Review: Real Techniques miracle complex sponge

I have been patiently waiting to try this little sucker.  For Canadians, Real Technique items are hard to come by.  Last weekend I was beyond thrilled to see this little guy at my local Winners for $6.99.  What a steal!  Sorry ladies, there was only 1 left or else I would have grabbed ya'll one :)

And ladies it's true!  Consider this as a "dupe" for the ever famous Beauty Blender.  I love the flat edge feature.  It allows me to blot on foundation easily and gives me more coverage faster.  My only caution; do not drench it in water.   I find the best way to work around this is to spritz it a couple times with water instead of running it under the tap like I usually do with my Beauty Blender.  When the miracle sponge is too damp I find it applies my foundation very patchy.  In terms of feel, the Beauty Blender does feel less poreous and more plush but ultimately they both do the same thing.  They apply foundation flawlessly.  Well done Real Techniques.  2 thumbs up!!

Daily Randomness:

-gobble gobble ... We have lots of turkey left!  The Mr and I are planning to make soup with the left overs! 

-OMG Modern Family is hilarious!

-nail polish blitz alert!  RCSS has a cart full .. All marked down (50%off) Happy shopping!

****update****
Canadian gals, you can purchase the beauty blender here for $9.99 !! You can now stop stalking the cosmetic aisle at winners :)

Photo credit: http://en.paperblog.com

Review: Covergirl XL nail gel

#instaGLAM!  Well done COVERGIRL!  I'm impressed! I have always been an OPI / Essie snob. Never swayed until now.  One swipe gives me an intense high gloss gel finish that lasts 5 days.  No UV lamps! No fuss! No chips!  After the 5 day mark, I layer on a quick 2nd coat to touch up and I am good for another 2-3 days.  Love it!  Pair this polish with Seche Vite fast drying top coat and you have yourself the ultimate combo. My nails are done in 5 minutes. #getyourselfsome

Daily Randomness:

-wow! I can't get over how nice it has been lately. It feels like summer but looks like fall! The mr and I spent the weekend baking in the sun along the escarpment.  Double heart!! 

-yessss! Grey's is back on!  Loving the whole Meredith / Alex thing

-dear Bell Canada you suck.  How dare you cancel my service appointment without notifying me.  I sat at home waiting for your technician for 3 hours.  Grrrrrr!

Review: Make Up For Ever HD invisible cover foundation

Last month we celebrated the Mr's parents 30th wedding anniversary.  A huge milestone!  And what milestone would there be without flash photography.  In preparation for this joyous event, I decided to pick up the ever famous Make Up For Ever HD invisible cover foundation in shade 127.  It is probably one of the most coveted and talked about high end foundation on the web.  Unfortunately for me, it was a flop.  The fondation applies easily, blends beautifully, layers seamlessly and gives medium to full coverage but for an oil slick monster like myself it does not leave me matte.  I looked like a greaseball after 2 hours. I spent a lot of time blotting away and stressing about grease on my face, wishing I had pre-tested this foundation prior to the big day.  Yes, I know.  Common sense right?  I just ran out of time.  If you are dry or have combo skin you will love this foundation. For oily ladies stay away. 

Daily Randomess:

-sweater season is here!! Best sweater season I have ever seen  in years.  Well done retailers!  

-I am totally hooked on the show Revenge. Watched 2 1/2 seasons in 2 weeks!! Go Emily Thorne!  Have any other tv suggestions? I have only a few episodes to go!

-damn! My nails look good!  Came across a killer combo.  Will be posting this next week.  Stay tuned!

Review: Venus ProSkin razor

Shaving made easy!  Underarms done in less than a minute.  Legs done in a minute! I love this razor.  Say buh bye to messy creams, razor burns and nicks!  This razor is my new best friend.  It comes with 3 blades and 2 gel bars that moisturizer while you shave. Ladies, trust me when I say this little sucker is a holy grail item.  The Mr picked this up for me at our local Wal-Mart for under $10.  #getyourselfsome

Daily Ramdomness:

-*sniff**sniff* I caught a little cold :( 

-TGIF!  Did I say that already?  The cold, my sniffles, busy week at work...can't wait to sleep in tomorrow! Enjoy your weekend ladies!!!

