Lush Haul!

I have just discovered the most amazing store on the planet and it is Lush! I had never heard of "bath bombs" before so I was really excited to check them out! I have been having more baths lately thanks to work being so physically draining and I really wanted to make the most out of them. The customer service was very nice and informative and I ended up buying more than I planned on...

It's so hard to choose bath bombs given their large selection, but in the end I went with these ones:

(left to right): Sex Bomb, Dragon's Egg, Cinders, Rocketeer, and the Yuzu and Cocoa Bath Bubbles - shaped as a macaroon and is moisturizing thanks to coconut oil. Cinders is from their Christmas collection and has a citrus & spicy scent, while the rest are from their usual collection and have floral scents.

I also picked up the limited edition Ponche shower gel! It smells of oranges and cinnamon, and apparently has a shot of tequila in it (though luckily doesn't smell like tequila). It's a really nice winter holidays smell.

I can't wait to try them all out! I think the bath bombs would make lovely unique presents :).  

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Maybelline Baby Lips: Lip Balm Material?

It's been such a stressful week, so I decided to treat myself and purchased a small beauty product. I ended up going with the new Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm. The original price was $4.99, but I managed to buy it while it was on sale for $3.99. I got mine in the shade Peach Kiss.

I was very excited for this lip balm because I always wanted a product that could moisturize my lips and give them a bit of colour like a lipstick. It claims to be a lip balm, but it did not moisturize my lips at all. My lips are naturally very dry and I've been faithful to my Lip Smackers for keeping them soft.

The only thing the Baby Lips did for me was give my lips some colour. Though the product feels smooth, I realized that all it did was coat my lips; they didn't absorb any moisture. Basically, my lips felt dry under the lip balm.

A big disappointment. Though it is still ok to use for a light lipstick. So if you're looking for a new lip balm (something to really moisturize your chapped lips) I wouldn't suggest this.


I'll definitely stock up on some Lip Smackers instead :). 

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Moroccan Oil Treatment: Worth it?

I know there are several reviews up on this product already, but I just had to write my thoughts on it since it might differ from the majority of them. I was given a sample of this Moroccan Oil Treatment from my sister and was super excited to try it out. After hearing everybody rave about it, I was convinced it would be a miracle product. Oh, how I was wrong...

Honestly, it has the same effect as a leave-in-conditioner. It simply coats your hair, making it feel soft and smooth, but it doesn't actually nourish it - this is due to the silicone in the oil. The smell is also quite pleasant, but besides that I don't see why there's so much hype for this product. I personally preferred using a leave-in-conditioner spray since it was easier to apply to my hair than the oil. I definitely wouldn't classify this product as a hair 'treatment'. If you want actual treatment, I would suggest coconut oil or pure argan oil.

So if you were looking for something to treat dry hair, I wouldn't recommend this. It isn't worth the price (around $34.50 for the full-sized bottle) and won't achieve the results you're looking for.

I guess I'll be sticking to my leave-in-conditioners for now :) 

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Top Winter Perfumes!

As soon as I noticed the weather was starting to turn cold, I instantly realized I could start wearing my winter scents again! So I excitedly pulled out these two fragrances: Daisy by Marc Jacobs and Stella by Stella McCartney. I always preferred wearing fruity sweet perfumes during the summer, and floral musky ones in the winter.

Stella is definitely not my usual choice of perfumes. It's the opposite of what I normally go for, but something about the scent drew me in. It's very warm and simply the perfect rose fragrance. It's certainly more of an adult perfume, so you either love it or hate it. The perfume is a strong one and therefore lasts all day. Perfect for autumn and winter.
Notes: rose, peony flower, mandarin, rose absolute, amber.

Daisy is a very neutral scent that I believe anyone would love. It is the better option if you don't like rose fragrances. It can even be worn during the summer since it's very fresh! Sadly, it only lasts a few hours since it's not a super strong fragrance.
Notes: strawberry, violet leaves, ruby red grapefruit, gardenia, violet petals, jasmine petals, musk, vanilla, white woods.

Both rollerballs are available at Sephora for $20 each. Definitely worth checking out :).

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Top 3 Fall Nail Polishes!

Now that it is fall, I've decided to bring out my favorite polishes that remind me of the beautiful season :).

They are absolutely stunning shades, don't chip easily, and are pretty good quality. The only con to them is that they're a bit of a pain in the butt to remove since they're so sparkly.

The first one up is 'Rising Star' by O.P.I. This varnish reminds me of the golden crisp leaves that fall off the trees during this season. Definitely one of my all time favorites. Only needs 1-2 coats. This particular colour is from O.P.I.'s Burlesque Collection.

The second one is 'Let Me Entertain You' by O.P.I. This polish reminds me of thanksgiving cranberry sauce for some reason. It gives off a very pretty dewy finish. Needs 2 coats minimum. This shade is also from the Burlesque Collection.

And last but not least, 'Bad Fairy' by MAC. This is probably one of my most interesting varnishes. It's copper orange in direct light and cherry red in natural light. It is most certainly an eye-catcher! Needs 2-3 coats. I hunted this one down for weeks and eventually bought it in eBay since it sold out the day it came out. This one is from MAC's Venomous Villains collection.

Let me know which nail polishes are your favorite fall colours :). 

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Park Avenue Princess: Mineral Powder Bronzer - Tarte

I purchased this bronzer almost two years ago, but for some reason re-discovered it this past month. It's Park Avenue Princess's Mineral Powder Bronzer, in the shade Tarte. Honestly, I can't make up my mind on this product. Some days I love how it looks, and other days I think it has too much of an orange undertone. I feel like the secret to it is application- specifically to avoid over doing it.

