Tarte Shape Tape Concealer

Hey guys,

I recently ordered the Tarte Shape Tape concealer from tarte.com, since they had a free shipping offer for Canadians, and otherwise the concealer is exclusive to Ulta and quite difficult for Canadians to find without crossing the border.

 

The shipping was fast, everything came packaged really nicely and everything was in good shape. Since it was the only thing I ordered I was surprised at how much effort was put into the packaging, with Tarte tissue paper and the little postcard pictured above.

 

I purchased the concealer in the lightest shade available and it's a good match for my skin. It's a very neutral tone, although I do wish it was slightly more cool. The doefoot applicator is huge, I hope the picture does it justice. It's a bit insane, but works wonderfully for the undereye area which is pretty much what I'm exclusively using this concealer for. It's incredibly pigmented and covers everything, and blends out well with brushes, sponges or your fingers.

I just applied a quick swipe on my hand and you can see how flawless and high-coverage it is. I do find that the lasting power is wonderful, however I will say that it can look a bit dry if your undereyes are drier. If I use a rich eyecream and make sure my skin is hydrated it's okay, but I thought I'd include that detail. It's not too bad for creasing, but again, if your eyes are dry it may accentuate any lines or texture. I think this concealer is an excellent option for anyone who loves high coverage and intense, flawless skin... it may not be for everyone on an everyday basis. I usually love concealers from less expensive brands like Maybelline, but for a higher-end purchase I will say its worth it. A little goes and very long way, and it could very easily double as a foundation if the shade is right.

I hope you enjoyed this review! Thanks for reading,

Megan

Urban Decay All-Nighter Setting Spray

Today's post is all about the Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray- now with new packaging! Before reviewing this product, I should mention why I purchased it in the first place. Firstly, I have very dry and irritated skin, but I like using heavy and full-coverage products. Powder makes my face look cakey, and I wanted an alternative. I tried the old version of this product in a miniature size and loved it, but used it up quite quickly during the summer months when I worked quite a bit outside. It helped my makeup to stay on and look fresh all day. Last October I purchased a makeup setting spray from NYX, and figured they were one in the same. I was very wrong. The NYX was cheaper, with a harsher spray and it was much less effective. So seeing that I'm in a wedding this summer and I'm doing makeup for my beautiful best friend and bride, Jess, I thought it'd be worth the repurchase.

 

Firstly, the new packaging is stunning! I love the sleek design, new colours and fonts. Not much of a change with the spray nozzle (which is good) and I do believe the formula may be the same as the original, a partnership with skincare experts, Skindinavia. Urban Decay write that the product is designed to keep makeup looking vibrant and fresh for 16 hours, and I wholeheartedly agree. For example, Tuesday's are a very long day for me, usually averaging makeup wear from 7:30am until 11pm. This product helps my foundation to stop breaking apart, and to keep my blush, bronzer and highlight stay vibrant for most of the day when it would typically fade.

The spray itself is fine and comfortable, it doesn't make your skin feel tight or dry. The product also has a patented Temperature Control feature, cooling the temperature of your makeup to help it last during hot and humid weather, but also colder, drier climates. I can't claim how the new packaging lives up to the heat, but the old certainly did, and using this product in the cold Canadian winter has really helped my makeup last all day long!

I hope you enjoyed this review,

Megan

Mini Lipstick Collection

Hey everyone!

Today I'm running through my mini-lipstick collection. This might seem a bit odd, but the reality of shopping at Sephora typically means you end up with a mini lipstick at least every 3 months, through rewards or samples or other little perks like Christmas gift sets etc. Throughout my time as a Beauty Insider (7 years) I've collected quite a few mini lippies (including some glosses that aren't included in this post) but I thought I'd share them, and why they're both wonderful and a bit useless in this post!

Let's start with the positives- Pro's of tiny lipsticks:
- Great way to trial different brands, formulas and colours without the commitment
- If you do purchase them in sets, they're much more affordable than the full-size, plus often they are either point rewards or samples so it's a very cost-effective way to try new things
- They're tiny. So they fit in purses, wallets, pockets.. perfect for a night out without the stress of bringing out your $40 YSL lipstick to the bar

Negatives:
- They're tiny. Get ready to lose these, forget where you put them, have to find weird storage for them... oh and when you leave it in your wallet in the car and forget because it's the first time you've ever put a lipstick in your wallet... they melt.
- The packaging never seems nearly as substantial as their expensive alternatives (sometimes). Lots of the lids just don't clasp on, while others are very heavy duty and awesome- it's just more difficult to predict what you're going to get.
- Usually they're free or in a gift set, so while it's great to try new things it's pretty rare to get a colour you're really into. But sometimes there are pleasant surprises! If you're not a makeup junkie I'd just save for a full size in a shade you know you'll like.

