Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser || Product Review

Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser: Concealer and Treatment

This product typically runs for $12.99 (CAD) in stores such as Walmart, Target, Shoppers etc.  The packaging is quite simple with a sponge applicator which is definitely something that I don't see actually attached to a product very often.  The tube contains 6.0 mL of concealer.  The clear tube makes it easy to see how much product is left which is super helpful compared to products that are in packaging that is darker plastic.  It has a rotating applicator.  Meaning you kind of like twist it the top part near the sponge and the product comes up a smaller tube inside to the top of the sponge.

I start by applying the product in a V shape where my dark circles begin which is basically the under part of my inner eye.  This concealer is hard to describe, its not a shear coverage but it is also not a heavy duty coverage either.  A product like this is actually quite useful because you can create a coverage perfect for what you are looking for!! Personally, for my everyday makeup I typically apply one coat of the concealer and it is perfect.  I will be honest, one coat does not cover every little thing underneath my eyes. But, if you are looking for a thicker coverage simply applying another coat will give you the full coverage you're looking for. 

Next up, I blend the Dark Circle Eraser out with my finger tips in a back and forth patting motion.  I have tried blending this out with my flattop kabuki as well as my beauty blender but personally, I find my finger is my best tool with this product! It gives a super even coverage and doesn't absorb like any product!  The Dark Circle Eraser is a very creamy product, but it is not runny.  Some concealers have a very liquidy consistency almost to the point where when you apply it it's like water.  Luckily this product has a very nice consistency especially for the price! 

This is a closeup shot of the eye I applied the Maybelline Dark Circle Eraser concealer to.  By looking at the picture you can tell the one application does do an amazing job of covering and treating the actual darker part of my under eye.  It almost neutralizes the purple tones.  A few of my freckles are also peaking out through the product, which does not bother me but for those looking for a very full coverage you WILL need more than just one coat.

Finally, this is a shot of both of my eyes (obviously) one with the Maybelline Dark Circle Eraser (right) and one that has nothing applied (left).  You can clearly notice the purpleness of my right eye is extremely neutralized compared to the purpleness of the left.  The right under eye also looks a lot more even in a general sense.  Notice that the skin appears around the same colour from the inner eye to the outer eye, which is definitely not the case for the left.  This product is super reasonably priced at $12.99.  If you are in the market for a new concealer give it a try!! I mean really you have nothing to lose, because I can guarantee you it will do something for your under eye circles, if not erase them totally it will at least neutralize the appearance of them!!  

Comment down below and let me know your thoughts about the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser (wow that's a very long title) if you have tried it!! If you like it, why or why not? Do you think it is worth the $12.99?  Lemme know your thoughts!!

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Spring Makeup Look Using Maybelline's Pinup Peach Lipstick

Fresh Face For Spring

This is a natural and casual makeup look I have been obsessed with this spring.  I use a light BB cream by Covergirl which evens out my skin tone but doesn't cake up throughout the day.  This look does use a ton of drugstore products which I will list.  Lately I have been using my Maybelline products like crazy so they are  featured heavily in the look.  I used a bright peach lipstick, Pinup Peach by Maybelline to add a nice pop of colour to the look.  I have also been obsessed with how flawless my pores look when I use Maybelline's Instant Pore Eraser.  This product is a tad on the oily side to be completely honest.  But it does an amazing job at blurring the pores for the low price. If you are on the oily side I would recommend trying a different pore eraser because the Maybelline product may cause you to be oiler.

Products Used:

-ELF Jumbo Eyeshadow Stick : Little Miss Thing

-Sephora Makeup Academy: Matte Chocolate Brown Shadow

-Mark. Cosmetics fluffy blending brush

-MAC Cosmetics: Naked Lunch

-Sephora Makeup Academy: Chocolate Brown Satin Finish Shadow

-ELF Blending Brush

-MAC Cosmetics: Technakohl Eye-liner Photogravure

-Sephora Makeup Academy Palette: Matte Deep Brown Shadow

-Maybelline Kohl Liner in Barely Beige

-Maybelline Pumped Up Colossal Volum'Express Mascara

-Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

-Covergirl BB Cream

-Flattop Kabuki (Borghese)

-ELF High Definition Powder in Sheer

-Powder Brush (Borghese)

-ELF Flawless Concealer Brush

-Short Ended Brush (Borghese)

-NARS Laguna 

-ELF Baked Blush in Peachy Cheeky

-ELF Eyebrow Kit in Light

-Maybelline Colour Whisper in Pinup Peach

This look is so light and natural for warmer weather.  The eyes are a simple neutral look using soft browns with a bit of a satin finish in the crease.  The cheeks have ELF's baked blush in Peachy Cheeky (http://www.eyeslipsface.com/studio/face/blush/baked_blush) dusted on as a blush and highlight combination.  Covergirl's BB cream does not give great coverage.  It does a nice job of evening out my skin but it also allows my skin to breathe and my freckles can peak through, which I love.  Overall, for spring I feel it is so important to use nice and light makeup looks to really compliment the warmer weather and the naturalness of your own skin.

