Sephora Haul + Mini Reviews

It’s been almost a year since my last Sephora haul, so I decided it was time to purchase a few new items to start off 2017.

Sephora Haul + Mini Reviews

I’m on the search for a hand cream that will actually hydrate and protect my hands during the dry winter months. I’ve tried many products over the years and still haven’t found a miracle hand care product. After trying out what the drugstore has to offer, I ventured to Sephora’s website and ordered a few products that I’ve been curious about. I’ve included mini reviews below on the ones I have tried so far.
(clockwise from left to right)
1. Jack Black Industrial Strength Hand Healer – This is a sample tube that I got using the promo code YOURGIFT. I may consider purchasing the full size version of this hand cream in the future because it really is amazing. It leaves my hands feeling hydrated and protected without any greasiness. The smell is a bit medicinal but it fades quickly. Even though the full size tube is a bit pricey, I think it would last a long time since a little goes a long way with this product.
2. Tocca Beauty Crema da Mano Hand Cream in Cleopatra – I decided to try out this product because it had good reviews on the Sephora site and it was only $10. It has a pleasant clean citrus scent, but I have not tried the product yet since I’m still working on the Jack Black sample.
3. Sephora Collection Bunette in Brown – This is the second bunette that I have ordered. The first time I ordered one I was sent the blonde version instead. I tried it anyway and was so impressed. I have very fine, medium-length hair with layers. I could never get the donut bun makers to work and gave up on wearing my hair in buns until a friend with a similar hair type suggested that I try a bunette. Even with the blonde version there was no bunette showing and it was so easy to use (it worked on one try unlike the donut!). It lasted all day and I only needed one hair pin to hold everything together. With the donut, I needed about 10. I ordered a bunette in brown this time around just in case Sephora discontinues them at some point. If you have hair like mine and have trouble making buns, I recommend trying this out; they are only $5 right now!
4. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream – This is a repurchase for me. I mentioned this product in my Skin Care Routine post. Basically, I use it as a neck cream to hydrate and to calm eczema and irritation. I have been using it for almost a year and the skin on my neck is now flawless. Before I started using it, I wore scarves indoors because I was embarrassed by the blotchy red inflammation on my neck. Needless to say, I recommend this if you are still searching for something to keep eczema under control.
5. Lavanila The Healthy Deodorant – I ordered the travel size version of this product in the Pure Vanilla scent. I have been using it for a couple weeks. Since it’s winter, I can’t really tell how well it will work during the hot summer months. So far, I think it works well and I like that it is free of harsh chemicals.
6. L'Occitane The Secret To Beautiful Hands Ornament – I have been wanting to try out this company’s hand care products, so I ordered this item from the holiday line because it was less expensive than ordering a tube from the regular line containing the same amount of product (1 oz.). I will try this out once I have finished my Jack Black sample.
7. Living Proof Prime Style Extender – This is one of the three free samples that I received with my order. I have not tried it yet but I really like other products from the Living Proof line, especially the Perfect Hair Day shampoo and conditioner.
8. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Fearless – I chose this sample because I love the Tarte blushes and use them daily. This shade gives my pale skin the most beautiful, delicate pink flush. It is very pigmented though so I have to be careful with it.
9. Stella McCartney Stella Fragrance – I had trouble choosing a third sample so I opted for this one to give to my mom since she likes fragrance samples. This fragrance contains notes of rose, peony flower, mandarin, rose absolute, and amber.
Have you tried any of these products? What are your thoughts on them? What is the best hand care product that you have tried?

Mini Sephora Haul + Reviews (Tarte Blissful & Urban Decay Naked Basics)

I have another Sephora haul to share with you today. I usually read lots of reviews before purchasing a product to make sure that I will love it and won’t need to return it. I feel bad returning makeup since I know that it usually has to be sent back to the company and disposed of. The two products that I purchased in this haul are items that I have wanted for a long time. I purchased them a while ago and had time to try them out, so I have included reviews below.

