Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Summer Trialing


Summer is the time for beach combing, bike riding, melon eating...and apparently product testing. Warmer weather means less dry, sensitive skin for me, so as long as I stay out of the sun, I tend to take these 3 months to test out new skincare bits.

Starting on the left, let me contradict myself on the first product. I am merely trying out Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream since I picked it up last month; no connection to my seasonal skincare theory. My typical cuticle treatment of choice is coconut oil, but I find this is convenient to carry around in my bag. It isn't very emollient but I like that as it doesn't melt or separate in the heat. Did I mention it smells amazing too? Lemon is one of my favorite scents of all time so I just open this up to take a whiff.

Next is a product that was in my May Favorites post; the Neutrogena Clear Face liquid-lotion sunscreen. I try to give skincare a 3-4 month test run before incorporating it into my main routine and this may fit the summer bill. Worth noting is its lack of hydrating properties; this would certainly not be enough on its own for me come autumn/winter. A lightweight, effective and inexpensive SPF option still.

A complete impulse purchase from Target is the No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water. When I lived in France, I tried the famous Bioderma micellar water and hated it. It burned my eyes and didn't remove my waterproof mascara whatsoever. I know I am probably the only blogger in the world who dislikes Bioderma but it just didn't work for me. In fact, I have yet to stumble across a micellar water that does. First impression of this No7 offering is it smells like alcohol...but I want to give it a fair run despite the cynic in me!

Lastly we have a Sephora 100 point perk I received in April. The Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum is meant to fade sunspots, acne scars and general skin discoloration. This serum contains 2% hydroquinone, which works as the lightening agent. I have been using this on my acne scars nightly since June and unfortunately have not seen noticeable improvement. This sample size is almost out, so I may move onto something else. Scars take a long time to fade though so I don't discount this serum. It does contain a decent amount of alcohol; a known irritant so for that reason I won't be shelling out for the full size.

Have you been trying any new things this summer?

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

My Current Summer Base

Between torrential rains and sticky humidity, I have largely been going foundation-free most days this summer. If I want to wear a base, it has to be as "-proof" (sweat, water, cakey, etc) as possible. For 2-3 months out of the year, I bring out this fail safe duo.


Enter a concealer + powder foundation routine. Before you cringe and click off, hear me out. This combination not only adequately covers my hyper pigmentation and redness, it also looks and feels very light on the skin.

As much as I love dewy, glowy skin, I don't find it practical for everyday summer wear. It has the tendency to make you look oily/sweaty and wears off in a few hours. If I want my base makeup to last, using a creamy but dense concealer like the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage and a powder foundation (here I have the discontinued Physician's Formula Healthy Wear powder) works beautifully. I just apply concealer where needed and then lightly buff in some powder with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush. Easy.

Do you have a favorite summer base? I am still interested in a tinted moisturizer (looking at you , Nars).

Side note: I was shocked at how quickly I reached pan on the left side of the Laura Mercier concealer. Anyone else experience this?

Monday, June 10, 2013

Recent Acquisitions

 With one week of my new internship down, a few small surprises greeted me in my mailbox.



Top: Laura Mercier foundation primer. L: The Balm Mary Lou Manizer R: MAC Immortal Flower

 The primer and highlight powder were actually obtained through a swap. I never really got into MUA swaps until recently. They are a great way to try new things without being wasteful. I have never had a negative experience either *knocks on wood*.

The MAC blush was recently repromoted in the All About Orange collection. It's a beautiful light true peach. I heard some people hated the texture from the original Tres Cheek collection, but mine is pretty pigmented and soft. Despite being light, it shows up easily and could definitely be built up. Been wearing it all week!

Note about the highlighter...it is stunning, lots of product but wow it is shimmery. This is not for the faint of highlighting hearts!


Have you picked up anything new lately?

Monday, June 3, 2013

May Favorites

We're 3 days into June, so no more procrastinating on my part. It's time to showcase the things I enjoyed in May.

