Nude Magique

This foundation has been everywhere, from youtube to blogs. As a lot of people claimed it to be the exact dupe of Giorgio Armani Maestro foundation, of course I was curious to try! especially after I saw this post from Jane, here . I was so surprised that the only different ingredients are fragrance and skin irritants ( don't ask me what is skin irritant please ).

There are only 4- or 5 shades available at the display and I was quiet surprised that the range is very limited. My shade is the lightest shade available ;120 because the second lightest shade is too dark and yellow..I wonder how people with paler skin than I am will manage to get the right shade..

The packaging is very tiny and it contains only 20ml of product which makes it very expensive for a drugstore foundation at 12€. But if it is really the same like GA Maestro foundation , I don't mind.

Foundation that comes in a bottle and with no pump is not my cup of tea, in terms of packaging. But the bottle is tiny and the neck is also small that my finger can cover it so it won't go everywhere.. But still sometimes I spill a bit of product because of the runny consistency as well.

 

As I mentioned before, the foundation is very runny and watery. It claims to be lighter than water which I can't really imagine. Could something be lighter than water?? But anyway the texture is very unique. It has a bit of powdery feeling but at the same time, oily.. I know it's a poor description but I do feel like the consistency is like a watery but dry oil ( okay, it is getting even more absurd ). But once applied to the skin, it sets to a light powdery finish, not oily or dewy at all.

L'oreal advised to apply it with finger but I prefer to buff it in with buffing brush. Any kind of sponge is not worth to try since it will def soak the product. I am currently having a very cooperative skin condition at the moment ( I believe it is all because of Josie Maran 100% Argan Oil ) so this foundation doesn't have to deal with a lot of problems. The coverage is light but not very sheer. It is buildable as well so I usually apply 2 layers to achieve more coverage. The finish is very natural, healthy and radiant. 

I love how lightweight it is and it feels very comfortable on the skin, maybe because of the thin consistency. But despite of the lightweight feeling, this foundation is fairly long wearing. The oil control is also very good.

There are a lot of reviews on the internet about how this is actually the same product like the Giorgio Armani Maestro foundation. Too bad I have not tried the maestro one so I can't do any comparison. But this Nude Magique from L'oreal does have a high end feeling to it. It doesn't feel like 'cheap' foundation at all. If someone give it to me in a pot without knowing what brand it is, I will def guess that it is a high end foundation. The quality is just excellent. It is sometimes unbelievable how 2 'same' products can be sold with 2 different prices all thanks to marketing strategy, and packaging.  My only concern is only that the shades available in our drugstore is very limited.. I can see a lot of people with lighter complexion than me will have problem especially it is now almost winter and everyone gets even paler. 

Otherwise, if you like lightweight foundation that provides not very sheer coverage , you might want to check this out.

Love,
Pam

BIORE UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunscreen

It is very difficult to find a good facial sunscreen. My version of good facial sunscreen must be non oily, non sticky and lightweight with high SPF and includes PA++. Most of the sunscreen in Germany have tanning / bronzing effect to help make your skin looking tanned, totally the opposite of what happens in Asia where all sunscreens have whitening effect. I don't like my skin to be tanned so there is basically no sunscreen that matches my criteria here in Germany.

So I asked Sharlynn from theblackmentosbeautybox to get me this BIORE sunscreen and put it inside our beauty swap box. Thank you Sharlynn! 

This sunscreen from Biore is one brilliant product!! First of all, the packaging is optimal, easy squeeze tube and very practical for travelling as well. Then second of all, the price is pretty affordable, ca. 10€/50ml .

But the best part , is the product itself! The consistency is exactly how I want it to be. It is very thin, lightweight and watery. It sinks very well in to the skin and doesn't feel greasy at all. It doesn't affect my make up and has no color, no certain finish, nothing. It feels just like rubbing water to my face. I usually apply it after I apply my daily moisturizer and this sunscreen is not drying, it is quite hydrating I'd say. 

I've been wearing this sunscreen every single day this past 3 weeks and it doesn't break me out. The SPF 50 might be too high for the autumn winter here since it is mostly cloudy, gloomy and raining and basically not so much sun over here. But I believe that it is better to put too much protection than too less. Since the UV rays can be very damaging to the skin. 

Another good thing is that it doesn't smell like your regular sun screen. It smells fresh and light citrus-y. It also doesn't give ghostly white cast despite of the high SPF.

I did a bit of research on the internet about the ingredients and this sunscreen does have some questionable ingredients like alcohol or sodium hydroxide.. But I don't experience any bad thing so far with this sunscreen, no breakout, no dryness, no burn or irritation so I guess it should be okay for my skin. 

I think I have found my perfect sunscreen :-)

what is your favorite sunscreen?

Love,

Pam

Revelation

I love Chanel ( who doesn't ?) especially the bags ( as if they were cheaper... ) but I am not really a fan of the make up line. I have tried some of their products but they have never wowed me. To me, they are only average in terms of quality.. But since a lot of people raving about their newly launched cream blushes, I thought I'd give it another chance. 

