Weekly Medley #46

Recently Updated46I’m free and this whole feeling of freedom has been disorienting, feeling as if there must be six or seven things that I should be doing at the moment that have slipped my mind but I’m definitely pleased with the change of pace around here. By no stretch of the imagination has my week resembled anything interesting, on account of it being spent stressing, being unable to sleep, studying and finishing exams until the last couple of days where I have been thrilled to be doing absolutely nothing, but I’m not disappointed. I’m actually rather pleased with my influx of blog posts over the last couple of days — namely Saturday’s “A Holiday-Themed Wishlist”, Sunday’s “The Beauty Bargain | L’Oreal Collection Exclusive Lipstick in Doutzen’s Pure Red” and yesterday’s “I Used Up Products #4”. So its probably pretty obvious that I’m relieved that the semester has come to an end and that I now have some time to relax and enjoy the holidays. And blog, of course.

About a week ago, I stopped by Sephora, having my eye on a gift or two for friends and knowing that I had to spend a little bit more on myself and I could get $20 off of my purchase with their Christmas promotion. So I was pleasantly surprised on my visit into the store that there was a visiting Dior educator there and obviously I had to have a chat with her about my love of Dior quints and despite firmly believing that I did not need another one, even though the range is completely new, I came out with a new one and an unexpected one, the Dior 5-Couleurs Eyeshadow in 456 Jardin. Being much more a warm-toned neutral gal, I needed convincing on the predominantly green colour scheme and lack of matte shades but after the palette was applied to my eyelids, I was in love with the smoky look that wasn’t nearly as colourful as I would have thought. I’ve been enjoying using the palette, especially because the shadows are just so creamy and pigmented and they bring something a little bit different. My two favourite shades are the iridescent pink lid shade that brightens the lids and the amazing jewel-toned blue shade in the palette. I will admit that its not an all-inclusive palette for me and I like to add a neutral tone in the crease, but I just love it – can you even say that you’re surprised? I’m wearing the shadows above, next to the image of the palette by the way!

Honestly, my current loves have been having the time and energy to apply makeup items such as this one, the cooler weather, being able to sleep and burning candles, along with that whole lazy-day cozy vibe that I adore. If you were wondering the candle currently on rotation is the Bath & Body Works Spiced Apple Toddy 3-Wick Candle and as much as I adore it, man is it potent – in the best way possible.

I’m off to relax and maybe have a nice little afternoon reading-come-lay-down and make some tea – as I kind of have to wean myself off of the great quantity of caffeine that I’ve been ingesting in recent weeks.

How was your week?
Maggie, x.

I Used Up Products #4

DSC_1358I’m still on that I-now-have-time-to-blog-relax-sleep-and-bathe high but I’m doubly as excited to be bringing you a long overdue empties post that includes what I think are more interesting products. Alas, there are still no makeup items to be found…

DSC_1361Garnier Clean + Nourishing Cleansing Oil ($10-12 CDN) | review

In short, I really enjoyed using and might have even loved this budget-friendly cleansing oil but the packaging has irritated me to no end, spilling and leaking everywhere, refusing to dispense the last of the product and the label easily rolling off. It’ s a good one, effective at removing makeup – but I’m sure there are slightly more hardcore ones to be found – and leaving the skin (and eyes) cleansed and nourished with no sign of irritation. I’m still on the hunt trying other cleansing oil options but I would recommend this one packaging aside and I might very well return to it.

By Nature Organic Rosehip Oil ($13/26 CDN)

Being interested in the benefits of oils, rosehip in particular, I picked this amber-tinged bottle up from Winners maybe a year ago and it has been well loved and easily worth the money. I was using it as a nighttime treatment or dry, irritated skin treatment but over the last few much I had switched up my routine and had been applying it as a serum for extra oomph – and I loved it like that. It definitely does what it claims to, deeply nourishing and soothing the skin with its dry oil texture and helping to brighten the skin and reduce hyperpigmentation over time. I would definitely repurchase but I may be receiving a different oil variation in a little less than two weeks, if you know what I’m getting at.

