Noctex Antiquity Palette Review and Swatching

February 23, 2021 | jodi - a brash attitude

Hello, hello – welcome to / welcome back to A Brash Attitude!

Today I have a review of the Antiquity Palette from Noctex Cosmetics. I don’t buy eyeshadow palettes very often, but when I saw this stunner of a palette on their Instagram, I knew that I had to own it! [info in italics taken from the Noctex website, mask by Daena Ortego Art]. Noctex Cosmetics are Vancouver based, and are vegan and cruelty-free, they also have a clothing line designed by Negin Izad.

The Antiquity palette has twelve shades which include shimmers, mattes, metallic and duo-chrome shades:

DEARLY: Metallic magenta shimmer
ARISTOCRAT: Matte regal teal
RUFFLE: Matte blushed pink
SCRIPT: Matte greige with hints of lavender
FRAME: Metallic brass patina tone
GAS LAMP: Matte muddy, grungy mustard tone
ARSENIC: Duo-chrome metallic deep green
FAINT: Matte magenta
ASBESTOS: Deep grungy matte
WIDOW: Almost cool tone matte brown
MOURNING: Muted brown-red matte
PLAGUE: Matte Blackest Black

I love it when a palette has a mix of mattes and shimmers / metallics – you can put together so many looks with this palette, and because of the range of shades, it can be used for both subtle and super dramatic looks.

*Swatches: Frame, Gas Lamp, Arsenic and Faint*

*Swatches: Asbestos, Widow, Mourning and Plague*

The shadows are super pigmented – my swatches are without primer – and they blend beautifully.

The photos do not fully capture how beautiful the shimmer / metallic shades are!

I love that the packaging is recyclable, and the shadows are vegan and cruelty-free.

Thanks for reading

Disclosure: I purchased this!

Essence Lashes of the Day Super Volume Mascara Review

February 11, 2021 | jodi - a brash attitude

Hello, hello – welcome to / welcome back to A Brash Attitude!

Today I have a review of the Essence #Lashes of the Day Super Volume Mascara that I purchased awhile back in my little haul from Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty [info in italics taken from the Shoppers website].

Have a #fabulash day with look at me lashes! This Super volume mascara will give you the perfect curl. The brush is designed to evenly apply mascara to each and every lash.

Based on the description of the Lashes of the Day Super Volume Mascara, this sounds perfect for me. If you’ve been reading abrashattitude.com for awhile, you will know that I am admittedly so mega picky about mascara. I have long, super stick-straight lashes that are quite light in colour considering my natural hair colour is dark brown. I need to use a lash curler and I need a mascara that holds a curl. My eyes are sensitive, and water easily so any mascara that I use must be smudge proof, and water-resistant.

I have seven requirements for a mascara, and I’ll comment on each requirement and score each point. So how did the Essence #Lashes of the Day Super Volume Mascara measure up?

1. waterproof / water resistant – Not waterproof, but it withstood my watery eyes, so quite water-resistant +1

2. smudge-proof +1 This was surprising as it is not a waterproof formulation, but I had no smudging!

3. non-flaking / non-clumping – If you don’t wipe the excess of the ends of the mascara wand, if can get a little on the clumpy side. +1

4. must be DARK black (not blackish, not brown black, and definitely not grey black) +1 Super dark black!

5. volumizing +1 Pretty great volume

6. must hold a curl +1/2 It holds a curl pretty well for several hours, but not all day. Hopefully this will improve as the mascara dries out, if it does, I will revise my score.

7. non-irritating to my sensitive eyes +1

Overall I would give this mascara a 6.5 out of 7. If it held a curl better, I would have scored it higher. Nearly perfect, but not quite holy grail for me.

Have you tried this mascara, did you like it?

Thanks for reading,

Disclosure: In case you missed it at the beginning of the post, I purchased this!

Covergirl The Super Sizer Big Curl Mascara Waterproof Review

February 9, 2021February 10, 2021 | jodi - a brash attitude

Hello, hello – welcome to / welcome back to A Brash Attitude!

Today I have a review of the Covergirl The Super Sizer Big Curl Mascara Waterproof in the shade Very Black that I purchased awhile back in my little haul from Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty [info in italics taken from the Shoppers website].

Super-sized curl and volume in an instant! Use COVERGIRL’s Big Curl Mascara for evenly-coated, lifted lashes from root to tip. Your curled lash look will last all day!

Based on the description of the Covergirl The Super Sizer Big Curl Mascara Waterproof, this sounds perfect for me. If you’ve been reading abrashattitude.com for awhile, you will know that I am admittedly so mega picky about mascara. I have long, super stick-straight lashes that are quite light in colour considering my natural hair colour is dark brown. I need to use a lash curler and I need a mascara that holds a curl. My eyes are sensitive, and water easily so any mascara that I use must be smudge proof, and water-resistant.

I have seven requirements for a mascara, and I’ll comment on each requirement and score each point. So how did the Covergirl The Super Sizer Big Curl Mascara Waterproof measure up?

