REVIEW: Chloe Nomade Perfume

Hello, lovelies!

I received a sample of Chloe’s Nomade Perfume while placing my latest Sephora order. I don’t buy new perfumes often, but this perfume is one of the best that I’ve sampled recently! The warm floral notes of the fragrance are soft and pleasant.

The Packaging 

Chloe’s Nomade Perfume comes in an elegant rounded bottle that is reminiscent of a hexagon shape. It features a golden cap that glistens when it catches the light. The transparent bottle is made of glass and the light rose-gold colour of the perfume is visible.

The Scent

This perfume bursts with soft scents of freesia and plum. It has a slightly musky undertone when it dries down, but smells sweet when initially applied. The scent is reminiscent of a bouquet of fresh flowers but I can detect a hint of cinnamon in the fragrance. This combination blends together well.

The Wear 

When this perfume dries onto the skin, it stays vibrant and scented for 3-4 hours. The scent does not last for an entire day, but that is typical of most fragrances. One aspect of the perfume that I adore is the wearability – it is soft enough to wear everyday.

Chloe’s Nomad Perfume is a beautiful fragrance to wear everyday or for special occasions. It is soft, bright, and floral. If you’re looking for a perfume that combines sweet and spiced, I’d recommend this one! Chloe’s Nomad Perfume retails for $154 at Sephora. Smaller bottles of perfume are available, priced at $86 or $122.

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3 Key Tips for Aspiring Beauty and Lifestyle Bloggers

Hello, lovelies!

I always enjoy sharing tips and advice with new beauty and lifestyle bloggers. When I began blogging over three years ago, I didn’t quite realize how much I would learn and grow as I continued to craft my blog. There are many pieces of advice I could give a new blogger, but here are my favourite tips. Whether you are a new or seasoned blogger, I hope you find these tips helpful!

1. Find your niche 

There are many beauty and lifestyle blogs on the web. Finding a specific niche for your blog will help you find your writing voice and set your blog apart from the rest. If there is a specific topic within the broad spectrum of beauty and lifestyle that you are passionate about, make that your blog’s focal point. For example, I like to focus on writing a weekly beauty product review, and publishing weekly tips.

2. Plan ahead to sustain your blog

Pre-planning post ideas is the main way that I sustain my blog. It’s a good idea to have a plan of how you will maintain your blog, types of content you’ll post, and a posting schedule. Planning ahead and writing focused content will also help you curate a consistent readership among your blog’s audience.

3. Focus on writing great content instead of the numbers

This can be tough to remember as a new blogger. Every blogger dreams of having content read and shared by hundreds of people, but developing great content will keep readers coming back to your blog each week.

3 Products I Use Weekly to Achieve Clear Skin

Hello, lovelies!

My skincare routine changes like the weather (literally!). Finding products and a routine that works for me is constant progress, and I regularly switch my skincare routine to suit my skin, the environment, and my personal preferences. At present, there are three essential products that I incorporate into my skincare routine every week to achieve clear, glowing skin.

1. Tatcha The Deep Cleanse

Tatcha’s The Deep Cleanse is my daily face cleanser. This gel cleanser has dramatically cleared my skin while gently cleansing it without feeling harsh. I adore how the gentle cleanse helps to deep-clean my pores and reduce any breakouts. My skin is typically dry and acne-prone – my favourite aspect of this cleanser is that it never leaves my skin feeling dry or tight.

2. Caudalie Instant Detox Mask

I apply a face mask 1-2 times per week. Caudalie’s Instant Detox Mask is clay-based and draws out excess oil and impurities from my skin. This clay mask is ideal for my acne-prone skin, thanks to natural essential oils and pink clay to reduce bacteria, breakouts, and dullness.

3. Tata Harper Purifying Mask

After receiving a sample of this mask, I bought a larger jar! This mask is quite unique, as it is a full cleansing treatment. It is deep-cleansing, but leaves my skin feeling refreshed, smooth and refined. This mask is composed of a blend of herbs and natural ingredients to create a clay-like mask that doesn’t feel heavy on the skin.

REVIEW: MAC Prep+Prime Skin Base

Hello, lovelies!

I received a sample of MAC’s Prep+Prime Skin Base with purchase over the summer, and I was very excited to try a gel lotion primer. This product is a unique lotion that evens out skin redness and discolouration while adding radiance. I replaced my moisturizer and primer with this product to test it and loved the results!

The Packaging

This product is sleek and lightweight. The product is packaged inside a bottle that mimics an aerosol can, however the nozzle functions similar to a pump. It features the MAC logo and contains 30 ml of product. My favourite aspect of the packaging is the multi-coloured shimmering particles on the bottle that results in a glittering effect when the bottle is turned.

