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Oops I Did It Again…

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Remember when I said that I was going to stop with all of that impromptu not-too-small drugstore haulage and instead be much more careful and contemplative about my purchases? Well that didn’t happen – whoops; it was a meh kind of rainy day and my friend and I were taking a casual stroll through Target so I’m sure you can surmise what happened. And I indulged my book-loving soul at Chapters (the Canadian generic bookstore if you were curious) because you can’t come out empty handed, obviously.

I’ll get the books out of the way first. Wait, that made it sound like they were a burden when in truth I love them as much as my favourite beauty items (shock-horror). Well, first I picked up a Father’s Day gift (for the father obviously, who happens to be quite possibly the most difficult person to buy gifts for because if there’s something out there that he believes is worth the $, he will go out and buy it for himself)– Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East— which I can happily report went over with great success as despite not being a huge reader like myself, he enjoys this kind of general knowledge and will converse on these kind of subjects frequently i.e. casually at the dinner table. Because there’s nothing as life-affirming as perusing the shelves of the bookstore and coming out with at the very least a few, I picked up two for myself as well. After picking up a few books that fit under the young-adult umbrella, some weeks back for the first time in ages, I was tempted to pick up the next book in Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian’s series, Fire With Fire, as despite the cliched names of the books in the series and how superficial they appear, they were actual enjoyable reads that aren’t anything resembling brainless and mindnumbingly adolescent and juvenile despite being centered around the lives of high schoolers who decide to seek revenge on those who have wronged them. The final purchase was a typical kind of selection from me, I’ll Be Right There,an introspective and seemingly poignant novel of a twenty-something woman coming back to face the traumatic events of her past, written by Kyung-Sook Shin.

Moving on to the Target purchases of the beauty variety, I stuck to more of a basic theme going for yet another foundation, a primer, a concealer and an everyday sort of lip-liner. Obviously I did not need another foundation (when do I ever?) but I couldn’t resist picking up the fairly new Revlon Age Defying Firming + Lifting Makeup ($16-18)that didn’t appear to have any SPF (here in Canada) and I had heard was a nice medium-to-full coverage foundation for drier skin types with a pump so when I saw this for less expensive there, I had to grab it. I went for the second lightest shade, 10 Bare Buff, which is the second lightest shade out of 11 and considering that there were no testers, I’m convinced I did a magical job as estimating my shade as it has slight yellow undertones and suits my skin with a wee bit of colour to it. I didn’t go for it for its anti-aging properties as I’m twenty years old so I can’t report but I have to say that thus far I’m impressed with this buildable-to-full coverage foundation with a natural finish that remains looking like skin even over dry patches. And, it’s lasting power is fantastic, hardly developing any shine without powder and not fading after 15 hours yesterday.

I’ve tried a few primers and have given them a good shot but I haven’t exactly found my one yet or even my verdict on their efficacy on my dehydrated skin suffering on the texture front and I’ve been contemplating actually purchasing one and giving it a go and when I spotted the Annabelle CC Colour Control Instant Perfecting Base in Luminous Finish ($15-17)and saw that it appeared to be formulated without the usual irritating ingredients, I overlooked its cliched status as a ‘cc’ cream and picked it up. It’s just a primer, to be honest, without any coverage but its silicone-based texture seems to help foundation glide over dry patches more smoothly and add a subtle shimmer-free opalescent glow to the face. Thus far, it reminds me of a more siliconey and subtle-in-a-good-way version of Laura Mercier Radiance Primer. 

Back to Revlon, I was interested in a heavy-duty kind of concealer that would be much more compact than my beloved MUFE Palette and I had heard good things about the Colorstay Concealer in 02 Light ($10)in that context so into the bag it went. I’ve only used this once so far but it seems to be a nice spot and pigmentation concealer – it’s a bit dry for underneath the eyes – and the shade seems impressive, moderately fair with beige-to-yellow undertones, especially in comparison to the offerings of other drugstore concealers in my opinion.

I went for another Annabelle product it appears and it was definitely induced by the bargain-price of the Annabelle Lipliner in 405 Demure ($4-6), my recent success with products from this Canadian brand and the nice selection of natural-my-lips kinds of shades. I’ve mentioned before that I haven’t found that perfect everyday shade and that I’m not much of a lip liner girl but this one seemed to have a bit more warm pink to its neutral-browny tone rather than the dull peach generic shade and I’m glad that I did. The liner is creamy and slides nicely over my drier-than-dry lips and is the perfect match to the my lips but better lipstick favourite of mine, MAC Patisserie. I’ll keep you updated on this one but I suspect all you will hear in the future will be overwhelmingly possible. You catch my drift? Oh, and below I’m wearing the lip liner alone all over my lips and the foundation and primer mentioned earlier…

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Have you tried any of these products? Have you picked up anything lately?