  
 
Only a few makeup products this month, as it has been getting hotter and I prefer wearing less products on my face (it will sweat off anyway if I do...gross but true). First up is the Laura Mercier Secret Camoflauge Concealer. I picked up this cult favorite during the Sephora VIB sale and have been loving it ever since. With two different tones of yellow and neutral/slightly pink, I can mix them to get my perfect shade. It is one of those products with a learning curve however; it is very dry at first so you must warm it up (I use a hairdryer). I find this works even on blemishes, and the formula lasts all day. My shade is SC-3.

Sorry it's a little rough looking!

The next thing I loved last month was the NYX lipliner in Natural. I never used to enjoy lipliners (honestly they remind me of my sisters in the 90s with the brown lip outlines...*shudders*) but this one is really nice to give slight definition. Next is another drugstore favorite, the Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliner in Intense Olive. A long unnecessary name but not the worst I've heard. These eyeliners are nothing short of amazing. They are creamy, extremely pigmented and give you time to smudge out but then set for hours. I especially love this dark olive shimmery shade on my brown eyes. Oh and they retail for $5.95. Last makeup product is the Nars Illuminator in Orgasm. I got this as a Sephora 100 point perk a long time ago and just started using it this spring. This is a really nice subtle highlighting liquid. It has a pink base with gold shimmer and somehow looks really natural for a dewy summer face.

Swatches L - R: Prestige Intense Olive, NYX Natural, Nars Orgasm
I saved my favorite favorites for last...skincare!


On the left is the Neutrogena Clear Face Liquid-Lotion Suncreen SPF 30. Like most consumers, facial sunscreen leaves me feeling greasy and smelly - but not this one. It has a very viscous texture, making it easy to blend in. The "break-out free" claim is true too, at least for me. This is impressive as most sunscreens do break out my sensitive acne-prone skin. I've enjoyed Neutrogena as an overall brand for years, so this is another thumps up from me. In the middle looking very puny in comparison is Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse oil. I did a whole post dedicated to this so I will link it here if you're interested. Lastly we have an old summer staple for me, Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer in Medium to Tan. Every year I wonder if another brand will knock Jergens off their gradual tan throne. This stuff just...works. Gives a gradual tan, moisturizes well and doesn't smell too bad. What more could you want? I use the medium to tan version because the lighter one comes off orangey on me (the worst type of self tan result).

What have you been loving lately? I hope everyone in the Northern Hemisphere is enjoying the start of summer (sorry Australians).










Thursday, May 30, 2013

Current Summery Lemmings

Current Lemmings


Just a few things I have my eye on as the temperature is on the rise here. How we can go from the 40s last week to the high 80s now is beyond my comprehension.

First there's Lanolips ointment. This has quite the cult following in Australia I believe and for good reason - lanolin, the main ingredient, is extremely hydrating. I really want to try one of the tinted versions but can't find it online let alone in the States (everything should be available in a capitalist world, shouldn't it?). Any suggestions where to find it would be super.

The hat is very, very random. If you know me IRL (love that acronym), you have probably never seen me in a hat. But they look cute on other people so...might give it go this summer.

My hair is at an awkward length right now after cutting it pretty short (just barely shoulder length) a few months ago, so I have been trying to infuse some curls/texture/interest. This Cortex 4 in 1 wand thing looks intriguing. I own the Conair wand but it's tapered at the bottom so I find I end up looking more Shirley Temple than Gisele Bundchen.

"Going Incognito" by Essie has an awesome name and I love green. All I have to say there.

And we have the famed St. Tropez self tan mousse. I never used to be bothered with self tan but seeing as I will have little to no beach access this year, it's nice to pretend you were on vacation somewhere tropical soaking up the rays (with sunscreen of course, come on now).

What do you have your eye on this summer?

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Usage Dry Oil

Home from college for a few weeks, I have been cleaning and reorganizing my room in preparation of another upcoming move. In the shuffling around, I have rediscovered some neglected gems, one being the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse dry oil. I received this from my French host mother back in 2009 so it was about time I tried it out.


