Vlogmas Day 1: December 1st - Part 2

Helloooo everyone! So here is Vlogmas Day 1 Part 2 where we decorate the tree!

Click here to Watch!

Stay tuned for more vlogs and don't forget to subscribe to my channel!

Hope you're all having a great day and don't forget to Put A Bow On....Vlogmas!

Vlogmas Day 1: December 1st 2014

Helloooo everyone! So if you missed it - I am doing Vlogmas this year! I'm super excited to do it, but I do work in retail so some of my days will be a complete write off (damn you 11am-8pm shifts!). For those days I will have pre-filmed Christmas related videos, so keep your eye peeled for that. Vlogmas Day 1 is up and live, so be sure to check it out!

Check it Out here

If you have any video suggestions or questions then you can tweet me directly @PutABowOn and hashtag #PutABowOnVlogmas as well :)

In other news - Ivy and Remi now have their very own instagram account! Go follow them right now so you can be overloaded with yorkie cuteness! 

Don't forget to subscribe to my channel so you don't miss a day of vlogmas!

Hope you all have a great day and don't forget to Put A Bow On....Vlogmas!

Hill

Make Up by One Direction - Take Me Home Collection Review

Hi everyone!

So I finally had a second to sit down and look over the Take Me Home Collection by One Direction. If you want to see what all of the sets look like then click here to see my blog post over-viewing it. 

So let's first take a look at the overall packaging

The overall package

A quick look inside

 So the packaging is pretty cute. The tin is quite bulky, so it isn't exactly travel friendly but it certainly would make a cool collector's piece. Now let's get more into the make up.

Eye shadow palette

A quick look at the colours

 So the palette in this tin is described as the perfect nudes. They provide you with 3 different textures and finishes - matte, satin, and glitter. I would definitely recommend wearing an eye primer with these shadows as the pigment isn't the greatest - but they still are nice shades.

swatch of the shadows

Let's get into the lip colours

'Last First Kiss' a sheer pink nude

This colour is definitely a nice summer-y pink. It is quite sheer so I would describe it as more of a lip tint rather than a full blown lipstick. Now onto the lip gloss (the piece I'm most stoked about).

Liqui-lights glow gloss

This gloss is SO cool! It turns neon yellow under UV lights and would certainly be an awesome piece if you were going to a cool night club (or even for halloween!).

'Live While We're Young' Glitter polish

This polish has amazing pigment. I'm not a huge fan of glitter polishes in the summer just because I like to change up my polish quite frequently and glitter is a pain to take off. However, I'll be putting this guy to good use come the winter.

Next is the mascara

 As you can see, it is pretty generic. I am really picky about mascaras because I have really sensitive eyes so I'm going to pass on this. But the formula is nice and wet and the brush appears to not cause any clumping. (Sorry for pooping on the party, but my eyes seriously aren't happy pandas with like 99% of the mascaras out there).

And last but certainly not least, the shadow pencil in "I wish" (chocolate brown)

 This guy is cool because you can draw on your face and body with it. I haven't experimented with it much lately but it has a very creamy and blend-able texture so hurrah!

And let's just throw in a really ridiculous selfie of me sans make up because I took it, it uploaded with the photos, and why not...

Duck face FTW *face palm*

 Anywho, so I hope you guys enjoyed getting a closer look at these awesome limited edition 1D make up collections. I love how they all embody a different look/personality, so make sure you pick yours out carefully!

Don't forget to read my previous post  to get a closer look at all of the tins, and leave a comment below if you've picked one up yourself!
Don't forget to go 'Like' the 1D collection on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/MakeupbyOneDirection
I hope you all have a fabulous day and don't forget to put a bow on!

Hill

FTC Disclaimer: This product was sent to me for review but all opinions are my own :)

Tarte Best in Faux Vs. Too Faced Better Than False Lashes

Hey everyone!

So I'm sure you've heard of fiber lash extensions, and if you haven't, let me give you the low down.

Fiber lash extensions consist of a 3 step system where you adhere fibers to your lashes. This is not a permanent thing like legit lash extensions - just think of it as a mascara on steroids.

So I tried out Too Faced Better Than False Lashes a year ago. If you want to check out my video review - then knock yourself out by clicking here. But brace yourself - it was at the beginning of my channel and I'm super shy and awkward.

