Winter Essentials Edit – The Miscellanious Edition

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It’s taken a bit of adjustment to get back into the swing of things blogging-wise now that school has started up again even though I was only off for a month and this post was long overdue, a companion to my recent makeup post. This is going to be a little more chaotic and disorganized – a summary of the beauty bits that have proved essential to me in this winter weather when it’s difficult to muster the effort to lift yourself out of bed in the morning.

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark Nail Polish ($9-10 CDN)

Recently I’ve mentioned that I’ve turned into a usual nail-painter but I haven’t been mentioning particular products because I can’t commit to anything, ever but this polish may be the exception to the rule – before starting the blog, this was the only nail polish that I mustered the effort to apply over and over again but then I lost it and it was tragic but luckily I got a mini-size for Christmas again. As cliched as it is, I love the vampy almost-black-but-not-quite shade, particularly in the winter with purple-undertones and a opaque cream finish. It has good longevity on the nails and is almost fully opaque after one coat. Because of the darkness of the shade, it makes a statement of sorts but doesn’t involve the effort of pairing everything with of a red or bright.

Essie Maximillian Strasse-Her Polish ($8 CDN/ 6)

I know I’m horrible for including a limited edition polish from what I believe was the Spring 2013 but I picked this up recently at the Canadian version of the TK/TJ Maxx enterprise called Winners which I’ve recently become very interested in rummaging around through. In the last few months, I’ve grew a little bit tired of the red polish and I think this is an alternative option that still is seasonally appropriate with it’s wintry iciness. The formula of the polish is phenomenal, very opaque and it lasts on my nails for the longest of any polishes I’ve tried – I can get a week out of this on my chipping-prone nails. The colour is a paled-out dirty green with a greyish lean to it, which does not sound attractive but I love it. It’s a lighter and dirtier version of the famous (but also limited edition) Mermaid’s Tears, that is my staple summer polish.

China Glaze Nail Polish in Ingrid ($8 CDN)

Years ago, when I was going through one of my brief periods when I was determined to give nail polish a go (before quickly abandoning the seemingly futile effort) I picked this one up after OPI You Don’t Know Jacques was sold out pretty much everywhere and the salesgirl told me this one was very similar. The formulation is fantastic (as all of these mentioned are as I’m very impaired at nail polish application), not quite as long-lasting as the Essie but it wears for a long time and applies very opaque with minimal streaking. I’m beginning to notice that I seem to like slightly-grungy and dirty colours; yet again this is a dark taupe with fine golden-brown microshimmer running throughout and it’s much more amazing than this description is suggesting. I usually hate shimmery and absolutely detest sparkly polishes but this one is the exception for me. It’s easier to wear on my warm-leaning skin because it leans slightly more on the brown side.

Aveeno Skin-Relief Body Wash ($8 CDN)

I suffer from eczema along with generally very sensitive body skin and this is a great gentle body wash that does not irritate my skin even in it’s fragile state. I didn’t realize that this contained fragrance as it’s hardly detectable and non-irritating but I do want to give the fragrance-free one a go sometime. The worst eczema I suffer is on my legs and it’s quite painful and by far this is the best thing to shave my legs with due to it’s gentleness and the instant hydration in provides. I sort of can’t believe I’m talking about body wash but alas…

Indeed Labs Pepta-Bright Serum ($40 CDN)

With sore winter dry and irritated skin, a chemical-exfoliant with acids sounds like the last thing you need but it’s been a saviour for me. The formulation of this serum is hydrating but concentrated with the lactic acid that exfoliates the skin without being abrasive and it’s one of the only things that has helped to reduce the severity of the dry patches I do get. It doesn’t burn on the skin either and beats manual exfoliation in ways other than gentleness, as it helps with pigmentation and dullness – the latter which is a large concern of mine and I imagine it to be an issue that many face with winter pale skin.

By Nature Organic Rosehip Oil ($26/13 CDN)

I’m an avid blog reader myself and before I was always dismissive when I read posts boasting about the wonders of oils on the complexion. It’s not that I was worried about the oiliness or anything of that sort but more of that I’d been down that road before with minimal success. This one has been a recent addition in my routine every night and every morning or two, bringing much-needed radiance to my face paired on top of moisturizer (or the serum above). It really seems to moisturize and soothe irritated and dry skin but also works wonders on angry breakouts – but mine are the dry itchy kind so keep that in mind. This was another purchase from Winners.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment ($26 CDN)

This glorified lip balm is very expensive and I haven’t purchased a tube as I’m still working on the sample from the Sephora birthday gift but as much as I hate to say it, it’s worth it. I have naturally dry and chapped lips and this performs the best at hydrating them after the balm wears off rather than just coating the lips which many others do. It outperforms the close contender, the more affordable and popular EOS balms.

