Lovely Lately - August 2014

Summer is winding down to everyone's dismay, and I'm not exempt from that sadness! I say this so often that it's nearly lost all meaning, but I truly have no idea where the time has gone. The past few months were pretty fantastic, so that's probably why they flew by, right?

I've worn significantly less makeup lately than ever before (with the exception of weddings, in which case, more is more), but that doesn't mean I am lacking favourite products to share with y'all. I now realize this is also a bit of a fall preview of sorts, since most of these products have yet to hit stores, but here are the products I couldn't imagine getting through August without! 

Deborah Lippman Dear Mr. Fantasy

I spotted this at the Murale Fall 2014 Preview and flipped out. It is my absolute dream colour for nails, as it's a vibrant purple-fuschia with a shimmer shot through, so it looks like glowing satin when applied. It's kind of crazy how much I love this shade and I'm going to buy all the bottles I can manage when it hits shelves. This is backup-worthy in my books. Lancôme has a similar shade or two in their fall collection (Vernis In Love in "Amethyste Brune" and "Topaz Rose"), so check those out if you can't stand to wait for this one (launching in October 2014, I believe).

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+

This is technically a relaunched product, but that doesn't make it less worthy of your attention. The formula was updated to now fight acne marks left on skin post-breakout. It actually prevents your skin from forming pigmentation where a breakout existed. Science! It can be used as an overall facial moisturizer (it wears well under makeup) or localized spot treatment. It's proved to be useful to me in fighting clogged pores and breakouts alike this summer, so I highly recommend it. I have a soft spot for most LRP products, and this is just another example of the brand's offerings surpassing my expectations. Snap this up at Shoppers or Rexall, y'all, as it's a product to keep on hand, which I find to be true of most LRP products.

Dior DiorSkin Star Concealer

This concealer isn't hitting counters until next week, but I urge you to scoop it up once it does. I've been living out of a bag for one reason or another lately, taking mini trips here and there to visit family (mine and my bf's) and I also live across from a very major construction site that seems to pride itself on breaking every Toronto by-law regarding noise pollution and construction start and end times *sighs deeply*, so suffice it to say that sleep has been inconsistent as can be the past few weeks. This concealer is a godsend for effective (medium to full) coverage of undereye darkness and it doesn't crease or settle into fine lines, even after hours of wear. I believe it's available in 5 shades, so do check it out if you're at all plagued by anything that robs you of sleep! 

Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Colour Balm

L to R: Roly Poly Rosy, Robust Rhubarb

Expanding on their Chubby Stick business was just good sense for Clinique, as they have had wild success with their various lip iterations and their eyeshadow version. I am more of a cheek product fanatic than I realized, owning more blush, contour colours and highlighters than I care to admit to, but these are a welcomed addition to my stash. The stick factor automatically means portable and easy to apply - dab it on, blend it out with a synthetic brush or finger tips and you're on your way. My favourite aspect of this product is easily the subtle sheen these blushes give skin, thanks to microfine shimmers in the formula that don't settle in pores. Rejoice! 

Armani Eye & Brow Maestro and Maybelline Brow Drama

I haven't changed my brow routine much at all since this post, but I'm always open to straying from my old faithfuls to try new formulations and product types. I've dabbled in potted brow products before, starting with Laura Mercier Brow Definer in "Warm" maybe four years ago. It's a good formula, but it didn't give me the lasting power or slightly bolder colour payoff I was looking for. Upon first application of this Armani product, a hybrid brow and eye colour (wear it through brows, as eyeliner or as an eyeshadow), I was sold. The shade range for this product leans to the cool side, as I feel most brow products ought to, but the shade I have (shade 2, "Wenge Wood") has a barely visible reddish shimmer shot through. This makes sense to me, because hair is reflective in nature, so matte-finish potted brow products (looking at you, Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade) don't make sense to me. They really look painted on, instead of enhancing your brows. This product will be hitting Armani counters in the fall, so wait patiently if this is at all piquing your interest. If you have particularly unruly brows, you'll probably still want to use a brow gel in addition to this cream brow colour. My fave these days is Maybelline Brow Drama in "Dark Brown", launching in the fall in Canada, but I believe it's available in other markets already. Drugstore brow gel at its finest! 

Elizabeth Arden Prevage Lash & Brow Enhancing Serum

On a semi-related note, this lash and brow serum has really made a difference for me in the few weeks I've been using it. Every time a "brow expert" would look at my brows, they would exclaim, "You overplucked these areas!" and would demand I grow out the sparse areas I have on the outer top edge of both my brows. Like the dry person I am, I would flatly say, "I didn't pluck them this way, they've been like this since birth, so... any other suggestions?" No one suggested any specific brow growth product, so I tried this one and I'm happy with the results. My sparse spots have grown in considerably, which has made filling them in less of a challenge. Creating a good shape on a daily basis has become a simpler task and more of a joy when people see me and compliment me on my brows. Bless the peptide blend in this silver tube. It has done wonders for me. My lashes have also seemed longer and more fluttery, which I am absolutely NOT mad at.

Anyone want to share their faves of the last month or few? Do tell!

