Loving Lately - September 2014

Hello, friends.

I am writing this post in a haze of mental exhaustion. I just started my MBA and the last 3-4 weeks have been a very firm and real adjustment of schedules, sleep, priorities and stress factors. Cortisol is at an all-time high in my body - seriously, stress rashes and hives are a thing I had the displeasure of experiencing during orientation - and feeling energetic or well-rested is a fleeting memory, but I'm actually enjoying my classes I'm in, so yay for me! On the flip-side, I'm quietly cursing the TTC commute. Here are products that have made me either look or feel less dead lately. High praise for everything mentioned below!

Saje Pocket Pharmacy 

Essential oils have always seemed a touch hippy-dippy for my liking, but when I went to the NKPR IT Lounge during TIFF this year, a brand representative rolled Peppermint Halo all over my shoulders and neck area and the tingling delight was quick to set in and remain for probably a solid hour or so after the fact. It felt like a tension release without having to actually do anything, except use a rollerball. Pretty simple stuff. This set is dubbed a pocket pharmacy because several ailments can be addressed with the five rollerball minis enclosed in this pouch. The set comes with an instruction manual, explaining the benefits of each essential oil and where to specifically apply them on the body for maximum benefit. A superb little kit to keep on hand.

YSL Fusion Ink Foundation

I know, I know, another oil-based foundation. To be honest, I've tried every iteration that's come out from L'Oreal and they're all pretty excellent. I generally felt the biggest difference was actually the shade range, not much else....until this YSL version launched. It's slightly more geared towards oily skintypes, which I certainly don't have, but I'm finding it to be the perfect texture for September weather, when it's chilly early and late at night (anyone else feeling their skin get a little drier?), but temperatures still hit the 20s, which can cause a slight spike in sebum production (at least in my skin). It manages to stay velvety matte pretty much no matter what. I also love the original oil wonder, Armani Maestro, but it definitely gives a far less matte finish than this formula. I wear shade B60, which seems a bit dark and warm for me, but blended out, it's a pretty spot-on match. It's definitely not full coverage - more medium, I'd say - but I do get at least 14 hours of wear out of it, so I have zero complaints about longevity in my experience.

Hourglass 1.5 mm Mechanical Gel Eye Liner

I can't say this liner itself is groundbreaking, but it does apply with the utmost ease imaginable as far as waterline application goes, and it's a dream to tightline with. No brush, no fuss, no mess - just a simple glide of the pencil. A downside to this product is that it's supposedly only 17-20 uses in each cartridge (this can be purchased as a single unit, or in a set of 3 pencils - all obsidian black in colour). I have to beg to differ, because I've been using the single pencil since the product launched a few months ago, and I have yet to hit the end of it. It transfers to the waterline a bit when I tightline with it, but I don't particularly care about that. I don't find that it runs, smudges or smears, so it stays in the rotation. 

Blush, Blush, Blush

I probably pile on more cheek colours than apparent to the naked eye, but that's because I'm a big fan of natural, second-skin blushes. The term "nude blush" just seems silly, but I maintain these products have been one of the biggest saving graces I've had in my arsenal to prevent me from looking like the living dead on campus and in transit. I like that these shades sort of serve as both a blush/highlighter all at once, since there's a sheen or subtle shimmer to all of these (minus the CdP palette). I also like that these colours create an understated contrast against my skin, as I evidently am at odds with brighter makeup these days. 

Go-to shades, from the top right moving clockwise:

- Benefit Dallas - I've developed a significant dip in this boxed powder, it's been in rotation for years

- Joe Fresh Shimmer Powder Blush in "Radiant Rosette" - $6 steal, people! Pigmented but not scarily so!

- Lorac Velvet Rope - a bit more on the mauvey plummy rose side
- Edward Bess Quad Royale in "Summer in Capri" - definitely more of a highlight or for super low-key days
- Clé de Peau Beauté's cheek/eye palette from their Holiday 2014 Makeup Coffret (minus the included lipstick and mascara, which are both lovely) - This was love at first swatch. I've been using the whole palette (how often can you say that about a palette? That you use the whole thing?!) pretty frequently, as a couple shadows and a hit of blush are about as elaborate as my makeup gets these days. Available in October at Holts.

I hope everyone has had a marvelous month. Fall is a brief stopover on the way to winter hell, but I'm gonna try my best to enjoy it and I suggest you do the same!