I was lucky enough to receive a MAC Lipstick from my mom for Valentines Day. Well kind of; knowing me so well, she got me a gift card because I am insanely picking as she knew not to deprive me from the whole picking experience and when I went in to pick it out, I ended up with an eye product as well. You should know by now that this tends to be a reoccurring pattern for me.
MAC Dreaming Dahlia Lipstick ($19 CDN)
I’m quite a fan of MAC Lipsticks but don’t own a ton and the shades I have tend to either be bold statement shades or nudes and I’ve been craving one sort of in between that can be worn on the daily but also has some instantly-brightening colour to it and this limited-edition offering from the Fantasy of Flowers collection caught my eye and fit the bill. It’s a warm-toned true coral shade with a lustrefinish and I’d say that it’s rather pigmented for a luster (medium-buildable opacity) and while remaining comfortable and hydrating on the lips, wears for about four hours without requiring maintenance. These shades tend to be flattering on my skin but I’m hesitant buying these shades but I know I shouldn’t be. To me, this lipstick screams spring to me and if I were to make a prediction it’s going to get loads of wear this season.
MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Layin’ Low ($24 CDN)
I hadn’t expected to pick this sleek little pot up but I have to say that I’m not disappointed in the least. I’ve had an obsession with cream eyeshadows lately especially as bases in light of my primer crisis but I was looking for a matte one and I remembered using one of these a few years back and I found it to be a shadow-primer hybrid with better primer capabilities than the ever-popular Maybelline Colour Tattoos – these do crease on me a bit but it’s after hours and hours of wear and that happens to me regardless of what primer I use. Obviously these are longlasting as shadows in themselves and have the easiest texture to use, while setting for maximum longevity. MAC describes this shade as a “creamy beige”, but I think it’s warmer and darker than that; I would describe the matte shade as a very warm beige-brown shade that is notably more orange-toned and darker than the famous Painterly. I’ll try to keep you updated on this but so far so good!
The I’m trying to do these sorts of post detailing the products I’ve picked up but I’m still getting the hang of things and I’d welcome some advice. Thoughts on the products? Tell me what you’ve been loving lately …. please?
Maggie, x.
P.S. I’m wearing Layin’ Low on my lids by itself and Dreaming Dahlia on my lips!
It feels rather nice (understatement) to say that February is over and even nicer because the statement is actually true. As you can probably imagine, this was not my favourite month of my life but despite the stress and abundant deadlines, I survived and I’m pleased to report I whipped out 17 blogposts throughout the month. It was both the shortest and the longest month for me – because of the deadlines time flew by and it only had twenty-eight days but time goes by rather slowly when you spend it staring at the screen of your laptop and trying to make something productive out of this solitude. I wouldn’t be me without one of these rambly introductions, so don’t try to be too angry at me for this one. 🙂
Although I do admittedly enjoy ‘haul’ posts and videos, I haven’t felt right about posting about my purchased but then this one happened and it didn’t feel entirely self-indulgent…
I’m not going to lie, I’m predisposed to include this post due to my pride for the decent photography here – I’m horrible at that whole photo-taking thing – but the makeup look was one of my favourites and I repeated it often.
I’ve been meaning to write this post for months and months — I do kind of maybe sort of have an obsession with luminous skin — and I was happy with how the post turned out!
Even though lighting presented some challenges with this one, I found a pleasing amount of fantastic products in the last month and it has to be one of my favourites of these kinds of posts that I’ve written in ages.
This post precisely depicted my life for the last month, I must say, and it was a spur-of-the-moment post idea that I was really glad I went for as it kind of brought me out of my creativity drought. The last month here has been a massive storm after another and more often than not it less than -10 degrees and either blowing snow or full-on freezing rain so I thought I’d share the authentic Canadian experience with you all while rambling on about products.
What were your favourite posts this month? I’d love to hear about any that you wrote or those written by others that you enjoyed!
Maggie, x.
I apologize about the lack of posts lately but it’s been a crazy week and one that I’m glad to be finished at that – Happy Friday to you all! Although I cringe about using the word “Holy Grail” let alone use the abbreviation that reminds me of nails on the chalkboard, I wanted to share a few of the products that I can’t see myself as being content with functioning without and therefore I felt obligated to use the wretched term. As always, I’m sorry if this post is a little repetitive — if you’ve been a regular reader for more than a few months, you’ll have heard me ramble on a good amount about these — but I find these posts incredibly interesting and helpful. As I enjoy reading them so much, I’ve decided to write more of these long-time favourites that remain my go-to’s for months on end.
