Complexion's favorites

After raving about hair & face products I decided it was time to talk a little about one of my main obsessions : Make up ! 

Through my years as cosmetics fanatic & make up artistry student, I've used A LOT of different products, brands & techniques. I thought it would be a good idea to share my favorites with you guys. 

Whether you're a complete newbie or a seasonned make up artist, you probably know that make up is an art of illusion. The illusion of perfect skin, impeccable eyebrows, ideally proportionned mouth...etc. 

Creating an "ideal face" is like painting a masterpiece. The "canvas" need to be as perfect as can be for the most beautiful results & that's exactly the same for your skin. It's the canvas that can either bring your features up.. or down. That's why complexion is the most important step for make up.

Here are my all time favorite products to achieve that flawless skin look : 

Primer: 

Mac prep+prime face protect spf50 is a must have for any make up fiend during summertime ! I hate the look & feel of thick & oily sunscreen that makes your make up look awfull. I use this to keep my face protected from the dangers of over exposure. I never had sunburn while using this & I feel it mattifies my skin a little which is nice when it's super hot. It has silicones that makes the foundation & powder glides on your skin easily.

"green option" primer :

Meow cosmetics Premiere Puss primer powder is a great first step for mineral foundation. It act as a barrier between moisturizer & foundation so that it doesn't get absorbed my the pores. It makes the skin silky & smooth for a better foundation application & makes it stay longer. It's very cheap & eco friendly too. 

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Foundation :

from left to right: Mineralize spf15 cream foundation, Pro Longwear spf10 liquid foundation, Studio Fix powder foundation (all MAC)

Mineralize spf15 is a compact CREAM foundation that has a light to medium coverage. It has a very blendable creamy texture that's nice to work with. You can have a very suble finish but building up some coverage is still possible. I'd say it's best suited for dry to normal skin type as it's not oil free & has a satiny finish. It'll need setting powder to stay put throughout the day so you can achieve a matte look with this too. This foundation is very luminous & makes the skin look radiant. It would be a great pick for mature skin. This is my favorite during the wintertime. 

Pro Longwear spf10 is a LIQUID foundation that has a medium & very buildable coverage. The texture is a bit trickier to work with at first because it's thick & dries quite quickly so you have to work fast or do each part of your face separately. That said, it's my HOLY GRAIL foundation. I bought this 3 times already & that's the first time for me. It really is longwear. I love that you put it on & 10/12 hours later my face still looks fresh & nearly as good as right after I applied my make up. This is incredible. During the colder months I don't do any touch ups at all during the day. During the warmer months I do blot a little BUT the foundation doesn't slide or wears off like most do when you have an oil/sweat break. The finish with this is natural... not TOO matte but not satiny either. It really looks like skin. You can build a pretty decent coverage with this & it looks great "thinned" with moisturizer when you want a more natural look. You don't really need to apply setting powder after but I prefer to do so because it'll be slightly sticky to the touche otherwise. GREAT foundation.

Studio Fix is a powder foundation that you can use different ways. If you're really on the rush you can use it with a sponge all over for a medium to full coverage powder foundation. But what I prefer to do is to use it with a powder brush as a finishing powder on my foundation to create more coverage & a very sophisticated & very retro matte finish. A versatile product, great for normal to oilier skin because of the powder texture.

"Green option" Foundation :

Meow Cosmetics Pampered Puss mineral foundation is hands down the BEST mineral foundation I've ever used. Sure it's easy to get a little confused with all the cat breeds as foundation color families but you can buy pretty large samples for a dollar each which makes finding your correct shade much easier & fool proof. The pampered puss formula is my favorite amongs the 3 they have because it's medium buildable coverage & it was created for sensitive skins. You'll never get itching from bismuth or anything like this. The ingredient list is very short & nothing harsh is used. You don't feel like you're putting paint on your face & I like that feeling. It has a matte finish that's not chalky but not glittery like some other mineral powders. It looks perfectly natural. It comes in a HUGE jar that is so cheap that's almost a steal ! ^_^

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Concealor :

top left to right :Bobbi Brown corrector in light peach & bisque

bottom : Mac pro longwear concealor spf15 (here NC20)

Bobbi brown corrector is a thick opaque cream concealor which shades are especially created to neutralize the green/blue/purple of dark circles. I have sometimes pretty damn dark circles which look a fantastic shade of tealish blue. I need somethings that works better than plain beigy concealor to make the color vanish. I use both bisque (salmon) & light peach & I find both work great. Maybe the peach one looks better when I have a tan. 

