Ipsy Glam Bag: September

September 21, 2016 / thecorkedreader89 / 3 Comments

Hi guys! It’s time to “unbox” my September Ipsy Glam Bag! It’s always exciting to see what they have sent me each month and I always enjoy sharing it on the blog. Usually about once I month I also post Hits and Misses from my previous Ipsy bags, I’m due for one soon so keep an eye out for that! The bag for this month is cute as usual, I always love seeing what the bag design will be each month.

September Ipsy Glam Bag

tre’Stique | Mini Highlight Stick in Maldives Luminescent

At first when I saw this item in my September Ipsy Glam Bag, I was a bit annoyed. I’ve said it many times that I don’t like cream or liquid highlighters. However, it’s a pretty white gold shade which I like and the Ipsy website describes it as the perfect base for a powder highlight. That’s probably the only way I would use it, so I’ll give it a shot! I never pass up wearing TWO highlighters.

Too Faced | Lip Injection Extreme

I’ve never really been one to purchase or use lip plumpers, so this is at least unique to my makeup collection. I’ve never really thought about plumping my lips to be honest, but I’ll give it a try! I heard this one is a bit on the painful side so wish me luck!

Eva NYC | Forget Me Knot Dry Conditioner

I love using dry shampoos so the idea of a dry conditioner has me intrigued. This spray is said to be lightweight and will leave your hair soft, shiny and frizz-free. I like the soft and frizz-free part, but usually I’m using a dry shampoo to get rid of shine, so we will see how this goes!

Ulta3 | Nail Colour in Sizzling Red

I received a red nail polish in my June Ipsy Glam Bag so to see another one in my September Ipsy Glam Bag is a bit disappointing. Also, I very rarely wear red nail polishes. However, the Ipsy website says it is a one-coater, cruelty-free and long-lasting, so we will see how it performs! I still have to try out the nail polish I received last month, but I’ll do a Mani Monday for this one too at some point!

e.l.f. Clay Eyeshadow Palette in Smoked to Perfection

Ipsy calls this palette “practically error proof” as it swipes on sheer and is buildable. That makes me feel a bit better about the swatches! It did swatch smoothly so I can see these shadows being blendable, but it does lack some pigment. This seems like a perfect little eye shadow palette for a beginner, especially one who is experimenting with smoky looks. The colours are gorgeous though and it claims to be long-lasting. The shimmery shades were a bit chunky when swatched.

Well, that is what I got in my September Ipsy Glam Bag! Do you subscribe to Ipsy? Let me know what you got in your September Ipsy Glam Bag in the comments down below!

xoxo,

Robyn

You can also find me here…

YouTube | Bloglovin | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Mini “Minni” Sephora Haul

September 16, 2016 / thecorkedreader89 / Leave a comment

Hi guys! I managed to make my way into one of the many Sephora’s that I was probably in proximity to while I was away on my road trip. The Sephora that I stopped by was one that I’ve been to many times, the Minneapolis (“Minni”) location. Since being on the road for two weeks is quite costly, I limited myself to two lipsticks so I had to force myself to choose wisely. My focus seemed to be very liquid lipstick centred but I think that helped keep me from buying more than I did. So, let’s chat about what I picked!

Anastasia Beverly Hills | Liquid Lipstick in Heathers

I have wanted to try the Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipsticks for quite some time now but I always get seem to get side-tracked. This time though, that was not going to happen! Since it is *almost* fall, I wanted to get something more on the vampy-side so I chose the shade Heathers. It’s a brownish-oxblood shade which is basically a combination of two of my favourite fall colours! I can’t wait to try out this formula and put it to the test in an upcoming Love for Lipstick post!

Kat Von D | Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita

It’s really no surprise that Kat Von D makes one of my favourite liquid lipsticks, I’ve raved about them in the past. With that said, I had to pick up another one! Lolita is one of her classic shades and surprisingly, it wasn’t yet mine! So, since it was in stock, I had to pick it up! This looks like a great every day shade. A rosy chestnut liquid lipstick? Yes please!

anastastia-beverly-hills-heathers-kat-von-d-lolita-swatches

L to R: Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Heathers & Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita

I also decided to compare Kat Von D’s Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita and Double Dare as when I swatched Lolita, it reminded me of Double Dare. They are very different though, yay! Double Dare is a touch pinker and brighter than Lolita. I’ve swatched them both below in case you were curious!

kat-von-d-lolita-double-dare-comparison-swatches

L to R: Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita & Double Dare

Well, that’s what I picked up when I stopped by Sephora in Minneapolis! If you missed out on my recent posts about my adventures you can find the Canadian leg of the trip here, and the American leg of the trip here!

