Favorite beauty & bath products of 2011

1) Almay Clear Complexion Make up in Neutral

I've used this since high school. It apparently keeps your skin clear through some magical technology brewed by the holy Almay labs (don't you just love advertising?). I usually pump out a small drop and mix it with my Neostrata moisturizer. I feel like a tad bit of a cosmetic wizard when I get to make my own tinted moisturizer.

2) Benefit Boi-ing Concealer in Light and Medium

On truly lazy days, I just use concealer. I'm in between the light and the medium shade so I usually mix the two colors and dab it where I need it the most. It's not the world's strongest concealer but it's great for some minor redness.

3) Mario Badescu Special Healing Powder

I don't powder my face but this Mario Badescu powder deserves a spot for its magical powers. If you get an irritated patch or one of those small bumps, just put a bit of this over the area. The green will cancel out the red and 80% of the time, it'll be gone by the end of the day. I'm not sure if this works for breakouts but if your ailments are fairly minor, this is a god send!

1) Mac Blushcreme in Ladyblush

This is actually the blush I use 95% of the time. It's this pretty pink color that is the exact color of my cheeks when I do blush. It's very subtle and gives you a nice, healthy glow. I do use the old school Blushcremes formulas (the new ones are called Cremeblends) that have been discontinued. However, I've hoarded a secret stash a la Ebay that will last me for the next decade or so.

2) Stila Convertible Color in Petunia

If I don't use my Mac Ladyblush, I'll use this instead. They're very similar but the undertone is a bit peachier. This is a lot dewier than Mac's Ladyblush and is highly highly pigmented. If you use too much, it will make you look like Kirby. I find that it works best if you dab a tiny bit of it onto your hand and tap the excess into the apple of your cheeks.

3) Tarte 12 hour Amazonian Clay Blush in Natural Beauty

My skin does get oilier when it gets hot so I use this as my summer blush. It really does last an epic 12 hours. I commuted all summer and it stayed put through out the entire day. The color is a very bright, cheery red. I would suggest an angle blush brush and a light tapping motion to avoid Santa Claus cheeks.

1) Physicians Formula Eye booster eyeliner in Brown

I wanted a nice liquid eye liner and one of my friends suggested this one because it's thin and easy to use. It's also supposed to ~ lengthen the length of your lashes ~ but I've never seen any evidence of this. I do love it, though! The tip is extremely precise so you can have fun winging it out. It also lasts all day and never smears. Cosmetic win!

2) Maybelline Waterproof Falsies Masacara

I bought this on a whim since it was on sale at Shoppers. It's fantastic. For some odd reason, the eye lashes on my left eye have never been able to hold a curl (very strange, considering how well my right set does) and this has been the only mascara to have achieved an equal curl in both eyes.

I must admit, this paragraph is a poor reflection on my intelligence.

3) Urban Decay Naked Palette

I used to dislike this palette before I figured out the good colors. I find that the best ones are: Toasted, Sin and Half-baked. There are a few other decent shades in there but there's a fair share of weird, muddy and chalky colors. I would still say that this is a good deal considering how many colors you are getting but fair warning: not every color in there is fantastic so you really have to trial it out and figure out which combinations work the best :)

1) Dior Lip Glow

The concept is pretty gimmicky, it comes off as a clear lip balm but changes color according to the natural chemistry of your lips. I wrote it off as a gimmick but it really does amplify the natural color of your lips. Mine are quite pink so this show up as a bright berry color that is very flattering. Although it does appear differently on other people, it also shows up bright pink when I rub it against a tissue paper :p

2) Mac Creme sheen in Double Dare

I love this! It looks insanely bright in the tube but when you put it on, it's a very sheer red. It doesn't last for too long but it gives this nice just-bitten shade that looks really great against fair skin. If you don't mind reapplication, this is a lovely choice.

3) Korres Lip butter in Pomegranate

I've been through many tubs of this. I have it in both the Lip butter (tub) and Lip Glaze (tube) versions. It's a very bright coral pink that appears to be universally flattering. I've seen it on several friends with different skin tones and it really does brighten the complexion beautifully.