Maggie, x.

 

 

 

 

 

Additions to the Stash #4

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In my typical fashion, I had kind-of-but-not-really made a pact to myself that I needed to stop with the all-to-frequent drop into the drugstore, being lured in my sales and supposed necessity of acquiring certain products and suddenly coming out fifty dollars poorer but unsurprisingly I failed. However, my justification is that I actually needed the hairspray, Target was far too enticing and it was my birthday so a little wee bit of celebration was called for. I’m aware that this is straddling the line of self-justification and delusion at its finest but hey, I’m nothing if not consistent.

L’Oreal Elnett Satin Sleekissime Hairspray ($13-15)

As detailed in my Weekly Medley posts, I have been experimenting with heat and actual hair styles that would require the aid of hairspray so I actually ran out of my previous one and I had always wanted to try one of the versions of the cult hairspray and being a gal whose hair is stubborn, reactive to humidity like nothing else and straddling the line between wavy and curly, the humidity-proof offering seemed like the one to go for. Thus far, I’m impressed; the rose fragrance is much better than the original, the hold is strong while remaining touchable and it does hold up as good as anything else in humidity. Although any hairspray is full of drying alcohol (this one is no different), I find this one to remain gentle on my hair, tangling up a whole lot less than others that I’ve tried.

Sonia Kashuk Undetectable Creme Bronzer in Rich Bronze ($10-11)

I’ve said before that I rarely go into Target so I had to pick this up when I found myself strolling the aisles with glee. I’m a huge fan of the lighter colour offering, Warm Tan, to such a degree that I have hit pan on the terracotta-hued creamy bronzer and since hearing that this darker offering had less of that terracotta cast, I had to try it out and it doesn’t disappoint. It has the same great creamy longwearing formula but instead is a infintessimely-warm toned medium brown shade that has the ability to sculpt out cheekbones farther but has to be used with care over broader areas. For those of us on the lighter end of the spectrum, I believe that this is a good cream contour offering especially at its pricepoint.

Annabelle Smoothliner in Black ($6-7)

I’ve mentioned my love for this budget-friendly creamy liner formula before and as luck would have it, I seem to have misplaced the brown shade, Brownie that I adore so seeing this one at Target for a few cents under six dollars made the purchase of another one enevitable. I went for the black offering because I’m truly a black eyeliner kind of gal and the formula makes fast lining quick and easy. The liner stays put and all that jazz and doesn’t pull or tug at the skin.

L’Oreal La Couleur Infallible in Tender Caramel ($9)

This is where the products from my impromptu birthday celebratory Walmart dash begin and this one was a no-brainer as I knew from experience that I more than liked the formula of these pressed pigments and I had constantly been swatching the gorgeous reflective taupe-y shade but then passing up on it for ages so I went for it. I’m glad I did – it is one of those rare shades that works all over the lid and into the crease. These hyped shadows are fantastic, deserving of all their praise and I want a good five or six more. I’m wearing this shade on my lids in the picture below for reference:

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Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer in Celestial ($8)

I posted about my love for the moisturizing yet longwearing liquid lipstick in the much brighter Stellar option last week and have been wanting to find a more subdued neutral shade from the line, leading me towards this option. However, I was hesitant about how pink the shade appeared (as pink tends to be problematic for me) but went for it after seeing it on the lovely Natalie and I’m glad that I did. The shade is about as pink as I’d like to go but the rosy mauve tones to the shade keep it flattering and subdued but it does check all of the boxes as you can see. The shade is even nicer in my opinion when blotted down lightly as well.

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Revlon Matte Balm in Complex ($9)

Another hyped-up product, so I’m not being anything unique here but despite not loving the formula of these matte balms, I couldn’t resist picking up the darker peachy nude shade. The colour is a nice one, an everyday kind of wearable nude shade but the formula just doesn’t mesh amazingly well with my sensitive and dry lips unfortunately. I guess I’m one of the only ones who isn’t in love with these matte lip crayons it seems but they’re not too bad by any means. I’m afraid that I took the image below on my older camera so it’s not quite as good but I figured I would show it anyway.

