Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in Soft Beige and Stay Matte Primer

When it comes to foundations, "matte" is my buzzword. Any indication that a foundation is matte has me running to the nearest store to swatch and smother all over my oily-skinned face . The Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation ($5.99) is one of those products. In addition to its mattifying claims, it's also supposed to be oil-free and ultra-light weight (hence being called a "mousse"). 

Also a new release from the Rimmel Stay Matte range is the Stay Matte Primer. Since I'm quite oil prone, I opted to pair the primer and foundation together in the hopes of aiding my complexion in staying matte for longer. 

 Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation in 091 Light Ivory, 100 Ivory, 200 Soft Beige, and Primer

The Stay Matte Foundation comes in 8 shades - Light Porcelain, Ivory, Light Ivory, True Ivory, Soft Beige, Classic Beige, True Beige, and Sand. I received 091 Light Ivory, 100 Ivory, 200 Soft Beige to test out. Obviously, Light Ivory and Ivory were way too light for me, but Soft Beige (5th from the lightest) has proven to be a good match. 

My first thought when applying this foundation was something along the lines of... "Holy shitake mushrooms. Coverage. Woah." If the Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation is anything, it's ultra high-coverage. Yes, it 100% covers all the flaws on my skin. But it's also high-coverage as in... it doesn't look natural at all and there's no way I'd be wearing this foundation everyday. 

Also true to its claims, the foundation is very light-weight. Surprisingly so, since it 100% covers every single thing on my face. When applying, it feels super soft and airy. Though, it dries quite quickly so either you can work very quickly or use a damp sponge to make the product more workable. 

As for the matte effect, the shine control of Rimmel's Stay Matte is unmatched by my current favourite CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1. The CoverGirl foundation coverage itself lasts 10 hours long but areas around my forehead and t-zone start to get a little oily at the 6 hour mark. This doesn't happen with the Stay Matte. 

The Rimmel Stay Matte Primer ($6.99) seems to be a drugstore dupe for something along the lines of the Bioderma Pore Refiner. The only differences are (1) the lesser price and (2) the slightly weightier texture (3) Rimmel's Stay Matte Primer can be worn over or under makeup. I prefer to wear this over exclusively over liquid foundations because I like the way Bioderma feels directly on my skin. Also, the Rimmel Stay Matte Primer does move my foundation a little when applied overtop but it's nothing that can't be fixed with a light coverage powder. For extra oil-prevention, I  make a product sandwich on my face. A layer of the Bioderma Pore Refiner, then foundation, then the Rimmel Stay Matte Primer and lastly a light dusting of powder. Lately, the sandwich has been my trusty go-to oil-fighting power squad that lasts me a full 12 hour day. 

All in all, both the Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation and the Rimmel Stay Matte Primer are impressive products for a fraction of the price of a similar something you might find at Sephora. Although the Stay Matte Foundation is a bit too heavy coverage for everyday makeup, it's perfect for special occasions and it photographs like a dream. 

Do you like matte or dewy foundations? Do you use a primer? 

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GUEST POST: Best Blush Brushes with Beyond Blush

Hello readers of Fun Size Beauty, I'm Laura from Beyond Blush, and I'll be guest posting here today as a part of the Canadian Beauty Bloggers group! Today I'll be sharing with you my favourite blush brushes. I absolutely love blush, and I change up my brushes depending on the blush formula that I'm using. All of the brushes I use are synthetic. 

The Body Shop Blusher Brush ($24) - Initially I was quite skeptical of this brush - it looks nothing like blush brushes that I'm used to! I've found that this brush works really well with powder blushes that can sometimes look spotty or muddy on my skin - like NARS' Sin. I don't love this for harder powder blushes like Tarte's Amazonian Clay Blushes, it just doesn't pick up the product nicely. These bristles are so soft, and my blush always applies evenly with this brush.

Real Techniques Blush Brush ($9.99) - This brush is fairly fluffy, and I find that this brush can be used with almost any powder blush. These bristles aren't super soft, but they aren't scratchy either. This brush can be used to apply a sheer wash of colour, or you can build up a more intense cheek. I also love the tip of this brush to apply highlighter!

Sigma F40 ($19) - I love how soft Sigma's synthetic bristles are, they feel really nice on my skin! This brush picks up a bit more colour, so use a light hand with a very pigmented blush. The head of this brush is smaller and angled, so you'll get a more precise application. 

