Cleansers -Cetaphil - Gentle Skin Cleanser
realsilicon 8/12/2012 7:27:00 AM
i know this isn't the most exciting cleanser out there - it's a drugstore brand, the packaging is basic, there is no fragrance to speak of, and it doesn't claim to do anything but cleanse your face and not irritate it (unlike fancy brands that throw in whitening, exfoliating, anti-aging and the like in their product advertorials). but i love it. this doesn't irritate my skin, it doesn't burn upon contact with my skin and gets the job done. but for the price and the fact that it's so frills free is perfect. the lack of foam takes a bit to get used to after years and years of foamy, fragranced cleansers, but i'd rather something that works when my skin is irritated and sensitive than something that comes with bells and whistles but burns my skin. this forms part of my fall back skin regime whenever my skin protests to something and becomes angry and red.
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Physiogel - Physiogel Cream
realsilicon 8/12/2012 7:22:00 AM
i had a bad reaction to some product with hydroquonine in it and my skin became inflammed and itchy and would burn whenever i put any product on it. i went to see a doctor to prescribed me some antibacterial cream to alleviate the inflammation. on top of that, i got myself a bottle of cetaphil cleanser and physiogel to moisturise. weeks in and my skin is so much better. beyond that, i found that my oily skin didn't remain matte longer when i used a thin layer of physiogel as moisturizer. in fact, even my powder foundation applied better on my skin and remain matte all the way. love that it is so darn cheap, and a little goes a long way so that tube of physiogel cream can last ages. i've got pretty sensitive skin and this did not irritate it at all. it can feel a bit thick but if applied sparingly and with a layer of powder dusted over, it is perfect. this and the cetaphil cleanser are really my fall back skincare regime whenever my skin is irritated.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Chanel - Mat Lumiere Extreme SPF 20/PA+++
realsilicon 8/12/2012 7:15:00 AM
i thought i'd give chanel a shot, but i should have trusted my gut. firstly, the counter ran out of the shade i was matched to and the counter lady sold me the lightest shade instead - not exactly the worse thing - i look like a ghost when i first put this on but my oily skin managed to oxidise this to the point where the colour pretty much matches my neck (thankfully). the issue i have with this is that it is awfully drying - i have oily skin but this sucker made it feel really tight & itchy. and this settles into my open pores/acne scars/lines, cakes up (even though i used the chanel primer and applied only 1 thin layer because of the light shade) and even my colleague pointed out that it was not working out for me because she could see blotches of the foundation caking up and settling into my acne scars. i pretty much ditched it 2-3 days in and that was a truly expensive lesson to learn that chanel products and my skin just can't agree.
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Liquid -Christian Dior - Diorskin Forever Flawless Perfection Fusion Wear Makeup (new - 2011 version)
realsilicon 8/12/2012 7:05:00 AM
this is absolutely the best liquid foundation i've ever used. i've oily skin that shines like a bulb after 1 hour of application with powder foundations but this one here is perfect - i don't look like a grease monkey even in 90% humidity and after several hours. i first tried it on at the counter - the dior counter lady very nicely put it on my whole face and she did ply a couple of layers on (to cover my angry red acne scars) and my skin looked absolutely perfect. that application survived a 3 hour dinner, a night of clubbing till 5 am and did not budge or cake up (as my oily skin tends to do with any foundation that tries to control oil). a few nights later, i went clubbing again with this foundation on and it survived all that dancing and sweating. i fell asleep with this on (bad, i know) and woke up the next day with my skin still matte (impressive!) and foundation intact. i like that it's buildable, and doesn't feel like i'm wearing a layer of foundation (when really i am). the texture/consistency is not as runny as i'd expect - like a whipped liquid consistency but didn't present a real challenge in terms of application (i use my hands). colour selection is great (i'm a 20 in this or NC25/Nars Fiji) too - beats the selection chanel has. love the pump dispenser, i'm on the fence about the glass bottle since that makes travel with it a bit tough, but overall i'd definitely repurchase. even at the crazy price point - but honestly 2 pumps is all i need, so it's probably going to last ages.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -NARS - Powder Foundation SPF 12 - Fiji
realsilicon 12/10/2011 7:36:00 AM
This is a staple for me. I used to prefer using liquid foundation but since trying this, I've been religiously repurchasing it whenever I run out. The colour match is fantastic and the coverage is sheer to medium at best - my acne scars are still visible but other than that, this does not go on cakey (unlike my shiseido powder foundation). It doesn't break me out (unlike make up forever) and it is just all round perfect (save that it's not readily available where I live). I use this with Dior's white reveal UV shield (my sunscreen) as base and my oily mug remains decent for a good couple of hours. It doesn't last all day though, but I don't think anything would last all day on my oily skin.
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Treatments (Eye) -Christian Dior - Hydra Life Pro-Youth Sorbet Eye Cream
realsilicon 12/10/2011 7:30:00 AM
LOVE IT! It's basic, the scent is pleasant and light and the best part about it is that it hydrates my eye area really well and yet it feels so light and is not greasy nor does it sting. I much prefer this to the eye cream from the whitening line and this is cheaper too. I wish it came in a more compact packaging (tube packaging anyone?) instead of a fiddly glass jar with a spatula. That said, I'd still repurchase it over and over again.
