e.l.f. Makeup : 1 Winner + 3 Losers

Several weeks back I bought a few e.l.f products from my local Walmart. I was super excited as the selection was huge! e.l.f. is one of those very affordable brands that has a great line up of products and a good handful of their products I've tried and loved. A few products like this one and this one are a staple in my skincare and makeup routine. 

I picked up the Dark Blush Palette , Waterproof Eyeliner Pen in black, Small Stippling Brush and Instant Lift Brow Pencil in neutral brown. Unfortunately this e.l.f shopping trip wasn't as worthwhile as I had hoped. The title of this posts says it all. 

Let's start with the clear winner! This e.l.f stippling brush is the bomb.com! It's small enough to fit in an average sized makeup bag. It's a classic black colour and has short bristles. It looks very much like a the MAC 130 short stippling brush. I used the e.l.f stippling brush to blend in my NARS creamy concealer on the under eye area. It's small enough to use under the eyes and around the corner of the nose. The bristles are very soft against the skin and I picked up product very easily with it. I also used this brush to apply cream blush. Overall I'm really impressed with the brush considering it was only $5! I haven't washed it yet so I hope after I wash it for the first time it still holds it's shape and the bristles don't fall out. I will be going back to buy another small stippling brush to add to my professional kit as well as trying out some other e.l.f. brushes. I just hope they are as good as this one!

With the assortment of colours available in the  e.l.f Instant Lift Brow pencil and the spooly at the end this product could have been the front-runner for an ABH brow wiz dupe, but unfortunately this product doesn't work very well.  First off the spooly is way to harsh and dense. I used a very light hand and it still felt rough against my skin. I had to apply several strokes of the pencil in the same area to have it show on my skin. The colour didn't last long( 2 hours) on my brows. I started to see it fade on one of my brows while the other one took a half hour longer to fade. I felt the pencil was too waxy therefore not allowing the colour to properly adhere to the brows and skin. I would probably recommend this to brow pencil to anyone who is just starting to experiment with makeup. If you are a seasoned makeup wearer please skip this product as it will frustrate you during application. 

The e.l.f. Waterproof Eyeliner Pen looks very sleek and functional. It's also very deceiving. The tip looks very pointy but it's actually flimsy and bends if you add a bit of pressure to it.My first experience with the pen wasn't the greatest.I had to shake it a few times to have the liquid dispense out of the pen and after 10 minutes of sheer frustration I managed to achieve a so-called line but had it rub off on me an hour into my work day! I may have gotten a defective pen ,to be honest ,but I wasn't going to buy another one. It's not worth the hassle. I'll just stick to this e.l.f.liner instead. I know it works and I love it!

Out of all the products I purchased, I would have to say this blush palette was my biggest disappointment. I had such high expectations since I read all the great reviews on it. I'll start off with the PROS of this palette. The cost, obviously, was very affordable at $7. You receive 4 wearable colours and it comes in a nice sleek black palette that can easily be thrown into a travel case and off you go! This palette will take you from season to season. Here are the CONS of this palette. The colours are wearable but not pigmented enough for my taste. It takes a few swipes of the blush to achieve "enough" colour. The description of the palette says it has matte and shimmer shades but I noticed all the shades have somewhat of a shimmer to them. There isn't true matte shade in the palette. The blush doesn't last long on the skin. I do not have oily skin and about 3 hours in to my work day I needed a touch up. 

Overall this isn't an atrocious, yes I'm being dramatic again, blush palette to have in your makeup bag. However, with the limited space I have and the mass variety of makeup available on the market I have to be picky of what I carry around. 

//swatches of the dark blush palette.3 swipes to achieve this pigmentation//

e.l.f. used to make an amazing HD cream blush that I have bought in the past and would love to repurchase but I can't find it at my local store. If you know where I can buy it, please leave me a comment below!

Happy e.l.f shopping!

DISCLAIMER: I purchased these products with my own money. I was not compensated for my review and my opinions are my own. I am not affiliated with e.l.f cosmetics.

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3 Essential Steps To Becoming Spring Ready !

Spring is almost here - so some changes are in order! Not just your wardrobe needs an overhaul but so do your skin, makeup and hair. Let's start by swapping our winter coats and boots for a light spring jacket and rain boots(ankle boots as well!).I've compiled for you an easy 3 step guide that will take you from feeling damp and dreary to feeling beautiful, refreshed and ready for Spring!


