Summer Holidays and Clinique Cheek Pop

Summer holidays are finally here and over too quickly. I took 2 weeks off work which I have't done since 2009 and I think I will make this a habit.

The Cube in the Exchange District...it's a stage and clearly art

 I finally feel relaxed, but back to work on Tuesday, of course. For those of you nurses that work 11.63 hour shifts, I am envious of your time off. I work 7.75 m-f days and although it has it perks, time off is definitely not one of them. On my holidays, I shopped, I played, I ate, I saw...all in my home province of Manitoba. All the while trying out some great blushes by Clinique.

Clinique Cheek Pop in Berry Left and Heather Right

Clinique Cheek pop blushes have been around for a while. I purchased my first Berry Pop in early 2014 and picked up this new 2015 release Heather Pop from Sephora.com. These blushes are well priced at $24.00 CDN for .12 oz. The blush packaging is a clean plastic clear compact with no mirror. It is embossed with a lovely little flower that stay intact through much of the product. They have no smell and are slightly iridescent in quality leaving a beautiful glow/sheen on the cheeks. The formula is not powdery, kinda similar texture to the MUFE bronze fusion consistency.

Clinique Berry Pop (Left) Clinique Heather Pop (Right)

Berry Pop (Top) Heather Pop (Bottom)

They are quite pigmented on finger swiping but I do not find them that way on the cheeks, sheer buildable colour unfortunately not very long lasting. I applied the heather pop twice in one evening between 4pm and 10pm while on holidays. These blushes travel well and I think are great to have in my collection. I can't say these are my favorites but I do reach for them every now and again.

What blushes are you loving this summer?

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Fluid Blusher Review

"Where the hell am I going to get this blush?" I pondered to myself one day in early January 2015, watching excessive amounts of Youtube videos about this "new" formulation of blush. Not only is it not available at my current haunts (Sephora, Beautymark, Hudson Bay, Shopper's Drug Mart, Murale) but I don't even have the first clue where you could get it in Canada. Lucky for me, I have ordered a few items online from the UK seeing we are basically sister Countries...BFF's really.... I have never been charged any type of duty or brokerage on arrival, thanks UK...you're awesome. I decided to order this blush directly from DanielSandler.com.

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Fluid Blusher Cherub

I know that in the beauty blogging world, these blushes are old news, but again, I don't want to give my review without an adequate trial. I ordered this blush in the most popular shade "Cherub" to be safe, then popped a few sample sizes into my cart including Soo Pretty, Flush, and Hot Totty which I will swatch for your viewing pleasure below. Each of the full size blushes are $15.50 which can be safely doubled to come up with a Canadian Value. Each of the sample shades were an additional $2.00 but seriously.. sample blushes...best idea ever! This site also has Paypal as a payment option so essentially it was an amazing transaction between me and Mr. Sandler.

Daniel Sandler Order

I received these beauties in the mail about 2 weeks later. I was surprised by the packaging, expecting to just receive my blush, but they came in a little reusable makeup bag with a concealer brush to boot...what!

Amazeballs, I don't conceal currently so I have not had an opportunity to give this little brush a try but it was a kind gesture.

Daniel Sandler Concealer Brush

The blush itself is pure liquid as the title suggests and this was a new concept for myself. A good shaking is in order before even thinking about putting this blush on. The bottle has a dropper style top to slow the flow of what come out. Place a single drop directly on a blush brush or as I do, on the back of my hand for stippling on to the cheek. One drop at a time is all you need, this shiz is super pigmented. Depending on the look and the colour I am going for, you can add more. This is a silicone based fluid so the finish is soft and ethereal. Really angelic looking as the "cherub" name would suggest. It is long wearing, it requires a good scrub to remove from the back of my hand after application. Thinking about other liquid blushes I own, Benefit Cheek Stains..these are nothing alike in terms of feel and formulation.

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Fluid Blusher

1 Drop Cherub

Outside shot of Cherub...soo light and pretty

Daniel Sandler Watercolour "Flush"

Daniel Sandler Watercolour "Flush"

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blusher "Soo Pretty" 

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blusher "Soo Pretty"

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blusher "Hot Totty" (sorry it dried out)

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blusher "Hot Totty"

As a side note, if you order the sample sizes, use them up first as they tend to dry out as there is only a little fluid in the tiny squeeze bottle.

Would I purchase this blush again? Absolutely. It is lovely and a perfect blush to add to the collection as it is so different from everything else I own. 

What blushes are your favourites?

Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion Review

On a grey Manitoba Saturday afternoon, I am hardly in the mood to swoon over bronzers. I have no makeup on and freshly coloured hair so my face looks about as grey as the sky today.  I should pop on a bronzer, and the first one peeking out of my extremely cluttered makeup drawer was the Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion. Although I am not in a sunny mood today because of the weather, I am always in the mood for a good bronzer review!

