December 2015 Monthly Favourites!

Here are my Top 5 goodies from December:

Guerlain Météorites Flocons Enchantés ~ $89.00. Applied with a large snowball powder puff, precious Météorites pearls enhance the face and décolleté. Iridescent finish. Beige particles even skin tone. Champagne illuminates. Golden tones create a sun-kissed effect.

December 2015 Empties! (and some Tosses too!) with mini reviews!

Woo hoo - Garbage Time!!! Time to dig through and see what I liked and what I did not!

Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream ~ sample (full size is $45). A universal daily moisturizer formulated with a proprietary Super 7 Complex that’s proven to provide 24 hours of significant moisture.

December 2015 - Month in Masks and Mask Empties

As most of you know by now, my Skincare Routine is very important to me and masking is a huge part of that routine (and it is probably my favorite part - for the skincare benefits and running around my house scaring everyone with my masks!)

This post is a review of all the masks I use each month - I also consider the Month of Masks my Mask Empties post, because I do not feature my sheet masks in my monthly empties post! You can check out my past Month of Masks here! 

I didn't do so great in November for masking, so my goal for December was to try and mask every day - I didn't quite get everyday but I got pretty close which I am happy with! Here is a look at what masks I used this month!

December 1
Too Cool For School Egg Cream Sheet Mask ~ $8.00. A milky, serum-enriched microfiber sheet mask infused with egg white and egg yolk extract to instantly hydrate for a bright and radiant complexion.

December 2015 Beauty Box Comparison - Ipsy vs. Topbox vs. Birchbox Canada

I'm back to my 2nd month of reviewing and comparing 3 beauty boxes: Ipsy, Topbox and Birchbox Canada! 

I have to say that I was really impressed with the value of all 3 boxes this month - they were very high! Now here is a quick look at all 3:

December 2015 Ipsy Glam Bag - Unboxing and Review!

Ipsy is one of the original inexpensive beauty bag sample subscriptions. You receive 4-5 deluxe sample size or full size products each month. The cost is $10 US (+ $4.95 shipping to Canada). 

Ipsy is generally make-up products with a mix of skincare, nail polish, and hair products based on a beauty profile you complete. There is usually 12-18 products that are selected from each month! You can view your "glam room" online that tells you all the products you will receive each month. You also receive a make-up bag each month with your products.

Ipsy always ships out in it's signature pink mailer, and here is a look at what came inside! 

This month's bag is cute and the zipper pull is a pair of lips, but it is quite a small bag so it won't actually hold very much makeup! 

Wine and Mask Wednesday (Summerhill Riesling and Evercos Licorice Mask)

Yay for Wine and Mask Wednesday - with all of these days off, I acutally forgot yesterday was Wine and Mask Wednesday! Good thing I happened to drink Wine and wear a Mask, but since I did not plan, I have no theme for this week! 

Here is my Mask of the Week:

Evercos Herbal Mask "Licorice" ~ 10,500 Won for 5 ($8.93 USD for 5) = $1.79 USD per mask. For keeping your skin bright and moist forever.

Bite Beauty - Luminous Creme Lipstick Mauvember Swatch and Review!

I know Movember is over, but I was so excited to receive this lipstick that I had to post a review! 

Bite Beauty actually contacted me on my Mo Sista page, donated $10 and offered to send me the "Mauvember" lipstick if I reached my fundraising goal of $100! I made well over that, so I got the lipstick sent to me!!! 

Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in "Mauvember" ~ $28. Bite Beauty teams up with The Movember Foundation to create a custom Mauve(ember) shade for sale at Sephora and Sephora.ca.

December 2015 - Winter FabFitFun Unboxing and Review

FabFitFun is a quarterly lifestyle box! For $57.99 USD for Canadians, (FabFitFun is $49.99 in the U.S.A.) at the start of each season, they guarantee you will receive at least $100 worth of items - generally the box has over $200 worth of goodies in it!  

FabFitFun has been shipping to Canada for over a year now and I have been very happy with the FabFitFun boxes - this is one of my favorite subscriptions! I stick to it despite the crappy exchange rate because the value is always there!!! 