A blend of 6 different oils including sweet almond and macademia, as well as Vitamin E, this dry oil can be used on the face, hair and body. Having sensitive acne-prone skin, I have yet to use this on my face, however I can say it works beautifully at hydrating my body and hair. You don't need much with this product; a quarter sized drop is enough for my entire body. I just rub it between my hands and pat it onto my skin. It has worked especially well at soothing a recent sunburn too.


My hair is naturally dry and likely damaged, and I've found it really infuses a lot of shine back in.


Now I am really intrigued by other Nuxe products. Might have to try the blogger crowd favorite Reve de Miel lip balm next! Have you tried any Nuxe products?

Monday, May 13, 2013

First Impression: Maybelline LE Color Tattoo in Seashore Frosts

For anyone surprised to see me churning out another post, I am just as if not more surprised than you. Today while running errands I picked up one of those limited edition Maybelline Color Tattoos from their summer collection. The shade I chose was Seashore Frosts.

Hate when the label is off center. Boo
In direct sunlight
Seashore Frosts is a blue and gold duochrome cream shadow with hints of green and pink reflects. This seems to be one of the more popular Color Tattoos in the collection amongst bloggers and I can see why. It is truly gorgeous and unique looking.
Left: One layer swatch / Right: Two layers
The texture is really creamy, more than the other Color Tattoos I own such as Bad to the Bronze and Tough as Taupe. It feels slightly thinner too, which produces a more sheer swatch. However, I think you could build this up slowly if you wanted more opacity.
Direct sunlight
Here I tried to capture the beautiful duochrome but alas my mediocre camera did not want any part. However I think you can pick up the blue/gold vibe going on. I doubt the pink/green reflects would show up on the eyes anyway but I will try it out tomorrow and see if I can make an EOTD happen.

This shade 'Seashore Frosts' was the last one in the display I found (at Rite Aid for $6.99). Since this is only a first impression post, I am unsure if I'm going to like this on the eyes...I never really considered myself a duochrome lover. Maybe I will be pleasantly surprised and/or newly converted!

Let me know if you picked up any of these up and if you like them!

Sunday, May 12, 2013

A Late Night Skincare Lust List & Ramble

Skincare Lusting
 
Just a few skincare bits I have my eye on lately.
 
Been searching for the Hydraluron serum for what seems like ages now in the States and no luck. Heard a rumor that it is being introduced to Walgreens soonish though? Only time will tell I suppose. It's been getting (finally) sunnier in my area, so SPF is even more important than usual. I think the SPF 15 I usually wear will not cut it in the summer months, so I am contemplating this La Roche Posay offering, which provides not only SPF 50 but a tint as well. Even out my skintone and protect me from the sun's rays? What more could you want?
 
Another LRP product is their SeroZinc spray which apparently incorporates active ingredients of zinc and sulfur to hydrate the skin and prevent breakouts. I suffer from acne-prone dry/combination skin, so I am always on the hunt for products that will treat acne but not dry out my sensitive skin. La Roche Posay is one of my favorite skincare brands (sadly when I lived in Toulouse, France 2008-2009, I wasn't as into skincare as I am these days so I didn't exactly stockpile pharamacie products *curses self*) and although the LRP selection in CVS here is slim, I tend to have decent luck shopping online. It's worth the hassle in my opinion!

Lastly I stuck a Mario Badescu toner in there. As it gets warmer, my skin tends to break out more so I have to exfoliate more frequently, with either a glycolic (AHA) or beta hydroxy (BHA or salicylic acid) product. Chemical exfoliants almost always work better for me than physical ones; grainy scrubs end up irritating my skin more than anything. This toner is of the glycolic variety, and seems like it could work well for me. Something about MB products turn me off though...example a: why does this toner have to be blue? Dyes are so unnecessary in skincare, if not harmful. Will never understand that...