The first item is one of Tarte’s Amazonian Clay blushes in the shade Blissful which is described as a shimmering warm peach. Despite the description, there is no shimmer in this product. It’s a warm matte coral peachy pink shade. I have a cool complexion and was worried that this colour wouldn’t work for me, but I actually really like it. It warms up my cool, pale complexion a bit, but it is not overpowering or too bright. In fact, it takes much longer to build this colour than some of my other Tarte blushes. It’s almost as though this blush is packed so tightly in the pan that it’s harder to pick up the product on my brush. This isn’t really a problem for me though since I like to have control over how much I’m putting on. I like to use this on days when I want to brighten my complexion and look very fresh and awake, so I usually pair it with my Revlon lip butter in Papaya and the peach side of my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Blonde as a cheek highlight and eyeshadow. It gives me that peaches and cream look. Overall, I really like it and recommend it to those looking for a subtle pop of peach.

The other product that I purchased is the Naked Basics Palette from Urban Decay. I never got into collecting palettes from UD’s naked line. I do really love my Naked 2 palette but skipped the first Naked palette since the colours looked too dark and too warm. I tend to wear very light shadows that make my eyes look naturally bright. I did try out Naked 3 but found that the shadows all had red or pink undertones which did not complement my complexion and actually irritated my eyes. I think that the Naked 3 palette was the only makeup item that I have ever returned. I was very disappointed since I really thought that I would enjoy it. After I returned it, I avoided wearing eyeshadow for quite a while. Then I decided that I would buy a palette containing only light shades without too much shimmer. After lots of research, I discovered Naked Basics. This is the perfect palette for me. I can create many different looks with it and my eyes never feel overdone. I don’t use the black all that often but I use all of the other shades quite a bit. My favourite thing to do is use my ring finger to pat W.O.S. on my lids. It’s a creamy matte shade so it covers all the veins in my lids and gives my eyes a more awake look without revealing that I’m wearing makeup. For an easy, subtle look, I like to use W.O.S or Foxy as a lid colour, Venus as an inner corner and brow highlight, and Naked 2 as a crease colour. When I want to go a bit darker, I add a bit of Faint to the outer corner. If I’m feeling really bold, I’ll line my top lashes with Crave.  Overall, I’m so impressed with this palette and recommend it to anyone who likes to wear very natural looking eye looks.
What do you think of this little haul? Have you tried any of these products? What are your thoughts on them? Do you recommend any other products from Tarte or Urban Decay?

Sephora Haul + Mini Reviews

A while ago, I placed a little online Sephora order to try out a few products that I had been curious about. I have had some time to try some of them so I included mini reviews below.

The first items that I purchased are these mini bottles of Living Proof Full Shampoo and Conditioner. The salon that I go to used these products on my hair once and I really liked the results. I opted for the smaller bottles in case I wasn’t happy with the products after using them for a few weeks. While I love the fact that this combination gives my hair volume and keeps it cleaner for longer, I will not purchase it again. The biggest problem though is the fact that these products create volume and thickness by creating texture in the hair. This texture created horrible tangles in my straight, fine hair. Specifically, the hair at the back of my head near the nape of my neck always had huge clumps of tangles in it while I was using these products. I have since switched to other Living Proof products which don’t cause the same problems. It is a bit sad though because I loved the volume that these products add to the hair.

Next is one of the Make Up For Ever HD blushes in shade #210 (Cool Pink). This is a beautiful pink shade that really compliments my pale complexion. While it is a cool pink, I think that it is also very neutral and would work on warmer skin tones too. The cream formula of this blush is wonderful.It glides over the skin very evenly and looks very natural. There is no shimmer in this blush which is nice for a change. I was inspired to try this shade after purchasing a more peachy shade back in the summer (#215 – Flamingo Pink). I loved the formula so much that I wanted to try a pink shade too. While these HD blushes are a bit pricey, a little really does go a long way.

