My First Time using Almay One Coat Mega Volume mascara

There are some days I love a super simple makeup routine, and by super simple I mean eyebrows, mascara, and lipgloss. I was lucky enough to get a new Almay One Coat Mega Volume mascara from the lovely Influenster team and I was excited to see what the megaphone brush was all about. I liked the sleek design and it felt very comfortable in my hand. 

At first "sniff", I liked that this mascara did not smell like rubber and was easy to use. I can't tell you enough how many products I've tried that stink like chemicals and rubber. Gross right?? 

This was my first time trying Almay and even though the formula was ok, there's still room for improvement with this particular mascara. Don't fall for the gimmick megaphone plug. I really wanted to like this mascara but my lashes were not as volumizing as it claims to do. The shape of the brush works well in theory, but it's actually quite awkward to use and didn't get all the lashes in one shot. On the contrary, I wasn't impressed that my lashes looked wet and clumped together. One coat did absolutely nothing and I needed to use two coats to see any difference. The colour was fantastic but the brush could benefit from a redesign. 

I wore this mascara all day and I didn't see any fallout. This mascara would be good if you're looking for a quick fix and possibly even for an easy every day look, but I do not recommend this mascara for full glam. I'm happy that I got the chance to try this for myself and I'm sorry to say...I'll pass on Almay mascaras for now. 

Have you tried the Almay One Coat Mega Volume mascara? What did you think of it?

September 2017 Boxycharm Review

After being a loyal subscriber to Ipsy for over a year, I decided it was time to give another makeup subscription box a chance. Boxycharm is similar to Ipsy. Each month you get full size or deluxe-sized products delivered right to your door, and I was sold after checking out their previous boxes. If you're not very adventurous with makeup like me, it's a great way to build your makeup collection on the cheap and expand your makeup expertise!

The September 2017 Boxycharm theme was Boxy Baddie and after seeing the August Boxycharm box all over social media I just had to see what all the fuss was about. I was on the waitlist for about two weeks before I got that much anticipated welcome email. I don't think I've ever gotten that excited to sign up for a subscription box!

In my box:
Pür Cosmetics Soiree Diaries Eyeshadow Palette
MAC eyebrow pencil
Colourpop ultra satin lip colour 
Studio Makeup blush
bareMinerals brush
Briogeo hair mask

I was very impressed with this haul! There were many standout items and I'm still in shock that this box cost just under $35! I was happy to see many high end brands and full size items. I rate the September Boxycharm box a 5/5.

Click here to sign up with Boxycharm to get a haul like this for yourself! 

More about the products inside:

Pür Cosmetics Soiree Diaries Eyeshadow Palette- This palette is perfect for fall. I love how these warm colours look natural but still glam. This is my first Pür Cosmetics palette and I'm impressed with how blendable the shadows are. I'm thrilled to add this gorgeous palette to my makeup collection. 

MAC eyebrow pencil- I've been a Benefit KaBrow junkie for a long time now and I think I found a new love. This pencil was easy to use and super pigmented, so tiny hair-like strokes really did get the job done. It wasn't as long lasting as KaBrow because this isn't a pomade so I still needed to set my brows with a gel or Benefit's Gimme Broww. 

Colourpop ultra satin lip colour- I don't know what it is about Colourpop lip colours, but I just can't get on the bandwagon. As much as I love the formula, the colour doesn't work for me. This lippie went on smooth and dried matte. I loved the pigmentation, just not the colour. 

Studio Makeup blush- I have never heard of the brand Studio Makeup before so I was happy to discover something new. I liked how lightweight this blush is and how well it blends on my cheeks. I got a nice natural flush with just a tiny bit of product. 

bareMinerals brush- This brush has a little reservoir that you can use to put your foundation. It's super soft and easy to use. I actually like brushes with shorter handles and my first impressions of this brush are good!!

Briogeo hair mask- I just discovered Briogeo from another beauty box and I'm happy to try another product from the brand. My hair craves moisture all year round- and even more when the weather gets cooler so I was thrilled to get a hair mask when I need it most! My hair felt soft and moisturized after using this mask and since I have chemically treated hair, this means the world. I'm in love!!

I was very happy to get such an amazing first box from Boxycharm so I think I'll keep the subscription for a bit longer to see how it stacks up to Ipsy.  Do you subscribe to any beauty boxes? Which ones are your faves? I'd love to hear from you!

Balancing Skin Care Tips For Fall

As much as I love the summer, I love the cool weather of the fall even more. One thing I don't love however, is the way my skin responds to the seasonal change.  We all love updating our wardrobe for the fall with cozy sweaters and scarves, but how often do we remember to update our skincare routines? This time of year is perfect for giving beauty cabinets an overhaul to make sure your skin stays healthy year round.

