review

The Review: Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Smooth-Effect Makeup

DSC_091120141010-141315

I was always planning on writing a full-on review for the Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Smooth-Effect Makeup ($48), even before I fell head over heels for it this summer but I’ve been hesitant since I wrote such a detailed post detailing my early thoughts on the product that haven’t completely been strung upside down. However, I’m still enjoying this foundation after all of the raving I’ve done about it and wanted to give it a hopefully more comprehensive review where I can add detail that I was not able to before.

First off, this is not one of those miraculously flattering foundations when my skin is misbehaving and going through one of those phases that include flaky and/or Sahara dry patches but the rest of the time it seems to be an ideal everyday sort of foundation that feels like nothing on the skin and looks like your skin (but better) while providing some impressive medium coverage. I wasn’t feeling this as soon as it was starting to get cold when Fall was beginning to hit when my skin went a little crazy as it tends to when the seasons change but as soon as a few weeks have passed and I’ve upped the hydration, I’m back to enjoying this one. In my experience is nowhere near as ‘matte’ in that drying and flat sense; it has more of that velvety finish that doesn’t feel particularly drying on the skin (although it does have some drying alcohol in it) and leaves a kind of luminosity to the skin that it might not have even had beforehand, setting into the skin without any sort of separation. The finish on the foundation in a satiny velvety one but as I tend to pair it with a glow-boosting primer so that it’s even more flattering on my perpetually dull and dehydrated skin so it can lean more towards the satin side of things.

rIxywzvHQEieBEnZIxs9ig

The coverage is also surprising, medium-buildable while not looking heavy in the slightest unless you’re caking and caking it on and it’s one of those foundation that smooths over texture fantastically and doesn’t make dehydrated skin look dead. It also applies the nicest with fingers which is definitely practical and I don’t particularly like it applied via any other method. This is a foundation that lasts impressively well on my skin that I would quantify as not fading until the 10-11 hour mark unless I have some sort of textured spot going on that can kind of pull foundation of it more quickly and it has great oil control for the first three or four hours but afterwards a little can break through (but not much). I should mention that I do have a normal t-zone with dry skin on the rest of my face for reference, and I don’t always powder this so with a little powder, I think this would be an excellent bet for those desiring more oil control. However, I think it’s ideal for all ranging from oily to those with normal to drier skins, unless they are verging on the super-dry. Based on other reviews, I would have believed this not to be compatible with the dehydration issues that I experience but I was pleased to have a different experience, so I don’t think that drier skins need to be all that wary. On another note, this was the perfect base for use during the hottest days of the summer (when I still wore makeup) as it didn’t feel heavy or melt off.

I promise that things are coming to a close; all I have left to discuss is ingredients and like details worthy of discussion. The shade range is not particularly impressive and I wear shade 10, which is the lightest neutral shade but is not all that fair – I would describe it as moderately fair with slight yellow-undertones that works for me throughout the year. Ingredient-wise, I don’t love all of the fragrance that it contains or the irritating alcohol – although I note that I haven’t found it problematic and it contains notably less than the Vitalumiere Aqua. It also contains SPF 15 and I’m pleased to report that it does not irritate my SPF-sensitive skin and doesn’t cause problems with flash photography either, if you’re curious.

SWA

In short, I really enjoy this foundation unless I’m at my driest and would recommend it for oily to slightly drier skins as it can cling to notable dry patches a bit.

Active Ingredients: Octinoxate 5%, Titanium Dioxide 3.1% Inactive Ingredients: Water, Isododecane, Hydrogenated, Polyisobutene, Dimethicone, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Alcohol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Celluslose, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Propanediol Dicaprylate, Stearakonium Hectorite, Aluminum Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Carbonate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Fragrance, Talc, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Lysine, Timethylsiloxysilicate/Dimethiconol Crosspolymer, Magnesium Chloride, BHT, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrated Silica (may contain) Ultramarines, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Mica
Have you tried Chanel PLV?
Maggie, x.

