Review| Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Super-Charged Foundation

With most foundation for me, the only flaw is usually color match. My skin is decent enough that most foundations blend in well, stay on for long, and usually makes my skin look better, if not just "made up." With so many new foundations coming out in the market constantly promising flawless skin, it's easy to get caught up.

My review today is for the Marc Jacobs foundation (1 fl. oz. of product) which retails for $48 in Sephora. At first, the foundation didn't catch my eye...until I saw that they had Golden Light as an option. And damn, it is yellow! Perfect. Most foundations only lean yellow but never go all the way to jaundice level. The foundation apparently contains coconut water and a bevy of magic juice along with SPF 15. I hear that it photographs very well.  The packaging is very cute and sturdy, being a lacquered black plastic top with a glass bottle body.

I watched a few reviews and saw that it was a mixed bag. Some people said it was amazing and beautiful, and some said that it was flaky,patchy, and cakey. Since my skin is normal and clear, I decided that its natural/buildable coverage was worth testing out.

I have to say after only 5 hours of wear that I will be returning this, STAT! Boo for Marc Jacobs, his other products are quite lovely.

The first impression is that it's very jelly without being thick or heavy. A lot of people commented on a heavy chemical/floral fragrance, but it just smells very faintly like 4 day old Valentine Day's bouquets. I used two full pumps for my entire face and neck area, but it was a little too much. I did not try to build since I have no breakouts at the moment.

First of all, I applied with my usual skincare routine sans primer. (Since I usually am too lazy to prime.) This meant Aveeno Moisturizer with SPF 30 before and Rimmel Stay Matte powder after to set. The color went on very light for my NC30 at the moment. Okay, all well and good. I gave it some time to set. The color match seemed perfect. However, the first bad omen came when my Tarte blush applied very streakily... Thirty minutes later in the car, my face oxidized 3 shades darker! This never happens to any foundation of mine since my skin is not oily or acidic. I don't mind that it matched my shoulders, but it wasn't the color I needed for the upcoming winter. At this point, the foundation had set and the finish seemed natural and my skin was very pretty despite the oxidation.

Three hours later, the area around my nose was a hot mess! My nose area is my trouble area, so anything that looks bad on it is a dealbreaker even if my cheeks are absolutely Cherubian otherwise. The foundation caked around the bottom of my nose. It slid around on the sides of my nose even though I had set with powder. Every flake or dry spot was accentuated. And yet, it still looked oily!  On the rest of my face, the foundation was starting to slide and fade in patches. My face looked like Crisco on a Sunday dinner hamhock. Even though I have small pores on the sides of my nose under my eyes, this foundation put all of them front and center stage. I usually admire a satin finish, sometimes dewy, but this was just over the top.  You can look at these pictures for reference. Don't throw up.

*Excuse my nasty lips, I was trying out Shiseido Bordeaux and it was a little too dark for daytime wear, so I scrubbed it off*

One look at my nose and you should already think to pass on this one. I don't think this would work on anyone with even a hint of pores, lines, or godforbid nose flakes. Also notice how my face/neck is about 100 tanning bed measurements from my chest and decolletage.  It actually doesn't look half bad if you consider my face a Monet (from afar it's alright but up close it's a mess!) It definitely photographs much better than it looks in real life, but who buys foundation just to camwhore? (Oh wait, my mom....)

EDIT: I tried this alone by itself (no moisturizer/sunscreen, primer, or powder.) The results were much better (no oxidation, no patchiness, no caking) but still not impressive for the price point. It performed similar to my MAC and MUFE Face and Body but with even less coverage. I'd rather use my NARS tinted moisturizer if slight evening out was my goal since it also includes SPF 30.)

I guess the only pros I could list are:

• It may work better for oily skin types. Judy on YT as well as several oily skinned friends liked/loved it.


• It's very light feeling on the face despite being advertised as a "gel" foundation.


• The packaging and brand name is reason enough for some people to purchase.


• It photographs well. HD video captures it beautifully (check out Saaammage's recent YT videos to see it in action.)

Moral of the story, foundations can make your skin look even worse than it really is. *SHUDDER* I'm taking this back to Sephora immediately and stocking up on my trusty MUFE HD or NARS Sheer Glow in a winter shade instead.

