2013 Beauty Favourites

Trumpets! Unfurl the flags! Confetti! Parading horses! It's time...

Following are some beauty favourites from the past year. Not necessarily the most used items, just ones that make my heart flutter.

Hopefully, it is useful. In any case I had fun compiling it.

 L-R: Elizabeth Arden Poppy Cream Color Intrigue lipstick, Anna Sui 701, Elizabeth Arden Cassis Ceramide lipstick, Anna Sui 303, Elizabeth Arden Neoclassical Coral - Center: Cargo 'South Beach' lipgloss quad/wheel/thingamajigger

Poppy Cream: The red to surpass all reds. The formula was creamy, superb.
It has been replaced with "Power Red" in the Beautiful Colour line. Out of sheer obstinacy, I will not be purchasing that one, although I have swatched it to compare, it has NOTHING on Poppy Cream.

Anna Sui 701: My perfect nude lips. More on the honey side of nudes, than pinky/beige. Formula: feels sheer, but opaque. I use Lizzy Arden's Sugared Kiss lipliner beneath it, if I can be arsed.

Cassis: I love berries, I love plums, and this is the best one of my collection. The ceramide lipsticks have an amazing formula, smooth, not too creamy, it actually imparts a lot of moisture and colour to dry lips. Fine shimmer, nothing frosty. Understated compared to other berries/plums that I have, but not in a boring way. Luxurious, slightly weighty, golden packaging.

Anna Sui 303: A fun pink, the closest to "bubblegum pink" I can pull off on my skintone.

Cargo South beach lipgloss quad: I can't stand gloopy gloss, this is an extremely soft, like, softer than butter, formula. It is also quite moisturizing, like a soft, creamy balm. Doesn't feel heavy/sticky/gloopy andn gloppy.
Pigmented enough to be stand-alone lip colours.

Lypsyl, Dior Rose balm

Lypsyl: Cherry flavour reeks, plan to get the basic, unscented one, once this is fini. Dunno what's so special about it. The ingredients seem straightforward enough. Still, it's a little miracle. Weightless feeling on the lips, sinks in well, just need to apply a couple of times a day. It isn't one of those "addictive" balms which do more harm than good, and dry out lips over time so that you have to constantly reapply.

Dior balm: Feels very thick and "protective." Imparts the slightest bit of pale pink colour. Need very little, but still, as you can see, I've hit pan.

TOP L-R: Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, MAC Typographic, Annabelle Smudgepot gel liner, LUSH Sophisticated cream shadow, Pupa Luminys Silk 701
MIDDLE: Revlon Naturally Glamourous palette, Fyrinnae Snow Leopard, Electric Stardust (discontinued), Immortality, Estee Lauder Cream Shadow Mochachino, Benefit Strut cream shadow.
LAST: Lise Watier Eye Shine in Fauve, Anna Sui pen eyeliner in 500, Elizabeth Arden Smoky Eyes Powder pencil, Artist of Makeup 9-pan eyeshadow palette, Benefit Big Beautiful eyes palette.

Fyrinnae Stuffffs: Pixie Epoxy-great little base to help glittery eyeshadows stay on instead of scattering onto your cheek (the cheek!). I use it as an eyeshadow primer, too. It works well with loose e/s. Snow leopard eyeshadow is a gleaming taupe. Electric Stardust is a colour-changing mint-green. Immortality is a basic black with multi-coloured glitter.

Eyeliners:
Annabelle smudgepot gel liner: I find it better than Bobbi Brown, etc. Also better than the more inexpensive Maybelline/Essence/WetnWild gel liners. It is very creamy, but a tiny bit spreads out across the whole eye, so it's not as cakey as some others can be, esp if they are built up. Easy to manouvre or build up, dries perfectly opaque, crisp blackest of blacks, and doesn't hurt when used in the waterline.
Lise Watier Fauve: Lavender taupe. Smooth, no tugging necessary. Je use it for the lower lashline, it gives the perfect amount of defining shadow, but the subtle shine/shimmer also makes the eyes look a bit bigger and shinier than if it were an opaque colour. Stays on all day, but you have a little window to smudge it out across the lid if you please.
Anna Sui pen eyeliner in 500: This is amazingggggg. It's a rich brown with a golden sheen running through it, soooo pretty. It is a great liquid eyeliner formula, in a felt tip pen form. The felt tip is fine, precise, but flexible, and can be turned on its side, so you can get a thinner line inwards, and thicken it outwards in ONE FELL SWOOP! You turn the end once, and you get enough 'liquid' for both eyes (unlike other twisty-pen liners where you have to turn again and again).
Elizabeth Arden Smoky Eyes powder pencil in black: You get a hazy line, so it looks instantly smokey. It is a sophisticated, smudged-out sort of look, and it lasts all day for me. It is pigmented, but not overly so (not like those overly-creamy, newfangled 'gel liners' which I don't like).

Eyeshadows:
MAC Typographic: Tis the divine Matte2 formula, smooth, rich pigment, blends well. A basic almost-black. You can build it up to black. Very versatile. It gives that powder kohl look, without hassle of fallout. I love it for outer V or to soften the edge of eyeliner... Everyone should have this.
LUSH Sophisticated: Gleaming lavender taupe, exact match for Lise Watier's Fauve. Cream shadow that you apply with a sponge applicator, great formula. it works well as a base for any taupe looks, or alone blended at the crease.
Pupa Luminys Silk 401: MY VERY FIRST TAUPE. Baked eyeshadow, it is actually more massive than in the pic (I have used it so much that the round dome shape has flattened, and I've hit pan). Shimmery pale brownish taupe. Lasts allllll day without primer.
Estee Lauder Mochachino: A cream shadow which never creases, yet not too thick and annoyingly paint-like. My fave cream shadow formula, better than Shiseido, etc, imo. Colour is a taupe with a bluish shimmer, builds up to a darkish cool brown.
Benefit Strut: Stands alone (although I have used it with other colours) as an all-over lid colour, with black liner (in waterline too).. A bluish-greyish, shimmery, Young Hollywood, smokey eye look for the masses! ( Caveat: needs some sort of eye primer.

Palettes:
Revlon Naturally Glamourous: Inexpensive, assortment of brown eyeshadows with a taupe thrown in for good measure. Good quality, except for the white-ish shadow (comes out as a dirty muddy pale...something. Not pigmented).
Artist of Makeup palette: Good formula! Addictively beautiful colours! The 9-palette is very useful! Magnetized! Have used it nonstop since acquisition! A closer look:

L-R: St Tropez, Hush, Espresso, Hollywood, Marrakech, Bare Canvas, Cocoa, Brazen, Nutmeg

Benefit Big Beautiful Eyes: A no-brainer, basic neutral look, the concealer isn't bad (I use it to clean up edges or define the eyebrow half the time). Comes with useful little brushes.

