The Review: Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Natural Beauty

DSC_0126

DSC_0129

I’m fairly certain that I’m prone to obsessions and phases more than the average human being and this extends to my blogging quite a bit — I’ll be loving doing ‘Daily Face’ posts one month and then can hardly stand to do one the next. Case in point? I hadn’t been loving writing review posts as I hadn’t been inspired to do so but now I find myself in the mood to really do some reviewing action around here and the product in question is the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Natural Beauty. I do really enjoy the matte watermelon-pink shade but in all honesty, I don’t feel or understand the fanaticism that many bloggers exhibit in relation to this product; they last nicely on the skin and have nice pigmentation but I’m not in love with the slightly drier texture of the product. With those thoughts aside, I do actually kind of adore this blush. Why? The formula might not be life-changing but it has good buildable pigmentation (this quality is shown below with comparison swatches of both one and two layers) and lasts for ages but more than this the shade is a gorgeous unique one with a name that makes sense because it replicates the look of a naturally rosy flush on the cheeks despite appearing bright in the pan. I might be fair and it’s easy to use on me but it also looks great on medium skin tones, believe it or not. And when I say that it creates the look of an authentic flush, it’s infinitely more attractive than my natural flushed-face shade!

DSC_0134

Although the blush offers solid pigmentation, it’s easier to use because it goes on sheerer initially but can be built up with ease — no patchy clown cheeks here. This means that fairer girls do not need to be afraid of the punch that this rosy shade packs but it also will be a flattering shade on a variety of different skintones; this blush is one of the most universal ones that I own. Believe it or not, the claims as a whole are not outlandish, either. This formula is the longest lasting blush formula that I’ve ever tried, lasting 12 hours on me without fading – but keep in mind I have drier skin and my cheeks are my driest part. However, I think that the claim that the amazonian clay in the formula minimizes “oil in and around pores to balance skin” and also is “hydrating the skin naturally restoring moisture, reducing the appearance of dry, flaky skin” is pure marketing gibberish. I doubt it minimizes the oil in and around pores and it certainly doesn’t hydrate the skin and reduce the appearance of flaky dry patches — when I’m dry and flaky, this formula is not the most flattering on account of its dryness. Nevertheless, the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Natural Beauty is a favourite of mine. The blush contains a generous 0.20 oz of product and retails for $26 US or $31 CDN. They are sold at a few different places but I picked mine up last summer at my local Sephora. All in all, I do really enjoy this blush but I won’t be rushing out to try other shades within the formula. I’m compelled to tell you that the foundation matched my skin way better than it appears in the below photo but let’s just pretend it isn’t an issue!DSC_0123

Have you tried any of these blushes? If so, I’d be curious to hear your thoughts!
Maggie, x.

 

Weekly Medley #29

Recently Updated26Want to catch up?
Sunday August 3: 10 Indulgent Sunday Staples | Tuesday August 5: The Review- Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream | Thursday August 7: I USED UP PRODUCTS #3 | Friday August 8: The Daily Face #21 – Actual “No Makeup” Makeup | Sunday August 10: The Current Obsessions

 

Another week has passed and therefore it’s time for another Weekly Medley post. Standard. This week has been a weirdly low-key one especially after the stress and generic hectic-ness of previous weeks and although the weather was a wee bit bipolar, it wasn’t too much of a terrible one, which was a rather nice change of pace, I must say. Now that its August, I had decided that it was time to go and buy a thing (or five) so some shopping happened but I was more restrained than one might expect. The first trip was actually a good ol’ day of in-person mall shopping and I came out with the fabulous sleepwear set shown above (I’m in love), a nice structured red satchel and a printed top from Forever 21, a few things from Shopper’s that were on sale (and one that I redeemed points on) and a candle or three as my first Bath and Body Works purchase.

I’m a huge comfy clothes slash sleepwear person and I’m passionate about caffeine so the $17.80 sleepwear set was right up my alley and I’ve been loving the comfortable summer set, just as expected. I talked about it in yesterday’s post already, but I must reiterate my love for the Bath & Body Works Beach Day Candle that was on for a good price as well as being absolutely amazing. Considering that I’m not particularly sad that the season is coming to a close and that Fall is coming, it’s no surprise that I was on board with the autumn scents in store and I’m excited for when I get to burn the Spiced Pumpkin Cider Candle and the weirdly scrumptious Cayenne Caramel Candle. If you’re familiar with the store, I would love to have some other scent recommendations — hint hint nudge nudge. However, my purchases did not end there; yesterday I made an online order at Sephora for the extra points offered as a promotion but was actually rather practical which both excites and horrifies me equally. I know Sunday is technically the start of the new week but since moving these posts to Monday, I’m taking creative liberty and pretending that they existed in the previous week.

