4 Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primers Tested & Reviewed

Hey everyone! I attended The Estee Lauder Warehouse Sale a few weeks back and I ended up purchasing 3 of the Smashbox Photo Finish Primers. I also had a sample of the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil that I also decided to include in this post.

Price & Where To Buy
Since I was at a Warehouse Sale, I paid $4 for each primer and they were all 0.50 fl oz/15 ml. If you go on the Sephora web site, that size which is the travel size, retails for $20. There is the larger size which is the standard size that sells for $50 and you get 1 oz/30 ml of product inside. Now for the Primer Oil, it goes for $50 and you receive 1 oz of product. You can also purchase the Smashbox Primers at Ulta. 

The 4 Different Primers
Unfortunately, I can't speak about all of the Smashbox primers because for this simple fact: there are too many of them and I don't own them all! I will be speaking on the 4 that I currently have and I will be giving you a breakdown of each one.

(Bottom to top: Pore Minimizer, Primer Light, Iconic Primer & Primer Oil)

Smashbox Iconic Photo Finish Foundation Primer - I had actually used this primer a long time ago in the past and I remembered liking it. It has a silicone kind of texture to it and it glides on easily as well as effortlessly.

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Light - It does not have a silicone feeling to it and I would describe it more like a lotion that absorbs into the skin right away. If you don't like the silicone feel of the Iconic Primer, then this one may be for you!

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Pore Minimizing - I really do like The Porefessional by Benefit which helps to reduce the appearance of enlarged pores, and I am all about any pore minimizing product that I come across! The formula is not purple unlike the bottle and it did minimize the appearance of my pores.

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Oil - I was very skeptical of using this product because I have very oily skin and was very apprehensive about adding more oil onto my skin. This may take some getting used to and you may have to see which way to apply it works best for you. This is a versatile product that can also be used as: a highlighter, on your cuticles, on split ends or even on your elbows! I wish that there was a better way to dispense this product because it can get rather messy. It is definitely the most expensive out of the 4 primers.

How They Wore On My Skin
All of these primers went onto my skin effortlessly and simply glided onto my face helping create a great base for the rest of my makeup. Just make sure not to use too much of any of them or else, they will peel off and your makeup will not lay nicely on your skin. It will look like a reptile that is shedding. 

Would I Recommend? 

Yes, I definitely would recommend these and the great thing about the 4 primers is that there is something for everyone. There is also a green primer that would be great for someone with a lot of redness that they want some coverage for. Also, the 3 foundation primers that I purchased at The Estee Lauder Warehouse Sale are oil-free which is a great plus. I think they are all great depending on which issue I'm facing on a given day and I'm glad to add them to my collection!

Until next time,

STAY CLASSY

Berrz

FTC: This blog post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own. I purchased all three primers myself and the Primer Oil was redeemed with my points on the Sephora web site. Some links are affiliate. All prices are in Canadian dollars unless specified otherwise. 

Smile Brilliant: Use code beautybyberrz for 5% off your entire order
MagicLinks: I use MagicLinks for all my ready-to-shop product links
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Hope's: Get 15% off your first purchase
*LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE FOR YOUR AUTOMATIC CODE!

Coastal Scents: Get $5 off your next online purchase
Ebates Canada: Get cash back on your online purchases
Ebates (Everywhere else in the world): Get cash back on your online purchases
Hautelook: A flash sale web site you don't want to miss out on!

March Empties | 2017

Hey everyone! Another month has passed and it's time for me to share all of my used up products for the month of March!

Face

Aloe Vera Scented Cleansing Wipes (25 count) - These do not have a brand name but I purchased 4 packs of these in different scents from Michaels. These retail for $1.50/pack and these are extremely affordable. I stocked-up when they had a sale and I managed to get all 4 packs for under $5. I use these on my face as well as for removing swatches.

Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Foaming Cleaner (45 ml) - This is great for all skin types and it is marketed as a revitalizing anti-oxidant facial cleanser. It really enjoy the scent of it and I love that it has a pump. Foaming cleansers are pretty much my favourite and I also love that you can see how much product you have left instead of guessing. This is a great face wash all around and it came in the Try Us, Love Us! On-the-Glow Essentials that I featured in my Black Friday Haul.

Estee Lauder Take It Away Makeup Remover Lotion (30 ml) - This was in the $4 bin at the Estee Lauder Warehouse Sale that I attended a few months back however, it isn't my favourite makeup remover and I would not purchase it again for a few reasons. First off, my face felt very greasy when cleansing my face and I would even do a double cleanse but, it wouldn't even break down the mascara underneath my eyes. It would just stay there and I was still removing far too much makeup with a wipe after double cleansing my face.

Estee Lauder New Dimension Sculpt + Glow Mask (15 ml/.5 oz) - This was another product that was purchased at the Estee Lauder Warehouse Sale for $4 and I found this on the counter randomly. I don’t know if someone had forgot to take it with them or if they changed their mind last minute, but that worked out well for me because I ended up purchasing the last one! This mask retails for $94 CAD for the full size which is 5 ml/.17 oz. I really do like the packaging which is a sliver top and a metallic blue container. The directions I find to be strange because it says to apply generously over your face and after 5 minutes, take a tissue to remove the excess. I never followed that because I think that it is a waste of product! I did like the scent and it isn’t overly strong. When it is on your face, you no longer smell it and my skin absorbs all of the product therefore, I don’t need to wipe away any extra product. It is a thick consistency and the product is white in colour in-case anyone is wondering. I wouldn’t purchase the full size because it is quite expensive and I much prefer the Water Sleeping Mask by LaNeige that I featured in my February Empties post!

Burt’s Bees Sunscreen with Hemp Seed Oil (85 ml/3 fl oz) - I honestly have had this product for much longer than I should and it’s actually embarrassing that I still had it tucked away in my drawer! I managed to use up about half of the tube and it wasn’t my favourite sunscreen. I wouldn’t repurchase it because if you don’t rub it in all the way, you will definitely have a white cast on your face and/or body. It only has an SPF of 15 and I definitely like to use something higher such as 50 or 60 on my face.

Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips (8 count) - I have been using these for years and you have probably seen these in many of my past Empties posts. I repurchase them all the time and I always try to have a box in my cupboard as back-up because I can’t be without them!

Boscia Pink Peppermint Blotting Linens (100 sheets & Limited Edition) - I have super oily skin in general, and need to carry blotting papers with me at all times. I really enjoyed using these and they lasted me a long time! I have two other packs of Boscia blotting papers that I have as back-ups.

Hands

Origins Hand Lotion in Spearmint & Lemon (30 ml) - This was another item that was purchased at the Estee Lauder Warehouse Sale and it came in a trio. This scent honestly reminded me of spearmint gum which overpowered the lemon scent. The consistency of this hand lotion was not thick enough for my liking and it was rather liquid-y. It didn’t do much for my hands and I would not repurchase it. 

Bath & Body Works

Bath & Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte (259 ml) - This is a great Fall scent to have in the house and all of my family members loved this scent! I definitely repurchase it again next season! 

Bath & Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soap in Vanilla Bean Noel (259 ml - x2) - I love vanilla scents in general and this was a great one! This soap came out around the holidays hence the Winter themed label. I would definitely repurchase this in a heart beat!

Bath & Body Works Scentportable in Honolulu Sun - This is a great scent for Spring going into summer and it reminds me of the hot summer sun! I even went through the hand soap in this scent awhile back! 

Hair

Tresemme 24 Hour Body Shampoo (1.17 L) - I am honestly so relived to have finished this bottle because I really do not like this shampoo. I feel like it did absolutely nothing for my hair and it took me forever to finish this huge bottle! I have gone through another one of these in the past that I featured in my November Empties a few years ago, and I will never purchase it again nor will I ever recommend it to someone. Tresemme makes much better products other than this shampoo that you can check out in-stores.

