Skincare - My Current Actives

Hi, all!

I have been using BHAs and AHAs for about a year and a half, but only in the last 6 months have I introduced retinoids and vitamin C. I just wanted to share some small reviews of my favourite products in this category. I would encourage you to do some research on how to best use these types of products, such as the order of application and necessary pH levels, in order to be safe and use them most effectively.

⭐ My skin is normal with a little bit of hyper-pigmentation (dense clusters of freckles that form brown spots on my jaw, mostly) and my goals are to maintain moisture, maintain a bright and even skin-tone, and prevent signs of aging. ⭐

from left to right: The Ordinary Advanced Retinoid 2%, OST Pure Vitamin C 21.5, pixi Glow Tonic, CosRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner, Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix

The Ordinary Advanced Retinoid 2%
Because I am very interested in maintaining good skin and preventing signs of aging, my research lead me to looking for retinoid products. The Advanced Retinoid 2% by Deciem's The Ordinary is inexpensive and easy to use, with a dropper and a darkened bottle. Retinoids are supposed to "cause enhanced collagen production, be skin smoothing, and even out pigmentation." I have been using this about 2-3 times each week in the evening for 9 weeks. I have seen improvement in fine lines of my forehead and generally more smoothness in my skin. 

Pure Vitamin C Wishtrend Advanced Serum 
I didn't initially look into trying a vitamin C (L-AA) product because it seemed like a greatly loved ingredient for people with acne scarring, but this wasn't a concern for me so I glossed over such products for a long time. I have some dark spots on my jaw that I wouldn't mind to fade, and who doesn't love smooth and glowing skin, anyway? I figured I had nothing to lose, so I started using this serum. I keep it in my fridge at the recommendation of most bloggers because it oxidizes quicker without being in a cool, dark place. I usually use this at night. So far I have been using it daily except for days where I use my retinoid. I seem to have faded some pesky red spots from a breakout I had in April from just my first few uses, and I'm quite happy about that. It's kind of a nuisance to go back and forth to the fridge and I don't move on to applying other products until at least 30 minutes after using it, but I think it'll be worth it.

pixi Glow Tonic
A very popular AHA (glycolic acid) in the online skincare world. I have heard a lot of mixed reviews and apparently the pH is too high for it to be a really good exfoliant. I still enjoy using it. I love the scent (mmmm, witch hazel) and it makes my face feel smooth and clean. I do find it a bit expensive in Canada for a small bottle, but you don't need much and I've had the smaller bottle since January and I'm not done with it yet.

CosRX AHA/BHA Treatment Toner
I recently discovered that this is best used just before applying actives because it prepares your skin to best use/absorb other ingredients and lowers pH. I like to spray it onto a cotton round and then swipe my face with it before applying vitamin C. It's super gentle and can be used daily.

Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Daily Cleansing Pads 
These are the same idea as the pixi Glow Tonic, but they are pre-soaked rounds. pixi actually has a similar product, but I really wanted to try these. I like them because they are convenient to use and saves me from buying cotton rounds on their own, but I would like to try the "Extreme" version which has glycolic acid, lactic acid, and salicylic acid. These are definitely gentle for more sensitive skin-types.

I would repurchase all of these products and I feel they have really helped me achieve my skincare goals.

Favourites 2017: Moisturizers

Hello!

I have decided to make a series about my favourite skincare items that I regularly use, focusing on one category of products at a time. I was going to begin at the "beginning" of a routine (e.g. cleansers, cleansing oils) but I was too excited about some of my moisturizing stars to start with anything else.

1. Stratia Liquid Gold is formulated with sea buckthorn oils and a plethora of other yummy ingredients that are AMAZING for the skin. From the creator's description of the product:

"Your skin’s moisture barrier (the stratum corneum, or outermost layer of the epidermis) has a bricks-and-mortar structure: the bricks are skin cells called corneocytes, and the mortar is a fatty mixture made up of ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids. This mixture keeps your skin healthy, clear, and resilient. If it’s compromised, it can lead to skin that’s:

• Flaky
• Simultaneously dry and oily
• Lax, sallow, or dull
• Itchy and/or easily irritated
• Extremely sensitive
• Acne-prone

Liquid Gold is formulated with ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids to mimic and strengthen your natural moisture barrier. By healing your dehydration and replenishing that fatty mixture in your stratum corneum, you can address the above symptoms and discover healthy, bouncy, resilient skin."