1) Lush's Honey I washed the Kids soap

God, the scent is amazing. It smells like honey and caramel. My shower smells glorious after! This also keeps the eczema patches on my legs away so if anyone has sensitive areas on their body, this is a great alternative to drugstore products!

2) Lush's It's Raining Men

This smells exactly like "Honey, I washed the Kids" but in liquid form. It used to be limited edition but is now permanent. I got it last February and was happy to have found it again this month. I keep sniffing it because it just smells. so. good.

3) Lush's Dream Cream

Can't you tell that I love Lush for their body products? This is fantastic! Some people dislike the smell but I really like the herby scent. This soaks in quickly and doesn't leave a sticky residue. The only downside is that its quite expensive but it lasts a very long time. I also have one of the small mini jars in my purse as a hand moisturizer.

Favorite skincare products of 2011

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Today, I've decided to do a year round post of my favorite skincare products. As my friends are well aware, I am avid about my skincare routine. My skin is quite good most of the time (knock on wood) but it by no means exempt me from issues like dryness, pink patches and the occasional zit on my chin/jawline the size of Mount Everest. In the collage below, I have listed products that I use on a daily / weekly basis to take care of my skin.

Please note: I have combination skin, oily on T-zone, dry on cheeks. I'm not acne prone (occasional Mount Everest zit aside) but am very prone to redness and dry patches.

1) Origins Mega Mushroom Cleanser

This is an excellent cleanser if you have dry skin that is prone to redness or environmental sensitivity (lord, my skin itches when there's too much dust in the air). It's extremely gentle and removes light makeup easily. I wear very little face make-up, usually tinted moisturizer, maybe concealer and a bit of blush. If you do wear a lot of base, I would recommend something stronger like Bioderma or the Liz Earle cleanse and polish.

2) Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

This is a holy grail dermatologist staple that's been around for quite a long time. I've used this since high school. It doesn't really....do anything so I find that negative reviews usually consist of people with high expectations. This won't cure acne, stop exploding breakouts or help with redness. It's just a very gentle cleanser that doesn't dry your skin out. I usually use a pump of this after the Mega mushroom cleanser just to make sure I have everything off my face.

3) Liz Earle Cleanser and Polish

This is a recent new discovery but I love it. I don't use it all over my face though, I only use it as an eye make-up remover. It removes everything easily without pulling or tugging on the area around your eyes. It has a thick, buttery textures and it. smells. amazing.

4) Bioderma Crealine cleanser

This is a makeup remover. I use it on my chin because that is such a sensitive area for me. It looks like water and doesn't smell like anything. It will remove everything from your face without any irritation whatsoever. Highly recommend!

1) Neostrata Daytime Smoothing Lotion Level 1

I use this every day in the morning. This has 4% glycolic acid in it so it might purge your skin out if you are acne prone. Most of my skin isn't acne prone so nothing really happened. However, my chin can be very sensitive so that area was blotchy and unattractive for about 2 weeks. On the bright side, I find using it daily really helps to keep your pores clear. You do have to push through the initial purging phase. If it's really really bad, I wouldn't recommend continual usage but if it's fairly minor, I think the benefits out weigh the purging phase.

2) Origins Mega Mushroom Cream

Oh god, this is super pricey (cringe worthy). I got lucky and got the whole Origins set on a Christmas sale (it sold out in about a minute). This alone usually retails for a ridiculous amount so I'm going to have to use my stash of Sephora gift cards for it when I run out. However, this is absolutely amazing for people with dry, sensitive skin. I can wear about 8 pounds of make up on a daily basis without a single breakout but if I use the wrong moisturizer, it can actually break me out. This is my holy grail moisturizer, it is absolutely amazing. It is quite thick so I wouldn't use it if you have oily skin but it calms down redness, decreases sensitivity and balances out dry skin. I don't use it on my T-zone though because I find that it makes that area very shiny but it's great for my dry cheeks.

3) Lush Full of Grace Serum

I'm a huge fan of Lush products. This is their serum in bar form (kinda kitchy but I like it). You have to warm it up under hot water and apply the oil directly onto your skin. I use it on my forehead and nose because it makes it less oily but it's oddly drying on my cheeks (which makes sense, if you think about it). This also has the same mushroomy smell as the Origins set and I basically adore this to the hells and back.