1. waterproof / water resistant +1

2. smudge-proof +1

3. non-flaking / non-clumping +1

4. must be DARK black (not blackish, not brown black, and definitely not grey black) +1 Super dark black, MEGA!

5. volumizing +1/2 Sadly this mascara is not as volumizing as I had hoped – may it will improve as the mascara dries out a bit, if so, I will update the score.

6. must hold a curl +1 Holds a curl really well!

7. non-irritating to my sensitive eyes +1

The brush is a curved, needle type bristle brush – gets all the lashes, even the tiny lashes at the inner corner. Overall I would give this mascara a 6.5 out of 7 – very close, but not quite Holy Grail status.

Have you tried this mascara, did you like it?

Thanks for reading,

Disclosure: In case you missed it at the beginning of the post, I purchased this!

Empties January 2021

February 1, 2021 | jodi - a brash attitude

Hello, hello – welcome to / welcome back to A Brash Attitude!

Today I have my empties for the month of January. I will link to the original reviews, and let you know whether or not the product is something that I would purchase / or re-purchase.

Skincare:

Indeed Labs Retinol Reface – I really liked this retinol serum, and would buy it again eventually. There are a few retinol serums on my list of products to try.

Be On Me Face Serum – This was a PR / sponsored review product, but I really liked it a lot. I used it every morning before my moisturizer for an added hydration boost. I would purchase this eventually – I have a list of serums that I want to try, so it might take awhile.

Eco by Sonia Driver Super Citrus Cleanser – This was one of the cleansers from my Cert Clean / Clean Beauty Awards judging package. I loved this one, and I would purchase it eventually.

Volition Beauty Strawberry-C Serum – This was gifted to me by a friend. Such a beautiful vitamin C serum! I am using another C based serum from my stash, but I would purchase this one eventually.

Grace & Stella Hello Hydration – This is a great, lightweight serum from my CAUSEBOX subscription. I would purchase this one for summer hydration boosting.

Makeup:

Covergirl Lash Blast Active Mascara – I really liked this mascara, the longer I used it, the more I liked it. I’m currently testing out two new mascaras, so no need to re-purchase at the moment.

Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector – I’ve been buying this under eye brightening concealer since 2016, so unless I find something that works better, I’ll purchase this again.

Covergirl Exhibitionist Uncensored Waterproof Mascara – Another great mascara from Covergirl. I’m actually testing another waterproof mascara from Covergirl at the moment, so no need to re-purchase.

So there you have it – all of my empties for the month of January!

Thanks for reading

Disclosure: Post contains a mix of products purchased by me, PR gifted, and gifted from a friend – all are identified.

Quo Beauty Featherweight Cream Blush Review + Swatching (Shade: Halo)

January 29, 2021 | jodi - a brash attitude

Hello, hello! Welcome to / welcome back to A Brash Attitude!

Today I have a little review and swatching of the Quo Beauty Featherweight Cream Blush in the shade Halo. I purchased it recently as a part of a small haul from Shoppers Drug Mart / Pharmaprix – I believe it was Dal from Little Beauty Loves who made me curious about these cream blushes [info in italics taken from the Shoppers website]

Lightweight, fluffy formula that easily blends into a natural, fresh glow. Easily blendable allowing you to control converge with your fingertips.

Hydrating cream formula Sheer and luminous finish Quick drying.

When I first swatched this cream blush I found that it really does give a beautiful, natural glowing flush to the skin. It blends easily and is long wearing. The colour intensity is buildable – so I can see it working for a wide range of skintones. I apply it with my fingers, and then blend it with either a brush or a sponge.

Based on how easy to apply and how natural the finish is, I’ll likely pick up a few more shades the next time I’m stocking up on mascara.

Have you tried this cream blush? Do you use cream blushes?

Thanks for reading

Disclosure: In case you missed it at the very beginning, I purchased this!

Catrice Lip Super Serum Review

January 27, 2021 | jodi - a brash attitude

Hello, hello! Welcome to / welcome back to A Brash Attitude!

Today I’m reviewing the Lip Super Serum from Catrice that I recently purchased as a part of a small haul from Shoppers Drug Mart / Pharmaprix [info in italics taken from the Shoppers website].

Lip Boost! Catrice Volumizing Lip Balm with slightly cooling texture softly tingles and plumps upon application. • Plumps and adds lip volume • Not tested on animals *Can be worn alone or under lipstick Catrice Beauty Tip: Perfect product to layer under lipstick or lip gloss for a fuller lip look

I really don’t feel the cooling or tingle effect when I apply this lip serum, nor do I feel that it plumps my lips. However, I do feel that it hydrates nicely and is non-sticky. So as a smoothing and hydrating gloss it is a lovely lip oil type product, but as a plumper, I feel that it is a bit of a dud. I’ll definitely finish it up as I’m constantly applying balms / glosses / serums / oils in the winter as my lips get SO DRY!

Have you tried this one? Did it work for you? Do you have a fave cruelty free lip plumper?

