reviews

Indeed Labs Peptabright (spoiler: in a world of lacklustre products, it’s brilliant)

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Skincare products can be difficult to judge as they’re not something that you’re measuring the results of for merely the time the product is sitting on your skin. I’m aware I’m not having my most articulate moment here but I refuse to give up on this post that is long enough overdue as it is. Retry time. Skincare is difficult to review fairly because its effects are more difficult to judge because they tend to be long-term, rather than merely covering-up the skin they aim to improve the skin itself and said difficulty is why I don’t write many skincare reviews but I feel confident enough to provide my verdict on the Indeeds Labs Pepta-Bright, as I’ve been using it since October and have seen results without making any other significant changes to my skincare regime. The serum retails for $40 CDN (at Shoppers), 25 GBP (at Boots) and can be picked up in the states as well in Walgreens. Long-story-short this is a brightening cream serum containing 30 mLs of product in a compact white tube.

the ingredients
the ingredients

The official description of the cream-serum, taken directly from the box is as follows:

Our promise is to deliver the most advanced peptide based skin brightening treatment. Pepta-Bright is a  combination of 7 powerful active ingredients which target 7 biological factors. This cream-serum is designed to improve the appearance of hyperpigmentation, age spots and uneven skin tone. The unique formula is lightweight yet rich in texture. Pepta-bright helps to reduce the intensity of dark spots while promoting overall skin clarity and brightness, leaving a luminous and radiant complexion. You’ll be surprised by how fast you will see results!

From my previous research and trial and error along with checking the always-helpful cosdna, there does not seem to be any overly harsh or commonly irritating ingredients in this offering – but as always everyone has different skin but mine is incredibly sensitive especially to drying alcohols and I’m pleased to report there are none. This serum is essentially a chemical exfoliant with lactic acid as its active ingredient with a hydrating base containing glycerin. It’s as intense as promised but gentle at the same time (not an oxymoron, I promise)  in the sense that it’s free of harsh additives yet it’s a concentrated chemical exfoliant so you’re getting a whole lot of bang for your buck. It doesn’t irritate my easily irritated skin but it can tingle uncomfortably on skin that is already irritated.

In my trial of chemical exfoliants in the last year, I’ve learned that results are not immediate but with continued use dramatic results do occur. I’m not going to hide my bias toward this product; with continuous use since the beginning of October, it’s become one of my very few hero skincare products. Now I can safely say that it’s provided dramatic results that I’m happy with but I didn’t really see results until two-three months of use regardless of how frequently I applied the product, yet the results were dramatic when I could see them.  It’s a testament to this products effecacy that since the results have become visible to me I’ve also received lots of compliments on my skin from friends that I see on a daily basis and this has been the only variable in my routine.

You can probably extrapolate my general skin condition and concerns from what I’ve said here but I thought further detail would be helpful; I have dry, dehydrated and easily irritated skin prone to redness, congestion, clogged pores, scarring and all sorts of lumps and bumps. In other words, my skin is naturally uneven and dull, lacking clarity and this has tremendously helped. The most dramatic difference has been in the decrease of those annoying clogged-pore bumps on my forehead, cheeks and chin but I’ve noticed fading of the scars that always accompany my breakouts as well as a more radiant and even complexions. As most products seem to be, Pepta-Bright is marketed with almost-otherworldly claims (“the most advanced”, anyone?)  but I think it actually does achieve on said claims. If you suffer from dullness, unevenness and the like, you need this treatment. It’s made its way into my nightime routine 3-4 times per week and I cry when I think about it leaving anytime soon. Take this from a skeptic and cynic like myself, this falls into the magical baby unicorn tears category.

left: without face makeup when I started using right: makeupless after five months of use
left: without face makeup when I started using
right: makeupless after five months of use

Have you tried this or anything similar? I’m always open to recommendations!

x, Maggie

Marc Jacobs Beauty Color Eye-Con Palette in 204 The Starlet

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After hearing the trusted Christine from Temptalia’s shining review of Marc Jacobs Color Eye-Con Palette in 204 The Starlet (and I recommend reading her review for superior shade descriptions and comparisons to other shades and more of a succint review), I had to see the beauty in person and upon seeing it, I decided that I had to have it and luckily my mother listened to my ravings and she gave it to me for Christmas despite her reservations about giving her clearly makeup-obsessive daughter yet another neutral palette – we do not share the same love of makeup, sigh. I’ve used this a great deal since finding it underneath the tree and I feel compelled to talk about the metallic oft-neglected palette.