I haven't addressed it much on the blog yet (because I suck at posting basically...) however I grew up with pretty terrible skin due to family history (thank you parents) so I am always trying out new skincare ever since I gave up on traditional dermatology. Needless to say, this obsession interest has been brewing for a long time now. I want to post more comprehensive reviews here - just will take time since skincare takes ~2 months to have a full effect.
 
*off to wash my face and pass out* Night!

Thursday, May 9, 2013

The Trials and Tribulations of Naked Lunch

Long time no blog = bad self. Haven't really been sticking to my blogging resolutions unfortunately! I could whine and moan about being a no-life-having college student but fortunately for both of us, I finished spring semester a little over a week ago so I have more time to post now!

Back to the topic at hand. If you've never heard of MAC's Naked Lunch eyeshadow, you must live under a rock that lacks wifi. One of the brand's most famous shades, it was one of the first MAC products I ever bought. Unfortunately, I did not see eye to eye with everyone else's raves.

Naked Lunch: the criminal in question

The pan of Naked Lunch I have is without a doubt one of the hardest eyeshadow to work with in my collection. It has poor payoff, is pretty sheer and usually creases on me, even with a primer underneath.

So, like any other lazy consumer, I let it go untouched in my palette for over a year. In this divorce period, I actually found not only a dupe, but a better version...found in a Wet n Wild trio that retails for $2.99. Yeah...


Top: Wet n Wild "Eyelid" from the Walking on Eggshells trio / Bottom: Naked Lunch
Voila the proof above. Don't get me wrong, MAC is one of my favorite brands, especially for eyeshadow. Hence why I was very let down by ol' Naked Lunch. Nonetheless, I am determined to finish Naked Lunch...for the past few months I've found a great way to do so.


Using a small powder brush, I have been applying the shadow as a cheekbone/nose/cupid's bow highlight. Being a pearly, pink shade, it works quite well. I don't find it too stark and think it could work on a variety of skintones.

So that is how I intend to finish up Naked Lunch...I hate wasting things I spent money on so I always try to experiment with other uses. Just because something is marketed as a certain product doesn't mean you can't try it in a different way!

I hope this post was helpful to anyone else that got stuck with a bad pan of Naked Lunch. Definitely check out the Wet n Wild trio if you want a similar shade too! I should really write a quality control letter to MAC while I'm at it...

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Ciao Google Reader

Unless you live under a rock that lacks wifi, you probably heard the news; Google Reader is shutting down July 1, 2013. Personally, I really enjoy the GR interface, so this is a sad day. But, the show must go on, so I thought I'd mention some other blog reader sites you can use.


By far one of the most popular readers, Bloglovin is well organized and not too dissimilar to Google. You can use the link below to transfer your GR subscriptions automatically.



Another awesome interface, Hello Cotton is easy to navigate. I've never used it but I've heard great things.

3. feedly

Also have heard good things about feedly. An option for those who like actual list formats.

So, there are a few options for you bloggers out there. I have been using Bloglovin on and off for a few years now, and it has improved quite a bit. Its respective iPhone and Android apps work well too! Can't speak for the other platforms but I'm sure developers are busy right now perfecting with GR on its way out.

If you're interested in keeping up with my blog, I have Bloglovin linked on the right hand side. Thank you for following, I look forward to everyone's posts on there. Good luck! x

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Copper EOTD Inspired by ChelseaWears

Before we begin with today's eye look, I will be the first to admit the obvious similarity between this EOTD and my last post's. But hear me out - this eye makeup is different AND inspired by none other than the gorgeous, hilarious Chelsea of ChelseaWears. She posted a new "Get Ready With Me" video today (watch here) and immeaditely after watching, I felt the urge to bust out some coppery eyeshadow. This is the result...

Forgot concealer...big fail.
 Now, I am aware that this pales in comparison to Chelsea's look but this is what I ended up with. I mainly used Mac Sable and Urban Decay Toasted as the base. Both shades have a coppery pink base, and they are honestly quite similar (Sable is a bit darker however). I layered them in hopes to create more dimension.


