The Sixth Empty Products Post

To tell you the truth, I had been waiting on my next empties post because I’m just so close to finishing some more interesting makeup products but the stuff has piled up to such a large degree that it’s time to write about these items. After all, I know myself well enough to say that if I put it off much (or really any) longer, the post will become impossibly long.

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1.OPI Nail Envy Strengthener Mini ($10?): I’ve had this nail strengthener for ages and I’ve almost used all of it up and what remains has gotten excessively gloopy but I will say that I enjoyed it while it lasted, as it worked. I wouldn’t be averse to trying it again in the future but I will likely pick something else to try out first.

2. OPI Lincoln Park After Dark Nail Polish Mini ($6): This dark almost-black-purple cream is one of my favourite polishes of all time so I was sad to see the little bit I have left in my mini become unusable and gloopy. I had it for maybe two years so it’s likely time for a repurchase in full-size.

3. Formula X Shine Top Coat Mini ($13/ full sized): I picked up Sephora’s famous top coat as part of a point perk and while I was initially in love with the formula, how fast it dried and how long it kept my polish on, I was majorly disappointed to find out that the texture changed in a measly few weeks. Will not be repurchasing unless something changes or I find out that the full size behaves entirely differently.

4. Bath & Body Works Alpine Frost Mason Jar Candle ($12.50): I really enjoyed burning this candle as soon as the holidays ended because it suited the beyond horrific weather and storming that we were having, was understated but appropriately there and didn’t have that woo-holidays sweet edge that the majority of my candles seemed to. It smelled like trees in the best way with a bit of citrus and maybe a hint of musk thrown in. It could very easily end up in my possession if it comes out back again but it’s not one that I’m overly passionate about.

5. Bath & Body Works Mahogany Teakwood 3-Wick Candle ($22.50): I finally finished burning the famous Abercrombie-and-Fitch-esque-in-the-best-possible-way candle and I definitely miss it. It smells like a warm cozy times with an attractive male with those woody notes along with a hint of lavender. It’s a lot more inoffensive than other BBW scents and this is why I think some complain about the throw – but I was a fan of the scent intensity, as I could burn three wicks in my small bedroom without finding the scent too intense and it still lingered for ages afterwards. This is definitely one of my favourites.

6. Bath & Body Works Flannel Mini Candle ($4.50): I’ve waxed poetically upon my love for this masculine-in-the-best-possible-way candle and have expressed my heartbreak upon learning that they got rid of it after a few weeks, so when I spotted a couple of the minis at the semi-annual sale, I had to grab them. I’ve burned one of them thus far. I’m hoping they will be back next year and I’ll be picking up a larger one but it’s worth noting that the scent is rather intense for a mini candle. It’s almost like Mahogany Teakwood’s big brother with much more musk and sandalwood along with the warmth along with a touch of fresh pear.

7. John Freida Frizz-Ease Daily Styling Spray ($11-15): I finally finished this curl refreshing spray after putting it on my ‘Project 10 Pan’ ages ago, which means that I’m down to my last two products and they are both very very close to the end and kind of won’t become empty. While I enjoyed this spray to refresh and enhance my waves, it was not anything special enough to warrant a repurchase in my opinion. It was lightly hydrating and detangling but didn’t do loads more than water in a spray bottle.

8. Dove Style+ Care Nourishing Curls Mousse ($6-8): While this mousse has actually been a repurchase for me and I’ve regarded it in a favourable light in posts, I’m afraid our affair is over. While it’s nice and non-drying, formulated without drying alcohols or anything of that sort, I find that it has the tendency to weigh down my hair a bit and leave a kind of funky residue in my hair if I use the amount required to get the hold I desire. I think I’m over the appeal of these treatment mousses and I’ve got to stop buying them…

9.OGX Sea Mineral Moisture Moisture-Surge Deep Treatment ($10): I’ve actually been done with this deliciously ocean-scented and texturizing conditioning treatment for ages but I’ve forgot to feature it in one of these posts. I would not say that it’s as hydrating as I expect from a deep treatment but it was hydrating enough as a conditioner, while bringing out some texture and it had delightful slip – likely because it had dimethicone in it. I don’t think it gave me the best curl definition in the world but it was not a problem either. I’m not going to repurchase it right away but I would not be opposed to doing so in the future.

10. Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream ($20): I’m quite picky about scents but this authentic zesty sugared lime one is all kinds of amazing and luckily the formula is also amazing, even for dry irritated body skin like mine that is pretty much always struggling with eczema of some sort. The texture is rich and hydrating and almost-greasy in a way that I adore – it does not just sink in and disappear. It’s filled with rich oils, butters etc. and miraculously contains fragrance but does not burn going over patches of really irritated skin. I will repurchase. I found it enjoyable that I did not go through the tub in a minute, too.

11. Bioderma Sensibio H20 ($27/500 mL): I can’t live without this gentle micellar water (or one of its better alternatives) in my stash; I’m pretty sure I’ve gone through ten and I immediately picked up another. Luckily, this is really easy to access in Canada and I’ve been finding the larger sized bottles that are much better value – and my new one even has that pump top. Even though I use cleansing oil some nights to remove makeup and the occasional gentle wipe, I reach for this water when I cannot be bothered – it removes makeup well when you soak it and it’s one of the only products that I can do the soak with because my eyes are just so sensitive. It’s fragrance-free and the gentlest thing on the earth, too.

12. Bioderma Hydrabio Lait ($25): When I was in Montreal two summers back, I saw this product for the first time and couldn’t resist purchasing it – given my love for the water from the Sensibio line and my love of all things hydrating. While this is a nice gentle milk cleanser that is lightweight, soothing and gentle, I’m not a fan of the annoying squeeze top that is beyond unreliable, nor am I a fan of the fact that its an identical formula to the Sensibio Milk except for the added fragrance. I would not purchase again. Unlike the water, this does burn my eyes when I’ve attempted to remove eye makeup with this – but otherwise it’s a nice light milk cleanser.

13. First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads ($18.50): While I really enjoyed using these gentle AHA-soaked pads and found that they were pleasant to use to reap all the glorious benefits of chemical exfoliants and help to keep the skin hydrated, I have to say that I prefer my Paula’s Choice offering that might be slightly more expensive but comes with more product. These are a great AHA product with a gentle and soothing formula, formulated without the alcohol that many seem to rely on.

14. Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion ($16): Clinique’s underrated clarifying lotion that is formulated without irritating alcohol – unlike the others that could literally strip paint off the floor that they advertise – is actually one of my most life changing skincare products. It was my first foray into the world of chemical exfoliants and it changed my skin over time with its soothing hydrating base and 0.5% of BHA. It’s the product that actually started to move these bumps on my skin that never seemed to go away and were kind of everywhere, whilst reducing my mild acne breakouts. It’s one of the most economical BHA’s available and would be a great introductory one. At the moment I would not repurchase because I’m curious about Paula’s Choice’s offerings.

15. Make Up For Ever Smokey Extravagant Mascara Mini ($14): I really did enjoy the dramatic but not heavy-looking results from the mascara sample in my birthday gift from Sephora, but I did not find the mascara stayed nice for long. It took a week or two before I found myself really enjoying the volumizing drama of this mascara and unfortunately I found that it started to flake after the 6-8 week mark. I did really enjoy it while it lasted, so I wouldn’t put repurchasing completely out of the question especially because I waited a while before opening it.

Finished up anything lately?
Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #59/60/61

This has got to be a record for me, being the most belated weekly medley post as of yet, but in my defense I was exam writing and essaying, and quite honestly I was not going to put one of my rare moments of spare time to write quite possibly the dullest post ever – given the content. I’ve said it before: now that I’m done with my third year of university I kind of don’t know how to deal. This seemed like the best start somehow…

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  1. One rare moment of celebration (featuring alcohol) should be saying enough in itself, however I’ll elaborate: I actually socialized in a functional way and actually had fun plus there was actual documented photo evidence. I must say that the gin and tonic was divine.
  2. There’s something a wee bit off in this picture – perhaps the extreme amount of snow that we have in the middle of April? Although the infestation of snow is still present, I’m pleased to report that Spring is appearing to rear its head and we haven’t had any storms in ten days. Shocking.
  3. This image might strike you as familiar, however, I couldn’t help but repeat it. How else was I to depict the craziness over the last few weeks precisely?
  4. I might have bought The Sims 4 as a post-exam celebratory present and I also might have enjoyed binge-playing it throughout the last few days of spare time. It’s gooooood, especially if it’s also a nostalgic pastime.
  5. Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint Natural Healthy Glow Powder Duo in 01 Clair-Brunettes, one of the substantial purchases from my relatively contained Sephora order, and let me tell you that it might just be worth the splurge! It’s subtle but adds the nicest warmth and kind of indescribable glow to the face. More on this and other items to come soon – heads up.
  6. Although I have not been particularly thrilled with my less than frequent posting schedule as of late, I have been satisfied with the posts that have gone up. This one titled “Some Recent Acquisitions” was among my favourites.
So any updates from the last three weeks?
Maggie, x.

