Where I've Been & Future Plans

 

Wow, look at that, I haven't completely fallen off the face of the earth!

First off, I need to apologize for the radio silence around here. My life got unexpectedly crazy busy over the last few months and hasn't stopped since. With my birthday, school, looking at universities and working, I haven't had time to think let alone blog.

I've really missed posting but unfortunately it doesn't look like things are calming down anytime soon. This does not mean I'm giving up on blogging because that is the last thing I want to do! However I doubt I will have as much time as I want to devote to this space until around the beginning of February. By then I'll have (hopefully) survived Christmas and exams and will be able to make a full return! By then I'm also hoping to have a new theme and have changed the look of the blog if I can figure out some of the technical stuff. I've got tons of ideas that I can't wait to share with you guys, so I hope you stick around!

- Faith Lorraine
<3




Winter Essentials | Body

As the Starks always say, Winter is Coming, so I figured I'd do a little series for you all about what I consider my winter essentials. (Also I really wanted to use a Game of Thrones references...oops).

 

 

One of the most important things to have during the colder months is a good body moisturizer. Most people, myself included, find that their skin dries out much easier in the colder months so its a good idea to revamp your moisturizing routine in order to combat that additional dryness.

 

 Some of my favourites include anything from the Vaseline Intensive Care line. They do amazing products that really hydrate but also absorb really nicely. They come in several nice scents, as well as an unscented version so that's always a plus! If you're looking for something a little more intense, a body butter might be what you're looking for. They take longer to absorb, but contain some really heavy duty moisturizers.

Next on the list is some sort of exfoliating product. Skin tends to get a little dull in the winter, so regular exfoliation will help to combat that. Freeman Beauty does a nice sugar body scrub that I like to use in the shower to exfoliate my arms and legs. However, it is waaay too abrasive for the much more delicate skin on your face. For that, I'd recommend Neutrogena's Deep Clean Daily Scrub. It exfoliates nicely without being too rough on skin. You may also want to add a chemical exfoliator to your routine, depending on your skin type.

Speaking of skin type, if your skin dries out very easily, some sort of heel moisturizer/treatment is a really good thing to invest in. Cracked, dry heels are never fun. I like to put lots on my feet before bed and then put socks on over it so it has a chance to absorb overnight.

 

I'll be continuing this series over the next couple weeks, so stay tuned for posts on winter skincare, makeup and possibly even fashion if I'm feeling brave. Thanks for reading!

 

xx Faith xx



Autumn Nail Polish Picks

 

 

Autumn is one of my favourite seasons for a lot of reasons, but I especially love all the beauty trends that come back during this time of the year. Nail polish is a particular favourite, considering how much I love typical fall colours. I don't find the bright colours of summer to be that flattering on my hands, so I love when September rolls around and I can pull out my darker shades.

 

Today I've picked three of those to talk about. I think these are three shades that are pretty different but kind of cover the whole autumn colour spectrum. Yup, we're getting technical today.

 

The Sally Hansen in 230 Nude Now is a really nice peach-toned nude. It comes off really pink in the photo but is actually a bit more neutral. This would be a good colour to match with a lot of different things, or if you're just looking for a nude that isn't quite as beige as some others.

 

OPI You Don't Know Jacques is one of my favourite polishes, partly because it's so unique. It has a "suede" finish, which basically means that it's a matte shimmer. The colour is a really nice medium brown with a hint of gold. If I could find them, I'd love to own more colours with this type of finish. The lasting power is also really great, so that's an added bonus!

 

Covergirl's Outlast Stay Brilliant in 275 Wine Stain is another huge favourite of mine. I have a full review of the product here but to sum it up, this is a really well-formulated, opaque polish that lasts a super long time. I would definitely recommend this, considering they're not too badly priced either. This oxblood/red wine shade in particular is a really classic fall colour that I'm absolutely in love with. I'm determined to find some clothes in this colour because I definitely need more of it in my life. :)

 

What are some of your staple autumn nail polishes?

Current Curly/Wavy Hair Care

 

 

Hey guys!

