Top 10 Summer Makeup Products

Hello!

I thought it would be good to do a Top 10 Summer Makeup Products list. We've had some extremely hot days and some cooler nicer days. But when it's 30C outside, I like to keep my makeup light. I don't like feeling like my face is melting off. Plus all the sweating and smudging equals hot mess. And I've been getting pimples like crazy. Probably had to do with running out of my holy grail skincare products.

I'll try to use some newer products that launched this summer. These are my most used and favourite products this summer!

Top 10 Summer Makeup Products

1. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment - 26$CAD

Every girl needs a good lip treatment. I know the price is quite steep, so I try to make my tube last as long as possible. This is hands down THE best lip treatment of all time. It's a bit mooshy but that's because it actually goes into your lips and moisturizes them. It's definitely worth a try. I was convinced. They just came out with a new colour, Tulip, which is their first pink lip balm. I can't wait to get my hands on it. They're selling it in a new set as a mini with some other minis if you're not sure which one to commit to. I just picked up the set (with Advanced Lip Therapy, Rose, and Tulip along with a mini Sugar Lip Scrub) but haven't gotten around to trying the tinted ones yet. I do love their clear formula.

2. Too Faced Lashgasm - 28$CAD

Another staple product for me is this mascara. This is my favourite mascara ever, and I've tried a lot of different ones. It doesn't add too much mascara onto your lashes, so they'll never get clumpy. The wand is made to define each lash and comb through so they don't stick together. They're not crazy voluminous, but this is a perfect day time mascara. It makes each lash look defined and long. It's light enough but still makes your lashes look sexy. It isn't waterproof but this mascara has never leaked or run on me.

3. Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm in Snow Glow - 42$CAD

For the summer, I think every girl needs a tinted moisturizer or a BB cream. I find foundation gets a little too heavy, especially in extreme heat. I like Too Faced's Tinted BB. It's light but it does have decent coverage. Of course, it won't cover severe acne or redness, but for those of you with perfect skin down to okay skin, this BB should be fine for you. My freckles show through a tiny bit which helps to make it more natural looking but it does a decent job covering up my pimples that I don't even use concealer. I use the shade Snow Glow, and there are four other shades to choose from. I find that it runs a little yellow so I have to make sure I blend it out well into my neck. I use their first BB cream, which is a liquid. I really don't like their new Air-Buffed CC Creme which is a cream version. I would stick to the original liquid one.

4. Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in 84 Accent (LE) - 48$CAD

This was a limited edition blush that came out this past Christmas. I wish it would have been permanent because my mom and I both loved it. In the pan, it looks very brown but when swatched it gives off that perfect rosy/brown neutral glow. It's perfect as an everyday blush. It's soft and light and looks very natural. I find myself using this blush more and more on a lazy day.

5. MAC Casual Color Lip and Cheek Color in For Your Amusement (LE) - 25$CAD

This blush was a limited edition product from their Playland collection from earlier this summer. I wish they would release some permanent shades as part of the Lip and Cheek colour product line :( I love the formula. It's pigmented enough that I don't have to keep layering and when I use my MAC 188 brush to apply it, I'm in heaven. I can use a light hand to apply it until I get my perfect amount on without worrying about overdoing it. Plus I can use this as a lip colour too! That's always a bonus. I've fallen in love with this colour and I've used it often since I bought it. It goes on well and it blends out smoothly. They also have a bright fuchsia pink and a bright coral red as part of the collection.

6. MAC Superslick Liquid Eye Liner in On The Hunt - 23$CAD

My mom recently introduced me to these a few months ago and I fell in love. On a hot day where I don't want to wear a ton of eye makeup, I usually opt for a cat eye. I used to use fluidline but superslick makes it so much easier!! The brush allows for a very precise application and my lines are always smooth. Lately I've been using this a lot and I just ran out :( so I've been using Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner. It's alright, but I prefer the MAC one. Mastering the cat eye is tricky if you've never done it before. Even now, I still get the random crooked eye. Superslick is super easy to take off and try again and it'll stay on all day without budging. It goes on very dark black. With practise, you'll have the perfect cat eye!

7. MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline - 19$CAD

This is my all-time favourite pencil eyeliner. It's the darkest black you could buy. It's very pigmented and has crazy staying power. It literally stays on all day and barely smudges off. It requires little to no touch ups throughout the day. One coat is good enough, you don't need to keep applying it. And you barely have to sharpen your pencil! I use this pencil literally every single day and I barely have to sharpen it, so that means that it's going to last quite a longer time than your usual eyeliner pencil. Since I discovered this pencil I haven't used any other for black.

8. Benefit Gimme Brow in Medium/Deep - 26$CAD

This is a new product that I've fallen in love with. It makes doing my brows a breeze. I have enough hair on my brows that I don't need to fill them in with a pencil or shadow so on a lazy day all I need is this brow gel. The medium/dark colour is perfect for me. The brush makes application easy and after two coats, my brows look perfect. I don't need to do anything else to them. This product has really made doing my eyebrows so much easier and quicker and it keeps them natural looking. My mom uses the shade light/medium and its perfect for her.

9. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade - 37$CAD

Another great product that I wished I'd discovered sooner. I've tried so many different highlighters and this one is my favourite. I like a highlighter that has a visible glow and isn't too shimmery or sparkly. I don't want it to be too noticeable, but I don't want it to be practically invisible either. And Lightscapade fits all my requirements. It's a very light highlight, which is great because I'm the palest person on the planet. If you're darker, I would suggest Soft and Gentle, which is more of a champagne colour. 

10. Benefit PosieBalm - 22$CAD

This is quickly becoming a go-to tinted lip balm for me. I'm going to say right off the bat that this is not a lipgloss. It doesn't give as much colour as a gloss does. However, it is extremely moisturizing and has a touch of colour. It's great for when your lips are chapped and you still want to have some colour. I think part of why this gets so many low ratings is because people buy it thinking that it will have a lot of colour payoff and apply like it looks in the photo. It's a tinted lip balm, it won't. I have to say that I do like it for what it is. It has a rosy smell that isn't too overpowering but I can see how it can get annoying for someone that really doesn't like the scent.

BONUS:

11. Too Faced Bronzed and Poreless - 38$CAD

I'm adding in a bronzer because it is summer after all and we all like to have that "just tanned" look. I'm super pale so I needed a bronzer that was light enough for my skin and this bronzer is perfect for that. You can either lightly dust it all over your face or you can use it to contour with, since it's matte. It's also light enough that it doesn't overpower your fresh faced summer look. If you are darker toned, I would recommend trying it at the store before buying it because it might be too light for your skin. But for us pale girls, this is the perfect bronzer. It's my holy grail bronzer and its pretty obvious because I use it everyday and it's in all my tutorials.





I actually planned on doing a tutorial along with the list but I haven't had time yet. I'll get it done early this week. I'm actually interviewing at Sephora tomorrow so I've spent most of the weekend trying to figure out what my look should be. I'm so nervous but I'm so happy I got called into an interview. It's a group interview so it's my first round. I'll let you all know how it went and I'll let you know some of the questions they asked me in a future post. I'll also show you what I wore, both in makeup and clothes.

So now that I've shared my Top 10 summer makeup picks, it's your turn to shares yours! Have you discovered any new favourites this summer? Have you tried any of the products that I've listed and what did you think?

Steph xo.

Summer Makeup and Skincare Haul!!

Hey ladies,

It's time for another makeup haul! I know it might seem like I spend a ton of money on makeup, but I hold back elsewhere. I'm not really into shoes and handbags. If I see a handbag or a pair of shoes that I really like, then I'll buy it after thinking about it for a while. I've had my eye on those Guess bags that look like rip offs of the Hermes Birkin for a while. The Aldo ones are cute too, but I'd rather get a better quality bag from Guess. I've been quite frugal with my spending this summer. I haven't bought any makeup or skincare items since my birthday, which was in April. My collection is quite extensive, though not as big as some of yours! So I decided to go ahead and post what I actually bought after months of no new makeup products.

