Video: Weekend Finds (+Review & Demos)

Bula Everyone!

So this video is a haul/review/demo all-in-one sort of video. I feel like this is the first proper video of this style that I've been able to do and as I worked on it, I feel like this is the style I'm most happy with so all haul-style videos in the future will most likely follow this style. I know this will mean the videos are longer as I'm reviewing and having demos as well so in future, I might make two videos out of one haul. We'll see but thanks for bearing with me as I try things out.

Also, from now on, we'll try to have write-ups for every video, especially for those who have slow internet connection where it's easier to read an article than to watch a video. So the write-ups will have include what we/I talk about in the video plus extras that I might not have been able to include in the video.

Ok, let's get into the products, beginning with the essence all about nudes palette. So I just went onto the essence website to get the full details of the palette and guess what?! It's no longer there! Looks like they've been re-packaged! Oilei! Ok, so now there are actually 5 palettes. The original selection had 4 palettes when I purchased the all about nudes one and I had gone to actually get the all about chocolates. I ended up not picking it up because the colours were lighter than what I was expecting. Upon swatching, I chose the all about nudes instead because I fell in love with the burgandy shade in it.

                             

                                        
                                             Swatches, no primer                      Swatches over primer in daylight

You definitely can get a nude/neutral look out of this palette but not if you're thinking of brown nudes look. It will be more of a light, flesh pink sort of nude look, perfect for those of fair skin and pink undertones, tricky for those of medium to dark skin tones. For medium to dark skin tones like me, this is a gorgeous palette for pink-taupe looks. That taupe is unbelievably pigmented!

The shadows are soft in texture and I didn't have problems blending them. There is a mix of finishes here and for the price, it's definitely worth picking up and I will get alot of use out of this.
I will have to check out the new collection because from the pictures on the essence website, it looks like these shadows are in the new all about rose palette. Interestingly, the new all about nudes seems to have browns in it now.

I have written a full review of this palette here.

Next, the I love Nude single eye shadows. I picked up 3, creme brulee, sweet like chocolate and coffee bean. I really enjoy sweet like chocolate and coffee bean. sweet like chocolate is a colour I would wear on its own, all over my lids with eye liner and masacara and I would be done. Likewise with coffee bean for a more smokey look.
I found them to be pigmented, though a little bit too powdery. creme brulee can lean too frosty so those with medium to dark skin tones should use with a light hand. All the shades have a fine shimmer to them.
Note: I saw on the essence website that they're adding 2 new shades to the collection. Definitely going to check them out!

              

                    

The next product is the blending brush. I can't see it on the essence website so I'm assuming it was some limited edition thing. (There is a different coloured one there now).
This brush is definitely not a recommend item for me. Bristles were too hard an stiff to get a good blend and was definitely not so gently on the crease area.

Next were the I Love Trends nail polishes from the The Nudes line. I picked up 03 I'm lost in you, a brownish nude which goes so beautifully with my skin tone and is my favourite nude nail polish, and 07 Hope for love, a beautiful muted nude pink, that has a hint of lilac in it. It becomes more vibrant with a second coat and the lilac pink comes out even more.

Left is 03 I'm lost in you on my nails.

 

The next product I picked up was the Lash Mania mascara in Waterproof. I picked it up because I really enjoyed the original Lash Mania. Though it's labelled as a volumizing mascara, it was more of a lengthening mascara for me and boy, did it give me length! It would comb out my lashes, really define and lengthen them and paired with shimmery eye looks, it just gave me pretty eyes. Now, I was wary because I haven't had luck with essence waterproof mascaras - they were never waterproof on my oily eye lids! But this one is waterproof. I tested it by trying to remove it with my Garnier Miscellar water (which is not meant for waterproof makeup yet manages to take off some of the waterproof mascaras I've tried!) and it did not budge. There was slight smudging at the end of the day but no panda eyes and no flaking. UNFORTUNATELY, I'm seeing it on the leaving soon section of essence's website so if you're thinking of picking it up, better do it soon. (I've moaned before about this incredibly annoying habit of essence so I'll spare you!)

