Clinique All About Shadow Neutral Territory 8 Shade Palette

There are so many nude palettes out there, so why should you need another one? Well, I must say, after a few weeks using the new Clinique Shades of Beige palette, hear me out, you might also need this one. My expectation were set pretty high with this palette. Already being a huge fan of my trusty Clinique Black Honey Palette I was curious to see how these shadows would compare.

First off, the packaging is gorgeous and simple. So happy Clinique got rid of that medical looking green packaging - remember that?! With a big mirror on the inside of its case, the palette is sturdy and quite small. It fits perfectly in my hand and because of its compact size, would be amazing to take traveling. Even with it's mirrored case look, the palettes doesn't attract smudge prints too easily, thank goodness.

As you can see, the color range is quite good. The only color missing in order for the palette to be complete, in my opinion, is a very dark brown or black. I often use that type of color to line my upper lash line and to slightly deepen the outer crease. Some people might also notice that there are no matte shades in this palette. I personally don't mind, but can absolutely see how this can be a problem for some beauty lovers. I like using a matte color in my crease but this palette doesn't give me that option. The third shade from the left is a little less shimmery than the others, and I usually end up using that to blend out the crease and it does the trick.

The palette does have quite a wide range of colors however, from warm toned shades to cooler toned shades, which makes it easy to use for a daytime or an evening look. I'm absolutely obsessed with the 5th and 6th shade from the left. They are absolutely stunning cool toned neutrals and remind me both of a muted Satin Taupe by MAC. At first, I thought maybe there was too much shimmer in this palette, but after accidentally leaving my palette on my mom's vanity over the holidays, and hearing how much she loved using it until she returned it to me, I figured it must not be that shimmery. My mom is one to stay away from shimmer and the fact that she loved this palette confirms that women of any age could use it. The shimmer simply isn't too obvious on the lids. My mom has more of an olive skin (I have a pinky cool skintone) and the colors were very flattering on her as well.

The shades vary in pigmentation. The lighter shades are less pigmented than the darker shades, but they are still easy to work with. The shades have a very different texture than say, a soft MAC shadow. However, I suspect that the fact that they are less creamy than the leading Urban Decay or MAC shadows, is letting them stay longer on the lid without creasing. As with my beloved Black Honey Clinique palette, these shadows do not budge whatsoever (with my usual base). I've also experienced minimal fall-out with all the shades. It's also worth noting that the lightest shade is gorgeous in the inner lid, and that the bronze shade (second from the right) is stunning worn on its own.

Here, I created a quick look with the taupe shades, and the darkest shade in the outer corner. I used the lightest shade in the tear duct area to brighten up my eyes. This has been my daytime look lately: easy and sophisticated.

Overall, I'm very happy with this palette. It delivered what I expected of it: gorgeous shades, staying power and versatility. I've been using it for daytime looks, but have no problems switching it up to nighttime. The only lacking shade in my opinion is a light matte, and a black matte color. But I have no problem replacing my usual use of a black shadow by black eyeliner, so it's not much of an inconvenience. If you have a million neutral toned palettes, maybe this one can be skipped. However, if like me, you don't own any of the Urban Decay Naked Palettes, this might be a great option!

* 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.

Happy Holidays!

I took this picture yesterday at my parents after a pretty stormy weekend. The ice build-up on the tree branches was so pretty, I got a little snap happy.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all very happy holidays! Hope you all have a safe, merry and cozy time!

Anastasia Lavish Palette - Review & Swatches

About a month ago, I treated myself to a little gift. I say treated myself, because I've been trying to cut back on makeup in a major way. Unless I run out of something, I'm limiting myself in my purchases as much as possible. So yeah, this was a bit of a treat indeed.

I was instantly drawn to the Anastasia Lavish palette because I had already heard so many good things about Anastasia shadows. I'm also very fond of the Anastasia Brow Whiz, which, sadly, I'm fresh out of. So all in all, I trusted the brand's product quality, and was ready for this palette to woo me.

