The Five Summer Essentials

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There are numerous ways in which I struggle with the whole task of narrowing things down but with a frighteningly long time of thinking and deliberation, I have found myself able to narrow my absolute favourite beauty products of the summer to a mere 5. Whether you’re willing to admit it or not, the summer is quickly coming to a close and therefore a roundup post strikes me as appropriate. Honestly though, don’t expect a post with products you haven’t seen featured here before — these are my staples after all. Before I bore you all to tears, I’ll try to move on to the products.

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Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream

Slowly but surely, I fell in love with my first BB Cream this summer and although I’m not one to buy into the hype of these all-in-one skincare-makeup hybrids, I actually have to agree that this one kind of does it all. With it’s soothing and hydrating abilities — it contains a good amount of moisturizers and ingredients such as niacinimide –, this makeup product actually has visibly improved my skin. Although I do use a multitiude of other products along with this one, I actually do find it somewhat brightening on the skin and this makes sense with its ingredient list and the high sunscreen content never irritates my skin but is extremely protective. This isn’t a product that you can quickly slap onto the skin without giving it a thought and expect it to look stunning, however. With it’s thick texture and high sunscreen content, it really has to be worked into the skin but once it is, it looks almost undetectable on the skin while providing medium but buildable coverage with a glowy finish. I’ve found myself wearing this on days when I hardly wear any makeup because of its ease of use and skincare benefits but it’s also one that I go for when I’m doing a full face. In other words, it’s a versatile product. Review here.

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Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Smooth-Effect Makeup

Since picking up the latest foundation release from Chanel at the very beginning of June as a birthday present to myself, I’ve been adoring this foundation and often discussing my love for it around these part;this love has not since faded and it was my most worn traditional foundation through these summer months. I haven’t done a formal review but I still feel the same way (if not slightly stronger towards it) as I did in my much earlier acquisitions post here. In a nutshell, this velvety foundation manages to give that luminosity to the skin that few foundations can match while being less ‘shiny’ or ‘dewy’ and more of a satin-like finish that is suitable for oilier skins while providing good medium coverage and looking and feeling like bare skin. I only wish there wasn’t so much added fragrance and alcohol in the product. Oh, and I’m the palest shade (10) but it’s not that pale, if you’re wondering.

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L’Oreal Glam Bronze Mono in 04 Universal Sun

Like the Chanel foundation above, I fell in love with this product instantly and haven’t wavered in that love since but fortunately it’s more than a little bit more of an affordable product. I don’t even want to count how many times that I’ve raved about my love for this product because I have more than a slight inkling that such a count would be rather high in a slightly embarrassing way. Anyway, this is a slightly deeper soft-matte bronzer that has those natural warm red undertones to mimick natural colour but it’s most impressive feature is its creamy, finely milled and smooth-textured formula. Review here.

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MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set in Quiet Brunette

Considering the depth of my love for this tinted brow gel, I’m somewhat shocked that I haven’t actually dedicated a full post to this product. Regardless, this is a brow product that has impressed me with it’s amazing longevity (that lasts through swimming etc.), effect and ease of use; it’s much easier and time-effective to apply than a pencil or brow powder, has a slightly more natural look that also seems to mimick the texture of brow hairs and is the perfect slightly grey-toned light brown shade for my medium brown hair.

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Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in Milan Moment

The last in this quint of products strikes me as remarkable for it is neither atrociously expensive or has been talked to death by me in recent months but it’s a favourite, nevertheless. The formula of this liquid lip-stain is really unique as it’s lightweight and non-sticky with a hydrating balmy texture — this also allows for it to glide comfortably over lips with even the driest of patches — and it manages to leave a stain behind, as well. The sheer tangerine shade has been a great everyday shade to slightly brighten up my lips without adding anything too drastic and it can only be faulted for the slightly uneven/patchy way that it applies at first. More on this here.

Have you tried any of these staples of mine? Also, what were your staples?
Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #31

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In a nutshell, last week was a week of feeling under the weather. I’m not saying that I began to not feel well last week but previously I chalked the feeling down to hormonal origin but now I know that I was most certainly fighting something off. There were also a few days of scorching weather and as nice as those days can be, I was not in the mood and continously found myself wishing for cooler autumnal weather. Don’t shoot me. Along with feeling more than a little bit run down, I experienced quite possibly the worse eczema breakout in my life with that painful itchiness and burning, along with the unsightly physical symptoms. I can’t chalk it down to one specific thing considering that I’m one of those people that are mildly sensitive to a myriad of things but I did go with my cousin to pick up her new kitten at the pet store (stupidly because I am quite allergic to dander) and suddenly felt awful; BAM, then the symptoms occurred. Allergies and skin sensitivities are no fun. At all. Ever.