Favourite Drugstore Products

I did a guest-speaking spot at York University last week (shoutout to the social media marketing kids at Schulich!!), and some very pleasant and curious girls approached me after the class and asked me what my favourite drugstore products are. While there are a boatload to rave about, here are some that came to mind without me even thinking twice. Read on to find out what I gravitate towards every time I set foot in a Shoppers or Rexall (or what I click over to when perusing Well.ca or HealthSnap.ca).

Live Clean Lovely Lips Moisturizing Lip Balm

I could ramble on about lip balms all day (or for a considerably long post right here), especially at the drugstore level, where there's quite the selection of sticks, pots and spheres to choose from. That being said, this stick of Live Clean lip balm held its own when I started using it this past summer. It's an all-organic formula, enriched with natural oils that are hyper-hydrating for lips. Equally important is what this formula doesn't contain, which is petroleum, mineral oil, parabens, phthalates, phosphates, preservatives, dyes and colours. None of that stuff! None of it! And it's a vegetarian-friendly formula and is cruelty-free. Not too shabby for $4!

Simple Refreshing Facial Wash Gel

At the Unilever 2014 preview last year, there was sort of a travel-sized free-for-all situation set up on a table in a corner of the event space. A travel set of Simple products was bestowed upon me and a lil tube of this rather understated face wash was included. I've used it any time I've traveled (mostly short jaunts to visit the folks) since then, and I'm actually rather chuffed to find an effective, soap-free cleanser at a drugstore price point ($10 for 150 mL -- not too shabby!) that doesn't dry out skin at all (thanks to it being soap-free -- it's not rocket science, y'all) yet still manages to remove a full face of makeup (and y'all know I'm not exactly light-handed when it comes to my face). Bonus: It contains panthenol to hydrate and soothe skin. What could be bad about that?!

L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara

I get excited over mascara. Y'all know I've tried plenty of them (exhibit A, exhibit B), and there are some fine formulations at the drugstore price point, but this brush has really flipped the script for me. In my experience (and as we know, everyone's mileage may vary with beauty products, mascara especially), this brush is great for volumizing lashes, lifting and winging them out, which conveniently mimics the visual effect of a feline flick liner, all for about $12 bucks. The past few months I've had this tube in my rotation, I've had more people stop and ask me which mascara I'm wearing when I've worn this formula over any other. It's (foot) traffic-stopping!! I've always found mascara, Voluminous formulas being no exception, to work much better when they've dried out. Make sure you let it dry out a little and give it a go.

Nivea Smooth Replenishing Body Lotion

I'm a sucker for a high-end lotion usually because I like a good scent just about any way I can get it, but I have a serious soft spot for drugstore lotions. Since I've finally established and committed to a routine of habitual body moisturization (though, frankly, in this weather, it's moisturize or cringe from your skin feeling too tight and itchy all bloody day), buying into a more expensive body moisturizer is quite illogical for this time of year. This particular lotion came to me in the fall after Nivea underwent a repackaging of their body range, and I'm rather thrilled it did! I worked my way through the smaller bottle I received and actually repurchased a bigger bottle [Note: A testament to the product: I felt the need to actually add yet another bottle to my bathroom counter because it performed that well]. The formula contains vitamin E, shea butter and ginkgo extract, making it quite hydrating. It absorbs quickly and has a fairly gender-neutral, subtle scent (i.e. my boyfriend doesn't object to using it at all). A big bottle is around $11 at drugstores and it will last you, so I urge you to slather on generously post-shower and please be comfortable in your skin.

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream

Hand cream is a whole other post, quite frankly, because there are a slew of good ones out there, but y'all know they clock in at incredibly variable price points. This Neutrogena hand cream is honestly more salve-like in texture, brimming with glycerin, but that's what makes it so highly effective in rehabbing chapped hands to a much more hydrated and smooth state. This stuff seems like a bit of a rip when you think, "$7 for 50 mL? What am I paying for?" I assure you, this is a highly concentrated formula. Hell, the box even assures you that there are approximately 200 applications in a single tube, so don't fret if you're a frequent hand cream user, because this one will last you.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder

I've been using this pressed powder for probably 4 years now and it does a brilliant job of banishing oil and keeping makeup in place, and the price point is so incredibly fair. This is a product I've hit pan on and repurchased many times. I keep an eye on ASOS to see what the UK Rimmel product assortment is like. They have this powder in a lot more shades than we do (and really neat ones, too, like "Peach Glow" and "Pink Blossom"), though it is marginally pricier through ASOS, so just keep an eye on it because usually the whole brand goes on a 30% off offer every so often. One downside that I wish the brand would pay attention to when people review this product: the packaging is absolute garbage. I'm shocked my powder hasn't shattered, because the packaging is so flimsy. Just use caution when packing this in a makeup bag for travel, and definitely don't grab this if you're thinking it would be handy for touch-ups on the go. It's not. Aside from that, it's a wonderful product that delivers on its claim!

L'Oreal Infallible Silkissime Eyeliner

This is one of the most pigmented and smooth eyeliners I've had the joy of using, and it just happens to be a drugstore product. It's oil-based and is loaded with polymers to give the gel-like application, but it can be a bit tricky to remove, as it is in the Infallible range, meaning it's a long-wearing formula. No matter how much Bioderma I use, I always seem to have a bit of residue the next morning. This doesn't bother me too much, as I feel the pigmentation and how the liner wears when I tightline with it is phenomenal. 



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