Aug 5, 2011

love it: laura mercier tinted moisturizer

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Okay, so I know I recently raved in a previous Love It post about the Laura Mercier Silk Crème Foundation, but I do have to say that I think I’ve found my new go to “face base.” Like I previously mentioned, I don’t like to wear foundation on a daily basis only because I find it unnecessary, my skin isn’t very problematic on a regular day, and I just think it’s too heavy and too much for a day-to-day basis unless you’re the type of person who has problematic skin. So I’m constantly on the lookout for something light that I can use to cover any problem areas without it looking cakey and drying my skin out, especially since it is still summer time and this weather isn’t being kind to my skin.

So I’ve discovered another product by Laura Mercier, and it is her Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer, which you can find at Sephora. Again, it is on the pricey side (what can you expect out of a high-end brand any way?) at $42 + tax, but what can I say? It’s like my face found it’s soulmate! I have never been so impressed by a product. I won’t lie, I’ve never used tinted moisturizer’s before; this is my first. I purchased it a week ago, and I’ve used it maybe 5 times. The minute I applied it to my skin, I could feel how moisturizing it actually is. I would say the level of coverage it gives is between light to medium, but more on the light side, depending of course on how many layers you apply to your face. I’ll be inserting photos I took before and after application so you can see the difference. It also has an SPF of 20 (an added bonus!), to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun.

But what I really loved about it the most is how it made my skin look so fresh and dewy. Not sweaty, but dewy! It gave me this nice glow and I really don’t know how else to describe it, but I absolutely loved it. It lasted on my face all day, and as a small test at the end of the day, I ran my fingers across my cheek to see what it felt like, and it still felt supple, soft, and hydrated. Win!

This product comes in two types: the regular and the oil free. I opted for the oil free only because I have combination skin and I didn’t want something that would make my face look oily. So I wouldn’t recommend the regular one unless you have dry skin. From what I know, products that have oils in them can tend to break you out. In any case, it would be best to ask a Sephora employee (or an employee at any store that sells Laura Mercier products) for help on deciding which type is best for you. It also comes in a wide range of shades, 10 to be exact. I am in the shade Bisque. They will also be able to help you pick the right shade for your skin.

Here are the before and after application pictures that I promised. The before picture is how my skin looks like without any moisturizer or makeup on:

     

As you can see, it has a slight tint to it and gives a light coverage. You can still see some of the acne on my face, but it is less noticeable and the redness is gone, so I find this perfect for a quick cover-up. I don’t even use concealer after I apply this.

If you end up purchasing it, or already have and use it, do let me know how it works for you or any other thoughts you may have on the product!

Happy tinting! xx

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Jul 21, 2011

honey, spice up your face!

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I feel pretty, oh so pretty...

Since I did my first ever home-made face mask, I’ve been on the search for new ones with different ingredients and different benefits for my skin. I’ve come across a few good ones and I’ve added them to my D.I.Y list. I’ll be sharing those with you as soon as I try them out for myself. This second face mask that I’ve tried requires only three ingredients, but those three have an abundance of benefits for your skin. They are also probably already available in your kitchen cupboard, so you shouldn’t have any trouble accessing them. Tried, tested, and loved the outcome, it is now time to share it with you guys.

Here we go!

The ingredients you are going to need are the following:

* Nutmeg powder
* Cinnamon powder
* Honey – preferably organic
* A bowl and 2 spoons – a tablespoon and a teaspoon

The amount you use of each ingredient depends on how many people are going to be using this mask with you (because you know, your life is always a slumber party isn’t it?). My mom decided to join me on my face mask adventure this time so I made enough for the both of us. If you don’t have anyone to do this with, then you can just save the rest of it for some other night (but remember, keep it refrigerated).

You are going to need a tablespoon of honey, half a teaspoon of nutmeg powder, and half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder. Make sure you mix them very well so all the ingredients blend together. You should end up with a somewhat thick paste. Again, this would be enough for two people to use, so if you only want to make enough for yourself, just cut the amount of each ingredient in half.

               

Once you’re done mixing them, apply the paste to your face evenly but remember to avoid the eye and mouth area. Leave this mask on for 30 minutes, then with a face sponge (or if you don’t have one, just use your fingers) and lukewarm water, rinse the mask off by making a circular motion with either the sponge or your fingers. Once you wash it all off, pat your face dry with a towel and apply your moisturizer.

Reasons why this is good for you:
The mixture of these ingredients together really helps with getting rid of acne, as well as a number of skin infections. Also, it helps with exfoliating the skin when you rub the mask off using circular motions, getting rid of dead skin cells and rejuvenating your skin.

The specifics:
* Nutmeg powder helps with eliminating any blackheads or scars caused by acne, and reduces inflammation or redness of the skin. It has also been found that nutmeg contains an active chemical substance known as Macelignan which has been shown to increase the amount of fat (or adipose) tissue found beneath our skin, thus filling out any expression lines or wrinkles that may have formed over the years. It also helps with the development of this fat tissue, which naturally declines as we age.
* Cinnamon powder has many antimicrobial properties that can benefit your skin; it kills bacteria and prevents most types of skin infections from forming. One thing to keep in mind with cinnamon is to test it on a small patch of your skin to see if you are allergic to it as it may cause a burning sensation or an allergic reaction if used in large amounts as a topical remedy.
* Honey is the perfect cleansing agent. It absorbs any pollutants from the pores on your face, and acts as an antiseptic, anti-irritant, antioxidant, and a moisturizer. It protects your skin from any damage caused by the suns UV rays and sustains the skins ability to rejuvenate and refresh exhausted skin. It is also considered a natural humectant, which means it has the ability to attract moisture and retain it, thus preventing wrinkles and dryness as well as maintaining suppleness.

