LAURA MERCIER TRANSLUCENT LOOSE SETTING POWDER FOR ACNE SKIN

'To learn something new, you need to try new things and not be afraid to be wrong'- Roy T. Bennett

Sometime you have to try to know if certain products would agree to your skin condition. I feel the same with@lauramerciermy (and Tarte! I used to look at Tarte products while chillin at@sephoramy and said meh whatever). When I saw @shopwithshyra 's post of Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder for RM149, I sold my TF Bonbon for it.

No regret whatsoever inside me.

Ain't dyin here.

Of Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder, I wasn't expecting much from it but holy cow I was impressed! Not even RCMA, Marc Jacobs, Wet n Wild, or Coty Airspun could do the things that this powder could to my skin. Lately, I'm not really into full-faced makeup however despite going on a full makeup ban I would still use a foundation so I have been setting my foundation with LM and only LM alone. Guess what, my face isn't that greasy and oily, even longer than before. It sets nicely, very lightweight, does not cling on my dry/acne spots/scabs, does not crease, does no change on my foundation shade, blurs imperfection, does not feel cakey, does not have excessive fragrances, and no irritation on my skin. What more could I ask for?

The original price is RM189 but recently they had a 20% off promotion. Although I believe you wouldn't mind the price tag since the quality and the finish are superb. It's gonna cost you a little higher than any other loose powders.

Here's a simple comparison of most-raved loose powders:

Laura Mercier : 29g/1oz RM189
RCMA : 85g+/3oz RM60-RM70
Coty Airspun : 65g+/2.3oz RM40- RM45

Packaging wise? I have no problem with the plastic packaging. It also does not come with a powder puff unlike Coty Airspun- and yes I have no problem with that too.

Will I recommend this to people? Yes! An infinite yes!

KAT VON D LOCK IT TATTO FOUNDATION MEDIUM 54

I am so lazy to review makeup stuff these days but I received a request to review my KVD Lock It Tattoo Foundation so here it is! ❤

I bought it in shade medium 54, which is equivalent to MAC shade NC30 & Estee Lauder Double Wear Tawny for RM179. In my opinion, the pricing is a wee bit disappointing because it was priced a lot higher than it should be. Alright note this- the price of KVD Lock it Tattoo in Sephora US is USD35 (RM179) whilst the Too Faced Born This Way is USD39 (RM152), so don't you think that this foundation wasn't fairly priced? Also I believe that we're still receiving the old packaging....and of course I would expect a significant increase in Too Faced Foundation next year lol, I dont know. Marc Jacobs ReMarcable went from RM225 to RM250 in less than a year. What's worst is Marc Jacobs Mirage Filter was priced at RM140++ last year and it hiked up to RM225 this year, can you believe that?

Anyway back to review, the packaging itself is very pretty and it has a pump which is always a good thing. Although I wish I could say the same to its smell...it is straight up chemically scented.

I found out that the shade is slightly lighter than my own skintone although I am matched with this shade hence I would look a bit ashy- it would still look grey even it does oxidize after a while so a full face makeup with blushers, contours and highlights is a must for me to make it less....funny-looking? The shade range is huge however I think they have more of yellow-based tones than any other base tones.

It has a matte finish and I would not recommend it to people with extemely dry skin because it clings on my dry patches and my pit scars. It is an extremely high coverage foundation and it manages to cover my skin discoloration. This foundation also applies best with beauty blender where it would tone down the coverage (if you're not a cakey-all-the-way kind of girl). It would last for 3 to 4 hours on my oily skin.

Would I repurchase this? I will, once Sephora is out of foundation for me to try on. 😅

Freedom Makeup Pro Strobe : Pro Powder Strobe and Contour Palette Swatches and Review.

Swatches of Freedom Makeup Pro Strobe: Pro Powder Strobe and Contour Palette.

I bought it because I've read the reviews on internet...and has been raved as a Lorac Contour Palette dupe.

To be honest, the highlight shades are not pigmented and I had to swatch a few times to get the colors to show up on my skin.

