Powder -Chanel - Les Beiges - Healthy Glow Sheer Powder
Indigomama 4/18/2013 12:31:00 PM
I am in between Dior 010 and 020 and purchased it in 10, because it is the closest match to my skin. Strange enough, I read a lot of suggestions that it would only suit very fair complexions. I am no way close to medium skin tone, but never considered myself fair skinned too. However, if heavily swatched just with a finger on my face it totally matches my natural skin color. It's pretty much crap if applied directly to bare skin, as offered by the manufacturer and demonstrated by Lisa Eldridge, it immediately reveals all skin faults you were not even aware of. But if applied as a finishing powder it is a total winner. The only downside is that it would stay glowing, not oily, for only 2 hours, and then you have to blot and reapply. However, regardless of how many times you reapply throughout the day, it wouldn't cake or mess up. It is quite perfumed and the smell of that fragrance reminds me some part of Coco Noir which I luckily like. Otherwise it could have been quite a challenge for a sensitive nose. It is somewhat overprised but the best finishing powder I have ever had, the most invisible of all
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -Guerlain - Terracotta 4 Seasons Bronzing Powder 00 Nude
Indigomama 4/9/2013 6:11:00 AM
This is a review of the new 4-segment Terracotta color 00 Nude for 2013. I don't know whether it will be permanent or limited but it is sort of a much sought for product and seems to sell out everywhere. I joined the rush and blindly purchased it online a week ago. Would I if I knew what it is? Most probably yes. My skin color is in between Dior 010 and 020 and in between cool and neutral in undertone. That makes my HG bronzer search a tough one. I did try the original 4 seasons in Blondes (one propably renumbered to 04 in this launch) and couldn't make any good use of it because of its dark orange appearance. For a couple of years I stayed away from all Terracotta products until I finally read that this spring the needs of pale and cooler people were finally catered for and so much liked bloggers' reviews that I was sure I ultimately needed the new Terracotta in 00 Nude. So what I've finally got is a nice pinkish powder which doesn't show up anywhere close to tan, both real and fake, on my skin color. It just adds a hint of a healthy glow I would say, but very subtle to be seen by itself. That is, I am not that pale for it to show as tan and not that tan for it to add some glam but right now it may look somewhat dusty or muddy on me. Anyway, the product itself is fine, very neatly picked by the brush and almost matte (I don't see any obvious glow from it and thank god no sparkles) and stays put. The case is, that I wouldn't dare to buy 02 because I have already tested it instore and it was again a too dark and orange no-no for me. If this 00 Nude Terracotta were a tad darker it would have been Chanel's 547 Bronze Rose :) But Chanel is more matter and more transparent. Anyway, I do foresee this product having much use and already purchased a backup because I don't want to wait another 3 years for another suitable bronzer. And the last thing: at the very first couple of uses it literally stinked to me of what I later discovered was frangipani. It does go away soon whean applied and I finally got somehow accustomed but the product is quite heavily perfumed and the fragrance is tough, beware
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Christian Dior - Backstage Foundation Brush
Indigomama 4/4/2013 2:44:00 AM
This is the review for the Backstage Light Coverage Liquid Foundation Brush with black handle. It somewhat resembles the photo but not precisely. It is my HG brush, it 100% fool-proof and is excellent for literally all kinds of liquid stuff you may want to put on your face. I experimented alot with BB creams, authentic Korean brands and asian launches of Dior and other hi-end brands and it makes your BB application a dream! Even those difficult to blend thick substances you were willing to throw to thrash bin. I have rediscovered several BBs and one of them even became my HG. I also own a Dior Backstage Full Coverage Liquid Foundation brush but do not often reach for it because this one ticks all boxes OK, I can't make a separate review for my Dior Backstage Full Coverage Liquid Foundation brush so I will review it here too. It is also very well built, 100% worth the price and even suitable for stick foundations but I discovered I prefer the Light Coverage better. Just personal preference and it is also cheaper and not so hard to find and much easir to clean. There is not much difference in coverage, it mostly depends on the product you use, not the type of brush
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Christian Dior - Rouge Diorific 039 Lady
Indigomama 2/20/2013 2:41:00 PM
