Review- L'Oreal True Match Super Blendable Foundation

After taking a break from blogging for a few months, I finally decided to jump back in the business. For this post, I've picked L'oreal's much loved True match foundation. Read on for a full review.

L'oreal true match foundation in W2

My Experience:

L'Oreal's true match foundation is unknown to none. It's probably the most famous foundation L'oreal has ever introduced. The one I have here is the U.S version which comes in a small glass bottle without a pump(boo). The U.K version (also available in Pakistan) comes in a comparatively big bottle and has a pump attached. Having tried both the versions, I felt that the two have slight differences in texture and consistency. 

Starting off with the shade, I got myself the shade W2 thinking that it would suit my NC20 skin-tone since it was placed under the warm undertone category. However it turned out really light. It's a completely pale shade with no hints of yellow. Not a match for my skin but when I blend it out with fingers, it tends to adapt to my skin a little but this, in no way, is the answer to the mismatch. I'm probably gonna get myself W4 in near future in a hope to find a match for my skin by mixing the two shades. 

As I said, the U.S version (mentioned above) of this foundation is different from the U.K version. This one is slightly more runny in consistency and feels a lot lighter on skin. Other than that, it also has a very smooth texture specially when you blend it in with your fingers. I've noticed that when applied lightly, it pretty much imitates the skin. That's particularly what I love about this foundation. My face doesn't look cakey even if I wear it in layers and my skin can actually breath. This feature was absent in the U.K version of this foundation. 

The coverage it delivers is light to medium depending on the method of application. For daily use, I prefer applying it with my fingers as I get a natural finish this way. When I want to go a little heavy on the coverage, I like to use a blending brush, real techniques' expert face brush particularly. 

I'd say you get a satin finish with this foundation. It's not completely matte but not dewy either. Girls with oily skin like me will definitely need to set it with powder. The staying power is also pretty impressive. On average, It stays on my face for around 7-8 hours. However this time period is expected to shorten during summer when my skin gets super oily.  

Overall I love this foundation. It successfully made it to my best foundations list because of the reasons mentioned above. Until I find a better foundation for daily use, I'm going to keep repurchasing it.The best part is that you have 33 shades to choose from so they're serious when they say "true match" here.  

Have you guys tried this foundation? What do you think about it?

Do let me know

xx

Price: $9.99. It cost me 2200pkr including national and international shipping.
Where to buy: Your Local Drug-stores. If you're in Pakistan you can order it from a variety of facebook pages like Wishlist, Beauty Hub, Beauty Broadway, Beauty in Budget4U, Rouge and the list goes on.

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Review- Color Studio Invincible Water and Heat Proof Powder Compact

Hello you guys!! Okay I know I've been away for a while because of some camera issues but it was getting a little too long so today, I just decided to put everything aside and bring in a review for you all.

So this is a newly launched product by Color Studio Pro, The Invincible powder compact.

My Experience:

Judging by the name, the target audience for this powder compact are all the oilies like me. They've used very convincing name and description for the product I must say, it does grab attention for someone like me whose always afraid of a greasy face.

The shade I have is beige, It should be perfect for medium skin tones. But the color of the powder is not very dominant. there is a tint, but it's not overpowering unless you're packing on a way darker color.
It comes in a simple black compact and you get a nice and soft puff inside. I like that there's a mirror in there as well.

Even though spring is almost here, it's still a little cold in my city. But nonetheless I've used it for over a week now. At Color Studio's facebook page, I read they've mentioned the right way to apply a powder. It's by taking the powder on the puff, and applying it by rolling and pressing the puff on to your skin. You'll be surprised to see how minimized your pores appear. Try it right now with your powder and you'll see.
Anyway I apply this powder in the same way and it makes my skin look really smooth. It provides a nice silky finish without looking cakey because the texture is very light and the powder is actually very fine.
But I do warn you if you have dry patches on your skin, it's clearly going to accentuate them so if you have a combination or normal skin make sure you moisturise your face before applying this or use a liquid foundation underneath that doesn't absorb oil from your face.

The oil controlling power, uptil now is quite good. I say this because it's not too hot over here, but still my skin produces a fair amount of oil during the day and the powder is able to control that pretty well for about 3-5 hours. It's actually not before april when my sebaceous glands get crazy. Trust me when I say crazy! right now my skin is exhibiting the combination type mode, so for that it has been working really well .
It's not transfer resistant so it might stain your clothing items scarves, dupattas etc.
I wouldn't say its an "all day" waterproof powder but it is quite strong against my skin's oil, better then my revlon vital radiance powder.

