Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette - Review & Swatches

Dim Light, Incandescent Light, Radiant Light

Happy Halloween!! I hope you all have a fun not so scary Halloween filled with lots of delicious treats and happy memories.

Today on my blog, I'm talking about the Hourglass Palette that has been really popular among beauty lovers. I have actually had this for a long while now (five months) and have had time to use it on my own time and schedule without the pressure to do a fast review and also get a feel for the product without the whole popularity hype of it getting to me.

This includes three of their Ambient Lighting Powders in smaller size and in a palette, so you get to try three different products. This was my first time purchasing anything from Hourglass, so I was all for the idea of trying this. I had done my research as I always do, before purchasing something and I knew I wanted this palette instead of just getting one of them in a bigger size. First of all, the packaging is gorgeous, sleek and feels very well made and also luxurious as it should hence the high price tag and high end makeup category this goes under. The powders feel very smooth and finely milled. The picture with swatches, I did a couple of swipes for you to be able to see the colour and pigmentation, but keep in mind that these are powders that are applied on the face with brushes, so how it looks in the swatch picture is not how it'll show on the face and for good reasons. On the face it will be more subtle and way more natural.

I use Dim light as sort of all over the face powder sometimes, it has a very nice glow to it, but it doesn't make the face look shimmery or shiny, just gives it a natural luminosity. Incandescent Light I use as highlighter. On my medium skin tone, this shows up very beautifully but very natural and not at all obvious like a disco ball. Radiant Light I use as a blush topper and also highlight. It is a more natural highlight that Incandescent Light for me but some days I want that. As a blush topper, I usually pare it with a matte blush that I want to give it some glow. So I apply the matte blush and lightly dust Radiant Light on top to give a very soft sheen and it's absolutely beautiful. These are very easy to apply, it can be applied sheer but it's also buildable. By Hourglass definition, these are finishing powders. Not setting powder as some would expect it to be.

I am really happy I purchased this and will continue to use it. Now if you know you will only use one of these, then go ahead and just purchase that shade alone, but since I wanted to try these three different shades, this palette was perfect for me. I would recommend it to anyone really! These also last a long time so I don't see myself hitting pan anytime soon.

Have you tried anything from Hourglass? What are your thoughts on it?

Don't forget to G+1, leave a comment and also follow my blog for more reviews to come.

Lots of love,
Dina
♥

Freeman Feeling Beautiful Avocado & Oatmeal Facial Clay Mask - Review

"Rich clays dive deep to purge dirt and oils from pores. Nutrient-rich Vitamin E, Avocado and Oatmeal moisturize for lasting skin softness. Skin looks and feels squeaky clean and is soft to the touch, Perfect for normal to combination skin."

Last one of the four I promised to do reviews on, I swear! haha.. 

I always thought that inexpensive skin care wouldn't work well, and it is true in some cases, but I have tried expensive and inexpensive masks and I find that they both work well sometimes, and sometimes it can go wrong with both of them. Freeman line is the inexpensive kind you can find at your drugstore. I have used a good amount of Freeman products and haven't had any bad experience with them honestly and I hope it stays that way.

This is a clay mask which comes in a squeeze tube. The colour is light minty green similar to the mint & lemon mask, which was the first thing I noticed and the second thing I wondered was if it were somehow similar to each other. It smells really nice and I can smell the sweet oatmeal scent a little. It has a thick but smooth texture. It applies easily on damp skin, doesn't take long to dry if a thin layer is applied compared to a thicker layer, and also it removes very easily with warm water. This leaves my skin super soft and that might be because of the avocado. It absorbs oil but doesn't leave my skin dry or tight, also dries breakouts fast.

I enjoy this mask and will definitely use it up. Now I don't think you need all the freeman masks I reviewed recently, since some of them are very similar and do basically the same job, for my skin that is. It might be different for everyone else. They have masks for every skin type so you can choose which one will suit your skin best.

Have you tried any of the Freeman face masks? What are your thoughts on it?