What have you recently hauled? Let me know in the comments down below!

xoxo,

Robyn

You can also find me here…

YouTube | Bloglovin | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Top 5 Fall Lipsticks

September 7, 2016 / thecorkedreader89 / 11 Comments

Hi guys! It’s been awhile since I’ve done a top 5, the last one I did was for summer lipsticks. With the fall season looming I thought it would be fun to look at my top 5 most reached-for fall lipsticks. When the nights start getting cooler and the leaves start changing colours I am all about browns and burgundy shades on my lips. It isn’t even fall yet and I’m excited to start wearing these shades more!

Colourpop | Ultra Matte Lipstick in Kapow

This shade is definitely the boldest of the bunch. It looks very, very dark on the lips on me but I love it. I did a look using it last fall so you can see what it looks like on me here. I like it best with very simple, neutral makeup so that it stands out but the look as a whole isn’t over the top. Colourpop describes this shade as a muted grey-taupe and I think that is a very accurate description. I find that this shade wears well and is comfortable on the lips. If you are sensitive to liquid lipsticks and have issues with dry lips you may want to find a similar shade in a traditional lipstick formula.

MAC | Matte Lipstick in Studded Kiss

Studded Kiss is a dark oxblood shade. Oxblood sounds like a gross name for a colour, but I am obsessed with that shade in the fall. I have oxblood pants that I’m just dying to start wearing when it gets cool enough to wear full length pants! Again this is a matte shade, which isn’t surprising because I love matte lipsticks. I mostly pair this with neutral/brown looks. For the most part with fall I usually tone down the eye makeup and let deep lipstick shades do the talking.

L’Oreal | Colour Riche Lipstick in Pure Burgundy

I re-discovered this lipstick in my collection. I’m not sure when I got it, I don’t think it is available anymore but it is a colour that I love for fall. It is a beautiful burgundy shade. Pure Burgundy is a bit deeper than MAC’s Studded Kiss so it adds a bit more drama to a look.

Urban Decay| Vice Lipstick in 1993

1993 has only recently come into my life but I know it will be a fall staple. It’s a medium brown shade that is really quite wearable and versatile if you like brown lipsticks. It is a comfort matte shade so although it is a matte lipstick, it does not feel drying on the lips.

Colourpop | Lippie Stix in Grunge

I thought that Grunge from Colourpop was no longer available since it was part of their 90’s collection last fall but I just checked and it is still on their website! They describe this shade as a cool-toned plum brown. Similar to my other choices, this is also a matte lipstick. Colourpop makes great matte Lippie Stix, they are quite comfortable to wear. In my mind Grunge and 1993 were similar, but now seeing them swatched side-by-side they really are quite different. Beside 1993, you really can see the plum in Grunge. It’s a beautiful shade and I’m so happy to see that it is still available.

What are your favourite lipsticks for fall? Let me know in the comments down below!

xoxo,

Robyn

You can also find me here…

YouTube | Bloglovin | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

[inlinkz_linkup id=659897 mode=1]

Maybelline The Blushed Nudes Palette

September 3, 2016 / thecorkedreader89 / 6 Comments

Hi guys! I’ve had the Maybelline The Blushed Nudes Palette for quite some time and I hadn’t got around to reviewing it yet. I wanted to use it more before reviewing and I never seemed to reach for it when doing my makeup so I kept putting it off. However, today I am ready to review it for you. I received this palette from Influenster for review purposes, however, as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The palette itself is a rosey neutral palette, quite similar to the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette. It contains twelve shadows, three of which are matte and the rest are shimmery.

For comparison, here is previous photos I’ve posted of the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette:

The two palettes are quite similar, however they are of course at very different price points so you can’t really expect them to be dupes. They most certainly are not. The shades in the palette are similar but that is where the comparison stops.

As you can see from my swatches, these shadows sheer out a lot. They are also a bit chalky in consistency. I thought they would be impossible to work with, but I found them relatively easy to work with. The darker shades definitely are easier to work with than the lighter shades. I always use a primer when applying eye makeup so it always wears consistently so I can’t really speak to wear time.

Here is a look that I did using the Maybelline The Blushed Nudes Palette:

Since the shadows don’t have names (why wouldn’t you name your shadows?!) I’ve done up this guide to show you which shades I used in this look:

So, while this isn’t my favourite palette in the world, I wouldn’t completely write it off. For the price (approx $14 CAD) it’s a decent palette. I found the best way to apply these shadows was to pack them on using a shader brush or a crease precision blender (Morphe E17). If you wanted a softer look, you could definitely blend them out and achieve that. While personally, I think I’ll stick to my Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette, if you’re looking to dabble into eye makeup, this might be a good place to start. It’s a good selection of shades, is inexpensive and since the shadows are a little more on the sheer-side you can really control the amount you are applying.

