Reunited, and it feels so good.

In the seventh grade, I was absolutely obsessed with Lululemon Athletica. I owned multiple sweaters and sweatpants, I would save up my allowance just so I could buy Lululemon. All I wore was yoga gear. Starting grade eight, I went back to my beloved jeans and relaxed t-shirt style. This Boxing Day, I visited the Lululemon store and fell right back in love with their clothing. They were clearing out some of their merchandise and it was on sale, so I picked up two pairs of pants.

 Dance Sweat Pant II

 Dance Sweat Pant

These two pairs are essentially, to me at least, exactly the same. The Dance Sweat Pant fits me a little better then the Dance Sweat Pant II does though. Compared to other pairs of Lulus that I own, these are a lot thicker, and it's great for the winter weather. I picked these babies up for $49 apiece (originally $74), which, for Lululemon at least is a really good deal.

I highly recommend Lululemon if you're looking for comfortable yoga pants, they are a little pricey, but they're of superior quality and last you a very long time.

My Makeup Wishlist: December 2010

Benefit Benetint: I swatched this product at my local Sephora and it just gave my skin the prettiest "just got back from the cold" flush. I think that the rosy red colour would be a great way to subtly add colour to your lips as well.




Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in R.S.V.P.: Many of the beauty gurus I watch on YouTube rave about this product. When I took a look at it at Sephora, I saw that it was a creamy beige-y gold colour. This would be a great product for those "on the go" days. Just swipe some on the lid with some mascara and out the door! I also love how you don't need to use an eye base.



Benefit Coralista: While perusing the Benefit aisle at Sephora, I came across the Benefit Boxed Powders collection. Coralista stuck out to me in particular. It's warm peachy coral colour is a great way to enhance a tan. I also think that just a swipe of this blush would give you that perfect natural flush-y glow.



Nars Powder Blush in Deep Throat: A dirty name it is. LOL. I've heard girls on YouTube say that this blush is like the better version of Orgasm. My cousin owns it, and when my family and I went over to her house for Christmas dinner, I decided to check it out. Deep Throat is a phenomal rose-y mauve-y pink-ish colour with a hint of gold shimmer, nothing too chunky. And I love the smooth formulation of it as well.


Nars Powder Blush in Madly: This blush has been used by MakeupByTiffanyD on Youtube many times and it just seems like the perfect pink toned bronze blush. I think that with a neutral eye and pink lip, this blush would give you the most effortless glow.




Tarte Cheek Stain in Tipsy: I've heard numerous great things about the Tarte Cheek Stains, and on the site, the colour Tipsy looked absolutely gorgeous. It's a peachy coral colour. Although pricey, I think the concept of  a cheek stain is interesting and I would love to give this product a try.



Sephora Collection Professionnel Platinum Stippling Brush #44: If you haven't noticed already by this wishlist, I am currently really into blushes of all sorts: creams, liquids and powders. Stippling brushes are great to apply blush in any form and I need to replace the one I currently have ASAP. This brush has amazing reviews on the Sephora site.


 
MAC Tinted Lipglass in Pink Lemonade: My friend owns this gloss, and it's an absolutely beautiful colour on her. It's a classic golden pink and I think that it would make a great everyday colour because of it's simplicity. I also can't pass up the vanilla mint scent of MAC lip glosses!




MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack: I've tackled pencil and liquid liners, but I can't seem to be in love with either. I am very interested to try out a gel liner, and according to many reviews, this seems to be the one to go to because of it's creamy texture and long wear.




Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama gel liner in Eggplant: I discovered this product after reading a review on Temptalia and the colour just looked amazing. If I fall in love with gel liner, I might end up getting this one because in the picture, it was the most gorgeous violet colour with a blue and gold shimmer running through it.


