THEFACESHOP Canada (Product Reviews)

As you know, I recently received a few great products from THEFACESHOP Canada. If you have not checked out my post using these products, please check out my Lavender Glitter Party Makeup tutorial! It’s easy, fun, and definitely eye catching!

Have you tried any THEFACESHOP products? If you have, what’s your favorite product from this brand? If you haven’t, which product would you like to try? Leave your answer below on the comment section.

So, as part of the Canadian Beauty Bloggers network, I was selected to give THEFACESHOP Canada products a try. Big shout out to Canadian Beauty Bloggers, as well as THEFACESHOP Canada! I received these 5 products in the mail  (L-R) – Freshian Big Mascara,  Candy Violet blush, Lavender Glitter eyeshadow, Purple Violet Color Proof eyeliner, and Pink Scarf Rose Ink Lipquid. Keep on reading below to find out the swatches, as well as my review on these products!

THEFACESHOP Canada                                                                                      THEFACESHOP Canada

Let’s start with THEFACESHOP Canada Freshian Big Mascara (01 Curling). The Freshian Big mascara is described as  “Mascara that provides natural eyelash looks. Curling & volume effects are well seen!”. There’s actually a Volume version of this mascara, the one that I received is the Curling effect. I actually quite like the wand on this mascara, it’s thin and I can get the bristles right in between my lashes. The formula is not too runny, and it does not dry out too quick either.

THEFACESHOP Canada

THEFACESHOP Canada Freshian Big Mascara (01 Curling)

In the “before” picture below (top row), you can see that my lashes are stick-straight and long. I have to curl my lashes before I apply the mascara (middle row). As you can see in the “after” picture (bottom row), my lashes lost some of its curls but gain extra length. The mascara itself does not cause my lashes to clump, it separates the lashes pretty well. The reason why this mascara does not keep the curls of my lashes is because it does not dry quick enough. If you’re looking for a curling mascara, you should look for one that is waterproof since waterproof mascara dries out faster when you apply it, which then would help to lock the curls in place. This mascara is NOT waterproof, and so it does not hold the curls very well. It is still better than other non-waterproof mascara though in terms of holding the curls.

THEFACESHOP Freshian Big Mascara

THEFACESHOP Canada also sent me a Candy Violet blush! Prior to this, I did not own a violet blush. This was my first time using a purple-toned blush. I know it looks quite pink in the picture, but it is actually a light purple if compared to other pink/rosy blushes. It is a very pale cool tone blush, so I wasn’t quite sure how this would show up on my skin.

The blush, since it’s purple, is really great to brighten your skin. As you know, purple/violet works as a brightening corrector. So, this blush does a good job to brighten up your skin. It has a little bit of shimmer, and it works well as a highlighter. The downside to this blush is the fact that it’s too light for my skin. I can’t really use this as a blush on its own, so I use it as a highlighter or a brightener on top of my other blush. I also can use this blush to change the “warmness” of my other blushes. For example, if I think my other blush is too warm-toned, I can apply this blush first then the warmer blush on top to make it more cool-toned or neutral.

THEFACESHOP CanadaTHEFACESHOP Candy Violet single blush

One of my favorite products from this package is this stunning sparkly purple eyeshadow! THEFACESHOP Lavender Glitter eyeshadow is described as “Highly pigmented Single Shadow Glitter gives a uniform and ultra shiny finish. Its silky, easy-to-adjust texture applies easily and adheres without smudging, for long-lasting hold.”

Oh, this gorgeous eyeshadow is amazing! Just enough glitters and there was no fallout at all! Glitter eyeshadows are notorious for their fallout, where the glitters will be everywhere EXCEPT in your eyelids where you want it to be! Not this eyeshadow! The glitters in the eyeshadow stay on the eyelids. You can also apply this eyeshadow with a wet brush, and it’ll make the shade even more purple and sparklier. Don’t believe me? Check out my Lavender Glitter Party makeup tutorial to see the eyeshadow in action.

THEFACESHOP Canada                                                                  THEFACESHOP Lavender Glitter eyeshadow

My other favorite product from THEFACESHOP Canada PR Package is this Purple Violet Color Proof eyeliner. I wish the eyeliner is slightly more purple, but as you can see from my swatch, it’s actually pretty dark in color. On my tutorial, you can see that it looks almost black. However, I don’t really mind it. It almost looks like a soft black eyeliner, which will be a great alternative for those who prefer a non-black eyeliner. Sometimes a black eyeliner can look too harsh on those with fair-light skin tones. The hint of violet in this eyeliner will bring out the colors on your eyes. Purple is universally flattering on everyone and every eye colors!

THEFACESHOP CanadaTHEFACESHOP Color Proof Purple Violet eyeliner

The last product in my package is THEFACESHOP Pink Scarf Rose Ink lipquid. It’s a liquid lipstick, hence the name lipquid. It is described as ” [An] all-in-one lipstick, gloss, and tint comes in 12 shades and provides hydration and hold for up to 12 hours! The specially shaped applicator helps both define lip contours and fill in the lips. Using the chisel tip, you can define and color your lips with great precision.”

