Tag: makeup tips

My Picks: Sephora Sale Spring 2020!

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Photo by Boxed Water Is Better on Unsplash

Hey y’all! Happy Sunday!

This week marked the beginning of Sephora’s Spring sale, and now kind of feels like the perfect time to treat yourself. I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve actually been saving a lot of money ever since Social Distancing was enacted, and it’s been a while since I splurged and got myself something nice. Not only did I need to do a little restock on items I had been running low on, but I branched out and got a couple of new products I’ve had my eye on for a while. Honestly, I’m already a little too excited to try out my new stuff — waiting on a package is 100% more exciting when you’re on lockdown with not much else to do.

If you’re not already familiar with Sephora sales, they often happen around the holidays and offer special rewards for members. The sale kicked off on April 17th for VIB Rouge members offering a 20% discount, with VIB sales starting on the 21st offering 15% off, and will be open to all Beauty Insiders on the 23rd with 10% off basically everything in store. These sales end on May 1st, April 29th and April 27th, respectively. If you’re not a Beauty Insider, fear not — you can sign up anytime, earn points, and it’s totally free!

I figured that I’d use this time to make a little list of products I’d recommend trying right now — some of my all-time faves that I feel would be perfect for stay-at-home enjoyment. This list ranges from skincare, self-care to spring makeup that you can play and experiment with to combat boredom during this time (and just about everything in between!).

Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask by Glow Recipe

This mask is absolutely perfect for giving your skin a little extra TLC while working from home. First of all, it is SO lovely to apply — it’s lightweight and smells amazing (it’s made with real watermelon, and you can definitely tell). But past that, it’s gentle exfoliating and hydrating effects help to clear your skin and make it glass-skin level clear and glowy. If you don’t really have a solid skincare routine but have looking to get into the habit, now is the perfect time! If you make a routine now, it’ll be so much easier to keep up your routine when your schedule starts picking back up. Plus, you’ll come out from it all and head back to work with flawless skin, ready to take on anything the world throws at you!

You can buy this product online at Sephora here! (As well, be sure to check out my personal review of Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask)

Pastel Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette by Huda Beauty

One of the activities I’m most looking forward to now that I’m done my studies is practicing and experimenting with makeup. This is especially true when it comes to eyeshadow — it’s not something I wear often in my everyday makeup, and I’ve been dying to practice and improve my skills both in terms of everyday looks, but growing my confidence when it comes to more experimental looks as well. These palettes are SO cute and perfect for spring, and are something I’ve been dying to try for a while. Huda Beauty’s Obsessions Palettes, as you guys already know, are some of my all-time favourites, so I know the quality of these palettes is going to be next-level, and I can’t wait to see what they can do.

You can buy this product online at Sephora here! (As well, be sure to check out my personal review of Huda Beauty’s Obsessions Palettes — post on these ones in particular coming soon!)

Mini Anastasia Beverly Hills Spring Lip Gloss Set

Credit: @anastasiabeverlyhills on Instagram

This is something I purchased for myself this Sephora sale, as they were just recently released. I’m obsessed with these colours and when I saw them, I knew they were the perfect treat for myself as a pick-me-up during these stressful times. I’ve tried ABH’s lipglosses before and the quality of them is insane — they’re so pigmented and beautiful. These are perfect for a cute, nude spring-time look, and I can’t wait to give them a try.

You can buy this product online at Sephora here!

Crushed Amethyst Exfoliating Body Polish by Herbivore Botanicals

I’ve already made about a billion posts mentioning this product, so you guys all know by this point that it’s one of my all-time favourites. I’m going to refrain from saying TOO much right now, as I’m FINALLY going to be writing a proper review on this product soon (I know — it’s about time!). All I’m going to say right now is that this really is the best exfoliator I’ve ever used (and I have used so, so many). It smells heavenly, exfoliates gently but thoroughly, and is infused with all kinds of oils to leave your skin feeling as smooth and soft as it ever has when you’re done. 10/10, perfect way to treat yourself during these times.

You can buy this product online at Sephora here! (As well, be sure to check out my personal review of Herbivore Botanical’s Crushed Amethyst Exfoliator here — it’ll be getting a full post of it’s own soon, I promise!)

Treatment Masque by Ouai

I’d highly recommend this product if you’re looking to come out of Social Distancing with the shiniest, healthiest hair of your life. Similarly to exfoliators, I’ve also used many, many hair masks in my life — they were a real lifesaver back when I was bleaching my hair regularly. I’ve come to learn what makes a hair mask just “good” compared to what makes it great — and this hair mask is FANTASTIC. My hair is healthier than it’s ever been — its so smooth and shiny that it basically reflects light and really shows the depth of my hair colour. It achieves all this without being heavy, too — after all my time using this mask, I’ve never once accidentally ended up with greasy hair or heavy roots by accident. This stuff, no joke, has totally revived my hair and I couldn’t be happier with it.