I have been obsessed with Maybelline lately, leave me a comment to let me know what to try next!

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How to: Dying Hair at Home

So, this one is for all those girls or boys who dye their hair at home.  Can I get an amen?  Going to a salon can cost you upwards of 100$.  Personally, my hair needs to be touched up every 5 weeks, at the most.  By dying hair at home I save 88$ at least.  I have created this method over a span of probably 3 years.  Being off and on blonde has given me a lot of experience with bleach and high lift products, as well as with browns.  This will be a guide on how I touch up my roots at home using Color Brilliance by Ion.  I use the shade 305210 High Lift Ash Blonde (HL/B-21.1) in a 2.05 oz tube paired with the Ion sensitive scalp 30 volume developer.  Personally, I find this particular color does not leave the hair brassy, or golden rather a nice white-ish blonde.  I get all of my hair dyes at Sally Beauty (http://www.sallybeauty.com), it sells high quality products for a reasonable price.  It is far better for your hair than the cheap box dyes at Walmart or Shoppers which is also a plus.

       *Disclaimer: I am in no way a professional.  This is what works for my budget and my hair.*

  

 Pretty basic.  Brush out any tangles or knots that may be in your hair to ensure the dye goes in evenly.  I like to use a wide tooth comb because I find it is not harsh on my hair and is able to get tangles out just as easy as a large paddle brush.

 So the ratio is 1:2 for these products which means 2 oz of the high lift and 4 oz of the developer.  In this case it means using all of both products.

        I like to add the high lift into my bowl first, followed by the developer.

It is essential to completely mix the products in order to get the best results.  I use my brush which I also got at Sally Beauty. 

Application is key.  Application also depends on hair length and thickness.  When working with high lift products you have to work fast, because as soon as you start the first section it begins to process.  This is why it is key to start with your roots first as it the "healthiest" hair on your head and the dye takes longer to penetrate and lift to a lighter color.  I start out with the very top of my head, doing the first section of roots then using the bottom narrower of my brush to divide into 1/2 inch thick sections of my head as I go.  I press the brush into my scalp in order to ensure that all of the product is evenly distributed in that area.

I continue on and do the rest of the top of my hair and roots.  Really making sure to press the product in, allowing for the new growth to appear even.

After I  finish the new growth I begin to pull the product through the rest of my hair and gather it all up on top of my head.  It is essential to blend the product and make sure the hair is getting evenly covered for best results.  Next step is to put a plastic bag on for the last 15 minutes of processing.  This step is optional.  The bag captures the heat and moisture and creates a nice atmosphere for the developer to work.

LOL

After about 30-40 minutes it is time to rinse.  Usually I just lean over the tub and rinse that way, but standing in the shower works too.  The rinsing is so important because if all of the product is not removed the remainder will continue to process, leaving some parts of the hair much lighter/oranger than the others.  So a good rinsing in medium-warm water will do the trick.

I shampoo with Ion Color Solution Sulfate Free Color Defence shampoo.  This is great for freshly colored hair because it works to maintain and protect the color.  I also use this in combination with a tone correcting "silver" shampoo in my everyday shower routine.  All purchased at Sally Beauty 

I pair the shampoo with the conditioning product.  This product penetrates and locks in the color while hydrating at the same time.

Final Product

If you liked this please share it on Pinterest to help other girls out!

Homemade Granola Bars

Healthy Homemade Granola Bars

Store bought granola bars can end up costing a fortune and half of the time are packed with fillers and chemicals.  You know all those words on the ingredient list that when you read them you can't even pronounce? Well, chances are those chemicals are not good for you and take away any of the actual goodness that we are ingesting when eating store bought granola bars.  This recipe takes about 10 minutes to prepare and 40-60 minutes to cook.  When making granola bars at home we are more aware of what we are putting into our bodies.  Nourishing our bodies with healthy food is good for every part of us; mind, soul and inner and outer body.  When things in packages last forever we should begin to question what kind of chemicals we are putting into our body when we eat them. Healthy=Happy.

