review

The Acquisition: MAC Style Blush

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Hands up if you can remember when I spoke of a cheeky MAC purchase that occurred when out, goofing around and shopping with friends — honestly, I’d be surprised to find too many hands raised for that one — but you’d be more likely to raise your hand if you’re aware of my coral blush buying problem/ love… this has been chronicled here on many occasions. Ramble over. Did I need yet another coral blush; was this one so different than others in my stash to completely warrant purchasing? The answer to any sane person would be no but I can rationalize it to myself because it does differ from the dozen other coral blushes I own.

It’s my first frost blush from MAC and the finish is much different than I expected, not miles different from the Sheertone Shimmer blushes that I’m familiar with, simply with less obvious shimmer and a stronger sheen – and not an overpowering one or unflattering one at that. The texture, pigmentation and longevity on this one are all amazing — especially the longevity considering that this blush is not advertised as long lasting but lasted on me for 12 hours without fading in the heat. The colour of this one is a strong orange-coral with such a strong golden sheen running throughout that it has a duochrome kind of quality to it. This is definitely one that you have to be careful if you’re fairer with a cooler skintone because it has a tendency to flash orange; however, I’m relatively fair and I don’t have this problem because of my neutral-to-warm undertones. This is also a shade that would be gorgeous on medium to deep skins as well because of its pigmentation and orangey undertone. With it’s golden sheen, this one instantly adds glow to the cheeks and brightens my face and is a versatile one in my opinion because it’s a subtler shade with one layer and builds in intensity with the second (in a flattering way). I’ve shown this below here with a light application on the left and a slightly heavier one on the right:

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To reiterate, quality-wise MAC Style Powder Blush is top notch and given that it costs $21 in pan form and $26 in compact form for a whooping 0.21 oz of product, it is rather economical. It has quickly become a staple in my collection of blushes; I say collection despite how funny it sounds because I acknowledge fully that I might perhaps have a small problem. In the pan, Style does not look different than the MAC Springsheen Blush but when swatched, they are different and I prefer Style on account of the texture, gorgeous sheen and hint of orange-coral to it. However, it is even more similar to (not identical) to the limited edition MAC Stereo Rose MSF, but is a little bit more of an amped-up coral that leans more on the orange-copper side of things — in a good way. Both shades have that gorgeous sheen and if you’ve been wanting to try the MSF, I would recommend giving this one a go in its place.

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Comparison swatches from top to bottom: MAC Style, MAC Springsheen, MAC Stereo Rose
Have you tried Style?
Maggie, x.

Five of the Best Beauty Bargains

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Rather than introducing you to yet another affordable beauty product that I hold in high regard as of now, I thought that I would give a roundup of the affordable products that I’ve been relying on and valuing heavily at the moment. I can’t promise that what I say about these products and the products themselves won’t have appeared around here times before, however. Isn’t a little repetition a good thing?

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L’Oreal Glam Bronze Mono in 04 Universal Sun ($15 CDN)– full post here

I can’t even. Honestly this newer bronzer release has blown me away and I haven’t been able to stray from the smooth-textured blend able soft-matte bronzer for long since picking it up. The formula is pigmented but easy to work with and doesn’t sit on the skin stiffly and unnaturally like most powders do and rather glides on creamily. These come in a variety of shades but I’ve only tried this medium-toned warm bronzer with reddish undertones and I love the colour for adding natural bronziness to my face whilst being able to add a bit of shadow to the cheekbones because it’s not orange-y in the slightest. I swear this bronzer is easy to use and builds like a dream and will never betray you by looking chalky or muddy. I’ll stop now… You’re welcome.

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Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser ($9-11 CDN)

This is definitely one of the unsung heroes of my personal assortment of beauty products, both in the sense that I don’t feel that others rave about the prowess of the product enough and that I don’t give it the credit it deserves on a frequent basis. It’s basically the gentlest cream cleanser in existence that not only doesn’t include detergents and therefore doesn’t strip or irritate the skin but also nourishes the skin. It’s only downside is that it’s not one that removes makeup well in the slightest. However, it’s a great second cleanser or morning cleanser that easily rinses clean.

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Annabelle Smoothliner in Black ($6-7 CDN)

Even without putting the wallet-friendly price into consideration, this is among the very best liners that I’ve ever tried and it’s my favourite for using on the top waterline because it does not transfer to the lower lashline or budge. However, it’s not absolutely perfect because the creamy texture ensures that it needs to be sharpened frequently (if not, it comes out really unevenly) and therefore the product goes quickly. With this aside, the waterproof formula is creamy rather than waxy and stays put for ages. The shade is a richly pigmented black and it also can be smudged nicely as long as you work quickly. In short, I love this liner and will repurchase it after I use it up which shouldn’t be too far into the future.