La Roche-Posay Rosaliac AR Intense ($29.99 CDN) | review

I picked this “localized redness intensive serum” back in the spring when I was hankering to introduce a daily serum into my routine and while there was nothing outwardly bad about the product in the slightest, I harbored lukewarm feelings towards it. I enjoyed that it was in stable packaging, was rather affordable and that it was fragrance free, but it fell short of the claims merely providing some extra hydration and a little bit of soothing action. I don’t plan on repurchasing but I wouldn’t completely count it out as my skin didn’t have any adverse reaction to it.

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Aveeno Eczema Care Body Wash ($13.99 CDN)

While this is one of the most dull-sounding products ever, this soap and fragrance free body wash has to be one of my holy-grail products as it soothes and does not irritate my quite severe eczema on my body and my general extremely sensitive skin. It’s rather nice for shaving too – and I will keep on purchasing this, obviously. I’d tell anyone with dry or sensitive skin to give this a go.

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP Lipid Replenishing Body Care ($29.99 CDN)

Yet again, this is quite a basic-sounding product but it’s equally as much of a live-saver because of – you guessed it – my extremely irritated skin that suffers from eczema. It’s formulated without alcohol, fragrance or any of that irritating stuff and does not only include soothing and hydrating ingredients to combat skin issues; there’s a heady quantity of niacinamide, a cell-communicating ingredient that aids in the repair of the skin barrier that can reduce itching in the future and present the condition from reforming. It’s not a miracle cure but it’s the best thing that I’ve tried. I will warn you, however, that because the cream is rich but lightweight and not a balm or butter texture, it does sting over really irritated areas which isn’t so much fun – however, that does provide an incentive not to scratch. If you suffer from dry skin and general itchiness, I would give this a go.

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L’Oreal Oleo-Therapy Oil-Infused Conditioner ($7.99 CDN)

It appears that I have forgotten to photograph this budget-friendly conditioner but I’m committed to including it anyway. It was a nice rich but not overly heavy conditioner that was impressively potent for a drugstore offering, formulated with oils and without silicones. However, it wasn’t mind blowingly amazing and I would purchase it again, but I might be tempted to try different variations from L’Oreal’s line first. My only hesitation is that the mineral-oil in the formula might be weighing my hair down slightly but overall, I find this to be comparable to these higher end oil-enriched conditioners.

Pureology Precious Oil Softening Hair Masque ($50-55 CDN)

Once again, product from the Pureology Hair Care range does not disappoint on either of the three fronts, the spa-esque fragrance one, the efficacy side or the concentration front. I have an inkling suspicion that its luxury ranges like this one that the L’Oreal Oleo-Therapy line was designed to emulate and while I can see the comparison, this luxurious masque delivers results that are worth the increased price tag. With using this 2/3 washes on my huge mass of long wavy curls, this lasted very close to a year which is rather legendary, detangled hair phenomenally and left my hair very nourished without being weighed down in the slightest. This is on the repurchase list, although I might try one from a different Pureology range because I’m curious. There’s also the fact that I’ve gotten more compliments about how I smell after using products from Pureology than I have wearing any fragrance. And it has a heady concentration of oils and does not contain silicones.

Aveda Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair ($40 CDN)

I actually finished up this heat-protectant come leave-in conditioner ages ago but I just spotted it in my emtpies bag and had to talk about it. My only qualm with the product is that it doesn’t have a super-rich texture and that its rather expensive for the limited amount of product that you get but I think it’s a phenomenal leave-in styler/treatment if you don’t want to weigh down your hair and you have hair that cannot tolerate a lot of conditioning products. I enjoyed the effect the protein had on my hair and that it was not loaded with a ton of fillers, particularly when I used it prior to blow drying and/or straightening my hair as it left that smooth but lightweight feel. I’m not sure if I would repurchase it based on the sheer quantity of hair that I have and the fact that it contains dimethicone near the end of the ingredient list.

Bumble and Bumble Texture Hair (Un) Dressing Creme ($17/32.75 CDN)

As I mentioned in Saturday’s wishlist post, I’ve recently finished up my two ounce bottle of this versatile texturizing cream-gel and am sad to see the tube end. I will be repurchasing this. Two things that are really great about this Bumble and Bumble gem is that its mega-concentrated and that it works well across different hair conditions. I like it on my wavy-curly hair as it enhances curl while adding volume, texture and grittiness to my hair which I definitely need on the first few days of a wash. I love it, I just wish there wasn’t any silicones in it at all, but at least they only occur at the halfway point of the ingredient list. I also enjoy that this has a great deal of hold, especially considering that it is a cream product.