1) Origins Mega Mushroom Mask

. I use this maybe....twice a week, more during Winter than summer. It's a moisturizing, calming mask. I use it when I feel like I'm stressed that day or if the winter winds have been particularly brutal. Great for moisturizing dry patches or calming down any minor flare ups.

2) Origins Out of Trouble Mask

I'm not sure if anyone can tell but I'm really big on Origins. This mask does exactly what the name says: It gets you out of trouble. When I'm stressed, I get very very blotchy and when I'm bored, I do weird experiments on my skin (God, I can't get over the time I fell asleep in some weird, homemade concoction). I can put this on for 10 minutes and it will revert my skin back to what it was before the stress and idiotic experiments. I always carry a tube of this around with me in case stupidity strikes. Even if I don't, I use this around twice a week. Any more than that and it's not as effective.

3) DDF Sulfur Therapeutic Mask

This turn me into a Claymonster at night since I use it as a spot treatment. I do use this even if I don't have pink patches. It's just a habit by now, to be honest. If I see an area that miiiight be a pink patch, I kill it with this.

I have very high regards for this mask, I think it can kill basically anything of Godzilla proportions.

December Luxe Box!

My December Luxe box came! For anyone who doesn't know what the Luxe box is, it's a beauty subscription box where you pay $10/month (including shipping) for a deluxe samples. That way you can try out new products without spending an arm and a leg.

I opted out for November but I signed back on for December because I missed getting self-paid presents in the mail. For the October reviews, please click here. :)

So the holiday package branding was adorable! Every month they give you a little card that tells you what you're getting and describes the products for you. This month was a snowflake motif. Very fitting for the season!

So this month, we got:

1) A full bottle of China Glaze X-mas nail polish

2) Lise Watier lip plumping gloss in Plumpissino

3) Keratase Elixir Ultime sample

4) Prada Milano Infusion D'Iris Fragrance sample

5) Prada Candy Fragrance sample

Pros:

1) I love love the Prada perfume samples. They're pretty pricey so these two samples (enough for probably a week or two depending on how often you spritz) made me really happy. Prada Candy is a very sweet scent and despite the tacky bottle (the real one, not the sample), the smell makes me feel cozy and relaxed.

2) Prada Milano Infusion D'Iris Fragrance is a cleaner, older fragrance. I get that Prada Candy is aimed towards late teens and early 20's while this one smells more mature. I've actually always liked the this version (it comes in one or two other variations, I think) but my personal preference is more towards the fruitier scents. I feel like my mom would really like this one.

3) The Keratase Elixir is awesome! It's a blend of oils that you pump out and smooth into your hair. I brushed it into damp hair yesterday and my hair is all kinds of awesome today! I might get this one full sized.

Cons:

1) This con is kind of a pro BUT I was pretty impressed that they gave us a full size bottle of a China Glaze polish. I'm not big on nails at all but I think China Glaze is known to be one of the pricier brands. Unfortunately, I do not like nail polish. I like watching people wear it but I do not like putting it on myself so I have no use for it. It is definitely a pretty color. From far away, it's a purply shade but when you look closer, there are silver sparkles in there.

I tested it out before wiping it off quickly and god damn, that is one sparkly polish!

2) I. do. not. like. Lise. Watier. I've never liked any of their products and this is no different. This is a plumping gloss, so it tingles when you put it on. The color is a nudish toffee shade that is very unflattering, in my opinion. I'm a little confused why Lise Watier samples tend to be unflattering shades. A pinkish color would have been more universal?

However, this could be more of a personal opinion. I'm on the paler side so any nudes I wear need to be pink and I just can't pull off brownish nudes. So perhaps that is why I was so *facepalm* towards this product.

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As per usual, if you would like any of my "Con" products, please message me!

Weekly Collage

Prepare yourself for the foodiest weekly collage ever

- I found these multigrain tortilla chips at the student center the other day. It had these fetching lime green stripes and I love healthy snacks so I bought a pack. These are delicious! If anyone wants a healthy, yummy snack, I highly recommend!

- I had lunch with The Boy and a mutual friend last week at the Bean Bar. I ordered their Moroccan Stew but the star of the show is really their corn bread. It's absolutely amazing, especially when its fresh out of the oven. I actually bought 4 of them for $2 to take home for breakfast.