This lipquid is similar to a lip stain. It stains your lips with a pretty color, and you can layer it to make the color more intense. Since it is a stain, it lasts pretty long even after eating and drinking. When I did the swatch for this lipquid, my hand was stained for the whole day.

I love this lipquid, it’s not sticky or drying like other brands, and it’s also moisturizing. This shade Pink Rose Scarf is a beautiful shade of rosy pink, which is very flattering on everyone. One tip on using this lipquid is to apply it in layers. When you apply it in layers, apply it sparingly to control the intensity of the stain. On my previous tutorial, I applied a sheer layer on my lips, then I added more layers just in the center of my lips to create a gradient effect.

THEFACESHOP CanadaTHEFACESHOP Ink Lipquid Pink Scarf Rose

Maison Kitsune Indigo Palette Review

You all know my love for Shu Uemura x Maison Kitsune Holiday Colection, yes? And as promised, here’s my review and swatches on the Maison Kitsune for Shu Uemura Beauty Remix palette in Indigo. This Maison Kitsune Indigo palette review is based on entirely my own honest opinion and experience with the palette. I bought this palette myself, and I’ve done 3 tutorials using it. Please check out my tutorials if you want to see how the shadows look like on my eyes.

Why do I choose the Maison Kitsune Indigo palette over the Plum? Well, that’s probably because I prefer the colour selection on the Indigo over the Plum. Don’t get me wrong, I think the Plum palette is gorgeous, but I’m more attracted to the shadows in the Indigo palette. The difference between the Indigo and the Plum palettes is that the Indigo palette leans towards the cooler tones, while the Plum palette is a lot warmer compared to the Indigo.

Maison Kitsune for Shu Uemura What is Maison Kitsune for Shu Uemura Beauty Remix Smoky Eyes & Cheek Palette #Indigo?

“Sharpen up for a night of clubbing and electro beats in a “new classic” Maison Kitsuné style with the beauty remix smokey eye & cheek palette. Inspired by Western smokey eye and Tokyo street girl’s high cheek. Be bold and chic French style, or subtle and modest nipponesque, two opposites create a new harmony. Play with accent colors on smokey eyes for a fresh, spirited twist. A happy collision between effortless French style smokey eye with navy and pink blush under eyes inspired by a youthful Tokyo spirit.”

Shu Uemura Canada, 2015

This collection is all about East meets West! Bringing the French chic and Japanese street style together, this palette is the perfect combination of East meets West vibe. This Maison Kitsune Indigo palette consists of stunning shades from smoky navy to sparkling gold, and pink blush to top it all off.

Maison Kitsune Indigo palette review

Packaging

As you can see from the first picture on this post, the Maison Kitsune Indigo palette comes in plastic package. The front cover is a pretty artwork, and it’s very colourful. Open the palette up, and you get a huge mirror inside, 7 eyeshadows and a blush. You also get 2 makeup brushes along with it. I don’t use the brushes that come with the palette, just because I find them too small.

Shades & Finish

7 eyeshadows and 1 blush.

Top row (L-R):

  • #1 pressed eye shadow P navy – navy blue (metallic)
  • #2 pressed eye shadow IR black 985 – gunmetal grey (metallic)
  • #3 pressed eye shadow P soft blue – sky blue (shimmers with white glitter)

Middle row (L-R):

  • #4 pressed eye shadow G gold – yellow gold (glitter)
  • #5 pressed eye shadow IR white – white (glitter)
  • #6 pressed eye shadow G soft green – lime green (glitter)

Bottom row (L-R):

  • #7 pressed eye shadow G deep pink – pink (glitter)
  • #8 glow on blush in pink (matte)

Maison Kitsune for Shu Uemura

Pigmentation/Blendability/Longevity

All the eyeshadows and the blush blend easily, and they last for a good while, especially if you use primer underneath. Who doesn’t use primer nowadays, right?!

The only issue I have is that some of the eyeshadows, even though they might look highly pigmented on the palette, on the eyes they aren’t that great. In my case, I think the Gold, Green and Pink shades look pretty, but don’t really show up on my eyes. As you can see from my tutorial #1 and #3, the Gold and Pink are very sheer, but it still looks very chic. The glitter shades are very pretty as highlighter, to be placed on top of other eyeshadows (like in my tutorial #2).

The Navy and Black eyeshadows are gorgeous, and very pigmented. The shades are beautiful on its own but I have to say, if you layer a colored base underneath it, the shades pop even more especially the Navy. Absolutely gorgeous. My Navy smoky eyes tutorial show just how stunning the blue eyeshadow is.

Price

CAD$85 from Shu Uemura website

Maison Kitsune Indigo palette review

 

Pros

  • Beautiful palette
  • Gorgeous eyeshadows and blush
  • Eyeshadows and blush have a great pigment pay-off
  • Lots of sparkles on this palette
  • Eyeshadows with sparkles/glitters are quite sheer, but in a way it makes wearing glitter very chic and not tacky.

