Innisfree Water Glow Cushion Review

Cushions are all the rage in makeup in Korea right now, and making there way here through lines such as Dr. Jart and Laneige, which are sold at Sephora and Target.

I've been dying to try one of these, but as I wasn't a fan of Dr. Jart's silver label bb cream when I first used it three years ago, I decided to look online for the ideal cushion. (You can only find Laneige at Target in the States, but here's hoping they make it to Canada sooner rather than later). After watching a video from hit Korean makeup blogger Pony (she does a beauty tutorial series for InSite TV), I decided the Innisfree Water Glow cushion was for me.

Spf 50+++ means I get the highest UVA and UVB protection, while my makeup will actually help to moisturize my skin – a must if you live in a dryer climate like Calgary. The formula is meant to give skin a healthy, luminous, dewy glow, and claims that it also helps to soothe dull, tired, and dryer skin. While my skin isn't dry thanks to all the rain we've been getting, it still like to supply it with a lot of water-based moisture to keep everything in tip-top shape. Can't beat that well-rested look.

In both the water glow and long lasting cushions (I need to try the long lasting one next for oily days!), Innisfree uses mineral pigments for natural coverage and Jeju green tea to supply moisture.

I picked the cushion up in the colour 13 light beige off Ebay for about $25 Canadian (Amazon also has it for a reasonable price). The colour is a tad too pink-toned for my skin tone, but nothing a hint of blush and bronzer can't fix. If I pick this up again, I'll choose number 21, which should have more yellow tones while still being fairly light.

This cushion lasts all day for me, although the initial dewiness and glow does fade after four hours or so. It provides sheer to medium coverage if you build it up, but if you have any active acne or fresh hyper-pigmentation, you'll need to use a separate concealer. If my skin is abnormally flaky, it does have a tendency to cling, but it's nothing a swipe of your fingers won't fix. My favourite part is that this doesn't transfer onto clothes, or wipe away on my fingers, an issue I've had with bb creams and foundations in the past. All in all, this was a good first experience with the cushion makeup trend.

Embroidered

I've barely worn these sandals since I bought them last spring, but they're getting good use this summer!

I love a good bohemian top for the summer, which I'm sure I've repeated over and over again. My summer and winter styles tend to be very different. In the summer I'm all for that Californian cool vibe, and during those cold Canadian winters I aim to be European chic (simple with smooth, clean lines).

As you can probably tell, I re-wear a lot of the clothes in my wardrobe, considering I'm a student and am 1. poor,  2. saving for travel and 2. saving to buy designer purses on said travels and can therefore no longer shop. I think it's important to invest in pieces you love and will wear over and over again (whether they be basic wardrobe building pieces such as the perfect tee or designer jeans, or trendier items such as this embroidered top). I hate clothes that I can only wear once (BCBG grad dress I am looking at you). I love this top with both my high waisted denim cutoffs for a festival look, as well as these khaki green shorts and cage sandals for a walk around town or for brunch.

Nasty Gal top (old) (similar here, here, and here)

H&M shorts

Zara sandals (old) (similar here and here)

Linked up with - Simply Just Lovely - Style Elixir - Penniless Socialite -

Rattlesnake

Summer is officially here as of this weekend! And we had some amazing weather to go along with it! Finally! No more rain! I hope.

It's been hot enough to officially wear crop tops without freezing. Actually, it's been so hot that I can't imagine wearing much else during the afternoon (mornings and evening are a bit cooler). I love how summery they are – perfect for lying out on my deck and drinking iced tea!

This leather skirt from the Ladakh x REVOLVE quickly became a favourite of mine when it arrived at my doorstep last week. The studding is gorgeous (although I've noticed the two on the edges are a bit loose), the zipper and notch are something I've rarely seen, and there are pockets! Who doesn't love a skirt with pockets? Leather skirts were all the rage last summer and fall, but I think this one will take me far into next year. There's something about it that's perfectly edgy and unique, that it's more of a statement piece (for me at least) that I can bring out again and again, vs a simple trend.

Urban Outfitters top (old) (similar here)

Ladakh skirt

Zara shoes (old) (similar here and here)

Etsy cuff

Asos necklace

Linked up with - I Would So Rock This - More Pieces of Me - DC In Style - Style Elixir - The Pleated Poppy - Because Shanna Said So -

Bold for Spring and Summer

All photos take by Josephine Ling

I found these older photos from about two and a half weeks ago and thought I'd put them up since I'm missing all the cherry blossoms, and it's been grey and raining all week. I really wish Calgary's blossom season lasted longer than a week. Now I just need to wait for flowers I guess. At least everything is green after the week of rain!