My skin isn't typically flaky, dry, or acne-prone, so I wasn't sure if this would be too heavy duty for my needs or not. I just wanted to try it and benefit from the ingredients to maintain well hydrated skin. I was so happy to see that my skin felt soft and plump and looked even in texture and tone even within the first 3 days of using this product. It's a light, bright yellow cream that absorbs and feels like an oil. The packaging is a heavy frosted glass with a pump that works fantastically. It has been given the esteemed title of "holy grail" by fans on Instagram and blogs, but don't like the love fool you into passing it by as an overhyped product. It truly is a great treatment and moisturizer for day and night. 
Available on stratiaskin for $24

2. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel is just one option for moisturizers from Clinique. They have many products and recommended skincare routines for specific skin types. Many are also big fans of their Moisture Surge and the Moisturizing Lotion. The Gel is marketed for combination/oily skin, but as someone with normal skin, I find it lightweight and effective. It absorbs quickly and layers well with other skincare products, sun protection, and makeup. I will not repurchase another basic every day moisturizer because it's so great when you need to moisturize but not necessarily treat or mask or go overboard.
Available at Clinique.ca for $34

3. COSRx Ultimate Nourishing Rice Overnight Spa Mask is perfect when I'm looking for something a bit more occlusive and nourishing. It is marketed to have multiple methods of application and use, however I prefer it as a sleeping pack (as the last step before I go to sleep, and after my other skincare steps in the PM). They say you can use it as a wash off mask or as a day cream as well. I find that it absorbs well and is quite moisturizing, leaving my face bright and smooth in the morning. The star ingredient is supposed to be the rice extract. Sometimes Wishtrend has a duo with this mask and the honey mask for around $20.
Available on Wishtrend for approximately $13-16

4. COSRx Ultimate Moisturizing Honey Overnight Mask is another good moisturizer that I love to use as a sleeping pack. The star ingredient here is the propolis extract. I do find this one a bit sticky and I don't feel as though it dries down or absorbs completely, but it does feel moisturizing enough and I believe it does calm some redness. I especially enjoy using it with snail mucin products for redness in my skin.
Available on Wishtrend for approximately $13-16

What is your "holy grail" moisturizer and what do you expect that product to achieve?

My New HG Liquid Foundation - ATTENTION, PALE GIRLS!

I have hardly waivered from Avon's liquid foundation formula. It has changed names over the years, as I started out with their Smooth Minerals line and then moved on to Ideal Flawless and then Extra Lasting. The formula and shades have all stayed relatively the same and I never had a problem, so I never tried anything else.

Then one day I found myself away from home for an extended period of time without having  packed my foundation. I found myself in a drugstore without a clue. I stood around awkwardly pumping what little testers they had available onto my hand, with a curious beauty department cashier asking me constantly if I needed help. She watched me like a hawk, and  I finally just grabbed what looked good enough and hoped for the best.

I am a frequent commenter over at reddit's MakeupAddiction and one thing you will always see MUA's discussing is the quest to find the perfect foundation. You'll read stuff about undertones and oxidization and finish and coverage, and it's a never-ending struggle for a lot of people. Foundation performance can also depend a lot on skincare routine, products it is paired with (setting powders and primers, for example), and method of application. Foundation can be scary and a downright chore to purchase and apply. And they can get really expensive, ranging from $30-70 CAD for mid-to-high end at a shop like Sephora.

The  good thing is that you can often try samples, get a Pantone colour IQ done at Sephora  (where they use technology and a huge database to match  you to product shades) , and do some research of your own on colour theory and undertones. It doesn't always make the journey to find a good product for you completely smooth, but it can certainly help iron out some of the kinks.

I  decided the other day I wanted to be a big girl and try to find a mid-range brand of foundation that I like - I have a gift card for Sephora, and the sale is coming up next week as well.  Hopefully this helps some other pale girls to find a new brand, drugstore or mid-range, to try out.

Here is a comparison of some stuff I have been using.

