Chanel Lait Confort Cream Cleansing Milk Comfort + Anti-Pollution Face & Eyes

By Gladys in Chanel, Face Makeup 0 Comment
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Chanel has been doing much better in terms of makeup and skincare products in the last few years. Price-wise it’s very similar to Dior and Guerlain (not skincare products though). First I fell in love with Chanel eye makeup remover. Next I decided to try cleansing milk. Before I used Dior cleansing milk and I can say that I like Chanel much more.

The bottle of Chanel cleansing milk costs $45. The bottle is pretty big – 150 ml or 5 fl.oz. This is a very gentle but effective makeup remover for sensitive skin. It has a nice but rather strong smell: I like it, however, if you generally don’t like strong flowery smells in your skincare products, try it first at Nordstrom (or Bloomingdale’s). Packaging is great: the pump is convenient to use and never gets clogged. Black-and-white bottle is simple and elegant and looks good on my bathroom counter top.

Chanel Lait Confort cleansing milk has amazing silky texture: after I use it, my skin is soft and velvety. Unlike other makeup removers, Chanel cleansing milk does not irritate my skin: it doesn’t get red, there are no breakouts, no stinging. Sometimes I don’t even use night cream after I clean my face because it is that gentle and moisturizing. Lait Confort’s moisturizing qualities are due to Arum Lily Extract. Although it’s gentle it cleanses skin deeply and thoroughly: apparently, it’s all thanks to de-pollution qualities of Tulip Tree extract. I don’t know anything about tulip trees, but it’s extract works!

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Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Duo in 1 Pink Beige & tarte Slenderizer Contour Brush

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

This is a relatively new product by MUFE. It came out in the spring and I bought it almost right away. However, with the move into a new house (yay!) I got to writing about it only now.

This sculpting duo is a compact containing a highlight shade and a contour shade, which really is a highly pigmented bronzer. Highlight shade is for enhancing your best features. The contour shade is for contouring your face and correcting features you are not happy with . The compact costs $39 but I think the price is pretty reasonable because usually I have to buy a bronzer and a highlighter separately, and the total price for both is between $50 and $80. Example: Dior bronzer ($50) + Benefit High Beam highlighter ($26) = $76.

The duo comes in a classic MUFE compact – black, sleek, simple. Not very elegant, but functional and convenient. The compact has a nice mirror which I use all the time. There is no brush or any type of applicator that comes with the compact. I use a Tarte brush (I will talk about it in detail below).

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Edward Bess Ultra Dewy Complexion Perfector in Medium

By Gladys in Edward Bess, Face Makeup 0 Comment
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Edward Bess is not a famous or very popular brand but I am really fond of their products. They are expensive and usually only Neiman Marcus carries this brand but from time to time you can find Edward Bess cosmetics at Sephora or Amazon at a very affordable prices (sometimes 50% off!).

Complexion Perfector is my favorite product by Edward Bess. Complexion Perfector is something between a foundation, a BB cream and a tinted moisturizer and it got the best of all three. It gives coverage like foundation, hydrates like a moisturizer and gives you the natural glow like a good BB cream should. On Neiman Marcus its price is $56 which is pretty high in my opinion. I remember buying it on sale for about $30. However, there is plenty of the product in the tube and it should last you for a while (I bought mine two years ago and still haven’t finished it). So, $56 might not be so bad after all.

It comes in a simple plastic black tube. There is nothing particularly elegant about the packaging but it is good and sturdy. There are four colors available: Light, Tan, Medium and Deep. I use Medium. It looks a bit darker than my skin but when I apply it, it adapts to my complexion and sort of melts in. What I love about the Perfector particularly is that, unlike other BB creams (Dior BB Cream and NARS Tinted Moisturizer), it doesn’t give my skin that orange oompa-loompish undertone. The texture is nice: it’s a bit runny and that way it melts in with your skin faster and more naturally.

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

By Gladys in Dior, Face Makeup 0 Comment
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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
Overall Rating

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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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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Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette (Limited Edition)

By Gladys in Face Makeup, Hourglass 0 Comment
Overall Rating

This blush palette is my first purchase from Hourglass. I thought it would be a good introduction to the brand. This is a limited edition, so it won’t be around forever but two of these blush shades are sold individually. Incandescent Electra (cool peach) is the limited edition shade and is only offered as a part of the palette.

This palette is pretty pricey — $58 – as everything by Hourglass. However, considering that each blush individually is $35, the palette is a good deal.

The case is sleek and sturdy. My only problem is how it opens: to open it, you have to hold it with both hands and pull the upper part really hard. When I have long nails, it becomes especially challenging.

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Bobbi Brown Silky Matte Blush in Slopes 17

By Gladys in Bobbi Brown, Face Makeup 0 Comment
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I like blushes – they help you achieve fresh and healthy look with very little effort. Of course, it’s important not to overdo your makeup with blush but with a bit of practice blush can become a vital and easy part of your normal makeup routine. There are blushes for every occasion and today I’ll talk about my favorite everyday blush – Bobbi Brown Silky Matte Blush.

I have been looking for a matte blush in nude pink. Bobbi Brown hit the spot. The case is small and sleek – convenient for travel. It opens and closes easily (unlike Hourglass, for example). Basically, it’s an ideal compact blush. Apparently, you can also assemble it into palettes that are sold separately but I am happy using it individually. This blush is pricey — $27.

I got this blush in color Slopes 17 – “flushed pink”. It’s mild matte pink which gives you natural, healthy blush. It’s a powder blush so you need to apply it with a brush – I use MUFE angled blush brush – it works well for me. One of the best things about this blush is that it doesn’t have any shimmer. Don’t get me wrong, I love shimmer but during the day I don’t want it, especially in winter when my whole makeup is more toned-down than usually. This shade should complement pretty much every complexion – it’s very neutral.

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Dior Diorskin Nude Compact (in Cameo 22)

By Gladys in Dior, Face Makeup 1 Comment
Overall Rating

 

A compact powder is a must-have for me. I never use compact powder when do my full makeup but have to have it in the purse for touch-ups during the day.

Diorskin Nude Compact comes in a pretty stainless-steel-and-glass-like case. It’s nice to carry around and it has a separate space for a sponge which I appreciate a lot. I never liked compacts with the sponge right on top of the actual powder. This compact is quite expensive — $50 but it should last for a long while (considering I use it for touch-ups only), so it’s not too bad. It also has a nice, large enough mirror.

Nude Compact comes in 10 colors. I use Cameo 22, which is perfect for my light medium (Asian, with yellow undertones) skin. First I wanted to get Medium Beige 30 bit it was way too dark for me.

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Benefit Cosmetics High Beam

By Gladys in Benefit Cosmetics, Face Makeup 1 Comment
Overall Rating

Benefit High Beam is a new favorite of my everyday makeup routine. It is an amazing liquid highlighter which is extremely easy to apply and that helps you look refreshed and glowing with no effort.

High Beam seems pricey — $26 for a small bottle (0.45 oz.). However, I think it is an amazing deal because you need to use just a little bit of it to create a perfect look.

The bottle is glass which is a nice touch and has a small brush applicator. The packaging is of good quality – you can easily take it with you for vacation and not worry if it will spill or break. The only thing I am not happy with is the brush applicator. It is a bit too thick for highlighting purposes, so I don’t use it. I apply High Beam with my fingertips – that way application is much easier, less messy and I use less product

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