You can buy this product online at Sephora here! (As well, be sure to check out my personal review of Ouai’s Treatment Masque)

Sugar Hydrating Lip Balm by Fresh

I know I just posted a review of this product, but it really is the best. It’s just so lovely and smooth, and it works wonders on chapped lips. If you’re looking for the perfect lip balm, this is it. And if you were looking for the perfect time to buy it, the time is now! After all, this sale is only on for a few weeks — and this is the perfect little self-care item to avoid dry lips when you’re cooped up in your home all day long.

You can buy this product online at Sephora here! (As well, be sure to check out my personal review of Fresh’s Sugar Hydrating Lip Balm)

Pillow Talk Instant Eyeshadow Palette by Charlotte Tilbury

You guys already know how much I love this palette. It is THE perfect palette for fresh, glowy everyday looks. It comes with four pre-set looks, that range from every day to nighttime looks. Whether you’re looking to experiment with makeup in your newfound new time, or just want to stock up on staples while this sale is on, this is the perfect time to get your hands on this limited-edition palette.

You can buy this product online at Sephora here! (As well, be sure to check out my personal review of Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Palette)

Lover Rubber Face Mask by Dr. Jart+

If you’re planning an upcoming spa night, these masks are a must. First of all, the rubber mask-element are SO fun. But past that, these really are the best single-use masks I’ve ever tried. They legitimately change your skin within a single use and leave your skin looking brand-new. If your skin is looking a little worse for wear lately, or you’re feeling stressed and just need a little pick-me-up — invest in one of these and take a night off for self-care. Trust me, it’ll be worth it.

You can buy this product online at Sephora here! (As well, be sure to check out my personal review of Dr. Jart’s Lover Rubber Masks)

Solid Brush and Sponge Cleaner Mini by Sephora

If you’re looking to do a little spring cleaning right now and get your life together during this time off, this is the perfect purchase to grab during this sale. This brush cleaner, which is only $10.50 (!!!) will leave your brushes looking brand new. Not only is it a crazy-effective cleanser, but it doesn’t leave behind any residue and has never damaged any of my brushes in the least. Plus, it comes with a little silicone cleaning pad to help scrub out every last little bit of makeup and grime out of your brushes and leaving them in perfect condition.

You can buy this product online at Sephora here! (As well, be sure to check out my personal review of Sephora’s Solid Brush Cleaner)

I hope you’re all holding up well in quarantine, and have plenty of tasks and hobbies to keep yourself busy! While, yes, this is the perfect time to catch up on work and be productive, its also a time to relax and take time to enjoy yourself. If you’ve been looking to unwind, take care of your skin and practice your makeup I hope you found plenty of inspo from this list! Just remember, it’s important to be working towards goals, but it’s also just as important to take care of yourself. Don’t worry about using this time to constantly be working on all of your tasks — it’s okay to take a day off to relax, unwind, and do absolutely nothing at all. This is an unprecedented and stressful time — don’t let anyone tell you how you should be spending it! Just do what’s best for you and be sure that you’re taking care of your mental health.

Love you all!

Xo,

Meredith

Thursday Favourites: February 20th

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Hey y’all!

Sooooooo, I’m back at it! After a couple of the most stressful weeks I’ve had in a while I’m healthy, happy, and relaxed so cheers to that!

Bear with me for any mistakes in this post — I’m writing it via mobile (which is also my reason for the little delay). I’ve been spending all my time poolside, so bear with me. I just wanted to take some time out of my (not very) busy vacation to share with you all my new fave lip balm!

When it comes to lip balm, I’m a bit of an addict. Who can say no to lip balm, right? I mean, it’s kind of a necessity. Especially during Canadian winters, when it can get particularly dry, it basically gives you a reason to buy as many lip balms as you want guilt-free. (It’s not even like I’m not using them until the end — I am! I’m just super sensitive to dry weather). Basically, what I’m getting at is that by this point in my life, I know what makes (or breaks) a good lip balm.

Ever since trying (and loving!) Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask, I’ve been dying to try more of their products, and this lip balm gave me the perfect opportunity. Since it also has their watermelon formulation, I was sure I would love it — and I wasn’t disappointed.

