Category: Cruelty Free Makeup


Jul
2018

Makeup Most Wanted June 2018

categories: Bath And Body, Body Care, Cruelty Free Makeup, Hair Reviews, Makeup Most Wanted, Makeup Reviews, PR Sample, Uncategorized

It seems like the weather in Toronto went from winter to middle of summer in two days. As a result June was hot and sticky and the products I loved the most definitely reflected that.

Live Clean Mineral Clay Rebalancing Shampoo

Like my skin, my hair goes a little crazy in the summer. My roots get incredibly oily and itchy and my hair just dries out. Live Clean’s Rebalancing Shampoo has done a really good job of keeping my scalp itch free while moisturizing my ends. The combination of three mineral clays (Kaolin, Montmorillonite and Bentonite) along with apple cider, witch hazel and tea tree have really succeeded in balancing out my head where other products have failed. There’s a matching conditioner that I use along with it but the shampoo is really the star.

L’Occitane Citrus Verbena Moisturizing Body Foam

I really look forward to the new verbena products that L’Occitane releases every summer and this Moisturizing Body Foam might be my favourite yet. I’ve used a few body foams in the past but nothing that’s ever blown me away or seemed like more than a gimmick. L’Occitane’s version however is both cooling and extremely hydrating. It’s like a hair mousse in texture and a little goes a long way. The iconic L’Occitane verbena scent is perfect for summer (and keeps the bugs away) and it’s really easy to throw in a bag if you’re going to the beach or on a road trip.

Beautycounter Color Intense Lipstick in Brunch

I’m generally a matte liquid lipstick person but in the summer I like things a little lighter. This lipstick has insane colour payoff, I got full coverage in one swipe and even when I blotted it down a bit, I still have a ton of colour. There are eight Color Intense shades but my favourite is Brunch, a tawny pink with a hint of coral that comes out when it blots down. Beautycounter calls this long wearing and while it’s a lot better than some creamy lipsticks, you’ll definitely have to reapply. That said, this lipstick is incredibly creamy and comfortable and there’s peppermint oil in it that keep your lips feeling cool. And I love that Beautycounter doesn’t have a whole lot of crap in their products.

Invisibobble Magic Mermaid in Ocean Tango

Onto another one of my all time favourite products. I love Invisibobble so much that I haven’t used another kind of hair tie in about a year. These keep my hair secure and I don’t get headaches from them like I do with other hair elastics. For the summer they’ve released the Magic Mermaid collection that changes colour in UV light. There are two shades; Ocean Tango (light blue to dark blue) and Coral Cha-Cha (pale pink to hot pink). I love the Ocean Tango colours and even though I can’t see it changing colour, it’s fun to know that it does.

Body Fantasies Hearts & Daisies

When the weather is hot, I tend to like a body spray over a perfume since they’re generally lighter. And just in time for summer, Body Fantasies have released Hearts & Daisies, a light, fruity and floral scent. With notes of green apple, pink peony, daisy and creamy woods, this is a great summer body spray.


Apr
2018

Tarte Mermaid Collection Most Wanted

categories: Cruelty Free Makeup, Makeup Collection, Makeup Most Wanted, Makeup Reviews, Palettes, PR Sample, Reviews

Mermaid and unicorn makeup are everywhere right now and I totally get it. Between the pastels, metallics and all the colours in between; they’re just pretty and fun. Tarte’s new Mermaid collection is pretty big and has everything from an eyeshadow palette, tons of lip options, brushes and skin care and it’s all got mermaid themed packaging. It’s hard to cover a collection that large in one go, so these are my Most Wanted from the Mermaid collection.

Palettes are usually the focus of most collections and the Be A Mermaid & Make Waves collection is definitely a star. There are fourteen matte and metallic shades that range from neutrals to some pops of colour and the pigments are pretty great. Tarte’s shadows are generally my go to’s from day to day and this palette is definitely getting a spot in my routine.

Two of my favourite lippies from the collection are the Limited Edition Tarteist Quick-Dry Matte Lip Paint in Exposed and the Holographic Lip Gloss. Exposed is a gorgeous neutral pink that doesn’t leave your lips feeling dried out and while I don’t love lip gloss, the Holographic Lip Gloss isn’t sticky or tacky at all and so, so pretty.

Exposed, Holographic Lip Gloss, Gloss over Exposed

You can use these separately or layer the gloss over Exposed as a topper.

My absolute favourite from the entire collection is the Mermaid Skin Hyaluronic H2O serum. This vegan serum is packed with Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin B5, Algae and marine extracts and keeps your skin super hydrated and glowing. It doesn’t have a strong scent and literally melts into your skin. It’s on the watery side, so you have to be quick applying it but it’s so worth it. It feels so nice.

Now you’ll have to excuse me while I look into how to become a mermaid full-time.


