The Review | Essie Cashmere Matte Nail Lacquer in Comfy in Cashmere

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The transitional collection, Essie’s Cashmere Mattes, is my kind of collection, as I knew it would be – filled with interesting but neutral polishes that tended to lean on the greige side of things with nothing remotely resembling the frou frou. It was the beginning of January that the collection started popping up along the blogosphere and conveniently the timing coincided with my more recent renewal of my love affair with all things polished and this became an object of fixation for over a month. Finally, I spotted the whole collection in Lawton’s at the beginning of March and I’m pleased to report that I restrained myself and only picked up the shade that I was lusting after the most, the Essie Cashmere Matte Nail Lacquer in Comfy in Cashmere ($9.99-11.99). Although I do concede that there is truth to the complaints of many, – the polish dries so fast that it requires some extra care to ensure that the coats are applied evenly without streaks and the demi-matte formula tends to chip very quickly without the use of a topcoat – I have to say that I’m still just as obsessed with this greige polish as I was before acquiring it. Essie describes Comfy in Cashmere as “a mauve with deep velvet undertones” but I would disagree saying that it has more of that grey-tinged taupe to it than a mauve would have in my view and velvet is not a colour descriptor, I’m telling you. I would call the beauteous polish a medium-toned greyed taupe with a semi-matte finish and that unique blue iridescence running throughout.

The polish is very susceptible to chipping, especially when worn without a topcoat (I’m wearing it with the CND Vinylux Weekly Top-Coat), I do assert but in its defense the matte finish allows for it to dry uber-fast which is convenient when you’re as impatient as me and I do appreciate how the formula covers well in one coat and becomes completely opaque within the second one. If you’re looking for a neutral polish with a bit of an edge and/or fancy a polish that will dry fast and opaquely, I would highly recommend Comfy in Cashmere.

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Have you tried any polishes from Essie’s Cashmere Matte Line?

Maggie, x.

My First Paula’s Choice Order

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Since the very beginning of my blog, I’ve been aware of and relying on the information put out by the Paula’s Choice team in order to select worthy products and much of the information learned there contributed to dealing with my dry uber-sensitive skin that was in a crisis of sorts, so I’m in awe of them for that. Ever since, I’ve been intrigued by their product lines as well as their unbiased information and no bullshit approach but it wasn’t until about two weeks ago that I took the plunge and actually ordered from them after deliberating for so long. I believe it was over the holiday break that I discovered Paula’s Choice’s youtube channel and their amazing Live Chats and I’ve been obsessed with these chats ever since – they somehow manage to be entertaining, absurdly informative and relaxing at once. It was my enjoyment of the show for months that finally pushed me over the edge to make an order – along with the fact that I actually was running out of stuff and their prices are affordable with all things considered. And I also picked up a gift that I’m not going to show for my mother!

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  1. Paula’s Choice Resist Daily Smoothing Treatment 5% AHA ($30 $25.50/50 mL):

“Paula’s Choice Resist Daily Smoothing Treatment with 5% Alpha Hydroxy Acid is a must-have exfoliant for those who want their skin to look and act younger. It features 5% glycolic acid with a 0.50% boost of pore-penetrating salicylic acid. This anti-aging exfoliant reveals youthfully radiant skin and counteracts sun damage—without redness or irritation! The innovative daily-use formula continually renews your skin’s texture, evens skin tone, smooths fine lines, and stimulates healthy collagen production via exfoliation and by delivering a potent blend of antioxidants that help fight free-radical damage. Fragrance- and colorant-free, this silky treatment doubles as a lightweight moisturizer and is recommended as an integral part of the Paula’s Choice Resist line This AHA exfoliant has a pH range of 3.5-3.9”.

Preliminary thoughts: The very reason that I bit the bullet and placed this order was this product – I had actually run out of my current AHA exfoliant (the First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads) and Brian of the PC team had convinced me of the merits of this moisturizing and more gentle daily option, formulated with a slightly lower percent of glycolic acid and 0.5% salicylic acid. I’ve used this product four or five times and I’m more than impressed and I have to say that it’s been one of the most initially impressive products that I’ve ever tried. I’m ridiculously excited about this one and it may or may not be included in a post at the end of the month – or maybe early next month, judging by how things have been as of late.

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     2. Paula’s Choice Resist C15 Super Booster ($20 $9/0.12 ounces trial size)  [$48/ 0.67 ounces]:

“Resist C15 Super Booster is a concentrated, light-as-water liquid treatment product designed to supercharge your Paula’s Choice serum, or it may be used alone. A blend of 15% stabilized vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid) at a pH of 3.0, antioxidant vitamin E, ferulic acid, and peptides repairs visible signs of aging and stimulates collagen production for smoother, brighter, and firmer skin. Vitamin C also helps protect skin from environmental damage as it evens your skin tone. You’ll see dramatically younger, healthier, and more radiant skin in weeks!”

