My Channel Perfection Lumiere experience

I have been seeing a few people on YouTube use the Channel Perfection Lumiere Foundation. One of My favorite YouTube beauty goo roos Camila Coelho or other wise known as "MakeupbyCamila" uses this foundation in 90 percent of her tutorials. So I got curious and I wanted to know for myself on the quality of this foundation. First of all it wasn't easy to find a Channel Makeup counter. I managed to track one down 30 minutes away from me and decided to drop in for a visit. On the Channel website it shows you all kinds of shades but some are named the same name with a different number on them. So with the confusion that gave me, I thought lets go visit a Channel counter and see how it goes. 

So here I am strolling into the store and find the Channel counter. There were two makeup artists at this counter. One was assisting another customer and there was this elderly lady (I think she was old enough to be my grandmother) who was the sweetest person to me. She asked if she could help and I told her what I was interested in trying. So she said ok let's color match you so we don't let you walk out of hear looking like your wearing clown make up. LOL. She was a sweetheart. She was very good with her eye and picked 2 different shades for me to try. So one side of my face she applied one shade and the other side of my face the other shade. I swear to you that was the most pleasant makeup color matching I have ever done. After she applied both shades she made me stand in different light of the store so I could see for myself on what shade I would prefer.

Once I made my decision she took off the shade I didn't like and applied the foundation  to my full face with the shade I liked so that I did not walk out of the store with 2 different shades of foundation on my face. 

Once I paid for my foundation (Which was $55 plus tax) she asked me if I wanted to start a client card with them so when I return for another foundation down the road we would know what I have tried. I agreed and filled out a client card. At that time she gave me a $10 coupon for my next purchase on a Channel product. 

I left that store so relaxed and excited about my new foundation, that I can not describe how enjoyable that visit was.

Now I know you are wondering "OMG $55 for a foundation!" BUT let me tell you this foundation applies to your skin like butter. It gives you a flawless finish. This foundation is medium to full coverage and is very build-able. The packaging is beautiful in a classical bottle with a pump. Which is a bonus because I can't stand foundations in bottles without pumps or you have to tip over to get the product out on beauty blender. It just makes a mess that way which is why I love a pump or in a squeeze tube like my MAC studio sculpt. 

Wearing this Channel foundation feels weightless. It doesn't feel like I'm wearing any foundation at all. I even caught myself looking in the mirror throughout my afternoon checking to see if I had make up on! Fabulous! 

If you are interested in trying out this foundation you can visit your local Channel makeup counter or check out the website below.

http://m.chanel.com/mt/www.chanel.com/en_CA/fragrance-beauty/Makeup-Foundations-PERFECTION-LUMI%C3%88RE-127181

Until next time beauty lovers ❤💋

MacGirl25

Sigma Synthetic Kabuki Kit 5 Brushes

I know I am a MAC Cosmetic lover. But there are certain things that I just can't bring myself to spending that much money on. For example, MAC Make Up Brushes are great! Don't get me wrong, I have maybe at the most 3 or 4 of  their eye brushes. But as a staple I just can't afford all of their face brushes when they go for $30 a pop. So I went on a limb and purchased my very own set of Sigma Face Brushes from their web site.

These brushes are very affordable. Individually they range between $8 - $16 each. In a set of 5 face brush set you are paying about $76 plus tax. Which is cheaper then spending $16 each on them or in a MAC world $30+. Not to mention the Sigma Beauty website always has a 10% off discount code each month so you can use that towards your entire purchase.

I have all great things to say about these brushes. They apply your make up on so beautifully that your skin looks flawless. Ever since I started using these brushes I have recieved more compliments on my makeup.

The best part is that they do not shed any hair. Its really important to take care of your brushes so they last a long time and you get your moneys worth, so once a week or even once every two weeks make sure you clean your brushes to get rid of all that bacteria and dirt build up on them. (Stay tuned for a Do it yourself: how to clean your make up brushes)

For a cheaper alternative these brushes are fantastic. I would definitely purchase more brushes from them in the future.

