Tag Archives: foundation primer

Oct31

Buying Stuff on Location: Las Vegas

Posted on October 31, 2014 by Dianna

Who makes the decision to repave the street in front of my house on Halloween? And then tells us we have to park our cars elsewhere until it dries? How am I supposed to get home? There’s only one way in and one way out of my neighborhood, so it looks like I be walking through fields, barefoot and in 10 feet of snow. Blah.

But most importantly, how is FedEx supposed to deliver my four Sephora orders today? I mean, you know that’s the part that’s really killing me right?

Anyway, my long awaited Las Vegas haul has arrived. Thanks for your patience while I went on vacation for three weekends in a row. But just look at what you’ve waited for:

This is the NARS Audacious lipstick in the shade Dominique, and it almost didn’t happen. I was watching a YouTube video several weeks prior to Vegas, and one of my gurus was going on and on about how fabulous this particular shade of lipstick is. It’s a muted purple – or a purple mixed with a skosh of grey – or it’s just very pretty. Any of those three. And so I went to buy it but nobody had it. Apparently, it’s an exclusive shade for Barney’s New York (aside from NARS) and it was sold out in both places online. Aack! This created a panic in me like nobody’s business. I mean, I don’t live in a big city. The fanciest store we have is a Macy’s, and not even a two-story one. How am I ever going to get my hands on this lipstick then?

You go to Vegas.

Wandering through the Forum Shops inside Caesar’s Palace, and I almost missed it. Gawking off to my right while passing the NARS store on the left. Thankfully I turned my head just in time. It’s so funny going into a store where the salesladies start gearing up for their spiel, and I’m holding my hand up like shuushhhhhh. I already know what I’m looking for; I’m a woman on a mission.

Turns out, they had three tubes left. And then the heavens opened up and angels began to sing. It truly was a miracle moment. I might as well have stumbled upon the last Golden Ticket, or maybe the cup that Jesus drank out of, for how exciting and miraculous this was.

If you like creamy, pigmented lipstick then you will love these. There are a ton of colors that are widely available on lots of sites, Sephora included. I just can’t guarantee you’ll find Dominique. Which is unfortunate because it’s the most beautiful. You’re welcome for the rave review anyway.

You know how when you’re in Vegas, money doesn’t feel like actual money? As in, your $100 blackjack money is traded for a stack of chips, which might as well be Monopoly chips considering how quickly and recklessly they are lost. Well, that’s what happened when I did this:

It’s Cle de Peau. I ain’t even going to tell you what these two things cost because it is the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever heard. But VACATION. What other excuse do I have?

I walked into the Barney’s at the Palazzo just to “see” which my husband should know is international sign language for an Impending Shopping Event. Cuz nobody goes to just “see.” They go to shop on accident. It sounds less purposeful that way, and whatever ensues afterward is “not my fault.”

Browsed for literally half a second when I bagged this shimmery eyeshadow quad in #308. Oh, lawd, the purples! Had to have it, even though the eyeshadow and compact are sold separately. Honestly, that’s a horrible thing to do to someone isn’t it? Thinking they’re getting a whole complete thing, but turns out the very important holder portion is missing. Do I buy soda at a restaurant and they bring it to me without the holder? How about a hot dog – you expect the bun too, right? Of course you do, cuz this is America and you have a right to get a bun with your hot dog.

I rest my case.

Anyway, I bought both the eyeshadow and compact.

And then the saleslady has the audacity to suggest their award-winning concealer. As she is applying it on my undereye, she is telling me how it’s the Concealer to the Stars (i.e., Kim Kardashian) and OMG, it looks so amazing! Well, you can’t do either of those things PLUS win beauty awards and not expect me to buy it. I mean, I am no superhuman.

For those curious, I picked the shade Beige which looks pretty good. The formula is like a cream-to-powder and works best if you have moisturized first. It covers dark circles nicely but not completely – so don’t be expecting no miracle despite the fact it costs a fortune. Unless you have the undereye of a 14-year-old that is.

Had to pop into Sephora because I know the Vegas one will sell wayyyyy more brands than the one in my hometown. That’s the only thing I was interested in – products that are’t readily available to me. So here’s what I got:

Okay, the Marc Jacobs O!Mega mascara was a freebie and I do have access to this at home. But I traded in 100 Sephora points cuz I was curious. This turned out to be one of the best makeup decisions I’ve ever made. I absolutely LOVE this mascara. It fans out my lashes, fattens them up and lengthens them so beautifully. This may be my favorite, although it’s hard to top my Charlotte Tilbury.

I know mascara is very personal because what works for one may not work for another. We all have different eyelashes. Mine are sparse, thin and itty bitty. And what the O!Mega does for me is nothing short of awesome. It has size-increasing ingredients in it, and I highly highly highly recommend.

Next thing I picked up is the Dior Capture Totale makeup base (primer). Again, I have access to Dior where I live. I suppose you could say I got a little sidetracked inside Sephora. Var var easy to do as I’m sure you know. Time isn’t even a real thing once you step inside. I don’t even know why I got this because certainly I didn’t need yet another foundation primer? (If you considered that an actual question, you might’ve stumbled upon this blog by accident.)

This primer has a lot of skincare in it, with anti-aging ingredients and UV protection. It’s pinkish white tint actually brightens my face up a bit when I use it, which I kind of like. I don’t have much more of an opinion at this point because I’ve only used it a handful of times. It doesn’t spread really well over dry skin – I had to pat it on instead of smooth it on – so if you don’t have combo skin at the minimum, ask Sephora for a sample first before spending real money on it. Of course, I bought it practically sight unseen cuz in Vegas there is no such thing as real money.

