A Review: Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush

Cost:$33.00 CAD

Available at: Sephora.com and Sephora Stores

My Skin Type: Combination (oily)

My Shade: Natural Beauty

Claims: According to Sephora's website this product is, "Infused with natural clay harvested from the banks of the Amazon River and naturally baked by the sun, this nutrient-rich blush benefits all skin types for a fade-free flawless finish for an amazing 12 hours."

Actual Experience: After being frustrated with spending copious amounts of money on MAC blushes, only to have them fade after 4 or 5 hours, I decided to try this blush. I was over the moon with the pigmentation (use a very, very light hand or risk clown face :p). The staying power truly is 12 hours. Not only did it stay on a full 12 hours, it looked amazing doing it. The color that I naturally blush is a raspberry color, so if you are like me than the shade Natural Flush will be your new best friend :).

Buy or Avoid: Buy. This blush will not disappoint. In my opinion the quality of this blush is far superior to MAC's.

This product was bought with my own money

A Review: MAC Lip Conditioner

Cost:$18.00 CAD

Claims: According to MAC Cosmetics website this product is, "A lightweight conditioning balm for the lips formulated with SPF 15. Protects the lips from everyday aggressions, holds in moisture, provides gentle repair to dry lips. Contains Almond Oil, Shea Butter, Avocado Extract, Wheat Germ Oil, vitamins A and E. Petroleum based to seal in moisture yet smooth to apply, non-sticky on. Slightly vanilla-flavoured. Colour-free."

Actual Experience: I went into MAC to return my six empty containers and get my free lip gloss (Back to MAC Program). I realized once I started to try on different colors that my lips were in no condition to do so. I told them I was going to have to come back another time. They asked what I was using and I told them Softlips. They said to stop using it because the menthol was making my lips worse. I went out on a whim and purchased the Lip Conditioner without reading reviews first (not something I normally do), I however, was not to be disappointed. Twenty-four hours after continuously hydrating my lips with it they were back to their normal supple selves.

Buy or Avoid: Buy. There are certain things that I don't play around with and skincare is one of them. Once I find something that works I stick with it.

This product was bought with my own money

A Review: Aveda Botanical Kinetics Exfoliant

My skin is combination (oily) and sensitive.

Cost will vary from spa to spa.

Claims: According to the bottle, this product removes dull surface cells and refines and clarifies skin. The Aveda website says that this product is no longer available.  However, I believe this to be incorrect. The bottle was recently redesigned from glass to plastic and I think they forgot to upload the new pictures to their website. I recently purchased a new bottle at my local spa and they said that it had not been discontinued.

Actual Experience: This product is a very gentle exfoliator. It has no granules because it is chemical exfoliant. It contains lavender extract, chamomile, balm mint, witch hazel, and salicylic acid along with a few other ingredients. I use it every other night on my entire face and in the mornings on my nose and chin. I have never had any type of allergic reaction to this product.

Buy or Avoid: Buy. I don't think that you can go wrong with this exfoliator. It should work for everyone from sensitive right through to super oily and resistant skin.

This product was bought with my own money

A Review: Clean and Clear Advantage Blackhead Eraser Scrub

Cost: $6.96 CAD at Walmart.

My skin is combination (oily) and sensitive.

Claims: According to their website with this product you will, "See fewer blackheads in just two days! CLEAN & CLEAR® BLACKHEAD EARSER™ Scrub has unique exfoliating multi-action beads that work to gently remove the trapped dirt, oil, and dead skin that can clog pores and lead to breakouts. Three sizes of multi-action beads allow surface exfoliation and a deep down clean. Salicylic Acid, an acne fighting medicine, clears blackheads and helps prevent new ones from forming."

Actual Experience: I bought this product because it was a lot less expensive than my normal exfoliater by Aveda, which I purchase from a local spa. Both products have salicylic acid, so I thought to myself, "How different can they really be?". Well, with the Clean and Clear Advantage Blackhead Eraser Scrub my entire chin area peeled and flaked! There is obviously something in it that does not agree with my skin. I have done some research and there are other beauty bloggers who have had the exact same thing happen to them. I am returning it to Walmart this week and have already gone to the spa and repurchased my Aveda, Botanical Kinetics Exfoliant (liquid with no granuales). I will be doing a review on the Aveda product shortly, so stay tuned.

