New Blog Name Reveal….

Hi guys!

I haven’t been on here much lately, and that’s because I’ve been working furiously away at my blog.  Originally I was just going to change the name of it, but after doing some research, I figured it made a lot of sense to make the leap over to self hosting!   That involved a lot more work, particularly because I took it upon myself to transfer it myself as I wanted to understand the process…a  bit of a risky move for me to take seeing as I don’t have much knowledge of anything IT-related!  I hit a few small snags but overall it was way easier than expected! #winning

Moving to self-hosted also required me to chose a new theme and design a new header and that took me way longer than expected!  I’m still working through making it look exactly the way I want it, but I suspect that will be a constant work in progress.

So, without further adieu, it’s time to share my new blog name and domain…….drumroll please…..

I spent a long time trying to find the “perfect” name for my blog; is this perfect?  I’m not sure, but I wanted something that would describe exactly what my blog is about – mostly beauty with some lifestyle posts thrown in and of course, something that paid ode to the reason I started blogging in the first place – my dog Maggie.  I really wanted to keep Maggie in there but I couldn’t figure out a way of doing so without confusing people into thinking Maggie was my name. 🙂

Note that I will be doing a site redirect tonight so this will be my last post on Classic Maggie – all future posts will show up at prettyrufflife.com; in addition, I’ve already edited my social media accounts over to my new name (@prettyrufflife on all accounts)!

I can’t wait to get blogging again – I have a huge backlog of posts, including our Summer Road Trip, my Ulta haul and most important – a celebratory giveaway!

Lastly, I’d like thank each and every one of my subscribers, I so appreciate your follows, likes, comments and interaction not only on my blog but on social media.  I love being apart of such a fantastic community!

See you at prettyrufflife.com!

Nicole

This & That – September 6

What’s going on with me:

It’s the first This & That Friday of September!  I love Fall but I just feel like it’s coming too fast this year.  Maybe because we had kind of crappy Summer weather-wise.  Technically it’s not officially Fall until September 22 but you wouldn’t know it here in Calgary – the temperature here yesterday was in the single digits!  Plus the leaves are already changing and falling.  It’s only the first week in September!  STOP!

My second course in Graphic Design begins tomorrow!  The next few months are going to be really busy for me – I’ve got classes almost every weekend and several nights during the week.  I’d say that I’m going to need to scale my blogging back but let’s be honest, have I ever been able to keep a consistent blog schedule?  #masterofprocrastination This might actually force me to keep a regular schedule…but I won’t jinx myself.  I’m thinking twice a week – haven’t quite figured out which two days that’ll be yet.

Exciting news – I’m going to be announcing my new blog name next week!  I think I’ve got a name that will represent my blog well – although it’s going to be hard to say goodbye to Classic Maggie.  Almost makes me sad to think about it…but I know it’s the right thing to do.  It’s silly how attached we can get to things, isn’t it?  PS – once my new blog name launches my giveaway will commence shortly thereafter! 🙂

Have you seen/heard?

I really want to try this mermaid hair tutorial but it seems like so much work.  So pretty though, right?

Why is crushed velvet trying to make a comeback?  Someone needs to put a stop to this right now.  That needs to stay in the 90’s where it belongs.

I cannot believe this woman is 98 years old!  I love her advice…and I need to start doing yoga.

Recent purchases…

I did visit Ulta on my trip and I’m not going to lie, it was a pretty amazing place.  I didn’t get everything I intended for a few reasons – they didn’t have what I wanted in stock, I changed my mind and/or I checked my VISA about halfway through my trip and almost fainted when I saw the exchange rate I was being charged for everything.  Seriously, it physically hurt.  Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t leave there empty handed but I scaled it back a bit.  Post on what I picked up coming soon…

Okay, I know this is a weird one, but…how is it fair that not only do we not have Ulta in Canada, we also do not have Cheez-It’s?  The Tabasco-flavoured ones are my favourite so anytime I go to the States I always have to get a box of them if I can find them.  We have Cheese Nips here in Canada, but they don’t even come close to comparing, nor do they come in all the fab flavours of Cheez-Its.  Plus Cheez-Its is fun to say.  😛

Do you like rootbeer?  Do you like alcohol?  If you answered yes to both, then I’d like to introduce you to Not Your Father’s Root Beer, if you’re not already acquainted.  Omg these are soooooooo delicious!  These can be a little dangerous because you can’t taste the alcohol in them!  If you like sweet drinks, I totally recommend giving them a try.

This top was the only clothing purchase I made on our trip and it was a good one – it’s so comfy!  Plus I can never resist ombre anything!

Currently coveting…

I had a lemon bar from Model Bakery in Napa and I’ve never tasted a lemon bar like it – it was literally out of this world (potentially the most delicious thing I ate the entire trip).  Fall and winter = cooking and baking for me so I’d love to give some of their recipes from their cookbook a try at home.

OMG Kate Spade has a Minnie Mouse collection!  Just look at this adorable clutch!  And card case!

