winter

Baby, It’s ‘Blizzard’-ing Outside

a weirdly calm moment during the storm
a weirdly calm moment during the storm

It’s not every day that one has to trek to school during a blizzard when every other school (post-secondary or otherwise) has been cancelled with good sense. Being a Canadian, I don’t exaggerate about blizzards but even I have no choice but to admit that there is one going on, freezing blowing snow, howling winds and all. Now I diOun’t actually make it out the door with makeup on so I could leave insanely early and actually arrive at the cursed institution but I’m remedying that at the moment because I clearly have a problem and am acting out of character with perhaps the cheesiest post title I’ve done to date. And okay so school was eventually cancelled and I’m finally home after the adventure but of course nothing is ever easy.

the ultimate skincare trio
the ultimate skincare trio

When you’re subjecting yourself (particularly your face) to these kinds of elements (particularly if your skin is as sensitive and dehydrated as mine), your skin will protest if you think the usual skincare basics will be adequate. On days like these, I try to load up on the soothing and gentle products. This morning, I used my recent addition, the sister product to my old flame the    Extra Gentle Cleanser, Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Hydrating Cleanser ($10-13 CDN). It’s among the gentlest of cleansers with one of the pumps that gives the right amount of product and has that light and rich Cetaphil texture while being much more gentle and hydrating on the skin. On the less related note, it removes makeup better than it’s predecessor and the average cleanser, I’m pleased to report. On harsh winter days like these, it can be wise to skip out on the typical treatments in the morning and focus on protecting your skin against the elements and my current pick was the lovely-but-not-quite-as-perfectly-gentle-and-soothing as the fragrance-free Kiehl’s Stress Rescuer, Ren Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream ($66 CDN) which I’m happy to report is very hydrating and is soothing unless applied on the most irritated skin with the inclusion of beneficial antioxidants and anti-irritants high on the ingredient list. The moisturizer is lightweight but rich and leaves a flattering luminosity to the skin that sits well under makeup. To end the skincare tangent of mine, an oil can serve as that extra-protective soothing layer and for me at least, with the combination of the other two has miraculously prevented my red itchy and painful skin. Okay so I was short on time this morning so this step didn’t actually happen but I do love the By Nature Organic Rosehip Oil ($26) with it’s rich dry-oil texture.
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Even if you’re not one of those avid tea-lovers, tea is essential on stormy winter days like these. I’m not hugely fussy about the particular details about the said hot beverage but it’s necessary nevertheless. I’m not usually a fan of anything decaffeinated but I’m enjoying my cup of the nice and wintry Celestial Seasonings Cinnamon Apple Spice Herbal Tea. If you’re anything like me and adore spiced beverages and baking, this is for you. In weather like this it should be law to accompany the tea with wearing comfy flannel (mine are from aerie) and snuggling underneath blankets – with a magazine of course. Lately I’ve been enjoying Elle Canada, but regardless of what magazine you have kicking around it’s necessary to haphazardly flip through it all warm and cozy. It shouldn’t be a surprise that I love magazines and this one is nice as it has actual content to pair with the fashion and beauty bits.

Now that I’m back home, unable to leave the warmth of the blankets I’m snuggled underneath and muster the effort to apply makeup to the face that I will later have to remove so the previously mentioned makeup didn’t happen. You know how it is, I’m sure.

What have been your winter staples?

X,

Maggie

A Day in the Life: Lazy-But-Productive Sunday

the workstation
the workstation feat. comfy attire – aside: Lululemon leggings are heavenly

I don’t know about you, but I’m addicted to reading beauty blogs (pretty much a given considering that I write one) and my greatest addictions are ones that incorporate their lives into the mix as well, without completely veering off from beauty-related territory – Suzie’s Hello October, Amelia’s Liana Beauty and Alix’s I Covet Thee, to name a few.

I feel compelled to warn you that I have an extremely boring life and rather rarely do anything interesting so lower your expectations before reading further. For years, as I’m such a procrastinator, Sundays have been that day when I have to be productive but endeavour to do so in the laziest way possible. My general life philosophy is rather lazy and you might have already guessed that I write the majority of my blog posts on my bed and take a good number of my pictures without having to move. You caught me.

On the agenda today is the usual readings and assignments that I should have already done, thinking about cleaning the catastrophic state of the room and blog post writing and/or planning and doing something to fix the state of my nails – It’s screwing with my mind writing  a blog post about blog post writing.

the authentic "no-makeup face"
the authentic “no-makeup face”

Skin; while mine is nowhere even close to the realm of flawless, I have been receiving compliments on mine in real life and can easily say it’s the best I’ve had since I turned thirteen and I’ve been planning on doing a full-on skincare update for some time now but I never seem to get around to it. I thought I’d share what products I’ve been grabbing in the morning religiously.