This is a Diorific remake for Christmas 2013/2013, one of 4 red lipsticks by Dior. To some extent it is a responce from Dior to Chanel's Rouge Allure Velvet and matte Lancomes. And much more impressive at that. I couldn't use Chanel, neither in terms of finish nor colour playoff, even the most tolerant La Caline, and decided that 41 yo pout doesn't go with matte lipstick. No, it's not the issue with me, it's with Chanel! Lady is very agreable red, quite bold but at the same time not screaming hey everyone I'm doing real red lip. Lady is mostly described as having warm brown undertones which however wouldn't show on my lips. It is pretty neutral red and warm brown is well balanced by pink undertone resulting in refreshing and mature everyday color suitable for office wear. Non drying and looking totally fab plus longlasting. Already repurchased
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Foundations -Unlisted Brand - 24H Cosme - Stick Cover Foundation SPF50
Indigomama 1/3/2013 3:36:00 PM
24H Cosme is a Japanese brand available from Sasa and produces "inoffensive" as they call it makeup packed in cute polka-dot spotted packages. I have so far tried only this Stick Cover Foundation SPF50, in the color Light, which I truly love despite the name of the color being totally misleading. It is by no means light for a regular Dior 020 caucasian skin, it is darker with peachy-pink undertones but these pink undertones make it really agreeable color wise. Apart from that, it is what it claims, a high protection easily blendable and sort of stay put foundation very suitable for sensitive skin. Do not overuse, a tiny patch is enough to cover all your cheek or forehead. Coverage tends to be full, unless you try really hard to thin it out. Makes an excellent under eye concealer but unfortunately is useless to cover dark spots elsewhere: it is already much darker than my skin, so I can not build it up (the product though can be built up easily). Overall, this is an excellent product, skin friendly and wrinkle friendly, but a version lighter than Light would be even better for us poor Europeans
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BB Cream -Dr. Jart+ - V7 SPF30 Beauty Balm
Indigomama 1/3/2013 3:17:00 PM
Dr.Jart+ is known to manufacture advanced and high-tech cometic products therefore a junk by Dr.Jart+ nevertheless is a junk by Dr.Jart+. However, this is a truly mediocre if not worse product sold for 37 dollars at Sasa. Some users reviewing it on Sephora commented on it being ghostly white. I wouldn't subscribe to this point of view, there is nothing about its color that a regular caucasian skin may not handle. It even is not a disaster from oiliness/oil control point of view. But gosh it Is Thick! It doesn't blend at all. At least I may try to warm it up, pat in tiny dabs, pray or whatever, it doesn't blend. Notwithstanding that, it doesn't offer a coverage even close to above medium so can not be used as a decent concealer. I only used it once and can not force myself to another try. Do not ever bother purchasing it at whatever low price, I wish I could have returned it. It truly deserves one star for its personal qualities but being a Dr.Jart+ devoted fan I will add another star
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Lotions/ Creams -Neutrogena - Norwegian Formula Fast Absorbing Hand Cream
Indigomama 12/11/2012 3:54:00 PM
Bought it on a whim not having Unscented Concentrated at hand, thought it will suite. Nope, it's worse. The scent is agreeable but I don't like it, feels greasy and stays greasy. With Concentrated Unscented all you feel are your soft hands whereas here you feel the cream itself. Very mediocre and below my expectations
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Skincare - Body -Neutrogena - Norwegian Formula Hand Cream Unscented
Indigomama 12/11/2012 3:50:00 PM
A total winner, much better than blue Fast Absorbing scented. Absorbing immediately, long lasting in effect and the tube itself, I am totally sold. I use either scented hi-end body treats like Chanel No 5 bath line or Neutrogena unscented and like them equally. Unscented concentrated hand cream rocks
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Lotions/ Creams -Neutrogena - Norwegian Formula body moisturizer
Indigomama 12/11/2012 3:45:00 PM
There are two unscented versions available out there in European market, one is blue Deep Moisture and the other is red Intense Repair. Probably the red one is a bit more expensive but very slightly. Thumbs up the blue version wins. It delivers what it claims, maybe not 24h moisture but quite decent effect. It is more like a lotion though not runny whereas red version is more like a cream. I have both because I couldn't figure which to buy. Apparently I have nothing to repair therefore I can not fully appreciate the effects of the red one, though it is not bad by itself but I will not repurchase unless the blue one is discontinued (God forbid!). Both versions soothe my sudden urges to itch which I started experiencing recently, maybe because of new medication or just dry air. In sum, Neutrogena Norwegian Formula unscented for sensitive skin is my go-to and a definite must have and overall a great availability-quality-price match. It ticks all boxes.