It might be a while until I have my new items (courtesy of Sephora) in my possession but I’m excited nevertheless and feel the need to chronicle them here. Frustrated by my creasing issues, despite not having oily eyelids, I’ve bit the bullet and gone for the NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base ($29), along with the NARS Contour Blush in Paloma ($46) that I’ve heard nothing but fabulous things about and have been lusting after. It pleases me to be actually making progress using up products but at the same time it’s not fun having to buy new products because you ran out of the previous; I have maybe a day or two left out of my REN moisturizer and rather than repurchasing it, I’m trying the more moisturizing version of the Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet that I loved so much in the past, the Caudalie Vinosource Intense Moisture Rescue Cream ($40). I’m excited to try that one out, for sure. I’ve been really interest in trying out the rather expensive liner so I had to snap up the sample of the Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner Gel Crayon when it was offered as a 100-point-perk. Clearly.

My low-key week was also pleasant because I was pleased with the blog posts that I wrote — it can make such a difference, truly. How was your week?
Maggie, x.

P.S. The bright lip that I’m sporting in the above collage is the Rimmel Colour Rush Balm in Lady Marmalade that I raved about yesterday here!

The Weekend Post: The Current Obsessions

DSC_0108

DSC_0104

DSC_1293

This morning, I actually woke up, nice and early and actually slightly refreshed for once, — I was beyond thankful that it wasn’t one of those too-frequent nights that involved waking up more than once every hour for the duration of the night — rather pleased with the task of deciding what kind of laid-back post I wanted to write and pleasingly I instantly knew that I wanted to share a small selection of my current obsessions (and ramble on more than a bit about them…). T’was a good morning. And I was feeling like taking a bit of extra effort and actually tried to do that whole product linking thing — you’re welcome.

Essie Bikini So Teeny Nail Lacquer ($8)

This polish seems to have received quite the buzz in the blogging world during the spring and summer months and since I properly painted my nails last week with the pale cornflower-blue hue, I instantly remembered why. The formula might start out somewhat sheer but it layers nicely, suiting my lazy-girl interests nicely, drying quickly too. I would show you my nails but I’ve been picking at them so I’ll protect your eyeballs from the less than attractive sight. ..

Rimmel Lasting Finish Colour Rush Balm in Lady Marmalade ($7-8)

I’m not one to crave a bold lip on an everyday basis but when I have been craving one, I haven’t reached for anything other than this one. Gauging from my experience with this one, this might actually be my favourite chubby pencil formula as it actually acts like a balm whilst staining my lips and offering fairly intense pigmentation. Plus, the shade is a flattering coral shade that leans slightly less neon than the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer in Stellar and on my complexion seems to add life instantly. I don’t think I’ve mentioned this product before, either – woo. 

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24-Hour Cream-Gel Shadow ($9)

Throughout most of the spring and summer season, I had been reaching for traditional eyeshadow primers and foregoing my coloured bases but now that I’ve got this more minimal makeup thing in full swing, I’ve realized how great these are. In the hot hot weather, these do crease on me slightly (but what doesn’t?) but it’s subtle and I’ve been loving using them not only as a base but as the main lid shadow to cut down on a few steps of the routine. I’ve been enjoying the unfortunately no-longer-available Nude Compliment the most but have been enjoying the new matte Creamy Beige (misnomer) as well as the classic Bad To The Bronze.

MAC Swiss Chocolate Eyeshadow ($12/18)

The amount of love that I have for this warm reddish-brown matte eyeshadow has surprised me to no end. As I’ve said before, I tend to find practical matte eyeshadows rather boring and tend to ignore them in favor of more exciting shimmering shades but since I’ve added this to my stash, I’ve been obsessed with the blendable texture of the shade that has been a staple for adding depth to the crease or the outer corner in the most ‘natural’ of makeup looks like this one here. The formula of this shade is brilliant and I’d recommend checking this one out if you enjoy warm-toned shades and don’t have anything identical in your stash already.

Bath & Body Works ‘Beach Day’ 3-Wick Candle ($10.50)

I’m extremely late to the whole scented candle party and even later to the Bath & Body Works craze but I joined in nevertheless, finding myself at home with three new candles and this was one of them – the cheapest and most summery one, too. I’m not one to go on and on and on some more about a scent but this one is fantastic for its authentic quality; it smells like a relaxing day at the beach, where you’re lounging on a blanket and reading your book in peace with the sound of crashing waves in the background or rather exactly as it is described… “a blissful beach-day blend of saltwater, lemon leaves and citrus musk”. What I think is the most remarkable about the scent is that it has a nice throw while still being light and doesn’t have any of that artificial sweetness and coconut-fruit sensation that the rest seem to and the citrusy musk is particularly on point. Plus there is the benefit that I picked it up on sale, making it less ridiculous of a purchase. It’s rare that I find scents that authentically represent real-life scenarios but this one does.

Suits TV Show

I had been hearing from a variety of sources that this show was definitely one to get into but I couldn’t be bothered for ages as I thought it would be another boring show about the law — funnily enough, I’ve considered going into law school — but when I was at my cousins and we binge-watched it on Netflix, I became obsessed and then watched two entire seasons in less than 24 hours and don’t regret it in the slightest. The humor of the show really appeals to me and I feel like the characters are just as cynical as I am, but it’s also really interesting and less expected. It’s also nice to have a show that doesn’t seem to be a contemporary adaptation of a courtship plot — If you’ve read some Austen or Bronte, you’ll know what I mean.

What are you currently obsessed with?
Maggie, x.

