2015 Favorites

2015 Favorites

WhaBam! There they are. My favourite products of 2015. Yearly favourites videos and posts are my favourite. ha. It gives me the low down of the best of the best so I can choose what to buy or not to buy. I take these bitches seriously people, I trust them with my money and my time...my main You Tube besties this year included Hey Claire, Estee Lalonde,Vivianna Does Makeup, LisaLisa D1, BeautywithEmilyFox, Allana Davidson, MakeupbyCheryl, Kathleenlights, JaclynHill, and Tati. I do not choose what I like based on them, rather if they loved it, I might think about trying it. Of course all my opinions are my own, based on how the product works on my 35 year old dry, sensitive skin. Soo let's get this party started.

Body Care

Palmers Cocoa Butter

I use a shit ton of lotion. Seriously, my body skin is scaly and dry. I bath everyday...every fucking day, which unfortunetly dries out my skin, but I just don't feel awake if I'm not clean. This Palmers Cocoa Butter is cheap and adequately moisturizes my body. It smells like cocoa butter and as far as I am concerned you can't go wrong. I buy mine from my local walmart for $7.99 for 400ml sometimes less depending on sales. If I'm super dry, I add in something like The Body Shop Body Butter in coconut which has been a favourite for years.

Face Care

One Love Skin Saviour Balm, May Lindstrom Youth Dew & Blue Cocoon, Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance

In 2015, I started cleansing with a beauty balm every night. I like them a lot . The routine of slathering ointment on my face, massaging in and wiping with a hot cloth is really soothing to me. It convinced me to actually wash my face at night which is a new concept. I have almost used the entire jar of this One Love Skin Saviour and it has done of the job of cleansing without drying my skin. I plan to try various other balm cleansers in 2016 but this year I exclusively used this one. It is available in Canada from some of my favourite natural retailers: freshfaced.ca , thedetoxmarket.ca , clementinefields.ca, ecodivabeauty.com ranging in price from $62.00-$95.00 CND based on size and which store you place your order from.

May Lindstrom products...I just can't say enough about these luxurious oils. The are fucking expensive., that is one thing I will say confidently....like wowza expensive, but you get what you pay for. I have tried other oils which many bloggers love like Sunday Riley Luna and Khiels Midnight Recovery but still think May Lindstrom's are better. I use the Youth Dew as my summer moisturizer and in the winter as a serum underneath the Dermalogica Intensive Moisturizer. I use the Blue Cocoon as my night moisturizer and I love it. The smell, the feel, everything. That Blue Cocoon is amazing stuff. I received it as a gift but will repurchase although I feel it will last for 2016 as well. I might try a different moisturizer all together this year, the Dermalogica Super Rich but will keep you posted on that front. May Lindstrom products are available in Canada from Clementinefields.ca and the detoxmarket.ca. The Youth Dew retails in Canada for $150.00 and the Blue Cocoon is $200.00. Dermalogica is an excellent brand of skin care, available from many retailers in Canada, for my sensitive skin. I use Intensive Moisturize Balance daily. It is priced at $82.00 for 100ml.

Bioderma Moisturizing Toning Lotion

I can't not tone. I need that step between cleansing and moisturizing. My day is not right if I do not tone. This toner is perfect for a dry gal like myself. I feel balanced and ready for my moisturizer. I received this in my Luxe Box and it has replaced my other Dermalogica toners for now. I haven't actually tried to purchase it anywhere yet but I will repurchase once this bottle in done. I have seen the regular Bioderma at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada and it was priced in the $20's for 250ml.

Foundations

Too Faced Born This Way

Too Faced Born This Way... amazing dry skin foundation. It is luminous and looks like skin. I did a review on this already so if you want the full review check out my previous posts. I purchased at Sephora.ca for $49.00.

L'Oreal True Match Lumi W5

Beautiful drug store offering. Again, a dry skin gals dream. Radiant finish, perfect summer coverage and cheaper than Sephora or other high end retailers. I am currently testing the new cushion version as this one was soo good.

Lips

Clarins Instant Light 01 Rose

I have never finished a lip balm product, ever, in my entire life. I am almost done this product. I love it that much. I wear it almost everyday. It just looks like a balm on my lips but it moisturizes perfectly and the rose 01 is basically my lip colour. This is my HG lip balm. It is $23.00 at Hudson Bay and will forever be in my purse.

Contouring

Kat Von D Shade and Light Palette

Everyone seemed to love the Shade and Light Palette this year. I did love the sombre shade as well and will finish that powder for sure. It was my first introduction to contouring in 2015. I do not use the highlighting or banana powders that others seem to love. They do not look nice under my eye...dry old wrinkly skin, that's what that shit makes my under eye look like when I try to use as a setting powder. There must be a trick to it that I am not getting but that baking technique just leaves me looking like I am in desperate need of some moisturizer. For 2016, I am going to try out the Kevin Aucoin and Nyx Taupe as they are already on my shopping list and I think a single compact might be more travel friendly.