The Brown Eyeliner That Converted Me

DSC_0795DSC_0636

You might just be aware that although eyeliner is my thing – I would easily give up mascara over it, if faced with the choice -, I’m not really a brown or anything-but-black kind of girl; I don’t really have those concerns with black being too harsh and have the opposite kind of attitude towards the softer shades as they don’t tend to offer that kind of definition that I’m always after. Shpiel over, I’ve found a liner that has converted me over completely to the realm of brown liners and that liner is the Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner Gel Eye Crayon in Brown(Out) ($30) and before getting on with things, I should mention that I do not have the full-size of the product and merely acquired a sample as a 100-Point-Perk from Sephora. Given that it is a sample, I have no idea of its actual size but it strikes me as about half of the size of the regular 0.01 ounce product and. On the same note, it appears that my sample differs from the full-sized product because it does not contain a sharpener on the end for precise sharpening of the mechanical pencil and I’m glad that the actual product comes with one, as my only critique of this liner was that the point tended not to be precise as you began to use the product. In other words, I was pleased to hear that they do come with a sharpener to help keep the product at a nicely-defined point and will keep this in mind when I undoubtedly will purchase more colour in the future.

Not only is the “bronze with shimmer shade” exactly what is promised, being richer and deeper in tone and thus providing more definition than your lighter browns, but the formula is also to-die-for. It’s one of those long-wearing and creamy formulas that are supposed to be a gel-liner in pencil form and I like this perhaps more than all of the rest because it doesn’t have that waxy texture that can become difficult to work with as you use up the product and it actually deposits colour full of opacity without tugging on the skin. It has that elusive creamy texture that glides on, even after its been used a bunch of times and as promised, the eyeliner is extremely long-wearing and waterproof. It can be moved for a few seconds but after that it’s there until you take it off — I’ve fallen asleep directly on my front during the day and it hasn’t smudged and it doesn’t go anywhere. At all. I don’t wear this one inside my inner rims quite honestly because I don’t tend to make the effort with brown but I’ve heard fantastic things about the longevity on that front but a few others have expressed the problem with the liner sticking to contacts. I will note, however, that as gorgeous as this liner is just as a simple upper-lashline product, it is the most stunning shade underneath the lashes. My only note is that it’s not the easiest to control (but this would be improved with the full-sized product theoretically) and that it can be a tad difficult to remove.

It appears I have been converted. Now I just want a few the rest of the shades…

DSC_0806

What’s your favourite brown liner?

Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #35

oR9A9%iBQxqpAoYQsSZC+w21. The perfect escape from business as usual and that general craziness…. pouring through the pages of October’s phenomenal Elle Canada while drinking a cup of apple-cinnamon tea is amaaaaaazing.

2. Skincare-centric posting … I’m pleased to report that my skin has been pretty in control for a while now and I wanted to talk about the newer products that I’ve brought into the rotation and I did HERE.

3. Getting my reviewing game on … Beginning with this week’s post on the NARS Contour Blush HERE, I’ve been geting back into the routine of individual product review posts and I’m kind of liking it.

4. The crappy quality picture of my face… Do I even need to explain this? That aside, the Rimmel Colour Rush Balm in Lady Marmalade had to be mentioned for being all comfortable and balmy but also managing to last for ages on top. I really enjoyed the shade, too; it’s a coral. Shocker.

5. A perfumed body cream worthy of praise… You’ve caught me, this photo is not actually from a post within the last week or so, but I’ve realized my love for the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream this week. It smells like an authentic zesty margarita and actually moisturizes like a champ too. If only it wasn’t irritating on the chronic leg eczema situation…

6. When all else fails, play The Sims … There’s something so comforting about playing The Sims as you’re too stressed to even think about tackling anything on your growing to-do list – but then there’s always that sad moment when you’re living vicariously through a simulation of your self. Alas.

