TAG : Would You Rather

This week I thought I'd do another TAG video, because I personally love watching them!  You can view the video here, or on our youtube channel.  

TAG Questions 

Would you rather have messy hair and nice makeup, or nice hair and no makeup?

Have no eyebrows or no eyelashes?

Shop only at MAC or only Sephora?

Rock the lipgloss and liner look or 80's perm?

Have an obvious foundation line or overdone blush?

Wear McHammer pants or biker shorts?

Have an orange spray tan or weird tan lines?

Have a bad hair cut or bad hair colour?

Have Youtube or Twitter taken away?

Give up blush or mascara?

Have any of you done this TAG?  If you have link it below, we'd love to see it!

-xx Sally 

Weekly Tip : Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes

This week's weekly tip will be about cleaning your make up brushes.  Cleaning your make up brushes is a hygienic step that most people miss, but it's a very important one!

What you'll need :
A Bowl
Hot Water
Soap (I personally use liquid soap for sensitive skin)
A Towel
Your Makeup Brushes

How To Clean :
1. Fill your bowl with hot water and your choice of soap.
2. Submerge your brushes in the water and scrub (you may need to change the water once or twice).
3. Empty your dirty water, rinse out the bowl and fill it with clean hot water.
4. Rinse off all of the soap (this is important as soap residue can irritate your skin) on your brushes.
5. Towel dry your brushes and leave out to dry over night.

How often should you clean them ?
This really depends on how often you use each of your brushes, however a good rule of thumb is to clean them once a week.  You want to make sure that you rid your brushes of left over makeup and any bacteria to keep your skin as healthy as possible.

How do you guys clean your makeup brushes ? Let us know in the comments below!
-xx Sally

July Favourite's

Here's my July Favourite's Video!  You can watch it here, or you can view it on our Youtbe Channel here. I hope you guys enjoy!  Also be sure to leave your July Favourite's as a video response, we'd love to watch them! 

-xx Sally 

DIY: Tinted Lip Balm

Hello Everyone! I am back with another fun DIY! I am loving doing these DIY's and they are perfect for those beauties on a budget. Not only do they allow you to have more of your favourite beauty products they also allow you to save a lot by making them yourself! So lets get started.

What You Need:

• Vaseline

• Eye Shadow or Blush (pick one you either don't use or is already broken)

• Jar

• Something to mix with (I used a bobby pin)

How To:

1. Fill your jar with vaseline, you may have to pat it down to make sure there aren't too many air bubbles in the jar.

2. You can either crush up an unused or old eye shadow or blush, or simply take one that is already broken (good solution for those broken products) and mix together with the vaseline.

3. Make sure the product is mixed well.

4. Enjoy! 

I made a couple different colours, one that was a little more dramatic and one that is more nude. What I love best about these tinted lip balm's is because you are using vaseline it isn't a sticky formula and it will really help with any dry spells that your lips may encounter.

I hope you enjoyed this DIY, as much as I enjoy making them! Please let us know if you'd like to see more DIY's!

-xx

Kelsey

Sleek Palette Review

While Kelsey was in England (you can read her blog post about her trip here) she picked me up a Sleek Eye shadow palette.  I've had it for a few weeks now, and I've been using it almost every day so I figured it was about time I did a review on it for all of you!

Product : Sleek Storm Palette

Price : 8 Pounds

Pros : I love all of the colours that they've included in this palette, 3 matte shades and 9 shades with some glitter.  I also love that there is a great range of neutral colours, and some other not so neutral colours, which are all very pigmented. I find the colours last around 8 hours which is a huge plus, and they are also really easy to take off.  (I can't stand when I have to scrub an eye shadow off).  They've also included a HUGE mirror in the palette which is great if you're on the go.

Cons : The biggest con I would have to say is that you can't seem to purchase any Sleek products in Canada.  The only other con I can think of, and it's a small one, is that the brush that they've included is hopeless.  It doesn't work at all, but that isn't a huge thing because I prefer to use my own brushes anyways.

