Chanel Vitalumiere Foundation

I recently received this mini sample of Chanel Vitalumiere Satin Fluid Foundation , as a foundation junkie, of course I was happy to try out new foundation esp the one from Chanel.

The vitalumiere range base make up from Chanel has received a lot of good reviews from the beauty community, but as I usually don't have good luck with Chanel make up, I didn't have much expectation for this one.

I can't say a lot about the packaging since I only got the mini sample, but the full size comes in a typical high end foundation bottle. Glass, heavy and well made with pump spender. The sample comes in a tiny little tube which I prefer than sachet. 

I got the shade #03 which matched my complexion though it is a tad too yellow for my preference. But it doesn't appear yellow once applied. The texture is very light and watery. It blended easily though I got the feeling that it clogs my pores a little bit. The foundation has light coverage, but it is enough to cover minor imperfections. It feels lightweight on the skin and comfortable. I like the subtle scent as well. 

My blemishes and rednesses are still visible so concealer is needed. It provides dewy -radiant finish which I believe will suit people with dry skin better as it tends to get oily after 3 hours on my skin. I actually quite liked this foundation and had nothing bad to say about it beside the expensive price tag, but after trying it for 3 days, it broke me out! T.T

My skin is not super sensitive so it doesn't break out easily.. But this foundation broke me out after 3 days so I was not impressed. 

If this foundation didn't break me out I don't think I would purchase the full size either mainly because it is not groundbreaking enough for the €40++ price tag. I expect a foundation that is so expensive to have a wow effect but this one doesn't. It is a decent foundation but you can also find similar quality in the drugstore. 

So once again, Chanel failed to impress me. 

Have you tried any foundation from Chanel?

Love,

Pam

Rimmel London Lasting Color Rush

A friend of mine just came back from London and he bought me some goodies, this lip crayon from Rimmel included. I was so happy to get it since Rimmel is no longer available at our drugstores and I was so glad that he picked up the 'right' shade for me.

Packaging wise, this lip crayon has nothing new or special. It looks just like any other lip crayon on the market. It is retractable so no sharpener needed.

I got the shade 'On Fire'. It is a bright raspberry pink but very wearable. It has glossy balm finish but no shimmer which I find very good. The texture is very nice, it is emollient but not slippery and quite hydrating. It is not as hydrating as the Clinique chubby stick, but still more hydrated as normal lipsticks. The pigmentation is great but very buildable so I can wear it sheer as well. The staying power is very impressive for a balm. I don't usually expect this kind of lip crayon to stay long but I got 4 hours straight with minor eating and drinking. It also stains my lips a little bit.

I am overall happy with this lip crayon. However, I don't think this lip crayon is a must have if you already have had similar shade on your stash. This is nice to have but it is nothing new on the market. But, I find this lip crayon trend in general very good because they are easy to wear and hydrating as well.

Do you also love lip crayons like I do?

Love,

Pam

Dear Santa Claus...

Christmas is my favorite season of all time. I love the atmosphere and the hectic gift-looking time. Yes christmas is just around the corner so I think it is not too early now to start creating a wish list! woo hoo!

• Chanel Illusion d'Ombre in Ebloui - I am usually not a fan of Chanel make up but this particular cream eye shadow has been catching my attention for awhile. 
• Clinique Redness Solutions Foundation -  As you might have known, I have to deal with rednesses on my face and I gravitate towards any products that offer to counter redness, so this one from Clinique sounds promising. I have seen some reviews about it and it looks like a great product.
• Laura Mercier Body Souffle, Body Scrub and Body Bath and any kind of body stuffs in Creme Brullee -  If you haven't smelt how the creme brulee from any of Laura Mercier body stuffs smells, please do. It smells like a peace of heaven. Why oh why they have to be so expensive???
• Jo Malone Earl Grey and Cucumber - I sniffed on my last visit to Jo Malone counter and I loved it! But I wanted to wait until the dept.store where I work get %% for the employees. They are having the %% next week so I think I'll get the cologne as an early xmas gift for myself.
• YSL Youth Liberator Foundation - Most of my fave british youtubers and beauty bloggers like Ana from Vivianna does make up, Lily Pebbles, Fleur de Fource, etc have been raving about this foundation so I am so curious to try! I tried it on counter and liked it, but it is €65 so so expensive! 
• Guerlain Les Voilettes Translucent Compact Powder - This review from Temptalia made me want this so bad. I always have good experience with Guerlain so I think this one will be good.
• Phillip Lim Medium Pashli - I am a total bag person. I loooooooove bags so much and this medium pashli from Philip Lim has been in my wish list for quite awhile. I was so close to get it but I thought I should wait as it might go on sale. T.T. We'll see.

