Duped: Smashbox Muse Palette by Silk Naturals Bon Voyage Shadows

I feel hopelessly in love with the Smashbox Muse Palette ever since I saw it. The absolutely gorgeous postergirl for the collection didn't hurt either. But not only is Smashbox really pricey, the pallete was US$48! It wasn't available in Malaysia.

So imagine my delight when the genius Karen of Silk Naturals duped the pallete in loose mineral-shadow form. And believe me, the colours are GORGEOUS. Here are the four darker shades I bought at US$4 each. You can opt to buy all 10 shades here for US$37.50 - but I like being able to get only the shades I want.


Colours & Formula
Karen really outdid herself formulating these shadows. The finish is shimmery with a delicate translucency that makes even vibrant purple Vacation" wonderfully wearable. They are smoothly blendable and last all day over a primer.

(L-R) Bon Voyage, Vacation, Getaway, Resort

Incidentally, Bon Voyage is the first blue shadow I've bought in years and is currently the ONLY shadow in my collection. I don't use it often, but I'm so in love with it!

Look

The lovely finish of the shadows make even a multicoloured look like this wearable even for office wear! Granted, my eyes really aren't the best to show off colours (and don't I know it!) but I was quite pleased with this look even if I do say so myself. ; )

Crease: Vacation
Outer-V: Getaway
Lower Lashline: Bon Voyage

Conclusion
These shadows are LOVE and they encourage me to play with colours a bit more. I do have a tendency to stick to brown, brown and more brown! I'm considering getting a few more of the darker shades.

So Loverly reviews Loverly cream blush (sorry, couldn't resist)

How apt is it that just around the time So Loverly turns 1, Silk Naturals includes a cream blush called Loverly into its permanent collection? Is it a coincidence? I'm afraid only Karen can answer that and to be honest, I just can't work up the ego to believe she created this lovely thing for us. Though it would have been nice, wouldn't it?

And it really is a very lovely blush. Shade-wise it's a shimmery golden pink - like a bumped up Nars Orgasm / SN Climax. In tone it is pinker and deeper than Orgasm / Climax, and the shimmers are very very fine. When swatched (after the jump) you can see that it comes off sheer and when blended out looks very natural indeed.

Its texture is very easy to use - whether you prefer to use your fingers to smooth it out, or pat it on, or a dual-fibre brush to stipple it on, this blush is your friend when you're ina rush. Be gentle with it as the cream is very light and mousse-y in consistency and it's easy to dig out too much - a little goes a long way. Just a light touch will do for a very natural, sheer stain to your cheeks, with a little added pizzazz thanks to the golden shimmer.

While this blush is far more long-wearing than its powder-counterparts, I found it to be less lasting than several other cream blushes I've tried. Still, it does last for the better part of 8 hours when applied over Revlon Colorstay on my skin terribly oily skin.

Also pretty awesome, it doesn't break me out. I obtained this blush as a Gift-With-Purchase on Silk Naturals and have been using it for quite awhile now, and I was inititally leery of trying cream blushes because they just don't go with oily skin. But so far I've really had no problems once its set with a translucent powder.

The blush retails on SN for US$6.99, I believe that the full-sized version comes in a larger pod than my GWP version, but as I've never seen it I can't say. But my guess is that my pod is 3g while the full-sized version is 6g.

When I run out, I'll definitely be repurchasing. Yes I may be biased that it shares a name with my blog, but think about how devastated I would have been if the blush that bore my blog's name was awful! Thank goodness it's a keeper.

Review: Illuminare Ultimate All-day Foundation/ Concealer

Okay ladies, I know ya'll have seen this post before. Or at least, a very similar one written by Kahani a while ago. But the difference is that I'm reviewing this ONLY as a concealer. As promised. 

Honestly, I don't really like slapping too much products on my face all at one go. I hate the many layers of stuff. So on days when my face decides it wants to be good, I just dust a little of my ZA 2-way foundation on my forehead, nose and chin, and a little MAC Blot powder on my cheeks. And I'm done.

On days when it does NOT want to be good, I have no choice but to add some concealer on those dratted red spots, scars, and blasted little pimples which threaten to grow into Krakatoas.

And this is where the Illuminare Ultimate All-day Concealer works wonders.

It is THICK. Make no mistake about it. Just a teeeny-weeeny bit is more than enough for my entire chin, the odd pimple on my cheek and forehead. Application is made all the simpler with the Fast Application Pad, and blending the concealer is a breeze.

(You can see how little I actually need on my Fast Application Pad.)

On the rare occasion, I do use my fingers to apply. Not a good idea. This stuff is so thick I end up staining my fingers with it. And believe it or not, this concealer does. not. budge. I can scrub my fingers after with soap and water, but it still refuses to go away. Really.

So take my advice and use either the pad or a brush to apply the concealer. And you'll need a makeup remover to get it off your face after.

For my MAC NC25 skin, I'm using Florentine Fair, which is the third darkest shade available and it blends well enough to look natural. It usually manages to look alright for a few hours, but a blot and touch-up is usually in order around lunchtime.

It's oil-free and  has SPF21, but since the application is only on the odd spot, I wouldn't count on it to keep my face safe from the sun.

