murdocktalks
Member Since: May 27, 2015Reviews
Nail HQ Gel Top Coat
Nail HQ is a line of nail care treatments that have recently been brought from England to Canada. The line focuses on using special ingredients and formulas to create stronger, and healthier nails. After finishing my [what feels like] 100th bottle... +
Nail HQ is a line of nail care treatments that have recently been brought from England to Canada. The line focuses on using special ingredients and formulas to create stronger, and healthier nails.
After finishing my [what feels like] 100th bottle of Seche Vite top coat, I decided to give this a shot. The top coat is described as being a fast drying Gel Top Coat that seals in colour, and protects against chipping and extends wear time. The formulation is designed to leave an ultra glossy smooth finish, without the need of a UV lamp. Nail HQ also included optical brighteners to the formula to add a high gloss finish. Compared to Seche Vite, I do not find that this top coat is fast drying.. but to by fair, Seche Vite does mean "dry fast" ! On average I find that this top coat has a chip-less wear time of 2-3 days, which is nothing spectacular, but not horrible! My biggest issue with this product is that the optical brighteners change the actual colour of the nail polish I apply - it turns red polish to pink, and orange polish to coral.. To be honest, I think that Nail HQ got a little carried away with those optical brighteners! This top coat isn't an award winner in my books, but if your ever in a pinch it does get the job done!
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Real Techniques Expert Face Brush
It's no secret that I am a huge fan of Real Techniques brushes. In fact, with the exception of a few brushes, I own the entire range. In my eyes, my collection is almost complete with the recent addition of the Powder Brush* and Expert Face Brush* -... +
It's no secret that I am a huge fan of Real Techniques brushes. In fact, with the exception of a few brushes, I own the entire range. In my eyes, my collection is almost complete with the recent addition of the Powder Brush* and Expert Face Brush* - I just need to get my hands on the new Duo Fibre Collection that just launched in Canada. Real Techniques Brushes are designed by make-up artists Sam and Nic Champan, and they are absolutely on point with their products. The brushes are made out of ultra-plush Taklon Bristles (synthetic) and are 100% cruelty free. The only brush that has failed me is the Silicone Liner Brush, which unfortunately gets a very large thumbs down from me (read review HERE).
The Powder Brush is designed to evenly apply powder and mineral foundation for smooth and high definition results. This powder brush does just that - applies my setting powder flawlessly, and with the affordable price tag of $12.29, you really can't go wrong.
My favourite addition to my brush family (it's okay to have favourites - right?) is the Expert Face Brush. I don't know why this brush didn't make it into my collection sooner, but it makes blending in liquid foundation a dream. It's extremely dense, soft and leaves your skin looking fabulous! My only issue is that it soaks up quite a bit of product and it does need to be washed more frequently than my other brushes (I really procrastinate when it comes to washing my brushes - I would seriously rather clean toilets...). This brush is comparable to my Sigma F84 (Angled Kabuki) and is close to the top of my favourite foundation brush list. This brush retails for $9.99 and is totally worth every penny.
If your in the market for some high quality, drugstore makeup brushes that won't break the bank, then I highly recommend Real Techniques!
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COLAB Sheer Invisible Dry Shampoo in Rio Tropical
COLAB Dry Shampoo has been at the top of my "products to try" list ever since it launched in the UK back in October 2014. Two weeks ago I received a package from FarleyCo and I basically squealed in delight when I saw COLAB Dry Shampoo* in the... +
COLAB Dry Shampoo has been at the top of my "products to try" list ever since it launched in the UK back in October 2014. Two weeks ago I received a package from FarleyCo and I basically squealed in delight when I saw COLAB Dry Shampoo* in the box.
COLAB is the creation of beauty blogger, vlogger and model, Ruth Crilly - also known as A Model Recommends. This dry shampoo has a revolutionary sheer and invisible formula that is offered in a variety of fragrances. COLAB recently launched two of it's fragrances in Canada - Rio and London - both of which I have been using for the past two weeks. The Rio fragrance is described as a carnival of tropical notes with papaya, pineapple and a heart of cassis, while London is a classic yet contemporary fragrance of bergamot, musk and magnolia. I personally prefer Rio, but both smell lovely.
Dry shampoo is a staple in my life, and I would be the worlds largest greaseball if it didn't exist (seriously though, because I only wash my hair every 3-4 days...)! I do have to say that I think my expectations were a little too high, because COLAB fell short for me. Batiste XXL Volume Dry Shampoo has been my go to dry shampoo for years and the COLAB formula just didn't win me over. Since I am a blonde, the invisible formula wasn't revolutionary for me, as I don't have an issue with white powder residue being visible in my roots. However COLAB definitely absorbs oil, and leaves my hair feeling clean - it just didn't provide me with the volume that I look for in a dry shampoo!
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Estée Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Foundation
Estée Lauder's Double Wear Foundation is my absolute favourite foundation. I love the matte finish, and that it is super long wearing. However, I have a fairly clear complexion, and don't need the full coverage that it offers on a daily basis. When... +
Estée Lauder's Double Wear Foundation is my absolute favourite foundation. I love the matte finish, and that it is super long wearing. However, I have a fairly clear complexion, and don't need the full coverage that it offers on a daily basis. When I was searching Sephora for a lighter foundation to pick up during the Sephora VIB Sale I stumbled upon Estée Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-In-Place Makeup. Before purchasing it, I went to my local Estée Lauder counter to get colour matched, and picked up a sample of it - I wear the shade Intensity 1.0 - light creamy beige, and have loved it since the day I tried it.
I have been wearing this foundation everyday for the past three weeks, and I am borderline obsessed with it. It is described as a 15-hour wear, lightweight foundation that leaves skin looking naturally vibrant, and I have to agree. The consistency is quite similar to the regular Double Wear formula and the coverage is medium to full, but it is definitely lightweight! It is by no means like a BB Cream - people can definitely tell that I have make-up on, but it delivers a flawless semi-matte (natural) finish that stays all day. As you can see in the photos below (I only have foundation on - no concealer) it provides great coverage, but leaves me with a lighter feeling on the skin. It is photo-friendly, dermatologist-tested, non-acnegenic, and won't clog pores. It is supposedly fragrance-free but I feel like it smells grandmother-ish during application, but the scent quickly disappears and doesn't bother me.
This foundation feels super comfortable to wear, and sits great, even with my oily skin - I think it works better with super moisturised or even oily skin as I noticed that it clings to dry patches if you have any. I do have to say that I much prefer this packaging to the original formulas as the squeeze tube makes it super easy to control how much product you want. As per usual, Estée Lauder did not fail to impress me, and I highly recommend the Double Wear Light formula if you want the same look as the Original formula, but don't want to feel like you have a tonne of foundation on your skin.
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Vichy Aqualia Thermal Dynamic Hydration Power Serum
I have been loving VICHY's Aqualia Thermal Line to keep my face hydrated, so I don't have any pesky dry spots for my foundation to cling to. I have been using the Serum for the past 8 weeks and my skin is obsessed! I use the serum and moisturiser... +
I have been loving VICHY's Aqualia Thermal Line to keep my face hydrated, so I don't have any pesky dry spots for my foundation to cling to. I have been using the Serum for the past 8 weeks and my skin is obsessed! I use the serum and moisturiser (Light Cream or Rich Cream - depending on how dry my skin is that day) daily, and my skin is defiantly plumped and more radiant! -
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