The 3 Worst Products I Tried in 2023 ~ Makeup & Nails

fYou should know by now that I really try and shy away from poor or negative reviews - I like to keep things positive around here, so I typically only share things I love! Now, that doesn't mean I will lie, if something isn't great I would never say it is, but I tend to keep my content to things I enjoy. 

But, I make an exception for the Worst Products of the year, because these aren't just a little bad or I didn't like them, these are all pretty terrible products that I could never recommend them!

I purchased these product

It's 2023/24, but do we still need disclaimers like, "just because I didn't like this single product, doesn't mean I don't love the brand" or, "please, don't be offended if one of these is your favourite products"? Because, yes all of that is true, and I think it should go without saying - a lot of these products are from brands that I like and have tried other things from and one product is not a reflection of the whole brand! And really, to only have 3 terrible products to talk about means it was a pretty good year! 

Monthly Beauty and Book Haul ~ October 2023

Last year I set a monthly beauty and books budget at $200 per month and I really stuck to it! I am trying to be thoughtful in my purchases, so this has been holding me accountable for being reasonable with my spending. Since it worked so well last year, I'm really trying to do the same thing this year! 

I do always love my Monthly Haul posts - it's a good way to keep track of everything that I picked up each month. I don't always blog about everything I pick up (I try to), but if you ever spot anything in here that you really want me to talk about, let me know! 

I purchased everything in this post

Shoppers Drug Mart Haul ~ $10.25 CAN. I always love doing a big Shoppers Haul and using all my Optimum points (regular price of this was $124.05 CAN) - I heard great things about the Fructis watermelon line. I needed more NYX Banana Powder and the ELF Setting Spray is a good staple (although, I'm not sure the Blue Light thing is necessary). The Chanel lip and cheek balm is lovely - you can see it on me here! And, I picked up another Maybelline Vinyl Lipstick - can't wait to share it with you soon! 

Halloween Makeup 2023 ~ Cat Princess Peach Makeup (Shop My Stash)

Happy Halloween everyone!!! If you guys have been around for a few years, you know we take our Halloweens pretty seriously (or at least - I take my Halloween pretty seriously and everyone else in the house puts up with it!)

The Estee Lauder Primer was received as PR sample - this post contains affiliate links

I tend to plan my costumes around my kids (while I still can - if it fits in to a family costume!) and Elliott asked to be a Cat Goomba, so since I was Princess Peach last year, I thought it would be perfect for me to be Cat Princess Peach! 

Monthly Beauty Favourites - July 2023

Here's a look at what I've been loving this past month:

I purchased everything in this post - this post contains affiliate links

Pat McGrath Labs Divine Blush Legendary Glow Colour Balm Blush in Paradise Peony ~ $40.00 CAN. A multifunctional marvel that imparts a nourishing burst of radiance to lips and cheeks. This versatile formula suits a variety of skin tones, ensuring the perfect touch of color every time. Infused with hydrating actives, this must-have balm creates a glass-skin effect.

I looove this blush - you can see it in a try-on on me here! This is described as a "gel-like texture" with a buildable formula - it's a non-sticky, non-greasy, glow-boosting formula that gives a natural flush with a dewy finish of color on the cheeks! This is a super creamy soft formula and it goes on super smooth - just swipe on and blend out. It's great because it can be blended out for a really light flush or built up for a bright amount of colour - I've used this with a tiny powder blush over top as well and it's great every where! 

New At Shoppers Drug Mart ~ Yves Saint Laurent Nu Bare Look Tint, Milani Conceal + Perfect Undereye Brightener in Rose, Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Beach Vacay Bronzer and Blush Duo, and NYC Fat Oil Lip Drip

I'm so excited to share some new products that I've found at Shopper's Drug Mart this month - I've been enjoying doing these collective product posts trying everything instead of all individual posts! 

I purchased everything in this post

I've been waiting for this Benefit duo to come online and I jumped on ordering it! Plus I picked up a few other goodies along with it that have caught my eye - they YSL Nu Bare Look Tint has been on my radar for a while, so I love that I can pick it up now using my PC Optimum points. Plus, the Milani concealer and the NYX Fat Oil have been hyped up so I couldn't resist trying them too!