I seem to have this tendency to forget to talk about the basics so I’ll begin with such details. The sleek black rounded and compact contains five shades with 0.24 oz (0.035 oz each so slightly smaller than the average full-sized shades) of product and luxurious packaging featuring a moderately sized mirror and a secure clasp closure. At Sephora, the palette retails for $59 US/$71 CDN. In line with the description of the palette, all shades are metallic but I must say they are refined shimmery shadows, more in line with Dior’s shimmery shades than Urban Decay’s and I don’t have a particular problem with the lack of matte shades but this won’t necessarily be an all-in-all palette. However, I wear this alone but also like to use alongside my staple matte shadows.

The shadows are among the best that I’ve ever tried – very longlasting, pigmented, iridescent, smooth, buttery and blendable – and they are technically neutral shades but they are very interesting for neutral shades and differ from the average neutral palette. Overall, the palette seems to be warm-toned (although there are one or two cool shades) and if you’re a fan of the Naked 1, I see you really being wowed by this offering. For some semblance of clarity, I’ll talk about the shades from left to right in the palette.

the shades minus the grey
the shades minus the grey

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the grey in all of it's glory
the grey in all of it’s glory

Shade One is a medium-toned purply taupe that reminds me of MAC Satin Taupe with more purple and lighter in colour and is similar but more purple-toned than the second shade in NARS Kalahari. 

Shade Two is a peachy-pink champagne shade that has warm undertones, lighter than MAC All That Glitters but darker than Urban Decay Sin.

Shade Three is a warm bronzy darkened chocolate brown that is similar to Urban Decay Darkhorse but is less green-based and more bronze.

Shade Four is a light-medium true copper shade that I don’t own any shades that are similar to but I would describe this shade as being halfway between the uber-dramatic MAC Coppering and the more subdued MAC Woodwinked. It’s a wearable copper.

Shade Five is a relatively light silver with a noticable blue lean to it. It reminds me of the “eyelid” shade on the left hand side of Wet n Wild’s Blue Had Me At Hello.

Shade Six is a medium-toned antiqued gold that I don’t own anything similar to and is much less warm-toned than say Urban Decay Half-Baked. 

Shade Seven is deceptive in the pan, as the shade pulls much more neutral and taupe in tone when applied onto the lids; it’s a medium-dark taupe-grey shade that to me looks like a darkened and greyed version of MAC Satin Taupe and reminds me of Urban Decay Mushroom.

The shades are all consistent in quality and this is one of those palettes that I wear all the shades on a regular basis – the metallic palette is surprisingly versatile in my experience. The champagne is one of those lid shades that I adore and the copper is subtle enough to be worn with more dramatic lips while still looking striking. The purply taupe is lovely in the crease.  The gold is a stunning one and it seems wearable because it’s an antiqued tone. The silver is beautiful for a smoky eye – I wore it on New Years! – but can be difficult to wear on the regular because of its blue lean. The grey-taupe seems to be the perfect shade to smoke out the eye without creating much mess or fallout and the dark bronze is dark enough to use to define the outer corner and lashes. I think the palette was rather well thought out but I would only recommend if you’re a fan of shimmery shadows. This is a palette that I find myself reaching for both when I want to wear a bolder lip and need to tone it down on the eyes and when I want to go for some smoulder.

the champagne on the inner lid, copper on the outer lid and grey in the outer corner
the champagne on the inner lid, copper on the outer lid and grey in the outer corner – ignore the fact that it looks like my foundation doesn’t match… winter lighting is ridiculous
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the champagne on the lid, the taupe in the crease and the bronze in the outer corner
the champagne on the lid, the taupe in the crease and the bronze in the outer corner
the gold on the lid and the grey in the outer-corner and crease with a little bit of MAC Charcoal Brown in the crease to blend
the gold on the lid and the grey in the outer-corner and crease with a little bit of MAC Charcoal Brown in the crease to blend

The Rating Breakdown

Pigmentation – 10/10

Longevity – 9.5/10

Packaging – 10/10

Value – 9.5/10

Overall Quality – 10/10

Total Grade – 49/50= 98%/ A+

x,

Maggie.

Have you tried any products from Marc Jacobs Beauty? What do you think?