Not only is this lip balm ultra-hydrating, it comes with a gentle scrub exfoliant aspect that wears away after a few minutes, allowing you to keep your lips extra soft throughout the day. It’s very gentle too, which is great — it’s really easy to take lip exfoliating too far and cause damage.

What I love most though, is the gentle tint it leaves behind. K-Beauty is known for its natural, glowy style and gentle pink lip looks — like their ever-popular gentle pink lip ombré. This balm gives a perfect pink tint that looks incredible natural, it looks more like you have on a clear gloss and are otherwise au natural. I just love the luscious, glossy look it leaves behind — all while making sure your lips are soft and hydrated!

If this sounds like the step into K-Beauty you’ve been looking to try, you can check out Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Lip Pop exclusively at Sephora!

I hope you’re all having a lovely week — I know I am! Be sure to stay tuned this weekend for my post about my week in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico — I’m so excited to share it with you guys!

Have a great week, y’all!

Xo,

Meredith

Love It or Leave It: Brow Tinting!

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Thanks to @Dizzyd718 for making this photo available freely on @unsplash

Hey y’all!

So, if you’re an even semi-avid follower of beauty trends on Instagram nowadays, you’ll already know that semi-permanent makeup solutions are all the rage. Every day it feels like you hear of something new — lash lifting, eyelash extensions, microblading, ombre brows, brow laminating, makeup tattooing, lip injections, the list goes on.

These trends have often had my attention since the very beginning, but I’ve yet to really take the leap and try them out as it does seem like a commitment. However, as I begin to get busier with my current job, which requires I look put-together almost daily, the idea of stopping in for an appointment once a month becomes a lot less daunting compared to having to have flawless makeup applied every day.

However, when I finally took the leap it was entirely on a whim — while getting my eyebrows threaded about a month back, my brow lady finished up, and casually suggested that I should give brow tinting a shot — and I did.

This was really unlike me for so many reasons — I’m really not one to take such a permanent approach without fair research and prep, as my appearance is rather important to me. I also have a lot of allergies to non-food items, meaning there was a VERY likely chance I could have reacted negatively to the dye.

Luckily, not only did everything work out — it went amazingly. My brow lady reminded me a little hesitantly that sometimes people freak out about how dark their brows look, but after a day of getting used to it she was sure I would love it. However, it didn’t even take a day. I took one look in the mirror and was immediately sold — and honestly felt a little silly for not taking the leap on semi-permanent makeup for so long. My brows looked FANTASTIC, as if they were naturally perfect, and took an entire step out of my makeup routine going forward before work.

If you’re someone who doesn’t love wearing lots of makeup, or find you constantly are in a rush to get ready, give brow tinting a shot. In terms of semi-permanent brow solutions, it’s a lot cheaper and significantly more low-commitment than many alternative options. (While obviously prices change between salons, this service cost me $15.00). Ultimately, if you don’t love it, it’ll wear off in a couple of weeks — but if you do love it, you’ll be saving all kinds of time and money on daily makeup application.

For those of you, like me, who’ve never given semi-permanent makeup a go, I hope this review of my experience was helpful! Stay tuned for more posts like this — since I’m definitely going to be trying out more of these services in the near future.

Xo,

Meredith

Me, Sans Makeup, Post Brow Tint

Last Minute Halloween Makeup Ideas!

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Hey friends!

This upcoming week is one of my all-time favourite holidays: Halloween! I absolutely adore the 31st because not only is it a somewhat non-traditional holiday, but you get to be creative and dress as absolutely anything you want — and absolutely no one will question it!

Now, if you’re like me and EXTREMELY busy, you may not have had a lot of time to put thought into what you’re going to be this year, and that’s okay! If you want to dress up and have no idea what to be, or decide really last minute to go out this Halloween, I’ve got you covered. All the looks I’m sharing take an hour or less, and all of them can be done with supplies you have at home.

Past Halloween Costumes: Space Cowboy, Boxer, Snapchat Filter, Dead School Girl, Spring Breakers, Lifeguard

As someone who has attended a whole lot of costume parties in my lifetime — both for Halloween and not — I’ve gotten used to putting together costumes on the fly. There’s sooooo many articles out there on last minute Halloween costumes, but many of them are about outfits, not makeup. I’ve always found the thing that really nails any look for me is almost always the makeup, and the outfit can actually be rather secondary (especially if you’re just throwing together things you already have in your closet). So without further ado, check out some makeup looks you can use to look like you put heaps of effort into this years costume, even if you really didn’t!