Here are my top 6 tips for keeping your skin in tip top shape as we transition into the cooler months ahead

1. Take a look at your cleanser

As the weather becomes drier and cooler, it's important to balance the skin with heavier and more nourishing ingredients. If you're using a gel or milk formula, you may notice that there isn't enough hydration that your skin now desperately needs. Now is the perfect time to incorporate oils and thicker cleansers into your routine.

2. Pamper yourself 

I notice that I get more dry patches on my face so I make an effort to ramp up my daily routine by incorporating more exfoliating products. Not too long ago I told you about my new fave Origins charcoal cleansing powder because it offers the deep clean I love and the exfoliating that I need- all while being super gentle. It's important to keep your skin looking fresh by sloughing off the dead skin that may accumulate during the cooler months. Exfoliating removes dead skin cells that can trap oil and bacteria which in turn reduces breakouts. Take advantage of this new season to address any sun damage that you have have acquired over the summer. Invest in a good chemical peel to further rejuvenate the appearance of your skin.

3. Up your water intake...and stick to it!

We've all heard it before. DRINK MORE WATER! In the summer my skin feels tight and dehydrated from being exposed to too much air conditioning and in the cooler months, my skin gets dry from indoor heating. There's no winning!! I've tried my best to drink more water this summer and I have to admit, it's not as easy as it sounds! Having a bottle within reach is an easy visual reminder to drink more water, but recently I've added 1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar to two bottle fill-ups per day and I swear- my skin has glowed like never before! I've only been drinking ACV for a week now and I'll write another post about my ACV experience after a month of drinking it. Stay tuned!

4. Stay committed to your serums and moisturizers

I've never appreciated skin care as much as I do now and I've been lucky enough to try many different moisturizers and let me tell you- not all serums and moisturizers are created equal! The purpose of a moisturizer is to protect the skin's barrier, which is most important during the cooler months. Look for products that are rich in omegas, fatty acids, lipids, and ceramides because the best moisturizers hydrate, soothe and seals moisture.

5. Don't forget the sunscreen

It's true that the harmful UVB rays aren't as strong in the cooler months, UVA rays (the ones that cause premature ageing and cancer) remain just as strong and harmful as the warmer months. Sun protection is a year round job and you'd benefit from SPF coverage every day.

6. Add lip balm to your daily and nightly routine

Adding a swipe of lip balm to my lips before I go to bed has made a huge difference for me! The colder weather is particularly drying on the lips and dealing with chapped or cracked lips is no fun! Like the skin under our eyes, the skin on our lips is delicate and thin so a little extra TLC will go a long way. I also love using a lip scrub  to exfoliate once in a while to keep my lips looking their best!

There are my favourite ways to keep my skin balanced for fall and to prepare for the cooler weather that's soon to come. Have you already started your fall skincare overhaul? I'd love to hear what products you're incorporating into your seasonal routine.

September 2017 Ipsy Glam Bag Review

My current makeup subscription box is from Ipsy. I was a bit skeptical about a monthly beauty and makeup subscription box because I didn't want to end up with a bunch of products I couldn't use or didn't know how to use. Each month you get full size or deluxe-sized products in a cute makeup bag, and I was sold after checking out their previous bags. If you're not very adventurous with makeup like me, it's a great way to build your makeup collection on the cheap and expand your makeup expertise!

The September 2017 glam bag theme was Like. A. Boss. and I immediately fell in love with the bag design. I have never received a black glam bag from Ipsy so it was a welcome change from all the bright colours. I liked that the bag had a faux leather feel and minimal branding. I was thrilled to get such a nice bag for my birthday month! Totally feeling like a Boss Babe now! Thanks Ipsy :)

In my bag:
Luxie Beauty rose gold medium angled eyeshadow brush
Colourpop Lippie Stix in Glam Bag
Skin Food cleansing foam
Elizabeth Mott eyeshadow in Gunmetal
Adesse New York nail polish in Deception

As much as I love the bag itself, I'm a bit disappointed with the contents this month.There weren't any standout items for me so I rate the September Ipsy Glam Bag a 2/5.

Click here to sign up with Ipsy and get your very own Glam Bag! 

More about the products inside:

Luxie Beauty rose gold medium angled eyeshadow brush- I discovered Luxie Beauty from Ipsy last year and I love all their brushes. I'm excited to see how well this brush blends because I've never used an angled eyeshadow brush. Luxie brushes are 100% cruelty free and oh so gorg on my vanity :) Like all the other Luxie brushes I've used, this brush is super soft and isn't awkward to hold, which believe it or not, some brushes just suck. 