I’ve been cleansing with the gentle but annoying to use on account of it’s lid, Bioderma Hydrabio Cleansing Milk ($25 CDN) in the mornings (although I use it on occasion at night as it removes makeup well) and I like it. It never makes my sensitive, easily-irritated skin angry looking afterwards and for that it might deserve a gold star. Unless my skin is particularly sore (which thankfully it is not at the moment) I use the most gentle chemical exfoliant, the Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion ($16 CDN) that (along with my nightime chemical exfoliants, Peptabright and the Neutrogena one) I attribute the increased brightness and radiance in my skin to, as well as the radical reduction in the pesky chin  breakout bumps and the clogged pore situation on the forehead. It works without irritating the skin whatsoever so my naturally-flushed skin is less flushed than it has been in ages believe it or not. The skincare trio was completed by slathering on a good layer of the soothing but not heavy Kiehl’s Skin Rescuer ($42 CDN). Sometimes I add an oil for good measure, but this is how it’s been in the mornings and I’m happy with the results my routine has given me.  Following with the laziness theme, I can’t be bothered to apply makeup – and this is a sign of skin improvement.

winter is not my friend when lighting is concerned
winter is not my friend when lighting is concerned

Now I fear I must conquer the frightening sight that is my neglected nails and move onto the more difficult stuff. x

most frightening application of Essie Sand Tropez and my latest love in tub form
most frightening application of Essie Sand Tropez and my latest love in tub form

Maggie

What did you do today?

 

 

 

Daily Face #5: I Sort of Have a Routine *Gasp*

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Although I’m self-professedly not the kind of girl who sticks to a daily makeup routine without changing it up a bit on the daily basis, lately I’ve been sticking to quite a “routine” of sorts and I thought I’d share as I haven’t done a daily face this year – what horror, har har har. This is the kind of makeup that seems to happen when (a) I make the effort to actually apply something and (b) I don’t want to think on autopilot.

So I might have lied; well kind of. I’ve gotten into a routine in terms of what products I apply and what I go for buttt as I’m not completely broke as I’ve picked up a few things lately there have been a few recent additions as well. The overall routine, however, has remained constant.

I’m convinced that I was delusional before when I thought I didn’t like Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation. Since doing my “shopping my stash” post, I’ve been reaching for this foundation exclusively – and that’s saying something because I’m a foundation hoarder and I can never seem to stick to one. It has a hydrating creamy consistency providing medium coverage that can be built and a slightly dewy finish. Particularly when paired with the Lancome La Base Pro silicone-y primer, it sits on my dry skin nicely, providing coverage without it looking obvious or making my skin look dull.

I’ve done something shocking, I’ve fallen back in love with my MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder , which I wear in the lightest shade after passing powder off for months because I don’t “need it” and worried about cakiness and the like. Maybe now since I’ve been a little more frugal with my foundation application or something, it’s made its way into the daily rotation. Applied with a powder brush, it adds a tiny bit of coverage and sets the skin and helps with imperfections such as pores and texture while providing a natural (not matte) finish. Unless I have an absolutely frightening dry patch, it does not highlight them at all and it’s amazing. Concealer has been my standard highlighting Rimmel Match Perfection underneath my eyes in the lightest shade.

For the last little while I’ve rambled on about my love of MAC Harmony Powder Blush for the daily contouring and bronzing job, but recently I’ve been reaching for the creamy Sonia Kashuk Undetectable Creme Bronzer in Warm Tan because there is something magical about the way it sits on the skin that’s worth the extra effort to blend in. Benefit Girl Meets Pearl Highlighter ends up on my cheekbones daily automatically for that healthy dewy sheen.

So I was at MAC a week ago and somehow I found myself at the register with a few products I’d been lusting after in my bag. I have no idea how this happened. Even though the last thing in the world I need is blush, I picked up the duo palette and had to pick up a blush to go inside along with the eyeshadows and I chose MAC Powder Blush in Tenderling and I’m glad I did. It’s my first truly neutral blush that livens up the face without looking like blush and is that perfect complement to wearing a bolder lip in daytime life. It’s matte-but-not-flat and the warmish brown shade leans peachy in a flattering way. If you have colouring like mine, you need this in your life. 

Although I do tend to rotate between specific eyeshadows, I’ve been reaching for this “eye” exclusively. After priming, I filled in my brows with my latest addition, MAC Coquette eyeshadow , which I purchased at the reccomendation of the salesgirl after I complained of my brows looking too red-toned despite whatever shadow I used. Hallelujah,  she was right. I also used the shade in the crease. On the lid I wore the product that I’ve used up two times and have been lusting after to repurchase since I began this blog, MAC All That Glitters which has the nicest sheen to it without being over-the-top and sits halfway between a champagne and a copper. There’s nothing like this shade to wear on the lid when you want a lighter neutral colour but are bored of the usual champagnes. In the inner corner and browbone, MAC Dazzlelight has been my go-to as it’s not overtly shimmery and looks natural. For definition in the outer-corner of the eye, I used Club but this shade I tend to switch up. I’ve been wearing a thin but slightly-winged line of my well-loved L’Oreal Lineur Intense and as always, I’ve been coating my lashes with good ol’ Maybelline The Falsies. This is one of those types of eye makeup that looks fairly natural on the lid but really defines the eye and looks polished.

