Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Moisturizer | Review

A couple of months ago I finally took the plunge into committing a bit more of my money into some higher end skincare. I usually purchase drugstore skincare (& I still do for most things) but I thought it might be time to test out a moisturizer with a few extra benefits. I also found that my makeup wasn't sitting very well on top of my current choice.

I spent a good few hours researching different moisturizer options available at Sephora. There are some very pricey products, some less pricey choices & a lot of different ingredients to wade through.  It also vastly depends on what your personal skincare needs are and your age.  I'm in my mid-twenties, I have combination skin & I don't have any particularly demanding skincare needs - just that whatever I use sits well under foundation.

I settled on the Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Moisturizer ($51.00 CAD).  Now, $51 is a TON more than I've ever spent on a moisturizer - but it's not more than I've ever spent on a makeup product.  This moisturizer is touted as an AM-PM dual use moisturizer, but I prefer to use something a little bit thicker at night.

 I use this every morning after my toner but before my primer/foundation. I leave it to sit for 5-10 minutes before applying makeup (I use this time to make my lunch for work). It smells of fruit-loops & it feels light but effective on my skin. I do see significant shine on my skin, even after it has had time to soak in, which is generally resolved by my makeup.  If, per chance, I were to not wear makeup, I tend to not use this because I don't appreciate the shine factor.

Do I regret my decision to purchase an expensive moisturizer for my not-so-picky skin? Nope. I would recommend this as a good starter product for anyone delving into the world of higher-end skincare, especially if you are on the younger side.

Have you tried this or any Origins products?

Cheers,
Kait

Empties | April 2015

Time again for my monthly collection of beauty trash!  I feel like I've used a great variety of things this month. As with last month, I've divided them into categories & marked the samples with an asterisk (*). 

Makeup

Revlon Photoready Pressed Powder - This has been my powder for the last couple times I've needed to replace a powder. I enjoy this & would repurchase, but for a drugstore item it is quite expensive (around $16 CAD) so this time I have chosen to go with something cheaper.

Maybelline Dream Wonder Foundation - This foundation was lovely! It has a wonderful lightweight feel but a surprisingly high coverage finish. It did leave my nose a bit dry, but it's hard to tell whether that was the foundation or the winter. I would definitely repurchase - in the summer - if only to see if it really does cause dryness.

Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait - I love the lip butter formula for quick, on the go uses. This particular shade didn't leave me thrilled simply because it had gold glitter that seemed really gritty after a little bit of wear. I would buy another lip butter, but not in this shade.

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara* - I LOVE this mascara & have already ordered a larger size.  If you want volume, this stuff is perfection.

Ultraflesh Mascara* - I received this in a Beauty Box a couple of months ago & this is completely dried up. Hard to test a product if it isn't even usable.

Cartier Baisés Volés Perfume* - This stuff was yummy smelling. It was quite sophisticated while being light and floral.  While I really enjoyed this I don't think this would be one I would buy in full size.


Face & Body

L'Oreal Paris Makeup Remover - This is a lovely eye makeup remover and also a repurchase of mine. As of late I think I have found a makeup remover that I prefer, but this one does an excellent job for drugstore prices.

Secret Clear Gel Deodorant in Ooh-la-la Lavender - I was sent this by BzzAgent to review about 6 months ago. So as far as a product lasting an appropriate amount of time - this was great. It had a nice scent & it did it's job. I'm not sure I'm a convert of the gel deodorants yet though.

EOS (Evolution of Smooth) Hand Lotion in Rose - I purchased this years ago in a set with a lip balm as a breast cancer awareness promotion. It lived in my purse & it has finally kicked the bucket. It wasn't super moisturizing but it functioned well enough in a pinch. I would not repurchase - at least not in this scent.

SoftSoap Body Wash in Tropical Acai Berry - These body washes are absolutely my favourite from the drugstore. They have moisture beads (which - I've checked the ingredients - is not the same as the plastic scrubby beads) that dissolve when rubbed into the skin. This purple gel wash smells divine, but the pomegranate & mango one is really something amazing as well.


Hair

L'Oreal Paris Elnett Satin Hairspray - This was acquired during the day of my wedding to tame some flyaways at the last minute. While this can looks tiny you can actually purchase this at the drugstore. It works, but it stinks, so I did not repurchase.

Pantene Smooth & Sleek Shampoo* - This shampoo made my hair feel soooo greasy right out of the gate. I used up this sample, but I would not purchase a large size. If I had very dry hair, this may have worked better without leaving me feeling dirty before day one was even over.


