Preliminary Musings on L’Oreal Colour Riche Eye Shadow

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Although there are a few exceptions, the general consensus in the beauty blogging world (if there is such a thing) is that eyeshadow tends to be a product that is worth investing in as drugstore offerings are a gamble, typically with little pigmentation, glitter overload and/or dry textures. Being generally impressed with the L’Oreal brand, I’ve been eying these quads for ages but have been hesitant in forking over the $12 CDN on something that can’t be returned — you cannot return drugstore makeup in Canada, if you weren’t aware — and could likely be a dud, but the shades looked nicely put together with a variety of depth and texture in shades, coming with a good deal of product, housed in the nice gold packaging… Yesterday I went into Lawton’s (a Canadian drugstore) and spotted these on for $7.99, I couldn’t resist.

I haven’t heard really anything about these shadows despite the constant blog perusing that I engage in and considering how impressed I was with the shadows, colour me surprised. Here I am yet again, talking about a product without mentioning what it is actually called and any sort of details about the shade, — I can’t help that this has me rather excited. I quite enjoy how these L’Oreal shadows do not have a name suggesting some ridiculous claim (L’Extrordinaire, anyone?) but rather gave it a sensical name, Colour Riche Eye Shadows, that is. They had a great selection of shades but I was drawn to 527 Sultry Seduction for its inclusion of a light shimmery shade, a medium-toned shade reminiscent of MAC Satin Taupe and the inclusion of two dark colours with minimal shimmer.

I’m tempted to say that formula-wise, these are my favourite drugstore eyeshadows in this quad form, with strong pigmentation, a blendable texture that reminds me of Urban Decay shadows — albeit with a slightly drier texture in some darker more matte shades, but impressive as a whole. They remind me of the Maybelline Eyestudio Quads, except with slightly stronger pigmentation and longevity and more of a variety in textures (i.e. shimmer vs. mattes). From washing them off from swatches and seeing them wear throughout the day, I would say the longevity is good but not amazing on my crease-prone lids, comparable to Urban Decay shadows — I have heavy-lidded eyes that despite not being oily or having smudging problems, tend to be prone to creasing, for reference.

Sultry Seductress strikes me as an everyday palette that is on the smokier side and can definitely be transitioned into evening with the inclusion of the darker shades – there are much more ‘neutral and subtle’ palettes in the range, without the inclusion of darker shades but being a fan of outer corner definition, this sort of palette was of far more interest.

Out of the four there’s only one frosty shade but it’s not overly frosty. It’s a pearly shade with neutral undertones, slightly pink in tone but with a hint of silveriness to it. The texture and pigmentation was rather impressive of this one and as a whole it reminds me of the lightest shade in my MARC JACOBS THE STARLET PALETTE. The fantastically textured and pigmented, warm taupe shade reminded me of the cult favourite MAC Satin Taupe and didn’t disappoint on the quality front – it was shimmery but not frosty. The darker shades were where I was particularly impressed, to tell you the truth — the slightly-warm toned medium-dark plummy-purple shade was fantastically pigmented despite its sheeny texture and the graphite shade, with some micro glitter in the pan (but doesn’t really appear swatched) was surprisingly pigmented and workable on the lid. The two darker shades aren’t the softest of shadows, with textures reminiscent of MAC’s velvets such as Sketch, but they weren’t difficult to work with in the least and high end shadows of these textures tend to have the same shortcomings. Although it has no truly matte shade, this palette impressed me with its darker colours and less shimmery finishes and ability to create a defined slightly-smoky plum-toned eye without incorporating another palette. There was some fallout with the lighter two shades, but it was extremely minimal for the darker ones, I’m pleased to report.

So here I am in the library at school, compelled to write a post detailing the budget-friendly quad that worked to create my kind of eye with minimal effort and a flattering result.

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 Note: These swatches were not heavy but rather a moderate swipe on bare skin

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What are your favourite budget eyeshadows? Have you tried any shades from this line?

Maggie, x.

 

Revlon Lip Crayons

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I was counting on putting up a monthly roundup post yesterday but things have gotten out of hand and I wanted to catch up on a review kind of post that I’ve been hinting at and meaning to get around to for longer than it should have taken to get up- a roundup post will happen in the next few days if you were wondering, though.

With all of the buzz lately surrounding the new Revlon Matte and Lacquer Balms – the matte ones especially – we tend to forget about Revlon’s original lip crayon, the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains that have been out for a year or two. I certainly did, that’s for sure.