The Joker

Joker Makeup

This one is going to be HUGE this year. The key here, if you’re going to make this costume stand out, is really nailing the makeup. The best part about this look is if you’re not a pro is the messiness only adds to the look! To really sell this costume, be sure to add a green wig or hair paint, as well as whatever clothes you can find that replicate Joaquin Phoenix’s iconic Joker suit.

Pennywise

Pennywise Makeup

2017’s classic revamped! If you didn’t get a chance to rock this costume when “It” first came out two years ago, now’s your chance. Drawing on the lipstick may seem daunting, but no one will be able to tell if it’s not perfectly symmetrical. Finally, to really amp up this look, add some cool colour contacts of your choice, a red wig or hair paint, and your best clown costume!

Dead (Insert Costume Here!)

SFX Blood Makeup

This one is a classic I decided to leave up to your interpretation. Any costume can be made creepier by adding a “dead” element to it, or you can even just go without any additional costuming and just the makeup! To start this one off, the most important element is the fake blood. Back when I was a film student, I had to do all my SFX makeup myself. While I’m no expert, I’ve certainly picked up some tips and tricks.

First of all, I’m going to share with you guys my personal recipe for fake blood that you can make at home! It’s edible too, so you can use it in/around your mouth — and it’s only two steps! All you’re going to need it chocolate sauce and food colouring, mix it together and voila! It looks incredibly real. If you need to thicken the consistency, add clear hair gel. To really add to the look, add black makeup underneath wherever you want the “source” of the blood to appear, and add purple, red and orange eyeshadow around the edges to mimic bruising.

For face makeup, all you’re going to need is a lighter foundation shade, and some grey/purple eyeshadow to mimic under-eye circles and a chiseled cheekbone look. To spice up this costume, you can go the classic route of making it a dead schoolgirl (like my costume above!), cheerleader, etc. or just add a twist to any other costume you were planning to wear! Coloured contacts and wigs really help to take this look to the next level as well.

Alien

Alien Makeup

SUPER on brand if you were into the whole “Raid Area 51” vibe this year. Make your silver eyeshadow look just like metal by wetting your brush before you apply it. You can really take this look in any direction you want in terms of secondary colours — you can opt to keep it all silver, or add green, blue, or even pink depending on what exact look you’re feeling. To top it off, add some glitter freckles like I did above if you’re into it. If you want, add a hat and boots to create a Space Cowboy; I did this last year and it was beyond fun! To bring this costume together, be sure to add metallic sliver EVERYTHING to your outfit — and maybe even a wig!

Leopard Cat

Leopard and Cat Makeup

A classic, but make it fashion. Being a cat seems so basic until your makeup takes it up to the next level — if winged eyeliner is your forte, amp it up with some crazy liner and smoky eye! If you’re not into the basic cat costume, turn it on it’s head by adding a leopard print vibe — it’s a lot easier than it looks and looks SO CUTE irl. This costume is so simple, really, just add cat ears and an outfit of your choice and just like that, you’re ready to go!

Hope you guys all have a fantastic Halloween, whatever your plans may be! If you got any last minute inspo from this post, I’d love to see how your looks turned out! And if you’ve put together something elaborate and super creative, I’d love to hear them. Halloween is the best because the possibilities are endless — it’s all so individual and completely up to you!

So have a great week loves, and happy Halloween! Stay tuned for next weeks post — and I’m sending you all positive vibes so you can start November off right.

Stay spooky,

Meredith

Tuesday Favourites: October 8th

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Fenty Beauty Contour Stick

Hey friends!

This week I’m going to share with you a product I recently bought and instantly fell in love with: The Fenty Beauty Contour Stick!

I was honestly a bit on the fence about this product when I bought it — not only had I not contoured in years, I had never used cream contour. I was rather daunted by it, and super uninformed. I thought that the matte look of this product wasn’t what I was looking for, as I’m not a huge fan of matte skin products. (Or matte anything, really. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know how down I am for glowy, dewey looks).

However, this product turned out to be just what I was looking for! It contours beautifully — it has a great cool shade that mimics shadows naturally and doesn’t come off looking too orange or grey. I do find it a bit challenging to blend into my foundation with a blender, but so long as i touch up my foundation on top there’s no issues whatsoever.

If you feel daunted by how dark the shade is, don’t be! I was too at first, as I am incredibly pale. However, this product still looks natural on me and would certainly look fantastic on darker skin tones as well.

So for the first time in years, I’m finally able to create a sharp, contoured look for myself; my features look SO sharp and I get to avoid any fake-contour lines and blending errors. If you’re looking to try a creme stick to sculpt out your features, look no further!

If this sounds like the product for you, be sure to check it out at Sephora here!

Have a great day, lovelies!

Xo,

Meredith