Palette Play | Melt Cosmetics Impulsive Pressed Pigment Palette

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Did I maybe waste time putting together a blog post for a palette you can't get anymore? Possibly. You see, the Melt Cosmetics Impulsive palette is definitely not new but as far as I'm aware, the brand never stated if it was truly limited edition or not. I picked it up over the summer during the Melt sale, and since then it has been on both the Melt site and Sephora Canada. It was when I popped over to the US Sephora and it wasn't there that I got to thinking this palette may no longer be available. Regardless, I've gotten this far, so let's take a closer look, yeah? 

Pounce & Bounce | Colourpop The Full Beat Blending Sponge Kit

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While I do dabble with brushes when it comes to foundation application, my go-to just tends to be more sponge. Sure, there are some formulas that just don't agree with sponges, but for the most part, I just really like the ease and finish of a good ol' sponge. That said, when Colourpop released their own range of complexion sponges, I took notice. I didn't snag them right away, and as such was left a wee bit deflated when the Full Beat Sponge Kit was removed from the site. Obviously they came around and brought it back, and that's when I pounced. Want to take a deep dive as to what it entails? You know what to do...

The Beauty Spotlight Team Weekly Reads vol. 15

Have you tried dry brushing? Never Say Die Beauty tried the 4 Step natural, vegan dry brushing set from Ida Body Care, and her dry, itchy skin has never felt better!

Prime Beauty’s favorite bath and body line Nectar has a lovely Holiday Collection that everyone on your list will love.  

It’s Polish Pick Up this weekend and Kristi over at BeginNails reviewed KBShimmer’s contribution called Cats and Pajamas.

Have you found the perfect gift yet? Have you found one that’s one size fits all adults? Beauty Info Zone has the answer to that question with the Conair ExtremeSteam Handheld Fabric Steamer. How did Marcia live without it?

Is facial mist a must have product? I Know all the Words thinks it is. She’s sharing a few budget friendly options perfect for any skincare routine.

Lola’s Secret Beauty Blog loves a great beauty gadget, and the FOREO BEAR Smart Microcurrent Facial Toning Device is just that! It’s easy to use, ultra-effective, and well-worth the splurge!

If you’ve been afraid to try false lashes in the past, you’ll want to take a look at an easy to apply option over on The Makeup Obsessed Mom blog.

Everything is FINE. Just FINE! This is the mantra many clung to throughout all the twists and turns thrown out at us in 2020. This became the theme for the final month of the Polish Pickup, open through Monday, December 7th. Jen from Laugh, Love, Contour has the offering by Lawn And Order on her blog this week for your shopping consideration.

Cassie over at Southeast by Midwest is unboxing Six Months of Birchbox in one post! If you want to see if Birchbox is worth subscribing to, this would be a good way to find out.

 

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This vs That Lip Mask Edition | Laniege vs Milk Makeup

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You know how I know it's truly, one hundred percent, officially winter? My cat is on the couch with me, under the covers, squished up against my leg. Oh, plus the fact that I now need to double layer my moisturizer at night. That includes upping my lip balm game. Canadian winter weather is no joke (even if you have no intentions of leaving your house.) If I don't get a good balm for overnight, things are a straight up disaster the next day. That's why I went hard this year, with not one but two lip masks. Do you really need two though? Not likely, so I'm putting them to battle. Who reigns supreme? Read on...

Lip Liner Lovin' with Colourpop, Melt, Inglot & Sephora Collection

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For the longest time, I just didn't bother with lip liners. I'd get the odd one and end up using it, but I didn't actively seek them out. Lately though? I've been all about that liner life. I've been into sheer, glossy lip options a lot lately, but sometimes you just need a little more colour and definition, you know? Aka the perfect time for a lip liner to shine. As per usual when it comes to my lip colour preferences, most of these are on the neutral side. What can I say? I like what I like.

Blush Lust | Cover FX Warm Honey Monochromatic Blush Duo

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Every now and again a product gets into the recesses of my mind and just won't leave. Take the Cover FX Monochromatic Blush Duos, for instance. They came out a little while ago. I was intrigued, sure, but I was able to live without one. Days, weeks, months passed, yet they still remained on my mind. I finally caved and told myself to just do, get the damn blush and move on. What happened then? Cover FX left Sephora. Sure, there were other places to obtain the blush of my dreams, but being Canadian Sephora was the safest (no shipping issues and a set price.) What is a blush lover to do? Wait it out. At least that was what I assumed I would have to do. Luckily, it wasn't a long wait. Cover FX has a Canadian site, and they had a sale. Yada, yada, yada....As you can clearly see, my blush lust was finally tempered.

