Daily, Health, Photos, Reviews

Not so necessary cosmetic haul

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As mentioned, I went to Toronto on Saturday to meet up with Priya at Luminato where she was there working with Vichy.

Yay us!

After our meet-up I ended up going back towards the downtown core of Toronto and shopping mostly at the Eaton Centre. Normally, I’d head straight to Yorkville and do shopping there. But that routine usually happens the same way every time I visit the city. So I decided to stay at the mall for the majority of my day. Until I got lost a bunch of times. Then I had enough and went home ;)

I’ve never tried Victoria’s Secret cosmetics before, but due to me popping into the store unexpectedly during their Semi-Annual sale, I scored. Scored 50% off their makeup. Sweet. No welding equipment here, just beauty and cosmetic things!

All of the purchases. So many purchases. Unnecessary. But so fun.

VS Beauty Rush blush: dollface  // VS Concealer palette.

I have yet to try the blush, but the concealer palette is pretty waxing and difficult to use. I’m not sure I like it. Right now I’m using Sonia Kashuk hidden concealer palette that I LOVE.

VS Beauty Rush – Dazzleshine lip gloss.

Yves Saint Laurent lip products. So luxurious.

Glossy Stain and Lip stick, but reversed when swatched on my hand.

Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash, my go-to mascara.

Buxom lip glosses in the shades Katie, and Bunny. I’ve used so much of this lip gloss up that I thought I’d buy another shade. It has a really interesting formula on your lips. It gives a cooling sensation to the lips! Such a nice feeling.

The colors next to each other again.

Bobbi Brown foundation stick and a bronzer! I have the Bobbi Brown Luminous foundation which I now wear on a daily basis. It has a nice dewy natural finish to it. The foundation stick is a little more long-wearing and has more coverage.

Anastasia’s Brow Wiz in the color caramel. On the right you can see the smallest of strokes you can create with this. Last year, a guy at Sephora filled in my eyebrows and I liked the look so I decided to finally pick this up. He must have been a pro at it, because I can’t re-create this look at all. I’m questioning myself now to whether or not I picked up the correct color. I purchased Caramel, and I looked on the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz site, and I’m confused. Maybe next time I’ll pick up Medium Ash??

If there’s anything you want me to elaborate more on, regarding my cosmetic haul. Let me know!

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Daily, Health, Photos

Makeup routine

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I wear makeup almost on a daily basis. I like how it evens out my skin tone and makes me look not-so sunburnt. I have the reverse effect of raccoon eyes meaning that I have a really white under eye area and rosy cheeks. Not to be confused with rosacea.

Shown in order, here are the products I use on my face on a daily basis. I’ll get further into it below but I don’t wear two foundations on my face each day, but just switch them out whenever I’m feeling it. Same goes for the under eye concealers, I don’t wear them on a regular basis.

After my simplified skincare routine I apply foundation. My go-to was Laura Mercier’s Moisturizing foundation until they took it off the shelves to reformulate it to a Moisture Supreme foundation which is now a thicker, greasier, heavier consistency. I have disowned that particular product but still love the brand itself. Since I have dry skin, I like to have a dewier finish rather than a matte, flat look to my face.  I’d rather look hydrated with luminous foundation than look like I haven’t exfoliated and have dry flaky dandruff like skin on my face. I’ve been using Marcelle BB Cream as my new foundation. You can see a full on routine that I blogged about here.

I am a huge fan of foundation and would purchase the most expensive bottle, if it worked for me. That is the only one item I will splurge on, because I think it is so worth while to me, personally. I recently bought the Bobbi Brown Luminous Foundation but I haven’t used it enough to say that it is my holy grail foundation that will ultimately replace Laura Mercier’s Moisturizing foundation. I’m still a little disappointed that they did discontinue my favorite foundation.

Ever since I had my weird flare up in using a certain eye cream I have been really hesitant on putting too much on my face. If I really feel the need to put under eye concealer on, I use the Bobbi Brown Corrector in the color bisque. I use the absolute smallest amount you could put on your finger. Literally a pin point and blend it in. If I have a red mark on my face from a blemish I use Laura Mercier Secret Concealer. Though I haven’t used that one in ages.