DSC_1362Bath & Body Works Mini Candles in Pumpkin Caramel Latte, Wasabi Apple and Flannel ($3/12)

Given my candle-burning obsession that began at the end of the summer, you had to be expecting that some candle empties would be appearing soon. While I enjoyed all three candles, I can easily place the three candles in a hierarchical order in this manner. I liked the typical-caramel scented Pumpkin Caramel Latte candle but wouldn’t rush out to buy it again because I might be getting caramel’d out and the scent is potent enough on this mini candle that I would be hesitant to pick up the three-wick version. I really enjoyed the unique Wasabi Apple candle and will certainly pick up another if the scent returns – the fresh apple scent was mellowed down with a cut of wasabi and I liked how relaxing and refreshing it was. The Flannel candle was definitely my favourite and it might just be my favourite candle scent ever and I went to repurchase the larger size of this scent a while back and was heartbroken to learn that it was only available as part of the Fall line-up. It has that slightly masculine and spicy vibe that Mahogany Teakwood shares paired with more of a rich muskiness, a pinch of citrus and less woodiness. I will be snapping this candle up the next time I spot it, believe me.

 What products have you finished up as of late?
Maggie, x.

The Beauty Bargain | L’Oreal Collection Exclusive Lipstick in Doutzen’s Pure Red

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I’m free and I’m hella excited about this recent change in status that came about as a result of finishing exams and final papers yesterday right before noon. You wouldn’t believe how excited I am to get back into blogging as I’ve been wanting to and to actually sleep like a somewhat functional human being.

Around a month ago, I began to spot the new red range from the L’Oreal Collection Exclusive Lipstick Range popping up on UK beauty blogs and I’ve been counting the days till I could spot these on Canadian shores. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I only had to wait a month, spotting the range on a late night perusal of Shopper’s Drugmart. The full-on name of the product and shade is rather long but I’ll include it for the sake of specificity and whatnot – it’s the L’Oreal Collection Exclusive Lipstick in Doutzen’s Pure Red ($11-12 CDN). The formula of this lipstick is equally as great as the ones from the nude range, if not even better, creamy in texture and pigmented with a cream finish. It lasts on the lips without highlighting any sort of dryness or contributing to any sort of dry lip situation and has that comfort I adore. More than this, I’ve fallen in love with the shade and I have to say that I find the bright tomato red shade flattering on my fair but warm-toned skin.

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L'Oreal Collection Exclusive Doutzen's Pure Red Lipstick
L’Oreal Collection Exclusive Doutzen’s Pure Red Lipstick

I’ve worn this a good few times since picking the lipstick up and I plan on wearing it loads more especially because its ideal for that festive but laid-back bold lip vibe that I’ve been enjoying as of late – particularly with a cozy sweater and that whole situation. The only negatives that I can think of is that its not the longest-lasting formula in the world, it’s about as expensive as drugstore makeup can go and that L’Oreal artificial floral scent that we’ve all come to experience at least at one time in our lives.

Have you tried any of the L’Oreal Collection Exclusive/Privee Lipsticks?
Maggie, x.

 

A Holiday-Themed Wishlist

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Don’t you worry, I’m not here to subject you to your umpteenth holiday gift guide post this week but I do have to admit that I do enjoy sharing the products that are currently at the top of my lust list and ramble on about them for ages. I will admit that I have slacked on all kinds of productivity on the last few days so I’m allowing myself the privilege of writing this post as a break from studying for my upcoming exams, so forgive me if things are a bit wordy and crazy sounding – warning. This is not simply a wish list at the moment because there is that simple fact that this is the time of year that there are gifts to be gotten, or at least this is how I justify writing this self-serving post…

I’ve been into the idea of trying a product or two from the luxurious cult-status brand since hearing everyone and their goldfish declare their love many times over but I’ve always had difficulty finding them in my area or on a hassle-free site for ordering. However, as I was walking around downtown the other week, I spotted the line on the shelves of a local salon and I’ve made note. The most exciting product strikes me as this one because of Tayler’s detailed videos on the brand that I may have watched a time or four and I see this becoming mine in the near future despite the frankly ridiculous price.