The more I watch youtube video and beauty blogger reviews, the more I see that often these ladies have soo many products to try that they never really experience something till their viewers are demanding a review of the newest, bestest product to hit the store shelves. No offence, as clearly they have a love for beauty products but I can not give an honest option about a product until I have a solid month of use for sure, sometimes longer. I have heard them say "I love it, I have only used it twice but you really need this product". How long does it take you to love something? I dated my husband for 8 years before we even considered marriage. My love is not just given away, it is earned.  How will my skin react, does it look good in different lights, with different bases, in different conditions? Maybe, just maybe, I overthink these things. Such is the case with the new, Makeup For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 30M.

To be honest, I didn't even want this colour from the get go, I wanted the 35i, but of course they were all sold out at my sephora.com at Polo Park and did not have any online when I was making Sephora purchases. They did have the 30M in stock and after swatching it was clear that the Matte (30M) bronzer was clearly not Matte at all and has a sheen running through it. As I am a bronzer lover and had heard amazing things about this formulation , I needed to give it a try.

The packaging is a fairly cheap feeling plastic coppery topped compact. It is not my favourite packaging. The bronzer inside has a beautiful wave pattern which does look lovely at first. The box indicates that this bronzer leaves "no trace, no powdery finish, only mistake proof color" leaving you with an "extremely natural tan". I would agree with that it is certainly almost undetectable as a powder on the skin. You can see in my comparison with a powder like Bobbi Brown Natural 1, with the same finger swipe, the unpowdery consistency is evident.

I found this bronzer hard to work with at first. I did not purchase the Kabuki brush that Make Up For Ever recommends as I do not spend a whole lot on tools in general. I use my Mac 021 Powder Brush for everything from bronzer to powder, seriously, if you need a special brush to apply a makeup product...it is just not for me. It almost picked up chunks of the blush that you can see when you look at the pattern which is now kinda chipped away at. Maybe I would have liked this bronzer better if I was used the MUFE Kabuki brush. I find that the colour payoff is light, I have to go back to the pan a few times to see anything on the face. I suspect that it would be easy to blend for a bronzer newbie.

Powdery consistency on right of BB vs MUFE on left

I do find this bronzer a bit coppery warm for my liking, colour payoff is ho hum and overall I am not reaching for this bronzer on the daily or very excited about it in general. I think I do not mind a powdery consistency as I use my bronzer as a powder most days of the week.

Top Bobbi Brown Natural 1 vs Bottom MUFE PFB 30M

Maybe if you were off for a day at the beach and "fixed yourself up", this would be something for you. We don't lay by the beach with a full face of make up round here ala a Vegas pool. In general, I don't actually know a person that would wear a full face of make up to the beach! But I know people do. At $42.00 Canadian at Sephora.com for .38oz, I would not purchase this bronzer again but will continue to grab for it occasionally just for something different.

What I am excited about is my new Kevyn Aucoin Tropical Nights Bronzer which will be arriving by mail hopefully early this week.....eeeeeeeee can't wait.

The Hunt for Face Perfection: L' Oreal True Match Lumi Review

I want my skin to just look like skin, no full coverage masks or cakey makeup for me. I just want an even, flawless looking complexion that is dewy and radiant, is that asking too much from a make up product? According to Instagram and Youtube...no....there is so much make up trickery going on with makeup, who knows what lurks underneath. As Kevin Aucoin coined, "No amount of makeup can mask an ugly heart".

As I disclosed in an earlier blog post about my beloved Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, I never used to wear foundation. Only in my 30's did I have to start using a little to mask some broken capillaries around my nose and on my cheeks. I should just get IPL, but in the meantime I have been on the hunt for other foundations besides LM Tinted Moisturizer and The Body Shop Vitamin E Glowing Shade specifically because I love makeup, not because those are not great options for everyday use. My dry skin does not easily take to foundations with many ending up looking patchy, emphasizing pores, dry skin patches and fine lines. No thanks, I'm trying to hide that, not make it more visible.

Beautywithemilyfox https://youtu.be/T5APlIqQ39M (subscribe and like if you like this video, she does amazing swatch videos) recommends L'Oreal True Match Lumi and I like a lot of products that she does. Although she is a few years younger than me, she complains consistently of dry skin which is my main issue with foundations so I  thought I would give it a go. L'Oreal is not sold in my town so I had to stop at a Shopper's Drug Mart in Brandon, Manitoba the last time I was there for work. If you follow me on Instagram, @shannongoesshopping, you will see that I have done my best to try to use this everyday in many ways in order to get the appropriate finish.

First off, lets talk costs. I was surprised, shocked actually at the cost of this foundation. $23.00 CDN...yah...for a drugstore foundation. I hesitated at the counter with my W(arm)5 sand beige shade because of the price. I remember when foundation was $5.99 at Walmart...wtf is this, $23.00 drugstore item? L'Oreal True Match Lumi is suppose to be a dupe for Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation which is $66.00 CDN at Sephora...so which one Shannon? Which one should you purchase? Clearly, I made the decision to buy the L'Oreal Lumi....."for now" said the makeup junkie.

