SHEET MASK | Dr. Jart Cicapair Calming Mask and Tiger Grass Calming Mist

Cica is IN right now and though it has been a favourite ingredient in Asian skincare, I am starting to see it become more mainstream in the Western hemisphere. "Cica" is short for the official herbaceous plant Centella asiatica, but also has a number of different names including tiger grass and gotu kola and has long been used in the culinary world as well as traditional medicine. And why the name tiger grass? Tigers in Asia have been known to roll around in the grass as a way of calming wounds and helping to heal any abrasions. I wonder how happy that first tiger felt when they discovered this! 

 Purchased by me

MAKEUP | Physician's Formula Healthy Lip Velvet Liquid Lipsticks with Lip Swatches

As much as I have always loved lipgloss, I have found that my preference for lip products has shifted to what is the most longwearing which are often more matte finishes or liquid lipsticks mainly because I don't feel like re-applying at work. I've become sort of a one-stop-shop when it comes to makeup so I pretty much make the effort once in the morning and don't touch my face again until I'm home removing my makeup. When it comes to liquid lipsticks, we are all want the same things: colour payoff, longevity and comfort - three things that the Physician's Formula Healthy Lip Liquid Lipsticks promise! So, how did they do?

Physician's Formula Healthy Lip Velvet Liquid Lipsticks
 PR samples

MAKEUP | Inside My 2020 Beautylish Lucky Bag

I stopped subscription boxes after blogging more as being surprised by products was proving to be more of a waste of money as I would either have duplicates or similar products on hand. If I was going to spend money, I would rather know that the value will be there AND that I won't have the product already, but after seeing enough Beautylish Lucky Bag unboxings I felt comfortable taking a risk and shelling out $100! 


Purchased by me

NAILS | An Abstract Valentine's #CBBxManiMonday

This is the first ManiMonday I have actually full missed in two years, but where I normally would have felt a bit of shame, I just feel relieved to have taken the weekend off from beauty as I had a very busy weekend with work where I think it would have made more sense just to sleep at my desk as most of my time in the last 2 days was spent there instead of in the coziness of my apartment. Even tonight as I painted my nails pink, I was originally going to just paint them two coats and leave a design for later, but I got into the zone and THIS emerged.

Abstract Nail Art
 PR samples

MAKEUP | Urban Decay Naked Reloaded Swatches and Look

Last year was the year of SO MANY EYESHADOW PALETTES and while I was perusing my stash and trying to plan out some more makeup-based content (I am all about the skincare now it seems), I came across the Naked Reloaded Eyeshadow Palette. I had taken photos of it when I first received it in February of last year and now a year later, it feels like this palette was released years ago that I actually double checked my emails to make sure! As someone who picked up the original Naked Palette the week it was released in Sephora in September of 2010 and still adore it to this day, any palette in the Naked series is worth having a look at and though I wasn't completely onboard with Reloaded initially, I think we understand each other now.


PR sample

HAIR | Live Clean Super Fruit Waters Quenching Curls Collection

Yes, yes I don't have a single curl on my head so what am I doing with a shampoo and conditioner that promises to help "shape beautiful, bouncy curls"? When the Super Fruit Waters duo was sent to me, I will admit that I fired off an email saying that this wasn't my hair type and probably wouldn't be featuring it at all, but Live Clean's PR insisted that I give it a go as it was an incredibly nourishing duo for dry, especially colour-treated hair which is ME. 

Live Clean Super Fruit Waters Quenching Curls
 PR samples

NAILS | Minnie Mouse Glitter #CBBxManiMonday

I had a busy week and am gearing up for another week where I make a list of things to complete and then consequently add MORE things to the list and then end up feeling overwhelmed with everything. So, I took it a bit easy with the nails as I was feeling lazy AND because I had to cut them down after suffering breakages on my pointer and pinky fingers. What I have on my nails is a polish that I have shamefully had for probably five or six years and just "never got around to using" so let's give it up for the Etude House and the XOXO Minnie Mouse Collection! 


