Argan Oil Hype

I have a lot of hair. It's thick, it's long, and it feels dehydrated. So I finally caved in to the moroccan oil frenzy and decided to try me some argan. I found these two products, the first from Shoppers Drug Mart and the second from Winners, and I'm excited to try them out on my hair to really test and see if they are "miracle" hair products.

Naturelle d'Argan was a great find as it claims to be 100% Moroccan argan oil and is even "made in Morocco". So I saved myself quite a bit of cash by not buying the Morracanoil brand.

I've used other oil in my hair before such as coconut oil and almond oil. While they hydrated my hair, I still found them to be quite heavy and they made my hair greasy within 2 days of washing and applying. I've tried the argan oil once so far, and I can feel that it is more viscous and it feels like a "drier" oil, if that makes sense.

I have yet to see magic happen, but I will update you guys on my hair's progress, haha. As for the product packaging itself, for $14 it feels quite expensive. Naturelle d'Argan has a frosted glass bottle packaging with a pump dispenser which releases the perfect amount of oil.

The Live Clean Argan Oil Leave-in Conditioner is a spray that you shake before applying. I find the spray to be way less error-prone, since if you get too trigger-happy with the oil, you can accidentally make your hair too greasy and you have to re-wash it. But then again, the spray contains other ingredients in addition to argan oil, so perhaps it's not as "healthy" or "organic" for your hair.

Overall, I'm happy with the packaging, but I will have to test these in the long term to see if they are up to snuff.

Blew me Out of the [Micellaire] Water

Before discovering micellaire or cleansing waters, I always used your typical bi-phase makeup remover. Specifically, I used Neutrogena's Oil-free Eye Makeup Remover, which worked perfectly well...except for the fact that it left an oily residue which then dried my skin to a *lovely* ashy white...attractive, right?

So, fed-up and inspired my Ruth's (A Model Recommends) video about cleansing waters and alternatives to Bioderma Sensibio H2O (formerly Crealine), I went on a mission to Shoppers Drug Mart to try and find the Garnier Clean Sensitive or the North American equivalent...

Annoyingly, there is no equivalent, which needless to say, is frustrating. I didn't want to splurge on Bioderma because in Canada it's $22 for a 250ml bottle! Which is ridiculous considering how fast you can go through it. So I wandered the makeup aisles literally looking at every brand's makeup removers with a bottle of Bioderma in hand--I know, a bit obsessive aren't I?

Well, after this long intro, I am very happy to say I've found the best alternative to Bioderma...introducing Marcelle's Soothing Cleansing Water!!!

Note, I didn't buy Bioderma at the time I bought this, so this was my very first eau micellaire experience, and I have to say, I was blown out of the water (pun fully intended). I will never go back to biphase removers again. This cleanser comes in one size only and costed me $12 plus tax for 200ml!! Regularly it's $14, but Marcelle skincare goes on sale quite often.

It removes every speck of makeup without any tugging or scrubbing and leaves your skin feeling so soft and supple. No oily residue whatsoever. After using this, my skin feels like it's been freshly washed and moisturized. I'm not even kidding...it is THAT good and deserves HG status. This is a great 3-in-1 product as it removes makeup, cleanses, and tones skin. Sometimes I use this before cleanser, but most days I use it afterwards as a toner and to remove stubborn eyeliner.

A couple weeks after buying this, I found myself in Shoppers (again, obsessed much?) and I saw a great deal where the 100ml Bioderma Sensibio was on offer in a little trial skincare kit for $9.95. Considering I got samples of the Sensibio moisturizers, I though this was pretty darn good and my curiosity took over.

Well, to keep it short, it feels exactly like the Marcelle Soothing Cleansing Water. Again, removed all my makeup and made my skin feel refreshed without leaving an oily residue. I did a test where I removed half of my face makeup with each cleanser on a cotton pad, and I didn't find one cleanser removed more makeup than the other. I used a second round of cotton pads on my face to see if one had more makeup leftovers than the other...both came out clean!

The most interesting part is in comparing the ingredients lists of both products. With the exception of a few ingredients, the formulas are almost identical! Even the order of chemicals is almost the same!