This "Lumi" Foundation is not extremely luminous on my dry skin, if I apply it with a buffing brush. It looks a little dry around my nose and cheeks. If I give it about a half hour it seems to settle into the skin and is a tolerable finish but definitely not a luminous finish.

If I use Laura Mercier Radiance Primer mixed with the Lumi Foundation and a buffing brush, it is better, more luminous and less dry looking. My favourite application method is with the beauty blender. It provides a mediumish coverage that looks luminous and flawless. It is especially beautiful for about the first 5 hours. By hour 8 I look a bit dry on the cheeks and oily around the nose. I work in a dry hospital and run around a lot so that might be part of the dilemma. The other being that I do not wear any primers or powders to set the foundation. I don't love finger applied foundation in general so I would say the beauty blender is the way to go with this stuff. This foundation also has SPF 20 which is a bonus.

Would I repurchase, yes. I have used it almost everyday for an entire month so I think that it is a really good option in the light to medium coverage for us dry gals.  You might want to wait until this stuff goes on sale though as I am still a bit flustered by the high price tag at the drugstore. I am not sure oily gals would like this as my face gets shiny by the days end. That is something I don't mind but if oil is already a problem for you, it might be a bit too oily.  

What kind of foundation are you loving? Any suggestions for this dry 35 year old?

June Empties

There is something sad yet joyous about finishing a product. I'm usually leaning more towards sad if I make it to the end of a product, as that typically means it is something I enjoyed enough to use every last drop. Sometimes it is joyous, as I finally get to move onto other things that have been patiently waiting in my cupboards. Please take these emotions in a light way people..the death of a family member makes me sad as the birth of a new niece or nephew is joyous...it's all on a scale peeps and it does not compare to makeup or things. In the case of my June empties, I am particularly sad over finishing my May Lindstrom Youth Dew.

I bought this initially as part of my "going more natural" skin care project and ended up cutting out my daily moisturizer completely after using this amazing oil. I love the smell, the feel, the finish. I love it all.... but the price. This oil retails now for $150.00 CDN for an ounce and I hate to say that I'm hooked. I got this oil for my birthday on March 6th and have used it daily till June 30th, 2015. It is completely out..trust me..I am gonna smash that bottle looking for more like a crack head. I did repurchase this product as you can guess from thedetoxmarket.ca as they had a 15% off Canada Day Sale. Oh yah, HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA!!! This will be my first purchase from this online site so I will speak more about it once my package arrives, hopefully later this week. The land's birthday has interfered with the arrival of a few packages of goodies. I'll forgive you Canada..you are a lovely lady most of the time.

                     Check out my previous post "Fountain of Youth" for my full rave about it.

Another item I am sad about is the Make Up Forever Smoky Extravagant Mascara. I love this mascara and I happen to have a little travel size as a back up. I have been trying out drug store mascaras lately to see if anything compares but Smoky Extravagant is so lengthening, does not flake and is truly my favourite Mascara. Now that I am out of the full size, I would like to try the Lancome Definicils High Definition Mascara but will wait until I get back into the city in a few weeks to purchase it.

My last product that I have completely run out of it the Bath and Body Works True Blue Shea Butter Lay it on Thick Body Cream. As we are in full swing summer here in Manitoba, I still need a rich moisturizer from our intense sun. This body cream was not the ordinary version but the Vanilla Almond...not my cup of tea. I did use the entire bottle but generally found the smell too perfumey which is why I typically do not like Shea Butter concoctions. I will be repurchasing the original Shea Butter Lay It On Thick as soon as I get back into Winnipeg, but not this particular scent. If I could find something this thick in a natural version..I would be all over it.

Another item that I have run out of this month that is not beauty related but something that I do love to use and will definitely repurchase is an all purpose cleaner by Tiber River Naturals, a wonderful company based out of Winnipeg, Manitoba that I have love for years and years.  The cleaner is called Maid in a Bottle and I use it to clean most of the surfaces in my home besides the bathroom. I love the smell of this stuff. You can purchase it online at tiberriver.ca . I have not cleaned with any chemicals in my home since 2010 using mainly Norwex products instead. I can't remember the last time I even had so much as a cold so I would like to think that I am cleaning my home effectively, or my immune system is strong because I live in a cess pool that hasn't been cleaned effectively for 5 years...either, either..hahaha.

Items in my shopping cart: It's so bad..I have items in sooo many shopping carts... Mac Melba, Mocha, Harmony, Blushbaby, Hush. Sephora: Sunday Riley Luna Oil, Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal. Brunette is the New Black Sweatshirt from BITNB.ca....need. more. money.