{VIDEO} GRWM #6: Playing with MAC's Blue Brown Pigment & Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation

You can click here to watch in HD on YouTube, or below:

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LDBeauty Quick Overview and Haul!! (Picture Heavy)

Hello again! If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you may have already seen me talking about the LDBeauty (or London Drugs Beauty) Preview event in Richmond, BC just a few days ago (June 18th). Along with tons of other bloggers and journalists, I was invited by Cynnamon, who does PR for London Drugs, to go to the London Aviation Centre to see what some of the beauty brands carried by London Drugs had just recently released, as well as some products that are not yet on the market (most will be coming out either in July or August, if I remember correctly).

This was so not a cheap event for London Drugs to put on! Sure, they own the hangar that the event was in, but they flew most of us over in groups of twelve from the heliport near Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver to YVR airport, had an open bar all night, gave out tons of full-size products for us all to try out, and then drove us back to the skytrain station in a limo!

I had such a good time learning about all these different products, and learning about some brands I’ve honestly never looked twice at, as well as some beloved favourites, like NYX and Revlon. As I post them, I will link to my review videos below each brand’s product picture below!

Here are some pictures of the night before I get into a quick overview of what I received (clicking the picture should open the full-size image in a new tab/window):

Check out my quick overview video of the night for more pictures and video clips from my helicopter ride, either below or click here to see in HD on Youtube!

And now, the products! I’m not going to go into depth here, as there is way too much, and I intend to do smaller reviews, probably by brand, later on. For now, I’ll just list the products, and when possible list the price according to London Drug’s site:

Overview

Prestige

two Total Wear Lip Crayons (in Party Shine and Bare It All), Triple Line Ink Pen, Makeup Eraser Pen, and two Color Rush Eyeshadows (in Copper and Bronze), all of which came in that nice pencil case!

See my Prestige brand review (available Aug 7, 10 am PST).

John Frieda

Luxurious Volume Touchably Full Shampoo and Conditioner ($12 each), Frizz Ease Dream Curls Shampoo and Conditioner ($11 each), Frizz Ease Unwind Curls Calming Creme ($11), Frizz Ease Secret Weapon Touch Up Creme ($11), and Frizz Ease Nourishing Oil Elixir ($12).

 

NYX

 

Two Timer Dual Ended Eyeliner, Butter Lipstick in Licorice ($11.99), Angel Veil Primer, Butter Gloss in Madeleine ($8), and Dream Catcher Palette in Stormy Skies ($17.99). (All came in a pretty lace drawstring bag)

 

See my NYX brand review video.

Revlon

 

Colorstay Skinny Liquid Liner in Black, Bold Lacquer by Grow Luscious Mascara ($10), Colorstay Eyeliner in Jade ($8), Colorstay Moisture Stain in LA Exclusive ($13), and three Colorstay Gel Envy Nail Polishes (in Jackpot, In The Money, and Full House).

See my Revlon brand review video

 

Chella

 

Eyebrow Defining Gel ($18.00), Highlighter Pencil in Ivory Lace ($18.00), Eyebrow Colour Pencil in Light Brown ($18.00), Heated Eyelash curler ($22.00), and Dual Size Color Pencil Sharpener ($5.00).

(above prices from chella.com)

 

See my Chella Review Video

 

Essie

 

Matte About You Topcoat ($10), Apricot Cuticle Oil ($10), Quick-E Drying Drops ($10), and “Fierce, No Fear” polish from their 2014 Summer Collection ($10).

See my Essie brand review video (Available Aug 4, 10 am PST).

Mineral Fusion

 

Sheer Moisture Lip Tint in Glow, Hair Repair Shampoo and Conditioner ($10 each full-size; sample worth maybe $2 total), and Eyeshadow Trio in Stormy ($24).

Part of my Mixed Brand Review video (Available Aug 11, 10 am PST).

Annabelle

 

Biggy Bronzer in Haute Gold ($12), Big Show Volumizing Mascara ($10), Lip Liner in Buff ($7), EyeInk Liquid Liner Pen in Black ($10), TwistUp Eyeshadow Crayon in Indigo ($10), and BigShow Lip Shine in Beam ($10).

See my Annabelle brand review video

Home Skinovations

 

Silk’n FaceFX ($150). (Also, a coupon for $50 off coupon for either the FaceFX or the Flash&Go system, which is an at home permanent hair removal system.)

 

Goody

Bun Spiral ($7), Double Sided Smoothing Comb ($4.50), Bun Foundation ($6), Bobby Pins ($4), and wire-lined head scarf ($7).

Coty (Rimmel / Sally Hansen / Calvin Klein)

$5 off coupon for Sally Hansen Miracle Gel polish, Roller Ball of Calvin Klein Endless Euphoria ($49 for 40 ml; sample worth ~$3.68), Rimmel Moisture Renew lipstick in Back to Fuschia, and Rimmel ScandalEyes Rockin’ Curves Mascara in Extreme Black.

Part of my Mixed Brand Review video (Available Aug 11, 10 am PST).

c.A.K.E Jewellery

Black and silvery beaded long necklace and matching bracelet.

