Covergirl TruBlend Foundation | Review

Last month BzzAgent gave me the opportunity to test out a Covergirl foundation for free.  I had a choice between a few different ones, so I picked the TruBlend formula in the colour L2 (and because I am the palest, I could have probably gone with L1, but it looked way too pink for me).

My thoughts on this foundation are quite concise. It is a lovely, thinner texture that covers imperfections with ability the of a much thicker foundation.  Covergirl offers 21 different shades - a true bonus, knowing how hard it is to find a nice matching foundation. I've applied this foundation to my face using my fingers, a beauty blender and a makeup brush - looks pretty sweet every which way you could desire applying this.

This leaves my skin looking AMAZING. Seriously, glowing but not greasy - trust me, my face gets greasy so easily that this is a must. It doesn't cling to dry patches, it sets beautifully and it lasts all day. I am able to cover all of the unsightly things that I need to, without feeling like I'm coating my face.

Bottom line? This is one of the nicest drugstore foundations I've ever used. I'm shocked.
I said I would be concise.

Cheers,
Kait

Lush Christmas Haul #2 | December 2015

As promised, here is the second Lush Christmas haul of the season.  I really can't resist the Lush Christmas collection. Everything is just so yummy & sparkly & perfect.

Lord of Misrule Shower Cream - This stuff is amazing. If you like the smell of the Lord of Misrule Bath Bomb, you'll love this.  It lingers on the skin for hours, is super moisturizing AND is super duper green. Seriously great

Lord of Misrule Bath Bomb - I had one of these in the first Lush haul of the season. I used it and decided that one was not enough, so I picked up another. 

. 

Salt and Peppermint Bark - This is a body scrub and boy is it scrubby! It feels just right for this time of year, especially if you have some dry, wintery skin.  It also smells like candy canes!

Golden Wonder - This bath bomb has been around for a few years, but I've never tried it before!  It smells very citrusy and you can tell from mine (that got kinda dinged up in the mail) that there is turquoise in the middle!

Holly Golightly - Another product that definitely got abused in the mail is this beauty of a bubble bar.  This bubble bar smells like Christmas.  It smells like cinnamon and cloves, but also like a Christmas tree. It usually has pretty holly leaves on the top, but mine crumbled off. Sad day.  It is also the most glittery thing around, so be aware that you might get out of the tub looking like a disco ball.  The upside? If this sounds great to you, it's big enough for 3-4 baths! 

Snow Angel - This is a bath melt that packs a punch with golden glitter all over.  This smells very lightly of almonds and vanilla, to me this feels like a very warm scent.  Because this is a bath melt, Snow Angel is meant to be super moisturizing! Another one to be weary of if glittery after-bath skin isn't your thing (but I love it). 

Rosy Christmas - This little gift set includes Rose Jam shower gel (my absolute favourite) and a small pot of Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, which I have never tried. This is a great little gift for someone who has never tried Lush products! I purchased it to get my Rose Jam fix, whilst testing out a small size of the Body conditioner! Also, look at that wrap job! 

All in all, this has given me a fantastic stock of bath and body goodies to take me well into the cold winter months!

Cheers,
Kait

Makeup Purge 2015 | I've Moved!

So we bought a house! & we've moved! While it's all very exciting, we've been very busy on both ends, the cleaning out of our old place & the fixing of our new place. We've been cleaning out our apartment and getting rid of some things that have just collected over time.  I thought that since I'm doing it anyway, I might as well document the beauty portion of this event.

In the apartment, I had 3 locations with beauty-related items in them.  I had a dresser drawer in my bedroom containing my makeup, one bathroom drawer containing skincare & bath items and a drawer in my office that holds some miscellaneous items and extras (nail polish, extra soap/lotion, etc.). This is obviously because I had no physical way of having all of my beauty-related items together, seeing as our space was quite small. & I don't even really have that many things!