The Product

The primer itself is white but has small golden flecks in it. It feels very lightweight and soft when applied to the skin, drying down without feeling sticky. This primer gave my skin a luminous glow underneath my makeup.

How to use it

I like that this product is easy to apply and dries down quickly. To apply, smooth the product over your face after moisturizing. The product can be applied with the fingertips, a brush, or a sponge.

MAC’s Prep+Prime Skin is a unique primer that evens out skin tone, provides a glowing radiance to the complexion, and feels soft to the touch. I enjoyed trying this product as a primer and it is quite unique compared to other primers that I’ve tried! MAC’s Prep+Prime Skin retails for $31 on MAC’s official website.

3 Tips to Apply Liquid Eyeliner with Minimal Effort

Hello, lovelies!

I adore liquid eyeliner, but it is tricky to apply when you first start wearing it. I’ve worn liquid eyeliner for the past 2 years and have never regretted saying ‘goodbye’ to my pencil liner. Here are my favourite tips to help you apply liquid eyeliner!

1. Erase any mistakes with a Q-Tip

To erase any uneven lines, dip a Q-Tip into makeup remover and dab it along any spots that you want to re-line.

2. Apply liner after eyeshadow

Eyeshadow acts as a magnet to help liquid eyeliner stick to the lid. If you’re using a creamy eyeshadow formula, it’s a good idea to prep the eyelid with primer first.

3. Apply liner in short strokes

Instead of lining your entire lid in one stroke, draw tiny dashes along your lash line and connect them to create solid strokes.

3 Mistakes You Didn’t Know You Were Making with Makeup Wipes

Hello, lovelies!

Makeup remover wipes are ideal for removing makeup in a pinch, but did you know that you might be using them incorrectly? I like to use makeup remover wipes to remove the initial layer of makeup on my skin, but I’ve learned a few little tricks that might be reducing the effectiveness of the beloved makeup wipe!

Relying solely on a makeup wipe to remove all your makeup

We all know that removing makeup at the end of each day is important. How do you remove your makeup? If you’re using just a makeup wipe to remove everything, you may be leaving residual makeup on your skin. A makeup remover wipe works well in a pinch but it doesn’t effectively breakdown makeup enough to cleanse the skin. I notice this whenever I use makeup wipes, and typically have to wash my face immediately after to remove all my makeup.

Letting the wipes dry out 

Makeup remover wipes are pre-moistened. If you leave the wipes exposed to air, there’s a chance that the wipes will dry out and won’t be as effective. Ensure that you firmly seal the package after removing a wipe to prevent the entire package from losing moisture.

Wiping the skin too hard

A big misconception about makeup wipes is that the harder you scrub your skin, the more makeup you’ll remove. It doesn’t take aggressive scrubbing to remove makeup fully and you may end up irritating the skin instead. I like to gently swipe the wipe across my skin in a light buffing motion.

What is your favourite way to remove makeup? Do you like or dislike makeup remover wipes? 

REVIEW: Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette

Hello, lovelies!

Urban Decay released a new eyeshadow palette earlier this summer called Born to Run. This palette has been an essential component of my makeup collection and it’s enabled me to create an array of eyeshadow looks – from soft to smoky to colourful. I wanted to test this palette for a few months before reviewing it and it’s definitely been a worthwhile purchase!

The Packaging

The packaging of this palette is beautiful! The palette is sleek and compact but it feels heavy when held. The outside of the palette features a collection of photographs from destinations including a tropical beach, Paris, London’s Big Ben clock, and a forest. This collection of photographs truly represents the ‘born to run’ theme of the palette. The inside of the palette includes a large mirror and an array of 21 eyeshadows.

The Formula 

Each eyeshadow is creamy, easy-to-blend and pigmented. There is no fallout present with these shadows and they can be applied dry or with a damp brush to intensify the pigment. This palette contains a combination of matte and metallic shadows.

