MAC Cosmetics Strobe Cream Review

My November Topbox was one of the best one I received all year in part because it contained a nice sized sample of MAC Cosmetics' Strobe Cream. While this isn't a new product, it was my first time using it and now I'm wishing that I'd discovered it years ago because it's quickly become something I turn to at least once a week.

According to MAC this cream, "Brightens and clarifies with iridescent particles and antioxidants." It's also, "Super-powered with potent botanicals" as well as "nutritious vitamins and a mega-dose of green tea" to boost "the look of dull, flat or tired-looking skin."

This cream can be used a few different ways. I found that applying it straight to my bare skin, or mixing it in with my moisturizer, left me with a face that was too glow-y for my taste (it also showed off my pores more than I liked). But someone with better skin could get away with this approach.

LARITZY Silicone Makeup Blender Review

So many products to review and so little time. I've been busy writing real articles, for real money (check out my portfolio here if you're interested in hiring me) as well as dealing with the usual holiday busyness so I haven't been posting here as much I should have been; especially considering my stockpile of products. So let's try to get back into the beauty reviewing groove with something quick and easy.

While I love foam beauty blenders, I've been curious about silicone makeup blenders since they first popped up several months ago. (Or was it over a year ago? I can't keep track anymore.) I like how, unlike a normal beauty blender, the silicone version can't absorb any product. And I really, really like how sanitary this new product is. I'll admit that I do not wash my brushes and blenders as often as I should but I think I could keep a silicone blender nice and clean. All it requires is a bit of water, a squirt of soap and then it air dries within hours.

Cover Girl Clean Matte Pressed Powder Review

Last month I went on vacation. The night before I left my house, I made sure that I packed all of my essential makeup items in my hot pink Clinique toiletry bag (yep, it was a free gift). Well, almost all of my essential makeup items. I deliberately left out my Make Up For Ever HD Ultra pressed powder because I knew I would be using it prior to leaving for the airport. My plan was to pop it into my daughter's diaper bag after I had applied it. But guess what happened. Yep, I forgot to pack my beloved powder.

So a few weeks ago I found myself in a rural Alberta Shoppers Drug Mart looking for a new pressed powder that would help keep my makeup in place while fighting shine. On the advice of the store's beauty consultant, I ended up taking home Cover Girl's Clean Matte pressed powder. It's been years - no, decades - since I've used Cover Girl but I figured if the beauty consultant liked it, I would to.

Make Up For Ever HD Ultra Pressed Powder Review

Let's start with a disclaimer: I received my full-size sample of Make Up For Ever HD Ultra Pressed Powder for free from the company. But despite that, I'm not going to give a flattering review to this item simply because I got it for free.

No, I'm going to give this product a great review because it's an excellent product that works. According to MUFE, this item is "...a finishing powder that gives a light matte effect and a smooth luminous finish." It "...combines synthetic mica, silicone powders and silica to instantly blur fine lines, pores and imperfections for a beautifully smooth complexion." And while it was designed "...to look invisible on 4K camera..." it also it supposed to look invisible to "...the naked eye."

Marcelle City Concealer Review

Once upon a time, when I was gainfully employed and didn't have a baby, I use to pick up random drugstore makeup all the time. It was a cheap, cheerful hobby that sometimes led to a fun discovery.

Last month I indulged in that old habit when I picked up a tube of Marcelle City Concealer. While I'm not a Marcelle fan, I was intrigued by this product when I saw it at Shoppers Drug Mart. There was a sample available and much to my surprise, I liked what I saw and felt. When I saw that it was on sale, I knew it was a sign that this product needed to come home with me.

According to Marcelle, this item "instantly conceals dark circles, puffiness and imperfections" thanks to being enriched with vitamins C and E, and its inclusion of bisabolol, which Marcelle says has a "soothing effect" on skin.

Garnier SkinActive Skin Renew BB Cream + Blur Review

I discovered my perfect BB cream, Garnier's Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream For Oily-to-combination Skin, back in 2013. While I've tried other BB creams since, none works as nicely on my skin as that one.

A couple of months ago, I went to purchase a new tube of my beloved BB cream but the store didn't have my shade in stock. It did though have a Light tube of one of Garnier's other BB creams, the SkinActive Skin Renew BB Cream + Blur so I decided to give that a shot.

According to Garnier, this item: "Hydrates; smoothes skin; blurs imperfections and pores; evens tone and gives a matte, velvety finish." It supposedly achieves these results by including such ingredients as "...a hint of primer...", Vitamin C, mineral pigments and light reflectors.

QUO Faux Glow Powder Review

Products that replicate tans are a must-have summer item unless you're me. On me, these products always look at best fake and at worst, really cheap and tacky.