 Purchased by me

MAKEUP | Avon One More Scoop Gelato Tints

When it comes to cute packaging, it's really Asian cosmetics for the win especially when it comes to making cosmetics look like FOOD. I've used lip tints shaped like wine bottles and a bronzer shaped like a cookie and now I'm back to using a lip tint, but this time in the form of scoops of fruity gelato! Avon and The Face Shop have partnered to create these limited edition almost edible lip tints that will have all ages squealing about how stinkin' cute the packaging is as well as what a great little product it is! 

PR samples

BATH TIME | Gettin' Sexy with the Lush Valentine's Day Collection

The eggplant and the cheeky peach are back in this year's Lush Valentine's Day collection with some new and old classics! I almost picked up the entire collection, but I reminded myself that I am trying to cull my beauty collection this year and STILL have not purchased a single thing from Sephora since December so I held back! 

Lush Valentine's Day Collection
PR samples

SHEET MASK | Avon x The Face Shop The Solution Firming and Nourishing Masks

Last month I had mentioned that Avon and Kbeauty brand The Face Shop had partnered on an entire collection of makeup and skincare and I MUST be excited about it all because here I am with another post! I know a lot of you have seen The Solution series of masks at your local Face Shop as these masks are often featured in promotions with six options to choose from. They are incredibly affordable for the experience and results they provide and are a great introduction to sheet masking if you are new to the scene. When I found out that Avon x The Face Shop had partnered on the Nourishing, Firming and Pore Care face masks, I knew I had to try 'em and let you know what was going through my head!

Avon x The Face Shop The Solution Firming and Nourishing Mask
PR samples

NAILS | Comme des Garcons Play #CBBxManiMonday

Yes, I know I am cheating a little bit with posting a ManiMonday on a Tuesday, but I've never been great at doing these way in advance and now even less so with work. We were crazed on Sunday so I decided to go into work an hour early to catch up on things yesterday and just as I thought it was about to happen (checkin' off tasks one by one), it got really busy with clients and before I knew it, it was closing time. So much for being ahead of the game! 


 PR samples

SHEET MASK | Franz Microcurrent Mask System and Everyday Essence

A couple of months ago, I saw on Instagram a "microcurrent mask" that looked pretty intense and crazy which meant that I OBVIOUSLY had to have it! The FRANZ Microcurrent Face Mask System is a Korean brand that uses the patented TissueX technology to nourish skin from the inside out and at a deeper level. A single treatment is supposed to noticeably revitalize skin by improving elasticity, cell turnover, skin barrier function, reduce fine lines and wrinkles and of course HYDRATE! Let's see if this mask lived up to the science and the hype!

Franz Microcurrent Mask System Review
 PR samples

SHEET MASK | FaceTory Glow Baby Glow #FaceToryFebruary

I felt like January was a long month as it seemed to be filled with a lot of events and random things that popped up and needed to be dealt with so I feel a little thrown that February is now upon us!  I realized that I hadn't even prepared by Bujo or thought about themes for the month other than doing red and pink nails for #CBBxManiMondays! While I was doing laundry today and just house things in general, I decided that after not having a sheet mask theme since the ending of #100DaysofSheetMasks, that it was time for one! So, welcome to #FaceToryFebruary starting with this two step brightening beauty - Glow Baby Glow!

FaceTory Glow Baby Glow Sheet Mask Review
Purchased by me

NAILS | Sometimes the Nails Need to Match the Lipstick #CBBxManiMonday

Wow, I did not realize I had been away from this space for over a week! This is kind of what happens when I work five days in a row, which I realize a large portion of the population does anyway, but this rarely happens for me since I work in retail so I am used to working shorter stretches and getting a bit of a recharge in between. Unfortunately, I just did not have the energy to sit at the computer without fading so here we are a week later with a set of nails! 

Red and Pink Polka Dot Nail Art
PR samples