Buy or Avoid: Avoid like the plague! If you do decide to try it, then make sure to buy it somewhere that will allow you to return it in case you experience peeling or flaking.


This product was bought with my own money

Most Used Hair Products

I have fine, wavy, flat, dry, medium length hair with a few face framing layers.

All Redken products are available at salons that carry Redken

Products (top to bottom, left to right): 1. TIGI Dumb Blonde Shampoo (available at salons that carry TIGI). 2. Ion Repair Solutions (available at Sally Beauty Supply), 3. Redken Color Extend Conditioner. 1. Proclaim Glossing Polish (available at Sally Beauty Supply), 2. L'oreal Studio Silk & Gloss "Hot Straight" (available at Walmart), 3. Redken Extreme "Anti-Snap", 4. L'oreal Studio Design Finishing Spray, Extra Strong Hold (available at Walmart).

"Procedure": I wash my hair every other day with TIGI Dumb Blonde Shampoo and condition with Redken Color Extend (through the lengths and ends). Once a week I use Ion Repair Solutions to deep condition. To style, I mix slightly less than a quarter size amount of L'oreal Studio Silk & Gloss with half a pea size amount of Proclaim Glossing Polish (run through lengths and ends). Every other time I style my hair I add Redken Extreme Anti Snap to the mix. The Studio Design Finishing Spray is only used when I curl my hair (I actually prefer the one in the blue bottle to the one pictured above). It has a slightly lighter hold. Sometimes I blow dry and flat iron or curl my hair, and other times I braid it and let it dry naturally.

If you would like advice for your specific hair type, comment below and I will get back to you.

These products were bought with my own money

A Review: MAC Eye Shadows

Fifteen Pan Palette (with insert removed fits 21) $17.00 CAD. Eye shadow in pan format $14.00 CAD each.

Claims: According to MAC Cosmetics website their eye shadow is, "Highly pigmented powder. Applies evenly, blends well."

Actual Experience: My overall experience with MAC Eye Shadows has been fairly good. They come in seven different finishes: Matte (no frost, no shimmer, flat), frost (frosty, shimmery, sheen finish), satin (between a matte and frost finish), veluxe pearl (shimmery but not as shimmery as a frost), lustre (glittery, chunky, not much colour pay off), velvet (wash of sheer colour with a hint of shimmer), and veluxe (similar to veluxe pearl but with less shimmer). I am not a huge fan of MAC's mattes or lustres. The mattes do not always have the best colour pay off and the lustres are chunky, hard to work with and have a lot of fall out. All of the other formulas are pigmented, apply easily, and last all day (especially over an eyelid primer).

Buy or Avoid: Buy any formula except for mattes or lustres. Urban Decay also makes excellent eye shadows, and all of their finishes, in my opinion, perform equally well. However, they are a bit pricier than MAC eye shadows when bought individually. They do have some nice palettes to choose from, such as the cult favorite Naked Palette. When bought in palette form they are an excellent bang for your buck!


This product was bought with my own money

A Review: Aero Minerale Makeup Mist

My colour: Bare, price $19.99 CAD at select Lawton's Drugs also available at: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=aero+minerale&x=0&y=0

Claims: According to the Aero Minerale website, "Everything you love about minerals plus the moisture that you want. For true aerobrush application mist directly onto skin. For classic coverage apply with brush, sponge or finger."

Actual Experience: This is the only foundation that I have found to date (and I've probably spent hundreds over the years trying different ones) that will stay on my oily t-zone for the entire day. The finish is skin like. The product is thin (almost watery in consistency) but has excellent coverage. There are ten different colours to chose from in the line. They come in both cool and warm undertones so pretty much everyone will find a match. The best method that I have found for application is to spray a little foundation onto the top of the cap and use a couple of fingers to gently press the product into the skin. I have also tried using a brush (product dries too fast, and you tend to put on too much), and spraying directly on the face (very messy and you also tend to put on too much). If you apply the product too heavily it will feel sticky. Tip: If you decide to try and use the spray on method, then make sure to use a shower cap or an old towel to wrap your hair. If you don't it will get stuck in your hairline and you will have to shampoo to get it out.

Buy or Avoid: Buy. Especially if you have combination oily or oily skin. It is still much cheaper than most department store foundations. For reference I am on my second one.


This product was bought with my own money

A Review: MAC Lipstick(s)

Colour: High Tea (lustre) and cost: $17.50 CAD

Claims: According to MAC's website their lipsticks provide, "Colour plus texture for the lips...".

