May 2016 Favourites





It's that time of the month again. Here's what I've been loving in the month of May.

Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer
I am as white as snow and thanks to some Icelandic/Irish ancestry, I don't tan, like at all. My skin burns, freckles a little, then returns to snowy white so if I want tanned skin in the summer I have to do it artificially (which is safer so I would suggest it anyway). I like this gradual tan lotion because it doubles as a moisturizer and I can control how dark I get by how often I apply it. It also looks really natural.

Too Faced Melted Liquid Lipstick in Chihuahua
I have been loving this lipstick this month. It's a really pretty mauve colour. The formula is comfortable and long lasting. Plus it smells really good. I like the sponge applicator but it does make it a little difficult to apply.

Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara
Another Too Faced product I have been loving this month. This mascara leaves my lashes looking long and voluminous. I love the wand which has bristles instead of plastic. It also does a really good job of separating my lashes. 

Milani Shadow Eyez in 03 Champagne Toast
I have been reaching for this quick eye shadow pencil a lot this month. It's perfect for days when you're in a rush to get ready. It is such a gorgeous champagne colour and its easy to apply and blend out. I did a eyeshadow look with it a few years ago (one of my very first posts). You can find it here.

Milani Baked Blush in 05 Luminoso
This is probably my favourite blush for spring and summer. It gives you an amazing glow that looks very sun-kissed. It's also especially great when you have a bit of a tan. I usually wear it alone on my cheeks without any bronzer, highlight or contour.

What have you been loving in May?

Bedside Beauty




I wanted to do a post about beauty products I often forget to post about, but use daily. The beauty products that sit on my bedside table.
 Zoella Beauty Wonder Hand
I, like a lot of people I think, like to mositurize my hands before bed. My current favourite hand lotion is this one by Zoella. Not only is the packaging super cute, but the lotion is quick to sink in, doesn't leave my hands too sticky or greasy and it smells lovely.

 Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body ButterCream
I know I've talked a lot about this body butter on my blog lately so I'll keep it short. I like to use this to moisturize my arms and legs before bed, especially in the summer because of its citrus scent.

 Bath & Body Works Sleep Aromatherapy 
This is not a product I use every night, only when I'm having trouble getting to sleep. It's a lotion with a Lavender Chamomile scent that is supposed to help you fall asleep. The scent is so calming and I find rubbing it on my hands and taking a few deep breaths can really help me relax.

Nivea Lip Butter
This is a step I literally cannot miss before bed. If I don't have some kind of lip balm on my lips, I can't sleep. My favourite brand is Nivea because I find it really moisturizing, it smells good but has no taste. Perfect for bedtime.

Bath & Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar Candle
Although not technically a beauty product, I love drifting off to sleep with the scent of this candle. This is one of my favourite scents from Bath & Body Works. I never light it because I feel beds and candles are a dangerous combination, but the candle is scented enough that it doesn't need to be lit. 

What products do you keep on your nightstand?

Want to see the rest of my room? I did whole Bedroom Tour post. 

Empties #6




I've amassed another pile of empty products to do a final review on. Like I always say, you can determine your most compete opinions about a product if you've used it all up. Most of my empties this time are skincare related but I do have a few makeup products. I'm using the same format as my past empties posts (Empties 1, Empties 2, Empties 3, Empties 4, Empties 5) including a mini review of the product, an estimate of its longevity and whether or not I will repurchase it.

Skincare

Ole Henriksen Nurture Me Moisturizer
This is one of my most favourite daily moisturizers I've ever used. It smells unbelievable for starters. It also leaves my skin soft and ready for makeup. It was hydrating and gentle on my sensitive skin. I also think it marginally helped calm the redness on my face. I was so sad to finish it.
Longevity? About 9 months of daily use
Repurchase? Most likely one day, but at $50 I currently can't afford it.

Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins
A game changer for my skincare. By applying this thick cream before bed, I would wake up with hydrated and soft skin. It's called a renewal cream and that's exactly what I feel like it did. Renewed my skin over night. The citrus smell is also a plus. It's become holy grail for sure!
Longevity? About 6 months of nightly use
Repurchase? Absolutely!