PREP SKIN

\\ Clarisonic Mia \\

\\  L'Oreal Paris Moisturizer \\

\\ UltraBland Cleanser \\

\\ Paula's Choice Resist Intensive Repair Cream \\

\\ Paula's Choice Resist Serum \\

\\ Paula's Choice Resist Weekly Retexturing BHA \\

\\ Paula's Choice Resist Toner \\

\\ Cerave Eye Repair Cream \\

Your skin is your biggest organ(yes it's an organ,look it up!) and should be taken care of just as you do your heart. We all know good skin is highly sought after. It all starts within. It's been proven that a well hydrated body emits a natural glow that rivals the best highlighter on the market. For your body to be well hydrated you need to  drink at least 6-8 glasses of water. By consuming water you are flushing toxins out of your system and allowing your glow to come thru. It's not magic, it's science! 

At times, drinking 6-8 glasses of water isn't enough or practical so you need the help of exfoliating products. A cleansing power tool helps to rapidly exfoliate the body to reduce dry patches and leaves skin feeling very smooth.

Cleansing your skin is so important first thing in the morning as well as at night to ensure all the products and environmental toxins are removed from your pores. Choose a cleaner that is right for your skin type.

Using a reliable water based toner after cleansing helps to ensure your skin is receiving a healthy dose of antioxidants for the day.

Weekly exfoliating of the skin is necessary! Since many of us can't make it to the aesthetician on a weekly basis, it's great to rely on a solid BHA exfoliating product that improves skins texture, appearance and gets rid of blackheads. As well a decent BHA product will help with collagen production. 

A serum loaded with antioxidants will help to firm, brighten and hydrate your skin all day.

If dryness around the eyes during allergy season is a factor then adding an eye cream to your Spring prep routine will definitely help. An effective eye cream will hydrate the under eye and reduce puffiness.

There is no excuse for leaving the house without sunscreen. Sunscreen is the #1 defence against ageing skin and skin cancer.

Update Makeup Bag

\\ Clinique Long Lasting Coral Lipstick \\

\\ NYX Wonder Pencil Light \\

\\ Mac Face Bronzer  \\

\\ Mac Soft and Gentle Highlighter \\

\\ Essie Thrill to Kilt Nail Polish \\

M.A.C Powder Blush Fleur Power \\

\\ M.A.C Powder Blush Desert Rose \\

\\ M.A.C Studio Waterweight SPF 30 Foundation \\

\\ NARS Custard Creamy Concealer \\

\\ Maybelline Colossal Mascara \\

\\ Maybelline Color Tatoo Inked In Pink \\

\\ M.A.C Eyeshadow \\

\\ MARC JACOB Daisy Parfume \\

Put away those matte lipsticks and reach for a coral lippie! Spring is the time of new awakenings and rejuvenation so don't hesitate to be inspired and try different colours.

Adding a soft cheerful pastel shade to your lids is not only fun, but will also make them pop. Adding a bright bold colour to your inner and under waterline will tie the look together. If a bright purple in your waterline is not your thing, you can always reach for a nude toned eye pencil to give a bright eyed and awake look!

Feeling like winter took away your colour ? Add a soft bronzer + highlighter to your makeup routine to liven up your colour and give the illusion you just came back from the islands!

Blush is magic! It's an instant "pick me up" and if applied properly  can easily transform your look. During the winter months the plums, golds and nudes were in high demand. This Spring, go after the pinks, purples and corals.

Wearing a lightweight concealer and foundation as a base will help enhance your natural beauty and won't make you look overdone. 

Applying a coat or two of black mascara always pulls the look together. If your feeling adventurous, teal and pink mascara(a light coat obviously) is a big hit this season. 

Pampering your feet and nails is a luxury. Schedule a mani - pedi as soon as you can. Once the sun starts shining you're going to want to wear sandals and open toe heels so it's best to be prepared. If you can't make it to an esthetician, read this article for a DIY mani - pedi at home! When choosing colour go for the pinks, reds and pastels.

When choosing a Springtime scent, ensure that it represents your personality. If you're not a flower lover than don't choose a citrus or fruity scent.If you don't like attention than a bold scent such as musk or amber is most likely not for you! If you're Vegan or a Naturalist, there are many companies that offer natural organic scents. Whatever scent you choose, ensure it represents your style and personality well. A lingering scent is at times how people remember you, so make it fabulous!

Transform Hair

\\ REGIS Tea Tree Shampoo \\

\\ Otto-Keunis Argan Oil Shine Spray \\

\\ Otto-Keunis Intensive Mask \\

\\ L'Oreal TecniArt Volume Mousse\\

We can finally say goodbye to Winter hat hair, frizzy and unmanageable tresses! It's time to pamper your hair. Your hair says a lot about you so ensuring it looks healthy and shiny should be a top priority this Spring. 

At the start of every new season you should trim your ends. This will promote hair growth without breakage and thinning. If your  fearless and ready for a change you may want to try a sexy pixi cut or a cute and very wearable LOB (longer bob).