I USED UP PRODUCTS #1

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Ever since beginning this blog, I’ve planned on doing empties posts — I went as far as to accumulating the products in a specific bag and putting it on the desk as a reminder. Somehow I’ve managed to procrastinate from even doing one of these helpful mini-review posts of products that I actually finished. Note: Quite frankly, I’m not surprised. I left out products that I’ve mentioned using up time and time before and spoke about in depth… Bioderma… ahem.

L’Oreal Total Repair 5 Instant Miracle ($6 CDN)

Thiswas a meh product for me. I do have naturally dry, wavy-curly hair that is horrifically prone to tangles and in its natural state ends a bit more than half way down my back and therefore I need pretty intense conditioning. It by no means “instantly repairs” the hair but is a decent conditioning treatment that does provide some protein without containing the culprit dimethicone that weighs down the hair. My problem is that it is not concentrated and I went through the 200 mLs in slightly over a month and I was disturbed as higher-end counterparts I’ve tried have lasted me 5-6x the amount of time with better results at maybe four times the price. I did not see an improvement in the state of my hair and did not find it to be intense by any means. The scent is the typical L’Oreal perfumey-floral scent that I’m not a fan of.

Bee By The Sea Natural Products Sea Buckthorn and HonEy Nourishing Face Cream ($30 CDN)

This was an extremely nourishing face cream with that typical heavy night cream texture that did help to soothe the skin with it’s high concentrations of coconut oil, olive oil and grape seed oil but did not do anything spectacular or noteworthy for the skin. It’s free of irritants and is a simple mixture of ingredients that moisturizes well. It was a nice moisturizer, sold on the website and at health food stores but didn’t do enough so that I’d want to repurchase.

Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser ($11-12 CDN)

I’ve talked about this gentle cleanser extensively, both in my first post ever, [heeeere] and in my skincare routine from the early days of the blog and my feelings haven’t changed. The fragrance and detergent free creamy cleanser lasted for six months with twice daily use and impressed me with it’s gentleness on my sensitive skin while still being effective. I will either repurchase this or the newer edition of this cleanser that Neutrogena has recently released. I highly recommend it. I turned my combination-skinned friend onto it as well and it’s also working well for her so I don’t think it’s restricted to drier skin types. Doesn’t remove makeup, though. I used it in the morning and for the second cleanse at night.

L’Oreal Voluminous Original Mascara in Blackest Black ($10 CDN)

Why does it feel like the only makeup products I use-up are mascara? I internally debated whether or not to include a question mark because the question was rhetorical and to be honest it was stressing me out. I know that for many people this is “the” mascara but after using it, I have to say the product with a cult-following is not for me. I have long and thin kind of eyelashes that I never curl because they have a natural bend to them and look for volume in my mascara, generally favouring drier formulas that promise volume. Because the skin on my entire body (except my eyelids hilariously enough) is very dry, it isn’t exactly surprising that I have zero issues with mascara smudging, smearing or transferring so I can’t comment on all of that. I found that the formula of this mascara was too wet, even when it began to dry out. The brush was a standard fibre one that wasn’t too large or small that I think would work for lots of people but I found too much product was deposited on the brush and would clump in a very annoying way. I wouldn’t say this mascara is bad, I just don’t particularly like it.

x,

Maggie

What products have you used up lately?

Top Thirteen of 2013

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I’ve only been blogging since the end of May this year but I can remember my product loves before then so I thought I’d share an edited selection of my absolute essential products of 2013. It’s been agonizing to do so but these products were staples this year that I’d recommend to all!

Boots Beautiful Skin Cleansing Balm for Dry/Very Dry Skin ($10 CDN)

I’ve used this every night since I purchased it in the summer but I’m still on my first bottle of this divine creamy cleanser. It’s beyond gentle, actually hydrating the skin rather than stripping it, soothing and with the aid of a washcloth, removes face makeup. It contains fragrance but does smell luxurious, especially considering the price – an absolute bargain in my book!

