Covergirl Stay Fabulous Liquid Foundation Review

Hi everyone! I hope you all had lovely weekends.

Today I'll be reviewing Covergirl's Outlast Stay Fabulous Foundation. 

This foundation has an SPF of 20, which was one of the main reasons I got it - I had been looking for a good foundation with UV protection for the summer. The foundation doesn't provide a huge amount of coverage, however it does apply wonderfully smoothly, and is light and creamy in texture, which I think will be a huge asset in summer months when putting heavy foundation on will be the last thing I'll want to do. The foundation was also very affordable; I purchased mine for $13 at a drug store.

Before applying foundation

After applying foundation

Look complete!

I hope this review was helpful for you! Have a wonderful week :)

-Hannah

March Favourites

Hey everyone! We're now onto April (time flies) so naturally, I feel I must do a March favourites post. Here it is!

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear nail polish in Bubblegum Pink. I got this on a whim a while back (for Valentine's Day, actually, though I only got around to trying it out mid-March) and just love the bright pink colour. The nail polish applies smoothly and stays on well!

Rimmel lipstick in Just So. [top image source] I had been looking for a slightly more natural, versatile lipstick for a while, and was so pleased when I found this one! It lasts for ages and even smells nice. I quite enjoy this lipstick.

Clinique clarifying lotion for dry combination skin. This is just a sample bottle, and I only just started using it, but I can already feel the difference it makes on my skin. It keeps my face matte throughout the day, and dries up pesky little red marks. Absolutely love it.

Lord Huron - Lonesome Dreams. This album is definitely my favourite right now. Relaxed, acoustic, full of emotion. I definitely recommend it!

What are some of your March favourites?

-Hannah

My Small Makeup Victory

Hi everyone!

Today I will be informing you of my small but momentous makeup victory - after an age of trial and error, I can finally make my black liquid eyeliner symmetrical on both sides. I mean, there's still some error... let's say I'm up to nailing it 80% of the time. I feel like that's something I can work with!

Here's proof!

It really is not that momentous an occasion, I suppose.... but hey, it's the little things in life :)

Have wonderful weekends!

-Hannah

Rainy Sunday

Hi everyone! I hope you all had wonderful weeks.

It's Sunday, it's raining, and I'm nice and cozy listening to some indie music. It's really creating this excellent feeling in me.

The playlist I'm listening to, very aptly named "That Sunday Afternoon Feeling," is right here if you're curious. Truly lovely.

And here is my look for today:

Lipstick: RIMMEL Lasting Finish Liptick in "Just So." 

Eyeshadow: COVERGIRL Eyeshadow Quad in "Lionqueen."

Eyeliner: ALMAY Intense I-Color Liquid Liner

Eyebrows: ALMAY Brow Defining Pencil

Had some fun with button-up shirts today as well! Found at Old Navy

Good bye for now! May you all have lovely beginnings to your weeks.

-Hannah

Online Shopping Wishlist

Hey everyone! It's Thuuursday. And as I've spent the last hour or so browsing stores online instead of studying, I thought I'd share some of my finds with you!

Wishlist. by thelightningboltscar featuring hair styling tools

1. Sedu Pro Ionic Ceramic Tourmaline Flat Iron. I've been wanting a new flat iron for a while now, yet want to do lots of research and such before I decide on one! I've heard amazing things about this Sedu flat iron.
2. Iced Coffee Date Wedges from Modcloth. These shoes are so cute. A pair of wedges like these are just what I need for the spring and summer!
3. Food Stylista Dress from Modcloth. I absolutely adore Modcloth's selection of dresses. One day, after I've accumulated a decent amount of money, I feel I must go on a Modcloth dress buying spree.
4. Warm Palette from Coastal Scents. So. Many. Colours. Plus it's on sale right now! That must be a sign!
5. Tortoise Shades from Satterday. A new pair of sunglasses is high on my list right now, and this pair is adorable. Definitely keeping my eyes open for a similar pair when I next go shopping.

