Friday 31 March 2017

H&M

H&M


Hello loves!

Spring is in the air and I couldn't be more thrilled!
What better way to welcome Spring to my blog than with a Spring fashion wish list highlighting one of my favorite stores, H&M.

Suede Loafers - Okay, I've never owned a pair of loafers before. But I've seen so many fashion bloggers rocking these recently obviously sparking my interest. Comfortable but still stylish and the pale pink coloring is to die for.

Khaki Skinny Jeans - Khaki has been blowing up the last couple years and I'd really enjoy something different from my usual black legging/skinny jeans

Floral Jumpsuit - I hope floral stays on trend because I truly love it and this jumpsuit is perfect for spring.

Bralette - I love lace, it can really make an outfit.

Fringe Sandals - With spring coming there's always a reason to purchase a new pair of sandals.

Dress - the cut out detailing on this is like nothing else I currently have in my wardrobe and I love wearing dresses, especially in spring.

Bomber Jacket - Honestly, I'm not sure how I'd style this but I've always admired bomber jackets and the quilting on the sleeves makes it a little more special.

Ankle boots - I'm in dire need of a new pair of boots. Mine are all currently looking worse for wear.

Jumpsuit - Mint is one of my favorite colors and this jumpsuit screams summer to me.

What trends are you loving for Spring?


Bri

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Wednesday 29 March 2017

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils




Hello.

It's finally beginning to look like Spring outside, The snow is melting & the sun is shining. I've been having a wonderful morning!

A couple years back Sephora's birthday gift was one of the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils in the shades "Cruella" and one of their Satin Lip Pencils in the shade "Rikugien"

To be honest I can't believe it's taken me so long to write a post on these as I adore them!

Cruella is my favorite shade of the two as I live for red lips & matte finishes. Rikguien on the other hand is more of a rose toned nude in a satin finish.







These were both minis but both have lasted me a long time. I've gone through more of Rikugien but that's due to it's satin finish. I find it wears off more easily and slips around a lot easier if you eat anything greasy. Cruella is a matte finish and dries down beautifully and I didn't find it to be nearly as drying as other matte formulas making it quite comfortable for wear throughout the day. Since it's a bolder color I would recommend exfoliating your lips before applying to ensure a smooth even application and a lip liner wouldn't hurt as this does tend to bleed a little outside the lip lines as it wears.

They're both extremely creamy in formula and apply with no troubles. They are quite expensive for what they are. For how long Rikugien lasts I wouldn't repurchase it. Cruella on the other hand is such a stunning red that doesn't make your teeth look yellow because it's blue toned and I will be heading to Sephora to repurchase it as soon as this one is used up!

Which formula do you prefer, matte or satin?

Bri


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Tuesday 28 March 2017

Tarte Wish List

Tarte Wish List

Hello loves!

I'm on a bit of a no buy at the moment as I want to save up so I can get you guys something you really want for my first ever giveaway. Please leave me a comment with some giveaway suggestions down below because it's for you guys so I want it to be something special!

Although I'm on a no buy I decided to create a wish list of Tarte products I'm lusting after. I've used very little from Tarte but the more of their products I see the more interested in the brand I've become.



Tarte Tartelette In Bloom Palette - I own the original Tartelette palette which is all mattes. This one has a variety of shimmer & matte shades making it more versatile. I love the tutorials I've seen with this palette and think it would be a great addition to my collection.

Drink of H20 Moisturizer - I'm always on the hunt for a new moisturizer as I've yet to find the perfect one for my skin.

Tartiest Pro Amazonian Clay Palette - Most of Tarte's palettes are neutral shades so it's nice to see one that includes some color. I've seen many mixed reviews on this but I'd still really love to get my hands on it to try it for myself.

Shape Tape - The hype has gotten through to me for this particular product. Everyone in the beauty world has been raving about this. It looks like it has incredible coverage that takes little product to achieve.