If you know me, I’m not usually one to wear the same lip daily but lately I’ve been wearing darker lips (the blush makes this far easier) and particularly I’ve found myself going for MAC Dubonnet. Because of the amplified creme finish of the lipstick, it’s moisturizing but the formula does tend to slide around the lips with any sort of eating or drinking. I’ve discovered that blotting it slightly doesn’t reduce the hydration and really helps the lipstick to last longer with minimal maintenance – because of the creaminess of the shade, I used to find that if I wasn’t careful I could rub the lipstick off of my lips before it stained them creating that dreaded lipstick ring around the edges of the mouth.

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It’s difficult for me to get the balance right while wearing the darker lips that I adore; I need to add definition to my eyes and cheeks to balance out the face or bold colours tend to look hideous on me and what I’ve been doing has helped me to get the balance right (in my opinion!) and I wanted to share. This is my low-key and effortless dark lip sort of makeup choice and I will continue to wear it, I swear.

x,

Maggie.

Have you tried any of these products? What makeup products have you been reaching for daily?

Winter Essentials Edit – The Miscellanious Edition

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It’s taken a bit of adjustment to get back into the swing of things blogging-wise now that school has started up again even though I was only off for a month and this post was long overdue, a companion to my recent makeup post. This is going to be a little more chaotic and disorganized – a summary of the beauty bits that have proved essential to me in this winter weather when it’s difficult to muster the effort to lift yourself out of bed in the morning.

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark Nail Polish ($9-10 CDN)

Recently I’ve mentioned that I’ve turned into a usual nail-painter but I haven’t been mentioning particular products because I can’t commit to anything, ever but this polish may be the exception to the rule – before starting the blog, this was the only nail polish that I mustered the effort to apply over and over again but then I lost it and it was tragic but luckily I got a mini-size for Christmas again. As cliched as it is, I love the vampy almost-black-but-not-quite shade, particularly in the winter with purple-undertones and a opaque cream finish. It has good longevity on the nails and is almost fully opaque after one coat. Because of the darkness of the shade, it makes a statement of sorts but doesn’t involve the effort of pairing everything with of a red or bright.

Essie Maximillian Strasse-Her Polish ($8 CDN/ 6)

I know I’m horrible for including a limited edition polish from what I believe was the Spring 2013 but I picked this up recently at the Canadian version of the TK/TJ Maxx enterprise called Winners which I’ve recently become very interested in rummaging around through. In the last few months, I’ve grew a little bit tired of the red polish and I think this is an alternative option that still is seasonally appropriate with it’s wintry iciness. The formula of the polish is phenomenal, very opaque and it lasts on my nails for the longest of any polishes I’ve tried – I can get a week out of this on my chipping-prone nails. The colour is a paled-out dirty green with a greyish lean to it, which does not sound attractive but I love it. It’s a lighter and dirtier version of the famous (but also limited edition) Mermaid’s Tears, that is my staple summer polish.

China Glaze Nail Polish in Ingrid ($8 CDN)

Years ago, when I was going through one of my brief periods when I was determined to give nail polish a go (before quickly abandoning the seemingly futile effort) I picked this one up after OPI You Don’t Know Jacques was sold out pretty much everywhere and the salesgirl told me this one was very similar. The formulation is fantastic (as all of these mentioned are as I’m very impaired at nail polish application), not quite as long-lasting as the Essie but it wears for a long time and applies very opaque with minimal streaking. I’m beginning to notice that I seem to like slightly-grungy and dirty colours; yet again this is a dark taupe with fine golden-brown microshimmer running throughout and it’s much more amazing than this description is suggesting. I usually hate shimmery and absolutely detest sparkly polishes but this one is the exception for me. It’s easier to wear on my warm-leaning skin because it leans slightly more on the brown side.

Aveeno Skin-Relief Body Wash ($8 CDN)

I suffer from eczema along with generally very sensitive body skin and this is a great gentle body wash that does not irritate my skin even in it’s fragile state. I didn’t realize that this contained fragrance as it’s hardly detectable and non-irritating but I do want to give the fragrance-free one a go sometime. The worst eczema I suffer is on my legs and it’s quite painful and by far this is the best thing to shave my legs with due to it’s gentleness and the instant hydration in provides. I sort of can’t believe I’m talking about body wash but alas…

Indeed Labs Pepta-Bright Serum ($40 CDN)

With sore winter dry and irritated skin, a chemical-exfoliant with acids sounds like the last thing you need but it’s been a saviour for me. The formulation of this serum is hydrating but concentrated with the lactic acid that exfoliates the skin without being abrasive and it’s one of the only things that has helped to reduce the severity of the dry patches I do get. It doesn’t burn on the skin either and beats manual exfoliation in ways other than gentleness, as it helps with pigmentation and dullness – the latter which is a large concern of mine and I imagine it to be an issue that many face with winter pale skin.