Today's post is all about curly hair maintenance. I have suuuuper thick wavy hair that has a strong tendency to frizz and recently I've found some new products that have really helped me make myself a bit more presentable. I figured I'd share them with you guys and let you know what I thought of them.

 

Both products are part of the Girls With Curls Collection by dippity-do. I spotted them in Walmart one day and was totally sucked by the gorgeous pink packaging. Oops. I did, however, manage to restrain from the shampoo and conditioner and only grabbed the Curl Defining Cream and Deep Conditioning Treatment.

 

I'll start with the Curl Defining Cream. Before this, I've usually only used foaming mousse type products on my hair, but I've found I much prefer this more gel-like formula. I already have thick hair so I didn't really need the volumizing aspect of the mousse, only the curl-enhancing properties. This product fits my hair's needs really well. Less is definitely more with this product. My hair can usually handle a lot of product without getting greasy or sticky, but it is easy to overdo it with this stuff, so consider yourself warned. The bright side of this is that one bottle will last you quite a long time.

 

While the Defining Cream is nice, the Deep Treatment is definitely the star of this duo. It's hands down the best deep conditioner I've tried. Most make your hair feel great and conditioned and all that jazz when you're fresh out of the shower, but the effects seem to fade pretty quickly. This one, however, is really awesome for actually moisturizing your hair long-term. My hair still feels soft and smooth into the second day. The only downside is because my hair is so thick, I need to use rather a lot and only get about 4-5 uses out of a bottle. However, I will still definitely be repurchasing!

 

 

What are your favourite curly/wavy hair products? I'd love to hear some of your hair care tips! Hope you're all having a lovely day!

Posting Schedule

 

Hi guys!

 

First off, I owe you an apology for the lack of posts and content lately! Offline life has been crazy lately, with settling into a new job and getting back into a routine with school.  

 

However, I think I've got my head on straight again and I'm so excited to start blogging regularly. I'm also looking to get a lovely new theme soon, so watch this space! New posts will be going up every Monday and Friday from now on, I hope you enjoy them! Let me know what you think in the comments, or if you have any requests or ideas for posts.

I hope you have a lovely day!

Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer

 So after hearing hype about the Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer for years, I found an excuse to try it out after my beloved Rimmel Match Perfection ran out. After trying it, I'm now kicking myself for not getting it sooner! I've been using it everyday since I got it and it's been brilliant.

 

The coverage is way better than most of my previous concealers but still looks completely natural. It gives a really well-rested appearance to the under eye area. It also helps bring out the cheekbones, so you can skip using a highlighter if you're in a rush or don't want a super contoured look. Also, pale girls can rejoice! I got this in the lightest shade, Ivory, and it's just a bit lighter than my skin tone, making it perfect for the under eye.

 

 

My favourite method to apply it has been using a damp beauty blender, but fingers work as well. I haven't tried it with a brush yet but the consistency seems like it would work well that way too. If you're looking for a new concealer, I'd definitely recommend this one. I think this has displaced Match Perfection as my favourite everyday concealer! If you've tried it, let me know what you think in the comments!

 

 

 
 

A New Foundation Favourite

While Revlon Colorstay Whipped Foundation is definitely not a new product, it is one that's been on my wish list for a long time. I always talked myself out of it because of the price, which at around $16 is a bit steep for the drugstore.

However, I recently caved and bought it, and so far its been totally worth the price. It gives a really nice medium coverage without being at all cakey. The finish is slightly dewy on my oily skin, but those with dry skin would probably get a natural finish. I absolutely love the coverage and the way it looks on the skin. Applied with a beauty blender and a light hand, I've actually found it looks really natural for a higher coverage foundation.

 

One of the best parts of this foundation is the lasting power. I can wear it all day, even in the heat and with oily skin. It doesn't fade or wear at all. In fact, it almost seems to look better as the day goes on. If you've been eyeing this foundation, I'd totally recommend that you go for it. I'm planning on getting another shade, since my tan is starting to fade (already, ugh). I hope you get good results if you try it! If you already have it, let me know what you think in the comments!

Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Polishes

Brace yourself, this post is a bit of a rave about how much I love these things. I've got wine stain on my nails right now. I love oxblood/red wine colours, so naturally I had to try this one out. The colour was very true to what you see in the bottle and really gorgeous on the nails. I think it makes a very subtle alternative to black. 

As for the formula, it is seriously one of the best I've tried. I'm definitely no pro when it comes to painting nails. I always seem to end up with a botched right hand, but these polishes seem to make me a better manicurist. I find the square shaped lid is easier to grip steadily while painting your nails and the polish itself glides on really well.

The lasting power was also excellent. I had it on for over a week without a top coat with no chips whatsoever. It even lasted through several cringe moments where I was sure I had to have chipped them and they were fine! I am really impressed with these polishes and may have to sneak some more colors into my shopping cart the next time I'm at the drugstore.

xx

Faith Lorraine

xx

Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoos

A while back I picked up some Maybelline Colour Tattoos and have been loving them ever since. I believe they were on sale so I got Inked in Pink, Barely Branded, and Bad to The Bronze. I'm in love with these colours and I've heard good things about their new shades too. I think they're around $6-8 and you get .14 oz. in each shadow. 

 

Barely Branded

Inked in Pink

Bad to the Bronze

Top-Bottom: Bad to the Bronze, Barely Branded, Inked in Pink

 

  

I thought the pigmentation was really nice and very blendable. They've got a really nice sheen to them without having chunks of glitter all over. Just a nice shimmery look. Bad to the Bronze may have a slight sparkle to it but it's barely even detectable.

 

If I had to choose a favourite it would probably be Barely Branded. I love it both all over the lid and as a browbone/inner corner highlight. In my experience, the staying power was amazing, and I never used a primer underneath (speaking of which I've been looking for a nice eyeshadow base. Suggestions?)

 

These shadows didn't dry out my lids, which is a plus considering I have dry skin around my eyes. One thing to keep in mind: you're probably better off to blend right when you apply these. Once they dry they stay in place and are difficult to keep blending. Although this is obviously a good thing for all day wear. Also, when you go to apply, I found it helped to warm it up with my finger on the surface of the product, otherwise it felt like it had dried. But once you warm up the top it's very creamy and blendable. Overall, I will definitely be picking up some more shades when I get around to it and would completely recommend these. :)

Mascaras of the Moment

 

 

Hi again, hope you're all having a lovely day!

 

I'm going on holiday soon so unfortunately I won't be able to post as often for the next couple weeks, but I am going to schedule some posts to go up while I'm away.

 

Today, however, I wanted to talk about the mascaras I've been trying lately. Mascara is one of my favourite makeup products and I'm always getting sucked in to trying new ones, though I often come back to the same tired-and-true favourites.

 







 

My recent lineup of mascaras have all been drugstore and to be honest, I usually stick with drugstore mascara. I think mascara is one of those things that if you find the right one, the cheaper version is just as good as the high end.

 

 

My favourite of the three was Covergirl's Clump Crusher, which I will definitely be repurchasing. When I first bought it, I had my doubts about whether the "clump-defying" claims were actually true, but I was pleasantly surprised once I tried it. It gave loads of volume without clumping. Obviously if you load on the mascara it's going to clump eventually, but you really have to try to make clumps with this product. I found the brush to be a really good size as well. I hate brushes that are too small to do much for your lashes, but big brushes are difficult to use in the inner corner of your eye. I found this brush size to be a happy medium between the two.

 

Probably my favourite thing about this is its "water resistant" formula. Non-waterproof mascara sometimes smudges on me, but I hate trying to get off waterproof formulas at the end of the day. Covergirl's water resistant version stayed on all day despite oily skin/eyelids but came right off at the end of the day. I simply washed some water over my eyes and then took it right off with a face wipe. My only complaint is that I wish it was a teensy bit more lengthening, but to be fair its meant to be more of a thickening mascara then a lengthening one.