So I signed up for Ebates earlier this year…and I just received a cheque for $150 in the mail!  Most of that is from booking a trip via Expedia a few months ago but if you shop online for anything, you NEED to sign up.  I was skeptical at first, but there’s literally nothing shady about it, it’s basically just free money!  Do it!

I recently picked up a pair of leggings at Express – and wow am I impressed!  They fit so well and are so comfy!

Favourite Youtube video of the week….

I have to give credit where credit is due – I saw this feature on Curly.Spring.Blossom’s blog (ps – follow her!) and I thought it was a great idea, so I’m stealing it.  I’m going to award my first one to Coffee Break with Dani’s Juvia’s Place Palette Review and Swatch video – mainly because I’m in love with the look she created!  Plus that palette looks amazing!  Oh and Dani is one of my favourite You-tubers! 🙂

Need to catch up on my posts?  Here’s what I’ve been up to the last few weeks:

Review: IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream

Yup, that’s one measley post…

Have a fantastic weekend!

Follow me!: INSTAGRAM: @classicmaggie | TWITTER: @classic_maggie | PINTEREST: @classicmaggie

Review: IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream

Please excuse my absence over the last few weeks – I was on a vacation and fully intended on blogging while I was away – but then vacation happened.  We spent the majority of our days either sight-seeing or driving and I just wanted to crawl into bed at the end of the day, which is exactly what I did.  I plan on doing a travel diary of our road trip so if you want more details on what we did, where we went and where we ate (the most important thing, IMO), keep your eyes peeled for that.  But now I’m back home and attempting to regain a sense of normal and routine, it’s time to resume blogging!

Today I’m sharing my thoughts what has become my go-to “foundation” over the last few months: IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better™ CC Cream with SPF 50+.  First up I’m going to gift it the “Longest Ever Name for a Product” Award ;).  I purchased this way back in March from the Shopping Channel.  They were having a showstopper that included a 2.53 fl oz size of the CC Cream with the Dual Ended Concealer Brush for $60 CAD; the 32 mL/1.08 oz of the CC cream retails for $45 CAD on it’s own, so I couldn’t pass up such a good deal.  I placed my order within the first hour of the showstopper and waited for it to arrive.  Fast forward to two months later, when I actually received the product I ordered.  Long story short: they sent me the wrong shade (and knew it), ran out of the shade I had ordered and I had to wait 2 months for it to come back in stock.  Honestly, it was a horrible customer-service experience and every time I called to cancel my order, they told me it was just a week away from being shipped to me.  Eventually that actually did happen, in the right shade this time (#whataconcept) and we’ve been inseparable ever since.

Before I get into why I love this so much, let’s look at all of it’s many claims, via the IT Cosmetics website:

This highly pigmented multi-tasking beauty miracle truly covers everything, will not crease or crack in fine lines, and gives you a healthy, Your Skin But Better® glow. Paraben-free and SPF 50+ UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum, Physical Only, Non-Chemical Sunscreen.

Developed with leading plastic surgeons, Your Skin But Better® CC+™ Cream with SPF 50+ is truly a multi-tasking beauty miracle. It’s your SPF 50+ UVA/UVB Physical only sunscreen that protects against the rays that both burn your skin and age your skin. CC+™ is infused with cutting edge Anti-Aging technology and is clinically shown to improve skin texture, brightness and increase skin hydration by 79%. The Anti-Aging hydrating formula is infused with Peptides, Niacin, Algae, Vitamins A, C, B, E, Hyaluronic Acid and Hydrolyzed Collagen along with Antioxidants and exotic natural botanicals for long-term brightening and color-correcting benefits.

And the ingredients (woah):

TITANIUM DIOXIDE 9.0%, ZINC OXIDE 6.3%, Water, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Magnesium Sulfate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Aluminum Hydroxide, Hexyl Laurate, Stearic Acid, Calcium Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Niacinamide, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water, Lactobacillus/Honeysuckle Flower/Licorice Root/Morus Alba Root/Pueraria Lobata Root/Schizandra Chinensis Fruit/Scutellaria Baicalensis Root/Sophora Japonica Flower Extract Ferment Filtrate, Perfluorohexane, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Cholesteryl, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chrysanthemum Indicum flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Perfluorodecalin, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Magnolia Kobus Bark Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sprout Extract, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Pentafluoropropane, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Steareth-20, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Colloidal Oatmeal, Hydrolyzed Silk, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium sorbate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Tocopherol, Thiamine HCl, Riboflavin, Retinyl Palmitate, Pantothenic Acid, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Niacin, Folic Acid, Chrysin, Carnitine HCl, Biotin, Ascorbic Acid, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Chlorhexidine Digluconate. May Contain: Iron Oxides (CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499).

