2019 Round-Up: The Best And The Worst!

December 22, 2019December 20, 202016 Comments

Hey y’all!

2020 is quickly approaching, and I’m not sure about you guys but I am SO ready for it. I love fresh starts, and New Years is the ULTIMATE new beginning.

To wrap this year up, I wanted to do a little round up of all my favourite and least favourite products of the year. I love discussing all the products that worked best for me on my blog — but until now I’ve avoided discussing what didn’t. I was trying to avoid being too negative in my reviews and content — but at the same time, I feel it’s important to discuss what doesn’t work. If nothing else, hopefully I can save others from learning from mistakes I’ve made.

So before we get into it, this is going to be a two part post: the first part is going to cover my ten favourite and five least favourite products of the year, and the second is going to be my top five favourite skincare and makeup brands, as well as the top five brands I’m excited to try in 2020!

One last little disclaimer — all my reviews, obviously, are personal to me. If one of my “least favourite” products is a product you use and love, or were hoping to try, don’t let my opinions stop you! Some things work better for some people than others, and just because I didn’t like something doesn’t mean it is inherently bad. As well, I do not have any bad will for the brands I’m discussing — many of them are brands I love, and while they’re other products are absolute favourites of mine, some just didn’t cut it for me, and that’s okay! The brands I’m discussing, overall, are still wonderful.

So, let’s get into it!

The Best (And Worst) Of 2019

The Best: Biossance Squalene + Vitamin C Rose Oil

This product single-handedly changed my skincare. Not only is this the most mega-hydrating serum OR product I’ve ever seen — the squalene content in it really helped to rebuild my skin’s protective barrier. The amount of clogged pores and breakouts I’ve had since starting this product has gone down so significantly that this is officially a staple in my nighttime skincare routine until the end of time. While I do find it a little too heavy to apply in the mornings, I do find applying it before bed and letting it sink in overnight is perfect — my skin feels so soft the next day AND there’s no residue. A lot of heavy moisturizing products won’t absorb fully and leave behind traces the next day, but not this one. Plus, you know that feeling you get when you’re using a new skincare product for the first time and you’re always excited to apply it? A year later, and I still get that feeling every night.

Read more about this product in my review here!

The Best: Peter Thomas Roth FIRMx™ Peeling Gel

There are very few products, no matter how much I love them, that I would deem “perfect” — but this one is one of them. I love everything about this exfoliator; from how gentle it is, to how easy it is to apply and remove. No harsh scrubbing or long mask wait times required — this stuff exfoliates your skin instantly and effectively, and leaves your skin soft and clear.

Read more about this product in my review here!

The Worst: Biossance Squalane + Bamboo Deodorant

It really hurts me to add anything by Biossance to this list, they’re one of my all-time favourite brands. Sadly, this product was a serious let down. I bought it on a bit of a whim in the Sephora check-out line, thinking that a) Biossance could do no wrong and b) I should really switch to natural deodorant anyway. When reading up on reviews after I purchased this product, there were a lot of fairly low ratings, however, there were also a lot of people saying that these comments were from people who didn’t wait out the two week “detox period” you have to go through when switching to aluminium-free deodorant. So I waited out the two week period, smelling absolutely terrible but waiting to love this product once my detox was over. And then the two weeks were up, and I kept waiting. However, I kept sweating through this product within an hour; as well, the scent — which I can only describe as very weird and a little earthy — only made me smell worse when mixed in with my natural body odour.

Finally, my manager at work literally had to confront me about how bad I smelt — which was incredibly embarrassing but also a wake up call that after a month, it was time to call it quits. This deodorant simply did not work for me (and honestly, actually kinda made me smell worse). I wasn’t quite ready to give up on natural deodorant, however, so I switched brands and now find aluminum-free deodorant works better than any other I’ve used in the past. Plus, as Biossance’s product was $17, I was saving a lot of money by switching, so win-win, right?

My recommendation? Instead try: Tom’s Of Maine Natural Deodorant!

The Best: Herbivore Botanicals Crushed Amethyst Exfoliating Body Polish

Okay, I know I’ve already discussed this product so, so many times before, but it really is amazing. First of all, it smells like lilacs — one of my all time favourite scents. Second of all, it does a fantastic job of exfoliating, and unlike many other exfoliators, the grains do not melt away as you scrub. One of my largest pet peeves with salt- or sugar-based exfoliators is how quickly the exfoliating elements of the product simply dissolve as you use it, meaning you use a lot more product. With this product, I guarantee you, you won’t have that problem. Not only that, but it exfoliates evenly and isn’t too harsh — plus it’s packed with all kinds of hydrating oils, leaving your skin feeling soft as every when you’re done.

