Pixi GelTint & SilkGloss and Sheer Cheek Gel Review & Swatches*


Pixi is a brand that I have written about alot on my blog and I am so grateful that they continuously send me new products to try out each month! For those of you who don't know, they are now in Canada at Shoppers Drug Mart (it's been there for a few months now and products keep flying off the shelves!). My favorite from them so far has got to be the Glow Tonic toner - it brightens the skin gently and just leaves you with a flawless smooth face.

The products sent to me this month include the GelTint & SilkGloss featured directly below, and the Sheer Cheek Gel which are the products in the squeeze tubes. Both of these products are very good for those of you who love the natural look - these are very sheer to buildable and work well to give you just a wash of color. 

The GelTint & SilkGloss contains a tint on one end as well as a gloss on the other side that you can use throughout the day to add some shine to the lip as the tint will obviously leave the tint on your lip for the full day. As you can see, the wand is very thin so I suggest that you apply this with the wand directly flat / horizontal to the lip to avoid patchiness. If you use the end of the wand, the "pointy" side, it will create some drag marks.

 

The Sheer Cheek Gel leaves a beautiful wash of color to the cheeks that lasts all day. I squeeze a bit onto my fingers and tap it gently all over the apples of my cheek. Flushed and Rosy delivers more pigmentation to medium-dark skin, while Natural is great for fair skin.



 I highly suggest that you pick up at least one product from each collection - my favorite color in the GelTint & SilkGloss is Berry Tint and Sweet Gloss and for the Sheer Cheek Gel, I love the Flushed color. 

Until next time, XO - M.

*products were sent to me for review, all opinions are my own.

My Summer Essentials to combat oily skin!


It's summer time and it's hot and humid outside, chances are you are quite similar to me in the sense that if you actually decide to put a full face of make-up on, you do not want it to melt off your face and disappear by noon. I have oily combination skin so lately with the 30 degree celsius weather in Toronto, I have putting a few items in my make-up room to the test to see which ones work for me. 

With that being said, I have narrowed it down to the four products featured in this post - these guys have helped my make-up last the entire day without excess shine or having melted away. 


This has been my go-to all summer - it is a cushion compact that houses a mattifying product that you can use before and throughout the day to help keep oil at bay. I personally use this BEFORE any make-up application, after my skincare routine, like a primer. It has an extremely cooling sensation and works well to blur my pores on my cheeks closer to the nose area as well as keeping my forehead, t-zone and nose matte. It really controls the oil production throughout the day and I love it!

Hylamide - Finisher Matte 12 - $25 cad*
This is another product that can be used before and after make-up. This has a consistency of almost like a thicker primer paste - when I use this before make-up it really helps til fill in the pores and evens the texture on my nose since it is a little thicker than the cushion product above. It doesn't feel too thick or greasy and it helps keep my oil in control. This is a cheaper alternative to the Murad product listed above.

Givenchy - Poudre Première Mat & Translucent-Finish Loose Powder - $66 cad
I have been using this product on and off for 3 years and it's always in the summer time that I use this. I do not use this to bake under the eyes but to set the T-zone, forehead area and nose and I love this throughout the day. If I have an oily nose or forehead, I pat this on and it instantaneously mattifies and is baby smooth - the price tag is high but it's really worth it! Besides, a little goes a long way and I've used this for a long time.

Cover FX - Mattifying Setting Spray - $39 cad
As for a good mattifying setting spray, this is it. It has a very fine mist and is the perfect finishing step to your make-up routine. I use this in combination with the Murad cushion and Givenchy powder and these three products absolutely guarantee my face of make-up to stay on all day.

What are some of your favorite products to keep you matte? Would love to hear from you!

Until next time, XO - M.

Lip Smackers ~ Throwback to childhood!*


 I was recently sent a few lip smackers to try and my goodness did it bring me back. The nostalgia of having these around with me everywhere as a child and teen. I loved them so much, I still remember my first product it was a roll-on clear gloss that smelled like watermelons and it was amazing. I wish they still had those around! The new packaging is slimmer, and also in a wand - the one from childhood is a thicker roll-on top. I remember having to beg my parents to buy me these and asked for them for my birthdays from friends. Hah!


Now, there are all these fancy and elevated flavours - for e.g. as you can see below, they have them in the Frappe collections, even ones after your favorite sodas like Grape and Orange Fanta and Barq's Root Beer. The packaging itself has also had an upgrade! Just look how cute they are modelled as a miniature coffee with whip cream, or even the soda with the ice, straw and color of the drink outside.

 

 The below one is most reminiscent of my childhood - the pink lemonade set in the original lip smackers case with the polish, gloss and whipped body shimmer. I had gifted this to my friend's daughter and she loves it! 


 


Have you ever tried Lip Smackers? If not, I highly suggest that you try it out and especially in a flavor/fragrance that you like! I really want to try the vanilla coke one so I'll have to purchase that when I find it!

