review: Per-fekt Skin & Cheek Perfection Gels

it goes without saying, but multitasking products are a must in every beauty girls' supply. Per-fekt Skin Perfection Gel {introduced to me during awards season, and used by celebs like Reese Witherspoon, Blake Lively and Jennifer Love Hewitt} is one of those products. not only does it offer lightweight, skin-enhancing results, but reduces redness and discoloration, keeps skin hydrated, controls shine, and is packed with antioxidants to boot!

Skin Perfection Gel isn't like most foundations. the unique formula is a gel-mousse hybrid of sorts, available in 5 skin-loving shades {4 if you don't count translucent as a shade} with smart color technology. while it's buildable, it doesn't provide completely full coverage. it's also unique in that it is to be applied by patting on rather than rubbing in {the shade i use, by the way, is called rich}. the finish is smooth and matte, which i love, plus water and sweat resistant ~ perfekt {sorry, i couldn't help it} for the warm-weather season! 

after creating a glowing complexion you'll, of course, need a gorgeous compliment of color! the Cheek Perfection Gel {available in 2 shades, blushed, pictured, and bronzed} is an amazing blush that gives cheeks a natural-looking flush. and because it's so concentrated, a very tiny bit goes a long way. simply warm between fingertips, dot onto cheeks and gently pat in for your most flattering color.

if you hadn't already guessed, i love the both the Skin and Cheek Perfection Gels. they're innovative, all-natural and such a lovely treat to use.

visit perfektbeauty.com for more info!

products featured sent to me for reveiw consideration; pics taken by me :)

review: Laura Mercier Oil Free Supreme Foundation

to give skin smooth-looking, flawless texture it's the base that will give you the best result...

i'm no stranger to foundation {i've used my share in 32 years!}, and though i've found my holy grail, i've been using the new Laura Mercier Oil Free Supreme Foundation for the past few weeks...

the formula feels light on my skin, blends well and is buildable in coverage. it promises up to 8 hours of wear and actually went beyond that {i did use a primer and makeup setting spray} under average wear. it contains skin-loving antioxidants, and because of its non-drying, oil-free ingredients, is great for most skin types.

the overall finish of Supreme is beautiful. it did streak when faced with moisture {in the form of sweat and tears from laughing or crying}, but it doesn't claim to stand up against any elements, so that was easy to get over. it doesn't contain spf, and unfortunately, i did have to mix two shades to create my perfect match...

the brand was gracious enough to send me two of their dark shades, Sunset Beige and Toffee Bronze. i did find the lighter shade {Sunset Beige} was better, if i had to choose one, but blending them together was best. since this line is permanent, i'm hoping more shades will be added {at least one shade between Sunset and Toffee, please :)} to fill in the gaps.

no, this isn't a perfect foundation, but i still think it's good. if you can find the shade best suited for you, it's definitely worth giving a try. of course, you can always get a sample first {from Sephora or your nearest Laura Mercier counter}.

Laura Mercier Oil Free Supreme is available now. visit lauramercier.com for more info!

product featured provided by brand for review consideration; pics taken my me :)

luxe & organic: Vapour Organic Beauty

hello beauties!

as another month is coming to a close {yikes, this month flew by!} and the spring season slowly blooms, i'm excited to share some gorgeous products from Vapour Organic Beauty i've been using over the past several weeks.

lovely and luxe, each of these products not only make you look good, but are also made with organic ingredients so they're good for you!

oh, and just as a little pop culture/celeb side note, Jessica Alba recently gushed over a few of these products...

the first product i have to share is Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation {swatched below with and without a flash}. the shade sent to me for this review is a tad too dark, but worked gorgeously as a liquid bronzer thanks to its natural skin luminizers. the finish is dewy and pretty, the formula feels light, and {when used as a foundation} is buildable so you can add more product to places that you may require more coverage.

creating flawless skin typically requires a concealer, and for this the Beauty Illusionist is fabulous. it easily covers imperfections, blending away dark spots and blemishes and is housed in a sleek tube, making it purse and travel-friendly.

