Thrifty Shopping

So again I'm on my thrifty Wal-Mart/Drugstore kick solely based on the fact that I can't afford anything else right now (very sad about it, school is expensive haha)! But that being said there are some great products at the drugstores that should not be over looked only because they are inexpensive! I have a lot of staples in my makeup bag that are very inexpensive and that I repurchase constantly because of their great performance! Here are a few things I picked up (I'll specify where in the review) and what I have thought so far, I have had most of them for at least a week so I can give an honest review!

Garnier Fructis Deep Repair Mask - Rexall $2.00

First of all Rexall is only in Canada I believe but its the same thing as Walgreens, CVS, anything like that. I picked up this mask on sale because I wanted a good conditioning treatment for not a lot of money. Garnier products aren't very expensive when they aren't on sale anyways so it is still a good purchase even if you cannot find it on sale! I really like this mask, it leaves my hair feeling super soft and manageable with a fruity scent that lingers for a long time (bonus)! I will tell you that I don't use this mask how it says to use it on the label. If you read the label it says to apply mask to wet hair in the shower after shampooing and leave for one minute (mine is a different jar than the picture I just couldn't find the right picture and my camera is dead). I don't do that though! I apply this mask at night to my dry hair, which I pull up into a high pony tail and saturate the ends that stick out. After that I twist my hair into a tight ballet bun and sleep with it in overnight. This is the best way I have found to use this product and gives the best results! I would definitely recommend this mask and probably any of Garnier's mask products because all the ones I have used have had great results. Just remember if you want and extra conditioning treatment, apply it to dry hair and leave overnight!

NYC Matte Bronzer (Sunny) - Rexall $2.15

I got a great deal on all my NYC products, Rexall was having a 30% off sale and these products are already so inexpensive! I saw this bronzer raved about on a YouTube video and was running out of my matte Hoola by Benefit bronzer so I decided to pick this one up! First the sponge is a joke, I threw it out instantly haha, the packaging is so-so, I feel like I'm going to break it everytime I touch it but what matters is whats inside! And what is inside is a pretty decent matte bronzer! This is probably one of the only truly matte bronzers you can find at the drugstores (well, that I have seen anyways) and its a good option! I still prefer my Hoola bronzer but I do use this one. The only problem I have with this bronzer is it is a bit orange/peach and only comes in the one colour. It still looks surprisingly good on skin though as long as you use it sparingly just to warm up your face or as a cheek colour. I haven't decided if I will repurchase this but I will definitely use it and recommend it if you cannot afford the Hoola by Benefit or are looking for an affordable matte bronzer at the drugstore!

Rimmel Recover Anti-Fatigue Concealer (Ivory 100) - London Drugs $6.00

I love love love this concealer! It is great for anything, blemishes, undereye, brightening, WOW! I have eczema around my eyes so I find it very difficult to find anything that won't irritate it further or look excessively cakey and this concealer does neither! It gives just enough coverage without looking fake or concealer-like and has brightening properties that don't look like shimmer or glitter on the skin. The consistency is great, not too liquid, not to cream and it blends great and wears great. I don't know what else to say about this great concealer but I would highly recommend it and will repurchase it. My only small problem is that it only comes in two shades (according to the website) that will only be good for light to light/medium skin so it won't be good for everyone but if you do have a lighter skin tone, do check this out you won't be disappointed! 

Maybelline Define-A-Brow (Dark Brown) - Wal-Mart $7.98

My brows are pretty full to begin with but I have a few sparse sections on the inner corners which is hard to fill in without it looking unnatural. This pencil is super fine and comes in 6 different shades (which is remarkable for a brow pencil) and even comes in blonde and dark blonde shades for lighter hair. I have had a hard time finding a colour to match my brows, they are super dark but not black and most brow products are too light brown or warm brown and I always needed an ash shade. I finally found that with this large colour selection! My mom found a great shade too and she has very light brows so I can honestly recommend this for any hair colour! The tip is great because it makes hair-like strokes and the comb on the other end makes it look even more natural. This is the best brow product I have used so far and recommend it to anyone looking for a great brow pencil!

Rimmel Eyeshadow Single (Dusk) - Wal-Mart $4.98

The colour I purchased is not the same as the one above I just could not find the right photo anywhere! Mine is a matte chocolate brown, which is a surprisingly hard colour to find in a drugstore! I wanted this shadow only to put over my dark brown liner to give it better staying power and it works great for that! Its a really great deep rich colour with great pigment. I don't know if it is completely matte, I see a little shimmer in it but it is definitely more matte than most eyeshadows. I would also recommend this as a good defining crease colour, its really blendable and has good staying power!

