Accidental Shopping Trip Haul

I thought I would do a haul for the accidental shopping spree that I went on the other day. You fellow shopaholics know how it is... you go to the mall because you need to return a few things, and when you leave a few hours later your debit card is crying.  Well, that is exactly what happened to me. I went to the mall because I had to exchange a foundation and blush at Sephora, "Back to MAC" a few items at MAC, and bring back some empty containers to Lush. I had no intention of spending any money, because all the items that I would be getting were going to end up being free.   As much as I was trying to be good, all self control went out the window when I realized I had gotten an email from Sephora that gave me $20.00 off a $50.00 purchase. It was just the justification I needed, and with that I convinced myself that it was okay to pick up a few things. Out of everything I purchased I only had to spend $60.00 of my own money, so I don't think that's too bad. After this shopping trip though I am not letting myself buy any more makeup until at least after Christmas.

Below are all the goodies that I unintentionally picked up on my shopping trip.

1. Marc Jacobs "Genius Gel" Foundation:

I know I have raved about how much I liked this foundation and how well it matched my skin, but lately I have noticed that whenever I am in natural light I look orange.  I decided to bring the foundation back to get a shade that matches my skin tone better. I ended up getting the shade "light ivory" which is the lightest shade that they carry. It is weird because the new shade is 3 or 4 shades lighter than the old shade I had, and the old foundation had been colour matched to my skin tone at Sephora using their machine. I probably could have gotten a shade one darker than "light ivory" because it looks really light on my skin, but I would rather get a shade that's a bit too light and be able to warm up my skin with blush and bronzer than have one that's a tiny bit too dark for me and then be unable to use blush or bronzer because it makes me look orange. Overall I still love this foundation and highly recommend it to others to try. I did a review on it, so if you want to learn more about this foundation then you can find the review in side bar to the right. This foundation retails for  $58.00 at Sephora.

2. NARS Laguna Bronzer

When I was at Sephora the sales associate put this bronzer on me and I really liked the way it looked. The shimmer in it is really subtle, but it does help to warm up your face and give you a healthy glow. I always thought that this bronzer would be too dark for me, especially in the winter, so I never thought to try it on my skin. After trying it at Sephora though I decided to purchase it because the only bronzer I have is my Chanel one,  and I would rather not use it every single day since it is expensive. This bronzer retailed for $42.00 at Sephora.

3.  NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in "Chantilly"

This is a concealer that I have been using since June, and really loving. I ran out of mine the other day so I thought since I had the $20.00 off I might as well pick up another one. This concealer does a good job of brightening up my under eye area, and has a very good coverage. It also blends pretty well and I do not notice too much creasing when I use it. This concealer retails for $28.00 at Sephora.

4. NARS "Sin" Blush

This is a blush that I have heard a few Youtubers talk about, and I was curious to try it because it seems like the perfect blush for winter. The blush looks a lot darker in the pan in real life, and is a really unique berry tone with subtle gold shimmer. It is the prettiest colour and I have been wearing it every day since I purchased it.  I find it goes with any eye look, and also looks pretty with both nude and berry toned lips. I recommend swatching it next time you are in Sephora because this really is the most gorgeous blush. It retails for $32.00 at Sephora.

5. Urban Decay "All Nighter" Makeup Setting Spray

I had the small size of this setting spray and really liked it, so I decided to purchase the full size bottle. I have been wearing it every day since I bought it and find that it makes my makeup stay in place longer. It is also a good product to use if you feel yourself looking powdery throughout the day as it helps to freshen up your makeup. I purchased the 1 oz version at Sephora and this retailed for $15.00. They do carry a larger 4 oz version as well, and that one retails for $35.00

6. Sephora Compact

This was something that I received for free with my purchase for being a VIB Rouge member. I  think it is cute, and it is always nice to have a compact to throw in your bag.

