PRIMER | Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF15

If you've been following my blog for a while, you'll notice I hardly ever review face primers.

I have fairly large pores around my nose, but I never thought primers would do much for me, since some foundations fill in your pores more than others (namely Korean BB creams). 

I notice this does, indeed, fill in my pores noticeably. My skin looks smoother but there are pores that are too big for primers for fill, esp now that I'm aging.

Other than pore filling, this product doesn't really help the longevity of my foundation. It seems to make the foundation look ok but I have more oils seeping out of my skin.

I honestly think, at a certain age, the only thing that can change the texture of your skin are laser treatments.

Price

$56 for 1 oz / 30 ml

Another expensive product. I only bought this bc I had the $15 off $50 coupon from Sephora, which is a fairly good deal if your item is right around $50.

LIPSTICKS | MAC Minis

Macy's had a buy 2 minis get 1 free lipstick a few weeks ago, so I purchased some. As you can tell they all look kind of neutral... But the swatches show what they actually look like

Velvet Teddy | Twig | Capricious

Velvet Teddy
Definitely my favorite, it's the most natural looking

Twig
This is very pink, not my type of color

Capricious

Top: 1 swipe | Bottom: Applied until opaque

Sheer ish pink mauve.

If you're familiar with MAC lipsticks, you know they generally smell like vanilla. They don't go on as smoothly as I thought they would, but you can tell the lipsticks are good quality

Twig

REVIEW | Shiseido Instant Eye and Lip Makeup Remover

Pros

Dual-phased

Pleasant scent

Removes eyeshadow, eyeliner, lip products

Not greasy feeling

Cons

Bad at removing mascara (washable and waterproof)

Seems to make my lashes fall off

Price

$27 for 4.2 oz 

Verdict

I got a few of these as samples in gift with purchases from Shiseido. It smells very nice, decent at removing eyeshadow, eyeliner, etc. but it doesn't remove waterproof mascara completely for me. I've also tried using it to remove washable mascara, but it doesn't seem to be effective. I usually use a square cotton pad, massage it onto my lashes, then wipe - I notice the Shiseido seems to make my lashes fall out, either with mascara or even when I use it with a q-tip to remove eyeliner.

I mostly use this to remove lip products or to wipe off smudges from my undereye area.

I prefer to use a cleansing oil to remove waterproof mascara, like the Shu Uemura one (review here)

Purchase?

No.

Would I recommend it?

No. If you were to purchase a high end eye makeup remover I recommend the Lancome one. I've heard the Clinique one is good as well

SKIN | GlamGlow Products - Is it worth the money?

I heard about GlamGlow from my cousin in China, who said the combination of SuperMud (white mask) and ThirstyMud (blue mask) helps flatten a pimple overnight. I've tried it several times and it doesn't heal the pimple overnight, just helps a little.

I figure if a product has passed international borders, it must be decent, so I gave it a try.

Listed from left to right

FlashMud Brightening Treatment orange ($69 for 1.7 oz / 50g)

20 minute exfoliating mask

My most recent purchase - it has fine exfoliating beads, has very pleasant fruity fragrance, makes my skin feel very smooth after washing. Whether or not it brightens a lot is not a change I see immediately on my skin, but it seems to help with acne scars. I like it a lot so far.

ThirstyMud Hydrating Treatment blue ($69 for 1.7 oz / 50g) review here

Overnight treatment - can be used during the day if you wipe the excess off with tissue.

Smells like coconuts, I don't find it particularly amazing but it's good for parched skin.

SuperMud Clearing Treatment white ($69 for 1.2 oz / 34 g) review here

10-17 minute clay mask

Great to clear your pores, feels cooling on the skin, seems to help absorb oil from pores, helps with blackheads. It doesn't make my pores look especially clean sometimes, but I assume some of the black is from the mud.

SuperCleanse Daily Purifying Cleanser white ($39 for 5 oz / 150 ml)

Apply to a dry face, lather with water. The Sephora salesperson told me to leave it on for 30 seconds before adding water.

I tried a sample from Sephora before purchasing this. It has a cooling sensation, has a slight learning curve to lathering effectively, and seems to help with my acne. You're supposed to apply it on a "dry face" then lather, similar to a cleansing oil, but it doesn't seem to lather as well (or feel as clean) when my face is already oily (if I use it in the morning). 

I enjoy using it the most when I remove my makeup first, dry my face, then apply.

In conclusion

I think these products are worth sampling, but I would not have bought the full size had I not purchased them at a discount. I purchased ThirstyMud and SuperMud at Costco for about $40 each (no longer available in my area as of December 2015) as opposed to the $69 price tag at Sephora. The SuperCleanse and FlashMud were purchased because I received giftcards and Nordstrom notes. 

I enjoy using this line of products, but it's not holy grail for me. Once I finish the jars I probably won't repurchase.

If you had oily, combination or acne prone skin and don't mind spending money on these, I recommend the SuperMud (white mask) and FlashMud (orange). Definitely try a sample at Sephora before purchasing, considering the hefty price.

Skincare tip:

I went to the dermatologist (finally) a few weeks ago and have been taking antibiotics to kill acne causing bacteria. If I am successful I will definitely post before and after photos.

One thing to remember if you use these masks is to moisturize after. After over a decade of dealing with acne (teenage and adult cystic/hormonal acne), I've realized that simple is best. I've been using CeraVe cream (review here) as a moisturizer with a benzoyl peroxide treatment for acne spots, and Neosporin/healing balm for open acne spots I accidentally popped/broke. 

Your skin heals itself a lot overnight, so get your beauty sleep in.

