The Product that Saved My Skin!

So I've finally found a product that I can devote an entire post to raving about.

If you've read pretty much any of my other posts, I think I've emphasized one or eighty times just how sensitive my skin is.  When I wrote about my skincare routine a while ago, I didn't feel right about even sharing a night cream as I simply couldn't find one I liked enough.  But all of that has changed!

I've been trying to decide if I should do a post about my experience with retinoids (Retin-A, Differin, etc) as I've been using them on and off for years now so if anyone is interested, let me know.

Basically, I finally decided I was going to start using my prescription for Differin (every other night at first) and stick to it, despite the peeling and burning yuckiness*.  As you can probably imagine, my skin was not having a great time of it at the beginning.  Then I discovered Korres Wild Rose + Vitamin C Advanced Brightening Sleeping Facial.  To be honest, I didn't have high hopes.  I got the little sample from Sephora and figured it couldn't hurt to try.

Holy moly, not to be too dramatic, but I really think this product saved my skin.  After a few days of using this nightly, I wake up to hydrated, smooth skin that's just all-around glowy! The best feature though is that I don't wake up with that "greasy moisturizer" feeling that often correlates itself with breakouts. 

I'm so happy I've finally found a moisturizer that ticks all the boxes! Though I'm very lucky to not have any severe problems with acne, I'm not someone that is usually comfortable leaving the house without some sort of foundation, as my skin is usually quite red and uneven.  Since I've been using this product though, that has improved so much I might just be one of those people that can put on a bit of mascara, a swipe of lipgloss and be out the door!

Has anyone else tried this product? Let me know what you think!

Thanks for reading

Kendall

x

*Disclaimer: I made sure to have a conversation with my doctor before starting any retinoid products and I'd recommend you do too if you're thinking of it- they can be really helpful and suggest different variations that might be right for you.

Lipstick Alternatives: Colour Without the "Lipstick" Feel

So I realize that not everyone is a huge fan of lipstick.  Some people don't like the feeling, some people don't like the maintenance and I have to say, some days I am in both of those groups.  I really admire people who can dedicate themselves to a full day of applying and maintaining lip colour every day but sadly sometimes a girl just needs a break.  But that doesn't mean you have to take a break from gorgeous colour.  

Below are a few of my favourite lipstick alternatives that range from a flush of colour to vampy, saturated red.  Enjoy!

Stains of all Sorts

I hadn't realized until this post but my favourite stains are mostly from either from the Maybelline Super Stay line or the Revlon Just Bitten one.  From left to right we've got: Maybelline Super Stay Gloss in 140 "Ruby Indulgence", Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in 020 "Lovesick", Revlon Just Bitten Lipstain + Balm in "Flame", Maybelline Super Stay Color in "Endless Ruby"

Swatches in the same order

My most worn of these is definitely "Ruby Indulgence" though it is more on the glossy side of the stains and therefore is not as long lasting.  But it smells JUST like fruit punch!

Here they all are after I've wiped them with a tissue. I'm not kidding, these babies really stick!

Liquid Lipsticks

These are my two favorite liquid lipsticks.  Not quite a stain but not a lipstick either, these little beauties lie in a sort of long-lasting gloss territory, but with more pigment.  Great description, I know.

Again from left to right" L'Oreal Colour Riche Caresse Aqua Lip Laquer in 190 "Endless Red" and NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in San Paulo

The L'Oreal Colour is on top, NYX on the bottom

The L'Oreal Lip Laquers are supposed to be a sort of dupe for YSL's Glossy Stains, which are on my list of products to try so I can't yet vouch for how good a job they've done.  All I can say is that they also smell quite nice though what is supposed to be "Endless Red" turns out to be more of a bright berry.

Here they are after the swipe of a tissue.  You can see San Paulo was not long for this world and to be honest, though it is an absolutely gorgeous colour, it doesn't last all that long on the lip either.

Glosses and Balms

Now tinted glosses and balms are products that probably get the most use from me because they are just so darn easy.  A quick swipe and you're set.  However, finding something that will give you some actual colour payoff can be quite difficult, and glosses do tend to wear very quickly.  That said, there are some real winners out there if you know where to look.

Top: Korres Lip Butter in Plum, Left: Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me, Right: Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Cream in Cherry Flip

Because these colours look so much different on the lip, I thought I'd show you directly.