I might not have been wearing makeup every day of the week and when I did I didn’t exactly go for the full deal but despite these two facts, there have been a good number of makeup related items that scored highly on my “things I loved” metaphorical checklist last week…

  1. Essie Sssssexy Snakeskin Magnetic Nail Colour- At the very end of the previous week, I had painted my nails in this opaque oxblood hue and despite my extremely questionable polish skills (pertaining to its magnetic effect), I found myself really enjoying them. Also, there were about five coats of polish on my nails (because it took that long for me to figure out how to create the design) and it still lasted nicely for 4-5 days. I will definitely be reaching for this colour in the very near future.
  2. A cup of tea in my favourite mug – Traditionally I’m much more of a latte kind of girl but since feeling so drab and generally questionable, I’ve found a cup of tea to be therapeutic and relaxing. There’s no type in particular but I have consistently been enjoying that whole relaxed tea-drinking experience.
  3. My new Nars Pro-Prime Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base & Contour Blush in Paloma – I have gone on and on about my intense love for the contouring blush on a few occasions since receiving my order in the mail and that still hold’s true as the product is pigmented and buttery, providing instant cheekbones but I’ve been really impressed with the primer as well; it might not always prevent creasing for me but it minimizes it the best out of any primer that I’ve tried.
  4. Kate’s “Forever Repurchased #8” post – Kate’s blog-posts are just the best in general, so life was extra good when I was reading her chronicle those products that are so amazing that she actually does that crazy thing and repurchases them rather than trying something new. These posts are really helpful as they show what products truly are so amazing that they beg to be repurchased but hers was also entertaining to read as well!
Apologies for the late post; regardless, how was your week?
Maggie, x.

A Weekend Wishlist

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While in my experience it is crucial to write unique content to your aesthetic, it can be fine to follow the herd at other times, especially ones like this one where it feels authentic; without futher ado, I’m jumping onto the bandwagon with my first ever cliched ‘Weekend Wishlist’. Keep on reading if you’d like to hear my latest musings about this edited selection of items that I’m lusting over at the moment…

1.Nuxe Reve De Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm ($19) 

The Nuxe balm is one of those products that are constantly raved about by other bloggers with supposedly similar lip concerns as mine but it’s something that I’ve always passed off as purely hype but when I was strolling around the large Shopper’s Drugmart in downtown Halifax, I spotted the balm and gave the tester a try on the back of my hand. I was impressed with how rich the translucent matte balm felt instantly and I’ve got my eye on this one now. I have reeeeeeally dry, sensitive and chapped lips, if you weren’t already aware and I’m always searching for a cure, or at the very least a product that works rather well.

2. NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita ($30)

I’ve been on a NARS kick lately (and loving it) and I’ve had my eye on this deep rosy hue for ages  so it only seems prudent to include this one here. I haven’t tried the velvet matte lip pencils yet but I have tried the Satin formulation and I want to try more. I’ve been really into these your-lips-but-deeper shades that instantly make you look less dead but aren’t too over the top and this one seems to be the quintessential autumnal shade.

3. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush ($41)

I’m fairly certain that I included the Diffused Heat shade in my last wishlist post and I haven’t since indulged in a second shade of the luxurious blush range but I figure that since I just bought another coral blush, I should have my eye on one in this range that is at least slightly different than my 383 coral blushes. Luminous Flush is described as a “champagne rose” and from what I’ve heard the description is apt, being a more glowing warm rosy shade. I am aware of my blush problem, if you were wondering.

4. H&M Powder Oversized Jumper ($19.95)

I absolutely adore these lightweight and relaxed sweaters — in fact, they are a wardrobe staple — and I loved the pale blush-hued lettering on this one. It seems to tick all of the other boxes too, being very affordable and having the bold lettering graphic. A sweater like this, skinny jeans or leggings and a slouchy scarf are the main components of my quintessential fall outfits.

5. MUJI 5 Drawers Acrylic Case ($27.95)

Given how horrifically cliched the inclusion of the typical makeup storage is here, I’m doubtful that much of an explanation is required. Even after looking around for a local and more affordable storage option, I’ve come up with nothing and am seriously considering paying the monstrous shipping rate and ordering from the storage experts themselves. It’s funny how I used to laugh at those who got excited over beauty storage but now seem to be turning into someone who spends time researching makeup storage. If any of you have used Muji storage, let me know if its worthwhile below – please?

6. Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Powder Pink ($32)

Again, I’m emphasizing my awareness of my teeny-tiny blush buying problem. Lately I’ve been really enjoying the natural-looking luminosity that cream blushes bring to the cheeks and this multi-purpose formula instantly came to my mind as an option; they’re not overly pricy and they go gorgeously onto the cheeks and lips. I already have the much warmer and deeper Rose shade (which I love) and this lighter/brighter warm pink shade seemed right up my street. Plus, it’s not even coral…

7. NARS Radiant Cream Foundation in Fiji ($43)

My foundation obsession slash buying problem might just rival my blush one but this product is actually one that I’ve sampled for a good amount of time and believe to be worth the money. The cream texture feels lightweight on the skin, doesn’t highlight dry patches and provides a gorgeous luminosity to the skin while offering good medium-plus coverage. Somehow this manages to perfect the skin without giving that dull mask-like effect in the slightest. Although Punjab is a better match for me now when I have a bit of colour, Fiji seems to be a better match for me throughout the year with it’s peachy-beige undertones. I can definitely see this foundation as a staple in the cooler months, but I’ve been using my sample in the hot weather and it works well too.

