Review: Origins Trio

I've been wanting to try the DrinkUp Intensive Overnight Mask and the Charcoal Mask for the longest time. Since i can't justify spending full price on tubes that i am not sure will work, i've been holding it off. As soon as i saw this mini trio in Sephora, it was the perfect time to try all 3:)

Each mask can be used at least 4 times before the tubes are out. retails to about $15-20 i think.

Charcoal Mask Overall: 4/5
Packaging: I wish it came with a different cap ( id prefer just like the caps on toothpastes). it can messy.
Quality: Surprisingly kind to my eyes. didn't leave that burning/stinging feeling that i got with Glamglow's & other face masks. I can definitely see if its ready to be washed. didn't leave an over drying feeling as well. Although i only see a teeny difference on my skin, it did wash out all the roughness around my nose.
Smell: No overwhelming scent on this.--smells very spa-ish.

10 Minute Mask Overall: 3/5
Quality: Its good but not amazing. Perfect for when your skin needs a pick me up or when you are breaking out. Similar to the charcoal mask but difference in colour obviously. It did leave a film after i washed it. Not that much of a difference except it calmed the redness of my face. typical mask

Overnight Mask: 5/5
Quality: This was my favourite out of all 3. I use this once or twice a week and i must say it made a big difference on my skin. Quite noticeable when i wake up every morning. For some reason, i don't feel oily nor greasy. (it helped control my oily face overnight). its lightweight & easy to apply. i loved the scent on this one--very spa-ish.

Makeup Brushes: Cheap vs. Expensive. Worth Spending?

DOES IT EVEN MATTER?

 Brushes are key to a perfect makeup look. You use the same brushes All the time, again and again regardless of what kind of makeup you use. To me, it's worth investing on good quality of brushes. Is it worth spending so much though? Yes and No. You have to shop smart for amazing brushes, (of course patience too) and a lot of research in finding ones with great value. Feel free to have an array of different brands in your collection, not just stick to one brand.

1) Expensive brushes does not necessarily mean high quality.

- Some brands jack up their price WAY to high. For instance, MAC, CHANEL and other high-end brands. Not saying they're not good, its just for the price, its TOO much. I never pay more than $15 surplus. 

Although- I will mention that MAC brushes do last a very long time. I purchased my first MAC makeup brush about 6 years ago and have been doing makeup professionally for over 4 years. It is still in near perfect condition, and it rarely sheds given the fact i wash my brushes like crazy. But is this justification for spending over $40 on? No. 

2) Cheap/drugstore brushes does not necessarily mean poor quality.

- I remember in Makeup school, we had to purchase brushes. We had the same ones… 20 brushes for like 20$. They were the crappiest! Even though i had the greatest shadows or creams, makeup application did not turn so great. (i still passed though ;P) I have tried a ton of brushes over the years. I got lucky on some. Shedding and colour coming off when you wash 'em bother me the most!

I am confident to say: ECOTOOLS, sigma brushes, real techniques and Sonia Kashuk brushes are good ones for the price…in overall brushes. They are comparable to the high-end ones and keeps your wallet happy :) But also,

3) Every brand share their own good and bad products.

- OF COURSE! Again, for starters who are just learning/experimenting with makeup, try cheap ones first. like ELF. Eye shadow brushes are okay for $1 each. As for me, since i use it often with clients that require a lot more maintenance and cleaning, my elf brushes are dunzo after a couple of washes. Not all in MAC are at its best, same with in expensive ones.

I do have a couple of faves:

MAC's eye shader brush

MAC's 

Sigma's crease brush

Sigma's soft dome brush

Eco tool's blush brush/ powered brush and kabuki brush

Real techniques foundation brush

4) You do not have to have Millions of brushes. Less is More. Quality over quantity.

-  I would rather have a few GOOD ones. Do you really need 10 eyeshadow brushes? No. Stick to your staples. (Yes, you can live and do a full makeup look with only 10 brushes----separate post on these) :) , Brushes have MULTIPLE functions as well. There are no rules on these.



:)

Spotlight: Rimmel Apocalips

I've been wanting to try these out! I heard people raving about this, more so in the UK. Not sure if it was even going to be released in the states or in Canada. but I saw a small display at Walmart and I got so excited! I got big bang (Blood red) and nova (creamy Barbie pink).. then the next day, I saw a whole display in Shoppers drug mart in my area. I got Stellar( reddish pinkish coraly color mixed together) because that's one of the lippies that I wanted to get. Prevented myself in getting more because I wanted to try it out first.

