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A Weekend Wishlist

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While in my experience it is crucial to write unique content to your aesthetic, it can be fine to follow the herd at other times, especially ones like this one where it feels authentic; without futher ado, I’m jumping onto the bandwagon with my first ever cliched ‘Weekend Wishlist’. Keep on reading if you’d like to hear my latest musings about this edited selection of items that I’m lusting over at the moment…

1.Nuxe Reve De Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm ($19) 

The Nuxe balm is one of those products that are constantly raved about by other bloggers with supposedly similar lip concerns as mine but it’s something that I’ve always passed off as purely hype but when I was strolling around the large Shopper’s Drugmart in downtown Halifax, I spotted the balm and gave the tester a try on the back of my hand. I was impressed with how rich the translucent matte balm felt instantly and I’ve got my eye on this one now. I have reeeeeeally dry, sensitive and chapped lips, if you weren’t already aware and I’m always searching for a cure, or at the very least a product that works rather well.

2. NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita ($30)

I’ve been on a NARS kick lately (and loving it) and I’ve had my eye on this deep rosy hue for ages  so it only seems prudent to include this one here. I haven’t tried the velvet matte lip pencils yet but I have tried the Satin formulation and I want to try more. I’ve been really into these your-lips-but-deeper shades that instantly make you look less dead but aren’t too over the top and this one seems to be the quintessential autumnal shade.

3. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush ($41)

I’m fairly certain that I included the Diffused Heat shade in my last wishlist post and I haven’t since indulged in a second shade of the luxurious blush range but I figure that since I just bought another coral blush, I should have my eye on one in this range that is at least slightly different than my 383 coral blushes. Luminous Flush is described as a “champagne rose” and from what I’ve heard the description is apt, being a more glowing warm rosy shade. I am aware of my blush problem, if you were wondering.

4. H&M Powder Oversized Jumper ($19.95)

I absolutely adore these lightweight and relaxed sweaters — in fact, they are a wardrobe staple — and I loved the pale blush-hued lettering on this one. It seems to tick all of the other boxes too, being very affordable and having the bold lettering graphic. A sweater like this, skinny jeans or leggings and a slouchy scarf are the main components of my quintessential fall outfits.

5. MUJI 5 Drawers Acrylic Case ($27.95)

Given how horrifically cliched the inclusion of the typical makeup storage is here, I’m doubtful that much of an explanation is required. Even after looking around for a local and more affordable storage option, I’ve come up with nothing and am seriously considering paying the monstrous shipping rate and ordering from the storage experts themselves. It’s funny how I used to laugh at those who got excited over beauty storage but now seem to be turning into someone who spends time researching makeup storage. If any of you have used Muji storage, let me know if its worthwhile below – please?

6. Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Powder Pink ($32)

Again, I’m emphasizing my awareness of my teeny-tiny blush buying problem. Lately I’ve been really enjoying the natural-looking luminosity that cream blushes bring to the cheeks and this multi-purpose formula instantly came to my mind as an option; they’re not overly pricy and they go gorgeously onto the cheeks and lips. I already have the much warmer and deeper Rose shade (which I love) and this lighter/brighter warm pink shade seemed right up my street. Plus, it’s not even coral…

7. NARS Radiant Cream Foundation in Fiji ($43)

My foundation obsession slash buying problem might just rival my blush one but this product is actually one that I’ve sampled for a good amount of time and believe to be worth the money. The cream texture feels lightweight on the skin, doesn’t highlight dry patches and provides a gorgeous luminosity to the skin while offering good medium-plus coverage. Somehow this manages to perfect the skin without giving that dull mask-like effect in the slightest. Although Punjab is a better match for me now when I have a bit of colour, Fiji seems to be a better match for me throughout the year with it’s peachy-beige undertones. I can definitely see this foundation as a staple in the cooler months, but I’ve been using my sample in the hot weather and it works well too.