But if you want to dodge that awkward video then I'll give you the lowdown here:

You get extremely long lashes however, the product is really sticky and a huge pain in the butt to get off.

Now onto the Best In Faux. I'll save you the reading and you can go check out my video by clicking here.

You can also click on the thumbnail below.

I hope you're all having a fab day and don't forget to put a bow on!

Hill

Best in Faux Demo & Review

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara - Is it worth the hype?

Hello everyone! I did a quick review & first impression of the Urban Decay Perversion mascara. You can check it out below and don't forget to subscribe to my channel!

Hope you all have a lovely day, and don't forget to put a bow on!

Hillary

What To Do When Your Sunburn Starts Peeling...

Hello everyone! So if you haven't read the first part of the sunburn situation then click here to see how you can soothe a sunburn.

Today I'm here to talk about the next step of a sunburn - the dreaded peeling! Now I burnt my face and work in the cosmetics industry so I had to help reduce the peeling AND be able to wear a full face of make up while at work.

So the first thing you need to keep in mind is that your skin isn't just healing but it is also extremely dehydrated. I normally have oily skin but I can't even tell you how dry my skin has been over the past week.

1. Hydration!
The first thing may come as an absolute no brainer but you have to hydrate your skin. If you don't already have dry skin then switch out your moisturizer for something more rich. I personally used a deluxe sample of the Vichy Aqualia Thermal Dynamic Hydration Rich Cream. I normally have oily skin so I honestly thought that I'd never use this sample, but I popped it away in my sample drawer.

This cream not only hydrated my skin but it soothed it. It really does provide you with long-term hydration (it claims 48 hours but I think that's a little ridiculous). I think this would be an absolutely amazing winter moisturizer.

2. Exfoliation
The next step is exfoliating. No moisturizer, no matter how hydrating it is, is going to revamp the dead, peeling skin on your face. Don't pick at it, but allow the exfoliation to gently take it away. I used a few different types of exfoliating washes. The first one I used was a physical exfoliant by Philosophy called "The Micro Exfoliating Wash". This guy has super tiny beads that will gently clean your face. It's not super abrasive, but it gets the job done.

The next type of exfoliant is a chemical exfoliating wash by Philosophy called "Miracle Worker". This cleanser has lactic acid in it which is a great anti-aging ingredient that also eats away at the dead skin. It has a milky lotion texture that isn't irritating on the skin.

3. The right make up 
Go without make up as much as you possibly can. But if you must, here are some suggestions for products that won't accentuate the dry patches and peeling skin. The key is to go for light-weight, hydrating, and radiant formulas.

PRIMER

Benefit's "That Gal" primer is a hydrating and brightening primer. It is lightweight and will ensure that your foundation lasts and you don't look cakey. It has a pink iridescence that will help with the brightening which will make your skin look more youthful and healthy.

FOUNDATION

Next you'll need a foundation that is hydrating and light weight. I used Nars Sheer Glow. It gave fairly good coverage and it didn't dry out my skin or cake it up. You need to sacrifice full matte coverage when dealing with peeling skin because it will only dehydrate your skin more and accentuate the peeling.

BLUSH/BRONZERS/HIGHLIGHTERS

Do not used powder based blush, highlighters and bronzers if you can. You don't want to take away from the hydration party that is going on on your face. Stick to cream based products such as Tarte's cheek stains. The one that I have is the old packaging, the new packaging is more sleek (but it's still the same great product). This blush will last all day but it will hydrate your skin. It is packed with maracuja oil and antioxidants such as acai berry, acerola, goji berry and pomegranate.

Lastly - make sure you are using a nice lip balm with an SPF. I personally love Fresh Lip Sugar - it has SPF 15 and gives a nice tint to your lips. I'm absolutely in love with their newest shade, Tulip. It gives you that perfect pink shade and it actually has a really good long wear.

So there you have it! My list of products that saved my unfortunate, peeling face. Make sure you are gentle with your face and give it time to breathe so it can heal.

What do you use to help with a sunburn and the post-sunburn peeling skin?

One Direction Make Up Collection!?

