Joe Fresh Beauty

I generally don't love products right away. It usually takes me a month or two for a product to grow on me or for me to re-discover it after it had been stashed away in a drawer somewhere.

Well I'm happy to report that was not the case with Joe Fresh makeup (at least the stuff I tried thus far).

The first product I got is the Light Weight Foundation. I was actually in the market for a new tinted moisturizer, and while named "foundation" I felt this would probably fit the bill. And there was no harm in trying it - it's $6! The foundation comes in 9 colours - 3 for each category of Light/Medium/Dark.

Here are the pros:

- it goes on quite smoothly and it's easy to blend (but you gotta work fast as it sets to a almost powdery finish quickly)

- the price!!!!! amazing

- the coverage: I'm not kidding when I say this works better as an undereye concealer than any other concealer I have tried to date

- the mattifying power: this sets to a matte finish - and stays that way.

Cons:

- the packaging is mediocre, and the product spills out easily if you dont hold it properly

- All 3 shades in "Light" range have pink undertones.

So overall it's a great product and worth looking into. I will definitely try a lot more from this line - it looks promising!

It's available at Fortinos/Loblaws in Canada.

You can also check it out online at www.joe.ca

Major Disappointment

Since I've been sooo good in the last little while and hardly bought any makeup I thought I would reward my good behaviour with little online shopping at Sleek Makeup and finally get those eyeshadow palettes that I mentioned below.

So I log in to the site, all excited, and lo and behold the prices went up! Well technically they didn't go up, but they are now quoted in US dollars! So the palette that was 4.99 GBP is now listed as $10.00. It's not a HUGE difference per se but when you want to buy every single item on the site, it does add up.

Now it looks like I will hold off on buying Sleek makeup and wait (pray) for it to become available in stores in Canada.

Adesign Brushes - now on sale

The 14-piece Adesign brush set (pictured above) is on sale for $99 (regularly retails for $175). I own this set and have been quite happy with it. There are definitely certain brushes that I like more in this set than others so I will point out the ones I really like to use. Check these brushes out at www.adesignbrushes.com

Small Concealer - great for spot coverage and can also be used as a lip brush

All Over Shadow - is a big fluffy eyeshadow brush that's great to apply just a wash of colour all over the eyelid. Sometimes I also use it to highlight the top of the cheekbones or the bridge of the nose - it's the perfect size for that

Eye 4 - is a good all-purpose small brush. You can use it as an eyeliner brush, to smudge the eyeliner or for detail work

Groomer - what's awesome about this groomer is the fact that it comes with a brush/comb on one end and angled eyebrow brush on the other. It's a perfect 2-in-1 for defining eyebrows

I also like all the face brushes (except the XL Powder because it is simply too big but can be used to add shimmer to the collarbone area or even legs).

Sleek Makeup Now Available Online

So I have been waiting for SOOOOO long for this line to be available online for purchase. Their palettes seem absolutely amazing and the price is super low. The eyeshadow palettes are of particular interest to me and they are only 4.99 GBP which works out to roughly $7.63 CAD. That's less than $1 per eyeshadow! I am so tempted to order BUT I promised myself I would hold back on any more make-up purchases this month. Let's see if I can exercise any self control for the next 10 days. :)

Check out the products at www.sleekmakeup.com

Beauty on a Budget: NYX Concealer

I just recently tried this concealer - and WOW!!!! It's so impressive especially considering its low price. You can find it for about $5! It's super creamy and very pigmented so a little goes a long way. It blends nicely and can double as an eyeshadow primer (although not as effective as some proper eyeshadow primers).

Yes it will crease, but honestly what concealer doesn't? To prevent creasing make sure to set it with a powder and voila! If you find it to be too thick, try applying it with a wet sponge - it goes on like a dream and looks flawless. That, or mix it with a little bit of face moisturizer or eye cream and apply.

I honestly can't think of another concealer that I have liked more although I did just place an order for Eve Pearl's salmon concealer so I shall compare as soon as I receive it.

Tip: for very prominent dark under-eye circles, use an orange/peach based concealer as the orange tones will neutralize the blue.

Make-Up Brushes: Foundation

So as of late, I have had a minor (read: enormous) brush obsession. I have tried a few foundation brushes, but never thought they did as good a job as sponges, natural hair brushes or even fingers. That is, until I tried CoverFx foundation brush. This brush is actually very smooth, and more importantly makes your foundation apply flawlessly and streak-free.

Pros of using a foundation brush:

-can be more sanitary

-doesn't waste product (sponges absorb some foundation)

Cons:

-can result in streaky application (unless you have the right brush) which means you will still have to buff your foundation in with a sponge or a natural hair brush

Bottom Line:

Do what works for you and try different methods. More often than not, I prefer to use a natural hair brush (like a blush brush) to apply foundation - it looks airbrushed! But I also often use my fingers especially if I only want a sheer layer

Who knew it was this easy

I have a blog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and now what....