So as I mentioned last week, this week I’ll be covering another quick and easy 5-minute face mask I love. While last week I covered the Fresh Rose Face Mask, this week’s product is also from Fresh: The Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask!
To be honest, between the Rose Face Mask and The Black Tea Mask, if I had to choose only one to use for the rest of my life, it would certainly be this one. While the Rose mask gives a lovely balanced hydration across the skin, this mask does this and more. Plus, no matter how my skin’s being feeling lately, this always manages to help — it works with all skin types!
This face mask delivers on its promise to correct dryness, dullness, texture, as well as aid in skin elasticity and firmness. It has an immediate effect on your face (as implied in the name — it really does instantly perfect!). It has a tingly feeling which I know some people may hate, but I love it — you can actually feel it taking effect in just minutes.
On top of all this, the texture of this product is, in a word, delightful — it is so light, smooth and “cloud-like”, as Fresh describes it. Combining ingredients such as Kombucha and Black Tea, which “inhibits damaging free radicals and improves skin elasticity”. (I feel the need to use Fresh’s descriptions because not only are they so accurate, but this mask actually seems SO magical to me that it’s effects are beyond my ability to describe. It’s all very scientific, but trust me — it works!).
I know from what I’ve heard a lot of people were deterred by the price of this mask — as was I when I first bought it. However, you receive so much product that it’ll last you ages. Even if it didn’t, however, I’d still say it’s worth it; this face mask is for sure, hands down, my favourite face mask of all time. If you manage to get your hands on even a sample size, you’ll see what I mean. Once you have it, you can’t live without it!
And that’s all for this Tuesday! If this sounds like the perfect mask for you, be sure to check it out here! Otherwise, be sure to stay tuned for next week to read more on my favourite products!
This Tuesday is going to have a little sequel next week! I wanted to share with you all two of my all-time favourite face masks that I absolutely swear by. My skin tends to air on the drier side, so I always ensure to add a little extra moisture through serums and face masks.
I love spending time on self care, as you all know. However, life gets busy with work, school and other obligations, especially in the fall. Sometimes, you just have to take care of your skin as quickly as possible. Which brings me to this Tuesday’s product: the Fresh Rose Face Mask!
One of the reasons I love both this week and next weeks products is that not only are they fantastic, but they only take about 5 minutes to show an impact. Both can be worn for up to 10 minutes, so if you have the time to spare you can spend a little more time to sit back and relax — but if you’re tired and just don’t have the time, 5 minutes will do.
This mask feels SO natural and lightweight — while still packing a lot of hydration. I’ve tried a whole range of hydration masks in my skincare journey; from heavy creams to lightweight gels that can take anywhere from three to thirty minutes to take effect. This mask incorporates the best of both. It may not be the quickest face mask I’ve ever tried, but a lot of fast hydration masks are usually heavy creams that just leave my face feeling heavy and coated afterwards, instead of hydrated.
This lightweight formula includes rose water to soothe the skin and cucumber and aloe to calm your pores. What really makes this mask special, however, is the ingredient Porphyridium Creuntum, a “smart algae” that helps your skin reach optimal moisture. As a result, your skin never feels greasy or heavy afterwards, but perfectly balanced and hydrated. In just five minutes it can completely reawaken your skin after a long day and help you go to bed feeling fresh. As well, this lightweight and fast-acting formula means you could even incorporate it into your morning skincare routine!
If this sounds like the face mask you’ve been waiting for, be sure to check it out at Sephora here! And what’s next week’s product, you may be wondering? Well, you’re just going to have to stay tuned to find out!
I am super excited to share today’s post with you all! For the first time ever, I decided to try out some of Kylie Cosmetic’s products (finally, I know) and have a review of everything I’ve tried to share!
I’ve been wanting to try Kylie Cosmetics, no joke, since she launched her first six lip kits. However, I’ve always been a little hesitant to buy makeup without seeing it in person first. This sense of doubt was only furthered for me when my best friend purchased three lip kits and let me try them, and none of the ones I had wanted to purchase looked anything like I thought they would, nor did they suit me at all.