THE GOOD

• It’s highly pigmented with medium to high coverage.  If I’m having a good skin day, I can get away with wearing this and only this.  No concealer needed.  Unfortunately my good skin days have been few and far between lately so I haven’t been so lucky to be able to do so.  But if you have normal skin or even skin with a few small blemishes, I think you could be one and done with this!
• It gives my skin a healthy glow.  With the amount of coverage this provides, you’d fully expect it to have a matte finish.  Instead it leaves behind a dewy finish and brightness to my skin.  Most days I skip highlighter because I just don’t feel like I need it.
• It blends effortlessly and seamlessly into skin.  I always, always have problems with foundations settling into my pores, particularly if I use a brush to apply them (which is why I tend to stick to a Beauty Blender) and/or skip using a primer beforehand.  Miraculously, I don’t have that problem with this.  I use the brush included with my set to stipple and buff it into my skin and it works like a charm – and I’m left with an airbrushed appearance.  I’m going to credit the snail secretion filtrate for this benefit – which I will admit, at first grossed me out.  Experiencing its benefits has lessened the gross-factor, however.
• It works for my sensitive skin.  My skin doesn’t react well to a lot of face products, and I’ll admit to feeling a bit worried when seeing the extensive ingredient list.  However, I’ve had zero issues with this irritating my skin.  In fact, I feel like any dry patches I had are a lot less dry since I’ve started using it.
• It’s simple and easy.  As mentioned above, if you have non-problematic skin, you can likely get away without using concealer.  But given how moisturizing this is, I also find it very easy to skip moisturizer and primer as well.  I don’t tend to skip moisturizer very often because my skin often needs the other benefits that moisturizer provides but I like the fact that I can, without any consequences.  In addition, my use of primers has severely decreased – I just don’t need one with this product.  It honestly makes using other foundations seem like so much work.
• Sunscreen is included: I love the fact that SPF 50 is included; I’ve heard that anything higher than 30 SPF doesn’t really offer any extra protection but regardless, I still appreciate it being in there.  With my fair skin, I’ll take all I can get!
• It’s the perfect shade.  I ordered the shade Light after reading reviews stating that the palest shade (Fair) was really grey-toned.  That turned out to be a really good decision – this matches my skin perfectly.  I have a little bit of colour right now but even when I didn’t it seemed to be a good match.  This is a big thing because I’m always struggling to find foundations that match my skin tone given that I have lots of redness and am quite fair.
• The packaging.  I feel like pumps should be mandatory on all foundations – they keep everything clean and they’re so much easier to control the amount of product you can dispense.  I also appreciate that it’s all contained in a tube, which makes it nice and light for travel.

THE NOT-SO-GOOD:

It requires a setting powder.  I don’t see this as a huge negative – but if I don’t set this with powder, it disappears off of my skin within a few hours.  This is not an uncommon problem for me but the few times I did use this without setting it, I was not impressed with the lasting powder.  I now set it with Laura Mercier’s Translucent Setting Powder and it stays put almost all day.  Despite that, I don’t see this working well for anyone with really oily skin; I suspect it’ll just make you look greasy.

It transfers.  This is probably my biggest frustration with this product – it transfers like crazy, even when set with powder.  I end up with it on the necklines of my clothes, on my phone, basically on anything that comes in contact with my face.

Requires concealer.  As mentioned above, I need a concealer with this, mainly to cover active breakouts.  It does not cover those to the level that I would like it to, but to be fair, I haven’t found a foundation that does, or at least one that doesn’t leave me with a serious case of cake face.  I’ll take the more natural look with the requirement of a concealer over that anyday!

FINAL THOUGHTS

Personally, I couldn’t be happier with this CC Cream and once I’ve ran out of my gigantic tube, I’ll be re-purchasing for sure!  I have used it so often that I’d estimate I’m about halfway through it and despite my horrendous experience with the Shopping Channel, I’ll continue to keep my eye out for future IT Cosmetics showstoppers, particularly if they’re featuring the jumbo size tube again (such good value!).  It’s got me interested in what other products are worth my time from this brand.

Have you tried IT Cosmetic’s Your Skin But Better CC Cream, or any other IT Cosmetics products?  Let me know below!

Thanks for stopping by!

This & That – August 21

What’s going on with me:

Is there anything more frustrating than typing up an entire post, forgetting to save it and then losing it? *facepalm*

I placed an order for my first Love with Food box this month, thanks to Coffee Break with Dani. She was doing an unboxing on her channel and she had a 40% code and now that they ship internationally, I couldn’t resist giving them a try.  My box ended up costing me about $16 USD (including shipping), although the costs will increase the following month.  Keep an eye out for my review in early September!

Have you seen/heard?

Urban Decay is releasing a Naked Ultimate Basics Palette this fall, and I’m kind of liking the way it looks – it’s nothing super original, but I’ve hit pan on all the matte shades in my Naked palette and I’m considering a replacement for it.  Might be an option!

Have you tried any of these wild and wacky Oreo flavours?  I haven’t seen many of them in Canada, but I have tried the S’more flavour – which were really good, and the Red Velvet Cake flavour, which were just meh.

Recent purchases…

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes: I was a little disappointed in the last package of Olay wipes that I picked up so I decided to try something new. I was impressed with these – they removed my makeup with ease and were super gentle.  New potential favourite!