Preliminary thoughts: I’m afraid that I haven’t used this concentrated Vitamin C treatment much but the time that I did use it, I was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t seem sensitizing despite the potency and that because its unscented, it doesn’t actually smell like sausages as I’ve heard. It has a nice serum-y texture and its supposed to do wonders with dealing the red marks left behind by blemishes that are a major concern of mine.

The Samples

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(i) Paula’s Choice Resist Moisture Renewal Oil Booster ($7/ trial size – FREE w/Promo) [$35/0.67 ounces]: “This unique blend of nine gentle, non-fragrant, antioxidant-packed plant oils brings soothing, moisture-rich relief to dull, dry skin. See a youthful glow return as essential fatty acids repair skin’s barrier to restore softness and elasticity while calming irritated skin. The non-greasy and elegantly-light texture absorbs quickly for all-day comfort and lasting smoothness” – IT’S BEAUTIFUL.

(ii) Paula’s Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment ($10/trial size – FREE w/Promo) [$55/1 ounce]: “Combined with potent antioxidants, Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment is specially formulated to smooth and firm skin by helping to boost cell regeneration and stimulate collagen production. Its light, silky texture absorbs quickly and goes to work immediately to refine pore size, reduce deep wrinkles, fine lines, brown spots—it can even help breakouts, too! Licorice, oat extract and other anti-irritants help to minimize the irritation some people may get from products containing high amounts of retinol. You’ll be amazed at how much younger and radiant your skin will look and feel”

(iii) Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel (free sample or $0.80) [$26/3.3 ounces]: “Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant has a sheer, weightless texture that works to exfoliate the skin’s surface and fade signs of sun damage. The ultra-light formula corrects uneven skin tone for a brighter, smoother, more radiant complexion. Substantiated research shows that AHAs improve collagen production for firmer skin and increase skin’s moisture-binding ability. 8% AHA Gel works to sustain the results of professional peels and wears beautifully under a moisturizer or serum”

(iv) Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Lotion (free sample or $0.80) [$26/ 3.3 ounces]: “Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Lotion Exfoliant moisturizes as it exfoliates both the skin’s surface and inside the pore, reshaping the pore lining, unclogging pores and improving skin cell turnover rate. This creates a dramatic improvement in the skin’s appearance, feel, and function, leading to healthier skin. There is a great deal of research indicating that BHA (beta hydroxy acid) increases collagen production and drastically smooths the surface of skin. Additionally, BHA has antibacterial properties that attack blemish-causing bacteria. The lush texture of the 2% BHA Lotion makes skin feel satiny soft, while potent anti-irritants help calm a reddened, blotchy complexion”.

(v) Paula’s Choice Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer ($ 1/ sample) [$29/1.7 ounces]: “Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer contains a unique complex of ingredients proven to remodel your skin by building and preserving collagen, firming skin and protecting against moisture loss. The feather-light, silky texture provides substantial hydration. The active ingredients in the Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer are proven to make a visible difference in the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, skin tone, and skin firmness”.

(vi) Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Daily Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 ($0.80 / sample) [$26/ 2 ounces]: “Skin Recovery Daily Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 goes above and beyond most moisturizers with sunscreen. It replenishes dry, sensitive skin and ensures a healthy barrier function while protecting from daily sun damage (the cause of wrinkles and brown spots) with gentle mineral sunscreens. Loaded with potent antioxidants, skin-identical ceramides and cell-communicating peptides to restore and help maintain healthy, radiant skin that looks and acts younger. Ideal for those with rosacea and specially designed to be worn under makeup”. – IT’S AT LEAST AS BEAUTIFUL ON ACCOUNT OF ITS GENTLENESS AND LACK OF A COLOUR CAST.

(vii) Paula’s Choice Clinical Ultra-Rich Soothing Body Butter (free sample or $0.80) [$19/113 g]: “Paula’s Choice Clinical Ultra-Rich Soothing Body Butter is the solution for problem dry skin anywhere on the body. This Clinically proven treatment cream immediately softens dry, rough skin and keeps it moisturized for 12 hours. A superior blend of antioxidant-rich plant oils, restorative emollients, soothing anti-irritants, and pure shea butter work together to restore and strengthen skin’s protective barrier. Its rich texture is non-greasy and spreads easily helping dry, cracked skin become healthy again, look younger, and feel velvety-smooth”.