Caudalie Vinosource Quenching Sorbet-Creme ($39 CDN)

The 40 mL tube of goodness lasted for five months with daily use and I used it throughout the entire summer and into the fall. I haven’t repurchased yet, but I plan on repurchasing in the near future. It contains Caudalie’s signature antioxidants and is free of drying alcohols (but does contain fragrance) and is a fast-absorbing, weightless but very hydrating product that feels cooling and soothing on the skin. This has made me intrigued to try more Caudalie – to be continued…

Bioderma Sensibio H20 ($22 CDN)

There are only two beauty products that I go through quickly: conditioner and Bioderma. I wear a good amount of eye makeup on a daily basis and use this micellar water every night to remove it. I have uber-sensitive eyes and this is the only product that neither irritates my eyes or clouds my vision and removes my makeup. It feels as gentle as water on the skin but removes makeup well with minimal effort and makes it easier to wear heavier eye makeup on a daily basis.

L’Oreal Professionnel Intense Repair Masque ($30 CDN)

This is easily the best conditioner/masque that I’ve ever tried and I’ve tried many, including others in the line and nothing else compares. In terms of silicones, amodimethicone is high on the ingredient list and I suppose could prevent the ingredients for working their best but at the very least it does not build up and weigh down my hair. The scent is an interesting fake banana scent and the product is coloured to match. The product itself is a thick texture and is intensely hydrating and really helps to detangle hair without weighing it down. I have fine wavy-curly hair but lots of it that tends to split easily and after using this from the start of the year until late fall when it ran out, I can say that it prevented the dry ends from forming that contribute to such breakage. The product is super-concentrated and easily worth the money as many cheaper options tend to run out more quickly and work less effectively.

Pureology SuperSmooth Sulfate-Free Shampoo ($29 CDN)

Sulfates are a nightmare for my hair, both drying it out and causing eczema on my scalp and this is easily my favourite sulfate-free shampoo I’ve tried, however it is very expensive. Luckily I managed to pick up the litre size of this on sale for about $50 CDN very early in the year and I’m still on the same bottle. This is easily the gentlest effective shampoo that I’ve ever tried and is definitely the most concentrated. I always find I go through hair product quickly but this one truly is the most concentrated. The ingredients are really great, the only silicones are water-soluble and do not build up on the hair and it contains high concentrations of nourishing oils like sesame oil and shea butter. This shampoo is one of the rare shampoos that manages to cleanse the hair without stripping it. The smell is to-die for, a luxurious slightly spicy and woodsy scent – easily the best smelling hair product I’ve ever tried.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in Ivory ($10 CDN)

I started using this foundation shortly before starting my blog and it was one of the products that got me into drugstore makeup – before the blog, I was a diehard MAC girl with a hint of Sephora thrown in there. This foundation I wore pretty much all summer long and never stopped using it afterwards. For me, this foundation is one that I can always wear and feel confident about putting on my skin without thinking about it. I can’t see the shimmer in it and find it slightly glowy with great longevity. It has that medium coverage that can be worn when your skin isn’t looking too great but doesn’t look heavy on the skin. The colour is one of the best matches for me as it’s fair with yellow undertones and sits nicely on my dehydrated skin. It’s weightless on the skin without including harsh irritating alcohol.

MAC Powder Blush in Harmony ($25 CDN)

Although it’s called a blush, this is definitely a contour powder. It’s somewhat cool-toned without being grey and somehow manages to add warmth to the face while providing some shape. I picked this up very early in the year and haven’t looked back as it’s remained a staple throughout the entire year. It’s a matte  medium toned mauve-y brown that is difficult to describe and works for me year round regardless of the season.

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara ($10)

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, it will be no secret to you that this is my all-time favourite mascara and I discovered at the beginning of this year and repurchased it recently. It’s nice and volumizing, can be built up and doesn’t clump and the wand deposits the perfect amount of product. I should mention that naturally I have long, curled and wimply lashes and I enjoy volumizing drier mascaras as wetter formulas tend to look less natural and more spider-y on me.

Urban Decay Naked Palette ($62 CDN)

I agonized over whether to include this palette, as for the first few months of my blog I talked about how I didn’t love this palette as an all-inclusive palette for a variety of looks but then I slowly fell in love with it but prior to starting my blog, I wore these shadows on a daily basis – I wore Sin on my lids, Naked in the crease and Hustle in the outer-v- which is still a combination I adore. It has those flattering warm tones and contains a variety of shades of different depths and is easily my most used eyeshadow item of the year. If you enjoy shimmery warm-toned eyeshadows, this is the palette for you.

