The Brown Eyeliner That Converted Me

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You might just be aware that although eyeliner is my thing – I would easily give up mascara over it, if faced with the choice -, I’m not really a brown or anything-but-black kind of girl; I don’t really have those concerns with black being too harsh and have the opposite kind of attitude towards the softer shades as they don’t tend to offer that kind of definition that I’m always after. Shpiel over, I’ve found a liner that has converted me over completely to the realm of brown liners and that liner is the Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner Gel Eye Crayon in Brown(Out) ($30) and before getting on with things, I should mention that I do not have the full-size of the product and merely acquired a sample as a 100-Point-Perk from Sephora. Given that it is a sample, I have no idea of its actual size but it strikes me as about half of the size of the regular 0.01 ounce product and. On the same note, it appears that my sample differs from the full-sized product because it does not contain a sharpener on the end for precise sharpening of the mechanical pencil and I’m glad that the actual product comes with one, as my only critique of this liner was that the point tended not to be precise as you began to use the product. In other words, I was pleased to hear that they do come with a sharpener to help keep the product at a nicely-defined point and will keep this in mind when I undoubtedly will purchase more colour in the future.

Not only is the “bronze with shimmer shade” exactly what is promised, being richer and deeper in tone and thus providing more definition than your lighter browns, but the formula is also to-die-for. It’s one of those long-wearing and creamy formulas that are supposed to be a gel-liner in pencil form and I like this perhaps more than all of the rest because it doesn’t have that waxy texture that can become difficult to work with as you use up the product and it actually deposits colour full of opacity without tugging on the skin. It has that elusive creamy texture that glides on, even after its been used a bunch of times and as promised, the eyeliner is extremely long-wearing and waterproof. It can be moved for a few seconds but after that it’s there until you take it off — I’ve fallen asleep directly on my front during the day and it hasn’t smudged and it doesn’t go anywhere. At all. I don’t wear this one inside my inner rims quite honestly because I don’t tend to make the effort with brown but I’ve heard fantastic things about the longevity on that front but a few others have expressed the problem with the liner sticking to contacts. I will note, however, that as gorgeous as this liner is just as a simple upper-lashline product, it is the most stunning shade underneath the lashes. My only note is that it’s not the easiest to control (but this would be improved with the full-sized product theoretically) and that it can be a tad difficult to remove.

It appears I have been converted. Now I just want a few the rest of the shades…

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What’s your favourite brown liner?

Maggie, x.

The Daily Face #22: An Everyday Autumnal Thing

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Long time, no daily face post, huh? Well, here I am bringing you yet another edition of detailing the products that are currently residing on my face, after a somewhat long hiatus. I assure you that said hiatus was accidental; for a while towards the end of the summer, I wasn’t necessarily feeling the result of my makeup or writing posts of this variety and as soon as I got out of that funk, school was in session and things got all sort of crazy and I just wasn’t mustering the energy to take decent face photos or product photos and all that jazz. Except today — but I’m doing this as another form of procrastination, so I’m not sure that it completely counts… Alas, I thought I would give a rundown of the products gracing my face and provide some information on the highlights.

Smashbox Photo-Op Eyeshadow Palette in Cherry Smokes ($44)

I’ve yammered on about this before and my mixed thoughts towards this beauty (read: amazing quality interesting shadows but lacking coherence as an intensive stand-alone palette) but recently I haven’t been able to get enough of this more wearable rusty autumnal-eye that features this palette and just this palette. For simply blending purposes, I began with the matte cream Bare shade all over the lid but then when for the peach-tinged champagne shade called Shell. I went in with the stunning coppery shade Oxidize on the outer portion of the lid and through the crease and this was definitely the most interesting part but then I finished with the deeper matte Rustic in the outer corner and along the lashline. I’ve been pleased with how this straddles the line in between having that gorgeous red-tone and being overkill on a daily basis.