(viii) Paula’s Choice Resist Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA ($1/ sample) [$25/ 7 ounces]: “Resist Weightless Body Treatment is truly a one-of-a-kind product! This anti-aging body lotion contains an effective amount of salicylic acid (BHA) formulated at a pH range (3.5-3.9) that allows the BHA to have superior exfoliating properties. As a result, it works to soften rough, bumpy areas, ease dryness, help clear breakouts from the neck down, stimulate collagen production and banish dullness for improved skin tone. This silky, lightweight moisturizer sets to a soft matte finish and is packed with proven antioxidants and potent anti-irritants to keep skin youthful and healthy. This specialized body product will reveal younger-looking skin with a renewed firmness, refined texture and fewer discolorations from sun damage”.

Overall, I definitely had a good experience ordering from Paula’s Choice, even as a Canadian customer. Whilst the order had an added charge (even though I qualified for ‘free shipping’), I can understand that for crossing the border and I was pleased that the order came here in about a week and a half, even including weather-related delivery problems – they even gave me the discounted price, even though I ordered a few hours before the sale begun because it did not process until the following day! I will warn you that on the site, the prices are in US dollars, so be warned of the prices being notably higher considering how awful the Canadian dollar is doing at the moment! It’s also nice that the products are made in the US so we do not have to pay duty!

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

 

 

Beauty & The Book #2

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Let’s start with my two (in)significant musings of note today: (1) I’m fairly certain that the only reason that I’ve found the time during this crazy season – in more ways than one – to actually whip out a blog post on a Tuesday or Wednesday (or maybe even Thursday for that matter…) is that I actually slept like a functional human being last night, along with the fact that I don’t have any impending deadlines this week and (2) that it’s the last week of Winter. Despite being one of those rare human beings that enjoy Winter, on account of the relaxed and cozy vibes that come along with it, I can understand the desire for the season to end – and I even share that desire – but the truth is that we are scheduled for yet another snowstorm tomorrow so it appears that Canada isn’t quite joining the changing seasons yet. Now, let’s get on my second installment in the series where I ramble on about my love for both a book and something of the beauty variety.

Thomas King’s “Green Grass, Running Water”

While it’s true that my love of books can only be described as insurmountable, I was not expecting to love it because I’m a terrible Canadian and have low expectations for pieces of ‘Canadian literature’ and that it was read as assigned reading for my Canadian lit class. It’s a really interesting, strangely humorous and poignant tale that describes the experiences of individuals of the Blackfoot community, particularly focusing on the intersection between the larger Euro-centric Canadian society and aboriginal culture. The writing is all kinds of beautiful, even whilst there is so much going on (especially in terms of the sheer number of references) and I’m partial to the dialogue and storyline that occurs between Coyote (the dancing and laughing demigod), the Lone Ranger, Robinson Crusoe, Ishmael, Hawkeye and the unidentified first person narrator.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge ($7.99)

Believe it or not, I have never used the actual Beauty Blender, nor have I been tempted to try it, let alone think about purchasing the hyped $26 dollars beauty sponge, however, I have to say that I’ve fallen in love with using this dampened sponge to apply foundation or concealer, especially on my currently very dry skin. As much as I was enjoying the purple Quo Beauty Sponge as an alternative to everyone’s favourite pricier offering, I have to say that this one takes the cake because of just how bouncy it is and how it absorbs water and expands after you wring it out to an even larger degree. I’m also partial to the smaller pointier end for some highlighting and concealing with minimal effort.

Any recent book or beauty recs?
Maggie, x.

 

Another Top Coat Disappointment | Sephora Formula X Shine Top-Coat

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Not only do I have a nail chipping problem, I appear to have the worst luck in the top coat department – and this is a clear example of that. The most irritating thing is that I absolutely loved the whole Sephora Formula X System together, as it seemed to provide the most fuss-free long-lasting manicures but after maybe six weeks, it appears that the once-lovely top coat has thickened up to the point that it’s actually unusable. I have tried maybe three times to use the top coat since I’ve kind of been forced to notice the texture change and I’ve come to the conclusion that it is unworkable in its state now. Note here that I’ve only tried a sample size container of the Sephora Formula X Shine Top Coat ($13) from one of their point perks so there is a possibility that the formula is different in the full size bottle, though…

To sum it up, like the Essie No Chips Ahead, the Formula X Top Coat is not outwardly bad — perhaps even less so, as when it’s performing at its prime, it performs like the very best of them. However, I could not be more disappointed to find out that this product that I loved enough to include in last month’s favourites post could turn so quickly from user-friendly to unusable.

