theNotice: a beauty blog

We’ve had our winter cold snap here in Edmonton which means two things: (1) It’s really @)#*!@ cold, and (2) Christmas is coming!

So: I wanted to share a “Luxe for a Lot” post with you today, because let’s be honest: sure, you can get some pretty luxe products for not a lot of dough, but there’s nothing quite like treating yourself (or someone else) to one amazing-but-pricy gift. Or maybe two. Or three… but anyhow, my point is this: sometimes it really is worth saving up all year to pick up just one or two Holiday items.

Here are a few of our recommendations! We’ll be sharing some “Luxe for a Little” items soon, too, so don’t you fret. (Plus, I’ll put together our annual “holy crap these items cost what??!” post soon. I’m sure it’ll make these price tags seem a little less startling!) (more…)

Ha! We haven’t done “Splurge” for such a long time on theNotice that I bet you forgot all about it! (Don’t lie. You totally did.)


Anyhow; today we’re discussing neutrals, becase I definitely do think they’re worth splurging on. Now, we’re not talking crazy splurges, but $10-20 on a few good staple shades. Namely, two or three.

The hilight
This should be your lightest colour, and it’ll be different for each person — if you’re super pale, then reach for an almost-white shade, and if you’re a little darker, an ivory. The more contrast between your hilight and your skin, the more it will “pop,” so if you’re a fan of inconspicuous makeup, go for something close to your skintone and fairly matte! 

For use on: the browbone, the inner V, or as a bright wash on a super-lazy (or super-late!) day.
Matte or shimmer: either. A matte will allow for greater versitality, but I personally prefer a finely-milled shimmer with a satiny finish for my go-to.
My favourites: Lancome Crème Lustré (my all-time fave!) and Moonstruck, Estee Lauder Tea Biscuit.

The mid-tone
This one’s more optional than the other two; with good blending you can certainly just get away with using two. However, if you want to take the extra step, getting a mid-tone to pop right in the middle of your lid creates gorgeous depth! I personally love gold-bronze shades for my midtoned shadows.

For use on: the middle of your lid, or as a darker all-over wash.
Matte or shimmer: shimmer, as it’ll make the mid-area jump out, adding depth to your eyes. Not crazy glitter city shimmer, of course, but more of a finely-milled, pearly shimmer.
My favourites: Fyrinnae Polar Bear, Lancome Platinum, Senna Taupe Glow.

The contour
This will be your darkest shade, and will go closest to your lashline (horizontal blending) or in  your outer v (vertical blending.) Used wet, a good contour colour will double as a liner! Don’t go with black — instead, go for a darker brown or taupe.

For use on: the outer v (vertical blending,) closest to your lashline (horiziontal blending,) or even as a soft liner used with a fine brush and/or used wet!
Matte or shimmer: here’s another where I usually go with shimmer, but would recommend matte. Why? Simple: it’s easier to look like a mess if you’re going with shimmer! And if you do want shimmer but you have a matte, you can always pull some of the shimmer from your medium shade over.
My favourites: Senna Twilight or Sphinx.

That’s it — two or three shadows that are worth splurging on if you’re only going to have a couple in your kit! I know, I know, three shadows can ring up a bill anywhere from $30 to $90, but if you’re looking for reliable shades to use up completely, they’re worth every penny.

So here’s the question that you’re all dying to know the answer to (or at least, you should be curious) — why not “long-wearing” gloss? You’d think that if you’re going to spend a small fortune on something, it should be long-wearing.

The answer? Not if you’re trying to lose weight.Hold it. Before you have me institutionalized (I LOVE YOU SARAH CONNOR) let’s hear some logic.

Too heavy -> wants to lose weight -> applies expensive gloss -> refrains from snacking because she doesn’t want to eat off her gorgeous lippie.

I know. The logic is flawless, right?

