Thursday, September 26, 2013

TAG | The One and Only


So a while ago Maya, from Spider Leg Lashes, had posted a tag and then tagged anyone who wanted to do it. Of course, I took the opportunity to do the tag!

The Only Question: If you could only have one ____ what would it be? And, why?
 
 
Primer - It would be a sin not to say Urban Decay Primer Potion. This has been my beauty must-have and I'll forever continue buying it!

Base product - I went for The Body Shop Vitamin E Cool BB Cream just because it's the one I'm currently using and I really like it.

Blusher (cream or powder) - Definitely Sleek MakeUP blush in Pomegranate. This colour is gorgeous and looks amaaazing.

Highlighter - I'm going to opt for an eyeshadow that I like to use both as an eye and face highlight, which is Sephora Peach Beige. The colour is a perfect champagne and always looks amazing!
Eyebrow product - I love Quo brow gel! It does not leave my brows stiff and holds them in-place at all hours.
Mascara - My favourite tends to change a lot, but at the moment it's definitely Benefit BadGal Waterproof. This mascara has gotten a lot of hate but I just love it!
Concealer - I don't actually use a concealer as concealer, I use a foundation which is MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NW20.
Powder - I've been opting for Marcelle Translucent Powder lately and I just love the finish it gives to my skin!
Bronzer - It seems that I use product that are meant for one thing as something else, and here's another one. I actually really love how The Body Shop eyeshadow in the colour 10 looks as a bronzer.
Make Up Brush (single) -This was definitely a tough one. I was going to choose ELF Eyeshadow brush, but I went for MAC 217 only because it's a multi-purpose brush.

Eyeshadow - I loooooooove eyeshadow, and I have a whole ton, but this was my easiest pick. Quo eyeshadow in Dusk. I've never seen such a beautiful, unique colour before and I cherish this eyeshadow!

Eyeliner - I went for Rimmel Soft Kohl in the colour Sable Brown because it looks great on the waterlines and smudged around the eye. It was either that or MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack.

Lip Liner (or lip colour) -This category kinda irks me cause there's no lip colour category, but a lip liner one? I'm changing it... My choice is Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Sugar Plum, this colour is gooorgeous and perfect for the fall!

Lip Balm - Another easy choice. Hands down EOS in Summer Fruit. This is the only EOS balm I've tried and I absolutely love it! It's the perfect texture and wear.

Nail Polish  - This was definitely a difficult choice because I have so many nail polishes, but I opted for Gosh Limited Edition in Galaxy. The colour is so unique and gorgeous!


I Tag...
 
Anyone who wants to!

NOTW Thursdays | Mermaid's Cove


This week I decided to do another mix of colours! I think these are one of my favourite nails yet. They can definitely be summery if you change the blue to something lighter, but they remind me of the deep ocean in the winter time, which is why I think they're appropriate for the cooler days.

I decided to go for Revlon Top Speed nail polish in the colour Royal (it really is a true royal blue) all over the nails. Now, I haven't had the best of luck with this nail polish, it would chip off quickly and not last, but since I've changed my nail routine, I think they have a better chance now. Plus I just love the colour! I have a mascara like this that looks super funky.

I knew I wanted to do a glitter as well, but instead of doing the usual ring-finger, I switched things up and went for the pointer finger. I think it looks nice and a lot different to what I'm used to! I used Make Up Academy Nail Lacquer in the colour Jellyfish (you can't see it on the bottle but it's there!)

What do you think?

Ada xx

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

HAUL | September Beauty Box Five


Hello lovelies! I'm so sorry I've been a little lacking on posts this month, although I do have posts planned, I've been a little uninspired and stressed.

So I've received another free Beauty Box Five this month, and as usual, I will be posting a full review later on. In this box I received:

  • Bella Pierre Cosmetics Shimmer Powder in Celebration full size ($15/.08oz)
  • Body Drench Lip Drench full size ($4.99/.15oz)
  • Fine Featherheads Fly Ties ($7.95/4 pack)
  • Skiin Shop Skin Smoothing & Soothing Eye Cream sample ($49.95/.5oz)
  • Every Beauty Makeup Remover Pads with Argan Oil ($6.99/50 count)
Have you received this box? What did you think?