Using a sulfate and paraben free shampoo and conditioner will help hydrate the hair and clean your scalp. A clean scalp ensures your hair can breath and in turn can grow easily. 

An intensive repair mask should be your best friend this Spring.

A hair mask will help heal the damage from the cold Winter months. Once or twice a week is necessary to bring life and hydration back into your hair.

Styling your hair is always fun, but at times can damage your hair. Constant heat and tugging at the tresses weakens the follicles and over time destroys vital proteins needed for hair repair and growth.

This Spring go "Oh Natural" with your hair!If you have curly or wavy hair, shampoo your tresses, let it air dry and add a bit of volumizing mouse to your roots and ends. If you have naturally straight hair, towel dry the hair and comb out any frizz that may have  developed from the towel. 

If you must add heat to your hair, ensure you keep the hair dryer as far from your hair as possible to reduce damage. Coating your hair with heat styling products beforehand will minimize the damage.

Applying a shine spray to your hair will create a luminous shine and this will give the illusion that you have natural healthy hair. A good quality shine spray will also offer UV,thermal and environmental toxin protection.

If you decide to tackle any or all of these 3 essential steps, leave a comment below and let me know how it goes! I love hearing from you all!

Happy Spring  :)

XOXO

MAHA

CURRENTLY COVETING - Spring Obsessions

The more I obsess over the arrival of Spring , the more snow falls in Ottawa! Here are my internet obsessions and inspirations for the week. I have a thing for Blush Pink!

// Aviators are a must  this spring! //

// The mix of rose gold and blush has me swooning! //

// Kate Spade knows what a girl wants! //

// Heels are a girls best friend! //

// This draped coat needs to join my wardrobe!//

// Did you know you could rent this Elizabeth & James bag? The site is called rent the way and it's pretty darn cool! //

// Dame from MAC, a classic blush! //

// Louboutin obsession just got deeper! //

// Rimmel Pink Blush lipstick is the perfect shade for Spring 2016! //

REVIEW - M.A.C STUDIO WATERWEIGHT SPF 30 FOUNDATION

// STUDIO WATERWEIGHT SPF 30 FOUNDATION //

Last month I was searching for a light to medium coverage foundation that can be worn everyday. I don't usually wear foundation everyday but when I decide to its the MAC Pro LongWear. Lately I'm finding it too heavy and the effort it takes to properly blend this foundation out is too much work for a busy woman on the go,go,go,....you get the idea! I popped into a MAC store one afternoon and the MAC girl raved about the Studio Waterweight foundation.I had never heard of it before so I was curious to try it out and see for myself what the hype was about.I purchased it in the shades NC40 and NC42, just in case.I've been wearing it for 3 weeks (almost) everyday now and I've fallen in love with this foundation.

The foundation is encapsulated in a glass bottle with a dropper to easily dispense the right amount of product right onto my Sigma flat kabuki brush. Genius! It has an ultra-fluid, thin, serum-like consistency. Upon application it felt very silky on my face, not cakey at all. I noticed right away that it blurred out my "freckles" ( OK sunspots) on my temple. This impressed me as I was really considering getting these spots lasered off! The finish is neither matte nor dewy. After one application it has a very natural finish, almost satin/sheen like. At two applications it's a full medium coverage foundation. I've only been applying one even coat and I'm really happy with the amount of coverage I'm getting. As I've mentioned before, I have very dry skin in the winter and I felt this foundation didn't dry up my skin.I can't say it hydrated it either, but it does a good job of not drying it up further.I love the idea that the watertight foundation has SPF 30 in the formula. As well the MAC girl gushed over the fact that it's full of antioxidants(to help repair damaged skin). This can be used on all skin types including acne prone skin. It's water based and should not cause irritation to the skin. 

Overall, I'm giving the Studio Waterweight foundation a thumbs up. If you're in the market for a light - medium foundation, definitely try it out and let me know what you think :)

GLAM NYE LOOK

I can't believe 2015 is coming to an end! For all of you that live in Ottawa,don't you love all the snow that finally landed on our beautiful city! I know you won't let a little snow distract you from your New Years Eve plans. To ring in the NY I collaborated with Rania Abdullah from The Wardrobe Stylist, HairByNadine and our model Simar from Mini Me City to put together a Makeup + Hair + Styling tutorial on how to pull off an easy but GLAM NYE look!

Trust me when I say this is easy to do. 

It was our first go at it and I have to say we really enjoyed ourselves(a bit too much) and I believe we truly accomplished some work worth sharing. 

MAKEUP LOOK

The key to a great cut crease is patience, and a bit of practise!

