Random Round-Up: Beauty, Fashion and Music

Apologies in advance for the smorgosbord that this blog post is about to be. I just knew that these things needed to be blogged about, and my time was short because of the holiday week - so I decided to throw these all together! So put on your "I can deal with random blog vomit" panties, and LET'S DO THIS.

1. Aveeno moisturizer + Marcelle DD Cream = Good

This Aveeno Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer is pretty much... my daily moisturizer. Unless I forget to apply it, I wear it everyday. I like it because it has SPF 15 in it, and it gives my skin a healthy glow. My skin has been going a little nuts in the last month or so - seems like I am always breaking out. And normally I don't give a crap and go about my business without thinking much about how my breakouts look. In fact, I don't own any concealer at all - and literally never have in my life. But for some reason I was feeling a bit more self conscious about my skin than usual, so it seemed like a good time to try out the Marcelle DD Cream product that had been given to me at the #blogvancity event back in September.

OK, so confession: I had NO idea what DD cream was when I received this product in September.  And the packaging, as you can see, didn't really help me out in terms of knowing what was awaiting me inside that container. I thought the product was going to be white. If you didn't know what DD cream was, and you saw that container, wouldn't you think you were looking at a glass container with white product inside?? So imagine my surprise the first time I pumped out a bit of this product and saw that it wasn't white at all - it was in fact quite tinted. Too darkly tinted for me to use it as-is, which is when I had the brilliant idea to mix it with my off-white Aveeno lotion.

This, I don't mind telling you, really was a terrific idea. I use about a 3:1 ratio of Aveeno to DD cream, mix them well between my fingers, and then use my fingers to apply the mixture just like I'd apply my daily face lotion. It is very light coverage, as you can imagine, but it takes away some of my redness and evens out my skin tone a bit.

I don't use the DD cream everyday, because I don't love the idea of a makeup product covering my entire face. If I wipe my nose and my Kleenex gets covered in tinted cream, it gives me the weirds. I have to assume my skin is better off without a layer of makeup on it, so I'll stick to using my Aveeno/DD cream combo only on the days I'm feeling self conscious. It's nice to know it's an option though!

From Marcelle's site:

Marcelle DD Cream: Going beyond a BB Cream, DD is an all-in-one tinted cream that not only corrects but really protects your skin from external aggressors. 

. Tightens pores
. Visibly improves skin texture
. Evens and smoothes the look of skin
. Promotes removal of skin impurities
. Controls shine
. Offers immediate and long-term hydrating benefits
. Protects skin from environmental stressors
. Helps prevent signs of aging
. Soothes and calms dry/damaged skin
. Provides anti-dull radiant complexion 

The 1 oz bottle retails for between $18 and $27, but I got it for $Free.99 at the #blogvancity blogger event. Holla! Sidebar, the list of ingredients on this product is a mile long. So... read at your own peril.

2. My birthday present from Sephora!

As a member of Sephora's VIB rewards program I get a little treat every year around my birthday. This year's present was very exciting for me, as a woman who has eye lashes. Sephora was giving out a little Benefit duo with a sample of the They're Real! mascara and the Watt's Up highlighter! I've heard about They're Real! for years but never bought myself any of it because I just tend to lean towards drugstore mascaras. Getting a free sample of this much-discussed mascara was a very nice birthday present indeed.

Check out this wacky brush - the end of it is like a medieval weapon of some sort, isn't it?

I've used the mascara just a couple of times so far - but so far, so good! It separates my lashes well and hasn't clumped or crumbled at all. It was a little strange to do my lower lashes with that crazy brush, but I got it done.

I don't have a ton to say about Watt's Up yet. I swatched it on the back of my hand, and it's creamy with a nice sheen to it. It miiiight be a little dark for my skin, but maybe I can keep it for a summertime highlighter when my face is a little more tan.