Finally I get around to the brands I don’t have easy access to. Picked up the Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill eyeshadow quad in #3 Pantelleria. I didn’t even know Sephora carried Giorgio Armani. I was actually able to get color matched to the Luminous Silk foundation, where I found the shade I own (5.5) is not the shade I should be wearing (5.25), and even though the one I own works just fine, the fact that it’s not my shade makes me want to spend another $60 to buy the right one. OCD is a real problem, as you can clearly see. Also, run-on sentences.

But back to the eye quad. It is truly beautiful. I wanted to pick colors that wasn’t my normal purple or green, and I just love the teal. Very smooth application, easy to blend. I’m really happy I bought this. It’s one of the best luxury eye quads I’ve ever purchased.

Then I saw the Givenchy Photo’Perfexion Fluid Foundation and quickly decided the 39 foundations I own is not enough. At this point it had nothing to do with the foundation itself, but more the fact that I needed to own all the things. Got color matched to the shade Perfect Cinnamon, which surprised me for some reason. The word “cinnamon” does not evoke a light to medium skin tone in my mind, but it worked. Took it back to my hotel room and did a quick trial run. And was promptly amazed. The finish on this is extraordinary. Claims to do what digital retouching would do, and I would say that’s pretty close to accurate. Remember how splotchy and hideous my naked skin is? So yeah, you might wanna buy this. Out of 39 foundations, it’s in my top 3.

After all this shopping, I dragged my poor husband into one last place: the Inglot store. And here’s what happened:

In my defense, they had a couch there so he could sit and Facebook or play Fantasy Football or whatever it is that boys do. I decided to try out a couple of their pure pigment eyeshadows because I was mesmerized by seeing them in person. Swatched a few on my hand and was blown away by the intense color. I picked a purple/gold glitter and a burgundy. Both stunning. I’ve used these in real life situations since Vegas, and I’m in deep passionate love. I like to apply them as liner under my lower lashes, and you don’t know the true definition of “pop of color” until you’ve used an Inglot pigment. Plus, they’re like $14. Practically free!

The whole point of my Inglot visit, however, was to see their freedom system eyeshadows up close and personal. There’s no way I could create my customized eyeshadow palette by looking at thumbnail pictures online. It would be overwhelming at the very least. So, I chose the 10-pan palette and got to work. I did the responsible thing and selected a matte crease color and browbone color because every palette requires one. Then decided to create two quads – a orange/brown one and a purple/green one. The quality is very nice. I thought each shade was nicely pigmented and blended well. And the fact they are only $7 each – well, who’s gonna say no to that? (Crazy people.)

Remember how I turned 40 at the end of August and that we’ve been celebrating that fact for at least 2 months? Well, I made sure to remind my husband (lest he forget) that the whole point of Vegas was to go out with a bang. I mean, how many times do you turn 40 in your life? Two, three times, tops?

Well we were passing all these fancy stores – Gucci, Dior, Prada – and I kept jokingly asking what he was buying me. And I don’t know if he was just tired of hearing me or if he’d planned it all along, but oh my God, LOOK:

Happy 40th birthday to ME. Now if I can manage not to sit on these or leave them in a restaurant bathroom or something, that’s yet to be seen. I’ve never had a mishap with my $16 pair, but you know how you can totally hold your breath for 17 seconds until someone actually asks you to hold your breath for 17 seconds and then it’s nigh on impossible? I’m a little concerned about that.

Well, thanks guys for hanging out with me and for making it to the very end of this post. You rock, and if it weren’t for you, I’d be talking to myself and that’s A) weird and B) sad.

See you tomorrow!

Sep23

Birthday Haul: Part 2

Posted on September 23, 2014 by Dianna

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Someone take this dadgum packet of chipotle Gardetto’s away from me. The more I eat, the more I want, and the more the bag seems to replicate itself. It’s like a neverending supply. Sounds like a dream, but honestly, I’d rather spend my money on new makeup not new clothes. And at the rate I’m going, mama’s gonna need a different pair of pants. Of the stretchy variety.

In the meantime, here is more birthday goodies:

First of all, can we appreciate the quality and sheer artistry that is my photos? If you told me it looks like I sat these products on top of a Little Tikes plastic picnic table that’s missing its umbrella, I’d tell you you were WRONG. Clearly, that’s not what I did.

Anyway.

Cashed in an Ulta gift card and finally got my hot little hands on the Carol’s Daughter shampoo and conditioner. And then to make it an even better day, I got a 4oz size of the shampoo and conditioner for FREE. So I’m all set for the next 6 months probably and that makes me var var happy. The smell of this stuff is exactly like the hair mask that I’ve loved and adored for months, and I’ll be honest and say it’s the smell that sucked me in. I don’t know what Monoi is, but it’s a magic potion as far as I’m concerned.

Also at Ulta, I picked up the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk. Not for any eye makeup related reason, mind you, but because I might be the only person in the universe not owning this. And we CANNOT. HAVE. THAT. However, my curiosity got the best of me so I tried it on my eyeball anyway. It’s surprisingly creamy and blendable. Like it blended out so well it looked less like white eye makeup and more like a matte sheer wash. I figure I will use it when I want my paler eyeshadows to show up better. Because anytime I go for a light pink, I might as well not put anything on at all. Obviously, the struggle is real.

