Sephora Haul

Make up addicts will know that Sephora recently had a 15% sale for Beauty Insiders, VIB, and VIB Rouge Members. Not one to pass up a sale, here's what I hauled!

Top row L to R: Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist, Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation Mattifying Oil Free, Ole Henriksen Nurture Me Cleansing Cloths: Makeup Removing

Middle row L to R: Kat Von D Lock It Foundation, Sephora Collection Colorful Blush in Raspberry Sheen, Sephora Favourites Lash Stash To Go, Sephora Favourites Time to Prime

Bottom row L to R: Sephora Collection Glossy Gloss in Night Out, Sephora Collection Rouge Infusion Lip Stain in Red Essence, Sephora Collection Glossy Gloss in Berry Shake

This Sephora Collection Set is called the Berry Lip & Cheek Kit, and I thought it was a steal at $20! I have at least 2 other Sephora Collection blushes, and am always looking to expand my blush collection, I also have a Glossy Gloss from one of the lip kits and found it quite good, so I'm happy to have 3 new deeper lip colours!

Lash Stash To Go Top to Bottom: Josie Maran Argan Black Oil Mascara, Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara, Tarte Lights, Camera, Flashes Mascara, Blinc Amplified Mascara, Too Face Better Than Sex Mascara

I love these mascara sets as you get 3 samples (which last me anywhere from 2-3 months) and a voucher for a free full-size mascara of your choice! Before purchasing this I already knew I liked the Lancome and the Tarte, so it's just a bonus to try out new mascaras! I will say the first one I've tried is the Too Faced, and I'm a bit disappointed, the volume and length wasn't the best I've seen on my lashes and by 5 pm I had raccoon eyes. Mind you the day I tested this was a long and exhausting day, so I will give it another shot!

Time to Prime L to R: Formula X Prime Base Coat, Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer, Smashbox 24 Hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer, Urban Decay Subversion Lash Primer, Bite Beauty Line & Define Primer, Living Proof Prime Style Extender

I was sold on the variety in this collection, a nail base (which I can always use more of!), a face primer, an eye shadow primer, a mascara primer, a lip primer, and a hair product! I'm particularly interested in trying out Hourglass (which I hear great things about), Bite (as anything that makes my lips look better I'm down with), and Urban Decay (who doesn't love a good lash primer?)

So that's what I picked up, I'm happy with the variety and having more new goodies to play around with!

Did you pick up anything from Sephora during their recent sale? If so what?

Thanks for reading!

April Empties!

I think I did quite well with empties this month! 4 full-size products, 1 deluxe-size, and 1 sample!

L to R: philosophy The Gingerbread Man Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath, Lancome Defincils High Definition Mascara

philosophy The Gingerbread Man Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath: I found this on sale at Winners after the holidays were over for $5! Although gingerbread isn't my favourite scent I was happy to try out philosophy's formula! I liked this best as a shower gel, but on lazy days it was nice as a shampoo as well! The scent wasn't pure gingerbread to me, but more fresh ginger mixed with some sweetness to it. After trying this out, I've picked up a sampler set of 3 various scents, I like the formula, but won't repurchase this scent.

Lancome Defincils High Definition Mascara: I received this in last year's Sephora Favourites Lash Stash To Go (see original post here). This is definitely in my top 3 mascaras found in the kit! I loved that this didn't clump and made my lashes longer! Just as good as the Hypnose formula! Will definitely consider purchasing (especially when a good Lancome GWP event is on!)

L to R: Clean & Clear Night Relaxing All-in-one Cleansing Wipes, Degree Clinical Motion Sense Anti-perspirant, DKNY My NY, Softlips Sweet Moisturizing Lip Balm

Clean & Clear Night Relaxing All-in-one Cleansing Wipes: these are quite similar to Neutrogena's blue packaged make up removing wipes. Effective and gentle! I will definitely repurchase!

Degree Clinical Motion Sense Anti-perspirant: Your basic run of the mill deodorant, and doesn't touch Secret Clinical Strength in terms of effectiveness.

DKNY My NY: I received this sample in this haul. The notes include: Egyptian Jasmine, Freesia, Raspberry, Pink Pepper, and Patchouli. As someone who enjoys fruity, sweet perfumes. This wasn't my favourite. Too much floral for my tastes! I will not purchase.