First off, out of 10, I give the packaging a 5. The cardboard is quite sturdy, but I really don't like that the eyeshadow palette is removable (what if I drop it?!) and that the liner and eyebrow pencil are under the palette. It's really annoying having to remove the eyeshadow cardboard piece to get to the pencils. I'm going to remove mine completely out of the palette. However, that said, it would be quite convenient for traveling. The palette also has a large mirror when you open it. It doesn't get bonus points for me (because I never use those types of mirrors) but some people might like this feature.

The bottom of the kit contains a tweezer, a dark brown brow pencil, a black eyeliner and an eyeshadow brush. The brush is standard - nothing exceptional to note about it. I personally prefer using my MAC 217 so I haven't used it much. The black eyeliner is amazing. Very very black, easy to apply and does. not. budge. It stays on so well that I had a hard time taking if off with makeup remover. 10/10! I'd repurchase a full size of it in a heartbeat. The tweezers are excellent as well. They are slanted, and very sharp. If you're used to dull tweezers (like I am) be very careful with it! The eyebrow pencil is also great, but it's quite dark (even for me) and wouldn't suit just anyone. I don't understand why they would add such a dark eyebrow pencil in a palette that could suit just about anyone. If you're interested in the palette, but your eyebrow are fair, you could always give it away? Really though, that's just a bad move Anastasia.

The eyeshadows are gorgeous. Gorgeous I say! I'm in LOVE with Rum Cake, Antique and Sienna. Truffle, and Pink Sapphire are also amazing. Ballet and Cream lack a bit in pigmentation. I haven't really found a use for Ballet, but Cream is quite nice to use when you want to blend out the crease of your eyeshadow. Black Diamond is very prone to fall-out, so be careful using that one. It's still quite nice on the eye though! Other than Cream and Ballet, all the shadows are very pigmented and creamy.

The shadows has no problem staying on my eyes with a base - I always use a base. The palette comes with a little guide on how to create various eye looks. I tried a few of them and found it to be quite fun! The guide is quite good at explaining how to do the look, which shadows to use and on how to place your eyeliner. And all the looks are really pretty too!

From left to right in the palette. Notice how beautiful Pink Sapphire is upon swatch. Love!

If you're still looking for Christmas presents (like I am) and have a makeup lover on your list, this palette is worth its $50 price point. I've been using the shadows since I got them, and you really can't beat the quality of that eyeliner. Yes, the packaging has its faults, but it's the content that counts right?

Well played Anastasia - maybe next time, don't add a dark brow pencil?

Silk Soft Hair with Pantene Silky Moisture Whip Mousse!

Most days, my hair is an air-dried mess. It kind of waves, kind of curls, but definitely produces frizz when I don't blow dry it. Recently, I've tried to up my routine by blow-drying my hair, specifically at night, before going to bed. It seems to be the best solution in order for me to be on time at work in the mornings, yet still having decent looking hair.

When I received the Pantene Silky Moisture Whip mousse, I was curious. When I blow-dry my hair at night, I often have to use my hair straightener in the morning to tame pieces of hair that decided to curl overnight. After testing the Pantene Silky Moisture Whip though, I noticed how tamed my hair was in the morning! A simple brush through and I was ready to go!

Shiny hair!

The mousse left my hair silky and moisturized - not the usual crunchy feeling I tend to associate with mousses! As I tend to wash my hair every other day, I agree with the 48 hour silky hair claim. My hair was just as silky on that second day hair! And even though I used the product generously, my second day hair wasn't any oilier than usual - something I tend to struggle with when I add any oil based styling products.

I think I've found my gem for this holiday season - a product that let's me wake up and leave the house with only a brush though? Yes please! Ain't nobody got time for anymore than that around the holidays!

*Disclosure: I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.

The Importance of the Pampering and Olay's Silk Whimsy Body Lotion

We all know the holidays can be hectic. Between work, holiday parties, Christmas shopping, baking, traveling and whatever else needs to be done before the holidays, it can be hard to make room for a bit of down time. For me, it's important to be able to catch a bit of R&R in order to stay sane. One of my favorite ways to do so is to spend a couple hours pampering myself. This past weekend, I took a delicious Lush bath, had a face mask, and made a point to moisturize my dry skin.

I'm not much of a body moisturizer, partially because of lack of time, but also because of pure laziness. I had also convinced myself for a long time that I didn't really need it - this winter is proving me I'm wrong. My skin has been really dry and itchy and moisturizing is a now a must.

