GOSH - Repair N' Shine

Hello everyone. 

Today's post as you can guess is a continuance of yesterday's in a way. 

Yesterday I blogged about the "Climate Control" line by Tresemme and how it has COMPLETELY stripped my hair of moisture leaving a dry and horrible mess. I've had this GOSH hair serum sitting around in my cupboard for a while but never really used it much. The past couple weeks my poor hair has been needing TLC so I though instead of going out and buying something why not use what I already have. I got this at Shopper's Drug Mart a while back and unfortunately don't remember how much it was.

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The directions say to use 2-3 pumps in your palm, rub together and smooth through your hair. 2 - 3 pumps barely covered my hands so I used and extra pump or two and then it combed it through.

I love that the nozzle is a pump as most hair serums the only thing I don't like about pumps is you can never get the product at the bottom completely out. The serum is clear and it has a weird almost chemical smell to it? It's odd there's not a real way of describing it, it doesn't smell nice let's just say that.

This was just as disappointing as the shampoo/conditioner....
The serum doesn't seem to absorb in your hair or dry it just stays almost like a grease in your hair and makes it look very oily nor has it helped repair any damage. It hasn't done any more damage but it certainly isn't. I have to say this was a BIG product regret for me!

What are your hair product regrets?

=)

Bri

Tresemme Climate Control

 

 The TRESemmé Climate Control system, with our unique Climate Control Complex®, gently cleanses and moisturizes hair while controlling frizz. This advanced hair protection system leaves hair shiny, soft and manageable. Take control of your hair with the TRESemmé Climate Control system and face weather head on.

I love Tresemme as a brand, they are reasonably priced and for the size of the bottles you cannot get a better bargain, I dare you to try. I love to try different shampoos/conditioners! I've yet to find a holy grail however, to be honest I haven't even really found one I love yet. No reason as to why I picked these I just happened upon them on the drugstore and I've never tried the "Climate Control" line before but I know that Tresemme has never let me down.

I find that hair brands tend to have very large claims about their products but rarely live up to them. This time I'm disappointed to say I didn't like this in the slightest.

First, the claims it lives up to; controlling frizz, shiny hair

Claims that didn't make the grade; soft and moisturized

This duo made my hair well not my hair my ENDS so dried out, weak and brittle. Now I've never had the most moisturized hair BUT my ends have never been this dry in my life. At first I thought they might have been dead but I recently went and got a cut and of course they were nice out of the hairdresser but once I got home and the next time I showered using this duo they were once again extremely dry. I am not looking for a shampoo that is going to completely strip my hair of moisture.Yes it holds up to it's climate control claim maybe a little to well though as its to the point where it blocks out humidity and moisture a little too well and strips it right out of your hair.  That was my biggest gripe with this line and unfortunately I will not purchase it again because its only damaging my hair. I hate to say this is the only time I'm disappointed I got such big bottles. 

Have you tried the Climate Control line, thoughts?\

=)

Bri

*ALTERRE SHOES GIVEAWAY

Hey everyone!

Have you heard of Alterre Shoes? They make it easy to mix and match your shoe, not feeling a heel take it off or vice versa

Well Brandbacker and Alterre want to give you the chance to win one of their black heel starter kits valued at $180 it includes;

Kit Includes: 1 pair black suede mules, 1 black suede Jackie look, 1 evening sky Marilyn look, 1 travel pouch 

• 2.5” Heel
• Genuine Leather Upper, Man Made Lining
• 5% Profits Donated to RestoreNY
• Designed in NYC, Made in Brazil with Fair Labor
• Available in Sizes: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 (see sizing guide for best fit)
• Alterre Shoes are designed in their New York Studio and a fun little fact is that they donate 5% of the proceeds to the women's abuse shelter Restore NYC.

ENTER

To qualify for the giveaway you will need to do the following;

- sign up with their email on the provided widget
- follow us on Instagram
- tweet about our giveaway

Good luck! =)

Bri

*This giveaway is sponsored by Brandbacker and Alterre shoes

Halloween - Half Skeleton

            

Well tomorrow is Halloween! I did this look a few nights ago and it was my FIRST ever attempt at any sort of Halloween makeup. I don't think I did too bad for a first timer I'm actually thinking of retrying this look for Halloween night!

Products used:

- e.l.f. Gel liner

-e.l.f. Neutral palette

And believe it or not that's all I used I think it would have turned out a lot better had I actually used face paint but I didn't have that on hand so I did my best with what I had! 

Leave links to your Halloween looks down below 👇🏻

=)

Bri

F A L L

Hey everyone!