 As for the coverage,I do have a lot of acne scars on my face and it doesn't really cover them. So it's not something that I'd use to add on coverage to my face. I use it purely for mattifying and oil controlling purposes

It is on a little pricier side from the color studio range. but I'm stil waiting for summers to give it a hard test and see if the price is justified. For now it's quite efficient in controlling the normal amount of oil from my face while I'm in university so I do really like it, specially because of how light it feels on my skin.

Where To Buy: Just4girl.pk, BeautyArena or the leading drugstores of your city
Price: 1250Pkr

Join Color Studio's Facebook Page for regular updates

Have you guys tried it?Which powder is your favourite?
Do let me know
x.x

P.r Sample

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Review- Skin79 Diamond Collection Prestige BB cream

Today I'm reviewing Skin79's Prestige BB cream. The reason I was very excited to try it out was because Skin79 has been on top for manufacturing BB creams ever since they gained popularity. Read on to find out what I think about it. 

Skin79 Prestige BB Cream Diamond Series Main Functions:-

• It is 3 effect functional BB cream.
• By Adenosine and Arbutin ingredients which are effective in whitening, wrinkles improvement cultivates more bright and elastic skin. 
• Intercept UV A and B at the same time and protect your skin exposed from the sun more thoroughly.
• Diamond Powder and Jewel Complex Powder of Ruby, Amethyst and Pearl make skin all the more radiant. 
• A patent ingredient containing Natural Complex extract ingredients help improvement and care of skin trouble.
• New fomula contains precious stones and skin care properties, to create flawless complexion
• Contains diamond, ruby, amethyst and pearl powder
• Effectively penetrates into the skin to creates fair complexion
• Contains rich caviar extract, effectively eliminates wrinkles
• Improve skin elasticity
• Special EGF formula effectively improves skin DNA cells renewal
• Q10 creates a layer of protection on skin and keeps skin supple
• Contains Aloe Vera and Green Tea Extract
• Effectively protect skin from UVA and UVB rays
• Fast absorption and light texture, making skin feels comfortable and soft
• Effectively brighten dull skin tone and conceal appearance of wrinkle
• Certifies by KFDA for its effectiveness in wrinkle improvement, whitening and sun protection functions

My Experience:

The past month has been a true BB cream test drive for me. I had a few brands in my stash that I wanted to talk about and this one was on top of the list obviously because of the fame it has received.

Starting with the appearance, it does receive my admiration and you can tell why. It comes in a bright pink packaging,a fairly long bottle and a silver pump on top. The pump is very convenient and squirts out a very small amount with a single pump if you keep your hand light.

The prestige BB cream claims to have the usual benefits that you expect from a bb cream.Wrinkle Improvement, whitening and sun protection. But the ingredients are quite unique.In addition to  

Peptide MX Complex,Caviar Extract,Coenzyme,Aloe Vera,Arbutin, Adenosine, Titanium Oxide, Adenosine and Arbutin, It contains Diamond, Ruby, Pearl, Gold, Amethyst which tells us where it gets it's name from.

These ingredients are not something you'd find in just any BB cream out there. According to the brand they are there to provide lustre and shine to your face.

On to the shade, this was the part which let me down. This BB cream has the usual grey tone and thus too light for me. I so wish they come up with a BB cream with yellow undertones for darker tones. I mean who doesn't want a foundation that actually helps your skin? . The grey tones show up on my face if I layer it up more than 2 times which bothers me. To solve this problem I've put my foundations,that were darker, to use.

I just mix them up and it does the job, however I usually do this when I want a better coverage. For a sheer coverage  this BB cream alone is enough for me. 

It provides a dewy finish and doesn't look cakey at all. The consistency is runny If I compare it to my Lioele Triple the soultion BB cream so it feels extremely light on face.

The best part,for me,was the staying power of this BB cream. It stays all day and I felt it's kind of waterproof since it's there even if I wash my face with water. So I don't have to re-apply it.

As for the benefits that have been mentioned, I don't have wrinkles so I can't comment on that but it definitely makes my skin feel very soft and smooth. I did not face any breakouts with this BB cream which was expected because of the light formula. It has SPF 25 which is a little lighter, so you'll have to wear a higher SPF underneath for a better protection.

