August Favourites

1. Rimmel Stay Matte pressed powder - this is my all time favourite face powder. It does a great job mattifying my oily t-zone. I've gone through three of these already and just bought my 4th one :D

2. Amlactin lotion - This was a hand me down from my sister. Its recommended by dermatologists to heal or reduce KP (keratosis pilaris) and/or eczema. I don't have either of the two but I use it to soften my elbows and knees and the rest of my body, dry skin or not and I find that it works really really well, which probably explains why it is so pricey :X Its runnier compared to other lotions so a little goes a long way with this. It leaves my skin feeling smooth as silk. The first time I used it, i couldn't get my hands off of myself u__u Don't judge the product by its outside. The bottle is ugly and it does have a very unpleasant scent but when it sinks into the skin, the smell goes away AND it makes your skin look delicious; to me that's what matters the most. I first scrub my arms and legs/feet with a fairly rough body brush (for exfoliation) in the shower and then apply this after my skin dries and the results I've noticed are fantastic!

3. Physicians Formula pH matchmaker lip gloss in Light pink - So one day I just randomly picked up this gloss cause I was running late and dumped it in my bag and oh my gosh ever since, I've been hooked! :I Okay first of all, lets discuss how adorable the packaging is!

 It comes in a pink tube with a mirror AND a light which is perfect for touch ups anywhere (even in the dark, haha). It retails for about $9.99 at CVS but Physicians Formula cosmetics go on sale very frequently at the store so you can snatch this baby for free or close to free when you use coupons! :)
This is one of the most long wearing lip glosses I've ever used. It goes on smooth, looks shiny and  doesn't feel overly sticky. Even though after a few hours the shininess of the gloss fades, you can still see the pink tint on your lips. So its like a lipstain-gloss.

The shade of pink depends on the natural colour of your lips so it may turn a different shade for you, but for me it goes from being clear to a rosy pink, which is exactly how I like it. Very pretty colour to brighten up any look. Very fun to play with :)

4. Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil in Perversion - BLACKEST EYELINER I OWN! stays on all day (even on my waterline), looks super dark. Loveeeee

5. Real Techniques Expert face brush - my new favourite brush to use for foundation. With this brush, I have more control than when I use a regular buffing brush. Its super soft, distributes the foundation evenly over the skin and is really inexpensive. Its very easy to clean, dries fast and doesn't shed.

6. Urban Decay Naked + Naked 2 Palettes - I love them both equally. Since I have a warmer skin tone, the eye shadows in the Naked palette compliment my skin tone more but honestly I get just as much use out of the Naked 2 palette. If this helps at all, I use the Naked palette for an everyday neutral look and Naked 2 for days when I want to look a little extra dressy and do like a subtle smokey eye make up.
A lot of times I even mix n match and create my own warm/cool combos. Great palettes, long wearing and super pigmented eye shadows. Although they are similar in shades, they are different. I'm happy I have both, cause I wouldn't know how to choose.

(top) Naked 2  (bottom) Naked - Click to Enlarge

7. Maybelline limited edition color tattoos in Barely Beige and Gold Shimmer - If you are a fan of neutrals, I think this is something you'd really enjoy. I've done a review of the permanent shades here so check it out for a more detailed review + swatches.

Barely Beige is a shimmery champagne colour with a hint of peach. It would make a great base for Urban Decay's Sin. Gold Shimmer would be a cream shadow version of Urban Decay's Smog. You can apply the colour tattoos on its own or layer it beneath these pigmented Urban Decay eye shadows and you are bound to get a long lasting/crease-free eye makeup. Out of the four that came out, Barely Beige and Gold Shimmer are super creamy and quick to apply. I'm super pleased with these new shades. They're great colours for the fall time!! :)

8. NYC high definition volume mascara - Bought this on a friend's recommendation and lately its all I've been reaching for. Its a good every day mascara. I haven't experienced any flaking, it stays on all day, does a good job separating my lashes and gives it some length.

If your looking for a more lash-intensifying mascara, I'd suggest Maybelline falsies. But this one is a good option for those who want defined but natural looking lashes.

