Liquid -Revlon - ColorStay Makeup with SoftFlex SPF 15 Normal/Dry Skin
silvermouse 4/19/2013 7:36:00 AM
I'm very impressed by this foundation. I bought it on a whim because I'd heard great reviews from a trusted fellow Aussie Youtuber (Jodik76) and also because it was on sale for AU$25 (normally $36) and I'm so glad I did! I should clarify that I have OILY skin. I've tried the old version for oily skin and found it incredibly heavy and mask like so I thought I'd try the normal/dry skin formulation. First off, it is full coverage but the satiny finish makes it appear more forgiving and almost natural. I pump (LOVE that the new version comes in a pump bottle) some onto the back of my hand, dab it on my face then buff it all in with a Sigma F80. I top it with a light dusting of powder to set it. I notice instantly that my pores are less visible and the redness is reduced. I find that a fairly light layer makes for decent coverage but it is buildable for those who want more. The reason I'm so impressed by this is the lasting power. On my oily skin, the normal/dry formulation lasts ALL day. I apply this at 6am at the start of my day and by 8pm when I get home, it's only a little bit shininer than when I first applied without my having to touch up/powder. My skin remains relatively satiny and oil free which is amazing for me! As a surgeon, I have to wear a mask all day and most foundations I've tried transfer onto my mask, wearing off in the T-zone and exposing my large pores. This does not budge and I am so impressed! Will definitely repurchase when this one runs out!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Giorgio Armani - Luminous Silk Foundation
silvermouse 4/19/2013 7:21:00 AM
I managed to get a sample of this from the Armani counter where I was matched with shade 7 Tan. FYI I am NC42, Chanel B60, Revlon Colourstay Natural Tan, NARS Barcelona. I find the colour match to be decent but shade 7 runs a little pink compared to the other foundations that I have. I top it with a light dusting of a yellow toned powder which corrects the shade and sets the foundation I put a few drops onto the back of my hand, dot it on my face then work it in with a Sigma F80 flat top kabuki brush. This leaves a nice, smooth finish and as promised, a beautiful luminous glow which other foundations lack. The coverage is medium but buildable. My only problem with it is the lasting power. With a primer, I notice my pores starting to show at the 4-6 hour mark. Without it, I only get to mid morning before I have to touch up. A shame really considering how beautiful it is when first applied. My skin is reasonably oily but by comparison, the normal/dry formulation of the Revlon Colourstay lasts all day without requiring touch ups I've tried the Lasting silk which is heavier, a little more cakey and has the same lasting power as the Luminous silk. It's expensive at AU$90. While I am using the sample, I'm enjoying it but for the price and the average lasting power, I don't think I'll purchase the full size.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Giorgio Armani - Fluid Sheer #11
silvermouse 4/19/2013 7:10:00 AM
This is absolutely beautiful as a blush. Its a thin, peach tinted fluid with gold and pink shimmer which combine to leave a gorgeous, glowing flush to the skin The shimmer is subtle enough that when applied it looks like a healthy glow rather than overt shimmer. Unlike many highlighters I don't feel like this accentuate pores which is great for me! I pump a tiny bit (you need to be careful as a full pump dispenses way too much) onto the back of my hand, then use a real techniques stipple brush to apply this to the tops of my cheek bones for a combined blush/highlight. For my NC42/LSF 7/Chanel B60 skin, this is the perfect natural flush but paler skinned girls may want to blend it out a little more. I'm sure it would look amazing on pretty most skin tones because it does lean warm. One lippy off for both the over-zealous dispenser (it requires some care to dispense half a pump) and for the price. AU$86!! I got this on strawberrynet for AU$60 (or $48 after the 10% off makeup deal that's going on combined with my %10 loyalty discount)
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express The Falsies
silvermouse 4/7/2013 1:13:00 AM
This is an absolute HG mascara! I have about five on the go but I always reach for this. I've tried the other volume express mascaras but they're nowhere near as good. This is a reasonably dry formula and you know it's reaching the end of its life when you get tiny clumps in it but when it's fresh it's beautiful. It separates and omg does it lengthen! I've been asked several times whether or not I'm wearing falsies. In fact, when I got lash extensions, I could barely tell the difference between them and this mascara. It's not too bad on volume either (not fabulous but not bad) The non-waterproof one lasts all day without a single smudge (as the mascara reaches the end of its life it does flake a little) and its easy to take off (is swipe it gently with Almay makeup remover pads). At AU$20 it's a little pricey but on par with all the other drugstore mascaras here and Maybelline us always discounted somewhere. Nevertheless I'd happily pay high end prices for this. I have and will continue to repurchase
