Too Faced Primed and Poreless Pure Review

I have been enjoying my mini Benefit POREfessional Pro Balm so much that I have forgotten about my Too Faced Primed and Poreless Pure that was included in my very first haul post in this blog. I was looking for a lipstick in my make up collection when I came across this primer still in the box, not getting much love from me so I decided to whip it out and use. I have been using this primer for about 3 weeks now which I think is a pretty good amount of time in testing a product for review.

All About Lip Balms

As a self-confessed lipstick addict, a moisturizing lip balm is essential in my make up collection. I have tried a few lip balms over the years and here are my opinion/mini review for each of them.

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter Review and Swatches Part 2 - Reds

Hey guys!

Here is part 2 of my review and swatches for the Revlon Lip Butters and I have the 'reds' for you today.  A lip butter is a hybrid of lip balm and pigmented lip colour and Revlon makes a wonderful collection of them. For this post, I have the shades Candy Apple and Cherry Tart. To read part one, click here.

Candy Apple - is a bright coral red shade that can be sheered out for a wearable red but quite intense when layered on the lips. This is one of the shades in the collection that has no glitter or shimmer and only glossy finish. 

Here is an arm and lip swatch

Cherry Tart - is a warm cherry red with micro glitter that brightens the face. I'm not really a fan of glitter on my lips so I have only worn this a couple of times but this is still a pretty colour nonetheless. 

Overall: The Revlon Lip Butters are excellent combination of lip balms and lipsticks which are not drying but not that moisturizing either. They are lightweight, creamy, have excellent pigmentation and have great variety of shades. On me, they were for about 2.5 - 3 hours before needing re-application.

Have you tried the Revlon Lip Butters? What's your favourite shade?

Benefit 'Bad Gal' Lash Mascara Review

Hey guys!

I think I have said in this blog time and time again how much I love Benefit Cosmetics as I don't think I have come across a product of theirs that I have not liked. Added to my list of product raves from Benefit is their Bad Gal Lash mini that I purchased in a set.

Company Description: Sexy, sultry, pure unadulterated black mascara for full, voluminous lashes. It's as BAD as you want to be! Famously big, bodacious brush coats lashes with our super black formula.

My Thoughts: I have not tried a lot of mascaras yet so by no means am I a mascara expert and I have not found a mascara that I can put in my Holy Grail Status yet but I'm really liking this product. What makes me really like this mascara is that it holds the lift and curl of my lashes very well and for long hours. With the previous mascaras I tried, about 3 hours after I can notice that my lashes droops down but that didn't happen with Bad Gal Lash. With its claims of providing volume, I had to take some points off as I didn't see much volume but that didn't turn me off into using the product. The first time I used this mascara I was preparing myself to be disappointed due to my previous experience with this mascara because they have similar looking wands but I was pleasantly surprised. The bristles of this mascara can be intimidatingly huge if you look at it but with careful application and practice, I have grown to like the wand. Another aspect that I like about this mascara is that it does not clump, I can layer coats of this mascara but it doesn't look heavy and does not weigh my curls down. Also, there is a photo below that I have added where it was taken after 8 hours of wear and you can see that I did not experience any flaking. 

Here are some pictures of Bad Gal Lash Mascara

 Bare, curled lashes

My lashes after applying the mascara

My lashes after 8 hours of wear

Overall: I really like this mascara because it's the first mascara that held my curls for long hours without flaking nor clumping and I would just need to find a mascara that I can pair this with to add more volume to my lashes.

Price: $26.00 CAD for full size
Place to buy: Sephora, Benefit Cosmetics

Holy Grail Status: Makeup Forever Mat Velvet + Foundation Review and Swatches

Hey guys!

Today, I would like to share with you one of my make up essentials that I don't think I could live without, a full coverage foundation. Since I have acne-prone skin there are certain qualities that I specifically look for and found in this foundation. Let's check out the Makeup Forever Mat Velvet + Foundation! 

Company Description: A shine controlling, oil-free, water-resistant, complete coverage liquid foundation. It conceals skin imperfections, evens out the complexion and mattifies with a powder finish.  This new oil-free, non comedogenic formula is suited to sensitive skin.

My thoughts: As it says on the title of the post, this is my holy grail foundation. I have been using this foundation on a daily basis for about 6 months now and have been very satisfied with it. I came along this foundation when I returned another full coverage one which is the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Foundation which made me break out quite badly. I was browsing through the brands in Sephora and remembered that a lot of people raved about MUFE HD foundation and I was going to pick that up but this foundation caught my eye and decided to purchase this instead. It comes in an opaque, matte plastic squeeze tube with a black cap and small sprout where you can control the amount of foundation you want to use. With the Mat Velvet +, I get everything I wish for from a foundation; it has full coverage that evens my skin tone but still feels lightweight, keeps my skin matte for long hours and yet it doesn't clog my pores. I brought this foundation when I was in Mexico where the weather is dry and humid and I've got to say that this foundation still performed well. I have paired this foundation with my Benefit POREfessional Pro Balm and noticed my face being oily after about 6 hours. I also swam in the pool and the ocean while wearing the combo and my foundation didn't fade. 

Here are some swatches

Overall: I have a few foundations in my rotation but I always go back to this on days that I want a fool proof face and would recommend this to someone who likes a matte and shine free face for long hours. This is also great for sensitive skin and does not clog pores.

Price: $40.00 CAD

Place to buy: Sephora

What is your Holy Grail foundation?

Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trio in 'Knock On Wood' Review and Swatches

Hey guys! How are you enjoying fall so far?