Ked Coursa Sneaker: I returned my Sam Edelman espadrilles that I bought a few weeks ago and replaced them with these.  Such a good decision!  These are so comfy and are made of a soft t-shirt like material.

Currently coveting…

RW & Co Lace Dress with Collar: I pretty much love anything lace but adding the white collar to this just makes it that much cuter.

CoverGirl Clean Matte BB Cream: Every review I’ve read/watched says this is nothing like a BB Cream but more like a foundation.  I’m not sure how well the matte formula will work my combo skin but given the drugstore price, I’m willing to take the risk.  Have you tried it?

Need to catch up on my posts?  Here’s what I’ve published over the last two weeks:

• Loves & Letdowns Lately
• Review: Vichy Normaderm Skincare

Wishing you a wonderful rest of your weekend!

Follow me!: INSTAGRAM: @classicmaggie | TWITTER: @classic_maggie | PINTEREST: @classicmaggie

Loves & Letdowns Lately

Its been a few months since I did a Loves & Letdowns so I’m a bit overdue; lets jump in, starting with what I’ve been loving!:

IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream: This has been my go-to face product all summer because its just so easy to apply. I’ve got a full review on this product coming up shortly so I’m not going to get into too many details buy the Coles notes version is that I love it!

Delectable Ultra Nourishing Hand Cream: I go through hand cream like a mad woman because my hands are chronically dry, although less so in the summer. This one smells like lemon cookies and is thick and creamy without being greasy. Its made the list of one of my favourite hand creams!

Muji Canada Blush: I received this blush as part of StashMatters Muji giveaway and I can’t stop wearing it!  The colour is gorgeous and the formula is fantastic – so happy with this!

BareMinerals Double Ended Brush: This was included in a BM set and its made me realize how much I love a good angled blush brush. Its been working really well with the blush noted above but it just blends any blush beautifully. The fact that it has a small flat eyeshadow brush on the other end makes it handy for travel too!

Barefoot Venus Lip Bliss (Spearmint): This lip balm was included in my final Luxe Box; I’ve been using it regularly since and its wormed its way into my favourites!  It has a bit of a waxy texture but it melts nicely into my lips, leaving them feeling soft, smooth and moisturized. And while Spearmint isn’t my first choice for lip balms, the scent is really subtle.  I’m getting to the bottom of the tube though so I need to figure out where I can repurchase some more of these!

Laura Mercier Transparent Setting Powder: I’ve only been using this for about 3 weeks but it’s quickly became one of my favourite products.  I was looking for a setting powder that would keep me matte and wouldn’t settle into my pores – this does both.  The powder is so soft and finely milled and applies beautifully and I really recommend it.

Kiko Milano Fusion 01 Powder Brush: I use this brush every day as a final step to ensure my makeup is completely blended. The fact that I only paid $12 US for this brush kind of blows my mind – it’s amazing!  The bristles are so soft and fluffy and overall it just feels like a luxury, high-end brush.

LETDOWNS

Nivea Gentle Cleansing Wipes: These may be the worst makeup removing wipes I’ve ever used.  I picked them up because they stated they were to be gentle on skin but they were anything but!  They had a intense fragrance, made my eyes sting and irritated my skin.  I made the mistake of using them prior to applying my makeup and they left a film on my skin that resulted in me not being able to blend my makeup. Would not recommend these!

CoverGirl Ready Set Gorgeous Concealer: I used the foundation in this line and was quite happy with it so I thought I’d give the concealer a try.  Unfortunately this was a big disappointment.  The formula is super thin so it does next to nothing in terms of concealing, plus it creases horribly under my eyes.

Maybelline Master Precise Skinny Gel Eyeliner: This was a “YouTube Made Me Buy It” purchase but it wasn’t a good one.  I can’t recall which Youtuber raved about this eyeliner but I found it to be extremely dry and difficult to apply.  It also smudges like crazy.

That’s everything I’ve been loving and been letdown by – what products have you been loving lately?  Let me know below!

Review: Vichy Normaderm Skincare

Over a month ago, I was selected to receive a Vichy Skincare package on behalf of ChickAdvisor.  I’m always excited to be selected for campaigns by Chickadvisor, but I was a little more excited than normal for this one.  At the time, I was dealing with some of the worst skin I’ve had in years.  Specifically, I was experiencing constant breakouts and nothing I tried seemed to be helping – not even products that had worked before.  It was beyond frustrating and there were days where I didn’t even want to leave the house (as anyone who deals with problematic skin can understand!)

Thankfully the day before we left for our Vegas trip, my Chickadvisor package arrived.  Included were three, full-sized products from Vichy’s Normaderm line: the Deep Cleansing Gel, the Pore Tightening Lotion and the Corrective Anti-Acne Treatment. This line is specifically formulated for oily and acne-prone skin – ding ding ding!  Right after I received these products I started using them and I immediately ditched the skincare products I was using at the time.  Given that I’ve now been using them for over a month, the time has come for an in-depth review.

