Sunday, August 25, 2013

B2S 2: Back to School Makeup–Fresh and Natural

Hello again. You may be confused by the title, and wondering why you can’t find B2S 1, if this post is #2, which is honestly fair enough. That post is up on my other blog—Thought-Constellations—and you can find it by clicking right here.

If I had the lighting in my house, I would have liked to have done this post as a video for you, since video tutorials are much more helpful. As it is, I guess these types of posts (I’m planning to do a couple more after this one) will be more of a look inspiration post, just to give you ideas of what sort of products you could use and what type of looks you could make.

The idea for today’s makeup look was meant to look simple and somewhat natural, while still pretty and more pulled-together than no makeup. Here’s what I used to achieve my look:

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Garnier BB Creme in Light/Medium:

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This is an optional step, especially in a natural look, but it does give extra coverage if you need or want that, especially when layered with a coloured—rather than a translucent—powder. For more coverage, you could used a light foundation; one I would suggest is Revlon’s Nearly Naked.

Clinique Acne Solutions Concealer:

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If you need a concealer to cover zits and pimples, like I do at the moment, then I would suggest using one that fights your acne while it’s covering it. This is the one I use, and I quite like it. It doesn’t do as much as my regular zit gel for clearing up the issue, but it doesn’t make the problem worse like other concealers, and it covers well.

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Silky Beige:

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Even if you don’t want to use a foundation or BB cream, you should use a powder that matches your skin in order to help even out your complexion and help mattify some shine. This is my favourite one.

Benefit Coralista Blush:

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This is my favourite blush, and I think it gives a really natural glow, as well as some colour, to your face. I love the coral more than a pink, because it almost doubles as a highlighter, and with the pretty gold shimmer, it also helps to highlight the face. If you want to try this, but don’t have the money, ELF has one in their Studio line called “Candid Coral” which is identical and only $3.

Nyx Eyebrow Pencil in Taupe:

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While not essential, filling in your eyebrows helps to pull the look together and ultimately makes you look a lot more polished. There are tons of alternatives to a pencil, if pencils and you don’t get along, such as brow powders, gels, waxes, etc. At the very least, I would suggest shaping your brows and cleaning up any stray hairs, or going to get them done professionally.

Essence I <3 Stage Eye Primer:

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If you use the next product that I am as well, you don’t really need an eye primer, as the Maybelline Colour tattoos aren’t going anywhere, but if you use any other shadow, especially a powder shadow, then a base helps to cover up any imperfections on you eyelid and really pumps up the pigmentation of your shadows, as well as increasing their longevity.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze:

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These are kind of a miracle product. I can’t believe I waited to try them. I only have this one, but it’s wonderful. It’s super easy to apply, very buildable, very easy to sheer out… very versatile, really. It’s great on it’s own or layered under powder shadows as a base. I’m in love and want more.

For this look, I started on the outside corners of my eyes to put the most pigmentation there, and then sheered it out towards the inner corners.

Covergirl EyeEnhancers Shadow in Champagne:

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After applying the Colour Tattoo, I used this shadow just as a highlight around my tearduct on both the upper and lower lash line.

Urban Decay 24/7 Liner Pencil in Perversion:

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I used a black liner just on my waterline. This is definitely optional, but I love how it helps to define my eyes. Another option would be to use a white or skintone coloured pencil, and just make sure to apply mascara to your bottom lashes. This would open up your eye more and help you look more awake.

Revlon Lash Potion Mascara in Blackest Black:

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Finally, you need to finish the look with some mascara. I’m wearing about two coats of this one for this look. This mascara isn’t phenomenal, but it is a pretty good, basic mascara. If you don’t like a lot of volume or length, and just want something simple, I would recommend this one.

Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Punch:

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Although I’m not wearing it in the picture below, I’m including this because it seems wrong to call a look finished when you aven’t mentioned the lips. This would be a good choice for a natural look because it just gives a bright but sheer wash of pink to the lips, and it’s also very hydrating and contains SPF 20.

The finished look:

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This look is great because it’s shimmery and pretty, but not overdone. Also, since the eye shadow is so long-lasting, this would be a great base to work off if you needed a look to go from day to night. Just add some liquid liner and a wing on top, another coat of mascara, and a bright or red lipstick. And maybe some bronzer to contour.

Thanks for reading! Make sure to check out my other Back to School posts!

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Other posts in this series:

 

Thursday, August 15, 2013

MAC Mini-haul (+ a nail polish)

Assuming I can control myself, this may be my last haul for a while, as I need to start saving money in case I can’t get a job pretty soon.  As such, I decided to have a final week of indulgence and picked up a couple things from MAC. But first, the more boring part…

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat:

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I am basically down to the dregs of both my Seche Vite and my Out the Door topcoat, both of which start to get a little horrible at the end of the bottle. Instead of replacing one of those, I decided to try another quick drying topcoat that I’ve seen a fair bit of love for online, and which costs a good deal less than the others. This was about $7 at the Superstore, and so far, I’m really happy with it. The “Dries any nail colour ! 30 Seconds to set” seems like a big claim, but it does dry really fast, though I haven’t tried to dent or smear it, to be fair. Also, it doesn’t have the harsh smell of Seche Vite, or leave the streakiness that Out the Door can sometimes have. Overall, I’m pretty impressed!

