FabFitFun Summer 2018 Box | I'm Easily Influenced: Part 2

I was going to hold off on writing about FabFitFun again, but I thought to myself "Self, if I was someone who was thinking about getting this box, I would want to know NOW!". So, I'm going to take my own advice and just post it and hopefully my thoughts on the stuff I got for Summer 2018 will help someone. Here we go!

Foreo LUNA fofo (retails $89 USD)

Let’s start with what everybody is interested in. The Foreo LUNA fofo was this season's big draw for everyone to buy this box. Hell, I know it was mine! I've had a different version of the Foreo on my Amazon Wishlist for a year and when I saw this version was going to be in this Summer's box - well, it's the reason I pulled the trigger. Supposedly the LUNA has censors that, when used with their app, measures skin moisture levels and gives you cleansing recommendations that are personalized to you. I have yet to get the app to work for me, so I can’t comment on it, BUT I have seen less than favourable reviews of the app on the Play Store so take that however you want. My biggest reason for wanting the Foreo was to use it in addition to my Clarisonic. I use my Clarisonic exclusively in the shower, and I wanted something to use by the sink which wouldn’t be as messy – and for that purpose, the Foreo is a good solution. But I’ll be honest, I don’t reach for this as much as I thought I would. I would also never use this as a replacement for my Clarisonic, the power just isn’t there. With that said - Does it cleanse your skin nicely? Yes, absolutely. Is it fun to use? Hell yeah!

Vasanti Brighten Up! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator with Microderm Exfoliating Crystals (retails $34 CAD)

This is essentially just an exfoliator but the "exfoliating crystals" are no joke. They’re so fine and they work well without being too abrasive. What I like most about it is the consistency of the cleanser portion, it's thick and doesn't immediately dilute into some gloopy mess making all its little scrubbies slide around. Its also made in Canada, not tested on animals, vegan, gluten-free, 99% natural, paraben-free, and sulfate-free – pretty good!

Marianella - Hawaiian Black Lava Body Caviar with Charcoal (retails $48 USD)

I have a lot of feelings about this one. I really wanted to love this, in fact, I specifically chose this item instead of another option (FabFitFun lets you choose between a couple of different options for some items in the box). I'm constantly stocking up on body exfoliators because I epilate my legs and it helps a ton, so I thought this would be perfect. It has a lot of nice ingredients for a body scrub such as (according to their website): Hawaiian Black Lava Sea Salt, Charcoal, Dead Sea Salt, Epsom Salt, European Fine Sea Salt, Vitamin E, Coconut Oil, Honey, Green Tea Extract, Aloe Vera Extract, Olive Oil, Coffee, Brown Sugar, and Soy Bean Oil.

From reviews I've read, it seems that people either love or hate the smell – unfortunately for me, I fall into the later category. To me, this body scrub is so incredibly oily and the oil just sits on top of the scrub in the jar, meaning you've gotta stick your finger in the little tub and mix it all together every time you use it. It’s also fairly messy to use and leaves a ton of oil on the bottom of my shower making it a slippery accident just waiting to happen. It also leaves a residue on my skin that I have to wash off with soap immediately. /Rant

Pier 1 Marble Dish (retails $15 USD) 

Not much to say about this one. It’s a little trinket dish with gold trim. I’ve seen some pictures that others have posted where the gold trim was pretty scratched up around the edges, thankfully I don’t have that issue with mine. All in all, it’s just OK.

Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel (retails $45 USD)

Lately I’ve been getting into using “peels” in place of your conventional physical exfoliators once or twice a week and I’m quite enjoying them. I’ve tried a couple others recently (such as the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Extra Strength Daily Peel and another from Riversol) but this one from Elemis is a nice middle ground for someone like me who just wants to dip a toe into the world of face peelies. Elemis describes some of the ingredients as: “Natural fruit enzymes of exfoliating Papaya and calming Pineapple smooth and clarify the complexion”. I think that’s a fair assessment. It has a smooth lotion consistency, it smells sweet but not overpowering and my skin feels soft after waiting 10-15 minutes and rinsing it off. I like this!

Summer & Rose Rocky Palm print towel (retails $55 USD)

Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy that nothing in this box cost me full price, but it’s items like this one that make me stop and think – Are people actually paying full price for some of these things? First of all, $55.00 for this?! Get the hell outta here! Sure, the print is cute and summery (*see the top image), but let’s get real, it’s a microfiber towel. For the price Summer & Rose is charging for this on its own, I would expect the colourful print to be visible on both sides instead of just one. It’s cute and I’ll use it, but let’s not forget: IT’S A TOWEL THAT COSTS $55.00.

Tarte Tarteist PRO Glow Highlight & Contour Palette (retails $59 CND)

I’m a makeup hoarder so this was the item I wanted the most other than the Foreo. There was a chance FFF could have sent the Tarte Pro To Go Eyeshadow Palette and Sex Kitten Eyeliner (combined amount to $54 CAD), which was the other option, but I was really happy to get the highlight and contour palette. Some of the highlights aren’t good matches for me but I’ve used them as eye shadows instead and they’re still pretty. There’s a cream contour called ‘Shade’ (bottom left) which is interesting but unfortunately the colour doesn’t work for me.  ‘Strobe’ (top right) and ‘Stunner’ (middle right) are great highlighters and mixing them together have given some serious glowy results. Sculpt (bottom right) is a great contour/bronzer for me too, so this palette is a complete win for me!

Coola White Tea SPF 50 Moisturizer (retails $44 CAD)

This sunscreen/moisturizer has a lot of claims next to its name, such as having 70%+ certified organic ingredients, being water resistant (up to 80 minutes), cruelty free, gluten-free and vegan, just to name a few. I’ve worn this a couple times by the pool and it did a good job of protecting me from the sun, it has a nice fresh scent, and the texture is nice - it leans more towards a ‘moisturizer’ than a ‘sunscreen’. However, as someone with oily/combination skin, this was a bit too oily for me. If you’re someone with normal/dry skin, this may be a great option for you.