Not to leave Sephora out or anything, so I spread the love a bit and picked up the new YSL Fusion Ink foundation. I got color matched to B20 Ivory which is also an exact color match to Make Up Forever HD in 130, NARS Sheer Glow in Vallauris, and Estee Lauder Double Wear in Dusk 3C1 – for those curious. The applicator on this very liquidy foundation is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It’s a hard plastic wand that has a tip like a calligraphy pen. You dip the “pen” in the product and then rub it all over your face. Well that’s fine and all, but the pen goes back into the product where it lives all day long and hopefully doesn’t contaminate anything with vile face germs.

Now, aside from all that, I liked this foundation. It provided sheer coverage but was easy to build. I found it looked best on me when I used my fingers to blend it into my skin. It dried down to a nice powdery finish in a matter of probably less than a minute. Maybe even less than 30 seconds. Either way, it was very quick. So we have texture (check), setting time (check), and buildability (check). It’s YSL (check). Other than that, it’s just an average, decent foundation. I wasn’t speechless over it. I didn’t stare in mirrors incessantly. I didn’t get overly excited about the application process (trust me, I’ve been overly excited before). But I don’t wanna give it back. Mostly because it’s YSL and looks fancy on my bathroom counter. Is that shallow? Probably.

Got a tiny sample bottle of the Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation for free. I love free things. Granted you have to buy something in order to get the free something, and if you weren’t planning on buying something then I suppose technically the free something isn’t free. But I’m always planning to buy something, so this doesn’t apply to me. So, free then. Anyway, I chose the shade Honey (I’m So Money), and it was a big fat guess as I’ve never tried to match myself. Turns out, I’m pretty good at this guessing game cuz I picked out a pretty good match. Skills. Also, PROFESSIONAL.

This little bottle is going to last light years. I’ve used it at least four times already, and still looks almost full. The coverage is probably about a medium coverage, so that fact alone makes me like it. You know it’s hard to cover up splotches, freckles and scary bits with a sheer foundation. It says it’s a brightening formula, and that may be true although I found it hard to tell. I wasn’t glowing or anything. But I certainly wasn’t matte. Just natural looking and nice. I’d buy a full size bottle for sure.

One of my favorite things about Sephora is their rewards program. I cashed in 500 points and got this:

Ahhhhh, I’m in love. I’ve never felt the desire to spend my points on a kit until now. So here is the Caudalie Vinosource set that includes the moisurizing sorbet, S.O.S. serum and S.O.S. eye rescue cream plus a little travel size bottle of cleansing water. I’ve used the moisturizing sorbet before and really liked it. Partially cuz it has the word sorbet in it, but also cuz it’s a nice moisturizer. It goes without saying I expect the other items to be just as fab. I’m taking the cleansing water to Vegas next month, and then who knows when I’ll use the others. I have a few other kits stashed under my sink I need to use first. Like maybe six, seven. Possibly eight. You know, a few, like I said.

And then I got these two Korres products:

I got a free sample of the Korres Pomegranate Mattifying Face Primer because I was told it was one of the best in this genre. Always on the search for that perfect matte face that hides my pores and makes me flawless. May be on the journey for awhile, or at least until my old face gets replaced with a new face (via surgery, magic or any other kind of means). So the texture of this primer is kind of like a wet lotion. It’s a nude color, but blends out transparent. I used this maybe a handful of days and I didn’t notice any difference whatsoever in my face. No mattifying, no pore hiding. But what I did get was this horrendous smell that made me feel as if I had buried my face in wet dog fur. Not sure if this was a spoiled tube (which is why it was free), or if all of them smell that way. I read reviews on it and no one complained about the smell. Although no one raved about it either, and certainly no one mentioned pomegranate. So I don’t know. I gave this to my mom to try. Don’t worry, I already told her it stinks and could possibly be poison. She took it anyway.

Last product in the haul is the Korres Volcanic Mineral mascara. I got it from the sale page on Sephora’s website for $10. I was curious about it because volcanic minerals sound exotic, and I love anything that sounds exotic (or French, or Italian, or made out of snow from the Swiss Alps). However, this mascara didn’t do anything more special that a lot of my other mascaras. It fanned them out, lengthened somewhat, volumized a little. Other than that, it was pretty average. Sneaky trick though, that whole volcano thing. According to the Paula’s Choice website, it pretty much tells you you’re an idiot if you fall for the whole volcanic minerals spiel. Apparently, they are no more magical than regular minerals. Well, poo.

Birthday haul is not done. I have one more part to do so hopefully I’ll get to it by the end of the month. I also have like 4 boxes to review as well. And surprise, surprise – there’s only a week left in the month. I’m really good at blogging. I swear I am.

Aug14

Buying Stuff: Episode 19

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Dianna

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Well I’m about ready for the weekend, aren’t you? I know if I didn’t work I couldn’t afford to buy stuff, so I should appreciate my Monday through Friday. But you guys … I just really love pajamas. What can I say?

Lookie, I bought stuff:

I fell in love with the mint green color of the Smashbox Always Sharp 3D liner. It’s just so springy, summery, warm weathery. I couldn’t walk away from this liner even if I wanted to. Plus, it sharpens itself every time you remove the cap. Genius! I have since bought the black liner as well, and while the color isn’t ultra black – I mean it is but it isn’t, kind of blurry black – okay, that’s not a color and makes no sense – but I’m not disappointed cuz it cuts down my eyeliner time by at least 10 minutes per eye. That’s not a typo. Me and eyeliner: we are not best friends.

