July Favourites




I can't believe July's over. I ended up having a lot of favourites this month, many of them were purchased on my trip to Chicago.

Eyes
 Obviously I've been obsessed with the Lorac Pro Palette 2 this month. I've worn it almost everyday. There is not a bad shadow in the entire palette and I've worn almost every colour at this point . I've already written a whole review and gushed about it as much as I possibly can but it really is amazing.

Brows
I've always  neglected my brows, occasionally filling them in with powder and plucking them only when necessary. Since I got the Anastasia Brow Wiz my brows look great and it has been much easier to do them. I've started doing my brows much more often and I've noticed a difference in how much better my makeup looks. The colour I have is Medium Brown.

Cheeks
I've really liked the Naked Flushed palette in Native this month. It is perfect for my pale skin; it makes it look more awake and healthy. The bronzer is perfect to make it look like I've tanned without being too orange or muddy. The bright pink blush gives a beautiful healthy glow and the highlighter makes the tops of my cheekbones shimmery without looking like a disco ball. It's also really convenient to have all 3 in 1 which is why I've been reaching for it so much lately.

Body
I just started using this scrub this month but it was a limited edition scent from the spring. This scrub looks and smells exactly like raspberry jam and even feels like it but once you start rubbing, there are tiny exfoliating beads that do a really good job of making your skin soft. I'm really enjoying it but I'm using it sparingly because it's limited edition.

Nails
I've had nail polish from Pure Ice on my favourites before. I really like this brand and it's only $2 at Walmart. The polishes I've tried are very pigmented, glossy and long lasting. I'm really loving this colour in particular this month. It's called Taupe Drawer and it's the perfect pinky nude colour for my skin tone.



Hair
I've never had a product make as big a difference in my life as the Tangle Teezer. I have very tangley hair and this brush does an unbelievable job at smoothing out my hair without ANY pain. It's a miracle!

Lorac Pro 2 Eyeshadow Look




 I used the new Lorac Pro Palette 2 to do this eyeshadow look.

I began by priming my eyes using the Lorac Behind the Scenes Eye Primer that came with the palette. I then dusted Beige all over my lid. I applied Plum lightly to my crease giving it a sheer purple appearance without being too opaque. 


I then took Chrome and pressed it onto the outer third of my lid, slightly bringing it up into my crease on top of Plum.


I finished off the lid by taking my finger and pressing Rosé onto the very centre of my eyelid right above my pupil. I concentrated the majority of the colour right by my lashline.


On my lower lashline I smudged Plum and Chrome along the outer edge and I used Venus from the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette to line the inner corner of my eye along the lashline and my browbone.


I used Maybelline Master Drama eyeliner in black to line my eyes and my waterline. I used L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lash Excess on my upper lashes and Clinique Bottom Lash mascara on my lower lashes.

This was the finished look. I am so just impressed with this palette.

Lorac Pro Palette 2 Review




I have been obsessed with this palette since I got it. Everyone and their grandma was obsessed with the original Lorac Pro Palette so this one had a lot to live up to. I think it is absolutely amazing. As with the original palette the Pro 2 comes with 16 eyeshadows, the top row of shades are matte and the bottom are shimmery. The packaging is also the same except for the light gray colour. All the shadows are buttery, super pigmented and blend like a dream. This palette consists of mostly cool colours which works better with my skin tone than the warmer toned original Lorac Pro palette. There is also a really nice mix of neutral shadows and some more colourful ones. My favourite thing about the palette is how many different complete looks you can get with it. From an entirely matte day look to a navy blue smokey eye evening look; the possibilities are endless.


The shadows I've been particularly loving are Rosé, Cool Gray, Nectar, Mocha, Chrome and Plum. I'm also having a lot of fun playing around with Jade and Navy because they are so unique. For transition shades Lt. Brown, Cool Gray and Nectar are all really good. Chrome is almost an exact dupe for MAC's Satin Taupe. My only suggestion on how to make the palette even better would be for a better universal highlight shade. Snow is a little to much of a highlight for everyday, Beige is a little too pink and Buff doesn't show up on my pale skin. Overall, I couldn't find any duds in this palette; all the shades are amazing.


