Sunday, 24 July 2016

REN Satin Perfection BB Cream

I am never a fan of summer days. I know I might be a minority here, but I just can't stand the heat and the humidity. It's also problematic for me to wear makeup since I sweat so much and that will result in my base makeup melting under the heat. However, going out sans makeup is not an option since I have a 'I am sick and pale' kind of bare face, so a I still need a little bit of make up to make myself looking presentable xD.
This BB Cream from REN Clean Skincare came to the rescue and has been my summer base make up staple.





REN Satin Perfection BB Cream comes in a nice tube packaging which I like. It's great for traveling and you can use it up till the last drops by cutting the tube in half once it's almost done. The design of the packaging is sleek and represents the brand very well. REN is a skincare brand , so I was skeptical at first but gladly it exceeded my expectations. 

There is only 1 shade available which is the light / medium shade. The BB Cream does look orange but once applied, it kinda adjusts to my skin tone and is actually a very good match. REN claims it to be skin tone adapting and should match light to medium skin tones. I am between MAC NC 15-20 and it matches me really well. I tested it on my bf's skin which is I assume might be around MAC NC 35-40 and it is a good match as well ( you know all the things we do for makeup. LOL ). 

REN Satin Perfection BB Cream has a airy but creamy texture. It is lightweight and a bit wet in consistency. I usually apply it using my fingers, just like applying moisturiser. The BB Cream is sheer but it is enough to even out my complexion. I still need concealer for my under eye area, but for hot and humid summer days, where I don't feel like wearing proper foundation, it's just perfect. 

In a nutshell, REN Satin Perfection BB Cream feels more like a tinted moisturiser instead of BB Cream IMO. The name might be misleading, but it is by no means a bad product. The finish is natural and it gives a nice very subtle glow and healthy looking skin. The staying power is not bad either if you combine it with good concealer and setting powder. 

I love it!

What is your current favourite base make up product?
Love,
Pam

Friday, 8 July 2016

MORPHE 12S Soul of Summer Palette

I think it is almost impossible to ignore the existence of Morphebrushes. The brand is everywhere. The reviews are mostly mixed though, either you love it or hate it. I had no intention to give anything from the brand a try, they just didn't attract my attention, until recently I spotted the range at Beautybay.com. The prices are affordable and I just couldn't resist to try one of their eyeshadow palettes. 





I opted for the 12-er palette called Soul of Summer. It consists of 12 warm reddish toned shimmery shades. All the shades in the palette are shimmery and man they're intense! The shades range from typical highlight shades like champagne golden shades to olive, burnt orange and burgundy. 
Soul of Summer is definitely a very warm toned eye shadow palette. If you're not keen on having a palette with 12 warm toned shadows, you should definitely give this one a pass. 

All the shadows are buttery smooth and have great pigmentation. They don't feel powdery to touch, and have a slightly 'wet pressed pigment' feel. I didn't have problem with fall out as the shadows are not powdery at all. However, they can get a bit crumbly if your eye shadow brush is harsh. I personally prefer to apply the shadows using my fingers then blend them with blending brush. Due to the intense pigmentation, you definitely need to be light handed with application, unless you really aim for a bold look. They apply well with or without primer, and being a lazy person like myself, I very rarely use primer. The staying power is impressive and I can imagine it being even better with a good base underneath.

Morphe eye shadow palette comes in a black plastic case which does feel a bit cheap and flimsy. But for €14,50 I believe we can put the downside aside.

I do wish they would put few matte shades to compliment the shimmery ones. But, for the price point, I wouldn't complain much.

Have you tried anything from Morphe?
Love,
pam

Saturday, 2 July 2016

Shy Beam

My experiences with Benefit cosmetics have been hits and misses. There was a phase where I was obsessed with High Beam and Benetint and there was also a phase where I got fed up with those two and started to develop a love hate relationship with them.
I love highlighter but sometimes I dislike it when they're being too shimmery or too much. When Benefit launched a matte highlighter ( as oxymoron as it sounds ), I was sold and ordered it right away.




Benefit Shy Beam comes in a very beautiful frosted rose gold bottle. The packaging is similar to Benetint, High Beam and co only is is tinted and has more girly ornament on it.

Benefit describes Shy Beam as nude pink matte radiance highlighter. So it's supposed to give a glow without being shimmery. Who doesn't want that? But, let me spill it for you that it sadly didn't leave up to my expectations :-(. 