Apr
2018

Pretty Vulgar Bury Them With a Smile Matte Lipstick Collection

categories: Cruelty Free Makeup, Makeup Reviews, PR Sample

With spring finally here and the weather in Toronto slowly becoming bearable again, I’ve started to come out of my winter hibernation ‘blah-mode’ and have gone into full blown ‘cute-mode.’ You know that mode, where everything pretty and girly and pink just speaks to you on a ‘that would be sooooooo cute – I totally need that’ kind of level.  That mode where you finally want to dress up in cute spring outfits, let your gorgeous locks fly and rock a smile-worthy lip colour. This is where Pretty Vulgar’s Bury Them With a Smile Matte Lipstick Collection comes to play.

Pretty Vulgar is a relatively new brand that has become well-known for their glamorous vintage inspired packaging that never fails to bring that wow-factor. No boring black tubes here, instead the packaging is laced with delicate details that give the collection a feeling of old-time enchantment.

Once I got past the adorable exterior and actually tried out the vegan and cruelty free matte lipstick line, I was impressed. The attention to detail the company puts into packaging definitely wasn’t lost on the lip colour’s formula itself. I thought the lipstick was delicate and creamier than your average brand and a little went a long way. My lips also didn’t dry out at all using this line, probably thanks to the mango seed butter, shea butter, and avocado oil in the ingredients list. Staying power was slightly above average but don’t expect these colours to last through a full meal or night of drinks.

So my Spring search for all things cute has started off with a successful huzzah. My favourite colour of the line is easily 11 – Mood Swing, it really adds an adorable and bright pop of pink to my look and gives me one more reason to smile.

 

 

 

 


Oct
2017

Tarte Highlighters Head To Head

categories: Cruelty Free Makeup, Makeup Collection, Makeup Reviews, PR Sample

Tarte is lighting up the season and adding a little sparkle and shine with a few new highlighters. There are two types of Tarte Highlighters for all of your needs:  Tarteist Pro Glow Liquid Highlighter and Tarte Twinkle Stick. These highlighters are very different, and I feel like people will prefer one or the other, but not both.

I prefer the Tarteist Pro Glow Liquid Highlighter. These little tubes have beautiful colours that perfectly complimented my skin. The two shades (Exposed and Sparkler) have a slight bronze metallic hue. This is perfect for giving me a highlighting glow to my cheeks that almost looks sunkissed. As you might expect when you see the petite size of these highlighters, a little goes a long way. Start with just a drop on your cheeks and add on. This Tarte Highlighter blends well, but makes a big impact.

The Tarte Twinkle Stick isn’t my fave, but it’s going to be popular with a lot of people. I actually expected to like it more. This stick style makeup looks adorable in the packaging and the silver shimmer stick just makes you want to apply. Obviously with the stick format, it’s simple to use. Just swipe, blend and go. You can literally add highlighter to your cheeks, or anywhere else you want, in about two seconds. The reason I don’t like it as much is that I don’t find the highlighting shimmer as prominent in this stick makeup. The Tarte Twinkle Stick is much more subtle. On my skin tone, it doesn’t make as much impact. I think if you had darker skin than me, it would create a beautiful shimmer.


Aug
2017

Get The Perfect Organic Smokey Eye With Antonym Cosmetics

categories: Cruelty Free Makeup, Makeup Reviews, Organic Makeup

So many of us are trying to be more conscious about what kind of makeup we’re buying. Cruelty free, organic, vegan are all words that a lot of us are looking for but sometimes the quality just isn’t up to the standards that we expect. In 2010 makeup artist Valerie Giraud launched certified organic and cruelty free Antonym Cosmetics. With the recent launch of some of their products at Sephora, we were sent some press samples to try and found the perfect, organic smokey eye! Here’s how we did it.

Certified Organic Quattro Eyeshadow in To The Moon & Black 

Obviously eyeshadow is an important part of a smokey eye and this palette is really all you’ll need. With an off-white, black and two grey shades, you can mix and match to get the look you want. The shadows are pretty well pigmented and creamy enough that I didn’t see a lot of fallout. The sustainable bamboo packaging and cruelty free double ended brush are an added bonus.

Natural Eye Pencil in Noir

I never expect much from an organic eyeliner. Actually, I do, I expect them to be a pain to work with. These eyeliners are a dream to work with though. With jojoba oil and shea butter as just two of the ingredients, you can just imagine how easily these glide on. It comes with a removable sharpener that sits on the end of the pencil when you’re not using it. They’re waterproof but they do move around a bit (which helps with getting that smudged, smokey look), so a setting spray is probably a good idea anyways. I’m completely in love with the brown shade and I’ll definitely be buying more when I run out.

Certified Organic Mascara Lola Lash TOO

I usually have issues with plastic mascara wands hurting my eyes but Antonym’s wand is so flexible and soft that I can use it with no problems at all. The formula is a little too wet for my personal taste but if you let it dry in between coats, you’ll end up with both volume and lengthened lashes without that stiffness that most of us hate. It doesn’t smear or get clumpy but I did have to be careful while applying to not get it on my upper eyelid.

All of these lasted hours in summer heat fairly well and came off easily with a makeup wipe, which is something I want in a smokey eye. So if you’re looking for a smokey eye that’s also good for the environment, you might want to try these.