Thursday, April 30, 2015

April 2015 Favourites

kate somerville clarifying treatment toner, shu uemura eyelash curler, l'oreal telescopic mascara, dior lady, nars and god created the woman palette

I didn't wear much makeup this past month, so I don't have a lot of favourites to show. It was more of a time to test out the new products I got during the Sephora VIB sale (you can see them here and here).

I was more about having a natural no makeup makeup look in April. It was all about having good skin and letting it shine through. Even though I just got the Kate Somerville Clarifying Toner, it's already made a huge difference on my skin. My skin's looking clearer, more even and I've gotten less breakouts. I haven't used this toner long enough to see if it's lightened my acne scars, but I'm hopeful. I also really like the pump since it makes it more hygienic and convenient.

To let my skin be the spotlight, I've been keeping the eyes simple. A sweeping of either Alhambra or Kalahari from the NARS And God Created the Woman palette all over the lids, with a coat or two of L'Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions Waterproof mascara is pretty much all I've been wearing on my eyes. Of course, I have to give credit to the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler. It just somehow curls my lashes perfectly. Compared to other lash curlers, these ones also keep them curled longer.

Lastly, I've been painting my nails with Dior Lady. I've really been loving pinks, especially light, pastel pinks, on my nails lately. Lady was a limited edition release as part of Dior's Kingdom of Colours 2015 collection and it is such a gorgeous shade that isn't too pale. I'm kind of kicking myself for not buying a back up of it!

What were your April favourites?

Monday, April 27, 2015

My First Subscription Box: April Birchbox



Subscription boxes - I feel like I have a love/hate opinion about these things. I love that you can sample different things without having to pay a lot of money, but then there's the chance of getting a box of products that you don't like at all. Plus, there's the whole issue of getting dinky sized samples that aren't very effective or you feel like you got ripped off for the amount of money you paid. But then! You might discover a new product love. 

Cue the Birchbox. I've always contemplated trying out a subscription box service and there are so many out there nowadays. I think the Birchbox is one of the first subscription box services that I heard about before these services became extremely popular. 

You get 5 samples in each box and it costs $14.95 ($10.00 plus $4.95 for shipping and handling) per month in Canada. For the month of April, Birchbox was running a promotion where if you subscribe to the service for the first time, then you get a free Beauty Blender and mini solid cleanser and the special Rifle Paper Co. print box. I definitely signed up to get the free Beauty Blender and the pretty box (I love anything made by Rifle Paper Co.). 



So, what samples did I get?

Beauty Blender (full size), mini solid cleanser, mini liquid cleanser: The Beauty Blender alone costs $26, so the cost of the box has already been covered. I actually haven't tried out a Beauty Blender before, so this was a great opportunity to get the box. I like that they included a sample of the solid and liquid cleansers.

12 Benefits Instant Healthy Hair Treatment ($26): A leave-in conditioner that's supposed to detangle, hydrate, protect and repair past damage. You can use it on wet or dry hair. It smells good and it's always nice to try out different leave-in conditioners. I'm not too loyal with hair products, so this will be put to good use. 

Harvey Prince Hello Perfume ($62): A perfume that mingles cheerful citrus with floral notes. I tend to like fresh floral scents, but this isn't fresh enough for me. I'm terrible at describing scents but this isn't a scent I'd personally wear even though it does smell nice. Maybe I'll use it as a room spray or something like that.

Jelly Pong Pong Glow Getter Highlighter ($16.50): It's described as a weightless gel formula that gives skin a subtle, pearlescent shimmer. Unfortunately, it's just straight up shimmer and sparkle with a watery consistency. Definitely not something I would use at all. I don't know what I'm going to do with it. 

Perlier Revitalizing Body Butter - White Almond ($19.50 - $29.50): This is an Italian skincare brand and the body butter is supposed to improve tone and elasticity. I don't find that this is as thick as most typical body butters, but it is light and sinks into the skin quickly. As for the scent, I'm quite picky with scents and this smells like hotel bathrooms or public washrooms that have just been cleaned. I really dislike that scent. I'll probably give this away or try to use it up in some way. 

