Tag: 11 Most Reached For Products

Although this is a YouTube Tag I decided to do a blog post featuring my 11 most reached for beauty products.  I was going to put these in order but found that too hard, so they are in no particular order.


1. Garnier Moisture Rescue Gel- My absolute fav moisturizer (see my April Favoutites for more on this)
2. Covergirl Lashblast Volume Mascara- I always go back to this one!
3. NYX Jumbo eyeshadow pencil in "Milk"- this makes eye shadows last and pop!
4. MAC Fix + - This sets makeup and gives a beautiful, natural finish
5. John Freida Go Blonder Gradual Lightening Spray- This is saving me a bundle on hair colour!
6. NARS blush in "Orgasm"- a staple makeup product and my favourite blush of all time!
7. MAC Cream Colour Base in "Hush"- I love this highlighter!
8. Olay Pro-X Cleansing System- a cheap alternative to the Clarisonic.
9. Nivea Milk & Honey Lipbalm- I use this every single day!
10. Makeup Forever Mat Velvet + Foundation- I love the coverage I get with this foundation.
11. BeautyBlender- These sponges are amazing for applying foundation! They give my skin an airbrushed look!

Hi-Tech Makeup

Before I buy beauty products I usually like to check my favourite review site to see how others rate it and view their comments.  I try really hard not to buy based on packaging or fall prey to catchy phrases like "Inspired by..." or "Clinically proven" or "Reduces the appearance...".  I rely heavily on my favourite site to research before I spend my hard earned money (or my Hubby's for that matter ;p). My favourite site is....drum roll...... MakeupAlley!  If you haven't yet, check it out.  You can find just about every beauty product here most with pictures, reviews, reviewer's comments and ratings.  You can also swap on this site and keep a list of favourite products or products you want on your wishlist!  I think I use this website 10-20 times per week!

Another hi-tech makeup favourite of mine is the  Modiface Make App for iPhone.  This app is a great way to test out different looks on your own face!  You use a picture of yourself (or a model photo) and choose various shadow, blush and lip colours!  It is very well done and the computer generated makeup application is very precise and realistic.

I hope you enjoy these hi-tech makeup tools as much as I do!

xo Sarah Stilettos

"Just Another Mani Monday!"

Another China Glaze colour was chosen for today's Mani!  Today I am wearing Avalanche, it is a gun metal gray with a hint of purple.  This is a very shiny metallic finish and is not very forgiving of mistakes or imperfections on the nail.  I used 2 coats and it covered beautifully.  I don't particularly like this colour for spring, I don't know what possessed me to choose this one, but I will definitely wear this again in the Fall/Winter.

"Just another Mani Monday!"

Today's manicure features "Thataway" by China Glaze.  It is an orangey coral that is perfect for summer!
The formula is a little thin and somewhat streaky so it took 3 coats to get the nice solid finish I desired.  I think the colour is fun and bright, but I think I would prefer it on my toe nails than on my finger nails.  I just need my feet to be a little more tan as corals look beautiful next to tan skin.

Overall I love the colour but will keep my eye out for the same colour in another brand of polish due to the watery formula.  Not all China Glaze polishes have this consistency, some are my absolute favs!

Save a Bundle on Hair Colouring!!!!

