April Ipsy Bag

 Once again I'm very happy with what I got in my Ipsy bag this month. This month's theme was Beautifully Bohemian. I think the actual bag may be my favourite bag that I've received in all the months I've used the service. It's very summery, super cute and colourful. I absolutely love it! 

Essence Lash Princess Mascara

 This is a full size mascara with a "cobra" wand. The packaging is really cute. It gives good volume and length and is easy to remove. A very good mascara for the price. Essence is a drugstore brand so this mascara retails for $5.

Theorie Argan Oil Ultimate Reform Hail Serum

I'm a big fan of argan oil but my hair is so fine that I usually can't use oil treatments in my hair. We'll see how I do with this one. At least it smells nice. This is a sample size worth about $4.20 but the full size retails for $42.

 Starlooks Lip Gloss in Cuddle

 I really like this lip gloss, I just wish it came in a larger size. It reminds me a lot of Nars Orgasm lip gloss. It's just a little more coppery and it smells really good, like vanilla. It's a satin finish so there is some shimmer to it but it still manages to look natural on the lips. It's also not too sticky. The full size retails for $13.

L- theBalm Fit, R-Starlooks Cuddle

 theBalm Eyeshadow

This is a single eyeshadow from theBalm's Nude Dude palette, the sequel to Nude'tude which I have (you can find my review here). I really like theBalm shadows in general. They're pigmented and buttery. I am not the biggest fan of copper shades like this one but it's still a really good quality shadow. As a side note, this might be the cutest packaging I've ever seen a product come in. It's the tiniest little book with a magnetic cover to keep it safe. I love it!!

Jor'el Parker Femina Rollerball Perfume 

Now this is by far my favourite thing I received in this month's bag. The notes of this perfume are Meyer Lemon, White Grapefruit, Satsuma Mandarin, Summer Forsythia, Pink Plumeria, Wild Verbena, Tahitian Vanilla and Sensual Musk. It's a really fresh feminine scent perfect for spring. This rollerball retails for $21!!! I'm very impressed.

Navy and Gold Eyeshadow Look

This is way out of my comfort zone but I really wanted to do a look that utilized Navy from the Lorac 2 Palette so here we are. It's actually a fairly simple look but it involves so much blending.

I started like normal by priming my eyes with Urban Decay Primer Potion and I used a matte white eyeshadow to serve as a base. I then took a matte transition shadow through my crease (I used the shade Soft Light from my itCosmetics Naturally Pretty Palette). I then placed a piece of tape (which I made less sticky by applying it to my hand first) from the corner of my eye up to my browbone.

I then put a layer of theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer highlight all over my lid. Next I started concentrating the Lorac Pro 2 shade Navy onto the outer corner of my eye with my Zoeva Petitie Crease Brush and slowly bringing it up into the crease with my MAC 217 making sure not to go above the crease. I then took a clean brush and made sure the edges were nice and blended. I continued these steps until I got my desired intensity. I further intensified the gold on the centre of my lid and in my inner corner. I removed the tape and took my clean brush to blend out the edges.

 Under my eye I used Navy on a pencil brush and put that close to the lash line. I finished up with Urban Decay's 24/7 eyeliner in Deep End on my waterline and slightly smudged into the navy on the lashline. I used my Jordana FabuLiner to do a small wing on my upper lashes and I finished with a coat of mascara on my top and bottom lashes. 

I hope you like the final look. I was pleasantly surprised by how it turned out.

Main products used:

Lorac Pro 2 Palette - Navy

theBalm - Mary-Lou Manizer

My Blog's First Birthday - What I've learned Blogging

Today marks ONE YEAR of blogging! 

I started my blog on April 9th 2014 after I had been thinking about it for a while. You can read my first post here, it's a review of Tanya Burr's Lipglosses. Originally I had my blog set to private because I was nervous about sharing however eventually I got up the nerve and went public. In October I started using Bloglovin' and gained followers for the first time. 

So here are a few bits of advise I've learned in my year of blogging. I'm not the most successful blogger out there but I really enjoy it.

-Have Fun! This is really the most important thing. If it's not fun there's no point in doing it anymore. Your readers will be able to tell you're no longer enjoying it.
-Take a Break! To that end it blogging starts feeling more like a chore than a hobby it's perfectly fine to step away for a little while. I would caution that too long of a break can cause you to loose followers but a short break can be really good for you and your content.
-Keep a Notebook! I don't even know how I would blog if I didn't keep all my thoughts and post ideas organized in a notebook. It's really annoying when you get a post idea but forget it because you didn't write it down.
-Beware the Spending! I've found that since I started a blog I've been rationalizing all my beauty purchases as something I can review. As a result my makeup collection has rapidly grown and my bank account balance has shrunk.
-Pictures are Important! I love reading blog posts with lots of pictures of the products on them. Don't worry if you're not a pro photographer, I certainly am not however I'm learning more all the time. (This is one of my rarer posts where I don't have pictures... I don't like it.)
-Get Active on Social Media! This is something I still struggle with because I'm a natural introvert however I notice that my posts get a lot more attention when I promote them and I enjoy blogging a lot more when I interact with other bloggers.
-Challenge yourself! I did Blogmas this past year and it was a really challenging month but I had so much fun and I felt such a sense of accomplishment when it was over. Always try to push yourself to be better.
-Helpful Websites! I have found picmonkey.com to be really useful for editing photos (see photo above). And obviously Bloglovin and Twitter.

