Bath and Body Works

I Used Up Products #4

DSC_1358I’m still on that I-now-have-time-to-blog-relax-sleep-and-bathe high but I’m doubly as excited to be bringing you a long overdue empties post that includes what I think are more interesting products. Alas, there are still no makeup items to be found…

DSC_1361Garnier Clean + Nourishing Cleansing Oil ($10-12 CDN) | review

In short, I really enjoyed using and might have even loved this budget-friendly cleansing oil but the packaging has irritated me to no end, spilling and leaking everywhere, refusing to dispense the last of the product and the label easily rolling off. It’ s a good one, effective at removing makeup – but I’m sure there are slightly more hardcore ones to be found – and leaving the skin (and eyes) cleansed and nourished with no sign of irritation. I’m still on the hunt trying other cleansing oil options but I would recommend this one packaging aside and I might very well return to it.

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

Being interested in the benefits of oils, rosehip in particular, I picked this amber-tinged bottle up from Winners maybe a year ago and it has been well loved and easily worth the money. I was using it as a nighttime treatment or dry, irritated skin treatment but over the last few much I had switched up my routine and had been applying it as a serum for extra oomph – and I loved it like that. It definitely does what it claims to, deeply nourishing and soothing the skin with its dry oil texture and helping to brighten the skin and reduce hyperpigmentation over time. I would definitely repurchase but I may be receiving a different oil variation in a little less than two weeks, if you know what I’m getting at.

La Roche-Posay Rosaliac AR Intense ($29.99 CDN) | review

I picked this “localized redness intensive serum” back in the spring when I was hankering to introduce a daily serum into my routine and while there was nothing outwardly bad about the product in the slightest, I harbored lukewarm feelings towards it. I enjoyed that it was in stable packaging, was rather affordable and that it was fragrance free, but it fell short of the claims merely providing some extra hydration and a little bit of soothing action. I don’t plan on repurchasing but I wouldn’t completely count it out as my skin didn’t have any adverse reaction to it.

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Aveeno Eczema Care Body Wash ($13.99 CDN)

While this is one of the most dull-sounding products ever, this soap and fragrance free body wash has to be one of my holy-grail products as it soothes and does not irritate my quite severe eczema on my body and my general extremely sensitive skin. It’s rather nice for shaving too – and I will keep on purchasing this, obviously. I’d tell anyone with dry or sensitive skin to give this a go.

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP Lipid Replenishing Body Care ($29.99 CDN)

Yet again, this is quite a basic-sounding product but it’s equally as much of a live-saver because of – you guessed it – my extremely irritated skin that suffers from eczema. It’s formulated without alcohol, fragrance or any of that irritating stuff and does not only include soothing and hydrating ingredients to combat skin issues; there’s a heady quantity of niacinamide, a cell-communicating ingredient that aids in the repair of the skin barrier that can reduce itching in the future and present the condition from reforming. It’s not a miracle cure but it’s the best thing that I’ve tried. I will warn you, however, that because the cream is rich but lightweight and not a balm or butter texture, it does sting over really irritated areas which isn’t so much fun – however, that does provide an incentive not to scratch. If you suffer from dry skin and general itchiness, I would give this a go.

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L’Oreal Oleo-Therapy Oil-Infused Conditioner ($7.99 CDN)

It appears that I have forgotten to photograph this budget-friendly conditioner but I’m committed to including it anyway. It was a nice rich but not overly heavy conditioner that was impressively potent for a drugstore offering, formulated with oils and without silicones. However, it wasn’t mind blowingly amazing and I would purchase it again, but I might be tempted to try different variations from L’Oreal’s line first. My only hesitation is that the mineral-oil in the formula might be weighing my hair down slightly but overall, I find this to be comparable to these higher end oil-enriched conditioners.

Pureology Precious Oil Softening Hair Masque ($50-55 CDN)

Once again, product from the Pureology Hair Care range does not disappoint on either of the three fronts, the spa-esque fragrance one, the efficacy side or the concentration front. I have an inkling suspicion that its luxury ranges like this one that the L’Oreal Oleo-Therapy line was designed to emulate and while I can see the comparison, this luxurious masque delivers results that are worth the increased price tag. With using this 2/3 washes on my huge mass of long wavy curls, this lasted very close to a year which is rather legendary, detangled hair phenomenally and left my hair very nourished without being weighed down in the slightest. This is on the repurchase list, although I might try one from a different Pureology range because I’m curious. There’s also the fact that I’ve gotten more compliments about how I smell after using products from Pureology than I have wearing any fragrance. And it has a heady concentration of oils and does not contain silicones.

