Korean goodies: Miguhara B.P. Cream review

I got this Miguhara B.P Cream in my Thumbs Up Memebox. It was supposed to be Memefasns favourite, but i'd never heard about and was quite sceptical about it.

According to the description B P stands for a combination of a BB cream and a primer. Well, calling this a matte BB cream would be a bit of exaggeration as it's too sheer to offer any kind of coverage, but I do admit that on good skin days, when you don't need any foundation at all, it offers this veil of perfection on the skin's surface.

Such good skin days are rare in my case, so I mostly use this as a primer. This is a silicony primer that fills in the pores and mattifies my face without drying it out. My skin looks instantly perfected and this primer creates a perfect canvas for foundations, especially the glowier ones.   

The only drawback of this primer is that although it offers instant matte finish and silky smoothness, it doesn't control sebum production.  My oilies break through just as they normally would and I'm not sure whether this prolongs the wear time of my foundations or not as I normally use high quality foundations which tend to stay put no matter what.

But all in all, this is currently my favourite primer and I really do appreciate how it makes my face look and feel and how easy it is to apply foundation on top of it.

NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation in Deauville review & swatches

When NARS came out with a new foundation I thought it would be a real game-changer. NARS is the manufacturer of one of the most raved about foundations in history (Sheer Glow) and doesn't release a new one every season, so I gathered their new product would be a result of careful study and a revolutionary product in general. 

I've got a drawer full of foundations, so a question whether I needed another one should have formed in my head. Well, the thing is that over the past year or so foundations changed a lot and became better suited to my skin. Most of them are now weightless, pigmented, full of skincare benefits and offer demi-matte finish. 

So how does NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation perform against its strong competitors? 

Lets start with the claims:

The foundation lives up to the claims up to a point.

The product is a very thin liquid, but not as runny as Armani Maestro or Diorskin Nude Air. I think it does indeed apply best by pressing with the palms of my hands, probably it's because the foundation is on the dry side and sets instantly and thus is quite hard to blend. As for using only one pump to cover the entire face, I would say this claim is a bit exaggerated, especially that the pump distributes a very small amount of product.

I find this kind of foundation is hard to build up without looking cakey, but I must admit that it's insanely pigmented and two small pumps will give you a solid medium coverage.   

It's true that this is a lightweight foundation, but it kind of fails to absorb and blend with the skin. I have the feeling that it sits on my skin like the older generation foundations tend to do. As for feeling silky, well... I don't notice that at all. 

It says that this is a foundation for all skin types and tones, and again I must partly agree. The shade range is amazing and I'm sure everyone can find something for themselves. My shade is Deauville, which suits my skin tone in winter. It's much more yellow toned than I normally go for, but it blends with my skin beautifully and counteracts the redness on my jawline. As for skin types I believe this would satisfy normal skin types best. I have oily skin and practically no dry patches, but this foundation made me notice some dry areas on my nose for the first time in years. It initially offers a very pretty luminous matte finish (contradiction in terms?), but does nothing to control oil production and my forehead and chin get very shiny within hours.

This definitely is a long-lasting foundation, but again, not on my skin type. In my 16-hour-wear-time experiment without touch-ups, the foundation was practically all gone after 12 hours. But in normal circumstances, with some blotting and powdering NARS Luminous Weightless Foundation lasts long enough for my purposes and takes a good place against its competitors. 

So let me go over all the claims to summarise my review:

• weightless - yes
• 16-hour wear - no
• complete coverage with 1 pump - no
• silky feel -no
• all skin types - no
• all skin tones - yes
• absorbs and blends easily - no
• luminous - yes
• fragrance, alcohol, oil free - yes

I like this foundation a lot but I failed to fall in love with it. 

Korean goodies: The Face Shop Mini Pet Sweet hand cream review

The Face Shop Mini Pet Sweet hand cream's main asset is its packaging.  

The hand cream comes in this gorgeous little kawaii-style pot which may not be practical but looks great next to my laptop and I keep reaching for it whenever the need arises. 

The hand cream itself has nice lightweight consistency, absorbs quickly and makes my hands feel soft and moisturised, but not greasy. This is the kind of hand cream that will not leave marks on your computer keyboard nor make your hands slip off the steering wheel. 