A 15ml tube costs US$27, but as you only need so little, it should take a while before you go through an entire tube.

There's really not much more for me to say, so I'll let the photos do the rest of the talking.

(Bare faced. Yes, behold the angry red chin. Eek.)

(Only concealer has been applied. See how much better it looks already? Don't mind the hair frizz, it was not entirely dry yet.)

(With concealer, ZA 2-way foundation and MAC Blot Powder applied as mentioned earlier.)

(And I'm done! With a bit o' blusher - Cargo The Big Easy, me thinks - and Testimo lipstick in a shimmery pink shade. I was only heading out to the mall for a while, so makeup was kept minimal. And oh, Frederic Fekkai's Olive Glossing Cream took care of the frizz.)

So what do you think of concealers? Necessity? Extras? Holler back, girls!

Note: The product reviewed is a courtesy of Illuminare Cosmetics.

Duped: Make Up For Ever's HD Microfinish Powder

I'm not actually sure who duped who in this case. After all, Make Up For Ever essentially repackaged something that's always been around - 100% silica powder, whereas Pure Luxe Cosmetics is selling it as it is. And LOOK at the price difference? For US$30, you get 0.35 oz (10g) of product, while Pure Luxe sells the equivalent amount for US$6. And for those who really LOVE the stuff, you can get 30g for US$14, three times the amount, less than half the price. So does it work, and how do they compare? Read on:

Does it work?
I only sampled the Pure Luxe offering, and at the price of US$30 a jar, chances are things will stay that way! But so far I am quite addicted to it. It really does provide a pore-less porcelaine finish to the skin. It's glowy, but not shimmery. It's almost ethereal looking at first, but settled down after awhile.

Although the powder is pure white, unless you are very dark skinned, or dusted far too much, it applies translucently. It also controls oil pretty well. I've been using it to set my foundation and with SN's Oil Control Primer underneath my foundation I can stave off the oilies till lunch if I don't get too hot and bothered.

The tiniest bit is enough, my sample will last me quite awhile. =)

How do they compare?
Since I haven't used the both of them, let's let the lovely ladies of Makeup Alley handle this bit for us. These extracts were obtained off the review for Pure Luxe Silica powder:

"I would recommend trying this before buying MUFE's first. I do have some of it and while it's nice, this is just as good as 1/3 the price..........I just love the "finished, polished" great look it gives" - Queenmarie

"The main difference, however, the pure luxe silica, IMO, is not as finely milled as the HD. I could literally feel it on my skin! it kind of sat on top, and made my face feel gritty." - StefieJ
(Note: I'm wondering if she got a bad batch, because if my silica powder was anymore finely milled it'd drive me batty. It's already crazy fine, a sneeze and the jar would be gone in a poof!)

"Make Up Forever has released High Definition Powder. This too is 100% silica. I have both. The MUFE version is a slightly finer mill than PL. The PL performs just as well for half the price. I have to admit that the MUFE version is in a much nicer package!" - MommaMayhann
(But this lady agrees that MUFE is slightly more finely milled.)

So there you are girls, draw your own conclusions. In the mean time, I'm placing an order for a full-sized silica powder and for a powder dispensing brush, so I can dust as I go!

Guest Review: Joppa Minerals - the most befuddling foundation

Eli gives Joppa Minerals a try, and she loves it - no wait, she hates it, oh yeah she loves it, oops no... oh just read it yerself. =P

I ordered a 3 piece mini sampler kit from Joppa a few months during a free international shipping offer. The reason why I am only reviewing it now isn’t because I am busy (although I should be studying for my exams right now…) but because I couldn’t decide if I liked their foundation or not.

This is the most confusing foundation ever.

Before I jump into that though, Joopa’s mini sampler kit allows you a choice of 2 foundation powder samples and any one sample of their finishing silks for US $3.50. I ordered the shades Medium #2 and #3 in their Soft coverage formula and their original sheer finishing powder. Medium #2 is my perfect match.

FYI, their samples are smaller than EveryDay Minerals. The wee jar comes without a sifter. Be very careful when you open the jar as the grains are so finely milled, they go “poof!” into the air if you are hasty.

I adored the foundation the first time I put it on. It made my skin look pretty, even and glowy although I wasn’t using BB Cream underneath. With the finishing silk on top, I had that lovely soft focus look I thought only achievable with Photoshop.

“Waaaaaahhh, me so pretty.” I admired myself in the mirror for a bit and then happily skipped off for classes. I came back 6 hours later with the soft focus look mostly intact and very little oil.

For the next 3 days, I was really impressed and was seriously thinking of switching over from Silk Naturals to Joopa.

Summer came along in earnest not long after. I changed my moisturiser to one with SPF and stopped using makeup for a while to let my skin adjust to the weather and the new moisturiser. Once it had calmed down, I whipped Joopa out of my cupboard again and dusted it on. It looked a little flat this time but still pretty. I went off to class without thinking much about it.

When I came back, my face had a slight orange tinge – the foundation had oxidised on me. Eeeeek.

I wondered if it was the BB Cream so I didn’t use it the next day. Came home, checked, wasn’t orange.

Next day, I didn’t use BB Cream again but came home orange.

