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Thursday 19 January 2017

A Shoppers Beauty Boutique Haul ft. Urban Decay, Smashbox, and BeneFit!

Hi, everyone! There are few things I love more than perusing beauty shops, spritzing and swatching away. That said, there are certain times (the dead of winter, for instance), where some cozy online shopping in my PJs is just what I need. Luckily, the Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutique has recently launched their online shop and, since that's one one of my favourite places to snag great beauty in-person, it was no surprise that browsing their virtual store was also a treat! 



The Beauty Boutique online store has been adding some fantastic brands lately, and when Urban Decay joined the lineup in December, I knew I had to place an order. I spent awhile sifting  through the options, but I ultimately selected goodies from UD, BeneFit, and Smashbox

The products arrived in an adorable, luxurious Beauty Boutique box with a pretty blue lid, with everything tucked in neatly. The added attention to detail was very nice! 

Here's a peek at what I chose:


Precisely, My Brow Pencil in Shade 02** ($30 CAD)

"Oh my WOW… precise & defined eyebrows! Go from shapeless & undefined to filled & defined eyebrows with a few strokes of this precision eyebrow pencil. The twist-up, ultra-fine tip draws incredibly natural-looking, hair-like strokes and the rich, smudge-proof colour lasts for 12 hours." (from beautyboutique.ca)


If you've ever seen one of my makeup-free selfies, you'll know that my brows are so, so sparse. Thanks, the '90s, and your pencil thin brows. Blah. So while I've been pretty loyal to my Anastasia Brow Powder Duo over the past decade, I'm always on the lookout for an easy to use brow pencil that'll also do the job. While people sometimes recommend thicker pencils for ultra sparse brows, I still like a thin tip because I still want to be precise. That's why Precisely, My Brow was so tempting! I have to say that Shade 02 is a perfect match for my cool-toned dark blonde hair, the narrow shape really creates an ultra precise application, and the waxy formula really makes for ultra long wear! The only downside that I've found is that because the formula is more waxy (as opposed to creamy), it takes a while to layer the product to desired intensity, so application takes a little while. As such, I don't think this will become my daily brow product, but it's now snuggled in my on-the-go makeup bag and is absolutely perfect for touch-ups! 


As with all BeneFit products, Precisely, My Brow comes in cute colourful packaging with fun, girly, circus-themed graphics and some photo depictions of the product in action. The product itself comes in a thin, shiny silver tube with pink lettering and a handy twist-up mechanism. 


Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick in Babe Alert** ($28 CAD)

A featherweight, non-drying, liquid matte lipstick that stays put and keeps colour looking fresh and flawless as the first swipe for up to eight hours." (from beautyboutique.ca)

I'm at a funny place with the matte liquid lipstick trend- part of me rolls my eyes with every new release and shakes my fist at how dry these formulas can leave my lips; on the other hand, I can't help but still be ultra curious when a liquid lipstick launch offers amazing, unique shades. I'd heard nothing but good things about the Always On formula from blogger friends and the promise of a lightweight, non-drying formula with actual moisturizers like jojoba really tempted me! 

Despite several bold, unusual shades in the range, I opted for a more wearable colour that I could sport on the regular. I chose Babe Alert, a warm coral-tinged nude that brightens my complexion and pairs so well with smokey, colourful, and neutral eye looks alike. It does indeed feel light and comfortable on the lips and the wear time is impressive! 


The Always On Liquid Lipsticks come in black cardboard boxes with a colour-coordinated swatch on the box matching the shade inside. The tubes are square shaped and made of ultra sturdy plastic that allows you to see the colour of the product. The applicator is unique and handy- like a flattened doe foot with a pointed tip that really lets you get into every corner of the lips! 


Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks in Crisis and Mrs. Mia Wallace** ($21 CAD each)

"Prepare to get hooked. Vice Lipstick comes in a massive lineup of 100 addictive shades and six indulgent finishes—Urban Decay’s biggest lineup yet! Vice has it all: Bold brights. Dark, sexy shades. Super-versatile neutrals. With so much variety it’ll make your head spin, there’s something for everyone—from new shades to cult favourites you thought you’d never see again." (from beautyboutique.ca)

I've been an Urban Decay fanatic for 15 years, so when they released this epic collection of lipsticks last year my head started spinning. There were so many shades to choose from and the promise of bold pigmentation and and a comfortable texture were extra tempting. I didn't know where to start, so I held off until recently. It was so difficult to narrow down my picks, but I ultimated opted for a stunning bold red with an amazing movie reference, Mrs. Mia Wallace, and a modern neutral plummy brown, Crisis. Both are of the brand's Cream formula (which they describe as "the original- creamy, badass luxury") and feel so smooth and hydrating on the lips with a wonderfully pigmented finish. 


The Vice Lipsticks come in ultra cool, colourful black boxes with lipstick graphics and gold lettering. The tubes are sleek with gold and silver metal and the bullets are imprinted with the UD logo- a fun touch! 

Here's a closeup of Mrs. Mia Wallace:


And Crisis


And here are swatches of all three of the lip colours from my haul on my inner arm (MAC NC15 skin tone): 

(L-R): Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick in Babe Alert and Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks in Crisis and Mrs. Mia Wallace 

The Beauty Boutique also offers three samples with every online order. There were a great variety of brands and products to try and I opted for the classic Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, a soothing serum from the Nuxe Creme Fraiche range, and an oil-free hydrator from the new Philosophy Breathe collection. I can't wait to give them a try! 


I am so, so happy with my picks (I clearly didn't need any more lipsticks, but that's beside the point) and my Beauty Boutique online experience was great! The brand selection is fab (it now even includes Chanel!) and the shipping was ultra quick (it came in a few days in late December, which says a lot). So if you want to snag some luxe, colourful makeup from the comfort of your home this winter, the Beauty Boutique is a solid way to go :)

What are your favourite brands at the Beauty Boutique? Did I tempt you with anything?

Thanks so much for stopping by! xo



**The products in this post were purchased with a promotional gift card provided to me at a PR event for Shoppers Beauty Boutique. All opinions expressed in this post are 100% authentic and my own! 

11 comments:

  1. Look at all the Urban Decay items you picked up!! How fun ;-) I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts and reviews on them!

    Stephanie | theFantasia.com

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    1. I'm so happy with the lipsticks! Will definitely be featuring them in some makeup looks soon :)

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  2. Oooh Babe Alert is totally up my alley! I've been wanting to try the Smashbox liquid lipsticks for a while but annoyingly enough they STILL haven't launched here! :(

    Tasha // shiwashiful.

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    1. Ah, hope they come soon! Babe Alert would be great on you :)

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  3. Hmm, I really wanted to try Precisely but I think I'll skip it x

    Coco | The Beauty Milk

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  4. Woaaaah, love the look of that liquid Smashbox lipstick.

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  5. I recently bought that Benefit brow pencil too & love it! Crisis looks stunning! It wouldn't be a VVB haul without a lipstick (or three!) xx

    Beautylymin

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  6. Ooh I love the look of the shade you got in the Smashbox liquid lipstick! The Urban Decay lipstick in Crisis looks gorgeous too :) I haven't tried the Cream finish yet

    Jasmine xx

    Jasmine Talks Beauty

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  7. Such a lovely haul. love the lipstick shades.
    http://tipsoye.com/

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  8. Great haul! You got some nice products! Babe Alert is gorgeous!

    ahintofbeauty.blogspot.com/

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  9. YASSS I'm so pleased you picked up Mrs Mia Wallace since it's one of my favourite reds in my stash. (I'm not sure if the finish is different though!)I'm totally here for the name of that Smashbox liquid lipstick though, since I used to say "babe alert" a lot, hah

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All of your lovely comments make my day! Thanks for taking the time to share your musings, ideas, and opinions. Feel free to leave a link to your blog- I'd be happy to check it out :)