Not all that much has changed in my life in the last week so there’s nothing groundbreaking to add on that front … other than perhaps one of those lovely impromptu trips to Sephora with the girls, where you show them the copious amounts of products that they need and you allow them to help you justify purchasing your latest beauty lust(s). The impromptu trip to Sephora is a sacred institution in my world, allowing me to cling on the proper side of insanity in this blur of sleep-deprivation and stress.

The Products

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it before and I hardly need to because I’ve mentioned anxiety before, but I do struggle with my sleep and there are too-frequent nights of exhaustion when I lay in my bed in hopes of sleeping four hours or so such sleep occurs. Keeping my computer on into the wee hours of the morning is a habit that I engage in all too often and it does not help the sleep situation and makes the quality of my sleep rather poor so I’ve been really loving my “notebook of blogging”. I’ve kept one for months but recently I’ve gotten really into using it and keeping it on me at all times. Taking notes for blogposts is productive in itself when my mind won’t shut off but also seems to help me get to sleep in these circumstances and a few of my recent posts were typed in here straight from the notebook pages. I’m someone who is struck by inspiration when trying to sleep in the wee hours in the early morning and it’s really helpful to write the ideas down.

I’ve been meaning to talk about Ren Hydracalm Global Protection Day Cream last month but I’ve never quite gotten around to it despite the fact that I really like it – however despite the heftier price tag I would rank it on par with my other favourites, the Caudalie Sorbet-Creme and Kiehl’s Stress Rescuer. It’s an effective, rich and nourishing but lightweight moisturizer that comes in hygienic pump packaging and does soothe the skin effectively as promised but it isn’t quite as gentle on my skin when it’s sore, flaking and irritated. Although it’s boasted as natural, there is fragrance in this one and potentially irritating plant extracts along with the beneficial ingredients. It leaves a wonderful energized luminosity to the skin and it helps for makeup to apply seamlessly to the skin. I’ve been using this constantly over the last little while. And if you were curious, it hasn’t been discontinued but rather repackaged with the Evercalm label – the formulation has not changed.

I’ve dug out my NARS Kalahari Eyeshadow Duo again and I’ve been reaching for the darker, mauve-y plum tinged taupe shade as my crease shade on a daily basis. It’s the perfect slightly-darker-than-medium toned shade to add subtle definition and smokiness to the crease along with the lower lashline. It’s not matte but it’s shine factor only verges into the satin-finish territory with the subtlest of sheens. It’s like MAC Satin Taupe with warmer undertones, less shimmer and with more of a mauve lean to it, if that makes any sense – and I do prefer it to the cult-classic MAC shadow.

Recommendations

If you didn’t figure this out before now, it  shouldn’t be a shock that I am one of those sad sad people who look forward to the end of the month slash beginning of the next because of the influx of favourites posts and videos which I adore – I do suspect some of this is due to my inherent nosy nature but I’m always curious to see what others are wearing consistently throughout the month and this influences my makeup buying … for the better I hope and here are an edited selection of the ones I enjoyed the most. In terms of videos, I’d have to say that my top pick would be Jaclyn Hill‘s as she’s so informative but hilarious at the same time and it doesn’t hurt that shes gorgeous. And postwise, I’d recommend checking out Girl With Makeup‘s offering.

So, I lied. I’ve also fallen in love with a new blog independently of my obsession with monthly favourites post and it’s called raspberphobia and is written by the British Annie living in America, an informative but concise and nicely designed beauty blog that deserves way more followers. This blog has quickly become a favourite of mine and if you like laid back posts with a beautiful layout, you’ll fall in love. I must acknowledge that it’s thanks to The Beauty Milk that I discovered her.

General Life Update

I’m aware that it is no longer January, but I’m still going through that kind of January blues of perpetual exhaustion, stress and a sense of blah-ness. It’s now getting to that time when it’s stress inducing merely thinking about what all I have to get done and it’s not short-term work per se but everything seems to be creeping up on me at once, leaving me little time to breathe let alone sleep.

How was your week?