The packaging is very nice, as one would expect from an expensive cosmetic purchase ($29.99). I purchased mine at Sephora and it is still sold there today. It closes very well since there is a magnetic closure, so you don't have to worry about putting it in your purse. There's also a small mirror included in the compact.

It was my first mineral powder bronzer and I'm thankful to say that my skin never broke out from it. It last all day long, so no need for touch-ups. However, it is rather hard to blend so I'd be very careful when applying it with a brush (I use a kabuki brush for this bronzer).

I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who has very fair skin and dislikes shimmer. I'm personally not a huge fan on bronzers with shimmer, but I still find this one wearable.

Overall, it is a nice product. But given the price and that it doesn't really suit me every time I wear it, I don't think I'll be repurchasing it.

I'm now on the look out for a new matte bronzer and will probably check out NYC's selection. Let me know if you have any suggestions for a good bronzer :). 

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Göt 2b Powerful Volumizing Powder vs. Sally Hershberger Supreme Lift

A very good friend of mine recently purchased the famous göt 2b powerful volumizing powder by Shwarzkopf and was kind enough to lend it to me to try out. I was very excited for this product because I had heard amazing reviews on it from all beauty guru's and was eager to see if it lived up to the hype. I was already happy with my Sally Hershberger Supreme Volume, which I reviewed a couple weeks ago, but I wanted to see if the göt 2b was even better.

I couldn't have been more disappointed. I scrunched up my roots with the powder (which honestly just gave me horrific bed hair), and though it did initially volumize my hair, it fell flat in just a few minutes. And the texture was just awful: super crunchy and somewhat sticky. I'm sorry to say that the cons just keep going; I've been told by a hair dresser and by my good friend that the product is very difficult to wash out in the shower. I also found the area with the powder impossible to brush after application.

The Sally Hershberger Supreme Lift never gave me any problems. The spray produced lasting volume, smelled great, the texture felt like the lightest mist of hairspray (and even that faded over time), and it always washed off very easily. And I personally prefer sprays over powders, I just find that it's much easier to apply a product with liquid spray.

The göt 2b powder does work for many people, but I'm simply not one of them. However, it is a cheaper alternative to the Sally Hershberger spray. The göt 2b powerful volumizing powder is $6.99 and the Sally Hershberger is twice the price at $12.99.

Let me know which product worked for you and which one you would like to try out :). 

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Simple: Clear Skin Oil Balancing Moisturiser

This product has officially become my ultime favorite moisturizer. I tried a high-end one (I was suggested Clinique), but I've come to realize that high-end moisturizers tend to be very rich, whereas I need a light one that won't clog up my pores. I didn't think there was a moisturizer in the market that dealt with my specific needs/requirements. However, one day while I was in the UK, I stopped by Boots and did some browsing. I ended up purchasing Simple's Clear Skin Oil Balancing Moisturiser. The reason why I chose it was because of what the product promised to do:

Gently absorbs excess oil

Helps reduce blemishes

Mattifies all day long

Moisturises to improve skin condition

Actively restores, softens, and smooths

Won't upset your skin

My Clinique 'Moisture Surge' was ok for a while but then I came to realize that only a couple hours after I had applied it, my skin would become oily again. And the cream made me break out in a couple areas since it was too rich. So I thought Simple's moisturizer sounded perfect. And after using it for over a month, I can affirm that it is.

My face feels very moisturized and soft after use. The product definitely prevents my skin from becoming oily. Of course it'll still become shiny by the end of the day, but the moisturizer definitely delays the process. This product has helped clear up my break out areas and also works to prevent future blemishes. 

The main ingredients that target the claims mentioned above are: natural zinc pca, phytosphingosine, corn starch, vitamin E, pro-vitamin B5.

There are no unnecessary or harsh chemicals, and it is perfume & colour free - perfect for anyone who has sensitive skin. 

Overall, I think this is the ideal moisturizer for anyone with oily skin, combination skin, and/or is acne prone. I hope to one day try out Simple's facial scrub from the Oil Balancing line, but sadly it isn't available yet in Canada. If you have any suggestions on other products by Simple, please let me know :).    

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Simple Kind To Eyes Revitalizing Eye Roll-On: not so kind

I was very excited when I found out the UK brand 'Simple' had recently come to North America. I instantly stocked up on some of their items, including their Revitalizing Eye Roll-On ($10.99). Simple is known for being a skin-care brand formulated for sensitive skin: "No perfume, no dyes, no harsh irritants that can upset your skin". After realizing that my current Clinique eye cream (All About Eyes) was too strong for me, I thought I'd have better luck with Simple.

The product claims to:

 help reduce puffiness
wake up tired eyes
hydrate and nourish

I personally did not have a great experience with this roll-on. I have very sensitive eyes, and even though it is said to be perfect for sensitive skin, I found that my eyes ended up burning after application. I've heard many good things of this product from other reviews, but I believe if you have a problem with sensitivity, then this is not your best choice. I'd also advice choosing a roll-on that not only reduces puffiness, but also reduces lines as well. Nivea and Garnier currently offer similar products that provide those benefits. Why not have the best of both? 

So that's my suggestion for now. I hope to one day find a product for my eyes that won't make them sting. Might try the Nivea Q10 Refreshing Eye Roll-On. If you have any recommendations, let me know!

Till next time :).

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