Ipsy/MyGlam Bag: February 2013

Aloha everyone! 

Guess what came in the mail today?! That's right, the February ipsy/MyGlam bag. This months theme was "Red Carpet Ready," and I know a lot of subscribers weren't happy with this months products because they "didn't live up to the name hype," or whatever . . . But I am not one to complain about the products I receive at all, because I enjoy trying out everything I am sent - even if I don't like it, who cares? I just won't buy the full sized one!

If you're not familiar with what an ipsy bag is, it is a monthly beauty subscription for $10.00/month where you get sent 5 deluxe samples (mostly sample sized, but we do get sent some pretty generous full sizes sometimes) and you're apart of the ipsy community where you are able to upload your own beauty videos, watch other ipster's videos, play along with stylists, learn how to use the products properly, etc. If you're interested in signing up, you'll take a beauty quiz to determine the correct colours and products for you then receive your first glam bag! I've subscribed to many monthly beauty bags in the past, but this is now my ONLY subscription, because we get the best brands and samples from ipsy.

The first thing I grabbed out of the bag was the "Lash Card - Individually Wrapped Mascara Shields," which is suppose to help prevent your mascara from clumping and smudging. Now, I've heard so many people complaining and belly-aching about these but I am actually so stoked to try them. I have super long lashes, so my mascara always ends up going on my eye lids which makes my eye shadow look odd. I can understand why people would think it's awkward to apply mascara whilst holding these up, but I am determined to find a way to make it work! Plus, this is a full sized product so I don't want it to go to waste ha!

The second item we received is the "Flawless and Poreless" face primer from Pixi. This is a 0.5 fl. oz sample, so I am actually very happy with it. This is going to last me a long time and I am so excited to start using this. My staple primer is the Benefit Porefessional, so it'll be interesting comparing this to that. The consistency is very light and feels almost like a moisturizer. It doesn't dry super quick like some primers do, so I'm assuming it'll spread nicely all over the face. On the back of the package it says, "pore minimizing face primer. Oil free. Hydrating. Hypoallergenic. For all skin types," well . . . We will just see about that. This product makes a lot of promises, so it better not break my heart!

The next item I grabbed is from Mica Beauty Cosmetics and it is their gel eye liner in a deep black colour. I am all out of gel liners, so this made me very happy. It feels very creamy to the touch and I like that because my eyes and lash line get irritated easily if gel liners are too thick and "tuggy," for lack of a better word.

The second last item is an eye shadow quad from Coastal Scents and it is really, really tiny. A lot of people were pissed that it was so little, but let's be serious people - we pay $10.00/month for these samples . . . At least the colours are pretty and these will last a while before hitting pan. Anyways, I only see myself wearing two of the colours - Candlelight and Ashen - but I am really eager to use these tomorrow. The pigmentation is good, the 2 colours I'll wear are subtle enough to be a day time colour but  you could also use the whole quad to make a gorgeous smokey eye.

The last item in the bag is a mascara from Pop Beauty and the colour is Smokey Black. I've heard a lot of people say that it is a very good mascara if you want to go for a more natural look, so I think I'll use this if my son has had a bad night and I'm tired but still have running around to do.

If you're a subscriber, let me know what you think of the products we received this month. If you're not a subscriber and are interested in ipsy, let me know if there's anything you want to know about them!

Get To Know Me: Beauty Questions Tag

Aloha everyone! 

So I've been trying to find a beauty tag that would allow me to properly "introduce" myself and this is one of the better ones I could find. Hopefully you all enjoy this! Feel free to reply with your answers so I can get to know you, too! :)

1. Do you apply your foundation with a brush, sponge, or fingers?

It depends on the foundation I am using, but lately I have only been using a foundation brush.

2. What foundation do you use?

I've been switching between 3: Urban Decay Naked, Smashbox Studio Skin, and Rimmel Wake Me Up.

3. Do you apply your eye shadow from light to dark? or dark to light?

Dark to light . . . Light to dark just looks weird in my opinion.

4. Do you prime your eyes and face?

Every day or else my make up lasts like two seconds and my eye shadows smear like no one's business.

5. Concealer first, or after foundation?

If I'm using my Vichy acne cover stick I put it on before my make up, but any other concealer goes on after I apply my foundation.

6. What concealer do you use?

Rimmel's Wake Me Up concealer.

7. On average, how long does it take you to do your makeup?

I'd say around 15-20 minutes with no interruptions from my son, but it could take up to 40 minutes if my son is up lol.

