My Five Favourite Coral Blushes

For anyone else, or at least most of us, selecting your favourite coral blushes would not be a strenuous task involving a great amount of deliberation, however, I have a serious addiction to coral blushes of a sheeny luminous variety. Here comes the lowdown, beginning with the most expected choices:

DSC_0597DSC_0592

1. NARS Orgasm Powder Blush ($35/0.16 ounces) OR $218.75/ounce | review

Officially described as “peachy pink with shimmer”, this sheeny pink coral blush provides a strong golden glow with golden shimmer running throughout. As with all of my favourite blush choices here, I love the smooth texture and instant luminosity of the blush but this one is particularly easy because the pigment builds slowly and easily. I don’t believe that this shade is the most universally flattering blush out there like the previous hype would suggest but it is flattering even with its pinker rosy lean on my moderately fair warm toned skin. Out of the bunch this shade has the most visible shimmer but it’s not the most reflective of them all. This is perhaps the lightest shade of the bunch so it’s only suitable for fairer skin tones.

2. MAC Stereo Rose Mineralize Skinfinish ($35/0.32 ounces) OR $108.35/ounce

I’m sorry for this, including a limited edition product that is not currently available but this “coral with golden bronze shimmering nuances” shade is a longtime favourite of mine with an amazing sheeny smooth formula so I had to include it anyway – but luckily the cult favourite shade seems to be repromoted every year or two so I’d keep your eye out if you’re interested. It has impressive pigmentation for a Mineralize Skinfinish and no visible shimmer particles and a flattering rusty lean to it. The permanent MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Cheeky Bronze ($35/0.35 ounces) is extremely similar but has more of that bronzy copper hue to it and MAC Style might be even closer, but a bit different in formula. It’s suitable for fair skintones to the entire spectrum of medium skin tones.

DSC_0599DSC_0601

3. MAC Frost Powder Blush in Style ($26/0.21 ounces) OR $123.81/ounce | review

This ‘frost’ blush is nowhere near as frightening as the name would suggest, it doesn’t have any sort of dated or unflattering shimmer particles or overly intense sheen. It has that flattering strong sheen that is similar to MAC’s Mineralize Skinfinishes but without that baked mineral formula. It’s a peachy coral with strong golden sheen throughout that is luminous in the best way, providing that golden luminosity and doubling as a highlighting product, accurately described my mac as “coral peach with warmth”. The blush has a lovely smooth texture with a nice sheen to the cheeks, a glow and a hint of overall warmth. It has kind of a orange-y lean so it’s not suitable for fair cool skin tones or among the palest of complexions, but it would be flattering for most – either as a blush or as a highlight for those with deep skin tones.

4. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat ($41/0.15 ounces) OR $273.33/ounce

This rather expensive blush has the least shimmer in it but it somehow manages to give just as much radiance without the shimmer particles and it reads as a satin, likely because of the Diffused Light powder that the blush is marbled with. It’s  described as a “vibrant poppy” and while I agree with the vibrant part of the name – it’s definitely vibrant and with the most pigmentation of all of the included blushes – I would describe it as more of a pinky coral mixed with a watermelon hue. Also, while it’s pigmented, it can be applied sheerly with ease. It’s a more unique colour than the rest, perhaps the least traditionally coral, with neutral rather than warm undertones and the same brightening effect. This unique shade would suit fair skin-tones with a light hand all the way up to those with the lighter end of deep complexions.

5. L’Oreal True Match Blush in N3-4 Innocent Flush ($15.99/0.21 ounces) OR $76.14/ounce

In the last two years I’ve discovered a great number of amazing drugstore products along my trials, however, blushes are among the most difficult products to find excellent versions of on a budget but this one performs along with much higher end offerings. It’s a more muted version of MAC’s Style that has a touch more pink along with the peach that flatters fairer skin tones (up to medium ones) and a slightly less intense golden sheen. The texture is smooth and it provides that luminosity that I search for while still lasting all day long. It’s incredibly versatile, providing that glow and sheen that brightens the face while being easy to wear with more intense eye makeup and lip colour.

From top: NARS Orgasm | MAC Stereo Rose | MAC Style | Hourglass Diffused Heat | L'Oreal Innocent Flush
From top: NARS Orgasm | MAC Stereo Rose | MAC Style | Hourglass Diffused Heat | L’Oreal Innocent Flush
 What’s your favourite coral blush?
Maggie, x.