Ada xx

Saturday, September 21, 2013

NOTW Thursdays | Silver Panties


These nails have probably been my second sloppiest I've ever done. Usually when it's only 2 or 3 layers, they turn out pretty good and even but this time it've been like 7 layers and they're just not working out for me.

So anyways, these are more along the line of the original image that inspired me for this nail art. The one thing I don't like about these nails is that the pink isn't pink enough, it's a bit too pale and translucent so they look very grey on the nails. The Rimmel French Manicure Pro colour in French Lingerie is one of my favourite nail polishes! It's similar to the Nailtini one I have, but this one leaves a "faker" nail. I don't wear it as a french manicure, though, I do it all over for a nude look.

The Sally Hansen Nail Lacquer does not have a colour name on it, but it has a 22 on the bottom, so maybe that's it?? If you're looking for it, it's literally a silver, and I doubt they have very many true silvers going around. This is also one of my most favourite nail polishes.

This week I don't feel like I've done my best nails by far.

Ada xx

Monday, September 16, 2013

HAUL | September Ipsy Bag


Hello beauty lovers! A few days ago I received my September Ipsy bag. The folders they send the bags in are bright pink and shiny and I just love them, they make you feel so special getting them! I also love the fact that each makeup bag is different and unique. I think I have around 4 or 5 of them already and they're all different and really nice. I love this one, both the blue colour and the lace-inspired print.

The one thing about Ipsy that is bothering me is that it doesn't come with a card giving you the product details and prices. Those are especially helpful when writing a review (which I will be later on).

Anyways, this month I received:

  • John Frieda Full Repair Shampoo and Conditioner
  • Starlooks eyeliner in Obsidian
  • Elizabeth Mott It's So Big mascara
  • NYX eyeshadow in Dark Charcoal
  • Em by Michelle Phan sample eyeshadow/blush card
Stay tuned for a full review!

Ada xx

Sunday, September 15, 2013

REVIEW | August Beauty Box Five





So today I shall be reviewing the August Beauty Box Five! It's taken me a while to get a post up but it's finally here. In the box I received:



  • Be A Bombshell Eyeshadow in Always a Bridesmaid ($14.00)
  • Swissco Nail File ($1.50)
  • H2O Plus Aquafirm + Micro-Collagen Moisturizer ($50.00/1.7oz)
  • Bask Heavenly Silk Daily Skin Lotion ($19.98/22oz)
  • Nubar Nail Lacquer in Faded Jeans ($8/0.5oz)

  • I think my biggest shock from this box was the eyeshadow. At first I was pleasantly surprised because I really like Be A Bombshell as a company, but have only tried out their lipglosses so seeing an eyeshadow was exciting! The name of the eyeshadow is Always A Bridesmaid, so I was under the assumption that it would be a taupey-pink or something very nude and natural, but boy did I get a surprise. Hot, hot pink. Like, shockingly pink. I'm not gonna lie, I was super disappointed. As someone that mostly wears nudes, or darker colours, this was not something that I was particularly excited about. I've used it as a blush already and it looks really lovely and bright, so I'm very happy about that! I still have yet to use it as an eyeshadow because I'm still trying to figure out how it'll look best, but I've seen some hot pinks in the crease so I'm gonna have to take a risk and try it out one day. As a product, it's a really great matte texture and is very pigmented. It's definitely worth the $14.00 and I'm excited to try some more suitable colours next!

    A bright pink, sparkly nail file might be one's cup of tea, but it's definitely not mine. I don't mind it in any way, but it doesn't serve a particularly useful purpose for me, believe it or not. Most of my nail files are in packs of 20 from the dollar store and that's good enough for me! I wouldn't take it with me in my purse because it's much too big, and I'm afraid that a ton of sparkles would find their way everywhere, even though they're stuck on there pretty well (surprisingly; and yes, I totally rubbed my fingers all over them testing to see if they'd succumb). For $1.50 it's definitely a great price if that's your thing. The file is very good and works really well, I just wish they made the file-side half-and-half, one part the black file, the other half the white file.

