The Seven Deadly Sins of Beauty Tag

June 27, 2015 in Makeup

I was recently tagged by the lovely Jasmine to do the Seven Deadly Sins of Beauty Tag. It seemed like such a fun set of questions, and I don't tend to do posts like this, so I thought it would make for a nice little way to get to know me better!

GREED: What is your most inexpensive beauty item? What is your most expensive?

My most expensive product is hands-down the Sunday Riley Luna Oil. My mom actually got this for the two of us and my sister to share, so I'm not sure if it still counts, but for how well it's been working, I'd repurchase it myself in a heartbeat. My least expensive product is probably something I've gotten from Colourpop (the drugstore is getting quite a bit more expensive now than it used to be) - the eyeshadows and lip products from there are only $5!

WRATH: What beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with? What product has been the hardest to get?

I definitely have a bit of a love/hate relationship with NARS Laguna. I used to wear it all the time when I first got it, and I don't know what happened, but right now it just doesn't suit me. It's just too dark, which is strange because the period when I loved it was during the winter. I really want to try to make it work again, but until then I'm sticking with my Body Shop Honey Bronzer.

As for the hardest product to get, it was definitely the NARS Audacious Lipstick in Audrey (which I've just realized I forgot to include in the photo). As soon as these were released I knew I needed the Audrey shade, but it seemed that it was the one shade always sold out everywhere I looked. I ended up going to three Sephoras with no success and finally found it in a Barney's in Boston while visiting my sister at school.

GLUTTONY: What are your most delicious beauty products?

I'm a sucker for any vanilla-scented beauty products. I love the smell of MAC lipsticks, but the best smelling of them all are the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors. They just smell like vanilla frosting. The other thing is the Philosophy Fresh Cream perfume - it's the best vanilla scent that's not warm or heavy in the slightest. I've been spraying it on every day since I got it.

SLOTH: What beauty products do you neglect due to laziness?

The first thing to go when I'm feeling lazy is blush. My cheeks tend to get red during the day anyway, so it's something I don't really feel like I need.

PRIDE: What beauty products give you the most self-confidence?

I most definitely feel my best when I've got my brows on. I've finally gotten the hang of the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade and it's been making me feel great every time I slick it on. Something I don't wear as often but still boosts my confidence is a red lip - I love the Sephora Cream Lip Stain in Always Red because it doesn't smudge or fade throughout the day, and it's the perfect color for me.

LUST: What products are you currently lusting over?

I always have a list as long as my arm of products I want, but top of the list is probably the Charlotte Tilbury cream eyeshadows in Marie Antoinette, Mona Lisa, and Jean. Actually, pretty much anything Charlotte Tilbury.

ENVY: What items would you most like to receive as a gift?

Again, anything from Charlotte Tilbury. The new cream version of the Filmstar Bronze & Glow looks quite dreamy.

This was so much fun to do so I can't wait to see your answers! I tag Lily from Pint Sized Beauty, Katy from Katy Belle, Beti from Makeup-Sessions, and anyone else that wants to join in. Make sure you let me know if you take part!

The Cream That's Made from Snails

June 25, 2015 in Skincare

Following my review of the Cremorlab Gentle Foaming Cleanser I was so kindly sent from Peach and Lily, I thought I’d tell you about another wonderful product they sent along: the Mizon All-in-One Snail Repair Cream*. I’ve been testing it out for a little over a month now, and let me tell you, it’s a winner.

First things first: yes, it contains snail extract, 92 percent in fact. But if you’re not too squeamish to keep an open mind, it’s known throughout Asia for its ability to hydrate and repair the skin and fight wrinkles. Hearing this, I immediately was sold - I’m always looking for ways to help my dehydrated skin, and if it was also something that would help heal my acne scars, then I think it would be my dream product.

Knowing this cream contained snail mucin, I thought it was going to be super thick and, well, slimy before I tried it for the first time. I could not have been more wrong - it’s got this incredible lightweight texture that makes it the perfect daytime moisturizer (I mentioned it in my Summer Edit here). I simply dot it around my face, smooth it around, and pat it in. It leaves my skin feeling so fresh and nourished. Within the first few minutes of applying, my skin feels plumped, hydrated, and quite a bit more firm to the touch - I can really see how this would be a great wrinkle-fighter. I’ll admit it’s a bit of a strange consistency - it has the tendency to drip off your fingers in “strands,” if that makes sense - but once patted into the skin any fear of sliminess or stickiness fades.

It absorbs completely into my skin within about 10-20 minutes, leaving the most brilliantly smooth canvas for makeup application. I’ve skipped primer after using this plenty of times. When I use it at night, I let it absorb for about half an hour and then follow up with a heavier cream or facial oil and treat the Snail Cream as my serum step. I feel this really locks in that moisture throughout the night, which is all I want in life as someone with dehydrated skin. Since it’s so light, though, it would make the most perfect moisturizer for someone with oily skin as it’s so incredibly hydrating without feeling heavy in the slightest.