My description of each shade:
Buff- yellowish beige (matte)
Lt. Brown- light brown (matte)
Cool Gray- taupe (matte)
Nectar- peachy pink (matte)
Plum- plum purple (matte)
Navy- deep navy blue (matte)
Charcoal- dark gray (matte)
Black- basic black (matte)
Snow- stark white (shimmer)
Beige- pinkish beige (shimmer)
Rosé- rose gold (shimmer)
Mocha- light bronze/brown
Chrome- taupe (shimmer)
Silver- true silver (shimmer)
Jade- dark forest green (shimmer)
Cocoa- dark brown (shimmer)

Swatches:
Buff, Lt. Brown, Cool Gray, Nectar, Plum, Navy, Charcoal, Black
Snow, Beige, Rosé, Mocha, Chrome, Silver, Jade, Cocoa

My Huge Chicago Haul and First Impressions




I recently traveled to Chicago and took advantage of lower priced cosmetics as well as Ulta (an American Makeup store). I ended up dropping a lot of money at several stores including Sephora, Walgreens and Ulta. This is the result of my shopping spree...



Eyes

Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette
I have lots of neutral palettes but it was the the mix of matte and shimmer shadows in this palette that really caught my attention. There's everything you need for a full look.  I've really been loving the colours Silk Teddy, Push-Up and Cashmere Bunny. These shadows are really buttery and pigmented and the packaging is really cute. I'll do a full review eventually.

itCosmetics Naturally Pretty Palette
I've had this palette on my wishlist for a long time. I think it is so unique and versatile. All the shades are matte but it includes a transforming pearl shade that can turn any shadow to a shimmer. It also isn't just a basic neutral palette, there are lots of purples and pinks which you don't normally find in matte. I was also beyond impressed with the texture of these matte shadows. A full review is to come.

Lorac Pro Palette 2
I was so happy to get my hands on this newly released palette. It is really incredible! These are considered cooler shades than the original Pro Palette but there are also more than just neutral colours included. Navy and Plum are unique and beautiful matte's while Jade is a very wearable shimmery green. I've also found that Chrome is very similar to M.A.C's Satin Taupe. I've been staring at this palette imagining the possibilities for days. It is just a beautiful palette. I will have looks and a review coming soon.

Sephora Crayon Jumbo in 04 Taupe
Jordana Fabu Liner in 01 Black

Brows

Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Brown
I have fallen in love with this product since I got it . I think it has done so much to improve the look of my eyebrows. The colour match is great and I love the spooly at the end for brushing through my brows.
Milani Brow Tint Pen in 01 Natural Taupe
I was intrigued with this brow pen. I've only ever used a pencil or powder. Although the colour match isn't perfect I was pleased with it especially how long lasting it is.

Cheeks

                                                  Urban Decay Naked Flushed - Native
Urban Decay is one of my favourite brands so I just had to get my hands on their new cheek palette. The one I got is just perfect for my pale skin. The matte blush is gorgeous when used with a light hand, the highlight is beautiful and the bronzer is neither to orange or muddy but it has a tiny bit of shimmer. I love the colours and it seems perfect for travel. My only complaint would be that it can be a little powdery.

Milani Baked Blush in 05 Luminoso
I love Milani's Baked Blushed and I've heard so many people talk about Luminoso so I thought it was time I picked it up. All the hype is worth it. This blush is gorgeous. It's not to shimmery it gives your skin the perfect healthy glow.

Lips 
Maybelline Color Elixir in 10 Celestial Coral, Nyx Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee, Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream in Antwerp, Maybelline Color Sensational The Buffs in 915 Blushing Beige

Bite Lychee and Musk

 EOS Lemon Drop with SPF 15

Nivea Lip Butter in Caramel Cream Kiss
Nivea is my all time favourite brand for lip balm. This one in particular smells so unbelievably amazing.

Face
Rimmel Match Perfection in 120 Ivory
 I've only used this foundation a few times so I don't have a fully formed opinion on it yet but so far I love it. I love Rimmel's Wake Me Up Foundation and I have been dying to try this one but I couldn't seem to find it in Canada. It blends well, it's medium coverage and leaves my skin with a slightly dewy finish. Rimmel's foundations also smell really good.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
I had been wanting to try a sponge to apply foundation instead of a brush. The Beauty Blender is very expensive and I didn't know if I would like applying my foundation with a brush so I though I would start with the cheaper Real Techniques version. I love Real Techniques as a brand and I heard good things about their sponge. So far it seems very good.

Nails

H&M Nail Polish in Baby Blue


Hair

Tangle Teezer
This is a miracle product. I have extremely tangley hair and this just brushes through it like a dream. I found it at Urban Outfitters but if you can get your hands on one, I think it is a lifesaver for anyone with hair that likes to tangle.

Empties #1




These are some of the products I've used up over the last few months. I think empties are very interesting as you can form the best opinions on a products after you've used the entire thing.




Bioderma Micellaire Water

This is my holy grail makeup remover. It is perfect for sensitive skin and it removes makeup better than anything else I've tried. I just pour some on a cotton pad and use it to remove both face and eye makeup.