MAC Charcoal Brown Eyeshadow ($12/18 CDN)

This might seem like a really boring shade to include but it’s proven its value as a staple to me year round. It’s a medium toned slightly-cool toned brown with a matte finish. This was the product that got me into filling in my brows and it’s a fabulous shade for brunettes but it also adds great definition to the crease that cannot be duplicated with a shimmery shade and is the perfect balance of warm and cool for me.

MAC Lipstick in Patisserie ($18 CDN)

I swore I was only going to include products that I wore the entire year but although I’ve only been using this since October, it became my go-to shade and easily my favourite lip product discovery of the year. It’s a lustre so it doesn’t highlight dry patches and is somewhat moisturizing. It’s a darker nude that isn’t all that different in colour than my pale lips — a warm nude with some pink in it that doesn’t wash me out in the least but rather adds some life to my face and looks good with any makeup.

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Rose ($30 CDN)

2013 was the year that I fell in love with the bold lip. Sure I wore red lips to prom but prior to this year that was the extent of my exposure to the red lip or even the bold lip in general. However the particular lipstick was a difficult to decide on as bold lipsticks aren’t something you typically reach for on a daily basis. After lamenting for a couple of days, I decided that I couldn’t put a particular one in but bold lips was perhaps my makeup discovery of the year overall. Easily my most used lip product of the year was this multi-tasking product. I like it as a creme blush as well but the iconic Bobbi Brown product is something I’ve reached for constantly all year for a warm rosy hue on my lips that doesn’t pull brown whatsoever. It’s sort of hydrating but not remarkably so and has the easiest on-the-go application and is that slightly darker but sought-after my lips but better shade on me that wears nicely for a few hours.

MAC Stereo Rose Mineralize Skinfinish ($34 CDN) – limited edition 😦

insert picture of me wearing it on December 13th w/o bold lip

Being the blush hoarder and obsessor – is that even a word? If it’s not I’m making it one…. – that I am, I knew I had to put one in my yearly favourites, however it was incredibly difficult to choose my favourite one that I wore the most throughout the year as I tend to go through blush phases. I know it’s rather evil of me to include a limited edition product but I discovered the hyped but worth the hype product this year and loved it throughout the year even though I didn’t necessarily mention it as much as it deserved. I bought it at the very start of the year when the Apres Chic collection came out. I was not intending on buying it but when I tried it on, the finely-milled glowy rosy coral wowed me. It’s a blush that is the most gorgeous when not too much else is going on with your makeup.

Seeing as I included a product that is rather difficult to get your hands on and I know how annoying it can be when someone rambles on about an amazing product that you can’t get, I’ll include my runner up – Nars Orgasm Powder Blush, a less-corally pinky-coral with gold shimmer running throughout that brightens the face while working with whatever makeup you’re wearing.

What were your favourite products of the year?

My Top 6 Cold-Weather Lipsticks

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I’ve said it before but I feel compelled to say it again – I don’t really abide to the whole ‘you wear dark colours in the winter and corals in the summer and only the summer’ kind of thing. My staple lipsticks do change with the season, however and I thought I’d share mine. If you’ve visited my blog before you would know that I’m fair with yellow-undertones and have cool-toned brown hair but I don’t think I’ve mentioned that I have pale, somewhat ghastly looking lips and this does influence the kind of shades I like — browns look more brown on me because of the lack of pigment in them and I look like I time-travelled from the early nineties, I’m sure you get the gist. And pinks, especially cool-toned pinks look horrible on me so they won’t be featured here.

MAC Patisserie ($18 CDN) is that effortless, nude-y shade that adds life to my face while still looking relatively natural. I don’t like the phrase but it fits in the ‘my lips but better’ category’ as it’s a darker nude. The undertones are a warm pinky-brown and the lustre finish is forgiving and foolproof to apply. It’s been part of the daily rotation ever since I bought it in October. This is one of the only shades that looks good with any sort of makeup.

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L’Oreal Sunset Angora ($12 CDN) is not your typical fall/winter colour at all — in fact it pretty much screams summer — but I think it’s flattering on me and I reach for it often — at least I have since I picked it up recently, but I’m sure it will remain a favourite. Aside from the old-fashioned smell (blech!), the lipstick is notable for its light hydrating texture and sheen. It’s a creme formula medium-toned pink coral with warm undertones. Another everyday kind of shade like Patisserie but this one packs more punch. This is about as pink as I’m able to get, it appears.

