The Birthday Makeup Look

It's my birthday! Birthdays don't mean much to me anymore (Brett so kindly pointed out that I'm now closer to 30 than 20, so I kind of would like them to stop), but I still like to use them as an excuse to throw all my favorite products on my face at once. This year I've gone for a bit of a purple theme.

I'm not big into primers, but my favorite is definitely the Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer. I start with a couple pumps of this every time I do my makeup, and it instantly hydrates, plumps, and smooths out my skin. It's the perfect product to prep the skin. For foundation, I'm reaching for my ultimate favorite Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation. It gives good coverage, makes the skin super glowy, and it's basically undetectable. I don't know how Charlotte Tilbury did it, but you really can't see it on the skin at all. It's been three years since I first tried this, and it's still one I reach for all the time. Concealer is, as always, the Milk Makeup Flex Concealer. I just love it so much - it looks so good and skinlike, and it works well both under the eyes and on blemishes. It has the perfect finish, between matte and dewy, so it's not too dry under the eyes and yet it doesn't slide off blemishes. Concealer used to be the one thing where I would bounce around the most, but I've stuck with this one through three tubes now.

For brows I'm still using the Nudestix Eyebrow Stylus Pencil & Gel - I didn't think anything would ever replace my beloved Boy Brow, but here we are. The triangle-tipped pencil makes it so quick and easy to fill in my brows, and the gel is amazing. It manages to fluff up the hairs but also set them into place. I always wear this in my kickboxing class and it doesn't budge despite constantly wiping sweat off my forehead.

I had such a hard time choosing what eyeshadow I should wear. I rarely wear much on a day to day basis, so I wanted something a little more special but that wouldn't be over the top. I'm starting with a layer of the Glossier Lidstar in Lily all over and then topping it with the Dior Five Couleurs Eyeshadow in Dream. The purple tones all go really well together, and I find the Lidstars not only look beautiful on their own, but they also make really good eyeshadow primers if you layer something on top. For mascara, I'm going for the Le Volume de Chanel Mascara. This is a new favorite but it's instantly become the only mascara I ever want to use. It makes the lashes super black, holds a curl really well, and makes them both super long and voluminous. It does it all, really. And it doesn't smudge on me, even though I don't have the waterproof version.

I've been neglecting my favorite Lilah b. Bronzed Beauty Bronzer Duo lately, but I'm picking it back up today. It's such a good shade - not too orange, but not too gray. It leaves me looking perfectly sunkissed and adds a little bit of glow.  For blush, I'm going with a two-step process - I'm starting with a bit of the Glossier Cloud Paint in Haze smudged over my cheeks, and then I'm topping it with the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure. The Cloud Paints are my absolute favorites, so I have to use at least one every time I do my makeup. The Hourglass Blush is one I definitely need to remember to use more - Mood Exposure is such a pretty plummy nude shade that goes with everything, and it gives the skin such a pretty, subtle glow.

Speaking of glow, there's no other highlighter I could imagine reaching for other than the Glossier Haloscope in Quartz. It's my number one favorite, and I've gone through two tubes of it already. It just makes the skin look so naturally glowy and dewy, and yet it still can look pretty intense. 

I had a hard time choosing a lip product, but I'm going with the purple/berry theme here and using the NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment in Save the Queen. It's the prettiest cool mauve shade that will really pull the whole look together. I'm still obsessed with these - they're perfect smudged into a lip balm for an everyday stain effect.

What makeup products do you reach for on a special day?

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The Face Oil Roundup

The other day I thought I'd put together some of my facial oils for an Instagram photo, and as I was digging through my collection I realized how many of them I had. This is bad, but they're all currently open and in my rotation. I truly do have a different use for each one, so I thought it would be helpful to go through each one and talk about the ingredients as well as when and how I use them.

Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil | When I Use It: Day & Night

This little beauty from Biossance is one of the most lightweight oils I have, but it's also incredibly hydrating, so it's one I like to use both during the day and at night. I pat it on as the last step of my routine. Main ingredients include 100% plant-derived squalane, which prevents moisture loss, Vitamin C, to brighten the skin, and Chios Crystal Oil, to support natural collagen production. Biossance says the Vitamin C is in an oil-soluble form here, so it delivers all its benefits much more efficiently than ascorbic acid. This sinks in quickly and yet leaves my skin hydrated all night/day, and it feels quite gentle. I think this would work well for both oily and dry skins alike.

Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil | When I Use It: Night

If I had to choose one word to describe how this Clarins oil makes my skin look and feel, I'd pick "juicy." This oil is targeted towards those with dehydrated skin, which is 100% me. It has a base of hazelnut oil, which is incredibly moisturizing, and also contains blue orchid extract and rosewood and patchouli essential oils to help tone and revitalize. It takes a while to sink in and does have a strong scent, so I prefer to use it at night as the last step of my routine. I wake up absolutely glowing by morning. People with sensitive skin should most likely avoid this one because of the essential oil content, but it's a beautiful oil nonetheless.

Go-To Skincare Face Hero | When I Use It: Day & Night

This is the newest addition to my collection, and it's already one of my favorites. It's a wonderful blend of plant and nut oils that feels lightweight on the skin but continually moisturizes and gives an excellent glow. The oils included are almond, jojoba, macadamia, brazil nut, evening primrose, buriti, arnica, rosehip, calendula, and kiwi fruit seed oils, and it also has added Vitamin E (tocopherol). It has added natural fragrance (orange blossom and rose gardenia) at the very end of the ingredients list. It's a pleasure to use, mixes well with other products (I like mixing it into either Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich or Go-To Very Useful Face Cream), and doesn't leave me greasy.

Huxley Secret of Sahara Oil Essence | When I Use It: Day

This one is a bit of a hybrid product - part oil, part essence, and I use it as my serum step in the morning. It uses Sahara Cactus Oil, quinoa, and acai berry to intensely hydrate and nourish the skin. Sahara Cactus Oil is meant to quickly absorb and provide lasting hydration, and it also contains high levels of antioxidants to protect the skin. It's super lightweight and has more of a gel-consistency than an oil. I find it behaves similarly to a hyaluronic acid serum and keeps my skin hydrated throughout the day.

Jordan Samuel Skin etOILe Facial Oil | When I Use It: Day & Night

This one is another one of my favorites. It's another oil blend that my skin responds really well to - it contains almond, cranberry seed, argan, marula, evening primrose, rosehip, and seabucktorn oils, as well as Vitamin E and squalane. I find my skin responds extremely well to the cranberry seed oil as it's anti-inflammatory. The etOILe is one of the best oils in my collection for combating redness, and it's always the one I reach for when my skin is feeling stressed. This gives me a glow like no other. It's an amazing oil, and the price point isn't bad either!

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate | When I Use It: Night

This is even more lightweight than the Biossance, and it sinks in the most quickly out of any of the oils here, I think. I use this one at night as my serum step - since it’s so thin, I find it works best under creams rather than over them. This really soothes stressed-out skin, and I always wake up to a more even and clear complexion after using it. It contains squalane (sensing a theme here?), evening primrose oil, and lavender essential oil to soothe, moisturize, and repair the skin. This is one to avoid if you’re sensitive to essential oils. Personally, I find the lavender scent super relaxing.

Mindi Walters Regenerative Oil Complex | When I Use It: Night

This is one of my favorites to use at night - I always wake up with such a dewy glow in the morning. It's another beautiful blend of oils, including grape seed, cranberry seed, rosehip seed, marula, red raspberry seed, sea buckthorn, bulgarian rose, and black currant seed oils. It also contains retinyl palmitate to help combat signs of aging. It takes a bit to sink in, which I prefer in my nighttime oils - I like that it keeps my skin moisturized all night without me having the shove my face in the humidifier.