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Powder -Estee Lauder - Double Matte Oil-Control Pressed Powder
Indigomama 10/25/2012 5:58:00 AM
Strange enough, I've nearly missed this product though I am in constant search for a nice setting powder which will also control oil. It only came to my interest when I saw it with a discount and blind-ordered it in 02 Light/Medium hoping that it will deliver what it claims. I could have well missed it at all and remained unhappy. Both came true: I like the color, it's good for my Dior 020 skin, 'cause I am not that pale to try 01 Light (or 1st grades) and definitely not tan enough for a 03 Medium (3rd grades in high-end foundations). I am somewhere in between, this color is a good match and settles to invisible coverage soon enough though shows upon application. It also controls sebum. It goes on very flat (more gross than just matte) if applied with a sponge enclosed, but if applied with a large kabuki brush settles almost to perfection and doesn't feel dry. My complexion is quite choosy, while it neads a good sebum control, excess oil control results in immediate tinging sensation which I hate. If applied as recommended it will not emphasize those wrinkles you might be worried about at 40+. My only gripe apart from the package which is not comfortable to use and doesn't look any luxe, as other reviewers mentioned, might be lack of SPF whatsoever. Not that it is an issue to me, I anyway use high SPF Korean BB creams as tinted moisturisers, but someone with better or just younger skin than mine would have benefited from SPF added, if worn alone. Already booked for repurchase, might want to stock a couple with a good shelf life period to not get worried about sebum control anymore.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Dr. Jart+ - Renewalist BB Beauty Balm
Indigomama 10/19/2012 4:29:00 PM
I am a devoted believer in BBs by Dr.Jart+. In fact, I was very pleased with their Pemium Gold and just could not help trying the Renewalist as soon as I happened to see it at Sasa online. I like Renewalist even better. It offers better coverage, better oil control by added sebum control powder and it stays in place for 8+ hours. The tube is only 35ml, which is quite small, and flat in shape, which makes it easy to carry around. As to the product itself, it is quite light in color, for quite fair skins, hardly suitable for someone darker than Dior 020. In fact I am Dior 020 and due to its medium coverage find it borderline between ghostly whiteness and noble paleness. It makes my skin glow from within, unlike any BB cream I used prior to it. It dries to a look more glowing than matte but not shiny in any respect and does not need any powder to settle. It is quite moisturising at that without being too rich or oily. In sum, I am sold, especially when Sasa sells two with 30% discount with free postage, which is USD 34 for two tubes! I expect one tube to last about 3 months and thus purchased 2 sets. It is now my true HG BB and probably will remain so until Dr.Jart+ comes with a better product ;)
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Christian Dior - Capture Totale One Essential Skin Boosting Super Serum
Indigomama 7/13/2012 10:44:00 AM
I use Dior products on and off, and currently this is the only Dior skincare product that is left in use. This serum does not do miracles but it is a decent weak glycolic buffer which delivers some visible results when used faithfully for at least a couple of weeks. For me it is OK to use it on its own, especially in the summer time, but could not be insufficient in colder months or for dryer skins. A little goes a long way, I have first used a 30 ml bottle purchased at a bargain price just to try it and then liked it enough to indulge myself when travelling and to buy a twin pack of 50mls in Frankfurt Duty Free. However, after that my commitment subseded and I must try really hard to get use of these two bottles until they get rotten. This is not my go to serum, but a good investment if you can avoid buying it at full retail price. Anyway, somehow it goes well with other products from Guerlain and Clinique, though usually you are not encouraged to mix different skincare brands
