NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

This is the concealer everyone is talking about, so of course I was eager to give it a try. NARS is not available in Germany and only possible to be purchased through online retailer, so when I visited Paris in August, I picked up my radiant creamy concealer in shade Vanilla.

When it comes to concealer, I like mine to be lighter than my skin tone. I wear the shade Light 4 on NARS Sheer Glow foundation so I went 2 shades lighter for the concealer. 

The concealer comes in a thin and long tube with doe foot applicator. I like the packaging because it is sleek, functional and convenient. The doe foot applicator is nice because it makes sure you get the right amount of product ( unlike squeeze tube as you might squeeze a bit too much product ). 

This concealer has great pigmentation and coverage. I can totally see why a lot of people love it. It doesn't set into lines and doesn't crease as well. The texture is creamy and thick, but I don't feel like it is easy to blend. The concealer feels a wee bit heavy and dry. It does its job very well though, to cover the under eye area, blemishes and some other imperfections, but it annoys me that it doesn't blend as easy as I would like it to. It takes me a lot of time only to blend this into my skin. I usually only apply a small amount of product as it is well pigmented, but still I always have difficulty to blend it. Brushes make it streaky, so I usually use fingers or sponge.

In comparison to my HG concealer from ZA, this one from NARS is definitely not good enough. I even prefer its 'dupe' ; Maybelline FIT ME concealer. 

Maybe I have a weird skin + weird preference, but this conceale is unfortunately-imo not worth the money :(

Have you tried this particular concealer from NARS? Do you like it?

Love,

Pam

Light Wonder

During the summer sale , I ordered few things from Net-a-porter and managed to sneak some Charlotte Tilbury items ( got to take advantage of the free shipping xD ). One of my picks was this youth boosting foundation . I have seen this foundation from Lilly Pebbles and it looked very radiant on her skin, so as a foundation junkie, I needed to give it a try!



The foundation comes in a plastic bottle container. But even though it is plastic, the bottle weighs well and feels sturdy. I personally like this packaging and it is functional because we are supposed to give it a shake before use as the foundation is quite runny.

I picked up the shade number 4, it is described as a fair with yellow undertone which is very true. The shade matches my complexion well and is very similar to Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation also in number 4.

Texture wise, this foundation has light-runny-watery texture. It is similar to Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua. The formula is very thin and lightweight and it also feels very lightweight on the skin. The coverage however is very buildable. It applies light on the first layer but after second layer it provides a light-semi medium coverage. I also don't find it streaky or patchy when layered. When I am in hurry, I like to apply this foundation with my finger and it will provide a very natural and luminous finish as if my face is just glowing like that. It is not enough to cover all the redness and blemishes but the natural barely there coverage is very nice.

When I am in need of more coverage, I apply it with foundation brush and it provides more coverage but less luminous ( not in a bad way though ). I love the versatility of this foundation.

On my combination skin, this foundation keeps up the oil at its bay for a decent hours. I do need to blot my T-Zone after 4-5 hours but that's it really. I don't notice any greasiness despite of its glowy and luminous finish.

The longevity however is not very good. I think it is because of the lightweight formula. The foundation starts to fade after ca.5 hours and I need to touch it up. 

Overall, I have been enjoying this foundation esp for low key days when I need to run errands, go to groceries and don't really bother to put on a full face make up. I love the healthy luminous glow it delivers and I can imagine it will work great in winter.

This foundation retails for €37 / 40 ml which is not cheap but considering it contains 10ml more of average liquid foundation, I think the price is reasonable.

Have you tried anything from Charlotte Tilbury?
Love,
Pam

Majorette

My encounters with Benefit have been hits and misses. Some products I really love but some products I really dislike. 

As a blush lover, I couldn't resist to give the newly launched Majorette a try, especially after some reviews I read being positive.  

Majorette is a cream blush with cream to powder finish. I have tried some Benefit blushes but never owned any of them. I found them good but never really wowed me to buy the full size. I didn't try this cream blush prior to purchase because I ordered it online.

Majorette is housed in a cute retro looking cardboard packaging. It doesn't come with extra box which even though I know the box would be a waste, I expected it to be packed more 'luxurious' for €34,99 that I paid.

