Reviews and Other Stuff

Sunscreen Roundup & Review

Hello Everyone! There’s only a few days left of Summer and Fall’s just around the corner, oh my, how time goes by so fast. Yet from where I am, the sun is still shining brightly and though I could feel the temperature slowly dipping 1 digit down, it’s still pretty much Summer in here, no doubt. So before we reach the official start of Fall, I’d like to wrap up some sunscreens that I’ve used this Summer and even from the previous ones. Since I haven’t really done an official sunscreen roundup review on this blog, let’s do a recap of some of the sunscreen’s I’ve tried. Some of these products were a hit for me, while some were also a miss.

 

suncare review

 

Let’s find out, shall we?

 

BODY

 

Supergoop! Super Power Sunscreen Mousse Broad Spectrum Spf 50

 

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Cooling Broad Spectrum Spf 60 Water-Lotion Sunscreen (150 ml: $35.99) – A fragrance-free, oil-free, paraben-free, great for sensitive skin sunscreen that has a light water-like texture. It’s great for face and body with added antioxidant protection and water resistant for 80 minutes. Though this was described as cooling and refreshing water-lotion, this didn’t really feel cooling for me, but others whom I’ve also asked to try claimed that they felt a bit of a cooling sensation upon applying it. So it might be just me being insensitive, LOL. The nice thing about this Sunscreen is that it’s not greasy, it’s super lightweight, my skin absorbs this easily and has no discerning scent. This also prevents me from getting sunburned and it’s not sticky while I sweat or stay under the sun. Definitely a great sunscreen if you have a sensitive skin, or if you just want an all-around good sunscreen that won’t irritate your nose. It’s kinda pricey for a sunscreen though, but you can tell that it’s good quality.

 

Supergoop! Super Power Sunscreen Mousse Broad Spectrum Spf 50 (3.4 oz: $19; 7.1 oz: $34) – A very different sunscreen that comes out as a mousse which spreads really well on the skin. It’s extremely lightweight and has a bit of a cooling or refreshing feel. It also has a nice light floral scent with antioxidants and is also water-resistant. The dispenser can be a bit tricky or difficult to use, and even though the mousse/foam, which feels like a shaving cream, was very spreadable, it kinda feels a bit greasy, but it disappears and melts into the skin easily. I usually use this for the body, but a lot of people also use this on their face. This gives me good coverage under the sun while it’s also fun to apply. The only problem is that because its packaging is pressurized, you’re not gonna be able to carry this when you travel.

 

Alba Botanica Hawaiian Sunscreen Broad Spectrum Spf 30 in Aloe Vera (4 oz: $6.50) – I’ve always enjoyed this organic and water-resistant affordable sunscreen, plus, it’s pretty much easy to find. I like that this feels like a moisturizing lotion and it melts into my skin very well without leaving a white cast and it’s non-greasy. This scent can be a bit too sweet, like sweet lemons, but it’s not a bad fruity scent. It reminds me of Caudalie Foot Beauty Cream’s scent, but this one is great for sensitive skin with no parabens, no harsh sulfates, and made of 100% vegetarian ingredients. It’s a cheap but effective suncare.

 

Coola Sport Continuous Spray Broad Spectrum Spf 50 in Guava Mango

 

Coola Sport Continuous Spray Broad Spectrum Spf 50 in Guava Mango & Spf 30 in Citrus Mimosa (3.4 oz: $24, 8 oz: $36) – Probably one of the best (if not the best) scented spray sunscreens I’ve ever tried. Made of organic ingredients, antioxidant-infused, and water resistant for 80 minutes. These sunscreens are ideal for just about any activity you want to do under the sun. I use this for running, hiking, and gardening. It doesn’t feel sticky even after I sweat a lot. I also never get sunburned with this, and it gets absorbed by my skin rather easily, plus it leaves no white residue whatsoever. In addition to that, the sprayer sprays evenly and finely onto the skin making it easy to spread and apply all over the arms and legs. Further reviewed HERE.