 

 

Weekly Medley #62/63

So, I’ve been kind of dreading writing this post because quite frankly there has been nothing going on other than beginning to enjoy some nice sunshine and generally warm weather, along with the stress about  attempting to get a job over the summer and that whole application process – but here goes:

Recently Updated76

1. Two products I have been enjoying… I’ve rediscovered my love for a highlighter and have fallen for a new frankly rather pricy drugstore eyeshadow palette. Unfortunately, the highlighter is limited edition and by no means available but regardless I’ve been loving the MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Semi-Precious Pearl, mainly for the pale champagne sheeny shade. I’ve been feeling going for a full on highlighter and so I’ve been whacking on a generous heaping of this one. I finally spotted the raved-about L’Oreal La Palette Nude offerings (I have the second) and I’ve fallen in love with it, even though I did pay the retail price of $29.99 CDN for it. Thankfully, the rosy-plum hued palette has a  variety of matte shades that are to die for and a nice variety of sheeny shades too, featuring a nice champagne.

2. Netflix binge watching… For three or four years, I had been watching and enjoying Grey’s Anatomy on and off but now that ten seasons have appeared on Netflix I’ve fallen in love with the show, starting from the beginning, watching the good portion of a season per day and enjoying every minute of it.

3. Yet another dash into MAC… When I was strolling around MAC, as one does, I managed to resist buying anything on a couple of occasions until I finally cracked and picked up another blush to use as a contour, the MAC Matte Powder Blush in Blunt. It’s a much darker contour colour than I typically go for but I like that it has no rosy undertone and is a neutral brown shade that neither reads as too warm or too ashy, adding that depth in a natural way with minimal product.

4. Because I needed more candles?… Bath & Body Works had their best promotion on Mother’s Day weekend so I couldn’t resist picking up two of their candles at the nice 2/25.50 or 3/32.50 deal. I promise I didn’t actually do as much shopping as this post is making appear – sidenote. I’m not even letting myself burn either the Bow Ties & Bourbon or Island Margarita candles until I burn up what I already have.

5. A regular posting schedule… I’m finally beginning to admit that I’m the kind of person who is never really satisfied with their work so while I definitely think my blogging schedule could be better, I’m rather pleased with my consistent posting schedule over the last two weeks while keeping up with the quality (in my opinion) of posts that I put up. One of my favourites was Friday’s Navigating MAC Collections because it was a bit different and therefore a bit of a risk but it turned out nicely and actually could be informative. It was also therapeutic to write and helpful to stop myself from wanting to go out and buy everything shiny and sparkly from their latest release.

Any musings to share?
Maggie, x.

Navigating MAC Collections

MAC limited editions collections tend to be overwhelming, rather frequent, bountiful but frighteningly splurge-inducing. MAC was my first makeup love and no matter how many collections have gone by without impressing me, they never fail to excite me. Certain collections that MAC releases are hit and miss, certain collections are merely repackaged permanent products in new packaging and a cost mark up but certain collections are gorgeous and lust-worthy. Some of these worthwhile collections tend to be their big summer release in May, this year which is Wash & Dry, along with their holiday releases. With my long term knowledge of MAC as a brand and experience with their collections for a good number of years, I figured I would give a lowdown on my approach to these collections.

source: images taken from Temptalia
source: images taken from Temptalia
summer2015_macwashdry001
1. Identify the season and what to look for:

For instance, every May Mac Collection has a focus on fun summery packaging, bronzing products, one specialty coloured powder and bright lipsticks and I believe that it’s key to focus on the more interesting products that appear seasonally that MAC does particularly well. As MAC’s Summer collections tend do, Wash & Dry, this year’s collection, modeled after a bright vintage laundromat, features different limited edition bronzing products, a gorgeous highlighting powder, an assortment of bright lipsticks and glosses along with some intriguing cheek products. Basically, MAC collections follow a formula and it can be key to understand the general formula of seasonal collections in order to make smart shopping decisions.

2. Glance at reviews:

I’m not saying to take the thoughts of others as absolute truth, but although MAC has a variety of kind of amazing products, they have a reputation for releasing less-than-stellar products with collections and are known for being generally hit and miss so reading some thoughts about others can help to narrow down what products to keep an eye on. Pretty much, this research keeps you from buying questionable products with intriguing packaging and marketing hype – at least to a certain extent.

3. Question yourself, ‘what would you buy if it wasn’t limited edition or in special packaging?’:

It’s just so easy to fall into the trap of buying everything in sight because you will not be able to access it in the future and I think we’ve all been there, so as painful as it is to do so, take a step back and think about whether you are considering the product for its allure that you have to buy it now, it’s pretty packaging or just general marketing. This keeps you from amassing a quantity of items that you will regret succumbing to later and acquiring a good amount of makeup that you quite honestly should not have bought.

