Price: $26 CAD
Size: 0.11 oz
Shade: Pure Hollywood & Crush
Anastasia Beverly Hills is known for its amazing brow products – however they recently came out (in Canada..) with liquid lipsticks so I grabbed a couple to try. Continue reading “ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS – Liquid Lipstick”
THE BENEFIT COSMETICS – THE POREFESSIONAL FACE PRIMER REVIEW
Price: $39 | $50 CAD
Size: 0.75 oz | 1.5 oz
This product has been a staple favourite of mine for years and I was surprised to see that I had not done a review on it yet, so here it is!
PACKAGING
The primer comes in a basic style plastic tube with a place cap – so nothing special. Looks wise I do not hate the look but I do not love it – I do prefer that it come a little more ‘classy’ looking as it is a high end make up product and it does not look the best on my makeup table – however I cannot complain that much as this is what benefit products simply are designed like and it is part of their branding. Otherwise there is not much to say as the product comes out easily and the size of the product is great in general and for travelling.
PRODUCT
Just to start I would like to mention again that I do not mind silicone based products and this product is definitely silicone based. The product has been my all time favourite for a number of reasons first, is the fact that the base is tinted which helps to blur small imperfections even before I put on foundation which keeps me from pilling on product just to cover up small things. Second, is its lightweight texture – the product applies smoothly and thinly you barely feel it on your skin which is great if you are going for a heavy look as layers and layers of makeup become uncomfortable after a while. Third, is the mattify-ing effect it has which helps to control oil on my face throughout the day. I find that when I use this product under my makeup I do not find the need to touch up or blot my face throughout the day. Lastly, I find it works well to smooth out my skin creating a smooth surface for makeup. It is extremely important to have a smooth and hydrated surface of skin before putting on makeup because this will help make your application look flawless and natural. As for its claim to minimize pores I would say it works if your pores are still relatively small and not a big issue – I found that for my mother (who has larger pores) it did not have as much of an effect so it is not a miracle worker. Also as it is a silicone based product some may find that the product will break them out as silicone creates a barrier on your skin that will keep in moisture (which is good) but will also keep in sebum and bacteria (causing breakouts). Personally, I love the finish that silicone products give me so I use them carefully by taking extra precaution to cleanse my face thoroughly and applying my full skin care routine first before applying the primer. Also I try to keep the layer of primer thin in hopes to allow a little breathing room for my skin. The last con would be the smell – it is a little on the stronger side and is not the most pleasant thing to smell but it did not bother me too much and went away after a while.
OVERALL
This primer is definitely a debatable product and I recommend you test it out on your skin before purchasing as I am aware that some skin types may react to silicone based products (ie. Irritation or breakout). Another con would be its smell that is on the stronger side and may deter you from enjoying the product. However, the pros would be that the product is tinted helping you blur small imperfections, it also creates a smooth surface for your makeup to sit on. As for its ability to lengthen the wear of your makeup I did not see that it did much more than any other primer so all roughly the same level in this category.
– SL.
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**Links to the product is provided above if you wish to purchase it. Simply CLICK on the image of the respective item.
Price: $24 CAD
Size: 0.22 oz
Shade: Bow and Arrow
So there has been a lot of hype surrounding this product, specifically in this shade – so I decided to hunt it down to see for myself if the hype was worth it. I managed to track this product down by checking the Sephora site multiple times a week and looking at which stores had it in stock. Once the location close to me was listed I quickly called and requested that it be put on hold for me. SO GOOD LUCK if you are still on the hunt – but that is how I managed to grab it!
LIQUID LIPSTICKS
Liquid lipsticks are often misunderstood as many think they are more like a stain – however that is not the case. Liquid lipsticks simply put are matte/glossy lipsticks in a liquid form. The pigment, like a lipstick sits on the top instead of soaking into the skin like a stain. Personally, I prefer liquid lipsticks for multiple reasons – first, would be its thinner consistency making application and blending/spreading the product easier in comparison to a regular lipstick. This helps to make your look more natural and effortless – many lipsticks often come off looking ‘cakey’ (not the best word to describe it), thick, or overdone. Second, would be its lower opacity – which gives a little more versatility to the product as I can apply less to create a subtle look or build it up to create a bolder look. Third, is its longevity, I find that when I use liquid lipsticks they last longer than my regular lipsticks. I do not find myself reapplying multiple times throughout the day – usually only once after a meal. Last, would be how weightless it feels on my lips – I often forget that I am wearing lipstick when I use a liquid lipsticks. Overall, I would definitely recommend that you try liquid lipsticks if you tend to dislike the consistency of a lipstick or if you are new to matte lipsticks or even lipsticks in general. Side note – if you have very dry lips you may find matte liquid lipsticks a little drying so do make sure your lips are hydrated before your application.
