Yves Saint Laurent Chinese New Year Harmony Set!

Yves Saint Laurent Chinese New Year Harmony Set - $70.00 CDN

So rarely does Sephora luxury high end products EVER go on sale.  Even during the semi annual sale at Sephora where VIB members get a discount code; even during Christmas the prices are generally the same.

While surfing Sephora yesterday (because I basically surf their website multiple times a day) all the way at the bottom of their page, I saw a small advertisement for their Chinese New Year celebration products.  So I gingerly clicked on it not expecting much.  Wow! I was totally shocked! Sephora is currently having a limited edition Yves Saint Laurent set with three FULL SIZE Volupte Tint in Oil for $70 dollars!! Keep in mind, each of these Tint in Oil retail for $36 which is pretty hefty, but its YSL we are talking about.  So nothing comes cheap (in price) with this brand!  However if you were to buy three of these, normally (without taxes) the cost would be $108.  So for $70 you are basically getting a free one!

The colors included are I Rose You, Cherry Me Cherie and Peach Me Love! This is a limited set for a limited time till they run out.  Normally, once they run out, its doesn't come back!  So if you are a Tint in Oil lover like myself, then jump on this! I did last night...lets hope the hubby doesn't find out!!

Keep Smiling!

Dayana

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It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Palette

It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Eyeshadow Palette - $42.00 US

I love eyehadow palettes. I literally have to stop and control myself from buy all of them because if I don't, I would have a mountain like Sephora store full of them.  Eyeshadow palettes allow you to do an endless amount of looks with one compact!  You can get them with a mix of either matte, shimmer or stain shades as well some palettes that just offer one type of finish.  I own two palettes from It Cosmetics.  Their limited edition (which is no longer available) Celebration palette that was released last year during the holidays and their Naturally Pretty Palette.

I recently bought their Naturally Pretty Palette after The Shopping Channel sent me a free $50 gift card to use.  I of course jumped at the chance to buy this product since I was eyeing it for the longest. It comes in a velour type material packaging.  Only issue I have with this is that it can and will get dirty pretty quickly.  I very much prefer their Celebration palette packaging that comes with a durable awesome cover.  This palette is also talc free, paraben-free, sulfate-free, fragrance-free and cruelty-free. Being talc free allows for many makeup users out there allergic to this ingredient to indulge in this palette with delight.  Moreover the lack of fragrance is great because skincare and makeup should never have fragrance which is very irritating for the skin.

This palette has 15 shadows.  What I love about this palette is how soft, buttery and blendable the shadows are.  They are completely matte with the exception of the transforming shadow.  However they are not chalky and do not have much if any fallout.  The shade range is very cool tone and the colors work well when blending with each other.  This also came with a double ended luxe brush which is dense and allows for the pick up and placement of shadow, plus for blending.  The other side of the brush also allows you to apply some of the shadows as eyeliner.  

I have seen and tried many Youtube makeup tutorials with this palette and have come up with a few of my own.  Since this palette offers a beautiful range of pinks, purples and browns; they all merge together to offer a great shadow combination.  Since they blend pretty well together, its almost hard to mess up a look.  Also, the color payoff on these shadows are amazing.  Since they are not chalky, their pigmentation is very rich and vibrant.  If you decide to use these shadows with a wet brush, the hues are even brighter.  

I would totally recommend this palette if you are interested in trying out an It Cosmetics product but not sure where to start.

So there you have it, my review on the It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Palette.  Let me know if you have tried this palette and what your thoughts are.

Keep Smiling!

Dayana              

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Cover FX Custom Cover Drops

Cover FX Custom Cover Drops - $44.00 CDN

I have been using foundation since I was 15 years old.  My first foundation I ever played with was Covergirl. I mean what teenage girl didn't back in the 1990's use this brand!  I wore it once or twice and gave up because the color match was awful and always made me look pink.  When I turned 17 years, my friend brought me to Bloomingdales where she introduced me to Perspectives and I used that foundation until the company shut down the line.  They did relaunch their product line (very limitedly) in the USA but nowhere else.  Being in Canada now, they won't ship across the border so that doesn't benefit me.