No, you are not hallucinating. You read the title of the post correctly - One Direction is coming out with a make up collection courtesy of Markwins.

Soo, do you want be the first to know the details about the collection AND enter a giveaway to win it? Keep reading!

"The Looks Collection" consists of 3 keepsake tins inspired by One Directions 3 albums - 'Up All Night', 'Take Me Home' and 'Midnight Memories'. The collection definitely reflects the band's empire appropriately - by being fun, bold, and mischievous.

'Up All Night' Kit

The 'Up All Night' Kit consists of products to show off a 'fun, flirty, and girly' personality. What does that mean? It means girly pinks, and beautiful blues. The kit consists of:

• "Taken" - Liquilights Gloww Gloss: a glitter pink lipgloss that glows to neon orange under UV light
• 4+1 eye shadow palette in blues and versatile neutrals
• 'More Than This' - soft blushing pink
• 'Gotta Be You' - silvered taupe shimmer
• 'Save You Tonight' - shimmering turquoise blue
• 'Another World' - royal blue shimmer
• 'Up All Night' - sapphire glitter creme
• "I Should Have Kissed You" - bubblegum pink creme lipstick
• "Little Black Dress" - volumizing mascara in perfectly black
• "Na Na Na" - Aqua-blue metallic chrome nail varnish
• "Stand Up" - Dark denim eye and body crayon
• AND - a 5 piece decorator stencil set.

'Take Me Home' Kit

The 'Take Me Home' Kit consists of products to for the effortlessly gorgeous girl-next-door look. What does that mean? It means beautiful peachy, taupe, and nude tones. The kit consists of:

• 'Kiss You' - Liquilights Glow Gloss: Orange glitter rush lip gloss that glows neon yellow under UV light.
• 4+1 eye shadow palette in the perfect nude shades
• 'Back For You' -velvet creme
• 'Change My Mind' - peachy shimmer
• 'C'mon C'mon' - soft taupe
• 'Little Things' - smoky brown
• 'Take Me Home' - golden glitter creme
• 'Last First Kiss' - nude-pink sheer lipstick
• 'Little Black Dress' - volumizing mascara in perfectly black
• 'Live While We're Young' - multi-dimensional gold glitter nail varnish
• 'I wish' - a warm chocolate brown eye and body crayon
• AND - a 5 piece decorator stencil set.

'Midnight Memories' Kit

The 'Midnight Memories' kit is the most edgy out of the 3. It's meant to give off the rocker smokey eye glam look. The Kit consists o:

• 'Through the Dark' - Liquilights Glow Gloss: Electric glitter poppy lip gloss that glows a neon red-orange under UV light
• 4+1 Eye Shadow palette in smoky shimmery grays and neutrals:
• 'Little White Lies' - palest warm gray
• 'Don't Forget Where You Belong' - soft pink shimmer
• 'Half A Heart' - metal gray
• 'Strong' - charcoal black matte shimmer
• 'Midnight Memories' - silver glitter creme
• 'Best Song Ever' - crimson red creme lipstick
• 'Little Black Dress' - volumizing mascara in perfectly black
• 'Right Now' liquefied metallic steel nail varnish
• 'Better Than Words' - blackest black eye and body crayon
• AND - 5 piece decorator stencil set

So now that you've seen the sets, what do you think?

I have some good news and some bad news - the good news is that the collection will hit stores starting August 11th 2014 - the bad news? Only US release dates have been announced. But don't fret, they'll be releasing the set internationally and I'll let you know the details as soon as it's posted.

US Release Dates:

• Macy's - August 11th
• Stage Stores - August 25th
• Dillards - August 25th
• Beauty Brands - August 25th
• Lord and Taylor - August 25th

I will be doing a review with swatches of this entire collection so I'll include a link to the video here once it is available. 

So yes, I'm sure you haven't forgotten that I mentioned that there will be a giveaway. Markwins will be giving away 50 sets to you guys!

IMPORTANT CONTEST DETAILS!

• This contest is open to US & Canadian participants only
• To enter - you must complete all the following steps - 1. Enter your email 2. Like the Facebook page and 3. Post to Twitter.
• You can enter 3 times a day
• Additional Entries can be earned by referring friends, pinning on Pinterest, or liking the Twitter page
• Winners will be announced August 5th 

ENTER THE CONTEST BY CLICKING HERE

I wish you all good luck and make sure you tweet me if you plan on purchasing this collection OR if you are one of the lucky winners! 