8. Do you wear makeup everyday and everywhere?

I wear makeup a lot, but definitely not everyday and everywhere. I wouldn't usually wear my makeup to the gym unless I have to do something important after.

9. What makeup release are you most excited about? 

I'm really excited for Rimmel Apocalips to be released where I live. I've heard a ton of mixed reviews on them and that makes me even more anxious to try.

10. What’s your weakness? Shoes, purses, clothes, jewelry, eye shadow, lipstick or other?

I've always had a purse fetish haha but lately I've been obsessing over lipsticks and nail polishes.

11. Do you whiten your teeth?

Nah, I can't be bothered to do anything other than use a whitening toothpaste lol.

12. Wax eyebrows, or pluck?

Wax - I HATE plucking my own brows.

13. What do you use to contour?

A bronzer from The Body Shop.

14. False lashes, or natural?

Natural. I've never actually worn fake eye lashes for some reason.

15. Favorite makeup brand?

Ugh, I've been dreading this question :( For drug store brands, I've been loving Rimmel and Revlon. For high end I've been loving Benefit and Smashbox. 

16. Liquid eyeliner, pencil or gel?

To line my water line and to tight line, I like using a creamy pencil but for lining my top lash line I like using a black eye shadow. 

17. Lipstick, lip-gloss or chap-stick?

ALL. This question is cruel, because I love all of them.

18. What is your favourite lipstick? 

All Kate Moss lipsticks! I have a review of these, actually, so go check it out!

19. Pigments, pressed or cream eye shadow?

I cannot choose between these, either. I love them all, BUT I use pressed shadows the most. 

20 . If you had to wear only one thing, excluding foundation, what would it be?

Mascara.

21. Favorite color of mascara?

Black and brown (because I have really blue eyes).

22. Favorite color combination?

I really love all the colour combo's in the Urban Decay Naked2 palette but I usually go for a nude matte colour all over the lid and then a darker shimmery colour for my crease.

23. Natural? or Dramatic? (Eye Makeup)

Depends on the event/ situation, but for everyday I like more natural.

24. Do you care more for quality or name brand?

Quality, I have more drug store makeup than I do brand name, mainly because I think drug store makeup is just as good.

25. Did you ever consider taking makeup classes?

Nah, I love make up but I'd rather experiment with it on my own.

26. What do you think of makeup?

I love makeup, because it makes ME feel good about myself. I don't think you should wear makeup for anyone else, nor should you stop wearing makeup for anyone else. I know too many guys who hate makeup and tell their girlfriends - who are religious makeup wearers - to stop wearing it, because they don't need it. Ugh that pisses me off. We might not "need" it, but we might just like it. It's not for everyone though and if you can feel beautiful and comfortable not wearing it, flaunt it honey!

SKIN CARE

27. How many times do you wash your face daily?

Two: morning and night.

28. What skin type do you have?

Dry and problem skin.

29. What is your current facial wash?

Eclos: Plant Based Beauty

30. Do you exfoliate?

Yes, I try to exfoliate one to twice a week.

31. What brand do you use?

I have two exfoliators: Eclos and C. Booth (although the C. Booth is super rough and it irritates my skin for about a day, it smells exactly like green apple and does do a good job).

32. What moisturizer do you use?

Eclos for the morning/day and then Aveeno Age Defying night cream.

33. Do you use eye cream?

Yes, I love experimenting with different eye creams! Right now I'm using Eclos, but my all time favourite has to be the Lise Watier eye cream.

34. Do you enjoy using face masks, if so which ones?

I do enjoy face masks once in a while :) I don't have a preferred mask, though, I basically just use whatever I can get my hands on. 

Beauty Haul and Impressions :)

Aloha everyone!

So this is just a mini haul I have to share with you guys and although there isn't a ton of stuff, I have a lot to say . . . So grab yourself a snack and get comfortable!