Overall this is a pretty nice BB cream and I can see why it has gained so much popularity. My only complaint would have to be the shade which is not suitable for darker skintones.

Where To Buy: Korea Depart

Price: $40.99

Have you guys tried it? Which BB cream do you like?

P.r Sample

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Review- Illamsaqua Rich Liquid Foundation

They're serious when they say "Rich"! Here's my review on Illamasqua's Rich Liquid Foundation

Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation in 200

My Experience:

Mac's Studio Fix Fluid was the best foundation I had ever tried in terms on coverage and finish. I pretty much stopped building hopes for a result that amazing from all of the foundations I purchased ever since. It was this summer when I got my hands on the Rich liquid foundation by Illamasqua after reading so many reviews regarding it's coverage.

I always end up buying the wrong shades( usually darker) of foundations and concealers whenever it comes to online shade selection. But I'm so glad this one was a hit for me. I got the shade RF200 which the site describes as "for medium with neutral undertones". Well it definitely doesn't have neutral undertones. Infact it leans more towards yellow. That's exactly what I wanted. I was afraid I'l again end up with a pink toned foundation but thank God nothing of that sort happened. So RF200 is a yellow toned shade for light-medium skin tones probably NC20-NC25. However I noticed that at the end of the day it did oxidise on my face a little and kind of turned darker.

The consistency of this foundation is thick,almost gel like.Some people describe it close to Mac's studio sculpt foundation but since I have'nt tried that, I cant say anything.But one thing I can say for sure is that this foundation is loaded with color. I mean seriously, in the swatch above, I literally put half of a pea sized amount and look how much it spread. You need tiniest amount to cover up your whole face.This is what I call a true Full coverage foundation. Since it's thick,you have to work fast while application or it dries out. The best way that I found to apply it is using just your fingers.The color spreads more evenly and little goes a long way.

The coverage is heavy enough for me to use under my eyes as a concealer and as the shade has yellow undertones, it instantly brightens up my eye area.

You get matte finish with this foundation so if you've got dry skin you'll need to moisturise your skin completely before applying it. I have combination skin but still I moisturise,not only before this one, but all the foundations that I use regardless of the finish.

The lasting power is super impressive too. Equally as good as Revlon's colorstay. It lasts on my face all day without running down or looking patchy. Since the consistency is thick, it kindof sticks on my skin.

As I said you need a very little amount for your face. However if you wish to turn the coverage down a little, you can always mix in your moisturiser.

I personally prefer using a full coverage foundation and lowering the coverage than using a light-medium coverage foundation and layering it up for fuller coverage. Trust me you'll hardly be able to get a full coverage with a natural finish and end up looking really cakey. 

End Note: For now, this is my holy grail foundation. Love the coverage, finish and lasting power.On it's own ,this is not your everyday foundation however you can mix it with your moisturiser and include it in your daily foundation routine. I have to say it is on the pricier side but for me it's worth it.

Where to buy: Pakistanis can buy it from Beauty Unleashed.They have other amazing brands as well. Or you can always shop from Illamasqua's website.

Price: $34.13 or £21.50

Have you guys tried it? Which foundation do you like to use?

Do let me know :)

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Review- Sleek Glisten Me Liquid Iluminator

I've been looking for a good liquid illuminator since ages. So when Just4girls.pk announced that they've become the official re-sellers of Sleek makeup,I scanned all of sleek's product and stumbled upon this illuminator. I can't believe I didn't pay attention to it before. I should have gone for it ages ago.

Sleek Glisten Me Liquid Iluminator 

A liquid illuminator containing light reflecting mica pigments for highlighting areas of the face such as the brow and cheek bones to create a glowing appearance. It can also be used to add a glistening look all over the body.

For highlighting, apply a small amount of the liquid to finger tips and smooth gently over the skin. For an overall glowing complexion, mix a small amount of the product with your usual foundation and apply. 30ml

Sleek Glisten Me in Empress.

My Experience:

The one thing I've always wanted to have was that glossy glow on cheeks. It just looks so amazing and glam but I don't think I ever succeeded in creating it,the result of a foundation with dewy finish is another thing,I'm talking about that extra shine that adds an oomph to you face. 