But on the other hand, this is not a heavy-duty hand cream that tackles my husband's cracking cuticles, especially in the cold weather like now.

To be honest, this fun packaging is the only reason why this cream is worth ordering from Korea. I'm going to keep it as one of the many objects that clutter my space and make me happy.  

Ardell #401 Edgy false lashes review

I ordered my new Ardell 401 Edgy lashes because they looked like exactly what I needed to make my eyes more feline, but they turned out to be rather intimidating for me, though not without their merits.

I thought it best to review these in terms of pros and cons.

I'll start with the cons as they seem more apparent to me.

These lashes are really over the top. They look like drag-make-up staple. They're way too obvious, the lashes are so shiny that they look plactic and reflect light unnaturally. They look like raven wings more than like lashes.

The strip is clear, but it's still pretty visible and looks like white fishing rope.  

Glue is not provided.

And now for the pros:

These lashes are very dramatic and I like the design with those accented edges. They are too obvious in real life, but looked gorgeous on photos where I experimented with pin-up costume looks. And I'm keeping them for photo shoots.

The band is very flexible and makes the lashes easy to apply and adhere properly. 

In spite of the lashes being heavy and the strip thick 401s are comfortable to wear.

And one more thing, I had no issues with silicone provided by the manufacturer to stick the lashes to the packaging flooding the actual lashes, which was the case with some other lashes I'd used. 

Overall, these are nice special purpose lashes, but I don't see myself wearing these for New Year's party or dinner out.

Korean goodies: Secret Key Oil-Free Lip- & Eye Make-up Remover review

This Secret Key Oil-Free Lip & Eye Makeup Remover I got in one of my Memeboxes is a kind of Korean answer to western micellar solutions. It's meant to remove even the most stubborn waterproof make-up without causing irritation to the skin. 

I must say that this did nothing to remove my waterproof eyeliner or mascara, not to mention the prolonged wear dry lipstick by Rimmel. It also stung my eyes quite unpleasantly when it accidentally got in there. 

However, I really liked this water, just as any other micellar solution to remove any fallout or smudges from my undereye area. This non-greasy product doesn't interfere with my make-up and cleans the area well without drying.

I like to keep a micellar solution handy for that purpose and this Secret Key make-up remover served its purpose well.

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Extreme Wear nail polish in #420 Pacific Blue review

I'd been dreaming about this polish for a very, very long time. It mesmerized me each time I passed the Sally Hansen display and when I finally saw it on offer for about half price, I could do no other than take it home with me.

Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Extreme Wear nailpolish in #420 Pacific Blue is a master of deception. Nothing about this polish is what it seems to be. 

The shade on the nails was lighter and much cooler blue than the product in the bottle and the shimmer is less visible. 

Also the formula is very different from other polishes from the same line thst I have tried. It's on the sheer side, but maybe it's because it's a sort of gelly finish. Three coats are recommended. But the thing is that the formula of this product is the weirdest one I've used and isn't really buildable. It's a kind if gloopy gelly thing that applies in blobs which are hard to distribute evenly. It's as if it was made of rubber, it stretches a bit only to go back to its initial position. You can see this effect on the outer perimeters of my nails which are much sheerer than the centre. What's more, this gloopy substance simply refused to dry. The more coats the worse it got. Even Seche Vite was of no avail.  

Applying this polish was a real struggle. I did it once and I'm not planning to do it again. I'll move it to my DIY department and probably restore one of my sons' die cast cars with it.

Korean goodies: Ariul SPA Water 24h Moisturising Refreshing Mist review

I'm writing this review after I've used the last drop of this Ariul Spa Water 24h Moisturising Refreshing Mist from my Earth and Sea Memebox. 

I'm in two minds about this product, so I'll review it in for and against sections.

FOR:

• the finest mist I've used so far
• lightweight
• non-greasy
• good for setting make-up and refreshing during the day
• good for spraying eyeshadow brushes if you want to apply eyeshadows/pigments/ glitters wet

AGAINST:

•  this product is pure water which might actually be quite drying if not followed with proper skin care
• I could barely see any benefits
• doesn't live up to the claims of 24h moisture

L'Oreal Ever Sleek Smoothing & Moisture Shampoo, Conditioner and Smoothing Mist review

 

I've been searching high and low for a shampoo and a conditioner that would give my hair a sleek and straight look without oiling it to the point of being greasy and flat and I think I've found the one in the L'Oreal Ever Sleek Smoothing & Moisture combo.