Macadamia Rejuvenating Shampoo

Marc Anthony Macadamia Oil Conditioner / Macadamia Oil Treatment

I just recently purchased these products, because I decided I couldn't afford my other hair care routine products anymore. I had been using "Wen," which you can purchase online and through their infomercial offers, but I had actually went into a Showcase store in a mall close to where I live and got it on sale, so I decided to give it a whirl. I didn't actually have too high of expectations, because I'm pretty skeptical with hair products. When I was a teenager I was always bleaching and down right ruining my hair - my hair stylist says I'm even lucky to have hair these days - so really nothing had ever given me that soft, light, bouncy "salon" feel to my hair until I tried Wen. That stuff is absolutely off the wall amazing. It literally repaired my hair from it's dead state to a soft, gorgeous looking "oh my god let me pet your hair," hair. When you buy it you receive two big bottles of the shampoo, an intensive hair mask, a comb for the shower, a texture balm and a styling gel. The other down side to the product is how expensive it is for the amount you have to use each wash. Unfortunately I had to make the decision to search for a comparable hair care routine regime. So, I researched a few products and the Macadamia Oil won my vote.

I don't actually think the Marc Anthony conditioner goes with this shampoo, but it works well together so I'm not going to search for the proper one now. The shampoo is alright, it's really not my favourite smell, nor does it do wonders for my hair on it's own but when I use the oil treatment conditioner in combination with it, my hair is pretty bouncy, light and mostly tangle free. The conditioner smells AMAZING, so I find myself doing several hair flips throughout the day just to get a good sniff of it ha. I find that my hair has dried out a little bit since switching to these, but I do still have a lot of my Wen hair mask left as well as a L'oreal Arginine hair mask to use up, so hopefully those will moisturize my hair a little better than the shampoo/conditioner. All in all, I will keep using these products until someone recommends me something even better that won't break my bank. They aren't terrible by any means, they just aren't a miracle product. 

I actually haven't used the Macadamia Oil Treatment on my hair yet as I just bought it yesterday, but today will be the first day to use it and I'm super excited. It is also from Marc Anthony so it smells identical to the conditioner. I have heard a lot of people raving about oil treatments, so we'll see if I jump on the band wagon or if I have to go on a rant about it. Stay tuned!

Soap and Glory Righteous Body Butter for very dry skin

Soap and Glory Clean Girls Body Wash

Soap and Glory Hand Food

I cannot stress enough how much I love Soap and Glory products. I am the type of person who has a billion different body butters, hand creams, scents and body washes stored away in their room. Whenever I buy a new body products I'm always like "oh my god, this is the best thing I have ever used, it works like magic, blah blah blah," then a few days after I just quit using it because it's not doing what I want it to do anymore. When you walk into my room and look at my makeup and beauty product storage you'll see a basket dedicated to every day body cream uses / favourite moisturizers of all time and then another basket dedicated to body creams/hand creams/ scented body moisturizers that really don't do anything for my skin except making me smell pretty . . . So those are stored away for when I'm doing something important or if I'm trying to impress someone ;) ha. Now, in the basket solely for magic moisturizers and what not, Soap and Glory is ALWAYS in there. Out of ALL the moisturizers I have tested and bought, the Righteous Body Butter is my absolute favourite and staple for every day life. After I shave my legs, my legs are so itchy and irritated, but right after I apply the body butter they seem to be soothed and smooth out . . . Which is nice, because who wants itchy, irritated and flakey legs O.o

When I first smelled Clean Girls, I didn't really care for the smell too much, but Shoppers was all out of Clean on Me, so I was forced to buy it and I have to admit . . . I might like this scent and body wash even more than Clean on Me. I know, it's absolutely shocking. The smell still kind of irritates me when I'm in the shower, but once I'm out and dried off it leaves you with such a clean, fresh smell to your skin that isn't over powering, nor does it compete with the body butter smell. I find that they actually work pretty well together scent wise.

Do I even have to go into detail about Hand Food? It is just the best thing since sliced bread. I will never leave the house without it in my bag. Not only does it have that amazing quintessential Soap and Glory smell, but it makes your hands super soft and soothed from cracks and dry skin. If you live in Albertan winter climates, it is a necessity to have a good hand lotion or else you will have dried, cracked, achy hands and nobody wants that.

Lush Ocean Salt Face and Body Exfoliant

Lush Almond and Coconut Smoothie

Lush Bubble Gum Lip Exfoliant

Lush Sea Spray

I love experimenting with body exfoliants, because I have super dry skin, but that also means that I have to be very careful because I have sensitive skin and harsh exfoliants can leave me with little red dots, itchy patches, hives and burning sensations . . . Attractive, I know. I got warned by tons of people that Ocean Salt would probably really irritate me because of my sensitive skin, but I rebelled and purchased it anyways and I have to tell ya, my skin doesn't seem to mind it all that much! I wouldn't use it on my face, because I'm too nervous that I'll break out super badly, but it does do the trick on my skin. I only use it once or twice a week and it leaves my skin soft, healthy and smelling wonderful.

