Lisa's Cosmetics Warehouse Sale 2015 Haul

I haven't been to the coveted Lisa's Cosmetics Warehouse Sale in a couple years, I was enabled to go this year because of Shawna of Spill the Beauty's recent blog post (here)! She took some pretty detailed photos of the items available at the sale, and I suddenly felt like I needed a bunch of things (even though I definitely didn't). 

So I decided I'd go on Black Friday in hopes of everyone being at the mall instead. I've been to this sale twice, once in 2012 and once in 2013. During one of those trips I ended up lining up for 3 hours because I went on the first Saturday morning right when they opened. I wouldn't recommend going on the first day or first Saturday, but during the second weekend the sale should be fairly 'line-free'...but I'm not totally sure about this so take this with a grain of salt! I went on the Friday so I didn't encounter any lines whatsoever and there were plenty of cash registers open. 

My intention was to only pick up a few things, but you know what happens once you get inside these kind of sales.. 

I picked up Kaia Naturals Cleansing Cloths ($2.99), a 2-pack of Scotch tape ($1.49), 6 Colgate toothbrushes for ($8.99), Gypsy Lashes (1.99 each), Febreze Fabric Refresher ($2.99). I was excited to see Indeed Labs products there for such a good price, I picked up their Nanoblur ($6.99). Then my heart skipped a beat when I saw a few St. Tropez products! I re-purchased their Bronzing Mousse for ($30) and a mitt ($5). Lastly, I got a Secret Clinical Gel Anti-Persp./Deodorant ($2.99), and a small box of Crest 3D Whitestrips ($11.99). 

What else do they have? A little of everything to be honest. Lysol wipes, Axe/Dove Men's Body Washes, Deodorants, Axe Body Sprays, Olay facial products, Stila makeup, Annabelle & Marcelle, Joico shampoo/conditioner., Elizabeth Arden, H20, Revlon tools (tweezers, etc), a few drugstore mascaras, Bandaids, a ton of nail polishes, tons of perfume and colognes and gift sets, even boxers, socks, and chocolates. Definitely my favourite warehouse sale, and the only sale I've actually picked up useful products that I'll make use of. Totally worth going to, especially if you are in the area.

Location: *NEW* 135 Commerce Valley Dr. East, Markham, ON

Dates: Nov 20-23, 27-30, Dec 4-6

Hours: Fri 10AM-8PM, Sat 9AM-6PM, Sun 10AM-6PM, Mon (Nov. 23/30 Only) 10AM-6PM

Official Website: Lisa's Cosmetics

See previous Lisa's Cosmetics Sales posts:

2013 Haul

2012 Haul

Murad Skincare: Redness Therapy and Age Reform

Murad is a brand I've always wanted to try but just ended up staring at it on the shelves instead. I heard quite good things about the brand so when I was asked to review these 3 products I couldn't say no! I have here the Redness Therapy: Soothing Gel Cleanser, Age Reform: Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture for Eyes, and the Age Reform: Soothing Skin and Lip Care. There are plenty of other products that are apart of both lines but these are just the ones I have to share with you today!

Murad isn't a Canadian brand, but they have plenty of presence in Canada. Their Canadian website seems to offer great discounts on their products when joining their skin club. Upon visiting their page you can enter your email and get $20 off $100+. The Healthy Skin Club allows you to get your favourite products auto-refilled and sent to you at a frequency of your choice, as well as a discount on their products (up to 25%)! 

Oh and for your knowledge!: Murad was founded in 1989 in Los Angeles, by Dr. Howard Murad, a certified dermatologist and pharmacist. 

Murad Soothing Gel Cleanser claims to 'cleanse impurities while reducing irritiation, alleviate redness and relieve tightness, stinging, and sensitivity'. It contains Lactic Acid (an AHA) that can help to reduce skin discolouration, and Glycerin to help restore the skin and heal.

I didn't expect it to remove my makeup because it doesn't claim to but I tried it anyway. It didn't remove my makeup. It has a good lather and I wish it came with a pump because I tend to squeeze out too much using squeeze tubes. My skin feels squeaky clean afterwards but also very dry. I think this might be too strong for something struggling with redness or sensitive skin. I didn't notice if it helped with redness or not but I don't typically have too much of that. I likely wouldn't use this too much in winter because it was too harsh for my skin. I think it'd be ideal for excessively oily skin. Just be sure to add moisture back in once you've cleansed.

Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture for Eyes is part of the Age Reform line, and is designed to be 'rich, provide all-day relief from dryness and other visible signs of aging. Infused with anti-aging peptides, nature's best antioxidants and 9 ultra-hydrating ingredients'.

