Current Game Face

There are some days where I just spend a good hour on my makeup: I take my time blending eyeshadows, placing blush/bronzer/highlighter strategically on my face and carefully lining my lips. Then there are other days I don't wear make up at all and just run outside the house. Hooray for ignorance/confidence/poor time management!

While my full make up routine is extensive, this is my quick game face. It looks like a lot of products for a "quick" routine but trust me, I can have this done in less than ten minutes, maybe even five!

For my base I use my new favourite Kat Von D Lock It Tattoo Foundation (Medium 57): it's full coverage and perfectly matches my tan, neutral-undertoned skin. There's no faff with this product, I use a dense brush to buff it all in and I'm good to go!

Disclaimer: I don't use under-eye concealer. I don't think I'm quite there yet so I find this foundation adequately covers any uneven colour which does shave off a little bit of time off my routine.

Next, I swipe some NARS Blush in Oasis on my cheeks - it's a darker blush that I would say is a mix of brown, purple and pink with a little shimmer. It's definitely not a "natural flush" colour but I do like a bold blush so it's my go-to. Also, NARS blushes last ages. They would wear longer than my previous foundations - my skin would look a mess while my cheeks looked pristine! I then add my ColourPop highlighter in Wisp: this cream/mousse product is a gorgeous champagne gold and adds a subtle shimmer. It's perfect for my tan skin and doesn't look overwhelming during the daytime.

Moving onto eyes, I add some of this Inglot Bronze shadow in the inner corners for a little brightness. Using my current favourite Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper, I line my eyes - I prefer a thicker feline flick even for day-to-day operation and this liner is just so darn great. It's incredibly dark and the brush tip makes it easy to draw the skinniest of lines! My mascara of choice is currently the Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless which is perfect for longer, non-clumpy lashes.

Last, but certainly not least, I use Kat Von D Studded Lipstick in Lolita for perfectly pink lips. This dusty rose shade is great for Autumn while still looking natural and daytime appropriate! The creamy formula isn't drying on the lips either which is a huge cold-weather bonus!

It's a lot to read but I promise it doesn't take more than ten minutes tops. What are your favourite "everyday" products? Comment below or tweet me @SundayWardrobe!

Makeup: My Five Product Face

Let's be honest, I chose five products because there was some alliteration to it. But being even more honest, I actually use just five products on my face if I'm heading out with friends. Just to clarify, this isn't my everyday makeup because lately I haven't been wearing makeup daily (don't tell the beauty gurus). This also isn't my night-out makeup because that requires a lot more than five products. This is my "I'm seeing people I know so I should probably not look like a slob" makeup - or what would be my everyday makeup.

Foundation - the foundation I've been reaching for as of late is my Tarte Amazonian Clay foundation. It works better for me during the summer months as the clay ensures my skin doesn't get greasy and the darker shade is a pretty great match for my tanned skin. I just buff it in with my Sonia Kashuk brush and my base is done. You can choose to use primer or powder but with this foundation, I find that I don't always need to.

Blush - NARS is one of my favourite blushes because of their shade range and longevity - it's that simple. I add Orgasm to the apples of my cheek for a glow and pop of colour.

Eyeshadow - I'm not always one for eyeshadow but I find that a little silver or gold in the inner corners of my eyes does wonder for brightening my face. It makes me look a little more awake and a little more put together so I add a bronze Inglot shadow there.

Eyeliner - I think that eyeliner is one of two things that makes the biggest difference on your face. A quick top line or feline flick has me looking dressier and as though I made more of an attempt to look nice without being too tedious. The Sephora Collection Dramatic Line is what I've been reaching for lately as it's smudge proof, dark and lasts well.

Lipstick - Lipstick is the second of the two things I mentioned. A bold lip or even a wash of nude seems to enhance all my make up. I find that you can get away with a lot when your lipstick is just right. For my everyday nude (and actually everyday!), I use Buxom or Rimmel.

And there you have it - not too much and not too little. It's an easy process for me and I feel as though it makes a huge difference.

What are your everyday products or favourite products? Comment below or tweet me @SundayWardrobe!