Read more about this product in my review here!

The Best: Function Of Beauty Shampoo + Conditioner

You guys already know how much I love this product. After years of bleaching out my hair, I had resigned myself it would likely be damaged beyond repair until I grew it out. I already put so much effort into caring for my hair that I couldn’t imagine what else I could do to revive it. Function of Beauty totally changed that. Not only is it super fun getting the chance to totally customize your own shampoo and conditioner — but it shows real results, too. My hair is SO shiny and smooth now, seriously, it feels healthy for the first time in years. I actually can’t remember the last time, if ever, my hair felt this healthy. Give this product a shot, healthy hair or not, and trust me — you won’t regret it.

Read more about this product in my reviews here and here!

The Worst: Lancôme’s GRANDIÔSE Extreme Wide-Angle Extreme Volume Mascara

As I’ve discussed before, I rarely branch out from my select few favourite mascaras, and when I do — I tend to regret it. I’ve made this mistake one other time this year with Milk’s Kush Mascara, however, nothing has ever been as much of a disappointment as Lancôme’s GRANDIÔSE Extreme Wide-Angle Extreme Volume Mascara. It’s advertised as some kind of magical all-in-one product that will lengthen, curl, and volumize your lashes — but I really didn’t find this to be the case. Frankly, not only was this the clumpiest mascara I’ve ever tried, but it hardly did anything to accentuate my lashes whatsoever. With it’s fancy curved applicator and incredibly steep price, you’d think this mascara would be a godsend. I really hate to say it, but I found it the complete opposite — it was honestly the worst mascara I’ve ever tried at any price point.

My recommendation? Instead try: Tarte’s Lights, Camera, Lashes or Dior’s Diorshow Iconic OverCurl Mascara!

The Best: Huda Beauty Obsessions Palettes

My idea of “living my best life” would be owning one of each colour of all of these palettes. They are hands down THE most beautiful and pigmented eyeshadow palettes I’ve ever tried. They’re creamy instead of powdery, allowing them to blend seamlessly. My favourite aspect is how they cover every shade you’d need to blend out a full look in each specific colour set in only nine shades. I’ve seen a lot of people who get offset by how “small” these palettes are for their price — but they’re absolutely worth it. Not only are they pigmented enough to give you enough bang for your buck — but they also contain just about as much shadow as any nine pot palette. They’re just arranged in a way to make them purposely compact — making them perfect for travel.

Read more about this product in my review here!

The Best: Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Skinstick

This year, I finally got back into contouring. I fell out of favour with it back when it was hugely popular, as I often found that powder contour did not give me a natural look — it fact, it often looked muddy. However, after seeing enough videos watching artists use cream and stick contour instead of powder, I felt inspired to try again.

This contour stick is absolutely perfect for getting a seamless blend and natural look. I’ve not once had it look muddy or fake, it applies SO easily and flawlessly creates contour anywhere you apply it. I’m so glad I took the leap to get back into contouring with this product, it’s really upped a lot of my makeup looks!

Read more about this product in my review here!

The Worst: Kylie Cosmetics Glitter Eyes

Kylie Cosmetics Glitter Eyes in “Eat Cake”

After my first ever Kylie Cosmetics haul earlier this year, I was incredibly impressed with the quality of so many of the products I tried. This one, however, was incredibly disappointing. I absolutely adore liquid eyeshadow products for their incredibly pigmented look and easy application — but this product did not live up to others I had tried. It was dry and flaky; it didn’t even last until the end of my eyeshadow application before it had managed to flake off entirely. Not only that, but it took absolutely ages to dry and washed off with only the smallest amount of water. Even if you manage to apply this product well, it would never last a day without flaking or melting off in rainy weather. I’m sad because it was so beautiful, but definitely not at all worth it.

My recommendation? Instead try: Stila Glitter and Glow Liquid Eyeshadow! (You can also read my review on this product here).

The Best: Lilly Lashes

Lilly Lashes, along with Sephora’s Luxe Lashes, are one of my two all-time favourite lash brands. If you know me, you know no look is complete without lashes — I literally feel naked without them. While Sephora’s lashes do give an incredibly flawless and real look, Lilly Lashes are bold and long-lasting. Seriously, so long as you take good care of these lashes, they’ll last you forever. For something as delicate as lashes, that’s pretty impressive.

Read more about this product in my review here!