I've been really loving the new Olay Silk Whimsy Body Lotion with Rose Extract and Almond Oil. The scent of this is divine - it's fresh yet calming. It reminds me a lot of the scent of a shampoo, although I can't put my finger on which one. I love how soothing it is.

The consistency of the lotion is quite thin, and spreads quickly. It sinks into my skin in no time. While I'm mostly one to only moisturize my legs, I've used this lotion all over my body since it's so weightless and my skin has been loving it. It is marketed as a daily moisturizer and I totally see why since it's so easy to apply and light on the skin.

This holiday season, take time for yourself. You're not helping anyone around you by being stressed a stress ball! So take a bath, paint your nails, read a book - whatever it is that makes you unwind, and take the time to do it. Trust me, you'll feel must better after a bit of down time.

*Disclosure: I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Loving Right Now? Facewipes! Quick Review of Olay Fresh Effect S'Wipe Out!

I absolutely love the convenience of face wipes. When I've had a long day, there's nothing I want to do less than remove my makeup. My longer process includes a cleansing cream (I use a Nuxe one), an eye makeup remover, and a face cleanser. My shorter version as of late has been using the Olay Fresh Effect S'Wipe Out.

The Olay Fresh S'Wipe Out, first off, smell amazing. Their description says they are "refreshing" and I tend to agree - the smell is lovely and a bit strong, but it disappears after you're done using the wipe. I tend to use the wipe all over my face, and gently on my eyes. I say gently because the wipes are actually a bit exfoliating. I really like this on my face as gives it a deep clean, but I try to be gentle on my eyes.

The wipes remove makeup very well - better, in fact, than the Simple Cleansing Wipes and the Say Yes to Cucumbers wipes I've used in the past. Perhaps it's due to its exfoliating properties? I don't know, but I love that my lighter foundations are easily removed by one wipe.

Best thing about these wipes? I'm on my last wipe of the pack and it is still moist! Most of the face wipes I've used have dried up before I got to the last one since I tend not to use them every day. And that's so frustrating! But I can safely say that these wipes are not going to do that since I'm almost done my pack and I'm still happy with the level of moisture in those last few ones.

While some face wipes have also given my minor break outs (specifically, the Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes), my skin seems to be dealing with these Olay wipes quite well. Granted, I do always follow up with a facial cleanser, just to make sure any wipe residue is washed off.

If you generally like face wipes as a method of makeup removal, I strongly suggest these wipes. They remove makeup very well, and even exfoliate the skin in the process! If you're worried about residue, just rinse your face off after using a wipe, or cleanse your face like I do. These wipes really beat my three part cleansing routine when I've had one of those days and the only thing I can think of is cleaning my face and getting in my sweats asap. Thank goodness for face wipes!

*Disclosure: I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.

New Hair Color! My Adventures with Clairol's Natural Instincts

When I went to Toronto a few months back for the Beauty United Launch, I had a chance to speak with Clairol's Expert Colorist Luis Pacheco who gave me a personal consultation advising me what hair color would suit me best. Never one to shy away from experimenting with hair color, I was thrilled when he suggested a deep brown color (#31 in the Clairol Natural Instincts line) as I was already thinking of going darker for the fall.

If you don't already know this, I actually have greys coming in. I just turned 26! But given that my father went completely grey quite young, and my mother as well, I was kind of doomed. I have enough greys that I feel the need to color them but my conversation with Luis taught me something new. He told me that I probably didn't need to keep coloring my hair with permanent hair color but that semi-permanent color would most likely keep the greys covered. That way, my hair would stay less damaged as well.

So, feeling brave last week, I picked up the color I was suggested.

I needed two boxes (and could have used another one!) to cover my whole head of hair. I have really really thick hair.

The contents of the box. I love that they have a color refresher packet to use a few weeks after your hair is colored! The formula of the dye was easy to work with. I've actually used Natural Instincts in the past and like their new creme formula much much more. It's a lot less liquid than the previous formula and it is easier to manage.

And here are the before and after pictures!

What do you think? I'm loving my new hair color! Actually, I'm loving it even more after a few washes. The warm brown really works for fall, and brings out my blue eyes! I got a hair cut after this picture was taken, so it looks even fresher with my dry ends cut off!

