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 Empties: Skincare and Makeup

Hello and welcome everyone!

Today is a quick post about products I've used up, or am about to completely finish, and give you a small update on the products, if I've reviewed them before.

Skincare:

1. Simple Smoothing Facial Scrub - This scrub is the purest definition of non-abrasive exfoliant. It is perfect for anyone with sensitive skin, as it does not irritate the skin, nor does it have any fragrance or perfume. However, for my skin, it was far too gentle. I have oily/combination skin, and sometimes my skin needs something with a bit more grit to it. Lately, my skin has been tumultuous and this scrub did not cut it. At the moment, I'm back to using Freeman's Charcoal & Black Sugar Polishing Mask, which I adore. Although this scrub is nice, it isn't a favourite, and sadly this is one Simple product I will not be repurchasing.
   
2. Bio-Oil - I already have a back-up bottle of this stuff. I really love Bio-Oil. It has helped with my hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone greatly. This product is amazing. 

Makeup:

1. Revlon Brow Fantasy in Dark Brown - I know you're probably looking at the picture and saying that it is not nearly used up, however, the brow gel has begun to dry out, and the pencil is now merely a stub. This is my usual everyday, go-to product, but I do want to try something different for a bit. Would I repurchase? Yes, I would. It is a great two-in-one product to have especially if you're always on the go, and need to do your brows in a pinch.
   
2. Urban Decay Primer Potion (Original) - A fresh tube of UDPP is an amazing experience. Perfectly smooth application, that allows for creaseless eyeshadow wear all day.
   An old tube of UDPP is a wreck. I found that the product itself did not apply well to my eye region, my eyeshadows ended up creasing within a couple of hours of wear. I already have a second un-opened UDPP that was gifted to me by a friend, which I will hold onto, because I've really been enjoying my Milani Eyeshadow Primer. Although the UDPP is great, the Milani Primer does the same job, maybe even better job, and is a fraction of the price. Sorry UDPP, you've been benched!
   
3. L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Makeup (328 Sun Beige) - It took so long to finish using this foundation, because a little goes a long way. I love the finish and the weightless feel of this foundation. In recent months, Trinidad's temperature has been hitting some staggering highs, and this foundation never completely broke down. My oils would break through the foundation, but rarely did I ever notice the product disappearing from my face. In the extreme heat, it held its ground. Would I repurchase? Yes, I would but only if the price drops at my local stores. TT$100 really??? L'Oreal True Match and Maybelline Matte and Poreless are both less expensive, and I absolutely love them, and I would quicker repurchase them. 

 See, a super quick and simple post. My internet has been dropping all day, hence the super late post. Nonetheless, thank you all so much for stopping by this crazy place known as J's Mind Palace. I'm J, and I hope you all enjoy your weekend!

Bye guys!
(^_^)/

My No-Makeup Makeup Look

Hello everyone!
If you follow me on Instagram, you would notice that I've been rocking some heavy makeup recently.
I've always been a bit of a minimalist when it comes to my makeup, so recently I've been stepping out of my neutral comfort zone, and been playing around with bolder colours, but I do have my days when I just don't feel like putting in all the effort to do my makeup.

For me, makeup application is usually the most fun, and even therapeutic part of my day, however, I've been extremely tired and run down, essentially burnt out, and it takes a lot out of me to pull off what to many may seem as a basic eyeshadow look.
On those days when I just don't have the energy or will to do a full face of makeup, but I still want to look awake, and pulled together, I turn to my go-to no-makeup makeup look. It is a quick and easy look to do, using some of my favourite drugstore products.

Left (Bare Face), Right (No Makeup-makeup look)

From the picture, the difference is as clear as day.

No-Makeup Makeup Look Requirements: These are my personal requirements, however, you can feel free to alter to your own needs.