Huh. I suppose this is going to be one of the shorter posts of this variety (and maybe any) by me and that would be because as I’ve been tackling my lovely little cold, it appears that full fledged heavy term-work has come over me and threatened to make me crash and burn. I might be being a little dramatic here but honestly work has been piling up and it’s at that point where I may actually have a breakdown if I don’t get to work on things so I need to get a move on in the sphere of non-beauty or blogging related things. As I write this, I’m afraid that I must return (yet again) to the books and word processors.

How was your week?

Maggie, x.

The Review: L’Oreal Colour Riche Eye Primer

DSC_0755

Unless you’re one of the rare few who neither experience problematic eyeshadow fading and creasing, I’m sure you’re well aware of the importance of an eye primer and how difficult it is to find one that works for you. This tends to be especially true at the drugstore price point but going on two months back, I spotted the L’Oreal Color Riche Eye Primer ($10 CDN) and was intrigued enough to give it a go. In short, I’m glad that I did but it’s not the ideal primer for me, as I don’t suffer from particularly discoloured lids and have creasing issues that this does not entirely address. It definitely serves to present creasing better than a traditional base while still providing the coverage and colour-boosting benefits and it has less of that emollient texture that requires a good deal of waiting before eyeshadow application (or it will slide off), but it doesn’t quite provide the results of my new favourite high-end primer, the NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base and falls ever-so-slightly short of the more affordable Nyx HD Eyeshadow Base that I adore — but this one does have that more emollient texture that can make shadows slip and slide.

One thing that I noticed upon researching this product was how vague the claims were; even when used alone, it promises to even out the tone of the lids, even without any shadow being applied over the top and to provide even richer colour when applied underneath eyeshadow with so-called flawless wear. Roughly speaking, it does those things and this is something that I don’t necessarily take lightly. The tint of the pencil is a soft peachy colour that deals with discoloration well and the pencil definitely does intensify the payoff of shadows and helps to get more flawless wear, but it does crease on me after a long day of wear or summer heat – however, this creasing is remarkably less than with lesser primers and without a primer at all.

The final verdict? I definitely recommend giving this affordable base a go if you’re looking for some coverage on your lids or you aren’t asking miracles in a primer, expecting it to last through excessive heat and general extremely oily environments.

Have you tried this primer? What’s your favourite primer?

Maggie, x.

DSC_0748

NARS Paloma Contour Blush

DSC_0725I’m pleased to be getting back into the habit of reviewing individual products and I’ll leave it at that. If you’ve been following me regularly around these parts, you’ll likely be aware of my favourable thoughts towards the contouring duo by NARS. I acquired the NARS Contour Blush in Paloma ($46 CDN) from Sephora via online order – as chronicled here and I’ve been using it ever since with pleasure. Obviously, my compact is looking a little worse for wear but this is what tends to happen with this style of rubberized packaging. T’is unfortunate. The “contour blush” is actually a powder duo, with much more of the contour shade to use in the 0.28 oz compact. In short, they are marketed to “create seamless, natural-looking definition with one sculpting product” and more specifically “the deeper shade enhances definition, while the lighter shade illuminates the high points of the face, providing an instant soft-focus effect without shine or shimmer” and I have to say that it achieves these claims. However, as lovely and angelic as this duo is, the price is rather hefty and the highlighting shade isn’t the ideal highlighter for me as I’m partial to shimmer on my cheekbones for that glow factor. Otherwise, it is impeccable. I have the middle shade offering and it might just be the most versatile suiting neutral-to-warm skintones of the quite fair to medium variety and it houses a bisque-hued cream shade for highlighting purposes as well as the ever-so-slightly-warm-tinged medium rosy-tan hue for contouring.