 

The Maybelline One by One is my most recent purchase. I have to say, I was a bit disappointed. I've had my eye on this mascara for awhile. My friend used it and her eyelashes always looked great so I figured I'd try it out. Unfortunately, I think eyelashes are like hair in that different products work differently for different people. It added decent length, but nothing great. It made my eyelashes look pretty thin and even layering it wouldn't build any volume. I'll probably keep this around for everyday use, just for the sake of using it up, but I definitely wouldn't recommend it.

 

Last but not least is the L'Oreal Voluminous mascara. I use this a couple years back and loved it. The second time around it's still good, but I think it's been replaced as my favourite. It does build great volume, so if you have thin eyelashes you might want to give this a try! However, it does tend to be a bit clumpy and not very lengthening. The waterproof formula is great for avoiding smudges, but I found it was difficult to get off at the end of the day. I'll probably repurchase this eventually, but most likely only as a backup or everyday mascara. 

 

That's all for today! Let me know if you had different results with any of these mascaras. What's your holy grail mascara, or even just your current favourite?

 

Wishing you a lovely day,

 

- Faith Lorraine



Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer

Hi lovelies!

 

Just wanted to do a quick review post today on a product I've been loving!

 

The Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer in Tiki is pretty far from a bronzer, it's much more of a highlighter than a bronzer. They do come in darker shades which can actually be used as bronzers, so if you're not interested in a highlighter at the moment, I'd skip this shade. However, it is an absolutely gorgeous highlighter.

 

 

 

 

It really gives a to-die-for glowy look that's perfect for summer. It can be applied dry or wet, depending on how high intensity you want your glow to be. I'm willing to bet this would last a really long time as well, it feels like you get a lot of product for the price you pay (I think it's around $8-$9). It applies wonderfully and feels really smooth. If you want something more subtle and prefer not to highlight your face, I love using it to highlight the cupid's bow above my lips or even as a browbone highlight. It's a really versatile product.

 

 

 

That's all for this product, at least for today! Thanks so much for reading, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Has anyone tried some of the other shades? What's your thought on the product? I'd love to hear from you! Have a gorgeous day! :)

 

 

 

 

DIY: Real Life Pinterest

Hey guys, I've got something a little bit different for you today, I hope you enjoy! I'm pretty sure I don't need to explain what Pinterest is to anyone, but long story short its like an online cork/bulletin board for everything you like. (warning: shameless self promotion - you can check out my pinterest here).

 

Anyway, a while back I decided to try and get a bit crafty and make my own real life version of Pinterest. This is basically just a super simply DIY thing to do when you're bored, but I've also found it helps get me inspired.  It's a lot of fun and also gives me an excuse to buy more magazines, so I figured I'd share it with you guys.

Step #1: Get a binder. You don't have to go out and get anything fancy, but you'll need a place to store the pages you clip. I actually got mine at a local thrift store, so don't feel like you need an expensive one for this to work. You'll also need some of those transparent sheet protectors. If I'm explaining this badly, just check the pictures below and you'll see what I mean. They're also available at office supply stores and Walmart or Target.

 

Step #2: Go through any magazines you've got around and cut out any pages or articles you like or want to keep for future reference or inspiration. For example, if I see an ad with makeup I'd like to recreate or a fashion article I like, I'll cut them out. I use an exacto knife, but scissors work fine too.

 

Step #3: Put the pages into the sheet protectors and then into the binder. You can organize however you want, though mine aren't in any particular order (as you can probably tell). I put two sheets back to back in one page protector, so that the sides with the article I clipped face outwards.

And that's pretty much it! Like I said, it's really simple and just kind of a cool thing to look through from time to time. If you do end up trying this out, tweet me or comment and let me know! I'd love to hear from you!

 

- Faith Lorraine

 

P.S Sorry for the terrible photos, my camera was apparently not feeling it today.

eos Lip Balms

I know, I know, everybody talks about these but I love them so much I had to get my thoughts out there. 

I've had pretty dry lips my whole life so I'm constantly on the lookout for great lip balms. I may do a post on my all time favourites sometime soon. Let me know if you're interested! 

