beauty – LiveLifeInTheFloralLane

$300 Worth of Tatcha Skincare! A Review

My sister bought these Tatcha products for herself a little while back but she said that they broke her out, she even waited to see if it was just an initial breakout like you get with some products. Unfortunately after a couple months of use she was still breaking out so she decided it was due to these products and that maybe they would work better for my skin type. I was definitely interested in giving it a try and I knew Tatcha was an expensive brand so I was kind of excited that I didn’t have to pay!

The first item is called ‘The Essence Plumping Skin Softener’ and it retails for $124 CAD. This has an extremely thin and watery texture so initially I thought it was a toner. It actually is quite different and still requires a toner before hand. After toner, I apply this to my face by quite literally pouring it right out of the bottle onto my face because it is that thin, and any other method risks losing product (people actually advise against using a cotton pad with this). This is supposed to boost the effectiveness of all your other products that you use, and has ingredients in it that help target aging (never too early to start) and uneven texture and dullness (that’s me!). It definitely makes my skin feel hydrated but I truthfully haven’t seen any crazy or drastic differences after the few months I’ve been using it for. However, I do like the idea that it makes my other products sink in better, I feel like I spend less time patting in products when I use this because it helps things sink in rather than just sitting on the surface.

The next item is the ‘Violet C Brightening Serum’ which retails for $114 CAD. This is a high intensity vitamin C serum which has 20% vitamin c and 10% AHA. Vitamin C is known to reduce the appearance of dark darks and uneven skin. I’ve always incorporated some type of vitamin C into my skin routine and while this stuff is good, I can’t say that it is any better than anything I’ve used in the past and all of those are about a third of the price! I would honestly save your money on this one as there are vitamin c products that are way cheaper and work just as good. You can get these ingredients from the ordinary for like $5 bucks a pop.

All in all, I like the stuff for sure but I definitely don’t think it should be worth $300! I will use the products until the end but I won’t repurchase them on my own, it’s just not worth the price to me! But it was fun to try and it’s fun to use luxury products every once in while.

That’s it for now!

xoxo

Sarah

Three Cruelty- Free Products I Use Every Day – By Marisa Chiorello

Hey beautiful souls!

My everyday makeup routine is pretty simple. I use liquid foundation, loose powder, bronzer, blush, mascara, and lip-gloss. Not only is my makeup routine pretty simple, but also, all the products I use are cruelty-free. Cruelty-free products are super important, and if you’ve thought about switching over, you totally should! I use cruelty-free products because I do not agree with animal testing. I hate the thought of animals being tortured or killed in order to create a product. This makes me sad! I also use cruelty-free products because they’re good for the planet! Cruelty-free means all good things! Here are three cruelty-free products I use every day. Hopefully you’ll want to try them, too.

Sephora Collection 10 HR Wear Perfection Foundation, $20.00. I use Sephora’s brand for my liquid foundation in the shade of 25 Medium Beige (N). This shade is for light-medium skin with neutral undertones. I went to Sephora a few years ago and was matched by an employee. Now, this is the only liquid foundation I use! This foundation is the best because it really provides me with full coverage, and is very lightweight on my skin. It doesn’t clog my pores, and when I’m breaking out it covers my acne very well. Most importantly, this product isn’t tested on animals!

Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette, $34.00. I use Urban Decay’s Naked Flushed palette for my bronzer and blush. Sometimes I’ll use the highlighter, but I typically have a different palette for that. I love the Flushed palette because the bronzer matches my skin tone perfectly. It also blends really well! The blush is a deep mauve colour so it’s light and refreshing. It gives me a bit of color and shimmer on my cheeks without being too overpowering. When I use the bronzer and blush together I achieve a glowing look. But, what I really, really love about this palette is the fact that it is 100% cruelty-free!

NYX Professional Makeup Butter Gloss, $5.00. I got this butter gloss in a pack with three different shades, Tres Leches, Feelin’ Jelly, and Swirlwind. I love these butter glosses so much and will switch them up depending on the color scheme of my outfits. They’re easy to apply and go on pretty smoothly. They also make my lips feel very soft, and give me a beautiful pop of color. They smell delicious, too! But, the best part of this lip-gloss is they’re all cruelty-free!