I am absolutely in love with this palette and have been using it more than my Mac eye shadows because I love it so much.  The cheaper price doesn't hurt either! If you want to view more Sleek Products you can visit their website here. What's your favourite Sleek product ?
- xx Sally

Make-up Tutorial - Summer Date Night

Hey Everyone! So I am very excited to share my first makeup tutorial with all of you. I had the day off today and it is very rainy outside so I decided I would play around with my makeup and filmed a tutorial. I am very happy with how it turned out, and I hope you enjoy it. My best friend Jessica helped me figure out a name for it and we decided to call it "Summer Date Night". Also if you do this look please send me a photo on our twitter because I would love to see it!

Here is a list of products that I used for this look:

Spa Resource and ELF brushes
MUA "Immaculate Collection" Eye Shadow Pallet
Maybelline Stiletto Liquid Eyeliner
Annabella Black Eye Shadow
Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara
Garnier BB Cream in Light to Medium
Boxx Concealer in Melina
Maybelline Fit Me Pressed Powder in 120
Pur Minerals Bronzer
Pandoras Face Blush in St. Tropez
Revlon Lip Butter in Creme Brulee

The majority of the products are drugstore products, aside from a select few that I got in my glossybox. I greatly enjoyed filming the tutorial and writing this post so if you would like to see more tutorials please send me requests because I would be happy to do them!

Have a wonderful day!

-xx
Kelsey

Collective Haul

Hi everyone, I've filmed a collective haul for all of you!  Sorry this is going up later than I planned, I've been super busy at work lately, but better late than never :).  You can view the video on this page, or on our youtube channel here.  I've accumulated a few things over the past couple weeks that I wanted to share with you guys.  

Have a wonderful evening, and be sure to follow us here, and on twitter where both Kelsey and I will keep you posted on everything we're getting up to! 

-xx Sally 

Tuesday Tip : Cheap Organizing

This week's tip is all about cheap organizing!  After reading A Thrifty Mrs's blog post about organizing your bedside table (you can read it here) I thought about how I could organize my make up without having to spend a dime!

I had some old containers left over from some tea I bought at David's Tea (fyi David's is one of the best places to buy loose leaf tea!) so I scrubbed off the labels and used them to house my cotton pads, and my make up brushes!  I find they work really well and look great on my counter top!  They also are just the right size to fit the cotton pads and brushes. 

For my make up draw I used old boxes from my beauty box service.  I had them just lying around taking up room.  The three boxes fit perfectly in my drawer and help me organize them into face, eyes and lip products.  It may not look very fancy, but honestly no one is going to look in that drawer besides me, and I didn't have to go out and buy containers.  

I hope this little tip has helped you, and given you ideas on how to organize your things without spending a tone of money!  I'd love to hear about what cheap tricks you have used to organize your things! 

-xx Sally 

Marcelle Products

Today's post is about two Marcelle products I bought last week (one being a re-purchase) that I think are really great products!  

Marcelle Essentials Oil Free Multi-Defenese Lotion : I mouthful I know!  But this lotion is AMAZING (especially if you have oily skin like I do).  This lotion is actually a re-purchase.  I used to use this lotion about a year ago before I tried Aveeno's Fresh Essentials Daily Moisturizer (I mention it in my Daily Skin Care for Oily Skin here).   I really like Aveeno's moisturizer, but I have to say after I've gone back to this one I find it a lot heavier - most likely because this is a lotion and Aveeno is a moisturizer.  I really like the constancy of this lotion, it has SPF 15 in it, and the biggest thing (for me) is it is oil free!  I have to say, I don't think I'll be trying any other daily lotions for a while, I'll just stick to this one because I know it works for me. 