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Clinique - Quickliner intense black
silvermouse 4/6/2013 9:13:00 PM
A lovely smooth, intense and long lasting eyeliner. I have this in brown which is just the right shade - not too cool toned, not too red with lovely subtle sparkles While the tip does get blunt after a few uses it's still fine enough to give a line that's not too thick. It applies super smoothly without any tugging. I apply this at 6am and by 10pm it's still there - brilliant given how oily my lids are, I don't think even the Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner lasts this long. It's a mechanical pencil and the end of the tube is clear-ish so you can see how much product you have left. One lippy off for being a tad expensive (especially in Australia) but still worth the price for a very high quality product! Will definately repurchase.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -NARS - Sheer Matte
silvermouse 2/14/2013 10:44:00 PM
I really enjoyed this foundation. The Sheer Matte finish is perfect for those with combo/oily skin (or even oily skin) who want a lighter coverage foundation. I have this in Barcelona (I'll go into my colour matches below). The lack of a pump is annoying but I can live with it. I gently pour a bit out onto the back of my hand, dab it in strategic places (focussing on the areas where I have larger pores) then blend it all in with a damp beauty blender for an absolutely flawless (but not to heavy) finish. Fingers also work really well. I find that this lasts all day and I don't have to touch up with powder which is something of a minor miracle for me! Overall, I'd definitely repurchase. I got this on the Sephora website for $45 and had it shipped with a few other products - overall, it was worth it because it costs AU$68 and is only available at a few stores (Mecca Cosmetica, that's pretty much it) I have tried so many different foundations and here's how this compares, in case anyone has these other formulas/colours Chanel Vitalumiere aqua B60 - same sheer coverage, a bit dewier, requires touch up during the day. This is a bit ashy for me Chanel Perfection Lumiere B60 - love this almost as much as the Sheer Matte. Perfect colour match, long wearing, not too carry but a bit heavier coverage than the NARS Laura Mercier mineral powder SPF in classic beige - lovely light coverage, good colour match, however I get oily after a few hours and require powder MAC Matchmaster in 5 - great colour match. Medium coverage, a little heavier than the NARS and Perfection Lumiere. Long lasting, get a bit oily on warmer days MAC Pro-Longwear in NC42 - reasonable colour match. Waaaay to heavy coverage for me. Does last and last though MAC face and body C4 - too pale, I think I need a shade darker. Dewy, light finish but I get oily quickly and it doesn't last. Revlon Colourstay for opcombo/oily skin - got this ages ago in one of the darker Tan shades (darkest they had on the Australian market). Quite long lasting but very heavy coverage Rommel Lasting Finish in 400 Natural Beige - a tiny bit dark but the shade below is a bit pale. Quite nice - medium coverage, long lasting. Maybe need a touch up at the end of the day
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Natio - Pure Mineral Foundation
silvermouse 11/17/2012 7:33:00 AM
Lovely product by an Australian brand. The first positive of this is that it is relatively cheap by Australian standards ($19.95). The next is that the bottle is very user friendly - it comes with a fine nozzle and a squeezable plastic bottle. I have found that the darkest shade Deep Tan is a perfect match for my NC42 skin tone as it has a nice mix of yellow with a hint of pink to give it a more realistic cast to the skin. It applies beautifully with fingers and a pea-sized amount is more than enough to cover the whole face and add a bit extra to spots that need a bit more coverage. Overall, this is a light to medium coverage but i think it's buildable. The finish is dewy, not at all cakey, and I set this with powder. On my oily skin, I only need to re-powder once or twice during the day. The foundation stays on for most of the day and makes my skin look lovely and smooth. It's similar to the MAC Face and Body Foundation, which I got a sample size of to try out. It's got similar consistency, packaging and coverage. However, this gives me a much more matte finish than the F&B, wears longer, and is less than half the price to boot! I wore the F&B and was finding that I needed to touch up and re-powder every few hours whereas the Natio foundation has been nicely matte for most of the day and 12 hours after application, showed only a little wear Definitely will repurchase if something better doesn't come along (I'm in an experimental phase with foundations at present)
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Chanel - Joues Contraste in Espiegle
silvermouse 10/25/2012 6:58:00 AM