Since trying the rollerball version of this warm and rich fragrance in the early summer and falling in love – despite the unseasonal factor – I haven’t stopped loving it since and I’m about ready to go for a larger sized bottle. The oil seemed like a good idea given my sensitive skins general reaction to alcohol in products, my love of oils and the price.

Spoiler alert, I may have recently finished up my two ounce tube of this cream-gel and hankering to repurchase it. I find it to be a universal product and last for ages at that with its potency or concentration; on my wavy-curly hair, I find that it adds some volume, that grittiness that I love along with good curl definition. It’s great on straighter hair too for giving it that beachy look.

I may or may not be expecting to find this in my stocking this year, so in a way, it’s not a true wishlist item but I’m excited enough to include it. I’m a huge fan of Caudalie’s Vinosource range and particularly at this time of year when the perpetual dehydration of the face sets in, I’m into using oils before moisturizer to double up, soothe the face and add some vitality.

  • Bourjois Healthy Balance Unifying Powder in 52 ($24)

I’ve had this power on my list in the book o’ blogging for ages now because of the great things I’ve heard consistently from British bloggers about this creamy-textured non-powdery powder but as I was with my friend, walking around Shopper’s Drugmart (as one does), I touched it and fell in love with the epically creamy and smooth product. The angels were singing when I swatched it.

I never expected to be someone who would give into the Anastasia hype at all, as I’ve been happy with filling my brows in subtly with an angle brush and the grey-toned MAC Coquette Eyeshadow and in particular, I never expected to go for anything like the Dipbrow because it screamed full-on glamorous instagram brows to me – I tend to do better with the natural. However, I picked up a sample of the ashy shade a few weeks back and I’ve been enjoying just how much control you get with the product and how it does double duty in terms of filling in and setting things into place.

  • Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow in Golden Reflections ($61)

It would be an understatement to say that I love me some Dior quints and the interesting Golden Reflections variation that came out in their Holiday collection seems to tempting to resist. Back on the note of my extreme love for these, I may have bought Jardin with the Sephora money off thing and I don’t regret it the slightest on account of the amazing formula that’s pigmented, blendable and easy to use.

Every time I so much as enter Club Monaco, I instantly fall in love with at least one article of clothing. However, the store is rather expensive so I tend to invest in a piece now or then as an extravagance after its been placed on sale. I’m currently dying for this wine-hued sweater with that slouchy feel that I love and that cool girl pleating.

What’s on your wishlist?

Maggie, x.

*select affiliate links were used

November 2014 Favourites

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For the first time ever – or more accurately since I’ve begun to blog – I was so very tempted to skip putting up a favourites post this last month. Why? You know that these are some of my favourite posts to write and read but in the last month things haven’t been exciting beauty-wise and I’ve been so stressed and laden-down with schoolwork that it’s ridiculous. Plus, there are certain moments that I would not particularly like to relive from within the last thirty days. Alas, I pulled through for you and maybe for my own sense of ego – as you can imagine, I can be rather hard on myself for my failures. Here we go.

Conair Shower Comb ($3-5 CDN)

Within last month’s craziness, I managed to pop into a drugstore and pick up this basic wide-tooth comb with detangling bits attached – like those on traditional brushes – for just a few dollars. Little did I know then that this was going to turn out to be the most effective detangling instrument that I’ve ever tried on my tanglier-than-tangly clump-prone mane.

DevaCare Arc AnGel ($26/54 CDN)

As a general rule, I had been putting more effort into my hair in November and I had been pleased with the results. This gel has been perfect, as I’m sure I’ve said before, not being drying or heavy or anything of that sort while being defining and potent enough that I haven’t ran through the bottle quickly – with my hair’s tendency to eat up product ridiculously.

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

Over the last month or two, I’ve been experiencing tight, dry, itchy and flaky skin all over my body, as opposed to just in my usual eczema-prone areas and I’ve been enjoy using this rich hydrating cream pretty much everywhere except my legs. It smells zesty and lime like and in all honesty, it smells like a margarita in the best way possible while also being somewhat soothing and intensively hydrating on the skin, and not just pure irritating fragrance. Love.

