Smashbox Camera Ready Bb Cream Eyes Review

Smashbox Camera Ready Bb Cream Eyes is "a 5-in-1 beauty balm that: hydrates, protects, perfects, corrects, and illuminates the under-eye area while instantly reducing the appearance of dark circles instantly and over time." This all sounds perfect, right!? It sounded very ideal to me, and after seeing a few positive reviews on it I decided to pick one up for a pricey $29 cad for 3.5 ml.

It comes in 5 shades; fair, light, light/medium, medium, and dark. I chose the shade 'light' although it still seemed slightly too dark for my fair skin tone, however, 'fair' was too light and the pink undertones seemed too strong. The bb eye cream also claims to "reduce the appearance of puffiness, visibly smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and improve firmness."

Now, the BB Eyes is actually listed as a primer on the Smashbox website, although it is pigmented enough to use it as a daily concealer for those who want a natural look, or don't have terrible dark circles. I personally haven't really had luck in the past with under-eye specific concealers. Sure, they all do the job but typically are either too cakey, not the right shade, or dry too fast.

Click photo to enlarge, (photos are unedited)

But.. I do like the Smashbox Bb Eyes even though it has its flaws. It is thick enough to conceal dark circles, but doesn't dry super instantly so you have time to blend it in without feeling like you are damaging the eye area. It works well with or without primer, doesn't look cakey, and easily hides my imperfections and pores along the sides of my nose as well. But it CAN be cakey if you have a very dry under-eye area. I have to rephrase that, it is not cakey at all, but it does sometimes accentuate my fine lines once dried. I did notice a slight reduction in puffiness but it is not effective enough to significantly reduce puffiness, only to hide it. I didn't notice any hydration, but I do typically use an eye cream/primer underneath so I wasn't worried about that. It also has an SPF of 15, which is great for those of you who forget to wear facial sunscreen (myself included). The lack of shades might be a problem for those in between colours, but although 'light' was a bit too dark for me when swatched, after applying it it blended nicely with my skin tone and reduced dark circles and redness as well. I love how well it neutralizes my redness and any dark circles. It also helps to make my nose appear smaller when I extend the application towards my nose.  

It can easily be applied with a finger, brush, or sponge applicator. My favourite way is to use a sponge applicator just because it is clean and fast. I also use a buffing brush if I don't need too much coverage. Sometimes going in with a finger afterwards is helpful however. It blends well with all of the foundations I have tried with it, and I've even used it to concealer redness on my nose and forehead.

However a huge dislike I have is the click-pen applicator. It isn't anything new in the cosmetic world but I have never been a fan. It is prone to breakage (at least when I use them :p) and I never know how much product I have left and it is hard to control how much product you are dispensing out. Ok, I don't hate it that much, but everytime it clicks, I can't help but think "oh god, more product wasted"! Also in regards to fine lines and wrinkles, I found that it did accentuate them once dried (but this only happened sometimes.. I don't know why). I compensated for this by just blending out the product whenever I noticed it creasing there once dried. It wasn't a noticeable problem for me in comparison to some other concealers I have tried, however, it might not be ideal for those with a very dry under-eye area.

Smashbox BB Eyes with finished face

Overall, despite a few flaws mentioned above, I have been enjoying the Smashbox Bb Eyes and may think about repurchasing if I have not yet found a cheaper drugstore dupe. I love how well it neutralizes redness with it's yellow undertones. Most people are much of a fan of the click-pen, so hopefully they will think about changing that in the future.

What do you think about the Smashbox Bb Cream Eyes, would you try it? Do you dislike click-pens as much as I do?

Amie Skincare Review

Amie Skincare is a natural British skincare brand that has recently stepped foot into Canada, available exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart locations.  I was kindly sent four products of theirs to incorporate into my skincare routine and provide a few thoughts on the line.

Amie Skincare was founded by Fiona Parkhouse (not by an Amie or Amy, despite what you may have assumed!) to provide us all with skincare products containing natural plant and botanical extracts, ideal for all skin types for especially for sensitive skin. The entire line is said to be completely free from parabens, sulphates, mineral oils, or animal extracts. Amie is actually french for 'friend', for those of you, like me, who barely passed french class.

First impressions of the line was obviously that the packaging is too cute. If I were to spot this in a store, I would definitely pick it up and examine. Definitely the pastel colours, and matte finish tubes that do it for me.. it is all just very girly! I would assume it would attract more of a younger crowd, but the line is suitable for women of all ages. I understand that natural products don't always mean 'breakout free', but I am happy to report that none of the products I tried here broke me out or negatively affected my skin, yay.

Radiant Dawn Exfoliating Daily Wash ($10):

This daily wash claims to deep cleanse pores and exfoliate for clear and radiant skin. It is 'pH balanced and has a gentle foam with natural blueberry seeds to help unblock pores, lift away dead skin cells, dirt and oil, and green apple & lemon extracts to refine and tone skin keeping oiliness at bay.' 

The cleanser has a light, earthy scent, and the exfoliating beads are light and minimal. I had no idea they were natural blueberry seeds and thought that was pretty cool. My skin was left feeling clean but not stripped or dry. Due to the exfoliating properties, I prefer to use this a few times a week rather than every day, or if it is to be used everyday I would only use it during the mornings. It was gentle and pleasant to use but not strong enough to remove much makeup or residue after a long day.

Morning Light Hydrating Daily Moisturizer ($12):
The hydrating daily moisturizer is 'rich in rose extract, rose hip oil, and mallow to help keep the skin soft and hydrated.' 

