Tag Archives: Avon

Skincare Saturday: What’s In My Bathrooms?

Guest bathroom
Guest bathroom

I think we’re all a little bit curious as to what products people keep – be it in their bags, showers, makeup collection, etc. – so I thought I’d take you on a quick tour of my two bathrooms and the products I keep on the counters and in the medicine cabinets.

Sidenote: There’s a lot of PR products in here and most of them I’ve reviewed in the past. I’ll put a star (*) beside each product that was sent to me so you’ll know!

The first bathroom is our guest bathroom and, out of the two we have, it’s the one we use the least (which means it stays clean the longest!).

Guest bathroom - sink area
Guest bathroom – sink area

I like the idea of keeping a fairly clean counter in the guest bathroom (our ensuite is much different) so I don’t have a ton of stuff on display. Tis the season for Live Clean holiday hand soaps, so I’ve got their Vanilla Peppermint hand soap* out for use. I also keep the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Lotion* out in case someone is feeling dehydrated and needs a skin boost.

In my opinion, no bathroom is complete without Q-tips and cotton rounds, so those are there as well!

Guest bathroom - medicine cabinet
Guest bathroom – medicine cabinet

It’s a little bit empty inside the mirrored medicine cabinet, but that’s fine by me! I’ve got a handy Febreze in there because no one likes to leave a bathroom feeling ashamed (more specifically… in someone else’s house!) and honestly that Febreze is about six years old at this point. Those things last forever!

I’ve also got some QUO nail polish remover – I always opt for the hydrating ones if I can find them. Some more lotion in there – Avon‘s Skin So Soft Aqua Express* (love the smell of this one!) and the Be Delectable Hand Cream. Since I also wash my makeup brushes in the guest bathroom, I’ve also got a huge bottle of Johnson’s Baby Shampoo which is my go-to for makeup brush cleaning.

Ensuite bathroom
Ensuite bathroom

Time to move on to our ensuite and this one is a lot more jam packed with products! Once again with the Q-tips and cotton rounds, but this time I’ve got a Bath & Body Works hand soap in Crisp Morning Air which is one of my favourite autumnal scents.

Ensuite bathroom - counter
Ensuite bathroom – counter

To the right of the sink is a lineup of products that I use daily… or that I try to use up (namely some of the hair stuff).

  • The Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Cleansing Pads* are one of my favourite quick face washes. The pads come soaked with face wash and have a textured side so you can really scrub at your face.
  • Dermal Therapy Heel Care is VITAL to me. I get heel cracks and this is the only product that will heal them.
  • Bioderma Micelle Solution in Hydrabio* – an absolute daily necessity for me. Helps to clean up my makeup mistakes and great for removing any makeup or oil residue at the end of the day.
  • Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Soap – I usually wash my face in the shower (where I keep another face wash), but if I’m not showering that day I’ll reach for this face wash. It’s kinda neat – it foams up like shaving cream, and thankfully does not smell like eggs!
  • Infusium 23 Leave-in Conditioner*: LOVE this stuff. I was a huge fan of the shampoo and conditioner, but I used those up a while ago. So now I’m finishing up the leave-in conditioner which I spray on my hair when I’m out of the shower. Helps detangle my very-much-in-need-of-a-haircut, far-too-long-hair right now!
  • Sun Bum Sea Spray* – I love using this during the summer to give me some crunchy, salty beach waves!
  • Living Proof Instant Texture Mist – Not a huge fan of this one, so I’m trying to use it up. I much prefer the volumizing cream.
  • Sunsilk Thermashine leave in conditioner: This is actually a bottle of water that I use to wet my hair if I got a kink in it and need to re-style it. I miss Themasilk/Sunsilk though. They were my absolute favourite hair brand through the 90s and 00s.
  • Pantene hairspray – I’m not fussy when it comes to hairspray so I just buy the biggest can out there and it lasts me forever since I only use it when I curl my hair.
Ensuite bathroom - medicine cabinet
Ensuite bathroom – medicine cabinet

Straight into the medicine chests!  There’s a hell of a lot in here, so I’ll keep it brief. I’ll also only be mentioning the products that are mine (which uh…. is most of them).

