I'm feeling myself and it's gonna show
Fashion photography by Michael Biro
Beauty photography by Nathalie Martin
It’s June and I can’t believe we’re halfway through the year already. In a lot of ways, I thought I’d be further along in terms of blogging and life goals but I’m learning that I need to chill out and stop being so hard on myself. I recently picked up the book In The Company of Women by Grace Bonney. It had been on my wishlist since it came out but I only just bought it now. I’m glad I finally did because it’s helping me get back to my roots. (I’ll explain that in a sec.) Almost as soon as I started reading the book I was hit with a wave of sadness. Reading about how these highly creative women define success made me realize that I’ve totally derailed from what I love to do and want to get back on track.
Like a lot of people, I have a tendency to be really hard on myself and don’t take enough time to enjoy and celebrate my accomplishments. I mean, I do to a certain degree but I have a tendency to focus more on what I don’t have versus what I do have. For example, Geoff and I would love to have a family one day but we don’t. I probably think about that more often that I even admit to myself and to some degree I feel guilty that we don’t have kids and yet, it’s just the way life has rolled out for us. In terms of work as a freelance blogger, I often wonder why my blog hits aren’t as high as they are and yet I should be celebrating that my metrics have almost doubled since last year!
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not an ingrate and trust me when I say that everyday I wake up and thank my lucky stars that I’m able to blog for a living. I absolutely love it and I’m incredibly proud of how far along my photography and writings skills have come since I first started. Yet here I am, battling my inner demons constantly.
Come on guys. Don’t tell me you haven’t been there!
So here’s where the book In The Company of Women comes in. Reading about how these creative, successful and fearless women approach lives and their businesses makes me realize; I miss making shit with my hands and I define success with monetary value. (Yikes when did that happen?!)
When I say I miss making shit with my hands I actually mean that I miss being a hands-on artist, not a digital content creator. When I was younger I used to paint and when it was time for college I was enrolled in graphic design in hopes of getting a job at a magazine like Vogue when I graduated. Instead, I went into business for myself, hand-making iPod cases and selling them all over the world with my business partner, Diana, BFF extraordinaire and now WoahStyle's beauty contributor. We closed the business after a few years and soon I was back at it again, illustrating and screen printing on textiles this time sewing my designs into tea towels. Fast forward to eight years later and I can’t remember the last time I painted or sewed anything.
I read about six interviews from In The Company of Women when I realized that not a single person had defined success by how much money they made. Maybe it’s taboo to admit in print, I don’t know.
When I was younger I remember thinking that I’d be successful in life if I had my own business, if I was an artist and if I made enough money to shop at the Gap full price. Ya, I said that!
It makes me realize the two points are connected. Somehow putting so much focus on my annual income means I’ve lost sight of what makes me happy and what makes me me and that’s my art.
Crazy how it took a book to make me realize that. I’m hoping that my creating art again and bringing my paints out of storage that I’ll start to feel more balanced in my everyday life and who knows, maybe one day not be as stressed out and actually have a family.
I urge you guys to take the time to celebrate your accomplishments in life because damn, life is crazy and we have to pat ourselves on the back right?
Urban Decay Nocturnal collection + swatches
I love getting new makeup to try out and to be perfectly honest, I'm a sucker for limited edition eye palettes. Just the other day I received Urban Decay's Nocturnal eyeshadow palette and two (of the four) lipstick shades from the collection. As much as I wanted to start swatching the colours like crazy, I held off until I had a chance to photograph them. That's willpower guys! Okay, not really.
Now that I've swatched and had a chance to play around with the colours, I can tell you that the Nocturnal collection is exactly what you would expect from Urban Decay. If you're familiar with the brand already, you're going to get the same quality, high pigmentation and easy-to-work-with formulas as always.
If you're new to the brand or if you're looking to experiment with more with colour in your makeup, you'll love this palette as there's lots of versatility in the shades. The lipsticks are equally as easy to work with and are excellent for everyday use. They're super creamy and hydrating and long wearing with a lipliner.
