Curiously Carmen

30 Beauty Questions Tag

I have some reviews in store this month, but I wanted to do more of a chatty, get to know me type beauty post. I found this one off The Beauty Section so all credits to their website!

30 Beauty Questions Tag

1 // Do you remember your first makeup item?

Hmm…. probably something from Claire’s! How I used to love Claire’s growing up! I loved their eye shadow palette and remembering using it before the school dances LOLOL.

2 // Describe your perfect mascara. Have you found one that fits your specifications?

I am very picky about mascara… and it’s not by choice, either. Mascaras tend to clump on me and I don’t even know why. In fact, I didn’t do a mascara review for 3 years because all mascaras I tried were the same! Until I found the Maybelline Lash Sensation. You can read my review here.

I just realized the answer didn’t really relate to the question… so my specifications would be one that lengthens, does not smear, and does not clump.

3 // What kind of coverage do you prefer from foundation?

I don’t wear foundation on a daily basis, probably occasionally now… but I have drastically cut back this year. My skin went through a sensitive stage in the winter and I’m trying not to wear much face products to make it flare up again.

However, when I do wear foundation, I prefer medium to full coverage. Since I don’t wear it often, go big or go home! I much prefer to stay home (and Netflix).

4 // Favorite high end brand?

Urban Decay 🙂 I don’t think I’ve tried a product from UD that I haven’t liked yet, and I’ve tried a lot! See what I’ve reviewed from UD here.

5 //What cosmetic brands have you always wanted to try but still haven’t?

Deciem! Heard so many great things about the brand in the blogosphere.

6 // Favorite drugstore brand?

ELF and Maybelline!

7 // Do you wear fake eyelashes?

I wear glasses everyday, which makes it hard to. But I do sometimes when I wear contacts. They’re so fun!

8 // Is there any kind of makeup you can’t leave the house without?

I leave the house sometimes with no makeup… so no? But if I didn’t, it would have to be my eyebrows.

9 // What is your most cherised beauty product?

My Kat Von D liner! It’s my holy grail liner and I’ve repurchased it more times than I can count.

10 // How often do you shop for makeup? Do you like to pick up an item here and there or get lots of goodies at once?

Surprisingly, I don’t shop for make up often. I like to browse when I’m shopping, but I’ll only buy something if it’s either really cheap, or I’ve done research. Rarely do I spontaneously buy a high end product for no reason.

11 // Do you have a “beauty budget” or you spend freely? 

Since I don’t buy makeup often (my last purchase was 7 months ago), I would say I spend freely. If I was to buy products more often, such as once a week, then I would definitely have a beauty budget.

12 // Do you utilize coupons, rewards cards and sales when you shop for cosmetics?

If it’s online shopping, then yes. I only buy online if there’s free shipping codes.

13 // What type of product do you buy the most of?

Well I use my essence eyebrow pencil every day… so I go through that quickly! Second would be Kat Von D tattoo liner. Pictured below with some other essence products!

14 // Is there a brand that you absolutely can’t stand?

Haha!!! Hmm…. Let me think… I don’t think so actually. There have been brands with disappointing products, but none that I absolutely can’t stand.

15 // Do you avoid certain ingredients in cosmetics like parabens or sulfates?

Nope

16 // Do you have a favorite place to shop for makeup?

Sephora!

17 // Do you like trying new skincare products or do you keep a certain routine?

I enjoy trying new skincare products so that I have reviews to share on my blog, but my skin is also quite sensitive these days which is why I try to limit the amount of new skin products I expose them to. When I’m not reviewing skincare products, I stick to a routine of my trusted moisturizers.

18 // Favorite bath and body brand?

Right now, it’s definitely Weleda! I discovered them through blogging last month and can’t get enough of their Evening Primose body wash. I only reviewed the Evening Primose day and night cream, but here is a picture of what the line looks like. The body wash has the same packaging but in a larger size.

19 // If you could only buy from one brand, which brand would you choose?

Kind of similar to question 4! Urban Decay hands down. I’ve tried many of their products, and have yet to be disappointed. I can definitely trust them to come out with reliable products.

20 // What brand do you think has the best packaging?

Cutest packaging award goes to Paul & Joe for sure!

21 // Which celebrity always has great makeup?

I don’t really follow celebrity make up trends or looks… but if I was to pick, the first that comes to mind is Kylie Jenner. Her makeup snaps are gorgeous and her Kylie products are great too!

22 // Do you belong to any online makeup communities?

Hmm… does Instagram count? Yes, I’m going to say it does. Apart from Instagram, the Canadian Beauty Bloggers Network, and some other Facebook blogging groups but they aren’t make up related.

23 // 5 Favorite Beauty Gurus

I don’t watch beauty gurus much so I can’t give you five! I only watch Weylie regularly 🙂

24 // Do you like multifunctional products like lip and cheek stains?