There is my wishlist! SO many cute things available right now. What are some online stores you enjoy perusing?

-Hannah

Updo of the Day

Happy Saturday!

Today I was experimenting a little bit with my hair and decided to share the end result with you!

Not anything spectacular by any means, but it was easy and quick. Simply twirling the front bits of hair back and securing with a clip, then making a side braid. The bow accessory I used was from Forever 21, for around $4.00, I believe. I've had it for years and barely ever use it, and just unearthed it today and decided to show it off again!

I also had fun with my makeup today, on a side note. Going for light makeup today - 

Eyeshadow: RIMMEL London Quad Eyeshadow #018

Lipstick: REVLON ColorStay in Ultimate Suede

And now I'm off to enjoy my Saturday! I hope you are all having lovely weekends xx

-Hannah

My First RED LIPSTICK

Happy Thursday!

I just recently purchased Revlon's matte balm (not technically a lipstick, but hey, I'm counting it) and decided to share this excitement with you!

I put it on this morning before going downtown - about three or so hours ago - and the colour is still incredibly vibrant. It applies easily, almost like a marker would, with a pointed crayon-shaped tip. 

I bought mine for $9.99 at London Drugs

The shade I bought is Standout. The matte balm came in a variety of colours, from corals to bright pinks to deep plums. I'll definitely be expanding my selection!

-Hannah

Back to School I Go

I have officially completed my first week back at university! Hooray!

It's been an amazing week. I'm getting back into the routine of university and the term is off to a fantastic start. I'm even adhering to my new year resolutions so far!

Taken at the ferry terminal as we waited for our sailing to
bring us back to the mainland

Between last Sunday when I returned to campus and today - a week - I worked out five times. I'm really enjoying keeping active and how accomplished I am feeling, and will totally be working out lots in the coming weeks so I really get into the habit of being active! 

I also got new workout shorts yesterday, for sale at Sport Chek. New athletic clothing is something I'm always excited about!

Orange & purple (looking a bit blue in this light) Adidas shorts

Along with being more active, I'm trying to get into the habit of eating healthier. Besides eating way WAY too much caramel corn yesterday, I've been decent with it! And I can already feel a difference - so much more energy. My body is happy with the few small changes I've been making, such as no more fried food, more fruits and vegetables, and decreasing drastically on sugar consumption.

I also have learned and continue to practice filling in my eyebrows. It feels so exciting to be able to enhance the shape of them, make them as bold as I like or keep it low key, and generally just play around with finding what works best on my face. Such fun! I'll be doing an eyebrow post one of these days for sure.

I'm feeling super satisfied with how this week went, and I hope my next weeks are even better. I hope your 2014's are off to a great start!

-Hannah

2013 Favourites

Hi everyone! As we are now just beginning what will hopefully be an amazing 2014, I decided to gaze back on 2013 and share some of my favourite cosmetics and hair products of the year. Here we go!

COSMETICS.

CLINIQUE Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel: I absolutely adore this moisturizer. For my tending-towards-oily skin, it's really fantastic at keeping my face matte throughout the day, due to the fact it is a light gel, not a cream. I highly recommend Clinique's moisturizer line!

ALMAY Clear Complexion Liquid Makeup: The best liquid foundation I have ever owned (also one of the first, but I am so in love with it, I can't imagine using anything else). This foundation provides even, smooth coverage that lasts all day. Love it.

COVERGIRL Lash Blast Volume: I am so thrilled with this mascara! Affordable, and makes my eyelashes look longer and fuller.

ALMAY Brow-defining Pencil: This is the first brow pencil I bought for myself, only a couple of weeks ago, and so far, it's working extremely well for me! This plus an angled brush and I'm good to go, it's wonderful. It looks natural and stays on for as long as I need it to!