Cons

  • Eyeshadows with sparkles/glitters are quite sheer, so in terms of pigments pay-off it’s not that great.
  • The lighter shades might not work for darker skin tone
  • Pricy

Kaia Juicy Bamboo Makeup Wipes Review

Have you guys ever use makeup wipes? I don’t usually use makeup wipes, so it was interesting for me when I was given the chance to do Kaia Juicy Bamboo Makeup Wipes review. You might have seen a picture of the wipes when I posted in on my Instagram last week. I finally have the opportunity to use it today. This Kaia Juicy Bamboo wipes were sent to me as PR consideration. So, huge thanks and shout out to Kaia for sending me the Juicy Bamboo cleansing clothes!

If you are interested in getting these wipes, please check out Kaia’s website! You can also find Kaia on Instagram & Twitter

So, what is Kaia Juicy Bamboo Natural Facial Cleansing Cloths?

“juicy bamboo is not your typical makeup remover “wipe”. It’s actually a healthy cleanser with natural oils.

Cleansing with oils, humectants or balms (non mineral oil) will eliminate skin issues overnight. juicy bamboo natural cleansing oil cloths are soaked in honey, jojoba oil sunflower oil and eight essential oils… they may be called a wipe but on the contrary… they are a cleansing oil cloth. Soaked in vitamins B12, C, E.

Without the harsh makeup stripping ingredients of a typical wipe you can use juicy bamboo as a convenient cleanser. Our cashmere-soft 100% bamboo fibers can be placed in the soil and watch them disappear!
100% biodegradable.

For full coverage makeup, you may wish to remove eye makeup prior to cleansing with juicy bamboo.”

– Kaia, 2015

Kaia Juicy Bamboo Makeup Wipes

Isn’t this wipe so cute?! I love the packaging! Besides the adorable packaging, I was given wooden tongs (picture on my Instagram) to pick up the wipes. Anyways, the juicy bamboo cleansing cloths come in container of 30 sheets. The nice thing about these wipes are the fact that the wipes are not soaking wet. It’s just wet enough to remove the makeup, but not so wet that it’s slobbering all over my face.

As you can see on my picture below, 1 wipe removes all my makeup on my face. I had foundation, concealer, mascara, eyeliner, brows, lipstick, blush, & powder. It does a pretty good job removing all my makeup without drying my skin off. I did find that it was a bit hard to remove my mascara, but after leaving it on my eyes and pressing it down for couple of minutes, it did remove the mascara as well. It is recommended, though, for you to remove your eye makeup using an eye makeup remover before using the wipe. However, I wanted to test the full strength of the wipe, which was pretty awesome since it did removed all the makeup off my face!

The wipe is pretty small, compared to other makeup wipes, but I don’t mind it at all. I find this size is pretty good for when I travel. Since the Juicy Bamboo wipes are soaked with vitamins (B12, C & E), as well as essential oils, I definitely will be bringing these wipes with me when I travel, esp when I fly to Jakarta! This would be perfect to clean my face on those long flights, since it cleans, tones and moisturizes my skin!

Kaia Juicy Bamboo Makeup Wipes

Disclaimer:

  • This review is based on my own experience only, and should not be used to treat, diagnose, prevent any skin conditions.
  • If irritation occurred, please contact your health care provider.
  • I am not liable for any reaction occurred to you while using this product.
  • This product was sent to me by Kaia PR.
  • I do not gain any monetary profit from writing this review.
  • Links to Kaia website are NOT affiliated links.

Shu Uemura Lightbulb Foundation Review

As the weather gets colder and my skin gets drier, I’ve been craving for a more luminous dewy skin. For this reason, I’ve recently picked up the Shu Uemura Lightbulb Foundation, and used it on myself for couple days. As you know, I was picked as one of the winners for the Shu Uemura Haute Street Style Instagram competition, and one of the products that they gave me was this foundation. However, just to be clear, even though I received the foundation for free, my review is based on my experience and honest opinion.

Shu Uemura Lightbulb Foundation reveiw

Picture courtesy of Shu Uemura Canada

First of all, I did not use the Shu Uemura lightbulb foundation sponge because I didn’t have one. Instead, I used a damped sponge to apply this on my face. Secondly, this foundation is shade 754, which is Medium Beige. It’s a pretty good match for my skin, which is an in-between MAC NC25-30, or Diorskin Star foundation 030, or MUFE HD Foundation 120 (now called Y245).

If you are not familiar with the Shu Uemura foundation shades, it comes with 3 digits, the first digit represents the skin undertone, and it is either a 3, 5 or 7 (and sometimes 9). 3 is for Pink undertone, 5 for Neutral undertone, and 7 for Yellow undertone (and 9 is very yellow).

Shu Uemura Lightbulb Foundation 754

Packaging

The Shu Uemura Lightbulb foundation comes in a gorgeous glass bottle. Even though it’s glass, the bottle is very lightweight and transparent. The bottle also comes with a pump, and 1 pump can cover the whole face!

Application

If you want to do just 1 pump of foundation to cover your whole face, my advice is to do it the way I do it:

  1. Squeeze 1 pump at the back of hand or clean palette.
  2. Pick a bit of foundation using your ring finger.
  3. Dot it on your face, and blend it using a damped sponge.