Softlips Sweet Moisturizing Lip Balm: This was a go-to lip balm for me! I love the sweet french vanilla scent, and the small size to ensure I'm not also moisturizing my whole face! I have several other lip balms to finish up before buying anything new, but I would consider picking this up again!

What products did you use up in April?

Makeup Haul from The Bay

I was tempted by several items on sale at The Bay recently and put in an online order!

Top L to R: Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation in 07, Lancome Visionnaire, Shiseido Benefiance Extra Creamy Cleansing Foam, Calvin Klein Enless Euphoria

Bottom L to R: Origins Let Us Glow Set, Clinique Party Lips and Nails Set

Here's a closer look at the sets:

L to R: Chubby Stick in Pudgy Peony, Different Nail Enamel in Hi Sweetie, Different Nail Enamel in A Hot Date, Chubby Stick in Voluptuous Violet

L to R: GinZing Energy-Boosting Moisturizer, GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream, DrinkUp Lip Balm in Berry Splash, and GinZing Brightening Mascara

I'm saving the foundation for the summer when my skin is a bit darker, as the shade looks darker in real life than it did online. I love the Clinique set - chubby lip pencils + nail polish - I'm always in! And the bag is super cute! Also I love that the Origins set is the same cost as just the GinZing moisturizer is normally - what a deal!

Have you picked up anything recently?

Thanks for reading!

Sephora Black Friday Haul!

A bit delayed, for that I apologize, but here's what I hauled from Sephora's Black Friday sale!

Deborah Lippmann Party Mix Set L to R: Fashion, Whatever Lola Wants, Let's Go Crazy, Between the Sheets, Good Girl Gone Bad, 99 Luftballons, It's Raining Men, Through the Fire, Boom Boom Pow

For freebies I received my Sephora birthday gift, the Pampered Party Prep Code, as well as the usual 3 free samples. There were so many freebies that I had to take 2 pictures!

L to R: Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb, MUFE Rouge Artist Natural in N9, MUFE Smoky Extravagant Mascara, Benefit Stay Flawless Primer, CoverFX Calming Primer, Glamglow Powermud Dual Cleanse Treatment, Lancome Advanced Genefique Youth Activating Concentrate, Dermadoctor KP Duty Exfoliating Body Scrub, BECCA Ultimate Coverage Complexion Creme in Fair and Light

L to R: Living proof Satin Hair Serum, Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Face Polish, Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil, NUDE Perfect Cleanse Omega Cleansing Jelly

I also picked up some gifts for friends and family for Christmas! I'm definitely excited for expanding my DL nail polish collection, and actually like all of the shades! I'm also excited to have a new lippie to play with as well as a few more primers to try!

Which sample should I focus on using up first?

Thanks for reading!

December Empties!

Another month, more products used up!

L to R: Lancome Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover, Maybelline Dream Fresh 8-in-1 Beauty Balm in Light/Medium, Secret Clinical Strength Waterproof Anti-Perspirant

Lancome Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover: Still the best makeup remover I've used, this deluxe size was picked up in this haul.

Maybelline Dream Fresh 8-in-1 Beauty Balm in Light/Medium: This BB cream has lasted me years (don't worry, expiry date is in 2015 and as a squeeze bottle I didn't have to worry about the cream being contaminated (like dip jars, gross)), I really enjoyed using this BB cream as I found it had enough coverage for my "good skin days", it did blur my pores, and it was non-drying on my skin! I typically reach for this in the summer as it also has SPF 30, but wanted to finish this up before the expiry date! Definitely one of my favourite BB creams I've tried and one of my favourite skin products! I haven't repurchased since I have a backlog of foundations, etc to use up, but I will definitely pick this up again when I've gotten through my hoard!

Secret Clinical Strength Waterproof Anti-Perspirant: same as last time (see review here). Have already repurchased!

L to R: Ducray Squanorm Shampoo, Calvin Klein Down Town

Ducray Squanorm Shampoo: still a constant favourite! See original review here.

Calvin Klein Down Town: Sample received in this haul. This fragrance is described as "modern floral woody", while this description is not appealing to my own nose, I actually liked this fragrance. Yes it was a bit more floral than I typically like but it also had a freshness to it.

Happy New Year!

Which products did you use up in 2014 / December?

Thanks for reading!

March Empties

One of my best months for empties!

