GIVEAWAY: Bare Escentuals / Bare Minerals Makeup

I thought it would be nice to give away some red and pink products before February ends. This Soft Sweep Cheek Brush and Intrigue Blush (soft rose) are limited edition products that came out in the Bare Escentuals / Bare Minerals Surprise Collection. The brush handle and the lid of the blush feature shiny berry red accents. 

You can enter to win these items by filling out the Rafflecopter form below. 

Good Luck!

****This giveaway is open internationally and will close on March 6, 2015 at 11:59 PM****

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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 (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?

How to Achieve Glowy Skin

Most days, I’m all about wearing as little makeup as possible…especially during the warmer months when it’s too hot and humid to spend time applying makeup that will just melt off as soon as I leave the house.

As soon as the temperature starts rising, I tend to go through phases where I will play up only one feature at a time. Sometimes I’ll create a bright eye look, other times I will opt for a vibrant lip shade. Lately, I have been focusing on fresh, glowy skin; it’s easy to achieve and gives the complexion an effortless radiance.

Since I don’t wear foundation, I always begin with a moisturizer (with sunscreen). After waiting a few minutes for my skin to absorb the moisturizer, I apply MAC’s Mineralize blush in the shade Dainty. I find that mineralize blushes work best on bare skin and they never look chalky. In terms of application, I like to buff Dainty onto the apples of my cheeks by swirling my Sigma F40 Large Angled Contour brush in a circular motion. Using this technique prevents any harsh lines or uneven patches.

Next, I use my Sigma F50 Duo Fibre brush to sweep a bit of Benefit’s Sugarbomb face powder over the blush. To finish, I curl my lashes, swipe them with a bit of Vaseline, and dab my lips with a lip balm. The result: A peachy-pink, healthy (but not glittery) glow. I wear this look every day and I always feel fresh-faced and confident despite the fact that I’m hardly wearing any makeup. The best part is that I don’t have to wash off a full face of makeup at the end of the day.

What’s your go-to routine for glowy skin?

My Top Five Blushes for Summer

During the summer months, I like my skin to look fresh, glowy and effortless. I achieve this look with the following five blushes:
1. MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty
Dainty has been a long-time favourite of mine. It is perfect for my pale skin tone and it gives my complexion a healthy pink flush with a bit of glow. MAC describes this colour as a “light yellow pink with gold pearl.” I find that this colour is very neutral and flatters my cool toned colouring. Since it is a mineralize blush, it applies very smoothly, even on bare skin, and never looks harsh.

2. Benefit Benetint
On very hot summer days, I like to use a cheek stain that will stay put through heat, humidity, rain, and even sweat. My favourite is Benefit’s Benetint, a rose-tinted cheek and lip stain. It comes in a tiny glass bottle that looks like it could contain nail polish with its round shape and brush applicator. I apply this product by brushing two or three horizontal lines of colour on the apples of my cheeks and then blend with my fingers. It dries fast so I have to work quickly. Once set, it lasts all day. The rosy shade gives my cheeks a healthy just-got-back-from-the-gym flush. Note: in the photo below, it looks like this product may contain a bit of shimmer but it does not. Any little glimmering flecks were left over from previous swatches.

3. Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Dollface
For a long lasting powder blush, I turn to Tarte’s Amazonian Clay line. These blushes stand up to heat and humidity and last well into the evening hours. My favourite summer shade from this line is a light pink called Dollface. For the most part, this shade is matte. I usually stay away from matte blushes because they can look quite flat but this colour gives my cheeks a bright pastel pink glow that really does make my pale skin look porcelain and doll-like. I have found that it is easy to apply too much of this blush and the colour seems to intensify about 10 minutes after application; therefore, I use a soft brush and a light hand when applying Dollface.

4. Pür Minerals Pressed Mineral Blush in Natural Bornite
This blush has been hiding at the back of my makeup collection for a couple years. I discovered it a couple weeks ago and realized that it had never been used. I usually gravitate towards pinks and this nude-ish shade is just not my style…or so I thought. Out of curiosity I applied a bit to my cheeks and it instantly made my skin look healthy and slightly bronzed. Now this product is my secret for adding colour to my cheeks without looking like I am wearing blush. Perfect for those “no makeup” makeup days. Also, it is fairly sheer and blends nicely so there is no risk of applying too much. The matte finish adds to the natural effect that it gives.

5. Benefit Sugarbomb Face Powder
For me, this product serves three purposes; It works as a blush, a cheek highlighter, and a luminous face powder. Most days I dust it over my blush to give my cheeks a bit of sheen. It is never glittery and somehow gives my foundationless complexion a very smooth, airbrushed finish. On days when I don’t wear blush, I still use this to give my cheeks a subtle glow with a bit of colour. The product comes with four shades (coral, light pink, muted plum, peach). When swirled together, the colours produce a shade that is peachy-pink and extremely glowy but never glittery.