By Nature Organic Rosehip Oil ($26/13 CDN)

I’m an avid blog reader myself and before I was always dismissive when I read posts boasting about the wonders of oils on the complexion. It’s not that I was worried about the oiliness or anything of that sort but more of that I’d been down that road before with minimal success. This one has been a recent addition in my routine every night and every morning or two, bringing much-needed radiance to my face paired on top of moisturizer (or the serum above). It really seems to moisturize and soothe irritated and dry skin but also works wonders on angry breakouts – but mine are the dry itchy kind so keep that in mind. This was another purchase from Winners.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment ($26 CDN)

This glorified lip balm is very expensive and I haven’t purchased a tube as I’m still working on the sample from the Sephora birthday gift but as much as I hate to say it, it’s worth it. I have naturally dry and chapped lips and this performs the best at hydrating them after the balm wears off rather than just coating the lips which many others do. It outperforms the close contender, the more affordable and popular EOS balms.

Pureology Precious Oil Softening Hair Masque ($50 CDN)

Yes, this masque is ridiculously expensive and I’ve only used it a handful of times but I already know it’s worth it. I have the kind of hair that is death to untagle, eats up conditioner and is difficult to keep hydrated and this product is worth it to me. It has that amazing spa-like scent but I would purchase this even without the scent – It’s one of the rare masques that actually is concentrated and a quarter size is more moisturizing than palmfuls of other (not cheap) intensive conditioners and I rarely find that. It doesn’t weigh down my insanely dense mass of fine-textured wavy hair while leaving it feeling nourished for longer than a few hours. I find it keeps the hair soft and helps my hair to curl in the way I like. It’s beautiful, that is all; it’s that perfect wintry hair-saving treatment.

Bumble & Bumble Texture (Un)dressing Creme ($17/34 CDN)

I’ve rambled on about this before but in the winter my hair really begins to lack life and just hang and regardless of your hair type, this treasure adds texture and vitality without tangling and drying the hair. This has really become a staple product when you’re headed out the door in a minute or two and your hair is catastrophically flat and dull.

x

Maggie

What are your winter essentials? Have you used any of these?

Unheard and Under-Appreciated #1: Dior Earth Reflection Quint

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the lightest of swatches
Glorious, aren't they?
Glorious, aren’t they?

So Dior 5 Colour Eyeshadow in 609 Earth Reflection isn’t completely unheard of as I wrote a shining review of it after I picked it up in the Fall and I went on about it in one of my monthly favourites posts but the quint definitely deserves to be talked about. I’m tempted to describe the shadows as the makeup equivalent of baby unicorns, as completely insane as that sounds; the completely iridescent quint of eyeshadows that aren’t over the top in the slightest have great pigmentation and have the most blendable buttery texture that do warrant the $61 CDN price tag.

The palette makes the daily eye just so easy. Without really noticing it, I kept reaching for this palette on the regular for multiple consecutive days and I’m not the kind of girl who wears the same makeup two days in a row – I’m bored easily, I’m afraid. Without being overly shimmery, the shades have that brightening and illuminating effect particularly on the inner corner and they are a godsend applied haphazardly on lazy mornings after sleepless nights. The five shades are perfect – enough shades for an eyeshadow addict like I am without having too much choice that can cultivate stress that I certainly don’t need. The two lightest shades are the best highlights but look nice on the lids when you want to look bright-eyed. The pale gold goes on the lid, a bit of the taupe goes on the outer portion of the lid and blended up into the crease, darkest shade is added into the outer corner for definition and a paler shade is added into the inner corner – viola, you’re done and ready to go… well after liner and mascara.

Although, I’d classify this offering from Dior as seasonless, there’s something about it that screams winter. The neutral taupe shades create that bright eye that reminds me of snow and feels right for the winter. If you’re looking for another strange comparison, these shades are like a coffee for your face as they are instantly energizing. Can you tell I enjoy this quint?

x,

Maggie

The everyday eye courtesy of Dior Earth Reflection
The everyday eye courtesy of Dior Earth Reflection
a closer look
a closer look

 

What’s your favourite under-appreciated product?

 

 

December Favourites

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December was a weird month in particular this year; I won’t purposely try to make you all gauge your precious eyes out with cliched phrases such as ‘it passed so fast’ and ‘it was so stressful and busy’, although life seems to be full of the two lately. University kept me crazy busy and stressed for the first two weeks but as soon as the fourteenth hit, I was done and it was weird.

My skin has been duller than ever with abundant dry patches and I’ve perhaps gone a little too highlighter happy and my product of choice has been the old limited edition MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Semi-Precious Pearl, which is a gorgeous glowy shimmery golden champagne.

