All About Lip Balms...

Hello everyone! I thought today I'd write up an informative review on multiple different brands of lip balms out there and which ones worked for me and which didn't. Keep in mind, my lips are like the desert (aka dryer than most) and therefore some that did not work for me might in fact work for you. It all depends on the state of your lips :).

I've done a lot of experimenting during the past few months and I have come to these conclusions...

(left to right)

1. Burt's Bees: These are pretty popular. Personally, I don't love them, nor do I hate them. They do work though not right away and nor do the effects last that long. The texture is smooth, not waxy which is a big plus for me. They are also organic which is important to some individuals and come in different flavours. I give them a 3.5/5.

2.  Blistex: I really don't like the texture. It feels like you're trying to smother wax all over your lips, not smooth at all. It does moisturize your lips but only after hours of sitting on your lips. I give Blistex a 2/5 only because it does eventually make your lips soft and the flavours are fruity and pleasant.

3. Caramex: I was initially in love with this balm. It absorbs very quickly and left my lips feeling soft, though not for very long. Taste is rather unpleasant (medicinal) and tingles the lips. However, with time I noticed my lips were getting dryer and dryer. I was a bit confused until finally I did some research and realized that it contained Menthol, Camphor, and Phenol. These ingredients actually dry out your lips! Not impressed at all. 0/5 for Caramex!

4. EOS: Known for the extremely cute packaging, but they're also a pretty decent balm! I've done a whole review on them before but I shall repeat myself when I say they are very moisturizing and do the job quickly enough. Though one does need to keep reapplying in order to maintain the softness of your lips. They come in multiple flavours and are all delicious! 4/5.

5. Lip Smackers: These are my holy grail of lip balms. I always end up coming back to them and asking myself why I ever decided to try something else. They work instantly! They sink in deeper than any other lip balm out there and the effect lasts for ages! I simply don't recognize my lips when I use this, they just feel soft and light as a cloud. They're probably the cheapest lip balm on the market as far as I know, and come in several different fruity flavours. The texture is also unbeatable, very creamy and smooth. I highly recommend these to anyone who wants instant moisturized soft lips! 5/5.

6. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment: There's A LOT of hype over these rather expensive (around $28) 'lip treatments' by Fresh. Some love them, some don't. Personally, they just don't work for me. I received two mini sizes from Sephora as a birthday treat, one in the shade 'Rose' and the other with no color. Both did nothing for me. Not moisturizing in the slightest, they just sort of sit on your lips and feel slightly waxy. The only nice thing I can say is that the tinted one gives off a nice light shade to my lips and protects them from the sun with an SPF of 15. I think these are decent products if they were to be labeled as lip tints, but not as lip 'treatments'. However, I don't know if they're worth the price. 3/5.


So there you have it! Of course, the overall winner for me are the Lip Smackers. Affordable and work brilliantly.

What are your holy grail lip balms? :)

Read More

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation released in Canada!

Sorry everyone for the lack of posts lately, I have been plagued with the flu and have only just begun to feel slightly better. I thought this product would be the perfect thing to review for anyone who has been feeling unwell, stressed, or just under the weather. This foundation was one of the most hyped products of 2012 in the UK and it has finally hit the stores in Canada! I spotted it in Shoppers and quickly scooped it up :).

I am absolutely in love with this foundation. It has been a life saver during the past few weeks where I've been resembling a dead zombie. It just makes me look... healthy. It promises an anti-fatigue and radiant glow effect and I must say it fulfills these promises! Anytime I'm looking tired or unwell, I always end up choosing this foundation over others.

I'm in the shade Ivory and it's a perfect match for me. I did notice at one point that if you hold up the foundation in the light, you can see a hint of shimmer in the liquid, which no doubt is what gives the product the radiance glow. However, luckily it's only visible on the skin if you look really closely.

There a few things to go over with this foundation. I would say the finish is slightly dewy though border-lining on matte. The coverage is light to medium, and is very buildable. I would not suggest this however if you want a full coverage. But it does give a very natural finish, not cakey whatsoever.

