All About Eyes - Rainy Night

*Re-posted as I accidentally deleted the previous one. Good thing I had the text saved on my desktop!*

Hello, lovelies! Hope you're all doing well. Some of you may or may not remember, but I did a mini-review of products from Annabelle Cosmetics' Hype collection. It came with two eyeshadows that I didn't already own, so I decided to incorporate them into a look. It was raining a lot when I created it, so it was sort of inspired by the downpour as well :p.

Products Used:

Annabelle Cosmetics Mono Eyeshadow - (L to R) Revolver, Lagoon, Ultra Violet

Annabelle Cosmetics Liquid Eyeliner - Mystic Black

MAC Fluidline - Blacktrack

L'oréal Voluminous Mascara - Black

First off, I applied some Blacktrack Fluidline on the lid, all the way up to the brow bone, making sure to leave the inner third free of product.

Then I applied Revolver (a silvery, lilac shade) on the inner corner and blended it towards the centre of the eyelid.

Next was Lagoon. If you look at the swatches above, you'll notice it's not very pigmented at all. However, when foiled or applied over a darker base, the colour looks more intense. This was applied from just past the centre of the eyelid to the outer edge, ending just at the crease.

Then came Ultra Violet, which was applied with a fluffy brush to the upper edge of the shadows. I concentrated on the outer half of the eyelid and made sure to blend it well with Lagoon. This eyeshadow also doesn't swatch very pigmented but the colour looks vibrant because of the black base.

Then I took an angled brush and applied Lagoon to the lash line and used a pencil brush to apply Ultra Violet below it.

The last steps were to line the upper lash line with Mystic Black (black with silver glitter), line the lower water line with Blacktrack, apply at least two coats of mascara to the top and bottom lashes, and fill in the gaps in my eyebrows with a matte black eyeshadow.

And voila:

Hope you enjoyed this look!

Inspiration Sunday - Icons

Grace Kelly - The Princess

(photo from: The Catacomb)

Audrey Hepburn - The Epitome of Elegance

(photo from: Obit)

Mitzi Gaynor - The Triple Threat

(photo from: We Got Bruce)

Cyd Charisse - The Graceful

(photo from: Images)

Rita Moreno - The Spitfire

(photo from: Filmbug)

Julie Andrews - The Voice

(photo from: Martini Pink)

Who are your favourite Icons?

Lush Cleansers - Review

My skin has changed a lot in the last few months. I used to have combination/oily skin with hormonal breakouts but thanks to a rather massive meltdown, my skin is now dry/combination with some pretty persistent breakouts. 

Back when my skin had horrible dry, itchy patches, I used nothing but soothing products. The Aveeno Moisturizing Bar and Korres' Wild Rose Moisturizer really helped to soothe my sensitive skin and get it back to normal. Yes, my skin type has changed, but no more itchy, burning skin!

So, now that my skin isn't so sensitive, I was looking to change my cleansers. However, I was still a bit paranoid about triggering another meltdown so I went with products that were more natural. Enter, Lush's Angels On Bare Skin and Coalface cleansers.

I know Coalface is for oily skin, but I wasn't really too concerned about it drying my skin out because I was going to moisturize anyway. I knew I wasn't going to be able to use it every day since it has gritty particles that can be quite abrasive, and depending on whether or not my skin was feeling particularly robust or sensitive, I would either apply the product directly to my face or rub one side on my hand to create a lather.

If you look closely, you'll see scratch marks and raised bumps on the surface. This is due to the ground charcoal that's in the bar (Coalface is basically Dark Angels in solid form). Like I mentioned before, I wasn't going to be using this cleanser every single day. But it's great for deep cleansing and the gritty particles exfoliate the skin pretty well. 

Since using Coalface (I've been using it for a little over a month), I've noticed less blackheads and some of my blemishes go away quicker. For the stubborn ones that don't go away as quickly as I would like, I've noticed that they don't get as big as my other blemishes have before. I also remember one particular pimple that stuck around for nearly a month and after a few days of using Coalface, the size reduced considerably.

One thing to keep in mind though, is that it does leave a residue after use so make sure to use toner afterwards.

I've used Angels On Bare Skin before and I liked it even then. Since I only use Coalface around 4-5 nights a week, I needed another cleanser to use in the morning. Actually, I lie... I didn't need another cleanser since I still have half a bottle of Cucumber Cleansing Milk from The Body Shop (which I still love), I just wanted another one :p.

Semantics aside, I think Angels On Bare Skin is a really simple but effective cleanser. It has ground almonds in it which are great for gentle exfoliation and whenever I use it, my skin feels very fresh, clean, smooth, and not at all dry or tight. I quite like the scent, too; it smells like lavender and something else I can't place, though it smells very earthy and is definitely not for everyone. However, it isn't strong or overwhelming at all.

One thing that can turn people off from this cleanser (and Lush's other fresh cleansers) is the fact that you need to mix it up in your hand prior to use. Personally, it's not a problem, but it can get messy. I find that the easiest way to use Angels On Bare Skin is by placing approximately a dime sized amount on the palm of your hand and adding a few drops of water. Once you mix it up, it's quite easy to use.