I had to pick up some old favourites that I ran out of and I also got some new products that I was dying to try. My mom also gave me a couple things and I tried to cut back on certain items that I had a million of. Like mascara. I have a kazillion samples of different brands but my favourite is Too Faced's Lashgasm, which I was completely out of. So my mom gave me hers because she doesn't like it. She says it bugs her eyes (she wears hard contact lenses). I'm trying to get through all the samples before picking up a full-size.

The Haul!

Boscia Pore Purifying Black Strips - 35$CAD

I love these nose strips. They actually work and they pull out all your blackheads and it totally clears your nose out. I use them once a week after I shower. I use warm/hot water because it opens your pores. You leave your skin wet and you apply the strip with dry hands. I leave it on until it dries out and hardens. And then I rip it off and it feels oh-so-satisfying when all the blackheads leave your body.

Boscia No Pores No Shine T-Zone Treatment - 45$CAD

This stuff is my holy grail pore product. I ran out of it a little while back and oh em gee I wanted to crawl into my bed and hide there until I got more of this stuff. It makes a huge difference on your pores. I noticed that mine got smaller and I broke out a lot less. It makes my skin look so good. I apply this every night before bed.

Boscia Clear Complexion Tonic - 30$CAD

This is my first time using their toner. Their clear complexion line looks really good and I'd love to try more products form it. I've used the toner maybe 5 times so far. I find that I never really notice toners working. So it's hard to say.

Benefit PosieBalm - 22$CAD

This is a new product by Benefit. They've made a tinted lip balm to go with their popular cheek tints. Posie is my colour, it's a yellow based pink. It's a very sheer balm, so some people might be disappointed with that. I thought it was quite nice. I did have to put on quite a few layers to get some colour out of it, but it's moisturizing and feels good on my lips. It smells nice and it isn't overbearing. If you're looking for a lipgloss then this isn't for you. If you want a sheer, hydrating balm, then this is for you. I think it's important to hydrate your lips all year round and this is a fun way to do it. If you want more colour try putting PosieTint first and then applying PosieBalm afterwards.

Fresh Sugar Lip Service Kit - 40$CAD

This lovely kit by Fresh comes with four minis. You get one mini lip scrub and three mini lip treatments. I already have a full-size of their lip scrub and I love it. I always use it before applying lip stick. It gets rid of all the dead skin and it leaves your lips feeling so smooth. When you apply your lipstick after, it glides right on and doesn't get stuck between the cracks of your lips. It goes on smoothly. I'm happy to have a mini to put in my purse for on-the-go lipstick application. The three mini lip treatments include the advanced therapy one, Rose, and the new Tulip. I have their original lip treatment (the one in the brown case) and I love it. It's the most hydrating lip treatment I've ever had that it's actually worth the steep price. I wonder if the advanced therapy one is supposed to do anything more than the others. Hmm I guess we'll see. I haven't tried Rose or Tulip yet. I'm a sucker for keeping things in pretty packaging. I do find that they have more of a colour payoff than Benefit's PosieBalm. So while Fresh's products are expensive, I can definitely recommend their lip products, they are truly amazing!

Too Faced Tinted BB in Snow Glow - 42$CAD

I'm a sucker for anything Too Faced. I'm almost done my first tube of their BB cream so I picked up another one. Snow Glow is supposed to be for fair, pink-toned ladies but there is more yellow in there than there should be. So while it isn't a perfect match for me, it's not too far off. I like wearing it on lazy summer days where I don't want to wear a full face of makeup. Especially on hot days. It's light but it still has decent coverage for a BB. I have a few blemishes and it does an okay job of covering them up. I could use concealer if I wanted them completely covered. With a bit of powder and blush, I'm ready to go!