This contouring palette is suitable for fair skin with cool undertones as mine is a medium with warm and peachy undertone. I couldn't use their light contour and beige highlight shades because they'll make my face look ashy. Also, I would totally avoid that shimmer highlight like a plague since it's definitely not for me. It's so...white. When you mix a white or grey to a dark color they'll look like mud. You know what I mean?

This contouring palette is allegedly a straight up dupe for Lorac Contouring Palette. I have no idea how Lorac Contouring Palette is going to fare on me.. whether it's gonna be good or bad but at least I know what to expect if I decided to get it for myself.

I have mixed feelings with this one but no doubt with their brow pomades... SO. FREAKING. GOOD.

P/S: Swatches are not done on bare skin.

Swatces on NC35

Essence and Maybelline Mascara reviews!

Drugstore mascaras that I have tried on so far. First impression isn't always right.

1.Essence Get Big! Lashes Volume Boost Waterproof.
This could really pass as a dupe of Lash Sensational if the smell isn't so horrible. I'm a bit sensitive when it comes to chemical smell in cosmetics and this one smells like burnt tyres. Otherwise it's a great waterproof mascara if you are okay with the smell. Probably retails around RM12-16. I couldn't remember, sorry.

2. Essence Get Big! Triple Black Mascara.
This mascara lives up to its name. It's so dark when applied onto my lashes. It's a decent mascara but it's not waterproof and it smudges all over my under eye area after some time. I thank thee oily skin.

3.Essence I ❤ Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara. Probably the best Essence mascara I've tried on. No weird smell, great mascara wand for small eyes like mine, comfortable to use and it doesn't sting. However it has the same problem as Triple Black, it smudges after a while. Retails around rm16+

4.Maybelline Rocket Volum' Express. Honestly Maybelline mascaras are the best- even better than high end mascaras and this one is no exception. It does what it's advertised for, it volumizes, curls and elongates my short lashes. It doesn't sting my eyes as Lash Sensational but not as waterproof. So basically it's way easier to remove then. I got this for RM25+ and Watson ada sales on Maybelline products sekarang ni rasanya.

5.Maybelline Lash Sensational. Previously, I did an elaborated post on this mascara and I haven't changed my opinion. I didn't like it for once but I outgrew my dislike however I will try out other mascaras before I can call this as 'The One'. *Plays Heavenly BGM* Retails around RM39.90 but Watson ada sale sekarang now dlm RM31++. Not sure if I need another mascara... Maybe I should wait until one goes bad before purchasing a new one.

#Maybellinemascara
#maybellinemalaysia
#maybelline
#maybellinelashsensational
#maybelinemy
#essencemalaysia
#essencecosmetics

Bourjois Délice de Poudre Bronzing Powder & Highlighter Review

Here's my honest review on Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder and Highlighter.

This is my first Bourjois product that I have ever purchased. I've been eyeing this bronzer since the brand, Bourjois were made available in Malaysia but turned out that this particular product wasn't sold here at that time. I think It does now since I've seen some updates on instagram.

The first thing that I noticed when I received mine is how identical its scent is to my Queen Helene Cocoa Butter Face & Body Cream and Chocolate Lip Balm. It's not that I'm complaining because the scent is very calming- chocolate scent always gives out a calming effect on me.

This bronzer and highlighter duo is a travel-friendly product as the size of the product is quite small and it fits into the smallest purse that I owned. The packaging is made from a thick cardboard, with strong magnetic clasp and feels very secured. I love the cute packaging so much!

However, I am disappointed with the product. While the bronzer is my kind of warm-toned bronzer, it doesn't really show on my medium skintone. The bronzer shade is very sheer and buildable but I had to use a dense contouring brush to make the color appear on my cheek. I couldn't use my toothbrush makeup brush or my kabuki brush as the bronzer powder won't stick on it. Tbh i could not even swatch it with my fingers. The only brush that can be used with this bronzer is my Freedom Makeup Contour Brush. I can see myself using this to warm up my face a little, or if I want to contour but no contour...then what's the point lol. 😅 The highlighter is too sheer to my liking as well.