The important thing to note is that both use the same active ingredient, PEG-6 caprylic/capric glycerides.

Here is a mini science lesson. PEG-6 is a fat made from glycerin and fatty acids in coconut oil. Essentially, all micellaire waters are microscopic balls of oil suspended in water. This is why they are so effective at removing both oil-based and water-based makeup.

Both waters are non-irritating and fragrance-free. The difference is in the price. The only con? Marcelle is only available in Canada :( If you are in the US, I suspect it's cheaper to get this from Canada than it is to ship Bioderma over from Europe, but it is still more expensive online than it is in-store at SDM.

UPDATE: If you live in the US or Canada, you can now get all Marcelle products at shop.marcelle.com

What's in my Travel Makeup Bag + Project Bottleneck (Empties) #2

You may have noticed the rash of makeup bag posts in the last little while and I thought I'd join in on the bandwagon. This came at a perfect time as I was in London, Ontario for the weekend visiting my brother. I suppose travel "makeup" is a misnomer since I've combined both my skincare and makeup in one bag.

 

The bag - I got this as a freebie from a Body Shop bath set a long time ago. I like that it's mesh because I can see everything, yet it's not as tacky as clear plastic. 

The goods...

Aren't you proud? This is all the makeup I took!

L'Oreal True Match Compact Makeup in C6 Soft Sable - One of my favourite foundations of all time. It's no fuss, natural, buildable coverage with SPF, and it matches my skintone perfectly.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder - I mentioned this before in my Current Faves post, but I'll say it again. It doesn't make my skin look ashy, and it keeps my foundation on all day. You can use it as blot powder too!

MAC Blush in Desert Rose - This product is not mentioned too often in the blogging community but it's a nice bright yellow-toned pink with peachy undertones. It's a matte finish and I find the product so easy to work with and blendable. Definitely check this out if you have darker skin tones!

L'Oreal Infallible Eyeliner in Brown - I talked about this in the previous post. It's not the best brown eyeliner I have, but I brought it with me so I can use it up

L'Oreal Lineur Intense Eyeliner - Again after doing my eyeliner post and comparing all the liners I have side by side, I wanted to pay attention to this more. However, it looks more glossy on the lid than it does swatched on my hand, so again, not my fave, but I'll use it up. 

Benefit Eyeshadow in Rich Beach - So buttery soft and the colour is like MAC's Tempting without the glitter and a bit less gold and more brown. I wanted simple makeup for the weekend so I opted to bring only one eyeshadow.

Burts Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream - This is an all-purpose product. I use it as a lip balm, cuticle cream, mosquito bites, etc. Smells like real lemon not artificial

Dior Addict Lipstick in Blush - I need to buy MORE!! This is the best lipstick formula I've ever tried: glossy, pigmented, line-filling, beautiful iridescent packaging, I could go on and on...why must you be $30??!!

C.O Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine in Violet Mint - This is soo minty it almost burns! I still love it though because of that. Very glossy without being too sticky and it freshens my breath!

Vichy Eau Thermale - This looks like limited edition packaging, but I bought it for the travel size. Not as nice as the Evian spray (which I will repurchase once I'm done this) and tastes kind of salty/mineral-y...

La Roche Posay Toleriane Fluide - Great moisturizer for redness-prone skin (a la moi), but again I pay so much for such a small volume (40mL). I like it better than Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. I got this in a trial set, but apparently the full-size is also 40mL!

La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel - Meh. Nice, but nothing special. Got this as a bonus when I bought my Effaclar Duo (which I have yet to try because of Project Bottleneck).

Secret "Baby Powder" Deodorant - I will only use Secret deodorant, I do hereby swear.

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Solution Micellaire - I am forever changed by eau micellaires makeup removers. However, this was not my first cleansing water...review coming soon.

Project Bottleneck #2 - I only finished 4 products in 2 months! Yikes, looks like this will take a while. The thing is I have a lot of bath products that are half done, so I'm rotating through them. I would not repurchase any of these products again except for the Deep Clean scrub. Why? The others are nothing special. There is no wow factor in neither their function nor their scents. This seems to be the case with a lot of Body Shop bath products...