After a month of use, I’ve noticed a disappearance in dehydration lines, and my skin just looks brighter, plumper, and healthier. I have noticed some slight fading of acne scars, and it seems that new spots heal more quickly without leaving a lasting scar. For the past week I’ve had one of those huge, painful under-the-skin spots right in the middle of my forehead, and I swear it gets a little smaller and a little less red and painful with every use of the Snail Cream.

So oily or dry, young or old, blemished or not - the Mizon All in One Snail Repair Cream is one to try. Would you ever try it?

The Summer Edit

June 23, 2015 in Makeup, Skincare

I figured since this is my first post of the summer, I'd bring you my Summer Edit - a curated list of products I can't be without come summertime.

Let's talk skincare. Being a dehydrated/dry gal, I tend to go with the mantra "the greasier, the better" when looking for skincare, especially for nighttime. But as the weather heats up, my skin gets a tad more oily and I start reaching for lighter products that won't make me feel like I'm suffocating during the day. Two products that have really been fitting the bill have been the Indie Lee Squalene Facial Oil and the Mizon All In One Snail Repair Cream* (I have a full review on this coming Thursday). They're both great summer daytime products as they're so lightweight, yet still pack a punch of hydration so your skin will never feel parched.

And as for the ever-important SPF, lately I've been loving the Radical Skincare Skin Perfecting Screen with SPF 30. I love how lightweight this is (again - see a theme here?). It never feels greasy on my face as some sunscreens tend to (it dries down to a matte finish), and it contains light-reflecting particles to blur imperfections. The subtle light pink tint also helps to brighten up the skin, I find, and makeup lays beautifully on top of it.

Keeping with the "lightweight" theme here, my base products don't tend to go any heavier than a tinted moisturizer or sheer foundation. My two current favorites are the NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer and the bareMinerals Complexion Rescue because of the beautiful glow they give to the skin. The Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation is an amazing option as well. In summer (and pretty much all year round), I'm all about the glow. I tend to skip the primer throughout the year, but really need it more come summer. I like to still pick hydrating and glowy formulas to really amp up that healthy glow. The Glossier Priming Moisturizer is amazing, as is the Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Primer. For an even more noticeable glow, I'll apply a thin layer of the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone all over before applying my base on top.

I also tend to reach exclusively for cream products when the weather warms up, so for my contour I've been reaching for The Creamy Glow by Kevyn Aucoin in the Sculpting/Highlighting shade rather than the Anastasia Contour Kit. It's so easy to apply and blends like a dream - subtly defined cheekbones in 10 seconds flat. My preferred form of blush is cream anyway, and two of my favorites are the Stila Convertible Color in Lilium for a lovely neutral pink, and the Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee in Pink Escape for a more punchy pop of color - this feels so cooling on the cheeks, making it the perfect summer product. I can't leave the house without my highlighter, even moreso in the summer when there's more sun to be reflecting off these cheekbones. As I said, I adore creams, so I've been loving the one in the Kevyn Aucoin duo and also the rms Beauty Living Luminizer - this gives the most beautiful sheen to the skin with no glitter whatsoever. Two other highlighters I've been loving despite not being creams are the Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder Compact in Highlight 01, which is seriously the most beautiful product I've ever owned I think, and the Colourpop Highlighter in Smoke N Whistles. This is more of an intense highlight, but I love it because of its cool tone - it goes perfectly with my skin. And lastly for the cheeks, a summer essential that I tend to skip the rest of the year is bronzer. I've just got to learn how to apply this better and I think I'll be set. I've been lusting after the new Hourglass bronzers since they came out - I'm up for anything that gives the skin a glow. Since I'm so pale, I use The Body Shop's Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder - it's practically foolproof.

As much as I love me a good eyeshadow palette, in the summer I get lazier with my makeup and turn to those perfect one-wash colors. I'm a huge neutral eyeshadow lover throughout the whole year, but summer is when I get really into those golds and bronzes. I've been slapping on a wash of Colourpop's Plunge almost every day since I got it as it's the perfect summery champagne gold. Other favorites include the MAC eyeshadows in All that Glitters and Woodwinked and the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze.

Lastly for lips, I tend to go for something low maintenance like a tinted lip balm. My all-time favorites are the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments in Petal and Tulip, a neutral and a bright pink that have me covered for any summer look. I love that these have SPF in them as well. I've also been venturing into bolder lip colors, and for that I always reach for something long-lasting, like the Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stains. I've got the shades Always Red and Strawberry Kiss (see them both on here, and Always Red in my Date Night post), and I actually don't feel uncomfortable in them.

What are your go-to products for summer?