June Favorites!

I am writing this with the disbelief that June is over already. I have hardly made a dent in my after sun products, and have yet to get myself into a bathing suit. Summer is slipping away fast, so to cheer myself up, let’s talk about the things that rocked my world in June.

Micro Pedi: This has been a favorite since I purchased it, but this month has been especially great with this little device, as I replaced my roller head, and purchased the Micro Pedi Man refills. They are coarser than the ones they make for women, and all of them fit, no matter if you have the base made for women or men. I find it to be working faster, and just more efficient. I doubt I will purchase the women refills again, because when it comes to feet, softer is always better.

Shiseido Radiant Lifting Foundation: I have a full blog post on this foundation. It has become my absolute favorite, and I have been wearing it literally every single day. It provides full coverage, while giving you a dewy, hydrated look. For my readers who have dry skin, this is an absolute must have. For reference, I wear the shade B40.

Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster: When I first used this, I was a little skeptical, and terrified at the same time. (That’s totally normal when it comes to self tanners) This product gives me the smallest hint of color, which actually is just what I need. When I self tan, my legs and my face are the first to fade. (Shaving and my Clarisonic exfoliate my skin super fast!) So when my face is a little lighter than the rest of my body, I will throw three drops of this into my night cream, and wake up pretty evened out. This was one of those products that I didn’t know I needed, until I started using it.

Essence Silky Touch Blush in Babydoll: This blush was a total surprise to me. I was on the hunt for a nude blush, and when I saw this one, it was so cheap I couldn’t say no. I used it once, and actually have ben reaching for it almost daily this month. This was an awesome purchase for the price, and it lasts on my skin almost all day.

Alluring Aquatic Extra Dimension Bronzer in Aphrodite’s Shell: This was apart of a limited edition collection, so I’m not totally sure that you can still get it… But this bronzer works very well for me. It almost feels like a gel texture, and it never looks chalky on me. I have abandoned my NYC Sunny for this, and I couldn’t be happier.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Misia: This product is a different shade for me, it is a definite coral, almost bordering on an orange. I always gravitate towards pink, or fuchsia, but this one just caught my eye, and although I am still getting used to it, I have worn this a lot this month. I love the Coco Shine formula, and this is a great color for summer.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Body Beauty Balm: I tried this product on my arm in store, and immediately put it in my basket. Sabah was shocked at how fast I made a decision, as usually I take roughly 6 months to commit to purchasing something. I have a weakness for body products, and while I didn’t expect this to give me the visible firming/tightening that my beloved Clarins High Definiton Body Lift does, it made my skin feel very cool, and gave me a shimmer that I always get compliments on. It smells like mint, so beware of that if you aren’t a fan, but I am loving this stuff.

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel: This cleanser has been so well loved this month, and I am over halfway through it. It is so luxurious, and I look forward to using it at the end of a long day. I love cleansers that give you incentive to wash your face at the end of the night, because sometimes you need an extra push to get you to the sink.

What are your favorites this month? If you’re a blogger and have a favorites post, let me know in the comments below! I love to read them!

-Sara

New Obession: Lancome Palette in Petal Pusher!

If you follow me on Instagram (@girlmetblush) you know that I love to take pictures of makeup in natural settings. Rocks, Plants, Flowers … you name it. So I was taking some photos the other day, and I was rooting through my collection to see what would be pretty in a picture. I came across this unopened Lancôme Palette I had gotten awhile back, and knew it would be perfect. One, it is called Petal Pusher, so clearly it needs to be put into a flower pot, and two, I totally forgot what made me get this palette in the first place. It is absolutely GORGEOUS.

These palettes retail for $54.00 CAD, and include 5 shades. It comes with a guide to let you know how to apply them, which is great if you are not comfortable with makeup just yet, but as I always say, makeup has no rules. (Probably why I love it so much … ) The shades are very richly pigmented, and all have a shimmer to them. Not all of these palettes are total shimmer, they have a few with some matte shades mixed in. What drew me into this palette was the gold color, and I just think its beautiful under the lashline. I can see this palette working with a lot of different eye colors and skin tones, and I will be wearing this a lot this summer.

What are your favorite things to wear on your eyes now a days?

-Sara

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Lise Watier Ombre Souffle Supreme

There’s nothing I love more, especially in the Summer, than an eyeshadow that I can apply with my finger, super quickly, and dash out the door. Enter Lise Watier Ombre Soufflé Supremes. (GASP, that was a mouthful!)