Kylie Cosmetics Purchases
For years since, I’ve just watched Kylie’s stories testing out her new products, completely enamoured but too nervous to purchase anything and have it not suit me at all. However, since then I’ve had more luck with online products so when she released her 22nd birthday collection I figured it was time to give it a shot!
For my first purchase, I chose the Kylie’s Vacation Essentials collection off of this year’s birthday line, as well as some lip products and a liquid eyeshadow. Keep on reading to hear what I loved and my overall thoughts! Also, you can check out the bundle here!
First of all, I’m in love with the colour scheme of this palette. The pink/green/brown look is just SO pretty, and I’ve been really into the green/pink/neon trend with makeup lately. When it comes to the individual shadows, however, some are certainly better than others. The “foil” shadows (like “Birthday Queen” and “Twenty Two”) swatch so beautifully, but do not pick up at all on a brush and come off in chunks. However; I’m super in love with a lot of the shimmer shades like “Ballin’ Bae” and “Goal Setter.” Plus, the matte shades are fantastic — so I’d still consider this palette a win.
This product is SO fantastic for anyone who’s ever wanted to wear body highlighter but doesn’t want to deal with it potentially transferring everywhere. Most body highlighters come in a liquid formula, which I’ve always shied away from out of fear of it rubbing off all over my clothes, or having it be too pigmented and just end up looking a little crazy. This highlighter is perfect in every way, as I worry less with powder and transfer and the glow is enough to be noticeable, but not too glittery or intense that it looks strange. 10/10, definitely a win in my books.
Okay, I won’t lie, I’m a little perplexed by this product. When I saw it on Kylie’s stories, it seemed pretty cool, but IRL it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me yet. The consistency is pretty thin, but it’s not quite as fluid as other liquid highlight products, such as CoverFX’s Custom Enhancer Drops. I’m a little hesitant to put this on top of makeup as I usually go for powder bronzer and blush, but it seems like it could be useful to mix in with/apply under foundation, or to use as a body highlighter. The colour is absolutely stunning too, it looks a lot nicer on than it does in the package — which is also admittedly a pretty strange was to contain liquid highlighter (but oh well).
This is a great product for a night out look. The lip kit was a little darker than I was expecting, and doesn’t suit me too well for a day to day look, but would look amazing paired with a smoky eye. I love that it’s not super matte either, as I’m not a fan of matte lipstick personally, however I do find it strange how it doesn’t seem to dry entirely — I was a little worried about smudging it at first, but I made it through the day without any problems. Also, the lip liner is FANTASTIC — I love the consistency, it’s so easy to apply (which is great for me as I’ve only been experimenting with over-lining my lips for the last month or so). I’d definitely love to try this product out in different colours!
I hate to say it, but don’t waste your money on this product. I was so excited to try this product, since as you all know I love liquid eyeshadow. However, I could tell straight away when I received this product that something wasn’t right. Maybe I received a faulty product, but the tube was only 75% full, and when I swatched it I was able to remove it with just water in seconds. When I got around to trying it, the colour was SO BEAUTIFUL, but it applied patchily before taking minutes to dry. Once it did dry, to my horror, it began flaking off like CRAZY. By the time I finished my eyeshadow look, all of this product had flaked off my eyes. If anyone’s had a better experience with this product, let me know! I love liquid eyeshadow and am really disappointed by how poor the quality was compared to the other products I’ve tried.
My only problem with this lipstick is I didn’t purchase it sooner! It’s such a pretty shade, and absolutely perfect for summer. I don’t usually love how coral tones look on me, but I felt compelled to try this one. The amount of glitter this product packs is INSANE, making it a great lipstick or topcoat if you’re looking to add some extra shine to your lips. The coral shade actually looks great on me as well, which is a first. I’d definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a super glittery coral lip!