Dior Star Fluid Foundation in 20 Light Beige ($50)

So, I spotted this enticing talked-about beauty for the first time at Shopper’s Drugmart yesterday and after seeing that it was only $50 (the same as it costs in the US, unlike the $58 that Sephora lists online) and asking the girl there if I could return the product if my skin went crazy, I had to get it and so I did. I’ve only tried this once (today) but I couldn’t resist sharing my very early thoughts here. This shade is ideal for me, with lovely beige undertones that is a perfect match for me now and should also suffice as I grow paler, which is rather nice but I rather enjoyed the product too. Despite being free of irritating alcohol, this foundation offers substantial medium-coverage and a weightless feel on the skin. It was a nice finish that was particularly flattering on uneven texture, starting off satin-y with that kind of inner luminosity to it and so far so good. Time will only tell if this turns out to be as fabulous as I’ve heard bloggers saying left and right…

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 FACE: Dior Star Fluid Foundation in 20 | NARS Contour Blush in Paloma | Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette | L’Oreal True Match Blush in Innocent Flush
EYES: Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light to Medium Bisque | NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base | Smashbox Cherry Smokes Photo-Op Palette | Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner in Brown(out) | L’Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara | MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set in Quiet Brunette
LIPS: L’Oreal Glossy Balm in Ginger Candy

What have you been wearing lately?

Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #35

oR9A9%iBQxqpAoYQsSZC+w21. The perfect escape from business as usual and that general craziness…. pouring through the pages of October’s phenomenal Elle Canada while drinking a cup of apple-cinnamon tea is amaaaaaazing.

2. Skincare-centric posting … I’m pleased to report that my skin has been pretty in control for a while now and I wanted to talk about the newer products that I’ve brought into the rotation and I did HERE.

3. Getting my reviewing game on … Beginning with this week’s post on the NARS Contour Blush HERE, I’ve been geting back into the routine of individual product review posts and I’m kind of liking it.

4. The crappy quality picture of my face… Do I even need to explain this? That aside, the Rimmel Colour Rush Balm in Lady Marmalade had to be mentioned for being all comfortable and balmy but also managing to last for ages on top. I really enjoyed the shade, too; it’s a coral. Shocker.

5. A perfumed body cream worthy of praise… You’ve caught me, this photo is not actually from a post within the last week or so, but I’ve realized my love for the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream this week. It smells like an authentic zesty margarita and actually moisturizes like a champ too. If only it wasn’t irritating on the chronic leg eczema situation…

6. When all else fails, play The Sims … There’s something so comforting about playing The Sims as you’re too stressed to even think about tackling anything on your growing to-do list – but then there’s always that sad moment when you’re living vicariously through a simulation of your self. Alas.

Huh. I suppose this is going to be one of the shorter posts of this variety (and maybe any) by me and that would be because as I’ve been tackling my lovely little cold, it appears that full fledged heavy term-work has come over me and threatened to make me crash and burn. I might be being a little dramatic here but honestly work has been piling up and it’s at that point where I may actually have a breakdown if I don’t get to work on things so I need to get a move on in the sphere of non-beauty or blogging related things. As I write this, I’m afraid that I must return (yet again) to the books and word processors.

How was your week?

Maggie, x.

The Review: L’Oreal Colour Riche Eye Primer

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Unless you’re one of the rare few who neither experience problematic eyeshadow fading and creasing, I’m sure you’re well aware of the importance of an eye primer and how difficult it is to find one that works for you. This tends to be especially true at the drugstore price point but going on two months back, I spotted the L’Oreal Color Riche Eye Primer ($10 CDN) and was intrigued enough to give it a go. In short, I’m glad that I did but it’s not the ideal primer for me, as I don’t suffer from particularly discoloured lids and have creasing issues that this does not entirely address. It definitely serves to present creasing better than a traditional base while still providing the coverage and colour-boosting benefits and it has less of that emollient texture that requires a good deal of waiting before eyeshadow application (or it will slide off), but it doesn’t quite provide the results of my new favourite high-end primer, the NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base and falls ever-so-slightly short of the more affordable Nyx HD Eyeshadow Base that I adore — but this one does have that more emollient texture that can make shadows slip and slide.