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By Nature Organic Rosehip Oil ($13/26 CDN)

I’m someone who fortunately has been blessed (or cursed) with a body that can withstand serious stress, sleep deprivation and the like but the havoc that I wreck on my nervous system really comes out in my skin and not just all over my body. This paired with the fluctuating wintry weather that you’ve come to expect in Canada during November has kept my skin dehydrated and more than a little irritated in areas with the feeling of eczema patches coming on. In light of this, I’ve been using this repairing oil as a serum in the evenings and a good number of mornings to. I credit this along with constancy for the clarity of my skin during this current craziness.

L’Oreal Infallible Super-Slim 12Hr Liner ($8-9 CDN)

Makeup was not exactly gracing my face on my typical regular basis last month and when it was, there was not a whole lot going on and when I’m going for a more minimal makeup situation, intense black liner is key. I’ve been enjoying using this somewhat stiff (in a good way) and precise felt-tip liner for a little kitten flick on a very regular basis when I want to look put together quickly with minimal effort and time. I like it similar to the Lineur Intense but I’ve been enjoying its increased precision, while I admit that it doesn’t create as smooth and thin of a flick.

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light to Medium Bisque ($30 CDN)

I’ve been using this creamy correcting concealer since the beginning of may and while it pains me to say this, it is worth the money and considering that I can see pan, I will have to repurchase it sooner than later. Last month’s trials in minimal makeup, minimal time and minimal sleep has taught me how great of a quick fix this salmon-hued cream concealer is. My only comment is that it has to set for a few minutes before powdering it or whatever because it tends to settle and crease in the first few minutes – but after its patted in, it never becomes a problem all day long.

What were you loving in November?
Maggie, x.

The Monthly Roundup #11/12: October/November 2014

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Despite the lack of content on my blog as of late, I have neither died, lost function of my hands or contracted a fatal illness. Life had just gotten all kinds of crazy especially over the last week or two and now that classes are done and I’m through that horrible crunch where I had to write three term paper kinds of things in a four day period, I’m feeling much more human and in turn, you can expect much more action around these parts, known as my blog – I’m rather excited about the prospect. Well, I skipped over my monthly round-up last month so I figured that I probably shouldn’t do so again and that I might as well combine the two months into one.

  1. My Sephora Sale Picks/Recommendations

I had it in my mind that in honour of the November Sephora VIB Sale, I was going to put together a group of my personal recommendations because I think its always nice to know what are the top picks in someone else’s view. I was determined and I got the post together in time. For me, the surprising thing was that the products I chose ended up being those essentials in my collection that I seriously would not want to be without. This pleased me – no shit.

  1. The Current Shower Staples

Don’t worry, I’m always – no scratch that to almost during crazy exam periods and like situations to be completely honest – appropriately concerned with bathing and hygiene but over the last two months I’ve been really into taking baths and showers to some extent as a kind of pampering experience. This post was where I detailed my favourite products back in October and I still stand by them now.

  1. The Elusive Mellow Saturday

Looking back at this edition of my ‘The Weekend Post’ entries, makes me laugh at my former belief that things university-wise were winding down and that there was nothing to be done, regardless this was one of my favourite posts. Also, it’s still an accurate one where I ramble on about my most relaxing day staples.

  1. My Sephora VIB Sale Goodies

I’m fairly certain that the most exciting event in the last two months was the whole getting of the Sephora 20% off coupon and spending it (agonizing included) but I’m absolutely certain that beauty-wise it was the most noteworthy kind of thing. I ended up quite pleased with my post detailing the products that I picked up for myself, pictures and all because I don’t think it was quite novella length, but I gave nice descriptions of the products I picked up and why I had done so.

  1. The Review: Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Smooth-Effect Makeup

If you’re a regular reader here or know me in real life, you might be aware of my foundation-hoarding problem and overall obsession so it only seems fitting that I take my review posts very seriously and write them with lots of thought with extreme detail – so its not something one can just write in the spur of the moment after a few weeks of use. At the beginning of October, I pulled together a review of the foundation that I’ve been raving about since June and I stand by everything that I’ve said since.