4. Make a list:

Before heading into the store (or getting online shopping happy), it’s beyond helpful to make a list of the products that you are interested in after doing research and thinking on, so that you aren’t again swayed by the allure of limited edition products and beyond beautiful packaging and are working from a list created by a level head.

5. Compare to existing items in your collection:

No matter how interesting a product’s packaging is or how well it performs, it’s useless buying products that are essentially identical copies to numerous items that you already own. We’re all prone to certain buying obsessions (including coral blushes for me) and while it’s certainly fine to indulge in some of your favourite kinds of  purchases, I know that I really need to stop buying a million of seemingly-identical variations on the same sheeny coral blush. At the same time, it isn’t smart to buy something simply because it’s different from what you have in your collection; after all, you might not own many of a certain colour family in a product because you don’t like it in combination with your skin tone so it would not be wise to merely buy what you don’t own already.

My Potential List

(i) MAC Powder Blush in Hipness ($24.50 US/ $29 CDN): I’m a blush lover and this popular returning favourite has caught my eye, especially since it has returned again after being included and loved in 2008’s Fafi collection. It’s a warm peachy coral shade without much in terms of shimmer and a great formula and therefore deserves consideration.

(ii) MAC Bronzing Powder in Refined Golden ($27.50 US/ $33 CDN): This bronzer is merely a permanent product being re-released in gorgeous packaging, however, I have read promising reviews of this sheeny golden bronzer but have never tried it and I’m interested, especially given how summer is approaching.

(iii) MAC Studio Sculpt Defining Bronzing Powder in Delicates ($35.50 US/ $41 CDN): This is another example of how I use my expectations of collections to create my lists, being yet another bronzer and all. MAC’s limited edition bronzer offerings are something that I have heard amazing things about and I’ve almost bought and kept one of these new silky formula powders and plan to try them out in the future. I also liked the deeper less-orange offering.

(iV) MAC High-Light Powder in Freshen Up ($35.50 US/ $41 CDN): This year’s collection features one of MAC’s famous limited edition highlighting powders and the golden coral hue has been reported to have great pigmentation and texture. I can’t resist and have skipped these most years in the past…

(V) MAC Lipglass in Laundry List ($16.50 US/ $20 CDN): I’m not usually a lip gloss kind of girl on account of the stickiness but I’ve been getting more intro glosses as of late so this vivid orange is intriguing. It also helps that it’s a gorgeous summer hue and has stellar reviews.

(Vi) MAC Satin Lipstick in Steam Heat ($17.50 US/ $21): Summer collections are known for having gorgeous bright lipsticks in stellar formulas and this orange-hued red has me kind of excited. I love MAC’s lipsticks in generals and Satins are particularly nice.

Have any thoughts on MAC collections?
Maggie, x.

Another Six Drugstore Favourites

I’ve done sporadic posts detailing my favourite or essential drugstore products for a while now, however, it has been a good number of months since I’ve done one of these. I also acknowledge that I’ve been featuring slightly higher end products as of late, so I’m making he first steps in remedying the lack of drugstore content around these parts. I am definitely about the budget beauty after all…

DSC_0571

  • L‘Oreal Sublime Sun Quick Dry SPF 50 Sheer Finish Spray ($17.99): Spray sunscreen, while nothing new can be a complete lifesaver, being an easy option to use sun protection without requiring much in the way of effort and without the thicker greasy texture. However, I find that many spray sunscreens irritate my skin, being filled with alcohol and only seem to last for a few weeks but this sunscreen is an exception. It’s moisturizing while still being the lightest weight texture, meshes well with my skin and doesn’t seem to evaporate on the skin.
  • Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara in Soft Brunette ($11.99): I adore this thickening tinted brow mascara, even with the round brush and all, because it really works to tame my unruly brows and add some much-needed definition that matches my ashy toned eyebrows perfectly. It lasts for days in my brows in a way that nears being slightly annoying. I’m thinking that I might prefer this to MAC’s waterproof brow gel too but it does not add as much of a tint.
  • L’Oreal Lineur Intense Brush Tip in Carbon Black ($9-10): While the brush tip is not the easiest to wield, particularly in terms of holding a smooth and steady line, it’s affordable yet allows me to create the most precise wing out of all of the liners that I have tried.
  • Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 07 Nude-Ist ($24): Bourjois is a drugstore brand (even in Canada) but it’s not exactly the most affordable, or in the pricepoint that we would associate typically associate with drugstore brands. Regardless, I love this comfortable liquid lipstick staining product because it feels velvety on the lips, lasts for ages, is not drying but is comfortable on the lips. This shade is a gorgeous slightly brightened warm rose shade that I love for an everyday lip and even better, you don’t have to worry about it smudging on coffee cups or anywhere else.
  • L’Oreal Magic Lumi Concealer in Fair ($10-12): This highlighting pen runs among the fairest that I’ve ever tried and has that brightening pink tone so it works nicely on paler skin to brighten areas such as underneath the eye. However, I find that this pen works best when paired with another heavier duty concealer concentrated in the inner corners when my horrific dark circles are in sight – after all, a pale light-reflective concealer cannot cover such darkness.
  • NYX Butter Lipstick ($8.99): Ever since I’ve spotted these comfortable hydrating lipsticks around drugstores here in Canada at the very end of last year, I’ve been gradually trying a small selection of them and have fallen in love with the easy flattering, pigmented formula. The most pigmented shades are the brighter and darker shades – among which I own the coral-y Fireball and the deep burgundy-berry Licorice – but the more neutral shades are nice too, including the pictured warm-toned nude, Sugar Wafer (especially when paired with some liner).
What are your current drugstore favourites?
Maggie, x.

