FOTD 1: Soft, Springtime Makeup

FOTD is basically Face Of The Day. I'm going to start writing these posts because I never show you my makeup on a day-to-day basis, and although most of the time it's quite simple I still think it's worth sharing. On this particular day (although not really, I'm writing this in advance) I wanted to put my hair up in a bun. Although this may make no sense to many sane people, I really like to plan my makeup around other things. For example, my globe of a head with a bun looks extra spherical (hope that's a word), and I have to apply my makeup accordingly, just so it looks like my face actually has some shape. Here's my FOTD, let me know if you like these posts in the comments below!

Firstly here is the face. As you can see I have an abnormally large, very round head. This makes putting my hair into a bun almost impossible. But with some winged liner and clever contouring you can pull your face into all sorts of chiseled loveliness.

 To begin, I used Benefit's Porefessional face primer.

 Next I used NARS Pro-Prime Smudgeproof eye primer.

 For my foundation, I chose Revlon's Nearly Naked foundation in the shade 110 Ivory.

 To conceal those nasty blemishes I used MAC's Studio Finish concealer in the shade NW20.

 To brighten my under eye area I used my well-loved Maybelline Instant Age Rewind treatment concealer.

 All over the lid I used a matte ivory shade, this is Walk Of Shame from the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette.

 In the outer corner of my eye I applied Bobbi Brown's eyeshadow in the shade Saddle. It has a mauve undertone which is especially flattering on green and hazel eye colours.

 In the crease I applied Naked 2 from the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette. It helps to warm up the eye area and create perfect definition.

 I used a liquid eyeliner from Too Faced to create a winged look. This particular liner has 3 little dots, which can help thicken the lashline, but I just used it to sweep colour along my lashes.

Here is the finished winged liner.

 I applied 2 coats of Make Up For Ever's Smoky Extravagant mascara.

 A bright, baby pink blush helps to look healthy and awake, so I chose Bare Minerals blush in Cheerful.

 Next is Smashbox's "Pout" lipstick.

And NARS lipgloss in Turkish Delight to finish up the whole look. 

I think the bright colours and pale hues really help to create a bright, awake look. I think it suits a bun and works well for an everyday look. By the end of the night you can switch your lips for a red shade and I think it's a perfect transition to something more smokey and nighttime appropriate. 

I hope you liked this FOTD idea!

Citrus Skincare

It's getting to that dull stage of winter where everything is grey, slushy and freezing cold. It's hard to get up and out of bed, and when you finally do, you wish you could be back in bed with a cup of tea and 10 episodes of 30 Rock. Anyway, on days like this I like to try and feel a bit energized. I'm not really one to work out on a regular basis (which is bad, I know) so instead I collect up all my tropical, yummy, energizing products to help wake me up in the morning. Here they are!

 To begin, a cheesy little overview of my citrus products.

 I've loved this face wash for about a year now and I can't believe I haven't mentioned it! It's the L'Oreal go360Clean, and I use the Deep Exfoliating formula. It has little beads to scrub away dead skin and smells divine. It's very energizing and I love to use this product in the shower. I don't use it everyday, I tend to use it about three times per week. The scrublet it comes with is awesome. It's not too harsh but helps to lather the soap up and makes you feel like you've had a really deep clean. It has salicylic acid to also aid with any breakouts.

 Ren's "Micro Polish Cleanser" is a regular citrus smelling cleanser. It is very grainy and says to use once or twice every week, which is how I use it. It can be quite abrasive so I'd be careful with how much you apply and how hard you scrub. When I use this I really take the time to rub it into my face. I think it's better to turn the tap off and use both hands to exfoliate gently for longer than scrub really hard and create really dry skin.

 I received this tiny bottle of Ole Henriksen "Truth Serum Collagen Booster" in a Sephora goody bag and it's bursting with vitamin-C. It helps brighten the skin and help with any dullness you may experience from lack of sleep or hyper-pigmentation. Personally, I don't love this product, I don't think I would repurchase it, but I think when my skin gets out of it's teen phase I could go back to this product and enjoy it more. It's by no means an anti-aging product, but I think in a few years when I'm in my mid-20's my skin will be able to handle the formula a bit better.

 This product is something I love! The Origins GinZing eye cream is an excellent product for early mornings. It is incredibly moisturizing, can be layered under makeup and visibly brightens your under eye circles. This eye cream is definitely something I will repurchase, I even prefer it over my Bobbi Brown stuff.