I darkened the outer corner/crease with Urban Decay Hustle to add depth. Finally I lined my upper lash line with a brown eyeliner and smudged a mixture of Mac Bronze and Sable over top. This is something I rarely do; I enjoy a defined black liner, but a change is nice! Lastly, I couldn't leave the lower lashline naked since it was/usually is the piece de resistance of Chelsea's looks. She makes a valid point; a defined lower lashline really does wonders for those of us with slightly hooded lids. I just applied more Sable and then Hustle to the outer third.

Voila! Hope you enjoyed this EOTD inspired by Chelsea. Definitely check out her blog/YT channel if you haven't already...she is hilariously entertaining and has an amazing style.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

MAC Bronze

The majority of my MAC eyeshadow collection is housed in a 12 pan palette, but I do have a few pots lying around. I decided to showcase a few of my favorites.

MAC Bronze eyeshadow

In the swatch, Bronze to my eye looks like a true bronze gold shade; not too warm nor too cool. It definitely has a brown base with some orange thrown in.


On the eye, Bronze's orange undertones do shine through more, however this is most noticeable at this time for year for my paler skintone. Personally, I would wear Bronze all year round, but I am sure it looks especially stunning in summer when I am darker.

An oldie but a goodie, I am happy to have Bronze in my collection. Although there are most certainly dupes on the market, it's one of those shades that I love against my brown eyes, and definitely consider a staple. When I want a more toned down version, this looks great diffused in the crease and/or outer corner with something complimentary like Patina on the lid.

Are there any shades that you always come back to? I'd love to know more suggestions for spring/summer which is slowly but surely approaching. x

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

My Winter Base: Skin79 Super + VIP Gold BB Cream

Ah the wintertime foundation debacle. Every year I try to find a base that a) is moisturizing b) has just enough (light to medium) coverage and c) actually matches my skin at its lightest. Fortunately last year, I found something that ticked all 3 needs.


I would categorize 2012 as the year of the BB cream in the US; they exploded over American markets. The only "American" BB cream I have tried is the Garnier one...and I hated it. It was greasy and made my skin look orange. I realized that if I wanted to try this BB cream craze, I'd have to get the real deal.
After some extensive research, I decided to try out the Skin 79 line. They are hugely popular in Asia, as well as in the States with some bloggers/vloggers. This VIP Gold variety is supposed to for drier, 
mature (hate that term) skin types. I have dry, combination acne-prone sensitive skin for reference.

 
As you can tell, this BB cream does a good job at covering redness and evening skin tone. I still need concealer to cover blemishes. Currently I am about a NW/NC 20 in MAC terms, and this matches me quite well. Like most Asian BB creams, it comes out grey tinted, but don't be afraid - it oxidizes on your skin after about 5 minutes to match. Unfortunately I don't think anyone NW/NC 30 or darker could make this BB cream work. It leaves a satin/dewy finish, which I love however it could not work for oily skin types (in this case, I know Skin 79 does another version in a pink container better suited for that). I love this base for low key days, which are most of mine as I am a student. It contains SPF 25 and has flashback, so I would not recommend it for photography. I usually wear a higher coverage foundation for those occasions anyway so this doesn't bother me. SPF in makeup is great, but not a vital component to me as SPF wears off after a few hours and must be reapplied (which I never do with makeup). In regards to longevity, I find it pretty long lasting at ~8 hours. After that point, it begins to look patchy. As my skin is drier in winter, I do not set it with powder however I have tried and it looks fine but has little effect on its longevity.

Pros
+ build able coverage (light to medium)
+ satin/dewy finish
+ is moisturizing
+ good match for paler skin tones
+ blends in easily
+ SPF 25
+ lasts ~8 hours

Cons
+ only one shade/won't work for medium to dark skin tones
+ may not work for oiler skin types

Final Verdict
Overall, I really love this BB cream. It works really well for my skin in the winter, and is perfect for lower coverage days. I bought mine for $15 USD from a reputable Amazon seller, Pink Gelee. Fast & free shipping plus free samples...I read a lot of reviews before buying and am happy to say I echo the great service. However you can find Asian BB creams like Skin79's offerings at Pretty & Cute as well.