PACKAGING
For the packaging I appreciate the longer and slimmer style that Kat Von D has chosen because it sits nicely in the glass cups I store them in (shorter products tend to be hard to reach). The look is much like the rest of brand which would be the iconic tattoo-esc print that surprisingly does not look tacky or cheapen the look of the product. Otherwise there is not much more to talk about regarding the packaging as its relatively basic with a plastic tube and doe footed applicator.
PRODUCT
FORMULA
To begin I would say that out of all the liquid lipsticks I have tried in the past – I would say this scores high on the favourite list. The formula dries matte while still maintaining slight flexibility which prevents the product from cracking and peeling as you may find might happen with other ones on the market. As someone with dry lips I found that it did not dry out my lips as much as other matte lipsticks that I have tried. The product applies cleanly and smoothly making application quick and simple. It also does not dry too quickly giving you time to blend and move product around if needed. The lipstick is light weight and you barely feel it when applied making it very comfortable to wear. Overall, if you are looking to try a liquid lipstick I would recommend this one for its flexibility and longevity. I found that because it was bendable it was able to last a lot longer as it was not cracking or peeling off throughout the day. On average I found myself reapply only once or twice throughout the day (usually following a meal).
COLOUR: Bow and Arrow
I only managed to get my hands on Bow and Arrow – so for now I will only talk about this colour (still on the hunt for Requiem). Bow and Arrow is described as a ‘fawn nude’ on the Sephora website. I would describe the shade as deep rosy taupe colour. I found that the shade ends up looking different on different people. For some it looked more on the brown side and for others I found that it looked rosier. If you find that you do not like how the colour is looking on your lips you may want to try putting a bit of foundation over your lips to neutralize the tone before applying it. Overall, I found that it looked and photographed great with my light-yellow under toned skin and in my opinion was worth the slight hassle and money.
**for a photo of the lipstick on – I have posted a photo to my instagram page so do check that out . **
– SL.
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**Links to the product is provided above if you wish to purchase it. Simply CLICK on the image of the respective item.
TARTE – Clean Slate Poreless Primer
Price: $40 CAD
Size: 1 oz
The Tarte Clean Slate Poreless Primer is one of the 2 main primers that Tarte has created. It was created to ‘mattify’ the look of skin and refine pores. They also claim to include a patented product named ‘T5 Super Fruit Complex’ which is mainly an ingredient that is loaded with antioxidants which are known to restore skin.
PACKAGING
The primer comes in a tube with a sleek bamboo twist off cap that keeps in theme with other Tarte products. Personally I feel that the green and white leaf design may have been unnecessary but that is just aesthetics. Overall this packaging makes the primer travel friendly and keeps the product from being over exposed to external environments. This means that the product stays relatively sanitary in comparison to products that come in a pot design.
PRODUCT
The primer claims to be pore refining, waterproof, and line filling. It comes in a creamy form that feels like it would be silicon based but I am not completely sure. The consistency is on the thicker end but smoothes out really well without any fallout which I have found with some other primers. I would not categorize this primer as a light weight one however; it does feel light on the skin when compared to thick primers that are similar in consistency. Personally, I found that this primer worked well for me and I did not mind having a thicker layer between my skincare products and my makeup. On that note, I usually opt for this primer on heavier makeup days because I prefer a tinted primer for daily use, to avoid using foundation on the full face. I have tried to test the products against their claims and I will go through each individually. I would not say that this does a lot regarding pore refining (reducing the size of your pores) but it does help a little by creating a smoother layer over larger pores therefore minimizing the appearance of enlarged pores. As for being waterproof I found that it did well against sweat and a little bit of moisture however do not expect it to last through a dip in the pool. Lastly, the primer helped to fill the lines well helping the foundation application look smoother however it is works best with finer lines and does little for deeper wrinkles. With this said even with continuous use I did not feel that it did much to restore my skin as it claims to it mainly masks the appearance of imperfections.
OVERALL
I personally found that this product worked well for makeup application that was thicker and it held up for a good portion of the day. However, I have tested the product on my mother, who has larger pores and deeper lines in combination with oily skin, and have found that this product did not work as well for her as it did for me. I would recommend this product to those who have dry – normal skin types and fine lines. It does not feel overly heavy on the skin or sticky to the touch however I would prefer it to be slightly tinted.
– SL.
*Follow my FACEBOOK page for updates, giveaways, and previews.
**Links to the product is provided above if you wish to purchase it. Simply CLICK on the image of the respective item.
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