Weekly Medley #25

Recently Updated19(1) A skincare review (here) (2) Another review – the Hourglass Ambient Palette (3) A daily face/selfie (4) Reading (5) Monday’s Daily Face (6) Blogging in the garden

 I can easily say that I’ve been doing these posts for a while now — note the edition number — and I have made a few changes already but here I am making another small change yet again. Often I’ve found myself wanting to write different posts while in that laid back and relaxed Sunday frame of mind and because of this I’m trying this out on a Monday. It’s been really hot again this week, remaining humid with consistent 30 degree weather and sunshine and as nice as this weather has been to enjoy outdoors, it really hinders my productivity as all I seem to be able to do is complain, sit in front of my fan and eventually escape to the outdoors. Speaking of the outside, I began working on my laptop in the shade by my garden and it was divine. On an equally as positive note, the power outages and heavy lifting seems to have subsided, only to be replaced with more low-key activities.

This week I couldn’t get enough of my Garnier Clean + Nourishing Cleansing Oil –I mean that I often make use of this cleansing oil but I’ve been loving this one all week and has actually got me out of my slight skincare lazy streak that I’ve been in as of late (relying far too much on Bioderma) and only has one fault – the packaging. Because of the leaking issue that the cleansing oil has, I could not muster the effort to photograph it because every time that I’ve tried this before there has been a bit of a leaking disaster involved. Without realizing it, I ran out of cotton pads (which I use to remove my eye makeup) and I decided to take a risk and actually use this cleansing oil on the eyes also and it paid off as it removes eye makeup very well without irritating my sensitive eyes in any shape or form. Being able to use this as a cleanser on my face and eyes to remove all my makeup has been enjoyably practical and fuss-free. It removes longwearing eyeliner fantastically without any blurring, stinging or inside-eye oiliness involved. It’s affordable, effective, agreeable to my sensitive skin and feels luxurious so it does tick all of the boxes.

It actually looks like this is going to be a brief one. As usual, I’m interested to know how your week as gone but today I hope you’re feeling a little better than I am — I’m feeling quite gross. Happy Monday … if that’s possible!
Maggie, x.

 

Rediscovered Loves

DSC_1002 I would say that I’ve put myself on a no-buy but I’m self-aware enough to know that the moment I would make such a statement, the commitment would be destined to become broken as I’m sure I will find something that I can’t endure being without, so instead I’m committing to a low-buy instead. In thinking and doing this wholeheartedly I’ve also pulled some products out that I already own and have loved in the past to stop myself from yearning after the next shiny object and here’s the lowdown…

Rimmel London Wake Me Up Foundation (Ivory): This had to be the standout product find of 2013 and I don’t take such declarations lightly but during the spring I fell out of love with it as I found that it was not the most flattering foundation on my inflamed raised blemishes (on account of the subtle shimmer in the formula). However, unless things are looking particularly catastrophic in that department, this one has proven itself to me again as ideal. My skin agrees with the formulation itself and it’s one that consistently looks good without requiring loads of work, being flattering over dry matches and even more-so on over areas of dehydration while looking like skin and leaving a finish that sits somewhere in between satiny and truly glowy.

Benefit Boxed Powder in Rockateur: Being as much of a blush hoarder as I am, the fact that I had been neglecting this one isn’t entirely shocking in itself, considering that the sheeny rusty-rosy shade tends to be categorized as a typical fall/winter shade. However considering that I detest complete adherence to those sort of rules and that I consider this shade to be in my top three of all time, I should have known better than to neglect it. As I’ve dug it out again, I can barely put it down as it adds that subtle but brightening flush to the cheeks that differs from the usual summery corals without going into that wintry berry territory; it’s seasonless and absolutely stunning.

Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner (Blackest Black): I’ve liked this gel liner for ages but have always gone for the fuss-free L’Oreal Lineur Intense over this one when I’m looking for something inky and precise for its ease and time-efficiency but now that I made the effort to actually clean the brush I use with this one and have dug it out again, I’ve been loving the precision and versatility that it offers. My only issue is that it’s difficult to form precise wings with the brush in comparison to felt-tip liners and that it requires a few more minutes as opposed to the 30 seconds each eye requires when I go for the liquid option.

Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser: I raved about this one loads last year but after I finished it up, I decided to try their newer similar Ultra Gentle offering and I’m still not through that one; however, there was a sale on so I couldn’t resist picking this one up at an affordable price and I’ve been naughty and have begun to use it without finishing up the other one first. It’s an absolute failure in terms of removing makeup but the nourishing creamy cleanser is the gentlest thing on the skin and actually somehow leaves it more hydrated than before without the addition of any harsh ingredients (i.e. fragrance). Plus, it leaves the skin soothed afterwards but doesn’t require a cloth or any sort of process of removal. This is my perfect morning cleanser, I must say!

Have you made any recent beauty rediscoveries? Happy Sunday — the apocalypse has not come upon us, I’m trying out my Weekly Medley post on Monday for an experiment.
Maggie, x.

 

La Roche-Posay Rosaliac AR Intense

DSC_1000

I’ve been using the La Roche-Posay Rosaliac AR Intense Localized Redness Serum on a daily basis since May and while I haven’t been trialling the product long enough to speak on the long term effects of the serum — but I’m doubtful that there are any, given the ingredients. If you know me at all, I’m sure you already are aware that this won’t be brief, but to anyone new – you have been forewarned. In essence the product is a 30 mL serum (in hermetically-sealed packaging) that retails for $39.99 CDN but also can be found for 25% off at both Shopper’s and Lawton’s Drugstores and is marketed/targeted to those who are prone to rosacea (which I’m not) as well as others (like me) suffering from sensitive redness-prone skin. And before we really get into the details here, I must say that the packaging of the product is fabulous — it’s hygienic, avoiding contamination and keeps things from degrading while having a nice pump dispenser.

According to La Roche-Posay the

Rosaliac AR Intense is an anti-redness innovation formulated with three key ingredients: Ambophenol + Neurosensine + La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water. Helps to reduce visible redness, irritation and discomfort – suitable for sensitive rosacea-prone skin. Daily treatment with instant optical neutralization of redness. Cooling and soothing effect on tingling and sensation of heat. 24 hour hydration, leaves skin feeling calm and refreshed. Anti-relapse, long-lasting efficacy.

Ingredients: water, Glycerin, Isostearyl Neopantanoate, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Tambourissa Tricophulla Leaf Extract, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Ammonium Polyacryldimethyl Tauramide, Disodium EDTA, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester

I have lukewarm feelings towards this product and its achievements; I commend them for putting out a serum in appropriate packaging, formulated without irritants such as alcohol and fragrance but I don’t believe that its results are nearly as dramatic as their claims – not a surprise given the ingredients list. The serum has a light but hydrating gel texture that does contain some silicone but doesn’t take on that slippery feel and because of its lightweight feel on the skin I believe that this would perform on oilier skintypes equally as well as on those with more parched complexions as myself. The gel texture is soothing, calming and cooling but doesn’t dramatically take down redness instantly but rather seems to combat irritation over time. My issue with this product is that I don’t believe that it’s changes are anywhere near as drastic as implied but it does help with what it promises on a smaller scale.

I wouldn’t describe it as intensely hydrating for 24 hours as it seems to promise but it does provide a good dose of hydration in with the skin-soothing action. The three key ingredients of the product do not seem to do anything miraculous and examining the ingredients would explain why; The magical thermal water is only supposedly chalked full of antioxidants, the Ambophenol extract from the Tambourissa Tricophylla tree that is said to calm redness is present in large quantities but lacks substantial evidence and the Neurosensine peptide that is known to reduce skin reactivity and hypersensitivity is so low on the ingredient list that the results would not be drastic. Regardless of this, this serum gently works to soothe the skin, reducing irritation and leaves it moisturized in a lightweight manner. There’s nothing miraculous about the formula, however and I would expect nothing drastic either when used by those with rosacea?

