Burt's Bees Gloss and Glow Glossy Balms Review + Swatches

Are you more of a lipstick or lip balm kind of person? I've always been more of a tinted lip balm kind of gal. Maybe it's because my lips are always dehydrated, plus I like the natural look that they give me. 

These new Burt's Bees Gloss and Glow Glossy Balms are right up my alley. They are super hydrating and offer my lips a beautiful, semi-sheer tint. They are loaded with wonderful hydrating ingredients like coconut oil, olive oil, and mango butter.

The packaging is super cute and also sleek, which makes them easy to travel with. You can throw them in your purse or pocket for on-the-go use. The packaging contains 17% post-consumer plastic, so they are eco-friendly, too. The balms also offer a light and floral scent to them which does fade once applied. 

Left-right: Winning in Pink, Eat Drink and be Cherry, Wine Wednesday.

I am featuring 3 of the 4 shades here. Each shade offers hydration plus a beautiful, youthful glow without shimmer or glitter, which is something that's important to me when choosing a lip product. 

Winning in Pink is the sheerest colour, it adds hydration and a touch of pink with a beautiful glow. Eat, Drink and be Cherry is a sheer red/pink shade and is described as a vibrant red. While, Wine Wednesday, is a darker pink/mauve shade and is described as deep red. 

You can make them very sheer with a quick swipe or build them up for more impact, with the exception of the lightest shade which stays very sheer. The fourth shade is called Chai Time. Unfortunately, I don't have that one to swatch, but it's described as a rosy beige, which is probably a shade I would love! I'm glad that Burt's Bees designed these shades to work on all skin tones, and I truly believe that they would.

 

I'm loving how these tinted balms smooth and soften my lips and help make them appear more youthful thanks to their super-hydrating formula. I think that no matter what your age, a hydrated-looking pout is an easy way to appear more youthful and healthy. 

I find that I reach for the lightest shade (Winning in Pink) most often, while Wine Wednesday is the one I reach for second-most, as I love the mauve-y shade against my skin tone. I definitely need to pick up the shade Chai Time, too, as it sounds like my jam!

These gorgeous Gloss Balms feature a 100% natural origin formula and are cruelty-free. 🐰

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart, Amazon.com, London Drugs, and well.ca, Amazon.ca

PR samples kindly gifted for review consideration.

'Easy Affordable Festive Holiday Nails!

Festive Holiday Nails

I'm horrible at doing my nails but I recently purchased a new nail polish by Sinful Colors called Let Me Go and it's giving me all the holiday vibes! It's a sheer holographic nail polish that appears mostly silver on camera, but in person, it has a purple, green, and blue shift to it. It has a very neutral look to it as well so it works as sort of a "nude" shade. I added a chunky silver glitter polish to my ring finger for an even more festive look. This one is by L.A Colors. Cannot find the name on the bottle but it's a large chunky, silver glitter in a clear base.

The Holographic polish by Sinful Colors is very sheer but is buildable. I am wearing 3 coats of each polish here. I found it impossible to capture the purple, blue, and green shift with the camera. You can get the idea from the photo of the bottle though (pictured at the bottom of this post).

Every time I look at my nails I have to take a second look, I just love them and they feel so festive! I've shared several pics of this "manicure" (I use that term loosely) 🤭, in different lighting and have not used any filters. As you can see, it looks sheer in some photos and more opaque in others.

Outdoor Lighting

 Indoor Lighting

This mani totally brings me joy! Every time I look at my nails, they remind me of Christmas Tree ornaments. :D

And, btw, I've had these polishes on for days and there is very little wear.

Pictured above: Left: Sinful Colors in Let Me Go, Right: L.A. Colors Silver Glitter Polish.

If you are looking for an affordable festive nail look this holiday season that is easy to do, I highly recommend you give these a try. You can find both online or at select Walmart's and Dollar Tree stores.

Wishing you a great week ahead! 

Xo's, Amy

*Not sponsored. All products were purchased by me. Opinions in this post are mine. :) Some links are referral, thank you if you choose to use them!