I hope you enjoyed this post! I love what's in my makeup bag posts because I'm nosy like that!

I'm an Eyeliner Enthusiast

...just call me EE for short.

Some people love foundation, some people love blush, some people love eyeshadow, but for me, eyeliner is a necessity. I mean eyeliner runs through my blood-- we Indian women have been sporting kajal for generations. We even put it on newborn babies to ward off eye infections!

When I first started wearing makeup in high school, I wore nothing else but eyeliner. The rest of my face followed only in my second year of undergrad, haha.

I wanted to give you a side by side comparison of some of the most popular eyeliners. Rest assured that these are all drugstore products so they are readily available and easily affordable. Liner can frame your eyes and is essential in any makeup bag, but you absolutely do not need a department store brand to get quality, in my humble opinion.

L-R: Annabelle Kohl Eyeliner in Coffee, Milani Liquif'eye in Black, L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner in Black, Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Black

Annabelle Kohl Eyeliner in Coffee - Annabelle eyeliners come in a rainbow of colours and they are CHEAP. This is almost as soft as the Milani Liquif'eye liners. I find this eyeliner to be a dark enough brown that it actually defines my eyes and doesn't look invisible. I also have the Milani and L'Oreal eyeliners in their respective brown colours and the only con to Annabelle is longevity. It does not last on the waterline like the others do. However, I always come back to this as my go-to brown eyeliner because it is soft to apply and because of the rich, dark colour.

Milani Liquif'eye in Black - I got this in the States because it is always sold out at my Loblaws here in Canada (the brown one though is almost always there). Very soft and glides on the waterline like butter--no tugging required here! It is very pigmented and when it sets it will last a long time without fading. However, on me, while the colour lasts, on my waterline it tends to smudge to my lower lashline. So depending on what look I'm going for that day, this may or may not work. If you are applying this to skin (say, on the upper lash line), you will have no problem with longevity. This is very similar to Revlon's Luxurious Color Kohl Eyeliner, however Revlon tends to smudge a bit more (picture not shown since I used it up a while ago) 

Both Milani and Annabelle liners are stick liners, while the other three are retractable. I prefer retractable because they are easier to travel with and no sharpening is required *ahem* because I'm lazy! ;)

L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner in Black - Harder formula than the latter two, but still no tugging required. No smudging over time and it doesn't run down my water line. The colour somewhat fades after about 8 hours so it definitely does not last 16 hours. I would repurchase though because of decent pigmentation and it stays on my waterline. 

Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner in Black - Hardest formula of the four. Very slight tugging required but nothing that will cause irritation or premature wrinkles! I would say this is the winner overall because it doesn't run, smudge, or fade. It remains black for a full work day and is as black as Milani. Despite this, I still prefer Milani Liquif'eye or the Revlon Luxurious Kohl Eyeliner simply because the application is so much easier and smoother. You need to run the Colorstay eyeliner through your waterline several times whereas the other two require 1-2 swipes at most.

As far as black eyeliner goes, there are two winners: Milani for application and Revlon for overall longevity.

L-R: NYC Liquid Eyeliner, NYX Felt Tip Liner, Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eye Pen, L'Oreal Lineur Intense in Black, Rimmel Glam Eyes Professional Liquid Eyeliner in Black Glamour, L'Oreal Carbon Black Lineur Intense, Wet n Wild Mega Eyes Creme Liner in Black

NYC Liquid Eyeliner - I found out after buying this on a whim earlier this year that this is Megan Fox's favourite liner. It's so cheap!! Only $3!!! I'll be upfront and say that this is my favourite liquid eyeliner out of the bunch!! The brush tip is very thin and application is precise- I can create both thin lines and thick lines with ease. The formula is neither too thick or too thin and it dries to a great matte black finish. It is also long-lasting and will not fade or flake (I have oily lids too!). I'm surprised this is not talked about more...