Mac Pro longwear concealor is a fantastic product ! It's a thick liquidy formula, even thicker than it's foundation brother.It has the same property has the foundation BUT with a lot more opacity. This is HEAVY coverage yet it's the most natural looking concealor I've ever used. I never got any cakiness under my eyes no matter how much I applied ! AMAZING ! Sometimes I even mix a little of the concealor in the foundation for added coverage : works like a charm ! You don't even need to powder after applying this so your undereye will look fresh, not all dry & wrinkly :).

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Powder :

Make Up For Ever HD powder

Ran out of it. Bought this powder 5 times in a row. It's my favorite & I'm very picky about powders. I love to have a silky soft skin to the touch, a well set foundation, a matte but still luminous skin. This does exactly all that so I love it. The white cast it can leave under the eye you can see on some celebrities pictures is due to over application because I NEVER had that problem & I use it on pictures all the time. 

from left to right (clockwise): Mac blot powder compact, Mac mineralize skinfinish natural, Studio Fix Mac, Ben Nye banana luxury powder

Mac blot powder compact is the perfect powder for touch ups during the day. It's formula is perfectly matte & translucent so you don't cake up you face when repowdering. It just absords oil & make the skin look fresh & sophisticate. I always have one in my handbag. I use it sometimes to set my foundation & it works fine. 

Mac mineralize skinfinish natural is a "baked" dome shape compact mineral powder. It has some coverage to it that evens out the skin nicely. You can use it after foundation for a soft matte look or over naked skin if you have no blemishes & want to even out your skintone & mattify your skin a little. I use both. I love that sometimes when I'm in a rus I just use this with a kabuli brush & my skin looks "ready" :). 

Mac Studio Fix : see above for description.

Ben Nye banana powder is a loose powder that is a light yellow color. You can use it as a higlight especially on tanned or dark skin color. I personnaly like to mix this with a little HD powder from makeupforever & apply it overall. It's amazingly cheap for a quality product. 

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Contour/bronzer : 

from left to right: Bobbi Brown bronzer in 1(natural)& Nars bronzer in Laguna

Bobbi Brown "natural" bronzer is a matte bronzing powder that is absolutely great to contour the face. This shade is a soft rosy brown that's very pretty & flattering & blends nicely with pink toned blushes. 

Nars Laguna isn't matte & not shimmery either. I don't know how to describe the finish but it looks GORGEOUS on the skin. I use this mostly as a bronzer... to warm up my skintone a little. It doesn't look orange at all, it's almost translucent & doesn't make the skin look all muddy. My favorite bronzer ever. 

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Higlight :

from left to right: Benefit Powderflage, Meow cosmetics crystaline cat & Mac pigment in Vanilla

Benefit's Powderflage is a super pale pink powder that is very light & silky & is meant to be use right under the eyes to brighten that area. It gives a "soft focus" effect that's very flattering when you are tired. 

Meow cosmetics Crystaline cat is a super fine & shimmery powder that has a cool/almost silvery tone to it. You only need a tiny bit of this to higlight you cheek bone or underbrow. I think this works best on cool or light skintones. beautiful & very cheap for a great amount. 

Mac pigment Vanilla is a multipurpose shimmery off white powder that has a golden pink duochrome shimmer to it. Works great as a higlight on every skintone.

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Blush :

top left to right: NYX cream blush in Natural & Nars Orgasm

bottom left to right: Well dressed, Fleur Power & Margin (all Mac powder blushes)

NYX cream blush in the shade Natural is my favorite cream blush ever ! I really ADORE that product very much because it looks just like its name says : natural. I love how pigmented & blendable it is. It gives my cheek a super natural flushed effect that's between pink & coral. Very pretty. Thisproduct is super cheap to top it all !

Nars Orgasm powder blush is know for a cult product since many years for a reason : It's super pretty, easy to apply & looks good on everybody. It's slightly shimmery but no so that you'll look like a disco ball & it's color is a salmon pink with a golden sheen : beautiful ! 

Mac blush in well dressed is the perfect pink blush for those cute but still wearable doll cheeks. It's mostly my "to go" blush , it has a satiny matte finish & look very good with blue based red lipsticks ;).

Mac blush in Fleur power is a lovely coral color that's pretty pigmented & has a satiny matte finish. It looks super cute during summetime with coral lips & brigthens the face. 

Mac blush in Margin is a warm deeper peach color with golden shimmer. This color looks AMAZING on the skin... much better than  it appears in the pan. It's very flattering especially when you have a little tan.  

