A Quick Drugstore Foundation Review

For the past few months, I have been dying to get my hands on Rimmel's Wake Me Up Foundation.  After trying it, I figured it was definitely worth talking about, along with another newcomer, Revlon Nearly Naked.

I was way too excited when I finally found Rimmel's Wake Me Up Foundation.  After hearing nothing but good things, I was desperate to try it.  It smells wonderful (not chemically or too "makeup-y"), has a convenient pump bottle and a radiant, non-greasy finish.  All of this just makes the fact that their lightest shade is much too dark for me that much worse. 

Here it is on my skin.  Even though it's on the inside of my arm (lighter skin than my face) you can probably see it is much too yellow and dark.  I bought the shade Ivory (100) with trepidation as I had a feeling from just looking at the bottle that it would be too dark.  I refuse to give up on this one though as I'm hoping it will work in the summer and if not, when I am in the mood for some serious contouring, I'm sure it will be perfect.

Overall, I would highly recommend this for anyone that has a bit more pigment in their skin than me!

Fresh off my disappointment with Rimmel's colour availability, I decided to try again with Revlon's newest release Nearly Naked in (110) Ivory which is the same shade that I use in their Colourstay line that I talked about HERE. 

The colour match is great for my skin, and to honest, this foundation blends better than many, many others that I've tried.  The finish is fairly dewy without being too oily, though I did end up needing a blotting sheet or some powder a few hours into the day.

The coverage I would classify as sheer but buildable.  Though it is a bit difficult to build up without losing the "no makeup" look.

I know this just looks like a random picture of my arm, but this is actually my pale, pale arm with the foundation blended in.  What really sells this foundation for me is how well it blends to give a really natural finish, which feels light on the skin.

Application-wise, I use my Urban Decay Optical Blurring Brush to buff it in then set it with Rimmel Stay Matte Powder (001 Translucent).  I find if I happen to miss anywhere with the powder, it does feel a bit sticky and is more likely to slide around.

Overall, if you are looking for a very natural finish, this is for you.  However if you want long-lasting, full coverage, you might do better sticking with Colorstay.

If you have any must-try drugstore foundations, I'm always willing and eager to try so let me know in the comments!

Kendall

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Lying Low: My Weekend-Away Makeup Bag

For us Canadian university students, this past week has been reading week.  Basically spring break without the nice weather, we've had the week off from lectures to avoid stress-related meltdowns.  

During this time off, a few friends and I headed up to my family's cabin in Northern Alberta for some much-needed relaxation.  Because this time was about as laid back as it gets, I thought I'd share my makeup routine for those days when you just can't be bothered.

I never really thought I'd be able to pare down my products this much for any kind of absence from my beloved makeup collection but this really is about as low-maintenence as I get.

Yes, I am fully aware that this looks like makeup one may use on someone playing a ghost in a school production but this is my powder foundation. MAC's Studio Fix in N3 is my ultimate lazy-day product- just buff a bit of this into the skin and you've got good, even coverage in seconds.  I have a sneaking suspicion that if I wear this too many days in a row, it might break me out a tiny bit so if anyone has a favourite powder foundation I could try instead, I'd love to hear about it.

I also brought my NYC Liquid Liner in Black (which I wrote about in my Drugstore Favourites Post) and is pretty much a daily essential for me. 

For even lazier days, a bit of L'Oreal Infalliable Eyeliner in Brown in my tightline was the only liner I used.

For my cheeks, my Nars Laguna/ Orgasm duo was all I used.  I hauled this baby in my First "I Was Bad" Post and my love for it has yet to fade.  Just perfection.

My Naked Basics Palette fit in perfectly with my minimal theme, but it still provided a very decent number of looks for me.  For something very minimal, a bit of W.O.S. and Naked 2 was just enough to look done.  With Faint or even a tiny bit of Crave in the outer corner, this palette even creates a beautiful look for dinner out.

Limiting myself to a single cream shadow was possibly my most difficult task but as I had just picked up a MAC Paint Pot in Vintage Selection, I was eager to try it out.  A beautiful shimmery champagne that is neither too pink nor too brown, a quick swipe of this makes you look instantly "done".  Adding either of the two liners I mentioned above finishes the look in about two minutes.

