Makeup Empties

Urban Decay Lush Lash System $50 CDN

I was really hesitant when buying this product as you can imagine, it's quite pricey and for such a little tube I thought it would be like any other lash growth serum but I was wrong. I tried this on for about a week and using the serum side on my lashes and the white coat on my eyebrows, I seen a dramatic change in my eyebrows. They looked more fuller and thicker and that was surprising to me because it usually takes me a really long time to grow out my eyebrows when I want to get them done or anything like that. I really enjoy using this product regardless but the only downfall is how fast this product finishes up. 

Smashbox Photo Set Finishing Powder $32 CDN

This product was really good to me during summer or days where I'm really oily. My skin type is usually oily-combination skin and no matter what powder I use, I always end up having to touch up a lot throughout the day. With this powder, I probably only touch up my face once or twice and it will keep me matte until I start blotting my face. Translucent powders in general work really well for me and trying this one out was pretty worth it. And for the price, it lasted me a really long time!

Soap & Glory Fab Pore Facial Peel $24 CDN

I have tried many soap & glory products and they never seem to disappoint. This particular product though stood out from the rest because I had amazing results after using this and a lot of people even complimented me and asked me why was my face so clear and why I didn't have any enlarged pores. The only product I was even using at the time was the fab pore. You leave this mask on for about 15min, rinse it off and you'll have soft beautiful skin. It takes awhile, but after a couple uses you'll see a difference in your skin. 

Dermalogica Daily Microexfoliant 

I got this as a sample awhile back in my Luxe box and I never started using it until recently. This product had a really nice scent to it and the coolest thing is that when you pour the fine powder onto your hand and add a little water, it becomes an exfoliating powder that instantly makes your face brighter and softer. I've yet to find this in store, but apparently it's pretty pricey. Regardless of the price, this is one of the many products that has worked wonders on my face and has really made a difference. 

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash $10 CDN

I only picked this up because I've tried the green one which is an acne redness soothing face wash, and since it's sort of the same line except this one smells like pink grapefruit, I was really excited to try this out. Sadly I was really disappointed. I loved the scent but this product was supposed to be a scrub and I felt like it didn't lather or do anything for that matter. It was a waste of money and I hated it so much I just ended up using it to clean my make up brushes whenever I ran out of my brush shampoo. 

Inebrya Ice Cream Colour Shampoo $13 CDN

This was a product I picked up because I thought I would test it out after using the hair dye from this line as well. It has a really nice vanilla scent and lathers really well. I enjoyed using this product a lot since it kept my hair smelling really good and it also kept my hair colour from fading. I recently just finished this whole bottle but even after using this, I looked at my roots and the colour is still there. Usually with other shampoos by now, my hair colour would've probably already faded or washed out. 

Nivea Eye Make Up Remover $7 CDN

If you're looking for a cheap make up remover that will actually take off ALL your make up, this is hands down the best drugstore make up remover ever. For the price, I think it's so worth it because not only does it remove make up but it won't burn your eyes or leave an oily residue. When I'm not using my Clinique take the day off makeup remover, this is what I always end up repurchasing because it's really affordable and does a great job.

Best Drugstore & High End Make Up

Primer

Drugstore: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind (Around $10 CDN) 

High End: Benefit The POREfessional ($36 CDN) AND Make Up Forever All Mat ($55 CDN)

For the price you pay for the Maybelline primer, it's definitely much more affordable. As much as I like the product though, if I wanted to splurge I would probably buy a high end primer instead just because I find that they cover up my pores more better and it also keeps me shine free which is a must when finding the right primer!

Foundation

Drugstore: Marcelle BB Cream Anti-Aging SPF 20 (Around $22 CDN)

High End: Diorskin Flawless Perfection Foundation SPF 25 ($48 CDN)

Hands down, these two are my most favorite face products. Even though the Marcelle one isn't necessarily a foundation but a bb cream, these two look super natural when applied to your face and it's also very light weight. They both have a good amount of SPF in it as well to keep the sun from harming your face! Marcelle only comes in light/medium or medium/dark but I think it blends very easily to match the color of your skin tone. As for the Diorskin, I have never had a foundation that matched be so perfectly before. Not to mention, it smells really good. Now I obviously don't buy foundations because of the scent but there are a few that have such a horrible scent that I refuse to use them.

