beauty Archives - Page 14 of 16

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner

November 13, 2014

It feels like a long time since I have written a beauty post… and it has been quite awhile. I’ve been so busy the last month that I haven’t really been able to go out and try new products, which means nothing really to write about. But I finally had time to open my new products and splurge on some new items as well so I’ll be back to more makeup posts. Yay!

To be honest, I haven’t used any Stila products before but have seen them around for quite awhile. The Stila liquid eyeliner came in an eyeliner set, and it was the first one I decided to open because I wanted to try a Stila product. This is the sample size but the full size product retails for about $26 Canadian.

It’s quite a long name- Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner. For simplicity’s sake, I’ll just call it the Stila liquid liner. This shade is the dark brown – chocolate brown. When it comes to liner shades, I much prefer jet black because it’s more noticeable on my eyes. Brown is good if you want a neutral “no makeup makeup” look, but it’s just my preference. Anyways, I decided to try it and see how it looked.

The packaging of this liner is pretty sturdy and standard. The eyeliner comes as a felt tip, and application was very easy. The product and colour applied instantly at first contact, and it was very easy to glide along my eyelid in one easy sweep, no corrections were necessary. The application was also very even. I was also expecting a lighter shade of brown, but I actually preferred this colour more. When it dries, I found that the colour was actually a bit darker so it does look black.

Now, the important question is… how long did it last? I put this on in the morning, and was out and about for the whole day. Throughout lunch, shopping, and going to a very exciting Canucks game, I am happy to say that the eyeliner did not smudge at all and was in the same condition at the end of the night as it was in the morning. The removal process was also very easy too, it came off with one quick wipe of makeup remover. I am quite happy with this product and am glad that I gave it a try.

Pros:

Very easy to apply in one sweep, no mess at all
Brush is very easy to use and guide
Great lasting power
Rich colour
Does not smudge

Cons:

For this shade specifically, I found it darker after application than it was originally shown (which was a good thing for me since I prefer dark liners)

-Carmen

Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick

October 5, 2014

The beauty world has been abuzz with Too Faced’s Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick, which triples as a lipstick, lipgloss, and lipstain all in one. After reading and watching many reviews, I really wanted to find more info and try it out! Plus, I’ve been searching for a fall lipstick colour and I really loved the shades that Too Faced had on this line.

Unfortunately, this lipstick didn’t work out for me but I will give it a second chance. Really disappointing since I was almost in love with it- there was just a tiny problem that was driving me crazy!
With tax, this tube came to $27 (Canadian) at Sephora when I bought it last week. Probably the most I have paid for a lip product, but I had really high hopes for this one and did not mind the investment! The packaging itself was pretty sturdy, it wasn’t flimsy at all.

I also loved how the packaging of each shade matched the box and tube, there are products out there where you are unable to tell unless you open it up. Since I was looking for a deep and rich shade for fall, I chose melted berry.
Almost all the reviews I watched and read noted the different application tip, and I really do think it’s worth mentioning! This product features a soft velvet precision tip applicator, which felt very nice on my lip. Since the applicator has a fabric, velvety material on it, the lip product comes out slower as it absorbs through the material first.

There is a small hole in the center of the velvet applicator where the product comes out of, and then spreads out as you apply it on your lip. It reminded me of those mini sponge-y eyeshadow brushes that are seen at the Sephora makeup testing stations, but thicker.

Funny story, when I first applied the product, I completely under estimated how much I would need. Seriously, a little goes a longggg way with this product, which is good considering it cost $27 🙂 I ended up accidentally smudging it all over my chin as I tried to get the excess off, except that it wouldn’t come off and ended up spreading even more!

That was a sign at how long lasting this product is, but it was definitely embarrassing as my boyfriend just stared confusingly at me and said “you have lipstick all over your chin….” Sigh… I finally ended up using makeup remover to get rid of it on my chin.

Anyways, I was in love with the shade at first glance and Too Faced lived up to its words, describing this lip product as “intensely saturated colour”. It was extremely vibrant, noticeable, and will definitely make your lips PoP! It glided really easy too, and the precision tip was very helpful for lining my lips.
I originally wasn’t planning on doing a before and after, but I remembered that I took pictures on my phone on the way to Sephora (I was not the one driving and we were stuck in traffic, also this was the second time I wore my coloured contacts so I wanted to see how they turned out in pictures okay, don’t judge me).

Side note, I did a review on these coloured contacts if you would like to read it! 🙂
BUT THIS LIPSTICK IS PERFECT – SHADE, INTENSITY, LONG LASTING. WHAT COULD BE WRONG WITH IT? (Warning- mini angry rant ahead)

I applied this right after I purchased it. When I got back in the car, I noticed that I got some of it on my phone. I thought it was weird since I used makeup remover at Sephora on my chin and hands, but shrugged it off. I’ve read reviews that this has stayed on through drinking and eating, so I decided to eat dinner with this on and test it out.

Then, I noticed that it got on my utensils, which is fair. As I was happily munching on my noodles, I noticed a glop of the product in my noodle soup and on the noodles. It was pretty gross as I’ve never seen product fall off into a glop onto my noodles, and lost a bit of my appetite. I understand if it’s on your utensils and straws, but I’ve never experienced it in my actual food.