8. Dior Star Fluid Foundation in 20 Light Beige ($58)

So I need another foundation like I need a hole in my head but when I heard about Dior’s new foundation offering and it’s alcohol-free ingredient list, I was instantly intrigued. Dior has impressed me before with the Diorskin Nude foundation so when I heard of their new brightening and illuminating foundation and read the impressive ingredient list, I knew that I at least had to try it. It also helps that I’ve heard great things about this one, being all illuminating and skin-like and all that jazz. It shall be mine.

9. Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant ($24)

Despite not trying her actual line of products, I have been listening to her product recommendations for over a year now and have watched my skin improve so naturally I’ve been curious about her affordable but effective product line and given my love of well-formulated alcohol-free chemical exfoliants, this brightening daily formula was an obvious contender.

10. Citizens of Humanity Avedon Ultra Skinny Jeans ($209)

Even as I type the words into the keys of my laptop, I can scarcely believe that I am seriously including a two hundred dollar pair of jeans in one of my realistic wishlist but nevertheless here I am, doing this. Last year, I picked up a pair of these jeans for less than half of the retail price in a plum colour and fell in love –they suck in the stomach like nothing else, make the butt look less flat and are comfortable to boot — and I’d love to snap up another pair in a more traditional hue if the price was right. These skinny jeans are magical on my thin and stick-like legs slash rather nonexistent butt —if you know me in real life, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

11. Nude Skincare Miracle Mask ($60)

It was not intentional in the least, but it does seem rather fitting that both skincare products mentioned are brightening options, loaded with AHA’s. The one, however, it significantly more expensive but what others have said in praise of this one and the ingredient list make it into a promising option; it’s an exfoliating treatment with gentle rice powder along with the chemical exfoliants in mask form that is meant to combat dullness and an uneven skin tone. In my experience, AHA’s have done all of these things and more for my skin so I’m always up for trying more.

What products are topping your wishlist at the moment?

Maggie, x.

The Acquisition: MAC Style Blush

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Hands up if you can remember when I spoke of a cheeky MAC purchase that occurred when out, goofing around and shopping with friends — honestly, I’d be surprised to find too many hands raised for that one — but you’d be more likely to raise your hand if you’re aware of my coral blush buying problem/ love… this has been chronicled here on many occasions. Ramble over. Did I need yet another coral blush; was this one so different than others in my stash to completely warrant purchasing? The answer to any sane person would be no but I can rationalize it to myself because it does differ from the dozen other coral blushes I own.

It’s my first frost blush from MAC and the finish is much different than I expected, not miles different from the Sheertone Shimmer blushes that I’m familiar with, simply with less obvious shimmer and a stronger sheen – and not an overpowering one or unflattering one at that. The texture, pigmentation and longevity on this one are all amazing — especially the longevity considering that this blush is not advertised as long lasting but lasted on me for 12 hours without fading in the heat. The colour of this one is a strong orange-coral with such a strong golden sheen running throughout that it has a duochrome kind of quality to it. This is definitely one that you have to be careful if you’re fairer with a cooler skintone because it has a tendency to flash orange; however, I’m relatively fair and I don’t have this problem because of my neutral-to-warm undertones. This is also a shade that would be gorgeous on medium to deep skins as well because of its pigmentation and orangey undertone. With it’s golden sheen, this one instantly adds glow to the cheeks and brightens my face and is a versatile one in my opinion because it’s a subtler shade with one layer and builds in intensity with the second (in a flattering way). I’ve shown this below here with a light application on the left and a slightly heavier one on the right:

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To reiterate, quality-wise MAC Style Powder Blush is top notch and given that it costs $21 in pan form and $26 in compact form for a whooping 0.21 oz of product, it is rather economical. It has quickly become a staple in my collection of blushes; I say collection despite how funny it sounds because I acknowledge fully that I might perhaps have a small problem. In the pan, Style does not look different than the MAC Springsheen Blush but when swatched, they are different and I prefer Style on account of the texture, gorgeous sheen and hint of orange-coral to it. However, it is even more similar to (not identical) to the limited edition MAC Stereo Rose MSF, but is a little bit more of an amped-up coral that leans more on the orange-copper side of things — in a good way. Both shades have that gorgeous sheen and if you’ve been wanting to try the MSF, I would recommend giving this one a go in its place.

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Comparison swatches from top to bottom: MAC Style, MAC Springsheen, MAC Stereo Rose
Have you tried Style?
Maggie, x.

Tuesday’s Daily Highlights

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Tuesday was all kinds of crazy, beginning with an early start (and stressful one), involving getting my first fillings, and didn’t slow down until nighttime, being out and about all day but it was a day that I was pleased with the whole makeup etc. situation. So despite not getting a good quality photo in the slightest, I thought I would share the items that I was particularly pleased with along with some thoughts; I’m sure you know the drill by now.

Although my nails weren’t quite as presentable as in the above photo — it was a good few days later and the polish was quite caked on — I was loving them. I was wearing (and still am) the Essie Snakeskin Magnetic Nail Colour in Sssssexy and although it took far too many coats to get there, I actually managed to get the magnetic effect to work — the secret is in shaking the bottle to activate the magnetic ability by the way — but I only figured out on my forth coat. I love the opaque formula, as I could almost have gotten away with one coat and the oxblood hue and the magnet-induced gradient gave them cool-looking definition. This was my first foray back into the autumnal shades that I adore and I don’t expect to be putting it down soon.