Pureology Precious Oil Softening Hair Masque ($50 CDN)

Yes, this masque is ridiculously expensive and I’ve only used it a handful of times but I already know it’s worth it. I have the kind of hair that is death to untagle, eats up conditioner and is difficult to keep hydrated and this product is worth it to me. It has that amazing spa-like scent but I would purchase this even without the scent – It’s one of the rare masques that actually is concentrated and a quarter size is more moisturizing than palmfuls of other (not cheap) intensive conditioners and I rarely find that. It doesn’t weigh down my insanely dense mass of fine-textured wavy hair while leaving it feeling nourished for longer than a few hours. I find it keeps the hair soft and helps my hair to curl in the way I like. It’s beautiful, that is all; it’s that perfect wintry hair-saving treatment.

Bumble & Bumble Texture (Un)dressing Creme ($17/34 CDN)

I’ve rambled on about this before but in the winter my hair really begins to lack life and just hang and regardless of your hair type, this treasure adds texture and vitality without tangling and drying the hair. This has really become a staple product when you’re headed out the door in a minute or two and your hair is catastrophically flat and dull.

x

Maggie

What are your winter essentials? Have you used any of these?

I USED UP PRODUCTS #1

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Ever since beginning this blog, I’ve planned on doing empties posts — I went as far as to accumulating the products in a specific bag and putting it on the desk as a reminder. Somehow I’ve managed to procrastinate from even doing one of these helpful mini-review posts of products that I actually finished. Note: Quite frankly, I’m not surprised. I left out products that I’ve mentioned using up time and time before and spoke about in depth… Bioderma… ahem.

L’Oreal Total Repair 5 Instant Miracle ($6 CDN)

Thiswas a meh product for me. I do have naturally dry, wavy-curly hair that is horrifically prone to tangles and in its natural state ends a bit more than half way down my back and therefore I need pretty intense conditioning. It by no means “instantly repairs” the hair but is a decent conditioning treatment that does provide some protein without containing the culprit dimethicone that weighs down the hair. My problem is that it is not concentrated and I went through the 200 mLs in slightly over a month and I was disturbed as higher-end counterparts I’ve tried have lasted me 5-6x the amount of time with better results at maybe four times the price. I did not see an improvement in the state of my hair and did not find it to be intense by any means. The scent is the typical L’Oreal perfumey-floral scent that I’m not a fan of.

Bee By The Sea Natural Products Sea Buckthorn and HonEy Nourishing Face Cream ($30 CDN)

This was an extremely nourishing face cream with that typical heavy night cream texture that did help to soothe the skin with it’s high concentrations of coconut oil, olive oil and grape seed oil but did not do anything spectacular or noteworthy for the skin. It’s free of irritants and is a simple mixture of ingredients that moisturizes well. It was a nice moisturizer, sold on the website and at health food stores but didn’t do enough so that I’d want to repurchase.

Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser ($11-12 CDN)

I’ve talked about this gentle cleanser extensively, both in my first post ever, [heeeere] and in my skincare routine from the early days of the blog and my feelings haven’t changed. The fragrance and detergent free creamy cleanser lasted for six months with twice daily use and impressed me with it’s gentleness on my sensitive skin while still being effective. I will either repurchase this or the newer edition of this cleanser that Neutrogena has recently released. I highly recommend it. I turned my combination-skinned friend onto it as well and it’s also working well for her so I don’t think it’s restricted to drier skin types. Doesn’t remove makeup, though. I used it in the morning and for the second cleanse at night.

L’Oreal Voluminous Original Mascara in Blackest Black ($10 CDN)

Why does it feel like the only makeup products I use-up are mascara? I internally debated whether or not to include a question mark because the question was rhetorical and to be honest it was stressing me out. I know that for many people this is “the” mascara but after using it, I have to say the product with a cult-following is not for me. I have long and thin kind of eyelashes that I never curl because they have a natural bend to them and look for volume in my mascara, generally favouring drier formulas that promise volume. Because the skin on my entire body (except my eyelids hilariously enough) is very dry, it isn’t exactly surprising that I have zero issues with mascara smudging, smearing or transferring so I can’t comment on all of that. I found that the formula of this mascara was too wet, even when it began to dry out. The brush was a standard fibre one that wasn’t too large or small that I think would work for lots of people but I found too much product was deposited on the brush and would clump in a very annoying way. I wouldn’t say this mascara is bad, I just don’t particularly like it.

x,

Maggie

What products have you used up lately?

