beauty

Three Things

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I apologize for the sheer abundance of rambly posts where I complain about some of the school-related woes that I have to overcome but it’s all that seems to cross my mind these days, however I often astound myself with my ability to procrastinate from the pressure of accomplishment itself. Somehow this is how a good number of my blog posts come to be. Hmmmm.
evidence of incompetency
evidence of incompetency (read below)

Why don’t I ever talk about anything fashion related here? Well, it’s not out of a lack of interest and that’s for certain; I’m someone who attempts to look somewhat pulled together but comfort is key in my world so sometimes (err most of the time) it just does not happen and in all honesty I’m a mediocre photographer at best and therefore impaired at taking nice style shots and the like. I’m willing to make an exception for this infinity scarf that I picked up from American Eagle a few months back for around $35 CDN and have been obsessed with ever since. I love infinity scarves and this one combines my love for fair-isle, looking festive and cozy while still looking presentable and polished.

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To be honest, it sort of astounds me that the NARS Golshan Satin Lip Pencil ($30 CDN) doesn’t get more love and mention from me here. I’ve been so close to including it in a few recent favourites posts yet I’ve found myself restraining from doing so because it’s not exactly something that I reach for day after day as it’s such a full-on shade. But, oh man, is the formula of the shade gorgeous – it glides over dry patches like a dream and leaves the perfect deep wine colour on the lips that lasts without requiring loads of maintenance. I’m going to be sad when spring truly comes and it will be no longer acceptable to wear the shade….

I gave the Marc Jacobs Beauty Starlet Palette ($71) a glowing review earlier in January and featured it in a few other posts but it’s something that I have mixed feelings about as an all-inclusive palette. The seven metallic shades are interesting offerings for a neutral palette and are fantastic quality shades but I don’t necessarily believe that it offers a variety of cohesive everyday looks on its own exactly. I had taken a break from using the luxurious palette for a bit but I dug it out today and was glad that I did. I did add my eyebrow shade, MAC Coquette, in the crease for some depth but still the champagne on the lid with the dark bronzy shade in the outer corner is a winning laid-back combination in my eyes.

I fear I must get back to digging through articles, researching for the essay that’s killing me (it’s a philosophy one) and making some headway actually writing my paper. What have you been loving in the last little bit? Any thoughts on the products I mentioned?

Maggie, x.

 

 

Maybelline ‘The Buffs’ Lipsticks in Blushing Beige & Nude Lust

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top: Blushing Beige bottom: Nude Lust
top: Blushing Beige
bottom: Nude Lust

“Spring Break” can be somewhat of a funny thing; when you think of said break, you most likely are thinking about partying down south and relaxing but in my reality, it’s going to be spent sleeping and trying to get some much-needed work out of the way. So this break (beginning today err yesterday now) does not actually feel like your average break (I’ve such a thing does exist) as it will involve a good quantity of labour but let me say that I’m delighted to have some time to breathe and laze around home in pyjamas with my hair in a messy bun, plopped unattractively on the top of my head. Step one is getting out some of these posts that I’ve been meaning to write for ages.

As always, it took ages for the Maybelline The Buffs Lipsticks Lipsticks to enter to the Canadian waters but when they did and went on sale while doing it, I was all over that display. The collection features numerous ‘nude’ lipsticks that would suit a variety of skin-tones ranging from the pale beiges to darker browns and I picked up two shades on the lighter end (but not the lightest) of the spectrum, 915 Blushing Beige and 920 Nude Lust. These are a part of the large colorsensational line and retail for $9-10 CDN and certainly less in the US. Blushing Beige applies (and swatches) paler than it appears in the tube so although the shades look similar in the tube, they are remarkably different on the lips. This shade is a warm-toned peachy nude that is on the lighter end of the spectrum but does not appear ghastly in the least. Nude Lust has a more neutral base and comes off as a medium-toned beigey nude with a wee bit of brown in it and none of that peachiness.

Both of the shades have that typical Maybelline play-doh smell that I may not particularly like but am not altogether bothered by. The entire Buffs collection comes in the unexpected packaging except the bullets are covered with a more opaque beige-brown lid that looks a great deal less cheap than the packaging of the much-loved Vivids line, if you ask me.

While the formula is not infallible, I was quite impressed with it overall. I’ve only tried these shades which are obviously both on the lighter end of the spectrum but I do find these shades highlight the dry patches in my lips ever-so-slightly – but I do have very dry lips which I do not actually in fact exfoliate… Both of these have a nice cream finish that last on the lips for 3-4 hours with slight eating and drinking which is impressive for how comfortable and lightweight they are to wear. I do not necessarily find them hydrating but I’m certain that they are not drying in the slightest and they are lightweight on the lips. The formula reminds me of MAC Cremesheen finish but to be honest I like these better (read: I don’t adore the cremesheen formula). They are fairly opaque but can be sheered out slightly.