That's it, that's everything I got in my FabFitFun Summer 2018 box! Overall, I've been more than happy with the things that I got (for the most part...looking at you, Marianella...) and I would definitely consider getting the next box for Fall. BUT! These boxes are seasonal (4/year) and for Americans they're $49.99 USD/season. For Canadians, with shipping and the Canadian exchange, it's closer to $80 CAD. If the price was also $50.00 for Canadians - it's completely worth it. For $80.00? Well, at least for me, it's a tough call. 

FabFitFun Starter Box Summer 2018 | I'm Easily Influenced

Like most people, I’m easily influenced into buying what people on the Internet tell me to buy. So, it should be no surprise that I was already done for as soon as I discovered the r/BeautyBoxes subreddit.

Unlike some people online, who each seem to be subscribed to multiple boxes all at once, I’ve only ever been subscribed to one service in the past, TopBox. When I subscribed to TopBox many years ago, it was one of the first (and only) Canadian subscription services available at that time and while I haven’t been subscribed to them in years, I still appreciate that they’re looking out for us Canucks. I wasn’t subscribed to TopBox for long because I quickly grew tired of getting teeny tiny samples, not to mention most months seemed to contain one black eyeliner or red lipstick after another…I mean, that’s fine if you’re Marilyn Monroe or Marilyn Manson, but it got pretty damn boring after a while.

Anyways, the folks over at r/BeautyBoxes were constantly raving about the Mother of all subscription services, FabFitFun. All full-size products, but also a mixture of items from accessories to housewares to makeup and bath and body products – basically anything cute that will fit in a box! Best of all, FabFitFun offers a one-time deal to those who aren’t subscribed to them, called a “Starter Box”. For 8 bucks ($10-ish after the CAN conversion) FFF will send you a box of 4 items to give you an idea of what their regular boxes would contain.

My reaction was something like this:

I ordered the Starter Box on May 28^th and received it on July 3^rd. FFF says that Canadians can expect their boxes within 14 business days. I think most Canadians are used to having to wait a little longer for packages to arrive at our doorsteps anyways, but for some reason Canada Post decided to skip over me in Ontario and send my box all the way to Nova Scotia, only to send it back to Ontario.

So, now that I’ve rambled long enough, here’s what I think of the stuff I got. I also want to mention, I’d seen a lot of spoilers from others on r/BeautyBoxes and not all Starter Boxes come with the same items. I really wanted one particular box and somehow against all odds, it’s the one I got! So here goes…

Summer & Rose ‘Brittany’ Tote in Cobalt (retails $54)

I really like this tote! It’s nicer than I was expecting and the nautical rope handles are really cute. The inside is lined with some kind of material that seems like it would be easy to wipe down (would be useful should you need to carry a damp beach towel or something) and it has two little pockets inside.

Free People Understated Vegan Leather Eye mask (retails $40)

I wouldn’t quite use the word “understated” to describe this mask with its metallic stars all over it as but, whatever. I will say this is a cute looking eye mask and does what it’s supposed to do. It has a removable gel-like pouch that you can put in the freezer and then put back inside the mask for a nice cooling effect; I actually did do this and it was nice. For my own lifestyle, however, I can’t see myself using this very much.

AHAVA Dead Sea Water Mineral Hand Cream 150ml (retails $33)

This hand cream seems to be included in every Starter Box and I can see why. First off, the tube is massive! The smell is nice, I like it, but I can definitely see why some people say the scent is too intense. The cream itself is moisturizing, non-greasy and fast absorbing, what more could you want?

Spongellé Body Wash Infused Buffer in Freesia Pear (retails $16)

I was most excited for the cheapest thing in the box, what does that say about me? It’s a sponge that’s infused with body wash, you get it wet and give it a squeeze and a ton of suds appear! I feel sort of dumb because I’ve used it three times now and I still can’t figure out how it keeps lathering so well. When will it run out of its glorious bubbles? The sponge itself is somewhat rough in texture because it’s a “buffer” but it isn’t scratchy and it works really well. I’m obsessed with the Freesia Pear scent - I already want another one!

So, those are my thoughts on the FabFitFun Starter Box I got. I miiiight have also bought their Summer 2018 box…OK, I did buy it. I might do another one of these with all the stuff I got in that box but it’s going to be long as hell and I don’t know how to edit myself. Oh well.

Stila's Eyes Are the Window Palette in 'Mind' | Review & Swatches

It seems like every time I turn around I'm being bombarded with images and videos and pre-release "reviews" (more like ads, amiright?) of the next biggest palette.

Cool ones, warm ones, smokey ones, the only palette(s) we'll ever need or desire! There's a million to choose from. And we want them all, don't we?

Never mind that all of the most popular palettes are warm and "bronzy" which actually only look good on about a third of the people who buy them BUT that's a rant for another day...

Now, I'm no stranger to the palette hype, I get sucked into their vortex all the time! But one thing most of my palettes (and probably everyone else's) have in common is that about 90% of their shadows are entirely shimmery. Oh sure, most brands will throw in the conciliatory matte blending shade or two, usually some form of brown or cream colour. But the reality is two mattes don't cover all your bases, especially if said palette is claiming to be "everything you'll need" to create complete looks.

So when I was given a Sephora gift card last Christmas I knew an ALL-matte palette would be just the thing to round out my shadow family. Surprisingly, finding a GOOD matte palette is harder than you would think, almost impossible it seemed. But after much digging I finally found the one...

Oh you fancy, huh?

Enter in Stila's Eyes Are the Window palette in 'Mind'. There's actually four palettes in the "Eyes" range but I believe that Mind is the only all-matte of the four.

Look at that packaging! So gold, much fancy! Not to mention the mirror included is huge, which is a giant plus if you do plan on having this be the only palette you use or travel with. In fact this actually was the only palette I used for close to two months; I was that obsessed!

You might be thinking: "But surely you can't use ONLY matte shadows day-to-day! If palettes have taught us anything it's that we must constantly glitter like the night's sky!" and there was definitely a time when I would have agreed to you.

If you've never experimented with all-matte eye looks you'll quickly realize that crease colours and blending like a pro are EVERYTHING. All-matte eye looks somehow come off as super effortless and super polished at the same time. It's like a whole new world of possibilities for your eyes!
Colour (and blend) me impressed!

My favourite is second from the left!