This shampoo and conditioner target frizzy and overworked hair (you can find hair type recommendations in the top right corner). Mine is thin and curly and when it's ironed flat it tends to look lifeless and even greasy.  Not with this duo. It adds a substantial amount of volume to my hair which lasts throughout day two as well.

These two are sulphate free  but the shampoo foams as if  it was a regular shampoo. My hair definitely does need the conditioner to smooth out and detangle and the one that goes with the shampoo does its job really well. I'm going to explore the line further to see if other products are equally good or perhaps even better, but I'll bear this duo in mind and definitely repurchase.

Together with the shampoo and conditioner I got the Ever Sleek Smoothing Mist which promises to make my hair smooth while using hot tools and also protects it from heat of up to 180˚. It's an oil-based spray which is not entirely water-free, so you need to wait a couple of minutes till it evaporates otherwise this will bring more damage than protection to you hair if you flat iron it wet. For blow drying it really doesn't matter.

I think it's a nice spray, but I don't think it's a game changer for me.  I didn't notice any spectacular styling results apart from some shine, which might also be attributed to my flat iron. I'll use this up, but won't repurchase. 

Altogether these are excellent higher drugstore shelf products. Their main disadvantage for me is that the're unavailable here in Poland and I need to order them online, but I suppose they're worth the effort.

Korean goodies: Derma House Peeling Gel review

This Derma House Peeling Gel with Coenzyme Q10 and Ginseng Extract is one of those lovely finds you can get in Memeboxes and which makes them worth splurging on. 

I'm not entirely certain why this product is called a gel because it's a kind of non-thick cream with small and soft granules embedded in it. This is a perfect exfoliator for everyday use, never too harsh or abrasive, never causing skin irritation. It makes my face feel smooth and polished and looks more radiant. Even the pores seem smaller. 

My nose senses the scent of propolis (I'm a granddaughter of a beekeper, I know what I'm talking about), but there's no mention of that on the leaflet.  

This is an excellent product and I'm seriously considering repurchasing, but for the time being I've got a great number of similar products in my Memebox stash, perhaps they're even better, who knows?    

Diorskin Nude Air foundation, loose and pressed powder review & swatches

I can't remember when I last bought a Dior foundation, but I do definitely recall enjoying a Diorskin Nude foundation a couple years ago. I skipped their Star foundation, but when they released their new Nude Air line for spring 2015 I just couldn't resist. All products from the line seemed to be right up my alley and when I saw that with the growing discount (the more you buy - the less you pay) and a combination of loyalty points and gift cards I was going to pay for three products than for one I grabbed almost the entire range, except the bronzer. 

So let me begin with the Diorskin Nude Air foundation,  which is actually called a 'serum foundation'. Dior claims this is a completely new concept of fluid, oil-based foundation (all details below). I must say, however, that the description of the product does ring the bell and brings to my mind Armani Maestro foundation, the difference being that the word 'serum' was never used in case of the Maestro, but its skicare benefits were stressed in the product info as well.

So what is this new Diorskin foundation like?

It really is a dupe of Armani Maestro. It comes in a very similar bottle with a dropper, it has the same runny consistency and incredibly smooth feel to it. It blends perfectly, feels weightless and after the oils have evaporated it leaves a beautiful velvet finish. I have oily skin and this foundation performs beautifully without inducing sebum production and looking flat matte. I have no idea whether this accentuates dry patches or not as there are none on my skin these days.

The shade I picked (020) is the shade I normally go for as far as Dior foundations are concerned and they're rather fair, even for me. But when I saw this I went all 'aaaarrrgh'. It was sooo dark and yellow! Blended on my arm it didn't look any better, but somehow on my face it self=adjusts and looks just right.  

The coverage is described as sheer, but it's not tinted moisturiser sheer. The foundation has enough pigmentation to cover minor imperfections and blur any kind of unevenness to achieve flawless, yet natural look. 