Am I the only one who’s in complete disbelief that tomorrow marks the start of the second week of December?
Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #44/45

Recently Updated44So it may or may not be more than a wee bit after my last post in this series – I’ve been doing this for a year with impressive constancy (if you discount the last month or so) and am nearing my fiftieth post with frightening vigor. There might have been five to many adjectives in the last sentence but I’m stressed, exhausted and tend to overuse adjectives. Well, I’m more than pleased to say that it’s gotten nice and wintry around these parts and the constant rain has stopped with some snow being thrown into the mix. I’m afraid that I’m not quite as pleased to be less than a week from classes ending and the impending doom called the exam period starting. Things have been stressful and busy but the funny thing is that the deadlines were worse a few weeks ago. However, having a bit more time to write and agonize over my assignments and large research essays might not be all that great for my productivity and sanity. Still I’m not looking forward to next week when my papers all seem to be due extremely close together. Ackkkk.

In the last few days quality sleep hasn’t occurred at all and I’ve been more sleep deprived than usual. Evidence of this would be seen by my appearance in recent weeks that has not been masked with any sort of makeup all that often and perhaps has been washed a little less frequently than even I desire, giving quite the haystack appearance. Oddly enough, my skin hasn’t been freaking out and I’m convinced that that can only be chalked down to an effective and consistent skincare routine – expect something more on the skincare front soon. Anyways, one thing that I’ve been loving is my extreme binge-watching of The Originals in the last four days or so. I’m not exactly sure that it’s been conductive to productivity but considering that I have this nostalgia-driven duty to watch every episode of The Vampire Diaries ever to be aired, I figured it was time to start with the sister series. More often than not, I amaze myself with my ability to procrastinate in the most self-destructive way possible.

Continuing on the note of things that I’ve enjoyed, last weekend I went out for dinner with the family at Agricola Street Brasserie and although I really enjoyed my mash and sausage meal, the spicy margarita that I ordered was particularly noteworthy. It was rather strong in a tasty way and had a strong sense of lime along with the heat and less of that sugary sweetness that I don’t typically enjoy. At the end of last week, I also gave myself somewhat of a DIY manicure that I rather enjoyed for the five days that it lasted. The combination was all Essie, beginning with two coats of Bikini So Teeny on the nails as a base and then topped with a layer of the spectacular glitter, On A Silver Platter and the No Chips Ahead Top Coat.

I might as well start calling these bi-weekly medleys, I’m beginning to realize, but I digress. How are things around your parts?
Maggie, x.

The Review: Caudalie Vinosource Riche Intense Moisture Rescue Cream

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I didn’t think that last year’s discovery, the Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet could be beat, with its intense hydration packed within a lightweight base, gentleness and soothing ability. However, I couldn’t be more pleased to be wrong, finding its big sister product, the Caudalie Vinosource Riche Intense Moisture Rescue Cream ($40) superior after trialing it for a few months. It does everything that the Sorbet does and without being heavy on the skin at all, it offers even more hydration, soothing power and actually helps to repair the skin, keeping it from that cycle of irritated dry sore skin – as it promises. Let’s get on into the details.

“This rich hydrating cream provides must-have moisture protection to repair and cure dry, dehydrated skin. Grape oil and Shea butter deeply nourish and soothe to restore the hydrolipidic layer and strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier, resulting in soft, comfortable skin.”

INGREDIENTS : AQUA (WATER), GLYCERIN*, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE*, SQUALANE*, CETEARYL ALCOHOL*, VITIS VINIFERA (GRAPE) SEED OIL*, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER EXTRACT*, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, HYDROLYZED POTATO PROTEIN*, BORAGO OFFICINALIS SEED OIL*, HYDROGENATED OLIVE OIL STEARYL ESTERS*, POTASSIUM CETYL PHOSPHATE, PANTHENOL, CETEARYL WHEAT STRAW GLYCOSIDES*, TREHALOSE, POLYMETHYL METHACRYLATE, CETEARYL GLUCOSIDE*, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE*, DIMETHICONE, CARBOMER, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), PALMITOYL GRAPE SEED EXTRACT*, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, POTASSIUM SORBATE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, TRICAPRYLIN, TOCOPHEROL*, LINOLEIC ACID*, CASTANEA SATIVA (CHESTNUT) BARK / LEAF EXTRACT*, PISUM SATIVUM (PEA) EXTRACT*, CYCLODEXTRIN*, LINOLENIC ACID*, SODIUM CARBOXYMETHYL BETA-GLUCAN, BHT, ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER, SODIUM HYALURONATE, HEXYL CINNAMAL, LINALOOL, LIMONENE, BENZYL BENZOATE, CITRONELLOL, GERANIOL, COUMARIN. (032/119) *Origine végétale – Plant origin