    Another H2O Plus product! The first one was interesting but not a really great product, and I have to say the same thing for this one, except that it's not interesting. On the little card, it tells me that: "... to promote collagen production and visibly fight lines and loss of firmness." Perhaps I should have passed this on to my mom? I still have a bunch left so I'll do just that. I've tried this out a few times in different ways. On the bottle it says to use it after cleansing and toning, I've tried that and noticed that it leaves my skin pretty dry without my serum. A little ironic for a product that's supposed to help wrinkles, right? I've also tried it with my serum and can't say I've noticed a great difference. My skin is more glowy and moisturized, but that's with the help of my serum. For $50.00 for 1.7oz (a small amount), I would not recommend it or say it's worth it. If you're considering this product, either for yourself or as a gift for a more mature lady, I'd suggest getting a sample first or a gift receipt.

    The next sample I received was from Bask (a company I've never heard of). It's a Daily Skin Lotion, although sometimes it says moisturizer on it so I wasn't sure whether it was face-safe or not but I haven't tried it on my face anyways. This is probably my favourite product out of the box. It's a good size and smells amaaaaaaazing! It's also my favourite type of cream, it rubs nicely into the skin but leaves it feeling silky and soft and does not dry out after a while. It's definitely not one of those creams that stays oily even after you've "rubbed it in". The consistency is perfect, not too liquidy, not too thick. On the BB5 card, it tells me that it's "packed with vitamins, plant extracts and antioxidants..." Obviously this is a very nourishing lotion that actually works perfectly. For $20 for 22 oz (a huge bottle), it's so worth it!

    Lastly I received the Nubar Nail Lacquer in the colour Faded Jeans. I really can't review this nail polish because I did not try it nor will I. I'm going to be passing it on to my cousin next time I see her because I have a nearly identical blue polish from China Glaze in the colour Bahamian Escape. It's disappointing because I've always wanted to try Nubar. Next time!

    Hope you found my review helpful!

    Ada xx

    Saturday, September 14, 2013

    LIFESTYLE | I'm A Winner!





    Hello lovelies! A while ago Kate Spitz had a giveaway on her blog for an Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush, and I entered not expecting anything because seriously, who ever does? But lo and behold, I'm a winner!

    She included a really sweet note and the blush (of course), in the colour Natural Beauty. I loooove this colour so much and am so excited to try it on and experiment with it! I've been wanting to try this blush for 5ever after all the hype it's gotten.

    Have you ever won a contest? Do you own this blush? What do you think?

    Ada xx

    Friday, September 13, 2013

    NOTW Thursdays | Picturesque Purple




    NOTW... Fridays.... GAAHH I'M SORRY! I was going to post this last night but I came home after work at 10pm, had to eat and shower and I totally forgot. Better late than never, though, right? Also, sloppy nails.

    This week I got a package from MUA I ordered because they were having free international shipping on orders over £20, so naturally I went for it. Included in that package was the above sparkly purple in Jellyfish - that colour only went on the ring finger. The rest of the nails are Sephora by OPI in the colour What A Broad. Honestly, I've never been a big purple person because my mom haaaates the colour so she never bought me anything with it. But lately, I've been really loving it! With the onset of cool weather, I've been looking for an appropriate fall colour and I think these guys make the cut.

    What's your favourite fall colour?

    Ada xx

    Thursday, September 12, 2013

    HAUL | Old Navy




    Hello! I'm so sorry about not posting very much this week. At the start of September, my workplace found out that not only the building, but the entire block will be demolished to make an indoor shopping center. We have until the end of September and then we need to find new jobs. I've been stressed and tired all week, trying to figure out what my next steps will be, hoping someone will call me back for a job.

    Anyways, I was in super duper deep need for a new pair of jeans so I stopped by Old Navy because I've had the best luck with their jeans and their fit. Surprisingly, I guess they changed the style of how they're made because a lot of them fit really oddly. And when I needed a Regular length, they only had Short or Long available. Obviously, I was really not having a successful shopping trip, but finally after trying on probably 10 pairs, I found the right ones.

    But that it totally not what this haul is about! After leaving the change room, I found my mom browsing through the jewelry rack and saw she had her hand full. One of the racks was a sale rack and it had everything for $1.99 so after much browsing, we picked out a whole bunch of earrings.