Have you tried this serum? Do you have a favourite serum to recommend?
Maggie, x.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

DSC_0972

DSC_0956Dim as a finishing powder and Incandescent to highlight

After falling in love with the extravagantly-priced Hourglass Ethereal Glow Ambient Lighting Blush, I had made up my mind that I was actually going to do that insane thing and invest in one of the hyped $52 dollar powders that people claim perform miracles – recreating flattering lighting situations even in broad daylight. However, it was not so easy to go out and actually buy one; I hum-ed and haw-ed at the shades in the range in deliberation for months but at the end of June when I realized that I hadn’t done much high-end beauty shopping, I finally took the plunge and picked up the re-released palette.

The palette is sleek and relatively compact, containing 0.116 ounces of each of the three shades, Dim Light, Incandescent Light (exclusive to the palette) and Radiant Light, priced at  $67. I was most interested in trying out the powder as a finishing powder as I had heard from a variety of trusted sources that they blurred imperfections while adding luminosity to the skin and when I had a look in Sephora and discussed them with the salesgirl, Dim Light seemed like the ideal shade for this purpose and it has continued to be the standout shade in the palette in my opinion. Like the other two shades in this palette, there is no visible shimmer or glitter particles in this one and when applied lightly all-over the face, you’re left with this satin-y glow that instantly brightens the complexion, smoothing over imperfections in the process. The powder is particularly helpful into blurring the look of textural imperfections (i.e. hyperpigmentation). Unfortunately the effect of the powders seem to be undetectable in photography as shown below but you’ll have to take my word for it on this one.

Recently Updated18before the powders to all three being used on the face

While these powders do achieve what they claim and have the most luxurious formula, the promised soft-focused and airbrushed effect isn’t overly dramatic or miraculous and because of this, I was not awe-struck upon initial application of the powders and instead grew to really appreciate the products over time. Their ability to reduce shine is minimal so if you’re looking for oil control, other powders would likely have to be in the mix but if the oiliest you lean towards is a normal t-zone like me, these should be adequate. I’m sure this is true across the shades but I find that  Dim Light in particular is the perfect product to perk up my face after five or so hours of wear when makeup is still on the face but things aren’t looking so fresh. Oh, and according to Hourglass, it’s “a neutral beige powder that blurs imperfections and highlights the complexion” and that describes the shade adequately.

DSC_0975From the top: Dim Light, Incandescent Light, Radiant Light

Although I haven’t fallen for the other two shades in the same regard, the other two shades are just as lovely. Incandescent Light, “a opalescent pearl powder that brightens the complexion with a celestial glow”, does just that, working on my skin as a lovely subtle (but flattering) highlighter that’s low shimmer content allows for it to be applied to a wider area to add brightness and Radiant Light, “a sun-kissed golden beige powder that enhances the complexion with believable subtle warmth” functions as a nice and glowy warm bronzer that doesn’t lean red or orange in the slightest.

As mentioned above, the formula is impeccable. They feel somewhat powdery and product is kicked up when the brush makes contact but they are powdery in the most luxurious way – finely-milled, blendable, extremely pigmented and long-wearing to boot! I’m internally cringing as I’m writing this but I think they’re worth the money and will pick up at least another shade in the future.

Have you tried the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders?
Maggie, x.

Revlon Grow Luscious Bold Lacquer Mascara

DSC_0924

I promise that I don’t adore every single mascara that I try, despite how things have appeared around here lately, it’s just that I’ve had very good luck in recent months in terms of picking up gems — first my staple Maybelline The Falsies, next the new love of mine, L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess and finally this one, the Revlon Grow Luscious Bold Lacquer Mascara. This mascara retails for the pretty standard $9 dollar pricetag and I have to say that it’s a really great mascara but it isn’t the be all and end all for me due to my preferences. As I’ve said before, I naturally have long and pretty curled dark lashes and I preliminarily look for volume and tend to favour drier formulas — because of this, the formula of this one is too wet for my liking. With this in mind, it’s much less of a wet formula than the hyped L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara and I prefer it as a result. It’s large brush is made of natural bristles and although I haven’t used it in a while, the mascara reminds me so much of an old mascara love of mine, the Benefit BadGal Lash Mascara and in a good way. The natural bristle brush ensures that on days like today when my eyes are sore and itchy (hayfever, woo), the brush does not feel like it’s jabbing into my eyeballs.

