Maybelline Superstay Foundation

Last weekend I went to Shoppers Drug Mart for their Spend Your Points event. I got $75 worth of free makeup when I redeemed 50,000 Optimum points! The purchase I was most excited about was the Maybelline Superstay Foundation. I follow a few Youtubers who have raved about it and said it was long lasting, full coverage and great for oily skin. I have been trying it out all week and decided to give a full review to let you all know if it lives up to its hype!

First off, the package is made of heavy glass which feels nice and high end. It also has a pump which is super convenient and a step up from the Fit Me foundation packaging. The foundation costs $15.99 CAD which is on the higher end for drug store foundation but not quite as high as Revlon or L’Oreal. I purchased shade 220 Natural Beige which is just a tad bit too dark for me right now. I am usually 330 in Fit Me so I thought 220 would be lighter but it wasn’t. The shade range for the Superstay was not nearly as expansive as their Fit Me line, Shoppers Drug Mart only had 5 shades available.

On first impression the foundation is lightweight yet full coverage. It blends easily with a beauty blender or brush. The formula dries quite fast so you need to apply it quickly. I found when I wore it without a pore minimizing primer it did accentuate my pores and looked a bit more cakey. When I wore good primer though I found it looked a lot more smooth and skin like. The finish is definitely matte and it did not break up or get oily throughout the day like most foundations do on me. After 8 hours it still looked pretty good but by 12 hours it had faded and wore off significantly.

This is a picture of me after just applying the foundation and finishing my makeup. It definitely is full coverage and gives an almost airbrushed look right after application. It does wear down to a more natural look throughout the day though. The one trick I learned is less is more, it blends really well and a little bit goes a long way even for full coverage. If you wear too much it can definitely look cakey but if you spread a small amount it looks decently natural.

The Pros: 

• full coverage
• drugstore price
• good quality packaging and pump
• easily blends with either a sponge or brush
• long lasting
• matte finish
• does not break up on oily skin

The Cons: 

• it can look cakey and feel heavy if you use too much
• it accentuates the pores
• lack of shade range

All in all I would say it is a great drug store foundation and easily my new favourite. I love that it is a long lasting full coverage foundation at the drug store! I would highly recommend this if you are looking for full coverage foundation for oily skin.

Let me know if you have tried this or any other new foundations from the drug store lately!

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Fall Beauty Favourites

Snow has arrived in Saskatchewan! I love Autumn but I hate how short of a season it is. Usually it lasts most of October until the first snow fall, and that snow fall showed up here this past week.

I was planning to do a favourites post, and although fall has come and gone I figured I would update you all on all my makeup favorites from this fall.

My most used product the last two months has definitely been my ELF blending brush. It is fairly dense and fanned out so it works great for bronzing! I literally use this brush everyday (as you can tell from how dirty it is!). My favourite blush this fall has been the Milani baked blush in the shade in Soleil, which is a medium shade with a bit of gold shimmer in it. The shimmer is not chunky at all and adds a nice shimmer to the skin!

My favourite highlight this month has been the Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in the shade Incandescent. It gives a nice pink toned highlight that is perfect for the changing of seasons. In the summer I tend to lean towards gold highlight but in the fall and winter I like to add more frosty highlights to my routine.

The brow product I use literally everyday is the Essence Make Me Brow in shade 02 browny brown. It is a tinted brow mascara that works on its own or overtop filled in brows. Even on days I barely wear any makeup I still use this product to keep my brows in place.

I have also really been loving the Milani eyeshadow primer. I do find it helps my eyeshadow last all day, whether its high end or drug store! When I want a more dramatic eye look I have been reaching for the NYX matte liquid eyeliner in black. It has a nice brush applicator that makes winged eyeliner a breeze.

Lastly my go-to lip product this month has been the Kat Von D everlasting liquid lip in the shade Ludwig. I got this in my Sephora favourites nude lips and I have used it a lot since then.

Let me know if you have tried any of these and if you have been using them a lot as well and if there are any other new products I should be trying out!