Anyone who knows me knows I love lip gloss. Lipstick is great, but I’m really not a fan of the matte look on me so I’ve been shying away from it a little over the past few years and embracing the glossy look (thank god it’s coming back in style!). The Kylie High Glosses are AMAZING. I’ve only just tried them but I’m already dying to try more. This glittery gloss is a great top coat over a lip liner and the colour is just so pretty. Unlike so many other glosses, it doesn’t absorb into the skin around your lips and can keep a clean, sharp edge. Plus it’s super long-lasting, and manages to survive for hours even through my busy work shifts.
As I already said above, I adore these glosses. This gloss, however, is so unlike any other matte gloss I’ve tried — the colour is really pigmented, and actually gives a solid, non-sheer colour impact as if you’re wearing lip gloss on top on a liquid lip. Plus, these glosses are SO SOFT. They feel amazing, they look amazing, they’re high quality — need I say anymore?
So there you have it, my first Kylie Cosmetics makeup haul! Overall I’d say these products are pretty worth it — many of them are less expensive than brands I usually buy, which was fantastic to realize. While some of the products I would not repurchase, such as the Jelly Kylighter or the Glitter Eyes, I’ll definitely be going back for more lip products and eyeshadows in the future. Overall, I’d give this haul a 7/10 — 10/10 for the lip products, but unfortunately not all the products were quite as high quality.
Have you tried any Kylie Cosmetic products? Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear what you liked and what you didn’t! If you’ve loved any of her products I didn’t try, let me know so I can add them to my next haul!
So, for this week, I figured I’d elaborate a little more on a product I wrote about after trying, but fell more in love with the more I used it. For those of you who have been following my blog for a while, you may remember when I posted my blog about Function of Beauty back in June. (If not, feel free to click the link and read all about it!). At the time, I gave it a week to test it out before sharing the results with you guys. I hadn’t switched hair products in years, and didn’t really consider how long it would take to start seeing changes being made — a week certainly wasn’t enough time to see full results.
However, two months later it’s safe to say I’ve now thoroughly tested out this product, and I love it. As in, I’m so sold I honestly don’t know that I’ll ever switch shampoo or conditioners again — and with Function of Beauty’s model, I probably won’t have to. When choosing your products, you select your hair type — including texture, structure and moisture, as well as your five main concerns you wish to see improvements in your hair. Meaning, if you see something you want to change, all you have to do is select a different concern more applicable to your current needs in your next batch!
On top of all this, you get to choose from a variety of scents and colours, truly customizing the products and making them your own. You even get to label the bottle with a nickname — everything about it makes it feel so personal and cute.
I heard about this brand months before I got the chance to test it out — I literally waited as patiently as I could for my old products to finally run out so I could give these a try. As I noted in my initial post, I certainly saw some immediate effects — enough to keep me interested in buying more. I wasn’t sure if it was just that I was so hyped up about trying out this brand, but at first even with the results given, I still felt it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.
Unfortunately, I sometimes tend to be a bit impatient. The fact that I saw immediate results, really, should have said it all. Two months later, my hair is the healthiest it’s been in — well, possibly forever. It’s smooth, shiny, and constantly looks the best it ever has. On top of that, even though its been a few months since I had a hair cut, my hair almost feels as fresh as if I had just returned from the salon — I have minimal problems with split ends and tangling, which is almost always a problem for me. Furthermore, my ends look just as healthy as my roots, which is a nice change from what my hair has been from the last few years (especially with all the bleaching I put it through) — fried at the top, and fried-to-straw at the bottoms.
This product, no joke, has transformed my hair. It is the most beautiful and healthy it’s ever been — I always envied girls with long, shiny, healthy hair, but for the first time in years my hair is finally transformed into one of my favourite features. Plus: their products are Paraben-Free, Sulfate-Free, Cruetly-Free and Vegan! This means these products are better for you, your hair, the animals AND the environment! It’s a win-win.
If this sounds like the change your hair has been needing, be sure to check out Function of Beauty here!
As promised last week, here’s my Sephora wishlist. Currently, all the products I’ve had my eye on are either clean skin care (since you all know skin care is about 75% of my beauty routine) and eyeshadows.