Nail Polish of the month :)

Sally Hansen in Pacific Blue

Favourite Drugstore Foundations

Here are a few of my drugstore favourites that I've discovered over the past year and have recommended to others.

Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse foundation - Natural Beige

LOVE this foundation. It does exactly what it says. The coverage is wonderful, the finish is stunning and it really does apply like a dream. The coverage I'd say is light to medium but it is definitely buildable.  It looks lovely, feels light and for those who have dry skin, it is quite moisturising. This could be a good winter foundation. I've recently been testing out a few different skin care products, so my skin is a lot more dry than normal. But despite that, this foundation has been very forgiving; it hydrates my skin and gives it sort of a 'cooling' effect without emphasizing any dry patches or anything of that sort. The thing that I love the most about this is the way it makes my skin look after application. My skin looks smooth, dewy and flawless, almost air brushed. I use either my Sonia Kashuk or my Real Techniques buffing brush to blend it in. 

Even though it says its a mousse foundation, consistency-wise I'd say its more of a cream foundation. The 'hydrating' properties of this product might scare those with oily/combo skin but even then, I'd definitely suggest you try it out before forming an opinion about it. I have combo/oily skin but i absolutely LOVE dewy finishes and personally, don't mind blotting once or touching up my powder every few hours or so. I've already used up a good amount of it. Might hit pan on it soon even. And yes, I do plan on repurchasing it once I run out.

The very few negatives that I can really think of are 

1. no sunscreen in it 

2. no mirror in the compact

3. sponge is kinda sorta useless

4. not so great color selection (especially for darker skin beauties)

5. lasting power is okay, not the best

Revlon Colorstay Whipped creme foundation - Warm Golden

When I first spotted this product at CVS, I thought it was poo. The packaging definitely looked fancy but I didn't think much of it. However, my curiosity got the best of me and I ended up buying it anyway.

I had some trouble picking out my shade mainly cause its hard to tell the colour through the jar since they all looked the same to me. I figured I'd stick to the usual 'Natural Beige' that I get but it was too pinky so I had to exchange it and bought it in Warm Golden instead which is more yellow toned. I have to say I do like this better than the original colorstay which used to dry up rather quickly during application. This stuff is light, feels creamy and is a lot easier to blend. It offers a medium to full coverage without looking cakey. Like the original colorstay, it does last all day. I wore it once on a super hot and humid day and it didn't budge. The finish is satin - semi matte. I didn't like the way the foundation looked when I used a buffing brush, so I just use my fingers to apply it. The foundation photographs well, it doesn't have spf so its great for taking pictures.

The packaging is sooooo nice. It looks like something Chanel would make, so chic. However, the jar is a little heavy and because it comes in a jar, for sanitary reasons its best to ALWAYS make sure your fingers are clean before dipping it in.This product hasn't broken me out, thanks to the salicylic acid it contains.

Revlon Photoready Foundation in Natural Beige

Click for Review. 

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation in Natural Beige

I've been hearing fabulous things about this foundation for a year or two but never thought of picking it up since I had other foundations to use up but then one day, I just felt like testing out a few different things and ended up purchasing this with my CVS extra care bucks and tried it on as soon as I got home. On youtube a lot of girls have even compared it to the Nars Sheer Glow foundation which I've personally never tried, but I've watched people apply it on videos and it always looks so beautiful on the skin.


For first impressions, the foundation is super liquidy, its one of those open-mouth jars that most of us hate so u got to be careful when pouring it out. I didn't even tilt the bottle to the side that much but still got a pretty decent amount poured out. It has a fragrance to it, similar to the Benefit Porefessional in my opinion. Kinda like a refreshing citrus scent. Because it is so liquidy, its easy to blend and when blended, it left my skin looking luminous and 'healthy'. It has a dewy finish (without the shimmer) but not the oily greasy kind. My biggest concern was its longevity. I've heard that it doesn't have a great staying power but surprisingly, it lasted longer than what I was expecting. Lasts longer for me than the Revlon Photoready.  I have combination skin so I set this with my MAC mineralise skin finish and it works great.