Origins GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturizer
After raving about the Night-A-Mins cream I have to keep Origins humble. I can't say this GinZing Moisturizer was anything special. It hydrated my skin, it wasn't to thick so it applied well under makeup and it smells of citrus, but in my opinion, not worth the money.
Longevity? About 6 months of daily use
Repurchase? No

Vitamin E Sink-in Moisture Mask
I have a review comparing this mask to the Glam Glow Hydrating Mask which you can find here. I think I like this one just as much as the more expensive option. Overnight it can take my skin from dry and flakey to completely moisturized and back to normal. It's kind of a miracle. Plus a little goes a long way.
Longevity? About 1 year
Repurchase? Yes.

Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment
This is such an amazing mask! Because it's soooo expensive I tend to only use it on my nose and sometimes the rest of my T-Zone. It immediately clears up any blackheads and makes my skin the clearest it will ever be. It's by FAR the best mask I've used.
Longevity? Hard to say (This is the mini size)
Repurchase? Yes, I just wish it was more affordable.

Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels
These gels do firm the under eye area and feel really nice and cooling. For special occasions they're probably worth it however I don't think they have any long term effects. They also aren't very brightening which is something I'm looking for.
Longevity? 1 use
Repurchase? Not likely.

Makeup

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer
This is my favourite concealer from the drugstore. It's not quite as good or creamy as the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer but it's amazing for the price. It has really good coverage and it's really blendable.
Longevity? About 8 months of daily use.
Repurchase? For Sure!

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Beige (it's NOT Beige, stupid name!)
Anyone remember the days when this was my favourite, holy grail lip gloss? It is not at all sticky, the colour is flattering for everyday and it smells like fruit punch! I love it!
Longevity? N/A 
Repurchase? Maybe one day, but not right now.

Tanya Burr Lip Gloss in Picnic in the Park
Tanya's Lip Glosses have been repackaged since I bought mine so I don't even know if the formula is the same anymore. However this was a fairly good gloss with a nice scent. A little sticky but not too bad.
Longevity? N/A
Repurchase? Probably not! Sorry Tanya, but there are other glosses I like just as much that don't need to be shipped from the UK.

Have you tried any of these products?
What products have you finished lately?

Take it or Leave it: Soap & Glory




It's the return of everyone's favourite series, Take it or Leave it! In this series I provide mini reviews on all of the products I own of a specific brand and let you know which products are worth your money and what you should avoid. Today I focus on Soap and Glory. In Canada, the body products are available from Shoppers Drug Mart. I picked up the makeup when I was in the UK. I certaintly haven't tried everything from the brand but I thought I would give my options on what I have tried. Overall Soap and Glory is one of my favourite brands. 


Take it

Rich & Foamous Body Wash
This is a really great body wash as it smells absolutely amazing and it gets you nice and clean while leaving you feeling moisturized. I'm totally in love with it. You also get a lot, as it comes in a large bottle.
Sugar Crush Body Butter Cream
Another amazing smelling product. This has more of a sweet citrus scent which I think is great for spring and summer as it's a really energizing fragrance. It also has a super thick formula which is great for moisturizing.
Archery Brow Tint & Precision Shaping Pencil
I am obsessed with the way this product makes my brows look. It fills in your brows while still keeping them looking natural. One end has a fine tip pen which is great at mimicking the look of brow hairs to fill in sparse areas. The other end has a pencil to help shape your brows. I don't know what I'm going to do when this pencil runs out. I guess another trip to the UK is in order :)
Kick Ass Concealer 
This is the perfect all in one concealer. It has two cream concealer shades and a powder to set everything in place. The pinker more salmon toned concealer is perfect to counteract dark undereye circles, while the more yellow toned concealer hides blemishes perfectly. It's creamy and thick but blends really well and once set with the powder, it won't budge or crease all day.
Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Crayon
A lip crayon that acts more like like a lip gloss is a fairly unique idea but is something that I reach for on a regular basis. The shade I have is Nudist which is perfect for more natural makeup days. It's also really moisturizing and smells wonderfully sweet.
Solar Powder Bronzer
All the makeup I've tried from Soap and Glory has been fantastic and this is no exception. It's the perfect bronzer for my fair skin. It has a matte bronze side and a lighter more shimmery side which adds a sunkissed glow to your complexion. One of my all time favourite bronzers.


