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

FOTD | Forest Finds

Hey guess what, it's time for another FOTD! I'm starting to embrace summer, just as it's coming to an end. Excellent. I really wanted to work with earthy tones to make a forest-inspired look. I wanted a reddy eyeshadow, but I also wanted some green, so this is the look I came up with!

I decided to work a reddish eyeshadow all around my lid and under eye, then I took a very dark brown and very carefully and gently worked it into my crease to really smoke it out and accentuate. I then took a sparkly dark brown and blended it into the outer v. Lastly, my foresty pop of colour went into the inner corner and I gently blended it into the reddish lid colour. I then took a light and sparkly beige and added it just into the inner corner overtop of the green just to brighten. I finished off with some black liner and mascara. I wanted to keep the focus on the eyes, so I used a shimmer, glowing bronzer and highlighter and just an almost-plum blush on the cheeks. The lips I kept natural and very lightly applied a pale skin-tone lipstick.

I used the following products:

Face:

• Quo BB Cream in Light/Medium
• MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NW20 (as a concealer)
• Marcelle Loose Translucent Powder
• Gotta B' Urban Mineral Bronzing Powder in Sunrise
• Madison Street Beauty blush in Hydrangea
• Benefit Watt's Up highlighter

Eyes:

• Urban Decay Primer Potion in Original
• Madison Street Beauty eyeshadow in Mauve (lid)
• Madison Street Beauty eyeshadow in Espresso (crease)
• Madison Street Beauty eyeshadow in Cacao (outer v)
• Madison Street Beauty eyeshadow in Wintergreen (inner corner)
• Quo Nice palette eyeshadow, lightest colour (inner corner over-top Wintergreen)
• MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack
• Rimmel Soft Kohl eyeliner in Sable (waterline)
• Revlon eyelash curler
• Benefit BadGal Waterproof mascara (top lashes)
• Avon Super Extend mascara (lower lashes)

Brows:

• NYX The Runway Collection in Champagne & Caviar palette (dark brown & black)
• Quo brow gel

Lips:

•  MAC Myth

Ada xx

NOTD Fridays! | Electric Pink

Hello beauties! I'm going to be starting a new weekly "theme" that I'm calling "NOTD Fridays" (if you haven't noticed yet). I usually paint my nails every Wednesday, but because of a sloppy job, I need to give them a few days to relax and get all that extra nail polish off my skin. Plus, Fridays are always fun!

This week I surprised myself by choosing this nail polish, Electric Pink by Revlon, because when I purchased it last summer, I wore it once and hated it. I was riffling through my collection for a summer colour and spotted this one (although I'm sure you can spot this one from a mile away). I decided "What the heck" and went for it. I have to say, I'm very pleasantly surprised and have been loving my nails all week.

Now, I'm not one for fake nails (or fake anything else for that matter), so I think the fact that I trimmed my nails short really helped me like this nail polish that much more.

I'm gonna be honest here, as much as I love Revlon, I've never been a fan of their nail polishes. I've always found them to chip away 2 days after, but that was back when I was doing my old nail routine. Recently I've started up a new one and it's been SO much better for sustainability. The main thing I do is not applying any cream to my hands, I wash them with soap and water, wipe and then apply the nail polish. Adding cream to your hands (as soothing as it is), puts a layer of oil on your nails so the nail polish has trouble sticking. Ever have your nail polish peel off in one chunk? That's why. Also, when I apply my base and top coat, I put on A LOT (but not in layers, just at once). And lastly, once I apply the nail polish, I run my nails under the coldest setting on the tap. The cold water really helps harden up the polish so you don't get weird imprints.

With that said, my nail polish lasted all week with minimal chipping. The formula is nice and smooth and I only needed 2 layers for an opaque finish. The dry time was much quicker and better than I would have expected. I applied the nail polish at night time (something I don't usually do), so I was expecting to get imprints in the morning from sleep, but I was surprised to find it completely smooth and shiny.