So I hope you all have a lovely day and are as excited about this collection as I am. As I said, I'll have an in-depth review with swatches up soon and I might even slip in a couple tutorials. So make sure you're subscribed to my YouTube Channel.

Don't forget to 'Like' Make Up by One Direction on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakeupbyOneDirection

Anyways, I hope you all are having a fab day and don't forget to put a bow on!

Hillary

Disclaimer: This post is powered by Brand Backer. However, I was not paid or compensated to provide this first look. All opinions are sincere and my own :).

How to Soothe A Sun Burn

Summer has been flying by and I finally had the time (and a day off with perfect weather) to go to the beach. I threw on my SPF but made a total rookie mistake - I tossed on my typical moisturizer - Josie Maran Light Argan Oil. Sooo yupp, I pretty much prepped my face to fry an egg in the sun.

I spent all of today in agony and was drowning my skin in aloe and ice cubes. But guess what? That didn't help.

So if you're sun burnt like me, or burn easily, here are some at home remedies and skincare products that can soothe that burn! But first...

THINGS TO AVOID IF YOU'RE SUN BURNT
1. Hot showers - opt for luke warm, or if you can bare it, cold showers.
2. Exfoliating - whether it's a scrub, a loofa or those exfoliating gloves - just don't do it. Be gentle to your skin (especially your face - take a break from exfoliating cleansers).
3. Products containing alcohol - whether it's in your toner, your cleanser, or any other product. Alcohol will dry out your skin even more and irritate the burn. It's absolutely terrible for your skin anyway so I highly suggest eliminating it from your skin care regiment completely.
4. Sun - this might sound extremely obvious but don't expose yourself to the sun until your skin has healed.
5. Make up - let your skin  breathe and heal. Packing on your make up products that contain ingredients like dimethicone, silicone, and mineral oil will only prevent that.

At Home Remedies
Let's be honest, when you're lobster city the last thing you want to do is go out in public, so hunting down some typical household items that can soothe your burn would be a total bonus.

1. Milk (or greek yogurt) 
Milk has the proteins that can help soothe, cool, and repair your skin. I suggest getting 2% because it won't be watered down like skim. Pour the milk into a bowl, and soak some cotton squares. Place the squares on the burnt areas and let it soak in for about 20 minutes. Your skin will feel hydrated, soothed, and this will reduce the itch.

2. Honey
Honey is an anti-inflammatory and extremely soothing. If you can get over the fact that you will have a sticky mess on your face that will potentially drip into your eyes, then I highly suggest this technique. Make sure the honey isn't crystallized (if it is then microwave the honey for 20 seconds), you don't want to turn this into a scrub that will irritate the burn. It's pretty simple, smear the honey on dry skin and let it soak in for about 15 minutes. Take lukewarm water to rinse off the honey and you're good to go.

Skincare Products
The following products I'm going to mention are great to use on a daily basis and will also help soothe a burn.

1. Tarte Amazonian Clay Mask
I know what you're thinking - Hillary, wouldn't the clay dry out the burn more? But amazonian clay is amazing. It is detoxifying, and the mask also includes sweet almond oil and avocado oil which hydrates, replenishes, and softens the skin. The mask also feels cooling which will help reduce the heat on the burn. The mask is also amazing for regular cleansing, I use it 2-3 times a week and have seen a huge difference in my skin.

2. Lush vanishing cream moisturizer
This cream was a lifesaver. It has witch hazel in it which is an anti-inflammatory. It will also help prevent peeling and flaking. The cream also has grape seed oil which will keep the skin hydrated. I still find it doesn't give me the hydration I need on it's own so I use my argan oil as a serum and then layer this on top to help with the burn.

So there you have it, four options to help with that burn. And for the future, be sure to not be a banana head like me and reapply your SPF every 2 hours and be sure to get out of the sun after 6 hours.

I hope you all have a fabulous day and don't forget to put a bow on!

Hillary

The Mental Health Stigma...

Hey Everyone!