Covergirl The Super Sizer Mascara by LashBlast in Very Black Review

Featured Product
Covergirl The Super Sizer Mascara by LashBlast in Very Black - 12ml/ $4.98USD (

About
The Super-Sizer by LashBlast Mascara gives you 400% more corner-to-corner volume for full, fanned out lashes. Our amazing Lash Styler transforms even small lashes— just twirl as you apply it to your lashes for an instantly Super Sized lash look. Ophthalmologically tested, suitable for those who wear contact lenses. Hypoallergenic.

The Super-Sizer Mascara features a rubber-like wand that is fairly skinny. It really grips my lashes, making for easy application. I am able to apply multiple coats without experiencing any clumping.

This mascara doesn't smudge or flake on me. And, it gives my lashes both length and volume.

It removes easily at the end of the day, which means I don't lose any lashes! 👀

Two Coats of Covergirl The Super Sizer Mascara In Very Black 

(Top Lashes Only)

Final Verdict
I am really enjoying this mascara. It's definitely one of the top ones from the drugstore that I've tried. I still prefer my Essence Lash Princess (full review linked here), as I get bigger lashes with just one coat, it's also cruelty-free and less expensive. Covergirl's is a close second, though. You may prefer Covergirl if you like more separation in your lashes and/ or prefer to work with a skinnier wand.

What's your favourite affordable mascara?

Annabelle CC Colour Control Pressed Powder #Review

I just discovered this Annabelle CC Colour Control Pressed Powder and feel it deserves a mention.

Annabelle is one of my favourite drugstore lines. They are cruelty-free and make high quality products.

I've had this in my "backup stash" for a little while and was going to open it once I finished my Essence All About Matt powder. 

In a way, I'm glad that this happened.....

I dropped my Essence powder in the sink and the powder broke and went down the drain. woops! I do like this powder but it does have a hint of white when applied (which later disappears).

Anyhow, back to my new Annabelle powder....

Product Claims: -Controls skin colour by neutralizing redness, dull and uneven complexion.

-Corrects by reducing appearance of pores + fine lines

-Sets makeup and leaves a flawless anti-shine finish.

Paraben-free and perfume-free

I got the colour Light/Medium

This is a beautiful powder with a silky smooth texture. It is not powdery or cakey, and it's a nice skin tone colour for light-medium skin tones.

The compact has a nice mirror and a brush which is handy for touch ups on-the-go. Although, I found that with this brush it did kick up some powder, with my own brush it did not ( I used the Elf Complexion Brush).

Above swatch is all 3 colours in the compact swirled together.

Here they are swatched separately and together for comparison. 

From the top (starting with my index finger): 

Top finger- Upper left corner of pan is sheer.

Middle- White line in pan is sheer with a glow.

Ring- Largest part of pan, more concentrated colour, less sheer.

Pinky- All colours swirled together

I don't think anyone would use these colours separately but I guess you could with a small brush. I did use a small brush in the white strip that is glowy and applied it to my cheek bones but I found it too subtle.

Once swirled together, you get a beautiful satin/matte finish that does not settle into lines or pores and it does not cling to dry patches. This gets huge points for me as I have lines, large pores, and dry patches!

Benefits: 

-evens skintone

-satin/matte finish

-doesn't accentuate pores

-doesn't accentuate dry patches

-anti-aging

-light- medium coverge

-neutralizes red tones

-buildable

-doesn't break down

-shine free for hours

-imparts a healthy glow

-not powdery or cakey

-paraben-free

-perfume-free

My skin passed the car mirror test. My pores are barely visible and the overall look is natural and healthy.

I had some shine breaking through after a few hours but I have oily skin so I get that with any powder. It was easily touched up without looking cakey.

I think this powder would be great for any skin type, but I can definitely speak on behalf of aging skin and say that this is a winner!

I use this over my BB cream. I use a light layer by pressing it into my skin with my powder brush. 

It comes in a generous 8 gram pan.

I purchased mine at Shoppers Drug Mart but I've also seen this line at Walmart. Annabelle also sells their products on their website.