There have been a few hiccups with the Canadian subscriptions over the year - including gifts cards to places that do not ship to Canada (or charge an arm and a leg), or products that were unable to air ship to Canada and took a long time to receive. This month, I think most Canadians were charged a Cash On Delivery import fee - FabFitFun had refunded me this right away and messaged all Canadian subscribers about it. So despite a few minor hiccups, I will say there is usually good customer service to deal with! 

Here is a look at the Winter FabFitFun box:

FabFitFun includes a magazine type product card:

Manicure Monday - Julep Oxgen Nail Treatment

The last few weeks of Nail Art and some serious present unwrapping this week with Christmas, my nails have taken some damage! They are chipping and peeling and it is not pretty at all! 

This week's Manicure Monday will be pretty straight forward - I'm giving my nails a break and using a treatment on them! 

Julep Oxygen Nail Treatment ~ $18.00. Don’t be fooled by appearances—this subtle, glossy pink tint is actually a powerful strengthening treatment that lets your nails breathe. Our nutrient-rich formula also includes nail-boosting Hexanal, anti-aging plant cells, and a protective UV filter.

K-Beauty Shopping Haul

I am trying to slow down on my shopping but with Black Friday, I purchased a few goodies! I made 2 Tester Korea orders, and Ebay order and I even found a couple great goodies at Winners, here is a look at what I found for myself:

Evercos Herbal Masks - "Licorice" ~ 5 masks for 10,500 Won (approx. $8.99 USD). For keeping your skin bright and moist forever.

The Body Shop 2015 Advent Calendar - Review and Full Unboxing

For the last few years, I have had the Ciate Nail Polish Advent Calendar, but for 2015 I thought I would try something different! I really wanted to try the Body Shop Advent Calendar after seeing the different products you could get! I didn't peek, so everyday was a surprise!

The Advent Calendar cost $100 and comes with 24 (actually with a surprise 25) items - at the end, after my thoughts on whether or not I liked the products, I will determine if the cost of the goodies inside are worth the price tag! 

Wine + Mask Wednesday - Christmas Themed!!! (Homemade Mulled Mead and THEFACESHOP Rudolph Character Mask)

It's Christmas Eve Eve and I'm getting excited for Christmas to come!! This week's theme for Wine and Mask Wednesday is Christmas!! 

Here is my Christmas Mask of the Week:

THEFACESHOP Character Mask - Rudolph ~ $4.50 US. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is not the only one with a ruddy windburn on his face! Give your skin a break with this soothing mask. The character face mask formulated with Gotu Kola (known as Tiger's soothing herb in Korea) moisturizes and soothes sensitized skin.

Manicure Monday (THEFACESHOP Nail Mask and Snowman Nails!!)

For this Manicure Monday, I used a nail mask and did some nail art for the week! 

How adorable are these Snowmen?! I'm so happy with how this turned out! 

My nails were breaking a little and not feeling great this week, so I thought before I painted my nails, I would give them a bit of a treat:

Paraffin Nutrition Nail Pack ~ $2. Ideal before a manicure, this paraffin pack nourishes your nails deeply. Fragile and brittle nails are moisturized and strengthened!

Skincare Sunday Product Review - Laneige Water Sleeping Mask

So it is pretty easy to say that I am obsessed with sleeping masks - they are just so hydrating for my skin! I use a few different kinds that I rotate through, but recently I have found one that is a solid go-to!

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask ~ full size is $30 (pictured is the sample size I have). An overnight, revitalizing gel mask that absorbs instantly and works while you sleep to deeply hydrate skin. 
Recharge dehydrated skin overnight. This unique mask is formulated with highly concentrated ionized mineral water and ceramides to deliver intense doses of moisture to stressed, parched skin. Aromatic Sleepscent™—orange flower, rose, and sandalwood—relaxes and rejuvenates while apricot and chestnut extracts exfoliate, brighten, and purify fatigued skin. The result: skin looks and feels radiant, refreshed, and soft. Wake up to soft, glowing skin. 