The Daily Face #21: Actual “No Makeup” Makeup

DSC_0053

DSC_0060

DSC_0064

I’m neither someone who has an authentic affinity for minimal product makeup or the kind of makeup that hardly looks like its there but after countless attempts at both, I have to say that I’ve been far more successful with the latter and I figured I would share the countless steps I took to give the illusion of not wearing makeup unless one was to examine my face ultra-close with meticulous detail.

Because my skin is about as combination as it gets at the moment – my t-zone might actually appear to produce oil like any normal t-zone but I’m suffering from dry patches on the cheeks – and of course I’m suffering from my usual dehydration, the skin required the most thought in order to appear bare but much nicer. With this in mind, I began with a little bit richer of a moisturizer, the impressively lightweight Kiehl’s Skin Rescuer to make sure that whatever I put on top would not be sticking to the skin in an unflattering way. Keeping up with this theme, I also went for my primer of choice, the Annabelle CC Colour Control Luminous Finish Instant Perfecting Base, making sure to massage it into the skin. Foundation-wise, I went for a scant pump of the trusted Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in 100 Ivory and really went to town, buffing it into my skin to perfection with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush. 

Afterwards, I really went to town on creating a natural-looking luminous and rested complexion and this was not easy especially considering the quality of my sleep as of late. As per usual, the Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light-Medium Bisque was patted underneath the eyes to camouflage darkness and afterwards the L’Oreal Magic Lumi Concealer in Fair was lightly applied and blended below the concealer to brighten that area and on the cheekbones, center of the forehead, chin and above the jawline to highlight in an undetectable way. Furthering the rested and luminous look, I put the subtle but instantly-dewy Benefit Girl Meets Pearl liquid highlighter to the tops of my cheekbones; unlike outwardly shimmery powder highlighters, this one looks invisible on the skin but fakes that luminosity to perfection. I then set my t-zone lightly with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light, mixing in some of the Incandescent Light shade when applying to the forehead to avoid the weird effect that the shade can give off. And because I wanted to be as subtly highlighted as possible, the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Incandescent Light was dusted over the cheekbones for even more glow. I then went in with my L’Oreal Glam Bronze Mono in Universal Sun to add some (subtle) shape (and warmth) to the backs of my cheekbones before applying the peach-leaning tan MAC Tenderling Powder Blush with the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush.

I’m pleased to inform you that the skin was the most work overall and that I didn’t spend ages and ages to look like I didn’t put any effort in at all. I began by priming my lids and correcting any discoloration with the L’Oreal Colour Riche Eye Primer before moving onto shadow. Before I begin with the explanation here, I thought I would note that I have deep set eyes so I feel that I can pull off more added depth to my eyes without looking made up in the slightest – I know for many, this would look obvious, blah, blah, blah. First off, MAC Soft Brown Eyeshadow was blended through my crease, to be followed with a generous portion of MAC Dazzlelight Eyeshadow, a cream hue with subtle golden shimmer running throughout, all over the lid and packed into the inner corner of the eyes. The last shade used was MAC Swiss Chocolate Eyeshadow, a warm reddish brown and it was then used to add depth to the crease and the outer corner. At this point I blended smudged some of the soft-black Lancome Le Crayon Khol along the outer half of the upper and lower lashlines but diffused the upper lashline further by adding more Swiss Chocolate in the outer corner and along the lashline. For mascara I chose the L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess, as it brings definition and natural-looking volume to the lashes and obviously there had to be something done with the brows so I ran the MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set in Quiet Brunette through them, concentrating on the outer arch portion.

The lips weren’t anything new — I simply filled them in with the Annabelle Lipliner in Demure and applied the darker warm-browny-pink based nude, the sheer MAC Patisserie Lipstick. The final touch was a few spritzes of the NYX Dewy Finish Makeup Setting Spray, eliminating any hint of powderiness to the face.

DSC_0080

DSC_0072

What do you reach for when achieving the “no makeup” makeup look? Thoughts?
Maggie, x.

I USED UP PRODUCTS #3

DSC_0046

I’m so close to using up more interesting products (such as actual makeup and things that you haven’t heard me mention before in one of these posts) but the products keep on piling up and I’m self-aware enough to know that if I don’t write this post now that I’ll keep on putting it off and the list will get massive; without further ado, I thought I would share my thoughts on products that I’ve used up.

Pureology SuperSmooth Sulfate-Free Shampoo ($60/ 1L)

While I can’t say that living at home during university is without its advantages — being able to escape campus and having the ability to spend irritational proportions of spending money on beauty products, to name a few — but along with the impracticalities of the commute, living at home leaves you subject to members of your family throwing out empty beauty products before you have the chance to stash them away. I’m sure you can now guess why I’m without the liter sized packaging of this one. Anyways, if you’ve been with me for the long-haul I’m sure you are aware of my intense love for this gentle shampoo. It seems really expensive but the litre sized lasted me for over a year even with other family members using it quite regularly and it’s the most amazing gentle shampoo that smells amazing and herbally. It doesn’t cause dermatitis on my scalp given that it’s formulated without sulfates but even more than that it’s a very concentrated shampoo offering that is quite possibly the gentlest shampoo that I’ve ever tried. I haven’t repurchased yet but I will be repurchasing this one or another variant from the same brand.