PHOTO CREDITS:
http://www.sephora.com/
http://www.maccosmetics.com/
http://www.maybellinenewyork.ca/

A Christmas Treat to Myself (:

From left to right: MAC Blushcreme in Ladyblush, Nars Cream Blush in Cactus Flower, Ben Nye Powder Rouge in DR-13 Natural Blush, Stila Eyeshadow in Kitten

MAC Blushcreme in Ladyblush: While stopping by the MAC store, I took a look at the blushes. Me, being in my current obsession with blush (especially cream blush because they don't enhance my dryness as much) asked the sales associate what her favourite blushes were. "I love Ladyblush," she said, "It gives you such a natural glow." This may sound cheesy, but it was love at first swatch. This blush is super creamy and is the most gorgeous mid-tone pink colour. The sales associate tried it on my cheeks and I thought that it gave me such a youthful glow, so I had to have it.

Nars Cream Blush in Cactus Flower: I've seen ahanhbarbie34 and CarlyChristman use this blush in their videos and it looked awesome. Cactus Flower is an orange-y red cream blush with a faint gold shimemr running through it. It's a great way to add some subtle colour to your look. I was very impressed with it's staying power. With the exception of fading a little, it didn't budge all day!

Ben Nye Powder Rouge in DR-13 Natural Blush: I heard MissChevious rave about this blush in one of her videos and after doing some research, I realized that a Halloween store close by to where I work carried Ben Nye. I stopped by and picked up this blush. It has a matte finish and it's a nice way to give your face some natural looking colour. I think this blush would be fantastic if you're wearing a statement eye or lip.

Stila Eyeshadow in Kitten: After seeing this product being featured in numerous beauty blogs and videos, I was never quite sure of why it was such a staple. It looked quite plain and simple and very... blah. But after swatching in Sephora, I know why everyone is so in love with it. It's the most beautiful pink-y beige colour with a silver metallic sheen running through it.

That's it for my haul. (: Thanks for reading!

40 Beauty Questions Tag

SKINCARE

• How many times do you wash your face daily? I wash my face twice a day, every morning and evening.
• What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo) My skin is a combination of dry and oily.
• What is your current facial wash? Alyria Clarifying Cleanser Oil Free.
• Do you exfoliate? Yes I do, with my beloved Ocean Salt from Lush.
• What brand do you use? Most of my skin care products are from Alyria.
• What moisturizer do you use? I use the La Roche Posay Hydraphase UV Intense Rehydration SPF 30 and the Alyria Mattifying Lotion.
• Do you have freckles? No, I do not have freckles.
• Do you use eye cream? When my eyes get dry, I apply Aquaphor before bed. Idk if that counts as an eye cream though. Ahaha.
• Do you or did you have acne prone skin? Yes, I have had acne prone skin. It was literally hell.
• Did you ever have to use Proactiv? I've had the worst experience with Proactiv, it burned and stung like a b*tch.

MAKE-UP

• What foundation do you use? I use the Clinique Almost Makeup SPF 15 in 04 Deep.
• How about concealer? For large areas of redness, I use my Maybelline Mineral Concealer, and for pimples, I love the MAC Studio Finish Concealer. I also love that the MAC one has SPF 35!
• Do you know your undertone color? Yes, I have a yellow undertone.
• What do you think of fake eyelashes? I think that fake lashes are a great way to really bring out your eyes if you know how to apply them properly.
• Did you know that you are suppose to change your mascara every 3 months? Yesiree. (:
• What brand of mascara do you use? I adore my Benefit BadGal Brown and the Clinique High Impact Mascara is amazing as well.
• Sephora or MAC? Sephora, because there are just so many more options there, from makeup, to skincare, to fragrances.
• Do you have a MAC Pro card? Nope.
  
