Spring

Weekly Medley #14

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(1) the book o’ blogging and my knee out in the sun on Saturday (2) me out in the sun on Saturday (3) photo evidence of my Spring Makeup Update post (4) the MAC lipstick in action (5) the obligatory pre-leaving selfie (6) MAC Sweet & Sour, the lipstick love (7) the skincare and book loves

This week wasn’t so fun until Thursday, I’ll assure you, but that’s to be expected with the whole exam situation from hell. Since finishing I’ve felt so odd — like there must be another essay to write and exam to torture myself over — but not so odd in the sense that would lead one to become an actual responsible human being and get right into that cleaning and organizing thing that goes along with that whole notion of normalcy where you earn money by acquiring an actual job. I was not that desperate to lose the strangeness of it all.

The weather has been nice, sunny and in the temperate twenties this week with a few cool and muggy days in between, however that’s to be expected when you live on the east coast. Yesterday, I casually wore short shorts if that is any indication. And I’ve spent hours lounging outdoors, relaxing and writing in the book o’ blogging and this has to be among the best things ever — up there with delicious lattes when you’re dead on your feet and stressed out of your mind.

Because my family is not big on the sweets and we all have a tendency towards abundant food sensitivities, we tend to both give and receive more substantial gifts for Easter and one of the substantial gifts this year was the book written by Helen Oyeyemi titled, Boy, Snow, Bird and let me assure you that it was fantastic. And I’m very picky about granting praise to reading materials. I know this should have technically fallen under the umbrella of last week’s post but I didn’t actually finish this until the beginning of this week and it was all kinds of crazy, so forgive me. I’m sure my mother’s intention in giving me this present was to enjoy reading a book for actual fun after my exams were finished but somehow in my groggy zombie-like state, I decided to finish it all on Monday night when I should have been writing the essay from hell. But the book was fantastic in itself, not just as procrastination material, I might add. It’s one of those rare five-star books and its written from three interwoven perspectives, intensely psychological and thrilling while also dealing with important issues (race, appearance, etc.) in an interesting and non-cliched manner.

Beauty-wise, my fixation was directed towards the skincare front. This is probably related to the horrendous stress-induced breakout along my chin and jaw that appeared in all of its painful-underneath-the-skin blemish glory. Thankfully, I had the sense to not try to murder it, drying it out and all that jazz, but rather took the more effective soothing route of going heavy on the BHA exfoliants of the Neutrogena and Clinique gentle variety and adding in more healing rosehip oil than usual. I’m pleased to say that there’s but one active blemish left on my face as of now and my severely easily irritated skin has not exhibited any signs of seeking vengeance yet.

On Wednesday as a treat upon finishing exams and all, I picked up a few things of the beauty variety and fell in love with one or two of them and one of which was the MAC Sweet & Sour Lipstick that was recently made permanent. I’ve been wearing the muted corally-orange shade nonstop. It’s a cremesheen so it doesn’t do my dry lips any favours but the shade makes it worthwhile so I can’t really bring myself to care.

Finally to sit down and breathe, I was able to do that thing where you go out and celebrate –the reason for celebration was my long-time friends birthday and it was nice to go out for a change. It was also surprisingly pleasant to write up a few posts that I’ve been wanting to put up for ages, such as the Spring Makeup Update post…

How was your week?

Maggie, x.

The Spring Makeup Update

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We don’t really get that graduated transmogrification from the earliest signs of springtime to full-blown spring here, but rather it was snowing until a few weeks back and now it’s about 20 degrees and being an individual who typically feels generally warm, I’ve been wearing shorts so some of my recomendations here might be on the summer-esque end of the spectrum, so be warned. You know the drill; I’m not someone who believes that the seasons completely bind what makeup shades can be worn at a specific time but I do admit, I do enjoy these little changes in the daily routine to go along with the weather conditions. So here are my thoughts about these little changes:

The Transitional Bronzer: Throughout the winter, I tended to go for much cooler-toned products to shape my face such as my loved MAC Harmony, but as we come into warmer weather and are left looking a bit drained and dull from the winter – and pale in my case – we want to go for that golden glow, but it’s easy to go too far to the orange artificial-looking side of things. Simply put, you want a shade that will add warmth without having too artificial of an undertone or being too dark in contrast to your skin and for me this is the Sonia Kashuk Undetectable Creme Bronzer in Warm Tan($10). However, the shade is quite a warm-toned one that can lean on the orange side of things but is not particularly dark and the cream texture blends like a dream but I have fair skin that’s on the warmer side of things so I can suit warmer shades without going overboard, I think. I tend to apply it like a contour on my cheekbones and then blend it out towards my temples with the leftover product on the brush because I like the added definition on the cheekbones.

The Weightless Heat-Resistant Base: I know that we don’t typically use the world ‘base’ here in Canada to describe products that are applied all over the face but it was the only term that seemed to encompass foundations, tinted moisturizers and all the BB/CC creams in existence. Even though it may mean extra effort as far as concealer is concerned, there is something refreshing and appropriate with going for a somewhat sheerer, skin-like option on the face. However, this does not necessarily mean going for the dewiest thing in the world regardless of skin-type as I think it is important to make sure that it’s a low-maintenance option for all day wear despite the warming weather and the impending doom of oil-production. I’m definitely on the drier end of the spectrum but I think that my current love the Diorskin Nude Skin Glowing Makeup ($48) would also suit those with an oilier t-zone with its medium-coverage satin finish with a glow that appears skin-like. Weirdly enough, I’m almost always sensitive to chemical sunscreen but not the chemical sunscreen in this one but I’m not one to complain about this all-in-one everyday kind of foundation.

The Coral Lipstick: I’m sure some of you are not surprised about this one as I take any reason I can to go for anything of the coral variety but in this case I think it’s generally appropriate. Despite the fact that I find the formula unflattering on any sort of dry patches on my lips, I’ve been going for the softer tangerine-coloured Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Mischievous ($9) that lies on the more orange-end of the spectrum – but hey, orange is supposed to be particularly trendy this summer and it tends to suit me so I’m not going to complain.

The Subtle Gold Shadow: While I veer towards warmer shadows throughout the year given my colouring, I’m particularly drawn to them in the warmer seasons and MAC Woodwinked ($12/18) — second from left in the bottom row in the picture — has that golden tone to it but has that muted quality that makes it more Spring-appropriate and soft. The shadow is a cult-favourite for a reason, applying like a dream and staying put with ease.

The Expected Pink-y Blush: There’s nothing that screams Spring like that true pink flush of colour on the cheeks. Although I’m not wearing it in the above photo, I have been in love with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Ethereal Glow ($41) and wearing the satiny pale-pink that leans on the cooler side of things but is actually flattering and noticeable on my warm-leaning skin. The finish and texture of the blush seems to make it worthwhile the hefty price tag and it’s one of those easy blushes that gives you that flush to the cheeks that works with any sort of eye makeup or lip makeup craziness.

How have you updated your daily makeup for Spring?

Maggie, x.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly Medley #13

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(1) makes more sense with second image – pleased with overall skin despite the hidden few cystic bumps that just emerged as a result of exams… (2) I’ve been really into skincare lately so naturally I was obsessed with the ‘Top 10 Skincare’ video that my favourites, Amelia Liana and Hello October’s Suzie did together (3) the Easter face (4) the corresponding product picture (5) it was warm enough to wear a sundress – erase the boob situation complications pleasee (6) the product discovery (7) the evidence of the greatness of this month’s Elle Canada (8) that drugstore essentials post that somehow happened

So this week went as expected. Monday was just as insane as I had expected, filled with the chaos of having two term papers due and delivering them online and in person, rushing around to the library to return and take out the mandatory books, hurrying to attend the study session for Psychology, cramming for the nights exam without success and writing my first exam. Much of the week was the same but slightly slowed down perhaps; with something major almost every day with no sort of real break in between. The exception was Thursday, a day of studying that should have left me confident for the night’s exam but the whole knowing that I had to write essays with actual evidence and the like, left me a nauseous nervous wreck — I even went in to the exam with my sweater on inside out but I couldn’t find it in my to care about it. Well, I’m pleased to report that now on Monday I’m nearing the ends of thing — things being this exam period from hell –, with four exams down and two final papers submitted, only today’s essay exam (yikes) and Wednesday’s paper left to go. I think I’ll survive today but the whole paper situation is questionable. I’m sure I’ll keep you updated on the essay front, explicitly or implicitly here.