I'm telling you this to provide a bit of context for my review of QUO's Faux Glow Powder. I think I received this product as a freebie in a swag bag; I certainly didn't buy it. But since it entered my house, I decided to give it a shot. Hey, maybe it would be the one fake tan product that I could pull off.

Boscia B.B. Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 27 PA++ Review

Why does Boscia's BB Cream have to be so expensive? It's so good but it's also so expensive, coming in at $47 for one tube at Sephora. That's a lot of money for a BB cream, even if it is one that pretty much delivers on all of its claims.

And what are those claims? According to Boscia, "this one-step wonder" product "helps diminish the appearance of pores, fine lines, and uneven skin tone while providing long-wearing, natural coverage that conceals imperfections." I don't disagree with any of this.

While this is a BB cream, its coverage is actually pretty good and it successfully covered up any minor blemishes while blurry away pores and fine lines. It also lasted. I regularly wore this product outside on hot, humid days and it stayed in place for hours, leaving me with above-average looking skin.

Pūr~lisse BB Tinted Moist Cream SPF 30 Review

This week on the blog we're looking at one disappointing product and one great one made by Pūr~lisse, a US beauty company that combines "authentic time-tested Asian beauty wisdom with advance French cosmeceuticals." While I was not impressed by the company's Blue Lotus 4-in-1 Eye Adore Serum, I love its BB Tinted Moist Cream SPF 30.

First off, it's a daytime product that contains actual SPF 30. Hallelujah! Because of that, Pūr~lisse's claim that this product "reduces fine lines and wrinkles" actually has some truth to it.

Pūr~lisse boasts that this BB cream provides "skin perfecting color" and that it has "flawless" coverage that results in a "gorgeous" complexion. I always chuckle whenever I see a BB cream make claims like that because one of the defining features of a BB cream is that it provides lightweight coverage. Unless you already have near-perfect skin, no BB cream is going to give you "flawless" skin.

Make Up For Ever HD Foundation Invisible Cover Foundation

As a big fan of Make Up For Ever, I was very curious to try out its re-formulated take on its acclaimed HD Foundation. The original formula is a beloved product for many though personally, I've always preferred MUFE's Mat Velvet + Foundation. A few weeks ago, MUFE gave me the chance to try out its latest foundation for free so of course I jumped at the chance.

The use of "HD" in this product's name isn't purely for the sake of marketing. The goal of this foundation is to be, "...both invisible on HD cameras and to the naked eye." While MUFE states that this item is supposed to supply, "medium-to-full coverage," it's also supposed to give, "...flawless coverage and an extremely natural finish."

AMOREPACIFIC Color Control Cushion Compact

I get dozens of press releases each week and most of them I ignore. But every now and then something appears in my crowded inbox that looks genuinely interesting. Last week I received an email about  how AMOREPACIFIC's Color Control Cushion Compact was now available in several new shades designed for light skin. As someone whose foundation colour usually involves terms like "porcelain" and "ivory," my attention was immediately captured.

AMOREPACIFIC is one of those brands that I'm only vaguely aware of because it's pricey. But a closer look at the Color Control Cushion Compact is making me think that it might be worth its $72 price tag.

Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder

There are a few items that I was try to have in my bag: some kind of tinted lip balm, some kind of headache medicine and Clinique Stay-Matte Sheer Pressed Powder. This is a fantastic product and because of that, it’s one of the few items I consider to be a “must-have.”

My skin has a tendency to be a bit oily. While mattefying primers, foundations and loose powders (particularly those from Make Up For Ever) can keep the oil at bay for a few hours, eventually, if I’m out long enough, the oil makes an appearance. That’s when I turn to this pressed powder.

Marcelle Face Powder

My go-to loose powder is Make Up For Ever’s Super Matte Loose Powder. But when I ran out of that in January, I decided to take advantage of this sweat-free time period to try something else out. That something ended up being Marcelle’s Face Powder.

I picked this product because I needed something that Shoppers sold (I was trying to reach a certain purchase total so that I could earn some bonus Optimum points) and because Beautypedia recommended it. After my first use, it was clear why that website praises this product.

Marcelle says that this powder is “the perfect tool for setting your makeup;” and that it “even(s) out skin tone.” That certainly matches my experience. Using this product helped give extra life to my foundation and left my face looking polished. 

Stila Convertible Color Dual Lip & Cheek Cream

Any beauty product addict knows that many items can do double-duty. Using lipstick as blush is one of the better-known tricks and it’s this one that Stila’s used to create its Convertible Color Dual Lip & Cheek Cream.