So heres my little collection. Wonky swatches from Top - Bottom:

Estee Edit Mattified Lipstick in Wrapped
Hourglass Femme Rouge Lipstick in Grace (discontinued)
Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Naked (old formula)
Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Creme in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural in N9
Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in Bellini
Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in Mimosa
Marc Jacobs Le Marc Creme Lipstick in So Rouge (VIB Rouge exclusive)

Sephora 2017 Birthday Reward

Hey everyone,

Today I'm sharing an annual post- Sephora's Birthday Reward! It's a traditional birthday post, and this February marks my 23rd year! This year it's a gift from Tarte, a brand I've loved for a long time now. I've been a Beauty Insider, VIB and VIB Rouge member over the last 7 years and I've seen birthday gifts from Benefit, MakeUpForEver, NARS, Marc Jacobs and now Tarte. Sephora really does a good job with birthday rewards and I'm happy to show off what this year has to offer! 

 

The set includes a Creamy Matte Lip Paint in "Birthday Suit", and an Amazonian Clay Blush in "Paaarty"

 Both are very wearable, neutral shades, deep enough for many skin tones but perhaps a little bit light on the deepest skin. Despite both products being deluxe sized samples, the texture and formula is outstanding. I've loved the Tarte blushes for years, and I was very pleasantly surprised by the lip paint. 

 

The blush is very pigmented, but blendable and long wearing, exactly what I've come to expect from Tarte blushes. (I now own 4!) The liquid lipstick was comfortable to wear, a tiny bit drying but long lasting and it didn't flake or settle into lines like a lot of other lip paint type products. 

Overall I was impressed with what Sephora had to offer this year. The gifts seem to get more generous each year, and having a selection between a makeup gift and a skincare one (Caudalie this year) provides nice options for customers. I can't wait to see what 2018 brings!! 

Thanks for reading,

Megan

Dior Lip Glow Colour Reviver Balm

Hey everyone!

Today I'm talking about a beauty purchase that was inspired by my Mum, I watched her buy the original Dior lip glow when we were on vacation in Chicago and I thought it was the coolest thing ever, constantly going through her back to find it and wear it. It's a balm texture which is very hydrating, but has a formula that provides a unique shade for each wearer, something to do with body temperature or PH level or something sciency. Anyway, the original pink shade always turned into a muted fuchsia on me and remained a pretty pink on my Mum, so when Dior released the new Berry shade I also had to pick up the Lilac as well!

 

The packaging is very classic Dior, with the same Dior Addict fonts and silver lipstick bullet. All shades have the same pink clear plastic case, but they each have a sticker at the top showing the shade name.

I was concerned the shades I had chosen would be too similar, but there is quite a difference between Lilac and Berry. Lilac is much paler and more similar to the original pink shade, whereas the Berry is quite a bit deeper and makes more of a statement while still being a wearable, glossy balm.

The swatches on my arm show immediate payoff, without the colour adjusting, so you can see what the base colour looks like. On me the lilac gets a bit deeper and brighter, and the berry becomes a bit deeper as well. Apparently my million degree body temperature insists that all of the Dior balms turn into a darker shade, whereas on normal temperature people the changes are more subtle.

Overall, I do think these are a first in the whole mood-ring like colour changing technology, it was the first product I knew that self-adjusted for a unique colour, followed by other brands like Smashbox, and now drugstore brands. Because the technology isn't new any longer, I'm not sure if a product like the Dior lipglow is for everyone, and at $40+ CDN I think it makes a very pretty, but very expensive lip balm. I wouldn't necessarily repurchase, but will I use them up? Most definitely. The formula is lovely and hydrating, it's great for no-makeup days and easy to apply on the go, and the makeup hoarder in me has totally justified having two shades.

Let me know your thoughts on luxury balms, I'd love to hear from you!

Megan