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette - 67$CAD

I just picked this up not too long ago. I've been hearing sooo many good things about this palette and of Hourglass in general. I've tried it once and honestly didn't really see what all the fuss was about! I used it over my setting powder to bronze and highlight. I think the next time I use it I'll try it as my actual setting powder. I can't really say anything else, I don't think it's fair to give it a review when I haven't played around with it much yet. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit - approx. 50$CAD

I can definitely see why this kit sells out like crazy everywhere. I waited too long to pick it up and almost missed it myself. I had to call all the Sephoras in my area to see who still had one! Luckily I was able to pick one up in Anjou. So I used this for the first time yesterday, which you can see in last night's post. I also used it today and wow I got compliments on my makeup all night. I LOVE IT! It's the perfect contour kit! Really! With three highlight shades and three contour shades it's definitely the best value contour kit on the market right now. And the colours are pretty versatile so it accommodates everyone. I have to say I was impressed with it right off the bat. The shades were very pigmented and the powder was easy to get onto my brush and then onto my face. Also, the shades were just so perfect, I think. And if you are into contouring, then I think you need this palette.

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW15 - 23$CAD

I used to use NW20 in this concealer but found that it dried dark. So I would recommend to everyone that you go a shade lighter in this concealer. I love this concealer. It's perfect for covering your under eye area. It's also full coverage and it covers everything. I love it. I wish there was a lighter shade than this that I could use for highlighting but there isn't. This is what happens when you're a pale white girl. If you're looking for a full coverage concealer, this is the one for you.

MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW20 - 22$CAD

Ah, my other favourite concealer! I use this one to cover up any blemishes that weren't covered by foundation. I mostly use it to cover up pimples on my forehead and around the nose area. It's pigmented so you only need a little bit. When you apply powder, make sure you dab it gently and don't make any kind of swiping motions or you'll rub it all off.





And that was my haul. Hope you enjoyed seeing what kind of products I'm into. I've got a few new favourites now like the Anastasia Contour Kit. I also try to branch out as much as possible and try new things. I admit, I do tend to stick to my favourites and I feature them a lot. I'm dying to try the new Too Faced Cat Eye palette but part of me says I should hold back and do more spending when all the amazing Christmas gifting sets come out. They're a better value. But another part of me wants to do another haul, just because I can. Oh, it's difficult to be a girl, isn't it?

What products have you tried from my haul? Which did you like and not like? What have you hauled recently? Have you found any new favourites?

My next post will be my Top 10 Summer Makeup Products with possibly a tutorial using the products listed.

Steph xo.

Trying out the Kim K Contour and Highlighting using Anastasia's Contour Kit

Hello dolls!

So before we get into the makeup I just want to apologize for my lack of posting. I've been busy. I was studying my butt off and working. And then I decided to enjoy my vacation and have some time off from everything. But now I'm looking to get back into blogging and documenting my growth in makeup artistry. That's why I started this blog in the first place. 

I recently picked up Anastasia's Contour Kit before it finally sold out at the Sephora stores closest to me. I finally got to use it today. My theme for the day was Kim Kardashian contour and highlighting. If it was a true Kim K look I would have done smokey eyes, but I didn't really think of the concept until after I had already done my eyes. I will definitely redo this look later and do a full Kim K look. Today, we'll have to settle for the face. Now, I want to say that I've never really done the full contouring and highlighting that Kim does. I'm also using a new product so I accidentally went a little too heavy in a few places (I didn't realize how pigmented Anastasia's Contour Kit is! Her kit is excellent by the way!). Whatever, you learn from your mistakes, right?