Don't you just love bright colours for spring and summer? I do. These are the two seasons where it's warm enough to be bold and daring in your outfits. Bright colours and interesting cuts and silhouettes are what I'm looking for this summer, and this Asos skirt was the perfect find. The flippy hem is cute with a sweatshirt or sweater over top, or with a nice tee or button-down tucked in.

My sister bought me this gorgeous clutch from Coach for my birthday. I love the pink and silver duochrome look, as it reminded me of this lovely 3.1 Philip Lim pouch clutch.

Joie top

ASOS skirt (old) (similar here and here)

Zara shoes (old) (loving these)

Coach clutch

Michael Kors watch, Juicy Couture bracelet, Urban Outfitters rings, Swarovski necklace

Linked up with - Simply Just Lovely - The Life of the Party - Style Elixir - Penniless Socialite -

The Midi Skirt

Hello lovlies! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I managed to get out and take a few photos in front of this one blossoming tree before the rain came and knocked all the blossoms off. 

This top is really, really large on me, so I like to pair it with various lace bralettes so that nothing shows when I bend over. I have a ton in different colours, but black is my favourite go-to to add a bit of sex appeal (seriously, black lingerie is the sexiest). The coloured ones are great for adding a bit of fun attitude to an outfit.

This ASOS skirt is a new favourite of mine. It's asymmetrical and the bright red just makes me so happy. How fun to twirl around in! Midi skirts are super trendy this season, and this one will work for many to come. The dip hem makes it trendy enough for day, but the longer length keeps is classic and appropriate for more formal events.

It pairs perfectly with a pair of flats for a casual weekend, or heels to dress it up. I wear it to work pretty often with my favourite pair of Charles Philip loafers. I just can't seem to get enough of red this summer.

Talula top (old) (similar here)

Asos skirt (out of stock) (similar here)

Charles Philip loafers

Juicy Couture bracelet (similar here and here)

Swarovski and ASOS (similar here) necklaces

Linked up with - I Would So Rock This - More Pieces of Me - DC In Style - Style Elixir - Simply Just Lovely - My Girlish Whims - Cute & Little - The Pleated Poppy - Because Shanna Said So -

Can't find the Chun Song Yi lipstick? Look no further than the Maybelline Color Whisper Cherry on Top

Photo via Newsen

I've started watching the hit Korean drama My Love from Another Star and have fallen in love with Chun Song Yi's style -  especially her makeup.

While Chun Song Yi tends to wear natural makeup, a bright lip makes her the superstar she is.

I fell in love with one particular shade, which was Iope's Water Fit lipstick in #44 Forever Pink. The shade, along with multiple others Chun Song Yi wore, were sold out both in stores in Korea and in online shops within a few weeks. Not only that, but the lipstick is around $30 anyways, which for me, is a bit much for point makeup. 

So between not wanting to wait for an online order, and the higher price tag, I decided to look for something similar that I could find here in Canada, and hopefully without such a hefty price tag. Cue Maybelline's Color Whisper in Cherry on Top.

The formula is sheer but incredibly pigmented when you build it up. The Color Whispers are the perfect way to try out a brighter lip colour without the worry of "is it too bright or too bold?"

Cherry on Top is a hot pink colour that gives a nice glossiness and will leave a faint stain after its worn off. Wear time is around 2-3 hours for me, depending on how much I'm drinking.

Two swipes, wiped away

Linked up with - Simply Lulu Style - My Girlish Whims -

Embellished

Happy Monday. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I know I did!

I went out for dim sum with some friends to catch up and wore this beautiful Kimchi Blue beaded top. I'm really lucky to have friends that really encourage me to embrace what I like even if it's a little more provocative than normal. I've always loved really feminine clothes, so lace, embellishments, and soft, flowing tops make up a lot of my closet now, especially for the summer. And by "I've always loved feminine clothing," I mean I refused to wear pants until I was in grade three. 

When I wear a sheer top, I almost always pair it with something with a high waist, and it'll make me look longer and leaner (I'm showing my stomach off, so long and lean is good). Sheer tops mean there are a lot more proportions I can play around with. What should the rise on my jeans be, do I roll up the ankles, bralette, bra, or balconette? Determining each of these determines how much skin will be showing, how long my legs will look, will I look casual or done up. This is why I love sheer so much, you can get so much more variety!

Kimchi Blue cami

Danier jacket (old) (similar here and here)

Res Denim jeans

Botkier bag (old) (similar here, here, and here)

Spring shoes (similar here and here)

Rings from the Calgary Lilac Festival (similar here and here)
Coy sunglasses

Linked up with - DC Instyle - More Pieces of Me - Style Elixir - Transatlantic Blonde - Cute & Little - The Pleated Poppy - Because Shanna Said So - Get Your Pretty On -

Frilled for Work

Happy Friday! I don't remember if I've written about this on the blog before, but I did finally get an internship, so I thought I'd post one of my regular outfits here.