I am absolutely OBSESSED with the smell of the body smoothie, ahhh, I seriously just want to eat it . . . But I won't, because I'm not crazy. Anyways, it's nice, I'm not going to say it's my absolute favourite thing in the whole entire world, but I think I'd repurchase it just for the smell. I think I'm going to start using it at night time if I take a shower or bath, because I find that it leaves a residue on my skin that annoys me a little bit. It will leave you feeling soft, but I dunno . . . Just not what I thought it would be I suppose.

I had never used a lip exfoliant before discovering them at Lush and I will never ever ever go without them again. I use it whenever my lips feel dry, which is pretty much every day, and it makes my lips ready for any lip products I want to use. If you read my Kate Moss lipstick review, you will have read that I have super dry lips all year round and before I discovered lip exfoliants, I was scared to wear lipstick because it just looked awful on account of the dead skin, the dryness, the cracks, etc. Now that my lips are soft all the time, I've began to build up my lip product collection and couldn't be happier about it! Oh and did I mention that you can lick off the sugar scrub after?! Awww yeah!

I've used seas salt spray in the past to attempt beachy looking hair and they have always failed me :( However, I would recommend this Sea Spray from Lush to virtually everyone and anyone. I'm not the type of girl who enjoys prim and proper curls in my hair - I like them to look a little worn, a little messy, and very natural and this spray is now a staple in my hair routine! I've become very resistant in using too much heat on my hair, because it's already drying out from not using Wen, so I'm trying to keep it as healthy as I possibly can so when I can't be bothered to fully blow dry my hair, I spray in some Sea Spray, mess my hair up a bit and go. You'll definitely be able to tell that you have product in your hair, but I don't personally find it gooey or anything like that. You'll also be able to smell the saltiness of the product and it took me a while to get use to, but I now really like it. The only thing I really hate about salt sprays is that your hair will indefinitely become knotty and such, so a good combing before bed is a must or else you'll end up with mats and those are no fun.

Body Shop Mango Body Scrub

Body Shop Duo Body Butter for dry skin

The body shop had a sale on where if you buy one product, you'll get another full sized product of your choice for half off, so I got suckered. I have never tried a body shop body scrub, nor have I used it yet, but I am excited to try it. I've heard that they aren't too harsh on your skin so that really impressed me. Plus, this smells absolutely fantastic.

This duo body butter is in my every day essential basket in my room, because the "dry skin" side works wonders on my skin. If I ever were to run out of my Soap and Glory body butter, I would automatically reach for this. The "normal skin" side of this works well, too, but I would repurchase this duo just for the "dry skin"side. The only thing I dislike is the smell . . . Sweet pea is a gorgeous scent, but I find this too overpowering and a little obnoxious ha.

Eclos Skin Products

Cleanser, Clay Mask, Facial Scrub, Face Serum, Eye Cream, Moisturizer

I haven't been very happy with my Vichy skin care routine, although it hasn't broken me out and it is a good acne fighting line, I've been so curious about organic products to use on my face. I was debating whether I wanted to purchase Eclos or another brand that I can't remember the name of, but I decided to get this solely because it was a tester pack worth $24.00 rather than buying full sized products for a ton of money. Last night was the first night I used these (along with my Bioderma) and they haven't broken me out . . . Yet. I'm not expecting miracles for my skin, because I'd need a face transplant to disguise my skin problems, but as long as this stuff doesn't break me out or make my skin inflamed I will keep buying it. It smells very fresh and nice and it is derived from plant stems with a main ingredient of apple, so that's nice . . . I like apples . . .

Revlon Color Stay 24 Hour Foundation

I have been avoiding buying this for SO long and now I don't even know why honestly, because I do really like it. The first time I used it I found it a little too yellow pigmented for my skin, but after a couple of days I really liked the finish it gave my skin. I have heard a lot of people saying that it is easier to apply with a damp sponge, but I personally HATE using this with a damp sponge. I like using my liquid foundation brush and it applied very flawless and nicely. I like pairing this foundation with a cream blush rather than a pressed powder one, because I find that it looks more natural and pretty. This is for oily/combination skin - I didn't know that when I bought it - but it actually wears really nicely on my dry skin if I'm wearing a proper face primer. I don't know about the "24 hour wear" effect . . . Mostly because I need not wear my make up for a full 24 hours, but it does wear for a good 8 hours nicely on my skin. This is also a really good "hugging foundation," because it doesn't rub off on anyone's clothing, woo! I think we've all been through that awkward moment where you hug a wear, who just happens to be wearing a white or black sweater, and you smear your make up ALL over his clothing . . . Well, my friends, fear not - this does not do that! If you have a hot date coming up, go get some of this and I promise you you'll be good . . . Unless you cake it on like no one's business . . . Then you're screwed.