7. MAC Eyeshadow in "Brulé"

This is the eyeshadow that I got for free when I brought 6 empty MAC packages back to the store. It is kind of a boring colour, but it does a really great job of blending out my eyeshadow. I had completely used up my other Brulé since I used it every day, and it was definitely time to get another one. These eyeshadows originally retail for $15.00 at MAC.

8. Lush BB Seaweed Facemask

I got this face mask for free when I brought 5 empty packages back to Lush. They had a bunch of fresh face masks to choose from, but I chose this one because it was supposed to be really moisturising and my skin gets dry in the winter. These masks need to be kept in the fridge because they are made with all natural ingredients, and I like that about this company because I do not have to worry about putting harmful chemicals on my skin. The main ingredients in this mask are seaweed, ground almonds, rose absolute, and extra virgin olive oil. I have used this mask once already, and I really did find that these ingredients did a great job of moisturising my skin. My face felt so soft and smooth after and it took away any redness that I had. I will definitely be purchasing this product again. It retails for $6.95 at Lush.

These are all the items that I purchased, and I am very happy with them so far. Leave me a comment in the box below letting me know if you received a VIB gift card from Sephora and what you intend on purchasing with it!

xoxo Jess

"On Wednesdays We Wear Pink" ❤

Since it is Wednesday I thought I would do a post with the pink products that I have been loving lately. Pink is my favourite colour, and sometimes having a super girly makeup day is just what you need to get you through the last few days in the week.

Marc Jacobs Lolita palette
You are all probably so sick of hearing me talk about this palette so I am going to keep it short. Basically it is the prettiest every day makeup palette that has a mix of matte neutrals and shimmery pinky-toned shadows. The colours are incredibly pigmented, and blend so easily. I have been reaching for this palette pretty much every day lately, and I am in love with the eye looks it creates.

Dior Rosy Glow Blush

This is a blush I have been reaching for lately because I love the natural flush it gives my cheeks. In the pan the product looks really Barbie pink, but when you apply it to your face it adjusts to create a colour that suits your skin tone. I get sad every time I use this blush because I don't want the embossed Dior logo to come off, but I know it is inevitable. Overall though, I just really like this product because it is very pigmented, and blends nicely onto your cheeks. It is a pretty blush that I use all year regardless of the season, and I just really like it a lot. 

Yves Saint Laurent Lipstick in the shade #1 Nude Beige

This is one of my favourite lipsticks because lets be honest, the packaging is gorgeous. YSL lipsticks really are great quality though, and they go on so creamy. They are also extremely pigmented and are very long wearing. This shade "nude beige" is a pretty natural pink colour. It is an easy colour to grab in the morning because it goes with every makeup look, and I find it is flattering for my skin tone. I need to go buy more of  these because although they are pricey, they are worth every penny. 

Chanel Glossimer in the shade #164

 This is a great every day lipgloss that is one of my absolute favourites. It is a pretty light pink shade that adds a touch of colour to your lips without making them too nude or too Barbie pink. These glosses are not too sticky, which is nice, and also do not have much of a smell to them. I love the formula of these glosses though, and I will definitely be picking up more.

                               

Essie Minimalistic Nail Polish

This is a pretty light pink shade that I have been painting on my nails a lot lately. I find it just makes your nails look so much cleaner, and it is a nice classic colour. As the weather has gotten colder I have found myself reaching for dark nail polishes a lot of the time, but when I do decide I want a light colour it is always this one that I use. I love it with Marc Jacobs "Glinda" on the accent nail, as you can see below. It is the prettiest combination. 

Ralph Lauren Big Pony #2 Perfume

This is a perfume that I reach for all year because it is one of my favourites. It is light and fresh and has a fruity smell to it. I wish that the scent lasted on me a little longer, but that just means I am going to have to buy the rollerball so I can apply more throughout the day. My boyfriend loves this one and comments on how great I smell every time I wear it. I suggest you go smell this perfume because it smells amazing, and it is definitely a smell I will never get tired of.