I actually still have a lot of things on my wish list but I think I'll make it easier for my santa so I shortened my list. :P

Have you got your christmas list now?

Love,

Pam

P2 Mystical Reflection Eye Shadow Palette

I am not into the drugstore LE anymore because there are simply too many of them and I try to buy less drugstore items that I end up not liking and start to invest more on high end brands. But when I saw this latest LE palette from p2, the color selection is just right up my alley so I picked it up.

The palette comes in a flimsy cheap looking - crazy finger print catcher case which I don't like at all. But a nice thing that it comes with a built in mirror and small sponge applicator so it will be good for touch up. 

The color selection is very nice. All 4 cream eye shadows are shimmery. The color pay off is good, I did 2 layers on the swatch picts above.  The texture is very emollient and kind of oily. At first, I applied them without eye shadow primer and they creased like crazy because of the emollient -wet texture, it just didn't set and moved around terribly.

But I love the shades and I still had a little hope they'd make at least a good base, so I tried 2nd time to apply it over a primer, wait a minute and set it with eye shadow powder. They worked well for like 30 minutes before they started to crease again. So eye shadow primer and powder failed to make them set, because they remained wet and slippery on the lids. Applying eye liner over it was a struggle as well. 

Besides of the nice color and pigmentation, I can't really find something nice about this palette. Fortunately it was not very expensive at €4,99 but still I'd better save the money for something else.

Have you got thing you regret buying ,lately?

Love,

Pam

Etude House Minni Mouse Collection

When I first saw the press release from the Etude House Minnie Mouse collection I was hooked. I wanted them all, as I am a huge fan of Disney. When I found out that one ebay seller started to sell the collection and also for affordable price ( ca. €7 for the lipstick and €11 for the blush ), I impulsively ordered the blush and the pink lipstick. My order took exactly a month to arrive. 

The blush looks just exactly like I imagined it to be. The packaging is so cute and not flimsy. The case is sturdy even though it is made of plastic. The minnie mouse embossed on the blush is also cute and pretty. 

Function wise, the blush is disappointing but I kind of expected that. The pigmentation is very sheer and gives almost no color. When blended together and layer heavily, it gives a very subtle sheer pink, but once applied to the face, it gives no color at all. I tried to apply it as blush on the cheeks but failed to make the color noticeable even after layers. So I tried to use it as all over powder, so I applied it as finishing powder very lightly. It mattifies a little bit and gives a very subtle glow like a healthy color to my face. The finish as all over powder is nice but not very noticeable that I reach for it often. The powder is loosely pressed so it gets dusty on contact with brush. ( That's why I saw a lot of people received the blush broken  because they're not very hard pressed ). 

my attempt to capture the finish using the blush as 'blush' and all over powder.

To the lipstick, I regret that I didn't order the red one. The pink shade is very blue-toned and barbie like. It makes my complexion looking dull and very Jersey Shore. The texture of the lipstick is okay though, it is creamy and the pigmentation is good. Only I have problem that it sets into lip lines even though my lips are well moisturized. The lipstick is also strongly scented that it gives me a bit headache. 