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DSC_0205From the top: L’Oreal Universal Sun, Maybelline Deep Bronze, Maybelline Pink Rose

Maybelline Master Hi-Light Light-Boosting Blush/Bronzer in 20 Pink Rose/ 60 Deep Bronze ($14-16 CDN) – full post here

I’ve raved about the Deep Bronze shade time and time again as a gorgeous rosy copper blush (rather than its intended use) and that love has not wavered in the slightest and since having such success with that shade, I picked up the true rosy pink shade (Pink Rose) and have been enjoying that shade as well. They’re not the cheapest but the texture and formula of these powders is so gorgeous that they are truly a bargain; the shimmer is so fine that it reads like a glowy sheen, the pigmentation is on-point and lasts as such and they blend seamlessly into the skin like the most finely-milled of products. I highly recommend trying at least one of these.

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Rimmel Colour Rush Intense Colour Balm in Lady Marmalade ($7-8 CDN)

This is definitely the newest product (to me) of the bunch but I’ve worn it a good amount and it has been so impressive; it may just be my favourite of the balm pencils, at the drugstore at least. The true pinky-coral hue doesn’t lean so warm that it tends to pull out the yellow in the teeth and goes over dry patches like a champ, actually hydrating along the way with the balm quality but it also served so stain my lips after wearing it for an hour or two — the colour lasted for six hours through a snack and a small meal. It seems to both be comfortable to wear and effortless while still providing on the longevity front, at least if you leave it on the lips for long enough to set.

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What’s your favourite budget buy at the moment?
Maggie, x.

My MAC Eyeshadow Palette

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The first beauty love of my life was MAC eyeshadows — For my thirteenth birthday, I got my first one along with my beloved MAC 217 — and to this day, that love hasn’t weakened in any shape or form. I’ve been wanting to write one of these kinds of posts for ages and they are my favourite to read so now that I’ve kind of sort of completed the eyeshadow portion of my palette, I feel compelled to bite the bullet and do it. If you’re ready to see my palette and hear an assortment of my thoughts on the whole thing and the individual shades, read on. However, before I get to all of that I shall preface this by saying that all of the shades are good quality (unless specified, sort of) and I highly recommend putting your own palette together because although it seems expensive at first having to pay for each shade, there’s something practical and economical in putting together your own MAC palette.

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Dazzlelight (Veluxe Pearl) – neutral with shimmer

A creamy ivory shade that is only subtly different than my natural skintone on my lids but slightly lighter with a golden sheen running throughout, Dazzlelight is a gorgeous subtle highlighting shade and also works on the lid for an extremely natural shade. This is a staple that I might just adore and need to repurchase in the future.

Vex (Frost)– beige with pink-green pearl

This one has to be among MAC’s most unique offerings but I will admit that I don’t reach for it enough. It’s a shimmery cool-toned ivory colour that has a strong pink-green duochrome so it looks really interesting on the lid. It’s a nice highlighting or general lid shade, in my experience.

All That Glitters (Veluxe Pearl)– beige with gold pearl

This longtime favourite eyeshadow of mine has to be my favourite eyeshadow to this day and I’ve already used up two pans of this stuff already. In essence, it’s a golden-peachy champagne with the nicest metallic sheen running throughout that has the easiest texture to work with and is my favourite lid shade of all time. It’s a more golden and peachy souped-up version of Urban Decay Sin. It’s worth all of it’s praise. This is one of the few items I would deem ‘holy grail’.

Patina (Frost) – taupe brown with golden pearl

This one is yet another gorgeous lid shade and its one that I hadn’t been reaching for enough because until recently it was in pot form and out of sight. It’s a slightly cool-toned muted golden hue that comes out a whole lot lighter than one would expect and with a whole lot less obvious shimmer too. It does have that gorgeous taupey lean to it, too.

Era (Satin) – soft golden beige with shimmer

I’m afraid that I can’t say much about this one as I only picked it up yesterday (after lusting after it for well over a year) and haven’t applied it to my eyelid yet but it does look rather promising and I’m excited to put it to use. I will admit that it doesn’t look too different from Patina, but I promise it is unique because it doesn’t have any of that olive kind of lean and is more of a golden champagne shade — without the peachiness of All That Glitters. It seems to be extremely smooth and pigmented with a gorgeous sheen running throughout that comes off rather subtle. I’m fairly certain this shall be a lid shade.

