Thank you for the suggestions (Boi-ing is now on the short list) and kind comments! Sometimes I feel like nobody actually reads my blog but your message made me feel all warm and fuzzy :3
Instead, I’m turning to you. I’m taking suggestions for a concealer that will cover my undereye circles without looking or feeling heavy, and most importantly plays nicely with the extra-dry skin under my eyes.
I’ve got a shortlist of products to try out, such as Clinique All About Eyes (on left) and Too Faced Absolutely Flawless, but I’d love to get more suggestions! What fabulous concealer(s) do you lovelies recommend for me?
How have you guys been? I was bad last week and didn’t post at all—it was a really busy week for me, between having my birthday and a couple Christmas events to attend. Are you all done your Christmas shopping, or are you getting it done at the last minute? As for me, I have everyone done but my mom (she’s the hardest to shop for).
I might be a week or two too late, but I thought I might as well put this out there for any last minute shoppers!
If you’re looking for something small and light on your wallet/credit card for a couple friends and family members, take advantage of all the value sets out there right now and break them up into several individual gifts :>
I’ve picked out a couple gift/value sets from Sephora to cover the people on your list from head to toe in different price ranges and varying brands, so take a look~~
Eyes/cheeks:
Tokidoki Robbery Palette ($51 CAD; $21 each): Three palettes, each containing four shadows and a bronzer/blush. With the palettes ranging from edgy to naturally glam, you can fit the palette to the individual’s makeup style. Check out my Wishlist Wednesday post about it for a couple swatches. Keep the collectible tin for yourself and use to store eyeliner pencils and hairpins :3
See also: Bare Escentuals All Wrapped Up Eye Collection ($43 CAD; $7 each), Urban Decay Little Sins Eyeshadow Primer Potion Set ($35 CAD; $8.75 each)
Lips:
MAKE UP FOR EVER Glossy Full Couleur Collection ($38 CAD; $12 each): Three lovely, full-sized MUFE glosses in super shiny and pigmented peachy-coral, cherry red, and bright pink.
See also: NARS Follow The Boys Lip Gloss Set ($49 CAD; $12.25 each), LORAC Tie Dye for Lip Gloss ($33 CAD; $6 each)
Sometimes when I try out glitter liners I’m a bit disappointed that it’s mostly clear base and only a few flecks of glitter. That’s not the case here: I was surprised at how much microglitter was in every stroke of the fine-tip brush. Annabelle offers 8 different shades, from Dark Angel (dark gunmetal-gray) to the bright green I swatched that captured my heart (Kryptonite). Hopefully I can make time this week to swatch all 8 colours for a post because I definitely want to share their loveliness :>
Drugstores: ~$7-8 CAD
Hello, hello~ this review has been sitting on the backburner for a while because I didn’t have the time to edit the pictures/could not bear to stare at a screen some more after being at work all day. In the meantime though, I have been wearing this very blush every day. I’m in love with how this blush brightens up my face in the middle of winter, and I love how I can put it on at 6:30 am before work and still see it on my cheeks at 6:30 pm.
Under artificial lighting, no flash
Hard Candy Blush Crush blushes come in sturdy clamshell packaging that belie its seriously affordable price. Since they’re baked, I think the blush inside is also less likely to crumble or break if you drop it.
Living Doll is the second blush I’ve tried from the Hard Candy line but it comes first in my heart <3 Its sister Honeymoon is soft, sweet and demure. Pin Up is more bright and fun.
Flash, artificial lighting. This picture is the one that most accurately captures the colour of this blush in the pan I think.
And yes, it is on the cooler side, though maybe not as cool as the swatches suggest. Since I’m neutral-toned I can wear it just fine but I’m not sure about how it will wear on those that are warm-toned.
Swatches under artificial light with no flash.
As with Honeymoon, this blush can be used wet for a more dramatic look. On the left is Honeymoon dry (it’s a little hard to see because of its paleness/subtlety) and wet, then Living Doll dry and wet. Using it wet intensifies the shimmer in the blush, while the dry is more wearable and the shimmer is subtle enough to wear in the office.
Swatches under artificial light, with flash.
Love what the subtle shimmer does for my cheekbones :3 This is how I wear this blush to work. Oh yeah, and excuse me looking like a corpse.
Pros:
Cons:
No regrets here. I love this blush and what it does for me. I haven’t tried wearing it wet but I can give it a shot if there are any requests for it :> If you are cool- to neutral-toned then it is an awesome purchase. I’m a bit more hesitant to recommend it to warm-toned ladies but I don’t want to outright say it’s definitely not a good shade for them.
Wal-Mart (exclusive): $8 CAD
It looks nice in the photographs but I really didn’t care for it when I was actually wearing it :x Maybe because I didn’t feel like it was fall/winter-appropriate or because it’s not a colour I’m used to.
With the holidays approaching, companies and retailers roll out all kinds of goodies like gift sets with amazing value and limited edition or seasonal products.
Last year I got a whiff of the cranberry-scented products that The Body Shop offers only during the holidays. It smelled a-mazing (delicious and tart) but I had to pass in the interest of saving money :< Assuming this winter’s Cranberry Joy collection smells the same, I won’t be letting myself miss out again.
[image from The Body Shop]
The Body Shop: $20 CAD (200 ml)