Then I bought this Make Up For Ever Lab Shine lipgloss in the shade M10 Morello Cherry. I’ll just be honest – I did not really need this. I saw the color and was temporarily blinded by its brilliance. So I buy it and spend the next several hours in the throes of Buyer’s Remorse cuz I don’t know how to walk away from shiny things. I could’ve taken it back but that requires effort of which I have none to give. However, it is a really lovely color, it sparkles prettily, and I will use it probably more this fall when I wear darker clothing. Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself.

One thing I did need – okay, want – is the Bite Beauty lipstick in the shade Cava. I was looking for a nude, but everything I’ve ever tried makes my lips disappear right into my face. So I spent about half an hour in Sephora trying on several shades and finally settled on Cava, which is a lilac beige. Just saying the word lilac beige is enough to make you wanna go out and buy it, amiright? Sounds so pretty. And while I wasn’t 100% sure in the store, now that I brought it home and have been wearing it, you might say I’m a wee bit in love. Plus the Bite formula is unbeatable. Serious, if you haven’t tried on a Bite lipstick yet, you may wanna consult your physician cuz there may be something wrong with your brain.

Got my hands on a tiny, free sample of the new Benefit They’re Real Push-Up liner. After all the hype swirling about this product, I had to try it out for myself. All its fancy claims of making it easier to apply liner and whatnot. Tempting me with miracles and such.

I followed the directions by only clicking twice so the product that is dispensed isn’t too much. Okay, so far so good. I applied it to my lash line just like normal and it seemed to do alright. I had to keep clicking up product to finish the entire eye, but it did work and it was easier. I think the trick is to not keep clicking because once the tip is gooped up, it does not apply well. Unless you are into a patchy mess, then by all means click away. However, a week or so later I went to use it again and it did not apply well. It skipped all over my lid and portions of it dried and crumbled right off. So I don’t know now. We might break up. I’m don’t think I’m feeling it anymore. Maybe one more date, and if there’s any misbehaving going on, I’m gonna have to see other people.

Here’s yet another successful shopping trip:

I decided I was going to make my morning routine even longer and start washing my face with a cleansing cloth every day. My mentality has always been I wash my face at night, why would it be dirty the next morning? I’m sure there’s some science in that statement somewhere, but who’s to know.

But my OCD gets to me every time, and I start obsessing over the fact there may be bacteria growing on my face while I sleep, so this is how the story of the Ole Henriksen pore refining cleansing cloths was born.

These cloths are great. They have a rough, exfoliating side and a smooth side and the scent is a cooling eucalyptus. If you aren’t awake when you’re using these, you will be shortly. They feel very nice on the face, fresh, cool, tingly. I like them a lot. Only problem is the price – $15 for 30. Soooo … not sure if I’ll repurchase. I would like to but if it comes down to expensive wipes or expensive makeup, makeup wins every time.

Cashed in 100 Sephora points and got a little sample of the Make Up For Ever HD foundation primer. I’ve been using this for a few days and it has a very light texture that absorbs very fast into the skin. I love it for that fact alone. But it is just a lotion, not a silky velvety finish that some may prefer. And don’t even ask me if it makes your makeup last longer cuz I have no idea.

I am nothing if not professional.

The other day I went into Sephora where they were celebrating Benefit Day and I got to spin the prize wheel. It was definitely exciting on that day. A prize wheel?! Oooohkay! Well I landed on the middle between a free sample or a free winged liner application. And because my husband was with me I chose the free sample cuz it was “quicker” and we had “errands to run”. Hmmmphf.

Well turns out, I wanted the free sample anyway. Because I already owned the push up liner, I grabbed the Stay Flawless foundation primer. It comes in stick form, and the Sephora lady said to not overdo it and to trust the product is doing its job. I immediately got scared, cuz what if I do overdo it? What happens to my face? Will there be a falling off scenario impending?

Please tell me others have used this successfully. I applied it on my face, but it’s very dry so I wasn’t even sure I had it on at all. The instructions say to immediately apply foundation and blend the two together right on your face. I did all that. Nothing bad happened, but nothing at all happened either. So, did I err too far on the side of caution and not apply enough? I dunno. I’m gonna have to fiddle with it I guess.

Bought two of the best eyeliners I’ve ever used. If you like black black black and super duper creamy deliciousness, then go ahead and put these L’oreal Silkissime liners in your basket. Go on. I’ll wait.

These simply glliiiiiide across your eyeball. No skipping. No tugging. They hold up pretty well in the waterline too. They don’t remain solid there, but perform better than the majority of my eyeliners do. In fact, I only have one other one (Sumita brand) that works as good. If there’s one drawback, I’d say it gets nubby awfully fast. Probably due to its creaminess. I’m not even gonna pretend that’s a big deal though, cuz honestly I love these liners.

Next product – well, you can just blame YouTube. Someone was washing their makeup brushes with the Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap and said it worked great. Luckily this is one of the cheaper products I’ve been influenced to buy. Got the lavender scent, and man is it smelly. I mean, like lavender, but very strong lavender. It does get the brushes squeaky clean; however, on my more denser brushes I had to rinse them three separate times in order to get all the soap out. So perhaps I need to tweak my method a little bit since it literally took 48 hours for my Sigma F86 brush to fully dry cuz I had to keep rinsing it over and over. Who got time for that? Nobody.

