Another Sunday Another Mask

Sundays are my favorite day to indulge in skincare. With the weather being crazy cold my skin has been extra dry as of late. Not to mention the alcohol I consumed last night also didn’t help my dry skin case either. So I thought today would be a great day to do a hydration mask. 

Today’s mask is the Arbonne FC5 Intense Hydration mask. Would I say this mask is Intense … No, but this mask smells nice and leaves my skin looking glowy. The part I really like is the fact that this looks clear on the skin so you can wear it out if you need too. With that being said too I wish this didn’t have alcohol in it, it kind of makes the hydration thing counter productive?

While I enjoy using this and will finish the bottle happily. I would have to say I would not repurchase this in the future. While this hasn’t caused irritation to my skin, I don’t like some of the irritating ingredients inside.  

5 MAC Must Haves

I have not bought any MAC products in a year. What really drove me bananas was the constant flow of limited edition products. Don’t get me wrong I love the collections but I hate that every time I fall in love with a product it leaves me high and dry when its discounted shortly after. It almost makes me feel guilty for using the products I love so much.

This story gets brighter trust me…

So while going through my collection I realized there are a ton of permanent products from MAC that I love! With that in mind this post was born… ladies here are 5 awesome products that are permanent at MAC.

Mineralized Skin Finish Natural

I always avoided powders, because they emphasis dry areas in my skin.  On the other hand I always wanted a powder because they take seconds to buff on with a kabuki brush. So I was in a dilemma to say the least. I’m not sure what lead me to this powder but holy does this ever look beautiful, even on my dry skin. I would describe this powder as light to medium coverage, with a natural finish. Which is great because you can use it as a finishing powder or a quick powder foundation. Since I bought this I have probably gone through 5 of these and will continue to purchase in the future.

Mac Fluid Line in Black Track

I can’t do a cat liner with out this!

This is the blackest, most opaque, non-shiny, non-flakey gel liner ever (well in my opinion). If you love gel eyeliner try out the fluid line it’s definitely worth the hype.

Blush in Springsheen

I have bloggers regret when I didn’t mention this color in my blush week, because it has to be one of my favorites. Springsheen is a beautiful coral with tons of gold shimmer running through it. It’s very similar to orgasm but swings a bit more orange. Basically its one of those colors that instantly brightens up your face … pure magic.

Mac Painterly 

Mac Painterly is a cream base that neutralizes the crazy colours that happen on your eyes. 

I love this as a base because it's increases the longevity of shadows but also looks great worn alone too!

Eye Shadow in Shroom

Last but not least Shroom! Shroom is my most used eye shadow in my whole collection. I don’t know what better way to say this but this is the only color I have finished three times and continue to use on a regular basis. Shroom has an ability to make your shadow look shimmery yet natural at the same time. It’s the kind of eye shadow that looks convincingly natural, but shimmery.

Yes, that made no sense unless you’ve tried it!

Don’t let the weekly limited editions ruin your MAC experiences there are some solid products in between. My collection has been lacking permanent MAC lipsticks so I would love to know what your favorites are!

As always thanks for reading!

Tanya

Winter Blues and Pale Hues

The holiday season is officially over. While a part of me loves golden eye shadows and crimson lipsticks nothing looks more fresh then cool and pale toned products. So I thought I would share with you some of my favourite fresh makeup picks for this cold winter season.

Try a pale pink gloss!

I love red lipsticks and do continue to use them no matter what the season, but there’s something to be said about a pale pink gloss. MAC’s Oyster Girl and Chanel’s Bonbon have to be some of my favorites to achieve this pale pink icy look.

I guess that’s what I like about it … it looks icy, but in a sexy way!

Charcoal Grey Mascara

Grey mascara is a nice switch to the normal black. In fact playing around with the YSL Shocking mascara has really made me like the softer color. While it still adds definition it looks more natural against my pale skin. It’s been years since I’ve owned a non black mascara but it’s actually something I would like to keep in my collection at all times.

Shimmery Pinks

Yes, you can wear icy blue color eye shadows but in all honesty that’s not my scene. So instead I’ve opted for MAC’s Jest. Jest is a frosty light-medium color that borders between a champagne tone and a pink tone. This shadow is smooth and richly pigmented and great for one-color eye shadow looks. While champagne color really pops on my skin the pink tones really bring out my blue eyes.

Sub-zero Blue Polish

Readers for the past 4 months I’ve been wearing darker polish’s and I’ve honestly been missing pastels. So on a whim I grabbed this polish and I to my surprise it really works with winter!

Does anyone else match nail polish to the current weather conditions?

 Or is this just me?

Rock the Boat is a pale icy blue with silver mirco-shimmers that honestly looks blue icicles. I have been loving this color and highly recommend you try a pale blue this season.

Whatever the season I always like keeping my makeup simple, natural and quick. But after months of wearing bold colors and golden toned shadows I always find it refreshing to switch to something completely different. So shop your makeup collection and switch things up this winter.

Faking Radiant Glowy Skin

She is twirling outside while large beautiful snowflakes touch her dewy cheeks. She looks cute and luminous and perfect for a scenic snowy day. Mean while in normal girl land, it’s more like a wintery mess.

 I have to admit it I am not a snow angel. Between my eczema breakouts and constant dry skin I don’t glow in the cold, I crack. But ladies and gentleman don’t let that put a stop to your wind there’s help. So get your snow bunny outfits on, these are my 3 cheats to faking glowy skin.