Drawer #1 (bedroom)

First, I'm giving the hard candy duo eyeshadow away to a friend, because I've only ever swatched it.  It came in a beauty box 5 when I was subscribed briefly.  The shadows are quite pigmented, I just don't wear those types of shades.  Secondly, the Skinn face illuminator.  This is so old, it smells weird (but always has) & has now developed clumps.  I've used it in the past, but it really did nothing for me...so to the trash!  Next up, Got2b body butter. This stuff literally looks & feels like butter. Which is kind of gross to me. It smells alright, but this is also really old. Trash!  Finally, Nivea moisturizer.  This used to be my go-to moisturizer. I've repurchased this so many times.  I noticed more recently that it was really greasing up the place, so I've decided to pass it on to a friend & use more combination skin friendly products.

Also in the bedroom, I had a few Lush things.  Here are two that I'm tossing. The Lust solid perfume. I love the smell of this & it was mostly used up, but it's now very old & Lush products generally don't keep for more than a year (this was probably pushing 3 years).  A sample of the Luster Dusting Powder.  I believe that this is a product that is now being discontinued, but it smells exactly like the Lust perfume - very jasmine-ish & sultry. It's very nice smelling, but this dusting powder always left a not-so-sexy yellow tint to my skin...not for me!

Drawer #2 (bathroom)

In the bathroom there were only a couple of things to toss...This Nair hair removal cream that smells like chemicals & feels like them too. As you can probably tell, the tube has had some use. I never used this on my face, I mostly used it on my legs.  The Simple light moisturizer is actually quite a lovely product! It is not greasy, which is pretty fantastic for something containing an SPF.  Unfortunately, this didn't all get used up before the aforementioned SPF expired. Bye Bye!

Drawer #3 (office)

The office drawers end up collecting things that aren't immediately being used, then they end up being forgotten. Here are a few forgotten products. Jergens Natural Glow was one of those things that seemed like a good idea at the time, but turned out horribly. This was the old formula & it smelled terrible! Veet hair removal (I'm beginning to see a trend) does not work well for me. I've used about half of this & like the Jergens it smells BAD. The Avon sunscreen is simply past it's expiration date..thus not worth keeping. Finally, this weird hand lotion that smells like fake, plastic peaches & isn't moisturizing. At. All.

Some nail things I've found. The nail decorating kit was well loved when I had time to do fun designs. I'm also not that great at it. Even in this picture you can see that some of the colours are well used & kind of dried up. The salon effects thing was kind of used. I'm not much of a fan of these actually. They were fun to try, but I wouldn't buy any myself. The Artistry colour is quite bland & clumped. 'nuff said.

I'm mostly ridding myself of things that have gone bad. Otherwise items are being packed up & moved or given to a friend (if they are still good, but not used).

Have you purged anything lately?

Cheers,
Kait

Empties | July 2015

Another month, another empties post! I've not used as many products this month as usual, mostly due to the fact that I wear fewer products during the summer months. Example, I wear less makeup, thus not only do I use less of those products, but of the products used to remove them! So overall, this will be a shorter post than some months. Samples are marked with an asterisk < * >.

Makeup

Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer in Watermelon - I have four of these...well three now. I love them! They hydrate & leave a little bit of colour behind. This one was great, it was a your lips but better kind of colour & if I ever used up my other ones, I would repurchase this one. It's my favourite one to just leave in my purse because it was a no-fuss way to add a little bit of gloss & colour.

Skincare

Garnier Face wipes - These worked fine & they smelled nice, but I only purchased them because I couldn't find any of my typical wipes. I haven't repurchased any face wipes for the moment because I'm trying to stop being lazy about my skincare, but I'm sure in the future I will buy more. I would buy these if I couldn't find my usual ones (simple or live clean).

Simple Makeup Remover - I switched to this makeup remover from the l'Oreal duo-tone remover because after using a couple bottles of that I realized that it stung my eyes pretty bad.  That's no fun, even though it was a great product in terms of effectiveness.  So I bought some Simple, because I've had pretty good luck with this brand. This works wonderfully & did not once hurt. It also left my eyelids feeling pretty normal & non-greasy - bonus! I will definitely buy this again. Unfortunately I was in a pinch & couldn't find it the other day, but fear not, I will find it again!!

Secret Deodorant in Pasion de tango - This was just alright. In fact I have a difficult time finding a deodorant that I actually enjoy & would repurchase. This falls into that category so I suppose the search continues. It did smell nice though!