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Treatments -Decleor - Aromessence Ylang Ylang
realsilicon 12/10/2011 7:23:00 AM
Let me preface this by saying that I have very oily, acne-ridden skin and that the only thing that has worked so far for me was accutane. I tried this product last year and felt that it was just too greasy (now on hindsight, it was just me being overzealous with the application). Lately, I had a bad case of acne and went to see a doctor who suggested that the root of my problem was the lack of moisture. He made me bring a bunch of moisturizers I would usually use and failed them all but the ylang ylang oil. So I followed his advice, used a drop (or a drop and half) twice daily and along with the matte skin fluid and a month or two later, I started noticing that my skin was not the oil slick that it used to be. My colleague has even commented that the parts of my face that aren't plagued by acne scars is starting to look really glowy (in a good way) and nice. the only issue I have is the bottle it comes in - I wish it came with a dropper instead. That would make controlling the amount of oil dispensed much easier.
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Liquid -NARS - Sheer Matte
realsilicon 7/8/2010 1:33:00 AM
i'm just on my third day of using this foundation and so far, it's great! the MA recommended that i purchase a pump with this and so i don't have that big a grouse with the packaging. true to it's name, it feels absolutely sheer and applies well (esp with the NARS primer - the MA gave me a sample of it and while the primer was a little too watery for my liking, it worked well with the foundation). of course the true test to this foundation was the fact that when i walked into the office on the first day of using it, my colleagues commented that i looked glowy (first time ever). the coverage is medium, but it suffices (and looks more natural IMO). i've paired this off with the amour blush and pressed powder and i couldn't ask for anything better. i'm completely sold on the brand now.
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Crème -Smashbox - 'Camera Ready' Full Coverage Foundation
realsilicon 7/8/2010 1:26:00 AM
the shade matched my skintone perfectly and it applied like a dream (loved the little brush at the bottom of the compact). however, when i used this in conjunction with the smashbox primer, my face became an oil slick in less than an hour. it's definitely better when coupled with another primer (MUFE/Shu) but this is undoubtedly rubbish at controlling oil. the foundation slips pretty easily even after finishing off with loose powder but the coverage is flawless and it doesn't break me out. so that's enough for me to buy it again like a sucker and live with the oilies.
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Liquid -Make Up For Ever - Mat Velvet PLUS Matifying Foundation
realsilicon 7/8/2010 1:19:00 AM
i wanted to try MUFE for ages and finally got around to getting a bottle of the mat velvet foundation a few months ago. notwithstanding the fact that i was matched with the wrong tone (a shade too light), the product made my face break out like i was a teenager again. i gave it a rest thinking that perhaps it was something else that was aggravating my skin, but when i went back to it recently, it broke me out again. that said, it does control the oiliness and shine to some extent (when used with the HD primer) but that's perhaps the only plus point to the product. it applied streaky/chalky with a brush and it was only slightly better with my fingers. this foundation definitely had me missing my smashbox cream foundation.
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Loose Powders -Christian Dior - Poudre Libre (Loose Powder)
realsilicon 10/22/2006 9:15:00 PM
after reading the reviews here, i headed straight to the dior counter and got myself a box of the loose powder in the medium shade. it's absolutely fantastic! i've got bad skin from acne and i usually require a pretty heavy coverage from my foundation. but after getting the dior loose powder, all i had to do was slap on some concealer on my zits, dust the loose powder on and i've got perfect glowing skin! it's just really fantastic and looks much more natural than when i have my foundation on. the packaging could be a little better (when i opened my box, some of the powder had shifted to the side, but the screw cap inside managed to save it from spillage. the brush included is absolutely lovely though and very lush. all in all, i think it's my favourite dior cosmetic product, along with the new rouge replenishing lipstick (the one with monica bellucci for spokeswoman). i'd definitely buy it again in a heartbeat!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Christian Dior - Diorskin Airflash
realsilicon 10/19/2006 9:17:00 PM
i was so excited about getting this foundation when i was at the diorshow makeup range launch. it seemed like a brilliant product and the best part is, i could spray it nearer to my face on a particular spot and it doubles up as a concealer. (no more having to scout for a concealer that matches my foundation when this can do the job of both!) however, it is pretty slippery and it makes my oily/combination skin appear too oily, even in the dry winter weather. it's pretty hard to really get to grips with the whole spray application - try getting a balanced spray all over your face with your eyes closed. i ended up spraying it onto a sponge before transferring the foundation onto my face to save time (and avoid the problem of having foundation coated lashes on days when i'm too lazy to apply mascara). it runs out pretty quickly too. i really wanted to love this product as i really do adore dior, but this really just doesn't cut it and seems pretty gimmicky now. the range of shades is also a severely limited.
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Liquid -Yves Saint Laurent - Teint Mat Purete
realsilicon 10/19/2006 9:10:00 PM
in terms of oil control, it's nothing spectacular (although the powder version is much better, but it was just too drying for me). but i'd say it's better than the lancome, chanel, dior and estee lauder ones i've tried. as for application, it is true that it's pretty difficult to apply a second layer over the first, but you wouldn't want to do that anyway, because i tried dabbing a second "coat" of foundation on some of my zits and the colour went horribly wrong in those areas (it just turned darker and was very visible even though i tried to blend it in). that said, one layer is really enough and a small amount goes a long way because the coverage is really quite good. it's a pretty creamy and thick foundation, so i guess application takes a bit of getting used to as compared to most other foundations. i reckon this foundation just takes a bit of time to get to grips with, but once i got to terms with the application, the result was fantastic and pretty near flawless. i don't even need to use the clarins primer/base i have. the foundation really does minimise the appearance of my pores and the horrible pitted scars i have on my cheeks from teenage acne. pump packaging is great, the rectangular glass bottle with a gold cap does look it's price. however, for the price you're paying, the amount you get is pretty little, and it does run out quite quickly (even though i use 1-2 small pumps of it for 3/4 times a week). the biggest grouse is probably the limited variety of shades this comes in. as i'm between shades, i'd either have to settle for a ghostly pallour or something more tanned. all in all, it's not as bad as the other reviews have made it out to be, but it's not the best foundation out there either.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No