Product Review: L'Oreal Infallible Fresh Wear Foundation and Full Wear Concealer

Welcome back everyone!

Today's post is going to be focused on the L'Oreal Fresh Wear foundation, and the Full Wear Concealer. These  two products have been very widely discussed throughout the makeup world, and they made their appearance locally in Trinidad a few months ago. I've been testing both of these items for the past few months, and I'm ready to give my opinions on them.

L'Oreal Infallible Fresh Wear Foundation

I picked this up in the shade 485 Golden Sun, and it is marketed as a breathable, buildable coverage foundation with 24hr fresh complexion. I purchased it back in June, and I've been using it since. I paid approximately TT$99, at Pennywise. This foundation is one of the most versatile drugstore foundations I own. Earlier this year, I reviewed the Maybelline Superstay 24hr foundation, and I can honestly say that I've been reaching for this foundation over the Superstay on a daily basis.

The Claims: (From L'Oreal's website)

•  Up to 24HR Fresh Wear Foundation provides medium-to-full buildable coverage that lasts all day.
• The formula contains three oil absorbers resist sweat, water, and transfer.
•  The ultra-thin liquid goes on smoothly to give a fresh, healthy-looking complexion that lasts.

My Experience 

After months of use, I can honestly say that this foundation will be an essential for me. It's lightweight formula, that has such a natural finish on the skin, I often forget that I'm wearing foundation. I definitely consider this foundation to be a buildable, medium coverage. While testing this foundation, Trinidad experience a heat wave, therefore, the humidity and heat really pushed the limits of this foundations claims of being sweat, water and transfer resistant. During the heatwave, I did sweat profusely (my air con died right before the heatwave also), and I got very oily in a few hours of wear, but the foundation never cracked or separated. I was able to blot the oil and sweat off without it lifting or shifting the product from my face.
Recently, I've been mixing the Fresh Wear foundation with my matte, full coverage foundations to reduce the intensity of the matte finish, and it has been phenomenal. Its thin consistency makes it the perfect mixing companion for thicker liquid foundations.

Wearing Infallible Fresh Wear Foundation in 485 Golden Sun  and Full Wear Concealer in 375 Latte

L'Oreal Infallible Full Wear Concealer - 375 Latte 

This concealer has thrown my L.A. Girl Pro Conceal out of rotation since I first used it. Super lightweight, and creamy formula. It's pigmented and very full coverage that a little goes a long way. I've been using it exclusively since purchase. I usually prefer lighter coverage concealers, however, allergies and fatigue issues have pushed me towards higher coverage. I purchased mine at Starlite for approximately TT$110.

Claims
L'Oreal website claims, "Our extra large applicator provides maximum coverage in one stroke to cover under-eye circles, acne scars, and discoloration. Our waterproof, non-greasy formula won't transfer, fade, or flake so your full coverage look is locked in all day."
In my experience, this concealer does not breakdown, nor does it transfer onto my glasses during the day (yes, I wear glasses). I've not experienced it getting cakey, nor have I experienced any cracking or shifting during hot and humid weather.

Final Thoughts

This foundation and concealer combination has become my immediate go-to since purchasing. I love the texture of the foundation, and it's beautiful finish on the skin, as well as the impeccable coverage of the concealer. I don't regret purchasing either of these products because they are outstanding, and I would highly recommend them for anyone looking to try something new. 

We've come to the end of this review, but I'll be back soon hopefully looking at some eyeshadow palettes.

Bye (^_^)/

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 (^_^)/

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 (^_^)/

Best in Beauty 2015: Face

Welcome back everyone!
I hope you all are doing well.
Today, I have part 2 of my Best in Beauty series, and today it's all about my favourite face products for 2015. Most of the products being mentioned may have full reviews that I will link to at the end the post.

Primer and Mattifier:

elf Cosmetics Mineral Face Primer

New Bottle

This primer is definitely my top pick for 2015. I always repurchase this primer. This primer blurs my pores, and helps my foundation apply more evenly.
Earlier in 2015, I fell in love with the Rimmel Fix and Perfect Primer, but I haven't been able to repurchase it since it hasn't been in stock. However, the elf Mineral Face Primer is cheaper than the Rimmel.