Hope you guys enjoyed these products and my impressions on them! If you've used any of these and have some thoughts, let me know! 

Bioderma As a Necessity: Review

Aloha everyone!

 I may recommend a lot of products to my followers, but this products is an absolute MUST HAVE for those who wear make up casually or religiously. I was very skeptical at first, because every blogger that had bragged about this product said that it felt like water, wasn't harsh on the skin, but seemed to be a miracle for their skin. Miracle, really? YEAH, REALLY. To my understanding, Bioderma is based in France and was finally released in Canada not too long ago. A lot of the bloggers and youtubers I follow are from America and from the UK so they had the pleasure of trying this out before us in Canada and although I was skeptical, I was anxious to try so I waited it out until I finally out in Calgary, Alberta.

For 250 mL of Bioderma I paid nearly $30 with tax, so I wasn't too impressed at the time and I might have told the cashier, "If this stuff doesn't live up to all the hype I've been hearing, I'm going to be pissed..." Luckily, it has so far! I've incorporated this product into my skin care routine and have found that it has not only helped my cleanser clean my face better, but it has helped my skin heal better at night. It does feel like water against your skin and it doesn't have a smell, but it does have a taste so I wouldn't suggest licking your lips after accidentally smearing it onto them. It makes your face have that fresh and clean tingly sensation without making your face feel stripped of its natural oils. I have super dry, problem prone skin so I usually shy away from mixing up my skin care routine too much, but I am really glad I bought this, because it has worked wonders on my face. I am also a mom, so I'm usually pretty tired by the end of the day and it's a real chore for me to clean my face if my son's tired me out, so I have to resort to just using this product at bed time and I can't complain - I feel clean in the morning. 

 For my skin care routine I use Vichy Normaderm line for acne/problem prone skin, but it's a real pain in the butt to lug all my products around if I were to go stay at a friends house or something, but I would feel comfortable and confident in just bringing my Bioderma and moisturizer with me and using it as my full cleanser. I wear a lot of makeup, so it takes a lot of cotton pads to clear my face of it all but this product does do that nicely. My only complaint is that it has a hard time taking off some mascara's such as Benefits They're Real and Maybelline's Rocket, but you can't have it all so whatchu gonna do, right?

If anyone has any dupes for Bioderma, perhaps inexpensive dupes, please let me know so I can try them out when I run out of this! 

Mini Polish Haul

Aloha everyone!

I went out and did a tiny polish haul to add to my collection, so here are the colours I got and my first impressions of them!

Revlon:
220 - Enchanting (Deep purple with some brown and silver hues to it)
330 - Naughty (Matte purple, reminds me of a barbie purple)
901 - Fuchsia Fever (Hot pink)
915 - Creme Brûlée (A creamy brown and beige)
932 - Copper Penny (Metallic copper)

Sally Hansen:
170 - Bride To Be (A shimmery silver)
Strengthening Top Coat "Advanced Hard As Nails"

Nicole by OPI:
Haley Good Lookin' (Glittery pink)

Essie:
752 - Turquoise and Calcos (Pale turquoise)
988 - We're In It Together (Baby pink)

Nailtini
108 - Bloody Mary (Blood red in bottle, but goes on very bright red)

Okay, so I'm not going to lie: I am not very good at painting my nails, but I love love love nail polishes. My left hand always turns out really good, because I am right handed, but my right hand always looks like my three month old son slapped some lacquer on to my nails. Perfect, right? However, I did find that the Revlon polishes are the easiest to apply (even with my left hand). I believe it's a combination of their formulation as well as the brush that makes it go on super smooth and doesn't bleed all over the place. Also, these colours stay on my nails for a very long time even with the tiniest amount of top coat. I have a 3 month old son, so my polishes are usually getting chipped from playing with him, from constantly picking him up, etc, so I'm super impressed by the lasting power of Revlon's polish line. 

