Lush & Bits

                   While shopping compulsively one day, I passed by Lush and I basically ran in. Since Lush is typically know worldwide I won't elaborate, but the overall concept is that it's an animal-cruelty free company that sells hand made soaps, bath bombs and luxurious things that get your mouth watering. I suggest taking a look at their site for more info; Lush. 

                    Usually I spend a good amount of time sniffing their products and making a long mental list of things I want, then leaving sadly with one item. However this time, in celebration of my birthday, I decided to spoil my self and picked up a few items. I'm going to be truthful and mention that their products are a bit too expensive for what they typically function as, but they're fantastic for days where you need to relax. 

Please excuse their messiness: I stored them in an old Glossy Box.

I picked up four things and decided to indulge in mostly bubble bars because honestly baths are all about the bubbles.  So far I've only used the bath bomb and was surprisingly pleased but I'll give a superficial review on each product. Here are the items with links to the site:

• Honey I Washed the Kids Soap
• Rose Jam Bubble Bar
• Twilight Bath Bomb
• Ma Bar Bubble Bar

Honey I Washed the Kids Soap:

On the site, this soap had a fairly high rating and also in other social networks, this is probably one of the most hyped products found at Lush. As you can tell from the punny name, this soap has a warm honey scent and is filled with caramel undertones; I find myself constantly sniffing this wonderful bar. I used a small piece in the store as a sample and I saw that it lathers quite well and still smells as good wet as it is dry. If you buy soaps, I recommend cutting them up in pieces so it can last longer, instead of becoming the typical mushy mess that happens with most bars. Can't wait to try this in a shower!

Rose Jam Bubble Bar:

Another group of scent that I love are rosy scents. Most floral products tend to be overbearing but with this, I found it to be pleasantly sweet. As you can tell from the image, this bar is made up of two semi-spheres  so I would prefer using this over two baths. 

Twilight Bath Bomb: This piece is probably what triggered the whole Lush purchase. I went in looking for a bath bomb and I fell in love with this gem. An employee asked me what scent I was looking for and when I said Vanilla, she picked this up and said that it had Tonka bean, which mimicked the same scent. She ended up showing me other similar scents, but I had already had my heart set on this one. Of all the bath bombs, I noticed that Twilight was the biggest in size, so when I got home I decided to break it in pieces. Once I opened it up, I saw that it's interior was blue and had tiny glitters grounded into it. When used in a bath, this took a long time to melt (something I appreciated) and turned the water a nice dusky purple and left my skin feeling soft and lovely. I smelled good the following day so I'll definitely repurchase!

Ma Bar Bubble Bar:

The last piece I got was this wonderful bar that looks like a desert you'd want to devour. What made me buy this was the fact that it smelled like Honey I Washed the Kids Soap, so pairing them together would me smell like honey goodness! I still haven't tried this but the little square of brown sugar is tempting me.

              That's all the things I've got. So far this is probably the third time I've been there and each time have enjoyed their services and products. I'll definitely continue to visit but avoid spending too much. I hope you guys liked this post and tell me what you think of Lush or what are your favourite products?

Layla

L'Oreal's Colour Riche Balm

           During winter, my lips tend to suffer and become extremely dry and chapped, which explains my multiple lip balm purchases that I will be reviewing. Among the things I bought to try out were L'oreal's new Colour Riche Balms, which I completely love and I'll share the reasons.

From Top to Bottom: Heavenly Berry & Caring Coral.

             Ever since the Revlon Lip Butters were released last year, other drugstore brands have jumped on the bandwagon and launched similar products, creating a deja-vu kind of experience. As I mentioned in my last post, I didn't like the Revlon lip butters because they didn't really do anything for me. The colour range was horrible and the butter itself was too soft resulting in half of the product to go on in one application.