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Revlon Highlighting Palette in Peach Glow ($11)

After going for less glowy foundations as of late, I’ve been getting more into highlighter and believe it or not, I don’t own very many at all (before this no drugstore ones) so I went for this highlighting palette that I’ve heard good things about. Thus far I’m by no means disappointed; when blended together there’s a nice peachy bronze sheeny shade that transfer nicely onto the skin without being too intense or anything frosty. While still being pigmented, the little palette highlights cheekbones without being dramatic or overwhelmingly shimmery.

Maybelline Master Hi-Light Hi-Lighting Blush in Pink Rose ($13)

I’m sure you’ve heard me declare my love for the bronzing version of this product, Deep Bronze, a time or one hundred and ever since I’ve wanted to branch out to the blush shades so after spotting these for a few dollars less than they typically are, I had to go for the rosy pink shade. Believe it or not, the shade is much more unique than it appears, not being coral in the slightest but also not being a cool-toned pink either, offering a subdued glow to the cheeks. I don’t have anything like this and I’m loving this thus far. Yesterday’s daily face post featured photos of me wearing this with the above highlighter if you’re interested here.

What have you been picking up lately?

Maggie, x.

Beauty Additions #3: The Scattered Edition

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Over the last month or so, in the midst of all that exam stress and craziness, and in celebration of its ending later, I seem to have acquired a fair number of new items of the beauty variety that are deserving of mention here. Keep in mind that these are a collective collection of buys over the last month; there was no exciting splurge or haul or anything of that sort, although that would be infinitely more exciting and fulfilling. Oh, and more than a few of these were practical buys, motivated by sales and the like.

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Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser (on sale for $9 from $12 CDN – Shopper’s Drugmart): Spoiler alert for empties coming up here, not that I’ll be revealing anything of excitement here but I feel the need to heed warning: I ran out of my beloved Boots Beautiful Skin “Cleansing Balm” and after reading the ingredients list to discover that this formulation was similar, I decided to try this one because I liked the other so much. As far as I can tell in the handful of times that I’ve used this cleanser, the formulation is just about the same but there is more product, a nicer pump dispenser and it comes with a muslin cloth. It has that rich creamy consistency that soothes and hydrates the skin while removing makeup like a dream without any sort of irritation. I’m a big fan of the affordable cleansers in this line that I have tried so far.

L’Oreal Sublime Soft Micellar Solution ($11-13 CDN):I think I might have mentioned my dependency on Bioderma perhaps a time or two here so it’s hardly shocking that I picked up L’Oreal’s more affordable alternative when I spotted it in stores with one of those illusive manufacturer’s coupons attached to the display for a few dollars off. I haven’t actually tried this one out yet but I plan too soon but my sources tell me that it’s slightly less concentrated than the original, while leaving a bit of residue. But I’ll report back, whether the cheaper alternative is worthwhile or not.

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Jergen’s Natural Glow Firming Daily Moisturizer in Medium to Tan ($9 CDN): I’m not someone who is hugely into the fake-tanning thing or the real-tanning-with-no-sunscreen-on kind of thing and generally do prefer to embrace my fairness but sometimes I get frustrated by my paleness in comparison to all the tanaholics and dislike the uneven tone that my body takes in the sun with sunscreen on and the hyperpigmentation that ensues. So I gave the gradual self-tanner a try after remembering using it back in junior high with moderate success despite my ignorance and mistakenly picked up the darker shade — however, the darker shade has impressed me as it delivers slightly less subtle colour that matches the warm yellow undertones that my skin naturally tans into but I really do need to be slightly careful of the hands on this one. All in all, I’ve been enjoying this as a moisturizer that adds colour without wreaking havoc on my eczema patches. But it’s not foolproof. Note: I have limited skills in this department.

Dove Style + Care Nourishing Curls Mousse ($6-8 CDN): This is actually a repurchase from me but it’s not a product I would classify as ‘amazing’ but rather it works well for adding nourishment while adding texture, body and hold to my loose curls, often spotted around for sale. I’ve been enjoying this thus far and it does what it says, providing some hold without being drying in the slightest.

Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation (on sale for $6 from $9 CDN- Shopper’s Drugmart):I may have a slight foundation hoarding problem but I never expected to pick this one up as it’s marketed as a matte finish and I have dry skin and a preference for foundations of the more luminous variety but after I got a sample of this in Elle Canada in a somewhat passable but not perfect shade (Ivory), I might add, I found myself enjoying the product. In the past little while, I’ve been eying up a fuller-coverage foundation on the more matte end of the spectrum and this fit the bill so it was purchased particularly at its great price. I found the shades ran quite pink and actually catered to fairer skin tones — I’m the fourth shade out of the six I spotted and it matches my paleness — so I went for the more beige-undertoned 103 True Ivory and I’ve been enjoying it. It reminds me of Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation in texture and coverage but it is much more lightweight and has more of a velvet-y finish than satin. It has full coverage and isn’t altogether horrendous on dry patches – but it’s not all that matte.