• What makeup tools do you use in make up application? I use a duo fiber brush for my foundation, my fingers for my concealer and cream highlighter, a large paddle brush for my powder, a blush brush or foundation brush for my blush depending on the formula, a flat shader brush, a pencil brush, and a tapered blending brush for my eyeshadow, an eyelash curler, and an eyeliner brush on the days that I apply it.
• Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes? Yes! I think that primer is super important to ensure that your shadow stays on all day. I am in love with Too Faced Shadow Insurance!
• For the face? I like to minimize my pores with the Korres Face Primer. I also love that it has vitamin E and it's super moisturizing.
• What is your favorite eyeshadow? My current favorite shadow is the Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Wet/Dry eyeshadow in Hot Ginger. It's a gorgeous peachy color.
• Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner? I prefer to have that soft, smudgy, smoky look to my eyeliner, so I prefer to use pencil.
• How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil? All the time! LOL.
• What do you think of pigment eyeshadows? I love and hate pigments. They're great because they have amazing color payoff and they pack a lot of punch, but for someone like me, they can get really messy.
• Do you use mineral makeup? I have not, but I really want to give the Bare Minerals Matte foundation a try.
• What is your favorite lipstick? I really like the Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey.
• How about lipgloss? Definitely the Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Minty Lip Shine.
• What is your favorite blush to use? I've really enjoyed the Revlon Cream Blush in Berry Flirtatious.
• Do you buy your makeup on eBay? No, personally, I don't trust eBay.
• Do you like drugstore makeup? I am so in love with drugstore makeup! I've found that a lot of brands have been revamping a lot of their products.
• Do you go to CCOs? Unfortunately, we don't have any in Canada.
• Did you ever consider taking make-up classes? No, I've never really considered that because I think that the YouTube beauty community is a great way to learn proper makeup application.
• Are you clumsy in putting on makeup? When I'm tired in the morning, I'm pretty clumsy.
• Name a makeup crime that you hate. I hatehatehate the classic cake face. I see it all of the time when I go to school and I just think that it's gross.
• Do you like colorful shades of makeup or neutral ones? Fun shades are fun, but for myself, I prefer to stay nice and neutral.
• Which celebrity always has great make up? I love how Victoria Justice's makeup is always simple, glowy and fresh.
• If you could leave the house using just one make up item,what would you use? Cream blush!
• Could you ever leave the house without any makeup? Yeah, I think it's really important to be comfortable in your own skin.
• Do you think you look good even without any makeup on? Personally, I think I look just fine without makeup because for the past year, I've been working really hard to kind of whip my skin into shape.
• In your opinion, what is the best makeup line? I don't really have a favourite... I jump from brand to brand.
• What do you think of makeup? I think that makeup is a great way to bring out the features that you love about yourself and to enhance your natural beauty.

Follow these easy steps to clearer skin.

• Refrain from touching your face: This is super hard, for me personally, I always touch my face. There's no specific reason why, I just.. do it. But you should refrain, refrain, refrain, because the oil and bacteria on your hands could transfer to your face when you touch it. The oils getting transferred from your hands can actually clog your pores and cause breakouts in that area.
• Keep your hair out of your face: Your hair contains oils which, can again transfer oils from your hair to your face. If you have bangs, just clip them up when you're at home and when you're sleeping. You'll definitely notice clearer skin on your forehead! Even if you don't have bangs, your hair can still touch the sides of your face. That was always the deal for me, I had a lot of acne on my temples and the sides of my cheeks. An easy way to help prevent that is to full your hair up into a ponytail or slick it back with a headband.
• Wash your face at night: We've all been there, coming home from a long night out, the only thing that you really want to do is go to bed. I've been there before. Do you really want to leave all of your makeup and dirt and oil on your skin over night? Where it can clog your pores and cause pimples? Nope, no one wants that. The easiest resolution that I have found is using face cleansing wipes. They're face cloths that contain a latherless soap that removes your makeup and cleanses your skin without you having to rinse it off. Just wipe and go to bed! The best wipes that I have tried so far are the Olay Daily Facials Express Wet Cleansing Cloths for Sensitive Skin.
• Change your pillowcase often: When you sleep, the dirt and oil from your hair could transfer onto your pillowcase, which can again transfer back to your face. Change your pillowcase often to decrease the amount of dirt and oil getting into your pores.
• Don't pick at your pimples: I have always had this weird urge to just pick at my pimples, but I've learned from experience that you should not do that. Not only do the oils from your fingers transfer onto your face, but picking your pimples could lead to acne scarring which is a dark spot on your face that is leftover from the pimple. If you have acne scarring, I definitely recommend going to a dermatologist to get a glycolic acid peel. And if that isn't possible for you, I highly recommend Bio Oil, which is a product that you can purchase at your local drugstores that can help fade your acne scars.
• Make sure that your skin is moisturized: When your skin is dry and flaky, it can, you guessed it, clog your pores and cause breakouts. I probably sound like a broken record saying this. Your pores can get clogged very easily. To keep your skin soft and supple I recommend moisturizing daily and exfoliating once a week.