Jergen’s Natural Glow Daily Firming Moisturizer in Medium to Tan ($8.99/ 200 mL)

The whole firming claim of this product is ridiculous, so although it’s not a concern of mine, if it is a concern of yours I doubt this will help any other than reducing the appearance of cellulite because it darkens the skin; however, the firming line doesn’t contain irritating alcohols like the other and is fragranced with caramel itself rather than anything artificial and potentially much more irritating. The gradual tanner was a soothing hydrator on my eczema-ridden skin, ranking up with the best of body cream, interestingly enough. However, it was a natural-looking self-tanner that went nicely over irritated eczema patches all over the body without requiring any sort of exfoliation beforehand. I am nearing the end of my second bottle now, so obviously I’ve repurchased but I haven’t been using it as much because I’ve accidentally acquired some colour of my own and I’ve been reaching for richer creams on my legs that don’t require any sort of precision. I will repurchase again, however and I already have. And it smells like authentic caramel and not horrible at all.

DSC_0047

Aveeno Skin-Relief Body Wash ($7.99/ 354 mL)

This body wash is fragrance-free and is the only thing I know of that washes the body with it’s soap-free formula whilst soothing the skin and not irritating my sore eczema in the slightest. My legs are my worst area and this is a life-saver when used to shave. I’ve repurchased this for ages but I spotted a near-identical formulation at Target titled the Eczema-Care Body Wash and picked it up when I couldn’t find this one – the only different I notice is that the packaging titles it as being ideal for the skin condition and that it costs the same for slightly less product. It’s a no-frills and unexciting product but if you have sensitive or irritated skin, this is the most amazing thing in existence.

DSC_0048

Boots No 7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Balm ($9/ 150 mL)

I’ve rambled on about this one enough, in posts such as the full-review here so I’ll try to keep it concise. It’s not exactly a balm-texture but rather seems to be a thick and rich cream textured cleanser that leaves the skin soothed and nourished, while removing face makeup like a champ. It doesn’t irritate the skin in the slightest and feels luxurious with its spa-esque scent despite its impressive pricetag. I technically haven’t repurchased this one yet because I went for the extremely similar Hot Cloth Cleanser from the same line instead and I’ll either purchase that one or the ‘cleansing balm’ again.

Bioderma Sensibio H20 ($22/ 250 mL)

Unsurprisingly, I’ve gone through another bottle of the fragrance-free makeup removing cleansing water that everyone raves about; it feels like water but removes makeup well with no eye irritation (or skin irritation) even on my sensitive eyes that seem to burn and turn red with just about anything else. It’s like irritation-free cleansing wipes in a bottle, so its the best for taking with you when you’re staying overnight with friends and I use it most nights to remove my eye makeup with almost no-effort. I will definitely be repurchasing this but I have been really enjoying the L’Oreal alternative that works just about the same at half of the price…

DSC_0051

L’Oreal Professionnel Fix Anti-Frizz ($20/ 250 mL)

Because my wavy-curly hair is a menace, I rarely heat style it and hairspray is a nightmare to get out of my tangly hair so it’s taken me years to use up this hairspray but it’s a nice one. It ranks among the best for keeping style in my hair through humid conditions and it has a nice but un-offensive smell but it can get a bit crunchy but I used this for prom and my curls held for about 24 hours throughout the extreme humidity. I wouldn’t be opposed to repurchasing but I picked up the L’Oreal Sleekissime for a change and it appears to be quite similar.

DSC_0050

Maybelline The Falsies Black Drama Mascara ($9)

As much as it saddens me to write this, my all-time favourite mascara has dried up so much that it is no longer usable — I do love the formula when it has dried up a bit, however. It’s not clumpy looking and adds buildable volume to my lashes that I rather enjoy without feeling heavy and it’s not a menace to remove. I will definitely be repurchasing, although I’ve been trying a few new ones in the meantime. It’s worth the hype. The only thing that would improve this one would be a slightly drier formula.

What have you used up lately?
Maggie, x.

The Review: Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream

DSC_0019

DSC_0020

DSC_1322

I was enough to have somebody in my family bring me Skin 79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream from Sasa in Hong Kong – they were having a sale so I was fortunate enough to receive the larger (40g) size of this product for about $18 CDN. This is one of the first bb creams that I’ve ever tried; I had always been one to believe that bb creams were essentially glorified tinted moisturizers and I wanted to try an authentic Asian one to find out for myself. You’re not here for unnecessary details and ramblings about my life, so I’ll get to it. Actually scrap that, Skin79 now has an American website where you can order the product in two different sizes for $20 and $39 US respectively.

As with most authentic Asian BB creams, this product only comes in one shade, which is suitable for fairer skin-tones. It initially applies as a grey-tinged  beige with a pink lean to it  in it but quickly ( in10 minutes or so I’d say) it oxidizes to a neutral-fair beige tone. Surprisingly, I’d say that it would work on a good range of fair (but not porcelain) skintones that are fairly neutral in colouring or slightly warm — it’s not going to match a medium skin but I can get away with it when I’ve gone up a few shades in colour. For some reason in the hand swatches below, the camera doesn’t seem to capture the way in which the BB Cream oxidizes tremendously from first application to a half hour later but I assure you that it’s obvious on the face in real life. The photo on the left is from first application and the one to the right is the later one and I’ve compared it to Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in Ivory on the left.