Face Powder

Drugstore: Rimmel Stay Matte (Around $5 CDN)

High End: Smashbox Halo Hydrating Powder ($72 CDN)

Now I was never really interested in trying the Stay Matte powder because when I seen it being sold in outlets and warehouses, I just assumed they were sold super cheap because it probably sucked. Well I was wrong.. and luckily, one of my girls actually introduced me to this product. She told me about the foundation but I was more interested in the powder so I picked one up and ever since then, I've never stopped using it. There are times where I switch it up and try other products, and when I feel the need for a change, I always end up using my Smashbox powder. Now it is really pricey.. I don't think I have ever bought even foundation for that much but it looks really nice on my skin, I love the outcome I get and that's why I think it's worth every penny. It is proven that after 6 weeks of use, there is 67% decrease in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I think it actually does help with your wrinkles but it's not a dramatic change. Plus side? It comes with a very cute kabuki powder brush that I love because it's small and easy to carry around on the go. Overall, if I can apply powder on  my face with it being beneficial to me, it's a win win situation. 

Moisturizer

Drugstore: Simple Rich Moisturizer ($10.97 CDN)

High End: Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream ($49 CDN)

Ever since I first tried out any Simple products, I have always been hooked. It never burned my face or made it super oily. I think once you just start using a product so much, it stops doing what you want it to do. I used to use this moisturizer day and night and I think maybe it's okay to use especially during spring/summer but once it gets super cold, even this super rich moisturizer can't help my dry flaky skin. Thankfully, I purchased the Clairsonic Mia 2 not too long ago, and the one I bought came with 2 products from Fresh. I heard that the Lotus Youth face cream really helped with dry skin. On the Sephora website it even says that 97% felt their skin was immediately hydrated and that's exactly how I felt. I'm now in love with this product but hate how expensive it is. I'm probably going to use this until summer and see how it goes with switching back to my Simple moisturizer. 

Face Scrub

Drugstore: St.Ives Green Tea Scrub ($5.99 CDN)

Now I don't have any face scrubs I like that are high end but I do really enjoy using the St.Ives green tea scrub only because it does wonders for my face. This product really helps when I have little break outs because it has salicylic acid ingredients that help reduce the size of my pimples and really clear my skin up. It's one of my holy grail products and I probably went through 10 bottles of this product and I'll always continue using it. 

Toner

Drugstore: Burt's Bee Rosewater & Glycerin Toner ($14.97 CDN)

This toner is one of the best toners I've ever used. It really helps take off any excess make up and my face feels super clean after using it. I also love how it doesn't make my face feel so tight and itchy after using a cotton pad to apply it with. The size of the bottle is pretty big too so it can lasts a very long time. Considering the price, I think it's reasonably cheap. 

Mascara

Drugstore: L'oreal Telescopic Mascara ($10 CDN)

High End: Dior Show Black Out Mascara ($31 CDN)

Usually I don't mind what mascara I apply to my lashes because I end up wearing falsies anyways. But sometimes when I'm super lazy and don't want to put on fake lashes, I still want to be able to wear mascara that is lengthening yet voluminous. I love the effect you get when you apply these two mascaras. I've always loved the L'oreal Telescopic line. I Actually used to use the one with the small little wand that was meant for your lower lashes but they discontinued that item. Ever since then, I've tried many other drug store mascaras to use for my bottom lashes and they all either smudge or create a huge mess under my eyes.The telescopic line is perfect for both top and bottom lashes and no other mascara can really replace that product besides the Dior one which I don't buy often because it's triple the price of the drugstore one. But regardless both are amazing products.

Nars lipgloss in Turkish Delight vs Victoria Secret lipgloss in Innocent (DUPE)

Now I wish someone would've told me that there was a cheaper alternative for Nar's most raved about lip gloss in Turkish Delight. The colour for Turkish Delight is described as "pink sorbet" and retails for about $32.77 CDN at Sephora.

