Beauty

BECCA Luminous Skin Colour

May 31, 2011

Quite a few people have expressed interest in the Becca Luminous Skin Colour, so I have decided to review this one first.

Becca Luminous Skin Colour is an award winning face base product that has been the best seller ever since Becca was launched – actually it was the first product Becca released. It has a wide range of colors to choose from for any complexion. My shade is Cashmere – it is a pale shade with a yellow undertone and it matches me perfectly. Becca’s website describes this product as a combination tinted moisturizer and sheer foundation. It initially failed to impress me because this is the sheerest foundation I have ever come across – it is even more sheer than any tinted moisturizers or BB creams I have used in the past. When blended out, it has very minimal coverage.

It started to grow on me as I used it more – I have come to appreciate this foundation more and understand why this is the best seller.

The Good:

– It contains a lot of moisturizing ingredients and has a very high water content. It is so easy to blend and adheres to my face like second skin even on the driest skin day.

– Different to most shimmery or highlighting products – it gives a “shine within” dewy glow. Same effect as if you just had a facial – people would just think your skin is naturally healthy and glowing.

– It contains SPF25, it feels weightless on my skin, feels lighter than any lightest sunscreen . On a normal day I would just skip suncreen if I wear this foundation.

– Due to its high water content, I like to mix this product in with an opaque concealer to sheer it down, that way it gives an illuminating effect for concealing the under eyes area.

The Bad:

– As mentioned earlier it is Ultra sheer, it only evens my complexion out but hides no imperfections.

– Requires more product (about 3 pumps for me) per application than regular foundation.

– Requires a touch-up after 5 to 6 hours of wear.

Swatched Becca Luminous Color in Cashmere on my hand:

When it is blended out, even at a closer look, you can’t even detect there is a layer of foundation on.

Being brave once again- exposing my bare face to the world wide web!

The picture below would give you a better idea of how it looks. The side with the Becca Foundation didn’t have any other products on. On a normal day I would wear some under eyes concealer on top of the foundation then I’m good to go.

I have also been trying different ways to apply this foundation. It is incredibly easy to blend. I like to use a foundation brush or fingers. I won’t recommend to apply it with the Beauty Blender because it will make it even more sheer! The foundation retails for AUD$68.

Long post, I hope this review will help any of you who are interested in this product.

{ 11 comments }

Labels: BECCA • FOUNDATION

Chanel Morning Rose Swatch

May 27, 2011

Chanel Le Vernis in Morning Rose from the Summer 2011 Collection is definitely not an ordinary pink once you have it on your nails. It is a universally flattering pink shade with beautiful gold shimmers that would look nice on any skintone.

Swatch of Chanel Morning Rose – Unlike any other Chanel nail polishes I own, what you see in the bottle is what you see on your nails, the gold shimmers in Morning Rose are noticeable under any lighting. The formulation is a little bit on the sheer side but it is very smooth and streak free to apply and to layer. It is swatched with 3 thin coats.

The good news is..I have found a cheap dupe in my collection! It is the China Glaze in 77004 IV – one of my all time favorite pink nail polish.

As you can see, the pink tone is very similar, the only difference is the China Glaze has a cream finish without any shimmers.

{ 15 comments }

Labels: CHANEL • NAIL POLISH

Foundations Reviews Part 1 – Coming Soon

May 25, 2011

Being a self proclaimed foundation addict, I am quite ashamed I have yet done any foundation reviews. So I have set myself a ‘tough’ challenge. I am going to get through the reveiws for all the foundations shown in the picture by the end of June! I am hoping I can do at least 1 foundation review a week.

These are a subset of my foundations collection, they are mainly relatively new or my recent favorites.

Becca Luminous Skin color

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua – ultra light skin perfecting makeup

Dior Extreme Fit – extreme wear flawless makeup

Cle de Peau teint naturel fluide cream foundation

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation

Shu Uemura UV Under base Mouse BB Cream

The rest of my foundations (not in the pic) will be covered in part 2 and 3.