Now I may ruffle some feathers here, but those who know me, know that’s what I do best. I hate the Maybelline Color Tattoos. There, I said it. I have tried the original line, the metal line, the leather line, they just don’t work for me at all. Bad to the Bronze was for sure near the top of the list for beauty disappointments. I still have some, and even though I store them properly and always make sure to close the lid tight, they are shrunken up and dry.

When Lise Watier launched these, they immediately reminded my of the Chanel Illusion D`òmbre shadows. I had one of those, and it was nice, but of course, it was pricey. Some of my favorite shades of these are: Magie Blanche, Ciel De Nuit, Sunrise Peach, and Vert Enchante. These swatch beautifully, and they will captivate you when they hit the light. They feel like a little pot of cloud, and apply so smoothly. Here are the claims, taken from the website.

“Iridescent / Air-whipped texture Anti-aging / Antioxidant properties / Long-lasting. An exceptionally light creamy mousse texture, combined with the antioxidant properties of our exclusive Labrador Tea extract. Easily applied with the fingertips, its long-lasting formula gives the eyelids an iridescent look.“

I agree with everything they claim about this shadow. And that never happens. These are long lasting, they don`t crease, and they apply so easily with the fingertips. They have so many other colors, but I wanted to highlight my top 4, that I reach for often.

I wish the photo could do them justice. The shine that these give off is just incredible. If you have not tried these shadows, or you`re like me, and suffered disappointment with the Color Tattoos, give these a try. Next time you are at a Lise Watier counter, at least try the texture of these. They are amazing, and give the eye the best iridescent look ever!

-Sara

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Smashbox Telephoto 3-IN-1 Face Brush!

Normally when I write this blog, I set myself up in one of two prime locations. One, on the deck overlooking the ocean, where all I can hear are waves and my own thoughts. Or two, at the dining room table, looking out at the trees and the wildlife. (When I say wildlife, I mean tons of different birds, gophers, squirrels …) Just in case you were picturing a safari jungle. At the moment, I happen to have a squirrel right on my window ledge, happily feeding on some bird seed that we left out. I can’t help but think of my old favorite Smashbox brush. It’s made from squirrel. (Before any of you try to cut my head off for animal cruelty, know that Smashbox has a farm specifically for the animals that they get their brush hair from. They are groomed and clipped (not shaved) twice a year, and they are treated 100% humanely!) Needless to say, once Smashbox sells out of a brush, it’s usually quite the wait before the stores get them in again …

But as always, things we love get discontinued. And this brush was no exception. You can’t buy it anymore, but it has been replaced with a newer, more futuristic looking brush. The Telephoto 3-in-1 Face brush.

As you can see from the picture, this brush has three different settings, to provide three different coverage’s. The first setting is Full Coverage. This stops the brush at a pretty dense setting, which allows you to use the brush like a kabuki. Whether it be powder or liquid foundation, this setting will buff the product into the skin, giving you the best coverage possible.

The middle setting is for Medium Coverage. This one is great for again liquid and powder foundations, and also works for blush application, if you are travelling and need to do double duty.

The third setting is for Sheer Coverage. This setting is great for finishing powders, or powder foundations. I don’t recommend using this setting with liquid however, because it really just moves the foundation around, and ends up eating most of the product into the bristles.

This brush is super soft, however I still find myself reaching for the old one from time to time. This brush retails for $45.00 CAD, and I love that it comes with a cap. Super travel friendly, and it can stand in for your Foundation, Powder, Blush and Bronzer.

This will be an awesome brush for the Summer Time, when everything always just gets thrown into a massive tote bag, and brought all over the place. The beach, the cottage, the city … everywhere!

Pack it up, and pack light for your trip! 🙂

Have an awesome day guys!

-Sara

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I love finding local gems …

Hello again beauties, I am writing you today with a found local gem. Sabah and I were shopping the other day, and we stumbled across a store called Limoncello. We had been in this place before, and now we make it a regular stop in our travels. The woman who is there often is named Adrienne, and she is always so pleasant and knowledgeable about the products that the store carries. The store carries amazing giftware, some fashion, jewelry, beautiful home décor and my personal favorite … A ton of awesome soap. Handmade in Nova Scotia, Soap in your Mouth is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. They are a Halifax based company that makes soaps, and other beauty products!

The one that I picked up today is called The Godfather. Some of the star ingredients of this soap are Coconut Oil, Beer, and Poppy Seeds.