Actual Experience: They certainly provide color and texture for lips with their EIGHT DIFFERENT FINISHES! Amplified (rich colour, what you see is what you get), amplified cream (rich colour, what you see is what you get but with a sheen finish), cremesheen (not quite as rich as an amplified creme, sheen finish), frost (color is somewhat pigmented, very shiny and I don't recommend for anyone), glaze (fairly sheer, can have chunky glittery finish), lustre (sheer-medium pigmentation, shimmery but not chunky), matte (completely matte, colour drenched), and satin (very pigmented, very slight sheen).

My colour that I wear every day is High Tea (lustre). It is the perfect nudish, peachy, neutral colour for daytime or anytime wear. Not harsh, and not overbearing (your lips but better).

Buy or Avoid: Buy (if you have the extra cash). I honestly don't think that even Sephora can top the amount of finishes that MAC provides. You may be able to find something similar at the drugstore but most likely it will not have the same finish and this can really make or break a lipstick.


This product was bought with my own money

A Review: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural

Skin type/color: combination (oily) and sensitive, pink undertones, MAC NW 20

My color in this product is medium.

Claims: According to MAC's website, "A luxurious domed face powder with minerals, slowly baked to provide a dimensional yet natural-matte finish. Provides perfect low coverage. Use to set and fix foundation or as a touch-up throughout the day."

Actual Experience: I use this to set my liquid foundation but I have a friend that uses it as her actual foundation (she loves it so far). It provides the most natural finish of any powder that I have ever tried. It doesn't cake, doesn't clump, and doesn't look chalky. Tip, if you have a blemish use a little cream concealer on top of it, gently blend. Then use a small eye shadow brush to buff some of this gently over top. I have never been able to hide a blemish so naturally or completely as when I use this method (it only works for me with this specific powder mind you).

Buy or Avoid: Buy! This powder is a little pricey at $33CAD plus tax but this is the third time that I have bought it.  I got sick of throwing out the drugstore powders when they didn't work (big waste of $$). One of these used almost daily lasts me 6-8 months.


This product was bought with my own money

Skin Care Routine

I have combination (oily) and sensitive skin.

All products purchased at Wal Mart unless otherwise noted.

Products (right to left): 1. Exact Gentle Skin Cleanser (knock of version of Cetaphil from Superstore).  The ingredients are exactly the same and listed in the same order, which means they are in the same concentration.  2. Softlips (cucumber melon). The only lip balm that I have found that actually softens and helps to exfoliate any dry skin from the lips. Added bonus it has SPF 15. 3. Neutrogena Moisture (combination skin version).  Fragrance free, oil free, matte finish. Excellent under makeup. The one con is that it doesn't have any SPF, so you have to use a sunscreen underneath or a foundation with SPF over top). 4. Neutrogena Light Night Cream. Fragrance free, oil free, no SPF. 5. Aveda Botanical Kinetics (available at any Spa that carries Aveda).

Morning Routine: Apply cleanser to dry face. Massage in for about 60 seconds. Rinse well and dry. Apply Neutrogena Moisture (combination skin). Apply Neutrogena Light Night Cream under eyes, and on the nose, including the bridge. This gives an extra shot of moisture to the areas that I think I will get wrinkles first. Apply Softlips lip balm.

Nighttime Routine : Apply cleanser to dry face. Massage in for about 60 seconds. Rinse well and dry, then repeat.  Repeating gets any last traces of makeup off of your face. Every other night exfoliate using a cotton pad and Aveda Botanical Kinetics Exfoliant. Apply Neutrogena Moisture (combination skin). Apply Neurtrogena Light Night Cream under eyes, and on the nose, including the bridge. If I am experiencing a breakout I only moisturize under my eyes, my whole nose and cheeks. I usually wake up the next morning with pretty clear skin :) Apply Softlips lip balm.

If you would like advice for your specific skin type, comment below and I will get back to you.