The mascara provides a good deal of volume, enough to be impressive on that front whilst not being the most volumizing mascara in the world. However, the mascara does not advertise to be, considering that it’s marketed as a volume and length mascara – on these terms it delivers. It’s really lengthening at the same time without verging into spider-lash territory. It doesn’t provide much separation or curl, though. It doesn’t flake or do anything else as annoying in my experience but actually removes fairly easily with my Bioderma and doesn’t cling to my lashes for dear life. This is a nice thing, by the way.

The bottom line? This is a really great mascara for volume and length that removes without much difficulty but it’s not so life changing that I will have to buy another tube as soon as this one dries out. And here are the before and after shots…

 

Recently Updated17From no mascara to close up with mascara, followed by a zoomed-out shot
 
What’s your current favourite mascara?
Maggie, x.

 

The Beauty Bargain #5: Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain

DSC_0548

DSC_0529

To tell you the truth, I used to think that the whole “the simplest things in life make me the happiest” was bullshit but as I sit down at the table, wearing clothing that would be acceptable to wear to the gym, enjoying the feel of my makeupless face and being thankful that it’s not boiling hot today, I sort of get it. I haven’t gone all out of character on you, I promise, though, as I’m here at least talking about all things makeup-wise. The product in question? The Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in Milan Moment ($14-16 CDN). I’ve more than hinted in a few posts that I’ve been loving this offering and now the time has come that I feel confident to provide a (glowing) review of the rather expensive liquid lip-stains.

The texture and formula was what initially impressed me and after use, it still strikes me as the standout attributes of the product. I’m not a lip-gloss girl and these looked like a long-wearing gloss-stain hybrid so I was nervous about the stickiness factor — I’m pleased to report there is no stickiness in sight. The nondescript-smelling liquid lip-stains glide onto the lips without highlighting dry patches in the slightest, with a somewhat glossy balm texture that reminds me of the L’Oreal L’Extraordinaire Liquid Lipsticks – with increased longevity, of course. Upon initial application (and until three hours where the stain only remains), the lips feel soothed, a bit hydrated and as comfortable as can be. Strictly speaking, the formula isn’t drying but it can be slightly on my sensitive chapped lips after the balm has worn off and the stain has been left for hours (without any balm application or reapplication) but unlike every other product that has this quality, they do not irritate my lips in the slightest and a wee bit of balm brings them back into health afterwards.

While these are flattering on my sore chapped lips and are remarkable in that aspect, they do apply sheerly at first, requiring some building up and can be a bit streaky or patchy at first, so they’re not infallible in formula. Also, the product itself isn’t a longwearing one but it’s the stain that the product leaves behind that is long-lasting; the glossy balm texture lasts about 3-4 hours on my lips with a little bit of eating and/or drinking but won’t last a meal or anything, but the even stain that the product leaves behind after being left on the lips lasts ages and ages. Unlike many lip products, my lips don’t feel raw after the stain is only left and the stain is even around my lips. They are low maintenance and because of this, I’ve found this one ideal as an everyday kind of shade. I’ve only tried the Milan Moment shade, which is a neutral-toned muted tangerine colour but the shade range is intensive with 11 or 12 shades in total, spanning from nudes into vampier hues. This shade is a unique one, adding a slight bit of brightness to the lips without being bold in the slightest — it’s about the lightest shade that could actually stain my pale lips — and flatters my warm undertones without being unflattering on the teeth. I’d say that stain lasts five to six hours, also, but if you’re looking for the longest lasting and most intense stain in the world, I don’t think these are for you. I think these are ideal for a low-maintenance staining lip colour that feels comfortable and hydrating on the lips instead of drying them out beyond belief. I definitely have my eye on more of these. I haven’t included a swatch photo of the shade in this post but I swatched it here, in my Summer Edit. And here I am, wearing it again here:

DSC_0503

Have you tried these yet? If not, do you plan on trying these?
Maggie, x.