Skincare:
Neostrata Toning Solution Level 2: Keeps my skin smooth, clear (not this week though as I've been too lazy to use it), and seems to brighten it a bit. AHA, BHA? Am covered.
Saeed Ghani Rosewater mist: I use it every day, under moisturizer, over makeup, last thing at night... Was misting it in Little Love's face yesterday, to his delight... Here is his testimonial: "gah goo ba ba da mmm mmm." I like it very much, it's a hoot and a half!
Bioderma Hydrabio Riche moisturizer: Perfect for sensitive, dry skin. Superbly moisturizing, yet light texture, sinks in. Gives a nice boing to the skin, or maybe I imagine it. Has niacinamide not too far down the ingredients list, so here's hoping it's contributing some brightening effect.
Burt's Bees Radiance Night Cream: Just a good night cream, that, of the many ones I've tried, doesn't irritate or break out my skin. Rich and moisturizing, absorbs well on top of freshly misted skin, so long as I am cognizant of using only the teensiest amount. Downside: scent isn't the best,, but JE NE GIVE A DAMN PAS!

Didn't photograph: my fave body skincare, perfume, bronzer, blush, foundation. You need something to anticipate, don't you?

Mena Suvari's Makeup

This is a "requested" post, which seems all high-fi, proper-blogger-y, hurrah....but it's just Sassiest of Sisters who wanted it. So, I shall restrain the celebratory binge-drinking and road-racing urges, for now. Seriously, thanks, Sisterly. Je needed un kick, to return to ze writing. (How do you say 'return' in French?)

"J'ai the, 'ow you say, down-turned eyes!" she wept. " 'ow to do my maquiallage, so eet weel bear une petite resemblance to this Mena's? C'est impossible!" She punctuated her plea by throwing a china plate across the room.

Just in time, I dove and caught it, in one elegant swoop. Dusting off my robe of russet velvet, placing the decorative plate on its stand, I returned to her side, as she blew into a hanky.

"Never fear, Prettily Precocious," I murmured, patting her shoulder. "I shall see to it that your frustration is replaced with jubilation. And a candy."

"Un bon-bon?" Immediately, she looked up, with hopeful eyes, though they glistened, still, with tears.

"Oui, cherie. Un bon-bon." I reached into my pocket for it, and handed her the treat.

"Ah!" She cried. "Merci!" It was eaten. "Le bon-bon, c'est bon!" she exclaimed. "Do you have more? Not to be greedy, or anything."

I tossed her another which was finished with just as much speed and glee.

A third. 

A fourth. After which my pockets were empty.

And now we come to the makeup.

These are mere suggestions, in an undulating sea of possibilities, etc.

-An eyeshadow pencil/crayon. The one used here looks coppery-bronze. You can dab a gold/copper pigment over the top to add vibrancy.  Suggestions: GOSH Love That Copper, Essence Cute Copper, Milani Golden Bronze, Rimmel Bad Girl Bronze, NYX French Fries. For pigment, Milani Lux Eye Dust.

-Soft lavender-grey eyeshadow. Very lightly defining the lashline and softly blended in the lower outer-third of the eye. Suggestions:  I know my sister has the Guerlain Rue de Passy palette, and it would be perfect for this. NYX Dark Grey for a cheapie.

-Cake or soft pencil eyeliner. Suggestions: I love Elizabeth Arden Smokey Eyes pencil, because it is pigmented but not dark or too melt-y. There is a soft haze to it, rather than a hard edge. It smokes out effortlessly. It's so easy to keep it subtle. Plus it has a sponge on the other side to smudge with!

 For cake eyeliner, which, I think, is more fun to use than normal liner (the process is more tedious, in a luxuriously old-fashioned way), Kryolan cake liner, Chanel cake liner or Laura Mercier Tightline are good.

-Mascara. Go for whichever you want. I love L'Oreal Telescopic Carbon Black.

-Had to ask others for help on the lips, and was told Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte in Nude-in-Private is a good match.

-As for blush/bronzer/concealer/foundation, go with what suits you, Squeakiest of Sisters.
It depends on your colouring and preferences, and, as you know, your colouring is very different from La Suvari's. Go for light textures, only because it seems fresher, like Mena's look here.

Better than anything on TV...

For those fond of classic films, but with no TCM channel...unwilling to rent, but even more unwilling to watch gritty things like Sons of Anarchy....this is a fun watch for a winter's night: easy, breezy, light comedy. Here is a great review of it.

 

Canadian Problems

It's not like I buy nothing in between, but ordering from the internet is always a hassle because:
1. Customs take their time, processing and checking and making sure there's no anthrax embedded in the eyeshadows.
2. Canada Post delivery people have the endearing habit of  "attempting delivery" (but never ringing on the doorbell, knocking, or even risking a trip to this charming ghetto). They then leave a notice in the mailbox, dropping the item off at local post office, at their convenience.

I am so excited because my second Artist of Makeup parcel has arrived. Albeit, the whole "attempted delivery" shenanigans were pulled. Yet again.
 Trudging in the 15 cm of snow, I tried to unlock the mailbox. Uh uh. It was frozen and jammed shut due to the cold.

So now I'll have to go out tomorrow, with a portable hairdryer (don't own one, note to self: buy one first) and try to defrost it a bit. Or perhaps the sun will kindly pay us a visit.

THEN I'll have the notice card, THEN trudge to the post office in my boots (no boots, note to self: purchase those too), and THEN...FINALLY...the banality of the situation will dissolve as I unpack NEW SHINY EYESHADOWS!  Hurrah for glamour! Hurrah for global warming!

Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss

When it comes to makeup recommendations, I usually like to write a chunky big block of a post, encompassing several of my favourites. You get more for your (much appreciated) time that way. However, this item is superb enough to have its very own rave right here.

Lipglosses seem an easy-breezy enough purchase. But, I think, Ye Old Reliable, one to pull out and use with any and every look, is anything but.

A saleslady with a keen eye, remarkably well-versed in gloss, led me to this. Her name was Sakurina. I am forever indebted.

The genius of this, is in what it LACKS: stickiness, a slobby feeling of grease (which inevitably dries the lips out over time), fragrance, flavor, too much colour (can go blotchy after a bit, y'know), ostentatious packaging, sunscreen.

(Sunscreen?? I hear you cry. But! Surely! Come now, dear girl! etc. Look, sunscreen is nice, but with control. I don't want to be eating that stuff, 24/7, am also slightly allergic. I like to apply lip balm with 'screen when, and only when, I am exposed to the sun. Le soleil. Sooraj.)

'Tis simplicity itself. I can't rave ENOUGH! Look, neither Clinique nor this particular item, have much buzz about them. This isn't new, trendy, and the asking price is not obnoxiously "aspirational" either... but this season, it is the savior of my lips (<guess how often you'll be seeing that word)!

Of course am using a dedicated lip balm as part of my skincare routine at least once a day, but this lipgloss is keeping that hydration going strong, for every cold winter's day. It almost seems to morph, from gloss sitting on top of your lips, to a kind of mild treatment, which keeps working throughout the day.

Aesthetics, now! The tube is simplicity itself, and the slanted applicator is not annoying as wand/sponge ones can be, it's practical. The colour? It comes in a variety of sheers. I own "apricot" but it reads as clear. That SLIGHT tint, makes it blend easily into the natural lip colour, so it is more natural looking than clear gloss, which can look too glassy.

It makes every lipstick sit better and appear juicy (not OTT, mind), even if, deep down, in its cold, brutal heart, that lipstick sucks.
Previously impractical ones, become fine, even for a chilly Canuck winter.

I used it under the superbly long-lasting, and therefore, drying, Cover Girl Lip Perfection (Hot Passion) the other day. Result, excellent.
I've used it with NYC lipsticks, Elizabeth Arden, Dior, Chanel, everything in between. It's only been a few weeks, but I think it'll make the rounds with every other lipstick in my stash. The colours don't bleed out, and they seem to "hold" better.