Colourpop Lippie Stix in Glam Bag- This colour was Not. For. Me. Nuh uh. No way. Return to sender! I'll spare you the horrendous pictures, but just imagine if a neon pink highlighter (the marker kind) was a lipstick- with an emphasis on the neon. Oh, and it's matte *side eye emoji* I'm not the biggest Colourpop fan anyway so I'll most likely never use this lippie. Sorry not sorry. 

Skin Food cleansing foam- I like this cleanser because it was gentle yet effective. I was expecting a much thicker lather, but the formula worked perfectly even though it wasn't what I expected. The fragrance was mild and pleasant. I like cleansers that leave me feeling clean but not stripped and this cleanser was perfect. 

Elizabeth Mott eyeshadow in Gunmetal- I've had a few Elizabeth Mott products from Ipsy and I was always impressed with the formula. This shadow is super pigmented and spreads well. There's very little fall out and I like how blendable Elizabeth Mott shadows are. I looooove this shade for fall, but the sample is oh so teeny tiny!!!

Adesse New York nail polish in Deception- I'm a sucker for a good gel polish and Deception really hit it out of the park.  It spread well and I love the long lasting formula. This colour is on trend for the fall but I just wish I got something else other than nail polish. It's nice to get a full size bottle but I feel like there were so many other things Ipsy could have included in the bag this month.

I was a bit disappointed with the samples I got in the September glam bag.  Did you get your September Glam Bag and if so, how did you like it? I'd love to hear from you!

SUBSCRIPTION BOX REVIEW- Fab Fit Fun Fall 2017 Box

I love subscription boxes because I love discovering new brands, for usually a fraction of the price if I was to buy the same items at a store. With Fab Fit Fun, you get a seasonal box full of goodies (full size AND samples). I always get excited for new seasons and the Fab Fit Fun team does a fantastic job of curating the perfect seasonal box.

Here's what was inside the FFF Fall 2017 box:

Mer-Sea & Co scarf

Private Party gym bag

IMM Living wire and ceramic jewelry holder

Deco Miami cuticle oil

Whish Beauty mud mask 

Mytagalongs hot & cold gel pack

Trèstique matte colour and lip balm duo

Cottonelle FreshCare cloths

Briogeo blow dry perfection cream

BONUS

Dphue ACV hair rinse

The Jetset Diaries cable knit beanie 

The Created Co travel mug

This was my first Fab Fit Fun box and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the package came filled to the brim with goodies! I really mean it too... the package was so heavy! It honestly felt like Christmas in September *teeheee* There was so much stuff that I had a hard time taking a picture of it all :) 

 Click here if you want a box like this for yourself! 

My first experience with FFF was very pleasant! This box has a total retail value of $377-$392 depending on individual selection and I'm still in disbelief that I got all this for less than $100! Yowza! I love that FFF carries brands that aren't usually featured in other subscription boxes. You also get a variety of items- not just skin care or makeup. I got everything I need for fall!

More about the stuff inside:

Mer-Sea & Co scarf- this scarf was so incredibly soft. I like knitted scarves for fall and this is the perfect addition to my scarf collection. I love companies that give back and I was happy to learn that Mer-Sea & Co. has teamed up with water.org for a mission to make clean water available to families in developing countries. 

Private Party gym bag- as much as I liked the design of the bag, the zipper felt a bit cheap so I'm hoping it doesn't break before I get the chance to use it! It has convenient pockets on the outside compartment as well as an inner open pocket. I was in the market for a new gym bag so the timing is perfect. I liiike :)

IMM Living wire and ceramic jewelry holder- this looks so pretty on my vanity and I'm happy to have a minimalistic jewelry holder that is also functional. I LOOOOVE the design! A huge thanks to the FFF for including such a thoughtful item.

Deco Miami cuticle oil- a much needed oil for the cooler months ahead! I'm grateful for this cuticle oil that has a nourishing blend of vitamins, Argan oil, and bamboo extract. My hands and nails need a little more love when the weather gets cooler so it's nice to have a new oil to try. 

Whish Beauty mud mask- I'm a huge fan of clay masks so I was thrilled to see this mask in the Fab Fit Fun box. This mask also has rosehip oil and aloe so you know you're going to feel super hydrated after using this mask. I have never heard of this brand before so I'm excited to try it out! Stay tuned for an individual review on this mask :)

Mytagalongs hot & cold gel pack- as you know by now I love multi-use products. This gel pack can be used cold or hot so you'll only need one gel pack to help with any relief you may need. 