It should be no secret that I’ve fallen in love with L’Oreal Lineur Intense in Carbon Black($10 CDN) this month. It has more pigment than Maybelline Master Precise and is more precise and slightly easier to control. With this, it’s quick and easy to create a subtle wing on an everyday basis. This liner is fine enough to create the thinnest line, which I tend to struggle with.

I’ve had the MAC Eyeshadow in Sketch($12/18 CDN) since the end of the summer but I’ve previously found it to be chalky and difficult to pair with other shades without effort but this seemed to change this month. I’ve really enjoyed placing the “velvet” but pretty much matte plum shade in the outer v and it’s been gracing my face frequently, most often paired with rosier and taupe-y shades. 

The contour powder, sold as a blush, MAC Harmony ($25 CDN) is easily one of my favourite beauty products of all time – I included it in my recently posted yearly favourites – but it’s made it’s way back into the daily rotation this month as it functions nicely as a contour shade but has some warmth to it, without looking overly warm and orangey. It has enough rosiness to it that I can go without blush when wearing this and I adore it, especially with bolder lips.

In the cold weather as of late, I’ve been finding that my natural loose curls are determined to fall flat and lifeless along with their characteristic dryness. I’ve found that applying Bumble and Bumble Texture (Un)dressing Creme ($17/33 CDN) straight out of the shower adds volume and texture while still providing control either by itself or in combination with a curl-enhancing product with hold. I think this cream manages to be one of those universal products that adds great texture among all different hair types without leaving the hair dry — it’s concentrated and even with my abundance of hair, I’m still using my travel-sized product that I bought in the spring.

My daily use of Laura Mercier Foundation Primer in Radiance($24/40 CDN) and my love for it snuck up on me. This is the first foundation primer that I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a few) that proved to be worthwhile. A little bit prior to starting the blog, I saw the 15 mL size at my Sephora in the 100-point-perk case and it had to be mine… I can’t resist a good free beauty product and as a sample, the size was very generous. It’s tinted a peachy-gold sheeny shade that adds notable luminosity to the face (which I adore), doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin in the slightest and seems to help the foundation glide on more smoothly with the touch of hydration it provides. The thing is that, as I’ve mentioned far too many times before, I do not have issues with foundation longevity and this is generally what primers are aimed to do but I like this one because it helps to blend the foundation seamlessly along with illumination but I do not think it helps with longevity or prevents oil from breaking through. I think this is a great primer for drier and duller looking skin, especially for those who haven’t had the greatest success with traditional foundation primers.

Indeed Laboratories Pepta-Bright ($40 CDN) is indeed one of those products that takes you by surprise with its efficacy — that was horrible, I know, but I couldn’t resist. It’s a chemical exfoliant in serum form with lactic acid in a moisturizing base that I’ve been using pretty much nightly since the beginning of the fall and I didn’t notice the results at first but within a few months, it helped with the formation of clogged pore bump-like things on my forehead, faded the textured marks that blemishes always leave behind on my skin and seemed to brighten and even out my skin. I’ve received some compliments on my bare skin recently and I know it’s because of this cream-serum that exfoliates without being harsh or irritating – even on my sensitive skin, all I can feel is a slight tingle (and I tend to feel the tingle with even the gentlest of products).

This month I’ve been playing The Neighbourhood‘s I Love You($7 CDN) album nonstop this month. I’m sure everyone is familiar with them because of “Sweater Weather” but the whole album is just as good. The music is moody, slightly-grungy and angsty deliciousness. I don’t know else to explain it — if you like music that iTunes places in the “alternative” genre, give this a listen if you haven’t already heard it.

Have you tried any of these? What were your favourites this month?

Daily Makeup #4: Non-Festive Holiday Makeup & Playing With New Products

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FACE: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in Ivory, MUFE Cream Concealer Palette in 1, Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer/Highlighter in Ivory, MAC Powder Blush in Harmony, Benefit Boxed Powder in Rockateur, MAC Semi-Precious Pearl Mineralize Skinfinish

EYES: Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded, Marc Jacobs Beauty Style Eye-Con No 7 in The Starlet, Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Liner in Black, Maybelline The Falsies Mascara, Revlon Brow Fantasy in Brunette

LIPS: Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Cherry

Upon receiving some angelically beautiful beauty products for Christmas that I may or may not have casually hinted that I’d like with retail prices, colours and the location where they could be purchased, I had express my adoration for it somewhere and I figured it would be the most appreciated here. This is completely non-Christmas-y but I was completely happy with the result … ahhh

I used the nice-but-slightly-too-warm-toned Revlon Brow Fantasy in Brunette through my brows but I forgot to put it in the picture – whoops — but it’s growing on me. I also appear to have forgotten to include my limited-edition MAC Semi-Precious Pearl MSF — a wonderful product for highlighting regardless of whatever champagne-esque shade is currently available; it’s Christmas, forgive me?

