Reveal My (Makeup) Stash #3: All About Eyes

I'm not adventurous with my eye shadows, I much prefer a neutral eye but still love a nice pop of colour on occasion. That being said, I rarely ever apply more than just mascara to my eyes because a eye primer doesn't exist in my collection. Creased shadow just annoys the heck out of me. Caitie has raved about the Faerie Organic Forty Winks Eye Primer and I keep meaning to pick it up. Perhaps it's about time that I do? Probably.

I'm going to list the shadows by row, starting at the top. To see swatches of Pure Anada shadows, click here. To see swatches of Sappho shadows, click here.

First Row: *Pure Anada Pearl (loose), and Cheeky Cosmetics Samples in Aubergine, Midnight, & Cocoa (loose).

Second Row: The All Natural Face Sample in Smolder (loose), Silk Naturals Custom & Satin (loose), and W3LL People Holiday (loose).

Third Row: The All Natural Face Diva Stix in Milk.

Fourth Row: *Sappho Turtle, *Pure Anada Whisper, Pure Anada Burlap, and *Sappho Craving Cocoa.

Fifth Row: *Sappho Norma, *Pure Anada Mirage, and *Sappho Chloe.

Sixth Row:  *Pure Anada Blackberry, *Sappho Beckitt, *Pure Anada Onyx, and *Sappho Raven

Youngblood Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Quad in Eternity is the only quad or palette that I own. It comes with me whenever and wherever I travel because they, to me, are the perfect colours for a subtle or smokey neutral eye.

Silk Naturals Satin & Custom, Pure Anada Burlap, Sappho Craving Cocoa, and W3LL People Holiday

Here are four shadows that I have yet to swatch and thought it would be a great time to do so, in case you're thinking of picking them up. Holiday I'm not too crazy about but, the other three are stunning! Also, Craving Cocoa is a bit more or a red brown, almost burnt orange or brick.

Left to right: W3LL People Holiday, Silk Naturals Satin, and Silk Naturals Custom

Left to right: Pure Anada Burlap and Sappho Craving Cocoa

Left to right:  W3LL People Holiday, Silk Naturals Satin, Silk Naturals Custom, Pure Anada Burlap, and Sappho Craving Cocoa

Bottom to top:  W3LL People Holiday, Silk Naturals Satin, Silk Naturals Custom, Pure Anada Burlap, and Sappho Craving Cocoa

Here we have Youngblood Eye Illuminator, Zuzu Brow Pencil in Russet, Physicians Formula Organic Wear in Black Woods, Benecos Kajal in Black, Pure Anada Mascara in Black, and Zuzu Liquid Liner in Raven (AH-MAZING). I've since added Sante Brow Pencil in No. 2 Brown to my collection. Stay tuned for my lippy collection! *PR SAMPLES. The two Silk Naturals shadows were sent to me by the lovely Cori from Well Beauty Blog.

January 2014 Empties!

This month has been a fun one for empties because I've managed to finish so much, as you can see below. #NoBuyJanuary really forced encouraged me to use up samples and minis, as well as finish off products that were just about done. Don't be fooled though, I still have a boat load of stuff to get through.

This picture made me feel like a garbage hoarder haha

Here's what I've finished this month...

Coconut Oil - I mostly cook or eat this delicious goodness, but I also used it in this body butter. I've already repurchased.

Deep Steep Body Wash - review here - This was such a great body wash. It was fragrant without being overwhelming, nourishing, lathered well on a loofa, and felt very luxurious. I really enjoyed this particular scent, but will be trying a different one. Will be repurchasing.

Alaffia Scalp Recovery Shampoo - This wasn't actually a full bottle, it only had a few uses in it. My friend wanted me to try it to see if it would help my scalp dermatitis and dandruff. It did! I already picked up a brand new bottle.

Pretty Skin Savior Oil - review here - Body oils are wonderful and this one was no exception. It smelled lovely and moisturized well. Once I get through some other body products, I may repurchase this or one of their other oils.

Earthpaste Toothpaste in Peppermint - review here - There's not much to say about this product, it's the only toothpaste I use. Already repurchased.

*Weleda Sea Buckthorn Hand Cream - review here - This month was exceptionally cold and my hands (and entire body) were craving more moisture. This hand cream smelled nice and absorbed well, but wasn't moisturizing enough for me. I found myself constantly reapplying, hence why I finished up a tube in less than a month. May repurchase in the warmer months.