And now onto the good bit:

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MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Hang-Up:

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First up, I knew I was going to get myself two things, one of which was either going to be a blush or a lipstick. I already have one MAC lipstick—an Amplified formula in Impassioned—which I love. I also want to try a blush, but none of the colours really stood out to me. This lipstick, however, is just gorgeous.

I swear I was made for Fall; I hate the heat, and I love fall fashion, make-up trends, and Starbucks flavours. This lipstick is a perfect Fall colour, a deep berry-red colour, which probably has a better name. Also, it looks more purple-y in the swatch above, but on my lips it looks like a great dark purple-red. I think it will be a great replacement for red lips, which I feel really uncomfortable in. Considering the colour, comfort of MAC lipsticks, and the wonderful chocolatey smell, I can see myself wearing this a lot, especially as it starts to get a little colder!

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle:

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I’ve seen a lot about this highlight on YouTube, especially from Karissa (SaturdayNightsAlrite), along with others. Also, I didn’t have a highlighter. I checked out a bunch recently, and I fell in love with this. It looks a little dark in the pan, and insanely shimmery swatched on my hand, but it looks fantastic sheered out on the cheekbones, and would probably also make a great highlight on the inner corners of the eyes, or even worn as a soft, shimmery shadow on the lids. I’m definitely looking forward to getting to play around with this product!

And that’s all for the moment. Let me know what you think of the products I got, and also, tell me what some of your favourite MAC products are! Thanks for reading!

Monday, August 12, 2013

My July 2013 Favourites!

So this is going up even later than last predicted, and maybe no one is even interested anymore, but I figured I’d put this up anyways, because it also gives me a chance to give a quick review to two products I acquired in the last month or so, but hadn’t posted in a haul. So let’s get into it.

Pink Chiffon (scent from Bath and Body Works):

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My first favourite for last month was the Pink Chiffon scent from Bath and Body works. I have the body lotion in the picture (obviously), as well as the shower gel, and I’ve had them for a while, but recently I’ve really been loving the sweet floral/fruity scent. It’s just really comforting, if that makes any sense.

I’d also never used the B&BW show gels until this month, and i really love the texture. I was expecting them to be like cheap body washes, but it acts more like a thick, concentrated shower gel, somewhat similar to the Body Shop. And it has shea butter in it and leaves my skin feeling really nice, and not tight at all.

Island Margarita scent from Bath and Body Works:

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My second favourite is also a scent, also from B&BW…! This one is really fresh and  citrusy, and I just want to eat it every time I smell it! I also have a hand sanitizer of this scent. I don’t know if it exists, but I would love to have this scent as a room spray! It would be so much better for summer… I mean, I love this candle, but the problem with candles in the summer is that it’s already hot… I don’t need fires burning in my room!

(Also, randomly, I didn’t realise until I took that picture that the candle’s label is pixellated! Well done, B&BW!)

Immitation Beauty Blender (from Born Pretty Store):

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I’ve been wanting to try out the Beauty Blender for a long time, but it is so expensive! This is a pretty close copy—though a slightly different shape, yes—which is also so much cheaper (It’s $3.30 American, or less if you buy three or more). And I love it! Before I used this, I soak it in water, squeeze it out so it is damp but not dripping, and then use it to dab my foundation into my skin. And the results are awesome. I find it allows me to use my foundations more sheer (which I love, because I’m lucky enough to not really need full-coverage) than a brush or my fingers, though I’m sure you could also build up your coverage a big more and still get a really natural look.

Essie Millionails

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You may already know this if you’ve been reading for a while, but if not, I just want to preface this and point out that this is the third nail strengthener that I’ve tried, since I have weak, sad nails that love to chip and peel. In the past, I’ve tried OPI Original Nail Envy and the OPI Nail Envy for Sensitive and Peeling nails. The original did great things for my nails, whereas the peeling version didn’t do much at all. Looking over the ingredients and doing a little research, I discovered that Formaldehyde is can actually be good for your nails, because it strengthens the proteins, though it can also cause brittle nails. I’m guessing my nails just need a lot of help, though, because I haven't’ had any issues.

Anyways, I picked this up instead of my OPI Nail Envy because it’s honestly about half the price here in Canada, but it still has the formaldehyde and it’s by a respectable company. After only two applications (I use one coat of this as a base coat under my manicures), I noticed that my nails were much stronger, and stopped peeling again. So I would definitely recommend this if you have weak nails. Also, if you love OPI’s Nail Envy, but find it pricey, maybe give this a try. If you like it, it could save you a bunch of money!