The Daily Face #19: Simple But Not Minimal

 DSC_0889

 DSC_0880

DSC_0882

I think that it’s about time that I come to grip with the fact that I’m somewhat of a failure at the whole minimal makeup thing; sure, I can leave the house without a lick of nothing gracing my face and I do simple and quick makeup quite often but there’s no real in between for me. I thought I would share something rather laid-back and simple and would go with a bit of a different format for today…

Annabelle Colour Control Luminous Finish Instant Perfecting Base: This remains the first primer that I’ve actually found that’s worth the effort of applying. It doesn’t have a bothersome texture and it doesn’t irritate the skin whilst prolonging the wear of makeup in its ideal state and adding a subtle flattering glow.

Skin79 Snail Nutrition SPF 45++ BB Cream: It’s not my favourite base product in the world but on days when I’d rather not layer on a million different products on my face, it ticks all of the boxes — a nice foundation with a bit of glow and medium coverage, a potent sunscreen and an extra boost of hydration in one. With its heavy spf content, it requires a good amount of blending into the skin and for this I went for the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush.

Revlon Colorstay Concealer in Light: On my cheeks, heading towards my jawline, last month’s breakouts have come and gone but uneven texture and scarring galore remains and even with heftier coverage foundations, they need some extra help and this concealer has been a go-to for me because of its mixed ease and efficacy; as unsanitary as it might be, I can just dot the applicator onto the dark marks and blend it in with my fingers and the spots are less visible and my makeup doesn’t look any more noticeable at the same time. And unless there’s some flaking blemish situation going on, it doesn’t show any sort of dehydration.

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light to Medium Bisque:Just as I predicted shortly after trying this beauty back in April, it has remained an integral part of my routine and has made all other concealers pale in comparison. The cost is justified. The pink-tinged cream has a flattering emollient texture for underneath the eyes and I apply the tiniest amount and it combats darkness like no other. In an ideal world, another concealer would be used to cover it but I’m much too lazy for that, so I’m mindful of the amount — today I applied some of the BB Cream first, however, and it helped to keep the pink cast from coming out underneath the darkness.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette:This is the treat that I picked up for myself last week at Sephora after debating getting it for months and I’m impressed; however, I’ve really only been loving using Dim Light as an allover setting powder as I did for this ‘face’. It does what it says in a subtle way, adding glow to the face while making everything look slightly nicer and brighter.

Sonia Kashuk Warm Tan Undetectable Creme Bronzer:I’ve been really into going for more of a warm terracotta-toned bronzers lately instead of the cooler-toned ones that I typically go-to for sculpting purposes and in general I’m having a love affair with bronzer in general. I haven’t been going for this one much lately, but because I was feeling more of a true bronzer, I went for this terracotta-hued offering.

Benefit Rockateur Boxed Powder:I was having a bit of an indecisive blush moment so instead of choosing from the current rotation, I grabbed this one that I hadn’t used in months. The warm rusty rose hued blush is usually one that I would go for in the cooler months but after grabbing it for this makeup, I have to say that I was wrong — it seems pretty universally flattering.

NYX HD Eyeshadow Base:I wasn’t feeling like going for more of a traditional eyeshadow base so I went for this colourless drugstore offering that actually does work to prolong eyeshadow wear and all that jazz.

MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set in Quiet Brunette:I’ve raved about this earlier this week so I’ll try to keep this short. The brow gel is actually waterproof and creates the look of natural but thicker and more defined brows in seconds without the faff of a pencil or powder and a brush. And this shade is amazing me because it’s neither too dark or anything other than ashy.