The Revlon Balm Stain in Romantic was not the first somewhat bold lipstick in my stash because I had already purchased the MAC Sail La Vie orange-red shade for prom but this was my first somewhat bold lip love and I don’t know why it hasn’t appeared here before. The minty smell and sensation of the product comes from Menthol and this doesn’t cause issues for me unless my sensitive lips are in an awful state – menthol is an irritating on the lips, if you weren’t aware. Out of the three, this one is neither the least or the most irritating and it’s my second favourite of the formulas. Although the payoff at first is sheerer, it builds up on the lips and lasts impressively well with it’s staining power through moderate eating and drinking while being comfortable on the lips and not drying them out in the least. I have the shade Romantic which was the most obviously red kind of shade, but with a warm brick lean to it that becomes more pronounced when applied. I can get a good five hours out of this one unless I’m eating something ridiculously oily or greasy, which is impressive considering the little maintenance that the lip crayon offers – I’ve rediscovered my love for this product recently, if you couldn’t tell.

Despite what my blog might suggest, I’m not usually one to go against the pack for the sake of being different but the Matte Balms that seem to be everyone’s favourite are my least favourite of the three but are a really nice lip product nevertheless. The matte formula isn’t that matte, it’s comfortable to wear but they have more of that irritating tingly sensation from the mint than either of the others and can emphasize the dry patches and flakes in the lips. The shade I have is Mischievous, and I can’t speak for the rest of the shades, but in this tangerine shade at least, there is opaque pigmentation and impressive four hours of wear, on average.

Although it has the worst longevity of the three, 4 hours for the dark staining shade (but I would expect 3-4 for the line as a whole), the Revlon Lacquer Balms are my favourite formula of the three. The shade I have is Enticing,a deep red with neutral undertones, for reference. The pigmentation is as good as the matte balms but they do not emphasize lip imperfections, they wear evenly on the lips and are actually hydrating on the lips. Although these have the least minty feeling out of the balms, I can feel it on my lips and I wonder if it could possibly be slightly irritating over time but the minty-ness isn’t particularly bothersome overall. I’ve had this shade since November and I can say that it’s gotten lots of wear since. It feels slightly balmier on the lips than both of the other offerings but I do like all three, all in all. For $9-10 CDN, these low-maintenance lip colours cannot be beaten.

Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Enticing
Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic
Revlon Lacquer Balm in Enticing
Revlon Lacquer Balm in Enticing
Revlon Matte Balm in Mischevious
Revlon Matte Balm in Mischevious

What are your thoughts on these crayons? Which formula is your favourite?

Maggie, x.

 

 

March Favourites

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I know that since the beginning of the new year, I’ve been constantly rambling on and on about my workload and stress but this has just been quite a semester for me schoolwise but as we head into exams, this month has been the busiest and most stressful yet and it wont stop for another three weeks or so. Because there’s been so much on my plate, I haven’t really had time to put any thought into the beauty routine or put all that much time into it and oddly enough I discovered a fairly large mix of products that we’re essential this month – I think because of the lack of time to experiment or really think about it all.

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Dove Refresh + Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo ($6-8 CDN)

I’m kind of new to the whole dry shampoo thing, having hair that can go for ages without needing to be washed, but I found that this one brought some much-needed texture and volume to my loose curls.

Organix Kukui Oil Frizz-Defying Curl Cream ($9-12 CDN)

I have the kind of hair that (a) refuses to conform to any style other than my natural wavy-curls (b) is dry and the tangliest hair that I’ve ever heard of despite not being damaged on account of not being dyed and not using heat on it on the regular and despite my past experience with curl creams being reduced to weighing down the hair rather than defining the curls (with a few exceptions) and providing no sort of hold, I was tempted to pick this one up to try out. Yes it is silicone-based but I think the cream redeems itself with its high concentration of nourishing oils that does not feel heavy in the hair. This is much appreciated in the moisturization and tangliness department for me and the cream also helps to define the tighter curls I have towards the end of my hair into more of a spiral-y pattern.