Vitamins/Beverages

President’s Choice Chocolatey Chai Herbal Tea (20 tea bags) - This was such a great tea from the grocery store! I love chai tea in general and this did not disappoint! You can taste both the chai flavour as well as the chocolate notes and I drank this tea black!

Emergen-C Effervescent Powder in Lemon-Lime (30 packets) - This is by far my favourite flavour of Emergen-C and if you aren’t familiar with this product, it has 1,000 mg of Vitamin C in one packet. It is a great source of electrolytes and antioxidants. I take this regularly in the fall as well as the winter time and for that reason, I am convinced this is why I was able to fight off my cold!

diem B12 Methylcobalamin (1000 mcg - 100 tablets) - I honestly found these in my medicine cabinet and started taking them because I felt like my B12 intake was low. These are super easy to take as you take a single tablet once a day and you dissolve it underneath your tongue. Of course, you should always consult with a doctor if you are unsure of any medication before taking it.

Other

Johnson’s 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner (532 ml) - I bought this on sale instead of the usual baby shampoo that I buy from Johnson’s. It worked just as well but I prefer the yellow coloured formula better because that is just my personal preference. They both equally as good in my honest opinion though.

Oral B Healthy Clean Medium Toothbrush - I purchased mine from Wal-Mart and green is my favourite colour therefore I was drawn to this particular one! They did not have any soft bristle toothbrushes from Oral B and that’s why I had to purchase a medium bristle toothbrush instead. Oral B is my favourite brand when it comes to toothbrushes and this one did not disappoint!

Samples/Promo

Face

Sunday Riley Martian Mattifying Melting Water-Gel Toner (8 ml) - This was a deluxe sample from Sephora that I added to my cart in exchange for 100 of my points as it was one of their perks you could redeem points for, and I wanted to try it because of the mattifying properties that really could be beneficial for my oily skin. I also wanted to try a product from the Sunday Riley brand in general because I’ve heard nothing but good things, especially from her oils. This claims to: absorb oil, clarifies and minimizes the appearance of pores. It transforms from a cooling gel to a water toner the face which is pretty interesting. I love using my Rose Water to tone my face at night and with this toner from Sunday Riley, I felt as though I had to use more product than I normally would. I was originally applying it onto a cotton round and I felt that it was absorbing a lot of the product. I then used my fingers to apply the toner directly onto my face and I found that it was better but you have to be careful or the product will shoot across the room (as it did happen to me!) I used two pumps at night and I found that it absorbed quickly into the skin.

Also, I like that there is a green tint to the product and that it didn’t dry out my skin. It reduced the oils on my face and if you’re wondering, I used this product at night before my skincare routine. I’m not sold on purchasing the full sized version (130 ml) yet because I have another bottle of toner that I want to finish-up first. Another point I want to mention is that the second ingredient on the list is alcohol which can really dry out your skin and/or irritate it. Be cautious of that, and I have also heard of people who said the gold trim on the packaging was flaking off getting all over their face.

Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream (1 ml) - I already went through an entire deluxe sample of this that I featured in my December Empties post. I still think that it is a standard eye cream that does what it is supposed to do. It hasn’t exceeded my expectations and I’m still on the hunt for the best eye cream on the market!

Clinique Pep-Start Quick Cleansing Swipes Pop-Ups (2) - I really love the concept of these and they were be absolutely perfect to travel with! They won’t take up much room in your suitcase, you won’t have to worry about them drying out because they are individually packed and they do a decent job at removing your makeup. You basically just push up the middle part which contains the cloth and the liquid absorbs into it as you push it up. You take it out, unravel it and it is ready to use on your face. This can seem somewhat gimmicky and the price is rather steep at $13 CAD for only 9 pods which works out to about $1.44 per makeup wipe. They do remind me of cleaning cloths for your house and they aren’t thick enough if my opinion. I would not purchase them unless they reduced the price and made the cloths for heavy-duty as well as soft for using on the face.

