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!
So, to start off, I’d figured I’d give a little life update — after a couple of the most hectic weeks of my life, I’m finally moved into my new apartment! I’m far from being done and probably have a few more crazy weeks ahead, but after that things should hopefully settle down. However, I’ve survived it all so far so cheers to that!
Now, onto today’s blog (which I am so excited to share) — unboxing my fall FabFitFun box! These boxes are absolutely my favourite thing in the world, I look forward to the start of each new season just to see what’s inside. Not only is every product I’ve received so far amazing; I swear FabFitFun knows what I need in my life before I do.
In this particular box, I received so many items I had just run out of/was looking to go purchase, so needless to say especially with the move this makes my life A LOT easier right now. Keep reading to see what I received in this season’s box!
Amika Strand Perfect Ceramic Straighter
Ceramic Straightener by Amika
This is the PERFECT example of FabFitFun seemingly knowing my needs before I do. For years, I’ve only had a cheap old drugstore straightener which did a terrible job of straightening my hair. It felt damaging, caught and tore my strands as I used it and took forever to use even on the highest setting — and my hair is naturally pretty straight. I am SO excited to give this fancy new straightener a go — maybe I’ll even be able to master flat iron curls!
Twine Cheese Board And Plate
Twine Cheese Board
This plate is so cute and perfect for if you ever have guests over! It’s incredibly high-quality and looks super classy for wine nights with your girls. It is 100% what I was looking for in terms of kitchen gear and I cannot WAIT to get some use out of it!
Cosmedix Pure C
Cosmedix Pure C
I cannot wait to give this stuff a try! It seems like such a simple way to add some extra Vitamin C to your skincare regimen. Simply add the powder to your serum or moisturizer, and it adds a boost of Vitamin C to your skin! Cosmedix is a fantastic brand as well — we carried it at the spa I used to work at and the whole line is incredibly high-quality. So while I haven’t tested this one out yet, I know I’ll be in for a treat when I do.
AfterSpa Hair Towel Wrap
AfterSpa Hair Towel Wrap
Yet another great example of FabFitFun having my back — this hair towel is SO cute and just what I needed! I’ve had the same cheap towels since I first moved to Vancouver, and over the years they’ve began to fall apart. Moving seemed like the perfect time to replace them, but now I’ve been saved a trip. I’ve had a towel in this style before; it’s designed to fit over the back of your head, wrap up your hair and then fastens with a button to keep it all together. While I haven’t had one of these since high school, these towels are amazing for your hair — they’re comfortable and convenient. Onto of that, the towel fabric is clearly high quality AND it’s pink! So cute!
Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Gold Eye Masks
Wander Beauty Eye Masks
FabFitFun has introduced me to a whole bunch of amazing eye masks since I started receiving their boxes — but these are my favourites so far. They’re packed with all sorts of amazing ingredients, including hyaluronic acid. Within one use, I already noticed a significant change in my dark circles and eye area. You guys already know how much I struggle with my under-eye area, but these actually seemed to fix up all sorts of issues in just minutes. Plus, they’re super cute so when I had a surprise guest it wasn’t even embarrassing to be seen wearing them!
Aveda Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair
Aveda Damage Ready Daily Hair Repair
Again, an example of FabFitFun knowing my needs. I had just ran out of my beloved Ryo hair mask, but this one arrived just in time for me to have to go mask-less. After one use alone I have to say, I’m pretty sold on this stuff. At first, the idea of leave-in treatment had me a little stressed — it sounded like something that would just leave my hair oily and gross. However, this stuff is non-coating and light, and I couldn’t believe how fantastic my hair felt after use.
Human + Kind Body Soufflé
Human + Kind Body Soufflé
While I haven’t had a chance to give this product a try, I’m beyond excited to! The ingredients in this moisturizer sound lovely, and I love a nice, light body cream — I’m really not a fan of heavier stuff as it often lingers and leaves a residue on my skin. I just used up the last cream I received in a FabFitFun box and it was one of the best products I’d ever tried, so I can’t wait to give this one a shot!
Harper + Ari Exfoliating Sugar Cubes in Juice Cleanse
Harper + Ari Exfoliating Sugar Cubes
The last item in my box — these exfoliating sugar cubes — are just another example of FabFitFun knowing exactly what I need. (See what I mean now? Out of seven products, four of them filled a direct need I’ve been having lately. I don’t know how they do it, but I’m impressed!). As many of you know, I’m a huge fan of exfoliating, however I just ran out of my Herbivore exfoliator and haven’t had the time to purchase a new one. These cubes are pretty cool — while I’ll admit I probably wouldn’t repurchase them myself, they’re small and make it easy to ensure you don’t overuse and waste product. They smell amazing and are packed full of ingredients to leave your skin moisturized. While I’m still pretty married to the Herbivore Amethyst exfoliator, this is certainly better than many other products I’ve tried and would definitely recommend it!
