I've Become a Julep Maven!

One of my friends has had a Julep subscription for a while, and after seeing the cool stuff she got every month I decided to join too. The subscription is $20.00 a month with free shipping, and with that price you can get either 3 nail polishes, 2 nail polishes and a beauty product, or 3 beauty products. Julep nail polishes retail for $15.00 online and at Sephora, so I thought it was a pretty good deal. You also get to see what is in your box each month ahead of time and can decide to skip that month (with no penalty) if you do not like the products. That was another reason I decided to sign up. I liked that I could skip some months if I decided I didn't like any of the polishes, or that I had enough nail polish and didn't need any more for the year.

When you sign up they ask you to take a quiz in order to create a "Style Profile." This way they can suggest polish shades for you every month that they think you will like. On the 20th of every month the boxes will become revealed and you will be able to see what items were placed in your box. If you don't like the box you were given you can switch for another style profile box that you like better. Once you choose your box you will be able to add on up to 3 other products from the month's collection for a third of the original price. This is what kills me because I find it impossible to turn down polishes for $5.99 when they are originally $14.99. Last month I shamelessly added three extra gorgeous shades to my box and the company just adds the cost of your add on products to the original $20.00 that you are paying. The boxes get shipped around the 27th of every month and take about 10-15 days for you to receive them. It is between the 20th and the 27th of the month that you would "skip" your box that month if you do not like the items in the month's collection.

When you first sign up you get a beginners box in addition to the box that is shipped that month. This box is free when you enter the coupon code "FREEBOX"  at the checkout. This box comes with two polishes, and a product (I received a moisturising serum). Before cashing out they also gave you the option to add on products so I could not resist adding a nail polish duo set to my box since I was getting the original box for free. Below you will see my beginners box that I just got in the mail and everything that came inside.

So this is how the box looked when I got it:
                                    

This is all the exciting stuff that came inside!

Here is each product in more detail  (how cute is it that they put in candy corn!) :

This is a moisturising serum for your body

This is a sample of Julep's foot scrub

These are halloween nail stickers

Candy corn for Halloween!

These are the 2 shades that came with my beginner's box

The left is "Padma" which is a pretty shiny dark purple

The right is "Florence" which is a pretty cream colour

Here are the 2 polishes that I added on for $9.99. I think the duo is called "Party Girls"

The polish on the left is "paris" which is a gorgeous gold glitter 

The polish on the right is "gayle" which is a pretty plum shade.

And here are the 4 polishes that I received all together:

So as you can see I think it was definitely a good deal. I got all this stuff for only $9.99! The colours are soo pretty and I cannot wait to paint my nails with these. I think the cream colour and the glitter would be so cute together.
 I have already picked my box for the month of November and the colours were GORGEOUS. The box shipped a few days ago and I cannot wait to get it in the mail. I will do another post when I get my November box showing you all the great stuff I got.

In the mean time, if you are interested in joining and getting a box full of beauty goodies every month click the link below:

http://www.julep.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/389614/

~Jess.♥

October Favourites ♥

As October comes to an end I thought I would share with you the products that I reached for a lot this month. I haven't tried too many new products this month so my post will probably be a little shorter than normal, but with all the new Christmas products now out in stores I definitely know what my next few pay checks will shamefully be going towards.

1. Bourjois Gel Foundation
I was at Shoppers Drugmart one day looking for a new foundation and the Sales Associate suggested I tried one by the company Bourjois. I had heard good things about the company before, but had never seen them being sold at the drugstore, so I decided to give their foundation a try. The foundation is said to be hypo-allergenic, and contain vitamin-rich fruits such as lychee, goji berries and pomegranate. The gel formula is also supposed to make the foundation blend more flawlessly and be more light weight. When I applied the product to the back of my hand in the store I was surprised with how easily and quickly it blended right into my skin. This pretty much sold me on the product right away. I purchased the shade "Vanilla" and I believe this product retailed for around $20.00. It really is a great foundation though and I would definitely consider repurchasing it when this one runs out because it goes on really nicely, doesn't settle into any lines or pores on my face, and has a pretty good staying power.

2. Tarte "Off the Cuff" blush palette
I did a review on this product when I bought it giving my first impressions, but now that I have used it pretty much every day I can confidently say that I love it and it is such a good palette. The quality of the blushes are great, they are really pigmented, and blend really well. The colours are also gorgeous and there are such a great variety of shades. The colours that I have been using the most are the 2nd shade (dazzled) and the third shade (darling). They give my a really pretty rosy flush while still looking really natural. These shades are not special shades that have only been released in the palette, so you can buy them on their own if you like one of the colours. The palette, however, retails for $40.00 and the individual blushes are $30.00, so the palette is a better deal and the blushes are a good size.  I am definitely happy with this purchase.

