July Haul 2015 (Makeup)

Wow, talk about July flew by! It kind of upsets me that we're going into August, because summer is sadly coming to an end and I'm so not ready to go back to school, but it is what it is. Anyways, I did a bit of a damage this month. I tried to limit myself, but so many limited edition products came out that I just couldn't resist! I also picked up products that I always wanted. My list honestly never ends! But anyways, here is my haul for July!

A few goodies from this month's haul

I made a small trip to Pharmaprix (drugstore). I picked up 2 of the L'Oreal La Couleur Infaillible Eyeshadows. These were on sale for $9CAD and I think normally they're $11CAD (around that point). It wasn't a huge discount, but I've been hearing a lot about these, so I wanted to try them out! I got the shades Hourglass Beige (light shimmery beige) and Goldmine (light-medium true gold). Basically, it's a pressed pigment that's supposed to last up to 24 hours! I didn't try them on yet, but I did swatch them and the pigmentation is out of this world! Like, it's SO pigmented and I can't wait to use these! I'll definitely be doing a review on these!

Hourglass Beige and Goldmine

I also purchased the Fave4 Air Dry Cream at Bløme. It's summertime and the heat legit makes my hair go crazy! I have really long hair and I just don't have time to do my hair all the time! Therefore, they recommended that I get this cream, so that it would help tame my hair, as well as just create a tousled texture without using heat. I've used this twice and I really like it! It really does tame my hair! My hair doesn't go frizzy at all when I apply this product. It also just creates effortless curls without the frizz! It makes my hair smoother and gives it a tousled texture, which I really like! I'm planning on reviewing this product soon, so stay tuned!

Fave4 Air Dry Cream

I also placed 2 small orders online at Sephora. I got the Lancome lip liner ( Le Lipstique) in the shade Natural Mauve. It's $29CAD, so it was kind of a splurge. However, it's so creamy and the shade is beautiful! It's basically a light pinky mauve. It looks beautiful on it's own, like I'm obsessed and I highly recommend it! I also purchased the Cover Fx Illuminator in Moonlight. I honestly just love highlighters and I came across this on the Sephora website. I haven't heard anyone talk about it, so I thought it'd be a nice product to review on my blog. So, keep an eye out for that! I've played with it several times and so far so good! Next, I purchased the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in the shade Champagne Pop. In case you haven't heard, Jaclyn Hill collaborated with Becca to create this beautiful shade! Champagne Pop is a light gold with a hint of peach! It's a shade that looks beautiful on any skin tone (no jokes)! I'm so happy that I got my hands on this! I regret not buying a back up, because ever since I received it in the mail, it's been my go to highlighter! I love this product so much and I would have done a review on it, but I got mine kind of late. It was basically sold out almost everywhere, so I saw no point in reviewing something that you guys can't get! However, if your local Sephora still has this beauty, BUY IT! You won't regret it!

Lancome lip liner in Natural Mauve and Cover Fx Illuminator in Moonlight

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop

I also made a trip to my local Sephora. There were a few things that I wanted to see in person. I purchased the Kat Von D Metal Crush eyeshadow in Synergy. I went on the day that they released these new eyeshadows, so my eye caught the display. I wasn't expecting to buy this, but when I swatched it, I just had to bring it home! It's a beautiful metallic bronze! It's SO pigmented! I'll definitely be doing a review on this, because I'm obsessed (I already started writing it, so stay tuned)! My Sephora still had the Nars Christopher Kane blush in Silent Nude, so I picked it up! Lately, I just been loving nude and peach blushes, so I thought this would be the perfect addition to my collection! I also got the Marc Jacobs Highliner in "In The Buff". It's a light golden champagne. I've tried this once and I wasn't really impressed with it. I have a watery water line, so it didn't appear with one layer! I had to keep on building the pigmentation, like no jokes, I have to apply 4-5 layers to get this eyeliner to pop. It also didn't last on my waterline for long. I would say it lasted 3 hours and then it started to fade away! I'm still going to play with it, but if it really doesn't work out, I'll most likely be returning it, because it's really expensive! Lastly from Sephora, I finally built my Buxom eyeshadow palette! I've heard nothing but good things about the new Buxom eyeshadows,  so I just had to get it! This palette was the main reason that I went into my local Sephora, because a few shades were sold out online that I wanted! I've used this twice and I love it! It's super pigmented and long wearing! I won't go into detail, because I will also be reviewing this product! If you're curious, I got the shades; Satin Seduction, Champagne Buzz, Style Icon, Invite Only, Gold Status and Mink Magnet.

