Soap & Glory Hand Food Trio

Hey everyone!

Today I'm reviewing a birthday present I got from my Mum, the Soap and Glory "Hand Food Trio", a collection of three hand creams with Soap and Glory's signature scents. 

It came packaged in a cute little box, Soap and Glory always has the nicest packaging! 

I've owned two miniature sizes of the original Hand Food before, and I really love the product. It's quite a thick consistency, but incredibly moisturizing. 

The first scent is their original "Pink" scent which has the standard Soap and Glory smell. It's quite sweet but not too overpowering.

The second scent is "Frutigo", a really fruity scent which is a little bit stronger. 

Finally, the last scent is "Sugar Crush", a more citrus scent while still having a sweetness to it.

I think this set makes a lovely gift, and I know I'll get good use out of it! It's great for Canadian winters and for anyone who likes to have a hand cream by their bed, in their car and in their purse! I would highly recommend Soap and Glory for their hand cream formula, it's heavy enough to make a difference but not at all greasy or overpowering!

Thanks for reading!

Megan

Anastasia Beverly Hills "Brow Wiz" vs. "Dip Brow Pomade"

Hey everyone!

Today I'm discussing two very popular products by Anastasia Beverly Hills: The Dip Brow Pomade, and The Brow Wiz. I've owned both for quite a while now, the Dip Brow since December, and this is actually the third Brow Wiz I've owned. I hope you enjoy this comparison!

Here they are pictured together, the Brow Wiz is a pencil and the Pomade is sort of like a gel eyeliner for your brows.

I have the Brow Wiz in the shade "Taupe", which was formerly called "Ash Blonde".

It has two great perks making it my favourite brow product, 1) A Spooley (or brow brush). Super handy to travel with and a great way to tame your brows and evenly distribute the product.

Perk #2 is the super fine tip. It is so small that it can create a fine line which replicates hair quite nicely and naturally. I definitely think the Brow Wiz is easier to apply than the Pomade. 

The Pomade has quite a thick texture and is quite dry. I apply it using an angled brush, and I think the thinner the brush the better. 

Again, I have the Pomade in the shade "Taupe", but I think this comes up a bit darker and stronger. I'm not sure if it's how I apply it or if it's just because of the product texture, but it certainly looks bolder than the Brow Wiz.

It can get a bit messy and I do worry that it may dry out, but the lid screws on tightly and I haven't experienced an issue so far. 

This is my eyebrow with the Brow Wiz. It's a bit more natural looking and I prefer it for an everyday look, and when travelling.

This is my brow using the Pomade. I think it creates a bolder look, which is sometimes nice, and I've found that it lasts much longer than the Brow Wiz. I prefer this for fuller makeup looks or when I feel like wearing a more intense brow. It is cheaper than the Brow Wiz, and I think it will last longer.

I hope you found this review helpful. I would highly recommend Anastasia for your brow needs, everything I've tried so far I've loved and I haven't found a comparison yet!

Thanks for reading!

Megan

Mani Monday #8

Hey everyone!

Today is Mani Monday week 8- and since I had a shellac manicure last week I thought I'd update you and show what I did to update it a bit and what I thought so far.

To begin, I used nail stickers from Essence. They cost about $2.00 and I think just add a little something new to a manicure which would last for weeks. 

The nails themselves are looking pretty good. My nails are growing much faster underneath the tip extensions and the only thing that's bugging me is how fast they are growing out.

I've painted over them twice now, annoyingly I have to use a white base before applying a colour, but since I get so bored of nail polish colours it's been really nice for me to have that option.

So far, so good! I even love the sound of my nails tapping away at the keyboard as I write this post!

Thanks for reading,

Megan

NARS All Day Luminous Foundation First Impressions

Hey everyone!

Today I'm reviewing the NARS All Day Luminous Foundation in the shade Mont Blanc. It's the second-lightest shade with pink undertones.

NARS describe the foundation as:

"Full, natural-looking coverage with unexpectedly weightless, 16-hour wear. Highly pigmented and perfectly balanced, this breakthrough formula builds and blends effortlessly with just one drop—the result of exclusive innovation uniquely designed to deliver long-wearing full coverage, weightlessly. Shake, pump and blend in sections for complete coverage that's completely natural looking.

Pure Innovation. Exclusively NARS.

Weightless Long-wear Technology delivers up to 16 hours of wear, while always feeling light-as-air. Featuring advanced flexible polymers and first-to-market treated pigments."

So far I've only used this product 4 times. The first two I used a Beauty Blender and found it didn't work super well- it was okay, but didn't cover as smoothly as I would have liked. When using a Real Techniques Buffing Brush I found it applied smoother and covered my skin texture and redness with more ease.

The packaging is really nice, it comes in a heavy glass bottle- so the only negative is that it may not be entirely travel friendly. The lid has typical NARS packaging, so expect it to be filthy after the first use. Although these are both slight complaints, overall it's really sturdy and looks lovely on any dresser.