 The Origins GinZing moisturizer is another product deserving big love. It is amazing. It smells like oranges- not sweet candy oranges, but actual fruit, proper orange trees kind of scent. It is so invigorating and lovely on dull mornings, and I think it will be even more lovely on a summers day. It is very light, has a gel consistency but keeps my skin very hydrated and leaves a perfect base for any makeup.

 An SPF can really moisturize the skin, and while using acne treatments and facing windchills of -30 as I did in January, this stuff really helps. Sunscreen is generally quite greasy, but creates an excellent barrier against more than UVA and UVB rays. This stuff really helps with dry skin in cold weather, and the added benefit of SPF30 is awesome! I use this daily to keep my skin in good condition in the winter and summer months. This particular SPF is by Roc, and can be found at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Finally, for a special citrus treatment, this is the Ren Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask. It has a weird, sticky consistency and helps to really create a more radiant looking skin. I find I notice a difference the next morning, but this mask should be used sparingly if you have sensitive skin like I do. I use this very rarely, but it's perfect pick-me-up for any times you feel your skin is looking quite dull. 

Thanks for reading! I hope this citrus skincare routine will help beat any winter-blues and inspire you to try something new on these cold mornings!

Under-Eye Concealers

Concealing under your eyes is something I never really had to do until about a year ago. Dark circles and puffiness have come about with being a student, less sleep, being less hydrated and stressed has definitely taken a toll on my eyes. It's something a lot of people struggle with, and something that lots of people are confused about when it comes to concealing them. Lots of people buy concealers that are specifically made for pimples/blemishes and use it under their eyes, when it can be quite thick and drying, often drawing attention to your eyes- and the product can settle in to fine lines and wrinkles. People make the same mistake with buying a brightening concealer for blemishes, which draws attention to pimples, but I will talk about covering blemishes in a different post.
Here are a few of my favourite undereye concealers, I'll explain why I like each one and what they are good for.

 Bourjois Healthy Mix Radiance and Anti-Fatigue concealer is made with 'fruit therapy', using apricot to help with radiance and raspberry as a micro-circulation activator. It has a moisturizing formula, it's oil free and dermatologically tested, something very important when buying a product for an area as sensitive as your eyes. This concealer is certainly radiant, and I like the fact it comes in a tube. You can use your fingers or a brush to blend it out which is handy for on-the-go or travelling. The entire colour range runs a bit yellow, so keep that in mind. For my eyes it doesn't work too well, simply because I prefer a pink undertone. Yellow will work well if you have olive undertones, but beware yellow products emphasizing dark circles by looking a bit muddy.

 Erase Paste by Benefit is a very creamy concealer described as "brightening camouflage for eyes and face". I have the shade Medium 02, which is my summer colour, but the actual product only comes in three shades, very annoying for those of you with darker skintones. The product is fantastic, thick but not sticky, blendable and really does conceal any darkness. I wouldn't use this on the face as it suggests, but for under your eyes it works wonders. I dislike the fact it's in a little tub, but I suppose because of it's thickness it has to be. I would recommend blending with fingers, brushes will leave it looking a bit streaky. I would also set it with a powder because it may move a little in hot weather or on a long day.

 Rimmels Wake Me Up concealer is one of my favourites. I love that it has a more pink-toned option, however the colour is too dark for me in the winter. It is described to have an "anti-fatigue effect and radiant glow" which is certainly true. It says it has peptides and a vitamin moisturizing complex, and I do find it to be hydrating. It doesn't settle in any fine lines and lasts quite well. This is actually my second tube of the stuff. It has a doe-foot applicator which is nice to apply the product, I tap it around my eye where needed and then blend it in with my fingers. It's very affordable and nice, but I wish there were more shades!

 Finally Maybelline's Instant Age Rewins Eraser Dark Circle under eye concealer. It's a treatment concealer designed specifically for your under eye area. I love the formula because it begins as a creamy consistency, and after I've blended it with my fingers it sets and becomes a little powdery. I don't feel the need to set this product as much as with the ones mentioned above, and find the brightening shade works really well for paler skintones. It certainly is brightening, and gives a bit of a Kim Kardashian effect if applied further down the cheeks. Sometimes I use this on my cupids bow and bridge of my nose if my skin feels particularly dull, a drugstore must have in my opinion!

Swatches from top to bottom, Bourjois shade 52, Benefit shade 02, Rimmel shade 245 and Maybelline treatment concealer.

Let me know what you think about under eye concealing, any tips or tricks let me know in the comments or tweet me @makeupbymegant !

