Beauty Products for the Summer

Here are some beauty products that you most definitely should have on hand for the summer. As always, I can't stress the importance of going through your makeup and a) making sure it's all in good shape, and b) making sure that the foundation actually matches your skin!

If you've got exceptionally oily skin, it also doesn't hurt to experiment with some powder foundations at this point: mineral makeup lasts longer than most other kinds, and it has the benefit of containing spf in most cases. You really can't go wrong there, and it's also possible to mix colours together to get your own personal blend of the perfect colour.

Moving on to the products!

Here are my picks for the summer:

Mineral foundation that I love. This one comes in tons of colours and looks natural every time! It's one of the best ones I've tried.

If you want something from the drugstore, you should check out this mineral makeup brand. It goes on a little heavy but wears wonderfully.

Grab yourself a long-wearing mascara - this is not the same as something that is waterproof because this kind of mascara is much easier to take off!

You need something to make your skin glisten - on this one just trust me. This is one of those products that can take you from meh to yeah!

Grab something that makes cleaning up easy. The summer is a time when messiness is just inevitable and it doesn't hurt to keep your purse stocked.

No more smudgy makeup - put this on and you're good to go!

Yes, you do need a mask! Soak up all that extra oil and use it at the beginning of your day to keep skin extra matte!

Get your hands on a nice pinky-bronze blush - you'll thank me for saving you the step of layering bronzer all the time.

Bright colours are in and your tootsies should reflect that! Opt for a nice bright polish.

Try carrying a quad that makes touch-ups easy. This is the one thing you'll take to the cottage with you and you'll need nothing else!

Archives Are Our Only Hope

Get shiny hair.

How much are you willing to pay for moisturizer?

I really like perfumes meant for men.

Remember how I lost my favourite lipgloss? I found it! In an old jacket pocket!

If you don't own a set of brushes yet, I highly recommend these ones.

You guys always ask me for eyeliner that won't fade, budge, or smear, so check this out.

Oily skin that needs moisturizer? Try this.

Found out that people love this product - weigh in and leave a comment.

My sister likes this so much that she took the set from me.

Smells so good.

Neutrals are great for every day.

Running into people from TV is fun.

So much better than doing things yourself.

I think this works best when you've used it for a while.

It's Not Too Late to Archive

Still love this body wash.

If you have curly hair going to a place that specializes in it makes a huge difference.

I always recommend this lip balm. Good thing it lasts so long! I've had this tub for over a year!

Mmm, these taste yummy.

I still use this to make my nail polish last longer!

This is an absolutely lovely perfume for spring and summer.

This is a really good line of products.

I still adore this collection.

This is a great line of natural products that is priced reasonably and is available at drugstores!

Still use this, on my second bottle.

Tagged!

I've been tagged left right and centre and I've put off answering until today. My friend Eden tagged me and I'm going to answer hers first because the meme was so unusual, though fittingly it is about beauty products and my beauty secrets.

I try out hundreds of products, so I'm sure you all want to know which ones I've been using these days. Here goes!

My Foundation: none! For the past little while I haven't been using foundation at all and it's quite liberating! It's not that I don't feel that I need it - sometimes I'll catch myself in the mirror and I'll miss that 100% even canvas, but mostly I think I can get away with wearing nothing on my face. Pictures that I've seen of myself recently showing clear skin have helped too. The only time I really wear foundation now is when I'm testing it.

Mascara - Cargo Blu_Ray mascara. You really can't be surprised, this stuff is pretty awesome.

Blush - MAC Hipness from the Fafi collection - used sparingly it makes your skin looks like it's glowing. It's got just the right amount of shimmer in it and the colour is so pretty on tanned skin.

Day Cream - for now it is still Estee Lauder's Hydra Bright Moisturizer though I've added a serum into the mix. I've really grown addicted to the scent of it.

Lipstick - Estee Lauder's Coral Reef matches my blush, though I really want to pick up a CoverGirl Outlast lipcolour in Red Cashmere. It's maybe the most perfect colour for the summer, and I tried it on at the LookFab Studio!

My Beauty Product Brand - not sure if I can commit to just one brand right now.