 

How excited is everyone for Halloween? I'll be staying at home handing out candy to the kiddies unfortunately but hey staying home isn't that bad I'll curl up with my dog and watch scary movies all night long

 

 

Wanted to share my outfit with you guys today just a simple fall look...

 

Dress: H;&M

Boots: Hautelook (Dolce Vita)


Just a quick little post, hope you all have a lovely night

=)

Bri



*Oh what's that? G I V E A W A Y time!

{not my photo}

Hey guys!
I have some exciting news, its my first giveaway ever sponsored by The Wilkes group.

{"Evian ®Natural Mineral Water’s journey starts as rain and snow high atop the French Alps after which it filters for over 15 years through glacial rock and sand to a deep underground catchment just outside the town of Evian-Les-Bains, France. The water contained in the spray is tested 300 times per day to insure quality and the consistent unique mineral content—guaranteed to be the same year after year—canister to canister. No other water has the same mineral content."}

The Wilkes Group Inc. has been distributing the Evian face spray since 1978! I honestly didn't see this appear until recently in the blogging world nor have I ever seen it in stores, but I love facial sprays so I may have to go pick one up myself!

The prizes:

Grand prize: Longchamp "Le Pliage" backpack, in stylish, durable, water-resistant nylon topped with a textured leather handle and logo-embossed flap, which retails at $125. It is filled with one 10 oz., one 5 oz., and a trio of travel-size evian® sprays (over $175.00 total value)

Runner's Up (3): Longchamp pochette toiletries case, with embossed leather trim in durable, water-resistant nylon, accented with goldtone hardware, which retails at $50, and filled with a trio of travel size evian sprays (over $70.00 total value)

Get it here


To enter --> E N T E R

*Note: This giveaway is sponsored by Brandbacker

*#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.

OOTD - Casual

Hey loves!

Just wanted to share my look today! It was a really long day today and I'm glad it's over but my mom so kindly brought me over some of her home made mac and cheese and boy is it yummy!

Just a casual fall outfit for a casual fall day;

Shirt: Forever 21 (bought this years ago, so I do not have a link for it)

Cardigan

Necklace: Dynamite

Leggings

Booties: Forever 21

Musical Monday!

 

Stressed Out // Twenty One Pilots

 

I've been a tad obsessed with this song lately and I just found out these guys are coming to Calgary! I will definitely be picking up tickets for that.

 

Who doesn't feel stressed out these days?

 

=)

Bri 

e.l.f. - Skinny Jeans

Hey loves!

Quick post today about e.l.f.s nail polish in "Skinny Jeans"

I adore this color the blue is amazing! Should I mention this was only ONE coat?! Pretty impressive for a $1 nail polish. A few hours after I  painted them however it had chipped already but I'm not surprised there, it doesn't bother me too much as I am one to paint their nails a different color almost everyday haha and yes I did use a top coat! I would buy this again just because I love love love the color!

This nail polish was a part of e.l.f.s brights nail polish cube which retails for $14 CAD

What's dressing your nails?

=)

Bri

* KISS - Instawave

 

Hey loves!

I'm sure you've all heard about automatic curlers well this is not one the greats....I received this for free from Brandbacker.

 The Kiss Instawave automatic hair curler.

I have very mixed feelings about this, let me start by saying when I got this I looked and the first thought in my mind was; "How do I use this thing?" The video below is not mine but shows you how to use it; She makes it look easy to use but I every time I tried to put my hair in it would get caught and tangled and just turned into a disaster probably an operator error honestly but I could not get the hang of it.

I do like that you can rotate the curls either inward or outward! I believe this retails for about $60 in Target, very decently priced compared to other automatic curlers I've seen on the market. For my fine hair though when I did finally get it to work it made really beautiful waves I wouldn't say curls but that is a fault of my fine hair as curls tend to fall out anyways.

Honestly, I wouldn't have purchased this myself it is nice to have for certain things but not part of my everyday routine.

 

OOTD - Fall Fashion

Hey loves.

I want to apologize for the quality I can't quite afford a new lens for my Nikon yet but its in the works. A+ for effort?

A quick little OOTD for Fall as it's getting a little chilly in Alberta. and I'm sure elsewhere as well!

I LOVE fall love the boots, scarves and sweater dresses! How can you not love this season?!

~

Dress - My mom's closet, anyone else sift through their mom's clothing? 

Booties:  Similar

 Belt

Sunglasses: Aldo Accessories (Can't find them online)

What's your guys favorite thing about fall?

=)

Bri

TOPSHOP - C H U C K

 

Hello everyone!