The Sally Hansen polish is a super pretty shimmery silver, very easy to wear, and isn't a colour that's right in your face. This is probably one of my favourite polishes that I own, because if I just don't know what colour to paint my nails, my hand automatically reaches for Bride To Be. It's not as easy to apply, in my opinion, as Revlon, but it's not as drippy and frustrating as Nailtini.

Nicole by OPI is such a cute line, because it's based off of the show Modern Family, which is my favourite show at the moment. I do love glitter and sparkles (this colour is a whole bunch of glittery pinks and such so it really caught my eye), because I find them so much easier to apply when I'm not really in the mood to do my nails or if I'm in a rush, because they can't really look bad. However, this polish is such a pain to get off! Even with polish remover, I have to pick and pick and pick to get all the glitter pieces off. I find it too frustrating to wear on every nail, so I've been using this as an accent nail when I wear Bride To Be.

When I have to compare the Essie polishes to the Revlon polishes, I have such a hard time, because I like Essie colours more, but I like the Revlon application better. AHH. Nevertheless, the two colours I purchased are super cute. I tend to go for pale nail polishes rather than really bright colours for some reason, so Essie has a special place in my heart. I would like to purchase a ton more from this brand, because their colours are so wearable and just dang adorable, but you have to be careful of where you get them from, because some places inflate their prices so much that it's not even worth it.

Nailtini . . . Nailtini . . . Nailtini, beat it. I hate this brand. I hate this polish. I just hate it. I didn't actually buy this from a store, I received it in a glam bag and I am so not impressed. I took a sneak peak of the bag online and when I know it was a red polish I nearly died. As I mentioned before, I'm not very talented at doing my nails so a red polish is my worst enemy. They bleed, you can see all the imperfections, and it's just scary. Also, the Nailtini line just isn't a good polish in my opinion. I find all the colours way too runny and drippy, so you have to be SUPER careful when applying. The only thing I do like about this polish is the red colour - although I'm scared of it - it is a pretty red. For someone who is good at doing nails and can pull off red, it would look so nice. 

If anyone has any recommendations for me about some other brands, colours, etc please comment and let me know!

Kate Moss Lipstick Review & No Bleeding Lips

Aloha everyone!

Now, lipstick has never been my forte mainly because I suck at putting lip liner on, so my lipstick bleeds like no ones business, and I always felt like the colour never lasted long enough. I also have super dry lips if I don't keep up with using Lush's lip exfoliant and lots of lip chap everyday lipstick can look really terrible. However, I have now found a lipstick that is not only long lasting but moisturizing and a lip liner that is completely fool proof!

Although I've started to build up my lipstick collection these past few months, I haven't been impressed with most of them I purchased. I have two colours from Elizabeth Arden which are super pigmented and pretty, but so drying. Also, I find that I can't pull off the really bright colours. I wish I could wear really bright pinks and really red reds, but I don't have the confidence to make them work. So when I found the Kate Moss lipsticks, I decided to play it safe and only purchase pale, matte nudes. The two colours in the picture above are shades #14 (the nude brown to the left) and #17 (the pale pink to the right). I cannot rave about these enough: the formulation, the pigmentation, the creamy application, the lasting power and the moisture it brings to your lips is just amazing. Oh, and the smell is also pretty great. Usually when I use lipstick or lip stain I can't stand the smell and taste of it on my lips, but this is actually very enjoyable!

The only complaint I have about this line of lipstick - actually about all lipsticks - is that if you don't wear a lip liner you're basically screwed. I avoided lipsticks for years because I absolutely dread lip liners. I'm a pretty clumsy person, so trying to draw a nice, even line on my lips was absolutely ridiculous. I was walking through Shoppers Drug Mart the other week and at the till there was a display of these lip liners. I wasn't sure what the colour was, but because of the pink writing on the package I believed it would be a pink liner. However, when I open the cap I nearly wet myself from excitement. Who would have thought?! Now people like me can wear pretty colours without worrying about looking like a drunk prostitute! Woooo!

If you haven't checked these products out, DO IT! If you're like me, the No Bleeding Lips will be an absolute essential in your makeup collection. 

My Biggest Fear

Aloha everyone!

I could let you all know why birds terrify me and why I feel the need to drop whatever I'm holding to flail like a fool. I could give you all a good laugh with some stories about red nail polish and why I will never, ever, ever use it again. I could tell you why I'm nervous about driving down Center Street NW in Calgary these days. I could give you an idea of why I'm scared to eat a pizza pop again. I could also dig deep within myself and tell you that I'm scared of dying without knowing what it's like to fall in love. None of these "fears" keep me up at night, however; nor do they cross my mind each day. Despite all of my little corky fears, there is only one thing that keep me tossing and turning at night.

