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Wednesday, 16 December 2009

A Mini-Crisis! (!!)

I have naturally curly hair which I beat straighten into submission on a regular basis. Or rather, that I used to straighten. The last time I tried... my flat iron broke. In the middle of it, lol. So I had half a head of pin straight hair and the other half... a delightful curly mess. To be more precise, the left side of my hair was straight and the right side... yeah, the curly mess. And while I don't mind rocking my curls, I do mind wearing two different hair textures at the same time. It's... inconvenient, to say the least!

A ponytail? Nope. Bun? Nope.

So I did what any sane curly haired gal with a little extra time would do... I hopped back into the shower to lightly wash my hair (to get out the heat protectant spray I used), and used some mousse to define my curls.

I mean, I knew my flat iron was going to eventually die a sad sad death, but I had no idea it would be when I needed it most. Not before I started, not after I finished.. but in the midst of it all!

Fun times! What would you have done? lol

Thursday, 10 December 2009

Dry Weather? You'll Never Tell!

Soon, parts of the country will be experiencing super cold weather. Actually, some parts already have. Today was a delightfully hot and sunny 85 so yeah, work with me, I'm trying to imagine haha. It's been a while since I've actually had "cold" weather. But, I do remember that there were certain products I seemingly couldn't live without. I was also a college student living in a snowy city and I still use the same products today! And as we all know, certain body parts need a little "extra love" so even when they're exposed to the cold all of the summer-gained moisture isn't lost. So, here are a few of my "must have" products to beat the cold and dry winter weather*:

Hair: I have naturally dark brown (not black) hair which is made all the more apparent when I wear my main trusty black peacoat. And even more apparent, are the split ends and damage which I may have from the constant flat ironing my hair endures. So, to combat that, I use John Frieda's Brilliant Brunette Shine Shock ($5.99). It's a leave-in glossifier for your hair and will tame the fly aways brought on from the dry weather without weighing it down or building up. Static, be gone! It seals the hair shafts without looknig "too shiny", which some silicone based products have a way of doing. But nope, not this! A little goes a long way and lasts all winter and then some!

Hands: Dry hands are something we can all relate to! I remember that just a quick trip walking from my apartment to my class (10 minutes, max) would result in dry hands in desperate need of a little TLC. Or, a lot of lotion... whichever came first! As it turns out, I needed neither but instead just a little bit of a good hand cream. Almond Oil Intensive Hand Rescue ($18.00) was that answer! From The Body Shop, it's a heavy cream but it's easily absorbed so you're not left with greasy or sticky hands. After just once use (hooray for in-store samples!) I noticed a huge difference. My roomate actually ended up buying it for Christmas gifts! And best of all is the scent... think of an almond cookie. Only, a moisturizing one

Face: Skincare is important. Even if you have oily or very oily skin. Actually, especially if you have oily skin. The colder/drier months may be welcomed because they're less likely to encourage oil than say Summer or Spring, but that's where most people get confused: why is my skin still so oily but so dry it's peeling?? Bottom line is all skin needs moisture so, I use Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer with an SPF of 15 ($11.50). Yes, in Winter you need a sunscreen. Maybe not SPF 100, but definitely a something. The sun, after all, is always there, no matter how cloudy. It never makes my very oily skin seem oilier and never once have I broken out from it. I've found that: makeup/primer applies smoothly over it, there's never that 'greasy' feeling usually associated with sunscreens and it doesn't leave behind a whitish residue like some sunscreens (aka: very good for photographing). When the pump starts sputtering, I immediately run to get more because I musn't be without it!

Body: Ok, so I'm a huge fan of The Body Shop's products. They're a great company and help out in the community by donating some of their profits and sponsoring recycling programs. Did I mention they're eco friendly? Their Body Butters ($8-$20) moisturize like nobody's business and you can immediately tell a difference.. all while leaving behind a light scent. This season, they have a new 'Nutmeg and Vanilla' scent which I can't wait to try! The Body Butters definitely give you a luxurious feeling and on the first day of Spring you just want to prance around in skirts to show off your seemingly impossibly moisturized legs. Or, maybe that's just me.

