Max Factor Facefinity All Day Flawless Foundation vs Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous Foundation

I've heard a lot of positive reviews on this particular foundation from Max Factor. And the fact that some stated it to be the exact twin sister of one of my most favorite foundation ever ; Covergirl Outlast 3in1 Stay Fabulous Foundation, I just needed to give it a go and do a comparison post. 

Here is a brief review on the Covergirl one , since they're basically the same ;

Covergirl Outlast 3in1 Foundation has thick creamy and smooth consistency. It spreads and blends easily. I prefer to apply it using beauty blender as foundation brush might get streaky. The coverage is medium to full without being cakey or too much. The formula feels comfortable on the skin even though I wouldn't say it is lightweight. I don't mind thick foundation as long as it blends seamlessly into the skin and feels comfortable. Covergirl Outlast 3in1 Foundation claims to be 3in1 as the name advised, so it functions as primer-foundation and concealer. I must say it lives up to the claims because it is indeed sufficient as primer-foundation and concealer. It evens up my complexion and covers imperfections well. On most days when I don't have any special occasions to attend, I appreciate this kind of foundation so I'll save time getting ready in the morning. But when I do have a long day awaiting, I don't dare to skip primer and concealer as I perspire a lot so my foundation tends to migrate by the mid day. The foundation provides a matte finish that is not dull or flat. Despite of the full coverage, I still feel very comfortable to wear this foundation on daily basis as the finish is still natural. It is also not drying on the skin and don't accentuate fine lines or dry patches. The oil control is great and the staying power is excellent. For a foundation that retails for IDR 185.000 - IDR 200.000, this is a great buy. It does the job just as good ( and even better ) as some high end foundations that are twice or three times more expensive. This is a strong candidate for the best drugstore foundation I've ever encountered. 

On comparison with the Max Factor Facefinity 3in1 foundation, I did a little research on the ingredients and they're 99,99999% identical. I bought the Max Factor one to compare and yes, I can say they're exactly the same. Let's start with the packaging, both CG and MF have exact same packaging only different color and brand names. On the product itself, they feel the same, smell the same, and I can't spot any difference in terms of performance. My shade in CG is the second lightest shade, and so it is in MF.  The only difference is the logo and the color of the packaging, otherwise everything is the same.

So , if you are still hesitate to get the CG because you don't want to blind buy foundation online, do visit Max Factor counter / display near you and give the Facefinity foundation a try because it is just the same like CG Stay Fabulous Outlast Foundation. Covergirl and Max Factor are sisters company though, hence the similarities. Hope this helps :)

Love,

Pam

Swayback Plum

May I introduce you to my new found love? It's &Other Stories Cheek and Lip Tint in Swayback Plum *drumroll*

Yes, I know &Other Stories is not really a beauty brand. It is a clothing brand that sells not only clothes, but also accessories like bags, shoes ,jewellery etc. But it also sells its own select beauty items which I had never really paid attention to until recently I was browsing in the shop and randomly swatched some products and fell in love with the color Swayback Plum. I thought it was a cream blush but then found out it's actually a lip and cheek product in one. 

Swayback Plum comes in a clear flat case which is sleek and simple. The shade swayback plum is a  matte true plum shade which looks darker in real life. The cheek and lip tint has creamy consistency with cream to powder finish. The pigmentation is good but not overwhelming ( which I dislike for blushes since it means more effort needed ), it is build able so you can definitely sheer it down or build the pigmentation up if you want. As cream blush, I usually dab 3 dots on the cheeks and blend it using beauty blender for more blended in finish. As lip tint, I use my fingers to apply it on the lips. 2 layers are enough to get the opacity seen on the picture above.  It performs well as cream blush, but I love it most as lip tint. I just like the matte finish and the just bitten colour, the color blends really well on the lips and provides a really nice natural finish as if my lips are naturally juicy like that, lol.

The staying power is good too, both as blush or lip tint. I got 6-7 hour wear as blush and around 4-5 hour wear as lip tint without major eating. Despite of the matte finish , it's relatively hydrating on the lips especially. It's definitely more lips friendly compare to other matte lipsticks I own.