One thing that I noticed upon researching this product was how vague the claims were; even when used alone, it promises to even out the tone of the lids, even without any shadow being applied over the top and to provide even richer colour when applied underneath eyeshadow with so-called flawless wear. Roughly speaking, it does those things and this is something that I don’t necessarily take lightly. The tint of the pencil is a soft peachy colour that deals with discoloration well and the pencil definitely does intensify the payoff of shadows and helps to get more flawless wear, but it does crease on me after a long day of wear or summer heat – however, this creasing is remarkably less than with lesser primers and without a primer at all.

The final verdict? I definitely recommend giving this affordable base a go if you’re looking for some coverage on your lids or you aren’t asking miracles in a primer, expecting it to last through excessive heat and general extremely oily environments.

Have you tried this primer? What’s your favourite primer?

Maggie, x.

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Recent Skincare Loves

DSC_0731Despite the hormonal loveliness that I’m still suffering from, my skin has been as good as it can get and it has been for a good month or so and I’ve been wanting to share the more recent products that I have been loving. So let’s get cracking.

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La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP ($30)

I’ve been using this non-greasy but heavy duty moisturizing cream on my eczema-effected legs for about a month now, twice a day, and although it does sting the teensiest bit on open abrasions, this has not only soothed the issue but has helped to lessen the chronic itchiness overall. Unfortunately I’m nearing the end of this tube now but I will definitely be repurchasing this when it runs out, preferably in the larger size with somewhat of a sale. It’s free of fragrance, alcohol and all that jazz and nourishes the skin with glycerin and shea butter while containing the skin-repairing hero ingredient niacinimide. It actually helps the whole eczema situation so halleluiah. 

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Indeed Laboratories Facial Powdered Exfoliator ($30)

Not being a traditional scrub kind of girl, — they tend to leave my skin raw and irritated — this acid-infused exfoliating powder is quite possibly my ideal exfoliating product. Although it is a physical exfoliant with the rice bran powder in the formula, it doesn’t have that irritating grittiness that scrubs tend to have and it also contains some potent acidic goodness. This is one of those powders that you pour into your hand before mixing with water to create a foam before applying to your face and it does instantly brighten things up and springs them into action with that mild tingly sensation. This is definitely one to combat general dullness but I do lament that it does contain a wee bit of irritating alcohol but it’s towards the end of the ingredient list and its rinsed off the skin so I’m letting it slide.

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask ($29)

This mask is a cult-favourite of many bloggers for good reason and I’ve previously sung its praises but not in a too frequent manner so I thought that it could be included again. The ingredient list didn’t look outwardly promising or bad and as a result this overnight mask was a product that I hummed and haw-ed about for ages and I’m glad that I finally went for it when I did. I would likely prefer it without the irritation that natural fragrance brings, but it does smell exactly like peaches and it has a rich creamy texture that doesn’t feel particularly heavy on the skin. It’s definitely potent in the nourishing and hydrating department and it soothes the skin during the process, dealing with dry patches quite effectively. I love this stuff, but it can sting slightly over irritated patches of skin.

DSC_0732First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads ($14)

In a way, I don’t know why I haven’t spoke about these gentle alcohol-free acidic pads but as much as I like these for their gentle efficacy, I’ve been hesitant about praising their goodness because I have heard that their pH is a little bit off to keep them effectively exfoliating the skin. However, I have found that the glycolic and lactic acid pads work for me, smoothing texture, brightening and adding radiance while still being nice and gentle on my skin. I also enjoy the reasonable price tag and lack of unnecessary ingredients in these pads, along with how concentrated with product they are — I can actually get away with using each side of the pad on separate occasions! Let me know if these work for you!

DSC_0733Caudalie Vinosource Riche Intense Moisture Rescue Cream ($40)

Second to the La Roche-Posay, this is my most recently acquired item but I feel so strongly for this moisturizer that I feel I can declare my love after a month of use. If you’ve been with me for a while, you may remember that I loved the slightly milder formulation of the Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet and as difficult as it is to believe, I have to say that I’ve been enjoying this one even more. Without being heavy or greasy in the slightest, this emollient cream gives the skin a major boost of hydration and nourishment and doesn’t burn or sting even on my most irritated of skin and with its high antioxidant content, it almost feels like a treatment at the same time, soothing the skin effectively whilst being a moisturizer.