Hmm, maybe the moisturiser with SPF is causing the oxidisation. I switched back to my old moisturiser and tried the foundation without BB Cream. Came back normal.

I used normal moisturiser for the next 2 days only to come back orange both times.

EEHHH??!!

Unwilling to give up the mystery, I took a break for a few days and tried again. This time, I tried using normal moisturiser for a few days, moisturiser with SPF and then BB Cream with both, giving a few days break in between. The results were so erratic, I gave up. BB Cream didn’t seem to be a contributing factor either.

My sister suggested that Joopa foundation suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder.

The Verdict? When the foundation works, I look unbelievably pretty. When it doesn’t, I look like an overtanned Playboy Bunny gone bad – and I don’t mean “bad” in a hot n’ raunchy way. Otherwise, the foundation offers pretty good oil control on its own which could give SN’s oil control primer a run for their money.

I prefer Joopa’s finishing silk to SN’s Perfecting Powder though. Joopa is much finer, gives better oil control and although it does not work so well with other foundations, it still gives a very polished look.

Thumbs up for Joopa’s Finishing Silk and a no-no to their foundation from me. Pity as it would be HG material if it worked all the time.

Silk Naturals: Colours for a Cure

So far, So Loverly hasn't really been getting into the October - Breast Cancer Awareness month gig. Although I'm all FOR the month I'm not sure I advocate the big companies making so much money off it by repackaging their products in pink and donating miniscule amounts to breast-cancer research. Silk Naturals though, is not a large company, and they are donating over 50% of the price you pay for these special edition (not pink packaged) colours Karen created especially for the month. Read on for image swatches and promotion details.

Lippies
Karen has really gone all out to make the lippies as "decadent" as possible. These black label lippies are "100% natural, over 80% organic, fortified with cranberry and passionfruit oils". I normally eschew shimmery lipsticks, but as these are blinged up with 23k edible gold leaf - so how can I resist? The two colours are Carpe Diem - a golden rose / berry coloured lippie, and Monarch - a sheer coppery lippie with lots of gold.

I love reds, especially ones with neutral / berry undertones so I've already ordered Carpe Diem! Also I'm a sucker for the name. Monarch looks like it may be useful as a layer-shade but I have doubts as to how well copper would go with my skintone, so I decided to pass it ups.

The lippies are US$9.95 each and no less than US$6 will go to the Susan J Komen Foundation!

Eyeshadows
These eyeshadows were launched at an absolutely perfect time for me. I was about to buy Cream, a shimmery off-white coloured shadow from SN to use as a base shade, and I was also looking for a nudish, taupe-brown shade. Both of which are in this collection!

Live, Laugh and Love were named for a wonderful woman who goes by the nickname "Mikie" on the SN Forums who I believe has survived Breast Cancer with grace and spirit. She is a bubbly fount of joy on the forums, and her encouraging signature, "Live! Love! Laugh! They'll wonder what we're up to!" inspired Karen to create this collection.

The collection costs US$11.95 - US$7 of which will go to Susan J Komen.

Promotion
To encourage her devoted following to spend even more, Karen has also introduced a new, and permanent gift with purchase offer. Every few weeks she'll create a special, Limited Edition shade that will be given away free with orders of US$25 or more.

This month's shade is halloween and pumpkin inspired, Superstar - a glimmery, blackened golden peach eye shadow that is supposed to complement the Colours for a Cure collection.

If you still want more details, check out Karen's blog.

It's here! Silk Naturals Kisser Slicker in Soft (Dupe of Bobbi Brown's Clear Pink)

It's here! My SN Dupe of my HG Lippie is herreee!! And of course I immediately crack it open, swipe it on, and take a pic.

And here's the review, complete with comparison swatches. As you can see, although it is a bright pink it does seem to suit my skintone and look pretty natural on me. It just seems to perk up my face without looking too bright.

Now in the tube, it looks very very similar to the lippie in the palette. (Yes, my palette's broken. You try hauling it around Europe for two years and keep yours intact! At least, it's well-loved.)

But when swiped it's clear that the Silk Naturals lippie is slightly warmer than the original. It goes on pretty similarly, but of course, it is slightly more intense when applied directly in tube form than with a brush.

While I am slightly disappointed that it's not a perfect clone, it may be more wearable as it's more neutral. And anyway, when applied on the lip there really isn't a perceptible difference. So Wheee!

I have a makeup Fairy Godmother.

Her name is Karen and she's the founder and creative genius behind my favourite cosmetics line, Silk Naturals. Wish proof of her fairy-godmotherness? Well, she just granted my fondest makeup wish.

Two years back, I bought myself a Bobbi Brown LE palette in Pink Sugar as a reward for attaining my scholarship. The palette is absolutely wonderful, but I found my HG lip colour in the Clear Pink lip gloss. My hunt for a replica in a convenient tube has proven futile, as I've mentioned before.

Well, one day the awfullest thing happened. I realised I'd hit pan in my HG lippie. And there was no replacement. In panic I posted on the Silk Naturals Forum wishlist a rather begging-ish post wishin' and hopin' that she'd be able to find a sample of it and clone it. And guess what? SHE DID!