Now for the exciting news! I'm just over 50 away from 200 Bloglovin' Followers. Once I reach 200 I'm going to be doing a GIVEAWAY. If you haven't already, you should go follow me (there's a button to the right). I'll be following people back! Also let me know below what you'd like me to include in the giveaway!

Thanks to everyone who's helped make my first year blogging great!

If you're interested, I've compiled a list of some of my more popular blog posts.

My Spring Lilac Eyeshadow look - here

Is it Worth it? Drugstore vs. High End  - here

Hydrating Masks Glam Glow vs. The Body Shop - here


(cupcake image from dreamstime.com)

Target Haul and First Impressions

As anyone who lives in Canada knows, Target Canada went bankrupt and is pulling all of their stores out of the True North. This means my access to brands such as Sonia Kashuk and E.L.F is no longer just a few blocks away so I have a final haul of the things I picked up before we loose Target forever. I've only been using these products for a few days but I can give you my first impressions.

E.L.F
Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder in St. Lucia

I had hear a lot about this duo as a dupe for Nars Orgasm and Laguna. I wasn't expecting much since it was only $3 but I'm pretty impressed. While these aren't the most finely milled powders, their pigmentation and blendability is good. 

Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow in Soiree 

This has a weird gel like texture and a ton of glitter so I wouldn't wear it as an all over the lid eyeshadow however I've been loving using on my lowerlash line. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this product yet. It needs some more testing.

Lip Exfoliator

I had heard this was one of the best lip exfoliators so I needed to try it and I wasn't disappointed. While I'll always love my Lush Lip scrub, this is a good, cheap alternative. I like how it comes in the form of a lipstick as it's a lot less messy. It exfoliates well and tastes really sweet. It feels much higher quality than the $3 I paid for it.

Sonia Kashuk
Eye on Neutral Shimmer 03

This palette is amazing! I went in looking to get the Eye on Neutral Matte palette but they were sold out so I took this one instead and I'm very happy I did. Although this was more expensive for the drugstore ($19.99), it's worth every penny as it feels high-end. The shadows are pigmented, blendable and long-lasting with little to no fallout. It only confirms my need to get my hands on the matte palette. I'll do a full review of this palette soon.

All Covered up Concealer in 01 Porcelain

This is a full coverage concealer. It's creamy but a little slippery so I wouldn't suggest it for under the eyes as it tends to crease if not set with powder. The packaging seems very high end but you don't get much product for the price. I need more time to use this product before I come up with a fully formed opinion on it but so far it seems good.

Velvety Matte Lip Crayon in 06 Berry Nude

I like this lip crayon as it's fairly creamy and it seems fairly long lasting. I love the colour, it's a great MLBB. My problem is that this is a matte pencil but there are lots of little shimmers in the product. While it still looks matte on the lips, I'm really not pleased with the shimmer.

March Favourites

I can't believe it's already April. Although this wasn't my best month for blogging I loved and used a lot of products this month so I have a fairly substantial March Favourites post for you guys.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

I've been committed to my Josie Maran Argan Oil for a while now but I just started using this as a face moisturizer before bed and I have to say I really love it. It provides intense hydration and clears up my dry skin.

ELF Professional Eyeshadow Brush

This has become one of my all time favourite eyeshadow brushes. It's perfect for packing eyeshadow onto the lid. I actually have 2, I love it so much. Although nothing will ever beat my MAC 217 as my favourite eyeshadow brush, for only $1 this brush is a must have.

Chella Highlighter 

I got this in my Ipsy bag this month and have been using it every day since. It looks great as a browbone highlight as it's the perfect shade and it's matte. It's also great at brightening up the eye when used in the waterline.

NYX Butter Lipstick in Pops

This is another product I got in my Ipsy bag this month. (This month's Ipsy bag was especially great- check out what I got here). This shade is the perfect MLBB for me. It's my new favourite everyday lipstick. The formula is really nice and buttery but it doesn't actually feel like you're wearing lipstick. My favourite part, like all NYX lip products, it smells unbelievable - like fudge.

Not Your Mothers Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray

This provides tons of volume and gives my hair some slight beachy waves. The salt in it makes my hair look less oily so it's great on second day hair. I've only started using it this month but I really like it. The one downside is that I think it smells like Play-Doh and the scent lingers all day.

Eyeshadow Look

This is something I haven't included in a favourites before, but this month I've had a favourite eyeshadow look. I've worn this look almost everyday the past month because it's really easy to do but it looks sophisticated. I've already done a post on this look, you can find it here.