Have you tried the Maybelline The Blushed Nudes palette out? Let me know what your thoughts were in the comments down below. If not, what is your favourite drugstore palette? I’d love to hear your suggestions!

xoxo,

Robyn

You can also find me here…

YouTube | Bloglovin | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

*Product was sent to me for review, all thoughts and opinions are my own. I did not receive compensation to write this post

Kat Von D Serpentina Palette

August 19, 2016 / thecorkedreader89 / 8 Comments

Hi guys! I’ve had the Kat Von D Serpentina Palette for about a month now so I’ve been playing with it and today I’m ready to review it for you! As you likely know, I’m definitely a fan of Kat Von D’s eye shadow palettes so when I saw this one announced, I knew I had to jump on it! Kat Von D is known for her pigmented, blendable and buttery eye shadows. Her palettes generally have quite a bit of kick-off but, the shadows are so phenomenal that they are still worth it.

The Serpentina Palette is a very bright palette that packs a lot of colour. It has two matte shades, six shimmery shades and one loose shimmery pigment. In terms of colours included, this is not a very practical palette. It has absolutely no neutrals, but that’s pretty apparent going in. This palette is for those who love colour! I do wish there was at least one neutral shadow included as a transition shade, but I tend to pair this with the Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette.

Overall, I enjoy the shadow quality of this palette. A few things to note though, the mattes while quite blendable, are not as pigmented as you would expect if you are familiar with the Shade + Light Eye Palette. They fall a bit short in comparison.

The shimmer shades have amazing pigmentation. They are so beautiful, but they definitely have some fall out. For look #1 I did my face makeup first (my normal routine) but ended up having to fix the fall out after. For a minute there it looked like I had a royal blue highlight (it wasn’t cute). When I did look #2, I did my eye makeup first, cleaned up the fall out and then did the rest of my makeup. Worked much better that way!

I always, always, always use an eye shadow primer so I can’t comment on the wear time of these shadows. My eye shadows all seem to wear consistently no matter what the brand, formula or shade is.

This is a very large, bulky palette. Mostly because of the loose pigment (it is actually removable which is pretty awesome) which required palette to have some depth to it. To demonstrate that, I thought I would use a MAC lipstick to show you how tall the palette is. I don’t really mind the palette size, it fits in my palette drawer just fine. But, if you’re limited on space, it is an awkward size. It is also much longer than a standard eye shadow palette as well.

Transition: Ludwin (Shade + Light Eye Palette)
Crease: Venom
Lid: Queen
Outer-V: Nile
Under eye: Queen and Nile

Transition: Ludwin (Shade + Light Eye Palette)
Crease: Bloodmilk
Inner Lid: Prophet
Centre Lid: Hieroglyph
Outer-V: Bloodmilk
Under eye: Prophet, Hieroglyph and Bloodmilk

Serpentina is definitely a palette that I am glad I purchased and I look forward to creating more bright and colourful looks with it. While it does fall a bit short in comparison to other Kat Von D Palettes, I still do enjoy it. I saw quite a few negative reviews on this palette so I was a bit nervous taking the plunge, but in my opinion, it’s a great palette. This is a limited edition palette, however it is still available for purchase on the Sephora website.

Did you pick up the Kat Von D Serpentina Palette? Let me know in the comments below!

xoxo,

Robyn

You can also find me here…

YouTube | Bloglovin | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Ipsy Glam Bag: July

July 30, 2016 / thecorkedreader89 / 2 Comments

Hi guys! Another Ipsy Glam Bag has arrived and it’s time to go over what I received this month! July’s bag was delayed due to the potential Canada Post Labour Dispute but it did finally arrive last week. This month’s bag’s theme is Hot Summer Nights.

Glam Bag Contents:

Too Faced | HangoverRX Replenishing Face Primer

I love receiving items from a brand that I’m already in love with! Particularly when it is a product that I haven’t tried yet. I’ve heard so much about the HangoverRX primer but haven’t taken the plunge to buy it. This is partially due to the fact that it’s marketed to people with dry skin (I’m oily) and also the fact that I’m in love with using Nivea Post Shave Balm as a primer. I am looking forward to trying this though… it claims your skin will have the appearance of a full night’s rest and I know my skin could use that! I’ll keep you posted on how this works out!