My in store purchases from Sephora

Then, I placed an order online at The Bay. I purchased all the MAC Giambattista Valli lipsticks. I decided to order them online at The Bay, because MAC's website was super slow and I really didn't want to miss out on this collection! So, if you guys have been eyeing a collection, make sure to order it on The Bay's website on the release day! It'll be a lot faster and you won't get stuck if  MAC's website crashes! So, I won't go into details about these, because I already did a mini review on them! http://makeupcheckbydivya.blogspot.ca/2015/07/mac-giambattista-valli-lipsticks-hot-or.html . The packaging is absolutely gorgeous, but the shades aren't really unique. These shades already exist in the market and you can find so many similar ones!

MAC Giambattista Valli lipsticks

I also went into my local MAC twice. The first time that I went, I purchased the new Fix Plus in Cucumber. MAC released the Fix Plus in different scents, which I thought was an amazing idea! I don't know how I missed the release date! I completely forgot about it and I was lucky that my local MAC had a few scents left! Honestly, I use Fix Plus religiously and I really regret not picking up the other scents! It's not a big deal, but it just adds a little fun to my makeup routine! I hope MAC brings them back! Also, I purchased the matte lipstick in Whirl! I absolutely love the Whirl lip liner, so I been eyeing this lipstick ever since it came out! However, it's not the same exact shade as the lip liner. The lipstick is a bit more darker, however, it's still a beautiful shade! Then, I got the Fluidline in Dipdown. I only own black gel liner, so I wanted to pick up another shade.

MAC purchases

Also, I picked up two eyeshadows from MAC. They're just in the pan form for my customized palette. I got the shades Honey Lust and Mythology. Honey Lust is a shimmery light medium gold and Mythology is a shimmery medium pink nude. You'll definitely be getting a mini review on these in the future!

Honey Lust and Mythology

Then from Morphe, I ordered the Angel Merino Brush Set. I was hesitant on getting this, because I already own so many brushes. However, I love Morphe brushes and these brushes look stunning! I also love Angel Merino (MAC Daddy), so I just went for it! These brushes are amazing quality, like no shedding whatsoever! You  get 14 brushes for $80USD and when you use the code "angel", you get 10% off your order! It's honestly so affordable! I haven't used all of them yet, but the powder and fan brushes are my favorite! This is a great addition to anyone's collection! I recommend you get them ASAP, because once they sell out, they're gone forever!

Angel Merino brush set

I also went to Glamour Secrets (near the colisee in Kirkland) to buy nail polishes. It's basically like an outlet and everything is 40-60% off! I bought 3 Essie nail polishes for only $4.50CAD each! Normally, they're around $9CAD each, so it's an amazing deal! I got the shades Chinchilly (neutral taupe grey), In The Cab-Ana (aqua blue) and Van D'go (peachy coral). I love Essie nail polishes! I find they wear longer than other nail polish companies.

Chinchilly, Van D'go and In the Cab-Ana

Lastly, I ordered 10 eyeshadows from Makeup Geek. I'm absolutely in love with Makeup Geek eyeshadows and I highly recommend them! They're so affordable and come in a wide shade range! They're super pigmented and blendable! I'll definitely be doing a separate post on these eyeshadows when I complete my palette! The shades I got are Peach Smoothie, Purely Naked, Starry Eyed, Corrupt, Cocoa Bear, Vanilla Bean, Shimma Shimma (repurchase since I cracked the other one), In the Spotlight, Magic Act (repurchase since I cracked the other one) and Country Girl. I just got a whole bunch of neutral and everyday colors, since I use them the most! I'm absolutely in love with these!