 Shue Uemura glow on blush in M soft mauve 225

Now THIS blush is a very interesting & peculiar one. It's color is a pale LAVENDER that looks a little scary in the pan but absolutely STUNNING on the cheeks. It gives a very light purplish pink color that look incredible with purple/magenta toned make up. It's definitely cool tone so that's very flaterring on pale skinned blue eyed ladies the most but I've seen medium warm complexion pull this off. It brightens the face & gives a very nice mauvy flush to the cheeks... it's beautiful. 

Shu Uemura's blushes texture is absolutely flawless, pigmented light & blendable. This one is on the matte side but it doesn't look flat at all. If you like purple eye make up &/or mauve lips you should get it !

"green option" blush :

Everyday Minerals blush in All Smiles

Whether you're a fan of mineral or not I think this one is a must have, especially durng summertime. It's an orangy coral that appears very bright but you only need to apply the lightest amount to get a nice healthy flush because it's very pigmented. The texture is completely matte, no shimmers or glitters at all but the finish is beautiful & super modulable. Because it's so pigmented it's a great pick for every skin tone & this one definitely shows up on dark skin colors. But if you're pale don't freak out, My skin is pretty light & I use this too. If you have blue/green eyes like me orange type make up brings out your eyes & make them pop so you definitely should try it. It's pretty cheap too & you can get a sample on Everyday Minerals website.

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I hope you enjoyed my complexion's favorites & it was helpful to some ^_^

What are YOUR favorite face make up products guys ? 

Viola

Take care of your hair !

As a friend of mine suggested...I thought it would be a good idea to do a blog post about tips on haircare ;).

As long as I can remember I always had a "love/hate" relationship with my hair. When I was a little girl it was very very long (at my tailbone) & I liked the lenght but I didn't like it's light brown dull color.Back in my teenage days I did many experiments with it... I was super light blonde... had highlights...had long & dark... purple/black & short... to finally fall in love with Red & never go back. 

I had bettie bangs which were cute but I wanted some change & shave half of my head(yep ! LOL). I finally sported a pixie cut for more than a year before deciding to let it grow again (mostly to please my boyfriend back in the time haha ^_^).

Now, before leting grow my pixie to the lenght I am today (2 inches past shoulders), I didn't really took good care of my hair. I used the harsh & full of chemicals drugstore shampoos/conditionner. I always had tangles & split ends & it didn't look healthy overall. 

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Let's describe my hair type : 

I have babyfine & thin hair... & I don't have "a whole lot" of it. Other than that it's not very dry, not very oily either BUT due to their "thinness" it does get flat quite quickly when it starts to be dirty. On the positive side, it's straight, soft, shiny(thanks to henna ^_^)& dries super quick.

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About 2 years ago I decided to switch to organic/natural haircare products & I'll never go back :). Sodium Laureth Sulfates, Dimethicone etc are way too abrasive & harsh for hair & I feel that something used in kitchen cleaning products & car polish(yup check it out)shouldn't be used on your head. I also love the "old" feel of using natural products... just like our grandmas & great grandmas used to do & they had greater hair than most women nowadays.

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Onto what I use to clean my hair:) 

Chagrin Valley Soap "Coconut Milk shampoo bar" :

This is hands down, the BEST shampoo I've ever used. Well... I say shampoo but this is basically an organic soap, with hair "conditionning" ingredients. If you read the ingredients list you'll see that there are abslutely NO chemicals/synthetics stuff in it. How cool is that ?! It also has coconut milk which is excellent for nourishing the hair & promote a healthy grow. Women living the pacific islands know this natural beauty secret for ages. If you expect this to act like all the shampoos you've used before then you're gonna be pretty astonished because it's nothing like. It can be a bit tricky at first for your hair to adjust to the use of "soap" as shampoo but once it does you're gonna be amazed by how clean, soft & thicker your hair will feel. Because it's a "soap" it can leave a "residue" on your hair that doesn't feel too nice but as long as you use what follows you have nothing to worry about ;) 

Yup. Plain Apple Cider vinegar :)the same one you find at your local grocery store !

Follow the path of your grandmas & use 2 to 3 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar diluted in a cup of warm water(250ml)as the final rince after you shampooed.

Since I've started to use this after my Coconut milk soap/shampoo, I NEVER felt the need to use conditionner anymore to detangle my hair after I washed it. The comb literally slides in my hair !!!

It makes the hair SUPER shiny, smooth, takes away soapy residues & also neutralizes the calcium deposit of tap water that can leave the hair looking dull... 

The only downside is : yes your hair will smell of vinegar afterwards :) but it will go away when it's dry. 

THIS is really a miracle product & it works wonder for me ! If you don't have apple cider vinegar you can use white vinegar or even wine vinegar (carefull if your hair is very light though..)

