FAVOURITES | My Current Top 7 Lip Balms

I have forgotten how much fun it is to do round-ups! They are quite liberating and let's face it guys, do you REALLY want to read a WHOLE post about one little lip balm? Unless the lip balm is glittery, bubbles or changes colour, I dunno if I'd even be that interested in writing the damn post! Originally, I had just five lip balms to share with you, but I couldn't decide on just five. Since the beauty world likes odd numbers for favourites (hello numbers 1, 5, 11 or 13!) I have upped the number of favourite lip balms to lucky number seven!

Some PR samples featured

September and October 2014 Favourites

1. Bliss | Lemon and Sage Body Butter

You’ll notice it says “super-sized” because that is EXACTLY what it is. It’s 414mL of well..pure bliss. I have always been a fan of the bliss body butters for their unique, yet subtle blend of scents. I obviously loved the lemon and sage scent enough to buy this mofo and haven’t looked back!

2. Shu Uemura | Brave Beauty Orange Palette

Those of you who saw my makeup look with this palette (here) know that I fell in love with the colour orange right then and there. The pigmentation and quality floored me and warrants  its hefty $90 price tag if you’re looking for a palette that is completely different.

3. Urban Decay | Naked Flushed Palette

I picked this up last year, but have only really discovered it this year. This palette contains a highlighter, blush and bronzer all in one giant piece and you can select which parts you want to use. I generally use just the highlighter and blush and love that I can get a shimmer to my blush without having to open another product.

4. Lavanila | Vanilla Grapefruit Fragrance

I picked this up as a trio of minis a few years back and have been conserving the scent since. It lasts for HOURS on me and I love that two of my most favourite types of scents have been combined to form this lovely being. I also use the Vanilla Grapefruit deodorant and it is the ONLY deodorant scent that I have yet to get sick of.

5. Salonpas | Adhesive Muscle Relief Strips

I feel really old even mentioning these, but I actually use these to ease menstrual cramps. They feel more minty than hot, but the few hours of relief I get from one little patch is awesome. These look like an “ethnic” purchase, but I actually get mine from Shoppers Drug Mart. I hope I didn’t sound super racist right there…

6. Urban Decay | Naked 3 Dual-Ended 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil

I am totally obsessed with this eyeliner! On one end is Darkside and the other Blackheart. I use both fairly frequently with Blackheart being my personal favourite as it is a black liner with purple sparkles! It just makes a casual eye look just THAT much more interesting.

7. Marcelle | Lengthening and Curling Mascara

I will have to do a review of this (*ties a string around finger*) because I have recently rediscovered this little beauty. It is one of the few mascaras that seems to “add” lashes to my non-existent ones. It’s kind of magical, but the formula can get heavy for me if I over do it so I have to be careful.

8. Lise Watier | Liquid Eyeliner in Black

This was my very first liquid eyeliner EVER. I first purchased this in 2009 because it has one of the FINEST brushes I have ever used. I have used a lot of eyeliners after this and nothing has even come close. You just have to have a steady hand.

9. Clarisonic | Cashmere Cleanse Facial Brush

OMG. Ask to feel this in a Sephora and then rip open the box and try it on your face with water. It feels like your face is being massaged by a cloud. This is a very gentle cleanse so don’t look to this facial brush for a deep cleanse by any means.

Two months of favourites DONE! Off to read what the rest of you have been loving!

Jayne’s August Favourites

I actually had quite a number of favourites for August, but I feel like if I list too many it gets somewhat confusing as each item loses its “pedestal-like” status as a “favourite”. I have some gems that I have definitely been consistently reaching for over the last month and possibly even now in September so they must be pretty awesome.

July 2014 Favourites

I cheated a little on my favourites this year as I skipped June partially due to being really busy at work and also because I just didn’t have anything THAT interesting to share with you. I’d like to think that after two months I have a few products that are worth a mention and who knows, maybe they’ll make it to your favourites lists as well!

May 2014 Favourites

Well, look at that. I actually have REAL favourites for once! I finally decided to enjoy some makeup and make note of things I have been loving which I constantly forget to do. Hopefully, you will find some favourites among MY favourites!

April 2014 Favourites

skoah | Pep Talk Body Lotion

This is what I would consider a “medium coverage” moisturizer as it might not be enough for really dry skin or too much for when the weather gets warmer. My main reason for loving this moisturizer? The peppermint scent that leaves my skin with a slight tingle has become an easy favourite for me this past month as the scent leaves me feeling clear-headed and invigorated. Perfect for a morning wake-up call!