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Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart ($9 CDN) was not a product I fell in love with immediately after first use. I’ve had it for four months, I believe, and I had lukewarm feelings towards it before a month or two ago — I dug it out again and found that I really liked it with minimal makeup for that bitten, rosy glossy lip. It’s easy to wear because of it’s sheerness and it’s especially great if you want to wear red lips and are intimidated by doing so. I think the undertones are quite neutral if you were curious.

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MAC Ruby Woo Lipstick ($18 CDN) is easily one of those famous, cult-classic red lips and I absolutely adore it. It is not the kind of lipstick that gets the most use on a daily basis (but I have worn it during the day!) but it’s the perfect red to pair with minimal makeup for that sophisticated look. Wearing such a showstopping red in the winter at your palest is a look I adore and Ruby Woo is the product for the job. It’s a retro matte which means that it wears for ages and ages on the lips but is so so drying and can look patchy as it fades. It’s a bright almost-neon red with slight-cool undertones. This is undoubtedly my favourite true-red lipstick.

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Revlon Lacquer Balm in Enticing ($10-11 CDN), yet another lipstick love of mine that fits into the red colour family, has a wonderful hydrating and smooth formulation in the pencil format that I adore. As I’ve mentioned a few times on recent posts, it is a glossy deep red with good buildable pigmentation with neutral undertones and a hint of brown to it. This is one of those deeper shades in the berry colour family that is easier to wear and can be applied on a more everyday basis without requiring much maintenance.

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Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Golshan ($30 CDN) is easily the most expensive lip product that has ever been in my possession and my acquisition of it resulted from the recent VIB Promotion at Sephora and I know I bought it recently but it was love at first sight — the perfect hydrating and long-wearing dark lip. I’m not going to get into much about the formula as you can expect a more detailed post in the near future but I will say that it wears evenly on the lips for a long time. It’s described as a “spiced wine” but it has more red in it than that in my opinion. It’s a warm burgundy shade with slight brown undertones without being brown at all. It knocked my loved MAC Dubonnet out of this top five and that should say something. I need more of these, pronto.

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What are your favourite lip products for the cooler seasons?

Base Bonanza: Diorskin Nude Skin-Glowing Makeup

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Diorskin Nude Skin-Glowing Makeup is marketed as a fluid liquid foundation that provides coverage but maintains the look of skin. The ingredients are supposedly 100% natural and active (whatever that means) and over time claims to improve the natural radiance of the skin and when worn provides a shine-free glow. Weirdly enough, although the foundation is listed at $54 CDN for the 30 mls container, but in my Sephora store it was $48 CDN. I’m not complaining. If you’re wondering, the shade I have is 11, a fair shade with yellow undertones. The product comes in a large but expensive-looking glass bottle with a nice pump. It contains SPF 15 and I tend to be sensitive to chemical sunscreens, but it does not appear to irritate my skin at all.

Active Ingredients: Octinoxate (3.00%), Titanium Dioxide (4.35%); Other Ingredients: Water, Methyl Trimethicone, Alcohol, Phenyl Trimethicone, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Isododecane, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer, Diphenyl Dimethicone/Vinyl Diphenyl Dimethicone/Silsesquioxane Cross Polymer, Isododecane, Dimethiconol/Methylsilanol/Silicate Cross Polymer, Stearic Acid, Mica, Phenoxyethanol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Alumina, Aluminum Hydroxide, Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate, Glyceryl Undecyl Dimethicone, Disteardimonium Hectorite, VP/VA Copolymer, Silica Silylate, Silica, Propylene Carbonate, Fragrance, Dimethicone, BHT, Dimethicone/Methicone Copolymer, Sericin, Linalool, Limonene, Butylphenyl Methyl Propional, Glycerin, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Rhodochrosite Extract, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Extract, Hydrolyzed Linseed Extract, Citronellol Balanites, Roxburghi Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sorbic Acid, Ajuga Turkestanica Extract. May Contain: Bismuth Oxychloride, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide

It’s difficult to agree with claim that the foundation improves the skin over time because the formula contains a good deal of irritating alcohol and fragrance, despite the inclusion of moisturizers and antioxidants. I would agree that the foundation provides substantial yet naturally radiant coverage. I would say it’s a natural looking foundation that provides coverage that’s on the lighter end of medium with a slightly glowy finish.

