Pretty In Bronze

In real life the makeup won't look heavy since I'm going for sheer options and no foundation. Of course doing my hair look nice, either having it straight and brushed, or reviving my natural curls with some water and conditioning products, makes a huge difference and for my more casual meetings, that's all I'll really do.

Let me know if you have any recommendations for 'Zoom Makeup' that are easy to put on and remove. I'm really liking this little routine right now and can see me sticking to it even once I'm back in the office since my skin has been a bit nicer without foundation, but we'll see what happens once things start going back to normal.

I'll be back next week with my review and results of my six-week skincare routine for trying to fade my spots!

I went back and forth with this one because it was difficult to settle on the colour. Originally I wanted multiple, but ultimately decided to just pick the colour Rose, in a size Small, since this is the shortest crop top of the bunch (and with a scoop neckline), which means I won't wear it nearly as much as all of the other tops I ordered. I can see myself wearing this when I want to get my tan on, but I'm not wearing a bathing suit. I don't think I'd wear this with shorts since I don't own many that are high-waisted, but I can see myself pairing this with a high-waisted skirt from time to time. It's also a great option for wearing around the house since I don't like to wear my pajamas throughout the day. This is available in a few other colours, including grey, white and a weird shade of green.

I got this one in the colour Heather Grey in a size Small. I liked the look of this because of the high neck cut and the deeper cut in the armpit area since I'm pretty sweaty (not stinky though, thankfully) while it's more of a ribbed material (think early 200's racer-back tank tops). There's also some subtle detailing on the shirt that is pretty flattering. The material is also thicker than some of the other crop tops I picked, which is ideal since I can also wear this without a bra sometimes, specifically when I go swimming once my bathing suit is wet so I don't have to bring a bra with me and make changing even more of a hassle. Since this one is thicker, I do prefer it with sweats or pants that aren't tight the way leggings are. It's also a bit long for the high waisted leggings to look good with it since my ribcage and hip bones are barely two inches apart. Other available colours in this style include pink, black and white.

White: The strongest, consistent pulse brushing mode. This is what I use every time I brush.

Clean: Not as strong, consistent pulse every day mode, more suitable for those with sensitive gums.

Polish: ?

Massage: Inconsistent pulse brushing mode meant to help massage the gums. I have used this a few times when my gums were feeling sensitive due to the water flosser.

Charge: Low battery warning will light up once the brush is running out of battery life. I used this brush every day, three times a day, for nearly a month and a half before having to charge it (after the initial charge when I first received it).

I really love this toothbrush. It works really well, it's easy to use and clean and it's really pretty to look at. It's surprisingly light weight, which makes it great for travelling. My teeth felt much cleaner after the first use and when I tried using my old manual toothbrush for my mid-day brush (yes, I brush my teeth after every meal) I was unimpressed and brushed them again with this toothbrush. This has the same technology as the toothbrushes you'd pay $200 for, all while being really cute and affordable, with the ability to purchase replacement brush heads in bulk when needed. It's water proof, making it easy to clean, and it charges very quickly without needing a bulky charging station. It's also nice that I can't mix this up with my husbands boring white, bulky electric toothbrush. I love the rose gold ring around the power button too. I'm sure enough my husband will decide to upgrade, at which point I'll give him this one and will purchase the pink version of this same brush (I'll take the brush head from this one to place on my future new one, of course).

Now onto the Water Flosser. I've never used one of these before, with the closest thing being the water hose used at the dentist. I was pretty scared at first since it'd been over a year since going to the dentist, and quite honestly, since I attempted flossing. I knew my gums were going to hate me, so I was grateful to see the different settings.

Clean: This is the strongest mode and I highly recommend not starting with this one.

Soft: This is the softest mode and what I use each time and recommend starting with.

Massage: I've used this a few times. It appears to be a mix between the first two settings, so it's good for transitioning to the Clean mode after getting used to Soft.

This thing is very effective at removing anything from your gums or around a permanent retainer. I was always sceptical as to how a water flosser would do that, but this thing is so much stronger than I thought it would be. As I mentioned above, I recommend starting with the Soft mode unless you're already a really good and consistent flosser. Most people I know definitely aren't. The Soft mode is still pretty strong made my and my husbands gums bleed the first time we tried it. My husband also has permanent retainers, so I'm not surprised about that. I use this every few days and my gums have definitely gotten stronger over the last month and a bit. My husband has upgraded to using the massage mode, which is basically the in-between setting. Even if my gums become super strong, I don't see myself needing to use the Clean mode, unless I get something really stuck in my gums, like popcorn. I do highly recommend this as well.

The only negative I've seen so far with the flosser is that you have to properly air it out. While the instructions say you don't have to unless you're going long periods of time without using it, we noticed that it was getting gross so we now open the drain tab at the back and open up the components so it can 100% dry (including turning it on briefly without water in the tank to clear out the hose). Once we started doing that, we haven't had any issues. 

