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!