Those are all my favourite pink beauty items at the moment. I hope you all have a fabulous Wednesday, and leave me a comment in the box below letting me know what your favourite pink beauty items are.

xoxo Jess

The Perfect Palette Tag

I saw this tag floating around Youtube and I thought it would be a fun one to do. Below are a bunch of questions about eyeshadow palettes, and I am going to answer them based on the palettes and eyeshadow quads that I have in my collection.

1.) Best Packaging
I would have to say that the palette that I have in my collection with the best packaging is the Lolita palette by Marc Jacobs. The packaging is just so sleek and expensive looking, and I like that you have to press the button on the side for it to open. The packaging is also very sturdy, and although it is plastic I don't feel nervous about taking it places because the product was made well. The only thing that I don't like is that the black outside is always covered in fingerprints, so I find I am constantly trying to clean it. I do love this palette though and have raved about it in many of my recent posts, so if you want to find out more about this palette check those out on the right side of the page.

2.) Best Color Payoff
The palette that I think has the best colour payoff is the Cosmic Chic palette by BH Cosmetics. I got this palette at IMATS this year and was really impressed with the quality of the shadows. They are really pigmented and swatch so opaquely. They are really nice shadows to work with and they blend really easily as well. The colours are also absolutely gorgeous! You can find more information on this palette in my IMATS post.

3.) Most Versatile
The palette that I think is the most versatile is the Lorac Pro palette. This palette comes with 8 matte shadows and 8 shimmery shadows which allows you to create a variety of different looks. This palette also has a wide range of colours from day time neutral pinks and browns to darker bronzes and purples, and gunmetal grey shades that would be perfect for evening. It also has both highlight shades, and darker blacks and browns that you could use as liner. There are so many different things that you can do with this palette that I definitely think it is the most versatile palette that I own. 

4.) Best for Travel
The palette that I think is the best for travel is the Too Faced Natural Eye palette. I like that this palette because it is small and light and lets you create a variety of different looks. There are both matte and shimmery shades, and shades that can be used for both day time and evening looks. This is one of my favourite palettes, and even though it looks simple, I reach for it a lot.

5.) Biggest Regret
The quad that I regret buying the most is the Dior Bonne Etoile eyeshadow quad. It looks gorgeous and I was sooooooo excited to get my hands on it when it was released in the fall, but honestly I don't find the colours to be that wearable. I find my makeup ends up looking really dark when I wear this, and I have only ever worn it once or twice. It was an expensive item as well, so I definitely do not think it was worth the money that I spent on it. Hopefully I can find some kind of use for it because I do not want it to be a waste of my money. 



6.) Best Color Names
The eyeshadow palette in my collection with the best colour names has to be the Nude 'tude palette from The Balm. This was a category that I had a bit of difficulty with because none of my palettes have colour names that are that crazy, but I like the concept behind this palette. I think it's cute that the theme is "girl's with attitude" and that all the shadow names are characteristics that girls can have (ie. Sassy, Silly, Stand-offish).  The colours in this palette are also gorgeous, so if you are in the market for a nude eye shadow palette maybe check this one out. 

7.) Least Used
The eyeshadow quad that I use the least is the Chanel Delicatesse eyeshadow quad. This is another product that I had to have when I saw it because it was so pretty, however I didn't take into consideration whether the shadows were colours I would actually wear. Naturally I convinced myself that it was something I would wear everyday for the rest of my life (haha) and that is how I justified the purchase. Anyone else could have foresaw that this would not have been the case, but I was blinded by the pretty flower pattern on the shadows and gorgeous packaging. I use the teal colour sometimes as a liner, but I never find myself wanting to use the other colours. This is another product that I regret buying because it was expensive, but I have learned my lesson and next time I am going to pick a product based on whether or not I will actually wear the colours on a daily basis.

8.) Most Used, Most Loved, Desert Island
The palette that is my most used, and would take on a desert island with me given the choice would be the Naked 1 palette by Urban Decay. The shadows are just such good quality and are so pigmented, and apply and blend so easily. The colours are also gorgeous, and the palette comes with such a great variety of colours that it makes it easy to create a wide array of both evening and daytime looks. This is definitely one of my favourite palettes, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the Naked 3 palette when it becomes available in Canada.

