Primer/ Corrector -Tarte - Clean Slate Poreless 12 hr perfecting primer 
almondeyed1988 9/5/2012 11:23:00 AM
I was getting low on my Mac Prep and Prime spf50 and was shopping for a new primer. After seeing countless youtubers raving about the primer, I caved. I bought the travel size version of this primer because I was afraid that I would end up being disappointed by it. What drew me to the primer was that it claimed to be mattifying, pore-filling, and that it smoothed fine skin. I mainly buy primers for their mattifying properties because I have combination oily skin. The primer comes out clear and while I can tell it's silicon based, it doesn't feel exactly like my Sephora smoothing primer(silicon-based primer). It has a smooth satiny finish and doesn't feel greasy. My makeup blended well, and I didn't have to use as much. It's extremely long wearing and I was surprised how well it was able to make my pores disappear. It's mattifying properties were better than alot of other primers I've used, but I've recently used the Revlon Perfecting Primer and it keeps me matte for hours.With the Tarte primer I will get a little dewy around 3 to 3.5 hours but will start to get a slightly oily around 4hrs+. The main reason why I would buy this primer again is the effect that it gives to the makeup. The primer gives the most beautiful soft focus effect that I've ever seen. My skin looks glowy and airbrushed. I loved the way my makeup looked that I ended up using for a straight week. I've had to put it away and just use it for special occasions because I only have the travel size. If you want a cheaper alternative, I would recommend the Revlon Perfecting Primer. It keeps me matte for a lot longer than the Tarte. It doesn't give the soft focus effect like the Tarte but it does give a perfecting finish:).
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Primer/ Corrector -Revlon - PhotoReady Perfecting Primer (color 001)
almondeyed1988 9/5/2012 11:05:00 AM
Omg Omg, I absolutely adore this primer. The main reason why I use a primer is to keep my face matte and to control the oil production in my t-zone. I also wear primers to keep my makeup long-wearing, fill in pores, smooth fine lines, etc. I've used several primers from high end to low end. All of the primers I have used have been good, but have not kept me matte as long as the Revlon one. I was running out of my Mac Prep and Prime spf 50 and decided to save some money and get a drugstore primer. After reading several reviews I decided on getting the Revlon primer and I've fallen in love. First off, I love the packaging and the design of the bottle. The primer doesn't feel like a traditional silicon primer, but it goes on smooths and dries to a soft satin finish. It's hydrating enough for dry skin, but mattifying enough for oily skin. It fills in lines and makes my pores disappear:). My skin will start to get slightly dewy around 3-3.5 hours when I use my Mac or Tarte poreless primer (which I absolutely adore as well). I don't mind looking slightly dewy btw. When I wore the Revlon primer and looked in the mirror around the 3 hour mark, I looked exactly the same as when I first put it on in the morning. After five hours, I started to get a slight glow on my forehead (my forehead produces the most oil throughout my tzone). I would say it looked like a healthy sheen. I checked the mirror after 8 hours and I was slightly oily. I have never been able to go for so many hours without blotting at least once. Out of all the primers I have used, I would have never thought that I would ever find one that would keep me matte for so long, and especially one that came from a drugstore. My skin and my pockets are very happy:). I wanted to add that the primer doesn't give a flat matte dead look, but it does give a perfect airbrushed effect to the makeup. It is indeed longwearing and I haven't gotten any breakouts. It would have received 5 lippies, but it lacks something that the tarte poreless primer has (I would give the tarte 4 lippies as well because it lacks the mattifying effects of the revlon). The tarte poreless primer gives the most beautiful soft focus effect to the face. You literally look like a airbrushed picture lol. If the revlon primer had the soft focus effect of the tarte, it would be perfect. But it's close to perfect, and I'm extremely satisfied with it. Edit: I still keep the original rating for the primer because I still absolutely adore it. I have noticed that after experimenting with several foundations that the primer works best with foundations that already good at keeping the skin mattified. The review really pertains to how the primer performed with my Clinique Stay Matte foundation. With that foundation, my skin stayed relatively matte for up to 8 hours. My other foundations like my Clinique Perfectly Real compact foundation are for oily skin types but I will get really oily after a couple of hours. The primer made my skin look flawless but I was oily around 4 hours of wearing the foundation. I would still definitely repurchase it though:).