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August Beauty Favourites – Old and New

I have enjoyed playing with makeup again since coming home from my vacation all July! I have been using most of the beauty products I purchased in my Ulta Haul but I have also been using a few other new products that I have purchased this summer. Although I have a bunch of new favourites to share I also thought it was important to share what past favourites I am still using and loving as well!

Keep reading if you want to know what I have been loving this month!

New Favourites

L’ORÉAL Infallible Blend Artist Foundation Blender

• I love this Beauty Blender dupe! It is soft and works really well when damp. I use it mostly for concealer but also for foundation and it applies my makeup evenly.

NO7 Stay Perfect Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15

• I mentioned this in my Ulta Haul Favourites but it has been my most used foundation this month. It is light feeling on the skin but covers well and lasts all day! It is hydrating but doesn’t leave my oily skin too shiny.

Freedom Makeup London HD Eye foils

• I plan on doing an entire post committed to these but they are incredible. I have been playing with them for the last month and I often reach for them over my expensive eyeshadow palettes. They are pigmented, blend easily and last a long time. I highly recommend them!

Old Faithful Favourites

L’ORÉAL Lash Paradise 

• I still use this mascara daily! I reach for this mascara over my other high end mascaras because I love how it makes my lashes look and how it lasts all day without smudging and flaking. I still highly recommend this mascara!

Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer

• Although I purchased Catrice camouflage concealer and have been loving it, I am still reaching for my Shape Tape quite often. I like wearing it when I have BB cream or minimal foundation on just to cover blemishes and my under eye area. It lasts really well and doesn’t break up on my oily skin. I think Shape Tape will stay a staple beauty product for me for a long time!

Let me know if you are loving any of these products as well!

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Ulta Haul – Favourites

 

My Ulta haul was a major success! I have been trying out my new makeup for the last few weeks and I love so many of the products I bought! I really wish we had more of these products available in Canada but I will definitely have to do a regular online Ulta haul.

Catrice Camouflage concealer in light beige- This stuff is amazing!! It legitimately does not budge all day. It blends beautifully and covers blemishes and dark spots like a dream. I think I may like it better than Tarte Shape Tape. I wish we had Catrice in Canada!

Physicians Formula eye booster eyeliner – I love this eyeliner! The pen is so easy to use and it is the only eyeliner where I get a perfect thin cat-eye every time. The pen distributes the liner evenly and one swipe is all you need. It is not super long wearing on me but I have fairly oily eyelids and most eyeliners don’t last.

No 7 Stay Perfect foundation in warm sand – I really like this foundation. It is light-medium coverage and lasts all day. I rarely find a foundation that holds up on my oily skin and this foundation stayed flawless. The packaging is beautiful, the bottle is glass and it comes with a pump. I highly recommend this foundation but again wish it was available in stores near me.

Eyelure No117 (wispy) lashes – I really like these lashes. I wore them in my last MOTD post and I found they added the perfect volume and length for pictures. The glue they come with works really well and the lashes are really affordable. I highly recommend them!

Real Techniques Blush and Powder brushes – I really like Real Technique brushes and these are no exception. They are dense but fluffy and they don’t shed at all. I like that the handle is on the heavier side as well. They are amazing quality for the price!

Have you tried any of these and are any of them your go-to’s as well? Let me know in the comments down below!

Worth the Splurge

I have been reflecting lately on what beauty items are worth a high end price tag. I feel a lot of makeup from the drugstore ends up being just a great as higher end makeup. Often times the only difference I notice is the packaging, drugstore makeup tends to be packaged in plastic and tend to omit mirrors or brushes whereas higher end makeup is packaged in glass or heavier plastic and often includes mirrors or brushes.

Out of all my high end purchases I decided that the three things I would highly recommend despite their high end price tag are: Sigma brushes, Shiseido eyelash curler and high end liquid lip products (Smashbox, Buxom).

Sigma Brushes – Five-Piece Most-Wanted Brush Set $95 CAD

I bought my Sigma Brushes in a set from The Bay online here.