Amy

xoxo

1 Year Blog Birthday! Big Beauty Giveaway! *CLOSED

A year ago today Health and Beauty Girl was born. I want to celebrate Health and Beauty Girl's birthday by giving back to you with a giveaway!

I started this blog to share my experiences and passions with other like-minded people. I have learned so much along the way and met some of the most incredible people! I have been very lucky and truly have the most amazing readers. Having this giveaway is my way of saying thanks for reading my posts and sharing so much with me.

I can't believe that I've been blogging for a year! The year just flew by... must be having fun! I had no idea that I would end up blogging for this long and didn't know where things would go, but I'm even more excited today for the future of Health and Beauty Girl than I was when I started.

I will probably celebrate with a cupcake and my favourite tea! And, this giveaway of course.

Let's get this party started!

I have selected some of my personal favourite beauty products and some I've never tried before to give to one lucky reader.

This beauty prize pack (value over $60) includes:

-Elf eyeshadow palette in Smoky
-Elf eye primer
-Essence Contour and highlight powder (New product, I hear it's comparable to high-end!)
-Essence Sun Club all-in-one bronzing highlighter (I own this and love to use it every summer)
-2 Essence Lipsticks in my 2 favourite colours: Cool Nude and Creamy Nude
-Sonia Kashuk Eye on Neutral eyeshadow palette- matte 02
-Sonia Kashuk Shine Luxe Sheer Lip colour in "Sheer Pink Lust" (I have backups of this!)
-4 eye brushes
-a pair of rhinestone crawler earrings

Giveaway details:

-The giveaway will run for 1 week and will close on March 18th
-The winner will be announced on the blog, twitter and IG
-It is open internationally
-If the winner's shipping address is outside of Canada and the USA, the package will be shipped by ground and may take up to 6 weeks to reach you
-No purchase necessary
-Must be age of majority in your state, province etc.
-Healthandbeautygirl.com is not responsible for lost or damaged merchandise
-This giveaway is not sponsored and is fully funded by Moi!


Thanks to everyone for participating in my giveaway and congrats to the winner! It was such a good time, I will definitely be hosting more giveaways in the future!

Enter using the Rafflecopter form below

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Essence Sheer and Shine Lipstick Review: Cute Nude & Candy Love!

I was at my local Shoppers Drug Mart the other day and whenever I'm there I always have to check out the Essence makeup display to see if they have anything new. That's when I saw their new Sheer and Shine lipsticks and I couldn't resist, so I grab a couple to share with you. 

They had 9 shades to choose from and a nice range of colours from nudes to pinks and corals and deeper shades. I went for the two nudes that I knew I would get the most use of and it's a pretty safe bet that they'll suit me too. 

I picked out #02 Cute Nude a nice sheer pinky nude and #12 Candy Love a sheer light berry toned pink with blue undertones.

 Cute Nude (left) Candy Love (right)

Here they are swatched in daylight. Cute Nude is the paler colour and Candy Love is pinker.

The swatches here have been built up with a few swipes. One swipe would be much more sheer. Either way, you will not end up with an opaque lipstick look, which I'm not a huge fan of on myself.

I find that they are nice and moisturizing and they don't leave a stain. They are easily built up to get more colour (as pictured). They don't last too long as they have a balm-like texture. I find these are great everyday lipsticks to throw in my purse, and these are the kind of shades you can just slap on and go! They also don't settle into lip lines. I love them both but I like Candy Love a little bit more as it has more colour and I find that blue-based pinks really suit me.

If you have aging or even just dehydrated lips I think you would really like these. Same, if you have a lot of lip lines as I do and you can't pull off all the matte lip looks. I think this type of formula and these lighter colours are good for creating a more youthful look on the lips. 

I'm really liking these and at only $3.49 you really can't go wrong. I'm generally a nude and pink lips kind of person, but if you want something a lot darker or deeper they have that too, they just won't be opaque. And, did I mention that Essence is cruelty-free!?

Have you tried any of these new lippies? If so, how do you like them?