Vichy Normaderm Deep Cleansing Gel ($19.95 CAD for 200 mL)

From the website: This ultra-gentle soap-free, alcohol-free cleansing gel deeply cleanses sebum and impurities without over-drying or irritating the skin.  Its ingredients have purifying, anti-bacterial and keratolytic actions to prevent new imperfections from popping up.

Contains the following active ingredients:

• Salicylic acid: Unclogs and deeply cleanses pores.
• Glycolic acid: Has a keratolytic effect, which allows gentle peeling, as well as antibacterial properties.
• LHA: Gently smoothes skin texture and stimulates skin renewal.

My thoughts: At the risk of sounding like a tv commercial, the best way I can describe this cleanser is “gentle yet effective.”  It removes all of my makeup and leaves my skin feeling so soft and clean!  Given its’ active ingredients, I fully expected it to leave my skin feeling tight and/or dry afterwards, but I haven’t experienced any of that whatsoever.  Now, keep in mind it is the summer and my skin tends to be a little oilier than usual – so that could change come the winter months.  But for now, it’s working great.

My only complaint about this is that I can’t use this to remove my eye makeup.  Those active ingredients that help heal skin and keep it clear are best kept away from eyes so a second product is needed to remove eye makeup.  Is this really an issue?  Not really and it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make for clearer skin.  And if I’m being honest I have tried it on my eyes and it does take makeup off pretty well – but my eyes were definitely a little irritated afterwards.  So best to just not do it.

Vichy’s Normaderm Pore Tightening Lotion ($19.95 CAD for 200 mL)

From the website: This toner is specifically formulated for anyone dealing with frequent breakouts, dilated pores and excess shine. This formula combines soothing Vichy Mineralizing Water with glycolic and salicylic acid to unclog, tighten pores and purify the skin.

Contains the following active ingredients:

• Salicylic acid: Unclogs and deeply cleanses pores.
• Glycolic acid: : Has a keratolytic effect, which allows gentle peeling, as well as antibacterial properties.
• LHA: to smooth skin texture and stimulate skin renewal, without irritating the skin.

My thoughts: The fact that this is referred to as a lotion kind of confuses me – I honestly can’t remember the last time I used a toner, mainly because I never really saw any results with ones I’ve tried in the past.  In fact, I actually found they had adverse effects on my skin – my face would always feel extra dry and tight afterwards.  So I was a little skeptical to give this a try.  Turns out this has actually swayed my opinion of toners!  I use this after I wash my face with the Deep Cleansing Gel, and I love how refreshed my skin feels afterwards. Previously I was using a micellar water after cleansing to remove any last traces of makeup but I much prefer this because it does both that and refreshes my skin.  Unfortunately I can’t say I’ve seen any noticeable benefits in regards to mattifying my skin nor tightening pores – both are pretty much the same.  But overall I definitely like this more than I expected!

Normaderm Corrective Anti Acne Treatment ($29.95 CAD for 50 mL)

From the website: Normaderm Corrective Anti-Acne Treatment combines 1.5% Salicylic Acid, LHA, Phe Resorcinol and new Air Licium™ technology to treat and prevent all signs of acne: pimples, pore visibility, acne marks, shine and redness.

• Salicylic Acid + LHA: 50% more concentrated than our original formula to reduce pimples. Ingredients work together to quickly and effectively unclog pores without irritating the skin.
• Phe Resorcinol: New. Combined with exfoliating LHA, reduces acne marks thanks to its depigmentating properties.
• Air Licium: New Ultra-light aerogel helps reduce sebum production and pore visibility, giving the skin a soft focus mattifying finish.

My thoughts: This is the final product in this 3 step skincare process and if I had to pick a favourite, this would be it.  I LOVE this stuff.  I apply this product twice a day after using the Pore Minimizing Lotion; it feels moisturizing but not greasy.  It tingles a bit when I apply it but to me that just means that the active ingredients are doing their job. It doesn’t take long to soak into my skin, which I really appreciate, particularly in the morning when I’m applying foundation.  After it soaks in, my skin feels exceptionally soft, supple and moisturized. And the best part is, I see results. My skin hasn’t looked this great in months – I’m experiencing less breakouts and scars from previous breakouts are healing.  Again, I can’t say I’ve seen tightened pores and/or any less oil than usual but it’s been doing exactly what I want it to do – clear up my skin and keep it clear!

 

OVERALL:  I can honestly say that my skin has never looked clearer and felt more healthy and smooth after using this line.  My breakouts have been drastically reduced and scars from my previous blemishes are fading away.  I’m not using any other skincare products (aside from a micellar water to remove my eye makeup) so I have to give the credit to Vichy for getting my skin back on the right track.  The only true drawback I for forsee with these products is the fact that they do contain fragrance.  It is a light, fresh and clean scent, but it is still fragrance and that can cause irritation for sensitive skin.  Thankfully that’s now something I’ve experienced (despite having super sensitive skin) but it is something to be aware of.