Eye Primers

Eyeshadow primers are great for those of you who have oily eyelids or who find eyeshadow doesn't last very well on you. Some girls have issues with product falling down under their eyes, others have issues with colour pigmentation fading, and also with eye products creasing after a while. Some eyeshadow does tend to have bad pigmentation, poor staying power or will crease, but to help prevent that I recommend testing out an eye primer.

 I thought I'd start with my favourite which is NARS Pro-Prime Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Primer. This product looks white, but blends in to a clear colour which can be used on any skintone. It's an eye primer that I have noticed the most differences with, colour looks more true to what it is in the packaging, I have no creasing (even after a very long day), and my eyeshadow looks better for longer. It also really increases the time eyeliner looks good, I don't get the flaking or peeling that you can sometimes get with liquid or gel liners.

 Benefit's Stay Don't Stray is a coloured eye primer which helps keep eyeshadow and under eye concealer in place for longer. It's a really good concept, but they only have two available shades- meaning this product isn't for everyone. Personally, I think the product can actually be used as a concealer itself because it's quite thick and has full coverage. It cancels out any redness or discolouration around your eye area and helps everything stay in place for longer.

Bare Minerals Prime Time is a nude coloured primer that blends in to a colourless product, meaning anybody can use it. It comes in a tube which is really handy, and means you can use all of your product. I don't think this eye primer is as long lasting as the others, but it does help for a smoother application of eyeshadow and allows pigments to be a more true colour.

Finally, Urban Decay's Primer Potion is a cult beauty favourite that almost every beauty blogger has tried and loves. To me, it is really good but doesn't compare to my well-loved NARS primer, however this comes in at a close second. This tester size still has the doe-foot applicator as the original products, but it has recently been changed to a tube which has been getting mixed reviews. The product has stayed the same however, and it's a really good primer. It's nude but blends clear, helps eyeshadow stay put for a long time and helps them look brighter. I've heard that it's formulated to work best with Urban Decay eyeshadows (whut?) but I've found it works well with every eyeshadow, from all brands. 

That's my mini-review of eye primers, let me know what you think of them and if you have any recommendations! I think L'Oreal and Too Faced's eye primers are next on my list!

Face Primers

Primers have a reputation for being "princess products", products you may not need but have anyway. Lots of people don't think they have a use, and that they don't really make a difference in the longevity of your makeup. This hasn't been at all true in my experience using makeup primers. My Smashbox Primer is actually one of the first high-end makeup purchases I've ever made and I still have half a tube of the stuff left, while using it on a regular basis. If you use too much primer (any more than a pea size amount) it can actually have a reverse effect on your makeup and break up your foundation and concealer products.

There is also lots of issues with silicone. Silicone is generally an ingredient in makeup primers. I have found that as long as you don't use silicone in your skincare, it is okay in your makeup. Makeup comes off at the end of the day and doesn't sink in to your skin. It is used to create a smooth base for your makeup and has a texture that is very silky. Some people don't like the texture of silicone based primers, I don't mind it, but there are other options too.

Water based primers don't have silicone and are usually a more creamy consistency. They sink into the skin a little more, and although they do help makeup to stay in place, I don't think it works as well as a silicone based primer to smooth the surface of your skin. If you have issues with uneven skin as I do, a silicone based primer will help your foundation glide on better.
Here are some of my favourite primers:

 First up is Smashbox's Photo Finish Light primer. Smashbox is famous for it's primer selection, they have a primer for anti-aging, hydrating, colour correcting and luminizing. I have the 'light' primer, it's oil-free and has more of a cream consistency. Although I don't mind oily products, I think prefer oil-free makeup because there is less chance of it disrupting the products you layer over top. This product increases the longevity of your makeup and is a simple primer that does it's job.

 

Benefit's "That Gal" primer is pink based with a bit of shimmer. It doesn't look shimmery on the skin but helps add a glow to your face when added to foundation. You can apply this first as a primer, helping improve the overall look and lasting power of your makeup, but you can also mix it with liquid foundation for a more glowy effect. I have also used this product alone as a highlighter. It's a nice primer and has the bonus of smelling like bubblegum!

 

Benefit's "Porefessional" is a primer that is definitely silicone based. It really glides over your skin and minimizes the appearance of pores. I think this is an especially nice base for your makeup because it makes the application really simple and the results are flawless. The colour is a nude shade but it blends in with no colour left over, so you can use it on any skintone.

 Dermaglow's "Perfect Primer" is another silicone based product. It is a clear gel consistency and really glides over your skin. This is one of my all time favourite primers because it makes your skin feel silky smooth. It's fairly expensive and is found in the skincare section of drugstores, but well worth it if you're in need of a long lasting makeup look that will photograph beautifully. This is a great recommendation for any brides-to-be out there.