DSC_0729

 

DSC_0290

Both shades are flawlessly formulated, with great buildable pigmentation and the easiest texture to blend in the world. They are nothing short of glorious powders, retaining an air of creaminess while being soft-matte textured powders on the skin. They don’t fade or require much work, either, and they are a natural option for sculpting on a daily basis in a subtle manner. It’s not an all-out fussy contouring duo. The contouring shade is ever-so-slightly darker than MAC Harmony and actually manages to blow it out of the water formula-wise as it provides that natural-looking shaping look to the cheeks without appearing too grey or stark. It’s also not orange-y or bronzer-like in the slightest, though, so it straddles the line of cool and warm. It’s definitely not muddy at all but has the ability to create instant cheekbones without much work or faff involved. You wouldn’t believe how versatile the shade is, either.

While I was initially a bit disappointed with the highlighting shade, it has grown on me as a finely-milled brightening shade for use setting my concealer that I use in hopes of camouflaging my hereditary dark circles as well as a matte highlighting shade that’s helpful used as a matte eyeshadow. I’m someone who is entirely too skeptical of the under-eye setting game to purchase a powder solely for that purpose but I have to admit the texture and subtle-pinky lean of the brightening powder do work nicely to smooth things out in a soft-focus way while brightening.

It appears that NARS has done it again; my recently-acquired credit card is cringing while I type this, clearly. It’s been over a month that this duo has been in my life and I’ve barely been able to do my makeup without it and I don’t want to. Obviously, I think this one is a gem and would recommend it in its $46 dollar glory… And to be helpful I thought I would provide you with a link but I do disclose that it is one of the affiliate variety because I believe in full disclosure, truth and all that.

NARS Contour Blush in Paloma

DSC_0403

Have you tried any of the NARS Contour Blushes?
Maggie, x.

The Beauty Bargain | Annabelle Demure Lip Liner

DSC_0659DSC_0675

Given that Annabelle is one of those few Canadian beauty brands, it shouldn’t be too much of a shocker that their products aren’t talked about often in the blogosphere and but I think that their lack of buzz is why I haven’t tried more of their products. With this in mind, however, the products that I have tried from them have been great and the lip-liner ranks up there with the best of them. The Annabelle Lip Liner in Demure ($5.95) is a creamy and comfortable liner that I can use either as a liner or all over the lips with some balm over the top to feel like I’m channeling my inner Lisa Eldridge. It’s a natural rosy hue that leans warm, which I find flattering, and is only subtly different than my natural lips – much rosier and less drained – but can make a big difference. Also, it doesn’t dry out my naturally chapped lips. For these reasons detailed, this liner was the one that converted me over into the realm of liners.

 

DSC_0663As I’ve already hinted, this liner is incredibly versatile. It actually works nicely in the place of lipstick, worn with some balm over the top but also suits any sort of nude or neutral lip perfectly. When worn with more nude lip offerings, it helps to add shape to the lips and avoid the dreaded concealer lips effect and with slightly deeper shades, it adds a bit of added longevity while perfecting the lips and making things look a bit neater.

If you’re looking for a creamy liner or just want to try one, I would highly recommend this one. Canadians can pick it up at drugstores and it can often be found at Target and Walmart for much less than the typical price but Americans also can purchase from the website. Look at me, being all concise and stuff and below, I’m wearing the liner on its own (left) and the liner with MAC Kinda Sexy Lipstick (right)…

Recently Updated33

Have you tried anything from Annabelle?

Maggie, x.

Thoughts (and Updates) on Makeup Acquisitions

DSC_0568

This morning, after I rolled around groggily and developed the capacity for coherent thought, it dawned on me that I wanted to write a post different than the one I had planned. From playing with makeup in the last little while, I had thoughts that I wanted to share on a multitude of different products, both ones that haven’t been mentioned much before and those that are regularly featured around these parts, without committing to the formality and conclusiveness of a traditional review. And I was feeling in a chatty mood – or is it type-y? I’m not in love with the title of this post either, if you were cringing along with me.