January Favourites

I'd say how astonished I am that we're already in the second month of 2015 but I know everyone and their mothers will be saying that in their favourites, so let's just dive in!

Tasseled Tartan Plaid Scarf ($12.90): This scarf, which is unfortunately sold out at Forever21, has been a staple in my wardrobe - it's so easy to throw on and makes a plain, solid-coloured outfit much more interesting. I love pairing it with darker colours, my favourites being an all-black outfit or a grey sweater with black jeans. I'm sure you could find this scarf anywhere as they're everywhere right now but I find that Forever21 has done an affordable and warm version of it.

Too Faced The Chocolate Bar Eye Palette* ($59): This is one of the best palettes I own and I can't get enough. The colours are great for doing both neutral and smokey eyes. They're pigmented, have no fall-out and have longevity like you wouldn't believe. I once wore these shadows for 10 hours and they looked as pristine at the end of the day as when I first applied them. I own a few popular shadow palettes but none come close to this.

Glysomed Hand Cream: It's embarrassing how much I talk about winter dryness and lotions but I couldn't resist adding this hand cream to my favourites. This bad boy keeps my hands soft through the cold days and even through washes - I can wash my hands three or four times before I find the need to reapply this cream!

St. Ives Swiss Formula Apricot Scrub Gentle: With my skin looking blah thanks to the lack of sun, I turn to this scrub to add a little brightness and make my skin feel soft and smooth. This scrub is gentle for my sensitive skin and I use it twice a week to get rid of any dead skin cells. It helps my skin absorb cream/oil better and I love how clean it makes me feel. 

Nars Blush in Oasis ($35): I absolutely adore Nars blushes. I currently have three on rotation but this has been a firm favourite for January (and December). It's a darker colour which I love for the evening and it is incredibly pigmented and lasts ages on my skin. I can go through a whole day to find my concealer rubbed off but this blush entirely intact. 

All About That Base

This was originally a guest post I'd written for The View Is Beautiful, a lovely blog on beauty and fashion.

When it comes to base products such as foundation, I have a criteria, common to many women, but only fulfilled by certain foundations. My criteria are questions such as:

1. What type of coverage does it offer? I have hyperpigmentation so I’m always looking for full or buildable coverage.
2. How long does it last? I wear foundation to work/school so I’m looking for something that will last all day
3. Does it get greasy/feel cakey? I have combination oily skin that does have dry patches so I don’t like foundations that feel heavy or get greasy at the end of the day.
4. Does it have a large range of colours? My skintone is the bane of my existence; matching a foundation to my skin is the most difficult part of shopping for a foundation so it’s a valuable criteria in my books.

This year was spent scouring for the perfect base product after learning that my previous favourite was an unethical purchase. I’ve narrowed it down to three products that I love enough to give a genuine recommendation.

My first and most recently purchased base product is a cult favourite and I can see why. The Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer has amazing coverage, doesn’t make me greasy, doesn’t look cakey even over 3D blemishes (this makes acne sound like sci-fi), and lasts well. Although I was able to find my shade easily, there are only 10 to choose from which is a bit troublesome. I love this concealer and it’s the best one I’ve found so far (Make Up Forever does a great concealer but I can’t find the right shade… oh that pesky skin tone!) and will definitely be repurchased.

Next up is the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour Full Coverage Foundation in cream form. It ticks three of my four boxes - it is an almost-full coverage foundation (some of my darker spots still need concealer and this is not very buildable), it lasts very well throughout the day even without a primer and it doesn’t feel heavy or greasy. It almost feels like a second skin which is perfect for those who want to wear foundation but hate the feeling of it. The only downside is the range of colours for the foundation is very minimal. I’m between shades so I just opted for the shade down. I find this to be the perfect foundation for long days as it is long lasting and doesn’t feel heavy while giving great coverage. Despite the colour range, I will definitely repurchase this product.

Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide hits all four of my criteria which makes it my favourite foundation of all time. Firstly, the colour range is brilliant - I was able to find my exact shade without any problem (Suntan, if you’re curious). Though it is light to medium coverage, it’s easily buildable and without feeling heavy. By the end of the day, my combination oily skin is not much oilier than when the day started which is another plus. The only troublesome part of this foundation is that it’s messy - it needs to be shaken well to be activated and this causes the foundation to dribble out everywhere. I find that storing it upside down helps infinitely so be sure to do that (trust me on this, it’s a lifesaver). This has been my favourite foundation of 2014 and I don’t know if I’ll find any other that makes me quite as happy.