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Cleansers -Guerlain - Secret de Purete Cleansing Foaming Cream
Indigomama 7/13/2012 10:29:00 AM
Though I am totally committed to Guerlain Secret de Purete Radiance Cleansing Gel, and will swear by it as long as it is available, I find its fluffy sister a very mediocre product. I have used Guerlain on and off, for years, to see my skin to reach maturity and become more demanding. Having reached its 40th anniversary my skin became a complete disaster cursed with weird sensitivity. Never ever before had I had an issue with redness, itching or burning, which now are a part of my daily routine, especially on the cheek bone area. Ok, this leads me to the product. This cleansing foam (no way is this a cream, but merely a cleansing foam) is an OK product, performing no better than, say, a cheap Japanese Kose Softymo Oil Cleansing Foam readily available from Sasa and always on sale. Don't get me wrong, Softymo is a sound product by itself, but costs about 4 times less. Guerlain's cleansing foam is also a decent cleanser but nothing to write home about and for me is better used on wet face otherwise it is too drying (by the way no dryness in case of Radiance Cleansing Gel from the same product family). Used on dry face it will remove somewhat stubborn face makeup like say BB cream while on wet face it does jot perform so well. And never ever try to use it to remove your eye makeup and watch out so it does not get into your eyes accidentally. Again, unlike the Cleansing Gel formula, this stuff stings like crazy.
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Eyeliner -Prestige - Total Intensity Eyeliner-Outrageous Emerald 09
Indigomama 7/9/2012 9:07:00 AM
I've been in doubt about Outrageous Emerald and Fearless Teal but the latter won. For my case, been green-eyed I needed something really greener whereas Outrageous Emerald, despite its mame, came out quite bluish-green and not so dark as I wanted. Overall I love Total Intensity eye liners but I can imagine Outrageous Emerald better suiting someone with warm complexion and brown eyes (not me having a pale neutral-cool complexion and green eyes). Do give it a try, it is well worth it.
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Eyeliner -Prestige - Total Intensity Eyeliner-Powerful Purple 06
Indigomama 7/9/2012 9:02:00 AM
This is my third color after Daring Green and Fearless Teal, a weird color celection it may seem but having green eyes is a challenge by itself and a green-eyed person ais always on the go in search of a flattering color. Sometimes my eyes look bright grass green, sometimes emerald green and sometimes yellow-tinged grey with darker circle. This is not that much of a purple to scare people away, definitely not so. Purple flashes only in bright direct sunlight, whereas in an office environment is it a very tonned down dark greyish-brownish-reddish black-based purple. This is my third review of Total Intensity eye liners and it is only now that I figured where I have seen that idea: YSL's latest gel liners and Faux Cils Shocking mascara, several blackened colors. I am not sure there is a matching mascara but a few of these will definitely find their partner at YSL's. As I am a big fan of FC Shocking in blackened green and find it very age and office appropriate, I believe my Powerful Purple will also see many office days. And again in brief: stays put and color-true for at least 8 hours on my upper lid, is very creamy and glides easily. However being extra creamy must be applied with caution and will probably need sharpening every now and than and will hardly last long. May be easily removed with Guerlain Radiance Cleansing Gel (gel to oil to milk substance).
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