I have dehydrated and naturally dry skin that foundation tends to look really obvious on and as long as I don’t try to build this foundation up, it looks impressively natural on the skin (as if it’s just your natural skin) with a realistic glow to it. However, when I try to build it up, it begins to look quite obvious and loses that glowiness. I only find that it highlights dry patches when it’s been built up. When a smaller amount is worn and medium coverage is provided, the skin appears naturally radiant and not made-up. The texture of the product is remarkably skinlike.

The formulation is weightless; It’s difficult to feel it on the face unless you go as far as to poke your skin. In my experience, it does not transfer and leaves the skin feeling like skin. The foundation is not as dewy as one might expect from the marketing of the product, so it’s suitable for more of a combination skin seeking a glow that doesn’t read oily when on the skin, but it’s also suitable for skins on the drier side of things. Because alcohol can be drying and the lightweight texture of the product, I would say it isn’t suitable for the driest of skins but I can see it working for dry combination, normal and combination skin.

The shade range isn’t as impressive as say Make Up For Ever HD but is fairly adequate. The sixteen shades are ordered in terms of their various undertones and the shades do start nice and pale, so there are options for those with fairer skintones and there are a few shades for darker skins, but the selection is limited.

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I do have the kind of skin that clings to foundation well but this one has impressive longevity, especially considering the radiant finish that it had. In the pictures, the only coverage on my face is the foundation (except I have some concealer underneath the eyes) so the bit of redness peaking through on my chin wasn’t covered in the first place, although that is where my foundation wears off first. I didn’t set the foundation with a spray or powder or blot or anything throughout the day. I wore the foundation from about noon to 11 pm and it hardly looked any different from when I applied it and had not worn off at all. Because I have dehydrated skin, I find regardless of what foundation I’m wearing (and primer/powder with it), it tends to stick to the skin in a slightly more obvious way once the moisturizer I was wearing underneath seems to vanish. On other days, I’ve remedied this with setting spray. The day was also a busy day – I was stressing, studying and out and about. The longevity of this foundation would make it a nice option for oilier skin-types looking for radiance without having to sacrifice longevity. Despite it’s finish, I do not find it highlights skin imperfections or pores in the least (but I do not suffer too much from the latter, so I can’t guarantee this).

The Claims- 8/10

Formulation – 9/10

Longevity – 9.5/10

Packaging – 9/10

Value – 8.5/10

38/50= 78% or B+

Have any of you tried this foundation? What are your thoughts?

November Favourites

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I haven’t dropped off of the face of the earth, I promise. In last months post I complained of the stress and busyness of that month; this month was that tenfold. It’s started getting very cold this month and I’ve been exhausted, up to my neck in work, fighting off a cold and very sleep-deprived. At the moment, I’m in the middle of possibly the most stressful and intense exam-period in my life – writing three papers and studying and writing three exams in the next week. Eek. This is my escape and it is much appreciated. Much. I have no words. I’m not sure how I’m alive at the moment but I do appear to be so here goes. I forewarn you that this post has the potential to be extremely questionable with the state I’m currently in. Hello, December.

Sonia Kashuk Undetectable Creme Bronzer in Warm Tan ($10 CDN)

Although it seemed slightly rather orange-toned for the first few applications, it has made it into my daily makeup routine. With its slightly radiant finish, it sits well over my dry patches and when blended properly it looks natural and luminous. The longevity is fantastic too and it doesn’t go streaky or patchy.

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara ($10 CDN)

I would not hesitate to say that this is my favourite mascara of all time. It’s not particularly clumpy, even at its wettest when its first opened and provides the dramatic but not particularly artificial-looking volume and curl that I like some length too. My inner lazy girl loves how it can be worn on both top and bottom lashes and its easy to remove as well. The only slightly negative point to this mascara is that slight flaking can occur by the end of the day. I opened a new tube this month and fell in love with this all over again.

Dior 5 Coleurs Quint in Earth Reflection ($61 CDN)

This rather expensive (but worth it in my opinion) palette has remained in constant use this month. The colours are amazing quality and versatile, going more dramatic or creating the perfect eye to pair with bolder lips. The shimmery pink highlight is the best brightening shade for the inner-corner as well, I discovered. I think the golden taupe tones of this palette make it so versatile and easy. The shades are pigmented, smooth and buttery like nothing else. Love. It’s completely worth it in its simplicity.