The Best: Cover FX Custom Beauty Drops

I’m sure I’m not alone in this when I say dewy skin > matte skin makeup. For the ultimate dewy skin look, I love Cover Fx’s Custom Beauty Drops! Not only do they give THE most natural yet blinding highlight — they’re extremely versatile. These drops can be added to foundation for a natural glow, applied underneath or on top of your makeup for a subtle or bold look, used as an eyeshadow, inner corner highlight, mixed into gloss and more! The possibilities are pretty endless — you can really use this product however you want. If you ever get the chance to test this product out, you’ll be sold in a heartbeat — they have so much depth to their colour and blend so flawlessly. They’ve become an absolute staple in my makeup routine.

Read more about this product in my review here!

The Worst: Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint

This might be a hugely unpopular opinion, but I’m not crazy about Glossier. While some of the products I’ve tried have been pretty great, it’s certainly not my all-time favourite brand or anything. While I do adore the Balm DotCom, and I do find the Cloud Paint/Haloscope duo gives me a great little glow if I’m in a rush to do my makeup — I really was not a fan of their skin tint product. This product really doesn’t do anything at all for your skin — I honestly couldn’t even tell where I had applied it or not as it made such a little difference. Nothing else about it is inherently bad, per se, but I feel like I would have been better off saving my money and just not wearing any kind of product on my skin, as it looked the same either way.

My recommendation? Instead try: Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer! (You can read my review on this product here).

The Best: Urban Decay All-Nighter Setting Spray

Urban Decay All Nighter Pollution Protection Setting Spray

Urban Decay has been my go-to setting spray since I started even using setting spray at all. Seriously — I’ve never used another brand. I have, however, tested out just about all their setting sprays (and even some of their spray-on primers) and I have to say, this one is the best. While their other setting sprays are all wonderful — there’s a reason All-Nighter is their most well-known (and yes, its because this product will literally make your makeup last all night). However, when I decided to branch out and try their “Environmental Protection” spray instead, I was pleasantly surprised. It lasts every bit as well as the original All-Nighter spray, but I did notice an improvement in my skin after use. This product is designed to help keep out harmful pollutants in the air we all come into contact with every day — and based on my skin’s appearance alone, it definitely holds up to that promise.

Read more about this product in my review here!

The Best: Tarte Cosmetic’s Creaseless Concealer!

This concealer has been my holy grail under-eye product since I first ever started using it. I chronically suffer from dark, baggy under eyes — seriously, no matter how much sleep I get and how much stress I avoid, they always look like I haven’t slept in weeks. Not only is this concealer super pigmented, it has a thick yet creamy formula that helps to hide all discolouration and dark circles — no colour corrector required. On top of that, this concealer does a MUCH better job of not settling into fine lines and creases than any other product I’ve tried. It lasts all day without wearing off even a little, so once you’ve got this applied your under eye area will look as flawless as if you’ve just gotten back from a month-long uber relaxing spa get-away. Seriously, this stuff is that good.

Read more about this product in my review here!

The Worst: Kat Von D Tattoo Liner

Liquid eyeliner is another trend I’ve really started to get back into this year. Back in high school winged eyeliner was literally my “thing” — my friends even coined a nickname for me because of it. (It was “Nike” if you’re wondering). I kind of stopped with the liner for a few years, but this year I was ready to give it another shot. Back in high school, I had two go-to liner brands — Stila and Kat Von D. When I went to Sephora, however, they were out of Stila’s liquid liner, so I went for the latter. I know Kat Von D may not be the best role model, but I honestly didn’t even know which other brand to try. The result? I honestly cannot remember why I loved this liner so much in high school. It’s strange brush-type tip makes it incredibly hard to achieve a sharp point at the end of your wing, and it easily gets overwhelmed with eyeshadow — causing it to apply unevenly, dry out, and appear more of a dull grey rather than a nice, black line. Maybe I just wasn’t good enough at makeup in high school to really notice, but this product was a major let down.

My recommendation? Instead try: Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner (or, my new favourite — Gel Liner and a brush)!

My Top Five Skincare Brands

Biossance

Herbivore Botanicals

Ouai

Fresh

Dr. Jart

My Top Five Makeup Brands

Anastasia Beverly Hills

Huda Beauty

Kylie Cosmetics

Nars

Tarte

Top Five Brands I’m Most Excited To Try In 2020

ColourPop Cosmetics

Glow Recipe

Charlotte Tilbury

Jeffree Star Cosmetics

Farmacy

And that’s a wrap on everything from 2019! It’s crazy to think we’re officially two days away from the new year and a WHOLE NEW DECADE. I, for one, could not be more excited to see what the new year will bring. This upcoming year should be one of new beginnings, and it’s definitely for the best! I can’t wait to see what goals I accomplish and what changes will be made by this time next year.