Weleda Calendula Face Cream - review here - I love this stuff soooo much. It's great for hands, face, and body and moisturizes so well. I especially love that it's small and light enough to carry in a small purse. Will definitely be repurchasing because I can't be without it.

Badger Sleep Balm - review here - This was a skin savior this month. I applied it to super dry bits like knees, elbows, feet, face, and hands just before bed. Not only did it fill the room with the beautiful fragrance of lavender, it also left my skin super soft. Might repurchase at some point.

*Pure Anada African Gold - review here - This marula oil infused shea butter was perfect for this DIY body butter and by itself. I loved using it all over, including my face, to help with any dry patches. Will very likely repurchase next Winter.

Andalou Naturals Illuminating Toner (not pictured) - review here - Went through another bottle and still love it! Will be repurchasing.

Tamanu Oil - review here - Ahh, my love for tamanu oil runs deep. I was heart broken when I used up the last drop and may, or may not, have shed a tear. My goal with facial oils is to use them all up before repurchasing, that way I can decide what works best for my skin and what should be repurchased. I just made up that goal recently, but I see myself repurchasing very soon.

*Lina Hanson Global Body Serum - This body serum smells so amazing, it's the perfect scent. Vanilla with a hint of citrus, delicate and feminine. I didn't do a full review because the few times that I did use it on my body, I broke out badly. I actually received this months ago, before I discovered (100%) that argan doesn't agree with me. I have been using it on the ends of my hair and can't even describe how intoxicating the scent is. I hope Lina makes a perfume oil with this scent, minus the argan. Will not be purchasing the full size although you should for the scent alone, if you can use argan.

*Aroma M Camellia Hair Oil - review here - What a sexy scent this hair oil has. It made me feel so sexy when I used it. It worked just as well as Lina's body serum did on the ends of my hair. I've since started using marula oil instead and much prefer it to both of these. Will not be purchasing the full size.

Dr. Hauschka Facial Toner - This was sent to me by the lovely Cori, from Well Beauty Blog, and it was nice. I've tried it before and enjoyed it. I go through toner rather quickly though and don't love it enough to spend as much as it costs. Will not be purchasing the full size.

One Love Organics Vitamin D Active Moisture Time Release Mist - This was a two time use sample that didn't really give me a good idea of whether I liked the product or not. It's very unlikely that I'll be spending $40 CAN on the full size though.

*Corpa Flora Rock'n Rose Exfoliating Facial Powder - review here - I love Corpa Flora products and have purchased full sizes since that review to prove it. This was a very gentle, yet effective exfoliating powder. I much prefer chemical exfoliants though. Will not be purchasing the full size.

S.W. Basics Exfoliant - review here - Hands down my favourite physical exfoliant.ever. It just worked so well for my skin without irritating it and it smelled like oatmeal. If I ever purchase a scrub in the future, it'll be this one.

The All Natural Face Cream Blush in Cotton Candy - review here - My favourite and, obviously, most used ANF blush shade. The purple worked with my naturally red cheeks without enhancing the redness. Since discovering that I can't use these blushes anymore, because of the argan oil,  I'm glad that I finished at least one. Won't be repurchasing.

*Pure Anada Mascara in Black - review here - This mascara kinda sucked at first, it was too wet for my liking, but amazing once it dried up a bit. It was great wet as well, but I found it separated my lashes too much for my liking. This mascara held up in Jamaica (hot as hell) and in the cold. It didn't flake, smudge, run, or transfer unless I fell asleep in face plant position. I won't do a full review now, but I will say that I purchased another tube.

The Body Deli Blueberry Cleanser Sample - This cleanser surprised me. It's full of fruit acids, which is what I consider a chemical exfoliant. I used this sample every second or third day as an exfoliator, left it on for a minute or two and washed it off. My skin was left noticeably softer and even toned.  I purchased a mini bottle back in December, love it!

The Body Deli Almond Cleanser Sample - Really wanted to love this cleanser. It smelled delicious and cleansed well but I didn't find it anything spectacular. Perhaps the sample was too small or I just like other cleansers more. Won't be purchasing the full size.

Evanhealy French Rose Clay - I've had this sample in my collection for months and months. I decided to use it recently, since my skin freaked out and grew little people pimples all over. What a fantastic clay mask! It never dried out my skin, even though I used it three days in a row, and helped to calm the acne down. I may pick up the full size at some point, may.