Despite how the ingredient list sounds, it’s actually a rather impressive one despite the somewhat unfamiliar names. Plus, aside from that there’s also the fact that this not only is an amazing moisturizer but also has aspects of a treatment or serum in it too at once. The lightweight but rich cream has a soothing and gentle base, made up of glycerin, squalane and the moisturizing cetearyl alcohol. It does have a little bit of pleasant fragrance which isn’t great for the skin but it doesn’t seem to bother my sensitive skin in the slightest, thankfully. The formula’s intense soothing ability would seem to be chalked down to the heavy concentration of antioxidants coming from grape oil, (as one might expect from the brand) along with squalane. It also must be mentioned that although the moisturizer only comes in a 40 mL tube, it actually is ridiculously concentrated and should last a good while in comparison to others.

Can you tell that I recommend this moisturizer? I think its suited to anyone with normal to drier skin and anyone on the combination to slightly oilier side might enjoy the lighter sorbet. It might just be holy grail material.
What’s your favourite moisturizer?
Maggie, x.

The Weekend Post | A Project 10 Pan Update

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While I have been making adequate progress on Project 10 Pan front, I will admit that I haven’t come as close to completely using up these products as I would have liked to have been. Regardless, it’s at the very least time to discuss how things have gone since beginning this – it might very well be overdue though. If you’re interested in the whole endeavor, I’ve linked the first post here. I’ve finished up four products since the first post and am pleased to report that there are only three remaining. The remaining products are the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation, MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder and the John Frieda Frizz-Ease Dream Curls Daily Styling Spray. I love and use the Rimmel Wake Me Up and the MAC Studio Careblend frequently, but have gone through both at an alarmingly slow rate – the foundation seems to be housed in a never ending bottle and I’m not one that can get away with loads of power. Finally on the John Frieda Frizz-Ease Dream Curls Daily Styling Spray note, I haven’t been so dedicated because I’m not in love with the product and have been going for the offering I picked up from Sally’s instead…

Indeed Laboratories Pepta-Bright Even Skin Tone Enhancer ($39.99) 

This cream-serum was not only among my very favourite beauty discoveries of 2013 but also has a place in my heart with the few skincare products that offered drastic results shortly upon first use, however the tube is coming to an end and I have other brightening acidic-based products in my arsenal that I should get to before repurchasing this beauty. That was a roundabout way of saying that I would like to finish this AHA and Chromabright containing brightening treatment. If brightness/dullness is one of your skin concerns along with general texture and hyperpigmentation, this product will serve you very very very well.

 

Finishing Thoughts: I’ve been using this more and more since committing to this task and I have to admit that I have been enjoying doing so. This is definitely a good ‘un and it has so much more product in the container than you’d think – it lasted me over a year with regular usage.

 

L’Oreal Sublime Soft Gentle Micellar Solution ($12-13)

My mother picked this one up as a gift for me this spring after I placed the product in her hand with one of the elusive coupons that provided a few dollars off – clearly, I may have influenced the decision – and when I ran out of my previous bottle of Bioderma, I gave this one a good go. Months have passed and I’ve used up the majority of my bottle but in recent weeks, I spotted the good ol’ Bioderma Sensibio H20 in the difficult-to-find 500 mL size for less than the price for the typical bottle, and it’s tempting to completely return to the original. However, the L’Oreal is almost a dupe and works 99.99% as well but can’t quite remove difficult eye makeup as well…

 

Finishing Thoughts: There isn’t anything worthy of note that hasn’t already been said.

 

Annabelle Smoothliner in Black ($7)

I’ve raved about this creamy jet-black long-wearing liner countless times and for good reason; the creamy texture might not go as far as some others but at its price and quality this one can’t be beat. However, since getting the liner down to a nub, I’ve found myself reaching for other liners but I want to make sure I use this one up before it dries out and just to streamline my stash in general.

 

Finishing Thoughts: The whole concept of finishing a standard eyeliner that has to be sharpened is a weird one because the nub gets so small before that point that its impossible to apply with any sort of precision and while my liner has gotten to that point, I’m going to try to use it a few more times but after that it shall be declared done. It hasn’t had the cap on for a while so it has been drying out – my fault – but it still functions but really the small size is getting ridiculous and I’m declaring this one done before putting it to rest later on in the week.