Ada xx

HAUL + REVIEW | Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters

Peach Parfait

Berry Smoothie

Lollipop

Sugar Plum

Cherry Tart

 A few months ago when the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters came out, I was definitely intrigued. What most caught my attention was that they're like tinted lipbalms, but so much better. I do admit, the beautiful colours and packaging were definitely the selling factors for me. The very first one I bought was the colour Berry Smoothie. It was the perfect berry pop of colour that can match virtually any skintone and makeup. The second one I got was Peach Parfait. The only real problem I have with this balm is that it has some chunky glitter in it that really doesn't feel nice on the lips, but I really like how it looks.

Recently my local Shopper's Drug Mart was having a summer sale and I noticed that the Lip Butters were on sale for $3.99 each (usually around $8). Obviously I went a little wacko and wanted to buy the entire collection, but after a few breathing exercises, I picked out two that I've been wanting for a while: Lollipop and Sugar Plum. Lollipop is a gorgeous fuchsia colour that can really pop on any skin tone. I really love how it looks with basic black eyeliner and heavy mascara. I think it'd be the perfect colour for a very light/platinum blonde. Sugar Plum is probably my favourite out of all 5. It's true to being a lighter plum colour that I think is perfect for the fall time (but I will probably disregard that and wear it all year round). I also think it looks the best with my hair and skin tone.

That night, I went back and got Cherry Tart because I couldn't get it out of my mind and I knew I'd regret not buying it. It's a lighter true red that wears really nicely because it does have a sheen to it. As Lollipop, I also think it wears nicely with a black liner and heavy lashes.

My sixth sense must have kicked in because the very next day I needed to pick up a few things at Shopper's and found the Lip Butters back to their normal price. I'm glad I didn't wait to buy them.

As a product, these are my favourite lip products to use. They're super easy to apply and wear, and very comfortable. Because they're like a lip balm, you don't need to apply a base of balm to prep the lip. I think the colour range, although it covers the basic colours and a little bit more, I think Revlon could work on expanding it (if they're wanting to evolve the collection). I think if you're one of those girls that wants to just throw something easy on the lips and not fuss with it, but also get a stellar look and colour, these are the right ones for you. As a value, I think $8 is a little steep for them, but they're often on a sale, so you can't go wrong. The packaging is gorgeous and I do not have any problems with the lid falling off, it stays on nice and tight. I'm definitely planning on expanding my collection.

Performance: 9/10
Value: 7/10
Quality: 9/10

Definitely recommend!

Ada xx

HAUL | The Body Shop, Sephora, MAC

Hello lovelies! It's been a very, very long time since my last blog post/video but I am indeed back and really excited to be making new videos and posts for you guys! I'm gonna start off with a haul because I love them so much. And don't worry, not all of the products were purchased at one time.

Because I had used up all of my non-cruelty free waterproof mascaras, I was in desperate need of a new one. Finding the right mascara was quite the adventure, I'll admit. I first purchased the Revlon Photoready 3D Volume waterproof mascara. I really loved the effect it gave my lashes, but they quickly dropped - not all the way, but enough for me to return it. Next I went with Bourjois Liner Effect waterproof mascara, which turned out to be even worse! My lashes dropped within seconds and it was my mistake for not trying it out on a day off because I had to wear straight lashes to work. I have wanted to try the Bad Gal Lash waterproof mascara ($26) for forever, but for some reason I never did. Perhaps it was the price, perhaps it was the bad reviews, but after my bad luck, I figured it couldn't get much worse, so I caved and got it. I'll admit, I didn't love it at first application, but I have to admit, it really grew on me. It does drop my lashes a bit, but only enough for them to look more relaxed and less curly. I'm really, really happy I tried it.