Unheard and Under-Appreciated #1: Dior Earth Reflection Quint

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the lightest of swatches
Glorious, aren't they?
Glorious, aren’t they?

So Dior 5 Colour Eyeshadow in 609 Earth Reflection isn’t completely unheard of as I wrote a shining review of it after I picked it up in the Fall and I went on about it in one of my monthly favourites posts but the quint definitely deserves to be talked about. I’m tempted to describe the shadows as the makeup equivalent of baby unicorns, as completely insane as that sounds; the completely iridescent quint of eyeshadows that aren’t over the top in the slightest have great pigmentation and have the most blendable buttery texture that do warrant the $61 CDN price tag.

The palette makes the daily eye just so easy. Without really noticing it, I kept reaching for this palette on the regular for multiple consecutive days and I’m not the kind of girl who wears the same makeup two days in a row – I’m bored easily, I’m afraid. Without being overly shimmery, the shades have that brightening and illuminating effect particularly on the inner corner and they are a godsend applied haphazardly on lazy mornings after sleepless nights. The five shades are perfect – enough shades for an eyeshadow addict like I am without having too much choice that can cultivate stress that I certainly don’t need. The two lightest shades are the best highlights but look nice on the lids when you want to look bright-eyed. The pale gold goes on the lid, a bit of the taupe goes on the outer portion of the lid and blended up into the crease, darkest shade is added into the outer corner for definition and a paler shade is added into the inner corner – viola, you’re done and ready to go… well after liner and mascara.

Although, I’d classify this offering from Dior as seasonless, there’s something about it that screams winter. The neutral taupe shades create that bright eye that reminds me of snow and feels right for the winter. If you’re looking for another strange comparison, these shades are like a coffee for your face as they are instantly energizing. Can you tell I enjoy this quint?

x,

Maggie

The everyday eye courtesy of Dior Earth Reflection
The everyday eye courtesy of Dior Earth Reflection
a closer look
a closer look

 

What’s your favourite under-appreciated product?

 

 

& I’M A BREATHING BEAUTY BLOGGER CLICHE: Shopping The Stash #1

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You know you have a slight excessive beauty-product buying problem when you are constantly scouring the shelves of Sephora, whatever local department store there may be in your area and the magical emporium known as the drugstore – if you’re in Canada, Shoppers is my pick – for the latest treasure and were likely induced to do so by stress (you know how it is) when really all you had to do to find such treasures would be to scavenge through the assortment located in your bedroom known as the stash.

I know it’s in vogue currently to talk about the black impeccably-lined-up-co-ordinated-and-quite-frankly-still-intimidating store otherwise known as MAC Cosmetics as an overrated location of beauty product purchase, but it was my first makeup love and to this day, I still adore a good number of products in their selection. I don’t care how outdated I sound but their eyeshadows are fantastic and generally speaking, the products give you great bang for your buck. Before I’ve written amounts that could make an extremely disorganized essay, I’ll attempt to move onto blabbering about the neglected products.

MAC Club Eyeshadow ($12/18 CDN)

I really can’t explain why I use Club so infrequently. It’s in my older Mac quad that I successfully took the divider out of to fit more in that I look through a time or two during the week and when I do so, I resolve to use Club – somehow it never seems to happen. It’s a nicely textured, pigmented, creamy and whatever warm brown with a green duochrome that whenever I pass through MAC with a friend, I attempt to convince them that they need in their life. It’s one of those versatile medium-dark shades that can be worn in the outer corner on the daily but can also create that (relatively) effortless smoky eye — if you’re a regular reader here, you should know that I adore the smoky eye and especially the effortless variety.

MAC Club eyeshadow in all of its glory
MAC Club eyeshadow in all of its glory

MAC Springsheen Powder Blush ($25 CDN)

MAC Springsheen
MAC Springsheen

I’m fairly certain this was one of my earlier blush purchases and that I made it in ninth grade. I remember wearing this constantly until Sephora opened near me and from the moment my eyes met the matte-black packaging of NARS Orgasm, I tossed this one onto the side. It’s another one of those coral shades with fine golden shimmer throughout but it’s more of a true warm-toned coral than the infamous NARS blush. The texture is at least as good as the blush in comparison and I do rather like it on. My theory is that it pulled too bright back when I thought I had pink-undertones and constantly looked flushed as a result of the tragedy; now that I match my foundation to my much more yellow-toned body, I don’t have this issue whatsoever. Lesson learned: learn how to match your foundation correctly to your body and everything else will fall into place.

Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation ($11-14 CDN)

Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation in 110 Porcelain Ivory
Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation in 110 Porcelain Ivory

Ah, this would be one of the all-too-frequent stress-induced purchases that somehow manage to happen after dry winter skin frustration and a long busy day,week, etc. at school. I bought this in the time when every foundation looked slightly terrifying on my skin with dry patches galore and as I have dry skin and this was toted as a great dewy moisturizing formula (by Rosanna, from youtube’s rpiercemakup) at a good pricepoint…. It happened. This was in the phase a month or two back when I kept piling on the foundation to cover the skin irritation and consequently it looked even worse and I cast it aside, forgetting all about it. As with all other Maybelline face products, the shade range is horrendous but the medium coverage formula is a nice one especially on drier complexions. Obvs. I would expect to hear more on this from me in the foreseeable future.

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 107($7-8 CDN)

Rimmel by Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 107
Rimmel by Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 107

It’s doubtful that writing the full title was really necessary and was tempted to merely write “that dark Rimmel lipstick”, as this is such a commonly praised product this year. I bought this in the fall and I liked the candy-scented longwearing but not drying matte lipstick but it wasn’t as vampy as I expected and I forgot about it. I think it’s more of a cool-toned berry red shade than it appears and somehow this made it’s way into the abyss of my cluttered lipstick drawer. I’m really going to try to wear this more and it bewilders me that I don’t use it more. It’s about as pink as I can go without looking ridiculous – if you’re new to this blog, I LOOK TERRIBLE IN PINKS and consequently have an abundance of red-toned shades. Yes, this lipstick, easily referred to as “that lipstick” that seems to be featured on every beauty blogged (and loved also) is worth it.

Rimmel 107, MAC Club, MAC Springsheen
Rimmel 107, MAC Club, MAC Springsheen
products in use: wearing the Maybelline foundation, MAC Springsheen on the cheeks with some highlighter and MAC Club in the outer corner and crease of the eye - taken with flash :)
products in use: wearing the Maybelline foundation, MAC Springsheen on the cheeks with some highlighter, MAC Club in the outer corner and crease of the eye and “that lipstick” applied onto the lips poorly and then blotted – taken with flash 🙂

Have you tried any of these products? And I’m even more curious to see if I’m the only one who completely neglects great products – if you’re like me, I’d love to know your discoveries from your stash! x

Maggie

 

 

Winter Essentials Edit- The Makeup Edition

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Living in Canada, it has been snowing straight since early November and I swear as soon as we hit the middle of October, it wasn’t really “Fall” anymore; we have in fact had multiple storms and power outages. This might seem premature but in my world, it’s been Winter-esque for ages and it’s now acceptable (I suppose) to share some of my essentials now that it officially is Winter. Some of these products are newer additions to my rotation but many of them have been my staples for the last couple of months.

Revlon Enticing, NARS Golshan
Revlon Enticing, NARS Golshan

NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Golshan ($30 CDN) – review here

This ultra-pigmented lip pencil has been a rather recent addition but whenever I’m going for a dark lip, it’s been the one I reach for. The long-wearing warm deep burgundy shade doesn’t cling to dry patches and actively moisturizes the lips somewhat rather than drying them out. The shade is a flattering warmer hue that is easier to wear than brighter and vampier hues.

Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm in Enticing ($10 CDN) – worn here

When I’m not feeling quite as bold but want to wear a reddish hued lip, I’ve been reaching for mint-scented and recently released jumbo pencil offering from Revlon. The dark cherry-red moisturizing lipstick feels like a weightless balm on the lips, wears for a decent amount of time and does so evenly and might just be my favourite drugstore lip product of all time. It manages to provide that pigmented-yet-buildable amount of payoff that allows the lipstick-balm hybrid to pack a good colour punch without requiring the maintenance and fuss of a traditional red.

Nars Golshan, Revlon Enticing
Nars Golshan, Revlon Enticing

Marc Jacobs Beauty Color Eye-Con No 7 in The Starlet ($71 CDN)

taken with flash, true to colour
taken with flash, true to colour
I forgot to take a picture of the darker grey but it's glorious.
I forgot to take a picture of the darker grey but it’s glorious.

