Spring Makeup Essentials

Spring is here, which means it’s time to ditch the full-coverage foundations and all matte products! Let your skin peek through with natural looking makeup; opt for products with a  satin or dewy finish to give yourself a beautiful glow. These are my makeup essentials to transition from the dull and dreary winter to the vibrant and refreshing spring season:

1. Luminous Face Primer – This gives you perfect glowing, youthful looking skin without looking like there is shimmer all over your face. Foundation can sometimes make you look flat, but this helps add dimension back to the face. You can either apply this before foundation or mix it in with your foundation/tinted moisturizer. If you have oily skin, I recommend applying a mattifying primer in the areas you get oily, and using a luminous primer everywhere else. My Pick: Laura Mercier Radiance Primer
2. Lightweight Foundation with SPF – Look for a foundation/tinted moisturizer/BB cream with light coverage that will allow your skin to peek through. You want your skin to look like skin. This is the perfect way to achieve the “no makeup makeup” look. Remember, you can still apply concealer to cover up your blemishes, hyper pigmentation, and other skin imperfections if you want a flawless look. Now that the sun is out, it is essential to protect the skin from sun damage. Foundations with SPF will help block the sun’s rays from damaging and aging your skin. (Note: I do not recommend you to rely solely on makeup for sufficient sun protection. Remember to wear sunscreen!) My Picks: BareMinerals Original Foundation with SPF 15, Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream with SPF 40 
3. Illuminating Face Powder:  Set your makeup with a light-reflecting powder that will capture light and soften the look of your skin. Again, this will help add more dimension to your skin. My Pick: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder
4. Bronzer with a Satin Finish: Now that the sun is out and the weather is warming up, everyone wants a bit of colour added back to their skin. Look for bronzers with a natural looking sheen to achieve a natural sun-kissed glow. My Picks: Physicians Formula Powder Palette Mineral Glow Pearls in Bronze Pearl, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer 
5. Warm Peachy-Gold Highlighter: Mimic the sunlight reflecting off your skin by choosing a shimmery highlighter with warm, peachy-gold undertones. The combination of a radiant bronzer with a warm highlight will automatically transform you into a bronze goddess. Apply this on the high points of your face: the tops of your cheek bones, brow bones, down the bridge of the nose, and your cupid’s bow.  My Picks: Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop, Revlon Highlighting Palette in Peach Glow 
6. Brightening Blush: Choose a shade of blush that will give a brightening, awakening look to the skin. Bright pinks, corals, and peaches will give you a pop of colour that is perfect for spring. My Picks: Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Splendor, 3CE Creamy Cheek Stick in Pink Factory 
7. Brightening Lip Product: Make your lips stand out with a fun bright lip colour. I like to coordinate my lip colour with my blush to bring the whole makeup look together. My Picks: Burts Bees Lipstick in Sunrise Cruise, Dior Lip Glow 

Here is a look that I created using some of the products that I mentioned above. This is my interpretation of a minimal makeup look that focuses on glowing tanned skin with a pop of colour on the lips.

What are your makeup essentials that you incorporate in your spring makeup routine? Show me your spring makeup looks on Instagram! Tag me 🙂 @mybeautydiary92

HAUL Part 2: Skincare from Seoul!

As much as I love trying out different makeup products and brands, I think skincare is more important in the long run and is something that people should pay more attention to. A good skincare routine that targets your skin concerns (whether it be acne, hyper pigmentation, wrinkles, etc.) using effective products with high quality ingredients makes a world of a difference to the way you look and feel. Instead of piling on tons of foundation or concealer to cover up your skin issues, why not target the underlying problem? If you spend the time to research what ingredients and products will work best for your skin type, it will feel so satisfying when you start to see results. You will feel more confident in your own skin, and you won’t feel the need to wear a ton of makeup. (BUT.. that is not to say that you should neglect your nutrition! Drinking lots of water, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, will also improve the health of your skin).

Anywho, BACK TO THE HAUL! When I was visiting Seoul, South Korea, I knew that I wanted to stock up on a ton of sheet masks, pick up my first essence, and other skincare basics (cleaners, moisturizers, etc.).

Left to Right:

1. Tony Moly PURENESS 100 Placenta Mask Sheet (Strengthening Skin Barrier)
2. Tony Moly PURENESS 100 Snail Mask (Skin Damage Care)
3. Innisfree It’s Real Squeeze Mask Sheet – Rose (Smooth & Glowing Skin)
4. Nature Republic Real Nature Mask Sheet – Tomato (Brighten Uneven Skin Tone)
5. Nature Republic Real Nature Mask Sheet – Royal Jelly (Nourishes, Reduces Wrinkles)
6. Too Cool For School Egg Cream Mask (Nourishes Rough Skin)
7. Skinfood Beauty in a Food Snail Mask Sheet – Snail (Smoothing & Firming)
8. Skinfood Everyday Super Nut Facial Mask Sheet (Softens & Nourishes Dry Skin)
9. Tony Moly I’m Real Rice Mask Sheet (Clear Skin)
10. Tony Moly Mighty Tom Real Made Mask Sheet Nutrition-made (Deep Moisture)
11. LALA Cynical Rabbit N.M.F. Aqua Silky Mask Pack (For Uneven Skin Tone and Dull Skin)

Note: Some of the sheet masks came in packs. Oftentimes stores will have a promotion on masks such as  10+10 (i.e. buy 10 masks, get 10 masks free).