Lise Watier

Lift & Firm 3D Duo Serum, 24HRS Glam Eyeshadow pencil in Satin Glam, Feline Velvet Lip Lacquer in Rouge (I think), Feline Eyeliner HD liquid liner pen in Brown, and Feline Eyeshadow Quartet in 32767.

See my Lise Watier brand review video

Randoms

Red Carpet Revitalise Cuticle Oil ($6), Tweezerman Brush IQ Blender Brush, Got2B Rise’n’Shine Hairspray ($6), Philips Trimmer, and Cargo HD Mascara ($26).

Most of which is part of my Mixed Brand Review video (Available Aug 11, 10 am PST).

My Stack of Press Releases/Coupons/Info

My badge, all the press releases and coupons I collected, as well as the hardcover book with all the brand and featured product information from the event. Not pictured: a thumbdrive full of press pictures of all the featured products.

 

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Do be sure to let me know if there are any products that you would especially like to see a review on! Over the next few weeks, I plan to test out and then review many, if not all, of the products that I received. I’ll probably do my reviews by brand, but if you have a better idea, or any other suggestions, let me know.

 

Thanks so much for reading, and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel to see my reviews when I post them!

Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Line AND Marcelle CC Cream Reviews!

These products were sent to me by Cynnamon, the (one of the?) person who does PR for London Drugs to try out, without expectation of me reviewing them on my blog, and I was not paid for the following opinions. Also, I didn’t know she was going to send me the CC Cream along with the hair products, so that was a $30 dollar surprise!

Anyways, today I have a two- (or four, if that’s how you want to look at it) part review for you all about my thoughts on these products, which I’ve been using for the past couple of weeks.

First let’s start of with the hair products, which were sent to me because London Drugs recently started carrying Fekkai products. According the London Drugs site, each of these products is $27.99 for the full size, though these mini-sizes are also available on their site, for $6.99 each for both the shampoo and conditioner, and $15.99 for the styling creme. As the name suggests, this line is meant to add gloss and shine to your hair, and it is infused with olive oil. I think each of these products also has micro-shimmers in it as well, which helps to make your hair catch the light even more. Here are my thoughts on the individual products (remember, as with most products, what doesn’t work for me may still work for you, and vice versa):

1. Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Shampoo (2 oz; $6.99):

I’ll start off by saying that I like this shampoo, though I don’t think I would spend $20 on it. I found that I needed to use a lot of shampoo, at least as much as I use of something like L’Oreal, Herbal Essences, or Garnier, but at a much higher price point!

I generally don’t wash my hair every day, the exception being that I wash it every time I go to the gym no matter when I last washed it. With most shampoos, I can use a lot less when I’m washing it for a second day in a row, but with this shampoo, I found that I looked greasy really quickly unless I used just as much shampoo as I would on second or third day hair. Reallly disappointing considering the price.

Ultimately, if you wash your hair every day anyways, I think this is a really nice shampoo. It has a yummy, light, slightly floral scent that smells more like a garden, and less like a perfume. It almost smelled like yummy herbs mixed with flowers sometimes. And it did do a great job of washing my hair without making it feel dry or stripped… as long as I used enough!

2. Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Conditioner (2 oz; $6.99):

I was surprised how thin this conditioner was, as it was a lot more liquidy than most drugstore conditioners. However, it did seem to work fairly well. I didn’t like it as much as my Garnier Damage Eraser conditioner (which is also one of the thickest I’ve ever used), but it was good, and had the same fresh scent as the shampoo. I didn’t find that this one did much more if I left it on for a few minutes or just applied it and rinsed it out. Maybe because it was liquidy and didn’t stick to the hair? Not much else to say, but I probably wouldn’t spend the $20 on this one either.

3. Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Styling Creme (2 oz; $15.99):

Personally, this was my least favourite part of this line. I thought it was cool that it had micro-shimmers to help my hair catch the light, but I did not find that this creme helped to hydrate my hair after washing, and as it doesn’t have hold or instructions that it was for heat-styling, I can’t imagine what other function this product might serve. It had the same nice scent, but aside from that, I found it pretty useless, and after three uses, I gave up on it, and started using either my Tresemme or Garnier leave-in conditioners after washing.

While I might recommend trying out the shampoo and conditioner if you want more shine and moisture for your hair and don’t mind spending a little more on product, I would suggest you skip the styling creme.

Aaaaand, finally…

(Excuse the weird lens flare!)

4. Marcelle CC Cream (30 ml; $29.99)

As I mentioned, this product was a surprise to receive, but I’m so glad I have it now! I’m super pale, but even though this looked a tad dark when I first squirted it out onto my hand, it blends in perfectly to my skin. It gives a nice light (maybe light-to-medium) coverage, has SPF 35, and, like all BB and CC creams, has a whole list of other skin benefits. According to London Drugs’ site, this product:

Offers the same benefits as BB Cream, but with more long-term skin care benefits and nourishing ingredients. It perfects uneven skin tone and helps reduce dark spots. Its pure 24K gold infused formula provides deep radiance, more coverage and a lighter texture than BB Cream leaving your skin smoother, firmer and deeply moisturized.