             The Colour Riche Balms however provided a much more positive and pleasant experience. While looking around in the makeup isle at Walmart, these balms instantly caught my eye and I ended up buying two colours; Heavenly Berry & Caring Coral. The formula has SPF 15, which is something I appreciate since it's nice to have extra protection. Although the sunscreen does give them a funny taste, they smell amazing; a mix between cotton candy and tropical fruit (delicious!).

Caring Coral.

Heavenly Berry.

              Now these balms are among the most moisturizing lip products I've tried and keep my lips soft throughout the day. The only issue with them is the colour pigmentation. Although they do offer a slight colour to your lips, they're extremely sheer and are not very buildable. Personally I prefer their light pigmentation because it makes its application without a mirror so much easier on the go!

From L to R: Heavenly Berry 1 layer & 3 layers.               From L to R: Caring Coral 1 layer & 3 layers.

               As you can see based on the swatches above, even though both are different shades, they appear slightly similar and while layered don't show a greater difference. However, when applied to your lips, the shades show up better and since my lips aren't very pigmented, I love the fact that they add natural colour with a light glossy finish.

From L to R: nothing applied, Caring Coral and Heavenly Berry.

              Overall I think this is a great product for purchase if you're looking for a lip balm that moisturizes your lips throughout the day while giving them colour. I would recommend purchasing one versus buying several colours because they are a bit pricey. I really like them but a closer dupe to these would be Maybelline's Baby Lips (review coming soon!).


I really hope you guys enjoyed this review. Tell me, what do you think of these balms?
-Layla

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

         In 2012 Revlon rose above other drugstore brands and launched the Lip Butters and their Just Kissable Balm Stains. While the butters were raved about so much, I frankly didn't enjoy them, so I was a bit wary on how I'll like the latter. Since Emma Stone *girl crush* became the face of Revlon, I have been buying non-stop products, including these wondrous stains.

From Top to Bottom: Honey, Lovesick, Adore.

 

From L to R: Adore, Lovesick, Honey.

When I bought my first stain, I actually had tested it out in Walmart and after walking around with the stain on my hand, noticing it  stayed on for hours I went crazy and bought two, returning for a third. Another plus is that they smell minty! They retail in Canada for $7.97 at Walmart.

Honey: A lovely dusty rose with a purple undertone (Mauvey), which works as an everyday colour for me. The only exception is that the colour is so light it barely leaves a stain.

Lovesick: This is the first colour I had based on the fact that Emma Stone wore it in the commercial. Other than that this colour is a nice bright Fuchsia with a slight blue undertone and this is the only one of the three that leaves behind a stain. While doing my makeup in the morning I apply this first and once I'm done I blot it with tissue to make look more toned down as a stain.

Adore: This was a Fall purchase where I was more into browns and darker colours and Adore instantly caught my eye. This colour is dark and brick-like with little tiny gold sparkles that are not overbearing. Although it's my least favourite I still like lightly applying it and wearing it on no-makeup days.

Onto the swatches:

From L to R: Honey, Lovesick, Adore.                                         From Top to Bottom: Honey, Lovesick, Adore.          

From Left to Right: Honey, Lovesick, Adore.

            The actual product itself is just great! It works as a lip balm and keep those flaky bits at bay while providing enough colour to function as a lipstick. The colours are truly pigmented and offer a glossy finish, which doesn't bother me at all. Personally I think these are comparable to Tarte's lip stains and are among the best lip products I've tried.

I hope you guys liked this review and if you've tried these what are your favourtie colours?

-Layla

Benefit's 'Hello Flawless' Oxygen Wow Liquid Foundation

     Benefit is known for having these cute concepts in cosmetics (try saying that 6 times quickly) for a very expensive price. Since I am one of the suckers that falls for the packaging, I picked up their 'Hello Flawless' Oxygen Wow Liquid Foundation on a trip to Sephora, the land of endless makeup.

     This is officially my first 'high end' foundation and needless to say I had hopes for this and was expecting nothing but rainbows and sunshine to cover my face for the price of CAD $42 (US $34 for 30ml).

