Sports Proof Makeup!

I feel like the Little Mermaid when she had to learn how to exist on land. Being a competitive swimmer and water rat all my life (my summer jobs were always either "swim coach" or "lifeguard"), makeup was never an issue. Looking like a wet, pruney, haggardly tomato with puffy "goggle eyes" was par for the course. But now that I've ventured into "land sports" territory - soccer for now - I was left wondering how to stay cute while still playing like an angry mama bear.

Here is the winning combination! Everything I'm wearing in this tutorial has been tried and tested time and time again, through all my sweaty glory. Post-games, my acne-prone skin hasn't broken out, so this won't clog your pores. Just be sure to clean your face well afterwards. The DermaBlend foundation provides easy, amazing coverage but that does mean it requires a quick swipe of makeup remover, olive oil, or cold cream to really cleanse it from your face.

::PRODUCTS USED::

*DermaBlend foundation (purchased at Shopper's Drug Mart in Canada - costs only about $25 each!) in #25 and #45 - Mixing two foundations is key to getting the perfect colour match for your skin.

*Coastal Scents 88 Warm Palette - Two light matte browns to fill in brows using a stiff angled brush. Make sure the e/s you use to fill in your brows is matte and not shimmery.

*Chamayu Brows Up brow gel - Set and lighten brows a little more with tinted brow gel. I've bent the applicator so it's easier to apply; this way the product won't get all over my face. I bought this at Pacific Mall.

*Urban Decay Primer Potion - A key ingredient for making e/s last rather than melt off your face while you're sweating through the game.

*Too Faced Natural Eye Palette - Mix the shimmery and matte highlight colours and pat them onto the inner 1/3 of your lids.
Dupes: shimmery pink = Stila "Kitten", matte beige = MAC "Brule".

*CS 88 Warm Palette - A shimmery rose colour adds a pretty, feminine, yet neutral touch to the look. Don't use anything too dark. Lighter colours are more forgiving in case something goes awry with your e/s during the game.

*CS 88 Warm Palette - Mix two dark matte warm browns to lightly add dimension to the look. Use the same colours to line 2/3 of bottom lashes.

*Lola Highlight Pencil - Highlighting inner corners and waterline subtly opens up your eyes.

*MAC Fluidline in "Black Track" - This AMAZING gel liner literally does not budge. Even after massive amounts of sweating!

*e.l.f. Blush in "Coral" - Adding a touch of colour to your cheeks adds polish to your look.

*MAC Mineralized Skin Finish in "Medium Plus" - Set everything with loose powder. I like the MSF powder because it doesn't look cakey or make your face overly matte. It looks more natural when you sweat.

*Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler & CoverGirl Lashblast WATERPROOF Mascara in "Black" - Finish off with waterproof mascara. It will hold the curl of your lashes and you won't have to worry about the product running all over your face. Lashblast is great - it adds a lot of fullness even though it's a waterproof product.

::WATCH THE VIDEO::

Basic Shoe Collection Part I

My good friend Sarah requested a shoe collection video (thanks Sar!). I called it a tutorial because it illustrates basic shoes that I feel can easily match with almost any outfit. I decided to break it into parts mainly because my camera died lol. But to my credit, I had already pre-categorized the shoes into flats, heels, and boots. So look out for the boots collection in Part II.

TIP: I keep my shoes basic, comfortable, and classic. I prefer to follow shoe trends only if I feel the trend will last. I usually wait one season to see if they will return. Gladiators and Uggs fall into this category so I've since purchased both. Otherwise I tend to throw in a trendy piece in my clothes instead, as that is usually a cheaper investment, and if the trend becomes totally obsolete then I'm not stuck wasting a pair of perfectly functional footwear. Comfort is of utmost importance to me when it comes to footwear because it can really add or detract from your overall well-being. Everything I'm showing you except the really high turquoise pumps are extremely comfortable.

Holy Grail UNISEX Tinted Moisturizer: ORIGINS VITAZING (w SPF15)

Dare I say it? THIS PRODUCT IS UNISEX! Boys, we ladies empathize with how much it sucks to not be able to rectify red, blotchy, acne-ridden skin. Even we have trouble hiding it and we're able to resort to an army of products without the fear of being judged. Well your solution is here! Origins VitaZing to the rescue!!

::THE HYPE::

Origins VitaZing is marketed as a tinted moisturizer with SPF so it's not only easy to apply but gives you some protection against harmful UVA/UVB rays. The bonus is that it is lightweight and evens out skin tone - without being too greasy or too mattifying like other tinted moisturizers. It somehow provides a combination of moisture, coverage, and a slight dewy glow that lasts all day. And if you need to add concealer, go right ahead. You'll look like you have a natural perfectly-complected face. I wear this to work daily and it's quick and flawless! Saves me so much time in the morning and I feel healthy wearing it since it has SPF and won't clog pores.

VitaZing works with ALL skin colours. Despite it coming out white, the tiny beads in it (Ions? Let's not get scientific, haha) colour-match to each individual's skin tone. Yes, this means darker-skinned people won't come out looking ashy. And you don't have to shop around to colour-match and worry about the product looking weird on your face. See? Super easy for everyone, especially lazy girls like me and boys who refuse to go shopping for cosmetics. It also smells amazing - a florally citrus? Regardless, the scent is SO faint that it's barely detectable and won't make your face smell.

The only downside is that the product's non-glossy packaging can get a little discoloured if you keep it among your other makeup. Yes, this is seriously the only "con" I could come up with. ;)

::HOW TO APPLY::

Simple! You only need a tiny amount, about two pea-sized dollops (about what's shown here) in order to get great results. Just put tiny dots of product all over your face and rub it in. Bring it slightly down your neck. Because I have dry skin, I choose to first moisturize my face with my regular moisturizer, Shiseido Night Moisture Recharge, then apply VitaZing. You definitely don't have to do this. Yet even with the extra step, my acne-prone face never breaks out or gets overly greasy when using this product.

There is flash here and I didn't work in the product very much, but you can already see how it blends right into my skin without altering its colour. It's hard to tell on my hand but it immediately evens out skin tone. Definitely not to the same level as a heavier concealer or foundation, but it works incredibly well for a tinted moisturizer. Especially great for those hot summer days when you want coverage but dread wearing anything too heavy on your face. Just add a bit of concealer to problem areas and you'll be set!

Cool UNISEX Scarf Trick: How to Tie Your Scarf in an X!

This is something you can try with both thick and thin scarves.


Tip: It's extra flattering when done with a slightly shorter scarf because the X formation really shows.

*Unfortunately I had to re-upload this video with no music as there were copyright issues.

::WATCH THE VIDEO::

Outfit of the Day: Feminine Neutrals

Light and feminine neutrals are a fantastic way to usher in the warm weather. If you gravitate towards simpler, sportier styles like I do, and/or are uncomfortable with overly girlie outfits, then punctuate your look with little feminine touches through ruching or lace detailing (lace is really popular this season). Another method is through feminine accessories - the ruffly Forever21 scarf I'm wearing adds the perfect touch when you can't pull off ruffles on your shirts. Some girls look fabulous with ruffled or ruched shirts but I personally look awful in them. Total disaster. The bonus of accessorizing is that you can always remove a scarf, hat, or cardigan to immediately tone down the look but you can't really remove your shirt. ;)

I usually balance out feminine looks with a bolder shoe and bag. To create an even edgier contrast, I would probably switch out the brown booties, belt, and bag for strong colours like black, turquoise, or red.

::WATCH THE VIDEO::