Marcelle BB Cream in Light to Medium : I've been using this for about a week now instead of my Mac  Studio Sculpt (in NW15), and I've taken a real liking to this BB Cream.  I've tested Garnier's BB Cream (you can read Kelsey's review on it here), and I didn't really like it.  I think what I really like about this one is it have a slightly thicker consistency (which I like to hide some of blemishes and red spots) and covers my face really well.  It's also hypo-allergenic which is great for me because I do get allergic reactions when I put some products on my face.  I know a week really isn't long enough to see if the BB Cream shows results on my face, so I'll do a full review on this product in about a month's time. 

Have any of you tried Marcelle's BB Cream?  And did you think it worked?  I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

-xx Sally 

April Favourites

I was planning on posting this a while back but I wanted to do a video for it and I needed to find time to film. Sadly because of a series of unfortunate events I didn't have much time to do so. Anyway here is the video for April favourites! Please go and like and comment and enjoy!

-xx
Kelsey

April Glossybox - Canada

So it's that time again! Glossybox time! I cannot tell you how impressed I am with this team. I have been doing a lot of research about other boxes and even people's general review on customer service and I want to send a huge hurray for Glossybox. Sure, they have the odd complaint but they handle it beautifully and I think that says a lot about a company. They're also always chatting with fans and beauty conasours. I often strike up a conversation with them and they're amazing to deal with. I believe that customer service often can enhance a product huge! Now onto the actual product review!

1. Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer - This is a full sized product and I could not be happier! I have always been a HUGE fan of Aveeno but often I can be a little cheap and end up not buying it because of it's cost. The product retails for $22.99 and they include a full size bottle in the box. Since the box is only $15 it's already worth it. Now for the actual cream, I adore it, doesn't break me out and evens out my skin tone which is something I yearn for.

2. Elizabeth Grant Skin Care Shower Gel - Another full size product retailing for $20. I have never used this shower gel before and I got the scent Golden Angel, which is slightly stronger than I normally wear but it has a nice floral scent that I will definitely be trying tonight!

3. Wella Brilliance Conditioner Fine to Normal - This conditioner smells absolutely amazing. And from the card it says it contains diamond dust for an incredible shine. I have fine hair and it is also coloured and I am very excited to give this conditioner a try. A full bottle retails for about $13.99 and the sample looks like I could get 2-3 washes out of it, keep in mind my hair just got past my ears in length so if you have longer hair, you might go through it quicker.

4. Wella Brilliance Treatment Fine to Normal - About 9 months ago I chopped off all my hair because I killed it from too much colouring and heat styling (I will be doing a hair story soon) so I am a huge fan of these sorts of products. I am constantly trying to find a new treatment to keep my hair healthy. Again I think I might be able to get about 2-3 treatments done and a full bottle retails for $13.99. If it does a good job, I am definitely purchasing a full size bottle.

5. Marcelle Xtension Plus Mascara - Ironically I ran out of mascara this morning so this is perfect timing! In my review for "Benefit They're Real" I said I wasn't too fussy with mascaras and that still holds true. I tested this one and it does lengthen and adds volume so it's job is done, and I find the formula doesn't clump too easily, which I enjoy. Again another full size product which is amazing and it retails for $12.50 in store, which is a reasonable price for mascara.

Bonus - As a little bonus they threw in a sample of Marcelle BB Cream Beauty Balm, I think it'll be a 1 or maybe 2 time use but I am excited to use it since I have hopped on the BB Cream bandwagon. This retails at $22.95 so a little more expensive than Garnier but if I feel like I like it a lot better I may consider switching. All in all a nice little bonus.

My final verdict is... this box was pretty awesome and I am extremely excited about it. It is definitely well worth its $15 since 3 of the products make it already a $55 dollar box... how insane is that!? Anyway if you'd like your very own Glossybox (which is definitely recommended if you're a product junkie like me) you can click the link here.

Also feel free to follow them on twitter (you can get there by clicking here) , if you'd like to chat or ask them some questions. Tell them lbdgirls sent you. Also follow us on twitter and feel free to chat with us, we love hearing from you all!