Monastery Gold Botanical Healing Serum | When I Use It: Night

My other favorite nighttime pick is this absolutely gorgeous product from Monastery. This is to help rebuild and restore the skin, and it truly does feel healing. It contains a blend of oils including red raspberry seed, evening primrose, rosehip seed, camellia seed, kukui nut, avocado, cranberry seed, tamanu, carrot seed, and macadamia nut oils. This feels quite rich at first but sinks in quickly. I love using this one when I do my nighttime routine earlier in the evening and continually patting on a few more drops every couple hours. It makes my skin so smooth, even, and clear. At the moment, I think this is my favorite for night.

MUN Skincare Aknari Brightening Youth Serum | When I Use It: Day

MUN is definitely a brand I need to try everything from. This is a simple yet effective blend of prickly pear seed oil, argan oil, and rose flower essential oil. It's super lightweight and sinks into the skin easily, and yet leaves it fully nourished and juicy. When using this consistently I really do notice a change in the brightness of my skin, and I even notice that my dark circles aren't as dark. I love using this during the day under a heavier cream - it keeps my skin so moisturized and glowy throughout the whole day. This is definitely healthly-looking skin in a bottle.

Pixi Beauty Rose Oil Blend | When I Use It: Night

This is a product that definitely feels a lot more luxurious than its price point - in fact, I could say the same for much of Pixi's skincare. The Rose Oil Blend is probably best suited to drier skin types, as it does feel quite thick and takes a while to sink into the skin. That's why I love using it at night - it keeps my skin enveloped in moisture all night. It's a lovely blend of various rose oils (rosa canina fruit and rosa damascena flower oils), mixed with sweet almond and jojoba oils. If you have dry skin and are looking to start using an oil, the price point and beautiful formula make this the perfect place to start.

Plant Apothecary Superfacial Organic Oil Moisturizer | When I Use It: When I Use It: Day

This is a new addition to my collection, but it's already been keeping my skin nourished during the day very well. It's also a blend of oils (as pretty much all of the oils in my collection are), containing white tea seed, hazelnut, avocado, apricot kernel, sea buckthorn, juniper, and geranium oils. This oil makes my skin so soft, so it's a great one to use pre-makeup. Everything just glides on afterward. I'm still getting used to the smell of this one, but I do like that there's no added fragrance/essential oils. Juniper and geranium oils are meant to help restore the skin, and it really does make my skin feel rejuvenated, even at the end of a long day. They also have a version for oily skin.

Sunday Riley Juno Hydroactive Cellular Face Oil | When I Use It: Day

I am in LOVE with this oil - it gives my skin such a nice glow. Sunday Riley Juno contains a blend of blackberry, blueberry, cranberry, and red raspberry seed oils, as well as carrot and broccoli seed oils. It's basically all the fruits and vegetables you should be eating, but for your face. It works to restore the skin's natural moisture barrier, so it's been once I've reached for quite a bit all winter. I especially love this one mixed into my moisturizer during the day for a nice kick of nourishment. This works beautifully under makeup, too.

Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil | When I Use It: Night

Last but not least, we have the oil that I'm pretty sure got me into oils. Remember when everyone was raving about this a few years ago? I fell for the hype, and it's still one of my favorites. Luna is a blend of oils like avocado, grape seed, chia seed, and blackberry seed oils, and it also contains blue tansy and chamomile to calm the skin and trans-retinoic acid ester to encourage exfoliation and smooth the skin without the traditional irritation of retinoids. This is still one I reach for as the last step of my evening skincare routine when my skin is freaking out, and it always is calmer by morning. I feel like it makes my pores appear smaller, smooths out my skin's texture, and reduces redness over time, too. I'm just about at the end of this bottle and my wallet is weeping at the prospect of having to repurchase - but it's worth it.

If you made it all the way to the end - thank you! What's your favorite facial oil?

Some products mentioned have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Falling for Chanel Beauty

Call me a slave to hype, but I've recently seen an onslaught of people posting their gorgeous collections of Chanel products (I'm looking at you Amelia & Maria), and it's made me not only dig through my collection and re-fall in love with the products I had, but it also made me go out and buy a couple new things. I think Chanel is really amping up their image to try to appeal to a younger demographic, and it's surely working on me. My whole beauty wishlist is basically Chanel at the moment.