Nuface by Carol Cole Prep-N-Glow (1 Dual-sided Cloth) - This claims to ‘cleanse + exfoliate + hydrate’ which I would agree with. It did a great job at removing my makeup and the other side is for exfoliating. It is oil-free, alcohol-free and paraben-free. This did make my face feel very clean but the only downside is the price. It is $25 CAD for 20 cloths on Sephora’s web site. I find that to be rather steep and I usually don’t pay more than $6-$8 at the most on a pack of face wipes. I would only purchase them when they are having their VIB sale because that is a lot of money to spend on something that you use only once and then throw away.

Elizabeth Arden Superstart Skin Renewal Booster (1 ml) - This claims to be an ultra-light formula and it is best to apply it before your serum/moisturizer. This is a gel-like consistency and there is a fragrance that I can’t quite pinpoint. However, I am not sold on it and I would not purchase this product in a larger size because I feel like it didn’t do anything to my skin that another moisturizer already doesn’t do.

Benefit Pore-fessional (0.15 ml) - This product was actually featured in my Project Pan Round 4 and Project Pan Round 5. I have gone through a whole tube of this and then a deluxe sample of this. It is that good and it made me realize how much that I missed using it! I will definitely purchase another tube of this once I use up my other primers. It helps minimize the appearance of your pores and it also smoothes your skin. 

Smashbox Insta-Matte Lipstick Transformer (1.5 ml) - This is a really concept and it allows you to turn your favourite cream lipstick into a matte lipstick just by applying this product onto your lips. It won’t work with glosses, lacquers or balms so keep that in mind. Instead of finding your favourite shade of lipstick in a matte finish, this product does the work for you!

Dr. Brant 3-D Lip PLUMPfix Matte Lip Perfecting Serum (0.25 g) - There are two different lip plumpers: one for the AM (plump & prime) and another one for the PM (nourish & restore.) There is definitely a slight tingling sensation for the AM side (not for the PM one though,) and you want to let the product completely absorb into your lips. It absorbs rather quickly and the AM side had a rosy pink tint to the product that isn’t very noticeable. I wouldn’t purchase this product because I feel that it is gimmicky and it doesn’t do much for my lips in-general. It doesn’t plump them enough to my liking.

Lancome Dual Finish Multi-Tasking Powder & Foundation In One All Day Wear in #555 Suede (40 mg) - This is available in 25 different shades and it claims to work with all skin tones. You can use it as a powder or a foundation. You can build-up the coverage to your liking to make it full coverage or you can sheer it out. This can be applied either wet or dry. This was a nicely packaged sample as it came with a makeup sponge to apply the product and you can write the name of your shade on the packaging along with the store as well as the name of your Beauty Advisor (if applicable.)

Hair

Nubi Hair Boosting Hair Serum - This was given to me at a show and it smells great. It contains marula oil and it does not leave the hair greasy. However, it isn’t my favourite hair oil to use and I will be sticking to the one that I am currently using.

Teeth

Smile Brilliant Teeth Whitening Gel (1) & Desensitizing Gel (1) - I have really been enjoying using this system to whiten my teeth and I can tell a difference! I have an entire blog post dedicated to Smile Brilliant that you can check out!

Fragrance

Chloe Eau De Parfum - This scent is described as ‘a sublime powdery rose, feminine, natural, sexy & chic.’ The notes include: peony, rose, honey and cedar wood. My friend actually tried out the sample and liked it so much that she bought the larger sized bottle. This scent works better on her body chemistry that it does on mine. It smells matronly on me and be advised that a little bit of this fragrance does go a long way as it is on the heavy side. It takes a while for the scent to die down and not be nearly as strong as when you first applied it. 