The blush itself is embossed with a nice but rather unnecessary floral-sun? print. The print rubbed off after ca.3 application so I don't really see why they did it in the first place. lol. The blush has creamy texture that dries up to powdery finish . Not as dry as the ones from Chanel but similar. It applies easily and blends nicely. I find that stippling brush works better than using fingertips. The pigmentation is okay but once applied on the cheeks, it is rather sheer. It is buildable though, but I think this blush will work better for paler complexion ( I am MAC NC 20 btw ). The blush comes only in 1 color ( if this comes out good, maybe Benefit will release more color in the future ? ) which is a very nice apricot-coral shade. It might look orange on the swatch but don't worry it is very sheer that it doesn't appear orange on the cheeks. The finish is matte and powdery so if you want to achieve a sheer glow from cream blush, this might not be what you're looking for.

Judging alone from the performance, I think this blush is a good product but nothing exceptional. It might work well as a cream base blush to prolong the wear of powder blush but alone, it doesn't have good staying power. I got only 3-4 hours wear before it completely gone. The packaging is cute but I have seen better packaging for the same price ( e.g Burberry sheer glow blushes are on the same price range and they got wayyyy better packaging ). The blush has a very nice subtle pomegranate scent which I really like. In fact, the scent is what I like the most from the blush. lol.
For me, this cream blush is not something I will reach often. I prefer the creamier version of cream blush from Stila convertible color.

Are you more a cream or powder blush kind of girl? What is your favourite product from the brand?
Love,
Pam

Yacht

I rarely fall in love with one particular shade of nail polish that made me go hunting it down. But after I saw the swatch from the lovely Karo's blog, I just knew I had to get it. Unfortunately the shade that I wanted ; Yacht was a limited edition and I had to visit 5 different DIOR counters until I finally be able to get it.

Yacht comes in a slightly different packaging as the usual Dior nail polish. It comes with nail polish stickers and mini nail buffer which for me rather useless but I know a lot of people love it. It costs €30 instead of the regular €24 price tag.

Yacht is a milky beige shade. It is a very nice nude, with no pink or yellow tone to it. I love how shopisticated it looks on my nails, very professional like if you know what I mean :P

The formula is good and smooth, but it takes a little trick to make it work for me. I usually apply 1 sheer coat and then apply the second layer to make it opaque because it tends to get streaky if I apply 1 thick layer. 

The finish is creamy and it has no shimmer. I set it with Sally Hansen Insta Dry top coat and I am good to go for the next 5 days before it starts to chip.

I haven't tried the stickers though because they are just too long and too wide for my nail and I am no fan to nail buffers because the sound and movement of nail buffer make my teeth clench..

What is your favorite nude nail polish?

Love,

Pam

Burberry Earthy Blush

The Burberry Light Glow Blushes are one of my favourite blushes of all time. I have 2 shades ; Cameo and Blossom which both I love so much and wear a lot. In fact, Cameo is the only blush I always carry around with me everywhere and the only blush I always have while traveling. 

Earthy Blush was long on my wish list, I have seen it performed very well on other people as matte bronzer or just to give the face a warm glow.  I am glad to finally be able to call it mine.

  

Earthy is a warm matte taupe-y brown shade. It is literally the perfect bronzer shade for my complexion. It is slightly taupe and grey and ashy and not orange at all. It gives my face a nice warm and works well as contour blush which was actually why I got it at the first place. The pigmentation is subtle and sheer but very build able. This is one thing I really like from Burberry blushes, they are very forgiving. Earthy applies effortlessly and beautifully on the cheeks. I use Real Techniques contour blush to apply it and it blends also easily.  It doesn't look like dirt unlike some bronzers which appear unflattering against my complexion.
I also really like to use it as eye shadow. It works perfect as a nice blending shade on the outer V and crease.

The texture is smooth and soft. It is not powdery at all, very very finely milled. I don't know what Burberry put in the formula but this blush is a dream. From 3 shades that I own, they are all consistent in terms of quality.
Packaging wise, I think I don't have to write a lot since I have been raving about them forever. The gunmetal case is beautiful, weighty and no doubt luxurious. The mini brush that comes with it is actually very soft and one of my favourite brush for touch up. The powder is embossed so beautifully with Burberry checked patterns and the patterns stay put even after a lot of used. The blush is also scented with a very nice floral scent.