This illuminator actually gave the result that I was expecting. I never paid attention to it on sleek's site. My main interest was towards their blushes and eye palettes. Where the hell was I sleeping?

So after doing a little research I couldn't resist myself from ordering this.It comes in two shades Empress and Goddess. I got empress since it was lighter. Goddess has more of bronze tones to it. Since I only wanted glow I went for empress. If you are more of a bronzed glow person then Goddess might be the one for you. The container is a small glass bottle with 30ml of product. I think it is alot since you need a very small amount for application. They've provided with a spatula under the lid. The amount present on half of the spatula is enough for both cheeks in my case.

The texture of this illuminator is very smooth and creamy. It's neither too thick nor runny. I like how light  it feels on skin.The last thing you want on your face is something heavy on top of your foundation.

Since it blends very easily you need a very light strokes of brush to set this on your cheeks.I use a stippling brush for my application but that's just my preference. You can use your fingers as well to apply it by tapping it on the areas you want to highlight. I usually take some out at the back of my hand,dip in the stippling brush and apply it on the face. If I want an intense glowy look I stipple it very lightly but if it's day time and I just want a glow,then I just swirl the stippling brush to blend it in.

It's lasting power is okay though. On my face it lasts for around 2-4 hours. I wish it lasted more because when you're out,the few things you may re-touch are only powder,blush or lipstick. Highlighter is not something that I would carry around in my bag. 

Since it is colourless, you don't have to worry about the colour of your foundation being changed. You can easily apply it on specific parts like cheeks,On the cupid's bow nose or even collar bones without creating colour,but just sheer natural glow.

If you want a very light glow all over your face,you can even mix some of it with your foundation. I did try that but I like to use separately more than when mixed with foundation simply because I have big pores around my nose and I don't want to highlight them. Speaking of pores,even when using it separately,do not bring it anywhere near your open pores or bumpy skin. They'll get accentuated and make your skin look bad. 

End Note: Love this Illuminator! It's probably the best highlighter I've tried so far so I'm gonna be repurchasing this when I run out of this bottle (If Ever!). If you're a fan of glowy cheeks then I would definitely recommend this.

Where to buy: Just4girls.pk(For Pakistan.They are now the official re-sellers of sleek over here so you won't have to pay extra charges for the products.) and Sleek

Price: 1150Pkr, $8.00

Have you guys tried this? Which is your favourite Illuminator?

Do let me know :)

xoxox

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Review- Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint

Many of you would have heard about the first addition to Liz Earle color,The Sheer Skin Tint.I'll be sharing my views on this product new today.

My Experience:

I was really excited about Liz Earle launching it's own makeup line.This is the first product they have introduced in Liz Earle color range.

I used to wear foundation everyday to hide my blemishes and scars but slowly I got addicted to it's application.But since I've done enough damage to my skin in the past now I make sure I let my skin breath so nowadays I hunt for tinted moisturizers a lot.

This moisturizer succeeded to satisfy me unlike my other tinted moisturizers. First the texture is really nice and creamy and blends within seconds.I like that it actually contains the "Tint". It gives a dewy finish which makes your complexion look glowy.I think it'll work better in winters because of my oily T-zone.It moisturizes quite well too.I can't wait to wear it during winters since i love how soft it leaves my skin

I love the fact that it has SPF15,and is enriched with vitamin E, borage and avocado.There isn't anything better than having natural ingredients in your makeup.

The only thing that kind of let me down was that it has a strange smell.I'm not a fan of it.

I wear a powder on top of it to control the shine because it has starting getting hot again.

Since it's just a tinted moisturizer you can't expect it to cover all your imperfections perfectly but it does a good job in making them less prominent.

My acne scars are visible under it but i'm okay with that as i know that it's doing good to my skin along with making it look better.

PRICE: £21.00 for 40ml Tube

WHERE TO BUY: Liz Earle Online Shop

Have you guys tried it? What do you think about it?

Don't forget to share with me :)

xoxox

I disclose

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Review- Earthnicity Minerals

Hello Lovelies!

Today's review is about some products from Earthnicity minerals.

Earthnicity minerals is a UK based mineral makeup company and produce all-natural mineral makeup for all ethnicities of the world in accordance with their motto "Beauty for all the colors of the world"

They sent me their Light-Medium sample kit for review which includes two foundation samples,one concealer,one finishing powder and one full sized Kabuki brush.

