Becca Cosmetics and Jaclyn Hill: Champagne Pop

Hi Everyone!

I FINALLY got my hands on the most buzzed about highlight of the summer. I’m sure all of you know that Becca Cosmetics recently collaborated with Youtuber Jaclyn Hill and created a new Shimmering Skin Perfector Shade, Champagne Pop. I already owned Becca’s Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal and I really love the formula, so that in combination with a Youtuber I watch really often made this a must purchase for me.

This of course got insanely hyped up, so I wanted to see for myself if this was as good as everyone said it was or if had more to do with Jaclyn’s name being attached to it. I tried to get this as soon as it launched but it wasn’t available on Sephora Canada’s website right away and by the time it was, it was pretty much immediately sold out. So after basically stalking the website, it finally came back into stock and I ordered it right away. Now that I’ve had some time to play with it, I thought a review was in order.

Packaging

The outside packaging for this was super cute and mimics the product inside. I love the colour of this and I wish they had made the actual product packaging this colour as well. I think that would have been a nice touch. Considering this is a limited edition collaboration, the inside packaging could have been limited edition as well, rather than the same old same old as their other Shimmering Skin Perfectors. It’s not a big deal of course, but it would have made it even more special.

Shade

The tone of this is a light, warm peachy gold. Despite being pretty pale, this is definitely not too dark to wear on my skin tone, but I never found Opal too dark even though some other fair girls thought it was a bit dark for them. I think if blended properly, even fair skin can pull of a range of highlight shades. When I first swatched this it seemed much more glittery than I was expecting and that made me a bit nervous. Glitter isn’t something I typically go for in a highlight so I wasn’t sure how that would translate on. Luckily when I actually apply it to my face, the glitter doesn’t translate and it just leaves a light golden glow.

For those of you who may already own Opal and are wondering if it’s worth purchasing Champagne Pop, here are the two side by side. You can see that Opal is darker and more pink than Champagne Pop. The pink in Opal didn’t pick up on camera like it does it person, but they are definitely different shades. Opal is on the left and Champagne Pop is on the right.

Formula

This is an identical formula to Opal. It’s very creamy and extremely pigmented. I can kick up a bit of product if you really press your brush in, but since it’s pretty pigmented there’s really no need. The only knock I have against this formula is that for some reason it just doesn’t last on my skin. I have normal to dry skin like I’ve said many times before so I rarely have issues with products fading, but this seems to. I’m not sure why it does this exactly but it’s a little frustrating. It is an extremely expensive highlight so I think my glow should last until I take it off. I’m going to try and see if maybe a setting spray would help. I usually am okay without one, but I’ll try the one I have (L’Oreal Infallible) and see if that improves it. That’s definitely a knock against it, but I still really love the shade.

For those of you curious what this looks like on fair skin, here is what it looks like on me.

So there you have it! I hope you enjoyed this review and let me know in the comments if you picked up Champagne Pop!

Bye for now!

Chelsey

February 2015 Favourites

Hi Everyone!

February is nearly over and that means it’s time to post my favourites products of the month. I experimented with my makeup quite a bit this month, so it took me a bit to figure out what products I consistently reached for, but once I had a look I did have a few consistent products.

One ‘old’ favourite…

Jaclyn Hill Favorites Palette

Now I know I mentioned this last month, but this is THE palette I have been reaching for. It just has my kind of shades. So I figured I get this out of the way first. I couldn’t not mention it. I honestly think the fact that this has been a favourite 2 months in a row is a testament to the palette. When I initially ordered the palette I wasn’t sure it would be good quality or just a brand with a popular Youtuber’s name attached to it. But it is good quality and it’s versatile, which is probably why I’ve been reaching for it so much. When this comes back into stock I highly recommend picking it up, whether you’re a Jaclyn Hill fan or not. I will link my full review for those still on the fence about purchasing it.

Jaclyn Hill Palette Review

Okay now onto ‘new’ favourites.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation and Nars Sheer Glow

I have been obsessing over a foundation mix this past month. Double Wear is a very heavy duty foundation that I did love over the summer (it’s budge-proof) but haven’t picked it up in a little while. I initially mixed these 2 foundations because I was concerned that the Double Wear would be too dark, but I ended up loving the effect. You end up with the best of both of these. You get the lightness of the Sheer Glow, with the coverage of the DW and they mix to make a beautiful satin finish. Adding in the Sheer Glow really addresses the heaviness that comes along with the coverage of the DW. I couldn’t believe it when I first saw it. I’m going to include a picture from my latest FOTD so you can see what it looks like on the skin. I’m beyond impressed and I have been mixing all month long!