Review: EOS lip balm

I use to love these and now not so much. When these cute little suckers hit the market last year I thought they were the coolest, hippest thing to ever hit the lip balm market. Now, I'm tossing them all out and here's why.  

1- they dry my lips out.  I would reapply these suckers constantly.  Thought it was normal back then but now I know better.  

2-mould alert!!  The first time I spotted it I thought, weird hmm just a one off.  Now I am seeing mould on more of them.  It starts off along the ridges (see photo above) then spreads to the top of the inner cap.  

3-they're bulky! You cannot conceal one of these babies in your pocket!

Daily Randomness:
-Yeah!  I started a new personal blog ...  http://mmandthemr.blogspot.com !! Some nights i just want to rant and i feel bad doing it on here as it is not beauty related. If you have a few minutes to spare ...support my hobbie and check it out!
-Back on the One Tree Hill wagon!  The show is not the same without Lucas but still very entertaining!

Review: Garnier Charcoal scrub

A couple months ago i recieved a small sample of the Garnier Charcoal scrub in the mail.  I debated with myself on weather or not i should try it. (I have sensitive skin!)

Last week, with the weather warming up and my oil grands in overdrive i decided to give it a go.  Wow! Not bad. The sample lasted me 4 days.  It was gentle, removed all of my makeup and left my face refreshed. I'm quite impressed.  This little sucker does the job.  I will be purchasing the full size product and will be altering this with Philosophy's Purity cleanser.  

Daily Randomness:

-Ohhh .. i recieved my $3 hairspray order from Wal-mart.ca yesterday! I love free shipping!

Review: ImPRESS press on manicure

When it comes to my nails I love fast & easy.  I received the ImPRESS press on nails in the mail a couple weeks ago and put it to the test.  It was super fast to apply with no mess (love!!).   You literally peel back the plastic backing and press on.  My manicure was done in 5 mins!!

The press on nails looked great but because I had a business meeting the next day I felt zebra tipped nails were a touch too "street diva" and slapped on a coat of nail polish leaving my accent finger.  The nails lasted 3 days not a week as claimed.   I peeled the remainder off in the shower with no issues. They came off like a sticker with no damage to my nails.  Big bonus!!  

Overall I enjoyed my imPRESS press on nails.  My only wish is for more contemporary / less bling bling nail designs.  These would be great to slap on the night before a special event. Key word: the night before or a day before max!! ( you don't want these suckers to fall off at the event!).  imPRESS press on manicure sets can be picked up at your local  Wal-mart for under $10 bucks!  They are currently on rollback for $7.47!!

Daily Randomness:
-Orange is the New Black is back on Netflix!!!  yah!!
-Ventured to the beach last week and boy was lake Huron ever cold!!  Brrrr...
-I'm Boycotting MAC cosmetics!  What happened to their customer service.  I've been a MAC customer for numerous years but in last couple of years have turned away from them as my needs changed.  This month i picked a few items on a whim and tried to return them 2 days ago (without the receipt .. my bad can't find it anywhere). Not good!  Even though i purchased these items at that location, and am in their system they refuse to process a return or exchange.  I'm stuck with these goodies that i will probably never use.  Lesson learned .. never pick anything up at MAC on a whim and stick to Sephora! Bye bye MAC!

Disclaimer: This item was sent to me.  The opinions expressed are 100% mine.  Not a sponsored post. 