3. Hourglass Ambient lighting powders palette
This is another product that I did a detailed review of, so if you want to read that post you can check it out on the right hand side of the page. Since I purchased this palette I have been reaching for it every day, and I think it is pretty great. I especially love the middle shade which is "Incandescent Light" and it is the prettiest highlighting shade in the whole entire world. I seriously wish they made this in the individual powders because I would buy that one on its own, however, unfortunately it is a shade exclusive to the palette. The shade on the left is nothing too special to me, but I think it is meant to be just an all over neutral setting powder. The right shade is a little too dark for me for this time of year because I am really fair, but it will be gorgeous in the summer when I have more of a tan. These powders are great, and I won't go on too much more about them because I have a whole post about them if you are interested, but the palette retails for around $67.00 at Sephora. I am definitely going to have to buy more of these powders because they are gorgeous.

4. Too Faced Natural Eye Palette
This is a product that I mentioned in my "Eyeshadow palettes worth your money" post, and it is seriously one of my favourites. The palette just has the most gorgeous neutral colours that are great for every day, and I love the looks that I am able to make with these shadows. The shadows themselves are good quality and go on really well. The combination I use most often is silk teddy all over the lid push up in the crease, and cocoa puff in the outer "v". This palette is seriously perfection and is a really good starter palette for someone just getting into makeup. It is also a little cheaper than most palettes and is $35.00 at Sephora.

5. NARS Larger than life Eyeliner in "Rue Bonaparte"
This is an eyeliner that I use pretty often on my waterline because I like how it brightens up my eyes and makes them look bigger. It also makes me look a lot less tired in the morning. I used to use a white liner on my waterline for this but I like the light nude "rue bonaparte" shade a lot more. It looks a lot more natural and is more subtle than using white. I also like that the larger than life liners are the twist up ones because there is nothing I hate more than sharpening eyeliners. My one complaint with these is that they don't go on super smoothly so you need to go back and forth a few times before they look opaque, but I find the more I use the product the easier it gets to apply. These retail for $25.00 at Sephora.

6. Benefit They're Real mascara
I got a deluxe sample size of this mascara with my Sephora Beauty Insider points and honestly cannot wait to go buy the full size product. The wand has this spiky ball at the end that combs through your lashes to make sure there are no clumps, but you still end up with long voluminous lashes. This mascara is seriously great, and is probably tied with my Covergirl lash blast which until now has been my favourite mascara. This mascara is pricey though and retails for $30.00 at Sephora, so it might have to be a product I only buy as a treat every once and a while.

7. Chanel Glossimers in #164 and #165
These are two glosses that I have been reaching for a lot this month. The lighter pink shade is gorgeous and adds a touch of colour to your lips without making them too nude or baby pink. The darker shade is a pretty coral that makes your lips a little darker, but is still pretty sheer. I have been wearing these pretty much every day either on their own or over a lipstick or lip-liner and I love them. I want to get more of these because I also really like the formula. They are not too sticky, which I like, however they still manage to be pretty long lasting. I also like that they don't really have a smell because I will not go near anything cherry scented. Another thing I like about these shades are that they do not have shimmer in them, which I find a lot of the Chanel Glossimers do. These are probably my favourite lipglosses and they retail for around $30.00 at department stores.

8. Origin's Clear Improvements Active Charcoal Mask 
I have been using this mask about twice a month and when I first used it I really didn't expect to see a difference with my skin, but I found that it really did clean out my pores and made them look smaller. My face also felt so soft and clean after. My one complaint with this product is that it is a pain in the butt to wash off, but I have to say the results make it worth it. I like origins products because they are all natural, and this mask is made without parbens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, and synthetic dyes.  If you are in the market for a mask I would try this one. It retails for $28.00 at Sephora.

