Current Cosmetic Favourites...

Hi everyone!

Sincere apologies for slacking, I've been drowning in school work. One more midterm exam this week and it's spring break! My family and I will be leaving for St. Lucia for vacation on friday, and I can't wait for some warm weather :)

What better way to catch up with the beauty blogging world than a quick "Face of the Day" post including all of my current favourites? On we go:

- HAIR: I got my hair dyed a bit darker. I also purchased organic Argan Oil (the ingredient that makes Moroccanoil so fantastic) at the drugstore (Shopper's Drug Mart, here in Canada). It was a lot cheaper than any other brand name Argan oil products (only $8) and the oil is the second ingredient listed on the back of the packaging.

I've been putting a few drops of this through wet hair instead of Chi Silk Infusion and the shine has dramatically increased. I'm happy.

I also purchased Big shampoo by Lush, and although it smells like cheap laundry detergent powder, it does a great job at thoroughly cleaning my hair. I use it about once a week when I need a stronger clarifying shampoo to eliminate product buildup.

- FACE: NARS Sheer Glow foundation has been wonderful, I am really eager to take this with me on vacation to see how it holds up in the heat. If it holds up, it may just be my favourite thing. It's the only thing that I'm concerned with - that it may only be suitable for me in the winter when my skin is slightly drier.

- CHEEKS: NARS Mounia blush has been a favourite these past few weeks. A deep raspberry/wine colour.

- LIPS: MAC Oyster Girl lipglass. I'm almost finished this gloss for Project 10 Pan. My favourite gloss by MAC. For when my lips get dry, I've been using MAC's lip conditioner before bed. It's better than any chapstick I've ever tried.

No preferences for eye shadow, I've been wearing very little on my eyes lately since I've been either at home studying, sleeping or in a lab deep within University grounds.

- NAILS: Chanel "Particulaire" from their spring collection. It's like Metro Chic by Sephora OPI but with all the lavender hints sucked out of it. In the photo it shows up a bit warmer toned than it is in real life. This is just one coat (LOVE that it only takes one coat!):

I hope that you all have a great week. Looking forward to post about my NARS foundation trials in hot weather. I also have a sample of NARS primer with SPF, which will come in handy. Watch this space :)

A Product Rave: Lush Tea Tree Water Toner

Just a quick post this afternoon about one of my favourite products at the moment. It looks unimpressive and smells a bit strange (like medication, in a way), but this toner is great! My skin has never looked this nice and the only thing I've done differently is add this in my routine. My breakouts are less frequent (from 5-7 in a week to 1-3), it isn't drying and it doesn't sting. It's quite pricy, I paid about $10 (incl. tax) for the little bottle and it barely lasted a month. The bigger bottle is a better value so I'll be getting that in the next couple of days. I just wasn't sure if I would like it and opted for the small bottle to start.

Anyways, if you are on the market for a new toner and you have combination-oily, acne-prone skin like me, give this a try! I spray it on a cotton pad and wipe it on my face, or sometimes I spray it directly on my face after cleansing and apply moisturizer right away and it just glides on... sometimes I do both. I have found that my skin is significantly more balanced and not as extremely oily in spots; any dry flaky parts just go away after I apply this.

Have you ever tried this? Please feel free to share below.

1, 2, 3 things I'm lusting for so far in 2010

1. Alexander Wang Sunglasses

Ever since I saw this amazing picture of Dree Hemingway on Jak&Jil, I knew that cat-eye sunglasses had to be mine.

The Alexander Wang ones are so much fun, and his other designs are great as well. They are ridiculously expensive and I probably won't come near them but hey, you never know what the year will bring. As of right now, I'm drooling over them.

2. The entire Prada Spring/Summer 2010 campaign

Prada also seems to be on board with the cat-eye sunglasses this upcoming season, albeit a more toned-down version.

Their entire ad campaign is so gorgeous, I love the neutrals, the stones, the strange bleached out brows and the make-up. I didn't like much of Prada in 2009, but 2010 looks lovely so far.

3. Nikon D60

Perhaps the most attainable of all, I've been wanting a DSLR camera for ages and I'm currently saving up for this one. I'm a total novice to SLR photography so I'm looking for a basic, entry-level camera. This seems to be my best option. Feel free to weigh in if you have experienced otherwise :)

So that's what's been on my mind for the past few weeks. My list of lust-worthy items is ever-changing, so be sure that I'll be doing more of these posts in the future, if you like hearing about it.

What's on your list so far this year?

Products I'm using right now - edition 2.0

I did this before a few months ago, but since things are always changing, this type of tag is always a fun read. Thanks to the beautiful Muhsine (BUBBLEGARM) for reminding me of this great tag.