ANNABELLE Smoothliner in Metal Daze: As it says on the pencil, hypo-allergenic, long-lasting, and waterproof. One of my absolute favourite pencil eyeliners! The colour I have is Metal Daze - it comes out as a lovely almost sparkly black. I definitely plan on getting my hands on more colours!

HAIR PRODUCTS.

TRESEMME Thermal Creations: This "heat tamer spray" is a dream. It offers heat protection for temperatures up to 230 degrees Celsius. I personally use it for blow drying, since that's really all I do along the lines of heat to my hair nowadays, but I'm sure it would work wonderfully for flat ironing or curling too. It leaves my hair feeling soft and smooth. Just a spritz on the hair right before you apply heat! Plus, it smells amazing. 

GARNIER Pure Clean Smoothing Cream: This cream understands my hair. No heaviness, no stickiness, just 98% naturally-derived goodness. I put it on my curly hair when it's damp and it locks in smooth, bouncy curls without any fuss at all. Seriously wonderful.

- - - - -

There is a handful of some of my favourite products of 2013! I so look forward to this coming year of testing out more products and discovering what works for me. 2014, here we come!

What are some of your 2013 favourites?

-Hannah

September Favourites

Wow, hello everyone! It's been a while, eh?

I have really no excuse other than the fact I've been CRAZY busy settling into university. But now it's been a month, I'm getting used to the homework load and living in dorm, so I feel like I can begin regularly updating again. And what better way to start it off with a good ol' favourites post?

Favourite Clothing Item:

Steve Madden boots
$50.00

I got these boots while searching for "sensible university shoes" for my long walks to class, and have not been disappointed! They are comfortable and go with basically any outfit. I don't think they'll perform particularly well in heavy rain, but hey, that's what rain boots are for.

Favourite Cosmetic:

Eos lip balm
$3.00

A basic cosmetic, but an awesome one. I got the summer fruit flavour, which smells INCREDIBLE. The lip balm itself applies smoothly. I definitely want to get my hands on more flavours.

Favourite Music:

I Choose You by Sara Bareilles

I picked up this song (for free!) at Starbucks, where it was featured in one of the Pick of the Weeks. And okay, it is the most adorable, feel-good song. It's lovely! I adore Sara Bareilles' voice, and continue to enjoy her music.

A rather short post, I apologize, but my chemistry homework is calling my name. I hope you all are having lovely weeks, and I'll get back to you soon!

What are some of your September favourites?

-Hannah

Nail of the Day: Essie's Turquoise and Caicos

Hello everyone!

I know I haven't made a post in a while, things have been quite busy! But I had a relaxed moment today and decided to write a post for you guys. So here's my take on Essie's Turquoise and Caicos nail polish (one of my favourites!)

Turquoise and Caicos is a really lovely, summery colour. And, as always, the Essie nail polish is a perfect texture and consistency - with two coats, I had a nice opaque colour. It does take at least two coats, though, if you want a seamless, solid, bold colour. 

Hope you all had a lovely Monday!

-Hannah

Twitter

May Favourites

On a happier note! Favourites! Let's do this!

1. Covergirl's liquid eyeliner. Extremely easy to use, especially for a cat-eye! I have it in a dark shimmery gray, and I'm seriously considering getting a black as well. These are a lot less runny than the usual liquid eyeliner you find - it has an almost pen-like quality that makes applying super easy!

2. Aveeno's Leave-In Conditioner. I've been looking around for a good leave-in conditioner ever since Live Clean discontinued their's (sad face) and experimented with this one! It isn't heavy enough for a true leave-in, especially on my wild hair, but is really good for taming second-day hair. It's isn't a cream, it's a spray, but has a nice smell and doesn't have any harmful chemicals. I recommend it!

3. Almay's Liquid Foundation. I think I've mentioned this before, actually! I'm going to bring it up again, it's that awesome. It blends really well, covers everything that needs to be hidden, and, in general, just does an awesome job at keeping my skin looking good. 