In the end, there are only two items, maybe three if you count the body butter, that I truly will use and enjoy. I'm just glad that the Beauty Blender was included and that in itself paid for the cost of the box. I'm still not convinced that subscription boxes are that great, but to each their own!

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Sephora VIB Sale Haul 2015 - Part 2

beauty, makeup, skincare products

This week has been the week of hauls! After this, I'm definitely not allowed to buy anymore makeup or skincare products until the next Sephora sale, or if I'm out of a daily staple.

I was only going to make one order during the Sephora VIB sale, but then I saw that Caudalie released a few value sets that included their new face masks and I had to throw in some other items that I didn't include in my first order.

The reason for the second order was the Caudalie Prep for Radiance Set. This set includes a full size Beauty Elixir and sample sizes of the Instant Foaming Cleanser and the Glycolic Peel. I really wanted to try the Glycolic Peel and hopefully the Instant Detox Mask in the near future.

Another reason for this order was the nail polish in Bamboo White from the NAILS Inc. and Victoria Beckham collaboration. I was seriously hemming and hawing over this nail polish. It's ridiculously expensive (I could've bought another Dior or Burberry nail polish instead at a lesser price) but the whole off-white trend has really gotten my heart lately. I can't wait to paint my nails with this, but did it really need such a big box? Such excessive packaging! I'm glad I got this though, since it's out of stock now.

I also got the Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Concealer in Medium Neutral. For some reason, I thought I ordered it in my first order until I saw that it wasn't in the box. I've used it once so far and I'm really liking it! I think there's potential for it to take over my love for the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer!

And lastly, I got the Anastasia Brow Wiz in Ebony. I have it in Dark Brown/Brunette (review), but felt it was too light for my liking. Here's hoping that Ebony is better suited for me.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Another Shoppers Drug Mart Haul

cotton pads, micellar waters, makeup remover, hair conditioner, chanel foundation

The past couple of weeks have been a bit spendy for me and with good reason! First was the Sephora VIB sale (You can see my first haul here and the second haul here.) and then there was a 20x the points event at Shoppers Drug Mart. It was the perfect time for me to get one of my favourite foundations in my current shade.

If you didn't know, I prefer going to the Shoppers Drug Mart at Bayview Village when these points events happen since they have a lot of the higher end brands there. I went in looking for two specific items: Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet and the Garnier Micellar Water, then walked out with a bunch of other items. 

I had shade B40 for the Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet foundation, but it's too dark for my current skin, so I bought B30. The other item I really wanted to get my hands on was the Garnier Micellar Water, but they didn't have it! To say the least, I was bummed. After reading some reviews comparing it to Bioderma, I really wanted to see if it truly is as good. Instead, I picked up the Simple Cleansing Micellar Water and the L'Oreal Gentle Micellar Solution to see how those compare to Bioderma. I eventually went to two other Shoppers Drug Marts and couldn't find the Garnier one. Is it not sold in Canada or am I just extremely unlucky?

I also picked up backups of some of my daily staples. I got a pack of the Quo cotton pads. They have the texture I like to help with "scrubbing" off the makeup/dirt on my face. Of course I got a bottle of Herbal Essences conditioner since it was on sale and it works good enough for me! Then there's the Marcelle Gentle Makeup Remover for Sensitive Eyes. I recently used up a mini size of this makeup remover and absolutely loved it!

After the Sephora sale and this little haul, I'm putting myself on a spending ban probably until the next Sephora sale in November! 

Monday, April 20, 2015

Sephora VIB Sale Haul 2015 - Part 1

beauty, makeup, skincare products

It's that time of year again where Sephora has their first of two VIB sales. I decided to order online again instead of going in-store for a majority of the products that I wanted. I posted my wishlist earlier this month, but funnily enough, I didn't end up purchasing a lot of the items on that list!

I tried to sticking to what I really wanted, but ended up adding some last minute items right when I was putting in my order. Suffice it to say, a couple of items might just be returned. 

I've wanted this brush for a pretty long time now. I can see this being quite the multi-tasking brush - powder, blush, contour, highlight. The sky's the limit!