The Review | Paula’s Choice Resist Daily Smoothing Treatment 5% AHA

I was planning on putting up this post at the end of last week (er, on the weekend) but I was strangely busy and wasn’t exactly feeling all to great – hence the rationale for this post being postponed until today. Regardless, today I am reviewing a product that has perhaps impressed me the most in such a brief amount of time and my first real purchase from the brand, the Paula’s Choice Daily Smoothing Treatment 5% AHA ($30). I’ve been using the lotion texture daily chemical exfoliant every morning for a good eight weeks and even though I’ve consistently had AHAs and BHAs in my routine for ages, I was able to see a visible improvement in my skin – in terms of the texture, overall brightness and clarity of my complexion.

DSC_0563DSC_0567

INGREDIENTS: Water, Glycolic Acid (AHA exfoliant), Cetyl Alcohol (thickener), Butylene Glycol (slip agent and penetration enhancer), Palmitoyl Oligopeptide (cell-communicating ingredient), Ceramide 2 (skin-identical ingredient), Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuoylmethane (anti-irritants/antioxidants derived from curcumin), Epigallocatechin Gallate, Caffeic Acid (antioxidants), Salicylic Acid (BHA exfoliant/anti-irritant), Disodium Lauriminodipropionate Tocopheryl Phosphates (vitamin E-based antioxidant), PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol (fatty acid thickener), Cucumis Melo (Melon) Fruit Extract (antioxidant), Bisabolol, Allantoin (anti-irritants), Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethiconol (silicone slip agents/texture enhancers), Tribehenin (texture enhancer), Polysorbate 20 (emulsifier), C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, PPG-14 Butyl Ether, PEG-40 Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate (thickeners), PVM/MA Decadiene Crosspolymer, Polyacrylamide (film-forming agents), Disodium EDTA (stabilizer), C13-14 Isoparaffin (solvent), Laureth-7 (emulsifier), Sodium Hydroxide (pH adjuster), Caprylyl Glycol (preservative), Ethylhexylglycerin (skin-conditioning agent), Hexylene Glycol (solvent), Phenoxyethanol (preservative).

I figured I would get started with the product claims; it’s a daily chemical exfoliant containing 5% glycolic acid along with the 0.5% boost of pore-penetrating salicylic acid, in essence. The technically anti-aging exfoliating treatment “reveals youthfully radiant skin and counteracts sun damage – without redness or irritation” and renews skin texture, evens skin tone, smooths fine lines and stimulates healthy collagen production, all through exfoliation and the inclusion of a potent blend of antioxidants. Paula’s Choice markets this product as a silky treatment doubling as a lightweight moisturizer and here, like with the rest of the claims the brand (thankfully) does not make any ridiculous statements that research does not support, use known irritants and does not use marketing bullshit – in other words, the product does what it says, which I quite enjoy.

The glycolic treatment has an impressive formulation laden with active ingredients in solid concentrations, a good 5% of glycolic acid that is suitable for daily use – even in combination with other potent ingredients – and enough BHA to provide pore-penetrating and anti-inflammatory action, whilst still remaining easy for the skin to tolerate. The Daily Smoothing Treatment strikes me as the ideal balance of efficacy and gentleness, even for skin as temperamental and moody as mine; it also serves as both a daily exfoliant and a soothing serum with that thin absorbent texture with that slip to it, ideal for multitasking product for my dehydrated skin as it full of antioxidants and anti-irritants to boosts the skins response to the acid.