I love it has a variety of colours ranging from nude- dark, it has a satin smooth shine, I love the consistency of it, very opaque, creamy and intense (its amazing with 1 swipe!), The staying power is ok too. Im very particular with liquid lipsticks, it tends to be drying on me or once applied it shows lines...but this, not at all. You just have to be really careful in applying and it has a slight stronger taste/scent to it. the Applicator has a hole/ well in the middle which is great because you only need 1-2 dips. but overall, live it! lovely packaging, colour selection, the formula and the price! ($7-9 CAD depending where you get it) I might also grab a nude colour too!



I might do a comparison between Rimmel's and NYX's soon :)
have you ever tried liquid lipsticks? what are your favourite ones?

Spotlight: Dior Shimmer in Amber Diamond

I've had this powder for about 2 months already and i'm obsessed! i haven't really tried much of Dior besides their lip glosses so i decided to try the Dior Shimmer powder in Amber Diamond. I've heard so much people raving about this and i get why :P

It features 5 different shades (cream, light champagne, bronze, rose gold and peach gold). I love mixing them together and it turns out really nice as a highlighter. Sometimes i do use it as eyeshadows too especially the rose gold one and light champagne for the inner corners of the eyes:)

The formulation is absolutely gorgeous! and the colours are a perfect balance of pigmented and sheer. Compared to MAC's soft and gentle, Dior's powder is a bit more refined, which i like..and i love how its divided into strips, so it gives you the option to use one or the other or swirl it together.

For MAC's soft and gentle, its basically a mix of everything already. It also comes in Dior's classic navy blue compact casing and a little pouch.The Diorskin Shimmer Powders contain 10g/0.35 oz of product and retail for $45. (but i got it for 30$ for a VIB coupon)


Dior products are expensive, but with 10g of this I know it will take me forever to use up :) im very pleased and for sure will be using this up a lot in the summer months. what is your favourite highlighter?

Spotlight: SIGMAX brushes

I've had these brushes for over 2 months now and I just forgot to make a post about it. Better late than never! These brusehes seriously deserve 5 stars:) Wanted to give SIGMAX BRUSHES a try...and I like it a lot. My foundation and concealer goes on so smoothly! Especially for the P86 Precision Tapered, I use it to the hard to reach areas. (under the eye and on the sides on my nose)

here are my uses for these 2

P86: Precision tapered
-  As a concealer brush under the eyes
-  To put cream eye shadows/ painterly paint pots
-  cover redness on crease/side of my nose, my chin and around the mouth

* I really like how its tapered and concealer application at its best !

F80 Flat kabuki
- foundation
- blush
- powder
- bronzer for contouring

* its dense and flat head that makes it super easy to buff foundation or powder on your face.


I'm actually thinking of getting the whole kit of SIGMAX brushes. I really think they're worth it. The price for the quality it possess... amaze balls!

try them out!

xo,
Denise

Mani Monday: Nail cream

How do you keep your hands hydrated?

First post for Mani Monday. I forgot to add this to my May favorites but I have been using this since the start of May! Hands down the BEST hand cream I have ever used! overall thoughts:

-Non-sticky/not greasy at all.
-subtle smell of oranges, which I love... not so over powering like bath and body works lotions
- big difference when it came to my cuticles.
-little goes a long way

my hands overall look hydrated and soft, without feeling greasy.
Although it costs a couple more dollars than a regular lotion/hand cream, its all worth it. I can never go back to cheap-y ones. I've applied this everytime I washed my hands for the past month and ive only consumed only a quarter

15$ in Sephora.

"CAUDALIE
Hand and nail cream
Formula highly concentrated in patented anti-oxidant grape seed polyphenols, vinolevure, fair trade of shea butter, grape-seed oil, avocado, plant glycerin, sweet orange. leaves no greasy film
No parabens
No Phenoxyyethanol"

8

May monthly stars

1) Uniq One
- I really dont do a lot of reviews or have favourites when it comes to hair products but this stuff is amazing!!!!!! I have been using it for about 3 months consistently though and i could see fast, visible results! This was recommended by my hair stylist. i was actually skeptical at first because i have tried hundreds of hair products...but i gave it a shot. AMAZING!! this is what it claims :repair for dry and damaged hair, shine and frizz control, heath protection, silkiness and smoothness, hair color protection, easier brushing  and ironing, incredible detangling, long lasting hairstyle, split ends prevention and adds body)----- i give it a 8/10 :) plus it smells good! a lil spritz is all you need after washing your hair. Would definitely repurchase.