Cartier Baiser Vole: I received this sample in 2012's Sephora ItKits, this is a bit too powdery for my taste, but I managed to use it up! Definitely not a repurchase.
Apple & Cinnamon Bath & Shower Gel: the third of 5 no-name brand shower gels, this scent was nothing special, and as I've said before (here) this is nothing special, and I won't repurchase.
Givenchy Black Dahlia: I received this one-use sample from this haul, didn't mind the scent, although maybe a bit musky for my taste, hard to give a good review on this with only one use.

Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser: the best cleanser I've tried! This is almost my HG cleanser! I love Cetaphil, it's perfect for oily, sensitive skin like mine! Have repurchased the Costco size!

Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Correcting Lotion Skin Types 3, 4: from this haul. I got about 6 or 7 uses out of this foil packet. I liked this lotion enough, but didn't find it hydrating enough for my winter dry skin. Will not repurchase.
Bath & Body Works Berry Twinkle Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel: another hand sanitizer used up! I really liked this berry scent, however it did become a bit discoloured, which was worrying. Will purchase but in a different scent.

Algenist Multi-Perfecting Pore Corrector Concentrate: from this haul. This was probably only 5 uses, I didn't dislike the primer, but it isn't as nice as other primers (Tarte, Smashbox, to name a few), so I won't go out and purchase this.
Givenchy Very Irresistible Electric Rose: received in this haul. The scent is more floral than I usually like, I think I like the original version better.

Lancôme Aqua Fusion Teinte (Continuous Infusing Tinted Moisturizer): This is quite old (gross I know), this is probably my first beauty splurge, back when tinted moisturizers were rare, I heard rave reviews about this one from Lancôme so shelled out $32 on it. It wasn't a great colour match (much too yellow for me), and it didn't provide great coverage (I was delusional when I bought it thinking it would cover all my acne, even though it was light coverage, lol, beauty noob). I do like the feel of this on my skin, but I don't think I'll splurge on this again due to the lack of shades offered.
Chapstick Cherry: a classic beauty item! Who doesn't have a chapstick? The cherry scent is nice, but the colour does come off a bit clownish on me. I will repurchase in a different flavour.
Buxom Amplified Lash Mascara: I bought this here. Well the two wand options was novel, I found that I only used the one option, since my eyelashes don't curl well and volume and length are more important to me. I liked this mascara, but not quite as much as other mascaras I've tried (Lancôme Hypnose Star, CoverGirl Lash Blast Fusion), so I will not repurchase.
Ducray Elution Shampoo: the follow-up treatment to Ducray Squanorm Shampoo. This is a creamy, restorative shampoo that heals the scalp. I really enjoy this shampoo, and haven't found a better dandruff treatment than Ducray Squanorm used in combination with Ducray Elution.

What products did you use up in March?

Thanks for reading!

March 23rd Haul

Yet again another item I could not pass up at Sephora...

As an avid reader, I loved the series Divergent and couldn't make to combine two of my loves into one with this gorgeous Divergent Multi-Piece Collector's Kit!

Inside L to R: Face palette, 3 palettes, 4 lip gloss, double-ended brush

Face palette L to R: Obscure Coral, Misty Rose, Gleaming Pearl, Intelligent Bronze

Eye palette L to R: Transform, Bold Espresso, Intrepid Moss, Golden Honesty, Altruistic Almond

Eye palette L to R: Diverge, Dauntless Ink, Abnegation Stone, Erudite Sapphire, Serene Vanilla

Eye palette L to R: Choose, Burnt Mahogany, Radiant Initiation, Peaceful Shimmer, Humble Sheen

Lip gloss L to R: Supreme Ritual, Fear Not, Natural Virtue, Temptation's Choice

Double-ended brush

I have been loving playing with this so far! The eye shadow that I've tried have been smooth and easy to work with!

I also added a polish to get up to the free shipping amount

Nails Inc. Sweets Way - definitely looking forward to this cute polish, I've been on a real Nails Inc. kick recently!

I used the mystery bag code on the order (sad that the VIBLUXE code was out of stock), here's the sadness that was inside:

L to R: Philosophy Daily Age-Defying Serum, Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24H, Sephora Full Action Extreme Effect Mascara, Clinique for Men Face Scrub, Givenchy Black Dahlia

Not a great code, one single use perfume packet, a foil packet, and a men's product, definitely not one of the better Sephora code's I redeemed.