I adore that it serves as an AHA, yet still has that effective shot of BHA in the formula, so it sacrifices neither but does not aggravate the skin either – at least this is my experience on my drier skin that suffers from congestion, sensitivity and a general lack of radiance/clarity. In a nutshell, the Daily Smoothing Treatment is an excellent gentler daily exfoliant with both glycolic and a wee bit of salicylic acid that serves a myriad of purposes and provides a myriad of benefits (i.e. anti-aging along with the generally more even, bright, clear and more luminous skin). As I seem to with most potent acidic products, I did experience a slight tinge at first but this one was not unpleasant and stopped happening after a week or two – and I’m prone to this kind of adjustment period FYI. Priced at $30 US for 50 mLs or 1.7 ounces, the Daily Smoothing Treatment belongs to the brand’s pricier Resist range with more intensive formulas focused on reversing or lessening the skin’s signs of aging but it is worth the price increase in my opinion, even if you’re not concerned primarily with the aging process (as I’m not) because of the multitude of benefits it provides and its ability to serve as a product that multitasks. If you’re looking for a daily AHA product that isn’t too intensive and would enjoy a hydrating texture, I would wholeheartedly recommend trying this offering!

 Have you tried anything from Paula’s Choice?
Maggie, x.

 

The May Weekend Wishlist

While I’ve definitely been enjoying the fact that I’m free to now have days with honestly no productivity, it feels good to be back into the every-other-day-ish blogging schedule – this kind of productivity that I will make an exception for. Regardless, I’m excited to bring forward an edited selection of the products that I’ve currently got my sights on. Now, last month’s post was so late so the lack of time between these two posts and the fact that I have not been shopping ensures that last month’s choices still apply but I didn’t want to bore any of us to tears if I could help it.

Recently Updated74

  • Bioderma Sensibio Tolerance Plus Moisturizer ($26.95): I’m kind of reaching the very near end of both of the standard moisturizers in my rotation and obviously I’ve got my eye out for a new one; my love for the Sensibio range and the reasonable price of Bioderma’s latest release has made it a strong contender. It has a no-frills but soothing formulation that’s free of a variety of irritants (including fragrance) and contains high concentrations of ingredients that I trust to nourish and soothe my easily-upset skin (glycerin, cocoglycerides and sodium PCA). It’s intriguing that the product is marketed towards my ‘intolerant’ skin that experiences redness and irritation as a result.
  • Bath & Body Works Bow Ties & Bourbon 3-Wick Candle ($22.50): I’ve been on  roll with burning my candles completely as of late, so obviously I’m thinking of buying more to reward myself and this supposedly cologney scent has caught my eye. Described as “an elegant and stylish blend of polished dark oat, fresh bergamot and a hint of bourbon spirits” and housed in gorgeous but not overly girly or over-embellished blue packaging, this candle appeals to my androgynous-leaning scent preferences and love for a bit of depth, woodiness and spice even in the warmer months. I’ve heard that it reads a little fresher and even has a hint of vanilla warmth – yum.
  • MAC Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation in NW20 ($38.50): I’ve been using my generous sample of MAC’s latest foundation and have been loving it after being surprised to learn that my local store got it early – I had been waiting on news of MAC’s latest dry-skin friendly foundation but hadn’t been expecting on hearing of anything until after its official release – and that its shade range does not run ridiculously orange, yellow, or weirdly dark. I’ve been enjoying using this as a fuller-coverage foundation that doubles as a concealer – even underneath my dry eyes. This natural finish foundation will be my next foundation purchase after my Rimmel Wake Me Up finally hits the dust.
  • MAC Huggable Lip Colour in Soft Talkin’ ($24): I both adore MAC Lipsticks and all of these sheerer balmy formulas so its completely reasonable that I want to try MAC’s formulation. The Huggable Lip Colours have been made available as a limited edition product yet again and I’ve got my eye on one, particularly this one described as “warm peachy nude”.
  • L’Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Intenza Mascara ($10-12): I’m a massive fan of L’Oreal mascaras in general and I’m always looking for an intense volumizing formula, so this more recently released formula has caught my eye. I’m sure the brush is gimmicky but I’m not overly fussed about brushes, having fairly large eyes and long lashes and I’m actually running low on mascara now after the mascara buying binge six or so months ago. I forsee this one making its way into my cart…
  • ColourPop Highlighter in Wisp ($8 US): I was all ready to chalk the emerging brand’s success and growing reputation down to marketing and general hype, until I saw the highlighters featured in videos and blog posts and was immediately intrigued by the cream-souffle texture and sheeny reflective finish. Although it might appear as a bit too dark to be ideal for my fair skin, I’ve got my eye on the beigey golden-champagne ‘Wisp’ – it looks like it would read as neutral and add glow to my cheeks and general warm skintone. It should also be noted that the brand new bronzers are also tempting me beyond belief, even though I just bought my Guerlain loveliness.
What do you have your eye on at the moment? Have you tried any of these?
Maggie, x.

