Thursday Chitchat and Hair Ideas

Today is a lovely freezing day outside. Two months ago I would have expected this, but in mid March? Come on, weather!

I'm hoping to get my hair cut and colored this weekend, and if I'm lucky, maybe also permanently straightened again. My roots are bugging me, my hair has lost its luster, and my hair is creeping back to its frizzy ways. Thank goodness for hairstylists!

Last time I got my hair colored it was a rich medium brown. I loved it, but this time I want something a little different. My inspiration is the attached photo of Emma Stone. I'm not sure when the photo was taken, but the color is perfect!

I also can't wait to try and curl my hair this weekend, just for fun. I'm hoping that the curl will hold a little longer than the usual ten seconds.

Can you believe it's almost my birthday? Time has gone slowly since my last birthday, but the fact that it's getting so close was still a surprise. Only two months from today and I will be seventeen! Naturally, because I love planning things, I'm already preparing my birthday party ideas and wishlist. You know me, always busy with something silly.

xx,
Jillian

Beauty Survey #1

SKINCARE

• How many times do you wash your face daily? Usually twice, but occasionally I get lazy.
• What skin type do you have? Combination to oily
• What is your current facial wash? Murad Acne Clarifying Cleanser
• Do you exfoliate? About once or twice weekly with my Clarisonic Mia
• What moisturizer do you use? Kate Somerville Oil-Free
• Do you have freckles? Sadly no
• Do you use eye cream? Yes, I use Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado
• Do you or did you have acne prone skin? I do. Sadly.
• Did you ever have to use Pro-activ? I used to use it but I really didn't like it very much. It left much to be desired as far as skincare was concerned.

MAKE-UP

• What foundation do you use? Currently I use Diorskin Nude.
• How about concealer? I use a facial concealer as well as an under-eye concealer. My facial concealer is Chanel Correcteur Perfection. My under-eye concealer is Laura Mercier Secret Concealer.
• Do you know your undertone color? I'm pretty positive that I have pink undertones in my skin.
• What do you think of fake eyelashes? I like them, but I rarely wear them, and by rarely I mean around 2-3 times annually. 
• Did you know that you are suppose to change your mascara every 3 months? Ugh, yes. I try to follow that rule, but the first sign that I need to throw a mascara out is when it gets dry or goopy (assuming it wasn't already). 
• What brand of mascara do you use? Right now I'm alternating between Rimmel ScandalEyes Show Off mascara and Benefit They're Real.
• Sephora or MAC? I love them both, but I'll go with Sephora. I could survive with just Sephora but not with just MAC.
• Do you have a MAC Pro-card? Not yet... :)
• What makeup tools do you use in make up application? Brushes
• Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes? Yes, I use Laura Mercier Eye Basics right now, but I don't love it, so when it runs out I want to try something else.
• For the face? Yes, I use Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation Primer.
• What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)? NARS' duo in Kuala Lumpur. Both shades.
• Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner? Pencil usually but sometimes gel.
• How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil? Hardly ever, really.
• What do you think of pigment eyeshadows? I like them, but I find them to be too much work for everyday use.
• Do you use mineral makeup? No.
• What is your favorite lipstick? Chanel Rouge Coco in Magnolia
• How about lipgloss? Laura Mercier Lip Plumper in Pink Pearl
• What is your favorite blush to use? NARS Sin or MAC Stereo Rose

MAKE ME CHOOSE

• Do you buy your makeup on ebay? No.
• Do you like drugstore makeup? Occasionally, but when I buy it I'm often disappointed.
• Do you go to CCO’s? When I'm near them.
• Did you ever consider taking make-up classes? I want to so badly, if I could only find somewhere to take them that would be legitimate. 
• Are you clumsy in putting on makeup? Not particularly... If I try to put on eyeliner too quickly I might mess up.
• Name a makeup crime that you hate? Drawn on brows!
• Do you like colorful shades of makeup? Rarely.
• Which celebrity always has great make up? Mostly models.
• If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use? concealer
• Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on? I would probably not be as confident if I did, but I could.
• Do you think you look good even without any makeup on? Depends on how broken out my skin is on any given day.
• In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line? Ooh, that's tough. I love love love Dior, though.
• What do you think of Makeup? I think I'm moderately obsessed.

Take this survey and comment with a link to your post, I'd love to read what you all think!

xx,

Jillian

A Very Delayed February 2013 Beauty Favorites

I know, I know, February was practically a decade ago now, but I figured that it's better late than never (or at least I hope it is). 

Favorite nail polish of the month was, by a landslide, Butter London nail lacquer in Kerfuffle. It's a vibrant yet pastel peach shade that I can't help but adore. It was recently released as part of their Spring 2013 "Sweetie Shop" collection. Additionally, I've been extremely impressed with the formula of this polish. It's the first one I've tried by Butter London, and it wears incredibly well for a regular nail polish (not Shellac or Gel). It lasts around 2 weeks while still looking great, and about 3 weeks with some chipping. (Please note, that time frame is when I paint my nails myself, using a base coat, 2 coats of polish, and a topcoat. I'm still in the process of testing how long it lasts when used as part of a professional manicure.)

My favorite eye makeup product of the month was Kardashian Khroma Beauty's The Quickie mascara. It gives me the perfect amount of length and volume. It's clump-free and perfect for everyday, as it's not terribly dramatic and thick. I purchased the product as part of the line's "mascara quartet" and I'm not sure if it's sold separately or not. It was my favorite mascara by far that came in the quartet.

My favorite "base" product in February was what has become my new favorite foundation: Diorskin Nude. I started using this foundation after my acne cleared up significantly. My beloved Laura Mercier Silk Creme had become too thick on my newly clearer skin. I truly love everything about Nude, especially the natural finish. It's a light to medium coverage formula with a nearly gel-like consistency. It's very buildable and never cakey. My shade is 010 Ivory. 