Rainforest of the Sea Water Foundation -  the whole concept of water based foundations has been something I've wanted to try for a while but just haven't got around to doing yet.

Make Believe in Yourself Brush Set - Are these not the cutest brushes you've ever laid eyes on? What girl doesn't want a unicorn themed brush set? Not to mention the colors!

Limited Edition Lip Paint in Festival - Anyone who knows me knows I can't go a day without some sort of lip product and Festival looks like the perfect every day nude.

Amazonian Clay 12 Hr Blush - I've heard nothing but amazing things about these blushes and I'm most certainly going to pick one up soon!

Spellbound Glow Rainbow Highlighter - I'm honestly not sure if I could pull of a rainbow highlighter but I'd most certainly like to experiment with one.

Skin Twinkle Lighting Palette Volume 2 - I really like the looks of this palette. I'm always looking for that goddess glow. This does look like it might be more subtle but I'm still open to trying it. Who knows maybe on my pale skin it will really give me that intense highlight I love oh so much.

What products from Tarte do you recommend? & don't forget to leave a giveaway suggestion!


Bri

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Monday 27 March 2017

Charmed Aroma - First Experience





For a while everyone and their mothers were raving about the brand Charmed Aroma.

Charmed Aroma is a brand that began selling candles with a piece of jewelry in them that could be valued anywhere from ten - five thousand dollars. 

Having never tried Charmed Aroma for myself my lovely mother decided to treat me to one of their Christmas sets this year.
The set included three mini candles in the scents "Cinnamon Vanilla", "Winter Wonderland" & Vanilla Marshmallow. The candles smelled beautiful my favorite being Vanilla Marshmallow.
How these work is in one of the candles there will be a ring or necklace wrapped in a piece of foil. You have to burn through them to find the foil. 

I'm an incredibly impatient person so of course I set to work by burning all three at the same time and it wasn't long before I saw that piece of foil and again with my impatience I grabbed some tweezers and carefully took it out of the candle before it even burned all the way through.

Now, here is where the fun experience ended.
The ring pictured above on the left is my first ring and as you can see it's missing some jewels.
It's a gorgeous ring with or without those missing jewels but when I went online to find the value {the rings have a piece of paper attached with a code which you go online & enter to find out} it was valued at $250. Do you know how long it took those jewels to fall out? Within an hour both of the smaller square shaped jewels had fallen out. For a ring valued that high I expected much better quality. Not only did it fall apart but it also turned my finger green indicating that it's not real gold, that it's plated. I don't know how Charmed Aroma determines their values but there is NO way this is a 250 dollar ring. I've had ten dollar rings that lasted longer than this. 

I was extremely disappointed.
I proceeded to contact the customer service department which was quite helpful and sent me a brand new ring.
The one on the right was the new ring I received. Not quite as visually appealing as the first however this one was of much better quality. It hasn't turned my finger green nor has anything broke apart. However for a sterling silver ring I found the value to be quite high at $150.

For all the hype surrounding this brand I'm honestly not impressed with the jewelry aspect of it. The candles though smell amazing and are averagely priced. If you're looking for a lovely scented candle then I would recommend trying them out. If you want to buy it for the jewelry aspect I would skip it because I don't think it's worth it. They sell bath bombs as well but I find them to be rather expensive.

P.S. I reached my follower goal on Bloglovin, please leave me a comment below with some giveaway ideas. What would you guys like to win?!


Bri



Thursday 23 March 2017

Who To Watch - YouTube

I know there's a million and one of these posts but everyone likes to watch something different and there are a HUGE amount of beauty gurus some of which I found through reading these posts. That's why I wanted to share some of my favorite YouTubers and maybe you'll find someone you've never heard of!





Yes, she has one of the largest followings on YouTube. The reason I wanted to include her though was because she was the first guru I started watching and the one who started my beauty obsession and the inspiration behind me wanting to begin a blog so thank you Zoella. 





