march finds

Happy Easter Weekend! I figured after a week away from blogging, my first post back would focus on all the new items I’ve picked up in the past month. Unlike last month’s finds (here), which focused more on Korean skincare, this month had a good mix of high-end skincare products as well as drugstore brand favourites. Some of the items purchased have already been reviewed, while a few will be posted this coming week.

Although the NYX store opened up in Toronto many months back, I had yet to step foot in it. Queen Street used to be my old stomping grounds back in my university days, but recently, I don’t have much reason to head into the downtown core. A couple weeks ago, I finally made the trek down and spent an unhealthy amount of time browsing around the NYX store. This was my first time trying anything from NYX so I stuck with my “when in doubt” products.

NYX Tango withBronzer Powder – When Leopard Gets a Tan ($13 cdn) is a beautiful mix between a bronzer and blush. I picked this because I have nothing like this in my collection and let’s be real, how adorable is this packaging AND name?! This swatches like a dream and works wonderfully on my skin tone. I will be posting a full review within the next couple of days.

I’ve been less bold with my lip choices recently and have stuck to nude pinks as my go to colour. I know NYX is known for their velvet matte lip products, but I was in the market for a no mess, no fuss product that didn’t need much prep work. The moment I swatched the Jumbo Lip Pencil ($6 cdn) I knew I had to take it home with me. It glided on like a dream and has an incredible lasting time. At this price point, I will definitely be back for more. Another lip product I picked up and have been using all month is the Tarte Rainforestof the Sea Quench Lip Rescue ($23 cdn) (review here). I absolutely love how hydrating this product is and the packaging is so freaking cute!

The Real Techniques BlushBrush ($12.99 cdn) has been something I’ve wanted to try but I haven’t had the opportunity to pick up. I finally bought this a few days ago so I haven’t had much time to play with this brush. I’ll be sure to post a review as soon as I have had enough time to test it. Physically, the brush is solidly built and the hair on this brush is extremely full and soft. I’m hoping I have found a replacement for my sigma blush brush!

Tony Moly Egg Pore ($23 cdn) is a product that has been out of stock on the Sephora site for months now. I lucked out and found this at a local Asian beauty store and have been using it two to three times a week since opening it. This scrub helps smoothen and hydrate my pore problem areas, like my nose (in depth review here).

I know there are quite a few people that don’t use face mists, but this is a refreshing step that I love to do – especially during the winter months. This Shiseido Ibuki QuickFix Mist ($32 cdn) is a unique mist that hydrates well and smells divine. Find out why this mist differs from others in my review here.

The Boscia Sake Balm ($58 cdn) is the first botanically-based skincare product that doesn’t break me out. This product has an odd consistency (similar to Jello) that aims to brighten and hydrate the skin. I have been using this every morning as part of my skincare routine since purchasing this at Sephora. Read about this quick absorbing moisturizer here.

What new products have you picked up this month? Let me know down below!

february finds

My instagram feed has been full of skincare products this past month. Between a few new product launches and a chance finding of an incredible deal, I couldn't resist but pick up some goodies. All in all, I'm pretty satisfied with all the new products I found this month.

I stumbled upon The Amore store in Toronto a couple weeks ago and snagged multiple Laneige cleansers at $10 cdn each. It truly was an incredible find considering Sephora charges $29 cdn plus tax. I restocked on my Laneige Multi Cleanser and chose the Multiberry Yogurt Peeling Gel and the Bright Renew Foam Cleanser to try out. I've transitioned my entire skincare line to this Korean based brand and my face has been very happy with this change. The creamy cleanser does a remarkable job of removing makeup and is extremely gentle on the skin as well. If you want to read more about Laneige, check out my previous post here and here.

We've had a few chilly days recently, so sheet masks have been essential to my weekly skincare routine. Anything that has the word brightening printed on the packaging is something I'm willing to give a chance to. I've been using the Dr. Jart Brightening Infusion Hydrogel Mask and have noticed my skin feels softer, hydrated and brighter. It gives my skin that extra moisture that is needed during the cold days in the great white north.

Clinique's Pep-Start Eye Cream has been all over social media since it launched late January of this year. I've been testing this cream out and I'll admit that it's growing on me each day (read my first impressions on Pep-Start Eye Cream here). It definitely hydrates and gives a boost of radiance needed during the early hours of the morning or throughout the day for a quick pick-me-up.

I also picked up the Impassioned Nars Blush from their Nouvelle Vogue Spring 2016 collection and haven't been able to put it down since. The colour is a perfect soft shade of pink that works so well from day to night. It takes a few more sweeps across the cheek than other shades, but it's well worth those extra few seconds. View my full review here.

For all the Canadians reading, Shoppers Drug Mart's across Canada have recently launched their Joe Fresh line #joefreshsdm2016. With their affordable pricing, I was able to pick up two cream blushes and a highlighter. This was my first chance to test cream blushes and I was pleasantly surprised! Super blendable and pigmented. The highlighter was a different story - find out why  in my review here.

Let me know what fun goodies you've picked up this month in the comments below!