According to the write-up that accompanied my free sample (thanks Sephora!) of this product, “Stila’s multi-tasking convertible color is creamy, sheer tint that adds an inherent glow to the cheeks, while lips bloom with fresh, radiant color.” This “winner of numerous beauty awards” also contains vitamin E, is supposedly non-greasy and somehow provides color that is both “rich” and “translucent.”

theBalm Instain Blush

Swiss Dot

I am not a blush girl. I think it’s because most blushes just look so artificial on my pasty-practically-transparent skin. So I was very happy to discover that theBalm’s Instain blush in Swiss Dot actually looks good on me.

Available in six shades, this “long-wearing, staining powder blush is a fashion must have,” or at least that’s that theBalm claims and I’m actually incline to agree. This blush does indeed last the workday and for me, Swiss Dot provides a natural-looking stain of colour that just works.

While Swiss Dot is on the coral side, other colours are pinker or darker. theBalm says that these colours are “perfect for all seasons and skin tones” and while I’m sure that’s not 100% true, if you’ve ever had issues finding the right shade of blush, Instain is a great place to start.

Pinstripe

This is a pressed blush, which makes it bag-and-travel friendly. Application is easy though to get a sheer look, it should be done with a light hand since this is a fairly pigmented product.

I also really like the packaging. While my blush is actually a deluxe sample that I received in one of my Topboxes, I have seen the full-sized version.  The cute, cardboard packaging in actual quite durable and features a built-in mirror and a magnetic closure.

This blush retails for around $22 and can be found at NailPolishCanada.com, among other retailers.

Would I buy it: Yes! While my sample will likely last me months (a little goes a long way), I will pick up a full-sized version once it’s gone.

Should you buy it: Yes! This a fantastic, user-friendly blush that even people who don’t like blush will love.

CoverFX CC Cream Time Release Tinted Treatment SPF 30

While I love CoverFX’s foundation, I wasn’t too impressed with its primer. Because of those two experiences, I wasn’t sure what to expect from CoverFX’s CC Cream Time Release Tinted Treatment SPF 30, which I received in my November Topbox.

According to the company, I should expect, “A do-it-all CC Cream that provides colour and complexion correction with time release anti-aging benefits.” CoverFX’s product page for this item really emphasizes its anti-aging properties, stating that its, “… synergistic complex of ingredients produce retinoid-like, anti-aging results without irritation or sun sensitivity,” including the use of licorice root extract that supposedly, “…reduce(s) hyperpigmentation and prevent future discolouration” and “...an advanced multi-sphere microsome technology which delivers time release anti-wrinkle actives and treats skin continuously for 8 hours.”

It also lists off a slew of stats from an eight-week long self-assessment study that all come to the same conclusion: Over time, this product made the users’ skin look younger and better.

Smashbox’s Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder Vs. Make Up For Ever’s Super Matte Loose Powder.

First, let me apologize for the lack of posts; between NXNE and a couple real estate transactions, last week was a very busy one.

But today I've been able to carve out a bit of time to write up a comparison of two loose powders that I've been testing out: Smashbox’s Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder and Make Up For Ever’s Super Matte Loose Powder.

So which one is best? Well, that depends on your skin type and your wallet.

Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder

Earlier this year I was convinced that my new loose powder was going to be Tarte’s Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder. Then I went to a Make Up For Ever event were I was introduced to that company’s Super Matte Loose Powder. I was so impressed by that product that I said sorry to the Tarte powder and picked up this one instead.

So did I make a good decision? Well, I've been using Super Matte Loose Powder almost every day for over a month now and so far I'm very impressed. The MUF artist who introduced me to this product told me that it would be amazing at taming, and then minimizing, shine and she was completely right. A few swipes of this “ultra-fine, ultra-transparent” powder and my face has the “matte and natural finish” that I'm always after.

Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder

The people at Smashbox certainly know how to catch a beauty junkie’s attention. The card that

The answer, surprise, surprise, is that they use Halo, a “complexion hydrating powder that imparts a subtle luminosity while perfecting skin to create a revitalized, more radiant look.”

While “perfecting” is a bit rich, I completely agree with the rest of that claim. This powder did leave me with brighter, more polished-looking skin that unquestionably looked better with this powder than without it. And while this product is all about “hydrating,” it did completely remove any shine from my face and kept it off for a least a couple of hours.

NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer

If this product was released this year, by almost any other company, it would likely be labelled a BB cream since it hydrates, brightens, fights the sun, dark spots, hyperpigmentation and provides “…a translucent veil of colour.” But NARS calls it a “tinted moisturizer” and I'm more than happy with that label because that’s exactly what this product is, a moisturizer that provides just a hint of colour.

Now, if you've been reading this blog for a while, you know what I'm going to write next: This product just doesn't provide the type of coverage that my face needs. NARS describes this moisturizer as, “Your skin – almost bare, but better” and that’s completely right, if you have almost perfect skin. Otherwise it’s “Your skin – almost bare, needs real foundation.”