Aveda Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair ($40 CDN)

I actually finished up this heat-protectant come leave-in conditioner ages ago but I just spotted it in my emtpies bag and had to talk about it. My only qualm with the product is that it doesn’t have a super-rich texture and that its rather expensive for the limited amount of product that you get but I think it’s a phenomenal leave-in styler/treatment if you don’t want to weigh down your hair and you have hair that cannot tolerate a lot of conditioning products. I enjoyed the effect the protein had on my hair and that it was not loaded with a ton of fillers, particularly when I used it prior to blow drying and/or straightening my hair as it left that smooth but lightweight feel. I’m not sure if I would repurchase it based on the sheer quantity of hair that I have and the fact that it contains dimethicone near the end of the ingredient list.

Bumble and Bumble Texture Hair (Un) Dressing Creme ($17/32.75 CDN)

As I mentioned in Saturday’s wishlist post, I’ve recently finished up my two ounce bottle of this versatile texturizing cream-gel and am sad to see the tube end. I will be repurchasing this. Two things that are really great about this Bumble and Bumble gem is that its mega-concentrated and that it works well across different hair conditions. I like it on my wavy-curly hair as it enhances curl while adding volume, texture and grittiness to my hair which I definitely need on the first few days of a wash. I love it, I just wish there wasn’t any silicones in it at all, but at least they only occur at the halfway point of the ingredient list. I also enjoy that this has a great deal of hold, especially considering that it is a cream product.

DSC_1362Bath & Body Works Mini Candles in Pumpkin Caramel Latte, Wasabi Apple and Flannel ($3/12)

Given my candle-burning obsession that began at the end of the summer, you had to be expecting that some candle empties would be appearing soon. While I enjoyed all three candles, I can easily place the three candles in a hierarchical order in this manner. I liked the typical-caramel scented Pumpkin Caramel Latte candle but wouldn’t rush out to buy it again because I might be getting caramel’d out and the scent is potent enough on this mini candle that I would be hesitant to pick up the three-wick version. I really enjoyed the unique Wasabi Apple candle and will certainly pick up another if the scent returns – the fresh apple scent was mellowed down with a cut of wasabi and I liked how relaxing and refreshing it was. The Flannel candle was definitely my favourite and it might just be my favourite candle scent ever and I went to repurchase the larger size of this scent a while back and was heartbroken to learn that it was only available as part of the Fall line-up. It has that slightly masculine and spicy vibe that Mahogany Teakwood shares paired with more of a rich muskiness, a pinch of citrus and less woodiness. I will be snapping this candle up the next time I spot it, believe me.

 What products have you finished up as of late?
Maggie, x.

The Weekend Post | The Elusive Mellow Saturday

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While it’s true that my weekends are consistently low-key because I’m that kind of giiiirl but usually their underlying task or purpose is to help reduce the severe anxiety that I have over the million things that I have due, aid in the whole productive human being thing and coerce me out of bed into the morning into the world of actual responsibilities. I might just have to say since heading back to university in September, this is the first weekend that I’ve been able to dedicate to true relaxation – with a bit of organization and prep work on the side, I’ll admit – because there aren’t a million assignments, essays and exams looming on the near horizon that require a productive weekend. Here’s the lowdown:

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(1) Inspiration Collaging – Now I’ll be the first to admit that the whole prospect of having to be decisive with selecting pictures to get all arts and craftsy to collage with would give me heart palpitations if it were to have a deadline and was to be graded by someone else. However, with the freedom of setting up an inspiration board of sorts for myself has the opposite effect, a kind of calming one that doesn’t feel like a complete waste of time.

DSC_1232(2) Candle Burning – It’s safe for me to say that I’m more than a wee bit candle-obsessed at the moment and will use any means of justification found to burn them. But, I actually do think that they provide the perfect ambiance for those low key days. Today I burned the Bath & Body Works Spiced Apple Toddy 3-Wick Candle and it smells exactly as luscious as the name would suggest but the throw is so strong that I only like to light one wick at a time.

