Bicycle Chic

You'd best believe I'm saving up for one of these puppies:

 

 

(all photos from: The Sartorialist) 

A chic ensemble, a cute bike, riding on the streets of Paris or London or New York... Sounds like a lovely day to me.

Vogue Japan Photo - Recreate

I saw this gorgeous photo on the Beauty Crazed site and was so inspired, I thought I'd give the look a go and see if I could recreate it. 

Please note: I am not a makeup artist, I don't have the same facial features as this model (though I wish I did), and I don't have the same products that was used on her (heck, I don't even know what was used on her). So obviously, my photos are not going to look anything like the original; but hey, I tried right? And it's all in good fun, anyway! Here goes nothing:

PRODUCTS USED:

So I started off with MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre all over the lid up (to the brows) and formed the winged out shape from the original photo using MAC Fluidline in Macroviolet. Once that was done, I used the purple shade from Sleek MakeUP's Origina I-Divine palette to soften the edges a bit. I took the colour up to the brow bone and also softly buffed it up to the temple. Then I took Sephora brand eyeshadow in Aspen Summit and used it to highlight the brow bone and above the cheekbone. I also blended it onto the purple eyeshadow in the temple area. I finished the eye area with two coats of L'oréal Voluminous mascara.

For the face, I used whatever base was on hand (I think it was Revlon Beyond Natural) and used MAC Blush Ombre in Vintage Grape on the cheeks (I only used the lighter part of the blush). For the lips, I applied concealer first to tone down the pink shade that my lips naturally have. Then I used MAC Lipstick in Cherish and topped it off with Clinique Long Last Glosswear in Air Kiss. 

This look as a lot of fun to recreate. I've been really enjoying trying to create and recreate different looks lately as I've been testing my skills to see if I have what it takes to go into makeup artistry (as a Plan B, of course).

What do you think? 

Did I completely miss the mark

or was my finished look pretty accurate?

Neutrogena UltraSheer Water-Light Daily Face Sunscreen - Review

As much as I like to think about fall and cooler weather, summer is still upon us. Which means sun protection is still foremost in my mind. Admittedly, I tend to slack a bit with applying sunscreen during the winter months (kind of hard to think about sun protection when you barely see the sun), but I am making an effort to change that. 

I was previously using Clinique's Super City Block, which was fine when my skin wasn't so sensitive, but now it just feels like too much. So I was looking for something that felt lighter on the skin. Enter, Neutrogena's new UltraSheer Water-Light Sunscreen.

The biggest draw for me when I first read about this product online was that it was a nice, weightless formula. My skin is dry so I need moisturizer and I'm not leaving home without base on, add to that primer & sunscreen and that's 4 layers of slap! Four! I was so not having it.

But when I saw the actual product and read that it "works beautifully under make-up," I got really excited. Does this mean I can skip primer? Well, in a word: YES. 

This sunscreen goes on so smoothly and if you've got oily skin, I think you might not even need moisturizer under this (or at least just a teeny tiny bit). It applies fairly matte (unlike Clinique's Super City Block) and leaves skin feeling so smooth.

But the best part is: not only are you getting sun protection, but you're also priming your skin for makeup. My foundation applies just as well as I do when using L'oréal's Magic Base; my foundation is more even and I get better coverage when using this product than when I use moisturizer and foundation alone. 

I am so glad I heard about this product! It does double duty as a sunscreen and primer; plus with a price of $14.99, you really can't go wrong with it. I'm still using my L'oréal Magic Base, but only when I'm re-doing my makeup for nighttime or for performances. That being said, both products are definitely recommended!

What's your favourite sun care product?

Collection Spotlight: Marc Jacobs - Fall 2010

(all photos from: style.com)

If I could give this collection a title, it would be: Romance in the English Countryside.

Who cares if it's corny? It's pretty accurate, no? 

Marc Jacobs said, "it's refreshing to see something that isn't trying so hard to be new." I quite agree with this statement. There's nothing ground breaking about this collection; but in its simplicity, I see comfort. And I think that's what will make women reach for these items. 

Yes, it's nice to be a vixen. Yes, it's nice to feel sexy. But sometimes you just want to be feminine without too many accoutrements and that's what you get with Marc Jacobs' Fall line.

Are you a fan of Marc Jacobs?

Monthly Favourites - July 2010

Does anyone else feel like this year is going by unusually fast?

I certainly do.

Anyways, here are my favourites from the month of July:

1. The Body Shop Cucumber Cleansing Milk

I purchased this product during The Body Shop's 2 for $10 promotion. However, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it so I foolishly only bought one. Regardless, I would gladly repurchase this at full price ($8.99 CAD for 250 mL = awesome deal!). It's so refreshing, especially on warmer days and cleans skin gently but effectively.

2. The Body Shop New Facial Buffer

Such a wonderful little product! It's gentle enough for daily exfoliation (I use it every morning), yet effective enough to keep my skin looking radiant and supple. Take note: the dye from the label does seep into the buffer so you will have to repurchase every so often. I've been using this for a little over a month and it's already looking a little dirty. Although I think the way it's stored while drying makes a big difference, i.e. don't hang it vertically so the dye won't seep downwards. Click here to read a more in-depth review.