Be

 

Review| Urban Decay Lip Primer Potion

We all know that Urban Decay is a cosmetic powerhouse when it comes to eyeshadows, lipsticks, setting sprays, (okay everything), but they also take the cake when it comes to primers. I stock up on their eye shadow primer every chance I get and have never wandered elsewhere. Of course, I should have known better that they would have a primer for lips. If you want your eyeshadow and foundation to look flawless all day, why not your lips?

Well, duh. They've already thought of that. It's called the Lip Primer Potion. Urban Decay claims, "This invisible primer lays a silky foundation for your favorite lipstick or gloss. Color is truer, applies smoother, lasts longer, and will not feather!" It retails for $20 and contains moisturizing Vitamins A, E, and C as well as SPF 15. It has no color payoff and the worst it will do is let your lipsticks apply true to color.



Bold claims, considering how most lipsticks fade unevenly on my lips and leave them looking drier and crustier than a teenage boy's quilt blanket. Disgusting. Even the creamiest lipsticks tend to fade much quicker than intended, even with flawless prep work and Satanic prayer. It's also the reason why red lips haven't become my signature look and fuchsia lipsticks only venture out in the evening. Like, two hours max before I rush home and furiously scrub my lip flakes.

Well, I have to say that this is the best swap investment I've ever made. Take a look at my test run schedule this morning:

• 8:00 AM- Wearily eye bold lipstick stash and wonder when I'll ever use them up. Notice the lip primer in the corner. Test time! I apply it over bare lips (I applied balm in the bathroom), line with MAC's More to love lipliner, and apply UD's Bang lipstick haphazardly within the general mouth area. Wink at sexy clown looking back at me in the mirror.


• 11:30 AM- Head out the house to run errands and get Starbucks. Order a tall iced coffee and their new Spinach croissant. Noms. Immediately look in mirror. The glossy top layer of the lipstick is gone, but the original color is still on! And even! The color is not as "satiny" but is a lovely matte.


• 1:00 PM- First vape of the day. Check in bathroom mirror, color is still there!? Lips feel a little tight, but no noticeable flakes are coming out. I apply NYX's Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee. Usually this starts an awful cycle of peeling and reapplication that cannot be remedied.


• Now (2:00 PM)- Lip line is not as precise as in the morning, but nothing is bleeding outside of the lines, even with gloss. Color is just as vibrant as in the morning and the faint gloss added back the sheen I wanted. No flakes! Woohoo!

I am in love with this lip primer, considering how I've never seen this at Sephora before. I've always thought that lip primers are over-glorified lip balms, but this is the bomb. The formulation feels like a heavy wax based lip balm and takes a bit of elbow grease to apply, but the end result is so worth it. I would rather wear this under every lipstick and take an extra minute in my routine than have to constantly check my mirror in paranoia. Where has this been all my life??

Well, I have another interview tomorrow, and the hubs has finally found work within Orange County. Happy day! I'll be rocking my red-orange lip look into tonight's celebration dinner.

Be

First Look | Hot Off the Press (Marc Jacobs, Urban Decay Revolution, NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation, LORAC Pro To Go)

With some help from a Groupon gift card (should have bought one more with the husband's account...) and some thorough research, I was able to locate my local Sephora. Sadly, this one is located within a JCPenneys and has some major restrictions. Including the fact that I have to personally call Sephora to add the points to my VIB account. Sigh, first world problems.

First, I made sure to haul a few good things that I already know I love, aka UD's Revolution lipsticks, this time in two shades:

• Fiend is a muted rose color that translates to a MLBB color. I am not a fan of layering on lip products that have no real color payoff, but this color gives my pout a nice sheen and a rosy color.


• Catfight is a pink-fuchsia with slight red undertones. This means that it's a little punchier than Anarchy and perhaps more classy, too. I would love to rock this into the fall season.

But really, I'm just collecting all of the colors slowly and surely at this point. Don't mind me. Again, these retail for $22 dollars each.

         

Second, I picked up two things from Marc Jacobs' line: a nail polish ($18 retail)  and lip balm ($22 retail). Because I already have cult favorites in other brands, I figure I should expand my horizons and try some things I usually do not splurge on.

• The Enamored Hi-Shine Lacquer in 134 Lola seems like a bright red that isn't too vampy or teeny-bopper. I don't like dark gothic reds on the nails. It may have a slight pink undertone.