 Have you tried any of these? If not, what have you been loving recently?

Maggie, x.

NARS Paloma Contour Blush

DSC_0725I’m pleased to be getting back into the habit of reviewing individual products and I’ll leave it at that. If you’ve been following me regularly around these parts, you’ll likely be aware of my favourable thoughts towards the contouring duo by NARS. I acquired the NARS Contour Blush in Paloma ($46 CDN) from Sephora via online order – as chronicled here and I’ve been using it ever since with pleasure. Obviously, my compact is looking a little worse for wear but this is what tends to happen with this style of rubberized packaging. T’is unfortunate. The “contour blush” is actually a powder duo, with much more of the contour shade to use in the 0.28 oz compact. In short, they are marketed to “create seamless, natural-looking definition with one sculpting product” and more specifically “the deeper shade enhances definition, while the lighter shade illuminates the high points of the face, providing an instant soft-focus effect without shine or shimmer” and I have to say that it achieves these claims. However, as lovely and angelic as this duo is, the price is rather hefty and the highlighting shade isn’t the ideal highlighter for me as I’m partial to shimmer on my cheekbones for that glow factor. Otherwise, it is impeccable. I have the middle shade offering and it might just be the most versatile suiting neutral-to-warm skintones of the quite fair to medium variety and it houses a bisque-hued cream shade for highlighting purposes as well as the ever-so-slightly-warm-tinged medium rosy-tan hue for contouring.

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Both shades are flawlessly formulated, with great buildable pigmentation and the easiest texture to blend in the world. They are nothing short of glorious powders, retaining an air of creaminess while being soft-matte textured powders on the skin. They don’t fade or require much work, either, and they are a natural option for sculpting on a daily basis in a subtle manner. It’s not an all-out fussy contouring duo. The contouring shade is ever-so-slightly darker than MAC Harmony and actually manages to blow it out of the water formula-wise as it provides that natural-looking shaping look to the cheeks without appearing too grey or stark. It’s also not orange-y or bronzer-like in the slightest, though, so it straddles the line of cool and warm. It’s definitely not muddy at all but has the ability to create instant cheekbones without much work or faff involved. You wouldn’t believe how versatile the shade is, either.

While I was initially a bit disappointed with the highlighting shade, it has grown on me as a finely-milled brightening shade for use setting my concealer that I use in hopes of camouflaging my hereditary dark circles as well as a matte highlighting shade that’s helpful used as a matte eyeshadow. I’m someone who is entirely too skeptical of the under-eye setting game to purchase a powder solely for that purpose but I have to admit the texture and subtle-pinky lean of the brightening powder do work nicely to smooth things out in a soft-focus way while brightening.

It appears that NARS has done it again; my recently-acquired credit card is cringing while I type this, clearly. It’s been over a month that this duo has been in my life and I’ve barely been able to do my makeup without it and I don’t want to. Obviously, I think this one is a gem and would recommend it in its $46 dollar glory… And to be helpful I thought I would provide you with a link but I do disclose that it is one of the affiliate variety because I believe in full disclosure, truth and all that.

NARS Contour Blush in Paloma

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Have you tried any of the NARS Contour Blushes?
Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #34

Recently Updated341. An addition to the whole blogging notebook family… Being as perpetually disorganized as I am (but still a notebook freak), I’ve decided to up my game by adding another notebook to my blogging game – one for planning out individual posts in full, rather than just fitting the details of everything together. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it ups my blogging game!

2. An edit of my beauty bits for when the cold hits… I still have last week’s cold and it hasn’t exactly dwindled in the slightest and seeing as I have to act human and get out and face the world, I thought I would share the essential beauty bits and an add-on or five here.

3. Essentially my week in picture form… The unbearable fatigue, stuffy and runny nose and general crappiness that has summed up my week. And I have a super cute zit, too. Woo.

4. A daily face that I was partial too… I really liked my makeup on Friday and I took a decent picture too so it obviously had to include it. On my eyes, I’m wearing the Maybelline The Nudes Palette that I’ve picked up and am fairly impressed with along with my fave MAC Kinda Sexy Lipstick.