Until next time,

Marisa

I Tried Arbonne Speak Volumes Mascara – By Marisa Chiorello

Hey beautiful souls!

Dedicated readers already know this, but I pride myself in being a bargain shopper. I love drugstore makeup; I can find similar versions to the latest celebrity-clothing trend at shops such as H&M, American Eagle Outfitters, and Kohl’s; and I teach fashion and beauty lovers that you do not need to spend all of your money on clothing, makeup, and face treatments. However, there are times when I like to splurge on certain items, typically shoes and makeup. Recently, I decided to try Arbonne Speak Volumes Mascara, $30.00.

Arbonne is known for their “green journey.” They’re a company that doesn’t put anything harmful into their beauty products, skin products, and health products. All of their products are pure, safe, vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free. Arbonne’s products show amazing results, too! This intrigued me, so I decided to purchase a product.

Arbonne has individuals who assist in selling products; they’re called Independent Consultants. I happened to have a friend named Melissa who sells Arbonne. So, she helped me with all my purchasing needs! I decided to purchase the Speaks Volumes Mascara because I’m obsessed with mascara. When I do my makeup, I like my eyes and lips to stand out. Since I have sensitive eyes, I cannot use eyeliner, so mascara is the next best thing!

This mascara pleasantly surprised me. My eyelashes can be pretty sparse, but the Speaks Volumes Mascara really added thickness, volume, and length to my lashes. At first, I just added one layer of the mascara for a natural look. However, when you add more than one layer, you really get a dramatic, defined, bold look! I loved it! My lashes never looked better! Just look at some results below:

I also love how this mascara is infused with vitamins, it’s vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free. So, you’re putting natural, safe, and pure products on your lashes. You’re helping them! This mascara is definitely worth the money, and I’ll definitely be purchasing more!

Let me know if you try Arbonne Speaks Volumes Mascara and if it transforms your eyes like it did mine!

Until next time,

Marisa

Korres Pomegranate Moisturizing & Balancing Cream-Gel

Since my boyfriend and I share skincare, we go through it like crazy! So it’s already time for us to buy a new moisturizer. We just finished ‘The Ordinary – Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10% Hydrating Cream’ and truthfully it wasn’t my fave. It didn’t sink into the skin very easily and felt greasy to me. I wanted to try something that was more geared towards oily skin.

I came across this one from Korres called the ‘Pomegranate Moisturizing & Balancing Cream-Gel’. This is specifically geared towards those with oily skin. It is considered a ‘gel-cream’ which is great because I prefer gel moisturizers over thicker creams, and this is somewhere in between which will be good for the winters when my skin gets a little more dry.

The packaging is adorable (it’s pink so I was immediately drawn to it 😛 ) and you get 1.35 fluid oz for $42.00 CAD.

Processed with VSCO with fp8 preset

Below is a pic of what the moisturizer actually looks like. It’s clearly thicker than other moisturizer’s I’ve tried (see my others posts here for more info: https://livelifeintheflorallane.com/2019/08/03/makeup-and-skincare-haul-reviews/

https://livelifeintheflorallane.com/2019/02/21/the-best-moisturizer-for-oily-skin/)

It takes a bit longer to sink in than a straight up gel moisturizer, but it doesn’t take too long and it eventually dries feeling smooth and soft. It smells really good which is always a plus, I don’t like when my products smell medicinal or chemically.

This is my first time ever trying a product from Korres even though I’ve always heard really great things. So I’m pretty excited about this and I’m definitely going to review more Korres products in the future!

That’s it for now!

xoxo

Sarah

Milk Makeup KUSH Growhouse™ Lash + Brow Serum Review

A few months ago I decided to stop getting lash extensions done all the time. This was mainly due to financial reasons not because I don’t love them 😛

But ever since I stopped, my lashes have have looked so short and stubby and something needed to be done. I’ve used lash serums in the past (I used to use the ‘Eye Envy’ brand) so I knew they worked but I wanted to try something new *and less expensive LOL. This serum is around $65.00 CAD give or take.

Milk Makeup came out with their own version of a lash and brow growth serum called the ‘KUSH Growhouse™ Lash + Brow Serum’. It has cannabis extracts in it, so it’s definitely hopping on the cannabis train in terms of skincare (so many products these days say they use cannabis as a marketing strategy ever since it became legal). It’s unclear whether cannabis extracts actually do anything for your skin or if it’s just a marketing tool, but it still worked on me haha.