Anyway, I was first given these as a gift and fell in love with them instantly. The packaging was adorable and the scents were amazing. However, these do leave a tiny bit to be desired in terms of moisturizing power. If you don't have super dry lips like me, these would probably work great for you. Don't get me wrong, they're okay for dry lips, but if you're looking for super hydration, these probably aren't for you. I tend to use them mostly during the summer when my lips aren't so dry and then switch to something more heavy duty in the winter. 



Strawberry Sorbet, Pomegranate Raspberry, Sweet Mint, Vanilla Bean

 

As for the flavours, they're absolutely awesome. And by awesome I mean so good you want to eat them. I have strawberry sorbet (which is probably my favourite), pomegranate raspberry, sweet mint, and vanilla bean. Unfortunately, vanilla bean is exclusive to the limited edition winter set, which also included sweet mint and pomegranate raspberry. On the bright side, those two are available individually. 

Pomegranate raspberry has the most subtle scent, so if you don't like scented lip balms but want to try these, I'd recommend trying that one out. Sweet mint has a stronger peppermint scent, and tingles slightly on your lips. For some reason, I find sweet mint to be the least hydrating and it tends to be the one I use the least. 

Overall eos has done a great job with these and I'm hoping to try some of their other products soon!

 

 

Wet n' Wild Comfort Zone Palette

 

Hello again!

 

Today I'll be reviewing one of my favourite eyeshadow palettes, the Wet n' Wild Comfort Zone Palette. It's one of the products I reach for all the time and it's an absolute bargain too. Wet n' Wild are known for their eye shadows and it's easy to see why. The pigment and colour payoff is especially good for the price.

 

 

 

 

It's a great product for beginners as well. The labeled shades make it easy for anyone to use and the neutral shades are great for tons of different occasions. The blendability (not sure if that's actually a word, but I'm going to pretend it is) and overall quality beats most other drugstore eye shadows I've tried.

 

 

 

 

It also comes with a tiny blending brush, which is way more useful than the sponge tip applicators drugstore eye shadows usually come with. I swatched all the shades below, but the picture really doesn't do justice to the colours, the definer shades in particular. The definer on the right hand side of the palette is especially unique. It's an iridescent colour that looks like a slightly shimmery blue-grey from one angle and a rich red-toned brown colour from another.

 

All in all, this palette is definitely worth the hype! If you're looking for an affordable palette, this is definitely worth checking out.

 

- Faith Lorraine

Summer Essentials: Body Butter

Good morning!

 

First off, I have to apologize for the delay in getting this posted. I know I promised it for yesterday, but some camera issues meant I had to wait until today to take the pictures. However, everything is sorted out now!
 

 

 

Today I wanted to talk about one of my absolute lifesavers in the summer. Summer means a lot more leg being shown off, and there's nothing more annoying than having dry skin during this season. A normal body lotion might be fine for many of you, but I have very dry skin and I find I actually prefer body butters to regular moisturizers. They're much creamier and in my experience, keep your legs and arms moisturized longer than a normal lotion would.

 

At the moment, I have two body butters on the go. One is a mini lemon-scented one from the Body Shop and the other is Bath and Body Works' white citrus. I have a slight preference for the Bath and Body Works version, both because of the scent and the quality.

 



The Body Shop Lemon Body Butter

 

The Body Shop one is more of a "true" body butter. It's very thick and a bit more difficult to rub in. However, the mini size is very convenient to take with you during the day or to toss in your beach bag. The
B & BW version tends to absorb better and is much easier to scoop out of the container, while still moisturizing amazingly well.



Bath & Body Works White Citrus Body Butter

Overall, they're both quite good and something I always try to have with me during the summer months. I hope you have a lovely day, keep an eye out for a new post coming your way tomorrow.

- Faith Lorraine


New Beginnings

 

Hello there! Welcome to Faith Lorraine, my new beginning in the world of blogging. I'll most likely be talking a lot about beauty, fashion, skincare, books, and other fun stuff. If any of that interests you, please stick around. I'm going to try and get a posting schedule worked out soon, but I'm hoping to post every other day or a few times a week. I hope you enjoy! :)

 

I've decided to start things off with a summer essentials series. The first post will be up tomorrow! I hope you have a wonderful day!