Atleeeey is more of a recent find for me. By recent I mean like a few weeks but I've been binge watching her videos a lot. I like that she has a different style than the other big YouTubers and that's what I love about her. She's got some really incredible looks on her channel so definitely check her out!




Emily is one of the most down to earth YouTubers I've watched. If she doesn't like a product she's not afraid to admit it. She has a good mixture of high end products and more affordable options. 



Another extremely down to earth YouTuber. She tells it like it is when it comes to products. Again she has a fantastic variety of videos including high end products and cheaper options.





I LOVE Sam. She is one of my absolute favorite YouTubers and she's Canadian to boot!
She's got an extremely blunt personality but I find her hilarious and I love her looks.
If I could be anyone it would be her. She screams confidence to me and whether or not she is she sure puts on a brave face.


I highly recommend you go check these lovely ladies out. All their channels are great and filled with amazing content.
Hope you guys enjoy at least one of them as much as I do!


Bri

P.s. please follow me on Bloglovin. Giveaway at 25 followers!






Wednesday 22 March 2017

Instagram Round up # 5





Hello everyone.
I love doing these little Instagram round ups and if you're not following me you should head over to @briannarue and start and leave your usernames below so I can give you guys as follow ♥

{from top left to bottom right}

1. I've been participating in the 31 Days of Makeup Challenge on Instagram which is a great way to practice and hone your makeup skills. This was for today (March 22nd) and the theme was to do your whole face using eye shadow. Minus my mascara & foundation I did my whole face with the Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette. I really liked the out come although I do wish I'd done a lighter eye look. Full details of the look are on my Instagram.

2. Another theme for the makeup challenge, spring. My take on spring. I love coral on the eyes for Spring/Summer. I then added a bright pink lip to finish it off.

3. My favorite spring fragrance, Victoria's Secret Lovespell. Such a sweet and delicious scent!

4. My every day makeup. Post here.

5. If you can't already tell from the green this was for St. Patricks day. (another theme for the makeup challenge)

6. A post on anxiety. This was very hard for me to write as I don't really talk about how bad my anxiety is. It would mean so much to me if you guys went and read it. Here.

Leave your usernames below!

Bri

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Tuesday 21 March 2017

Aussie's Mega Moist Range


Hello loves!

So much for the beginning of spring. As I type this the sky outside is gray & clouded over. Where's the sunshine we've been waiting for?!

I had a phase for about two years where I was box dying my hair at least once a month if not more and it has caused permanent damage. I've managed to salvage it some what by using coconut oil as a hair mask a couple times a week.

With it being so dry and brittle I'm always on the hunt for moisturizing products. Aussie is a well known and affordable drug store brand. I've tried many of the products they have to offer and am seldom disappointed.

The mega moist range promises to quench thirsty locks but I discovered it did the exact opposite. My hair was extremely dried out every time I used these in the shower it felt like they pulled all the moisture out of my locks. Not only did it not live up to its moisturizing claim it made my hair frizzy and I have never had issues with frizz. 

Aussie you really did disappoint me this time around. Maybe it's because I have fine hair but this had nothing but negative outcomes.

Bri

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Monday 20 March 2017

Every Day Makeup



Good morning everyone.
Hope you're all enjoying the first day of Spring. It's still pretty chilly here in Alberta but winter tends to drag on and on. 

Every blogger has done an everyday makeup post so I'm jumping on the band wagon and sharing my daily routine and I wanted to lighten things up after yesterdays post.

I usually wear eye shadow daily but I tend to switch up my palettes so I didn't include any in the photo.
 I always do my eye shadow first so I don't mess up my foundation from any fall out that may occur.
After my eye shadow I conceal, using Maybelline's Age Rewind concealer (I've been loving this recently). After concealing I apply my foundation, I'm trying out the Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless and I blend it out with my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. I recently wrote a review on the Hydrate + Smooth version of the Fit Me foundation and was disappointed but figured I'd give this formula a shot as there are so many raving reviews on it.