The April Wishlist

So I’m free from my most stressful and generally possible exam season yet and I kind of cannot believe that I’m actually done (for now). I’m kind of going through that phase where I feel numb and as if there’s some gargantuan paper to write or exam to study for that does not exist so I thought I would get back into the swing of things with blog posts – which I’m very excited for by the way – with a wishlist post. However, this is yet another wishlist post that breaks the rules because I’ve made it just a few days after receiving my Sephora order that included an item that I had been lusting after for ages that I couldn’t resist including despite the fact that they are now in my possession…

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1.   Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint Natural Healthy Glow Powder Duo in 01 Clair – Brunettes ($60): Despite being a pale girl, I’m majorly devoted to bronzer so upon realizing that I don’t actually own a million and I didn’t really have any higher end ones, I decided to treat myself to a luxurious one during the Sephora VIB sale – and this one was my pick. Although some might not be impressed because it’s not wholly matte and not the most pigmented thing in the world, I love the skin-glowing and brightening properties that the powder has and how buildable but sheer the colour is. The pop of peach-coral is a nice touch and I would have to say that its a product that has that almost undetectable effect that makes your skin simply look better a la an Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder.

2. L’Oreal La Palette Nude in Rose ($30?): I drooled over L’Oreal’s larger palette offering as soon as I spotted it featuring on British beauty blogs last year so as soon as I heard that it was coming to Canada, I’ve had my eye out for it. I’ve heard great things about the quality, the colour palette is a little bit more interesting than one might expect and I’m intrigued about the mattes, so much so that I’m not deterred by the hiiiiiigh price tag… I couldn’t find any usable stock images, so I borrowed this one from creepersandcupcakes.blogspot.com.

3. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Poured in Moonstone ($46): I’ve had my eye on one of Becca’s expensive but ever-hyped-about highlighting products, in the lighter gold based hue and this cream formula seems right up my street, with its extra glow and general ease of use. It actually came very close to making its way to me with my Sephora order but I resisted at the last minute. I’ve still got my eyes ready and waiting.

4. Soap & Glory The Daily Smooth Body Butter ($18): There’s something about the formula of Soap & Glory’s moisturizer that suits my irritated and dry skin, soothing it and almost leaving a greasy residue that ensures that it actually lasts on my skin – and they do get their scents right – so obviously I need to try the formula for even drier skin. Riiiight?

5. Paula’s Choice Resist Hyaluronic Acid Booster ($46 US): Since slowly edging my way into the Paula’s Choice product line, it’s safe to say that I’ve fallen in love and their newest product has really caught my eye. It’s a soothing, plumping (I don’t care about this considering that I’m still 20) and hydrating gel product to use in the treatment or serum stage, either on its own or mixed into a moisturizer, serum, etc. It really appeals to me because I struggle consistently with a little bit of irritation, dehydration and textural issues and it actually looks promising as a soothing product to add into the mix. They do have a $16 dollar smaller sized offering which seems a bit easier to stomach in terms of price.

6. Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Daily Moisturizing Lotion ($26 US): I have definitely included this mineral-sunscreen-based moisturizer in a good few wishlist posts before but now that I’ve used up both of my sample packs and have come to the realization that this is the best sunscreen product that I’ve ever tried, I’ve decided that I must have it and must share my thoughts. The white cast lasts for maybe two seconds, it has a nice lightweight soothing texture but most of all, it doesn’t leave my skin looking or feeling dry throughout the day – and leave makeup sitting in an unflattering way – as most mineral sunscreens do, or irritate my skin to the nth degree as chemical sunscreens do. I do tend to apply  light oil or moisturizer underneath, concentrating on my dry cheeks as the changing weather is giving me whiplash.

What’s on your wishlist?
Maggie, x.

The Review | Curls Unleashed Lavish in Lather Sulfate-Free Shampoo

I’m very aware of my recent absence around my favourite escape, my blog, but things have been just so crazy during this semester’s exam period and I have to say this exam period has been my worst – and it’s not ever yet, plus I’ve had pretty horrifying exam experiences in the last three years – but I’m back because I have a few days off to breathe before my final exam and paper and I’ve been missing this. Getting back to the point, I’ve been into putting some more styling effort into my hair and reading and watching curly/wavy hair content and have been inspired to get out more hair-related posts so I figured I would start out with a review. Phew. I had to.

