favorites

February/March Favourites

So, erm, I’m alive. I don’t know whats wrong with me. I’m the worst. And I do promise that my 2016 favourites will make an appearance before June – not that I’d necessarily trust my promises at this point. Because I have this strange urge to release monthly favourites deep within my soul, I thought I might catch up by posting my February and March edit.

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Benefit Rockateur Box’o’Powder: After neglecting this seriously glowy blush for quite possibly an entire year, I’ve been consistently reaching for this beyond sheeny rose gold offering. It’s fast and easy, and leaves a highlighted rosy glow to my fair cheeks with one product. On medium and deeper skins, it would appear as a blush topper or highlighter but those of us on the fairer side can use it as a combination product. It’s great for making you appear alive and perking up the complexion.

L’Oreal Brow Stylist Definer in Brunette: I have a tumultuous relationship with brow pencils. In my experience, they tend to be oddly coloured, leave an unnatural kind of definition in the brows and are anything but cost-efficient. This offering I do like, however, as it has a nice slim tip and effective brush that creates natural ashy looking brows with minimal effort. I can see people going through this pencil quickly if they go to town with filling in their brows, but that’s not the case for me.

Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Hydrating Treatment Mask: Throughout the winter, I’ve been loving this rich and almost impossibly soothing leave-on facial mask, even though I’m a skeptic of the difference between overnight moisturizing masks. I will note that I do enjoy that often these masks are extra rich and hydrating and that they often come in larger sizes and are less expensive than their moisturizer counterparts but, regardless, they are a rich moisturizer. It has a buttery texture but I’ve never experienced clogging issues from it and it’s one that stays with you even in the morning. It leaves my skin extra plumped and soothed with its hefty dose of emollients and oil-derived antioxidants. When my skin is upset in the dry and dehydrated sense, this is the closest thing to a cure. Its ability to decrease inflammation is noted. Plus, it’s an epic eye cream.

Aveeno Intense Relief Hand Cream: As someone who suffers from eczema, I must say that its awfully strange that my hands don’t tend to be an issue. However, from the dragging on winter my cuticles and my hands were suffering and I’ve been reaching for this hand cream as a result. Side note: it’s excellent for all around dry patches. The formula isn’t sophisticated but the petrolatum really sticks to your hands throughout the day and I’m sure the oat extract is soothing. Plus the natural scent of the extracts is soothing.

Sassy Girl Aroma Sleepytime Souffle Cup: Ever since I started venturing into the vendor wax world at the very beginning of the year, I’ve been enjoying myself tremendously and finding interesting scents that I’ve enjoyed melting. However, there have not been any blends that I’ve tried that have paralleled this seemingly simple offering. It’s a lavender, chamomile and spearmint blend that has something extra special and instantly soothes me. There’s something creamy about the chamomile that adds something extra relaxing to the lavender and peppermint which I adore. I will note that I also melted a chunk of Rosegirls Lavender Peppermint which I really did enjoy, just not to the same degree. I must acquire more…

Any thoughts or favourites to share?
Maggie, x.

May 2016 Favourites

Yet again, this month – I don’t actually know which month I’m referring to by the way – has been a complete failure for posts. I just haven’t been able to get myself around to posting. I’m not exactly sure why. Regardless, I’ve got some products that I loved throughout May to share:

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I couldn’t write a favourites post without including a product from last month’s post, to be completely honest. I’m still in this state  of obsession with the Shea Moisture Mongogo & Hempseed Oils High Porosity Moisture Seal Masque ($17.15) that I was in throughout April. I’m still very impressed because of how nourishing yet lightweight the masque is, especially without being exorbitantly expensive. I’m pleased to report that I have gotten used to the very fragrant floral scent. After using the accompanying Shea Moisture Mongogo & Hempseed Oils High Porosity Moisture Seal Shampoo ($15) for another month, I’m confident enough to say that it is deserving of almost the same praise. Without being formulated without any silicones (or harsh cleansers for that matter) it imparts impressive moisture and slip whilst removing residue and the like. I’m yet another one to join the Shea Moisture shampoo loving bandwagon. It hydrates and is impossibly gentle, which I love, all whilst not weighing down my finer strands in the slightest.

Being incredibly lazy in terms of removing my makeup and washing my face at night, I gravitated towards using makeup wipes in May. I tried out the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths ($11-12) and used them on a frequent basis, enjoying how gentle and soothing they were whilst removing makeup well. They are among the gentlest wipes that I’ve tried and impressed me, even with my beyond sensitive skin.

Fairly late in May, I had quite the drugstore beauty spree with one of my closest friends, and one of the results was the much-anticipated Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm ($17). It was a rather late acquisition to be included in a favourites post to be honest but the thick balmy potted balm was good enough to make the cut regardless. It’s soothing and nourishing, remaining on the lips all night and providing nourishment to the lips that lasts after it wears off. I’m partial to the matte finish that it leaves for under lipsticks.

When I got into the routine of wearing more face products on a daily basis,  I became committed to using  MAC Fix Plus ($26) to get rid of that makeup-y appearance and give my skin a luminous glow. It’s not exactly a novel product, but I will admit that the glycerin-based spray does what it intends to do and is hydrating – especially in comparison to the alcohol-based offerings.

Always eager to find the latest and greatest product to camouflage and brighten my dark undereyes, I’ve been trialling the Becca Backlight Targeted Colour Corrector in Peach ($34) – with success. It’s not a daily product for me, I’m afraid, but it’s a great additional product underneath concealer to counteract the natural darkness that I have. The issue that I have with the corrector is that it is so pigmented that it requires a product applied over the top to hide the orange cast. However, it blends like a dream and supports the seamless application of a product on top.