On to the goods:

Shampoo: Frederic Fekkai "Advanced Glossing"

Conditioner: L'Oreal Professional "Absolute Repair"

Shower gel: Happy Hippie shower gel by Lush (smells like citrus heaven)

Styling products: Chi Silk Infusion, Aveda Volumizing Tonic, Frederic Fekkai Glossing Cream

Body moisturizer: Bath and Body Works "Twilight Woods" body butter... smells divine

Deodorant: Mitchum Smart Solid for Women... the scent is Waterlily

Fake Tan: St. Tropez Bronzing Mousse

Foundation: Nars Sheer Glow in "Santa Fe" or Chanel Mat Lumiere in #30

Cleanser: Cetaphil

Exfoliator: None (I use the Clarisonic twice a day)

Primer: None

Foundation Brush: MAC 190 or my fingers, or both

Powder: lately NO powder, just bronzer...

Concealer: Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer

Blush: MAC Dollymix or Just A Pinch gel blush (also by MAC)

Bronzer: Benefit "Hoola"

Highlighter: MAC Redhead MSF

Eyeshadow Base: lately I haven't been wearing any, but if I do, the only one I use is Urban Decay Primer Potion

Eyeshadows: NARS Eurydice Eyeshadow Duo, MAC Style Snob, NARS Mykonos

Eyeliner: Feline Kohl Power by MAC, GOSH Bananas eyeliner

Lash Curler: Shu Uemura

Mascara: Chanel Inimitable & YSL Singulier

Lipstick: MAC "Marquise'd", MAC "Feelin' Good" tinted lip conditioner

Lipgloss: none, I've just been using the lip conditioner like crazy

Nail colour: "Can You Tapas This" by OPI

Foundation Talk

Foundation is one of the most important parts of one's makeup routine (unless of course you were blessed with perfect skin - in which case I hate you haha)

I've searched high and low, tried a myriad of different brands, formulas and techniques. Here is a short summary on what I've tried and what I enjoyed, as well as things I'd like to look into in the future...

Before I start, I will re-iterate that I have oily, acne-prone skin that breaks out hormonally 1-2 times a month on my cheeks/chin. Just when I think things are dandy, the breakouts start again so I always seem to have those pesky post-acne red marks and scars that need medium, yet buildable coverage.

Clinique Superfit (Liquid Foundation)

I used this foundation for a year and a half in high school and it was just average. Nothing good, nothing bad, just average. Packaging is nice and it didn't cause any breakouts, however it did not hold up the oils in my skin very well which is why I tried a powder foundation after I had used this up. Mind you, they have reformulated it since then, so it may provide different results now.

Would I repurchase this? - No.

MAC Studio Fix Powder (Powder Foundation)

This is the first product from MAC that I ever bought, and it's the one I have been repurchasing since then. Ironically enough I do not have it in my possession right now since I wanted to give Bare Minerals a try, but my love for this still prevails.

Offers great coverage, takes minimal effort to apply. I use a kabuki brush for a heavier coverage or a fluffy powder brush for light coverage in the summer. I set it with Fix+ spray by MAC on a MAC 187 brush to relieve from the "powdery" look. It also works well as a setting powder over liquid foundation when used with a fluffy, big brush. This is a summer essential for me.

Would I repurchase this? - Yes. I've been repurchasing this for years.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid (Liquid Foundation)

Despite the nice things I had to say about the powder counterpart, Studio Fix Fluid was a big bust for me. I hated the smell, the consistency, the way it spread across the skin. It just felt heavy and uncomfortable. I bought it once and almost used it up because I didn't want to waste it, but I hated every minute of it.

Would I repurchase this? - No.

MAC Select SPF 15 Foundation (Liquid Foundation)

Not as bad as Studio Fix Fluid, but a bit of a nightmare to blend, oxidized easily (which made it hard to get a proper colour match) and the coverage was medium. It is water-based and it did offer reasonable oil control.

Would I repurchase this? - No.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural (Powder)

This product can work as a light coverage powder mineral foundation for some. For me, it just doesn't give enough coverage, so I use it as a setting powder. I really like it, very natural finish and gives a nice glow. I use it in Medium Dark and use it to frame my face. I liked it better when it came in the half matte, half shimmer but they discontinued it unfortunately.

Would I repurchase this? - Yes.

Bare Minerals Mineral Foundation - Original (Powder Foundation)

I loved this. I loved the coverage and the finish. It was perfect for summer. Unfortunately I must have some sort of allergy to one of the ingredients (I'm thinking Bismuth Oxychloride) because every time I used it it made my face itch like crazy. It didn't break me out or give me a rash or anything, it just burned and itched. I wanted it to work so bad because I really loved the results, it would have been the perfect summer foundation for me. Unfortunately it was just too uncomfortable for me.