Don't forget to G+1, leave a comment and also follow my blog for more reviews to come.

Lots of love,
Dina
♥

Check out my other reviews on Freeman Cucumber Peel-Off Mask , Freeman Anti-stress Mask , Freeman Mint & Lemon Mask.

Freeman Feeling Beautiful Mint & Lemon Facial Clay Mask - Review

"Lemony cool clay mask delivers relief from inflammation caused by breakouts. Clays absorb oil to minimize shine and the appearance of large pores. Mint and lemon cool and refresh. Perfect for breakout prone and oily skin"

Today I'm doing a review on another Freeman mask as promised. The packaging is same as the other two I reviewed, which is a squeeze tube. The colour is like a light mint colour. It smells like minty lemon, exactly as the name of the product suggest. It's a really fresh smell and it's not over whelming at all. I like that about freeman products. They smell nice but it's never too much. It can be a negative thing for those who are sensitive to scents though. A little amount of this can cover the whole face. It also applies very easily on slightly damp skin. 

The texture of this mask is very smooth and creamy. It feels cooling on the skin. The time it takes for it to dry depends on the amount you apply on the skin. Thin layer takes faster to dry compared to a thicker layer. Once it's dry, I wash it off with warm water and it comes off very easily, no need to use a towel to get removed which I really appreciate it. So masks are so hard to remove once it's dry and this is not like that at all. THANK GOD hahaha.. I find that this soothes my skin and also helps my breakouts to dry faster. It doesn't irritate my skin which I'm very happy about. I also find that since this stuff comes in a very decent size tube, it lasts a long while and the good thing is that these masks don't dry out or they haven't dried out on me. I have had these a while now and they still work as well as the day I got them. 

Overall, I'm very happy with this mask and find my self reaching for it when I have a breakout, or just want a refreshing mask to use on my skin. I have also found some new freeman masks in my drugstore which I will for sure review in the future once I have had more time to use them. Then I can give you guys my honest opinion as always.

Have you tried any of the Freeman face masks? What are your thoughts on it?

Don't forget to G+1, leave a comment and also follow my blog for more reviews to come.

Lots of love,
Dina
♥

Check out my other review on Freeman Cucumber Peel-Off Mask & Freeman Anti-stress Mask. Also keep a look out for the review of the last mask left from the picture in the far right.

Freeman Feeling Beautiful Anti-Stress Dead Sea Minerals Facial Mask - Review

"Dead Sea Minerals and Sea Salts help replenish and balance moisture while purging clogged pores. Lavender and Bergamot help achieve an aroma-therapeutic bliss to rinse away stress for smooth and radiant skin. Perfect for all skin types."

Today I'm doing a review on another Freeman mask as promised. This mask comes in a squeeze tube as most of the other Freeman masks do usually. It has an ocean blue colour and has a pleasant smell. The texture is creamy and a little of this stuff goes a long way, as in spreads easily. I cleanse my skin, pat it dry, but leave it a little damp, because I find that this mask doesn't spread easily on completely dry skin, but on wet skin, it sort of slides off. So damp skin it is. A little amount of this stuff spreads easily onto the whole face. It dries after 10-15 minutes, but it also depends on the amount applied. If a thicker layer is applied takes longer compared to a thinner layer.

It feels cooling and refreshing while it is on the skin. After I wash it off, I find this mask to calm the redness on my skin. It also can dry breakouts faster when I use this. The smell is very nice and it's not overwhelming. I really like this mask and find my self using it quite often compared to other mask I own. I specially love the ocean blue colour it has. It's more fun than the usual white colour masks typically are.

Have you tried any of the Freeman face masks? What are your thoughts on it?

Don't forget to G+1, leave a comment and also follow my blog for more reviews to come.

Lots of love,
Dina
♥

Check out my other review on Freeman Cucumber Peel-Off Mask. Also keep a look out for reviews on the other two masks on the right in the picture.