    I only got three pairs: the dangly blue, dangly light pink and the multi-tiered black, the rest my mom got. I looooove all of my choices and I'm so happy! Honestly, Old Navy jewelry is usually really bad quality and hot glued, but these were surprisingly well made. My favourite are the black ones because they're so unique and look amazing on the ear.

    Ada xx

    Thursday, September 5, 2013

    NOTW Thursdays | Transitionals







    It's that time of year again when no one really knows or expects what the weather's going to be like, but it's getting colder and all I can say is: AWW YISSSS. I'm not a fan of the summer, actually, I hate the summer - I despise it. Living in Canada made me hope for cold days and snow, instead I get 2 months of torture. It shouldn't be that bad, right? But for someone like me, it's horrible.

    But anyways, with my nail polish experimentation going on lately, I’ve been really missing the simple, 1-polish nail. I was (as usual) in Dollarama browsing through their scarce beauty section praying for something, anything other than a crackle nail polish (I am so not a fan). God took mercy upon me and revealed the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure polish in the colour Greige Gardens (am I gonna get sued for not adding the TM? Take mercy).

    Now, I know I'm making it sound as if this is some sort of miracle nail polish that will heal all your woes, but to be completely honest with you, I've never used this one before. I think my mind was in such crackle-fog that anything would've made me happy! But I can't complain, I do love this colour and think it's a great for the inbetween-season weirdness. The purple of it gives it that summertime vibe but the flat greyness says Bring on the fall!

    What do you think? Have you tried this specific brand before?

    Ada xx

    PS. TWO POSTS IN ONE DAY!? I know, I know, but I felt like I owed it to you guys after my brief hiatus. Enjoy, 'cause it won't happen again.

    HAUL | The Body Shop



    It's been that time of every few months where my skincare products were running low and I was in deep need to replenish them. I'm obsessed with The Body Shop and whenever I go in there, I always want to sniff and play with everything. But with a little bit of self-control and press for time before work, I managed to go in and out in record time. Also, I called ahead for them to put some stuff away for me. Plus, they were having 50% skincare!

    I wanted to try some new stuff and see how it worked with my skin. My skin is pretty sensitive and picky when it comes to products and I think I'm allergic to sunscreen because whenever I wear a product with SPF in it, it irritates my cheeks and brings out my dry spots. Luckily my skin remained calm and didn't throw a tantrum.

    The first item I picked out is the Vitamin E Moisture Cream. I was originally planning on using it as a general everyday moisturizer but I've decided to only use it as a night cream because if I wore it with a BB cream, it's be too much for my skin. Obviously I should have bought the Night cream but they're all the same in my opinion. The cream costs $16.50, I paid $8.25 with the sale.

    The next item I got is the Vitamin E Face Mist. On the website, it says this mist should be used as a makeup setting spray or a 'pick me up' throughout the day, but I've bought it to use it as a toner. They do have a Vitamin E toner itself, but I find that I like the spray better because it wastes less product (if I were to use a toner with a cotton ball), and because it's a makeup setting spray, it helps work as a sort of primer. It costs $16.00, I paid $8.00.

    The third item I picked up is the Vitamin E Cool BB Cream. I personally love this BB cream and find that it works so well on the skin! What I love most about it is that it rubs nicely into the skin and it comes in 1 shade. I know some people would be annoyed, but luckily this shade works really well with my skin and blends in. On the website it says this cream: hydrates to protect, evens tone, and give fresh looking skin. So far I have no complaints and plan on buying it again and again! It costs $18.00, I paid $9.00.

    And lastly, I picked up the Warming Mineral Mask. This product is so interesting and I was definitely intrigued enough to pick it up. You're supposed to dampen your skin and then rub this mask into it, and it warms your face right up. It's a great product for the winter months! I'm not entirely sure how it works, whether it's activated by the water or rubbing motion (I'd assume both). It's a bit tricky though because the warmth only lasts a few seconds, so you kinda have to wet your face and then squeeze onto one hand and quickly rub it in. It's made with: ginger, cinnamon oil and kaolin clay, all excellent ingredients for skin. It costs $17.00, I paid $8.50.

    Do you own any of these products? What do you think?

    Ada xx