This is definitely a slightly rich cream that absorbs into the skin and is good for night time use and I have no problem using it under my makeup during the day. After applied it does look like it hides my fine lines a bit (obviously temporarily). It didn't irritate my eyes. It also comes with a little spatula which I didn't even know about but would definitely come in handy if you are trying to be sanitary! I really didn't feel like it was anything spectacular, but it does contain peptides to improve skin and it seems to be hydrating enough and also daytime wearable. It is reasonably priced in compared to other higher end brands with a similar targeted customer.

Murad Soothing Skin and Lip Care is 'an intensive lip treatment to condition chapped and cracked skin. Ideal for dry lips, cuticles, and rough elbows'.

This lip treatment is a very oily type of jelly, which 100% looks like it is a lip balm so I will just ignore the fact that it says skin AND lip care. Kidding.. but in all honesty Iv'e only been testing this on my lips. And only at night time. This is really thick on my lips and not something I'd typically wear but I'm ok with wearing it to bed. It feels like a mask for my lips, isn't sticky, and I'm not too fond of the scent. My lips feel soothed and well protected with this on and it surprisingly has very minimal ingredients with one of the main ones being Petrolatum (figures!). I just wish it was better scented!

Overall, I think the one product I would think about re-purchasing is the Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture For Eyes. I did get good results with the Soothing Skin and Lip Care on my lips, but the price is just a bit steep for me. Murad has a huge range of products and like I mentioned before, great discounts when ordering through Murad themselves by phone or online. 

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

Real Techniques Nic's Picks Brush Set Review

I'm super obsessed with Real Techniques brushes, I have what I think is a bit of a wide collection and I use at least a few every day. When I saw the new limited edition Nic's Picks set I was in awe.. the metallic handles are gorgeous... but basically I just get excited over any new Real Techniques brushes. Anything to keep my mind off their expensive Bold Metals collection that I can't afford..

There are 5 brushes in the set.. I'll start with my least favourite, the Duo Fiber Face Brush. Probably the only brush in the set that won't really get used. I already have the Duo Fiber Set and this brush is identical to the Duo Fiber Face Brush in that set but slightly smaller. They recommend this brush for powder or pigments but I prefer to use my Real Techniques Powder Brush, so I don't really have a use for this brush other than applying a cream blush, or achieving a natural look from a product that is too pigmented.

The Cheek Brush (Exclusive) is one of my favourites and one of the reasons I wanted this brush set. It's ideal for blush across the cheekbones but I can also use it for bronzer, or even as a setting powder brush. It does need to be used with a light hand because the brush is so dense.  

The Angled Shadow Brush (Exclusive) is a fluffy brush designed for applying eyeshadow in the crease. It might be a little too big for some, but I find it works best for applying a slightly darker shade in the crease (sparingly) and just blending. You can create a super fast smokey eye with this too, as it applies the colour softly and thick across the crease, and then the rest requires minimal blending. If you don't have a lot of eyelid space, this brush might not be ideal for the crease. 

Out of the 3 eye brushes, the Base Shadow Brush is my favourite. I find myself using it for everything; applying colour to the lid, applying colour above the lid and in the crease, and blending. It really is a very versatile eye brush and I have been using it every single day. 

And last but not least, the Eyeliner Brush (Exclusive) is a stiff brush with an angled tip for control along the lash line. Personally, I prefer a different type of brush to use with liner so I use this with my Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade for my brows, but I can also use it with any powdered brow product.

All the Real Techniques Brushes are made of synthetic bristles, they are super soft and I can vouch for them lasting quite a while since I've had my other RT brushes for what I believe, is years now. You can find the Real Techniques Nic's Picks set on iHerb, in Canada at London Drugs, in the US at Ulta, and worldwide on LookFantastic. The price is not set, and seems to be vary from $30-40 CAD. 

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

Empties #7: October 2015

Yves Rocher Express Cleanser for Sensitive Eyes: Best eye makeup remover ever! Oil-based formula removes waterproof mascara, eyelashes, etc with just a bit of patience. 

Purchase: Yes ✓

Kaia Naturals 24hr. Booster Serum: I did enjoy this serum and thought it was amazing but got a little weary of it when I heard it was discontinued.

Purchase: No ✕

Kiehl's Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub: I bought this basically thinking it was amazing and you could see your dead skin rolling off when using it (as told by the salesperson). Turns out that was just the formula of the scrub.. This is about 5 years old so I think I'm just going to toss it.. a little overpriced imo.