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On my very last trip to Target before it closed down, I picked up the Curls Unleashed Lavish in Lather Sulfate-Free Shampoo ($10 US/$15 CDN) and I have been using slash enjoying it since. It’s marketed towards textured hair as a gentle but effective cleanser that also helps to moisturize and detangle hair and I would have to agree that it meets those claims with a few other benefits. It’s not the most detangling or moisturizing but I have dry hair that tangles like nothing else so the fact that it was not overly tangled or dry after shampooing is a sign in its favour. I don’t tend to be someone who places tons of significance on the scent of the products I use, but I totally love the soap-come-herbal scent of the cleanser that reminds me of that Deva Curl smell, likely because of the hops, lemon and rosemary. What I love about this cleanser is just how suitable it is for those like me who have finer hair and tend to be product junkies but still have fragile and dry hair and are looking for a nourishing, lightweight yet slightly clarifying shampoo. It’s more clarifying than your typical sulfate-free shampoo, yet it doesn’t strip the hair at all or contain your harshest non sulfate cleansers, or irritate my sensitive scalp in the slightest. It’s definitely a great one to grab when your hair is starting to feel a bit limp or weighed down but you don’t want to lose definition as a result and dry your hair out – it straddles the line of being lightweight and effective, whilst being gentle – and it’s definitely one to grab when you have finer hair, especially when you have loads of it like me.

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Ingredient-wise it’s impressive, formulated without silicones or sulfates while still performing in other respects. The cleansing agents are impressive ones, rather than the half-assed slightly-removed-from-sulfate-offerings that many rely on but it still manages to be concentrated and creates a delightful amount of lather.

You can pick this and the rest of the line up at Target if you’re in the US and I believe at Sally’s Beauty Supply almost everywhere. I know for certain that Sally’s stocks it online as do a myriad of other places. Obviously, I’d recommend it to those with finer hair textures looking for a gentle cleanser or really anyone looking for a bit of clarifying actions without any sort of problematic drying or stripping action.

What’s your fave shampoo?
Maggie, x.

 

April Sephora Sale Recommendations

With Sephora’s sale going on (for just VIB Rouge’s thus far), I find myself rather regretful that I didn’t just make one more measly purchase at Sephora in December and own up to the fact that I have a serious beauty product buying problem and become a Rouge member. Instead, I’m here waiting for the later sale that I’ve heard Sephora is going to offer to both VIBs like myself and Beauty Insiders. Last November I wrote a post detailing some of my product recommendations so I thought I would do the same this time but I’ll focus on different items – keep in mind that everything from this post remains standing.

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  1. NARS Audacious Lipsticks ($37): There are some products that are borderline atrociously expensive but do perform excellently and these are one of them. I absolutely adore both the colour (I have the rosy shade, Brigitte) and the hydrating and no-fuss semi-matte lipstick formula. Even though these lipsticks do all of these things and coincidentally stain your lips in the nicest way to boot, it can be difficult to justify the cost so I would recommend going for it carefully when you have the option for a discount.
  2. Becca Beach Tint Shimmer Souffle ($33): Going off of the Raspberry/Opal offering that I own and adore, these souffle-cream blush hybrids are the easiest, glowiest and no-fuss option that I believe that I’ve ever tried. They blend seamlessly into the skin with the fingers and leave their buildable tint along with the gorgeous sheen that is marbled throughout. These aren’t exactly a cream blush but they are an excellent one if you want to get out of your powder comfort zone.
  3. Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow in Cuir Cannage ($63): Countless times, I’ve named these Dior quints as my favourite eyeshadows of all time and while I was disappointed that they discontinued their entire range in favour of new shades, I’ve fallen in love with this slightly smokey neutral offering. The creamy shadows have a nice variety of finishes, blend with ease, last ages and don’t fall down on your face. I also adore the shade composition: a matte caramel colour, a deep plum-toned black colour with an almost matte finish, a shimmery plum, a sheeny taupe and a nice shimmery champagne highlight colour. The formula is just as impressive, let me tell you!
  4. Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion ($16): In terms of skincare, I had to mention the product that turned me onto my love of chemical exfoliants and still it remains an excellent one – it’s effective with 0.5% BHA but is the gentlest and is impressively cost-effective. This one is definitely an unsung hero, especially considering that it’s hydrating, soothing and alcohol-free unlike their infamous paint-stripping offerings.
  5. Caudalie Vinosource Intense Moisture Rescue Cream ($40): I know that I said that I wasn’t going to do repeats in this post from last time but this lightweight and soothing moisturizer was too wonderful to resist including it twice. Although it has a light texture, it’s impressively hydrating and if you’re on more of the combination side of things I would go for the Sorbet variation.
  6. Bumble & Bumble Repair Blow Dry ($17/$37): First things first, there is absolutely no haircare product that can repair hair that is already damaged but it does work well to minimize the look and reduce damage over time by functioning as a heat protection. It does what it says, operating as a cream-serum used during the blow drying stage and more than that it leaves my wavy-curly hair so soft when used to blow dry it, offers control that allowed my hair to straighten nicely and stay that way and it was lightweight enough that I was able to get nice movement and life at the crown. I’ve only used this a few times, however, but it’s just that good.
  7. DevaCurl Ultra Defining Gel ($26): There’s nothing that defines curls, controls frizz and makes textured hair look nearly as amazing as a good gel does – I would say that this one is among the very best and it’s not the priciest in the world. It has a nice amount of hold and provides great control to the hair whilst being lightweight and it never leaves the hair feeling sticky, heavy or weird.
Any recommendations to share?
P.S. I’m still alive – just struggling through the exam period.
Maggie, x.