These two shades have found a home in my purchase along with my stash of lip products that seem to accumulate and I’ve been enjoying wearing these loads. I love both of the shades for different reasons and the only thing that would make it better is if they kind of had a shade that mixed the qualities of the two, being slightly darker like Nude Lust whilst still having the flattering pink-undertone of Blushing Beige. Blushing Beige, on me at least, seems to be shade that I reach for when I’m wearing heavier eye makeup as it is a bit too light to be worn with more minimal makeup on the eyes, whereas Nude Lust can be worn wearing lighter eye makeup as it isn’t so pale – I’m aware that I’m stating the obvious here but it had to be done.

915 Blushing Beige
915 Blushing Beige
920 Nude Lust
920 Nude Lust

Barely Blushing is similar to MAC Creme d’Nude in both finish and colour, however it is slightly darker and has stronger peachy undertones. Nude Lust reminded me of MAC Patisserie but the Maybelline offering has much stronger beige undertones and the formula is much more opaque and less shimmery and glossy. Patisserie is very pink in comparison.

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Top-Bottom: Maybelline Barely Blushing, MAC Creme d’Nude, Maybelline Nude Lust, MAC Patisserie

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

Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #4

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This has been one of those weeks that requires limited elaboration so I’ll try to spare you my usual meaningless lengthy blabber. I’m pretty much in the same kind of zone as any other University student, stressed to the maximum with more work to do than she can handle. On top of this, I haven’t really been sleeping (at all) due to the stress of this and to be honest, I haven’t really been going for anything elaborate beauty-wise, as you can probably imagine. To be honest this has been one of those weeks when it’s a struggle to pull myself out of bed in the mornings.

After trying the much talked about Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation ($11-12 CDN) last week and using it on the daily since, I’m pleased to report that’s a foolproof slap er on kind of foundation that successfully masks the dreaded sleep-deprived and stressed face with minimal effort – and when you have about three minutes before running out the door, it can be applied with the fingers somewhat attractively in maybe thirty seconds. Score.

 

 

Generally speaking, I am a magazine fanatic and there’s always one that I’m subscribed to at any given time and at the moment it’s Elle Canada, which I subscribed to on a whim and I’ve been particularly impressed with the newly released March 2014 issue. While remaining on the affordable end of style/beauty magazines, it has interesting style and beauty content while still containing interesting and relevant nicely written articles as well. It can be difficult. It’s one of those rare magazines that seems to be written for those who have graduated from high school but do not quite have their lives sorted out yet for the next twenty-or-so years. This month featured a pull-out Spring/Summer 2014 Beauty Trend Report and as one would expect, I was all over it – I’m not a person who necessarily chooses makeup and other beauty products based on trends but I do like to see some inspiration, especially on dreary days like these. I particularly enjoyed the article titled “The Hits” that detailed ten spring fashion essentials.

 

 

Over the last few weeks, I’ve noted that I have been running dangerously low on mascara – not a hyperbole – and after dropping into Walmart last week and seeing this on for eight or so dollars I picked up the L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess Mascara ($9-10 CDN) and I’m really loving it (even though it is not dried out yet!) thus far. I tried the original Voluminous Million Lashes years ago which I liked for big lashes but found rather difficult to remove. I like that it’s not a particularly wet formula so with the synthetic brush you can achieve perfect separation with buildable volume and length without the potential of clumping. This one is also foolproof on the lower lashes, even without taking some of the excess off of the wand. However, it’s not difficult like waterproof mascara to remove but it is more difficult than most mascaras (such as my long-love The Falsies). But I note I naturally have long curled lashes that are much too wimpy for my taste so I don’t need a mascara to perform miracles per se….

 

THE MASCARA WITH MINIMAL EFFORT
THE MASCARA WITH MINIMAL EFFORT

 

A few weeks back I was enticed into picking up some products at The Body Shop and along with the body milk I picked up the Aloe Protective Restoring Masque ($22 CDN) – however it’s on sale on the site at the moment for $13.20 if you’re interested – in all honesty because I was feeling nostalgic wanting to try a product back from the line I used back in the day and for ages I’ve been wanting to venture into the overnight moisturizing masques but I’ve been non-committal. I’ve been using this a few times a week for the past few weeks and let me tell you, I could tell the difference right away – and that is not something I can say about a lot of skincare products. The tub is completely unhygienic and would be completely inefficient if it contained high concentrations of active ingredients but it is extremely economical, containing 100 mLs of the goo-like substance. It smells unenticing but I could not be more thrilled as it has not been fragranced-to-the-nth-degree as per usual at these natural sorts of stores (I might possibly be making reference to Lush here) but it’s not awful, but rather smells slightly medicinal like the gentlest unfragranced products. It has the texture of goo and is ultra-concentrated with moisture that stays in the skin after it has drunk it up. For the first half hour or so, the mask feels kind of tacky and gooey on the skin (due to its first ingredient aloe vera, I would hypothesize) but then the skin ‘drinks it up’. In the morning, I consecutively woke up dewy-looking and luminous skin that was quite soothed. It really helps to take down redness and irritation (particularly from breakouts I’ve noticed) and keeps the skin plump and hydrated even after it is washed off. And makeup sits so much nicer on the skin the next day, I’ve found.