Shy Beam has a lightweight but slightly thick-gloopy texture ( keep High Beam in mind, they're very similar in texture ). It is peachy nude in color but once blended, it disappears. I am MAC NC 15-20 and Shy Beam just doesn't want to show up on my skin. I literally see nothing. Not even a slight glow or radiance. It's like I just apply another layer of skin-tone foundation, or primer. Maybe it would work for people with deeper skin tone, maybe I just fall to the wrong skin tone category? Aside of the  color fail, it blends easily and doesn't accentuate anything bad. I think the product itself is not particularly bad, it is just they should have put more thoughts on the shade.

For the obvious reasons above, there is no point for me to use Shy Beam since it doesn't do anything to my skin, and I probably just wore it twice, I can't really tell you its staying power.

Sadly, Benefit Shy Beam is a failed purchase for me. Let me know if you have tried this one out and what do you think about it? 

Love,
Pam

Saturday, 25 June 2016

Girlactik Matte Lip Paint Allure vs The Balm Meet Matt Hughes Charming

I've tried several matte liquid lipsticks and I must say I were not a huge fan as they all tend to be very very dry and crack my lips. But, recently I purchased 2 liquid lipsticks that I found to be very very good. Let's do a comparison between Girlactik Lip Paint in Allure and The Balm Meet Matte Hughes in Charming.




The Balm Meet Matt Hughes Charming


Girlactik Allure

The Balm Meet Matt Hughes in Charming is described as a long lasting liquid matte lipstick. Let me start by saying that the description is on point. Charming is a muted deep rose / berry shade, basically the shade that is on trend at the moment. Almost every brands that carry liquid matte lipsticks are having this shade because it's a flattering color for almost all skin tones. I personally love Charming very much. It's a shade that makes my teeth appear whiter and also complementing my complexion really well. The texture is very thin and watery and it sets into a matte finish. It's true matte with no sheen whatsoever. It feels sticky for the first couple of minutes before setting into a rather rubbery feeling. From the beginning, I was well aware that no matte liquid lipstick will be hydrating and Charming was not an exception. It is slightly drying, but it's not uncomfortable and I still can wear it the entire day despite of my lips being easily chapped and dried out. However, I prefer to apply a thin layer of lip balm underneath to make it a little less drying ( the balm won't eliminate the matte effect though, so no worries about it, just make sure to apply just a very thin layer of lip balm ). Having a balm underneath will shorten its staying power, but I really don't mind. Without a lip balm underneath, Charming can get to 5-6 hour mark with no problem. 

Girlactik Matte Lip Paint in Allure was a exciting surprise. I purchased it on a whim because I really liked the shade, but I didn't expect it to be anything groundbreaking. But, after trying it on, I was so happy to find out how good it really was. The texture is similar to The Balm Meet Matt, very thin and watery. It's really easy to apply and the doe foot applicator enables a precise application. It sets after few seconds into matte finish as well. Compare to The Balm, Girlactik is more comfortable on the lips and doesn't particularly need a lip balm underneath. It feels a tad sticky but the stickiness will fade after few minutes. It is very comfortable on the lips to the point that I almost forgot that I had something on. Allure is a warm nudish pink shade. On my lips however, it appears a bit coral which is still very beautiful. It is also the kind of shade that will flatter a lot of skin tones. The staying power is great and slightly longer than The Balm.

Overall, if you have problems with dry lips and have yet to find the perfect matte liquid lipstick, look no further. These two are excellent.

The Balm Matt Hughes retails for €16,99 / 7,4ml and Girlactik Matte Lip Paint retails for US$ 23 / ( can't find the amount of the product on the website, but I guess the same as The Balm ).

Love,
Pam


Saturday, 18 June 2016

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush

I visited Amsterdam last month and of course I had to give De Bijenkorf at Dam Square a visit. I was surprised to see a huge Charlotte Tilbury counter there. It was a Monday, but the counter was packed. All the lovely ladies working there were busy , so I had a good time alone swatching here and there before a lovely CT girl approached me and we spent almost an hour solid talking about make up xD.






I was there with my aunt and she was looking for a nice natural foundation for mature skin ( my aunt is 65 years old ). So, she was given a make over from the nice CT girl ( I sadly forgot her name though :/) and my aunt ended up taking all the stuffs the MUA applied on her face. I was impressed to see the direct result on my aunt's skin. While waiting for her make up to be done, I did a lot of swatches and ended up liking the Cheek to Chic blush in Ecstasy a bit too much xD ( I wanted to get the Walk of Shame lipstick too but it was sold out ). 

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush comes in a nice slim and round plastic case. The case is well made and has a good weight to it despite of it being made out of plastic. There is a built in mirror inside but it doesn't include mini brush which I think is good as mini brushes are usually being thrown away.