I included my Kat Von D Shade + Light contour palette although I don't contour every day as I just can't be bothered. I probably do it about twice a week if I'm feeling into it. I do like to use bronzer everyday and for that I use Benefit's Hoola, a cult favorite among bloggers. After bronzing I apply blush. The blush I currently use my mom actually gave to me but it's a beautiful neutral rosy shade that works for multiple looks making it my go to.

Highlighting is up next. I like to switch between Benefit's Watts Up & ColourPop's Fanny Pack.


I like to add the finishing touches to my eyes last. First, I apply liquid liner & curl my lashes using my Tarte Lash Curler and then I apply my mascara.

I set it all with the new Maybelline Master Fix setting spray and finish it up by throwing on a lip color.

What do you use in your day to day?

Bri

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Sunday 19 March 2017

Anxiety - Loving someone for what they are


There are many different anxiety disorders. I never wanted to believe I suffered with anxiety because I didn't want to feel alienated.

Generalized anxiety disorder. This is excessive, unrealistic worry and tension, even if there's little or nothing to provoke the anxiety.

I've always been a stress case, I'm constantly worried about money and the future and things that haven't even happened yet. I'm an emotional wreck and have breakdowns about things that regular people can cope with just fine. I can't shut it off but its beginning to interfere with my life to a point where people don't understand why or how I can live like this. 
I wouldn't say I have social anxiety. I've never had problems making or keeping friends but it's coming to a point where people are now starting to make comments about how I just need to calm down and breathe. That may be easy for someone without anxiety but I always have something picking at my brain telling me I'm not ever going to be anything in life and that no one's going to be able to accept this part of me.

It's hard to explain to people in my life why I am the way I am. They don't understand that anxiety is a mental illness and is extremely difficult to overcome. Yes, I could be taking anti depressants or seeing a therapist but I don't want to be pill popping for the rest of my life nor do I want to tell my problems to a stranger. 

I guess that's why I sat down to write this.

If something upsets me or I fight with a loved one I get panic attacks to the point where I get physically ill. I start to feel dizzy and nauseous but I can't sit down. I haven't figured out a way to control this yet. I will spend hours in tears with constant negative thoughts in my head and it's gotten so bad that people at my job have begun to take notice.

I've been told on more than one occasion that I'm going to have a heart attack by the time I'm thirty. I wish people would realize what they're saying isn't helping. I know they don't understand but the comments I'm told on a day to day basis make me feel worse about myself and feed the anxiety issues I already have.

Last night, I was getting cut down by people I thought liked me. I truly don't think they understood that what they were saying was hurting me. You can tell me to stop stressing all you want and that you can't handle it.
I know it may not be easy to love someone with anxiety but I just want people to understand that we can't change it. Anxiety is a plague.

I want people who don't understand it to read up on it and try to accept and help the people you love who may suffer with an anxiety disorder whether it be social or generalized.

Don't put them down.

Sorry for the negative post you guys. I had to write it because I don't think people realize how truly crippling it is.

Bri



Friday 17 March 2017

7 Deadly Sins - Makeup Tag




Hello again everyone!
Quick little tag post because I thought it was a really interesting one. I hope you guys enjoy reading tags if not let me know and I definitely won't do as many.
Again, I found this over on Jessies blog.

GREED: What is your inexpensive beauty item? What is your most expensive?
The most inexpensive item I currently have are my eye liners. The first one being an e.l.f. gel liner for $3 CAD and the second is the Essence Cosmetics liquid liner for $3 as well. Both are amazing for the price, I was super impressed! The most expensive would be my Kat Von D Metal Matte palette which retailed for $78 CAD. Another amazing product, I think it was a bit over priced for what it is but it was limited edition so naturally I had to have it.