Are you changing your hair color for fall/winter?

Oh and it might be worth mentioning another Clairol product. If you're not satisfied with the results of the Clairol Nice n' Easy expert highlights and lowlights, your next salon visit is on Clairol. That's right, they'll send you a $90 CAN prepaid card towards your next color. If you're interested in this salon challenge, the link is here. The offer expires on December 31st and only the first 3000 entries will be eligible. But seriously, how cool is that?

*Disclosure: I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.

New Nail Favorite: Essie's After School Boy Blazer

I love nail polish, and I own a lot of it, but it's been a while since I've found a gem like Essie's After School Boy Blazer.

It's the perfect deep navy color that almost looks black.

The formula was amazing and the color was perfectly opaque in two coats.

The best part? I had no chips and only a little tip wear after a week. That never ever happens!

After having a hard time locating it in my city, I decided to order it from Nail Polish Canada who happened to have free shipping (and still do). It seems like all the good shades from the Holiday collections get picked over pretty fast around here, so I'm sure I'll be back to Nail Polish Canada before the end of the year!

What do you think of navy polish?

Estee Lauder Vivid Shine Lipstick Chrome Metal Effect in Guilded Honey

Estee Lauder has long been one of my favorite brands for lipsticks. Their lipsticks are always moisturizing, pigmented, and they even smell amazing. Keeping in with the trends for fall, Estee Lauder has recently released their The Metallics collection in store. This collection features the Metallic Magnified Eyes Trios of eyeshadows, the Liquid Molten Lip Lacquers, the Chromatically Hued Nails, as well as what's up for review today, the Pure Color Vivid Shine Lipstick in Chrome Metal Effect. I was sent the shade Guilded Honey for review.

While my first reaction to a chrome effect lipstick would be to back away slowly, I'm quite impressed with this lipstick. The effect isn't too "chromy" shall we say, and the heavy shimmer doesn't seem to settle in my lip lines too much. The chrome effect is actually flattering and it makes my lips appear a bit fuller. However, a chrome colored brown lipstick really isn't for me.

Truthfully, I can't say I would ever pick out brown lipstick for myself - the shade just never suits me. However, I can see this honey shade suiting someone who has a more olive skintone (like my mom, hi mom) perfectly. Just make sure to try the shade on in the store before purchasing if you're not sure!

* 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.

The Mani Routine

A few weeks ago, it was my birthday. I turned 26! We were hosting a little gathering that night (we played Card Against Humanity and it was awesome) and I wanted to give myself a good manicure. It was the perfect excuse for picking out a new nail polish and because metallics are kind of a thing right now, I thought I could rock a copper color for my special night. But not just a copper polish, copper polish with a copper glitter accent nail. I was going all out. I ended up choosing Essie's Penny Talk and Sally Hansen's Salon Manicure in Copper Penny.

When I rounded up all my usual mani essentials, it dawned on me I should take a couple pictures and post this on my blog. I don't think I have ever explained my manicure routine before!

Here are the polishes, in all their glory.

And my supplies!

The pile includes:
- My Chosen Ones (the polishes)
- A Sally's (the store, not the nail polish brand) nail file
- CND Base Coat
- Nubar's Diamond Topcoat
- Nail Q-Tips. I think I found these at Wal-Mart in the nail polish section. They are incredibly useful for when you paint over your cuticles.
- Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover
- The Body Shop Almond Hand Cream
- Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil

I usually start every mani by using my Sally Hansen Cuticle Remover. It's a necessity for me to obtain a smooth finish on my nails. I push back my cuticles after the product has worked its magic, then I wash my hands.

Then, it's time to shape my nails. I usually go for a square-ish shape.

I follow up by applying hand cream generously and then wiping off any oil off my nails with nail polish remover and a cotton bud. That way, I know my nails have no excess oils and are ready for my favorite basecoat of all time, the CND Base Coat.

After the base coat is dry, which only takes a few minutes, I apply my polish.

I then clean up any mistakes with a cotton bud. For some reason, my application was pretty difficult with this polish!

It was really runny, and because it was a metallic formula, I had a hard time not making it look streaky.