For the last few years I have struggled to find a foundation that I can really bound with.  I first tried Bareminerals loose powder and hated the powdery look it left me.  I then tried Cover FX press powder and still got the same results as Bareminerals and stopped using it.  After that I went stupidly high end in name brand (and price tag) and bought Guerlain Lingerie de Peau.  And while I loved the finish, texture and feel of this foundation and how it literally leaves your face looking like natural skin, it oxidized on me.  Made me look very bronzy all around which I didn't like.  I was heartbroken when I realize this would not be my holy grail foundation as I imagined.  I then moved to Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide foundation.  This really applies well and blends beautifully with my skin, however it still at certain angles looks like...well...foundation.  And while I know we can't fake the fact that the majority of us wear makeup, I would still like a foundation that looks almost natural.

One day while surfing Sephora (which is like everyday) I saw that Cover FX had launched this new product called Custom Cover Drops.  It is basically a pigment that you mix in with either your primer, illuminator, facial oils, moisturizer and yes even foundation to get the color and/or type of coverage you want.  I have never seen such a product like this because its not a foundation but a pigment.  I know pigments exist for eyeshadows and blushes but not for foundations...till now.  So before buying this, I did what any good makeup obsessed person does, I checked makeupalley.com and Paula's Choice to see real people's and professionally rated reviews on the product which were pretty good!  What I found interesting was the fact on how everyone became a chemist overnight mixing this product in with anything that was either water based, silicone based or oil based in order to achieve their desired texture for their base.  What was also interesting was just how clever these drops work.

If you want sheer coverage, you apply 1-2 drops to get minimum coverage. (I have  done 2 drops and still got sheer coverage.  So trust me on the math).  If you want moderate coverage you can apply 2-3 drops which will help hide pesky imperfections.  And finally if you want full right on coverage, you can apply 4-5 drops to cover it all!  I have done anywhere between 2-4 drops depending on the state of post partum hormonal face that day and I have seen it cover everything for a large pimple to blackheads with no problem.  What I also like about this product is the fact that it actually looks like natural skin!  Since you can mix these drops with just about anything, the textural finish you are going for depends on you.  Since I mix this in with my illuminator, it blends in like a moisturizer and leaves me with a soft and slightly dewy effect which is great because these drops are actually matte.  And while the matte is not a totally flat look, it doesn't get dewy either.  

These drops come in 24 colors ranging from a porcelain white with pink undertones to a deep medium shade with golden undertones.  Their user guide for shade selection is so friendly and properly laid out, that I was able to pick my color online based on the description they gave. Moreover, because of their impressive shade range, the odds of not finding your color is slim.  If for some reason your shade is not available, you can always mix two colors in order to get your exact shade.

The cool thing about these drops is that no matter what you mix it with, your shade will remain the same regardless of the fact.  Moreover, the coverage you want is totally within your hands (literally) and you can decide based on your skin that morning how little or much drops you need in order to get the prefect coverage for the day.  I am an N25.  Since I am fair skin but have neutral undertones, this color works prefect for me!  

The only draw back I see with these drops are three things. 1. For $44 dollars, the bottle is small.  However since it is a pigment and you only need a few drops and a little goes a long way; so I guess it makes sense.  2. The bottle is not user friendly.  It spills a lot on the sides because it has a wide mouth and a droplet.  It would be best if Cover FX bottled this in a pump which helps to eliminate air, light and bacteria which eventually effects the integrity of non-pump foundations.  Also, pumps are spill proof.  This bottle sadly isn't.  And 3. If you have ANY dryness on your face, this will cling to it and make it noticeable.  So make sure to moisturizer the heck out of your  face and any dry patches you may have.  However, with that being said, if you have really dry skin, you might want to consider skipping this altogether since it will extenuate the dryness on your face. 