While shopping for the Dr. Bronner’s soap, there was a little Pacifica lip butter display provoking me with its jewel toned packaging, and well, as established earlier in this post, I can’t walk away from pretty packaging. Picked out the darkest shade they had, a deep burgundy called Blissed Out. Don’t be frightened though – it goes on very sheer. The smell is heavenly, the texture is very creamy and moisturizing, and the color has a nice subtlety to it for those days when you don’t want lipstick but still want color. I liked it a lot. Probably one of my better lip butter decisions.

Last item is a complete random afterthought. I went into Bath & Body Works to pick up one hand sanitizer and I walked out with 5 of them, plus two candles, a bath pouf, and this coconut smelling Cooling Gel Lotion. Did I need this? Is the sky blue? Don’t ask stupid questions.

The texture of this lotion is ultra light, cool, and creamy. The smell is not hardcore coconut, but a blend of citrus and coconut that is very refreshing. It’s nice to put on right before bed because you don’t get that heavy lotion feeling and the scent is not overpowering by any means. I know summer is (sadly) just about over, but I’m alright using this all year round. It’s good stuff.

I finally got off the Birchbox waitlist for this thing:

This Zoya nail polish remover purchase makes no sense for the girl who hates nail polish. I know. I am my own oxymoron. But haven’t you ever wanted to own something just cuz it seemed like it might be fun to play with? Like a barcode scanner or a shrink wrapper? Or in this case, a pump-top dispenser. You flip open the lid, take your cotton ball and press it up and down over the top of it and that’s it. You can do it one-handed even. How’s that for barely making an effort? Also, it doesn’t smell as bad as other removers AND it’s the best at tackling glitter polish. Plus, it’s award-winning. If you’re not convinced yet, you can’t read this blog.

Just kidding. But you’re wrong, that’s all I’m saying.

Then I got this other thing from Birchbox cuz I had credits and wanted to apply it towards something fancy:

It’s the Skin & Co Truffle Therapy serum. I bought this off of one person’s recommendation so hoping it’s wonderful. I love serums and want to try them all, and for whatever reason this one appealed to me. The truffle in here is mushroom not chocolate (just an FYI), but it doesn’t stink like that other mushroom cream I used last month (see previous Empties post). The scent is reminiscent of coconut, but I know it’s not coconut. The texture is also lotiony but very very light and absorbs almost immediately. This is a very good thing cuz I feel the benefits of this serum would best be appreciated in the a.m. than p.m. (antioxidants, etc), and I have about zero minutes to waste in the morning. The only issue so far is the $75 price tag. If I didn’t have Birchbox credits, I doubt I would’ve bought this.

Last bits below:

Gotta love the Beauty To Go bin at Sephora. They recently added a travel size of the Dr. Brandt Pores No More primer, and lawd knows how much I needed it. My pores are huge you guys. It was practically a medical necessity.

This stuff feels amazing going on. Powdery and silky soft. If you are a texture person, you need to go ahead and put it in your basket. It will bring you joy. But most importantly, does is mask your pores? Wellllll … if your pores are pinpricks, then probably. The echo-y caverns that I have, however, get blurred out but by no means disappear. It helps though, so at this point in my pore erasing journey, I’ll accept.

If you’re in the market for a new matte lip cream but don’t know what to buy, here’s where you need to start paying attention. The Sephora Luster Mattes are AH. MA. ZING. Ohmygod, I’m not even joking. They are luscious, creamy, pigmented and beautiful. They are matte, yes, but not a harsh, dry looking matte like you may have experienced before. And as you wear them, they stay pretty creamy for awhile before they start to dry, and even at that dry point, the color still looks pretty good. I bought the color Fig which is a very pretty mauve and I’m in complete and utter love. I want more of these, and I’m not even gonna feel guilty about it. Plus it’s my month long birthday celebration. Have I mentioned that? Wellll, it is.

Last item is the Benefit High Brow brow lifting pencil. Bought this on a whim cuz that’s how I buy most of the stuff I get from Sephora. But it seemed like it might be useful. The pencil is a pearly white color, and you draw it all along your brow (underneath) and blend in. This will highlight that area and make your eyes appear more vibrant, alert and lifted. Well what’s not to love there? I’ve used this several times and I think it gives a really pretty cleaned up look. I’ve incorporated it into my morning routine because the 17 other steps I’ve got going on isn’t quite long enough.

This was the longest haul post that ever lived. I’m so sorry to make you read all this, because certainly you’re still reading? Good night, friends. More tomorrow!

Aug8

Empties | July 2014

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Dianna

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Every month I keep thinking I’m not going through that many products, that my little trash stash under the sink doesn’t look very full. But when I get around to finally dumping it out on the floor so I can organize and photograph it, it looks like some crazy person’s been hoarding their garbage for about 30 days or so.

Huh.

Well, anyway. Here’s my empties. Let’s do hair first:

The EVOLVh shampoo and conditioner set was just alright. It arrived when I had about one day left in my other shampoo and conditioner, so it served it’s purpose of not making me run errands on a Wednesday after work. For that reason alone, I was appreciative. However, there was nothing special about this stuff. It smelled pretty good. That’s about it. I did not get supermodel riding on the back of a horse along the coastline of a beach kind of hair. And that’s a darn shame. Have you seen me on a horse? Stunning.

