High End vs Low End : Concealers - Mac vs Black Opal

Concealers can be a girl's best friend. It can make us look awake, healthy and glowing while being invisible or as discreet as possible. Finding the right concealer can be a nightmarish experiment that may result with people walking up to you to brush 'something off your face' or inquiring when you start 'bleach'. 

I have found two concealers that supply shades that suit myself and most of the women I know - MAC and Black Opal. I thought it would be useful to do a side-by-side comparison of the two so you can make an educated choice the next time you're in the market for a concealer.

Packaging

Mac                                                                              Black Opal

                   

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The MAC concealer comes in a round pot and black casing. You will need to use a brush or your fingers to apply this. I use a flat concealer brush to apply this and blend it in and I enjoy the finish that this provides. I don't like using my fingers for cream products because the oils from your finger can mess with the consistency of the product and turn it wonky. No thanks!

The Black Opal concealer comes in a twist tube similar to a lipstick with a clear cover. Again, this is a cream product and though you can apply straight from the tube to your skin (which is pretty convenient) I like using my concealer brush just because applying straight from the tube deposits too much product for me and prolongs the blending. 

Convenience wise though, if you are applying with your fingers, the Black Opal is the winner on packaging because you can apply straight from the tube and blend in with your fingers. If you are using a brush then MAC wins as you don't have to twist up which would be an added step in the process. 

Staying Power

MAC studio finish concealer

This concealer has my admiration. This can last 8-10 hours, even if you're in the blazing sun. With other concealers I have always noticed fading after the third hour or so as well sinking into the fine lines under my eyes or sweating of the product in the heat. This product stays creamy, does not flake off and has SPF in it which I LOVE.  I don't use setting powder really so I can be sure that this product, applied with a brush stays put. 

Black Opal

This can stand up to the sun for about 3 hours. Longer than that and it starts to melt but really, I live on a tropical island and melting products is a norm here. If you apply setting powder it should last longer but I never do. If you aren't really in the sun then six hours is the longest this product will go before fading. What I dislike about Black Opal when it fades though is that it takes on a grey shade that is very unflattering. So if you tend to refresh your makeup during the day keep an eye on it.

Longevity of the Product

MAC Studio finish concealer

I purchased this in the airport in London and carried it back with me and had it wrapped up for three days by the window before I remembered to take it out of its packaging. There was slight sweating on the top of the concealer when I opened it but it had kept its consistency and colour throughout and did not get streaky. Loved that.

Black Opal

The heat in Jamaica is a serious factor and we need to keep this in mind when we are buying cream products. I made the unfortunate mistake of leaving my concealer stick in the car and when I returned it had melted down into the bottom of the tube and the top of it had darkened. The texture was noticeably harder but it wasn't hard to work with but I was disappointed that it had not maintained its colour.

Application

MAC concealer is creamy, has the right undertones and dries to a powder finish.

Black Opal is creamy but a tad less so, it has a tinge of a grey undertone but dries to a beautiful powder finish even when you get overzealous and apply a bit too much.

Price

MAC studio finish concealer retails for $18 USD online. I will update this figure in Jamaican dollars when I visit the now open MAC store.

Black Opal retails for $189 JMD at Lee's Pharmacy and around $200 at other pharmacies around Kingston.

If you aren't fussy and are looking for a quick fix concealer to wear for short periods of time then Black Opal will be an okay pick. If you want an exact match to you skin with long lasting wear and spf protection then MAC studio finish concealer will give you joy.

Let me know what concealer you enjoy wearing or you want to try out and I'll give it a whirl myself. Also, if you want to see how I apply concealer to fix various blemishes and imperfections leave a comment and I'll film a video on that.

Seasons Greetings!

Jane

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Jane Wears : A Men's Shirt

My apologies for the lack of posts - my computer went wonkers for a little bit there, it's not completely back but I am trying to work on it or get a replacement.

