Product Review: Maybelline Superstay Foundation

Hello Everyone! Welcome back to the blog today.

Today, I have a review of the Maybelline Superstay Foundation. I've been testing this foundation for two (2)months.....yes, TWO (2) months! This is the longest I've ever taken to test a product, and that's mainly because I've been having a hard time deciding whether or not I love this foundation.

I have this in the shade 310 Sun Beige, which is the lightest shade that is carried here in Trinidad. Firstly, I am not pleased with the colour selection available in Trinidad.This is a consistent issue with "drugstore" base makeup locally. I am far from the lightest complexion you'll see in Trinidad, and they carry too few shades for deeper complexions also. One would think that in a racially,and ethnically diverse country, the cosmetics being imported would reflect that diversity, but it does not.
Secondly, the pricing will vary according to the store you purchase it. I paid between TT$65-70 for mine, but I believe some stores have it for more than that.

Product Claims
This foundation claims to be/have;

• Full Coverage
• Matte finish 
• Lasts for 24 hours
• Breathable and Comfortable 
• Fade and Transfer-Resistant 
• Oil-free (Doesn't clog pores)

Does it live up to its claims?
I've worn this foundation for 8+ hours, and while my skin did get oily,the foundation itself was flawless. I didn't experience it breaking down throughout the day. The entire time I wore it it didn't feel heavy on the skin, and there was no sign of it fading in pigment or coverage during the day. I did experience a small amount of product transfer when my skin was oily, but it didn't impact the coverage whatsoever.

This foundation is full coverage. It hid any breakouts I was experiencing and it did not accentuate any pores when worn with a primer (I always wear primer underneath foundations). I love to apply this foundation with a damp makeup sponge (I use the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge),or with a buffing brush like the elf Ultimate Blending Brush. I get the same level of coverage with both tools, however, the brush requires a bit more time to seamlessly blend the foundation into the skin.

The left side of my face (right side of the picture)is bare. The right side of my face (left side of the picture) is310 Sun Beige.

I saw many people complaining that they got very oily throughout the day being one of the main reasons why they didn't like this foundation. However, the foundation does not claim to be an oil-controlling foundation. I do have combination/oily skin, and I do get oily regardless of the oil-controlling abilities of a foundation, so it didn't really bother me or my opinion of the product. A quick blot with blotting paper, and its good to go.
Regarding the claim of not clogging pores, I have not experienced any breakouts, or increase in blackheads or clogged, congested pores since I started using this foundation.

First Impression versus Continued Use
When I first tried this foundation, I fell in love with the coverage but nothing else. I thought it felt super heavy, and looked cakey, and I just wanted to get it off my face that day. On this first use, I had used 2 full pumps of foundation, so I decided the next time I used it I would use less product. This was the key to falling in love with this foundation. Less product is important. We live in a world of social media videos showing gurus piling on layers upon layers of product, which may translate great on camera but in everyday life, not so much. This was why I initially disliked this foundation, I was too heavy handed. Now I tend to use 1 full pump all over my face, and then if I feel the need to add more coverage I use a touch of concealer, however, I've found myself refraining from concealer because this foundation does such a good job at covering whatever I want to cover.

Final Thoughts
This foundation has many mixed reviews, and initially I didn't want to try it because of this. However, I am a believer in trying out products and forming my own opinions, as well as my genuine curiosity as to whether or not this foundation can hold up in a tropical climate. During the two months of testing, Trinidad has had some incredibly hot and humid days, and while I did get oily, the foundation itself held up very well. Honestly, I believe with a good mattifying primer, and good setting powder and setting spray, this foundation is worth the money.

Thank you all so much for stopping by today. I hope you enjoyed.
I'm playing around with the format of my review(s) posts here, hence why no review blog post is the same. Feel free to let me know what elements you like or dislike, and I can adapt that into future posts.
Until next time, stay happy, healthy and positive.
Bye (^_^)/

Makeup Play #5: Olive me!

Hello everyone!

I promised on my last Instagram post (see here) that I would post the details of the makeup look here on the blog. I've been struggling with both a carpal tunnel flare, and lovely allergies, so I apologize for the delay in posting. 

Anyways, enough random blabbering, and on we go to the makeup look.

Eyeshadow

For this look I used;

1. Juvia's Place Saharan II Eyeshadow Palette - Taza (bottom right), and Fez (Bottom left) were both used in the crease to add warmth to the look. Aziza (Second shade in Top Row) was used as my inner corner highlight.
   

   

   Juvia's Place Saharan II

2. Tartlette in Bloom Palette - Smartypants and Jetsetter, located in the second row (the first and second shades), were used as transition shades before using Fez and Taza from the Saharan II in the crease. Activist and Smokeshow were used in both the outer corner, and lower lashline, to smoke out the look.

