Sunday 26 May 2013

This Week Im Loving.. #4




Essie Lilacism
This quickly became on of my favourite nail polishes. I got this a few months ago and keep going back to it. Its a great colour for spring and lasts really well on my nails. 

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Hilighting Concealer
I typically use my Erase Paste concealer, but ive been grabbing this one lately as it makes me look more awake with a little bit in the corner of the eyes. It isnt great for covering under eye circles, which I always have, but I still like it. 

Annabelle Blush in Rosewood
One of my all time favourite blushes. Its a very easy to wear coraly pink and is one of my go to colours when I dont know what to wear.

Mac Retrospek eyeshadow
Im pretty boring when it comes to eyeshadow. I like a shimmery colour all over the lip, typically a champagne but this one is more gold. Its beautiful alone or with something like wedge. Pretty fuss free and one of my favourite mac shadows. 

Annabelle Goddess eyeshadow
Ive only worn this twice and its a really nice bronze shade. I wasnt sure how id like it so I put off wearing it for like two months. Its really nice on the outer portion of the lid. Annabelle makes some great affordable eyeshadows but unfortunately theyre a Canadian bound brand. 

Friday 24 May 2013

Empties #8


The Body Shop Shea Beautifying Oil
Ive talked about this many times and I really do love it. Its a multi use oil but I really only used it on my body. Its great for dry skin, and was a favourite during the winter months. The scent is lovely and lasted on the skin. I might pick this up again for next winter, but for now im going to use other things. 

Jergens Natural Glow Self Tanner in Fair to Medium
I got his last summer. I like it for a little while because it gave a subtle amount of colour to my white as snow skin. But it doesnt always apply the nicest, leaving streaky marks on my feet, under the boob area of around my wrists that I just stopped using it. I have maybe one use left im just going to throw it away. Plus the brown sugar scent gets annoying after a few minutes. 

Calgon Take Me Away Body Sprays in Marshmallow and Cotton Candy
These have been sitting in a box for I dont know how many years unused hat they actually have gone a funny colour. Theywere barely used as I never liked the scents, but I can be a bit of a hoarder and never threw them out. Now I finally am.

Simple Refreshing Facial Wash Gel
My favourite facial wash. This is only a sample that came in a glossybox but it lasted me a really long time somehow. It cleanses without stripping the face and making it feel tight and uncomfortable, and is a great affordable option. Will definitely be picking up again soon.

Degree Nature Effects Deodorant with Sea Salt Minerals
Degree are my favourite brand for deodorants. They have nice scents and really work. This one however just smells like soap. Not sure what possessed me to pick this one up, but the scent was not for me. 

Bath Market Vanilla Cream Hand Lotion
I hate the scent of this stuff with a passion. When I purchased it, I never smelt it in the store and just went off that it was vanilla scented. I used it maybe five times and couldnt stand it. It smells like icing, and not in a good way. Its a sickly sweet scent, and thats coming from someone who likes sweet scents.  Its been sitting in a drawer for two years so im just going to toss it so I dont have to be reminded of my hatred for it anymore.

John Frieda Root Awakening Nourishing Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner
Love this stuff. If theres a non professional shampoo and conditioner I would recommend, it would be these. They leave the hair super soft and manageable, and the eucalyptus smell is fresh and clean and just lovely. Im actully really sad to see the end of these but I had to use them up.

Biore Nose Strip
I got this in a glossybox a year ago. I never used it and remembered I had it so decided to give it a try. I didnt see anything come off on the strip. I dont know if that means I dont have clogged pores or it just didnt work. Either way, disappointment. 

Avon Clear Skin Blackhead Clearing Cleanser
Ive had this stuff so long I was just dying to get rid of it. Ive never really had blackheads so im not exactly sure what I had this for. It has exfoliating beads in it so I just used it as an exfoliant in the winter when my skin was really dry. To finish it off I was using it on my back in the shower as Ive had a bit of backne since I was about 14. Wouldnt buy it again, but happy to have used it rather than just tossing it.

Bic Silky Touch Disposable Razors
Im cheap with my razors. Even if I spend the money on the Venus ones, I dont notice a significant difference in my shaving experience. I like these ones. They have 10 in a pack and are a fraction of the price of the others.

Matrix Total Results Repair Shampoo and Conditioner samples
These smell amazing. I was super excited to use them because of this but in all honesty they didnt make my hair feel that nice. It felt dry and was harder to brush through then usual. Wasnt impressed unfortunately.