I used my Real Techniques Fine Liner Brush for the first time today and I’m loving it for it’s precision and winging ability, although one might not assume that based on my questionable liner application. That’s not the star feature of the makeup for me though. After seeing the unique colours of this interesting neutral palette and reading Christine’s from temptalia.com shining review of it, I had to have it and thus far these might be the best shadows I’ve ever tried. They are so buttery, smooth and pigmented – and interesting! I stuck to the more plummy-taupe shades with the taupe in the crease, the lilac-tinted champagne on the lid, the burgundy-leaning shade in the outer v and underneath the eye, and I have got to say that they apply and blend like a dream. As an afterthought, I placed the silver in the inner-corner and it looks nice and festive. These shades, albeit more expensive, do give Urban Decay a run for their money.

My skin has been good the last couple of days, which I can only attribute to diet and my latest morning routine of applying organic rosehip oil after the Kiehl’s Stress Rescuer. This duo leaves my skin looking less dull and more dewy, allowing foundation to slide on and look more fresh. I used the tiniest amount of Rimmel Wake Me Up, concentrating on my cheeks, chin and nose and barely applying any to my forehead, leaving any blemishes covered with my recently-neglected concealer palette. I was actually quite happy with the skin, as it looked lightweight and glowy, while still covered somewhat.

The cheeks were the usual, MAC MSF and  MAC Harmony Blush to add much-needed shape to my face and Benefit Rockateur was stippled onto the apples and blended back. Note to self: this trio creates lovely radiance while still looking winter-appropriate.

The Fresh Lip Treatment in Cherry was another Christmas gift and another surprisingly impressive one at that, providing the moisture from the original treatment while still packing a not-so-sheer amount of pigment onto the lips with a neutral-toned pop of a mixture of cherry and brick tones. These are Revlon Lip Butters on your preferred drug of choice, but I have only used it once. I do plan on a review in the near future.

Thanks for reading my daily beauty musings!

X,

Maggie

What makeup did you rock on Christmas Day/ winter holiday of another religious denomination (I at least try to be politically correct when I remember to….)? What did you think about today’s daily face? Er, I apologize if this post is a bit less focused and more jumpy than usual, but in my defense I’m more than a little over-caffeinated and over-excited.

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Merry Christmas/ Happy December 25th! 🙂

My Top 6 Cold-Weather Lipsticks

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I’ve said it before but I feel compelled to say it again – I don’t really abide to the whole ‘you wear dark colours in the winter and corals in the summer and only the summer’ kind of thing. My staple lipsticks do change with the season, however and I thought I’d share mine. If you’ve visited my blog before you would know that I’m fair with yellow-undertones and have cool-toned brown hair but I don’t think I’ve mentioned that I have pale, somewhat ghastly looking lips and this does influence the kind of shades I like — browns look more brown on me because of the lack of pigment in them and I look like I time-travelled from the early nineties, I’m sure you get the gist. And pinks, especially cool-toned pinks look horrible on me so they won’t be featured here.

MAC Patisserie ($18 CDN) is that effortless, nude-y shade that adds life to my face while still looking relatively natural. I don’t like the phrase but it fits in the ‘my lips but better’ category’ as it’s a darker nude. The undertones are a warm pinky-brown and the lustre finish is forgiving and foolproof to apply. It’s been part of the daily rotation ever since I bought it in October. This is one of the only shades that looks good with any sort of makeup.

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L’Oreal Sunset Angora ($12 CDN) is not your typical fall/winter colour at all — in fact it pretty much screams summer — but I think it’s flattering on me and I reach for it often — at least I have since I picked it up recently, but I’m sure it will remain a favourite. Aside from the old-fashioned smell (blech!), the lipstick is notable for its light hydrating texture and sheen. It’s a creme formula medium-toned pink coral with warm undertones. Another everyday kind of shade like Patisserie but this one packs more punch. This is about as pink as I’m able to get, it appears.

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Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart ($9 CDN) was not a product I fell in love with immediately after first use. I’ve had it for four months, I believe, and I had lukewarm feelings towards it before a month or two ago — I dug it out again and found that I really liked it with minimal makeup for that bitten, rosy glossy lip. It’s easy to wear because of it’s sheerness and it’s especially great if you want to wear red lips and are intimidated by doing so. I think the undertones are quite neutral if you were curious.

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MAC Ruby Woo Lipstick ($18 CDN) is easily one of those famous, cult-classic red lips and I absolutely adore it. It is not the kind of lipstick that gets the most use on a daily basis (but I have worn it during the day!) but it’s the perfect red to pair with minimal makeup for that sophisticated look. Wearing such a showstopping red in the winter at your palest is a look I adore and Ruby Woo is the product for the job. It’s a retro matte which means that it wears for ages and ages on the lips but is so so drying and can look patchy as it fades. It’s a bright almost-neon red with slight-cool undertones. This is undoubtedly my favourite true-red lipstick.