{ 11 comments }

Labels: BECCA • CHANEL • CLE DE PEAU • DIOR • FOUNDATION • Giorgio Armani • Shu Uemura

Becca Lost Weekend Collection – Eyeshadow Palette Review

May 24, 2011

While many of the makeup lovers are enjoying the newly released Halcyon Days Summer Collection by Becca in the States and UK, Becca has “quietly” launched the Lost Weekend Fall Collection in Australia about a week ago. All products are available online as well as at Beccca stores. The collection is absolutely beautiful – I am once again smitten by how gorgeous the models look in the promo picture of Lost Weekend Collection on Becca’s website.

The collection is focused on neutral, dusty and earthy shades – right up my alley. Unfortunately the blushes are way too dark for my pale complexion, so I only picked up the limited edition Lost Weekend eyeshadow palette ($65 AUD).

Comparing my picture to the official promo picture, I think my picture is a more accurate swatch of the product. Except for the eyeshadow in the middle, the two eyeshadows on the sides are more of a mauvey brown rather than chocolately brown as shown in the promo pic.

A closer look at the eye shadows

From left to right:

Moleskin (Matt): a light beige with a mauve undertone

Chino (Matt): a chocolatey tan

Moire (shimmery): a mauvey light brown with fine silver shimmers

Swatched on my arm:

The powders are velvety soft and glides on effortlessly to the skin without the need of any eyeshadow primer. For some reason the swatch of Moleskin (left) and Moire (right) appear quite pink on my arm, this is not the case on my eyes. They definitely show up more brown with just a hint of mauve.

It is also worth noting that the palette comes with a little blending brush as opposed to the usual shading brush. The hairs feel just as soft as the regular sized becca brushes. Both the shape and the size of the bristles reminds me of one of my all time favorite blending brush #12 from Nars.

Look how identical they are.

Bottom Line: I really love this eyeshadow palette – a nice addition to have for the neutral makeup lovers. The swatches on my arm don’t do its justice, I will do a FOTD with this palette sometime in the near future.

FYI: The Halcyon Days Summer Collection is to be launched in Australia in July, and vice versa, the Lost Weekend Fall Collection will be launched in UK and USA around the same time.

{ 1 comment }

Labels: BECCA • EYESHADOW

Chanel Fauve and Taupe Grise FOTD

May 23, 2011

Chanel Ombre Essentielle in Fauve is the eyeshadow I have been reaching for the most ever since I bought it. As I mentioned in my previous review post, I like to use it as a wash all over the eye socket area, it just really complements my skin tone. This is a complete FOTD using Fauve pairing with Taupe Grise.

Eye products used:

1. Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

2. Chanel Ombre Essentielle in Fauve all over the eye socket area as a base and along the lower lash line

3. Bobbi Brown in Taupe along the crease

4. Chanel Ombre Essentielle in Taupe Grise at the outer V and along the outer part of the lower lash line

5. Nars Larger than Life volumising Mascara on the lower lashes

Princess Lee cross 7 False Eyelashes is used on upper lashes, my holy grail lashes!!

A closer look at the lashes. Princess Lee looks so natural whilst making your lashes look fuller, people can never tell I wear falsies if it is by princess lee.

Overall Look:

Face and Lip Products Used:

Foundation: Maquillage Liquid Lasting UV by Shiseido

Blush: Nars DT

Concealer/Highlighter: Chanel Corrector in10 Beige Rose

Lipstick: YSL Rouge Pur Couture in 06 Rose Bergamasque (reviewed here)

Lipgloss: Stila lip glaze in blush

{ 19 comments }

Labels: BOBBI BROWN • CHANEL • FALSE LASHES • FOTD • Maquillage by Shiseido • NARS • Stila

YSL Rouge Pur Couture 10 Beige Tribute

May 21, 2011

YSL Rouge Pur Couture lipstick has really captured my heart. I have gushed over how beautiful the shade of 06 Rose Bergamasque is – been wearing it almost every single day! I have recently discovered that Rouge Pur Couture in 10 Beige Tribute is another must have nude shade.

10 Beige Tribute and 06 Rose Bergamasque side by side

Swatches on my arm: please note they appear totally different to how they show up on the lips.

10 Beige Tribute swatched on my lips

Although Rose Bergamasque and Beige Tribute look very similar in real life from the tubes – Rose Bergamasque shows up as a peachy nude (reviewed here), whereas Beige Tribute is more of a flesh nude with a cool pink undertone in a satin finish.