My new Makeup Geek eyeshadows

That's it for my July haul! I know I picked up a lot of things! It wasn't necessary, but again, I have a hard time saying no to makeup! I hope you guys enjoyed this haul and let me know if you guys want me to do a review on any of these products! Also be sure to follow me on Instagram @divya_patelxo for makeup updates and news!

Spa Diva

Before I get started, I just want to say thank you so much for all the positive feedback on my previous post! If you haven't read it yet, it was about Bløme, which is a new blow dry and nail bar in Montreal. Here is the link http://makeupcheckbydivya.blogspot.ca/2015/07/blme-blow-dry-nail-bar.html . I enjoyed writing about Bløme and I love to support local businesses that really stand out to me! I really want you guys to experience all the amazing places in Montreal, so get ready for more reviews! So, if you read my previous post, then you know that yesterday I also visited Spa Diva! This is another place that I had an amazing experience at and that you guys should check out!

Spa Diva

Spa Diva has been around for several years now. The first time that I went was when they first opened, which was about 2-3 years ago and I absolutely loved it! Therefore, I decided to go back and I fell in love with this spa all over again! It's located on 1455 Peel Sreet (H3A 1T5). It's in "Les Cours Mont-Royal", which is a shopping mall located on Peel, between Ste Catherine and De Maisonneuve. They provide free parking, so make sure to ask them about it at the front desk! It's located all the way at the top floor! Spa Diva offers manicures, pedicures, skin analysis, facials, skin resurfacing, body treatments, massages, waxing services, botox & dermal fillers, thermage, laser hair removal, ultrashape, genesis plus, physiotherapy and aquatherapy. I'm telling you, they do everything! Check it out on their website http://spadiva.ca/en/ . It's best to make an appointment with them in advance, because they're really busy! 

I went for a pedi this time!

Honestly, if you want some luxurious pampering, Spa Diva is the way to go! Just when you get on the top floor, you just see Spa Diva with a beautiful front desk area! They just have this beautiful luxurious gold and white theme going on. They have a huge sofa chair for you to sit on, as they open up a file for you. Even when you walk into the spa, it's so peaceful and beautiful! They have a lot of private rooms for private services! They have several clean bathrooms, so that you don't need to wait. If you love decor as much as I do, the resting/lounge area is EVERYTHING! When I went the first time, my jaw dropped! It's absolutely beautiful! I always spend so much time in the lounge area! It's really big with couches and beds everywhere. It's so comfortable, that I'm sure that people fall asleep there! It's all beautifully decorated and in the middle of the lounge, they have a rectangular lily pad pond. They provide you the bath robs and flip flops! They also offer you complementary wine (red or white), which just makes the experience even better! There's even chocolate covered strawberries, apples, infused water and trail mix, that they offer you. If you want something extra, you can order food and beverages! There's no time limit to how long you can stay in the lounge area, so you can relax as long as you want! Just like a typical spa, you can't be talking loud, because the whole point of a spa is to relax and free your mind! 

How gorgeous is the lounge area!

So comfortable!

Another view

And another

This lily pad pond adds the touch!

A close up

Loving the colors!

Complementary wine

When I went yesterday with my friends, we got the "Haute Couture" pedicure done, which was phenomenal! This pedicure includes an exfoliation, feet massage and paraffin treatment, which are things that you don't get in the regular pedicure. You are also seated in a luxurious reclining chair with built in therapeutic whirlpool, which was honestly AMAZING! I was just so relaxed! I also really enjoyed the paraffin treatment, because it really helped smoothen my feet! If you're feet are dry and rough like mine, I highly recommend you get this treatment! I'm telling you, my feet never felt so soft! It's apparently also supposed to help circulation! Obviously, they do nail shaping and cuticle trimming when you get the pedicure done. Also, they're nail polish selection is HUGE! I feel like they have every shade possible! They mostly carried Essie nail polishes, which are my favorite! I had a hard time choosing a color, but I just went with a pink! Overall, the pedicure was worth every penny in my opinion! Normally, it's $59.95 for the "Haute Couture" pedicure, but on Mondays and Tuesdays, you get 10% off on their services! It may seem pricey to most of you, but honestly, you get more than a typical pedicure and you get to enjoy the lounge area with complementary snacks! 