NYX Felt Tip Liner and Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eye Pen - When I bought these I was excited at the prospect of making liquid eyeliner easier to apply...PLEASE DO NOT waste your money on these! They dry up so quickly and I keep having to close it and shake it to reapply. Application is as a result very streaky and it doesn't last long (the product itself and when it's on your eye. Because of my experience with these crappy pen eyeliners I'm hesitant to try the new Physician's Formula one...thus far, still on a mission to find an HG pen liner. 

L'Oreal Lineur Intense in Black - I originally bought this years ago, liked it alot, then tried the black glossy one, liked that even better, repurchased those a couple of times, ran out of those, and then moved on to other liquid eyeliners. After about a year of not using these, I decided to come back to the original gold one (as seen above) to see if I still liked it compared to my other liquid eyeliners. Now that I'm so much better at makeup and have been using and preferring brush tip liners, I find this felt tip liner to be too clumsy and imprecise. The formula is still great, but the product itself seems to dry up within 1 month, rendering it useless. Also, (and I've never noticed this before trying other liners) it dries to this glossy black finish, which I do not like. I think this is a good liquid eyeliner for beginners (as I was several years ago), but it is overhyped and there are better liners out there than this. 

Glam Eyes Professional Liquid Eyeliner in Black Glamour - This is quite similar to the NYC liquid eyeliner. The brush tip is even thinner and a little bit shorter. The formula is also more watery than NYC. I think thin brush tips are great, but this tip is thin to a fault...I find I need multiple strokes to build up the liner to a thicker line, whereas the NYC liner can multitask. This is also because of the more watery formula. This would be a great for those who like very thin liner. The pigmentation is great, it lasts a long time without flaking or fading, and it dries to a matte black finish. 

L'Oreal Carbon Black Lineur Intense - You can tell from the image that this is THE blackest black eyeliner. I would say it dries to a demi-matte finish on the eye, and it lasts a very long time without fading or flaking. Everything about this eyeliner is great BUT the applicator. It's a short brush tip that is very clumsy and imprecise. Also, with use, the brush hairs flare out making it even more difficult to use. If you could combine the applicator of NYC with the formula of this eyeliner, you could make the perfect liquid eyeliner!! Alas, because of this, this is not my favourite, but came close. I think you have to be very comfortable with liquid eyeliner to use this well i.e. no noobs! lol

Wet n Wild Mega Eyes Creme Liner in Black - I threw in this gel eyeliner into the mix because it's not talked about enough. This eyeliner is hardcore and will last longer than 24 hours! I've slept with this on, and in the morning there was no sign of fading or flaking. You need a brush to apply this so I use it for any events when I need precise eyeliner application and longevity. The advantage with gel eyeliners is that you can get the sharpness of liquid eyeliners, but you can apply it to your waterline too...so no need for two eyeliner products

In & Out - 1st edition

In:

• Beautiful sunny weather with no rain - I'm mean do I really have to explain?
• Nail polish with bling ring fingers - Unashamedly copied from Lorraine Stanick, but I know it's a trend that started with celebrities around 2009. Honestly, whoever came up with this is a genius! It's like wearing a piece of jewelry! I will definitely be making a post on this because I want to tell you guys about a great drugstore nail polish find!
• Layered bracelets - I've decided that 2011 is the year of the bracelet. Currently I'm sporting silver metal cuffs (with the hinge thingy) with a rustic brown and black wax cord bracelet and it matches everything I wear! My next wishlist jewelry item is some sort of rose gold cuff bracelet. I've been eyeing several Etsy shops!
• Strange tan lines - As someone who is already dark-skinned, for some odd reason I've always envied people who got tan lines. Well, this past Canada Day I was out all day in the sun and guess what? Watch tan, bra strap tan, and bracelet tan! I wear them as badges of honour...I know, I'm weird...tell me something I don't know...
• Lip stains - Darn you, Tiffany! She is such an enabler! I've been looking into stains for a while, but her post about it sent me to the drugstore to try some out. Honestly, why didn't I try these before? Perfect for hot summer days when you don't want to faff about with makeup!

Out:

• Studying for entrance exams - ewww...I want to enjoy my summer! 
• Having cat hair all over my clothes
• Maintaining my eyebrows - While groomed eyebrows are always an in, the actual process of getting them there is just tedious. I wish I was pro at threading because it's so much faster than tweezing one hair at a time and the finished look is so much cleaner!