DSC_0570DSC_0576DSC_0580DSC_0574DSC_0577

Smashbox Cherry Smokes Photo-Op Eyeshadow Palette ($44)

I actually had gone back to Shopper’s Drugmart, where I purchased this in the first place and I would have returned it if it hadn’t been such a hassle to do so but regardless, this is a lovely autumnal-themed palette. As for the individual shadows, they are creamy and uber-pigmented but it has to be noted that their powdery texture should inspire caution because there disasters can easily come awry with the fallout situation. My issue with the palette is that it doesn’t contain all of my essential daily shades — it does have some nice shimmery lid shades and some matte shades but it would greatly benefit from a lighter shimmery highlight/lid shade and a nice light brown shade for use through the crease and blending. With this complaint aside, the eight shades found within this palette are a nice mix of cool and warm tones that are unique and interesting yet neutral shades. None of the shades in the palette are anything less than poor but unfortunately the least fabulous is the matte reddish brown – which is still good but a wee bit dry and more difficult to blend than the others. The black is bloody amazing, though.

Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow in 734 Grege ($61)

Speaking of palettes, this one remains being a staple in my routine with its small selection of essential everyday shades and impeccable quality; they’re pigmented, long-lasting and blenable with the least fallout out of any shadows that I have ever tried. Even though this quint really does not seem exciting in the slightest, it really is one that should be more compelling. The cool-toned deep brown works effectively to deepen the crease and it also works to fill in my eyebrows, if used with a light hand, the satiny caramel shade fits the bill for use as a transition colour or a standard shadow for the crease, there’s a nice shimmery highlight shade as well and there’s a nice defining shade along with one for the lids. While this palette functions nicely on it’s own, my experience has taught me that it’s also a good one to use with other shadows that are missing the essentials.

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Smooth-Effect Makeup ($48)

Before you give into the urge and roll your eyes at me for talking yet again about a product that I’ve been nothing short of confessing my love for since picking it up as a birthday gift for myself back in June, hear me out. I still love this foundation for all of its virtues but seeing as my skin has been on the drier state of things as of late, with dry patches and some of the expected flakiness, so I thought I would give an update on how the velvety foundation would fare with the drier skin, seeing as I’ve been experiencing dryness and a definite introduction to autumnal weather. The formula can show the more severe dry patches but still, I wouldn’t say that it highlights them but more than this, it doesn’t highlight or show skin texture issues in a way that is helpful when I’m on the drier side of things. It’s not necessarily going to perform quite as well on my skin in the colder months, but I still expect it to be one that I frequently reach for. It’s lightweight luminosity manages to really flatter dull dehydrated skin and it can definitely sit nicer on skin with a little bit of extra help on the hydration front or with a luminizing primer such as the Annabelle Luminous Finish Colour Control Instant Perfecting Base. Again, I emphasize that it doesn’t belong with the camp of hideous foundations on dry skin.

 Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette ($67)

I’ve given my thoughts on this gorgeous trio of the supposedly air-brushing powders in a rather comprehensive manner before and have thrown in a few updates before but here I am, adding a few more thoughts. I’m still feeling equally as impressed with the first two shades of the palette — Incandescent Light as an opalescent subtle highlighter and Dim Light as a nice blurring powder — but I have actually ventured into using the darker golden Radiant Light shade and have been using it often. This shade neither works as a traditional highlighter or bronzer in a way that I love, but I’ve found it stunning when used as a glowy ‘blush’ when I’m not going for a ‘blushy’ look. There’s something about wearing this on the cheeks that makes you look glowy and a bit more golden.

L’Oreal Glossy Balm in Ginger Candy ($9-11)

I somehow hadn’t noticed this until now, but it appears that I like these balm pencil style products, especially from the more affordable brands but I might like this formula and shade the most. They have all of the positive traits of the Revlon Lacquer Balms but they don’t have that mintiness to them — my lips might be rejoicing — and there’s even less of that sparkle going on. I picked up this shade without thinking about the shade and I automatically gravitated towards this gorgeous warm-toned darker peachy nude, that strikes me as one of those flattering no-fuss shades, and I have to say that it’s like MAC Patisserie Lipstick in more than just function and practicality – it’ a slightly peachier version of my favourite MAC lipstick. This has found its home in my bag, but has also frequently seen the light of day. I don’t regret this purchase in the slightest.

