MAKE UP FOR EVER Pro Light Fusion Highlighter 01 Golden Pink Review

It's almost NYE, so what better way to start the New Year than with a pretty badass highlighter on yo face? That's my plan anyway.

I'll be spending my NYE at an outside (freezing) location for Canada 150 celebrations. Woo! So, no fancy dresses, so high-heels I can't walk in - no, I'll be sporting my thickest, puffy coat, a tuque, and the new winter boots I was gifted for Christmas. We ain't joking around in this part of the country.

What I CAN sport however in frigid weather, is a lovely highlighter. In fact, because my eyes stream as the tiniest amount of wind, I'll be highlighter and waterproof mascara for me. Oh, Canada.

MAKE UP FOR EVER's Pro Light Fusion Highlighters have made quite the splash around social media. Temptalia even put it in her top 20 of the year!

I have to say, I'm not the kind of person who puts highlighter on every day, but this product is so lovely, I've been seen slathering it on for work.

MAKE UP FOR EVER's Pro Light Fusion has a smooth, buttery texture. I find the texture of the BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed a bit too soft, and it has a tendency to crumble. I find I can easily apply too much because the texture is so soft. The Pro Light Fusion's texture is just right for me. Smooth and buttery when applied, but it doesn't crumble, and it's a lot more buildable. There's no risk of applying too much, especially with a fluffier brush.

And I mean, I just get happy opening the damn product. Look at that pattern!

I received the shade 01 Golden Pink for consideration and it's a stunning shade. At first, I thought it might be a bit too pink, but it doesn't register as pink on the skin. It's a light frosty cool toned ivory-pink. It's simply lovely. The shimmer is fine and contains no chunky glitter. It actually looks pretty natural on the skin.

I've taken a few picture of a heavy swatch of the product on my hand in warmer light, and in brighter cooler light. As you can see, it still looks quite ivory-pink. Sephora lists this highlighter as "for light to medium skintones" and I would tend to agree with them. The second shade, 02 Golden, also looks absolutely stunning. Have you tried it?

I have to say, unlike a lot of bloggers out there, I've never gotten on the highlighter bandwagon, simply because I have oilier skin. But this highlighter is the BOMB. It's very lovely and shimmery on the skin, without being too much for me. I 100% this product if you're looking for a similar shade of highlighter - I'm pretty sure BECCA don't make a similar shade (Opal is a lot more ivory than pink). However, if you're looking to BLIND someone with your highlighter, I'd suggest you move along to BECCA products. At $48 CAN, this highlighter is not cheap, but I personally would purchase it in a heartbeat - it's worth the investment.

* I have received this product for consideration, but my opinions are always my own. I am not being compensated for this review and I always strive to review products with honesty.

Zoeva Makeup Brush Review - 231, 226, 234 and 114

As a treat to myself a few weeks ago, I made a naughty purchase - I bought some makeup brushes from Zoeva. Ok, I actually bought these about a year ago, and this review sat on the back burner for quite a while. But hey, now you're just getting a better review because I've been testing them for so long!

While some other bloggers/youtubers claim Zoeva brushes are an "affordable" brush option, for us Canadians, they are not really that affordable. With about C$20 in shipping, averaging each brush around $15, the prices of the brushes itself are just ok. Definitely not a crazy bargain.

My purchases?

- 231 Luxe Petit Crease
- 226 Smudger
- 234 Luxe Smoky Shader
- 114 Luxe Face Focus

The brushes themselves are of excellent quality. The handles are solid and I haven't had any shedding problems with the brushes. I'd say the quality is comparable to my MAC brushes - however, the glossy finish on the handle does make them seem less luxurious - although that's simply my opinion. I prefer a matte finish such as my MAC brushes, or my NARS brushes.

The 231 Luxe Petit Crease is a brush that was missing in my arsenal. The tip of the brush is more precise than a MAC 217 and smaller. It's very useful for applying eyeshadow precisely in the crease, or the outer crease. I was initially apprehensive about the stiffness of the brush thinking it would not blend eyeshadow properly, but in fact, it works like a charm. It applies the shadow right where I want it, but also blended it softly. This brush is a must if you lack something similar in your repertoire.

The 226 Smudger brush was also something I was missing in my collection. I don't often put eyeshadow on my lower lashline - all my brushes are a bit too big for the job. I find shadow on my lower lashes can also make me look a bit tired - I just don't have a lot of space to work with. This Smudger brush, however, does the job amazingly. Not only does it apply shadow on my bottom lashline very close to my lashline, but it also smudges it out easily. However, my favorite way to use this brush is to smudge out liner on my upper lashline to add a bit of smokiness to an every day look. A must in any collection.

I'm going to be honest, I bought the 234 Luxe Smoky Shader brush simply because I wanted a dupe for my MAC 239, and I think I found it! While this brush is a tad (seriously just a bit) less dense, it performs just as well as my 239. In fact, I have a hard time finding differences between the two when I can't see the handles.

My intention for the 114 Face Focus was to use it as a highlighting brush. When I received it though, it was way smaller than I thought it would be. Still, it's not comparable to anything else I own, and applies highlighter smoothly and beautifully. I like that it deposits highlighter in more specific areas of my face (I'm not one to highlight a ton) and it blends the highlight easily.

As I said, the quality of these brushes is excellent. I've used them for about a year now, washed them numerous times, and they're still in great shape. They haven't frayed at the edges, and they haven't stained.

If you're looking to invest in a good set of brushes, but not "invest" in pricier classic brushes such as MAC, I highly recommend Zoeva brushes. I'm very happy with the quality of my purchase and they definitely measure up to other high quality brushes such as MAC. A+!