Our pedi

You guys are probably wondering how the service was and let me tell you, it was amazing! Everyone is so welcoming and respectful! They're also really professional. Even in the lounge, the staff is constantly cleaning up after a client leaves! They honestly portrait such a good image of Spa Diva, like I have nothing bad to say!

Overall, I absolutely love Spa Diva! It's a place where I would like to go at least twice a year. Yes it is a bit pricey, but the service and experience you get is a 100% worth it! Next time, I do want to try a different service, so if you already been to Spa Diva, let me know what you recommend! Like I tell everyone, once in awhile, whether you're a male or female, you need to get pampered (treat yourself)! 

Bløme (Blow Dry & Nail Bar)

Hey guys! So, today's post is going to be a little different. I decided to start posting about which spas and salons that I recommend, because I get so many questions about that! I visited some really nice places in Montreal, that you guys definitely need to check out! Once in awhile, we all need to get pampered! Today was definitely that day for me! I visited both Spa Diva and Bløme, which were AMAZING! So, I'll start off with Bløme.

Front desk at Bløme

It's a blow dry and nail bar located on 46 McGill (H2Y 3W5) in Old Port Montreal. They only opened this March, so they're fairly new. It's such a unique and amazing idea! It's the first blow dry bar in Old Port! They offer services such as blow drys (no haircuts), manicures and pedicures. They do any kind of hair styling and braiding. Even their nail bar, they do shellac, gel, extensions and so on! Here is their website with all their services and prices: http://www.blome.ca/  They also have group party packages, which I think is an amazing idea! I mean, if you're getting married, they'll style everyone and even provide you guys with food!

These hair products are a must!

First things first, the decor is BEAUTIFUL! It's simple, but classy! Everything is white and that blue turquoise. It really captures your attention! They also have quotes everywhere, which I found so cute! They have two floors. The main floor is for hair and the top is for manicures/pedicures. I'll definitely be going back to get a pedi, like look at those chairs!

Those chairs! So beautiful!

The blow dry area

Little touches like these are beautiful! 

This quote is just too cute!

My friends and I, just went for a blow dry. We were going out for supper for my friend's birthday and we decided to stop by at Bløme. We just got simple blow drys, but our hair looked AMAZING! I basically straightened my hair and got a "flare" at the bottom. My hair honestly looked so glamorous! I was like really impressed and even my friends loved their blow drys! I love how they gave us tips and tricks to help maintain our hair! I know most hair dressers love to push  you to buying their products, but this wasn't the case at all with the staff at Bløme! They were just really good at what they do and you'll love the results! Blowouts are normally $35, but on Mondays and Tuesdays, it's $25 until the end of the summer! It's best to call in and make an appointment, because they're normally busy! Follow them on Instagram to see their work and promotions!: @blomeblowdrybar @kimbieri @audrey2025 .

Our blow dry. Nothing fancy, but we loved it!

The ambiance just felt so right at Bløme! The service was AMAZING and the staff was SO friendly! Like I have nothing bad to say! When we first walked in, they were so welcoming! One of the owners of Bløme (Kim) was nice enough to even give us a tour of the place! I can't see anyone complaining about their customer service, like they're just so sweet! Oh and did you know that they serve their clients Mimosas? I'm telling you, little touches like that really captures your attention! It just makes the experience even better! If you don't like Mimosas, they have coffee!

How can you say no to a Mimosa?! It was delicious if you were wondering

Overall, I'm in love with this place! I highly recommend it! If you have a dinner or a party downtown, it's super convenient for you to go to Bløme's!  They're right in the Old Port near the main attractions! It's affordable and a perfect place to get pampered! I'll definitely be going back there again! Thank you so much Kim, Audrey and the Bløme staff for having us and giving us such an amazing experience!

MAC Giambattista Valli Lipsticks: Hot or Not?