I hope you love this mask just as much as I did! If you did, do let me know :)

Happy masking! xx

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Jul 10, 2011

megan fox inspired look

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She’s one of those celebrities that loves to rock a classic cat-eye liner, with barely there shadow or no shadow at all, lots and lots (and lots) of mascara, and either a red or pink lip. While browsing images of her on Google trying to find a different look I can attempt to recreate, I came across a picture where she had golden green shadow on. One thing I absolutely love about her is that she has heavy eyebrows. They are prominent and frame her eyes beautifully. On another note, the amount of contouring done on her cheeks is insane, but then again it was a magazine photo shoot so I guess it makes sense. I’ll be doing a separate post some time soon on how to contour your face in a way which can make you look thinner.

Now on to my take of this look. It’s not the exact same as hers; I’ve made a few changes to suit my liking. She has her liner smoked out at the outer corners of her eyes. It also seems like she has a bit of black eyeshadow on the outer corners as well. I decided to stick with a regular, but slightly thicker, winged line without smudging or smoking it out and pass on the black eyeshadow. I also passed on the fake lashes. You can achieve the same effect by just applying a few extra coats of mascara.

Let’s begin:

Step 1:
Apply a tiny bit of primer on your eye lids. This not only helps prevent your eyeshadow from creasing, but it also makes any colour you put on your lids stand out more. I’m using a sample of Too Faced Primed & Poreless face primer, since I ran out of eye primer (as I’ve mentioned in my first makeup tutorial).

     

Step 2:
With your ring finger (or an all-over eyeshadow brush), pick up some forest green eyeshadow and apply it to all over lid. If you have a golden green eyeshadow then just use it and skip Step 3. If you don’t, like myself, then use two separate shadows to achieve the same colour outcome. I’m using MAC’s Eyeshadow in Humid.

     

Step 3:
Again, with your ring finger (or an all-over eyeshadow brush), pick up some gold eyeshadow and apply it on top of the green. I’m using L’Oréal HiP Duo in Flare (only the gold half of the duo).

     

Step 4:
Using a crease shadow brush, pick up some brown eyeshadow (shimmer or matte, depending on your preferences), tap off the excess, and place your brush on the outer corner of your eye in your socket and move the brush in a back and forth motion, applying the shadow to your crease. If you’re not sure where your crease/socket is, just take the bottom of the brush and gently apply pressure to the part of your eye right above your eyeball and below your brow bone. If your brush goes in, then you’ve hit jackpot! I’m using the dark brown colour of a sample size of Shiseido’s Luminizing Satin Eye Color Trio in BR307 Strata.

          

Step 5:
Using an angled liner/brow brush, create a thick winged line above your lashes using gel liner (liquid or pencil liners also work and don’t require a brush). Start from the inner corner of your eyes and draw a thin line close to your lash line. As you move further down to the outer corner, increase the thickness of your line and wing it out. Apply liner to your top inner lash line (always stop your line at the point where your inner lashes end to make your eyes look more awake and open). For the waterline, only apply the liner halfway in from the outer corner.

                    

Step 6:
Apply a heavy coat of mascara on both top and bottom lashes (I use Lancôme’s Hypnôse Drama in Excessive Black). Next, if your eyebrows are thin and spacey like mine, fill them in with an eyebrow pencil to get that intense effect Megan has. If not, then you can skip this part and you’re done. I’m using Lancôme’s eyebrow pencil in Sable.

     

So here is the finished look:

I really hope you liked this and found it helpful. If anything seemed unclear, please let me know and I’ll be happy to explain it better! I leave you with a picture of me in sheer bliss at my ‘makeup station’ during this process!

Happy smizing! xx

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Jul 7, 2011

love it: laura mercier silk crème foundation

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Hands down, the best foundation I’ve ever tried. I don’t usually like wearing foundation to begin with because I don’t find it necessary. My skin isn’t very problematic, so I tend to just cover any spots or blemishes with a bit of concealer and I’m good to go; but ever since I saw this one particular product review video on it (I can’t remember which video it was right now), and decided to give it a try, I’ve fallen in love with it.

Laura Mercier Silk Crème Foundation can be found at Sephora. I’m sure there are other places that sell it, but not in drugstores; I believe it is considered a high-end brand. I’ve been using this foundation for over 7 months now (not everyday though!) but more recently in the summer, it’s been a staple product in my daily makeup routine.

I’ve tried many drugstore foundations, and some were great, while some others did little in the way of covering problem areas. This product, though, is a bit on the pricier side ($42 + tax), but it is well worth it and a tube of this lasts a long time because you literally don’t need a lot of it. I’ve had this tube for a while now (thanks to Sephora’s purchase history on my account, I now know that I purchased it on January 9, 2011), and it still isn’t even halfway through. There’s plenty of product left.

I’ll try to explain how the foundation is in as short of a description as possible: It is extremely silky and smooth (I would say slightly on the moisturizing side), it applies flawlessly and is really easy to blend, it provides a medium to full coverage (depending on how much of it you apply), it lasts all day and doesn’t melt off your face, it gives you an airbrushed, dewy look (dewy… not sweaty, which is good because it means that it’s a hydrating foundation and doesn’t dry your skin out) and most importantly, it does not leave your face looking like you have layers and layers of makeup on, nor does it give you that cakey effect that I’m sure no one in their right mind wants.

This foundation comes in a wide range of shades, 10 to be exact. If you click on either images in this post, they will take you to the Laura Mercier website and you can view all the shades, details and even the ingredients. I am in the shade Beige Ivory, and I find that it matches my skin tone perfectly. To find the perfect shade for you, head to a Sephora and I’m sure they will be more than happy to match you to a colour that suits your skin tone best!

If you end up purchasing it, or already do use it, let me know how you like it or how it turned out for you!

Happy covering! xx

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