I'll start by reviewing the foundations first.

Mineral Foundation:

Our mineral foundations provide a matte, yet natural-looking finish which lasts throughout the day. They provide natural sun protection, and are water-resistant. Our foundations are free of bismuth oxychloride and talc.
The two shades that the kit includes are Honey Beige and Natural Buff.

Left: Honey Beige

Right: Natural Buff

My Experience

The fact that the sample kit includes two shades of foundation made me happy because most of the mineral foundations I've tried before were lighter than my skin tone. These two shades are supposed to match light to medium skin tones thus honey beige is lighter with cool undertones and Natural buff is a bit darker with warm undertones. I believe Natural buff matches skin tone better. 

While browsing their website i noticed they have a wide range of foundation shades available and even have shade guide chart to help you choose your shade in a better way.

This foundation has a nice smooth texture and blends quite well. It leaves my skin matte while looking natural and very smooth. It didnot totally hide my pores but didn't accentuate them either. The coverage this foundation gives is light to medium.I do layer it up for a better coverage but it still doesn't look cakey or feel heavy on skin.

About the staying power,well,it stayed on my face for a decent period of time considering the fact that it is mineral.I had to run for touch up after about 4 and a half hours.

PRICE:  £ 14.99 for 9g of product

CONCEALER:

My Experience:

I never really thought about buying or trying powder concealers. The shade of this concealer is very light so i knew that i won't be able to use it over my acne scars.But for checking it's concealing power i used it over my face and it did help in reducing the appearance of my scars,not like a stick concealer though.To apply this properly you have to be quite precise. I suggest using a brush with small area such as a lip brush or a stiff rubber smudger. The best way to apply it is by damping your brush first so that the powder sticks to the brush and gets transferred to the proper place without getting messy.

What i enjoyed was using it under my eyes.Since the powder is so smooth and fine it also makes the area under my eye look airbrushed and gives a brightening effect to my eyes.For this i use a damp concealer brush.

It's also great for using under your cream eye shadow as a base to help it stay better since it is dry so it will make your eye shadow stay in place for a longer period of time.

You need a very small amount of this concealer so it's going to last you long.Approximately 2 months of regular use.( as suggested by the earthnicity website)

PRICE: £ 9.99 for 2.5g of product.

Mineral Finishing Powder.

Mineral Finishing Powder.

Our mineral finishing powders can be worn alone or after foundation. With their silky texture and light-reflecting properties, they are the final touch towards a smooth, flawless and glowing complexion.

My Experience:
I don't know why my camera couldn't capture the true appearance of this powder. It's so pretty and sparkly.
It appears light pink in the jar but looks colorless when applied. The sparkles are very tiny and gives a glowy look. I just use my fingers to apply it over my cheekbones and,sometimes,brow bone to while stepping out at night.
The powder is very fine and smooth and easy to swipe across your face.
I also sometimes use it over my clear lip balm and it looks so gorgeous.
However i noticed that it doesn't stay for a long time. After some time the shimmer got scattered around my cheek.It didn't look bad but i wanted it to look how it did in the start.It was prettier.If you are someone who doesn't like sparkles on your face this may not work for.More over this powder is best suited for night.

PRICE: £ 12.99 for 4.5g of product.

Full Sized kabuki Brush.

My Experience:

I was delighted to see a small cute kabuki brush inside the kit. It's small and handy to be carried around. 

I did have some issues with it's bristles. They can be a bit scratchy and the ones around the corner started coming off even before i used it.

I applied the foundation with it and since the bristles are a bit harsh on the skin i wasn't able to blend it out properly.

I wouldn't mind using it if i didn't have any other brush around but since i do,I don't think its going to touch my face a lot.

But yes for dusting off excess of powder it may work well. Keep a very light hand and it can dust off that unwanted powder from your face.

If you have space issues in your bag and don't want to carry a big powder brush then this might help you.I think it works fine for touch-ups.

PRICE: It comes with a starter sample kit that costs £ 21.99.

WHERE TO BUY THE PRODUCTS: Earthnicity Minerals Website

For me it was really nice trying out products from this brand. The quality is quite good and if you are a mineral makeup lover this brand is definitely worth a try.

Any of you tried Earthnicity Minerals?What was your experience? And what do you think about these products?

Do let me know :)

xoxox

I disclose.

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