Do you own any BB creams? I want to try the Dr. Jart ones next I think.I feel myself transforming from  a foundation junkie turned BB cream addict...

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

The Liebster Award

I was nominated for a Liebster Award by the lovely Sophie Teresa so that is what I am doing today. I really enjoy tags, so this was right up my street. Be sure to check out Sophie's blog...she recently started doing cooking posts if you're into food like moi.


The Liebster Award Rules:

The nominee must link back to the blogger who nominated them.
The nominee must state 11 facts about themselves, and then answer the 11 question provided for them by the person who nominated them. They will then nominate bloggers with less than 200 followers who they think deserve the recognition and pose 11 questions for them to answer. They must then drop by all the blogs of the bloggers they have nominated and let them know they have been nominated.

11 Facts About Myself:

1. I am currently pursuing 2 degrees and a minor at university (no life basically).

2. Dark chocolate, almonds, and Ryan Gosling are some of my favorite things.

3. I am fluent en francais after living in Toulouse for 10 months in high school.

4. I love Indian and Mexican food; the spicier, the better!

5. I used to be obsessed with cooking shows, especially the Food Network. Now I just enjoy cooking in general!

6. ... < online shopping

7. Addicted to coffee, but trying to break that habit.

8. I can't do hair. Zero patience when it comes to styling my mop.

9. I love to read. Some of my favorite authors are Chuck Palahniuk, Albert Camus, and Malcolm Gladwell...and a million more.

10. I used to play lacrosse, soccer, volleyball and run track back in the day. Nowadays I have to drag myself to the gym. Fail.

11. I unfortunately am a night owl and curse myself every morning for it!


The 11 Questions I Was Given:
Side note to Sophie: Great but TOUGH questions! :)

1. Where would you most like to visit in the world?
Hmm. I have always been intrigued by Indian culture so Mumbai.

2. Favourite lipstick, brand and colour?
Favorite brand is MAC due to  the variety of finishes and colors. One of my all time favorite shades is Viva Glam Cyndi, partly because I went on an all out manhunt to find it haha.

3. Coffee or tea?
Love both coffee and green tea. Oh and chai of course!

4. What did you want to be when you were little and has it changed?
I wanted to be a traveling comedian...yes, thankfully that has changed.

5. What is your favourite meal?
You're killing me! Pad thai I could eat everyday if allowed.

6. Heels or flats?
Flats only because a) I'm already pretty tall b) Heels are not kind to my feet. Wedges are better.
7. What item would you take to a desert island?

8. If you could have dinner with four famous people who would you choose?
Dead or alive? 

9. Handbags or shoes?
Bags all the way.

10. What is your must-have perfume?
Stella by Stella McCartney.

11. Who inspires you the most?
Honestly? The hundreds of random people I meet every year. Bloggers, colleagues, acquaintances...everyone has a story to tell. I love learning about others' lives. x

Ok, my turn to nominate!


Quite a few British gals nominated...you Brits are taking over the Internet, I kid you not.

My 11 Questions:

1. What was your favorite music group/band when you were growing up?

2. If you could have any super power, what would you choose? (an oldie but a goodie question)

3. Favorite makeup to wear when you're feeling nostalgic?

4. Are you a pants or dress/skirt person?

5. What is your dream job?

6. Favorite film of all time?

7. If you had a random $100 (or your currency equivalent) to blow, what would you purchase?

8. Are you the party type or prefer to stay in at night?

9. Do/did you carry a backpack or handbag to school?

10. Any style crushes?

11. What do you like best about blogging?

Thanks again to Sophie for nominating/tagging me. It's a cool way to interact with bloggers you may not have met otherwise. I look forward to reading everyone's responses! x

-Lindsay

Monday, January 28, 2013

L'un de mes favorites: L'Oreal Owl's Night

As I sit here sifting through La Declaration des Droits de la Femme et de la Citoyen, I decided that I'd share one of my favorite nail polish shades, Owl's Night from L'Oreal.