Purchase: No ✕

Vichy ProEven Daily Dark Spot Corrector*: Loved this, I used every last bit. Worked well as a moisturizer or spot treatment. Review here.

Purchase: Yes ✓

Elizabeth Arden All Gone Eye & Lip Makeup Remover Sample: This was almost as good as my trusty Yves Rocher, but I don't think I could justify the higher price of this one!

Purchase: Neutral

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Sample: Think I got this from a Naked palette or something.. great eye primer, I've already gone through a few full sizes.

Purchase: Yes ✓

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation: Great foundation I use every day. The coverage is medium and with a concealer it can definitely look full. Review here.

Purchase: Yes ✓

Tony Moly Coloring Browcara in Gray Brown: Best brow gel to use if you want to slightly alter the colour of your brows! I've already got my replacement. Review here.

Purchase: Yes ✓

eos Lip Balm: I think this is the flavour blueberry from the Alice in Wonderland collection. Only eos I've finished so far.. these last so long! Review here.

Purchase: Yes ✓

Avon Big Colour Eye Pencil Anitque Lilac & Surf: These are so old I can't remember how they performed. I do remember loving them back in high school though.

Purchase: Neutral

Annabelle Pop Stix Pink Parfait & Mint A La Mode: Also loved these back at the beginning of high school. They were quite pigmented for drug store and I'm not sure if they make them anymore.

Purchase: Neutral

St. Ives Smoothing Apricot & Energizing Citrus Body Wash: Similar scents! I would definitely repurchase because I love St. Ives, their availability and price point ($3-4 at Walmart) for the huge 709ml bottle is awesome.

Purchase: Yes ✓

Pantene Damage Detox Daily Revitalizing Shampoo (*): A minty fresh scent (contains mosa mint oil) and a fresh feeling on the hair. My hair doesn't feel any less damaged but a lot cleaner after using this.

Purchase: Yes ✓

Avon Tranquil Moments Bath & Shower Gel: Really wasn't a fan of this overpowering lavender scent. I would not purchase but it was useable.

Purchase: No ✕

Swisspers Organic Cotton Rounds (x2): My favourite affordable cotton pads for removing my eye makeup.

Purchase: Yes ✓

The Body Shop Mango Shower Gel: Omg amazing mango scent! I love it but the soap formula was a little thin for my liking.

Purchase: Neutral

Molton Brown Heavenly Gingerlily & Orange and Bergamont Body Wash: Both are great scents, and feel sort of luxurious on the skin. I definitely prefer the fruity Orange and Bergamont scent for sure.

Purchase: No ✕

St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse: Favourite self tanner so far! I use this about twice a week or so. It really helps to add some colour to my skin

Purchase: Yes ✓

Secret Scent Expressions Antiperspirant/Deodorant in Lavender*: The lavender scent is very neutral for me and I love the gel formula. I don't think I'd ever purchase a stick deodorant after this.

Purchase: Yes ✓

Bath and Body Works Cherry Almond Shortbread & Maui Mango Mai Tai Foaming Soap: These foaming soaps speak for themselves.. I am so addicted to fruity and sweet dessert scents.

Purchase: Yes ✓

Dove Oxygen Moisture Shampoo/Conditioner: Purchase: Yes ✓

Klorane Shampooing: Purchase: Neutral

Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Mud Spa Mask: Purchase: Yes ✓

Vitabath Bleach Blossom Body Wash: Purchase: No ✕

L'Occitane Repairing Shampoo (x2): Purchase: Neutral

The Laundress Delicate Wash: This was a sample sent for review.. sadly turned out to be a packed sample, but I do like the wash for washing bras. Purchase: Yes ✓

John Frieda Tone-Correcting Shampoo (x3): Purchase: Neutral

Clean & Clear Oil-Absorbing Sheets: Purchase: Yes ✓

The Body Shop Tea Tree Blotting Tissues: Purchase: Neutral. I have before, previously really liked them. I prefer the Clean & Clear ones now. 

Kiehl's Blue Herbal Gel Cleanser: Purchase: No ✕

Philosophy Hope in A Jar Eye: Purchase: Would need more testing.

Proclaim Argan Oil Intense Hydrating Masque: Purchase: Yes ✓

Phyto Phytokeratine Reparing Conditioner Treatment: Purchase: Yes ✓

Phew, so there's my hoard of empties since February! I clearly don't finish too much, I think I have a problem with hoarding stuff once I see that it's almost done, and then I never want to use the last bit up! What did you finish over the summer?

(*) Indicating I received the product for review.