There is one thing that I would like to point out to those who are purchasing the foundation in Canada or in the US: the original product featured in the UK contains SPF 15 (it is written on the bottle). The one manufactured and sold over here contains no SPF. So if you wanted some sun coverage, then I would suggest buying one from the UK if you are living there or on Feel Unique with free shipping worldwide. However, a foundation with no SPF does mean that it's great for photography! So you do have the option of choosing.

Now, I'd say this foundation is best suited for people with dry or normal skin. I say this mainly because I have an oily skin type and I found this foundation does make my face oily after a few hours and won't last long by itself. However, that doesn't mean someone with oily skin can't wear this foundation. I found that if you use it with a primer or a setting spray like Urban Decay's De Slick, it will last all day without budging and won't make your face overly shiny :). Anyone can essentially wear this foundation, you just have to know your skin type.

And now the packaging... I adore it! My favorite packaging has always been glass bottles, I always think they class anything up! And that's not even the best bit. It has a pump!!! How it pained me that one of my favorite foundations (Revlon ColorStay) had no pump and you simply have to carefully pour it out. But not this baby! Super easy to use and clean! 2-3 pumps is more than enough for your face :).

This foundation has definitely been a favorite of mine for the past month and has been very handy for the flu season! I'm tempted to try out the concealer that goes with this foundation.... If anyone of you have given it a go, please let me know what your thoughts are!

Hope everyone had a lovely Valentines Day yesterday :)

Read More

Topbox February 2013

This month I received another 'Prive' box from Topbox and this time the brand was one of my ultime favorites, Benefit! I was absolutely delighted when I began unboxing :). Though the doll on the packaging kind of creeps me out :P.

I couldn't be happier with what I received. Definitely the best Topbox I've had so far. A lot of well known products were included as well as a sample of a product that has only just been released!

Things included:

POREfessional 

Total Moisture Facial Cream

Benetint

Dandellion Gloss and Powder

Fine One-One

An invitation to a Benefit's event at your local Sephora 

Everything was packaged very well so nothing could possible get damaged while being delivered.

I love the selection of products, and the size of the samples (well, except maybe the Fine One-One). I'm also going abroad soon so these are perfect for travel size :). And I've been wanting to try POREfessional for ages! The only complaint I would have is the lipgloss. It's the first thing I've tried so far and the color pay off was disappointing, very very sheer. But then again, that all simply comes down to personal preference.

Overall, I'm really pleased with this month's Topbox! What are your thoughts on this box? :)

Read More

MAC Russian Red vs. Rimmel Kate Moss 01: Dupe?

I officially lost my MAC virginity this week... I finally purchased my very first MAC lipstick! *squeals*. I ended up choosing probably the most well known shade: Russian Red. I've been trying hard to find the perfect red lipstick and once I had tried this one out, I knew my search was over. It's absolutely beauuutiful. I love it to bits and can't wait to wear it out! :).

However, when I did a swatch of it in the store I realized it looked almost identical to a lipstick I already owned. It reminded me of the Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in the shade 01. So when I got home, I did a bit of experimenting....

(MAC Russian Red, Rimmel Kate Moss in 01)

When I swatched both of them on my arm, they looked 100% identical. The only difference I could see was that the Kate Moss lipstick had a slight sheen finish whereas Russian Red was purely matte.

(Rimmel Kate Moss in 01)

But when I actually apply them onto my lips, you can instantly see the difference. Russian Red is definitely slightly darker than 01, though by looking at the tubes (bottom photo) it would seem the opposite!

(MAC Russian Red)

Though they are slightly different, I would still consider the Rimmel Kate Moss in the shade 01 to be the closest dupe out there, which is great because it's a lot cheaper than a MAC lipstick (only $8.99) and the quality is just as good. It's also less drying since it has a sheen finish.

If I had to choose, I would pick Russian Red, mainly because I prefer slightly dark red lips rather than bright ones. It all really just comes down to what your personal preferences are :).

Which would you choose? :)

Read More