Some Recent Acquisitions

I don’t know about you but I’m always picking up a thing or two even when I wouldn’t consider myself really shopping for anything beauty, even though I’m you’re average broke university student. A few days ago, I was reading the lovely fellow Canadian, Sandra’s blog, and came across her “New In” post and after enjoying it immensely, I was struck with inspiration to do something similar on my blog that would allow me to jot down some brief thoughts on recently acquired products without going overboard and generally insane about it.

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Pureology Strength Cure Sulfate-Free Shampoo & Condition ($30/each): I’m a massive fan of Pureology in general and I may have had an inkling that I would receive this set in my Easter basket courtesy of my mother, but alas, I went for this repairing formula although I don’t have particularly damaged hair because I find my hair responds well to protein and theoreticaly a more protein heavy formula would be less heavy but equally as nourishing on my relatively fine but very dry and tangly hair. The shampoo is concentrated, producing an appealing lather without stripping the hair or irritating my sensitive scalp but unlike some of Pureology’s other formulas, it does contain some silicone – amodimethicone, so at least it does not build up on the hair – and doesn’t smell like the most amazing thing ever. Both the shampoo and conditioner have this slightly medicinal, slightly floral scent that doesn’t quite compete with some of their greater scents. The conditioner impressed me hugely, being extremely concentrated with a nice thick texture that didn’t feel heavy on the hair but had the best slip for detangling. It too contains amodimethicone but I’m not one to complain because I like the slip – another concern is that it contains some isopropyl alcohol to make the the behentronium chloride easier to integrate into the formula as a conditioner but as its a solution of sorts, the concentration is fairly low and there is that fact that the hair is dead.

Bumble & Bumble Repair Blow Dry ($17/37): Bumble & Bumble is one of those brands that I consistently want to try products from despite the fact that they are very expensive, their products don’t exactly have the most unique ingredients and I tend to have a hit and miss relationship with – but I’m pleased to report that although I’ve only used this product a few times, it has definitely wowed me. It’s a dimethicone based serum-cream hybrid that has all of the benefits of the silicone – heat protection and that delightful slip – without the usual disadvantages – adding unpleasant weight to the hair and tending to just dilute the rest of the formula. I don’t have damaged hair but its curly so I tend to enjoy products that are, so my love for it isn’t necessarily related to its purpose here; I adore how its concentrated and has an amazing amount of control for a minimal amount of product whilst maintaining volume in the hair. For instance, I used this to blow dry my hair straight and it had some volume and stayed straight-ish for an impressive length of time and felt silky in the best way possible.

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Brigitte ($37): So when I strolled into Sephora and actually found this peach-tinged rose lipstick in stock, I finally went for it and gave in to the hype of the expensive lipstick. The formula is amazing, hydrating majorly long wearing, especially for something that fades so evenly and has a nourishing texture. I appear to have a number of similar shades but it is a gorgeous everyday my-lips-but-rosier shade.

Bath & Body Works 3-Wick Candle in Renew & Refresh ($22.50): I needed another scented candle like I need another whole in my head but when my friend offered to split the buy-one-get-one offer with me, I couldn’t resist picking up this relaxed scent. It’s one of those scents that fills up the room but doesn’t read as bothersome or overwhelming – so if you’re into that heavy headache-inducing kind of strong throw this isn’t for you. It smells exactly as it’s intended to, like warm jasmine with a hint of that airy mint. I’m quite enjoying burning it at this extremely stressful time of the year.