Reading blog posts and watching videos of the same nature serve as that much-needed enticing escape from the whole endless stress shebang and one that stood out for me was Suzie from Hello October’s collaboration video with Amelia Liana of Liana-Beauty titled “Top Ten Skincare Favourites“. The two are among my absolute favourites to read and watch, entertaining while bringing helpful information and recommendation and genuine. And I’ve been especially into skincare lately and these two tend to be helpful for advice in the skincare realm because of our shared sensitivity traits. I’ve added their picks to the blogging notebook archives… And the selfie above is deceptive as you can’t see the two or three cystic spots on my cheeks that I only ever get during exam week (thankfully) that look quite angry, but otherwise the overall skin quality on the face has been rather good for me so I included the bare-face picture. I can’t really say more than that.

Now it’s time for me to shamelessly self-promote one of my blog posts of the week – and the blogpost in question is my “Drugstore (Makeup) Essentials #2“, which I must admit is rather lengthy but it’s actually quite concise, packed with information about some of my favourite makeup selection on a budget into one small relatively non-rambly post.

Although I’ve had this since I spotted it for a few dollars off on promotion at Shoppers Drugmart in the beginning portion of last month, I haven’t been able to be certain of my love for my newfound conditioner-mask-thing that costs well under $30 until recently. Said love is directed towards the OGX Sea Mineral Moisture Moisture Surge Deep Treatment. While being priced around the affordable ten dollars, the “deep treatment” – I would be more tempted to describe it as a rich regular conditioner but I do tend to go for deep treatments in the place of conditioners of the regular variety – actually nourishes the hair without requiring a ton of product and therefore giving hair this slippery feel and leaves it with nice texture and body with none of that tangly grittiness that tends to be associated with texture-boosting shampoos. And it smells absolutely delicious, suspiciously like Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray and nothing like that coconut-y beach smell that just doesn’t measure up. I feel compelled to state that it includes dimethicone high in the ingredients list, but isn’t all that silicone-y and despite the name it isn’t completely organic by any means but regardless, it’s my weekly product highlight.

I’m afraid that I must return to the books, despite the allure of trying to delude myself into thinking otherwise.

How was your week last week?

Maggie, x.

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly Medley #9

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I won’t try to bore you with the details as I’m sure if you’ve gone through the university ordeal yourself (or are currently undergoing the process), you know how stressful the few weeks before the end of the semester can be. I do suffer from anxiety and I am attention-deficit (diagnosed, if you were curious) and therefore making it through the day and remembering to bathe on a regular basis is difficult enough for me when I have so much that needs to be done and am so anxious and actually getting the work done that I’m stressing about is a whole other battle. It hasn’t been the greatest of weeks but I’ve survived without any sort of existential life crisis, so I can’t complain all that much.

I suppose I should mention that I was finding the whole structure of these weekly posts a little bit too repetitive so I mixed things up a bit this week. The posts haven’t been as regular as I’d like but things have been hectic for me and I’m glad I got as many up as I was able too – you’ll have to forgive me.  Although I wish I had gotten more posted here I was happy with my three posts last week: another edition of my Weekly Medley, a review of my MAC Dreaming Dahlia Lipstick that I adore and my early spring picks that I titled, Hello, Spring.  

I would not describe myself as someone who rejoices in the beauty of nature and finds some sort of spiritual connection or anything of that variety but when I opened the blinds this morning, although there were remnants of snow on the ground, it was sunny, birds were chirping and it was glorious. Being able to glance at some actual sunlight and some kind of life outdoors does tend to help one in the task of not succumbing to the seductive oblivion of crawling underneath the covers and pretend that you’re asleep and don’t have a million things to do.