This set of 5 kit comes with the following: Note the descriptions below are straight from the Sigma Website, I will post the link below.

http://www.sigmabeauty.com/Synthetic_Kabuki_Kit_5_brushes_p/smax06.htm

 

F80 - Flat Kabuki™: Application of liquid or cream products to flat areas of the face such as the forehead and cheeks.

F82 - Round Kabuki™: Blend mineral products onto the skin.

F84 - Angled Kabuki™: Buff cream blush or bronzer onto the skin.

F86 - Tapered Kabuki™: Apply cream and liquid foundations onto the harder to reach contours of the face.

F88 - Flat Angled Kabuki™: Blends foundation easily onto  hard to reach areas of the face. Angle fits all areas of the face seamlessly. Works especially well on cheekbones and contours of the nose.

Until Next Time Beauty Lovers <3
MacGirl25

Daily Moisture Conditioner

I have gone through my share of conditioners for an everyday use. You know how it is, when you buy your shampoo and you say why the hell not get the matching conditioner . Well I am hear to tell you that it's not against the law to buy a conditioner that is not the same line or company as your shampoo .

I have tried my drug store type of conditioners and I have yet still to find a good drug store conditioner for every day. However I have found a great affordable salon conditioner for everyday use. Silk Elements Olive Conditioner is the best for every day use. It has olive oil as the main ingredient along with silk proteins to keep your hair soft and shiny. I love to use this conditioner when I flat iron my hair especially because it makes my hair look phenomenal. I purchase the individual packets at Sally's Beauty Supply. Usually they go on sale often so I pick them up for only $0.99! They offer the  conditioner in a larger bottle as well but I usually change up my conditioner as I do my shampoo so my hair doesn't get used to just one brand all the time. So the packets are the perfect portions for me. Definitely worth a try next time you are in Sally's pick a packet up and try it out!

Until next time beauty lovers ❤

MacGirl25

Foot lotion: Body Shop Peppermint cooling

With the great warm weather here, I am encouraged to wear more of my sandals, wedges, and open toe pumps to work. The thing is though that I get the worst calluses under my heals and under my balls of my feet just below where my toes connect with my foot. I do my monthly pedicures to help with the over all health of myself and my feet but because I'm always bare foot in the spring and summer I need a good foot hydrating lotion. I have had this foot lotion in my stash for a while so I cracked it out and I haven't put it away ever since. This lotion has slowed down my calluses production on the bottom of my feet between pedicures. The peppermint does wonders on your skin. When you first apply it you might think its a bit greasy but once you rub it in fully all you get is the best moisturizer for your feet. I don't remember the cost of the bottle if I were to guess I would think its around $17 but its a decent size bottle and as you can see from the photo below I have been using it every night before bed, and ladies and gents a little goes a long ass way! 

If you are interested in trying it out please visit this website for more information .

http://www.thebodyshop.ca/en/index.aspx

Until next time beauty lovers ❤

MacGirl25

CURRENT EMPTIES! June 2013

So I seriously have A LOT of make up products, hair products, and over all beauty products in general. So I am now trying to plow through a lot of the products I have to finish them that way I can go out and purchase some more!

Over the last few weeks I have managed to empty out a good portion of my products. So lets just dive in on these items, and I will tell you which ones I enjoyed and which ones I didn't enjoy as much. YES Ladies and Gents, I am keeping this review RAW as I always do. Inspired by my YouTube girl WhatWouldLizzyDo :)

Note: I purchased these items with my own dollar bills in case anyone is wondering. I am not affiliated with any company I mention in my list of used products.

1. Crest 3D Whites Strips Advances Seal (2hr sessions)

• I did a review on these not too long ago (go check out my previous articles). I didn't like the feeling and sensitivity it left on my teeth since it was a stronger session then I am used to. I did like the shade of white it brought my teeth to though. But since this is a pricey kit, I wont be purchasing the 2 HR sessions again.

