Pick-Ups & Deliveries: Haul No. 68

Hope y'all had a great Labour Day weekend! Labour Day marks the beginning of September (or, you know, back to school... but that hasn't applied to me in many years), which means it's time for my August haul post.

Basically, I bought a million palettes last month.

Violet Voss Ride or Die Eyeshadow Palette
Violet Voss x Nicol Concilio Eyeshadow Palette
Violet Voss Rose Gold Highlighter Palette
Hakuhodo J5522 Eyeshadow Brushes
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Taupe, Soft Brown, and Medium Brown
Let's start with IMATS, which was last weekend. I made a beeline for the Violet Voss booth to see what they'd have to offer this year, because last year was so underwhelming (they couldn't bring any of their eyeshadow palettes with them, so they only had their three-pan highlighter palette and a couple of glitters on sale — waste of a booth, if you ask me). So I was completely ecstatic when I saw that they had all of their offerings for sale this year. Moreover, they were selling them at their regular retail price but in Canadian dollars so we didn't have to pay conversion, and everything was tax-free. So I immediately snatched up the Ride or Die eyeshadow palette, the Nicol Concilio eyeshadow palette (no idea who she is, but the palette is gorgeous!), and the Rose Gold highlighter palette. Those three items alone already made my trip to IMATS worth it, because Violet Voss was the vendor that I was most excited for, but I did also pick up two of my favourite J5522 eyeshadow blending brushes from Hakuhodo, as well as three shades of Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz from the Frends Beauty Supply booth because they were selling them for $15 USD (about $19 CAD, so I saved $8 per pencil).

ColourPop Karrueche x ColourPop Fem Rosa She Eyeshadow Palette
ColourPop Gimme More! Powder Highlighter Palette
ColourPop Pressed Powder Highlighter in Ruffle My Feathers, Boy Next Door, and Total Package
I haven't been interested in ColourPop in a long time but they've been killing it with their powder formulas this year, so when I got a notification that their ultra-coveted She Eyeshadow Palette was back in stock, I immediately got on their website to snatch it up. But I didn't want to pay for shipping just for a $16 palette — ColourPop offers free international shipping on orders over $50 — so I added the Gimme More! Highlighter Palette that I'd been eyeing for a couple months (and finally came back in stock) and took the opportunity to check out their brand new single highlighting powders that launched a few weeks ago. I was curious about the formula and had read good reviews about them, so I ended up picking out three colours to start out with: Ruffle My Feathers (a light gold), Boy Next Door (a medium champagne), and Total Package (a medium rose gold).

Zoeva Plaisir Box
Zoeva Blanc Fusion Eyeshadow Palette
Zoeva Caramel Melange Eyeshadow Palette
Zoeva Cocoa Blend Eyeshadow Palette
Zoeva Matte Eyeshadow Palette
I've been wanting to try out Zoeva products for well over a year now and finally bit the bullet. I don't hear a lot about German makeup brands over here, but Zoeva is one brand that has gotten quite a lot of attention in the online makeup community. Like Morphe, Zoeva was originally known for their affordable brushes and then expanded into eyeshadow palettes that have been getting more and more popular because of their affordability, pigmentation, and sleek packaging. I'd been eyeing the gorgeous Plaisir Box for well over six months now because it has the three palettes I wanted (Blanc Fusion, Caramel Melange, and Cocoa Blend) in a gift set that looks like it could be from a fancy chocolate store (it's also slightly cheaper at $90 instead of $102 for all three palettes), but what made me put in an order is their Matte Eyeshadow Palette finally came back in stock. (I didn't want to pay for shipping for two separate orders, so I waited until all of them were in stock.) I'll be playing around with them for the next couple weeks to see if they live up to the hype and post some reviews soon.