If I were to choose between Diorskin Nude Air and Armani Maestro, my decision would be influenced by secondary factors like the price or shade range. I'm a great fan of both. You may think I'm disappointed with having a dupe of Maestro, but actually I'm not. It's a replacement, not a dupe. My Maestro is running low and its shade is more winter appropriate, while Diorskin Nude Air will be a perfect match for my skin in spring.

To my foundation order I added 2 powders, one to pair with my foundation and another one which seemed to match my skin tone better, in case the 020 one was too yellow for me. This pick is Diorskin Nude Air Loose Powder in the shade 012 Rose/Pink.

According to Dior this is an invisible, weightless powder for an even, mattified complexion with a sheer finish. The transparent pigments  do not alter the natural skin shade and offer  velvety, sublime, luminous finish.

There are also some added benefits like preventing the absorption of toxins, protection from external factors thanks to the content of sweet orange extract and vitamins. 

The powder comes in a plastic tub with a silver lid embossed with Dior signature quilted design. The sieve sifts a bit too much product onto the puff , but the powder is indeed so sheer and weightless and blends so well that this is not an issue for me. 

True to Dior's words, this powder, even though undeniably pink in the tub and on the puff, applies sheer and more translucent than pink. I believe this powder brightens my complexion beautifully, offering  gorgous glowy, yet velvety matte finish to my skin. I feel this is similar to Guerlain Meteorites in a loose powder form. 

This seems like a perfect powder for me, but here's the thing. It's glittery. The leaflet mentions luminosity, but I thought it would be more of a glow-from-within kind of sheen while what I got was a lovely powder with tiny silver sparkles which are fairly visible. I must say I don't feel comfortable with that. I feel this powder is a bit work inappropriate and I wear it only on private occassions, which is a shame because the quality of the powder is exceptional and I would gladly reach for it more often.   

And finally the last product from the range, Diorskin Nude Air Powder in 020 Light Beige.

This powder comes in the standard Dior compact which all powders, blushes and bronzers from the Diorskin line are packaged in. It's make-up bag friendly as it's made of sturdy metal and comes with its own pouch. Unfortunately, like other Diorskin compacts it comes with a kabuki brush instead of a sponge, which is not all that easy to carry around neat and tidy. I also feel that the dense kabuki isn't the best applicator for this powder.

 After a nasty surprise with the foundation shade, which turned out not as disastrous as I'd expected, I really feared to open the compact. Fortunalely, the powder shade is nothing like the foundation. This is more of what I'm used to when picking Diorskin Nude 020 products. It's a light beige with neutral undertones.

The powder is one of the best quality powders I've used. It's super finely milled, but it's very densely pressed and not powdery at all. The brush picks just enough product without kicking up dust.  This is a sheer powder which offers velvet finish to the skin without going cakey or looking too obvious. Air Nude pressed powder has no shimmer whatsoever and matifies my skin naturally, leaving a dose of healthy glow on my skin.

 I think it's a close dupe for Chanel Les Beiges, I hope I don't have the same issues as with Les Beiges and the surface won't turn to crust. So far so good.

While the foundation is very slightly scented, the powders are completely fragrance-free.

MAC Pro Longwear Lip Liner in Nice'n'Spicy and a tonne of dupes!!!!

A while ago I bought 2 MAC lip pencils. The one from their regular one disappointed me a bit, but I fell totally head over heels in love with their Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Nice'n'spicy.

It looks like an average lip pencil. It's way shorter than the regular MAC pencil, which means that not only is it more expensive, but also you get less product.

But I'm prepared to overlook that cause, boy, this one delivers. I've been a fan of Make Up For Ever lip liners for years, Gosh liners came really close to this ideal, but I just didn't know what I was missing all these years cause now I pronounce my MAC Pro Longwear liner the king of all liners.

It goes on incredibly creamy, doesn't skip or drag  my lips at all, but within seconds it dries to a budgeproof finish. It is lightweight and I hardly feel it on my lips, but it stays put like no other.

The shade is so in these days it's a nude, caramel brown shade with slight rosewood twist to it. Looks great paired with an infinite number of nude lipsticks and glosses, feels and looks a bit dry when worn on its own.

I'm not providing a swatch here cause I'd like to compare Nice 'n'spicy to other nudeish liners in my collection.