So! Lip primer, conditioner, and gloss in one? Can it be? Ah, but it is.

Basically, you could use many lipsticks in your stash, that you nearly discarded for being dehydrating. You could pick out drugstore lippies based on colour alone, knowing your handy dandy Clinique Superbalm Gloss will make any cheap formula work. Therefore, this little staple WILL save you money!

(Obvious point is obvious: matte lovers need not apply).

On the Baby and Book Front

There are quite a few books I am getting through these days. Books previously abandoned, in order to attend to Perfection Personified or catch up on sleep.
King Lear, Little Dorrit, and an uncompromisingly dull study of basic physics concepts. Fun, fun.
Life is settling down.

Spunky Sweetheart was the main impediment to my reading habit, and, thankfully, he's finally drifted into a routine of some sort. The transition from normal feeding to formula/bottle, is complete, and from the deferential offering of solids he was used to, to a regimented, gung-ho approach. THESE PEAS AIN'T GON' EAT THEMSELVES, BOY.

A major blessing: early intervention. There is a waiting list, and our doctor didn't feel the need to refer us to them for ages (which they found astonishing and negligent on his part), either. Thanks, doc. There were so many things we were doing wrong, without considering his specific needs.

They diagnosed acid reflux (which his FOUR other pediatricians hadn't picked up on, nor Sick Kids walay) just by looking at him. Back arching and gulping noises.

Also, they took us off the PediaSure which our supposed "registered nutritionist," experienced and highly rated pediatrician had told us to give him since 6 months onwards.
This was despite the warning printed on the label. I would often protest and ask him whether it was really safe, but he would reassure us every time: it was not only safe, it was A SUPERIOR REPLACEMENT TO FORMULA. Early intervention folk were appalled by this recommendation. Apparently it was worsening his acid reflux, and was unnecessary besides. Also, it tasted so sweet and dessert-like compared to formula, so he rejected the latter, in every brand incarnation.

They gave us guidelines to help him take to the formula. Some of their tips, we knew, some we didn't, all of it incorporated together was very effective indeed. I'll share them here in case it will help anyone else. I apologize in advance if it reads as a bit haphazard, but I really am just writing with minimal revision, as always :P
Guidelines included:
lay him on his LEFT side always, hug him or use a blanket to wrap him tightly, making him feel snug.
 Keep bottle tilted sideways, slightly upwards. Open/close bottle cap every now and again to prevent a vacuum from forming, which frustrates his attempts to efficiently suck.

His muscle tone was dubbed, generally lacking. Even in his mouth (no chunky purees, that would have to be chewed).
His temperament was deemed stubborn (he was used to milk, so he wanted to stick with it, making exceptions only for yummy fruit puree). And his appetite was quite small. It had to be increased little by little, and the best way to do this, they said, was not by giving many small meals throughout the day, in the hope that he would take in enough calories, but by deliberately making him hungry. Three times daily, and only two ounces of milk in between. (16 oz total but only 2 immediately before or after-NOT more, really difficult for me when he would cry wanting more formula, but, as they said, we needed a tough love approach.) This would also allow him to take in a greater volume of solids.

One thing that was putting him off, was that he was uncomfortable in his seat. Being weaker than most babies, he couldn't prop himself upright. This unstable base, slouching to one side always, was annoying him. So we were told to put a small, rolled up towel, on either side of him. Also, a rolled up towel under his feet, so they had a stable base, and weren't waving in the air. (We no longer need these towels, as he has grown stronger. Is also tall enough that his feet sit flat and comfortably on the foot rest).

The pureed solids had to include 1 starch, 1 protein, 1 green, with a teaspoon or so of butter/olive oil/flaxseed oil/coconut oil. Fruit could be given as a dessert snack, or given whole (e.g. bananas) as practice. They didn't count as the main meal. Make sure the solids were thick enough that you could hold the spoon upside down in his mouth.

Finally, to eat while he was eating. I LOVE this tip. Truth be told, this made the biggest difference in terms of solid intake. I was already doing several of the other things they mentioned, but THIS, this was the game-changer.

It made mealtimes fun for him, rather than an excruciating exercise in patience. I can imagine, the severity of my expression, a spoon constantly hovering by his mouth, when it wasn't forcefully jammed in, would make any meal indigestible.

To have me eat alongside him, makes Tiny Tot so very happy. He reaches out for the very food/drink I'm going for. He sees me have a mouthful after mouthful of food, going mmmm... and, hey, is that a challenge? I can do that too, ya know.
It creates a jovial atmosphere of camaraderie for him, awesome, I'm doing what the Giants are doing! No longer do I seem like Captain Hook (Cook?).

He is digesting better (apparently, like the rest of us, babies can get stomachaches if they are force-fed or stressed.)
I sing to him, he plays with the food, lets it slosh around between his fingers, feels the texture, throws stuff around once in a while. More to clean up for me, but who cares? Solid meals have become something to look forward to!

Along with all the other help, Glorious Gumption is finally, finally, thank GOD, prospering.

They saw him yesterday. Not only has he grown in height, he is slowly but surely catching up in weight (was off the CHART before). Coordination, balance, muscle tone, have all improved. They were very pleased indeed. As am I.
And life, now that baby is thriving, is very, very good.

Salute to a Great Lipstick

Perfection in a red lipstick--this is how it shall be remembered.

I sent an email a couple of days ago.

Hello,

I can no longer find the Color Intrigue lipsticks at my local EA stockist, the sales assistants don't know about what happened, and I adore that line. Particularly Poppy Cream, the best red lipstick, which, thankfully, is still showing up on the website.

My question is, is this line getting discontinued? Will Poppy Cream and the two other colours that are still showing on the website, still be around?

Sincerely,

Wonderful Perfection

Today, my friends, was the day I received their reply. Indeed, they informed me, my beloved Poppy Cream was no more.... Among the fallen... Discontinued, forevermore.

Poppy Cream and I, we had our times. It was well-balanced in hue, and intensely glowing (a fire within!), yet elegant, all at once.

 It never emphasized the evil written all over my face, as so many other red lipsticks do, with my dark brows and grim eyes riddled with the horrors of crimes I have comm--blah...excuse me.

It was a glorious formula: mightily pigmented, creamy (but not in a way that feels heavy/smears), moisturizing, making the lips look juicy but not glossy.

Never needed a lip balm. Never required a lipliner.
If it wore off, it did so with discretion, generously leaving behind a pretty, healthy rose tint. No uneven fading.

 It was a lavish, luscious red that no other line, high end or low end, has even come close to replicating. A woman once told me that, although she doesn't normally like red lipstick, "this one I love, it looks like flower petals."

In honour of dearest Poppy, I decided to try and replicate the following look.

 

 

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you...Poppy Alexander McQueen....

 

...Cream. I meant Cream.

