Face of the Day (FOTD)

I love having Friday's off! - It lets me do things like this that I normally wouldn't have the time to do. So FOTD is something that I've seen on various beauty blog sites, where beauty bloggers show their makeup look for that particular day. Since I had a lot of time to kill and a lot of makeup, I figured I will do my own rendition :)

Although taking pictures throughout the whole makeup process was time consuming, the actual application wasn't at all. You can probably do this in 15 minutes - honest! Enjoy :) 

 

Before and After.

Uh-huh. I'm putting it out there... my no makeup face on the World Wide Web. Other than my closest girlfriends, my family and my boyfriend, no one usually gets to see this face. As you can see, I do have darker eye circles, sun spots and redness that I like to hide. However, I'm not complaining, because I do feel truly blessed to have skin that behaves for the most part :)

  

 Base Face Application. 

Products Used: Clinique's Moisture Surge Intense;  

Guerlain's Lingerie de Peau (in shade 12); 

Clinique's Airbrush Concealer (in Fair);  

MAC's Mineralize SkinFinish Natural (in Light Medium)

 Contour. 

Product Used: Chanel's Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzer Universel

Colour and Highlight. 

Products Used: Tarte's Amazonian Clay Long-Wear Blush (in Tipsy); 

Christian Dior's Shimmer Powder (in Amber Diamond)

Eyes and Lips.

Products Used: Kiss Me's Heroine Smooth Liquid Eyeliner

Christian Dior's DiorShow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum;

Make Up For Ever's Smoky Lash (in Extra Black Mascara)

NYX's Eyebrow Cake Powder (in Black/Gray)

Essence's Stay With Me Lipgloss (in Hottest Pink)

AND TA-DA! You're done!

TGIF Ladies! :)

Essence's Stay With Me Lipgloss

I had first read about these lipglosses on Karen's Makeup and Beauty Blog about a month ago - She had given it an A+ rating and I was sold! The last time I was in Buffalo, I was looking everywhere for it. Unfortunately I got confused with Essence (cosmetics, available only at Ulta, Fred Meyer, and HEB) and Essence of Beauty (brushes, available only at CVS). I was scouring the aisles for these lipglosses at CVS, ultimately leaving disappointed :(

Two weeks ago, you can guess my excitement when I saw the stand up display for Essence in Canada! Exclusively at Shoppers Drug Mart, Essence is imported from Germany with a very affordable price tag - nothing retails for more than $5!

Without going crazy, I bought my first Stay With Me Long-lasting Lipgloss in My Favourite Milkshake. Within a span of week, I had all 6 shades. For $2.99, you are getting 4 ml of product.

Why I'm in LOVE:

• The price is unbeatable - I would pay well over $2.99 for these lipglosses. I feel like I'm almost stealing because it's such a good deal!
• I love the colours! Not only are they pigmented, they are extremely flattering. You can determine the opacity of the lipgloss by how much you apply. I find that the darker shades also leave a great stain after the gloss wears off.
• They look and feel great on the lips. Very creamy and although thick, I would not describe them as sticky. Not only does it feel moisturizing, it doesn't highlight dry or chapped lips.
• They're sweet :) Karen describes them as smelling like red gummy bears, and I would have to agree. All 6 lipglosses smell the same... yummy!

From Left to Right:

  Candy Bar, Me and My Ice Cream, Kiss Kiss, 

Deep Rose, My Favourite Milkshake, Hottest Pink

(The names and colours are slightly different than what's available in the States)

If you want to learn more about Essence and their cosmetics line, you can visit their website here - keep in mind, not everything you see online is available at Shoppers. I bought 3 of their nail polishes ($1.49 for 5 ml) that I still have to try. Lipsticks are next on my list! For the price point? Go crazy! Happy shopping ladies :)

BB Creams (Pt. 3) - BRTC's Gold Caviar BB Cream

Finally, my BRTC's Gold Caviar BB Cream arrived in the mail two weeks ago! I decided to buy this one online versus at store level because I just couldn't justify the mark-up! I paid $28 for 60 g (USD) online instead of $41 for 35 g at Pacific Mall or at The Galleria (a popular Korean supermarket). Luckily, I was able to find a coupon code, so the shipping worked out to be $2 (or something close to that). If you spend more than $79 though, your shipping is always free. Oh! Before I forget, BRTC stands for Bio Remedies Therapeutic Cosmetics. 

I have to admit - initially, I hated this product. I cringed at the scent, the thickness, and the packaging. However, after experimenting with it for a bit, I've grown to accept certain things and love other parts of this BB cream.

Let's begin with things that I've had to compromise:

• The Scent. I'm not sure how to describe the smell. Perhaps floral? It just doesn't smell fresh and I found myself holding my breath as I was applying.
• The Dryness. Because the product is so thick, I had a really hard time blending this product onto my face (something that I didn't experience with Skin79).  I felt like it made my face look really dry.  
• The Packaging. Would have preferred a pump instead of a squeeze tube.

If at first you don't succeed - try 'try again'. I really didn't want to give up on this product because I had read such great reviews. In the last week, I've been mixing it with my favourite moisturizer (2 parts BB cream, 1 part moisturizer - it should all equal to one generous pea size amount). The results? Amazing! It also tones down the smell, to the point where it actually doesn't bother me at all! 