Ms. Misty | Hydrating Facial Mist Musts (on a budget!)

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Recently, while scrolling Instagram, as one does, I came across a post by a fellow CBB blogger (a now defunct blog group I was a part of.) She was promoting a blog post about facial mists. Clearly, I had to hop over to it because I have a soft spot for anything mistable. She mentioned that once upon a time she wasn't much of a believer of mists. I think I may have let out an audible gasp. "How can you not love getting misty?" But I too remember a time when I wasn't so sure it was a needed product in my life. I was also reminded of the collection I've amassed the past few months, and it just seemed like a great time to chat them up. Plus, it just so happens none break the bank. As much as I love a good mist, I don't think they need to be exorbitantly priced.

The Beauty Spotlight Team Weekly Reads vol. 14

Looking for makeup that will give you or your giftees holiday glow and sparkle? Never Say Die Beauty shows off some beauties of the season from Lancome and 25% off during their Friends & Family Sale!

Finally, a cool-toned neutral palette that works for all skin tones. Prime Beauty is smitten with the Natasha Denona Glam Eyeshadow Palette.

This week the Shimmer Me Treasures Quad released from Red Eyed Lacquer. Kristi from BeginNails has swatches and her thoughts on the collection of 4 shimmery polishes.

Looking for a gift that’s ready to give without any extra work from you? Beauty Info Zone thinks that Nectar Bath Treats has that for you. Adorable, useful, and ready to go.

Lancôme La Rose Highlighter Limited Edition HighlightingFace Powder is a positively gorgeous rose embossed highlighter for the holidays. If a delicate ethereal glow, with a pale pink hue, makes you swoon, then Lola’s Secret Beauty Blog thinks this beauty is made with you in mind. Plus Lancôme’s 25% Off Friends & Family Sale makes this the perfect time to shop.

Jen from Laugh, Love, Contour is back at it with her nail art, and this time she gives beloved indie brand KBShimmer a special designer twist!

In a not so distant galaxy (aka this one) I Know all the Words goes green with the cutest little dude in the galaxy. The Colourpop The Child Eyeshadow Palette makes an appearance too.

This year has been a real doozy! Stacie put together a gift guide ofrecommendations for affordable relaxation gifts that are sure to please. Check them out on The Makeup Obsessed Mom Blog

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The Cutest in the Galaxy | Colourpop The Child Eyeshadow Palette

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I read an article, not long after the first season of The Mandalorian premiered, stating that the show was just pandering to potential female viewers with 'baby Yoda' (aka the child.) Now, I initially took offense to that, because there are obviously going to be female fans of the show regardless of the adorable little being, just as there are of Stars Wars as a whole. The thing is, I'm not a Star Wars fan, and it totally was my need to get better glimpse of the space baby that made me watch The Mandalorian in the first place. Maybe it worked... I ended up liking the show, and when Colourpop released their The Child palette, you can bet my alarm was set to the day. I can't help but thinking though, if they weren't trying to command a female viewership, why is Timothy Olyphant in season two?

Gloss Like a Boss | Mary Kay Unlimited Lip Gloss

: : : press sample : : : 

Oh, blog fans... I don't know what I was seeing / thinking when I took the photos for this blog post... I'm getting accustomed to a new camera, and for the photos I love, it seems like I have a hundred that are utterly useless. It looks like you may be viewing a few of them today. Normally, my perfectionist tendencies would kick in right about now and I'd spend the night re-doing them. That's not happing though. Oh well, the swatches look great so let's skip to them, okay? Deal.

The Beauty Spotlight Team Weekly Reads vol. 13

Mamonde Petal Spa Oil to Foam Cleansing Oil is the most luscious and luxurious treat for the skin and senses. If you love the aroma of Damask Rose Oil, and soft, clean and hydrated skin, then Lola’s Secret Beauty Blog highly recommends this gem.

The Charity Box is open and available for shopping! This month Red Eyed Lacquer created a light pink to rose thermal that Kristi over at BeginNails swatched. This month’s charity is The Daisy Project that helps women cope with the hardships of breast cancer treatments.

Are your hands suffering from all the extra hand washing and sanitizer use? Jen from Laugh, Love, Contour has the perfect AND affordable solution for you! Jen has been using the Shea Butter Hand Creams by evolution of smooth (eos) and featured them in her blog this week. Pick your favorite scent, or grab a few to stash in each bathroom, and in your handbag for post hand sanitizer softening!