It's amazingly cheap so just give it a try ;)

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What I use to deep condition/moisturize my hair :

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Chagrin Valley Soap "Cocoa Butter hair balm"

This is an organic cocoa butter that you use as a pre shampoo treatment on both your hair & scalp if you need it. Warm it with your hands so it melts & apply easily through your hair. I use this mainly on the lenght where my hair is the driest & most prone to damage. I leave it on for at least 30 minutes & then I shampoo as usual. In addiction to smelling devine it does also a fantastic job nourishing the hair & getting rid of dryness. I know it's great for girls with "ethnic" hair types because it makes it smoother & more manageable. If your hair is really dry you can use this in between shampoos as a "serum". 

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Aroma-Zone organic Monoï oil 

(I'm usind a french brand here but any organic monoï or coconut oil will do the trick)

This as been used forever by women all over pacific islands & india to deep condition the hair. Coconut oil (monoï is just coconut oil with tiare flower in it)is known for making the hair stronger & activate growth. For me it's the best way to treat hair dryness, damage, & keep it healthy. I basically use this just like the cocoa butter hair balm sometimes I even combine the 2 just for fun. It's a very nourishing oil,  rich in good fatty acids. Personnaly I love smell of coconut... It reminds me of summer ...beach cocktails ^_^ Don't put too much at a time or you might have a hard time washing it all off & nobody wants to have oily hair right after a shampoo :D !

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Organix "coconut milk instant repair treatment"

A little less "green" than what I previously told you about but still green enough for me to use regularly.

I came accross this product at my local store & I was curious about the "coconut milk" title but I'm pretty sure you've already figured I was a coconut freak ! LOL

What I really like is that it's a PROTEIN treatment as it contains egg white. It's known to repair the hair shaft & make it strong. As my hair is really delicate & thin that's always something I'm looking for. It's a lightweight cream texture that you use like a regular conditionner right after shampoo for 3/5 minutes. It smells gorgeous & makes me hair super extra soft so I'm happy about it :). 

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I was planning to talk also about hair styling products but I decided the post would be too long & that styling products/tips deserve a full post of their own.  

Instead I wanna share my thoughts on a product that I just discovered recently but which I couldn't leave without anymore !

Klorane "oat milk dry shampoo"

Now this is what I call a staple ! It's literally a miracle product for thin/flat haired ladies like me. 

Like I told you my hair isn't "oily" but it does show oil quite fast because it's so thin it becomes "deflated" as soon as it's no longer squeaky clean. 

This dry shampoo isn't meant to replace a regular shampoo & If you use it on this purpose you'll be quite disappointed. If you're hair is really dirty well there's nothing much you can do to fix it except a nice a good wash ! 

I use this in between shampoos to give my hair a boost & prolong the style. 

It keeps the dirty looking hair at bay for 1 or 2 days more so I only shampoo every 4 days when using this !

Spray it lightly on your roots, wait for 2/3 minutes & then brush it out so the excess powder doesn't shox on you hair. 

It comes out white so may be not suitable for super deep black hair but mine is a dark auburn & it's been fine so far. 

I lovetat whenever I use this... my roots are lifted from my scalp which is very rarely the case for me ! LOL. It also kills the unwanted greasy shine at your roots & makes your hair smell fresh ! 

i think it's great when you're travelling & have to keep your hair looking nice & clean. 

I picked this one because the ingredient list didn't seem too harmfull & I'm definitely glad I did because according to what I've read about it it's the best in its category ! ^_^

It's a little pricy though as it's a french product, especially if you live overseas like me, but definitely worth it ! 

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To finish this article... Few HAIR TIPS : 

• wash your hair the least possible

It needs its natural oil to protect the scalp from external agressions so don't strip it too much & too often. 

• detangle you hair before whashing it 

to prevent big knots formation & you don't need to wash the dead ones :)

• When you wash it, don't "pile" it on your head

As this is what causes the most knots...

• deep conditionning treatments are to be used regularly

10 minutes of oil treatment each week is more efficient than 1 hour once a month... 

• trim it rugularly ESPECIALLY if you hair is long

taking an inch off every season is good

• Split ends can only be fixed by scisors

Once it's too damage it has to go. Don't trust the "split end repair" products it's just stealing your money... you can prevent it by taking good care of your hair & trim it often.

• Don't use hot styling tools everyday

try to avoid blow drying/flat ironing/curling with an iron as much as you can. This is what causes the most damage to your hair. Really.

• Love your hair ! 

Especially if you chemical treat it (color/perm/etc...)Be good to your hair & it'll behave ! ^_^ Treat it bad & you all know what happens... LOL 

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Hope it was helpfull ! I'll be back very soon with many tips & reviews ! ;)

Viola