I'm looking at this picture and really laughing at the variety of prices in my makeup. I really enjoy using affordable and higher end makeup, if it works well that's all the matters to me. This week really flew by and I'm happy that the weekend is here. I really need to get more Christmas shopping done, and start baking as well. I have some time off work during the holidays but I do need to go to work in between the holidays. I'm looking forward to just being home and relaxing. I'm hoping to get more blogging in once it has calmed down. So, let's get into the makeup...

First Row

1. Silicone Facial Cleaner:There's many on the market, but this is the one that I picked up on Amazon. It works so well, and the charge lasts and lasts for months. I use this daily, and will even use it to remove makeup swatches on my arm and you will be so surprised how easily the swatches wash away. The leaner shape of this cleanser makes it so easy to wash your face and get into all the spots you want. I highly recommend this one.

2. Makeup Brush Spot Cleaner: I've been using this Quo Makeup Brush cleaner for daily spot cleaning. As soon as I'm done with the eye brushes that I used, I spray a paper towel and spot clean my brushes. This has been a game changer, because my favorite brushes are always ready to go. Since I don't use that many brushes in the morning, this doesn't add too much time to my routine. This Quo cleaner can be found at Shoppers Drugmart and I absolutely love it.(Purchase*)

This past year has been the hardest I have ever had to live. I lost my mom in March, lost myself in the grief and really didn't know how this year would end. It ended with me learning how strong I really am, I am much stronger than I ever thought I was. In many ways, I see my mom in myself and how she raised me to lead a family. I also realized that this blog was so important to me this year. It allowed me to do something for myself and distract me from the grief. In 2019 I want to continue to create content, and pour my heart into this blog.

It's Friday, and I'm welcoming it. I took Monday off to spend with my son for his birthday and the entire week felt off. So, I'm happy for the weekend and the chance to reset for next week. My inlaws were also visiting this week, and I didn't get as much blogging in as I usually do. On the plus side, I haven't had to cook all week. It's been great. They're leaving Sunday, so next week should go back to normal.

Quo Cosmetics is exclusive to Shoppers Drugmart, or Pharmaprix if you're in Quebec like I am. They're priced alittle higher than drugstore and release multiple products per collection. I do enjoy trying their products but they can be hit or miss. When I saw this Megawatt Highlighter in store I was intrigued, I swatched it and I was amazed! Wow, for 14$ this is a steal. The swatches were absolutely stunning. They remind me of the new Pixi Beauty Glow-y Gossamer Duo highlighters. The texture and pan size look very similar as well. I haven't swatched the Pixi highlighters but they are also on my wishlist.

The Morphe 9 pan palettes were previously Ulta Beauty exclusives and as a Canadian I didn't bother to order and pay for customs. When I saw them on Sephora Canada for 16$, I purchased the three that were available. This Always Golden Palette soon became a favorite with the 9B (review) Bronze Babe palette. These little palettes would be great for beginners and those of us who are in a hurry and don't want to think too much about color selection. You can grab this 9 pan palette, and get a complete look which I do appreciate. It also has enough shades to give you options.

It's Friday and time for another weekly round up and chat. It's my son's birthday party is tomorrow, and I can't believe he turns 5 on Monday. We're fully decorated for Christmas and my inlaws are visiting, they should be arriving tonight. It's going to be a busy weekend. I did take Monday off to spend the day with my little man for his birthday. This week I focused on the BH Cosmetics Desert Oasis palette, and I did dip back into the Morphe 12S palette. I will review the BH palette next week. I tried a variety of shades but I really want to dip into the blues. For my eyeshadow rotation, I want to try using more of my high end palettes. I need to make a point of pulling one out a week.

As you grow and learn to apply makeup, precision makeup brushes are very useful. At times I need to even out my eyeshadow or apply color but want to be specific about where I apply it. Do you have one eye that blends beautifully but the other always seems to be a struggle? Yes, I have that problem too. If you don't have that issue, I could only hope. I don't think you need all of these brushes, but I do think learning to use smaller brushes can help your technique. I have smaller eyes that are slightly hooded and I need precision brushes for a variety of reasons. I really do feel that these brushes are used constantly in my makeup routine.

The Beauty Creations Tease Me Palette has been on my wishlist for awhile, and I picked it up online a few weeks ago. I couldn't wait to wear the shades "Please Me" and "Tempting." I've been really enjoying cranberry shades and I thought this palette would be a great addition to my collection. I've seen this palette compared to the Huda Beauty Rose Gold palette but I honestly just wanted an affordable palette with those shades. It has 18 shades with a mix of matte and shimmer/metallics.