Looking for something a little lighter for fall? I personally love a dark lip for fall although sometimes it's nice to not always look so dramatic that's where this baby comes in.

 

TOPSHOPS sheer lip in "Chuck" a sheer berry pink

 

 

As you can see from the swatch it is sheer and this was after a couple of swipes! It almost looks like a matte finish in the photo but on the lips its quite glossy, its more of a balm than anything great for winter though due to the moisturizing properties!

 

This is not one of the lip products I reach for all the time but that's because I prefer a more dramatic finish but I do like it and its better than a tinted lip balm as it's more opaque. This is perfect hybrid of lip balm and lipstick.

 

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=)

Bri

 

 

 

 

NOTD

 

Hello loves!

 

Here are my nails of the day. I used Essie's "After School Boy Blazer" as the base and Sephora's "Party Animal" as the glitter top coat and then to finish it all off I used a Revlon Top Coat.

 

Sephora's Party Animal is a great glitter polish and I never have many good things to say about glitter polishes but this one dried so quick where as the MANY others I've tried never seem to dry and then when you go to put a top coat on you just end up creating a smudged disaster but with Party Animal I had no problems what so ever.

 

I absolutely love glitter over dark bases and will continue to wear my nails like this throughout most of fall and winter.

 

=)

 

Bri

Winter Lips: Cheerful Cherry

 

Hello loves!

 

Who else loves fall with the dark lip colors, boots and scarves?  I know I do and I want to share one of my favorite lipsticks for fall/winter.

 

E.l.f.s Studio Mineral lipstick in "Cheerful Cherry"

 

E.l.f.s website -- "Now you can hydrate your lips and get a lasting soft color naturally! This nourishing blend of exotic oils, natural waxes, vitamins and plant extracts create the perfect moisturizing formula. The sleek lipstick has superior color payoff, glides easily onto lips, and is long wearing. Lips stay perfectly hydrated and soft throughout the day for no fuss, lip loving happiness. All our mineral makeup are mineral-based with no parabens, no preservatives and no chemical dyes."

 

E.l.f. nailed it with the moisturizing properties of this lipstick which makes it great for winter BUT the downside is that moisturizing lipsticks tend to wear off faster which this does but I don't mind reapplication and as long as you are not constantly eating or drinking it's not too bad, so much for the long wearing claim!

It does glide on easily once again that is due to the moisturizing properties, the color payoff is great at first...but like I said wears off quick there is a bit of shimmer in this lipstick but not overpowering.

For $5 though you really can't go wrong although I think E.l.f. raised the price since I last bought this as it was $3 the last time I purchased it so that's a downer but still definitely worth it!

 

 

 

 

What are your favorite lipsticks for fall/winter?

 

=)

 

Bri

 

 

 

 

Instagram Round Up!

                    

Hey everyone!

I'm going to start doing Instagram round ups to show you all what I've been doing the past week and just to give you a little peek into my life =)

Beaches in Mazatlan, Mexico // a girls real best friend // selfies for days // eye makeup for work (previous blog

Post) // OOTDS // Jesus

Finding the right product...

Does anyone else ever feel like there's always that one product that you can never to seem to find the "Holy Grail" for? 

Mine is hairspray, I have very fine hair and it's impossible to get it to hold a style and I am not joking. Today I curled my hair and I used about a quarter of a can of hairspray...and it still fell out within a couple of hours. Fine hair problems, the struggle is real.

I currently use Aussie but I switch just about every month as I replace it often, haha. 

It's okay, doesn't really seem to hold my style to well and makes the hair crunchy to the feel and creates a crunchy look as well, who wants that?

I have been struggling for years trying to find the right hairspray and it hasn't happened yet so I turn to you internet in hopes that someone can give me some suggestions!

If anyone knows of a good hairspray PLEASE let me know what you use?

=)

Bri

Easy eyes: Work

First of all I'd like to apologize for the sloppy eyeliner, I've only recently begun wearing it along my upper lash line before I always wore it on the bottom...practice makes perfect right?!

                                    

This is a quick and easy look for work created with a duo eyeshadow from Lancome, I believe I got this from my mom in on of the many bonuses Lancome puts on. The top  left photo is shown in much brighter light where as the right is a bit darker, the right is more accurate to the color in real life. 

The pink color is "Peep" and the mauve color is "Snap" Of course I used Peep for my base as well as Coastal Scents primer to keep it lasting throughout my day (note: the above photos were taken earlier tonight, after my 8 hr work day) I used Snap in the crease and then blended it out. So quick and easy and subtle enough for work! I think it's a really nice color for fall and this may just become my go to work look but, we'll see!