5. Another document of my week… I might have only started classes again recently but the reading has piled up and I wasn’t going to let a measly cold stop me from getting things done – no. I’ve been forcing myself in a slightly upright position to do my reading with a tissue box in the other hand for some appearance of having manners.

6. A post on the Productive Pamper, a subject that I know fairly well … Obviously, I wrote a post yesterday and the subject of that post was how to give yourself a bit of a pamper while getting stuff done. Part of said pamper was lighting the above candle — I’ve finished with my summer ones. Woot.

7. Perhaps my favourite distraction this week… I really love magazines and I’ve been obsessively pouring through this special issue of Glamor, dedicated to all things beauty. It’s actually worth the ten dollars that I didn’t realize that I was going to pay for it.

 

Remember that cold that I was going on about on Thursday? Well, it certainly hasn’t passed yet. I’m still so tired/fatigued that its ridiculous but on top of that I don’t seem to be able to sleep more than two hours at a time without waking up, my whole body has become dehydrated like a prune despite my best efforts to inhale gallons of water and slather my entire body with cream and I can’t seem to stop sniffling and/or blowing my nose. Plus, there’s that cough that I’m in denial about… Okaaay, I’ll stop with the complaining now. I’ve been feeling fairly craptastic this week but regardless, I appear to be alive and putting along, writing a few blog posts here and there, while I’ve been at it. I might only be on my third week of classes but I feel the strain of it already. Figures.

How was your week?

Maggie, x.

P.S. Any other cold sufferers?

The Weekend Post | The Productive Pamper

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I’m convinced that there is a reason that we all — in the blogosphere — seem to find ourselves writing posts on the ideal pamper on a frequent basis, in a way that veers towards the obsessive and that said reason is not a lack of originality; there’s something about the power of a pamper, that makes our hectic daily lives a little more relaxed and manageable, I reckon. I have far too much on my growing agenda to abondon in the aim of merely giving myself a little bit of indulgence, however, so I find myself loving the routine of a scaled-down pamper with some productivity thrown in. Now, I’m not necessarily one to look towards for organization inspiration, though. I’m just overcoming my previous status as organizationally impaired.

One. Break down and the list into smaller achievable tasks and write it down.

This seems so obvious but it’s not so simple and easily dismissible as it seems. I can’t even tell you how many times I rolled my eyes when authority figures preached this at me in my earlier school years and while they presented it in the most irritating patronizing manner, they were right in a sense. It’s much easier to get things done when you actually identify what realistically can be accomplished in the time quota and the smaller individual parts that the tasks require. I’m aware of how difficult it can be at first to actually look at what has to get done without making yourself instantly nauseous or panicked.

Two. Gather your tools and edit out the rest.

I’m not someone who has a naturally organized disposition so this was not something that I believed in, in the past but a clutter-free space actually appears to make a difference. I do have to make the effort, forcing myself to get up and choose the necessary items for the whole ordeal and then clean out all of the extras without becoming distracted within he process. It’s not particularly fun — at all — but the tidy-up is a worthy step nonetheless. I’ll get out the books that I have readings that I must get through, my notes if I’m working on some sort of assignment and perhaps my blogging notebook, for example.

Three. Set up the pamper-y atmosphere.

With the previous step down, this one should be a breeze. The whole pampering experience seems to me to be synonymous with the zen-like state and ease that lounging with your feet in the bath, whilst wearing the most luxurious bathrobe and while I wouldn’t go that far on a typical Sunday not-funday, I try to emulate the spa-like experience. I would go for some of the most comfortable and cozy glorified sweatpants-and-a-hoodie combo, embrace the cliche and light a scented candle, with a magazine and cozy blanket within sight.

Four. Work a face mask into the routine and add full-on body cream slather into the mix.