SWATCH | Lancome Lip Lover in 334 Corail

1 coat

2 coats

Pros

Moisturizing

Fragrance free (could be a con)

Buildable color

Not too shiny

Cons

Sheer color (could be pro)

Price

$23.50 for 0.14 oz

Verdict

Now that I'm in my 20s, I don't really wear lip gloss if at all. The Lip Lover is nice, but not amazing since I seem enjoy lip products that smell good. If you want a sheer lip gloss that's nice and moisturizing, this is a great product.

Repurchase?

Probably not.

Would I recommend it?

Yes, but it's not a must have

REVIEW | NARS Radiant Creamy concealer

Acne scars

~8hrs later. I had set it with the Pur Minerals powder foundation

Bumpy acne spots

Pros

Good coverage

Creamy

Cons

Looks bad on large pores

Seems to oxidize a little

Kind of melts and breaks down if you have oily skin

Price

$29 for 0.22 oz / 6 ml

Verdict

Rating: B+

I got this as a gift last month. A lot of Youtubers seem to rave about this, namely MissGlamorazzi. The stopper for the sponge applicator seems very effective, I could only get product on the tip of the sponge. The concealer itself has a creamy consistency, it's thick but not so thick it looks cakey. However, around my nose where my pores are huge, this concealer does not cover or settle in well. I notice most American foundations and concealers seem to do that. Most people would probably wear a primer or foundation underneath, but I like to just wear concealer sometimes to avoid piling a bunch of products on my acne.

Repurchase?

No.

Would I recommend it?

Yes. Yes, if you have the budget and don't intend to use it by itself. Plus there are drugstore concealers that are just as good (e.g. Maybelline Master Conceal (review here))

REVIEW | Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner

As you can tell it has purple glitter with a black/grey base. It doesn't look super dark but dark enough

Top: daylight

Bottom: With flash

Pros

Long lasting

Good control with brush

Subtle glitter (wearable for daytime)

Cons

Not super dark

Price

$19 for 0.05 oz / 1.7 ml

Verdict

Rating: B+

I got this on clearance for ~$7 at Nordstrom Rack. I'm usually not great at drawing winged liners but this brush was stiff enough to give me control. This looks more purple to me in person, maybe the human retina catches the color of the glitter more.

If you see this on sale I'd definitely give it a try, but I wouldn't spend $19 on it.

Repurchase?

No.

Would I recommend it?

Yes, but I think the Milani Infinite liner (review here) is better in terms of wear.

REVIEW | Chanel Perfection Lumiere Long Wear Flawless fluid foundation SPF 10

As you can see I have A LOT of acne scars (the ones on my cheeks takes forever to go away, and I break out a lot more often now compared to when I was in high school)

Pros

Light to medium coverage

Perfume-like fragrance

Semi-matte finish

Cons

Foundation could clog the pump a little (as you can kind of tell in the photo)

Price

$57 for 1 oz

Verdict

Rating: B-

I highly recommend sampling this foundation before buying an actual bottle of it. 

I purchased it when I had an employee discount at Macy's and regret spending THIS much on foundation when I should've spent it on skincare instead. As the most expensive foundation I own, this isn't anything to rave about... The coverage is natural but not enough to cover anything for me. I don't think it's particularly long lasting but it does dry nicely on the skin. 

The heavy glass bottle isn't travel friendly per se, but it does give a high end feel to the product.

If you're looking to purchase a new high end foundation, I think there are better foundations out there for less. I think this would work well if you have minor flaws in your skin, not so much acne or acne scars.

Edit (04/2016):

This color is a bit too dark for me and I've been mixing it with my MUFE Mat Velvet+ (review here, which is too light for me). The two make a great long wearing foundation that's the right shade for me, unfortunately for most people it's unrealistic to spend so much on ONE foundation and having to mix it with something else.

Repurchase?

No.

Would I recommend it?

Not in particular, if you love Chanel and don't need a lot of coverage this might be great for you. On my pores and bumps it isn't great, and the fragrance may have caused breakouts for my acne prone skin.

REVIEW | Lancome Teint Miracle SPF 15 foundation

Description from Sephora:

What it is:
A complexion-enhancing foundation with SPF 15. 

What it does:
This oil-free, fragrance-free formula with SPF 15 protection is formulated with Lancôme's Aura-Inside™ technology, which imparts the look of radiant skin. Its lightweight texture is enriched with soothing rose extract, providing 18 hours of hydration and sheer-to-moderate coverage for a natural-looking finish without a cakey effect. This foundation creates a beautifully bare and lit-from-within makeup look. 

What else you need to know:
This foundation is dermatologist tested, noncomedogenic, a non-irritant, and it does not cause break-outs. It is suitable for sensitive skin and contains 37 percent pure water.



Description on packaging (excuse the weird angle, the packaging is reflective so I can't take a photo straight ahead without seeing the outline of my phone)

Color: Buff 2 (W)
Left: bare skin | Right: one layer of foundation

Pros

Natural coverage

Lightweight

Good color selection
Not drying

Cons

Doesn't cover freckles

Price

$44 for 1 oz / 30 ml

Verdict

I purchased this foundation at a Macy's that was going to close, so I got it for 40% off. I am pleasantly surprised by the coverage of this foundation. I had always wanted to try it after seeing Michelle Phan feature it on her channel a few years ago, but it's really hard to tell if foundation is good when someone has nearly flawless skin already.
I like the coverage of this foundation, and it doesn't make my skin too oily or dry. I would recommend people to give it a try if you like natural medium-coverage foundations.

Repurchase?
Maybe.

Would I recommend it?
Yes.