Morphe The Jaclyn Hill Palette
Speaking of Morphe, I finally caved in and ordered the Jaclyn Hill Palette. It might just be the most hyped-up makeup product of 2017 — the first batch sold out within 30 minutes, and there have already been three re-stocks of this palette (as of this post, it is sold out but it will probably be re-stocked in the next month). I was on the fence about it because I already have so many warm-toned palettes, let alone Morphe palettes, but palettes are my kryptonite. I was originally going to wait to see if this palette would be available at IMATS, but quickly discarded that thought because even if they did have it (which would've been unlikely given how fast it has sold out since its first launch), they'd be sold out within minutes, and the line-up for Morphe is tediously long at IMATS (last year, we couldn't even get in the line-up to line up for Morphe — this year, we took one look at the line-up and immediately walked away). That having been said, this will be the last time I shop through the Morphe website because the international shipping cost from Morphe is absolutely atrocious. Shipping to Canada used to be $15.50 USD, and now it's $29.99 USD — plus I had to pay FedEx an extra $17 because they paid the HST in advance for me — making this palette nearly $100 CAD. I'm sorry, but if I can get a package from Zoeva, who charges $12 CAD for shipping to Canada from Germany, and not get charged anything upon arrival, then I sure as hell shouldn't be charged over $50 CAD for shipping from California.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Subculture Eyeshadow Palette
Speaking of hype, my friend Chelsea got me the Anastasia Beverly Hills Subculture Eyeshadow Palette when it launched on Sephora. It's possibly the most debated makeup product of 2017; this is truly a love-it-or-hate-it palette, and it sparked so many ridiculous, overdramatized reviews on social media that I was that much more curious to try it out. (Don't know if it's just me, but I actually like trying out products that have bad reps more than ones that are notoriously good just to see if the naysayers are justified.) You can read my review of it here. All I gotta say is, I really like it, and haters are just gonna hate.

Too Faced Just Peachy Mattes Velvet Matte Eyeshadow Palette
Too Faced Sweetie Pie Radiant Matte Bronzer
Too Faced Peach Mist Mattifying Setting Spray
Too Faced Peach Kiss Lipstick in Doll Face, Sunday Funday, and Sex on the Peach
Finally, Too Faced launched their Peaches and Cream collection last week! I ended up getting the Just Peachy Mattes Eyeshadow Palette (obviously), the Sweetie Pie Radiant Matte Bronzer, the Peach Mist Mattifying Setting Spray, and three shades of the Peach Kiss Moisture Matte Long Wear Lipstick (I got nudes because that's what I wear the most, but they only had five shades available when I ordered them). The palette and lipsticks are particularly luxe — the palette feels heftier (similar to the Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection Face Palette) with gold trim and cute clasp enclosure, and the lipsticks have chic ivory and gold packaging with the same clasp enclosure and the most adorable peach design embossed on to the bullets. I know some people are sick of the whole peach wave that Too Faced has been riding for well over a year now, but I've always been a fan of the peach theme, and the Peaches and Cream collection is like the classier, more mature sister to the original Sweet Peach collection (which were adorned with the peach smiley face emoji that made it seem cuter and more childish). Even the scent is softer and less cloyingly sweet. I do wish that the blushes, bronzers, and highlighters were straight powder formulas instead of cream-to-powder because they don't blend well on top of powdered skin (and honestly, are cream products still popular these days?), but I like that they launched a full range of products for the whole face so it'll appeal to a broader range of people.
On that note, I need to cool it with makeup for the next month. Holiday collections are coming around the corner.

Pick-Ups & Deliveries: Haul No. 60

So between massive amounts of online shopping and IMATS, I accumulated quite a lot of makeup over the past two months. Like, an intense amount. Let's start with IMATS, shall we?