Pros:
✔Cheap
✔Travel-friendly
✔Magnetic Clasp

Cons:
❌Too sheer
❌Not suitable for medium to dark skin

Not recommended if you have a similar skintone like mine.

Cheap D.I.Y Z-Palette and where to buy them in Malaysia?

I bought a mini palette from Instagram handle @mizzlyana and honestly I'm impressed with the quality. It's very well-made for a DIY palette.

It costs only RM40 for a mini palette and RM60 for a large one.

It's perfect for you if you don't want to spend a lot on expensive z-palette

Now I have more reasons to buy eyeshadow and blusher pans. 😂

#zpalettedupes
#zpalette
#zpalettedupe
#diyzpalette

Biore UV Perfect Face Milk VS Nivea Post Shave Balm Sensitive as a Primer.

Read my review of Biore UV Perfect Face Milk here. 

So everyone must've known about Nivea Post Shave Balm way before me since I'm a newbie. It was introduced by Nikki Tutorials almost a year ago. According to Nikki, this product contains glycerin which supposedly helps our makeup to stay on even longer.

A friendly warning, not everything that works for everyone else will work on you, so.. I've tried the post shave balm as a primer for a few times.

My verdict?

It was alright for the first hour. However, my face started to produce oil even faster by the next hour. I was a walking disaster at the end of the day with an uncontrollable, a total nightmare of oil production department. Had to tell you, I tried to swipe the oil off my face with my fingers and I was still very very very oily. I had no idea how thick it was and I took a good look of my fingers, they were covered with oil too -gross! What made it worse was my face smelt like male's armpit products.

I didn't give any high expectation to it but I didn't expect this at all.

I'd choose Biore 3859392737 times over this one, sorry but it doesn't work for my oily skin.

Biore UV Perfect Face Milk is far more superior in terms of oil control, mattifying, SPF, etc etc.

I'm wondering if I've been using it wrongly or did I bought the wrong version?

#niveapostshavebalmasprimer
#nivea
#Niveamalaysia

Review of Biore UV Perfect Face Milk on Oily Skin as a Makeup Primer

The Packaging.

I stumbled across this sunscreen while browsing my IG feed, thanks to@syzahmd and decided to try it, while hoping that it would not break my skin considering that I had a bad relationship with Biore products. Retails around RM22 - RM32++ for 30 ml depending on retailers.

Biore has a quite huge selection of sunscreen products but I'm just going to highlight on this particular one as it is for oil & shine control.

The consistency of the product is very watery, lightweight, non-sticky as compared to other sunscreens, no noticable scent and doesn't leave a white residue after application on my face. It has a cooling sensation- as if as I'm wearing a face mask but it will go away after a while. While it keeps my oily skin matte, it does no help to my large pores and bumpy skin so it will not help you best if you're looking for pore-filling primers.

I was quite impressed with how it held my foundation when I tried it for the first time. My face stayed matte up to more than 4 hours++ even in humidity because usually it would crack not long after I finished my makeup- probably up to 2 or 3 hours. However, I had a scratchy nose while using for the first time. It felt itchy to the point that I had to take off my makeup just because I couldn't stand it. Maybe it tried to adjust to my skin for the first time? I don't know. What I know for sure was I didn't get as itchy as before when I tried it for the second time.

Honest though on this, while it holds my makeup way longer than other primers, I would not use this on my heavily scarred area- both of my cheeks. It doesn't give me the finish that I want so currently I'm using it strictly on my T-zone, and then I'll apply other pore filling primers (Baby Skin or ELF) to my un-primed areas.

Would I repurchase this? I will consider repurchasing but I'll also keep on searching for a primer that offers both- mattifying and pore-filling.

Sonia Kashuk Undetectable Cream Bronzer VS Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel

I am happy receiving my most 'priced possession', Soleil Tan De Chanel because it's not available in Malaysia although the parcel took almost two weeks to arrive to my US warehouse and I had to wait for 2 months to get it shipped to Malaysia. On the top of that, I bought it when the currency was at the highest peak and paid almost RM250++ inclusive of postage. Nvm, I'm still a happy woman.