Innocent, is about $12-$14 at Victoria Secret. As you can tell in the pictures, they both look very similar. If you take a close look at the swatches below, you would probably think they're both the same colour. The best part is, one of them is half the price of the other. To be honest, some Nar lipglosses are worth paying the money for, but this colour is very sheer on my lips and doesn't suit my skin tone so it's great that there's cheaper alternatives out there.  

 Swatches of both colours:

                                                     Innocent (Left) Turkish Delight (Right)

I couldn't swatch these on my lips because they were just too dry and the colours barely show up on my lips. Below are the swatches on a piece of paper I used to test out different colours etc (Courtesy of Marc Jacobs haha.)

Victoria Secret "Innocent" lip gloss

As you can see from the picture above, the only different between the two lip glosses is just the pigmentation. Innocent is more sheer. While in the picture below, Turkish Delight is definitely more pigmented. Regardless, they both are really nice colours and it's always better to find cheaper alternatives rather than paying almost $35 for a lip gloss.

Nars "Turkish Delight" lip gloss

Best Dry Shampoos in the Drugstore

 Marc Anthony 2nd Day Clear Dry Shampoo

Probably one of my most favorite dry shampoos I've ever used. This smells really good on the hair and doesn't make your hair feel like it's being weighed down and dirty when used. On the label, it says that it "instantly cleanses, absorbs oil, adds volume and protects colour without the wash." On the back it also says that it won't leave a chalky residue. I agree that it doesn't leave a chalky residue. Especially with most dry shampoos now a days, they all either leave your hair looking powdery white or they have such a strong scent that I can barely spray anything into my hair without it giving me a headache. I bought this one at Shoppers Drug Mart for about $8.99 I believe or somewhere around that price which is a bit more pricey than most drug store ones but so worth it.

Garnier Fructis Volume Extend Dry Shmapoo 

This product smells really good since there's orange citrus and grape extract in it. One of the main things for me when purchasing dry shampoos is the scent. If I can't stand the scent, I probably won't use the product. It claims that it extends volume a full 24 hours, won't weigh hair down and makes hair bouncy and fuller. It definitely doesn't weigh your hair down and I think that's really important especially if you're the type of person who likes leaving your hair down. It feels really clean when applied throughout your hair and I really enjoy using this product. This retails for about $5.86 at Walmart. 

ColorPops Ombrés Review

When I was chosen to do a review on this product, I was super excited since I've never really used temporary hair powder. You were allowed to pick either the ColorPop Ombrés or the ColorPop Shimmers. Me being the indecisive person I am when dying hair, I decided to give the ombré one a go because I really wanted to see how my hair would turn out with Blond in it.  When I opened up the package which looked like this:

It made me think that there's no way this little ball could instantly change my hair color. I really didn't like the packaging because it felt like the cap could fall off any time and I thought the way this was packaged was done very poorly just because I really struggled to hold this when I was brushing it through my hair. Another thing is, if you decide to buy this product and you have long hair, I suggest you use 2 because one is definitely not going to be enough. The color on the inside looked like this:

So after struggling to apply it through my hair.. this was the results:

 

You could tell the bottom of my hair sort of looks like it's ash blonde. And definitely lighter than the top of my head! 

This was the final result and to be honest, I was pretty damn impressed that this little hair powder could look so nice and natural when it's brushed into my hair. This is also very easy to wash off. Once you wet your hair and use shampoo, your hair will instantly go back to how it was before. Now the only bad thing I would have to say about this product is that I felt like it was super messy to use... I actually got it all over my top that I was wearing and even after using hair spray, It went all over my jacket. Really disappointing because when I took off my jacket and tried washing it off, it wouldn't come off. The picture is a bit hard to see but this was pretty much the results of the hair powder rubbing off onto my jacket. To be honest, this was a pretty enjoyable product but I would have to reconsider if I would purchase this next time. 

Drugstore make up wipes

I've tried everything from cheap to high end drugstore make up wipes and I must say, not all is worth the money. Below are some of the few make up wipes I've tried and what I think is actually worth the money and what's not.