Sacha Cosmetics Mattifier Face Primer 

I do have a full review of this, but to keep it short and sweet. This mattifies the skin beautifully, and keeps me less oily than I would usually be throughout the day. I love the squeeze tube packaging, and its flat black matte finish.

Foundation:

Maybelline Fit Me: Matte and Poreless 310 Sun Beige

I'm currently down to half a bottle of this foundation. I don't think I have anything bad to say about this product, maybe it can use a pump, then again most drugstore foundations don't come with a pump. This just blends effortlessly into the skin, it doesn't matter if you use a sponge or a brush.
My full review will be linked below.

Concealer:

L.A. Girl Pro Conceal in Pure Beige 

I've never really been into using concealer, but doing my Masters' Degree means long, and sometimes sleepless nights, and I also experience insomnia therefore under eye darkness is my old friend. This shade matches my complexion perfectly, and covers up any discolouration or darkness beneath the eyes.

Setting Powder:

Undereyes: Sacha Cosmetics Buttercup Loose Powder

Full review is available.
I have nothing bad to say about this powder. Sacha Cosmetics has greatly improved the quality of their products over the years.
This powder is silky, and just beautiful. I use it to set my concealer under my eyes.
Face: Maybelline Fit Me: Matte and Poreless Powder 

Maybelline Fit Me: Matte-Poreless 310 Sun Beige

Soft, blendable and keeps me matte. (Review will be linked below).

Blush:

Milani Powder Blush in Romantic Rose and City Color Cosmetics Be Matte Blush in Papaya

Both of these blushes are matte in finish, they are also very smooth and pigmented, so a little goes a long way. they blend out easily. Both colours are very neutral, and good for everyday wear.
These blushes wear for a full 8 hours.
The City Color Blushes are a lot cheaper than the Milani, they retail for approximately TT$22-TT$25, while the Milani ranges from TT$55-TT$65.

Milani Romantic Rose (left), City Color Cosmetics Papaya (right)

Setting Sprays: Sacha Fix It & L'Oreal Infallible Pro Spray and Set 

My go-to Setting Sprays

Both set my makeup beautifully, and reduces the "cakey" look that powders leave behind. However, the L'oreal truly prolongs the wear of my makeup throughout the day. The Fix It Spray, while it doesn't prolong the wear of my makeup, does a good job at just setting the face. I tend to interchange my use of these products, hence why they're both 2015 favourites.

I don't bronze, contour or highlight my face, therefore I have no favourites for those categories.


Thank you all so much for stopping by!
Next week, I'll be concluding this Best in Beauty 2015 with Lips. I'm also going to be beginning my second semester for my Masters' Degree, and I am anxious.
As always stay happy, healthy, and positive and I will talk to you all soon.

Bye! (^_^)/

Links:
Sacha Mattifier - http://jsmindpalace.blogspot.com/2015/10/product-review-sacha-cosmetics.html
Maybelline Matte and Poreless (Foundation and Powder) - http://jsmindpalace.blogspot.com/2015/07/maybelline-fit-me-matte-and-poreless.html
L.A. Girl Pro Conceal -http://jsmindpalace.blogspot.com/2015/11/product-review-la-girl-pro-conceal-in.html
Sacha Buttercup Powder - http://jsmindpalace.blogspot.com/2015/10/product-review-sacha-cosmetics_16.html
Setting Sprays - http://jsmindpalace.blogspot.com/2015/07/makeup-battle-royal-4-battle-of-setting.html

Maybelline Fit Me Matte and Poreless Foundation and Powder Review

Hello doves, I'm still very ill hence why this post is a little bit later than usual. My sinuses are congested, tonsils are painfully inflamed and I have really bad muscle aches, but I am going to fight through it to get this post up. It's going to be a concise post because I really need to get some rest. It's been over a week, and I'm feeling worse now than when I first got this cold.

Maybelline Fit Me Matte and Poreless Foundation 310 Sun Beige

Holy crap, I love this stuff! My only wish is that it came with a pump. This shade matches me perfectly. If you need a reference I'm a W7 in L'Oreal True Match and NC44 in MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation. I've used this foundation with and without a primer for a week, ( I haven't worn makeup since I got sick...yikes!) and I have to say this foundation is awesome.