My greatest two discoveries of May were colour products. The first of which was the fairly recently released Physician’s Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer in Bronzer ($19.99) that I reviewed last month here. I’ll keep my ravings to a minimum as I did enough of that in the review but I must say that I have adored the neutral brown bronzer tone and the easily blended texture of the bronzer to add some shape and a golden glow to my skin. One of the product’s assets is that it requires almost no work to look nice. My other love that I have yet to mention is the MAC Versicolour Stain in Can’t Stop Won’t Stop ($28), an expensive but lovely balmy and glossy new-generation stain. It does not have the high colour intensity of a matte liquid lipstick or anything but the formula remains balmy and comfortable, whilst providing a lasting even stain on the lips hours after the product has faded. The medium peach (with a tinge of coral shade) is a great everyday one for me, adding some brightness without much effort or upkeep.

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The makeup in action

 

Any favourites to share?
Maggie, x.

 

 

 

December Favourites 2014

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Although in December I had more than a few new products added to the rotation, I have to admit that I probably wore makeup less than half of the time, much preferring to leave the time in the first half of the month for surviving the exam season and foregoing the whole application altogether simply to laze around at home in either pajamas or sweatpants. However, there are a good few products that I have been absolutely adoring over the last month…

Maybelline Eyestudio Brow Drama in Soft Brown ($10.99-11.99)

For months, I’ve heard great things about this fibre-infused tinted brow gel and I was ecstatic to find it on shelves here within the last month. I was even more thrilled when I discovered that the lighter brunette shade was on the ashier side of things, so while this gel does not have nearly as strong of a tint as the MAC Prolongwear Waterproof Brow Set in Quiet Brunette, I’ve been adoring how natural the product looks as a result of its colour and subtle pigmentation but brow-thickening effect. It does make a difference on its own but I’ve been enjoying pairing it with a bit of brow powder or another brow product to keep things in place and achieve a natural but defined brow. I actually like the ball tip applicator because I have a whole lot of brow towards the outer corner.

DSC_0133L’Oreal Collection Exclusive Pure Reds in Doutzen’s Pure Red ($11.99)

I may have only worn this semi-matte tomato red lipstick a good handful of times throughout December, but given how bold and gorgeous this shade is, I couldn’t resist including it. The warm-toned orange leaning red hue of this lipstick makes it very flattering on my fair skin and brunette hair and the comfortable formula with good longevity suits dry lips like mine well without any sort of worries. Within the last month I’ve been into that classic red pout, even on lower key days, especially paired with say a grey cozy sweater, skinny jeans and glasses. DSC_0131

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat ($41)

I didn’t exactly make a conscious effort to wear this blush all month but chances are that if I was wearing makeup, this blush was gracing my cheeks and I was feeling it. It’s just as great as the Ethereal Glow shade that I adore, albeit much more pigmented with its stunning somewhat bright warm rosy pink shade – I own a million blushes within this warm corally-pink family but this one is certainly unique, leaning much more rosy and I’ve been enjoying the instant flushed effect that it gives to the face and instant glow.

Diorskin Star Fluid Foundation ($50)

I’m not going to even touch on the fact that I’ve been promising an actual review of this foundation for months on end and have yet to write up a full post on it. Although my skin is surprisingly clear and hydrated at the moment, I put it through the ringer last month with exam-related stress and later holiday madness, but this surprisingly skin-like heavier coverage foundation provided the glow that I love, lasted ridiculously well and did not highlight the dry patches I was experiencing in the slightest. This one’s a keeper for many reasons and one of them is just how well it works under conditions of notable dry patches.

Elizabeth & James Nirvana Black Eau de Parfum Rollerball ($26)

With December, comes the whole holiday season situation where you attend various gatherings where you want to look put together and all that jazz, even if you’re not much of a festive party goer like I am, and perfume tends to be something I reach for more frequently to achieve this and this has been the one I’ve reached for, namely because I’ve loved the fragrance to death since picking it up as a Sephora point perk ages ago and its finally seasonal to wear the slightly-masculine warm musky scent. The three notes are violet, sandalwood and vanilla and even my unsophisticated nose can recognize the floral, musk and good ol’ vanilla aspects and this scent feels very me without being offensive in the slightest. It doesn’t hurt that it lasts and lasts for ages, either.

“The Queen of the Tearling” by Erika Johansen ($25)

One of the very few things that I love as much as beauty products and lattes are books and as soon as I finished my exams, I headed over to Chapters and picked out this dystopian novel to devour and devour it, I did – in a matter of hours. It’s an ‘adult’ novel that has those guilty-pleasure aspects that young-adult novels seem to include with some depth that makes it a little bit more stimulating and thought-provoking. Its set in the near future where as a result of the decaying world and all that jazz, this group of people have rejected all modern technology and sailed to a new world, adopting a feudal lifestyle. I’m pleased to report that that this book is the first within a series and I’m eagerly awaiting news of the next book.

What did you love throughout December?
Maggie, x.

August Favourites

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DSC_0451Ahh, I suppose the summer is now coming to an end and to be honest, I’m not particularly sad about it for two different reasons. First off, I’m beyond done with the hot summer weather and am ready for more than a little bit of cooling down and also, this summer wasn’t a great one for me and I’m ready for a change of scenery. I’m sure I’ll change my mind as soon as the stress sets in, though. This month brought a smaller selection of products than my usual but I’m definitely pleased with this bunch as a whole… This post does contain affiliate links too.

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The Bath & Body Works 3 Wick Candle in Beach Day ($10.50 on clearance – now) was my first foray into the world of Bath & Body Works scented candles and I’ve been obsessed with this light and unoffensive but potent scent. I smells like a relaxing beach day, reading on the beach and the gentle crash of waves with the light lemon and lime, saltwater and light citrusy musk scent. It’s a nice relaxing and low-key scent that lingers nicely. Plus, finding this one on sale was rather nice and it softened the blow of spending fifty dollars on candles.