  • Secret Deodorant: Spring Breeze is my favourite scent and I haven’t strayed from it in about a decade!
  • Sekkisei Enriched Lotion*: Using this as my daily toner. It seems fine, but I don’t notice much of a difference in my skin. I do like using toners for some reason though.
  • Lierac Hydragenist Spray*: I don’t use this super often, but it’s a great hydrating spray when you need an extra boost.
  • Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Oil: It works really well at breaking up makeup, but I do notttt like the smell of it.
  • Marcelle Gentle Makeup Remover for Sensitive Eyes: The BEST makeup remover in the world, hands down. Been using this for more than ten years and they had better continue to make this throughout my entire lifespan!
  • MAC Cleansing Oil: Tiny baby sample I got with one of my orders.
Ensuite bathroom - medicine cabinet
Ensuite bathroom – medicine cabinet

And the last two shelves… phew!

  • Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream*: I use it… but I have no idea if it’s doing anything like removing wrinkles. It does help to rehydrate my eyes if I’ve worn makeup too much that day though.
  • Bioderma Hydrabio Gel-Creme*: Super moisturizing. I tend to put this on on days where I don’t wear makeup.
  • The Body Shop Drops of Youth – Youth Concentrate Serum*: Just trying to use this serum up. It’s okay, but it tightens my pores and I’m not a huge fan of that sensation.
  • tarte Lip Facial* and Mary Kay Satin Lips*: Two lip scrubs I just pulled out but haven’t used yet (just finished my Lush one the night before).
  • Korres Wild Rose Face Oil*: Almost done with this one and I really like it! It’s lightweight so you can wear this one throughout the summer as well. I usually apply it a few times a week at night.
  • Maison Jacynthe Eau Florale de Lavande*: I’m not huge into lavender, but the scent of this is refreshing and soothing. I occasionally mist my face with it in the mornings for a boost.
  • Embryolisse Emulsion Hydra-Mat*: This stuff is WILD. Super moisturizing but also mattifying. I don’t know how that works, but it does!
  • Bioderma Hydrabio Creme*: Feeling seriously dehydrated? This is the moisturizer for you! I only apply this at night because it’s SO thick and does’t play well under makeup.
  • Philosophy Take A Deep Breath*: This is a lovely gel cream that is my current daily moisturizer. It works really well under makeup, smells nice and is hydrating.
  • Embryolisse Eclat du Regard*: Super buttery eye cream that I’ve used a handful to times, but will be in full rotation when I finish up the Clinique one

Phew! That’s it! When I thought of this idea for a post, I hadn’t really stopped to consider just how many products I have in my bathrooms! Hope you liked the quick tour of the products I’m currently using on the daily. 🙂

Post contains affiliate links.

Avon True Color Lip Crayons (Review & Swatches)

Avon True Color Lip Crayons

Avon is a brand that has typically slid right under my radar. They’ve been around for decades and they were a brand I associated with housewives awkwardly getting together to be sold makeup in bulk by the local Avon lady. I recently had my mind changed on that matter when I tried out one of their daily moisturizers from their Anew range – I love, loved, LOVED it so much and it piqued my interest a bit more in this brand that I had long associated with grandmas.

Avon True Color Lip Crayons
Avon True Color Lip Crayons

One my recent finds amidst Avon‘s massive collection of products are these True Color Lip Crayons. They’re fairly inexpensive to begin with ($10 CAD, currently on sale for $7.99!), so I wasn’t expecting a whole lot from them. I was super pleased to find out I was quite wrong! These are so lovely!

Avon True Color Lip Crayons
Avon True Color Lip Crayons

The True Color Lip Crayons are a chubby twist-up pencil style lipstick. The finish varies across the shades, but for the most part they have a creamy formula with a bit of a sheen. There are 12 colours in the entire collection, although I only have five to show you.

Avon True Color Lip Crayons - swatches
Avon True Color Lip Crayons – swatches

As you can tell from the swatches, these are quite pigmented and definitely have that creamy sheen to them. Two of the shades I have had flat out glitter particles in them – Reddy For Me and Mauve Model. While I thought the glitter was going to be absolute overkill on the lips, in the end I thought it blended in seamlessly with the lipstick and looked quite nice. There is a bit of a grit to the glitter particles – so while those shades are uncomfortable to wear, if you do happen to rub your lips together, you will feel those specks of glitter.

