Sidewalks

Tag: beauty reviews

  • 21 Cult-Favourite Beauty Products That Are Worth the Hype

    21 Cult-Favourite Beauty Products That Are Worth the Hype

     

    Hello beauty lover, why don’t we take a trip down memory lane? 

    With some beauty faves, of course, it can be challenging to know what to buy with all the options out there. All the new products are coming out while the older faves are on the shelves. 

    So here’s a list of the favourites that have been consistently in the makeup kits over the years. From cult favourite skincare to holy grail makeup products, you’ll use it until the last drop. 

    1) Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm 

    To start, a makeup remover is essential. Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm is a well-known makeup remover and seriously a favourite for efficiently removing makeup. Often sold out, so no complaints here. This balm preps the skin nicely for a good clean afterwards! 

     

    2) CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser 

    Finding a cleanser that works for you and your skin concerns can be difficult with all the skincare. CeraVe’s cleanser options have something for everyone, and I am still waiting to hear anyone that has used this and had any issues with it. It’s gentle enough for everyday use and cleans the face like a dream. Definitely a must-try! 

     

    3) Tatcha’s Dewy Skin Cream

    Of course, everyone loves a good moisturizer, so a couple of favourites…Now, most people have seen or heard of the Tatcha creams, and again, there is something for everyone’s skin type. My favourite is the dewy skin cream… heavenly! I swear your skin will thank you every time you use this. 

     

    4) SK-II’s Facial Treatment Essence 

    The fountain of youth in a mask. From a luxurious award-winning skincare line, this essence softens texture, evens skin tone, enhances radiance and reduces the appearance of dark spots & fine lines, leaving you with angelic dewy skin. Worth every penny!!!

     

    5) Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream

    Moisturized for the face but how about the body? The Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream is wildly viral. For a reason, this cream smells amazing! Those who don’t like a fragrance in a body cream should skip this one. However, for the summer especially, this cream is a dream! It does its job, keeping the skin nice and hydrated while smelling amazing. Love love this cream!

     

    6) L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Original Satin Lipstick

    One word: WOW! Very comparable to high-end lipsticks; the pigment in these lipsticks is lovely and packed with full coverage on the first swipe. The colour options are also beautiful; you will surely find the perfect everyday lipstick in this line! 

     

    7) Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Eye Liner

    Everyone loves a good liquid eyeliner for that perfect staple wing liner, right? The Stila Stay All Day Eye Liner is a must! The pigment is fantastic and lives up to its name. It truly does not budge once applied. This is quite the popular one as well.

     

    8) Beauty Blender

    Onto a cult favourite for makeup, the Beautyblender! I’m sure everyone and their mom has heard about this sponge. It’s a must for blending. As we have seen, many brands imitate this sponge; however, the original has always retained its popularity. Blending out creams to liquids effortlessly, this sponge has to be a part of your kit! 

     

    9) Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder

    Haven’t tried a setting powder yet? Don’t just settle for any setting powder. Cult favourite and winner of major awards, Laura Mercier’s light and beautiful Translucent Loose Setting Powder, is a game-changer. I love this powder for sitting under the eyes and oily spots on the face; this one lasts all day. Have been using this powder for years and wouldn’t consider using anything else!!

     

    10) Ruby Woo

    What are you doing if you don’t have Mac Cosmetics Ruby Woo?! A classic retro matte red lip with a fade-proof formula and blue undertones. The red lipstick of your dreams makes you feel confident and effortlessly bold with that old Hollywood charm. A classic cult favourite for a reason. 

     

    11) Nars Orgasm Blush 

    Iconic Nars Orgasm Blush has been a huge cult favourite for a million years. A sparkly pink with buildable coverage gives a flattering 3lovely glow to your cheekbones and stays all day. Superfine and silky powder. Simply irresistible!!

     

     12) Velvet Teddy

    More for an everyday lip, we have a popular and well-known lipstick Velvet Teddy. A matte and deeper tone beige that is primarily a warmer tone but can change depending on skin tone and lip liner paired with it. Such a lovely nude, and you must try this colour for your next everyday nude!