Earthy retails for €35,99 and yes it is definitely worth every penny.


I think it is safe to call Earthy as my favourite contour slash bronzer ever.
What is your favourite contour or bronzer?

Love,
Pam

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet

As much as I love all my glossy balmy lippies, I do sometimes crave to wear matte lipsticks. I can't deny they do look very posh and shopisticated, and with a good lip balm underneath, they are actually not that bad especially when the formula is just on point like these newly additions from Bourjois. 

I picked up these 2 at Schipol duty free for each €10, not the cheapest for drugstore product but they are reasonably priced for the quality!

#07 - Nudeist : This is probably my most favorite matte lipstick shade ever ( besides my reds ). It is a warm medium pink that actually looks a bit darker on real life. The color is so flattering and the matte finish makes it look very posh. major love!

#04 - Peach Club : It is a peachy orange shade that in contrary to the Nudeist, looks actually paler on real life as on the picture above. The shade is actually more peachy than orange. It is a beautiful unique shade that I don't see much on the market. 

Now let's talk about the formula! These lippies are very creamy but not slippery.They have slightly velvety texture and they apply easily .The doe foot applicator really does the job well, it really helps the product to glide on efforlessly. The texture is lightweight, and very good pigmented. One swipe is enough to get full coverage. I don't find them accentuating my lip lines because they are very smooth. 

They dry up to full matte finish and do get a bit sticky and could set into lip lines after some time but I like to swipe over a clear balm after few hours just to hydrate my lips a bit (EOS lip balms are the best because they are not overly glossy ). I won't say that they are hydrating and not drying, but I think it is completely okay for matte lippies. They are in fact not as dry as some matte lippies I have tried before ( e.g MAC matte lipsticks ). If you are familiar with the Rimmel Kate Moss mate lipsticks ( the ones with red bullet ), these ones feel very similar and also have similar quality. I'd say the Bourjois are like the cream version of the Rimmel ones.

The longevity is impressive. I got 5 hour wear for both shades and they stain the lips lightly afterwards. 

For €10 each, I guess they are completely worth the money. Great formula, nice packaging and pretty matte shades!

Have you given them a try?

Love.

Pam

Dolce Vita

During the summer sale, I put an order from Net-a-porter and since they also carry Charlotte Tilbury make up line, I picked up some items from the brand as I have been wanting to give them a try for awhile..

The Dolce Vita eye shadow palette was long on my list. The color selection is truly my kind of shades, so there it went to my shopping cart..

The palette comes in a slim and sleek plastic case. I was a bit disappointed with the packaging as it didn't feel very luxurious. The plastic case was a bit flimsy and cheap looking. I expected it to be more solid with the price tag. 

Despite of the packaging, the quad itself has excellent quality. The eye shadows are all buttery smooth in texture. The quad consists of 4 different shades, 1 sheer frosty champagne shade, 1 burgundish copper shade with beautiful sheen, 1 glittery warm gold with spongy texture and 1 dark mud brown with fine golden particles. All the 4 shades work together in harmony and compliment each other. The quad screams glamourous to me. It might not be the most versatile quad to carry around traveling as the shades are all more suitable for a glam night look. But I have been experimenting with the quad for day look and it worked surprisingly well.

All 4 shades have good pigmentation, only the warm gold needs more layer. They all apply smoothly and blend effortlessly. The burgundish copper shade is no doubt my favourite out of the bunch and I love the fact that it is not dull when applied alone so I can use it solo on the lids.

Overall, I think this quad is worth to try despite of the 40€++ price tag. I can imagine me buying another quad from the range as I have been pleased with Dolce Vita. The packaging however could get some improvement..

Have you ever tried anything from Charlotte Tilbury make up range?

Love,

Pam

Anna Sui Liquid Foundation

I think I have found a strong candidate for my favorite liquid foundation ever ( edit : I recently tried Tom Frod traceless perfecting finish foundation and it def took the throne away from this one from Anna Sui.. But well TF is 3x more expensive, so I guess this too deserves a high applaud ), and for a foundation junkie like I am, that is a strong statement..