The Cheek to Chic Blushes have 2 different shades in one pan. I picked up the shade Ecstasy which  a bright coral and a peach shade. Both shades have sheen and are not matte. They're not shimmery though. I like to swirl my brush to both shades and mix them together to achieve a flattering peachy coral color. The blush has a good pigmentation and reminds me a lot of Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush. The texture is smooth and finely milled. I experience very minimal fall out and despite of its excellent pigmentation, it still has room for errors. It blends beautifully and won't give you an over blushed look.
The staying power is great as well. This blush is a winner in my book.

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush retails for €39/8gr of product which is expensive, but it's worth the splurge.

What is your current blush favourite?
Love,
Pam

Saturday, 11 June 2016

Lancome Juicy Shaker

Ever since Lisa Eldrigde took over the creative director position at Lancome, they've been coming up with a lot of new interesting products. I was never really attracted to the brand as it used to have a slight old fashioned image to it. But nowadays, their new launches are looking really nice and make me want to explore the range more. I recently just purchased one of their new Juicy Shaker and I've been enjoying it so far.





Lancome Juicy Shaker is described to be pigment infused lip oil. This might not be the first type of product on the market, but I can say that it is the only one that looks attractive enough for me to try. 

The cute packaging plays a big role, I guess. The juicy shaker comes in a cute mini shaker tube / bullet with a witty sponge applicator. The sponge applicator absorbs a lot of product and gets soaked up after few usage. The sponge applicator is unusual but it works perfectly fine. 

Texture wise, it is a lip oil infused with pigment. It has oily-slippery texture and the pigmentation is sheer. I have tried several shades and to be honest, they all look very similar once applied. I personally don't think that you need to buy several shades as they're all very sheer and therefore do not have different effects on the lips. It is however very lightweight and is not sticky at all. It applies smoothly and a tad slippery. The oily feeling is not something that bothers me as it doesn't feel greasy. Another good thing, for something with oily and slippery formulation, it has a good staying power. The shine will fade after 2-3 hour wear, but the tint of color stays on pretty well.

The Juicy Shaker feels hydrating on the lips and is very comfortable to wear. I like to apply is as a 'topcoat' for drier lip products or sometimes alone on days I just want a very natural look.

Overall, Lancome Juicy Shaker is a nice addition to my lip product stash. It's not cheap at €17,99-€22,99 depends on where you get it, but I didn't regret the purchase.

Love,
Pam

Friday, 3 June 2016

Shiseido Synchro Skin Lasting Liquid Foundation

Another new foundation purchase over here xD. I just can't stop buying new foundation that it is no longer healthy for my wallet ( well, at least it makes me happy and happy mind means healthy being, right? ).

Shiseido recently launched a new foundation called Shyncro Skin Lasting Liquid Foundation ( what a mouthful name! ). I saw the foundation featured on some instagrammers I follow, so when I spotted it online , I just took the plunge and ordered it ( other excuse ; I had a voucher so I ended up saving almost €20 woohoo ! ).




According to the official website, Shiseido Synchro Skin Lasting Liquid Foundation is supposed to be lightweight and long wearing foundation that provides a flawless and natural finish without any greasy / oily shine. The foundation is also non comedogenic and suitable for all skin types.

I've been trying this foundation for the past 3 weeks and I have a mixed feeling for it. The foundation has a lightweight and slightly runny texture. It does feel silicone-y and applies beautifully. But, it does tend to sit in my pores and hence slightly emphasize the pores which is never a good thing. It is however not the case if I pair it with Sunday Riley Breathable tinted primer so the pore enhancing case is not really an issue with me but it's worth noting if you have really large and visible pores or dry patches.

The foundation provides a medium coverage and has a natural finish. It does not look cakey or dull despite of the matte finish. The finish is not dead matte though ( if you compare it with Estee Lauder Double Wear or Revlon Colorstay for oily skin, for instance ), and as for my combination skin, even the mattest foundation will get dewy within few hours xD. But if you pair with with good primer + good setting powder, this foundation stays on pretty well. It got to 8-9 hour mark with no problem.

It was not easy to find the right shade for my complexion, but after looking at some swatches online, I decided to take shade Neutral 01. I could have gone a shade darker though as Neutral 01 is a bit too light for spring / summer. I recently went on a beach vacation and got a bit tanned , so this foundation will have to wait until my tan fades and the colder days are back.