I feel like while the 'Mind' palette does tend to lean on the warmer side of things there are still enough nude/purple/grey shades to make some pretty decent cool toned variations. I mean, there are some shades which I hardly touch (like that orangey brown bottom centre) but that's pretty par for the course in most palettes, isn't it? I have to say my favourite shade in this entire palette is the bottom left shade, a pinky brown. It's my go-to crease colour hands down.

As far as colour pay-off goes, they're pretty good. A few of the lighter shades are a bit chalky but nothing a half-way decent primer can't fix. Plus, you can already tell how much I enjoy that
cream colour since I've already hit pan on it.

This palette was a little on the pricier side at $59.00 but I do truly feel like for a good all-matte
set of shadows that you'll get tons of use out of it's not so bad.

Stila's Eyes Are the Window palette in 'Mind' get an 8.5/10.

Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express | Review

I remember hearing about this mascara a couple of years ago when it seemed like everyone on YouTube was just raving about it. I can only now assume that this was sent to all of them for free which is why it got such glowing reviews because I'll be honest with you - this mascara ain't all that.

I bought it before Christmas and it took me a few months to finish and I was pretty relieved when it was done. The Rocket Volum' Express isn't terrible; it's just so-so.

I didn't find that it gave great volume (Also, can we talk about their spelling of "Volum'"? What's with the apostrophe? Just spell it correctly so we can move on, Maybelline!), I've certainly used comparably priced mascaras that I felt gave much better results.

I should probably clarify that I'm one of those mascara users that prefer my formulas to be on the drier side. I HATE wet mascaras. You know that feeling the first time you open a new tube and put it on your lashes and it just feels like a gloopy mess? I hate that! To each their own I guess, but I always find that I never truly like a mascara until maybe a month after opening it when it's consistency is more dry and manageable. I do have one mascara that I buy over and over that I like right from the get go but I'll save that one for a different review.

With The Rocket mascara I think my biggest problem is that it took forever to get to that drier state so I spent a lot of time layering it with other mascaras to get it to do what I wanted. I also don't even particularly mind the rubberised bristles as lot of mascaras have them nowadays and we've all probably grown accustomed to them - but this brush is really big, you guys! I can't tell you how many times I've poked myself in the eye with it and I promise you, I'm by no means a novice mascara user!

The Rocket Volum' Express is just OK. I didn't hate it but I definitely didn't love it.

Actually, Maybelline just came out with a new mascara called 'Lash Sensational' which is apparently another volumizing mascara. Come to think of it, the packaging looks almost identical but instead of The Rocket's blue colour, it's pink. The brush is also similar to The Rocket's in size, but the Sensational one has a curve in it...I'd like to say that I won't try it out but knowing me, I probably will. I have no will power, OK?

I would rate Maybelline's The Rocket Volum' Express a 5/10. A solid mediocre rating for a solid mediocre product.

Freeman's Clay Masks | The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

About a year ago I became obsessed with face masks. I don't know how it happened but suddenly I couldn't resist the need to have drying clay tightening on my face. I started small...and by small I mean cheap.

So where does one go when they want to experiment with their skin on the cheap? Walmart, of course. I ended up buying 3 of the Freeman's clay masks and really, how can you go wrong paying $4.50 for 6.0 oz?! I'm not kidding, these tubes are HUGE. Plus they have a ton of different types to choose from depending on what your skin needs and from what I can tell they're constantly coming out with new types - so it was pretty easy for me to justify buying them.

So let's review the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of these 3, shall we?

The Good #1: Avocado & Oatmeal Clay Mask - 7/10

The website describes this mask as a creamy clay mask with avocado and oatmeal which purifies and nourishes for soft skin. I do have to agree that once taken off, this mask does leave your skin feeling super soft. While it doesn't have any exfoliating or acne-fighting properties, due to its added avocado oil it's definitely a moisturising mask and that's fairly obvious once its washed off and even through to the next day. I do have to say that I don't particularly enjoy the smell, it isn't overpowering or anything but I've never been a big fan of the smell of avocados in the first place. For $4.50 though, this is a good deal and was a big help for my skin during the Winter months when my skin felt tight and dry.

The Also Good #2: Mint & Lemon Clay Mask - 8/10

By now I hope we're all aware of how much I enjoy products that smell good and this mask really does! It's described as a "cool and crisp" mask which I can get behind. It certainly has a bit of a cooling effect on the skin which is nice since this mask is targeted for reducing oil and breakouts and a lot of the time similar products which target those problems tend to be kind of harsh and irritating, so thankfully the Mint & Lemon mask isn't like that. It does have Bentonite as its second ingredient which is an absorbent clay, so this makes me feel better in the sense that we're not all being duped by the packaging and it's actually doing what it says it does...I hope. Obviously this is a good one for the Summer and early Spring when all of our faces tend to be a little shinier but I've used it year-round and still really enjoyed it. It's my favourite of the 3 that I've tried so far.

The Bad AND the Ugly #3: Chocolate & Strawberry Clay Mask - 1/10

OH GOD, I don't know what went wrong with this one but whatever it was I had to throw it out after using it once. This mask is supposed to tone the skin, absorb oil and mositurize. It contains both Shea and cocoa butter which usually I'm not irritated by but something about this Chocolate & Strawberry mask went horribly wrong. It gave me a blotchy red rash all over MY ENTIRE FACE! In the realm of rashes, the face is probably the last place you want a rash...on second thought...moving on!

I gave this a 1 out of 10 simply because this mask smells really good. If this scent came in candle form I would buy it in a heartbeat but other than the smell this mask was a total nightmare for me. First of all, it burned. It burned the second I put it on and continued to do so until I couldn't handle it any more a minute or two later when I gave up and furiously washed it off. Then the rash - it focused mostly on the perimeter of my face (weird?), such as my forehead, cheeks and jaw. THEN it proceeded to turn those places into itchy dry patches! It marked me, I tell you! For 2-3 days after that horrific experience I was still mocked by that stupid mask every time I looked in the mirror. Chocolate and strawberries have never done me wrong before, I don't know what I did to anger them so.

Even though that last mask what a total shit-show I'm still pretty eager to try out more of what the Freeman's Beauty line has to offer. I'm still working through the first two (like I said, they're HUGE) and I also picked up a clay mask from Origins back in September that I need to finish - but once those are done I'm definitely trying out of of their peel-off masks. They have a Sweet Tea & Lemon peel-off as well as a Cucumber one. But what I really want to get my hands on is their Charcoal & Black Sugar Polishing Mask and see if it has any similarities to the Origins one I'm using now.