I hope you guys have found this all useful - one can never have too many foundation/concealer reviews. Any favourites that you think would meet my criteria?

Sephora Lust List

I should really make this a series; I know there'll be more like this since my entire existence is a Sephora Lust List.

Ever since buying my second NARS blush (which I'm obsessed with), I've been very interested in expanding my meager collection. I've heard great things about the Radiant Creamy Concealer and I love liquid base products so it's definitely next on my list. Also, the Audacious Lipstick and Virtual Domination Cheek Palette are just so pretty!

Too Faced is also another recent obsession, after receiving their Chocolate Bar palette (review soon!) and I'm finishing up my current bronzer so the Chocolate Soleil Bronzer was the natural next choice (reading over this post, I can't believe that was all just one sentence). I also can't get enough of neutral/smokey eye palettes hence the Boudoir Eyes Palette. 

An Hourglass Ambient Lighting blush is also on my list just because that darn palette keeps popping up everywhere and it looks so intriguing. 

Sephora lip products are apparently moisturizing and long lasting and, since I love trying out lipsticks, the Sephora Collection Colour Lip Last and Cream Lip Stain made it to my lust list.

Do you own any of these products? What are your thoughts on them? And what are you lusting for, beauty or otherwise? 

The Tag for Makeup Addicts!

Happy November bloggers! This is exciting - it's my first tag as a blogger! Thank you to Iqra from The Blushing Giraffe for this tag! Her blog is really lovely, great pictures and reviews on all things beauty and fashion. She also has great ethical purchasing principles which I truly admire.

Let's dive right in!

1. Which product do you still keep buying more of despite having plenty in your collection?
Eye shadows. I absolutely adore palettes and continuously shop for eye shadows even though I don't wear it so often and haven't yet perfected a smokey eye on my tan skin tone.

2. What's the one product you can't live without?
Eyeliner. And lipstick. And lip balm. And foundation. But if I had to choose just one (this is a mean question!), I'd say lip balm, especially this time of year (shameless promotion: check my autumn/winter lipcare here *coming soon*).

3. Favourite makeup brand?
Another mean question! I have to say if it's in terms of quality and environmental friendliness, it would be Tarte. Their foundation has the best coverage and doesn't make me oily! But I do love Nars in terms of blushes and lipsticks. Sephora does a great liquid liner and their brush quality is fantastic. I can't choose! 

4. How big is your makeup collection?
The pictures show just a fraction of my makeup but it's small compared to most. I like using make up till the very end unless it's abysmal. And I'm an animal of habit, I can't let go of the things I love. 

5. And how do you store it?
There's no Muji in Canada so I've bought clear drawers from Amazon and brush tins from Ikea.

6. How many items of makeup have you got in your handbag at the moment?
Lip balm, lipstick, mattifying power, eyeliner, and blush make 5. With my brushes make 7.

7. If you could raid another blogger's stash, who would it be?
Probably Amelia Liana's because though she doesn't wear a tonne of make up, the products she uses are expensive and luxurious.

8. How long does your usual makeup routine take and how many products do you use?
For work I wear minimal makeup - it's all done in ten minutes! I use foundation, bronzer, blush, mascara and lipstick. When I go out with my friends or family, it's the whole shebang: primer, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara, foundation, blush, bronzer, highlighter, lipstick - the whole thing taking over a half hour.

9. Have you ever bought makeup knowing you wouldn't use it?
Yes - a smokey eye palette from Quo. I knew that I wasn't good enough with makeup to pull off a purple smokey eye with my skin tone but I bought it anyway. It ended up looking like a bruised, black eye. I later dropped and smashed the palette, thank God.

10. Tag a few other makeup addicts to do this tag!
I'd like to tag the Velveteen Rabbit from BF GF Does Blogging, Rikki from Luscious Lane and Mikela from Simply Davelyn, as well as anyone reading this post: you're up!