 

Coppertone Sport Continuous Spray Broad Spectrum Spf 70

 

Coppertone Sport Continuous Spray Broad Spectrum Spf 70 (6 oz: $8.99) – One of the first ever sport sunscreen I’ve ever used, and it’s supposed to be made of high-performance formulations-antioxidants, water-resistant for 80 minutes, supposed to stay on your skin even after you sweat, and won’t run into your eyes and sting. Oh well, if I had not tried other sport sunscreens, I would have thought that all sunscreens are as sticky and strong-smelling as this. This particular sunscreen feels a bit thick and greasy upon application, and it gets even greasier once you start sweating with it. It almost feels gross, like your skin cannot breathe and it feels a bit hot. The nice thing about this is that it has a very high Spf, otherwise, there’s definitely other sunscreens that are better than this.

 

Clarins Sunscreen Care Oil Spray Broad Spectrum Spf 30 (5 oz: $36) – This was a hit for me the moment I first sprayed this on my skin. That powdery-floral scent could last for a good 4-6 hours and I never get tired of it. This spray has a very “summer on the beach” vibe, and it’s also great to spray on your hair to protect it from drying when exposed to a lot of sun and also from salt water. This is definitely my favorite suncare oil spray because it’s not greasy, it disappears into the skin easily, it leaves no white cast, and it protects me from the sun. I wish it has a higher Spf, but so far, I never had a sunburn or redness with this.

 

Top Care Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum Spf 50 (8 oz: $5.99) – Found this at my local supermarket when I was in sudden need of a sunscreen. This may be hard to find online nowadays, but I’m pretty sure you might find this in your local grocery stores. This was an impulse buy for me and I picked this not knowing anything about this particular product or brand at all. Of course, I had other choices, like Coppertone and Neutrogena, but after my experience with Coppertone’s Sport Continuous Spray, I felt like, Nah, I’m gonna have to pass. Also, I love Neutrogena products, but their sunscreens are too thick and too sticky for me. They also leave a white cast on my face and skin to the point that I looked like Casper. LOL. So, I picked this Top Care sunscreen and much to my surprise, I actually love it. It’s very moisturizing and it goes through my skin easily. I also love the delightful clean scent. It feels just like a lightweight lotion and it’s not greasy. I really like this a lot.

 

FACE

 

Algenist Sublime Defense Ultra Lightweight UV Defense Fluid Spf 50, Clarins UV Plus Anti-Pollution Sunscreen Multi-Protection Broad Spectrum Spf 50 Non-Tinted

 

Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream Broad Spectrum Spt 50+ Wetforce For Face (1.2 oz: $22, 2 oz: $36) – This sunscreen smells so good and a little bit goes a long way when it comes to its application. A tiny dot is pretty much all you need for your face because this feels very concentrated and thick for a facial lotion. It also tends to leave a bit of white cast on the face, but it goes away after a few minutes, still, you’re gonna have to go easy on this. I like that this is hydrating and very lightweight. Also, this sunscreen kinda makes my face a bit luminous or slightly dewy. It’s also water-activated, so this becomes even more effective when exposed to water or sweat. So far, I also never get a sunburn or even a tan from this. Another big hit for me.

 

EltaMD UV Clear Broad Spectrum Spf 46 (1.7 oz: $32.50) – A sunscreen that’s ideal for people with sensitive skin, especially to those who are acne-prone, has rosacea or even has discolorations or hyperpigmentations. While this claimed to not leave any residue, I still somehow noticed a bit of a white cast on my face. Also, this sunscreen tends to pill with time, but it’s very lightweight and fragrance-free. With that being said, this sunscreen has a very strong Spf scent that you could smell like it for the entire day, which can be really overwhelming on the nose. However, this never gave me any breakouts, and it is indeed great for sensitive skin. I also never had a sunburn while using this, perhaps, just a bit of tan, but this can feel a bit sticky when you sweat. You also need to reapply this a lot whenever you’re in a hot and humid place, or even when you’re sweating in your face a lot. I also find this to be too pricey for its Spf and for its packaging size, but I like its silky texture and it could almost look dewy on the face.