The search for the perfect top coat continues… Have you tried this offering?
Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #56/57

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After a relatively busy week of essay writing, exam preparation stress and minimal sleep, I had somehow convinced myself that during last weekend and the early days of this week I didn’t have to run around like a chicken with its head chopped off and make serious headway on the assignments with steady and continuous deadlines that were looming. It was a mistake, it was only by the grace of the finest caffeine, my disturbing ability to work under the worse conditions optimally and my ability to perform while being very sleep deprived. I survived, which is the important thing – and I didn’t screw anything up royally. Oh, the joys of university student life. Things haven’t slowed down that much but it has gotten to the point that I’m ecstatic that I don’t have any assignments due in the next week and that I have some time to breathe as I conquer my mountain of readings and get on that essay writing train…

  1. Oh, Coffee, how I love thee… We may or may not have plans to elope, but more seriously I don’t know how I would survive without the potent kind of the divine beverage.
  2. Essie Cashmere Matte Collection’s Comfy in Cashmere … My nail polish obsession has continued and this has been my latest object of fixation. It’s one of those gorgeous greige colours with a matte finish – as the name would suggest – and the most gorgeous blue iridescent lean running throughout. I can understand why people are so divided on the polishes in this collection though, – while they are interesting neutrals that have nice pigmentation and interesting hues, they don’t last long on the nails especially without being top coated and they can kind of dry ridiculously fast – but I love this one regardless.
  3. Keeping up with the daily sunscreen … Even though I don’t love wearing sunscreen every day because of the hassle and how finicky my skin is with the stuff, I’ve been keeping up with going for it on the daily and since switching to Differin and going a little heavy on it, using any sort of chemical product (i.e. the Clinique Superdefense) has been out of the question, I’ve gone back to the Avene High Protection Mineral Cream as a moisturizing step in my routine and its been working like a charm, even though it takes some time to blend it and to set to neutralize the pinky white-ish cast.
  4. A New Top-Coat Lemming… I’m one of those people with nail chipping issues so a good top coat is a requirement and at the moment I own zero that can be described as good and have a still functional and usable texture. Over the last few days (somewhat out of frustration), I’ve put some research in and I’ve come to the conclusion that the CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat needs to come into my life. I don’t even care that it’s not the fastest drying top coat if it keeps polish on as long as people say it does!
  5. Another Drugstore Dash … I’m not going to even apologize for my foray into the local drugstore after class last week, fueled by my desire to buy things and forget about the 2737 things that I was stressed about and joined by my partner in crime – at least I kept it at three items and two of them I’m really pleased with and the other is just fine. First up the OPI ’50 Shades of Grey’ Nail Polish in Cement The Deal has the most amazing formula ever and is far more interesting than it appears as a dullish grey cream, second, I was more than pleased to pick up the Garnier Curl Construct Creation Mousse for a mere few dollars on sale and I’m equally pleased to say that it has been a much more impressive one than the last few that I’ve tried – actually working and neither drying out my hair or leaving that weird residue. On the final note, I like the Maybelline ‘Rebel Nudes’ Lipstick in 700 Barely Bloomed just fine but I made an error with my shade choice, as it’s just another peachy nude that seems to look very similar to a number of lipsticks that I own and love – in the bullet, it appears much more peachy and pastel-y and because of this, I wished I had gone for one of the more corally shades!
  6. My first Paula’s Choice order… Just a tad over a week ago, I bit the bullet and ordered a few things from Paula’s Choice for the first time and this product (the Paula’s Choice Resist Daily Smoothing Treatment) was one of those things and I would have it now if there wasn’t this stupid mix-up that happened with shipping with our bad weather conditions. Regardless, I’m pretty excited to receive my products (and plethora of samples) and should have it early in the week.
Any thoughts on the last few weeks?
Maggie, x.

The Current Rotation

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I’ve made many promises to myself to drop my whole woe-is-me, I’m a stressed, sleep-deprived, emotionally unstable groaning act but it has been one of those weeks when there’s something due every day… I’ve been mulling around with this post idea since Monday, I believe, and I actually was able to get the photo done nice and early – thanks to the recently longer days of adequate sunlight – but after barely finishing everything that had to be done this week on time and barely getting enough sleep to function, I was unable to muster the effort to lift my head, let alone write a coherent blog post. I have had feelings on products and I wanted to share them. Oh, and I’ve been really getting into the sunscreen on the daily as of late but I’ve flip-flopped around with two because of the general skin craziness situation, so I’ll have to share my thoughts at a later date:

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  •  Differin 0.3 % Adalpalene Gel *RX* ($95): You might have heard me harp on about how much I have loved the long-term effects of using a non-irritating (read not alcohol based) retinoid to both prevent my mildish acne on my face and provide healing and fade general imperfections and unevenness and that has not stopped. However, I realized that I was using my old prescription Biacna retinoid-antibiotic combo gel after it was quite expired and my prescription had expired – so it was due time to visit the doctor for a new one and I ended up changing to this more hydrating purely adalpalene formula with a boost in concentration. So far so good but I was stupid and decided to use it for three days in a row right after going a little heavy on the AHAs, of course when my skin was already a bit dry so I might have gone through a patchy and flaky few days…
  • NUDE Skincare Perfect Cleanse Nourishing Cleansing Oil ($46): I splurged on this cleansing oil back in November’s Sephora VIB Sale and have been using it fairly consistently ever since – however, in the last month or two it has become a staple and I’ve been kind of obsessed with it in the last week or two with my dehydrated irritated skin to remove makeup with the least fuss and aggravation. I have to praise this cleansing oil’s supreme gentleness, soothing ability and hydrating texture, the fact that it’s actually effective without going to town but most of all, I love that the pump does’t leak or get messy in the slightest. I’m not sure it’s worth the price tag, though, to be completely honest.
  • Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation ($9-12): Although it’s only a one ounce bottle and being a glowing formula, I wouldn’t have expected this one bottle to last such a ridiculous long time and as much as I enjoy the formula (particularly on drier more finicky skin), I am dedicated to finally finishing up my bottle. It has a thicker but moisturizing texture and its thickness is likely why the bottle seems to be never ending…
  • Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer ($7-8): I’ve had this affordable concealer for awhile but I’ve been rather indifferent to the formula, seeing as the colour is a wee bit too peachy golden to be ideal for underneath my eyes and a little too sheer for my eye bags and the formula is a bit too illuminating for use on the rest of the face. In the last week or two, however, I’ve been using the illuminating formula over the top of corrector underneath my eyes and to provide a bit of highlighting in the centre of my face – because of the sheerness of the concealer and its creamy texture, it actually works layered on my dry skin while still looking smooth and natural. The shade I use is 125 Very Fair, which isn’t all that pale to be honest.
  • Benefit Girl Meets Pearl ($36): With my dull, dry and slightly irritated skin, it should almost be a given that I’ve been highlighter obsessed in these recent weeks to compensate for the dullness, dryness and general lacklustre skin and this easy-to-use liquid one has been my go-to. I love how it’s the easiest liquid product to apply even over powders and dry patches and the way that the colour sits halfway between a pink highlighter and a gold highlighter is strangely flattering, reading as luminous skin.
  • Maybelline EyeStudio Brow Drama in Soft Brown ($11.99): I have loads of unruly – but sparse – long crazy brow hairs and while I wish this formula had more pigment and ability to fill in the gaps, I actually find myself loving the large ball applicator for quick application and foolproof shaping. The formula lasts on my brows for a ridiculous long time and doesn’t smudge off at all and I’m very partial to the colour as it’s appropriately cool-toned and not insanely dark.
  • MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Chilled On Ice ($25): When I found myself wandering through MAC, on the lookout for a new lipstick, – a much-appreciated Valentine’s Day gift from my mother – I was transfixed by their lovely cream shadows, particularly those in lighter shimmery shades and I let myself go for it, as I’m kind of low on cream shadows in those shades that are not too dry to function. I surprised myself by reaching for a shade with some micro glitter along with my usual metallic finish, a pale whitened gold shade with a champagne lean to it that I believe originally came out years ago in the Cham-pale collection and has been made permanent since. I do have to say that these are my favourite creamy shadows based on their wear time and ease of use and I’ve been enjoying this shade as a base and as my whole eyeshadow – or just my lid shade – when I’ve not been up for much.
Have you tried any of these?
Maggie, x.

The Beauty Bargain | Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser

IMG_8849There might not be much heard about the Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser ($9-10 CDN) but it’s been out for years and years and despite its rather boring appearance and general absence of hype, it’s kind of a lifesaver and one of those unsung heroes of the budget beauty department. It’s a gentle, soothing cleanser that I’m tempted to compare to Cetaphil but in my estimation, it has a much creamier texture and blows Cetaphil out of the water. In other words, it’s not a particularly exciting product but I’m not of the belief that cleansers should be – it’s good to look for cleansers that have the gentlest formulas and work effectively without stripping the skin or irritating it in the slightest, especially when you have irritation prone skin as I do.