Now how many you would like a makeup fairy-godmother? All y'need to do, is hop on the SN bandwagon and you can share mine. =)

And by the way, her fairy godmother powers even extend to prophetic products. Before Mac released Cult of Cherry, she produced this gorgeous lipgloss: Cherry Crush.

I'm afraid I don't know how it compares to Jampacked or any single one of the Cult of Cherry lippies (although Kirsch certainly looks similar to Clinique's Black Plum). But it is a delicious cherry shade, and looks amazing for evening wear. I can also see myself rocking this in the day time, if I apply lightly, with a quiet eye and cheek.

SN liquid lipglosses are not like the usual lip gloss. They're more pigment than goo, and are therefore very long lasting. They're incredibly similar in fact, to Revlon's 8 Hour Colorstay Mineral Lipgloss. The wands are small, and incredibly cute. Fortunately, the price (US$4.95) reflects this.

And as if all this wasn't enough. I just learnt that in her latest makeup release she's included clones of (amongst others) the Bobbi Brown Shimmering Nudes Palette (clone here), which I'm lemming so much I'm hyperventilating. And clones of Bobbi Brown's Mauve Blush (clone), Nars Dolce Vita (clone), Mac's Pleasantry from the Sonic Chic collection (clone), and Mac's Dame (clone).

I'm so glad I've just gotten a job...

At last! Silk Naturals hears my cry for oil control: SN Foundation in Heavy & Tinted Oil Control Primer

Karen, the founder and genius behind Silk Naturals, is truly a beauty-addict's fairy-godmother. Hearing the cries of her loyal fans for a foundation with heavier coverage and better oil control, she not only rewards us with a foundation that answers all of the above, but also with an oil control primer!

Read on for the reviews on her Heavy Coverage foundation in Buttery Gold, and Tinted Oil Primer

Heavy Coverage Foundation in Buttery Gold
I have a large collection of mineral foundations by now. And I find myself reaching for this one more than any of the others of late. Although it doesn't provide as full a coverage as J.Lynne's offering or L'oreal's, I find the finish to be very natural. Not too shiny or matte. Plus it seems to stave off the oilies well-enough even in the hot and humid Malaysian climate.

I use it over GloMinerals Concealer (review coming soon), and in combination they make my blemished skin look perfect. I find the foundation to be long-lasting too. And of course with the blend-your-own system you can customise it to suit your skintone exactly.

If you have been using SN's foundation in original though, you should read this and take note that the ratio for colour to white base will be different.

The starter kit retails for US$11.95 and the samples are currently discounted!

Tinted Oil Control Primer
I have absolutely no idea what's wrong with the image on the SN website. The tinted primer is certainly not GREEN! Instead it's a neutral flesh-toned shade that applies sheerly and looks great as a finishing powder - really blurring out imperfections. On good days I even use it instead of foundation.

I use it more as a finishing powder than primer as I already use OC8. Although quite frankly, OC8 isn't holding up too well in the Malaysian weather. I find the primer makes a huge difference, and often use it as a blotting powder during the day.

As the primer is tinted it doesn't lighten the colour of my foundation or make it look ashen making it perfect as a finishing powder. Paler girls (I'm light-medium) may find it too dark for them.

I bought a sample for $0.99 and immediately ordered the full-sized one for $8.95! I love it that much!

Guest Review: Everyday Minerals Blush in Sunday Brunch

By Eli

Galahs were the first thing I thought of when I saw my free EDM sample of “Sunday Brunch”.

For those unfamiliar with Australian fauna, galahs are an Australian species of cockatoo dressed up in grey plumage with rose-pink faces and breasts. They are not an endangered species and can be found all over Australia.

I call them “Blushing Birds” because they look as if they had seen something terribly embarrassing and have never recovered from it since (pic below).



EDM’s website describes Sunday Brunch as: “a delicious raspberry sorbet shade that is ideal for all skin types. Just the right matte finish that you can dress up or dress down. A versatile and must have colour for every occasion.”

I didn’t realise that when EDM said “raspberry sorbet”, they meant “raspberry sorbet”. Sunday Brunch is a very warm red with brown undertones which made my eyes widen and eye it dubiously for the first 5 minutes. But now that I have got over the initial shock, I love it.

This blush is highly pigmented so apply with a very light hand (a sample last you ages). I usually dot a bit on both cheeks before blending like crazy – and I am not the fairest of people. It definitely isn’t something I would reach for in a rush, especially since the colour doesn’t wear off through the day.

I doubt that I would use this much once summer rolls around or when I am back in Malaysia unless I am attending a night function. Sunday Brunch seems more suited for chilly autumn and winter months because of its depth and warmth. It gives a lovely warm burst of colour on sallow winter skin, which is sorely needed in chilly Canberra right now (it is below 10°C today).

As for the EDM claim that Sunday Brunch is ideal for all skin tones… I wouldn’t take the risk if you are fair, unless you have very light hand, are genius at blending or own a wonder brush.

EDM blushes come in three sizes: sample, mini and big which costs US $2.50, US $4, and US $8 respectively. I forgot how much I paid for international shipping to my part of Australia (was getting some brushes so I picked up the free sample kit as well) but it arrived in less than 3 weeks.