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume ($16 CDN)

I actually only picked this up a bit before the middle of this month but it was an instant love, providing results in the nick of time and generally just being a lifesaver. Towards the end of the month, the weather got really chilly (-20 C) and then we had a blizzard and this balm with vitamin b was sort of an absolute lifesaver. It really soothes and repairs the skin when it gets in that irritated fragile state – presumably because of its anti-bacterial and protective properties – and while being affordable is a savior for healing the lips, sorting out eczema while reducing the itching factor and sorting out dry patches on the face like a champ despite being that thick balmy texture. I don’t know why I put off picking up the versatile balm for so long, unless I go to that place where I recognize my lack of rationality…

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OPI Nail Envy ($18 CDN)

I’ve had this “nail strengthener” for a good year now and while I’ve liked it, I haven’t been compelled to rave about it until now. In my stressed-out state, I had taken to peeling and picking my nail polish off and this left my normally strong nails quite weak and flaky and this sorted it out rather quickly while also performing well as a top coat and base coat. Although I haven’t tried Seche Vite (but want to), I’ve tried a good number of topcoats and this one while nourishing the nails helps to keep polish on my chipping-prone nails for the longest out of the bunch. I wouldn’t normally be tempted to spend this kind of money on a topcoat but after receiving this one as I gift, I plan on forking out the eighteen bucks again.

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Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer ($7-8 CDN)

After loving the foundation from the same line and hearing great things about the medium-buildable coverage liquid concealer that blends seamlessly into the skin, I picked the bright tube up. I reckon that it’s similar to the Maybelline Fit Me concealer (albeit more illuminating) but the Very Fair shade in this concealer is a much better colour match for my fair skin with yellow undertones than any of the shades that the other concealer offers. Something more pink-toned would be ideal for underneath the eyes but this shade is a good match for the actual skin on my face and covers up discolourations effectively without highlighting dry patches.

Soap & Glory Scrub Your Nose In It ($22 CDN)

This was one of my riskier purchases, as it not only provides manual exfoliation with its grainy texture and it promises to control the oil and unclog pores — products that have these claims tend to irritate and dehydrate my dry sensitive skin — but after going without a manual exfoliant for ages and wanting to go for something very gentle, being interested in trying the UK-based brand and seeing that it contained AHA’s (chemical exfoliant) in high quantities without irritating alcohol or drying detergent agents, I gave in. The risk paid off, let me tell you. It comes in a hygienic tube and comes out as a green clay-based textured scrub that promises to do double duty as a mask if left on for a few minutes. It smells lovely and minty due to the menthol and while it doesn’t irritate my skin per se, I know it’s not one of the ingredients I approve of in my skincare. It decongests the skin when left on for a few minutes while also buffing off dead skin cells and I find my skin afterwards is brightened and smoothed, with improved texture. Although it feels quite clean afterwards, it was not the kind of clean that results in patches of irritation and dehydrated skin – it was merely the clay. I quite enjoy how this performs double duty, especially when I’m both a little congested and dull as it remedies both issues at once with good results. I like to leave it on for the 4-5 minutes most of the time because it allows the AHA’s to stay on the skin longer and remain more effective. It is one of the gentlest of scrubs, just slightly grainy in texture rather than having microbeads, and it doesn’t make my skin react and become red as it tends to. I suppose I couldn’t talk about this without giving a mini-review, whoops…..

Victoria’s Secret PINK Warm & Cozy Body Spray ($8/ travel size)

As odd as it is, this is the first body spray that I’ve ever bought. They’ve never really appealed to me in the slightest and I tend to associate them with those sweet fruity smells of that I’m not a fan of but this one was different — while being sweeter than what I usually go for on account of the vanilla, the warmth and slight floral kick to it keeps it from going to far in that direction. Being a body spray, it doesn’t last for ages but lasts for a good few hours and is non-offensive. Overpowering scents aren’t my cup of tea and this is far from overpowering.

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 MAC Tenderling Powder Blush ($21/25 CDN)

After having this for a couple of months with a decent amount of use, I think I fell into love with this one this month. When you’re short on time but are a blush-bronzer-and-maybe-highlight-too kind of girl, these multitasking products are essential. The sheer tone finish is matte but the powder is a nice and soft one bringing that warm rosy-tan shade to both add definition and a little bit of colour to the face. It doesn’t look like anything on the cheeks, which I have been really appreciating as it both adds life to the face while pairing with any different sort of lip option. This is my first neutral blush love and it stood out for me when I wanted to wear a bolder lip while still looking relaxed.