Hakuhodo Brushes: B527BkSL, B110BkSL, G5538BkSL, J5522BkSL, and B142BkSL
Naked Cosmetics Cosmetic Glitter Original Collection
Lit Cosmetics Glitters in Rainbow Ride, Oprah, and Fully Nude
Mehron Paradise Glitter in 827-W and Barrier Spray Sealer Fixative
Every year, I wait for IMATS to stock up on Hakuhodo brushes, so most of my IMATS budget is spent on those. Yes, they are expensive, but they are worth every penny. They are some of the most high-quality brushes I have ever come across, just so beautifully crafted with the softest hairs I have ever felt (seriously, this is what I imagine unicorn tails to be made of). I picked up five this year — three face brushes (for powder foundation, blush, and highlighter), and two eye brushes — three of which are actually doubles of ones that I already have at home (because if I love a brush, I always buy multiples). I also bought a bunch of glitters while I was there, including a stack from Naked Cosmetics (at 50% off), a few from Lit Cosmetics (at 3 for $30), and one stunning holographic Paradise Glitter along with some Barrier Spray from Mehron so my glitters will stay put (it's also a great setting spray). Honestly, I probably would've bought more but the crowds were ridiculous and I didn't wanna fight anyone just to get some glitter. And a lot of the shades that I'd been eyeing were sold out, anyway. But I made up for it by getting three extra-large Z Palettes for $22 each instead of $38 like I normally do.
Morphe 35W - 35 Colour Warm Eyeshadow Palette
Morphe 35K - 35 Colour Koffee Eyeshadow Palette
Morphe 35O - 35 Colour Nature Glow Eyeshadow Palette
Morphe 35OS - 35 Colour Shimmer Nature Glow Eyeshadow Palette
Morphe 35OM - 35 Colour Matte Nature Glow Eyeshadow Palette
Morphe 9N - The Naturally Blushed Palette
Morphe 9BZ - That Glow Bronzer Palette
Morphe DD - Deysi Danger Highlight Palette
I also bought all the palettes from Morphe. I had never owned Morphe products prior to this but had eyed a lot of their palettes for well over a year, so I knew that if I was going to buy from them, it was going to be a lot. They are known for their highly pigmented palettes that come in a huge range of colours and for really low prices (all of their 35-colour eyeshadow palettes are under $25 USD), so I ended up getting five eyeshadow palettes and three face palettes (one bronzer/contour, one blush, and one highlight). I technically didn't need the 35O, the 35OM, and the 35OS (the 35OM is the matte version of the 35O, and the 35OS is the shimmer version of the 35O), but these colours are totally up my alley and I couldn't decide. The majority of these will be for my kit, but I am gonna keep a select few to keep in my personal stash. 'Cause, you know, they're just too pretty to not keep a few for myself.