 Laura Mercier's foundation primer is a classic, it's sort of a mixture between a gel and a cream and lasts really well on the skin. You don't need a lot, and although it doesn't give your skin a silicone-smooth base, it certainly helps your foundation adhere to your skin better and last for hours longer. I just have a sample size, but I've used it for a while and really like the results it gives.

Guerlain's L'Or Radiance Concentrate with Pure Gold is most definitely a princess product. I think primers are necessary in achieving a longer lasting makeup look, but I don't think pure gold is a necessary component. This little bottle of luxury is a serum-like primer which supposedly helps with the radiance of your skin. To be totally honest, I haven't used this product consistently enough to notice any results because I feel guilty applying gold to my face on any regular day! I save this stuff up for special occasions, because it does increase makeup longevity... and because I can tell people I've got flecks of pure gold underneath my makeup.

What do you guys think of makeup primers? Necessary or a "Princess Product"? Let me know in the comments below or tweet me @makeupbymegant !

Travel Skincare

Hey everyone! Right now I'm in Florida using these travel sized skincare and body products, so for anything mentioned that I haven't already reviewed, I will do a full review when I'm back in snowy Canada. Here are the items I've brought on my trip!

 Firstly we have a small pack of cotton rounds. This is a pack of 30, and I've taken this same pack on multiple trips so they really last, while being in small packaging perfect for traveling. They are very cheap and I got them from Target.

 I have travel sizes of my favourite shampoo and conditioner brand, Organix. I like using sulphate-free hair products (and will be doing an Organix hair review later in the year) so I think it's great I managed to find a small size for vacation! This particular formula is the "Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy" which I've tried in full size too. It smells lovely and doesn't weigh my hair down, while taming flyaways in humidity.

 I've also brought a box of precision Q-Tips for ears and to help with any nail polish/makeup mishaps that will definitely happen. I like bringing Q-Tips because sometimes I like to add a bit of makeup before going out to dinner without taking all my makeup off, and these help clean up any smudges or smears that occurred throughout the day.

 Of course I'm bringing a travel size of my favourite daytime moisturizer by Clinique. It's a gel formula which is very lightweight, a perfect base for makeup and sinks in quickly. I prefer a lightweight moisturizer in hot weather because I always layer an SPF over my makeup which adds thickness, and I also find thicker day creams can melt off of your skin in warmer weather.

 I've brought Soap & Glory's "Clean On Me" shower gel because it's moisturizing, foamy and smells incredible. The smell lingers which I love, and it lathers really nicely. I think it's also great because it's thick and moisturizing, meaning I can use it as a shave gel and not have to bring a separate one on the trip with me.

 I'm also bringing Soap & Glory's "The Scrub of Your Life", a lovely gel-scrub which has the same delicious fragrance of the shower gel. It's lightweight, doesn't strip my skin and helps to take off any leftover SPF or sunburnt/peeling skin.

 I'm going to try out this new Origins "Checks and Balances" face wash. It's a travel sized bonus I received when I made an order online, and I think it will be nice to use in the shower or in the morning.

 I've also got this very tiny sample of Ren's "No. 1 Purity Cleansing Balm" which I'm going to use specifically on my eye makeup each night. There definitely isn't enough to use on my entire face, so hopefully this will last for my trip.

 I'm bringing my Origins GinZing Moisturizer because it's lovely and rejuvenating, relaxing and soothing, while smelling of Florida oranges! It hydrates my skin and something about it makes me feel very calm! I will do a full review as I use it more.

 Sticking with Origins, I'm also going to use the GinZing eye cream. This is a cult beauty product, something I've only ever heard good reviews about. It's a pinky tone which helps brighten under eyes while treating them and moisturizing them, also helping to get rid of puffiness.

 SPF is a must, and I use a separate product for my face. This is SPF 60. Sun damage can cause all sorts of problems (which I will also write an in-depth post about) and I want to avoid skincare problems as much as possible! This is great because I am very prone to sunburn!

 The only mini-deodorant I could find was this one by Dove, and it's a Clinical Protection formula. Although I doubt I'll be doing lots of exercise, walking around theme parks in hot weather might be work out enough to make me sweat. Lets hope this stuff works.

Finally, this is something I didn't put in my travel makeup bag post, but something I think I will try while on vacation. It's a BB cream with an SPF of 30. It's too dark for me at home, so if I get any sort of tan I'll be giving this a whirl. I will do a full review in time.

Thanks for reading! I hope you're enjoying my blog! What are your travel essentials?!