Left to right:

MAC Nice'n'spicy 

Gosh Nougat Crisp is a very close dupe, the only difference is that one stroke is a bit sheerer than MAC

Revlon Nude is a twist-up pencil and is darker and patchy

MUFE Aqua Lip 2C is rosier and there's some slight shimmer to it

Rimmel 1000 Kisses in Tiramisu is a bit warmer and sheerer

Catrice Precision Lip Liner in Wood You? is a twist-up pencil and it's a tad rosier

All these, in spite of the differences mentioned are almost identical dupes. Now on to mauvier, more distant dupes, but still within the nude scope:

Gosh Antique Rose is on a much mauvier side of the nude spectrum

Essence Lipliner Satin Mauve is much sheerer and rosewood shade.

And now the smudge test. I rubbed all the swatches with my fingers a couple of minutes after I applied them.

Rimmel, Catrice and Essence were almost completely gone and the patchiness of Revlon became even more pronounced after smudging.

Gosh Nougat crisp is almost a perfect dupe as far as colour, performance, size, design, packaging are concerned. MAC is a bit creamier and glides on better, but Gosh makes an excellent budget-friendly option.

Korean goodies: Cleomee Three-layer Perfume Body Oil Mist and Natural Donkey Oil review

In two of my Memeboxes I got two products by Cleomee, both containing donkey oil, so I thought I'd review them collectively. 

The Three-layer Perfume Donkey Oil Mist was featured in OMG3 box and is definitely a very weird product. This is a fairly runny liquid that comes in a spray bottle, when standing still it separates into three layers, the function of which remains unexplained. I gather that they're donkey oil, milk and fragrance.

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I absolutely hate spraying oils (hair oils included) as this messes the bathroom and makes the floor extremely slippery and accident prone. So what I do is spray these onto my palms and distribute as if they were regular liquid products. 

And here some major problems appear. Donkey Mist Oil is very runny and it's hard to contain it in my palm. Secondly the artificially coloured green part stains my hand green.  And thirdly it doesn't moisturise my body at all. I don't have the list of ingredients, but I sense a high content of alcohol. Normally I don't mind , but this time I feel this is really too much. 

There's some quite pleasant scent to this mist, but I don't think it's strong enough to deserve the name 'perfume mist'.

This is a truly gimmicky product  that retails for $59!!!! Don't waste this sort of money on this thing as it's certainly not worth it. 

The other product by the same brand arose my suspicions with the sticker over the product name on the box. Such things always make me feel the products are some lower quality or defective factory outlet goods. But the packaging inside was all right, so I suppose they just used the cardboard box which was initially prepared for othe products.

This donkey oil is actually much better than the perfumed donkey mist. 

It's a semi-thick, fast-absorbing face/body oil. This one is unscented which means there's this kind of weird, stale, fatty natural smell to it.

The pump applicator distributes the right amount of product for effortless application.

I'm not a great fan of body oils, they feel too heavy on the skin and make my skin itch, but if you like these, and are not a vegan or a vegetarian, I would consider getting this oil, as long as the hefty price tag doesn't take you aback. 

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Happy Valentine's Day to all my dear readers!

Click here if you want's to know how I made this anti-valentine heart.

I came across this beautiful image on Moi Sanom's FB page, but I don't know who the author is.

I found it very inspiring and turned it into some wall decor.

Benefit Majorette cream blush review & swatches

I have oily skin and that's why me and cream blushes don't go together. They apply unevenly, fade quickly, accentuate my pores and make my cheeks look greasy.

But not the new generation of cream-to-powder formulas, a number of which we saw released in 2014.

One of the best examples is Benefit Majorette blush.

Stangely enough, this incredibly successful product comes in only one shade which is an orangey peach which theoretically should suit warmer skin tones better, but looks great on me as well, especially when I'm a bit tanned.

One of the main selling points of this blush is undeniably its packaging. It's quite bulky, so it's going to occupy a lot of space in your make-up drawer, but it's worth its squarew centimetre or two.

It comes in a small plastic compact of the same colour as the blush, with a kind of frill around it and a small mirror hidden in the lid.

On top of the lid you can see the gorgeous vintage print and a silhouette of a majorette. 

The blush itself is dome-shaped and emossed with a pattern which looks like sun to me, and which of course disappeared quickly in the course of using the product. The product is also lightly fruity scented, which may be a drawback for some, but for me it only adds to the pleasure of using the blush.