The Nocturnal collection is available now at Shopper's Drug Mart Beauty Boutiques.
"The palette has 12 amazing shades of eyeshadow — eight must-haves from our current collection, plus four exclusives from past sets."
Urban Decay Nocturnal Shadow Box, $42
There are six neutral shades to work with in this eyeshadow palette; two matte (ABC Gum and Delete), one shimmery (Riff) and three frosty shades (Midnight Cowboy Rides Again, Baby and Half Baked).
Six colours line the bottom of the palette; two mattes (Blackout and Heroine) and four frosted/ metallic shades (Fireball, Backfire, Lounge and Armor).
The colours aren't too out there considering the brand is known for making producing neon eye shadows and intense glitters in their collections. Personally I love that side of Urban Decay and that's what keeps me faithful to the brand. If you're looking for a palette to take you from day to night - this is an excellent one to have in your collection. It also comes with a dual ended brush - one side flat and one side small that's perfect for smudging.
The colour payoff is amazing and so is the longevity of these shadows. I was inspired by the neutral shades and created a golden smokey eye on my recent tutorial so make sure you check that out!
"The perfect pairing for the Nocturnal Shadow Box... limited-edition Nocturnal Vice Lipstick shades range from neutral to bold."
Urban Decay Nocturnal Vice Lipsticks, $21 each
Four never-before-released lipstick shades are available for the Nocturnal collection - Lawbreaker (sheer brown), Fireball (peach satin with pink shift) , Backstab (creamy purple-red) and Nonsense (muted rose).
UB says these lipsticks are highly pigmented and comfort wearing. While I find the latter to be true, I'll have to disagree with the highly pigmented claim. You can see from the swatches above that even Backstab, the matte shade, is still pretty sheer in formulation. If you're looking for more of a colour payoff, I'd suggest wearing a lipliner underneath.
These shades are very pretty regardless and I even like Lawbreaker a lot and I'm never much of a fan of brown shades as they don't do anything for my skin tone. These lipsticks are limited edition so make sure you big them up if you see anything you like!
Photography by Nathalie Martin.
DISCLAIMER
Urban Decay Nocturnal collection is a PR sample provided by Shoppers Drug Mart.
All opinions are my own.
Affiliate marketing links in this story are used as a form of compensation.
Olivia Palermo smokey eyes
When I saw this picture of Olivia Palermo rocking this intense eye makeup, it inspired me to create my own look using the Urban Decay Nocturnal eyeshadow palette. While her look is more focused on sharp black eyeliner that wraps beautifully around her eyes, I wanted to smoke mine out just a little because I feel it suits my eye shape better.
Below you'll find the steps to recreate this Olivia Palermo inspired smokey eye along with the shades I used.
While this look is a bit too sexy for everyday wear, I would definitely rock it for a night out with the hubs or for an event.
I hope you have fun recreating this look. Let me know how it works out for you! Also if you want a review on the Urban Decay Nocturnal collection, make sure you check out my post! I've included swatches for you as always!
GET OLIVIA'S SMOKEY EYES
1.
Start by priming your eyes and sweep ABC GUM (a nude matte shade) from your lashes to brow bone.
2.
Use the shade RIFF (a shimmery brown-orange) on the crease and lower lash line using a windshield wiper method with a fluffy crease brush and blend.
3.
With the shade DELETE (matte chocolate brown), apply it to the crease with a small fluffy brush and blend.
4.
Using a flat eyeshadow brush, take HALF BAKED (a golden shimmery shade) and pat it onto your eyelids.
5.
Now take BABY (a shimmery rose shade) and apply it to the corners of your eyes and give your eyelashes a good curl.
6.
Draw a winged line using liquid liner. Stila and Kat Von D make some of my faves. Then, take a black kohl pencil and line the upper and lower waterline.
7.
Use the small brush from the Nocturnal palette and apply BLACKOUT (matte black) to the lower waterline and smudge it a bit.
8.
Coat your lashes with mascara. I used Cover Girl's Total Tease Waterproof to hold my curl and one coat of Marc Jacob's Velvet Noir for volume.