Overall thoughts on YSL Rouge Pur Couture lipsticks: Rouge pur couture is neither a full coverage lipstick nor a sheer one. This probably accounts for why I like their nude lipsticks so much. It conceals my natural lip color with just the right amount of pigmentation without looking too chalky and opaque. Staying power is about 2-3 hours, but I don’t mind re-applying it throughout the day because I like the soft and balmy texture of the lipsticks – they keep my lips soft and smooth. My only gripe is the fingerprints left on the packaging and it gets scratched very easily if you keep it in your purse.

{ 1 comment }

Labels: LIPSTICK • YSL

Essie Da Bush – Resort 2011 Collection

May 19, 2011

Essie Da Bush is my latest nail polish buy – it is part of Essie’s 2011 Resort collection. I was eyeing this shade for a long time but it was all sold out until recently. I have been wearing this shade since the start of this week and received tons of complements on it! It seems everyone has a different interpretation of this color – is it..jade? green? khaki? gray? My conclusion is that it is a complex khaki green color with a gray undertone to it.

Formula of Da Bush is smooth and creamy. Opaque in 2 coats. Swatched below:

I don’t have this shade in my collection at all. But if I there is a hybrid between Essie Turquoise and Caicos (pictured on the right) and MAC On The Prowl (pictured on the left) – it will be Da Bush.

{ 6 comments }

Labels: ESSIE • NAIL POLISH

Guerlain L’OR Radiance Concentrate with Pure Gold

May 18, 2011

One of my dear readers has requested for a review of Guerlian L’OR Radiance Concentrate with Pure Gold Makeup Base. I started using this product on and off since I came back from my holiday. It is the perfect time to test this product out because the weather has been so cold. As a result my skin is dryer than usual and needs some extra help to make my makeup look better.

Guerlain does some amazing makeup bases. The L’OR Radiance Concentrate has been around for the longest time of them all – it is almost a cult product as a makeup base.

Guerlain’s promise about this product:

It is a hydrating makeup base gel. The 24 carat gold has been fashioned into precious flakes using a unique time-honoured method, to integrate them magically into the gel. As though suspended in the air, the flakes sparkle to reveal their precious treasure: radiance. The complexion is immediately awakened, thanks to the formula’s extreme hydrating action.

My thoughts:

Love the packaging. It speaks luxury. It is packed in a sterdy heavy glass bottle, not plastic. The reflection of gold flakes makes the product look ultra luxurious.

I have mixed feelings about this product. To sum it up it is basically a soothing makeup gel that hydrates your skin and gives you a dewy complexion. It is definitely the most hydrating makeup base I have ever come across. When applied on the skin it does feel slightly tacky – I normally wait for a minute till the tackness wears off. This product allows the foundation to glide on like a dream – it saves you time from blending and the foundation sinks into your skin without a sign of cakiness or flakiness.

As for the radiance, the gold flakes dissolves with the gel into your skin. It gives a nice dewy finish without any shimmers, which is what I prefer anyway.

To give you a better idea, I am brave enough to show you my bare skin and the after effect! (*please excuse my freckles, large pores..)

What the camera can’t show is that my skin looks more hydrated and supple. The radiance on my skin is very subtle, because this product is so hydrating it plumps my skin up a little giving a dewy glow. But please note it will NOT give you an ultra luminous glow as some other shimmer products do.

Once I apply the foundation over, the radiance effect becomes less noticeable. It only makes your foundation sit better on your skin and keeps your foundation looking fresh (without oxidizing) for an extended period of time – about 8 hours indoors for me.

with foundation

Would I repurchase it: No for now.

Although it is a good all rounder makeup base and I love the hydrating effect it gives. (imo it is definitely better than my Nars makeup base) I won’t classify this product as a makeup base that will give you a radiant glow. For such an expensive product (around $110 in Australia), it should work more than a hydrator . There are a lot of other cheaper hydrating makeup bases that might work just as good as this one. For now I am going to explore further on other products.

{ 3 comments }

Labels: GUERLAIN • Makeup Base

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