Recently Updated25

This was and still is the first BB Cream that I have ever owned an it’s an authentic Korean one that doesn’t disappoint; however, it was not completely life-altering in its magical ability to do a million things flawlessly at once. In questionable English, their website posits that there are four significant characteristics of the product that serve as selling points and I’ll include their description below as well as the ingredient list:

  1. Triple Functions Enriched Nutrition BB Cream – High UV Interception (SPF 45 PA+++) to make dull and dark skin to be pure and bright, plus Brightening and Wrinkle Improvement for clean and elastic skin
  2. Brightening Skin With Long-Lasting Effect – Soft and moisturized texture adheres to skin for keeping clean and bright skin
  3. 45% Snail Secretion Filtrate For Keeping Glossy Skin – Domestic Snail Secretion Filtrate keeps skin moisturized and calms stressed skin protecting from external environment
  4. Null-Additive System For Health Skin Care – Free from Paraben, Mineral Oil, Animal Oil, but containing Eco-cert certified ingredient for keeping lively and healthy skin from external stress
Ingredients: Snail Secretion Filtrate, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Water, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Centella Asiatica Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Beta-Glucan, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Leaf Water, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Linaria Japonica Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sprout Extract, Magnolia Kobus Bark Extract, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Primula Veris Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract, Veronica Officinalis Extract, Adenosine, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Polyacrylate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, PVM/MA Copolymer, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance.

While I don’t believe that there would be much in terms of wrinkle-reducing results from the use of the BB Cream itself and the brightening effects that it brings are not extremely dramatic, the BB Cream is particularly impressive on the ingredient-front as a skincare product; the mineral sunscreen is extremely effective and doesn’t irritate my extremely sensitive skin, the first ingredient is snail secretion filtrate which is shown to have a myriad of skincare benefits and the second is the skincare superhero niacinamide (a cell-communicating ingredient that is incredibly soothing whilst helping to brighten the skin) and there are large quantities of other beneficial ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid that serve to hydrate the skin and more. To be clear, the product is protecting, soothing, hydrating and somewhat brightening whilst serving as a complexion-covering product. Purely as a cosmetic product, this does not rank as my absolute favourite product — but it is really good —  however it is spectacular when the ingredients and skincare benefits are taken into account.

With its intensive sun protection, it should be no surprise that it flashes back like nothing else in this world but it is also worthy of note that it also serves to make the product more difficult to work seamlessly into the skin and therefore in order for it to look gorgeous and skinlike, some working in is definitely required. It doesn’t feel particularly heavy on the skin but it isn’t the lightest thing ever on account of its moisturizing texture and mineral-sunscreen content and lack of irritating alcohol. With medium but somewhat buildable coverage, the hydrating base provides a satin-y to glowy finish that doesn’t need to be powdered on my dehydrated skin. However, due to its moisturizing texture I would say its more ideal for combination and drier skin types. It doesn’t look amazing until it has been left to set and oxidize slightly, also. While it’s soothing and moisturizing, it doesn’t glide over severe dry patches seamlessly or anything – but it doesn’t truly enhance them either, like many seem to. Obviously it doesn’t offer oil control so it can slip and slide slightly in the heat on problem areas but does last ten hours plus on me with the slightest of fading maybe on the chin and on any active blemishes. When worked into the skin optimally and not caked on, it actually does look like radiant skin and on my drier complexion, this can serve as my moisturizer.

I’m rather impressed with this BB Cream, especially as a skincare product and I’ll leave you at that with one final picture of my skin before the product (bare) and after three or so minutes. I’m hoping that it will be of use to you!

Recently Updated24What are your thoughts on BB Creams? What’s your favourite?
Maggie, x.

 

Weekly Medley #27/28

Recently Updated23

Looking to catch up?

 Sunday July 21: 5 Current Lusts #3|Wednesday July 23: Two Mac Acquisitions | Friday July 25: Products Heavily in Rotation | Saturday July 26: The Daily Face #20

Sunday July 27: Beauty Blogger of the Month Award | Thursday July 31: My Go-To Spring/Summer “Lipsticks” | Thursday July 31 (again) : The July Roundup | Saturday August 2: July Favourites

I’m not one to exaggerate my personal situation to garner declarations of pity — “you poor thing!” etc. — from others but in all honesty, it has been a terrible too weeks, even aside from the obvious situation at hand. At the beginning of this week, my grandfather passed and while this was expected, dealing with this and quickly throwing together the craziness that came with a funeral with my rather large family was exhausting and stressful, even though it was nice to spend time with the family. I’ve been oddly emotional and sentimental, along with the expected exhaustion and stressed-out state. As a result of this, I’m sure you can gather that there wasn’t much excitement going on beauty-wise and my posts were more than a little sporadic but I’m not even blaming my inadequacies for that.