But now onto the post!

A woman should be able to wear almost anything and make it look feminine. I adore men's fashion and a man's dress shirt just has an elemental sex appeal to it. Is it just me? But a men's dress shirt with the proper fit can make an outfit - whether a man or a woman's outfit- that much smarter. 

If you're gonna make a try of this it's important that the shirt you choose doesn't swallow you. A slim fit dress shirt in a solid colour or smaller vertical pinstripes will look great on most women. You want to be sure that the buttons can close easily over the bust area and that the sleeves are not too large. 

Then you can pair with:

• Sexy, sleek skinny jeans and heels or pointy-toe ballet flats

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Roll up the sleeves, pile on the arm candy and slick on your favourite lip colour to amp up the va-va-voom factor. If you unbutton the shirt and are worried about flashing too much cleavage an easy trick to preserve your modesty is to take a safety pin loop it through the centre of your bra band and pin to the shirt. Easy!

• With a maxi skirt or over a maxi dress

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A long sleek maxi dress or skirt with fabric that floats nicely around your curves is sophisticated and sexy at the same time. Be sure to belt it and pair with bohemian hair or loose waves for a feminine feel. This look would go nicely with a pair of Bridgets sandal as well as wedges or even platform pumps. You can keep the look young by adding a fedora to it. How cute would that be!

• With a circle/skater skirt 

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For the longer skirts pair with t-strap sandals and a skinny belt to keep it from looking too stepford -wife. And for the shorter skirts, pairing with a wedge bootie will make the look modern.

• A swimsuit cover up

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This is a simple easy way to cover up a swimsuit. I like this with a straw hat and a pair of shades. Make it even more alluring by using a sheer men's shirt instead.


If you want to get experimental you can watch Michelle Phan's youtube video below.

Let me know if you try it out and what you think!

Till later,
Jane

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DIY Spa Day - Glamming it up for the Holidays

The Holidays are upon us and it's time to glam up. So, I thought I would do a series of posts (and videos maybe) of how to glam yourself up so you can both look and feel amazing this holiday season.

Some of us may not be able to afford a trip to the spa in addition to the presents, decoration and food spending that we have to do. Nevertheless, we deserve the pampering. I have some tips on how to use simple, household products to get similar results to going to the spa.

• Body Scrub 

Slough away dead skin cells, encourage circulation and get your skin to glow by slathering on a body scrub. Easy ingredients to find in your cupboards are : brown sugar, sea salt or regular salt or raw oats combined with a body wash or olive oil for a more moisturizing experience make a quick scrub. 

Mix the two ingredients together thoroughly. If you have back-acne or chest acne you can add a table spoon of baking soda to the mix and refridgerate for two hours. I usually mix this up on a Friday night and then pop it out first thing Saturday morning. (If you have sensitive skin then smaller granules are your best bet (example salt).

Hop into the shower and bathe so the skin is clean and damp. Using warm water will get you the best results. Apply the scrub in large circles over your skin from your collar bone down. (The skin at your neck is often too thin for scrubs). Use a heavier hand at rougher areas like your knees, elbows and heels, and a lighter hand at anywhere you can see or almost see your veins - like the backs of your knees, your wrists, tops of your hands etc.

Rinse off and pat yourself dry (no rubbing!). Apply a calming moisturizer or delve further into the spa experience by applying slightly warm body oil. I like to combine rose water, witch hazel and olive oil in a spray bottle and mist myself with it. I'm smiling just thinking about it.

• Moisturizing/Calming Face Mask

Anytime the weather changes your skin is affected. We may not have the blustering wind and chill and snow other countries have but cooler temperatures still means dryer, irritated skin. I do not recommend scrubbing the life out of your skin on your face right now. In fact, we should be concentrated on adding moisture on a regular basis. This is a mask that I enjoy:

Combine plain yoghurt or milk with tea tree oil or witch hazel and whip that baby up like your life depended on it. If you are using milk, then add in small portions while whipping. You want to get it as frothy as possible. Then, take a warm rag and lay on your face for 5 seconds. then apply the mask in small circles to your face and let stand for up to 20 minutes. Wash off with luke warm water, pat dry and apply your night cream. 