Milani Color Statement Lip Liner in Nude and MAC Blankety

Okay so apparently my next favourite is a mix as well. I have been experimenting with some new lip combinations this month and I stumbled upon an ‘ombre’ lip combination. I started off by wearing just the liner alone all over my lips, as a deep rosy nude which I actually love. I’m surprised because I figured this lip shade wouldn’t work with my fairer than fair skin, but it actually works. To mix it up a bit I was playing around and decided to put the same lip liner all over and then add Blankety in the centre and it created an ombre look.  I can’t seem to find the lip liner on Milani’s website anymore which makes me sad because mine is whittling away.

Rimmel Provocalips- Dare to Pink

This next favourite will come as no surprise, after I gave this a great review earlier this month. I love this as a great everyday shade, but the staying power is where this baby’s power is really at. I love that I can put this on, throw on the top coat and go for an entire day without touching up. I have had a couple nights where I took off my makeup and forgot to go over my lips, only to find this still on in the morning. I won’t blab on too much, since I covered all the details in my review, which I’ll link for those who want all the deets.

Liquid Lipstick Comparison

DermOrganic Intensive Hair Repair Masque

I don’t talk often about hair products on here, so when I do mention one it must be good. Ever since I moved cities a few years back I have been suffering from extremely dry, brittle hair that is likely due to chlorine in the water that I wasn’t getting before. I have tried so many products to deal with the insane knots and the overall lack of softness. I have never found anything that gave me softness that lasts. I would find something I thought was great and then the next day, I would be combing out a ton of knots. I decided on a whim to give this hair mask a go. I had never heard anything about this brand or the mask, but I decided to give it a try anyway and I’m really glad I did. When I use this, my hair is actually continually soft, not for a day like the others I’ve tried. It has really helped with the knots I was getting and the overall appearance of my hair (shine, frizz). In terms of my hair type, I have thick, very wavy colour-treated hair that generally does not sit nice if it’s not styled. Once I started using this my hair dried calmer and with less wonky waves. I can actually let my hair air dry and wear it without putting it up…Hallelujah. I will say that this is a pretty intense treatment so I wouldn’t recommend it for fine hair as I think it will really weigh it down. I keep this out of my roots entirely and focus on the bottom half of my hair, as it is a bit too heavy for the root area (I don’t need it there anyway). I got this huge bottle at Winners for $20, which is a great deal compared to the product I was using before. For those of you not in Canada, I know in the US you can find this brand at Ulta. I’m not sure in terms of where they sell internationally.

This brand does make a shampoo and conditioner as well and I’m going to pick it up as soon as I’m done with my current products. I am beyond impressed since Argan Oil based products usually don’t work for me.

Nume Lustrum Curling Wand Set

I surprisingly do have another hair favourite for February (2 hair favourites in 1 month? I must be broken). I was gifted the Nume Lustrum set for Christmas by my boyfriend and I have been using it a lot more this month. The set comes with 5 wands, but I have been loving the largest 32 mm barrel the most this month. It gives me big, soft, voluminous curls which is a look I have loved for a long time but could never achieve.

This is a brand that is all over Youtube and sponsors a ton of videos, so as much as I wanted this, I was slightly skeptical just because so many people are paid to talk about it. These really are good quality wands. They heat up quickly and once I’ve curled my hair it lasts a long time, which is good because my hair is difficult and resistant to curling. I haven’t played with all the barrels, but I’m thinking I’ll show what each wand does in a future review post so that those of you considering this can have an honest, completely unpaid review. Let me know if that’s something you would be interested in in the comment section below.

Adorable Owl Brush Holder

I was in Michaels with my mom, my sister and her friend Jenna when they came to visit a few weeks ago and I spotted this adorable owl that I couldn’t pass up. Every time I see this on my desk it gives me little warm fuzzies, it’s just so cute! It had to be included as a favourite. I have no idea what the original intended use was for this, but it works perfectly for my eye brushes.

So there you have it! Hard to believe that February is almost done, but I’m glad because we’re getting closer to spring! Winter be gone! What did you love this month?

Bye for now!

Chelsey

 

 

Warm Daytime Smokey Eye Tutorial: Jaclyn Hill Favorites Palette

Hi Everyone!