I resisted this for ages because I was a bit put off by the bright coral that it appears to be in the pan. However, as soon as the SA tried it on me, I knew I had to have it. On my NC42 skin it is a very natural, 'me-but-better' shade and I think it would suit pretty much anyone who has yellow undertones as I think that would soften the orange I in this blush. As the other reviewers have said, it's a lovely coral leaning peach, a perfect mix of orange and pink with a subtle shimmer that makes the cheeks glow as if lit from within. I don't need highlighter when wearing this due to the very pretty glow that it gives me. I apply with the Real Techniques blush brush - because I have darker skin, I'm fairly generous with the application but this blush is very buildable. Not sure I'm a huge fan of the rose scent but it wears off fairly quickly and is unnoticeable after minutes on the skin. I normally take off a lippy for expense but this is worth every cent so I'm giving it full marks. Would definitely repurchase.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -SKII - Skin Refining Treatment
silvermouse 10/24/2012 7:39:00 AM
Is there a box to tick on MUA when you find a HG product, because this is it! I was attracted by the promises of refined pores and clearer skin but not so attracted as to spend $210 which is what they're asking for at the counters for a 50ml jar! I was looking at sasa.com (an awesome site for buying all kinds of makeup and skincare products) and decided I could afford to spend $85 for a product that promised so much. I have since gone back and bought a second jar in preparation for when this one runs out, I love it that much! I've always had oily, problematic skin with large pores on my nose and cheeks and I would routinely have at least a few pimples going on. Since using this though, I have noticed such a huge difference! My pores are smaller (not completely gone but definitely less noticeable), my pimples are virtually gone and my skin is more radiant. So much so that I now get complimented by makeup artists on my skin quality when I go to try foundation! Amazing! I only use this at night as the cream is a bit thick and doesn't sink in enough to use it during the day. After removing makeup and cleansing, I rub a pea sized amount between my fingers and pat it all over my face. If I see a pimple coming on, I dab a bit extra onto those spots and by morning they're gone! It's a brilliant pimple treatment as well as an all over skin refiner. Expensive, but if you can afford it, definitely get this because (hopefully) you'll be amazed by the improvements of your skin!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -SKII - Skin Signature Cream
silvermouse 10/24/2012 7:25:00 AM
This is a great face cream for all skin types. For years I've been hunting for the right daily moisturiser for my oily skin. I've tried everything from drugstore brands like Biore to more expensive ones like Clinique's gel moisturiser (which was great at oil control but broke me out). Then I discovered this! I initially tried one of the other creams that was recommended by the lady at the counter (the derm whitening one I think) but found that quite thick and heavy. Then I tried this in a sample size that came with a travel kit and I was so impressed that I bought the full size. It comes in a lovely, study jar and also comes with a little spatula to maintain the hygiene of the product. The cream is thick enough to hold its shape but runny enough to be easily applied to the skin. A pea sized scoop is enough to cover my face. I rub the product between the fingers of both hands for a few seconds then pat it on. Once most of it is absorbed, i rub it in for good measure. After three or so months of using this, I have found that it keeps my skin supple and moisturised but also controls the oil production. I am a big believer in moisturising oily skin rather than using products that dries it out and makes it produce more oil. I only use this in the morning - I use the SKII Skin refining treatment at night. My current morming skin routine is to cleanse (I use any old foaming cleanser), use the Facial Treatment Essence, the Cellumination Ex lotion then follow with the Skin Signature. One lippy off for expense (although I bought it at a much more rentable price on sasa.com). Will repurchase once I run out.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Chanel - Reflex
silvermouse 7/29/2012 11:35:00 PM
When the makeup artist at Chanel showed this too me I was slightly horrified at how bright it looked. In the pan it's a bright reddish-coral with lots of gold shimmer. However, I gamely let him put it on and I love how it looks against my skin (I wear number 40 in Chanel foundations). It is a little redder than I usually go for but if applied with a light hand it give a reddish-peachy hue with a gorgeous sheen that reflects how finely milled this is. Not sure if we get the US or European version here in Australia but I've found the colour payoff to be very reasonable. All I have to do is lightly brush the pan with my blush brush and I get the perfect amount of colour. It's also very buildable The compact is typical, sturdy Chanel. There's a little plastic cap that sits on top of the powder to prevent it making the compact messy. The brush is scratch and nowhere near fluffy enough but is usable if you're without a brush. I bought this little gem for AU$77 which is very expensive but I've found it on strawberrynet for much less. I would repurchase but is going to take me ages to hit the pan.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Physicians Formula - mineral wear talc-free mineral correcting powder Natural Beige