Trèstique matte colour and lip balm 2-in-1- I discovered Trèstique from Ipsy last year and I felt their lipstick formula was fantastic. I was blown away with how nourishing this lip balm was and that it can be layered with the lip colour on the other end of the stick GENIUS! As a lip balm addict, it's nice that I only have to reach for one product that takes care of my lips as well as keeps me stylin' 

Cottonelle FreshCare cloths- I've never appreciated on-the-go wipes more than when I became a mom. Not only are these wipes perfect for keeping in your purse, they do a fantastic job at wiping away makeup. Keeping clean on the fly! LIKEY!!

Briogeo blow dry perfection cream- I'm not familiar with Briogeo but I do like the formula of this hair cream. It feels soft yet luxe and I like the subtle fragrance. I have chemically treated hair so I have to be very careful about what products I use. I'll update y'all about how this worked with my hair another time.

**BONUS**

Dphue ACV hair rinse- I picked the apple cider vinegar rinse as my choice item. I've always wanted to get on the ACV bandwagon and now I'll have that chance! I have to admit, I'm a huge critic with things that seem too good to be true, so when apple cider vinegar started appearing everywhere on social media I was quick to dismiss it. I haven't tried this hair rinse just yet so stay tuned for a full review :)

The Jetset Diaries cable knit beanie- I picked the beanie as my fashion choice item and I can't wait to wear it this fall. I like being cozy so this beanie is perfect for me. 

The Created Co travel mug- I picked this mug as an add-on with my $10 credit. I'm not sure what I did to earn a credit, but eh...I'm not complaining! I like travel mugs that don't have too many parts and are easy to clean and this mug fulfills all my portable drinking needs. PLUS it's super cute :)

So what is Fab Fit Fun anyway?? This lifestyle subscription box offers fabulous finds in beauty, wellness, fashion and fitness. Boxes are delivered seasonally so you'll get one box per season for a total of four boxes per year.

The thing I love most about FFF are the sneak peeks on Instagram and the opportunity to pick some of the products in your box. Sometimes you can pick specific items or variations and I like the feeling of making my box a bit more personal.

If you're a subscription junkie and want to learn more about what Fab Fit Fun has to offer, visit the website Fab Fit Fun  and use code PUMPKINSPICE for $10 off your first box:) 

As you can see, the FFF team really hit it out of the park with the fall box. Do you like subscription boxes? Let me know your fave in the comments!

My First Time using Origins

The beauty of social media is that it's so easy to discover new brands. I love reading genuine opinions to find out which products are all hype and which products actually work. One brand I've been seeing a lot is Origins. I was curious to see if Origins lived up to the hype and the amazing team at Origins Canada sent me a few of their faves to try. (Thanks guys-flying heart kiss emoji !!!!)  I got "A Perfect World" age-defense moisturizer, "Clear Improvement" active charcoal cleansing powder, and Peace of Mind" on-the-spot relief. I don't use the phrase "holy grail" often, but when I do... I mean it! I wasn't expecting to be blown away by this brand and I'm happy to report that the hype is real!

So what's the big deal??

A Perfect World age-defense moisturizer- this formula claims to surround the skin in a protective bubble to help delay the appearance of signs of aging. I was truly surprised after just one use how radiant my skin looked. It was very thick but spread well and I liked the subtle fragrance. At first I didn't like the way my skin looked greasy after applying the cream, but I realized I might have used too much. A little bit really does go a long way with this product. This formula offers broad spectrum protection which is more than ideal when you're looking for a daytime moisturizer. I didn't notice any irritation or adverse effects even though you can find some irritating ingredients in this formula like citrus oils and some plant irritants.  This moisturizer absorbed well and can last all day which is why I've added this moisturizer to my regular skin care routine. 

Clear Improvement active charcoal cleansing powder- this powder cleanser water-activates into a creamy effervescent cleanser that offers just the right amount of scrubbing action to get your skin feeling perfectly buffed. It's my new fave exfoliant for good reason! Charcoal has been having its moment in the skin care and beauty industry lately because of it's ultra-absorbent properties. I really do feel cleansed after using charcoal products. A word of caution to those that don't respond well to some harsh ingredients- when mixed with water, this formula was surprisingly gentle for me even though the abrasive ingredients are oat flour and walnut shell powder. I did notice a mild fragrance so avoid this product if fragrant oils irritate your skin. 

Peace of Mind on-the-spot relief- this sensory therapy product promises to clear the mind and melt away pressure, tension and tightness. When you apply two or three dabs of the formula to the back of your neck, this peppermint based formula works almost instantly. Peppermint oil is commonly used to ease muscle tension because of its relaxing and cooling effect on the skin and you can really feel the pleasant tingle with Peace of Mind. I liked the subtle tingling effect and the fragrance was enjoyable. If you're a fan of aromatherapy then this is perfect for you!

I'm now a self-proclaimed Origins junkie and I can't wait to try all the other goodies. Are you a fan of Origins products? Let me know what your faves are in the comments!