Pure Box by 100 Percent Pure + GIVEAWAY

I’ve talked about 100 percent pure a lot this summer; from a makeup of the day, a review of the lip colours + eye creamsticks, to facial masks. As I have stated in the past, I am not transitioning into 100% natural, or vegan makeup. But I think it’s definitely a lot healthier for you, knowing what exactly you are putting into/onto your skin, so I like reviewing it for those reasons. However, I do still have my favourite brands I’ll continue to use.

100-pure-box

100-percent-pure-box

I have some good news for you guys. I received a couple of Pure Boxes in the mail a few weeks ago, one for me to keep and two to give away. Well, I know for sure that there were a couple of products that I definitely wouldn’t use (mattifying primer + vanilla scented lotion), so I gave a bunch of goodies including her own separate box to my neighbour. The last box is for one of you lucky readers! I have it sitting next to me right now, unopened, ready to mail out to a deserving reader of mine :)

100percentpure-eyecreamMy favourite two items from the box is the coffee bean caffeine eye cream and the black tea pigmented ultra lengthening mascara.

Coffee-Bean-Eye-CreamA blob of the eye cream. It’s almost like a lightly whipped eye cream, that glides onto the skin, and sinks in quickly. I can apply my concealer over top almost immediately. It’s pretty awesome and smells not quite like coffee bit a bit like cookie dough. I ain’t complainin’.

Coffee-Bean-EyeCreamThe caffeine eye cream gently rubbed into the skin.

Onto the giveaway! One winner based either in CANADA or USA ONLY will receive everything that is in the pictures above. The Pure Box will be launching November 1, 2015 and will retail for $40 USD for a box.

Each monthly box will have:

  • One full size products this is less than 90 days old (aka new launch)
  • One full size product from their catalogue’s core collection
  • In addition to the 2 full sizes, there will be 3 ‘power packs’ (mini products that retail for $11-$14 each).
  • A hand full of packettes will be in the boxes, too.

Good luck! Giveaway ends Sunday night (October 11) at midnight PST (California time).
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Continue Reading

Battle of the ‘brows

Hourglass-DiorEveryone has a bad eyebrow story to tell, am I right? Let me go first.

For me, back in my early twenties I plucked them so thin that I ended up getting rid of the “tail” end my eyebrows altogether! I literally plucked to where my eyebrow arch started (well, and then ended). I didn’t realize it for about a year or so of doing that, that it didn’t look right. Why didn’t anyone tell me? ;)

Ever since then I was afraid of touching my eyebrows. I let them grow in a bit, then out of pure convenience I started asking my pedicure lady to wax them. She waxed them so thin they looked drawn on. I flew home for Christmas one year and my brother bluntly asked me “WTF is wrong with your eyebrows?”. Honest to goodness I stopped going to my waxing lady as soon as he said that. I have to say, his statement stung a little. But let me tell you, it definitely helped! That was back in ’09/’10 and now I just tweeze the stray hairs, and try to grow them as thick as possible.

Then I thought — hey… I should try and fill them in! That’s where the YouTube video watching came in. I spent a long time watching and trying to perfect the ol’ eyebrow filling in tricks. They make it look so easy. I went and bought the poplar and raved about product by Anastasia Beverly Hills. I was recommended the wrong colour and didn’t it for a number of years.

Hourglass-And-DiorIt’s only been since this summer that I started filling in my eyebrows with a bit of colour, to make them appear more thicker. I think I have it down pat, although certaintly not perfected. It is hard to do the beginning of your eyebrows naturally (by the bridge of your nose) but I’m pretty pleased with the outcome of the two products I’ve been using.

Both eyebrow products twist up to reveal the product. But Dior’s product doesn’t have a cap. I have been using the product since April and it doesn’t seem to be drying up. Whewf.

Ooh, I have an idea! Let’s have a battle of the ‘brows with the two products: Hourglass Arch Brow ($32) , and Dior Universal Brow Pencil ($29).

Dior-Hourglass-NibsYou’ll notice the two brow pencils are quite different in size.

Hourglass-Dior-closeupDior has a lil’ nubbins on it. Great for precise application and mimicking real eyebrow hairs. Hourglass is more diverse of an eyebrow pencil because of its triangle shaped tip. Apply the colour flat to the eyebrow just as it is, or use the triangle tip on its edge to draw thin precise lines.

Hourglass-dior-spooliesThe spoolies are quite different than one another. Dior is shorter, has shorter narrow bristles. Hourglass is large and in charge with its almost bulky mascara wand size spoolie. I haven’t minded either size while brushing out my eyebrows.

Eyebrow-swatchesI find it easier to apply colour lightly using the Hourglass arch brow. You can almost tell that from the photos above. There are two Hourglass colours swatched above because I received two! I have been using the Hourglass Soft Brunette and the Dior for my eyebrows, I have laid Hourglass Warm Blonde to the wayside :) But if you compare the far left swatch to the far right swatch, they look pretty similar, don’t they? On my eyebrows I feel like the one on the far left looks a bit too red/warm for my liking.

And finally, my favourite part. Comparing the two on my eyebrows, a before and after if you will:

Hourglass applied on the left, Dior on the right. What do you think?eyebrows-before-after

I cut off most my head because my hair was air-dried and looked super dumb. Ha! And obviously I’m not a pro at doing my eyebrows. I’m literally a month or two into it (and don’t do it daily).

Final thoughts //
I am not going to reveal a favourite out of the two brands, because quite frankly I do not have a favourite. I have been trying to figure this one out for weeks! I rotate between the two eyebrow pencils and love the way both of them apply, I love the two colours although different than one another. I suppose it’s all personal preference really, if you were to go out and buy one of the two products, I would suggest going to Sephora and trying them on your eyebrows yourself. Everyone is different, right?

Disclaimer: products were sent for review. 

Continue Reading

Outfits of the week

ootwFirst of all: Lol at Thursday’s windswept hair. The air conditioner was blowing in my face and I was too lazy to run upstairs to turn it off to take a few snaps of myself. Get whatcha get I say! Ha.

Still haven’t had to wear socks yet here in California. Not complaining at all, because shortly I’m sure I’ll be huddled in a blanket shivering. When the temp drops in the slightest, I get the chills and my hands are like glacier cubes. Not ice cubes. Glacier. Layers of cold, you know? :)

Which outfit is your favourite? I’m pretty partial to Friday. I love that entire outfit together, I’ve worn it many times. Trying not to wear it daily. Then again, who would know I’d wear it daily, if it weren’t for these outfits of the week? I mean, really. I also love my blue Zara pants for Wednesday. They’re so stretchy and comfortable, and that pop of blue is a little odd, but blends in a little bit too. Ie: Not too crazy. They have more colours again this year. I happened to grab one of the last pairs when they had a major sale this time last year.

I think for Tuesday’s outfit, it would totally be something Megan would wear. I like to call it a Megan-Inspired outfit!

Continue Reading