so my nose didn't actually look like that in real life

Tutorial

For my eyes, I'm using Too Faced's Chocolate Bar palette. I started by priming with Too Faced Shadow Insurance. I'm doing the look called Semi-Sweet. I started by lightly applying Salted Caramel from my crease to my brow. I went lightly because it is a rather dark colour for my skin tone. Then I took Strawberry Bon Bon and applied it to my lid but left the outer corner empty. I took Candied Violet and applied it to the outer corner and took it into my crease and inward. Then I took Semi-Sweet and blended it into the outer corner, into Candied Violet, and took it into the crease all the way towards my inner eye. I made sure to blend it into Salted Caramel. It's almost like a cut-crease and I think if I did this again I might try to do this as a real cut crease. To finish off the eyes I smudged Semi-Sweet along my bottom lash line and I used MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline to line my upper and bottom lash lines. I was going to use Too Faced Better Than Sex but I ran out halfway so I used Too Faced Lashgasm as well. For my brows, I used Benefit Brow Zings in Medium. For my lips, I used Chanel Levres Scintillantes Glossimer in 87 Seashell, which is neutral with a touch of pink.

For my face, I began by priming with Too Faced's Primed and Poreless, as usual. I used MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW15 and I began doing the triangle shape that Kim does. Starting at your inner eye, take a lighter concealer than your would normally use (one or two shades lighter) and go down along your nose and stop at the bottom of it. Then go along your cheekbones In a triangle and go past the outer edge of your eye. It should look like a triangle. Fill that whole under eye area with concealer. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, see the photo below. I find that that one best represents what I did. I also went and put a bit of concealer down the middle of my nose and in a semi-circle around my forehead with the centre being between your brows. You can also put some concealer on the arches of your brows and chin, but I left those out. Next, take your foundation, mine is MUFE HD Foundation in 110. I applied it like I normally would and I made sure to blend into the concealer. Next I took my Anastasia Contour Kit and I took Banana and I applied it on the triangles under my eyes, along my nose and forehead, chin, and arches. Then I took my MUFE HD Powder and applied that everywhere else. I went back in with my Contour Kit using Vanilla this time and I applied it everywhere I had put Banana to blend out and even out the colour. Now most people are yellow-toned so I see why they use Banana but on me I found it to be too yellow so I think next time I'll start with Vanilla to set and then blend out with Banana. Next I took Fawn and began contouring the hollows of my cheeks. Oops I put a little too much, you really don't need a lot with this kit, it's super pigmented!!! For some reason I always bring the contour too far in towards the centre of my face. I'm working on it. I only started contouring this year anyway. Make sure to blend upward. I also made sure to get the perimeter of my face, and the sides of my nose. Had a little trouble with the sides of my nose because this is something I don't usually do, ever. I used Chanel's Joues Contraste in 84 Accent and applied that to my cheeks and blended into the contour. I really wanted to get it blended nicely, but one side turned out way better than the other, ugh, shoot me now! I used Java and blended that into the contour in my hairline. As a highlight on my cheekbones, I used Sand. It's lightly shimmery and super pretty. I also applied it to my arches and my cupid's bow. And that is it for the contouring!!

from google images

Anastasia Contour Kit

I think I did a decent job but I'll definitely remember for next time to go lightly on the contour since all the shades are super pigmented. I really really loved all the shades in the kit and thought it was perfect. I should have lightly tapped my brush, silly me. This was my first time using her products so I wasn't sure how good they were. I'm very impressed with the palette and I can see women of many different skin tones using it. The powder goes on your brush super easily without wasting and without having to tap it a bunch of times. It is very pigmented and you get a lovely range of shades. You have three highlight shades and three contour shades.

With six shades for 50$, it's a steal. Each pan is 3g and the only one I haven't tried yet is Havana. They are housed in a magnetic cardboard case. The individual pans are removable, Anastasia plans on selling refills soon. I don't think you'll find this kind of value and quality anywhere else. I definitely sound like I'm hawking Anastasia, but I really love this palette! And I heard that she'll be making refill pans as well as additional shades! So look out for that.