Violet Voss Drenched Metal Shadow Palette
Violet Voss Highlighter Palette
Makeup Geek Blush Pans in Blind Date, Heart Throb, Puppy Love, Main Squeeze, XOXO, and Covet
I put in an order with BeautyBay last month, and I gotta say, it's become my new favourite online shop for indie beauty brands. They're based in the UK but they ship free to Canada with purchases over $25 CAD, plus there's no extra taxes or duties when they arrive. They carry lots of big-name brands, too, but the reason I even found their site in the first place is because I was looking for Violet Voss palettes. I did end up getting their Drenched Metal palette, as well as the highlighter palette, but their Holy Grail and Laura Lee palettes are still unavailable or sold out through all their vendors, so I haven't gotten my hands on those yet. (I am, however, perusing their website religiously and eyeing Violet Voss' Instagram like a hawk for re-stock updates.) I also saw that BeautyBay was carrying Makeup Geek, so I got six of their new blush shades that came out this summer. I love Makeup Geek with all my heart, but I hate ordering from their website because I hate paying for shipping and I have to pay taxes upon arrival. So BeautyBay has been a really great find for me, and I whole-heartedly recommend it to those who want to buy from American indie brands but live outside of the US because they offer free worldwide shipping (which most companies don't do, period).
MAC Liptensity Lipsticks
MAC Selena Techno Cumbia Powder Blush Duo
MAC Selena Eyeshadow in No Me Queda Mas, Missing My Baby, Fotos Y Recuerdos, Selena, and Is It the Beat
MAC Selena Lipstick in Amor Prohibido, Dreaming of You, and Como La Flor
Of course, I made a pretty sizeable MAC haul over the past month that started off with all of the new Liptensity lipsticks (you can find my reviews of the entire range here, here, and here). They are permanent, but they are gorgeous and I needed all of them. (Seriously, I have worn one everyday since they launched. I've even taken to layering with them over other lipsticks because they are just so damn comfortable to wear.) I also somehow managed to get the entire Selena collection (you can read my reviews on it here, here, and here) online before they sold out of it. MAC launched the collection online first for the Obsessed and Devoted members of their Select loyalty program as well as PRO members, which is how I got early access to it. I honestly didn't think I'd be able to get my hands on anything given how much hype there was over it (this is the first MAC collection that has ever come to fruition through a petition — Selena fans are freakin' hardcore, even 20 years after her death), but when I went online to check it out, all the products were still available. I am not a die-hard Selena fan — like most people born in the mid-'80s, I know and can appreciate her music and the influence it had on pop music, and have seen the film with J. Lo (on VHS, of course) —  but I am a collector, so I just added them all to my basket. 
Jamber Jewels Sterling Silver Origami Crane Necklace
Jamber Jewels Sterling Silver Feather Necklace
Jamber Jewels Sterling Silver Flock of Birds Earrings
Gilmore Girls Prints by Tyler Feder of Roaring Softly
SoCroch Watermelon Popsicle and Ice Cream Crochet Keychains
Finally, I bought a bunch of random things from Etsy. It started with me looking for a new necklace, which brought me to Jamber Jewels, where I've shopped before. I am allergic to a lot of metal jewelry but bought a sterling silver necklace from there two years ago that I didn't react to, so I thought I'd get a new one from there. I ended up getting two new necklaces and a pair of earrings because they were just too cute to resist. I haven't worn earrings in well over two years because I was allergic to all the earrings I owned (even the sterling silver Tiffany ones that I had bought ten years ago, the same ones that I had worn for five years straight with no problems, started irritating my earlobes and all the skin around it), but I've been wearing these ones for a week with no irritations, so I'm a happy camper. I also found this amazing illustrator who makes fantastic drawings inspired by her favourite TV shows, and I found four prints featuring Gilmore Girls (which is tied with Veronica Mars as my favourite show of all time, though I have been a fan of Gilmore Girls since 2000 and grew up with the show — seriously, from middle school to university — so it holds a special place in my heart), so I bought all of them and frames to put them in. (You can see the drawings up close here, here, here, and here.) And last but not least, I bought some new keychains. I found some ultra-cute crochet ones from SoCroch and bought a watermelon popsicle one and an ice cream one. They've already replaced my old keychains, which were too heavy and far less cute. 
Hey, at least I didn't get anything from Sephora.