WRATH: What beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with? What product has been the hardest to get?
Dark lipsticks have to be the product I love/hate. I love the look a dark lip gives and how it can completely change any makeup style BUT you always have to use a lip liner as darker colors tend to bleed outside the lip lines which doesn't make them ideal for when you're on the go. The product that is hardest to get for me is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Moonchild glow kit. I want this so bad it pains me. The Sephora's in my area get the most random shipments of the glow kits so I'm constantly calling them and going in asking if they're getting it even though the answer is always "just come back and keep checking, we don't know if we'll get them in but we might." Being Canadian of course buying anything online is such a hassle. I did see how much it would cost to order through ABH site and after shipping and exchange I just can't justify such a lavish purchase. Let's petition Sephora to bring it back permanently. Who's with me?


GLUTTONY: What are your most delicious beauty products? 
The Too Faced Sweet Peach palette was what I immediately thought of when hearing "delicious" Why? The palette smells strongly of peaches albeit being a bit much it certainly smells "delicious!"


SLOTH: What beauty products do you neglect due to laziness?
Cleaning my brushes. I know, it's such a bad habit to have. I can guarantee you I don't clean them as often as I should but I've been working on it. I wish I could just hire someone to do it for me honestly. That's how much I dislike doing it.

PRIDE: What beauty product gives you the most self confidence? 
Eye liner & mascara. I really feel that these two items create such a difference all on their own. They help make you look more awake and make your eyes look bigger. I could just pop those on and be good to go for the day.

LUST: What products are you currently lusting over?
I want a YSL lipstick. They have the most gorgeous luxurious gold packaging. I would also love to try Charlotte Tilbury but the prices are a little too rich if you ask me. When it comes to skin care I've been lusting after a Sunday Riley face oil for ages...maybe one day.

ENVY: What items would you most like to receive as a gift? 
Perfume, preferably Marc Jacobs perfume. I don't know why I can never bring myself to spend my hard earned money on a $150 perfume even if I love the smell, I just can't do it. I've honestly walked into Sephora picked up Marc Jacobs Decadence a million times and before getting to the till I ALWAYS put it back. Why am I like this?


Bri

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Thursday 16 March 2017

Drug Store Haul


 Hello loves!

I have some exciting news to share with you before we get into this drug store haul.
I'm so close to hitting my 25 follower mark on Bloglovin and as you know I wanted to do a giveaway once I reached that goal. 

My question for you guys is what would you like for the giveaway? 
Originally I wanted to do a Huda Beauty Liquid Lipstick but there's been so many new things released since then! 
Leave me a comment below telling me what you would love to see for a giveaway.

I got all the above products (not the charmed aroma candles) for only thirty five dollars! Pretty impressive if I do say so myself. The lipsticks were on sale for $3.99 and the lip liner was only $2.99. Hello steal! The hairspray & blistex were just a couple of things I needed.



I was in desperate need of a new shampoo. I've never used HASK products before but the promise of moisture sucked me in. It says its Paraben and Sulfate free but I read through the ingredients and parabens and sulfates still appear and quite high up in the ingredient list unlike the coconut oil which appears closer to the bottom. Say hello to false advertising. Either way I'm willing to try it and see how it fairs. I'll update you guys once I test it out for a while.




{left to right - 1000 Kisses (lip liner), 220 Dusty Rose, 510 Mayfair Red Lady, 700 Nude Delight & 705 Let's Get Naked}


This lip liner I've seen pop up across many blogs so I have high hopes for it. It's the Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in the shade 1000 Kisses.

I've never used Rimmel lipsticks outside of the Kate Moss Lasting Finish ones which I L O V E.
Usually, I prefer more of a matte finish where as these are more creamy. Looking at the swatch of Nude Delight I'm realizing it may be a bit to light for my skin tone but we will see. These are all from the Rimmel Moisture Renew range and I'm excited to see if these will turn me away from the matte trend I love so much.

Please leave your giveaway suggestions below!

Bri

One more follower till I reach my goal and to doing a giveaway. Please follow me on Bloglovin!