This was taken after a light breakfast, without requiring touchups. Impressed? I hope so.
The rest of the face is coated in the following:
Eyes: Fyrinnae Pixie epoxy. Artist of Makeup Bare Canvas, Nutmeg, Espresso, St Tropez and Hush eyeshadows.
I used Bare Canvas in my waterline as well, instead of a nude eyeliner. Anna Sui liquid eyeliner pen in 500. My magic mascara combo .
Skin:
GOSH CC cream in Sand (good but greasy-looking)
Chanel Poudre Universelle in Peche
Benefit Boing concealer (bleh) used around lips as well
Guerlain Spicy Coral Terracotta cream blush mixed with dabs of NYC Retro Red lipstick (as blusher) to get the red tinge the inspiration pic has around hairline and cheeks
Fyrinnae Enrapture blusher



Goodbye, Poppy Cream. Goodbye.

Resist the Change! aka Reformulations SUCK

If you'll allow me to moan for a minute....I really must complain about Rouge Dior lipsticks.

I don't know whether this is justified, perhaps they spoilt me with the incredible, luxe "Haute Couleur" (sp?) version of the Rouge Diors. Now THOSE...those were the business. The best lipstick formula, for my taste. The lipstick by which I judged all other lipsticks.

(Volumizing because it hydrated the lips SO so well, almost a treatment rather than a cosmetic. Long-lasting, rich satin-y colour in one swipe. I sound like an ad, I don't know how else to explain it though.)

I love them all but had a Holy Grail in that line, 976, "Prune Daisy," although I slipped and call it "Plum Daisy" whenever anyone asked me what that AMAZING lipstick I had on was. Glorious, luscious, plummy-rosy-amazement, is how I would describe it.
A seemingly cool colour, but with miniscule flecks of gold that meant it could swing either way.
This microshimmer, twas very discernible from Granny Frost.
It looked more like plush satin. The most distinguished, rich, invigorating colour against the backdrop of bleak winter.

People often wear red in winter, but this was less predictable and somehow more wearable. Literally swipe and go, despite the depth of colour.
It made me feel like an evil Narnian witch, alerting bunny rabbits and beavers everywhere: "Don't dare tempt this woman to transform you into an ice statue, with which to festoon her marble halls" etc.

I remember any time I felt really down, Vit D deficient probably, I would "pull myself together" and put it on.
 Literally, that number, 976, was embedded in my memory, in case the day would ever come when I would have to replace it. As it has.

The packaging has changed, cheapened to be clear. This makes me sad. Some would say not to judge by its packaging, but alas, in this case, it is an indicator of worse to come...

The formula has been messed with.

Is nothing sacred? It does not glide on smoothly as before. Therefore, does not apply AS evenly, it is a bit patchy in coverage, you have to go over it more than once.

 It does not moisturize as before. Not as rich/nourishing in texture.
Lips feel parched and crinkly after a while, it dries them out considerably, something the old version wouldn't dream of doing.

It is not even long-wearing, it fades perceptibly from the center right away, a fatal flaw, considering the depth of colour.

To be fair, it is quite a good lipstick in its own right. The colour is still beautiful, although I will point out that the microshimmer does not sit as well in this formula. There is no sort of moisturizing, richness, to soften the shimmer. I still wear it. I just need to be very careful, whereas before I could pop it on, and be assured it would look good for ages without a do-over. To be fair, Revlon Pink Truffle layered underneath, makes it close in wear time and feel to the old formula, so I guess I'll stick with that.

Sigh.

Moving on. The pathetic Rouge Dior "lip blushes." C'mon, the name itself is so..."we're trying to make the most of something that sucks, and hope you fall for it." A conman's dream.

 I own two, Trench and Grege 1947 (Pak sar zameen shad baad... watan ki mitti gawah rehnaaaaa..etc. I kid, I realize Dior doesn't care about Pakistan's independence day and the number is a coincidence...)

Trench is a cute peachy-beige shade, the closest match I could find to my beloved Anna Sui 701. It applies sheerly, so my pigmented lip colour shows through. Thus, tis darker on the lips than the Anna Sui, which is fine, variety being the cinnamon bun of life.

However! It lasts about as long as it takes to tell a bad joke, and flees at the punchline! 'ello? Ou est vous?

As for Grege...I despise this so much. I REALLY REALLY wanted to like it. But bare lips are preferable to this.

Not too moisturizing; adequate but not even close to, say, my Clinique Superbalm Gloss (which seems to truly heal lips within an hour). I feel my lips drying out beneath the layer of matte-looking grease that this imparts.

 If you apply once it looks exactly the same as any cheap tinted lip balm in a similar shade may. (I swear, the Essence lipsticks, which cost 2.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart, are the same formula, and just a pinch less pigmented. In fact, the shade All About Cupcake makes a great dupe for Rouge Dior in Swan.)

If you build it up, say one or two more swipes-it gets this slippy slidey thing going on where the lips have this gross imprint of when you press them together.
Even inexpensive lip products seldom have this problem. The Revlon lip butters certainly don't.

The colour is the EPITOME of blergh. I honestly cannot imagine recommending this shade to anybody. It is...ugly. Try-too-hard neutral that just sucks the life out of my natural lip colour showing through. Perhaps in a different formula it would've fared better, less sheer, perhaps. This just looks like I am trying to hard to be work appropriate. It is ugly. Looks CHEAP.

  Luckily, then, wear time is 1.5 hours if you do not engage in any sort of activity, conversational even, but just sit in a little cubicle typing out Mr Howard's bills all day. It was made for the loneliest office worker alive. As long as they don't exceed their permitted quota of four smiles. (Five on Valentine's).
 

Hair's to Revlon Colorsilk!

Cheesy title. But I heard you like cheese. Eye roll. But aren't spring rolls tastier? ETC.
Let's get to it.

Revlon Colorsilk in Dark Brown.

I realize the futility of writing about hair dye when the only bit of my hair you can see consists of eyebrows. And mouse stash. And (Robert) Side Burns. And nose h....okay, okay, enough.

First off, nobody can convince me to get it done professionally. I can't stand hair salons.
I can't stand how they misinterpret the simplest request (AN INCH OFF AND NO BANGS PLEASE...ah, mi scusi, what's with the fringe? Slip of the scissors?).

...How they mutilate well-looked after hair (DON'T STRAIGHTEN IT! no heat! please!...what are you doing?? Oh I see.. Bangs don't look good curly? Right..silly me).

...Or bypassing all foreseeable offenses, commit a crime so heinous, so supremely DEVASTATING, you are left with your mouth opening/closing silently, guppy style, as you gaze at a reflection you must dismally accept.
And then pay for the favour. Bangs still sizzling from the iron, lopsided bob, and all.

I have had a simple request for a trim, misconstrued so frequently, at so many salons, that I cannot endure the thought of allowing someone to DYE my hair.

So I tried my hand at it. Bought plenty of dyes. Predictably, mucked it every time.
 Botch, botch, whisky, Scotch. And then, having gotten it where I wanted it, after months of mistakes, there was the roots problem. My hair, twas a write-off. I would've done well at the circus, squeezing out of a tiny car, straight into a lion's jaws.

I mourned. I grieved. But get a professional to fix it, I would NOT. So, this Revlon Colorsilk dye I tried, in DARK brown. I hoped to tint the clown-wig-like mess to an acceptable shade of blah. When it was washed out, and semi-dry...magic.

 Meek despondency replaced with soft rapture. Dark, yes, almost black (it fades in the next wash to a beautiful dark dark brown, where it stays. All former highlights/lowlights, gleam through, just darker. Soft, not straggly. No brassiness, good coverage.