Leave me a comment below telling me whether or not you  have tried any of these palettes, and I tag all of you to do this Perfect Palette tag yourself!

xoxo Jess

November Favourites♥

I wanted to share with you a couple items that I have been loving throughout the month of November. Some of these are products that I have mentioned before in other posts, but a couple of them are new. I will try and give a little review on the items that I've never mentioned before so you will get a better idea of why I like them and have been reaching for them so much this month.

1. Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Foundation
I have worn this foundation almost every day since I purchased it, and I really do love it. Every once in a while I will switch it up and use a different foundation for the day, but I am never as happy with the results and it confirms for me how great the Marc Jacobs one is. This is definitely a foundation that I will be repurchasing once this one runs out. This product retails for $58.00 at Sephora. If you want to see a full review of the foundation you can find a link on the side bar to the right.

2. NARS Eyeshadow Duo in the shade "Kalahari"
This eyeshadow duo contains a golden-bronze shadow and a dark cocoa brown shadow that are both shimmery. I originally didn't like this product when I first tried it because I purchased it anticipating that I would put the golden-bronze shade all over my lid, and the cocoa brown in my crease, but when applied to the eye, the shadows looked way too similar. I was left with a really dark muddy eye look that I really was not a fan of. I decided to give this product another shot this month, but instead I used "All that glitters" by MAC (which is a light golden champaign colour) all over my lid with the golden-bronze shade in the crease, and the darker cocoa brown shade in my outer "v". This looked really pretty and I got a lot of compliments when I wore this combination. I do this eye look a lot now, and have really grown to like this product. I find the shadows are good quality, and they blend out really well.  The NARS eyeshadow duos retail for $34.00 each.

3. Marc Jacobs "Lolita" Palette
I have been using this palette a lot this month and am really enjoying it. It has such an amazing combination of colours that make really pretty everyday eye looks. The palette comes with 4 shimmery pink-toned shadows, and 3 matte shadows. The shadows are amazing quality and are so incredibly pigmented. You barely have to touch the shadows to swatch them and they go on so smoothly. I will do a more detailed review on this palette because I think it is a really good investment. It is a pricey item though, and it retails for $70.00 at Sephora.

4. Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in the shade "Dazzled"
This is a really pretty blush for the fall and winter seasons. It is the blush out of my "Off the Cuff" palette that I use the most, and it's a pretty plum shade. These blushes are amazing quality and are very pigmented. You barely need to touch your brush to the product and you have more than enough to apply to your cheeks. As a result these are a great buy because they last forever. These blushes are supposed to be long wearing and are advertised to last twelve hours on your skin. I think that this is a pretty accurate claim as I do find that they stay in place all day. If you want more information on the Tarte "Off the Cuff" blush palette you can find the review in the side bar to the right of the page. The palette is a great deal though as it retails for around $40.00 and the blushes are normally $30.00 each. The palette comes with 4 blushes and a bronzer, and they are quite big, so it is definitely something you should check out if you are in the market for a new blush.
                                 
                   
               
5. Hourglass Ambient Lighting powder in the shade Radiant Light
I have mentioned this palette a lot because I am in love with the middle powder and use it every single day. I apply this to my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose, my brow bone, and basically anywhere I want highlighted. This isn't your typical shimmery highlighter though, the product does not transfer to you skin shimmery at all, and yet it has this way of making your skin look glowy and amazing. If you want more information on this palette you can check out my review in the side bar to the right. This palette retails for $67.00, and the individual powders are each around $50.00

6. Bite Lipstick in "Fig"

I bought this lipstick after hearing Beauty Guru "MakeupByTiffanyD" rave about it in many of her YouTube videos. When I saw the colour in the store I definitely didn't think it would be the natural looking pink that she described it as since it looked so bright in the tube, but it actually is. When I tried it on at Sephora I instantly knew I had to buy it because it is such a flattering and wearable colour. It is a pretty rose coloured pink that warms up your face and is fun but still really sophisticated. I cannot say enough good things about this product, you seriously need to go try it on for yourself. This is definitely a lipstick that I will be repurchasing over and over when it runs out. This product retails for $28.00 at Sephora.