I really like these drops and plan to continue using them till the bottle runs out.  I have worn this already 4-5 times and have loved it every time.  Will this be my next holy grail? Who knows.  We shall just have to wait and see.  But for now its giving me the most important thing, the look of real skin :)

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Dayana    

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Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Palette

 Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Palette - $58.00US / $67.00 CDN

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Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Palette was a limited edition palette back last year containing three hourglass lighting powders.  You can now find this palette with no problem at your nearest Sephora as it is considered part of their permanent collection.  Hourglass also has these powders (with the exception of incandescent light) in single form that come in seven different colors.   

While two of these lighting powders are part of their permanent collection, one is a limited edition shade that can only be found in this palette.  The three beautiful shades that you will find in this palette (from left to right) are  Dim Light (neutral beige toned color), Incandescent Light (a slightly shimmery pinkish beige color) and Radiant Light (slightly shimmery golden beige color). 

These powders come in a beautiful shiny dark brown case.  Because these lighting powders come in a palette, you will not find these powders to be of the normal single standard lighting powder size.  Nonetheless, I have no complaints about the size because there is more then enough powder to be found with each color.  

Since these powders are so finely milled, its best to exercise caution when handling this palette.  Many people have stated that they have accidentally dropped this palette and have had it shattered to a million pieces.  Hourglass even makes note at the back at the palette the word "fragile".  So for traveling purposes, make sure to secure these properly in your suitcase to avoid any damage.  These are quite expensive so putting these in your everyday purse is a no no as well due to the risk of you dropping your handbag.

All three powders leaving behind a beautiful, natural and candle light sheen when applied. Even though some have a slight bit of shimmer in them, its not enough to make you look like a disco ball. They leave more of a sophisticated looked on your face which means it can be worn either day or night. Since they are finely milled, you don't need to be too heavy handed to pick up color. These powders not only work as highlighters for your face but you can also use them as overall setting powder. You can get at least 8-9 hours of wear with these lighting powders and probably more if worn with face primer. These lighting powders had very little to no fallout and applied very smoothly and blended well on the skin.

One thing to keep in mind about these lighting powders is that they are not universal and do not flatter all skin tones. Those who are of a darker complexion may not have some of these colors appear on their skin. Its best to buy these in person and swatch them on your skin in other to see if they work with your skin tone. Others have also mentioned that those with to light of a complexion; the lighting powders may standout to much and not look natural. So again, check these out in person. They are very expensive and worth buying if they can blend well on your skin.

Now let's talk about the colors. These shades are very beautiful and Hourglass did a great job incorporating these three into one palette. Dim Light (the left shade) is a beautiful neutral beige tone color with no shimmer sparkle at all. This one can be used with no problem all over the face as a setting powder. It blends in well and if used as a highlighter you will see it pop with just the right amount of highlighting effect you need. Incandescent Light (the middle shade) has a bit of shimmer sparkle to it and works great as a highlighter for those who really want it to show without looking over the top. Because these powders are finely milled, you won't see the shimmer effect pop up to much during the day (which is good for work makeup) and on the skin it will appears very sheen. This color has a slight pinkish tone to it but nothing so pink that it affects your actual skin tone. Radiant Light (the left shade) has a slight shimmer to it as well but is more of a golden beige shade. This one works well to appear on almost all skin tones. This color comes across more of a bronze color and can be used to give your face an overall bronzy effect. You can also use it as a highlight but keep in mind it might appear a bit darker on those will lighter complexions.

These powders have been made to work well with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette. I truly love this palette and love the fact that I can get three great highlighters/setting powders in one without having a drawer full of them. Though they are a bit pricey, but for the quantity and quality you get from this ambient lighting powder palette, the price is more then justified.

Well there you have it! My review on this palette. Let me know if you have tried this palette and what you think of them!


Keep Smiling!

Dayana

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Best Lip Balms

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Lip balms are awesome. Not only do they work as chapsticks, but some actually offer a hint of color and totally moisturize your lips in a pretty tube. I have tried just about every lip balm out there and truly just love them! Next to lipgloss they are my go to products for my lips. Especially with this winter where my lips have been hit hard to the point of actually cracking and peeling which has NEVER happened to me before. And no matter how much lip balm I applied it wasn't able to stop the dryness. It did however help to alleviate the pain and the recovery time.