Anyway, I hope this was fun for all of you and maybe you'll check out this brand the next time you're in Walmart. But whatever you do, just remember, chocolate and strawberry are for eating not for smearing on our faces or you too may feel their wrath like I did.

Nivea Pure & Natural Milk & Honey Lip Balm | Review

Here's a short and sweet review of Nivea's Pure & Natural Milk & Honey lip balm because there isn't much to say about it honestly, other than the fact that this is hands down my favourite lip balm of all time.

Come to think of it, I've actually tried a lot of Nivea's lip balms and for the most part I like them all (except for the "Pearly Shine" one which smells funny, isn't that moisturising and makes my lips purple). Their "Fruity Shine Strawberry" lip balm is really nice; it smells good and gives a nice tint to the lips. Their Lip Butter in Vanilla & Macadamia is what I use before bed and once again smells DEVINE (can we sense a theme here? Nivea has their smells on lock down!) and is also really moisturising.

But the #1 spot for me will always be the Pure & Natural Milk & Honey. I'm about to finish my second tube and I'm already feeling anxious that I'll run out before I have a chance to pick up a replacement.

What I like most about it is that it isn't waxy! I don't know when waxy lip balms became a "thing" but I really wish they would just go away. Did it come with the EOS lip balms fad? Does anyone really even like the EOS balms except for their smells? I've certainly bought a few of the EOS balms which I like to call "egg-balms" because let's be honest, their packaging is so damn cute. But as far as real moisturisation goes, the Egg-balms leave a lot to be desired.

Anyway, the Nivea Milk & Honey balm is a definite must-buy as far as I'm concerned. 10/10!

Rimmel Lasting Finish 25hr Foundation | Review

As most people who take their make up addictions seriously, picking up a new product can be somewhat of an endeavour. There's a lot of research involved with buying a new item and I think this mostly comes down to the fact that there are just SO many choices.

Could you imagine if there was only one or two brands available in total and we could only buy whatever it was they had to offer? I suppose this scenario would be great in a sense. It would save us a lot of time, money and energy having such limited options - chances are if this were the case we would already know what we liked and didn't like and what worked for us. We'd never have to stand around swatching things to see if they colour matched us, we wouldn't really have to shop around for the best price and we certainly wouldn't spend as much time as we do on blogs and Youtube to see what other people thought of things.

But on the other hand, having as many different brands and genres of make up that we do - and at a million different price points - does have a certain advantage, doesn't it? It's FUN! We get to stand around swatching things and seeing which brands have the best colours, best textures and of course, best prices. We have the luxury of finding out what others think of a certain product with the click of a button and nowadays with another click of a button we can even have it delivered right to our doors!

So with all of that rambling being said, I've spent the last 4 or 5 days poking around the Internet, trying to decide which drug store foundation I should buy. While I do dip my toes into the high-end spectrum of foundations once in a while, I have to say, I've had excellent luck with drug store foundations which only makes me want to try a new one each time I finish another.

It was eventually an old Wayne Goss Youtube review he recorded back in 2011 that convinced me to pick up Rimmel's Lasting Finish 25hr foundation. Albeit now it's been repackaged into something a little fancier and (thank god) with a pump! To top it off I ended up buying it on sale for $7.99 with it's original price being somewhere around $12-$13. But alas, this high was not to last...

As soon as I got it home I peeled off its protective plastic and not realizing its lid removed so easily picked it up by it's top only to have it fall to the ground and shatter its heavy glass bottle on my ceramic floor. And to add insult to injury, cleaning foundation off of a floor is ALWAYS a bitch.

I did manage to salvage a little of what was left in the bottle into a tiny Tupperware, dammit I was determined. So after wearing it all day long out of its new home, Mr. Tupperware, am I going to replace the bottle? The short answer is No.

While I never expected Rimmel's Lasting Finish 25hr foundation to actually last 25 hours, I did expect to get more than 6 or 7 hours out of it. Granted it was a bit of a humid day, by hour 5 I could tell it was starting to break apart, more noticeably around my nose and chin. Not a pretty look. I also had a small dry patch around the side of my nose that this foundation just loved to cling to, making it look even worse. Blending this stuff was also a nightmare, I typically use the Sigma F80 to apply foundation and usually it does a great job, but not this time. This foundation turned my face into Streak City.

I didn't find the shade range with this foundation to be very good unless your fair like I am, so with that being said, I did find that the colour I chose (Ivory) matched me just fine. But if that's the only positive thing I can say about it, I guess that's not very good.

I would rate this a 3/10. The only upside to this foundation is that I have so little of it left that soon I'll be able to buy a different one. Let the research begin...again!

Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask | HG Status

So I'm bad at keeping up on blogs, what can I say?

What I CAN say is that I have a much needed review of the Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask which I bought on Boxing Day 2013 and I'm still using it. I'm not even joking, this shit is for real, y'all. Plus it's not even like I use it once a week, I use it almost everyday.

Clinique deems this to be an "overnight mask" as the title suggests but it's really just a glorified moisturiser and boy is it glorious. For a long time I felt like I was doing reviews on things that I really didn't like but this time we've struck gold!

I don't have dry skin but I do believe my skin gets dehydrated fairly often and Clinique's Overnight Mask is a real life saver. I use this almost exclusively at night before I go to sleep and depending on what my skin feels like is how I determine how much of this I use. On regular days I'll use your average amount of moisturiser although in this case a little really does go a long way (hence why I'm still using the same tube almost 1.5 YEARS LATER!).
                                             

I sort of bought this product on a whim and after researching it (the "mask" definition confused me at first), not only does it have nearly 5 star reviews across the board and works for all skin types, I also discovered a little trick for when your skin is having an exceptional "blah" day. Well, perhaps its not a great trick but ANYWAY after you use the moisturiser like you normally would - give it a second to sink in - and then go in with a second layer patted over top. Normally doing something like this just leaves my face feeling gross but not with this stuff. It's like it works double-duty and the next morning my face feels like it just got the softest collagen injections known to man.