I added my accent nail on my thumb and ring finger and after a coat of Nubar's Diamond Topcoat, voila!

Birthday mani!

As much as I love the look of a metallic polish, it isn't the easiest to work with! I actually chipped my mani pretty badly after this picture was taken.

Do you have any staples in your manicure routine? Any favorite topcoats and basecoats? As much as I love mine, I'm not opposed to trying something new.

Have a great weekend!

Need Something Extra Bright on Your Lips? Try Annabelle Twist Up in Bazooka Pink!

Hi everyone! Today I'm bringing you a quick review of the Annabelle Twist Up in Bazooka Pink. I'm sure you've been overloaded with swatches through the 24 Days of Annabelle promo going on on social media this past month, but I got curious about the product and decided to give it a go myself. Even though there were plenty of neutral colors up my alley to choose from, I decided to give something out of my comfort zone a go!

First off, the packaging has pros and cons. I love that the actual product can be "twisted-up" as the name suggests. However, a freshly opened tube does not "twist down" which makes putting the cap back on a bit of a pain.

I do really like that shape of the lipstick gives a clean and precise application. Bonus points for that.

Bazooka Pink applied on my hand, photo taken in shaded daylight. The formula is VERY opaque, only needing a few swipes for full coverage.

And on my face.

Truthfully, I don't find this color terribly flattering on me. I've never been a fan of bright (barbie) lipsticks. However, I'm quite content to having it in my collection to use when my mood does want something bright and cheerful. Heck, I've worn it a few days so far and it has grown on me. Maybe I can do brights after all?

Which Annabelle Twist-Up is your favorite? I'd love some suggestions for other shades!

Gift Set Wishlist

Once a year, every year, I get gift set envy. As soon as Sephora releases their gift sets for the holidays, I'm drooling. I mean what's not to love when, first and foremost, you get more bang for your buck? Here are the ones I've had my eye on and that I might gift to myself this holiday season.

1. Anastasia Beverly Hills Lavish Set  (C$49, Value of C$111)- I'm obsessed with my Anastasia Brow Whiz and have heard nothing but good things about their eyeshadows. I must try them and this gift seems like the perfect way to go about. Even better, it's available at my local Sephora (hints to family members who might be reading this and who live close to said Sephora).
2. Caudalie Vinosource Duo - (C$48, Value of C$67) I've been wanting to try the Vinosource by Caudalie for a while and what better way to do it than with a gift set? I'm especially curious about the S.O.S. Eye Rescue as my eyes have been looking terrible lately!
3. Sephora Favorites Give Me More Lip - (Sold out on the website! NOOOOOOO! Might still be available in store!) Redheadphd went through her first impressions of the the gift set on Youtube a while back and I seriously loved every single color. Check out her video here - she describes the shades very well and actually tries every one of them on herself! It's a really good point of reference if you're interested in the gift set.
4. L'Occitane Delicious Almond Set - (C$71) I've been wanting to try that shower oil for the longest time! This gift set isn't the best of deals, but it does come with some other goodies such as a hand cream and some skin oil!
5. Formula X for Sephora - The Twenty-Two - (C$66) I obviously don't need more nail polish, but this kit seems too good to pass up! It has a good mix of pastels, bright, glitters and chrome shades - you probably have everything you need in there to start a good nail polish collection. I'm also really curious about this new formula! Anyone know if it's any good?
6. Fresh Sugar Star Set - (C$75) Not cheap, but if you're a fan of Fresh, this is your chance to get all the shades at a cheaper price. There are actually other gift sets with less balms, so you can actually pick a cheaper option as well! For you sheer lip color lovers, this is the bomb.
7. Buxom Serial Kisser Collection of 5 Mini Lipsticks - ($40) One of the better deals I've listed today! 4 lipsticks for $40! Redheadphd on Youtube has listed them as some of her favorite lipsticks, so I feel like these definitely deserve a try!

What gift sets are you lusting after this holiday season?

Annabelle Quad in Chai Chai Chai! A Review and Look of the Day!

After reading Tracy's post on the Annabelle Quad in Chai Chai Chai a while back, I was intrigued. The colors were 100% up my alley, and I really wanted to give it a try even though I probably had all the colors in my collection. What can I say, I'm a curious person!