 Many people prefer to dab cream blushes with their fingers, but for me the best method us to pat it on with a dense foundation brush and then blend the edges, but avoid overblending cause this can only lead to bald patches here and there. The texture is slightly spongey, but the brush picks up the product really well. During blending the cream formula turns to velvet powder and looks great on my skin. The product is pigmented, but doesn't make you look like a clown in an instant, you can rather build it up to achieve the intensity you want. If you do overapply, just run your foundation brush across your cheeks and all the excess will disappear. 

Benefit Majorette is a beautiful product in all respects and I keep reaching for it all the time. I can recommend it for all skin types and tones except women of colour perhaps as it might look pastel light on really dark skin. I hope Benefit will come up with some more shades of these!

Korean goodies: CNKCOS Multi Cleanser Color Bean review

CNKCOS Multi Cleanser Color Bean is  one of those incredible gimmicky finds I love Memebox for. These are hard powder balls with multiple cleansing functions out of which I chose double cleansing for my face.

I wet one bean with water, then crush it and mix with water to create some sort of cement-like paste and massage my face with it. This sort of foams a little bit and removes all traces of make-up really well. I don't feel this is as drying as many Korean foam cleansers are, but I have oily skin and hardly anything feels drying on me.

The beans come in slightly different shades of gray and according to the totally incomprehensible pictograms on the box they're meant to serve different purposes, but I believe we're clearly meant to ignore these as I don't think it's possible to dig the bean you want without spilling them all out first. And moreover, I've been using them at random and haven't noticed any difference.

This product is definitely not the fuss-free cleanser, but you can get used to dissolving those little beans in water and applying paste to your face.  

It needs to be said that there's one use that might prove this strange product irreplaceable. When you need to travel light and especially when taking hand luggage only, this thing can help you reduce weight and size substantially if you take just as many beans as you need and nobody is going to question the amount of liquid you're taking on board with you.

Korean goodies: Memebox January Box (aka Memebox Global #19) unboxing

I'd been suffering from a kind of Memebox overdose, but when I heard that they're no longer offering international shipping I felt kind of sad and my last but one box turned out to be exceptionally precious for me. And even this aside, January Box (it's no longer called Memebox Global) is a very well curated variety box containing mostly skincare which is both us practical and usable. 

1. THE CHOUTE Aurora Pearl Base is a hydrating highlighting primer which has a distinct rosy sheen, which I was unable to capture in my photos. It absorbs fast and doesn't look or feel greasy even on my oily skin. It's a great make-up base for everyone.

2. SECRET NATURE Moringa Seed Toner is my absolute favourite find. Not only am I a great fan of anything by the brand, but also this particular product comes in this superclassy glass bottle and is a lovely moisturising toner that is super gentle on my skin and leaves it soooo soft! Contains moringa seed, hibiscus flower and fermented lotis flower extracts!

3. PUREPLUS+ Acai Berry Magic Bubble Cleansing Foam. The name is quite self-explanatory. Love Korean foam cleansers, so I'm pretty sure I'll use this one up.

4. ESTHETIC HOUSE Vitamin 3000 Vitamin C Vita Capsule Cream is the most interesting one. It promises to tackle dark spots and hyperpigmentation and reduce the appearance of pores. Can be used on its own over trouble areas or mixed with skincare of choice.

5. MIMI LAURYNE"S Beauty Lesson Hand Cream looks nice, but it's the least interesting item for me. Mine comes in Rose Fleur and claims to provide my hands with moisture bue to the content of macadamia seed oil.

The two last products, marked as items 6 and 7 are actually samples of two products by Syndrome Cosmetic. 

CB Revitalising Fermentation Essence contains bifida and galactomyces for skin renewal. Feels like sheer water on the face, using the two samples didn't encourage me to buy a full size product for $58.

CB Cream Gold promises to whiten and brighten the face instantly while providing moisture and anti-wrinkling effects. This stuff is horrible. It does whiten indeed but that's because it's the same shade and thickness as toothpaste. Made my face look as if I was attempting to achieve some kind of Halloween look. What's more, it was sooo thick that it was hard to blend and refused to absorb for quite a while. For the first time in my life I had to actually wash a skincare item off my face.