CoverGirl Natureluxe foundation in Sandstone

Purchased this a year ago around summer time and wore it literally every single day cause I enjoyed it so much. It offers medium coverage but feels very light, as promised. It has a fresh cucumber scent which I love. It is definitely moisturising and of all the foundations listed, looks the most natural in my opinion (it has a satin finish). A lot of times you feel like your foundation is sitting on top of your skin giving it that masky appearance but this stuff just melts in. The texture is sooo smooth and silky, sometimes I forget I even have anything on (no joke). 

This is one of those foundations that look so-so at the drugstore but actually do a really good job evening out the skin and giving it a subtle glow while still allowing your actual skin to show through. The squeeze tube is nice, it makes it easy to pour out however much you need without overdoing it. Plus Taylor Swift is the spokesperson for this brand so that alone should convince you to go try it out =) It is a little pricey though...but when I run out of this and the rest of my foundations, I will repurchase :) Its a great product for school days where you want to look polished but not overdone. For those of you with already clear skin, this is also a great product to just even out and brighten up your complexion. This foundation will also suit people with dry skin.

July Favourites

Physicians Formula Hydrating Eye Cream

So lately I've been playing around with some new skin care products, so my skin has been less oily and more dry, ESPECIALLY my under eye area. The first two weeks that I used new products, my under eye felt so tight and even LOOKED like it was deprived of moisture. I stocked up on this new Physicians Formula Hydrating Eye cream the month they were free at CVS so I figured what best time to test it out than now. To be honest, I'm not very experienced with eye creams but this is supposed to be a hydrating eye cream and it did exactly that, so I have no complaints as of now. It hasn't irritated my eye, or anything. If something does come up, I'll be sure to update this post!

Blended

Cerave Moisturising Cream

Another old favourite is this moisturiser. Words cannot even describe how much I love this product. It is the most emollient face cream I've ever come across. Like I said earlier, I'm trying out a bunch of new products: a new moisturiser  as well as a new cleanser that contains 8% Benzoyl Peroxide which is a pretty high concentration of chemical (the highest being 10% I believe) and lastly, I've also reincorporated Retin-A into my skin care so because of that, my skin has been protesting.

The first 2-3 weeks was especially brutal. My skin was super sensitive to everything: it was red, irritated, and unbelievably dry. But despite all that, I never once panicked because I knew I could rely on Cerave to bring back the lost moisture to my skin.


Revlon Whipped Cream Foundation - Warm Golden

Review coming up :)

ELF blush in Pink Passion

This month I've been rediscovering some of my old favourites and this one is no exception. I've hit pan on it cause I've owned this for so long and have used it quite a bit. I own three of the studio blushes and this is my favourite of all. I remember the first time I spotted this at Target..sigh, it was love at first sight <3

For $3 at Target, you really can't go wrong with this product. It comes in a sleek and sturdy pan that closely resembles that of Nars blushes. It's a matte bubble gum pink, has impressive pigmentation and is very inexpensive. It does look really bright in the pan but when applied, it gives your cheeks a gorgeous 'I just came back from a run in the sun' flush of pink. 


They swatch a bit chalky, but when applied they're easy to blend. LOVEEEEEEEEEE
Great shade for summer and spring<3


Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel

Okay so there are times where due to shaving or friction from my thighs constantly rubbing against each other or against fabric, my skin gets really itchy or uncomfortable. I even get it when I'm working out sometimes. Obviously, I never thought there was something to fix that until one random night when I was taking a walk down the feminine care aisle at Target and discovered this product! Since I've bought it, I've never felt so comfortable working out or wearing skirts (with no shorts or tights underneath). Even when its super duper hot out, this stuff stays put and prevents skin chafing.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

You get a lot of product for the price ($7-$8), so its a good value. I would say its a multi-purpose product because it also makes a great face primer =P and once you try it out yourself, you'll know why. I mean, if you can trust a brand to take care of your private areas, I'm sure you can trust them with your faces, right? Maybe? ._. 