Makeup Product Review - NEW Benefit Cosmetics They're Real! Tinted Lash Primer

Benefit Cosmetics is releasing a NEW tinted lash primer on December 26, 2015 - although Topbox let some of it's subscribers have a sneak peek in the Benefit Prive box this month (also, Sephora has a bonus code as well for you to try it with an online order!)

I haven't used a lash primer in quite some time (I recall using them when they first came out and they were really white and hard to cover up with mascara), but this one is tinted brown so it should be much more wearable!

Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real! Tinted Lash Primer ~ sample size 0.1 oz for $10.33 (full size is 0.3 oz for $31). A mink-brown lash primer that tints, defines, and primes lashes for a natural, feathery look—plus, it can be paired with your favorite mascara for boosted length and separation. 

December 2015 Birchbox Canada Review and Unboxing

Birchbox is the original sample beauty box and has been in the U.S.A. and earlier this year it opened a Canadian service. It is $10 a month + $4.95 shipping to Canada (you can save money by signing up for a year for $100 + shipping costs). Each month you receive 5 sample (or full size) products based on a beauty profile you complete.

Birchbox Canada describes itself as:
"Five personalized beauty samples delivered right to your door each month. It’s the best way to find the products you’ll love."

(It should be noted that if you see the U.S. Birchbox - Canadians receive different products.) I originally signed up at the start of the year, but cancelled in June. I wasn't thrilled with all the products they were sending (a lotion and body wash per month did not seem worth it!)

Recently, Birchbox Canada has made some changes - new products and new monthly features - curated boxes and sample choice. In addition, they started offering all the special boxes that American subscribers received.

Here is the December 2015 Birchbox Canada:

This subscription always comes in cute different designs every month! 

Five on Friday - December 18, 2015

Yay! I can't believe how close we are getting to Christmas - can you guys believe it?! I'm almost ready to go, just a few last minute things to pick up this weekend!

ONE
I took part in 2 Christmas Gift exchanges this year! One with the CBB blogging group - here is a look at what I received:

Ooooh - I have been waiting to try a Tarte blush!!! Look for my review soon!!! 

Wine and Mask Wednesday (Oyster Bay Pinot Grigio and Esfolio Pearl Mask)

My theme for this week's Wine and Mask Wednesday is "oysters and pearls"! 

My Mask of the Week is:

Esfolio Pearl Essence Mask Sheet ~ $2.52 (5 for $12.60). Pearl extract will make your skin glows and keep it moisturized. Vitamins included in quince extract and ingredients included in pearl powder can get your skin clean and clear. 

December 2015 Topbox Review - Canadian Beauty Sample Subscription Unboxing

TopBox is a Canadian Beauty Box Subscription - for $12 CDN a month with free shipping, you will receive 4 deluxe sample size or full size products. You fill out a beauty profile and generally receive products based on what you have identified in the profile. Also, every month you have the option to wish for a "prive" box, which is a box that focuses on one brand or product for the whole box.

TopBox is a Canadian company and only ships to Canada. There is usually a month or two waitlist for this subscription. 

For December, I wished for a Benefit prive Topbox - they are offering a sneak peek at a new product this month! When you wish for a prive box, you are not always guaranteed it, but I did get it this month! Here is a look:

I am excited to try the lash primer before the general public gets to!

Covergirl Trublend Liquid Foundation Review

I received this product free from Bzzagent - all opinions are my own

I have to say, I was kind of excited when I was picked to be part of the Covergirl/Bzzagent campaign - I haven't used a drugstore brand makeup in quite some time and love the idea of an inexpensive alternative to the makeup I am currently using! 

(Sidenote, have you heard of Bzzagent?? You get to review products they send you for free - the more you bzz the higher your points get! You can turn down campaigns if you aren't interested and don't lose points. I prefer Bzzagent to Influenster and Chick Advisor because Bzzagent only makes you review the products you receive, where the other 2 base what you get on how much you post on their sites). 

Here is a look at what I was sent:

Covergirl Trublend Liquid Makeup ~ $11.94. TruBlend Liquid Makeup blends seamlessly for a flawless look.Perfectly matches 99% of all skintones. Available in 21 shades - 7 light, 7 medium, and 7 deep to easily find your perfect blend. You won’t know where your makeup ends and your own skin begins!