Supplements/Vitamins & Miscellaneous

Platinum Naturals Extra Gentle Easy Iron Minerals (3 pack - 2 capsules in each) - These were sent out to me in exchange for my review and to be honest, I have had a difficult time taking iron pills in the past because they have been hard on my stomach. These were gentle on my stomach, they did not constipate me and were easy to swallow. I usually took these when I would eat my lunch and you take one capsule daily. These have many great ingredients and they are vegetarian. I would definitely consider purchasing these in the future!

Until next time,

STAY CLASSY

Berrz

FTC: This blog post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own. Anything that falls under the samples/promo category were not purchased by myself and/or was a sample. Some links are affiliate. 

Smile Brilliant: Use code beautybyberrz for 5% off your entire order
MagicLinks: I use MagicLinks for all my ready-to-shop product links
Uber: Get your first ride FREE using promo code: amandab9033ue

Hope's: Get 15% off your first purchase
*LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE FOR YOUR AUTOMATIC CODE!

Coastal Scents: Get $5 off your next online purchase
Ebates Canada: Get cash back on your online purchases
Ebates (Everywhere else in the world): Get cash back on your online purchases
Hautelook: A flash sale web site you don't want to miss out on!

Smashbox + Casey Holmes Spotlight Palette (Pearl) Review & Swatches

Hey everyone! I want to start off by saying that I purchased the Smashbox Spotlight Palette myself and I am giving you my honest thoughts. If you don't agree with anything that I say, that is completely fine because we are all entitled to our own opinions. This is my blog and my feelings on the highlighter palette that I am choosing to share with my readers. Now on with the review!

I love Casey Holmes and have been watching her for many years. When I found out that she was collaborating with Smashbox, I had to support her and purchase the Pearl Palette! You are getting 3 shades for $40 CAD with a total net weight of .30 oz or 8.61 g total. I purchased mine from the Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutique but you can also purchase it on the Sephora web site or on the Smashbox web site too! There is also the Spotlight Palette is Gold which looks gorgeous on deeper skin tones!

I like that it comes with a mirror, there is a very protective exterior to house the 3 shades and it is great for travel. You can also take it with you in a clutch on a night out and you can touch-up wherever you are! She also included some tips to get her signature highlighted looks in a little pamphlet inside. I really do like that she included the names of all the shades on the back of the compact!

These are meant to be toppers which means that they are to be applied onto another product to achieve the desired look. She also made these so that you won't be able to notice texture underneath your healthy glow as she has roscea herself and she kept that in mind when helping to design this palette. Also, my swatches were taken in natural light and I have not adjusted the saturation of the photos. I wanted to give you realistic swatches and that is why I did not pack on the highlighter to show you.

Turn It On: Is definitely 'ultra-blendable' like the description suggests and it reminds me of the same consistency of a ColourPop eyeshadow or highlighter. It had the best pigmentation and felt like butter when I did a finger swatch! This is a soft champagne shade that is perfect to wear during the daytime. 

Crank It Up: This is a peach shade that is quite frosty. This shade is quite nice but isn't as quite as pigmented or as soft to the touch as Turn It On.  

Blow A Fuse: This one went on very chalky, powdery, dry, it had way too much glitter and I did not like how it looked on the face. This shade is definitely the worst in the palette and is a warm copper shade with an abundance of glitter.

My problem is that all 3 of these shades look extremely similar when swatched on my hand. The swatches in the photos on the Sephora web site were HEAVILY swatched and a lot of product was used for those swatches. To get the same intensity, you will need to use a lot of product which means that you may hit pan pretty quickly. I like an intense highlighter and for my brush to barely hit the high points of my face to achieve a glowing look. Perhaps this is the wrong palette for me but just know that you will need to dip into your pan multiple times to get a super highlighted look!

This palette would be great for someone who is just getting into highlighters and for someone who doesn't love a blinding glow! That is not me at all and I love to have a strong glow on my face at all times! I also have a lot of other highlights that I much prefer over this one and the Spotlight Palette would be great for someone who doesn't already have an arsenal of highlighters in their makeup collection!