Friday 17 May 2013

SOTW: Pompeii


Bastille // Pompeii

Monday 13 May 2013

Get Cheeky


Mac Mocha,  Wet n Wild Pearlescent Pink and Heather Silk , e.l.f. Candid Coral, NYX Cream blush in Glow

Spring is here! (I think.. It did snow yesterday.) And that means breaking out the blushes. Ive talked about most of these before, which goes to show you I do really like them. For the sunny weather, I love peachy blushes. They give a great subtle colour and a gorgeous glow. My two picks are Wet n Wild Pearlescent Pink- a beautiful peachy pink with a gold shimmer, and e.l.f Candid Coral, a true peach with a subtle gold shimmer that really makes the skin look radiant and healthy.

Of course I need my favourite berry pinks, for the natural hint of colour to warm up the skin. Mac's Mocha has been a go to lately. It gives a hint of colour to my pale skin that looks very natural. Good for those days where you dont want to wear a lot of makeup. For a pinkier option, Wet n Wild Heathersilk is always a favourite. This colour is very pigmented so you have to be careful not to overdue it and look like youre wearing clown makeup, but the colour is gorgeous. I only own one cream product but this one is a beaut. NYX Cream Blush in Glow is something I dont get enough use out of. This baby is super pigmented and would be best applied with a brush to be able to blend into the skin. The first time i tried to use it, I used my fingers and it didnt end well. It gives a nice glow to the skin, an appropriate name and has a nice finish for spring/summer.

What are your favourite blushes for this time of the year?

Sunday 12 May 2013

This Week im Loving.. #3



This has been the week of skincare for me. Ive been tying a lot of new things lately but these two have stood out to me already in the short amount of time.  I talked about Pepta-Bright in my New Skincare Additions post. In short, its a serum cream used to brighten the skin and help with the appearance of scarring, hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tones, etc. As a moisturiser ive been trying out This Works Perfect Skin Super Moisture, and really loving it. Its light on the skin but really does pack in the moisture. My only complaint is that it smells really awful because of the primrose oil in it, but it dissipates after a few minutes.

Ive broken out the Revlon Nearly Naked foundation. I love the finish of this- it gives my skin a natural glow. The shade is a tad dark for me, but once I get a bit more colour on my skin I think it will be perfect. To give my skin a little colour, Ive gone back to Mac Mocha, one of my favourite blushes. It gives a natural wash of colour and is really easy to wear. For lips I havent really been wearing much other than a balm, but I have been using the Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Charm, a peachy nude that is just fuss free for me. When I dont know what to wear this tends to be a colour I grab. 

Saturday 11 May 2013

Spring Lips


Mac Ravishing, Mac Shygirl, Nyx Round Lipstick in Fig, Nyx Xtreme Lip Cream in Nude Peach Fuzz, L'oreal Colour Caresse Shine Stain in Rose On and On, Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Charm, Korres LiP Balm in Quince

Spring is here and its a time where I venture out of my comfort zone and wear a little more colour on the lips then usual. As you can tell, I tend to go for peachy pink or berry toned colours. I have a few options, depending on the occasion or how long I want it to last.

Lipstick
Mac Ravishing is a peachy orange colour that I got a few months back and have not braved wearing yet. It is a gorgeous colour for spring and summer but im not sure yet if its too orange for my skin tone. A more wearable peachy pink colour is Mac Shygirl. Ive talked about this many times and it has quickly become possibly my favourite lipstick. Its really easy to wear and is a great everyday nude. Nyx Round Lipstick in Fig is another colour ive had a while and maybe wore twice. I love the colour but dont normally wear brighter colours, so dont reach for it. Its applied like a dream and is quite pigmented. A gorgeous pinky coral.

Gloss
I dont often wear glosses, but this one I think will be an exception. Nyx Xtreme Lip Cream in Nude Peach Fuzz is a hybrid of a lipstick, gloss and stain. Its thicker than the usual gloss and is very pigmented. Its more of a peachy coral than a nude, which is why I think this is more of a spring or summer shade.

Stain
Im not a person who carried around every product they own to touch up throughout the day. I dont like the hassle of things that need to be fixed over and over throughout the day, so stains are great for me.  Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Charm is one of my favourite lip products. It leaves a peach stain on the lis, but feels like your wearing a balm. It doesnt dry out the lips even after being worn for a few hours. Easy, fuss free. Another option is the new L'oreal Colour Caresse Shine Stain in Rose On and On. At first I didnt really like this. It applies very odd- it feels like you're putting water on your lips, but leaves a glossy feel. The colour didnt show up well in the swatch, but its a nice berry colour, not too bright. The stain lasts well and its not too sticky on the lips.

