Dior Diorskin Nude Skin-Glowing Makeup SPF 15 (in 031 Sable/Sand)

By Gladys in Dior, Face Makeup 0 Comment
Overall Rating

This is one of the classic Dior foundations which has been around for a while. It’s part of their Nude line which is directed on helping you achieve flawless and at the same time natural look. I already wrote the review of Dior Diorskin Nude compact powder and now it’s the foundation’s turn.

As everything by Dior, Nude Skin-Glowing foundation is pricey: $50. However, in my opinion, it’s really worth it. It gives me excellent coverage and lasts for a long time.

Nude foundation comes in a clear glass bottle with a silver cap. The pump works really well and the bottle will look cute and elegant on your vanity table. Also, the glass is rather thick so you don’t have to worry about the bottle breaking when traveling. I took the foundation to two trips and it survived them without a single scratch. I bought Nude foundation in 031 Sable/Sand color which is medium color with strong yellow undertone. It matches my skin perfectly (see pictures above).

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Kate Somerville Nourish Daily Moisturizer

By Gladys in Face Makeup, Kate Somerville 0 Comment
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I’ve read first about this moisturizer in New York Times’ article about Anna Kendrick’s beauty routine and decided to check it out at Sephora. I liked it at the store and bought it to replace my Benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion which I’ve been using for years as a prep lotion before applying makeup. I love that emulsion but just wanted to try something different.

Kate Somerville Daily Moisturizer is expensive — $65 for a 50 ml (1.7 fl.oz) jar. For example, the bottle of Benefit Emulsion (also 1.7 fl.oz) is just $32. The moisturizer comes in a pretty light green jar. I really like the dispenser: you don’t have to dig into the jar (which I hate), all you need to do is press down a white dispensing pump and it will give you a right amount of cream. The instructions on the box say that you need to press down with both thumbs, however, I only use one thumb and the amount that’s dispensed is just right.

When I read the reviews on this moisturizer online, I noticed that a lot of people don’t like the smell. I actually like it a lot: it’s fresh, citrusy and very pleasant.

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Hourglass N° 28 Lip Treatment Oil

By Gladys in Hourglass, Lips Makeup 0 Comment
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I have recently grown fond of Hourglass products. They are pricey but quality, very unusual (like their blushes), and always look like a piece of art. I have been looking at Lip Treatment Oil for a while – I am following pretty much all lip treatment products because of my constant issues with chapped lips. However, I hesitated to buy because, in my opinion, it is insanely priced: 0.25 oz. of lip oil cost $42. Eventually I decided to try it – winters are cold and windy in D.C., and my lips were so dry and cracked I couldn’t wear a lipstick anymore.

So, first of all, let me tell you what I learned about Hourglass lip oil. According to description, this product has 14 oils: from geranium to jojoba. Also, it has some vitamins, particularly, vitamins A, B5, C, and E. Finally, it has an ingredient called viamerine which supposedly helps with wrinkles. You can find more information regarding ingredients on Hourglass and Sephora websites. Also I posted a picture of the back of the box with the full list of ingredients.

The case of the lip oil is stunning – I think it’s the fanciest and most luxurious lip treatment product I’ve ever owned. The case is sleek and classy, and the dispenser tip – oh, it’s amazing. It is gold-plated (24 karat) and antibacterial. To dispense oil, you need to remove the plastic tip and using your index finger press on the grooved surface behind the tip to dispense the product. The applicator is great: it is hygienic and doesn’t tickle like other applicator wands.

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Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Crème in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 216

By Gladys in Lips Makeup, Marc Jacobs Beauty 0 Comment
Overall Rating

I got a trial size of this lipstick for 100 points at Sephora. As many of you probably know, Sephora has a Beauty Insider program when you get a point for each dollar you spend at their store.

Marc Jacobs just recently introduced Le Marc Lip Crème line of lipsticks and I was excited to try one of them without actually buying it. For a long time I was a bit suspicious about Marc Jacobs beauty products because the company got into the beauty industry only 2-3 years ago. Some time ago I bought Marc Jacobs blush and I didn’t find anything particularly great about it.

The little baby lipstick (0.03 oz.) that I got came in Kiss Kiss Bang Ban 216 color which is described as “baked rose”. It’s probably one of the most popular colors in this line. It came out recenty but is already out of stock on Sephora. I am sure it will be back though – it looks like everybody wants it. It truly is a beautiful shade of rose – dark, saturated and vivid. This color is matte (the whole line is if I remember correctly) so do not expect any shine or glitter. The color and texture of Le Marc strongly reminds of a limited edition lipstick by Givenchy (Le Rouge 207 Rose Pumetis) that I own. I love my Givenchy lipstick and I am happy that Marc Jacobs came up with a product that strongly resembles it and is not limited edition.

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Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo (in Ash Brown) and Mini Duo Angled/Spooley 7 Brush

By Gladys in Anastasia Beverly Hills, Eye Makeup 0 Comment
Overall Rating

Anastasia Brow Powder Duo was my second brow product (I don’t count tweezers, obviously). Long time ago I bought a Sephora brow set which absolutely didn’t work for me and after that one unsuccessful attempt to liven up my brows I was very hesitant to try something else. Normally I’d just wax my eyebrows every week, pluck them if needed with tweezers and use a Benefit highlighter under the arch of my brows for a lift effect. However, finally I decided to try brow powder by Anastasia and I am very happy that I did.

Anastasia Beverly Hills is famous for its brow products: they sell brow powder, pomade, pencils and brushes. When I was researching the best brow tint product I was torn between a powder duo and a pomade. Eventually I went with the powder because it seemed easier to use for such a brow makeup amateur as me.