DSC_0602

Have you tried any of these products?
Maggie, x.

 

 

Testing, Testing

DSC_0527

It’s so easy to let products that you’ve purchased slip into the cracks because you’ve finished talking about them as an addition to your monstrous stash of beauty-related products but aren’t ready to devote an entire post in the product’s name and I wanted to remedy this somewhat — viola, these posts were born where I provide my thoughts on products that have likely been mentioned before but not discussed conclusively. Here are some products that I have been using (for either testing purposes or enjoyments sake) and an abridged account of my thoughts about them. I should warn you that there are a few affiliate links below, before your read on…

1. L’Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara ($9)

DSC_0533

Some of you may be aware that I gave the Miss Manga Mascara a miss in my previous ‘the verdict’ post and while I stand by my original assessment of the mascara — too wet and easily clumpy for my tastes –, it has grown on me as it’s dried out notably. I may or may not have accidentally left it without the cap on for a day or two and this may or may not have improved the formula in my view. It’s definitely a dramatic mascara that doesn’t require too much building to get to its effect and can look spidery if too much is applied or if you’re not careful but it’s definitely one that I’ve been liking when I’m just shoving on a brush or two on each set of lashes before running out the door. Like many other mascaras from L’Oreal, this can be a bit of a bother to remove and it does sit on the more wet side of things formula-wise but as it has begun to dry out I’ve been liking it for its ‘instant drama’ effect.

2. Revlon Highlighting Palette in Peach Glow ($11)

DSC_0530After hearing Amelia Liana and Lily Pebbles rave about the ‘Bronze Glow’ shade of this product, I had been keen on trying out this product and did so in June. In conclusion, it’s not a product that I am wowed by but it’s not a bad product by any standards. The highlighting palette serves as a very subtle highlighter and it does have less than stellar pigmentation – so those who are wary of obvious shimmer and glow-overload could very well find this ideal. The overall assortment of colours included in the compact strikes me as rather strange; on the one hand, there are two obviously deeper bronzy shades (top and middle), two paler peach-leaning champagne shades (second from the top and the bottom) and a very pale shade that is more yellow than neutral. Swatches would be appropriate here but there’s this issue where my battery of my camera is dead and the charger appears to have run off, so I hope you can let it slide. On the same note of my shortcomings, I didn’t actually attempt to use these as eyeshadows but I wouldn’t expect the lighter less pigmented shades to work well for this purpose…

 

 3. NARS Contour Blush in Paloma ($46)

DSC_0531If you’ve been keeping up with things around these parts in the last few weeks, you will likely be completely unsurprised by my glowing review of this contouring powder duo. The rosy-hued tan matte contouring powder is absolutely fantastic; with amazing pigmentation, blendability and longevity, this shade easily provides an instant natural-looking sculpted effect. I’ve found that it’s a tool that gives ‘instant cheekbones’ and I do thing it has surpassed my old love, the MAC Harmony Powder Blush for contouring. The lighter soft-matte highlighting shade isn’t as ideal for me as the darker shade as it doesn’t have any sort of sheen and I tend to love sheen in highlighter; however, it’s nice for brightening up the center of the face and setting the undereye area. Being the middle shade of the range, Paloma is an ideal shade for my skin and will suit neutral to warm complexions that range from moderately fair to maybe medium in depth. It’s natural-looking effortless sculpting at its finest.

