ALL USED UP . JANUAR¥ EDITION

Since the beginning of December I've looked forward to 2015, hoping it would provide me with a fresh outlook on life – from this point on, I would not only live within my means, but I would also live without excess. Judging by the growing amount of empties piling up in my room I'd say that I've been doing well thus far. Most months I hop from product to product, never really making a dent in my collection, but for 2015 that's all changed. For January I strategically chose specific products to reach for daily to ensure that I was truly dwindling down my collection before purchasing another item. This month I've made it through a total of nine products, and I'm somewhat shocked to admit that I've actually enjoyed each and every one of them.

For skin care I've been reaching for the Caudalie Beauty Elixir and Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum so frequently, and so desperately that I even began leaving the serum inverted in hopes of collecting every last drop. I luckily have a back up of the Beauty Elixir for this month, but will definitely have to re-purchase the Vinoperfect Radiance Serum in the future. It left my skin feeling soothed, revealed a more even skin tone, and diminished the discolouration seen around my mouth. I've also been 'on' when it comes to treating my lips and nails, as they often suffer when the temperature drops and the winds are strong. To condition my lips I've been using the Caudalie Lip Conditioner, which provides a matte layer of protection and a gentle scent, yet I probably won't be repurchasing it given my other options. On the other hand, my nails have been loving the OPI Nail Envy treatment, a product I alway repurchase. I'm obsessed with this stuff, and to my knowledge nothing else works quite like it.  

Makeup wise, these empties have been on their 'last days' for a while now – that's the weird thing about me, the second I'm ALMOST finished a product I must stop using it to prolong our time together. One of those products is the Chanel VitaLumiere Aqua Cream Compact – not only is the packaging gorgeous, but the foundation itself makes my skin look and feel like a dream. It's so difficult to say goodbye, but I must get through the other 7 foundations in my vanity before I repurchase this one again.  I also finished MAC's Strobe Cream and the Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit this month. The Creamy Concealer Kit is a product my love runs deep for, so I of course had a back up for it, but MAC's Strobe Cream was in my opinion simply an overrated primer. It created a dewy glow under my foundation, but it didn't do enough to hide pores and pro-long the wear time of my makeup to justify repurchasing it. The final two empties are the Lancome Cils Booster XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Base and Hypnose Doll Lashes Mascara. I absolutely love the mascara base, and find myself using it with EVERY mascara I own. The same cannot be said about the Hypnose Doll Lashes Mascara – while I love the lash effect it delivers, there is an underlying rose scent that I find irritating. Plus the L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara has been providing me with a similar effect at half the price. 

What empties will you be repurchasing this month?

AM¥     XO

MAC VIVA GLAM . MILE¥ C¥RUS LIPSTICK & LIP GLASS

MAC Cosmetics latest Viva Glam spokeswoman is the one and only Miley Cyrus – and the release of her bright pink duo couldn't have come at a better time with Valentine's Day lurking around the corner. I've always been a fan of Miley, especially since her recent shift to the twerking, drug-loving, superstar she is today. She isn't afraid to speak her mind on the use of marijuana, and at the end of the day she doesn't care about what anyone else thinks about her life. I can totally respect that and I've always been a huge supporter of MAC's Viva Glam program, which donates all proceeds to help those living with HIV/AIDS – so obviously I needed these new additions.

The Viva Glam x Miley Cyrus Lipstick ($16) is a stunning hot pink shade with a glossy finish, featuring the signers signature on the inside of the bullet. I originally was only going to purchase the lipgloss because swatches of the lipstick revealed a shade that simply seemed to 'barbie'-esque for my style. However, in person there is a subtle orange undertone to this lipstick that makes it a must for spring/summer. The lipstick can be worn solo or paired with the Viva Glam x Miley Cyrus Lip Glass ($18), which is described as a hot pink with sparkling pearl shimmer, also featuring the signers signature, this time found on the tube. When swatched the hot pink tone is muted quite significantly, revealing a barely there pink with loads of glitter. I almost enjoy the lipgloss better when it is layered over a nude lipstick than it's hot pink companion. This is one of the more fun Viva Glam releases we've seen come from MAC, so I'm hopeful that Miley Cyrus will be collaborating with them again in the future.     

THE SWATCHES

What do you think of this collaboration?

AM¥     XO

L'OREAL . VOLUMINOUS MISS MANGA MASCARA

Whenever I meet a mascara that makes my small baby eye lashes look similar to that of my ex-boyfriends, I latch on. He had these lashes that appeared layered and we long enough that they hit his eyelids when he smiled. Each and every day we spent together I told him I would be cutting them off that night as he slept and using them as my false lashes. I, of course, never did this – I'm not crazy. But I always thought it was sadly ironic that a male could possess better lashes than most of the women I know. 