Next I grabbed a new replacement head for my Clarisonic, except this time I got the Sensitive Skin 2-pack head ($50) rather than the regular. Honestly, I really don't notice a softness in the brush. Maybe the hairs are a little bit thinner, but that's it. Not supremely impressed. And finally, I couldn't help but check out their little sale section. Usually it's a big mess with opened products splayed everywhere, but I guess they restocked because it was clean with several new products. The two things that caught my eye were 2 Sephora-brand kohl eyeliners for only $3! I got two colours: a coppery brown (04) and a grape (07). When I tried the testers on my hand at the store, I was really impressed by their smoothness and pay off, so I knew right away that I had to have them in my kit, but when I tried them on my own eyes at home, I found to be quite disappointed. The brown is actually lovely and applies well with a bit of force, but the purple is had to work with and for some reason, there was a bit of my lash line that it just refused to stick to, whether I rubbed from the tube or with a brush. It's a difficult product to work with, unfortunately.

The next products are from my favourite store: The Body Shop. If you're American, I highly suggest you go on ebay and get some of the products because a) they're fair trade, b) they're cruelty-free and c) they're just plain amazing. I'm signed up to receive offers from them daily and I don't think there's a day that they don't have an offer going on. Buy 1, get 1 50% off, buy 2, get 1 free, 50% off everything etcetc. The two lipsticks were purchased separately. The first is a beautiful deep "Russian Red" but not quite as pigmented and in your face. Out of all the reds, it was the one that most appealed to me, and the one I thought would look best with my complexion and hair. It doesn't have a name (unfortunately), but the number is 22 (retails $13, paid $6.50). The next (now that I see them photographed together) is a lighter and pinkier 22. I was doing one of those buy 1, get 1 50% off deals and I was a bit rushed for time, so I was quickly scanning through the lipsticks. The sales associate was lovely and suggested it off the bat, saying it was the one colour she found looked good on everyone. The second she swatched it on her hand, I was sold. It's a really colour that can be worn sheer for a nice, pinky look or built up for a brighter lip. The number for it is 14 (retails $13, paid $6.50).

Next came the blushes, which I got for a steal, really. I believe they all sell for $20 (the first one for sure, the other not unsure), but I got them for a whopping $3 each with a total savings of $51. I almost feel like I robbed the place, but I can't help but be a sucker for amazing deals. The first blush is in the colour Petal (yay, finally a name!) and it can either be combined for a lighter pink, or used as a bright blush with a highlight. I like to use it for the latter because I find they balance each other nicely. The other two blushes are named (from left to right) 03 and 04. 03 is a cool, blue-undertoned blush that I think would look lovely on any skin and 04 is a beautiful peachy blush with specks of gold sparkles that will look gorgeous in the summer under the sun.

My splurging at TBS came to an end with the lovely peacocky-green eyeshadow appropriately named 31 (retails for $12, paid $6). It's extremely pigmented and must be used under caution for the crazy fall out that is bound to happen with too much product. I really love this eyeshadow because it's not super bright, but gives you that pop of colour, but also because it can be worn sheerly for a lovely light eye or built up for a really dramatic, smoky eye.

The next palette is the Revlon CustomEyes in the colour 005 Gold Spun ($1.50). It's a 5 piece set with 2 sheeny shadows and 3 sparkly shadows. I found the palette in Dollarama and couldn't help but grab it, it is Revlon after all. Truly? I am disappointed. The shadows really aren't very pigmented and are a little bit chalky. Unimpressed. The back comes with a little chart describing how they suggest to wear the shadows, but I completely disregarded it and did my own look with it, but I think I might try it after all for a different look. My favourite shadow from the 5 is the white because it has a blue sheen to it that reminds me of my all time favourite eyeshadow Lark About by MAC.

And finally, I decided to order a product that is owned and loved by many. After the failure of my Maybelline gel eyeliner, which is quickly drying out, I decided to ditch it and get the MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack ($18). To be quite frank, from the videos I've seen of girls applying it, I feel like mine's not quite as black and gel-y. Don't get me wrong, I really like the product and definitely use it a lot, I feel like it's not quite living up to it's name. But I still have a lot more in my pot to go, so maybe I need to dig a bit deeper to find the gold.

So comes my conclusion. I'm so happy to finally be back and I can't wait to write more!

Ada xx

HAUL | NYX, Blogsale

Hello beautifuls! So here are my images and swatches for this haul! C:

 

 

 

 

I will most likely be doing reviews on these products, but if you would like a specific one, feel free to message me! C: