*Kat Von D - New Cake Pencils and Trooper Liquid Liner

 

 

Hello loves!

Another day, another review.

I received the new Kat Von D Cake Pencil and her famed Tattoo liner in the shades Trooper courtesy of Influenster in exchange for a review. 

Please note all opinions are my own.

Kat Von D is as we know very controversial, lately there's been talk about how the full size liquid liner and her sample size have the same sized cartridge. Whether or not that's true I don't know but for me personally I've never been a fan of her. I think shes egotistical and believes she is a gift to the world. On the other hand she really does make some incredible makeup products and I do appreciate the fact that her brand is vegan and cruelty free.

I digress though. The newly released Cake Pencil is amazing. I've been using it daily to tight line and it glides effortlessly across the upper and lower lash line with extreme pigmentation and lasts through my full eight hour work day. I won't stop using this anytime soon. 

Believe it or not I've never tried the infamous Tattoo Liner and despite the current controversy I like the tip it helps with precise application and again is deeply pigmented and doesn't skip across the lid while applying. Do I think this liquid pen is any better than one I can pick up out of the drugstore such as the Maybelline Master Precise, no I don't. For what it is I would skip on purchasing it myself.

What do you guys think of Kat Von D?

♥

Bri

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*Le Petit Marseillais

Hello loves!

I'm sorry it's been so long, I've been given yet another hat to wear at work. I now have the workload of three jobs but am only getting paid for one but tomorrow I'm supposed to have a meeting regarding my compensation so wish me luck.

I've been so busy with my home and work life that my little space on the internet has been a tad neglected. Although don't worry darlings I have a lot of posts planned for the near future.

Influenster kindly sent over a sample of the Le Petit Marseillais body wash to try out in exchange for an opinion which is completely my own.

Whenever I think french I think luxury maybe due to brands like Caudalie but this was just an average run of the mill body wash if you ask me. Despite their claims I found nothing about this excited me or made me feel the need to rush out and purchase it. The thing I was most underwhelmed by was the scent as every other citrus scented product I've tried has been extremely overpowering and this was almost too subtle to notice. In all honestly I won't be purchasing this. Im sorry for coming back with such a negative review but there was just no wow factor here.

What's your favourite body wash?

Bri 

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*Hello Flavor - BBQ Box

Hello loves!

I'm living for the hot weather we've been having lately, I love summer! (Who doesn't?)

Influenster teamed up with Hello Flavor to curate a BBQ Essentials box, perfect for the summer season. 

Ok, I'll admit it I don't actually have any propane for my BBQ at the moment (oops) so I made my burger boring old stove top style. There were four items in the box.

Club House Flavor Packet (Bourbon & Brown Sugar) Not Pictured

I'm not one for Bourbon as I find it to be an extremely overpowering flavor so I didn't have high hopes going into this. I was pleasantly surprised! I made my patty then coated it in the mixture to grill it. The brown sugar gave it a very sweet flavor while the bourbon gave it a subtle kick. It was a lovely balanced spice and I'm definitely interested in trying the other flavors on offer!

Club House La Grille Spicy Montreal Steak Spice

 We've all tried the original Montreal Steak Spice but I won't ever be going back to it after trying the spiced up version. This stuff is bomb, not as spicy as my beloved Sriracha however but if you're looking for that extra something give this a go.

Frank's Red Hot Sauce

I'm sorry Franks but Sriracha will always be number one. To me Frank's just doesn't provide enough hotness.

 French's Mustard/Ketchup

French's, you will never be able to compete with my love of Heinz Ketchup. I'm a brand snob when it comes to condiments. Peanut Butter, butter, ketchup, hot sauce you name it, I have a brand that I love and I very rarely stray. Sorry but not really.

*These products were sent to me for free in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.*

How do you like to make your summer meals?

♥

Bri 

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*Megaphone Mascara?

 

Hello loves!

I was sent a new and innovative mascara to review courtesy of Influenster & Almay. 

I've always been aware of Almay as a drugstore brand but until this point, had never tried any of their products. I had no idea what to expect in terms of quality. Almay isn't a highly talked about brand.

When I opened the package, I was really intrigued by the megaphone brush as I don't think I've ever seen another mascara with a brush like this.

Mascara is one of my favorite makeup products and I have tried a million at this point so I was excited to give this a shot. Unfortunately the excitement didn't last long. The marketing for this is too true, what I mean by that is that on the package itself it says "One Coat MEGA VOLUME". It does create voluminous lashes but you truly cannot apply more than one coat on the lashes without it looking like a clumped disaster. The formula is wet and a ton of product comes out on the brush so you have to be incredibly careful and make sure that you wipe of all the excess product or you'll have goopy eye lashes with mascara smeared all over your lid. For my first venture with Almay as a brand I'm disappointed. I had high hopes but the brand itself has never jumped out at me and this really didn't wow like I wanted it to. 

Have you tried Almay, any recommendations?

♥

Bri

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*BITE: The Liquified Lipstick

The Bite Beauty Liquified Lipsticks are unlike many others on the market.

Most brands lean towards a matte finish for their liquid lipsticks. Welcome Bite, a creamy long wearing formula.

I received three shades & the lip prime and define liner courtesy of Bite Beauty & Influenster.

I'd always had an eye on Bite as they're a Canadian company and as a proud Canadian you know I was excited to find a Canadian made makeup brand! In fact, I thought at one time they had a whole collection based on maple? Correct me if I'm wrong.

I previously received a Bite X Influenster voxbox when they released the Bite Beauty Lip Liners.

See that post here.

I love a matte lip, by far my favorite way to rock my lips. Needless to say I was disappointed at first when I discovered these were far from a matte finish. Formulated to be pigmented and creamy the liquified lipsticks glide on effortlessly and keep your lips moisturized throughout the day. These are quite a thick consistency but don't gloop up on the lips which surprised me. Being such a creamy formula these will slip around if you do not use some sort of primer which is why of course when I plan on using one of these for my daily color I make sure I pair it with the line and define primer. It keeps the color locked in place through my eight hour work day. I only need to reapply once in the day after eating lunch which is to be expected with most lip products regardless of the formula.

The shades I received were Demi Glace, Eclair & Flambe.

 

Demi Glace: My least favorite of the colors, a dark brown.

Eclair: A beautiful rosy pink.

Flambe: My favorite of the three. I adore reds and this color is amazing!

Have you tried the Bite Liquified Lipsticks?

♥

Bri

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*Saint or Sinner?

Hello everyone!

The other week I was lucky enough to come home to a fabulous package from Kat Von D Beauty & Influenster.

Her Saint & Sinner Fragrances that after being off the market for 8 years have been re released  in completely redesigned bottles that Kat herself spent months hand sketching! The bottles are stunning and would look perfect on any vanity. The bottles I received however aren't full size so I have no photo of the actual bottle design but you can head here to see it.

As much as I wanted to be a sinner, I have to say I lean more towards the notes included in Saint.

{Saint}

A light, dreamy floral musk. I love floral scents but I know many people can't stand them so buyer beware. Saint includes top notes of Jasmine & Tiare Flower while the base notes including vanilla, musk & sandalwood create the romantic and alluring feel. I wore this to work and the scent was still faintly lingering on my skin after eight hours, impressive! The regular bottle retails for $88 CAD which is average when compared to other brands on the same scale.

{Sinner}

The dark sister to Saint. A sultry fragrance, the perfect line between spicy & sweet. Top notes include; patchouli, wood & cinnamon. Perfect for someone who wants that warm but spicy fragrance instead of the often overpowering candy floral scent. I was a fan of this but like I said previously I prefer the lighter floral scents. Next time I wear this it's going to be a night out as it really does make you feel bold and edgy. 

{I received deluxe samples of each scent for review purposes, ALL thoughts and opinion are my own}
 

What's your signature fragrance?

 ♥
Bri

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* Spring Vibes Vox Box

 

 {all the above products were received free from Influenster, HOWEVER all opinions are my own} 

If you don't know about Influenster you can sign up here. 

 It's a site where you connect all your social media accounts then review products, ask questions and take pictures. Of course the higher your social influence the greater chance you have of being selected for one of the many free vox boxes they send out through out the year. 

I love the concept and I've been fortunate enough to receive quite a few vox boxes in my time as a member.

The Spring Vibes Vox Box has had the largest amount of products in one box that I've ever received .

I loved the imPress Nails, they were my favorite item in the box.  I've already written an in depth review here.

The newly released Nivea Q10 Firming Body oil didn't blow my mind. I've been using it for a few weeks and have seen no improvement in the firmness of my skin. It does sink into the skin leaving you with moisturized, touchable softness though.

The Annie's kraft dinner was surprisngly delicious and organic to boot. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a mac and cheese snob meaning it's rare if I try anything or buy anything other than the KRAFT, K.D. but this surprised me.

So, the Arm & Hammer coupon was meant to be used for something completely different than the product I bought....but I swear I didn't realize! Moving on.....

Nescafe Instant Coffee Packs

By no means am I a coffee drinker so naturally I opted to try the French Vanilla one which was great & easy! I proceeded to leave my other packets unopened but my boyfriend tried them so I asked his opinion and he told me good. Now, that doesn't sound like a great review but this man hates any coffee that's not Tim Horton's so it's actually shocking to hear him say that instant coffee was GOOD? Good work Nestle.

Ebates & Popsockets

I'll be honest here, I hated the pop socket I really didn't see a purpose for it. 

I love using Ebates when shopping at retailers like Sephora because you get cash back and for the makeup obsessive who doesn't want to earn cash back while shopping for your favorite things?

Quaker Harvest Fruit & Nut Bar

10/10 I would buy a box of these. They provide me with a much healthier alternative than my beloved caramel nut bars...that are dipped in chocolate.

Thanks Influenster & all the other companies who provide us with these awesome opportunities!

♥

Bri

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*Press On Nails - Worth it?

Hello loves!

Every woman I know absolutely loves having fresh nails that while look amazing aren't exactly practical. 

I'm not one for fake nails as I find them difficult to complete basic tasks with and I can't bring myself to spend fifty to sixty dollars for a fill every couple of weeks. 

That's where imPress nails come in.

I received these complimentary from Influenster to try out and while I wasn't required to write a blog post I figured why not?

The design of these is right up my alley! The simple matte blue with a gold glitter accent nail is timeless and will always be in style. They look quite purple in the photo but I assure you in person they are a dark navy.

The kit came with 30 nails, a file, a prep pad and a cuticle pusher. 

The downfall with press on's is that they don't stand up to gel nails time wise. Unfortunately within about 5 hours into my work day the accent nail had fallen off. Lucky for me my manager at work just so happened to have a bottle of nail glue handy.

I ended up ripping them all off and re applying them with the nail glue. After re gluing them all into place they lasted for about two more days!

I know nail glue isn't the best thing for our nail beds but neither is having constant gel nails.

If you want those gorgeous nails you see all the bloggers and maybe even some people you know have I highly recommend press on's for a cheaper alternative and if you really want them to last I'd pick up a bottle of nail glue to use as the adhesive on these isn't quite strong enough to last.

Press on's or gel nails, which do you prefer?

♥

Bri

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*Beauty w/Bite

Hello loves!

Bite Beauty recently launched their brand new line of lip pencils! 

Courtesy of Bite & Influenster, I received two of the newly launched lip pencils along with corresponding colors in mini Amuse Bouche lipsticks & as an added bonus, a new Sephora pencil sharpener (which I was in dire need of).

The shades I received in the pencils were 020 (lipstick in Honeycomb) & 044 (Lipstick in Whiskey)

By far, these are the creamiest lip liners I've ever tried. They're so creamy that when I first went to try the lighter one I ended up pressing too hard and breaking the tip off so take my advice from learning the hard way and use a light hand. The only other gripe I have with these is that you cannot put the lid on the bottom of them like you would when using a marker. You can see the bottom colored tip missing on the lighter pencil...well that's why. I tried to stick the lid on the bottom and it ended up getting caught in the lid rendering it useless. 

Aside from those two issues, these are fantastic. They glide across the lips with ease and give fabulous pigmentation prepping your lips for your lipstick of choice.

These are miracle workers when it comes to bleeding outside the lines. Not easily noticeable if you're using Honeycomb, but when using Whiskey I didn't notice it going astray at all which any dark lip lovers know can be a serious issue with a lot of products currently on the market.

I much prefer the darker color but that comes down to personal preference. These lip pencils are fantastic additions to my collection and I would happily purchase more.

♥

Bri

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*Although these products were sent to me for review purposes all opinions are my own

*Loreal Extraordinary Oil

 

Oh how I missed you guys! I hope you are all doing well. Sorry for the absence unfortunately life takes the front seat and the blog takes the back.

The Loreal Hair Expertise Extraordinary Hair Range is a line meant for normal to very dry hair. The range is made with 6 oils including; Argan Oil (healing, protecting, nourishment), Sunflower Oil (hydration), Alma Oil (brittleness), Soy Oil (Nutrition), Chamomile Oil and last the magical oil everyone loves Coconut Oil (repair)

I have very fine hair so I was skeptical of using an oil based hair range as my hair tends to get greasy quickly but this quickly changed my mind. The line is designed to nourish dry hair and create weightless hair. I've never tried a shampoo that has really wowed me in my life but this line came pretty damn close. After using this for a few washes I was over at my mom's and she noticed my hair was looking much healthier and I don't get many comments on my hair.

I use the mask once a week as I think it's too heavy to be using daily. I just put some through the ends of my hair let it sit for about five minute then rinse it out when I shower. The range has a surprisingly lovely smell to it. I've been using these products for about a month and have noticed significant changes in my hair. 

First thing and probably my favorite as I feel it was a big reason my hair was so unhealthy is that I don't have to shower as much it seems to keep the grease at bay quite well! The shampoo does not lather well but most oil based shampoos don't so I wasn't surprised. This changed my skeptical outlook as it made my hair more manageable and soft and by nourishing my hair it means I have far less breakage which I am very prone to!

I love this line a lot but....I do like to switch up my hair care routine quite regularly so I might not come back to this for a while.

*Influenster did send me these products to review however all opinions expressed are my own.

*#lovingLANEIGE

 

Hey loves!

Have you ever heard of LANEIGE? I actually found out about this brand not too long ago from other bloggers.

Laneige is a Korean Skincare brand that has made quite the mark in the blogging and beauty world. They have a whole line of water based skincare products, if you don't think water can do anything for your skin think again.

The Laneige water bank serum is one of the many products in the Laneige Water Bank line. It retails for $46 CAD at Sephora who recently just had an event in Toronto at Eaton Centre for Laneige! I have fallen in love with this serum I can't lie to myself. 

"Formulated with exclusive biogen technology, hydro ionized mineral water delivers six moisture-maximizing minerals—zinc, magnesium, manganese, potassium, calcium, and sodium—deep within where toned, re-texturized skin begins. The luxurious formula delivers 24-hour hydration, protection, and revitalization for skin that looks supple and silky." - Sephora 

I suffer from very dry skin, sahara desert dry. It drinks up everything you put on it and until this lovely serum popped in my mailbox nothing was quenching my skins thirst. Laneige has nailed the moisturizing properties on this, its incredible. It feels amazing on your skin, rubbing it in is like a touch of heaven and it has a very lovely but subtle scent that I can only describe as fresh. Not only does it moisturize but it RETAINS the moisture your skin feels much better and on the bottle it says it will make it look more youthful however I haven't noticed a major difference in the look of my skin but that's not what I was worried about anyway! The serum is a white liquid and rubs into the skin like no other. I have nothing but good things to say about this product. 

For the people out there who hate parabens? It is formulated without them and Laneige does not test their products on animals which is a HUGE bonus for me.

I will definitely be looking into more Laneige products in the future.

*This product was sent to me for review purposes through Influenster, however all opinions expressed are my own.

*Loreal Fibralogy

Hey guys! I was kindly sent the new Loreal Fibralogy hair care line (shampoo, conditioner and serum) courtesy of Influenster and Loreal Canada in the Fibralogy Voxbox, however all opinions on the products are on my own. Fibralogy is supposed to work by expanding the hair from inside by use of Innovation "Filloxane" which "penetrates and diffuses in the hair fibre. Hair expands from within. The cumulative action is that the substance remains in the fibre and increases application after application. Hair becomes progressively thicker." I'm here to test that theory!

As you can see there was a difference, in the first photo yep I have bald spots and yes it's embarrassing but I have fine baby hair and there's nothing I can change about that unfortunately.. but the second photo which is about a week and a half of use I have no bald spots and my hair overall just looks much healthier.

I didn't really care for the serum and I think to truly test out how well the serum works you would have to try just using the shampoo and conditioner for a while and then add in the serum to see if there is a difference. The directions of the serum also said to use a dime sized amount but the serum itself was very watery so I found you had to use much more to cover your hair...it wasn't really like a serum at all in my opinion as it wasn't thick enough.

The shampoo and conditioner on the otter hand I LOVED and will continue to use. The shampoo lathers so well and both products smell amazing and as the photos above show they do make a difference and I am very skeptical about hair thickening products as I have tried MANY others on the market and never saw a change. Loreal you have significantly improved my hair and although it's not "thick" by any means it's an improvement so thank you.

Who else got this voxbox and tried it out, what did you think?

imPRESS Manicure - Disney Villains

Hello loves, I recently qualified for my first ever Influenster VoxBox. Influenster is a site where people can review products and the more products and social media presence they have the higher their score on the site is, the higher the score the better your chances are of scoring a voxbox which are sometimes specific brand based or variations of brands and items which are sent free for review compensation. I qualified for the Broadway Nails - imPRESS manicure voxbox. I’ve only been on Influenster for three months and already have qualified for my first voxbox, not bad hey? I received two imPRESS manicure sets. One is a pink, black and silver pattern, very pretty and the other a Disney Villain themed pack. I LOVE anything Disney so I tore into that pack right away. The color is a silver purple. In the picture above it reflects as more silver but in natural daylight it looks much more purple, gorgeous either way. The imPRESS sets are press on manicures. When you open the pack there are different sizes packed into a plastic nail polish bottle. Open the polish, the nails have a tape on the back that you pull off and then you press the nail onto your nail, start by pressing up the middle and then the sides of the nail. I love how easy this is to apply although within a day or so a few nails did fall off which was disappointing but they are not actually glued on so the staying power can not be expected to last as long as a real manicure. I love the concept of these and the price I just really wish they lasted longer. These retail for $10.99 in Wal-Mart so quite inexpensive. I would repurchase these again, they’re quick and easy and look fantastic.
*These products were sent to me for review purposes