For one week only: Silk Naturals Eyeshadow Samples for 50¢

At last! Silk Naturals is, for a very limited time offering eyeshadow samples for only 50¢ each. With hundreds of shades (I'm guessing here, no way am I going to count), and a bunch of glorious clones to choose from, the temptation to go hogwild is hard to resist! Read on for what I've chosen to sample, and for my two favourite SN eyeshadow shades.

Shades I can't live without:
Nudge Nudge
This is the most amazing shimmering taupe shade in the world. It manages to be both warm and cool, and be great for a polished day-look AND a sizzling smokey eye. Don't ask me how Karen did this but she did.

I bought this, I confess, for its name. I'd received a sample of Wink Wink and could NOT resist buying its mate, Nudge Nudge. Now Wink Wink is a lovely sheer light silver shimmer, but I find myself ignoring it (except when pairing it with Nudge Nudge for a smokey eye look) and always reaching for Nudge Nudge.

It goes on with a slight shimmer and a medium tone when dry, but when you foil it (by adding some eyedrops), the shimmer amps up to metallic, the shade gets more intense and the result is pure va-va-voom. And even better, I've never known ANY shade to make my eyes look as large as this one can. Again, no idea how. Just try it. It really is a must-have shade for me.

Cashmere
In person, this shade is pinker and goldy-er, and pretty, pretty, pretty! Some pink shades make your eyes look diseased, trust me, this one won't. It's lovely one its own for a summery fresh look, as a highlight or mid-tone shade. I also love pairing this with Nudge Nudge.

Syen who is brilliant with eyeshadows (once she stopped buying only browns), helped me pick this out, and I can't thank her enough. Sent her a sample of it too. Hey girl, d'ya like it?

Shades I've chosen to sample:
As I'm looking for both the perfect brown shimmery shade in a mineral formulation and for the perfect green shades I've ordered:
Bittersweet
Chocolate Twinkle
Charmed
Grassroots Green

What are your choices?

Review: Illuminare Ultimate All Day Foundation/Concealer

I think, for once, I may have actually come across a foundation that is a little too full-coverage for me! As foundations go, Ultimate All Day ($27) is pretty amazing. And on really bad skin days I love it. But it is a little heavy for regular use. So on better days I prefer it as a concealer over a lighter foundation, or under a mineral powder foundation.

Application
I found myself to be between Portofino Porcelaine (pic) and Florentine Fair in this formulation. Also, even when mixed, both shades lacked sufficient golden undertones and looked rather dull. However, once I dusted over a golden setting powder like SN Tempt Tryst, or GloMatte Finishing Powder, it looked absolutely, airbrushed, glowy perfect!

Its formulation is very thick, but as its mineral-based it feels dry-powdery when spread on. It's hard to explain, but I like it! It's thicker than Cargo's OneBase, and really does provide 100% full coverage.

I also found that this foundation doesn't spread as easily with fingers as it does with their unique Fast Application Pad. Initially, I was skeptical as to how necessary this furry plush pad was, but I found it to be truly fast, amazing for blending this foundation, and helps to provide a flawless finish! Also a tiny drop on this pad goes a long way, I found myself using more when I tried to apply with my fingers. To use the foundation as a concealer, I dabbed it on spots that needed more coverage with my fingers, and gently blended it out with the pad. Perfect!

At $10, this pad does seem rather pricey. But Illuminare promises that its long-lasting and can be machine washed. I'm not sure how necessary it is for the other less heavy formulas, but I really do recommend it for the Ultimate All Day.

Wear
With my oily skin, even with OC8 I found I could not get away without blotting and powdering. But it does last till lunch time which is great! However, I found that it doesn't seem to take too well to OC8 as when I use it over the primer, it turned patchy when I blotted! And as this foundation is full-coverage the patches were unfortunately fairly obvious.

I managed to blend it out again somewhat and cover it over with powder, but it was still annoying. Without OC8, this doesn't happen - but oil control only lasted 2-3 hours. Finally I tried smoothing OC8 over the foundation when i next blotted. This seems to work best overall.

Otherwise, this foundation does indeed last all day. And although it looked flat was initially applied. Once I dusted the golden-tinted powder over it immediately looked so glowy and lovely that I received compliments all day. On my SKIN. During that time of the month when it looked absolutely crap. I even had a huuuuge cyst on my chin and no one seemed to notice it at all. Amazing!

Verdict
As I haven't tried the other formulations yet, I can't say for sure. But I would love to always have this foundation on hand for extra long days, or really bad-skin days. The only problem is that I'm between two shades. So I may eventually repurchase this in Portofino Porcelaine as a concealer, but I'm not sure if I would buy two tubes to use it as a foundation.

Review: Illuminare Ulimate All Day Blush in Portofino Porcelaine

Illuminare blushes are unique in their color scheme. Instead of having to guess which shade suits you best, they match each shade to a shade of foundation, and that shade is "the most natural" for you. But that shouldn't stop you buying any colour you want!

I received my sample in Portofino Porcelaine, and although I'm a Florentine Fair I found that this dusky pink did indeed look very healthy and natural on me. I love how natural it looks as it allows me to layer another blush over if I want to. Plus it makes the powder blush last longer!