Ever wanted a face mask that was customized to YOUR special skincare needs? Prime Beauty discovered Nectar’s Mix-In Masks. YOU create your own custom masks with 3 different bases and a choice of 24 add-ins!

Charlie horses, insomnia, dry skin, and intermittent arthritis pain have met their match for Never Say Die Beauty when she uses organic, hemp-based Remedio Soothe Active Renewal Balm.

Lisa from Beauty Info Zone has been using the Wakamono Mask to protect from the coronavirus. See how this mask is different than the ones you’ve seen for sale.

Stacie had an extra special oxygen facial that she’s raving about over on The Makeup Obsessed Mom Blog.

Lanolin is the star of the show when it comes to everything from Lanolips, but did you know they offer more than just amazing lip balm? I Know all the Words does a deep dive into their vast skincare offerings.

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The Fast Five | All Things Apricot Edition

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I was on a low-buy for quite some time, and was pretty happy living a life with less. Between less blogging (and thus less PR always showing up) and buying less, I was finally using what I had and taking stock of what I would actually use (aka there has been a lot of purging and bagging stuff up for friends to take.) But, at some point, my shopping monstress awoke. Be it pandemic related stress, political craziness, and quarantine boredom, or most likely a combo of both, I found myself adding all sorts of things in my cart. If you couldn't tell from the title, a lot of them just happened to apricot-y.

Brighter is Better | Neutrogena Bright Boost

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I am dull. No, not that way. My skin; it has a tendency to get a little lackluster and dull if I don't do the work to keep it looking its best. As such, I've come to love brightening products. You make a brightening claim and you've piqued my interest. I know I'm not alone on that front, and luckily for us Neutrogena has our backs (fronts, if you're being technical...) with their Bright Boost range. Plus, everything is pink, so you know it looks pretty nice all lined up on your skincare shelf. Not a necessary component to skincare, but a nice bonus.

Lanolin Love | Lano for Lips & Face

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Winter has pretty much freed us from its cold, dry, grasp, Okay, you caught me trying to use an intro originally written in April. Oops? Regardless the season we've ended up in, the onslaught of hand washing has left most of us in need of some major hydration, and if you're like me, you're dealing with the beginning stages of winter dryness (gee, thanks indoor heating.) Even if you're not, can you ever have too many balms in your life? Of course not! Lano is your one stop shop for all things hydrating with options for just about all of your bits.

The Beauty Spotlight Team Weekly Reads vol. 12

Eyes looking a little tired? Wake them up with Suki Skincare. Prime Beauty found two eye creams you need to add to your anti-aging arsenal.

If you love to periodically indulge in ultra-luxe bath products, then the REN Moroccan Rose Otto Collection might just be the holy grail range that you have been seeking. See why Lola's Secret Beauty Blog waxes poetic about their Body Wash, Bath Oil and Body Lotion!

Are your nails starting to need some TLC? Cassie from Southeast by Midwest has a DIY Home Manicure that you can do until you get back to the salon. Did we mention, she's an actual Cosmetologist?

Since her longtime favorite eye cream has been out of stock, Never Say Die Beauty is enjoying the luxury DefenAge 3D Radiance Eye Cream with a soothing, cool tip applicator. Find out why she loves it so much!

A little bit of colour makes everything better, right? It's worth a shot, even if only on your nails. I Know all the Words dives into the cherry and bright OPI Mexico City Collection.

Stacie has some tips from an expert on what to do and what NOT to do to your brows while you're sheltering in place. Check them out on The Makeup Obsessed Mom blog.

What do your roots look like right about now? Even if no one really sees them you just might need a lift and Lisa from Beauty Info Zone has a few suggestions to help.

OPI Mexico City Collection | Spring 2020

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As part of my monumental return to regularly scheduled blog posts I made myself a great, well... Schedule. But, in lieu of everything going wrong on in the world, and the rainy overcast skies I'm currently looking at, I thought something a little more colourful was in order. The most colourful thing I could think of? The new OPI Mexico City Collection for Spring 2020. Spring collections can often be a little tame, but OPI has brought us some much needed vibrancy to see us through uncertain times, even if it wasn't intended.

When Two Become One | Avon X THEFACESHOP

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Boo! I'm going to guess you thought you'd seen the last of me. I may have thought that too, but look at me blogging away. Okay, one sentence does not a blog make, but we're getting somewhere, right? Anyway, getting past my all too lengthy absence, and onto something much more interesting... The fact that Avon has partnered with THEFACESHOP. Now, it's not quite the newest news, as they've been rolling out launches over the past few months, but as a lover of both brands, I'm pretty pleased. Read on for a little rundown of what's currently available.