Freeman Feeling Beautiful Cucumber Facial Peel-Off Mask - Review

So, I decided, instead of doing just one long post on these four masks, I would do one for each separately which makes it shorter and maybe more fun to read when just talking about one product at a time. So in this post, I am going to review the Cucumber Peel-Off mask.

This come in a green squeeze bottle packaging, the product itself has no colour, it's like a clear gooey thick consistency. It smells like fresh cucumbers, no chemical smell to it which is nice. It applies easily and evenly on the face and takes about 20 minutes to dry completely. I peel this off from my chin area in an upward motion to prevent sagging of skin. I would also suggest to avoid getting this mask on eyebrows or hair line, because it will feel painful when trying to peel it off. It leaves the skin a cooling sensation, smooth and hydrated feeling. I still washed my face with warm water to remove any left over excess.

I overall think that this is a nice, refreshing mask, but I didn't see any drastic results from it. It's nice to have and use once in a while but I might not repurchase it again. The bottle is pretty big, so it'll last a while but when it's finished, I would probably like to try a different peel-off mask. Till then, I'll use this.

I will do review on the other masks on the picture shown soon!

Have you tried any peel-off masks? What are your favourites?

Don't forget to G+1, leave a comment and also follow my blog for more reviews to come.

Lots of love,
Dina
♥

Loreal Magic Top Coats - Review & Swatches

Hello lovelies. Today I am talking about these fun Loreal top coats. I know they're not new but I have had a while to use them and can finalize my opinions on them finally. These as the name suggests, are meant to be as topcoats, so basically to be used on top of other nail polishes. I'll be honest, I have used them on their own as well. There's no "rule" really. So these each have different effects. When used as top coats, it changes the look of the nail polish. It also can look different if used on lighter polish or darker. When using these, I would prefer using a creme finish nail polish instead of shimmer obviously, since the top coats are doing the sparkle job so why use shimmery nail polish and apply a gold glitter on top? haha. Of course, anyone can do what they please, that's just how I prefer to do mine.

The True Gold is small sized gold glitter and it applies evenly and feels smooth after it's dry.
The True Diamond is super fine, pearly shimmer. It applies evenly and sparkles like diamonds.
The Sparklicious is larger differently shaped glitter in black and silver holographic. This one, I had to work with it a bit and almost place the glitter where I wanted.
The Shift Me actually changed the colour of the nail polish. In this case, it changed my dark red nail color to a lighter pink and gives it a thin frosted blue shimmer effect.

These top coats each give a very pretty and fun look to the same nail polish. So you can get a different effect with these and have fun with it. My favourite would have to be The True Diamond and The Shift Me. I've used those two the most as top coats on top of other polishes as well as alone like a normal polish.

Have you tried any of these yet? which one is your favourite?

Don't forget to leave a comment and also follow my blog for more reviews to come.

Lots of love,
Dina
♥

BH Cosmetics Wild & Free Baked Eyeshadow Palette - Review & Swatches

   

I placed an order with BH cosmetics a while back and also had a coupon for a free palette. My package came and this was the free palette I got. Looked at the palette once and I was super excited. Most of the eye palettes I have and reviewed, you might see a pattern and that is colour. I love me some fun eyeshadows. So I was happy with this random free palette. 

I have only one other Colorful palette from BH, so it was nice to try a different one. These baked eyeshadows are all shimmery, which to be honest, I'm more a fan of shimmer than matte so yay for that haha. As you can see, the swatches are true to the color in the pan, They feel smooth and very pigmented. They blend easily and I haven't had any issues with fall outs so far. This palette is very fun and playful. It probably wont be an everyday go to easy palette for a lot of people. I wouldn't go for this if I wanted a neutral eye look obviously. But if I wanted something fun and different I would definitely grab this. Also, since all the shades are shimmery, I would say this is not a one palette type of look either. In my opinion, I would bring in a few different matte shades for blending and stuff. The staying power with these shadows are decent. With a good eyeshadow primer, these last much longer for me.

Overall, this is a fun, exciting palette and I am totally happy with it. It was my first time I had a code for a free palette so that was also very nice. I'm happy with the overall quality and I hope you enjoyed this review as well.

