FACE: Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Montblanc, Make Up For Ever 5 Concealer Cream Palette in 1, NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer in Sunny, Physician’s Formula Happy Booster Blush in Rose, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Semi-Precious Pearl

EYES: NYX HD Eyeshadow Base, Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze, Urban Decay Naked Palette, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Semi-Precious Pearl, Lancome Le Crayon Khol in Black Ebony, L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara, Maybelline The Falsies Mascara, Revlon Brow Fantasy in Brunette

LIPS: EOS Peach lip balm, Revlon Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya

There’s something about a subtle(r) smoky eye that works in this late autumn time of year (it feels like winter here in Canada so I cannot bring myself to call it Fall). Sometimes you want to get all into the spirit of the season without wearing the high(er)-maintenance bold lip and this is when I favor the flattering slightly-messy daytime smoky eye.

From the stress of the impending doom otherwise known as finals and the great lack of sleep I’ve been getting I presume, my skin decided to go on protest and I woke up this morning with a big, painful underneath-the-skin blemish that’s impossible to cover along with the usual blemishes, bumps and general dehydration issues.

As per usual (even more-so this time of year) I slathered on some moisturizer immediately before starting the face in the hope of a glow – my current pick is Kiehl’s Skin Rescuer. When I woke up this morning three words were on my tongue “Nars Sheer Glow” and true to my word I used my sample from Sephora that I haven’t used in ages as it has been too pale but I’m back to my natural fair state so it worked. This foundation sort of reminds me of Rimmel Wake Me Up but with a tad more coverage and no shimmer and I really wish I bought this instead of Diorskin Nude. Alas… It gave my skin that glow while still providing very good coverage (with the aid of some heavy-duty concealer on the hideous zit painful spot) without looking ridiculous. I’m resisting the urge to run to Sephora and purchase it right now – but honestly it’s high on my mental wishlist.

Apparently subconsciously I was determined to use the Naked Palette in an everyday sort of way without using my favourite highlight/lid shade Sin so my brain in its typically irrational sense used another shade in the same vein as Sin to use in its place so every eyeshadow look I post did not include that one shade — I used the pale golden champagne outer-ring of the limited-edition and no longer available MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Semi-Precious Pearl (but in all honesty most MSFs are rather similar) on the inner-third of my lid. The warm medium-toned reddy bronze Toasted went on the rest of the lid and was blended into the crease and then Hustle was blended into the outer v and Creep was blended slightly into the lashes. The result was that sort of hazy and warm smoky eye that wasn’t too attention grabbing.

I was determined to use a strictly non-Autumnal lipstick so I went for the easy and somewhat unseasonal Revlon Juicy Papaya Lip Butter and I was feeling bored with my blush choices so I pulled out the forgotten-about Physician’s Formula Rose Happy Booster – great rosy shade but the colour has to be built up and the longevity leaves some to be desired.

What are your thoughts on my weekly (or more often than that) face posts? What have you been reaching for lately?