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DSC_0142Soft Brown (Matte) – soft golden peachy-brown

I really should have listened to others when they raved about this shade and gave into the hype much earlier than I did, despite my reluctance to buy the neutral matte ‘boring shades’ but nevertheless, this new addition to my palette is valuable. It’s a really creamy warm-toned crease or transition shade that is a staple for me and I think it would be for anyone who is on the warmer side of things with a fair to medium skintone.

Coquette (Satin) – muted greyish taupe

I’ve rambled on about this ‘matte’ (but easy to work with) ashy medium-dark taupe before more than a time or two so I’ll keep this brief to the best of my ability. If you ask me it’s a better version of Charcoal Brown, perfect for naturally-ashy brunette brows as it doesn’t turn red and also works nicely in the crease with its smooth and pigmented texture.

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Swiss Chocolate (Matte)– muted reddish brown

This is much more of a recent addition to my collection but it was one that instantly impressed me with its practicality; it’s a smooth and blendable warm reddish brown darker medium tone that’s ideal for deepening the crease and adding subtle depth to the outer corner and lower lashline.

Woodwinked (Veluxe Pearl) – warm antique gold

Paired with All That Glitters, this is my most repurchased item, having been replenished three times and it’s safe to say that the shade is worth the hype. It’s not always my favourite shade in the world, but it’s the best gold ever with amazing texture and warm metallic finish; if you ask me it’s a much better version of Urban Decay’s Half-Baked. However, it does come off much more coppery on cooler skintones, especially when blended.

Clarity (Matte2)

It is rather unfortunate that this punchy smooth and pigmented electric turquoise shade has been discontinued; it was definitely a good one, despite being of the neon variety. Because of this, I haven’t mentioned this great shade around these parts, although I do use the shade — but not often enough. I do love using the shadow for a pop of colour on the lower lashline. Sorry, but it’s no longer available 😦

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Coppering (Veluxe Pearl) – orange copper

Coppering is more than a little bit more interesting than your average neutral shade and because of this, it doesn’t get used on an everyday basis by me but it is one of my very favourites on account of its phenomenal pigmented and buttery texture and gorgeous true copper metallic hue. It’s a shade that I either like to wear through the crease for some rustiness or all over the lid.

Satin Taupe (Frost) – taupe with silver shimmer

This cult-favourite shade is not the most unique by any means but it’s an amazing medium-buildable neutral taupe with strong plummy undertones. It’s worth the hype as it is one of my alltime favourites for the crease with it’s blendable, smooth and creamy finish.

Club (Satin) – red-brown with green pearl

This popular shade is a unique and versatile medium-dark brown shade that’s essentially a reddened brown with warm undertones. It also takes on a gorgeous green duochrome and this is one of those shades that works well on the lid, in the crease and in the outer corner!

Sketch (Velvet) – burgundy with red shimmer

This one is an unsung hero of my eyeshadow collection, an almost-matte warm deep plum shade that oddly enough swatches rather dry but applies much more smoothly to the eyes to smoke things our or add definition to the outer corner. Plus the slightly less powdery, drier texture ensures that there is minimal fallout during application.

Smut (Velvet) – muted black with red shimmer

I might have only added this almost-black-but-not-quite-alternative to my collection last month, but it’s become one of my staples, serving the purpose of a black as a liner and outer corner shade, but also being easier to work with and more interesting. It has the same great texture as Sketch, and is notably darker although it doesn’t swatch so — it doesn’t swatch as impressively as it applies to the lids — and is a darker version of the former shade with less plum and warm-tones to it. I might say that it’s a taupe shade that also has a good amount of burgundy to it and a hint of grey to it.

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Moving on to my quad…

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Sable (Frost) – gold-plum with bronze pearl

This popular shade is rather nice but it’s not a favourite of mine; the warm muted plummy bronze shade has a nice sheen running throughout and looks much nicer on those with green or brown eyes, if you ask me. This strikes me as a slightly darker version of Urban Decay’s Toasted and to be honest I prefer the lighter version. This is like Satin Taupe’s warmer and bronzier sister.

Charcoal Brown (Matte) – muted taupe brown

This is a matte slightly cool-toned medium brown that I purchased initially as a brow shade but proved itself to be inferior to ashier shades as my brows pull most products red. It’s a nice shade, both in practicality and quality, but it’s not necessary for me because of Coquette, although it does make a nice crease shade. I won’t be repurchasing after it’s used up, however.