MAC Dreaming Dahlia Lipstick ($19 CDN)

This has received a fair amount of mention from me in the last month, but I couldn’t go without mentioning it here. While still being actually hydrating and low-maintenance on the lips, the lustre formula provides a nice pop of coral on the lips. I’m someone who loves coral blushes and lipsticks as they seem to bring my fair skin to life and I expected to like this lipstick but I didn’t expect it to be as versatile as it proved itself to be. The forgiving formula lasts for around four hours without minimal eating and a bit of drinking and not only looks nice with minimal makeup but adds some colour without clashing with brighter cheek and eye products. It’s nice to have a slightly brighter but still easy-to-wear shade that suits minimal makeup to add some instant impact while still being wearable with any sort of makeup look. When you’re in a rush like I’ve been this month, it’s nice not to have to think about what I’m grabbing. Oh and it’s limited edition, sorry….

a moderate swatch

 

MAC Coquette Eyeshadow ($12/18 CDN)

This trio of MAC makeup was not intentional and to be honest I didn’t notice the high volume of MAC products in this post until I began to write it. I know that as of late, many in the blogging/vlogging world of beauty seem to be set against MAC, and while I can see why in some instances, the brand remains one of my greatest loves. At the end of last month, I finally plucked my eyebrows again and in doing so, I somehow gave my unruly-yet-sparse brows some shape and my love of the ashy-taupe MAC Coquettesolidified further. The shade dubbed a member of the “satin” family (but matte in my view), delivers a punch of pigmentation with impressive texture, adding natural definition to my brows without delivering any sort of reddish tinge. The shade is a workhorse in my routine and I’ve been wearing it in the crease and outer corner of the eye and enjoying the quick resulting definition. I talked about this in January’s post but believe me when I say that it deserved another mention.

If you made it through my long-winded essay of a post, then well done. I’ve been strangely decent on the buying front lately and would perhaps enjoy hearing your favourite product(s) of the month in the name of research…

Maggie, x.

 

 

Weekly Medley #10

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I like to think that I’m not the only one who gets stuck into this pattern of wretched helplessness – although for your own sake, I hope you don’t experience this; when you stare at your computer screen for hours on end, stressed into submission and focused and tortured by your inability to achieve anything productive when it matters the most. Suddenly it’s 2 AM and you would want to drop out of life it it were an option when your crisis arrives and you aren’t done your first task of importance let alone the succeeding tasks so you go to sleep in hope of gaining or regaining some sort of thinking capacity. Too bad sleeping is a challenge in your state due to the combination of utter exhaustion and the stress of it all. You’re not quite sure how it happened but you wake up to the sound of your alarm and somehow managed to sleep for a good two hours despite the building wave of anxiety threatening to overwhelm you, – I’m going a little heavy with the metaphors but I can’t help myself – you splash some water on your face and drink the elixir of saving grace known as the latte. It wasn’t fun but somehow at the very last minute, you survive, assignment in hand and accomplish all that was necessary in a frighteningly productive trance until you’ve finished your eight hours of classes. This was me on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, we were due for a blizzard — yes in March — but I didn’t think anything of it out of my weather-related skepticism; I couldn’t have been happier to be wrong. Classes were cancelled, the blizzard happened and thankfully we did not lose power. The opportunity was divine, allowing me to slowly transform from my zombie state into something closer resembling a human – although it did take a few more days for the change to actually occur. The whole beauty routine was not high on my priority list, more of a rushed 3-4 minutes grab n go spectacle. When presented with this challenge, I found myself relying on my beloved L’Oreal Lineur Intensefor a quick kitten-flick to add definition to my eyes in under a minute. I know, I know, I’m always rambling on about my love for this liner but I’ve been appreciating it for when I don’t have time for anything eyeshadow wise.

Later on in the week, I discovered Natalie’s blog, Thunderlove, and obsessively began reading the archives and it’s quite possibly the best thing ever. Not only is she gorgeous (pictured in the collage above, the blonde who is not me obvs), but the content and style of her blog is fantastic and the layout and design is to die for. Highly recommend that you check it out.

All things considered, I feel pleased with the posts I got out this hectic week: another Weekly Medley post (not this one), a post on MAC Tenderling Blush, a review of the REN Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream  and yesterday’s post on the simple smudgy eye. I didn’t get all the posts that I had hoped but I’ll get up one or two of those drugstore product reviews this week this week and I would expect a monthly favourites post in the near future.

What were the highlights of your week?