I’m not saying its easy to get out of bed and be a productive human being however. Sometimes despite our best efforts, nothing seems to come and out of this dry spell, sleep doesn’t seem to come either. When I’ve needed an escape I’ve turned to my good pal, playing The Sims and drinking a cup of tea. Somehow after the two, things look a little brighter and productivity seems to happen – there’s little in life that a few rounds on The Sims and a hot beverage can’t fix or at the very least, remedy.

It’s rare that I find a nail polish that I have enough love for (and do not grow tired of) to warrant a mention as a favourite product in these sorts of posts but Essie Maximillan Strasse-Her is worthy of this honour many times over. The dirty grey-green shade fits into the whole spring theme without being overly cliched and this polish has the best formula that I’ve ever tried – instantly opaque on the nails and lasting for almost a week on the nails, which is a record for chipping-prone nails like mine.

From the moment that I first swatched the beauty, I knew that the limited edition MAC Dreaming Dahlia Lipstick would become a favourite in my building collection of lip products with it’s gorgeous coral colour in the comfortable and effortless lustre formula but I didn’t expect for it to as versatile as it is. Although it’s a fairly bright colour, it can be worn with some colour on the cheeks and eyes without caution and it’s a great one for when I only have a couple of minutes to get ready.

In the next week or so, you can expect at least one skincare-themed post and perhaps another drugstore makeup review or two… but that’s all I’m giving you for now. It’s now back to lab report writing, essay editing and eventually assignment writing for me.

I wish you all a more relaxing Sunday than mine but at the very least, I hope it’s more productive!

Maggie, x.

Hello, Spring

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If our weather yesterday was anything but the typical Nova Scotian (yes that’s a province in Canada, above Maine for reference) disgusting gloomy but not shivering-inducing rain, I wouldn’t have believed that Spring could have come so early but it wasn’t. And nothing says Spring like temperatures rising above zero for the first time since early October – and funnily enough I’m neither being sarcastic nor ironic here, it’s just spring isn’t all flowers and sunshine here, but to be honest I’m glad our weather doesn’t get too scorching because I’m not a happy camper when overheated. Alas, I wanted to share some product picks that are appropriate for the new season without doing a full-out edit post…
Avene High Protection Mineral Cream SPF 50 ($30 CDN)

Although I admit there’s not much sun going on here that could lead to sunburn and damage this time of year (I know I should always wear spf) but it’s nicer to find a formula to incorporate into your routine as soon as the skies are clear and this is the one for me. I’m someone who can rarely tolerate chemical sunscreen on my face without my skin turning reactive so this mineral-based one is a godsend. It’s fast-absorbing but moisturizing and has a slight pinky tint to avoid the white cast but the tint is rarely problematic as it is so sheer – but I do like to work it nicely into the skin as I have undertones that sit on the warmer side. Being someone who suffers from hyperpigmentation from past blemishes, wearing sunscreen daily especially when spending time outdoors is essential for worsening the uneven tone and not only does my skin like this one, it is easily the most effective sunblock that I’ve ever tried and it does not run into my eyes and burn.

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation ($11-12 CDN)

Ever since Lisa Eldridge (and her wonderful youtube videos) have come into our lives, we all seem to be on the search for the undetectable foundation that can’t be seen even in a magnified mirror and this inexpensive one seems to be the best fit for my skin. Its light-to-medium-coverage formulation glides over the skin, evening it out and adding some luminosity – foundations tend to sit really heavily and noticeably on my drier skin but this one doesn’t and 130 Shell is my perfect shade as it’s fair and slightly yellow-toned but not too-yellow toned for my skin that sits not too far from neutral in undertone and certainly not pink.

Essie Maximillian Strasse-Her Nail Lacquer ($9 CDN)

I really like the idea of pastel nails for the springtime but they tend to be on the streaky/sheer side of things and I can find them sometimes a bit too girlie on me but the slightly grungier offering works for me. While still being a light polish, this shade stays on the nails for ages and provides really opaque colour without streakiness; I’d describe the shade as a dirty grey-green but that’s not giving it justice. I picked this one up in the dead-of-winter at Winners (the Canadian TK/TJ Maxx) for a few dollars less and I’ve been waiting to wear it since. It’s my kind of colour and is the longest-lasting polish I’ve tried on my nails that tend to chip easily.