Now onto the product:

This foundation is listed as oil free, with brightening properties that are so lightweight, it feels like oxygen (ha ha ha). Note the hygienic pump and cute cap with the O2 print!

What they claim:

"This natural-finish foundation builds from light to medium coverage for a natural complexion and features light-diffusing properties and hydrating benefits. Its nourishing formula contains Benefit’s exclusive Oxygen Wow Hydrating Complex, which helps boost cellular respiration for a plumping effect, protects against environmental stresses, and contains vitamin C and E derivatives known to prevent the signs of aging."

What I think:

     For the past month I've been testing this out to see whether this foundation lives up to its claims and the conclusion I've reached is that I like it, but don't love it.  

     The only claim that stands true for me is that it's truly light-weight and I often forget that I'm even wearing makeup. However it is lacking in terms of coverage and only evens out my skin tone, which I don't mind but on days where my skin is acting up, it is an issue. The brightening factor falls short as well, since it doesn't do much in lighting up my complexion and emphasizes the dry areas on my skin.

     I'm somewhat disappointed that it didn't work amazingly for me as it did with other people and in the reviews I've read but it's not as bad as it could have been.

         I purchased this in their lightest shade I'm pure 4 sure, Ivory and it does blend very well and matches my skin tone (very light). I don't think this would be suitable for people with paler complexions since it  has a yellowish undertone that would be more apparent. Below is what the it looks applied and blended.

        Overall I think it's your typical a bit more than average type of foundation (overpriced though), which I will continue to use on days where my skin is behaving. If you're someone who needs very little coverage and an extremely light weight foundation, this is definitely for you. Its oil free factor is also something I find impressive, since it doesn't clog my pores and keeps me relatively shine free at the end of the day. Other than that, I give it a more than average score.

I really hope you guys liked this review and if you've tried this foundation or would like to try it, tell me about it in the comments!
-Layla 

Mini E.L.F Haul

If you're interested in makeup, you surely must of heard of E.l.f (which stands for eyes, lips, face). Now this company, or even brand, produces quality makeup at an extremely affordable price. It's almost needless to say that I was excited (too much excitement!) at this prospect and ordered from their site to test a few of their raved products.

Often E.l.f is identified as a hit-or-miss kind of company so I was somewhat nervous about the products. Yet, I'm happy to say that I love each and every single item I received :) The only small issue that I'd warn you of is that shipping to Canada is very pricey at $14.95.

Now onto the items I've ordered:

• Studio Cream Eyeliner
• Essential Waterproof Eyeliner Pen
• Studio Matte Lip Colour
• Studio Baked Blush
• Studio Contouring Blush & Bronzing Cream
• Studio HD Blush

I mainly ordered from the studio line ($3) with the exception of the eyeliner pen ($1) and I used a half-off studio line coupon, ECD2, which is listed as valid for first time buyers, but I simply created a new account (cheeky).

Studio Cream Eyeliner in Black ($3) Since I don't own any cream eyeliners, I decided to purchase this with hopes of it working smoothly and it did. This just glided on really well with no clumps or difficulty as I expected and created the classic black eyeliner look.

Essential Waterproof Eyeliner Pen in Black($1) Now this eyeliner is my absolute holy-grail of all eyeliners. I've repurchased this several times already because not only does it work beautifully, it lasts! At a dollar, you can't go wrong with this one, so stock up.

Studio Matte Lip Colour in Coral ($3) I bought this to feed my obsession with matte lips and corals (even if it's still winter). In terms of colour and pigmentation, this pencil is great and it's a nice light coral/nude shade. However, my only concern is that because of its qualities as a matte colour, it felt a bit drying on my lips, which during winter really need more love. I will probably put this to use more often in the summer. Bonus: This has a sharpener at the bottom.