Overall, I'll give thumbs up for the packaging but thumbs down for the products. I can still use the blush as powder but the lipstick is just nothing to begin with. I can't understand why Etude House as asian brand with mostly asian customers came up with colors and shades which are not asian friendly. The lipstick will look lovely on other complexions but asians. Also the very sheer blush is almost useless. 

I like the cute concept but after all , it is the product that counts. So I'm not happy.

Have you tried Etude House products? Or did you order this collection?

Love,

Pam

Fuller Fudge

As a fan of the chubby stick for the lips, I was intrigued when I first heard Clinique released chubby stick for the eyes,  but I have read mixed reviews about it on the internet so it took me quite a long time before I finally put an order for it.

Fuller Fudge was actually a wrong purchase. I thought I ordered the other shade ; ample amber but when my order arrived I was surprised it was fuller fudge. I checked my bill once again and realized I clicked the wrong shade.

Fuller Fudge is actually my kind of shade,but I thought I have so many similar shade already that's why I opted for ample amber, I was relieved to see that fuller fudge is actually unlike my other eye shadow sticks.

The shadow tint comes in a identical packaging like the chubby stick for the lips, only the cap has a click mechanism that closes better than the lips version. The stick is a bit bulky imo especially for the eyes but it is not very annoying. It is chubby stick anyway so it's meant to be chubby. :p

Fuller fudge is a bronzy mud-brown with golden shimmers ( not glitters ). The color is similar to kiko eye shadow stick in shade 06, only the kiko one is more muddy and has glitters. The chubby stick has a very nice texture, it is creamy but not slippery. It glides on smoothly and doesn't tug my lids. The texture is similar like maybelline color tattoo but in a stick form. It doesn't set directly after application so it gives time to blend. The pigmentation is perfect too, it is not overly pigmented like the rimmel ones, so it functions perfect as a base and it is def buildable. It doesn't crease on my lids with or without primer, it stays on the whole day as well. I love the fact that the color is mild and subtle, it is something I've been looking for , because I need a subtle eye shadow for uni-days.

Overall, fuller fudge is a nice flattering brown and it looks good solo, so it's great if we don't have a lot of time to do make up in the morning because 2 swipes of fuller fudge is enough. 

I am happy with this 'wrong purchase' and I think I'll get my hands on the ample amber soon ( this time I'll make sure I click the right shade ). 

Have you tried any of the clinique chubby stick?

Love,

Pam

A Little FOTD

Hi guys!

It's been a long time since the last time I post a face of the day. Here is the look I've been wearing a lot the past few weeks. The peachy nude lips is mostly what I wear to uni or day time activities and the grape red lipa is what I wear at nights or whenever I need a pop of color. Which one do you like better?

Products used :

BASE :

• Benefit Porefessional
• IT Cosmetics bye bye redness
• L'oreal Paris Magic Nude Foundation #120
• Bourjois Healthy Mix concealer 

CHEEKS :

• Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Tipsy
• P2 Matte Bronzer

EYES :

• Essence Eye shadow base
• L'oreal Paris Infaiilible Eyeshadow in Amber Rush
• MUA Undressed Me Palette
• Heroine Kiss Me Liquid Pen Eyeliner
• Rimmel Scandalous Eyeliner in black
• Essence Eye Brow Pencil in Teddy
• Alverde Eye Brow Gel in Brown
• Benefit They'Re Real Mascara
• Catrice Glamour Doll Waterproof mascara

LIPS :

• EOS lip balm
• Clinique Chubby Stick in Mega Melon
• P2 Matte Deluxe Lipstick in #050 I adore you

Oh btw, I just recently did a little haul, mostly Clinique stuffs because Douglas.de was having a promotion gift with purchase for clinique stuffs so I took the chance to stock up on my Chubby stick ( I used up my super strawberry and almost use up my mega melon as well ) and I purchased the chubby stick for eye as well. I'll do the review soon! 

Have a nice weekend!