9.
Finish the look with a sheer brown lipstick like Urban Decay's LAWBREAKER.
Photography by Geoff and Nathalie Martin.
Makeup by Nathalie Martin.
DISCLAIMER
Urban Decay Nocturnal collection is a PR sample provided by Shoppers Drug Mart.
All opinions are my own.
Affiliate marketing links in this story are used as a form of compensation.
Charlotte Gainsbourg for NARS is the epitome of French beauty
Charlotte Gainsbourg is a French/ English actress and singer with four albums to her name and has starred in over 40 films. She's the daughter of Jane Birkin (yes, of the Hermes Birkin bag) and the late French musician Serge Gainsbourg. She has a half-sister, Lou Doillon, who's equally as stylish and just as cool. Seriously. Can I be related to these women?
If that's not enough, Charlotte's also good pals with designer Nicholas Ghesquire, current creative director at Louis Vuitton. Back when he was designer for Balenciaga, he made Charlotte the face of the Balenciaga Eau De Perfum ads.
The latest collection from NARS in collaboration with Charlotte Gainsbourg can only be described as chic, effortless and sexy.
It makes me think of the quintessential Parisian girl with her tousled hair, just-bitten lips and perfectly smudged eye makeup that looks like she just rolled out of bed but still looks incredible.
Seriously.
I've been following Charlotte's career for as long as I can remember. I've always been a huge fan of her personal style, which happens to inspire my own. She's a phenomenal actress and hearing of her collab with NARS made me drool immediately but seeing the collection in person was another thing altogether.
The collection is inspired by Charlotte's "memories of London, music and Paris and her intimate experience with makeup on set". ~Sephora
The Charlotte Gainsbourg x NARS collection features limited edition makeup brushes, three shades of multiple tint sticks, three lip tints, three kohl eyeliners, two shade of duo velvet eyeshadows and face tints in four shades - everything you need to recreate Charlotte's effortless beauty routine for yourself.
NARS x Charlotte Gainsbourg Au Poil Brush Roll, $200
I've never seen a brush set as unique and beautiful as this one by Charlotte Gainsbourg. The 5 piece set contains a face, powder, eye, concealer and eye shadow brush in a faux leather roll. It's all you need to do your makeup and it's the perfect brush set for travel. Each brush features a different finish on the handle from wood to black marble. The handles are long and have a nice weight to them that make makeup application comfortable. I mention the weight because as much as I love Marc Jacobs brushes, they are heavy and the weight becomes obvious after a while.
At first, I thought the face brushes would be too small to apply foundation, powder, and blush but they're actually a perfect size. I've become accustomed to big face brushes but having a small universal brush makes it easy to apply powder under the eyes and a touch of blush on the apples of the cheeks. I almost prefer this because it simplifies my makeup routine.
NARS x Charlotte Gainsbourg Multiple Tint, $49
These sheer Multiple Tint sticks are perfect for adding a dewy flush a colour to the cheeks and lips. It comes in three shades - Jo (light pink), Jeannette (sheer berry), and Alice (poppy red).
NARS x Charlotte Gainsbourg Velvet Duo Eyeshadow in Old Church Street, $43
The perfect eyeshadows for smoky eyes. Wear them alone or together for smouldering bedroom eyes. For a bold look, use the deep matte teal smudged around the eyes. For a soft feminine look, swipe a wash of the golden champagne shade on the eyelids.
NARS x Charlotte Gainsbourg Kohliner in Zinc, $31
I love this soft kohl pencil for the waterline and lining my lashes. It's comfortable to use and wears well throughout the day. I like to layer the deep teal Velvet Duo Eyeshadow over my liner using the smudge brush from the Charlotte Collection to get those intense smouldering eyes that French women do so well.
NARS x Charlotte Gainsbourg Lip Tint in Promise, $33
Don't be fooled by the intense colour you see in the tube. These lip tints add a sheer wash of colour to the lips for a natural sheen and just-bitten look. The formula is extremely comfortable to wear and feels like a juicy lip balm on the lips. Three limited edition shades are available; Double Decker (ruby red), Éphélide (antique rose), and Promise (red plum).