Also, on the “non beauty” front, I’ve been obsessed with my Forever 21 Coffee Understands PJ Set ($15.80). This should not be a surprise because I’m one of those people who are obsessed with comfort and these fit the bill on that one and somehow seem more appropriate to be lounging around in at random hours of the day than mismatched tops and bottoms. The set is nice and lightweight which was key for the weather earlier in the month and I do adore the cheeky and true ‘nobody understands me like coffee does‘ lettering on the top and the printed shorts. I’m saying that I wore out the top portion in public but I may have been spotted leaving the house, wearing it with leggings…

Before venturing into the usual charted territory, I have two more mentionables of the more random variety. I’ve been really loving watching Suits this month and I may or may not have had a slight binge watching episode where I went through three seasons in less than 24 hours. Without paying attention, I grabbed the fifteen dollar special issue of People Style Watch and despite its purchase happening my accident, I adored the ad-free issue. I loved how it wasn’t based on actual pieces or selling of items but rather about styling outfits for everyday life. The price-tag on this one was rather hefty but it might actually have been worthwhile – it did help me with recognizing what kind of pieces I’m looking for and what is essential/extraneous.

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By the second week of the month, I had pulled out the muted neon peach MAC Lipstick in Sweet And Sour ($19) and since, I have not put it down or gone many places without it. I will admit that it’s not gorgeous when my lips are looking a bit horrific but at a certain point, I couldn’t muster the effort to care and the gorgeous colour was worth it. It’s one of those shades that adds some colour to the face but isn’t out there in the slightest. In the latter half of the month, I had gotten lazy on the lip balm front and then managed to burn my lips — ow / ew — so I wasn’t reaching for the matte formulation as much, but I also enjoyed the flattering darker peachy-nude shade, known as the MAC Lipstick Kinda Sexy ($19). Despite being a matte formulation, this lipstick manages not to dry out my lips and isn’t completely unflattering on them either — unless they are both flaking and peeling…

Around the midpoint of the month, I picked up a few things at MAC, shortly after making an order to Sephora online and there are two products that were late to the party but I fell in love with so instantly that they were begging to be mentioned. It’s been almost every day that I’ve been reaching for the creamy and jet black MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline ($19) and I’ve been adoring it. The pencil glides on as smoothly as any one has before with almost a liquid-like appearance and can be smudged nicely until it sets, when it becomes long-wearing. Its only faults are how difficult it is to remove without an oil based remover and that it transfers from lower to upper waterlines so easily. Because of the formula, this pencil can reach small spaces that other pencils cannot and I’ve been enjoying this.

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Since receiving the NARS Contour Blush in Paloma ($46) with my Sephora shipment, I don’t think I’ve put on any makeup without going for the contour portion of this duo. It doesn’t look that amazing in the pan — it’s really a rosy tan shade — but its formula is so amazing that it provides an ‘instant cheekbones’ kind of sculpted effect without much effort at all. I’m in love.

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I wore the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette ($67) consistently this month, as I had in July but this month I was much more consistently pleased with the result. To be honest, I don’t use the golden Radiant Light powder often at all, but the other two shades were consistently gracing my face. Dim Light is a nice finishing powder that adds a bit of glow while blurring things slightly and I’ve been enjoying this as I’ve discovered not to put this on the sides of my forehead – it tends to look weird and out of place there — and Incandescent Light is a lovely subtle highlighter that simply reads as a glow on the skin that I’ve also been using to set my under-eye section. I reviewed the palette in full here, if you’re interested.

What were your standout products this August?
Maggie, x.

July Favourites

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This July was one of the worst months I’ve had in a while, to be honest, but I’ll spare you from too many of the details. I’m really not looking for sympathy either — in fact, I abhor the whole institution of writing things just to look for sympathy (genuine or otherwise) from others, so don’t mistake this. However, I have been loving beauty products and I must say that it’s been a particularly good month for product loving — and this month I haven’t had loads of time or energy for makeup and beauty experimentation so there’s a low-fuss theme going on.

Origin’s Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask ($28)

This was one of those products I had always wanted to try as many who I read with similar dehydration concerns to me seem to rave about this but it’s not stocked on the Sephora website and it’s not easily available anywhere close to me so I didn’t fully add it to the shopping list but when I went in to pick up the Hourglass Ambient Palette, I spotted this on the shelves and I couldn’t resist. It was amazing from first use, feeling lightweight and ultra-soothing on the skin, providing intense hydration with that slightly belly oil-rich feeling. I think this one might just beat out my The Body Shop one but I can’t be too sure. It does smell heavenly but I’m not a fan of scented skincare and could easily do without the peach fragrance. It’s truly intensively hydrating and not particularly thick feeling and actually can vastly improve dry flaky skin overnight.

L’Oreal Sublime Sun Alcohol-Free Quick Dry SPF 50 Sheer Finish Spray ($18)

I really never expected to include a body sunscreen in one of these favourites posts but here I am, once again surprising myself. I love the ease of spray sunscreens (as many others do) but I have easily irritated skin and suffer from eczema and some body acne (fun stuff) and this neither irritates with alcohol content, feels greasy or causes breakouts while providing solid sun protection. It does need a little bit of rubbing in in my experience but it’s so much easier and fuss-free than a lotion formula.

 Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream ($20/39)

After my lovely cousin picked this authentic Korean BB Cream up for me at Sasa in Hong Kong last summer, I became really obsessed with the stuff until Summer ended and forgot about its loveliness, especially as an all-in-one skincare-makeup hybrid product but I’ve been gradually adding it back into the routine and this month it’s been an essential. I don’t love it as a foundation as much as Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet etc. but the medium-coverage base provides fabulous sun protection and moisture while still looking fairly natural and glowy on the skin. I’m not someone who usually experiences oxidation but this one actually does and when it changes tone it looks phenomenal (not when you just put it on and this is why I’ve probably been neglecting this one). Another word of advice is that these sunscreen-heavy bases need to be worked into the skin well in order to have the desired effect in my experience. However, when I went to a music festival last summer this was a lifesaver – and a timesaver. You can order from the brand’s American site if you’re interested, by the way.