Love,

Pam

Tipsy

It's been awhile since I feel in love with blushes. After my encounter with Burberry blushes, I had not yet found a blush that performs better or even as good as the Burberry ones.

I've heard a lot about Tarte Amazonian blushes and I've been wanting to try them since forever.. So I asked a friend who was travelling to NYC to get me one Tarte blush. I wanted Blissful but it was sold out everywhere so I opted for Tipsy.

Tipsy retails for $26 with 5,6gr of product. In € it is around 18€ which is cheaper than MAC at €24/6gr of product.

The blush comes in a very nice sturdy case. Each case represents the blush inside in color. I like the packaging but it is not the most convenient for touch up because it doesn't have mini brush with it so we always have to carry separate brush.

Tipsy is a beautiful peachy coral shade. The color is so flattering against my complexion, giving me a fresh healthy glow. I saw a lot of people say it's a bit shimmery but I see no shimmer at all. It does has satin finish but not shimmery. The color is similar to Burberry blossom blush but Blossom is more orange.

The first time I applied this blush, I was very impressed with the quality of it. The blush's texture is a dream. It is very smooth, finely milled, with very minimal fallout. The pigmentation is perfect. It is not overly pigmented that you have to be extremely careful. It is just the right amount of pigmentation needed for the perfect flushed looking cheeks. You can of course layer it for more color if you prefer so. And it blends effortlessly,unlike the NARS blushes which I find very difficult to blend.  The blush has a beautiful embossed on it which looks so pretty. I don't notice any strong scent, but it does smell a tad powdery.

About the staying power, it claims to last 12 hour and I can confirm that . I did a test where I applied the blush at 8 am and even at 9pm it was still visible on the cheeks. Of course not as bright as freshly applied but it does have fairly long staying power.

I am overall very pleased with the quality of the blush. I didn't expect much as I was recently very disappointed with NARS blushes. But this one really impressed me and I wish I got more shades T.T

Have you tried Tarte blushes?

Love,

Pam

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Make Up

I usually stay away from any mattifying foundation in fall/winter and prefer something that offers dewy and glowy finish. Alison from Amarixe rave a lot about this foundation from Neutrogena and a lot of people say it is comparable to NARS sheer glow foundation.

So after I did some online research, I decided to get mine in shade #30-Buff. ( Neutrogena make up line is not available in Germany, but a friend of mine got it for me from the US ). Fortunately, Buff is the perfect match for my complexion. I love the fact that it is not yellow toned and more on the neutral with a bit of pinkish undertone.

First of all, let's talk about the bottle. Why do foundations that are sold for the US market tend to have no pump?? Is it that difficult to put a pump, dear cosmetic brands??? The first time I used it, it spilled all over my dressing table. The fact that the hole is big ( bigger than my massive thumb ) and the liquid and runny consistency make it difficult to dispense the product. Definitely not recommended when you're in hurry or traveling. 

BEFORE

AFTER

This pict is not photoshoped

Aside of the packaging, I actually like the foundation. The texture is nice and it doesn't set right away once it is applied so you have time to really blend the foundation. I use my flat top buffing brush to apply it, but damp beauty blender works fine as well. The coverage is light to medium but it is not very buildable as it tends to get a bit 'cakey' and thick and mask like if you apply too many products.

The finish is just like the name advised , healthy and radiant looking. It does even out my complexion and covers imperfections. But the oil control isn't the best. I need to blot more often than usual, so blotting paper is a must companion when you're wearing this foundation. I try my best to avoid blotting powder as I don't want to pack more products to the skin.

The staying power in other hand is fairly long. It stays on the whole day when combined with good primer and good setting powder on the Tzone area. I also like the fact that it has SPF 20 and antioxidant ingredients. It doesn't break me out either.

However, people with very oily skin might find it a bit too glowy and people with very dry skin should be a bit careful as it can accentuate dry patches a little bit. 

Overall, this is a very good drugstore foundation if you have normal-combination skin. 

Love,

Pam