Until next time,

STAY CLASSY

Berrz

FTC: This blog post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own. I purchased this item myself online. Some links are affiliate. 

Smile Brilliant: Use code beautybyberrz for 5% off your entire order
MagicLinks: I use MagicLinks for all my ready-to-shop product links
Uber: Get your first ride FREE using promo code: amandab9033ue

Hope's: Get 15% off your first purchase
*LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE FOR YOUR AUTOMATIC CODE!

Coastal Scents: Get $5 off your next online purchase
Ebates Canada: Get cash back on your online purchases
Ebates (Everywhere else in the world): Get cash back on your online purchases
Hautelook: A flash sale web site you don't want to miss out on!

OOTD Romper & Fuchsia Lips

Hey everyone! I have been obsessed with wearing rompers lately to enjoy what's left of summer. They are easy to throw on when you are in a rush and there are just so many different styles to choose from! I decided to match my lips to the bright pink colour right in the middle of my romper!

Outfit Details:

Romper - Hope's

White Converse - Low Tops
Gold Aviator Style Men's Glasses - Clearly

Lips - Smashbox Always Sharp Lip Liner in Fuchsia & Maybelline Colour Sensational Vivids Lipstick in #865 Fuchsia Flash

Until next time,

STAY CLASSY.

Berrz <3

FTC: This blog post is not sponsored. Some links are affiliate. 

Third Love - Use code BRABLEMS for 15% off your next order
Uber - Get your first ride FREE using promo code: amandab9033ue

Shop Hope's Online - Get 15% off your first purchase
*LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE FOR YOUR AUTOMATIC CODE!

Coastal Scents - Get $5 off your next online purchase
Ebates Canada - Get cash back on your online purchases
Ebates (Everywhere else in the world) - Get cash back on your online purchases
Hautelook - A flash sale web site you don't want to miss out on! 

3 Easy Valentine's Day Outfits

Hey everyone! I came up with 3 easy looks that you can wear out to any event on February 14th! I incorporated pinks and of course the colour of love which is red. Even if you don't have any plans with a certain man in your life, you can always get some of your closest girl friends together and celebrate Galentine's Day!

Look #1

Outfit Details:
Black Cropped Tank Top - Brandy Melville
Pink Trousers - Sabo Skirt
Heels - Hope's
Lips - MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil 'In Anticipation' & NARS Satin Lip Pencil in 'Rikugien'

Look #2

Outfit Details:
White Crop Top - Hollister
Fuchsia Pencil Skirt - Sirens Outlet
Cheetah Pointed Heels - Aldo
Body Chain - Gifted to me
Gold Bracelet - Alex & Ani
Lips - Smashbox Always Sharp Lip Liner in 'Fuchsia' & Buxom Lipstick in 'Swinger'

Look #3

Outfit Details:
Red Long Sleeve Top - Forever 21
Statement Necklace - Hautelook
Mini Skirt - Sirens Outlet
Knee High Boots with Peep Toe - Hope's
Lips - NYX Lip Liner Pencil in #817 'Hot Red' & ELF Matte Lip Color in 'Rich Red'

Don't forget to check out 3 more looks that I created last year that are perfect for Valentine's Day!

Until next time,

STAY CLASSY.

Berrz <3

P.S. THIS BLOG POST IS BY NO MEANS SPONSORED. SOME LINKS ARE AFFILIATE LINKS.

Uber - Get your first ride FREE using promo code: amandab9033ue

Shop Hope's Online - Get 15% off your first purchase here
*LOOK AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE FOR YOUR AUTOMATIC CODE!

Ebates Canada - Get cash back on your online purchases here
Ebates (Everywhere else in the world) - Get cash back on your online purchases here
Hautelook - A flash sale web site where I get most of my footwear and accessories from!