Bioderma Sensibio H2O ($22 CDN)
I know I know I know I know, I’m fulfilling the stereotype of the blogger obsessed with Bioderma’s famous micellar water but my love of it is genuine and not moved by the tremendous amount of hype that the product has. I have dry and extremely sensitive eyes and this is the only makeup remover that I’ve tried that both removes makeup effectively and does not irritate, sting or burn my eyes. I’ve been using this almost for a year and my only complaint is that I go through a bottle every three or so months. I haven’t tried any of the new micellar water alternatives that tend to be cheaper that have popped up in stores recently because I have a few backups left…
Indeed Laboratories Pepta-Bright Serum ($40 CDN)
Although I don’t mention this product nearly as much as I mention the above product, I don’t love it any less. This serum is moisturizing with its creamy consistency but contains a high concentration of exfoliating AHA’s and over time, it’s radically improved the texture of my skin, has helped to even out my skintone and has really brightened my complexion. This is one of those no-fuss products that work in the way that they’re intended but with none of those extra frills that can sometimes irritate the skin despite their luxuriousness. It’s gentle yet concentrated yet effective; what more could you want?
MAC Coquette Eyeshadow (12/18 CDN)
Although this eyeshadow has only been in my life since the beginning of this year but I’ve absolutely fallen in love with it; It is “the product” for my cool-toned brows. Most shades go rather red on me unless they are not dark enough but this shade is perfect for filling in my brows with – the medium-dark khaki taupe shade may look somewhat gross in the pan but it works both in the brows and as a fantastic shade to add definition to the crease.
MAC All That Glitters Eyeshadow ($12/18 CDN)
After repurchasing the golden-peachy shade at the beginning of the year, I’ve remembered why I adored it in the first place and it has to be my favourite no-fuss lid colour that doesn’t look super noticeable on the lids but adds that flattering brightness to my blue eyes. It’s my perfect lid colour and plays well with other shadows. What more can I say?
L’Oreal Lineur Intense in Carbon Black ($8-10 CDN)
I’ve mentioned this in loads of favourites videos and I’ve mentioned it for good reason. It’s the only liner that I’ve ever tried that creates the precisely-lined kitten flick without the effort of gel-liner. I’ve mastered the jet-black liner so that even with my shaky hands, I can pull of winged eyeliner in notably less than a minute.
MAC Patisserie Lipstick ($18 CDN)
This oft-mentioned shade might just be my favourite lipstick of all time and easily is my most-worn shade. It’s a flattering everyday no-fuss kind of shade with a comfortable and glossy formula. It’s a darker nude with warm pink undertones that adds some brightness to the face. It’s almost a my-lips-but-better on my ghastly pale lips. It’s a lustre formula and it’s extraordinary.
the lipstick in action!
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara ($8-10 CDN)
I know I know I know that it’s no secret that this is my favourite mascara but it is a fantastic everyday one for me. Without being difficult to remove, the easy-to-apply buildable thickening formula applies like a dream in seconds. It’s not a particularly wet formula and this might be why it works so well for my long and curled wimpy lashes.
Maybelline Master Hi-Light Hi-Lighting Bronzer in Deep Bronze ($12-16 CDN)
I didn’t intend for this to happen but I couldn’t narrow down any more from these three blushes but to be honest I’m not surprised being a blush fanatic. Last month I was rambling on and on about this blush and my love for it has not wavered – it’s a smooth textured blush that blends seamlessly into the skin and gives it a glow and it’s at a drugstore price. The warm coppery rose shade is to die for and I highly recommend it if coral shades suit you.
Benefit Boxed Powder in Rockateur ($36 CDN)
Ever since picking this up in early fall last year, I haven’t been able to remove it from my most loved makeup stash piled on my desk. It gives the skin that gorgeous glow that I love and sits seamlessly on it. The glowy rusty pink shade with warm undertones has never steered me wrong and with its versatility, it just works.
MAC Stereo Rose Mineralize Skinfinish ($35 CDN)
I’ve been going on and on about this lately and even though it’s available right now, I understand that it’s limited edition but I couldn’t be happy with this post without it. It has a similar formula to the two above – finely-milled and smooth as anything as well as pigmented on the skin and leaves the skin with the luminosity that I’m looking for – and it’s that rosy coral with a copper lean to it that instantly brightens my face. If I’m looking zombie-like and only have a few minutes to get ready, I always apply this and it solves it all.
What products couldn’t you live without? Have you tried any of these?
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.