Amy

xoxo

Covergirl LashBlast Fusion Mascara Review! #bzzagent

I recently had the opportunity to try out one of Covergirl's LashBlast Mascaras through BzzAgent.  BzzAgent one of the Legit sites out there that connects consumers with new products to trial in exchange for honest reviews. They are an international network.

Each Buzz kit contains a choice of one of four COVERGIRL LashBlast Mascaras:

• LashBlast Volume
• LashBlast Fusion
• Clump Crusher by LashBlast
• Full Lash Bloom by LashBlast
• $2-off coupons to share the blast with friends and their lashes

I selected the Fusion mascara which claims to provide both volume and length, I mean why should I have to choose between volume or length? I want both, so the choice for me was easy :D  The product came in the colour, Very Black. 

Of course, I broke into the package and had to try it out the day I received it. I just love a good mascara as it can really open up and brighten your eyes. I have hooded eyes so for me a good mascara is almost like an eye lift or a "lift" for the eyes.

The mascara came with a rubber-like wand that is quite large in size. It went on easily and layered really well, not all mascaras layer very well. Within two coats I had major volume AND length! I did not have any flaking or transferring onto my hooded eyes which is a big deal for me. I felt this compared to Benefit's They're Real mascara, with one exception: the Covergirl washed off easily so I didn't lose any lashes in the removal process, another big deal for me!

Here are some pictures of the product and results that I got with just 2 quick coats. Note, that I do not have any eyeliner on, I wanted to give the product the true test to stand alone and see what it could do. The results were impressive! Ha, sorry for the scary close-up, but I really wanted you to see what this mascara achieved. ;)

I think the picture really is worth a thousand words. Again, I do not have any liner on and I did not put mascara on my bottom lashes- just a habit of mine.  I am really impressed!  ps. I'm still working on my selfie skills.

Have you tried any of the Covergirl LashBlast mascaras? Let me know what ones you've tried and what you thought.

And, if you're interested in trying out BzzAgent, they have my highest recommendation. No gimmicks here.

I received this product free from BzzAgent for trial purposes. All opinions are my own.

#GotItFree  #ABlastForEveryLash

Amy
xx

Decluttering Series: Weekly Beauty Product Testing With #Reviews- Week of Aug 3 + 10th

I'm still working on using up all of my samples, but I am making a lot of progress along the way. After this week, I mostly have some skin care samples to try out.. here's hoping that my skin wont freak out!

I tried out quite a few products so I'll try and make the reviews brief and to the point. ;)

John Frieda Colour Renew Tone-Correcting Shampoo for Colour Treated Blondes

This shampoo claims to neutralize brassiness for colour-treated blondes in 3 uses. It's your typical purple shampoo that you find in blonde shampoos that remove brassiness. Some of these types of shampoos can be VERY drying for your hair. I didn't find this one very drying and the results were subtle. I wouldn't say this one is very powerful at reducing brassiness. 

Korres Wild Rose 24HR Moisturizing and Brightening Cream

I found this to be more of a lotion consistency than a cream, despite this, it was fairly hydrating. I was surprised that I didn't have any breakouts as many rose based products tend to make my acne-prone skin breakout. I used it in conjunction with my usual serum and oil and although I would rate it as good, it didn't blow me away so I wont be purchasing it.

Dove Go Sleeveless Beauty Finish 48 Hr Antiperspirant

I really liked the scent, not sure how to describe it but I really liked it, and it wasn't a powdery smell (which is great for me). This is definitely a little more powerful than my aluminum free deodorants. I never wore it for 48 hours, so I cannot attest to that claim. I prefer to use products without aluminum, so I will stick with my aluminum free deodorants and save this for special occasions when I need a little more power.