• Filled in eyebrows (I wear glasses, so my brows tend to get lost behind my frames)
• Mascara (lifts my eyes, makes me look more awake)
• Evened out complexion 
• Dark circles lightly concealed
• Neutral lips ( usually matte, although I go for the occasional gloss)

Products Used:

• Face: L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation (328 Sun Beige)
• Under Eyes: L.A. Girl Pro Conceal (Pure Beige) w/ Sacha Buttercup Loose Powder to set
• Eyebrows: Revlon Brow Fantasy in Dark Brown
• Mascara: Revlon Ultimate All-In-One Mascara (502 Black)
• Lips: NYX Cosmetics Soft Matte Lip Cream in London (SM04)  

Unless I've pre-planned a makeup look, this is my go-to look, and I absolutely love it.
This brings us to the end of this week's post, and I'm sorry that my posting is still a bit sporadic, but I'm truly trying to recover from burn out. I did have a scheduled post for last week but it did not come out the way I wanted so I chose no to upload it.

Anyways, I hope you all have a great weekend! Feel free to follow me on Instagram, and/or Pinterest (J's Mind Palace Blog).
Stay happy, healthy, and positive guys, and I will talk to you soon.
Bye (^_^)/

Links:
 L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation 

Revlon Ultimate All-In-One Mascara:
 http://jsmindpalace.blogspot.com/2016/02/product-review-revlon-ultimate-all-in.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

Makeup Battle Royal #4: Battle of the Setting Sprays - Sacha Cosmetics versus L'Oreal

Welcome back to my blog.
Today, I have another Battle Royal(e) all about makeup setting sprays. One of which I've used for years, and the other is new to me but I've been enjoying it a great deal. Today, I'm putting the Sacha Cosmetics Fix It Setting Spray up against L'Oreal Infallible Pro Spray & Set.

Sacha Fix It Setting Spray (left), L'Oreal Infallible Pro Spray & Stay (right)

Packaging:

• Sacha: Throughout the years, the Sacha Fix It has gone through many cosmetic changes. At first it was in a translucent plastic spray bottle, then it was a pure glossy black plastic bottle. However, the new Fix It spray comes in a silver metal spray bottle which I really do like.
• L'Oreal: This is a matte black plastic spray bottle. I love the matte black and it feels extremely light, so your arms won't get tired when holding it up to spray.

Cost:

• L'Oreal : $99.99TT; US$16.99 (L'Oreal Paris Website)
• Sacha: $55-70TT (cannot recall the exact price, but prices vary where you purchase it); US$20 (Sacha Cosmetics Website) 

Product Claims:

• Sacha: Sacha Fix It Spray instantly sets makeup, keeping it fresh and smudge-resistant for hours.
• L'Oreal:  Makeup Extender Setting Spray, Long Lasting Finish, extends just applied makeup look. 

Don't expect either of these to keep you mattified throughout the day, because they are not designed for that. They strictly made to set your makeup and hopefully extend the wear of your products.
I will say that when I use the Sacha spray, the finished look tends to seem a bit more lived in but I have oily/combo skin, and I often experience my makeup smudging when I blot, even if I blot with blotting paper. However, with the L'Oreal I don't experience much smudging at all. The places I experience smudging with the Sacha spray are on the nose (glasses wearer, so it's common), under the eye and my forehead; whereas with the L'Oreal the smudging occurs on my nose only.


Scent:
Now I must warn you, the Sacha Fix It spray has a harsher scent than the L'Oreal. The Sacha tends to smell like astringent while the L'Oreal smells a bit like aloe baby powder with alcohol (weird description I know!). I've gotten use to the scent of the Sacha Fix It so it doesn't bother me too much, but if you're sensitive to smells you may prefer to try the L'Oreal.

Winner?! - It's a Draw!
Honestly, I can't choose a clear winning because some days, I prefer the finish of the Sacha over the L'Oreal and vice versa, and sometimes the smudging does not bother me. To me these are both well preforming setting sprays, and what it truly boils down to is how much you want to pay for your setting spray.

