I really have to press to get the product to apply to my lash line. The product skips during application and I have to go over the same area repeatedly. Most days I don't have time for this type of messing around. No matter how much I apply, it never looks like I have a lot on. What little that does go on seems to stay on most of the day. I guess that is something! For some reason, the eyeliner applied just fine to the inside of my arm as you can see in the swatch below. It's not that dark nor pigmented though.

There isn't much else to say about this eyeliner. Oh, it doesn't transfer, so that's another plus. Won't be trying any more of these. There is a sponge tip on one end if you would like to smudge out what little you can get on your lash line.

If any of the other colours in this line are better, I'd love to know if it's just this shade, Endless Orchid. Please leave a comment below if you happen to have any experience with these liners.

Packaging: 8/10  

Pigmentation: 4/10
Easy to Work With: 0/10
Longevity: 6.5/10
Colour Stays True: 10/10
Texture: 7/10
Price: 5/10 (for what you get)
Ingredients: 9/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 4/10
Would I buy this again? NO WAY
Overall Rating: 5/10

May/June 2016 Empties

I can't believe I haven't posted a blog in nearly a month. For those of you who were wondering, I am not dead. I have been incredibly busy the last month. I have been swamped at work and we had a family wedding so things have been rather crazy. I didn't get around to posting my May empties so I figured I would combine them with my June empties. I have quite a bit of stuff as you can see. A lot of standard favourites, but a few one offs. Let's get to it.

Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Power Serum - Another one finished. Already repurchased two. This previously made my blog list of the Top 10 products that I can not live without. I still feel the same way about this product. 

Klorane Floral Water Make-Up Remover - I talk about how much I love this product all of the time. Nothing compares. I'm going to shut up now. Running to repurchase stat. 

Savon a L'Ancienne Extra Pur Marseille "Coton" or Liquid Marseille Soap "Cotton" - I love these hand soaps. Verbana is one of my favourite scents. I think Cotton was good but it's no Verbana. This is simply my favourite hand soap and I have to secure more asap. 

Wen Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner - Another one bites the dust. I've mentioned before I have a cupboard full of this stuff as I am on Wen's mailing list. I really like this product but I get bored of it sometimes so it takes me awhile to finish one as I sub in other things. Also, my ends really need more conditioning than this provides so I switch it up with other products as a result. It detangles like nothing else though so I keep using it. (review here)


Estee Lauder Double Wear Light in 2.0 -  Another one bites the dust. It's my fave and I keep going back to it. Nothing compares. Already repurchased a bottle.

L'Occitane Dry Skin Foot Cream - This stuff is fantastic. Went through two travel sizes the last couple of months (small and mini). Already repurchased. (review here)


Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara Already repurchased again....enough said.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair - Another one bites the dust. I can't stop using this and I have a 100 samples so I have never had to buy the full size! It does seem to make a difference most mornings when I look in the mirror versus when I don't use it. My makeup looks better the next day too after use.


Nivea Pure & Natural Body Lotion Organic Argan Oil is good stuff. This may have been my fourth bottle. I already have a fifth bottle.


Origins Eye Doctor - no clue how many of these I have used. Countless. I keep going back to it. (review here)


REN Clean Skincare Global Protection Day Cream - this was my first full sized bottle that I finishes. I do like this but it works better in summer as sometimes it isn't enough moisture for my taste in deep, dark winter. I would totally by this again. (review here)


Sigma Beauty Persuade Eye Shadow Base I cannot tell you what a sick thrill I got out of finally finishing this. I have had it for what, two years or maybe longer? It became my mission in life to finish every last drop of it. It's no where near as good as MAC's Painterly Paint Pot. (review here)


Givenchy Noir Couture Volume Mascara in Black Taffeta Not my favourite, but it was ok. (review here) 


The Body Shop Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover This stuff is total rubbish. It's only good for the trash as they say. Don't even bother to look at this. It was bad 20 years ago and remains so. Who keeps buying this? At least my excuse is that I got it in Christmas bonus set. (review here)




I have an eyeliner and a long overdue palette to review coming up next. I will seriously try to be a bit more consistent over the next few weeks with my blog posts.

Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in 16 Black Honey - Review and Swatch

I have this pile of empties from May and I really need do a blog post on them asap. I am so behind in everything this month. I also have a Bobbi Brown palette that I have been meaning to review for like a month. Next two posts, promise.

On to the matter at hand. Today I have a review on the Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in 16 Black Honey. I have a small sized tube that I got from Sephora I think as a promotion or with rewards points or something. Mine is 0.17 oz. or 5ml. The regular sized tube is 0.5 oz. and is $21 Canadian or $16.50 U.S. I have been using my little tube almost nonstop for 2 months if that gives you an idea of how far a little bit goes.