Now, besides the smell, this soap has something special. The poppy seeds. Now Sabah was the first to purchase this soap, and she quickly realized how effective it was as an exfoliant. This of course made me curious, so the day I picked it up, I immediately went home and scrubbed down. She was right! This soap took off those dry left over patches of self tanner like no other. I usually self tan once a week, and I try my best to slough off the most color that I can before I re-tan. This soap makes it so easy, and I will be repurchasing this for sure.

If you live in, or will be visiting the Halifax area, I highly suggest you track down some of these products. I can’t wait to try some more soaps, and I will be visiting Limoncello again very soon.

Until next time …

-Sara

Find Limoncello on Facebook

Find Soap in your Mouth on Facebook

Different “Lip Balms” for different Gals …

Hey everyone! How’s it going? I had an awesome sleep last night, and dreamt that Hourglass launched a blush palette, similar to the NARS palette I so regret not buying. It was a wonderful redemption, but sadly I woke up and came back to the world where Hourglass only has single blushes. (I seriously am praying they do a palette for the holidays!)

If you follow makeup, or check out what’s new in the stores frequently, you would have noticed within the last year or two, that colored lip balms have become crazy popular. Everything seems to have the world “balm” attached to it. Now, when people usually say balm, I think of Soft Lips, or EOS … something clear and hydrating, and super basic. But balms have really transformed into something that everyone can wear. If you are a demure Debbie who wants something super basic and sheer, or if you’re a bold Betty and want your pout to pop, there is a balm for you. I have chosen three brands that offer “Lip Balms” and offer three totally different pigment payoff.

First up are Stila Color Balm Lipsticks. Shown here in the shade (From left to right) Gemma, Betsey, Valentina, and Ruby. These babies are the top of the top if you are looking for a punch of color that will make a statement. These do come in more natural colors, but I wanted to showcase the brighter ones to show the pigment. They smell like mint, last a decent amount of time on the lip, and are completely addicting. If you buy one, you will start collecting them, I promise you. Sometimes with the crazier colors, I opt to apply it with a lip brush, as the only negative to these, is they are very fat. So it makes precision a little tough when applying.

If you are a middle Meryl, and want a bit of color, but nothing that is going to stop traffic, the Benefit Balms are perfect for you. These come in four shades, and match up to the iconic tints that we all know and love from Benefit. As always, the packaging can’t be beat. These are purse proud products for sure. When I first saw these (after much hype as always from Benefit) I had a quick flash of shock, when I saw how sheer the colors were. Little did I know that I needed something exactly like that in my collection, and I now use Lolli Balm on the daily. (I layer it on top of my nude lipstick, and it gives just a hint of color, so the nude doesn’t look too brown) These are some of the smoothest balms I have ever used, and the way they feel on the lips, completely makes them worth it. Again, these will be something that you will want to have a whole wardrobe of.
From left to right, we have Bene Balm, Cha Cha Balm, Posie Balm and Lolli Balm.

And for the natural beauties who just want the absolute slightest tint, or possibly just some shine, we have the new Clinique Baby Tints. These are the newest addition to the “Chubby Stick” family, and they come in beautiful tubes that look so fun, but honestly pack very minimal punch. Swatched out, they all appear to be a slightly different shade of pink, but they do give a bit of shine, and seem to darken on the lips as you wear them. Almira and I tried these out, and they seem to swatch clear, but given about 30 seconds, the color will develop into something, and the orange shade actually looked quite beautiful on her. Swatched from left to right, these are Coming up Rosy, Poppin’ Poppy, Flowering Freesia and Budding Blossom.

What set of Balms do you think you would prefer? I am definitely a strong pigment, or middle of the road kinda gal …

-Sara

Origins Ginger Gloss Smoothing Oil:

As I typed out that title, I realized I may not have ever really taken note of what a horrid name that is for such a wicked product. I digress, I have horribly dry skin that flakes and my legs can actually leave like a skin flake residue on my yoga pants if I haven’t moisturized. I live in a desperate state of dryness friends, desperate. Enter Origins, I bought this mostly because of the smell, Root Beer Popsicle. I love that it’s in a pump and is easy to apply. The mist doesn’t go everywhere like some spray moisturizers do. This is really great, it has completely obliviated all of my dry skin itchiness. I probably shouldn’t admit to doing something so universally discouraged, but I even use it under self-tanner. I recommend this product to everyone as long as you aren’t expected in a scent free environment for the next few hours.

-Sabah

Review: Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel!