I really believe that Lancome is an under rated brand I think a lot of people think only older women use it but they have a lot of great products and if it hadn't been for my mom I may have missed out on this and a lot more but they definitely have something for all ages and should not be glanced over. 

=) 

Bri

Sephora: New Year's Resolution musical monday

Hello everyone, my apologies for the messy nails!

This is Sephora's nail polish in New Years Resolution, it looks really light in this photo but in natural light it is a lot darker, I love this color and am very curious to see what it would like with a matte top coat, might need to try it next!

Took two coats to make it completely opaque like most polishes, this is with a top coat and base coat. They did chip in a couple of days but hey I've yet to find a polish that doesn't so I'm not docking points there. Overall it's a great polish would be fantastic around holidays with a glitter accent nail!

For this musical monday....a little 90's throwback. Enjoy.

Uhn Tis Uhn Tis Uhn Tis - Bloodhound Gang

Friday Loves....on a Saturday: Kabuki Brushes

Hello everybody! 

Sorry about this, you know my Friday loves being posted on well a Saturday, unfortunately sometimes there are other things I need to take care of. Please pardon the dirty brush as Sunday is brush cleaning day!

My Friday love for this week is Kabukis. They are FANTASTIC and a great multipurpose brush (for my ladies/gents who don't like to carry a thousand things on a trip)

The polka dot one is from Disneyland (of all places) but its so soft, I've washed it multiple times and haven't had a problem with shedding nor has it lost it's shape, I can't remember the cost of this one.  My other kabuki and the clearly more loved one is e.l.f.s now e.l.f is very hit and miss but I bought this in a set of 25 brushes and I believe the cost was around $75 for the set and I use a good majority of them daily so it is a good buy and comes with a brush wrap as well for all you MUA's out there.

Honestly, the only reason I use the E.l.f one more is that the Disney one is just to pretty to use so I just leave it on my vanity, haha. 

I like to use these to buff my foundation in as I HATE the foundation brushes that are like painting your face it takes way too long and I can never get an even application and with these there are no problems! Easiest way I've found to apply foundation and could also be used for powder, blush. bronzer etc.

If you don't have a Kabuki brush in your collection please go get one! You will thank me!  

=)

Bri

Musical Mondays....

Hey everyone,

This week I am loving the Weekend's new album, how did I not know about him earlier?

A little DIY - throw some glitter in your life

Hey guys, I know it's been a little bit but I'm back with a super easy DIY project for you all!

Who else loves glitter? 

Yes it's a disaster to work with because of the mess but look how cute these wine glasses are!

What you need:

1. Mod Podge (I did make my own water based mod podge) - How To
2. paint brush
3. Glitter 
4. plastic bags
5. tape
6. and of course wine glasses

Steps:

1. Make sure your glasses are clean!
2. Wrap a plastic bag over the top of the glass and tape around the stem
3. Using a paint brush, cover the bottom of the class in Mod Podge
4. Sprinkle the glitter over the glass (tbh guys, I poured mine all over then shook it off which actually gave it a nice even finish)
5. Let it dry!
6. I didn't do this yet but to make it last and washable use a clear coat spray on top

and there you go SUPER EASY and fast DIY, this didn't even take me an hour to do, would be great to dress up a holiday party or any party for that matter 

Hope you guys enjoy! =)

PSA Urban Decay Naked - Real VS. Fake

Hey guys, I wanted to write this post as a PSA. Ladies if you're looking for an Urban Decay Naked Palette please buy from a reliable source (i.e Sephora, Urban Decay) 

Here's a fake palette compared to the real one....

Top - Real

Bottom - Fake

As you can see right off the bat the real palettes writing is much smaller and the Urban Decay logo is on the opposite side.

Top: Fake

Bottom: Real 

The Spacing on the fake is larger.

Top: Real

Bottom: Fake

The real one says beauty with an edge before listing anything else.

THE BRUSHES:

The real brush is gold and is double ended, the fake brush is also gold but the logo is huge and is in black lettering. Another difference is that the brush head is a dark brown where as the real brush head is a lighter brown with almost white tipped bristles, it also is much more cheaply made as it is already starting to come apart.

Top - Real

Bottom - Fake

Top - Real 

Bottom - Fake

When looking at the colors in the palette you can see there is no dimension to the fake ones, the shimmers in the fake palette almost look matte. However when swatched side by side one can easily tell the difference;

Virgin: Much darker and more purple in the fake.

Sin: Darker and more purple toned.

Naked: This one is an exception as they are pretty close.