9. Essie "A List" nail polish
This is a polish that I have been loving this month and I have repainted my nails with it a few times. I just find that it is a really flattering red, and even my students in my placement class complimented me on my nails when I wore this polish. It is definitely a shade that I will be reaching for all of November and December.  This polish retails for around $10.00 at drugstores.
                                             

10. Sally Hanson Maximum Growth Top Coat
This is a top coat that I found lying around the house that my mom probably bought years ago and forgot about. I was in the market for a top coat so when I found it I decided to give it a try. I was actually really surprised with how well it worked. It makes my nails look soooooo shiny and makes the polish dry really fast. I was always the worst for painting my nails before bed and then waking up with them all messed up, but with this top coat they dry really quickly and always look perfect. I even use a really thick coat and it still dries perfectly. This is just a really great product. I am not sure how much it retails for at drugstores, but I am sure it isn't more than $8.00. If you are looking for a good, cheap top coat I suggest giving this one a try.

Leave me a comment below letting me know some of your favourites for the month of October

~Jess.♥

Are they worth the splurge?

I was doing my makeup this morning and I came across a few items in my collection that I didn't think lived up to their reputation. I decided to do a post to show you a few items that I feel are worth the splurge, and others that have let me down.

Urban Decay Naked 1:

The First item is the Urban Decay Naked Palette, and this retails for $60.00 at Sephora. This is an item that I would say is 100% worth every penny. It has such a wide variety of shades that let you do neutral every day looks, as well as darker smoky evening looks. The shadows are also amazing quality and are really pigmented. They apply well, and blend really easily. I definitely think that this product is worth the splurge. 

Nars Orgasm Blush:

The NARS blush in the shade "Orgasm" is one of those products that every Youtube Beauty Guru / Beauty Blogger owns and talks about, so I decided that I would buy it to see what all the hype was about. After using it for months I can say that it is a pretty blush, and the NARS blushes are good quality and very pigmented, however I do not think that there is anything unique about it. To me this is the standard coral-pink blush that is similar to a lot of other blushes in that shade, therefore I do not think it is a "must have" item. Below you can see NARS Orgasm beside MAC's Peachy-keen blush and you can see how similar these are. NARS blushes retail for around $30.00 so I do not think this item is worth the splurge. 

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation:

I bought this item because soo many Youtube Beauty Gurus were raving about it, and as a result I had really high expectations for this product. After trying it a couple times I wanted so badly to also be in love with it, but the truth was I really wasn't. I found this product to be just "okay". It had a nice smell, and applied pretty well, but I felt like the product didn't 100% match my skin shade, and I found it oxidized throughout the day and turned a little darker. I also do not think they have a wide enough range of shades. I bought shade 10, which is the lightest they have, and it was still a little too dark for me. I also found that this product settled into the smile lines I have around my mouth, which I didn't think would happen since it is supposed to be more of a tinted moisturiser. This product retails for around $50.00 at department stores, and I do not think it is worth the splurge. I think you can find a better foundation or tinted moisturiser at Sephora or MAC, or the drugstore for the matter that is more worth your money.

Beauty Blender:

I have mentioned this product before in a blog post, and the Beauty Blender is definitely a product that I think is worth the splurge. It is around $25.00, which I know is a lot for a sponge, but it is definitely worth every penny. I picked this item up multiple times while I have been on trips to Sephora and I always put it back because I never felt I could justify spending $25.00 on a sponge. One day I decided to bite the bullet and buy it because I had continuously heard how great it was, and I figured that if I really didn't like it then I could just return it and get my money back. It was probably one of the best purchases I've every made because I love this item. Since I bought it I have completely stopped using brushes to apply foundation because the Beauty Blender does such an amazing job. Your foundation and concealer are applied really evenly, and get blended out flawlessly. This is definitely an item that I think is worth the splurge. 

YSL Lipstick:

I had wanted to try the YSL Rouge Volupte lipsticks for a while because, well, lets be honest the packaging is gorgeous. At $40.00 each I knew they were quite pricey, but I had been having a bad week so I decided I deserve it. I had wanted a light pink lipstick for spring and after trying on a couple went with #1 "Nude Beige". I really like the formula of these lipsticks because they are really creamy and super pigmented. The product goes on quite thick so the colour looks very opaque on your lips, which I like, but the texture does take a little getting used to. I definitely think this is a brand of lipstick worth trying, and to me it was worth the splurge.

Diorshow Mascara:

I was at the Dior counter picking up one or two things and as I went to pay, the sales associate informed me that if I spent $30.00 more dollars than I would get a free makeup bag. I decided to try one of the Dior mascaras, and the woman at the counter suggested the Diorshow Extase mascara because it is very volumizing. I took her word for it and purchased the mascara. After using the product a few times though, I definitely did not think it was worth the hype. When used on its own I found that it made my eyelashes clumpy, and I really was not a fan of this product. The only way I was able to make the product somewhat work was to apply it to my lashes over a different mascara to add a bit more volume. Overall I was not impressed with this product and for $35.00, I would not purchase it again. It was definitely not worth the splurge to me. 