Thank you for coming out and reading today's post, I hope you enjoyed. I'm sorry I couldn't choose a clear winner, but at the end of the day, my word is not the be all and end all, what I may enjoy you may dislike.
Anyhow, I do hope you all have a great weekend, Eid Mubarack to all of my Muslim readers, and I shall see you all next week with another review (I'm on fire with these reviews...lol!)

Remember to stay happy,, healthy and positive,
until next time...
Bye (^_^)/

March Favourites

Hello hello beautiful people :3,
 I promised you a post today, and now I present to you my March favourites. There are actually a good bit of products this month, so let's get started!

March 2015 Favourites! 

Makeup:

Foundation : L'Oreal True Match Super Blendable Foundation in W7 Caramel Beige.

Ever since I purchased the L'Oreal Magic Nude Foundation, my True Match has taken a seat to the back of the pack. However, with random colds and stomach bugs rearing their head as well as insomnia (I'm a mess, I know!), I busted this bad boy out once more because nothing can beat it's lightweight feel and kick butt coverage. I use this in conjunction with my Real Techniques Expert Face brush and I am so pleased with the results. Never cakey or heavy looking, just flawless, seamless finish that looks like skin.

Eyes:

Favourite Eye Products - March 2015

Eye Primer: Smashbox 24 hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer
As a Caribbean girl with oily skin eyeshadow primer is an absolute must have for me. I love my Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion and never did I think that I would find a primer I love more than that one, man was I wrong! This eyeshadow primer from Smashbox is the heavy-weight champion of all the eyeshadow primers  I have tried. It dries quickly, and it does not budge. Not even midday Trinidad sun could get this thing to melt or budge. On Friday 13th, when I was struck with a stomach bug, I took a nap with all my eye makeup on, with this primer underneath, when I woke up from said nap 3 hours later (after a 8 hour workday + lunch run in midday sun), all my eye makeup was completely intact.
The only drawback: Smashbox is not readily available in Trinidad. It can be ordered online or if you have family or friends in the US, you will be able to get your hands on it. For now I have to use it sparingly, because I don't want it to run out without having a backup or a cheaper alternative to it in my collection.

Eyeshadow: Milani Powder Single Eyeshadow 

 Can we just swoon over this eyeshadow for a minute? Hnng! 
A golden, caramel brown that is perfect for everyday wear, whether you want to wear it alone all over the eye and blended into the crease or if you want to use it solely as an all over lid colour with another shade in the crease. It doesn't matter this shade is beautiful and enhances the deep chocolate brown tones of my eyes. I'm really happy I dug this out of my collection to use again, it truly is a beautiful eyeshadow.

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette and Smashbox 24 Hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer

I have read and seen a lot of mixed reviews on this particular palette, but since I LOVE neutral eyeshadows I decided, why not give it a shot? My verdict: I absolutely love this palette. I've been using it almost every single day since the start of February, whether it be for a simple matte crease colour or for a full on smokey eye, this palette is versatile and very user/beginner friendly. The shadows are soft and easy to blend, although some of the more sparkly shades have a small amount of fallout, but it is mostly glitter, opposed to actual shadow pigment.  The main complaint people have about this palette is that it isn't pigmented enough, and personally I don't mind that it isn't one touch super pigmented. To me, it's easier to work with because it teaches you how to slowly build up colour opposed to dipping your brush into an extremely pigmented shadow and applying far too much product. The matte shadows are more pigmented than the shimmery; again I have no problem with this because it's so easy to go overboard with shimmery shades. Some may hate it, but I adore it! It hasn't left my vanity, and I'm sure it won't leave anytime soon. I just wish Smashbox products were available in Trinidad. Plz Smashbox (;-;)