3. Boots Original Beauty Formula Cleansing Milk

A simple cleanser that removes face (not eye) makeup effectively without causing a reaction to my sensitive skin. Click here to read a more in-depth review.

4. Korres Wild Rose 24-Hour Moisturizer

My skin-saver! It cleared up my dry patches in around 3 days and relieved the sensitivity in about a week. It smells wonderful and has given me my old skin back. Click here to read a more in-depth review.

1. Sleek MakeUP I-Divine Eyeshadow Palettes

Wonderfully pigmented, great texture, awesome selection of colours, easily blendable; and all in a small, lightweight case. After having experienced the Sleek Palettes, I honestly can't see myself splurging on eyeshadows anymore. Click here to read a more in-depth review.

2. MAC In The Groove Mineralize Skinfinishes

I purchased By Candlelight and Petticoat (and missed out on Stereo Rose, dagnabbit!) when MAC released the In The Groove collection and I can finally see what the big deal is with these MSF's (<-- that's me dropping abbreviations, yo!). They are so ridiculously gorgeous and gives you a wonderful healthy glow. I foresee another obsession joining the blush & lip product club! Click here to see more product photos.

3. MAC Vegas Volt Lipstick

Gorgeous texture, gorgeous shade, perfect for summer! I love using this lipstick when I've gone neutral everywhere else. It adds just enough oomph to a look without looking like costume makeup. It is absolutely my favourite lipstick at the moment!

4. Viktor & Rolph Flowerbomb Eau de Parfum

Oh my goodness, do I ever love this scent! It's feminine but musky, a winning combination for me as I find the more feminine scents to be too cloying. I like my scents strong; scents that are more woman, less girl. It's such a sexy scent and the bottle is divine! I'm in love!

5. Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15

I purchased this product after giving up on Bare Minerals foundation. I was dealing with The Meltdown at the time and had a ridiculous amount of dry patches all over my face. But, I didn't want to wear liquid foundation all the time as I was dealing with major sensitivity as well (my face was very itchy and stung whenever any moisture touched it). So I purchased this and what a Godsend! It didn't attach itself to my dry flaked (as powder products are wont to do) and has the most amazing creamy texture when applied. I'm serious, it feels gorgeous on the skin! Also, it has fantastic coverage, I barely even needed to conceal my blemishes (and I had many). Dare I say, this possibly HG material for me? Yes, I do dare!

Those are my July Favourites, what are yours?

Music Monday - 8/2/2010

How Deep Is Your Love - The Bird and The Bee

Happy Monday, everyone!

What Saved My Skin

So approximately 7 months after The Meltdown, I've finally got my skin under control, all thanks to these products:

*Note: to really get the full scope of how badly my skin was behaving, it's important to read The Meltdown. I think that it will give you a better understanding of how well these products have worked for me.*

1. The Body Shop's New Facial Buffer

I first heard about this from The Yummy Mummy's Beauty Blog and I was immediately intrigued. I loved the feeling of freshly exfoliated skin but it had become absolutely necessary for me when my face broke in many dry patches. But my skin was still sensitive so I couldn't use anything too abrasive. Enter, the Facial Buffer. It exfoliates gently and leaves my skin feeling smooth and looking supple.

2. Aveeno Moisturizing Bar

When I purchased this, I was in desperate need of a cleanser. I had just returned Purity Made Simple and was using a sample of Lush's Aqua Marina a lovely SA so kindly gave me. Unfortunately, Aqua Marina was a bit harsh/drying so I started looking for a new cleanser. Thanks to the power of the interwebs, i came across this moisturizing bar and decided to try it out. I'm so glad I did! It leaves my skin feeling really clean but without stripping it dry. It's a simple facial cleanser that does its job well. No fancy packaging or tricks, but it's kept my skin in such great shape.

3. Korres Wild Rose 24-Hour Moisturizer

The Star of the show. I really think that this product was what kick-started my skin's return to normalcy. It's such a beautiful moisturizer and really calmed my skin down. It smells wonderful and I love that it has no silicones or parabens. The first time I put this on, I could immediately feel that my skin was more moisturized and after less than a week, I woke up with zero tightness on my face; a feeling I was waking up to everyday while using Origins Mega Mushroom Face Cream. Also, the properties of this moisturizer sound amazing: 

I'm so in love with this moisturizer. I typically like to switch up products after I've used them up because I get bored easily, but this is one that I have to seriously think about. 

The combination of these 3 products really saved my skin. Not only was I dealing with plenty of blemishes, but I was also dealing with very dry, itchy, sensitive, and dull skin. I still have the odd few blemishes to deal with, but other than that, my skin has had a complete turnaround: my complexion looks much better now than it has in almost a year, my skin is free of dry patches, the sensitivity is under control (my face used to sting when wet), and it feels smooth and supple.

My new philosophy on skincare is simplicity. My skin used to be more robust and able to take harsher formulations but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. So simple, no nonsense but effective products are the way to go. 

Are there any skincare products you swear by?