Pixi MatteLustre Lipstick, Endless Brow Gel Pen & Cat Eye Ink (Review, Swatches & Look)

For fall, Pixi Beauty has introduced some new makeup and skincare items to add to your collection! I've always been eager to try something from Pixi but these are actually the first Pixi makeup products I've tried and I am not disappointed. I have here the Endless Brow Gel Pen, Cat Eye Ink Liner, and 2 gorgeous MatteLustre Lipstick shades.

These two MatteLustre Lipstick shades are gorgeous, in Plum Berry and Pure Fuchsia. There are 11 shades available with Plum Berry probably being the darkest, and Pure Fuchsia the most vivid. They claim to be full-coverage, weightless and comfortable, and contain peptides and Vitamin C & E for fuller lips. 

These are quite moisturizing, and.. not matte! Like they name says, they are a "MatteLustre". I notice they have quite a moisturizing shine to them, and then leave a sort of 'matte' stain once they've kind of dried up (you know, from eating or dabbing with a napkin). Seeing that they left a stain was nice so I didn't have to worry too much about reapplying. I don't know if I noticed fuller lips (mine are already a bit full to begin with) but I was impressed that they didn't feel drying and did feel weightless and comfortable, as claimed.

MatteLustre Lipstick Pure Fuchsia

MatteLustre Lipstick Plum Berry

The Endless Brow Gel Pen is like it says, a brow pen with a gel texture (well it is a pencil, since it does have to be sharpened!) It claims to be waterproof with long staying power. 

It's a creamy pencil that can be a little thick when built up on the brows so you do have to use it right. It took me a couple times but I've finally got down the technique! I first outline my brows with a different brow pencil, and then I suggest using a light hand and the side of the pencil to apply this to fill in the brows. I apply most of the product to the bottom half of my brows so I can use a spoolie to brush it upwards. 

This is not ideal for outlining or creating the shape of your brows due to the texture of the pencil. It is strictly best for filling in any sparse areas and helping to groom and keep down the hairs at the same time. I really love how it helps to hold my hairs in place, gives my brows volume and makes them tame and look well groomed! This stayed on all day (12 hours) but I would avoid rubbing or wiping to ensure it lasting.

Initially I was so excited to try this just because the packaging is so cute. I love creating a thin cat eye line when I do my makeup. Pixi's Cat Eye Ink claims to have 12 hour stay, water resistant, non-feathering, and paraben free. 

Although the tip is not as thin as I'd like, I love this liner! The shape is so fun, and I can get such a straight and strong black line with this. The end 'flick' is a little tricky if you are trying to do a thinner line since the tip is a little thick. It dries quickly and wears very well. It lasts 12+ hours on me and still looks strong so I'm sure it could last a lot longer.

Wearing Pixi Endless Brow Gel Pen & Pixi Cat Eye Ink 

Wearing Pixi Endless Brow Gel Pen in Medium, Pixi Cat Eye Ink in Intense Black, & Pixi MatteLustre Lipstick in Pure Fuchsia

I was so impressed with these Pixi Beauty products, I want more! They seemed to do exactly what they claim and the Endless Brow Gel Pen and Cat Eye Ink will be apart of my daily makeup stash. Although I did like them, I will definitely have to get used to the bright shades of the MatteLustre Lipstick!

I know it might be tough to get a hold of Pixi Beauty products in Canada due to Target's recent closing, however, Target.com now ships to Canada and they have plenty of Pixi available! Pixi is also available on their website at PixiBeauty.Co.Uk.

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

Lise Watier EYEvolution Fall 2015 Collection: Review & Swatches

I feel like I'm still holding onto summer, and we are already almost through with fall, aren't we!? For fall 2015, Lise Watier has brought out a new collection called EYEvolution, featuring a line of eye makeup products from shadows, a mascara, to a palette quad. 

Lise Watier Extreme Hold CC Eye Primer - $27 cad

This eye primer has a smooth tip applicator, but I still prefer to apply it with my fingers. The texture is dry but creamy and dries instantly on the lids. After 12+ hours of wear my eyeshadow is typically only a little creased, but my eyelids do not show as much oil as they do with other primers I use (Urban Decay, Too Faced) but also colour payoff on top of this was not as intense.

This primer does work well and also hides any discolouration of colouring on the lids. The only problem with this eye primer is that the shade is a bit dark. If you have fair skin you might find this tints your lids a bit too dark. I would definitely give this a try if you aren't a fan of typical tube eye primers.

