Beauty Product Reviews | Page 3

smoother skin, smaller pores, refined texture but prep skin first!

Spending $300 on a skincare product is no joke, but after hearing about this "transformative" night serum, with it's encapsulated retinol (which is supposed to not cause photosensitivity), I needed it. My skin is super sensitive, limiting what actives I can use, however, it's time to address those fine lines before they turn into wrinkles and my skin's texture just isn't what it used to be 10 years ago. I was hesitant as I didn't see much from the product in the first few uses after simply taking off my makeup with coconut oil at night even though I know better than to expect a miracle to happen overnight. However, in the past few weeks ever since I've been using Bioderma to remove my makeup (I know, I've apparently been stuck under a rock to not have known about it's amazingness before), I notice a HUGE difference. With properly prepped skin, the product absorbs immediately and over the course of a few weeks, fine lines are smaller, pores more refined and my makeup glides on so much smoother. Surface redness is also surprisingly diminished; while I was happy to know it wouldn't cause photosensitivity it was an extra bonus to actually reduce it!

beyond silk finish

It's difficult to tell one HD powder apart from another but not only does this finishing powder literally blur out any pores, fine lines (really any imperfection), but it is so finely milled that it feels like silk. So much that when overly excited taking the sticker off the sifter, I ended up getting just a tiny bit powder on my keyboard, making my fingers slip when typing. Whoops! That being said, I also recommend poking tiny holes into the sticker for a smaller sifter rather than taking the sticker off when first opening. It's super easy to go overboard with the product and also not necessary when such a little bit goes a long way. One container will literally last you a lifetime.

The Synthetic Brush For The Brush Snob

Most brush snobs will agree that the idea of synthetic hair brushes is sometimes a bit off-putting, however, if you felt this brush blindly the plushness of it would fool you for a natural hair brush. There is absolutely no streaking that you can often see with synthetic hair, even talkon brushes. In fact it gives more of an airbrush finish than most duo hair brushes, even. The dual end of the brush also makes perfect concealer and foundation application such a breeze (probably takes a good 10 minutes off my daily routine).

CC Cream of the future!

We already know that CC Creams have come a long way since the original BB and CC Creams from Korea. Not only does this formula color correct, but gives full coverage with a beautiful skin-like finish and is super easy to apply. I prefer their Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection brush to buff it out and get almost an airbrushed finish but can also see a beautyblender giving a flawless application. Never looks mask-like; you can barely tell it's even makeup. While I must agree with Trisha W. that the shade range could be wider, with how innovative this CC Cream is in using Titanium and Zinc Oxides which have historically had a white cast to them, this will go far in both the foundation and skin care worlds. Tip: For those in-between shades or darker than Rich, the darkest shade currently in the range (close to MAC NC60), use the Cover FX Custom Cover Drops to adjust the shade and have all of the above mentioned benefits.

Genius design and formula

Two things about me -- I live in a windy city and I wear contacts. These two things alone usually make eyeliner impossible for me. Either it runs and smears into the corners of my eyes or makes my contacts foggy and my eyes irritated. Time and time again I try a new liner promising to do none of the above only to be disappointed. To find one, let alone with such genius design (seriously -- a retractable pencil with a sharpener just for precision...genius!), is like going on a blind date with low expectations and leaving the with butterflies, anxiously awaiting the next time you get to see them, or in this case, "it" (see what I did there?). So far I've only been using it for tightlining my upper waterline and 10 hours later it is still on, eyes not irritated in the least and not even a smudge of transfer anywhere -- not even to the lower waterline which is unheard of.

calm, refreshing staying power

At first take, putting this primer on is like putting on a luxurious cooling eye gel which are generally not made for the delicate skin of the lid area...the added benefit of hylaluronic acid alone makes this a game changing eye primer as well. The other main benefit is that it is ever so slightly tinted to create a nice base over the eyes. While I personally have near translucent skin and need another base color, it is definitely a plus for someone who wants something that will help make the eye area smoother and hydrated throughout the day with or without shadow.

Toners are back and I couldn't be happier!

One of the most common questions I get asked at Beautylish is "what is a toner for and do I need one?" The answer is "Yes. Indie Lee's CoQ-10 Toner." Toners historically have been used to pH balance the skin after cleansing. Luckily, we've come a long ways from the days of rocking the acidity scale and toners have been built in and stabilized in most cleansers (please see my review on Indie's Brightening Cleanser as it's a must paired with this toner). So while I might be a bit old fashioned and not view this as a toner in it's true form (although it DOES pH balance), the moisture benefits are beyond belief and have taken a true turn away from classic alcohol versions of yesteryears. A must have in any and every skin care regimen.

Perfect balance

This base is sincerely the perfect harmony between a color corrector and a primer. Having fair skin, I have a natural red surface tone which I always try and neutralize before applying foundation. Not only does this sit beautifully on the skin and not "ball" like a lot of primers can but it has a very nice velvet texture that sits right on top of the skin for a perfect canvas. Additionally, there is not a great cast rather than a completely neutralized, yet very natural brightness to the skin. I'd say it can even be worn with or without foundation depending on the level of coverage you are looking for. It's like the fine wine of makeup bases :)

Your Entire Face In one beautiful compact

The colors in this palette are beautiful. As an artist, it truly fits every skin tone as it is not too tawny and not too red. As a consumer, the packaging is so beautiful its the only palette I want to carry with me. As a result, my go-to quick everyday look now consists of the obvious contour in the hollows of my cheeks, highlight leading into my temple along with a quick wash of color over my entire eye lid with the highlight and ever-so-slight definition into the crease with the contour shade. To add depth, simply add a tightline of liner (Try Charlotte's Rock N Kohl), a dark shadow in the outer corners and smoked out under the bottom lid, and a few layers of mascara. You can't go wrong.

If I could only have ONE lipstick

I am constantly asked "what's your favorite [insert type of beauty product]" and I rarely can choose just one. If for some reason the world became this awful place where I was only allowed ONE lipstick to wear any day, on any occasion, NARS Belle De Jour would be it hands down. It's the perfect nude for a fairer skin type as it's not too pink, not too brown...not too sheer not too matte...all around perfection.