 Just one pump of SAAF Hair oil taken through it, to impart shine (less greasy than Moroccan oil, and absorbs better), and a boost of nutrients. The hair oil does have a slight scent that fades in a few minutes.

To reiterate: it will appear a cool-toned black after the first wash. Second, third washes, it will fade to a luscious, rich blackish-brown. Not flat. Catherine Zeta-Jones-ish/Kim Kardashian-ish.

This is exactly what my hair looks like now

Leave it longer on the roots (15 minutes) and then add to the ends for the remaining five to ten minutes. Basic but worth bearing in mind.

So yeah buy it. Or not. It cost me 7.99 at Rexall Pharmacy, far less than the myriad other dyes I've tried.

Even hubby has been raving about how beautiful the colour is. It's pretty highly recommended on MakeupAlley too!

DIY Magnetic Palette (petite)

This post is being hastily written, with Dora the Explorer playing in the background.

Do make allowances if I accidentally drop in phrases like "Mommy Bugga Bugga," or it reads as a bit distracted. I will likely dawdle over editing and hit the publish button, regardless.

I haven't even had breakfast yet, having serendipitously caught a moment when El Bambino has (temporarily) availed of my services. This is magic, people.

Et bien! ONWARDS!

After trying out AOM's matte eyeshadow (nutmeg) as a bronzer yesterday, I realized it is, in fact, perfectly suited for the purpose. Which meant my current go-to matte bronzer was no longer...how to put this...necessary? *eyebrow raise and devious grin*

(You can't tell, but it had an imprinted design of female silhouettes, coolly slouching. I have used it so much, it has faded)

Essence Bronzer in Blondes (avoid the Brunettes shade, no matter thy colouring! It is quite, quite orange).

This brand make good staples, an excellent go-to for cheap thrills that deliver. However, there was always something lacking about this guy, for me. The powder is finely milled and almost buttery. Softly sun-soaked effet.

Yet! It wore off patchily over the course of the day (as my FOTD from the other day demonstrates). Made me look old! Washed up! Hag-y! Haggis!

Even initial application wasn't quite foolproof, blending was a bugger.

And remember: my AOM goodies were homeless.

Two and two together...je made them a home. Un MAISON.

*music plays: ghar pyara ghar*

Instructions:

1. Walk, bike, or hitch-hike to the dollar store. (2 Riyal store, for those of you living in Devonshire Riyadh.) If this requires roping in an innocent bystander your significant other to mind L'Enfante and possibly wash the dishes, if you want, here's a sponge--so be it! Stiff upper lip and all that.

2. Acquire an adhesive magnetic sheet. Mine came in sets of two.

3. Acquire other, irrelevant goods. After all, what is a dollar store, if not a veritable treasure trove, spilling with the most interesting doohickies that can be TURNED INTO SOMETHING NEW!?!

4. Make your purchase. Ooh, they sell Nivea at the counter? Have that too.

Now...go home, you're drunk. On dollar store excitement.

5. Whatever container you plan to use for your palette, take out whatever's filling it. Heartlessly, I scraped out the bronzer into the bin. 'Twas also cleaned off with rubbing alcohol just in case.

6. Trace an outline of the container onto the adhesive magnet sheet, and cut it. You are making a magnetic insert. This may need fine-tuning. Trim and trim till it fits inside. If you possess a compass (I don't), make use of it NOW. It'll save you a lot of fiddling around. 

7. Peel off and stick inside.

8. Done. So simple. Just insert your depotted or individual eyeshadows. I scraped off the writing, and decorated with some paint pens I had lying around. They are nearly dried out, so it didn't show up too well.

As you can see, only four could fit in. Bare Canvas had to be left out! The AOM shades are rather large compared to, say, MAC. By the by, je repressed Hush (the soft rose shade) aussi.