Have you tried any palettes from BH cosmetics? What are your thoughts on it? 

Don't forget to leave a comment and also follow my blog for more reviews to come.

Lots of love,
Dina
♥

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Miraculous Recovery Crème Serum - Review

Happy Thanksgiving to all Canadians out there. I had an amazing long weekend and I hope you did too!! Now back to business haha

Today I'm doing a review on this Miraculous Recovery Crème Serum by John Frieda Frizz-Ease. As much as I am into makeup, skincare and beauty in general, I don't really buy or try out a bunch of different hair products. My guess is that is because I don't have much issues with my hair. I think it manages to look how I want it without hair products really. The only "issue" I could think of is my hair can get frizzy when humid. Now where I live, it does get humid in the summer sometimes, when it's overcast or rainy or whatever. Those days I don't even mess with my hair, I just throw it up in a ponytail or bun or something, so it's out of my face and I don't notice the frizz. That's for when I have long hair. but short hair, no ponytail or bun is doable. So that's when this product comes in. 

This product claims on the packaging to: 

-Transform dry frizzy hair to silky smooth

-Tame frizz

-Repair damage and split ends. 

*Can be used on wet or dry hair, formulated for medium-thick, wavy-curly hair, all levels of frizz*

The creme serum is like a creamy milky texture, smells really nice, a little goes a long way since I have shorter hair now. I apply after shower on damp hair from about my ears down. It does make my hair smooth and somewhat controls the frizz. I don't have frizzy hair everyday, as I said it gets that way when it is really humid. On the days that are not humid, this product works great and smooths my hair which is great. On the really humid day which my hair is like a frizzy mess, this didn't really tame anything for me. Now maybe it's just my hair that this product doesn't work for that much? because I have heard some people that like this product and works for them perfectly. I don't know. I will keep using it and finish it of course. Since it works when the humidity is lower. I'm not sure if I'll repurchase it again. I might want to try something else.

What is your favourite hair product for frizzy hair? post your comments down below. I will be more that happy to read them

Lots of love,
Dina
♥

Smashbox Photo Finish Prime Water - Review

I have always used some sort of spray mist for my makeup. Usually, I use setting spray to set my makeup and lock it in place. So I was excited to try out this prime water from Smashbox. The fact that it's called prime water in the name of the product, makes me think it's "water to prime" the face. In the description of the product, it states that it can be used the complete three ways a makeup spray can be used. As primer before makeup, as setting spray to set the makeup, and as a refresher to make everything fresh and hydrated.

The spray nozzle gives a nice, light mist. It doesn't splash the product onto the face as some other spray nozzles might do. It feels very refreshing and has a fresh delicate scent but nothing overwhelming or irritating. It feels light weight and absorbs quickly. It's very hydrating and I've found that for my dry skin, this almost acts as a second layer of sheer moisture instead of applying an actual moisturizer a second time, which can get thick, and slippery and just heavy. This product gives moisture to all the dry areas I have on my skin and primes it so when I go with my face makeup, nothing clings to dry areas. So I love this as primer.

I have tried the other two ways, as setting spray and refresher. I just feel like it could somehow move my makeup if that's possible? maybe I sprayed too much or too closely to the face but I just didn't enjoy it after I had done all my makeup. I like other setting sprays better for that purpose. But as a primer, this works amazingly. Overall, I would say the actual name of the product "prime water" suits this best.

Have your tried this product? What are your thoughts on it? Also, what are your favourite makeup setting sprays? 

Lots of love,
Dina
♥

Freeman Feeling Beautiful Blue Agave Hydrating + Rose Brightening Facial Paper Mask - Review

Jeez! Don't these paper masks look scary? haha perfect for Halloween if you ask me.

Today I am doing a quick, short review on Freeman paper masks. Rose Brightening paper mask has a very delicate smell of roses, nothing overwhelming, just soothing. The actual paper masks as you can see in the picture, has a light pink color to it. Blue Agave Hydrating paper mask has a delicate fresh scent, Very soothing. This one has a light blue colour to it. So the color of the paper mask sort of matches the packaging color. Just an observation.