You can apply the Shu Uemura Lightbulbfoundation using your finger, or foundation brush. However, if you want that luminous finish, I really suggest applying the foundation using a damped sponge (lightbulb sponge/beauty blender/any non-latex sponge).

Longevity

If you do not set this foundation and have combination/oily skin, this foundation might not last long. You need to set the foundation with a translucent powder, or if you prefer to keep the luminous finish check out the Shu Uemura Lightbulb Glowing Face Powder. For this review I did not set my foundation.

If you don’t set your foundation and has combination/oily skin, this foundation will last may be around 4-5 hours. It’s quite slippery, and within an hour you will look like an oil slick if you don’t set it. If you set the foundation, it’s good for 7-8 hours.

Shade/Finish/Coverage

13 shades ranging from light to medium shades, with pink, neutral and yellow undertones. The finish is luminous, with full coverage.

The Shu Uemura Lightbulb foundation has a full coverage, but it feels very lightweight on the skin. Its luminous dewy finish makes my skin looks quite like skin. I really like this dewy finish especially for winter when my skin is looking a bit dry.

Price

CAD$66 for 0.9 fl.oz./27 mL.

 

Shu Uemura Lightbulb Foundation review

Pros

  • Full coverage but lightweight
  • Luminous glowing finish
  • Great for dry/normal skin
  • Skin looks like skin but better
  • Match really well for my Asian skin
  • Blurs out imperfection

Cons

  • Combination/oily skin might find this to be too oily
  • Pricy

Shu Uemura Lightbulb Foundation for nc30

MAC Waterweight Foundation Review

Are you looking for a lightweight foundation that feels absolutely light on your skin? Keep reading my MAC Waterweight foundation review below, and you might find yourselves wanting to buy this foundation! I purchased this foundation couple weeks a go, and have been loving it!

I have had tried a couple serum foundation, and even though most of them feel lightweight on the skin, most of them have a medium to full coverage (i.e. NARS Weightless Luminous foundation). So, it was interesting to see that MAC has released a sheer to medium coverage version of it. Have you guys experience a serum foundation before? What are your thoughts on it?

MAC Waterweight foundation review

I saw Smashbox released a BB Water foundation, I was intrigued but I hesitated from buying it since I was waiting for the MAC waterweight. I am grateful I decided to wait since this MAC foundation ended up being cheaper than the Smashbox bb water.

I, then, went on youtube and saw Wayne Goss from Gossmakeupartist channel posted a review of this foundation on the same day I tried it for the first time. He mentioned that this foundation is exactly the same as the Smashbox BB water. I have the same feeling as him! Although I did not give the Smashbox BB water a try, I did swatch it at the store. It has similar texture, finish, SPF to the MAC Waterweight foundation. Smashbox and MAC are both own by Estee Lauder, so it’s no surprise if the formula is the same. Both foundations are very similar, if not, exactly the same product with the exception of the price tag – Smashbox ca$50 vs MAC ca$33. So glad I waited for the MAC one!

In addition, the MAC Waterweight foundation comes in more shades (23) compared to the Smashbox BB Water (8). So, if you’re thinking of grabing the Smashbox BB Water, perhaps you should check out MAC Waterweight foundation first!

MAC Waterweight foundation review

Description (from MAC website)

“Introducing an innovative foundation that delivers colour in an ultra-fluid, elastic gel- serum formula. With a virtually weightless feel, this formula is extraordinarily comfortable, lasting for hours. With stay-true colour and sheer medium buildable coverage, it softly blurs imperfections such as pores and fine lines, while also controlling oil. The addition of Moisture-Fusion Complex provides immediate and all-day hydration, leaving skin feeling quenched and silky to the touch. The unique dropper provides you with a drop of perfection.”

Packaging

The MAC Waterweight foundation comes in a glass bottle, with a dropper. This bottle is pretty similar to the Giorgio Armani Meastro, and Diorskin Nude Air foundation’s bottles.

Application

You can apply this foundation using your fingers, or MAC brush #196. I used MAC #196 brush for the purpose of this tutorial.

Longevity/Finish

Since I wore this in a warmer weather, this foundation lasts somewhere between 6-8hrs.

The MAC Waterweight foundation has a natural finish.

Coverage/Shade

I find that this foundation has a very sheer coverage. However, I realized that when I layer the foundation into the skin, the more it builds and becomes a medium coverage. At first, it’s not noticeable, but when I look at the before and after pictures, I realized that it covers more than I expected. So, coverage is sheer to medium, buildable.

As I’ve said previously, the foundation comes in 23 shades:

  • Yellow undertone – NC15, NC20, NC25, NC30, NC35, NC37, NC40, NC42, NC44, NC45, NC50
  • Pink undertone – NW13, NW15, NW18, NW20, NW22, NW25, NW30, NW35, NW43, NW45, NW47, NW50

I’m wearing NC30

Price

CA$33 (excl. tax). If you’re a makeup artist, don’t forget to apply as MAC Pro member to receive 40% off.