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Powder -Clinique - Superbalanced powder makeup (spf 15) [DISCONTINUED]
almondeyed1988 7/1/2012 3:21:00 PM
It's crazy how this product has such glowing reviews but it didn't work out that great for me. I initially bought this foundation because I wanted a product that would be lightweight during Texas summer and would be able to handle some of my oil and offer me some spf. The first negative thing about this product is the color range. I'm around a NC45 and I was matched to 7.0. It looked darker than my skin tone when I got home so I went back to try the 6.5. 6.5 is a closer match to my skin but it has a strong yellow undertone. I have neutral undertones so it looked a bit strange. In addition, the packaging says that its sheer to moderate coverage foundation. I found that if you try to build it up, the powder will not blend into the skin and it ends up just laying on top of the skin in a really weird way and does not look at all natural. I first thought maybe my kabuki brush was too dense, so I ended buying another. I also ended up getting MAC Prep and Prime spf 50 because I thought my drugstore primer was affecting the application of the foundation. I soon found out that it wasn't the brush or the primer but the amount of product you put on. You have to put a very very light dusting of the product on, and buff it in well (surprisingly, even with a light dusting the coverage is pretty decent). Also with a light dusting, the yellow undertones don't stand out that much, but I do have to blend down my neck so it looks natural. After figuring that out, the powder looks natural but it still causes problems. First of all, I love powder foundations and I'm used to them transferring on clothes. But they barely do any transferring. You can barely touch this foundation and it will transfer like you rubbed your face intentionally. It's extremely annoying. In addition, it settles in my laugh lines even when I buff the product in. I have to rub them so the lines don't stand out as much. It does okay with oil control. I am combo/oily so it feels nice on my cheeks and it doesn't promote oil. It's not particularly oil-controlling though. The packaging is ingenious, but I would not purchase again. It sucks because I have alot left and its been a couple months since I've bought it. This was supposed to be my everyday summer foundation but it's too high maintenance and annoying for me to use every single day. I would say the only good thing is that its good for those hot days when you want to have something lightweight and natural on your face. But I will not repurchase. I just got Clinique's Stay Matte which is absolutely a new fav!
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Liquid -Clinique - Stay-Matte Oil-Free Makeup
almondeyed1988 6/22/2012 12:24:00 AM
This is my first legitimate liquid foundation. Liquid foundation has always given me the impression of being heavy, unnatural looking, and non oily skin friendly (plus the good quality ones are always out of my budget). I had always been a powder foundation girl, but when I saw an ad for the Stay-Matte foundation, I was intrigued. The marketing campaign worked, because after reading glowing reviews, I decided to buy the foundation. So now let's get to the review. So the foundation is supposed to have a lightweight natural matte finish. This description fits it to a tee. Not only do I not feel like anything is on my face, but when I look in the mirror I cannot help but smile because my skin looks so gorgeous. This finish is so natural and the skin has a glow-like effect to it. I'm somewhere around a NC45 and was matched to Creamy Caramel (which was a perfect match). It's great that Clinique realizes that darker skin comes in different shades and the Stay Matte line offers a good variety for brown skinned women. The question is does it keep me matte? It does a pretty good job keeping me matte except for my forehead which just gets dewy not oily (I usually just have to blot one or two times a day and even if I don't, I don't look greasy...I just like a matte look lol). I usually set it with a light dusting of Loreal True Match Pressed Powder. For my first foundation, I found it very easy to apply. I used the ELF Studio Powder Brush, and stippled it on and blended. I am extremely pleased with this product, especially with it's price point. Good quality liquid foundation can be expensive at times, so it's awesome that Clinique can offer a great quality foundation at a decent price. I will definitely repurchase:)
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Powder -Clinique - Perfectly Real Compact Powder Foundation
almondeyed1988 2/22/2012 12:29:00 AM
Clinique Perfectly Real was my first high end foundation. This foundation claims to make your skin look perfect but natural looking at the same time. I completely agree with that claim. While I do not agree its a full coverage foundation, it can be built from medium coverage to a fuller one. It does not cover acne marks and blemishes completely, so make sure to use a concealer underneath. I love this foundation because you can really build it up and it gives you this beautiful airbrush effect like your skin belongs to a supermodel without look cakey or made up looking. It really looks like you were born with perfect skin:). Clinique has a wide of shades that goes from light to dark, so I'm sure anyone can find a close match. My main and only problem with this foundation is that not only does it not last a great deal of time, but that it does not keep me matte for long. It gives a nice matte effect at the beginning but 2.5 hours in, my skin will start to get a serious build up of oil, which I cannot stand. I have to blot throughout the day or my forehead will look like a grease pit. I'm using MUFE Duo Mat now, and while I do love how it keeps me matte for hours, I still love my Perfectly Real because it gives me the skin of model without it looking like I'm wearing pounds of makeup to achieve the effect.
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Powder -Make Up For Ever - Duo Mat Powder foundation
almondeyed1988 2/22/2012 12:12:00 AM
I'm a lurker on MUA but I love this product so much that I had to review. I have combination/oily skin and have to deal with an extremely oily tzone on a everyday basis. I'm not into liquid foundations and strictly prefer powder formulas. I was using Clinique Perfectly Real Powder Foundation, (which is an awesome foundation, and I still use it at times) but I would get really oily on my tzone after 2.5 to 3 hours of wearing it and would get frustrated having to blot several times a day. I did research and found out about Duo Mat, and decided to give it a shot despite the price tag. The foundation gives a lovely flawless finish and keeps me matte for about 5.5 to 6 hours without blotting. For us oily girls that is truly a feat:). Even when I became oily, it was more of a sheen than a grease pit. My few gripes with the product is that they have a limited selection of darker shades. 214 matched me perfectly in the store, but at home its a tad bit red, and almost looks a little darker than my skin tone. Also for some strange reason I must have been extremely oily one day, because at the end of the day, my skin had a slight orange tint to it. I make sure to wear a primer whenever I wear it, and haven't had a problem since. The packaging is crappy, and they give little product for such an expensive amount (lost of a lippie). It is a full coverage foundation so make sure to have a light hand when brushing it on if you don't want an extremely made up face. I use a kabuki brush and after awhile, the color blends in perfectly with my skin tone and gives me a beautiful glow. It is expensive, but I have actually found a foundation that keeps me matte and flawless for a long period of time. Don't sleep on this ladies:).
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