In addition, I had also bought some new novels, and was reading one of them as I ate. I noticed that there was lip stain smudge on my page… How did it get there?! My hands were definitely clean and wiped. (You can see it on the top right hand corner, and also on the first line, on “of my”)
After eating, I went to the washroom, and noticed again that the product was on the toliet lid (Sorry for TMI). ?!?!?!How did it get there too?! I didn’t even touch the lid… At this point, I was getting a tiny bit annoyed as the lipstick had transferred to my phone, noodle soup, my book, and the toliet seat in less than 40 minutes.

THEN, after wiping off the seat, I went to the sink AND THE COLOUR WAS IN THE SINK TOO. I didn’t use the washroom sink prior to this, I’m not even remotely sure how the colour got there! At this point, I gave up and didn’t want this product on my face anymore (Well, not like it was staying on my face to begin with…). I used a cotton pad to wipe it off, but it would not come off.

Frustrated, I ended up using makeup remover on my lip (well, that’s a first!) and of course, it smudged to my face and took a long time to scrub off. I decided that this product was not worth the hassle. I wouldn’t be as frustrated as I was, but I was 105% certain that my hands were free from any leftover product residue so I’m not sure what kind of lipstick-magic-wizard-sorcery was going on here. Also, why was it so easy to get everywhere but so hard to remove?! =(

Phew! So, in conclusion, the beautiful shades, precision, and vibrancy of this product is unarguable. So is the long lasting part, as I was having trouble wiping it off without makeup remover. I’m just not sure how it managed to get into my noodle soup in glops, on my novel, the toilet seat, and sink when my hands were 100% wiped and free of any residue. I’m also still technically a student (although I have an internship right now, that money is going straight to my student loans), and can’t justify paying $27 right now for such a confusingly messy product. I guess there’s always that one person who doesn’t have a great experience with it, unfortunately, that was moi 🙁 I’ll probably give this product a second chance before exchanging since everyone loves it.

Am I the only one with this problem? Have you tried this product out as well?

Thanks for reading! Would love to hear back from you, leave me a comment! 🙂

-Carmen

Estee Lauder Fall/Winter 2014 Media Preview Event (Part 2/2!)

September 16, 2014

As I was mentioning in part 1, I decided to split this post up because it would just be way too long for one post. If you’re just reading this now, these two posts are a review of the Estee Lauder Fall/Winter 2014 Media Preview Event that I went to two weeks ago. I also mentioned in the first post that these two posts will just be a simple overview of the products, as I did not get a chance to try these products well enough to formulate an opinion or review 🙂 However, I was able to bring home many of their already released products as you will see.

Out of all the products I was introduced to that day, my favourite would have to be the sculpting foundation brush on the top left, designed exclusively for Estee Lauder. I read about this brush before, but I finally got to see it in real life and hold it! The middle section of the brush is curved, and will effortlessly hug the contours of the face for effortless sculpting and definition. I feel like this brush will definitely be a saviour for beginner contourers like myself. In front of the sculpting brush, is their new perfectionist youth-infusing foundation. It contains their best selling serum, along with advanced ingredients that will create a more “youthful” appearance to the skin. There are microscopic priming beads that instantly fill lines while blurring imperfections- sounds like real life photoshop to me!

Moving on to the top right is Estee Lauder’s new Re-Nutriv Ultra Radiance Foundation. I was drawn to this one because it contains gemstones such as sapphires, rubies, and jade. To add to the elegance, it includes a blend of Gold and South Sea Pearls. These magnificent gemstones and pearls complement each other as they interact with light to create unique, vibrant colours. Unfortunately one small bottle costs $100, but a girl can dream right?

On the bottom left was the Modern Muse perfume, which smelled lovely as well. It is a blend of “sophisticated florals and succulent fruitiness juxtaposed against deep sultry woods”. Wow, I want to be able to write as beautifully as the person who wrote Estee Lauder’s PR book (which I am reading for reference right now cause I forgot what the scent was exactly, haha)
At the end of our tour, we were given an option to do the “3 minute mini makeover”, with an Estee Lauder makeup artist. There were four looks that you were able to choose from. As I mentioned in my first post, I am still trying to master the art of contouring so I opted for the contouring option.

Here is what I went home with. Thank you so much, Estee Lauder. I was in so much shock, I was definitely not expecting any gifts, let alone this many. I am super ecstatic to try all of these products out and will be doing reviews on them for sure, so keep your eyes peeled.

I am so grateful to be given this opportunity to attend such a great and organized event, thanks to Estee Lauder and the PR team. Everyone working was so kind, welcoming, and talented in what they do. I have a newfound appreciation towards this brand because of this event. Every time I walk by an Estee Lauder booth, I am reminded of the wonderful team of people behind it and I am so grateful and glad that I caught a glimpse of that at the event.

The products in this post were sent to me free of charge from Estee Lauder, and I was not paid to write this post. Everything in this post is my personal opinion and was not altered by the request of the company.

