What I Wore, #1

Last weekend, I posted the week's makeup bag - a selection of products that I would commit to using over the course of the week. Honestly, I didn't have high hopes for actually USING products, as I'm always oversleeping and skipping the makeup anyway! But here's a look at how it went and what I wore!

Monday: Hit snooze too much, so no makeup!

Tuesday: Threw on a few products, but was too excited to go shopping to do more! Really liked the Clinique Chubby Stick (in Mega Melon) and liked my brows a little filled in.

Wednesday: Too much sleeping again, haha!

Thursday: Fell in love with the Burberry Pink Taupe palette, and had fun with a bit more of Chanel Notorious!

Friday: Can't remember!

Saturday: Still in love with that Burberry palette!

Sorry for the sad phone photos, but I only realized like... yesterday... that maybe some proper photos would be useful. LOL!

What do you guys think about this week's makeup? What did you wear this wear this week? I'd love to know! :)

My Winter Foundation Roundup

Earlier in the winter, I suddenly became very aware of the fact that my skin was much paler than it had been. All of a sudden, none of my foundations (or my trusty Nars Tinted Moisturizer!) were the proper shade. I debated for quite some time about what foundations to get. Do I purchase Nars in a shade down, or do I branch out and try some other foundations, just in case? I wanted to splurge on Koh Gen Do, but in the end I was also curious about Becca Radiant Skin Satin Finish Foundation and Fresh Umbrian Clay Foundation, both of which seemed right up my alley, and both of which I didn't have access to at a counter to try.

So, as much as I think the Koh Gen Do Moisture Foundation would be perfect for winter (maybe next month?!),  I managed to collect these three bases during the course of November.

I love Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer, I really do. I know there are some mixed reviews out there, and that it just doesn't work for most people with oily skin. It is also yellow toned, so it may not work for those who prefer pink toned products either. However, the yellow tone and the natural, dewy formula are just perfect for me. It cancels out redness decently, has a light and pleasant scent while applying, and lasts all day. I prefer to pat it in for more coverage, or use a Real Techniques brush if I'm in a hurry. (For my original review and video application, click here. I almost didn't want to link it, as I do think the lighting is poor. But anyway, hope it helps even a little!)

I am really liking the finish of Becca Radiant Skin Satin Finish Foundation. If you recall, I wore it in my Femme Boulevard look post at the end of December. It is just as natural as the Nars, but provides just a bit more coverage overall. I would say it is light to medium coverage, depending on your application technique. It is nearly scent free too, which I enjoy - I can just discern a very faint scent, and I can only think to describe it as makeup. LOL. I imagine anyone who is sensitive to scents in foundation should be just fine with this one.

In terms of the shade range, Nars is the best match for me at the moment. For whatever reason, Becca Buttercup seems darker than it actually is once I apply it on my face, and I actually wondered in my look post if my foundation was too light! But, I imagine that is because I tend to sheer out my base products and my face IS lighter than the rest of me in general anyway. LOL. I did research the shades available, (Becca has a super helpful chart on their website!) and from what I can tell based on online reviews, the next shade up does appear to be a slightly big step in color.I am curious to try it for summer if I can get around to it!

Fresh Umbrian Clay Foundation was one that I had been desperate to try for a while after Claire and Taylor raved about it. I had such a difficult time trying to pick a shade, but Claire and Taylor were both extremely helpful in comparing their own shades and even doing some fast swatches. In the end, I chose the shade Chalet Girl, because Fresh describes it for "medium light skin with yellow undertones" and that is exactly what I like to hear when choosing a winter foundation.

I do have to agree with Claire and Taylor - this is a wonderful foundation. The finish is so natural, and the coverage is great too. In comparison to Becca Radiant Skin, I would say Fresh Umbrian Clay provides just a smidge less coverage. Unfortunately for me, and as you can probably see in my swatch photo above, Chalet Girl is too light AND too pink on my arm. It is not as noticeable a difference on my face, but it still not a proper match, so I ended up returning it. I do hope to try another shade one of these days, but I figured I ought to take it easy for now! 

All in all, I am really enjoying my picks for winter. My skin has been happy - no clogged pores, no breakouts, etc - with these foundations, and I quite like the natural finish. While I'd like to try a creamy foundation (Koh Gen Do and Sunday Riley top my list right now!), Nars & Becca are perfect everyday options for lazy me. :)

What do you think of these foundations? Have you tried any of them? Do you have any favorite foundations for winter? I'd love to know!

Spray On a Bit of Caudalie Divine Oil

During the Sephora VIB sale, I decided to pick up the small bottle of Caudalie Divine Oil. A number of bloggers had given it rave reviews for skin and hair, so I figured it was time to jump on the dry oil bandwagon. I love the packaging of this small bottle, which is currently on sale at Sephora for $15 for 1 oz. I was happily surprised by the spray top too - how convenient!! It also has a super subtle scent - maybe like almonds? I don't know, I could just spray this on as a subtle perfume oil! I really like the non-greasy texture of this oil, and it sinks right in. It provides a nice amount of moisture for my skin, and can combat my dry legs pretty well. Had I not discovered Lush Ro's Argan Body Conditioner*, I think I would be absolutely in love with this oil, but now since I'm severely dry due to the cold weather, Lush Ro's Argan beats it out in that department.

However, I do think this oil is amazing for scalp. Sunny suggested this to me ages ago, and I'm so glad she did. My itchy scalp isn't itchy (!!) when I put this in every few days! My hair is prone to oiliness however, so I can't just slather this in my hair and go out into the world, so normally I would put this on and let it sink in for a while (or overnight) and then rinse it out in the shower.

If you're curious about this or oils in general, I highly encourage you to pick up this small one, or lookout for the Caudalie kit at your local Sephora that includes a 1.7 ounce bottle, scrub, and candle!

Have you tried Caudalie Divine Oil? What other oils are must haves for you that I need to try? :) 

My Essential Jouer Palette

I am loving Jouer's interlocking palettes, and thought I'd show you all a combination that I'm loving for everyday. I love how compact and easy to grab this palette is, and it is also really easy to put together. While I have to admit it took me a minute before I realized I should turn the smaller compacts upside down to link them together in this rectangular shape, I am blatantly terrible when it comes to shapes/spatial awareness and all things of that nature. LOL!  In any event, this is my perfect palette for everyday. I couldn't live without Jouer Mineral Bronzer in Suntan, and a pop of the Highlighter in Tiare is just amazing. The Tint in Orchid is an unexpectedly perfect shade for my lips and cheeks, and the combination of Suede and Chiffon Creme Eyeshadows on my eyes just make the perfect everyday look.

I'm loving these interlinking compacts and the portability of it all. What do you think of my Jouer "essential palette" that I've created? I'd love to know! :) Products mentioned in this post were provided for review.

Note: There was some confusion in previous posts around whether or not the highlighter was paraben free. According to Jouer, they were recently reformulated without parabens and the previous versions should be phased out in the next few months. Hope that provides some clarity! Thanks Jouer!