Nivea Vanilla & Macadamia Lip Butter ($4)

With such sensitive and perpetually-chapped lips, lip treatments are essential for me and as a result, you’ll hear about them loads on the pages here. It’s not a miracle treatment but this affordable balm has been a savior for hydrating my lips without ever causing them to become irritated. It can give a milky cast to the lips but the balmy formula instantly soothes and brings moisture to the lips without any weird smell, taste or anything.

Now Solutions 100% Natural Shea Butter ($20)

Somewhere in the early phase of the month, I did something (presumably) that caused quite the painful and unsightly eczema flare-up on my legs and unfortuantely there doesn’t seem to be a miracle cure or fix for the whole itchy situation, applying this basic cream twice daily has helped to soothe the area, prevent itching and help to calm the situation more quickly. As of now, I’m pleased to report that the basic formula has helped my legs to recover tremendously.

L’Oreal Glam Bronze Mono in Universal Sun ($15-16)

I will admit that I’ve raved about this pigmented red-toned matte bronzer numerous times in the last month but in truth I have only done so because the formula and the colour are both so phenomenal. The smooth powder offers impressive buildable pigmentation that remains effortless to blend into the skin. It’s also nice that it wears like a champ. It’s not the most cool-toned or non-orangey of bronzers, with quite a strong red undertone and warmth to it but it is the perfect hue to add that natural-looking sun-kissed hue to the skin.

Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in Milan Moment ($14-16)

This is yet another rather pricy (for a product of the drugstore variety) product that I’ve mentioned my love for more than once or twice and have been wearing most of the time. Despite being a stain, the formula does not dry out lips, even after the flattering balmy ‘gloss’ has worn off completely. The lightweight stains also don’t highlight dry patches or textural problems on the lips like thicker formulas can and I’ve been addicted to the summery sheer-but-buildable muted tangerine hue.

MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set in Quiet Brunette ($21)

In the last year or so, I’ve become addicted to the results of filling in at least the sparse areas of my brows on a daily basis but in all honesty, I don’t love the effort it can take, especially lately as I haven’t been going all out on my makeup and this tinted brow gel seems to be the perfect solution. The cool-toned light brown hue matches my hair to a t, adding invisible looking definition to the brows that tend to look hairlike. True to its name, it stays in place on the brows until you remove it and can be worn alone for subtler brows or worn alongside some powder or pencil for more of a full-on look – but I’ve been just reaching for this one and it’s suited my laziness nicely.

MAC Eyeshadow in Woodwinked, Soft Brown & Smut ($12/18)

This month I’ve been using my MAC palette consistently and have fallen back in love with new colours to the palette and an old-standby — they are easy shadows to work with and consistently fabulous quality so they have suited my minimalistic mood nicely. The ever-popular antiqued-gold Woodwinked was rediscovered early in the month and I’ve become addicted to applying it all over the lid and blending it well to achieve that coppery hue, generally paired with some lazy-girl liner of some kind. The warm-tan matte Soft Brown and the dirty brown-taupe Smut were additions made throughout the month that I’ve been relying on equally as much. Smut is the perfect shade for smoking out the lashline and adding definition to the crease as it’s an interesting hue and doesn’t have much fallout while still delivering on the pigmentation front and Soft Brown has proven itself as worth the hype, being thrown through the crease for some depth as well as some transitioning-colour goodness. Oh MAC Eyeshadows, how I love thee…

What was your staple product from June?
Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #23

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(1) Just one of the many swatching-related fails of the week (2) The responsible Shopper’s purchases – gah (3) The beauteous “Weekend Makeup Staples” post over at VDM (4) I got a bit dressed up for my cousins’ graduation and took a picture obviously (5) I wrote and brought my “Summer Edit” post into fruition (6) The rediscovered love and a newfound one (7) My extremely lengthy favourites post is up here (8) My new Tom’s shoes (9) The glorious Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in Milan Moment

 

Ahh, don’t you love lazy Sunday’s where you neither wake up, feeling as if you’ve just finished working up a sweat at the gym (without having the knowledge that for once you got off your ass and did something) due to sweltering summer heat or with a disgusting taste in your mouth as a result of questionable three am snacking? Well, I sure do. As per usual, I don’t feel as if I accomplished anything that can be likened to any sort of great feat but it wasn’t one of those weeks that rarely involved leaving the house and consisted of reading blogs, writing a post or two and watching copious amounts of Netflix and Youtube. It was quite a week filled with spending time with my lovely extended family down at the dock/ pool — we live by the ocean and my cousins have a lovely pool — and then eventually watching two of them graduate high school, later celebrating by going out to dinner and in the midst feeling suddenly a bit old at my mere two decades of experience. More on the getting old note, I had another moment of the same realization when I was excited to see that sunscreen was on sale. In my defense, it is a really great spray sunscreen.

I’ve been soaking up the hot weather but unfortunately have been really slacking on the photo documentation front. I’ve been swimming in the ocean all week and it hasn’t been cold so things have to be pretty great – am I right? While I’ve been doing less than ideal at general life snapshots, I’ve been making a real go of it, going out of my way to take swatches on the regular and attempt to capture them somewhat adequately with photography. I’m also rather pleased with the six posts that I put up during the week. Moving away from my blog in particular, Anna’s “Weekend Makeup Staples”post was phenomenal, perhaps even more so than her usual posts. She knows how to write these chatty posts that have me scribbling down a thing or six down on the wishlist whilst being so so so so much more concise than I have the potential of being.