Moisturizing Primer

Primers don’t just prolong your foundation; they can also moisturize and give luminosity to the skin. For those of us who are not blessed with the glow the first step is adding a primer that does. My long time favorite has been the Makeup Forever HD Primer in 0. This is one of those miracle products that hold your foundation together but still gives you that glow. The best part is this product has no shimmer or glitter so it looks very natural/convincing.

Luminous Setting Powder

Ditch your mattifying powder if you want luminous skin. Instead try something with some light reflecting properties. The hardest part is finding a powder that catches light but doesn’t give you a disco ball look. A favorite of mine is the Guerlain Metorites, they give your skin a glow but without any detectable shimmer. I’m telling you this product is magic and essential to bringing out your inner snow goddess.

Make Up Mists

Nothing looks more beautiful then dewy skin and there’s no better way to get it then a facial mist. Not only is this the most natural way to get your glow on but they typically have great skincare benefits too. I’m a huge fan of the Avene thermal waters, which come in big and travel friendly purse sizes. With that being said I’m using my Dermaglow facial mist at the moment. I have to say this spray is more luxurious, but both get the job done.

I know these products help my skin not only retain moisture but also give me an incredible glow. Again there are tons of different variations of all three products and at every price point. So this winter get your dancing boots on and be the snow angel you really are.

Sunday’s Adventure into High End Mascara

I have been waiting to bust open the YSL Shocking Mascara I got back in October. And just like any beauty addict I was waiting for the perfect event to dabble back into the high-end mascara world. So I thought New Year = New Mascara.

YSL Shocking mascara is a cult beauty product because of its extreme ability to thicken and lengthen lashes. Instead of purchasing this in the usual black I opted for the Charcoal Grey, just because I wanted to try something 'different'. While I love the color of this I have to be honest with you, I’m not in love. Yes, the packaging and scent are beautiful, but the product is just okay. I’m not digging the whole thickening mascara thing, it kind of makes my lashes look clumpy. Don’t get me wrong this is not a bad mascara but I can’t help but to feel $36 for a semi clumpy pop is a lot of money.

Next product I had been playing with over the holiday is the Bourjois Glamour Max Holiday’s Mascara. This mascara is drug store mascara that ranges for about $20. Great formula, cute packaging, but the brush is too round for my liking. Again Glamour Max is not a bad product but not a Holy Grail product in my option either.

Overall, I feel a little guilty using these. While both are decent products for my lashes nothing beats the Essence Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara. The brush is thin enough to get every lash, it gives volume and length like no other. The best part is for $4.99 it rivals any high-end mascara I’ve tried. So while I am having fun experimenting with new products I can’t wait to go back to my $4.99 bargain.

  

Tip & Tools For Nearly Nothing Makeup

There’s no harder look to achieve the no makeup, makeup look. Seamless blending, natural finishes and resisting the temptation to add a little more are all the struggles I encounter with this look. So put down that tube of red lipstick and keep reading if you want to hear my tips and tools to achieve the no makeup look.

Cream Blush

 Glitter and shimmer just don’t scream natural. To achieve that natural glow I like to apply a shimmer free cream blush to the apples of the cheeks. Not only does cream blush blend into foundation like a dream but it also acts as a highlight as well. My favorite is Bobbi Brown’s pot rouge in Blushed Rose. I find Blushed Rose is a flattering color for many different skin tones.

*P.s. I have this in the old Bobbi Brown packaging but you can still get these.

Eye Lash Curlers

Not something I use often I have to be honest with you. Luckily I was born with curly eyelashes, so in combination with mascara the whole look is a little… crazy to be honest. I do however like to curl my lashes when I wear minimal mascara or no mascara at all. By far the best mascara curler I have found thus far is the Shu Uemura curler.

Tinted Lip Balm

Tinted lip balms were invented for minimal makeup days. So it’s always a no brainer to pair my favorite tinted lip balm with my no makeup look. There are a ton out there, but recently I have been going back to my old love, the Burt’s Bee’s lip balm in Rose.

Domed Shaped Blending Brush

So many brands make these and at every price point too! I love that these can add subtle definition to the crease of the eye. My favorite is my Sigma blending brush. I got years ago and I still love it because it remains it holds its shape no matter how many times I’ve washed it.

Blend Blend Blend

Probably the best tip to having natural looking makeup is to blend it and then blend again. Going over your makeup once its done with a clean duo fiber brush ensures your makeup looks seamless.

Remember natural makeup isn’t supposed to look perfect but I think that’s what makes the look so fresh. I’m not someone who ever wears heavy makeup but I have to say there’s something refreshing about using only a few products and looking bare faced.

Beauty Resolutions

I love spending new years relaxing at home, sharing memories with family and eating up a storm.  While my I try not to make new years resolutions per say I try to reflect and think about how I can make the next year better.  Organization is always on the top of the list but its something that I fail every year. So without getting too deep I thought I would share with you my beauty “resolutions” for 2014.

1.     Stop buying so much darn makeup

Let’s be honest, I have too much makeup! I’m sure most of you reading this can agree. While I love trying new things maybe getting suckered into my 6^th tube of Baby lips isn’t a wise idea?

2.     Start drinking more water

I have dry skin and water apparently helps, who knew?

3.     Start a blogging agenda

I did this the last portion of last year. It just helps me get ideas out and also helps me plan when I am writing, taking pictures or posting.

Yup that is all, for some reason I have a feeling I will be struggling with number 1, but we can only try.

I hope each one of you beauties is having a fabulous new years day.

Feel free to leave a comment below I would love to know what your beauty resolutions are.

Thanks for reading!

Tanya