Adding a few brushes and random lip glosses to this little group creates a great, basic makeup selection perfect for a look that doesn't feel too high-maintenence or done but still adds that little something.

I hope you enjoyed reading this very basic post and if you have any must-have basics, I'd love to hear about them in the comments.

Happy reading week to my fellow Canadians!

Kendall

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The Perfect Red Lip

I promised you another cheerfully Valentine's-themed post and here it is.

A few of my favourite red lipsticks perfect for a romantic evening.

So once you've gotten your lips Valentine's ready (see my post on that lovely topic HERE), you're all set to channel your inner Marilyn with a vampy red lip.

Now, I have some other red lip products that I am quite a fan of as well, but I already yammered on about them for quite a while in my Lipstick Alternatives Post which features glosses, liquid lipsticks and stains- perfect for any *ahem* post-date activities.

The only one that I repeated was my Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me, which I thought I would include so this post can at least mention a lighter, tastier alternative.

So, from L-R we have:

Maybelline Baby Lips (Cherry Me)

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss (10,11)

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick: (725) Love That Red, (006) Really Red, (720) Fire & Ice

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter (070) Cherry Tart

Maybelline The Vivids (895) On Fire Red

Not Pictured: MAC Lipstick in Russian Red

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss (10,11)

These lipsticks really are quite long-lasting and are a favourite in the beauty community.  Shade 10 is a bit deeper and more vampy while 11 is brighter, more of a cherry red.  I think if you mixed the two, the shade would be very comparable to MAC's Russian Red

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick: (725) Love That Red, (006) Really Red, (720) Fire & Ice

Love That Red is a creamy, bright red, a bit on the orange side but quite easy to work with. 

Love That Red is a matte finish, making it a little more tricky to get a perfect application with, but the result is a very true, strong red that is flattering on a lot of skin tones.

Fire & Ice is almost a red-coral, very much towards the orange side of things that I think would look lovely on those with olive or medium skin.  I don't usually wear this colour when it's not summer but it still has a place in my heart.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter (070) Cherry Tart, Maybelline The Vivids (895) On Fire Red, MAC Lipstick in Russian Red, Maybelline Baby Lips Cherry Me

Cherry Tart, as a lip butter is super comfortable and moisturizing, great if you don't have a lot of time for touch-ups or are doing something that might mess up a carefully applied red lip.  Same goes for the Baby Lips of course.

I only picked up On Fire Red a few days ago, but I am loving the formula so far; it's very comfortable and definitely not too drying.

Of course, Russian Red is the quintessential red lipstick and I can definitely see why.  A creamy matte finish and deep, true red tone means it is the perfect sophisticated red lipstick.  Just for reference, in my little blog photo, this is what I'm wearing.

Maybelline The Vivids (895) On Fire Red

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick (006) Really Red

Application Tips:

Apparently, back in the day, my grandma was envied for her ability to make a single application of lipstick last the whole day.  The trick she swears by is very simple, but I find it usually can add a good amount of wear time.  Apply your first coat of lipstick then go do something else for a few minutes- maybe 5 or 10.  Then grab yourself a tissue, give it a kiss (or blot if you prefer but my grandma swears kissing the tissue works better) then apply another coat.  You can also take this one step further by patting on some loose translucent powder over your first coat, then applying the colour again over it.  I like to use a flat, stiff (not-fluffy) eyeshadow brush for this.

When it comes to lipliner, honestly, I'm not too fussed.  If you are going to apply it, my only tip would be to fill in your whole lip- no one likes the 'ring around the lips' look plus it will probably give you more wear time and a sharper finish.  MAC's Brick is a really great liner that I actually think matches Russian Red a little better than the crowd favourite Cherry.

Finally, if you like the glossy look, my favourite finisher is Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Gloss in the clear shade because it's not too thick or sticky, plus it smells like mint- an advantage for everyone!

Well, I think I am officially out of Valentine's Day-themed things to talk about (or more accurately, I've run out of time to talk about them).

I hope you enjoyed reading about the makeup staple that is the red lip.  If you have a favourite in this post, or one that you think I should check out, let me know in the comments below.

Hopefully you have a great Valentine's Day, no matter what you get up to!