What have you picked up lately?
Maggie, x.

March 2015 Favourites

While for the consensus of others who make content detailing their favourite products of the month, the theme that they’re working with is the beginnings of spring, warmth and sunshine, my month was full of snow, more snow, ice, a storm or five and zero times when the temperatures rose above freezing. However, don’t despair now; in April, we’ve had a few promising days when it’s been a good five or six degrees and I’ve been convinced that the seasons are changing despite the presence of huge snowbanks everywhere you go around these parts. Anyway, my March consisted of more cold weather, a good amount of weather-and-personal-stupidity-induced skin irritation and subjecting myself to an unhealthy amount of stress, reading, essay writing and sleep-deprivation. Fortunately, I have not amassed a large quantity of items to share and declare my love to and I’m thinking this is a somewhat of a more interesting lot of products… don’t hold me to it, though.

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  • Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream ($20)

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Although I’m sure that my extremely irritable skin would have fared better with a fragrance-free moisturizer and with a product with more stable packaging, I was loving this soothing and nourishing margarita scented cream. Unlike just about every other scent with sugar in the name, it smelled more zesty than nauseatingly sweet and it moisturized without even stinging my eczema’d skin even though I was going through a flare up – thanks to my elevated stress levels and the problematic weather. I also adore how rich and concentrated the cream is and how it’s not just immediately absorbed into your skin, leaving the feeling and itchiness of dryness in its wake.

  • Paula’s Choice Resist Daily Smoothing Treatment ($30 US)

I didn’t receive my order from Paula’s Choice until the middle of the month, but given my love for the products – particularly this hydrating AHA-based exfoliant – I couldn’t hold back from including one. I love how this is formulated with a serum-like texture for added extra soothing action and moisture to my face and more than that, I love how it has effective AHA along with a small percentage of BHA to reap the benefits of gentle chemical exfoliation without irritating my skin further. Upon the first couple of uses, I could see the brightening and smoothing effects of the acids, even though they never leave my routine.

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  • Caudalie Vinosource Overnight Recovery Oil ($55)

Throughout March, my face was extra dehydrated, irritated and sensitive because of my lovely stress response in my skin, the erratic weather/heating, my stupidly frequent use of a brand new retinoid product and my daily use of sunscreen on my sensitive skin – using this nighttime labelled oil before moisturizer in the morning and the evening has worked wonders to soothe, hydrate and help smooth the texture of my skin. It’s like a breath of fresh air for my skin and adds a bit of glow, which was helpful particularly under makeup.

  • Essie Cashmere Matte Nail Lacquer in Comfy in Cashmere ($9.99-11.99) | review

Despite the deadlines and general lack of extra time that I had available in March, I relied on painting my nails frequently as a means of relieving stress and it was almost always this greige polish that has the most interesting blue iridescence despite being matte. I reviewed it before, but in short it dries so fast that it’s kind of amazing but it unfortunately could chip pretty fast so I wore it with top coat. This aside, this has become one of my favourite polishes ever!

  • Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge ($8.99)

The fact that I was dealing with dry, flaking and irritated skin in March had me reaching for anything that promised to help foundation apply more seamlessly and highlight the whole skin situation less and the damp sponge application method seemed to fit the bill. I’ve tried a couple of these sponges and I’m rather a fan of this one because it expands drastically, gets appropriately squishy and has nice edges to get into the nooks and crannies of the face. It also leaves the face looking glowy too.

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  • MAC Amplified Creme Lipstick in Blankety ($19)

As I’ve mentioned before, my mom and I have this tradition where she lets me pick out a MAC Lipstick for Valentine’s Day and this year it took a bit of time before I headed to the standalone store so I didn’t pick up this slightly deeper pink-beige hued nude offering until the very end of February. I’ve actually been going for slightly smokier eyes lately and this lipstick definitely fits the bill but it has enough colour to it that it flatters when I’m not wearing loads of makeup. Before, I had been afraid that this classic shade would pull to brown/mauve on my pale lips but rest assured, it’s so good that it’s joined the ranks of my favourites. The formula is ridiculously good, too.

  • MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Chilled On Ice ($25)

When I was picking up my lipstick, I was struck by the desire to pick up another shade in MAC’s lovely cream shadow formula, and justified it because of all of the cream shadows I had seemed to be straddling the line of unusable. Although I’m not usually any sort of a glitter fan, I wound up going for this kind of white gold frosty shade that has gold microglitter running throughout. I’m pleased to report that this shade is pigmented enough to look nice on its own and that the formula of this cream shadow might be the best (even out of the paint pots), as it doesn’t actually seem to crease on me – or if it does, it creases the minimal amount like the NARS Pro Prime does. I’ve been wearing it as a base or as a base and my lid shade consistently.