     

    13) Shiseido Power Infusing Serum

    An absolute must-have for all skin types!!  The serum is infused with eight botanical ingredients that help to activate your skin’s inner defences and stimulate circulation. Some ingredients, such as reishi mushrooms, iris extract, lotus and ginko, collectively boost hydration and lift and firm up my skin to leave it looking radiant.

     

    14) Soft Pinch Liquid Blush

    Another pick for liquid and the extremely viral Soft Pinch Liquid Blushes from Rare Beauty is another classic for blushes; as a little goes a long way, these last for a long time! 

     

    15) Urban Decay Naked Palette

    With the endless eyeshadow palettes on the market, it takes time to pick out the best of the best. However, there are treasures to remember when picking out what’s best! Urban Decay Naked palettes… were huge when they first came on the market! They have every shade you need for a perfect everyday nude look, or take it to a night look with a perfect smokey eye! My fave is the Naked Heat Palette, with warmer tones. However, there is something for everyone with each palette.

     

    16) YSL Black Opium

    This bold and sensual perfume is the one I gravitate to the most. It’s such an amazing scent; I could talk about it all day… but I’ll keep it short; if you haven’t tried it yet, go smell it, and you’re guaranteed to fall in love! 

     

    17) Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation

    Now for the foundation, it takes a lot of work to pick out the best, considering there is much on the market. However, the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation is a classic for many splurging on a good foundation. If you love a lightweight foundation, you will love this one. It’s sensitive skin-friendly, does NOT enhance pores or wrinkles, blends flawlessly, and lasts all day, giving your skin a natural glowy finish. So beautiful; you need this ASAP!!!

     

    18) Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

    A community cult favourite!!! This moisturizing mask lasts a long time for deep hydration without icky stickiness. This mask lasts a long time. You can use it day or night and with the formulation of vitamin C. A huge best seller with reason. 

     

    19) Fresh Sugar Lip Polish Exfoliator

    A must-try for dry, flaky, and cracked lips. The Fresh Sugar Lip Polish is a great Lip Scrub and a go-to for many who want fresh, hydrated lips. You’ll love this lip mask, formulated with real brown sugar to remove flakes and many other natural, hydrating ingredients! 

     

    20) Augustinus Bader The Face Oil

    A magnificent oil that has a deep golden colour. The oil is not thick and doesn’t leave your face greasy or overly shiny. It has a richness that’s deeply moisturizing and calming to the skin. A wonderful compliment to the entire skincare routine I purchased. A beautiful start to your new skincare journey!

    21) Ariana Grande Cloud Perfume

    Another celebrity fragrance is the Ariana Grande Cloud perfume. Every time I wear this, I get compliments and questions about what I am wearing. It’s so clean, unique, and undeniably pleasing. Try it for yourself!!

     

    Well, beauty lover, that’s all on the list. Did you see any of your favourites? Or a new potential fave? Hopefully, you got some new suggestions, or even one of your current beauty must-haves made the list! Be sure to tune in to the next beauty blog as there is much more to fill you in on, but for now, stay beautiful as you always are, and we will chat again next time! 

     

    xo,

    Chantel

     

    Featured Image- Pinterest 

  • 11 Sweat-Proof Makeup Products That Won’t Melt in the Heat

    11 Sweat-Proof Makeup Products That Won’t Melt in the Heat

     

    That 30+ weather making sweat drip all over your face?

    And not all your makeup is coming off with the sweat, too; yikes!!!

    Tell me about it…

    With summer here, you’ll need a list of all the sweat-proof, waterproof, bulletproof, and mistake-proof makeup for all your needs. Sheesh, good luck taking it off at the end of the day.

    1. Face Sunscreen

    Let’s start with a good SPF because looking like a burnt zucchini is a no-no. We’re not doing that this summer; were you lacking last summer?