Novex Queratina Brasileira Hair Food Keratin Treatment

After using this product my hair had a slightly different texture to it. It felt a little bit more coarse (maybe stronger?) but I found it a little too heavy for my fine hair when I left it on for 25 minutes with a shower cap on. However, when I used it as a regular conditioner in the shower and only left it on for a few minutes, my hair was not weighed down and I liked the results much more. I am curious to see if it would have any long term benefits though. And, I'd be willing to sacrifice weighed down hair for a day each week or month if it meant healthier, stronger hair. My hair wasn't particularly soft, so I doubt I'll ever find out if there are long term benefits unless I'm able to get my hands on a few more samples.

John Freida Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo

This product definitely brightened my blonde hair. I noticed it after just one use. It did leave my hair feeling more unmanageable when it was wet, but it was fine once styled. I would say this product lives up to it's claims. However, unless my hair needs some lightening, I will probably be sticking to my purple shampoo to tone down any brassiness.

Mario Badescu Skin Care

Special Cucumber lotion: Forget about it! This is full of alcohol. I will not be using this. I damaged and dehydrated my skin for enough years when I was trying to combat acne and didn't know any better. Luckily, now I know better and I don't dry out my skin!

Peptide Renewal Cream: I don't know if I got a bad one, but this smelled of some horrible gas or engine oil, it was very strange (and awful). It was really thick and very difficult (almost impossible) to blend into my skin. I would be willing to give it another chance if I could get my hands on another sample and see if I just got a bad one. I find it hard to believe they'd make something that smells so horrible and doesn't absorb into the skin.

Peptide Renewal Serum: This serum had a nice slip to it and seemed hydrating. Unfortunately, after using it for a week, I ended up with small, painful bumps under the skin on my forehead!  Nuff said. 

Thanks for stopping by my blog today! 

Let me know if you've come across any fab products lately..

ps. Come and join a bunch of fabulous bloggers at fabulousandfunlife

Amy 
xx

Simple Skincare Micellar Cleansing Water: Hype or Love at First Swipe?!

I've heard a lot of hype over the Micellar Cleansing waters lately. I had yet to purchase one and I was lucky enough to win Simple Skincare's Micellar Cleansing Water in a blog giveaway recently. 

I had heard about the one by Bioderma for some time and just recently started hearing about other brands, some more affordable, coming out with their own Micellar Cleansing Waters.

Since I've never tried this type of cleanser before, I have nothing to compare it to but I definitely don't need that to be able to determine whether or not this product works.

The product:

-no artificial perfume or dyes
-contains no animal derived ingredients
-is non-comedogenic
-is hypoallergenic
-no need to rinse
-hydrating
-198ml bottle

I was pleased to find that there is no fragrance and this is suitable for sensitive skin. I saturated a cotton pad as instructed and wiped off my makeup at the end of the day. Not only was this effective but it was so gentle and soothing to my skin and didn't bother my eyes. It says you can gently wipe around closed eyes, but not to get in your eyes (most products, even eye creams, say this.) I definitely agree with the hydrating claim. I have dehydrated/combo/oily skin and this didn't dry out my skin at all, it left it very comfortable. Oily skin gals may not even want to use a moisturizer after.

Love at first swipe? My initial reaction when I first tried this and looked at the cotton pad was "Woah, does this thing have some kind of superpower?!" I was shocked at the amount of makeup on the cotton pad. I flipped the cotton pad over once it was full of makeup and used the other side. Afterward, I took a makeup wipe to see what was left on my skin and there was practically nothing left behind! I also put makeup wipes to the test to compare; After using a makeup wipe to take off my makeup, using both sides, I then took a cotton pad with the Micellar Water and there was a lot of makeup left behind by the wipes. This was a great way to compare and really spoke volumes. Now, some may prefer to follow up with a quick wash after using the Micellar water, but you can definitely just use the Micellar water, especially on those lazy/tired nights.

I am pleasantly surprised and really impressed by the gentleness and effectiveness of this as a makeup remover. I find the Micellar Water to be more gentle and more effective than any makeup wipe I've ever tried! Plus, I kept looking at the bottle and thinking, I have a feeling this is going to be more cost-effective than using makeup wipes too! It looks like it's going to last for a long time, the level is barely going down and I really saturate those cotton pads. And, being that this product is also fragrance-free and more gentle and effective than my wipes, I think I've found a replacement for the wipes! (I think I can hear my skin thanking me now!)