So there you have it: the case for splurging on an expensive normal-wear gloss.
Recommendations

• Something limited-edition. If you know you can’t re-buy, you won’t want to waste a single minute of wear! Givenchy’s gorgeous new Gloss Poetique should fit the bill quite well.
• Something high-pigment… if biting into that doughnut will smudge your gloss and make you look like a psychopath or Pam Anderson, you may pause and rethink your decision. Stila’s soon-to-be-released Lip Enamels would be perfect for this! Until then, Dior’s Crème de Gloss has your back.
• Something golden. No, serously. YSL’s Golden Gloss may come in quite a number of shades, but wearing 24-karat gold flecks of shimmer? Perfect.

Anyone have a splurge-worthy gloss they want to tell us about? That’s what the comments are for, ladies!

Product: MAC’s 217 blending brush

What I use it for: Uh, this one’s a no-brainer: I use this super-hyped brush for blending shadows!Loves: What you notice right off the bat once you pick this baby up is that it’s incredibly soft – like, OHMYGOD I’M ON ECSTASY soft. Even for my super-sensitive skin, it feels like a dream!! And it blends like a dream too. It’s the perfect size for buffing out those hard edges, no matter if you’re a beginner or a pro. This one’s talked about all the time for a reason!

Dislikes: None! I honestly have NO complaints about this brush. It’s super soft, blends well, weighted perfectly, and its white bristles let you know when there’s colour on it, so you don’t accidentally blend something into that work of art that is your eyelids.

If you don’t “blend”: that’s still okay. I know some ladies just like a sheer wash of colour, and this would do that well, too! I say this only because it’s SO soft – even if you’re using a $5 eyeshadow, it’ll definitely feel luxe going on. (And hey! No harsh lines!) We can all use a little glam in the mornings, weather it takes thirty seconds, or half an hour!The Verdict? I don’t care how old you are, or how skilled you are. This is a must-buy, no matter what! Though blending is a skill, it definitely helps to have the right tools – and this definitely is the right tool. It’s worth it’s $22.50USD price tag over and over again! I’m tempted to buy another one, just because I use it so often.

Product: MAC‘s 129 powder/blush brush

What I use it for: blush! As you all know – I’m not much of a foundation girl, and this would apply too much powder for my liking. But I’ll get into that more later in this post, don’t you worry! I use this every day, unless I’m wearing a cream blush. It’s ousted all my other fleeting loves because of it’s great application, bristle distribution, and weighting!Loves: I really love this for cheek colour application. It’s not the softest brush ever, but it is most certainly on the softer side of the spectrum. As a MAC brush, it’s a quality piece – I’ve had this for quite a while now, and it’s almost never shed on me! (I say “almost” because it has lost a whole two hairs, !gasp!) My blusher goes on very smoothly, and this brush doesn’t “eat” colour: what you pick up off the pan deposits right onto your cheek, instead of ending up 90% in the bristles. The head is full and lush, just as it should be… like a gourmet dish. Or wine*.

Dislikes: Not many, actually. I feel that if this was softer, it would be too floppy, so I have no complaints there! It’s weighted nicely and such; the only complaint is that though this is marketed as a powder/blush blush, I think it’s more of a blush/colour brush. What I mean by this is that it has too heavy of an application for powder, but this is personal preference. As you all know, I don’t like wearing a base! If you’re applying powder foundation, or powder for some coverage, this would actually be great — it would be too much only if you use it for translucent setting powder, or setting powder that you don’t want coverage from. And don’t worry. Unlike cheap sponges that come in your pressed powder foundations, despite the density, this one won’t give you the dreaded pancake face**.
The Verdict? This is definitely worth the splurge of $34USD, as it’s a staple item. You don’t buy one in every colour, the way you would with, say, eyeliner – you buy your one blush brush and you’re set for five to ten years, depending on how well you take care of it***!

Make sure to check online first (I’ve seen them go for about $25 used very gently), or even consider buying the SE mini version (some people say that the SE quality isn’t as good, but I’ve never tried one so I can’t say for sure!) if you’re on a tight budget.

*do not consume wine while using this brush. Result –> CRAZY BITCH CHEEKS. Do not want.
**do not consume. Pancake face is gross, and will do gross things to your intestines.
***do not consume this brush. It is not meant to be eaten, though it’s — pause for a bad joke — so nice I could eat it up!