Here's why I love it...so far:

• The colour is a bit darker than Skin79's Super+ Beblesh Balm (the hot pink one), making it a much better match to my skin tone.
• The colour shade is also less grey in tone and the coverage is awesome :)
• Great sun protection - SPF50!
• It truly lasts all day, which is great for me, as my days are long. I come home from work and it still looks really good! On the downside, you might find it difficult to clean all the product from your face. I would recommend using a Cleansing Oil to remove this BB cream, and then follow up with your favourite facial cleanser and toner.
• It gives you the 'no make-up' make-up look 

On top of all the great things listed above, BRTC's Gold Caviar BB Cream also claims to have anti-aging, whitening and restorative properties. I haven't used this long enough to see these effects, but will definitely keep you posted! I do think this BB Cream is a great summer substitute to Skin79's, as the SPF is higher and the shade is a bit darker.

On a side note: I also received a few samples of the Jasmine Water BB Cream from BRTC. The colour is a bit more peachy and light in colour, but definitely more moisturizing and easy to blend. I also didn't mind the scent at all. If you don't want to do the extra step of mixing moisturizer, this one could be a great option for you.  

Wearing: BRTC's Gold Caviar

If you want to get BRTC's BB Creams online, check out their website at www.brtcstore.com. As mentioned above,  shipping is free if you spend over $79. If not, expect to pay $9.95 for shipping to Canada. 

BB Creams... still love them!

March's Glymm Box

I got my March Glymm Box yesterday! I wish it landed on my doorstep, but it looks like now I have to pick it up at my closest Canada Post office :( It's been a bit of a struggle receiving the packages lately, as my February box somehow ended up in Victoria, BC! Anyhow, to make a long story short, I'll just say that I've received BOTH of my boxes safe and sound :) So for the month of March, I received 2 full size products and 3 deluxe samples.  

My March Glymm Box consisted of:  

• M. Asam's Perfect Teint (5 ml): A face cream that's suppose to fill in fine lines and even out complexion
• Nu.Me's Feather Hair Extensions (full size): Three strands of teal and black hair extensions. Super cool, but putting them on is going to be a huge struggle for me. I hope I can find YouTube tutorials!
• Ocean's Nail Polish (full size, 15 ml): The colour is called Pretty Please. A pretty nude pink - love!
• Vasanti's BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator (12 g): I got this sample in my first box. Although I'm not a fan of repeat items - this isn't so bad because I actually liked it. On a side note, St. Ives' Gentle Apricot Scrub for Sensitive Skin is very comparable, and in my opinion just as good! The price? $5-6 at any drugstore. I bought mine for $3 in the States - crazy!
• Coupe d'Eclat's Lifting Ampoule (1 ml): The sample itself looks like a toner, and it claims to smooth and firm the skin. Similar to a primer, it's also suppose to improve the wearability of your make-up.

All in all, I'm very happy with my March box :) The full size products alone were worth $37. Not bad for a $10 subscription right?!

Favourite Drugstore Brushes (U.S. Edition)

Before I get into this posting - I'd like to apologize for mentioning items that are only available in the States. However, they are very easily accessible if you ever make a trip there and the price is one of it's biggest perks!

Let`s begin with E.L.F (Eyes Lips Face) brushes, available exclusively at Target or on their website.

Studio Complexion Brush ($3 USD) - For $3, I was skeptical, but I just couldn't walk away from the price. This is a medium sized fluffy brush made from anti-bacterial, synthetic haired Taklon. Its brush is super soft and it feels great on the skin. I love this because it picks up just the right amount of product. The small amount of powder that the brush picks up allows for a natural finish - but definitely very build-able to your desired opacity. I've used this forbrush for blush, bronzer and finishing powder - truly a universal brush!
   
Studio [Eye] Contour Brush ($3 USD) - Made from the same synthetic hairs as the Complexion Brush, this Contour brush provides a perfect dome shaped tip for you to create depth in the corner of your eyelids. Even though the bristles are still really soft, the brush is firm enough for you to control where you concentrate your eyeshadow. It's also stiff enough for you define your crease and smudge out any harsh lines. Although I've never tried this, the E.L.F. website says that this brush is great for both wet and dry applications. For $3, this is a great addition to your brush kit for those smokey eye looks!  

Another favourite from Target is Sonia Kashuk's Blusher Brush ($18 USD). In 2008, this brush was Allure's pick in Best of Beauty. This brush is made from cruelty-free goat hair, and the softness of the bristles are comparable to E.L.F's Complexion Brush - in fact, it was difficult to feel the difference. What I love about this brush is the shape. The bristles are evenly distributed and not slightly flattened like most blush brushes that I've tried. In comparison to the Complexion Brush, it picks up a bit more product, but is still easy to use and control. For me, this blusher brush hits the apple of the cheeks perfectly, making it almost fool proof when you apply your favourite blush. 

Last but not least, my final favourite drugstore brushes are from CVS' exclusive brand Essence of Beauty. For $5.49 (USD), you are getting two brushes in their Crease Brush Duo Eye Set. On the CVS website, it doesn't specify what type of hair is used, except that the brush is made of authentic animal hairs and fibers. These two brushes are perfect for:

• Lining your upper and bottom eyes with eyeshadow (the fine crease brush will provide a lot of control - you can even use this to replace eyeliners)
• Setting your eyeliner with an eyeshadow to avoid smudging 
• Defining the crease of your eyes to provide more depth (it's great for defining the "V" shape when you contour the outer corners of your eyes)
• Smudging any harsh lines and softening up the eyeliner for a more natural look

I'm hoping to write a Canadian version of drugstore brushes soon. It's hard to buy so many, as my vanity is small and I am running out of room! For those of you who don't live in the States, I hope you still find this posting useful. E.L.F. does ship to Canada for $14.95 (transit takes about 2-4 weeks).

As for my family/friends... I'm going to the States this weekend and willing to take your order ;) Happy Shopping!