The Review | NARS Audacious Lipstick in Brigitte

If you’ve been a regular reader in the last month or so, it’s likely that you’ve heard me declare my love for the NARS Audacious Lipstick in Brigitte ($37 CDN) and therefore my musings and general verdict should be anything but surprising. However, I’m going to provide my (relatively) unabridged thoughts regardless and let you know whether the lipstick appears to be worth the price tag.

DSC_0552

DSC_0555

The Audacious Lipsticks are definitely a luxury product – even compared to NARS’ other offerings – and fortunately, the looks, packaging and performance of the lipstick fits its luxury branding. The glossy black packaging thankfully repels dust and is sleek and luxe with its square shape, subtly monogrammed sides and full-on extravagant monogram into the bullet itself, along with the addictive magnetic packaging. The formula delivers on all of its promises; while its a more traditional style of lipstick than many on the market today with full-on pigmentation and a cream finish, it’s the best performing product that I’ve tried of its kind. It offers insane pigmentation in a single stroke, lasts for ages on the lips – without fading weirdly, I might add – and has that luxurious nourishing texture that makes your lips feel nicer with use rather than the opposite. I find the formula wears for a good 4-5 hours with moderate eating and drinking and stains nicely after that time period. The only thing that I have to watch when I’m  wearing this lipstick and doing some heavy eating and/or drinking is that the formula can slip and slide a little bit because of its creamy texture. I love that the lipsticks are unscented for both cosmetic reasons and for the sake of my sensitive lips. Because they are unscented, they do not have irritating ingredients that many do, nor do they have a weird scent.

The shade range is huge, consisting of 40 shades – 10 of which can only be purchased online or in NARS boutiques, however – and does come with loads of interesting shades, but I went for Brigitte, one of the most neutral shade offerings. NARS describes the shade as a “nude rose”, which is sort of misleading because it’s notably darker and rosier than one would expect a nude offering to be, especially one presumably named after Brigitte Bardot’s signature pout; nevertheless, it is a gorgeous subtly-warm-leaning neutral rose with a hint of peachy-coral to it. It definitely fits into the my-lips-but-rosier category for me and is one of those staple neutral shades that doesn’t compete with other makeup but instantly adds life to the face. Brigitte also is easy to wear, even though I have tremendous difficulty wearing pink lipsticks.

While Brigitte is a relatively unique and non-generic shade offering, I’ve come to the conclusion that I have two lip products in my collection that are very similar in colour – but the formulas are different. As the name would suggest NARS Dolce Vita Velvet Matte Lip Pencil has more of a matte finish and texture, along with stronger brick undertones – but is extremely similar. The Bourjois Nude-Ist Rouge Edition Velvet also has a more matte finish along with the different liquid stain texture that dries down completely but has a little more brightness and true rusty rose lean to it, but really it gives a similar effect.

 

From top: NARS Brigitte | NARS Dolce Vita Velvet Matte Lip Pencil ($31) | Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Nude-Ist ($23)
From top: NARS Brigitte | NARS Dolce Vita Velvet Matte Lip Pencil ($31) | Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Nude-Ist ($23)

I’ve gotten out of the practice of grading products as I review them, but I have to mention that this lipstick would be a solid ‘A’ rating, which is something that one does not come across to often. I adore both the shade and the formula, but given that the product is so expensive, I won’t be investing in shades all too often.

DSC_0546Have you tried any of the NARS Audacious Lipsticks?
Maggie, x.

April 2015 Favourites

As a university student, April seems to come and go in the strangest fashion – it’s just a weird time, the first half (or more as was the case this year) full of the doom known as the exam period where the most menial tasks such as bathing become a hassle and makeup application can be somewhat laughable before leading to this weird sense of freedom when it’s all over but you can’t exactly process it. It’s also the time when Spring is beginning to rear its head, despite the snow still hanging out.  To get to the point, I might not have experimented with beauty or makeup all that often this month, however, I can report on some essential items for me.

DSC_0540

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Brigitte ($37): Whenever I did that whole full-faced makeup thing and went for something on the lips, I happily grabbed for the slightly coral-tinged rose hued lipstick that I succumbed to at the end of March. The formula is ridiculously good and does all it claims – the formula hydrates the lips, lasts and actually stains the lips in the best way possible without any sort of drying effect or weird fading and just look good on the lips without requiring any fuss. I find pink colours extremely difficult to wear, however, I have to say that I adore this more neutral-pink offering, likely because of its slight tinge of coral and warmth that I adore, and it’s a bit more of a unique rosy neutral shade. This is a really great staple shade in my daily life because it works with anything, offering enough life to the face when worn with minimal other makeup but subtle enough to work with smokier eyes.