Maggie, x.

 

 

The Basic Smudgy Eye

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I’ve always been jealous of those who can sweep a single shade of shadow over their lids and slap on some eyeliner and have that slightly-grungy but pretty smoky thing going on and lately I’ve been admiring these kinds of looks when I go through the blogs I follow at the very least, thrice-daily. After many attempts and a few accidents, I began to kind of like where I was going with the whole approach, and I wanted to share the results in one of my daily face posts. But as much as I love those kinds of posts (both reading and writing them), I know they can get a bit dull and repetitive and lengthy with my writing style so I decided to try a more focused kind of post. You’ll have to tell me your thoughts… please?

Although I haven’t written a post exclusively on my rediscovery of the cult favourite Maybelline Bad To The Bronze Color Tattoo, I feel like I’ve gone on about it more than a few times in the last little while so this shouldn’t be a shock to see this here. Sometimes I find the taupe tones in the taupe-bronze shade to come off slightly muddy when worn by its lonesome and I’ve remedied this by placing the neutral gold-brown shade, the unique MAC Patina on top of the cream shadow on the lid. I’ve always been a fan of definition on the lash line but along with the liner, I’ve been enjoying taking the shadow underneath the eye with a fairly small brush.

Being someone with errrm ‘bug eyes’, — there’s no better way to put this, I’m afraid —, I have eyes that benefit from the added definition provided by liner and some shading in the outer-v. For eyeliner, I smudged the creamy chocolate brown, Annabelle Smoothliner in Brownie, among both upper and lower lashlines and put my neglected MAC Charcoal Brown shadow to use in the outer corners of my lid. Mascara was applied of course and I’m not going to waste my energy typing which formula I used…

The Result? Laid-back smudgy eyes with enough definition for my liking and an overall no-fuss kind of aesthetic. I know I said this post was going to be shorter and focused on the eyes, but I feel compelled to mention that I’m wearing Bourjois Sweet Cherry Cream Blush on the cheeks and my go-to MAC Patisserie on the lips.

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I must say, I’m pretty pleased with myself, coming out well under 500 words. Are you a fan of the pared-down smudgy eye?

Maggie, x.

REN Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream

REN is one of those brands that I’ve wanted to try for ages, especially after hearing the trustworthy and amusing Kate (of gh0stparties, of course) and when I got my Sephora VIB coupon code in November, I picked this product up for myself and then to assuage my guilt of spending more money, sold it to my mother to give me for Christmas – I really didn’t need to be spending money at the time but 20% was too good to waste. A moisturizer seemed like a good choice, having the dry and sensitive skin that I have and after being pleased with the ingredient list (more on this later), I went with the moderately-priced REN Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream, which has recently been renamed by REN to Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream but it has not been reformulated. It can be purchased from a variety of places, but I picked mine up from Sephora for $55 CDN and I believe in the US it retails for ten dollars cheaper, as per usual.

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Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Myristyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Cetearyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Triheptanoin, Oryzanol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Seed Oil, Bisabolol, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Cassia Alata Leaf Extract, Pueraria Lobata (Kudzu) Symbiozome Extract, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Cinnamomum Camphora Linalloliferum (Ho Wood) Leaf Oil, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Oil, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool, Tocopherol.

Without making any other particularly significant changes to my skincare routine, I’ve been using this moisturizer daily since Christmas so I feel confident writing a skincare review. Because REN labels it a day cream, some of you may be mislead, expecting it to contain SPF but it doesn’t — and for me this is good because day creams tend to contain chemical spfs that my skin tends to be extremely reactive to and therefore I cannot use. There’s no reason why this can’t be used at night, but I figure it’s labelled a day cream because its not one of those heavy and thick creams that are marketed for use at night. And I like this moisturizer, it comes with 50 mLs of product in a simple hygienic pump, it’s one of the better moisturizers I’ve tried but it didn’t wow me like the Caudalie Vinosource did.

Ingredient-wise, the moisturizer contains less “filler” such as dimethicone and the like and more impressive ingredients such as antioxidants — the first ingredient, rather than being pure water, is the beneficial antioxidant Chamomile flower water and it has a high concentration of green-tea oil (another antioxidant) and has nice high concentrations of oils without drying alcohol. REN posits itself as a natural brand, so the beef I have with them is no surprise; they talk about the superiority of their skincare because of its natural fragrance but fragrance is fragrance (and irritating) regardless of its origin and there are slight amounts of natural but irritating ingredients like orange peel oil. Despite these facts, I do not find this irritating on the skin, I just think it could possibly be more soothing; I like this moisturizer on my skin on the average day but it isn’t one of those moisturizers that can go over sore dry flaky skin like a dream.