 

Ummm, in terms  of post and video obsessions there’s one clear standout in my book: The Drugstore Beauty Chat with Lilly Pebbles on Anna’s channel (Vivianna Does Makeup). I always love their “beauty chat” videos as they are entertaining to watch, amusing yet helpful at the same time. I love the laid-back style of them and I’m constantly cracking up while watching one and this one was no different. There were some great additions to my wishlist as a result of watching but I couldn’t be happier. I just loooooove when these two get together and make these.

There are no words.

How was your week and what have you been loving?

Maggie, x.

holed up in the library again and indeed, I do wear glasses and warning I'm not actually wearing foundation here
holed up in the library again and indeed, I do wear glasses and warning I’m not actually wearing foundation here

 

The Daily Face #8: Everyday Smoky Featuring Urban Decay Naked 3

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There’s something about the effortless-looking and not overdone smoky eye that grabs me in every time. And every time I see Amelia Liana sporting one, I’m in awe. Annnnnd I figured I’d give my take with the Urban Decay Naked 3. Andddddd it’s all about the warm tones everywhere else that I adore, so nothing ground-breaking here.

face: Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect in 73 & Rimmel Wake Me Up in Ivory (mixed), MUFE 5 Concealer Cream Palette in 1 (just the second lightest shade for pinpoint concealing),Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer/Highlighter in Ivory, Sonia Kashuk Undetectable Creme Bronzer in Warm Tan, Benefit Rockateur Boxed Powder, Revlon Photoready Skin Lights in Pink Glow

eyes: MAC Coquette (brows), Rimmel Exaggerate Undercover Shadow Primer, Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette (Strange, Buzz, Limit, Nooner, Factory, Blackheart), Annabelle Smoothliner in Brownie, L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess Mascara

lips: Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 08

It was no surprise to me that today was one of those mornings when you’re desperate to add some vitality to your face for me as that whole sleeping thing hasn’t really been going as planned and I wanted to wear the Bourjois foundation but there was no way I could get away with it on its own so I mixed a little bit of Rimmel in. Some shape was added to my cheekbones – read: much needed – with the cream bronzer and my latest addition, the Revlon highlighter. Speaking of the highlighter, I was rather impressed as it translated to dewiness on the skin rather than shimmer sitting on top with the subtle pink hue. I’ll have to keep you posted on this but my first impression is that I like it. I don’t even need to explain my blush choice, do I?……. I love the rosy Rockateur.

I was at Walmart the other day and when I spotted the Rimmel primer that I had heard good things about at a good price, I couldn’t resist – I’ve been on the lookout to find a better one than the Nyx one that I don’t love. This one doesn’t feel quite as silicone-y but I’ll have to give my thoughts soon after some contemplation. The very same trip resulted in picking up the Annabelle Brownie Smoothliner and I must say that I’m instantly impressed by its pigmentation and creaminess that I’m wearing smudged onto the lashlines and inside the waterline. For the shadow here, it’s a pretty standard for me but one I do adore: Limit blended out into the crease, Nooner applied more precisely right in the crease, Buzz packed onto the lid with my fingers, the taupe-y Factory blended into the outer corner and underneath the lower lashline, Blackheart packed on with the included brush, blended into the outer-v and Strange to bring it all together and highlight – this sounds much more complicated than it is, by the way. Oh, and, I was dangerously low on mascara and I picked up the L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess and I’m impressed with the volume and separation without clumping. For the lips, I’ve been really enjoying the rosy-mauve shade, Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish in 08, with it’s creamy formula and brightening yet understated colour.

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Hi, my name is Maggie and I have uncontrollable hair

What makeup have you been wearing?

Maggie, x.

P.S. I’m choosing to ignore the significance of the date today

Urban Decay Naked 3

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I’m very late on the bandwagon with this one as I forced myself to resist buying it until the very end of January and after using it exclusively for two weeks – I think I wore an eyeshadow from a different palette maybe once – it’s safe to say that I’m in love and I’m not one to declare my undying love for a palette unless it’s something magical. I’m not saying that the formula of these shadows are magical but they are really nice shadows that one expects from Urban Decay (but with some fallout as can be expected from shadows of this texture) combined together in a versatile and flattering way – for my skintone at least. When I saw the first photos on the palette when its existence was rumoured, I was not interested one bit because those icy pinks do not suit me and I’m not into that whole extremely girly look. I’ve said it before I use the Naked 1 constantly and I’ve been happy with it as it contains the flattering warm shades for my skintone but some essential lighter shades are missing from the palette in my opinion. Because Naked 3 was cool-toned, I didn’t think it would be a wise choice for me but I’m pleased to say it’s not as it seems. Naked 3 is a warm-toned palette, but unlike the first in the series, it has more colour options on the lighter end of the spectrum and the shades lean on the warm rosy side rather than the bronzes and as much as I like bronzes, these shades are some of my favourites.