Application
This isn't the easiest of blushes to apply, especially over the Ultimate Finish Foundation. As both formulas are thick and matte, I found I couldn't spread the blush without mussing up the foundation. So I myself carefully patting it onto the apples of my cheek and blending outwards. This worked very well, and it blended in and looked natural.

The blush is very pigmented and has a matte finish, so a little goes a very long way. My tiny sample is probably going to last me for a month if I used it daily! (Unless, of course I make a mistake one morning and squirt out too much). If you have dry skin or want a dewier look, the Perfect Color Blush formulation might suit you better.

If I'm going for a nude/natural or sporty look, I leave the blush as is. But if I want to alter the colour slightly to match my lippie, or for a little extra something, I dust a shimmering bronzer over, or powder blush and this works wonderfully.

Wear
This product definitely lasts all day. After a long hot summer day I was delighted to note that my cheeks were still glowy. The blush hadn't budged, faded, smeared, or streaked one bit. Plus, it helps any powder blush I dust over last longer too.

Situations in which this blush would be amazing are the gym, beach, or sporty events. Anything where you want your blush to look completely natural and to last and last.

Verdict
When I run out I'm certainly getting a full-sized one. At $18, it's much cheaper than Posietint, and the fresh-faced pink is very similar. All in all, I LOVE this blush and find myself putting it on everyday now.

Illuminare Liquid Mineral Cosmetics Haul

So Loverly has taken her first step, and received products to review! Following my post on Liquid Mineral Foundations, creator and founder of Illuminare, Ruthie, approached Syen & I about reviewing her line of liquid mineral cosmetics.

The beauty of it is, that I had approched the UK distributors of Illuminare, Skinstore.co.uk, wishing to include the line in my liquid foundation round-up. I was shot-down very rudely. The lady on the phone said, "the products sell well enough on their own" and they "were not interested". And this was on behalf of Kiss and Makeup no less!

Fortunately, the brand itself is nothing like its local distributor and Ruthie is absolutely lovely. I might also add, that shipping from the US is about equal with shipping from SkinStore, and the products are also almost half the price (US).

So if you're ordering DO order from Illuminaire.com for good customer service and far more reasonable prices, and give Skinstore a miss altogether. No, this isn't spite. But if they treat the press like this, I shudder to think how they must treat customers. And you can't argue with prices. Read on for more info about the line and the products I received.

Illuminaire is one of the first all-liquid mineral foundation lines to appear on the market. Even their eyeshadows are liquid! (or cream, if you will). They claim their products to be long-lasting and high performance, with just a "pea-sized" amount going a long way. From my swatch test of it, this is certainly true. Plus you retain all the benefits of mineral makeup. I can't wait to road-test it for real. Lookout for reviews!

Here's what I received:

• Samples of the foundations in 3 shades and 3 finishes.
• One sample of Ultimate All Day Blush in Portofino Porcelaine
• Samples of All-Day Mineral Lipcolor
• Samples of Ultrashine Mineral LipGloss
  
• Two reusable fast application pads

Syen should be getting her package anytime soon. Let's hope she got the eyeshadows.

Review & Roundup of Liquid Mineral Foundations

You asked for it and we deliver! Although not "cheap" sadly (only Maybelline's Liquid Mineral foundation is cheap, and that's not really mineral - just has minerals) these foundations are all more affordable than Youngblood's.

Ok, what isn't? Go here for my full review on gloTint and Jane Iredale. An editor with dry skin reviewed SukiColor.

Of the three, the most affordable and my favourite would be the gloSheer Tint Base. Although if you're after moisturisation I can definitely recommend the Suki Color Tinted Active Moisturiser. However, I had such high hopes for Jane Iredale Liquid Minerals and was badly disappointed. Hard to use, lousy coverage, it looked odd sometimes, and was too yellow!

Have you girls used any of these? If so, what do you think of them?

Product Review: Ocean Mist Mineral Foundation, Blush and Eyeshadow

As you can guess between the free sample kits and my internship with Kiss and Makeup I've been absolutely swamped with mineral foundations to test and try. And since fairness demands (unless the foundation is truly unbearable) almost a week's usage before a review, it's taken me awhile to get around to this particular sample kit.

Ocean Mist minerals is yet another budget online mineral makeup company. Although selecting the sample set is pretty easy, the website on the whole is a pain to navigate. While I appreciate their wide range of foundations shades, having to scroll through pages and pages of them - uncategorized or organized - is really annoying.

The Ocean Mist free sample kit is actually a very decent deal as all jars are absolutely packed to the brim. I got three foundation colours in Shell (Olive Light), Buff (Olive Medum), and Dandelion (Golden Light); Blush in Vanora (dusty mauve shimmer), and Lightly Tinted Finishing Powder, and Light Concealer. Read on for reviews!

Foundation
I'll say straight up that I wasn't impressed or horrified by this foundation. It wasn't great, it wasn't bad. It was just okay. Shell proved to be the best match for my skintone, and it provided medium to full coverage that was unfortunately rather flat (rather like Silk Naturals, only flatter). It didn't control oil very well, and by the end of the day it appeared rather patchy. After using it for three days I just didn't find myself reaching for it anymore.