Thrive Cosmetics | Infinity Waterproof Eyeliner

This is another item that I’m really excited to try! This is an eyeliner that claims to be high-pigmented and have 24-hour staying power. I would never, ever wear an eyeliner for 24 hours but, I am curious to see if it will indeed last a full day… particularly, in my waterline. I was even more excited because I thought the eyeliner would be the same colour as the packaging (which as you know, I’ve been eyeing up a MUFE eyeliner in a similar colour) but alas, it is black. But, I use black eyeliner so, it’s still useful. This product swatched really nicely so I’m optimistic on it’s performance. Continue reading →

Violet Voss x Laura Lee Eye Shadow Palette

June 24, 2016June 23, 2016 / thecorkedreader89 / 18 Comments

Hi guys! Oh my goodness you need this palette! I’m just going to cut straight to the chase, it’s amazing. Okay, now that I have that out of the way… I started seeing YouTuber Laura Lee’s collaboration with Violet Voss pop up all over the Snapchat of basically every beauty YouTuber that I follow. I had heard of her, but I hadn’t really watched any of her videos. I couldn’t believe how amazing this palette looked! The swatches looked super pigmented, and buttery smooth so I was instantly intrigued. I started watching her channel and was hooked! After watching her video where she talks about the palette in more detail, I knew I had to mark the pre-sale date on my calendar because I knew these babies would fly off the shelf. Boy, am I glad I did because I am in love!

The palette itself is mostly warm toned, but she did add a few cool toned shades as well to balance it out. There is a nice mix of mattes, shimmers and metallic shades so you have everything you need for a complete look. The palette is nice and compact so between that and the ability to do several different complete eye shadow looks with it, it would be great for travel. If you haven’t already seen it, you need to see her video on this where she talks about each shadow and why she picked each name. You can find that video here! A lot of the names are inspired by Alabama which is where she is from. I’m not sure if this was just for the pre-sale but the palette also came with a photo signed by Laura Lee herself which was a nice touch! Continue reading →

Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection Eye Palette

May 31, 2016June 7, 2016 / thecorkedreader89 / 4 Comments

Hi guys! I normally don’t post until Wednesday but I was too excited and had to share this right away. Last week when the Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection Eye Palette launched I jumped onto the Sephora website and grabbed one. The Face Palette was so amazing that I just couldn’t pass this up. So today will be another “first impressions” style post so I’ll have a look with this palette coming shortly as well. As I type this I have just received it in the mail so I haven’t had a chance to play with it yet but I just had to get some swatches up for you guys!

This palette is so stunning and looks like a great addition to my makeup collection. I’ve never used Becca eye shadows but I’ve heard great things! The colours are in the warm/neutral family and include two shimmers and three mattes. Basically, you have everything you need for a beautiful eye look. Continue reading →

May Favourites

May 28, 2016May 29, 2016 / thecorkedreader89 / 1 Comment

Hi guys! It’s time to go over my monthly favourites! I was going to film a video to go along with this however I have a cold so my voice sounds terrible. But, writing about these wonderful products lifts my spirits and makes me feel better!

Too Faced | Melted Matte Liquified Long Wear Lipstick in Lady Balls

I am obsessed with this liquid lipstick. It’s a beautiful true and is super long-wearing. You can find my rave review of it here! I can’t wait to pick up more shades from this line, the wear-time is unbelievable. And, who can resist a hilarious name like Lady Balls?

L to R: Too Faced Lady Balls & Kat Von D Double Dare

Kat Von D | Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Double Dare

I have definitely been having a liquid lipstick moment lately and this is another one that I have been wearing lots. It’s described as a cocoa blush shade and I think it is great for everyday wear. I’ll be reviewing it for one of my next Love for Lipstick post to wrap up my last haul. It has great wear time and feels like it goes with everything. Continue reading →

Ipsy Glam Bag: May

May 25, 2016May 24, 2016 / thecorkedreader89 / 6 Comments

Hi guys! Another one of my Ipsy bags has arrived and once again they have sent me exciting goodies to play with. Hopefully this is my last written Ipsy post for awhile and I can go back to filming soon. I was going to film this weekend but I had two additional dogs and a bunny staying with me for the long weekend.

Let’s dive into what I got this month…

Épicé International | Hydrating Mask

This hydrating mask uses Kaolin Clay to absorb the oils and impurities in your skin without stripping your skin’s moisture. I can’t wait to put this mask on my face and try it out! The size of the sample is nice too because I think I’ll get a few uses out of it to see if it truly makes a difference.

Pacifica | Natural Mineral Coconut Eye Shadow Trio

This eye shadow trio is gluten-free, vegan and cruelty-free. These eyeshadows weren’t as pigmented when I swatched them as I thought they would be, but I’m looking forward to trying them out on my eyes. Continue reading →