The Shades 

The shade range in this palette is versatile, ranging from matte coral to shimmery bronze, grey, pink and forest-green. Shades within this palette include:

• Breakaway – Warm ivory shimmer
• Stranded – Pale gold with a rose shimmer
• Blaze – Light metallic gold with a peachy undertone
• Weekender – Matte beige
• Still Shot – Matte coral
• Riff – Matte brown with a nude undertone
• Good As Gone – Dark brown with a iridescent micro-shimmer
• Hell Ride – Matte fuchsia
• Baja – Matte brunt orange
• Accelerate – Metallic coppery-red
• Guilt Trip – Grape-purple with shimmer
• Ignite – Metallic rose-gold with copper undertones
• Smog – Deep copper bronze with shimmer
• Wanderlust – Forest green with gold micro-shimmer
• Wildheart – Matte bright fuchsia
• Punk – Brown with red-copper undertones
• Double Life – Metallic rust
• Jet – Shimmering black
• Drift – Satin charcoal with silver micro-shimmer
• Radio – Satin teal-blue with micro-shimmer
• Big Sky – Frosted green shimmer with gold sparkle

The Wear

When each shadow is applied to the lid, it wears comfortably and doesn’t crease, fade, or flake throughout the day. I’ve worn these shadows for 10-12 hours without experiencing any smudging or flaking. I love that the shadows within this palette are wearable for everyday looks, or bold for a night time look.

Urban Decay’s Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette is a great palette if you are looking for a versatile collection of shades, or a palette that is travel-friendly. It retails for $59 at Sephora.

3 Tips to Effortlessly Apply Foundation

Hello, lovelies!

A smooth, flawless base sets the groundwork for blush, bronzer, and highlighter application. Foundation can be applied with a variety of tools or in different ways, but here are my top tips to achieve perfect foundation!

1. Prep your skin 

Preparing your skin before applying foundation will help the product apply smoothly and increase the wear time of your products. Cleansing and moisturizing the skin before applying foundation will remove dirt and oil, and it will hydrate the skin.

2. Set foundation with a powder 

Setting my foundation with a translucent powder is the main way that I increase the longevity of the product once I apply it. Most liquid foundations wear for 2-3 hours before natural oils start to breakdown the product, but setting foundation with a powder will prevent this and reduce any shine.

3. Stipple the product into your skin

Stippling foundation means gently tapping it into your skin, instead of rubbing. This can be done with a brush or fingertips but this technique will help the product bond seamlessly with your skin. My favourite stippling technique is to warm the foundation on my skin, apply it to a brush, then gently press it into my skin using tapping and rolling motions.

4 Essential Beauty Products to Travel with This Season

Hello, lovelies!

The inspiration for this post came while I was sorting through my makeup collection. I’ll soon travel to Florida for vacation and began thinking about travel-friendly beauty products to pack for my trip. Here’s a list of my favourite beauty products to travel with this season!

1. Tarte Cosmetics Hamptons Weekender Contour Palette

I typically travel with separate blush, contour and highlight compacts. This set is ideal for travel as it contains all three makeup products in a single compact. It is lightweight and small enough to place in my handbag.

2. Huda Beauty Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette

Full-sized eyeshadow palettes can be difficult to travel with. Huda Beauty’s new Obsession Eyeshadow Palettes contain 9 pans of shadow, and a mirror for travel. I love that these eyeshadow compacts are versatile and lightweight.

3. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara Mini

I love packing mini mascara tubes in my makeup bag when I travel. I’ve used mini tubes of Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara for a few months now and they are quick and easy to apply.

4. Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder Mini

Laura Mercier’s iconic setting powder usually comes in a heavy jar. I was delighted to find a travel-sized jar during my latest Sephora trip. This mini version of the powder is small in size, and lighter than the full-sized jar. This is a perfect travel-friendly setting powder if you don’t like travelling with full-sized jars of loose product.

REVIEW: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

Hello, lovelies!

I typically set my makeup with a setting spray, but wanted to try a setting powder to use on areas of my face that become oily throughout the day. I picked up a travel-sized container of Laura Mercier’s iconic Loose Setting Powder. After only one use, it became a staple in my makeup kit!

The Packaging

The packaging is sleek and sophisticated. The powder is held in a circular jar with small holes vented in the cover to dispense the powder. The jar is embossed with a cedar-coloured cover that bears the ‘Laura Mercier’ logo. The jar feels slightly heavy, which makes the product feel luxurious. Each jar comes with a small, soft puff to apply the powder.

The Powder

The powder feels like a dream when applied to the skin! It is finely-milled and silky to the touch. It blends into the skin seamlessly and does not leave any residue when applied. The powder becomes translucent when blended into the skin and does not appear caky or dry.

How to use it

I like to apply this powder with a fluffy brush. I dip a brush into the small vented holes in the cover, and shake slightly to dispense the product. I sweep it into my skin and blend to set my makeup. If you are new to loose setting powder, I’d recommend tapping off excess powder from your brush or puff then pressing it into the skin using a soft rolling motion.

Laura Mercier’s Loose Setting Powder is a wonderful product to set makeup, reduce shine, and ‘baking’ foundation underneath the eyes. This is my favourite setting powder to use on a daily basis. Laura Mercier’s Translucent Loose Setting Powder retails for $48 at Sephora.