This container is strong, sturdy, and the end result is a palette that will keep my pretties safe!

~~~

Time spent: less than 30 minutes, including the time it took to repress the broken eyeshadow (for which I followed this brilliant/amazing tutorial by my fave beauty blogger. No glycerin for repressing, btw...just the Isopropyl Alc.).

 It would have taken less, but Littlest demanded attention & applause during his meal of chicken and peas. And of course, I am not factoring in the time squandered at my beloved Dollarama.

Total cost: $5.50, not counting the lapsing paint pens, of course. There is also 1 1/2 magnetic sheet left so I can make another, bigger palette in future.

If you try this out, do leave a comment to the effect of: "I did it! I did it! I did it! Yay! Lo Hicimos! I did it!"*


*Obligatory Dora reference

Artist of Makeup DOES sell palettes, but the smallest size is for 9 shades.. I wanted something even smaller.

AOM: It will make your heart flutter

Artist of Makeup: never have I anticipated a product launch more. If you know of Zukreat Nazar, you might know what I'm talking about. She has glorious makeup tutorials, which I adore for her elaborate Arabic style. The way she does eyes up is simultaneously too much, and just right. That sweet spot.

Anyway. She used awesome products in said videos, right? Contouring sticks, eyeshadows, blushes. And they looked pretty excellent but they were from her upcoming makeup line...WHICH TOOK FOREVER TO COME OUT. The wait period was excruciating!

When the site was finally up and running, I spent an hour(s)(s)(s) hunched over trying to figure out what to get. It looked so GOOD! Some of it didn't appeal to me, admittedly (the blushes-not a blush person, honestly. And foundations...I will never cheat on Vichy Dermablend! Never! Never! Except with Shiseido!). I toyed with the idea of maybe spending baby's university diaper fund on the magnificent pro HD eyeshadow palette and big fat professional brush kit. But...I'm not a pro. I'm an aficionado.

I got five neutrals loosely inspired by my Dior Rosy Tan. Neutrals, to better suit my warm, medium toned skin. Although I use the Dior palette daily (it is a perfect, harmonius blend of understatement), I have issues with 1. pigmentation 2. the tone (it was definitely made with lighter skin in mind) 3. creasing.

These were meant to pick up where that lacks.

So.

They are, in a word, though I despise the word, fabulous. Tres so. Substantial pigment yet they blend beautifully.

Cast:

1. Bare Canvas - a creamy, smooth pale peachy-pink (a warm pastel pink), with a sheen. The texture is similar to Wet 'n Wild's Brulee eyeshadow, but...smoother, if that is possible. I would compare it to NARS' All About Eve palette, the texture is something like that. It is almost overly-smooth, by which I mean your brush may pick up too much. You may have to dust it off a bit, if you are into more subtle looks. This is my favourite because it brightens the eyes so well.

2. Hush - A scrumdiddlyumptious soft mauve, similar to the top shade in Guerlain's Les Fumes, but with gentle micro-shimmer running through it. Satin finish. This is well-suited for hazel and green eyes, particularly, and I can't wait to try it on my mother, who, indeed, possesses such a pair.  [edit: OMG, I DROPPED IT REALLY BADLY, AND IT CRUMBLED TO DUST JUST NOW!! :'( I should've gotten a palette to put it all in...]

3. Nutmeg - Warm matte. Soft. Smooth. No issues with chalkiness or powderiness. Maybe a bit too warm to be an everyday crease shade for EVERY look for me, but I can see it working on some people. It plays reaaaally well with the other characters in this movie, though. (edit: just wanted to add that I have seen Zukreat use this several times as a bronzer/contour shade, so it is multi-purpose!)

4. St. Tropez - Bling. Zing zang zoopity zoop. A mixture of fine shimmer and glitter, which adds dimensional interest to what could otherwise be a dull Mac Woodwinked dupe. Very very gold. It actually matches my gold wedding jewellery perfectly. A good pick for desi brides, then. Very smooth, and it picks up the warmth of aforementioned Nutmeg, they make a good team. A+.

5. Espresso - Matte cool-toned brown. It blends out into almost a plummy shade. No issues with patchiness, which was my main concern.

So...following are some swatches, apologies as I have naught but an iPhone cam. :(
They look soooo much nicer in person. Swiped on with fingers, and no primer.

Nutmeg, Espresso, St. Tropez, Hush, Bare Canvas

See how nicely they sit on the skin? Particularly the mattes; rare to find mattes like this. On the lids, they blend and sit beautifully, perfect for a minimalist look as well as a standard "brown smokey"--and things in between (cut-crease, the Old Hollywood eye, etc). I went over the swatches a couple of times (did the same for the following Dior ones), because this is my first time swatching and I barely touched the product for the first swipe.

Arrogant comparison to Dior Rosy Tan shades (right of each AOM shade), although they are not supposed to be dupes, I just wanted to compare the colours.

(As you can see, the Dior is very well put together, almost too well put together, as it looks like a haze of meh on my lids.)

I'm wearing 'em today. No primer yet no creasing.

On my way to the pediatrician, not a calculus exam, although you'd be forgiven for thinking so, given my odious expression.

Lizzy Arden's smoky black pencil, L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes 'scara, aforementioned Artist of Makeup e/s,

Omorovicza tinted moisturizer mixed with Shiseido Perfect Refining foundation,

Guerlain Terracotta liquid blush in Spicy Coral, Omorovicza Sunkiss bronzer, Essence Bronzer in Blondes,

Dior Nude glow sculpting powder in a shade much too pale for me, and ....Dior Nude "lip blush" (eye roll) in Trench.

 So in conclusion:
1. Get these. If not today, next Sunday.
2. Don't be une massive dope like me--acquire one of the empty (9, 15, or 30) palettes, so you don't end up dropping the unprotected little shadow and have to repress it. *weeps*
3. Well done, Zukreat.

Three Perfect Taupes

Taupe is one of those colours that sounds boring, but looks fantastic.

 The problem with taupe eyeshadow is that there is a great variety available, and it's hard to sift through and figure out what works. What suits Mademoiselle Zut Alors may, on her sister, Sacre Bleue, look like a bruise on the mend.

I prefer lavender-toned taupes, an even mix of cool and warm, so they stand out on my warm lids/skin but don't dull down the twinkle in my eye, the zest in my step.

BTW, I do realize the futility of blogging about eyeshadow, without pictures to illustrate. Especially for such a complex category like 'taupe'....for which the merest fleck or variance in hue can change the effect, but...bear with me. Because a) no functioning camera, and b) my taste is FLAWLESS.

So without further ado, three incredible taupes:

1) slap and go, aka LUSH's cream shadow in Sophisticated.
Metallic in the best way, not overt but, as the name says, SOPHISTICATED..
Somehow...does not crease but fades evenly, acts as a fine base.
No visible flecks of shimmer yet it gleams upon le lids, a yummy lavender-taupe. Great formula and non-tacky colour.

 (P.S. its twin in pencil form is Lise Watier Fauve, which I know many use only as a cream shadow...but doing so with a pencil means it runs out faster and you are unsuspectingly aging your lids with all that rubbing, smudging action.

2) Classic with a kick, aka Estee Lauder cream shadow in Mochachino. The best cream-shadow-in-a-pot formula I have come across. Miles better than Shiseido, for instance, (slippy-slidey) or MAC (too drying), for me. A cool-toned taupe that is slightly bluish, greyish, lavender...Has the most finely milled and barely-there sheen. Will suit everyone!

3) shimmer that doesn't suck, aka Pupa Luminys in 401. If you live in Canada, you can get this at Rexall. This was the first taupe I fell for, and nothing can snatch away its crown.

The taupe that proved to me...taupes are not humdrum at all. Shimmery baked shadow. Warm-toned rosy taupe (if you want a slightly cooler one akin to MAC Satin Taupe, try Pupa's 400). Blends at edges into a cool-toned brown, which is convenient (do not need any other shadow).
 The best eyeshadow formula ever and very pigmented. Expensive, but so worth it.
 Note: Do not drop it. I dropped mine, the lid closed, but half of it had crumbled. I devoted an evening lovingly repressing it into tiny pans.


Why all these don't suck: they don't dull the skin/eyes. They brighten and define at the same time, which is a big call.

They are all easy to incorporate into any look, or use alone. The cream shadows are particularly easy, to sheer out or build up. They don't scream, they whisper elegance. And if there's one thing we've all learned from years of attending polo and ornamenting the stands, it's that....