MAC Waterweight foundation review

Pros

  • Easily blended
  • Covers pores and fine lines well
  • Large range of shades
  • Buildable coverage – sheer to medium
  • Light-weight, does not feel cakey at all
  • Oil-free
  • Great for any skin type – hydrating enough for dry skin, but not too oily for oily skin

Cons

  • None

p.s: I know that some people might have a reaction towards MAC foundation, so please do your due diligence before buying or trying this foundation. Do a patch test prior to applying it all over your face.

 

 

 

Disclaimer:

  • This review is based on my own experience only, and should not be used to treat, diagnose, prevent any skin conditions.
  • If irritation occurred, please contact your health care provider.
  • I am not liable for any reaction occurred to you while using this product.
  • I bought this product myself, I did not receive it for any compensation.
  • I do not gain any monetary profit from writing this review.
  • Links to MAC Cosmetics website are not affiliated links.

 

Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation Review

One of my readers on Instagram asked me to do a Kat Von D Lock-it Tattoo foundation review. I have had this foundation since February, and mind you I was a little bit lighter back then. For me, Medium 52 still match pretty nicely since I have darker face compared to my chest.

Now, when I was looking for this foundation, I remembered I only saw Medium 52 and 54 (the ones that match my skin closely). Medium 54 was definitely too dark. I did not see a Medium 53, which I would be interested to find out if that shade would match me better, especially in the Summer. I believe Medium 53 was a newly added shade. I’m going to be on a look out for that shade next time.

Medium 52 is a medium beige undertone, while Medium 53 is a golden yellow undertone. Medium 54 has a yellow beige undertone (for medium complexion). Anyways, if you are an in-between shade like me (MAC NC25/30; MUFE HD foundation 118/120) and with yellow undertone, Medium 52/53 might be a good match for you, if you are slightly darker and closer to MAC NC35-40, Medium 54 might be a great match.

kat von d lock-it tattoo foundation reviewAnyways, let’s do a quick review!

What is Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo foundation?

A high-pigment foundation for full coverage with a long-lasting, beautiful finish.

What it does:
Kat created this foundation to provide exceptional coverage, without compromising a smooth, striking finish. Formulated with 21 percent pigment, this powerful formula was developed to match a broad range of skintones with bold coverage—the proprietary pigments can even effectively cover tattoos. The combination of raw materials and the best siliconic elastomers and siliconic esters provide 24-hour wear with transfer resistance. Natural polymers absorb oil for a matte, soft finish and the added emollients provide a velvety texture for perfectly smooth, hydrated skin.

Sephora Canada, 2015

kvd lock it tattoo foundation nc30

Packaging

The foundation comes in a plastic bottle with beautiful art in it, just like most of Kat Von D’s products. It comes with a pump, to pump the foundation out. It also comes with a stopper.

Application

The best way to apply this foundation, for me, is to: 1) pump it ONCE, 2) apply it on the thickest part of the face and areas where there’s discoloration (for me – cheeks and chin) using finger or foundation brush, then 3) blend it with Real Technique Expert Face Brush. Lastly, 4) use whatever is left on the expert brush on the rest of the face. Add more if needed. This way, the foundation is not cakey nor heavy. It gives even coverage and natural finish

Use this foundation SPARINGLY. One pump is already too much for me, I usually use half a pump to cover my entire face. If you apply too much, you’ll end up cakey.

Longevity

I’ve worn this foundation for around 6-hour without any issue. It does last pretty good all day. My T-zone was kept in checked the whole day.

Coverage/Shade

This foundation has a full coverage. I’m not sure what to call this finish. It’s definitely not dewy nor satin nor matte.I feel like my skin looks smoother, and still looks like skin. I’d say it’s more on the natural finish On the before after picture below, the skin still reflects light – check out my forehead, cheeks and nose. It has a velvety texture.

18 shades from the lightest to the darkest, from pink to beige to yellow undertones. 18 shades! Not bad, eh?

Price

CA$42 (excl. tax) in Sephora Canada for 30mL (1oz). Price is pretty reasonable, I think.

kvd lock it tattoo foundation before after

Pros

  • Wide range of shades
  • Reasonable price
  • Does not feel heavy nor cakey
  • Full coverage
  • Great for oily skin
  • Natural finish
  • Bottle comes with a pump

Cons

  • Can be heavy and cakey if you apply too much
  • Cling on dry skin

NARS Luminous Weightless Foundation Review

I’ve mentioned this foundation before on my Instagram account when I first tested it, and here is my NARS Luminous Weightless Foundation review! I’ve worn this foundation couple times last week to go out and for tutorials. I actually wore this foundation when I went to the Toronto Comic-con 2015 last Saturday for 12 hours!

NARS really do make amazing foundation. I remembered when I finished a bottle of the NARS Sheer Matte foundation couple years a go, it’s just one of those foundation that I kept going back for. I do have high expectations for this foundation. To find out how I feel about it, keep on reading! For a quick summary, scroll all the way to the bottom.

Have you guys tried this foundation? What is your experience with it? Let me know by leaving comments below or on my Instagram account!