I have been obsessing over really warm eye looks lately and I thought I would show you one I’ve been wearing a lot lately. I swear I love this look so much because I just need warmth in my life somewhere (Canadian winters suck). This look is really easy and can be worn with any lip colour or dressed up or down for a variety of occasions.

I already applied by base (foundation, concealer, brows), so we’re going to start from there.

Foundation- Make Up For Ever HD Foundation

Concealer: LA Girl Pro Conceal, MAC Pro Longwear, Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer

Brows- Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade

Step One

First start by priming your eyes. You can use whatever method works best for you, but I used MAC’s Paint Pot in Soft Ochre as well as Lorac’s Behind the Scenes Eye Primer.

Once you’ve done that it’s time to start with shadows. In case you missed the title, we’re going to be using the Jaclyn Hill Favorites Palette today to achieve this look, but you could definitely use similar shadows from different palettes and get a similar look.

Taking a warm light brown on a fluffy brush, we’re going to lay down the transition shade. This is going to help everything look nice and gradual. You can build this shade up to your desired intensity, buffing back and forth through and above the entire crease. I didn’t concentrate this in a particular area, but just evenly throughout.

Excuse my eyelashes, I got some paint pot on them and didn’t notice.

Step Two

Now we’re going to start to build up the warmth. For this step it’s important to use a softer, less dense blending brush to get this to look right, I used a Sigma E25 Brush for this step. With the tiniest amount of this burnt orange shade on my brush, I lightly ran this through the lower crease. If you have darker skin than me, you can for sure build up the intensity of this shade. but this is how I like to wear it.

Step Three

Using the same brush from the previous step, pick up this warm camel shade and buff that into the crease as well. After you have that laid down, take a fluffy blending brush and go over the whole crease area to meld everything together.

Step Four

Now we’re going to add some dimension. To do this, I didn’t want to go for black and ruin the pretty warmth, so dipped into a maroon shade. This compliments the warm browns well and adds dimension. I took a much smaller crease brush and ran this through the lower crease, focusing on the outer 3rd and outer corner. I then blended to bring it all together.

At this point, you can touch up the orange or the camel brown as they can fade from all the blending.

Step Five

Now we’re going to focus on the lid. Since this look is really about the crease, I kept the lid very muted with a peach champagne shade. Using a flat brush, I patted this on the blank space on the lid. Then blended over everything with a fluffy blending brush.

Step Six

Now time for liner. This is completely optional, but I love black winged liner, it really pulls the look together. This still looks good without liner if you want to pass.

Step Seven

Moving on to the lower lashline, we’re going to basically mimic what we did in the crease. Starting with the camel brown, we’re going to press that into the lashline with a flat definer brush, from inner to outer corner. Then picking up a tiny bit of the orange on the same brush, we’re going to press that on the outer edge of the lashline. For depth, we’re going to add a little of the maroon to the outer edge as well. To deepen everything, I wanted a neutral deep brown. The palette doesn’t really ahve this type of shade, so I pressed Espresso from the Lorac Pro palette into the outer area of my lower lashline. I then buffed everything out with the brown we initially used as a transition shade in step one.

Step Eight

Now time for mascara and lashes! You can skip the lashes, but I can’t help myself so I’m going to add a pair.

Step Nine

Now it’s time to finish off the face. I contoured, added blush and highlight. Lastly is lips. Any lip colour works with this look, but I opted for MAC’s Shanghai Spice, a really pretty warm peach.

Blush: Tarte Tartelette Amazonian Clay Blush- Celebrated

Highlight- MAC Mineralize Skinfinish- Perfect Topping

Contour- Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit- Fawn

So there you have it! Leave me a comment down below with what look you’ve been loving lately!

Bye for now!

Chelsey

FOTD: Anniversary Dinner

Hi Everyone!

Today is my 6th anniversary with my boyfriend, so we’re going out to dinner to celebrate. I thought I’d share the makeup look I chose.

Face

Simple Light Hydrating Moisturizer

Make Up For Ever HD Foundation-115

LA Girl Pro Conceal- Classic Ivory

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer- Chantilly

Anastasia Contour Kit- Vanilla, Banana, Fawn

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush- Celebrated

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter- Opal

Brows

ABH Dipbrow- Medium Brown, Soft Brown

ABH Clear Brow Gel

Eyes

MAC Paint Pot- Soft Ochre

Jaclyn Hill Favorites Palette-ES13, ES14, ES64, ES4, ES24, ES71

Lorac Pro Palette- White, Cream

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner- Black Ink

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara- Blackest Black

Velour Lashes- Whispie Sweet Nothings

Lips

Jordana Easy Liner- Cabernet

Lime Crime Velvetine- Wicked

So there you have it!