I always like to pick up the sets that Caudalie puts together. It's such a great value when you want to try out new products and they typically include a bottle of their Beauty Elixir. Plus, this set includes a tube of their Hand and Nail Cream and Lip Conditioner that I really like.

I wanted to try out this powder in preparation for and to research the best products for doing my wedding makeup. I got the smaller size just in case I didn't like it and I'm sure it'll last me a while.

Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water Cloths
I'm always on the hunt for great makeup removing cloths and this one has gotten pretty good reviews! I got the 10 cloth pack just in case it didn't work out. This was definitely a last minute add to my order!

I didn't get these when they first launched, so I thought the sale was a great time to pick a couple up. Fig Pop looks like a great natural shade that I can wear year-round and Plum Pop looks like a wonderful spring shade. 

I wanted to try out a new lipstick and of course I get a my lips but better shade. The reviews for these new lipsticks look good and promising, so I'm hoping I really like this as well. I also have my eye on Plum Pop. 

This has always been on my wishlist. I don't know what took me so long to get this lipstick! Probably the price, but I figure I might as well try it out now instead of always wanting to try it out. This is another my lips but better shade - as if I need another one!

This is one of my holy grail nail polishes. I used up more than half of my first bottle, but now it's gotten quite thick which has made it hard to work with. It's ok to use if I'm going to apply one thick layer, but I can't be bothered to apply two thin layers since it's so thick. 

I was in the market for a new toner that actually does something for my skin. I love the Caudalie Beauty Elixir, but I wanted one that doesn't have alcohol. I've read reviews that this toner works well on healing residual acne and fading acne scars and hyperpigmentation. 

I was on the search for a new moisturiser that has SPF and I thought this would be a great one to try out. It was recommended by a friend and the benefits of argan oil makes this a win-win. Hopefully this doesn't break me out!

I've already tried out the Diffused Light powder and it didn't work out so well for me. It made me look quite sickly and it didn't control my oil that well. I'm hoping this will help with blurring out imperfections in my skin and make it look more radiant. Maybe then I'll finally understand the hype with these powders.

This is the first highlighter (besides samples) that I've owned. I'm hoping that this is the only one I will own! I've read so many reviews on different highlighters and wanted one that looks natural and looks great on my medium olive skintone. This one seemed like the best one to use on all kinds of skintones too. I'll be doing my friend's bridesmaids' makeup and the makeup at my own wedding, so I was looking for a highlighter that will work on everyone. Fingers crossed it works out!

This was the first of two hauls. See what I got in my second haul here

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Finding the Ultimate Brow Product: Marcelle Duo Eyebrow-PRO in Brunette

Marcelle Duo Eyebrow-PRO Brunette

I'm back with another brow product that I've been testing out. If you're new to this series, I'm trying out a bunch of different brow products that find the perfect one for me. To recap, I'm looking for an all-in-one product - products that don't require me to have the brow filler itself and an additional tool.

So far, I've reviewed the Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil, Anastasia Brow Wiz and Benefit Gimme Brow. You can see I haven't tried out any brow powder or pomades, since I'm pretty sure I will mess up the application and it requires me to get a brush to use them.

Today, I will be reviewing a drugstore option, the Marcelle Duo Eyebrow-PRO. This was actually recommended to me by Jordana since I liked the Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil.

This Marcelle eyebrow pencil comes in 3 different shades, of which I chose Brunette, since the Dark shade looked a little too dark for my liking. As the name suggests, it is a double sided eyebrow pencil, with the pencil on one side and a lightly tinted gel on the other.

Much like the Hourglass pencil, this also has an angled wedge-shaped pencil, but the comparison stops there. Unlike the Hourglass pencil, I found it to be noticeably softer and less waxy. This made it easy to go a little overboard in filling the brows if you used too much pressure in applying the pigment. Since this formula isn't that waxy, it didn't help with keeping the brow hairs in place - but I guess that's why there's the tinted gel.

As for the gel, it's only lightly tinted, so it won't give much colour to the brows. I tried out the gel over the pencil and on its own. Both times, I wasn't very pleased with the results. The gel left my brow hairs feeling tight and crunchy without really setting the hairs in place. When I used it on its own, I could see a tiny bit of colour, but only if I used a lot.