Quo Make Up Wipes 

Price = $$

Would I repurchase this item? No

These are pretty good wipes. They are easy to use, take off all your make up but the only problem is the price. For about $10 you're paying for 30 pre moist wipes, which is okay but there are many cheaper alternatives out there. Especially if you're using this daily. Saving a bit of extra money goes a long way. 

Soap & Glory Off Your Face Cleansing Cloths 

Price = $$

Would I repurchase this item? No

Average make up wipes, scent is pretty good but made my face very red. I have very sensitive skin, so I felt this product was a bit too harsh. It says it's "infused" with pore shrink-rs which I think is false. I don't really think a make up wipe can make my pores shrink any smaller. These were one of those make up wipes where I just used it to get it over with since I didn't want to put it to waste. These comes with about 25 wipes.

Burt's Bee Sensitive Cleansing Towelettes

Price = $$

Would I repurchase this item? Maybe in the future

The most important thing about make up wipes is having one that doesn't make your face burn or has too many fragrances in it. This is one of those products. Especially since it's made for sensitive skin. For the price you pay, it's the same as the Quo and Soap & Glory but this would be the one worth spending a little bit more money on if you are willing to pay around $10 and also comes with about 30 wipes. 

Neutrogena All in One make up removing cleansing wipes

Price = $

Would I repurchase this item? Yes

I tried this for the first time when I went on (savealoonie.com) and seen that Neutrogena was having a giveaway where they send you a box of free deluxe sized products for you to try. I must say I was really impressed. This was super soft on the face, barely any scent, and it took off everything on my face. These are one of my holy grail make up wipes and is pretty comparable to the new Simple cleansing wipes. These come with about 25 make up wipes and cost about $5-$6 at Walmart depending on where you live.

Andrea EYE Makeup Remover Pads

Price = $$

Would I repurchase this item? No

These were really hard to use.. I had such a struggle that I didn't even finish using the pads inside just because it couldn't even take off my mascara even though it wasn't waterproof. I felt like I had to really rub the pad for it to get my make up off and even doing that, I still had to use another make up remover to clean off the rest. It comes with about 65 pads but even with that, I would never buy this product again. This is probably the only product that I really disliked out of all of them.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Cleansing Wipes

Price = $$

Would I repurchase this item? No

For start, these smell amazing. Grapefruit freaking make up wipes? Yes please! My face smells so good after using this and it also feels really cooling. The only downside to this product is the fact that I tried using it on my eyes and let me just say... don't ever try it on yourself. It hurt like a b*tch and I just couldn't open my eyes at all... it was stinging like crazy and also made my eyes really uncomfortable. As good as this smells without being too overpowering, I wouldn't repurchase this again and this comes with 25 pre moist wipes. 

Say Yes to Tomatoes blemish clearing facial towelettes

Price = $$

Would I repurchase this item? Yes

I've tried many products from this line and I must say, I did not really like them. I was afraid to try this product but because I read that it said "blemish clearing" on the label, I picked it up right away. This product is pretty good, It says that it's 99.6% Natural, which is better than most make up wipes. It makes your face feel really clean after using it and I would probably repurchase this in the near future if I ever start getting tired of my neutrogena make up wipes. 

L'oreal Age Perfect Smoothing Cleansing Wipes

Price = $$$

Would I repurchase this item? No

First off.. I only tried this product because I found it in my mom's washroom when I desperately needed face wipes since I had ran out and forgot to repurchase some more. I really dislike products with a strong scent so opening this package automatically made me not want to use it.. I wouldn't recommend this product for people with sensitive skin. And this product is pretty pricey since the L'oreal skincare line is always a little more expensive. The only good thing about this product is that it's biodegradable. 

New start.

Hi everyone, so to those of you who know me.. well you know I'm a makeup hoarder. And I'm also a tiny bit crazy always trying to keep up with the latest trends and new products from each company. Hopefully I'll be able to do what I love, which is being able to try out new products and sharing my thoughts with everyone. I hope I can make it a habit to write in this blog more often.