MAC Chilled On Ice | MAC Blankety
MAC Chilled On Ice | MAC Blankety
What were you loving throughout March?
Maggie, x.

Saturday’s Daily Highlights 03.28.2015

Being in the last couple of weeks before that dreaded time known as the exam period begins and occupied with stressing, getting myself out of bed, reading and essay writing, I have not exactly been doing anything extensive beauty-wise on the daily. However, I went to a funeral for my good friends’ grandmother on Saturday, got all dolled up and was pleased with the results. I thought I would share some musings…

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Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation in Rose Ivory ($57): Laura Mercier’s famous foundation has recently been reformulated – into two varieties, one for optimal hydration and with an oil-free formula – so I’m afraid that I’m talking about a foundation that you can’t easily get your hands on and can’t provide any insight into the newly released formulas. I’ve mentioned before how my feelings towards this full-on-coverage kind of foundation tend to be fickle, vacillating from pronounced dislike to moments of love. I went well in with the moisturizer and smoothing primer beforehand and applied it with a dampened sponge and let me tell you, I was pleased with how relatively flawless my rather dull skin looked while boosting radiance and not looking heavy on the skin.

Essie Nail Lacquer in Wicked ($9-10): I definitely have a soft spot for these deep almost-black vampy purple shades and I’m loving this one, especially as my long favourite OPI Lincoln Park After Dark has neared the end of its life and thickened to an unbearable degree on me. This polish has an equally great formula and is definitely among the really excellent Essie polish formula, relatively even but the teensiest bit sheer on the first coat but totally opaque on the second and quick drying to boot – the only downside is like the OPI offering, it doesn’t have an amazingly long wearing formula. Anyways, I bloody love this colour and I’ve been enjoying it – it’s one of those kinds of shades that I feel the most comfortable in and it’s easy to work with.

Benefit Posietint ($36/ full size): I’m generally hesitant about using these gel stain products on my cheeks because they are the driest part of my skin and have textural issues that I live in fear of these liquidy blushes highlighting but I’ve worn this more milky bloom of pink shade on my cheeks a few times with success – and Saturday was one of those days and I loved the way it looked. At first I made the mistake of applying it with a damp sponge, which I later learned was a recipe for a patchy disaster (and remedied by applying more and blending with my fingers) but I was pleasantly surprised by how it glided on and had a seamless skin-like finish. I’m not always a straight-pink blush person but this hue went on my cheeks in a stunning brightening way that struck me as quintessentially Spring-esque.

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MAC Amplified Creme Lipstick in Blankety ($19): With a bit of a smokey eye going on and no desire to fuss around with my lipstick, I knew that I wanted to go with a fairly nude and no fuss product and I found myself reaching for this slightly deeper mauve-beige hued neutral lipstick that I recently acquired – thanks to my Valentine’s Day gift from my mother. It has that comfortable, opaque and creamy formula and is actually flattering on my fair skin despite being a bit deeper in tone and having more beige undertones, even without being paired with a liner. I’m in love.

NUME Classic Reverse Wands ($139): First off, I apologize for my hair; I was using a different dry shampoo and it was disastrous, leaving this weird white bit in the roots of my hair that you can see in the picture. I was feeling tempted to style my hair and go through the whole getting ready motions and I curled my hair with this curling wand – and I got the most compliments I’ve gotten on my hair in my life. Unlike just about any hot tool, it styles my hair quickly and actually lasts days even through the elements. It’s reverse shape also creates these nice mermaid kind of wavy curls that are tighter towards the top and looser at the bottom. When there’s another sale on, I want to pick up one of their more classic wands because I like this one so much. It’s honestly a godsend for difficult to style hair and the photo above doesn’t even do it justice.

What have you been enjoying lately?

Maggie, x.

My Second Foray into Highlighter | Benefit Girl Meets Pearl

I’m quite the fan of highlighters in general, but I’m sure this is not surprising considering that I’m a lover of all things glowy. More surprisingly, however, I don’t have a large number of highlighters in my collection but I do reach for them often without talking about them. The Benefit Girl Meets Pearl ($36/ 0.4 oz) was the second highlighter that I ever acquired and it remains one of my favourites. I say ‘acquired’ because I did not actually purchase or rather, pay for the “liquid pearl for face” – the full-sized product was part of the first 500 Point Perk that I redeemed from Sephora.