DSC_0544

MAC Eyeshadow in Bronze, Bamboo & Swiss Chocolate ($12-19): After popping the inserts out of my MAC palette in order to justify buying more eye shadows, – and picking up Bamboo and Bronze – I’ve really gotten back to relying on my MAC palette on the daily basis and these are the three shades that I’ve been reaching for. I’ve been constantly using my new Bamboo eyeshadow as a transition colour that blends into absolute nothingness in the best way possible, – (it’s lighter than Soft Brown) – Bronze, a true red-toned reflective bronze eyeshadow in the outer corner and along the lower lashline to add easy definition and the warm red-toned Swiss Chocolate to add some matte dimension to the crease or outer corner.

DSC_0543

Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream ($35): In my journey, searching for a way to get adequate sun protection on a daily basis without irritating my skin, making my makeup look questionable and drying out my skin, I’ve gone back to using my favourite authentic Asian BB Cream and I’ve been pleased with it. It has ridiculous sun protection, hydrates the skin nicely while adding medium-coverage with a more generous amount, only contains mineral actives and has loads of beneficial ingredients, such as the potent niacinimide along with other hydrating ingredients. On some occasions, I’ve been reaching for this as my sole base but on other days I’ve been using it pre-foundation as sun protection. I’m still of the belief that this is one of those few authentic multitasking products that function excellent both in terms of a skincare product and in terms of makeup application.

Paula’s Choice Resist C15 Super Booster ($20-48 US): Ever since I received my Paula’s Choice order, I have been incorporating my trial size of this potent vitamin c antioxidant product into my daily skincare routine – or at the very least every two days – but it was in April when I began to really reap the benefits and discover how much that I liked the stuff. While it seemed to tingle slightly the first couple of times that I applied it, the 15 % antioxidant treatment stopped triggering that response within a couple of uses – my bet is that my skin was a bit irritated from retinoid use and weather conditions, along with a little bit of being temperamental. Now I apply this antioxidant booster at least every second night in the serum stage and my skin drinks it up, immediately looking smoother along with just looking a bit brighter, even and less angry in the six weeks that I’ve been using it. I’ve been using it alternate nights with my prescription retinoid and I would have to say that it’s gentle and actually seems to help soothe the skin rather than leaning towards any sort of aggravation.

Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black Rollerball ($26): When I’ve been feeling like making myself feeling a little (or a whole lot more) put together, I’ve been applying this warm and spicy vanilla scent. It’s uber warm but doesn’t have even the faintest touch of a sugary candy sweetness and is more of a winter scent to be completely honest. It reads a bit androgynous and lasts for ages on the skin without being overwhelming in the slightest.

Bath & Body Works 3-Wick Candle in Renew & Refresh ($22.50): It’s times like this month that I burn candles the most excessively; I find myself turning towards scented candles the most when I’m stressed out of my mind but some productivity needs to happen so obviously April was a candle heavy month. I loved burning this mellow but warm springtime scent – it was never overwhelming but potent enough, reading as fresh and calming with a hint of jasmine. For once, the candle appears to be named appropriately if you’re asking me.

What did you love during April?
Maggie, x.

 

My Sephora VIB Sale Purchases

After last November’s Sephora VIB Sale disaster where numerous accounts were disabled, any orders reaching places other than the US were disabled – the second of which I suffered from but it ended up fine in the end – for some days and orders took forever to ship, I was shocked to find that my order went from being placed to arriving in my mailbox in two business days this time – and I’m in Canada and nothing is all that fast shipping-wise. There wasn’t even a delay and this kind of shocked me to no end. Alas, I did not order a ton of things – and I’m only going to show you half because the other half are to be stowed away until my Birthday in a months time – but I think I’m beyond pleased with the four items that I have to share. And because the order shipped so fast, I actually have had time to try out the goodies numerous times so I will be able to share more thoughts.