• Corrects and helps prevent the appearance of dark spots and imperfections
• Offers complete coverage
• Evens out skin tone and texture
• Controls shine
• Provides anti-dull radiant complexion
• Allows long-wear hold for lasting perfection
• Reduces fine lines and wrinkles
• Reverses the signs of aging
• Favours and improves skin elasticity
• Protects skin from environmental stressors
• Offers immediate and intense hydrating benefits
• Soothes and calms dry/damaged skin

I’d have to try it daily for a long time to tell you if it has any of those effects, but those are the claims, and it works great as a light summer moisturizer/base, especially with the SPF. I also had good luck with it as a primer before my foundation, so I definitely think this is a really nice product and will continue using it!

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That’s all for today. Thanks to Cynnamon for sending me these products, which would have cost me at least $60 to try out for myself!

I hope you found this post interesting or helpful in some way. Don’t forget to check back tomorrow to see my haul from the LD Beauty Event that happened June 18th!

Thanks so much for reading, and have an awesome day/night/afternoon!

VIDEO: GRWM #5 || Long-Lasting Summery Makeup Ft. MAC Morange Lipstick

Click here to watch in HD on YouTube, or watch below:

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Thanks for watching!

VIDEO: Beauty Scenario Tag!

Click here to watch in HD on YouTube, or watch below:

The questions:

1. You have to get rid of all your foundations and you can only keep one high end and one drugstore, which do you keep?

2. You go for an interview and the lady interviewing you has lipstick on her teeth. Do you approach the subject or ignore it completely?

3. You're not feeling yourself and need a pick me up. Which lipstick do you put on to make yourself feel beautiful?

4. You go back in time for a day to your teenage years, how would you do your hair and makeup differently?

5. You ask your hairdresser for a shoulder length Pixie Lott hair cut, but they hear wrong and give you a pixi cut. Do you a) Smile, say thank you, leave and call your mum hysterical b) Cry in the chair and things get awkward or c) Complain to the manager and demand a refund.

6. Your friend surprises you with a 4 day city break and you have 1 hour to pack. Which 'do it all' palette do you pack in your makeup bag?

7. Your house has been robbed, don't worry everyone is safe, but your beauty stash has been raided. What's the product you really hope is safe?

8. Your friend borrows your makeup and returns it in awful condition. Do you a) Just pretend you haven't noticed b) Ask them to repurchase it or c) Secretly do the same to something of theirs?

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Thanks for watching, don’t forget to subscribe to my channel, and let me know if you do this tag on your blog or channel, so I can check out your answers!!

VIDEO: GRWM #4 (Playing with Naked 1)

Just another quick post to tell you that my new video is now up on my channel. Just a simple Get Ready With Me video this time. To check it out, click here to see the HD version, or simply watch below:

Thanks for watching once again! DFTBA <3

May 2014 Favourites! (+ Video)

It’s that time of the month again! If you want to see my favourites video, that is ready for you. Either click here to see in HD on YouTube, or watch the embedded video below. Or skip that entirely, and move onto the rest of this post.

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Beauty Favourites:

1. The Body Shop Satsuma Shower Gel

I’ve been using this body wash for ages now, and I still absolutely love it. I’ve tried tons of others, but I keep coming back to this. The fresh, citrus-y scent is just so delicious and comforting, without being super sweet. The one pictured above is a travel size, but I also have a full-size bottle.

2. Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black Perfume Roller Ball

I got this little guy as a 100 point perk from Sephora, but at 7 ml, it’s only 3 ml away from being the full-sized roller ball! A pretty generous gift, if you ask me. On top of that, I love the heavy, sweet scent, which is a mix of violet, sandalwood, and vanilla. It can be a little overpowering if you use too much, at least in my opinion, so I’m glad this is in a roller ball, since it’s a really easy way to control the amount of fragrance you get. I love this scent, and if I ever run out, I can totally see myself repurchasing!

3. MAC Amplified Lipstick in Morange

See that bright, Crayola crayon orange lipstick in the picture above? This is literally one of my favourite things ever! I love how weird it is, without being too out there. I love how bright it is. I love how fun and summery it looks. Of course I love the classic MAC chocolate lipstick scent! I love that it’s an Amplified lipstick (by far my favourite formula). There is literally nothing wrong with this lipstick.

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Non-Beauty Favourites:

1. Stash Jasmine Blossom Green Tea

I know I’ve mentioned this before, and just plain green tea before, but god do I love this stuff! And recently it’s had a come back for me, since it’s getting warmer, and I love having something that isn’t heavy, milky, or sweet to drink when I want it! Great hot, but also cold and ever so slightly sweetened!

2. HBO’s True Blood

I’m super late to the game on this one, but I’ve been loving it! I’m just about done the first season, and while this is far from family friendly—as I’m sure we expect from HBO shows—I love it and can watch episode after episode if I have time. It is gory and full of blood, sex, and swearing, but it is also so fascinating, even though Anna Paquin has a really weird face! >_>

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Thanks for reading, and let me know what your May favourites were below, or link me to your own posts and videos!