The Davine’s Love Shampoo fared better. I actually almost bought the full size until I realized it cost $24 and I reconsidered my true feelings. Do I like it? Yes. But do I love it? Mmmmmm … not $24 worth of love. Plus when you don’t have the matching conditioner, the shampoo on its own is pretty much no frills. My hair was ultra smoothie when I used both, but only quasi smoothie when it was shampoo solo. And normally I don’t do shampoo solo but someone (Birchbox) gave me a one-time-use conditioner packet so I was forced into it. I do not recommend this method. The two together are a dream. So next them you have $50 handy, put these in your basket.

Speaking of DO NOT RECOMMEND I got this little sample of Dove Oxygen Moisture shampoo. I’m not sure if the moisture aspect of this was a mistake or just pure arrogance, but this stuff dried out my ends and did quite literally the opposite of moisture. Not even sure how that’s possible. I’d contemplate this further, but I am so very bored now.

Face things:

I really wanted to love the Caudalie Polyphenol C15 serum. I tried hard y’all. But unfortunately, it wasn’t in me. It was a texture issue. It did not feel good on my face. Was not soft, was not special, was not worth my time. Thankfully it was free.

However, everyone else in the world loves this stuff so don’t listen to me. Apparently I am an idiot.

But then I got this Flash Facial from Sonya Dakar, and I was rendered literally speechless. I have never used a product quite like this one. I wasn’t sure what to expect other than what I was supposed to do – apply to face, leave on for a minute, then wipe off using circular motions. I knew my dead skin was supposed to ball up and flake off and that I would be left with a brand new face. But I’m not even kidding you when I say my jaw dropped to my chest. This stuff WORKS. I had the most radiant, softest skin afterwards, and I knew immediately I had to own the full size.

$95?! Dangit. So I’m currently searching for a dupe. If anyone has any suggestions, please comment and save me some money. Or else you may gift me the full size. I have told you it’s my month-long 40th birthday celebration, haven’t I? Welllll, it is.

Last product is the Lancer Eye Contour Lifting Cream. I liked the texture of this eye cream very much. It was thick enough to really set in, but not so thick where it left behind a sticky residue. I feel like it moisturized the area pretty well. However, I used this for roughly a month and couldn’t figure out what was causing my eyes to burn. Was it the new serum I was using? The moisturizer? After doing some investigating (in the form of a very scientific process of elimination), it’s been determined that it was the eye cream culprit. Well, that’s a bummer isn’t it? Except it costs almost $100 so I wouldn’t have bought more of it anyway. Sometimes things just work out.

Now for makeup:

If you want to feel like a fancy lady, grab a pack of these Tatcha blotting papers. They are exquisite. Then be sad when they are gone and try to placate yourself with a pack of NYX papers which will not even come close to the same. So I’m at that crossroads where I turn right and buy 30 Tatcha papers for $12 or turn left and buy 50 NYX papers for $3.99. Or maybe go straight and buy 100 Boscia papers for $10. Aaaack! I can’t decide. If the Tatcha wasn’t so good, this would not be much of a dilemma.

On another note, there’s a math problem in there if you are so inclined.

Look at my sad little Pixi bronzer. I actually hit pan on this and used it for another few weeks afterwards. Then I had a wee makeup avalanche, and it ended up in a billion pieces. Kind of sad because I hate throwing away things that aren’t empty, but there’s no way in hell I was gonna spend 15 hours trying to press this back together with rubbing alcohol. Do I have that kind of time? For other things, yes (pajamas, couch, bed, lazing), but for tedious arts and craft projects, NO.

Aside from all that, I liked the bronzer. It had some shimmer in it, but it didn’t bother me. And it was my favorite up until I started using the Too Faced Chocolate Soliel. I probably won’t repurchase because of that.

Look at that cute, itty bitty Benefit Fake Up concealer. It’s pretty precious if you ask me. I haven’t heard much about this concealer, but it was a Sephora freebie so figured why not. It’s a clear moisturizer stick with a concealer core. And I absolutely loved it. Went on very smooth, blended like a dream, and moisturized my under eye like nobody’s business. I’m trying desperately to finish up my other concealers before I buy the full size, but my fingers are starting to get clicky. And once that clicky feeling hits me, sometimes I end up buying things from Korea at 3 a.m. So pray for me, k?

The Laura Mercier Foundation Primer is not empty. It’s probably about 1/2 full or so. However, I didn’t realize there was only a 6 month expiration date on it, and I wasn’t sure what would happen to my face if I used it past its freshness date. So to be safe (and avoid any face-falling-off sort of scenarios), I’ve decided to pitch it. However, it wasn’t my most favorite primer anyway. Not bad by any means, but it felt like just plain moisturizer not anything special like the Laura Geller Spackle or the Benefit That Gal. And even though it hurt my heart a little to not finish the tube, I consoled myself with the 15 other primers in my stash. Don’t worry – I’ll be okay.

If you suffer from enormously large pores like me, then the L’Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector Pore Vanisher will be your BFF. It’s similar to the Benefit POREfessional, but it’s also different. Instead of the silicone feel you get with Benefit, this one has more of a gel texture, although looking at the ingredients you can clearly see it’s made of silicone. Regardless, it just feels nice, for lack of a better word. Also, I’ve been typing for several hours (seems like), so fancy words are hard to come by at this point.