The complexity of this shade is hard to capture in photos; in some lights it looks like a forest green with gold shimmer shot throughout, however upon careful inspection, red and green shimmer are subtly noticeable. It is without a doubt amongst the favorites in my collection. My first L'Oreal polish as well.


Sadly I believe this shade was limited edition, however if you can find it, I urge you to pick it up. Between the application, color, and price point, it is definitely a gem.

What nail shades are you wearing this week? I am tempted to dive into spring shades already despite the snow outside! x

Monday, January 21, 2013

Blogging Resolutions for 2013

Ah, another 2013 resolutions post. Mine is clearly overdue, and it's more for my own utility than others, however feel free to pull some inspiration or offer some of your own tips.

When paring down my list of resolutions, I realized that a lot of residual goals from the previous year carry over into the new year, such as eating healthier, drinking more water, etc. For this post, I want to focus more on the blogging front, as I have not applied myself as well as I had envisioned in 2012. Excuses like not having enough time and schoolwork become redundant, and I hope this year brings newfound accountability for myself.

A few goals in no particular order...

1. Post at least 3 times per week

This one won't be easy, but I have a lot of post ideas floating around in my head, and they should be executed. I truly enjoy writing/blogging, and mental health is just as important as its physical counterpoint. In other words, making time for something you enjoy should rank high on your list.

2. Acquire a sharper blog focus

If there's anything anyone should know about me, it's that my interests stretch across a vast gamut. I want to represent this in the blog, and not limit myself to beauty/fashion posts. Variety is the spice of life, n'est-ce pas?

3. New blog template

While I currently enjoy the simplicity of my layout, I am contemplating a different template. My small knowledge of html (circa Xanga years) likely won't be sufficient enough, so I hope to learn more about web design in 2013.

So those are my 2013 blogging goals! I usually shy away from resolutions, but I found myself gravitating towards others' posts this year. I hope you enjoyed reading; let me know some of your goals for this year, I'd love to know x

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Making MAC Woodwinked Work in Winter

Happy 2013 blogging world! With school and the holidays, I've gone on a blogging hiatus however I decided that one of my New Years resolutions (sick and tired of that 3 word phrase yet?) will be to write, write, write. I need to not get so caught up in schoolwork and expend some creative energy here. But that is another post in it of itself...

Today, I wanted to share a tip I have regarding brassy, gold eye eyeshadow. The quintessential example in my book is MAC's Woodwinked.

Woodwinked bottom front
When I first bought Woodwinked, I anticipated what I saw in the pan/swatch. A lovely, highly pigmented gold with bronze undertones. However, I soon realized that it has a tendency to veer orange on my eyes, especially now in winter when I am quite pale (NW/NC 20). With the holidays and gold eye makeup on trend, I wanted to join the party. I have always loved wearing gold on my eyes, but this brassy, orange look was not flattering. The stubbornness in me decided that I must make this shade work.

My solution? Mixing Woodwinked with Patina (one of my favorite eyeshadows of all time, if you're curious). It is pictured above Woodwinked in the palette shot, and it is a more of an antique, lighter gold color with some taupe mixed in. It is complex, flattering, and I love it on its own. Now I adore it mixed with Woodwinked to give me a nice and noticeably gold eye.

Wearing Woodwinked + Patina with some brown in outer corner
This is pretty much the look I did for New Years Eve as well. The only difference is I added a little glitter on top to jazz it up...a rarity for boring, neutral me!

So there is my little tip for dealing with beautiful shades like Woodwinked that don't seem to mesh well with paler skin in the wintertime. You can apply this to any shadow you may have that has this problem - just try mixing it with its lighter, more non-offensive cousin shade like Patina in this gold shadow case study.

I hope you had a nice holiday and New Years! I hope to comply my 2013 goals/resolutions sometime tomorrow. They will not be strictly beauty-related I think. Thanks for reading x