silvermouse 7/29/2012 10:44:00 PM
This is a very pale, almost translucent powder is a brilliant setting powder. I have this in Natural Beige which is the darkest of the four shades but is still very pale. I use this over my foundation for a matte finish and find that it keeps me matte for most of the day which many powders don't manage to do. Yes, it's pale but if you get a small amount of product on a big, fluffy brush (the brush that is included is good if you're stuck without a brush but otherwise fairly useless) it applies sheer and is not noticeable. Not sure if the green and pink evens out skintone as promised since it applies so sheerly. The packaging is ok-ish. It's not too flimsy and I like the fact that you have to press a button to open the powder compartment so that it doesn't randomly open and spill out everywhere. The other compartment houses the brush (which is truly ugly). A mirror would be nice so you can see where youre applying the powder. It costs AU$29.95 which is a bit pricey I suppose but given how well it works, I'd happily buy this again.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -L'Oreal - Nude Magique BB Cream
silvermouse 7/29/2012 9:36:00 PM
I was surprised to find that I really like this product. I bought it on a whim because I was looking for a foundation with very light, natural-looking finish, and it happened to be on sale (there was a 30% off sale at my local Priceline). I switched it in the store and found the ''medium' shade to be perfect. I wear number 40 in Chanel which is about NC35 (I think). It has an odd grainy texture that other reviewers have noted - the liquid comes out white with little blue flecks but goes on smoothly and somehow manages to change to match your skintone. The product comes in a tube which you can stand on its cap. It has a small nozzle which controls the amount of product you want. I find a small pea sized amount perfect to cover my face and upper neck. I put a blob in my palm and dot it all over my face, focussing on my t-zone where I have larger pores, then blend it all in. The coverage is light and natural looking and matte. I usually break out at the drop of a hat but after daily use for a week I haven't done so. I usually set this with a translucent powder and I stay non-oily for most of the day. I was surprisingly impressed by this and will buy again (though it'll probably last me about 6 months given the small amounts I'm using.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Max Factor - Miracle Touch Liquid Illusion Foundation
silvermouse 4/14/2012 8:56:00 AM
I was pleasantly surprised by this. I confess I mainly bought it because of the excellent colour match - which was surprising given their fairly limited range of colours. I really like the texture of this - its a cream foundation that gives a powdery finish when applied. I wasn't expecting much from a cream foundation given I have fairly oily skin but to my surprised I stayed pretty oil-slick free and it lasted for the entire day (this was put on top of a good primer and set with a loose powder) In terms of coverage it's light to medium and this is the best part of this product. It looks very natural which is great for everyday use. For me it barely felt like I was wearing any foundation, which is an effect I've only had from Chanel Vitalumiere (which didn't last anywhere near as long as this). I usually stick to powder foundations because of my oily T-zone but they've all felt wuite cakey. The package is a bit odd. I like that they keep the sponge and the foundation in different sections but it was a bit wired to have a flip top for the former and a screw top for the latter. Still, I like the fact that the foundation is kept in a glass container. The sponge is average but is a quick and easy way to apply. I think if you wanted heavier coverage you could use a foundation brush, or if you want lighter coverage, fingers a a great way of blending. I definitely will buy again if I run out
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Chanel - LE VERNIS #533 APRIL
silvermouse 4/14/2012 8:41:00 AM
April is an ironic name for a colour released in the spring collection because this is a lovely autumn colour (which actually works out well for us Aussies where April is autumn) It's a hard colour to describe. Is it plum? Is it red? Is it pink? It seems to fall in all those categories but my description would be that it is plum with a bit of brown in it. To be honest the colour changes depending on how many coats. It's a delicate rosy-red with one coat, a rosy-plum with a second and a rosy-berry with a third. In any case, it's a classic, elegant colour that one would expect from Chanel. This applies very smoothly and is self levelling. It has it's own beautiful gloss but a top coat helps (if nothing else to protect from chipping) Will definitely buy again as I think it's a nail-polish staple colour
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No