Weekend Round Up | The Best of February 22nd-27th

Rounding up new product releases, post highlights and products I've got my hands on this week. Here's some of the best for February 22nd-27th 2015.

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara - Available Now!

This is just a quick heads up post that the Benefit Roller Lash Mascara which I reviewed in this post for Mascara Monday last week is available to purchase today! You can purchase it for $29 CND/ $24USD at Sephora.com $ 24 USD/ at Benefit.com £19.50 GBP at Benefit.co.uk 

You Might Be a Lip Product Junkie When...

A couple months ago I posted this post titled "You might be a beauty blogger when..." and thought it was kind of a fun look into what it's like to be so passionate about the makeup and beauty biz in general. Then the other day I caught myself contorting my favourite lip product of all time into something unrecognizable to get the last drop out, and my inner monologue said, "You might be a lip product junkie when..."

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Ash Brown

When it comes to brows, Anastasia Beverly Hills is the brand to beat. The Brow Wiz won me over some time last year (after debated dropping $28 CND on it for ages, only to find out that it was in fact completely worth it) More recently there have been some new developments in the brow-power brands line, but I could never find a shade match... until now.

On Wednesdays We Wear Pink

I wouldn't say I am a huge wearer of pink when it comes to clothes. The odd blush shaded sweater here, or pink scarf there for a pop of colour. Mean Girl quote aside though, I do love a bit of pink on the lips cheeks and even eyes (makes the green really pop!) The other day I noticed that I had a collection of pink packaged items on my vanity and it had me thinking about all my favourite pink makeup bits...

My Evening Skincare Routine

I've been meaning to write this post for ages now, probably since I really hammered down my nighttime skincare routine to a ten minute art. The last two years have brought some serious changes in my skin (that whole getting older hormones thing really sucks BTW) and it took a lot of trial and error to get a cocktail of products that all seemed to work as a team together for my dry dehydrated with hormonal breakout bound skin.

New Kid On the Block | Saying 'Puff Off' to Tired Puffy Eyes With Benefit Puff Off

Knowing full well the skeptic I am by now, it was no surprise I was dubious on the newest edition to the ever creative and fun packaged brand Benefit. I'm not one for gadgets and this screamed 'all fun, no function' to me... and then I tried it. I love a good underdog and Benefit Puff Off truly went from no expectations to full stop impressed in just a few uses.

Sunday Steals | A Gorgeous Highlighter Under $5?

I enjoy luxury makeup and skincare, that's no lie, but this girl also loves a great bargain buy (unintentional yet awesome rhyme alert!) Generally I find some products just tend to be better from higher end brands, and highlighting products are usually in that category for me. More affordable options tend to be higher on the glitter scale, but this little gem is a subtle glowing pearly beige that highlights without looking frosty or like I just stepped out of a 90's rave and comes in under a fiver...

Weekend Round Up | This Weeks Posts February 15th-20th

Rounding up new product releases, post highlights and products I've got my hands on this week. Here's some of the best for February 15th-20th 2015.

Going Out of the Comfort Zone | Red Lips

I've never been a red lip kind of girl. I just never really felt it worked with my skin and complexion, though I'll admit, I didn't try very hard either.

I've discovered that orange tinged reds and corals look good on me, but never really went true red... until now anyways.

A Pale Girl's Products for Natural Looking Contour

Contouring has been all the rage for the last year or so. Tons of brands are coming out with contouring palettes and kits, and so many YouTubers are doing tutorials on how to chisel and carve your face with makeup until you practically don't look like yourself anymore. I'm personally not a fan of this look, but certainly am not above getting a little help in the cheekbone department. So here are the two products I use on my fair-light skin that I find give a natural looking contour, minus the stripes and and hard lines.

Which Spritz to Spray?

Cosmetic companies have been coming out with spritzable products for a while now, and they all promise to be life changing, but some are definitely better geared towards specific uses (for example, not a single one I own does all the jobs it claims, they each serve their own purpose) After recently falling back in love sprays, I decided to pull out five sprayable products out of my stash and break them down by use and what they truly work best for.

The Tiniest of all Eyeliner Brushes... and its Under $5

 Winged liner is a staple look of mine, and finding the best eyeliner brush for the job is a forever challenge I continuously torture myself with. I adore my Make Up For Ever 250 brush for its smooth application, but occasionally you want something even tinier, even more precise. Something that makes your feline flicks look like they could cut like a knife. I think I just found it.

Mascara Monday | Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

If it's two things Benefit seems really big on, its hyping up a product and going all out on packaging. Their newest mascara offering is no change from this, and after seeing heaps of youtube videos, blog and instagram posts about it, my curiosity was piqued. So naturally when Sephora offered a mini trial version to their Beauty Insiders as a gift with purchase I jumped at the chance, and may or may not have done an inner squeal of excitement (you know you're a beauty blogger when...)

Weekend Edition | The Valentine's Face

Anyone who knows me, knows I wear makeup for myself and no one else. Having said that, I'm totally not above using a holiday (Hallmark or not) to inspire my look - heck, St Patricks Day is pretty much the perfect excuse for me to rock bright green eyeshadow, amiright? Here's the look I went for this Valentine's Day... it even includes the much expected (though not from me) red lip.

