Beauty Product Reviews

better for combo/oily skin

ever since i can remember, i have had dry skin. so, when i bought this impulsively when it first came out because i just HAD to try it (no samples here, i guess!), i ended up really not liking this the longer i wore it each day. primarily because it would set into every larger pore i had and emphasize my dry patches as it oxidized. at the time the only positive i would say about it is that it is very weightless. never the less, i got this down to under 25% left and moved on to the next product i inevitably thought i needed and tucked it away in my half empty (or full depending upon how you want to look at it) stash of foundations i didn't like.

well, some months later and weird changes in my skin, and now that my skin for the past month or so has morphed into more combo and sometimes oily, i like this foundation much more. it does actually illuminate my skin and perfect it without being shiny or too drying. so this leads me to believe that this works better on those that have a little extra oil production that this foundation can, for lack of a better word, adhere to. if my skin keeps on this course, i will probably repurchase this, but if it reverts back to being more dry, i won't be repurchasing.

love!

i love this stuff; i can't think of anything else quite like it. it's not a moisturizer and not a foundation, but also lighter and more of a perfecter than a tinted moisturizer. if you're on the go and do not require heavy coverage this is a nice thing to just slap on as it's a self adjusting (maybe a little powder too if you're not too pressed [pun intended!] for time) and it's good for your skin. i also like to use it as a primer on those foundations that i don't like the finish of (i.e. they sink in my pores, dry me out even more, etc) because it works as primer but doesn't have that thick, my-skin-can't-breathe sort of feeling of a lot of primers out there have. also, it smells lovely, which is a bonus. i think it has orange peel or something in it for brightening which aids in making this smell wonderful.

it's honestly one of those things that i wasn't 100% sure what i was getting myself into when i bought it--when i read the description online/read the reviews i thought it almost seemed like it would be a tinted moisturizer, but it's definitely a unique product and has multiple uses!

not for me

i was really excited to try this out as i used to really like one of the less expensive oils (the pink colored bottle) back when they were still selling shu in stores in the US and i have to say i just don't think this one is for me.

at first, this gave me some of the gnarliest, deepest acne i've ever had. i thought maybe i was just 'purging' so i kept on keeping on--the acne got a bit better as i used this, but my pores were constantly clogged. i tried using this in different ways (in the shower, with a clarisonic, as a component in a mask) and i never saw any different results. i think maybe my skin type may not be the best for this (i have dry skin that is prone to breakouts if not exfoliated regularly).

i'm happy i decided to purchase the smaller version but bummed this didn't work out!

new favorite

This is basically everything I love in a foundation--smoothing, long wearing, light weight, coverage without really looking like coverage. I tend to always stay with a natural look, but my skin tone is uneven and I have to cover the occasional break out or two and this foundation is able to take care of all those issues without making it look like I have a pound of make up on my face. I've never had a foundation (that is not set with powder, primer, and/or anything else) stay on as long as this foundation does and it stays on even longer when set with powder, primer and/or anything else. Also, it really only takes 2-3 little pumps of product a day, so this foundation will last for a while so I feel like I'm more so getting my monies worth. :)

Does it all.

I have similar skin to Shandy and I do agree that using this as a cleanser helps with getting rid of dryness, but it does make break-outs worse. I think it's because it's basically impossible to not leave an oily residue when using it in this method. But, I basically use this for everything else: body moisturizer, makeup remover (super gentle), deep hair treatment before washing my hair, anti-frizz shine serum, and I'm sure there are more uses. It's such a good product to have and it has worked wonders on my hair. Also, you don't need a lot of it so it lasts for a long time.

mah-jor!

When I first smelled it, I was underwhelmed because it didn't seem like much and I didn't get the hype. After spraying it on myself and starting to walk away from the counter, I got it. It is very much like an arpeggio in that the scent keeps building as it reacts with your body--so much so that I kept smelling myself every so often the first time I wore it because I got something different every time I smelled. It starts out very understated, almost powdery but the floral notes of peony and wisteria with a just an ever so slight hint of musk build as you wear it. I tend to use a bottle of something and then go on to the next, but I will definitely buy another bottle of this once it is empty.

Classic!

The quintessential lip/cheek stain. I've had a bottle of this for about three years and I'm still only have way through and I used to use it everyday on both my lips and cheeks. It's easy to use, swipe on your lips or dot and blend onto cheeks to give a natural flush. Oftentimes I use this after putting on lip liner and before putting on lipstick to help my lipstick last longer. Really great for creating a seemingly effortless, natural look.

Off and On

I have mixed emotions about this product, but I always seem to come back to it. I really adore ocean salt for the body, but I don't love it as much for the face. I don't have particularly sensitive skin, but it is chronically dry so I exfoliate at least once a week and I found ocean salt to be a tad on the harsh side. It does make your skin cleaner, smoother, and brighter though. Overall, it's worth the bit of harshness for the outcome.

FAVE!

My all time favorite nail polish. I own a lot of these (I have problems). Normally, I have to do at least three coats of whatever I'm using in order to get the real color punch I like, but with Chanel it never takes more than two and they dry super quickly. Also, I've worn these without topcoat and they last for quite a long time. With top coat they last even longer. A tad on the pricey side, but totally worth it in the long run.

Clean!

I think this is great for really any skin type. I have mainly dry skin (sometimes it can be a little combo in my T zone) and this works great. Removes makeup well and smells good, but not over powering. Most importantly, it makes my face feel really clean! I feel like a blank canvas after washing my face with this so I can add all the good stuff from my moisturizer and goodies.