 

Coola Classic Face Sport Broad Spectrum Spf 50 in White Tea (1.7 oz: $32) – With a nice and clean tea-floral scent that’s ideal for any skin types. It’s water-resistant for 80 minutes, super lightweight, and non-greasy. This organic suncare and moisturizer don’t leave a white residue on the face, and it almost has a gel-like texture. It goes onto the skin easily and I never felt any greasiness nor stickiness. This even goes well with any foundation and it’s hydrating on the face. Also, this feels soothing, and it’s meant to reduce redness and balance the skin tone. To me, this is a great overall Spf moisturizer that truly delivers what it’s supposed to do. Further reviewed HERE.

 

Algenist Sublime Defense Ultra Lightweight UV Defense Fluid Spf 50 (1 oz: $28) – This is a lightweight sheer fluid that spreads easily on the skin and you don’t need to apply a lot of it. It also has Alguronic acid and antioxidants with an oil-free formulation that’s supposed to give a matte finish upon application. While I like this a lot when I tried this in-store and thought that it also had a pleasing vanilla-ish scent, Oh well, when I finally tried this at home, I was surprised by its strong awful glue-like smell. I almost couldn’t stand it and wanted to throw it away, but as I spread it all over my face, the scent sort of disseminated and became bearable. This also feels greasy but it settled on my skin somehow and though it didn’t really look mattifying on the face, it’s still ok under foundation. I think you could for sure find other face sunscreens that are much better than this.

 

Clarins UV Plus Anti-Pollution Sunscreen Multi-Protection Broad Spectrum Spf 50 Non-Tinted (1.7 oz: $43) – This is one of the best facial sunscreens I’ve ever tried. I just love that mild, clean, and irresistible scent. This goes on smoothly on my skin and it doesn’t feel greasy because it’s oil-free. It’s hydrating but not so dewy, and it’s great to go under makeup. I also noticed a mattifying effect on my skin, regardless of what foundation I use. I love that this fights free radicals and shields the skin from pollution. Also, this feels extremely lightweight, doesn’t leave a white cast on the face, and it doesn’t sting the eyes.

 

RECAP

 

sunscreen roundup review

 

BODY:

 

Best in Scent: Clarins Care Oil Spray, Coola Sport Continuous Spray, Top Care Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion

 

Most Hydrating: Clarins Care Oil Spray, Top Care Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion, Alba Botanica Hawaiian Sunscreen

 

Most Water Resistant: Coola Sport Continuous Spray, La Roche-Posay Anthelios Spf 60 Cooling Water-Lotion

 

Great for Sensitive Skin: La Roche-Posay Anthelios Spf 60 Water-Lotion, Supergoop! Super Power Sunscreen Mousse Spf 50, Coola Sport Continuous Spray, Alba Botanica Hawaiian Sunscreen

 

Weightless: Supergoop! Super Power Sunscreen Mousse, Clarins Care Oil Spray, Coola Sport Continuous, La Roche-Posay Anthelios Water-Lotion

 

My Personal Favorite: Coola Sport Continuous Spray Spf 50, Clarins Care Oil Spray, Top Care Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion, Supergoop! Super Power Sunscreen Mousse

 

FACE:

 

Best in Scent: Clarins UV Plus Anti-Pollution, Coola Classic Face Sport, Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream Wetforce For Face

 

Most Hydrating: EltaMD UV Clear, Coola Classic Face Sport, Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream

 

Most Water Resistant: Coola Classic Face Sport, Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Wetforce, Clarins UV Plus Anti-Pollution

 

Great for Sensitive Skin: Coola Classic Face Sport, EltaMD UV Clear

 

Weightless: Clarins UV PLus Anti-Pollution, Coola Classic Face Sport, La Roche-Posay Anthelios Water-Lotion Spf 60

 

My Personal Favorite: Clarins UV Plus, Coola Classic Face Sport, Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Wetforce for Face.

 

There you go guys! that’s a wrap for all the sunscreens I’ve tried this summer and in the previous ones. I’ve tried other sunscreens before that are not included in this review, but those didn’t register much to me. Hopefully, there will be more breakthroughs in sunscreen products for the next summer soon…

 

Bye Bye Summah! Hello Fall!