Dior Nailpolish:

I bought this Dior nailpolish in the colour "Blue Label" because I had seen it on a beauty blog and thought it was a pretty navy colour. I saw it at Sephora and decided that it would be an okay splurge since I really didn't have any nail polishes that were a similar colour. Overall I do like the colour, however, the Dior brand of nail polish definitely isn't anything special. The formula seemed comparable to me to OPI or Essie polishes, and the thick brush is a little hard to work with. I think I might buy another Dior polish in the future if the colour was something really unique that I didn't think I would find anywhere else, but otherwise they really are not worth the splurge. These retail at $25.00

Chanel Delicatesse Eyeshadow Quad:

This Chanel eyeshadow quad was one that I saw in the store and had to have because it was so gorgeous. The flower print embossed on the shadows sold me right away, I just thought it was so pretty, I didn't even want to use it and risk destroying the pattern. I justified my purchase by saying that the teal shade and the white shadow that had a teal sheen to it were so unique that I just couldn't pass this palette up. It was a limited edition part of the Spring Collection so I felt like if I didn't buy it then I would miss out forever. I think I ended up using this palette two or three times, and I really only used the teal colour as a liner for my bottom lashes and the white for an inner corner highlight. The pink and purple shades are colours that I cannot really see myself using that much, so for the most part the palette has just sat in my drawer. It definitely was not worth the splurge of $60.00. 

Dior Creme de Rose:

I decided to buy this lip balm because so many Youtubers had raved about it and I wanted to see if it was as amazing as everyone said. Even the Dior rep who was at the store that day described it as "lip crack". I am pleased to say that this product really has lived up to its reputation and is pretty amazing. The smell, first of all is GORGEOUS. It has this pretty floral scent that is so calming and soothing. It goes on so smooth and creamy and makes your lips feel a million times more moisturised soft.  This product was $30.00, which is a lot for a lip balm, but it is a product that I will be purchasing over and over again because it is great. Definitely worth the splurge.

L'Occitaine Cream:

This last item is a product that I picked up one day as I was waiting in line at Sephora because it was in those little bins by the cash. I was in the market for a good hand cream since mine get so dry and started to peel in the winter. I liked the pretty floral smell that this one had so I decided to get it. The cream doesn't feel that thick when you squeeze it out of the tube, but it does a good job moisturising your skin. It also is not greasy, which I really like, and the smell isn't nauseating. This tube is almost empty so I will definitely be getting another one. They have a few different scents, along with an unscented one. These retail for $12.00 at Sephora.

Beauty Wishlist : Items I am DYING to try

           

I thought it would be fun to share with you a few items that I have been lusting after lately. Every time I watch Beauty Guru's Youtube videos, or look through Beauty Blogs I always come across new items that I am dying to try. I would also like to place a bit of blame on the fact that Sephora always comes out with irresistible makeup sets around Christmas, and I keep adding new ones to my list. They are just such a nice way to try a bunch of new products without spending a lot of money.  Anyway, I obviously will not buy all, or even half the items on this list, but... a girl can dream.

Item#1:

The first item on my list is the new Chanel blush which is from the Holiday 2013 collection which is in the shade #84 and is called "Accent". It looks like a really pretty beige- plum colour and I think it would be really flattering even in the winter when my skin gets a lot more pale. I have a love/hate relationship with "limited edition collections" because I feel like if I like a product I need to buy it immediately or it will be sold out and I will lose my chance forever. This causes me a lot of psychological stress, and usually I end up making the splurge. I might go try on this blush in person and see if I like how it looks on me and then ill be forced to make the life or death decision of whether or not I am going to buy it.  This product retails for around $43.00 at department stores.

                      

Item #2:

The next item on my list is another part of the Chanel 2013 Holiday Collection and it is one of the Rouge Allure Lipsticks in shade #217  "Radieuse". This looks like a really pretty pink nude shade and I think it would look so pretty on absolutely everyone. This is a product that I definitely cannot stop thinking about, and I cannot wait to try on the next time I am at the mall. I have another rouge allure lipstick at home and I really like the formula.  They are easy to apply, don't crease throughout the day, and smell really nice. This might be another product that I splurge on if it looks nice on me. This product retails for around $34.00 at department stores. 