Ok So I have to admit that I haven't paid to have my hair coloured/highlighted in over 10 years.  I am fortunate to have stylists for in-laws!!!  Even with this amazing privilege, I still find it hard to get in every 4-6 weeks to keep up with my colour treated hair.  I just never seem to have the 2 hours to spare getting my hair done and now I only have to come up with that 2 hours every 3-4 months! How? you ask.  John Frieda Go Blonder Lightening Spray.  This stuff works so well!! After I shower and towel dry my hair, I spray this along my hairline and my part at the roots.  I blow dry my hair as usual and the heat from my blow dryer intensifies the results!  It took about 4-5 shampoos for me to notice a change.  I now have seamlessly blended roots- no more dark zipper down the middle of my head!  Every third or forth time I use this I spray it all over to brighten my hair and keep my highlights lighter than the rest so I can go longer in between colouring.  This product is recommended for blonde or light brown hair.  Since I have blonde colour treated hair already this works wonderfully.  I would avoid this if you have dark hair though as it may turn it a little brassy.  I was worried about that for me since my roots coming in were so dark but it seems fine.  I do however use a toning shampoo twice a week so this may help a lot too.  I use Nexxus Simply Silver Shampoo.  It is a dark purple shampoo designed to eliminate yellow cast.  I use the John Frieda Go Blonder Highlighting shampoo the other days.  I haven't coloured/highlighted my hair since the first week of March and it doesn't appear that I need to again any time soon!  For $10 a bottle you can't go wrong!

April Favourites!

I found some really great products last month and I'm excited to share my new favs!  Please excuse my nail polish in some of the photos, I just put it on last night and it is definitely not a favourite.  I think this polish will end up in my daughter's collection!

Garnier Moisture Rescue Gel

I have been using this every day in April and it is definitely a favourite.  I have already repurchased this even though I am not yet out of my first jar.  I do not want to go one day without.  For me, this is a dupe of Mac's Oil Control Lotion.  It feels the same on my skin and the results are the same.  The difference is in price, the Garnier Gel is only $8 at Walmart. YAY!



Origins VitaZing SPF 15 Energy-boosting Moisturizer

So I know I just mentioned a moisturizer that I use everyday and this is a moisturizer too, but this is a completely different product for me.  I use the Garnier moisturizer every day and night with the exception of the days that I do not wear foundation.  Although the VitaZing it not marketed as a tinted moisturizer, it is.  It looks like a white lotion with tiny brownish flecks in it.  Those flecks are pigment particles and when you rub this all over your face it blends the pigment particles and creates a light coverage and beautiful glow.  I use this when I do not use my foundation and for a girl that usually never leaves the house without foundation this is pretty amazing.  I have never found a tinted moisturizer that gives me coverage I am confident with until now!  This is a HG tinted moisturizer for me! I got this back in March and in April it quickly became a favourite.  I have a friend that this product would be perfect for and I can't wait for her to try it!(LCM)  Vitazing is pricey and a little tricky to find for Canadians.  Some Bay stores in Toronto and Ottawa carry it and you can order it directly from Origins.com.  I actually did some cross border shopping and got mine at Macy's for $35USD.

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils

I just love these pencils! You can wear them on their own as an eyeshadow or liner or you can use them as an eyeshadow base.  I use them as a base.  I love the way they add vibrancy to your shadows!  I use them all over my lid then apply a shadow and boy oh boy, the colour pops! Depending on the colour of pencil I use you can change the undertones of any of your eyeshadows and you instantly have a whole new set of colours!  These pencils are so creamy and really give your shadows something to stick to!  They don't crease for me and they make my shadow last so long!  At $4.49 each, you can't go wrong.  I've always said, "You can never have to many NYX jumbo eye pencils in Milk" as it was my favourite colour (white) but lately I have been using so many different colours.  For the month of April I seem to have favoured my "Cottage Cheese" pencil.  It is a shimmery white.

Big Sexy Hair Hairspray

There is "Spray and Play" and "Spray and Play Harder".  I have been using the "Spray and Play Harder".  This is my absolute favourite hairspray.  I only tend to use hairspray when I wear my hair curly/wavy.  This hairspray is perfect for that! It holds my curls all day and yet it is flexible! I can't stand hairsprays that don't offer movement, and with a flowing curly look, that is so important!  I've purchased this in the drugstore in the past, but last month I spotted it at Winners for only $12.99! It's a huge can and lasts forever!



This favourites post was so easy! I had so many great products to rave about for April.  I probably could have picked a couple more, but I will see if I am still as excited about them over the next month and maybe include them in my next favourites post!

Let me know your favourites!

Sarah Stilettos xx