The general tone of the palette follows shades like MAC All That Glitters, NARS Kalahari and Urban Decay Hustle and Sin. In my humble opinion, this palette would be great for two specific groups of people (a) those who suit warm-toned shades and (b) those who want to work with warmer toned shades but find bronze-based shades pull to orange-y on them. I know it’s premature to say this but I think that this might be my favourite palette of all time, pulling ahead of the original Naked Palette.

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The shadows themselves are pigmented while still remaining easily blendable and smooth. The mattes are particularly impressive in formula here – I’m including Strange even though it’s listed as a satin here – and serve as flattering highlight, transition and crease shades on my moderately fair skin; the palette is versatile and great for travelling on account of the inclusion of these three staple shades. Strange is a pearly ivory shade with a rosy lean to it that is a highlighting shade, the transition shade is Limit, a light rosy-taupe and Nooner, the darker rosy brown, is my crease shade of course. A few of the lighter shades are prone to fallout but most of this can be prevented by being careful; the only shade I dislike working with is Dust, the pinky champagne shade as it is verging on glittery with fallout issues and doesn’t impart a great deal of colour onto the lid – nevertheless as it’s a light shade it is workable. Trick (coppery rose-gold) and Buzz (warm rosy-shade that is perhaps the pinkest but has some mauve-taupe in there for sure) can be prone to some fallout (but this can be remedied by applying it with the fingers onto the lid or tapping the excess off of the brush) but their texture and pigmentation is still great nevertheless – these have to be some of my favourite shades in the palette. And they don’t transfer onto the lid as glittery as they appear, I’m pleased to report. I can’t actually detect any of the microglitter like I could with Sidecar. The mid-toned shades seem to contain a refined shimmer and translate smoothly onto the lids; these include the more muted rosy-taupe shade, Liar, the darker taupe with mauve undertones called Factory and the more medium-toned mauve-taupe shade with some grey in it called Mugshot. The final two shades in the palette, Darkside and Blackheart, are the two truly deep shades in the palette that can be used (and I do frequently) to add definition and smokiness to the eye and they are both fantastic shades. Darkside was one of the shades that I didn’t expect much of and was flabbergasted when it blew me away – it’s a warm dark blendable grey with rosy-plum undertones and a satin finish. I’m also quite a fan of Blackheart, the palette’s “black” shade that is pigmented and workable without being chalky with gorgeous pink shimmer/glitter running throughout.

 Each of the shadows is full-sized (all twelve containing 0.05 oz of product each) and comes housed in the durable packaging that has a secure closure and a large mirror. It comes in a metal tin with copper swirled lettering over the rose-gold packaging. It came with the individual primer samples which didn’t really impress me but I can’t complain and I was quite a fan of the brush. The brush was a double-ended synthetic one, featuring a more precise paddle brush that is great for precise placement and a larger fluffier brush that works well for blending. I much prefer this brush to the one they brought out with the original palette. And of course it’s $52 US/$62 CDN. It’s worth that sum if you ask me and believe it or not I can be quite cheap.

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Have you picked the palette up? What are your thoughts?

Maggie, x.

Luminous Skin Lineup

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It’s not a rare occasion when I ramble on and on about luminous skin, as my skin is rather dry and dull and I’m constantly looking to remedy that but I know not everyone is looking for that all-out dewiness, however, from talking to my friends in real life I know that everyone wants a little bit of luminosity in their life regardless of their skin condition and I thought I’d share an edited selection of my favourites for different concerns. Annnnnnnd, it appears to be completely on trend for this spring.
Benefit Girl Meets Pearl ($36 CDN)

If you, like many, suffer from an oily t-zone, the idea of radiance in any capacity probably makes you want to vomit because you know that it will only make your skin concerns worse. Regardless of the condition of our skin, we all seem to suffer from some winter dullness this time of year and this is a good option for hesitant gals who live in constant fear of any sort of shine on the face in any capacity that want to ease into the slightly glowier territory. Because the subtle golden-pink liquid highlighter can be strategically placed on top of makeup, you don’t have to worry about the luminosity highlighting areas that you don’t want to be highlighted and to control what areas have that luminosity. This is a nice natural-looking highlighter for all though. I love it and if you can stomach the price tag you will too. Also it can be mixed with a heavier-coverage foundation for a little bit of added luminosity without sacrificing on the longevity front.