Bye for now!

Chelsey

Jaclyn Hill Favorites Palette: First Impression and Swatches

Hi Everyone!

I finally got my Jaclyn Hill Palette in the mail last week and I couldn’t wait any longer to share it with you. I figured that since this palette is being released again very soon, this might be helpful for those of you who didn’t get it in the first round, but still want to purchase it. I will have all of the individual shades labeled as well for those of you who can’t get it and want to purchase the shades separately, as these are all sold as individual shadows as well.

Packaging

Of course, we have to talk about packaging. Not just for looks, but for functionality as well. This product has pretty crappy packaging, just a flimsy plastic case with a snap closure. Although I would have expected better for something with Jaclyn Hill’s name on it, I can understand the packaging in this case as the palette was fairly inexpensive. I would rather have better quality shadows than great packaging anyway. I just wouldn’t trust this palette travelling or anything where I couldn’t protect it myself. The good thing about this packaging though is that these shadows can be depotted. They are glued in, but with minimal prying they can be popped out and put into whatever you want. That would make it a bit more secure for travelling. My sister has a couple of Morphe palettes and we depotted some shadows over the Christmas break and it was pretty easy.

The Shadows/Swatches

Now onto the part we’re all here for, the shades. This palette comes with 28 shades in a variety of finishes (matte, metallic, duo-chrome, shimmer) and a decent variety of shade variation. These are for the most part, very pigmented and not powdery. There are a couple that I would consider to be a bit stiff in texture, but I’ll talk more about that when we get to the swatches. Of course if you’re familiar with Jaclyn Hill, then it makes sense that this palette is so warm in tone, as she clearly loves her warm shades. I love warm colours as well, so this was right up my alley. This palette definitely has a lot of browns, lots of warm browns and a few cooler ones. I’m not entirely sure I need all those browns, but I do appreciate the option. The one shade of brown that I do need and is missing is like a deep brown, like Espresso from the Lorac Pro Palette. Something that’s neutral, not red or too warm, but something just to add depth or darken up the lower lashline. I know that many people were missing a matte black, but that doesn’t bother me. I almost never reach for black, it just looks harsh on my fair skin. But other than that, there is tons of variety to play with in this palette.

4- A frosty off-white highlight shade

54- A shimmery peach-champagne

6- A shimmery champagne beige

76- A shimmery golden beige

64- A warm camel brown

14- A rusty, burnt orange.

75- A shimmery rusted gold

67- Light peach-brown with pink and purple duo-chrome

13- Milk chocolate brown. A great transition shade for my skintone.

62- Medium brown with taupe undertones

63- Medium cool brown

20- Warm brown with strong gold shimmer

47- Burnt orange with intense gold shimmer

66- Matte coral. I was disappointed by this shade. It looks quite neon in the pan, but it’s a stiff shadow and doesn’t have the same intensity when swatched.

33- A bright peachy pink

68- Metallic berry

16- Rosy brown

15- Warm orangey brown, caramel

61- Cool khaki brown

24- Soft brown with red undertones

74-Deep copper- bronze

11- Garnet

59- Vibrant magenta

38- Light purple with blue duo-chrome

53- Medium muted grape purple

48- Deep jewel toned purple

71- Maroon. This shade is pigmented, but powdery and dry.

19- Vibrant shamrock green

Overall thoughts (so far)

Overall, I’m enjoying this palette. It has most of the staples I use in any eye look, plus some unique shades I don’t have elsewhere. Price aside, this is a good palette regardless of it being cheap. It would still be a good palette at a higher price if that makes sense. I wouldn’t consider any shade to be a complete dud and 99% are excellent quality. If you’re looking for a mix of neutrals with some pops of colour, this is a great palette for you.

When Morphe Brushes releases this palette again, they will be announcing it on their Instagram (@morphebrushes), so be sure to keep checking there if you want to get your hands on it. If you miss out, fear not as the shades can be purchased individually like I mentioned earlier.

So there you have it! Keep an eye out for upcoming tutorials featuring this palette!

Bye for now!

Chelsey