Eyeliner & Brushes: L'Oreal Infallible 24HR Lacquer Liner in Blackest Black, Real Techniques Fine Liner Brush & CALA Brow/Liner Brush 317
What's as pitch black as oil, glides on like a dream and stays put all day? Did you say the L'Oreal Infallible Laquer Liner in Blackest Black, well you will be absolutely correct! (^w^)
I've own this liner for over a year and it hasn't dried out, it's still extremely creamy, and dries to an amazing matte black finish. It's great for beginners, and I've also changed the way I apply it. I use my Real Techniques Fine Liner brush to get really into my lash line, and for the wing, I use my CALA 317 brush. The 317 is super soft and has the perfect amount of give, meaning it's not too stiff but not too malleable, making it very easy to get the perfect winged out liner. Other days I create the wing with the Real Techniques fine liner brush and then dip the 317 into some eye makeup remover (which I will talk about a little later on) to clean up the wing. All in all, this trio makes winged liner an everyday affair.


Mascara: L'Oreal Voluminous Lash Out Butterfly Mascara. 
Holy Grail! I cannot and will never be without this mascara in my collection. The brush grabs on to each of my lashes, including the short, difficult ones, giving them volume and lift and separates each lash like none other.

L'Oreal Voluminous Lash-Out Butterfly Mascara Wand

I used to be all about the Maybelline Falsies, but this mascara does so much more for my lashes, that I can't see myself going back to it just yet. I would like to try more mascaras instead of being a one trick pony, but I refuse to give up my Butterfly mascara.

Eye Makeup Remover : Simple Kind To Eyes Eye Makeup Remover

I love this stuff! It is the first eye makeup remover that I've used that is purely liquid. I used to use the Avon Makeup Remover Cream or whatever you call it, but I never liked it. It was a thick lotion, that used to burn the crap out of my eyes, leaving them red and irritated...no thank you! I decide to try this on a random trip to my local drugstore and I fell in love immediately. It's strong enough to remove the most stubborn waterproof mascara or eyeliner, and can decimate a smokey eye in seconds. If you're in the market for a good, inexpensive eye makeup remover, give this one a shot!

Lips: 

Nivea Soothe and Protect Lip Balm with SPF 15
A clear, moisturizing lip balm with SPF, is perfect to keep lips protected and hydrated especially in a tropical climate. I love this lip balm so much that when I lost my first one, I ran out and repurchased it. Of course as is the case with most lip balms, the lost one magically reappeared after it had been missing for two months, so now I keep one in my handbag at all times and the other on my vanity.

Jordana Pencil Lipliner in Natural 
A beautifully soft and creamy lip pencil, it glides on like butter and it is extremely pigmented for the low price. This is my only Jordana lip pencil but I am hoping to get my hands on some more. The colour is a beautiful reddish-brown, great on its own or paired with a nude lipstick or gloss, perfect for work.

Jordana Lipliner - Natural

NYX Simply Nude Lip Cream- Sable (SN06)
I'm not even going to bother writing much about this, because I have been raving about this lip cream pencil since I first bought it. It was a favourite last month now hear it is again. I was going to leave it out, but I've been using it almost every single day so I had to put it in.


Maybelline Color Sensational Matte Lipstick - Touch of Spice (660)
Perfect red-brown lipstick! You can rock it with a smokey eye or on days when all you're wearing is a BB cream and some mascara, this lipstick makes a statement without being too loud or in your face. I knew this would be a favourite when I initially purchased it and it has. When I'm going for a statement lip, I reach for this rather than my usual red lipsticks. It's creamy, pigmented and doesn't dry out my lips despite it being a matte lipstick, which makes me love it even more.

Skin: Homemade Rose Water
My favourite DIY, is homemade rose water. It's a refreshing mist, that helps to keep skin hydrated during the day, and it can also help eliminate the look of powdery/cakey foundation. All I do is collected dried rose petals, toss them into a small pot of boiling water, until the water extracts the colour from the petals. However, I sometimes steep the petals in the boiling water as one would do with tea. Without adding alcohol to it, you would have to store it in the fridge, where it would keep for approximately 4 weeks. However, since I carry a small bottle with me in my makeup bag, I add about 1teaspoon of alcohol, to prevent it from going bad in the heat.