8. Dior Star Fluid Foundation in 20 Light Beige ($58)

So I need another foundation like I need a hole in my head but when I heard about Dior’s new foundation offering and it’s alcohol-free ingredient list, I was instantly intrigued. Dior has impressed me before with the Diorskin Nude foundation so when I heard of their new brightening and illuminating foundation and read the impressive ingredient list, I knew that I at least had to try it. It also helps that I’ve heard great things about this one, being all illuminating and skin-like and all that jazz. It shall be mine.

9. Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant ($24)

Despite not trying her actual line of products, I have been listening to her product recommendations for over a year now and have watched my skin improve so naturally I’ve been curious about her affordable but effective product line and given my love of well-formulated alcohol-free chemical exfoliants, this brightening daily formula was an obvious contender.

10. Citizens of Humanity Avedon Ultra Skinny Jeans ($209)

Even as I type the words into the keys of my laptop, I can scarcely believe that I am seriously including a two hundred dollar pair of jeans in one of my realistic wishlist but nevertheless here I am, doing this. Last year, I picked up a pair of these jeans for less than half of the retail price in a plum colour and fell in love –they suck in the stomach like nothing else, make the butt look less flat and are comfortable to boot — and I’d love to snap up another pair in a more traditional hue if the price was right. These skinny jeans are magical on my thin and stick-like legs slash rather nonexistent butt —if you know me in real life, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

11. Nude Skincare Miracle Mask ($60)

It was not intentional in the least, but it does seem rather fitting that both skincare products mentioned are brightening options, loaded with AHA’s. The one, however, it significantly more expensive but what others have said in praise of this one and the ingredient list make it into a promising option; it’s an exfoliating treatment with gentle rice powder along with the chemical exfoliants in mask form that is meant to combat dullness and an uneven skin tone. In my experience, AHA’s have done all of these things and more for my skin so I’m always up for trying more.

What products are topping your wishlist at the moment?

Maggie, x.

The Acquisition: MAC Style Blush

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Hands up if you can remember when I spoke of a cheeky MAC purchase that occurred when out, goofing around and shopping with friends — honestly, I’d be surprised to find too many hands raised for that one — but you’d be more likely to raise your hand if you’re aware of my coral blush buying problem/ love… this has been chronicled here on many occasions. Ramble over. Did I need yet another coral blush; was this one so different than others in my stash to completely warrant purchasing? The answer to any sane person would be no but I can rationalize it to myself because it does differ from the dozen other coral blushes I own.

It’s my first frost blush from MAC and the finish is much different than I expected, not miles different from the Sheertone Shimmer blushes that I’m familiar with, simply with less obvious shimmer and a stronger sheen – and not an overpowering one or unflattering one at that. The texture, pigmentation and longevity on this one are all amazing — especially the longevity considering that this blush is not advertised as long lasting but lasted on me for 12 hours without fading in the heat. The colour of this one is a strong orange-coral with such a strong golden sheen running throughout that it has a duochrome kind of quality to it. This is definitely one that you have to be careful if you’re fairer with a cooler skintone because it has a tendency to flash orange; however, I’m relatively fair and I don’t have this problem because of my neutral-to-warm undertones. This is also a shade that would be gorgeous on medium to deep skins as well because of its pigmentation and orangey undertone. With it’s golden sheen, this one instantly adds glow to the cheeks and brightens my face and is a versatile one in my opinion because it’s a subtler shade with one layer and builds in intensity with the second (in a flattering way). I’ve shown this below here with a light application on the left and a slightly heavier one on the right:

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To reiterate, quality-wise MAC Style Powder Blush is top notch and given that it costs $21 in pan form and $26 in compact form for a whooping 0.21 oz of product, it is rather economical. It has quickly become a staple in my collection of blushes; I say collection despite how funny it sounds because I acknowledge fully that I might perhaps have a small problem. In the pan, Style does not look different than the MAC Springsheen Blush but when swatched, they are different and I prefer Style on account of the texture, gorgeous sheen and hint of orange-coral to it. However, it is even more similar to (not identical) to the limited edition MAC Stereo Rose MSF, but is a little bit more of an amped-up coral that leans more on the orange-copper side of things — in a good way. Both shades have that gorgeous sheen and if you’ve been wanting to try the MSF, I would recommend giving this one a go in its place.