L’Oreal Tender Caramel Infallible Eyeshadow:I’m late to the party with these shadows and I’m sure you know all about their magical powers. Because it was rather hot, I went for this longwearing shadow and patted it onto the eyelids for that metallic look. I can’t describe the shade at all though, so i won’t even try.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Hustle and Virgin:I’m not really a one wash of colour eyeshadow girl, so you had to expect for there to be a few more shades added to the equation – and these shades I took from the good ol’ Naked Palette. I used Virgin to brighten up the inner corner without going into shimmer-overload territory and I added definition to the crease, concentrating on the outer corner, with the lovely plummy brown Hustle.

Maybelline Master Precise Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner: I’m still enjoying pencil liner (as I was last month) and I’m not completely off that kick, but I’ve been craving something more precise at times so I dug out this gel liner and made the effort to actually use and wash my Real Techniques Fine Liner Brush with it. As a result, I’ve found that when I put a little bit more effort in, I can create the most precise subtle flick — my go-to thing when not too much makeup is involved.

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara + (a wee bit of) Revlon Grow Luscious Bold Lacquer Mascara:I haven’t been going for anything on a daily basis other than my long-time favourite mascara but as nice as the formula is dried-out, I’m kind of reaching the end of the time when the mascara isn’t so dry that it deposits actual colour so I added a wee bit of the much newer mascara on top. It made a slight difference perhaps? I really need to stop using this tube.

Nivea Vanilla and Macadamia Lip Butter:I’m aware that this is more of a skincare product but I make sure to apply some of this to my lips as soon as I start applying anything on my face for some pre-colour moisture.

Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in Milan Moment:I’m completely obsessed with this “stain” at the moment; it does stain the lips after it wears and feels weightless on the lips, much like a balm without any stickiness of smell in sight. Plus, the colour is a neutral tangerine-coral hue that’s sheer but buildable is kind of my favourite thing ever because it adds something without being bold. You’ll hear more on this soon, I’d expect…

Have you tried any of these products? What makeup have you been reaching for lately?
Maggie, x.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly Medley #24

Recently Updated16(1) Saturday’s face (2) My forth edition of  my The Beauty Bargain post (3) Outtake from yesterday’s style post (4) The trusted trio (5) The weekly blogging/youtube discovery (5) This week’s obligatory selfie (6) A look into my good pal Laura’s staples (7) A somewhat inaccurate depiction of the hurricane

 

Another week has passed, another three standout products have emerged. This week has been hot and humid, again, until Saturday when we got hit with the hurricane, some lost power and it was windy as anything. It almost getting to the point that the hurricane/wind situation was favourable because it meant that it wasn’t muggy and ridiculous. I’m not the kind of girl that can be a productive human being in the heat so it was nice to be able to wear full length pants without sweating up a storm, even while lounging in front of my fan. Weather and all that jazz aside, the beginning of the week was busy for me in a nice way – I was a nice functional social human being but an exhausted one at that.

I would be tempted to say that this was a shopping-heavy week as I did come out with a good (but not insane) number of purchases, but in truth it happened on Monday (one day) within a few hours. However, I don’t regret it at all. It being the pieces I picked up at American Eagle and Club Monaco, a few drugstore beauty bits that added up, three products from MAC that I provided an overview of here and the two beauty bits that I had been lusting after for ages from Sephora. It’s really not as bad as it sounds; I hadn’t been to the actual mall where MAC, Sephora and all that jazz is in ages so I did the damage that would usually be spread out among three trips into one.

For what felt like the 493489nd time, my lips were chronically dry, sore and somewhat chapped, at the beginning of the week and to sort it out, I used my Cicaplast Baume once or twice for reparative purposes but then went in consistently with my recent acquisition, the affordable Nivea Shea Butter and Vanilla Balm; after a few days, things were looking far less flaky and with this balm they’ve continued to improve. It appears that something I was using in the past few weeks wasn’t agreeing with my lips and the EOS balms weren’t exactly helping matters – retract what I said about it being the ideal balm for under lipsticks. With pot packaging, the thicker balm seems to hydrate instantly (once you open the jar that is) but tends to leave an unattractive white cast so it’s not one for aimless reapplication. In other words, I’ve been really loving it this week.