It Cosmetics French Boutique Blush Brush ($34.50) - I absolutely love the design of this brush! The head of this brush is large and fluffy, and I love using this with loose powder blushes. This also works really well with pressed powder blushes. 

Real Techniques Stippling Brush ($10.99) - This is my absolute favourite brush for cream blushes! I'll tap a little cream blush on my cheeks, and then use this brush to really work the product into my cheeks for a flawless look. These bristles are easy to clean with a bit of baby shampoo.

Overall, my top picks would have to be Real Techniques' Stippling Brush for cream blushes, and It Cosmetics' French Boutique Blush Brush since it works well with pressed and loose powder blushes. You can't go wrong with any of these brushes, and there's some at each price point to meet everyone's budget. 

What is your favourite blush brush? Have you tried out any of my favourites? 

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Rimmel BB Cream Matte in 001 Light

I am a firm hater of BB creams. From Garnier and Physicians Formula to Lioele, I haven't tried a single BB cream that I can bear to wear on my face. Asian BB creams are thick and grey-toned, while their North American counterparts are like tinted moisturizers - ultra sheer and too dewy for those with oily skin. The Rimmel BB Cream Matte in 001 Light ($6.99) falls somewhere in between - matte, medium-coverage but still lightweight. 

The Rimmel BB Cream Matte is available in two shades (light and medium). It claims to be a 9-in-1 "perfecting super makeup with a natural matte finish". Yep, that's a ton of promises to be made by a single, drugstore product. As I wore this product for a week, I kept those 9 claims in the back of my mind.

Since this is an oil-free product, the formula is quite watery. This makes for a more lightweight product. The colour "Light" is a tad too light, but it's nothing that can't be fixed with a bit of bronzer or darker powder around edges of my face. I would probably go for medium once I finish my little sample tube up. 

 On the basis of the 9 claims, here's how the product performed: 

1. Pore minimizing - no, not really
2. Skin tone evening - yes, for sure! My skin is a little discoloured in certain areas and the medium-coverage of this BB cream definitely evens it out. 
3. Mattifying - yes, yes, yes! I dislike the traditionally dewy finish of BB creams. Rimmel's is definitely matte and in the best way possible. It's more of a satin, matte finish rather than a drying matte. After it sets into the skin, the product gives off a subtle healthy glow. 
4. Shine control - yes. This goes hand in hand with the "mattifying" claim. The shine control lasts around 5 hours on it's own. Apply on top of a primer and under powder, and you're golden for the entirety of a 10 hour day. 
5. Smoothing - yes
6. Soothing - not that I'm aware of... 
7. Concealing (of dark circles) - kind of... in general, the coverage is buildable to medium. My dark circles still require a brightening concealer and larger red blemishes still need a more heavy-duty product to cover them up. 
8. Blemish preventing - yes, in the sense that it hasn't broken me out. I guess I can't really tell if it "prevents", but my skin's been pretty good lately. 
9. All day coverage - see my comments under "Shine control". Yep! It lasts all-day as long as it's in conjunction with other products. 

6.5 of the 9 claims were fulfilled. By far, it's the best BB cream that I've tried and a great tangent from some of the heavier foundations that I like to wear on a daily basis. The Rimmel BB Cream Matte offers the coverage and mattifying effect of a foundation but the weightlessness and healthy glow of a BB cream that's perfect for my oily skin. 

Have you ever encountered a matte BB cream? 

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BEAUTY DEAL: The Body Shop Wishlist and $15 for $30 from Buytopia

Terribly awkward collages aside, only crazy ladies don't love a good deal. If you're a fan of the Body Shop (as I), I urge you to jump on this right now - Buytopia is offering $15 for $30 of product, (basically 50% off everything) and the icing on the cake is that the first 200 people to redeem the voucher get a surprise gift! The coupon is valid at Dufferin Mall (Toronto) and the Bayshore Shopping Centre (Ottawa). 

Yes, the Body Shop often offers 50% off of its goodies, but it's not off everything (that deal is typically reserved for Boxing Day sales). CHECK OUT THE DEAL HERE!

Anyways, terrible collage above is the products that have been on my radar that I have been urging to pick up. From the top left corner going counter clockwise... 

The Colour Crush Shine Lipsticks - sheer lippies are all the rage this spring and the Body Shop has released its own range of 10 shades. I have tons of sheer lipsticks but not a purple one. So the one called "Let's Grape On It" is calling my name. 

The Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder is well loved by the likes of Essie Button... and ... when Estee talks about a product. Well..ya know. I gotta have it. I've swatched it in store previously and my gosh is it so darn buttery smooth. I'd probably go for Medium Matte. 