- Second Cup's new cup designs are beautiful. It's like a less corporate starbucks. The little hand drawn trees at the bottom adds a nice touch.

- IKEA DOLLA BREAKFASTS ARE AMAZING. The Boy spent less than $10 for food there and we had both breakfast and lunch there (although to be fair, that was within 2 hours of each other). The meatballs were so good, I bought a frozen stash to take home.

- I went to Montfort Ancaster for the first time last week. I also went to Montfort Westadale this week with (guess who?) the Boy and the one in Ancaster has much better food. Their fries were delicious and the rice had sort of a lemony flavoring.

I feel like a pretentious foody now.

- Adding to this food-dominated Collage, we went to August 8 after Christmas shopping last Saturday. The spicy salmon there is really good so I usually feast my heart on it (I dive in and resurface much later). I also enjoy the Salmon sashimi and the dim sum. Om nom nom.

Now I'm hungry

- So I bought this little snack plate from Shoppers last week. It's now sitting beside my bedside table and holds the items I use before bed. I have: Origin's Sensory Therapy (I dab it on to relax before bed), Lush bubblegum lip scrub, EOS lip balm in Summer Fruit and the little white jar has a bit of DDF's sulfur mask. Sometimes I get splotches before bed. I dab a bit of this on (and turn into CLAYMONSTER) and its gone by the next day. I'm going to do a review on this soon!

Sunday Survey - November 4th, 2011

01 Mood: Not bad. I'm just a bit "eh" because I have an exam tomorrow and two assignments due Friday. But at the same time, I don't get stressed too easily. I'm always chilling before the deadline eating my night omelet and mumbling "Girlfran, you got this"

Bright side: My last exam is next Tuesday, so I'm less than a week to complete and utter freedom. I'm going to buy a Santa hat and wear loads of red in celebration.

02 Last movie you watched: None. Haven't you heard? Angela's a hermit now.

03 What I’m watching: How I Met Your Mother really helps me relieve tension. I'm re-watching the entire series. When I am about to curl up into a little ball and curse my inability to concentrate, I watch HIMYM and I feel much happier.

I watched the mid season finale of The Walking Dead last week. The ending was quite sad (and should have came 3 episodes sooner), although a very snide part of me said "4 months on a farm for this?"

I'm hoping to get the Boy into TWD so we're beginning to watch it on Netflix.

04 Best thing about this weekend: The Boy and I went to Ikea on Saturday. It was our last huzzah before shrinking back to hermit hood during exam season. Ikea is so wonderfully beautiful. I want to live within its hipster/modern chic universe.

05 What makeup are you wearing today:

Benefit's Boi-ing concealer, Mac Blushcreme in Ladyblush and Korres lipbalm. I'm wearing my glasses today so there's really no need to play with eye make-up

06 What skincare am I using today:

Morning: Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser, Neostrata Daytime Smoothing lotion with sPF 15.

Night:
Cleanser: Origins Mega Mushroom Cleanser followed by Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
Moisturizer: Origins Mega Mushroom Moisturizer. Neostrata Daytime smoothing lotion on chin

07 What am I wearing today:

Black Gap jeans and a flowy cream colored top from Costa Blanca. The top is a taaad bit too low cut from some angles. I'm constantly tugging it up so I can be a refined lady of the new world.

08 What am I reading: LECTURE SLIDES AND PROGRAMMING HELP SITES

09 Makeup Lust: I have quite a few but I think I'll be getting the majority of it for Christmas so I don't want to ruin my Christmas Present post!

10. Listening to: A lot of Jazz. I've been listening to the Dimensions in Jazz station through Itunes radio. The music is extremely soothing and really helps me study.

11. Clothing Lust: None

12 Haircare Lust: None

13 Skincare Lust: I need another Origins Mega Mushroom cleanser but I'll be getting that for Christmas! Yes, my friends and I exchanges requested gifts under a similar budget. It's quite logical, even if it ruins the ~ magical surprise of the Christmas season ~.