Another month, another 12 items used up. I would like to point out that I'm not trying to « get rid » of products.I'm not using anything in excess, I just like making sure I'm using what I have (& when I have 5 of the same thing this takes time).

What have you been using up?

Cheers,
Kait

L'Oreal Fibralogy | Review

I was chosen to be sent the Canadian VoxBox from Influenster.  This is my first campaign since becoming a member of Influenster back in December. Influenster is a review website where people can go to share their opinions of different products that they use everyday. I've reviewed around 35 different products since joining the site.

About a month ago I was sent a survey & then was lucky enough to be selected to be sent the L'Oreal Fibralogy box absolutely free to review.  In the box there is a shampoo, a conditioner & a special "thickening booster".  These products are touted as being able to create hair that feels thicker as soon as you're done using it the first time & hair that IS thicker after 5 uses.

• First you are supposed to wash & rinse your hair with the shampoo (as you do with shampoo). 
• Then you are supposed to take the thickening booster & apply it in-between the shampoo & the conditioner. 
• Without rinsing the booster, you're supposed to apply the conditioner on top of it, as you normally would. Then you rinse your hair again, taking out the booster & the conditioner.
•  For "intensive treatment" you're supposed to use the booster twice a week, but you're only supposed to use it once per week for "regular use". I assume they wish for you to continue using the shampoo and conditioner portions of this system everyday, with the insertion of the booster once a week. 

Results:

After only one use, it was really hard to tell a difference because I have fairly thick hair to begin with.  After a few uses, my hair started to look a little bit fuller and voluminous. By use number five (Which is supposed to be the magic number), my hair definitely looks thick & shiny. Whether or not it IS thicker is quite hard to discern for me.

I definitely like these products, regardless of the results. My hair feels and looks amazing.  Is it thicker? Well I can't quite tell, but I would purchase this on my own.

Have you tried this product? How did you feel it worked?

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

Beauty Box 5 | March 2015

So I've just received my March Beauty Box 5 in the mail.  This one will be my last box (I only signed up for 3 months & have cancelled my account due to some sketchiness surrounding the company).  I never had a problem with this subscription & I have used around 80% of the products I have gotten. I know that others have not had the same experience as I've been fortunate enough to have had & I thought that maybe I should get out while I'm ahead. This is not to discourage anyone, I'm just saying that before you sign up for anything it's good to read up some different reviews - for better or for worse.

Anyway! On to what I did receive in this month's box. This month I was actually super impressed by BB5.

Scandalous Mascara by Nanacoco
This is supposed to be a voluminous mascara. I received mine in the black formula, but the card indicated that there were assorted colours, so maybe other people got strange colours?  It is a full-size & is valued at $ 4.99.

Laugh Out Loud lipgloss by Nanacoco in the colour The Lift
While this product seems bizarre to me, given that the name is strange & the colour is nondescript, it is a very pretty bright pink. Lovely for this time of the year! It also smells alright, which is a bonus as I was expecting a plastic smell. The lipgloss was also available in assorted colours.  This is a full-size & is valued at $ 3.99.

Rosemary Eucalyptus body cream by Elite Therapeutics
This was a sample size, but quite a nice amount. This is definitely not my favorite scent, as it is quite herbal/medicinal. I'm not against it, but I don't think I will be putting it on at work or anything. The full size is valued at $19.00.

Line & Seal Eye Liner by Styli-Style in the colour Orchid
This is a mechanical eye liner, which is a nice touch. I received mine in Orchid, which is a dark plum colour, but again this came in assorted colours. This is a nice change after I received a bright magenta eye liner in a previous box - which I tried but have no practical use for in my life. I will actually wear this one! It is a full-sized liner & is valued at $ 4.99.

Assorted foil packets by Eslor
They came in a little pouch & there are four different products, but they are tiny little foil samples non-the-less. There is a cleanser, a peeling gel, a mask & a moisturizer. These are expensive products when purchased in full-size at $28.00, $38.00, $38.00 & $85.00, but as foil packets they are virtually worthless.

Overall, this box is worth around $16.00, which is only $1.00 more than I paid for it ($12.00 + $3.00 shipping to Canada). While I'm happy with 4/5 of my products this month, & I mean very pleased, this is really not a very exciting service value-wise & I'm happy to not be continuing my subscription.

Do you have any suggestions for a NEW subscription box for me to try?

Cheers,
Kait