2. St. Ives Naturally Clear cleansing cloths with Witch Hazel

• Love these make up removing cloths. They are a bit pricey for my liking. But when they are on sale I try to grab a couple because I enjoy these cloths so much. They leave your face fresh and with that clean feeling. Plus the witch hazel works as a toner to minimize an over flow of acne.  Definitely would re purchase again once they go on sale. PS. I think the package only comes with 24 cloths for like 7 bucks...YIKES!

3. Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly

• This container was HUGE! I purchased this Vaseline last summer. I use this stuff for minimizing my stretch marks I get on my thighs or butt area. (No I don't have kids, I'm European so my body is a bit curvy). Any ways, love this stuff! Its pretty cheap, you can get a big tub at Wal Mart for like 4 bucks and it will last you pretty much all year. I normally use it just after the shower. Re-purchase it is!

4. Weight Smart Women's One a day multi vitamins with green tea extract

• Love these multi vitamins! They keep me topped up on the nutrients I may lack on days when I don't eat a balanced meal. Already re purchased too :)

5. Gravol Multi Symptom Natural with Ginger and Willow Bark

• There are days where my vertigo is not behaving itself, and there are days where I just feel nauseous (No I am not preggo). This product is the best natural remedy one can use to help them with dizziness and nausea. I'm not the only one who uses it, my boyfriend also uses it as well. Which is why we run out of it so fast. On my list of Re Purchase items!

6. L'oreal Ever Pure Sulfate free Shampoo in "Rosemary and Juniper"

• This has been a Shampoo I see myself going back to every now and then. I love the scent, it does the job of a shampoo and its affordable. I'm the type of girl who rotates shampoos so my hair doesn't get used to just one. So after a couple of different shampoo rounds I will definitely make my way back to this one.

7. St. Ives Fresh Skin apricot scrub

• This is my favorite facial scrub. Love the fresh clean feeling it gives you when you use it. The scrub itself are medium chunks of wall nut shells which actually feel as if they are exfoliating your face. Some scrubs don't even feel like they are getting the job done. I will definitely re purchase this in the future again. I still need to get through all the rest of my scrubs first. :)

8. Nivea Aqua effect nourishing day care facial moisturizer

• I got this facial moisturizer in a Christmas Gift Box I bought on sale on Boxing day. After using the whole bottle, which wasn't too big thank god, I came to the conclusion that I will not repurchase this. The moisturizer left me really oily, and when I used it just at night, I still could not believe the amount of oil my skin was still producing over night, which is not normal for me when I do not use this product. So I finally used it up and will not be buying it again.

9. Nioxin Scalp Therapy #4 Conditioner

• Love Love LOVE this conditioner! Nioxin products contain peppermint in their formulas which make using their items that much more amazing! This conditioner was not heavy at all and with that hint of peppermint it just made my hair smell and feel like it was hydrated and shiny. Re purchase is in order once I finish all my other conditioners.

10. Lancome Bi Facial Eye Makeup remover

• This eye make up remover is AMAZING, But expensive. I had a travel size which I enjoy because I can take it with in my make up bag. But in all honesty I am not willing to spend 30 bucks on a makeup remover. Especially when I know there are other good ones out there that are A LOT LESS expensive.

11. Bach Rescue Remedy

• I have been under a lot of stress with work. The only thing that keeps me from not having a nervous break down is this Rescue Remedy. You can get it at your local natural path food store, and it ranged between $9-$15 depending on the size of the bottle you get. You put a few drops in your water or on your tongue and with in a few minutes your anxiety has mellowed out. NO THIS DOES NOT GET YOU HIGH so do not even go there!

12. Delon+ Premium Cotton Rounds

• These are by far my favorite cotton pads to remove any make up on my face. I get a back of 15 at Costco for like $18 and they usually last me a few months. They are made with 100 percent cotton and has Aloe Vera and vitamin E inside the pads, so they don't irritate your face. Perfection.