MUFE Ultra HD Y215 - not pictured, I am using a sample currently
Avon Ideal Flawless SPF 15 Light Ivory
Hard Candy Glamoflauge Ivory
L'oreal Infallible  18HR Classic Ivory
Rimmel Stay Matte Light Porcelain

Left to right: Rimmel Stay Matte, L'oreal Infallible, Hard Candy Glamoflauge, Avon Ideal Flawless, MUFE Ultra HD

same order as above - in direct sunlight

wearing MUFE Ultra HD in shade Y215 / additional face proucts include
Hard Candy primer and Physicians Formula CC powder, 

I like the Makeup Forever Ultra HD foundation because it is marketed at medium-full coverage, but can definitely be sheered out. Even built up for more coverage, it's not cakey or unnatural looking. Paired with my powder, it doesn't cake up, either. The Sephora cast member who helped me out said it's very popular for people who are photographed or on television/film, it really does make you look quite flawless and smooth. The colour  range is amazing, I'm used to drugstore options where you have "sort of pale but really I'm much whiter than this" and then "orange or yellow" and then "OK, too dark." I'm not 100% sure how the naming works, but MUFE seems to have a similar system to MAC where it's based on undertones. Their lightest shade is almost straight up white, so if you're much lighter than me, there is a pale girl shade for you guaranteed!

My other favourite foundation that I've been using is the L'oreal Infallible. I don't use it in the winter because if my skin does get dry from the wind/lack of humidity and blowing my nose on tissues.. it does accentuate some flaking. That's my only complaint, the colour is  a good match - even though my shade for MUFE looks a bit more yellow and this one is a bit more pink.

The Hard Candy Glamoflauge is a bit too light, so I try to pair it with  a good bronzer or something to balance it out. I didn't have a tester or anything, so that was simply a "hope for the best" drugstore purchase. The Rimmel Stay Matte is a bit too light and pink as well, but it works  for the winter months as I'm not really outside and stay quite pale. Strangely enough, even though it is a matte formula, it doesn't make my skin look dry like I might expect it to.

I still want to give Tarte's Rainforest of the Sea  and Too Faced's Born This Way a try before I make the big purchase. Have you tried any of these 3 ranges from Sephora?

MAC Bao Bao Wan Collection 2015

Hi, anyone reading!

I managed to get my grubby little hands on a couple of items from this collection, which was super difficult, MIGHT I ADD. If you've been online and read some beauty blogs over the last few weeks, you may have seen how many were ready to trade their first born children for the Lavender Jade lipstick. I was most interested in Forbidden Sunrise, which I did manage to see in-store, but at that time I hadn't decided I absolutely needed it just yet. I'm going to suck it up this time around, I'm sure there will be adorable, bright orange colours for summer that I can use instead.

I ended up having to order online after the release, because I saw one swatch of the Summer Opal pressed powder and was convinced it had to be mine. I'm super pale, not sure what I am by MAC's standards as I don't use their foundation, but I'd hazard a guess of NC15. Summer Opal is a perfect highlighter for me, with a slight pinkish sheen.

The other item I purchased was the Burmese Kiss lipstick. I was not 100% convinced I would like it or need it, I honestly don't wear anything like this usually. I rationalized this purchase two ways:

1. the packaging is awesome
2. if I don't have anything like it, of course I need it 

feelin' quite photogenic today
wearing burmese kiss and summar opal

SPARKLES

damn bbz u got a purdy mouth

So, here's the thing. I ended up liking the lip colour a lot more than I thought I would. It's a perfect spring and summer pink and it makes me feel pretty, it looks great with my light skin and red hair. The formula, however, leaves a bit to be desired. It's a matte finish, so of course it's a bit more difficult to work with. I handled my lips accordingly before applying, and it still looked pretty gross after only a couple of hours. Flaking and settling, all the things that we hate. It's really only noticable if someone is going to be right up in my grill, so of course I'll still wear it. 

I think a lot of people were unsure of what Summer Opal was supposed to be. "Pressed Powder" can read a lot of ways. Is it a bronzer? A blush? A highlighter? I like it as a highlighter myself, but when built up, it's a bit more peach. It would work as a bit of colour, too. I really wanted to have it. I can't explain this, but I was super compelled to order it. I love it. 

Did you get anything from the collection - maybe the amazing Lavender Jade? 

look of the day

I have been blogging more on my personal blog than this one - oops! I know that every time I get back here, I make empty promises to myself and whoever the heck reads this that I will post more. I honestly want to, I have so many new things I want to blog about! I just got a big order of things from BH and NYX.

I thought I looked pretty nice today, so I had my mom (!!!) snap a quick photo outside. 

Products

Face:

♥ Annabelle Multi-Action BB Cream in Light/Medium

♥ BH Gorgeous Blush Palette (second row, bottom shade!)