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Comparison swatches from top to bottom: MAC Style, MAC Springsheen, MAC Stereo Rose
Have you tried Style?
Maggie, x.

Tuesday’s Daily Highlights

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Tuesday was all kinds of crazy, beginning with an early start (and stressful one), involving getting my first fillings, and didn’t slow down until nighttime, being out and about all day but it was a day that I was pleased with the whole makeup etc. situation. So despite not getting a good quality photo in the slightest, I thought I would share the items that I was particularly pleased with along with some thoughts; I’m sure you know the drill by now.

Although my nails weren’t quite as presentable as in the above photo — it was a good few days later and the polish was quite caked on — I was loving them. I was wearing (and still am) the Essie Snakeskin Magnetic Nail Colour in Sssssexy and although it took far too many coats to get there, I actually managed to get the magnetic effect to work — the secret is in shaking the bottle to activate the magnetic ability by the way — but I only figured out on my forth coat. I love the opaque formula, as I could almost have gotten away with one coat and the oxblood hue and the magnet-induced gradient gave them cool-looking definition. This was my first foray back into the autumnal shades that I adore and I don’t expect to be putting it down soon.

The thing about getting up and ready early, especially when you’re nervous, is that your practical senses aren’t exactly on point. This rarely happens but I managed to leave the house while wearing a dirty top so I was left without the time to come home and change and had to find something to buy where we were. Although I haven’t shopped there consistently since my junior high years, I popped into Garage and quickly found a cute paper-thin sweater to replace the shirt I had on; said garment was called the Black Slit Dolman Sleeve Tee and I’ve surprised myself by how much I love the faded ‘greige’ top. I love that I can wear it in the warmer weather that we’re having because it’s so lightweight and doesn’t make you overheated but still attractive with it’s slightly cropped cut (I was wearing high-waisted jeans) and slouchy shape. I’m having a love affair with these grey-beige neutrals at the moment. It also has that cute-yet-impractical open back.

Even though it was quite a quick and low-key makeup day as it was so early and I was so tired, there were three products worthy of mention and two of them were new ones chronicled in yesterday’s post here. I’ve mentioned my love of eyeliner on even the most minimal of makeup days and because everything was low-key, I figured it was the day to try my sample of the Marc Jacobs Beauty High(Liner) in Brown(Out) and I was as pleased as can be about that decision; I had never had anything glide on so smoothly (yet nicely) and with as rich colour as the bronzy-tinged liner. It also lasted like nothing else and now I’m intrigued by these liners… The second new product that had to be mentioned was the rosy-tinged tan and ivory coloured NARS Contour Blush in Paloma because with a few swipes on the cheekbones and temples, my face was given instant shape and cheekbones.

And last but not least, my beloved Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Smooth-Effect Makeup had to be mentioned – yet again. With my fingertips, I can quickly blend this velvety foundation into my skin in a way that makes it look like its my skin rather than makeup, it lasts well and it has that natural luminosity to it. It’s a nice one for tired skin especially when you’re wearing SPF underneath and want to avoid that shiny effect that would happen with a dewier foundation. And it offers a good medium coverage somehow. It’s fantastic.

What have your daily highlights been?
Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #30

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THE  CATCH UP
Monday August 11: Weekly Medley #29 | Tuesday August 12: Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Natural Beauty | Friday August 15: My MAC Eyeshadow Palette | Saturday August 16: Five of the Best Beauty Bargains | Sunday August 17: The Six-Step Sunday