3. My 100-point gift from Sephora - Julep Freedom Polymer Top Coat

As part of that same VIB rewards program, I earn points for every dollar spent at Sephora. I've had a ton of points accumulating for awhile (like years), so I also selected a 100-point perk at the checkout - this Julep Freedom Polymer Top Coat.  The product promises to deliver a "gel-like shine without the hassle of curing lights." The reviews for this product are very mixed over on the Sephora site, so I'm not sure how it'll be. Have you tried it? Let me know in the comments!

4. Funny/insulting sidebar: Caudalie thinks very little of me. 

I received this makeup bag as a free gift when I purchased a Caudalie hand cream (a Christmas present for my Grandmother). Um... thanks Caudalie? Without you I'd be straight garbage.  

5. Arbonne FC5 Moisturizing Night Créme

Now here's a good time. I ordered this Arbonne FC5 Moisturizing Night Créme awhile ago but for reasons that I won't go into, it was sent to my sister's home in Massachusetts. She included it in her birthday package to me earlier this month, so I was finally able to try it out! Very happy to say it was worth the wait! This is so thick and creamy and smells subtly like citrusy vanilla - almost like a creamsicle or something. It's much, much thicker than the last night cream I'd been using - a Philosophy cream brazenly called When Hope Is Not Enough. (Sup with all these beauty companies trying to make us feel ugly?) (Oh, wait, nevermind.)

From the Arbonne site:

For normal/dry skin. Rich moisturizing crème nurtures skin while you sleep, helping to maintain young, beautiful skin.

I've only been using this cream for a few nights, but I do love the way it smells and the way it feels on my skin. Only time will tell if it can MAKE ME BEAUTIFUL. #UglyDuckingSigh.

6. New Forever21 nail polish

Forever21's nail polish line - Love & Beauty - has been stepping up their game a bit recently. These polishes cost only $3.80 in Canada (usually $2.80 in the US), and this polish is paaaaacked with glitter! It's got tiny rounds of silver, navy and cobalt and larger hex glitter in cobalt and silver, all in a clear base. It's so packed with glitter that you might be able to get it almost opaque in two coats! I've swatched it a few times now and can't wait to get it onto my nails.

7. Emerald Forever21 sweater

Well I don't want to toot my own color-wearing horn, but this shade of green is really flattering on me, so I was psyched to spot a soft, chunky emerald sweater at Forever21 this past weekend. It's got a hi-lo hem and an oh-so-cozy loose fit. My plan is to take it for its inaugural spin on Thanksgiving, with some skinny jeans, big earrings and that gorgeous brown Adrienne Vittadini bag I found at the thrift store in September. This emerald sweater was $33.80 here in Canada, but it's $27.80 in the US - story of my life. Its color is a lot more vibrant in real life too - it comes off a bit muted in these Forever21 pictures.

8. Thrifted 90s/00s R&B CDs

It's a must that I scour the Salvation Army's CD selection every time I go in there. The 4th Ave Salvay has THE BEST selection of 90s music. Ever. Like hundreds of your favorite 90s artists, all in one place - and all for only $2 each. I saw at least 3 copies of Maroon 5's Songs About Jane album - which was part of the soundtrack to my freshman year at UMass back in 2002-2003. There were 2 copies of Boyz II Men's Cooleyhighharmony album, so obviously I grabbed one of those.

A copy of Babyface's 1997 MTV Unplugged album and Lucy Pearl's self-titled debut album (straight outta 2000!) also made it home with me that day. And I'd love for you to tell me the last time you even thought about Lucy Pearl.

Sidebar, as much as I loooooove looking through the CD selection, it's actually really sad for me to see so many abandoned classics ending up at Salvay. I can only hope that the former owners of all these albums have at least made digital copies of the music and are only abandoning the CD format - not the music itself. #90sForLife. #BestMusicEver.

ALRIGHT Y'ALL. We got through it - my most random blog post of the month! (I didn't check back to verify that statement, but it might be true.)

Did any of this make you say "OOOOH la la!!"? Have you picked up any random things you're loving lately? Are you still reading? BUELLER??

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