While the emollients and the general soap-free cleansing agents in the formula will remove makeup to some extent, particularly when light makeup is involved, I tend to stick to using it as a morning cleanser or as a second cleanse after using my main makeup remover at nighttime. This might have something to do with the fact that I find that makeup clings to my face like glue and I seem to need to use heavy duty oil removers for the more benign formulas, though, so I wouldn’t necessarily be dissuaded by its limited makeup removal abilities – it just isn’t the best makeup remover in existence.

Now that I’m working on my second bottle of this lotion cleanser, I definitely do stand by my original assessment that this soap and fragrance free formula is the gentlest that I’ve ever tried, and the only formula that does not make my skin tingle, burn and redden when it’s at its most fragile state. Not only is the cleanser gentle, it also moisturizes the skin after removal with its lotion formula and inclusion of anti-irritants, chamomile and vitamin e. Even on my skin that has a tendency to get rather dry and irritated, this cleanser leaves a comfortable feeling after being rinsed away.

This cleanser is quite simply the best for irritated and drier skin and I would recommend it to anyone unless you’re very oily or relish the uber-cleansed feelings that more lightweight gel cleansers leave behind. It’s amazing and one of my few skincare repurchases.

Ingredients: Purified Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Isohexadecane, Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate, Methylglucose Sesquistearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Bisabolol, Chamomile Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, BHT, Geranium, Dipropylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Methylparaben

Any beauty bargains to share?
Maggie, x.

March Wishlist

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  • Paula’s Choice Resist Daily Smoothing Treatment with 5% AHA ($30 25.50): This doesn’t exactly fit in the standard wishlist criteria, as I’ve already ordered it (along with a smaller size of the Resist C15 Super Booster), but I wanted to talk about it and I figure as it hasn’t arrived yet and it won’t for a few days, it counts – even though I’ve already committed to it. I finally have bit the bullet and ordered Paula’s Choice and I’m particularly excited about this daily chemical exfoliant – it has a slightly lower percent of glycolic acid than most treatments so it will be more suitable for frequent application and is formulated into a soothing hydrating base with some effective salicylic acid (0.5%) added in. Oh, and even though I managed to miss the event, all of the Resist products (including this one) are 15% off at the moment! I am very excited.
  • Zoya Naturel Satins Nail Polish in Rowan ($9): I’m still on my nail polish kick and I’m particularly enjoying these greyed neutrals at the moment. I certainly have some similar colours but as I’ve heard fabulous things about the longwearing satin formula, I’m kind of obsessing about this one. I’ve never tried a Zoya polish but I’ve heard such great things that I’m just about ready to bite the bullet and this “suede taupe cream” looks amazing.

 

  • OGX Quenching Coconut Curls Hair Butter ($7.99): I’m always on the lookout for  rich and intensive conditioning products that are effective but lightweight, helping to detangle and treat my dry hair without weighing down my finer loose curls – and this one looks promising. I’m a fan of the OGX line and I’m partial to their more refined scents, so I’m very tempted to give this curl-enhancing deep treatment a go. While it has mineral oil, which I have found kind of heavy in some formulas, the nice concentration of other oils seems promising and I’m pleased that the formula is not laden with silicones and the silicones included are not dimethicone.

 

  • Living Proof Curl Defining Styling Cream ($34): Again on the difficult curly hair related note, I’ve been intrigued by Living Proof products because they are formulated without silicones and I’ve heard that their polymer formulas somehow manage to add a good level of control and definition to the hair with minimal product and weight. Curl creams can be tricky but the rare few that I have found to actually help with definition along with hydration have been serious loves of mine and this one could potentially be part of that group.
  • NARS Audacious Lipstick in Brigitte ($37): It’s safe to say that this muted coral-tinged rosy lipstick is setting records for appearing in my wishlist posts most often, but while I haven’t picked up this painfully expensive lipstick yet, I’ve decided that as a purchase it’s a foregone conclusion. I’ve had it on my lips and the formula and shade is just that amazing.

 

  • NARS Dual-Intensity Blush in Craving ($52): Although I was enticed by the NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows on more than one occasion, I pride myself on my ability to purchase the beautiful but exorbitantly priced shadows but I’m afraid that I will be giving into this one. I am aware that I need another blush like I need another hole in the head, though. I’m intrigued the most by this sheeny highlighter and bronzer duo, as it comes with a pale pink-toned highlighter shade and a nice bronzer that isn’t too shimmery or unnatural-looking. I will admit that the Fervor offering has me intrigued, coming with ” a shimmering soft pink” and “sparkling deep coppery rose”.
 What have you been lusting after as of late?
Maggie, x.