Its a standard foundation size of 30ml, and costs a whopping $57.00 CDN

The biggest perk of this foundation in comparison to other NARS products is that it includes a PUMP! Sheer Glow by NARS doesn't come with a pump and if you want it, it has to be purchased separately. 

It is a very liquid-y foundation, so it does have to be shaken up well. When pumped out it only gives you a tiny amount, this means you don't waste anything, but I usually need 2-3 pumps to cover the redness and bumps on my face. 

Overall, I think this product needs to be experimented with a little bit to find the best way to work with it. I find if your skin isn't completely exfoliated and moisturized it can cling to dry spots or bumps which is quite annoying for its large claims and price point. It also isn't quite as luminous as I had imagined. It's more of a satin/matte finish and while it does look nice, I don't know if it should be marketed as a luminous/glowy foundation.

I hope you enjoyed this post- apologies for not having a before/after shot- but to be totally honest the lighting is terrible where I am at the moment and I wouldn't be able to do it justice! What I can say is that when it's applied to well moisturized skin it looks lovely and even gets better as the day goes on. When applied too soon after a moisturizer it can look patchy and cling to those spots, so I do think it's hard to work with. The next high-end foundation on my wish list is NARS Sheer Glow, so I'll compare them soon!

Megan

Yves Saint Laurent "Volupte Tint-In-Oil" Review

Hey everyone!

Today I'm reviewing the YSL Volupte Tint-in-Oil gloss. It retails for $35.00CDN so it's definitely a luxury product! I was inspired to make this purchase because so far I'm quite a fan of anything from YSL. I have a few lipsticks and some eyeshadow quads, and the quality is superb. I suppose you are paying for it!

I stole the picture above from the YSL website because I thought it quickly summarized why this tint-in-oil is so revolutionary. They describe the product as:

"A revolutionary lip colour with a lip tint suspended in a deep conditioning oil. Coat your lips with this lip tint for a lightweight texture that instantly melts onto lips. It is infused with a blend of four essential oils for deep hydration: apricot kernel oil, coriander fruit oil, jojoba seed oil, and possiflora edulis seed oil. Its exclusive applicator envelops the lips in full colour and allows for a precise and uniform application. Lightweight and non-sticky, this lip tint offers a new and luminous shine while the tint effect enhances the natural beauty of the lips—making it the perfect combination for youthful looking lips."

The packaging is classic YSL and is pretty in your face... but so luxurious! 

I chose the shade 3 "Undress Me", but in retrospect I would have gone for one with slightly more colour- I'm eyeing up 4 "I Rose You" which has a bit more of a pink pigment to it. Not that this one isn't beautiful, I just think for the price I should have picked a colour which I would enjoy more. 

The gloss packaging is chrome with a YSL imprint representing the colour you purchased (another reason I would have loved the pinker shade!). It's very heavy and clearly well made, plus it looks stunning on any dressing table! 

The wand on this gloss is very unique and is surprisingly nice. It really hugs the lips and is very soft, and although this product is very smooth and easy to apply, it is incredibly glossy and this just makes sure you get a precise application.

The formula itself is really nice! I ordered this online so I wasn't too sure what to expect, and before it arrived I had swatched it on my hand and thought it was perhaps a bit sticky, but that's not the case at all on the lips.

 It is really moisturizing and smooth, and while you can feel it on the lips it's not sticky at all. I think it looks really lovely and the glossiness of the product really makes your lips look fuller and plumper while actually being very comfortable to wear. 

I hope you enjoyed this post! Thanks for reading!

Megan

Living Proof "Restore" Mask Treatment

Hey everyone!

Today I am reviewing another hair mask, this time from Living Proof. I have a 1oz sample which retails for $15.00 CDN, but the full 8oz product is $52.00 CDN, so it's quite a pricey product.

Living Proof's website describe the mask as:

"A powerful, deep, weightless conditioning treatment for dry, damaged hair that instantly heals and strengthens hair while adding softness and shine. Contains our Restorative Shield which leverages our patented Healthy Hair Molecule (OFPMA) to:

- make dry, damaged hair 20x stronger with 95% less breakage, after just 1 use

- reduce damage by 95%

- restore moisture levels to that of healthy, undamaged hair and protect from future damage

For dry, damaged hair, including fine hair. Sulfate-free, silicone free, oil-free. Safe for colour and chemically treated hair"

After one application I can safely say this mask is a really nice product. It smells quite spa-like with a more natural scent as opposed to a fruity or sweet scent. I only used a little scoop, and left it in my hair for about 2 minutes. It rinsed out very cleanly and really didn't seem like anything special. I let my hair air-dry and slept, and when I woke up this morning I couldn't believe how soft my hair was. I use sulphate-free products and I find it makes my hair much healthier- but it tangles a lot easier. This sulphate-free mask is a game changer and keeps my hair smooth, frizz-free and silky. It was incredibly easy to brush through and even while I type this I can comb my hair with my fingers which I am almost never able to do halfway through the day!

