in case you were wondering, she is wearing the ultimate color gloss in berry twist. if you click the image source above you can see a complete breakdown on what they used on the model. or if you wanted to see it action on a blogger, xiao at messy wands just did a post with it and it looks so great on her.
what is with my bold lip fascination lately? i need to satiate this "need". so many products to choose from! hmm...
THE BODY SHOP FACIAL MIST
i am about finished with this. this is nice. refreshing and didn't break me out. i don't think it really had any rehydrating properties so if that is what you are looking for i wouldn't recommend it. it is nice as a makeup setting spray though. i don't plan to repurchase, only because i want to try out other products.
AVENE THERMAL SPRING WATER
i picked this up in new york, mostly out of curiosity. i am a bit of a skeptic with this since it is literally just spring water in a bottle. it is refreshing, but other than that, are there any benefits from this? anyone who loves this i'd love to hear your reasoning. not that i don't like it, but it's just...water.
URBAN DECAY DE-SLICK
make sure you read the bottle directions, as i didn't in the beginning and i didn't understand why it wasn't working well. you must spray your face before AND after makeup application for the true effect. this was nice to use during the summer months when my skin is extra oily. i haven't been reaching for it lately as my skin has gone into dry mode due to the cold weather change.
LUSH TEA TREE TONER WATER
i also bought this in new york and have only used it once so i can't give any concrete opinions on it. i was going to get the small bottle but i figured it was a better deal to just suck it up and buy the huge one.
so far i like all of my choices, for different reasons and occasions. once i am done with TBS spray i might replace it with a more hydrating version by skindinavia. i think setting sprays aren't a necessary product but they are fun and a luxury for the face :)
what sprays have you tried and enjoyed?
a few things:
+ the famous love sign! this was in JFK Plaza, aka Love Park. the fountain normally isnt pink, they changed the color for the day for breast cancer awareness.
+ being in philly and a huge foodie, i HAD to try out the philly cheese steak sandwiches (with cheese whiz of course). we tried the two top competitors: pat's king of steaks and geno's. pictured above is pat's, which was my favorite of the two. the meat was juicier and the bread was more flavorful. the cherry peppers were free (and yummy!)
+ the famous rocky steps are picture below the cheese steak. can you believe i have never seen the movie?
+ my favorite part of my philly trip (besides the food i ate) was visiting the eastern state penitentiary. it was fascinating! the surgical light pictured is the actual authentic one used that was left behind due to the bulk
+ the japanese house & garden was closed when we went unfortunately. i bet it would have been really neat inside.
+ if you are ever in philly you MUST try Barbuzzo. i was very skeptical of the place as the menu seemed a bit "healthy" and not very meat lover friendly but every single thing we ate here was so fresh and delicious. highly recommend the goat cheese dishes!
COLOR
think along the lines of nars douceur and tarte exposed (i dont own these shades so i am venturing in the realm of assumption here). a matte and very neutral dusty pink. it is very unimpressive looking in the pan; however on the face it works wonders. it has the ability to uplift the face and naturally sculpt. it works with every look and never looks too harsh or jarring. it is extremely easy to wear and fool proof to apply.
TEXTURE
i know i sound like a broken record with these cargo texture run downs but i can hardly complain or express enough on how great the texture is. never chalky and always easy to blend. this shade is especially easy to apply and wear because the shade is so neutral and natural looking.
SWATCHES & COMPARISON
from left to right: mac melba, cargo tonga, mac tenderling. tonga is quite a pink toned neutral. tenderling is much more beige and melba is much more peach.
OVERALL:
shades like tonga are an absolute staple to have in your makeup arsenal. it goes with every look, is a universally flattering shade across all skin tones, and is easy to quickly apply and get out the door. if you already have similar shades you would be fine to pass in buying this, unless of course you want better texture from your blush. those who dont wear blush but are looking to start would benefit greatly with this shade as their first. those who like no nonsense application in their blush would also enjoy tonga. this is my most used shade in my cargo collection. i highly recommend it.
almost done with the cargo blush collection posts! until next time when i talk about my final shade: catalina...
i must say, this current wishlist i have surprises me because most of what i have been lusting over is lip products. i admit out of all my makeup items, lip items are the number one product i neglect the most. but lately i have been lusting like mad over lipsticks. not just any lipsticks...but bold lipsticks! unheard of! i have been gravitating to the same two color families: deep vampy plums and orange based reds.