I’m so thankful I was able to give these a try – they’ve totally transformed my skin!  Even though my one month test period is up, I will still continue to use the entire line and I will be purchasing them on my own dime as I use them up.  I actually want to do some further investigation on the other products in the Normaderm line as well.  They’ve hooked me in! If you’re struggling with acne, I’d highly recommend you give them a try yourself!

Have you tried any of Vichy’s skincare products?  If so, let me know below!

Special thanks to ChickAdvisor and Vichy Canada for sending me these products to try!  These products were sent to me for review purposes but all opinions are my own.

This & That – August 6

What’s going on with me:

Apologies for the lack of posts this week – I was prepping for a garage sale I held today.  Didn’t realize how much work goes into planning one of these.  It went okay – aside from the rain that set in early afternoon and not selling as much as I would have liked.  My garage is looking a lot cleaner though!

I’m going to be changing my blog name in September!  I actually love the name of “Classic Maggie” but I think it’s confusing, given that my name isn’t Maggie.  My new name will be something more reflective of my entire blog so stay tuned for more info on that in the next month or so.

We went and watched Jason Bourne last weekend.  It was good and I’m a big Matt Damon fan, but I feel like they’re getting a bit – okay a lot, predictable now.  On the other hand, I cannot wait to see Sully!

Have you seen/heard?

What do you think of the new Instagram stories?  I don’t know how I feel about it – on one hand I kind of feel like Instagram should just stick to what they do best and stop screwing around with what works.  On the other hand I don’t want to be an opponent to change…because sometimes change is good.  But I feel like they’re just trying to hard to become a mix of all other social media platforms.  Thoughts?

Are you playing Pokemon Go?  I downloaded it and tried it out – and I just couldn’t get into it.  I have way too many things to distract me from being productive right now anyway, so I don’t view it as a bad thing.

Some great tips for clearing on your closet.  I recently purged my closet and I can attest that asking yourself these questions actually does work.  It’s important to ask them to yourself when you’re shopping/in the fitting room too, in order to avoid buying things that don’t serve you to begin with!

Recent purchases…

Make & Model Brushed Hacci Lounge Pants: This was my lone purchase from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (which I was kind of disappointed with to be honest).  Anyway these pants are SUPER comfy but they wash horribly – they pill like crazy.  Definitely not worth the $35 CAD I paid for them (no way they’re worth $61 CAD).

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder: I’m absolutely in LOVE with this setting powder.  It’s the only one I’ve tried that doesn’t settle into my pores AND keeps me matte throughout the day.  Wish I had tried this sooner!

sugarfina Ice Cream Cone Gummies: Who in their right mind would spend $9 CAD on a tiny box of candies?  I would!  I may have acquired a dangerous and expensive addiction – they’re so yummy!  But if you don’t feel like forking over the cash to try them yourself, keep an eye on my blog for my long overdue giveaway that will include a box of sugarfina sweets (in addition to some other fantastic things!) #yum

Currently coveting…

Madewell Fleet Jacket: I spotted this jacket at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, and it’s amazing.  But there’s no way I can justify the price for a cotton jacket, even on sale.  So the hunt for the perfect utility jacket continues…

Bryon Plaid Throw: Okay, I know it’s still August but I want this now!  It makes me want to curl up on the couch with a good book and a mug of hot chocolate!

Fossil Kinley Small Crossbody: I’ve got an urge to buy a new purse for Fall – and I’m liking the look of this one.  Sidenote – when did Fossil handbags become so expensive?  Or have they always been?

Need to catch up on my posts?  Here’s what I’ve published over the last two weeks:

• Stash Matters Muji Giveaway Goodies!
• Review: Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette
• Get to Know Me
• What Should I Buy at Ulta?

Have a fantastic weekend!

Follow me!: INSTAGRAM: @classicmaggie | TWITTER: @classic_maggie | PINTEREST: @classicmaggie

What Should I Buy? At Ulta!

Sooooo I’m going to be near an Ulta in the near future and I’m super excited about it; we don’t have Ulta here in Canada and they carry many brands that we can’t access here (at least without paying ridiculous amounts in shipping and duty).  I’ve started perusing the website to investigate my options, although I have decided to limit my purchases to items and brands that I can’t pick up in Canada.  Here’s what’s on my list so far:

Lorac PRO 3 Palette: The last thing I need is another eyeshadow palette but I can’t walk out of there without one of these.  I’m leaning towards the Lorac Pro 3 but I want to see the palettes in person before I make a final decision.

IT Brushes for Ulta – Your Beautiful Basics Airbrush 101 5 Pc Getting Started Brush Set: I have one IT Cosmetics brush and I absolutely love it.  These brushes are specifically made for Ulta by IT Cosmetics and I’ve heard good things about them.  Again, I want to see what these are like in person but I’m pretty convinced that I want to pick up some of these brushes in some shape or form.

Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator (Guilded Honey): This will be a guaranteed purchase – I’ve been wanting this for a long time!