Happy Friday!! Being a makeup artist, 9 times out of 10, Friday means nothing. Saturday’s are always the busy day, whether it be a wedding, or people going out that need their faces done, it’s rare to be off on a Saturday. None the less, I wanted to let you guys know about a product that is newer to me, that I am falling in love with more and more everyday.

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel. This stuff is AMAZING and my skin just loves it. I love oil cleansers. I love the way they break down makeup, I love how hydrating they feel, and I love the luxury that comes with them. What I don’t love about oil cleansers though, are the mess they make. The way they make my eyes super cloudy, and the fact that they take forever to rinse off of the skin.

Clarins seriously must have made this product for me. It’s everything I have ever wanted. You squeeze the product out, and it comes out as a gel form. Gel-Textured enough to not get everywhere, or drip down your arms. When you apply it to your dry skin, the heat from your skin will melt this gel into an oil texture. You massage it into the skin, and also over the eyes and eyelashes. It eats through mascara like no other, and feels so amazing on the skin. It doesn’t creep into your eyes, and leave that oily film over your eyeballs! (Gross I know, but we’ve all been there) The best part about this cleanser is when you rinse it. As soon as water hits it, it turns white and forms into a milk texture. It rinses clean, and doesn’t leave any residue on the skin. The first time I used this, I purposely didn’t take my mascara off first (like I usually do before I cleanse) and I took a picture of my Bioderma pads after using this product. (I went in with some Bioderma to see what it left behind) Absolutely nothing. The cleanser took every last trace of my eye makeup off. Mind Blown.

If you guys haven’t tried this yet, you need to get onboard. I will be buying another one soon, to avoid running out and being without this product! My only concern at the moment … I am not sure how to share the spotlight with this an my clarisonic. I will have to try it and see if I can use them together. If not, I will have to cut back my clarisonic usage. That’s how good this cleanser is.

Product Fails: Cover FX SPF 30 Primer!

So we all know (and if you don’t know, now you know) that I have a very sensitive skin type. I react to products all the time, and it’s just become a part of my life to do my best to avoid the landmines.

If you follow me on Instagram (@girlmetblush) you would have seen that I opened a new makeup primer. Cover FX SPF 30. I instagrammed it, because they have an address for you to write to, if you have experienced “serious adverse affects” due to use of this product. I thought that was so strange … Why would that be smack down in the middle of the packaging? Not even on the box … but on the actual tube itself. Anyway, I powered through, and applied the primer.

It was so greasy feeling, and even after a very good shake before I opened it, it still spit out a ton of oil at me before an actual primer consistency came out of the tube. It felt like you were putting bacon fat on your face. Sure enough when I got home that night, I honestly didn’t notice my makeup wearing any longer or differently, but I did notice a red rash all over my face. I quickly went back to cleansers that I know my skin agrees with (Philosophy Purity and Bioderma) and washed my makeup off to assess the damage.

My entire face was filled with small red bumps accompanied by white heads. The worst was on my cheek, which was just a massive patch of red bumps, and rash texture. I made sure my skin was clean and sprayed myself with Avene Thermal Water all night. I woke up in the morning, and things were tamed down, but I am still dealing with the aftermath of it.

I write this in confidence, as this was the only thing in my routine that changed. (Down to laundry detergent and everything! Trust me, I watch my skin like a hawk!)

Has anyone else had a reaction like this using this primer? I had to send pictures out to my close friends to show them how bad it was.

Needless to say, this product has been pulled out of my makeup bag, and will never find it’s way back in there!

Any products you guys react to? Let me know so I can avoid them!!

-Sara

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Wish List Purchases: YSL Shocking Mascara.

I live in a constant state of jealousy that Sara has found her Holy Grail mascara in Lancôme Hypnose. I’ve been on a voyage for the last 15 years for a mascara that would curl my lashes and my toes. Side note that my lashes are a decent length but have zero natural curl and stand directly out from my lid. Oh and the ends are blonde making the appear shorter. I’ve tried everything from Essence to now YSL. I had recently written about products I need to give in and buy and well I did, I bit the bullet and bought YSL’s Shocking Mascara. I really like this mascara. Shocking holds my curl, has minimal clumping and does a decent job of not flaking all over my face. I like that this comes off easily with cleanser but survived a particularly heart wrenching episode of Game of Thrones without me looking like an extra in a Motley Crew video. I have zero regrets about this mascara, I’m likely even going to buy it again. I’m happy with this product….unfortunately it is not my holy grail. The hunt continues my friend for a mascara that is going to rock my world, curl my lashes and curl my toes.

I need to know ladies. What is your holy grail mascara?!

-Sabah