   

   Tartlette in Bloom

3. MAC Sumptuous Olive Single Eyeshadow was used on the lid.

   

   MAC Sumptuous Olive

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   Eyebrows and Mascara

   Revlon Colorstay Brow Pencil in Black
   City Color Cosmetics Brow Duo in Medium to Dark (discontinued) 😢
   CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara  in Black (Review Coming Soon)

   Face

   Foundation - L.A. Colors Truly Matte Foundation in Golden Beige (Full Review Coming Soon)
   Concealer - NYX Dark Circle Corrector in Medium 
   Powder - L.A. Colors Translucent Setting Powder 
   Blush and Contour - BH Cosmetics Contour and Blush 2

   Lips

   Sacha Intense Matte Lip Velvet in The "It" Color
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   We've come to the end of this post,and thank you so much for stopping by. I have some product reviews coming soon, as well as an update to my Sacha Lip Velvets post in the works as well. Is there a product or a post that you'd like to see? Feel free to leave a comment with a suggestion.
   Until next time, have a great week!
   Stay happy, healthy and positive, and I'll talk with you soon.
   Bye guys! (^_^)/
   
   

Empties: Makeup and Skincare

 Hello everyone!
Today's post is going to be an empties post, with mini reviews of the products I've used up.

Makeup Empties

 

L'Oreal True Match Foundation W6 Sun Beige- One of my go-to foundations. It's got a nice medium buildable coverage with a natural finish. My best colour match, and I often mix this in with foundations that are far too cool-toned (pink) for my skin. I tend to use this foundation on days when I don't want a full matte face. This product doesn't break me out or clog my pores. I always repurchase this foundation, and I already have one in backups draw.

Revlon Colorstay Brow Pencil (Soft Black) - This brow pencil has quickly become one of my absolute favourites. The formula is super creamy and pigmented, so a little product goes a long way. With light pressure, you're able to achieve hair like strokes, with increased pressure, you can obtain the perfect Instagram brows. The spoolie on the end combs the product through evenly. I genuinely enjoy using this product, and since repurchasing it, I've been using it every time I do my makeup.

Kleancolor Mellow Gel Eye Pencil (Indigo) - Pigmented, and creamy while it lasted. I was thoroughly enjoying this inexpensive eyeliner until the bottom of the pencil snapped off, and the product just dropped straight out 😞. Not going to repurchase!

Hair and Skin Care

Biore Charcoal Cleanser - Favourite face wash of all time. I've had less blackheads and breakouts since I started using this product. I tend to repurchase this whenever I get low, and recently I had a lot of difficulty finding this cleanser so I switched temporarily to Noxzema Cream Cleanser, which I've been enjoying but I can't wait to return to this cleanser. I may begin to rotate between the Noxzema and Biore as they're both inexpensive, and clean the skin well without over-drying. However, the Biore tends to keep breakouts at bay better than the Noxzema for me.

Simple Protecting Light Moisturizer SPF 15 - Favourite moisturizer of all time. I started using this in 2016, and it's the only moisturizer I continually repurchase. It's light enough to be worn under makeup without breaking down the product, but still incredible moisturizing. My skin tethers between combination to extremely oily, and this just brings balance to my skin. I absolutely love this product.

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave In Cream -  I have chemically straightened,and dyed hair, and this leave in kept my hair hydrated and soft to the touch. It has UV shields that help prevent color fading, and lock in the moisture as well. This was my third bottle, and now I cannot find it to repurchase anywhere in Trinidad 😢😢. I have been without this now for 2 months, and my hair gets extremely dried out by the sun without it. I may have to switch to something new, but I don't know what to try. If I find it, I will definitely be stocking up.

QOTD: What is your favourite leave in conditioner or leave in cream? Feel free to leave a comment, because I would love to get your recommendations.

Until next time,stay happy, healthy, and positive.
Bye (^_^)/

De-Clutter: Goodbye Lippies

Hello everyone! Welcome to a new de-clutter  post here on my blog.
I won't lie, this post took a very long time to get done because I found very difficult to part with a couple of these products. The main product focus of this de-clutter are lip products.

Lip Product De-Clutter

Lipsticks

Revlon Superlustrous in 525 Wine with Everything

Revlon Superlustrous in 740 Certainly Red

Limecrime Glamour 101

Limecrime Glamour 101 - Beautiful red lipstick. However, as it's gotten older, it has begun to dry out and it is very patchy when applied.I constantly have to build up the opacity,and it's just not worth the effort anymore. Won't be repurchasing.

Revlon Superlustrous in 740 Certainly Red - My favourite red lipstick. Creamy, pigmented, and just absolutely beautiful on the lips. It is a cream lipstick therefore it doesn't survive through eating and drinking, but I don't mind reapplying or touching up on the go with this. Definite repurchase.

Revlon Superlustrous in 525 Wine with Everything - Another beautiful lipstick. I really enjoy the cream formula of the Superlustrous lipsticks. For me, this is the perfect everyday lipstick. It packs a punch of colour without being jarring or overpowering. It's a wine lipstick that does not go into the deep, sultry or even vampy category of wine lipsticks.Definite repurchase.