Marcelle Duo Eyebrow-PRO Brunette swatches

The colour match of the Brunette shade is ok. Looking back, I should have gotten the Dark shade. On me, I had to make sure I didn't put too much of the pigment on the front of my brows, or else my brows would appear much too light to match my hair colour. So, for now, I mostly only fill in the sparse areas in the middle and tail end of my brows with light strokes. For the front, I just draw a faint line at the roots, then blend it out with my finger to help it look fuller.

Which brings me to my biggest problem with this brow pencil. It doesn't come with a spoolie! How am I supposed to blend out the pigment that I've applied? I've actually been using my fingers to blend it out since I don't actually have a separate spoolie I can use. Or sometimes, I use the spoolie from my Hourglass brow pencil or the Anastasia Brow Wiz. So, if you can't tell, I would rather have a spoolie than the tinted brow gel.

Marcelle Duo Eyebrow-PRO Brunette brow comparison

Overall, I don't really like this brow pencil. Perhaps I've already been spoiled by the higher end options, but if you're on a budget, this would suffice. I will use up the rest of the pencil, but will happily move on to other brow products on the market.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Blushes for Spring

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Saturday, April 11, 2015

The 6 Month Mark

tablet on table

Sometimes I can't believe I've been blogging about makeup and beauty for 6 months. I'm not new to blogging, but this is probably the longest I've been totally committed to a specific topic. I've probably started and ended about 3 (or more) other blogs before this one.

It's been a pretty fun 6 months and I've learned a lot about my writing and photography skills. As I continue blogging, I continue to grow and improve upon these skills. To mark this half-year mark, I thought it would be appropriate to share a few facts about myself! I know I'm not typically very open in my posts, but I've always appreciated other bloggers' openness to their readers. 

1. I'm a petite girl standing at 5'2.5" tall. For the longest time, I thought I was only 5'1" until I recently measured myself. That's an extra 1.5 inches! When you're petite, you take what you can get. 

2. I'm engaged and set to marry in May 2016! I'm extremely excited and a little scared at the same time to move out and become an actual adult. 

3. I really want a dog and will most likely get one after I get married and move out of my parents' place. The breed I really want to get is a West Highland White Terrier. 

4. I'm Christian and my faith is extremely important to me. 

5. Gilmore Girls is probably my all-time favourite TV show. I've watched and re-watched all 7 seasons at least 4 times and everytime I watch it, I learn new things especially with all the cultural references. 

Thursday, April 09, 2015

Sephora VIB Sale Wishlist

Sephora Wishlist


With the Sephora VIB Sale just around the corner, I've put together a collage of the items that are currently on my wishlist.

1. Caudalie Beauty Elixir - I've loved this serum/toner for a while now and it might be time to purchase the large size (3.4 ounces) and with the sale, it's the perfect excuse.

2. Dior Diorskin Nude Air Serum Foundation - I prefer using bases that feel like nothing on my skin and this has been getting pretty great reviews! I'm shade 031 Sand for the Dior Star foundation, but it looks like shade 021 Linen will match my skin the best.

3. NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation - I'm either purchasing this or the Dior Nude Air Serum Foundation. This is also extremely light weight on the skin, but I've read this does cling to dry patches, so I'm a little hesitant in getting this.

4. NARS Dual Intensity Blush in Fervor - These look super pretty and Fervor looks like the one duo where I'd use both shades pretty often. I've read they aren't too pigmented and can be easily built up. Fervor has a shimmering pink and a deep copper rose.

5. Origins High Potency Night-a-mins Mineral Enriched Renewal Cream - I'm always on the hunt for a good night cream. This has gotten pretty good reviews and it claims to slough away dead skin cells while you sleep. I'm hoping it lives up to its claims!

6. Urban Decay Naked Concealer in Medium Neutral - I've loved the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer for a long time now, but I think I'm ready to try out new concealers! I feel like I'm cheating on the NARS concealer, but this one has caught my eye in recent months.

