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hey you look really cute today

april fools you look cute everyday keep it up 

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@kathleenlights

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Function of Beauty

Every girl I know struggles with their hair, and every one of them has a different problem. Their hair is either too flat, or too frizzy, or oily, or they have split ends. I actually have psoriasis on my scalp and struggle with uncontrollable itching and flakes. All we’re looking for is that one miracle product that helps with all our hair care needs. I think I found that product. The only problem…they don’t deliver to Canada.

 Function of Beauty is a new hair care brand that offers an online subscription service and carries customizable shampoo and conditioner based on consumer needs. When you enter the website home page the first thing you do is take a hair quiz. This quiz asks questions based on your hair type and problems you're looking to solve. They cater to 5 different hair care needs of your choosing and offer a selection of colours and scents for your product. Then finally you choose which product size package you wish to purchase and personalize your bottles with a nickname.

 When I came across this website, I couldn’t have been more excited! I took the test, chose my colour and scent, and picked my bottle sizes. However, when I went to put in my shipping information, I noticed there was no drop down menu for Canada or any other international countries. I decided to contact the company on Facebook and get to the bottom of this because I REALLY wanted to try these products. This was the response I got:

  I will admit this made me a little sad, but also hopeful about the fact that the company did plan on shipping internationally in the future. So if any of you reading this can take advantage of the service, head on over to their site and take the quiz for yourself.

-Sam

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Everyone Could Use a Boost

The new trend in the makeup world is to have full and plump lips. Ever hear of Kylie Jenner lips? I’m sure you have. If you aren’t blessed with full lips and can’t afford to drop $500 every couple months on lip injections like me, then I thought I would try out a few lip-plumping products from Sephora and let you know which ones worked the best for me.

 The two products I picked up are the TooFaced Lip Injection and the Sephora Collection Beauty Amplifier Plumper. I chose neutral colours to try so the colour won’t distract us from seeing the results. The products are a relatively affordable price, especially when comparing it to actual lip injections. These products range from $20-$30. 

 Before: 

 Sephora:

 Too Faced:

The TooFaced lip injection definitely was my favourite out of the two. Both products made my lips feel very tingly and numb at the start but the feeling with the Sephora one lasted way longer. I didn’t see much of a difference with my lips with either product but the long lasting numb feeling definitely turned me off from the Sephora plumper.

- Val 

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Let’s Paint the Town Matte

So…liquid lipsticks. ��Love them or hate them they are here to stay. I have never seen a product grow to be so popular in such a small period of time. Drugstore or high end, every makeup brand its seems has released their own version of a liquid lipstick. Mattes, satins, glossy and the widest range of colours, every brand is taking this opportunity to capitalize on the widespread trend and I am not mad about it. 

Every brand has their own formula and everyone else has their own formula preference, but what are people really looking for in a liquid lipstick? For me personally, it’s colour consistency and dryness. Often times, especially with darker liquid lipsticks, the colour can be patchy and hard to spread. You have to add more product to try covering the patchy spots, then more, then what your left with is eight layers of lipstick, a gloopy mess on your lips and a crushed spirit. I just worked so hard perfect the rest of my face, only to have it ruined by my favourite and final step.

Next is dryness. There is nothing worse than putting on your liquid lipstick, and looking in the mirror later and realizing your lips look like shriveled up gummy worms with dried skin practically peeling itself off in search of safety. 

With these concerns in mind, I have made it my mission to find the perfect liquid lipstick to fit my liquid lipstick needs. I’m sure the search will be never ending, but in the meantime, I have accumulated a few that have really worked out for me. If you share my concerns, below is a list of brands you should check out:

Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream

Anastasia Liquid Lipstick

Too Faced Melted Matte Lipstick

Bite Beauty Matte Crème Lip Crayon

- Sam

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glossier: a brand where makeup and skincare coexist as one

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My favourite skincare youtuber at the moment - Gothamista, aka Renee. SKIN GOALS. LIFE GOALS. She curates products, lives in an exciting city, and gets to travel to Asia frequently for work. Girl, holla at me.

She’s responsible for most of my recent purchases (haha). It’s fantastic and awful at the same time because we have the same skin type and I trust her opinions. My wallet’s sad though.

Renee mainly reviews higher end asian skincare brands - aka my kryptonite - but her channel does cover recognizable Western brands that are more accessible for North American girls like us. She recently reviewed Drunk Elephant’s product line and The Ordinary by DECIEM (which coincidentally my friend introduced to me recently).