(3) Hair Pampering – Regardless of the length or state of the mop on top of your head is in, this time of year tends to wreck havoc on our hair and obviously this is the prime time to go in with a more intensive treatment. To be honest, I actually did this step last night but alas, I’m mentioning it here. I used the protein-rich L’Oreal Total Repair 5 Replenishing Mask that is the best deep treatment that I’ve tried that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. To be fair, it’s one of my favourites regardless of price and it’s nice that it’s not silicone laden.

(4) Lazy Skin Pampering – Normally this is where a mask of the clay and/or exfoliation variety would be used and raved about but it’s been getting rather cold at the moment and my skin would be much better served with something to soothe and combat the dehydration rather than decongesting and quite honestly I cannot be bothered to go through the faff of applying a mask and then having to rinse it off after the appropriate time has passed. I just kept with the usual routine but subbed in my By Nature Organic Rosehip Oil in the serum stage, following in with my usual loved Caudalie Vinosource Riche. It’s soothing, intensely hydrating and helps with brightness and pigmented – what more could you want?

(5) Reading for Enjoyment – There are very few things in life that I love more than pouring through magazines and they have to include reading actual books for actual fun – this rarely happens considering that I have so much required school reading – and drinking lattes coming off of a night of sleep deprivation. In short, there’s nothing more relaxing than looking through a magazine without being in any sort of rush or curling up with a book and not even feeling guilty about it.

Any lazy day thoughts?
Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #42/43

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I can almost believe it when I tell myself that there is a way in looking at this post as slightly early, as well as horrendously late, but the truth is that I haven’t written a blog post in five days. Believe me when I say that I would have salivated at the very thought on any day, – except maybe Tuesday when I had that horrific migraine – It was just the most work-heavy week that I’ve had this year, filled with exam studying, essay writing, reading and assignment writing chaos. I’m pleased to be back here, rambling on about my general thoughts and live musings and I’m not one to be mushy, but let it be known that I love you all dearly. And I wrote that without feeling nauseous in the least.

The good news is that in my absence of posting things regularly has left me with a few noteworthy products that warrant sharing. First up, I’ve been loving the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream ($20) as a delicious smelling, subtly sweet zesty lime-scented nourishing cream because the skin all over my body (not just the eczema-d legs that I go on and on about) has been hella dry and a little bit irritated and this fits the bill while being fun with the scent aspect. I enjoy how non irritating it is but nice and hydrating with the high shea-butter content but I must admit that its not one to put on truly irritated areas.

There’s also the fact that I seem to have convinced myself that not only has my frequent scented-candle burning been helping me handle the stress of my ridiculous life at the moment, but has also increased my productivity. Not too long ago I picked up the ever-popular Bath & Body Works Mahogany Teakwood 3-Wick Candle ($22.50). I might be one of the few that experiences this, but in my small room I can sometimes find these candles a bit overwhelming and I enjoy that the throw of this cologne and woodsy mixed scent is not ridiculous.

I’ve dug out the autumnal warm rusty-tinged pink Benefit Boxed Powder in Rockateur ($36) and have been digging the illuminated rosy effect that it adds to my skin. It’s one that instantly adds life to the face but you don’t have to be overly careful with it which I enjoy because I’m not exactly filled with endless time in the mornings to slap makeup on my face. I’ve also been enjoying the MAC Lipstick in Kinda Sexy($19) and I suppose it’s now safe to say that this peach-hued deeper neutral shade has earned its place in my staples; it has more colour than a nude that suits minimal makeup looks nicely without requiring too much care or thought.

You may be aware that the Sephora VIB Sale has come and past and that there was all sorts of craziness involved in the whole online shopping experience — the site shutting down for everyone due to traffic, the international checkout ban that went on for the first few days — and I’m pleased to be waiting for my package that is now in transit full of all of the products that I intended to get. I’m excited. Another fabulous thing was ChelseaWears’s latest duo of youtube videos. They weren’t exactly of the beauty variety but they were hysterical, nevertheless, and it nearly killed me in the best way possible.

How has your week (and a half) been?
Maggie, x.