Would I repurchase this? - No (unless they take that itchy ingredient out)

Bare Minerals Mineral Foundation - Matte (Powder Foundation)

This does not have the itchy ingredient. It requires more product to offer the same coverage as the original formula, and while the original formula gave a natural, glowy finish, with this one I just feel dull. It oxidizes and becomes a bit too pink. With Fix+ it doesn't look as cakey but it doesn't go on evenly and to be honest I prefer MAC Studio Fix Powder to this. Same effect, less hassle. It's a good foundation, I just don't love it as much as other things I've tried.

Would I repurchase this? - No

Bobbi Brown Oil-Free Compact Foundation (Cream Foundation)

How much did I hate this? Let me count the ways... haha... this just did not work for me. It says it's oil free, yet I still felt like I was putting grease on my face when using it. The coverage was medium at best and it had poor staying power. It didn't break me out at all which is probably the only good thing I have to say. I love my Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer and I thought this foundation would be a nice counterpart but it was just unimpressive. Made me feel very greasy. Also, it was expensive and I hit pan after about 3 weeks? Unacceptable.

Would I repurchase this? - No

Dior Nude Foundation (Liquid Foundation)

It's a shame that I had a shade that was too light, because I really loved this foundation. I lost the receipt and couldn't exchange it. It smells amazing, like roses. It is made up of 80% water yet it wasn't runny and it didn't irritate my skin. It went on evenly, but with this foundation you cannot use a brush. Fingers are the way to go. Offered plenty of oil control and gave good coverage. I ended up having to mix it with a darker shade of Chanel Pro Lumiere or with MAC Luster Drops to get the right match. Mixed with Pro Lumiere it was even better!

Would I repurchase this? - Yes (in a shade that matches me, this time)

Chanel Pro Lumiere Foundation (Liquid Foundation)

I still have this lurking in my bathroom, it is now too dark for me since I got it after last year's trip to Florida when I had a nice tan. The coverage was great and it didn't look caky. The only problem is that my skin was sometimes just too oily for it. After 2 hours I looked like an oil slick and it was sliding off. Mixed with Dior Nude, however, I really enjoyed it. It also worked nicely when I was having a drier skin day. It also photographed beautifully. I may repurchase this just for going out. Also, packaging was my favourite.

Would I repurchase this? - Yes... maybe...

Chanel Mat Lumiere Foundation (Liquid Foundation)

Smells of roses, just like Pro Lumiere and Dior Nude. Great packaging as well. I prefer applying it with my fingers since with a brush I find that it dries too quick and is a bit tricky to blend. Using my fingers I feel that the foundation gets that extra warmth and can spread easier on the face. This foundation has great lasting power on me and controls oil very well. It doesn't even need to be set with powder. The finish is not completely bland matte, it is more of a satin-matte finish. Doesn't photograph as nicely as Pro Lumiere and does tend to oxidize a tiny bit. It is my favourite foundation out of what I have tried so far, however.

Would I repurchase this? - Yes

NARS Sheer Glow (Liquid Foundation)

The best colour match I've had. I am "Santa Fe" in this range. Also, this foundation was the most easy to blend out of all the ones I've tried. The coverage is good - medium. I'd like a bit more coverage sometimes, but it's not too bad. Despite the name it does not have a "glowing" finish, which is good news for me. Finish is similar to Chanel Mat Lumiere - a matte satin.

I thought it broke me out at one point because I was wearing it every day, but I stopped, my skin cleared up, and I started using it again and it's been fine. Strange.

I really love this foundation but not sure how it will be in the summer with my oily skin, but mind you, it's not a foundation intended for oily skins. I still bent the rules and tried it, and I am glad that I did. It may just be my winter go-to.

Would I repurchase this? - Yes

I hope you found it useful/enjoyable to read my opinions on some of these. Feel free to share your experiences as well as any recommendations you may have for me.

In the future, I would like to try out the following:

Bobbi Brown Skin

Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk

Clinique Even Better

Make Up Forever HD

Make Up Forever Mat Velvet +

YSL Perfect Touch

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light

Have you tried any of them?

Happy New Year!

What better way to start off the blog posts of 2010 than with an outfit post?