Obviously, the pamper requires pamper products and with productivity in mind, it only makes sense to go for a duo (or trio) of products that bring on that pampered feeling with minimal time and effort while making the whole task of getting stuff done a little bit more enticing. So, I normally would go for a mask but I didn’t because my skin is like the sahara desert at the moment — but I normally would. Instead, I went for the fruit-acid containing Indeed Laboratories Facial Powdered Exfoliator ($30) that once mixed with water forms a milky foam that instantly brightens and perks up the skin without adding to the dryness situation or further irritating the skin. Unless you have such irritated skin that body moisturization is a necessity or you are obsessed with the whole experience, you likely aren’t someone who religiously finds themsleves slathering on the lotion twice daily but just going for this indulgent experience can be a breath of fresh air, while being bundled in the most cozy blanket, of course. I use a separate cream on my lower legs on account of my irritated eczema there and this cream is the lovely La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP ($30) . For the rest of my body, I’ll go for my new Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream ($20) that I adore because it smells like the most appealing zesty margarita and has the most luxurious creamy texture.

Five. Tidy up the nails and whatever that entails.

I may be someone who spent the majority of her life away from that whole mani-pedi nail-painting game but I do recognize the power of having simply tidied nails, whether they are polished or not. Although the whole nail-doing task takes an embarrassing amount of effort for me, the process seems to be tremendously calming on the psyche, whether or not you go for the whole ordeal or are just bringing your nails into tip-top shape with a coat of clear polish on top. The whole upkeep situation has been almost too much for me lately but I’m undecided as to whether I’ll forgo the manicure or not…

Happy (or-not-so-Happy) Sunday!
Maggie, x.

The Beauty Bargain | Annabelle Demure Lip Liner

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Given that Annabelle is one of those few Canadian beauty brands, it shouldn’t be too much of a shocker that their products aren’t talked about often in the blogosphere and but I think that their lack of buzz is why I haven’t tried more of their products. With this in mind, however, the products that I have tried from them have been great and the lip-liner ranks up there with the best of them. The Annabelle Lip Liner in Demure ($5.95) is a creamy and comfortable liner that I can use either as a liner or all over the lips with some balm over the top to feel like I’m channeling my inner Lisa Eldridge. It’s a natural rosy hue that leans warm, which I find flattering, and is only subtly different than my natural lips – much rosier and less drained – but can make a big difference. Also, it doesn’t dry out my naturally chapped lips. For these reasons detailed, this liner was the one that converted me over into the realm of liners.

 

DSC_0663As I’ve already hinted, this liner is incredibly versatile. It actually works nicely in the place of lipstick, worn with some balm over the top but also suits any sort of nude or neutral lip perfectly. When worn with more nude lip offerings, it helps to add shape to the lips and avoid the dreaded concealer lips effect and with slightly deeper shades, it adds a bit of added longevity while perfecting the lips and making things look a bit neater.

If you’re looking for a creamy liner or just want to try one, I would highly recommend this one. Canadians can pick it up at drugstores and it can often be found at Target and Walmart for much less than the typical price but Americans also can purchase from the website. Look at me, being all concise and stuff and below, I’m wearing the liner on its own (left) and the liner with MAC Kinda Sexy Lipstick (right)…

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Have you tried anything from Annabelle?

Maggie, x.

The Cold Edit

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Shortly after getting back into the swing of things and heading back to the university routine, I noticed that I was feeling irrationally exhausted and just kind of dazed; fast forward three days of yawning, laziness, fatigue and later on sneezing and congestion and I figured out that a cold was the culprit of things. Thinking back to it, I should have thought about things as soon as the chronic dehydration came in and many areas of my body began to instantly start peeling. Anyways, things are definitely changed up on the beauty front when you’re feeling as gross and groggy as I am and I thought I would chronicle them for you all. Am I the only one feeling under the weather?

I could have gone on for days in the skincare category and I’m not sure whether or not I’m exaggerating here but regardless, these two products that I limited myself to are essentials. I definitely add in my By Nature Organic Rosehip Oil when I feel any sort of illness coming on because it definitely delivers on the hydration and soothing front and my skin becomes dehydrated and irritated as soon as I’m hit with some sort of illness. Recently, I’ve tried out using the oil as a serum, prior to moisturizer and this really gives the skin an extra boost — and a much appreciated one at that. Being an oil, it also helps to combat the dull skin that becomes constant whenever I’m feeling like I am at the moment. I mention my problematically chapped lips frequently but they do get even worse with the dreaded cold and carrying around a balm that is both very nourishing and easy to apply out and about is essential; for me, the ideal choice is the Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Moisturizing Stick, which is a lovely new addition to my whole skincare regime.