I’ve been using this serum for a little over a month now, both morning and night if I can remember. And I have to say that this shit WORKS! It’s a little on the thicker side in terms of consistency but it doesn’t burn my eyes like other lash serums have in the past! I’ve noticed a significant growth in just one month, and even my boyfriend has noticed without me having to say anything! So if a straight male has noticed the difference, clearly it’s working LOL.

This stuff has saved my lashes and I really recommend it as a less expensive alternative to other lash serums, because it works just the same!

That’s all I have for now 🙂

xoxo

Sarah

My Top Three Lip Balms for Dry, Chapped Lips – By Marisa Chiorello

Hey beautiful souls!

If you’re anything like me, you know that dry, chapped lips don’t just happen during the cold winter months. You can have dry, chapped lips 365 days a year regardless of the season. It’s annoying, it’s painful, and it’s what I’m currently going through. So, I set out to try the best chap stick and lip balms for dry, chapped lips. Three of them really worked for my lips, and they are definitely my top three lip balms for dry, chapped lips. My lips are finally saved, pain free, and soft! Here they are!

Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm, $4.

The first chap stick I tried was, of course, the very popular Burt’s Bees. Burt’s Bees comes in many, different scents such as Cucumber Mint, Mango, Vanilla Bean, Wild Cherry, and Pomegranate- just to name a few. I decided to stick to the original, although I’m excited to try the other scents.

I know you’re probably thinking, “What took you so long to try Burt’s bees?” Well, I remember using them when I was younger, but I don’t remember the results. Plus, I spent years using EOS lip balm. So, back to Burt’s Bees I went, and I’m happy I did!

While using Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm, my lips immediately felt smoother and relieved. When I put on a lot of this lip balm, it looked like I was wearing lip gloss. I loved this! My lips really improved using this product. Also, you won’t break the bank with this purchase.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF 15, $24.

I love the Sugar brand and I’ll purchase their items whenever I have the money. However, if spending is not a problem for you, you should try this product! After testing out this lip balm, my lips were definitely more moisturized. I also loved the fact that there is SPF 15 in this, which is great when you’re out in the sun. This lip balm smelled delicious, too!

You can also get Sugar’s lip balm in different tints!

Vaseline Limited Edition Pink Bubbly Lip Therapy, $3.99.

This is the lip balm I’m currently using and I’m in LOVE! First, I loved the light pink colour and the sweet, delicious smell. However, nothing beats the purpose and results of Vaseline! This lip balm states that it “locks in moisture for beautiful, healthy lips.” This is totally true! The first time I used this lip balm my lips were thanking me. The extra moisture really helped my dry lips for hours. Yes, this lip balm really holds the moisture for a long time, before you have to re-apply. I also liked the fact that this lip balm isn’t sticky or greasy. I use this lip balm every day and I no longer have dry, chapped lips!

Let me know which lip balm you try and how it helps your lips!

Until next time,

Marisa

Trying The Ordinary Skincare

As if I seriously needed more skincare…but I did it anyways LOL! I couldn’t pass it up, The Ordinary is just so cheap and it’s finally available on Sephora online. I literally picked up every bottle that could benefit my skin type, which is oily and prone to breakouts and hyper-pigmentation. That left me with a whole 9 items in my cart! Like what am I supposed to do with all this! I’ve only been using 4 of them so far, and I don’t want to layer too many products on my skin at one time because then I’ll never know what product is actually helping my skin. So I guess I’m just going to alternate products on different weeks? Not sure I haven’t figured it out yet lol.

I’ll start with the products I got, then I’ll review a few that I’ve tried so far.

From left to right:

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA
The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA

The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane
The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2%
The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA
The Ordinary Resveratrol 3% + Ferulic Acid 3%

The Ordinary Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10% Hydrating Cream

Now, I’ve only gotten a chance to try 4 of them. So far my routine has been the two blemish treatments both morning and night (these would be the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, and the Salicylic Acid 2% Solution). I then use the 1% Retinol in Squalene every night, which is supposed to increase cell turnover and help reduce the look of dark marks. Then I’ve been using the 10% lactic acid solution as a peeling treatment a few nights a week. Lactic acid is a strong chemical exfoliant so it gets rid of all the dead skin cells over night and you wake up with shiny new skin.