Hey guys, I decided to do a short review on the new Giambattista Valli lipsticks by MAC. Ever since the pictures of this collaboration were released, everyone wanted to get their hands on these lipsticks! Like hello, look at how beautiful the packaging is! It's so creative and unique! It definitely grabs anyone's attention! Also, the shades are so beautiful for the summertime! They're all fun and bold! So, I'm just going to give you guys a brief review on these!

Giambattista Valli Collaboration with MAC

First of all, like I said, the packaging automatically grabs your attention! It was so creative of them to paint the whole tube the same color as the lipstick shade! It makes it easier to find the shade that you're looking for in your collection! To be honest, I basically got them for the packaging (typical makeup junkie). They come with the same amount of product as the regular MAC lipstick, but it costs $21CAD instead of $19CAD.

Gorgeous right?

The boxes (front)

The back

This collection comes with 5 lipsticks and a crystal glaze gloss. I just stuck to the lipsticks and got all 5 of them. It really wasn't necessary to get them all, but like I said, I couldn't resist the packaging! All the lipsticks are matte finish! There's nothing new to the formula, it's the same as the original! I find MAC's matte formula is more of a semi matte finish, because the finish isn't completely matte! They glide on really nicely and don't dry out your lips! They're really pigmented and they don't require a lip liner! In terms of duration, these lipsticks last around 4-5 hours.

Another look without flash

With flash

So, let's get into the shade range. As you saw from the pictures, they're all bold fun summer colors! I personally don't think the colors are "original". I feel like there's already so many dupes for these lipsticks. So, if you missed this collection, don't feel bad. You'll find something similar to these (minus the gorgeous packaging!)



So, let's talk about each shade individually! As mentioned, they're all matte!


1)Bianca B: It's a pale white pink. It has a really strong white base to it, which made it look like I had chalk on my lips. I have medium skin and I can't wear this on it's own. I'll definitely be pairing it with a lip liner and do a ombre lip. However, if you're light skin, it will look really nice, if you like a light pink lip! I don't own any lipsticks in this shade and I haven't really seen a dupe for it. So, I guess this is the only "original" color. However, it doesn't suit every skin color!

2)Charlotte: It's a medium-dark red with a tiny bit of cool undertones to it. This color looks good on any skin color! There's already many dupes for this shade. From my collection, I have MAC's Ruby (LE from Pedro Lourenco collab), which is almost the same shade as Charlotte. The only difference is, Ruby is an amplified. There's also MAC'S Ruby Woo, which is similar, but a bit lighter than Charlotte. Also, Ruby Woo is a retro matte, which is more drying unlike the matte formula.

Bianca B and Charlotte

3)Eugenie: It's described as a dark cherry with blue undertones. It honestly looks like a deepened wine color with a hint of purple to it. It's another shade that would suit any skin color! It looks similar to Diva, but Diva is more of a reddish burgundy, while this one is more of a purple wine color. I saw some people say it's similar to MAC'S Rebel, but I disagree. Rebel is more of a dark plum-berry color, while Eugenie has red in it. I find Eugenie is actually a mixture of both Diva and Rebel. This shade also reminds me of MAC's Sin, but Sin is more on the warmer side.

4)Tats: It's described as a bright hot pink, but in my opinion, it's more of a brightened medium  fucshia pink. It's another shade that looks good on any skin color! I know a lot of people say that Tats is similar to MAC's Candy Yum Yum, but I disagree. Candy Yum Yum is a neon pink with blue undertones to it, whereas Tats is more of a pink fucshia with subtle blue undertones. I find it more wearable than Candy Yum Yum. I find it's very similar to MAC'S Girl About Town. The only difference is, Girl About Town is cooler than Tats.

5)Margherita: It's a medium coral orange with warm undertones to it. It's another shade that will suit any skin color! I really been into corals lately, so this is my favorite one from the collection! However, it's another shade that's already available in the market! I find the shade is similar to MAC'S Ravishing. However, Ravishing is slighty lighter than Margherita. Also, Ravishing is a Cremesheen, therefore the finish is really different. There's also MAC's Vegas Volt, which is similar to Margherita. Vegas Volt is just darker. I would say if you put Ravishing and Vegas Volt together, the shade would be Margherita, because it's really in between those shades!