Do you agree or disagree with my reviews? I’d love to hear it — especially if you love something I didn’t. As well, I’d love to hear all of your favourite brands of 2019 and what you’re hoping to try in 2020 — I’d love a little extra inspo!

Stay tuned next Sunday to hear all about how to make the perfect, maintainable and achievable New Years Resolution! A lot of people feel all kinds of pressure to completely redo themselves come each new year — which can have a lot of negative impacts. If you’re interested, I’m going to be sharing next week how I set attainable goals for each year that help push me in a positive direction towards being the best version of myself.

Happy end of December, y’all, hope the holiday season has been treating you all well!

Xo,

Meredith

Kylie Cosmetics Black Friday Haul!

December 21, 2019December 20, 20192 Comments

Hey everyone!

Surprise! It’s me, back again with another Saturday post. I’ve had so many ideas and so much stuff to share lately, it’s been hard fitting it all into my regular posting schedule — so I figured I’d throw in a couple extra posts on Saturdays as needed to ensure I’m sharing all the content I can with you in a timely matter! (After all, it would be a little pointless to delay holiday posts until after the holidays).

As a general rule for myself, I try to avoid getting sucked into big sale holidays like Black Friday and Boxing Day. Unless I have something specific I’ve been needing that just happens to make a great deal around these times, I try not to do any shopping. I know myself, and I know how easily I can get sucked into buying things I don’t need (I really do love a little retail therapy) and these sales only fuel my bad habits because it’s fine if it’s cheap, right? (Wrong! For me at least. I end up spending so much more money than I probably would have otherwise and also sometimes end up buying things I regret.)

To implement a little self-control, I decided to only hit up one Black Friday sale this year — but it was a brand I’ve been dying to try a little more of. Ever since my first Kylie Cosmetics Haul, I’ve been itching to get my hands on a couple more products. Not only did I absolutely adore the lip products I tried, I’ve since heard fantastic things about some of her other products — specifically her blushes and highlighters. Since I didn’t get a chance to try either out the first time around, I really wanted to get the chance to give them a shot — so why not have it be on the biggest sale day of the year?

In total, I purchased two Kylighters, two glosses, two lip kits, a blush and her limited-edition Holiday Red Kyliner liquid liner pen. Since all lip products were 40% off, and all face products discounted 30%, the damage wasn’t even that bad. They’ve finally arrived, and I’m so excited to share my results with you all! So, without further ado, lets get into it!

Bare | Velvet Lip Kit

I was a little nervous trying out this colour — nude shades aren’t usually that flattering on me. However, I actually think I may have found the perfect one. I’ve never bought true nude shades — only light pinks — as the brown tones can appear too dark on me and rarely match my skin tone. However, this shade came highly recommended and the pics were STUNNING — so I gave it a go. This nude isn’t totally brown — it has enough pinky undertones that it actually looks incredibly flattering and natural. I also love the velvet lip kits as they aren’t totally matte, they give a pretty similar effect without being too flat or dry. I was a little worried about trying this shade, but I’m super glad I did! It’s so cute, and I can already tell it’s going to become a staple in my lipstick collection.

Harmony | Velvet Lip Kit

I was a little nervous to try out this shade as well, to be honest. I’m not great at determining how lipstick colours will look on me based on online photos — especially since I don’t wear lipstick often. Gloss is a whole other story — I wear it all the time, so I find it a LOT easier to figure out which shades will work. I decided to give this shade a go anyway — some of the pictures made it look VERY coral toned, which often doesn’t suit me, but the review photos made it look a lot less so. I’m glad I gave it a go — it actually turned out to be just about the perfect shade of pink! It looks pretty natural, while still giving a great pop of colour. I’m not a huge fan of how super bold lipstick colours look on me, but this one is a lot more neutral that I was expecting — and it looks fantastic. 10/10, definitely a fan.

Damn Gina | Gloss

Ugh, okay, I am seriously OBSESSED with this gloss. I knew from the moment I saw it that it would be perfect for me. It’s glittery, pink, and glossy — basically it checks everything I love. I knew this one would be a safe bet for me, but I am truly blown away by how show-stoppingly GORGEOUS it is. A light coat adds the perfect level of soft, glittery glow — but a heavier coat seriously turns this into the near-metallic, glittery gloss of your wildest dreams. The colour is perfect too, and I’d be willing to bet it would look flattering on practically everyone. If you’ve been on the lookout for a new glittery gloss lately, definitely be sure to check this one out.