It’s a nicely hydrating moisturizer with a lightweight but nourishing texture dispensed from a handy pump. It smells slightly herbally which I don’t mind but is not necessary in my view in a skincare product as it can irritate the skin and whatnot. It absorbs quickly but leaves the skin plump and energized, helping to add some luminosity (most likely with the added oils). It’s not heavy but it isn’t a completely weightless gel kind of moisturizer but I don’t see this as a problem unless you have some serious oil-control issues but it can also be used at night. I have dry sensitive skin and I quite like this moisturizer but I can also see those with combination skin loving its lightweight texture and nourishing ability. It is soothing on the skin but not as gentle as say the Kiehl’s Stress Rescuer.

As you can probably imagine from the title, the moisturizer is targeted to leave reactive sensitive skin soothed and calm, combating future irritation that leads to premature aging and optimally hydrated. It does a pretty good job on achieving its claims it just might not be optimal for the most reactive and sensitive of skins to calm it due to its fragrance and irritating oils. But it does soothe and hydrate well, so it doesn’t make any otherwordly claims that I can complain about.

Have you tried any products from REN? If so, what are your thoughts?

Maggie, x.

 

 

An Ode to the Neutral Blush: MAC Tenderling

perhaps not my most flattering shot but its accurate at least
perhaps not my most flattering shot but its accurate at least
Funnily enough, even as someone with let’s say a natural rosy complexion (and it was worse before I discovered what skincare products to search out and avoid), I’ve never been blush-shy. But keeping this in mind, this dark time was when I was addicted to full-on coverage – MAC SFF, anyone? – so the redness was previously covered-up before blush action happened. The case in point here is that I’ve never been someone to go for those subtle neutral blushes as they’ve looked so boring and I’ve found success with my corals but I was tempted to go for this one when I want a quick one product cheek that won’t overpower the rest of the face. 

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MAC Tenderlingimpressed me, being one of the very few cheek products that I like the look of alone. If you’ve been a follower of mine for a while, you’re probably aware that I go for a bronzer of sorts to add some shape to my face as well as a blush and highlighter too if I can muster the effort but sometimes I’m running short on time and this blush actually runs double-duty, adding some definition to the cheekbones while adding the most neutral rosiness to the cheeks. The blush also is a winner when you’re going for a bold lip and want to keep the face looking effortless but not drained of life. I would describe the blush as warm-toned, half-way between a tan shade and a neutral pink shade but it veers on peach, if that makes any sense. Out of the neutral blushes I’ve seen, this definitely has more warmth without losing its neutral status and I think it will flatter warmer skintones the best.

The formula of this blush, “a sheertone” — not particularly sheer IMO — is among the best of the best for me. It is a softer powder, so it can get all over the place if you’re not careful but its texture glides wonderfully onto the skin. It has medium-buildable pigmentation and has good longevity. It’s ability to contour slightly is due to its matte but not flat finish, if you were wondering. I would describe Tenderling as the middle ground between a shade like MAC’s Harmony for contouring and a pink blush with some extra warmth added to it which makes it ideal for a face (like mine) that can look rather ghastly post-foundation. And it lasts for ages and ages.

shown with the much-darker MAC Harmony for comparison
shown with the much-darker MAC Harmony for comparison

As you can probably gather from the photos, I purchased this one in pan form to go in my duo palette for $21 CDN but they can also be purchased in their standard pots for $25 CDN and they come with 0.21 ounces of product so considering the quality, they are very economical. Tenderlingis a shade that looks rather dull and boring in the store and even swatched but really comes to life on the cheeks and it’s my first neutral blush love. Now I’m tempted to try more of these neutral blushes… uh oh.

before... after....
before… after….

Have you tried any MAC blushes? Aaaand, what are your favourite neutral blushes?

Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #9

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I won’t try to bore you with the details as I’m sure if you’ve gone through the university ordeal yourself (or are currently undergoing the process), you know how stressful the few weeks before the end of the semester can be. I do suffer from anxiety and I am attention-deficit (diagnosed, if you were curious) and therefore making it through the day and remembering to bathe on a regular basis is difficult enough for me when I have so much that needs to be done and am so anxious and actually getting the work done that I’m stressing about is a whole other battle. It hasn’t been the greatest of weeks but I’ve survived without any sort of existential life crisis, so I can’t complain all that much.