If you’re interested in educating yourself about skincare, the science behind certain ingredients, and need a little verbal help, Renee’s channel is a good place to start.

xx Emilie

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new additions to my skincare 💫

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Some of my faves this month. Haze and Dusk are still my go to blushes and Boy Brow in Blond for a natural look.

#glossier #glossierrep #damselflavored #beautybloggers #bbloggers #luxurybeauty

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SPF labels are misleading and confusing. Here are the facts. The differences are minimal between SPF 15-50. Just make sure you apply generously and reapply often. Don’t give into the idea that you can stay out in the sun longer because you applied SPF 50! 😲😲😲 #skintip #skinschool #sokoglam #spf #skincare #beautytip

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A bathroom full skin care products is all I want

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I’m venturing into pricier products and it’s great for my skin, but terrible for my bank account. I’ve been researching Glow Recipe for a while, but have been hesitant as they are US based and shipping costs are ridiculous. They curate the best natural Korean skincare products and they’re pretty irresistible from behind the screen. I finally took the plunge and grabbed the following:

Lindsay Modeling Mask - Rubber masks! The powder comes in individual cups for you to mix water into the rubber mask paste. I’m glad I picked up two cause I either didn’t put in enough water the first time, or I wasn’t quick enough with the application. The product gets stiff quickly. Luckily you don’t have to keep it on for long. Smooth skin is what I got, indeed. I need a few more tries to perfect the art of rubber masking, but this activity is great if you’re into at-home facial treatments.

Blossom Jeju Petal Mask - This mask works in 2 steps. You start off by applying a dry oil and after that has seeped in, you put on the mask. Probably the most luxurious mask I’ve used. I love the oil step, it really warms the face. With the addition of the mask, your skin really bathes in the nourishment of the essence.

Wish Formula Squish and Bubble Mesh Mask - I used this at a time where my skin was extremely sensitive, but this foaming pad is unique. Once out of the package, you squish it a few times to activate the ingredients before going over your face gently to exfoliate. It has a clean citrus scent to it and leaves you very refreshed. The pad itself is extremely satisfying - soft and efficient.

Blithe Tundra Chaga Pressed Serum - Shocking I haven’t even opened this yet and it’s the product I’ve been looking forward to the most. I have read that it’s a hybrid product with the benefits of a serum and a moisturizer. I’ll get to it soon - I only have one face.

xx Emilie

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Skincare PSA

When something is wrong with our skin we tend to react with panic, overmedicating the problem hoping that an extreme treatment will resolve things faster. In North America, we don’t do anything halfway: the M.O. is “if a little of something is good, a lot is better.”

As soon as a product or ingredient is discovered to benefit skin, we slather it on in the highest concentration we can find. Retinol reduces wrinkles? Let’s skip over the 0.3% and go straight for the 1%. Benzoyl peroxide fights acne? Why settle for 2.5% when there are 5% treatments. Vitamin E reduces scars and shea butter nourishes skin? Drown yourself in the purest ointments out there.

In reality we’re overtreating and oversaturating our skin. Too much Retinol can burn your skin, especially if you’re not using the right sunscreen. Attacking problem skin with harsh acne treatments can inflame tender skin and exacerbate breakouts. Drowning a scar in vitamin E can make it worse. Oils like shea, coconut, and olive - emollients which are healing and non-comedogenic in low concentrations - can cause milia, acne, blackheads closed comedones when overapplied.

We need to stop overreacting to the anxiety bad skin causes us. Start with low concentrations - see how a daily 2% BHA exfoliant interacts with your skin before trying 4%. Buy samples of an acne treatment to see if your skin can handle it or if, conversely, it can handle your acne.

Instead of triggering further anxiety and being left more hopeless and with even worse skin, do lots of your own research, try things in moderation, and be patient while your complexion tries to recalibrate. It will literally heal your mind and your skin.

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Sheet Mask V, oil on linen, 9x12″

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If you’re a fan of Kate Somerville’s EradiKate Acne Treatment, then keep scrolling cause Emilie’s opinions on this aren’t quite in its favour.

Emilie: Personally I only use this when I get those painful blemishes - the ones that pulse and seem to make a life of its own on your face. I wouldn’t say EradiKate sucks out the remnants of pimples, but it may partially reduce in size. For me, it takes off the edge of a ripe pimple. By the morning, the throbbing is gone and I can move on with my day. Sort of. The sulfuric scent is extremely off-putting, but if you have clogged sinuses then it shouldn’t be an issue.