Products I’ve Used Up

Prouct-Empties-headerWelcome back for another Beauty Talk Tuesday. Today I’m going to show you the beauty products I have used up recently or what I’ll be throwing away even if they’re not completely empty. This is where things get real. It’s where I tell you if products are worth the hype, or simply don’t waste your money on. It takes me ages to finish a product up completely, so this type of post will probably be going up semi-annually.

Let’s jump right on in.

Miracle-WorkerPhilosophy Miracle Worker eye cream: It will take me 6-8 months to finish an eye cream when applying it each morning. Miracle Worker was first introduced to me when I went to Toronto for a philosophy event at Sephora, and I was hooked on the consistency as soon as I felt it. This will continue to be a staple in my makeup bag, as I’ve alrady gone through 2-3 tubes of this in the past. I do like to take breaks from products and switch them up, as I have more than one favourite of certain products. Right now I’m using my other #1 eye cream, the Bobbi Brown Extra Eye Repair, which is a completely different in texture, weight, and feel to the under eyes. Miracle Worker is more of a silicone feel, and Extra Eye Repair is more hydrating and sinks into the skin.

Jouer-BronzerJouer Bronzer: After using up two of these bronzers I have finally decided to go on and try something else. I apply bronzer heavily to my skin, year round due to personal preference — I like the healthy glow year round. I would continue to buy it again, it’s not too gray or orange and it lasted me a good 7 months. Unfortunately my local Nordstrom doesn’t sell this brand, so I have to order it on Amazon, or on the Jouer website.

Equate-wipes Equate-wipes-bonusEquate Makeup Remover Wipes: I’m going to lump these two facial wipes in with one another. The more blue packaged one is what I had been using regularly to remove my makeup, so I picked up a similar 2-pack when it was on sale. Out of the blue, the only thing that I had changed in my routine was using the whiter package set of wipes and the next morning I woke up with swollen puffy eyes. I’m not sure what happened with these since I had last used them, but they do not work with my skin any longer. 3 for 3, I tried them (all within a few weeks of each other because I wanted to clarify it was this and not another product). Sure enough, every time I used one of the two wipes above, puffy, flakey and sore under eyes the next morning. Not a nice sight! These are going straight to the garbage. I’m disappointed because I kept repurchasing the blue package one’s above, without fail — now they irritate my skin.

Dior-diorshowDior Diorshow Mascara: One of the most fantastic (yet expensive) mascaras I have for volumizing and lengthening your eyelashes. I prefer a drier mascara formula and this one is fantastic. I’ve gone through countless Diorshow mascaras, and I’ll continue to buy this product.

principessa-dry-shampooPrincipessa Beauty Dry Shampoo: I first found out about this coloured dry shampoo powder when I received it in a beauty subscription box a number of years ago. It was a small sample sized tin at the time, and I love enough to purchase this 4oz full sized tin for $24 at The Bay in Canada. You only need a light sprinkling of this to soak up any oil in your hair, and the tin has lasted me for 2 full years. I panicked when I ran out of it down here in the USA, but luckily found it on Amazon and what do you know — this product is Canadian-made in Vancouver! Represent! :)

purity-made-simplePhilosophy Purity Made Simple: Saving the best product for last. I can’t count how many times I have purchased the purity facial cleanser. This product will never leave my sink side, and if I have less than a quarter left in the bottle, I’ve already stocked up on the product at the store. I will never go without this, it’s gentle enough on the eyes (never stings) and removes all of my makeup. Occasionally I’ll use my Clarisonic Mia 2 with this to get a nice deep clean.

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Hockey Night in America + Giveaway

Game-Day-recipesSaturday afternoon, my husband invited a couple of his bud’s over to watch the Ottawa Senators vs. Florida Panthers hockey game. You know the Canadians can’t give up their Saturday night game watching. Did you know we named Alfie after one of the (now retired) Sens? Daniel Alfredsson = Alfie ;)

While I am a fan only in the hockey arena rather than watching it on TV, I decided to make the boys some finger food and snacks before they ordered in a couple of pizzas. No photos of the guys because I didn’t want to be a weird wife and say, “Hey can I document this for my blog?” Ha!

The spread.

Mini-Taco-Bowls-and-Snacks

Hockey-Night-in-America

Corona-Light

Hockey-Snacks

Chex-Lemon-Buddies

Potato-wedges

Plate-of-snacksWith the help of Chex I make some game day recipes that are fairly easy to put together.

Parmesan + Garlic Potato Wedges
â…“ cup melted butter, ¼ cup parmesan, 2 tbsp. Italian seasoning, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 3 russet potatoes wedged into strips + salt and pepper. Pop in a ziplock bag and giv’er a shake to distribute toppings. Preheat oven to 450ºF and bake for 35 minutes or until tender. Flip potatoes half way.

Mini Taco Bowls
Cut large tortillas into quarters and place in muffin tins. Brown your ground beef and season with spicy taco seasoning. Cut up your toppings, and grate cheese (I used colby + montery jack). Add a spoonful of beef into the taco bowls, top with ingredients and bake in oven the last 15 minutes with the potatoes (15 minutes at 450ºF)

Chex Lemon Buddies
(recipe on the Chex website)

You guys will be entering to win a “game day” mailer that Chexâ„¢ Party Mix has put together! Winner will receive beer glasses, coasters, Cali-Bowls (fantastic for dipping because there’s a ‘lip’ on the inside) , and a few other surprises :)

Open to US residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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POM Friday . 15

I like to give Alfie a haircut approximately every 4-6 weeks. He hasn’t had one since before Christmas, so he was overdue. I like to suck up to him, giving him tons of belly rubs so he’s in a good mood before we head out on the patio and start trimming away. He’s a patient dog when it comes to his hair however, it’s not the hair cut parts he is afraid of, it’s the nail trimming that comes immediately after. I don’t blame him, poor fella. Sometimes I nick his cuticles and make him bleed. It’s hard to tell where his quick ends with his dark nails. Luckily his yearly vet appointment is coming up, so I will ask them to trim his nails next time we head in.

Lucky for him he knows if he behaves he gets a really good treat once I’m done with him. For now, enjoy the many faces of Alfie as I break out the scissors to give him a trimmin’. Alfie-Smiling

4sq-Alfie

Alfie-before

Alfie-being-skeptical

Alfie-during-haircut

Alfie-after

After-Alfies-haircut

before-after-dog-haircut

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