Repurchase? 
I've already bought another. And it will continue to repurchase forever.





Bath and Body Works Lotion in Warm Vanilla Sugar
I love this scent and have many things with this particular scent. I don't find the Bath and Body Works lotions to be very moisturizing. I instead use them more as a substitute for perfume. I used this as hand cream and kept it in my purse.

Repurchase?
I have many other things in this scent I don't think I'll be repurchasing anything else soon.




Covergirl Outlast 3 in 1 Foundation Classic Ivory
I've had this foundation for a really long time. It is empty even though it looks like there is something left. I was not a big fan of this foundation. I think they've changed the formula since I bought it (hopefully). I found it stuck to all my dry spots and I didn't think it blended as well as other foundations I've used. I did like that it had SPF in it.

Repurchase?
No.





Maybelline Dream  Lumi Touche in Light
I love this as a highlighting under-eye concealer. It has a thin. light consistency and blends really well. It also has a nice brush applicator. All the writing has come off the packaging and it takes a lot of turning to get the product to come out the first time but
otherwise I love this concealer. It is also cheap for how good it is.

Repurchase?
I've already repurchased.
Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes
I don't hate much but these were awful. I originally bought them to take on a trip and thought they would be good because I have sensitive skin and I know Simple is a good brand for that but the towelettes were so rough I felt like I was rubbing sandpaper on my face. For something that is supposed to be for sensitive skin, I was beyond disappointed.
Repurchase?
No.


Soap and Glory Scrub 'em and Leave 'em
I really like Soap and Glory as a brand and this scrub was really good, as expected. It had both salt and exfoliating beads that did a really good job of leaving my skin smooth. I was not a huge fan of the scent but it did grow on me overtime. The scent also doesn't linger which I appreciated.

Repurchase?
I would like to try other Soap and Glory Scrubs before I come back to this one.





The Body Shop Shea Body Butter
This was the best body moisturizer I've ever used. It changed my winter. I usually suffer with really dry skin in the winter but this winter my skin really appreciated this body butter. It is formulated for very dry skin unlike others for dry or normal skin which I think made a huge difference. It also smelled great.

Repurchase?
Yes!

My Travel Makeup Bag





I'm going on a trip soon and thought I'd share what makeup products I'm bringing with me.


The bag I'm using for travel was cheap from Walmart and it has two clear sides. One side I use for beauty and the other side I use for all my other hygiene products such as shampoo and deodorant. It's a big enough bag to fit everything I need and the pockets are clear so I can see everything  inside.

When packing my makeup I like to keep in mind that I will probably (definitely) buy more makeup while I'm away so I don't want to bring too much if I'm going to be adding to it anyway. However I'm also aware that pictures are a very common thing on vacations so I do want to be at least presentable if I'm going to be captured on camera for all eternity. Another thing I take into account is that it is summer and so SPF and a makeup setting spray are more important.

Face
Because it's a vacation I'm  more lazy when it comes to cleansing so I'm bringing cleansing towelettes. A moisturizer with SPF is also important so I have one with SPF 30.
 In the summer I don't like to wear foundation so I usually use concealer to cover any blemishes or dark circles and then I use powder to set and blur any other imperfections.
I can't go anywhere without my UD Primer Potion and with the summer heat I don't want my makeup sweating off my face so it becomes even more important. The same goes for the UD makeup setting spray.

Eyes
I'm bringing my UD Naked Basics because it is my favourite palette, i use it everyday for my brows and as a highlight and because it's the perfect size for travel. It doesn't really have any shimmery eyshadows so I'm also bringing my Wet & Wild Comfort Zone palette because it's small in size but has a wide variety of shimmer shades. It will give me more options for different looks.
I'm bringing a brown pencil liner and a black liquid liner just to give me options as well as a mascara.

Lips
I'm only taking 3 lip products because I assume I'll buy some while I'm away. I have a darker redish-pink for nights where I want to dress up and for everyday NYX's Beige over Revlon's Honey is my favourite  lip combination.

Other
 I'm not bringing very many brushes with me. I have my MAC 217 because it is the best eyeshadow brush around but I'm bringing another eyeshadow brush too just because. I have my Real Techniques Brow and Multitasker brush as well as a travel Revlon brush. I'm carrying them all in a Real Techniques case.
Batiste or some kind of dry shampoo is important when travelling to keep your hair looking nice for pictures. I also have a sharpener because I've run into trouble on past trips for forgetting one. Also because I'm bringing so few brushes I'm also bringing my brush cleaner. Perhaps it will be unnecessary but we'll see.