Bronzer

Hourglass Ambiant Bronzer in Radiant Light

If I had to pick my most used bronzer this year, it would have to be the Hourglass Radiant Bronze Light. It does pull a bit orange on me but overall that luminescent shimmer that the hourglass powders give off is stunning and lasts around 8 hours. If I could create my own bronzer it would be this hourglass dim light powder swirl in with a bronzer that is more like Benefit Hoola. That would be significant, and I am praying to baby jesus that hourglass will hear my pleas. Create this..it will sell.

Cheeks

Stila Convertible Lip & Cheek Palette

I love cream blushes so this was a winner in 2015. So many colours, so versatile. Creamy and long lasting cheek colour. I don't think you can even buy this anymore so sorry, but if they come out with something like this again, grab it if you like cream blush, its a winner. I have already told you about the famed Burberry Earthy...It doesn't need anymore hype, it's just the best.

Brows

Anastasia Brown Powder in Medium

I never bothered with brows before 2015. I was a teenager in the 90's, thus, I proudly now own a set of thin, over plucked, eyebrows. I don't feel bad about it as all my best friends also have these brows, so we are in this together. A kind and helpful Sephora sales person looked at my face and said "you need some brows" and gave me a 5 minute make over. I was instantly hooked and purchased this Anastasia Brow powder in medium. It works great for a subtle, wearable brow, for the girl who doesn't have much experience with drawing on brows. I am seriously considering getting a pair of brows at a lash/brow bar in Winnipeg so stay tuned for that adventure. This brow powder is available at sephora.ca for $30.00.

Lashes

I have made no secret that Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant is my favourite brush/formula of Mascara in life. But this Maybelline Lash Sensation has been my most used mascara this year. It remains a wet formula, but if you don't mind wiping off the excess with your finger, then it is an excellent drug store option. Paying over $30.00 for Mascara is unnecessary when companies like Maybelline keep putting out products like this. Certainly, it is not perfect, but I would say it has been my favourite of 2015.

Face Sprays
I picked up Mac Fix + this year as I needed a spray to add some hydration and staying power to my face. This is a nice offering. I could use something a bit more hydrating and will experiment with a few others this year but for normal to dry skin, the fix plus will do exactly what it claims to refreshes, and finishes the look. It just makes everything look better. It is $26.00 for 100ml.

Thank you to everyone that came to have a look this year at my blog. I will continue to write as I also read a ton of blogs and enjoy hearing what other ladies are loving or not loving in the makeup /fashion world.

What were your favourites this year????

Best of 2015 Series: Blush

Heaven's to Pete, it's been a while since I sat down to do my own reviews. My husband said I was a shitty blogger this week because I am not paying attention to it. I work full time, get off my back. Okay, Okay, I know, I like a weekly or daily poster, problem is, that shiz gets expensive. I shop like a mo fo.. but I can't keep up with the likes of Lisa Lisa D1 or Temptalia and the only company that is sending me anything in the mail is Manitoba Hydro, MTS and Visa. And that's bills ladies and gents, not products, bills. What I can do though is post about my favourites of 2015 in a timely manner.

Blush, Blush, Blush...fuck I love me some blushers. If you read this blog, you already know that. I don't think it will ever get any better than Burberry #7 Earthy which is my favourite blush of 2015 and quite possibly, of life. Yah, I said it. Burberry Blushes are available in Canada at Sephora.ca and Hudson Bay for the not so inexpensive price of $44.00 Canadian plus applicable taxes. In my province that would be $49.72 for 0.24oz of product. But it is so beautiful that it is worth every damn penny.

Burberry Earthy Blush

As always, I must comment on the packaging. Burberry blushes come in a cream linen like textured box with "Burberry" embossed in silver. Anyone who likes the finer things in life will be able to point out that this feels classic, classy. Removing the black dust bag inside unearths a luxurious gun metal package that is weighty and substantial. Touching it leaves greasy fingerprints everywhere..ugh. A magnetic closure tightly secures the finely milled, expertly pigmented powder inside. A large mirror flanks one side of the compact and a shitty blush brush and the product itself on the other. I have never used a brush that comes with a product. I have no idea why companies like Burberry still choose to waste my money on these brushes. Leave them out, charge me $2.00 less. Shake my head.

Earthy would work on any light to medium complexion like a dream. Burberry seems to use it as a contour but that life is not for me..earthy is too pinky brown as opposed to a grey brown to act like a shadow on my face. But what this bronzeresque like blush doesn't show in the pan is how perfect it reacts on the cheeks. Like the most natural flush of color, excellent for the fall winter season with camels, blacks, greys and whites that have certainly become staples in my wardrobe. 

Burberry Earthy Blush

Burberry Earthy does have a smell to it. It is a perfume smell, floral, I can't put my finger on it, fancy makeup smell. I don't like perfume, I barely wear it, it makes me nauseous. This is distinct, but dissipates entirely once on the face. I have dry sensitive skin and it does not bother me. I do not think  I would be able to handle my foundation smelling like this but a stunning blush..I will cope.

From Left to right: Pure Anada Twig, Benefit Dallas, Burberry Earthy, Mac Blush Baby

Blush addicts will know that there are similar products on the market in the blush department in terms of colour. Similar but not the same. Earthy just has a touch more brown but the untrained eye could likely get away with using Benefit Dallas which is another beautiful blush option, but not even close to Burberry Earthy in terms of quality or price point for that matter.

So there is it..best blush of 2015 Burberry Earthy.