I'm not too familiar with Annabelle products (other than with their amazing Le Big Show mascara which I love)  so Tracy's stamp of approval really pushed me to give it a try!

The palette is compact and sturdy. I love that you can see the shades through the top!

Swatched on my hand.

The Quad features 4 complimentary shimmery shades (no mattes, sorry matte lovers!). The shades are all wonderfully pigmented, smooth and easy to work with. The patchiest of them is probably the darkest shade, but it's still not patchy enough to be a problem upon application. My favorite shade is hands down the third on in my swatch. It's very similar to the brown shade in my Dior Aurora palette and is the perfect brown to use all over the lid for a quick look. I absolutely love using the Dior shadow that way and I know I'll be using this Annabelle shade the same way! I had absolutely no problem with wear time (I always wear a primer because I have oily lids) and had no drop-down problems upon application, nor during the day.

I thought I'd do a quick makeup look to show you how I've used the palette.

I used the first shade, the lightest one, in the inner corner of my eye, the second all over my lids, the third shade to depend the crease (with a MAC 217 brush) and used a smaller brush (the NARS Small Dome Eye Brush which is amazing) with the darkest shade to add more definition to the crease, the outer corner of my eye and the lashline. I then added a bit of the darker shade under my eye with a MAC 219 brush and voila! To finish off the look I created a cat eyeliner with my L'Oreal Infaillible Lacquer Liner, used my Clarins Be Long Mascara on my lashes, added the NARS Laguna Bronzer to my cheekbones, and topped them with the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed. On my lips I have the Maybelline Color Whisper in Mocha Muse.

Hope this was a helpful review for you! If you've been hesitating on getting this palette, rest assured that it's an excellent palette and you definitely won't be wasting your money! How can you go wrong at $10.95 a pop!

Vichy Idéalia Life Serum - Bringing My Skin Back to Life

When I first gave the Vichy Idéalia a whirl, I was skeptical. I had noticed that the product had some red-toned shimmer in it, and I was willing to bet that it would made my pores look massive. And sure enough, I was wrong. It made my admittedly big pores look quite a lot smaller!

I was running a fever the day I decided to give this serum a go and was in no mood to wear any makeup. I had to run a couple errands but didn't feel like giving the "I'm contagious" vibe with the way my face was looking. I generously applied the Vichy Idéalia Life Serum to my mug, and magic happened. My dry patches were smoothed, my completion was more uniform, and I was glowing. The serum absorbed quite fast into my skin, and didn't leave my skin looking oily. I instagrammed a picture of it here, in case you're curious. I'm not the most confident person when it comes to my skin as I have a few acne scars, and large pores on my nose, but that day, I felt confident going out without any foundation on. To be fair though, I didn't have any massive pimples, and that usually makes me feel a little more confident. But my skin was seriously glowing.

The product stayed on my skin all day - I deduced this because I could still see some shimmer on my skin before I washed it at night. What I liked most about this product is that it didn't make my skin oily at all - most likely because this product absorbed fully into the skin. And it didn't leave a film on my skin like silicone based products tend to do.

I guess I chose a good time to test this product - the Vichy Idéalia Life Serum is meant to improve skin that has been affected by stress, fatigue, overexposure to sun, pollution, and an unbalanced diet. That's a lot! My skin has recently been affected by stress and fatigue especially, and I have to say that it really helped improve how healthy my skin looked.

I think this product would especially suit women who don't regularly wear foundation. In my opinion, if you're blessed with good skin, don't wear foundation - stick to tinted moisturizers, BB Creams and serums and let your natural beauty shine through! So if you're comfortable with extremely light coverage, you might find this product particularly suited to your needs. However, if you wear foundation daily (like me) but you're just looking for a good product on those "days-off makeup", this might be perfect for you as well! Just don't be put off by the shimmer when you test it on your hands - that's what truly makes your skin glow.

* 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.

CoverGirl Clean Glow Blush in #120 Spices - Review & Swatches

Hello friends! Today I'm bringing you a review of the CoverGirl Clean Glow Blush in the shade #120 Spices. I was lucky enough to receive this product for review, and I'm happy to say that it's become a staple in my makeup routine!