I’m going to be honest here and speak the truth that I’m less likely to get up early to brave the shower in the mornings quite as much as I should so a little bit of perfume to ensure things are smelling fresh and nice tends to be a welcome step. I’m definitely not typically a body spray girl but the Victoria’s Secret Pink Warm & Cozy Body Spray has blown me away as a warm vanilla-themed scent that instantly makes you smell nice and feel relaxed and cozy in the most low-key of ways. The next product could have been included in skincare because its sold as such but I don’t tend to count these spray cans of glorified water as skincare, however I love reaching for the Vichy Thermal Spa Water to help the makeup sit on my dull and dehydrated skin the most seamlessly — plus, the whole spritzing action feels pretty great, too!

Primer is not something that I can find myself reaching for daily because I can’t necessarily always view the step as worthwhile but on sick skin the Annabelle Colour Control Instant Perfecting Luminous Finish Base can make a big difference in the nicest of way; the hydrating opalescent liquid both delivers on the glow-giving front and helps the foundation to sit nicely over drier skin. In very much of a similar vein, the Bourjois 10-Hour Sleep Effect Foundation is a staple for me. The rather affordable foundation is quite possibly the foundation that makes my skin look the most luminous and it glides over dry patches the best out of any that I own. The Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light to Medium Bisque is something that I rely on regularly for camouflaging my dark circles without much effort but when I’m sick it’s doubly as important and when I experiment with anything else, it tends to be rather disastrous.

I’m a bronzer girl through and through but it’s dull days like these where it can make the most of a difference and as you might expect, the one I’ve been showing love is my favourite L’Oreal Glam Bronze Mono in Universal Sun. In the million times that I’ve mentioned this, I’ve repeated this fact constantly but the lovely deeper red-toned bronzer has the nicest texture and formula and it had to be said. There’s another cheek product that I’m afraid I must declare my love for again here because it just adds life back to the face with minimal effort involved and that product is the satiny Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Ethereal Glow.

I’m also aware that an eyeliner is a weird choice here but being someone who doesn’t like their makeup without eyeliner being involved but cannot standwearing heavy or intense liner (and eye makeup in general) when I’m feeling as such — honestly, if it’s too much, I will start to feel drained when I look in the mirror and instantly remove my entire face. Anyway, this bronzy liner, the Marc Jacobs Beauty Hi(Liner) in Brown(Out) strikes the perfect balance of adding adequate definition while not being effortful or overly dramatic and it has the most magical formula to boot, gliding on and staying on like a dream. As nice and energizing that wearing some colour on your lips can be, I tend to favour something much lower maintenance but still flattering and brightening, so I tend to reach for the naturally rosy Annabelle Lip Liner in Demure and a neutral rosy lipstick to wear on top. I would be temped to forever go for my beloved MAC Patisserie, but I’ve found that colours that are a little deeper, in the rosy mauve family can be nice for a change when in those forgiving sheerer formulas like today’s pick, the L’Oreal Collection Privee Lipstick in Eva’s Nude.

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I thought it would be nice to provide links for these products below and a few of them are of the affiliate variety, as a disclaimer, except for the foundation and blush that I couldn’t locate online.

The Products

L’Oreal Collection Privee Colour Riche Lipstick in Eva’s Nude ($10.99) | Annabelle Lipliner in Demure ($5.95) | Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner Gel Eye Crayon in Brown(Out) ($30) | Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light to Medium Bisque ($30) | Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Ethereal Glow ($41) | Annabelle Colour Control Luminous Finish Instant Perfecting Base ($16.95) | Vichy Thermal Spa Water ($11.95) | PINK Warm & Cozy Body Mist ($18) |  Nuxe Rêve de Miel® Lip Moisturizing Stick($7) | By Nature Organic Rosehip Oil ($22-26)

What beauty products do you reach for when you’re feeling under the weather?

Maggie, x.