Empties #3

I've been busy lately writing a 75 paper for University so my blogging has suffered but my paper is done so I should be back to my Monday / Wednesday posts from now on. Thanks for hanging in with me! :)

I have been on a "no spend" since January so I've ended up finishing up a bunch of products. I love reading empties posts because I think it's the best way to find out someone's real opinion on a product.

Bath & Body Works Peach Bellini Hand Soap

This is probably my favourite scent from Bath & Body Works. It lingers on your hands after too, which I really enjoy.

Longevity? About 5 months.

Repurchase? I already have!

Nivea Lip Butter Vanilla & Macadamia

Nivea makes my favourite lip products so when they came out with these I was beyond excited. I loved the scent of this and I really loved that it has no taste. I would put this on right before bed and my lips would be moisturized by morning. I didn't have dry lips this winter and I credit this! 

Longevity? About a year of nightly use.

Repurchase? Absolutely. I'm using the Caramel Cream Kiss scent right now.

Anastasia Brow Wiz

I use to hate doing my brows until I starting using the Brow Wiz. It's a quick, easy way to make your brows look polished but still natural. 

Longevity? 7 Months of daily use.

Repurchase? I already had a backup waiting for when this one ran out.

Maybelline Masterdrama Eyeliner in Midnight Master

I was really disappointed because the lid of this eyeliner cracked and so it dried out. I usually like this formula. It's creamy and very black. I wish I could have used the rest of it.

Longevity? N/A

Repurchase? Maybe one day. 

Maybelline Volum'Express The Rocket

This mascara is really great at volumizing but it still isn't my favourite. I'm not a huge fan of plastic wands and this one in particular is really big.

Longevity? 4 months

Repurchase? I'm still looking for the perfect mascara so I don't usually repurchase mascaras.

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch

This is a really light weight, light coverage highlighting concealer perfect for under the eyes. This had been my favourite under-eye concealer for about a year.

Longevity? About 5 months.

Repurchase? Maybe one day but I want to try the Maybelline Age-Rewind concealer I hear so much about.

Skone Tattooed Liquid Eyeliner

Another eyeliner I was disappointed with due to it drying out so fast. I don't really know what went wrong here. It pretty much dried out after 2 uses. Not impressed.

Longevity? 2 uses.

Repurchase? I originally received this in my Ipsy bag. Would not purchase.

Clean and Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment

This is the best spot treatment I've tried. I usually use it before bed and when I wake up my spots are almost gone or at least a lot smaller. The formula is also clear so you can use it throughout the day and a tube lasts forever. I didn't make it through this tube but it was past it's expiry date so I had to replace it.

Longevity? 3 + years.

Repurchase? Already have a backup.

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

I really love this mascara. It's perfect for the bottom lashes as it never smudges and the brush is small making it really easy to coat the lashes.

Longevity? Mascara should be thrown out every few months however I kept this for way too many months. Oops!!

Repurchase? Yes.

March Ipsy Bag

Sorry I wasn't able to do a second post last week. I also can't promise there will be a second this week either. University is crazy this time of the year.

Anyway, I got my March Ipsy Bag and I think this is the best bag I've gotten so far. It totally makes up for last month's fail of a bag. This month's theme is Floral Fantasy. I'm actually totally in love with this bag too. I guess I'm just a sucker for floral.

 NYX Butter Lipstick - Pops (BLS17)

I was very excited to receive this lipstick in my bag this month. I am a huge fan of NYX lip products. This is a great lipstick as it's light and moisturizing but it has good pigmentation and staying power. I also really like the shade. It's the perfect MLBB for me. This retails for $6.

Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels

I got two packets of these eye gels. I actually haven't tried these yet because I'm saving them for when I really feel I need it. These are supposed to help firm and depuff under your eyes. I've read good things about this so hopefully I end up liking them. You can get 8 pairs for $30 on the website but we were given $7.50 worth of eye gels. 

Acure Day Cream

This is a day time face moisturizer. I already have a lot of face moisturizers but this seems like another good one. It smells strongly of citrus and it's not too oily. It makes my skin feel really silky and smooth. This is a decent sized sample at 30ml but the full size is 50ml and retails for $18.99.

Pixi Mesmerizing Mineral Duo in Apricot Glow

I reviewed the Mesmerizing Mineral Palette in Plum Quarts here which I wasn't a big fan of but I was pleasantly surprised by this duo. The shadows are creamy and pigmented. They're very warm colours which I don't normally go for but these are beautiful. I wasn't able to find any duo's on the Pixi website so I don't know if these are available for sale.

Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter

This is probably my favourite thing I received in my bag this month. This is a matte peachy highlighter pencil that I think is perfect for highlighting the browbone and the waterline. It's creamy and blendable but it lasts a long time and really brightens up your face. It retails for $18.

The total for the bag this month was about $46!! This is by far my favourite bag I've received as there really wasn't a disappointing product in the bag.