If I have to pick one letdown from the product, it will be the fact that I always have to use my fingers to apply the products on my lips. I know I can use lip brush, but I don't really fancy carrying lip brush with me and the finish created using lip brush is different. It's more opaque and more creamy, so I prefer the muted finish achieved using fingers.

Overall, I really enjoy this product and have been wearing it non stop since the day I purchased it. I even went back to the store to get another shades, sadly ( or luckily for my wallet xD ) I didn't find other shades appealing to me. So as much as I love the formula, I don't think I'll get another shades, except they add some new shades later xD.

Love,
Pam

Shiseido Integrate Foundation

I first saw this foundation on a local online shop in Indonesia and it was on promo for only IDR 220.000 or ca. €13. I did a bit of research and stumbled upon this review from Musingofamuse and it was rather a positive review so I decided to cave in.

The foundation is housed in a simple small plastic bottle. I like the simple packaging as it is very travel friendly and cute. You're supposed to shake the bottle first hence the plastic packaging.  The texture is very light and watery. It reminds me a lot of the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua. I picked up the lightest shade available which is number 10. There is no name written, only number and all the descriptions are in Japanese which I don't understand a bit xD. 

Based on my research on the internet, Shiseido Integrate foundation is formulated with 100% mineral water and micro mineral pearl powder to conceal pores and gives skin a natural glowing finish. It is supposed to be hydrating as well. 

After trying on this foundation on and off for the past month I can conclude that it does live up to the claims. It is lightweight, it provides decent coverage, it has dewy finish and hydrating as well. But, unfortunately it is not all about the good news. 

On the lightweight texture, it spreads and blends easily. I have tried using fingers, brush, or beauty blender. I prefer beauty blender as fingers will absorb too many products and brush will make it apply streaky.  The texture is a bit silicone-y but not as slippery as Giorgio Armani Maestro or L'oreal Magic Nude. 

On the coverage, it provides a sheer to medium coverage which is enough for my daily needs. Concealer is still needed for under eye and some problem areas but for low key days, I can do wearing this foundation alone. The finish is difficult to explain. It is def not matte, but it is not too dewy either. It is somewhere in between. The problem is, it is lacking oil control. I don't know whether it claimed to do so or not ( blame the all Japanese description ) so I can't really pinpoint it as a negative point. On the picture above, you can see that my forehead area is a wee bit shiny even though the picture was taken only 10-15 minutes after application. On 3-4 hour mark, when the weather is hot and I perspire a lot, the foundation tends to migrate and crack on certain areas like the bridge of my nose or my chin. 

Overall, I think it is a decent foundation for low key days. It would suit people with dry to normal skin better than people with combination to oily skin due to its lack of oil control. If you have very oily skin, you'd better give this one a skip. But if you have dry to combination skin, this is worth to try.

What is your current favorite foundation?

Love,

Pam

Bumble

To begin with, I am not really a fan of the ultra matte liquid lipstick trend. I find some of them look really nice on some people but I can imagine them being very drying on my lips. I was not even that excited when Colourpop jumped on to the bandwagon and created the ultra matte liquid lipstick which was a huge hit due to the affordable price and a lot of shades. 

Bumble worn full coverage

Bumble blotted

Bumble after 6 hour wear

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip comes in a simple lip gloss packaging with doe foot applicator. I like the packaging  as it is simple, functional and not tacky looking. 

Out of many shades available, I opted for Bumble as I wanted something I haven't had before and definitely not red. I was rather surprised when I first swatched Bumble, because the color seemed much darker in real life. I thought it would be a nice light terracotta shade, but it ended up being 2 tones darker and leans more brownish which is not bad, just not what I expected. 

Texture wise, Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip is relatively lightweight. It glides on smoothly and takes just few seconds to set. Once set, it doesn't move around. The finish is true matte with no sheen whatsoever. It is of course drying but I don't expect a liquid matte lipstick to be hydrating either. So, I usually apply lip balm before I do my make up, wipe the excess after my make up is done and then apply the liquid lipstick. It really helps to prepare the lips beforehand so the liquid lipstick will apply smoother too. 

This Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip is also transfer free once it's set. If you dislike lipsticks that leave marks on the cup, glass or anything your lips touch, this one doesn't at all. 