L’Oreal True Match Blush in N3-4 Innocent Flush ($13-16 CDN): So, these more expensive blushes from L’Oreal were on sale about three weeks ago and knowing my blush-hoarding tendencies, it shouldn’t be shocking that I picked up this peachy-coral shade. Like far too many of the blushes that I own, it has a golden shimmer running through it but it isn’t chunky in the least and has a smooth texture. My only complaint is that the longevity isn’t as fantastic as my favourites and I’m not accustomed to topping up my blush — and I do not wish to be accustomed to doing so either.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Coralberry ($9 CDN):I’m beginning to notice a theme here as this was yet another product that I was tempted to pick up as a result of a small sale and my growing coral lip-product obsession. I wasn’t disappointed with this creme formula lipstick in the slightest; I’ve tried the shade Black Cherry from the line before and I’m pleased to report that this shade has been far superior, offering the same longevity and pigmentation while not highlighting dry patches or uneven texture on the lips in the slightest. As the name would suggest, it’s a standard pinky coral shade and these shockingly last for five hours.

Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow in 734 Grege ($61 CDN):After submitting my last essay and therefore surviving the exam period, I had to treat myself and I was determined to pick something luxurious but practical at the same time, so obviously I went for another quint of my favourite eyeshadow formula in existence. I’ve declared my love for Earth Reflection before that I purchased after being recommended this specific palette for the umpteenth time and I decided to go for this versatile neutrals palette with a variety of finishes — aka practical matte shades–, no fallout whatsoever and to-die-for pigmentation. I’m sure you’ll hear more on this soon as I’m loving it and don’t expect that love to instantly vanish.

I intended on getting this post up ages and ages ago but somehow I’ve been struggling to write it. I’ll assure you there are lots of posts coming your way soon, though. Have you tried any of these products? What have you picked up in the last month?

Maggie, x.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Haircare Additions #1

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Lately I’ve been in a bit of a hair mood; although adding Pureology’s Precious Oil Masque has made a world of difference, I’m still working on the routine (my hair is rather problematic), after our exam I celebrated with a few friends, going out to lunch and we decided to hit up the drugstore (Shopper’s Drugmart if you’re curious) as well and this happened. I have hair that resides in the space between wavy and curly and is perhaps the tangliest thing in existence (I get those horrid clumps) and it’s dry but can get kind of dead-looking so I’m someone who really can benefit from some product cocktailing and TLC…

L’Oreal Oleo-Therapy Oil Infused Conditioner ($10.50 CDN)

As life-changing as the aforementioned Pureology masque is, it costs $50 for a container and I have the kind of hair that just drinks up conditioner regardless of how concentrated it is and therefore I’ve been on the lookout for a lower-priced product to alternate with without sacrificing the nourishment. As I’m a fan of the whole sulfate-free range from L’Oreal and being someone whose hair loves oils, I snapped up this product as soon as I spotted it on the packed shelf. It smells divine and I’m feeling optimistic about the high concentration of oils in the ingredients.

Organix Kukui Oil Frizz-Defying Curl Cream ($8 CDN)

I believe this curl cream is also a new product, as I haven’t seen it before and I was pleasantly surprised to find it for a few dollars off. I’ve always been a fan of curl creams (generally used along with a holding product) as they tend to nourish the hair while defining it and preventing it from going as crazy as my hair usually does but after being completely disappointed with the Garnier offering, I haven’t been tempted to pick up another one but my dry tangly hair needs all the help it can get right now.

John Freida Frizz-Ease Dream Curls Daily Styling Spray ($11 CDN)

I’m someone whose hair becomes flat and undefined after being slept on but my hair is much happier when it’s washed quite minimally (twice a week on average) so I struggle with my hair in the morning. I always thought that these refreshing sprays weren’t worth their price tag and then I almost convinced myself to pick up the much pricier Bumble and Bumble alternative but then I saw this – the magnesium sulfate should help define curls, the glycerin and olive oil should help condition the hair and the use of amodimethicone should prevent it from weighing my hair down.

It feels weird doing another ‘products I bought’ type post so soon but I was excited for these three things and I’ll definitely keep you all posted. Have you tried any of these? Hair recommendations for me?

Maggie, x.