Diorskin Nude Skin-Glowing Makeup ($48 CDN)

Radiant foundations have seemed to be having their moment as of late but some of them are intimidatingly glowy and sheer and can contain shimmer but this is my foundation of choice with a radiant but not overtly dewy foundation with a weightless consistency offering medium coverage that is just a touch glowier than a natural finish. Although this hasn’t made its way into a favourites post, I have been really enjoying this lately and I think it would be especially great for someone with combination skin who is looking to add life to their face without sacrificing longevity and getting the dreaded oily t-zone quickly. If only it didn’t have such high alcohol content. For reference, I wear the shade 11 Cream which matches my winter fair-but-not-overly-so skin with somewhat yellow undertones. And this is like the only foundation with sunscreen that does not irritate my skin (I tend to be sensitive to chemical sunscreens) while still not flashing-back.

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation ($11-12 CDN)

I know I’m late on the bandwagon with this one but I hadn’t picked it up in the past because I thought it was a sheerer foundation that offered a demi-matte or natural finish and I tend to prefer dewier foundations of that variety but after I had my Lilly Pebbles watching marathon and saw that she found it to be moisturizing and illuminating and then I saw it on sale – I was sold. It goes on quite sheer with a small amount but with a moderate amount and a buffing brush, it offers medium coverage that glides over the usual dry patches and looks invisible on the skin even close up. It’s a really new addition for me but I’ve been obsessed lately. This offers slightly less coverage than the Dior and is more luminous but it does not have any sheen or reflective particles like say Rimmel Wake Me Up but rather looks like hydrated skin. For reference, I wear 130 Shell which is an impressive match for my skin but it is not quite as fair as the Dior. It seems to have great shade offerings for fair skin which I can definitely appreciate – and it caters to both warm and cool undertones. And it neither contains fragrance or alcohol…

MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder ($30 CDN)

I used to think that powders were the equivalent of the devil’s reincarnate, making the skin look dry and dull, powdery and making their makeup look obvious and clinging to any hint of dryness on the skin but this powder has changed my mind on that. It’s a sheerer powder that does all that powders should do – taking down excess shine, smoothing out texture and reducing the appearance of pores – without removing luminosity from the skin. This powder has more of a natural finish rather than a matte one which is impressive. It’s dare I say invisible on the skin.

Laura Mercier Radiance Primer ($24/40 CDN)

I will admit that I picked this up as a Sephora 100 Point Perk as it contained an impressive amount of product (0.5 oz) but I’m contemplating purchasing it when I run out. Although I wouldn’t say it actually helps with the longevity of makeup or pores or anything, it’s a really gentle formula that weightlessly hydrates the skin while bringing a refined glow to the skin and helping foundation to glide on more smoothly.

Benefit Rockateur Boxed Powder ($36 CDN)

For some reason when thinking about glow-inducing products, I tend to forget about blushes but blushes like these sometimes are the easiest  way to get that luminosity. Although it’s not cheap, this finely-milled warm rusty rose blush reads as glowy skin as it’s not overtly shimmery. I swear this brings instant life to the face without reading as makeup.

Maybelline Master Highlight in Deep Bronze ($12-16 CDN)

A few weeks back, I was going on and on about my newfound love for this and this has not changed. At a more affordable cost, this “bronzer” – I use it as a blush – has that smooth and subtly luminous texture, imparting a warm-toned rosy copper glow to the cheeks.

Going for the believable glow: wearing the Laura Mercier Primer, Dior Foundation, Benefit highlighter and a light dusting of the powder in the t-zone
Going for the believable glow: wearing the Laura Mercier Primer, Dior Foundation, Benefit highlighter and a light dusting of the powder in the t-zone

Do you love the luminous look? What products do you go for when you want to look glowy?

Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #3

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This week was when I admitted to myself (finally) that it was imperative that I get the ball rolling with schoolwork and the like. This was not particularly fun. Everything has been adding up and has transformed into some sort of psychological claustrophobia inducing mass. Unlike my school experience last semester (and the year before), it’s not a week or two of debilitating chaos that is messing with my mind but it’s constant long-term work that requires dedication, focus, attention and organization. Note: I would not say that I possess said skills in quantifiable amounts. Alas, – I’ve always wanted to say that in a post – I’m aware enough to be doubtful that I will survive the crunch if some sort of sorcery doesn’t occur now. Main point of this ramble: This week has been pretty focused on products etc. of the grab and go variety and quick destressing fixes.

During weeks such as these, I come to really appreciate my enjoyment derived from reading posts and watching videos (of the beauty variety of course) – this becomes quite apparent. Being as scatterbrained and unfocused as I am, I’ve taken to listen to videos while putt-ing (horrible golf reference) through my required readings (or at least most of them) and writing my papers holed up in the library and this has been rather productive method for me, oddly enough. I always adore Lisa Eldrige’s (otherwise known as the makeup goddess) videos – she’s an amazing makeup artist who has a great minimalistic aesthetic, is incredibly informative and has the most soothing voice – buuuuut I had a marathon watching her videos sneakily in the unpopulated corner. It’s a few years old but Lisa’s Minimal Makeup Tutorial – Rosy Flushhas to be one of my all-time favourites that I rewatched. She epitomizes gorgeous yet effortless makeup, need I say more?