Thanks for reading

Disclosure: I purchased this! My opinion is based on my user experience.

Cumulative Empties Aug to Dec 2020 – Hair, Body and Makeup

January 7, 2021 | jodi - a brash attitude

Hello, hello! Welcome to / welcome back to A Brash Attitude!

Earlier this week I shared my cumulative skincare empties, and today I have my haircare, body care an makeup empties (not decluttered makeup, that was a separate post). I didn’t finish up nearly as much in these categories as I did with my skincare stash, but I still feel like I’m making progress in using up products. I will link to my original reviews and let you know if it is something I would purchase / re-purchase or not (by purchase I mean eventually, as my goal is to only buy products when necessary).

Hair and Body Care:

NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Repair Shampoo – This was a part of a larger PR package from the brand. The matching conditioner has a few uses left in it, so I’m sure it will be in my next round of empties. I really love the Perfect Repair Shampoo – it makes my hair so soft and healthy feeling. I would purchase a full size of this if I can get it here, or order online from a Canadian website.

MoMi Beauty Styling Jelly – This was from my Petit Vour subscription. I liked this a lot, it worked well for my wavy, frizz prone hair. I would love to get a full size of this eventually – once I use up my current stash of styling products.

Sothys Pro-Youth Body Serum – This was a PR product. This is more like a rich body butter than a serum. Amazing for dry skin, and left my skin silky smooth. It is on the pricy side though, and I have a few body lotions / body butters to use up in my stash.

Makeup Empties:

Essence Cosmetics Lips Go Wow Plumping Lip Gloss – I LOVE this lip plumping gloss. It doesn’t sting or burn like a lot of lip plumpers. I plan on getting another one if they still have them at Shoppers / Pharmaprix.

Smashbox SuperFan Mascara – This was a free deluxe sample with purchase. Its a nice mascara, but didn’t hold a curl well for me, so I would not purchase a full size. I think that it is a great mascara if you don’t have stick straight lashes like I do!

So there you have it, the final empties for 2020. I’ve already finished up a few things this month, so I might return to a monthly empties format as long as I finish up a minimum of five products each month.

I’ll be back next week with some Bath and Body product reviews.

Thanks for reading

Disclosure: Post contains both PR and self-purchased products – all are individually identified. My opinion is my own regardless and is based on my experience with the product(s).

Huge Make-Up Declutter 2020

December 29, 2020 | jodi - a brash attitude

Hello, hello – welcome to / welcome back to A Brash Attitude!

I’ve been gradually sorting through my make-up collection and have started the process of decluttering products that are either mega old, or products that I just don’t reach for. I’ll link to any reviews in case you want to check them out.

Blushes and bronzers:

Tarte, Juice Beauty, Sothys*, and Too Faced. All of these, with the exception of the Juice Beauty are more than four years old. The Juice Beauty cream blush is more recent, but sadly, it has started to dry out.

Lipsticks:

ColourPop, Maison Jacynthe*, Essence, Axiology, KVD* and NudeStix – most of these are several years old, and have started to go off.

The ColourPop, Hikari and Too Faced are old and I cannot remember the last time that I used them. The Juice Beauty Foundation has started to go off, the scent has changed – it smells like paint.

Highlighters:

These are all quite old – ColourPop, Essence, Wet N Wild, and Brazen – and I never reach for them anymore.

Have you done a makeup declutter?

Thanks for reading

Disclosure: PR gifted products identified *, all others were purchased by me.

Nyx Cosmetics Shout Loud Satin Lipstick Review

October 2, 2020 | jodi - a brash attitude

Hello, hello! Welcome to / welcome back to A Brash Attitude!

Today I’m reviewing the Nyx Cosmetics Shout Loud Satin Lipstick in the shade Wife Goals. [info in italics taken from the Nyx Canada website]

Looking for a lip color that really makes a statement? Say anything and everything with our NYX Professional Makeup Shout Loud Satin Lipstick. Featuring an irresistibly adorable heart-stamped bullet (our first-ever custom-designed bullet, no less!), this pigment-packed satin lipstick loads lips with intense, rich color and delivers up to four hours of hydration in just one swipe. Also cool: each hue is infused with mango and shea butter.

Choose from a variety of satin lipstick shades bold berries, to popping’ reds and sultry nudes. We heart these vibrant tones so much that they make us want to shout it out loud!

I wanted a bright red lipstick for fall, but didn’t want a matte shade as I find most mattes are too drying for my lips, so when I saw that the Shout Loud line was a satin finish, with added hydration, I knew that I wanted to try it out!

I was torn between two red shades – The Best (a true red) and Wife Goals (a blue red). I decided to go with the unfortunately named Wife Goals as it is cool toned. I have to say that the pigmentation is absolutely amazing! The shade is such a perfect blue based red – WOWZERS! I love the non-drying satin finish.

Have you tried any of the shades of the Shout Loud Lipsticks?

Thanks for reading

Disclosure: I purchased this! And I might do it again!

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