1. Apply eye primer such as MAC PRO LONGWEAR PAINTPOT in soft ochre to the entire lid.
2. Apply a highlight like Gesso on the inner corner of the eye and brow bone.
3. Along the crease area, draw a line from the outer corner of the eye to the inner corner with a kohl pencil or eyeliner.
4. Use an eye shader brush like the Eco tools brush to blend the eyeliner out. Use small windshield wiper movements to blend the kohl or eyeliner.
5. Apply any eye shadow colour you like over the line ( I used Naked from the UD NAKED palette). You can go a bit above the line as well. Ensure you are blending the colour toward the inner corner of your eye.                                                                                             
6.  TIP: I wanted a dramatic cut crease so for the step above I thickened the eye shadow line with the NAKED shadow.
7. Apply shadow all over the lid to add colour to the look. I used Half Baked from the UD NAKED palette.
8. Create a winged look with any liquid/gel liner you have on hand. I used Revlon ColorStay Liquid Liner in Black.
9. For a more dramatic look add glitter on top of the Half Baked Shadow. I used Annabelle Glitterama in Solar Flare. 
10. For added drama, apply Naked from the UD NAKED Palette to the lower lashline and go over it with a bit of Darkhorse, also from the NAKED palette.
11. Line your inner lashline with kohl black pencil.
12. Finish the look off with falsies and a good coat of mascara. I used Maybelline Volume Express Colossal 

STYLING

To achieve an ultra GLAM look Rania, from The Wardrobe Stylist, suggests adding these accessories to your outfit of the night.

1. Aqua stone ring (this one has a silver frame though)

2. Cuff bracelet

3. Hair chains

4. Ankle bracelet

5. Kaftan paired with pants and ultra comfortable tank

6. Bangles

7. Slave bracelets

8. Cuffs

9. Arm band

10.Oversized rings in natural stones

11.Simpler rings such as the criss cross x ring

12.Head chains (These can be found on Etsy at great prices)

14.Ankle bracelet or ankle slave bracelets

You can read more about the Styling for this specific look over on The Wardrobe Stylist

HAIR

1. Blow out the hair before styling

2. Section by section curl hair with the curling iron or wand

3. Once all the hair is curled, loosely pin up each curl with a bobby pin

4. Let the hair set for 15-20 minutes

5. Take the pins out and brush each curl out seperatetly to create a wave look

6. Spray with light hold hairspray if desired

7. Clip the hair chains underneath the hair strands close to the ears to hide the attaching clips

8. Add the top head chain and align with the hair partition. 

Voila! You're all Glammed up for NYE!!!

What's In My EveryDay Makeup Bag ?

I tend to stick to the basics when it comes to my everyday makeup. If I know I'll be heading out to a function after work and not heading home first, then I'll include my Urban Decay naked 2 palette and Urban Decay all nighter setting spray in my bag to glam up my day look to a night look.I didn't include any liquid foundation and eyeshadow in this post as it would be deceiving to include them because 90% of the time in the Fall/Winter I don't wear liquid foundation and eyeshadow on a daily basis. I'll wear them on the weekend or if I'm going out to an event. I'll do an updated "What's in my makeup bag " post in the Spring as the items in my bag will change from season to season.

Tyler Dawson for Clinique

I love this makeup bag. It was a free gift with purchase from Clinique.I love the pattern and it's a really good size and fits all my makeup.

1.Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion +

2. Oil free City Block Face Protector 

( not shown but I use this sunscreen before apply moisturizer)

1.MAC Studio Fix, shade NC35

2.NYX Butter Lipstick, shade Pops Explosiv

3.Smashbox Photofinish Primer

4.Maybelline Pumped Up! Colossal Mascara, shade Blackest Black

5.NARS Creamy Concealer, shade Ginger

6.NYX Blush, shade Mauve

7.Body Shop, White Musk (old packaging)

8.MAC 168 Large Angled Contour Brush

9.MAC 129SH Brush

Before I forget,I wanted to include a picture of my handbag. As you know, I was on the hunt for an everyday handbag for months. I finally found something practical, stylish and reasonably priced. Funny story about this particular handbag; I found the brand Tutilo online and I really liked the style, practicality and affordability of their handbags but of course never found the time to actually purchase the bag online. A few weeks later I walk into Marshall's and what do you know...the bag is staring me in the face. I was so excited! Marshall's and Winners now carry a few of the Tutilo product line. I absolutely love the bag and highly recommend it. It's faux pebbled leather,includes a take-away clutch,very roomy, and super stylish. I have received so many compliments on this bag. My next purchase will be this Tutilo handbag. 

P.S. To my readers who look forward to my monthly favourites, I'm sorry but I skipped it for October. I didn't do a lot of purchasing this month and the items I did buy I didn't feel were really that great to write about, so I'll be combining my October and November favourites. I already started working on this post so you know it' gonna be good!!!

Maha :)

//Please Note that this is not sponsored posts//