Firstly, it has a beautiful consistency, it's isn't overly thick but it is not at all watery. It's creamy and super lightweight and it blends like an absolute dream. I use my Real Techniques Expert Face brush, and buff the foundation into my skin. Super quick and easy.

The second thing I absolutely love about this foundation is the finish. The finish is not at all heavy or cake-y, your skin just looks demi-matte and naturally flawless. My makeup area is directly next to a window, so I usually use a mix of natural light  and artificial light to apply my makeup, so I can usually see off the bat if my foundation is looking heavy, and it never has.

Third, this foundation does indeed leave you looking poreless. I personally, have a lot of open pores on my cheeks and around my nose, but with this foundation, you can't tell and that makes me quite happy.

Finally, this foundation, does a pretty good job at keeping me matte. I have to blot a lot less with this particular foundation than usual. I usually have to blot every 2 hours, but with this I can get away for 4-5 hours straight without needing to blot (if used with powder), or 3-4 hours without blotting if used on it's own.

In conjunction with the Maybelline Matte and Poreless Powder, also in shade 310 Sun Beige, the longevity and oil control ability is really great.

Maybelline Matte and Poreless Powder 310 Sun Beige

N.B. I've rocked the powder sans foundation with just a bit of primer underneath, and the coverage is light/medium which is impressive for a pressed powder. It does a great job of controlling oil and evening the complexion.

I wore both to Ani-Market 2015 that took place here in Trinidad, and goodness me did this foundation hold out. I applied it at 8 am, I got wet in rain, got sweaty thanks to high humidity, spent hours walking around the convention with my friends, blotted once during lunch at 1pm, snapped a selfie with one of my best friends close to 3pm, and this is what my skin looked liked (I'm the one with the purple hair)...

Selfie @ Ani-Market 2015 with my Best Friend ChenChen

It's absolute craziness!

In the end, I absolutely love this foundation, before I tried it, I was on the fence about purchasing it, but I'm really happy that I did. It's about $60-$70TT which is cheaper than my beloved L'Oreal foundations, so I am positive that this will be a staple in my makeup collection.

This concludes this week's blog post, I'm going to go lie down and listen to some music and continue fighting this beast of a cold. I hope you all have a great weekend. Ramadan Mubarak to all of my Muslim readers, keep safe during this time. To all of my US readers, have a great 4th of July weekend, keep safe.

Question: If I were to get my hands on the L.A. Girl Nude Eyeshadow Palette, would you prefer to see a review with swatches, or a few looks and review? Comments are welcomed here.

Feel free to follow me on Instagram (@ladyjpsych) I post stuff there, and my Pinterest (J's Mind Palace). I also have a Tumblr under the same name, where I reblog all of the weird/nerdy/psych related things.
I hope everyone keeps safe, and stay happy, healthy and positive and I shall talk to you all very soon!
Bye (^_^)/

Update: Work and Makeup.

Hey lovelies, it's been a minute. 

Working temporarily in research is exhausting. I have done nothing but work and sleep for the past two weeks. I haven't touched a video game nor have I experimented with makeup. It's been primer, foundation, mascara and lip stain for the past two weeks. 

Insert random at work selfie:

Primer: elf Mineral Face Primer/ Prestige Primed and Ready + D.I.Y mattifying primer

Foundation: L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation (328 Sun Beige)

Mascara: L'Oreal Miss Manga 

Lip Stain: NYX Simply Nude Lip Cream (SN06 Sable)

I have been playing around with some  D. I. Y's that I will definitely do a post on next week! Get pumped! 

I think next week I'll break out my Smashbox Full Exposure Pallette and try some different looks? Should I take pictures or try a pictorial? So many questions...

Random Pokemon News: I got a shiny Reshiram!!!!!! Best GTS trade ever! 

Anywho, I think this is all for this week. Have a great weekend guys and I'll see you next week. Stay happy, healthy and positive! 