Now, I’m moving onto my personal standout items and this week I have one that’s not of the beauty variety – my new Tom’s that I picked up long after completely destroying my last pair that somehow manage to be extremely comfortable and not too horrible for my feet while being rather attractive with their blue and white print. There’s another two products on the beauty-front this week, as well. First up, I’ve rekindled my love for my all-time favourite, the Maybelline Falsies Mascara;I’ve had this one for going on six months so I had been thinking that it was irritating my sensitive eyes so I had cast it off to the side and although it’s certainly not advisable to use a mascara for so long, I brought it out again and instantly remembered how much I love this mascara especially when it’s getting to be dried out. I’m one of those girls who adore drier mascara formulas, by the way. At the beginning of the week, I spotted the Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stains for the first time in stores here and although I hadn’t been particularly excited by the news of the release, I couldn’t resist picking up the muted tangerine-coral Milan Moment hue, even at it’s rather steep price but it was worth it because I’ve fallen in love. The staining power isn’t the most impressive in the world, the pigmentation begins on the sheer to medium side of things and the precise wand can apply the liquid lipstain in a slightly streaky way at first but the formula doesn’t irritate my lips, appears to be unfragranced, is a dream to apply with its lip-gloss wand, lasts through eating and drinking but doesn’t dry out my lips unless I leave it on for so long that shine has faded and feels weightless and balmy on the lips – without any hint of stickiness in sight. The shade also happens to be a unique one and one of those ideal everyday shades for me. It might just be worth the $13-15 that they retail for here.

I think I’ve summed up things rather nicely and the ocean is calling my name so it appears that this post has come to a close. Happy Sunday everyone! How was your week? I’d love to hear any thoughts!
Maggie, x.

 

 

 

 

May 2014 Favourites

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I’m not one to get all nostalgic and sentimental — in fact, the whole institution makes me feel slightly nauseous — but here I am anyways. One: where has this year gone? The fact that tomorrow marks the beginning of the sixth month of 2014 absolutely blows my mind. Two: today marks the one year anniversary of my little blog, as hard as that is to believe. It seems equally as shocking to me. But here I am, bringing you my little selection of essential products from May that I originally thought was going to be quite a small collection but somehow they piled up and I couldn’t be happier to share them with all of you amazing people. This month, the products seemed to take on more of an everyday staples kind of vibe and I can recommend them all, as you will be able to tell from the below ramblings. I feel that I should warn you that you’re in for a long one… 🙂

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I can count on one hand (and not even using the thumb) the number of times this month that I haven’t used slightly amazing Dior 5 Colour Eyeshadow in 734 Grege ($61 CDN) and I can honestly say that I loved the results of this versatile palette each time, as shocking as that might be to hear from someone who easily feels a bit ‘meh’ from sticking to the same makeup routine for too long. I’m sure some of you are not surprised that I included this as it’s been consistently mentioned in my posts within the last month but the love I have for this has far exceeded what I can generally convey. I think that it’s easy to neglect these seemingly less economical and less exciting smaller palettes when larger palettes are consistently released but this quint is one of those smaller palettes that houses the essentials without forgoing interesting shades. As I’ve come to expect from Dior, the shades are the longest wearing on me with equally-as-fantastic pigmentation and zero fallout but this quint in particular features an excellent edited selection of varying finishes and depths – because of this versatility I deem this particular palette to be splurge-worthy. The matte chocolate brown is a great option to be used as liner as well as in the outer corner, the satiny warm caramel shade is ideal for blending through the crease on me, the shimmery ivory is great for lightening and brightening the inner portion of the lid, the sheeny grey shade is a nice one to apply more precisely through the crease to add smokiness and the pale taupe sheeny shade is a gorgeous-but-basic lid shade. Together these shades create a variety of different “looks” – I hate that word but anyways – and they’re also helpful to have to pair with other shadows.

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After missing out on MAC Sweet & Sour Lipstick ($19 CDN),the muted peachy coral when it was released last summer with MAC’s limited-edition ‘All About Orange’ collection so when it was recently made permanent, I made not and obviously could not resist picking it up for myself as soon as I finished my exams. It’s difficult for me to include lipstick in these favourites posts because it’s rare that I will be content to use a colour with this sort of frequency but I have been wearing this shade loads this month and by loads I wore it at least half of the time that I wore any sort of makeup. I don’t love the cremesheen formula of this one as it clings to any sort of texture problems on the lip area but it lasts and does not dry out the lips visibly so I can’t complain too much given the fun-but-everyday nature of the shade. This is not one if you want to make your teeth look whiter but you win some and you lose some…

When I wasn’t wearing the above lipstick, there was about a 90% chance that I was sporting the rose-hued Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 08 ($7-8 CDN) that with its brown undertones, gives that my-lips-but-better slightly deeper effect with a longwearing and hydrating formula to boot. I dedicated an entire post (here) to my newfound love of this lipstick that I rejected in the past for its overt brown hue. For me, the secret to pulling off this gorgeous everyday shade is to apply it with a lip brush for less intense colour payoff – and I wore it this way often.

I’m not ready to say that its superior to the ashy MAC Coquette eyeshadow for filling in my brows but I figured that I owed the L’Oreal Superliner Brow Artist in Blonde ($12 CDN) a mention considering that it’s a drugstore offering that actually does not look warm or red in my cool-toned brows and that it’s the easiest thing to use ever (only complaint is sharpening) and comes with both a wax to seal in the hairs and a handy little comb. All I have to say is that I really don’t think this shade would be ideal for blondes as I’m a medium brunette and this isn’t even particularly all that light. Did I mention that with this my brows stay put like a champ?

It appears that I’ve been enjoying L’Oreal products quite a bit this month which is kind of shocking as I hadn’t really noticed. Easily my most frequently worn blush was the L’Oreal True Match Blush in Innocent Flush ($13-16 CDN) a pigmented and finely milled peachy-coral with a golden sheen running throughout. It’s definitely not the most unique colour in the world, instead just another one of the many corals with golden sheen running throughout but these kinds of shades suit me and scream warm-weather-appropriate so I’m not one to complain about the lack of innovation.