Posie K | Gloss

The first time I ever tried a product from Kylie Cosmetics was years back, when her first line of lip kits came out. My best friend had purchased some of the kits and let me test them out before I decided if I wanted to buy some for myself — at the time, I was OBSESSED with the Posie K Lip Kit and really wanted to get one for myself. However, matte lipstick has never been the most flattering on me, and all the shades turned out surprisingly dark compared to how they had looked online. I ended up holding off on trying any more Kylie Cosmetics until my original haul just earlier this year. When I saw that Kylie had since come out with a gloss version of her original Posie K Kit, I knew I had to try it. While I haven’t had the opportunity to test it out yet this week, I already know I won’t be disappointed — not only is gloss a lot more flattering on me, but just look at how cute this colour is! I already can’t wait to test it out.

Cotton Candy Cream | Kylighter

I decided to branch out this haul and try something new — the Kylie Cosmetic cheek products! I honestly NEVER branch out with highlighters — I have my one staple that I’ve used daily for literally years now and it’ll always be my favourite. However, I really felt that I’ve been wanting to add more to my collection, and I’ve heard fantastic things about Kylie’s highlighter line. I was honestly a little nervous when I swatched this product — it honestly didn’t swatch well at all, and barely showed up. However, when I tested it out for real, I was beyond impressed. I’m not sure what it was about using my fingers to swatch versus using a brush, but this highlighter is EVERYTHING. It’s super shiny, bright, and just all around beautiful. It’s a lovely shade of gold that gives a sun-kissed look without looking fake or plain glittery — it really gives that “glow from within” look I love. Needless to say, I’m impressed. I’m pretty sold on these products now, and I’m totally going to be trying more Kylighters in the future.

Princess Please | Kylighter

I was SO excited to try this highlighter out. It was honestly one of the products in my box I was most excited for. It was a bit of a step out of my comfort zone, as my everyday highlighter is a warm rose gold, and this shade is a very cool toned pink. However, I was obsessed with this highlighter from the moment I saw it — I don’t even know why, but I was just drawn to it. Similarly to the Cotton Candy Cream highlighter, it didn’t swatch well — but worked wonders when I applied it normally with my makeup. The colour is SO CUTE — it gives a really bright, cool glow. It’s a colour I’ve really never tried before, so I was surprised at how natural it looked and how well it blended (both things I was nervous about before trying this shade). However, it looked amazing — it would look incredibly natural and flattering on paler skin tones, while giving a bolder, icy look on tanned and darker toned skin.

Pink Power | Blush

I haven’t gotten the chance to test out this blush properly yet — but I’m already pretty excited about it. I’ve been using the same blush shade since forever now — and while I do adore it, I thought it would be fun to branch out. This colour is definitely very new for me, and I’ve never worn anything like it before. That being said, it looks SO cute, and I feel it would look adorable on my regular skin tone — and bold and new with a tan.

Holiday Red | Kyliner Liquid Liner Pen

When I saw this product in Kylie’s holiday collection, I was interested immediately. I’ve never seen a red liquid liner before, so I didn’t really know what to expect — so I figured I just HAD to see for myself. I’m pretty impressed by this liner — it’s a LOT more pigmented that I expected, which is great (if you’re going to do red liner, may as well go all out, right?). As well, even though I’m not a huge fan of felt-tip pen liners, this pen is incredibly precise. I haven’t gotten a chance to use it yet — it’s hard to fit in red liner to an everyday look — but I can’t wait to get the chance to. I have a feeling I won’t be disappointed by it.

And that’s it for my little Black Friday haul! I hope you all enjoyed this post as much as I enjoyed writing it — I’ve been dying to try more from Kylie Cosmetics for so long now and I’m absolutely obsessed with all the products I purchased during this sale. If you’ve tried (or are hoping to try) any of these products, drop a comment below! As well, if you purchased anything from Kylie this Black Friday, I’d love to hear what you picked out!

I hope you guys are all having a fantastic week — holiday season is in full swing now, and we only have 4 (!!!) days until Christmas and just over a week until 2020! I have so much exciting content to share with you all over the next couple of weeks, so be sure to stay tuned. I’m currently on a plane right now, about to kick off my winter holidays — so stay tuned for upcoming posts about my trip in the new year! As well, tomorrow I have a full round up post highlighting all of my favourite (and least favourite) products I’ve tried this year, and a couple of other 2019 wrap-up and 2020 posts coming up over the next week! I hope you guys are all ending this year on a high note (or gearing up to have a fantastic 2020 if not!).