Next was the make me brow eyebrow gel mascara. All in the makeup world will know that this is modelled after Benefit's Gimme Brow. I haven't tried the Benefit one so I can't make any comparisons and I don't have any plans to try it because I have fallen in love with this essence one and knowing Benefit's price tag, I just really don't see any compelling reason to try it.
Make me brow is amazing! The tiny fibres in it help to fill in my sparse eyebrows and the shade (browny brows) is just right for me and the formula helps to keep my brow hairs in place all day. And the tiny brush just fits! It has made doing my brows even faster and easier! Love this product and hope essence won't lose their mind (like they did when they stopped with their gel eyeliner!) and stop making this!

               

Next is the powder brush from essence (left). Nice and soft however, I feel the bristles are made in a way that they only move in two directions instead of in circular motion which I feel powder brushes should move. So I don't use this as a powder brush but as a blush brush and it works for that but not a must-have.

From Catrice, I picked up the Prime and Fine Eyeshadow Base (right). It reminds me of the mineral sheer one from e.l.f in terms of crease prevention, about 5 hours. It is more of a light nude, almost transparent shade than mineral sheer and feels silkier. I really enjoy the feel of this but just wished it had a longer lasting power. The Milani primer and Wet 'n' Wild Fergie Collection one last longer than this and are still my favourites along with our own brand one.

The Beautifying Lip Smoother from Catrice (left). Yes, this is modelled after the Clinique ones. These aren't that new but I resisted the urge to pick them up because I thought they were gimmicky. I figured a good gloss can do all the things this claims which is to smooth your lips and optically even out fine lines. However, having tried this, I really do feel it does that! It just really fills in those little lines you have on your lips giving you really healthy looking full lips, the way they might look if they were healthy and mositurized. And this gives your lips a really even, smooth surface to apply your lipstick. I really enjoy it!

From Maybelline, I picked up the Baby Skin Instant Fatigue Blur (right), which is more or less a primer. However, you can just wear it as it is, without foundation and it's supposed to hydrate, refresh and smooth the skin's appearance. This is like the Garnier 5 second blur and other similar primers out there on the market. This was of a more runny texture than the Garnier one and the L'Oreal one and has a peach tint (shade is Warm Apricot) which I liked as I found it to be slightly colour-correcting on me. I feel like this feels lighter than the Garnier and L'Oreal ones so I prefer this one. It definitely takes care of shine, so really mattified my skin and you can see it slightly blurs everything out so you do get the look of better skin. However, as a primer, I didn't find it to be any different or better than others out there on the market.

Also from Maybelline, after doing my "research", I finally caved and tired out the Baby Lips. Going between Switzerland and Fiji takes its toll on my skin and my lips is one of the things that suffer the most. They get so dry, they peel or worse if I don't keep them mositurized. I've tried to many lip balms and lip treatments but they've just never really taken care of the problem. And I didn't think they baby lips would be anything more than the standard tinted lipbalms. So when I picked up these two shades, it was with the thought in mind that if they don't do much for moisturizing, I'll still be able to use them for the tint factor. But! They work!!!! They really do absorb to moisturize deep within the layers. I LOVE them! Since then, I've picked up the Dr. Rescue range for the cold days when I want to give my lips extra protection. And the plan is to have one of the tinted ones in EVERY bag!!

Peach Kiss (left) is a frosty/pearly nude, not the caramel shade it looks in the tube and  the Baby Lips electro in Pink Shock (right) is a beautiful sheer true pink which works for all skin tones even medium to dark. I was so happy it was not a baby doll pink that would look chalky on my skin!

Last but certainly not least is the Lash Sensational mascara from Maybelline, my new favourite mascara! I feel like I've waited for this mascara all my life! When I first tried it, it replaced the original Lash Mania from essence as my lengthening mascara but as it started to dry to its "true" texture, I found I also got volume and I could build it up for more volume! It is my go-to mascara now. I'm still having my essence combo for smokey eye looks and certain waterproof formulas for my lower lashes but for days when I'm in a rush or just want to get ready quickly, no matter what look, I always reach for my Lash Sensational. The curve of the brush really lifts my lashes and the comb-like bristles really coat my lashes from root to tip with the intensely black formula! LOVE!!!!!