The tea tree oil or witch hazel act as an astringent and the milk or yoghurt help to reduce redness.

• Faux Paraffin Treatment

I have always wondered how to replicate the effects of a paraffin treatment and though I haven't perfected it yet I have found this method works pretty well, especially for moisturizing my cuticles.

Take oven mitts or kitchen towels or old face towels and put them in a bowl in the microwave with a tad of water until they are bearably warm. Spread the thickest oil or moisturizing cream or lotion in your house on your fingers, hands and cuticles, then spread on another layer. Put on your favourite movie and wrap your hands up in the towels. Leave it on until your fingers are just about wrinkly.

I like using raw shea butter, or coconut oil or cocoa butter for this trick. When you are finished wash your hands with an alcohol free soap and pat dry. 

• Hot Oil Hair Treatment

Raw coconut oil will be your best friend for this. You can visit Earth Elements to pick this up. Put a chunk of the coconut oil or shea butter or even your conditioner in a bowl in the microwave with a tiny towel. While it's heating up pull out your plastic wrap. Comb through your hair to get rid of any tangles and apply the warm product to the ends of your hair until they are completely saturated. Use the remainder of the product on your shaft but shy away from the roots unless they are naturally exceptionally dry.  Then do your hair up in a top knot and wrap the plastic wrap around it and follow with the warm towel.

Keep this in for half hour if you can. Then rinse out and wash  out with 1/2 the amount of shampoo you normally use. 

Try these out and let me know how it goes and if you like these types of posts because I have a lot more things to share with you guys. My husband thinks I'm crazy half the time and asks why I'm "cooking" my body. It works for me though  and has allowed me to save money - which is never a bad thing.

Till later,
Jane

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Rainy Weather Style - Gals and Guys

The rainy season has finally started in Jamaica and if you're not lucky enough to be on vacation and cuddled up in socks on the couch then you're gonna have to keep on trudging out every morning despite the gloomy skies. 

You may get a bit more excited if you know how to spin your wardrobe into stylish layers so despite the drop in temperature you can still look snazzy dahlin. 

Here are my tips for the Ladies and Gents

1. Layer like a Pro

Layering only really works when you pair complimentary colours and complimentary textures. I promise I won't school you too much on this but I will say this its always a good idea to start with a neutral and then either go for jewel tones OR pastels OR bright colours. Mixing items from different groups can have disastrous results. 

For the Ladies, a sweater over a chambray shirt is chic:
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And for the men, this is a nice option:
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2. Cover up those feet

It is generally always a good idea to wear closed shoes during this weather, and something that can be easily cleaned. 

For the ladies, flats are a good option, but so are well-heeled pumps in patent leather. Patent leather is not as porous as other materials and can be quickly wiped off. (Now, heels and wet weather? Take this with a grain of salt. If your shoe soles are smooth this is not a good idea, so be careful.)
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For the men - those loafers with stiffer leather (or faux leather) and gradated soles are a good idea. The same goes for you - avoid smooth-soled shoes during this weather. Selections I like include:
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3. Jack-et it Up

I love love love jackets - of any kind. And this is the time when I get to bust em out without breaking into sweat. 
 source  source source (varsity jackets are super hot right now)

4. Borrow from the Yankees

Take a page out of the book of those who do live in cold climates and translate it to suit our climate. I am excited to incorporate - beanies,  patterned tights/stockings (I love these), wedge booties, parkas.
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What are you excited to pull out of your closet now that the weather has cooled down?
Leave me a comment and let me know.

Till later,
Jane 

PS - I will be attempting Vlogmas this year. We'll see how that goes....

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