The staying power is great, I got 8 hour straight with eating and drinking, as long as I don't eat something really greasy, it stays put. I doesn't crack when layered and I don't have any big issue wearing it all day long ( my lips are prone to chap and peel, but if I regularly apply clear lip balm on top , my lips survive xD ). 

Overall, a great product for $6. Do give it a try if you'd like to try the liquid lipstick trend.

PS : I am finally back in Berlin after 5 month stay in Jakarta. The weather is breezy and cool here which I like, autumn is finally coming woohoo! Bare with me if I don't post regularly this week because I need time to settle everything as my apartment is a huge mess at the moment. 

Love,

Pam

San Paolo and Milan

I don't really like the new ultra matte liquid lipstick trend. I do like matte lipsticks but not so much the ultra matte Kylie Jenner wanna be looks. But, I've read so many positive reviews on the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream and the swatches on the internet seem like pretty normal matte lips, nothing like overly plumped and overly drawn matte lips.  

So, I purchased 2 shades ; Milan and San Paolo.

San Paolo

Milan

#Milan is a cool toned Barbie pink which is fortunately still wearable since I usually can't wear cool toned pink, but Milan is still okay.

#San Paolo is a warm toned medium pink which is very flattering against my complexion. I've been wearing San Paolo a lot since it is so pretty and bold in an understated way.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream is housed in a simple plastic tube packaging with doe foot applicator. Nothing fancy about the packaging but I like it like that because it's practical. 

Texture wise, they remind me of the Essence Soft Matte Lip Cream , even they both smell the same which is weird. Can they be the same product with different packaging? ( I have tried to search for ingredients for both products, but found nothing :/ ).

NYX SMLCs have creamy consistency which apply very smoothly and dry to powdery matte finish. They have silicone-y feeling that explains why they apply rather smoothly. The pigmentation is great and one swipe is enough to cover the whole lips. They take time to set, but once set, they don't really move around. I usually blot it with tissue paper before applying the next layer so it will last longer. The formula is quite forgiving for a matte liquid lipstick as it is not too drying and doesn't peel my lips. After few hours, it does get a bit dry but I can easily solve it by dabbing a lip balm over it ( the finish won't be too matte anymore but still not glossy ). The staying power however is not really good for a liquid matte lipstick as I always need to reapply after eating or much drinking. I personally don't mind though as I always reapply lipstick anyway out of habit. 

I haven't tried a lot of liquid matte lipsticks out there so I can't really compare. But I've been enjoying NYX SMLC quite a lot recently and will look at other shades ^^

Have you tried any liquid matte lipstick? or the NYX SMLC?

Love,

Pam

DIORSNOW White Reveal Pure Transparency Loose Powder

I got this Diorsnow loose powder preloved from a friend of mine. She barely used it and I was able to get this loose powder for a very decent price. 

PS : please mind the cracked-side-of-the-nose-area. I didn't realize that until I saw this picture. 

The DIORSNOW White Reveal Pure Transparency Loose Powder is enriched or infused with Icelandic Glacial Water ( here is a link in case you're the same like me, have no idea what it is. LOL ). The powder comes in a luxurious white case. The case is heavy duty and might not be the best for traveling but will look very pretty on every dressing table. 

When I first opened the case, I was surprised to see a pinkish lavender powder. And there was I very skeptical as I am usually afraid to put anything too pink on my face, this one fortunately is nothing I need to worry about. 

The pink toned does help brighten up the complexion and tone down the dullness of my skin. I didn't expect it to be 'that' brightening though so I started to apply it sparingly to avoid being ghostly bright xD. 

Speaking of the formula, the Diorsnow WRPTLP is very very finely milled. It is very soft to touch and blends like a dream. It doesn't interrupt the base make up and in fact, compliments and brightens up the whole complexion. It gives a very nice finishing touch. However, it is not completely translucent as it does provide a wee bit coverage, so I don't think this will suit a deeper complexion. The formula is very lightweight and airy and it doesn't add any 'weight' to the base make up. I just love it!

The powder is great to set make up as I notice a good oil control. It is mattifying but not in a dull way. If you happen to visit DIOR counter, do give it a try ( I don't know whether this one is limited or Asian exclusive as I can't recall seeing this one in Germany ).

Have you tried or seen this powder where you live? What is your current favourite loose powder?

Love,

Pam