Now I seriously have large pores – that’s not me being a typical overly dramatic woman. They are colossal, bottomless holes. Okay, that might be dramatic. But still. Large pores, nonetheless. This stuff truly does blur them out. Now, don’t get all excited thinking you’re going to walk away from your makeup mirror looking like a 13-year-old girl, but it does help somewhat. And if you have minimal pores, but you’d still like to blur them, I bet this would work even better. I’m definitely repurchasing. It may be 100% psychological brain trickery, but I liked it.

One product I wasn’t too keen on was this Sonia Kashuk lip liner. I can only speak for the nude pink shade I got because it’s the color payoff I had trouble with. It barely showed up on my lips, almost as if I didn’t put any liner on at all. I’m not really sure how much of a complaint that is depending on what you would want out of a lip liner, but I personally prefer some color. I ended up tossing this because I got another nude pink liner (from Starlooks) that works way better and I needed to free up some storage space.

Lord, are we done?!

No. Here’s some moisturizer:

That dadgum Pur-Lisse Pur Moist moisturizer haunts me forever. If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you will know this is only like my 6th or 7th tube. Not by choice, let me make that clear. Virtually every beauty box I’ve subscribed to has sent me this moisturizer. It’d be alright if it was the world’s best moisturizer, then I would have lots of it that I could hug and kiss and hoard like a crazy person. But instead it’s just a basic moisturizer that I couldn’t give two spits about. I mean, it’s fine. It does the job. It smells decent. There’s not really anything to hate. I’m just tired of looking at it. I did use the entire tube – well, within maybe an inch or so – and by doing so I feel as if I’ve accomplished the impossible. Yes, I’m comparing finishing this moisturizer to climbing Mt Everest because to me, it’s pretty much the same dang thing.

One moisturizer that I did love and would be perfectly fine in receiving duplicate tubes of is the H2O+ Oxygenating Rejuvenator. This stuff just felt so good going on the skin. It’s a gel consistency, it wasn’t thick, it wasn’t sticky, it was the perfect moisturizer for me. One of these days I’m going to settle on a skincare routine, and this quite possibly might be the one. Strictly on a texture basis, mind you. Cuz honestly, if it works actual skincare wonders I have no idea. I mean, a week’s worth of product isn’t enough to perform miracles. However, if texture is your main thing anyway, then you should go ahead and put this in your basket. (Cuz I am the boss of you, that’s why.)

Got another H2O+ moisturizer, this time the Micro Collagen one. I didn’t like this one as much as the other one, but it was still decent. It had a silicone look to it and it applied nicely. Absorbed well. I wouldn’t hesitate a bit about using this again because it was better than a lot of the moisturizers I’ve used before.

I’m boring myself. Sorry. Let’s talk about mushrooms.

Got this Amore Pacific Future Response cream as a free sample from Sephora. It has a delightful earthy mushroom smell – or what I like to refer to as, not delightful. Apparently mushrooms have wicked anti aging benefits, but to put them on my face? Eh. Granted, it’s more of a weird smell than a gross smell and I was able to put up with it for the roughly three weeks this sample lasted me. But let me reiterate that it WAS NOT DELIGHTFUL. They could’ve tossed a handful of flowers in the batter at least.

Finished off another tub of Josie Maran body butter. This time it’s the Vanilla Apricot scent, and it smells much better than the Sweet Citrus. Sweet Citrus has a slight hint of skunk and grass, and you have to convince yourself it’s grapefruit before it actually begins to smell like grapefruit. But the Vanilla Apricot is delicious right away, and no effort is to be made other than applying it to your body. That’s a successful body butter just so you know.

Last batch of goodies. It’s cleansers:

If you’re in the market for some decent, but no frills, cleansing cloths, then give the Michael Todd Skin Loving wipes a try. These smell like cucumber, aren’t overly moist (good thing or bad – you decide) and will refresh your face first thing in the morning. I probably won’t repurchase (I got them free to begin with) simply because I’d like to continue trying different kinds.

I’ve been slowly working my way through my hoard of cleanser samples. I wasn’t a huge fan of the Evologie Stay Clear. It’s made for acne prone skin, which I don’t have, so maybe that is why I didn’t love it. My skin felt kind of tight after using it, and there wasn’t anything that special about it. Thankfully there was only about a week’s worth of product in it, so I checked it off my to-do list rather quickly.

Another cleanser that almost put me right to sleep was the Iluminage Skin Prep. I can’t even tell you anything worth remembering about this cleanser other than it had a pearly sheen to it. Is that enough to make you wanna buy it? Perhaps if you are easily distracted by sheen-y things; otherwise, NO. Especially not for it’s $25 price tag.

Tried a new style of eye makeup remover, a gel one to be exact. The Mario Badescu eye makeup remover gel is rather decent stuff. Plus I got pretty good at applying goop straight on my eyelids, and only got it in my eye just 20 or 30 times. But most importantly, this removed my mascara very gently without too many eyelash losing situations like I tend to get with my liquid removers. Could be user error there, I don’t know. Regardless, I lost less eyelashes and that made me var var happy. I will repurchase for sure.

Last thing – yes, we’ve made it at last – is the REN makeup remover. I used this like a cleansing milk, even though it doesn’t say it’s milk anywhere on the packaging. But the texture is similar, maybe even better, than a cleansing milk so perhaps I’ve reinvented the cleansing milk? Yes, probably.

That’s it. We are finally done. Like kaput, finito. If you are reading this, you’re amazing. Thank you for sticking around even during the boring parts. Later, lovies.

