Splurge or Save: Waxing!

Do you love a freshly waxed eyebrow from the spa, but hate leaving the building with a freshly red face? Me too! So, I have set out to test several different at home wax kits to find out if there are any that are as good as going to a professional. And I have good news! I have found one company that gives me that salon feel without having to leave my house! Plus...it's easy!
I have tried brands such as Veet, Parissa, and Brigettes with no luck....the wax isn't sticky, the pre-made strips are too small, or the wax won't melt enough. I was really hoping these would work, as they are a cheap alternative ranging from $7-$11 for several applications, where as the salon charges around $12 for one time!

Then one day as I was wondering Shoppers Drug Mart, I came across a company called Nad's. I remember seeing commercials for these and wanting to try it, but it wasn't available in Canada. I was so excited I immediately picked it up without looking at the price tag. When I got up to the counter, I realized it was $20! Oh well, I'm glad I did it! I purchased the Nad's Facial Wand since I really only wax my eyebrows right now, but they also had a full body kit as well. The kit comes with a precise applicator that you can either warm up with your hands, or put it in warm water to melt the wax, and you just place it exactly where you want the hair to be removed. The you take your wax strip, place it over the wax, and pull. Presto! Almost every single hair was removed the first time! I did it once more to remove a couple strays, and that was it! It gave me the exact look I wanted, in the comfort of my own home! The package does not say how many applications it will give you, but I can tell you there is enough  for it to be worth the $20! (The next time I purchased it, it was on sale for $12!) :)

So, if you are looking for a way to get professionally groomed brows, I would absolutely recommend you splurge on the Nad's facial wand!

Beauty on a Budget?!

Ahhh the beauty of Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart, Zellers......inexpensive makeup! Or is it?! I went on a bit of a shopping spree to see what items I could find at just your regular drugstores for under $10. Seems easy right? Not the case!
Since when is a Cover Girl lipglosses and simple Maybelline eyeliners $11? I remember the days when you could go to the drugstore and stock up on everything from foundation to mascara and all things in between for under $5! If you read my fave foundations post, you know that I am in love with Revlon's Colorstay Foundation. Last time I bought it, it was around $14 at Walmart, which I thought was a bit pricy. Well, last time I went to get another bottle, Walmart was out of my colour, and my local Shopper's was selling it for a whopping $19.99! Where did that come from!? What ever happened to drugstore cosmetics being a cheap alternative to high end ones? I must say I was quite disappointed to see that price tag, and yes my jaw did drop a little!
It's not all bad though. I did manage to find a few good things that made it into my shopping bag under my predetermined price point. :) Including a new Matte Foundation, pressed powder, and bronzer. One of my new favourite drugstore brands? Rimmel! Plus a few things from Wet n' Wild, Annabelle, and Maybelline. Was not an easy task I tell you!
So, even though I did find a few goodies here and there, is it really worth it anymore to spend your hard earned cash on drugstore makeup, or go with higher end? Soon enough there may not be much of a cost difference!

Sigma Makeup!

Morning All! So as I sit here sipping on my morning coffee (yum!), I suddenly got the urge to write. But what to write about? Well, I decided I wanted to tell you about my favourite makeup tools which just happen to be a YouTube favourite: Sigma Makeup Brushes!  Of course I have already done a mini review on my channel, but thought I would spread the word even more!

I have been on the search for a good set of brushes for a while now. I have a few brushes that I like, but they are all kind of mix matched from Mary Kay, to EcoTools, etc, etc....Is it too much to ask for a matching brush set that comes with every brush I really need?! After many hours of searching I decided to give Sigma a try due rave comments about them! And let me tell you, I was very pleasantly suprised by the quality of these brushes. I purchased the Professional Brush Kit with the Brush Roll which came with 12 fantastic brushes. I believe I paid $89.00 (USD) plus $14.00 Shipping to Canada. Wow! I could maybe get 2 or 3 MAC brushes for that! I have seen endless reviews stating that these brushes are completely comparable to MAC, and though I don't own any, I don't know that I will ever need to, whoo hoo!

Sigma has recently changed their website, including some price increases, but now you also have the option to buy brushes individually, and a 'build your own kit' option! Not that I really need any more, but next on my wishlist?: The new flat top kabuki! and maybe a travel set....oh yeah and a hollywood glamour kit...!

I would definately check out Sigma if you are on a budget but still want some good, quality makeup brushes. :) I will never go without!

xoxo Ashley

Fave Foundations for Oily Skin

Do you have oily or acne prone skin like me? Oily skin types can be a blessing and a pain all at the same time. Apparently you don't get wrinkles as easily, but on the other end, oily=breakouts! I have been on a mission to find foundations that will work with this skin type, and I have had success to a certain extent! I have tried endless amounts of liquids, powders, creams that claim to control oil during the day, but have only found a couple that actually do that. Of course you are never going to find that "miracle product" that will keep it away ALL day. But if I only have to blot once or twice during the day, I'll take it!

First up, is a drugstore brand that was the first to give me a little bit of hope! It is Revlon's Colorstay Foundation for Combination/Oily skin. This has been a godsend for me. It is a full coverage foundation that even works as a concealer! It has this 'softflex' in it's formula that somehow manages to keep my skin more matte looking than anything I've tried before. Usually with liquid makeup, I find it melting off my face a couple hours after application. Not the case with this one! Yes, I still need to blot, but way less! This is my favourite liquid formula.