Mamonde 7 days project sheet mask - This is only the second sheet mask I've ever tried & trust me, I could get behind the trend! I'm not sure that they do a whole lot for my skin (I also don't use them nearly enough, evidently) but they feel so nice! I love using them when I'm taking a bath. They keep my skin cool & refreshed feeling! I will definitely keep exploring the world of sheet masks.

Swisspers Make-offs cotton rounds - I usually purchase the Swisspers Organics cotton rounds, but I couldn't find them one day so I purchased this version instead. What can I say? They are cotton rounds. They work. I did however relocate my organic ones & will continue with those instead. But Swisspers is a pretty good, affordable brand!

**Not pictured
Lush Rose Jam shower gel - This stuff is my jam (no pun intended)! This is one of my two favourite scents that Lush makes. This product is only released at Christmas & that fact alone makes me sad, but because it does only come once a year, I'm quite happy that it lasted me this long...through frugal use. This smells quite rosy & softens the skin just right. The scent also lingers, which I love because who doesn't want to catch a whiff of themselves hours after you've done your showering & get that instant mood boost. I will absolutely buy this again. LUSH, please make this again!!

Hair

Tresesmme Keratin Smooth Shampoo & Conditiioner* - These were nice & I got a few uses out of these sample packs. I probably wouldn't buy a full size, but I have more sample packs of these & they will get used.

Bumble & Bumble Surf Foam Wash & Creme Rinse* - These were awesome! I loved this duo & it really did work in my favour when trying to achieve some beachy waves. I would definitely consider purchasing these, but I've resisted so far because of the price. Maybe next summer?!

That's it for this month! What have you been using up?

Cheers,
Kait

Anniversary Makeup | July 2015

Yesterday was our first wedding anniversary! To celebrate we went out for supper & for a walk by the ocean.  It was wonderful!  We don't always spend a ton of time just appreciating each other and our relationship because life gets so busy.  This past week we were both on vacation & we spent a good amount of time doing things together.  It doesn't matter what we do together - one day we went on a great adventure, another we spent in the house packing - because it's always fun!

Here's what I decided to wear concerning my makeup for our little anniversary date. Note: My hubby understands my makeup obsessions and doesn't judge no matter what my face looks like on any given day (sometimes, with some experimenting, it can get pretty crazy).

I look thrilled don't I? This is my face prior to any makeup application. Here are some of the products I used to create my base:

The primers are pretty much staples in my makeup routine. Sometimes I use only the Laura Mercier primer & don't add anything on top of it. It's so nice!  And my foundation routine consists of all drugstore right now. Almost empty drugstore products at that! The foundation probably won't be repurchased as I find it too full coverage for me now, but the concealer & powder? I love them.

Here I am with my base all done.

I used my naked palette for the eyes...cause I basically use that palette every single day. It's a combination of half-baked, smog, naked & virgin ... something a little more dramatic than usual, because why not?

Please ignore the insane hair! Here's my makeup look all done! I used some Clinique Melon Pop on my cheeks & some Mary-Lou Manizer for some extra shimmer.

It was a lovely evening...look at that view!

Cheers,
Kait

Choice Makeup | June 2015

I've been wearing less and less makeup on a daily basis the warmer the weather is becoming. I've also discovered a few lovely products that suit the sunny days wonderfully. Here are some of my choice makeup products of the month.

Clinique Cheek Pop in Melon Pop
Subtle enough to add just a faint glow of peachy goodness to the cheeks, but easily build-able for a bolder look.  It has been my go-to blush this month because it's just so pretty!

Rimmel Setting Powder in Translucent 
Inexpensive and effective. Need I say more?

Benefit Gimme-Brow in medium/deep
I've only ever used pencil brow products before this and my brow game is, frankly, lazy.  This is the ultimate lazy-girl product! Easy & quick, it leaves brows looking done, but never overdone!

Too Faced Melted Liquified Lipstick in Melted Melon 
This is not for the faint of heart!  It glows like the midday sun, but it's the perfect fun summer colour.  I keep my summer makeup pretty understated & use a dramatic product like this when I'm feeling bold.