My internship is actually really casual dress code wise. There are people in jeans, runners, birkenstocks, although nothing too short like denim-cutoffs or mini skirts, so I haven't needed to completely revamp my wardrobe. I have added a couple of new blazers to dress up my more casual outfits (read jeans), as well as being on the lookout for more button down shirts.

My uniform for work tends to be a nice skirt, button down and blazer (depending on the weather) is what I tend to wear when I'm going to interview anybody for an article. I do tend to dress down for days I spend in the office writing, editing and sending emails. As usual, I always aim to have some sort of interesting feature in my outfit, whether it's a bright colour, statement sunglasses, arm candy, or even just a super trendy item (ahem, overalls). In this case, it was this frilled skirt form Zara. I love how versatile it it, as I can dress it up or down with a change of a top. The peplum hem gives a charge femininity to the otherwise professional pencil skirt. Can we talk about love here?

Zara top (old) (similar here, here, and here) Dynamite blazer (similar here)

Zara skirt (old) (similar here)

Love Culture necklace (old) (similar here)

Botkier bag (old) (similar here, here, and here)
Spring shoes (similar here and here)

Linked up with - Style Elixir - Penniless Socialite - I Would So Rock This -

Review: Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_EX

Everyone knows the ultra famous Laneige Water Sleeping Pack, and yet not everyone has tried it. Which is a shame, because this stuff is like heaven.

First, a little bit of background. Laneige is a Korean beauty brand that has recently gained a market in the States through Target. It was also my first taste of Korean skincare, back in 2009, where I had to order it from sasa.com. I've tried a variety of skincare brands since then, but I always know Laneige will have my back as a a fail safe product. My favourite - this sleeping pack. 

A sleeping pack is a leave on mask intended to provide deep hydration while you sleep. There are also masks which provide a whole host of other goodies, including whitening/brightening, anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, and so on. 

The Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_EX is the new and improved version of the original sleeping pack. It contains beta glucan and ceramides to provide moisture and prevent moisture loss, as well as antioxidants to purify and refine the skin.

To apply, take the spatula and scoop out a large amount of the product (I use about a grape size for my entire face and neck) and smooth it on in a thick layer. You don't need to rub it in too much - it should absorb throughout the night. If you rub it in until it's completely absorbed, it won't prevent moisture loss as well as it would otherwise.Since I live in Calgary and my skin tends to lose moisture ridiculously easily, I like to add a few drops of my favourite facial oil to the mask and mix it together in the palm of my hand. The added oil will increase the mask's properties of preventing moisture loss while sealing the rest of my lotions and serums in. 

Another way to use this mask is as a light day cream.If you have oily skin, or live in a humid climate, the gel-like texture is perfect to add moisture without the heavy or greasy feeling of a traditional cream. I only use a bit more than a pea-sized amount when I'm using it this way

Pros: 

Cheap (ish)

Works to hydrate and prevent moisture loss

Great for both oily and dry skin

Cons:

May need to order online if you live outside of Asia or the United States

Hello Bermuda

Photos taken by Brandon Wong

Happy Wednesday! Hope everyone is doing well. Two more days til the weekend!

How pretty is this top? I may have gotten a little obsessed with sheer lace/mesh tops this summer, much to the surprise of my friends, who now always see my bra. I've never really been particularly modest in regards to lingerie, as I always figured it's really no different than a bikini. So, to my more awkward friends, pretend I have a bathing suit underneath, instead of going, "Omg, Arielle, you know I can see your bra, right?"

This week, I wanted to try a popular summer trend – bermuda shorts. I've always been hesitant to try this particular trend as I found most bermuda shorts to be a tad too long and wide for my frame. When I saw these at Zara, they were the perfect length – short, but not denim cut-off short, and wide enough to flare out ever so slightly. In short, these were the perfect introduction to the trend. And guess what? I love it. I shall now be on the hunt for longer and longer pairs of bermudas, because they are just so damn comfy and easy to style. 

Buffalo David Bitton top

Zara bermuda shorts (similar here and absolutely loving these)

Zara sandals (old) (similar here and here)

Coach clutch

Swarovski and Tiffany necklaces

Linked up with - The Pleated Poppy - Cute & Little - Because Shanna Said So - My Girlish Whims - Transatlantic Blonde - Simply Just Lovely - Perfectly Coutured - Her & Nicole - The Penniless Socialite - Style Elixir -