Leave it




Hand Food Hand Cream
It's not that this isn't a good hand cream, but I find it leaves my skin a little greasy. While the smell is nice, I think there are better hand creams at the drugstore.
Scrub 'Em and Leave 'Em
Personally I am not a big fan of the scent of this product but besides that, the granules in this scrub are fairly rough on my sensitive skin. It also is not as moisturizing as I would have liked. There are many better scrubs out there. Unless you love the scent, save your money.

Let me know what you think of Soap & Glory's products! Do you disagree with my opinion? Tell me why I'm wrong in the comments!

The other brands in the series:

Peachy Spring Eyeshadow Look




I haven't done an eyeshadow look on my blog in a while so I wanted to do something really bright and fun for spring. This is a fairly simple look involving only 3 shadows and a bright purple eyeliner but I think it's ideal for spring.
For this look I use the itCosmetics Naturally Pretty Palette, theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer and the purple liner from the Nonie Creme Colour Prevails Eyeshadow duo.
I started by taking the shade Sunset from the itCosmetics palette and sweeping that all through my crease. For my browbone highlight I used Sheer Joy. I then took a flat shader brush. and using a patting motion, I put the Mary-Lou Manizer all over my lid and in my inner corner. 
 I smudged the purple liner from Colour Prevails on my lower lashline. I finished with a thin line of Stila's Stay All Day Liquid Liner and my Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara on my top and bottom lashes.
It's a pretty quick and simple look but it's bright, fun and colourful to get you in the spring mood.
A few years ago I did a Lilac Spring Eyeshadow look which you can find here.
What's your favourite look for Spring?

High End Holy Grail




I'm all for Drugstore Beauty and I think there are tons of amazing products you can get for very little money, however there are some luxury products that are worth the money. These are my favourite luxury products that have reached holy grail status. Even though they are ridiculously expensive, I would still repurchase.

Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm

This is my perfect cleanser. It cleans really well, it removes all makeup and moisturizes your skin. My skin is left feeling soft, not tight and dry. Plus it smells really lovely and the balm consistency feels luxurious. 

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray

I'm not a big user of hair products but this spray makes such a difference to my fine hair. It gives a ridiculous amount of volume and texture. It also smells nice and lasts a long time in my hair.

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow

I've talked about this a lot on my blog, but this sculpting duo has become something I reach for most days. The highlight especially is stunning. The bronze shade is also really nice for contouring. 

Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in Very Victoria

Besides the gorgeous rose gold packaging, this lipstick is actually amazing. It's long lasting, but not at all drying. This colour is also really flattering for everyday. These lipsticks smell like vanilla too which is a plus.

By Terry Ombre Blackstar in 5 Misty Rock

Finally this eyeshadow stick is really great! It's really shimmery and long wearing but still blendable. I wear this shade for all special occasions because the shade Misty Rock is a beautiful purple-taupe.

What are your High End Holy Grail products?

Blogging Tips




My Blog just celebrated it's second Birthday so I thought I would share some tips I've learned in the 2 years I've been blogging.