Until next time, XO - M. 

*products were sent to me for review, all thoughts and opinions are my own

Teeez Cosmetics - Festival Inspired Make-up Look and Review*


 I have been reviewing Teeez Cosmetics for a few months now, and I must say that I am thoroughly enjoying the products sent to me to try each time. If you are interested in reading more about my thoughts on past collections, please just do a search on my main blog page and a few of them will pop up in the results :) The concept this time is products that will help you be festival ready. 

I'm sure that many of us have wish that we can attend a festival party so I used these products to create a whimsical and fun look with a pop of color on the lids that is a surprise to those around you when you blink. 

If you are interested in learning more about the products sent, please keep on reading...

 

The products I received included:

1) Sealed with a Kiss Lip Duo - Vintage Orange - $28
This product is exactly as the name suggests - it is two products in one, a lipstick and a lip lacquer. Both are highly pigmented, the lipstick is creamy and delivers beautiful color with one swipe. The lip lacquer is high gloss and not sticky at all and is pigmented.


2) Cloud Nine Eyeliner - Electric Aqua $24
The eyeliner contains a fine tip brush that collects color and deposits it effortlessly in one swipe to your lash line. It is not patchy, it does not collect too much product which makes it gloopy and drippy. I found the delivery of the brush quite spot on and I really appreciated the fine line I could make on the crease. I went over the line twice (not for pigmentation, but more so for design to make sure the line was long enough etc) and it was not patchy at all.



3) Bulletproof Flexibility Mascara - Dark Matter $32
This mascara wand thoroughly grabs and grips at each lash perfectly and lengthens it while coating it with product. It kept my curl through the day and it did not transfer at all.


I am thoroughly enjoying the products I received this month so Thank You so much to Teeez Cosmetics! The quality is reliable and high quality and I really suggest that you try this out!

Until next time, XO - M.

*products were sent to me for review, all opinions are my own

QUO Cosmetics - Summer 2017 Collection - Look, Swatch & Review*


QUO Cosmetics has been a brand that I have been reviewing here on my blog for the past while - it was one of the first drugstore brands that I had purchased as a teen, I still remember it was a concealer palette and it was amazing. QUO however, has always been on and off - sometimes it's the best drugstore find, sometimes it's just a bust. If you're interested in reading about how the Summer 2017 collection is, then just continue below.

The Summer 2017 Collection is said to be made up of soft, wearable shades for the eyes and the focus is on the glow of the skin with their bronzer and tropical toned lipsticks and polishes are the pops of color (as you can see from the image above). What I love most to be honest, is the packaging of the product! The palm trees and tropical flowers really make me crave a tropical vacation away!

Below is a picture of me using the Sunset Eyes shadow palette.

 

As you can see, it really barely showed up on my lids - below is a close up of the Sunset Eyes Shadow Palette swatched and the colors are very very neutral - the shadow palettes also retail for $16 each which is quite pricey for the quality you're getting. 



Below is the Garden View Eye Shadow Palette which I have to say is quite horrible, I'm sorry. it was chalky and not pigmented at all, it was so powdery and chunky as you can see from the pale yellow shade that I really couldn't quite work with it. Again, this palette is $16.




The one good thing about this palette is the slim Smokey Eye 4-Piece Brush Set for $30. This is exceptional for travelling as the case is so thin. It contains a 1) all over eyeshadow brush 2) a crease blender brush 3) an angled liner brush and 4) a angled contour fluffy brush. 

As promised, I always give an honest review so I'm sorry this one is less than spectacular!

Until next time, XO - M 

*products were sent to me for review, all opinions are of my own

Clarins - Instant Light Lip Comfort Oils - Review & Swatch*


I have been a huge fan of Clarins lip products for a while - first starting off with their Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector and then with the Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector. Clarins recently came out with 4 new shades of their Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil in Mint, Tangerine, Honey Glam and Candy. They now have a total of 7 scents and retail for $25 each and is a true glossy oil finish. 

They are not sticky on the lips but compared to the Natural Lip Perfectors which are weightless, you will feel this a bit more on the lips. These smell delicious and really do smell like what they are named after.

 
  
These products are subtle in color, so though the mint is a green, when applied it only delivers a sheer wash of color and isn't opaque. My favorite has to be Honey Glam - I love anything honey, and the addition of micro glitters makes for a more unique experience. It adds a bit of sparkle in addition to the gloss and gives it a more plump and voluminous effect. You can see in the picture below that I just quickly applied this to my lips, and went about running my errands the past weekend.

This product really does moisturize the lips while adding a cushion effect - the applicator is unlike anything else in the market, it is wider and dipped in the middle to allow for a better application while housing the product. 

    

Have you tried any of these Lip Comfort Oils before? I highly suggest that you try one! Honey Glam perhaps if you want something unique! 

Until next time, XO - M.

*products mentioned above were sent to me for review and consideration - all opinions are my own