The CoverGirl Clean Glow Blush is, as the name of it suggest, a blush. But I personally use it as a bronzer to add a touch of color to my face. Since it's not necessarily meant to be a bronzer, the color of it is a bit pinker than what I would normally use for a bronzer, but I find that just gives a more natural finish.

I find the packaging of the product quite sleek and classy in design. The case is easy to open and close, and I love that you can see the blush/bronzer through the clear top.

#120 Spices, swatched on my hand.

And #120 Spices, under my cheekbones.

I mostly use the CoverGirl Glow Blush as a bronzer under my cheekbones, but what I love the most about it is that because it is a bit more pink in tone, it is the perfect color to blend out my blush under my cheekbones. It gives my cheeks a more seamless finish - there are no harsh lines separating my blush and bronzer. Plus, this product smells delicious, and lasts all day! If you're looking for a pigmented blush, I wouldn't recommend this as it doesn't give off a ton of color, but it's perfect if you're super pale like me!

Hope you're all having a great Monday!

*Disclosure: I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Night Spa Mask - A Review

Being cursed with oily skin, I often forget the importance of moisturizing my skin. When I find my skin looking dull and red, it is often because I haven't been moisturizing enough. With the seasons changing, I'm finding my skin drier and more sensitive, so I've started making a point to moisturize at least once a day to keep my skin healthy. One of the products that has been a skin-saver in the past month, has been the Vichy Aqualia Thermal Night Spa Mask. Not technically a moisturizer, this mask has been making my skin look absolutely radiant.

This product is meant to offer deep moisture to your skin as an overnight treatment. It's full of hyaluronic acid which helps infuse maximum moisture into your skin at night, which is when it is most prone to being replenished. It's also meant for sensitive skin.

The instructions suggest to apply a thick layer, but I only need a very small amount in order for my skin to be coated. I supposed you could apply it heavily as it does absorb quite quickly into the skin. The mask is quite thin in texture and gel like, but very very moisturizing. The texture of the product feels quite slippery upon application, but it takes no time to sink into my skin. For those of you familiar with Hydraluron, it has a similar texture, but thicker, and moisturizing. Vichy claims this product is non-greasy and I agree - it doesn't feel greasy at all on my skin, and it doesn't leave any marks on my pillow at night. It hasn't given me any break outs and my skin looks amazing the next morning. Perhaps it's the lighter texture of the mask that my skin is digging, but I don't think my skin has gotten along so well with such a high level of moisture before.When I wake up after applying the mask, my skin is plump and nourished. Applying foundation in the morning is a dream as my skin is so soft. As my skin is oily, I can't really speak to how well it moisturizes a drier skin type, but my skin is definitely happy and looking much healthier since I started using this product. On top of how well it performs, it smells absolutely heavenly. The scent isn't too strong in my opinion, but if you're not a fan, it quickly dissipates after application anyway.

I highly recommend this product if you're looking to add a little something extra in your skincare routine. Not only does it smell delicious and feel luxurious, it actually works very well at moisturizing my skin and leaving it looking really healthy in the morning. And for once, the product isn't too heavy for my oily skin.

Thank you for reading and have a great day!

* 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.

Quick Swatch - OPI Quarter of a Cent-Cherry

It's fitting that in about 13 days, I will no longer be a quarter of a century. In fact, I'll be 26! I'm excited for my birthday but not too thrilled about growing up. I remember the days when me and my friend were 16 and thinking of how cool it would be to be 18! Now, I'd rather stay 25 forever, and maybe let my hair go back to a time when I didn't have greys. Haha, growing old is weird.

OPI's Quarter of a Cent-Cherry, other than making me think about my age, is a gorgeous deep red. It has quite a brown undertone which is perfect for fall. It's similar to OPI's Mrs. O'Leary's BBQ (one of my OPI faves), but Mrs. O'Leary has more of a purple undertone while Quarter of a Cent-Cherry is more of a true deep red.

It's strange, but I don't think I have anything quite like it in my collection! I guess I haven't been buying too many deep reds in the past, but I'm definitely all about for this fall.

What's your favorite dark red polish? I could use some suggestions to add to my collection!