New Year's eve was spent with my boyfriend and some friends out to one of my favourite restaurants for some good food, wine, champagne and dancing (well, I didn't do much dancing but I had a great time observing two Jersey Shore-eque guys doing the fist pump for a few songs haha)

I finally got to wear the pretty dress I bought in Germany earlier this year! I have this weird tendency to hoard "special" clothing purchases... I buy something and keep on waiting to wear it because I often think it's too nice to waste on just a regular night out. I am going to work on that in the new year. Things just keep building up otherwise and I never get to enjoy them enough. Does anyone else have this problem or am I the only strange one out there like this? :)

The dress is by Joana Danciu, and she has a boutique in Munich on Maximillian Street. She is a Romanian designer which made this purchase that much more special for me, since I was born and raised there.

I also wore black nylons, which are not pictured, and a pair of simple round-toe black patent pumps by Guess.

The clutch is Marc Jacobs, from his 2008 resort collection. I found it hidden in the racks of a Nordstrom sale a few months ago and it's been my baby ever since :)

Bracelets are by Tiffany's, nail polish is Essie "Mint Candy Apple". I've been obsessed with this colour all winter.

I hope you all have had a great start to the new year so far and I'm looking forward to what 2010 has to offer. I am still hanging along with "Project 10 Pan" - although I mini-cheated and bought some MAC Power Kohl eyeliners and a tinted lip conditioner with Christmas gift cards... oops :)

So far I have not finished anything, 0/10, but I am working on it... I just hope my concealer doesn't run out first because going without it will not be a pretty sight haha

Love,

Sandra

In & Out XII

IN

- having next week off from work. I know it's only tuesday, but I can't wait for next week

- the twilight woods fragrance from bath & body works.

- Avatar! I also enjoyed the fact that CGI Zoe Saldana did a better job acting than most popular young actresses nowadays *cough* KStew *cough*

- J Brand jean leggings. Most comfortable things ever.

- holiday pay. hellz yeah.

- Dexter. Fantastic show, just got into season 1 and I am enjoying the ride

- the boyfriend's camera is in my hands yet again... you know what that means! No less than stellar outfit posts!

OUT

- COLD COLD COLD OUTSIDE. It's freezing, no snow, just weird gusts of ice.

- mean post-holiday shoppers

- Burt's Bees lip balm. Just not cutting it in this cold.

- Lady Gaga moving her show from a small intimate theatre to a big arena for the concert I'm attending on the 13th :( I don't like big arena shows

That's about it for the evening. Have a great rest of the week and I'll catch you before the year ends. Take care everyone

Outfit of the (satur)DAY

Happy tuesday, everyone!

After some extensive Facebook creeping, I found a photo of me from saturday evening that shows my outfit to the best of its ability. (Remember that I still lack proper camera *sigh*)

I opted for a funky twist on the classic pencil skirt. The only thing not pictured are the shoes, which were a pair of grey suede ankle boots by Jessica Simpson.

T-shirt: T by Alexander Wang

Vest: thrifted!

Pin on vest: Marquis & Camus

Skirt: BCBG MaxAzria

Bag: Louis Vuitton

Area of darkness on the right: my lovely friend Sharon :) haha

Again apologies for the shady photography, I promise one day I'll get these outfit posts right!

Have a great rest of the week and a wonderful holiday, if you're celebrating.

xox

8 Most Worn Things Tag

Good evening (or morning, wherever you may be)

I have survived 4 out of 5 exams thus far and with my last one being a couple of days away I found it fit to relax, take a break, and do a little blogging.

"The 8 Most Worn Things"

This is a really fun tag and it's been going around for quite some time, basically talking about 8 of our most worn items out of an array of categories. Unfortunately I only had my iPhone camera to capture the images but it'll do for now. Here goes...

The Chosen Ones:

1. LIPSTICK - Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte in #1 "Nude Beige"

A great nude shade, glides on effortlessly, has a slight sheen to it, smells divine, very pigmented. It is definitely the lipstick I reach out for the most. I always put it in my bag before I head out anywhere.

2. EARRINGS - small studs. These are half white gold, half yellow gold, with a small diamond in the white gold part. I received them as a special present from my dad when I turned 12 and I still wear them all the time. Sentimental value.

3. SHIRT - a black V-neck T-shirt from Express is my favourite and certainly my most worn. I've worn it out with jeans, with skirts, lounging around the house, etc. I took this shirt with me when I went to Europe both times this year, and it was my go-to shirt when I was out of ideas. I bought it over a year ago and it was on sale for 7 dollars or something like that. I wish I would have gotten more - I can't seem to find the exact same kind anymore. I didn't put it on for a picture or anything since it's just a plain ol' black V-neck short sleeved T-shirt :)

4. NAIL POLISH - while at the moment I'm obsessed with the dark rich hues of Chanel's Vendetta and the minty freshness of Essie's Mint Candy Apple, my "Old Faithful" of nail polishes lies in my beautiful bottle of OPI's "Parlez-vous OPI?". It's the more purple cousin of the famous Sephora OPI "Metro Chic". I own both and I prefer the OPI. It has a very rich and creamy consistency and the colour goes with anything, summer, spring, winter or fall. Since I suck at doing swatches and something always goes terribly wrong with my manicures (yesterday I had a breadcrumb stuck on my pinky - go figure) here is a swatch from a great nail blog Vampy Varnish - it's a very accurate swatch:

*sigh* maybe one day my nails will stop looking like a 5th grader's.