That's all I can think of for now...I suppose it's a good thing I have less outs than ins. Here's to positivity!

Summer Nail Polishes

While China Glaze, OPI, and Orly nail polishes get a lot of love on many blogs for their wide variety of shades, Revlon nail polishes I find are not talked about enough - especially considering they are inexpensive, good quality, and have a long shelf-life. I find that with a good topcoat, they are chip-free for at least 3 days if not more. 

In the spirit of summer, I've been sporting bright colours (well, ok except for the middle one) on both my hands and feet. These particular colours look so good with my NC45 skin tone! Also, sorry for the terrible nail swatches! I'm clearly not the best manicurist!

Revlon Nail Polishes L to R: Craving Coral, Plum Night, Plum Seduction

Both Craving Coral and Plum Seduction are opaque in two coats, however, Plum Night is a bit streaky and requires 3 coats for an opaque colour. Time-consuming, but that beautiful eggplant colour you get is worth it.

All three polishes are the kind I would describe as making your feet look "clean". There is just a je-ne-sais-quois crispness about them that makes them awesome on the toes.

Mini CCO Haul (Pic Heavy)

My family and I went to Pittsburgh this weekend and while there we stayed at a hotel that happened to be right across from a Tangers Outlet (Washington, PA). Score!

Of course, the store I was most looking forward to was the CCO. I think I stared at the MAC counter for a good half an hour. Here are the fruits of my trip:

MAC Eyeshadow "Glamour Check!"

I first saw this on allcosmeticswholesale and then I started to hear about it through Youtube from Laura (lollipop26) and Amy (amynicolax). It's a starflash finish and this is honestly the most buttery eyeshadow I own. It's highly pigmented and the swatch above is me just barely touching the pan. It's a gorgeous rosy bronze metallic eyeshadow. I'm definitely excited to use this and I think it would look great on the lower lash line. $10.25

MAC Eyeshadow "Warming Trend"  

This is from the Cool Heat collection and I would describe this as a very light taupe frost. It has warm undertones and looks great as either a highlight or a wash of colour on the lid. $10.25

MAC #130 Short Duo Fibre Brush

As soon as I saw it I knew I had to have it. I think I'll be using this for foundation, but this looks like it could be a great multi-tasker- cream blush, highlighter, contouring. Most reviews I've read recommend this for foundation those (especially liquid). Because it's small I expect it to be able to reach the crevices of my face better. $29.50

Estee Lauder Pure Color Crystal Lipstick "Crystal Rose"

Another MLBB pinky brown colour. Nice moisturizing formula with sheer wash of colour and a glossy sheen, however it has a strange smell/taste...kind of like old school makeup smell...$17.50

MAC Lustre Lipstick "Viva Glam VI Special Edition"

A blue-toned pink which just brightens the natural tone of my lips and also provides a nice sheen. The lustre finish is not as moisturizing as the cremeblend finish but still provides ample pigmentation which can be built from sheer to semi-opaque. $10.25

That's a wrap! I took some sneak shots of the CCO with my cellphone but I'm having trouble uploading them so I'll see if I can add it in the next few days. I hope you guys are having a wonderful day!! xx

Makeup Storage

Currently all my makeup is housed in my tiny walk-in closet on top of my dresser. I've had this arrangement for about a year and I'm pretty proud of it.

There are still some loose ends, for example trying to figure out where to put a mirror. I think I'll have to hang one behind the drawers or maybe on the back of the door. I'm still trying to optimize the space in my closet...anyhow, here it is!

Brush holder and beads - Dollarama, Michael`s

Mirrored jewelry drawers - Winners

White plastic drawers - Solutions

Red cardboard drawers - Solutions

My favourite part of this setup is definitely the mirrored jewelry drawers from Winners. Can you believe it was only $30?!! I was looking for mirrored drawers everywhere and I could only seem to find them online in the US or the UK for over $100! I popped into Winners and there were two of them! But only one had all the drawer knobs intact. I guess you could say it was destiny...