(Late) Weekly Medley #38

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1. The essentials for productivity and sanity … I’ve been relying on this trio, a nice magazine to escape to, the uber-amazing Bath & Body Works Flannel Mini Candle and the Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Moisturizing Stick. I‘m confident to say that I can’t explain my deep love of magazines and a good lip balm is such an essential for my permanently chapped lips. And there’s something about lighting a candle that helps me to get stuff done and this one smells warm and spicy and somewhat masculine in a good way.

2. The Thanksgiving face… I set out about to put a normal amount of makeup on, doing my usual thing and somehow this happened but I was rather pleased. The lipstick is the gorgeous MAC Dubonnet, if you wanted to inquire and I love it to death.

3. A trio of products that I’ve been loving … I’ve taken back out the coral MAC Style Blush that’s yet another one of those gorgeous corals with that golden shimmer running throughout, I’ve still been obsessed with my recently discovered Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant Mascara and the L’Oreal Magic Lumi Highlighting Concealer Pen for instantly brightening up my far too-tired face.

4. The shameless self-promotion of the week… I wrote out and put up an updated post that reviewed the Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet last week and it had to be my favourite but I might also enjoy that it serves as evidence that I’m trying to get into the habit of writing more frequent review posts.

5. Hello bath, how I’ve loved thee… I haven’t been really into that whole bath situation in years but I’ve recently gotten into them as of late and have been finding them essential and consequently a wee bit more frequent as of late. The relaxation element is good for my sanity, it ensures that I actually shave my legs on a frequent basis and it’s a way of getting some reading done in peace and tranquility. Those pictured are the noteworthy products.

6. Writing, writing, reading, reading, with some studying thrown in … It never ends and I’m exhausted. It’s that time of year again and obviously this is why I’m putting this post up so inexcusably late!

Things have gotten to that point for me when there’s so much to do and little energy to accomplish anything on that list and this is why this post is so very late — my apologies! Regardless, things have been a little more hectic around these parts and stress-filled so I’m afraid nothing noteworthy has been happening blogging wise but I’m alive and not particularly sleep deprived and/or over-caffeinated at the moment and with that considered, everything is pretty good. I will say I’m loving the whole fall thing as it’s been hitting; there’s something lovely about that cozy attitude and not casually dying of sweat throughout the day.

How was your week?
Maggie, x.

A Standard Autumnal Shopping Trip

 

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I’m sure you know how the story goes already; girl feels stressed and overwhelmed about University life and makes plans with close confidante to have a look at the mall as a reward and you somehow end up with a variety of items that you didn’t have in mind but adore and less money to your name than you can easily stomach. Luckily this time, I didn’t go too crazy and end up in that awful state where you come to feel nauseous after you realize all of the purchases made and I can also say that I bought things that were actually rather utilitarian and I managed to resist any purchases at Sephora and the drugstore. I’m rather proud of myself.

Aldo Lazares Satchel ($60)

First up is a bag, and this is completely justified (actually) because all of my school bags seem to be falling apart in some way and this one caught my eye and ticked all of the boxes. I think I’m in love. It’s a roomy satchel that has a rather muted colourblocked effect with the cobalt, midnight navy and tan detailing and has that slouchiness I adore, coming with a lovely crossbody strap too. It will fit the computer and a few books (I’ve checked) and I think it’s the perfect size for touting around all day and looking decent while out and about too.

 Bath & Body Works Mini Candles ($3/12)

After going through the heartbreak of watching the glass of my Spiced Pumpkin Cider 3-Wick Candle shatter and take the wicks with it before I could even light the candle, I couldn’t resist heading into the store with their sale on and I’m pretty proud that I didn’t succumb to the rather expensive 2/35 offer on the larger candles and instead went for these small ones, but I was disappointed that they were all out of my lost scent. However, I came out with three small candles to try and I’m fairly excited to try them; my favourite has to be Flannel, one of those warm and spicy scents that screams attractive male but also looking forward to burning the weirdly nice-smelling Wasabi Apple Mini Candle and the nicely subdued Pumpkin Caramel Latte Mini Candle that surprised me by not making me feel mildly nauseous on account of the sweet scent.