Kendall

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Valentine's Day-Ready Lips Couldn't be Easier

Happy (upcoming) Valentine's Day everyone! Even if you don't have a Valentine this year (as is the case for myself), I still think it's a fun day where you get to eat chocolate and watch your favourite sappy movies with friends.  Plus at least my dad gets me flowers, so there's that...

Anyway Valentine or not, soft, kissable lips are something we all want- not just because they feel good but what better base is there for all of our favourite lip colours?

My strategy for keeping my lips smooth (especially in Alberta's dry winters) is painfully simple.  A quick scrub with Lush's Popcorn Lip Scrub followed by a nice coat of Blistex before I go to sleep and I wake up with my lips ready for whatever coat of paint I decide is right for the day.

Usually, when I wake up I also give my lips a quick and gentle scrub with a toothbrush, then another coat of lip balm while I do the rest of my makeup so my lip colour goes on without gripping to any dry yucky bits.

I've talked to you before about my deeeeep love of Blistex but Lush Popcorn Lip Scrub is a product that I have only been using for a couple of weeks.  After a horrible attempt at making my own lip scrub (let's just say an analgesic lip balm is NOT a good base) and a pot of Lush's Mint Julips Scrub that dried out much too soon for my liking, I decided to try again.  The smell is absolutely fantastic (if you like popcorn) and it works very well, without any gross residue left behind.  Win-win!

I know this was a super quick post but check back soon as, continuing with the spirit of Valentine's, I'll be jabbering on about my favourite red lipsticks!

Kendall

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New Eye Obsession!

Ladies and (possibly a few) gentlemen, I have fallen in love again.  I may not have a Valentine but at least I've got makeup to keep me warm *sobs quietly*.

 It seems like every time I buy a palette, it becomes a bit of an obsession for me, and the Stila In The Light palette is no different.  I told myself that once I invested in the Naked Palette(s), I would be set for eyeshadow for a while.  I don't know why I lie to myself like this but the Stila palette seemed just different enough for me to take the plunge.  With a lovely mix of shimmery and matte shades, I think In The Light really lives up to its name; there is a certain luminosity to all of the colours that makes them feel luxurious and pretty.

In terms of quality, I would place Stila just under Urban Decay but still excellent.  The colour payoff is much richer in the matte shades, with the some of the shimmery shades coming off quite sheer.

Here we have Bare and Bubbly, a matte, slightly yellow vanilla and a shimmery gold champagne

Kitten and Gilded Gold. Kitten is probably Stila's most well-known shade, a gorgeous pinky-champagne-gold shimmer that seems to change tone depending on the light.   Believe it or not, I actually had to swatch Gilded Gold quite heavily to get the picture above.  A very interesting sheer shimmery brown,  it pulls towards the pink/neutral side on the lid.

Bliss and Luster. Bliss is a soft pinky-brown matte that reminds me a bit of Urban Decay's Naked 2 (the shade not the palette).  Luster is a beautiful brown-grey that comes off quite smokey and dynamic.

Sunset and Night Sky. Sunset is basically the bronze goddess of this palette.  In tone, it very much reminds me of Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze (or On and On Bronze, depending on where you live) with a champagne-bronze feel that I think I will probably be living in during the summer.  Night Sky is a luminous grey-blue shimmer that comes off a little darker than it looks in the pan.  I'm so excited to try a grey smokey eye/ light pink lip with this shade.

Finally, we have the two matte shades, Sandstone and Ebony.  Sandstone is a true chocolate brown that feels silky and luxurious, it's definitely going to be complimentary to a lot of different looks.  Ebony is a deeply pigmented black, somewhat similar to Urban Decay's Creep but a bit more grey.

The palette also came with a full sized Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner in Damsel, a deep chocolate brown.  

In my previous Haul Post I showed you my purchase of Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara. I am honestly loving it so far.  I'm really not normally a huge fan of Covergirl mascara or the plastic-y spiky wands, but for some reason I decided to break out of my comfort zone on this one.  It doesn't add a ton of length, but the definition and separation are amazing.  I am lucky enough to have decently long lashes, but my problem is that they are white at the tips which means what I'm usually looking for is clump-free definition.  This product definitely delivers.

I hope you enjoyed reading my little makeup love-fest.  If you've tried any of these products or want to suggest something new for me to moon over, I'd love to hear about it!

Be sure to check back in the next few days as I have a couple festive Valentine's Day posts coming up!