So I posted a video on my YouTube channel about a week ago outlining my strong believes about the stigma that surrounds mental health. This has been something that has bothered me for quite some time so I decided that I had to stand up and voice my opinion.

TAKE 10 MINS TO HEAR WHAT I HAVE TO SAY HERE

Struggling with my mental health was a huge part of my elementary, high school, and even university experience. I don't know if this sounds hypocritical or not after what I have to say, but for the time being I only feel comfortable publicly discussing my social anxiety. Maybe I'll open up in the future about the full story, I don't know. But for the time being it just doesn't seem to be a necessity.

I've made my mental health a major priority in my life. That's probably why you (if you know me in person, or only know me by my blog and/or YouTube videos) are probably scratching your head and thinking that I have my shit together.

Let me say this now - I have my shit together because it has taken a lot of work and dedication. Some people are health nuts and make sure they get their cardio in, some people are dedicated to tanning to keep a healthy glow, some people get regularly manicures to keep their hands looking pretty. Me? I focus on making sure I'm okay. Does that make me selfish? Maybe, but I don't care. The cold hard truth is that at the end of the day no one is looking out for you 24/7 from the day you're born to the day you die except yourself.

I'm an ambitious and driven individual. You might not believe me because I'm 24 years old and it seems like everyone my age will spew out fun adjectives like those just to get a damn job and pay off their student loans - but I seriously mean it. No obstacle, no shot to my confidence, and no set back will keep me from getting to where I need to go. 

I'm  on a great journey full of success and happiness, and I have social anxiety. So, as I stated in my video, it really upsets me with people are ignorant and believe that individuals suffering from their mental health are incapable of being successful.

I don't let my social anxiety hold me back. It didn't keep me from doing public speaking challenges as a kid, it didn't keep me from going on exchange to Switzerland by myself at the ripe age of 15, and it certainly didn't keep me from the other 'accomplishments that I have achieved. 

So if you are suffering from some form of mental health then I just want to say that you need to stay strong and never give up. We go to the doctor when we have strep throat, we go to emerg when we break our arm, why would you not do the same if you're suffering from depression, anxiety, or any other mental health diagnosis? 

I have so much more to say in my video so please click here to check it out and help reduce the stigma around mental health.

I hope you're all having a fab day, stay strong, and don't forget to put a bow on!

Hillary

Perfect Purple/Pink Lip Tutorial For Summer

Hey everyone! So I posted a video showing a quick tutorial for a nice purple/pink lip tutorial. This tutorial helps make your lips appear fuller/plumper/whatever other word you like to use to describe super fab lips!

It's super easy, and super quick. I guess you could describe it as an ombre lip but I'll be doing a separate tutorial on that in the near future so keep your eyes peeled!

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO HERE

Pink/Purple Lip Tutorial

Let me know what you think! And don't forget to subscribe!

Have a fab day and don't forget to put a bow on!

Hillary

Dry Shampoo Showdown

Hello everyone!

So I recently did a video on my YouTube Channel comparing 7 dry shampoos (ranging from drugstore to high end).

Click here to see what I had to say

I recently purchased 3 more drugstore dry shampoos so I could add a little bit more variety to my selections giving you -that's right - 10 dry shampoos! (Scroll to the bottom for the TL;DR lowdown if you're in a rush).

Now before I get into my reviews I want to give a bit of background so you understand why my dry shampoo expertise and opinion matters.

My hair is quite possibly the biggest pain EVER! Okay, maybe that's a little dramatic, but it certainly isn't a walk in the park. When it comes down to it, I have a lot of hair, but the follicle itself is very thin so I'm left with a bunch of limp hair that has zero volume. As you can imagine, my hair gets knotted SO easily and it is the queen at getting really oily around the root, and incredibly dry at my ends.

So you're probably thinking that's the end of my woes, but nope! I decided to dye my hair red to add into this insane pickle. I now had to: maintain my red hair, give my hair volume, thicken my hair, control oil, and keep it hydrated. I mean, really?

So here's what my solution was:

1. Wash my hair as least often as possible
2. Use volume/thickening/colour safe shampoo/conditioner and styling products (but we'll get to that in a different post/video)
3. Use dry shampoo to keep my hair looking fresh!