The thing about getting up and ready early, especially when you’re nervous, is that your practical senses aren’t exactly on point. This rarely happens but I managed to leave the house while wearing a dirty top so I was left without the time to come home and change and had to find something to buy where we were. Although I haven’t shopped there consistently since my junior high years, I popped into Garage and quickly found a cute paper-thin sweater to replace the shirt I had on; said garment was called the Black Slit Dolman Sleeve Tee and I’ve surprised myself by how much I love the faded ‘greige’ top. I love that I can wear it in the warmer weather that we’re having because it’s so lightweight and doesn’t make you overheated but still attractive with it’s slightly cropped cut (I was wearing high-waisted jeans) and slouchy shape. I’m having a love affair with these grey-beige neutrals at the moment. It also has that cute-yet-impractical open back.

Even though it was quite a quick and low-key makeup day as it was so early and I was so tired, there were three products worthy of mention and two of them were new ones chronicled in yesterday’s post here. I’ve mentioned my love of eyeliner on even the most minimal of makeup days and because everything was low-key, I figured it was the day to try my sample of the Marc Jacobs Beauty High(Liner) in Brown(Out) and I was as pleased as can be about that decision; I had never had anything glide on so smoothly (yet nicely) and with as rich colour as the bronzy-tinged liner. It also lasted like nothing else and now I’m intrigued by these liners… The second new product that had to be mentioned was the rosy-tinged tan and ivory coloured NARS Contour Blush in Paloma because with a few swipes on the cheekbones and temples, my face was given instant shape and cheekbones.

And last but not least, my beloved Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Smooth-Effect Makeup had to be mentioned – yet again. With my fingertips, I can quickly blend this velvety foundation into my skin in a way that makes it look like its my skin rather than makeup, it lasts well and it has that natural luminosity to it. It’s a nice one for tired skin especially when you’re wearing SPF underneath and want to avoid that shiny effect that would happen with a dewier foundation. And it offers a good medium coverage somehow. It’s fantastic.

What have your daily highlights been?
Maggie, x.

The Restrained Sephora Order

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On Monday morning, I woke up and upon lazily picking up my laptop from the floor and into bed with me, I figured that I would check up on the state of my Sephora order and when I found out that it was actually here in my mailbox, I was more than a little bit excited; this excitement has not faded since opening and trying these products, either. I’m not one to make online orders really at all, but when I didn’t manage to make it into the store for the 2x/3x/4x the points event, I bit the bullet and went for the promotion online. I’m pleased to report that while I was charged duty, it was a miniscule amount and that it arrived within a week of being shipped – that’s good for us Canadians. Plus, they actually managed to give me the samples and the perk that I requested as well. Let’s get on into my small assortment of goodies but be forewarned that they aren’t the most interesting of products…

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First up is the NARS Contour Blush in Paloma that I had sights set on as soon as its release into the blogosphere but had initially held off because of its price and apparent similarity to the MAC Harmony Powder Blush that I adore for contouring. There’s no way around it, the 0.28 oz duo is pricy, coming in at $42 US/ $46 CDN but I fell in love with the darker shade upon first use (and I have worn it twice), as it might not swatch amazing but as soon as its swept onto the face, there’s some magical contouring action that happens with little effort and you still look completely natural. It swatches nicely, more similar to MAC Harmony than it actually appears on the face, but applies in a much more pigmented and smooth fashion than one would expect — I think it might beat out my old favourite. While it swatches quite rosy, on my neutral-to-yellow undertones, it applies more of a muted rosy tan hue, with much more brown in it. It doesn’t appear pink on my skin at all, which I had previously thought it might do. Plus, it hadn’t faded on my face within 10 hours — brownie points, anyone? As you can likely imagine, I purchased the duo mainly for the contouring shade but the soft-matte “highlighting shade” is nice, too. It doesn’t really seem to show up on my wrist as it’s always slightly paler than the rest of my body but because of this, I feel that it can be used to set the undereyes and other areas of the face without difficulty while still brightening things up.

Below: NARS Contour Blush in Paloma (both shades), with MAC Harmony on the right for comparison. And after that, my face today featuring both this product and the next one

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The next product was nothing glamorous but as I’ve heard fabulous things for ages about the NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base ($25 US/$29 CDN) and have had it on every single wishlist I’ve made myself for more the year, I finally went for the eyeshadow primer. I have difficulty with eyeshadows creasing despite not having oily eye lids and it’s been getting worse as of late so the purchase only seemed to be rational. I do have deep set eyes so I have eyes that are more creased at the socket generally, though. While I’m not sure if this is life-changing yet, it’s definitely a primer that works thus far and one  that dries down quickly.

If you’ve been a reader for a while – thank you! – then I’m sure you’ve heard me ramble on about my love for the Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet (until it ran out at least) and now that I noticed how close I was to the end of my current moisturizer, I decided to bite the bullet and go for the slightly more intense but-not-heavy formulation from the same line. I’ve used the Caudalie Vinosource Intense Moisture Rescue Cream ($39 US/$40 CDN) three times since it’s arrival so I can’t say anything definite but it seems to me that this has impressed me even with my prior high expectations. Like promised, the antioxidant-rich cream seems to soothe the skin while being extremely hydrating. I’ll definitely keep you posted.