Satellite Dreams (Veluxe Pearl) – deep plum with pearl

I’ve had this shade for ages and even after working through the top layer, I’m afraid that this shade is a dud in my eyes. However, I know others don’t seem to share my pigmentation concerns so I’m convinced that I might have just got a dud of this shade. If I do really pack it on, it is nice and will show up better than swatched.

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What’s your favourite MAC eyeshadow?
Maggie, x.

The Review: Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Natural Beauty

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I’m fairly certain that I’m prone to obsessions and phases more than the average human being and this extends to my blogging quite a bit — I’ll be loving doing ‘Daily Face’ posts one month and then can hardly stand to do one the next. Case in point? I hadn’t been loving writing review posts as I hadn’t been inspired to do so but now I find myself in the mood to really do some reviewing action around here and the product in question is the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Natural Beauty. I do really enjoy the matte watermelon-pink shade but in all honesty, I don’t feel or understand the fanaticism that many bloggers exhibit in relation to this product; they last nicely on the skin and have nice pigmentation but I’m not in love with the slightly drier texture of the product. With those thoughts aside, I do actually kind of adore this blush. Why? The formula might not be life-changing but it has good buildable pigmentation (this quality is shown below with comparison swatches of both one and two layers) and lasts for ages but more than this the shade is a gorgeous unique one with a name that makes sense because it replicates the look of a naturally rosy flush on the cheeks despite appearing bright in the pan. I might be fair and it’s easy to use on me but it also looks great on medium skin tones, believe it or not. And when I say that it creates the look of an authentic flush, it’s infinitely more attractive than my natural flushed-face shade!

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Although the blush offers solid pigmentation, it’s easier to use because it goes on sheerer initially but can be built up with ease — no patchy clown cheeks here. This means that fairer girls do not need to be afraid of the punch that this rosy shade packs but it also will be a flattering shade on a variety of different skintones; this blush is one of the most universal ones that I own. Believe it or not, the claims as a whole are not outlandish, either. This formula is the longest lasting blush formula that I’ve ever tried, lasting 12 hours on me without fading – but keep in mind I have drier skin and my cheeks are my driest part. However, I think that the claim that the amazonian clay in the formula minimizes “oil in and around pores to balance skin” and also is “hydrating the skin naturally restoring moisture, reducing the appearance of dry, flaky skin” is pure marketing gibberish. I doubt it minimizes the oil in and around pores and it certainly doesn’t hydrate the skin and reduce the appearance of flaky dry patches — when I’m dry and flaky, this formula is not the most flattering on account of its dryness. Nevertheless, the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Natural Beauty is a favourite of mine. The blush contains a generous 0.20 oz of product and retails for $26 US or $31 CDN. They are sold at a few different places but I picked mine up last summer at my local Sephora. All in all, I do really enjoy this blush but I won’t be rushing out to try other shades within the formula. I’m compelled to tell you that the foundation matched my skin way better than it appears in the below photo but let’s just pretend it isn’t an issue!DSC_0123

Have you tried any of these blushes? If so, I’d be curious to hear your thoughts!
Maggie, x.

 

I USED UP PRODUCTS #3

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I’m so close to using up more interesting products (such as actual makeup and things that you haven’t heard me mention before in one of these posts) but the products keep on piling up and I’m self-aware enough to know that if I don’t write this post now that I’ll keep on putting it off and the list will get massive; without further ado, I thought I would share my thoughts on products that I’ve used up.

Pureology SuperSmooth Sulfate-Free Shampoo ($60/ 1L)

While I can’t say that living at home during university is without its advantages — being able to escape campus and having the ability to spend irritational proportions of spending money on beauty products, to name a few — but along with the impracticalities of the commute, living at home leaves you subject to members of your family throwing out empty beauty products before you have the chance to stash them away. I’m sure you can now guess why I’m without the liter sized packaging of this one. Anyways, if you’ve been with me for the long-haul I’m sure you are aware of my intense love for this gentle shampoo. It seems really expensive but the litre sized lasted me for over a year even with other family members using it quite regularly and it’s the most amazing gentle shampoo that smells amazing and herbally. It doesn’t cause dermatitis on my scalp given that it’s formulated without sulfates but even more than that it’s a very concentrated shampoo offering that is quite possibly the gentlest shampoo that I’ve ever tried. I haven’t repurchased yet but I will be repurchasing this one or another variant from the same brand.