DSC_0461DSC_0464It’s not what I would think of as a traditional highlighter and was my first foray into the world of liquid highlighters that I’ve come to adore. Unlike most liquid highlighters, it doesn’t have an overly runny texture and is not nearly difficult to deal with as the typical liquid textures. The formula is slightly sheer in the nicest way possible – but this does make it impossible to photograph in its true glory – and is a relatively light pale pink-hued shade with a golden champagne sheen running throughout and no obvious shimmer. I love how it reads on the skin as natural luminosity rather than any sort of product and how it sits half way between pink and gold. It’s extremely blendable into the skin and I have to say that I enjoy that it blends seamlessly into my dry skin even when I’ve been naughty and have applied the cream product over powder.

It’s quite pricy but I might say that it’s worth the money as the product goes such a long way and it’s simply gorgeous on the skin. It doesn’t hurt how versatile it is, either, working underneath foundation to add a glow and even things out, used on top as a traditional highlighter and mixed in with foundation to sheer things out while adding some luminosity.

What’s your favourite highlighter?
Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #58

The last week (or so) has been a rather unproductive one, especially after I naively proclaimed that I was going to be uber-productive and focused, enjoying the week and a bit that I had without continous deadlines. There have been numerous storms — it’s nowhere near spring-like here in anything except the increased hours of sunlight and the appearance of sun in general — and I even had a few snow days off school but I’ve spent time thinking and stressing about all the essays that I have to write rather than making acceptable headway on them. I have six left. I’m just about ready to vomit, cry or pass out. This has just been one of those periods of time when I seem incapable of getting anything done and find myself grunting and growling at inanimate objects, along with the usual engaging in delusions.

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Although I’ve certainly not had the time or even the energy to really go shopping as of late, I’ve picked up a couple of things. After the top coat travesty happened, (when I realized that the only top coats I owned were either questionable in general or had gone too gloopy) I picked out a replacement topcoat, the CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat and while I was at it, I threw in the Quo by Orly Strong Bond Rubberized Base Coat for good measure – even though I’ve been enjoying the Formula X offering. I’m certainly enjoying the duo together – they are holding polish up on my nails and the top coat has added that kind of gel look and didn’t take long to dry. The second purchase that I’ve made was of Bath & Body Works candles. I’ve documented the discovery of my love for their candles on my blog since last summer and I’ve found myself obsessed with burning them during stressful times – so I’m pretty into the candle burning process at the moment and picked up three because of their $3/25 Single Wick Sale that they had on, although I certainly was not all that low on candles. I picked up three spring scents perhaps subconsciously in hope of bringing the change in weather, BBW Brazillian Blue Waters Medium Candle (which smells like the actual ocean with a light floral bit kicked in), BBW Amazon Falls Medium Candle (which smells very fresh and very greeny with a hint of that ocean smell and maybe a touch of floral) and the BBW Sparkling Limeade Mason Jar Candle (which smells possibly the most interesting of the bunch, as a mixture of greens and herbs along with the promised lime, but with a bitter rather than sweet edge and maybe a hint of gin?). I also note that they have a nice sale on the 3-Wick Candles that’s actually better than the 2/35 promotion than they put on in Canada and they do have all of their spring scents I believe…

This week I’ve both been enjoying the Paula’s Choice products (and samples) that I received in my order along with a recent rediscovery in the stash. First off, I’ve been loving the Paula’s Choice Resist 5% AHA Daily Smoothing Treatment – it’s gentle, moisturizing, soothing but definitely has that instant effectiveness that acids are known for providing along with a few samples. The most notable samples have to be the Skin Recovery SPF 30 Lotion, the Resist Moisture Renewal Oil Booster and the Skin Perfecting BHA Lotion. The rediscovery was the cheap and cheerful Rimmel Natural Bronzer in 021 Sun Light that I have pretty much forgotten about the existence of in the last year, likely because of the other more interesting offerings that I’ve had with far better packaging. I’ve enjoyed going for this paler bronzer because it’s lighter in tone with some nice warmth, applies smoothly to the skin with a semi-matte finish and seems to add some natural depth to my skin even in its pale state. The formula is impressive and I would do well to remember that.

Although for the large part I’ve been pretty dissatisfied with my productivity, I was pleased that I kept up with three posts per week and I intend to stick to this kind of timeline. I also think I’m going to survive so there’s that…

How was your week?

Maggie, x.