Homemade Rosewater

Nerd Faves:
In terms of video games I've only been playing Pokemon Omega Ruby, trying to finish my Pokédex via evolving and trading...so much work! I'm currently reading James Patterson's Private, which is going really good, I'm thoroughly enjoying it! Also, I'm very close to finishing off the Locke and Key series, if you like graphic novels and haven't read Locke and Key, I highly recommend it! It's art is amazing, the storyline entrapping, I've been procrastinating finishing the series because it's just so good, I don't want it to end (~_~')

We have arrived to the end of this Favourites post, let me know some of your favourites in the comments, I'm always interested to know what you've been loving this month. Thank you for being patient and waiting for this post, I've just been so exhausted and sick of being sick to have had a full post this past Friday. All of my social media links are located to the right hand side of the blog, so if you're interested you can follow me.
Until Friday, I hope you all have a wonderful and safe week ahead. Stay happy, healthy and positive!
Bye (^_^)/

Haulage! First of 2015

Hey guys, it's been a while since I posted a haul and since I've been slowing building up a collection of products that I've purchased, I figured I'll do a combined haul post for you all.

Eyes:

L'Oreal Infallible 24HR Eyeshadow

 I can not lie, I am obsessed with the L'Oreal Infallible 24hr Eyeshadows... I now own 6 and continuing to slowly develop my collection of these. The latest addition to my collection are Golden Sage (333) and Midnight Blue (889). My only wish was that Trinidad got the limited edition shadows collections that come out ever so often with this line...Burst into Bloom I will find you (T_T). Excuse my melodrama, I adore the feel of these eyeshadows, they're buttery but not powdery, basically like a pressed pigment. They are easy to blend and when applied with your finger, which is my preferred method of application, the colour payoff is freaking ridiculous! I have included swatches below, and I kid you not when I say I just touched my fingers to the product, no swirling my finger around the eyeshadow, just touching. 

L'Oreal Infallible 24HR Eyeshadow 333 Golden Sage, 889 Midnight Blue

Golden Sage (left), Midnight Blue (right)

 Maybelline Color Tattoo 100 Caramel Cool
 I was lucky enough to grab the last one of this shade at SuperPharm recently, and I do believe this will soon become my new go-to everyday eyeshadow. It is beautiful. It's a metallic warm copper brown, and it blends like a dream. I believe this was part of the 2014 Spring collection from Maybelline and it's only now available in Trinidad.

Maybelline COlor Tattoo 100 Caramel Cool

Blended out swatch of 100 Caramel Cool 

Rimmel ScandalEyes Liquid Eyeshadow 019 Pomegranate
It's a liquid eyeshadow. It's not a eyeshadow base, nor does it have the consistency to be an eyeshadow base. I haven't yet tested the longevity of this product on the eyes, but the colour is gorgeous. I absolutely love red/cranberry shades on the eyes, so I'm really excited to wear this in the upcoming weeks.

RImmel ScandalEyes Liquid Eyeshadow Pomegranate

Blended out Swatch of Pomegranate

Lips:
Maybelline Color Sensational Matte Lipstick in 660 Touch of Spice
This colour is gorgeous! It's soft and creamy and glides onto the lips. The best part is, it does not dry out the lips! Oh and it smells like a vanilla cream cupcake....YES!

Maybelline 660 Touch of Spice

No Flash - Swatch 660 Touch of Spice

Flash - 660 Touch of Spice

I have some more products that I'd like to share with you, particularly some new brushes I've been trying out, so be on the lookout for that.
Side note, this week, Trinidad and Tobago is in full swing Carnival 2015 mode. If you're going to be out on the road, please be safe, we know how crazy the roads get around this time. If you're playing mas this year, I hope you have fun on the streets, and again be safe.
If you're not from Trinidad and Tobago and you won't be taking part in Trinidad Carnival, I hope you all have a fun and safe weekend and upcoming week.
I shall see you lovelies next Friday, with a new post.
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 (^_^)/

Favourites! September and October Combined

Hey guys, today it's going to be all my favourite products from both September and October. The reason why it's a combined favourites is my camera's Memory cards died towards to beginning of October and I ended up losing all my pictures for September :(

September and October Favourites

L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Amber Rush

1. Milani Powder Eyeshadow in Brown Stone. A completely matte dark brown shadow that I use to fill in my eyebrows. It's velvety smooth and pigmented, but I think it may have been discontinued and I've hit pan. (-_-')

2. Rimmel London Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in 107. It is a beautiful matte berry red. Glides on like butter and it doesn't budge after application. Highly recommend. 