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Revlon Lacquer Balm in Enticing ($10-11 CDN), yet another lipstick love of mine that fits into the red colour family, has a wonderful hydrating and smooth formulation in the pencil format that I adore. As I’ve mentioned a few times on recent posts, it is a glossy deep red with good buildable pigmentation with neutral undertones and a hint of brown to it. This is one of those deeper shades in the berry colour family that is easier to wear and can be applied on a more everyday basis without requiring much maintenance.

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Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Golshan ($30 CDN) is easily the most expensive lip product that has ever been in my possession and my acquisition of it resulted from the recent VIB Promotion at Sephora and I know I bought it recently but it was love at first sight — the perfect hydrating and long-wearing dark lip. I’m not going to get into much about the formula as you can expect a more detailed post in the near future but I will say that it wears evenly on the lips for a long time. It’s described as a “spiced wine” but it has more red in it than that in my opinion. It’s a warm burgundy shade with slight brown undertones without being brown at all. It knocked my loved MAC Dubonnet out of this top five and that should say something. I need more of these, pronto.

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What are your favourite lip products for the cooler seasons?

November Favourites

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I haven’t dropped off of the face of the earth, I promise. In last months post I complained of the stress and busyness of that month; this month was that tenfold. It’s started getting very cold this month and I’ve been exhausted, up to my neck in work, fighting off a cold and very sleep-deprived. At the moment, I’m in the middle of possibly the most stressful and intense exam-period in my life – writing three papers and studying and writing three exams in the next week. Eek. This is my escape and it is much appreciated. Much. I have no words. I’m not sure how I’m alive at the moment but I do appear to be so here goes. I forewarn you that this post has the potential to be extremely questionable with the state I’m currently in. Hello, December.

Sonia Kashuk Undetectable Creme Bronzer in Warm Tan ($10 CDN)

Although it seemed slightly rather orange-toned for the first few applications, it has made it into my daily makeup routine. With its slightly radiant finish, it sits well over my dry patches and when blended properly it looks natural and luminous. The longevity is fantastic too and it doesn’t go streaky or patchy.

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara ($10 CDN)

I would not hesitate to say that this is my favourite mascara of all time. It’s not particularly clumpy, even at its wettest when its first opened and provides the dramatic but not particularly artificial-looking volume and curl that I like some length too. My inner lazy girl loves how it can be worn on both top and bottom lashes and its easy to remove as well. The only slightly negative point to this mascara is that slight flaking can occur by the end of the day. I opened a new tube this month and fell in love with this all over again.

Dior 5 Coleurs Quint in Earth Reflection ($61 CDN)

This rather expensive (but worth it in my opinion) palette has remained in constant use this month. The colours are amazing quality and versatile, going more dramatic or creating the perfect eye to pair with bolder lips. The shimmery pink highlight is the best brightening shade for the inner-corner as well, I discovered. I think the golden taupe tones of this palette make it so versatile and easy. The shades are pigmented, smooth and buttery like nothing else. Love. It’s completely worth it in its simplicity.

Coconut Oil

I talked about coconut oil in my fall skincare update post and as expected, it’s made its way into my everyday routine. It’s antibacterial and I find that it helps calm the skin and prevent scarring afterwards but I love to apply it over my moisturizer to soothe the skin and lock in the moisture in my perpetually-dehydrated skin. It can really help to combat dullness in the skin and get rid of irritation-based redness.

Benefit Girl Meets Pearl ($36 CDN)

Late spring I redeemed my Sephora BI points and I picked this up and a few samples as my 500 point perk but it’s really this month that I’ve fallen in love. It’s a light liquid iridescent pink-champagne highlighter that gives the perfect dewiness that my dull skin lacks. I’ve almost used it daily this month and it is nicely radiant and brightening. This truly looks like dewy skin, not just shimmer on the cheekbones.

Lancome Le Crayon Khol in Black Ebony ($29 CDN)

This seems to be the never-ending eyeliner. It’s lasted for years and because it’s sharpened, there is no concern about the hygiene of doing so. I’ve always liked this but I’ve fallen back in love this month. I’ve used it almost every day to tightline and have used it many times on the lashline and waterline as well. It’s not the blackest black and I like that; sometimes I find that browns are too light and this is a happy medium between brown and black. The formula lasts a good amount of time (even in the waterline) but is not a hassle to remove like Urban Decay’s 24/7 Liners. It smudges out nicely and makes great smoky eyes.

Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer ($8 CDN)

This has become my go-to undereye concealer/brightener/face highlighter because it does all those things and provide just enough coverage to hide my hereditary but also sleep-induced dark circles without looking heavy. I also like to bring it into the higher points of my face, as it is also a highlighter. Weirdly enough the shade I have is Ivory and Ivory in this is way lighter than Ivory in their Wake Me Up Foundation and less yellow toned but it’s a good highlighting concealer on me. This is one of those products that makes me actually look alive. Exam-crunchtime essential.