The packaging is beautiful. It is very simple, typical chanel case but there is something about the intertwined Cs that makes everything with it looks beautiful and chic. It is surprisingly tiny though in compare to chanel powder case or eyeshadow quad case. Despite of the smaller size, it is sooo cute! 

After some swatches at the counter, I decided to go with Revelation. Revelation is a warm medium pink with a slightly hint of coral. It is def not a barbie kind of pink. It has satin , semi matte finish. Revelation is a very pretty shade that is appropriate for any occasion from office hour to party. It is a very versatile pink that will suit any kind of look and a lot of skin complexions. 

The texture of this cream blush is cream to powder, reminds me a lot of the YSL cream blushes but the chanel one is slightly creamier and less powdery. It blends easily to the skin but not effortlessly. I find that the texture is slightly waxy so that's why it takes a bit more effort to blend. The pigmentation is great though and the color is just flattering. I usually apply it with my finger and then blend it with real techniques stippling brush. The staying power is excellent and it stays for 7-8 hours before starting to fade gradually.

The price is fairly high , €34 for 2,5gr of product only. The YSL one retails for €37 / 5,5gr. ( I luckily got the chanel one with 20% discount so it didn't hurt that bad :p )

Compare to YSL cream blush, I can say that the YSL one is better in terms of texture, ease of application and price per gramm while Chanel is better in terms of staying power and packaging. Which one I like more? I have to go with the YSL one.

So once again, Chanel failed to amazed me. The blush is a great product but maybe I just set my expectations too high. 

Have you tried  any Chanel blushes?

Love,

Pam

Amber Rush

L'oreal infaillible eyeshadows are one of my favorite 'cream' eyeshadow so far. Their spongy and powdery texture is so lovely and go on so smooth on the lids. 

I have done a review on 2 of these eye shadows before on my blog but the quality was poor so I decided to re-do it since I just recently got a new shade ; Amber Rush. ( Amber Rush is not available in Germany, a dear friend of mine got it for me from the US )

Amber Rush is a gorgeous shimmery amber shade. It is less 'redish' than I imagined it would be, but nonetheless it is a very flattering shade. I love the fact how it looks so effortlessly good. Amber Rush is the kind of eyeshadow you can wear alone on the lids and still end up looking like you invest 30 minutes to do the eye look. It is so easy to apply, best applied with finger tips as brush tends to make it crumble a bit imo. Once it sets, it doesn't crease on the lids. 

I simply adore this shade , don't get me wrong, I like the other 3 as well but Amber Rush is very easy to wear and the shade looks so flattering against my complexion. 

All of the shades that I have perform really good. So the quality doesn't differ based on the color ( e.g Maybelline Color Tattoo ). The L'oreal Infaillible eyeshadows are all buttery and smooth in texture, easy to blend, and they are long lasting on the lids.

Amber Rush worn alone, and please mind the lighting that makes my foundation looks too dark and yellow.

A lot of people say that the L'oreal infaillible eyeshadows are exact dupe for the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill which makes sense since GA also belongs to L'oreal and L'oreal is famous for having great dupe for higher end products ( e.g. L'oreal color caresse shine stain as dupe for YSL glossy stain or L'oreal magic nude liquid powder foundation as dupe for Giorgio Armani Maestro foundation ). I've never tried the GA Eyes to Kill so I can not say whether they perform the same, but I am totally happy with my 'cheap' alternatives that I don't feel the urge to get the more expensive version of them. yet. :P

Have you tried the L'oreal Infaillible eyeshadows? How do you like it?

Love,

Pam

Bye Bye Redness!

Redness around the cheek area is my main problem. I don't deal a lot with acnes or blemishes but my cheek area is so sensitive it gets red even with the lightest rub. I usually apply more foundation around the area or concealer but sometimes it is not enough or the finish is not what I really want to. So when I saw the review on Beautizine, I knew I had to have it. ( ps : this video from QVC made me even more wanting to get it )

Since it cosmetics is not available in Germany both in store and online, I was very happy when a friend of mine who was travelling to NYC could get me this product ( and some other of course :p )

It cosmetics describes the product as a neutralizing correcting cream. It comes in a little jar container. The packaging is not the most hygiene or travel friendly but I think it's okay because with this kind of container, I can literally use it till the last drop.

The texture of this cream is lightweight and airy. It feels like a mix between liquid foundation and Benefit Porefessional. It has powdery feeling to it. It dries to velvety matte finish and it is very rich in pigmentation.

I usually apply it with my finger because brush tends to absorb the product. A little goes a looooong way as it is very pigmented. I only need half a pea size amount to cover both my cheek areas and another small spots. The jar contains only 11ml of product but I believe it will last me for quiet awhile. 

I am very very happy with this product. It really covers redness without being cakey or thick or dull looking. It provides a smooth and flawless canvas before I apply foundation. It evens out the skin tone very well. Some people like to wear it as foundation but I don't really like it because it looks kind of ashy on me when it's applied alone. It cosmetics also claims it to have skin care benefit which I can't confirm yet but it does melt into the skin effortlessly. I also don't have problem with the shade even though it is a 'one shade fits all' product. And to be honest , I think people with deeper complexion won't have problem as well.