Review: NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder

This month during Sephora's VIB sale i picked up the NARS light reflecting pressed setting powder.  This item has been on my "to try" list for a while now as there are numerous YouTube guru's who love this powder.  Sadly I have nothing good to say about this powder :( .  It is very luminous and makes me look a lot slicker than i usually am. It does not help control oil in any way and definetly not good for touch ups. It does feel very light, blends easily but does not create that soft matte look as claimed. Two thumbs down for this product.  This may be a item that works best for dry skin gals.  Oily / Combo Oily gals should pass.

Daily Randomness:

-My HauteLook NYX order arrived yesterday!  I have mixed reviews.  Will share in depth in a seperate post

-Tip Wednesday: Gals pls do an a&# check before leaving the house.  I love a great granny panty but please do not wear them under tight pants!  We can see them bunching!!  

-Loving my kisses blouse from Smart Set today! I'm rocking it with the bomber jacket!  

Review: Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream

I have spotted my first wrinkle :(  

I have been so concerned with getting my acne under control I overlooked the other joy of getting older ... Wrinkles!!  

A few of my fav youtube beauty gurus absolutely rave about the Bobbi Brown Hydrating eye cream.  While I was at Sephora picking up my Naked 3 palette I decided to toss one of these in my basket.  I was hoping, by hydrating my under eye  it would help diminish the look of that one fine line.  $56 dollars later ... That fine line is still starring back at me! There's nothing to rave about here.  The cream is light , easy to apply but often made my eyes water.  I applied this cream in the morning and at night as directed with no results.  This cream will be going back to Sephora.  Please let me know if you have any other suggestions.  I am on a mission to diminish that fine line!

 Daily randomness:

-got nothing today :)

Review: Tarte Amazonian 12 hour full coverage foundation with spf 15

ahhhh!!! I'm a grease ball!! My oily complexion has been my long time Nemesis. After watching Casey Holmes and That's Heart a couple of my favorite youtube beauty guru's rave about this foundation i headed over to Sephora and decided to put it to the test myself. Unfortunately, i have nothing to rave about.  This foundation is probably one of the worst foundations I have ever tried.  I know it sounds a little harsh but this bugger left me looking slick & with pimples.  See for yourself.

The photo on the top right hand corner was taken right before lunch (3 hour wear time).  By the time I got home after my 9-5 gig the foundation started to seperate and look blotchy.  I applied this foundation with and without a primer and also set it with a setting spray.  I had high hopes for this one but sad to report this one goes in the forget it pile!  

Daily randomness:

- I am so thankful for such a wonderful neighbor.  He shoveled my driveway again!!

- secretly hoping tomorrow is another snow day!

- new invite has been added to my Etsy store

Products worth the hype: Pro X brush vs Clarisonic

Last March I was in desperate need of a face fix.  My hormones were changing and my face started to feel like a teenager again (my body not so much!).  After countless hours of web searching and Youtube watching I settled on 2 items.  The Olay Pro X brush and the Clarisonic.  See my comparison below.

Olay Pro X brush :  (Purchased first)

Cost: $29.97

Purchased from:  Wal-mart

Pros: Removes make up, exfoliates, less acne breakouts, smoother & more luminous skin

Cons: Does not reduce the appearance of pore size
Time frame: Used for 6 Months
Status: Retired from beauty routine

Clarisonic:

Cost: $139 (-20% off- Sephora friends & family event)

Purchased from: Sephora

Pros: Removes make up, exfoliates, less acne breakouts, smoother & more luminous skin. ALSO reduces the appearance of pore size!

Cons: I wish it had a removable battery.  I often forget to charge it!

Time frame: currently using (been 2 months)
Status: Best friend, go to beauty tool

Both brushes do wonders for your skin.  I saw results almost immediately.  My face started to clear up, my skin started to get smoother and I started to glow.  By September I started to get compliments about my skin.

To sum it up; if you do not have large pores save yourself some $ and get on the Pro X band wagon.  If you are like me, blessed with larger pores especially around my nose head over to Sephora and pick yourself up the Clarisonic.  You will not regret it!  These items are definitely worth the hype.

Until next time

J