Suki Intensive Nourishing Masque Sachet - Another item sent to me by the beautiful Cori. I didn't like this at all because of the nasty film it left on my skin. My face felt super greasy and uncomfortable. The Suki range hasn't been a hit with me. Will not be purchasing the full size.

*Rahua Conditioner Sachet - Monique, from Anise Apothecary, actually gave me this along with the shampoo sachet to try. I wasn't impressed by the conditioner, it didn't seem to do anything for my hair at all. Will not be purchasing the full size.

Red Flower Purifying Body Wash in Icelandic Moonflower and Italian Blood Orange - Both of these smelled lovely, one floral and one citrusy. They foamed up on my loofa beautifully and left me clean without drying out my skin. I prefer Deep Steep though and won't be purchasing full size.

Done, done, done!

*PR SAMPLE

The All Natural Face Cream Blush Collection + Swatches

It's no secret that The All Natural Face makes some exceptional products (cream blushes) and sells them at affordable prices ($5.75 USD). And it's also no secret that I'm super late on this post, but, better late than never. Right? I really love their cream blushes, like LOVE, despite their use of argan oil which a. I've never seen listed before and b. tends to irritate my skin. That being said, I don't think I've had any reactions.

Anyway, this post is about the shades that I have and showing you swatches prior to purchasing, which may be kind of late for most of you :P. I will say that the formulations of these blushes vary widely. Some of them are pretty hard and others are super creamy, so don't be alarmed if the consistencies are different.

L to R: Dusky Rose, Touch of Rose, Peachy Rose

Dusky Rose is a favourite for many. It's a dark rosy red that gives the skin a natural flush of colour. I haven't played with this colour much, but feel it might be a staple come Fall/Winter.

Touch of Rose is supposed to be a subtle touch of rose, like the name suggests. It swatches brownish/pink but, goes on very sheer and adds the most beautiful glow to the cheeks. This is perhaps my favourite and most used blush because I can use it on days when I just want a glow or use it to intensify a powdered blush. I would probably rename this to Touch of Glow.

Peachy Rose is exactly as stated, a peachy blush. I hardly ever use it, I'm just not a fan of peachy/orangey shades on my skin, however, it is beautiful.

L to R: Barbie, Cotton Candy

Barbie is a bubble gum pink that's not very pigmented. The colour really needs to be built up in order to show up, heavy swatch below. Nonetheless, it's super pretty and would make a great lip colour as well.

Cotton Candy is a gorgeous purple/pink shade that is so complimentary to my skin. I have some redness on my cheeks and find this works beautifully to counteract that. Not counteract as in conceal but, it doesn't enhance the redness and make my entire face look super flushed. Red cheeked gals, you'll understand. It doesn't go on as purple as it looks below, blends out beautifully.

I would highly recommend checking these cream blushes out, if you haven't already. My definite repurchase shades are Touch of Rose and Cotton Candy.

What is your all time favourite ANF cream blush shade or product in general?

L to R: Dusky Rose, Peachy Rose, Touch of Rose, Barbie, Cotton Candy

L to R: Dusky Rose, Peachy Rose, Touch of Rose, Barbie, Cotton Candy

L to R: Dusky Rose, Peachy Rose, Touch of Rose, Barbie, Cotton Candy

July 2013 Favourites!

I've been fairly adventurous lately with trying new products and July was a month filled with them. Many of them were used for only half the month, and no reviews have been written yet, but I'm including them anyway! Sue me (don't actually).

Jojoba Oil - Since running out of my DIY Oil Cleanser, I decided to use up this bottle that has been hanging around to remove my makeup. It's so lovely! It works very well to remove my makeup, is a light and almost water-like textured oil that never feels heavy, and it hasn't broken me out (A+ for that).

DIY Toner (in Pangea bottle) - I have been playing around with different toner ingredients to find something that is affordable and works well. This is basically a mixture of aloe and apple cider vinegar. My previous bottle was the same with the addition of essential oils. My next bottle with likely include green tea. When I get a bottle/batch that I'm beyond in love with, I'll do a post. For now, know I'm enjoying the current mixture and plan on making it better.

Sephora Silicone Cleansing/Exfoliating Pad - I've had this pad for ages, like well over a year. I use it, stop, use it, stop, and have finally decided to just incorporate it into my skin care regime daily. It's extremely gentle, easy to clean and affordable. Love it to bits, so much that I have a backup..what? Judge free zone, remember that.

SBT Seabuckthorn Tea Cream - This is a lovely light moisturizer that's been working well to keep my dehydrated skin hydrated. It has virtually no scent and is chock full of my beloved sea buckthorn oil. Review to come.