Next up, is not necessarily for oily skin, but I find it works. It is the MAC Studio Fix Powder plus Foundation. This is also more of a full coverage, but does not feel heavy or cakey. It is incredibly easy to apply, and blends extremely well! The best part? It doesn't LOOK like your wearing makeup! It evens my skin tone, takes away redness, and can very easily be touched up during the day. This is my favourite everyday makeup, because you can keep it light, or build it up flawlessly. Although this foundation doesn't keep the oil away, it covers it up with the swipe of a brush! Thank you MAC!

These are my only favourites right now, but I will continue my quest in finding makeup that suits my oily/acne skin!

xoxo Ashley

30 Questions!

So there is a video tag going around YouTube, and I thought it would be a good way for you guys to get to know me a little bit better! Here we go....


1. Do you have any pets? Yes, I have a dog named Brooklyn. She is a border collie cross that my boyfriend and i adopted from our local shelter 3 years ago :)
2. What colour top are you wearing? Plain white t-shirt with pink striped scarf
3. Name 3 things that are physically close to you. i-Touch, camera, laptop!
4. What's the weather like right now? Sunny with a few clouds
5. Do you drive? If so have you crashed? Yes I drive, and No I have never crashed! I drive like an old lady..!
6. What time did you wake up this morning? Around 8:30am
7. When was the last time you showered? This morning around 9am
8. What was the last movie you saw? Eclipse! I absolutely loved it!
9. What does your last text message say? "We're having a porch party! With Bruce. A stray dog we have chillin with us." lol
10. What's your ringtone? "Love Story" Taylor Swift
11. Have you ever been to a different country? Yes. United States, Mexico, Dominican Republic
12. Do you like sushi? NO!
13. Where do you buy your groceries from? Just the local Sobey's
14. Have you ever taken medication to help you fall asleep faster? No, althought sometimes I wish I had some!
15. How many siblings do you have? 2. An older sister Tracy, younger brother Drew.
16. Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop? laptop. It's only a Dell. Can't wait to get a MacBook!
17. How old will you be turning on your next birthday? 24....whoa...lol
18. How did your parents pick your name? Apparently it wasn't very popular when I was born, and they wanted something unique...HAHA!!! I think it's the most popular name for girls now..!
19. Do you wear contacts or glasses? I have glasses for driving. I am near sighted, so I need them for signage and stuff
20. Do you colour your hair? Sometimes. Not often though, because colour just doesn't seem to stick well to my hair.
21. Tell me something you are planning to do today. Take my dog for a walk!
22. When was the last time you cried? A couple weeks ago, when family staying with us had to fly home to Ontario :(
23. What is your full name? Skip....
24. What is your perfect pizza topping? Pepperoni!!! boring I know...
25. Who is your favourite comedian? Hmm...I think Mike Meyers...and he's Canadian!!! Also love Dane Cook
26. What is your favourite radio station? Serius Hits 1...we only have 3 to choose from where I live, so I had to get a satellite radio!
27. Which do you prefer-hamburgers or chesseburgers? Cheese...Mmmmm
28. Have you ever had an all-nighter? Yes, but only back in highschool. I like my sleep these days!
29. What is your eye colour? Brown
30. Can you taste the difference between pepsi and coke? Yes, and I like both even though I don't drink pop often.
 
 
xoxo Ashley

Review: Clinique 3 Step System!

Okay, so I thought I would do my very first blog post on something that is very important to me: skin care! To start off, let me tell you a little bit of background on my skin. Since I was probably about 12 years old, I have had extremely oily skin, which we all know leads to acne! It would only appear as these tiny colourless bumps all over my face that could be seen very well in sunlight, and they were all I could feel when I washed my face. Urgh! Needless to say, I have been on the hunt for something that would help this issue. I am one of those people that feels like they have tried EVERYTHING....and of course nothing works.
I have tried endless amounts of acne products that claim to reduce oil and acne with no avail. I even tried the famous Proactiv, which did initially work for me, yay! But later found out that I was extremely allergic/sensitive to the Benzoyl Peroxide in the system...urgh! So one day while searching the web, I came across a forum where people were raving about the Clinique 3 Step System. I have seen Clinique before, but never really thought about using it, since it doesn't treat acne. The more I thought about it, the more it became clear: "Why keep buying acne products? Why not buy a skin care line that is made specifically for oily skin, since that is the reason for my acne?!"
I have been faithfully using the 3 Step System in #3 for combination/oily skin for over a month now, and I can honestly say, I'm so happy I did! The "little bumps" have disappeared significantly (althought not all together) and my face just feels so much better! I also use the exfoliating scrub every other day, because I find I also need very consistent exfoliation to keep the dead skin buildup away.
Overall, I have been very impressed with this line. My skin is still pretty oily, so I may try the #4, or the Acne Solution Clarifying Lotion when I run out. Now all I have to worry about are those pesky (and really annoying!) red marks that are left behind even after the acne has subsided. :(

xoxo Ashley