Manicure Monday - Reindeer Rudolph Nail Art

Yay for Monday nails - I'm trying to stick to my fun Winter/Christmas Nails so this week I am doing Rudolph Reindeer nails!! 

How adorable are these Reindeer?! I'm in love with this week's nails! 

December 2015 - Morphe Brush Club Unboxing and Review

I was sooo excited when Morphe announced they were starting a monthly brush club! I love brushes and have been waiting to try Morphe brushes! December 2015 is their first month of the subscription! 

Morphe Monthly Brush Club (also called Morphe Me) is $19.99, including free shipping to the United States and Canada! (It is in US dollars, so Canadians will pay exchange, but I love that there is no shipping charge to Canada!) Each month the brushes will be a surprise, but you are guaranteed at least $30 worth of brushes. 

The subscription will ship within 3 days of your order date, so you can order throughout the month. Renewed monthly subscriptions will ship by the 4th of the month. 

*currently, this subscription is sold out but if you are interested in it, keep checking the website and I imagine subscriptions will open for January!

Here is the look at the first Morphe Monthly Brush Club:

It comes in a basic bubble mailer with a Morphe sticker on it! I was a little surprised that there was not any type of wrapping or product card or anything else inside the package, but each brush was in a plastic sleeve for protection. 

Skincare Sunday Product Review - Paula's Choice Skincare "Resist Skin Firming Line Minimizer"

As I near closer to 30, I am starting to see the beginnings of lines around my eyes - now I'm not trying to panic about wrinkles, but I want to do the best I can as early as I can to work on preventing them! 

As skin matures, it begins to lose firmness. Collagen and elastin production slows down, causing the dreaded crow’s feet and frown lines to begin to form. Paula's Choice has released a new product: Resist Skin Firming Line Minimizer to target this specific problem! 

Resist Skin Firming Line Minimizer ~ $50. This silky, fast-absorbing, skin-firming serum uses advanced technology to visibly improve fine lines, wrinkles and loss of firmness, especially around the mouth and eyes. It “reawakens” skin’s ability to regulate healthy collagen production and elastin repair—so you’ll see smoother, firmer, less wrinkled skin!

Mini K-Beauty Shopping Haul - THEFACESHOP

I really only made this purchase from THEFACESHOP (or as I will probably wrongfully write The Face Shop) because I needed to see the reindeer mask they were offering a little while ago free with purchase! (Also, at the time they had a 25% off your entire purchase). THEFACESHOP offers free shipping across Canada over $45. 

I thought there was some essentials I could stock up on! Here is a look at what I purchased:

Herb Day Cleansing Wipes ~ 20 wipes for $5. These practical cleansing wipes eliminate makeup residue and impurities. Enriched with a blend of 9 herbs known for their moisturizing properties, they allow you to cleanse your skin without irritation.

I have used these in the past and really liked them! 

Five on Friday - December 11, 2015

Time for another Five on Friday! Hope everyone had a great week!! 

ONE

Pantone recently announced their Color Of The Year for 2016 - and they surprised everyone by announcing 2!!

PANTONE proudly announces the Color of the Year 2016 as Serenity and Rose Quartz, a harmonious pairing of complementary shades. The seamless union of Serenity and Rose Quartz creates balance in a chaotic world by providing the perfect counterpoint to the fast-paced, fractured and hurried lives we live.

Mini Shopping Haul ColourPop - Review and Swatches of Super Shock Eyeshadow and Creme Gel Eyeliners

I have been waiting to try some ColourPop eyeshadows, and since they recently released some gel eyeliners I thought now would be a great chance to order! 

Here is a look at my mini shopping haul!

I ordered 2 Super Shock Eyeshadows and 2 Creme Gel Pencil Eyeliners! Here is a closer look! 

Manicure Monday (Penguin Nail Art) and Monthly Pedicure (Christmas Polka Dots)

Yay - i'm so excited to show you my Manicure Monday! This week I am doing Penguin Nail Art!!! 

How cute are these guys?! I love how they turned out! 