for deep plums: tom ford private blend lipstick in black orchid, burberry blueberry lip mist, and ysl glossy stain #1. black orchid looks so luxurious and so perfect to wear in multiple ways (stain, full on, with gloss). i absolutely love burberry's lip mist formula making blueberry all the more desirable. as for ysl glossy stains, i am intrigued by the concept and the color looks so amazing.
as for orangey reds, tom ford wild ginger and nars heat wave caught my eye. something about the fiery bright shade really makes me happy. and i envision wearing it with all black clothing and dark sunglasses. i have tried on nars heat wave and i really liked how it looked on.
there are also a few things i want to pick up during the sephora sale (clarisonic brush heads, murad t-zone refining gel, dior black-tie plum addict gloss) but i am unsure of what my final decisions will end up being. so much to choose from!
what is on your current wishlist?
COLOR
lyon is a matte muted rosy plum. in the pan it looks much darker than how it wears on my skin. the color is such a soft rosy shade so it is very easy to wear. you don't need much product to make it show up, i have been using this shade since i first started blogging (over 2 years) and it doesn't even have a slight dip in the pan!
TEXTURE
no different than the rest of cargo's line: very soft and easy to blend. even being a darker shade than what most are used to, lyon is surprisingly easy to apply. i dont have to be careful when i apply this shade.
SWATCHES & COMPARISON
from left to right: nars mounia, cargo lyon, cargo mendocino, nars crazed, nars sin.
lyon is a much more muted color compared to the rest of my brighter berry family of blushes. it is definitely a red based plum. it is quite rosy despite being such a soft shade. it is very flattering.
OVERALL
lyon is a shade i reach for most often in the fall. i tend to love wearing it with plummy or grey eye looks as well as black clothing. i recently went to new york for over a week and i wore this shade the entire trip! i couldnt stop wearing it, it was so flattering for this time of year and it went with most of my outfits. i think this shade would flatter all skin tones as it is pigmented enough for deep tones and soft enough of a color for pale tones. if you love matte shades and are looking for a flattering fall blush shade with great texture, lyon is a great fit.
until next time when i talk about cargo tonga...
i thought i would take a little break from my cargo blush collection posts (i will finish, do not fret) to talk about my current skincare and a few thoughts on the products. for reference, my skin type is mostly oily but during the colder seasons it tends to get dehydrated. it is also prone to slight breakouts.
CETAPHIL CLEANSER
i bought the normal version, there is also a sensitive version as well. in short, i do not like this cleanser. it smells like chemicals, it doesnt clean thoroughly enough, and worst of all it broke me out. the only merits i can attest to this cleanser is that it is gentle and it does not over strip my skin. i dont understand the following this cleanser has since i think other brands have much better offerings if gentle cleansing is what you are looking for.
MARIO BADESCU DRYING LOTION(aka the extremely faded and unidentifiable small bottle)
i have had this for quite some time. when i first bought this it worked great on all types of blemishes but sadly this is one of those products that if i use it frequently my skin gets used to it and it wont be as potent. my skin now only responds to this on more cystic acne rather than whiteheads or blackheads. i tried using this on the breakouts on my chin and to vacuum out my pores on my nose but it had absolutely no effect. i did have a small cyst on my forehead recently and this helped shrink it down. the smell is quite strong, a potent alcohol, so be cautious if that is bothersome to you.
CLARASONIC MIA
i must admit i was pretty skeptical of this contraption when i bought it. but i do enjoy it. im not sure if i believe it is a miracle worker, but i do feel like my cleansing routine has improved immensely. i love using this with foaming cleansers.
LA ROCHE POSAY EFFLCLAR DUO
holy grail for me. i really tried to live without this to see if it was even making a difference to my skin and boy i am paying for it. without using this my chin and nose are so congested and if i breakout nothing makes it go away as fast as when i use this. it is so great at preventing future spots and for making current ones disappear on me. i must have this at all times or else my skin goes berserk.
CLARINS GENTLE FOAMING CLEANSER WITH COTTONSEED
recently bought this and i am really loving it. it cleans so thoroughly and you need less than a pea size to get a rich lathering foam. it smells very pleasant, like cotton. the only thing i have a problem with is it gives my skin that squeaky clean almost over stripped feeling. i think my skin can only handle using this once a day and in the winter i know for certain i will need a richer moisturizer to compensate. but i think its clarifying properties surpass this con; my skin feels purged of all the crap that accumulates on my skin throughout the day after using this.
i picked up a few bits and bobs in new york recently, ill be sure to share it with you all in an upcoming post. what skincare products are you enjoying lately? i'd love to hear your input, skincare is such a fun topic for discussion.