I want you to be happy

When I was younger - in junior high and high school more specifically - I would wake up some days and feel really uncomfortable in my own skin. I would think I knew who I was one moment, but the next I felt lost. I know it's normal for teens to go through different phases to try and find out who they are, but I felt like I was having a harder time than a lot of people I knew. It was not so apparent in junior high, because everyone seemed to be go through the emo phase, the punk phase, the preppy phase, etc. I was one of those people who never really felt myself in any of these "styles," but kept conforming to what everyone else was doing in the hopes of finally feeling myself. By the time high school hit, everyone seemed to find their own niche. I, on the other hand, still felt awkward and lost in my own skin. That was one of the worst feelings anyone could ever experience. Screw broken hearts and hurt feelings . . . When you wake up and feel uncomfortable in your own skin, I promise you that you'd rather experience a heart break.

I was also one of those teens who completely rebelled against my parents, so although we are super close now it took years to build a proper relationship. The brunt of my rebellion was because of my own B.S. When I felt uncomfortable in my own skin, when I didn't know who I was and when I was angry at the world because of it, I took it out on everyone around me. I didn't feel that I could talk to my parents about it, so that made me even more upset. I always wanted a relationship with my mom like Rory and Lorelai from The Gilmore Girls, but just couldn't find the happy medium between my mom and I. I always promised myself that if I ever had a child, I would sweat blood in order to have a relationship like that. A relationship where my child never felt nervous to tell me something, no matter how shameful it was. No matter how mad they thought I would get, I never wanted them to feel the need to hide things from me.

Now that I have a little boy, my heart aches when I think of him waking up feeling poorly about himself. I never want him to think that he needs to be anything other than who he is and who he wants to be. I know it's inevitable that he will go through strange awkward stages where he just doesn't know what he believes and such, but I hope he is open with me about everything he is going through. Obviously every teen goes through a time where they don't want anything to do with their parents, but I hope he will come back to me and confide in me.

I want you to find out who you are and do it on purpose

I remember dreading going to school, because I was worried about what everyone was going to think about me - my hair, my make up, my clothing, etc. There was this one group of girls that use to make me feel like absolute shit every day. They didn't out right "bully" me, but their little whispers, the way they were so fake when forced to speak to me, the way they would look me up and down, and the way they would judge me without even knowing me really upset me. I would try to act like them, dress like them, talk like them, and it never worked. They still didn't give me the time of day. I used to go home crying, bottle it all up, and that hurt turned into resentment and anger. I never want my son to feel like he has to change who he is in order to impress people. It would break my heart if he ever sacrificed his beliefs, his style and his personality for people who aren't worth his time. I just want him to be happy and confident in who he is, what he believes, and what he wants to do in  life.

"Baby, don't worry, 'cause now I got your back and every time you feel like crying, I'm gonna try and make you laugh. And if I can't, if it just hurts too bad, then we will wait for it to pass and I will keep you company through those days so long and black."

Rimmel's Wake Me Up Foundation, Concealer & Highlight Review

Aloha everyone!

Alright, so I follow a ton of beauty guru's on youtube (mostly from America and the UK) and everyone had been raving about Rimmel's Wake Me Up Foundation, but I wasn't quite sold on it because I have problem skin. I have always suffered from acne, horribly dry skin, blemishes, dark spots, hyper-pigmentation, and the list goes on and on, so I am very picky with the types of foundations I wear on my skin. One youtuber and blogger, Fleur De Force, had done a review on this product and had said that she also suffers from dry patches on her skin and that this foundation didn't cling to it like most do. When I read that, I began to get super fricken excited, because that is my biggest pet peeve with make up . . . I end up looking like a reptile if I wear the "wrong" face products. So, I searched and search and searched, but couldn't find it anywhere, because it hadn't been released in Alberta just yet. BUT, I went to Shoppers Drug Mart just the other week and noticed that they were redoing their Rimmel London wall and I spotted the orange foundation cap . . . I hauled ass through the crowd, as if it were a life or death situation, and snagged the lightest shade I could get my hands on. As I was about to walk away, I noticed two more Wake Me Up products and I just couldn't resist. Go big or go home, right? The second product I picked up was the concealer and the third was the liquid highlight. I was so excited to go home and try out these products that I literally forgot what other stores I had to go to, so I said screw it and got my bum home as fast as I could.