3. L'Oreal Infallible Lacquer Liner 24HR in Blackest Black. I've had this for approximately 6-7months and it remains super creamy which makes it a breeze to apply. It's also very waterproof and smudge proof, I've walked through rain with this thing on and it didn't move. Mine is yet to show any signs of drying out so if you've been looking for a gel liner, you should give this one a go!

4. Beauty Treats Professional 88 Palette 

This palette is great for a novice with eyeshadow and it's also great if you really enjoy neutral eyeshadows like I do. Now some of the eyeshadows are smooth, some are powdery but not chalky at all. They are fairly pigmented and easy to blend. If you're a teenager and new to makeup and you want an affordable neutral eyeshadow palette, you should give this a try. 

5. Avon Big Daring Volume Mascara

One coat and my lashes are plump and volumised...ummm..yes please, give me more! The brush is a similar shape to Maybelline The Falsies but it's larger and has more bristles on it compared to The Falsies. It's a dark, rich black but for me the only drawback is that it's an extremely wet formula. However, when it dries it's smudge proof so it gets a thumbs up. 

6. L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow Amber Rush 

This particular shade in the L'oreal Infallible eyeshadow line has quite the following from bloggers, to Youtubers, to celebrity makeup artist and it's not hard to see why. It's an extremely pigmented pinkish-tan colour and it's absolutely beautiful. it has the look and feel of a pressed pigment, super creamy, blends easily and if you apply it correctly i.e. with your fingers instead of a brush, there is no fallout. 

I used this pigment on and off since I bought it in the later half of 2013, however I used it recently for my graduation portrait and it just looked so beautiful I had to include it in this combined favourites post.

Grad Portrait Look - eyes closed

Grad Portrait look - eyes open

Games 

World Of Warcraft 

I took the plunge into WoW and I'm hooked. I'm still a complete noob but I'm learning the ropes and enjoying every minute of it. 

Diablo 3 

Yes I've only now started playing Blizzard games, does that mean I have to turn in my nerd card? I only have the starter edition of Diablo 3 but rest assured I will be splurging on both DIablo 3 and Reaper of Souls for my birthday. Gotta treat myself ;) 

my only problem with playing both of these games is my crappy internet connection...sighsss

Television

Doctor Who 

The new series with the 12th Doctor has come to an end and oh my goodness, the feels were too much! I was never a huge fan of clara but the last two episode tore my heart out of my chest. Clara and Danny forever :'( I will say that this series had it's up and downs in terms of the episodes themselves, some were brilliant while others were just meh. Now that this series is finished, it's time to await this year's Christmas special with Nick Frost as Santa!!! - It's not a spoiler, the pic has been going around since the finale.  

This now marks he end of another post, my next post will be about new Television shows I've been greatly enjoying.Also if there's anything specific that you would like to see more of on here, let me know, all of my social media links are posted to the right hand side of the blog. Until next time, stay happy, healthy and positive and I'll see you next time.

Byeeeee (^__^)/

Skincare Empties: Likes, Dislikes and Everything in Between

I promised that I would have two post up this week and I'm a girl who keeps my promises.

Today, I'm going to share with you my most recent skincare products that I've used up and whether I love them enough to repurchase them or if they fail miserably and were a waste of money.