All of these products are geared towards blemished and scarred/uneven skin, and I’ve noticed a HUGE difference in my skin since I’ve started using these products. I barely get pimples anymore, just the odd one here and there. In addition, everyone has been saying that I look so glowy and poreless lately and I just couldn’t be happier with the way it’s been looking over the past few weeks. I genuinely think that The Ordinary products play a huge part in that.

With all these products, it can get a little confusing on how to layer them, so I found a really helpful guide online which I will link here:

How To Layer The Ordinary

I’ll be sure to keep you updated on the products I haven’t tried yet, but if they’re anything like what I’ve been using so far, I know I’ll love it.

Thanks for reading!!

Sarah

Ladies, How Do You Remove Your Facial Hair?

Normally this website is about giving beauty advice, but ya girl needs some help too! I’ve tried every possible way of removing my facial hair. This includes, shaving (with both a regular 5 blade razor and a single blade razor), waxing, sugar waxing, threading, and laser hair removal, and all roads almost always lead to a breakout or two. To be clear I am removing ALL OVER the face, meaning cheeks, upper lip, chin, and forehead. And the areas where I get the most broken out afterwards are the cheeks and chin, but that’s where most of my breakouts naturally occur anyways, so it makes sense.

Now I’ve noticed some methods are better at keeping breakouts at bay than others. Waxing and sugar waxing are most definitely the worst for breakouts. I always get a very big red inflamed one when I wax. Shaving with a 5 blade razor has the same outcome, however when I shave with a single blade razor/buzzer, the breakouts aren’t as bad, although I still do get a ton of clogged pores. Threading, although you would think it would be the same outcome as waxing because the hairs are being pulled out, surprisingly doesn’t lead to too many breakouts either. I’ve also lasered my face which led to horrible breakouts as well.

It’s like I can’t win! It’s a toss up between having a hairy face or a pimply face. There are things I do afterwards to help. I’m not exactly a skincare expert, but I think the reason people breakout when they remove hair is because the pores are more exposed and it’s easier for gunk and dirt to get into the pores. So after I remove my facial hair I immediately use some sort of aftershave and a salicylic acid treatment for razor bumps. After that I try to be really diligent about washing it twice a day with an exfoliator so that dirt doesn’t get trapped under dead skin cells and form a bump, and I also use a charcoal pore mask once daily for a week after hair removal to really keep all that gunk out of the pores.

While all this helps, I still breakout a little bit each time I remove my hair. So now I want to pass this on to you…what method of hair removal is your favourite and how to you keep your breakouts at bay, or do you even breakout at all? I’m really curious to hear about other girls’ experience with this and hopefully learn a couple tips as well!

I wanna hear from you!!

XOXO

Sarah

Makeup and Skincare Haul/Reviews

Oops I did it again…I went shopping…

I needed a new moisturizer so I went to Sephora to buy one thing, and naturally I leave with the entire store.

First I’ll start with the moisturizer I went in for.

I finished up my Tarte moisturizer (see review here – https://livelifeintheflorallane.com/2019/02/21/the-best-moisturizer-for-oily-skin/), so I needed a new one. I did my research and I wanted to find one with a similar consistency to the Tarte one, which led me to the First Aid Beauty Coconut Water Cream. It’s almost like a gel to water consistency, it’s great for oily skin, and smells super yummy and summery!

While I was there I thought I better pick up a new eye cream since I dropped my Neutrogena one in the toilet while drunk…I’ve heard good things about the Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream so I picked that one up.

Then I decided to go crazy.

I was running low on my Maybelline Fit Me Matte Foundation and I needed a new one, one that I’ve never tried before. The Nars All Day Luminous Foundation has been on my radar for a while so I decided to pick it up. I’ve been using it for a little while now and I really do like it! The coverage is beyond full and the colour match is great (I got the colour Punjab), but it’s not the best for oily skin as I notice it starts to break apart around my nose and chin area in the middle of the day. Not the end of the world because I have other long lasting foundations, like the Estee Lauder Double Wear *which is the all time best for oily skin IMO*.

