Glossier Wowder is Here!

August 01, 2017 in Makeup

It's not powder, it's Wowder.

If there was one product I never really got on with, it was powder. The ones I tried were always too mattifying and chalky on my skin, so I eventually just stopped including powder as a step in my daily makeup routine. I'm all about the glowy skin look, but there's a fine line between dewy and greasy, and I've been crossing that line a few too many times this summer. Leave it to Glossier to introduce a product that changes everything.

Glossier Wowder, out now, is a super finely-milled, weightless powder that turns all your expectations of powder on their head. It comes in three adaptable shades to avoid that stark white flashback look, and it truly looks like nothing on the skin. It softly mattifies and blurs pores, but doesn't cake up or leave the skin looking flat. Dewy is still (and always) in - now you can just be strategic with it.

My first impression of Wowder is that it's going to be a game-changer for me. As I said, I never really used powder much, but this is one I can get on board with. Just a soft dusting over my T-Zone instantly blurred out my pores like nothing I've ever seen, and it gave my skin a velvety look. It mopped up the grease without diminishing overall glow, so it's definitely going to be dry skin friendly. I'll check back in with if it extends the life of my makeup, but as of now I'm totally impressed.

Glossier Wowder is $22 US/$27 CAD, and it can be bought with or without the Wowder Brush - super soft and designed to be the perfect shape to buff over large areas of the face and also to fit into smaller spaces like under the eyes, this is a winner, too. The Brush is $20 US/$25 CAD, and the pair can be bought together for $35 US/$45 CAD - saving you $7 in either currency. As always, you can use my Glossier Rep link for 10% off your first order, and you can get free shipping on 2+ items - so getting the Wowder and the Brush will get you there already.

Glossier Wowder was sent to me to try before launch, and I have you to thank for that - every time you order through my link, it brings me closer to being able to try their newest products before they launch to report back to you. All opinions are my own, as always. Please see my disclaimer for more information.

Three Masks My Skin Is Loving

July 28, 2017 in Skincare

One of my favorite ways to wind down after a long day or week is by using a face mask. It just adds an extra bit of luxury to my normal skincare routine, and reaching for a beautifully-packaged mask at the end of the night is just really soothing to me. They're definitely a part of my self-care routine - I have a bunch that I love and reach for all the time, but lately these three have been particularly heavily used.

The Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask is definitely the most hyped-up of the three I'm mentioning - it keeps selling out on Glow Recipe and Sephora. It's definitely worth jumping on a few wait lists though if it's out of stock. It's a lightweight, jelly-textured mask that smells just like watermelon and works to exfoliate and brighten the skin overnight using AHAs and hydrate with watermelon extract and hyaluronic acid. It sinks into the skin without being sticky, so it won't smear all over your pillow. My skin is a little too dry to use this on its own overnight, but I still see great results with an extra moisturizer on top. I always wake up with smooth, glowing skin the morning after applying this.

My go-to for a cleansing mask lately has been the Youth to the People Age Prevention Superfood Mask.* This reminds me of the Glossier Mega Greens mask actually - it feels like it's replenishing the skin of lost nutrients while also cleansing. Despite containing clay, it doesn't dry down completely and crack, so it doesn't suck all the moisture out of the skin. I find these kinds of clay masks work best on my skin. It's perfect after a long summer day to leave the skin nourished, soothed, and purified.

Whenever I've needed an extra dose of moisture, I've been grabbing the Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Hydro Sleep Mask* as the last step of my skincare routine. It has a lightweight gel-cream formula that, again, won't transfer to your pillow overnight. It gradually sinks in, giving long-lasting moisture. Because of the gel texture, it's also incredibly cooling, making it perfect for hot summer nights. My skin is always so plumped up and hydrated the morning after applying this mask - makeup applies like a dream! It essentially works as a barrier to lock in moisture and nutrients while you sleep, ensuring all the lovely skincare you've applied before bed gets driven into the skin instead of evaporating. It's one to try for sure no matter what your skin type.

What are your favorite face masks?

*Products mentioned have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. Please see my disclaimer for more information. This post contains affiliate links.

On Falling Back in Love with Eyeshadow

July 27, 2017 in Makeup

Just when I thought my makeup couldn't get any more minimal on an everyday basis, I've gone and fallen back in love with wearing eyeshadow - multiple shades from palettes, actually. I've still been having issues when wearing my contacts for too long, and I've found eyeshadow adds some much-needed definition to my eyes. My prescription is so strong that my glasses make my eyes look super tiny, so I much prefer wearing them with a bit of extra eye makeup.

The palette that brought about this resurgence of love for eyeshadow is aptly named - the Anastasia Modern Renaissance Eyeshadow Palette (review). This was massively hyped when it came out last year, and for good reason. Anastasia has my favorite eyeshadow formula - they absolutely do not budge or fade throughout the day, and though they're powdery in the pan, they blend beautifully. I love the shade range in the Modern Renaissance Palette, as I'm quite drawn to more pink tones.

Another I've been dipping into a lot lately, as it's quite convenient for on-the-go, is the bareMinerals READY Eyeshadow 8.0 Palette in The Bare Neutrals. I had never used bareMinerals's eyeshadows before getting this palette, and they're quite lovely. They're not as intensely pigmented as ABH, but the end result is softer, and it's more foolproof. I definitely think this was a conscious choice given bareMinerals's penchant for more natural/minimal makeup. There are four variations of this palette, and they're all beautiful.

Another great pick for travel/on-the-go are the NARS Duo Eyeshadows. I have the Kalahari duo, and it's the perfect pair of rosy brown shades. These are my favorite kinds of colors for my eyeshadow, so this one's a no-brainer for me. The formula is lovely and pigmented, and it's easy to create a wash of shimmer or a more built-up look.

Speaking of shimmer, my number one favorite just has to be the Tom Ford Eyeshadow Quad in Nude Dip. This is the most chic example of shimmer I've ever used - it makes the eyelids look dewy, without, of course, having any sort of grease. The shadows are soft and velvety and impart a beautiful subtle look to the eyes. This is always my go-to for special occasions.

If I had to choose one palette to use for the rest of my life though, I'd probably pick the Tarte Tartelette In Bloom Clay Eyeshadow Palette (review). I love that there's a mix of shimmers and mattes and warm and cool tones. It's probably one of the most versatile neutral palettes in my collection. I love the formula in the Tartelette palettes - they're buttery smooth and pigmented. They don't exactly blend themselves, but it's still easy to create a beautiful look for an eyeshadow-novice like me.

What are your favorite eyeshadow palettes? I'm tempted to get the new ABH Subculture palette, what are your thoughts?