Tutorial | Valentines Nails

Ok, so a master of nails I am not, but I have managed to get much better than years past at painting my short little nails. I thought it might be fun to try something new on the blog and do a basic Valentine's Day nail tutorial on how I got my little heart accent nail in the main picture. 

Cream Products | The Best Of

Being that I have dryer skin, I love the idea of cream products. What I don't like the idea of is my makeup slipping and sliding around or the lack of pigment and greasy feel some cream makeup has. Here's a (large) handful of cream makeup products that I think live up to the hype and perform likewise.

The Setting Spray That Wont Set You Back (too much)

See what I did there? In the title? #sorrynotsorry. 

Setting sprays and I have kind of a on and off relationship - I love the idea of them but rarely find they translate on to my dry dehydrated skin the way I wish. After falling in love with a spray primer this month, I decided to give them another go and picked up this gem and I'm not regretting it for a second. Best part? It's about half the price of other setting sprays I've tried.

The Letdowns | January 2015

With every month of trying to beauty products (I know I have a problem) there are always a handful of favourites and naturally, a handful of fails. January was a particularly full month due a ridiculous haul, and there were six products that stood out to me as letdowns, including three I expected myself to love... 

New Kid On the Block | Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil

Its no secret around these parts how much love I hold for the Clarins Instant Light range - my deep rooted love for the Instant Light Lip Perfector in #05 is tossed around plenty here, and I'm also a big fan of the Instant Light Illuminating Base. So naturally when word started getting 'round that there was a lip oil coming out, I started stalking my local Clarins counters (im)patiently waiting for its release.

Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil claims to be "A comforting oil that immediately soothes lips and nourishes them while leaving them beautifully shiny with natural-looking colour. Its rich texture develops a protective, non-sticky film on the surface of the lips. Protected from dehydration, lips are supple, soft and look plumper". The texture is nothing you would expect with something that has 'oil' in the title - it's quite thick with a honey like texture. While it claims to be non-sticky, I'm going to be honest here and say that I do find it sticky, but more so after it has been on my lips for a little while. Right after application my lips look glossy and plump, but I do find it absorbs in a bit and some of that glossiness dissipates. it's up to you to decide if that is a pro or con to this product. 

Released in two shades flavours, Honey and Raspberry (which I've been told is limited edition) I picked up the Honey, which goes on completely clear and was the nicer smelling one to my sensitive nose (the Raspberry smelled quite medicinal to me personally). The Raspberry appeared to have a pinked up purple tint in the tube, but also went on totally clear, so a heads up for those hoping it would be a 'stain' of sorts. 

I will say the applicator on these is awesome. Its like a beefed up doe foot that is super soft and spongy and makes application a synch. Overall it was very nice to apply, but fell a bit short for what I was hoping out of the product - which was more of a nourishing oil, and less of a gloss. Those of you who want the sheen of a clear gloss but not quite as sticky in texture will love this. Those who were looking for a more balmy like feel like myself may not feel the hype as much.

Let's put it this way, it won't be replacing my one true love, the Instant Light Lip Perfectors anytime soon, they still win hands down for most moisturizing lip product, colour or not. (side note, Clarins has come out with Instant Light Lip Perfector Sticks recently as well, which are a nice balm, but definitely more sheer in colour than the original formula)

Have you tried this or the other Clarins lips products mentioned? What is your favourite nourishing lip balm? Leave me a comment below!

xo, Jaime 

The Everyday (Always Looks Decent) Face

I am truly one of those girls who loves to change her makeup day to day. I thrive on different eyeshadow effects, what blush goes with what look, to have winged liner or no winged liner - you get the drift. Occasionally though I just want to slap some face paint on my mug and know it is gonna look 'ok', so here's my go to 'know it will turn out ok' everyday face. 

NARS ITA Brush | Is It Worth the Hype?

I don't often review tools unless they are hyped up and I can't think of a single brush that has been as hyped up in the last six months or so as the NARS ITA Kabuki Brush. After a number of popular beauty youtubers busted out this pricey brush last year it was hard pressed to find it on shelves anywhere. Then earlier this week I noticed the shelves of my local Sephora had added it into their Nars display. Naturally I had to have it. 

So, did it live up to the hype? Is it worth the $65 CND price tag?

Favourites | January 2015

The first month of 2015 is done and I had five distinct beauty favourites I found myself reaching for over and over this past month. There are some fun new products, an old love, and some new to me shades of previously loved products.

Sunday Steals | The $3 Your Lips But Better Lipstick I'm Loving

I've never considered myself a complete slave to high end luxury makeup, but the idea of smearing a $3 lipstick on my lips always took me back to the days of frosty pink beige Wet n Wild lipsticks from my teenage years. You know the ones - waxy, greasy, powdery scented and sometimes gritty cheapo lipsticks that really we're only worth the pocket change they were. Then I found this little gem - a 'your lips but better' lippie that I easily would have been fooled into thinking cost 6 or 7 times the price...