I suppose I should mention that I was finding the whole structure of these weekly posts a little bit too repetitive so I mixed things up a bit this week. The posts haven’t been as regular as I’d like but things have been hectic for me and I’m glad I got as many up as I was able too – you’ll have to forgive me.  Although I wish I had gotten more posted here I was happy with my three posts last week: another edition of my Weekly Medley, a review of my MAC Dreaming Dahlia Lipstick that I adore and my early spring picks that I titled, Hello, Spring.  

I would not describe myself as someone who rejoices in the beauty of nature and finds some sort of spiritual connection or anything of that variety but when I opened the blinds this morning, although there were remnants of snow on the ground, it was sunny, birds were chirping and it was glorious. Being able to glance at some actual sunlight and some kind of life outdoors does tend to help one in the task of not succumbing to the seductive oblivion of crawling underneath the covers and pretend that you’re asleep and don’t have a million things to do.

I’m not saying its easy to get out of bed and be a productive human being however. Sometimes despite our best efforts, nothing seems to come and out of this dry spell, sleep doesn’t seem to come either. When I’ve needed an escape I’ve turned to my good pal, playing The Sims and drinking a cup of tea. Somehow after the two, things look a little brighter and productivity seems to happen – there’s little in life that a few rounds on The Sims and a hot beverage can’t fix or at the very least, remedy.

It’s rare that I find a nail polish that I have enough love for (and do not grow tired of) to warrant a mention as a favourite product in these sorts of posts but Essie Maximillan Strasse-Her is worthy of this honour many times over. The dirty grey-green shade fits into the whole spring theme without being overly cliched and this polish has the best formula that I’ve ever tried – instantly opaque on the nails and lasting for almost a week on the nails, which is a record for chipping-prone nails like mine.

From the moment that I first swatched the beauty, I knew that the limited edition MAC Dreaming Dahlia Lipstick would become a favourite in my building collection of lip products with it’s gorgeous coral colour in the comfortable and effortless lustre formula but I didn’t expect for it to as versatile as it is. Although it’s a fairly bright colour, it can be worn with some colour on the cheeks and eyes without caution and it’s a great one for when I only have a couple of minutes to get ready.

In the next week or so, you can expect at least one skincare-themed post and perhaps another drugstore makeup review or two… but that’s all I’m giving you for now. It’s now back to lab report writing, essay editing and eventually assignment writing for me.

I wish you all a more relaxing Sunday than mine but at the very least, I hope it’s more productive!

Maggie, x.

Hello, Spring

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If our weather yesterday was anything but the typical Nova Scotian (yes that’s a province in Canada, above Maine for reference) disgusting gloomy but not shivering-inducing rain, I wouldn’t have believed that Spring could have come so early but it wasn’t. And nothing says Spring like temperatures rising above zero for the first time since early October – and funnily enough I’m neither being sarcastic nor ironic here, it’s just spring isn’t all flowers and sunshine here, but to be honest I’m glad our weather doesn’t get too scorching because I’m not a happy camper when overheated. Alas, I wanted to share some product picks that are appropriate for the new season without doing a full-out edit post…
Avene High Protection Mineral Cream SPF 50 ($30 CDN)

Although I admit there’s not much sun going on here that could lead to sunburn and damage this time of year (I know I should always wear spf) but it’s nicer to find a formula to incorporate into your routine as soon as the skies are clear and this is the one for me. I’m someone who can rarely tolerate chemical sunscreen on my face without my skin turning reactive so this mineral-based one is a godsend. It’s fast-absorbing but moisturizing and has a slight pinky tint to avoid the white cast but the tint is rarely problematic as it is so sheer – but I do like to work it nicely into the skin as I have undertones that sit on the warmer side. Being someone who suffers from hyperpigmentation from past blemishes, wearing sunscreen daily especially when spending time outdoors is essential for worsening the uneven tone and not only does my skin like this one, it is easily the most effective sunblock that I’ve ever tried and it does not run into my eyes and burn.