As a side note before I go, for those of you who follow me on twitter, you’ll know my big blogging goal for 2019 was to reach 5k views on my blog. When I set this goal, it was a huge stretch — just two months ago I just sitting just under 3k views. However, both because of how much effort I’ve been putting in to my blog since then, as well as all your support, I’ve now reached my goal! I know it’s still small, but all of your support so far has meant so much to me. I’ve set a new, possibly crazier goal for 2020 — I’m hoping to achieve 15k views for the year, putting me at 20k total. It might be a stretch, but I’ll never know unless I try, right? If you have any goals you’ve already set for your blogging this upcoming year, I’d love to hear them as well! Hopefully we can all push each other and support each other and achieve everything, and make 2020 our best years yet!

Xo,

Meredith

Thursday Favourites: December 19th

December 19, 2019December 19, 201910 Comments

Origin’s A Perfect World™ SPF 40 Age-Defense Moisturizer with White Tea

Happy Thursday y’all!

It may not feel like it in the dark and cloudy winter season, but sun protection is a huge part of maintaining healthy, youthful skin. Lately, I’ve been trying to change up my skin routines a little, in hopes of tailoring my morning and nighttime routines to fit both my skin’s and schedule’s needs a little better.

Generally, with skincare, it’s best to keep it simple in the morning and do all the heavy lifting at night. This is true for a couple reasons — first of all being if you intend to apply makeup, its best not to apply it to skin that’s oversaturated in serums and such. Some skin products don’t mix well with makeup, and may cause your makeup to fade or wipe off as the day goes on. Even if you aren’t wearing makeup, a lot of skincare products can appear oily after application, and may look a little strange if you don’t allow them time to properly absorb into your skin (as well, you may not reap all the benefits!). Not only that, but it’s better to rinse all the day’s dirt and pollutants out of your pores before sleeping to help keep your skin feeling fresh.

Amongst other changes to my routine, I switched up my morning moisturizer to ensure I get a little SPF to protect my skin from sun damage. Applying sunscreen to your face daily can be a pain — many sunscreen products can be irritating, greasy, or clog up your pores. However, UV damage can often cause your skin to age prematurely, and can cause a whole host of cosmetic and medical issues, ranging from hyperpigmentation to skin cancer. An easy way to get in daily SPF is to buy skin products and makeup that have SPF added to the product so you can forgo daily sunscreen application.

This is why I recently started trying out Origin’s A Perfect World™ SPF 40 Age-Defense Moisturizer with White Tea. Not only does it feel great knowing its high SPF content is protecting my skin from UV damage, it comes packed with all kinds of benefits important to morning skin care. It includes all sorts of antioxidants and environmental pollution protection, all while being formulated without over 50 harmful ingredients and being oil-free (!!!).

While I’ve only been using this product for a couple of weeks now, I’m already so in love. The oil-free aspect means it doesn’t mess up any makeup I apply on top following moisturizing. As well, this stuff is SUPER hydrating — which my poor, dry skin is pretty excited about. Overall, I’m really glad I made the switch. I still use my Clinique moisturizer religiously every night (we all know how much I love it). However, I feel a lot better knowing I’ve finally found a smart way to incorporate SPF into my morning routine.

Trying to avoid sun damage, but don’t know how? Be sure to check out Origin’s moisturizer for a little added protection!

As always, hope you guys are absolutely killing this week. We’re less than one week out until Christmas, so if you’re still stuck on Christmas shopping, be sure to check out my Holiday Gift Guide for self-care, skincare, and makeup gift ideas!

Much love and happy Thursday y’all!

Xo,

Meredith

My Winter FabFitFun Unboxing!

December 15, 2019December 15, 201925 Comments

Hey y’all!

The start of the winter season has rolled around, and you know what that means — its FabFitFun time!

I know it’s already been said, but I absolutely adore FabFitFun. It’s the only subscription box I’ve ever received, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s the best one out there. I’ve been subscribed to FabFitFun for a whole year now, and each box I’ve received has left me seriously impressed. There’s always such a wide range of items, all of which are full size and super high-quality. As well, their boxes have introduced me to many of my favourite brands and products — including Ouai, my Tula face wash (Favourites post coming on that soon, I promise!), and more.

Each month, they throw in a great mix of staples (such as hand and body cream, face masks, and all kinds of other great everyday items) as well as some super unique products — such as jewelry, accessories, decor, or anything else related to the season! I absolutely love receiving some of these as it introduces me to a whole bunch of products I love and wouldn’t have been able to find or buy myself. My go-to pair of sunglasses, cheese board, throw blanket and more are all perfect examples of this — I love them all so much, and probably would never have found them without receiving them in previous boxes.

