Christmas Swag

It’s a couple of days late, but it’s starting to get pretty.

I'll shouw you what it looks like once it's finished!

Foundation Overview: Take 1

A few months after I moved, my skin decided to have an identity crisis. I’m not entirely sure whether it was because I had just turned 25, if it was reacting to the new climate, or if it was due to all of the stress of moving…maybe some combination of 3 and then some…but regardless, it was doing things that I had never seen it do before.

I’ve always had very good skin. Even now, my skin isn’t bad, but I do quite a bit to it to keep it that way.

I’ve only recently discovered the awesomeness of liquid foundation, but I have to say I’m addicted.

From left to right (above and swatches below): MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC45, Makeup Forever Face & Body Foundation in No.12, Nars Sheer Glow in Med. Dark 5/New Orleans, Makeup Forever HD in No. 177, Guerlain Lingerie de Peau in No. 25, Diorskin Nude in No. 051

My perfect foundation is light to medium coverage, and leaves a dewy or satin, more skin-like finish. My skin is normal to dry, more on the dry side, so I don’t want anything that is mattifying or that will dry down to a matte finish.

Wet swatches on paper from left to right (above and swatches below): MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC45, Makeup Forever Face & Body Foundation in No.12, Nars Sheer Glow in Med. Dark 5/New Orleans, Makeup Forever HD in No. 177, Guerlain Lingerie de Peau in No. 25, Diorskin Nude in No. 051

I’m still in the process of testing these - trying out different application techniques, using them over and under different products…etc. But so far, the DiorSkin Nude is my favorite.

Dried swatches on paper from left to right (above): MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC45, Makeup Forever Face & Body Foundation in No.12, Nars Sheer Glow in Med. Dark 5/New Orleans, Makeup Forever HD in No. 177, Guerlain Lingerie de Peau in No. 25, Diorskin Nude in No. 051

There are still a few other foundations that I want to buy and try (Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk, Chanel Perfection Lumiere, Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Finish Creamy Foundation, Burberry Sheer Luminous, Tom Ford Traceless, Bobbi Brown Skin…just to name a few), but I’d like to get through the ones that I have first. Have you tried any of these? Any suggestions for good ones I didn’t mention?

I plan on reviewing each one individually, then compare, contrast, and link them all together for part 2.

Talk to you in the next one!

It’s the second most wonderful time of the year!

I LOVE Christmas!

This Christmas will be interesting as it will be the first that I won’t be spending it in California. But I am excited, and hopefully by then we will have snow on the ground. It’s been cool enough, especially at night.

At any rate, I want to have my tree up by the end of the first day of December, but I have a few things I need to accomplish first (and I will update this post once I accomplish each of my tasks). Is that too soon? When do you usually put your tree up?

Task No. 1: Decide on a theme or color scheme.

Right now, I’m thinking about something silver and white with clear ornaments…or maybe a tree decorated in yellow…

Task No. 2: Buy a tree. Where I live now, there are actual farms where you can go and cut your own, which on the one hand sounds like fun, but then again, I feel like a real tree is so wasteful. You only keep it in your house for a few weeks, and then you literally toss it out onto the street…poor, poor trees. Needless to say, mine will be artificial.

Task No. 3: I need ornaments and decorations. Being the prepared, and brilliant person that I am, I neglected to bring any type of holiday décor with me when I moved. 

I’d hate to pay full price for holiday stuff. I love a good sale, and this time of the year, they are all over. I’m not a Black Friday shopper though. I don’t personally feel like the deals you get are worth bearing the crowds and traffic and potential danger that comes with it. I will however take full advantage of Cyber Monday deals. For me, online shopping is so much easier.

And that’s about it. It' shouldn’t be too difficult to get it done over the next few days…but we shall see whether or not chronic procrastination gets the best of me. I’m not even going to bother with outside décor beyond a little wreath…maybe. We’ll see.

I’ll talk to you in the next one though. Enjoy the rest of your day!