    Let’s make sure you stock up on an essential, like Sunscreen, this summer. One of my favourites has been the Laneige Hydro UV Defense Broad Spectrum Sunscreen with SPF 50. It leaves no white cast, gives a healthy glow to the skin and keeps your skin hydrated and nourished the entire day. I use this everyday rain or shine as a part of skin prep.

    10/10 for Sunscreen in my books. You’re welcome!

     

    2. Primer

    If you’re wearing makeup, you want to make sure it’s not moving anywhere! I have two primers that get the job done.

    First, the Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer. The tackiness of this primer helps my makeup last all day. You want to wait a minute for this to dry, then apply your products.

    Second is the One Size Secure The Sweat Mattifying Primer, a great primer to lock in your makeup all day. In general, One Size Beauty has a great selection to lock in your makeup all day… literally locked in, not moving.

     

    3. Concealer

    I love minimal makeup, especially in hot ass humid weather. I skip foundation altogether.

    I have been loving a drugstore product, the NYX Bare With Me Concealer Serum for concealer. This one is great for spot concealing, super lightweight and gives excellent coverage.

    Another alternative is the Kosas Concealer; I love how creamy this one is, and it also gives great coverage, especially for under eyes.

     

    4. Tint

    If you’re looking for a product all over the face, I recommend using a bb cream or a skin tint.

    One of my ABSOLUTE faves is the Fenty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint. When I tell y’all, finding a shade that matches your colour in this is so easy. The coverage is buildable, so it’s nice for a natural everyday look. Highly recommend this skin tint, especially for summer use!!!

     

    5. Foundation

    Even though I skip out on foundation altogether during summer, to anyone who likes foundation in the summertime, especially for a night out, the Fenty Pro Filter Foundation is another excellent sweat-proof product, as it is mattifying.

     

    6. Eyeshadow

    *The eyes chico. They never lie*

    So if you want to do eyeshadow, I’d keep it simple and do a stick or cream to sweep on the eyelids. I have been loving the Bobbi Brown Longwear Cream Shadow Stick. It stays put all day and is very easy to apply.

     

    If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, the NYX Jumbo Eye pencils are perfect for eyeshadow, and they are highly pigmented and last a long time.

     

    7. Mascara

    Drugstore

    Next, mascara, of course! For Waterproof mascara, we’ll give you a high-end as well as a  drugstore suggestion.

    So let’s start with the drugstore. L’Oréal Lash Paradise Mascara is waterproof and smudge-proof mascara, giving your lashes breathtaking volume! When I tell you that mascara will not budge. A MUST-HAVE for a pool day.

    High-End

    Now for high-end, I love me a Lancôme Mascara, honestly any of them and with a waterproof formula. Amazing!

     

    8. Bronzer

    I almost forgot a bronzer and blush… how could I?

    Alright, so I’ve loved the GloWish Soft Radiance bronzer from Huda Beauty. The swirl two-toned bronzer gives the perfect amount of sun-kissed to the skin, and with a vegan formula, your skin will love it! If you want to swap out for just a cream bronzer, the Match Stix from Fenty Beauty is a must-try!

     

    9. Blush

    On to blush, again for a powder (this one is a hidden gem), the Rimmel Maxi Blush. This needs to get more hype; so much pigment packed in these blushes, and for such a low price!!! Try them out if you haven’t yet!

    So for cream blush… you already know it will have to be the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush by Rare Beauty, that pea-sized amount for all that pigment that’s a no-brainer.

     

    10. Lippies

    I don’t know about you, but I feel complete with SOME gloss or lip liner; it just ties a whole look together. The Refy Lip Sculpt Lip Liner is such a game-changer for lip liners.

    I apply this once, and it stays in place all day. I’d keep the look simple with a gloss or lip balm; I love the NYX Butter Glosses. It’s like lipstick and gloss in one; you have to re-apply. However, the pigment on these is impressive, and the texture is very smooth and velvety. Love it!

