Winners Find: Fresh, Dewy Skin with Clarins

Never thought I'd write a post about this, let me tell ya. I've never been a dewy skin kinda gal, mostly because if you put me in the sun for 10 minutes, my skin will be all kinds of dewy (sometimes not in the best way!) I love the look of glowing skin but I never thought I could achieve it without looking sweaty, until I discovered the Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector (my shade is 02 Champagne Shimmer). 
As always, Winners has the best finds when it comes to high end makeup treasures and I found a tube of this illuminator for just under $16. Sadly, this particular product I think is discontinued as it is now replaced by the Instant Light Complexion Illuminating Base (which is essentially the same thing). This is essentially a sheer fluid that gives your skin a gorgeous glowing quality, but leaves out the huge sparkly particles you can find in similar products. It's essentially a primer that makes you look dewy, so you can put it on all over your face before foundation, or you can use it on the high points of the face after you've applied your base. For this reason I think it's very versatile. 
There is nothing greasy or oily about it which I love, so you can achieve a healthy glow even if it's 30 degrees outside. The shade Champagne Shimmer has a beautiful golden quality to it so I think it works well for giving you that sun kissed look. Overall, I'm super excited I found this at Winners! But, I'll definitely be interested in testing out the newer formula that came out this past Spring to see how it compares. This base comes in three shades: rose, champagne and peach so there is certainly something for every skin tone! Have you tried it before? Any thoughts on the new formula?
I'd love to hear about any hidden beauty treasures you've found at Winners. I took a pass on some amazing Stila Smudge Sticks and I instantly regretted it once I walked out of the store. Gives me a reason to go back, right?

What's On My Face #2: Day to Night Makeup ft. Orange Lips

Welcome to another edition of What's On My Face! Today I thought I'd show you how I take my makeup from day to night - and it is literally the simplest thing you could ever do! I'm not huge on tons of eyeliner or crazy smokey eyes but when I want to make my look more fun for a special occasion or going out to dinner, a bold lip is my choice. Sure, it may be slightly impractical when you're chowing down on your spaghetti, but you'll look good while doing it, right? 
The look I created has really simple skin, featuring a sneaky purchase I made a few days ago, that is matte but still natural looking. I kept it simple with some primer in my t-zone, a thin layer of foundation, and a few swipes of concealer where I needed it and that was it! For cheeks, I put on a coral hue, making sure to keep it away from the inside of my face close to my nose. Eyes were kept minimal, I didn't play around with eyeshadow, all I did was take some waterproof eyeliner in a dark brown and lined my upper lashline softly and then took an angled brush and smudged it out for an undone look. A few swipes of lengthening mascara in the blackest black you can find, and eyes are finito! Of course, you know me and my love for bold brows so that needed to happen or else this look just wouldn't be complete. 
Alright, now for the fun. During the day, a swipe of a sheer pink gloss gets you through but if you want to embrace the warmer weather and wear this season's hottest makeup trend, you have to go for a bold orange! I definitely stick to my pinks but I've been loving the look of orange lips and I can see myself rocking this for a fun dinner or running errands at the grocery store, but that's just me and my love for a bold lip. If you want to really take it up a notch for night time, Maybe add a bit of black liquid liner and do a little feline slick for a fun edge - but since the lip is already so bold, I'd stay away from adding to much else to the look. Another thing you can try is skipping the blush and going for a more contoured effect with a matte bronzer, I think that would look fantastic! So, what do you think? Are you gonna be trying out the citrus inspired pout this Spring and Summer?
Face: Benefit The POREfessional //  Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet in B30 // NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard // Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Tipsy // Hourglass Arch Brow Sculting Pencil in Dark Brunette
Eyes: Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Damsel // L'Oreal Telescopic Carbon Black
Lips: Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 05 // MAC Lipstick in Morange

Clarins Palette Eclat Face & Blush Powder

It's a new week which means lots of new stuff coming your way! To start off your week I thought I'd share the newest member of my makeup gang which I've been absolutely in love with (it's only been four days but this romance is fo realz!) On Friday I went out with my mom and grandmother to look at the makeup items that were at Winners. I've been extremely surprised at how many amazing brands they offer in terms of beauty and haircare so I was crossing my fingers to find a gem - and I found it! For a few weeks now I'd had this red Clarins box on my mind. They had this palette in the sealed see-thru box and every time I'd take it my hand to take a peek inside at the cashier, I'd put it back down. This time though, I was determined to finally discover what was in that box. Let me tell you, when the cashier opened it up I knew it was coming home with me. A beautiful gold compact slid out of a luxe, red pouch and what was inside was even better - think Diorskin Nude Tan Healthy Glow Enhancing Powder but way prettier! The Clarins Palette Eclat was part of their Spring collection for 2013 but thankfully you can still find it in stock at Debenhams online (they ship to 66 countries!) If you live in Canada and have access to a Winners, take a look inside because I've seen this palette at 3 locations before - plus it'll cost you a cool $20! Now, onto my rave of this beauty....
First of all, Clarins really outdid themselves with this one. The packaging is amazing and the powder itself is beautifully designed. It almost makes you want to never even touch it but let's not go that far! I was a little worried at first because the bronzier shade of the three looked somewhat light so I thought it wouldn't show up well on my medium skin tone. What I found when I applied this on my cheeks was that it was perfect when swirled with the peachy pink lines! The powder is matte so it's not going to make you look like a disco ball but it somehow gives a natural glow! Depending on your skin tone, some people even say that they can use the darker shade as a face powder which is awesome because it makes this palette incredibly versatile! 
This powder is very smooth and glides across the cheeks seamlessly so you won't have any issues with it looking like it's just an extra, cakey layer. Word of warning though, if you are sensitive to scents then I would give this a good sniff before purchasing. I find the scent to be pleasant and you really can't smell it once it's on your face but then again, I've never been very picky on that front! The shade when swirled together is extremely flattering and looks like a natural peachy flush. I love it so much that it hasn't left my cheeks since I got it and I don't see an end to our relationship any time soon! 
Have you tried this palette? I've been loving all of Clarins makeup releases lately. They're definitely taking a younger, fresher approach which always great. Their cream blushes seriously look beautiful! Anything making you run to the Clarins counter?