Left to Right:

1. Nature Republic Jeju Sparkling Foam Cleanser (Cleans Skin Impurities)
2. Skinfood Black Sugar Mask Wash Off (Exfoliating, Promotes Smooth & Glowing Skin)
3. Innisfree Green Tea Balancing Cream (Moisture & Nourishment)
4. Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask (Unclogs Pores, Absorbs Sebum)
5. Banila Co. Clean It Zero (Makeup Remover Cleansing Balm)
6. Too Cool For School Egg Mouse Soap (Nourishing Facial Cleanser)
7. Innisfree Eco Safety No Sebum Sunblock SPF 35 PA+++ (Controls Oil)
8. Missha Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence Mist (Hydrating, Brightening, Firming, Skin Balancing)

I’m always looking to try out new skincare products, so if there are any Korean skincare products that you think I should try, let me know in the comments section!

February Favourites

Hey Everyone! Here are the standout products that I’ve been loving throughout the month of February!

1. Nivea Aftershave Balm for Sensitive Skin – I discovered this gem from beauty guru NikkieTutorials on Youtube. This is fantastic to use as a face primer. It prolongs the wear-time of your foundation and keeps your skin looking fresh and hydrated due to the high amount of glycerin in this product. This will not provide you with oil control, so if you have oily skin, make sure to set your makeup with powder! Since this is marketed as a men’s product, it does have a men’s cologne kind of fragrance to it, however, the scent disappears after a few minutes. Good quality makeup primers tend to be quite expensive, so if you want to save some $$$$, this is a great way to go!
2. Revlon Highlighting Palette in Peach Glow – This is my favourite warm golden/peachy highlighter for everyday use. The warm tones in this highlighter complements my light-medium yellow undertoned skin, and the shimmer particles are very fine so it reflects light beautifully. I use a fan brush to lightly dust it on the top of my cheekbones, down the nose, on the brow bone, and cupids bow to achieve a subtle lit-from-within glow. You can also built it up to achieve an intense JLO glow.
3. Covergirl The Super Sizer (waterproof) – I have short, thin eyelashes that grow straight down, so I always opt for waterproof mascaras because they hold a curl much better than non-waterproof mascaras. This is one of the better mascaras that I’ve tried at the drugstore. The formula is definitely on the wet side, which I typically don’t like, but this does not weigh down my lashes at all. It adds a ton of length to my lashes while keeping them curled (after I use my holy grail Shu Uemura eyelash curler).
4. NYX Tinted Brow Mascara in Black – Perfect for lazy makeup days, this is the ultimate all-in-one brow product! It tames, frames, tints your eyebrow hairs and adds hair-like fibres to create a full brow. Unlike eyebrow powders or pencils, this lasts all day without fading. Depending on how much pressure and product you apply, you can make your eyebrows look very natural or bold. The shade I got in “black” is not a pure black colour – instead, it looks natural against my black eyebrow hairs. My only gripe is the large brush applicator. I have to be careful not to add too much product or touch the skin around my eyebrow. I wish it was shorter and smaller to allow easy and precise application.
5. Urban Decay Naked Ultra Nourishing Lipgloss in Lovechild (mini size)– The Sephora website describes this product to be “a luxurious gloss and a rich lip balm in one”, which I agree with 100%. I love to use tinted lip balms when my lips are dry, but when I want a glossy lip with some colour, this is what I go for. It’s extremely moisturizing and comfortable on the lips, and provides a creamy, semi-sheer, high-shine glossy finish. The shade “lovechild” is a beautiful mauve-pink that is a “my lips but better” (MLBB) shade.
6. Loreal Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation in Golden Beige – This is hands down one of the longest wearing foundations I’ve ever tried! It has medium coverage with a demi-matte finish and feels incredibly lightweight on the skin. I like to apply this using a beauty blender to achieve a naturally flawless look. I have extremely oily skin in my T zone area (forehead and nose) and it is always a struggle finding a foundation that stops my oils from seeping through soon after I apply foundation. This controls my oil very well and I don’t look like a grease ball by the end of the day. If you have oily skin like me, this is a must-have!
7. Bobbi Brown Mini Bellini Lip & Eye Palette – Last month I’ve been reaching for all of the matte eyeshadows. They are nicely pigmented, glide on smoothly and seamlessly, and are easy to blend. These shades are classic neutral eyeshadow colours that everyone should own. I use the off-white colour for a brow bone highlight, the medium brown in the crease, and the dark brown as a liner or on outer corners of the eyes. I definitely need to look into more matte eyeshadows from Bobbi Brown!

What beauty products have you been loving lately? Let me know in the comments section!

HAUL Part 1: Makeup from Seoul!

If you’re a makeup or skincare lover and you have the opportunity to travel to Seoul, South Korea (AKA Makeup & Skincare Heaven!!), you’ve got to check out all of the amazing roadshop (drugstore) brands that they offer! E.g. Etude House, Innisfree, Skinfood, Too Cool For School, Missha, 3CE. I was lucky enough to travel to Seoul with my family for one week. Sadly I didn’t have too much time to browse around, but here are the makeup products that I picked up while I was there!

Etude House Play Color Eyes In the Cafe Eyeshadow Palette

Etude House My Jelly Lipstick in JPK002, Etude House My Wish Lipstick in BE101

3CE Cheek Stick in Pink Factory, 3CE Beam Stick

Innisfree Eye Primer, Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Powder (Loose)

Skinfood Avocado Oil Lip Balm

Watch out for my upcoming posts about my thoughts on these products, as well as a skincare haul from Seoul! What are your favourite Korean makeup brands and products?? Let me know in the comments below!