7. Clinique Cheek Pop in Plum Pop and Fig Pop - You can never have enough blush! Ok, you can, but I have an obsession. Plum Pop and Fig pop are two shades I don't have in my collection. I'm especially excited to get Plum Pop!

8. Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Powder in Candlelight - Believe it or not, I don't own any highlighters. I just want to get one highlighter that I will use forever (exaggerating a little), and this seems like the one highlighter to get. I hope I won't get let down by this!

9. Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF47 - I'm on the search for a new moisturiser that has SPF. This is actually a recommendation from a friend who got this huge realisation that UVA and UVB rays are damaging to the skin. He did a whole bunch of research into which moisturisers with SPF are the best and he concluded this is one of the best. So, why not try it out?

10. Bobbi Brown Sheer Powder Brush - This was in my Christmas Wishlist and I still haven't gotten it. Definitely getting it during this sale! You can never have enough face brushes, especially when you're going to do the makeup for your own wedding.

Monday, April 06, 2015

Empties #2

empty beauty products

empty makeup products

Kat Von D Ink Liner
One of my favourite pen liners. This is the one with the felt tip and I much prefer felt tip liners, since I like stiffer pen liners. This liquid liner comes out very black and dries with a sheen. I don't care for the sheen, but I can live with it.
Repurchase: Yes

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer - Custard
Probably my all-time favourite concealer. I use a combination of Custard and Ginger on my face since I'm in between shades. However, I use Custard on my undereye area to help brighten them.
Repurchase: Yes

Nivea A Kiss of Milk & Honey Lip Balm
This was an ok lip balm. I really like the smell and taste of it, but there are other lip balms out there that are more moisturising. If I'm looking for a cheap lip balm, I would repurchase, but I still have a few other ones to get through first.
Repurchase: No, not at the moment.

Dior Creme de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm
This took me such a long time to finish! This does as the name says - it plumps and smooths the lips. I really like the light rose scent and the slight gloss that it gives. I typically only use this when I'm at home since I don't like dipping my finger into the pot when I'm out in public.
Repurchase: Yes, but I still have another one in my stash.

empty skincare products

Bioderma Micellar Water
My favourite micellar water to date. I still have to try out some of the drugstore alternatives, but for now, this is my holy grail. It removes base and eye makeup (excluding waterproof mascara) extremely well.
Repurchase: Yes! I still have 2 regular sized bottles in my stash, though.

Murad Essential-C Day Moisture Broad Spectrum SPF 30 PA+++
I bought this tube when I made a trip to the States before this was available in Canada. I really liked this moisturiser and the scent of it, but I felt like it left my skin feeling a bit greasy. So, I'm on the lookout for another moisturiser with SPF that works just as well.
Repurchase: No

Neostrata Toning Solution Level 1
This is a toner that has 8% glycolic acid and a load of alcohol. It worked well on my pimples, but my skin would become quite dry from using it. Unfortunately, I still have another bottle that I need to use up. It took me a really long time to use up this bottle, so I'm not really looking forward to trying to use my other bottle up.
Repurchase: No

Vichy Idealia Life Serum
I think this is the 2nd or 3rd bottle that I've used up. I use this in the winter under my daytime moisturiser. I love the texture, scent and results of this serum. The pearlescent glow makes my skin look healthy during the winter. I will keep using this until I find another serum that works as well as this.
Repurchase: Yes

Caudalie Beauty Elixir
Love this stuff! You can read my review here. Until I can find another toner/mist that's just as good with less alcohol, I will continue to use this.
Repurchase: Yes

empty makeup wipes and cotton pads packaging

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Wipes
I recently reviewed (here) these wipes and I was less than impressed with them. I'd much rather use the liquid version and there are other makeup wipes out there that are better.
Repurchase: No

Quo Cotton Pads
The price of cotton pads keep going up! I'm not picky with cotton pads, but as long as they have the quilting to help with removing makeup, I will use them. I try to pick these up when there's a sale or some kind of deal.
Repurchase: Yes

empty shampoo and conditioner bottles

Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Conditioner
Another empty bottle of Herbal Essences conditioner! I love the scent of this conditioner - it's a wonderful raspberry scent. This is decently moisturising and hydrating. It's cheap and there are typically deals on these conditioners. I do want a change, so anyone have any recommendations?
Repurchase: Yes