So I decide to narrow done the best lips balms that I have tried so far that have given me good proven results and that I love using the most.  They range from fairly inexpensive to just plain out there in price.  But hey when it comes to the wellness and health of your lips, can you really put a price tag on those smoochers of yours?!

Nivea Lip Butter - $2.41US - $3.20 US

I bought these on a whim when my current lip balm ran out.  I didn't know what to expect as they looked so delicious in their tins but the taste was a concern for me.  However after one try I was in love.  They go on very creamy on the lips, not tacky or sticky at all and they don't travel all over the place or bleed.  I have only tried the raspberry Rose Kiss and the Vanilla & Macadamia Kiss flavors and just love them.  They are fairly inexpensive, can be bought at just about any drugstore or ordered online from Amazon.  I keep one in my purse and makeup draw at all times.

Supergoop! Acai Fusion Lip Balm SPF 30 - $8.50 US

I just love this product and not only because of its texture and smoothness on the lips, but because it actually contains SPF 30 which is seriously lacking in many lip products now-a-days.  When I step outside, I ALWAYS wear sunscreen SPF 60 UVA/UVB protection on my face.  No matter the weather, in daylight you won't catch me without sunscreen on.  With that same thought in mind, I also protect my lips.  Many people don't understand that you can still get lip cancer when exposed to sunlight.  This lip balm comes in two flavors but I would only recommend the Acai one because the other one contains mint which is a serious irritant to lips.  So if you are serious about protection your lips, then this lip balm is for you.

Dior Creme de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm - $29.00 CDN

Nothing says luxury like Dior. The first time I heard of this product was from Youtube were all the beauty vloggers were raving about it. So I decided to jump on Sephora online and buy it. However when I realized that it cost shy of $30, I turned the computer off and went to bed. However I had this nagging feeling that I really needed to try this. So after a month of having this sitting in my checkout cart on Sephora I decided to buy it. When it arrived three days later, I used it right away. I first noticed it had a waxy film at the top that you had to breakaway in order to get to the creamy part of the balm. But once you did, it was amazing on the lips. It was so soft and creamy. Was not tacky or sticky at all and had a lovely slight smell to it. I really like this balm, due to how it does hydrate the lips. However I don't use it often because of the price tag. So while yes it is crazy expensive for a simple balm, nonetheless it offers great moisturize to the lips.

 

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask Champagne - $30.00 CDN

When Bite Beauty hit Sephora, the first thing I heard about them was their Agave Lip Mask.  I was taken with the fact that this lip balm not only worked as a lip balm but also as a lip mask to help heal cracked dried lips.  I read many reviews on this product and realized that you generally use it at nights right before bed to allow the product to work its magic.  I noticed that when applied at nights, it lasted all throughout my sleep and never transferred, bled or stained my pillows.  I bought this in the color champagne the same day it was released in Sephora.  It gives you the slightest tint to your lips without coloring them fully.  It is also made of all natural ingredients which are safe to ingest especially for someone like me who is currently six months pregnant.  I love using this lip mask at night and the great results it gives me!

Sephora Collection Color Reveal Lip Balm - $16.00

I found this lip balm all by accident. It was on sale at Sephora during the holiday season and I became curious to try it out.  It stated that when applied to your lips, it gives you a slight tint to your lips according to your own lip color.  I saw some before and after pictures, so I decided to try it.  I noticed that once applied to your lips within seconds it gave me a nice pinkish tints to my lips that looked natural.  I also noticed that it really moisturized my lips and left the nicest feeling and lovely sheen.  It last for a good two to three hours on my lips before wearing off.  However the color lasted all the way until I brushed my teeth again at night.  Really worth trying if you are looking to add some color to your lips without using lipstick or lipgloss.