 Gap Drop-Shoulder Sweater in Mushroom ($38.46)

Before heading home, I was wandering around Gap with the mother, as one does and this one caught my eye and from the moment I felt it, I knew the muted taupe-y slouchy sweater had to be mine. It has a flattering slouchy fit, as one would expect but the material is the best part – it’s nice and lightweight and soft without being heavy or scratchy and I would attribute it to the nylon and wool blend. Love.

 MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Cheeky Bronze ($37)

I was strolling around MAC picking up a makeup gift for someone else and somehow I couldn’t leave MAC too empty handed (for myself) and this shade of the gorgeous luminous Mineralize Skinfinish caught my eye. I’m sure regular readers have heard me rave about limited edition shades loads of times and I couldn’t resist picking this permanent shade up that I could potentially fall in love with and others could actually get it. Whoa. It has the formula that I love and it’s definitely one of the more pigmented and smooth shades and it’s a golden hue with a hint of coral thrown through it. This is definitely not a highlighter on me but I’ve been loving it as a glowy blush – at least in the one time that I’ve worn it. I’m excited. Ever so slightly.

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What have you picked up lately?
Maggie, x.

The Weekend Post | The Productive Pamper

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I’m convinced that there is a reason that we all — in the blogosphere — seem to find ourselves writing posts on the ideal pamper on a frequent basis, in a way that veers towards the obsessive and that said reason is not a lack of originality; there’s something about the power of a pamper, that makes our hectic daily lives a little more relaxed and manageable, I reckon. I have far too much on my growing agenda to abondon in the aim of merely giving myself a little bit of indulgence, however, so I find myself loving the routine of a scaled-down pamper with some productivity thrown in. Now, I’m not necessarily one to look towards for organization inspiration, though. I’m just overcoming my previous status as organizationally impaired.

One. Break down and the list into smaller achievable tasks and write it down.

This seems so obvious but it’s not so simple and easily dismissible as it seems. I can’t even tell you how many times I rolled my eyes when authority figures preached this at me in my earlier school years and while they presented it in the most irritating patronizing manner, they were right in a sense. It’s much easier to get things done when you actually identify what realistically can be accomplished in the time quota and the smaller individual parts that the tasks require. I’m aware of how difficult it can be at first to actually look at what has to get done without making yourself instantly nauseous or panicked.

Two. Gather your tools and edit out the rest.

I’m not someone who has a naturally organized disposition so this was not something that I believed in, in the past but a clutter-free space actually appears to make a difference. I do have to make the effort, forcing myself to get up and choose the necessary items for the whole ordeal and then clean out all of the extras without becoming distracted within he process. It’s not particularly fun — at all — but the tidy-up is a worthy step nonetheless. I’ll get out the books that I have readings that I must get through, my notes if I’m working on some sort of assignment and perhaps my blogging notebook, for example.

Three. Set up the pamper-y atmosphere.

With the previous step down, this one should be a breeze. The whole pampering experience seems to me to be synonymous with the zen-like state and ease that lounging with your feet in the bath, whilst wearing the most luxurious bathrobe and while I wouldn’t go that far on a typical Sunday not-funday, I try to emulate the spa-like experience. I would go for some of the most comfortable and cozy glorified sweatpants-and-a-hoodie combo, embrace the cliche and light a scented candle, with a magazine and cozy blanket within sight.

Four. Work a face mask into the routine and add full-on body cream slather into the mix.

Obviously, the pamper requires pamper products and with productivity in mind, it only makes sense to go for a duo (or trio) of products that bring on that pampered feeling with minimal time and effort while making the whole task of getting stuff done a little bit more enticing. So, I normally would go for a mask but I didn’t because my skin is like the sahara desert at the moment — but I normally would. Instead, I went for the fruit-acid containing Indeed Laboratories Facial Powdered Exfoliator ($30) that once mixed with water forms a milky foam that instantly brightens and perks up the skin without adding to the dryness situation or further irritating the skin. Unless you have such irritated skin that body moisturization is a necessity or you are obsessed with the whole experience, you likely aren’t someone who religiously finds themsleves slathering on the lotion twice daily but just going for this indulgent experience can be a breath of fresh air, while being bundled in the most cozy blanket, of course. I use a separate cream on my lower legs on account of my irritated eczema there and this cream is the lovely La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP ($30) . For the rest of my body, I’ll go for my new Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream ($20) that I adore because it smells like the most appealing zesty margarita and has the most luxurious creamy texture.