Aveeno Positively Nourishing Dandruff Control Shampoo
I've finished another bottle of this shampoo - my holy grail dandruff shampoo. I will continue to repurchase this unless I find another one that's better and smells good.
Repurchase: Yes

empty bath products and empty perfume bottle

Victoria's Secret Endless Love Body Wash
Like I said in my last empties post, these body washes are only ok. They're not really moisturising for my skin and I think they're overpriced. Though, I did really like this scent. It's very reminiscent of another body wash or lotion I used when I was younger.
Repurchase: No

Bath and Body Works Paris Amour Creamy Body Wash
I hated the design of this bottle. It has one of those openings where once product has been squeezed out, the bottle will keep getting flatter - i.e. a one-way opening. Am I making any sense? It made it really hard to continue squeezing out product as I ran out since it kept getting harder to grip to squeeze. I hope this explanation makes sense! The scent was ok but I got sick of it by the end of it.
Repurchase: No

DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom Eau de Parfum
The first perfume I've ever finished! This is my absolute favourite perfume. I am extremely sad that this has been discontinued! Once I found out, I immediately ordered a 3.4 oz. size, and one of my closest friends managed to pick up two 1.7 oz bottles for me from a warehouse sale (pretty much where all the unsold bottles went). I'm set for a while, but I'll need to find another perfume that I love just as much as this one.
Repurchase: I wish I could!

Saturday, April 04, 2015

Addicted to Blush Tag (#BlushFiend)

How appropriate that I was tagged to do this! I was tagged by Liz to do this and I've had some difficulty trying to pick my favourites for some of the questions. I do consider myself a blush addict, but my blush collection isn't as extensive as other blush addicts out there.

blushes

blushes

blushes

What colour blush suits you the most?
Berry and pinky nudes look the best on me. As much as I want pinks and peaches to look really good on me, I just can't seem to pull them off as well as berries and pinky nudes. Despite the number of blushes in my collection, I've yet to find a pink that I absolutely love. Natural and warm-toned blushes do tend to look better on me.

Pressed/cream/loose blush?
If you can't already tell, my blush collection is made up of mainly pressed powder blushes. I'm still trying to get into cream blush, but I've yet to find a formula that I love. Loose blushes? I won't go near those - way too messy for my liking.

Favourite shimmery blush?
It would have to be a tie between Benefit Coralista and NARS Sin. Coralista is my favourite blush to use during the summer when my skin is tanned. The gold shimmer in the blush gives my skin a beautiful glow that suits my darker skin. For the fall and winter months, Sin is my favourite blush. A beautiful berry colour with golden shimmer. The berry colour just goes so well with my paler olive-toned skin.

benefit coralista

nars sin

Favourite matte blush?
This probably isn't a surprise to you, but Tarte Exposed is my favourite matte blush. It was either this or NARS Douceur, but I prefer Exposed, as its pigmentation is a little better and a bit more pink for my liking. It might be a super boring blush, but I think it's such a great colour for giving cheeks a natural flush and a bit of contour. Plus, it goes with everything.

tarte exposed

Favourite cream blush?
I only own one cream blush and it's not even a full sized blush. It's the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Blushed Rose, which I got as part of a 500 point redemption from Sephora. I guess I would say this is my favourite, since I don't have any other ones. I like the deep rose colour, though I find it can be a bit hard to apply and blend out.

bobbi brown pot rouge blushed rose

Favourite drugstore blush?
I only own a few drugstore blushes. The first drugstore blush I owned was Annabelle Rosebud and it was a good basic cool toned pink with I really liked. I have no idea where it's gone since I moved back from university 3 years ago. Since then, my favourite pick has to be Rimmel Lasting Finish Blush in Madeira. This is a dusty pink colour with a somewhat copper undertone.

rimmel madeira

Favourite high end blush?
It's a toss up between NARS and Hourglass. NARS has such a great range of colours for everyone with great colour payoff. I have a mini collection of NARS blushes and everytime they launch limited edition palettes, I contemplate getting them! I bought the limited edition Hourglass blush palette and haven't owned blushes that combine blush and highlight as well as these. Also, whenever I look at them, I think of bacon (reference). And who doesn't like bacon?