And that’s it for this season’s box! I love these boxes so much, not only do they introduce me to so many amazing products and brands, but they’re like a little gift to myself every three months. On top of all the amazing products they sent me, they come packed with all sorts of other little goodies such as gift cards, free boxes to send to your friends, and a magazine detailing all the products in your box! All in all, you get your money’s worth so many times over with these boxes as so many of these products are full-sized and quite expensive to purchase. I’m already beyond excited for next seasons box — my only complaint is that I have to wait three whole months to see it!
So, as many of you know, I adore skin care and really pride myself on my clear skin. However, as I’m sure everyone knows, it’s impossible to keep your skin 100% clear 24/7, 365 days of the year. Even those of us blessed with the best genetics, the most high-end skin care products, and the best luck, will develop zits and break outs. No one’s immune to bad skin.
I’m a huge fan of scrolling through BuzzFeed in my spare time, in particular, I’m often drawn to lists of skincare products recommended by BuzzFeed users (obviously). Time and time again, I saw these pimple patches pop up in every single post. I rarely buy anything I see in these types of posts, otherwise, I’d be buying new products weekly and wouldn’t be able to keep up with my purchases. However, after seeing this product constantly, and all the glowing reviews users had, I was sold. Plus, at just under $15 for three packs, it sounded like a great deal.
So, I invested in a pack and waited for a break-out. I kept seeing them online used on massive pimples, so I assumed that was their intended purpose. Finally I got a chance — I am fairly prone to zits and clogged pores around the edges of my nose. So, I stuck on one of the smallest patches and fell asleep, excited to see how my pimple would be miraculously erased come morning.
I now realize I didn’t quite use the patch correctly, as when I peeled it off the next morning I was a little disappointed. While my pimple HAD improved overnight, it was still there.
I kept using all the tiny patches up, to no avail. They worked at getting my zits about halfway gone, but it certainly didn’t seem to have the same effect on me that it had on others. So, eventually, I gave up — sort of.
Sometime along my trip in South East Asia, my bug spray exploded all over my cosmetic bag and soaked half my products. For the most part, it was nothing a simple rinse couldn’t fix — but for these patches, the packet was pretty gross and I decided I didn’t really want to have to put it back in the bag when we relocated to our next stop. So, instead of throwing them out, I stuck a bunch over the sides of my nose. At this point, I really only had the larger patches left, so I just went for it — I didn’t really think my pimples were large enough to warrant them, so I hadn’t used any until this point.
The next morning, I woke up, peeled off the patches, and suddenly was in shock. While I hadn’t really had any pimples around my nose at the time, I had PLENTY of clogged, gross pores that had never seemed to be swayed by any product. But suddenly, I peeled off these patches and found that my clogged pores were no more — it was, as the reviews had raved — magical.
Suddenly, I was struck by two very different epiphanies: one, that I may have simply been using patches too small for my pimples, and two, that these patches had potential use outside of outright zits.
Something that has plagued me, literally, for years is dozens of whiteheads in my under-eye area. For those of you who’ve been following my posts for a while, you’ll know that my under-eyes are already a sensitive topic for me. However, on top of my bags and dark circles, it seemed like every single pore in my under-eye area was clogged beyond the point of solution. I had seen facialists, tried spot-masking with charcoal, and basically everything else you could thing of, but NOTHING would unclog my pores. Unfortunately, as my aesthetician had noted, there was not much that could be done — the area was too sensitive to complete extractions from, and there was far too many for her to even try.
Up until now, I just accepted these whiteheads as a part of life — my under-eye area was constantly patterned with their strange texture, which only became more apparent when I applied makeup. But there was nothing that could be done. At least, until I found these patches. The following night, I took the remaining patches and covered my under-eyes with them, using up the remainder of the pack. The next day, I peeled them off — and where each of them had been, my whiteheads had magically disappeared. I was blown away. I’d managed to find a solution to an unfixable problem.
Nowadays, my skin is the clearest it’s been possibly ever. My whiteheads? Gone. Clogged pores? Disappeared. Zits? Unheard of. It took me a while to figure them out, but I swear to God, these patches are absolute witchcraft. I’ve never been so amazed at how effective (and cheap) any singular skincare product was in my life.
So, if you’re acne-prone, have stubborn whiteheads, clogged-up problem areas, or just have the occasional zit, check this product out! Especially at its price, I promise you won’t be disappointed. Find them on Amazon here!
And that’s it for this Tuesday! If you try this product out, or have used it before and absolutely loved it, drop a comment below! (Or if you hated it, too, I love to hear any and all opinions).
Sincerely, Meredith 