Elegance is an attitude. Indeed. 

A Case of the Crazies

Perhaps it is the dull weather, dull routine, grey clothes I've been wearing, but I find this makeup from the Dior catwalk (summer 2010) exciting. Arresting. Fun. (Love the one in the middle!)

Must try it. NOW.

Of course, to carry off a look of such vivacity, some people may require gin in their system (a good substitute for confidence).

I think I have an inbuilt reservoir of--some would say madness--I prefer to think, spunk--and I will definitely wear this tomorrow.
Out. To a much-dreaded party. With masses of desi aunties (read: judgemental and easily mesmerized by Shah Rukh Khan) around.

Me: GREETINGS, AUNTIES PLURAL!
Aunties: (not looking up) 'Slamlaykooooom, betaaaaa... 
Me: Here be my child-a-roo, as they say in Australia!
Aunties: (immediately turn, arms outstretched, ready to grab my first-born and run)..ARAYYYYY! Wutta kyoooootie! My bayyyybeee! Come here my child! Come to mama! Not the imposter mama who's kept you away for so long...the real deal! ME! ME! ME! (all aunties saying "me!" and surging forth, trying to get to baby)
Aray Shayma, SHAME ON YOU! You selfish woman! I lost my maid this year!
Aray Ghazala, I'm better with children. Your tarantula lashes will scare him.
Aray Ursula, I have a brooch pin and don't think I'll hesitate to use it!
Aray Rasmalai Dood, you already got your glory, when you tore off a piece of Hrithik Roshan's collar at the Toronto Film Festival. Beastly hag. It's my turn now!

Me: Now, now, auntie-poos, one at a time, in an orderly fashion, s'il vous plait.
Aunties (looking up to challenge me, menacing eyes): NAWW! ME FURRRST--... (it hits them).. Aray beta?!?!?!
Me: Yes, doting auntie of mine, unrelated, whose name I do not know, and who I met but once before?
Aunties: Y-y-y-you...
Me (eyebrow raised): Yes....?
(silencio)

An aunty steps forth (the first to recover): Beta... what have you done to yourself?
Another aunty: SHE'S POSSESSED! MADNESS! THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE WATER!
A third: HAUNTED!
A fourth: DJINNS!
(shrieks as all aunties run from the room, shimmying as fast as they are able in saris and high heels, and drive off)

One can dream.

 

Troubling News

I don't know how to start this besides saying, I didn't know there used to be a comedy show called The Fast Show.

 I found it on youtube after swiping the iPad from Tiniest of Tots (who is truly a tech wiz by now). Well, it's like, uh, real funny and multi-faceted, and, like, I think more people should watch it and know of it and stuff.

The Ted/Ralph sketches are particularly clever. Poignant, is the word. So is genius, sweet, well-executed. Here's the link.

Not in a very playful/writer-y mood today, to your relief, no doubt.

'Tis a blustery, autumn day--mists of rain, grey sky. Canapoo be beauteous indeed, even in such weather.

Some Troubles have taken over our lives. Little Love is having health issues (is average height, but extremely underweight--he is off the chart, actually). Worried. Blood results are consistently normal. No metabolic disorder, etc.

 I try to stuff him, Le Hub tries to stuff him... However, like the good doctor* said, you can take the horse to the well, but you can't force it down its throat. Or take a Little to a lobster/dolphin steak/chocolate-coated cockroach/rice cereal.

Especially if the Little uses his newly acquired teeth as a firm, tightly clenched gate that not an ounce of food can pass.

 *they are always GOOD DOCTORS if they are highly qualified but humble old men; sweet, short, bald, with a concerned furrowed brow. And especially if they furnish their office with their own oil paintings, Renoir prints, cuckoo clocks, and a portrait of Princess Diana goofing around with children.

 

Musings of Significance

My sister requested I stop posting about makeup. So instead I will list a few questions that have been dancing in my mind like serene tulip-clad fairies jn a mystical glade.

Is Kipper of Kipper the Dog fame always, and I mean, always, having sinus problems? It sounds like it. And are all his little friends equally susceptible? Have they not been vaccinated? That pig Arnold sure likes lollipops; maybe those are the problem? Can't be good for the immunity. There is a very effective ginger tea recipe which I'd like to send them.

How many helium balloons would it take to lift Sweetness Delight to a distant cloud? Kipper only needed twelve.

How many birthdays does it take for parents to get jaded? Eleventy billion I reckon?

Why is Ferrero Rocher more popular/well-known/accessible than Ferrero Rafaelo? The latter are far superior....morsels of divine creamy coconut-y goodness. I have never seen an ad campaign for them. Is it a guarded secret that only few, Talha Bhai being one of them, are privy to?

Who is Hugo Boss' boss? Did he, as a young teen, work at construction sites to make ends meet. and have to put up with a vicious boss (lowercase) shouting, 'where's that young Boss now? dreaming again, ya pussy? c'mere and get a grip! Do the job properly ya nutter. Boss, the drill end goes in the cement, not the ceiling! Boss you're fired! Ah, go suck rambutan!'

Chapped lips? This'll do the trick

...the Dior Crème de Rose lip balm.

Like anything that ACTUALLY works, it won't immediately sort you out. Need a couple of uses or...even more! As the lips heal.

 Mine were in a terrible state the first time I used it. Almost bleeding, cracking, one big blister waiting to happen (if I smiled too widely in a wayward wind. Winsomely).
First use...okay, softer, smooth, shiny...shininess doesn't distract me from the scraggly bits underneath. Is this just a veneer with no benefits? Are you just humouring me, having successfully conned me out of a substantial amount of money that could have gone towards Perfection Personified's diaper fund?????

Second application...hmm, what happened to those flaking bits? Third...better, better. Fourth...why am I using this again?

Better than every commercial lip balm I've tried, not better than pure lanolin.

 However, while lanolin gives great immediate effect, it doesn't soothe or heal--my lips seem to get worse with every use. With this, their rehabilitation is gradual. But that lovely soothing layer seems to absorb better and last longer. Unless you have a Yummy Young'un, too, with sparkling eyes, in which case all the hugs and kisses will mean you'd have to reapply every hour or so. Worth it.
(BABY ATED PIZZA TODAY!
 IT DIDN'T NEED TO BE MASHED, HE HELD IT AND BIT CHUNKS OFF LIKE A REGULAR BASEBALL FAN!!)

 Comes in a white container which wouldn't look out of place on a Rococo dressing table.
Sweet pastel rose tint (barely discernible once on), soft rose scent, good good good. I LOVE the texture. It's supposedly "smoothing and plumping"--well-moisturized and wrapped in this creamy cushion, of course they will look fatter.

Absorbs well, but not so well that your lips are left vulnerable and shivering. Neither too heavy nor too light. Not greasy. Makes a good base for lipsticks that tend to deflate and shrivel yon...lips. It's a bore to say "lips" so many times in a row. Let's break it up a bit. Jack jumped o'er the candlestick.

This Dior __ balm is indispensable for L'HIVER (OMGGG, MUN... I REMEMBERED MORE FRENCH), so swing by the counters and buy it already. IT'S ALMOST NOVEMBER PEOPLE.

Oh, a good cheapie tip I heard from Bobbi Brown once: to use eye cream on lips as an overnight treatment. (BB no believe in lip balm, nor unicorns.) Which I've done, in moments of desperation. (Doesn't work. I'm a hard case). Of course, eye cream is usually tres ka-ching, plus WHAT IF YOU INGEST NASTIES?!?!? (Can't be worse than Coca Cola, mutters a wise man).

Oh by the way it has chemical SPF, so if you're allergic to that, avoid and do a honey facial, not sparing the lips. Will moisturize them. Somewhat. For a whole three minutes.
 

Feline Flick

And following on the heels of the previous post, here we have a-friggin-nother! (Adding friggin to every friggin word is totes friggin cool. Friggin do it. Won't come across as a friggin poser. Serioufrigsly.)

Okay so let's talk about what I think encapsulates the prettiest, most flattering little look that ever existed. You may already know it. You may already do it. If so, pat on the back and have a cupcake. Have two.

"The Feline Flick" AKA cat eyes. What all the elegant desi aunties were in on, back in the day, before they started going manic with the falsies, OTT jewels and saris. Of course, they went manic with the braids and beehives then, so it's all a matter of perspective.

Way better than red lips (not ghoulish + you can drink coffee, and leave the mug unmolested by icky red stains).
Of course, you can swipe on a red lippie too, which is why this look is so genius. Whatever you do with the rest of your face, hair, outfit, it always works, falls into place, never jarring.