This eyeshadow palette is undoubtedly an extravagant purchase – and I did only receive it recently… for Christmas – and it’s not something that I would describe as purely wintery but it seems to be the perfect palette for my daily eye makeup in the cold season. These might just be the most pigmented and creamy shadows that I’ve ever tried and are all metallic without being overly frosty or glittery in the slightest. The pinky champagne, like Sin in the Naked Palette that I declare my love for regularly, is my staple lid shade, particularly with a darker lip, the grey, one of the very few shadows in this hue that I find flattering, effortlessly smokes out and the dark warm coppery brown is that staple shade to define the outer-v. I could go on but there will be a review coming soon.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer, Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer, Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer
top - Maybelline, bottom - Rimmel
top – Maybelline, bottom – Rimmel

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 10 Light ($9-10 CDN)

Throughout the year, I constantly have dry and dehydrated skin but the season change to cold weather can magnify the problem. The dry patches that tend to emerge can cause redness and when you try to cover them with most concealers, the dryness is only highlighted but this concealer does not have that effect. It provides medium coverage and glides over dry patches. Particularly in the Winter when I get blemishes, during the healing process they can get dry and flaky and this is one of the only products that covers them without highlighting the condition of my skin. The only thing that could improve the product would be the colour range… it is kind of horrendous.

Rimmel  2-in-1 Concealer and Highlighter in Ivory ($7-8 CDN)

Including two concealers might seem a bit excessive, but this concealer really in essence is a highlighter that also provides some coverage. It highlights underneath the eyes while still covering dark circles and can be brought into the centre of the face and other high points which has that much needed luminizing and brightening effect.

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Benefit Girl Meets Pearl Highlighter ($36 CDN)

Benefit Girl Meets Pearl
Benefit Girl Meets Pearl

After our brief separation, when I had a brief affair with my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish, I’ve returned to the liquid highlighter and have committed to a monogamous relationship with said product. It’s illuminating due to its sheen, but is not shimmery in the typical way and the texture of the pale pink-champagne fluid adds a dewiness that cannot be matched, especially with powder products. Year round, I have a love of all things that provide luminosity but this is especially important in the winter with dull, paler and drier skin.

NARS Orgasm Powder Blush ($32 CDN)

Ah, blush, up there among my top beauty loves and consequently much more difficult to narrow down my essential down to one but I’m determined to do so and it came down to this one. I think I’ve mentioned this a few times as of late but after some neglect, my most-used blush of all time is getting its much-deserved recognition. The formula is smooth and doesn’t apply patchy, being quite build able and therefore versatile – It can be worn subtly on a more dramatic makeup day with say bolder lips or can be built up to a brightening warm pink-y flush. On NYE, it began to crumble slightly and I was tempted to crumble into the floorboards when it fell from the vanity to its luckily not fatal stroke. This might seem like an odd winter blush choice but it doesn’t pull corally on the skin, well on me at least.

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NARS Orgasm, Tarte Natural Beauty with flash

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Natural Beauty ($31 CDN)

So I might have lied. I succumbed to my intuition of the need to include a more typically winter appropriate blush. I know I’m definitely an outlier here as I’m not absolutely in love with the Amazonian Clay formula but Natural Beauty is a watermelon sort of colour, sitting between a pink and a red with versatile neutral undertones. The matte finish blush does in fact last insanely long on me and it gives that natural-looking winter flush that perks up dull skin.

What are your makeup picks for the Winter? x

Maggie

The Monthly Roundup #1: December 2013

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1. December 2013 Favourites  – where I ramble on about my favourites of the list and take a blog photo (and edit it) that I’m rather proud of.
2. Daily Makeup #4: Non-Festive Holiday Makeup & Playing With New Products – where I gush about a good number of my Christmas beauty product additions, ramble a bit about my life as per usual and talk about the non-festive makeup I wore on Christmas day. I was proud of myself for not being cliched and wearing red lips… not that there’s anything wrong with that…
3. My Top Six Cold-Weather Lipsticks – where I somewhat successfully photograph lip swatches of my favourite lipsticks with the same makeup and consequently make my poor dry and chapped lips revolt. I was rather proud of myself for being informative about each shade and formulation while being brief – for my standards anyway.
4. Top Thirteen Beauty Products of 2013 – where I make good on my personal challenge of narrowing down my favourite products to a scant thirteen, use my best efforts to provide concise and informative mini-reviews of each product and don’t go on an on about each product.                                                                                                                                                                        5. Base Bonaza: Dior Diorskin Nude Skin Glowing Makeup– where I make personal progress at taking high-quality product photos (in my opinion at least), force myself to write the review I’ve been meaning to write for weeks and reveal my thoughts on another foundation in my excessive stash.