My first impression was that I couldn't believe how glossy this product is. The colour looks dark in the tube, but like all Black Honey products by Clinque, you basically get a slight cherry tint that has a warmth to it. If that makes any sense. I like to use this with a dark lip liner and mix the two colours together. I also do this to add some staying power. I find that this gloss disappears from your lips fast. You definitely have to keep reapplying throughout the day regardless of whether or not you are drinking or eating or not. Here is a swatch:

This is one of the most comfortable glosses that I have ever worn. Not sticky. The colour also goes with just about any look or outfit so it's a no brainer lip product to apply. I will be repurchasing this. The price isn't bad either. I would prefer if it wasn't in a tube and maybe had a wand applicator. Squeezing it out is not my preferred method of lip product application and once you get near the end of the tube, it's a pain in the ass to get the last bit out.

My main complaints are the need for frequent application and the packaging could be a lot better. Otherwise, it's a solid product anyone could use in their stash.

Packaging: 6/10 

Pigmentation: 5/10 (but I think that is the point of the product to be sheer)
Easy to Work With: 10/10
Longevity: 5/10
Texture: 10/10
Price: 10/10
Ingredients: 8/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 10/10
Would I buy this again? YES,
Overall Rating: 8/10

Beach Day Must Haves

It's that time of year again, beach season! I hope many of you have beach plans for the summer. I do! I'm going to Florida for a few days and then on a cruise! Can't wait.

I thought I would do something a little bit different today. I have some Beach Day Musts for me and I am going to talk about swimsuits, beach accessories and of course, beauty products.

Let's start off with swimsuits. I don't know about you, but there is something timeless and fun about a polka dot bikini. I have a pink one with yellow, white and red polka dots. I got it years ago from American Eagle. I don't think it will ever go out of style. Since mine is no longer available, I have to say that Adoreme.com has something similar called the Jules Push-Up in a gorgeous aqua green as shown above. I also love a white bathing suit. I have a couple of white bikinis, mine are from Victoria's Secret and American Eagle. Both styles are no longer available. Adore Me has a great one piece called Kaia in white, also shown above. You can't go wrong with a one piece.

I'm really into flutter swimsuit tops this year and I think the black with white and black checkered print style called Monyca by Adore Me hits the mark. Adoreme.com has so many cute, affordable swimsuits and lingerie. You should check them out and their Instagram!

I recently bought a Madewell Packable Straw Hat online from Nordstrom. It's on sale right now for $25 U.S. I don't know about you guys, but I find it so hard to find a reasonably priced packable sun hat. Any regular hat that I pack for a trip or in a beach bag gets destroyed. This hat is great because the ribbon band doubles as an elastic to wrap up the hat when you pack it. I am totally going to go full out Joan Collins in the Dynasty era with the big sunglasses and hat this year! Seems appropriate since her character's name was none other than Alexis.

Speaking of the big hat and sunglasses, I recently found a pair of sunglasses that that I love at The Bay by Jeanne Beker called the Alannah. Picture is shown above. I love these and the little bows at the sides are adorable. I'm all about affordable sunglasses. These are normally $44 Canadian but I snagged mine for $35 on sale.

I recommend getting a lined beach bag, ideal for wet swimsuits and towels, if you can find one. I have one that I bought on a cruise ship a few years ago. Winners/Marshalls and sometimes The Gap have smaller pouches for this purpose that you can throw into a beach bag. Super handy.

Finally for beach accessories, I have the Lauren Conrad Valencia Flip Flops shown above in the Flamingo Bird print. I had these in my hand when I was down in the States recently in Kohl's and for some bizarre reason, I didn't buy them. I have been kicking myself ever since. If you can find these, and they come in several colours and patterns, you need to pick them up! They are only $9.99 right now.

Okay, beauty products! I personally don't feel comfortable hitting the pool or the beach with nothing on my face. Habit of a lifetime. At the same time, you want to protect your face from the sun's damaging rays while still not wearing a mask of makeup. My solution is to wear Origins VitaZing SPF 15. This is a tinted face moisturizer with SPF. There are little beads in it that look orange, but they work in with the moisturizer instantaneously to even out your skin tone and provide you with light coverage. It's a win win. Available at Sephora.

I love me some Burt's Bees and their After Sun Soother may be their best product. If you get too much sun or a nasty sunburn, this product will fix you up in a snap. I've used it for years on myself and my husband and I swear within an hour you can seen your sunburn fading and by morning it's pretty much gone and turns into a tan for most people. Totally takes the sting and pain out of a sunburn too. Nothing compares. You can purchase this at Wal-Mart and many drug stores.  