I used to own the Smashbox photo finish light primer and I absolutely loved the way it applied and how well it kept my foundation from fading, but it did break me out so I stopped using it. Luckily it worked wonders for my mom, so our money didn't go to waste. Texture wise, this reminds of exactly that. It applies beautifully, feels super silky, blends nicely, fills in pores, helps my make up last longer, and is super cheap. It smells like gasoline so that's cool too :D  (if you like the smell of gasoline that is, haha =P ) I use this every single day before applying my foundation 

Degree Body Mist in Sexy Intrigue - Meow

Bought this body mist to match my deodorant. I know its hard to get a scent across to a reader but it is exactly what its named! it smells soooooooooooooo good. Its got hints of vanilla and florals (my two faves)

Considering it is a body mist, you can't expect it to wear a long time but compared to other ones I've tried, it doesn't fade that fast either. The packaging is really pretty, comes in a lilac bottle. Plus its a good size to throw in to your bag for a quick refreshing spritz throughout the day. yum yum

The deodorant itself is great too. Who knew ones armpits could smell so good :) Cant wait till I'm done with my speedstick deodorant so I can repurchase Sexy Intrigue again <3 Another favourite of mine from their line is Classic Romance.

Mary Kay Lash Love Mascara in I <3 Black

Got this for free with my shoedazzle order and I'm surprised at how well this stuff works. Its got a skinny rubber brush with small bristles that evenly coat each and every lash. I usually create a big mess when applying mascara to my lower lashes that are short and almost non-existant, but not only did this save me from making a mess but it also lengthened my lashes by a whole lot. For the days when I'm only at school for a couple of hours, I like to use this instead of my Maybelline Falsies mainly because my Maybelline mascara is waterproof and it does take a little more work to get it off my lashes. So this has definitely been a new favourite. As much as I enjoy using it, I highly doubt I'd purchase it because it is pricey for my budget ($15) and I have a ton of drugstore faves ._.

Avon Plump Pout lip gloss in Nude Pout

Its not one of those sticky lip glosses where you feel like everything is getting stuck to your lips. It offers a really pretty barely there tint. To me, it tastes like mint chocolate chip ice cream @_@ 
And since it is a plumping lip gloss, it does give that tingling sensation. I already have full lips so I can't really tell if it has made a difference or not. Of course no product can you give you Angelina Jolie lips but I suppose it does smooth out the appearance of lines on the lips, which can make them look more plump.

Overall, I love the colour and the way it feels on my lips, so I keep reaching for it any time I have trouble picking a lip colour. Avon makes a lot of great products for reasonable prices so do check them out. 

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream in No. 27

Saved the best for the last! :B
Probably the best BB cream I've tried so far. I've been using this all month long. I purchased it in No. 27 - Honey Beige and the colour match is PERFECT! It has impressive coverage, and also lasts a long time. Once I've applied a layer of this BB cream, I don't even need to use a concealer. For those with slightly dryer skin, you can get away without powdering your skin after applying this but since I have combo-oily skin, I do have to set my make up with a mattifying powder to prevent specific areas from getting visibly shiny.

Clean face

After applying BB cream

I just use my fingers to work it into the skin and once its on, it looks like I have naturally flawless skin. Doesn't have a grey cast when applied, doesn't look ashy, cakey or make my face oily as most BB creams I've tried. This is probably the most exciting product out of the bunch that I've discovered and LOVED this month. <3 Will repurchase once I run out


I didn't realise this until now but apparently it has whitening properties also which is good for discoloration and hyper pigmentation. As you can see, I do have some redness on my cheeks and some old acne scarring so this helps conceal that while healing it, so its an added bonus :)

July Collective HAUL!

Soho Traincase 

Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream in No. 27 -Honey Beige 

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Wallet from Aldo

Lorac 3D Liquid Lustre in Gold

Hello Kitty Key chain - In her adorable pink tutu <3

Physicians Formula Eye brighter

Bath & Body works candles - Both of these smell soooooooo delicious and summery!!! :) :)

Naked 2 Palette - Finally :)

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Transparent - A repurchase (favourite powder everrrrrr)

L'oreal True Match Lumi Foundation - Sand Beige

Cool Pump

Panoxyl 8% Benzoyl Peroxide face wash

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation - Natural Beige

Soap & Glory Body Scrub

Haha, after reading that how can you NOT buy it :)