Urban Decay Naked Palette Eyeshadow in Sin
 This eye shadow is perfect.  Shimmery, but not glittery - slightly coloured, but not too much - this brighten up the eyes without looking too done up.

These have been on my face fairly frequently this month. What have you been wearing?

Cheers,
Kait

Empties | May & June 2015

It has been a time since posting an empties write-up! I've used up a fair amount of products, still in my quest to downsize on samples, extras & general clutter in hopes of moving. Only now - I have a goal! That's right, we've bought a house! We're moving toward the end of July, thus I have fewer and fewer days left of my de-cluttering. This is also a brief explanation of why I've not posted in ages. Things have been crazy here! (Samples are marked with an asterisk <*> )

Makeup

Too Faced Primed & Poreless - This primer was alright. It took me ages to use completely & I think it's because of the texture, which was very silicone-y.  Instead of repurchasing this primer, I've purchased something different that I like much better.

Burt's Bees Lip Balm - I use this every single night before I go to sleep & I've already started in on a new tube of the stuff. It's awesome!

Urban Decay Primer Potion - This eye shadow primer is the bomb.  I could never figure out what was wrong with my eye shadows until I tried this product. Now I use it everyday & my shadows as well as my liner stays until I remove it. I've already repurchased ages ago!

Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes* - This was nice. I was NOT a fan at the beginning, but it grew on me. However the price point of this mascara is unappealing & therefore I would probably never purchase it on my own. However if another sample came my way, I would definitely use it!

Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black* - I love this so much! It's dark, spicy & right up my alley perfume-wise! I also liked the White (previous empties post), so I'm most likely going to buy the small rollerball set that comes with both!

Tom Ford Velvet Orchid* - Also delicious & spicy. I couldn't get enough of this one & am quite sad that it's gone. I would consider purchasing, but honestly I don't wear a ton of perfume so I feel like buying too many is a waste for me.

Dolce & Gabbana Dolce* -  This was just alright. It was fine while I was using it, but it didn't leave a lasting impression. I wouldn't purchase this.


Skincare

Lush Tea Tree Water - I wrote about this toner (& Angels, below) and how much I love it I a post at the very beginning of my blog (find it here). Thus when I run out I always tend to repurchase. Which I have done, even though it took a couple of months. So soothing!

Skintimate Moisturizing Cream Shave - This was a stocking stuffer, although it also happens to be my favourite shaving cream. It seems to be the only shave cream that actually kind of moisturizes my skin. & I say kind of, because it's still not fantastic, but much better than others. I will eventually buy it again!

Strawberry Yogurt Mask - This mask sample was given to me by a friend, fellow blogger & all around awesome person (find her HERE)  & I really enjoyed this! It smelled delicious & it left my skin feeling soft & moisturized. I would use this again - I actually have another package of it in my cabinet.

Live Clean Facial Towelettes - This was a part of my battle of the face wipes. & It won! That is because they smell so good, remove makeup without too much trouble & stay moist all the way to the bottom of the pack.  How can you go wrong?!

Pure Source Sea Kelp Sheet Mask - This is also a mask that the same friend from above gifted to me. It was my first sheet mask experience & it felt awesome! I loved that rather than heating up on my skin as most masks tend to do (at least a little bit), this actually kept my skin cool & happy. I am way less weirded out by sheet masks now & will totally be using them again.

Angels on Bare Skin - As with the Tea Tree Water, there is a post raving about the merits of this facial cleanser. It might be a bit strange, it might be a bit messy, but it makes my skin so happy! Although I don't currently have any to use, I will be repurchasing.

Jergens Shea Butter Lotion* - This was nice lotion. It smelled like shea butter (makes sense) & it worked as lotion should. If I was in need of lotion, I would consider buying this.


House

I don't generally keep trash relating to the house, but I loved these so much that I just wanted to write a bit about them.  These wax cubes are used in my wax warmer, which I prefer to candles when I have people over. This particular scent blew me away! It smells so fresh & spring-like that it's just so tantalizing. These also last SO long. I used them 3 cubes at a time & each time you can use them over & over & over.

What have you been using up?

