Anyway. I’m happy to report that everything stood up well to test conditions. Including me. I got through my cable rows and did those under the barbell squats too. The barbell frame frightens me. Even the kind my gym has with the safety locks. So much can go so painfully wrong. Probably not that much with the tiny weight I load onto it. But still….

I’m all about the five minute or less face these days. It’s nice to still be able to make some kind of effort on a semi regular basis even though I’m not at work these days. My ‘face’ these days is BB cream, powder on top, under eye concealer, eye pencil, mascara and blush. Recent updates to my routine are Maybeliline’s Mega Plush Mascara, Kiehl’s Actively Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream with SPF 30 and Aldi’s Lacura blush. I’m just going to jot down a few quick thoughts abut each product because a few of you were interested in giving these products a go. Excuse the various children’s books I’ve used as backdrops. They were what was handy at the time. I also think they add a … unique angle to a beauty product review.

 

 

First up, the Maybelline mascara and Where the Wild Things Are. I love the slightly dark whimsy of Maurice Sendak’s illustrations.

 

I’ve mentioned previously that I’m a huge fan of Maybelline’s The Falsies Flared. The Mega Plush (RRP $19.95, puchased on sale at Priceline for $10) is meant to go one step further by delivering volume in a gel mousse formulation. The wand also has some bend to it, presumably to make application more precise. I’ve read reviews that complained that the flexibility of the wand actually made application more difficult.

 

Personally, Mega Plush was only okay. Not disastrous but not spectacular either. The gel mousse concept does work. My lashes weren’t dry and spiky whilst wearing it but they also clumped a fair bit. A volume filled clump but clump all the same. I didn’t see much length though. I bought the shade blackest black in the non waterproof formula. It wore well through a day of rain and through my gyms session without giving me raccoon eyes. It was removed easily with my Shu cleansing oil. I probably wouldn’t repurchase this and will be going back to The Falsies Flared.

 

 

 

 

I am loving Kiehl’s BB cream. I’m on the iPad and too lazy to retype it’s full name here but it costs $36 for 30ml. To paraphrase the full name though, it does indeed correct and beautify. Even faces running on 6 hours of broken sleep and large amounts of caffeine. I’ve paired the cream with Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy. It’s the cutest read featuring a crew of unique dogs whose physical differences make wonderful prose for reading out loud.

 

There’s lots to love about this BB cream. It has a great SPF, it provides light coverage, is fragrance free and blends easily. Despite the high SPF, it doesn’t have a chalky finish. It comes in three shades with Natural bring the darkest. This may not be dark enough for some. I’m an NC40 on the MAC colour index and Natural was just right for me. While it did look a little pale when first applied, it did settle to a shade that blended with my natural skin tone. Reviews have noted a slight sheen after application. I didn’t notice this as I wear MAC Studio Fix over it. I’m one of those people who wear powder out of habit.

 

I like that Kiehl’s BB cream wears well, it didn’t streak even after the gym. It has a lovely, natural finish that truly is that elusive ‘your skin but better’ look that I’ve been searching for. The texture of my skin also looked more refined with it. I didn’t get any dryness or oiliness and my skin didn’t feel caked in make up at all. A definite repurchase, I reckon.

 

The last item in my review today is Aldi’s Lacura blush. They’re $4.95 each and are available in two shades – coral and rose. Each comes with a highlight shade in the compact. The testers looked pretty frosty in store but they actually have a more matte finish when applied.

 

 

 

 

This is coral.

 

 

 

And this is rose. I’ve been wearing rose the last few days. It’s easy to build up the colour and the highlighter isn’t too glittery, it would work on the brow bone as well. There’s decent pigment in the blush but don’t expect dramatic colour which is good when you’re in a rush and don’t have time to painstakingly blend and buff hour cheek colour. I’m happy with it as an everyday go to shade. Polished result with minimal effort.

 

 

www.imdb.com

 

And that’s it from me today. Mr SSG borrowed Zero Dark Thirty on DVD and I’ve been watching it with one eye only because it’s so distressing. I can’t put it off any longer. Have to go watch, the plot’s a bit complicated which is why I’ve also got the Wiki article open on my iPad. Have you seen it? Jessica Chastain definitely deserved her Academy Award nomination.