This has been a week of impossible paradoxes – both productive and wholly unproductive in totality; holed up at home on “spring break” (neither of those words seem to be a fair depiction of the time) with nothing to do but be productive and accomplish what I haven’t had time for in the usual rushing about that we call life. However, somehow when all you have to do is be productive with no distractions I’ve found myself to be completely unproductive in doing anything of profit as I become so focused on my unproductivity and my already high anxiety levels skyrocket. It has gotten to the point where I miss the escape in going to school and all the exhaustion that ensues because it’s sort of an escape from the whole solitude with your mind as your only company that drives me at least completely bonkers.
For some reason that I cannot comprehend (rationally at least), I’ve always had this vendetta against brown eyeliner – I never quite saw the point of it, as I never found black all that harsh on me – and after trying the Rimmel one that everyone adores with disappointing success, I was not planning on picking up another one but it was surprisingly affordable and there was a tester and it swatched amazingly well. Because I’m so scatterbrained, I’m afraid that I forgot to provide any details about the actual liner I’m talking about – whoops. Well, it’s the Annabelle Smoothliner in Brownie($6-7 CDN) which is a creamy pencil that you sharpen with a consistency, pigmentation and texture that reminds me of the Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliners except slightly less waxy and creamier. The shade is actually a whole lot more unique than expected as it’s an ultra-dark espresso brown that provides enough definition to act as liner on my dark lashes without looking as harsh as jet black. I picked mine up at Walmart and it was actually on sale for a bit over five dollars and let me tell you, that is rare in Canada. Oh and it’s available at drugstores throughout Canada but the website ships to the US with very reasonable shipping.
The fact that I included the MAC Stereo Rose Mineralize Skinfinish ($35 CDN) as the sole blush in my top thirteen products of 2013 post should communicate the depth of my love for this shade but I must say that in my current zombie-like state I’ve been reaching for this daily. It’s a true coral shade with just a hint of pink to it – it pulls slightly orange-y – that imparts a gorgeous glow to the cheeks without emphasizing dullness and makes me look alive. I actually think this shade is worth the hype. Alert the media.
The Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow in Bad To The Bronze ($9-10 CDN) is one of those products that I always recommend to others even though I can go ages without using it without ny sort of problem. Everyone loves this taupe-bronze shade I know and it functions well as a base (but it does crease on me after a good days wear) but is one of those rare few shades that I can just slap on the lid on it’s own and then throw on some eyeliner and mascara and be satisfied with the look. I’ve been reaching for this loads lately, both as a base and as a standalone shadow on those all-to-frequent days when I’m suddenly running out of time.
I wasn’t expecting to include her post here but because of essay-and-assignment-craziness, this post is a wee bit late and I felt compelled. I love Suzie’s blog,HelloOctober (she makes fantastic videos though, too!) for it’s impeccable style and easygoing manner but today’s “Off Duty Makeup” stands out to me as a phenomenal one. Being someone who struggles with minimal makeup but is fascinated by it nevertheless, these kinds of posts hold my interest and seem to be valuable as they lay out the essential quick-fixes.
wearing the blush on the cheeks and maybelline as a base
What were the standouts from your week, beauty or otherwise? Let me tell you I’m glad this week is over!
I needed some cheering up and a change of scenery from staring blankly at the screen of my laptop and rather bland books and articles and naturally this resulted in a full-face of makeup that I was rather impressed with and featured probably my favourite way to wear my current obsession the Naked 3.
FACE: REN Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream, Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation in Rose Ivory, Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in 125 Very Fair, MAC Stereo Rose Mineralize Skinfinish, Sonia Kashuk Undetectable Creme Bronzer in Warm Tan EYES: Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette (Buzz, Nooner, Blackheart, Darkside and Trick), Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Perversion, L’Oreal Lineur Intense in Carbon Black, L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess Mascara in Black, MAC Eyeshadow in Coquette (…brows….) LIPS: L’Oreal Colour Caresse in Sunset Angora
In the last ten days or so my skin has been extra dehydrated and irritated and on the days I’ve worn makeup at least, this has posed a few problems with my makeup application — there have been a few days when I stuck to my typical standbys and had ended up wishing I didn’t have anything on my face at all because it looked better before. I was feeling like a little more coverage so I went for the Laura Mercier Silk Cremewhich luckily is a fantastic match for my skin at the moment and was extra careful with the amount used and buffed it into the skin with my Real Techniques Buffing Brushthat I adore for this kind of thing but always forget to mention. I’m quite pleased, however I hate how careful I have to be with this foundation. And I purposely applied the foundation right over moisturizer, allowing it to work as a primer of sorts to smooth it out all over my dehydrated skin.
Now that everyone seems to be saying that spring is just around the corner and all that jazz, I figured it would actually be justifiable to break out the coral shades that I adore and obviously I went for the limited-edition cult product that is available now by the way, MAC Stereo Rosewhich I have been faithful to for the last few weeks as my go to guy/gal.