On my -not so - recent trip to Indonesia , I bought this foundation on a whim, mainly because it was lots cheaper there compare to the price in Germany ( available through asos.de ). This foundation costs Rp 380.000 or ca. € 24 and asos sells it for €43,95 so that's why I thought it was a great deal!

First of all , let's talk about the packaging. The foundation is haused in a heavy-sturdy glass bottle with Anna Sui trademark print embossed all over it. The bottle is heart shaped and comes with a pump spender which is awesome. The packaging itself is already a highlight for me.

Beside the packaging, the foundation itself didn't disappoint me. The foundation has thick liquid consistency but it blends effortlessly. It literally melts into my skin and they become one ( no exaggerating here ). It provides medium to full coverage but feels very lightweight on the skin. The finish is flawless yet remains natural and not mask-like. I love that it evens out my complexion and covers up imperfections in a very natural way. My skin looks as if it is naturally flawless ( which it is not at all . lol . ) . I have more foundation than I ever need, that's why it takes a very good foundation to awe me. This one certainly does. The first time I applied it, I couldn't stop looking at my reflection in the mirror ( major vain detected! ), it was just flawless!! 

The staying power is great as well. I usually pair it with Too Faced Poreless Primer and they work wonder together! This foundation is my go to if I am having a long day. 

The finish is semi matte with subtle glow peeking through. I usually don't set it with powder though the oil control is very good. I only need to blot after few hours.  

I always apply this foundation with a buffing brush because of the thick consistency. I once tried using beauty blender but it took ages to blend.

If I need to pick one con, it will be the shades. My shade is number 201 and it is a tick too pale for my complexion. I remember struggling to find the right shade for my complexion because they didn't have a wide range to choose. I can imagine people with darker complexion won't be able to enjoy this foundation.

One thing to notice is that this foundation is heavily scented with Anna Sui trademark rose scent, so if you are sensitive to scent, def give this a smell first.

Overall, I am very very happy with this foundation and will definitely repurchase!

Love,

Pam

Givenchy Le Rouge Lipsticks

This particular lipstick range has been receiving a lot of positive reviews, ( e.g. here and here ) and as lipstick junkie, I just knew I had to give them a try xD

I was actually going to get only one shade, but the Givenchy lady was soooo lovely so I spent quite a lot of time at the counter, trying on a lot of shades and foundation and blushes as well. I almost bought the foundation but decided to give it more try and ended up with 2 lipsticks.

#Rose Dentelle is a shade I had on my mind even before visiting the counter. I wanted to get a nice  wearable light pink shade for daily use. I even promised myself not to get any red shades as I have already too many red shades and tbh I don't wear them as often as I wear my 'neutral' shades.  So Rose Dentelle is the perfect shade I was looking for. It is a warm medium nude pink with a very light peachy hint. The shade is actually deeper in person as it is seen in picture above.

#Carmin Escarpin is actually a shade I didn't plan to get as I  promised myself not to buy any red shades from the line. But I guess I just loved red lipsticks a little bit too much. Carmin Escarpin is a tomato red with a hint of orange. The shade reminds me of Tom Ford Wild Ginger, only this one has less orange to it and has different finish.

Both shades have equal quality and identical texture. So it is safe to say that all the shades in this range has the same quality ( e.g. Some lipsticks ' qualities vary depends on shades ). Both has very creamy and emollient texture but not slippery. The finish is creamy semi matte. I usually avoid semi matte lipsticks as they tend to be waxy but these ones are different story.
The pigmentation is the bomb, it takes literally one swipe to be opaque. However, they have tendency to bleed because of the creaminess I guess, so lip liner would be handy esp for the deeper shades. They apply effortlessly and don't set into lip lines despite of the semi matte finish. One thing that annoys me a bit ( but might be a good news for some of you! ) is that these lipsticks are not scented and they smell like an odd bittery scent I can't really describe. Oh and the longevity is good!
The packaging is also very luxurious, just what you expect from lipsticks that retail for € 34,99. The genuine leather bullet is a bit gimmicky and unnecessary imo as I believe it is also why the price is so high. If they tone down the packaging a bit, they might be able to sell it for less.

Overall , these lipsticks are great. Nice texture, bomb pigmentation, good staying power and pretty packaging, what do else do you want?

Have you tried anything from Givenchy?
Love,
Pam