Tuesday 14 March 2017

The Blush Tag





Hello loves!
I found this tag over on Jessie's blog and although I don't have the largest blush collection I still thought it would be fun to give it a go!
If you do this tag, be sure to leave me a link in the comments!


What color blush suits you the most?
Pale pinks as I'm extremely fair skinned. Any dark or strongly pigmented blushes will make me look like a clown so I have to be very light handed when applying.

Pressed, cream or loose blush?
I've used only one cream blush before and I've never tried a loose blush so pressed it is for me. The cream blush I used I just didn't like the way it applied and I found it hard to blend out. I find pressed blushes are easy and quick to use making them ideal for everyday. I'd love to try out a loose blush so if anyone has any recommendations please leave them in the comments. 

Favourite shimmery blush?
NARS Deep throat. It has a lovely subtle golden shimmer to it unlike some other shimmery blushes which are full of chunky glitter.

Favourite matte blush?
Benefit's Dandelion. Like I said above those pale, subtle pinks are fantastic when it comes to ghostly complexions like mine. This is buildable as well if you want a more pigmented look.

Favourite cream blush?
I've only tried one, it was in the Too Faced Natural Face palette. I found it hard to blend and strongly disliked how it applied to the skin. I would be open to trying more as I don't think you can form an opinion on something after only trying one formula when there are so many other different brands with different formulas.


Favourite drug store blush?
Come to think about it...I've never tried a drug store blush! I know what I'll be picking up next time I'm in the drug store!

Favourite MAC blush?
Again, I've only tried one and it was their mineralized blush in the shade "Dainty" which I do really enjoy. 

Biggest blush disappointment?
The cream one from the Too Faced Natural Face Palette.

Best blush packaging?
Out of the ones I own I'd say my Nars cheek palette. Its beautifully designed on the outside and is nice and sturdy and houses a large mirror inside. It's great for traveling.

What's on your blush wish list? 
I'm dying to try the Tarte Amazonian clay blushes as I've heard absolutely nothing but good things about them!

Holy grail blush?
At the moment with the little amount of blushes I've tried it would have to be Benefit's Dandelion. I'm keen to try more out though so leave me recommendations in the comments!

Bri

Don't forget to follow on Bloglovin! giveaway will be held as soon as I reach 25 followers. I'm so close!

Monday 13 March 2017

Top 5 High End Lipsticks




Hello again!
I did a drugstore top 5 about a month ago and thought to follow up that post I'd do one for high end options.

Being a self confessed lipstick addict I had a lot of options to choose from but after much deliberation I found the ones I reach for most.




{left to right - Velvet Teddy, Russian Red, Melted Peony, Lolita & Soft Lilac}

MAC Velvet Teddy - Velvet Teddy is as perfect as they all say. A fantastic brown toned nude that works for every look! I don't find Velvet Teddy to be as drying as other matte lipsticks either making it quite comfortable to wear during the day.

Russian Red - Unlike Velvet Teddy although they are both in MAC's matte range, Russian Red is very drying on the lips. I recommend exfoliating and applying lip balm before applying this. Russian Red is completely opaque with one application and lasts well over 5 hours if you stray from greasy foods or excessive drinks. I love dark reds and this is by far my favorite. I wear this year round, who said dark colors were only for fall/winter?

Too Faced Melted Peony - If you read my blog regularly you'll know I prefer a matte finish to a glossy finish. This is my exception, it doesn't dry completely matte but it's not glossy on the lips, it's more of satin finish I'd say. A lovely light pink, you'll be seeing this on my lips a lot this spring!

Kat Von D Lolita - I recently wrote a post on this - here. I've been wearing this constantly the past couple of weeks.

ABH Soft Lilac - This looks surprisingly different on different skin tones. I'm ghostly pale so this looks much darker on my lips then the soft toned lavender it appears on others. There seems to be a lot of mixed feelings on ABH's liquid lipstick formula and even though I've only tried one, I love it! I can only fault the formula in the sense that it's not transfer proof. I've yet to find a liquid lipstick formula that doesn't transfer so it's not a negative for me.

