February 2012 - Stylish&Literate - A Beauty and Personal Style Blog

February Faves

beauty edit Wednesday, February 29, 2012

A few things I am currently loving. I think I'm going to make this a weekly thing (or -- at the very least -- an every so often thing). Just a few random things I've recently purchased or rediscovered that I have been enjoying lately.

One, my new skincare routine. It starts off with cleansing. I've been using a combination of two cleansers from Bioderma. They are the same but different. The pink bottle is to rid my face of makeup and it does a spectacular job without any irritation or icky residue. The green bottle is to regulate my skin's oiliness. It's also a cleanser but I find that it makes for a great toner!

I have also been lapping in the luxury of the Shiseido Facial Cotton pads. Now, I know what you're thinking, why pay $9 for cotton when you can get it for a tenth of that elsewhere? Answer, quality. Seriously. It's totally worth it. It's not abrasive and it doesn't leave any fuzzies on your skin or lashes. Plus these don't waste your product! The fibers in the Shiseido cotton don't soak up toner/cleansers like drugstore cotton pads do, which means you won't need as much product to get the job done.

Two, my hair routine. I adore the original Moroccanoil treatment but I found that it really weighed my hair down. I've also learned that it contains a lot of silicones in it. The silicones make your hair look great but it does nothing for the actual health of damaged hair... but that's a whole other can of worms.

Anyway, I opted for something a little lighter and easier to apply. The Moroccanoil Glimmer Shine is wonderful! It's exactly what I was looking for. It's a finishing spray that tames my frizz without the heaviness. It's a spray so it doesn't leave any residue on your hands.

I have also rediscovered my love for boar bristle brushes. I went through a phase of using just boar brushes, then just wide tooth plastic combs, then not combing my hair at all, and now back to boar brushes. Life was easier when I rarely combed/brushed my hair but with fringe, it's just not feasible.

Boar bristles are actually easier on your hair than plastic brushes, believe it or not. They redistribute your hair's natural oils and it boosts shine. I still use a wide tooth comb to detangle my wet hair, but when it comes to styling, I turn to my boar bristle brush. I got it from my local BSO.. I think it was around $20.

Three, bow belts. I think they are so cute and they are so fun! They are great for cinching tops, sweaters, dresses or just wearing around your belt hoops as a statement belt. I purchased these from the Gap a few months ago, I doubt they're still available in store.

Four, my new Hello Kitty phone case! I feel like I've gone through so many phone cases since I got this iPhone almost a year ago. Usually it's because I get tired of one style and need a change. This time around, I actually needed a new case because my old one had just had enough. I dropped it one too many times.

I adore this new case though. I got it from a vendor at the Pacific Mall in Markham for $13. I'm not sure if that was a good deal or not.. it was just the cheapest price out of the three stalls I visited. It came in three or four different colours but I chose red as sort of an homage to my previous case.

That's it for now.

What are some of the things you've been loving lately?

February 2012 Topbox

beauty edit Wednesday, February 22, 2012

TAG - Seven Deadly Sins of Beauty

beauty edit Monday, February 20, 2012

Week in Photos

misc Sunday, February 19, 2012

NOTD #22: Essie Neo Whimsical

Essie Saturday, February 18, 2012

FOTD: Lancome Rouge in Love

beauty edit Friday, February 17, 2012

February GLOSSYBOX - Canadian Edition

beauty edit Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Back in December, GLOSSYBOX contacted me about a complimentary box to celebrate the launch of the service in Canada.

Now it's finally here and available for purchase via GLOSSYBOX Canada.

GLOSSYBOX, for those of you who don't know or haven't read my previous post, is the newest subscription service to come to Canada. It costs $15 (including tax) and delivers five (or six) deluxe beauty samples to your door.

Now onto this month's box...

I love the stylish packaging of the GLOSSYBOX and the beautiful pastel box. The box itself is a little bigger than the other subscription boxes (though I don't have direct comparisons yet).

Inside the box was five products plus a bonus one.

* Elizabeth Grant Moisturizing Stick - a moisturizing balm that's perfect for those dry winter lips. This is a full-size product and it retails for $12.

* Oscar de la Renta Live in Love Body Lotion - smells just like the Eau de Parfum, a sensual floral scent. The lotion is nice on the skin but the scent is a little strong for my taste.

* Ahava Mineral Hand Cream - a lovely dead sea mineral hand creme. It smells great and it feels lovely on the hands.

* Essie Neo Whimsical - a beautiful polish! It's a lovely pastel pink/purple hue that looks lovely on the nails. This is also another full-size product and it retails for around $10 (depending where you purchase it).

* Elizabeth Arden Prevage Night Cream - a night cream that is supposed to help fight visible effects of environmental aging to enhance skin's moisture. I've tried a Prevage eye cream in the past but I did not like it. Hopefully this night cream shows better results.

* Bonus Beauty So Clean Sanitizing Wipes and Mist - I love the idea of this product. It's so important to sanitize your makeup occasionally because it could build up bacteria. I typically use rubbing alcohol but Beauty So Clean offers you another alternative. You can use the wipes for lipsticks or eyeliners --- I love how they are individually packaged so that you can take it with you on the go. The mist can be used on powder-based or cream-based products.