Yes! Why not? It’s a better value. Pictured below is one of my favourite beauty products ever. The Korres wild rose oil moisturizes my skin really well. When mixed in with a foundation, it gives my skin a beautiful, non-cakey dewy look!

25 // Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?

Nope

26 // Do you use makeup base/primer for the eyes?

Yes, always. My eyes get pretty oily.

27 // How many hair products do you use on a typical day?

On a typical day, I don’t use hair products. I’m boring. But I use Batiste dry shampoo sometimes!

28 // What do you apply first, concealer or foundation?

Concealer!

29 // Do you ever consider taking makeup classes?

Nope.

30 // What do you love about makeup?

I love that there are so many options and styles you can choose from, depending on your mood and preference. I also love that it gives me something to write about, because I love writing. It’s also a good conversation piece.

Again, credits to The Beauty Section for this fun tag. I would love to see your version as well, so let me know if you do this tag too.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intensive Recovery Ampoules

What a mouthful to say! The Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intensive Recovery Ampoules. I heard of this product at the Estee Lauder preview which took place last autumn.

I thought it was a pretty cool product as I’ve never seen anything quite like it before, in that the products were contained in capsules or ampoules as they call it!

What it says (taken from Sephora):

A powerful oil concentrate to calm and repair the look of over-stressed skin, helping to strengthen resistance against future assaults. Revolutionize how you repair at night and help your skin recover the healthy, luminous look of youth. This active treatment oil includes ChronoluxAI technology to help reduce visible irritation and support skin’s natural synchronization. Ideal for brightening, soothing, and strengthening skin, skin will appear calmer, more radiant, and healthier-looking.

The ampoules are made out of a plastic material. I’ve put a few in my hand for scale, so you can get a better idea of the size of each. At $138.00 CAD, these little guys aren’t cheap! Luckily, one is more than enough for moisturizing my face.

Since it is $138, I use this very sparingly… I only use it when my skin is in dire need of some hydration. The Estee Lauder spokesperson who introduced us  to the product said that he only uses this when travelling to tropical destinations, as his skin dries out in the hot weather.
Using it can be a bit messy, so you have to be gentle. Gently twist the smaller circle to open the capsule, and then the product will come out right away. I can’t find a way to gracefully apply this product without it getting all over my hands, and frantically trying to put it on quick enough before it all spills out.

It has a very thin, almost liquid like consistency but with a hint of oil. It also has a bit of herbal smell to it, which I find neither pleasant or unpleasant. I really like the smell of their Nutritious Vitality8 Overnight Cream though.

Anyways, the most important part… is it effective?! Without a doubt, yes. At $138, you pay what you get and the quality is definitely there. When I wake up, my face is nice and moisturized but oily, because my skin didn’t absorb all of the product yet. I always feel like I’m wasting it when I wash off my face and I feel the product coming off!

  • Easy to carry around. If on-the-go, you could put some ampoules in a zip loc bag for a quick but intensive moisturizing session!
  • Deeply hydrates skin
  • Suitable for many skin types: normal, oily, sensitive, dry
  • Lasts a long time

  • Slightly messy application process
  • Price is not affordable for everyone, definitely considered a luxury skincare item (although there are luxury products out there which cost $250+)

Yay!

Weleda Travel Size Products

I was recently sent some Weleda products to review! One of them was the Weleda travel size pouch, which came with five of their products. I went away for a weekend, and brought these along with me to try out.

They come in a cloth zip bag, which fit the five mini sized product comfortably, with room to spare!

Now, I will briefly review each product and what I thought of them.

Salt toothpaste: When you squeeze the toothpaste out, it is a brown colour… which I’ve never seen with toothpaste before. Anyways, I was very curious as to how well it cleans. The taste was something I had to get used to… it tasted like brushing your teeth with salt and a tiny hint of peppermint. However, my teeth did feel clean and fresh afterwards so it the product is effective. After two days, I couldn’t get used to the salt taste as a toothpaste, so I ended up using the boyfriend’s Crest toothpaste.

Almond soothing facial lotion: Compared to the Weleda Evening Primose lotion I reviewed earlier this month, the almond lotion was lighter and did not have much of a scent. It did a good job in hydrating my skin still though.

Skin food: I wasn’t too sure what “skin food” meant, but it is actually just a lotion. I was glad I had this because after I shaved my legs, they were very dry and itchy. The skin food lotion was thick and moisturized my dry legs immediately. Even though it had a thick texture during application, it didn’t feel heavy on my legs afterwards. A good thing, because that day was hot and we went for a hike!

Arnica massage oil: I don’t use massage oils often… actually, can’t even remember the last time I used one! But I didn’t really find this to be a massage oil. I would have liked it to be more slick and slippery, but my skin absorbed this instantly.