On a more positive note, I’ve dedicated some more time to the endeavour of further room re-organization and in the process of doing so, I found my small bottle of the Bumble & Bumble Thickening Dryspun Finish ($22 CDN) and it instantly brightened my mood — honestly. However, it is unfortunate that I appear to have very little product remaining and I might just have to purchase the full-sized one — it’s necessity. Jokesssss. On an even more positive note, for those of you that don’t know I still live at home (not the positive part) and the father arranged for our heat pump to be installed and therefore for all intents and purposes, we have air conditioning and it is quite possibly the loveliest thing in existence. I’m not one of those girls who adores summer; I enjoyed it for a bit but by now I’m sick of the heat and humidity and could do with some fall weather right about now. Don’t hate me.

Don’t think that because I’ve started a new paragraph that I’m done talking about the things that I love. The Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black Rollerball wasn’t something that I had to even contemplate whether to include for two reasons — first, I’ve been addicted to applying the warm, spicy and slightly musky scent in the last week or two in particular and I completely forgot to include it in my monthly favourites. I’m planning on actually purchasing a larger size of this one, woah. Considering that she’s one of my favourites to both read and watch, it shouldn’t be shocking that I’m talking about Suzie’s “Haul & First Impressions” video but it’s worthy of note regardless; she’s so entertaining but genuine and I enjoy living vicariously through her and feeling like my spending habits are understood.

In terms of things of my own creation, I’m particularly pleased with yesterday’s “10 Indulgent Sunday Staples” , where I outlined the products that I’ve been relying on to feel pampered and a little bit put together with minimal effort, but it technically should be in next week’s post of this variety considering the date so I’ll mention another to feel like I’m not breaking my self-imposed rules. That post would have to be my “Go-To Spring/Summer ‘Lipsticks'” post and not just because I was pleased with how the photos turned out.

I genuinely hope for your sake that your week was marginally better than mine.
Maggie, x

10 Indulgent Sunday Staples

DSC_1244

DSC_1249

DSC_1256

I’m not going to attempt to delude myself and anyone reading this into thinking that laziest of Sundays make an appearance in my life, involving no makeup, wearing glorified sweatpants and nothing particularly indulgent aside from never leaving my bed and eating multiple bags of chips and the like; however, there are definitely Sundays (of the quite enjoyable variety) where I do like to feel a bit more pulled together, using an edited selection of beauty bits to pamper myself whilst keeping the whole day relaxed and low-key. I’m awfully pleased to talk about ten of them below and these are by no means products that I confine my use of to the weekends.

Lush African Paradise Body Conditioner ($39.95) – I am not someone who would describe themselves as committed to the “natural” effort and this is dominantly because I believe that most “natural” products only differ from the other ones on the market due to marketing, inflated prices and the addition of irritating so-called natural fragrance; considering this, it is rather shocking that I bought and haven’t returned this rinse-off body moisturizer. Despite its gorgeous-albeit-potent fragrance — it smells rich and musky and powdery in the best way possible — the rich cream doesn’t seem to irritate my eczema patches on my legs or any other region of my sensitive skin and leaves my skin nourished.While I do like using it as a rinse-off hydrator, I won’t deny that I’ve been naughty and have been using it in an alternative way to the recommended one. I actually have been enjoying using the cream as a moisturizer without rinsing it off and I might prefer it in this fashion because my skin is so dry and irritated that a heavier cream is by no means problematic.

Jergen’s Natural Glow Firming Daily Moisturizer in Medium to Tan ($9-10) – This is yet another moisturizer that not only agrees with my sensitive and irritated skin but actively soothes it and although it’s a tanning body-moisturizer I would use it in the place of the Lush Body Conditioner, not with it which is lovely considering the much lower price tag. I could easily use this on an everyday basis and I was for a few months earlier but throughout the week, I don’t tend to have the energy to bother with having to make sure the product is applied evenly and that it’s washed off of my hands shortly after. However, it’s a lovely treat as it leaves the body nourished whilst leaving behind a nice natural-looking “tan”.

Pureology Precious Oils Softening Hair Masque ($50) – I will admit that this step — the taking the time to apply a conditioning treatment to my hair overnight — is one that I do much less frequently than I should but it is one of the most worthwhile pampering steps, considering my hair. The expensive treatment not only smells like herbal-y paradise but offers concentrated nourishment that doesn’t weigh down my hair while detangling it and leaving it bouncy and hydrated. Unfortunately for my bank balance, this one is actually worth the price tag and it’s a lovely one to use in the place of conditioner or as a more intensive treatment.

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask ($29) – Although this is only my second foray into the world of hydrating face masks, I’m confident that I can declare this one as a spectacular offering. I don’t care for the peach scent but it definitely is not bothersome and it doesn’t feel particularly heavy on the skin while offering great results — ridding the skin of flaky dry patches overnight and soothing and hydrating things impressively. Plus, when you wake up the next day, it’s obvious that my skin just looks better. This step also takes little to no effort, so my lazy side approves.

Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black Rollerball ($26) – As at least a few of you must be already aware, I’m not a fragrance girl but recently I have been converted, loving the energized and perked-up effect that a little bit of scent can provide and this is one of the ones responsible. Without being overpowering, this musky and spicy vanilla-based scent makes me feel confident without screaming mature or juvenile in the slightest. I may be upgrading my sample to a larger bottle soon…

MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner in Close for Comfort ($20?)  – I was not a happy camper when I was informed that the whole line of tinted lip balms from MAC were discontinued. I bought this limited-edition shade years ago and forgot about it for ages but I’ve really fallen in love with this formula that is a fantastic balm on its own but also adds a nice low-maintenance dose of colour and obviously I’m still not over it. It has that typical vanilla-smell but what I love most about this one is its status as a balm-lipcolour hybrid. Not that it matters because it’s no longer available, this shade is a lovely neutral one with rosy-brown undertones that adds a dose of life to my lips. However, the Fresh Tinted Balms strike me as similar – any thoughts of confirmation?

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Smooth-Effect Makeup in 10 ($48) – As shocked as I am to be typing this, considering that this foundation contains some alcohol and has a velvety finish — and I hate dehydrated, dull and sensitive skin — I do believe that this might actually be my favourite foundation and I’m certain that it’s my favourite for lazy day application. Without sacrificing on the glow or coverage front, this lightweight foundation applies within seconds with my fingers and looks and feels seamless on the skin and it’s an added bonus that it looks amazing for ages and ages.

MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set in Quiet Brunette ($21) – When there isn’t much going on in terms of makeup, a little bit of brow definition/taming can be a gamechanger and this tinted gel fits the bill perfectly; the result is natural but budgeproof and requires the most minimal of effort. I’ve been mentioning this loads lately but have only been doing so because it’s so good and basic.

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24-Hour Cream-Gel Shadow ($9) – It should be no secret that I’m an eyeshadow girl but the whole blending four colours situation isn’t exactly compatible with low-effort Sunday makeup and using this base-shadow hybrid is the easiest compromise. You just whack some onto the lids for some definition and blend slightly with fingers and viola! It is indeed that easy. My favourite shades are Barely Branded, Bad To The Bronze and the limited-edition Nude Compliment.

L’Oreal Lineur Intense in Carbon Black ($9-11) – As much as I love eyeshadow, it doesn’t even compare to the love I feel for eyeliner. Liner is a makeup essential for me and while it definitely does not have to be of the liquid or gel variety, I tend to favour the quickly added definition of a small-flick on these days as it’s quick to do but adds that instant polish with the least work. Standard.

I will admit that I’ve been a little MIA lately but my posting should be back on track soon. What are a few of your Sunday staples?
Maggie, x.

July Favourites

DSC_1229

DSC_1243

DSC_1238

This July was one of the worst months I’ve had in a while, to be honest, but I’ll spare you from too many of the details. I’m really not looking for sympathy either — in fact, I abhor the whole institution of writing things just to look for sympathy (genuine or otherwise) from others, so don’t mistake this. However, I have been loving beauty products and I must say that it’s been a particularly good month for product loving — and this month I haven’t had loads of time or energy for makeup and beauty experimentation so there’s a low-fuss theme going on.

Origin’s Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask ($28)

This was one of those products I had always wanted to try as many who I read with similar dehydration concerns to me seem to rave about this but it’s not stocked on the Sephora website and it’s not easily available anywhere close to me so I didn’t fully add it to the shopping list but when I went in to pick up the Hourglass Ambient Palette, I spotted this on the shelves and I couldn’t resist. It was amazing from first use, feeling lightweight and ultra-soothing on the skin, providing intense hydration with that slightly belly oil-rich feeling. I think this one might just beat out my The Body Shop one but I can’t be too sure. It does smell heavenly but I’m not a fan of scented skincare and could easily do without the peach fragrance. It’s truly intensively hydrating and not particularly thick feeling and actually can vastly improve dry flaky skin overnight.

L’Oreal Sublime Sun Alcohol-Free Quick Dry SPF 50 Sheer Finish Spray ($18)

I really never expected to include a body sunscreen in one of these favourites posts but here I am, once again surprising myself. I love the ease of spray sunscreens (as many others do) but I have easily irritated skin and suffer from eczema and some body acne (fun stuff) and this neither irritates with alcohol content, feels greasy or causes breakouts while providing solid sun protection. It does need a little bit of rubbing in in my experience but it’s so much easier and fuss-free than a lotion formula.

 Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream ($20/39)

After my lovely cousin picked this authentic Korean BB Cream up for me at Sasa in Hong Kong last summer, I became really obsessed with the stuff until Summer ended and forgot about its loveliness, especially as an all-in-one skincare-makeup hybrid product but I’ve been gradually adding it back into the routine and this month it’s been an essential. I don’t love it as a foundation as much as Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet etc. but the medium-coverage base provides fabulous sun protection and moisture while still looking fairly natural and glowy on the skin. I’m not someone who usually experiences oxidation but this one actually does and when it changes tone it looks phenomenal (not when you just put it on and this is why I’ve probably been neglecting this one). Another word of advice is that these sunscreen-heavy bases need to be worked into the skin well in order to have the desired effect in my experience. However, when I went to a music festival last summer this was a lifesaver – and a timesaver. You can order from the brand’s American site if you’re interested, by the way.