I’m not always one to branch out in terms of new products — if I love something I tend to repurchase it until the end of time. Honestly, If I had endless money to justify having like, 15 different bronzers, blushes, highlighters and foundations God knows I would — but I’d probably end up sticking to the same products for daily use anyways.
However, there’s some products that I find having a range has more of an impact — you know, things where colour comes a lot more into play such as lip products and eyeshadow. While I buy new lip products a lot more spontaneously, eyeshadow is a much bigger commitment for me — it’s so expensive and I don’t do crazy eyeshadow looks all that often, so it has to be worthwhile.
Anyways, enough with my rambling — here’s all the clean beauty and eyeshadow at Sephora I’m dying to try!
Neon Obsessions Palette in Pink
Credit: Sephora.com
Okay, I’m really not one for crazy eye shadow looks — as much as I adore them, I find they often are challenging to execute (especially if I’m running late) and often look not so great on me. Even when I do experiment with eyeshadow, I usually stick to smoky or gold tones. That being said — this palette is GORGEOUS. If I ever was going to go totally crazy with colours, I’d definitely go for neon — and I love the shades in this palette. Even the two other colours in green and orange I’d be down to give a try. Plus I’ve owned some of the Huda Obsessions Palettes before (in Smoky, Topaz and Sapphire) and the pigment and quality of these shadows are amazing, don’t let their small size deter you. Find it at Sephora here!
Pat McGrath Labs Eyeshadow Palettes
Credit: Sephora.com
Okay, I’ve been dying to try out some of Pat McGrath Labs products since, like, forever. I’ve swatched a couple of their products at Sephora every so often and they are absolutely to die for. Seriously, everything from this line is just about the most high-quality product I’ve ever seen. However, at $170 per eyeshadow palette, it’s definitely a bit of a commitment. Fingers crossed I’ll get the chance to test some of these out soon, though. Find them at Sephora here!
Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow Palette in Soft Glam
Credit: @loveofburgundy Instagram
If you’ve been following me for a while you’ll already know I absolutely love ABH. I’ve tried out so many of their products and honestly? I’ve yet to find one I didn’t like. I’ve already tried out a number of their eyeshadow products in the past, but I’m dying to get my hands on the soft glam palette. I think the colours are just gorgeous, and have been super inspired by my long-time friend Erin to try out more of their eyeshadow collections. (BTW, you should go check her out! Her instagram is @loveofburgundy and it’s absolutely fabulous). Also, be sure to check out the product at Sephora here!
Like, Everything By Herbivore
Credit: @herbivorebotanicals IG
Herbivore is a brand that I’ve only recently been introduced to but absolutely ADORE. I haven’t yet gotten the chance to test out any of their facial products, but I have countless on my list for when I finally get the chance. In particular, I’m hoping to test out their facial oils — I love their whole “mix and match” concept. The Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative definitely has my eye as I haven’t tested out Retinol-based products in my skincare routine yet. As well, I’m certainly looking to give the Lapis Balancing Facial Oil, Phoenix Cell Regeneration Oil, and Orchid Youth-Preserving Oil a try! You can certainly count on me testing these out soon and I’ll absolutely update when I do.
Biossance Squalene + Marine Algae Eye Cream
Credit: Sephora.com
I really didn’t want to name an entire brand I’ve been hoping to try but let’s face it, I’d love to test out everything at Biossance as well. You guys already know I’m crazy about this brand and have seen amazing results from their products, particularly their Squalene + Vitamin C Rose Oil. However, as I’ve totally mentioned before, my under-eye bags have always been a huge concern of mine. While I’m currently loving the Dr. Brandt No More Baggage gel, I’d love to test this product out as well. Plus, Biossance has their own Phyto-Retinol Serum that I’d love to try as well — also featuring Bakuchiol which is supposed to reduce irritation. Check out the eye cream at Sephora here!
Have you tried out any of these products? If so, drop a comment below and let me know what you thought! If you guys have any products you love or are dying to try drop me a message since I’m always looking for new suggestions (as if my list of products to try wasn’t already long enough!).
Sincerely, Meredith 