What are your favourite blushes for summer?

NEW Limited Edition Paris Palette from Sigma!!!!

The Paris Palette was created by seven beauty experts (TiffanyD, Xteeener, DulceCandy87, Xsparkage, Frmheadtotoe, Petrilude and MacNC40). They explored the City of Lights and developed an original makeup palette inspired by the alluring city of Paris.

The palette includes eight eye shadows that were influenced by landmark monuments and locations in Paris. It also includes two blush colors and one highlight shade that compliment all skin tones. The palette also contains two  Sigma brushes, E55 (eye shading) and F40 (large angled contour).

Click here http://www.sigmabeauty.com/Paris_Makeup_Palette_p/ep004.htm?Click=62512 to check out the palette on the Sigma site or click on the images below.

Tarte LipSurgence in Sweet and Amazonian Clay blush in Peaceful

Recently I have been interested in trying Tarte products so I decided to purchase a lip luster and a blush.
So far I have tried each item once.
The lip luster is a very nice shade of golden peachy pink. It is long lasting and does not dry out the lips.
The blush is similar in colour to the lip luster. It applies smoothly and lasts for a long time. The product claims to last for 12 hours. I tried it on bare skin and it did not start to fade until after eight hours of wear.
I will do more in-depth reviews of both products once I get a chance to try them out for an extended period of time.
*click photos to enlarge*

New Cream Shadows and Blushes from Joe Fresh Beauty!

I got an email this morning from Joe Fresh Beauty announcing some of their new products for spring. Among these new products are cream eyeshadows and blushes.

If you have never heard of Joe Fresh Beauty, it is a line of products that was launched in the spring of 2009 and offers quality products that are both fashionable and affordable. Products are sold in over 250 Loblaws stores in Canada.

So far, I have not tried Joe Fresh Beauty products but I would love to try the cream blushes, lipsticks, lipglosses, lip stains, and cheek tints. The products really are affordable. For example, the new cream blushes are $8 and the cheek tints are only $4.

Have you tried any beauty products from Joe Fresh? If so, what did you think of them?

To find out more about the new products and see the company’s other products, visit http://www.joefresh.com/en/bath_beauty/

*click image to enlarge*

MAC Dainty Blush

I have been using Dainty Mineralize Blush from MAC for about a month now. I purchased it as a replacement for the blush that I had used for about 5 years—L’Oreal Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Blush in Soft Rose. While I loved the colour of the L’Oreal blush, I was tired of the mess that the loose powder always made. Also, I have heard mixed information regarding the company’s stance on animal testing so I wanted to find a blush that was mineralized, yet pressed, and made by a company that was cruelty free.
Many people suggested Dainty blush for me but I was hesitant to purchase it for two reasons: #1, in pictures it appeared to have a lot of shimmer which I do not like in a blush. #2, at $26.50 CAD for 3.5 g / 0.11 oz (non-mineralize blushes from MAC are only $23.50 CAD for 6 g / 0.21 oz) it seemed very expensive.
I first tried to find this blush for a discounted price in the sale section of certain beauty forums but ultimately had no luck. Then one day I took a trip to my MAC counter to return my tube of Syrup lipstick (I have a blog post here on why I did not like Syrup: http://putbeautytowords.blogspot.com/2011/02/mac-syrup-lipstick.html). I decided to check out Dainty while I was there.  It looked very vibrant and shimmery in the pan so I was not convinced. The sales associate handed me a duo fibre brush and told me to try it anyway because it would work really well with my skin tone (very pale and cool-toned).
I loved it! It gave my skin the prettiest pink flush and there was no visible shimmer. My complexion was radiant and glowy and before I knew it I was on my way out of the store with a brand new box of Dainty blush.
The next day I applied the blush and was no longer impressed—I looked sunburnt! I thought about returning it but decided to give it another try the next day. I used a much lighter hand and concentrated it on only the apples of my cheeks. It looked great again and I have worn it every day since with success. Ever since I started wearing Dainty I have been receiving compliments on my skin. I’m able to get the most flawless application when I apply Dainty using my Sigma F55 brush (http://www.sigmabeauty.com/product_p/f55.htm?Click=62512).
MAC describes the colour of Dainty as a light yellow pink with gold pearl. While I agree that there is a gold pearl running through the product, I would call it more of a rosy pink rather than a yellow pink. Either way, it is a gorgeous colour that I will definitely repurchase.
My rating: 5/5
*click photos to enlarge*