The next thing that goes on my face is one of my favorites. The bronzer. Not sure how to apply it? Here is a video I filmed on how to apply bronzer. I’m not too partial on a certain bronzer but I have gone through a few boxes of Benefit Hoola, I have also tried Laura Mercier Bronzing Pressed Powder, and next to use up will be my Vasanti Brazilian Bronzer.

I’ve been using blush lately just because I have it and I like to use different colored blushes on my cheeks to give it a varied flushed look to my skin. Right now I’m using E.L.F Blush in the color candid coral.

I don’t need to use mascara as my eyelashes are one of everyone’s favorite feature of mine. People have joked about how envious they are of me for having such long lashes. I use mascara to make them more obnoxious and volumized. My day-to-day mascara is Vasanti Long Lash mascara. It’s decent for every day wear since it’s not too in your face. It gives your lashes a nice coat and doesn’t flake and leave residue underneath your eyes at the end of the day. When I want them to look like false lashes I use my all time favorite duo which is the Makeup Forever Smokey Lash then Buxom Lash layered on top.

I know a ton of people are a fan of MAC Cosmetics, and I did a MAC makeup review back in 2009 of all the information still remains accurate in my opinion, so check that out too if you’re interested. I don’t wash my brushes daily anymore more like ever 3-4 applications.

See my skincare routine below:

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Daily, Photos, Reviews

Marcelle BB Cream recap

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I’ve tried out the Marcelle BB Cream that I got to review from the company a few weeks ago. While my first impression post had me wondering how often I’d really use the product. It definitely through me for a loop.

I’ve been using it every single day on my face which has completely replaced my Laura Mercier moisturizing foundation and I’ll tell you why.

My skin has been acting up ever since I got back to Ontario from Newfoundland over the Christmas holidays. It’s been very sensitive, dry and I’ve had a few flare ups around my eyes making them puffy! Marcelle products are one of the few items I can use on my face comfortably without it acting up. It’s hypo-allergenic, which is why I wasn’t afraid to use a new product by them.

In fact, I use my (oops I bought oily by accident) Marcelle makeup remover to remove the BB cream at the end of the day.

The Marcelle BB cream as I stated in my first impressions post was basically sold as a primer, foundation, and moisturizer all in one.

I have been moisturizing before I apply my BB cream and then applying one full pump on the back of my hand and using a sigma kabuki brush to apply it all over my face.

At first I thought the Marcelle BB cream would be like a tinted moisturizer. But it applied in a fuller coverage than that. It didn’t feel as thick as a foundation. I never realized until then, that my regular foundation from Laura Mercier was thick and heavy on my face. I suppose I was just used to the feeling after about two years of wear with it.

The Marcelle BB cream feels like my own skin, just like any tinted moisturizer on my face would. But it’s different and I don’t get it. It has more coverage. It looked like my own skin when I blended it in, and I didn’t have to use much of the product. The one thing that annoys me about this product is that the pump sometimes gets stuck and squirts out hardly any product and I have to face it away from me for fear of it getting on my work clothes.

I don’t know whether it’s because I simplified my makeup routine in January or if it’s the new Marcelle BB cream, but in the mornings after I get out of the shower and moisturize my face, I feel like I’m not as red and splotchy looking on my cheeks.

Here are three photos of me getting ready for work this morning.

(Click image to enlarge)

Left-to-right:

1. No Makeup.
2. Moisturized then Marcelle BB Cream on top.
3. Eyelashes curled (taking a break from mascara) then bronzer, and blush added.

The Marcelle BB cream photographs a little light I’ve noticed which is kind of a pain. I honestly didn’t think I would like this product as much as I did, and I’m surprised that I’m using it every day. I do feel that I still require some bronzer and blush to make my face not look as flat, where as the Laura Mercier foundation, I don’t always need to do that.

The BB cream only comes in two shades, and I presume I was sent the lightest one but I can’t be sure. But I’m definitely pleased with this product, it even made it into my Skin Saviors post, and I’m definitely going to use the entire tube of it.

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