Pick-Ups & Deliveries: November 2014 — IMATS + One of a Kind Show

Okay, last and final haul post from November. (Errr, yes, I realize it's a week into December now. November was an intense shopping month.) I went to IMATS a couple weeks ago with my friend (and fellow make-up artist) Vivian. I didn't really have a set list of things to buy there, nor any particular brand that I was really intrigued on checking out which, I'm sure you'll all agree, is when it's the most dangerous to go. And as expected, I ended up spending way more than I expected to.
Make Up For Ever Large Palette + Artist Shadow Refills(Top: ME-700 Amber, D-750 Frosted Peach, I-730 Pumpkin, ME-740 Magma, and M-820 Dark Purple PinkBottom: ME-912 Orchid, I-922 Electric Purple, ME-930 Black Purple, D-308 Aquatic Khaki, and ME-230 Peacock Blue)
Now, I've never been huge on Make Up For Ever, nor have I ever previously bought anything from them (and I usually bypass their booth during IMATS, come to think of it). But when their Artist Shadows were launched earlier this year and all the rave reviews started rolling in, I knew I had to check them out at some point. And when I finally swatched them at Sephora, I was immediately smitten. Which is extremely dangerous, since there are over 100 shades and they retail for $24 each. Weirdly enough, I didn't end up getting any of them during Sephora's VIB Sale, but I'm glad I didn't, because they were offering an exceptional deal on them during IMATS: 18 Artist Shadows and one XL Palette for $228. So, basically, they were 50% off. Since Vivian and I went on the Sunday in the afternoon, they had run out of the XL Palette (which holds 18 shadows) and were offering two L Palettes in place of it, so Viv and I decided to split the deal and each get one large palette and nine shadows. Since the L Palettes hold ten shadows and it annoys us greatly to have just one empty space in a palette, we each got a tenth shadow at the regular show price (which is $16).
Sleek Makeup Blush by 3 Blush Palette in Pumpkin and Blush in Life's a Peach and Flamingo
I hadn't been planning on buying that much make-up at the show since I had bought more than enough during the VIB Sale, but when I saw these Sleek Makeup blushes there, I couldn't resist. I've been wanting to try Sleek for a while now, but it's not easily accessible here in Canada (Sleek is a UK-based "high street" brand) — like NYX, it's a brand that has always held interest in my mind, but I continually get distracted by other lines. Unlike NYX, however, I'd only be able to get their products online, and I wasn't sure if I liked them enough to put in a big order to get free shipping. I'm not sure which booth I went to that sold these (it was one of those vendors that sold a variety of obscure brands), but I picked up a Blush by 3 Palette (which is what made them really popular) in Pumpkin for $19, plus two more single blushes in Life's a Peach and Flamingo for $10 each. So, actually, it was more expensive at the show than ordering them online, but at least I didn't have to pay for tax or shipping...
Hakuhodo Brushes (from top): J5529 Eyeshadow Brush Tapered, B J142 Eyeshadow Brush Round, J5522 Eyeshadow Brush Tapered, and J511 Highlighter Brush Angled
Sigma Brushes (from top): F35 Tapered Highlighter, P84 Precision Angled, F80 Flat Kabuki, F82 Round Kabuki, and F84 Angled Kabuki
I usually stock up on brushes when I'm at IMATS because they carry brands that aren't found here or there's insanely good deals on them. Of course, I had to stop by the Hakuhodo booth, which never has sales or promotions at IMATS, but it's also the only time you can get Hakuhodo here. They are more expensive than most other brush brands or brands that sell make-up brushes, but they also make some of the best make-up brushes I have ever used so I always carve out part of my IMATS budget for Hakuhodo. I picked up four brushes — three for eyeshadow, one for highlighting. I've been using them for a couple weeks now, and let me tell you, blending is positively dreamy with these, as if they were made from cashmere unicorns and angel wings. I am going to buy at least two more of each at next year's IMATS. Finally, I picked up five Sigma brushes. I was actually going to put in a huge order online, but decided to wait until IMATS to see if there would be some there. Sigma didn't have a booth there, but there were a few vendors that were carrying Sigma brushes, and I found one that was selling them at 40% off (and tax-free if you paid with cash!). So I'm overall extremely pleased with my purchases at IMATS.
Froosh Dead Sea Salt Body Polish in Key Lime, and Body Butter in Green Tea & Cucumber and Coconut Lime
Whipped Cosmetics Cherry Soda Sugar Scrub, and Au Naturel and Lime Margarita (sample) Soaps