Avon True Color Lip Crayons – Face Swatches

Wearing Just Rosy
Wearing Just Rosy

This one is called Just Rosy, but I see this as more of a pink-based coral. LOVE this shade!

Wearing Pink Premier
Wearing Pink Premier

Pink Premier is a deeper bubble-gum pink.

Wearing Reddy For Me
Wearing Reddy For Me

Reddy For Me is a red with gold glitter.

Wearing Fairest Nude
Wearing Fairest Nude

Fairest Nude pulls quite a bit more pink on me than the swatch would suggest. Love this one too.

Wearing Mauve Model
Wearing Mauve Model

Mauve Model is a berry shade with gold glitter.

Final Thoughts

I was pleasantly surprised by the Avon True Color Lip Crayons! They’re easy to use and extremely comfortable to wear. They feel partially like a balm and really lock onto your lips once they’re in place. They’re not transfer proof (nor do they claim to be), but I found that I had very little transfer in general.

I did find the ones with glitter seemed like a weird departure from their claim that they’re creamy in texture – because while the glitter ones are creamy to apply, I also don’t expect to suddenly find glitter particles in a cream lipstick, you know? (In looking these up, the US site actually indicates there are shimmer and cream shades. I didn’t see this listed on the Canadian site.)

Overall, these definitely get a thumbs up from me and you definitely cannot beat their price point!

The Avon True Color Lip Crayons are available on avon.ca for $10 CAD each (currently on sale for $7.99!) and on avon.com for $8 USD eachavon.com for $8 USD each.

The products featured in this post were sent to me for consideration. Some links may be affiliate links.

What I Bought This Month – September 2016 Haul

This month wasn’t incredibly spendy (which is nice!), but that’s all about to change because IMATS is on October 1st!

As a reminder, and just a note for people who are new here, items that go into these monthly haul posts are items that are either purchased by me, gifted to me by friends and family or received in a beauty swap. These posts never contain PR samples that are sent directly to me.

On with the haul!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in Moonchild
Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in Moonchild ($40 USD)

You’ve potentially already seen my review of this, but I picked up the Anastasia Beverly Hills Moonchild Glow Kit last month when my friend Samantha was putting in an ABH order online. I had already picked up the Sweets palette the previous month and LOVED it so I figured I’d complete the crazy highlighter collection and get Moonchild as well.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in Moonchild
Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in Moonchild

The colours in this palette are so freaking stunning and I’ve been loving wearing them so, so much (I’ve got Lucky Clover as my highlighter today!). If you’d like to see a full review of this Glow Kit as well as the Sweets one, head over to this blog post. (And there’s an international giveaway going on in that post as well!)

F.U.N. Lacquer in Black Holo Witch and Blessing (H) - $12 USD each
F.U.N. Lacquer in Black Holo Witch and Blessing (H) – $12 USD each

I’m going to have to stop referring to myself as “not a nail polish” person, because I’m starting to find myself enamored with certain kinds of nail polish. And F.U.N. Lacquer is definitely one of those brands! They’re out of Singapore and I discovered them via Cristine of Simply Nailogical (she’s a nail polish vlogger out of my hometown of Ottawa) since she collaborated with FUN Lacquer to create Black Holo Witch, a black holographic nail polish that I became obsessed with getting my hands on. While placing my order, I decided to pick up Blessing (H) which is a purple green duochrome shot through with holo glitter (hence the (H) at the end of the name). It’s GORGEOUS. As I type this, I’ve had Blessing (H) on my nails for TWO WEEKS and I’m not even getting bored of it!

Sidenote for anyone ordering from FUN Lacquer: I didn’t have any customs charges, but the delivery took almost two months to get to me. It wasn’t their fault – they shipped my order the next day, but holy smokes was the post ever slow!