Pure Anada African Gold - This gem is pure, unrefined shea butter infused with African Marula Oil. It's worked wonders on my dry patches (face and body) and I swear it's lessened the appearance of my frown line. Review to come.

Consonant The Perfect Sunscreen + Alima Pure Foundation - For the first half of the month, I was mixing the sunscreen with the foundation to create a beautiful light to medium coverage tinted moisturizer. The combo worked really well, even though the colour was slightly off, and it just gave my skin a really nice glow while offering a sufficient amount of coverage..but...then..the next item came along.

Pure Anada Pressed Foundation - I have two shades, Very Fair and Light, both of which work for me. I played with both shades and Light seems to be a good match for me with my tan. It's amazing! It creates a flawless finish, wears beautifully all day, and doesn't cling (too much) to dry/dehydrated patches. Review to come.  Side note: I have a swatch on my hand below, of my next two favourites, which allows you to see my skin tone shade right now and might help you put Very Fair and Light in perspective.

The All Natural Face Touch of Rose Cream Blush + Alima Pure Freja Luminous Shimmer Blush (swatch below) - most beautiful combo ever. Touch of Rose just gives the cheeks a beautiful glow on it's own, then you add Freja to give it that gorgeous pink pop. It's so natural and so beautiful. I can definitely see myself picking up a full size of Freja when my sample runs out.

Top to bottom: Touch of Rose, Freja

Dr. Mist Deodorant - This stuff is fantastic for summer. It's unscented, keeps me fairly dry and stink-free for most of the day. I added some peppermint oil for a little spunk and to keep it fresh and cool when applying to my underarms. LOVE!

What did you love in July?

The All Natural Face: Magic Vegan Eye Shadow Primer Review

Back in February I did a haul, from The All Natural Face, that included their Magic Vegan Eye Shadow Primer. After having bad luck with the Oily Lid Primer, I decided that it couldn't get any worse and went for it.

Description: "Magic" has a doe tip applicator just like Urban Decay's old Potion Primer did. "Magic" is an amazing primer! Just dab a few dabs of the "Magic" primer on your lids, blend in with your fingertip, and let dry for a second or two. Apply your shadow as you usually do. "Magic" will give you all day wear and crease protection! You can also use this an under eye concealer if the tone is complimentary.

I'm a big squeeze tube lover in general, however, the doe tip applicator is great for controlled application and reducing the use of too much product. When I used this in the colder months, I didn't really like it because I found it caked and made my lids look crepey regardless of how much or little I applied. With it now being warmer here, I find it applies much easier and doesn't give me that crepey look anymore. I like that it helps a bit with any lid discolourations. For everyday use with a more natural eye, it's great, but it's not my go to for long lasting shadow or more dramatic looks. It doesn't last all day, on me anyway, I find my shadow just disappears after about 4 hours. I know for a fact that this wouldn't last, on me, on a extremely hot day in the summer. A good natural eye primer is hard to come by and I haven't tried that many to really be able to compare the difference. What works for you will depend on your eye shape and how oily (or not) your lid is. For the price, this is great and although I wouldn't repurchase, I highly recommend giving it a try.

Retails for $7 USD for .43oz. Can be purchased directly through The All Natural Face only.

Ingredients: purified water, glycerin, mica, oxides, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide(sunscreens), organic jojoba oil, squalane oil,boron nitride(mineral),Ceteareth-6 Olivate (olive based emulsifier), xanthan gum(co-emulsifier), cosmocial cq (preservative) potassium sorbate (food grade preservative).

The All Natural Face Haul #2 + First Impressions + Mini Reviews

The wonderful Caitie, from Naturalla Beauty, had posted on her Facebook page about a fab deal for The All Natural Face from yourbestdeals.com. The deal was $19 for $50 worth of product. Luckily she did because otherwise I would have missed out! Thanks Caitie!

My first ANF haul was pretty exciting. Imagine how much more exciting this haul was for me since I got to try more products! Soooo exciting...until...I received my order. The colours of what I received were just such a let down and you're about to see what I mean.