BEFORE
the light washed out the redness a bit, it was actually more 'red' than in the picture.

AFTER

The staying power is good and my face stays flawless all day in combination with a good foundation + powder. 

I am overall head over heels with this product. I agree that it is life changing esp for people that deal with redness like I do. It works wonder and def worth every penny. Now I started to worry how to get back up since I can't buy it anywhere from Germany T.T

It retails for $32 /11ml

Have you ever heard of this product? 

Love,

Pam

If Mint Candy Apple and Whimsical Got Married..

I think I have found the perfect mix of Essie Mint Candy Apple and Revlon Whimsical..

This nail polish is such a dream. I love love the combination of Essie Mint Candy Apple and Revlon Whimsical as you can see here. But it takes more effort to apply 2 different polishes and they are nightmare to remove as well. So this nail polish is like the perfect solution. It would be even better if the glitters were a bit chunky like in whimsical. But I don't mind having them a bit small.  The polish has nice texture, not too thick or too thin. It needs 3 coats to get very opaque but the formula is not gloopy at all.  It is also not difficult to remove, just like regular nail polish. Another plus point ; it retails for only €3,49/11ml. Bargain!

How do you like it??

Love,

Pam

Killing Me Softly

Since I was not satisfied with my short trip to Sephora at Champ Elysees, I decided to visit NARS counter at Printemp department store. Thank God it was not full at all so the SA was able to show me around and inform me about NARS products. 

As a newbie to NARS, I wanted to buy a palette instead of single blush / eye shadow so I'm able to try some of their products at one. The SA showed me some palettes they were having at the moment, I remember 2 of them had eye shadows and blushes in 1 palette but I didn't like the eye shadows so I settled with the blush palette ; Killing Me Softly. 

Killing Me Softly includes their very famous golden peach blush Orgasm, a matte redish coral Gilda, a golden rose Outlaw and the luminous golden highlighter Albatros. It would be perfect if it had Laguna as well. But you can't have it all at once, yes?

The 4 blushes come in typical NARS packaging, a little bit bigger than its usual blush size.

3 of 5 shades in this palette have golden shimmer which all look good and flattering on the skin. Gilda is so far my favorite shade in this palette, followed by Orgasm then Outlaw. Outlaw is so bold and pigmented it is a bit hard to apply. The color reminds me a lot of Red Vino from Milani. I think it would look very nice on people with deeper complexion. 

Albatros , as the only highlighter in this palette is surprisingly nice. It is not too shimmery for my liking and it gives such a nice highlight on the cheekbones. 

All blushes in this palette have okay texture I'd say, smooth and velvety except for Orgasm which is a bit flakey because of the glitters. Pigmentation and staying power are all good but nothing groundbreaking imho . I paid 42€ for this palette which includes 4 shades and 6 gr of product in total. 

( I was wearing albatros as highlighter on all of these picts above )

I am to be honest not very impressed with NARS blushes so far.. I think they are not bad in terms of quality but they are def overpriced. I don't think they're worth the price. T.T 

Do you like NARS Blushes? Which shade is your favorite?

Love,

pam

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer oil free

I asked for a sample of Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer oil free from the Laura Mercier counter at Printemps on my recent trip to Paris and the very lovely BA gave me a full mini pot of the tinted moisturizer. She literally squeezed so many products into the tiny pot , I believe it will last me for a good 2-3 weeks.

I think all of you already know how the packaging looks like, don't you? in case you don't, here is the picture!

picture courtessy of Ludwigbeck.de

There is nothing special of fancy about the packaging. Just a regular squeeze tube. It is not fancy but I do think it is practical and economic. We can literally use the product to the last drop with this kind of packaging. 

To the color, my shade is Nude. It is the perfect shade for my skin at the moment. It could be a bit too light in summer, but it is now autumn here and I get paler in colder months.

The moisturizer has thick-liquidy consistency, a little bit creamy. I think it is best applied using fingertips, it helps the moisturizer 'melts' into the skin beautifully.

As you can see from the with-without pictures above, the moisturizer has a very light coverage. It is not meant to have full coverage though, so I won't complain about it. It delivers such a natural-healthy looking finish and it doesn't look like you're wearing any make up at all. It looks like your skin is naturally good looking.

The coverage, as said before is very light, but it does cover mild imperfections. The finish is dewy even though this one is oil free version, I don't think people with very oily skin will like it. Powder is definitely a must for the T-zone area. This product reminds me a lot of Tony Moly Dear Me BB Cream, only this one has slightly less coverage. 

I overall like this tinted moisturizer but I need more coverage on daily basis. I've been wearing this tinted moisturizer as a base for my foundation for the past 10 days and it works very well. The SPF 20 is also a plus point. 

But the question is, does it worth the 48€ price tag? I don't think so. Similar result can be achieved with some normal BB Creams or tinted moisturizers. It is a good product but not groundbreaking. I won't be purchasing the full size version.

Do you have any experience with Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer?

Love,

Pam