Before I get onto the tragically boring details of my life, I thought I would touch on the more blog-y things that are usually reserved for later in the posts… There were five posts this week and while their times weren’t exactly as regular on my arbitrary undecided schedule of things as they could be, I was very pleased with each one and didn’t have any of those ‘meh’ moments of post-related self-doubt. If you take a close look above at the collage/mosaic, you might notice that I included two of my weekly posts and as you can likely imagine, those two posts were the ones that I was the most proud of. Ever since beginning to blog, I’ve wanted to do a MAC Palette Post (and do it well), but it actually proved to require some decision making and dedication as I looked into it and on Friday, I was pleased to publish the post that included swatches and some abridged shade thoughts. I was also quite pleased with my spur-of-the-moment “The Six-Step Sunday” post and seeing as it got a good number of views, I’ve made the assumption that you guys did too. Correct me if I’m wrong, though! I’m sure it was not the most unique post by any means but I felt it rang true to me and my blog as a low-key guide to my Sunday philosophy. I hope this makes some sort of sense but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s more than a little ambiguity present but I’ll stop rambling and move on.

Amelia’s “Minimal Makeup Holiday Staples” had to be the standout post that I’ve scoured over this week; as per usual, it was written in her entertaining and chatty style and she’s awfully close to selling me on her staples. I do quite enjoy reading posts that detail the staple products that one uses on a low-key day that doesn’t involve looking all glammed up and primping for a good hour and I might write one in the near future. Any thoughts?

It was a better week because I was certainly kept busier and there was preparatory organization going on for the upcoming school year and all that, with all PMS-related crappiness aside. The highlight of my week had to be Tuesday when I had breakfast with some of my closest friends and relaxed, watching some Netflix before heading into town to do some retail therapy. I don’t have much to document it, but it was truly a fabulous day. There were also a few products that stood out to me in the last week or so as favourites, both old and new. The only new item of my loved trio is the MAC Feline Kohl Power Pencil, a purchase that happened on Tuesday that a don’t regret in the slightest; the rich black shade applies creamily and glides on like a dream while still smudging nicely. However, if you have smudging issues with liner, it might not be one to try. I’ve dug the muted-coral MAC Sweet & Sour Lipstick and have been digging the hue, going for it most days because it has enough colour to work with minimal makeup present but doesn’t make too much of a statement either. And last but not least, I’ve rediscovered my love for warm peachy-champagne liquid highlighter, the Benefit Cosmetics Girl Meets Pearl and have been loving the natural luminosity that it gives to the cheekbones.

How was your week?
Maggie, x.

The Six Step Sunday

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I think I’ll begin with a bit of a secret (but not a particularly surprising one) — Sunday’s aren’t really different than any other day of the week in my world except in the way that I like to treat them. There’s something about Sunday’s that make it acceptable to spend the day in bed, look a little bit less polished and be a much less productive human being and I’m not going to complain about that. Here are a few of my guidelines that I follow and break on a regular occasion…

STEP ONE: THE COZY LOUNGE SPACE & IDEAL READING MATERIAL

My cozy lounge space is my bed but I have made sure to fully make it, with the sheets tucked in smoothly and everything with the pillows pushed up for the perfect little nest effect but any old nook or cozy corner will definitely suffice. It’s a tough call for me to decide whether or not my love of reading and general reading materials rivals my love of beauty products, so obviously the latter part is essential. There’s something particularly therapeutic about reading a good old weighty novel and at the moment I’ve returned to the task of reading Atlas Shrugged and I’m enjoying reading it but I do enjoy a heftier novel (in length and subject matter) than most. I’m not leaving out reading materials of the other variety, however; I also love to have a magazine handy to scour through and to binge-read a blog, whether its an old-favourite of mine or a newfound discovery.

STEP TWO: FIND SOMETHING DECENT TO PUT ON THAT IS ESSENTIALLY GLORIFIED/ATTRACTIVE SWEATS

I’m particularly passionate about being comfortable because I’m one of those people who can’t feel fully relaxed and mellow without absolute comfort but this doesn’t mean that I want to be wearing threadbare old sweats or pyjamas; I like to feel a little more pulled together than that both for the feeling in itself and in case I decide to join civilization. Today’s choice was a repurposed sleepwear top from Forever 21 and a pair of the expensive but comfortable Lululemon Athletica leggings, known as the famous Wunder-Unders. I feel the need to inform you that these are the most flattering and comfortable leggings, especially if you have a flat but like me and fear looking like a prepubescent boy with man-boobs.