Sidecar: More purple toned again and less shimmer than the original

Buck: The fake is almost a dirty orange color while the original is a nice light matte brown

Half Baked: No shimmer in the fake, chalky and extremely powdery

Smog: Another close one.

Dark Horse: Purple toned

Toasted: The fake is a muddy red tone

Hustle: Almost looks like a purple shadow in the fake. The real is a beautiful dark brown (great crease color)

Creep: EXTREMELY pigmented in the oringal, no pigmentation with the fake

Gunmetal: Blue toned in the fake but much lighter than the original

The fake is not even well done in my opinion, the brush looks cheap, the packaging looks cheap and on the back I don't have it pictured but the Urban Decay logo is on the real one and its missing on the fake.

The colors in the fake are chalky, extremely unbleandable powdery and hard to apply. Not all easy to work with and for some reason it seems most of the shades in the fake one are  a lot more purple toned.

Please ladies and gentleman be careful where you shop or this might happen to you...

MAC - Speed Dial

Hey everyone!

MAC's Creemsheen lipstick in "Speed Dial" is a great spring/summer color.

It is a warm toned pink but I am cool toned and it looks great, it'll suit a large range of skin tones. It's blue toned and has got a gold micro shimmer that doesn't seem to transfer on the lips but gives the color that extra bit of dimension! It doesn't apply as opaque on the lips like most MAC lippies but is easily and quickly built up. Makes for a great everyday work lipstick as it is toned down enough to be  worn at work. For a creemsheen however on me it did emphasize my dry patches if I did not apply a lip balm underneath and it didn't seem to last long without having to reapply (not a common problem with most MAC lipsticks)

Overall I'm glad I picked this up, its a very feminine shade and looks great on many different people!

What is your favourite MAC lipstick?

Friday Favs!

Hey everyone! I want to let you all know I'm going to be starting a mini series on my blog called Friday Favs! 

Each week I'll be talking about one of my favorite things, no they will not all be beauty related there will be a variety.

To start off...the hair sock (or whatever you would like to call it)

                                     

Yes I'm a brunette but regardless I manage to make my hair cover this. These things are perfect for creating that gorgeous pristine ballerina bun! 

I personally like to first put my hair in a ponytail then pull it through this and wrap the hair underneath and pin it as I go. 

Easy and great five minute hair do if you're short on time plus if you don't own one of these you can get the same look by using a sock! 

What do you guys love to do with your hair?

Maybelline - Master Precise {my old HG}

Hey guys. I'm sure you're wondering why this is no longer my holy grail eyeliner well let me explain...

First off I have been using Maybelline's Master Precise eyeliner for at least five years but recently it is no where close to the product I used to love...in fact I don't think I'll be buying another tube. Maybelline I don't know what you did to the formula of this but w o w has it changed.

The packaging and tip haven't changed and the tip itself makes winged eyeliner an absolute treat even if you have an unsteady hand, HOWEVER it is the formula of the product itself that has become horrible (Sorry Maybelline, you're still one of my favourite drugstore brands!)

I don't know what they did but I cannot for the life of me get this to stay on my eyes I have tried setting it with powder and all the tricks and no, just no. As you can see from the swatch above its a very wet formula and it never seems to dry. One wrong move it will be smudged all over, the second your eyes water forget it say goodbye to all your eyeliner...

I am really disappointed to say this because I LOVED this eyeliner more than any other and the fact it doesn't even last an hour without giving me panda eyes I just I'm so sad. Maybelline, why did you change this? It was so good before!

Have you ever had a HG product that either the brand changed or discontinued it?

Nivea - DNAge Eye Cream

Hey guys! They say you should start using anti-aging products when you're in your twenties so I decided to give it a go with Nivea's new eye cream DNAge. You can't really see in the above photo but in this cream there are little orange bubbles throughout I'm not too sure what they're supposed to be or do in all honesty.

The cream is quite thick and you need to use VERY little so this cream should last me at least half a year and I've been using it daily for about a week and a half. I love how it feels and my under eye area is very dry so its a lovely burst of moisture and feels so refreshing, I use this in the mornings after my regular moisturizer. 

Ingredients:

The results (after a week and a half):

In the above photo Nivea claims this cream will firm skin and reduce appearance of wrinkles and puffiness around the eyes....Maybe I didn't use it long enough but I didn't notice VISIBLE results of course I'm only 22 so I can't say much about the anti-wrinkle properties but nor did I notice less puffiness. The only benefit I got out of this cream was the moisturization which for $22 I don't think I'll be repurchasing this.

What are your favourite eye creams?