Jergen’s Natural Glow Daily Firming Moisturizer in Medium to Tan ($8.99/ 200 mL)

The whole firming claim of this product is ridiculous, so although it’s not a concern of mine, if it is a concern of yours I doubt this will help any other than reducing the appearance of cellulite because it darkens the skin; however, the firming line doesn’t contain irritating alcohols like the other and is fragranced with caramel itself rather than anything artificial and potentially much more irritating. The gradual tanner was a soothing hydrator on my eczema-ridden skin, ranking up with the best of body cream, interestingly enough. However, it was a natural-looking self-tanner that went nicely over irritated eczema patches all over the body without requiring any sort of exfoliation beforehand. I am nearing the end of my second bottle now, so obviously I’ve repurchased but I haven’t been using it as much because I’ve accidentally acquired some colour of my own and I’ve been reaching for richer creams on my legs that don’t require any sort of precision. I will repurchase again, however and I already have. And it smells like authentic caramel and not horrible at all.

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Aveeno Skin-Relief Body Wash ($7.99/ 354 mL)

This body wash is fragrance-free and is the only thing I know of that washes the body with it’s soap-free formula whilst soothing the skin and not irritating my sore eczema in the slightest. My legs are my worst area and this is a life-saver when used to shave. I’ve repurchased this for ages but I spotted a near-identical formulation at Target titled the Eczema-Care Body Wash and picked it up when I couldn’t find this one – the only different I notice is that the packaging titles it as being ideal for the skin condition and that it costs the same for slightly less product. It’s a no-frills and unexciting product but if you have sensitive or irritated skin, this is the most amazing thing in existence.

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Boots No 7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Balm ($9/ 150 mL)

I’ve rambled on about this one enough, in posts such as the full-review here so I’ll try to keep it concise. It’s not exactly a balm-texture but rather seems to be a thick and rich cream textured cleanser that leaves the skin soothed and nourished, while removing face makeup like a champ. It doesn’t irritate the skin in the slightest and feels luxurious with its spa-esque scent despite its impressive pricetag. I technically haven’t repurchased this one yet because I went for the extremely similar Hot Cloth Cleanser from the same line instead and I’ll either purchase that one or the ‘cleansing balm’ again.

Bioderma Sensibio H20 ($22/ 250 mL)

Unsurprisingly, I’ve gone through another bottle of the fragrance-free makeup removing cleansing water that everyone raves about; it feels like water but removes makeup well with no eye irritation (or skin irritation) even on my sensitive eyes that seem to burn and turn red with just about anything else. It’s like irritation-free cleansing wipes in a bottle, so its the best for taking with you when you’re staying overnight with friends and I use it most nights to remove my eye makeup with almost no-effort. I will definitely be repurchasing this but I have been really enjoying the L’Oreal alternative that works just about the same at half of the price…

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L’Oreal Professionnel Fix Anti-Frizz ($20/ 250 mL)

Because my wavy-curly hair is a menace, I rarely heat style it and hairspray is a nightmare to get out of my tangly hair so it’s taken me years to use up this hairspray but it’s a nice one. It ranks among the best for keeping style in my hair through humid conditions and it has a nice but un-offensive smell but it can get a bit crunchy but I used this for prom and my curls held for about 24 hours throughout the extreme humidity. I wouldn’t be opposed to repurchasing but I picked up the L’Oreal Sleekissime for a change and it appears to be quite similar.

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Maybelline The Falsies Black Drama Mascara ($9)

As much as it saddens me to write this, my all-time favourite mascara has dried up so much that it is no longer usable — I do love the formula when it has dried up a bit, however. It’s not clumpy looking and adds buildable volume to my lashes that I rather enjoy without feeling heavy and it’s not a menace to remove. I will definitely be repurchasing, although I’ve been trying a few new ones in the meantime. It’s worth the hype. The only thing that would improve this one would be a slightly drier formula.

What have you used up lately?
Maggie, x.

The Review: Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream

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I was enough to have somebody in my family bring me Skin 79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream from Sasa in Hong Kong – they were having a sale so I was fortunate enough to receive the larger (40g) size of this product for about $18 CDN. This is one of the first bb creams that I’ve ever tried; I had always been one to believe that bb creams were essentially glorified tinted moisturizers and I wanted to try an authentic Asian one to find out for myself. You’re not here for unnecessary details and ramblings about my life, so I’ll get to it. Actually scrap that, Skin79 now has an American website where you can order the product in two different sizes for $20 and $39 US respectively.