So this might come as a shock to you, but dry shampoos aren't all the same. I've tried some that have made my hair look like I just got a blowout, and others that created such a disgusting mess that I had to wash my hair (and clarify it a few times with cider vinegar).

If you want to check my video where I review 7 dry shampoos you can click here. (Bumble & Bumble, TreSemme, Cake, & Batiste - to name a few).

But now onto the 3 new additions!

Herbal Essences Colour Me Happy Instant Clean & Colour Protection Dry Shampoo

So this dry shampoo has a 'luscious rose scent'. Kind of smells like hairspray at first (to be honest) but it definitely dies down. It claims to give a '1st day clean feel'. Don't let the name fool you, it literally has zero special ingredients in it to give you colour protection (i.e, UVA & UVB filters). The idea is that your colour will last longer if you wash your hair less by replacing shampoos with a dry shampoo. 

This product uses tapioca starch to soak up the oils and sprays on a bit wet. I found that you need to let the dry shampoo dry (haha - but seriously) and then you can brush it out. It does have a bit of a residue so you do need to work it into your roots. I found tossing my hair upside down helped a lot. 

The smell is fine - it matches the shampoo and conditioner from the collection, but it's kind of annoying that they say 'colour protection' when it's honestly a load of crap. I mean, yes, it's sulfate-free, and I might not be a scientist or anything, but are sulfates necessary in a dry shampoo? Don't sulfates give you that foaming effect in cleansers and soaps? I've studied & worked in advertising for 5 years now, so I'm onto you Herbal Essences! It's like advertising that sour patch kids are fat-free - really? But I digress. This dry shampoo is good if you are on a budget, but definitely not the best.

Pantene Pro-V Blowout Extend Dry Shampoo

I'm going to come out and just say it right here, right now. I DO NOT like Pantene as a collection/brand. Most, if not all of their products are packed with dimethicone. For those that aren't sure what dimethicone is - it's a filler (like silicone). You know how some face primers have that kind of greasy/easy glide feeling? Well that's what you're putting in your hair. Some people like how it feels, but it's not doing any good, it's just a filler that is not penetrating or repairing the follicle. So it will 'prime' or block good things such as argan oil from penetrating the follicle and repairing it.

So now that I went on a ridiculous rant, let's get into this dry shampoo.

I was hesitant to try it due to my opinion of their shampoos, conditioners, and treatments, but I decided 'why not' after Elle Fowler (Allthatglitters21 on YouTube) suggested it. Keep in mind, Elle openly discusses that she is sponsored by Pantene, so I was weary of whether she liked the dry shampoo due to it being gifted to her/her being paid to use it, or if she sincerely actually liked it. I've always found Elle to be extremely upfront, honest, and transparent (in regards to her beauty opinions) so I decided to go for it.

Well, I love it! If there's one thing I do like about Pantene it's the fragrance in their products, and this dry shampoo did not disappoint. It also gave me volume, soaked up all the oil, and made my hair easy to style. My hair didn't feel dry or brittle (side note: there is NO dimethicone in this product, but there is silica). However, it did dry out my scalp and make it flake.

They use tapioca starch as the drying agent and I found that this definitely stood up to it's promise. Maybe this is a step in the right direction towards me trying Pantene products (that are not packed with dimethicone of course).

Aveeno Pure Renewal Dry Shampoo

I was actually shocked that Aveeno came out with a dry shampoo, I don't know why but it just seemed strange to me. I know packaging really doesn't matter, but this is my personal favourite (I'm a total sucker for green
though).

I love the smell, it's fresh and light- not too overpowering, but enough to trick you into thinking your hair is squeaky clean. They use corn starch as the drying agent, which definitely does a great job.

The product has seaweed extract, which claims to 'renew hair for a clean, fresh look'. Seaweed is known for repairing the hair follicle and soothing the scalp - but I'm a little skeptical about how much 'extract' is in this product (but that's just me).

That being said, I do find that this dry shampoo does not make my scalp flake or feel dry. This has been an ongoing issue with dry shampoos where it gives me some faux dandruff due to the excess of the product sitting on my scalp (and probably a hint of irritation too with all of the drying).