taken from google images

taken from google images

Too Faced Chocolate Bar

I've had this palette for a little while yet but haven't posted a look using it yet. I've tried most of the shadows and I like this palette. I do find the whole naked thing just a little redundant. I mean, how many neutral shadow palettes do I need? I've got all of Urban Decay's Naked palettes, I've got NARS's Narsissist palette, you get the point. I've always been a big Too Faced fan, which is probably why I even bought this palette. I really didn't need another neutral palette. But I do like it. It's got some warm, some cool, some pink, it's got a touch of everything which makes it great to travel with. The shadows are highly pigmented, which is what I've come to expect from any Too Faced product. I'm just a little disappointed with the Candied Violet shade. I thought it could have been a bit more pigmented. It was a little lacking. Also, a little itty bitty thing, but one of the pans is tilted, as in half of it is deep in the pan and the other half is sticking out. It irritates me.

This palette is 59$ and contains two big shadows and 14 smaller ones. You get a Glamour Guide booklet that shows you how to do 3 different looks. It's housed in the new metal case that Too Faced is now using. I think it's worth the money if you don't already have a few neutral/naked palettes. I think it does have some unique colours that are not dupes of shades that are currently featured in neutral palettes. It has a few matte shades but most are shimmer, which I would expect from them. Personally, I do like this palette.

Product List

Eyes

Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette

• Salted Caramel
• Strawberry Bon Bon
• Candied Violet
• Semi-Sweet

MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
Too Faced Lashgasm Mascara
Benefit Brow Zings in Medium

Face

Too Faced Primed and Poreless
MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW15
MUFE HD Foundation in 110
MUFE HD Powder
Anastasia Contour Kit

• Vanilla
• Banana
• Sand
• Fawn
• Java
• Havana (not used)

Chanel Joues Contraste in 84 Accent (LE)
Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Skin Energy Mist

Lips

Chanel Levres Scintillantes Glossimer in 87 Seashell (LE)

Products Used & Swatches

Too Faced Shadow Insurance - 24$CDN

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eye Palette - 59$CDN

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eye Palette - 59$CDN

MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline - 19$CDN

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara - 30$CDN

Too Faced Lashgasm Mascara - 28$CDN

Benefit Brow Zings in Medium - 38$CDN

Benefit Brow Zings in Medium - 38$CDN

Too Faced Primed and Poreless - 38$CDN

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW15 - 23$CDN

MUFE HD Invisible Cover Foundation in 110 - 49$CDN

MUFE HD Microfinish Powder - 39$CDN

MUFE HD Microfinish Powder - 29$CDN

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit - approx. 50$CDN

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit - approx. 50$CDN

Chanel Joues Contraste in 84 Accent - approx. 50$CDN

Chanel Joues Contraste in 84 Accent - approx. 50$CDN

Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Skin Energy Mist - 42$CDN

Chanel Levres Scintillantes Glossimer in 87 Seashell - approx. 31$CDN

Swatches (from L to R):
Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette in: Salted Caramel, Semi-Sweet, Strawberry Bon Bon, Candied Violet
Chanel Joues Contraste in 84 Accent (LE)
Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit in: Vanilla, Banana, Sand, Fawn, Java, Havana (not used)
Chanel Levres Scintillantes Glossimer in 87 Seashell (LE)

Thanks for reading!! I hope you enjoyed today's post and look forward to more! I was just so excited about the Anastasia Contour Kit that I had to post about it right away. I'm going to experiment some more with it and once I figure out how I like doing my contouring and highlighting, I'll post my favourite look. I also want to try to show some of my newer products instead of the same old favourites. I've got a lot of ideas and a ton of stuff in store for you!

Have you tried the Anastasia Contour Kit? What do you think, is it all hype or do you love it? What is your favourite highlight and contour shade? And if you don't like the kit, what is your favourite contouring kit? Have you tried Too Faced's Chocolate Bar palette? What did you think about, love it or do you think there are too many naked/neutral eye palettes out there? What are your favourite shades?

Let me know what you thought of today's post and let me know what kind of posts you would like to see more of in the future. I'm working on a top 10 summer product list along with a tutorial to go with it and I'm working on a haul post as well as an empties one because I have a whole drawer full of crap!

Steph xoxo