As with most authentic Asian BB creams, this product only comes in one shade, which is suitable for fairer skin-tones. It initially applies as a grey-tinged  beige with a pink lean to it  in it but quickly ( in10 minutes or so I’d say) it oxidizes to a neutral-fair beige tone. Surprisingly, I’d say that it would work on a good range of fair (but not porcelain) skintones that are fairly neutral in colouring or slightly warm — it’s not going to match a medium skin but I can get away with it when I’ve gone up a few shades in colour. For some reason in the hand swatches below, the camera doesn’t seem to capture the way in which the BB Cream oxidizes tremendously from first application to a half hour later but I assure you that it’s obvious on the face in real life. The photo on the left is from first application and the one to the right is the later one and I’ve compared it to Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in Ivory on the left.

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This was and still is the first BB Cream that I have ever owned an it’s an authentic Korean one that doesn’t disappoint; however, it was not completely life-altering in its magical ability to do a million things flawlessly at once. In questionable English, their website posits that there are four significant characteristics of the product that serve as selling points and I’ll include their description below as well as the ingredient list:

  1. Triple Functions Enriched Nutrition BB Cream – High UV Interception (SPF 45 PA+++) to make dull and dark skin to be pure and bright, plus Brightening and Wrinkle Improvement for clean and elastic skin
  2. Brightening Skin With Long-Lasting Effect – Soft and moisturized texture adheres to skin for keeping clean and bright skin
  3. 45% Snail Secretion Filtrate For Keeping Glossy Skin – Domestic Snail Secretion Filtrate keeps skin moisturized and calms stressed skin protecting from external environment
  4. Null-Additive System For Health Skin Care – Free from Paraben, Mineral Oil, Animal Oil, but containing Eco-cert certified ingredient for keeping lively and healthy skin from external stress
Ingredients: Snail Secretion Filtrate, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Water, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Centella Asiatica Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Beta-Glucan, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Leaf Water, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Linaria Japonica Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sprout Extract, Magnolia Kobus Bark Extract, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Primula Veris Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract, Veronica Officinalis Extract, Adenosine, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Polyacrylate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, PVM/MA Copolymer, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance.

While I don’t believe that there would be much in terms of wrinkle-reducing results from the use of the BB Cream itself and the brightening effects that it brings are not extremely dramatic, the BB Cream is particularly impressive on the ingredient-front as a skincare product; the mineral sunscreen is extremely effective and doesn’t irritate my extremely sensitive skin, the first ingredient is snail secretion filtrate which is shown to have a myriad of skincare benefits and the second is the skincare superhero niacinamide (a cell-communicating ingredient that is incredibly soothing whilst helping to brighten the skin) and there are large quantities of other beneficial ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid that serve to hydrate the skin and more. To be clear, the product is protecting, soothing, hydrating and somewhat brightening whilst serving as a complexion-covering product. Purely as a cosmetic product, this does not rank as my absolute favourite product — but it is really good —  however it is spectacular when the ingredients and skincare benefits are taken into account.

With its intensive sun protection, it should be no surprise that it flashes back like nothing else in this world but it is also worthy of note that it also serves to make the product more difficult to work seamlessly into the skin and therefore in order for it to look gorgeous and skinlike, some working in is definitely required. It doesn’t feel particularly heavy on the skin but it isn’t the lightest thing ever on account of its moisturizing texture and mineral-sunscreen content and lack of irritating alcohol. With medium but somewhat buildable coverage, the hydrating base provides a satin-y to glowy finish that doesn’t need to be powdered on my dehydrated skin. However, due to its moisturizing texture I would say its more ideal for combination and drier skin types. It doesn’t look amazing until it has been left to set and oxidize slightly, also. While it’s soothing and moisturizing, it doesn’t glide over severe dry patches seamlessly or anything – but it doesn’t truly enhance them either, like many seem to. Obviously it doesn’t offer oil control so it can slip and slide slightly in the heat on problem areas but does last ten hours plus on me with the slightest of fading maybe on the chin and on any active blemishes. When worked into the skin optimally and not caked on, it actually does look like radiant skin and on my drier complexion, this can serve as my moisturizer.

I’m rather impressed with this BB Cream, especially as a skincare product and I’ll leave you at that with one final picture of my skin before the product (bare) and after three or so minutes. I’m hoping that it will be of use to you!

Recently Updated24What are your thoughts on BB Creams? What’s your favourite?
Maggie, x.