4. WALK THE MOON. If you read that last post, the one in which I ranted unecessarily, you'd have seen a mention of these guys. Basically, they are one of my favourite bands right now. If you're into indie rock/alternative/awesomeness, you'll like them. If you want somewhere to start, check out the song Next In Line. Perfect summer song, I swear.

5. Star Trek: Into Darkness. I'm going all over the place with this post, my apologies! But if I had to choose a favourite movie in May, it would be this one. I keep trying to get people to go with me again, but no one will! Gah!

So those are my May favourites, from makeup to hair products to movies and music! I hope you enjoyed this post, thank you so much for reading :) 

What are some of your May favourites?

-Hannah

Mini Cosmetics Haul

Hello everyone! First of all, Happy Mother's Day! I hope you are all having a lovely day :)

Secondly, cosmetics haul! I bought a grand total of TWO make up items today. Massive amount, I know! I thought I would share anyway, even if it is just to avoid the looming pile of homework waiting for me. So let's get started!

Now, I'm not completely sure if nail polish falls under "cosmetics," but if I didn't put this in, my haul would only have ONE item, and that's hardly a haul, is it!

Essie's TART DECO

Essie "Tart Deco" nail polish! It's a lovely peachy colour, very summery. I have been looking for a pinky-orange such as this one for a while now, so I was very happy to stumble upon this colour, and for sale, to boot!

I really do love Essie nail polishes, though I mainly have OPI in my collection, just because of OPI's awesome colour selection. I have one other Essie, Turquoise and Caicos, and I love the consistency and durability. In my opinion, OPI and Essie are very similar in how well they stay on. I will make sure to post pictures and comments after I try out this one!

Secondly, I bought my very first liquid foundation, hooray! I've been using powder for basically my entire foundation-using years of life, and while I love powder foundation, I was in need of a good liquid foundation for those times when extra coverage is necessary.

So I bought this Almay Clear Complexion liquid makeup, which, I just realized now, is new! I tried a little from a sample bottle at the store, and I really loved how it felt and blended in.

Only complaint: no spf. But I'm sure I'll survive!

And that is my extremely small haul! Once I've begun using these two products, I'll post some sort of review. But for now, I hope you're all having lovely Mother's Days, and that the weather wherever you are is better than the weather here!



-Hannah

But today is Tuesday too!

Supernatural, anyone? No? Okay. Couldn't resist. Sorry.

First of all, THEME CHANGE! My blog looks different. Yay!

Secondly, ESPIONAGE MAKE-UP! You may recall my post from yesterday in which I excitedly babbled about Comicon. One of the things I purchased was eyeshadow from Espionage Cosmetics! I highly encourage you to check them out! Tons of fantastic colours! And all fandom related lines - the one I bought is part of the Browncoats collection :D

And you know what's exciting? The eyeshadow isn't just an eyeshadow. They actually call it everything shadow. Here's a list of all the wondrous things it can do:

• Eyeshadow
• Lash colour
• Highlighter
• Blush
• Temporary hair colour
• Acrylic colour
• Body shimmer
• Nail colour
• Lip stain
• Brow filler
• Lip gloss
• Contour
• Glitter tattoos
• Eyeliner
• Warpaint

Whoa. I know.

I still need to figure out how to do the majority of these things (all of them except eyeshadow, actually!) but I'm definitely looking forward to experimenting with the one I got! I really love the colour I bought - it's called Mrs. Reynolds and is this really nice shimmery pink.

 I love the packaging!

I think this colour would work really nicely as a blush (which I can totally do - see list above!!) so I may give that a try! It's a very smooth, nice consistency and goes on super well.

Very shimmery and dainty!














To sum up, I am totally going to buy more Espionage products! I love this one so far and am really excited to try different looks out with it. Go check them out! Here's the link again! espionagecosmetics.com

BYEEEE