NARS Luminous Weightless Foundation review

Before I proceed, I know there’s been mixed reviews regarding this foundation. I have a good experience with this foundation on my combination skin. Word of advice: shake well, apply sparingly, use fingertips or damped beauty blender/sponge.

In any case, do NOT use buffing motion if you do apply it with a brush. Buffing motion will exfoliate any dry patches, which will cause the foundation to cling to any dry flaky skin. If you have oily skin, you might want to set the foundation with powder.

What is NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation?

An oil-free foundation that delivers full, natural-looking coverage with one drop, for lightweight, 16-hour wear.

What it does:

Achieve full-coverage, lightweight foundation that leaves a natural finish. Highly pigmented and perfectly balanced, this breakthrough, full-coverage formula builds and blends effortlessly. Its Even Tone Technology instantly neutralizes redness and dullness, while it works to reduce discoloration for more even, uniform skin. Perfect for all skin types, it features Weightless Long-wear Technology, an exclusive blend from NARS with flexible polymers and treated pigments that move with the skin while providing 16 hours of staying power.

Sephora, 2015

NARS Luminous Weightless Foundation Punjab

Packaging

The NARS Luminous Weightless Foundation comes in the usual NARS foundation bottle. However, this time, they include the pump *yay*! The NARS Sheer Matte/Glow foundations do not come with a pump, you have to buy it separately. This time, the foundation does come with a pump! It also comes in a gorgeous opaque bottle, with a huge NARS logo on it. I love the bottle, and the pump. It looks very sleek and luxurious, with a simple design. Love it!

Application

The foundation needs to be shaken really well, if not you’ll find the foundation will break (separation between pigment and liquid). I find that the best way to apply this foundation is using my fingertips.

I have applied this foundation using a damped beauty blender sponge, and a foundation brush with no issue. Personally, I do not recommend using any buffing brush to buff this foundation into your skin.

Coverage

The coverage for this foundation is full coverage. You can sheer out this foundation using a damped beauty blender/sponge.

NARS claimed that this foundation provides full coverage with just 1 pump, which I agree with. At first I kept pumping 2 drops, but soon enough I realized that 2 pumps gave me quite a bit of leftovers. 1 pump is pretty good, if you need more coverage, you might need 1.5 pumps.

As you can see from the pictures, my skin looks very even. It covers all the redness on my cheeks, and around my nose, as well as the dark pigmentation on my chin.

Shades and Finish

20 shades for all skintones and types.

I’ve a yellow undertone and a medium skintone. For this foundation, I’m wearing a shade called Punjab. For your reference, I’m in between MAC NC25-30 & MUFE HD 120.

If you’ve worn NARS Sheer Matte/Glow previously, please do a color check again, because even though the shades have the same name, the color might not match. For example, I’m a Stromboli in NARS Sheer Matte, but for the NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation, my shade is Punjab.

This foundation, despite its “luminous” name, has a natural finish. As you can see below, my skin still looks like skin. It’s not too dewy, nor matte.

Longevity

I wore this foundation from 9am-9pm on Saturday, when I went to Comic Con. I did not wear any primer underneath, nor powder to set it. It stayed on my skin pretty well throughout the 12 hours. I noticed a bit of shine on my T-zone after 10-hour (like barely), but the foundation stayed pretty much the same throughout the day. My skin looked pretty good in the picture with Aaron Ashmore, no noticeable shine on camera. The foundation did not sink into my pores at the end of the day.

Price

CA$57 for 1 oz (before tax). The price is pretty steep, but if you like a full-coverage foundation with a natural finish, then I guess this is a foundation worthy of its price. For me, I find this is one of those foundation I’ll find myself going back to over and over again.

 

NARS Luminous Weightless Foundation NC25Pros

  • Lightweight! The foundation does not feel heavy nor cakey at all, despite being full coverage.
  • 20 different shades, which is pretty good considering most brands carry less.
  • Comes in yellow, pink, and beige undertones.
  • Natural finish.
  • Full coverage.
  • Comes with a pump.
  • Long-lasting.

Cons

  • Pricy

 

Disclaimer: I’m not affiliated/endorsed by Sephora nor NARS. I do not earn any money from the links, and I am not paid to do this review. This foundation was not sent to me. I bought this foundation out of my own pocket, and my review is based entirely on my own experience with the foundation. This review is honest and is based on my own opinion. Please do a test patch before buying any makeup product to avoid any reaction.

Diorskin Nude Air Review

Another year has passed, and I’m a year older and wiser! My birthday celebration last week was small and quiet, and enjoyable. Thank you for those who left their wishes on my Instagram, kisses and hugs to all! Anyways, as promised, here’s my Diorskin Nude Air review! I do apologize for taking so long to post this up, but life happens, and I was caught up in it.

If you are interested to see how fluid and easily blendable this foundation is, please take a look at my Instagram account since I posted a short clip about this foundation there. If you want to know how I feel about this foundation, keep reading. If you don’t want to read all the details and just want to check out the pros and cons, and/or whether you should buy this foundation please go all the way to the bottom of the page for summary.