Project Bottleneck (Empties) #1

I've decided to go minimalist...with my skincare that is (I don't think I could ever go back to just a small tray of makeup though...sigh).

Thus, the inaugural Project Bottleneck. New name, old concept. Finish up all the skin/body/hair products that are lying neglected in your bathroom cupboards until you get down to the bare essentials. For me, this means one of each type of product (cleanser, toner, body wash, moisturizer, etc.) with the exception of shampoo and conditioner (I need 2 sets to rotate).

I have what seems like so many bottles which were bought on sale and never seem to go empty or just random bath product gifts which I just need to use up so I can de-clutter my drawers and keep only HG-approved products.

PB has no numbers attached to it. It's all relative to how many products you have. I won't be buying any new bath/skin products unless I've run out of that particular type of product. My goal is to get down to the bare essentials in 3 months.

Here is what I've used up so far...

Avalon Organics Nourishing Shampoo & Conditioner - This is a Canadian brand. For the last 6 months I've only been using shampoos that are sulphate-free and it has made a significant difference to the quality of my hair.
I will definitely repurchase from this brand once I'm down my last shampoo/conditioner bottles for PB. If you look at the ingredient list, 95% of it is plant-derived. Has a nice herbal/lavender smell and it leaves my hair silky soft and frizz-free. It's VERY moisturizing so I would recommend this to people with thick hair (I think it would weigh down fine hair). Great winter hair products since it protects from the dry, cold air. You can get this at Loblaws, Superstore, and I've seen it at some Shoppers Drugmarts.

Aveeno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser - I mentioned this very briefly here in my skincare post. This is great at removing the majority of my makeup except for stick eyeliners. It does take most of it off, but you still need a makeup remover to get rid of the panda eyes. It contains salicylic acid which is effective against acne and leaves my skin feeling clean and refreshed but not tight. It helped reduce the appearance of my acne scars and it has evened my skin tone out.
The only con? I've noticed this with every single Aveeno product that I've ever purchased. The pump always breaks before you finish the product...whether it's a moisturizer pump, or a foundation-style pump (re: Positively Radiant moisturizer), or the foaming cleanser pump (as seen above). Very annoying! Luckily I was able to unscrew the top and use up the remaining liquid...one of the best parts was putting a handful of foam on your face! :(
I probably won't repurchase just because of this fact. Just goes to show that packaging can be just as important as the product itself.

Boots Organics Cleansing Body Scrub - I got this in a clearance bin at Shoppers for $5! One of the best scrubs ever. I haven't heard any UK blogger/youtuber talk about this at all, but if you can find it, buy it!! It does not leave any oily residue at all! The crystals also don't dissolve instantly on your skin, so you can actually exfoliate your skin. Very light fresh scent and gel-like formula. Decent abrasiveness but it won't rip your skin off :)

Dove Supreme Cream Oil Body Wash - This is the lavender scent. Very moisturizing formula. I prefer to use this in winter since I like gel body washes in the summer. I've decided that I don't like lavender. Good formula, but if I were to repurchase, I would choose a different scent. Non-beauty-obsessed people would repurchase this because it works, but note that I rarely repurchase body washes...I like to try everything and I'm not picky with soap.

Herbal Essences Fruit Fusions Conditioner - I've had this for over 2 years!!! This is actually from Germany and I think this particular line has been since discontinued. I want to get rid of all my non-SLS-free and non-organic shampoos/conditioners. I don't think I'll ever go back to Herbal Essences (before seeing the light, HE conditioners were the only ones I used). Therefore, will not repurchase.

Omg...I need to cut down my writing...sorry!

Summer Inseparables...

This post was wholeheartedly inspired by one of Sandra's recent posts on her amazing blog.

Daisy (Garland Edition) by Marc Jacobs - Please tell me if I am wrong, but I'm pretty sure this smells exactly the same as the regular Daisy. Even the notes described are the same. I think the only difference with the Garland Edition is that it has blue flowers--and it came with a paper daisy garland...it might be slightly more concentrated, but I'm fairly certain the scent is the same.

floral top by Pure Alfred Sung - A steal of a buy from Zellers (Canadian version of Target). I love shopping there. Sooo much better than Walmart!