Hope you enjoy and if you'd like any in depth product reviews let me know and I'll put them up as soon as possible!

-xx
Kelsey

Garnier BB Cream

So I have recently jumped on the bandwagon of this latest trend which has been popular in East Asia for years now, the BB Cream (or beauty balm cream). I haven't been using any heavy foundations lately, mostly a tinted moisturizer and I figured I'd give this a go!

I will give you a brief description of what Garnier likes to advertise for their BB Cream. They claim it is the miracle skin perfecter with 5 benefits. "It corrects, brightens, evens, is a UV protector and hydrates." I got the shade Light/Medium and it retails for about $18 at Walmart.

My first impression of the cream was it had a pleasant smell. I can't describe it too much but it does slightly remind me on a floral soap scent, but it isn't too strong and disperses fairly quickly. Straight from the tube it looks too dark, which made me slightly worried that it wouldn't match my skin since I am quite fair but once blended into the face it matches perfectly.

I have recently figured out that my skin type is more normal to dry and I find that this helps a lot. It makes you look really fresh, and I have often had people tell me I look flawless when I am wearing it. I have noticed that lately my skin has also looked brighter from using it and it doesn't clog my pores, which is a huge bonus for me.

All in all I would suggest giving it a shot! I absolutely love it and it has made a nice home in my daily makeup routine.

What are your thoughts on BB Creams? Leave me a comment.
-xx
Kelsey

March Glossy Box - Canada

My Glossybox for March has arrived! For those of you are unaware of what Glossybox is, they are a company that sends you five moderate to full samples of different beauty products for only $15 a month. For more information definitely follow them on twitter: @glossy_ca or visit their website: glossybox .
Now let's get started!
1 & 2: PANDORA'S FACE BLUSH: This blush in the colour St. Tropez. It is a faint fuchsia that isn't too pigmented but adds a really nice flush colour to the face. The blush retails in stores for about $18 and is definitely a nice colour to take into spring. For more info about Pandora Makeup follow them on twitter: @PandorasMakeup.
3&4: BAILEY LIP GLOSS: This lip gloss is in the colour Berry and judging from the colour of the gloss in the tube seems very dark, however once it is swatched on the lips or hand as shown above it is a really light plum colour that can be built up if needed. What I really loved about this gloss is it wasn't sticky and it didn't dry out my lips which is my main problem with other glosses. The gloss retails in stores for $28.
5: SEBASTIAN RE-SHAPER HAIRSPRAY: This is a strong hold hairspray, that from what I can tell does it's job. I am not too picky when it comes to hairspray so I do not have too strong of an opinion. I do however like that it is a convenient size for travelling. The hairspray retails in stores for $19.95.
6: AVEENO LOTION: I have always been a strong fan of Aveeno products because I find they work. Canada's weather is very unpredictable which can result in very confused skin. I always carry an Aveeno hand lotion with me and it always does it's job. The lotion retails in stores for $11.99.
7: EVIAN FACIAL SPRAY: I have always been curious about this product and I have spotted it many of times in Sephora and now I finally had the chance to try it out and it's wonderful. Within a few seconds of spraying it on your face you feel refreshed and hydrated. I definitely look forward to using this product in the morning to brighten up my face. The spray retails in stores for $7.
8: ALGEMARIN FOAM BATH: This was a little bonus gift from Glossybox and I haven't had a chance to try it out yet but I am looking forward to it. It's a bath foam that is made from extracts of seaweed, algae and mineral salts. This will be nice to sit back and relax after a very stressful week. The foam retails in stores for $23.95 for 750 ml.

Glossybox is a wonderful subscription and I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes to try new products but doesn't want to commit to paying full price. You definitely get more than your money's worth which is always an added bonus!
If you'd like to ask me anymore questions about the products listed above, or anything in general please feel free to comment below or tweet me @lbdgirls.
-xx Kelsey