• The Lip Lock Moisture Balm is raved about by Fashionista804 and I am always looking for something to fix my chapped lips. It is rather overpriced, but since I can't even finish a cheapie lip balm (they end up  fossilizing into dinosaur eggs) I figure this may be a good investment.

I also picked up the new NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation in Stromboli/Medium 3 ($38 retail excluding the compact). I have seen way too many blogger promotions to not try this out for myself. I have been fearing liquid foundations in this heat and hope that a lighter layer of cream foundation does a better job in regards to coverage and staying power. I'm also surprised that Stromboli is a better match than Punjab, and with 22 shades to choose from I had fun swatching while the reps glared. Hehe.



Finally, the main reason of my adventure was to find the new LORAC PRO To Go Palette ($38 retail). I own and love the original LORAC Pro, and this portable little guy also has cheek products. I'm all for low maintenance 2-in-1's and portable packaging especially when it comes to traveling. I'm willing to bet that the consistency of the eyeshadows is smooth like butter and that the cheek colors will be universally flattering.

Now, time for me to go cry tears into my bank account in hopes of replenishing my funds. Actually, I have a few interviews lined up for next week, and I'm really excited to show off my chops. Can't collect makeup and buy groceries at the same time without a job, now can I?

Bye bye for now, make sure to watch out for reviews to come within these next two weeks for these items, excluding the NARS Cream Compact. I will need more time to see if that little guy brings his awkward third wheel friend "Cystic Acne" along.

Be

Review | Urban Decay's Revolution Lipsticks

This seriously sounds like a recipe for love. Twenty two shades, 22 dollars, 22 reasons why I will be broke very very soon. I've seen beauty bloggers rave and obsess over this for the past month, and for some reason, I just wasn't that interested. Bright shades? Pass, I've seen brighter. Creamy and moisturizing? Lies, no such thing. In all honesty, I don't need another lipstick, even if it blows everything I own out of the water. Even if it cooks breakfast every morning, or does my laundry, or please me better than ice cream.

I resisted, I really did try.

Then I went to Sephora and the display case captured and enraptured me. "Swatch F-bomb, doooo it!" a voice whispered. I shivered with hesitation. Oh, it was the makeup consultant. Yes, yes, I swatched quite a few until my hands were crazy with colors. How creamy it is indeed, I thought. Look at all of these beautiful nudes and brights, I thought. Slowly, against my very will, I picked out Anarchy and made my way to the checkout. Then the rest happened in due time.

Sigh.

I've always been a fan of UD's makeup, from their primer to eyeliners and eyeshadow palettes, but I never knew they even had a lipstick line to revamp. Apparently, the Revolution lipsticks are part of their Fall 2013 collection and will be a permanent addition. Let's get right into the review!

Color: With such a great range, you are sure to find a couple shades to love and covet. Check out Phyrra's swatches here. Even before hitting the store, I was eyeing most of them with the dedication of a sex offender. Pigmentation is opaque and strong. I picked out four colors:

• Anarchy, a hot pink/true fuchsia


• Streak, a slight coral pink (it's a pity that there were no other true corals in the line)


• F-Bomb, a true classic red with no discernible undertones


• Shame, a deep berry (looks disgusting in the picture right? It's actually the shade on the UD's model's lips...perfect for fall!)

Pricing: At 22 per lipstick, this is definitely smack dab in the mid-range of lip products. Now, if only they were a little cheaper to facilitate my hoarding obsession....I wouldn't say this is a strange price point, especially for UD products. There isn't too much product for the price but this is never a problem as I've never been able to finish any lipstick. I got mine at Sephora and Ulta.

Packaging: A lovely silver bullet, big enough to kill vampire-werewolf mutants with style. The inside is UD's iconic purple, and the tube slides shut with no click but a tight feeling. I'm a huge fan of how the lipstick bullet itself is a little more slender than others with no pointed tip. It makes application a breeze! A clear label adorns the bottom for you to identify.