 

 4.NARS ‘Radiant’ Cream Compact Foundation Refill ($45)

DSC_0537

Being a sample-sized pot from Sephora, this might not be the most attractive product to photograph but I have been using the generous amount frequently and have been on the fence of purchasing it for more than a little while — but I’ve decided I must have the luminous cream foundation. Fiji is ever-so-slightly pale for me at the moment but I’m convinced that it will be perfect as soon as I start to pale out and remain for the majority of the year – “the golden peachy undertones” actually seem to be working for me and my neutral-warm skin. It’s a medium coverage foundation that is kind to drier patches – although it doesn’t hide them by any means if they are extremely serious – and leaves the skin looking polished but still skinlike. The foundation is definitely luminous but it doesn’t venture into oily territory as hours wear on; in fact, it tends to remain looking the same until it is removed. Unlike heavier-coverage cream foundations that I’ve tried before, this looks like skin and adds some glow and doesn’t highlight every little patch of dryness on the face. It also is slightly moisturizing and feels like nothing. It should also be noted that the compact is purchased separately from the refill.

5. NARS ‘Pro Prime’ Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base ($29)

DSC_0534

Despite the hype this colourless eyeshadow primer receives around the blogosophere, I cannot report that it is either infallible or lifechanging, but I can say that it is the best primer I’ve tried on my weirdly crease-prone lids. Like other products of this kind, it’s performance depends on giving it the proper time to sink in before shadow application and applying the smallest amount and I find I can get some (mild) creasing with this, but the wear I get with this primer tops the wear that I get with the rest. Plus it doesn’t take much time to sink in and isn’t problematic to use in any other sense.

Note: The abundance of NARS products was completely accidental. Whoops.

6. Indeed Laboratories Facial Powdered Exfoliator ($30)

 

DSC_0528

This powder exfoliator, that turns into a foamy liquid when mixed with water, was an impulse purchase on my part, back in June when I spotted it for the first time ever around these parts, for ten dollars less than the typical price; I didn’t regret it and I still don’t. It’s definitely an effective and unique exfoliating product and not just because of its powdered format — It doesn’t have any sort of harsh microbeads and pairs the physical exfoliating action of the rice bran powder with those fruit acids that I love dearly. This is a product that I love and would recommend to anyone who would like to try out an acidic exfoliant (but doesn’t want to irritate their skin) and chemical-exfoliant lovers alike because there’s enough action for it to be effective in brightening, smoothing and refining the skin but there’s no painful sting or irritation after the fact – no stripping, redness, etc. However, because this is only going to remain on the skin for a small amount of time, it would not have the benefit of a lotion or gel that is not rinsed off, of course. ‘exfoliate’ is what I would call a revamped new-generation ‘scrub’ – without the negative effects of the scrubbiness. Did I mention that I like acids and hate that this brand refuses to capitalize the names of any of their products?

DSC_0510

Have you tried any of these? What have you been testing lately?
Maggie, x.

MAC Kinda Sexy Lipstick

DSC_0508DSC_0507

As much as I love a good bold lip of the red or coral variety, sometimes I come to admit that it’s those more difficult to find those flattering neutral shades that are the essentials or most valuable and for me, the MAC Matte Lipstick in Kinda Sexy ($19) is definitely one of those. I’ve waxed on about my love for Patisserie, the sheerer warm toned pink tinged neutral hue, and this one offers a similar kind of thing and I suspect it will become just as loved over time. Kinda Sexy definitely sits on the more pigmented and long-lasting side of things with its matte finish and it definitely has a bit more colour to it, while still being neutral. It’s a neutral hue with strong peach undertones that still fits into the cliched my-lips-but-better territory but it actually serves to darken/brighten the lips, while still remaining neutral. This lipstick isn’t ‘nude’ in the strictest sense on fair skin like mine, but it might be considered one (and a nice one at that) on deeper complexions — you’ll have to let me know.