That isn't all that I got...(of course) lol but these are the only things I have used enough to be able to give a good/thorough review on! Keep checking back for more reviews and please let me know your drugstore favourites and your experiences with these products if you have tried them! Enjoy!

Hard Candy now at MY Wal-Mart!

Everyone in the states is probably going to laugh at this post because I know you have had Hard Candy at your Wal-Mart stores for a while now but I am SO SO excited that it is now in Canada!! I'm being super thrifty lately because it's almost back to school time so I need to start saving a little more money so I've been loving my Wal-Mart for make-up and skincare products! As I was browsing for a new matte chocolate brown eyeshadow (hard to find in a drugstore by the way) I walked right into the new section of Hard Candy cosmetics! If any of you remember the old Hard Candy that was at Sephora, I believe it is the same brand, just a different off-shoot made only for Wal-Mart because it doesn't have the same products. So here is what I picked up last week and some reviews on what I thought!

Blush-Crush (Honeymoon) This was what I was most excited about! This is so gorgeous! Usually I don't like a lot of shimmer in my products (this is purely shimmer haha) but it was sooo pretty I couldn't pass it up! It looks just as great on and I love the understated colour! I will definitely pick up another..or two..! I wouldn't recommend it for day time if you are out in the sun as it is very shimmery. I wear it in the day though, just be warned haha!

Curl Up and Dye Mascara (Venus - eggplant) I really like this mascara for the purpose I intended to use it, which is not for everyday or for all over my lashes. I have green eyes so I use this to make them pop and only use it over my regular (Maybelline Colossal Mascara in Glam Black) and on my bare bottom lashes. It just adds a hint of colour and shine that I really like! Be careful with the brush though, it tends to collect a lot of product and goes on a little clumpy if you don't wipe it off on the side of the tube! I personally wouldn't recommend this for an all over mascara or for everyday use even in the basic black or brown shades. The reason I wouldn't recommend it is because I go for volume only in my mascara, not curling or lengthening. Plus I hate the brush but it has a great formula, kind of like Maybelline Full and Soft which I also really like, I think my only gripe is with the tiny little brush that has way too much product on it!

Fortune Gloss (Fate - Blackberry) Don't be scared by the colour of this gloss it actually comes out as a really pretty (almost clear) tint of purple. I picked this up after reading about it in a magazine where it was featured and I'm really glad I did! It has a great consistency, not too thick or sticky and tastes great (very sweet and faintly of blackberries)! The packaging is really cute too, it has a little "fortune teller" in the lid (like an old magic 8 ball) where you can ask a question and it shake it to reveal an answer! There is no shimmer or glitter in this gloss (which I love) so if you are looking for that it won't be for you, I would recommend this gloss and will probably go and pick up a few more colours soon as I am now addicted to the texture and taste and even prefer it over my thousands of lip balms (which is quite a feat)!


I thought I had bought more from Hard Candy but I now realize they were all from other brands! I will continue to purchase more Hard Candy products though, I've had a really great experience with them so far, so keep your eyes open for more reviews! Enjoy!

New Foundation

Okay, so I've recently been shopping for a new foundation (I'm ALWAYS shopping for a new foundation, lol) and I think I've actually found one I like...BUT...of course, its now discontinued. I picked up Maybelline Pure.Makeup yesterday and LOVE it, love the colour, love the consistancy and love the coverage! Oh well at least I will have it for a while, then it will be back to the hunt. Foundations I have tried recently are Rimmel Stay Matte, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, Neutrogena Healthy Skin Enhancer and Neutrogena Mineral Pressed Powder foundation. First off, the Rimmel Stay Matte is anything but matte, it's very dewy and stays tacky throughout the day (I have oily skin) so it is not a good choice for me! The same thing goes for the Laura Mercier Tinted moiturizer, although I don't like a lot of coverage and I do prefer a tinted moisturizer this was too dewy and too tacky feeling for me but would be fantastic for someone with dry skin! The Neutrogena Healthy skin enhancer is a good tinted moisturizer and I actually do love it! I just sometimes do want a little more coverage, hence my continuous search. I love that the H.S.E. has SPF 20, retinol and a tint which is great for everyones skin including oily and acne prone. I also use the Neutrogena Mineral Pressed Powder foundation but I use it as a setting powder and it can sometimes end up cakey and thick looking. Overall I'm a foundation junky and will continue looking (so keep checking back)! Please let me know your favorites for every skin type! Enjoy!