Wear: It is indeed creamy without having too much slip to bleed. Wear time is about 4 hours, typical of most lipsticks. However, the best part of this lipstick is how it doesn't flake! It almost feels like YSL's Rouge Voluptes without the pricepoint. For the most part, many of my fuchsias and hot pinks tend to dry out my lips no matter how much I scrub my lips raw or layer lip balm. These wear comfortably for about 4 hours and start to stain/fade after that time mark. There is no ugly ring around your lips even after a meal. My favorite thing about these is that they do not crack or chap your lips! I have encountered many a high end lipstick that do so (ahem, NARS...)

Swatches: Now for the good part. These are all two coats, with Anarchy being one single swipe, and indoors.

This is in natural but dim lighting.

This is under yellow lighting from a fluorescent light. Sorry for the carpet, seems like I love hoarding dog hair more than I think. Gross.

And these are in direct natural sunlight from the window. You can see that Anarchy has very intense pigmentation, and Streak is much more pink than online pictures suggest.

Overall, I am really pleasantly surprised by the quality of these newly launched lipsticks and would love to collect a few more. I'm eyeing 69, Bang, Liar, and Naked 2. Forgot to tell you they have rather naughty names!

Are you thinking of trying out a few? I've seen quite a few bloggers hoard up on these, and I mean HOARD. As in, 10 shades and counting sort of irresponsible. UD is doing another thing right.

Be

Review: MAC Cremesheen Glass

Richer, Lusher?

Is there such a product that makes me richer while plumping up my lopsided sausages?

Sadly, the answer is no. These cremesheen glass, or fancy tinted lip glosses, from MAC run about 20 dollars at Nordies. Surprising, since MAC lipsticks are only about 15 dollars. Good thing the mother offered payment in exchange for giving her advice on a new red lipstick shade and foundation. I recommended Studio Fix Fluid for a summer foundation and Viva Glam I (one of my recent finds) for a sexy red shade. She actually gave her SFF to me in an act of great charity, and upon seeing its finish on my skin, she had to re-buy. Women logic. SFF's full coverage and strong oil control makes flaw covering and tone-evening a one step process for lazy summers (no concealer or powder needed).

Anyway, I digress. Richer, Lusher is a beautiful coral/orange shade that looks lovely on its own or over a pink lipstick for more dimension.

PROS:

- Non-sticky. Lip gloss reminds me of the third grade. Sticky lip gloss reminds me of my third grade frenemy. Associations are powerful. This gloss doesn't stir up any old memories.

- Color is semi-opaque. In the tube, it looks like a heavy liquid gloop lipstick. The color payoff is a little less sheer than an actual Cremesheen lipstick but is more...

- Moisturizing. Even more so than its lipstick counterpart. The gloss can pair with any lipstick in order to prevent cracked lips or settled lip color.

- Doefoot applicator makes it easy to apply, though not precise enough without some reference to a pocket mirror.

- In general, a beautiful and subtle color that can lean nude for a smokey eye or brightening on its own. It is not opaque enough to clash with another lipstick but only helps amplify another lipcolor, either from a lipstick or lip liner.

- The Cremesheen Glass line has many beautiful, collectible, wonderful, obsession-inducing shades to choose from.

CONS:

- What the expensive heck? 20 dollars for a lip gloss? Good thing lip glosses last me for ages until I get annoyed at the sticky caps and throw them away.

Would I repurchase? Not likely. Would I purchase another shade in the collection? Yes, given that the color was absolutely to die for. I spotted many other lovely shades, but the price tag induced rational hesitance. My wallet actually screamed "No!" audibly. Just kidding. But 20 dollars for a lip gloss? Am I wrong for thinking that lip gloss shouldn't be more than 5 bucks under any circumstance?

Anyway, I am heading back to San Diego tomorrow to start my summer classes and clean up the house in order for a big move to another part of town. The upside is that I won't have to unpack anything, but I would still love to do a collective haul for you guys if you're interested. I'm not meaning to brag, a lot of the stuff I got were presents and gifts from my family for graduation who knows how much I love makeup and cosmetics. I got hooked up with some really great gems like a BeautyBlender, Origins face products, MAC products, and plenty of stuff from Sephora. If I do a collective haul, I'll be posting it up as a video on Youtube and link it here.

Tata for now,

Be

Review: See by Chloe Eau de Parfum

Hey guys,If you are looking for a good spring and summer fragrance, try See By Chloe.