Balm
Of course everyone loves just a simple lip balm. Aside from the usual clear balm, theres the Korres Lip Balm in Quince. I dont get nearly enough use out of this little guy but it does offer moisture to the lips and a bit of a tint. Quince is leaves a natural berry tone to the lips, and if build up a little can leave a nice colour.

What are your spring lip picks, id love to know. 


Friday 10 May 2013

SOTW: Not Giving In


Rudimental // "Not Giving In" ft. John Newman & Alex Clare

Thursday 9 May 2013

New Skincare Additions


Hydraluron
This has been talked about a lot in the blogging world and if you havent heard about it you must be hiding under a rock. It is a hydrating serum containing hyaluronic acid, found naturally in our skin but decreases as we age. It can hold up to 1,000 times its own weight in water and aids in hydrating the skin. Applied under a moisturiser it allows what you apply on top to be absorbed properly, in turn meaning you use less productIve only used this a few times and already noticed a difference in my skin.

Pepta-Bright
From the same brand as Hydraluron, Indeed Laboratories, we have Pepta-Bright- a peptide based skin brightener. It is designed to help with the appearance of hyperpigmentation, dark spots, scarring, even out skin tone, restore skins radiance, stimulate cell turnover, and maintain the skins moisture. Ive been using this for about two weeks and have noticed my skin feels better and looks a lot less dull.


This Works Perfect Skin Super Moisture and Perfect Eyes Recovery Cream
I was in need of a new moisturiser and was having a look on Feel Unique and came across a bargainous deal for the two at only $49. Thats a savings of about 35 bucks! Having heard many great things about the brand and being unavailable on this side of the world, I thought I would give them a try. Super Moisture is said to hydrate, boost radiance and protect the skin from environmental stresses. Containing a concentration of Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid, Shea Butter, Black Current Seed, and Evening Primrose oils. Im loving this so far but my god that evening primrose makes it smell bad until it sinks in a bit. Recovery Cream is a de-puffing rescue for tired eyes to cool, revive and brighten. Containing Aloe Vera, Arnica, and Cucumber. Its quite light on the skin and is definitely cooling. I have to get more use before I can give a proper review on both though.

Monday 6 May 2013

e.l.f. Candid Coral



I am a blush lover and always looking to try new things. Many people have talked about the e.l.f. blushes and id never tried them so I thought I might as well. With a price tag of I believe $3, why the hell not.

I opted for Candid Coral- a beautiful peachy pink with a gold shimmer. Someone said this was similar to Nars Orgasm, but I cant vouch for that as I dont own it to compare. Regardless, its a gorgeous colour, great for spring and summer. It gives a nice glow to the skin and the shimmer is subtle, but looks really pretty when the sun reflects off of it. Id skip a highlighter when using this because it gives a nice glow on its own. Im sure im going to be getting a lot of use out of this this summer and recommend it as a really affordable but good quality blush.  

Friday 3 May 2013

SOTW: Why?


Why? // This Blackest Curse

Thursday 2 May 2013

Summer Daze

dress - Giant Tiger / flats - H&M / sunglasses - Surf and Sport

Wednesday 1 May 2013

Hair Oil 101

Hair can always benefit from the use of oils, whether for styling or conditioning. There are many different options on the market these days, including Argan, Moroccan, Coconut, Olive and Macadamia Nut Oil. But what do these ingredients actually do for the hair and what is best for you and your hair type? Ill give you a little run down.

Those with dry, course or chemically treated hair should use argan oil, which is rich in nutrients, to help nourish the hair. Natural vitamin E will help to restore and renew the hair. Your hair will be silkier, shinier and easier to manage. Macadamia Nut Oil is another option.

Hair prone to frizz should opt for coconut oil to strengthen the hair. Regular application will aid in hair retaining protein, seal in moisture and keep the hair strong and silky. Coconut oil is great for all hair types. 

For added moisture, olive oil is great as an overnight treatment. Packed with nourishing antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, it helps to improve elasticity and restore strength and shine. Its great for a dry scalp and is said to prevent dandruff. Be sure to rinse out well the next morning. 

Now you may be wondering how to use these. Apply only from mid-shaft to the ends of the hair- never apply at the roots. Your head naturally produces oils, so your root area does not need any product. Start with a small amount and disperse through the hair. You can always add more if you need it. Through time you will learn how much to use on your hair. 

Using natural products on the hair is great because your not using any silicones or nasties, but there are many styling oils that you can use as well that work great at making the hair texture feel nicer for a short term period; ie until you wash it again. Im going to do a separate post on a few of these types of oils. If you have any questions or if I missed anything, feel free to ask. 

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