Just FYI, this is NOT the first serum-type foundation I’ve used. My first serum-type foundation is the Giorgio Armani Maestro foundation. I love that foundation, it’s my Holy Grail. Anyways, other brands are starting to carry this type of foundation, notably this Diorskin Nude Air, as well as YSL Fusion Ink Foundation. MAC will release one soon as well!

dior nude air review

What is Diorskin Nude Air?

Dior’s Diorskin Nude Air is a weightless, ultra-fluid foundation serum that creates a nude makeup look. Formulated with SPF 25, it offers sun protection and the fresh-faced beauty of a natural-looking glow. Infused with Oxygen Activ™ technology, an innovative blend of a hyper-oxygenated oil, cranberry oil, vitamin, and minerals, this serum’s high-precision dropper deposits an undetectable film of makeup onto the skin, while its soft-focus agents and glazed pigments instantly produce an even-looking complexion that achieves the right amount of coverage for a radiant, sheer finish.

This product is free of talc.

Sephora, 2015

SONY DSC

Packaging

Oh Dior, you sure know how to make things beautiful. From Diorskin Star foundation to Diorskin Nude Air Serum foundation, everything is so gorgeous. The foundation comes in a pretty clear glass bottle, with a silver cap. Even the pipette is of silver color making the whole thing cohesive with the cap. Beauty!

The foundation bottle comes in the classic Dior packaging – blue box, and it also comes with a booklet. The booklet is filled with information regarding the foundation in different languages.

Application

For me, I apply a drop or two on my fingers and apply it on my face. I find serum-type foundation is best applied using fingertips than brushes.

diorskin nude air foundation review

Coverage

Dior claims this foundation to have a sheer coverage, which I agree with. However, I feel that this foundation is buildable too. You can layer the foundation to create a somewhat medium coverage.

The foundation evens out the skin pretty nicely. Concealer is still needed in certain areas, for me, on my new breakout on my upper lips area.

Shade and Finish

So far, from the Sephora store and website, I could only find 8 shades. I’ve yet to check out the Dior store at Sears/Bay, since I bought mine at Sephora.

The 8 shades are – Ivory, Light Beige, Medium Beige, Linen, Peach, Honey Beige, Dark Beige, Mocha.

My shade for this foundation is 021, which is Linen. I almost bought 030 (Medium Beige) since that’s my shade in Diorskin Star, but when I tested it on my collar bone, it was too dark. I went ahead to test 021 (Linen), it’s not perfect match but it’s the closest I can get to my skin.

021 is the most yellow-undertone shade amongst the 8 shades, BUT it still is slightly too pink on my skin. I’m MAC NC25/30, and MUFE HD Foundation 120 for your reference.

This foundation has a natural finish. 

dior nude air nc 25 before after

Longevity

I wore this foundation without setting it with powder for 10-hour. The foundation stayed well throughout the day. I can see some shine after 6 hours on my T-zone but it was not much. The foundation did not sink into the pores, my skin looks pretty great by the end of the night.

However, keep in mind that Canada is pretty cold at the moment, and my skin does not get as oily now compared to Summer. So, if you have oily skin, I suggest setting your foundation with a powder.

Price

CA$53 at Sephora (before tax).

dior nude air nc25

L-R: Bare face; With foundation

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Natural finish
  • Blends really well into the skin
  • Don’t need much product to cover the entire face
  • Covers up pores really well
  • Foundation is great for those with combination-oily and oily skin

Cons

  • Clings to dry skin
  • Only 8 shades available

I think my skin looks great with this foundation, no one notices I wore any foundation on my face. Unlike Diorksin Star, though, no one compliments how good my skin look. So, in that regards, Diorskin Star’s effect is probably better than the Diorskin Nude.

Compare the before and after on the photo above, I think my pores just disappear in the after! I absolutely love this foundation, and I want to love this foundation as much as I love my Giorgio Armani Maestro. However, I’m planning to return this foundation as much as I don’t want to. The shade is NOT working for me. The undertone is too pink, and even though it’s not noticeable for others, it is noticeable for me. I can fix it by setting it with a yellow-based powder, but really, I paid way too much for this foundation to correct the shade using powder.

This is the one product I’d wish it had work, but it didn’t. Dear Dior, please fix your undertones and get more shades on this foundation because this is a great foundation!

 

Disclaimer: I’m not affiliated/endorsed by Sephora nor Dior. I do not earn any money from the links, and I am not paid to do this review. This foundation was not sent to me. I bought this foundation out of my own pocket, and my review is based entirely on my own experience with the foundation. This review is honest and is based on my own opinion. Please do a test patch before buying any makeup product to avoid any reaction.

Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream Cotton Fit

I’ve done a review on the Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream Cotton Fit before, and if you remembered I disliked the product. However, you know how sometimes one product just doesn’t work and then you picked it up couple months (or a year) later, and for some reason you change your mind?

The Etude House Indonesia Precious Mineral BB Cream Cotton Fit is one of those products for me. I didn’t like it last year, but this year it was different. I was so ready to not like it, but for some reason, I do end up liking it.