Jun12

Buying Stuff: Episode 15

Posted on June 12, 2014 by Dianna

Standard

Beauty boxes are rolling in as we speak. I’m going to use more of the products before I do any reviews. Because I am a professional, and that is how I run this bloggin business.

To tide you over, I have a teeny haul to share. I went to Sephora under the guise of needing a free mask sample. And while I did get one (GlamGlow Supermud, to be exact), a few other products mysteriously, miraculously found their way into my basket. They are these:

I’ve been rather impressed with my tiny sample of the Urban Decay All-Nighter setting spray. And then I discovered they have an oily skin version called De-Slick. I’m been having some issues in the t-zone area, which I am not liking one bit. Using my setting powder, then spritzing the spray has been helping somewhat. Just imagine what a specified oily skin spray could do! I mean, I don’t know because I haven’t used it yet, but just IMAGINE.

I’m not saying I have a shopping problem or anything, I’m simply telling you I bought the Cover|FX Mattifying Primer on the Sephora website, then after work that day I went into the Sephora store and bought the Cover|FX Mattifying Primer. Somehow, in the short span between leaving work and arriving at the mall, I had forgotten what I’d purchased. No judging allowed. This is a friendly, safe environment.

But in my defense, I really wanted to try this primer. I’m desperate to rid my skin of an oily t-zone. I used it once last weekend and it did pretty good. I did not have to blot, where usually I will at least once if not twice during a workday. So that’s rather successful if you ask me. As soon as I finish the Napoleon Perdis primer I’m currently using, I will get back to the Cover|FX. And then of course, I will return my extra tube and apply that $16 towards something else. Because a refund is out of the question.

Shopping problem? No. Not at all.

Someone on YouTube said the Bite Beauty Lush Lip Tints were amazing. Hearing the word ‘amazing’ immediately makes my cat ears stand up straight. I love amazing things. I live for amazing. So naturally I had to have this, and rightnownotlater. Decided to go for the darkest shade they have, Blackcurrant, because tints are very sheer and I prefer color. And man, was that the best decision ever. It’s a purple-y plum, but very natural looking. It shows up on your lips, so it’s obvious you’re wearing a dark color, but it’s not dark. Do you get what I’m saying? It’s like going goth, but not making a full commitment.

Oh but wait, there’s more! The formula on these is TO. DIE. FOR. I can’t even explain it properly. It just feels good to wear them. Like a hug, but lips only. Comforting, soft, gentle, hydrating and lovely. And if that doesn’t get your attention, there is Resveratrol in the center, and that’s an antioxidant found in red wine. Red wine! I don’t even know what that means, but they said red wine and now nothing else matters.

Last item in the haul is a sample jar of the Perricone MD Photo Plasma day cream. I took a peek of the insides, and I’m not gonna lie when I say the primary reason for purchasing this was because it looked like a delicious strawberry mousse. Second primary reason is because it was in those Beauty-To-Go bins right by the register and I was in line for a minute too long. However, that’s all beside the point.

I used this on Sunday, and while it looks very light and airy in the jar, it doesn’t apply that way. It smooths out just fine, but it dries kind of sticky, and then it takes forever for it to absorb completely. Other reviews are back and forth on this product’s greatness. Some feel exactly like me (the RIGHT answer), and some feel this is the most brilliant thing they’ve ever used (clearly wrong). I dunno. Kind of wish I could take it back, but I threw out the box because I never expected not to like it. I mean, STRAWBERRY MOUSSE! It should have been just like strawberry mousse.

On a positive note, when my skin gets drier in the winter time, this product might actually work better. So since I’m forced to hold onto it, that’s the new plan. Then I will report back in an Empties post to keep you all informed. Again, I am a professional and this is how I do things.

As for that sample of the GlamGlow mask – you know, the reason for going into Sephora in the first place – let me tell you a story. I had one of those horrible under the skin pimples right on my chin, red, sore and angry. I was looking for something that would draw out the gunk, to try to heal the zit faster. Sephora lady directs me to the GlamGlow display and points out the SuperMud Clearing Treatment. Full size is $69, which I knew already, but she offered up a sample and I gratefully accepted. Fast forward two days, and my pimple is gone. As in, magically disappeared off my face. Normally this kind of pimple sticks around for at least a week, where I proceed to press around on it, play with it, squeeze and pick at it. But not this time. This time I got it, and I got it good. Needless to say, there’s a GlamGlow in my shopping cart in the very near future.

One more teeny haul:

More Makeup Geek eyeshadows! I have a 27-slot Z-Palette that only has 5 slots filled, so naturally I can’t go around looking like that. Adding these 5 makes my total 10, and that is math and now you’re officially prepared to live life.

Shades I got (from top to bottom) are Cosmopolitan (rose gold), Beaches and Cream (matte browbone shade), Pop Culture (iridescent lavender), Mermaid (teal with gold shimmer), and Rockstar (silver with purple iridescence). I really like the eyeshadows. They’re blendable, which is my #1 important eyeshadow factor. If you can’t blend out, then I don’t want you. Even if you are the perfect shade of Heaven. Unless that is sacrilegious, and in that case I’ll take a hundred.

Enough talky. More later.

Snacks On Rotation

surprisingly, not a food blog

Tag Archives: foundation primer

Buying Stuff on Location: Las Vegas

Birthday Haul: Part 2

Buying Stuff: Episode 19

Empties | July 2014

Buying Stuff: Episode 15

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