This past Tuesday I officially graduated with my undergraduate degree! I received an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and couldn't be happier that it's finally over. For the first time in my life since I was three years old I don't have school. Not for a few years at least!
I made a GRWM video that I'll link at the very bottom of this post, but I didn't talk about many specific products that I used. Much of my different routines (skin care, foundation, hair care, ect.) has changed over the past several months and while I didn't show absolutely everything (like my shower routine) I showed the most important parts of the process. Let jump in!
This picture is a bit random and made up of items that I have been using for a while, use on special occasions, or just wanted to try out because they are a sample. The Priorin hair vitamins come with 60 capsules, which last a month as the instructions say to take two a day. I received this for free and had used them all up the week before grad and I did actually notice quite a difference! My hair grows fast as is, but these made it grow even faster. I highly recommend! I'm going to try and finish up all of my biotin vitamins that I've had for years before purchasing this, but if I can find the other ingredients I will probably go with those as this is a bit too pricey to buy monthly (almost $30!). I used my ISA Professional hair straightener to straighten and add a few waves to my hair. Here is a link to the video I made showing you how I straighten my hair!
I used this black head pore strip gooey stuff that I ordered off of Ebay. I have no idea what the brand is, but if you search up blackhead pore strip on the website you should be able to find it! It works pretty well for how cheap it is, but if I had a big issue with black heads I would personally purchase the Biore ones!
This Skin Inc. brightening mask was nice, but it didn't do very much (if anything at all). I got it as a free sample at Sephora when I bought my best friend's birthday gift and I probably wouldn't purchase it since it didn't make enough of a difference.
I used the Crest 3D White Strips the night before grad. Specifically the flex ones, which my mom got for free in a flyer that came with two. I know you're supposed to use these types of whitestrips several days in a row for a real result, but I whitened my teeth about six months ago (for four days) and my teeth are decent as is so using this one made enough of a difference as you'll see near the bottom of the post in my smiling picture. This was the first time that my teeth felt ridiculously sensitive though. The glamorous white (non flex fit) did not do that at all for me so I don't know what was up with that, but my salt toothpaste from Weleda saved the day!
Last from this pic is the Dr. Brandt Lip Full Effect AM and PM treatments. I used the PM the night before, as well as during my getting ready process just so soften them up. I put the AM on once I was done my makeup and before I did lipstick. The PM does work nicely to moisturize, but the AM doesn't make too much of a difference. It's slightly less moisturizing, but I did not see a plumping effect whatsoever, which they claim. My lips didn't even tingle. Then again, the Too Faced Lip Injection gloss didn't plump my lips at all, but they at least tingled and got red around the outer ridges (not that that's good considering my lips stayed the exact same size).
For skin care I cleansed and exfoliated my face with my MyChelle Sugar Cleanser, used my The Ordinary Azelaic Acid to brighten my skin, my Hyaluronic Acid to promote moisture, and Natural Moisrutizing Factors + HA to act as my moisturizer. My Weleda Skin Food was used on acne spots to keep them calm and not red. Finally I used my IQ Natural eye gel that I put into this sample tub because I didn't want to bring the entire thing to Toronto with me! Still my favourite eye gel that I've tried!
Primers! I used four of them. That sounds insane and it is considering it didn't make an enormous difference. The Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser was used right on the sides of my nose where I have slightly visible pores. I don't like using it anywhere else because it tends to be a bit greasy or just makes my makeup slide around. I used the MAC Prep + Prime Natural Radience primer in the yellow shade all over my face (I didn't see any difference to be honest). The Nivea Men Sensitive Skin After Shave Balm was used on my forehead, chin and nose as those are the areas that get shiny after several hours. This is awesome because it feels a tiny bit tacky, which makes the foundation on top stay on forever! Finally, I used the Estee Edit Beam Team, which is pretty much a hydrating dewy primer / highlighter. I put this all over my cheeks because they are pretty dull. This made my skin look more alive and less flat once foundation was on. I did not use the highlighter that comes in the lid, but only the main product!
These are all of the base items I used and did not show in the video. I used my Makeup Forever Ultra HD Liquid Foundation in the colour Y117, which is too light for me, and mixed it with the Lancome Teint Miracle foundation in the colour Bisque, which is too dark. These mixed together are really nice because the makeup forever feels a bit more dry and cakey, while the Lancome is very thin and pigmented. Them mixed together is awesome and it was easy to match my body. I used my Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in the colour 10 Light (what's new?) for my under eyes and any redness or scars I had on my face. I used my beauty blender for all of these, including my RCMA No-Colour powder that I used for baking and setting my face. Favourite setting powder of all time! And finally for Brows, I used my ABH Dip Brow Pomade in the colour Medium Brown with my #18 brush from the same brand. I love this combo so much, but it is pricey so I don't know if I'll continue repurchasing the pomade since I love the Essence one. I used the Benefit Gimme Brow because this is my last tester tube and it doesn't do much so I wouldn't accidentally go overboard.
For the rest of my face items, I used the Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer to slightly warm up my face. I went in with the Kat Von D Shade + Light palette to contour and bronze a bit more where the butter bronzer wasn't enough. I went in with my Milani Luminoso blush, and my Nicole Guerriero Glow Kit by Anastasia Beverly Hills. All of these combined created the perfect combination for my face that day!
For my eyes I went in with my Original Chocolate Bar Palette by Too Faced. This is my favourite eyeshadow palette that I own for sure. I used the lighter pink and gold tones as well as the light and medium coloured transition shades for a simple, but pretty look. I wore my Lancome Hypnose mascara and applied affordable ebay false lashes with my new Duo lash glue (The black one did not work for me at all). I forgot to mention my lipstick, but it was MAC's Cosmo!
I'm an idiot and didn't use an eyeshadow primer or set my face afterwards so my makeup was looking a bit odd by 5, but for the pictures and ceremony my makeup stayed in place! Here are a few pictures that were taken after the ceremony was finished! The video will be at the very end of the images. I hope you enjoyed this walk through of all of the products that I used! Congrats to everyone else graduating this year! Go class of 2017!
Bye!