 

February Favourites

DSC_0385I seem to be saying this loads (but it’s not exactly surprising considering that I’m your typical ranting stressed university student), I’ve been stressed and laden down with assignments, essays and such in particular this month. With all the deadlines and such, the hectic month sped right by and while I do have some rather exciting products to share, there was nothing particularly time-consuming or interesting going on in my makeup in February. I will warn you that the products seem to follow a theme, dealing with the crazy winter full of storms and general freezing weather. We’ve had snow and then some more snow with some freezing rain thrown in and my skin has been dry and a wee bit more delicate and has been looking more than a tad bit dull.

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Target Be Peaceful Jar Candle ($12.49)

Throughout February, I often found myself burning and enjoying this uber-calming eucalyptus and lavender scented candle. It has a strong enough throw, even though it’s toted as a stress-relieving candle but it’s not overwhelming even in my rather small bedroom. I’m definitely sad that Target is leaving us in Canada, just because I will no longer be able to get a hold of this candle…

Sephora Formula X Base Coat & Top Coat ($13/each)

A while back I redeemed my Sephora points for a sampling of Sephora’s house brand’s nail care offerings and now that I’ve tried the duo and paired it with other polishes, I have to say that they are absolutely fantastic. I was into painting my nails in February and tried four or five polishes but I appreciated having this duo that kept polish on my nails for a notable long time without being a hassle in the first place. They work actually at keeping nail polish nicely on the nails for a longer period of time and have proven themselves worthy of the slightly higher price tag.

The Body Shop Aloe Protective Restoring Mask ($23)

Even though I am one of those generally perpetually stressed human beings, I’m someone whose stress levels become easily visible in my skin. Considering the stress I was under (not that I’ve entirely escaped from it) and how cold and snowy the weather we’ve been having, it should not be a shock that my skin was in need of some soothing, revitalizing and hydrating action – and this was the mask that checked all of the boxes. There’s nothing remarkable about this mask other than just how soothing and non-irritating it was, which is a good thing considering that if there was anything remarkable ingredient-wise, they would not function properly in the jar packaging. It’s also impressive on the hydration front without being heavy. I actually wore this on some mornings, both by itself and under makeup…

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Maybelline Face Studio Master Prime in Blur + Redness Control ($11.99)

I have absolutely nothing of merit to contribute about this supposed redness-reducing and smoothing silicone based primer. I haven’t experimented with it enough and compared its effects to the effects of others (and no primer) and I haven’t seen a major difference but I have really enjoyed how this primer smooths the skin and helps foundation lie nicely on the skin and stay fresh for even longer while having a nice creamy texture that reaps the benefits of those silicone primers while having a more moisturizing base. It is green but I’m not really noticing any sort of color correcting effect.

Annabelle Stay Sharp Waterproof Lipliner in Java ($9.95)

While I haven’t gotten my shit together and organized my recent lip product buying spree at Target into a post, – it’s coming, I promise – I couldn’t talk about my monthly favourites without talking about this rosy liner with a hint of brown to it. It’s quite similar to my beloved Annabelle Lipliner in Demure – I have no idea how I didn’t realize this when buying it – but I have to say I slightly prefer the formula and colour of this one, as it’s creamy but even longer-wearing and has a stronger rosy hint to it along with some more depth. Despite being waterproof (which I generally associate with being drying and unflattering) and having a self-sharpening mechanism (which I never seem to have to have success with), this liner has impressed me majorly. It wears for ages and ages without being a problem for my mega dry lips and went with both my nude lipsticks to add some life to them and deeper shades.

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NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita ($31)

After the above lip liner, this was easily my most loved lip product of February and although I knew that I enjoyed the comfortable matte formula and the gorgeous true rose hue as soon as I got this in the mail months ago, February was the month that I fell in love with it. Being a shade that flatters with its warmth, sitting halfway in between a neutral lip colour and a true berry, Dolce Vita was a shade that I could throw on with even the most minimal makeup looks and look pulled together and throw on with anything.

Becca Beach Tint Shimmer Souffle in Raspberry/Opal ($33)

The glowier-than-glowy muted berry shade was ideal for February when I was not willing to put any sort of effort or time into my makeup application and my skin was looking drier and more dull than one would desire. The souffle formula almost seemed to blend itself with ease and the highlight built in was intense, illuminating and all kinds of wondrous. I love this formula an awful lot, I have to tell you, and I kind of love the whole marbling highlighter with blush colour situation. This was yet another shade that seemed to effortlessly add that warm glow to my face.