DSC_0531DSC_0532DSC_0535

  1. Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint Natural Healthy Glow Powder Duo in 01 Clair – Brunettes ($60): Given that I’m a fair girl who loves bronzers but doesn’t own that many, -especially on the higher end side of the spectrum – the sale seemed like a good opportunity to go for a more extravagant one and this was the one I went for. I did my research beforehand and was intrigued by the limited edition product’s ability to both add that perfected radiance (a la Ambient Lighting Powders or Chanel’s Les Beiges) while adding a subdued buildable bronze hint to the face and I would have to agree with my findings. It’s a bronzer that suits me at my palest but has that lovely texture that adds warmth and general glow with its smooth semi-matte texture. It’s gloriously buildable, too and I really enjoy how the compact includes both the bronzer shade along with a pop of colour on the side. I chose the lighter of the Brunette offerings because I knew it would have more warmth than the blonde one but wouldn’t be dark in the slightest and because I’m partial to the more orange-hued blushes. I do enjoy the musky scent but I would assume that it is definitely not for everyone. P.S. The swatches do not do the product justice – they appear more sheer and light than it applies.

    the bronzer portion | the two portions blended | the blush crescent
    the blush crescent | the two portions blended | the bronzer portion
  2. Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Medium Brown ($23): After mentioning wanting to make my first foray into the world of the famous brow-centric brand 3747 times and including this product in a good number of wishes, I bit the bullet. I really like the product and I think I’m glad that I went with the darker ashier shade but I do have to be really careful that I do not put too much product on the brush. However, I do love the effects when I don’t get to product-happy.
  3. DevaCurl Deva Clips ($18.95): Being someone with naturally curly (wavy-curly to be exact) hair that I wear that way most of the time, it makes life easier for me to embrace my curls and go for products that actually help them look to my liking on a daily basis. Given that my hair is so heavy and I have limp flat issues towards the front, hair clipping at the roots is something that I’ve tried to master on countless occasions in order to get some volume and more root curl – and I’ve had limited successes. Even though it seems ridiculous to spend close to twenty dollars on clips, I actually bit the bullet and went for the pricy DevaCurl brand version. While I’m still figuring things out with the clips, I have had much better successes with these than any others that I have tried.
  4. Calvin Klein One Summer Eau de Toilette Summer 2015 ($65): I’m fairly certain that this is the second full-sized non-rollerball perfume that I’ve acquired ever and it’s been about six years since my last one but I had a hankering to buy a perfume during the sale. I ordered this year’s version of the scent without smelling it because I liked the sound of the notes an awful lot and it wasn’t too expensive to get a large 3.4 ounce container. I liked that it was unisex because I tend to prefer fragrances that straddle the edge of being somewhat masculine-inspired rather than the typical sweet fruity offerings and I was pleased because it actually did smell of a gin and tonic – in a way that does not read borderline alcoholic – and smells of a relaxed summer moment by the water without any hint of dreadful coconut, instead with a hint of citrus in the freshest way possible. I’m not always a packaging girl but I do love the ombre blue packaging.
Did you pick anything up at the Sephora sale?
Maggie, x.

 

The Review | Bath & Body Works Medium Candle in Brazilian Blue Waters

Gradually over the last year, Bath & Body Works scented candles have infiltrated my life and eventually my blog posts, so its only fitting that I’m now going as far to dedicate an entire post to reviewing a candle. Bath & Body Works’ Brazilian Blue Waters is part of their Spring 2015 Hawaii collection and they describe it with the words “escape to Brazil’s shores with notes of ocean waves, sea foam and dappled sunlight”. I picked up the medium size, which is a single wick, containing 180 grams of product that should theoretically last 30-40 hours burning – this particular size retails for $12.50 or 2/$20. Brazilian Blue Waters is also available in a mini along with the 3-wick and while I wouldn’t necessarily wholeheartedly agree with the scent descriptor, I understand where they are coming from and enjoy the unique water-themed scent.

DSC_0526

Brazilian Blue Waters is a unique scent that is subtle yet has an intense (but not overwhelming) intensity and throw and I find that I can burn it in my small room for hours without repercussions – and my room smells like it for ages after it has been burnt. While it’s definitely an aquatic scent, it’s nothing like your usual watery scents, as it doesn’t have any of those beach scents or citrus/musky hit that many other candles tend to have in this category. First and foremost, it smells like fresh running water but it has strong fresh-floral undertones along with some of that delicious clean-laundry scent.  This is one of those scents that feel distinctly Spring-esque and appropriate at this time – even though here there is still snow on the ground here and it’s more of an aquatic scent. This scent strikes me as being both invigorating yet mellow and is conducive to productivity in my experience.

While I have to say that I do prefer my beloved Beach Day from last year with it’s more authentic ocean-slash-beach scent, absence of floral notes and stronger citrusy musk element to it, I have quite enjoyed this candle. Even though it’s described in similar terms to the more summer-appropriate ocean scents, it definitely has a different feel that is seasonally appropriate and is a bit different in a lovely way. This is also a scent that I would hesitate to say that anyone would find offensive in the slightest. I just really do not get the sea foam note in the slightest and why floral notes were not in the descriptor. I can only imagine the 3-wick would have out of this world intensity and throw, considering the performance of the medium size.

Do you have a favourite scented candle at the moment?
Maggie, x.