If you're on the market for a new electric toothbrush, a water flosser, or both, I highly recommend this set and each separate individual component of it. You can buy the toothbrush on its own, as well as the water flosser, so it's very customizable. This particular set comes in white as well, but the toothbrush on its own comes in pink. Fairywill has lots of dental products in their Amazon store, so check them out because they all have amazing ratings and are very affordable compared to what you can get in stores.

I hope you've enjoyed this random review. Let me know if you end up trying these or any other products from Fairywill.

Sneaky self-promo: If you like Fantasy and even Romance novels, my newest novel is available for pre-order, available on May 9th. Check it out here!

See you soon!

 Hello!

Welcome back to the sister post to "Products I'm Throwing Out". This is the one for products I've actually run out of over the last little while, which makes me feel a lot less guilty. I'll be doing the same thing where I'll give each product a mini review and sometimes a mini back story if there's anything interesting I have to share. As always, most links are affiliate (I don't know why I bother, I've made like 20 cents over the last five years) but I'm sure some of these also aren't available anymore.

Cetaphil: Oily Skin Cleanser - I swear I mention this cleanser is every other blog post,  so this should not come as a surprise to anyone. I've been using this stuff since I was fourteen when I had the worst bacne (which thankfully improved with a combination of this cleanser and hormonal birth control). I also have eczema, so this being gentle is great for that. It's not cruelty free (at least not yet) nor is it Vegan, but it's really the only thing that works well for me that won't break the bank. I've used it for over a decade, so I'll likely continue using it unless something better pops up that ticks all of the same boxes for me.

Batiste: Original Dry Shampoo - I go through several of these each year, even during this pandemic. I love this stuff and I've tried many different dry shampoos on there. I do feel guilty since it is an aerosol product and it's terrible for the environment, but this works a lot better for me than the powder dry shampoos, and it's also SO cheap. I'm talking two 400l bottles for $12 CAD at Costco. I really love Costco. I hope that they'll one day they'll come out with a non-aerosol version that works just as well, but at least the brand itself doesn't test on animals and this particular product (and I'm assuming most others) are also vegan friendly!

Moroccan Oil: Moisture Repair Shampoo and Conditioner: I'm cheating a little bit here because I'm only actually out of the Shampoo, but the Conditioner is almost done and will be empty in a few weeks. You read that right, I use up my shampoo faster than my conditioners. I wash my hair once a week and like rotate through my hair products about once a month or every four to five washes. I got this almost three years ago at an event hosted by the brand and it's definitely one of my top favourites. It's very moisturizing and it makes my hair look the best when I leave it natural and curly. This helps my curls look way more defined and less frizzy, so if you have curly hair, I highly recommend. I won't be repurchasing right now since I still have a lot of other products to go through, but if I ever decide that I want to wear my hair natural more often, this is what I'm going for first.

Degree: Motionsense DrySpray Workout SeriesAntiperspirant - I got this from one of the product testing in exchange for genuine reviews companies over a year ago while still living in the condo. This claims o be a 48h antiperspirant, but every one I've tried from any brand that claims the same hasn't worked for me, including this one. I sweat excessively under my right arm and nothing can tame it except for the liquid that fully stops the area from sweating (I believe it blocks it). Antiperspirant, however, does help reduce the amount of it and this one was no exception. My reason for not repurchasing is that it's an aerosol. Not only does it feel like I'm in a room where a poisonous gas was just released when I use it, I find that it wastes a lot of product if you aren't a pro at aiming for your underarms. It's also only 107g, which means if it's your primary antiperspirant, you're going through it quickly and it's really bad for the environment, like I mentioned with my favourite dry shampoo, which has almost four times more product in it for only slightly bigger packaging. I say skip this one and stick to a non-aerosol one!

The Ordinary: Salicylic Acid 2%  - Unfortunately I haven't been able to get this in Canada for a few years now. I was always quoted that they were reformulating, but it seems like the product wasn't allowed to be sold here in its current state (at least without a prescription), which is strange because I can easily buy 2% salicylic acid from the drugstore from many brands. This one was the 30ml version (larger than the original) so it did last a few years, but it's finally come to an end so I purchased a new acne spot treatment a few months back, which I mention in my current skincare blog post. If this is available where you live, it's definitely worth picking up!

Wet n Wild:Under The Sheets Makeup Remover Towelettes - I've had these for many years and only just used up the last wipe, but I don't remember how I got it. I'm pretty sure it was sent to me at some point, but truly don't remember. These do remove makeup well, specifically stubborn makeup, but I found that my skin is a little bit too sensitive for them so I normally ended up cutting each sheet in half and using them to remove swatches from my arms, especially if they were liquid swatches that don't come off very easily. I wouldn't purchase these, especially now that I'm aware of how bad they are for the environment and stick primarily to my Makeup Eraser, but if you do need a good makeup remover wipe, the Simple ones are my favourite.