-Carmen

Estee Lauder Fall/Winter 2014 Media Preview Event (Part 1/2!)

September 1, 2014

Hi readers!

Two weeks ago, I was invited to Estee Lauder’s Fall/Winter 2014 Media Preview Event. It was a lovely afternoon spent learning many new facts about the Estee Lauder brand and meeting other people with the same passion for beauty!

This two-part post is going to be more focused on the event itself rather than a review of all the products. I will try to write reviews of the complementary products that I received in the coming months!

There were staff from Estee Lauder, as well as the PR company that invited me to attend this event. Staff from both parties were really welcoming and made us feel comfortable. In particular, I had a great conversation with the makeup artist on-site, Fiona! Props to great and kind service from both ends, I was very impressed.
We were first greeted by breakfast platters, and a variety of different drinks!
Some of the products Estee Lauder has lined up for the upcoming season! Our host told us that each one of those eyeshadow palettes were inspired by the pictures behind them. I really enjoyed all the shades and palettes that were there, as well as the packaging of the eyeshadows.

The palettes had either a lipstick or nail polish shade that complimented the colours in the palette. Furthermore, the lipstick packaging is actually magnetic, so no need to worry about not putting on the cap all the way by accident and ruining the whole tube.

Moving on, the picture at the top left is a closeup of one of the new eyeshadow palettes. It was my favourite, since I loooove golden and champagne tones. At the top right, is a preview of a new line released by Estee Lauder called AERIN.

I believe it might be launched already by the time my post comes out, but the line is created by Estee Lauder’s granddaughter, Aerin Lauder. The AERIN line is more youthful, simple and neutral, as Aerin herself prefers simplistic makeup.

The bottom left picture shows the night repair lotion, day lotion, and BB cream. Last but not least, the one at the bottom right is their new cream, made with the natural antioxidant benefits of the lovely pomegrante fruit. Like the AERIN perfumes, it smelled absolutely lovely and was my guest’s favourite product that day.

Anyways, that’s it to the first part! The second part will include a revolutionary foundation brush, gold infused foundation, and a makeover! Keep posted and thanks for reading!

-Carmen

Lush Herbalism cleanser review

July 29, 2014

I talked about this briefly in my June 2014 favourites post , but I have been loving this cleanser so much lately that I just decided to write a completely separate post! Back in May, I picked up this sample while I was at my local Lush store with a friend. Initially, I didn’t like this product at all but it grew on me.

I hated the texture of it, how I had to add water to the mixture before applying it on my face, and how messy it was to use! But after a week of putting up with the messiness, I noticed that my skin tone improved and I wasn’t as oily if I used this product the day before. After carefully rationing my sample so that I could maximize the use (LOL we’re all guilty of that, don’t even lie! haha) and careful consideration (sadly I don’t make much money at my part time job and I’m on a student budget), I decided to purchase the full size a month later.
I believe I bought the 100 g pot, which was $14. I’m used to buying drug store cleansers, so this was pricier than I was used to. But since I tried it before, I knew that it would be worth the price!
**Read more: Lush Cosmetic Warrior fresh face mask **
The texture of the cleanser was something I have not seen before. I took a closeup, because I’m not too sure how to describe it. It is a bit moist and flaky, and a tad bit grainy. I read on another review that you aren’t supposed to get this cleanser wet, or it can start to go bad since it contains natural ingredients.

However, I got my sample size pot wet by accident and I haven’t seen it go bad yet (had it for a bit over 2 months now).
Ingredients (as listed on site): Ground Almonds, Kaolin , Glycerine ,Chlorophyllin Water (Aqua) , Nettle, Rosemary, Rice Vinegar Extract, Rice Bran, Gardenia Extract, Rose Absolute,Chamomile Oil, Sage Oil, Fragrance | After reading the ingredients, it makes sense why there is a grainy texture to the cleanser- probably the ground almonds and/or rice bran. I love being able to read the ingredients list and know exactly what most of the ingredients are /how it is derived.

Steps: As mentioned above, I initially hated the cleansing process with this cleanser. It comes in a moist-ish type of packed clay tub.
Step 1: Take a pea sized amount with your fingers, and put it in your palm.
Step 2: Take a dab of water and gently drop it into the cleanser, so that it resembles a traditional cleanser. This part can be a bit messy, so be sure to do it over the sink. Then, you transfer the mixture onto your skin and wash. Applying this onto your face can be messy too, as the watery liquid can possibly run down your arm or neck/ aka everywhere it was not meant to be.

Pros:
-Keeps skin oil free, does not over dry
-Controls breakouts really well; I use this more often when I feel my skin breaking out and it usually does a great job in combatting the breakouts or making them not as bad
-Leaves skin feeling very soft and smooth (it is a gentle exfoliant as well)
-I would recommend this if you have oily, acne-prone skin

Cons:
-Messy!!!
-May be hard to adjust to at first
-Pricier than drugstore cleansers
-Since it is made with natural ingredients, they suggest finishing the tub within three months of purchase incase they go bad
-Unpleasant, herbal, earthy smell

Thanks for reading! Leave me a comment and tell me what you think about this product!
-Carmen