Studio Baked Blush in Rich Rose ($3) If you're familiar with M.A.C you should be able to recognise some of their Skin Mineralize Finish products which come in the form of a dome with beautiful shimmery swirls. Since I'd rather save money (and can't afford them yet) I've decided to test out their 'dupe'. Now this blush ended up being a lovely dark  peachy colour and thankfully it isn't overly shiny with little glitters but instead offers a lovely natural glow. I think it can be compared with M.A.C's Stereo Rose.

Studio Contouring Blush & Bronzing Cream in St. Lucia ($3) This is also a product that I've been excited to try because of its possible 'dupe' worth (what?). The original format of this was a powder and as I've read several million times is a possible dupe for NARS Orgasm & Laguna duo, which I disagree with because the colour shades are just too different. I opted for the cream because they tend to last longer for me and I absolutely love this duo! The blush provides a nice light peach colour to your cheeks and compared to the original powder has zero shimmer. Although the bronzer can seem a bit on the orange side, it can still look good using a light hand.

Studio HD Blush in Headliner ($3) The final product is this cream blush which is an obvious look-alike to MUFE's HD Blushes and surprisingly, that wasn't the reason why I bought it. After this was launched last November, I've been seeing several reviews, which left me awed at the lovely colours, especially this shade. This is a wonderful light pink on the warmer side and you literally need a dot sized amount, meaning this will last you a long time (yay!).

Here are side by side swatches of all the products listed above:

From L to R: Cream Eyeliner, Waterproof Eyeliner Pen, Matte Lip Colour in Coral, Baked Blush in Rich Rose, Contouring Blush and Bronzer Cream in St. Lucia and at the bottom HD Blush in Headliner.

That is all for this haul (rhyming skills) and I really hope you guys enjoyed it. If you own any of these products and have tested them out, please leave a product and tell me how you've like them!
-Layla

Return to the Makeup World

Hello you gorgeous people,

        I have been missing from this blog for a couple of reasons, which include school & impatience. Although I've only done a couple of posts, I quickly expected to gain followers or the interest of readers, and with the lack of results I grew wary and upset. University is also one of the main barriers that prevents me from enjoying this particular hobby, especially having several exams and endless work to complete. However, not writing or playing around with makeup left me restless and sad, which is why I've returned and will work harder to achieve a relatively safe haven of my own.

      During this big gap, I have been purchasing many beauty items and have researched on more information to increase my beauty knowledge. I will be posting much more frequently so I hope you enjoy the posts to come.

Thank you & I would love for you to stay,

Layla

D.I.Y Cream Blush

D.I.Y beauty is something I've taken a like to and I've started by making lip tints, concealers and pressed powders. Cream blush is a new thing I've tried and after several attempts, I finally made my own blush.

What you'll need:

• Vaseline 
• Sunscreen (optional)
• Tinted moisturizer or BB cream
• Eye shadow pigments 
• Mineral blushes
• Large spoon
• Candle 
• Toothpicks
• Container (This container was from a set of three from the dollar store)

 Step 1:

Into the large spoon, put a small amount of Vaseline and sunscreen and mix. (Do not add too much Vaseline, otherwise the colours will barely show.)

Step 2:

After mixing the two, add a bit of BB cream or tinted moisturizer to the mixture and once again, blend until a pasty colour is formed.

Step 3:

Add colour to the blend by scraping off your eye shadow and mixing in mineral blushes. Mix the colours within the paste up until a solid colour forms.

                                                                                                                                   

 Step 4:

After blending in the colours, light the candle and open the container nearby. Hold the spoon above the candle, until the mixture melts into a liquid form.
Tip: It may be easier to continuously pour the liquid bit by bit.

 Step 5:

Once the liquid is poured into the container, place the blush into the fridge and allow it to cool for an hour or two.

Here is the final result of my blush in the picture above. I ended up with a lighter pink colour, which is easier for me to wear. Overall I'm happy with blush and because of the properties, I think it can also be used as a lip balm. 

Hope you enjoyed this post!

-Layla