Essential Beauty Product - Neutrogena Healthy Skin Night face lotion. I've been using this for years and it really works. Let me just say that all my friends ask me how they can get their skin as clear as mine, and I point them towards this lotion. I don't think that even one of them have listened to my advice, and the next time they ask me, all I can do is sigh. The want me to tell them about the newest anti-aging serum or a new foundation but I can't do that. It's easier to use a quick-fix product and tell yourself that it works, but the proof is in the pudding and the fact remains that this lotion works! It's got glycolic acid at the right pH. /end rant.

My favourite makeup product - Just one?!? Ok, mascara. But if I were allowed more, I would include my blush too.

My Perfume - Armani Prive in Vetiver Babylon. Love.

My Nails - Butter London!

My feet - sunscreen! More on this next week when I do my comprehensive foot posts.

My hands - Dermalogica hand cream. I haven't formally reviewed this yet but it rocks.

Three products to bring on a deserted island - hmm sunscreen, Olay Body Wash, and that Estee Lauder moisturizer.

Women who I admire for their Beauty - those who know what to do with a mascara wand, but choose not to use it more than they absolutely need to. Make of that what you will.

Woman with the best sense of style - Carine Roitfeld. I saw a picture of her wearing a pencil skirt and wedges last year, and I cannot get those wedges out of my head!

Plus, she doesn't carry a purse. Think about how revolutionary that is at a fashion magazine. Most fashion brands make their bread and butter selling aspirational items such as hand bags. To not carry one is to say that anything you need will be taken care of by someone else. I think that sort of blatant luxury is almost not found in a time where the richest executive or celebrity at least carry a Blackberry and if you are a woman, you need a purse in which to store such items. To not have a Blackberry, a cell phone, lipstick, powder, heck even sunglasses, at your disposal is to say that you live completely in the moment and you are perfect - you just need yourself and you are good to go. Ok, moving along....

My Ultimate Dream (but I do not believe in selling my soul to the devil for it) - to get paid to be myself.

How do I define Womanhood - be yourself, be confident, no matter what.

My Favourite Fashion Publication - Vogue.

People I am tagging:

Michelle
Carla
Nadine
Ellen.

Time to Archive

The Best Mascara.

If you're looking for a good facial cleanser, you could try this one.

Black Nail Polish is completely and totally out of style, but a nice dark red is always in vogue.

If you're trying to find China Glaze in Toronto read the comments here.

This makes an absolutely lovely hand soap.

So much eye shadow.

Makeup makeup makeup! See the pictures of it all.

Makeup tip: how to apply blush.

Clinique makeup wins this round.

One of my favourite Ralph Lauren perfumes and this one is only available like this for a limited time.

Teeth whitening can be really really easy.

Smile! These are permanently on counters and there are some great new colours available.

I really like this Pantene Pro V Conditioner.

You can't get emo hair with this because it just doesn't come in a shade dark enough.

Archives Are a Good Thing

This bath gel packs quite a punch.

A good one of these is hard to find - the colours can be so strange!

If she gets her own reality show, I'll be talking about this girl's makeup a lot more.

This girl's show got picked up in the U.S. which means that more of you will be seeing some of her!

Still use this after every single workout.

Use these only once in a while - they do work, but I just don't need to use them all the time.

I really love this - need to get more refills.

I hardly ever use this lipgloss anymore. I think it's better for the summer.

I hope this tutorial helped you!

This is still one of my all-time favourite conditioners regardless of how many expensive products I've used.

This is a really great foundation and I keep it in my purse for emergencies (whatever that means).

Love Love Love

Here are a few products that I am currently loving.

MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner Stick in Strobe Current. I think this is the perfect sheer plummy colour. I've seen people complaining about the taste (there is none) but the scent is vanilla and I don't have a problem with it. It's one of those problems that I feel like re-applying even when I'm already wearing it because I like the colour that much. Plus, it's moisturizing and has SPF 15. Really can't go wrong with this.



CoverGirl Volume Exact Mascara. I just layer this on and it looks great. A commenter said that she sees girls with way too much mascara on, but the fact that people compliment my lashes all the time is a good sign, no? I think it's a sign that you can pile on the mascara and not worry about your lashes clumping together. Cheap enough to replace whenver your heart (or hygiene) desires.

MAC Beauty Powder in Alpha Girl from the Heatherette collection. Once again, folks, it's all about the layering. You can put this on as a very sheer natural looking blush, plus add touches of colour to the rest of your face by using this as a setting powder.


Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant. So easy to use that there's never an excuse not to exfoliate and take proper care of my skin. Also very gentle - because sometimes it's hard to use a scrub before you even had a coffee.



Clinique Blended Face Powder - I use my own brush, and put this on after using a primer. My skin is shine-free and poreless for a long time, I would even say most of the day, but lets not jinx anything. I have this in Invisible and it doesn't make me look overly powdery so I think that all skin tones really can use it!

Estee Lauder Pure Color Crystal Lipstick in Coral Reef. This is the most perfect colour spring colour and brightens up your face. Looks good on me, and two of my friends, one of whom is two shades lighter than me and the other who is a few shades darker. This also comes in a gloss and once you try it you will be sold. As someone who used it said: "Ooooh. This is nice... I wouldn't have bought this colour but I like it!" And you will too.

Of course, there are a few other lovely products I'm loving too, but those will be reviewed in the coming days. Happy sunny Sunday, everyone!

Archive now, Think Later

Back to using this mascara.

I'm test-driving a whole bunch of these.

Wondering if I should try this.

Remember this series?

This GWP is still on-going... who doesn't love bonus time?

Haven't tried many products from this company but am going to soon!

Will also be talking about more products like these.

Instant Gratification: You Asked, I Answered

Last night I went over some of the answers that I've gotten for the contest I'm running. Thanks to everyone who entered some feedback - I like hearing about what you're enjoying reading and what you want to read about.

To that end, I decided to address some of the feedback that's been left and answer your questions.

Someone wanted me to write about mascara. You know I've tagged the posts, right? You can read every mascara review I've written (28 of them!) by clicking on the mascara tag. Most of them are still on the market too.

A girl asked me about skin fixing powders and potions. I will say this much for now: they all work on the surface of the skin and that's what you want. Anything else could cause damage and why go for that? Once again, it's always a good idea to stay away from products that have alcohol in them. It's just too drying for any kind of skin.

As for covering the Nars line: I know that I don't do a lot of this, so I'll cover more in the future - I actually have a lot of Nars products so I will be writing about them soon.

Moisturizers for cold weather: here's a start! I tagged all the products that are excellent for helping you combat dry Canadian winters.

Oh, and if you ever want to know where you can purchase a product or where I got mine, just ask me in the comments section. If something looks obscure, it probably is, but that doesn't mean that it's impossible for you to find, and you can get almost every single brand online now.

And drugstore brands: these fascinate even me and there are many good products to be bought at the drugstore. Here are the ones I've written about.

As for some of the other queries: I'm working on them! As always, if you have a specific question just email me.

Vote for Archive

I stopped using this perfume after someone told me that it reminded her of medicine.

It's women who buy 35% of the fragrances for men, and my readers are in that 35%.

This was a great collection - I actually finished 2 lipglosses from it. That is almost unheard of!

I still use (and love) this spray. I'm on my 2nd bottle.

This is one of the best foundations I've ever used. I actually miss it when I don't use it, but the shade I have is one I use in the summer.

I will soon be telling you about a product that's a lot like this one.

That's it for now - I hope you all are having a lovely and restful weekend!

Ain't No Party Like an Archive Party

This powder is still the gold standard for oil absorption.

If you don't own this primer, you're missing out.

This is the only drugstore lipstick my mother ever bought - and then rebought!

I believe this was the first company to put out a ribbon lipgloss palette. Now Prescriptives has it too.

I can't believe I still use this leave-in conditioner.

My friends' eyes light up when they come over and I suggest we use this. For real.

Stylin' and Archivin'

Something smells good. Oh wait, that's me.

I liked this shampoo so much that I did the whole "put water into the bottle to get every little bit of it out" thing. Too much information?

The gift that keeps on giving - I still smell of oranges.

So now I'm addicted to scrubs. Too much information 2.0?

People are still wondering if this is a good mascara. YES, it most definitely is!

Nobody wonders whether this one is good. How can it not be?

I conquered my fear of mineral makeup last year...

... while men are conquering their fear of products.

You might not get the credit card with $5000, a mandatory shopping spree, and be ridiculed in front of and by your family and friends, but hey, you can get the foundation and give yourself a makeover!

So much information, nowhere to put it.