Julep | Bare Face Cleansing Oil

I actually started using this thanks to a post from Kalyn a month or two ago. I remembered that I had it in my unused stash of stuff and I’m so glad I brought it out from hibernation! The only other cleansing oil I have been using consistently is the infamous Shu Uemura one, but now that I have used the Julep one, I can finally say that this cleansing oil is a mean competitor! It is a little bit thicker in consistency than the Shu one and doesn’t leave quite as greasy a finish on my skin.

Rainbow Honey | Lavendula Perfume Oil

“French Lavender brightened with sun-filled citrus notes of Lime, Yuzu, and Sweet Orange”. I received a tiny 1mL rollerball (yes, an actual rollerball) in the March Rainbow Honey mystery bag and oh my goodness does this smell good! It is just so DIFFERENT than anything I have ever smelled and I have almost 100 bottles of perfume so that’s really saying something!

Urban Decay | Naked Basics

I don’t even want to talk too much about this palette as I feel like we’ve all talked about UD Naked Palettes enough for both the 20th and 21st centuries, but what I will say is that I now realize the value of having this palette as I am not normally a matte eyeshadow wearer. I have been forcing myself to use just this to see how versatile this palette is and for traveling, this is seriously all you would need!

OPI Nail Lacquer | 18K White Gold Top Coat

This is the coolest top coat ever! I know it’s a little gimmicky and crazy expensive, but the finish is just so cool! It’s like no other!

Stila | Jewel Eye Shadow in Citrine

This is a shimmery pigmented eyeshadow that has virtually no fallout despite how shimmery it is. I love wearing brown eyeshadow so the extra shimmer is a great way to spice things up!

See you next month!

Favourites | March 2014

Oh my goodness, we are motoring along in the year and we have now come to another month end which means another month of favourites! I feel like I had more than what I have showing here, but this is all I could remember! I really need to start making notes!

Favourites | January 2014

That’s right you heard me. JANUARY favourites because I refuse to skip months and ruin the order of things AND it’s the first set of favourites for 2014! How can I possibly skip that?

November/December 2013 Favourites

When it comes to favourites, I’m going to have to cheat a little bit and combine November and December because moving last month didn’t really give me a chance to truly enjoy any new products nor the brain power to remember what they were. I’m very sure I have forgotten some things, but those can always make their way into January’s favourites!

September 2013 Favourites

I am so sorry I have waited so long to post my September favourites! I think I may have forgotten as my brain as been elsewhere the last couple of weeks. I have been literally SICK with wedding jitters and have been throwing up which really bites…when I get excited or anxious my stomach is the first thing to react along with most recently my lips and I have often said that I might need to be hospitalized on my wedding day! I really hope that doesn’t happen, but even as I write this I am feeling so nauseated…anyway, I hope this stops and I can feel somewhat normal again. On that note, time for favourites?

July Favourites

We are already halfway through the summer, isn’t it crazy? We’re seeing clothes and beauty collections for the Fall season and summer is on its way out according to the retail world! I was on vacation for half of July so my makeup routine was fairly minimal by sticking with items that got me out the door in no time flat!

1. Biotherm Lait Corporel Anti-Drying Body Milk

I have reviewed the body butter version of this before which I love for winter, so the body milk version is much lighter in consistency therefore making it much more comfortable to use in warmer months. It absorbs quickly into the skin and still has that glorious orange scent that I love. It seriously smells like real oranges!

2. Juice Beauty Lip Gloss in Pink

I received this in May’s Ipsy Bag and it is lovely! It smells like my favourite thing…oranges! I have been layering this purple gloss over my pink-toned lipsticks and have been loving the results! It doesn’t stay glossy for very long on me because it’s not one of those super sticky glosses, but it’s such a pretty purple that I don’t mind having to reapply.

3. Julep Mighty Nail and Cuticle Serum

This sleek-looking tool arrived in my April Julep Maven Box and what I love about this serum is that for nail pictures, it takes away the visual dryness of my cuticles without leaving an oily finish that might show up in pictures. It dries so quickly that my nails are photo ready in a matter of seconds. I wouldn’t use this if I needed an intense blast of hydration though. For that, I would stick to good ol’ greasy cuticle oil!

4. Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Mascara

I talked about this mascara in my review of MUFE’s new Smoky Extravagant mascara and what I love about this mascara is that in addition to volume, it looks like I have many more lashes than I do when I wear it! The formula is very smooth and does not clump at all unlike that of Smoky Extravagant.