Brows:

♥ L'oreal Super Liner Brow Artist in Blonde (the fix and finish wax side!)

♥ Anastasia Brow Whiz in Soft Brown 

♥ NYX Eyebrow Marker in Medium 

Eyes:

♥ NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Yogurt 

♥ ELF Precision Liquid Eyeliner in Black 

♥ Sephora Full Action mascara 

♥ Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Fibres mascara in Black 

Lips:

♥ Cherry Culture lip balm (I have almost all the flavours, they're awesome!)

♥ NYX lipstick in Tea Rose (looks a lot more pink in photo than it really is)

Burning Heart look

Hi! I feel like I bring this up every time, but long time, no blog.

The other day I was inspired to recreate a lovely face: Ellie Goulding in her new video for Burning Heart. It's an everyday look that I found was easy to create with only a few products. You're pretty much set if you own UD's Naked 3 palette! I only used colours from there, and one from Naked 2, but it's not going to make or break things.

I didn't bother with falsies and my liner wing is a bit long, but I think it turned out pretty good!
The products I used:
☆ primer - rimmel fix and perfect
☆ liquid foundation - avon ideal flawless in "light ivory"
☆ powder - avon smooth minerals in "porcelain" 
☆ blush - stila "precious pink" (but only very light! almost non-existent)
☆ brows - nyx brow kit in for blondes, nyx eyebrow marker in "medium"
☆ eyes - naked 3 palette (strange, limit, nooner), naked 2 (tease)
               wet n' wild liner in "dark brown"

               l'oreal voluminous & sephora full action mascaras (layered!)

☆ lips - MAC "creme cup" (a bit too pink) followed by nyx soft matte lip cream in stockholm, then blotted a bit of my porcelain powder because it was too dark/bright still! but it ended up being a good combination

And as you can all see, I am happy with how I do my brows now! This is how I do them every day. I was hesitant to do something "dark" and big, but I love them. I usually post about how I have no clue how to handle them, but until I try something else, here's my usual face!

I want to try and do this more.. where else do you guys get inspired to copy certain looks? Just films and videos, or anywhere else?

May Favourites

Mark Glowdacious Illuminating Powder (Shimmied Up) ☼ I became a bit of a blush and bronzer fiend over the past couple months, but since my NYX highlighter broke multiple times (another story), I've been doubling this one up as a highlighter and bronzer. The light, center shade is a pale gold with loads of shimmer and shine, and I brush the outside colours on like a regular blush/bronzer after. I found myself grabbing for this multiple times this month! 


St. Ives Apricot Scrub ☼ I have a cleanser and make up remover that I use at night, but I use this every morning. Since I bought it a couple months ago, I have not had a single skin problem. I have been blessed with very clear skin, but I'm human and get zits every now and then. I haven't had one for over two months, and I'm not saying this is the reason why that is, but it is a change I made around the same time! I think it's definitely helped. It's really affordable and easy to find, too, which I like in a product.


Vaseline ☼ I thought about making a post just about how I use Vaseline, but there are tons of other bloggers who have done so and a quick Google can bring up some of those posts for you. I put it on chapped lips, legs and body after a shower, on my hands when they get dry, on my eyebrows to smooth them out, on my feet and elbows when they get dry.. and there are so many more uses that I haven't got around to trying yet! 


Annabelle Kohl Eyeliner (White) ☼ I used to wear white eyeliner a few years ago but I haven't had one since. I didn't really research or try many before picking one out.. I just kind of went to the store and saw white. I wore it every day for a week after I bought it! Annabelle is a Canadian cosmetics company with reat prices. I've only tried the pencil liners (I have a couple other colours), so I will be looking into more products. 


Avon Strong Results Length and Strength Complex ☼ I have the worst nails in the world. I love polish and I buy lots of it, but unfortunately I don't post many photos here because I have sad hands. I bite not only my fingernails, but hangnails and skin around my fingers and on my hands. It's a horrible habit! I have tried so-called miracle products like Witchcraft, which had an icky taste but didn't keep me off of the rest of my hands. On top of that, my nails are always weak and peeling. The Avon Strong Results treatment is like a clear liquid that you put on your bare nails for a few days and it makes them strong and moisturized. For me, it stops the peeling nearly instantly. I give my poor fingers a break every now and then and leave them naked save for this treatment with the Avon Silk Wrap treatment. I'm nearly done my bottle, so looks like I'll have to get some more!