No surprise that the Vineyard Peach Body Butter is on my wishlist. I ran out of my last pot a week ago and have been missing it dearly. UGGGGGGH... such a gorgeous scent. 

A new-ish launch from the Body Shop is the Early-Harvest Raspberry Line. As much as I love peach scents, I'm always up for trying something new and fruity. Plus, I absolutely adore how the Raspberry Body Scrub looks like an exact replica of raspberry jam. 

Anyways, pick up the Buytopia deal or not, the Body Shop offers tons of awesome bath, body, beauty, skincare, and haircare products made with the world in mind.

Are you eyeing anything at the Body Shop? 

Not an affiliate link. This is a semi-sponsored post (is that what it's called?). I'm being compensated with this same deal (aka Body Shop product) to share this amazing deal with you! 

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Lush Easter Goodies! - Immaculate Eggception, Bunch of Carrots, Bunny Bubble Bar, and Carrot Soap

T-minus three days till Good Friday! The tax deadline at work is April 30th, so I may or may not be working during the long weekend. Even though my weekend may be a bit rough, what better way to relax and rejoice at the fact that it's Easter by taking a yummy, natural bath. Lush always has the most adorable goodies to celebrate! Here's four from the limited edition collection of 6 - Lush Immaculate Eggception Bath Bomb (Pink) ($12.95), Bunch of Carrots Bubble Bar ($12.95), Carrot Soap ($6.95), and Bunny Bubble Bar ($6.95). 

Not going to lie, I haven't tried all of these products, but Easter is coming and I thought I should share what's out there before it's gone! I can only take so many baths in a span of two weeks. However, I have indeed smelled them to the fullest! Since most Lush products come without packaging, they've been sitting in my room the smell of Lush has engulfed my room with delight. 

I actually did try the Immaculate Eggception Bath Bomb. To be honest, I picked it for my bath because I was so excited to crack it open and see what was inside - good thing it wasn't a yolk. Immaculate Eggception is a hollow shell casing with a cute surprise inside, which means that it's also good for 3 uses (two pieces of shell and one chickadee/yolk). Breaking the "egg" part of the bath bomb was a little messy but the end result was squeal-worthy. EEEEEEEK SOOOOO CUTE! 

As for my bath, the pink "egg shell" yielded girly pink bathwater. Since it's a Bath Bomb not a Bubble Bar it fizzed rather than bubbled into my bath as expected. The scent was on point - grapefruit and lemon oils with ylang ylang and vanilla. Sweet with a hint of citrus and relaxation...mmmmmm. 

The Bunny Bubble Bar has not yet graced my bath waters. If you're interested in a little demo, check out the Lush youtube channel here. By the looks of it, the bunny seems to create a sufficient amount of fluffy bubbles for an entire bath. The bar contains vanilla and shea butter for moisturizing the skin and a warm and cozy scent. 

It's a new Lush offering and is already sold out online :( ... until next year I guess. 

For a more fresh-scented bubble bath, try putting a Bunch of Carrots in your tub. According to Lush this will be the "best-smelling vegetable you'll ever enjoy". I concur. The lemon and bergamot aromas are bright and perfect for getting into the springtime mood (as it snows while I type..). Three carrots = three baths... can't wait! 

Fear not, the Lush Carrot Soap doesn't actually smell of carrots. If anything, it's more of a tropical scent due to its smart blend of oils including coconut oil, lemon oil, bergamot oil, buchu (fruit) oil, and most importantly... carrot oil! Soap appears to be a little boring, but I tested it out on my arms and hands and the result is pretty awesome - what crazy lady doesn't like soft, clean hands? 

Whether you're in a rush to pick up some Easter presents or just want a great bath, you'll be sure to love the whimsy shapes and scents of the Lush Easter collection. Happy bathing! :) 

What are you up to this Easter weekend? 

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WEEK 2: Peel Off Mask | Montagne Jeunesse Mask Off Roundup

Aaaaaaand we're back for another round of the #CBBMJMASKOFF (check out last week's Hot Chocolate Self-Heating Mask Roundup here). This week's contestant is the Peel-Off Mask! 17 Canadian Beauty Bloggers put the Manuka Honey Peel Off and Green Tea Peel Off Masks to the test on the basis of comfort, aroma, results, and ease of use! 

Comfort - 3.39/5

There were mixed thoughts on comfort this time around. The fact that you can't move your face seemed overwhelmingly unappreciated by the bloggers...