Non-Beauty Favourites:

British panel shows

Image from Coed.com

Image from SpyHollywood.com

British panel shows are fantastic, and something that basically doesn’t exist in US or Canadian television, which is really depressing. They all have a host and a panel of usually famous or semi-famous British people, and often a couple regulars. And they’re hilarious. My two absolute favourites are QI, which is a fact-based panel show hosted by the fabulous Stephen Fry, and Would I Lie to You?, which, as I’m sure you can guess is about telling strange stories that the other have to guess if it’s true or a lie. It’s really fun and ridiculous, and the host and the two regulars are fantastic: Rob Brydon, David Mitchell (my favourite), and Lee Mack.

AudioSurf

Image from Store.Steampowered.com

I know for a fact that I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s been months, and I’ve sort of re-discovered it lately and have been playing it a lot. Probably because I’ve had essays due. I love that the game can basically match your mood and skill-level since there are so many modes to play, and the music each song you choose (from your own collection on your computer) will have a unique track map depending on the song’s speed and sound. It’s pretty awesome. You can find it on Steam (It’s $9.99 at the moment, but it goes on sale all the time).

And that’s everything for the month! Thanks so much for reading. Let me know any of your favourites in the comments, and have an awesome day =)

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Mini Clinique Skincare Haul

***I’m posting this up instead of my July favourites post, which isn’t done yet, because I have too many assignments due to take the time to write up my favourites post right now. Instead you get this post today, and I’ll post my favourites by the 9th. Hope you don’t mind!***

Apparently I’m a little bit of a brand-whore when it comes to skincare…

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Clinique and I have had a good relationship when it comes to skin for a long time now. I used to steal my mom’s Clinique toner, for example, when I was in highschool. To be fair, she didn’t use it much herself. A lot of other products end up being too harsh or not harsh enough, but it’s really easy to find good Clinique products, so I pretty much always feel like it’s worth it. My last toner was the Clinique Acne Solution version, and I’ve also had both the acne clearing concealer, and the spot treatment gel. I’m almost out of that toner, with maybe one more use left, though it’s a little harsh for my skin now, whereas my skin used to love it. (To be fair, I bought that one almost 2 years ago now!) This time I picked up the:

Clinique Clarifying Lotion for Dry Combination skin:

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This comes in a variety of formulations for different skin types, but I picked the dry combination one even though I don’t usually have dry skin because I figure this way it won’t try to strip my skin of all its oils. I really like this one so far; it gives my skin a cooling, almost minty feel, without making it feel tight like some toners do.

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel for Combinations Oily to Oily skin:

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For a moisturizer, to replace my Sephora Instant Moisturizer, which I’m almost out of, I decided to try this. Partly because it’s $7 cheaper, but the exact same size and from a more reputable brand. It also, coincidentally, takes less of this product to cover my face than the Sephora one! I got the gel, rather than the lotion, for the opposite reason to how I picked the toner formula… I figure a moisturizer for oily skin is less likely to make my skin feel oily! So far, I’m really liking this moisturizer, since it has very little scent, and it soaks into my skin really fast, so I’m not shiny and greasy for a long time after like I felt with the Sephora moisturizer.

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And that’s everything! What are your favourite skincare products/brands? Do you like Clinique as well?

Thanks for reading!

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Konad m95 Plate Review (and Contest Alert!)

Nail Polish Canada contacted me a little while ago asking if I would like to review one of the new Konad plates that they are now carrying. I picked the m95, since it has whole-nail patterns, which I’ve been wanting to try for a while. Here’s a look at the plate:

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These plates are $8.75 each at NailPolishCanada.com.

Now, before I show you my first attempt at using this plate, I want to point out a few things:

1. For stamping, you need a little rubber stamper and a scraper, as well as a plate.

2. Stamping is not as easy as it looks. It take a lot of patience and practice.

3. I am not yet very good as stamping, and far from consistent.

That said, let’s take a look at two of the patterns from this plate:

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I think these are absolutely adorable, and the plates seem to be good quality. I have one that’s a cheaper imitation, and the pattern is a bit shallower, so it doesn’t always transfer very well. I think this one will be easier to use overall.

That said, I know from other blogs I’ve seen in the past, and from my own recent experience, that these full-nail designs won’t work for everyone! I don’t have very big nails, but I feel like anyone who has wider, or really long nails would be very disappointed with the results of these plates, since it may not cover your whole nail! For the record, these patterns are about 1.5 cm (~.5 in) wide and 2 cm (~.75 in) long.

Anyways, I’m pretty happy with my plate. If you’re interested, you can find the new plates, and more at http://www.nailpolishcanada.com/categories/konad-nail-art.html, as well as a contest at the top of the page to win the 5 new plates! The contest is, unfortunately, only open to Canadians, with the exception of Quebec. =( The winner will be contacted by Nail Polish Canada when the contest closes September 15, 2013.

Thanks for reading, and good luck to all those who enter! =)

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