The texture is very thick, and mine had just arrived in the mail so it was actually very cold but it definitely didn't alter the way it worked. I'm not sure if less is more- but I do know that the small amount I used was plenty! I hope to get a good few uses out of this- hopefully enough for a mask once a week for maybe 6/7 weeks. While I'm not sure if it's worth the almost $60.00 price tag, I do think it is a really nice treat if it's in your budget and so far I'm really enjoying it!

Thanks for reading!

Megan

Mani Monday #7

Hey everyone!

Todays Mani Monday is a little bit different! I got some fake nails before my birthday as a present from my lovely friend, Jenn. I hadn't planned on it, but it happened. I've never had any type of professional fake nails before so this was an entirely new experience, and I figured I could keep you updated on the progress each week. So far- so good! I haven't experienced anything bad so far, so I'll just share some pictures with you and try to describe the process!

Basically it was a really nice experience. I forget the exact name of the extensions but they told me it was less damaging than Acrylics. It took about 40 minutes (the lady was very speedy!). They were originally much longer but I asked her to trim them down to a more wearable length.

She used a Shelac gel polish on top of the extensions in this really pretty deep purple shade. It has a red shimmer running through it but it's very subtle. The only downside to this is that I get bored of colours very quickly, but for next weeks Mani Monday I may buy some Acetone and see how the extensions fair with my usual Essie polish.

The length is pretty good and I find I can do all my usual tasks with no trouble. The only downside so far is that I want to tap everything and it's really annoying my boyfriend. Other than that- so far so good! I never thought I'd be such a fan of fake nails but at this rate I'll be getting them again in 5-6 weeks. I do think they're great if you like travelling and don't want to pack for nail care amongst other things. They look great, and surprisingly natural!

I hope you enjoyed this weeks Mani Monday!

Megan

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer Review

Hey everyone!

Today I'm reviewing NARS Radiant Creamy Concealers. I have two shades, I started with 02 Vanilla, which is the perfect shade to even out my skintone and cover blemishes, and I recently purchased 01 Chantilly which is brightening enough for my very pale skin! I use it under my eyes and on the high points of my face for a glowy, highlighted effect.

Here is Chantilly 01 stacked on top of Vanilla 02. It's quite hard to see a colour difference but there are swatches below!

These concealers really do live up to the name of Radiant Creamy Concealers. They certainly aren't matte- and while they aren't hugely glowy and there is no sign of glitter, they wear down to a nice satin finish which makes them wearable with all foundation finishes. 

It comes with a doefoot applicator, and while this may not seem like the most hygienic, I really like it because I'm able to scrape the product from the sides. I think if you're applying it to blemishes areas you can apply the product to your hand first and then go in with a brush, but since I use these concealers for personal use and not on other people I don't have a problem with the applicator.

01 Chantilly

02 Vanilla

Vanilla and Chantilly swatched- here you can see how highly pigmented they are, and more of a colour difference too!

Slightly blended you can see how creamy they are. They blend into the skin so smoothly and I think they even out the appearance of the skins texture as well as the tone.

Completely blended you can see how they are quite radiant in comparison to my dull hands!

Overall, I would highly recommend this concealer. It isn't cheap- they are $35CDN each at Sephora, but they are very highly pigmented and a little goes a long way. My favourite way to apply them is to pat the product in with my fingers, but they also blend wonderfully with brushes and sponges.

I hope you enjoyed this review!

Megan

Garnier Fructis "Damage Eraser" Hair Mask Review

Hey everyone,

Today I'm writing quite a quick review on the Garnier Fructics Damage Eraser hair mask. It's a deep conditioner treatment which can be used in the shower as a conditioning treatment, or before you wash your hair as an intense hydrating product for your hair. I've used it as both- but my favourite way to use it is to apply it to dry hair (usually I apply a face mask at the same time) and when it's time to remove the face mask, I'll do that and then hop in the shower to rinse this out. I follow up with my usual shampoo and conditioning routine but I find it leaves my hair really soft and smooth.

Bonus: It smells like a McDonalds banana milkshake which I always used to have when I was a kid (note: only sold in certain McDonalds now for whatever reason! They were delicious!)

It's a very thick, buttery formula with a texture that's almost balm-like. It's also incredibly affordable (under $5 CDN) which makes it a great extra treatment to add into your routine for luscious locks!

I hope you enjoyed this review! Thanks for reading!

Megan

Mani Monday #6

Hey everyone!

This weeks Mani Monday features a really pretty, creamy baby pink named "Muchi, Muchi" by Essie. I think it's the perfect shade for Valentines Day!

This shade applies really nicely and evenly, and is a nice pink without being too in your face. It's very wearable because it's more of a pastel than a bright pink.

Because it's so pale it's quite wearable and I think it makes your hands and nails look much brighter. It's pink enough that it suits all skintones, and there is nothing nude about it, despite it being so pale.

You do have to apply a few coats to get a good colour payoff, but usually two coats does it.

I hope you enjoyed another Mani Monday!

Megan