Julep Luxe Lip Conditioning Treatment - $24.00 / $19.20 US

I first got this product with one of my Julep Maven boxes last year.  I loved the fact that it came with a cool metal tip applicator which helped to smooth it on your lips with ease.  This lip balm also has a lovely smell of Shea Butter to it which I love.  I have this on my bathroom counter and wear it in the mornings right after washing my face.   It helps to keep them moisturized while I am getting ready for the day and applying my makeup.  It last for a while on my lips and really love the cooling sensation I get every time I use it!  If you are a Julep Maven member you can buy it for $19.20 US. 

Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment - $29.00 CDN 

The first time I tried this lip treatment was when I received it in a generous sample size.  I have used Fresh lip treatments before and just loved on some how it contains SPF in their formula.  I love keeping this in my purse because its small and has a twist top which keeps it from coming off and getting messed up.  It has no real smell to it and really works great on my dry lips during the winter season.  

So there you have it, my favorite lip balms to help beat this cold winter and relief dry chapped lips to reveal beautiful moisturized kissable lips! Do you have any favorites I should try?

Keep Smiling

Dayana

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Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette - $58 US / $67 CDN

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Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette is a limited edition palette containing three Hourglass blushes.  Two of these blushes are part of their previous permanent collection and one is a brand new shade.  This palette came out in October 2014 and constantly sold out online on Sephora.   The three shades you will find in this palette (from left to right) are Luminous Flush (a champagne rose blush infused with Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light), Incandescent Electra, (a peach blush infused with Ambient Lighting Powder in Incandescent Light) and Mood Exposure (a plum blush infused with Ambient Lighting Powder in Mood Light).  

The blushes come in a small gold like case.  The blushes are much smaller then their normal single size blushes.  So don't except three large blushes in this palette or you will be disappointed when comparing them to their normal size.  The casing is very beautiful, but its prone to smudging with fingerprints.  And if dropped, I can truly see these blushes breaking which has been noted by a lot of users who have had this misfortune happen to them.  I would not recommend this palette for traveling purposes due to this reason. Hourglass has also noted at the back of the palette the word "fragile".  So handle with care.  

All three blushes are amazing for application and blending.  They are highly pigmented and a little truly does go a long way.  If you dip your brush to hard into these blushes or pick up way to much powder, you will notice it with one swipe on your face.  It will give you clown like makeup if you are to heavy handed.  However, if you apply lightly, you will get the most beautiful blush application on your cheeks.  Due to it being infused with their Ambient Lighting Powder, it helps to not make pores look enlarged, does not leave behind a shiny or oily finish and truly works to give you a beautiful flush glow.  You can get at least 8-9 hours of wear with these blushes and probably more if worn with face primer.  I found that each blush is very appropriate to wear for either day or night.  These blushes had very little to no fallout and applied very smoothly and blended well on the skin. 

I was concerned that Incandescent Electra (the middle shade) would appear to peachy on my skin.  However I noticed this was not the case at all.  It appeared more of a coral color that wasn't to over the top and with the Ambient Lighting Powder infused it just looked marvelous.  Luminous Flush (the left shade) was a beautiful champagne rose color that looked very natural on the skin.  Mood Exposure (the right shade) was a very plumly color that if applied to heavily can look to dark on lighter skin.  However it leaves you such a nice plumy glow that blended beautifully with my bronzer when applied lightly.  So go easy with this color.  These colors are very versatile and can work with just about any skin tone.

Nonetheless, I will say this.  No two blush palettes are alike.  Even the website states this as well.  Moreover since these blushes are infused with Ambient lighting powder, you will end up getting a different mixture of color in each blush palette. As you can see from the two pictures above, some have more Ambient Lighting Powder then blush, while others have more blush then the lighting palette.  I would advise you buy these in person and take a look at the palette before heading to the purchase counter.  I have heard some reviews of people who were disappointed because the blushes did not apply correctly due it being more lighting powder then blush color. I took a chance and bought mine online.  However it was risky based on warnings of many.

Besides this small draw back, I would for sure recommend this palette if you are looking to try out new blushes but don't want a draw full of them.  They are pricey but truly some of the most beautiful blushes I have ever tried!

Keep Smiling!

Dayana

 

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