    11. Setting Spray

    Of course, the hairspray for the face, Setting Spray! An essential for a locked-in look that lasts you all day. Two suggestions for this one as well

    Drugstore

    First, the One Size On ‘Til Dawn Setting Spray. This doesn’t even come off when you go in a pool; this is perfect for summer days.

    High-End

    Next has to be the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Setting Spray; if it’s anything you need from her line, it’s definitely this!!

    I love this setting spray and use it whenever I have a full beat; it’s refreshing and keeps my makeup fresh all day. Must have, for sure!

    ……………………………………………………………………………..

    So you beautiful, sweaty and sometimes oily girly, ready to tackle this summer heat? You are more than ready!

    Go for some food and drinks on the patio, go to that pool party, confident you don’t need any touch-ups with this list. And most importantly, protecting your skin with that Sunscreen!

    You can thank me later with a sangria on the patio.

     

    Xoxo

    Chantel

  • Hits & Misses From Rare Beauty

    Hits & Misses From Rare Beauty

    So here’s the tea on Rare Beauty…

     Ms. Selena knew exactly what she was doing when creating this brand. I’m sure you know by now if you’ve tried any of her products. From the viral products that sell out every time they restock to the hidden gems in the brand, you may not have tried them yet. 

    But is it all worth the hype? 

    Here’s what you really need to try from the brand, and the ones you can just leave on the shelves and save yourself some coins… cause you probably need to save anyway, right? 

    1) Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter 

    Right off the bat, let me talk to you about the Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter. What a beauty… I have never touched anything so smooth and silky in my life other than these legs, periodt.

     Anyways, back to this highlighter and why you need it! This blends so seamlessly into your skin that it looks like you’re glowing from within. You can also use it on your body, giving the perfect glow all over. Although it may be sold out in many Sephora’s, keep your eyes peeled for the next restock! 

    2) Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara

    As the name suggests, it gives a perfect stroke with every application. I was pleasantly surprised with this mascara; it was long-lasting, had no running under the eyes, and gave decent length and separation to the lashes. Additionally, with a vegan formula, you should have no irritation with this formula!

    3) Soft Pinch Liquid Blush

    No surprise here, the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush. What really put Rare Beauty on the map. It’s no shock once you try out these blushes for yourself. There is a colour for everyone, and the tiniest pea size amount goes a long, long way!

     With the buildable coverage, you can customize the intensity for that perfect blush coverage. I love using “Joy” and “Encourage” a muted peach for summertime and soft pink for an everyday neutral look. Love it! 

    I could tell you how you need all Rare Beauty products and why they are all great. While true, you don’t need every product on the shelf! 

    Here is a list of products you can leave in the cart without regretting it.

    1) Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil

    The oh-so-viral hit is sold out everywhere. Let me explain why you do not need this in your makeup kit. 

    Although it’s something different, it was underwhelming when applied. The cooling sensation was different and very lightweight; however, it was very basic. Once fully dried, your lips feel dry and need lip balm to regain moisture. You can leave this one behind, your welcome!

    2) Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer

    Similar to my opinion of my ex… this wasn’t all that great. I’ve experienced better-tinted moisturizers for sure. To keep it simple, the coverage was not it for me, and the colour selection ran a little orange. Again, as I’ve said to a few men in my day… it’s a no for me. 

    3) Always An Optimist 4-in-1 Mist

    Last but not least, always an Optimist 4-in-1 Mist. Many use this as a setting spray, but it only sets a little of your makeup. It doesn’t make your makeup last, as it suggests. And I’d suggest you skip this one. Many other settings sprays make your makeup last all day. Still love you, though, Selener!

     

    This concludes my list of hits and misses from the oh so fabulous, Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez. 

    I hope these suggestions make your next makeup shopping spree easier! Next time you’re in a Sephora, get a feel of the formulas for yourself, and hopefully, there is still some product left on the shelves; she really did all that and more with her brand. 

    xo

    Chantel

     

    P.S.

    10 Best Non-Greasy Sunscreen for Summer