As a Canadian, we celebrated Thanksgiving in October but I want to wish my US readers a great holiday. I'm starting to get really excited for Christmas and can't wait to decorate. My son turns 5 on Dec 3rd so his party preparations are underway as well. I really hope 5 is the year he starts to sleep better, and not wake up at 4 am. Yes, 4 and he's up for the morning. He still wakes up every single night, and comes to our room. He started Jiu Jitsu in September and he's doing great. I'm so proud of him because he was so reluctant to participate in team sports this summer. He absolutely thinks he's training to be a ninja. I'm going to be starting a new series where I talk about what makeup I've been using and also chatting about life and other makeup related topics. I'm not sure if I will be able to do it every week, but I'm going to try.

Can we talk about my eyeshadow addiction? It's a problem...I'm going to need to scale it back in 2019 because I'm running out of space. Lately, I've been really enjoying affordable palettes. I tend to wear my affordable palettes more than my higher end shadows. I'm not sure why that is, but it's true. I'm also trying to step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself with eyeshadow. This is a goal of mine for next year, I want to work on wearing more colorful eyeshadows and pairing colors that I wouldn't normally. I tend to stick to neutrals, and feel intimidated by more colorful looks.

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This week I've been enjoying a neutral quick eye, and I've been using the Morphe 9B Bronzed Babe. I did review this palette and you can find it here. I didn't realize that I would enjoy the simplicity of this 9 pan palette. I usually keep large palettes on my vanity. I can create complete looks with the Bronzed Babe, it has enough shades to allow me to build my color and give the look dimension. The bronzed shades in this palette are just gorgeous, and I'm really happy with this palette. It doesn't have a shade light enough for a brow bone highlight, but I've been using a single shade from Kiss called Unicorn. It's bright and shimmery but not too shimmery. I think it's great for every day. 

Reversa is a brand that I was introduced to this year. The first product I tried was the 3 in 1 Mild Gel Cleanser (review.) I'm still using it, and enjoying it. I added in the Micellar Solution and Skin Smoothing Cream into my routine recently. Now that I use the Micellar Solution, I use the Gel Cleanser more as a cleanser and not a makeup remover.

Confession: I don't use alot of Micellar Solutions to remove my makeup. I go through a bottle in no time, because I spill it when putting it onto cotton rounds. I prefer a more solid makeup remover because I feel like I get more use out of it. I was a little reluctant to try this, but it was sent for review purposes and I was curious. When I noticed that it had a pump, I was much more encouraged to give it a try. The second issue, I normally have with these products is that they cause my eyes to burn. If my eyes burn, it's out. I won't go through that hassle. I'm very happy to report this does not burn my eyes at all. As for removing my makeup, it does a great job. It breaks down my eye makeup and mascara very quickly and easily. I don't have to run at my eyes. It is very gently and doesn't dry out my skin either. I really like that it doesn't leave any residue and I'm left feeling fresh and clean. I really enjoyed this and the pump really made the difference.

Today, I wanted to share the blending brushes that I use constantly when doing my eyeshadow. I have alot of brushes but I keep coming back to these brushes because they work the best for me.


Sigma E40: The Sigma E40 is a great blending brush. It's a great size to lay down my transition shade and start the eye shadow look. I like to also use this brush to continue blending throughout the eye look. This is a very soft brush synthetic brush. (Purchase)

BH Cosmetics V5: This is a single synthetic brush in the B H Cosmetics Vegan line. It's so soft and a great affordable option. I use this brush for my transition area and general blending of my looks. (Purchase)

Morphe M441- The M441 is a fluffy blending brush with natural bristles. It's a very popular Morphe brush that many use for the crease. (Purchase)

Have you ever felt intimidated by an eyeshadow palette? I will fully admit that the Dark Magic palette intimidated me and it took me awhile to get around to trying it. These colors are not in my every day collection. This is why it's the 4th palette review of the Vault collection on my blog. I really like stepping outside of my comfort zone when it comes to eyeshadow but sometimes it takes me a while to warm up to it. Especially, when a palette is as dark as this one. I decided to look at tutorials on Youtube and give this palette a try. I watched Angela Bright and followed this tutorial. I thought it looked wearable and decided to give it a try. I was so happy with my look and ecstatic that I finally tried this palette. 

