Makeup Haul Review #1

So these are just a few items I've picked up over the past month or so that I wanted to share with you guys. I picked these five because I really really love them and I find myself using on almost a daily basis.

1) Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer $22
I used to use the Urban Decay Primer Potion religiously for probably the past two years until one I found it just wasn't potent enough. Maybe I've grown immune to it now, I don't know. Damn my oily eyelids! So it was time to switch it up and I grabbed the Smashbox one and glad I did. It's so hard for me to find a good primer in any form so I was happy to see that this one worked so well. What I like most about this primer is that not only does it help your eyeshadow stay on longer and eliminates creasing, it also creates a neutral beige base so that your eyeshadows show up more vivid. I have read reviews that alot of people don't like the colour of the primer, so if you do have a darker skintone....then I probably would not recommend.

Lancome Hypnose Mascara

2) Lancome Hypnose Mascara in Black $31 
 This was my first luxury brand mascara purchase. Verdict? It's alright. Nothing special considering the price, but I still use it every day so I can't say it's bad. It does the trick, makes your lashes look super long and fuller and doesn't clump. My quest for the perfect mascara shall continue.




3) Benefit Erase Paste in No. 2 Medium $30
The one I have in the picture is actually a smaller sample size that I got in the Finding Mr.Bright kit. The full size pot is about double the size. I really love this product. Not only does it cover my dark circles very well but it also brightens up the area. The concealer  has a pink base which is a must for covering dark circles. When I finish this mini sized one I'll definitely be picking up the full size one.

4) Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Medium Ash/Medium Brown $29
So I totally bit the bullet when I purchased this brow duo. Seriously I just spent $29 on a brow powder? I seriously did go on a hunt for a good brow powder that matched perfectly and it's just impossible. So I decided to go to the brow expert, Anastasia and I picked this up. I'm so happy I did because I love this duo. I went with a lighter colour because I have pretty dark and full brows already I just wanted to fill in some sparse areas and define them a bit more, so this duo is perfect for me. I use the lighter shade (medium ash) to fill in spaces first, and then I go over with the darker shade (medium brown) to define my brows more. Definite purchase if you're also searching for a good brow powder.

5) MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack $18
I use liquid liner religiously. Always have, always will. But sometimes you just need a softer look, but you don't want to sacrifice the long wear and staying power of your lids. I heard so many great things about the MAC Fluidline, so I purchased it and I really like it! It stays on pretty well, no transfer of liner onto my lids. I must warn if you do open your eyes immediately after applying the gel then yes it will transfer, so let it dry a bit. It's really nice for everyday when you don't want to have such dramatic eye liner.

Hope you enjoyed this little review. There will definitely be more to come.

Too Cheap for Visionnaire.....but I'll buy that LiftActiv 10

There's always those luxury items that we want but unfortunately cannot justify paying exorbitant prices for. So if we are able to purchase a similar product for a significantly lower price than why not? This is where my new segment "Too Cheap....but i'll buy that knockoff" comes into play.
Today's focus will be on an innovative product "Visionnaire" from Lancome.

Lancome 'Visionnaire' 30 ml $100

Function: Corrects pores, unevenness and wrinkles
For: all skin types and ages
Benefits: evens out redness and discolouration, safe to use around eyes and can even brighten dark circles, skin is more radiant, pores and wrinkles are minimized.
How to use: Treat as a serum, use in the morning or evening after cleansing and before moisturizing

Visionnaire premiered last year and has become Lancome's top seller.  Their claim is "In just 4 weeks, Visionnaire radically improves the appearance of wrinkles, pore and uneven texture, leaving your skin visibly tranformed".

Sounds damn good doesn't it? The price is not too hefty compared to some other outrageous products out there, but if you're still peering into your wallet and debating what's more important, an oil change on your car or Visionnaire, then consider the alternative.

Vichy LiftActiv Serum10 $55

 For almost half the price, you can get a similar product which boasts similar results. They both share a majority of the same ingredients only the LiftActiv promotes a special patented ingredient of theirs called "Rhamnose" which helps stimulate activity in the "Derm Source" (aka. wakes up your cells in the dermis layer and tells them to get on their asses and start doing something productive like producing collagen to plump up that saggy skin).

Vichy's claim is that " LIFTACTIV Derm Source Serum 10 is a powerful anti-wrinkle serum that leaves skin looking and feeling instantly transformed. Wrinkles appear reduced and skin feels velvety smooth."

Decision Maker
So why the hell am I paying almost double the price for the exact same product may you ask? Well my little munchkins, its simple. I was wondering the exact same thing myself until I tried out both products. The major difference is the feeling of the product. Sounds dumb right? But it is not. When Visionnaire is applied it absorbs quickly into the skin and you can feel an instant softening and smoothness to the skin. But when you apply the LiftActiv 10, the skin feels sticky to the touch and it takes a minute or two for it to absorb into the skin. Even after it has absorbed, you can always feel the LiftActiv almost sitting ontop of your skin, while the Visionnaire is completely absorbed and you skin feels like a baby's bum. If you have oily skin, LiftActiv 10 is not a product for you because sticky icky combined with your overproduction of sebum is not going to feel pleasant. I suggest forking out that extra $45 and purchase the Visionnaire, it will do wonders for your pores and acne scarring. But if you are a bit more mature and no longer have any issues with oiliness and are more on the dry side, then aren't you lucky because you can save those dollars and get the oil change your car desperately needs and still have enough for the LiftActiv your skin is also desperately asking for.