I picked up another pink blush as well—the Tarte Deluxe Cheek Stain in Energy. This is one of those products that goes on clear and changes colour with your skin chemistry to create a flattering shade for your unique skin tone. It creates a nice, light pink shade on my cheeks and the product feels very light and comfortable on the skin. It leaves a very natural, dewy finish. While I do like this product, I never really seem to reach for it. I think that is because the pink shade is similar to many that I already own. The mini tube and easy application make it perfect for travel though.

The last two items are a Hand Healer from Jack Black and some Shiseido eyelash curler pads. The Hand Healer was a deluxe sample that I added during checkout. I thought it would be a good product to have on hand (literally!) for winter. The eyelash curler pads are just extras that I picked up for when my current one wears out.
Out of this haul, my favourite product is the MUFE blush. What’s yours?

Sephora Haul (Pictures + Swatches)

After lots of contemplation, I decided to return my Urban Decay Naked 3  palette. The shadows were not very pigmented on me despite my very pale complexion, and the pink-toned shades left my eyes looking tired and dull. I also found that the shadows disappeared after a few hours even though I was wearing a primer. I have never experienced any of these problems with my Naked 2 palette.
I thought that instead of keeping a palette that I was never going to use, it would be a good idea to exchange it for new products in spring inspired shades.
The first item that I picked up was the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. My skin has been terribly dry this winter and I have been experiencing eczema-like patches on my face and neck, so I thought this cream would be worth a try. Since it’s free of parabens, harsh chemicals, and colorants, I’m hoping that it will calm my very sensitive, irritated skin without causing any more harm and smooth out all the red patches before spring.

Next up is one of the new HD Blushes from Make Up For Ever. The Sales Associate recommended this blush to me because I told her that I wanted a cheek product that would apply smoothly on bare skin since I do not use any foundation or powder. She said that this blush looks flawless and melts into the skin without looking blotchy. I was a bit hesitant since I’m not great at applying cream blush, but she said that I could use a brush and apply it just like I would a powder product. This blush is very pigmented so very little goes a long way. The colour that she selected for me is #215 Flamingo pink. It’s a non-shimmery peachy-pink shade that’s great for spring. If I like the formula, I will consider trying more shades.

This last product is one of the new Cheek Pop blushes from Clinique. While the peachy shades were very pretty, I wanted to start with a pink since I’m used to wearing light pink blushes. I chose Plum Pop over Berry Pop since the plum shade was a bit more of a cool toned pink. I love the cute packaging and beautiful floral pattern on the blush itself. The Sales Associate tried this shade on me in the store and it really complemented my pale skin. I like how it gives the skin a radiant, glowy sheen without any visible glitter. I will probably try the other shades in the line too since they are all very spring appropriate, and I tend to have a weakness for new blushes.

What are your favourite blushes for spring?

Sephora Haul: Naked3 and Lollitint

It took me a while to decide if I needed Naked3. I don’t wear eyeshadow daily and I was worried that the pink tones wouldn’t look nice with brown eyes. After reading many reviews, I thought it was worth a try since most people said that the colours were lighter than the shades in Naked and Naked2. I never purchased the original Naked palette because the shadows were way too dark for me, but I got Naked2 because it complements cool toned complexions. I like Naked2 but some of the shades are a bit intimidating. As you can see from the photos below, the shades in Naked3 are much softer.

Naked3 comes with a double ended brush and some primer potion samples.

Naked3 contains twelve rose toned shadows.

Strange, Dust, Burnout, and Limit.

Buzz, Trick, Nooner, and Liar.

Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, and Blackheart.
I have not tried Naked3 yet so I will be posting more pictures, swatches, and comparisons to Naked2 in the future.
When purchasing Naked3 from Sephora, I also ordered Lollitint from Benefit. I already have the other three tints and really wanted to try this one.

On the skin, Lollitint looks a bit brighter than it does on the brush in the photo below.

Soon, I will create a post that shows swatches and comparisons of all four of Benefit’s tints.
Have you tried Naked3 or Lollitint. What are your thoughts on these products?