Dr. Belmeur: Dry Repair Panthenol Soothing Gel Cream - I got this and the next product for free from Chick Advisor back in August of 2018. I really loved this and used it as a daily moisturizer. Like with my haircare products, I have a lot of skincare because it was often sent to me, so I always cycle through them all. This is definitely at the top of my favourites list so I might purchase it once I run out of everything else I have, unless I want to try something new first that I think I might like more. This is super moisturizing and sits under makeup really well and since it's a gel, I think it works great on combination and oily skin.

Dr. Belmeur: Advanced Cica Recovery Cream - I just finished this up a few days before this post is going live. This stuff is way more intensive than the Soothing Gel Cream, but in a good way. I allocated this to nighttime use only, which is what I recommend due to it being heavier. This one is definitely better for dry skin, but since I used it at night it didn't really matter since I didn't need to care if it made my forehead look shinier, or that it might be too heavy under makeup. When I got this, the packaging was the big tub that came with a little applicator stick to remain sanitary, but I looked it up to get a link and it now comes in a squeeze tube, which I think is better. While I loved this, I have tried other heavier moisturizers that I liked better, (specifically polypeptide ones) so it's unlikely that I'll repurchase because of that, but I still highly recommend if you're looking to try out something new!

iQ Natural RestedEyes Brightener Gel. - This was the second product I ever received as PR in exchange for an honest review, back in 2016. I definitely went overboard because I was so excited so it's a long one that includes full ingredient lists. This eye gel contains hyaluronic acid and retinol and it was the first time I used those ingredients after learning a little bit more about skincare. I loved this stuff. It did feel a little bit sticky under my eyes, but it also felt nice and cooling and definitely moisturized them. I would put this on first and then moisturize my face so the hyaluronic acid could do its job better. I made this last for a really long time and was sad when I finally ran out so many years later. I used to have a 10% off affiliate code, but they've done a rebrand in the last few years and even changed all of their own packaging, while also removing the program, so this new link won't give you a discount any more.

Moroccan Keratin: Sulfate Free Shampoo - I had to look this one up because I have worked with a Keratin treatment brand before, but this wasn't the one and I actually purchased this one according to my Amazon history... twice! This came in a set with the clarifying shampoo meant to be used right before applying the treatment, the actual treatment itself, and the matching conditioner to this product. It works ok, but it's unfortunately not strong enough to get my hair straight. I don't know if I'll continue repurchasing this in the future because at this point, I'd rather save up for longer and get the Japanese permanent hair straightening done again. I've also been wearing my hair curly more often recently (yay quarantine), but with my new favourite hair styling tool (which I'll write a review on in the near future) that gets my hair straight pretty quickly, so I don't have to spend a bunch of money on a product like this. If your hair is less curly than mine, I'd say try it at least once if you want it to be straighter and less frizzy, but if your hair is like mine, or curlier, you'll probably be disappointed because it doesn't compare to getting a treatment done at a salon.

Laneige: Lip SleepingMask - I've had two of these mini jar's (original flavour), each one lasting roughly about one year each because I only used the tiniest baby amount. Both times these were included in gift sets, the last one being my 2019 Secret Santa at work. Once I ran out in late 2020, I purchased the full size one, this time not in the candy flavour. I love this stuff and I can't sleep unless I have it on. That sounds dramatic, but it's true. I feel the same way about not having any moisturizer on my under eye area. It works super well and I love it so I highly recommend. It lasts so long if you don't over use it (only use it at night, and don't take more than you actually need) so it's worth the price tag in my opinion! I will 100% keep repurchasing and might even have more than one on the go so I can try the different flavours.

Elancyl: Slim Design lotion - This is meant to eliminate cellulite by applying every night. This has a caffeine complex and what they call a "GP4G" night booster. This was sent to me by a PR firm to test out. I remember being late to posting this, but they were ok with it because I wanted to make sure to test it for at least ten days, which was the earliest it claimed to show results. I won't lie, this stuff did help a little bit, but it is pretty high maintenance in that you need to apply it every single night, using "professional massage techniques" that they provided in the manual all over your legs, hips and butt area. I feel like it helped firm up the area and decreased the look of my cellulite, but to be honest, I doubt it would ever completely get rid of it (I'm pretty sure that's impossible, but correct me if I'm wrong) so I gave up on using it. At the time I could barely wash my face every night so it was too much work for me.