Products: 

1. Freeman's Clay Mask Mint and Lemon - Love it! Leaves my face feeling refreshed and clean, definitely will repurchase.
   
   
2. Freemon's Facial Polishing Mask Charcoal and Black Sugar - Love it! I did a blog post about this mask, and I can't stop praising it. It helped to reduce the number of blackheads I had. Highly recommend this mask for anyone with oily skin or prone to blackheads.
   
   
3. Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner - Eh....it's okay but it's definitely not my favourite. My favourite toner/astringent is the Bioré Blemish Treating Astringent. If you have super sensitive skin or dry/normal skin the Simple Toner would be great for you but for me it just didn't make a difference. Will not be repurchasing.
   
   
4. Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturizer - I do like this and I've already repurchased this product. It's lightweight as the name implies and very moisturizing. My only problem is that my skin tends to get oily when I used coming down to the end of the bottle. That never happened in the beginning, so I'm quite perplexed as to why it happened. Nonetheless, it's a great moisturizer that is not super heavy, so I don't mind busting out the blotting sheets once in a while.
   
   
5. L'Oreal Youth Code Serum Corrector - I'm officially on my fourth one of these, so if that isn't love I don't know what is! It leaves my face feeling baby soft and luminous (not oily). It makes my skin looks as though it's naturally glowing and it has reduced my hyperpigmentation dramatically. I love it! I love it! I love it!
   
   
6. Simple Kind To Skin Vital Vitamin Night Cream - I have a love/hate relationship with this guy, one night I absolutely love it because it's very moisturising and it makes your face feel plump and nourished (good!)  but the next night it just feels heavy and greasy and my face looks and feels oily (bad!!). I'm currently trying out the Garnier  Nutritioniste Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream as an alternative to this Simple Night Cream and I'm liking it so much more, so I won't be repurchasing the Simple Night Cream.
   
   
7. Olay Age Defying Eye Gel (not pictured) - Hate it! I had to be upfront about this, I cannot stand this eye gel. It does absolutely nothing. It made my eye area oilier than it usually is, my dark under eye areas looked as though they got darker and I just...I don't like it one bit! Will not repurchase this at all!

Now, I really don't want to end this post negatively, so I'll mention my favourite face wash and scrub which I keep in stock because I love them. My favourite face wash is the St. Ives Blemish Control Green Tea Gel Cleanser and my favourite facial scrub is the St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub. Both contain salicylic acid, are oil-free  and both absolutely amazing.

We've reached the end of today's post, but I will be back next week with a new post and it will be Avon related. I'm super excited to get working on that Avon post and it isn't a haul, I've been trying to behave myself and not shop for makeup as much as I usually do. So until then have a great weekend, a great week, stay happy, stay positive and I will see you soon.

Bye-Bye :)

Makeup Battle Royale #2 : Eyeliner Throwdown: L'oreal Infallible Super Slim vs Milani Eye Tech Extreme

Hey everyone, how have you been? It's been a while since my last post. Had an awkward fall last week and hurt my left hand and wrist so I wasn't able to post anything last week and I'm sorry. I'm planning on making up for it by doing a double posting this week. Yep, that's right, two posts in one week!

Today's post is another makeup battle royal, two products battling it out for supremacy. Which of these liners do I prefer, well you'll have to keep reading to find out...
It's time for a felt tip pen liquid eyeliner throwdown! (Such a mouthful, lol!)

The Look:

L'Oreal Infallible Super Slim 8 hour liquid liner pen (top)
Milani Eye Tech Extreme Liquid Eye Liner (bottom)

• Very similar, both are pure black with gold detailing and a cushion grip
• Both contain 1ml of product 
• Both made in Germany 

The Tip:

L'Oreal Liner

Milani Liner

• Long, felt tip applicator on both
• The L'Oreal liner tip is firmer 
• Milani is more flexible and malleable.
• Both liners can achieve an extremely thin liner look and a bolder, more dramatic liner look, by varying the pressure you use when applying it to the eye.