I've been wanting a YSL lipstick for a long time, so I may have to pick one up the next time I'm at Sephora.

What are your top 5 high end lipsticks? 

Bri

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Friday 10 March 2017

MAC Studio Finish Concealer



Hello everyone.

Winter seems to be never ending in Alberta. The sun peeks out for a day but the temperatures stay frigid and the snow just keeps coming. 

Colder weather means we generally wear heavier makeup. The MAC Studio Finish Concealer is a lightweight, high coverage concealer.

Dry skin does not tend to bode well with pot concealers, they're a little thicker in consistency than I like but I didn't get on too bad with this one. I like that this has an SPF of 35 because who doesn't appreciate sun protection, especially come the summer months. A little of this goes a long way so it's well worth the price tag. I was scared to pick this up when I saw the words natural matte finish as I tend to run from anything that's matte.
It blends out nicely and evenly on the skin. I use my fingers to blend it in because I find the warmth from my fingers helps warm the product up making it blend easier. I find it too thick to blend with a traditional brush.

I was amazed to find this didn't leave me with a cakey finish as many pot concealers do nor did it cling to dry patches. It created a lovely natural finish while evening out my skin tone as I do have a bit of redness. I will say it did crease a little on the under eyes but I think it was just too thick in formula for the under eye area so I wasn't too surprised.






It's not my holy grail but it wasn't a bad product. Personally, I prefer liquid concealers. I like the finish they leave better and how you can also use them to highlight your under eyes. I don't think I'll be purchasing any more pot concealers as they just weren't for me.

What\s your favorite concealer and finish?

Bri

Don't forget to follow on Bloglovin, giveaway at 25 followers!



Wednesday 8 March 2017

Lancome - Bi-Facial Double Action Eye Makeup Remover


Hello loves!

The lighting gods were completely against me today. No matter how I tried to change it or what angle I took the photo at they all turned out terrible. I mean look at the reflection of the light. So sorry you guys! 
If there's one thing I despise about winter it's the horrendous lighting. You can never get natural light after working 9-5 and unfortunately I don't have the funds to get a professional set up just yet.

I digress.

The Lancome Bi-Facil Double Action eye makeup remover is my holy grail and you'll rarely catch me without it. I would however like to branch out more and try some high end ones as most if not all the other eye makeup remover products I've tried have been drug store.

I always remove my eye makeup first as I find it's the most stubborn to remove especially for someone like me who likes to wear heavy eye makeup daily.
This is a double action oil based remover. To use, gently shake the bottle to mix the contents together then soak a cotton pad and remove. No fuss needed and removes even the toughest water proof mascara/eye liner. It won't remove everything completely which is fine because I've yet to find one that does and I always proceed to wash my face with a cleanser afterwards.
Since this is oil based it will leave your face with a greasy film which is another reason I do this step first.
Then I finish up with a cleanser to remove any left over eye and face makeup as well as dirt.
 My skin isn't sensitive so unfortunately I'm unable to comment on that factor but it doesn't irritate or sting my eyes. I know that should be a given for makeup removers branded for the eye area but you'd be surprised at how many do burn when used around the eyes.

Until I find something better, I'll never be without this.

What do you use to remove your eye makeup?

Bri

Don't forget to follow on Bloglovin, giveaway at 25 followers!



Monday 6 March 2017

Maybelline FIT Me - Hydrate + Smooth


I rarely do foundation reviews.
Why?
Honestly, I couldn't tell you. It's not a product I really need to use as I have fairly good skin in the sense that there's little to cover up and there are just other things I'd rather review for you guys. I'm still struggling to find a foundation that I love. I'm finding it very difficult to find one that is dewy but not greasy looking or one that doesn't stick to to the dry patches on my skin...and there's a lot of them.