And lastly, my Garage Tartan Scarf deserves a shout out but considering that I got it as a Christmas gift and its no longer available in stores or the website, there wasn’t really a point lingering on it for too long. What were you loving in February?
Maggie, x.

 

Recent Drugstore Acquisitions (Minus the Lip Product Buying Binge)

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Do I really need to say anything more? Although I’m pleased to report that I have been fairly in control with my purchases as of late, I have acquired a nice number of new things from the drugstore in the last month or so. I’ve been pretty reasonable when you take the semi-crazy heavy load of purchasing at Target with its liquidation sale — it’s unfortunately leaving Canada — out of the equation at least, particularly when I bought over five lip products without batting an eye. I’m leaving the majority of the lip products out for a later overview post but there were a good few other Target buys worth noting and I picked up a few things today.

Curls Unleashed Lavish in Lather Sulfate-Free Shampoo ($14.99):

I’m typically very interested in these smaller brands created for use on curlier hair but more often than not, they tend to be rather difficult (or impossible) to get a hold of in Canada and are remarkably expensive. Naturally, with Target — the only place that stocks Curls unleashed — closing down and a small discount offered on all products of the hair variety, I couldn’t resist purchasing the promising sulphate-free shampoo. It does not disappoint in the slightest. It’s gentle, being free of sulfates but it also doesn’t have silicones to provide that nourished feeling and therefore is gentle enough on the hair but provides thorough buildup removal and leaves no sort of weight in the hair. The herbal lemon and rosemary scent is all kinds of amazing, too!

Maybelline Face Studio Master Prime Primer in Blur + Redness Control ($11.99):

Eager to experience the skin smoothing and perfecting magic that primers have been touted as providing, I grabbed Maybelline’s new green-tinged redness correcting and imperfection correcting offering. I’ve been enjoying the silicone-based primer but unfortunately, I have not found the colour correction abilities to be overly potent, however, I have to say that I quite like the smoothing hydrating texture.

L’Oreal Infallible Advanced Never Fail Makeup in 603 Classic Ivory ($15.99):

I fully acknowledge that I have a monstrous foundation buying problem but the sale left me unable to resist. I’m a fan of L’Oreal in general and have wanted to try one of their foundations for ages – despite how pricey they are for drugstore – so I went for the natural-finish longwearing formula that has been regarded highly by Lisa freaking Eldridge. I find it to be more semi-matte than natural finish but I’m pleased to say that its a long-wearing base that actually works on my dry skin.

NYX Powder Blush in Cinnamon ($8.99):

Being interested in that natural rosy-cheeked effect, I’ve had my eye on a few of those matte red blushes over time so naturally, I was thrilled when I spotted the orange-red NYX beauty for the first time at my Target and it wasn’t tampered with, I couldn’t resist. It’s a nice blush to add that authentic rosy effect, but I have to admit that I haven’t fallen in love yet as it doesn’t quite provide that instant glow that I tend to find myself grabbing for.

Sonia Kashuk Dewy Luxe Lip & Cheek Balm in 02 Charmed ($9.99):

I couldn’t very well leave Target and its lovely sale without picking up something from their exclusive Sonia Kashuk line, could I? Being dry skinned and generally into that glowing life, I was intrigued by the multipurpose balm formula, especially when I spotted the true coral colour offering. It’s definitely a unique product but in a nice way. It doesn’t have the most pigmentation but it’s effortless to use and has that build ability that makes life easier; the texture feels gel-like, which is a nice departure from the potentially waxy consistency of a dewy balm product, but it also offers a bit of natural looking luminosity. The nail polish kind of applicator is actually fairly simple to use on both the cheeks and lips and I’ve found the formula to be compatible with both areas.

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Essie Cashmere Matte Nail Lacquer in Comfy in Cashmere ($8.99-11.99):

All February long, my close friend, Lauren and I, have been obsessed with the Cashmere Matte Collection from Essie so naturally I was more than pleased today when I spotted the collection after nearly a month of stalking the stores. This shade is part of the grege-y family that I adore and has that matte textured finish with kind of the most amazing blue iridescence. I’ve only just applied it so I can’t comment on longevity or anything but the formula is almost opaque in a single coat and dries like a champ, as far as I can tell. I’m very excited – can you tell?

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge ($7-8):

With the current weather lately and generally dry and lacklustre skin I’ve been going back to the damp sponge method of foundation application and my old one was falling apart, so upon spotting the beauty blender “dupe” at Lawton’s today (on sale for five dollars this week), I was not going to resist. As it’s still inside packaging, I will report back.

Have you done any drugstore shopping recently?
Maggie, x.