13. Marcelle essentials gentle make up remover

• I wear make up every day, so make up remover is a clear essential for me. Marcelle Makeup remover is a cheaper option to that Lancome brand I mentioned above, and Marcelle makeup remover is very good. You can by 2 bottle combo pack for $12 at Wal Mart, instead of spending $12 for one bottle everywhere else. Just a shopping tip for you ladies and gents :)

14. Nivea gentle Toner

• This Toner came in my Christmas Gift box I purchased on Sale. Not thrilled with this toner, it did not seem to work for my skin. I basically just felt as if I would putting water on my face. Not a re purchase for me.

15. Evian facial spray

• I mentioned this product in my last favorites article. Love the spray, but its a bit pricey at Sephora. I could re imitate the spray at home using a dollar store mini spray bottle and pour fresh cold water in it. If I was a millionaire then I would get it again, because I didn't have an issue with the product. I just have an issue with the Price ($15 for a combo pack at Sephora)....YA.

16. Marcelle Eyeshadow in "Naked Truth"

• Loved this eye shadow. it was a perfect nude shade for me to wear every day at the office for work. This was my second container I finished. Unfortunately Marcelle discontinued this shadow so I must go on looking for another one similar :(

17. Scented Candle in Lavender

• I adore burning candles. They relax me. They make me feel at peace. I finished this candle a few days ago and they are not expensive at all. I get them at the dollar store for $1.25 as you can see in the photo :P I love the expensive candles too, but I don't always go to Bath and Body works so I make do with what is around me until I make the trip.

18. Lush Cupcake fresh face mask

• All the Lush representatives tell me that this mask if for teenagers mostly. But at this time of year, I am an oily mess, so this mask does wonders to suck up the excess oil from my face. It is a FRESH face mask, so you need to make sure you use it at least by a few days after the expiration date on the package. As long as you keep it refrigerated, you can still use it after the expiry date. Just don't wait too too long after. This mask is about $6 at Lush.

19. Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

• I enjoy this cuticle cream as a night treatment only. It can be a but greasy, so it is best used at night before bed. In the morning you wake up with soft, hydrated cuticles for the day. Its important that you use it every night though! Remember a little bit goes along way with this product. I have already repurchased mine.

And that's all Ladies and Gents for now, Hope you enjoyed the reviews of my empties.
Until next time Beauty Lovers <3
MacGirl25

Mane and Tail Shampoo

I used to wear fusion extensions and there was a time when I used to wear the weave extensions too. After my high school years of wearing those brutal extensions by the time I hit my 23rd birthday I noticed my hair was really thinning out. So I got rid of my weave and fusions and went on a hunt for a good shampoo that will bring my hair back to its thickness and length it once was when I was a young'in. My boyfriend who is a hairdresser said, "haven't you tried 'mane and tail' shampoo before?" I was completely in the dark until he showed me this spectacular shampoo. It's around $8 at Wal mart or Sally's and it is you're average size shampoo bottle. This stuff is amazing! After using a full bottle I noticed my hair was thicker and grew a bit quicker. On top of all that my hair was actually stronger then what it used to be before those extensions! The formula is a clear consistency so it acts also as a clarifier as well. The ingredients of the shampoo has olive oil and other natural proteins to help rebuild your damaged hair. What I now do is use a bottle of it, then once it's done I switch to another shampoo I may want to try or I already know I like and then once that bottle is done go back to the mane and tail. So I alternate it every other bottle when I finish the whole container. The only thing is that this shampoo doesn't have a lot of sulfate (which is good) but that means it won't lather up like other shampoos do from your drug store/salon. But I don't have and issue with that. The results are well worth the lack of serious lather for me. 

If your hair is lacking growth/strength or volume go pick this up and try it out .

Until next time beauty lovers ❤

MAC Studio Moisture Tint with SPF 15

It is that time of year where you don't want to wear a heavy foundation when you are out at the beach. So I use my favorite tinted moisturizer from MAC in the shade "Dark". They have minimal shades to select from, Light, Medium, Medium plus, Medium-Dark, Dark, and Dark plus. But you really don't need a wide range of shades to select from anyway because this is a tinted moisturizer and not a full coverage foundation.

When you do apply it, you will notice it does help even out your skin tone, which is what you want a tinted moisturizer to do at the very least besides just hydrating your skin.