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation ($11-12 CDN)

Ever since Lisa Eldridge (and her wonderful youtube videos) have come into our lives, we all seem to be on the search for the undetectable foundation that can’t be seen even in a magnified mirror and this inexpensive one seems to be the best fit for my skin. Its light-to-medium-coverage formulation glides over the skin, evening it out and adding some luminosity – foundations tend to sit really heavily and noticeably on my drier skin but this one doesn’t and 130 Shell is my perfect shade as it’s fair and slightly yellow-toned but not too-yellow toned for my skin that sits not too far from neutral in undertone and certainly not pink.

Essie Maximillian Strasse-Her Nail Lacquer ($9 CDN)

I really like the idea of pastel nails for the springtime but they tend to be on the streaky/sheer side of things and I can find them sometimes a bit too girlie on me but the slightly grungier offering works for me. While still being a light polish, this shade stays on the nails for ages and provides really opaque colour without streakiness; I’d describe the shade as a dirty grey-green but that’s not giving it justice. I picked this one up in the dead-of-winter at Winners (the Canadian TK/TJ Maxx) for a few dollars less and I’ve been waiting to wear it since. It’s my kind of colour and is the longest-lasting polish I’ve tried on my nails that tend to chip easily.

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MAC Dreaming Dahlia Lipstick ($19 CDN) – limited edition

As I reviewed this one a mere couple of days ago here I figure I don’t need to go into detail about the whole shebang. The shade is a comfortable and forgiving warm-toned coral shade in my favourite lustre finish, adding that pop of coral to the lips in an everyday sort of way. It’s limited edition with MAC A Fantasy of Flowers right now but it should still be available. Highly recommended.

Bourjois Cream Blush in 04 Sweet Cherry ($20 CDN)

There’s something energizing and flattering about going for that bright pastel pink flush to the cheeks as springtime rolls around but I have issues wearing those cool-toned shades (think MAC Well Dressed) and this is an alternative that I’ve been loving). The Bourjois offering has a gorgeous creamy-but-not-wet kind of finish (although I do wish it contained more product) and Sweet Cherry adds that rosy bloom to my cheeks, while being a little deeper and warmer but still maintaining that rosy hue. I must try more of these… note to self.

Happy Friday! What products have you added to your routine for Spring?

Maggie, x.

MAC Dreaming Dahlia Lipstick

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I don’t think that any of my regular readers here will be shocked to hear that I’m impressed by this lipstick — come on it’s a coral shade in the lustre formula, what’s not to love? — but I have developed an unexpected love for this easy coral shade that adds a little bit of spring optimism to the freezing weather outside. It might not exactly be spring here in Canada yet but that doesn’t keep me from appreciating the lipstick here. Since picking it up, I’ve been reaching and reaching for it without growing bored of the shade or thinking that it looks odd in some way. Clearly this warranted a post of its own.

MAC Dreaming Dahlia Lipstick ($19 CDN) regrettably was limited edition with the MAC Fantasy of Flowers Collection but there should still be some around and if comfortable-to-wear corals are up your alley, I’d recommend taking a look and see if you can spot it at your local store or counter before its gone. MAC was surprisingly accurate in describing the shade as “a sheer red-coral”. It’s a lustre finish and although this is only the second shade I’ve tried in the range, I have nothing good to say about lustres; the pigmentation starts out sheerer but builds wonderfully, it wears comfortably on dry lips and is actually somewhat moisturizing and it wears evenly. Although the lipstick lasts about 3-4 hours and will not withstand anything heavy, it’s so low maintenance and easy to apply that its no big deal. I wear this shade to class without having to worry about it if it means anything to you.

I’d say the shade is not exactly sheer – medium coverage on the lips that instantly builds up for a pop of unoverwhelming colour on the lips – and it’s a watered-down bright coral shade with warm undertones that isn’t so intense that it can’t be worn with a bit of colour on the eyes or cheeks. On my fair and warm-toned skin, this shade grants an instant boost without making it look like I tried too hard when I’m in a casual setting such as classes. And this formula is one of the only ones I can wear without irritating my sore lips and highlighting their dry patches to a level where there’s no point in wearing anything on the lips.

Dreaming Dahlia strikes me as a low-maintenance easy coral shade to transition into the warmer weather without looking out of place in the current state of affairs. I have a feeling this might just be my go-to lipstick this Spring!

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the shade is picking up a wee bit more subdued on camera, if you were curious 🙂

 

What do you think will be your go-to lip this Spring?

Maggie, x.