NARS x Charlotte Gainsbourg swatches
Photography by Nathalie Martin and Michael Biro.
DISCLAIMER
NARS x Charlotte Gainsbourg collection was provided as PR samples.
Other NARS items in this story are from my personal collection.
All photos and opinions are my own.
Affiliate marketing links in this story are used as a form of compensation.
5 Minute Makeup Tutorial
The last time I wrote a post about quick and effortless beauty I must have listed a million products. At the time that’s what low-key beauty meant to me - pretty much an entire face of foundation, contour, eyeliner, mascara… you get the point.
These days I’m embracing the less is more philosophy and I’m more focused on proper application versus how much makeup I can pack on my face when I have no time to spare.
Everyone’s beauty routine is different of course but these are the products I consistently reach for when I’m pressed for time. They’re hard working products that are easy to work with and most importantly, blend well with fingers. No fancy brushes or Beauty Blenders required.
Here’s how my five-minute beauty routine goes.
BASE
If it’s night time, I skip the SPF. If it’s daytime, SPF is a must.
If I have less than five minutes, I skip the foundation and go straight into concealer but if I have time, I love MAC’s Face & Body foundation. It looks super natural on the skin and blends in beautifully just using fingers.
(TIME-SAVING TIP: opt for a tinted moisturizer like Garnier’s Ombrelle Ultra Light Lotion in SPF 60. Sadly it only comes in the shade light so fair skins are lucky here. I use a sheer foundation over mine because I like the broad-spectrum protection from UVA/ UVB in this lotion.)
BLUSH
Blush makes the face look awake, well rested, luminous and more youthful so I always take the time for blush.
Cream and liquid blushes are my favourite because they look very natural, especially in the summer.
I’ve been loving the new liquid blushes from NARS a lot. The shade Torrid is a pretty coral shade with shimmer that looks so natural and luminous on the skin.
Just dot a bit of blush on the fat of the cheeks and build up the layers. It sounds more time consuming than it is but practice makes perfect and I can now do this easily.
Start with a little bit of blush and pat it in with your fingers and repeat the process.
Now move onto concealer.
Doing your concealer next will help all of the makeup blend together more seamlessly like you’re glowing from within. You can always add more blush after you’re done your face if you feel you need more.
CONCEAL
I can skip foundation but I can’t skip concealer because I have dark under eyes and hyperpigmentation in some areas.
When I’m in a rush I dot a little bit of Tarte’s Shape Tape concealer under my eyes, nose and mouth.
Again DOT is the operative word here. Don’t do any of that silly triangle shit that YouTube beauty guru’s do. More product takes more time to blend in. Less product will not only look more natural but blend in quicker too.
I blend my concealer in with my fingers. The warmth of my fingertips allows the product to melt nicely into the skin.
Then I take a lightweight powder like Kat Von D’s setting powder with a small brush from Real Techniques to set the concealer so it doesn’t move. I set the concealer around my nose and mouth, and then powder my forehead and chin lightly and leave the rest.
EYES
I only started curling my lashes recently and I find it makes a big difference and makes me look more put together. Now I can’t skip this step unless I really have no time!
I start by curling the base, and then move up to the middle of the lashes, then the tip and then go back to curl the base again using my Shiseido eye lash curler. I like it much better than the Shu Uemera.
I always have to use a waterproof mascara to hold my curl, otherwise, my lashes will droop. Right now I’m loving Cover Girl’s Total Tease. CG makes my favourite mascaras of all time.
At this point, I’ll move onto brows as my mascara dries.
If I have extra time, I’ll line my upper waterline with a black eyeliner from Make Up For Ever and smudge it up to my lash line before applying mascara. It makes my eyes look bigger in a matter of seconds.
Finally, if I have a few more seconds to spare I’ll do a second coat of mascara using Marc Jacob’s Velvet Noir on the top and bottom lashes. It beefs up my lashes super quick and it doesn’t smudge or flake throughout the day.