 

Revlon Bold Lacquer by Grow Luscious Mascara in Blackest Black ($8-9)

I’ve been naughty and have had more than one or two mascaras open as of late and now that I stop to think about it, it was a bad idea considering their shelf lives and thus, I’m making an effort to use up my older ones. Now, this one isn’t the oldest (that would be the L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess) but it’s close to it and I would rather get rid of this one because I don’t love it as much and it seems to be beginning to dry up in that not-so-fabulous way.

 

Finishing Thoughts: While I found myself wishing for this mascara to dry up faster, as I much prefer drier formulas, before long this moved into difficult territory that involved way too much clumping for my enjoyment.

Have you finished up anything lately?
Maggie, x.

My Sephora VIB Sale Goodies

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Believe it or not, I was somewhat restrained in my purchases during the sale, despite the alarming total cost of my order – a good bit more than half of my order was made up of Christmas gifts and things that I picked up for friends. It has to be mentioned that this year’s sale was a disaster, especially for us Canadians; first there was the overwhelming traffic that lead to the site crashing for everyone and then there was that issue where a good number of Asian accounts were disabled along with international checkout being cut down for the first couple of days. However, I ended up with everything that I intended to get and I’ve tried these four products, enjoying each one a good deal. It should be noted that although I may have gone slightly blush-heavy with this, I was surprisingly strong avoiding the palette trap completely.

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NUDE Skincare Perfect Cleanse Nourishing Cleansing Oil ($45)

It had been a good long while since I indulged in anything resembling a higher end cleanser and since falling in love with gentle forms of cleansing in the last year and a half, I had made up my mind that I wanted to try something higher end. This raved-about gentle cleansing oil seemed to fit the bill, with an impressive ingredient list, filled with gentle concentrated oils and very few extraneous potentially irritating ingredient lists. I’ve tried it and have really enjoyed it, finding it gentle particularly on my uber-sensitive eyes and more than that I’ve been liking the different but still hydrating dry-oil texture along with the fact that the packaging isn’t messy in the least.

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Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat ($41)

Diffused Heat in action
Diffused Heat in action

If you’ve been around these parts with me for any length of time, you might very well be aware of the intense love that I developed for the Ethereal Glow shade after picking it up April along with the fact that I’ve been wanting to try another shade (or three) since. I was tempted to go for the palette in the spirit of excess being more economical, but I decided to just go for the original shade that I’ve been longing for. Let me tell you, it has meant all of my high expectations since wearing it. It has a good deal of pigmentation and has more of a sheen than the Ethereal Glow shade and in its likeness, this blush offers the most gorgeous finish and somewhat unique colour. The shade is described as a vibrant poppy and while it appears to be in the family of those warmer-toned corals that I love, it has this strong rosiness of tinge of brighter pink to it that really flatters.

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

I’m rather fortunate as a whole as my local Sephora holds a great deal of the brands that I’m interested in but I’ve always been more than slightly annoyed that it doesn’t carry Becca because I’ve heard so many great things about the brand. I knew that I wanted to try either one of the blushes or highlighters and it was easy to pick this one because it’s supposed to be like the Hourglass blush but with added glow – it’s formulated with their beach tints mixed with their highlighters for less than the price of the famous highlighters so I had to go for this one. Man, have I fallen in love. It leaves the most gorgeous intense highlight on the skin along with the muted rosy berry hue on the cheeks and applies easily, blending like a dream. I might have casually been dying over this during Tuesday’s post…

Raspberry/Opal in action + Dolce Vita on the lips
Raspberry/Opal in action + Dolce Vita on the lips

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

This true warm rose hued lip offering in the gorgeous lip pencil format has been on my mind for a while now, as you may be aware from wishlists past and I used the sale as opportunity to give in despite the fact that it wasn’t exactly inexpensive and the shade wasn’t miles different from my beloved Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Nude-Ist. Again, I wore it on Tuesday and I’m in love not only because of the flattering hue but because it’s not drying and it lasted on my lips after eating an entire bowl of soup.

Did you partake in the Sephora VIB Sale?
Maggie, x.