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I’m not normally one to spend time discussing samples but as the 100 point perk that I included with my order has astounded me, I figured I would give them some attention in photographic form. I haven’t tried any of the three yet but I have tried the sample size of the Marc Jacobs Beauty High(Liner) in Brown(Out) and was amazed with the rich deep bronze liner that applied as if it were liquid and stayed put like a champ. I’m not wearing this today but I wore it yesterday and it seems to be blowing most liners out of the water with its intense colour and actual authentic creamy texture that doesn’t go waxy or break of instantly. Let’s hope it stays this way.

Have you picked up anything lately? Either way, Happy Wednesday!
Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #30

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THE  CATCH UP
Monday August 11: Weekly Medley #29 | Tuesday August 12: Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Natural Beauty | Friday August 15: My MAC Eyeshadow Palette | Saturday August 16: Five of the Best Beauty Bargains | Sunday August 17: The Six-Step Sunday

Before I get onto the tragically boring details of my life, I thought I would touch on the more blog-y things that are usually reserved for later in the posts… There were five posts this week and while their times weren’t exactly as regular on my arbitrary undecided schedule of things as they could be, I was very pleased with each one and didn’t have any of those ‘meh’ moments of post-related self-doubt. If you take a close look above at the collage/mosaic, you might notice that I included two of my weekly posts and as you can likely imagine, those two posts were the ones that I was the most proud of. Ever since beginning to blog, I’ve wanted to do a MAC Palette Post (and do it well), but it actually proved to require some decision making and dedication as I looked into it and on Friday, I was pleased to publish the post that included swatches and some abridged shade thoughts. I was also quite pleased with my spur-of-the-moment “The Six-Step Sunday” post and seeing as it got a good number of views, I’ve made the assumption that you guys did too. Correct me if I’m wrong, though! I’m sure it was not the most unique post by any means but I felt it rang true to me and my blog as a low-key guide to my Sunday philosophy. I hope this makes some sort of sense but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s more than a little ambiguity present but I’ll stop rambling and move on.

Amelia’s “Minimal Makeup Holiday Staples” had to be the standout post that I’ve scoured over this week; as per usual, it was written in her entertaining and chatty style and she’s awfully close to selling me on her staples. I do quite enjoy reading posts that detail the staple products that one uses on a low-key day that doesn’t involve looking all glammed up and primping for a good hour and I might write one in the near future. Any thoughts?

It was a better week because I was certainly kept busier and there was preparatory organization going on for the upcoming school year and all that, with all PMS-related crappiness aside. The highlight of my week had to be Tuesday when I had breakfast with some of my closest friends and relaxed, watching some Netflix before heading into town to do some retail therapy. I don’t have much to document it, but it was truly a fabulous day. There were also a few products that stood out to me in the last week or so as favourites, both old and new. The only new item of my loved trio is the MAC Feline Kohl Power Pencil, a purchase that happened on Tuesday that a don’t regret in the slightest; the rich black shade applies creamily and glides on like a dream while still smudging nicely. However, if you have smudging issues with liner, it might not be one to try. I’ve dug the muted-coral MAC Sweet & Sour Lipstick and have been digging the hue, going for it most days because it has enough colour to work with minimal makeup present but doesn’t make too much of a statement either. And last but not least, I’ve rediscovered my love for warm peachy-champagne liquid highlighter, the Benefit Cosmetics Girl Meets Pearl and have been loving the natural luminosity that it gives to the cheekbones.

How was your week?
Maggie, x.

The Six Step Sunday

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I think I’ll begin with a bit of a secret (but not a particularly surprising one) — Sunday’s aren’t really different than any other day of the week in my world except in the way that I like to treat them. There’s something about Sunday’s that make it acceptable to spend the day in bed, look a little bit less polished and be a much less productive human being and I’m not going to complain about that. Here are a few of my guidelines that I follow and break on a regular occasion…

STEP ONE: THE COZY LOUNGE SPACE & IDEAL READING MATERIAL

My cozy lounge space is my bed but I have made sure to fully make it, with the sheets tucked in smoothly and everything with the pillows pushed up for the perfect little nest effect but any old nook or cozy corner will definitely suffice. It’s a tough call for me to decide whether or not my love of reading and general reading materials rivals my love of beauty products, so obviously the latter part is essential. There’s something particularly therapeutic about reading a good old weighty novel and at the moment I’ve returned to the task of reading Atlas Shrugged and I’m enjoying reading it but I do enjoy a heftier novel (in length and subject matter) than most. I’m not leaving out reading materials of the other variety, however; I also love to have a magazine handy to scour through and to binge-read a blog, whether its an old-favourite of mine or a newfound discovery.

STEP TWO: FIND SOMETHING DECENT TO PUT ON THAT IS ESSENTIALLY GLORIFIED/ATTRACTIVE SWEATS

I’m particularly passionate about being comfortable because I’m one of those people who can’t feel fully relaxed and mellow without absolute comfort but this doesn’t mean that I want to be wearing threadbare old sweats or pyjamas; I like to feel a little more pulled together than that both for the feeling in itself and in case I decide to join civilization. Today’s choice was a repurposed sleepwear top from Forever 21 and a pair of the expensive but comfortable Lululemon Athletica leggings, known as the famous Wunder-Unders. I feel the need to inform you that these are the most flattering and comfortable leggings, especially if you have a flat but like me and fear looking like a prepubescent boy with man-boobs.