The eyes were my usual but I’ve realized that I haven’t actually done a post showing this ‘eye look’ which might just be my favourite from the palette and likely one of my favourites of all time. The coppery rose-gold Trickis a favourite of mine worn all over the lid and I know I don’t even need to discuss my love of the matte crease and transition shades in the palette. Wearing Darksidein the outer corner with a little bit of Blackheart closer to the lashline might make my favourite slightly smoky eye ever and that is a large statement coming from a smoky eye lover like myself. I strangely felt like tightlining so I went for Urban Decay Perversionalong with my usual, the loved L’Oreal Lineur Intensefor a subtle kitten flick. No comment on the brows, other that I’m still loving the ashy shade from MACaaaaand oddly enough I’ve been really going for the L’Oreal Mascaraand it hasn’t even begun to dry up — I think this one will be a keeper.
I’m not exactly sure how it happened, as I’ve been pretty diligent with the lip balm application but my lips went from being slightly chapped to quite chapped and decided to crack for good measure and they are starting to heal but I’m only starting to wear any kind of lip colour on them and I’ve been pretty careful with what. I was thinking as it’s nearing the end of February, coral might be appropriate and let me tell you, my poor lips and my working brain (as well) are loving L’Oreal Sunset Angora;the comfortable and actually moisturizing formula does not irritate the lips further and provides the perfect pinky coral hue. You know how I feel about coral.
What have you been reaching for on a daily basis? If you have this palette, how do you like to wear it? I hope your Saturday is a little bit more exciting than mine…
It completely astounds me that I don’t hear much about these Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments as the tinted balm kind of products keep on increasing and increasing in popularity and these have got to be the best formula if this shade is anything to go by. After enjoying the sample of the regular lip balm and enjoying it tremendously for actually helping to heal and hydrate my chapped lips, I asked for a tinted one for Christmas and surely enough this one appeared underneath my tree and although it may not be a product I rave about frequently it’s one of those rare lip products that also has significant skincare properties as well – it performs well as a balm regardless of it’s pigmentation but it does well on that front too unlike the rest that I’ve tried.
The Fresh Sugar Lip Treatmentin Cherry retails for $26 CDNat Sephora, contains SPF 15 (with avobenzone and octinoxate) and 4.3 gramsof product while promising to be a hydrating and nourishing lip balm while still providing a tint of colour. I’m one who tends to be a skeptic about products achieving their outlandish claims but I think this tinted balm does more than it even claims to do. It nourishes damaged and sore lips very well in the way that an effective balm only can while providing medium-buildable colour payoff that actually sticks around on the lips for 3-4 hours with some eating and drinking here and there without smearing or wearing off unevenly.
I’m someone who suffers from uncomfortably sore dryness on any sort of skin and in the winter here, I’m slapping on the lip balm like my life depends on it (and using the good stuff) and my lips are still sore and a bit chapped. The formulas that promise to provide moisture and colour that everyone and their cat raves about (Revlon Lip Butters anyone?)are just not cutting it, as my lips have gotten to that point where even these comfortable formulas are not sitting nicely and they need intense nourishment to soothe the less than ideal bits and without sacrificing the longevity and pigmentation, the Fresh Cherry Sugar Lip Treatmentdelivers. The balm feeling on the lips lasts for the full duration that the product remains on the lips and even when the product has faded, my lips are left feeling nourished which is extremely rare for me. They feel heavenly on the lips, just like a lip balm but without the waxy feeling of the lip butters etc.
The Cherryshade is a fairly bright cherry-red (as the name would suggest) that seems to lean brick red on me with neutral-warm undertones. Although the treatment first applies somewhat sheerly, they quickly are built up to full on colour. This is everything that I had hoped that the Revlon Cherry Tart Lip Butterwould be but wasn’t — much more saturated with pigment, without shimmer while being intensely more moisturizing and forgiving on sore lips. This seems like the perfect shade to wear to class as it provides the nice red tone that adds life to my face in the mornings, requiring no maintenance while still moisturizing the lips very effectively.
the Fresh on the top with a sheer layer, the Revlon on the bottom built-up
I’m afraid to say that this balm is worth the hefty price tag and I foresee myself picking up a few more shades in the foreseeable future. The only thing I can find to criticize in the product is the size of the bullet — as it does not taper to a tip, it can be difficult to apply due to its strong pigmentation – but I really can’t complain on any grounds.
What are some of your favourite under-appreciated products?
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
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 termsof 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
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 primerthat 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 Smoothlinerand 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 Excessand 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.
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
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.
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, Darksideand 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.
Have you picked the palette up? What are your thoughts?
beautylit& ramblings 