I think the reason why I might have ended up liking it because I applied it with my new Real Technique foundation brush. Also might be because my skin is slightly in a more “normal” condition nowadays (thanks GlamGlow!). In addition, I am not as tanned as last year since I haven’t been going to the beach as much, so I’m slightly lighter this time around, which makes the shade somewhat workable this time. I don’t look as ghastly as last year when I applied it.

Korean BB Cream

So, let’s get on the review!

What is Etude House BB Cream Cotton Fit?

This all-day pearly bright skin BB Cream perfectly glides onto skin providing clear and bright complexion with a smooth, cotton-like powdery finish for flawless skin.

Nihon Mart, 2014

Packaging

It comes in a very nice tube with a pump, which I think is great! The tube is flexible, so you don’t have to worry about it breaking when you travel (unlike glass containers), and the pump helps to dispense the product. Pump lightly, otherwise you might get too much product on your hand.

Shade

I’m not sure how many shades it comes with. From the website, there’s 2 – n02 and w13. However, mine is W24 which is also called Honey Beige, so I guess there’s 3 shades? Not sure, don’t quote me on this.

The range of the shade is very limited, it’s of no surprise. Korean brands generally only comes in 1 shade, so for this BB cream to come in 3 shades is already an achievement in itself. This shade W24 is not a perfect match. It’s a good match, but slightly too beige for my skin tone. I buffed it pretty well into my skin though, and if I apply my MAC powder on top it looks fine.

If you’re darker than NC27, this brand of BB cream won’t match you. It’ll be too light and might end up ashy on your skin.

Etude House BB Cream

Finish

They claim that it has a pearly bright skin finish. I somewhat agree to this claim. It does have a very nice sheen to it. My skin looks pretty good, no? I’m not sure if it is “pearly”, but it has a semi-dewy finish. It’s not too dewy, but it’s not matte either. It’s not a natural finish though, in real life it looks slightly shinier than in picture.

Apparently this is a BB cream for oily skin, however, if you have super oily skin, you might want to powder this really well since it’s “pearly” finish might make you look slightly oilier. Dry skin people might want to stay away from this BB cream. It will cling to your skin and dry patches. I think this BB Cream is pretty good for those with combination skin.

Coverage

Medium coverage. If you want a light coverage, please do go light handed on it. Use very little product since it is quite pigmented.

Etude House BB cream cotton fit

Pros

  • It contains SPF 30

  • Great packaging

  • Nice pearly finish

  • Has a nice scent (similar to baby powder)

  • Doesn’t feel heavy if applied properly

  • Medium coverage

Etude House BB cream cotton fit

 

Cons

  • Limited range of shades and undertone – one might end up too pale and/or too ashy

  • Needs to be set with powder, if not it tends to move around

Etude House BB cream cotton fit

 

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer Review

My brand new obsession! Today’s The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer review would make you want to go grab this highlighter at your nearest store! This highlighter/luminizer is staying permanently on my kit. I’m not a big fan of powder highlighter since I have huge pores, and I find powder highlighters sit on my pores and make them appear even larger. However, this gorgeous product just give the nicest sheen on the skin, it doesn’t look powdery, and the way it reflects light in real life is ah-maeeee-ZING!

the balm indonesia

What is Mary-Lou Manizer?

Meet Mary-Lou Manizer, a seemingly innocent honey hued luminiser that catches everybody’s eye. This highlighter, shadow and shimmer diffuses light so your skin looks softer and younger while adding a subtle glow.

I’ve worn this highlighter in my Smokey eyeliner tutorial, Grunge Smokey tutorial, as well as Fall Makeup tutorial.

mary-lou manizer review

Packaging

Lovely compact, with a mirror inside. The compact doesn’t feel like plastic, feels more like it’s made from some sort of metal. Packaging feels very sturdy, doesn’t feel cheap.

Finish

The swatch picture on my hand is applied a bit heavy handed, so it can be captured on camera. However, apply it lightly on your cheekbones with a small fluffy brush and it applies very nicely to a soft glowy finish.

Shade

This highlighter is more on a champagne color, I think it suits light to medium skintone, medium dark might be pushing it a little but still possible. Might look frosty on darker skin tone. If you are a MAC NC10 or paler, this highlighter might work better as an eyeshadow, might be too dark for your skin tone.

Price

USD$ 24, CAD$ 26, IDR 375k for 8.5 gr.

Where to buy

I bought mine in Bandung couple months a go at Metro Department store at Trans Mall Bandung. In Jakarta, you can grab them at The Balm counter in Seibu Department Store Grand Indonesia (from what I know).

In Canada, you can find them at Rexall pharmacy (some locations I think), and online you can grab them at Nail Polish Canada.

mary-lou manizer review

Pros

  • Works for light to medium skintone
  • Gives a subtle sheen
  • Multi-purpose – highlighter, eyeshadow, shimmer
  • Beautiful sturdy packaging
  • Fine light-reflecting particles, does not make pores look bigger
  • Gives a nice overall glow to the face when apply lightly
  • Does not look too shiny on oily skin if applied properly (read: light handed)
  • Smooth and easily blendable

Cons

  • Dark skintone might find this highlighter to be too light/frosty
  • Super fair skin tone might find this to be slightly darker than their skin tone.