STEP THREE: GET A DRINK & INDULGENT SNACK

When I was writing out this step here, I was referring to a beverage of the caffeinated variety but I can definitely see an alcoholic one being potentially more enjoyable and weekend appropriate, alas I was good and grabbed a nice cup of tea in my newfound favourite mug. There’s something therapeutic in this act but it seems incomplete without an accompanying snack of the same calibur. At the moment, I’m the most hormonal I’ve been in years (TMI? — OOPS) and despite surviving on my low fructose diet, I’ve been craving chocolate like nobody’s business and although I never used to be a dark chocolate person, I’ve been enjoying a row or two of a 70-85% dark chocolate bar, almost to the same degree as I used to inhale the chocolate-coated mini cheesecakes — they’re amazing by the way.

STEP FOUR: SORT OUT THE SKIN AND HAIR

Two nights back, suffering from a terrible migraine, I did something that I rarely do – put a treatment in my dry tangly hair (in this case, coconut oil) and put the full effort into sectioning my monstrosity of hair off into sections and go to town with my brush of choice, the Goody tangle-teezer ‘dupe’ but if I hadn’t done that I definitely would have tried to deal with the tangly hair situation and give it a bit of a treat as well. Although I also like to take the time during the week to give my skin a treatment (a mask etc.), it has become part of the Sunday routine to go for a mask. At the moment, I’ve been enjoying using the Soap & Glory Scrub Your Nose in It because it acts like a decongesting mask when left on the skin whilst exfoliating the skin with the gentle clay and acids in the formula. It also doesn’t dry out my skin which is rather nice. If I’m feeling more dehydrated or my skin is in need of more smoothing action, I’ll reach for a hydrating mask and my one of choice depends on the time of day I’m applying it; the more gel-like texture of The Body Shop Aloe Protective Restoring Mask allows it to be used during the day and I reach for it if I’m looking for a treatment during the day or I’ll put on the more nourishing hardcore Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask overnight, as the name would suggest.

STEP FIVE: DO SOMETHING WITH THE NAILS

I guess I’m a fidgety person and this results in my nail polish never staying nicely on my nails despite my best efforts (and products) and this tends to lead to me getting annoyed with the whole nail institution and neglect them until the point where they look raggedy and horrific; on Sunday’s I try to remedy this situation. At the very least, I’ll trim my nails, giving them some shape before applying a clear strengthener — at the moment I’m using the Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Diamond Shine Base & Top Coat. However, it can also be therapeutic to apply some polish too, even if it doesn’t last as long as it should. Angst.

STEP SIX: GATHER THE SLAP ‘ER ON ESSENTIALS

I’m a big fan of the no-makeup Sunday (or Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday etc.) and I do tend to follow that philosophy most weeks but I also like to have a small selection of products on hand, separated into a small makeup bag or in some other way that I can grab and take with me or quickly apply if I suddenly need to be more presentable for going out in public in a more polished fashion. For a nice skin-like finish, I’ll grab either the Chanel Perfection Lumiere Smooth-Effect Makeup , or the Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream if I’m potentially in need of strong sun protection and/or hydration — the latter is particularly nice because it also performs like a treatment, hydrating the skin and soothing it. I’ll often simply go for a highlighting concealer pen like the L’Oreal Paris Magic Lumi Concealer in Fair to conceal underneath my eyes and a little bit of redness unless my dark circles are catastrophic, when I have to use my beloved Bobbi Brown Corrector. For the eyes, I’ll put a cream shadow on like the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded before going in with a bit of liner and mascara quickly and I’ll at the very least put some bronzer on my face and some balm on my lips. This sounds like a load of products but honestly it’s three minutes worth of work in the way that I apply makeup and it makes me feel loads better.

What steps do you take to ensure that you have an ideal Sunday?
Maggie, x.

Five of the Best Beauty Bargains

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Rather than introducing you to yet another affordable beauty product that I hold in high regard as of now, I thought that I would give a roundup of the affordable products that I’ve been relying on and valuing heavily at the moment. I can’t promise that what I say about these products and the products themselves won’t have appeared around here times before, however. Isn’t a little repetition a good thing?

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L’Oreal Glam Bronze Mono in 04 Universal Sun ($15 CDN)– full post here

I can’t even. Honestly this newer bronzer release has blown me away and I haven’t been able to stray from the smooth-textured blend able soft-matte bronzer for long since picking it up. The formula is pigmented but easy to work with and doesn’t sit on the skin stiffly and unnaturally like most powders do and rather glides on creamily. These come in a variety of shades but I’ve only tried this medium-toned warm bronzer with reddish undertones and I love the colour for adding natural bronziness to my face whilst being able to add a bit of shadow to the cheekbones because it’s not orange-y in the slightest. I swear this bronzer is easy to use and builds like a dream and will never betray you by looking chalky or muddy. I’ll stop now… You’re welcome.