It doesn't give me the full amount of volume that I need so I do have to tease my hair a bit to give it that extra oomph, but it also isn't flattening my hair and making it feel like I dipped it in canola oil like SOME dry shampoos (you'll have to watch my YouTube video to get the full low down on that one).

Anyways, that's all for now! I hope you all have a lovely day, and don't forget to Put A Bow On!

Hillary

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TL;DR:
Go for the Aveeno dry shampoo if you aren't concerned about volume, go for Pantene if you aren't concerned about overpowering fragrance & drying scalp.

Amazing new products! Nars dupes featuring Vasanti!

Hello my lovely subscribers!

So it's a lovely Saturday afternoon and I was in the shopping mood. I recently ran out of my BareMinerals concealer and my Tarte amazonian clay concealer is a tad bit dark. I've been on a serious hunt for a new concealer (I love the BareMinerals one, great coverage but holy do I ever blow through that guy fast). I know this may come as a shock to you, but I've NEVER been in a Rexall drug store before. I know, I know, there's plenty of brands there such as The Balm, I mean, what am I doing with my life, right?

Anyway, so I decided to pop in. I went in determined to purchase Mary-Lou Manizer. I walk in expecting it to be a carbon copy of Target/Shoppers, but nope! I was overwhelmed with all of these brands that I've honestly never heard of.

So I quickly grab my Mary-Lou Manizer, but then I see this brand next to The Balm that I've never heard of called Vasanti. I died, not literally, obviously, or else I wouldn't be here. The first thing that caught my eye was the Face Base Powder Foundation. It looked really silky so I swatched it on the back of my hand.

the box that the Face Base comes in

Now I need to warn you that this is not an exaggeration whatsoever, so brace yourself. This face base, I kid you not, is a perfect dupe of Nars' powder foundation. It has the same creamy texture and great coverage. It literally covers seamlessly.

quick swatch of the powder 

So Nar's Powder Foundation runs at $65 CAD with 0.4 oz of product. Vasanti's Face Base Powder Foundation runs at $28 CAD with 0.38 oz of product. Pretty damn fancy, eh?

Now onto the packaging: it is in a sleek silver plastic compact with a large crisp mirror and a sponge for application. I personally like using my BareMinerals precision face powder brush, but to each his own.

packaging

I grabbed the shade V4. This shade has a yellow base (as I believe the majority if not all of the line has, so my apologies in advance if you have a beige or pink undertone). It is a perfect colour match, and I honestly couldn't be happier.

So the next Vasanti product that caught my eye was the Liquid Cover Up. It can be used as a foundation, under eye concealer, or complexion concealer. It is brightening, light weight, and oil-free.

packaging that the Liquid cover up comes in

It is in a tube, which is kind of strange, and there is a brush tip. I fell in love with this concealer because, much like the powder, it blends in seamlessly with your skin but gives great coverage.

Packaging of the product

brush tip of concealer

This concealer covered up my hyper-pigmentation with very little product. It was easy to blend and didn't cake up. Ugh, I'm just in heaven.

So I'm glad I took a chance on this Vasanti line. It's Canadian and run by women so WOOH for supporting a Canadian brand! I honestly bought these products based on how they looked in store, I didn't even look up on sites like Make Up Alley to see what others said. And I'm glad I did this because these are two really great products. I definitely will be trying more products from this line. If you're looking for an awesome powder foundation or liquid concealer then I highly encourage you to check out Vasanti!

Anyways, that's all for now! I hope you all have a lovely day and don't forget to put a bow on!

Hillary

Make Up Favourites in 2013

2013 was an amazing year on all fronts! I met a lot of great people, tried out a lot of awesome products, got to see a lot of great places, and made a ton of amazing memories!

So I decided to do a video summing up my favourite beauty products of 2013. I haven't been able to do a bunch of monthly favourites this year due to the lack of camera pickle - BUT! I got the camera I was going to buy for Christmas from my parents so there will now be regular videos twice a week - no excuses. 

Click here to check out the video

So I hope you guys enjoy the video! I have a ton of great videos coming up but let me know if you want me to make a video on a specific topic. I hope you all had an amazing New Years and I hope 2014 is off to a great start for you!.

Have a great day guys and don't forget to put a bow on,

Hillary