 

More reviews to come soon, including a couple of Travel Diaries (which I’m currently up to) and some more beauty stuff. Stay tuned…

 

Song of the week: Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Rey.

 

*Coola Products provided courtesy of Coola Suncare

 

Follow on Instagram: @reviewsandotherstuff

 

 

Eye Makeup Brushes Roundup, Part 2

What’s Up All! Happy Friday! We have another eye makeup brush review today. In fact, this is the part 2 of that previous eye brushes review that I did a couple of days ago. To read the first part, click HERE. To continue with that said review, some of the following brushes that I’m gonna talk about below have been with me for quite some time. I always reach out for them and they’ve withstood regular cleaning plus my heavy-handedness, ha!. There’s even one brush that took on a different function or purpose other than what it’s meant to be.

 

eye brushes review

 

Here are the rest of my favorite eye makeup brushes roundup.

 

Anastasia Beverly Hills #7B Brush review

Anastasia Beverly Hills #7B Brush ($18): Been with me for more than 2 years now and it still looks good as new. This is a dual-ended angled flat brush on one side and a nice little spooley on the other. A brow brush that you can use together with Anastasia’s Dipbrow Pomade. It creates a beautiful, precise, and sleek brow. I love the spooley of this brush because it’s durable and it also grabs and arranges each hair strand neatly.

 

 Lancome Large Shadow Brush #11

It Brushes for Ulta Airbrush Blending Crease Brush #105 ($14): Owned this for more than a year now. This is my brush that took a different career path, LOL. While this is a very good soft blending brush especially for the crease, this can also do other things. Guess what? I use this brush to contour or highlight my nose, and even to highlight my brow bone and this does a really good job at it. It’s so soft and the bristles are a bit spread out, thus the versatility.

Lancome Large Shadow Brush #11 ($29.50): Had for a year, don’t be fooled by its description, this particular brush is not really large. It’s about the same size as any eyeshadow/eyeshader brush, perhaps just 1 or 2 mm longer. I always confuse this particular eyeshadow brush with my other E.l.f. eye brushes, but mind you, this brush is way better than E.l.f.’s. This picks up the right amount of product and it’s soft and durable for daily use.

 

It Brushes for Ulta Airbrush Blending Crease Brush #105

 

 

MAC Brushes (7 years & counting):

 

MAC Eye Shader Brush #239 review

 

MAC Eye Shader Brush #239 ($25): This was my first MAC brush ever and I love its shape a lot. I like that it’s great at packing on some colors on my lids and its bristles are dense, soft, and strong, but not too long. Great for overall eye shading.

 

MAC Blending Brush #217 review

 

MAC Pencil Brush #219 ($25): Bought this to create a smokey eye, but I also use this to contour my lids and apply highlighters on my inner crease. This is a very versatile pen-shaped brush. Also, the brush’s shape is meant to be precise and not itchy.

 

MAC Pencil Brush #219 review

 

MAC Blending Brush #217 ($25): My most used and overused MAC brush of all. Its unique shape is some sort of a slightly flat blending brush which makes it easier to blend the eyeshadows precisely, making the effect more natural. Definitely not like your most blending brush, and it works like a charm.

 

There you have it guys, these are so far my favorite eye and brow makeup brushes. If you ask me which brushes I’d recommend for eye makeup, definitely my top 3 brands would be Make Up For Ever, Sigma, and MAC.

 

Lancome Brushes can be found at Lord & Taylor, Bergdorf Goodman, Dillard’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, & Ulta.com

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brushes are available at Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom & Urban Outfitters

Mac Brushes are available at Nordstrom, &ย Selfridges

The It Brushes for Ulta are available at Ulta.com

 

Do you also own any of these brushes? What are the brush/brushes you’ve been crushing on lately?