I’ve always really enjoyed reading these kinds of monthly round-up posts and figured that it was time to start doing my own – but that wasn’t my entire motivation. I figure if I start doing these on the monthly, it will motivate me to keep posting frequently as I have been in the last month or so even though I’ll be weighed down by the force of that thing that one has to do at that dreaded institution known as University, work.

Thanks for reading. X

Maggie

If you’re a blogger, what were your favourite posts that you wrote in the last month? If you’re a reader, first and foremost, tell me what posts you most enjoyed in the last month. 🙂

NARS Golshan Satin Lip Pencil

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I picked the Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Golshan ($30 CDN) at Sephora when the $20 off of $50 promotion was going on and a Christmas present or two and I’m glad I did – even though the last thing I needed was another wearable-but-vampy lip product. I haven’t tried that many products from NARS, but I’ve liked every product I’ve tried a great deal – NARS Orgasm blush ($33 CDN)  is one of my daily staples (I’m wearing it in the pictures below!) and I love NARS Kalahari eyeshadow duo ($39 CDN) and although I have only tried a sample of NARS Sheer Glow ($55 CDN), I think its a great foundation but not one that I want to pay prices that are on par with freaking Chanel for. This product is no exception to that rule. Sephora describes the lip pencils as dressing ” up lips in statement shades that seduce with rich, color-bright pigments, while drenching them in decadent moisture. This modern, long-wearing, vitamin-enriched formula for lips looks sumptuously saturated and dramatically defined” and in my experience, Golshan delivers what is promised by these claims. There is 0.07 ounces provided in the lip pencil.

On the Sephora website, Golshan is described as a “spiced wine” which seems to be a fairly accurate description but I would characterize the shade as more of a warm burgundy shade with slight brown undertones to it. It’s pretty much a warmer-toned “spiced wine” in my humble opinion. It has my ideal finish, a true creamy-looking satin while not just being drying at all, but being moisturizing in itself for a few hours until the balminess wears off.  It’s one of those balmy lipsticks in pencil form that seem to be all the rage recently and I do adore them. These actually do not cling to dry patches in the lips, despite their amazing colour saturation and pigmentation and glide onto the lips feeling exactly like a balm.

the comparisons
the comparisons

In comparison to NARS Golshan, Rimmel Kate Moss 107 ($8 CDN) is much cooler in tone and is much more of a rich berry shade and MAC Dubonnet Lipstick ($18 CDN) is extremely similar – Dubonnet is slightly vampier, with less warmth to it and as it is a amplified finish, it has more slip on the lips, not lasting as long. Dubonnet also has a stronger brown undertone.

I don’t find the colour to bleed or slip around very much, especially considering the finish. Golshan was incredibly long-wearing lasting for a bit over six hours with some eating and drinking before I seem to succumb to eating the oiliest of foods in the fashion that no lip product can survive. The hydration of the balm lasts for several hours and then wears off, leaving the colour intact and stains the lips a good deal. Unlike most lip products in bold colours, this one does not cling to the outside of my mouth as it fades — it provides the sought-after even fading. However, there is one thing that irritates me about the balms – they are not twist-up and soon I will have to purchase a sharpener for it.

If you can’t tell already, I highly recommend the Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Golshan and I definitely will be trying more in the future. They are worth the $30 price tag, I’d say. It’s hardly even noticeable but they do have a subtle makeup-y scent to them that isn’t exactly pleasant but I doubt many would be bothered by it.

NARS Golshan in action
NARS Golshan in action

Pigmentation       10/10

Formula                   9.5/10

Longevity                9.5/10

Packaging               8/10

Overall Value       9.5/10

36.5/40= 91% A+

Have you tried any of these lip pencils? What are your thoughts?