2) Olay fresh effects moisturizer
- With very oily skin, i was looking for a moisturizer that didn't seem heavy or sticky or oily. this stuff is okay. its a satin finish, pretty light , which i wanted especially for a day moisturizer. smells good too! once applied, it actually feels like a balm...it moisturizes your skin and itstantly disappears...satin-y, silky finish. i give it a 7/10. i would repurchase but not for now...would want to try different moisturizers once i'm finished with this.

3) NYX's beige
- Its not exactly "beige" or nude, but its a perfect baby pink, natural-looking gloss. its inexpensive, tastes/smells so good and non-sticky.. (thats my #1 when it comes to lip glosses). i could basically wear it with anything! i love nyx lip glosses in general and this is one of them. Easy to apply, loving the applicator, handy and many more! i give it a 8/10.

4) UD's de slick
- This is a must have for people who have oily skin. Just bought  this last month and its amazing. I could definitely tell a difference on my skin when i use this. it keeps my make up in place throughout the day and when i blot, it doesn't produce much oil as to when i dont use it. definitely a staple in my makeup routine. 9/10.

5) Maybelline Falsies mascara (waterproof)
- My all time fav. mascara! always a favourite. loved the applicator, the formula, the staying power, how it volumizes and separates my lashes. 8/10 for me!

6) Stila waterproof liquid liner
- Another all time fav. love how its a pen, so easy to use, easier , lazier way actually to  create sharp lines aka cat eyes, i love how its so handy and lasts really long! (mine was at least 6-8 months of use everyday) worth every penny!..and its waterproof, doesnt budge/smudge after long hours at work, gym etc. love love! 9/10.

7) Nars duo (oragasm/laguna)
- I ve had this for such a long time but its been just this month i used it consistently..I actually love the LAGUNA bronzer! used it for countouring this month. Although it fades in a couple of hours, i love how its perfect for my skin tone. i can build it up, tone it down etc. 7/10.

8) Dove's dry shampoo
- Finally a dry shampoo that works! Decided to give this a try and amazing! It gives volume, i love how it sprays, smells good (but too strong though), its cheap (6.99$), doesnt leave a white residue. I have used the  tresemme....and its nothing compared to this! close to batiste but this is better... Still looking for that perfect dry shampoo but this still works..especially compared to other brands 8/10.

9) MUFE cover concealer
- I originally thought of buying this for under my eyes.. i thought that having it drier compared to eye concealers, my search for the perfect one is solved...but this works better on your face to cover up hyper pigmentation, pimples. having oily skin, this does the job of covering my pimples/scars at the same time lasts long. its thick, waterproof and a little goes a long way! For the face though, not for under the eyes. (too dry). 8/10.

10) Naked basics and Naked palette original
- May has been one of the hectic months and most of my work days, id rather sleep in and use that extra 20 mins of getting ready than putting my make up on. hence i wake up late and i have 5 mins of makeup time. This palette saved me so much! one sweep, easy to work with and so natural! love it! having me not look oh so tired and the same time polished and decent. For days that i can prep and spend a little more time with fixing myself, Naked palette is the one that i grab. versatile, mix and match goes with anything. always a fav! i give these babies a 9/10!

11) Dior amber lights
- eyeshadow.highlighter.blush. love the versatility of this! worth every penny! amazing colours. just so different and perfect highlighter day-night. You can build it up, tone it down depends on what kind of look youre going for. It difinitely gives you a candlelit effect.  9/10.

12) Maybelline Rocket Mascara
- when i first got this, i didnt like it at ALL. i thought it was too wet, didnt do what it claimed and it was just an imitation of covergirl's lashblast. actually the more i used it, i grew out of it and kinda sorta liked it. i got the non-waterproof one and its pretty good staying up. although im having a hard time with the brush on my lower lashes. this does volumize. it does the job . 7/10

and those are my favourites for the month of MAY. will they cut it for the month June?? We'll see :P