The Final Verdict

I'm definitely happy with these cleansers; Coalface gives me better exfoliation and a deeper cleanse and Angels On Bare Skin exfoliates in a gentler way and keeps my skin clean, but balanced. Another great thing about Lush cleansers is that you can spend only what you want to spend. Each cleanser you see in the photos above cost me $5.00 CAD apiece. So you can either buy a pre-packaged cleanser (usually priced around $10.00 CAD) or you can ask for a specific price and the Sales Associate will measure out a piece for you. But keep in mind that Lush fresh cleansers (these are the ones that come in a roll and aren't solid) expire after 3 months so only purchase what you can use. 

So will I repurchase these? Well, I'll probably try something else because let's face it, us junkies need to keep trying out other products :p. That said, I can easily see myself re-visiting both these cleansers in the future. In fact, this is the second time I've repurchased Angels on Bare Skin.

Have you tried any Lush cleansers?

What's your favourite?

Lest We Forget

Happy Remembrance Day to my fellow Canadians & to those of you from the UK, and Happy Veterans Day to my American friends. 

Most importantly, thanks to the veterans and everyone who is still serving our beautiful country today. We're thinking of you...

All About Eyes - Jazzberry

Products Used:

Sleek MakeUP i-Divine Palette - Sunset (maroon shade)

Annabelle Cosmetics Mono Eyeshadow - Jazzberry

MAC Fluidline - Blacktrack

L'oréal Voluminous Mascara - Black

Another one of my "let's take two random colours and slap them together" looks :p.

So I started off with a maroon shade all over the lid and up to the brow bone. Next up, I applied Jazzberry (a muddy, purple colour) on the "outer v," starting from the outer third of the eye and applying the top part a little bit past the halfway point. Then I applied Blacktrack rather heavily on both the upper and lower lash line, as well as the lower water line. I also made sure to flick it out just a tad. Lastly, I applied a few coats of L'oréal Voluminous Mascara on both the upper and lower lashes.

Happy Monday, lovelies!

Inspiration Sunday - Colour Coordinate

(photo from style.com)

(photo from style.com)

(photo from InStyle)

(photo from style.com)

(photo from Lisa Eldridge)

Sorry I've been MIA; I've been pretty sick this past week. Hope you all had a lovely weekend and here's to a wonderful (and healthy) week up ahead!

Monthly Favourites - October 2010

Time is definitely flying, isn't it? I completely forgot about my monthly favourites until yesterday! Nevertheless, here they are:

1. Sigma - Large Angled Contour Brush (F40)

I've only started contouring a few months ago (*gasp*) and the Sigma F40 (formerly the SS168) is absolutely perfect for it; plus, the bristles are super soft. I'm absolutely loving this brush at the moment!

2. Physician's Formula - Bamboo Silk Bronzer in Light Bronze

Since the weather's getting colder, my colour's fading a bit. These bronzers are actually sold separately as a bronzer refill and a compact. The compact has two compartments that has a good sized mirror and a brush. It's not a bad brush; it's quite soft and works in a pinch, but I typically use the Sigma F40. Anyway, the bronzer itself is quite lovely. Like the name suggests, it's quite light so it's perfect for you light-skinned lovelies. The darker powder is matte and the powder that makes the bamboo design has a slight shimmer: it gives a very natural glow and isn't glittery at all.

3. MAC Eyeshadow - Satin Taupe & Shale

These two have become my staples for my everyday look. I use Shale (a "mauve-plum with subtle shimmer") along the lash line and in the crease while I used Satin Taupe (a "taupe with silver shimmer) along my lower lash line. It keeps the look natural but gives great definition and polish. 

4. MAC Plushglass - Big Baby

This is the MLBB lipgloss for me. Described by MAC as a "peach with pink and white pearl," it makes my lips look more polished but is still very natural. It has a pretty pleasant tingling sensation and a lovely vanilla scent. 

5. MAC Lipstick - Jubilee

And now for the MLBB lipstick. I already talked about Jubilee here so I won't bother getting into a lot of detail. But as the MLBB title suggests, it's my fool-proof, fail-proof lipstick. I often pair it with Big Baby and they're both perfect for those moments when you feel particularly lazy and just want to slap on some lip product to polish up your look. Also, the awesome thing about MLBB products is that you don't have to worry about looking ridiculous when they fade. Which is perfect for me because I usually can't be arsed to re-apply :p.

6. Giorgio Armani - Emporio Armani She

I have a pretty big soft spot for this fragrance. She is described as "a fresh blend of delicate florals, heliotrope, almond accents and a caressing wake of vanilla and cedar wood that melt together in perfect harmony." So yes, it smells lovely, but that's not what I love most about She. I was given this perfume way back in 2005/6 while I was in Milan for a week. I started using it while I was still there and since the sense of smell is relates closely to our memory, I'm pretty much transported back there every time I use it. I've started using it again this month and every time I do, I remember Milan :).

What are your faves from this month?