Anyway, lets move on to the comparison of Sonia Kashuk Undetectable Cream Bronzer and Soleil Tan De Chanel. Price wise, do you know that Sonia Kashuk is actually a bit expensive than Chanel? The cream is 0.18 oz/5g for USD10.99 and it's 1oz/30g for USD50 for Chanel. Basically you're paying USD2++/g for Sonia Kashuk and USD1.7++/g for Chanel. Only if you don't mind spending your money in a go.

I purchased Sonia Kashuk in the shade of Rich Bronze because the other shade (Warm Tan) is similar to Chanel. Chanel on the other hand, has only one shade. Surprisingly Rich Bronze isn't as dark as I thought it would be since the color in the pan looks darker than Chanel. Rich Bronze gives out similar shade once swatched next to Chanel except the one-shade-Chanel is tad bit lighter and orangey. I would recommend Rich Bronze if you have a medium to dark skin as it oxidizes after a while.

Chanel has a soothing fragrance scent while Sonia Kashuk smells like your average cream blushers. The smell reminds me of Maybelline products, it's not awful and isn't as pleasant but it is definitely a generic smell of the chemicals used in the product.

Texture wise, both have the same creamy texture but Sonia Kashuk is a bit harder to blend. While it doesn't give me a streak i found it hard to blend using a brush thus a finger or sponge blender would help in that department. Plus point, Sonia Kashuk actually has a sponge and mirror underneath the product so safe to say this Bronzer is travel-friendly.

Longevity? Can't really say because I have an extremely oily skin and cream products don't last long on my skin.

So is Sonia Kashuk Bronzer a reliable dupe of Soleil Tan De Chanel? I would say yes definitely!

E.L.F Blemish Control Face Primer - Acne Treatment (Clear)

It has been told that this primer is similar to Smashbox Photo Finish Blemish Control Primer. I am not sure if the Smashbox primer is available in Sephora Malaysia or not, anyone has any idea?

This primer retails at USD6 per bottle and it comes in a plastic bottle and I am giving it a point for having a pump dispenser. The product is actually 'white' and I thought it was green when I looked at the bottle. It has 0.47oz/14 ml of product with a shelf life of 6 month which is pretty decent for me price wise.

Another point is given for having Salicylic Acid as the main ingredient! As you know Salicylic Acid is widely used as an acne treatment and I'd say it's a good one since I've been using Etude House AC Clinic Lotion which contains Salicylic Acid as its main ingredient. Other than that, it is infused with tea tree extract and Vitamin E to help in controlling active breakout/soothes your skin. However I did not see anything is done to correct my redness well it's not even green. The consistency is a little thin and lotion-like but it is buildable and it definitely covers my pores. Turns out this primer is a silicone-based primer since it has Dimethicon as one of its ingredients.

I have tried this primer in three different times. The first one was in humid weather, secondly in an air-conditioned room while idling and third was in an air-conditioned room but with a lot of movement done as possible.

In that very first situation my foundation didn't stay on for more than two hours and that was a big disappoiment but apparently expected since I am struggling with extremely oily skin. On the second one , it did alright but well I basically did nothing but just laying around lalala-ing and watching Vampire Diaries so that was also expected. And lastly, that made it a little bit interesting since it stayed on for max 6 hours and gave me a flawless dewy finish after my foundation was fully oxidized. Honestly I FELT SO FABULOUS.

Verdict? I was a bit disappointed with it in my first try but eventually it gets better. Finding a good primer that could withstand humid weather while struggling with a super oily skin is hard, but possible.

This primer is not one of 'it'. However I am liking this primer since I can use it as it is to combat my breakout thus I'm giving it a 3...it is going to be 4 if only this primer is available in our local drugstore. Sadly ELF product is not available in Malaysia.

February's personal favorites! ELF Primer is one of them. :)

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