Revlon Colourburst Lipgloss (Peony - not pictured) ☼ I don't know where I was around January when everybody was blogging about these glosses, but I had no idea they were so loved by bloggers until I read Cute and Mundane's post last week. I immediately knew from her swatches that I wanted Pink Ice, so I rushed out to the store and... then I couldn't decide. I decided to pick up Peony, which is a warm pink with gold shimmer. It's very sheer, but the shimmers are visible and it's a comfortable formula to wear. I normally don't like lipgloss, but this is awesome! It's safe for work and everything if you don't want to wear too bright or obvious colours on your lips. I am planning on going back to buy some more, simply because I've heard so many good things and I was impressed myself. I guess this technically shouldn't be a favourite of the month since I just got it, but oh well! Go look at some swatches and get to the store right now if you were like me and in the dark about these!

If you've made a May favourites post, link me to your blog in the comments!

a successful shopping trip

Yesterday I was surprised with an invitation to go shopping with my future mother and sister in law. We went to a little boutique in Paris, ON called Suzanne's of Paris. I'll admit that when I walked in, I didn't think I would buy anything or even like the store. It's kind of.. well, old, for me. The clothing is just not really something I could imagine too many young people wearing. Some dresses and boots were nice, but I didn't find anything I wanted to buy. What I think they had going for them was their selection of scarves and bags. Seriously, I should have taken a picture of this wall of scarves. I had the hardest time deciding. Anyways, I went with a red/leopard pattern one. It's sort of slinky and light. They had the same pattern in a bunch of different colours and I almost bought a black/grey one, but I've been a bit obsessed with red lately.  I apologize for the awkward photo.

The next thing I saw that I knew I couldn't leave with was this little leather purse. It was right beside a black one with grey trim and a forest green one with dark grey trim. It has a zipper section on the back and the inside has a pocket which will likely fit a cellphone. The strap is also removable, so it can be used a clutch!

My only complaint now is that the strap looks adjustable, but it only makes the whole thing go smaller. There is a bit of leather stitched around the metal slider that doesn't allow it to slide any further. I prefer long straps so I can wear bags off the side (especially small ones like this), but I'll have to make do with it being a tad short. 

Virginia bought a tan one with dark trim and I saw a red one with black trim on my way to pay.. but I didn't want to have a red meltdown (my winter coat is red)! I'll probably use this in the spring and summer, anyways.

The rest of our trip wasn't too exciting.. I hit Walmart and Winners in the mall because I wanted to buy some beauty products:

♥ E.V.A. Unbreakable Hair Oil Therapy ($15)
♥ Sally Hansen Gem Crush Nail Polish, Big Money & Razzle Dazzler ($6 each)
♥ Revlon Nail Polish, Radiant/Blue Mosaic ($5)
♥ Vitamin C (?) Anti-aging Day Cream ($9)
♥ China Glaze No-Chip Top Coat ($7)
♥ Avon Super Extend Extreme Mascara (free, gift)

I don't know anything about what is supposed to be in these popular oils that people have been using lately, because Virginia warned me against other stuff being added. She said this one looked pretty good, so I trust that. I included ingredients in case someone else sees something I don't know about. I've just used it once, so more on this as I use it more. 

Again, included ingredients because I'm not certain what's good and what isn't. It sounded good enough with the sea salt and different fruits and shea butter. I can never decided what to buy with moisturizers.


I put Big Money (the gold one) on my fingers and Radiant (blue) on my toes. Two coats for each, though Radiant could have used a third. I love both of them and I'm guessing Razzle Dazzler is going to be the same. ♥


Then when I was home, my mom gifted me the new Avon mascara. It's supposed to have some special magnetic fiber formula that I don't really know the details of or really care about because I hate this mascara. It's very rare that I don't like a mascara, but this one is just so weird. The brush is very wide and plastic and looks like a weird comb. It's so big that I found it awkward to use on my lashes. I made a mess under my eye trying to coat my lashes the first time. The comb thing is so hard and plasticy that it almost seems to catch when you're trying to pull it out of the tube, resulting in this crunchy suction noise.  I did just two coats and it was clumpy. There was no separation of my lashes at all. The photo ended up making my lashes look better than they actually did.. but don't be fooled! 

I don't know if I'll use it up anyways or toss it. I might give it another chance, but I definitely prefer the Maybelline Illegal Lengths I've been using.