Wake Me Up Foundation

Obviously I wouldn't use that much on my face, but just look at how nicely it blends into my hand. My first impression of the product wasn't actually as good as I would have thought . . . When I first put it on, I HATED the way it looked on my skin. I noticed that yes, it did make my skin look brighter and more awake and I liked that it didn't have noticeable gold shimmer to it, but I found that it didn't cover my imperfections well at all. My cheeks are my biggest problem area, because of all the acne scaring and what not, and the purple marks weren't being disguised, but I powered through and hoped that a finished look would help.

The consistency of the foundation is very light weight and runny which I am not used to, because I usually go for more thick face products, so I wasn't convinced that I was going to feel comfortable wearing it. I felt as though because it feels like you're not wearing foundation that I would not be confident wearing it, because the spots would some how show through. This does blend super duper well, though, which I was amazed with, because the dry spots on my skin normally don't allow that to happen. Not going to lie, it also has a pretty good smell to it. Very subtle, but it doesn't smell like the traditional foundation.


Wake Me Up Concealer

When I applied the concealer to my cheeks, chin and problem areas on my forehead, I was very pleased with the results. I usually hate concealer, because I cannot get them to blend the way I want them to, but this one blends, smooths, and disguises like a charm. Once the concealer was set, I was a little bit more pleased with the look of my face, but not quite as happy as I am with my other foundations. However, I didn't give up just yet!

The consistency of the concealer is a little bit thicker than the foundation, but not by much. Like I mentioned before, it blends and hides your problem areas like no other. If you use it under your eyes to conceal some dark spots it works well, too. I personally don't like to use it under my eyes, because my staple under eye concealer and brightener is the Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer, but if I were to ever run out of that one day, I would automatically grab my Wake Me Up Concealer for sure.

Wake Me Up Highlight

GFDHFBHJODKSODUWK834647HEBFD!! I FRICKEN LOVE THIS STUFF. I have never found a liquid highlight that I actually really enjoyed, but this product now has a very special place in my heart. For the foundation and concealer, I bought the shades "fair," because I am one of the most pasty people you will ever come across, and with the highlight I went for the shade "001 - Flush of Pearl." To apply this, I use my ring finger and put a few dots right on my cheek bones and my temples. It captures sunlight like nothing else I have worn before and makes your skin look so healthy and luminous. In my opinion, it has a subtle floral scent to it, which is nice, but if it were any more noticeable I think it would ruin the whole product for me. Since I have such sensitive skin, I have to be very careful of putting scents around my face; however, this line does not break me out! Woo!

Foundation Brushes Used

I have the hardest time strictly using my finger tips, brushes or sponges to apply every foundation I own. I tend to switch between the three methods with every foundation, depending on what I think works the best and gives me the best finish possible. For the Wake Me Up Foundation, I tried using a damp sponge and that turned into an epic fail. Then I tried using my finger tips and I found that the finish wasn't very natural looking, because my fingers just couldn't work the product into my skin as well as a brush could. I know a lot of people drop tons of money on makeup brushes, but I really, really don't. My staple foundation brush is a "Bling Bling Jewelled Makeup Brush," which I purchased from Winners for around $10.00 for a set of 8 if I'm correct. It's super soft, it has a medium density and again, doesn't irritate my stupid skin. When I apply the foundation, I put a pump of product on the back of my hand and use a slightly damp brush to put it on my face. I find that the dampness makes the product a little bit more easy to apply and it also gives me a nearly flawless finish. The only thing I dislike about the Bling Bling brush is that it is not that good at blending into my jaw line and around my nose, so I purchased a Pur Minerals Liquid Foundation brush (around $22.00 at Shoppers Drug Mart), which I really dislike for foundation application, but it is great for my jaw and nose.

Finished Look Impression
Amazing. I was really worried at the beginning, because I didn't like the way it looked on my skin, but once I used my Revlon Photo Ready Pressed Powder, some bronzer from The Body Shop, and Benefits Bella Bamba Blush, I have never liked a foundation this much in a long time. Since I am a mother to a 3 month old baby, I'm very busy and usually pretty tired, so in return my skin normally looks worn down, sleepy and dull. The Wake Me Up line gives me a natural looking shimmer, wakeful skin and lots of confidence. I would highly recommend the foundation, concealer and highlight (especially the highlight) to anyone, but more specifically to those who also suffer from dry, irritated, problem skin.