These products were bought with my own money

A Review: Maybelline, The Falsies Black Drama

Claims: According to Maybelline's website, "False lash glam goes extra matte, extremely black"

Actual Experience: As mentioned in my MAC False Lashes review, I have short, thin, and sparse lashes on both the top and bottom. I curled my eyelashes and applied two coats to the top and one coat to the bottom. The results were pretty darn good. As to the claim of it being matte, I can't really say that I have ever noticed a mascara of any kind being shiny.  Same goes for this one.  It is however very true to its' claim of being extremely black.  It is the blackest mascara that I have ever used! It has little fibres in it to help add fullness and length to your lashes (it is contact lense safe).  This mascara takes a little more work than MAC's False Lashes but at $6.76 (Wal Mart) versus $22.50 for the MAC I am willing to spend the tiny bit more time with it. Now I don't have to feel guilty for the Lulu Lemon sports bra that I am buying this weekend.

Buy or Avoid: If you are looking to not spend mega cash on a mascara (which only lasts for three months anyway) then this in my opinion is the best drugstore one out there right now.


This product was bought with my own money

What's in My Makeup Bag...?

Top to bottom picture, left to right.

Face Products: 1. Aero Minerale Makeup Mist (available at select Lawtons). Color: Bare. 2. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural (available at MAC Cosmetics stores, counters, and online). Color: Medium. *All MAC products listed are available at the same locations unless otherwise noted. 3.MAC Mineralize Blush.  Color: Dainty. 4. Makeup Forever 5 Camouflage Cream Palette (available at Sephora, Sephora.com).  Color: #2. 5. MAC Skinsheen Bronzer Stick (L.E. Summer 2011).  Color: Gilty Bronze.

Eye Products: 1. Rimmel Match Perfection "Skin Tone Adapting" 2 in 1 Concealer/Highlighter. Color: Classic Beige 030. 2. MAC False Lashes (mascara). Color: False Black. 3. MAC Eyeshadow Palette (L.E. Fascinating Ruby). 4. MAC Paint. Color: Untitled. 5. Maybelline Define a Brow. Color: Dark Blonde.

Lip Product: MAC Dazzleglass. Color: Baby Sparks.

Brushes/Tools: 1. Sally Hansen Eyelash Curler (available at Wal Mart). 2. MAC 217 Blending Brush. 3. MAC 239 All Over Shadow Brush. 3. Costal Scents Large Powder Brush (available at http://www.coastalscents.com/).

Products not used daily: 1. Mac Eye Kohl. Color: I Get No Kick (L.E.). 2. MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil. Color: Stubborn Brown. 3. MAC Paint Pot. Color: Bare Study.


These products were bought with my own money

A Review: MAC False Lashes

Claims: According to MAC's website the key benefits of this mascara are: volume and curl.

Actual Experience: I have short, thin, and sparse lashes on both the top and bottom. I basically have the worst eyelashes anyone could be born with! This mascara; however, works wonders for me. I curl my lashes and apply approximately two coats to the top, one to the bottom. My lashes look longer, thicker and more plentiful! This (and many other) MAC mascaras tend to get really dry after about three weeks. My solution to this is to make sure that it is sealed well and run it under hot water for 30 seconds. It will liquefy the product again for several weeks.

Buy or Avoid: Buy! This is going to be a repurchase for me shortly as I am getting low.


This product was bought with my own money

A Review: MAC Dazzelglass

Claims: According to MAC Cosmetics website this lip color is supposed to provide a similar brilliance to quartz or crystal. It claims to be non-sticky, non-tacky, lightweight and moisturizing.

Actual Experience: I whole-heartily agree that this lip color provides excellent shine and has excellent shimmer properties. In regard to the non-sticky, non-tacky claim, I find this to be untrue. I find this lip color to be extremely sticky and tacky. However, I do love a really sticky gloss because I find they last longer on the lips and I hate having to reapply constantly. I also do not find this product to be particularly lightweight or moisturizing.

Buy or Avoid: If you like or love a sticky gloss, then this is one of the best on the market! I will continue to buy this as long as it is made! Note: there are tons of colors!

This product was bought with my own money

A Review: Urban Decay All Nighter (Makeup Setting Spray)

Claims: According to Urban Decay's packaging, "Color dispersing agents keep makeup evenly distributed so it looks just-applied for 16 hours".

Actual Experience: This product did not work on my combination (oily), sensitive skin. I followed the directions on the package exactly and my makeup lasted no longer than it normally would have. It still slid off around my nose and from under my eyes. Also, this product, if not applied properly will feel like hairspray on your face! Just ask my arm, on which I tested the product inside Sephora.

Buy or Avoid: Avoid. Instead try their other setting spray Deslick .  I found it to work much better but it is overpriced for what it is.

This product was bought with my own money