NYX Micro Brow in Taupe ($12.99 CAD)
NYX Micro Brow in Taupe ($12.99 CAD)

I ran out of ALL my other brow pencils (that’s a serious accomplishment in my book), so I picked up the NYX Micro Brow in Taupe because it’s been my longstanding favourite brow pencil. However, I’ve found this pencil exceptionally rock hard this time. I have no idea if I got a dud, or if I’m so used to the softness of the QUO Precision Brow Pencil that I’m just not as used to this one. Hmmmm….

Tarte Application Mitt ($7 CAD)
Tarte Application Mitt ($7 CAD)

I recently received some self tanning items and figured I should probably pick up an application mitt, so I grabbed the one by Tarte at Sephora. A lot of my peers in the CBB had recommended this one to me so I figured I might as well go with their recommendation! Of course, as luck would have it, I went to an event the very next day where I was gifted a St. Tropez tanning mitt. /facepalm

Anastasia Beverly Hills Maya Mia palette (free - swap)
Anastasia Beverly Hills Maya Mia palette (free – swap)

All of the next items are from a beauty blogger swap that we had when Jodi was in town just last week!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Maya Mia palette (free - swap)
Anastasia Beverly Hills Maya Mia palette (free – swap)

This Anastasia Beverly Hills Maya Mia palette has been passed around a few times at swaps now and I’m starting to wonder why no one’s in love with it. This time it’s my turn! I’ll give it a shot and see how I like it. 🙂

Avon - Anew skincare (free - swap)
Avon – Anew skincare (free – swap)

There were a bunch of Avon Anew skincare minis at the swap that I snatched up. I’ve been using the Avon Anew daily moisturizer with SPF in it recently and was surprised with just how much I love it. Since I’ve tried nothing else in the Anew range, I figured this would be a good place to start!

Bioderma Sebium H2O Micelle Solution and Biore Baking Soda Pore Cleanser (free - swap)
Bioderma Sebium H2O Micelle Solution and Biore Baking Soda Pore Cleanser (free – swap)

Well, we all know I love Bioderma, so there was no way I was leaving this little mini micelle solution behind. As for the Biore Baking Soda Pore Cleanser… well, I have a hard time saying no to skincare and no one else wanted it… so it came home with me!

MAC Flock and Roll eyeshadow and Unlimited Style lipglass (free - swap)
MAC Flock and Roll eyeshadow and Unlimited Style lipglass (free – swap)

I was kind of surprised that nobody was making a bee-line for the MAC products, and they were one of the last items on the table that were from a big brand. Although they’re EXCEPTIONALLY pink, I figure if I hate them, I can always Back 2 MAC them. The eyeshadow is Flock and Roll and the lipglass is Unlimited Style.

Pixi Glow Tonic, Glow Mud Mask and Glow Mud Cleanser (free - swap)
Pixi Glow Tonic, Glow Mud Mask and Glow Mud Cleanser (free – swap)

I was also surprised to see the Pixi Glow Tonic in the swap because so many people seem to obsess over this item! Melanie told me she had bought it at Gen Beauty but that it hadn’t worked well for her. I figured I’d give it a shot regardless. I’ve not used it yet, but once I’m done my current toner, this one will be next in line!

And of course, the mini Glow Mud Mask and Glow Mud Cleanser were just too adorable to pass up!

Tarte Drench Lip Splash in Top Down and Make Up For Ever eye shadows (free - swap)
Tarte Drench Lip Splash in Top Down and Make Up For Ever eye shadows (free – swap)

And lastly, we have the Tarte Drench Lip Splash in Top Down. I did a review on these a few months back and I LOVE the formula so, so much. I was really happy to see the shade Top Down in the swap pile because it was a shade I didn’t have yet!

There was also this Make Up For Ever eyeshadow duo that I’m pretty sure was from Gen Beauty as well. No one else seemed interested so I figured I might as well snag it!

Phew, there we go – that’s it for this month. There was a heck of a lot more items in the swap than I thought there was going to be! I went with a big ole bag of product myself so I was super happy to get rid of a bunch of things that either didn’t work for me, or that I wasn’t absolutely in love with. As for next month, I can just see October being an absolute mad dash to purchase holiday palettes… and of course IMATS!