5. Fresh Brown Sugar Eau de Parfum

You can probably see from the picture that I barely have any left because I have been using this rollerball to death! I love how different the scent is and for those of you who love Fresh products, you can guess that Brown Sugar smells just as amazing as every other Fresh product! It’s light, sweet and refreshing. I promise, you will love it!

6. & 7. Clinique Chubby Stick for Eyes in Ample Amber and Fuller Fudge

This was my first foray into the Clinique Chubby Stick world and even though I wasn’t wowed by the application of all the colours, these two browns were my favourite. These are much smoother than the Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Shadow Pencils and with primer, can last a whole work day. I use Ample Amber on the inner corners and first 2/3 of my eyes and then finish the outer corners with Fuller Fudge while blending the two. Together these have made the perfect natural eye duo for me!

8. Julep Freedom Polymer Top Coat

Other than my LED story from my tuxedo nail art post, this top coat is actually quite amazing. It dries in minutes and leaves a crazy shine behind!

9. Lise Watier Sun Smart Tinted Universal UV Shield SPF 30

I have been LIVING in this for most of the July and whenever I’m out and about now. This gives me the protection I need while giving my skin a beautiful bronzed colour. It also evens out my skin tone and gives me skin the most flawless appearance!

See you next month!

June Favourites!

We are now officially full swing into summer and I can finally bring out my more summery makeup colours to celebrate! June was mainly about makeup products for me, it’s funny how each month differs in product assortment. I didn’t have a lot of lip products this month because of the weird allergy on my lips I was battling with, but it forced me to discover other products that DIDN’T go on my lips! I hope you guys enjoy!

1. Origins Incredible Spreadable Smoothing Ginger Body Scrub

This smells just like ginger candy! It’s sweet and almost edible, but has a wonderful grit to it. I like my body scrubs to have fairly large crystals as that is the only way I feel like my body is getting any exfoliation at all. The crystals are packed quite densely and dissolve as you rub. What is great is that this scrub is gentle enough to be used daily.

2. NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Beige

As you can see, this colour is far from beige as it is a gorgeous pink with a medium tint to it. It smells like cherries and gives your lips an incredible shine. I have been layering this over lipstick, but can also be worn alone for a healthy pink sheen. This lip gloss is also smooth and non-sticky which is nice, but as a result does not last long and must be reapplied about every two hours.

3. Nivea Lip Butter in Raspberry Rose

I got this in a swap from the UK (which I promise I’ll post soon because I got some awesome goodies!) and it smells like raspberries and cream! It’s very moisturizing and has been one of the few things I have been wearing on my lips since I was suffering from my stress-induced lip allergy throughout the month of June. It goes on virtually colourless and is very smooth on the lips.

4. China Glaze Nail Lacquer in Too Yacht to Handle

This is just such a beautiful teal, perfect for summer! The formula is wonderfully opaque in two coats and goes on much brighter in person than in the bottle. This is a colour I feel I will keep turning to again and again this season.

5. Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat

I have read about this product for years, but never bothered to try it until last month and it’s great! I actually don’t notice too much of a difference between this and the Out the Door top coat and is much easier to find! I also like the width of the brush. This is a keeper for me!

6. Benefit Sugarbomb Blush

Now that I have a little bit more colour from running errands in the sun, I find that I can get away with less pink and more bronze-pink for colour. Sugarbomb has made its way into most of our makeup bags so I’m sure you all know WHY this is a favourite of mine! It has the perfect combination of pinks and browns that look wonderful on any skin tone.

7. Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze

I feel like this is an oldie, but a goodie. This is my favourite colour out of the whole collection and lasts all day even without primer for me! It’s such a pretty shimmery neutral brown that I use it for work often. It’s also very blendable and creamy for an eye shadow that lasts an 8 hour work day!

8. Pandora’s Makeup Box Eye Shadow in Nugget

I got this colour a few months ago, but it wasn’t exactly a “cold weather” colour. Now that I am unearthing my summer makeup, wearing a gold eye shadow seems like part of the summer uniform! The pigmentation of this eye shadow is good and is soft and blendable.

9. Boscia Vanilla Scented Blotting Papers

I actually have my blotting papers in a reusable holder which is why you can’t see the original packaging. These blotting papers have a faint vanilla scent and in my opinion, work like any other blotting papers so it really is the scent that I am loving!

And that’s a wrap for June! 

May | 2013 Favourites

May was a bit funny for me with favourites because I was under so much stress that my lips started to completely freak out and became itchy, red and numb which meant living off Vaseline as I couldn’t wear anything else! So, while my lips were undergoing some much needed TLC, I focused on products for everywhere else instead!