Skincare Sunday Product Review - Vichy Aqualina Thermal Extra Sensitive Soothing Ultra-Calming Care

I received this product in exchange for an honest review - all opinions are my own

I have dry, sensitive skin and Alberta is very dry (especially in the Winter time!) My skin never handles this time of year well at all! I am always using tons of hand and body creams to stop my skin from being super dry!

On that note, I was thrilled when I was contacted to review the new Vichy Aqualina Thermal Extra Sensitive Soothing Ultra-Calming Care! Its mission? Intense hydration and immediate relief to regain control of the skin. Seriously, sounds like exactly what I need right now! 

Vichy Aqualina Thermal Extra Sensitive Soothing Ultra-Calming Care ~ $39.50. Soothing care for extra-sensitive to allergy prone skin caused by external aggressions. 0% preservatives, parabens, alcohol, colourant.

Five on Friday - December 4, 2015

Happy Friday - hope everyone had a great week!! 

ONE
Last week was Black Friday/Cyber Monday/Giving Tuesday! What did you guys get up to?? I actually did REALLY good with not spending too much on myself! I only made one order from Tester Korea because they had a product I really wanted to try for 50% off! Cyber Monday I made an order with stocking stuffers for my son and husband. And, Giving Tuesday I donated to my team for Movember! 

TWO

This past weekend we decorated for Christmas!! There is almost nothing better than listening to Christmas music, drinking hot chocolate and decorating the Christmas tree! 

THEFACESHOP Holiday Make-up Look

These products have been provided complimentary to complete a holiday look, all opinions are my own! 

If you have been a reader of mine for a while, you know I love THEFACESHOP (I always write it out as The Face Shop) - I have reviewed a ton of masks and skincare products from them!

I was lucky enough to be given some make-up products to show you guys a holiday look! Here is a look at the products:

-Triple Eyes #03 "Purple Nuance"
-Gelset Smudgeproof Auto Liner #04 "Purple"
-Lesson 04. Face it Artist Cube Lipstick #01 "Feeling Pink"
-Freshian Volumizing Mascara #01 Curling
-Single Blush PK01 "Shah Pink"

November 2015 Favourites

Sorry, this is a few days late, but here are my 5 Favorite products from November:

Ladykin Vanpir Dark Repair Cream ~ $15 US. LadyKin Vanpir Dark Repair Cream is especially designed to suit all skin types. Its formula stimulates skin' s metabolism. Its formula stimulates skin's metabolism. It easily absorbs into skin to give moisture and suppleness witout being greasy. It helps to reduce wrinkles, freckles and blemishes, and remove fine lines. Clearing facial spots, it whitens skin and contracts expanded pores. It improves the skin condition, supplies the faint skin deep protection and makes the skin recover brilliance and moisture. It will give you velvety softness and youthful appearance.

November 2015 Month of Masks + Mask Empties

This post is a review of all the masks I use each month - I also consider the Month of Masks my Mask Empties post, because I do not feature my sheet masks in my monthly empties post! You can check out my past Month of Masks here! 

I have to say, I was really trying to be good about using masks this month, but November was crazy for me and sadly my skincare did not get the attention that it needed - trust me I felt the repercussions of not using enough masks this month and I will redeem myself next month! 

Here a review of my Masks of November:

November 1

Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive ~ full size $39. Juice Beauty’s bestselling, patented GREEN APPLE™ Peel exfoliates and refines to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and lighten hyperpigmentation. Delivers spa grade exfoliation revealing a brighter complexion while firming the skin. A Daily Essential for all skin types.

November 2015 Empties (and a couple Tosses)

Time to review another batch of empties - I actually love going through all my products and deciding what I loved and didn't love about everything!

Let's dig right in:

Dove Go Fresh Rebalance Body Wash ~ $4.97. The soothing nature-inspired scent of plum and sakura blossom now infused with NutriumMoisture.

I always get body washes in big gift packages (Superstore always has deluxe grocery add-ons). So this was good and smells great - I like Dove body washes, but again I have so many body washes to get through!
Repurchase: No, too many body washes and this was nothing special