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Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser ($9-11 CDN)

This is definitely one of the unsung heroes of my personal assortment of beauty products, both in the sense that I don’t feel that others rave about the prowess of the product enough and that I don’t give it the credit it deserves on a frequent basis. It’s basically the gentlest cream cleanser in existence that not only doesn’t include detergents and therefore doesn’t strip or irritate the skin but also nourishes the skin. It’s only downside is that it’s not one that removes makeup well in the slightest. However, it’s a great second cleanser or morning cleanser that easily rinses clean.

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Annabelle Smoothliner in Black ($6-7 CDN)

Even without putting the wallet-friendly price into consideration, this is among the very best liners that I’ve ever tried and it’s my favourite for using on the top waterline because it does not transfer to the lower lashline or budge. However, it’s not absolutely perfect because the creamy texture ensures that it needs to be sharpened frequently (if not, it comes out really unevenly) and therefore the product goes quickly. With this aside, the waterproof formula is creamy rather than waxy and stays put for ages. The shade is a richly pigmented black and it also can be smudged nicely as long as you work quickly. In short, I love this liner and will repurchase it after I use it up which shouldn’t be too far into the future.

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DSC_0205From the top: L’Oreal Universal Sun, Maybelline Deep Bronze, Maybelline Pink Rose

Maybelline Master Hi-Light Light-Boosting Blush/Bronzer in 20 Pink Rose/ 60 Deep Bronze ($14-16 CDN) – full post here

I’ve raved about the Deep Bronze shade time and time again as a gorgeous rosy copper blush (rather than its intended use) and that love has not wavered in the slightest and since having such success with that shade, I picked up the true rosy pink shade (Pink Rose) and have been enjoying that shade as well. They’re not the cheapest but the texture and formula of these powders is so gorgeous that they are truly a bargain; the shimmer is so fine that it reads like a glowy sheen, the pigmentation is on-point and lasts as such and they blend seamlessly into the skin like the most finely-milled of products. I highly recommend trying at least one of these.

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Rimmel Colour Rush Intense Colour Balm in Lady Marmalade ($7-8 CDN)

This is definitely the newest product (to me) of the bunch but I’ve worn it a good amount and it has been so impressive; it may just be my favourite of the balm pencils, at the drugstore at least. The true pinky-coral hue doesn’t lean so warm that it tends to pull out the yellow in the teeth and goes over dry patches like a champ, actually hydrating along the way with the balm quality but it also served so stain my lips after wearing it for an hour or two — the colour lasted for six hours through a snack and a small meal. It seems to both be comfortable to wear and effortless while still providing on the longevity front, at least if you leave it on the lips for long enough to set.

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What’s your favourite budget buy at the moment?
Maggie, x.

My MAC Eyeshadow Palette

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The first beauty love of my life was MAC eyeshadows — For my thirteenth birthday, I got my first one along with my beloved MAC 217 — and to this day, that love hasn’t weakened in any shape or form. I’ve been wanting to write one of these kinds of posts for ages and they are my favourite to read so now that I’ve kind of sort of completed the eyeshadow portion of my palette, I feel compelled to bite the bullet and do it. If you’re ready to see my palette and hear an assortment of my thoughts on the whole thing and the individual shades, read on. However, before I get to all of that I shall preface this by saying that all of the shades are good quality (unless specified, sort of) and I highly recommend putting your own palette together because although it seems expensive at first having to pay for each shade, there’s something practical and economical in putting together your own MAC palette.

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Dazzlelight (Veluxe Pearl) – neutral with shimmer

A creamy ivory shade that is only subtly different than my natural skintone on my lids but slightly lighter with a golden sheen running throughout, Dazzlelight is a gorgeous subtle highlighting shade and also works on the lid for an extremely natural shade. This is a staple that I might just adore and need to repurchase in the future.

Vex (Frost)– beige with pink-green pearl

This one has to be among MAC’s most unique offerings but I will admit that I don’t reach for it enough. It’s a shimmery cool-toned ivory colour that has a strong pink-green duochrome so it looks really interesting on the lid. It’s a nice highlighting or general lid shade, in my experience.

All That Glitters (Veluxe Pearl)– beige with gold pearl

This longtime favourite eyeshadow of mine has to be my favourite eyeshadow to this day and I’ve already used up two pans of this stuff already. In essence, it’s a golden-peachy champagne with the nicest metallic sheen running throughout that has the easiest texture to work with and is my favourite lid shade of all time. It’s a more golden and peachy souped-up version of Urban Decay Sin. It’s worth all of it’s praise. This is one of the few items I would deem ‘holy grail’.

Patina (Frost) – taupe brown with golden pearl

This one is yet another gorgeous lid shade and its one that I hadn’t been reaching for enough because until recently it was in pot form and out of sight. It’s a slightly cool-toned muted golden hue that comes out a whole lot lighter than one would expect and with a whole lot less obvious shimmer too. It does have that gorgeous taupey lean to it, too.