STEP THREE: GET A DRINK & INDULGENT SNACK

When I was writing out this step here, I was referring to a beverage of the caffeinated variety but I can definitely see an alcoholic one being potentially more enjoyable and weekend appropriate, alas I was good and grabbed a nice cup of tea in my newfound favourite mug. There’s something therapeutic in this act but it seems incomplete without an accompanying snack of the same calibur. At the moment, I’m the most hormonal I’ve been in years (TMI? — OOPS) and despite surviving on my low fructose diet, I’ve been craving chocolate like nobody’s business and although I never used to be a dark chocolate person, I’ve been enjoying a row or two of a 70-85% dark chocolate bar, almost to the same degree as I used to inhale the chocolate-coated mini cheesecakes — they’re amazing by the way.

STEP FOUR: SORT OUT THE SKIN AND HAIR

Two nights back, suffering from a terrible migraine, I did something that I rarely do – put a treatment in my dry tangly hair (in this case, coconut oil) and put the full effort into sectioning my monstrosity of hair off into sections and go to town with my brush of choice, the Goody tangle-teezer ‘dupe’ but if I hadn’t done that I definitely would have tried to deal with the tangly hair situation and give it a bit of a treat as well. Although I also like to take the time during the week to give my skin a treatment (a mask etc.), it has become part of the Sunday routine to go for a mask. At the moment, I’ve been enjoying using the Soap & Glory Scrub Your Nose in It because it acts like a decongesting mask when left on the skin whilst exfoliating the skin with the gentle clay and acids in the formula. It also doesn’t dry out my skin which is rather nice. If I’m feeling more dehydrated or my skin is in need of more smoothing action, I’ll reach for a hydrating mask and my one of choice depends on the time of day I’m applying it; the more gel-like texture of The Body Shop Aloe Protective Restoring Mask allows it to be used during the day and I reach for it if I’m looking for a treatment during the day or I’ll put on the more nourishing hardcore Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask overnight, as the name would suggest.

STEP FIVE: DO SOMETHING WITH THE NAILS

I guess I’m a fidgety person and this results in my nail polish never staying nicely on my nails despite my best efforts (and products) and this tends to lead to me getting annoyed with the whole nail institution and neglect them until the point where they look raggedy and horrific; on Sunday’s I try to remedy this situation. At the very least, I’ll trim my nails, giving them some shape before applying a clear strengthener — at the moment I’m using the Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Diamond Shine Base & Top Coat. However, it can also be therapeutic to apply some polish too, even if it doesn’t last as long as it should. Angst.

STEP SIX: GATHER THE SLAP ‘ER ON ESSENTIALS

I’m a big fan of the no-makeup Sunday (or Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday etc.) and I do tend to follow that philosophy most weeks but I also like to have a small selection of products on hand, separated into a small makeup bag or in some other way that I can grab and take with me or quickly apply if I suddenly need to be more presentable for going out in public in a more polished fashion. For a nice skin-like finish, I’ll grab either the Chanel Perfection Lumiere Smooth-Effect Makeup , or the Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream if I’m potentially in need of strong sun protection and/or hydration — the latter is particularly nice because it also performs like a treatment, hydrating the skin and soothing it. I’ll often simply go for a highlighting concealer pen like the L’Oreal Paris Magic Lumi Concealer in Fair to conceal underneath my eyes and a little bit of redness unless my dark circles are catastrophic, when I have to use my beloved Bobbi Brown Corrector. For the eyes, I’ll put a cream shadow on like the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded before going in with a bit of liner and mascara quickly and I’ll at the very least put some bronzer on my face and some balm on my lips. This sounds like a load of products but honestly it’s three minutes worth of work in the way that I apply makeup and it makes me feel loads better.

What steps do you take to ensure that you have an ideal Sunday?
Maggie, x.