The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje - I wish I could say that I like this, but I find the non-linear storytelling style tedious to read. I've only read a chapter though...so maybe it takes time to get into. 

notebook - A great dollar store buy! This is my diary/shopping list/ideas/doodling book.

lint roller - I have a cat who sheds a lot these days because he's losing his winter coat. Here's the little brat (I say that affectionately of course)

Evian facial spray - A godsend during the dog days of summer. I don't buy into the whole makeup setting gimmick, though. It is just water with some salts in it, after all. 

Dior Addict Lipstick '#353 Blush' - I should probably do a larger post on this. This is the best lipstick I have ever tried. You get what you pay for. Sheer, buildable colour that is long-lasting and smooths out the lines on your lips due to its gel-like formula. Blush is just a hint brighter than my natural lip colour so for me it is a MLBB shade. I would describe it as a warm pink with a touch of brown. 

Maybelline Great Lash clear mascara - I use this to set my unruly brows. It works. Nothing much to say here. I can't understand why anyone would want to spend more than $5 on something like brow gel...unless it's the only thing they use...

Nivea Milk & Honey lip balm - I think I use the word unique too much, but that's all I can come up with right now for this product. The flavour is very unique. Nice smooth lip balm. My only qualm is that there is no SPF.

Izod sunglasses - I wouldn't say my eyes are very light-sensitive, but my brain is. I think I'm secretly a vampire. I feel better knowing that I won't get cataracts by the time I'm 30. 

Current Favourites

Alright, I know I've been gone awhile...I blame my fourth (and last ) year of university as the cause. Let's just say that writing a thesis about a failed experiment is not fun. That, and I was away for 3 weeks traipsing around Italy and France right after my exams.

I'm back now and after reading some of my favourite blogs I was inspired to create a monthly roundup of cosmetics that I've been using lately.

Mac 'Club' - This was a recent purchase and I've had a lemming for it for a long time. It does not disappoint. I'm sure by now, if you've read many beauty blogs, you know that this is a very unique colour. Reddish brown with green duochrome. It pulls more green than I would like, but it makes a great wash of colour on the lid when you are in a rush and only have time for one eyeshadow. I have to say that the picture below does not do it justice and it's a very hard eyeshadow to photograph well.

Annabelle Quad with Mono Eyeshadows 'Vanilla Chilla', 'Bronzed Idol', 'So Foxy', 'Ebony' - I've had this quad for more than a year now and it has never left my makeup bag. I can't tell you how many times I've reached for this quad and still I have yet to hit pan. If you are in Canada, you NEED to get these eyeshadow pans. All of these shadows are intensely pigmented and buttery smooth and on par with Mac eyeshadows. Ebony is a dupe for Carbon and Bronzed Idol is right in between Mulch and Bronze.

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder - This product is great. It says what it does and gets rid of shine. I have combination skin (oily T-zone and dry cheeks) and this does not fail to keep my forehead, chin, and undereyes shine-free for the whole day. It does not leave a white cast even on my NC45 skin.

NYX Felt Tip Liner 'Jet Black' - Meh, is all I can say. The formula is not liquid-y enough for my liking and I find that the tip dries out after one eye application. This means more time wasted on putting the cap back on and shaking vigorously. Would not repurchase.

Annabelle Kohl Eyeliner 'Coffee' - I like the look of brown eyeliner in the summer but I've found most brown eyeliners not dark enough to give me definition. This is a very dark brown that gives me definition without the harshness of black. The formula is very smooth and does not require tugging to get pigmentation on the waterline.

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipgloss 'Hooked on Pink' - This is a true raspberry pink. I was expecting the formula to be more sheer and less sticky, but instead it is very pigmented and the formula is stickier than I would like. I wouldn't repurchase but I can work with it by using a clear gloss or balm underneath.