I seem to be following the pattern of picking three product yet again but I swear that it was accidental; the second two were both products that I’ve talked about in posts this week but they were results of that shopping trip. I declared my love for the L’Oreal Glam Bronze Mono in Universal Sun in my latest edition of The Beauty Bargain this week, despite having picked up a different shade than I intended to. The formula of the velvet-matte bronzer is luxurious and impressive on all fronts and the red-hued shade leans quite warm but really adds that natural bronze look to the face. I’ve even been foregoing blush whilst wearing a more wider application of this bronzer but it’s definitely not the ideal contour in my opinion and it won’t suit my fair skin in the cooler months.

I’ve not been as vocal about it around these parts but I’ve fallen equally in love with the MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set in Quiet Brunette (discussed here slightly); I’ve been intrigued by the idea of a tinted brow gel for some added brow definition with some crazy hair-taming power for a while but every shade seems much too warm for my weirdly ashy brows and when I asked about this one, I wasn’t expecting much and I got more than I was asking for. The formula is waterproof and the small brush is easy to use and adds the illusion of thickness in the hairs and this shade is amazing – it doesn’t look particularly ashy in the container but it suits my medium toned brows to perfection on its own in a subtler way. It also takes like a minute to do my brows with it and that is rather appealing.

A few days back, I accidentally found myself searching the popular beauty page on Bloglovin’ and it ended up being a happy accident because I found myself clicking on a new blog and a fabulous one at that, whose writer also makes lovely videos too – that blog would be Beauty Life Michelle, a fabulous Irish gal living in Australia. She’s entertaining to read and watch and I found myself enjoying her Everyday Makeup For Pale Skin video tremendously.

What were your weekly highlights?
Maggie, x.

 

That First Style Post: Two Standout Pieces

DSC_0796

DSC_0805

 

Inspired by the inspiring Sophie, of “The Private Life of a Girl”, I’ve oddly enough been somewhat focused into building a standout minimal wardrobe. I’ll admit that some of this might be in place to facilitate maximum beauty-related spending, but I haven’t always been minimal about fashion-related purchases but I think it can be the best way too go as too much doesn’t add to a wardrobe but rather detracts from it. Last Monday, when that impromptu shopping trip occurred, I picked up two staple pieces of what I imagine to be my capsule wardrobe and they didn’t break the bank either so I have to share.

The Lightweight & Breezy Slipdress: American Eagle ‘Don’t Ask Why’ Slip Dress ($35 CDN)
When I spotted it in the store, after being away for a while — I somehow seem to have a whole lot of American Eagle in my wardrobe — the first thing that crossed my mind was that it appeared to be going for that Brandy Melville thing with its one size fits all nonsense. The second thing that crossed my mind was that I had to have it pronto as it was that perfect effortless dress that I had been yearning after for ages. American Eagle does summer dresses well and the lightweight and slightly sheer fabric of this one is particularly noteworthy for the hot weather we’ve been having lately. As mentioned above, the effortless feel of this dress ensures that it can be worn with simply a bandeau etc. underneath through the summer and will work in cooler weather layered with warmer pieces. It is the most comfortable dress ever which is also rather nice.

The Luxe Basic: Club Monaco Patrizia Top ($49 from 119 – 30% off sale promotion)
Club Monaco is that store that I can spend hours in longingly staring at the clothes as my bank balance shudders so when I’m actively not trying to spend money, I force myself away, however I was shopping with the lovely and amusing Lauren and she wanted to have a peep inside because she has actual money to spend with her two jobs and there was a sale going on – all items that were already reduced were further reduced by 30% off. With a why not attitude, I scoured the racks and was determined to try on this cream-coloured t-shirt with long sleeves, made from the tricot material that is slightly clingy in a flattering way — it skims loosely — with chiffon attached at the hem. In some ways it’s just a nice t-shirt but the chiffon detailing makes it really stand out to me but at the same time it won’t clash with anything. I swear, their t-shirts are magical; I can’t explain it. It’s also the lightest weight ever and therefore versatile.