The line does have its plus points though, if you're looking for other things in a foundation than I am. As mentioned before, it has a huge range of shades, and their foundations for women of colour are specially formualated to not appear ashy on darker skintones with a truly impressive colour range. So if you've never found a shade dark enough or rich enough to suit your skintone, try Ocean Mist.

Also if you have normal skin and only want matte medium coverage this line might suit you to the ground. Its formulation is very basic, as it's bismuth-free and all-natural so it won't cause breakouts or react with sensitive skin. At $12 for a full-sized jar it is also very affordable.

Powder & Concealer
Both these shades were simply too peachy and pink for me to use at all. The Powder wasn't translucent enough for me to use without it altering my colour. It also doesn't control oil worth a damn. It does provide a lovely finish though, so if the colour suits you go for it. I couldn't use the concealer at all as pinky peach patches is no way to hide a blemish.

The finishing powders come in several sizes ranging from absolutely massive 30g jars to samples. Full-sized concealers are in 20g jars. I can't list prices because they're tricky to figure out and I'm afraid of misquoting. But full-sizes should cost around $11.

Vanora Blush
Now THIS is the product that absolutely blew me away. The unassuming dusky mauve shade appeared uninspiring in the jar and I left off trying it for quite awhile. What a mistake! This shade was beautiful on! It made me appear fresh, and glowy without looking too dolly-pink. Its slight shimmer is just enough to perk up the blush without making me look like a lost disco ball.

The blush also lasted much longer than my beloved Silk Naturals blushes. I went all day without a touch up and there it was in the evening, fainter but still there. It is also pigmented without being too hard to handle - so if I'm in a rush I won't look like a clown. It's also a beautifully neutral shade so I find myself reaching for it over and over unless my lipgloss is very peachy. Love love love!

I promise to load a swatch or FOTD pic of the blush with it soon! (It's been a very busy week). At just $8.50 for a 20g sifter I will definitely be repurchasing this very pretty blush when (if) I run out!

Olive toned mineral foundations for cool Asian girls

Head on over to Kiss and Makeup to check out my review of three great mineral foundations with Olive undertones. Although I've reviewed Everyday Minerals here already, Lily Lolo and Youngblood were obtained through the job. Good thing too! I'd never EVER be able to afford Youngblood - £42! *sweats* But it is amazingly good stuff, never used a liquid foundation that amazing - now if only they'd matched my colour better. = (
*Edit (20/06/2008): By mixing in a little aloe vera gel, the foundation becomes sheer enough for me to wear! Hoorah!
Lily Lolo is also pretty brilliant and an amazing colour match. But although full-coverage it wasn't quite as forgiving on my uneven acne pitted face as J.Lynne or L'Oreal though. Oh for much much better skin.

Beauty Experiment: Kaolin Clay as a Mattifier

My skin is so terribly oily that I will give anything (short of poison) that promises to mattify a try. So with Milk of Magnesia suddenly ceasing to work on me after a sterling performance, I was looking around desperately for something else to work. When I came across pure kaolin clay at Signature Minerals for only $6 a 20g jar, I jumped at the chance to try it.

Kaolin Clay is one of the ingredients used in primers, mineral foundations, and powders to mattify. Lily Lolo's Flawless Matte powder is only Kaolin Clay + Mica while its Shine Away powder is merely Kaolin Clay - both for considerably more (£12) than Signature Mineral's offering.

The clay sold by SM is very finely milled and applies translucently providing an airbrushed, matte finish that I love. It can be added to mineral foundations to lighten it slightly and to make it more mattifying, brushed on as a primer, and used as a finishing powder. It can even be combined with water to make an oil-absorbing mask.

I tried brushing it on as a primer before applying foundation but wasn't pleased with the result as the foundation didn't go on as evenly as I'd like and I didn't notice any significant oil control.

I have also tried mixing it with Aloe Vera gel to form a primer. I have to apply carefully to avoid streaks, but it sets quickly to form a smooth, dry surface great for applying foundation. I find that this works quite well to delay oil breakthrough - giving me a 4 hour grace period instead of my usual 2, but once oil does break through I'm forced to touch up every 2 hours, and even worse my foundation fails to adhere as well as I'd like.

Finally, I've tried using it as a finishing powder and for touch ups. This I like and will continue to do. The finish is lovely, natural and non-cakey. It takes away oil beautifully even when I don't have my blotters on hand. And it prevents oil breakthrough for longer than even the legendary Mac Blot. Now I just need to devise some way of toting a loose powder along for touch-ups on the go.

I haven't tried mixing it with foundations yet as I've been testing the performance of foundations. I'll probably give that a go next.

Product Review: Everyday Minerals

Sometime back I ordered the Free Everyday Mineral Sample Kit. It arrived in five adorable jars containing:

• Matte Foundation in Olive Fair & Light Olive
• Intensive Foundation in Light Olive
• Concealer in Intensive Light
• Sparkle Bronzer

After using the products for the last week or so, here's my take on them.

