She works hard for the money

I was inspired by my post from yesterday to talk about one of my favourite things: Value sets. Basically, as I was typing up my feelings on those gosh-darned mascara sampler sets, I was working myself up into a frenzy. A frenzy of emotion that could best be described as... Giddy. Euphoric. Crazed if you will. I felt as though I did not convey my feelings enough. They are seriously THE BEST THING EVER INVENTED EVER. It was then, as I sat wiping away tears of happiness and excitement after I had completed my thoughts on the fricken things, that I started to realize there were so many GOOD sets out there that needed to be discussed. I have always been a huge fan of value sets. Smashbox was probably my first memory of being hooked on makeup value sets. For a few years they used to make these limited edition "sets" usually containing an eyeshadow palette, a brush or two, eyeliner, mascara and a lipgloss. I remember being 20 years old and traipsing to Shoppers Drug Mart to "spend my points" on every new one they came out with. If my memory serves me correctly, they were usually around the $65 mark, with the total cost of each individual product being significantly higher than that. It's just a thrilling feeling, to be able to get so much more for what you spend. It's also a great way to try products you normally wouldn't. I decided to showcase a few of the value sets I have acquired in my possession recently-ish that I am super pumped about.

Smashbox limited edition lip palette

Why not get it rollin' with some good old Smashbox? Around Christmas-time of last year they came out with this wonderful number for their 25 year company anniversary. Expecting a run-of-the-mill eyeshadow palette or a little value set, I was thrilled to discover this is what they designed! I've been saying for the entirety of 2015 that SOMEONE needed to design a lip palette, as lip trends dominated the makeup world last year. Why not make a cool lipstick palette like so many eyeshadow ones that had come before? Well, SOMEONE was listening to my insane rantings because Smashbox premiered this lovely limited edition stroke of genius. It's absolutely perfect for the makeup artist that lies within, as you can create your own shades by custom blending whichever ones suit your fancy that particular day OR wearing each one individually. It was love at first sight upon our first encounter. As this is limited edition, it is no longer available. (Sorry.....)

Bite Beauty Lip Discovery Set

Continuing on with the lip trend, Bite Beauty was a brand that I completely fell in love with last year. I mentioned it in my VIB Sale 2015 post, and everything that I have tried from this Canadian WOMAN owned brand is absolute perfection. It is solely a lip product line, and boy do they do it well. Their lipsticks and lip pencils are incredible. So around November of last year when the infamous VIB Rouge 20% off sale kicked off into high gear, this was probably the first product that landed in my Sephora online "cart". Everything in this set is full-sized. That's right, full-sized lipstick, primer, gloss, pencil, scrub, lipstick remover wipes and pigment stick. The price? $59, which is what not even TWO of those products in the value set were worth. And that's not including my 20% off. I still can't talk about it without feeling light-headed.

Sephora Favourites Brow Kit

This next item is probably the one I was most excited about. I'm still waiting for Ashton Kutcher to come flying out from behind the couch and start screaming "HAHAHA YOU'VE BEEN PUNKED NOW PAY UP YOU PSYCHOPATH". During the very same VIB Rouge sale from November, the Sephora Favourites Brow kit came into my possession. I'm still waiting to be told, "Sorry, we charged you the wrong price and now you owe us, Honey". In this totally amazing value set, you will find 7 incredible items perfect for all things brows. My eyebrows are my life, and I am always looking for that next big thing that will be my can't-live-without-it lifechanger product. So when I stumbled upon this wonderful kit, I was filled with excitement. Everything in it is full-sized. That's right, ERRTHANG. You get the new Smashbox Brow Tech Gloss Stick, the Anastasia Brow Whiz, the Kat Von D Tattoo Brow, the Anastasia Brow Gel, the Benefit High Brow, a pair of Sephora tweezers and a matching mirror. It was $48. The Benefit High Brow alone is $36. The BEST part? YOU CAN PICK YOUR SHADE. Obvs, I got the Medium/Dark one. I seriously want to include this kit in my will, THAT'S how much I love it. Incredible value. Just.... SO. GOOD.

Tarte Holiday 2015 collection (highlighting brush not pictured)

Tarte. Oh Tarte. Like Beyonce, as time goes on you just keep getting better.  These next two pretties were again purchased during that very same sale in November. First off, the brush kit is just too amazing to even begin to comprehend. Five perfect full-sized Tarte brushes embossed in a glamourous gold colour and housed in the cutest case in the world. I use the powder brush everyday since I got it. The other set I chose is pretty amazing as well. 24 eyeshadows, a deluxe sample size mascara, and a removable travel palette containing a blush, bronzer, highlighter and 6 more eyeshadows also housed in the same ornate sequined case. I went to visit my family at Christmas-time and I chose to bring this to fulfill my eyeshadow/blush/bronzer needs as to not take up so much luggage space with makeup and I was happy with the decision. I was able to use the same palette and create several different looks for both day-time and evening wear. Sets like these Tarte ones are the reason why I get so ravenously excitable when they're launched. Beautiful and a bang for your buck. A perfect situation if you ask me.

I also wanted to include a picture of the 2016 Sephora LashStash I talked about yesterday. Again, it's just the best idea ever. If you were interested, I do not believe they are available online yet, just in store.


Wishing everyone a fabulous eyebrows-on-fleek week ahead!