The free samples were even better, they include the 3 I chose plus 2 additional ones!

L to R: Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, Yves St. Laurent Rouge Pur Couture in Rebel Nudes, Marc Jacobs Daisy, Kate Somerville Oil-Free Moisturizer, and Buxom Show Some Skin Weightless Foundation

All in all, lots of new stuff to play with!

Have you read Divergent? Will you pick up any of Sephora's Divergent Cosmetics?

Thanks for reading!

Sephora Black Friday Haul

Another Sephora order...

Back row L to R: Nails Inc. Autumn Winter Collection, Nails Inc. Best Sellers Nail Polish Collection, Stila In the Garden Eye Shadow Palette, Stila In the Moment Eye Shadow Palette, Lancôme Bi-facil Make-up Remover
Front row L to R: Origins GinZing Energy-Boosting Moisturizer, Calvin Klein Downtown, Pink Sugar

Best part all of this was only $76! Those Stila palettes are usually $50 each so I am quite pleased with the value I got for my money here!

Stila In the Garden Eye Shadow Palette
Back row L to R: Chinois, Breeze, Bark, Freesia, Rosette
Front row L to R: Nectar, Honey, Sage, Moss, Juniper
Smudge Stick in Starfish
I've been eyeing this palette since last November when I first got interested in make-up, and have come this close to splurging on it a couple of times. Really glad I waited for the 50% price reduction and also glad I picked this up!

Stila In the Moment Eye Shadow Palette
Back row L to R: Instinct, Impulse, Glance, Improvise, Catalyst
Front row L to R: Desire, Wonder, Spontaneous, Whim, Captivate
Smudge Stick in Tetra
Like In the Garden, I've been eyeing this for a while and couldn't let the 50% price decrease pass me by!

L to R: Chelsea Bridge Road, Bruton Mews, Sloane Gardens, Jermyn Street, Chester Street, Richmond Terrace
I thought this collection gave me a great chance to both try out some more Nails Inc. polish and also expand my collection with darker colours.

L to R: Porchester Square, Chelsea Square, Kensington Caviar Top Coat
How could I not buy this adorable $11 set?

L to R: Calvin Klein Downtown, Origins GinZing Energy-Boosting Moisturizer, Pink Sugar

There you have it, what I bought on Black Friday! So many new pretties to play around with!

What did you buy for Black Friday?

December 28 Haul

Back row L to R: Sephora Favorites Glitz and Glam, Tinsel Twinkle Perfection Sample Bag, Algenist Pore Corrector Anti-Aging Primer
Front row L to R: Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment, Bond No. 9 I Love New York for All, Nails Inc. The After Party, and Boscia One Step Wonders

I'll start with the Sephora Favorites Glitz and Glam set, since it was the main reason for the purchase.

Lancôme Hypnose Star Mascara - always a favourite and wanted a backup
Too Faced 3-Way Lashlining Tool - definitely intriguing, and will let you know how it fares once I start using it

Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow in Space Cowboy - I was intrigued to try more UD eyeshadow, and thought this shade looked suitable for work.

Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee in Pink Escape - Since I've begun my foray into blush, I've been intrigued by cream or gel blush so I thought I'd give this a go. I love the shade, perfect for my pale skin tone and it's quite easy to blend so that you don't end up looking like a clown. Glad I picked this up!

Sephora False Eyelashes in Celebrity - I did end up gifting these, but I love how natural they look!

Stila Stay All Day 10-in-1 HD Illuminating Beauty Balm - I love BB creams, and will let you know how this offering from Stila works out!

NARS Larger Than Life Lipgloss in Gold Digger - Can't wait to try this out, such a pretty shimmery nude colour!

Nails Inc. Kensington Caviar Gel Effect Plumping Top Coat - You can never have too many top coats!

Nails Inc. The After Party includes: Disco Lane, Covent Garden Market, and Soho Street
I've been quite impressed with the Nails Inc. polish I've tried so far and this was $7 for 3 full size nail polish!

Bosica One Step Wonders includes: Luminizing Black Mask, Tsubaki Beauty Oil, and Bright White Mask
I redeemed 500 points for this set, and am glad I did! I'm really enjoying the beauty oil which isn't too oily that you can use both day and night!