Like I said, I've been using this for well over a year and I wanted to mention that I've been using it consistently throughout the change of seasons and haven't noticed any differences as far as dryness or over-saturation goes. I feel like this is important because I HATE having to buy things depending on the season, I have to do this with my foundations and it annoys me to no end. But in the case of the Clinque Moisture Surge Overnight Mask, it really is a perfect all-rounder. 

Just to cover our basics, the size I have is 3.4 oz (which I believe is the biggest size?), is oil-free and retails for $39.00 on Sephora. At the same time I also bought the Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm which is also amazing.

So with all that said I give this product a definite 10/10. We've hit the holy grail, people!

The Body Shop - Brazil Nut Scrub | Review

I would definitely consider myself more of a makeup person than a hair or body care person. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love a good body lotion or hair dryer (both reviews coming soon!) as much as the next person, but makeup is really where I put my time and effort...and money, of course. So it was a little out of the ordinary for me to drop almost $80 on a Body Shop online order.

If you're anything like me, you get a million emails a day from every retailer who's somehow managed to get a hold of your email; The Body Shop being one of them. But for some reason I haven't unsubscribed from them (you CAN unsubscribe from those pesky emails in case you didn't know!) and I suppose it's because I really do like The Body Shop's products and although I had never ordered from them before, you just never know!

A few months ago they sent out an email saying that everything online was 40% off...in my mind I read it as "Everything online is ALMOST 50% off!" and away I went.

One of the things I put into my cart was their "limited edition" Brazil Nut body scrub. Now, I'm not a huge body scrub user...I like a nice loofah (I also happen to use one from the Body Shop and it's amazing and lather-y) and they seem to do the trick. Although once in a while I like to use a scrub whether it be for a real "deep skin clean" or because I haven't shaved my legs in a while (usually the latter), I like to have one on hand.

The first thing that struck me about the Brazil Nut scrub is the smell. It smells HEAVENLY. I really, truly wish I could share the smell of this stuff through the screen with you. If you like nutty scents like I do, you will enjoy this. If you like rich food scents in general, you will enjoy this. Sometimes I find myself just opening the little tub and taking a nice long whiff even if I'm not using it. I definitely plan on buying a few more Brazil nut scented products from The Body Shop! So yeah, it's that good.

Another thing I like about this is that it's not really gritty. Obviously, it's a scrub so it is a little gritty but not overly. It has a light "grit" in it, if that makes sense, as well as some scattered heavier "grit" in the form of crushed Brazil nut shells.

The only thing that is only SLIGHTLY annoying about the Brazil Nut scrub is that when you wash it off the Brazil nut shell pieces sort of linger on the bottom of the tub...but that's nothing a little kick of water in the direction of the drain can't rectify. That's it, that's my only con about this scrub and I was really reaching there...

Overall I'd rate The Body Shop's Brazil Nut scrub a solid 9.5/10.

What's you're favourite body scrub? Or even your favourite Body Shop scent! I picked up quite a few things from The Body Shop so I'll probably review a few more in the coming weeks.

T3 Featherweight Journey Hair Dryer | Worth It?

I've mentioned before that I'm not a skilled hair person. Most of the time I wear my hair down, one side tucked behind my ear and out of my face. And if I'm sitting around at home in yoga pants I usually have it in a high bun. That's about it.

I'd also never given much thought to the hair tools I was using either. Typically my hair dryer and flat irons are from Wal Mart or something and I never give much thought about what they're actually doing for me. For instance, my Wal Mart hair dryer cost me maybe $40 and it works just OK. I'd long ago lost the nozzle that directs heat and don't even ask me where I've put the diffuser, I've convinced myself it never even came with one.

So I don't know what convinced me to pick up a $200 hair dryer, but I was browsing around in Sephora a few months ago and it was probably a combination of the high one gets while browsing Sephora (as you do) and the bright pink and white lights that made me not notice the hefty price tag.

Anyway, I ended up buying the T3 Featherweight Journey hair dryer, the thing I liked most about it was its size. As the name might suggest, it's a little smaller than your average heavyweight dryers (see what I did there?) and even if you never take it on vacation and just use it at home, the size still comes in handy.

Let's talk about what it actually does, because that's what's most important after all (or so I hear, like I said, I'm not a "hair person"). To compare, the time it used to take me to fully blow out my super long hair was probably 15-20 minutes if I wanted a good result. Now while using the T3? 8-10 minutes, even that's pushing it.

I feel like the T3 in general does a much better job cutting down my drying time not to mention since I'm not putting hot air directly on my head for prolonged periods of time anymore, that's probably pretty good for it, too. It also comes with two attachments like most dryers do, a diffuser and a directional nozzle. The nozzle is by far the best I've ever used and I will never look back!

A word of caution, though. If you have really long hair like I do, be careful not to let the T3 hoover it up in its little air grate on the back. My hair did this and I assume my hair got caught in a its little gears and it smelled horrible then stopped working - in that order. Luckily for me, my husband took it apart and cleaned it out and it works again, but him doing that probably voided the 1 year warranty. So, just be warned!

T3 Featherweight Journey hair dryer rating: 7.5/10

Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm | Review

Sometimes you just need to take your skin care back to basics, you know? I feel like most of the skin care products I use on a regular basis are either really strong and harsh, really fragranced or really abrasive. Most of those products are OK to use on an as-needed basis but their directions will encourage you to use them everyday, sometimes twice a day!

After Christmas my skin was going crazy. It's usually on the oiler side of things (a burden in the summertime but a blessing in the the colder months) but it became dry and irritated and was breaking out and no my usual arsenal wasn't making the cut.

I remembered that when I was in high school I used to use Clinique's Dramatically Different moisturizer, which a lot of us are familiar with I'm sure; with its bright yellow colour and boxy packaging. While looking back on it, I probably needed something a little more moisturizing although the thing that I remember most is appreciating how gentle it was.

So on Boxing Day I did I quick buy and dash at The Bay (yes, I was one of the crazy people who went to the mall on Boxing Day but my husband was circling the parking lot waiting for me!) and picked up a couple things from Clinique. One of them being their Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm.

I'd been hearing a lot about these "cleansing balms"; a couple of brands do them and they'd always piqued my interest. But the whole idea of using a "balm" on my face sort of freaked me out and made me wonder, how good of a cleanser could they really be? Well the answer is: AMAZING!