BROWS
I kinda hate doing my brows but I have to because they’re sparse but also dark so bald spots are obvious. (I grew up in the 90s when thin brows were chic. There’s a whole generation of us out there who regret over plucking.)
My favourite brow pencil when I’m short on time is the Bobbi Brown Long Wear. I had kinda of sworn this brow pencil off because the tip is fat and blunt, therefore not great for precise brows, but awesome for a quick brow when I’m pressed for time. I go in with a light hand and make quick strokes to fill in the spareness.
(TIME-SAVING TIP: Do your brows after your first coat of mascara. That way while your mascara is drying, you can work on the brows and then go back to your lashes for a second coat afterward. You’ll get fatter, longer lashes if you apply the second coat when your lashes are already dry.)
ALMOST DONE. PROMISE!
LIPS
I love a good gloss when I’m short on time because I can skip the lip liner and not have to worry about being precise with my lipstick.
I’m never monogamous when it comes to lip colours and I always have a few shades on me at all times.
I love orange-reds, brown-reds, and red-plums shades to brighten up my complexion and bring a little more colour to my face. My favourite glosses are the Chanel Rouge Coco’s and the NARS x Charlotte Gainsbourg gloss in Promise, a red-plum.
I apply them from the wand, directly onto my lips and then smudge the gloss around my lips with my fingers for a natural look.
FIN
Photography by Nathalie Martin.
Affiliate marketing links in this story are used as a form of compensation.
WORTH IT?! Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
Article by Diana Aldea
Photos by Nathalie Martin
Rich people are amazing. James Dyson dropped $100-million and set 130 British engineers to make the next great hair dryer. With that kind of cash and manpower, he could've developed an app that diagnoses car problems. Or a washer/dryer that sends you text notifications. But I'm not here to talk about shoulda/woulda/couldas, I'm here to tell you about the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer.
Five bills is a lot to spend on anything, especially a hair dryer. When I saw the roll out of the first advertisements for the Supersonic I swore up and down that there is no way, no how I'd ever spend that much on a hair tool. But after using it for a week, I'm all "take my money, Dyson!"
First things first, all the reviews you're reading are true. It's super light, it cuts down the amount of time it takes to dry your hair by a significant amount, and it's beautiful. It also sounds like a vacuum cleaner (I see what you did there Dyson), and it has intelligent heat control technology, which helps prevent extreme heat damage to protect your hair’s natural shine.
Prior to the Supersonic I had a healthy and loving relationship with my Drybar Buttercup Blow Dryer. Using the Supersonic felt like cheating, and while I don't condone it among people in relationships, it felt damn good with my Dyson. So I broke up with Buttercup and I'm going steady with Supersonic. After the first time using it, my hair was almost too sleek. If that's your thing, you'll be so into this. I like my hair full of ridiculous volume, and I was able to achieve that with the diffuser attachment which is included with the Supersonic. Life changer guys, seriously.
Listen, I know the money it costs is a huge commitment, but that's what Sephora return policies are for. Once you step into the future there's absolutely no going back.
Wanna know more? Here's some of Dyson's carefully curated marketing copy. They ain't lying tho.
The Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer has intelligent heat control technology, which helps prevent extreme heat damage to protect hair’s natural shine. The temperature is measured 20 times a second and transmits this data to the microprocessor, which intelligently controls the patented compact heating element from reaching extreme, hair damaging temperatures. The powerful tool moves over 13 liters of air every second. Combined with Dyson’s patented Air Multiplier™ technology, air is amplified threefold, creating a high pressure, focused jet of air for controlled, precise, drying and styling. The digital motor V9 is on average six times faster, a third of the weight, and half the size of other hair dryer motors. Due to its compact size, Dyson was able to put the motor in the handle, making the dryer feel balanced in your hands.
Dyson has created three precisely engineered magnetic attachments with 16 patents pending, to further control the airflow, allowing you to effortlessly achieve a range of different styles. The smoothing nozzle uses smooth, wide air for a sleek finish, while the styling concentrator is for precise styling to shape hair one section at a time without worrying about disturbing the rest. The diffuser disperses air evenly around curls to gently dry hair and improves definition. With heat shield technology, the surfaces of the attachments stay cool—even during close-up styling.