Despite the neutral hue of this shade, it’s not a slap er on kind of hue that doesn’t require a mirror or any care but the extra effort proves worthwhile because the shade actually serves to stain the lips and last through a good moderate amount of eating and drinking. Despite being a matte finish, it doesn’t dry out my perpetually chapped lips or emphasize the patches in the slightest. This matte formula is impressive in how comfortable it is on the lips and I’ll definitely have my eye out for more matte shades — this matte is nothing like the uber-dry/drying Ruby Woo, if you were curious. My lips are peeling in the below picture and this shade does not emphasize it in the slightest, if you ask me. I find this shade lasts about 5 hours, which kind of blows my mind given that it’s such a neutral shade.

DSC_0469

Being a neutral (but brightening) shade, Kinda Sexy goes with just about any sort of makeup look, regardless of how minimal or dramatic the rest of the face is and it’s one that I grab for when I don’t want to think about what shade would go. I’m obsessed with this shade at the moment and as a result, it has found a home in my bag and I don’t expect this to change any time soon. For the sake of full-disclosure, the link below will be an affiliate link, too.

DSC_0471Shade comparisons: MAC Kinda Sexy (top), MAC Patisserie (middle), Revlon Matte Balm in Complex (bottom)
 
DSC_0504
MAC Lipstick in Kinda Sexy ($16/$19)
What’s your favourite MAC Lipstick?
Maggie, x.

The Beauty Bargain | No 7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser

DSC_0387

DSC_0389I’ve said multiple different times that the Boots no 7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser is one of the best bargains of the beauty variety because even ingredients-wise, this indulgent creamy cleanser performs with the most luxurious of them and for a little over a ten dollar bill (and less most of the time because Shoppers seems to consistently have the line on sale), you can get 200 mLs of product and a nice muslin cloth. I believe that Americans can purchase the line from Ulta, and obviously those from the UK can purchase the line from Boots.

The packaging is rather nice and convenient but admittedly not the most compact for traveling purposes; my only issue with it can be chalked down to user error. I have this tendency to either forget to put the top on after use or somehow end up losing it altogether and this tends to make the first part of the cleanser come out with a hardened patch that I have to discard.

DSC_0390

The cleanser is designed to be a more affordable alternative to the famous Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish but I can’t comment because I haven’t and don’t plan on trying it because it contains essential oils unlike this version. It has a rich and nourishing cream texture but it doesn’t feel heavy in the slightest while it works to soothe the skin and cleanse/ remove makeup without stripping the skin. The cleanser has an emollient base and is also rich in glycerin and cocoa butter. It’s not great for the skin, but at least the fragrance is somewhat low on the ingredient list and the fragrance makes the product seem more indulgent than the price-point would suggest, emulating that spa-like feel. The scent doesn’t smell artificial or particularly strongly and it is actually rather pleasant, if you ask me.

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Myristyl Myristate, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Tribehenin, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Methylparaben, Parfum (Fragrance), Dipropylene Glycol, Ethylparaben, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hydroxide.

As I have been for numerous months, I use this cleanser as my initial nighttime one to remove makeup. Now I don’t use it to remove my eye makeup as directed but I’m sure most could get away with that — my eyes are far too sensitive to tolerate a cream-based product without burning or any other form of reaction. This detergent-free non-drying cleanser is very effective at removing makeup when paired with some sort of washcloth (or muslin cloth if you prefer) and never seems to irritate my skin, even when it’s in its most fragile state. I’ve also found that this is a nice cleanser in the morning when you want a bit of a treat because it soothes and hydrates the skin after being rinsed away and leaves things looking a bit brighter; it takes a little more effort but it is rather nice when I’m rather sleep deprived and looking dull, or my skin is just not at its best. As regular readers would be aware, my skin is definitely on the drier and more sensitive side of things and this is an appropriate cleanser for that but I also think that it would be suitable for more combination skin types as it is not heavy. It also does not contain mineral oil, if you have an issue with that ingredient.

Have you tried this cleanser or another ‘hot cloth’ cleanser?
Maggie, x.