So here is my first actual style-based post as promised ages ago. Did you like this change of pace? What have you picked up recently?
Maggie, x.

The Essentials With Laura

DSC_0762

DSC_0750This isn’t anything close to resembling a sort of novel post, but I love reading the kind of posts where bloggers bring their friends into the mix and ask them about their staple products and I’ve been planning on doing one for ages so I bring you the first post of a series I hope to continue. So, here’s Laura, one of my very best friends since the day she was born that I now go to University with and I’m pleased to report my beauty-obsessive tendencies seem to have rubbed off on her. Success. Let’s get all nosy and into her staples…

DSC_0751

DSC_0752Urban Decay Naked Palette: “I’m not really an eyeshadow girl but I do go for Sin on the lid during the day and add other shades – usually Half-Baked, Smog and Toasted – into the mix for nights out and the like”

MAC Patisserie Lipstick: “If I feel like lipstick but nothing too statement, I go for this one. It’s a MLBB (my lips but better) kind of shade on me.” Note: I approve of this choice and I didn’t pressure her into it; she came out with it after being helped in the store without me being present. This is clearly an testament to how amazing the shade is.

L’Oreal True Match Foundation in N2: “I’ve been using this one for almost a year now and it’s just shy of full-coverage on me and I can go without concealer in less we’re dealing with that hormonal situation. It looks natural on the skin but does develop some shine on my oily t-zone after a few hours but it otherwise lasts”.

MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation in C2:  “This is a great powder, especially for when I’m in need of more coverage and don’t feel like going for concealer. It’s perfect for setting my foundation, getting rid of shine and I use it frequently for touching up – even then, it doesn’t cake”.

MAC Cubic Powder Blush: “This is my everyday blush shade of choice; it’s perfect for adding a natural flush to the cheeks and the muted hue is foolproof. I also like its more matte finish to sculpt the face”.

Benefit Bella Bamba Boxed Powder: “When I want to go for more of a pop of colour, I go for this blush as it instantly transforms my face. It’s a watermelon kind of shade with shimmer that isn’t too obvious on the skin”.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser: “This is the perfect concealer for underneath the eyes to get rid of dark circles that undoubtedly are caused by late nights and refusing to acknowledge my dairy intolerance. It’s a must-have for any student because it instantly fixes late night issues”.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 15 Fair: “It’s great for covering blemishes and actually is a good match for my fair skin. Also, it blends in easily with my foundation”.

L’Oreal Lash Out Butterfly Mascara: “This is a great mascara for my itty bitty lashes — I’m still on the hunt for one to hold a curl but I love the volume and length that this one provides. The wand is the best part as its flexible with the nice “butterfly” shape to catch all of my lashes”.

Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium:” It’s the perfect match for my light brown hair and actually doesn’t turn my brows orange. My favourite part is the spoolie on the end; even if I’m not using the product, it helps to clean up the brows and the spoolie is great for blending out the pencil for a natural look”. Note: Laura’s brows look the best I’ve ever seen them due to this product.

Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eyeliner Pencil in 011 Sable Brown: “I’m not normally an eyeliner kind of person but if I’m feeling some added definition, I’ll add this one to my lower lashes and if I make the effort to sharpen it, it’s great for the upper lashline too”.

Smith’s Rosebud Salve: “It’s not a treatment but it’s also not too sticky and it’s great even for when I don’t feel like lipstick because it adds a nice healthy sheen to the lips while hydrating them”.

Benefit High Beam:  “This one is great for a natural looking highlight on the browbone, the tops of cheekbones and the corners of the eyes. It attracts the light rather than being obviously shimmery”.

Essie Bikini So Teeny Nail Lacquer: “This is a really nice sky or periwinkle blue and it looks perfect on nails, consistently generating compliments whenever I wear it. I also love Meet Me At Sunset, a reddish orange that looks equally as amazing on fingernails and the toes“.

I hope you enjoyed the opportunity to look into someone else’s makeup staples with different (but still pale) colouring and skin concerns. Thoughts?
Maggie, x.