Coconut Oil

I talked about coconut oil in my fall skincare update post and as expected, it’s made its way into my everyday routine. It’s antibacterial and I find that it helps calm the skin and prevent scarring afterwards but I love to apply it over my moisturizer to soothe the skin and lock in the moisture in my perpetually-dehydrated skin. It can really help to combat dullness in the skin and get rid of irritation-based redness.

Benefit Girl Meets Pearl ($36 CDN)

Late spring I redeemed my Sephora BI points and I picked this up and a few samples as my 500 point perk but it’s really this month that I’ve fallen in love. It’s a light liquid iridescent pink-champagne highlighter that gives the perfect dewiness that my dull skin lacks. I’ve almost used it daily this month and it is nicely radiant and brightening. This truly looks like dewy skin, not just shimmer on the cheekbones.

Lancome Le Crayon Khol in Black Ebony ($29 CDN)

This seems to be the never-ending eyeliner. It’s lasted for years and because it’s sharpened, there is no concern about the hygiene of doing so. I’ve always liked this but I’ve fallen back in love this month. I’ve used it almost every day to tightline and have used it many times on the lashline and waterline as well. It’s not the blackest black and I like that; sometimes I find that browns are too light and this is a happy medium between brown and black. The formula lasts a good amount of time (even in the waterline) but is not a hassle to remove like Urban Decay’s 24/7 Liners. It smudges out nicely and makes great smoky eyes.

Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer ($8 CDN)

This has become my go-to undereye concealer/brightener/face highlighter because it does all those things and provide just enough coverage to hide my hereditary but also sleep-induced dark circles without looking heavy. I also like to bring it into the higher points of my face, as it is also a highlighter. Weirdly enough the shade I have is Ivory and Ivory in this is way lighter than Ivory in their Wake Me Up Foundation and less yellow toned but it’s a good highlighting concealer on me. This is one of those products that makes me actually look alive. Exam-crunchtime essential.

I’ve been weirdly into lip products this month but oddly enough, I haven’t stayed faithful to one enough to bring myself to include it. The same goes with nail polish – I’m not typically one of those Oh-em-gee lipstick/nail polish kind of girls.Err, so I originally intended for this blog to be solely beauty-oriented but lately I’ve been itching to include a few fashion and lifestyle posts into the mix.

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Banana Republic Cobalt Wool Coat ($275 CDN)

So about a month ago they had this coat on promotion for 40% off and I fell in love with it and it’s been amazing. I love the 3/4 length of it because it can also be worn with dresses without looking awkward. It’s that flattering effortlessly pulled-together vibrant cobalt bold coat with that flattering fit. It’s warm, comfortable and in my humble opinion makes me look fashionable.

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American Eagle Real Soft Snowed In Sweater ($55 CDN)

A good portion of my wardrobe is from American Eagle – they seem to just do clothes right, laid back but fashionable, provide really good promotions and tend to fit me well. Sweaters are something they do best, however. I’ve been wearing this non-stop all month and it’s the perfect part nylon and wool cotton blend -warm and cozy without being too itchy or overheating. It’s the perfect cozy ‘sweater weather’ kind of slouchy sweater. I really like the pale blue for winter but that shade is no longer available but the cream, red and tan shades are gorgeous. It can be worn off the shoulders and really works with the easy skinny jeans and leather boots look. Love.  I got mine 40% off and they tend to do these kind of sales often.

Those who know me best would say that I am (a) entirely too beauty-obsessed and (b) angst-ridden, cynical and depressing for my own good. I’m sure you’re all to aware of the former trait but I haven’t talked too much of the latter.

Never Let Me Go – Kazuo Ishiguro ($15 CDN from Chapters)

If you want to read something beautifully depressing and tragic to fill the void in your soul, this book is for you. It’s very gripping and easy to read, even though I had it assigned to me as a required reading but it has to be one of my all time favourites. I would describe it as a psychological dystopian type of novel.

Born to Die – Lana del Rey ($12 CDN from iTunes)

I’ve always liked the namesake song and it’s really resonated with my inner cynical and angst-ridden dark soul but I hadn’t listened to the album but I’ve been listening to it non-stop. I really love the mellowness and her unique voice and for those of you in university-hell with me it’s a good one for listening to while studying slash essay-writing-yourself-into-an-early-grave.

What were your November favourites?