hourglass ambient lighting blush palette

nars blushes

Favourite bright blush?
I don't own too many bright blushes, so I'm defaulting to the YSL Blush Radiance No. 6. This looks scary in the pan, but of all the bright and pink blushes I have, this would be my favourite. You do have to be careful when applying this. It's best to use a light hand or else you'll have super bright pink cheeks.

ysl blush radiance no. 6

Biggest blush disappointment/regret?
There are two blushes that stand out to me as a disappointment and as a regret. NARS Torrid would be my biggest disappointment. I bought this because I was drawn in by the coral colour, but compared to Coralista, this somehow pulls more peach on my skin which doesn't look very good on me. Needless to say, I use Coralista a lot more often than Torrid.

My biggest regret was the Josie Maran Coconut Water Cheek Gelee. I don't actually own this anymore. I thought the unique formula would make it easy to apply and blend out, but for some reason, it went on patchy. I just couldn't get it to apply evenly and would end up with clown cheeks.

nars torrid

Best blush packaging?
Of all of my blushes, it would have to be the one Clarins blush that I own. I really like the sleek, all gold and straight-edged case. I like the clean look that it has. It also has a big mirror on the inside and because the entire case is reflective, the outside doubles as a mirror!

clarins blush prodigee sweet rose

clarins blush prodigee sweet rose

What's on your blush wishlist?
I have quite a few blushes on my wishlist. At the top would be the Burberry Light Glow Natural Blush in Tangerine and Earthy. Then there's the new Bobbi Brown Brightening Brick in Coral that I've been eyeing since they were launched. An appropriate blush now that spring is here and the warmer weather's coming. Lastly, there are the new shades for the Clinique Cheek Pop range. The two shades I want to get are Plum Pop and Fig Pop.

Number 1 holy grail blush?
This was really hard to pick and I didn't end up picking just one. It's a tie between NARS Sin and Tarte Exposed. Am I allowed to bend the rules a bit and pick two? Even though Exposed would probably be the most versatile out of the two, I think my love for Sin is bigger. There was one time where I was trying to depot the blush and it completely shattered. I immediately bought a new one after. Since I own Douceur as well, I wouldn't be completely sad if I didn't have Exposed.

nars sin and tarte exposed

I tag whoever wants to do this tag and whoever has a blush collection they want to share! I love reading everyone's answers to tags, so I hope whoever reads this does this tag.

Thursday, April 02, 2015

March 2015 Favourites

makeup and haircare products

March was about keeping my makeup simple, so there are only a few makeup favourites from this past month.

March was the month where I fell in love with the NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer. It's lightweight, gives a beautiful glow to the skin and lasts for a decent amount of time on my skin. Once I finish this travel sized tube, I will be getting the full size! As for the application of the tinted moisturizer, I've been using the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. It applies foundations and any kind of liquid product evenly and blends them like a dream. Plus, it's very soft. To set the tinted moisturizer, I've been loving the NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder. After straying from this powder for a bit, I've come back to it. There's a reason why I love this powder so much - it controls the oils my face produces throughout the day without mattifying the face too much.

For the eyes, I really loved the Origins Brightening Cream Eyeshadow in Coffee Buzz and the Physicians Formula Eye Booster Liquid Eyeliner. During the past month, I was really lazy with applying eyeshadow. The Origins cream shadow is quite emollient which makes it easy to apply and blend out. Once applied, it stays put. Much like the cream shadow, the Physicians Formula lasts for the entire day after it's applied and dried down. I don't particularly care for the non-matte finish, but it's the longevity that I've been loving.

Lastly, a hair favourite. I bought the Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray a while ago on a whim. I'm not really one to use much product in my hair, but I'll make an exception for this! It adds just enough texture to the hair without making it crunchy. The powder is invisible and it smells amazing.

What were your favourites for March? Also, how is it already April? I can't believe how fast this year is passing by, but I'm looking forward to all the warmth and sunshine.

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