5. SHOES - while technically my most worn shoes are the shoes I wear to work (old run-down Coach tennis shoes), no one wants to see that. So instead I will pick out my most-worn high heel. I love shoes and am always rotating pairs, but this is definitely my go-to.

They are high (120 mm, I believe, maybe more) and dramatic while still comfortable and rather simple. They go with a myriad of different outfits and are not likely to go out of style anytime soon. I've owned them for almost 2 years now. They are by Barbara Bui, and I don't remember what the style name is. I bought them from Nordstrom, but I know Shopbop.com carries the shoe range as well.

6. HAIR PRODUCT - I don't wear bobby pins or hairspray often (they seem to be the most popular choices for this category), my hair is generally let loose to its own will or pulled back loosely in one of those big claw-like clamps. But those are hair accessories, not products. Anyways, from the product realm, there is really only one star for me, and it's Aveda's Volumizing Tonic. I have been using this for over 2 years and have no intention of trying anything else. It's a medium-sized brown glass spray bottle, and I spray it about 3 times on damp hair after towel-drying it, focusing at the crown. I then let my hair air dry or proceed to blow-dry. When I don't use it, my hair is limp an boring. With it, I feel like it gives the little bit of "oomph" that we all want from our hair. I even have the giant bottle that I just use to refill the small one :)

7. PERFUME - this is another one that I am always switching up, but ever since I bought Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle, it has been my go-to evening fragrance. I play around with scent combinations during the day, but for night-time, this one always wins.

8. HANDBAG - Pictured in one of the photos above, it is my newly acquired Louis Vuitton Speedy 30 in Damier canvas. I bought it this October in Rome after debating it for months. I finally gave in. I never had an everyday purse I could just throw on and go, my Speedy now fulfills that purpose. It also goes with 90% of my wardrobe since I tend to stick to simple black and neutrals most of the time. It used to bother me that they're not made of leather, but now I like it. It doesn't scratch or stain from water, which makes it even more ideal as an everyday bag for me.

What are your 8 most worn "old faithfuls"?

The Last "Hurrah" Before Project 10 Pan!

My cosmetics collection needs to size down a bit. I have lipglosses purchased from 2 years ago that are just sitting there, unused, because my attention has been grabbed by another product. So, I am embarking on the Project 10 Pan journey once again, inspired by the lovely Laura @lollipop26.

Now I will present you with: Project 10 Pan, lip products edition!

I have already chosen 10 tentative "victims":

3 of them are from a MAC holiday plushglass gift set from long ago, and you may think they don't count because they seem so small, but they actually contain just as much product as a Dazzleglass does (if that doesn't scream "ripoff", I don't know what else does haha) so I think they're pretty fair game.

From left to right, the lucky 10 are:

MAC Marquise'd Lipstick, MAC Goldensoft Lip Gellee, MAC Plus Luxe Plushglass, MAC Oyster Girl Lipglass (my favourite!), MAC Hot Stuff Plushglass, MAC Bountiful Plushglass, YSL Rouge Pure Shine in #28, Benefit Jing-a-ling Lipstick, MAC Freckletone Lipstick, CO Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine.

Most of them are about 3/4 used up, so I will only be using these until I am finished! Also, since they're mostly by MAC, I'll have a nice stash to bring back for back 2 MAC later on :)

Now, I will make one exception: on December 26th the new Love Lace collection comes out and my favourite eyeliner ever, the MAC Kohl Power, comes back out - I need a back-up of Feline. (*groan* why can't MAC just make these permanent already!?!).

Anyways, so before I commence on my lip product consuming journey, I bought one last makeup item today, and boy am I glad that I did:

I got the NARS "Eurydice" eyeshadow duo from the new holiday collection after seeing it in a recent tutorial by Nicola from Pixiwoo. It is stunning. A rich red-tone purple with dark blue duochrome, and a gray with silver and gold sparkles (kind of like a bedazzled version of MAC's Print eyeshadow). Here's an attempted swatch in natural light, courtesy of my phone:

I can't wait to use it!