Here is the Korres Lip Butter

Plum

and the Buxom Lip Cream

Cherry Flip

Please ignore my Billy Idol expression

So there you have it, a plethora of lipstick alternatives for you to choose from.

A quick not about the YSL lipsticks because I didn't include them but I sort of wanted to: I still technically consider them lipsticks but the Sheer Candy Glossy Balm Crystal Colours are also extremely glossy and comfortable.  Luscious Cherry is my colour of choice because as you can probably tell, I love a red gloss.

Thanks so much for reading!

Kendall

x

A Few Nude (lipstick) Photos

One thing that will always (in my mind) be a staple for any makeup junkie is a good nude lipstick.  The nude lip is a perfect finish for so many looks.  Smokey eye? What could be a better compliment than a soft, natural lip?  Experimenting with bold blush, contouring or shadow? Sometimes it's hard to find a better finish than a natural lip.

Now there truly are some beautiful shades in the "natural" range of so many brands, but for some reason I always find myself gravitating to MAC when I want that "my lips but better" look.  There are also some nice natural finishes in the Revlon Lip Butters collection but I sort of feel as if those have been done to death on blogs and videos.

A quick word of warning, the nude lip that looks best on me tends very much towards the pink side of things; orange or brown-toned lipsticks make me look ill or dead or somewhere in between so I usually avoid them at all cost.  Wall of text done, here are my faves:

So here we are, from left to right: Making Pretty Lustre Lipstick (N3) (I'm sorry to say that this stunner is from MAC's limited edition Making Pretty line and is sold out), Creme Cup, Peach Blossom, Pure Zen

(Swatches in the same order)

So there's really no need to be too sad about the Making Pretty shade being sold out, as you can see it's quite similar to Pure Zen.  To be honest, because Pure Zen is a Cremesheen finish (creamy and moisturizing finish), I like it a little better.  Both the Making Pretty shade and Pure Zen tend more towards the pinky peach tones while Creme Cup and Peach Blossom (also Cremesheen) have a slightly blue-pink tendency.  

On the lip, all of these colours look beautiful and natural, though at the moment, Peach Blossom is definitely my favourite. I'm sorry I can't do lip swatches as the moment as I've been sick and that just wouldn't be very nice.

I hope you're having a lovely Sunday! Thanks for reading.

Kendall

x

My Bad! An Apology PLUS a mini MAC Haul & Review

Hi everyone! So I am aware that I haven't posted in well over a month but I do have a few good reasons, including finals for uni and a head injury.  But I'm back now and have lots of great ideas for 2013 so I really hope you want to stick around!

Onto today's business, which is to show you all a couple things I've picked up from MAC recently.

So I'm sure you'll notice the Z-Palette here, which is my only palette of MAC shadows.  I did buy the majority of them over the holidays (thank goodness for gift cards) but I'm not going to discuss them in this post.  If you do want to see a separate post about it, I'd be happy to do one.

So I picked up three face products: a blush and two Mineralize Skin Finishes

MAC MSF: Lightscapade

This is the beautiful Lightscapade.  If you are looking for a neutral, pearly highlight that will really finish off any look, this is definitely for you.  It's not very pigmented, but adds a luminous quality that tends towards the silver tones.

MAC MSF: Stereo Rose

Stereo Rose is a limited edition MSF that was released and then discontinued a few years ago as well.  Though in pictures and in the pan, it looks quite rosy, it actually has quite a peachy-coral look to it on the face.  Now as I've mentioned before, I am extremely pale. This product is extremely pigmented so a little goes a very long way for me and does require a good deal of blending.  The finish is also quite luminous but I think for me, this is one that will be better in the summer.

MAC Sheertone Shimmer: Peachykeen

This little beauty is basically my be-all-end-all of peach blushes.  Because it is a sheertone, it's not crazy pigmented (but still has a nifty colour payoff) which means it's very wearable. Peach blushes often have the little problem of being far too orange/red and making me look like a lobster (actually lets be honest, that's how way too many blushes turn out for me) but this one adds a natural healthy flush which I can only assume would also look beautiful with a tan.

So that's it for this post.  I'm sure you noticed in the first picture that I also picked up a few lipsticks.  Don't worry, I am planning a separate post for those puppies.  So if you're looking for some info on pinky-nude lipsticks (which I am addicted to) or my favourite new red, check back soon!

Thanks for reading,

Kendall 

xx