Everyone reading this knows her blog, I’m sure, so this likely won’t be majorly interesting but Anna’s “My Edinburgh Edit”was an especially interesting post this week. She looked effortless and gorgeous in the post (anyone else noticing a theme here?), the post was impeccably laid-out as always and who doesn’t enjoy a daily face post, especially one written by the trustworthy and amusing Anna?

Early this week, my skin did this thing where it breaks out in more than a few irritated and inflamed bumps and this is hardly surprising considering how stressed I am at the moment. I have the misfortune of my skin depicting my inner state. Thankfully I knew better than to overdo the spot treatments and irritate things further (I can’t even  quantify the number of times I’ve made this mistake in the past…) and instead I pulled out the trustworthy Clinique Acne Solutions Oil-Control Cleansing Mask ($26 CDN) and it worked better than expected when I slapped it on before bed. My skin was not irritated afterwards and the morning after there was a remarkable decrease in inflammation and the underneath the skin pesky bumps. I’m not usually one to rave about masks but this one earned its mention here.

I cringe at the very thought of including this but even though I’ve rambled about it all week, The Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette ($62 CDN) deserves its mention as I’ve worn it every single day this week and more than that, I have been pleased with it each and every time. It’s one of those practical-yet-elusive all-inclusive palettes that create really nice eye makeup with minimal effort. It provides the warmth that prevents me from looking like a zombie (the brain hasn’t felt like shutting off enough to let me sleep for six hours as of late). The shades are cohesive and really suit my warm-toned skin and blue eyes.

a satisfying eye combination featuring the palette in question
a satisfying eye combination featuring the palette in question

I don’t give the MAC Powder Blush in Tenderling ($21/25 CDN) enough credit as it has been a godsend for me lately. It’s that neutral blush that looks like nothing to write home about in the pan that adds both shape and warmth to the face at once with its light rosy brown matte hue with you guessed it warm undertones. It’s a blessing to have as it’s a shade you can ‘pop’ on without even having to think about it – yes I’m aware that I spend entirely too much time watching British beauty videos.

the beauteous blush in question
the beauteous blush in question

On a more random note, I’ve been adoring my Lululemon Wonder Under Leggings ($82/92 CDN) this week – not that I don’t constantly adore them; I do wear them most likely more often than socially acceptable… Before you write me off as delusional listen to this: they are as gloriously comfortable while still remaining socially-acceptable and are a less depressing alternative to rocking the sweatpants. You throw them on with some nice tall boots, a long cardigan and top with a scarf haphazardly brought to the mix and bam you look pulled together while in the optimal frame of mind to be productive. Wearing these while working in the library legitimately made a significant difference in terms of my ability to function this week. Sometimes the effort of wearing pants is beyond you and at such times these leggings are a lifesaver.

What have you been loving this week? I’m always open to new products to justify purchasing!

Maggie,x.

The Daily Face #7: A More Minimal Approach

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I’m going to make my understatement of the year in the following sentence so be forewarned. I’m not the kind of girl who rocks the minimal makeup look. It’s not that I feel the need to wear makeup in public constantly – I’m fine going out without makeup and I do enjoy it on a regular basis – but I don’t see the point of the whole natural minimalistic makeup as I feel like slapping on mascara and foundation to be missing the whole value of makeup. I have the kind of face (especially my large eyes) that really benefits from more definition than that, however I love the look sported on the runway and whatnot of makeup with a slight pop of colour on the lips that looks like skin everywhere else without losing the benefit of makeup. Can anyone follow my logic here?

It’s actually frightening to think of how many occasions that I’ve attempted to write a post of this variety but failed in some drastic way. Inspired by the makeup goddess we call Lisa Eldrige (she embodies the not overly-made up makeup), this happened.

While it’s improved drastically in the last day or two, I’m going through quite a breakout on my face and one that’s quite difficult to cover on account of texture and general skin irritation at that and had to think about what foundation wouldn’t highlight all of that loveliness and I went with my recently purchased Revlon Nearly Naked for its luminous but seamlessly blending texture that provides a true medium coverage. I’m very pleased to report that it didn’t highlight the warzone currently occurring on my forehead while still covering the uneven tone. But first I did apply some Laura Mercier Radiance Primer, I might add. Inspired by Lisa even further, I used my Real Techniques Detailer Brush to do some pinpoint concealing with the second-lightest shade Make Up For Ever 5 Camouflage Cream Palette – the colour was spot-on enough that I could actually see the benefit of the technique. Hmmmm. Oh, and the lightest shade was blended underneath the eyes to highlight and cover the bags.