Lips: Chapped lips are a no-no. Sometimes, even a painful no-no. I rely year-round on Carmex. Their Cold Sore Reliever and Lip Moisturizers ($2.50) are simply the best lip moisturizers I've come across. Great under lipsticks, the formula which contains a pain-reliever and a numbing agent, imparts a light sheen. Together, it ensures that your lips are moisturized and not in pain or peeling. I always carry it with me, and have actually been known to panic if I mistakenly leave the house without it. The product actually has quite a following as well... I think there's a fan page on Facebook!

So, whether you're a "girly girl" or a "tomboy", we can all agree that moisturized and healthy-looking are the adjectives we all want this Winter! Have you tried any of the products? Likes? Dislikes?

*all prices are approximate and not guaranteed; please check your local prices.
Dear Sephora Fairy Godmother,...

If we each had our own Sephora fairy godmothers (like Cinderella had her fairy godmother, hehe, get it?), we would be rocking some fierce looks. There's no doubt about that. I personally would have the largest collection of Stila eye shadows and smudge pots imagineable but that'e neither here nor there. Oh, but wait! It is! And it's here, rather than there. Have you heard of SephoraClaus? It's this great feature on Sephora's twitter page where all you have to do is say "All I want for the holidays this year is _______" (fill in the blank) and somehow link the @Sephora and #SephoraClaus tags and Sephora will make one lucky person's wish come true!

An example: Dear @Sephora, all I want for the holidays this year is MakeUpForEver HD Microfinish powder #SephoraClaus. See, look at that... and I even have 35 characters left over!

How awesome amazing freaking fantastic is that? If I were you, I'd be trying to figure out my next 140 characters!

Saturday, 14 November 2009

Style Your Hair Based on Its... Cut?

As part of my weekly website viewings, I do an in depth exploration of Sephora's website to see all the new goodies they've added. And while I'm mostly interested in the new eye shadows, liners and mascaras (when Dior Show made its debut, I all but ran to my nearest Sephora!) I occassionally check out the new hair products. Especially if they have an unusual name, like one happened to have this time around! HerCut!

Described as "hair care for your hair cut" the concept immediately intrigued me. All my life I'd been taught to use shampoos, conditioners and stylers for my specific hair type. It made sense after all. But now, I'm thinking differently. HerCut features unique styling products called "catalysts" for various hair cuts including: layered styles, blunts, bobs, shag styles and pixie cuts and according to the Sephora website, its unique formulation "impels the hair to behave brilliantly". And I suppose I can wrap my head around the idea, as a pixie cut has different styling needs than a long layered cut.

But for me personally, the only thing that will "impel" my chemically relaxed and layered cut to behave is heat. Lots of heat, to be exact. So, with my trusty Prytodefrisant and a flat iron I go to town straightening my curly hair so the layers are visible. My curls are just too tight that any cut is practically invisible and any styling product isn't going to fix that. Though, I do often give my hair a break with a deep conditioner and style it in a bun and then the layers don't matter. On second thought, they might still be obvious considering the multiple bobby pins needed just to get all my hair off my face. Meh.

Would you use a product meant for your hair cut instead of your hair type? Because even if we all have the same hair cut, it's going to look vastly different on each of us depending on our hair's natural texture, any chemical processes, damage, moisture levels, etc. Or what do you think?

Friday, 30 October 2009

Travels!

There's a great Lovelyish post about traveling- what goes in your cosmetics bag when you can't bring it all with you. Because let's be real, if we could, we'd put our entire traincase full of everything into our suitcases and just be done with it. After all, you never know when you'll need your violeg MAC pigment.... actually, you probably should know that, haha. But the point is that you have to take things that you can't take every option you have "just in case". Keep it simple and everything will turn out just fine.

Most days I carry a little makeup bag with me in case I need something. It's pretty much guaranteed to take me from day to night or to help cover a blemish should one deign to appear or really, anything So, here are some of my tips for traveling.... what to bring and what to leave.

Foundation: When I travel, I'm leaving the city which is a welcome thing indeed! And I know I won't wear foundation every day so instead of bringing the whole bottle, I'll pour a little into a little sample container that I have and voila... I've beat the carry on restrictions and saved room in my bag

Powder: I have oily skin, so powder is pretty much a godsend and a way of life for me. I use MAC Select Sheer pressed powder in NC45 and it's truly wonderful stuff. It's the same color as my foundation and honestly won't change the shade of your foundation or skin tone. MAC asserts that it "blends lines" and it does... it truly finishes any look, but I always have it because it gets rid of the every-hour-oil-slicks which my skin just loooooves to show. I must apply this stuff at least 4 times a day and it never looks cakey or like I even have anything on! It's the most natural looking powder I've ever come across. If your skin isn't oily (lucky you!), you don't necessarily need this. Leave it at home... its day will come :)