Sephora describes this as: See By Chloé embodies femininity while blending masculine codes in an urban-chic way. This fragrance captures the audaciousness and strong personality of the Chloé woman.

An addictive floral fruity fragrance, it captures the irresistible and playful personality of a young woman fully embracing life. The fusing top of juicy bergamot and apple translate her energy and her urban edginess. Her natural femininity is conveyed through a beautiful floral bouquet of jasmine and ylang ylang that grows into a sexy veil of vanilla and addictive musks.

Price: This 1.0 oz Eau de Parfum retails for about $58 dollars. This is about the average price for a designer fragrance, and I'm sure it will last for a long time even with daily usage. I have other perfumes in the 3.4 oz size and even with daily usage I see them going to the grave with me. Let's be honest, if you're using half the bottle every day, you're doing perfume wrong.

Packaging: Absolutely beautiful. I love the birdcage design and the understated simplicity of the bottle. A lot of cheap or celebrity perfumes have a very ...."bold" design for their bottling and it always comes off as tacky.

Scent: This one is very inoffensive yet long lasting. I'm not sure I agree with Sephora's interpretation of the scent, but it is a very youthful and girly scent without being too sweet, floral, or musky. In fact, it blends all three into one that isn't too generic or commercial. I'd have to say that it smells like a field of flowers near an apple orchard. You can almost see the daisy headbands and hipsters frolicking in a field. I am usually a huge fan of oriental and muskier perfumes, and this has just a hint of warmth to make it well rounded while still suitable for the warmer seasons.

Also, this scent seems to be a huge hit with men. I have a feeling it's because the scent very fresh and clean without too much musk. I originally sampled both this and the original Chloe scent, and while the other perfume is more "me" (think business woman with the power suit) due to the stronger musk influences, the husband was adamant it smelled like "a man."

Me: But hubby, doesn't it smell good?
Husband: No. Smells like you might punch me.
Me: ... *one single tear*

This perfume, however, is the most inoffensive one I've ever smelled. It can smell mostly like honey, apples, baked pies, and flowers depending on its reaction to your body chemistry. Which really, no one has a vendetta against apples.

Lasting power: I can smell this very faintly even after I've showered, though others have complained about it not lasting through the day. I would say that others can smell it up until half way through the day, and after that you can re-spray. However, if you're up close to me you will still be able to smell it.

Overall, this perfume says, "I care about how I smell, but I'm not slapping your face with my perfume when I enter the room." It's appropriate for the office or any other place where you want to smell presentable but very subtly so.

---

Let me know what your signature scent is for the summer season!
- Be

Haul: MUFE lipsticks!

Hello again!

Today was a really nice Sunday and after a raging party at Sun God, I decided to take a stroll around the mall....and took a straight path to Sephora.

You see, I've been researching and online swatch-obsessing over Makeup Forever's lipsticks for a while now and heard loads of great things about their pigmentation and moisturizing properties. I'm a huge fan of MAC lipsticks since they are just oh so collectable, but these MUFE Rouge Artiste Intense lipsticks come in 50 shades and three finishes! Since most of them are Satin, I knew I had to pick a few up just in time for summer. I managed to haul three shades that I know will be absolutely vibrant on my tanned skin. (Anyone remember that limited edition tanned Hawaiian Hello Kitty?)

The following lipsticks can be found at Sephora for 20 dollars a tube. Not bad for how highly reviewed it is online and how much you get in the bullet. It definitely isn't as cheap as a MAC lipstick, but they seem very collectible and according to urban legend, has even converted some faithful MAC lovers! I'm not a fan of the numbering system...it makes researching very hard to do!

The first color I picked up is MUFE #44, a deep red that looks a little Brad Pitt vampire lips in the tube but translates to a warm and slightly deeper berry red.

Out of the four red shades available in stores this shade was the best one for my tone and hair color. There are many more shades available online, but I couldn't find them all at the Sephora. I'm sure this one will do great on a night out and won't be too dark for the summer. This may be similar to my NARS Shanghai Express. (PS: great red for golden undertones....a little politically incorrect, but I'll take two.)

This one is MUFE #38. I may have a similar MAC lipstick, but this one is just too beautiful to pass up. Don't believe me? Google swatches of this color...especially all colors within the 32-39 range and your materialistic inner devil will urge you to go buy buy buy! I think this pink is appropriately nude enough without washing my tone out.