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MAC Dreaming Dahlia Lipstick ($19 CDN) – limited edition

As I reviewed this one a mere couple of days ago here I figure I don’t need to go into detail about the whole shebang. The shade is a comfortable and forgiving warm-toned coral shade in my favourite lustre finish, adding that pop of coral to the lips in an everyday sort of way. It’s limited edition with MAC A Fantasy of Flowers right now but it should still be available. Highly recommended.

Bourjois Cream Blush in 04 Sweet Cherry ($20 CDN)

There’s something energizing and flattering about going for that bright pastel pink flush to the cheeks as springtime rolls around but I have issues wearing those cool-toned shades (think MAC Well Dressed) and this is an alternative that I’ve been loving). The Bourjois offering has a gorgeous creamy-but-not-wet kind of finish (although I do wish it contained more product) and Sweet Cherry adds that rosy bloom to my cheeks, while being a little deeper and warmer but still maintaining that rosy hue. I must try more of these… note to self.

Happy Friday! What products have you added to your routine for Spring?

Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #8

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Oh, sweet baby jesus, the weather here has been temperamental. It went in between hovering around freezing, taunting us with the knowledge that there is something coming that we call spring that does not  require the warmest coats possible, and then gong back to blowing snow in all directions and staying at -10 plus whatever windchill going on. So the weather has been sort of unpredictable – understatement – and while I’m thankful that my skin hasn’t gone nuclear as a result (it has before) of all this cold-weather craziness, my skin has been a bit more dehydrated and irritated than usual, my eczema all broken out and my lips, once again in that wretched state.

In terms of the face, I turned to my rosehip oil from the brand, By Nature, and it sorted the irritation out, soothing the skin and providing intense nourishment. Note: I really need to stop being so lazy and remember to use this oil more as it’s a godsend.

Midway through the week, I finally succumbed and purchased the La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume, willingly shelling out the sixteen bucks for the healing balm  that I knew was missing from my life. True to its claims, it’s a multipurpose balm that has been a dream for soothing my lips and eczema patches. Because it’s not specifically designed to only be used on the lips, it does not have that typical lip balm texture, instead being a thick cream that can leave the lips looking ashy, but nevertheless it outperforms all other balms I’ve tried. It’s more of a nighttime treatment for sore chapped lips, if you ask me, than one to slap on pre-makeup. And it helps with eczema and all of its itchy glory without burning on contact. Can you tell it has this girl’s skin singing its praises?

Although you can probably gather that things are not exactly springy in my world, I found myself reading and rereading Lisa Eldridge’s “Lighten Up! It’s time for a foundation refresh”. From listening to the awe-inspiring makeup artist, I’ve learned the most on the makeup front, so her post debunking the mystery of the truth behind BB/CC creams slash revealing her lighter foundation picks was a breath of fresh air.

Continuing with that whole ‘spring is coming’ thing, Joanna’s “Spring Makeup Bag Contents” caught my attention. For one, I forever love reading these posts because I’m impaired at the whole putting together a small makeup bag thing but am interested in the endeavour nevertheless and secondly, the lovely and gorgeous, Joanna, has one of those blogs that you find yourself accidentally scouring through the archives of for hours.

Is it spring for all of you yet?

Maggie, x.

The Daily Face #10: A Little Less Typical But Really More Of The Same

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I apologize for the interruption in my regular posting schedule (erm that my posts have been lacking in frequency) but things have been crazy in the last few days and I’ve hardly mustered the energy to remove my makeup and wash my face when I’ve gotten home so posts weren’t really a possibility. I haven’t done one of these posts in a while so I thought I would share what I’m wearing, not that it’s groundbreakingly different or anything – but I did incorporate some cooler tones and I went for a darker shade on the lid that I’m used to.