Concealer: The foundation and powder together pretty much have my skin looking like what I wish I was born with. My eyes, however, are what I was born with: lovely inherited purplish permanent dark circles. Lovely. No matter if I've gotten 2 hours or 10 hours of sleep, my eyes always look like I'm battling a death sentence. To combat that, I use Bobbi Brown's Corrector concealer in 'dark peach'. For people with very dark circles, the darkness has to be neutralized first before a yellow-based shade can be applied. After the corrector is applied, I use a little of the foundation and powder to set and I'm done!

Eye Liner/Shadow: Keep it simple! It's unlikely you're going to have to do wake up at 3am so you won't be needing that I've-had-a billion-hours-of-sleep look, so leave the white/flesh toned pencil at home. Instead, bring a black pencil liner which can double as an eye shadow. I love MUFE Aqua Eyes in Mat Black, a two-in-one eyeshadow and liner which is guaranteed to stay put through it all and it's completely smudgable, if you want it that way. Line both top and bottom lash lines with a little smudging on the top for a simple anytime look. Add a little more for a mored edgy look! Bonus: a little bit can be used to fill in brows. I said little bit!

Mascara: I am an admitted mascara junkie, so I'm going to say that you need to bring some with you! I use Cover Girl's Lash Blast Volume (the orange one)... with about 3 coats. Every day. That's just my look, but it's never intense or edgy or looks like I need to be finishing the rest of my 'goth' look. It works well with my lashes and I can apply many (probably up to 5) without it looking terrible or giving me the dreaded 'tarantula eyes' look. So, depending on your lashes, find one that works well and is buildable.

Lips: I also have a bit of a lip gloss addiction. There was a time when you couldn't catch me without a tube in my pocket. I loved that having it in my pocket would warm it and make it easier to apply. I had a problem, yes I know That said, I believe someone everyone should always have (traveling or otherwise) is a clear lip gloss. I love MAC's Clear Lipglass. It's actually designed to be work with lipstick, lip pencils or just by itself so you know it won't do anything you don't want it to do other than add shine. It also can add just a little hint of shine or give you that full-on wet-shine look. It's not super sticky so your hair won't get stuck if it's windy and it doesn't seem to do anything else really other than be pretty. The stuff lasts forever, so while a tube of $14 clear lip gloss may seem ridiculous, it's completely worth it. Can be layered over foundation for a 'nude lip' or on its own (remember you can have the black intense eye look for going out, so neutral lips are perfect!) if you'd like to keep your lip's natural color.

Blush/Bronzer: I only use a blush when I'm going out or if I haven't gotten enough sleep and my skintone is dreadfully in need of some livening. And since I've already comitted to an intense eye with a neutral-ish lip, I don't want anything that's going to make me look 'sculpted'. So, a simple color that's got just a hint of something will do the trick. If you want just a color to give your skin warmth, do it. A little bit of shimmer, highlight, whatever... just pick one that's subtle enough to complement your look and skintone without going overboard. I always use Jane Mineral Pillow Blush in "tender blush" because it's the color my skin naturally flushes... minus the blotchiness.

Brushes: I don't really use a whole bunch of brushes. True, the majority of my brushes are for the eyes but I hardly use them, preferring to use eyeliners instead with my fingers or a q-tip to smudge them. But, there are some things you absolutely need a brush for: blush and powder. So, because we're travelling, I use a double sided brush from Essence of Beauty: a contour and face duo. It's not a crazy expensive brush but it does the job pretty darn well if I can say so myself. Plus, with your subtle blush and ridiculously fine milled powder of the gods (MAC Select Sheer, hehe) you really can do no wrong!

I think I've said plenty on this, lol. But oh, if you want to bring your favorite perfume but are saddened that the bottle is too big, here's another little tip from me: go to Sephora and ask for a sample of your perfume. It'll come in this itty bitty spray bottle that can't be more than 5ml. Or, grab a solid perfume! Pacifica has great ones which are eco-friendly and at $9, you'll want to stock up! I love their Waikiki Pikake, it's like Hawaiian Jasmine! Or try their Lotus Garden, which is has a woodsy Oriental feel to it.

What are your must-haves for traveling?