Foundations
I was very impressed with the shades available. The numerous colours even come in 6 different undertones - including the rare and coveted Olive. Initially I was dubious. The last thing I wanted to do was buy a foundation that made me look like this:However, the clear and detailed descriptions provided convinced me. Until now I had always assumed that I was either "warm" or "golden" but truthfully, the former has always been a wee bit beige and the latter a wee bit yellow on me. The Everyday Mineral description opened my eyes:

"If you look at the underside of your arm, your veins are probably greenish. You tan very easily and never burn. You can not wear pastel colors, bold colors work much better on you!! You have probably found that many foundation colors end up looking ashy or pink on your skin"

All the above, with the exception of the bit on pastel colours (I look good in pastel AND bold. HAH. I just have to change my blush and/or lippie), is absolutely true. And sure enough Light Olive in the Matte formulation proved to be just right for me. Olive Fair was a bit too light, and Light Olive in Intensive is too dark!

Matte Foundation
This formulation is the one I prefer by far. Its coverage appeared smoother and heavier to me, and of course, on my terribly oily skin it wore better. However, its coverage was not as complete as J.Lynne's foundation, nor did it hold off the oilies as well even when combined with J.Lynne's matte primer.

It applied well, leaving me with that air-brushed look that only mineral foundations provide. However I was blotting in 2 hours of appliaction, and had to continually touch up during the day. Under this assault the coverage got a little cakey and patchy.

At $12 for a large foundation it is more affordable than J.Lynne and if my skin ever calms down a little I will probably go for it as it is a lovely foundation.

Intensive Foundation
Everyday Minerals intensive foundation is definitely not for me, although others may perfer it. I found that the colour was distinctly darker in the pot than the matte formulation and applied darker too. Its coverage is light - medium and is comparable with Silk Naturals. It has a more shimmery finish though, which is nice, but completely useless against the oilies. I oiled up in an hour and it just melted away by the end of the day.

If you prefer a lighter, more light-reflecting coverage though, this is the foundation for you. Only remember that the shades do seem to run rather dark.

Concealer
This would have been a lovely product if it wasn't too light for me. It covers completely and feels light and airy. It doesn't appear cakey (or at least I'm sure it wouldn't if it matched me better) and lasts quite well throughout the blotting and touching up. This light shade proved to be really quite good at hiding undereye circles without creasing, providing I used a light hand to avoid undereye racoon circles. I may give this concealer another try in a shade that matches me better and provide a fuller review. At $8 for a full size it's pretty good value for money, but a sample pot will last you ages.

Sparkle Bronzer
Described as a "deeper bronzer with a fine hint of sparkle, ideal for light to tan complexion" this product turned out to be a rather alarmingly dark brown in the pot with lots of multicoloured shimmer!

Applied it actually looks quite good, but it's highly pigmented and needs a light and cautious hand. The first time I was in a rush and just slapped it on I looked like I'd been in a dirt-wrestling match!

Colour-wise it's ok. The shimmer isn't too crazy when used, although it's not really subtle enough either. The colour also has a slight reddish undertone which I'm not crazy about as it doesn't look as flattering as golden-toned bronzers, and it really looks awful as an eyeshadow. I look like my eyes are irritated, which is a shame because it is so pigmented it would make a great eyeshadow.

Conclusion
Everyday Minerals is a good solid line of cosmetics that won't disappint, but I wasn't blown away by any of their products. Do give their free sample kit a try as its amazing value and the products could be just what you're looking for. I may give it another go myself as my ambivalence could be simply due to poor colour choice.

Duped: Nars Orgasm Blush & Lip Gloss

I swear I haven't lost my mind. I'm really am suggesting that this unglamorous pile of pink mineral powder is a dupe for both Nars Orgasm blush and the lip gloss - and for a price difference so vast it's unholy. And I claim this dupe because Silk Naturals Mineral Blush in Climax can be mixed with clear gloss to produce a peachy-pink lip gloss with fine gold shimmer particles.

Blush
As you can see, I'm wearing Nars Orgasm on one cheek, and Climax on the other (what a combination of names!). It is actually apparent in the photo that Climax has slightly cooler undertones than Orgasm - Karen admits to adding some plum undertones to create a shade that would a wider range. So Climax is not an exact dupe, but it is a lovely, lovely shade and in person (when you're not staring intently at both my cheeks and contrasting them), you really can't tell the difference.

In terms of application, Orgasm is obviously more convenient as it is pressed. It is also slightly more pigmented , but as Climax is a loose powder that's probably a good thing. My tiny sample of the mineral blush has been lasting me a long time though and I've been reaching for it as both a blush and gloss almost daily. It's just so perfect for that summer glow!

Lip Gloss
Unlike the blushes, I don't have an original Nars Orgasm Lip Gloss to compare - yet. Actually, it was my frustrated longing for a gloss I know I'll love but may never get that made me try dipping my lip brush in Climax and mixing the pigment into the clear lip gloss (L'Oreal Colour Juice in peek-a-boo clear if you must know) to create an "Orgasm" tinted lippie. The fine pigments in this gloss make this lip-mix incredibly long lasting. Unless you sit down to a full meal it won't fade or budge from your lips. I love the result of this experiment so much I've been trying it with all my SN blushes to great success, but this shade remains my favourite. As you can see from the photo, it really works with the blush.

More Nars Orgasm dupes
So great has been the success of this cult product that many beauty companies have tried to duplicate it. My Women Stuff has the most amazing post on Nars Orgasm dupes, complete with comparative swatches, we have ever seen. Check it out!