I finally went to my first One of a Kind Show last Sunday with my friend Cynthia. I'd been wanting to check it out for a while, and honestly, I can't believe I'd never been. There is so much to see there (over 800 artisans, in fact) from food to cosmetics to ceramics to clothing — all Canadian, all handcrafted. Obviously, I had to pick up some fun body products because I am a cosmetics junkie. Seriously, every single skincare/bodycarebooth I went to, I was like, "I want all the things!" I ended up narrowing it down to Froosh, where I picked up a jar of Dead Sea Salt Body Scrub in Key Lime (that smells exactly like key lime pie, so fucking good) and two jars of Body Butter in Green Tea & Cucumber and Coconut Lime, and Whipped, where I had a lovely chat with Angela Filbert (the founder of Whipped) and ended up with a tub of Cherry Soda Sugar Scrub (I'm not a huge fan of cherry scents, but this smells uncannily like the taste of a cherry Icee, which is ridiculously awesome) and a bar of Au Naturel Soap. I had originally wanted to get the Lime Margarita Soap, but she convinced me to get the Au Naturel one (made with ground oats and honey) because of my hand eczema (she has the same thing, and was like, "I know it's not as fun, but it's so much better for your hands"), and then gave me a thin slice of the Lime Margarita, anyway, because she knew how much I wanted it.
Demo Soap Macaron Gift Box
Demo Soap Handmade Glycerin Macaron Soaps in Avocado Mint, Pomegranate, Grapefruit, Raspberry, Lemon, and Green Apple
Demo Soap Handmade Glycerin Donut Soaps (clockwise from left): Lemon Raspberry, Lemon Lime Grapefruit, Mango Coconut, Green Tea Cherry Blossom, and Very Peachy
And then we went to Demo Soap, which has some of the cutest bar soaps I have ever seen. I saw a box of their Macaron Soaps on display, and was immediately like, "Mine!" I didn't even smell them yet, and didn't care. I could not leave without them. And when the girl working there said I got the last box, I felt an irrational surge of relief and accomplishment. It was kind of ridiculous, like, going crazy over soap. And like real macarons, they were pretty expensive at six for $20... but at least they'll last longer than the 30 seconds it takes for me to eat an actual one. While we were there, we both got some of their donut soaps (which they're known for) as well, at 5 for $20. Because how can you resist donuts, you know? I was tempted to get some of their Pineapple Upside Down Cake soap as well, but then reality hit and I was like, "What the hell am I going to do with this much soap?"
Grey Matter Handmade Chunky Herringbone Oversized Weave Fleece Scarf
Grey Matter Adjustable Length Fleece Fingerless Gloves & Arm Warmers
Moving on from cosmetic items, I also picked up a couple things from Grey Matter, who specializes in "handcrafted large weave adornments," which includes scarves/wraps/shawls/cowls, and now also wrist warmers (which are new), made out of Arctic fleece. I was intrigued because it's such a simple idea, but so ingenious. Basically, you "pull the scarf anywhere through its weave and create innumerable looks: cowls, shrugs, wraps, even infinity styles, an all-in-one scarf." Amy French, the founder and creator of Grey Matter, was there to teach me how to create a bunch of different styles with this scarf, and I was like, "Yep, I have to have one. It's genius." So I chose a scarf/shawl/cowl in two-tone grey (thought it'd be more fun than black, but will still go well with my mostly-black wardrobe) for $65, and also fingerless gloves/wrist warmers in black for $25. Those fingerless gloves are seriously a smoker's best friends in the winter. Depending on where you stick your thumb through in the weave, they can completely cover your fingers, or have your fingers sticking out to say, smoke or use your iPhone. And you won't lose them, either, because you can just pull them back to become wrist warmers if you need to use your hands. Been wearing both of these since I got them, and they are so warm and so indispensable in my wardrobe now, that I wonder how I lived without them before. Seriously, genius.
Tealish Dessert Collection Herbal Loose Leaf Tea in Toasty Almond and Lemon Meringue
And then we bought some tea. Kinda random, because I'm not really a tea person, let alone a loose leaf tea person. But we stopped by Tealish and they had samples (fucking samples, man, get me every time), and these two were so tasty that I couldn't leave them. They were having a promotion of 3 tins for $40 or 4 tins for $50 (one tin is usually $14), so Cynthia and I split two and two. The Toasty Almond has overtones of "rich, aromatic almond and decadent vanilla" and undertones of "sweet apple and a hint of cinnamon spice." This is the one that really got me interested, because it reminds me of one of my favourite desserts (the apple pie with toasted almonds and maple ice cream at JOEY), and is therefore amazing. The Lemon Meringue has overtones of "zesty lemon custard and luscious bourbon vanilla" with undertones of "naturally sweet rooibos and a dollop of whipped cream." I love lemony teas, but like that this one is a little more... mellow and creamy. And lemon meringue pie is my favourite pie of all time, so I had to. I guess their whole spiel on their Dessert Tea collection is that you can indulge calorie-free, but let's be real, I'd probably have these while eating dessert.
Did you go to IMATS or the One of a Kind Show this year? If so, what'd you pick up?