Covergirl NatureLuxe Silk Foundation '365 Chestnut' - THE best drugstore foundation period. Very lightweight but provides all the coverage you need. It has a pleasant floral fragrance that is not irritating. It's not a completely matte foundation, but it's close. I love the packaging because it's hygienic and easy to control how much product comes out. In the winter my shade is '360 Nutmeg', but since my Italy trip I've gotten quite  a tan.

Bourjois Blush 'Cendre de Roses Brune' - I've heard that Bourjois is made by the makers of Chanel, so I was excited to get my hands on one of these. I was not impressed by the shimmery blushes as they contained too much glitter. This shade, however, is matte and would be a cool-toned pink. It's VERY pigmented so you need a light hand to apply this shade. Really nice rose/floral scent.

Current TV Favourite - Game of Thrones, best show I've seen in a long time! I like it more than True Blood!! I love fantasy books and I love that it is set in medieval times. There is so much intrigue and action and the acting is great! The show is based on the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. I've started reading the first book and it's great! A page-turner for sure!

Current Blogger Favourite - Makeup Savvy. The pictures are drool worthy and it does not help my makeup shopping habit! She makes me want to buy everything! Not good for the wallet but a great read!

There you have it! A nice long post after a nice long hiatus! I have so many ideas for blog posts so keep reading!

The Daily Grind...Skincare Edition!

This is going to be somewhat of a short post since I really should be working on my assignment...heh heh. The following three products are the potions I reach for every morning. They have seen me at my worst--tired, cranky, grubby, and crusty-eyed. 

I use the scrub every other day just to slough off any dry skin. It's also really nice when you just can't seem to wake up since it contains cooling menthol. I always feel rejuvenated and energized after using it. The only con is that it can be quite drying.
Aveeno's foaming cleanser is great for acne-prone skin like mine. It contains salicylic acid and is the only foaming cleanser I've ever tried that did not leave my skin feeling tight and try.

Finally, the lotion is buy far the best drugstore moisturizer I've used (I would even go as far as saying one of the best moisturizers period). It's quite thick but surprisingly it absorbs into the skin very quickly. In the morning when my skin is dry, this doubles up as a makeup primer and I always notice that my foundation goes  on smoothly after applying this.

That's it for now! All three products are inexpensive (yes, even Aveeno). Let me know if you've tried any of these and what you think. If you haven't, I'd love to know what your favourite drugstore cleansers and moisturizers are!

A Rose by Any Other Name...

...would smell as sweet.

I know I'm a little late on the bandwagon in talking about this product but MAC's MSF in Stereo Rose is back in the news again now that spring is back. A much coveted product, Stereo Rose not only looks beautiful in the pan, but it also gives a beautiful pink glow. Because of my darker skin tone (NC 45), I can only really use it as a light blush or as a subtle rosy cheekbone highlight.

When I first bought it though, I thought it looked quite similar to something I already owned. And lo and behold! The Body Shop's Blush Trio in Warm Sunset:

Pretty darn close, right? Especially the lightest colour! Here's a pic with the two side by side, as well as some swatches:

Unfortunately, both products were limited edition, however, BS's Warm Sunset is probably the lesser of the two evils when it comes to price. Had I known that they were so similar, I probably would have bought Petticoat instead of Stereo Rose! However, I do have to say though that Stereo Rose is much more finely milled.

Chorale for Coral!

Springtime is here! Well, according to the calendar anyway...take a look at Canada's version of spring:

Ah well, at least it's not slush...yet! Here's hoping to no more snow! So to mark the onset of spring, I wanted to share my favourite spring blushes. Obviously I do wear these here and there throughout the year, but lately I've really been into orange-toned blushes for spring. I think seeing coral shirts everywhere in the malls has definitely influenced me makeup-wise. 

 Clockwise from top: Boots No7 "Honey", MAC "Peaches", Nacara "Annapurna", elf "Candid Coral"

All of these blushes are matte except for Candid Coral, which has microfine gold shimmer running through it. In these photos, Honey and Peaches look almost the same, but in real life, Peaches is more orange and brighter in tone, whereas Honey contains more brown undertones (I would say it is extremely similar to MAC's Melba).

I love pairing these blushes with a smoky olive-brown eye! Khaki and coral are definitely the two hit colours of Spring 2011!