The paper mask is really saturated which I was pleased with. Not in a dripping sort of way though. It felt amazing on the skin. It really does cling to the face so I didn't have to lie down to keep this on. It says to leave it on the face for 5-10 minutes but as usual, I either don't listen, haha or I just forget about it. In this case, it felt really good, so I left it on my face until I felt the paper mask dry, and sort of lift up from my face, that's when I removed it. On the packaging of both of these said to rub the remaining product onto the skin. So no washing off after. Of course, I cleansed my skin before using these, as well as any other mask, so no concerns there. Then I went on with my night time skin care.

Overall, I really liked these paper masks. They might not have done any significant change to my skin but since it was very relaxing and soothing, I would definitely repurchase again.

Have you tried any paper masks? What are your favourites?

Lots of love,
Dina
♥

Tarte Golden Days & Sultry Nights Eyeshadow Palette - Review & Swatches

As I have said before, I am a big fan of Tarte. I own a pretty good amount of their products and I definitely plan on doing reviews on them soon. So naturally, when I saw this palette, I wanted to get my hands on it but I still like to do my research before buying anything, even if it's my favourite makeup brand. So it was sold out for a while and then it came back on on Tarte's website, and after a while, it went on sale so I was like SCORE!!!

The packaging is absolutely gorgeous!! First I got it, I was just staring at it because it's like the happiest packaging ever.

This palette comes with two matte shades and three shimmer shades. Toes in the Sand is a matte off white/ ivory shade. Espadrilles is a matte taupe shade. Both the matte shades are smooth, soft, blend easily and have no fall outs. 

Caipirinha Cocktails is a shimmery gold shade. This one is like a loosely packed shadow so it has a flaky texture. It can go on a little sheer compared to the other shades. It also had fall outs if not careful during application. 

Oceanview is a shimmery jade color. Topical Sunset is a shimmery bronze shade. I absolutely love these two. Excellent pigmentation, easy to blend, no fall outs and feels very smooth. 

I think this is a fun neutral with a pop of colour, It can be an everyday palette of me and I love that about this palette. I could play it neutral and also I can play it fun if I want to. So I am absolutely enjoying this palette and I am very happy I got my hands on it.

Have you tried this palette? What are your thoughts on it? Also comment down below your favourite go to everyday eyeshadow palette. 

Lots of love,
Dina
♥

Freeman Feeling Beautiful Honeydew & Chamomile Sleeping Mask - Review

I have always mostly used more expensive brand masks and I have found this Freeman Feeling Beautiful brand from the drugstore that has a lot of different masks for different types of skin. I have bought a bunch of them and I will definitely do reviews on them so keep a look out for them.I also saw some that were in this packaging, and I don't think there actually is a bottle packaging for them. There's a lot of product in this, so I just transferred it to a jar, so I could close the lid and use it again. A little goes a very long way with this product. I have used it about five times and there's definitely twenty or more uses left still.

This is the first sleeping mask I have tried so I was a little confused and skeptical. It has a consistency very similar to a moisturizer with a definite honeydew sweet smell. If I smell it too much, it could make me nauseous so I avoid smelling it and good thing the smell goes away pretty quick. It absorbs to the skin so there's nothing to transfer onto the pillow case. It's very moisturizing so I don't use another skin care the nights I use this. I obviously avoided the eye are and around my mouth. The next morning, it washed off like any other skin care would, so nothing different there. I just think the first time, I used a little too much because it was probably too moisturizing/ hydrating for my skin because I had some breakouts and this was the only thing I used. But the other times I used a lot less and had no bad reaction the next morning. So the saying "a little goes a long way" definitely works for this product.

This is an okay product. It was nice to try out but I wont repurchase again.

Have you tried out this product? What are your thoughts on in? Leave your comments down below. Also if you have a favourite sleeping mask, share it in the comments below as well.

Lots of love,
Dina
♥