Luxe Organic Lip Conditioner treats lips with jojoba seed, beeswax and coconut oils. one of my new lip-loving faves, i like to apply this when i begin my makeup application. by the end of it, my lips are soft and ready for whatever lip color i choose to apply. one to try...Siren Lipstick.

another lippie standout is the Elixer Plumping Gloss. of course, let's be honest, my lips aren't in need of plumping, but i simply j'adore this gloss! the non-stinging formula contains antioxidants, lip-loving skin-hydrators and has a gorgeously glossy, not-too-sticky finish. the shade pictured is called Vivid, a stunning fuchsia with silver flecks.

let's not forget the eyes! Vapour Organic Beauty's Mesmerize Eyeliner & Smoky Eye Tool applies and blends beautifully. whether i used it to create a defined cat-eye or {with help from the built-in smudger} a glamorous, smoked-out finish, the result lasted for hours and never irritated my eyes.

be sure to visit Vapour Organic Beauty's website for more info on these products. find them on facebook & follow the brand on twitter!

products sent to me for review consideration; pics taken by me :)

beauty on a budget: Maybelline SuperStay 24HR Makeup

long-wearing foundation is a great option for me because i have oily skin. some formulas just slide off of my face no matter how well i prep before applying them. Maybelline's new SuperStay 24HR Makeup promises 24 hour wear and no rub off. so how does it compare to my HG makes-me-look-flawless-no-matter-what-and-doesn't-go-anywhere-until-i-take-it-off foundation, Double Wear by Estee Lauder?

here's the scoop:

i was a bit sceptical, and not really looking forward to using this foundation, but i had to get over myself and just do it (and i did spend my own money on it!). to really put it to the test, i decided to take it through one of my 1 1/2 hour workouts (hey, it says right on the bottle that it lasts through heat, sweat and humidity, i had to do it!).

so, i ran for 30 minutes then took a 1 hour spin class. by the end of both, i was impressed with what i saw. there was foundation on my towel, but my "face" didn't look like it was melting off. of course, the makeup wasn't perfect if you looked at it really close, but i thought it held up well considering what i had just put it through.

following my extreme experiment, i decided to be fair and wear it for a week under normal conditions-- just everyday life. the formula has a buildable coverage, and is a bit thicker in consistency compared to DW. i noticed it didn't always look great by the end of the day, but overall, it kept decent coverage, held up well and removed easily at the end of the day.

one thing i really am not happy about is the lack of shades available (only 12). my shade, Caramel, is the lighter of the only two dark shades. i realize this is a typical issue with drugstore foundations, but this could always change.

have you tried Maybelline SuperStay 24HR Makeup? what do you think?

xo
pic taken by me :)

Beauty on a Budget: L'Oreal True Match Roller Foundation

drugstore brand foundations have come a long way in terms of formulations and color range. so when they want to make a "better" foundation, i suppose it's in their thinking to come up with a new way of applying it. case in point, the L'Oreal True Match Roller Foundation. this cream foundation was released months ago, and when it it was, i was naturally intrigued to try it for myself. i used a few times before coming to my final thoughts about it...

pros of this foundation:

*the roller applicator feels like a nice massage on the face when applying the foundation.

*the formula is lightweight but offers buildable coverage.

*spf 25

*the shade i bought matched my skin perfectly.

cons of this foundation:

*the roller can be a bit tricky to maneuver around areas around the nose and eyes but is manageable.

*the foundation doesn't last more than a few hours before it starts to look unflattering and needs to be touched up.

*if not careful, you can apply too much product, leaving a cakey look.

*blending is still necessary after application.

*only 12 shades are offered-- this was disappointing since the True Match range of liquid foundations offers twice as many.

while i found the coverage and color match to be good, the fact that this foundation doesn't wear all day makes it a fail for me. sorry L'Oreal, but i need my foundation to last. i love many of your products, just not this particular foundation.

find L'Oreal True Match Roller Foundation at a drugstore near you. visit lorealparis.com for more info.

tell me: have you tried L'Oreal True Match Roller Foundation? did you love it or leave it?

xo
pic taken by me :)