First of all, Clinique's cleansing balm comes in a huge pot and you hardly need to use any at all so it'll last forever. Also, it's totally fragrance-free, not one iota of scent can be found in this product.

You're meant to massage a pea sized amount (and I seriously mean a pea sized amount - and not even a big pea) onto your dry skin and it literally melts away any make up, including mascara. I normally take off my eye make-up with Bioderma but I tested it without having taken off my eye make-up first and while it took an extra 20 seconds, the Take the Day Off balm definitely did its job.

The entire process is really enjoyable and to be honest I actually look forward to taking off my make-at night just because I get to use the Clinque balm. After washing it all away (it doesn't leave a trace of any stickiness or gross film) your skin feels really moisturized and like you've added something good into it. In short, it's just awesome. The price isn't too cringe-worthy, I think I paid $35.00 for it and because I know it'll last a long time and I am definitely forking over another $35.00 to have this in my life when it eventually runs out.

I've been using it for over a month now and I haven't had any issues with irritation. Normally I would have had at least one break out by now and other than a random blemish here or there I'm seriously impressed. So if you were considering picking up this product I would say - don't think - run and buy it.

Rating: Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm 10/10 (I think that's the best rating I've even given!)

Revlon Colorburst Laquer Balms | Review

Can we talk about the huge trend that we've all been seeing over the last year or two? Giant lip crayons! At first when all the drugstore brands came out with them one after the other I was pretty sure they were all going to be crappy knock-offs for the Clinique Chubby Sticks. But every new expansion in the budget friendly lip crayon realm keeps impressing me.

I swear my bathroom looks like I'm hoarding bunches of Crayola jumbo markers, but I'm addicted to these things!

The newest addition to my crayon pack is Revlon's most recent offering aptly titled "Laquer Balms". At the same time of their release, Revlon also gave us the "Matte Balms" and I have one of those, too. Although while I find the Matte Balms to be quite drying on their own, under a good lip balm they work nicely and have some powerful colour payoff. But it's the Laquer Balms that really have me jazzed, which is a nice surprise since I'm usually drawn to anything matte.

While the Laquer Balms come in a wide range of shades from light pinks to plums and firey reds, the one that drew me in was the shade 'Demure'. For starters, it's a little glittery. Nothing too intense, while you can't feel the "grit" of the glitter like with a lot of lip products, the glitter is certainly noticeable. Secondly, the colour - Demure is a light peachy pink (this is a running theme with me, I know) but it's so flattering! Probably my favorite thing about it is its ease, because the Laquer Balms are sort of glossy (and also moisturizing)  you don't need a mirror to apply these for them to look amazing and can feel confident that the product isn't smeared all over your face.

One thing to note is like the original Revlon lip crayons (which I also have in like, every colour) there is that lingering minty/menthol feeling. It doesn't really stick around, so it's not a big deal for me. Lastly, these also twist up to dispense more product which is awesome. I've been wanting to pick up the Nars Velvet Matte lip pencils because they have about 50 amazing different red shades, but the fact that you need go sharpen them yourself really gets to me. I don't know what it is...something about paying close to $40 for something that makes ME work for THEM and not to mention sharpening the product wastes about half of it! Urgh, Nars, why do you do this to me?

Anyway, I would rate Revlon's Laquer Balms a solid 9/10.

Have any of you jumped on the massive lip crayon band wagon?

Rimmel Apocalips in Celestial | Review

Months and months and months ago we all kept hearing about Rimmel's new lip offerings in the liquid lipstick gloss world, the Apocalips collection.

Since Rimmel is a UK brand, naturally it was released in the UK months before anywhere else and the rest of us were left watching everyone else rave about it for what felt like years.

Finally about a month ago I was wandering through WalMart, as you do, and stumbled across them on Rimmel's display. Nonchalantly they were just sitting there as if they've been there for months just waiting for me to have a closer look.

I only picked up one shade, Celestial. It seemed like a safe bet, nothing too crazy but it looked like it would give a nice colour pay off. Also as a side note, I expected these to be a lot bigger but they're actually just a little bigger than a credit card!

The one thing I kept hearing was that it was really drying on the lips...I didn't find this to be true. Although for the record, I'm pretty much slathered in lip balm at all times so that could have had something to do with it. Anyways, the colour was really nice and rich and the applicator is pretty neat! It's like a regular doe-foot applicator but with a little divot in the centre sort of like a cupped hand just holding more product for you.

Now, application with this divot-foot can turn into a hot mess if you slap it on all willy nilly so I would suggest using a steady hand! But otherwise, it goes on smoothly and evenly - Celestial is like a purple-y/pink shade which could also probably pass off as a neutral so that's a plus. It also definitely has a smell but I can never describe what it is...it's the same smell as Rimmel's Kate Moss lipsticks in the red tube...sort of citrusy but not really? I don't know.

My only gripe with these is their staying power. I just don't find the Apocalips to be very long-wearing. If you're someone who likes to reapply your lip stuffs throughout the day then it probably won't be an issue; my problem is that I only reapply when I remember to so I can go hours and hours without realizing my lips have worn off...which isn't always a good look.

All in all these are a strong 7 out of 10 for me.

Have you tried Rimmel's Apocalips? What's you're favourite shade? They have a nude colour which looks pretty but I was too apprehensive to take the jump!

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder | Review

I always have this blog in the back of my mind, but you know how it goes, life happens and gets in the way and then it seems like the things you liked to do are just a distant memory...

I've been trying out a few new things lately, as usual, I'm always on the hunt for my holy grail products but also sometimes you just need to economize, you know? Namely, just like most people, I constantly look for alternatives for the products I use everyday.

As it is, I use MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish Natural (I'm shade Light Plus if you're curious) as my setting powder everyday and it looks basically flawless on top of whichever foundation I happen to be using that day. But having oily skin in the summertime makes it painfully obvious that my MSF is missing a key ingredient - oil control. And it's expensive!

I've heard a lot about Rimmel's Stay Matte powder swirling around the blogosphere and it's got some pretty amazing reviews. So here's another one!