I'm so glad that I was lucky enough to win this product in a giveaway as I'm not sure I ever would have bought into the hype of the Micellar Cleansers and purchased one. I can definitely say that I am SOLD! And, I'm a tough sell! 

Now, if only they'd come out with this Micellar water in a pre-packaged wipe! Maybe it's out already and I haven't heard, but I think that would be great for travel. ;) ;)

This retails for approximately $6.99

Here is a link to the Micellar Water on Simple Skincare's website if you'd like to get more information: http://www.simpleskincare.com/our-products/product/micellar-cleansing-water.html

Have you tried this or any other Micellar Waters? What's your experience?

Maybelline Color Tattoo Bad to the Bronze Dupe for Less Than $3.50!? #Dupe #Swatches #Review

I just love finding a good dupe, especially if it's going to save me some money! I hope you enjoy this one! I think it's a good one so I can't believe I haven't heard about it yet. 

I was doing some grocery shopping the other day and couldn't resist perusing the makeup section, as usual. I came across some eye crayons by NYC that looked new to me. They're called the NYC CityProof 24 HR Waterproof Eyeshadow.  So, they claim to be 24 hour wear just like Maybelline's color tattoo. Although, I don't know anyone who wears eyeshadow for 24 hours straight and I'm not sure about the waterproof claim, but for only $3.47 I couldn't resist picking one up.

NYC CityPROOF 24HR Waterproof Eyshadow in Brooklyn Mocha (605)

Two of a kind:

NYC CityProof Eyeshadow in Brooklyn Mocha/ Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze

As soon as I got home I had to swatch my new NYC eye crayon. I notice immediately that it looked familiar and thought it looked like Maybelline's Bad to the Bronze so I decided to compare them.

Top: Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Eyeshadow in Bad to the Bronze

Bottom: NYC CityProof 24 HR Waterproof Eyeshadow in Brooklyn Mocha

Left: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze

Right: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

As you can see from the swatches, they are pretty much identical. I swatched them side by side and even when I turn my hand the colours stay pretty much identical.

Trying other lighting:

Left: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze

Right: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

Top: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze

Bottom: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

More lighting (odd lighting but shows how similar no matter what lighting):

Top: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze

Bottom: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

Nighttime:

Left: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze (Here you can see it's a tad warmer in it's undertone)

Right: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

With flash:

Left: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze

Right: NYC Brooklyn Mocha

Top: Maybelline

Bottom: NYC

Packaging and application: They obviously having different types of packaging and application methods. I find that they both apply very easily, it would just be a matter of preference. I for one, don't really like putting my fingers in products that will go on my eyes, but some may find more control using their finger. Although, both application methods were easy. The NYC crayon applies very smoothly with no tugging. To get the pigmentation that I wanted I did swipe the NYC crayon across my lid a few times. I also like that the lid on the NYC crayon snaps on, you can hear the snap, so you know it shouldn't dry out quickly. That's some good attention to detail for such an inexpensive product.  They NYC crayon also twists up, so no worrying about having to sharpen it.

24HR claims: I don't know about 24HR wear since I've never worn a shadow for 24 hours (at least not on purpose). I had trouble getting both off of my hand, it took a lot of scrubbing, a little more scrubbing with the Maybelline. The Maybelline definitely lasted longer on my lids when I wore them as a stand alone eye shadow.

The differences: Although they look pretty much identical in swatches and upon first application, you really see the differences after wearing them for a few hours. The Maybelline Color Tattoo stood the test of time much better. After a few hours the NYC shadow was creasing and wearing off, leaving mostly glitter behind. But, for the price the NYC is still pretty and would make a good eye shadow base. But, if you want a stand alone shadow, the Color Tattoo fairs much better.

Have you found any affordable dupes lately?

Come on over to Fabulous and Fun Life for a great linkup party!

Note to self: In the future, do swatches on your inner arm, not your vein-y hand!

Amy