The best part about FabFitFun are how many items you get for such a reasonable price — as well as how they always seem to know JUST what to give you. Every season, I get countless items in my box that I’ve either been dying to try or just was about to repurchase. Are they always just one step ahead on trends, or do they know me better than I know myself? Who knows, but as the box is only $50 USD per season, it’s really a godsend.

While FabFitFun only sends out boxes once a season, I really feel that their four boxes a year deliver the best possible products, as well as avoid unnessacary waste — I really do get great use out of everything these boxes provide. I’ve been (someone impatiently) waiting for my winter box for months now, but it was definitely worth the wait. The winter box comes chock full with all kinds of cozy decor and winter necessities, and I’m thoroughly impressed with my box. Keep reading to hear more about all the products I received!

Add On: UnHide Lil Marshmallow Faux Fur Blanket

This was my first time adding on an additional item to my box. When it came down to making my selections, I found I just couldn’t choose between the Jonathan Adler candle and this blanket. I’m so glad I didn’t — this is THE softest, cutest blanket I have ever seen. I’ve been super into the faux fur trend lately — it really is adorable. A blanket like this makes the perfect piece of accent decor — it’s not too large, and just adds a splash of texture into wherever you throw it. PLUS, this blanket is crazy cozy — perfect for snuggling up in the chillier winter months. (Extra bonus — it’s also machine washable!!!)

First Selection: Jonathan Adler Fleur De Sel Ceramic Candle

Okay, we all already know I LOVE a good candle. When I saw this as an option, I knew it would make a great addition — my latest candle is almost entirely used up, and everything about this candle looked just dreamy. While sometimes I hesitate to buy candles before getting the chance to smell them first, I knew FabFitFun wouldn’t let me down. They certainly didn’t — this candle smells AMAZING, and it came just in time for me to use up my Jo Malone candle yesterday. I’m all about cozy vibes in the winter season, and this candle certainly helps to provide exactly that in the colder, rainy months!

Second Selection: Karuna Face For All Face & Eye Masks

This little box set comes filled with a whole seven sheet masks for seven different concerns for the face and eye area! I love face masks, but I don’t always have time to apply them and wash them off all the time — especially lately, as I’ve been crazy busy this whole month. Sheet masks are fantastic for this exact reason — they’re so easy to apply and remove! Plus, they give a fantastic cooling effect to the face, which I love. This pack includes a clarifying, brightening, anti-oxidant, age-defying, hydrating and exfoliating mask for the face, as well as a renewal mask for the eyes. I can’t wait to give these masks a try — especially on nights when I’m tired and don’t have the energy to do a regular face mask.

LashesMD Lash Conditioner

Just last month I finally took the leap and got a lash lift — which was definitely one of the better choices I’ve made in life. It makes may life so much easier, as my lashes now look naturally amazing without having to bother with mascara every day. The only thing is, unlike lash extensions, lash lifts only enhance your natural eyelashes — meaning the better your lashes, the better the lift. I’ve been using lash serum religiously lately in order to achieve the best effect — so needless to say, I was beyond excited to find this item in my box. I’ve heard amazing things about LashesMD, and I can’t wait to start testing this product out as soon as I use up my current serum.

Beauty Bakerie Proof Is In The Puddin’ Eyeshadow Palette

This is THE cutest lil eyeshadow palette I’ve seen in a while. The colours are absolutely stunning and perfect for winter. A quick swatch test showed that not only do these shadows have great pigment, but they seem pretty high-quality as well. I haven’t gotten the chance to test it out just yet — I’ve been too busy, unfortunately — but the colour story is stunning. I’ve been dying to try a new palette lately, and this one looks like it’ll make a fantastic addition to my collection. Plus, just take in this adorable packaging! Ugh, I’m in love.

Vera Mona Color Switch Solo

If you’ve been following my Thursday Favourites segment then you’ll already know I own (and love) the Sephora edition of the Vera Mona Colour Switch. This is one of the most useful products I’ve ever owned, so I’m glad to have a second one for when I wear out the one I already have. Plus, this one is larger (!!!) than the Sephora edition, which is definitely a plus. If you don’t already know, this product is designed to help you remove excess powder between switching shadows while doing eye makeup — all without damaging the brushes or accidentally mixing colours. I’ve found it to be an absolute godsend when doing more elaborate colourful shadow looks, so I’m super happy to have received this backup in my box!