Kendall

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First Try: Lush Oatifix Mask

I mentioned in my last Haul Post that I had done a bit of shopping at Lush but I didn't tell you what I got.  That's because I had a feeling that I would want to review what I got, and I didn't want you guys getting bored of my ramblings.  Now Lush is one of those places that I think is really cool, but because most of their products are skincare-related and my skin will react if the wind blows in the wrong direction, I've sort of avoided trying too many of their products.  Like their masks, which I've heard wonderful things about.

I explained to the shop assistant that my skin is sensitive and dry, and she showed me one of her favourites, Oatifix.  

The label says: "Get your Oatifix with a blend of bananas, vanilla and oats to nourish irritated skin".  Apparently, it doesn't have as much clay as most of their other masks, which means you can leave it on for a long time and still get the moisturizing benefits.

Here is what it looks like; nothing special.  However, it does smell delicious. Now I am not a fan of banana-scented things, so it does say a lot about the product if I can stand having something with bananas on my face.  But I think it smells a bit like oatmeal cookies, so even wearing the mask was a pleasant experience. 

The things I do for this blog...

It really does look like oatmeal once it's on your face, but overall, I found wearing the mask more than tolerable.  I had it on for about 40 minutes and while it did dry during that time, it was never uncomfortable.

The result: crazy smooth, soft skin that has lasted for days.  I used this about four days ago now and still no signs of breakout or any weird reactions- it's a miracle! The mask rinsed off quite well, with the oats acting as a gentle exfoliator.

So long story short; if you've been afraid to try any masks for fear of a sensitive skin-related reaction, Oatifix is a great one to start with.

Do you have a favourite mask or Lush product? Seeing as I'm just getting back into them, I'd love to hear some other opinions.

Kendall

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I Was Bad Again: Another Haul

For some reason, the other day I decided it was time to knock off a few of the items on my ever-growing "products to pick up" list.  Probably because I had gone at least a solid week without purchasing any type of cosmetic product and it was killing me.

Most of the damage was done at Shopper's (a Canadian drugstore for my non-Canadian friends) but I also managed to give my bank card a workout at Sephora and Lush.

I'm planning on reviewing most of the products I purchased at Lush, so to avoid being redundant, I am leaving those as a surprise for next time.

I'm also planning a little review and compare of a few of the products pictured above, so stay tuned for that!

So starting my little reign of terror at Shopper's, I picked up a L'Oreal Color Infallible Eyeshadow in Hourglass Beige.  In my recent drugstore favourites (which you can check out HERE) I mentioned the colour Iced Latte as one of my favourites. If you were wondering if the two colours are the same, they sort of are; you probably don't need both.  But for some reason I felt like I did.

I finally got my hands on a Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfecter in (01), a rosy pink shade. 

Next were two colours from Maybelline's new Vivids collection in (870) Shocking Coral and (895) On Fire Red.  I am really excited to try these and if they are particularly good or bad, I'll be sure to do a review with swatches. So far, I've noticed they smell a bit like fruit-scented Play Dough.  So take from that what you will.

Covergirl Clump Crusher Mascara was the next to make it into my basket.  I usually am not one to branch out mascara-wise, but spidery, clumpy lashes are one of my biggest annoyances, so I decided to give it a go.

I also picked up two more shades of Maybelline Baby Lips in Yummy Plummy  and Coral Crush.

Moving on to Sephora, where I was very pleased with my restraint.  I picked up a gift for a friend and for myself a YSL Glossy Stain in 10, a gorgeous red.  In my Lipstick Alternatives post, I mentioned that I had a couple of L'Oreal's Aqua Lip Lacquers which are supposed to be a dupe for YSL's Glossy Stains.  It was killing me a little bit that I hadn't even tried to original so I gave in.  

Finally, I just wanted to share with you this friggin' amazing 100 point gift Sephora is currently giving out!

Look at this!! 

Yes that is a full sized Benefit High Beam ($30 CDN)! For (sort of) free.  Even though I already have one of these and it will likely last me quite a while, I just love getting full-sized products for free.  It also came with a Benetint and a mini the POREfessional primer, which I have been wanting to try.  This is definitely one of Sephora's better moves in my opinion.

So that is (mostly) all of the damage I did.  I hope you got some enjoyment out of my complete lack of willpower.

Kendall

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