Facials made easy.

For girls on the go, you don't always have time to go out and give your skin some TLC at a spa. With these few easy steps using things that you can find at home, you can get spa facial results in your own kitchen!

• Cleanse your face: Use your daily face wash to clean your skin, removing any leftover makeup, dirt, oil and impurities. I use my Alyria Clarifying Cleanser Oil Free.

• Exfoliate: Using an exfoliator of choice, massage that onto your skin to slough off any dead and flaky skin to reveal a smooth, soft complexion. I love the Ocean Salt from Lush.

• Open your pores: Opening your pores helps to let any dirt and oil trapped in there out. You can easily do this by putting boiling water in a pot, drop a bag of chamomile or green tea in there and steam your face over the pot with a towel covering your head and the pot. I like to steam my face for ten to twelve minutes. Green tea is a really great thing to use if you really want to detoxify your skin. Instead of using tea, I like to use the Tea Tree toner tabs from Lush which are great for oily skin. They have different toner tabs for different skin types so check out the Lush website to find the right one for you!

• Mask: If you would like, you can apply a mask after you have steamed your face. Personally, I don't do this, but it would benefit you because the mask can clean deep into your already open pores. If you choose to do this, leave the mask on for the directed amount of time and rinse it off with warm water.

• Continue with your normal skincare routine: This includes toning and moisturizing your face with your daily products. For me, this is the Alyria Clarifying Astrigent and my tretinoin cream.

There you have it! Four easy steps to get beautiful, radiant skin fast.

PHOTO CREDITS:
http://www.alyria-med.com/
http://www.lush.ca/

My current skincare routine.

When my dermatologist prescribed my Accutane, she also recommended new products for me to try that would keep my skin in check. Needless to say, I am in love with the products she recommended.

Morning skincare routine:

• Alyria Clarifying Cleanser Oil Free: This cleanser is amazing! It's a gel cleanser that lathers beautifully to really cleanse your skin, I use about a quarter sized amount on my face with a facial brush. Not only does it clean, but it helps to break down the first layer of your epidermis to reveal the new, glowing skin underneath. Every time I step out of the shower, my skin is very radiant. Because this is such a deep cleaning cleanser, it does leave my face feeling a little tight afterward. Once I continue on with my skincare routine though, my skin jumps right back!

• Alyria Clarifying Astringent: In conjunction with the cleanser, this astringent is great for removing any leftover cleanser or oil that may still be on your face. I get about a quarter sized amount onto a cotton pad and apply it onto my face. It does sting a little bit the first couple of times that you use it, but as you continue to use this product, your skin will get used to it and the stinging will stop.

• La Roche Posay Hydraphase UV Intense Rehydration UVA/UVB Daily Protection SPF 30: Using the Accutane really made my skin a lot more sensitive to the sun. My dermatologist recommended that I use a sunscreen daily and she recommended this to me. It has intense moisturizing properties which helped to add moisture to my skin when it was so parched from the Accutane. Beware if you have oily skin, this product feels very heavy if you use any more then a pea sized amount.  
 

• Alyria Oil Free Mattifying Lotion: My nose produces a whole lot of oil whenever I am in contact with steam or am eating spicy foods. To keep the oil off of my face, I use this mattifying lotion. It claims to help keep your face matte for six hours by absorbing any excess sebum on the surface of your skin, and I truly believe in that. My dermatologist was raving about this! If you have oily skin, I highly recommend this to keep your oil at bay and it's great to wear under your foundation as well.

Evening skincare routine:

• Alyria Clarifying Cleanser Oil Free
• Tretinoin cream: Prescription only.

Get more information on Alyria products and where to purchase here: http://www.alyria-med.com/page.asp
You can find La Roche Posay at your local Shopper's Drug Mart or select dermatologist offices.

PHOTO CREDITS:
http://www.alyria-med.com/