Shopping the Tarte 30% Off Friends and Family Sale

I don't normally do "shop the sale" posts because I am a bit of a makeup floozy and like so many products from so many brands. Tarte, however, is one of my favourite brands ever, and it's rare I come across something from the brand I don't like. Since they have their incredible 30% Off Friends and Family Sale going on right now (it ends July 27th, so hurry!), I thought I would share some of my tried and true all time favourites from the brand!

Sunday Steal | Essence Liquid Lipsticks

I've got such a nice little Sunday Steal for you all this week, because the Essence Liquid Lipsticks* are little gems that can be picked up for about $3.50 at your local drugstore or Ulta! I was lucky enough to be sent these, and my first impression was that the 6 shade range was all incredibly wearable colour-wise. When you hear the term 'liquid lipstick' you expect great pigment and coverage like you would get out of a traditional lipstick bullet, so naturally I was eager to put them to the test to see if they performed they was they claimed!

Mascara Monday | Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara

It's been ages since I did a Mascara Monday post, and even longer probably since it was a good oold drugstore buy. I decided to give another mascara by Essence a go, you may remember I've raved about the budget brand before in this post. This time round I went for the Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara, because anything that claims to mimic false lashes is right up my alley. Here's how I got on...

The 2015 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE | Under $25 & Stocking Stuffers

Welcome to Gift Guide Week! All week long I am going to have cherry picked gifting ideas for you that I've personally tried and tested and can vouch for their incredible awesomeness. Today I am jumping in with the Under $25 range as well as Stocking Stuffers. Whether it's for a secret gift exchange at work, or a token gift for a friend or just an extra to add to an existing present, I've got some great ideas for you!

Revisiting H&M Beauty | The Colour Essence Eye Pencils

I posted a couple weeks back that I had picked up a lipstick from the new H&M beauty range and that it had really surprised me in terms of texture, formula and pigment - you can read the review here. So naturally I had to pop back into H&M to see what else the range had to offer, and after covering both hands and wrists in swatches, and testing almost every darn product in the 700 piece range, I chose to try the Colour Essence Eye Pencils which were a super affordable $7 CND. I have some definite thoughts on these, and the rest of the range, so let's break it down...

Sunday Steals | E.L.F Smudge Pot Cream Eyeshadows

Possibly one of the best Sunday Steals going in terms of price, the E.L.F Smudge Pots check in at $4 CND! When I saw these I instantly doubted they would be any good, because most of my run ins with drugstore cream shadows have left greasy, creasing messes. Knowing that E.L.F (that stands for Eyes Lips Face, if you're new to the brand) makes some pretty decent products for an insanely affordable price, I figured it couldn't hurt to pick up a few for trying. So, did they hold up to higher end cream shadows?

Sunday Steals | Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat

It's been awhile since I've done a Sunday Splurge around here. I generally find myself gravitating to higher price tagged beauty bits, but when it comes to nails I've found the top coat that works better than anything else, and it's a total bargain that can be found at the drugstore! 

Bargain Buy | L'oreal Color Riche L'ombre Pure in 507 Pin Up Pink

You all know I'm a sucker for anything peach-hued, so when I saw a seasonal L'Oreal stand in my local drugstore with one of their Color Riche L'Ombre Pure Eyeshadows in the shade Pin up Pink, I knew it was meant to be mine. I'd heard a lot about these from my fave British beauty bloggers, but had yet to see them anywhere on this side of the pond so I jumped at the chance to put one in my shopping basket!

Sunday Steals | NYX Lipstick in Pumpkin Pie

It was about time for another Sunday Steal post, wasn't it? This week I've picked a lipstick that I picked up totally on impulse, and really had no expectations for. Sometimes the best discoveries happen this way!

A Haulin' We Will Go | More ColourPop Cosmetics

After my lovely amazing friend bought me some ColourPop goodies earlier this month for my birthday, I knew it was only a matter of time before I placed my own order! I reeled it in and kept it small (oh, the restraint I showed!) but the bits I picked up we're just too pretty not to show off to you all. Prepare for swatch porn...

Revisting Contouring with the NYX Hightlight & Contour Pro Palette

So I did that thing. You know the one where I said I wouldn't spend my money on another trendy contouring palette because they generally had way more than what the average non-makeup artist needs. Then I went and bought myself the NYX Highlight & Contour Pro Palette. #sorrynotsorry
It happens, and at $28 CND it would be silly not to buy it. Right? Thought So...

Sunday Steals | Rose Gold Goodnes With ColourPop Eyeshadow in La La

I knew the minute I tried Colourpop Cosmetics that something would end up in my Sunday Steals feature. I mean, the shadows are $5 a pop - seriously! And before you ask, the pigmentation is amazing. I was originally gifted four shadows from a friend (see the full review here of the shadows, blushes and lippie stix) and then turned right around and placed an order myself. I am (not so) patiently waiting for those to arrive. I can say though that the shade 'La La' single handedly had me wanting more; A gorgeous coppery rose gold that packs a serious punch.

Sunday Steals | Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm

I'm surprised I haven't already posted this product as a Sunday Steal before, I thought I had. I've sung it's praises several times here on GLG, but this time round it's because of what a bargain this is. Head on over to the men's section (yup) and pick this bad boy up - for less that $9. Your lips will thank you.

Sunday Steals | Sleek Contour Kit in Light

It's Sunday and that means it's time to post another awesome beauty bargain that is top notch quality without causing your wallet to spontaneously combust. Last week I posted a Sunday Splurge that cashed in at almost $30 CND, so this time round I thought I go for a product that is under a tenner!

Ten Drugstore Favourites

It's been a while since I rounded up some favourites from the good old drugstore. Most of the time I'm a firm believer in the 'you get what you pay for' mantra, but occasionally a bargain product will impress me to the point that it rivals the quality of luxury cosmetics. Let's break it down, shall we?

Sunday Steals | Maybelline Color Tattoo in Creamy Beige

I love a good bargain as much as the next gal - even better when it prices in at under a tenner. Not only is this Sunday Steal a complete dupe for a higher price tagged brand, but it's been my go-to everyday easy eye look several times in the last couple of weeks.

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...

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.

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...

Sunday Steals | Urban Outfitters Nail Polish

Happy Sunday! Back here with another Sunday Steal, and this time it's for the nail lovers! I'd recently had most of my nails split and break leaving me with horrible short nails, even for me (stress related, I swear I don't bite my nails!) When my nails are this short, I find bright colours look best on me, so I decided to try out some polishes I was gifted this Christmas from a friend. Days later when the polish was still on my nails (I'm usually one of those girls who's nails chip within 24 hours) I was sold. Even more so when I found out you could get two for $8 CND!