The Dyson Supersonic also has a removable filter at the bottom of the dryer that notifies you when it needs to be cleaned. It features four heat settings, three airflow settings, a cold shot, and ionizer, all with 1600 watts of power. This product comes with a professional-length nine-feet power cord and a two-year warranty on parts and labor.
MY ANNOUNCEMENT
I’ve been blogging for three years now. When I started out, I had no idea what I was doing. I knew I wanted to be my own boss and be a full-time blogger and I also knew that I wanted to inspire women to feel their best.
I accomplished one and kinda lost track of the other.
Before WoahStyle, I’d already had a bunch of careers under my belt - marketing, stylist, accounting, entrepreneur and yes, even blogger because I started my first one about a decade ago. Imagine I had kept that up!
My jobs were super random and all over the place I know, but I was never happy until I started to see WoahStyle was actually going somewhere.
And then, about two and a half years later I hit a wall.
I wasn’t happy anymore and blogging and social media were turning into a never ending source of stress.
I couldn’t sleep, I was getting sick a lot, I was gaining weight, and I was living in my head full of fear and negativity. I had plateaued and I was scared that was the beginning of the end.
IN MY CLOSET:
Bowie jacket, Forever 21 (exact here)
Glossy leather skirt, Winners
Bags, Stella McCartney and Saint Laurent (with custom leopard shoulder strap)
Gold sandals, Gucci
Pink sparkly boots, Saint Laurent
Bronze hi-top sneakers, Vans
Glasses, Forever 21
THE BEST THING THAT EVER HAPPENED
I know it sounds cliche but I can say now with full confidence that plateauing was the best thing that ever happened to WoahStyle.
When I finally got my head on straight (and that took months!I), I started to see past the fear and reassess what made me happy and why I had started blogging in the first place. Once I let my guard down and started to share more personal experiences, that you guys started to engage with me more. It reminded me of why I started the blog - to inspire women to feel their best.
I told you guys that I was bullied for most of my childhood and the DM’s I still get to this day are overwhelming. I’m glad I shared that part of my life that I was ashamed of for so long but with everything, we have to move forward.
When I think back to when I was happiest in my past job, it was when I was styling women and helping them feel their best.
You see, that’s where bullying coming in. Even as a kid, I was always hyper aware of fashion but in combination with bullying - fashion and beauty became a necessity. I helped me stand straight again and gave me the confidence to be myself.
CH-CH-CH-CH-CHANGES
With all of that, my announcement is simply this; fashion posts will still be present on my site, but there will be less of them. Perhaps once or twice a week tops. They’ll be more educational based as opposed to just “pretty pictures”.
I’ll also be doing lots of fashion reviews and hauls because you guys all want to know how my Princetown Gucci’s fit (post coming soon!) and what I’m buying right now.
Beauty posts will become more frequent - about 3-4 times a week because I love beauty and you guys do too. Some of my most popular posts are on foundations and How to Clean A Beauty Blender, so I want to give you more of that.
Also, I’m 36, and not afraid to say it anymore! LOL! You guys are around my age as well so hey, let’s talk about anti-aging and how to get luminous youthful looking skin right?
If you look at my menu bar, you'll see I added three new categories, Beauty Talk, Makeup and Skincare. I hope it'll help you search for your favourite topics like Tutorials, Eyes, or Skincare Solutions even quicker. I want it to be super easy for you guys to get the info you want. Also, I did a site refresh! I spent lots of time researching different sites so I can get mine to a place where I'm truly happy with it. What do you think of it?
Drop me an email and let me know what you think of my announcement and what you want to see more of moving forward. I love hearing from you!
xo, Nathalie
Photography by Nathalie Martin.
Affiliate marketing links in this story are used as a form of compensation.
Narciso Poudree | Last minute Mother's Day gift idea
Every year my brothers and I go a little overboard on Mother's Day and spoil our mum. It's not even about the gifts but more of the gestures.
