Loving Lately - April 2015

The semester finally ended for me on April 17th and it has yet to really hit me that I'm very close to the end of my program; the vast majority of my peers are done for good. I'm super happy for everyone who is done, as it's been a longer road (up to 2 years!) for many of them. Alas, I still have a couple courses to do starting today, wrapping up my degree in July. I've been off the last couple weeks, so my makeup routine has been fairly relaxed/understated. Here are some products that have captivated my attention in the last four weeks.

Nudestix Lip & Cheek Dual Pencil in "Whisper/Mystic"

I initially received this and frowned a bit, thinking it was too light to use on my lips (it is), but then remembered this formula is for lips and cheeks. I swiped Whisper on the apples of my cheeks, diffusing the colour with dabbing motions of a synthetic Sephora Collection brush. I then added a light stroke of Mystic to the hollow of my cheek and blended up gently. These colours are so flattering and crazy easy/fast to apply. Highly recommend this duo for the value if you're at all intrigued by the colours, as this dual-ended pencil is the same price as a single Nudestix pencil ($28 CAD)!

Loving Lately - March 2015

March has been a busy month leading into the homestretch of the semester, which I'm now fully in the midst of. Products I've relied on have been highly functional, straight-forward and unfussy. Let's hop to it.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer 

in "Medium-Dark Warm" 

I rotate through different concealers all the time, but this one has held a spot in my makeup routine quite firmly all month. I'm a fan of UD Naked Skin Foundation, so I'm not surprised I like this concealer (also a fan of the UD Naked Skin Ultra Definition Powder Foundation), as it brings the same natural-looking coverage to the table. I've actually been applying a swipe of this on each section of my skin after a heavy dose of moisturizer and then buffing in with a duo-fibre brush (Real Techniques Stippling Brush) and it's just enough coverage for an everyday look. I have both "Medium-Dark Neutral" and "Medium-Dark Warm" and must note that the neutral shade is noticeably darker than the warm shade. Also, the neutral shade is too pink for my liking, so I don't use it without mixing it with another concealer (usually with a shade or two of NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer that I have that happen to be too yellow in undertone). If you're a person who sticks to spot-concealing with a little bit of powder to set, this is a sound option to explore. The shade range isn't massive, so if you have tricky skin to match, definitely try before committing to the buy. 

Sunny Destination Travel Essentials

I was fortunate to escape the cold for 7 days this month to scurry off to Samaná in Dominican Republic with my boyfriend. Pretty sure the cold snap ended as soon as we left, but the tropical weather in Samaná was a welcomed reprieve after the unfathomably cold winter we just endured in Toronto.

As I mentioned in my last post, I planned on packing mostly sunscreens; I wound up only wearing makeup two nights of the entire trip. Here are the products I donned daily to protect against the sun during the day and rehydrate at night.

Supergoop! Sun-Defying Sunscreen Oil with Meadowfoam SPF 50

I like sunscreen oils, which were barely a category up until a couple years ago. Traditionally, oil + sun = human roast, but that's not the case anymore. Last summer, I wrote about L'Oreal's Sublime Sun SPF Oil and how much I adored it, and I think I actually might like this Supergoop! version more. It's a bittersweet discovery though, because I don't even know if it's possible to get it in Canada without paying an arm/leg + duties. Fun fact: I did some digging and can confirm that Supergoop! is reformulating and repackaging to meet the stringent rules we have in Canada regarding sun protection, but will be relaunching in due time this year. On with the review: I find the Supergoop! version dries down much faster than the L'Oreal oil and it just feels like moisturizer, no sunscreen residue or even oily residue at all, since the formula absorbs quickly. The formula is full of antioxidants to fight off free radical damage that sun exposure causes, and meadowfoam hydrates skin beautifully. The 1 oz size was included in last spring's Sephora Sun Safety kit, so it was perfect to take along and try out last week. I'll definitely be stocking up on my next trip to the states. Semi-related sidebar rave-rant: I love Supergoop!'s SPF wipes and curse the day they were discontinued.

Loving Lately - February 2015

I couldn't be more thrilled that February is winding down, purely because this winter has been dangerously close to unbearable, and the end of February means spring isn't too far away. I have heard that we're allegedly in for an extended winter in Ontario, but I will be glazing over that because I cannot mentally handle the idea that this weather may very well drag into April.

I'm going to be taking off for a week after some academic deadlines pass, so I'll probably do a post about which products I'll be taking along with me (spoiler alert: probably a lot of sunscreens). Until then, here's what I've been into over the last 4 weeks!

Tarte Tarteist Clay Paint Liner

I had been staring at this liner on sephora.ca for ages and then was lucky to receive it at a Tarte spring/summer preview this week. A Tarte national makeup artist was on hand to do makeup touch-ups. I've developed an apprehension about the phrase "makeup touch-ups", but I removed my glasses and had this liner applied and the results were perfect. The idea here is that the liner is a consistency occupying a space between a gel and a fluid and after messing with acrylic and oil paint in my Parsons days, I have to agree that dubbing it a "paint" is certainly accurate. The tube format eliminates any opportunity for the gel liner to dry up before you have a chance to actually use it (novel concept alert!). The formula is waterproof, and the colour is matte black and I quietly suggested that Tarte produce a navy version ASAP, inevitably to replace my now-dried out pot of Tom Ford Noir Absolue. The bent liner brush that accompanies this clay liner is easy to use (reminds me of a bent liner brush Benefit did ages ago, which is apparently no longer - Quo also did one similar once upon a time) and allows you to create a flick without much effort. The bristles are long enough to lay the brush on its side in order to sort of "stamp" down the shape before filling it in with more liner. The liner-brush duo ring in at $29 CAD, which is downright reasonable, especially if you will actually get the full product life span of this liner because of its ideal packaging. A squeeze tube eyeliner. What will they think of next!?!