Eugenie, Tats and Margherita

Swatches in order without flash

Swatches with flash

They're so gorgeous and I love how this collection has bright opaque lipsticks for the summer! Like I said, if you missed the collection, don't worry! I mean, there's already similar shades available in the market! The lipsticks are currently sold out on Mac online. However, some stores do have a few shades left! Therefore, go in ASAP! The Bay online also has a few shades available!  Overall, I do love these lipsticks and I'm glad that they're apart of my collection!

ColourPop: Super Shock Highlighter in Wisp Review

As I mentioned in my June haul, I wanted to review the ColourPop Super Shock Highlighter in Wisp, because it's absolutely gorgeous! Honestly, I love ColourPop products and I'll be picking up more of their highlighters! Their collection includes 15 shades and the color range is absolutely beautiful! You have so many different unique colors to choose from! I'm telling you, every makeup addict needs a ColourPop highlighter in their collection and let me explain to you why!

ColourPop Highlighter in Wisp

First of all, the packaging is absolutely stunning! I love black packaging, but let's be honest, it's just so basic! The fact that ColourPop went with white packaging, really makes their products stand out from your collection! The packaging is nice and sturdy. You just twist off the white lid to open it. It's light and portable! My advice to you is to make sure that you really tighten the lid to close it, because the product can get dry if you don't close it properly! This product comes with 4.2g of product and guess how much it is?! Only $8USD!!! Honestly, it's so affordable, that slowly you'll want everything! You can only buy this on ColourPop's website https://colourpop.com

The packaging

[I just wanted to point out that the lid had ColourPop written  on it, but mine smudged off, because I use it often and I just throw it around in my purse! Also, none of these pictures are edited!]

The product itself is very unique. It's like a mousse clay kind of texture. The product is soft when you dip your finger into it, but it's not a creamy texture. It kind of feels like a sponge. I'm telling you it's very unique and different! However, it's SO pigmented! A little goes a long way! Once you apply it, it doesn't budge! It literally stays in place! What I like about this highlighter is that it doesn't set into your skin! It just leaves that beautiful dewy glow. The best way to apply this product is to use your fingers. You can use a synthetic brush, but I find it blends easier with your fingers!

Look at that pigmentation! Just lightly dipped my finger into it!

So now you know the texture is amazing, let's talk about the shade Wisp! It's a beautiful golden champagne with reflective gold duochrome to it. It has a warm undertone to it and falls more on the bronze side. It just leaves that beautiful metallic glow to the skin. It does have shimmer in it to make it more opaque. It blends really nicely! You can build up the pigmentation, if you really want it to be an intense metallic glow or you can sheer it out, for a more softer glow! I find either way, it's gorgeous! This shade is ideal for people with medium to dark skin! I also recommend it to people with light skin, however it does have that bronze color to it, so it may look muddy if you're super light. If you're light, I recommend you apply a little bit and really blend it out. If it doesn't look muddy, then you can build up the pigmentation!

Wisp without the flash

Wisp with the flash

Wisp with no flash swatched

Wisp with flash swatched

What Wisp looks like on me (no flash)

Another view without the flash

Wisp on different skin colors! (picture from the ColourPop website)

Now the question is, how long does it wear for? I always love to test my products out by the hour. I would say for 8-10 hours, this product will still be glowing on your face! It doesn't budge at all! However, by the 11-12th hour, I did see it slightly fading away. It wasn't completely off my face, but it was starting to fade. It really didn't bother me, because wherever you are, you can easily apply this product with your fingers. You don't need to carry your brushes with you! It's super convenient!


I highly recommend you guys give these highlighters a go! They're super affordable and you have so many shades to choose from! If you have medium skin, such as myself, Wisp will be your best friend! It's the perfect bronze gold highlighter. If you already tried these highlighters, let me know which ones are your favorite shades! I plan on expanding my collection, so let me know guys!