The Makeup Monologues

Lipstick can become an expensive habit, and today I'll be reviewing what is the single most expensive lipstick I own. I don't know what possessed me to buy it this past March break, and I don't even wear it as often as I should. That lipstick is the Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Raven. It was 33 dollars Canadian, and I am out of my mind. I bought it mostly because the shade was gorgeous and liquid lipsticks were just starting to gain hype. I saw a fellow blogger posting about it and went “OMG. MUST. HAVE.” The applicator pisses me off- it's a doe-foot applicator that is flat on both sides (no slanted edge) and a rounded top. What rustles my jimmies about it is that it's flexible. It bends, which makes it so hard to apply. Not enough product is distributed on the applicator in one pump, so you do have to apply pressure to the lips in order to get the product on them. It's way too easy to go overkill, and then the applicator goes al...

Keeping with the CBB's September Plum theme, I had a serious brainstorming session to come up with plum-related posts. Eventually I settled on detailing three different ways on how to wear plum eyeshadow! Let's get going. #1: As a Sheer Wash of Colour Plum shadow is surprisingly sophisticated when used as your only eyeshadow, especially as a sheer wash of colour. For this look, you're going to want to take a fluffy brush and a warm, pinky plum shadow with some shimmer to it. I chose this shade from the Wet N Wild Silver Lake Thrift Store Chic palette. Dip your fluffy shadow brush gently in the shadow, then begin patting it on your lid. Keep going to just above your crease and around the outer corner. Make sure you have any dark circles covered, and make sure your brows are well-groomed but not too bold. This will make your eyes stand out, without being too distracting. Alternatively, start by dabbing the shadow into the cen...

Plum is a favourite of everyone's when it comes to a fall lip. Not necessarily so for me, though- I prefer to break out my reds. Regardless, I can still appreciate a good plum lipstick now and again. Here are some of my top picks for evoking that autumnal, plum feel. L-R: Revlon Plum Velour, Too Faced Melted Fig, MAC So Be, Wet N Wild Sugar Plum Fairy. Not all of these are truly plum, but they're good purpley shades for when the weather gets chilly.  Swatches! Out of order from the previous picture, sorry. Top to Bottom: Revlon Plum Velour, Wet N Wild Sugar Plum Fairy, MAC So Be, Too Faced Melted Fig. Here's MAC's So Be on my lips. It's a grey, cool-toned purple. Revlon's Plum Velour is a sheer sheen the colour of sparkling plum juice. Wet N Wild's Sugar Plum Fairy is a true, opaque, rich plum with a mostly matte finish. It looks amazing on camera. Too Faced's Melted Fig is a subdued, dusty mau...

The CBB's theme for the month of September is Plum, so I've prepared a few plummy posts just in time for the month to end (whoops)! The first are these nails. I'll have to admit, they're not extremely plummy, but I felt like experimenting with neutrals and rich tones. I used Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Greige, and Zoya Margot for my plum(ish) accent nail. Then I applied this Revlon Iridescent top coat to the nails painted with Greige. It has little purple iridescent shimmers in a pearly glaze. I finished the whole thing off with the Pro-FX Quick Dry High Gloss Top Coat. How did it turn out? I'd say pretty well! Not the most thought-out colour pairing, but I like the way the iridescent topcoat looks over Greige. Shiiiiny. Well? What do you think? What's your favourite plum nail polish?

Today I'm going to talk to you guys about something I rarely do: skincare. More specifically, my facial skincare routine as it exists on the daily, step by step, excluding special treats like masks and scrubs. Let's get right into it- here's the breakdown! Step 1: Makeup Remover Towelette.  I use these Up&Up ones (the Target house brand)- I bought them in bulk after Target closed and the overstock got sent to Dollarama. I snatched about 15 packs of these for a buck twenty-five each, hell yeah. They're effective and don't irritate my eyes, and remove my makeup with efficacy. Step 2: Rub-in cleanser. Okay, this Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Melting Cleanser is a treat for me. I love this stuff. I actually usually use this or the towelettes, not both- but if I'm wearing heavy foundation then I'll rub this in before or after the towelette. It's a makeup remover/cleanser that you rub on to dry skin and it melts yo...