Five of the Best Beauty Bargains

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Rather than introducing you to yet another affordable beauty product that I hold in high regard as of now, I thought that I would give a roundup of the affordable products that I’ve been relying on and valuing heavily at the moment. I can’t promise that what I say about these products and the products themselves won’t have appeared around here times before, however. Isn’t a little repetition a good thing?

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L’Oreal Glam Bronze Mono in 04 Universal Sun ($15 CDN)– full post here

I can’t even. Honestly this newer bronzer release has blown me away and I haven’t been able to stray from the smooth-textured blend able soft-matte bronzer for long since picking it up. The formula is pigmented but easy to work with and doesn’t sit on the skin stiffly and unnaturally like most powders do and rather glides on creamily. These come in a variety of shades but I’ve only tried this medium-toned warm bronzer with reddish undertones and I love the colour for adding natural bronziness to my face whilst being able to add a bit of shadow to the cheekbones because it’s not orange-y in the slightest. I swear this bronzer is easy to use and builds like a dream and will never betray you by looking chalky or muddy. I’ll stop now… You’re welcome.

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Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser ($9-11 CDN)

This is definitely one of the unsung heroes of my personal assortment of beauty products, both in the sense that I don’t feel that others rave about the prowess of the product enough and that I don’t give it the credit it deserves on a frequent basis. It’s basically the gentlest cream cleanser in existence that not only doesn’t include detergents and therefore doesn’t strip or irritate the skin but also nourishes the skin. It’s only downside is that it’s not one that removes makeup well in the slightest. However, it’s a great second cleanser or morning cleanser that easily rinses clean.

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Annabelle Smoothliner in Black ($6-7 CDN)

Even without putting the wallet-friendly price into consideration, this is among the very best liners that I’ve ever tried and it’s my favourite for using on the top waterline because it does not transfer to the lower lashline or budge. However, it’s not absolutely perfect because the creamy texture ensures that it needs to be sharpened frequently (if not, it comes out really unevenly) and therefore the product goes quickly. With this aside, the waterproof formula is creamy rather than waxy and stays put for ages. The shade is a richly pigmented black and it also can be smudged nicely as long as you work quickly. In short, I love this liner and will repurchase it after I use it up which shouldn’t be too far into the future.

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DSC_0205From the top: L’Oreal Universal Sun, Maybelline Deep Bronze, Maybelline Pink Rose

Maybelline Master Hi-Light Light-Boosting Blush/Bronzer in 20 Pink Rose/ 60 Deep Bronze ($14-16 CDN) – full post here

I’ve raved about the Deep Bronze shade time and time again as a gorgeous rosy copper blush (rather than its intended use) and that love has not wavered in the slightest and since having such success with that shade, I picked up the true rosy pink shade (Pink Rose) and have been enjoying that shade as well. They’re not the cheapest but the texture and formula of these powders is so gorgeous that they are truly a bargain; the shimmer is so fine that it reads like a glowy sheen, the pigmentation is on-point and lasts as such and they blend seamlessly into the skin like the most finely-milled of products. I highly recommend trying at least one of these.

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Rimmel Colour Rush Intense Colour Balm in Lady Marmalade ($7-8 CDN)

This is definitely the newest product (to me) of the bunch but I’ve worn it a good amount and it has been so impressive; it may just be my favourite of the balm pencils, at the drugstore at least. The true pinky-coral hue doesn’t lean so warm that it tends to pull out the yellow in the teeth and goes over dry patches like a champ, actually hydrating along the way with the balm quality but it also served so stain my lips after wearing it for an hour or two — the colour lasted for six hours through a snack and a small meal. It seems to both be comfortable to wear and effortless while still providing on the longevity front, at least if you leave it on the lips for long enough to set.

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What’s your favourite budget buy at the moment?
Maggie, x.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I USED UP PRODUCTS #3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bioderma Sensibio H20 ($22/ 250 mL)

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

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

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

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Maybelline The Falsies Black Drama Mascara ($9)

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

What have you used up lately?
Maggie, x.

The Review: Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Weekly Medley #27/28

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Looking to catch up?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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