The final L’Oreal product to grace this post is the Oleo-Therapy Oil Infused Conditioner ($9 CDN), I swear. I’ve been using this conditioner for a few months but this month was when I realized how great this product really was. On my dry curly hair this conditioner deeply nourished my strands, doing what it claimed, without any silicones (that I can see) and a high concentration of oils that remain lightweight. It’s rare that I find affordable conditioners to be as nourishing as this one and it also detangles nicely and smells luxurious to boot!

With the whole having curlier hair situation, the last thing I would expect to love would be a brush, considering that fingers are supposed to be adequate to detangle and all that but I have to say that I adore the Tangle-Teaser-copycat, namely the Goody Tangle Fix that I can’t recall the price of because I received it as a gift. I’m naughty and have been using it in the shower to detangle my hair prior to rinsing my conditioner out with this and I have to say its the most effective detangler that I’ve ever tried and I don’t even know anyone who experiences more tangles than me.

After embracing my paleness for years following my first foray into the gradual tanners, I’ve gotten to really appreciate the basic-but-noteworthy – to the point that I have completely ran out of my first tube of the Jergen’s Natural Glow Firming Daily Moisturizer in Medium to Tan ($9 CDN) and have happily moved onto my second. I’m skeptical of the whole firming situation (and considering my age I can’t really comment to be honest) but this one is great because it’s intensely moisturizing and non-irritating as a moisturizer on my irritated eczema-laden skin, goes on evenly (with a few slight patches) without needing to exfoliate (my body cannot tolerate any sort of scrubbing action so self-tanner is generally out of the cards) and it doesn’t burn or irritate my skin despite its fragrance. I noticed that in the ingredients list, there’s no synthetic fragrance listed but rather caramel is included instead and I can assume that this is what gives it its authentic nice scent that my ulta-sensitive skin actually agrees with. The darker shade actually does suit my skin nicely, looking like an authentic tan on my warm-toned-but-not-golden skin with yellow undertones.

I haven’t been particularly obsessive about painting my nails this month but when I have made the effort, I’ve been consistently going for the pale cornflower Essie Bikini So-Teeny ($9 CDN) and haven’t regretted it once. It’s a gorgeous pastel hue and the formula lasts on my nails five days without major signs of wear so obviously it checks all the boxes. It’s not the most opaque formula (not shocking considering that it’s a pastel hue) but it doesn’t streak and goes opaque in two coats and therefore is impressive in my view.

I might just begin to have an actual emotional outburst if you recall my ramble on a few weeks back about rekindling my interest in style and I’m not one to display human qualities of the emotional kind. This interest has remained but a post hasn’t been in the works as of yet and style-wise, I’ve been obsessed with the comfortable and flattering, American Eagle High-Waisted Jeggings that I picked up towards the beginning of the month for mere third of the full retail price — $20 instead of $60 — in the pale grey shade. I’m a big fan of the store in general for the ease of shopping, the fit and general aesthetic of their clothes but I have to admit that this pair was something special – the regular length running a bit longer than usual so I didn’t have to order online to suit my strangely lanky legs, the slightly higher-waist sitting at the perfect height to flatter my not-so-tiny waist, the lightweight denim remaining comfortable even in the warmer weather.

This month, I’ve really fallen in love with Natalie’s blog, Thunderlove. I’ve mentioned her blog a few good times this month and when she commented on one of my posts where I linked her, I had a sort of fangirl moment – and I don’t have these easily. Both in videos and posts, she has an authentic and laid-back manner and also gives fantastic reviews, so obviously she’s golden.  At this point, she may fear that I’m stalking her but I promise that I’m not – I just kind found myself routinely scouring through her archives with no shame.

What have your standout products been this month?

Maggie, x.

 

April 2014 Favourites

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April has been a unique months on two accounts, I’d have to say, and these two accounts are that whole University situation and the weather situation. Until the last week of the month, I’ve been overwhelmed by the mountain of work that I’ve had to achieve during the time and somehow ended up surviving the stress and sleep-deprivation of it all. Somewhere along the way, the weather here switch from April snow to a good number of gorgeous sunny days that actually make getting a burn possible in between bouts of spring rain. So this month has not been one of great experimentation or any sort of great dedication to a lengthy routine of sorts but I’m pleased with the staples that I’ve discovered. And below is a picture of most of the products in use i.e. the cream shadow applied heavily, the blush, mascara etc.

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 Diorskin Nude Skin-Glowing Makeup in 11 Creme ($48 CDN): If you take a look at my posts in the last month, it should be no surprise that this was deserving of mention — I did mention my love for it a few times. I’ve reviewed it months ago and wrote that I like it but I have to say over the past few months it’s gone from a nice foundation in my books for that flattering everyday foundation that looks good without putting a lot of effort in. The finish is satiny with a side of luminosity but at the same time it doesn’t highlight imperfections and pores and it provides medium-coverage but cannot be built up past that without losing its ability to look and feel like your skin but perfected. It lasts for ages and ages; I may or may not have woken up with it still intact after New Years this year… And although it has alcohol, it doesn’t irritate my skin and it contains chemical SPF that doesn’t actually irritate my skin so I’m kind of convinced it’s sorcery. I’ve reviewed this before here but my thoughts have definitely improved!

