Say Yes To Summer

We lost Spring somewhere in the shuffle between Winter and Summer. But who am I to complain?

Summer means sun and pretty outfits and no less important, a new pile of goodies to primp myself. Old favorites and new found loves find their way into the makeup pouch marked "essentials".

What would I do without you, Cargo Dark Neutrals palette? This palette also comes in Bronze, Smokey Gray, Warm Neutral, and Dark Neutral for only $34CDN (well worth the price!!). If space was limited, I would bring this palette as my one eye makeup product. The dark brown is perfect for brows or as a soft eyeliner and you can work through the shades to go from a natural work look to a smokier evening look. They also work for contouring the face in a pinch.

I buy shades of blue because they look so pretty in the bottle but I always end up wearing shades of pink and coral. My favourites are MAC Gee Whiz, a dark berry pink creme and this semi-translucent and high gloss coral , OPI Big Hair...Big Nails. Top it off with a new holy grail - Color Club's Vivid Color Intensifying top coat. This thing drys my manicure so fast, is super glossy, and makes my polish last a LOT longer than without. But since summer is an excuse to be lazy, half the time my nails are bare. No lie, the Revlon Crazy Shine Nail Buffer glosses up my nails so much it looks like I have a coat of clear nailpolish on. This green side buffs the nails and the other side shines. It's quite fun to use, too! Squeaks as you polish.

Ahh, now we're onto a classic - Nars Orgasm blush. I can't see this not working on every skin tone out there. In the winter I often use a dusty rose like Bobbi Brown's Desert Rose but in the summer, this blush gives a natural blush with just enough of a summer shimmer. A lot of blushes are way too shimmery and result in the sweaty-cheeks effect (ew!) but it is so fine in this blush.

My face is already tanned right now but the Cargo Water Resistant Bronzer in Medium provides natural contouring. It does double oily-face duty with the water resistance and matte texture. And you can't even feel it on the face, it's so finely milled.

Bath and Body Works is always having those Buy 3 Get 3 Free deals and I am shamed to admit that I own enough scented body lotion to last an entire extended family a lifetime! I thought I'd reach more for the tropical mango or passionfruit ones but I've been using Cucumber Melon Body Lotion non-stop for the past week. I love love love this fresh cool scent whereas sometimes those sweet summery scents smell as if they would feel sticky!

I won't mention the the Bobbi Brown tinted moisturizer as the review was a few posts ago so we'll skip over to eyes. Maybelline Falsies Waterproof Mascara, where have you been all my life?! This is the first time since I began wearing mascara that my eyelashes have been so thick and curled until I take it off. Yes, curled liked it was done 5 minutes ago when really it was 1 day ago! (Yes, I sometimes go to sleep with my makeup on). I used my beloved L'Oreal Voluminous mascara again and it's going to stay the Ex. Granted, Falsies gets clumpy and dries easily but I'd buy a new one every month if I had to!

The L'Oreal Line Intense liquid eyeliner isn't waterproof (which is usually a no-no for me) but it is very black and the long tip felt applicator is so easy to use. It's great for dabbing between eyelashes to give the illusion of volume. I still prefer using a liner brush and brown eyeshadow for my brows but the powdery Bobbi Brown brow pencil is so easy to use, I keep it in my purse for touch ups or if I'm running late (too bad for those who have to see me without my "brows" on. Not a pretty sight.)

And we've finally arrived at the lips. These are the two lipglosses in my bag at all times. I love the minty fresh feeling and the pretty purple color of the Cover Girl Amazemint Wetslicks in Plum Crazy. Never thought I could wear a color like this but it actually looks quite amazing (pun?). The gloss seems more like a liquid lipstick as it has absolutely non of the stickiness of gloss but still has opaque coverage. The Lancome Color Fever Lip Gloss in Rouge Magnificence looks intimidating in the tube but it's actually a sheer red with a lovely rose scent. Think your-lips-but-better-with-an-oompf!

I think you've read enough of my ramblings for now so I'm signing off. Would love to hear about your summer must-haves, too!

REVIEW: Bobbi Brown Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 15

The first time I tried Bobbi Brown was in high school. I received a Shimmer Wash eyeshadow in "Raisin" from one of the first swaps on Makeupalley.com. I wore it religiously for a few months before I went onto something else. But I still have that pan of eyeshadow in my makeup box somewhere and I guess that's what still kept the brand on my radar even though I had not tried anything from the brand since.

Before we left for the wedding trip, my maid of honor and I went to the Bobbi Brown counter for a makeup session. We each ended up buying well over $200 but I do not regret it one penny. I'm a sucker for pretty eyeshadow and lipglosses, but I hate buying basics like foundation and concealer which take a bit more consideration. To me, it's always been more of a chore.

However, after using Bobbi Brown foundation, corrector, and concealer during the wedding trip, I was very impressed. It left me thinking....Bobbi Brown or "Building Blocks"? Sorry for the cheesy term but really, I felt like these products created the perfect canvas for colored cosmetics. I was excited to try more! I wish I had tried the line earlier as I find it to be Asian-friendly unlike some other brands.

The Dominican Republic did wonders for my skin so right now I barely need foundation. I had a $30 gift card and decided to try out the new Oil-Free version Bobbi Brown's popular Tinted Moisturizer. I've never used one before! This version is gel-based and meant to provide normal to oily skin types (me!me!me!) with light coverage. The formula contains vitamin C & E and Aloe in addition to SPF 15 protection. The packaging is a squeeze tube which is really convenient to pack in the purse or travel bag unlike the heavier glass bottle of foundation I have.




I have used this a few times now and it is very natural. You can't tell I'm wearing foundation even up close although that could also be due to the perfect color match and the fact that it is light coverage. However, there is enough coverage that you'll want to be careful not to go too light or dark. The coverage evens out slight skintone variations, which is all I need right now.

The formula is not what I expected at first. When I think gel, I think of something lighter, almost watery but this is more like a cream when it is squeezed out. Upon application however, you do feel how light it is and it is even a little cooling, perhaps due to the aloe. After a day at the office, it is still on my face if my makeup cloth tells me anything. But unlike regular foundationh, this barely uses up one cloth. It's the perfect formula for summer. Light but long lasting.

I am currently an NC37-40 and chose the Medium to Dark tint. This is almost an exact match to my skin not only in terms of darkness but also tone. I have swatched it below in two lighting situations.




The conclusion is I would definitely buy this product again. However, it retails for $40US but unfortunately for us Canadians, $50CDN plus tax! This is too pricey for a tinted moisturizer in my opinion but if you have a chance to cross the border, I would pick one up.

If you want way better photos, a detailed description, and further review of this product, I recommend checking out Temptalia's review here.