                            

                                  

                        



7. Too Faced lipstick in "Marshmallow Bunny"
This is one of the lipsticks that I got in the "Give Me More Lip" Christmas set from Sephora. It is the prettiest bubblegum pink, and although this is not a colour I would normally gravitate towards, it is the prettiest colour and is so girly. The formula is really moisturising, and it even has a really nice smell to it. I highly suggest trying this lipstick and I think it would be even prettier in the summer with a tan. I have definitely been enjoying wearing this shade this month and I now I will continue to reach for this lipstick throughout the month of December a well. These retail for $25.00 at Sephora.

                                       

8. Julep nail polish in shades "Aisha," and "Cynthia"
These are two shades that I got in my November Julep box that I have been loving this month. "Aisha" is the pretty burgundy shade, and "Cynthia" is the gold glitter on my accent nail. I LOVE these colours for fall and winter and I know I will be continuing to paint my nails with these polishes throughout December as well. These nail polishes are shiny and pretty long lasting. The brush does take some getting used to though because it picks up a LOT of polish, so you really need to make sure that you wipe all the excess off the sides before you apply it to your nails. Other than that these polishes are great and the monthly subscription is a really great deal because you get 3 every month for only $20.00. This is an amazing deal considering they are $16.00 each at Sephora. If you want to see the other gorgeous colours I got or learn more about the Julep subscription you can find my post in the side bar at the right of the page.                                                                                                                

9. Josie Maran Argon Oil
I bought this Argon oil at Sephora months ago, but I never really used it.  I didn't love the weird tingling feeling that comes with oil sitting on my skin, so it ended up being shoved to the back of my drawer. My nose has started to become weirdly dry and had begun to peel this month, so out of desperation I decided to give this product a try hoping it would make my nose less dry and unbearable. I began to incorporate this product into my nightly skin care routine by applying a single dot to my nose over my moisturiser and rubbing the oil in well. After a few days my nose stopped peeling and I could finally apply foundation to it without it clinging to the dry areas and looking hideous. I have continued using this product every night and it has really helped. I was apprehensive at first to put oil on my face, but it didn't break me out at all or clog my pores. You could even mix this oil in with your moisturiser if you are like me and don't like the feeling of applying the oil directly to your face. You could even mix a drop or two in with your foundation to keep your skin moisturised throughout the day. I have also seen this product being used as a cuticle oil, and a hair oil, so it really is multi-purpose. I bought the little 0.5 oz bottle to try and it cost $18.00, but they have two other sizes that are $58.00 and $125.00. I suggest getting the little bottle though first and seeing if you like it before splurging on a larger bottle. I only use one drop every time I use it and I still think the small bottle will last me quite a while.

10. "Outer Beauty" Round Top Kabuki Brush
This is one of the brushes I got from IMATS this year, and I absolutely love it. I had never heard of the company "Outer Beauty" before going to IMATS, but after feeling how soft and good quality their brushes are I had to buy a few. When I talked to the sales associate after purchasing them she informed me that their brushes are made in the same factory as Sigma brushes, so they are essentially the same thing. After hearing this I should have gotten more because at $12.00 each, they were such a great deal. This round top kabuki brush is amazing for applying foundation and blends it into my skin even better than my Beauty Blender does. I have used this brush ever single day since I've purchased it. and I am honestly in love! If you want to check out these fabulous brushes you can check them our here :
 http://www.outerbeautycosmetics.com/

These are all my favourite products for the month of November.  Let me know in the comments below what some of the products were that you found yourself reaching for a lot this month.

xoxo Jess