Cheers,
Kait

My Beauty Wishlist | Spring 2015

From Sephora (Top Row) :

1. Nars Creamy Concealer ($35.00 CAD)
2. Fresh Sugar Lychee Body Wash ($24.00 CAD)
3. Beauty Blender ($26.00 CAD)
4. Butter London Fairy Lights ($17.50 CAD)


From BaubleBar (Row 2) : 

5. Constellation Ear Crawler Set ($32.00 CAD)


From Eclipse (Row 2 & 3) :

6. Filigree Leaf Necklace ($7.99 CAD)
7. Crochet Lace Skater Dress ($49.99 CAD)
8. Liverpool Skater Skirt ($19.99 CAD)


What are you lusting after this spring?

Cheers,
Kait

Empties | March 2015

This month I did some serious cleaning out of samples. We plan on buying a house sometime in the next 6ish months & I really want to try and declutter before that happens. I don't really have any desire to pack up 4371814 samples. I would rather use them all up!

This month, I divided everything into smaller categories. I've also indicated samples with asterisks (*).

Face

Simple Face Wipes - I don't love these, but I certainly don't hate 'em! I would repurchase.

Pacifica Face Wipes - I thought I loved these face wipes. They smell like coconut & they were nice & wet with product but they BURN around my eyes. Not in my eyes, on the skin. I would NOT repurchase these. I have a post on both these & the simple face wipes here.

Purity Made Simple*  - This was a bitty sample, that I used for about 5 days straight. I love this & have already purchased a larger bottle! It smells lovely & it leaves my skin so soft & clean!

Neostrata moisturizer* - This was weird, gelly & ultimately not that impressive. I used it for about 3 nights. I would NOT purchase.

Swisspers Organic Cotton Rounds - These are pretty standard cotton rounds. I like that they are organic, but I dislike that there are only 80 per pack. Overall, these are the ones I usually purchase, so I would most likely repurchase them.


Hair

Fruit Kicks Down Under Hair Spray - This stuff was pretty awesome. It smells like pomegranate & it worked for most things, from taming fly-away hair all the way up to keeping curls & fancy 'dos in check.  For the low cost & how long it lasted (like 2 years), I will definitely repurchase.

Herbal Essences Naked Shampoo & Conditioner* - I've had the full-sized bottles of both of those & while I like them plenty, they aren't what I look for in hair care. They are quite nice & light though (not to mention they smell yummy like grapefruit).

Pantene Sheer Volume Shampoo* - This was BAD for my hair. That's all I have to say about that.

Garnier Nutrisse Conditioner* - I get one of these in every box of at-home hair dye I purchase. I really enjoy using this & I use it around 1-2 times per week. While I can't exactly repurchase the conditioner, I will continue to use it whenever I buy the dye!


Makeup

Lancome Definicils Mascara* - I miss this mascara! I will absolutely not be spending that much money on a mascara in the near future, but based on if it's purchasable - I would in theory buy it. I have a post with a more in-depth review of this product here.

Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara - I used to think I loved this mascara, but I have now realized that I don't. It's very dry & the brush leaves my lashes very clumpy.  I will not be repurchasing this.

Elizabeth & James Nirvana White Perfume* - This smells very floral & light. It's actually not a scent I've ever worn before, but I'm definitely going to pick up a roller ball of this once my other samples are gone.

Almay Clear Complexion Concealer - I've repurchased this concealer countless times. It actually has a small amount of acne medication within the concealer, which aides to heal, while hiding. I am definitely on my way to repurchasing as soon as my other concealer is used up.

Maybelline Dream Lumi concealer - I like this, but I don't love it. It brightens under the eyes quite nicely, but I find that it settles into my creases pretty quickly. I'm on the fence about this. I may just repurchase on a whim, but I don't have any plans for it right away.


Body

Freeman Cucumber, Melon & Ginseng Body Wash* - This smelled fantastic, but it did nothing for my skin.  In a period of the year where my skin is already kind of dry, this actually dried it out more.  This was a Beauty Box 5 sample, but I will not be purchasing a full bottle of this.

Nivea Lotion* - Although this was a tiny sample, I actually almost exclusively use Nivea lotions for my body. I find them to be incredibly soothing & they have super long-lasting moisture. I will purchase/re-purchase.