Luckily, I've now met the L'Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara, my new favourite for creating thick, long lashes that resemble my exes. 'Miss Manga' simply refers to the female characters seen in Japanese comics, as they always have long, thick, pointed lashes emphasizing their eyes to ooze femininity. I've always been a fan of the 'spider lash' look and think it is the easiest, and most effective way to fake long, think lashes, which is exactly what Miss Manga delivers. The tapered brush makes application easy, even for the smaller lashes along the inner corner of my eye, although I could go without the 360º flexor brush as I like a sturdy brush. Given my dry skin I didn't experience any creasing or smudging throughout the day, and yet I still found the mascara easy to remove with my Philosophy Purity Made Simple cleanser come bedtime. I also truly appreciate the range of shades in this line, with Blackest Black being the ideal darkness for my lashes. And yet on days when I want as softer, more natural look I can definitely see myself reaching for the Black Brown shade. 

I am so happy to have finally found a drugstore mascara that I love! I won't be giving up on this one for quite a while!

THE RESULTS

MY LIPS ARE SO DRY!! ARGH

Have you tried the L'Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara?

AM¥     XO

PRO X BY OLA¥ . NIGHTL¥ PURIF¥ING MICRO-PEEL

A few weeks ago a friend of mine, Sarah, approached me regarding an adverse reaction she had when she used the Olay Regenerist Thermal Mini-Peel. The product contains glycolic acid, which simply didn't co-operate with her skin type, leading to a rosy rash on her cheeks and an overall uneven complexion. We got into an in-depth discussion about facial peels and glycolic acid, which is when I realized that not only have I never tried an at home peel before, but I was also extremely uneducated on glycolic acid – and it seems that I'm not the only one. Glycolic Acid is an Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), which works as an exfoliator to remove dead skin cells, and can be effective at lightening discolouration in the skin. Sounds pretty great. So why did Sarah have such a poor reaction?  

I've included Sarah's account of her experience with the Olay Regenerist Thermal Mini-Peel, which can be seen here, but I still wanted to test the peel out myself since so many others rave about the product, including Temptalia. However, in my search I instead stumbled upon a new peel for 2015 from Olay's Pro X series, the Nightly Purifying Micro-Peel[*], which seems to be a much better option for those with sensitive skin. The Pro X by Olay Nightly Purifying Micro-Peel still contains glycolic acid, which is surprisingly at a higher level than the Thermal Mini-Peel, however it's devoid of the exfoliants and intense warming sensation that the Thermal Mini-Peel features, which could cause irritation.

I've been using the Nightly Purifying Micro-Peel for 5 days now, without having an adverse reaction. The price tag is on the hefty side at $50, but it features a self-drawing dropper, which collects liquid as you twist the product open and is easily dispensed without worry of contamination. I apply 2-4 drops all over my skin before bed, yet still cannot help but layer a drop of my Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil over top for added moisture. When I first began applying it to my skin I encountered a stinging sensation, but that dissipated within 5 minutes leaving behind an invisible, odourless layer that dried within minutes. In the morning I simply cleanse my skin and continue with my current skin care regime. Since using it I've noticed that my skin appears brighter, and the faint discolouration around my mouth left from blemishes has begun to fade away. I could never use this treatment nightly as I notice a bit of tightness come morning, but it will definitely become a valuable solider in my beauty army when that time of the month rolls around. 

Have you tried the Olay Regenerist Thermal Mini-Peel before? What was your experience?
Will you try the Nightly Purifying Micro-Peel instead?

AM¥     XO

[*]The items in this post have been sent to THE PRETT¥ VAIN for purpose of review. All views expressed reflect my own opinion on the product. For additional information please see the Disclaimer.  

NAILS . NCLA NAIL WRAPS . HELLO KITT¥

There are days when I'm far too lazy to create a nail art design and yet far too bitchin' to be seen with a 'bae-sic' black manicure. Times like these call for nail wraps, which break the monotony of a single polish manicure without adding any extra work. This week I'm all about black and white nails paired with the Mod Hello Kitty Nail Wraps from NCLA ($18). I discovered the Hello Kitty x NCLA line a few months ago on Nail Polish Canada and knew that I needed to purchase something from the collection so I could share them with my friend Jess, an avid Hello Kitty lover. She absolutely loved them, and after stuffing our faces with pizza we both chose different styles to adorn our nails with. The end result was totally cute, and edgy, without being Hello Kitty overboard. Head over to my Instagram to see what wraps she chose!

This was my first purchase from NCLA, but after taking a look at the other nail wraps and polishes they carry it certainly won't be the last. Their new matte glitter polishes from the An L.A. Fairytale Collection looks out of this world, and Heartbreaker from their Valentine's Day Collection is right up my alley.

Are you crazy for Hello Kitty?

AM¥     XO