The Five Product Face

Lately I've been having those mornings where my alarm doesn't off or I'm exhausted from studying too late, so I can't be bothered with colourful eye looks or complicated makeup before heading to class. Solution? Coming up with a foolproof, simple routine that makes you look fresh and awake without taking up all of your time. I'm well aware that there are 6 products in the picture which defeats the purpose of the "five product face" but I'll explain in just a sec.

After cleansing and moisturizing, my next step is applying a tinted moisturizer. Surprise, surprise - it's Jouer Matte Moisture Tint in Nude! This is perfect product in the morning to give my skin a nice base and is easy to apply which makes the beautifying process much easier on me when I'm barely even alive yet. I follow up with my favourite concealer of the moment - NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer under the eyes and over any blemishes. This stuff is magical, nuff said. The wand applicator is perfect for quick application and the formula blends in seamlessly. This product is great for those who want radiance but like the added benefit of having a more matte complexion. That's it for the base! Now let's add some life back into the face. When I don't know what blush to wear I will almost instantly reach for MAC's blush in Melba. I think this shade would look flattering on a wide range of skin tones and the matte finish lends to the ability of this blush to make your face look more defined. For eyes I usually keep my look streamlined and simple with a coat (or two) of black mascara. I've been trying out the Benefit They're Real! mascara since I got it in the Sephora birthday gift this year and I really like it. It defines the lashes and prevents them from getting clumpy which I cannot stand! I'll probably be buying a full size of this in the near future. Alright, here's the twist. If you have a few seconds to spare, spice up your look with a cream eyeshadow pot! Easy application with maximum impact. My favourite for fall has to be the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze. I take this on the finger and smudge it onto my eyelid and extend the colour into my crease to add some depth. It's amazing how applying it this way gives the effect of an eye look that may have taken you more than the 20 seconds it actually did. Perfect for that smudgy, just rolled outta bed, but still look fabulous look. Last but certainly not least, a swipe of a glossy hue on the lips is all you need to finish off this effortless look. Another shocker here, I tend to gravitate towards my Clarins Natural Lip Perfector in Candy Shimmer because it has a bit more colour and pairs well with the blush.

That's it folks. An easy look to get you through that door looking fresh and radiant! Depending on the season you can always switch out the products to cater to your needs. Lately, if I want a look with a bit more impact, I've switched out the blush for some bronzer and rotated in a deep burgundy shade on the lips (Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in 107). Knowing that you have a go-to look that only takes 5 products is always great to have up your sleeve for when you're in a rush or want to avoid wearing too much makeup.

Hope you're having a great weekend! xo

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector

Top: Petal Shimmer // Bottom: Candy Shimmer

WARNING: By the end of this post you may feel the sudden urge to buy some lipgloss. Just a heads up. Don't say I didn't warn you. 

Lipgloss is a touchy subject for me. When I hear the word it brings flashbacks of super glittery, extra sticky glosses I would convince my mom to buy me in elementary school. Then, I had the MAC obsession phase (haven't we all) which didn't really do it for me, except for their Cremesheen glasses which are a little more bearable on the stickiness front. So for the past few years I've been gravitating towards more tinted balms and moisturizing lipstick formulas. But that's a thing of the past because I found the BEST lipglosses EVER. I know that's a huge claim but I'm serious, these are fantastic!

A few months back I was browsing around Vivianna Does Makeup's blog, which is a usual occurrence in my life it seems, and I came across her post about these Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors. Her review had me sold and the next day I went to a department store and picked up a tube. Little did I know I'd be so impressed that I'd buy another one the very next day. I have the shades Petal Shimmer, a nudey pink, and Candy Shimmer, a more rosey pink and they are beautiful! The formula is super creamy, not sticky at all, and provides a sheer wash of colour. Although these glosses aren't the most pigmented ones you'll find on the market, I've found the colours still show up on my lips, which is surprising since they tend to be quite pigmented on their own. I'm hooked! These are always in my purse when I leave the house and they'll be even more useful now that it's getting colder since they not only give you colour but provide moisture as well. I'd definitely put these in the category of a liquid tinted lip balm because they give you the best of all the lip product worlds.

The whole range of lip perfectors includes 6 shades which range from pinks, to apricots and darker nudes and rosey browns. There's sure to be a shade that captures your heart (or all 6 if you're anything like me). These glosses are sold for $20 a piece, which may seem a little steep for a tube of lipgloss but they are well worth it in my opinion. You can get them off the Clarins website or in stores like Shopper's Drug Mart and The Bay if you live in Canada.