I’m not always a powder kind of girl but I do find the MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder to help cover and blur texture imperfections and that’s sort of essential on a day like today. With my square face and all, I rely on doing some sort of contouring regardless of how casual I want to look and I used the contour/blush hybrid, MAC Tenderling, that looks like skin while adding some shape.

I wore the hyped Rimmel By Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 107 on the lips, applied with a brush for a more natural, precise and effortless sort of effect. Note: this is a lipstick that I find difficult to wear as I don’t know what to pair with it – truly minimal makeup makes my lips look overly pronounced and too much going on makes the lipstick stand out in an unflattering manner on me due to its pink tones. The formula is one of my favourites, wearing for a long time without drying the lips and wearing evenly. There’s something I love about a bold lip with minimal looking makeup and the whole effortless but polished and awake look that it brings. I must take note of how I applied it today because I’m feeling it.

Of course, I wore my Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette today and continued with my consecutive wearing streak but these flattering warm shades are ideal on me for an effortless yet defined makeup look. Having weirdly creasing-prone lids, I put the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Barely Branded on my lids underneath the shadows.

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First I put Burnout, the peachy golden shade on the lid and then I blended the mauvy-taupe Limit into the crease and the slightly darker Nooner lower down in the crease. Then I added some of the plummy-toned Factory into the outer corner and used the matte Strange to highlight. This sounds like a lot, I know, but it was quick to do and reads as simple definition on the lid. Although I actually really dislike the Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeliner in Brown that everyone seems to be in love with, I find it overly waxy and unpigmented, I used this on both the upper and lower lashlines to add some definition to the lashlines without reading as liner. I really don’t understand the hype on this one. On the mascara end of things, I doubt you really even need to ask…. Same with the brows. I’m one of those people blessed with unruly yet sparse shapeless brows and filling them in is essential and obviously I used the ashy MAC Coquette eyeshadow and an angle brush from the same brand.

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Do you frequently sport minimalistic makeup? What do you reach for when you go for minimal makeup?

Maggie, x.

The Sort-of-Snowed-In Edit

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Being a typical Canadian, living a bit out of the city, I’ve come to expect these winter days frequently when mittens, scarves and hats are a necessity and if you lived anywhere else, nothing would be open and you would have the liberty of having a ‘snowed-in’ day but alas you must venture into the blowing snow and today is one of those days. I thought I’d provide a snapshot into the products I reach for. Er scratch that note about not having to venture through the blowing snow – my second class was just cancelled and I cannot bring myself to make the effort to go to my first class but I got ready as if I were going.

IMG_5330Benefit Rockateur Boxed Powder ($36 CDN)

This is a flattering and instantly brightening, effortless sort of blush for me and although I raved about this after I bought it and then stopped mentioning it, it has remained a staple in my collection since I purchased it at the very beginning of October. The luminous warm rusty-pink shade is worth the rather hefty price tag especially on mornings when you resemble a breathing zombie.

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Maybelline ‘The Buffs’ Lipstick in 915 Blushing Beige ($10 CDN)

Like all good makeup tales, this one begins with an unsuspecting stroll down the drugstore aisles that resulted in a new product find and even better a discounted one – they’re on at Lawton’s at the moment for $8, if you were curious. I’ve been in a major nude lipstick phase for the last little while and ever since I’ve heard about these I’ve wanted to try one. They’re creamy with decent longevity on the lips but can highlight dry chapped lips slightly. I’m horrible with the whole name description game but I would have to say that it’s a warm-toned nude that’s fairly light with peachy-orange undertones. It strikes me as the shade that I wished MAC Shy Girl was – I backed to MAC’ed the shade – but somehow wasn’t, a peachy nude that doesn’t appear ghastly.

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Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation ($12-13 CDN)

I know, I know, the last thing in the world I need is yet another foundation but I’m running dangerously low in Rimmel Wake Me Up and decided to try this instead aaaaand it was on sale (at Lawton’s again) for ten dollars and maybe a dime or two. I hadn’t tried it in the past because I heard that it’s finish was on the natural-matte side of things and when I’m looking for a lightweight foundation I want luminosity but after hearing some recommendations for it and seeing it for a good price (in the Canadian drugstore world), I couldn’t resist picking it up and I’m glad that I did. I only picked this up a few days ago but I’m impressed. Just using the chart at the store, I picked up the warm-toned Shell and it’s an impressive match for my fair skin. It’s lightweight in texture, offering true medium coverage (slightly less than the Rimmel) and a slightly-dewy finish without any sort of shimmer or sheen to it. Note: I haven’t powdered it here and am hardly wearing any concealer. If only it came with a pump…

Benefit Girl Meets Pearl Highlighter ($36 CDN)

I’ve had this product since I redeemed my Sephora points in the summer and I’ve talked about it before but I love highlighter; this liquid one is a subtle peachy-pink one that livens the face without looking ‘highlighted’.