The Berry/Raspberry eyeshadow trend has really come about this fall/winter season and I've been really tempted by the Naked Cherry palette. I picked up the Rimmel London Crimson palette and that really made me want to wear more of these colors. I decided to look through my collection and see if I could find more palettes that have a similar color theory. I found some...

The Rimmel London Magnif'eyes Crimson palette caught my eye at the drugstore and I decided it was time to give their shadows a try. This palette reminded me of the recent Urban Decay Cherry palette. I don't buy alot of eyeshadow at the drugstore but this palette really surprised me. The color scheme has been really fun to wear this fall season.

When I started wearing eyeshadow, brushes really confused me. I would see these beauty gurus apply eyeshadow with brushes that I couldn't easily find or I didn't want to invest the money in until I was surer of myself. When I did buy an affordable set of brushes, I didn't have the brushes that I thought I needed. This Lamora Eye Brush set is a great set for beginners, in my opinion. I use them frequently in my brush rotation and would recommend them for beginners or someone looking to expand their brush collection.

My current skincare routine involves a trio of products by Verify Skincare. A Canadian brand, led by a team of woman in science. I previously reviewed the Self Absorbed Moisturizer (here) and today I wanted to talk about them as a trio and how I've been enjoying them. First, I will reiterate that I am not a skincare expert. My skin is normal to dry and I do have some texture issues from time to time. Since I've been using all three products I have noticed an improvement in my skin overall. My skin seems more hydrated, more radiant, and smoother.

Someone is still talking about the Morphe 35O? Yes, I want to talk about it. I've owned the Morphe 35O for a few years and it's a palette that I go back to during the fall. It's very nostalgic for me. Morphe is one of my favorite brands when it comes to eyeshadows. I will also admit that I use my Morphe palettes more than my high end palettes. I'm always drawn to my Morphe palettes. The fact that they're affordable and becoming more and more easily available as a Canadian is even better. In October I had a two week vacation, and this palette was a standout palette for me. I could have brought this one palette and been set for two weeks. I really fell back in love with this palette. Those oranges are stunning!

Reversa was a new to me brand when I first tried this 3-1 Mild Gel Cleanser. I'll be honest and tell you that I'm going to try more of their products. This cleanser is a 3 in one product, and can be used as a facial cleaners, makeup remover and moisturizer. It doesn't foam, feels silky smooth and doesn't leave a residue on my skin. It claims to be hypo allergenic, non-comedogenic, perfume free and oil free. I've really been enjoying this product and I will break it down for you.

Let's chat about Colourpop Cosmetics, shall we? I purchase a lot of makeup on my own, and I wanted to start spotlighting brands and talk about the brand as a whole and how it works for me as a Canadian consumer. I really do love Colourpop, but as a Canadian I don't always gravitate towards their new releases. I really need to fall in love with a product, in order to make the purchase.

Synopsis:

American-born Rosalie fell in love with her husband during college; they were inseparable and full of dreams. Abdullah defied his parents when he announced they would marry, knowing they would eventually settle-down and accept her. Abdullah gave Rosalie everything she wished for, including life in Saudi Arabia; a country she has been fascinated with since she was a child. Twenty-five years into the marriage and two children later, Rosalie discovers she is not the only wife. For two years, Abdullah has taken a second wife, and she was oblivious. She honestly believed he was travelling on business, and had no reason to doubt him. She was clueless until a local jeweler made the mistake of asking her about a piece of jewelry she knew Abdullah would never buy her. When she confronts Abdullah, he confesses and explains that he has no plans to live without either wife. He plans to love and provide for both wives. Abdullah has always prided himself on being progressive, and Rosalie is shocked that he would do this to her. Rosalie struggles to keep her family safe, knowing she would never be able to leave the country with her children. Faisal is sixteen and becoming more and more of an extremist in terms of his religion. Their daughter Marium is constantly pushing the boundaries and they need to keep her in check. Rosalie struggles with heartbreak, confusion and bitterness. She has no idea where to go or what to do. Her children remain her priority.

Youtuber Tammi, and Revolution Beauty teamed up to create the unique Tropical Paradise palette that launched this summer. The Tropical shades really stood out to me and I was excited to try shades I wouldn’t normally wear. This palette has 12 mattes, 9 shimmers including a bottom row with two transition shades and one matte highlighter shade. While it does have unique tropical shades, it also has some nice neutrals; making this a versatile palette. I’m a neutral girl and it doesn’t matter how many neutrals I have, I continue to add more neutral colours to my collections.