I have a love/hate relationship with this. I love the fact that is does what it says it will do, it keeps your face matte throughout the day. As with any product that claims to be "matte" eventually some shine will get through but that's just our cross to bare, isn't it? Otherwise, it blends nicely, the shade range is just OK (they didn't have the lightest shade available, so I got the next one up and it's still fine) and the smell isn't offensive.

Now for the cons. I swear I have never had a product with worse packaging! On the outside it looks cute and fresh and that damn "screw on" lid is effing useless. I have to keep this on top of my dresser rather than mixing it in with my other makeup because the lid just falls off and I'm afraid it'll shatter.

My other complaint, which I've read in a bunch of other reviews so I was expecting it, is that it can get a little cakey looking. I've found this to be true if you use a heavy hand with it and sometimes during those +40C days it's hard not to practically paint it on! BUT, I think if you press it into the skin with a minimal amount on your brush you'll get an even coverage minus the cake.

Overall I'd probably rate it a 7.5/8 out of 10. It's a good powder and if you use a light hand it'll definitely come in handy during those sweltering days!

YSL Glossy Stain in Pêche Cerra-Colla | Review

My fiance Rob has to go to Montreal once in a while for work and the last time he was scheduled to go in June his boss told him to bring me along since I speak french and Rob doesn't. I pretty much jumped at the chance before you could say "A free trip to Montreal? Oui, s'il vous plait!"

When we got to the hotel Rob started looking for a restaurant online and exclaimed "Oh hey, Sephora's only a few blocks away, we should go!". This is why I love him, ladies and gentleman.

The Sephora we went to was beautiful so it was hard not to throw everything in my shopping bag BUT the things I did pick up are really great. So, throwing in Yves Saint Laurant's glossy stain seemed appropriate since it's a french brand or at least that's what I told myself!

I bought YSL's glossy stain in #27 Pêche Cerra-Colla, although the packaging only displays the number, sadly. As you would expect, the packaging is GORGEOUS, almost worth its hefty price tag in itself but thankfully the product is excellent, too.

What I didn't expect, however, was the texture. Yes, it's a gloss. But it's also a stain that claims to stay glossy for hours on end. Two things that don't seem to make sense together but somehow YSL pull it off.

I find the best way to use this is to put in on in layers. It feels almost waxy on the lips (and only slightly uncomfortable but you get used to it) but when you put on a second - or even third, if you're so inclined - coat that waxy feeling goes away and you're left with a pigmented glossy shine that lasts for hours. It also doesn't have any recognizable smell that I can tell, so that's nice.

The #27 Pêche Cerra-Colla is a peachy coral and in the middle of a hot June day it seemed like the perfect choice! I don't regret choosing the shade at all. I think really it's wearable all year round, actually. I definitely picture myself using this in the fall and wintertime, too.

I would rate YSL's Glossy Stain an 8.5/9 out of 10. Pretty damn good!

Have you tried YSL's glossy stains? Or better yet, have you found a good dupe for them?

Caudalie Beauty Elixir | Over the Moon or Overrated?

I might be a little bit late jumping on the Caudalie Beauty Elixir bandwagon but I tend to purchase things at a turtle's pace. 

I bought the much talked about Beauty Elixir/Toner/Makeup Setting Spray/Apparently Does Everything But Cook Your Food back in January on a whim. I was picking up a replacement brush head for my Clarisonic and the Caudalie section was lit up like a sparkling earthy beacon just a foot away. 

Like most people who follow beauty blogs and Youtube channels, all everyone heard about for the last 6 months was Caudalie Beauty Elixir, this - It's so refreeeeshing, that! And like most people, I was sucked in. Especially after seeing a video with the Queen herself Lisa Eldridge raving about how much she loved it. 

I bought the little mini bottle instead of the full size in case I didn't end up liking it and also because the mini bottle itself is pretty expensive for what it is. I don't remember how much exactly but it was over $20. 

It's probably a good thing too since the product itself ended up being a real miss for me. I think the concept is nice and I think it's marketed itself quite well too as an all-natural do-it-all face spray. I've heard a lot of comparisons to the MAC Fix+ as well, but I've never tried it so I can't say anything to that. 

In all honesty, I didn't find it worked as a makeup refresher since it actually felt really drying on my skin. It basically evaporates as soon as it's sprayed and I'm convinced it was leaving my skin quite dry. 

Not to mention for an all natural product, it really stung my eyes. Not that I was spraying it with my eyes open but once I did open my eyes it felt like the scent lingered in front of them and irritated the crap out of them similar to that feeling you get when you breathe in Vicks Vapor Rub. And that's another thing: the scent!

So many people talked about how much they enjoyed the smell of the Caudalie Beauty Elixir but I am not one of them. I can't really explain what it smells like, the best I can come up with is peppermint and wet leaves. Mmmm refreshing. But then again, that's just my opinion, clearly mostly everytone else in the world absolutely loves this stuff. 

I would definitely be interested in trying some of their other products because they really do talk a good game. But the Beauty Elixir is something I'm going to leave to the professionals. 

Laura Mercier - Lush Nectarine Blush | Review

I have oily skin, that's no secret. So by default I always feel like I need to stay away from overly shiny or sparkly blushes. I mostly stick to MAC's Melba (which is matte) or NYX's Peach (which is also matte - can we sense a theme here?) so I was a little unsure when I picked up Laura Mercier's blush in Lush Nectarine at Sephora last week.

This is another product that I've heard good things about so maybe that's what prompted me to buy it but either way I was surprised to discover that I really like it!

It is, for the record, a little shiny. But thankfully NOT glittery, which I despise. I'm always so jealous of everyone else's glorious NARS blush collections but as soon as you see them in person it's like "Whoa, that's a hell of a lot of shine!" I'd rather not look like a disco party walking down the road, thank you.

ANYWAYS, Lush Nectarine is a little shiny, like I said, but instead it opts for a more "glowy" finish. "Glowy" is also something I'm not used to wearing on my cheeks but I was pretty jazzed with how good it looks.

Normally I would wear a matte blush and apply a cream highlighter on my cheek bones just to up to ante but that's not an everyday thing for me. The nice thing about Lush Nectarine is that the highlight is almost built in and its done in a totally flattering way.