 

The Monthly Roundup #8: July 2014

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I might moan and groan about those superficial daily life struggles more often than not but it’s not expected for those to be taken 100% seriously to account for my life, however, there is no exaggerating when I say that July was not a good month; it didn’t start off on a positive note and it ended on a wholeheartedly negative one. But, I’m moving on. Wait, I lied because I have to address the sad truth that it’s not particularly upsetting that school will be starting up again in a little over a month – there’s something comforting in the monotony of that routine. Is anybody with me on that one?

1. The Beauty Bargain #4: L’Oreal Glam Bronze Mono in 04 Universal Sun –
In short, where I managed to articulate my love for this red-toned bronzer in a somewhat satisfactory fashion, covering all the bases. I was also rather pleased with the photo shown above, considering my truly amateur skillset.
 
2. My Go-To Spring/Summer Lipsticks –
Again, where I was actually pleasantly surprised at the quality of the pictures in said post but also made the effort to narrow down my favourite lip products and showcase them on my lips – without going overboard.
 
3. Beauty Thoughts: The Verdict –
Where I tried a new post format that involved simply giving my thoughts on a handful of products and was pleased with the result and varying lot. I might expect more of these to come – thoughts?
 
4. The Essentials with Laura –
Surprisingly where I brought another face and perspective to my little corner of the internet and was able to share her favourite products with you. I hope it felt refreshing.
 
5. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette –
As one might expect, where I gathered my honest thoughts and provided a detailed account of them on this hyped luxury buy. When I say detailed, I’m not exaggerating…
 
What were your highlights?
Maggie, x.
 
 

 

 

Two MAC Acquisitions

 

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DSC_1124There are three things (remotely beauty-related things) that moved Monday into great day territory. First, I actually got up off my ass and successfully de-potted some MAC eyeshadows and blushes and I didn’t burn my house down or anything along those lines. The next thing was that I was able to Back-2-Mac with the now-empty casings, looking around with a few of my favourite people alive – who enjoy MAC and don’t judge to boot – for a lipstick free of charge. Last but not least, I experienced the satisfaction of completing my first fifteen-pan MAC palette (or at least the shadow side of my duo palette); I am aware of how pathetic my life sounds, if you were pondering the subject. The point of this ramble? I’m rather pleased with the eyeshadow and lipstick that I picked up, even aside from the fact that I was only set back $13.80 — with tax included.

I had gone into MAC with the idea that I was going to pick up the wearable but deep Brick-o-la shade but it was actually sold out and I quickly got over it, picking up the MAC Kinda Sexy Matte Lipstick ($19) and instantly falling in love with the “neutral pinky-rose” hue when I swiped it onto my sore lips. I would describe it as one of those neutral flattering shades — on me it’s a my-lips-but-better shade that is quite opaque and peachy – that adds a little bit of colour to the lips without looking like ‘lipstick’. The matte formula isn’t particularly drying or unflattering on sore lips and actually seems to stain my lips somewhat and the shade seems to have the perfect mix of peach and brown – not muting my lips out but not having that unflattering ‘brown’ look either on my pale lips. I’m in love. 

In my recent wishlist post, I had mentioned my desire to complete my palette with MAC Smut Eyeshadow ($12/18) and that’s exactly what I did. Exactly as I thought, the “muted black with red shimmer” is a nicely textured shade with a satin finish (I don’t know what they’re talking about on the shimmer front) that serves the same purpose as black but is more interesting and easy to work with. It might not seem like the creamiest shadow in history but it’s blendable and has almost no fallout despite its dark shade. I’m loving this shade just as much to add depth and definition to the outer corner or general smokiness and I’m wearing this one in the outer-corner below, with All That Glitters on the lid, Soft Brown as a transition colour and Swiss Chocolate in the crease. The dark charcoal burgundy plum shade is a nice option for darkening things up, if you ask me.

 

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What are your favourite MAC products?
Maggie, x.

The Beauty Bargain: The Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balms

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This might be surprising but as far as I’m aware, I haven’t given the Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balms ($9-10) the credit (through rambling form, of course) that they deserve; I mean I’ve mentioned before that I love them but they really are among the best of the best formulas in my opinion and I wear them constantly. Of all three of the Revlon lip pencils, they are easily the most moisturizing and forgiving on the lips along with having the most subtle mint-induced tingly sensation on the lips that can irritate some. The formula of these strikes me as a slightly amped-up version of the MAC Lustre’s in pigment with the same general characteristics — buildable pigmentation, actual hydrating quality on the lips and forgiving texture. The darker shades of the Revlon offering might have more longevity than the MAC options as well and they tend to be much more pigmented to boot! The brighter/deeper shades that I have do tend to stain the lips slightly and wear for a good 4-5 hours through some light drinking but nothing too strenuous the lighter shade that I have wears more at the 3-4 hour range but this doesn’t bother me as these lip products are so low-maintenance and fuss-free.