Soap & Glory Heel Genius: Kind of a weird addition to the list but we have limited access to Soap and Glory products and my heels are in really bad shape right now, plus the reviews on this are really positive.

Makeup Revolution Vivid Shimmer Brick:  We’re supposed to be getting access to Makeup Revolution in the Fall via London Drugs but you never know which products will actually be available.  This has very positive reviews, looks beautiful and is only $7!

Makeup Revolution Iconic Pro 1 Eyeshadow Palette: This is supposed to be a dupe for the Lorac Pro palette but I’ll make that call when I’m in store.  I definitely think I will be picking up some kind of Makeup Revolution palette given how cheap they are.

Mally’s Must Haves Collection: The thing that intrigues me most out of this set is the Poreless Face Defender and the price of that product alone is the same price of this entire set!  All products are full-sized as well so if I can actually get my hands on this I’ll be estatic – what a great value!

Escada Aqua Del Sol: This is available in Canada but only in the largest size – Ulta has a 1.0 oz bottle as well as a rollerball so what size I end up will be another game time decision.

If you have any other suggestions on products I should be considering (or avoiding) please let me know below!

Thanks for stopping by!

Get to Know Me!

A few weeks ago I saw the Get to Know Me tag on Spiffykerms and it seemed like a fun tag so I’m doing it too.  I’m a pretty private person so I don’t like to share too much but every once and a while I’ll throw a selfie up on Instagram or answer some personal questions. On to it!

1. What brings you the greatest joy? Spending time with my husband and family.  Maggie.  Traveling.  Blue skies and sunshine.  Reading a great book.  Finding a great deal.  Oh and how could I forget?  Goats!!!

Source

2. What are your vices? Candy. Laziness. Shopping.

3. What is on your nightstand? Hand cream, lip balm, whatever book I happen to be reading or my e-reader, a glass of water and my iPhone.

4. Do you have a secret talent? Prepare yourself….I can touch the tip of my nose with my tongue. #sotalented

5. What is your greatest indulgence? Pizza.  I never get sick of it and if I could pick one food to eat for the rest of my life, that would be it.

6. What should everyone try at least once in their life?  Travel outside of your country!  It’s fascinating to see how other people live and it always makes me appreciate home more, while also increasing my desire to travel and see more of the world.

7. What makes you laugh? Sarcasm; memes; the occasional uncomfortable situation (I can’t help it – it’s my default reaction and it makes an awkward situation even more awkward)  Oh and people falling/tripping, as long as they aren’t seriously hurt.  I’m a klutz and I’ve had many cringe-worthy “incidents” and I’ve always been laughed at in addition to laughing at myself (once I determined that no, the earth doesn’t come and swallow you up even if you just basically did the splits in the rain on a rooftop patio in front of about a hundred people) so I figure I’m justified.

8. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?   I’m a really picky eater, although I’ve come a long way in the last 5 years.  I hate tomatoes but I like tomato sauce, salsa, etc.  I hate cucumbers but I LOVE dill pickles.  It’s complicated.

9. What is on your bucket list?  Fly in a private jet.  Visit the Amalfi Coast of Italy.  Take a pottery class.  Get a tattoo.  Visit New York in December.  Learn to run and love it.

10. What is on your feet right now? I’m in the house so I have no shoes on.  But I live in my Reef flip flops in the Summer.

11. How did you make your first dollar? Babysitting.

12. What superstition do you believe in? I believe in a few but the most common would be to “Knock on Wood”.

13. What items in your closet do you wear the most? Jeans and t-shirts for sure; I add a sweater/cardi in the winter.

14. What is the best gift you’ve ever received?  My husband surprised me a few years ago with an upgraded wedding/engagement ring.  It was a total surprise and it was/is absolutely perfect, he picked it out himself and it’s exactly what I would have chosen. 🙂

15. What is on your liquor shelf? Flavoured vodka (Cherry is my fave) and Malibu Coconut Rum.

16. What is on your kitchen counter? A fruit bowl filled with bananas; a Blendtec; toaster; pepper grinder; bottle of canola oil; napkin holder.  Pretty standard yet boring stuff.

17. What would you never leave home without? My wedding ring (I feel naked without it), lip balm, cell phone and my wallet.

I’m not going to tag anyone specifically but encourage anyone else who’s interested to do this tag – it’s a fun one!  Thanks for reading! 🙂

Review: Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette

I’ve had this palette for 6 months now and my review is long overdue.  I received this as a birthday gift and I was super excited to receive it – I mean, it smells like chocolate!  In addition, this is right up my palette alley – a wide range of neutral shades with pops of colour and varying finishes.  This is not a new palette by any means, in fact it was released back in 2013, and followed by the Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar Palette and the Chocolate Bon Bon’s palette.  I’ve seen teasers on Instagram that this years’ palette may be a White Chocolate version but I guess only time will tell!  On to my review!