Bite Beauty's Agave Lip Mask. I cannot live without this. It comes in a few colours now so you can have it look like coloured lip gloss if you prefer, but the clear one still gives you nice, shiny lips. I prefer the clear personally. It will save you from windburn, not sure about sunburn though. Completely moisturizing and soothing. I get prune city after being in the water and I want comfortable lips. Available at Sephora.

Bumble and Bumble Surf Infusion is fantastic. When my hair is frizzy or dull and lifeless, I reach for this. Keeps your hair soft and gives it natural looking waves. This is perfect for the beach or poolside. Works great on wet hair while it's air drying. It's like coiffed hair to go. This product is so much better than its predecessor, Bumble and Bumble's Surf Spray. That left my hair dried out and crunchy. You can get it at Sephora and many fine beauty salons.

Mascara. My holy grail, no fail, won't smudge, run or bleed is the Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara. You need this for the beach. End of story. You can pick it up at Sephora and most department stores.  

Last, but certainly not least, if you like to do bronzer for the beach, my favourite bronzer is the tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess. If you haven't tried this, you don't know what you are missing. It is so easy to use and looks amazing. Sold at Sephora and Ulta.

There it is, my Beach Day Must Haves in a nutshell. What are your Beach Day Must Haves? #BeachDayMusts  

Murad Resurgence Renewing Eye Cream - Review

Ever try a product that you neither loved nor hated? That's the case for me with the Murad Resurgence Renewing Eye Cream. I got a travel size sample of this back around Christmas time. That sample lasted me for a number of weeks and I used it twice a day. A full sized bottle costs $90 Canadian or $80 U.S. for 0.5 oz. The travel sized sample I had is 0.14 oz. Or 4 ml. Based on how long I had mine, I would guess a full sized bottle would easily last a number of months.

I found that the product was comfortable and refreshing but not uniquely so. My big problem is dark circles not eye bags or wrinkles as yet. This product is supposed to address all of these issues. As far as the dark circle help is concerned I didn't notice any difference after using it for several weeks. I can't really comment on how well it works on eye bags or wrinkles since those aren't my issues.

One thing I did notice is that this product is not well suited for the eye area close to your actual eye. It burns like crazy if you get any in your eyes! I would only suggest using this under your eyes only and not close to your tear ducts or lash line. I wasn't thrilled about this as I felt I needed to use another eye cream with it to cover areas closer to the eye. That doesn't impress me. I believe there is a disclaimer on the packaging about avoiding the immediate eye area....for an eye cream, that doesn't work for me.

This is an expensive product and it did not wow me. I didn't find it to be any better nor as good as my regular eye cream. For those reasons this will not be a repurchase.


Packaging: 8/10
Easy to Work With: 4/10
Moisturizing: 8/10
Texture: 8/10
Reduces the Look of Dark Circles: NO
Price: 2/10
Ingredients: 7/10
Quantity of Product: 8/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Would I buy this again? No, because it doesn't do anything for my dark circles and it burns.
Overall Rating: 6/10 points off for price, burning and doing jack squat for dark circles.

Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Ultra-Hydrating Body Butter in Vanilla Apricot - Review

Hello! Quick review tonight on the Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Ultra-Hydrating Body Butter in Vanilla Apricot. I have the 24 ml or 8 oz. jar or tub if you prefer but you can also get it in a 2 oz. tub. The full 8 oz. size that I have is $43 Canadian or $35 U.S. The 2 oz. size is $15 Canadian or $12 U.S. I personally think $43 is a lot of money for a body butter, natural or not. I bought mine during the VIB Rouge 20% off sale. I think the next time I buy it, I will wait for the sale. Also, I still have a little over a third of my jar left.   

There are 9 different scents. I am funny about scents and I heard the Vanilla Apricot is the least offensive scent of the bunch. I quite like this scent and I think I may stick with it. There is a Sweet Citrus I might consider too. I really think if you are unsure about what scent you want to get, I would smell them in a store first if you can.

This is an exceptionally good body butter and when you use it side by side with a cheap body butter, the difference is horrifying. This feels so luxurious on and really helps with any dry or itchy areas. It saved my bacon this past winter. A little goes a long way. It doesn't smell like a chemical cocktail. The body butter is long lasting on the skin. This is honestly awesome stuff. The only con is the price. If you are looking for a phenomenal body butter with good ingredients, look no further. This is the stuff to get.  

Packaging: 10/10
Longevity: 10/10
Texture: 10/10
Price: 10/10 (if on sale as worth the money) 7/10 (if not on sale)  
Ingredients: 10/10
Moisturizing: 10/10
Scent: 9.5/10
Travel Worthy: Maybe in the 2 oz. size
Would I buy this again? Hell Yes!  
Overall Rating: 9.5/10 (the price is the only downside)