I'm going to start with the lipstick sampler which comes with five shades of choice, one clear and a lip scrub. I opted out of the scrub because it contains salicylic acid which doesn't react well with my skin. The five shades that I selected were Deep Wine, Sweet Wine, Juicy Plum, Sweetheart Pink and Cherries Jubilee. I ended up receiving two samples of Deep Wine and none of Sweet Wine. Mistakes happen. I was more disappointed to discover that they weren't what I expected in terms of shade, two look the same and one looks more like a gloss (and I'm not talking about the clear sample). They feel more like a gloss than a lipstick and have an odd plastic taste. I tried applying them with a brush and my finger, and they applied better with my finger which is how they were applied with in the pictures below. I doubt I'll be using these samples or purchasing full sizes because the taste honestly makes me gag a little and the shades aren't flattering on me except the Sweetheart Pink.

L TO R: Deep Wine, Sweetheart Pink, Cherries Jubilee & Juicy Plum. Notice how Deep Wine & Cherries Jubilee look the same?



Juicy Plum - not pigmented on the lips at all. Felt like oil being rubbed on my lips.

Deep Wine

Cherries Jubilee



Sweetheart Pink

I then picked up the Diva Eye Stix in Milk and Fawn. Bri, from iluvjesse444, has raved about the stix in Milk for highlighting the inner corners of the eyes and brow bone. How could I not pick it up if she loves it so much!? I really enjoy it! It's creamy and creates a very nice brightening effect, however, be careful with how much you apply. My skin is a bit dry and it clinged to the dry patches on my brow bone the first time that I used it. The second time I used less and it was beautiful. Lesson learnt lol. Fawn on the other hand, isn't nearly as creamy and I found I have to warm it up on the back of my hand before applying it otherwise it tugs at the delicate eye area. All in all, I'm pleased.

Top to Bottom: Milk & Fawn. Better swatch will be below.

Bri also raved about the Magic Vegan Eye Shadow Primer. I originally picked up the Oily Lid Primer which was so disappointing and creased horribly. The Magic Primer is amazing! I've only used is a couple of times but it didn't crease and helped my shadows last. I wouldn't say it lasts ALL day, like Urban Decay's Primer Potion, but it's fantastic for being a natural and vegan primer.

I love lip gloss and thought I might as well try one from the ANF. After spending a very long time going through all of the pictures and descriptions of each gloss to pick a colour that I thought would be great, I decided on Sassy Cherry. Huge mistake. When I think Cherry, I think a beautiful berry shade. Imagine my disappointment when I opened up this gloss and saw how brown it was and to make matters worse, it has the same plastic taste as the lipsticks. The smell/taste doesn't go away, it lingers and that a problem for me because I honestly can't handle it. It looks like a chocolate shade and just looks awful on me. I will not be using this gloss and I won't be trying other shades due to the scent. Perhaps of a little peppermint was added, I would give a different shade a try.

Better swatch will be below.

Here is a swatch of Sassy Cherry Lip Glss (top left corner) and the Diva Stix in Milk & Fawn

My last haul, I picked up the pot cream foundation in True Beige which was too dark for me. This haul, I picked up the same foundation but in Light Beige Warm which matches me much better. I haven't really played with this much so I don't have much to say about it. It's creamy, that's all I got :P

Last but not least, I picked up three cream blushes because they are beyond amazing! It was hard selecting shades, because again, they appear different than what's on the site. I decided on Dusky Rose, Barbie & Touch of Rose. I knew what to expect with Dusky Rose and Barbie because there's a picture of them on TANF cream blush section, however, Touch of Rose was disappointing. It's lighter than what I expected seeing the powdered version. I find it to be more of a bronzey, pink highlight. I'm not thrilled with it, that's for sure. Barbie is really pretty, not as pigmented as the other cream blushes but definitely buildable. Dusky rose is really pretty as well, it blends out to give you a nice "touch of rose" look or you can build it to get a darker rose appearance.

Sorry they're dirty, I swatched them the second I got them and they're hard to clean.
L to R: Dusky Rose, Barbie & Touch of Rose

L to R: Touch of Rose, Barbie & Dusky Rose

I lied, cream blushes weren't last. I got three eye shadow samples in Smolder, Raw Steel and Creme Brulee. I was disappointed with Smolder, it's not as pigmented as I expected. Raw Steel is really pretty, thought it would be darker but it's not bad. Creme Brulee is my favouriteeee! So shimmery and just a great neutral champagne type shade for everyday wear.

This was so much longer than I expected but it's great to see swatches to help you decide what to order, should you choose to order from The All Natural Face. Their products, for the most part, are wonderful and their pricing can't be beat but they need to get up pictures of all of their cream product shades and better pictures/swatches of their lip shades.

What are you most excited to order from The All Natural Face?