Others seem to complain about the visible shimmer/glitter found in these shades, especially as the colour of the product wears off, but I only notice the flecks in my lightest shade, 105 Demure, and even then I don’t find the flecks to be overly noticeable or problematic. Being one of the paler shades in the lineup, this one has the least pigmentation — beginning with sheer payoff but buildable to medium opacity — but at the same time it’s one of those foolproof natural-looking hues. It reminds me a great deal of my lipstick love, MAC Patisserie, but it has slightly more pink in it and a bit less brown but it doesn’t lean pink in the slightest, allowing those like me who cannot pull of pink usually to wear it in a flattering way.

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120 Vivacious is a stunning punchy fuschia shade with some corally undertones to it but in all honesty I wear it the least because it’s such a statement lip on me – It pulls bolder than Ruby Woo on me! — but it is a stunning one and doesn’t resemble a cool-toned pink in the slightest. Along with the next shade, there is no sheerness to the opacity in this one by any means – without compromising its balmy texture, the lip crayon gives off vibrant payoff.

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150 Enticing is easily the shade I’ve talked the most about as it was the one that was my gateway into the formula and I’ve had it since last year and this isn’t just by chance; it’s a neutral-toned deep red that seems to suit my colouring to a t. Because it’s a deeper hue, it doesn’t have the same dramatic punch that brighter shades do without stepping into vampy kind of territory and it seems to be that effortless dark lip. It’s certainly more of a Fall/Winter kind of shade but I’m known to wear it throughout other seasons…

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Have you tried any of these – what were your thoughts?
Maggie, x.

 

The Daily Highlights 07.16.2014

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Before I really get into things here, there are two things that I want to say and if we’re lucky, these two things won’t turn into a novella… First, I’m in this weird blogging funk where I have so many blog post ideas but as a result am unable to commit to one of them and therefore unable to bring anything into fruition and secondly, for some reason that I appear to be unable to articulate or even think about with any sort of coherence, I am even less competent at taking decent selfies with my new and improved camera than on the good ol’ iPhone. The point of the second thought? A picture or two of lesser quality might appear in this post seeing as I was unable to capture an aspect or two of the daily face otherwise. And I have the need to ramble, even if it is through typing.

L’Oreal Glam Bronze Mono in Universal Sun: Given the number of times I’ve made declarations of my love for this bronzer, it shouldn’t be surprising that I can’t put it down and that I don’t want to. With it’s pigmented and creamy soft-matte texture, it’s the most forgiving true warm red-toned bronzer; it works to add authentic-looking colour to the skin but also seems to be able to help with a bit of cheekbone sculpting as well. Love.

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation:It seems like many absolutely adore this foundation and place it as superior to all others but I don’t exactly fit into that camp — I go through phases of liking it but find myself resenting it and putting it away for months at a time. If you ask me, it’s one of those products that only works well when applied in the most precise of ways and with it’s tendency to highlight dry patches on the face, it can easily look very obvious on the skin and isn’t the easiest to sheer out either. However, I applied it optimally today when I decided to pull it out and I instantly remembered why it was worth putting the effort to prime the skin for it and spend ages massaging it into the skin. This is one that I like to be very well moisturizer for and applying a primer on top doesn’t hurt either.

MAC Creme d’Nude Lipstick:I know I’ve gone on before about how this shade was my first lipstick love but now I tend to find it difficult to wear unless I’m sporting a serious smokey eye as it washes me out but when I paired it with a neutral lipliner today, it was perfection. The creamy formula does show the most severe of all dry patches but other than that, it can’t be faulted when applied in this way. When the concealer lip effect is eliminated, this warm peachy nude shade is gorgeous. Note to self: apply in this manner more often.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Ethereal Glow:I may have stopped constantly declaring my love for this cool-toned pink blush, shot through with marbelized pale opal veining, however, I still love this blush to pieces for giving that gorgeous pink rosy glow to the cheeks. It actually helps with diffusing imperfections which is nice and I can’t exactly explain why I love this one so much – I just do. With a little more colour to my skin this one does require a little more building up though, but that’s to be expected with such a muted colour. I’m in need of at least one more shade of these. Ahh — run, wallet, run!

Have you tried any of these? What products have caught your attention today?
Maggie, x.