That was SUPPOSED to be it for my haul, and then Benefit Cosmetics got me with their minis. I just walked passed them and was like fuck I gotta have these LOL. I’ve never tried the Galifornia Blush or the Dandelion Twinkle Highlighter and I’ve been wanting to forever! Mini products are a good way to try something without paying full price so I couldn’t pass these up. The Galifornia Blush is a bright coral colour which is perfect for summer, and the Dandelion Twinkle is a light pink powder with reflective specs. It’s not an intense highlighter like the ABH palettes, it’s a lot more subtle and can be used all over the face just like the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders. I would say it’s more similar to those than a typical highlighter.

And then I was already in the shopping mood at that point so I thought why not pick up some more lip products from the drugstore. I love the Revlon Lipsticks so I picked up a few.

From Left to Right:

#205 Champagne on Ice
#668 Primrose
#720 Fire and Ice
#463 Sassy Mauve

I also picked up a Revlon Lipgloss in the shade #205 Snow Pink

That’s all the damage done for now. I’m sure I’ll be shopping again soon though LOL!

XOXO,

Sarah

Silk’n ReVit Prestige – A Review

A while back a company named Silk’n Solutions was generous enough to send me their newest at home microdermabrasion device called the ‘ReVit Prestige’. I’ve been using it for about 2 months now and I feel like that’s enough time to give my honest opinions on it.

Firstly, here’s a picture of what the device looks like. It’s pretty slick and very easy to hold.

This is the first at home microdermabrasion device I’ve ever used, so unfortunately I can’t really compare it to others out there on the market, but I’ll let you know my personal experience with it and what it did for my skin.

Firstly, let’s take a look at what it claims to do. Their website describes it as

“a powerful microdermabrasion device that can give you firm and vital skin that looks younger in only several minutes. Dead skin cells are removed, and the production of new skin cells is stimulated. The skin texture and elasticity are visibly improved. The vacuum stimulation enhances the blood circulation for a healthy complexion. In addition, Silk’n ReVit Prestige makes irregularities, shallow acne scars and age spots less visible and helps soften large pores and fine lines.”

Their website also outlines the specific benefits it can have on your skin.

ReVit Prestige Microdermabrasion Benefits:

Ultra-powerful microdermabrasion device with diamond peeling
Improves skin tone, texture and elasticity*
Blurs age spots, irregularities in the skin and shallow acne scars
Removes dead skin cells, stimulates the production of new cells and stimulates the blood circulation
Can be used in manual mode, but also provides an auto mode that will guide you through your treatment for best results
Includes: 4 tips (Fine, Regular, Body, Massage), 30 filters, 1 stand/charging cradle, 1 adapter with USB cable, 1 cleaning brush and 1 pouch

So…did it really live up to all of that? I would say yesss!! I don’t particularly have overly large pores to begin with, and fine lines are not really a skin concern of mine yet (fingers crossed lol), so I can’t speak to how it works for those particular skin concerns. However, my acne scars have significantly reduced and my skin texture just looks and feels smoother. You can totally tell that’s the case especially when applying my makeup, everything just seems to go on smoother and nicer!

Now I’ve only tested out the one head (there are 4 different tips you can use depending on what area of the body you’re working on). I’ve just stuck to the regular head and that’s been working just fine for me.

In general, I think this device is helping to reduce the overall amount of acne that I usually get since it does a really good job of cleaning out your pores. My co-workers have noticed that my skin has been more glowy lately and I believe it is due to the stimulation of blood circulation as well as the intense exfoliation that occurs when using this device.

As much as I love the ReVit Prestige, I have a few words of caution for y’all. USE AS DIRECTED! I was using level two as my intensity and I left the suction on some spots on my face for a touch too long, and I ended up with a bunch of tiny face hickies in various spots! The key it to keep the device moving and not focus on one spot for too long. Oh well you live and learn! This was 100% a user error, learn from me folks HA!

Other than that small hiccup, this microdermabrasion device has been nothing but a dream for my skin! It retails at $199.00 and I totally recommend and encourage all of you to pick one up if you can!

Link: https://silkn.ca/products/revit-prestige

XOXO,

Sarah