Website
  • Get a good website template! A good template makes your blog look much more professional. If you're good with HTML and can make your own template, I'm envious. If you're more like me, then there are lots of good templates you can buy for your blog. I got mine from Etsy at this shop. You don't have to spend a lot of money and you can adapt your template to fit your blog. 
  • Driving traffic to your blog is made so much easier with the use of Social Media. I use both Twitter and Instagram to promote my blog posts and since I started doing that my traffic has increased drastically. Use hashtags such as #bbloggers (if you're a beauty blogger) to expand your audience. You can follow me on both Twitter and Instagram @MakeupByMeggy.
  • Speaking of Social Media, you can put buttons on your blog that link to your social media. While you can buy buttons on Etsy, I made my own for free. I got the buttons from this site where there are lots of other options and instructions on how to make them. Try out my buttons in the sidebar to follow me!
Photos
  • Pictures are one of the most important parts of any blog post. I'm not the best with photos, but I've learned some tips to make my pictures look better. Editing your photos is important. My favourite photo editing websites are Canva and PicMonkey. Canva is perfect for adding graphics or titles to pictures while I use PicMonkey mainly for a tool called teeth whiten which is great at making my pictures brighter and whiter.
  • Another Important aspect is the background. Try to come up with your own style of background. I like backgrounds that are light and bright. I'll often have a candle or some sort of prop in the background.
1. Found Here. I used a sparkly silver feather from a craft store. 
2. Found Here. I used a magazine. 
3. Found Here. I used a variety of leaves in different fall colours. 
4. Found Here. I used tissue paper to make a colourful background.

Writing
  • As important as good photos are to attract people to your post, good writing is probably the most important part of blogging. Try to find your own voice and your own style. Don't try to be something you're not by trying to sound like everyone else.
  • Do it because you love it! If you're blogging for fame or fortune, it's going to be obvious to your readers. Having a love for what your doing will come out in your writing, will help ensure your content is good and that you remain committed to your blog overtime.
  • Develop a schedule. It's good for your readers to know when to expect a post. I post every Monday and Wednesday and I rarely stray from that schedule without letting my readers know.
I hope these tips have helped you with your own blogging, encouraged you to start your own blog, or taught you something new.
Do you have any Blogging Tips to share?

Lush and Sephora Haul




I hadn't bought anything new since February so it seemed like it was time for a little shopping. I didn't go too crazy but I did pick up a few things.

After exams I like to have a nice long bath to relax and unwind after the craziness of the last term. From Lush I picked up my all time favourite bath balm, Butterball and one I've never tried called The Experimenter. I also picked up a Bubble Bar in The Comforter.

While browsing the Sephora website I saw this Too Faced set and I'm a total sucker for value sets so I just had to buy it. I've never tried any of these Too Faced products but I've heard a lot about them. I actually prefer smaller sized products. I have a lot of makeup so I actually don't finish products very often making this set perfect for me. The set comes with: Hangover RX Replenishing Face Primer, Shadow Insurance, Chocolate Soleil Bronzer, Melted Liquid Lipstick in Chihuahua and Better than Sex Mascara

I also got some deluxe samples with my order including a mini Flash Photo Gloss from the Estee Edit and a mini Gravity Mud Mask from GlamGlow.

You'll probably hear about how I get on with these products in future posts.
What have you hauled lately?

April 2016 Favourites




I'm so happy that it's finally spring and the weather is getting nicer. I recently did a Winter Favourites post so I don't have a lot of new favourites for this month, but I do have a few.


It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Conditioner

This is such a good leave in conditioner. It makes my hair so soft and shiny. I am not a big fan of the spray because it doesn't come out in a fine mist due to it's thick consistency so I like to spray some into my hand and use my fingers to run it through my hair.

 Origins Plantscription Youth Renewing Face Oil

I've been using this before bed this past month and I think my skin has been looking really good lately. It is an oil but it sinks in really fast. When I wake up my skin looks rejuvenated and feels so soft however I'll need to use it longer to see the long term effects.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 

I like wearing a lighter foundation in the warmer months and this BB cream is perfect. It's really dewy and moisturizing. It hides imperfections and makes my skin look more even, but still really natural.


 Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Leapin' Lilac 

I've been obsessed with this lilac nail polish this month. It's really opaque, fast drying and the applicator is big which means you can paint your nails really fast. Plus it lasts about a week on me (with a top coat) without chipping. If you want to see my Nail Polish of the Day (among other things) follow me over on Instagram @Makeupbymeggy.

Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream

Once the weather gets warmer I replace my warmer scented body lotions with something a little fresher. I really love the lime scent of this body butter plus it's really moisturizing.

What have your favourites been during the month of April?