Garnier Nourishing Cleansing Oil ($10-12 CDN): After picking this up at the beginning of the month as the beginning of my foray into cleansing oils, it’s safe to say that my verdict on this affordable offering is favourable. Whilst the packaging seems to claim that the cleansing and nourishing action comes from the high-quality nut oils, when in reality the concentrated ingredient is mineral oil. However, despite the bad rap that mineral oil tends to get, it’s one of those really gentle but effective moisturizing and makeup-removing ingredients and does not universally clog pores. It’s a super-effective and nourishing makeup remover that I apply onto my dry skin with dry hands and then wet to rinse off with the aid of a washcloth. It takes a wee bit more effort than the good ol’ Bioderma or regular cleanser but it’s removal powers are outstanding. And I’m not one to complain about the skin-soothing sensation that it leaves behind. P.S. this product leaks like nothing else…

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light-Medium Bisque ($30 CDN): I’ve always kind of held onto the promise that I would never be one of those bloggers who raves about a product being their absolute favourite find of a month when they only had it for a few weeks but here I am doing so and I don’t regret it. This is because I might have only tried this under eye corrector on Easter after receiving it as a gift but I’ve noticed the tremendous difference every other time I’ve put on makeup since — it’s pink undertone actually covers my hereditary dark circles without leaving that peachy-orange cast even without a concealer on top despite my fairness. And the texture is a really nice one, I must admit – creamy and flattering underneath my under eyes that can look cake-y with concealer and this does not happen with the corrector and despite its creamy texture, it does not crease on me but then again, I do not have a tendency to experiencing concealer creasing.

Make Up For Ever 5 Camouflage Cream Palette in 1 ($45 CDN): This has been mentioned the odd time by me here and I seem to recall including it in a favourites post before but now that I have discovered that whole pinpoint-concealing thing with the aid of the Real Techniques Detailer Brush, the palette has hugely impressed me. The cream concealers have a high-coverage but creamy texture that doesn’t highlight dry patches unless they’re to that severe place when any type of cosmetic product will highlight them. Anddd, the colour selection is nice and versatile for my skin at least, although the peach-orange is not the right tone for correcting under eye circles in the slightest on me – but I have the corrector for that.

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess Mascara ($9-11 CDN): Let me put it this way, if the non-waterproof version of this wasn’t such a bitch to remove, it would have long ago beat out Maybelline The Falsies as my all-time favourite. But it is a pain in the ass to remove but it is worthwhile for such big and defined lashes that aren’t clumpy, even when applied haphazardly to the bottom lashes. Despite being a glasses wearer, I’ve been given quite a few compliments on my lashes since using this one which is impressive. But do keep in mind that I have naturally long and curled but wimpy eyelashes. I went back to the Falsies to compare and I have to say that I actually prefer this one now that it’s had more air in it, if the removing issue was not a problem. It looks like I’ve actually succeeded in putting the intended posts up this month as I have my full-review here.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Ethereal Glow ($41 CDN): Now, I’m not saying that these shall-we-say-luxurious blushes are an absolute necessity but the texture, blend ability, longevity and overall quality here. Despite my lack of success with cool-toned pinks, this one remains on the skin in a flattering way — it appears on my skin like a natural rosy hue, not particularly cool-toned when it comes in contact with the skin but not warm-toned either. And the finish is a satin without any sort of shimmer but it weirdly leaves the skin with some luminosity as promised. I’ve been wearing his all month long with pleasure, as shocking as it might be, and I’m not growing tired of it; in fact, it seems to becoming that everyday blush for me as I had surmised in my review here.

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Nude Compliment ($9 CDN): After giving my early thoughts on the limited edition shade of the famous cream shadows here, my love for the taupe-y shade did not falter in the slightest as I kept on wearing and wearing this cream shadow either on lid on its own or as a base. It’s quite versatile with how it can be built up and it has to have the best longevity in terms of any of these cream shadows in the range. The satin-finish gives that flattering gleam to the eyes but keeps shimmer overkill from happening when shades are worn over the top. Also, despite the grey-tones in the shadow, it doesn’t go overly cool-toned and draining on my warmer undertones. If you have a little opportunity to creep around your local drugstore for one of these beauties, I would definitely go for it. There’s more details on the product here!

L’Oreal True Match Mineral Gentle Mineral Powder in W1-2 Light Ivory ($14-16 CDN): With the weather getting warmer and the general exam-induced stress going on, my skin felt in need of a powder and despite not being a powder kind of girl, this one has impressed me big time. It leaves a velvety finish to the skin instead of totally mattifying it, is almost devoid of coverage and used in moderation, the powdery finely-milled texture allows for it to look undetectable on the skin.

The New and Improved Book of Blogging: I should begin by stating how cheap I am in matters excluding the purchasing of beauty products, lattes and the occasional indulgent meal; agendas or notebooks that cost more than a few dollars are not something I allow myself to go for. But I splurged (for me at least) on a trusty Moleskine at the beginning of the month and it’s impressed me with its durable hard cover and its handy elastic bookmark and for once I’ve stuck to my promise of keeping organized in the little book without constantly scribbling up pages and making new lists. If you’re someone like me who tends to take your little book everywhere with you, a more durable one like this is amazing in ways you cannot imagine. It may be nothing fancy but I’m happy to have it.

Hello October: Suzie’s blog has the perfect mixture of beauty-centric posts and lifestyle with some style thrown in and writes in a nice casual low-key story-telling kind of way. She’s one of my favourite bloggers all the time but I’ve been particularly obsessed this month, scouring through her posts as soon as they hit my Bloglovin feed. It’s one of those blogs that you read and look at the pictures of and have that whole relaxing unwinding experience and it’s completely genuine. It also may or may not be of significance that I relate to her eczema-induced angst. And she’s adorable.

So here it is, another unsurprisingly lengthy favourites post but it wouldn’t be one of these posts from me if it were any other way? What are a couple of things you’ve been loving this month?

Maggie, x.

 

March Favourites

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

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

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

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

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

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume ($16 CDN)

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

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OPI Nail Envy ($18 CDN)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 MAC Tenderling Powder Blush ($21/25 CDN)

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

MAC Dreaming Dahlia Lipstick ($19 CDN)

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

a moderate swatch

 

MAC Coquette Eyeshadow ($12/18 CDN)

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

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

Maggie, x.