This last one is #39, one frequently reviewed online. A lot of online swatches shows it as this very intense orangey-coral color, but I assure you that swatched on the hand it is rather lovely and demure. I will see how it turns out on my lips.

I have MAC Ravishing, but as a Cremesheen formula I find that the color payoff is not as opaque as I want it to be. Also, Ravishing tends to point out every attractive lip flakes I have, thus making my lips a true to life rendition of red snappers at the fish market. I'm hoping this one will be moisturizing and more intense.

For more true to color swatches, check out KarlaSugar or JoeySpace. Bring napkins and be prepared to drool.

That's all for today, I'll be back later within the month to give you a review of each shade, its color payoff, moisturizing or drying tendencies, and wear time!

-Be

PS: Someone help me. I have an addiction and it's not as cheap as cocaine.

Collection: Powder Foundations

Hey all!
For the past two months my powder collection has been steadily growing while my liquid foundation pile remains stagnant. Why? Blame it on the heat and general summer attitude. I have plenty of time in the world during the summer to apply makeup, but I don't want anything sliding or melting off my face two hours into the sun.

While I do have some setting powders (all are drugstore), I have been hauling in new MAC powders as well as some from Sephora. I'll give you a brief rundown of the mid-range powder foundations I have in my collection right now.

Warning! This post is picture heavy! Continue below to see just how much of a hoarder I've become...

Above is Benefit's Hello Flawless powder in "Petal."
Shade NC20-25

Pros:
- Very easy application with brush. Looks absolutely beautiful with a good moisturizer.
- Natural coverage or spot application. Very natural coverage.
- Yellow toned.

Cons:
- Price $35 for a very small amount in pan. Absolutely useless brush included for your convenience.
- Will kick up like any other powder. Be gentle!

Above is Makeup Forever's Pro Finish in 127 "Golden Sand."
Shade NC30-NC35

Pros:
- Can be used wet or dry, wonderful color match for my Asian skin tone.
- Nice finish, okay oil control for my t-zone
- Finely milled.
- Includes compact and sponge in separate compartment.

Cons:
- May be expensive for some at $36 dollars.
- Case is not sturdy for jostling handbags and won't protect against errant hooligan knick-knacks in your bag. Powder can come loose.

MAC's Studio Fix in C5.
Shade: NC40 equivalent, more yellow

Pros:
- Very long lasting and excellent oil control properties, enough to quell any evil thoughts from grease monkeys.
- Compact is iconic. Cult favorite product for many MAC users.
- Shade is very yellow toned in comparison to the orange-y NC shades (meaning if you are a special color, you can find your color match with studio fix.)

Cons:
- Cake face extraordinaire! Make sure you use a brush and spot conceal and not just apply this on wet unless you're trying out for King Lear.
- Powdery look, but can be solved with Fix+ and light application.
- Color still not right for me right now, but will be during the middle of summer.
- Some people have complained of breakouts. Wash your face correctly or check the ingredients for allergens.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Light Plus, Medium, Medium Plus
Light Plus: NC20-NC25
Medium: NC/NW 25-30
Medium Plus: NC 30-NC 40
Here is my ultimate favorite HG powder. You know I like something when I hoard it in three shades "just in case" to encompass every seasonal change to my skin tone. Sad.

Pros:
- Can be used as powder foundation or setting powder depending on application.
- Beautiful luminous glow to the skin after a few hours of wear.
- Very long lasting for a powder. Doesn't transfer.
- Forgiving shade range due to sheer coverage.

Cons:
- Low to no oil control. Great for dry skinned gals in this respect.
- Awful shade range if you're very very yellow. (Light plus or Medium Dark are your only options and they can be too light or too dark for you.)
- Flashback. I generally avoid getting pictures taken, so this is not a problem for me.
- No mirror for touch-ups. Again, I do not touch up with this powder and use it mainly as a very natural powder foundation.


So, that is all of the powder foundations that I currently have and covet. I've done a lot of research on these powders and they all look very fantastic, require little time and effort, and last throughout the day. I actually manage to look like a "natural" beauty with these powders as they are not noticeably "make-up", powdery, or cakey on the face.

Let me know your experiences with powder foundations and whether you like powder or liquid!
-Be