Nivea Vanilla & Macadamia Lip Butter ($4)

With such sensitive and perpetually-chapped lips, lip treatments are essential for me and as a result, you’ll hear about them loads on the pages here. It’s not a miracle treatment but this affordable balm has been a savior for hydrating my lips without ever causing them to become irritated. It can give a milky cast to the lips but the balmy formula instantly soothes and brings moisture to the lips without any weird smell, taste or anything.

Now Solutions 100% Natural Shea Butter ($20)

Somewhere in the early phase of the month, I did something (presumably) that caused quite the painful and unsightly eczema flare-up on my legs and unfortuantely there doesn’t seem to be a miracle cure or fix for the whole itchy situation, applying this basic cream twice daily has helped to soothe the area, prevent itching and help to calm the situation more quickly. As of now, I’m pleased to report that the basic formula has helped my legs to recover tremendously.

L’Oreal Glam Bronze Mono in Universal Sun ($15-16)

I will admit that I’ve raved about this pigmented red-toned matte bronzer numerous times in the last month but in truth I have only done so because the formula and the colour are both so phenomenal. The smooth powder offers impressive buildable pigmentation that remains effortless to blend into the skin. It’s also nice that it wears like a champ. It’s not the most cool-toned or non-orangey of bronzers, with quite a strong red undertone and warmth to it but it is the perfect hue to add that natural-looking sun-kissed hue to the skin.

Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in Milan Moment ($14-16)

This is yet another rather pricy (for a product of the drugstore variety) product that I’ve mentioned my love for more than once or twice and have been wearing most of the time. Despite being a stain, the formula does not dry out lips, even after the flattering balmy ‘gloss’ has worn off completely. The lightweight stains also don’t highlight dry patches or textural problems on the lips like thicker formulas can and I’ve been addicted to the summery sheer-but-buildable muted tangerine hue.

MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set in Quiet Brunette ($21)

In the last year or so, I’ve become addicted to the results of filling in at least the sparse areas of my brows on a daily basis but in all honesty, I don’t love the effort it can take, especially lately as I haven’t been going all out on my makeup and this tinted brow gel seems to be the perfect solution. The cool-toned light brown hue matches my hair to a t, adding invisible looking definition to the brows that tend to look hairlike. True to its name, it stays in place on the brows until you remove it and can be worn alone for subtler brows or worn alongside some powder or pencil for more of a full-on look – but I’ve been just reaching for this one and it’s suited my laziness nicely.

MAC Eyeshadow in Woodwinked, Soft Brown & Smut ($12/18)

This month I’ve been using my MAC palette consistently and have fallen back in love with new colours to the palette and an old-standby — they are easy shadows to work with and consistently fabulous quality so they have suited my minimalistic mood nicely. The ever-popular antiqued-gold Woodwinked was rediscovered early in the month and I’ve become addicted to applying it all over the lid and blending it well to achieve that coppery hue, generally paired with some lazy-girl liner of some kind. The warm-tan matte Soft Brown and the dirty brown-taupe Smut were additions made throughout the month that I’ve been relying on equally as much. Smut is the perfect shade for smoking out the lashline and adding definition to the crease as it’s an interesting hue and doesn’t have much fallout while still delivering on the pigmentation front and Soft Brown has proven itself as worth the hype, being thrown through the crease for some depth as well as some transitioning-colour goodness. Oh MAC Eyeshadows, how I love thee…

What was your staple product from June?
Maggie, x.

The Monthly Roundup #8: July 2014

Recently Updated22

I might moan and groan about those superficial daily life struggles more often than not but it’s not expected for those to be taken 100% seriously to account for my life, however, there is no exaggerating when I say that July was not a good month; it didn’t start off on a positive note and it ended on a wholeheartedly negative one. But, I’m moving on. Wait, I lied because I have to address the sad truth that it’s not particularly upsetting that school will be starting up again in a little over a month – there’s something comforting in the monotony of that routine. Is anybody with me on that one?

1. The Beauty Bargain #4: L’Oreal Glam Bronze Mono in 04 Universal Sun –
In short, where I managed to articulate my love for this red-toned bronzer in a somewhat satisfactory fashion, covering all the bases. I was also rather pleased with the photo shown above, considering my truly amateur skillset.
 
2. My Go-To Spring/Summer Lipsticks –
Again, where I was actually pleasantly surprised at the quality of the pictures in said post but also made the effort to narrow down my favourite lip products and showcase them on my lips – without going overboard.
 
3. Beauty Thoughts: The Verdict –
Where I tried a new post format that involved simply giving my thoughts on a handful of products and was pleased with the result and varying lot. I might expect more of these to come – thoughts?
 
4. The Essentials with Laura –
Surprisingly where I brought another face and perspective to my little corner of the internet and was able to share her favourite products with you. I hope it felt refreshing.
 
5. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette –
As one might expect, where I gathered my honest thoughts and provided a detailed account of them on this hyped luxury buy. When I say detailed, I’m not exaggerating…
 
What were your highlights?
Maggie, x.