Anastasia Brow Powder Duo is $23 which seems pretty reasonable for a high quality product. However, keep in mind that you’ll also need to buy a brush for it. It is also by Anastasia – Mini Duo Angled/Spooley – and costs $18. The powder duo comes in a small black case with a mirror – it’s so small what I’ll probably never use it. The case is sturdy enough and opens easily. The brush is nice too: it has a multilacquered wooden handle and feels good in my hand. Both angled and spooley ends are well-made and designed specifically for applying the brow powder.

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Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder

By Gladys in Face Makeup, MAKE UP FOR EVER 0 Comment
Overall Rating

HD Microfinish Powder by MUFE has an astonishing amount of reviews on Sephora, so I was doubting I needed to share my views on it too but then decided to put my two cents in anyway.

HD Microfinish Powder consists of mineral silica powder, costs $34 (for 0.3 oz.) and comes in a simple black case. It comes without a velour puff which is not a problem for me since I never use puffs for applying loose powder anyway. The amount of product in the case seems sufficient to me: I have been using the powder for about six months by now and I feel that I haven’t used even 20% of it.

HD Microfinish Powder is finely milled mineral loose powder. It comes in universal translucent shade that matches all skin tones. It is primarily a finishing powder which helps to set the foundation and mattify skin. It has a distinctive smell which is the only thing I am not happy with: it smells like chalk. I prefer powders with no smell at all.

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Dior ‘Rouge Contour’ Lip Liner in 775 Holiday Red

By Gladys in Dior, Lips Makeup 0 Comment
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I got this lip liner as a complement to Dior 743 Rouge Zinnia lipstick. The colors matched perfectly, and although I am not a big fan of lip liners (keep forgetting to use them) I thought that such a bright and bold color of lipstick had to be accompanied with a matching lip liner.

‘Rouge Contour’ lip liner pencils are a line of rich-colored lip liners by Dior. Each costs $30, which is quite pricey in my opinion. This lip liner comes as a pencil and has a brush on the other side. There is also a complimentary sharpener, which a nice touch. I remember how upset I was when I bought Urban Decay lip pencil without realizing that I had to buy their sharpener separately.

The Holiday Red color is a rich red with a dark rose undertone. It looks beautiful and elegant. It glides on very easily and application doesn’t require a lot of expertise. As a lip liner it is not drying. I know that some ladies use lip liners as lipsticks but I never do it so I wouldn’t know how drying it would be if you apply it all over your lips.

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Dior Holiday Couture Collection Smoky Eye Palette (Limited Edition)

By Gladys in Dior, Eye Makeup 0 Comment
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This palette was an impulse purchase. I was looking for a lipstick but then saw this palette and decided I had to buy it right away. It had all my favorite colors and looked very practical.

In my opinion, this is one of the most minimalistic (in both design and eye shadow colors) palettes by Dior. It has four eyeshadows; the case is made of black, leather-like material and doesn’t have any decoration except word ‘Dior’ in golden. To be honest, I wouldn’t call a ‘holiday palette’ because it’s so simple and understated and just doesn’t look like a festive piece of makeup.

This palette is $55, a bit cheaper than usual 5-color Dior palettes but it it has only four colors.

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Benefit Cosmetics Bathina ‘Take a Picture it Lasts Longer…’ Body Balm

By Gladys in Benefit Cosmetics, Body Makeup 0 Comment
Overall Rating

Benefit is famous for its funky, old-fashioned and great products: Bathina body balm is a good example of that.

Bathina ‘Take a Picture it Lasts Longer…’ is a glimmering body balm. It’s pricey — $30. However, the case is pretty big, so it doesn’t feel like a total ripoff. The case is very cute: 50s style tin box filled with pink balm and Bathina’s velvety puff. When I hold this thing in my hands, I feel like a flirty girl from the fifties’ movie. To me, just that feeling is worth 30 bucks. 🙂

The purpose of this balm is to add a light, golden-pink sheen to your legs and body. I bought Bathina right before a trip to Mexico and used it every day over there. The balm gave my skin a subtle and seductive sheen that looked like a combination of natural glow and transparent glimmer. With this balm, my skin doesn’t look and feel oily (that’s why I avoid body oils like NARS Monoi Oil) or sticky. Also, this balm doesn’t stain your clothes. I would usually wear it to the beach and in the evenings. Under certain light (like direct sun and evening lights), Bathina-treated skin will look particularly sexy and healthy. Bathina balm is not particularly moisturizing (and it’s not supposed to be) but it does give my skin a soft, velvety feel.

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tarte Glamazon Pure Performance 12-hour Lipstick (in 5 colors)

By Gladys in Lips Makeup, tarte 0 Comment
Overall Rating

I hesitated to write about these lipsticks because they are only sold at tarte website and you can’t go into a store and try it (I’ve never seen a tarte store before). I bought all five of mine on Sephora but these lipsticks disappear and re-appear all the time there, so last time I checked they didn’t sell Glamazon. Anyway, I have them in five colors and really like them, so I want to share why.

This lipstick costs $16 and is advertised as a 12-hour performance lipstick. I have to say it’s one of the most long-wearing lipsticks I’ve had. It does truly stay on your lips for hours even if you eat and drink. Unlike lip stains, it’s very creamy. It’s creamiest when you just applied it and then, in five minutes or so, it dries out. tarte says the moisturizing effect of the lipstick is due to Amazonian clay. I have no idea how true that information is (sounds romantic though) but the lipstick does feel pretty good on my lips. It doesn’t have any sparkle and practically no shine but it does provide solid, even color. Also, the color doesn’t look unnatural (Kat Von D’s liquid lipstick problem) and doesn’t fade for a long time.

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