The brush set I purchased includes:

• E25 – Blending: controlled blending
• E30 – Pencil: soften and smoke out lines
• E40 – Tapered Blending: soft blended crease
• F35 – Tapered Highlighter: subtle highlighting
• F80 – Flat Kabuki™: application of liquid or cream products to flat areas of the face such as the forehead and cheeks

I had been eyeing Sigma brushes for awhile but kept debating whether they were worth the money. I heard great things but I also heard good things about cheaper brushes like Real Techniques and Morphe. Morphe has terrible shipping prices to Canada and Real Techniques brushes can often be hard to find in my city, although I do occasionally see them in stock at Walmart. Although I do like the Real Technique brushes that I own, nothing compares to these Sigma brushes. They blend makeup flawlessly, they feel heavy and good quality and the bristles are so soft and easy to wash. I have not had any shedding from my Sigma brushes, which is a regular complaint I have about cheaper brushes. The E40 is by far my favourite blending brush of all time as I feel it blends eyeshadow flawlessly. If you splurge on one brush have it be the E40!

Shiseido Eyelash Curler – $24 CAD

I purchased this eyelash curler from BeautyBoutique online here after reading several reviews on what the best eyelash curler was. I had been using a very old Mary Kay eyelash curler since high school (and I tried the Revlon eyelash curler as well) but just don’t find they work on my lashes very well. I often find they pinch my eyelid and my lashes don’t hold a curl very long after curling them. The Shiseido eyelash curler works so well that my lashes stay curled all day. It can pinch my eyelid at times but only if I am not careful. I find this eyelash curler very easy to use and keep clean. It is made of sturdy metal and I have a feeling it will last a long time. I highly recommend it!

Liquid Lip Products – Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick $28

I have talked about this liquid lipstick before and that is because it is by far my favourite liquid lipstick. These lipsticks are pigmented and long lasting and they wear well throughout the day. I love the applicator and I find the formula is not sticky or drying like many drugstore liquid lip products. They also offer a wide range of colours so most people can find something that suits them.

I also enjoy other higher end lip products like Buxom glosses and Urban Decay Vice Liquid Lipsticks. I find they hold up much better than cheaper lip products. I often purchase Sephora Favourites sample size lip kits to try out new high end lip products from various brands without committing to the full size products and their price tags and I always fall in love with a few of them! I highly recommend purchasing the Sephora Favourite kits if you are new to high end lip products and want to try some of the brands that are out there.

 

Let me know in the comments below if you agree with my three splurge worthy beauty products and what beauty products you find are worth splurging for!

 

Ulta Haul – Shipping to Canada

I have been eyeing the Ulta website for awhile now but just recently decided to place an order. They offer free shipping to Canada when you spend over $100 CAD so I decided to splurge and order a big haul of makeup goodies.

They had a sale going on that was BOGO 50% off for most of their drugstore brands. I can access most of those brands at Shoppers and Walmart here so I tried to grab products that are a bit harder to find here. No 7 skincare is sold at Shoppers Drug Mart but not their makeup so I thought I would try it out as I had heard good things.

 

 

Pictured above is everything included in my haul: 

No 7 Stay Perfect foundation

No 7 City Light tinted moisturizer

Fiona Stiles & NYX blush

L’Oreal Beauty Sponge

NYX liquid eyeliner

Catrice concealer

Physicians Formula Eye Booster eyeliner

Eylure falsies

Real Techniques blush and powder brush

 

I have been trying a few of these products since arriving back from my vacation and I already have a few favourites. I will post a haul update next week to let you know my thoughts on the haul and what I would recommend!

Have you tried any of these products? Let me know what you think and if any of these are your favourites!