14 Current obsessions: Christmas!

15 Aim for this week: Keeping depression at bay, studying for my finals and working on my final wordpress assignment.

Happy Organization Time: One girl's obsession with organizing her crap

I found something today that has been on my wish list (which is a mile long, fyi) for about 3 months now. It's a fold up cosmetic/toiletry case that comes with a hook so you hang it against your wall. I've always disliked taking those clear (or gift with purchase) cosmetics bags on vacations or weekends back home. They take up too much space in my weekend bag and everything eventually becomes a jumbled mess. It also drives me up the wall when I have to look for something I want in a vortex of unorganized products.

This, on the other hand, is light, compact and incredibly adorable (huge plus, come on now).

So when it's folded, it looks like this:

It has a strap at the top so you can pull it out easily. The silver hook I was talking about is hidden inside the case so you can't see until it's opened. Discrete and very useful!

When it is fully opened, it looks like this:

There's a sizable mirror on top if you don't have one on you. There are four compartments in total. If you don't wear make up, you can always throw your moisturizers, lip balms, hair ties (?) in there. It's actually quite impressive how big it is once you open it!

(annnnnd.....my mind just went to the wrong place)

So how much can you store in there?

Well, these are the things I managed to store comfortably in there and still have the case close.

Compartment 1: Face products

- Almay tinted moisturizer in Neutral. The original bottle is too big so I've always poured some of it into a little Tarina Tarantino sample bottle.

- Benefit Boi-ing concealer in 01 and 02

Compartment 2: Cheek products

- Bobbi Brown cream blush in Powder Pink

- Make Up Forever HD micro blush in #9

- Mac Blushcreme in Ladyblush (Almost out of that one T_T)

Compartment 3: Eye products

- Benefit's Big Beautiful Eyes kit (very neutral. I always come back to this)

- Lorac eye shadow in Serenity

- Stila Smudgepot in Kitten

Compartment 4: Misc products

- Clarin's beauty flash balm

- Mini bottle of Urban Decay's eye primer

- Fairydrops Mascara

- Korres lip balm in Pomegranate

- Nars lipstick in Love Devotion

So as you can see, you can definitely fit a lot of things in there. I'm pretty happy with my purchase. I still need another one for skin products so I'll have to look into a cheaper alternative on my next organization journey. ^_^

I shall stop sounding like an infomercial and leave you alone now! :)

Weekly Collage

- My mom went on a business trip in Wuhan for a month so she took a detour to Hong Kong to relax for a few days. She had never been there before and came back with a bag of very girly, frilly goodies. Of course, I squee-ed at the Iphone case she bought me and snapped it on. I used it for a few days but realized that I just couldn't whip out something that ridiculous looking.

I tried prying it off but the thing was stuck on there with the jaws of life. A coworker of mine ended up wrenching it off. I am now very thankful for my classic Moshi case.

- I went home for a few days and my mom fed me a ton of Asian food because she insisted that I looked too thin (it's plausible after living on oatmeal and chicken). For breakfast, I was given a bowl of black bean soup, an egg and flour omelet and a seasoned black tea egg.

Om nom nom, I miss my mom's cooking

- This is a nice shot of my house! I'm really excited to help my dad decorate for Christmas next week. Fun fact: the kids in my neighborhood used to call my house the Haunted Mansion during Halloween. My parents are really shy and doesn't know how to interact with children so they hide in the basement and turn off ALL THE LIGHTS on Halloween.

- The Eaton's Center has really stepped up the Christmas decor this season. They have these giant light structures in the shape of reindeers now. There were all these adorable kids running around them because they didn't know what they were!

- I know, I know. You see this every week. The Boy and I grab breakfast at William's Fresh cafe every Friday morning. I discovered this week that you can actually order poached eggs instead of the flavorless scrambled one. This is a much better option, I like dipping my whole wheat toast in the egg. Yum!

- My hunt for the perfect Ipad case has concluded! I had my eye on a black leather one I saw at the Apple store but it was almost $100 and I kept debating if I wanted to splurge on it. I went to Aritzia and saw that they had the Marc by Marc Jacobs Ipad case for $55. It's very sturdy, well made and it looks great. I really like Marc by Marc Jacob products. If I had an infinite amount of money, I would probably live in it.

- Lord, my attempts to write my essay has been futile. I'm really trying here. The most I've hammered out is an outline. Thank god I still have 2 more days.