Lipgloss

Back in early 2017, I did a yearly favourites for 2016, and it featured my Revlon Superlustrous lipgloss in Pink Pop. Sadly, Pink Pop and its sister Desert Spice, are being de-cluttered. The consistency of both glosses has changed dramatically, and the scent has gone off completely. The Superlustrous glosses however, have an amazing formula. They are high shine, and thick without being tacky, and they are very moisturizing. I may purchase a new gloss from this line, but since I don't wear lipglosses frequently, I'll hold off on making any definitive decisions. 

 Other

My final two lip products being de-cluttered. While I enjoyed them, I'm no longer interested  in wearing them. They both have great pigmentation, and feel very comfortable on my lips, but I just don't reach for them. I've had these on my chopping block for months, trying to convince myself to use them but I just have other products I'd rather use.

Parting is such sweet sorrow, especially when it comes to my red lipsticks. However, it's time for me to try new products, and I can't do that until I rid my collection of the unused, the expired, and/or the neglected.

My next post will be an empties post, and who knows maybe it'll drop next Sunday 😏😸
Until next time, stay happy,healthy and positive.
Bye (^_^)/

Product Review: L.A. Colors Browie Wowie Brow Pencil and Tinted Brow Gel

Happy 2018 everyone! Welcome back to J's Mind Palace!
I'm starting off this year of blogging with a review of a couple of eyebrow products that I've been using for the past couple of months. Typically, I tend to know whether or not I like an eyebrow product after 2-3 uses, however, I've been making an attempt to thoroughly use and test any products I purchase. It ensures that I'm not basing my opinion on a first impression, and that I've given myself enough time to try various means of applying the product in order to give my truest opinion.

Browie Wowie Brow Pencil - Black 

Honest opinion - This eyebrow pencil is nice. It is not my favourite eyebrow pencil but for the price, it works. I paid TT$18 for this product at Wonderful World, and I've been using it almost every time I do my makeup. The Browie Wowie is a dual ended pencil (product on one end, spoolie on the other), which has a triangular tip, which is seemingly becoming a popular trend among eyebrow pencils from both drugstore and high-end makeup brands. I am personally not a very big fan of this shape because I don't get the control and precision of a slimmer pencil. However, despite the shape of the product, it has a good balance of waxy to creamy texture (weirdest description I've ever given). That is to say, that the product provides a bit of hold to the brows, while not depositing intense amount of colour pigment onto the skin.
I am not a huge fan of the colour of this pencil. Most 'black' eyebrow pencils tend to be a blackened brown, while this is more of a charcoal grey, and it isn't extremely pigmented . I tend to prefer a blackened brown, as it matches my natural hair colour.
If you're looking for something to give you 'natural' eyebrows, this can work, however if you want intense, Instagram makeup looking eyebrows, then this definitely isn't for you.
I often use this pencil to map out the shape of my eyebrows, and then fill it in with my City Color Cosmetics Brow Duo in Medium to Dark (I wish City Color didn't discontinue this 😭) when I want a bolder brow, but for days when I just want a "natural" makeup day, I use the pencil alone with the Tinted Brow Gel in Dark Brown.

Using the Browie Wowie Brow Pencil (Black), and Browie Wowie Tinted Brow Gel (Dark Brown)

Browie Wowie Tinted Brow Gel- Dark Brown

Browie Wowies Tinted Brow Gel in Dark Brown

This Tinted Brow Gel at the time of purchase was TT$18, same as the brow pencil, and I love it! This is essentially tinted brow cement. Once you put this on, your eyebrow hairs are locked into place until you take off your makeup. The colour is a blackened brown which works perfectly with the pencil I use, as it adds some dimension to my eyebrows, and it doesn't look like a pure charcoal grey mess on my face. The brush on this product is tiny, and can grab brow hairs you didn't even realize you had. The only problem I have with this brow gel, is the fact that the tip of the brush/wand, holds onto a lot of product. 

Browie Wowie Tinted Brow Gel Brush/Wand

I tend to wipe off the excess product onto a tissue before running it through my brows, however, the amount of product wasted in the process is very annoying. Yes, it is an inexpensive product, but I genuinely dislike wasting product, especially a good product. 

Comparing this to my beloved NYX Tinted Brow Mascara, this wand on the Browie Wowie is a lot smaller, but the hold, colour and wear time are very similar. I would honestly just rotate the two of these in my collection, until I find something that puts them both to shame. 

What it boils down to...would I recommend these my friends? 

Browie Wowie Pencil - If you need an inexpensive brow pencils that comes in a variety of shades then sure. For the price, it is a good buy.

Browie Wowie Tinted Brow Gel - Yes! It's a great product and it is at a very reasonable price.

Below is the link to my review of the NYX Tinted Brow Mascara for those interested.

https://jsmindpalace.blogspot.com/2015/10/product-review-nyx-tinted-brow-mascara.html

Thank you all for stopping by the blog to day. Feel free to follow me on my Instagram (@ladyjpsych).
Also, what's your go to eyebrow product? I'd love to hear from you all.
Thanks again, have a wonderful week.
Bye guys (^_^)/