Everyday Staples #1

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Real Techniques Buffing Brush, MAC 217 eyeshadow brush, MAC 266 Small Angle brush, Real Techniques Fine Liner Brush, MAC Patisserie Lipstick & NARS Orgasm Blush
the brushes
the brushes

Real Techniques Buffing Brush – sold in the Core Collection ($23  CDN)

The funny thing is that I don’t think I’ve ever talked about makeup brushes here but my only explanation is that I so rarely purchase them. For the first time in five years, I picked these brushes up at my local drugstore (Lawton’s Drugs) this summer out of hearing the hype and actually seeing the brushes available at an affordable price. I had really been lusting after the buffing brush that unfortunately is only available in this set and it did not disappoint . The synthetic fibres really help to blend foundation seamlessly into my skin and minimizes the appearance of dry patches unlike other brushes. I use the other brushes in the set but the buffing brush is the standout in the kit.

MAC 217 eyeshadow brush ($28.50 CDN)

I fondly remember receiving this, along with my first MAC eyeshadow, on my thirteenth birthday and to this day, I adore it and use it constantly. And it’s still going strong. It’s so faded that the number is no longer visible but it’s the best eyeshadow brush nevertheless. It might actually be worth its high pricepoint.

MAC 266 Small Angle Brush ($24 CDN)

I remember (fondly as well) receiving this as a gift from my mother within the same year when I bought MAC Fluidline. This was the brush that taught me how to apply liner and I use it daily even now, years later. It’s not my absolute favourite for gel liner anymore but it’s a staple for filling in the brows with eyeshadow and using eyeshadow as liner. I’m contemplating purchasing another one…

Real Techniques Fine Liner Brush ($9-10 CDN)

Speaking of gel liner, this is the brush that recently took the MAC 266’s pkace in my heart as the ideal brush for gel liner because it allows for additional precision, creating the thinnest lines and the best wings by my (admittedly shaky) hand. This was one of those love at first use kind of things. I would go on for ages but I really should move beyond brushes.

the makeup
the makeup

MAC Patisserie Lipstick ($18 CDN)

This lipstick has actually been my first go-with-anything kind of lipstick love. The warm-toned darker pinky-brown nude has a lustre finish and therefore does not highlight my perpetually dry lips and is actually slightly moisturizing. I could easily write an entire post on my love for this lipstick but I’m trying to restrain myself. It’s a nude that isn’t all that different in colour from my unpigmented lips and is the antithesis of concealer lips as I find it brightens my face without adding overly obvious colour.

MAC Patisserie in its true glory
MAC Patisserie in its true glory

NARS Orgasm Powder Blush ($33 CDN)

I’m proud to say that I purchased this blush a few years ago, about a month before they raised their prices (from $27 CDN). This is the blush that I’ve made the greatest dent in ever and that’s saying something, being the blush hoarder that I am. I wear it in the way and for the same reasons as many others seem to wear the iconic (but disappointing in my humble opinion) MAC Well Dressed Powder Blush – it’s that goes-with-everything instantly brightening shade that brings that sought-after glow to the face. I would describe the shade as a warm pink with a hint of coral with golden shimmer running throughout that imparts that subtle glow to my face without looking obvious.

What are your everyday staples? Do you use any of these products in your daily routine?

December Favourites

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December was a weird month in particular this year; I won’t purposely try to make you all gauge your precious eyes out with cliched phrases such as ‘it passed so fast’ and ‘it was so stressful and busy’, although life seems to be full of the two lately. University kept me crazy busy and stressed for the first two weeks but as soon as the fourteenth hit, I was done and it was weird.

My skin has been duller than ever with abundant dry patches and I’ve perhaps gone a little too highlighter happy and my product of choice has been the old limited edition MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Semi-Precious Pearl, which is a gorgeous glowy shimmery golden champagne.

It should be no secret that I’ve fallen in love with L’Oreal Lineur Intense in Carbon Black($10 CDN) this month. It has more pigment than Maybelline Master Precise and is more precise and slightly easier to control. With this, it’s quick and easy to create a subtle wing on an everyday basis. This liner is fine enough to create the thinnest line, which I tend to struggle with.

I’ve had the MAC Eyeshadow in Sketch($12/18 CDN) since the end of the summer but I’ve previously found it to be chalky and difficult to pair with other shades without effort but this seemed to change this month. I’ve really enjoyed placing the “velvet” but pretty much matte plum shade in the outer v and it’s been gracing my face frequently, most often paired with rosier and taupe-y shades. 

The contour powder, sold as a blush, MAC Harmony ($25 CDN) is easily one of my favourite beauty products of all time – I included it in my recently posted yearly favourites – but it’s made it’s way back into the daily rotation this month as it functions nicely as a contour shade but has some warmth to it, without looking overly warm and orangey. It has enough rosiness to it that I can go without blush when wearing this and I adore it, especially with bolder lips.