This moisturizer has a SPF of 15. Which is great and in my opinion that is enough SPF for a day at the beach, shopping, or even spending the afternoon downtown walking around in the glorious sunlight. It's a very light weight formula and does not break out your skin, which I think is a plus.  You can also use this moisturizer underneath your foundation if you are needing that full coverage look in the summer time and yes even in the winter time. It works great in the winter if you don't want a really heavy moisturizer and need something to hydrate in a light weight sort of way during those dry cold winter months.

Now remember ladies and gents that this is not a BB cream, this product is just a moisturizer with a bit of tinted color to it so don't go out and buy it thinking its a BB cream and works exactly as a BB cream. Just saying pay attention to the products you are purchasing.

The cost of this moisturizer is about $31.00 for 40ML or 1.3 Fl OZ ,and well worth it too. A bottle of this moisturizer lasts me all summer and winter. I will stand by that this is my top rated light weight tinted moisturizer of all time. <3

Until next time beauty lovers <3
MacGirl25

MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation

Its that time of year when I am at the end of my Winter foundation and ready to soon start a new Spring/Summer Foundation. Over the winter I used the MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation in the color NC35. I absolutely love this foundation for the colder months.

This product is so hydrating for your skin when its -40 outside, and it leaves your skin looking dewy and glowing. The formula is easy to apply with a brush or beauty blender ( I prefer a flat top kabuki brush). It lasts all day long on your skin and if you set it with a powder then it lasts even longer then an 8 hour shift.

The packaging is very workable. It comes in a tube which you squeeze to get your product out. The great part is that the tub a good size so you pay for what you are getting. The tube is 40ML (1.3 OZ) and the price is roughly $31 plus tax. Which I used every day during the Winter season and it lasted me all Fall and Winter.

This foundation is such a great foundation for me personally mostly in the winter time because I get the very dry skin in the winter season. However for you ladies who don't have dry skin all year long I don't recommend this product in the summer. Now that Summer is coming, and I am a few drops away of finishing this foundation, I will definitely be trying out new foundations from MAC and other brands that are on the more Matte side, since I do get very oily in the hot months of the season. Keep an eye out for a review on those babies :)

If you are interested in purchasing this foundation please visit your local MAC counter or you can order online, below is the link:
http://www.maccosmetics.com

Until next time beauty lovers <3
MacGirl25

Milani lipsticks

I have heard about these Milani lipsticks mentioned by the top beauty Goo Roos of YouTube: Nicole Guerriero, Whatewouldlizzydo, etc that these lipsticks are worth checking out. So I decided to order my self a few colors. 

When I received them I was a bit nervous to try them because I wasn't sure what to expect BUT my girls on YouTube don't lie! These lipsticks are amazing! The color payoff is fabulous, they are very opaque and they smell like watermelons! The prices are good about 8-9 dollars each. They also last long on your lips even when you are drinking and eating. My favorite feature of all is that they are so moisturizing on your lips they don't dry your lips and make them crack n' chap. 

You can visit their website to order them on line if you are like me and live in Canada. Below is the link to check them out:

http://www.milanicosmetics.com/default.aspx? 

Also go check out my girls on YouTube they are fabulous

Nicole G: http://m.youtube.com/#/user/nguerriero19?&desktop_uri=%2Fuser%2Fnguerriero19

Whatewouldlizzydo: http://m.youtube.com/#/user/WhatWouldLizzyDo?&desktop_uri=%2Fuser%2FWhatWouldLizzyDo

From left to right are the colors below: Rose amour, nude crime,flamingo pose 

China glaze nail polish

I absolutely love love doing my own manicures its some sort of therapy for me. I've tried my share of nail polish and I love all those brands OPI, Color club, MAC (of course), but lately I've noticed that China Glaze has improved their formula! I purchased this polish last week from Sally's . It's the halographic collection and I can't believe it's been 5 days and counting I'm wearing the same color without chipping! For those of you who know me I never wait this long to change my nail color! Amazing I tell you. Very impressed with this formula. I can't wait to swatch more colors for y'all. The polish is very easy to apply and dries fairy quick without a topcoat.