My favorite face product of February? The new and extremely popular Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder (in the shade Dim specifically). This product lives up to the hype for sure. It blurs imperfections for a soft-focus, flawless finish. On my very fair skin, it also warms up my complexion a little without being a bronzer by any means. 

Here comes another product that lives up to the tremendous hype: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Stereo Rose. It's a shimmering coral shade with golden veining running through it. I'm having trouble finding a photo that does it justice. It provides the most unbelievable sheen to the cheeks. In fact, even though I'm a massive fan of highlighter, I almost never use it when I use Stereo Rose. Unfortunately, it was limited edition (released for the first time in 2010 and again earlier this year, when I purchased it), but if you can get your hands on it, I highly recommend it. 

My favorite lip product of the month was undoubtedly my Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy lip balm. My lips have been so dry recently (I blame my braces), and this balm has been a lifesaver. It's pricey, but in my opinion so much more effective than the ever-popular Babylips by Maybelline or the EOS lip balms. 

My favorite bath product of February (and possibly of all time) has been Laura Mercier's Soufflé Body Creme in Tarte au Citron, which I received (along with the accompanying honey bath) as a gift last Christmas. LM's Soufflé Body Cremes are by far my favorite body moisturizer for their delightful scent, creamy consistency, moisturizing powers, and the speed at which they absorb into the skin. I hate greasy lotions that sit on the skin, and the Soufflés are nothing of the sort. 

February's favorite hair product? Batiste Dry Shampoo (the classic scent). It solves the problem of greasy roots on 2nd-day hair in a snap. It also doesn't leave a powdery-looking residue in my dark hair.

Finally, perfume! My favorite for February was Jo Malone Earl Grey and Cucumber. It's a fresh scent that makes me smile and lasts all day. One spray is all you need for lasting fragrance. 

That concludes my February beauty favorites! If you'd like to hear about my fashion favorites for the month of February, please let me know. :) 

What were your beauty faves last month?

xx,

Jillian

Pamper Yourself: How I Turn Any Weekend Night into a Relaxing Retreat

After a long week, I love nothing more than a cup of tea and some time to myself. Time spent relaxing really helps me wind down and de-stress. Having a spa night, in my opinion, is the absolute best way to relax. Keep on reading and to find out how to create a somewhat spa-like experience at home!

The first decision to make is whether to take a bath or a shower. It's totally based on personal preference. As for myself, I really like either one, and it really depends on which one I'm in the mood for that night.

Depending on your budget, there are many different products you could use. It also depends on your preference of products whether or not you'll like what I like. My favorite bath and body products by far are by Laura Mercier. LM's products are pricey, but to me, they are definitely worth it.

If I take a bath, I use Laura Mercier honey bath. It's a sort of syrupy looking bath product that foams up in warm water and turns in to something along the lines of a very moisturizing bubble bath. My favorite scent is Tarte au Citron, but that is limited edition for the holidays each year. Luckily, I received a duo of the Tarte au Citron honey bath and body creme for Christmas this year (thanks SO much Nana!). My favorite scents from Laura Mercier's permanent line are Creme Brulee and Fresh Fig.

When you run the bath with warm to hot water and place a dollop of the honey bath under the running faucet, the whole bath tub will foam up and fill with bubbles/foam. The amazing scent fills the bathroom. It's truly a wonderful product. It also moisturizes your skin as you soak in the bath. Then it's just time to take a deep breath and wind down.

If I take a shower, I'll put my hair up into a bun before getting in the shower to prevent my hair from getting too wet (if I'm not washing it). First I wash my body. I usually just use Dove Deep Moisture body wash. It's creamy, moisturizing, and fairly inexpensive. Also, at Target recently, I've been able to find travel/deluxe sample sizes of it in the travel beauty section (y'know, the baskets/bins with the travel sized products).

After my body wash, I use a body scrub. My absolute favorite is Laura Mercier body scrub in either Creme Brulee or Fresh Fig. The exfoliating "scrubby" particles are smaller than those in other scrubs I've tried, such as Lush Ocean Salt or Fresh Brown Sugar Body Scrub, which I really like. After the "scrubby" bits dissolve, you're left with a creamy consistency that's easy to rinse off.

After my bath OR shower, I always make sure to use a body moisturizer of some sort. My favorite is the Laura Mercier Soufflé Body Creme (again, my favorite scent is Tarte au Citron, but I also love Fresh Fig and Creme Brulee). I love the Soufflé Body Creme because it absorbs quickly into the skin while still being very moisturizing. That is an especially important quality for me, considering I hate most lotion or cream-like products. I always coordinate the scent of my body moisturizer with whatever honey bath or body scrub I use. Alternatively, I really like Fresh Brown Sugar Body Cream, as well as Gud Orange Petalooza body lotion (Gud, the brand by Burt's Bees). You can purchase Gud products at Target, so they're fairly inexpensive.

When I'm done, I hop into some comfy pajamas and fuzzy socks and head to the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea. I light a candle and sit on the couch for a while with my laptop, maybe reading blogs or watching YouTube beauty videos. My favorite candle is Jo Malone Blackberry & Bay, because I can't use Bath & Body Works candles. However, as with every product I've mentioned, feel free to switch it up with YOUR favorite product!

That concludes my pampering night "ritual"! Please let me know what kinds of posts you'd like to see on my blog and I'll be happy to review whatever products you'd like, do a "what's in my purse" or "what's in my school bag", do a tag post, or anything you can think of. :)

Thanks so much for reading!

xx,
Jillian