What I Bought This Month – July 2015 Haul

Another month, another roundup of beauty goodies. I have to say, I’ve been spending a lot less, but my makeup intake has been insane because the CBB keeps doing swap after swap after swap and I keep walking away with more and more products to try out!

Becca - Champagne Pop ($46 CAD)
Becca – Champagne Pop ($46 CAD)

Let’s start with the one item I did purchase this past month: Becca‘s collaboration with Jaclyn Hill resulted in Champagne Pop. Quite possibly the most beautiful highlighting shade I own. (Full review here.) This was expensive – there’s no doubt about that. But as a regular viewer of Jaclyn Hill’s videos I wanted to support her latest creation since I’d also been meaning to try out Becca‘s stuff too!

Estee Lauder - Courreges - Black Silver (free - gift)
Estee Lauder – Courreges – Black Silver (free – gift)

My first Estee Lauder product, I think. This was from a limited edition collection called Courreges a few months ago. The shade is Black Silver and there’s a LOT of it in the that pot!

The Body Shop Shimmer Cubes in Pink Poppy (free - gift)
The Body Shop Shimmer Cubes in Pink Poppy (free – gift)

A quad cast off from a friend. This is The Body Shop‘s Shimmer Cubes in Pink Poppy. They’re in truly bizarre packaging. There’s the outer layer that holds all four of them, and then each individual shade is in its’ OWN little plastic tin with a cap. Super weird.

The texture is a bit powdery, but the colours are lovely. I didn’t take any decent photos of my makeup with it on, but I did snag a shot for Instagram while wearing them:

Quite pretty!

Avon - Anew Vitale (free - swap)
Avon – Anew Vitale (free – swap)

A brand new tube of Avon‘s Anew Vitale Day Lotion. I’ve had no experience with it, but as someone without sensitive skin, I’m always up for free skincare!

Dolce & Gabanna Light Blue - Escape to Panarea (free - swap)
Dolce & Gabanna Light Blue – Escape to Panarea (free – swap)

I got this at the swap because it seems like nobody wanted it! I’ve been a fan D&G‘s Light Blue for a while… but as it turns out, I’m not so much of a fan of this version called Escape to Panarea. Ah well.

Fantasy Makers - Feather Fetish - Hypnotise
Fantasy Makers – Feather Fetish – Hypnotise

Okay yeah. I have no idea when or where I’ll wear these – maybe for a Halloween look? But they were awesome and no one else wanted them!

Glitter Gal - Copper (free - gift)
Glitter Gal – Copper (free – gift)

Shawna of Spill The Beauty accidentally ordered two of these halographic polishes and I was the lucky recipient of the extra one! I’ve not applied it yet, but damn can I ever not wait. Holographic anything? Yes PLEASE! (This is Glitter Gal’s Copper shade.)

Variety of lip products courtesy of the CBB swap
Variety of lip products courtesy of the CBB swap

I don’t know all the shade names (because I’m currently writing this while on vacation in Montreal – follow our blogging hash tag for the past weekend with #CBBroadtrip – we’ve been having a blast!) but I got some lovely lip products to try out. There’s a Maybelline lipstick in there, a Revlon lip butter in Peach Parfait (I’ve actually finished an entire one of these before – true story!), a Australis Velourlips (if Sharon Farrell loves them, then *I* must love them!), a mini from Tarte, a lipstick from the Sephora brand and a red lip paint from a brand I’m not familiar with.

Lise Watier - Eden Tropical Bronzing Powder (free - gift)
Lise Watier – Eden Tropical Bronzing Powder (free – gift)

The imprint on this compact is gorgeous. And I love me a humongous bronzer. But the sad news is that Lise Watier‘s Eden Tropical Bronzing Powder is oompa loompa orange and I just cannot wear it. 🙁

Make Up For Ever - Cream Blush in 210 (free - gift)
Make Up For Ever – Cream Blush in 210 (free – gift)

Another cast off from a friend. This is the kind of shade I hate to love. Make Up For Ever‘s 210 cream blush is a bubble gum pink that has the unfortunate habit of looking lovely on me. It’s not the kind of shade I like looking at as it’s far too girly for my tastes, but the reality is that it looks really good on me, and therefore I love it.