                         

Item #3:

The next item on my list is a YSL lipstick in shade #12 "Forbidden Burgundy". This is a lipstick that I have liked on other people, however I am not sure if I could pull off. It is definitely a scary colour, and I will need to try it on in the store to see how comfortable I feel wearing it. I do think it is a pretty colour though, so if you are in the market for a darker plum shade maybe give this one a try. I have a YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick and they are the most amazing quality , so they are definitely worth the $34.00. They are sooooooo creamy and they literally go on like butter. I might end up trying on a few other shades and getting a more wearable one because I am pretty in love with the formula of these lipsticks, and wouldn't mind getting another.  

                         

Item #4:

The next item on my list is the Illuminator by NARS. There are a few shades you can choose from, but I think the shade "Copacabana" is the one that would suit my skin tone best. This is a product that you can use as a highlighter on your cheeks, bridge of your nose, cupids bow, brow bone, etc. but it can also be added to your foundation to give your skin a nice glowy look. The latter is what intrigued my about the product the most, however, I am always open to trying a new highlighter. I might get a sample the next time I am at Sephora and try it a few times to see how I like it before investing in the full size package. I do anticipate this product to last a really long time though because you would only need a very small amount of product each time you use it. This product retails for around $30.00.

                       

Item #5

The next item on my list is another one of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting powders. The shade in the picture is the shade Luminous Light, which is described as a "Champagne Pearl". I'm interested in trying this one out in the store because it sounds pretty, but I want to swatch a couple and see which one I like best. I bought the Hourglass Ambient Lighting palette and use the highlighter shade in that every single day and absolutely love it, so it is making me want another one. This is definitely a product that I recommend because they are great and will last a really long time. These retail for around $45.00 at Sephora. 

                          

Item #6:

The next item on my list is the Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche perfume. It honestly smells so fresh (hence the name) and girly, and I love it. I make a point to spray it on myself every time I'm at the mall, but I haven't let myself buy it yet. It is expensive, so maybe I will ask for this for Christmas. It says on the Chanel website that it retails for around $90.00, but maybe department stores will have a smaller bottle that is cheaper. 

                            

Item #7:

The next product is one that I have fallen madly in love with, and it is the "Lolita" eyeshadow palette from Marc Jacobs. I saw it in Sephora one day and it was love at first sight, and I decided that I absolutely had to have it..... that was until I saw that it was $71.00. I decided to put it back, but vowed that one day I would come back and buy it because it is absolutely gorgeous! The colours are really pretty light pinks and browns, and it is a perfect every day neutral palette. I think this is a good investment because I will get so much use out of this palette. The shadows are also amazing quality and are sooooo pigmented. They are also so soft and buttery, and blend really well. This is definitely a product that I am going to save up for because I need it in my life and I think it is worth the investment. 

                    

Item #8:

The next product that I really want to try is one of the Christmas sets that Sephora has come out with. This is the "Give me some Lip" set that retails for $30.00. This set comes with one full size lip product, and 5 deluxe sample size products. It is a nice set if you want to try a bunch of brands of Sephora products to make sure you like the smell, formula, etc. before you invest in a full size item. This is a set that I am interested in because I have heard good things about the NARS and Buxom glosses and have always wanted to try them. I also have one of the TARTE jumbo lip pencils and love it so it would be nice to have another one. This set also comes with a nice range of colours, as well as an array of lip glosses, balms, and pencils. This is not a very expensive item so I might pick it up one day when I am at Sephora. These sets always suck me in because they are so fun and let you try a bunch of new products. 

                      

Item #9:

The last item on my list ( although I'm sure there's a lot more where that came from) is the Sephora Christmas Mascara set. This is the "Lash Stash" set and it retails for $54.00. This sounds a little pricey but it is a $174.00 value, and you get two full size mascaras 8 deluxe sample sizes, and a set of false lashes. This is a great set if you are like me and LOVE trying new mascaras. There is nothing worse though than spending money on a mascara and then finding out that it makes your eyelashes clumpy and horrible, or makes them look like little skinny sticks. With this set you can try out a bunch of mascaras before you commit to buying a full size one. This is definitely a set that I will be asking for for Christmas. Either that, or I will hold out until after Christmas when they go on sale, however then I am running the risk of them being sold out. Regardless this is a set that I will be looking to purchase in the future, and I think it is a fun set that lets you try a bunch of new things. 

                               

Well those are the items on my current wishlist. Let me know in the comments below if there are any products that you are lusting after that I should give a try. 

~Jess.♥