Foundation seems to be the one product that takes a lot of trial and error when trying to find that perfect formula.

I saw raving reviews on the Maybelline Fit Me Foundation which is what ultimately led to me picking it up. Sad to report that I don't understand what all the hype is about.
I apply this using my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge and while it applies beautifully and blends really well a couple hours later I was left with a face resembling a patchy oil spill. 
For a foundation that's branded for dry skin I was definitely not expecting it to turn my face into an oil slick. It slides around on the face leaving patches everywhere. Not exactly the look I was trying to achieve.
It's light coverage and I've not tried building it up but with the experience I've had so far I wouldn't recommend it.



As you can see it really does blend nicely into the skin, I just wish it would have performed as well as it blends.


I'm keen to try the matte + poreless formula although because if this one is so oily in formula maybe the other one will be perfect for dry skin, I'll update you guys if I do end up purchasing it.
Please leave some foundation recommendations in the comments I'm still on the hunt for that holy grail.

What's your favorite foundation?

Bri

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Friday 3 March 2017

Friday Favorites #2






Hello loves!

Two posts in one day, impressive if I do say so myself. I tried to start a Friday Favorites series  way back, did one post and then fell off. By fell off I mean I never did another one. I wasn't regularly posting back then however and I really like the idea of showing you guys the product(s) that got all my love during the week. 

So I'm back with my second installment. I promise you I'll try my best to stick to it this time.
This week I was constantly rocking Kat Von D's Everlasting Liquid Lip in the iconic shade Lolita.

A well known and loved blogger favorite. It took me a long time to jump on the liquid lipstick fan bandwagon but I'm sure glad I did. I've yet to find my holy grail formula though. I now own three of the Kat Von D ones and they are by no means transfer proof but on the other hand they're not as drying as many other matte formulas such as the Colourpop Ultra Matte Lips. They're okay in terms of formula but what really makes me love Lolita is it's a unique chestnut shade that I haven't seen any dupes for...yet.
The combo I wore all week was MAC's Woodwinked shadow with Lolita on the lips. A very fall color combo but who follows the rules anyways?

What was your favorite product of the week?

Bri

Don't forget to follow on Bloglovin for a giveaway, at 25 followers!



Brand Impressions - Too Faced


Hello!
Sorry I've been absent lately. My work load at home and my job has sky rocketed in the past few days! This post was planned for yesterday but unfortunately I didn't have the time I thought I would to get it up.

If you couldn't already tell, I wanted to talk about one of my growing obsessions with the brand Too Faced. They are slowly becoming one of my favorite brands and for good reason. It may not look like the stash others may have built up but I'm constantly adding things to my Too Faced wish list and may be spending more than I should be. Can you really blame me? I mean, just look at their packaging! 




 

 







Too Faced has the cutest packaging of any beauty brand and creative marketing tactics! I love that their food related palettes such as the Sweet Peach, Chocolate Bar palettes and even their new peanut butter ones all smell like the items they relate too. Albeit sometimes they can be a bit much but an idea I've yet to see any other brand try.

The only product from my collection I've reviewed was the 2015 Limited Edition Christmas Palette (Le Grand Palais).
I had mixed feelings about it but the other products excluding the Natural Face Palette are complete dreams and I am itching to add more! The most recent addition was the Sweet Peach of which I've fallen in love with. Once winter is over you can bet I'll be breaking this out daily.

I am lusting over their soon to be released Natural Love eye palette and the Love Light Highlighters. I'm just drooling at the absolute gorgeous shades in the palette, dreaming of all the looks you could create with them. With 30 shades the options are limitless. If you guys haven't seen swatches of the highlighters yet I highly recommend you head to Instagram right now and search for them, they are STUNNING. I love a blinding glow which could be easily achieved with these, and if you're not following me on Instagram please do, my username is Briannarue.

What is your favorite beauty brand?

Bri

Don't forget to follow on Bloglovin, giveaway at 25 followers!