Bye (^_^)/

January 2015 Favourites

Hey guys! Initially, I wasn't planning on doing a January favourites and now as  I am typing this, I'm in a terrible mood and really don't feel like posting anything at all. However, my promise to myself and to this blog was to post every Friday for 2015, so I'm going to fight through it and deliver a post.

I was ill for most of December into January and to the tail end of January I got ill again (T__T). I wasn't leaving the house much but when I did, I wore little to no makeup whatsoever. There were however a few products that I thoroughly enjoyed using, and they've snuck their way into my heart.

1. L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation (328 Sun Beige)
    A massive thank you to one of my best friends Stephie, for recommending this foundation to me. We both have oily/combo skin, and she told me about this foundation about a year ago. At the time, I wasn't ready to invest in a new foundation but I kept it on my list of things to try. During January, I did a massive cleaning out of my makeup collection and ended up with only two foundations, my L'Oreal True Match and Revlon Colorstay. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the Revlon Colorstay Oily/Combination formula, because it feels super heavy on my skin, I actually feel the foundation sitting on my skin, it's such a odd feeling. I decided, to give the Magic Nude foundation a try because I remembered Stephie saying that it was super lightweight and blended in like a dream, and after doing so searching around the internet, trying to find my shade match, I went to Superpharm (local drugstore) I picked it up. I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised by how liquidy this foundation is. You shake the bottle and it sounds like you're shaking a water bottle. I wish this foundation came with a pump or even a dropper, because it is so easy to spill or pour out excess product, which to me is the only major downside of this foundation.
  The shade match is perfect for me. I have extremely yellow/olive undertones and sun beige (328) is perfect for me (I'm a MAC NC44, L'Oreal True Match I can work with either W6 or W7). Very easy foundation to blend, it's recommended to be applied with your fingers, and that's how I apply mine, I think with it's texture and formulation, it would absorb into brushes and sponges quite quickly. To me this foundation is perfect if you're in a rush, it's lightweight, doesn't go on streaky, blends like a dream, has a powder finish. I've worn this foundation for 12 hours without setting it with powder and despite having to blot every 3-4 hours, the foundation didn't break down at all. I wear glasses, and the foundation stay put on my nose bridge where my glasses' nose guard is situated. I've gotten compliments a few times while wearing this foundation about how clean and healthy my skin looked, and people were in shock when I told them I was wearing foundation. Yay!!

2. Jordana 12 HR Made To Last Eyeliners
   Super creamy and pigmented gel formula eyeliner pencils, that don't smudge onto my lid and crease.....yes please and thank you! I have the shades, 02 Espresso Last, a beautiful and creamy dark brown, 04 Purple Fix which a straight up purple and 06 Jade Jewel which is a beautiful, rich jade/emerald green mix. I didn't intentionally choose liners that were even numbers (lol).  I'm usually all about Avon's Mega Impact/Supershock Gel Eyeliner Pencils, but those do have a tendency to smudge on my upper lids, but they tend to last in my waterline (weird huh!). However, the 12 HR Made To Last, were not made to last on the waterline so I'd recommend using it solely on your upper lash line.

  

3. Jordana Twist and Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain (05 Honey Love)
  Oh honey do I love this balm stain. I should stop trying to be funny (=_='). Despite my corny sense of humour, I genuinely love this balm stain, it's the perfect mix of pigmentation and moisturizing balm in a cute, twist up, jumbo lip pencil. Yes, it is essentially the same as the Revlon Kissable Balm Stains, but they're less expensive and they have a fruity/sweet scent. All in all, it's a win for me and I can't wait to get my hand on some more.

4. NYX Simply Nude Lip Cream (SN06 Sable)
  It's a nude that doesn't make me look like the living dead. Win! It's buttery smooth and pigmented. Although, I have very pigmented lips, this product is on me, my perfect my lips but butter shade. It makes my lips look so healthy and since I was using this when I was ill, having my lips look nice and healthy even when I technically wasn't is the best. To me healthy lips help to brighten up the complexion, especially when you're ill.

 

This my darlings is the end of my favourites post. I hope you all enjoy. Have a great weekend and I will see you all next week. 

Bye Bye (^_^)/