 

 

 

June Favorites

I have got quite a few new products in the last few months and in June I found myself using and loving makeup more than ever! Here are a few of my favorites this month:

Wet N Wild Photofocus Foundation in Soft Beige ($7.99 CAD) – I really like this foundation. I picked it up at Loblaws Superstore because I had originally bought some off Well.ca but it was way too dark so when I saw it at Superstore I was excited to be able to color match to my skin. This foundation is medium to full coverage and lasts all day. It looks flawless in pictures and is a great canvas for other makeup to sit on top of. I apply it with a flat foundation brush or damp sponge. I find both work well. I highly recommend this foundation!

Essence Long Lasting Lipstick in the shade All-time favorite ($3.99 CAD) – I ordered this online but you can also often find them at Shoppers Drug Mart. I just find my Shopper does not carry vary many shades and is often sold out of what I want. I love this color and formula. It is creamy and a perfect everyday mauve nude. It does not last very long but with lipstick I am fine with reapplying it throughout the day.

Sigma Tapered Blending Brush E40 – This brush is EVERYTHING! I did not know what I was missing until I purchased this brush. It helps me blend my crease colors effortlessly and I seriously use it everyday.  Sigma brushes are amazing quality and worth every penny!

Tarte Park Ave Princess bronzer (sample size) – I got this in my most recent Tarte haul and I really like it! It has a bit of shimmer but the color gives the perfect sun-kissed look on my medium tan skin. I have never hit pan on a bronzer but I have a feeling I will use this one up by the end of the summer!

Makeup Revolution Luxury Powder in the shade Banana ($8.45 CAD) – I really like this banana powder for under my eyes. Before I had this powder I was using the Kat Von D Shade and Light palette’s banana powder and I honestly like this one better. It blurs out my under eye area and sits really well on top of concealer without settling into my fine lines.

Benefit Roller Lash mascara ($30 CAD) – My first impression of this mascara was not great, I felt it was good but nothing special. However, the more I use it the more I love it. The brush separates my lashes nicely but it still gives me a bit of length and volume. It does help my lashes hold a curl as well. My favorite thing about this mascara is that it is super easy to remove. For an everyday mascara I need it to be easy to remove and this stuff comes off with simple face wash which is great! I definitely recommend this mascara for every day use.

That wraps up my June Favorites!! Comment below and let me know if you are loving any of these products as well and what other products you have been loving this month.

xoxo Sarah

 

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Weekend Vibes – OOTD and MOTD

This weekend I wanted to go for a look that was light and colorful but still warm enough for a windy day. The oversized sweater is flattering on my post-pregnancy body when paired with a fitted skinny pant.

Outfit of the Day

Shirt: Zara PLUSH ASYMMETRIC SWEATSHIRT 35.90 CAD

Pants: Zara SKINNY MID-RISE TROUSERS 39.90 CAD

Sandals: Sears ALIA Sandals – Not available online

Earings: Tocara Linda Earing

Makeup of the Day

Foundation: Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup

Powder: Marcelle Face Powder

Eye Shadow and Blush Palette: BH Cosmetics Blushed Neutrals Palette

Bronzer: Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer

Contour: Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette

Eyebrows: Essence Make Me Brow Eyebrow Gel Mascara

Mascara: L’Oreal Telescopic

Lipstick: Urban Decay Vice Liquid Lipstick in the shade Menace

Setting Spray: NYX Dewy Finish Makeup Spray

Current Drugstore Makeup Favorites

In this post I wanted to share my current makeup go to’s from the drugstore. 

My ultimate favorite mascara is the L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara. It has an amazing brush that lengthens and separates my lashes. I have used this mascara for several years and despite trying many high end and new drugstore mascaras I always come back to this one. Nothing else lengthens my lashes like this mascara.

The next favorite is the Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer. This is a YouTube cult classic and I totally understand why. This bronzer is buttery and pigmented but still light and natural looking. It also smells like coconuts!

Last but not least my favorite drugstore concealer is Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer. I have it in the color Neutralizer. I am a new mom and have recently developed darker circles so I need a heavier concealer. I find this concealer brightens my eyes and covers my dark circles without creasing. This concealer does not feel too heavy and holds up all day.

Here is a picture of a look using all three of these favorites in a subtle every day look.

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