The Green Beaver Company: Boreal Body Lotion (Dry Skin Therapy) - This was sent to me in a box that was periodically sent out to Canadian beauty bloggers. Unfortunately they no longer send these boxes out, but I did love them and all of the natural products they promoted (all of which you can find on Well.ca). I loved other products by this brand, but this body lotion was too hard to work with. It's very thick, but even when you try to use a really small amount, it takes forever (if ever) to absorb into your skin. It was to the point where I'd think I'd massaged it for long enough, but would put on a pair of pants that would immediately have a giant white cast on them from the lotion. My husband tried using it for a little while, but also couldn't get past how hard it was to work with, so unfortunately this is being thrown away as it's been at least three years now and it is a very natural product. The product linked is the closest thing they have now, so I guess they received negative feedback overall for the Boreal lotion.

Clean and Clear: Acne Triple Clear Clay Mask - I've had this for at least four years now. I got this in one of those online sample website cycles (I can't remember if it was Influenster or Chickadvisor... I just know it wasn't Topbox). I loved this stuff, but because of the nature of the product I couldn't use it every single day. This is a 99g tub so that's huge. I really slathered it on my breakouts and all over my face whenever my skin was being oilier, but even though I desperately tried to use this up, I just couldn't get through every last bit before it completely dried up and became unusable. It does work well and it's pretty affordable, so I do recommend, but maybe get this if you have someone else that can also use it.

Catrice Cosmetics: Prime and Fine Mattifying Powder (Waterproof) - I won this product in a giveaway I entered while attending an event at Shoppers Drug Mart that a PR firm invited me to. The gift was a lot of products, but this happened to be the one that I dropped. It was pretty much annihilated by my floor, so my only hope for saving it was doing the alcohol trick, but I feel like it was never the same and when I use it, it leaves a very obvious white cast. It doesn't help that the packaging is broken and looks really sketchy so needless to say, it's going in the trash. Thankfully I have a loose setting powder that was included in the giveaway that I like much more!

Delectable: Everything Balm - I got this at the 2016 Generation Beauty Toronto convention as part of my goody bag. I'll never forget since I met my now real-life friend Chantel there for the first time after only knowing each other through YouTube. This stuff is pretty good and works as a million different things. It works as a balm for your lips, a highlighter, taming eyebrows, dark circles, dry skin etc. It works well for anything related to moisturizing, but because it had so many uses, I kept saying I would wait for the perfect time to use it and it ended up staying at the back of my drawer for too many years and is now, unfortunately, way past its expiry date.

Bioré: Baking Soda Pore Cleanser - I'm pretty sure this is a sample, but it's a full 30ml that I never got through so I'm including it. I had this for years and really enjoyed it, but to be perfectly honest, I lost it for about two years. Once I found it I tried using it again, but my skin is just too sensitive to risk it. I think this works great if you have combination or oily skin, but I don't like it as much as my Cetaphil, so I wouldn't repurchase.

Wet n Wild Photofocus Face Primer (Dewy) - This stuff is great if you don't already own a dewy face primer that you enjoy. It looks sparkly until you put in on the face, but under makeup it just makes your skin look super dewy... almost  too dewy for my liking. This is good, but I had so many other products like it from similar brands that I ended up using those and this one has since expired. I did try using it up as much as possible. Two summers ago I actually used this all the time on my shoulders and collar bones as a highlight. I never ended up using it up, so that's why it's being included in this post, but it was well-loved while it lasted.

Essence: Rock 'n' Doll Volume Mascara - This one is kind of cheating since it's pretty much used up and I feel like most people I know won't actually use up every last bit of a mascara before they toss it. It always feels wasteful to me, but my eyes are truly so sensitive that I can't use a mascara for more than four months at a time. The longest I've been able to go in recent years is six months, but that's only with my Lash Paradise mascara if I'm not putting it near the root of my lashes. My eyes will actually hurt for days if I wear an expired mascara so I never risk it anymore. I probably made it to the full four months with this one, but it said six months on the back, which is why I'm including it in this post. There's definitely enough product left in it for another two full months of wear. 

Maybelline: Fit Me Concealer (10 light) - This one is kind of a shocker to me since it was once my favourite concealer of all time. I loved this stuff and exclusively wore it for years to the point of having it be a subscription item on Amazon that got shipped out every six months. Unfortunately for my wallet, I discovered my Too Faced concealer which has won my heart. There are other concealers that I enjoy now, specifically the Revlon Candid, so I don't see my self repurchasing this again. I stopped wearing this and it expired to the point of it starting to smell funny and the colour going off, so in the bin it goes!

That was A LOT, but I wanted to give decent reviews to the products that I've wronged. Even if some of them were negative. I mainly want to make sure I let you know if I don't like something to avoid you buying it if you like similar products to me. I tried providing links, but a lot of these are hard to find since they're old, so many of the links are for American websites. Let's focus on not over buying so we can avoid products going to waste like this.

Sneaky self-promo: If you like Fantasy and even Romance novels, my newest novel is available for pre-order, available on May 9th. Check it out here!

See you soon with my actual empties + their own mini reviews!