Phew! What a ton of samples! I'm so happy to be tossing (& recycling) these items! That's 16 more things that I won't be packing once I find a house to call my own (although let's be honest, samples pour into my life at an alarmingly quick rate)!!

What have you been using up?

Cheers,
Kait

5 Most Worn Products | February 2015

Time to share some of the products that I've not been able to put down during the past month!  Most of these things aren't "normal" makeup products in that they aren't colourful makeup products, but they all have a place in my heart. 

1. Color Whisper in Lust for Blush
This lip product is lovely. It is light, not terribly pigmented and super wearable. I do usually have to wear some sort of balm underneath to make it apply properly, but once it's on - watch out! It is a lavender-esque blush colour. Perfect for the month of love. Not a great wear time, but who cares - it's beautiful!

2. Lush's Tea Tree Water Toner
This toner makes my skin feel amazing. It smells like tea tree & it feels so soothing on my winter-worn face.  I use this twice a day & I have no regrets. Nothing else compares!

3. Elizabeth and James Nirvana White
Confession - I only have samples of this perfume, but I have literally worn this everyday. I adore it. It is perfect to wear during the day & the floral notes make me less sad that there is still a million feet of snow on the ground.  When I run out of samples, this will be purchased post-haste.

4, Urban Decay's Perversion Mascara
Another sample love. I have worn this mascara so much that I've worn it out. I can't wait to go up to the city in a couple of weeks so that I can buy the full-size of this mascara. It makes my lashes look so crazy good, I don't know if anything else compares!

5. Lotions - various
With winter on the East Coast of Canada comes dry, scaly, unflattering skin. I can't even speak to a specific lotion that I've been using because I've been using many different ones. Particularly, Nivea lotions have many good formulas & scents that I enjoy (but I've used Olay, EOS, Aveeno, Jergens...as well this month).

Do you have anything that you've been unable to quit this month? I'd love to hear about them (& probably try them)!

Cheers,
Kait

Battle of | The High end Mascaras

Round 2 of my "Battle of" series! Last month I did some drugstore face towelettes, so this month we're heading up the ladder to some higher end mascaras.

For this Battle, I've chosen Lancome's Definicils, Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes & Urban Decay's Perversion. All of them are in their blackest form & I've tried them all at LEAST 20 times (that's 60 days of testing mascaras, y'all). I also tried them all at least once in conjunction with another - waterproof - mascara layered on top, just to see if it would behave differently.

I've rated them on :

• staying power (none of them are waterproof)
• blackness
• lengthening
• volumizing

Lancome Definicils
This mascara has some serious staying power. The only time I've ended up with a smudge was after a tough workout. Even through snow & rain, this stuff stayed put. It was pretty black, but by the end of the day I found it to be graying. This is more of a lengthening mascara than a volumizing one. For volume I had to layer it with something else. But as the name suggests, it did define my "cils" or my lashes for those of you who don't speak French. I give it an overall 81%

Urban Decay Perversion 
This mascara is wonderful! UD is one of my favourite brands for eye makeup, but this is my first mascara by them.  It is black and stays that way all day. It isn't particularly lengthening, but it is soooooo volumizing! I've noticed that while it doesn't smudge at ALL, it does start to flake off around the 8-10 hour mark, which is usually long enough that I don't even get to that point (I tend to take my makeup off as soon as I'm home for the day). Rating-wise, this one gets an 81% as well.

Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes 
This mascara did not stay on my lashes very well at all. Now, it is winter - season of the watery eyes - so it may fare better once it warms up. It is black & stays that way throughout the day. As far as what it does to my lashes, nothing spectacular. It makes them stand out & curl up a little bit, but I wouldn't call it a lengthening or a volumizing mascara. This one fell short of my personal expectations, especially since I've heard wonderful things! This one only gets a 63%.


Ready for a conclusion??
So again, like with the cleansing cloths, I graded each out of 16 - 4 points for each of the 4 criterion. Then I converted them into percentages. Since we have a tie this month, I guess I'm the tie-breaker! Overall I really liked the Urban Decay Perversion the best. I would definitely buy it over & over again. The brush was fantastic & the overall look is one that I really enjoy, since volume is what I look for more often.

Do you have a favourite mascara?

Cheers,
Kait