Make Up For Ever Plexig Gloss in 101, 402P & 403 (free - swap)
Make Up For Ever Plexig Gloss in 101, 402P & 403 (free – swap)

The Make Up For Ever Plexi Glosses are something I had passed on entirely because I don’t feel I’m a gloss person. I had several of them very nearly thrown at me during the swap, so I figured I’d try them out. End result? I can confirm they’re not for me. They fade off quickly (as to be expected of a gloss) and I just can’t be bothered with the constant reapplication.

Milani blushes in Tea Rose & Love Potion (free - gift)
Milani blushes in Tea Rose & Love Potion (free – gift)

More cast offs! I already owned Coral Cove, and I was happy to add Tea Rose and Love Potion to the collection.

Miracle 10 Light Serum (free - swap)
Miracle 10 Light Serum (free – swap)

A full tube of Miracle 10‘s Light Serum was left on the table after the swap. I’m not a huge fan of the scent of this thing, and it’s really only decent for hydrating in the summer time since it is VERY light. But I did run through a whole tube of it before, so I mean… I like it enough to use it all up again!

NARS Rated R duo and Revlon 501 Meotropolitan (free - swap)
NARS Rated R duo and Revlon 501 Meotropolitan (free – swap)

Ohhh yes.  NARS Rated R and Revlon Metropolitan.  Both items I’ve been wanting to try and thankfully totally free!

Olay Fresh Effects - BB Cream in Light to Medium (free - swap)
Olay Fresh Effects – BB Cream in Light to Medium (free – swap)

Another item I’ve been wanting to try because the Olay Fresh Effects packaging ALWAYS pulls me in. I need another foundation like I need a hole in the head, but hey… this one is a BB CREAM, so therefore it’s totally different…

Random assortment of eye and cheek products (free - swap)
Random assortment of eye and cheek products (free – swap)

A bunch of cast offs! A MAC paint pot, an Australis plush, a Laura Geller blush (it’s GORGEOUS!), an essence mineralize eyeshadow that is really, really good quality, a Kryolan blush (also stunning) and some gold eyeshadow cream/pigment type thing.

Red Cherry lashes (free - swap)
Red Cherry lashes (free – swap)

I don’t know why I insist on trying out different kinds of lashes when I *know* that House of Lashes make the ones that work for me the best. But I keep trying others… mostly because I hear about how everyone likes other brands. I’ve heard plenty of good things about Red Cherry so I’ll happily give these a shot!

Smashbox SantiGold - Earth As We Know It (free - gift)
Smashbox SantiGold – Earth As We Know It (free – gift)

I wasn’t sure what to think of Smashbox‘s Earth As We Know It palette at first. But then I created this:

and I was like… oh okay. I like you.

The Body Shop - Mango Sorbet (free - swap)
The Body Shop – Mango Sorbet (free – swap)

I absolutely love the texture of The Body Shop‘s sorbet moisturizers. It has this frothy, foamy like consistency and is soooo much fun to play with… uhhh I mean fun to put on. Mango‘s a new scent to me and I quite liked the few sniffs I had of it.

Wet n Wild - 911D Stoplight Red & 969 Carrot Gold (free - swap)
Wet n Wild – 911D Stoplight Red & 969 Carrot Gold (free – swap)

Man, everyone keeps ditching their Wet n Wild Megalast lipsticks, whereas I just LOVE them! Here’s Stoplight Red and, one I’ve been meaning to find, Carrot Gold. It’s way more orange than I thought it would be – we’ll have to see how it looks on my lips!

Wet n Wild - Petal Pusher (free - gift)
Wet n Wild – Petal Pusher (free – gift)

And finally (phew!) an eight pan shadow palette from Wet n WildPetal Pusher. I’d always glanced at it but never bought it. I know the quality will be on parr with The Comfort Zone palette so I’m looking forward to playing with the shadows.

PHEW! GOOD GRIEF THAT WAS A LOT OF STUFF! I hope the swap stuff is interesting for you – please let me know whether or not it is. It’s all gently used makeup and stuff I’m adding into my collection so I think it’s relevant. But I’m not sure if people like seeing the swap stuff, or if they’d rather just see the brand new stuff I purchased.