"You can't really move your face too much with a peel-off or else it starts to well..peel off. So check your emotions at the door." - Cosmetic Proof

"It was comfortable going on, but once it starts to dry it quickly becomes very uncomfortable." - Nicole About Town

Aroma - 3.83/4

Since this week different bloggers tried different peel off masks (manuka or green tea), results were slightly skewed. That being said, most enjoyed the light scent of both masks while a few disliked the scent.

"Didn't smell bad - smelled fresh, clean" - Exquisitely Chic

"Delicious floral, spicy honey" - KalynLord.com

"This mask smelt so bad! I felt like I wanted to throw up the whole time it was on my face and the scent lingers on your skin, so I was stuck smelling it all day!" - My Beautyfull Adventure

Results - 3.44/5

"I always like the clean smooth feeling of my skin after a peel-off mask, but it wasn't so incredibly amazing that I've never felt anything like it." - Writing Whimsy

"Actually kind of hydrating! My skin felt bouncy and plump!" - Cosmetic Proof

"Not quite sure what the claims are, but it left my face very smooth." - Chantal's Corner

Ease of Use - 3.06/5

Overall, the bloggers had a hard time with the peel off removal/application. It's not cool to walk around with little pieces of dried of mask in your hair... you get my point...

"Easy to put on (using a brush). But daaaayum it was a pain to get every last bit off. I woke up with mask bits in my hair." - Swatch and Review

"Like most peel-offs, there was a bit of an edge all around my face that wouldn't peel." - Workday Ramblings

Total Score - 13.72/20

Week 1 - Chocolate Mask - 15.83

Price and Availability: $1.99 at Walmart, Value Drug Mart, Familiprix, Lawtons Drugs, and Farleyco.ca

It looks like the Chocolate Mask is currently in the lead! I guess not everyone is a fan of the peeling feeling...

Alrighty, that's all for today folks! Looks like the Chocolate Mask is in the lead. Stay tuned for next week. Week 3 is... OIL WEEK - I've never tried an "oil mask" before...so this one will be interesting... 

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Do you like peel off masks? 

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Essence Bloom Me Up! Collection - Bloomylicious, Rose It Up and Blow My Mint

By the looks of it, the Essence Bloom Me Up! Collection is the epitome of Spring beauty. Floral embossing, lace, pastels, and a little bit of romance. There's not much more a girl could ask for. The collection consists of 3 mono eyeshadows, 1 duo eye pencil, 2 lipsticks, 2 blush sticks, 1 shimmer powder, 4 polishes, nail lace tips, 4 brushes, and a brush holder. Here's the lowdown on a few pieces from the collection now available in Canada:

Bloom Me Up! Shimmer Powder in Rose It Up! - I can't get over the intricacy of the floral design. For fear of removing the design, I winced every time I touched the surface of the powder. The Essence Shimmer powder is soft to the touch. It's a light beige colour that is shimmery but not overly so. The shade is too pale as a highlight for my face but would look lovely on some of you lighter ladies! I prefer this shimmer powder as a light dusting over the decollette for a subtle night-out glow. 

[Shimmer Powder, Blow My Mint, Bloomylicious, & Rose It Up!]

Behold the Essence Mono Eyeshadows in 03 Blow My Mint, 01 Bloomylicious and 02 Rose It Up! The world would be a better place if all eyeshadows came with this same feminine embossing. As for the product, all three shadows seem to be a similar white-based, sheer pigment with a tint of either green, beige, or pink. Unfortunately, I didn't find these shadows to translate well on the lids. Although they feel soft and blendable, the mono eyeshadows made my eyes look a bit dry and chalky. 

Last but certainly not least are the Nail Lace Tips in Bloomylicious. These dainty and delicate nail stickers come in 7 different sizes and 2 designs for a total of 28 stickers per package. They are actually quite "delicate" in the sense that if you do anything rough  with your hands, pieces might fall off, so be sure to use a top coat! I'm a huge fan and will most certainly be stalking my local Shoppers' Drug Mart for another pack or two. 

If you're looking for pure eye candy, definitely pick up a piece or two from the Essence Bloom Me Up! Collection. Personally, I wasn't impressed any particular product other than the nail lace tips. The formulations shadows and face powders were so-so, but if you're anything like me you'd pick them up just to look at. If there was ever such thing as too pretty, this collection would be it. 

What do you think of the Essence Bloom Me Up! Collection? Will you be picking anything up?

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