I’ve been weirdly into lip products this month but oddly enough, I haven’t stayed faithful to one enough to bring myself to include it. The same goes with nail polish – I’m not typically one of those Oh-em-gee lipstick/nail polish kind of girls.Err, so I originally intended for this blog to be solely beauty-oriented but lately I’ve been itching to include a few fashion and lifestyle posts into the mix.

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Banana Republic Cobalt Wool Coat ($275 CDN)

So about a month ago they had this coat on promotion for 40% off and I fell in love with it and it’s been amazing. I love the 3/4 length of it because it can also be worn with dresses without looking awkward. It’s that flattering effortlessly pulled-together vibrant cobalt bold coat with that flattering fit. It’s warm, comfortable and in my humble opinion makes me look fashionable.

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American Eagle Real Soft Snowed In Sweater ($55 CDN)

A good portion of my wardrobe is from American Eagle – they seem to just do clothes right, laid back but fashionable, provide really good promotions and tend to fit me well. Sweaters are something they do best, however. I’ve been wearing this non-stop all month and it’s the perfect part nylon and wool cotton blend -warm and cozy without being too itchy or overheating. It’s the perfect cozy ‘sweater weather’ kind of slouchy sweater. I really like the pale blue for winter but that shade is no longer available but the cream, red and tan shades are gorgeous. It can be worn off the shoulders and really works with the easy skinny jeans and leather boots look. Love.  I got mine 40% off and they tend to do these kind of sales often.

Those who know me best would say that I am (a) entirely too beauty-obsessed and (b) angst-ridden, cynical and depressing for my own good. I’m sure you’re all to aware of the former trait but I haven’t talked too much of the latter.

Never Let Me Go – Kazuo Ishiguro ($15 CDN from Chapters)

If you want to read something beautifully depressing and tragic to fill the void in your soul, this book is for you. It’s very gripping and easy to read, even though I had it assigned to me as a required reading but it has to be one of my all time favourites. I would describe it as a psychological dystopian type of novel.

Born to Die – Lana del Rey ($12 CDN from iTunes)

I’ve always liked the namesake song and it’s really resonated with my inner cynical and angst-ridden dark soul but I hadn’t listened to the album but I’ve been listening to it non-stop. I really love the mellowness and her unique voice and for those of you in university-hell with me it’s a good one for listening to while studying slash essay-writing-yourself-into-an-early-grave.

What were your November favourites?

Bourjois 10 Hr Sleep Effect Foundation

The French side ... whoops :)
The French side … whoops 🙂 It actually reads Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation, Fresh, rested complexion with Vitamin (E,F, B5 and mineral-enriched formula
excuse the fingernails :)
excuse the fingernails 🙂
Before (makeupless)
Before (makeupless)

Ever since I discovered that Bourjois makeup was available in Canada at Shoppers (but not particularly affordably) I have been meaning to try a foundation, as I’ve heard such fantastic things about them. Because my mind is completely irrational, I picked the one that I hadn’t heard much about – Bourjois 10 Hr Sleep Effect foundation.

The foundation is a sheer and truly dewy one offering solid light coverage (or maybe a little more than light asit does cover some redness). I do think the product excels at making dull skin looking rested but as when I’m sick and stressed I have some spots, redness and general imperfections I sometimes require more coverage and might reach for a hefty amount of concealer or a medium-coverage foundation. I think this foundation would show severe dry patches but I do not find it highlights them and I can see myself reaching for this in the dead of winter.

Unless you really pack this on, it is almost imperceptible on the skin and looks like glowing dewy skin. I find this foundation to last all day on me but longevity isn’t ever really a problem on my skin. This is a step dewier than other foundations such as Rimmel Wake Me Up, YSL La Teint Touché Éclat and MAC Mineralize Moisture and feels as light as it appears.

This is a foundation that lacks a wide shade range. It’s not suitable for anyone with a deeper skin tone than a medium tan but it does have some good options for fair skin (71 is a touch fairer than NC15). I picked up this foundation at the end of summer and it matches my slightly darker skin – I picked up shade 73 for $26. This shade is fair-medium in shade with neutral to olive undertones.

In terms of equivalent shades of 73, I can think of a few. It is rather similar to Diorskin Nude in 20 Light Beige, MUFE HD in 118 (don’t have it so I cannot show it) and about a n20-25 (neither particularly warm or cool).

The packaging is neither the best nor the worst. I really like that it comes with a pump and is not particularly large but it does not look luxurious in the least. I don’t mind this but it is something to consider.

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Here I am wearing a small pump of this foundation without any other makeup on my face and I thought I would include a photo of myself wearing it with some concealer and the rest of my makeup done:

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So, here’s my final recommendation: I would probably give this foundation an A-/A as I think it clings to dry patches much less than others and is a great one for natural-looking and glowing skin (for drier skin types) but the shade range is limited. I definitely think this is a good option for fairer skins because the shades start nice and light. I think this foundation is suitable for combination, normal and dry skin looking for some light coverage and luminosity. It’s longevity was good for a sheer foundation and I quite like it. It can be built up slightly by the way. Thoughts?