FACE: Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + in 40, Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in 125 Very Fair, Sonia Kashuk Undetectable Creme Bronzer in Warm Tan, Revlon Photoready Skin Lights in Pink Light, Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Natural Beauty,  MAC Coquette eyeshadow (brows) EYES: MAC Prolongwear Paint Pot in Layin’ Low, Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette (Strange, Nooner, Mugshot and Darkside), Annabelle Smoothliner in Brownie, L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess Mascara in Black LIPS: Maybelline ‘The Buffs’ Lipstick in Nude Lust

Lately I’ve tended to do my eye makeup before my face makeup because as much as I like the oh-so-popular palette in question, fallout seems to be inevitable. I’m loving my recently-acquired MAC Layin’ Low Paintpot because it primes in an instant and leaves a flattering warm brown tinge to the lids that can help to make other shades look a little more wearable – not that today’s shades need it though. The look is a little smokier on the lid than I typically go for but it was nice to break the habit – I put the silvery-taupe Mugshot over the lid. The much-loved pigmented Nooner was blended through the crease, the bizarrely ordinary Strange (misnomer) to highlight and brighten the inner corner and the unique grey Darkside to do what I always do, add definition in the outer corner of my large round eyes. I thought the whole smoky thing called for some smudgy liner so I went for Annabelle Brownie which is a fantastic deep chocolate liner that’s a steal and did the usual swipe or two and I shoved some of the impressive L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess on both sets of my lashes. I was too lazy to grab the palette it was in to photograph it, but obviously I filled in the brows with an angle brush and the magical (not exactly kidding) MAC Coquette. 

On the face, I’ve been feeling a more matte and fuller coverage theme, not because my skin is not acting its best (because it actually is behaving), but I’ve been feeling the more done-up (but not heavy-looking) skin. I grabbed my Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + which I have almost used up and if you’re curious this was my first Sephora purchase ever and this was my absolute favourite when I had more combination skin a few years back. I bought the shade in the summer when I have more colour and for some odd reason when I get darker, my yellow undertones become more apparent so I have to be quite careful with blending in this one not because it’s a bit dark, but rather it can look weirdly yellow in patches unless I blend it. Because I started off on this tangent, I figure I might as well continue with my thoughts on the foundation. It’s a velvety semi-matte finish that hardly highlights dry patches at all (impressive) and provides medium-buildable coverage that I have in fact been out in the rain for an hour in with my foundation still intact. I shouldn’t know this but this foundation lasts for about twenty hours without powder on me even when my skins a little on the oilier side (normal skin for you) and if applied in small amounts with some effort, it can look skinlike rather than mask-like. I felt like going for some cream bronzer to add some shape and added some glow back into my skin with the luminous Revlon Pink Light liquid highlighter on my cheekbones. Although the formula isn’t my favourite (but I will admit that its longevity is legendary), I’ve been loving the matte watermelon-pink Tarte Natural Beauty on my cheeks for that flushed look. For how scary it looks in the pan, it looks surprisingly natural on the cheeks…

Out of the Maybelline The Buffs collection, I had first had indifferent feelings towards Nude Lust, favouring the peachier-undertone of the paler nude but lately I’ve been enjoying this darker nude with beigier undertones. However, note that if you have ghastly looking lips like mine, applying too much can make you look dead and as much as I love the formula, they do highlight dry patches (I have them aplenty – questionable grammatical usage there for an english student…….) in case you were wondering. So before I write myself in to a coma and cause anyone reading this to die of boredom, I’ll stop going on and on. I’ve been enjoying this slightly smoky look lately with a nude lip – it seems appropriate for the weird season right now where it’s most definitely not spring but sometimes it actually can reach zero degrees on a good day.

What have you been wearing lately? Am I the only person it’s by no means spring for yet?

Maggie, x.

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The Daily Face #9: I’m not buying into that idea that it’s spring now but I’ll pretend for the sake of coral and to escape the winter blues

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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 Creme which 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 Brush that 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 Rose which 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 Trick is 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 Darkside in 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 Perversion along with my usual, the loved L’Oreal Lineur Intense for a subtle kitten flick. No comment on the brows, other that I’m still loving the ashy shade from MAC aaaaand oddly enough I’ve been really going for the L’Oreal Mascara and 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.

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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…

Maggie, x.