Five. Tidy up the nails and whatever that entails.

I may be someone who spent the majority of her life away from that whole mani-pedi nail-painting game but I do recognize the power of having simply tidied nails, whether they are polished or not. Although the whole nail-doing task takes an embarrassing amount of effort for me, the process seems to be tremendously calming on the psyche, whether or not you go for the whole ordeal or are just bringing your nails into tip-top shape with a coat of clear polish on top. The whole upkeep situation has been almost too much for me lately but I’m undecided as to whether I’ll forgo the manicure or not…

Happy (or-not-so-Happy) Sunday!
Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #29

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

The Weekend Post: The Current Obsessions

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

Essie Bikini So Teeny Nail Lacquer ($8)

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

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

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

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

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

MAC Swiss Chocolate Eyeshadow ($12/18)

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

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

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

Suits TV Show

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

What are you currently obsessed with?
Maggie, x.

5 Current Lusts #3: July

Desktop

Considering that it’s only my second week of switching my posts up on Sundays but nevertheless, I have to say that I’m enjoying it thus far. I could easily call this a Weekend Wishlist kind of post as it follows that sort of lazy and relaxed mindset but I’ve restrained myself. And weirdly enough, wish lists keep my spending closer to in line and I imagine it will help more than hurt the no-buy situation at present.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Gel Serum Foundation in 52 ($27)

As if by any stretch of the imagination I have any reason to pick up yet another foundation… alas, I have to include this one as it’s next on the seemingly never-ending list. Note: I fully acknowledge that I have a foundation-hoarding problem. Now that I’ve tried (and consequently have fallen in love with) a Chanel foundation, I can say that the Bourjois foundations remind me of the much more expensive brand, remaining thin and lightweight on the skin while giving the illusion of naked but more luminous skin — so obviously I need to try another one of their foundations, particularly one in a shade that will actually match me throughout my paler months. There is also the fact that my most trusted sources unanimously praise this one for its ability to glide over dry patches and give a glow to the skin.

Bath and Body Works Espresso Bar Small Candle ($10 – on for $5)

I’m not someone who is usually sensitive to scents but I can’t seem to go into Bath & Body Works for any length of time without acquiring a headache so I haven’t ever tried any of their products and even more, I haven’t burned a scented candle once in my life but I’ve decided that I wanted to try one as the idea of the whole soothing experience appeals to me. While it might not be the most seasonally-appropriate, there’s not much I love as much as the smell of coffee and if this delivers and I manage to safely deal with matches and/or a lighter, thinks look promising.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat ($41)

Unless you’ve only stumbled upon this post by chance, it’s a given that you’ve read at least one post where I wax poetically on about the cooler pink Ethereal Glow that I splurged on in the April Sephora sale and I’ve made a dent in that one — don’t know how I feel about that — so I obviously *need* (jokes) another; the one I’m lusting after is the true warm-toned coral, Diffused Heat. I’m a coral blush addict but this one seems to be a fairly true coral which is definitely a little different than my typical pink-tinged ones and if it performs anything like Ethereal Glow, it will be life changing with it’s soft-focus glowy-but-not-shimmery effect.

 MAC Eyeshadow in Smut ($12/18)

I’ve been massively into the shades in my almost-full (eek!) MAC palette as of late but as I love a good smoky eye, it’s becoming particularly noticeable to me that I’m lacking that ultra-dark/black shade for the outer corner and lash line — Smut strikes me as the ideal shade. This shade is so dark that it’s almost black, the deepest of browns with some plum and grey thrown into the mix and is supposedly much nicer in texture to work with than many of MAC’s other deep shades are to boot! Plus, the slight dirty tone to the shade deeply appeals to me.

Aldo ‘Cagno’ Bag ($60)

I could definitely use a new everyday bag right now but I’m persevering despite having a bag or two wearing out on me and Aldo makes nice ones at a decent price. I’m still absolutely obsessed with anything grey and I love the different coloured sides and it appears rather roomy with a cross-body option so it should also work throughout the year when I’m in classes. It looks like it will easily fit my laptop and general obsessive tendencies when packing my bag.

What items are on your wishlist?
Maggie, x.