Ingredients 

4 cups of natural Oats

1 cup of dark chocolate chips 

1/4 cup of whole wheat flour

1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut 

1/3 cup of brown sugar 

dash of salt

1/2 cup of vegetable oil

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1/2 cup of organic honey

Directions:

-Start off by preheating the oven to 350 F

-Take a deep baking pan and line it with parchment paper

-Next, take the dry ingredients and add to a large mixing bowl, then mix together ingredients

-In a smaller bowl take the three liquid ingredients and whisk in a smaller bowl

-After liquid ingredients are whisked add it to the dry mixture, using a wooden spoon to combine both

-Make sure to spread the mixture as evenly as possible throughout the dry ingredients 

-Once the ingredients are mixed spread in the baking pan evenly.  Try to press down the mixture in order to keep it fairly thin.

-Bake for 40-60 minutes, depending on personal preference for crunchyness. 

-Let stand for 15 minutes after taking it out of the oven.

-I used a pizza cutter to cut it into bars.  I made 5x3 cuts so I ended up with 15 bars!

-Then eat and enjoy!

Spring Cleaning | How To: Clean Make-up Brushes!

Spring Cleaning

Cleaning make up brushes can be one of those extremely time consuming tasks we all have to suffer through.  This is the easiest way I have came up with in order to get my brushes clean and soft again.

First of all gather the brushes you will be cleaning.  Next, I take the Johnson's Baby Bedtime Bath.  It's basically a bubble bath/shampoo for babies, so it is very delicate and soft on the skin and hair which is perfect to gentle cleanse makeup brushes.  It is essential to use a softer product when cleansing brushes in order to maintain the synthetic and real hair quality of the brush.  I find this product also gives a deep clean as well, removing all of the makeup from the brushes leaving each smelling fresh and soft.

I then add a small amount of the Johnson's product to the palm of my hand.

Next it is vital to add a bit of luke warm tap water to your hand. Typically, I clean my brushes in my bathroom.

Take the brush you are cleaning and begin to move it in circular motions in the mixture of water and Johnson's produce in your hand.  This begins to loosen up the product and you will begin to notice the water changes colour to whatever colour was on the brush.  Continue this motion until the water turns back to clear. 

After the water begins to run clear again it is important to gently squeeze any access water in the hairs of the brush out with your finger tips.  After this use your finger tips to reshape the brush.

The final step is to lay the brushes out to dry on a clean towel.  Typically I leave my brushes to dry over night.  Some brushes that are more dense than others may take a bit longer to dry.

Lastly, I place the dry and clean brushes into containers which I picked up at the Dollarstore.  I organize my brushes by which ones are used on my face and which are used on my eyes.

DONEZO.  

This method leaves brushes totally cleansed and removes any access makeup or bacteria that may have build up between washes.  It is also super affordable and relatively quick once you get going. 

Spring 2014 | Lookbook

Spring 2014 | Lookbook

Spring has finally started to show its colours!  Time to put away the parkas and shave the legs, its skirt weather again.WOO.  A few outfits I put together for spring this year! Since I live on the East Coast of Canada it is still fairly cold and there's still tons of snow. LAME.  But doesn't mean a girl can't wear cute outfits! Am I right? All of these pieces are extremely affordable and most likely are still available at the stores, minus the shoes because I got them all on sale, simply the best.

Floral Daze

This gorgeous skater skirt is from Forever 21.  I think it was only around 15$? Super cheap for such a versatile piece! It can easily be dressed up or worn casually like here!  Love this outfit for Easter dinner or going out with friends on the weekend.  Top is a cream coloured crop top with little flower cut outs from Bluenotes.  Stockings from H&M and boots from Stitches.

YEEZUS

So, although you can't see in this picture the shirt underneath my denim says YEEZY TAUGHT ME.  Love it.  I picked it up at Bluenotes for like 10$.  Its super casual but graphic tees are super in right now.  Its a baseball style shirt with black sleeves and a white body.  Paired this casual outfit with my tiffany blue converse.  Leggings are from Lulu Lemon and converse are from Journey's.

Video of all the outfits:

happy spring. 

xx

Vegetarian Chow Mein

SUPER easy vegetarian homemade chow mein. You can add any veggies you want basically.  I used broccoli carrots and corn sautéed in garlic until soft.  Then I boiled rice noodles for around 1 minute, strained and rinsed with cold water.  I added the rice noodles to the veggies then I used 1 cup of veggie broth, soya sauce to taste and 1/4 cup of chow mein sauce.  Fried this mixture for around 5 minutes until it was a bit crispy.  Such an easy and cheap meal, plus it tastes AMAZING.  This is perfect for those cozy nights in when you want to order take out but maybe can't afford it? I am always in that situation. #brokegirlprobs