Remember use a good sticky base coat and a fast dry top coat and that should help eliminate a lot of chipping as well :)

If you want to see all my nail polish swatching please follow me on Instagram at @antoniettanacc 

Until next time Beauty lovers❤

MacGirl25

Crest 2 hour Whitening Kit

With summer here and the season is to wear bright lip colors I decided to take a shot at whitening my teeth with the crest 2 hr whitening kit back in the early May time frame. I've used crest whitening strips before but never the 2hr kit. 

After 2 days of testing them out here is what I must must share with you as a consumer. 

First off this kit was $70 for 4 sheets, each sheet has a top and bottom. Second after the first use I did in fact notice a difference in how white my teeth were. BUT here is where it gets tricky, at the time of my second use on the second day my teeth were so sensitive! My bottom teeth has the little wire you get after you have braces on the back and because this formula is so unbelievably strong it made my teeth feel like I was chewing on a piece of tin foil while the strips were on my teeth! 

So I stopped usage right away. Waited a few weeks to get my enamel back to normal then I tried doing the strips again but instead of 2hours every day I only use 1 sheet once every few weeks to boost the whitening shade a bit. This way I don't feel that awkward chewing tin foil pain and my teeth enamel is saved. 

I normally use the Crest 5minute teeth whitening strips since they are cheaper i think around $35 and you get 40+ sheets in a pack! I think once I finish my 2 hr ones I will be heading back to my 5 min ones again. Definitely not worth $70 to feel awkward pain or discomfort!

If you have any suggestions on good teeth whiteners please do leave me a comment below I would love to try it out. :) 

Until next time beauty lovers ❤

MacGirl25 

A good Cuticle Remover

I have raved and ranted on about good cuticle creams, now I will share with you the best cuticle remove known to man. Now I used to be on a hunt for a good few years on a great cuticle remover, but I found that a lot of the brands I would try from the Salon just wasn't working well for me. I have extremely dry cuticles and I always get dead skin around my nail so I need a good cuticle remover to remove all the dead skin.

Well FINALLY a couple months ago I come across a Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover and it works wonders! When you apply the gel to your cuticles, leave it for 30 seconds, then begin to remove it and you will see the clear gel will turn the color of your dead skin cells. Works like a charm.

Now the tricky part is where to purchase this item. I know very few Wal Mart stores will have this item. I usually by mine at my local Drug Store here in Canada (Shoppers Drug Mart). But I am sure if you live in the States you can find this baby at your local drug store. It is a bit pricey here around $9 but its well worth it in the end.

If any of you know of any other cuticle removers that you enjoy and are less expensive please do share below :)

Until Next time Beauty Lovers <3

MacGirl25

Cuticle cream comparison

I hear a lot about the different types of cuticle cream one can use. The top 2 I hear most about are the Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream & the Lush Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter. 

Now I have tried both and here is what I think. The Burt's Bees has an amazing aroma of lemon. Makes you think of a fresh lemon pie or sweet lemonade. The texture of Burt's bees is oily with a side of rough grittiness. Not to fond of the grittiness but this would be good as a night time treatment.

The Lush Lemon Flutter cuticle butter is more usable during the day. Less oily and very smooth but the smell is definitely not one of a lemon pie or sweet lemonade. If you take a look at the ingredients on this product you'll notice there is more natural oils in it then just lemon oil which is why the smell is a bit off. Nonetheless it is still a good cuticle cream for day time especially if you work with papers all day. 

The Burt's bees packaging is fairly smaller then Lush. Burt's bees usually sells for $6 for about 0.60oz at Wal Mart. Where as Lush sells around $16 for about 45grams at your local Lush store. However you do get almost 3 times the product from lush than Burt's bees. 

Personally I like both of them. It's really up to you to decide which one you want to try as a consumer and which one you would get most use out of your hard earned money. 

Leave a comment below if you tried both and which one you prefer! I would love to hear your thoughts :) 

Until next time beauty lovers ❤

-MacGirl25