Palette Essentielle | This is one of my new additions - I had been pining for it since Christmas, so one Saturday when I was feeling spendy I just went for it. I got the lightest trio, Beige Clair, and I was worried the concealer would be too dark for me. Turns out, it's perfect - it's slightly too dark for under my eyes (where I like using something a little lighter than my skintone), but it's a perfect match for the rest of my face, so it's great for blemishes and overall redness. I also love the blush and highlight shades that come in the palette. The blush is a lovely toned-down rosy shade that looks great with any look, and the highlight is a soft cool champagne. The formula of all three products are lovely - creamy enough to apply and blend easily, but they set down so they don't slide around your face all day. This lives in my everyday makeup bag as it's such an easy all-in-one product.

Le Volume de Chanel Mascara | This is the other new product in my Chanel collection, and I think I've found the mascara for me. I had heard people rave about this, but I don't know why I didn't fully believe them! This mascara is beautiful - it tints the lashes a deep inky black, it gives them dramatic length and volume, and the best part: it doesn't smudge on me all day - even though I don't have the waterproof version. I love how it can be lightly layered on for a pretty, fluttery look or built up for some real drama. I'm already sold on it, and I'm going to be buying the waterproof version to wear for my wedding.

Illusion d'Ombre, 'New Moon' | This was purely an Amelia-inspired purchase back when I got it, and it's still one of my favorite eyeshadows to date. It has a similar almost cream-to-powder consistency like the Dior Fusion Mono Eyeshadows, but this is more pigmented and a lot more sparkly and shimmery. New Moon is one of those ambiguous bronze-plum-taupe-mauve shades with a whole lot of multidimensional shimmer. It's one of the best one-and-done eyeshadow looks because it's such a unique shade. It seems to look different on everyone I've seen it on, and it's one of those products that turns a slightly different shade when you blend it out - it looks like you're wearing multiple eyeshadows when really you've just got one. So this is basically your lazy-day eyeshadow covered.

Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner | I can't believe I forgot to include this one in the photos, because it's one of my favorites. I bought the shade Legendary Green after watching a Pixiwoo video (I think it was Sam's holiday makeup one) to wear specifically for Christmas. I'm still loving it now - it's the prettiest forest green shade that doesn't seem too different from a normal black/brown eyeliner until you really look up close. It's incredibly creamy and easy to blend and smudge out, but once it sets down it stays put all day. I have the most watery eyes, and it's never been a problem for me. I usually don't think splurging on eyeliner in necessary, but in this case it is.

Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Sheer Lipshine, 'Boy' | This was the first piece of Chanel makeup I owned, and it's still my favorite. I bought it because Fleur de Force used it for her wedding, and I'm thinking I might possibly use it for mine. It seems like such a nothing shade when you look at it and swatch it, but there's something about this sheer nude-y pink shade that makes you look so polished and put-together when you wear it. The formula is nice and balmy, and while it doesn't have the best longevity, it's easy to reapply and comfortable to wear. It's a classic for a reason!

Rouge Coco Ultra Hydrating Lip Colour, 'Adrienne' | This is purely a "The Anna Edit"-induced purchase. This is one of the loveliest lipstick formulas I've tried, too. It's creamy and comfortable, and yet it's quite pigmented and lasts a long time on me. It doesn't last through eating, but really what lipstick does? Adrienne is a beautiful nude shade that I think would look good on many skintones - it's got a little bit of brown, a little bit of pink, and a little bit of peach.

Rouge Coco Gloss, 'Caresse' | I got this at the same time as Adrienne, and the pair of them make the most perfect nude lip. I definitely need to wear this gloss more because it's such a beautiful formula. It's creamy rather than sticky, and it feels quite moisturizing on the lips. It has a good amount of pigmentation - it's not too sheer, but it still allows some of your natural lip color to show through so it's more flattering. Caresse is pretty much a perfect match for Adrienne, a nude with hints of brown, pink, and peach. This has definitely reminded me to throw this in my everyday makeup bag.

Have you tried any products from Chanel? What's your favorite?