Since I have featured this trio in a recent eye look I created for fall, I thought to write about this wonderful palette in a post. "Knock on Wood" is a trio from Wet n Wild Color Icon line that includes  gorgeous autumnal shades perfect for the season.

Here are the shades

"Browbone" shade - is a dusty medium pink with a frosty finish. This may seem like a dark highlight shade but it actually sheers out easily when blended.

"Crease" shade - is a warm golden brown with a frosty finish. This is a great crease shade that compliments the eyelid shade well.

"Eyelid" shade - is a reddened brown, burgundy with a frosty finish. My favourite shade of the trio which is very pigmented.

Overall: A great thing about the Wet n Wild Color Icon Trios is that they have labels that will help you create a look easily but you don't necessarily have to follow them. The shadows are very pigmented, the texture is velvety smooth and not chalky at all, and the shades included in the trio blend and compliment each other well. The Color Icon also has a wide variety of shades from neutral to colour shadows.

Price: $4.99 CAD
Place to Buy: Walmart

Have you tried any of the Wet n Wild Trios?

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 'Raspberry Bite' Review and Swatches

I am a person who doesn't shy away from bold lips, I'm definitely someone who is more comfortable in wearing bright, intense, statement lip colours. And in lieu with that fact, I would like to share with you a lipstick great for the season. The Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Raspberry Bite is a gorgeously rich, red raspberry that epitomizes fall, in my opinion.

The Revlon Super Lustrous Lipsticks line is my favourite kind of drugstore lipstick because it has a wide variety of shades, great pigmentation, the formula is creamy, moisturizing and comfortable to wear. Raspberry Bite might look scary in the tube but its several shades lighter on the lips and the shade is also not that vampy so it can definitely be worn during the day.

Here is an arm and lip swatch

Overall: Raspberry Bite is a great shade, perfect for the season so I highly recommend it. This shade wears about 5 hours on my lips but it does leave a stain when removed.

Price: $6.99 - $8.99
Place to buy: Most drugstores

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette Review and Swatches

I know I know, this palette has been reviewed and raved about by so many other bloggers but since I use this palette everyday and have recently written about the original I thought to write my own review for this follow up palette. 

Company Description: The most anticipated sequel of the decade. Naked2 has 12 pigment-rich, taupe and greige neutral eyeshadows. Our palette proves once again, neutral is anything but boring, (and is downright sexy when worn Naked). Feast your eyes on our shades ranging from pale to deep, matte to sparkly. This collection lets you achieve lots of neutral looks, smoky dramatic eyes, and everything in between. Let's just say there's a whole new way to get Naked! The case has an art-school inspired look with hinged lid - taupe metal with embossed chocolate brown artwork. It's smooth, modern and cool to the touch - a real tactile experience. Plus, our palette also features a travel-size Lip Junkie Lipgloss in Naked, AND a double-ended, cruelty-free Good Karma Shadow/Crease Brush (available only in this palette). Any self-respecting makeup lover will have to have both palettes to get their complete neutral fix! 

Packaging: The palette is housed in a sleek metal tin that has clasps on each side to open and close the palette. Upon opening the palette, you will see 12 gorgeous full sized eyeshadows, a double ended Good Karma brush (flat brush and rounded blending brush) and a big mirror across the lid. The palette also includes a mini Lip Junkie Lipgloss in the shade Naked. 

Here are some pictures of the palette

So here are the eyeshadows

Foxy - matte soft beige with a hint of yellow. 

Half Baked - metallic neutral gold

Booty Call - frosted champagne-y white 

Chopper - shimmery orange with silver micro-glitter

Tease - matte taupe with purple undertone

Snakebite - dark bronze with golden shimmer

Suspect - frosted taupe-y bronze

Pistol - frosted grayish brown

Verve - pale pink-y gray

YDK - metallic coppery brown with silver micro-glitter

Busted - dark burgundy-brown

Blackout - matte intense black

Lip Junkie Lipgloss in Naked

Dual Ended Good Karma Brush

Flat end of the brush

Rounded blending end of the brush

Overall: I am in love with this palette! When it comes to eyeshadows, neutral shades are my bestfriend! With the 12 gorgeous shades that are included in this palette, there are endless makeup looks that I can create. From everyday neutral looks to smokey going out looks. I like that the highlighter shade (foxy) is a matte and the black matte (blackout) is rich and very intense. The $60.00 price tag for this palette may be a little steep but when you break it down, its actually a bargain as one full size Urban Decay eyeshadow costs $22.00 CAD x 12 = $264.00 + a Good Karma costs around $20.00, that's a total of $284.00. 

Price: $60.00 CAD/ $50.00 USD

Place to buy: Sephora, Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutique

MAC Impassioned Lipstick Review and Swatches

I know it's already the beginning of fall but I'm still pretty fond of wearing bright lipsticks hence, the product featured for today's post. I purchased this lipstick when I missed out on one of MAC's limited edition shades which is Party Parrot as this is a close dupe. 

Impassioned is officially described as an "amped up fuchsia" which I totally agree with as this is a shade that very hard to miss! The colour is kind of a pink-red with a touch of coral and can seem almost neon at some lights. This shade is an amplified finish which means it's creamy and colour pigmentation is intense. 

Here is an arm and lip swatch of the shade

As any of the other MAC lipsticks in my collection, this shade lasts about 4 hours before needing re-application. Also, a lip balm is recommended to be worn underneath the lipstick.

Price: $18.00 CAD

Place to buy: MAC Cosmetics, The Bay

Have you tried MAC Impassioned? What's your opinion about the lipstick?