One year my illustrator/ tattoo artist brother framed one of his works of art for her. Oh man, she gushed about that piece for a long time! (I don't blame her because I wanted it for myself! LOL).
Another year we took her to the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO to the locals) to see the Picasso exhibit, one of her favorite artists.
Then there's my father, making fancy meals for her and buying her roses and white wine because red gives her a headache.
And let's not forget my other brother waiting on her hand and foot (ok I'm exaggerating) but seriously, we love spoiling her!
Hopefully, you got some good ideas on my Mother's Day gift guide posted earlier in the week. If you're still not sure how to spoil mama, I have a quick last minute idea for you - Narciso's Poudree perfume.
I was at Saks last weekend getting something for my mum. They had custom engraving on perfume bottles that day and I was surprised to see five bottles, I kid you not, five bottles of Narciso Poudree in the engraving queue.
Then yesterday, a bottle of Poudree happens to appears in my mailbox along with a beautiful necklace that says 'mama'. Honestly, my mum is pretty spoiled this time of year, partly because of my work as a beauty blogger, but mainly because we all pitch in to make her feel special on Mother's Day.
Happy Mother's Day to all of the Mother's out there. Whatever you decided to get for mama, I'm sure she'll love it. ; )
Dewy skin feat. Chanel CC Cream + Le Blanc Makeup Base
When was the last time you looked in the mirror and thought, "I can see my foundation!" Ya, we've all been there and it sucks. It's obvious when makeup is sticking to dry patches and settling into fine lines. Worse yet, the foundation doesn't match and it really looks like makeup, not skin.
Ugh.
It's the reason I've favoured BB and CC creams, and sheer water-based foundations for everyday wear for as long as I can remember.
Sadly (for me and anyone who as to look at my skin), it's only in the last couple of weeks that I'm realizing that as sheer as my makeup is, it doesn't matter when I've been over-powdering to "set my base". Tell me, why are we taught such assinine beauty tips that benefit no one?
WHY?!
With that, I've been on a mission to see how natural I can get my makeup to look these days.
Yes, the no-makeup-makeup goals are real over at WoahStyle and I've been experimenting in more ways that I can count.
It was on a press trip recently and I happened to forget my foundation. I learned two important things that day: 1) I can go without foundation and just use concealer, and 2) Chanel makes a kickass CC Cream!
Let me back up for a sec.
One of the ladies I was on the trip with, was sympathetic to my no foundation situation and offered me some of her Chanel CC Cream. I was flattered by the kind gesture but only managed to yelp "but we're not the same colour!", instead of the obvious "thank you so much."
(I'm a little durpy like that... Sorry Katherine!)
I politely declined and went sans foundation for the evening but the idea of a Chanel CC Cream, and the fact Katherine has the most amazing skin I've ever seen, wouldn't leave me mind.
Upon returning home I ran to my nearest Chanel counter and paid $70 for a 30mL bottle of the most expensive makeup that I currently own. BTW, I have about 15 bottles of foundation in my collection and this one is by far my fave.
The CHANEL CC Cream looks like skin.
It has SPF 50 and UVA/ UVB protection.
It's luminous.
It's sheer, semi-matte and semi-dewy all in one.
It's fucking phenomenal and Diana, my bff, kept commenting on how good my skin looked and swore she'd never buy it.
And then she did.
Honestly, this is makeup made me fall in love with the Chanel beauty brand all over again.
I recently bought the Le Blanc Brightening Makeup Base to amp up that youthful glow that's so hard to obtain past the age of 35. I got mine in the shade ROSE because I have yellow undertones in my skin and it's best to bring out the brightness with a pink colour corrector. It has an SPF of 40 and I love it.
I'm back on the Chanel beauty bandwagon again and I'm strapping on my seatbelt for the long haul because my skin has never looked better. Of course, proper skincare is a necessity but that's a whole other post! ;)
Photography by Nathalie Martin.
Affiliate marketing links in this story are used as a form of compensation.