Sea buckthorn creamy body wash: Last but not least, I got to try another one of Weleda’s body washes! The sea buckthorn wash cleaned well, and I felt nice and refreshed afterwards.

Overall, I enjoyed some products more than others. My favourite in this travel pouch would be the skin food because of how well it moisturized, and lightweight it felt after. My least favourite was the massage oil because it did nothing to my skin or enhance my massage.

The pouch also comes with a coupon for one full sized product of your choice!

Yay!

Bed Head Hair Waver

I believe this is my first time writing about a hair appliance on the blog! Let me tell you why… it’s because I absolutely SUCK at curling my hair. Like, I can not do it for the life of me. Well, I can, but it doesn’t look good!

Last year, I curled my bangs and ended up burning my forehead and walked around with a burn mark. For that week, it was a constant reminder that I should not attempt to use a curling iron anymore. Now, I just leave it to my hair stylist or I would ask a friend to help me if I needed my hair curled for a special occasion!

Anyways, because of my lack of skills in the hair curling department, the next best thing for me was to get a hair waver! You can also call it a hair crimper, but I don’t like that term as I don’t really like the look of tight, crimped hair on myself. I like my hair to look wavy instead.

I bought the Bed Head hair waver at least 5 years ago on a whim at London Drugs. I used it semi-frequently for the first two years, but then kind of just forgot about it after. It was only until I started seeing girls with beautiful, voluminous hair on Instagram again that I remembered I owned this.

I actually didn’t realize that it was the travel size until I looked it up online for this review. It explains why it is so compact, making it ideal for storage. Despite the small size, it packs a good punch and does a really good job at waving your hair!

This is what my hair looks like, after six hours? I am not wearing any product with it (including pre-and post treatment). I love waving my hair because it lasts until the next day. I love my hair curled as well, but it doesn’t last as long unless I use lots of hairspray.

My only complaint about this hair waver is the handle is too small. I did mention above that the small size makes it great for travel and storage, but my hand cramps up after using it every time. In fact, that’s the reason why I stopped using it for a few years.

Imagine using a pair of small child scissors or something – the repetitive movement of the clamp cramped up my knuckles. I also found that you had to clamp pretty hard, which added to the soreness in your hand afterwards.

Although it has done me well, I did not want a sore hand after each use. So, I ended up buying a replacement one with a longer handle, the Vidal Sassoon Ceramic Adjustable Waver instead. I’ve only had the chance to use that one once so far, but perhaps I will write a review on that? It would be nice to have some more hair-related products here too!

Yay!

 

Paul and Joe Nail Polish

Although I gush over how cute Paul and Joe products are, I have yet to sit down and write a review on any of their products! Is that bad of me? Oh well, I’m finally writing one today and it is on their nail polish!

As some background, I would describe Paul and Joe as a girly brand that is both cute and classic. It was created by French designer Sophie Albou, and named after her two sons. Paul and Joe has Japanese beauty influences, married with classic and luxurious French beauty. Japanese beauty tends to be more on the sheer, natural and cute side which is exactly what Paul and Joe products are like.

But, there is also that romantic, luxurious classic feel with their products that is evident in French culture. In addition, their products are made in Japan and the packaging/website are in Japanese, French, and English.

The nail polish I am reviewing today is the shade 27, I didn’t find a name attached to the number. When I first saw the nail polish at the ACI event, it reminded me of the Anna Sui nail polishes due to the intricate detailing on the bottle and lid.

I would describe shade 27 as a pearly, nude pink.

With one coat, it was a bit too sheer for my liking and you could see the brush lines when it dried. Two coats was the perfect amount, as pictured above. Two coats will give you the same colour as the bottle!

In certain lights, the pearliness of the shade will shine more. I was also quite impressed with the wear time without a top coat! I usually like to test polishes without a top coat first, just to see how good the formula is. Most polishes do not last over 24 hours with me, but this one actually did!

Unfortunately, at work I was doing some filing and shelf sorting so one of the metal hanger folders chipped a couple of my nails. It probably would have lasted longer if I wasn’t using my hands as much!

Overall, I am quite satisfied with this polish and will be continuing to use it when I want a nice nude pink nail. I am quite the glitter lover so I love how this is slightly shiny. The hint of pearl is lovely!

  • Beautiful pearl pink colour
  • Does not chip easily
  • Lasts 24+ hours without top coat, which is rare for me
  • Applies evenly, does not have a watery/goopey consistency
  • Very pretty and detailed packaging

  • A bit more expensive than your average drugstore polish, at $16 CAD (But at least it’s actually worth the price unlike the disappointing $40 CAD Chanel polish that barely lasted a day *cough*)

Yay!

Edit: After checking the PR information, shade 27 actually does have a name – Pink Pearl! I was close in describing it 😉

Press product featured. Opinions are own.