I know it says daily moisturizer, but I prefer to use this at night, at least for now during this September weather. I need something very light during the daytime that will dry quickly, and I found this took a bit longer than the matte-finish moisturizer (below). It would likely be great during the winter-time for daily use. I found that a little bit went a long way and it was easy to apply and spread throughout my face.

Morning Dew Matte-Finish Moisturizer ($12):
This light moisturizer 'contains natural plant sugars to hydrate the skin while rosehip and bilberry nourish and soften. Excess oil and shine are controlled.'  

I love a good moisturizer that claims to control oil and shine. I have issues with that in my t-zone and I also hate daily moisturizers that take excessively long to dry. This moisturizer absorbed quickly into my skin in just a matter of a few minutes. Much quicker than the hydrating daily moisturizer so I prefer to use this during the daytime. It made for a good canvas for applying makeup afterwards, but I would suggest a light primer over top of this as well. It is light and feels cooling on the skin with a bit of an earthy scent. I'm not sure how well this would hydrate during the cold winter months but it has been great for the past few warm weeks.

Spring Clean Deep Cleansing Mask ($12):  
The deep cleansing mask works 'pore-deep to draw out dirt and impurities, soak up excess oil, and prevent blemishes. Peppermint and lime extracts, purifies, and cools.'

I was a little afraid when applying this at first because it felt very tingly like it was burning my skin. The mask was a bit too strong for my sensitive eyes so they watered a bit, and it had quite a strong scent. I left it on for 15 minutes (instructions say 10). It didn't dry very hard or tight like most of my clay masks do. The mask is a bit thick so I'd suggest applying a thinner layer so you will have an easier time washing it off. I applied a bit too thick of a layer and it took longer than expected when rinsing. After washing it off I realized it did not burn or cause any redness to my skin which is good. I kind of like when I can feel a mask on my skin, it makes me think it's doing its job and working at those pores. My skin felt smooth and cleansed afterwards but I didn't see any noticeable difference otherwise. I will likely have to do a bit more testing to come to a more detailed conclusion!

Swatches Top to Bottom: Exfoliating Daily Wash, Deep Cleansing Mask, Hydrating Daily Moisturizer, Matte-Finish Moisturizer

There are also a few more products in the line that might be of interest, such as Amie's cleansing wipes and toner. I find the sizing of the products to be very decent and suitable for drugstore. I would definitely recommend Amie Skincare to those who want natural skincare that isn't harsh on the skin, affordable and readily available. Out of the products I tried, my favourite is probably the matte-finish moisturizer, and I would be most likely to repurchase this one in the future! Amie Skincare is available at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada. You can read more about the brand Amie, why it was created, and where to buy online and internationally here. 

These products were received for consideration. All opinions stated are my own and are not influenced by any affiliates.

eos Visibly Soft Lip Balm Review

eos has recently introduced a new line of lip balms called Visibly Soft. There are 2 lip balms that have launched to start off this collection; Vanilla Mint and Coconut Milk. I'm not sure if they will come out with more, but I'd definitely be interested in seeing the new flavours they come up with. The balms are in their usual fun sphere shape, but with a slightly different design. The casing has swirls designed to mimic the 'buttery richness' of the Visibly Soft formula. It is nice to see eos bring out some new designs to compliment their new Visibly Soft line, and in my opinion, a bit overdue!

So what is different about the new Visibly Soft balms? The new formula of the Visibly Soft balms contain hyaluronic acid (which can be seen in a lot of new skincare products), and it is said to increase moisture, hydration, and softness in the lips. The formula is also enriched with Vitamin C, said to stimulate the lip's rate of natural exfoliation and improve collagen production. The balms are 99% natural, petrolatum-free, paraben-free, and gluten-free. All eos balms also contain natural conditioning oils, shea butter, and Vitamin E.

Ingredients:
Coconut Milk

Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax/Cera Alba (Cire d’abeille)*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Natural Flavor, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Sodium Isostearoyl Lactylate, Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate

Vanilla Mint

Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax/Cera Alba (Cire d’abeille)*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Natural Flavor, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Sodium Isostearoyl Lactylate, Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate

Coconut Milk didn't smell at all to me like coconuts, but it still has a light and pleasing scent. Vanilla Mint didn't have the 'minty' flavour I was expecting, but it does feel slightly cool on the lips. It kind of reminds me of white chocolate and is similar to Nivea's Lip Butter in Vanilla & Macadamia Kiss. Actually, both of these scents smell a bit artificial to me but are still light and sweet. Sorry that I am terrible at describing scents.. Anyways, I'd prefer the Vanilla Mint if I had to choose one. 

The Visibly Soft balms glide on the lips a bit easier, and the formula seems more delicate. I actually dropped the Vanilla Mint while it was open and put a pretty large dent in it. They are completely non-sticky on the lips. I also noticed that the colour of the Vanilla Mint was slightly darker than the Coconut Milk. I found them to be a bit moisturizing and longer lasting than the original balms, likely due to the hyaluronic acid. The one thing I don't like about eos balms is that they are not compact and difficult to fit into small pockets of the purse. But I guess an upside to their larger size is that they're easier to find. They are also fun to play with!

I would definitely choose these balms over the regular balms if I had to, just because they are softer, feel more hydrating, and glide on the lips much easier. The packaging is also fun and nice to see something different from the original balms. I'd love to see more variety of scents from the Visibly Soft line in the future. 

The balms have launched August 2014 and should be available at your local drugstore or superstore already for $3.99. If you can't find them in store, you might have some luck online, you can view online retailers here and even purchase at evolutionofsmooth.com directly.

These products were received for consideration. All opinions stated are my own and are not influenced by any affiliates.