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette ($62 CDN)

I know I wrote about this in yesterday’s post but I’ve worn the palette every single time I’ve worn makeup since I picked it up and have been happy with the results every time. I think this is a versatile palette that provides every shade you need for a variety of different complete eye look. I’m enjoying the warm rosy palette more than I would have ever expected to. The matte shades are fantastic blah blah blah. Expect to hear more on this soon … cough-cough potentially at the end of the month in a certain kind of post.

Kiehl’s Skin Rescuer ($45 CDN)

I’ve been using this moisturizer since August and it soothes skin regardless of how irritated it is. It’s one that is lightweight but protects skin from the elements that is a breath of fresh air for winter days like these and I attribute the fact that my skin has not turned into a sore, itchy, flaky and red mass to this product. It helps to repair the skin-barrier with it’s antioxidants and the lack of irritating ingredients and has stopped my skin from getting into the fragile state that it normally does. It’s not a miraculous product that removes all the stress from your skin but it can definitely help.

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OPI Malaga Wine Polish ($10 CDN)

If the bottle looks tiny, it’s because it came in a larger kit and I haven’t worn it long enough to provide specifics about longevity but the red-berry cream shade applies rather opaque (I’m only wearing one coat) and smooth and doesn’t chip off noticeably in a day or two on my chipping-prone nails. I haven’t been feeling traditional reds this winter but this deeper shade is a nice alternative.

The Body Shop Moringa Body Milk ($12 CDN)

I don’t think I had gone as far as to step into The Body Shop in the last two years and I don’t always buy into the natural-product hype as natural is not always better and like Lush, they tend to be laden with potentially irritating fragrance, however I was bored and I ventured inside and came out with this and I’m in love. It is scented but the fragrance is low on the ingredient list and the milk contains high concentrations of Babassu nut oils so I gave it ago. Did I mention that it smells bloody phenomenal and I’m not even much of a scent person. It doesn’t irritate my eczema on my legs which is an impressive feat in itself and it smells lovely without being overpowering. I’m shocked that I like the floral scent so much but it’s not particularly, girlie, sweet, fruity or artificial-smelling. It smells fresh and so far I’m loving the multi-purpose product that smells nice while providing much needed moisture to the body that absorbs instantly.

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What have you been reaching for on these cold winter days?

Maggie, x.

Makeup Additions #2

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Things have been a little hectic here and I apologize for neglecting the blog but I’ll spare you from rambling on about the craziness of university life as I’m sure you can fill it in for yourself if you so desire. It’s been snow-central this week so my product selections might have been inspired by the whole snowed-in motif that’s been going on here. These aren’t all necessarily brand spankin’ new products but these are the products that have been added into the daily rotation…

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette ($62 CDN)

So almost a month after my wishlist post and two months waiting since it came out, I finally picked this up and let me say that I am really enjoying it. There are a few shades with a glittery tendency that are difficult to work with (Trick, Buzz and Dust) a la Sidecar from the original palettes but they are light enough that I don’t find it to be a problem and these shades are very usable. Although this palette focuses more on lighter shades, there is a good variety of shades with different depth to create cohesive makeup looks unlike many palettes. At first I was wary of this palette because I expected it to be icier pinks but the shades are warm with a rosiness to it and on my warm-toned skin, both interesting and flattering. It seems really versatile thus far and I’m impressed despite all the hype. And there are three matte shades although they call one a satin and they are divine – the cream-coloured Strange, the light mauve-taupe Limit and the medium-dark rosy brown Nooner. I would expect this to be featured in daily face posts and a review soon.

wearing Strange, Limit, Nooner, Buzz & Blackheart
wearing Strange, Limit, Nooner, Buzz & Blackheart

Bourjois Sweet Cherry Cream Blush ($20 CDN)

It’s nice that Bourjois is available here in Canada but it’s annoying how much more expensive it is here than in the UK but this is a worthwhile purchase nevertheless. There isn’t a huge amount of product in the warm rosy pink pot (like the product) it’s a buildable formula that sets like a powder. In my experience this is longlasting with sheer but buildable colour payoff that blends seamlessly into the skin. It isn’t powdery-looking and flat but it doesn’t have any sort of shimmer in it either.

the cream blush in action with regular application
the cream blush in action with regular application
the blush built up
the blush built up

 

L’Oreal Super Blendable Crayon Concealer ($12-15 CDN)

I must apologize in advance for the state of my concealer (which is in W 1-2-3 if you’re interested) but it came broken inside the package and I wasn’t going to pay for a new one. It’s somewhat emollient but not overly so and provides nice buildable coverage that looks like skin and does not tend to highlight dry patches and stays put. I actually like this for undereyes and blemishes and I don’t feel that way about all concealers but it’s not the fullest coverage concealer out there.

Have you tried any of these? What have you added to your routine recently?