Tinsel Twinkle Perfection back row L to R: Philosophy Living Grace, Sephora Age Defy Moisture Cream, Murad Blackhead and Pore Clearing Duo, Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal, Living Proof Prime Style Extender

Tinsel Twinkle Perfection front row L to R: Lancôme Hypnose Star Mascara, Smashbox Camera Ready CC Cream

Wow. Soo many pictures! More big hauls to come!

Thanks for reading!

November Empties

This month was better for me for empties, and I have a feeling December will be even better!

L to R: Ducray Squanorm Shampoo, Secret Clinical Strength Waterproof Anti-Perspirant

Ducray Squanorm Shampoo: same as last time (see review here), still a fav! Have already repurchased!

Secret Clinical Stength Waterproof Anti-Perspirant: same as last time (see review here), still a fav! Have already repurchased!

Rexall 125 Quilted Round Cosmetic Pads: these are some of the worst cotton pads I've used in a while.  Really fluff, get caught everywhere, and aren't even strong enough to withstand removal of glitter nail polish.  Will not repurchase!

L to R: Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub, Chocolate Chip Cookie Bath & Shower Gel, Lancôme Hypnose Star Mascara in Black

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub: This is my fav facial scrub I've tried, I love the citrus scent, and the price is very reasonable! I use this 3 to 4 times a week to slough off dead skin on my face, and I think it does a great job exfoliating! I still have a backup of this but will definitely repurchase again!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bath & Shower Gel: this is a no-name brand shower gel that came in a set of 5 other fall-themed scents that I received as a gift.  There is a reason there's no name-brand here, this shower gel hardly lathers at all although the scent is dead-on. Even if I could repurchase I would not.

Lancôme Hypnose Star Mascara in Black: I received this deluxe sample of the mascara in my Sephora It Kit last December, this bottle lasted me a long time, definitely loaded with product! I do really like this mascara, but I'm not sure if I would spend > $25 on a mascara.  I have already accumulated 2 backups of the sample size, so I'm set for a while!

What products did you use up in November?

Thanks for reading!

September Empties

Used up more items this month! *Pat on the back* Without further ado, here are my thoughts on my empty products

Dove Damage Therapy Conditioner in Nectarine and White Ginger: I bought this at least 2 years ago (I'm not a regular conditioner user...bad I know).  I bought this more based on the scent than the actual claims.  My hair is actually pretty healthy and not in need of much damage control.  However, I loved the scent of this conditioner! So fruity and sweet, I even went out and bought the matching shampoo! This made my hair feel super soft, but I don't think it did much to deal with my frizzyness and puffiness (which it doesn't claim to help).  Still I will likely repurchase just based on how much I love the scent!

Softsoap Body Butter Strawberry Scrub: I bought this a year back in the hopes that it would exfoliate and moisturize my body in the shower.  The scent is okay, pretty much as it's described, however I did not find this very effective at exfoliating and it was too harsh to use in conjunction with shaving.  Therefore I will likely not repurchase this product.

L to R: Quo Brush Cleanser, Lancôme Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover, Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream in Light

Quo Brush Cleanser: I bought this last summer, and used this cleanser daily for my foundation brush and gel eyeliner brush, and as needed for my other less frequently used powder based brushes.  I thought this did a great job removing dirt and product from the brushes and it doesn't have a strong smell. I have already repurchased this in the bigger size and recommend any Canadian makeup lovers check this out at their local Shoppers

Lancôme Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover: I received this deluxe sample in my Sephora ItKit order last year (that was one of the best promo codes ever!).  This is hands down the best makeup remover I've tried! Does a great job removing all makeup without too much scrubbing and it doesn't leave behind a greasy film.  I will likely repurchase this in the future (but at $35 I'll make sure there's a good GWP going on).

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream in Light: I received this sample free from Sephora's VIB week (haul here).  I got about 5 or 6 uses out of this packet (but I prefer a lighter foundation look, so others might have got less uses).  This was actually the right colour for my skin, and I liked the overall look of this BB Cream.  I also like that this offers SPF 35, with fair skin that burns easily this is a selling feature for me.  I'm not sure yet whether I'll purchase this since I'm looking at trying out a number of other BB Creams and tinted moisturizers before deciding, but I did like the way this looked and felt on my skin, so it is definitely a contender!

What products did you use up in September?

Thanks for reading!