In the cold weather as of late, I’ve been finding that my natural loose curls are determined to fall flat and lifeless along with their characteristic dryness. I’ve found that applying Bumble and Bumble Texture (Un)dressing Creme ($17/33 CDN) straight out of the shower adds volume and texture while still providing control either by itself or in combination with a curl-enhancing product with hold. I think this cream manages to be one of those universal products that adds great texture among all different hair types without leaving the hair dry — it’s concentrated and even with my abundance of hair, I’m still using my travel-sized product that I bought in the spring.

My daily use of Laura Mercier Foundation Primer in Radiance($24/40 CDN) and my love for it snuck up on me. This is the first foundation primer that I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a few) that proved to be worthwhile. A little bit prior to starting the blog, I saw the 15 mL size at my Sephora in the 100-point-perk case and it had to be mine… I can’t resist a good free beauty product and as a sample, the size was very generous. It’s tinted a peachy-gold sheeny shade that adds notable luminosity to the face (which I adore), doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin in the slightest and seems to help the foundation glide on more smoothly with the touch of hydration it provides. The thing is that, as I’ve mentioned far too many times before, I do not have issues with foundation longevity and this is generally what primers are aimed to do but I like this one because it helps to blend the foundation seamlessly along with illumination but I do not think it helps with longevity or prevents oil from breaking through. I think this is a great primer for drier and duller looking skin, especially for those who haven’t had the greatest success with traditional foundation primers.

Indeed Laboratories Pepta-Bright ($40 CDN) is indeed one of those products that takes you by surprise with its efficacy — that was horrible, I know, but I couldn’t resist. It’s a chemical exfoliant in serum form with lactic acid in a moisturizing base that I’ve been using pretty much nightly since the beginning of the fall and I didn’t notice the results at first but within a few months, it helped with the formation of clogged pore bump-like things on my forehead, faded the textured marks that blemishes always leave behind on my skin and seemed to brighten and even out my skin. I’ve received some compliments on my bare skin recently and I know it’s because of this cream-serum that exfoliates without being harsh or irritating – even on my sensitive skin, all I can feel is a slight tingle (and I tend to feel the tingle with even the gentlest of products).

This month I’ve been playing The Neighbourhood‘s I Love You($7 CDN) album nonstop this month. I’m sure everyone is familiar with them because of “Sweater Weather” but the whole album is just as good. The music is moody, slightly-grungy and angsty deliciousness. I don’t know else to explain it — if you like music that iTunes places in the “alternative” genre, give this a listen if you haven’t already heard it.

Have you tried any of these? What were your favourites this month?

MAC Powder Blush in Well Dressed

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moderate swatch
moderate swatch
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On the cheeks paired with Sonia Kashuk Creme Bronzer in Warm Tan and Benefit Watt’s Up Highlighter in natural daylight

The MAC Powder Blush in Well Dressed ($25 CDN) to be honest has underwhelmed me. It was one of my first blush purchases years ago and I thought I would love it as the perfect everyday blush on my fair skin. I know lots of people with my colouring adore this blush but I just don’t to this day.

The colour is a pale cool-toned pink with a satin finish that has alright but not fantastic pigmentation. I quite like the satin finish as it doesn’t add obvious shimmer to the cheeks but doesn’t leave the cheeks looking flat and chalky and the texture is nice. I find I really have to build up the colour to get it to show up on me but on others and on my wrists, the pigmentation does not appear to be poor so I think that something about my skin-tone on my cheeks causes it to look invisible. On my naturally rosy cheeks, it makes my cheeks look slightly pink, as if my foundation were wearing off when it was still on. I think my yellow undertones and naturally deep rose flush neutralizes the shade on me.

It wears nicely on the skin for seven-eight hours which I consider to be good and doesn’t start to look patchy over time. My problem with the blush is not that it looks natural, per se — I’m a fan of natural-looking blushes that add radiance and brightness to the face — but my issue is that I don’t seem to get that brightening lift from the shade that many others seem to proclaim to. For me, it’s a nicely-formulated-yet-boring pale pink shade that doesn’t seem to do my colouring any favours.

Longevity         – 7.5/10
Pigmentation – 7.5/10
Texture               -9/10
Packaging          -8/10
Overall Value  -7/10

39/50= 78% B+

Have you tried this blush? If you have, what are your thoughts?