 

 

February Favourites

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If January was all about the haze that comes with stress and exhaustion, February was definitely a continuation on the same spectrum, with the same constant anxiety and perpetual exhaustion but also with the complication of sleeping troubles (obviously deprivation ensued throughout the month and the threat of fast approaching deadlines that forced me to turn my stress into something productive. And although I love winter, it has to be said that I’ve been suffering through the drab and dreary winter blues, I’m afraid to say.

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette ($62 CDN)

When I heard about this palette and saw pictures and videos featuring it for the first little while, I was not particularly impressed or planning to buy it but as time went on and I did more research, I had an itch that it would be a worthwhile purchase for me and man it was. This is one of the rare palettes that I can use to create a myriad of different combinations that I like without feeling compelled to reach for another palette – unless its for my eyebrows obviously. This wasn’t something I considered when I decided to buy the palette but the three matte shades are the hidden treasures of the palette, the workhorses in a sense. The rosy-taupe, Limit, works wonderfully as a transition shade on me, the darker rosy brown, Nooner, is one of my favourites for adding depth to the crease and Strange, the slightly pink-toned cream shade, highlights the eye without adding any extra shimmer. I’ve been rotating between using Burnout, Buzz and Trick on my lid and have been enjoying Darkside in the outer corner as well as Blackheart to deepen things up even more.

 Sally Hansen Kwik Off ($5 CDN)

Even after contemplating this all month, it shocks me that I’m becoming one of those girls who talks obsessively about something as mundane as nail polish remover yet here I am. This is the easiest way to remove nail polish ever. I keep this on the floor next to my bed and I can remove my polish effortlessly without truly moving. You just have to lazily swirl your finger around through the fluid-filled sponge and then you are done. What more could you ask for?

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation ($11-12 CDN)

 After trying this foundation at the beginning of the month, I haven’t been able to take it off my desk since. Although I rotate through a few others, this has to be a new favourite of mine as I easily wore it most of the month. It’s a nice and lightweight foundation that can go on sheerly with a small amount of product applied with the fingers but it provides weightless medium coverage combined with my loved Real Techniques Buffing Brush while looking light and dewy on the skin. I appreciate that this foundation has that lightweight look and feel without being full of drying alcohols and I have to say Shell has been an impressive match on me. This is one of the few foundations I can go to if my skin is an irritated, dehydrated and flaky mess without worrying about it making the texture look worse. From what I’d heard I thought this foundation was one that offered more of a natural finish than a luminous one and I was going to pass it up but then I heard Lily Pebbles describing it as glowier and I decided to pick it up when it went on sale for ten dollars and a dime or two.

The Body Shop Aloe Protective Restoring Mask ($22 CDN)

I’m not ashamed to admit that when I picked this up towards the beginning of the month, it was an impulsive buy, resulting from stress-shopping so I wasn’t expecting much so I was pleasantly surprised by my love of this after expecting very little from it. It’s an ultra-gentle fragrance-free overnight masque that feels sort of thick and gooey on the skin that seems to be absorbed quickly and results in less dehydrated and dull skin in the morning, making the skin look rested when I’ve hardly slept at all. I’ve been using it 2-3 times weekly since picking it up and I have to say it consistently helped calm my skin, made it look more luminous and helped makeup to apply smoothly. The ingredients are pretty basic but they are effective for truly hydrating the skin. I recommend trying this out (or at the very least some sort of moisture mask) if dehydration is a skincare concern of yours.

MAC Stereo Rose Mineralize Skinfinish ($35 CDN)

This has received a great deal of mention from me here lately (in my weekly post from last week, for instance) but this has remained the blush that I’ve reached for day after day and for once it’s actually available as it’s being repromoted with MAC’s A Fantasy of Flowers collection. The texture of the blush is finely-milled so it sits in synergy with the skin and really helps to illuminate with its coppery coral bloom of colour that is not overly shimmering on the skin. This is one of those blushes that I put on and look instantly alive. If you tend to be a fan of corals and haven’t tried this one out, I recommend giving it a look before it’s gone. I don’t say these words often, but the cult-product is completely worth the hype, however I do have a thing for coral blushes…

Pantene Curly Hair Series Curl Shaping Gel ($6-8 CDN)

When I picked this gel up a month ago because if you have hair that’s on the curly end of the spectrum and wear it that way, a gel can be a lifesaver for definition and control of your curls but if like me you have hair that soaks up product and you have a whole lot of hair, it can get expensive going through higher end gels that I know and love and I was in great need of a nice one that didn’t break the bank. I generally associate Pantene with weighed down and silicone coated hair so I was surprised when I found out it was silicone-free while not being drying on the hair, providing a good deal of hold – but in my opinion not the extreme hold advertised. This gel gives really nice curl definition on my fine strands that I would classify as wavy-curls while keeping my dry and tangly hair in good condition. After being unhappy with my hair for a good couple of months, when I began using this a dramatic difference was seen for the better. It doesn’t weigh hair down in the slightest, I’m glad to say, while still being kind on the hair. 

Maybelline Blushing Beige Lipstick ($9-10 CDN)

Lip products rarely seem to be featured in my favourites posts and it’s not because I don’t love them but rather is that I don’t tend to commit to wearing one over a long period of time but I’ve been wearing this one from the new ‘The Buffs’ collection frequently this month. The formula is comfortable on the lips while still having good longevity and it has that cream finish that I adore. Blushing Beige was one of the shades I recently reviewed and although it’s a true nude colour in depth, the warm pink-peach undertones keep the shade flattering on the lips and away from the concealer lips end of things. This shade is a difficult one to describe and in light of this, below is a picture of it on my pale lips.

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What have you been loving this month?