I would consider this an appropriate everyday blush and I suppose to could add an extra highlighter with it with you're feeling fancy (although I might do a bit of a contrasting shade like MAC's LUNA which is sort of a white frost - Lush Nectarine is a light gold)

Colour wise, it's a really beautiful shade. It's not as orange-y as the name would suggest. I would say it's more of a coral colour with a deep peach undertone, if that makes sense.

So, if you're like me and have a deep rooted fear in shiny blushes, I would give Lush Nectarine a try!

Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine | Review

My husband had the glorious idea of taking a little road trip to test out his new GPS and suggested we go to...wait for it...SEPHORA! A new Sephora just recently opened about 40 minutes away from where we live and he figured it would be the perfect place to go. This is why I love this man.

Needless to say I spent way more than I intended to but sometimes you need to do that for yourself, right?

I got a few things that I plan on posting about eventually, but today I'm going to review one of my purchases.

The Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine.

I've heard a lot about these, mostly because they come in a range of really nice colours, they're non-sticky and super moisturizing. I'm happy to report that all of these things are true.

I know there's a big focus on red/berry lips these days with the wintery season and all but I seem to always go back to pinky neutrals. I can't help it! Jasmine is a really nice choice if that's what you're after. It looks slightly beigy in the little pot but when it's on the lips it's a light pink/nude colour which I think would look fabulous on a lot of different skin tones.

It comes in a little pot which some people would argue with since you're constantly having to dip your finger into it and possibly spreading germs around but what can you do? It also only has 6g (0.21 oz) which is quite small. The packaging is a little deceiving since it gives you the sense that there will be more product inside but again, I'm not complaining.

Like its name suggests, this is a lip BUTTER and thank god for that! Frankly, I'm tired of all these companies coming out with lip products that include the word "butter" into it, placing that shining beacon of hope that it will be thick and moisturizing without the stickyness that gloss normally brings (ahem - Revlon Lip Butters, anyone? No thank you, you crooks!) but I can attest that the Korres Lip Butters do exactly that.

I believe it was somewhere around the $16-$18 mark and although it's a bit of a splurge as far as balms go, I've seen a ton of them on eBay for a few bucks cheaper. So with that said, I would recommend the Korres Lip Butters whole heartedly!

Simple - Kind to Skin Refreshing Wash Gel | Review

So Christmas has come and gone and I hope everyone had a nice break and enjoyed whatever time they managed to get off. I actually took a week's vacation from work so luckily I had a lot of time to loaf around and do nothing aside from sleep and eat. It was heavenly.

I did in fact get the Philosophy Purity Cleanser, which I've been using since I got it on Christmas Eve but that will have to go into another review post since I have more pressing matters to discuss!

My mom gave me the Simple - Kind to Skin Refreshing Wash Gel in my stocking because I really enjoy their make-up removing wipes (...maybe that will be another review for another time) and I thought I would give it a go as an every day type of cleanser. BIG MISTAKE.

I was pretty disappointed with it, since I usually really like the Simple products. I'm not a professional when it comes to product ingredients so I typically use the trial and error method when testing things out and I've never had a problem with this brand before, until now.

The Refreshing Wash Gel is a little bizarre to begin with since it's literally a clear, thick gel. It doesn't really lather at all (which annoys me, I don't know why) so it kind of just feels like you're slathering on, well, a thick gel and moving it around on your face! How pleasant...

The smell doesn't bother me since it's pretty faint but it is kind of hard to rinse off, like you really need to rub it off  for your hands/face to feel gel-free. I think as a cleanser it's OK but that's the least of my problems.

My main complaint is that it isn't Kind to Skin at all. If anything, it leaves your skin kind of red! Not all over, but I've noticed places on my face that may have had a blemish or was already a little irritated was only made MORE red and irritated by the Simple cleanser. Not to mention, I suspect it may have caused a small break out on my jaw line...

All in all, I think I'll be throwing it out. I don't think I want to risk ruining all the hard work I've been putting in on my skin (that sounds hilarious when I reread it, but I'm keeping it in!). My advice is if you're interested in the Simple products to stick with the make-up removing wipes. My mom also gave me a sample of their eye make-up remover but I might have to put off testing that for a while until I can block out the memory of their Wash Gel.

Clarisonic Mia 2 : Cleanser Battle

Yesterday I mentioned that I've been using the Clarisonic Mia 2 since around mid-September and that I was looking to get my hands on the Philosophy Purity Made Simple cleanser to use with it since I've heard they're a good combination.

Since getting the Clarisonic I've used two different cleansers with it, each with varying results. 

The first was kind of a staple for me, the Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash in Pink Grapefruit. I have acne prone skin but I can usually keep it under control without many problems and I feel like the Neutrogena cleanser was really helpful with that. By the time I got the Clarisonic I was probably on my fourth bottle. 

I can only assume since the cleanser is already a little strong due to the salicylic acid that when combined with the Clarisonic it goes into over drive! The Clarisonic is continuously exfoliating whenever it lands so I probably should have figured that a gentler cleanser should have been the way to go. My normal-oily skin suddenly had huge dry patches and was sometimes red and itchy - not a good look, to say the least. 

The second was also a bit of a classic product for me, the Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser. My mom bought this for me years and years ago and I've pretty much stayed true to it with a little wavering once in a while. I find it a lot gentler and I like that it doesn't give you that "tight" feeling after you've toweled off. 

I've been using the Aveeno with the Clarisonic for the last month now and I've gotten some decent results. I feel like since it's gentle to begin with, the product just works better since the Clarisonic is allowing it to work further than it normally would. So overall I can't complain. 

BUT that doesn't mean I'm not going to seek out something even better. I've read a lot of reviews for the Clarisonic and everyone seems to say it works well but once you find the right cleanser to use with it then it REALLY works well. 

The Clarisonic itself is a really great product. I mean, it's basically a machine for your face! The texture of my skin has improved and I do think it helps with blackheads a little, I have a few around my nose and I've noticed they've gone way down. A lot of reviews have also mentioned that they experienced sort of a "purging" period with their skin during the first few weeks they started using it where their skin went all kinds of crazy. I can't say I experienced anything like that but I guess I can see why you would. Aside for the random blemish here and there, I think it's been doing a really great job and I would definitely recommend it. I would recommend it even more if you can get it as a gift!