 Pigmentation:

• Both are extremely pigmented and dry to a slightly matte finish. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swatches

Doesn't seem as though there is a clear cut winner here does it? Well, the liner that wins, is the one with the better staying power. As an oily skin girl, I need a liner to stay put all day long, until I decide to take it off. The liner that does that is.........the......Milani Eye Tech!!

• The Milani Eye Tech blows the L'Oreal liner out of the water in terms of staying power for me. Usually, the L'Oreal Super Slim 8hr smudges badly within 2 hours and that's with eye primer on. No bueno! Milani Eye Tech stays put, no smudging, no flaking with or without a primer.

I recommend the Eye Tech over the Super Slim to my friends whether they have oily, dry or normal skin. In Trinidad, the Milani Eye Tech can be purchased at Wonderful World (that's where I got mine) or you could order it online from Milani's website.

I really wanted to like the Super Slim liner, however, it failed to life up to it's claim of 8 hour wear. The Eye Tech liner I've had for over 6 months and it hasn't dried out, which is quite impressive. I will continue to repurchase the Eye Tech Extreme liner, until I can find felt tip liner that knocks it off of it's pedestal.

This concludes this Makeup Battle Royale!! Congratulations Milani, you've knocked out your opponent and taken the crown. Thanks for sticking to the end everyone. Hope you all are having a great week, stay positive, healthy and happy and I will see you later this week for another post!
Bye Bye :)

Itsy Bitsy Haul for July

Hello all!
I was supposed to post this haul last week but life happened. Better late than never, right?!

 

 

 

 

July Haul 

 I picked up a few Jordana nail polishes, and yes the black, red and yellow I bought specifically for the World Cup Final (Deutschland!!) and the blue and bright coral-pink were mainly impulse buys. Starting from the left, the nail polishes from Jordana are;

1.  Black 
2. Holiday Red
3. Mellow Yellow
4. Strawberry Marmalade
5. Sapphire

The coral-pink is Strawberry Marmalade and it is beautiful on the nails. It's very "summery' and if you have a tan, you'll love it! I'm quite impressed by the Jordana polishes, they're very smooth and opaque with just one coat, but I usually do two coats anyway.

I also picked up the L'Oreal Youth Code Serum. This is a staple in my skin care arsenal. It really helped fade my hyper-pigmentation/ post breakout dark spots, which let's face it everyone hates.

Now, I have stretch marks and I'm not ashamed to say it. I've been working out more and losing fat (I hate the phrase losing weight!), so I have more stretch marks and I've heard that Bio-Oil was pretty good at fading them, so I picked up the small size just to test it out for myself.  

L.A Girl Glossy Lips lipglosses. I bought 3, kept 1 for myself and gave 2 to my friend as part of a gift. They are sheer lipglosses, with a brush tip applicator. At first it feels quite sticky, but not uncomfortable. Usually sticky glosses last longer on the lips but I haven't worn this lip gloss for a substantial amount of time, so in terms of wear time I can't give an accurate estimation. The shade I kept for myself is a deep red called Caramel Apple, it has no shimmer or sparkle.

July Haul - Avon

Finally, my small order of Avon lipglosses came. I bought 2 for myself and 2 for my mom because we bought love Avon lippies, in fact Avon makeup is one of my definite favourites in general. I purchased the shades, starting from the left;

1. Rich Raspberry
2. Palm Beach Pink
3. Darling Pink
4. Fuchsia Frenzy

I kept Rich Raspberry and Palm Beach Pink for myself and Palm Beach Pink has not left my bag since I bought it. It's perfect to just throw on with you're in a hurry, it adds a subtle hint of colour to the lips and it isn't super sticky. I'm not a lipgloss girl, I prefer lipsticks but I have been enjoying these Avon lipglosses and I'm sure I'll purchase more in the future.

We've come to the end of my mini-haul. I've been under the weather all week, so I don't know what my next post is going to be or when it will done, but it will happen!
However, until my next post, I hope you all have a great weekend. Stay happy, healthy and positive and I'll see you lovely people again soon.
Bye :)