Era (Satin) – soft golden beige with shimmer

I’m afraid that I can’t say much about this one as I only picked it up yesterday (after lusting after it for well over a year) and haven’t applied it to my eyelid yet but it does look rather promising and I’m excited to put it to use. I will admit that it doesn’t look too different from Patina, but I promise it is unique because it doesn’t have any of that olive kind of lean and is more of a golden champagne shade — without the peachiness of All That Glitters. It seems to be extremely smooth and pigmented with a gorgeous sheen running throughout that comes off rather subtle. I’m fairly certain this shall be a lid shade.

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DSC_0142Soft Brown (Matte) – soft golden peachy-brown

I really should have listened to others when they raved about this shade and gave into the hype much earlier than I did, despite my reluctance to buy the neutral matte ‘boring shades’ but nevertheless, this new addition to my palette is valuable. It’s a really creamy warm-toned crease or transition shade that is a staple for me and I think it would be for anyone who is on the warmer side of things with a fair to medium skintone.

Coquette (Satin) – muted greyish taupe

I’ve rambled on about this ‘matte’ (but easy to work with) ashy medium-dark taupe before more than a time or two so I’ll keep this brief to the best of my ability. If you ask me it’s a better version of Charcoal Brown, perfect for naturally-ashy brunette brows as it doesn’t turn red and also works nicely in the crease with its smooth and pigmented texture.

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Swiss Chocolate (Matte)– muted reddish brown

This is much more of a recent addition to my collection but it was one that instantly impressed me with its practicality; it’s a smooth and blendable warm reddish brown darker medium tone that’s ideal for deepening the crease and adding subtle depth to the outer corner and lower lashline.

Woodwinked (Veluxe Pearl) – warm antique gold

Paired with All That Glitters, this is my most repurchased item, having been replenished three times and it’s safe to say that the shade is worth the hype. It’s not always my favourite shade in the world, but it’s the best gold ever with amazing texture and warm metallic finish; if you ask me it’s a much better version of Urban Decay’s Half-Baked. However, it does come off much more coppery on cooler skintones, especially when blended.

Clarity (Matte2)

It is rather unfortunate that this punchy smooth and pigmented electric turquoise shade has been discontinued; it was definitely a good one, despite being of the neon variety. Because of this, I haven’t mentioned this great shade around these parts, although I do use the shade — but not often enough. I do love using the shadow for a pop of colour on the lower lashline. Sorry, but it’s no longer available 😦

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Coppering (Veluxe Pearl) – orange copper

Coppering is more than a little bit more interesting than your average neutral shade and because of this, it doesn’t get used on an everyday basis by me but it is one of my very favourites on account of its phenomenal pigmented and buttery texture and gorgeous true copper metallic hue. It’s a shade that I either like to wear through the crease for some rustiness or all over the lid.

Satin Taupe (Frost) – taupe with silver shimmer

This cult-favourite shade is not the most unique by any means but it’s an amazing medium-buildable neutral taupe with strong plummy undertones. It’s worth the hype as it is one of my alltime favourites for the crease with it’s blendable, smooth and creamy finish.

Club (Satin) – red-brown with green pearl

This popular shade is a unique and versatile medium-dark brown shade that’s essentially a reddened brown with warm undertones. It also takes on a gorgeous green duochrome and this is one of those shades that works well on the lid, in the crease and in the outer corner!

Sketch (Velvet) – burgundy with red shimmer

This one is an unsung hero of my eyeshadow collection, an almost-matte warm deep plum shade that oddly enough swatches rather dry but applies much more smoothly to the eyes to smoke things our or add definition to the outer corner. Plus the slightly less powdery, drier texture ensures that there is minimal fallout during application.

Smut (Velvet) – muted black with red shimmer

I might have only added this almost-black-but-not-quite-alternative to my collection last month, but it’s become one of my staples, serving the purpose of a black as a liner and outer corner shade, but also being easier to work with and more interesting. It has the same great texture as Sketch, and is notably darker although it doesn’t swatch so — it doesn’t swatch as impressively as it applies to the lids — and is a darker version of the former shade with less plum and warm-tones to it. I might say that it’s a taupe shade that also has a good amount of burgundy to it and a hint of grey to it.

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Moving on to my quad…

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Sable (Frost) – gold-plum with bronze pearl

This popular shade is rather nice but it’s not a favourite of mine; the warm muted plummy bronze shade has a nice sheen running throughout and looks much nicer on those with green or brown eyes, if you ask me. This strikes me as a slightly darker version of Urban Decay’s Toasted and to be honest I prefer the lighter version. This is like Satin Taupe’s warmer and bronzier sister.

Charcoal Brown (Matte) – muted taupe brown

This is a matte slightly cool-toned medium brown that I purchased initially as a brow shade but proved itself to be inferior to ashier shades as my brows pull most products red. It’s a nice shade, both in practicality and quality, but it’s not necessary for me because of Coquette, although it does make a nice crease shade. I won’t be repurchasing after it’s used up, however.

Satellite Dreams (Veluxe Pearl) – deep plum with pearl

I’ve had this shade for ages and even after working through the top layer, I’m afraid that this shade is a dud in my eyes. However, I know others don’t seem to share my pigmentation concerns so I’m convinced that I might have just got a dud of this shade. If I do really pack it on, it is nice and will show up better than swatched.

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What’s your favourite MAC eyeshadow?
Maggie, x.