Lise Watier Extreme Hold CC Eye Primer just applied on lids

Lise Watier Ombre Velours Supreme Eyeshadow - $25 cad

The Ombre Velours Supreme Eyeshadow range contains six shades -which are all matte! I have here the Vanille Velours and Sable Velours. There is a peach shade, and a few darker mauve and brown shades as well. I adore the shade selection they have for these shadows! Because these are in little pots I just get so excited as they remind me so much of MAC's Paint Pots. The texture is different though, this being a little more velvety with a cream to powder finish.  The formula actually contains Labrador Tea extracts for long wear. As much as I find these shadows so fun to use they did not wear as long as I liked on their own, but did work a little better with the Extreme Hold Cc Eye Primer.

Wearing Ombre Velours Eyeshadow in Vanille and Sable on the eyelids, and Intense Waterproof Eyeliner in Espresso

Lise Watier Intense Waterproof Eyeliner - $22 cad

These liners look so luxurious, I couldn't get over their gorgeous gunmetal caps. They do perform well and I prefer to use them on my waterline. They go on very smoothly. I have sensitive eyes and I have no problem wearing this on my waterline. Espresso looks almost black on the eyes and Blackest Black is the darkest shade. They work very well on top of the Ombre Velours Eyeshadows but I had a bit of trouble applying the black on top of the Eyevolution Palette shadows.

See above face shot for Espresso worn and below for Blackest Black worn.

Lise Watier Eyevolution Quartet Eyeshadow Palette - $37 cad (Limited Edition!)

This palette is beautiful, compact, and has an easy magnetic closure. It contains 4 shades, all being quite shimmery. The pink shade was a little disappointing for me, it isn't strongly pigmented and was very faint on my lids. The second taupey-gold shade is ideal as a base. The purple shade is my favourite, it showed up well and was easy to apply. The last shade is somewhat of a gunmetal dark grey, and it also worked decently well on the crease.

Lise Watier Dramatique Intense 3D Volume Mascara in Noir - $24 cad (Limited Edition!)

The brush is shaped as a tear drop to be able to define lashes in 'three dimensions and get maximum volume'. I couldn't give this a proper testing because I typically only wear waterproof mascaras (straight eyelash problems). I do find the brush a bit too large but otherwise the formula seems good if only they had a waterproof version!

Wearing Lise Watier Eyevolution Quarter Eyeshadow Palette shades, Intense Waterproof Eyeliner in Blackest Black, and Dramatique Intense 3D Volume Mascara in Noir.

Swatches:

L to R:

Lise Watier Ombre Velours Supreme in Vanille Velours, and in Sable Velours

Lise Watier Eyevolution Eyeshadow Quartet Palette swatched OVER the Extreme Hold CC Eye Primer

Lise Watier Intense Waterproof Eyeliner in Espresso, and in Blackest Black

Overall my favourites from the collection are the Waterproof Eyeliners and the Ombre Velours Supreme Eyeshadows in the pots. You can find Lise Watier products in Canada at Lise Watier, Hudson's Bay and TheBay.com, Shoppers Drug Mart, Scarlet & Julia.

What are you liking most from the collection? 

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

Halloween Look: Half-Skull

I know Halloween just passed, but I couldn't resist sharing my halloween night look since it turned out better than I expected and I surprisingly got quite a few compliments on it! I went to Party City last minute (like literally 2 hours before I had to go out), and just about everything good was sold out! I wanted to create a zombie victim look but I was clearly too late in buying supplies. So I stuck to what I know and looked up some 'half-skull' looks. I found a few and decided to recreate them using whatever I had in my makeup kit. 

You might recognize one of the photos from my Instagram as the next photos were taken with my phone. Unfortunately, it was already dark when I did this look so I couldn't get any good lighting for these shots (sorry for the potato quality!!) 

Skull Side: 

Nyx Jumbo Pencil in Milk - on whole half of face

Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner in Blackest Black - for dark black parts

Make Up For Ever Graphic Liner - for outlining, and faded black parts

Lorac Pro Palette - matte black shade to set black liner and to blend

Ardell Glamour Lashes

Regular Side:

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in 52 Vanilla mixed with Make Up For Ever Ultra HD 

Kat Von D Shade + Light Palette for Contour

Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion for Bronzer

Becca Champagne Pop for Highlight

Anastasia Brow Wiz and Dipbrow on Brows

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner

Urban Decay 1 and 3 Palette

Ardell Glamour Lashes

Mac Spice Lip Liner

It turns out this is not the first last minute half face I've done! Check out my half sugar-skull done 2 years ago. With this look I ended up going downtown to meet a few people and ended up going to a small bar. What did you do for Halloween and what was your costume if you celebrated?