Beauty Product Reviews | Page 4

Perfect for a popping pout

I think this will always be my go-to coral - heavy on the pink and a perfect matte texture. Applied precisely, it's a great bold lip for day or night, but I also like pressing it on lightly for a pretty, just-bitten flush. It loses half a star because it's a little bit drying, but that's a caveat of matte lipsticks.

Delicious

This is a mouth-watering fragrance - it's so light and fresh, yet utterly distinctive and lasts all day. When I'd stopped 3 people to ask what perfume they were wearing and 'Light Blue' was the answer, I knew I had to get me some. I've always been into softer, woodier scents, but I'm about to purchase my 2nd 100ml bottle so I guess this was a game-changer :)

This is a very nice concealer - very creamy and illuminating, great for under eyes. It's texture means it will settle a little into creases and melt in the heat, so use sparingly and set lightly with powder.

Plumps a bit

I wish this mascara did what it says, but the volum(e) wasn't colossal by any means. It did an OK job, but I guess I was expecting results of hyperbolic proportions, like its name.

Cute punchy colour

This shade is a great way to subtly work this season's orange trend - it looks almost scarily bright in the pot, but goes on a really pretty coral that's a perfect daytime summer lip. It's my go-to vacation product, complete with SPF!

This does a nice job of evening out skin tone and I like the matte finish, which leaves skin silky. Beyond that, it offers very little coverage and isn't very long-lasting; unless you have great skin or aren't bothered about coverage, this is better used in conjunction with primer/concealer/foundation.

This comes in 3 tones - Lite, Medium and Deep. I used Medium for my olive-toned skin, and although these are supposed to be translucent, I found it to be on the pink-y side - no good for my yellow undertones.

My skin is so fussy so I've always stuck to safe, tried-and-tested products by Laura Mercier, Clarins and Revlon. This is the first time I've used a foundation by Yves Saint Laurent, and I'll definitely be going back. This is a beautiful foundation for a number of reasons: 1) The finish. This was the first reason I was dying to buy this foundation as soon as I saw it. Like the Touche Éclat, it gives a sort of dreamy, soft-focus finish that is dewy and radiant. I'm a fan of this look over matte, so I was sold immediately. It evens out my skin tone so I have an all-over satin-y finish. 2) The packaging. Granted, the gimmick was a primary selling-point for this lazy consumer - that said, I was wary about the brush after reading some negative reviews. But as it turned out, I love it! It's silky and blends so easily, never streaky. I guess it depends on the user's skin, so do give it a test-run in the store before buying. *note* Hygiene is an issue here, especially as the closed bottle provides a lovely breeding ground for germs, so I wash it after every use. Very simple - switch it to 'OFF' (another great feature), work in some mild shampoo, rinse clear, and leave to dry overnight. 3) The formula. My combination skin is very prone to breakouts, but this product is non-comedogenic so I hoped for the best (I'd rather it was oil-free too, but you can't have it all). I've been using it for a few weeks and not had any problems - if anything, I love how it makes my skin feel. The foundation contains a "baby-skin" complex which is supposed to improve the condition of skin, and my skin does feel surprisingly baby-soft when I wear it. 4) The shades. The foundation is available in 14 different shades, in both pink and yellow tones, so I think there is one for everyone. I have 2 shades which I alternate between seasonally, #5 Peach and #6 Gold Beige.

Here are the cons: *The coverage is going to be lacking for some of you. If you have blemishes, note that this probably will not hide them. When I tried it in the store, the MUA applied a thick layer and I hated it - the coverage was heavier, but you could tell I was wearing a lot. I don't like a heavy coverage so I use foundation for an even finish, and use concealer on individual blemishes for a flawless and natural finish. *It's on the pricey side. I paid £30, although I'm told if you're lucky you can pick up your shade on eBay for half that. *Other reviewers have commented on the smell. I don't hate it, as a lot of people seem to, as I don't mind melon scents. This is quite strong though, and I imagine particularly off-putting because it throws you off-guard - "why does my foundation smell of melon??" It's a far-fetched theory, but I wonder if the smell was added to represent the "baby skin" complex - as in, that's not melon, that's breast milk. I've probably put you all off buying it now. Really, it's not so bad. *It's not oil-free, as I've mentioned. It's fine now in the winter, when my skin is a little drier, but I can see it being a problem in the summer. If it is, I'll probably switch to the brand's oil-free Matt Touch foundation - YSL have made me a believer!

This was just ok. It does lengthen my lashes, but doesn't visibly coat them all the way up to the top and I have to go over them with a metal comb as the wand doesn't do the separating for me. On its own, it didn't give my lashes enough 'oomph' for my liking but was better layered over a volumizing mascara.

HG Concealer

This compact contains 2 shades you can blend for the perfect shade, and the coverage is fantastic - seriously, it'll cover anything. I'm told that the formula is oil-free and contains witch-hazel, so it's great for covering blemishes, and I find that it actually helps to dry them out.

(*NOT FOR USE UNDER THE EYES. I've read an alarming number of reviews complaining that it's not a good undereye concealer, and no surprise - this is a dry formula, and the witch hazel will irritate. Laura Mercier has a separate under eye concealer, the Secret Concealer, which is much richer and more emollient to suit delicate skin under the eyes. If you want both, LM also do an Undercover Pot - 1 of each + a brightening powder - downside is you can't mix the shades because they're different formulas, but good to use on the go.)

You need a good concealer brush to apply this - because it requires blending, your fingers won't really cut it. To avoid contamination, I use the end of the handle to scrape out a bit of each shade and blend it on a small area on the back of my hand. This way also saves too much ending up on the brush. A little bit goes a long way, so use it sparingly and this'll last you ages.

Very soft pencil

My makeup purse hasn't been without Teddy for almost 10 years. It's the perfect brown to pep up your eyes, thanks to the bronze sparkle which is a pretty alternative to regular old brown. The pencil is really soft so it goes on easily, never drags.

My only gripes are that it's so soft that it smudges - as nice as it looks when I first put it on, I know that it'll soon end up on my eyelid. Still, even that isn't a bad look! Also, lately I've had trouble with the lead just breaking off after every sharpening, which is a big waste :s