Overall, I am glad I didn't buy it at full price ( €49,99 ) because I would be rather disappointed. The foundation is not bad, but it does have some issues. It claims to be suitable for all skin types whereas the dry patches clinging issue might make it problematic for people with dry skin as well as the pores enhancing issue might not be best for people with oily skin.

Love,
Pam

Friday, 27 May 2016

LORAC Unzipped Palette

Lorac Unzipped Palette was long on my wish list mainly because of the warm rose gold hue which is just my cup of tea. It seems like a good combination of matte and shimmers as well and the swatches online just all look so good and intense. But, my experience with the other much hyped Lorac Pro Palette was not really good, because I felt kind of underwhelmed by it, that's why I always resisted to get my hands on the Unzipped palette. Until recently, I saw it on a local blog sale for only €15. I thought I'd give it a try.



From left-right : Undercover - Unbelievable - Unattainable - Unconditional - Unbridled - Undiscovered - Unreal - Uncensored - Unspoken - Untamed

Undercover + Unconditional + Untamed 

Unspoken + Untamed 

Undercover + Unspoken


Despite of its preloved status, the palette came in a very good condition, it is almost new. The seller mentioned that she only used the palette 2-3 times, so I managed to snatch a very good deal. 

Lorac Unzipped Palette comes in a slim beige - gold cardboard packaging. I have nothing against cardboard packaging but for the original price ( US$42 ), I just think they could have invested more on sturdier case. It got a large built in mirror though, which is nice because when I travel, I don't need to carry extra mirror since the built in mirror is big enough.

The palette consists of 10 eye shadows ; 5 matte and 5 shimmers. It is a warm toned palette which suits my complexion really well. I can't really do cool toned / grayish eye shadows because they tend to wash out my complexion and make it looking ashy. Most of the shadows have no major issues. They all have good pigmentation, apply and blend very well. The shimmery shades are overall better compare to the matte ones. The shimmery ones are incredibly smooth and great in pigmentation whereas some of the matte shades could be a bit patchy. My favorites from this palette are Unbelievable , Unattainable, and Unconditional. I use them a lot on daily basis and the shimmers one are great solo performers, so it's good if you don't have a lot of time to combine some different shades for a look.

Speaking about staying power, I have no issue with the shadows. I don't usually apply primer due to my laziness xD but they stay on pretty well. I'd say they can go to 8 hour mark without primer with no problem, so with primer, they can stay even longer.

Overall, I like this palette better than the Pro palette. The shades are 'less boring' and more flattering for my skin tone. The price is high, but I think the quality justifies it well.

Have you tried Lorac eye shadow?
Love,
Pam

Sunday, 22 May 2016

Beyond Cosmetics feat Alice in Wonderland and A'pieu feat Doraemon Holiday BB Cushions

There was a moment when I was crazy over cushion foundations. I found them very practical and good for on the go touch up. I have tried several cushion foundations from various brands but, my favorite remains the same which is Laneige BB Cushion. The other cushion foundations I have tried were either mediocre or broke me out or too greasy for my skin type. So after few experiments, my phase with cushion foundations was over. Until recently, I was enabled by @ryanroar 's post on Instagram and saw 2 limited edition releases from Beyond Cosmetics and A'pieu. The packaging is too cute to resist so I put an order, solely because of the packaging xD.






Beyond Cosmetics feat Alice in Wonderland Cushion Foundation #21 - Look at the packaging! How could one resist not to get it, right? The shade #21 is actually darker than I imagined. I am shade #21 on almost all asian brand cushion foundations, but this one from Beyond is a tad darker. It doesn't oxidize though, so I can still make it work. The formula is surprisingly a bit on the heavier side. It doesn't feel lightweight and is very pigmented. A little goes a loooong way which is not the usual case for korean base products. Due to its full coverage, it can appear dull and mask like. The shade also looks a bit ashy against my complexion. I can make it work if I apply it using damp beauty blender to sheer it down, but otherwise, it is just not the right formula for my preference and skin type.


A'Pieu feat Doraemon Cushion Foundation #21 - Unlike Beyond cushion foundation, the A'pieu one is a better shade match for my complexion. The texture is more lightweight and hence easier to apply. It provides a nice medium coverage and enough to cover imperfections, blemishes and redness arounf my cheeks. The finish is natural but very dewy. The dewy finish looks really nice though, but might not be the best for my combination skin. I usually set it with translucent powder to tone down the dewiness a little bit and prolong the wear of the foundation.

Overall, I like the A'pieu one way better than Beyond cosmetics. I still don't reach for it often enough though as I prefer liquid foundation for daily use. But I have been carrying the A'pieu one in my purse for on the go touch up whenever I have a long day ahead. As for the Beyond Cosmetics cushion foundation , I am still happy to have it because the case is definitely a collectible item xD.

