Empty: Estee Lauder Double Wear Brow Lift Duo

Another #empty! Estee Lauder Double Wear Say-In-Place Brow Lift Duo.  One side is a brown brow pencil and the other side is a highlighter.  Honestly, I fill in my brows everyday but I don’t highlight my brow bone every day because it can look a bit much.

I enjoyed using this, but I’m finding that these skinny brow pencils don’t last very long.  I get maybe a month of use out of them and then they’re finished.  This pencil was great and it lasted the whole day.  I have to admit that I LOVE the Estee Lauder Double Wear line.  For someone with oily skin who has makeup slipping and sliding around the whole day, it’s a huge improvement on almost everything else out there.

This is $21.99 at various retailers online, but Estee Lauder has discontinued it, or maybe it was a limited edition pencil.  I would get it again, but I would also look for cheaper drugstore options.

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Sarah Jessica Parker Covet

Covet has been out for a few years, but I just pulled it out of my perfume stash.

The bottle itself is beautiful to look at, but remember that the jewel-like top is actually light-weight plastic. The perfume is strong! I was able to smell the one spray I had put on myself even after showering, which is pretty amazing for a regular perfume.

top notes are greens, geranium leaves, sicilian lemon and chocolate and the drydown is musk, vetiver, teakwood and amber.  I think the amber and chocolate makes this almost a gourmande for me, and a little sweet, but it’s fresh and woodsy at the same time.  

 

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The Hills Makeup!

GUYS, there’s a Hills reboot that’s on tonight and it made me think of this blog post I wrote about Lauren Conrad’s makeup!  I took a screenshot of her makeup bag and saw what was inside.  These days everything is sponsored or gifted, but these were the days before those partnerships, so it’s a more honest look at what these girls were using.  And before daily hair and makeup was an expectation and they would maybe get themselves ready?

Anyway…

Check out the screen shots:


So, it turns out that “L.C.” is a drugstore girl and a department store girl, like most of us! Spotted was the lovely L’Oreal Voluminous Lash mascara, MAC Studio Tech foundation in NC 32, and what looks like Neutrogena Mineral Sheers powder foundation used as more of a bronzer.

I wonder if we’ll see anything like that this season?

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Empty: The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% and Zinc 1%

I placed a Deciem order in November, and got the Niacinamide 10% and Zinc 1% then.  I probably started using it in January or February.  

I really noticed a difference in my skin when I started using this, so I kept using it.  You can read my full review of it here.

And now it’s empty.  I’m going to have to get another one because it helped with breakouts without drying out my skin.  It also helps with pigmentation.

Pick it up at The Ordinary for $5.90.

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Johnson’s Baby Oil Gel

This is the best cheap way to get hydrated skin – Johnson’s Baby Oil Gel.
Now, if you haven’t heard of this or seen it, just look for it in the baby care section of your local supermarket or drugstore. It’s basically mostly baby oil with the addition of a couple of other ingredients to make the baby oil into a gel. Works the same way as the original baby oil.

The best way to use this gel is to use it in conjunction with your soap in the shower – not only does this method cut down on time spent in the bathroom but it also ensures that you’re not left with an oily residue that wipes on to your clothes. Lather yourself with your regular soap or body wash and then, before you rinse, slick on this gel. Finally, rinse off the soap and excess oil and get out of the shower. Dry yourself as usual. Chances are that you won’t need a moisturizer after you use this and if you do decide to use one, it’ll go a lot further. I use this every single winter and it really works and once you get the hang of it, you’ll love it too.

$5 at the drugstore or mass merchandisers.

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Kerastase Blond Absolu Shampoos

Two new Blond Absolu shampoos are part of Kerastase’s Blond Absolu line. One is clear and hydrating and makes hair brighter while the other has a deep blue pigment and helps retone hair and keep it ashy-looking.

I’ve been using the blue one when I wash my hair and it’s a great shampoo even though it’s not moisturizing.

Available online and at salons for $45 each.

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Holt Renfew’s New Givenchy Counter

You might have noticed that Holt Renfrew stores across the country have been opening up new Givenchy counters. Previously only at other makeup stores, the Holt Renfrew Givenchy counters are a cut above what’s been available. Namely, they’ve got the Atelier Givenchy fragrance line – these are a specially curated batch of scents that have very specific central notes. For example, the rose note in one of them will be the focus, but then surrounded by others that give it a unique character.

Of course, the makeup is the star of the show here, and there’s plenty of spring makeup in pretty colours.  The glosses below are sheer, and layer with lipsticks to adjust the colour.

I had to get a picture of this pretty blush.  It actually goes on a little darker than it seems in the pan, and it worked well for my skin tone too.

Of course, blingy glam makeup is my thing, and so I loved the Teint Couture Radiant Drops, the Matissime Velvet foundation and the gorge sparkly eyeshadow quad.

 

Here’s my glam after.

You can find Givenchy at Holt Renfrew stores across Canada.

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Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Lip Repair Balm

Here’s a lip balm if you’re looking for one that’s not too greasy and shiny. Elizabeth Arden’s 8 Hour Cream Intensive Lip Repair Balm is thick and waxy so it doesn’t actually look super shiny or like you’re even wearing lip balm.

That makes it perfect for layering under lipstick or liquid lipstick because it doesn’t interfere with the finish. But it still has intensively moisturizing properties and I use it at night to help my lips look better in the morning. I keep it in my bathroom near the rest of my skincare and just apply there morning and night so that I don’t forget.

This definitely makes my list of top 5 lip balms – it’s that good!

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart. $29.

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Empty: Joico Defy Damage Protective Masque

You know it’s good when you get to the empty stage and then cut open the tube to get out every last drop inside.

That’s the case with this Joico Defy Damage Protective Masque. It’s super thick and rich, silicone-heavy formula was great at coating every single strand of hair and made it less prone to frizz.

Guess what? After cutting the tube open, I got atleast 3 more generous uses of this conditioner so it was totally worth it. Use it once a week on dry and damaged hair. If your hair is superfine, you might find this to be rather thick and heavy – it’s certainly one of the heaviest conditioners I’ve used and that’s why I kept it in my rotation. I have lighter conditioners for everyday and heavier ones for once-a-week masking.

Available in salons. About $27.

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Kerastase Blond Absolu Cicaplasme Treatment

Kerastase has recently launched a Blond Absolu line for blonds, those with white hair, and even highlighted hair.  The entire collection is in purple tones of varying degrees and aims to help blond hair look fresh and bright. I’ve been using it on my highlighted hair and I’m loving the deeply tinted blue shampoo and conditioner – more on those later. After I shower, I’ve been using the Blond Absolu Cicaplasme leave-in treatment in my hair.

It is super light so it’s perfect for fine hair, but for my frizzy curly hair, it just didn’t have enough conditioning agents in it.  I found that it became pretty watery on wet hair and left my hair dry and frizzy.  What I needed was something that would tame the curl and frizz, but this didn’t do it.  I had better luck when I added a serum on top or mixed this with a thicker styling cream, but then what’s the point?

The serum does have hyaluronic acid and edelweiss flower extract in it, and offers hair heat protection.  It also has a good amount of slip, and is light enough, so it makes an excellent blow-dry cream.

Available at salons.

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