PRICE

The Chocolate Bar palette retails for $59.00 CAD on both Too Faced’s and Sephora’s website.  You receive 14 shadows with a net weight of 0.03 oz and 2 eye shadows at 0.07 oz.  When comparing to other popular eye palettes, the Urban Decay Naked Palettes contain 12 shadows at 0.05 oz. for $66 CAD; both of Tarte’s Tartelette Palettes include 12 shadows at 0.053 oz for $54 CAD; and the Anastasia Modern Renaissance Palette includes 14 shadows at 0.02 oz for $55 CAD.

PACKAGING

I really like the packaging of this palette – it’s made of metal and it feels well-constructed and sturdy, yet it’s not too heavy for travel.  I also appreciate that its easy to wipe down when it gets dirty.  The top of the palette resembles a large chocolate bar – as it should!  I totally appreciate the effort that goes into Too Faced’s packaging – it’s always unique and girly and cute.  The top and bottom “plates” of the palette have magnets in them which ensures a secure closure (also important for travel).

Inside a rectangular mirror is included; I rarely use mirrors in eyeshadow palettes to apply my makeup but they are nice to have just in case.  Note that it’s not perfectly rectangular given the lettering that overlaps it.

SCENT

How often can you actually comment on an eyeshadow palette’s scent, nonetheless in a positive sense?  As I mentioned above, the entire thing smells like chocolate and it’s amazing!   Using this in the morning just makes me happy (and a little hungry!). I can be sensitive to scents/fragrance, but thankfully this doesn’t bother me at all.  The chocolate scent is not overpowering, and once it’s applied, it disappears.

SWATCHES

Row 1 (from bottom to top):

• Gilded Ganache: A satin dark chocolate brown with a fine gold glitter.
• White Chocolate: A basic off-white matte.
• Milk Chocolate: A matte, medium-toned brown with a touch of warmth.
• Black Forest Truffle: Burgundy brown shade with multi-tonal glitter.
• Triple Fudge: Deep brown matte.

Row 2:

• Salted Caramel: Matte peachy beige.
• Marzipan: Rose gold frost.
• Semi-Sweet: Matte mid-toned brown.
• Strawberry Bon-Bon: Matte pale pink.
• Candied Violet: Sheer purple with silver glitter.
• Amaretto: Frosty bronze with a slight burgundy shift.

Third Row:

• Hazelnut: Bronze frost.
• Creme Brulee: Dark gold frost.
• Haute Chocolate: Frosty warm mid-tone brown.
• Cherry Cordial: Matte burgundy brown with a subtle silver glitter.
• Champagne Truffle: Frosty pink champagne.

FORMULAS

The formula breakdown is as follows: 6 matte, 7 shimmers/frosts/satins and 3 glittery shades.

Frosts/Shimmers: The frosty shadows are by far the standouts in this palette – they are super soft, dare I use the term “buttery”, ridiculously easy to blend and are highly pigmented. The only drawbacks are 1) I experience quite a bit of fall-out when using these so they need to be applied carefully and 2) If I pack them on too thick, they irritate my eyes.  My eyes burn and my eyelids get itchy; it’s not the first time I’ve experienced this kind of reaction to shimmery/glittery shadows – my eyes (like basically everything else on my body) are uber-sensitive.  It doesn’t deter me from wearing them, I just need to use a light hand.  My favourites in this group include Creme Brulee, Marzipan and Champagne Truffle.

Mattes: The mattes are right behind the frosts/shimmers in terms of performance.  They too are super soft and buttery, easy to blend and are not lacking in the pigmentation department.  The two I’m not a fan of are Triple Fudge and Strawberry Bon Bon.  Triple Fudge is hard to blend and can look muddy as a result; Strawberry Bon Bon lacks pigment, as demonstrated in the swatch above, although it can be built up if you have the patience.  On the other hand, I’ve dug into White Chocolate as a base colour so much that I’ve stopped using it unless I’m using other shadows from the palette.  I love using Milk Chocolate as a transition shade in the crease as well.

Glitters: The glitter shades are my least favourite of the bunch – I find the formulas patchy, dry and lacking in colour payoff.  The one exception would be Cherry Cordial – it has decent pigmentation and the glitter kind of disappears once it’s blended; I love using it with my Buxom palette as a darker crease colour.  Candied Violet and Black Forest Truffle are the biggest duds out the palette, in my opinion.

PERFORMANCE

I find these last about 7-8 hours with an eyeshadow primer applied before they start to crease.  So that’s decent performance, although I do have shadows that last longer (i.e. my Buxom shadows).  I never wear eyeshadows without a primer base because my eyelids are extremely oily so I can’t speak to how they’d perform without one.

VERDICT

Personally, I love this palette.  Yes, there are some issues with dry formulas, fallout and some irritation for me with the shimmery shades.  But the pros far outweigh the cons – there are more great shadows that not, it smells like chocolate and the neutrality of it guarantees a wide variety of looks that will look fantastic on any skin tone.  If you’re looking for a neutral palette, I’d highly recommend you take a look at this one.

Do you own any Too-Faced palettes?  Let me know below!