Have you tried cushion foundation?
Love,
Pam


Wednesday, 18 May 2016

Tom Ford Cream Color For Eyes #Spice

There is something about the brand Tom Ford that is just very tempting and inviting you to get to know the products better ( read : buying them ) xD. When Tom Ford launched the new range of cream eye shadows this spring, I just knew I had to get at least 1 shade a try. After looking at swatches online, I decided to go with Spice. The new line has not yet arrived in Germany, but a friend of mine was traveling from the UK, so she helped me getting this particular product.







When I first saw the press release and checked the price of this cream shadow, I was kind of skeptical. I mean, €47 for a cream eye shadow is a lot. It must be extremely good to justify the crazy price tag. But I've been reading positive reviews and the more I saw the swatches, the more I got attracted to the products. Long story short, as mentioned before, I bought this eye shadow with the help of my friend xD.

The cream eye shadow comes in a nice glass jar packaging. The glass jar has the perfect size. I hate it when cream products have a very small jar that makes it difficult to pick up the product, esp with my giant size fingers, lol. There is a TF logo printed on the top of the lid.

Spice is a warm golden bronze shade. It's a very easy - foolproof shade to wear. It looks beautiful solo or with combination with other eye shadows. I am usually just being lazy and wear it solo on the lids. Spice has a nice iridescent -sheen finish. It is not shimmery, nor matte but it gives enough dimension to the lids and doesn't look flat or dull.

Texture wise, it is a dream. The texture is lightweight,creamy and airy. It is crazily pigmented, so you only need the slightest touch. This jar will definitely last me a long time. The formula is excellent. It blends seamlessly on the lids. I usually apply it with my fingers then blend the edges using blending brush. 

Talking about the staying power, this cream eye shadow once again nailed it. It doesn't crease, smear or smudge at all. It stays on whole day long even without eye shadow primer. I have tried quite a few cream eye shadows from drugstore to high end range and I must say this one is definitely one of the best I've tried. I know the price tag is crazy, but after using it for few weeks almost on daily basis, I don't find it difficult to justify the price xD.

Have you tried the cream eye shadow from Tom Ford?
Love
Pam

Thursday, 12 May 2016

Trend It Up Ultra Matte Lipstick

One of my new year's resolutions is to buy less and pay more attention to quality instead of quantity. But some drugstore products are sometimes really good and more than just another cheap thrills. These new lipsticks from Trend It Up are good examples.

Trend it Up is an in house brand from DM , a drugstore chain in Germany. The brand focused on lip products ( lip liners, lipsticks, lip glosses, liquid lipsticks ) and nail polishes. The display is small but well packed and simply- sleek decorated. I had never really paid attention to the brands, but  a friend of mine told me they have great matte lipsticks, so on one day where I needed to visit DM for household supply, I was being naughty and did few swatches that led to a purchase xD.





Trend it Up matte lipsticks are housed in a sleek black case. There is nothing fancy about the packaging, but it's weighty and functions really well. The case also doesn't feel flimsy or cheap.

I opted for 2 shades ; #020 and #090. They look kind of similar on the hand swatches above, but IRL they're very different. #020 is a medium rose-y pink shade that resemblances Tom Ford Pussycat a lot, only #020 is warmer and less mauve-y. #090 is a deep reddish pink that looks pink under sun light and looks red under dim light ( I know, it's crazy right? lol ). The lipsticks don't have any names, only number which is slightly annoying and harder to remember.

I didn't have a lot of expectations for these lipsticks but they really surprised me in a positive way. The texture is creamy - a bit waxy but still glides on smoothly and effortlessly. The finish is velvet matte, not über dry matte which I prefer because I just can't be friend with this ultra matte liquid lipstick trend. They just don't look good on me and make my lips looking like they haven't had any contact with lip balm for years xD. I like that these Trend It Up matte lipsticks don't accentuate my lip lines and are very comfortable on the lips. I usually can only wear matte lipstick for a few hours but these are so comfortable and hydrating that I sometimes forget I am having matte lipstick on.

My favorite matte lipstick ever is so far the Tom Ford matte lipsticks, but they are unfortunately not very friendly for the wallet, so I am glad that I found a very good alternative for the Tom Ford ones for a fraction of the price.


#020


#090


I am very happy with the discovery and will definitely look at the other available shades. It's always nice to find hidden gems in the drugstore. 

Trend It Up matte lipstick retails for €2,50

Love,
Pam