Cuccio Somatology Calm + Clean Epsom Salt Hand + Body Wash

For some reason, I’ve always had a deep love of hand soap. It might be weird, I know, but I love having nice hand soap — it just makes my days better. I usually go out and buy a whole bunch of foaming hand soaps at once from Bath and Body Works — but I’m down to my last one now, which is about to run out soon. Receiving this product in my box could not have been more perfectly timed! As well, this product is certainly high quality — the ingredients are fantastic, and loaded with all kinds of oils and such to help keep your hands from drying out in the winter season. Plys, it smells amazing too — I just can’t get enough!

In Every Box: Dry Bar Prep Rally Spray

This was another product I received in my box that could not have been more perfectly timed. This prep spray is made to detangle, condition, AND protect hair against heat — it almost sounds too good to be true. I got started on using this product right away as I’ve just run out of my last heat protectant and so far, it really does seem to deliver. I’ve been looking for a solid go-to brand for heat protectant as I’ve been switching mine up somewhat often lately, so I’m hoping that this may be the one. So far, it definitely seems like a fantastic product, and I’m super excited to get the chance to try it out. I’ve heard great things about Dry Bar, but this is my first time using one of their products for myself — who knows, maybe it’ll turn out being one of my new all-time fave brands (just like when FabFitFun introduced me to Ouai!).

In Every Box: The Original Makeup Eraser

So for those of you who’ve been following me for a while, you’ll already know how much I adore makeup erasers. These makeup wipes are my holy grail for a number of reasons — they’re quick, easy, cheap, and eco-friendly. These reusable wipes only require water to remove your makeup, so you don’t have to use chemicals or other harsh products on your skin. As well, having one singular cloth rather than a load of makeup wipes is simultaneously much better for both the environment and your wallet — a one-time purchase on a cloth will last you about 6 months. Since the first time I’ve purchased one, I’ve never once switched back to “traditional” makeup remover — so it’s always great to have a stock of some extras in case my current cloth begins to get a little worn out. If you haven’t ever tried makeup erasers, I’d highly recommend it — there’s really no downsides!

And that’s it for my winter box! If you received a box of your own this season, I’d love to hear how you liked it/which products you received! I’m personally super happy with my box, and I’m already hyped up to see what the spring box brings!

I hope you all had a lovely week, and are ready for the last push before the upcoming holiday season! If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my holiday gift guide collection if you’re still in need of gift ideas — I shared one on self-care, skincare, and makeup products that would all make lovely gifts. We only have two weeks left now until the new year, so let’s make it count!

Xo,

Meredith

Thursday Favourites: December 12th

December 12, 2019November 30, 20196 Comments

Hey y’all! Happy Thursday!

Winter is in full swing, and I know just as well as anyone else this season’s weather can be hard on your skin. No matter where you are, the switch to colder, or drier, weather can really do some damage. Not only that, but sometimes the cloudy, grey days can be a real bummer.

If you or your skin is needing a little pick-me-up, though, look no further! This week, I’m going to be sharing with you all one of my all-time favourite single-use masks by Dr. Jart+ — the Shake And Shot Rubber Masks!

These masks really combine fun, trendy skin care and results. Rubber masks were all the rage a while back — and for good reason. These masks are not only super interesting to mix up yourself, but they also provide something sheet masks don’t — they actually conform perfectly to the shape of your face. I really do love the simplicity of sheet masks, but sometimes I find they fit your face so poorly they end up being annoying to wear and drip product everywhere. It ends up kind of deterring me from using them — while I love the results they give and how easy it is to go purchase one targeted to your skins immediate needs, actually using them sort of drives me nuts.

With careful application, however, these rubber masks can provide all the benefits of a sheet mask, minus all the mess. They dry quickly enough that you shouldn’t have to worry about them dripping everywhere, plus peeling them off is beyond satisfying.

However, the most important part is that these masks seriously work wonders for your skin. Every time I’ve used them, I’ve been blown away by the results. You can see clear, immediate changes after one single use — so while they are a little pricey for a single-use mask, they’re well worth it. I usually purchase these before special events or holidays, as I know whatever problems my skin has been suffering before will be cleared up with these masks better than any other mask product I own — leaving my looking my best when I need to.

If you’ve been needing a little self-care pampering and an effective single use mask lately, be sure to check out these masks on Sephora! They come in a wide range of formulas, including Hydro (Moisturizing), Brightening, Firming, Soothing, Pore Minimizing and Purifying! (If you were wondering, Hydro and Brightening are 100% my all-time faves.)

Hope you guys are all having a lovely week, and be sure to stay tuned for next Thursday’s product!

Much love,

Meredith