It's a Charlotte Tilbury video.

 She's a makeup artist whose work I have long admired/followed without actively trying. It is...everywhere. Most ad campaigns, catwalk looks, and editorials in which the makeup is To Die For, turns out she was the creator.

 Besides, she like, made up Kate Moss' face, like, loads of times darling, and did you know, loads of people, plus Kate Moss who is after all, simply divine, really...Okay. Point taken. Shut up, me! She's quite the name-dropper but why not, after all. Revel in thy success, Mossy's posse.

Je suis BOSS. Je m'appelle Moss.

Here 'tis: the easiest route to understated glam ever.

Good products for this look: Physician's Formula eye booster pen in Ultra Black. (Don't get mere "Black"--that one comes out a watery grey). Best liquid liner ever, fine-pointed felt tip, precise, very very black, inexpensive. 11 dollars at SDM right now, wot.

 Essence Midnight in Paris gel liner or (bit pricier, not much) Annabelle Smudgepot in Black...both are just as good as the expensive gel liners, and better than some.

Brushes: The Bobbi Brown fine liner brush mentioned, or Sonia Kashuk's fine angled liner brush (Target). Actually, the brush that comes with the Maybelline Gel liner is my favourite of the lot.

Makeup remover: She says to use a moisturizer but Bioderma Crealine or any other cleansing water (La Roche Posay...Avene...even Garnier) is way way better. Won't smudge the way a moisturizer can.

 

Bodacious Lashes...and my admittedly genius combo

I'm not usually one to talk, think, or write about mascara. Gag. Lots of subjects are deeply fascinating. Iguanas, how the Cuban government operates, Venusian storms, or Saturn's for that matter, pomegranate farming, and so on. Mascara is NOT one of them.

Besides, there is not very even footing for discussion. Mediocre mascaras come and go, a good eyeliner is forever.
Preferences vary, as do lashes (curly, straight, sparse...). PLUS it takes at least a week of use in order to assess a mascara properly. The formula needs to be exposed to air, it takes time to dry out to a less goopy consistency, you need to see if it flakes/crumbles/causes allergies... blah di blah.

I've been through the expensive and drugstore ones. Whatever's available, I've tried. (Aside from YSL and Armani mascaras. Just can't bear to fork out my kid's college fund to a bi-monthly mascara habit, ya know.)

The worst one in recent memory was the gaudy gold tube by Guerlain, Le 2. Twas heavily fragranced, burned eyes, causing one to swell up for days so I resembled Quasimodo...
 Horrific. I actually mentioned this to some other makeup nerds  makeupalley forums, and some people said they had had the same experience. Weighed down my naturally curly lashes till they were completely straight, flaked, the works.
PLUS: Unnecessarily double-sided (two for the price of one? not good when both sides suck), a complete gimmick. BOO GUERLAIN, BOO!!


The best one so far, for me, was the Essence I love extreme volume mascara, about 3 dollars at Shopper's Drug Mart. Under-rated yet it delivers!
Volume, length, the darkest black available (just as black as the super-expensive 'scaras, and far darker than regular drugstore 'carbon black'). Blah di blah. Am on 3rd or 4th tube. Easy to overdo, though.

Coloured mascaras? If you use one that is not pink (ew Hunger Games lady!!), you are awesome.
 I remember using a blue mascara in high school, with sparkly gold eyeshadow. Fun fun.
An excellent reasonably priced blue mascara is Quo's, 15 dollars, and lasts ages! They also do a purple one.

Okay now that I've rambled on and on and lost my sole reader (hi sis! how many cupcakes have you feasted on today?), let me get to the FRIGGIN POINT ALREADY.

Having stumbled upon a splendiferous, fantabulous--and other made-up Roald Dahl words--mascara combo I need to share with the InTeRnEtZzZzZ...or die trying. (Typing takes a lot out of you, you know. Risky. Business.)

The combo is....(pens out. notepads ready.)....is....is...(quick inhalation)...
L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes + Bourjois Liner Effect 'scara!
Do one eye first. Don't want the 'scara to dry in between coats. Otherwise: clumps.

You apply the white side of L'Oreal very fast (it is double sided. but unlike Guerlain, this is not a gimmick). The white side gives GOBS of length. GOBS, I say.

Then apply the black side (again, speed is of the utmost importance). No pause. THEN...the Bourjois just to fill in what you've already done. You can do the bottoms with L'oreals black side if inclined to.

Whew. Done. Fast. Heart racing. Clock ticking...
Move onto the next eye. Quick! Breathing is for amateurs! Hurry scurry little mouse...

Then collapse in a heap and await the ambulances.

Reasons why this amazing combo rocks:
~requires two reasonably priced mascaras, so it's like you're paying for a high-end scara, but with way better results.
~you can often find both of these mascaras on sale, or use a coupon. Or, you know, SDM points if you're lucky enough to be a Canuck.
~no flaking. long-lasting. you can use on bottom lashes and needn't fear charcoal smudges.
~literally: a false lash effect. The kind promised in doctored, photoshopped ads. Sans lash infills as with Penelope Cruz and Rai, Rai, Rai.
Length. Volume. Black. Perfect separation.
~easy to remove. No watery eyes and burning mascara remover required. Just warm water and a teensy bit of rubbing. BECAUSE THE L'OREAL DOUBLE EXTEND BEAUTY TUBES (L.D.E.B.T.) IS A TUBING 'SCARA! Different to a normal 'scara. Other tubing 'scaras include Lise Watier 24 Hours mascara, Clinique Lash Power, MAC Opulash, Blinc, etc.

One might go so far as to suggest this same effect can be achieved with any combination of tubing mascara+separating mascara. One might be right.
Me? Staying loyal to this combo till the devil possesses me. Or till the next mascara drives by, winking, in a flashy car and a flurry of hype.

I don't care to use an eyelash curler, by the way. SO SUE ME, PENELOPE. SUE. ME. (please don't, though. your lawyer's a fiend, I've heard.)




The End
APPLAUSE.

Credits:

Bourjois Liner Effect

          L'Oreal Double Extend Booty Toobz

Quasimodo, aka artist's rendition of the author of this marvelous piece

Penelope Cruz

Aishwarya Rai

A lawyer (Penelope's, je think)
 

Blood tests

Eid was awesome. Besides the blood test bit.

I don't understand what it is about blood tests for babies. My son has low weight for his age and height, so we often have to take him for testing. Every single time, bar one, we have had to get it done, the execution is exceptionally horrid. (Or unexceptionally. It's startling when they get it right).

Yesterday, we took him to the Sick Kids hospital. 

Blood test consisted of lady poking him with a needle, pushing it in, blood coming out like hardened treacle, and Not Going Into the Vial. 

So for what seemed like a century, the lady is standing there trying her utmost not to curse, stressed face. Meanwhile I'm holding the wailing, desperately frightened baby down, and hubby is holding his phone above baby's head, playing a Wiggles episode to distract him. (Run on sentence, but mid-rant I can't be bothered to edit.)

We were Five Minutes in before the lady asked me to push the red help button. 

I know the timing for a fact, mayhaps off by a minute and several seconds, because this Wiggles episode is on youtube, called counting, and we were nearing the end of the Captain Feathersword song, which is at the five min mark.

Second lady comes in, tells first one she had the needle in wrong spot (all the while baby is going purple and screaming in pain/fright). I also noticed she had to readjust the tube (the little wire thingy was on wrong!!). Reinserts to correct spot. Blood fills the tube. Baby crying. 

Second lady tells me to hold tissue down on a specific spot on baby's arm, which I do. She moves away. I am holding it where she had put it.

 Baby crying. Several minutes of me trying in vain to sing songs and soothe him. No movement of tissue aside from holding it down.

Turns out the lady had put the tissue paper in the WRONG SPOT and blood was still spurting onto the table!! Streams. Hubby swears. 

Second lady in an attempt to protect her job, we later decided, berated ME for 'not pressing it down' (which I assure you I did-not my fault she put it in wrong spot!) while I wash baby and myself off. Neither of them put a band aid on him, helped us in any way, nothing. 

Blood also got onto my coat so I have proof.

Incompetent staff? Inadequate training? 

Have been to Life Labs previous times, and had a lady take several vials before deciding she hadn't done the job correctly and needed to take several more. Eight total. (Remember, we are talking about a little baby, who doesn't realize what is happening, or why, only that it hurts and feels wrong. For many adults, even getting one vial is a big deal)

Many more incidents to recount.