 

Follow on Instagram: @reviewsandotherstuff

 

 

YSL Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stain Review + Swatches

YSL Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stain 5 rosewood gang 8 black red code

 

Why Hello There! Want something exciting? Me, I’m excited for all the Fall makeup launches that’s been popping up lately. There’s definitely gonna be a lot of beautiful stuff to look forward to, and one of them is the latest lip launch from Yves Saint Laurent Beauty. While I know each of us has been all fired up with Rihanna’s Fenty makeup release (will be reviewed here soon), you may have overlooked that YSL also released their own version of matte liquid lip stains. They’re called the Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stains (0.20 oz for $36). They’re not exactly matte liquid lipsticks, but they’re pretty much what a matte liquid lipstick should be, and what I’ve always wanted and has been waiting for from YSL to release.

 

YSL Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stain review

 

 

If you’re a YSL lipstick/beauty fan, myself included, then let us all rejoice. We all know that YSL makes such good quality lipsticks with high impact pigments and irresistible colors, so theย Tatouage Couture Matte Lip Stain is definitely great news. These have the same flavor/scent that comes with YSL lipsticks and the consistency is not creamy but more gel-like. The brush applicator is completely unique because it’s shaped like a spatula with a YSL insignia on both sides and it allows you to apply the lip stain precisely on your lip lines-similar to a lip liner. The packaging looks cute, sleek, and easy to keep in your purse or makeup pouch. I love the frosted glass tube and shiny top which is a bit similar to Chanel Rouge Allure Ink Matte Liquid Lip Color (reviewed HERE).

 

YSL Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stain swatches

 

When it comes to their lasting power, these YSL Tatouage Matte Lip Stains will take about 4-5 minutes to set on your lips, and will also require 2-3 swipes to get a full coverage on the lips (at least on mine). Although, if you just want a light to moderate coverage or even an ombre effect, one swipe will just do. Once these lip stains set, they’re set for a long haul. In fact, after 4-5 minutes of application, these lip stains start to have a matte effect with almost zero transfer. Beyond that, I haven’t noticed any transfer at all, no feathering, and no smudging. These Tatouage Lip Stains are definitely kiss-proof like a lip tattoo.

 

YSL Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stain

 

These Lip Stains are kinda like Armani’s Lip Magnets (reviewed HERE), Lancome Matte Shakers (seen HERE), and Dior’s Lip Tattoos (HERE). They’re all intensely-pigmented comfortable lip stains that last for a long time while feeling weightless. Some may be a bit more drying than the others, like Dior’s Lip Tattoo which is a tad bit drying, while Armani has the perfect blend of high-impact colors+lightweight feel+no dryness on the lips while remaining smudge-proof. The YSL Tatouage is closer to Armani’s Lip Magnet in terms of formulation and property. Love the array of shades too.

 

YSL Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stain swatches

 

5 Rosewood Gang –ย  Deep Mauve Pink. The perfect mauve rose shade that will work on any skin tone. The formula of this seems to set a bit quicker than the others and it’s intensely staining. One of my most favorite shade in this line of lip stains.

 

8 Black Red CodeDeep Burgundy. Another favorite shade of mine. This shade is so ready for Fall with its reddish-black tone. It’s a wonderful wine shade that commands attention and complements the lips wherever you go.

 

16 Nude EmblemTerra Cotta Pink. Something about this shade that makes it currently sold out in Sephora. It seems very popular among others, and some have compared it to the famous Armani Lip Magnet in #507 (seen HERE), but for me, I think this shade is a lot closer to #506 or a blend of #505 and #506. Oh well, I thought this shade would be some sort of a medium warm nude pink or something like that, but I find this shade to be a terra cotta coral. It’s unique and entirely different.

 

23 Singular TaupeDeep Nude. From the moment I saw this shade, I knew this was gonna be the perfect nude shade for my light-medium skin tone. Indeed it is, and I love that it gives a nice natural pout for an everyday lipstick look. The #7 Nu Interdit shade is a lighter version of this, which is great for fair to light skin tone.

YSL Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stain swatch

Another nice shade I saw, though I think would look too light for me was #11 Rose Illicit, which a rosy nude shade. Oh my, the truth is, there’s a lot of beautiful shades from this release, it’s hard to choose just one, but the price can be a guilt factor. On the other hand, these are really long lasting lip stains that could last either from 4-6 hours for light or nude shades, or 6-8 hours and beyond for darker shades. Also, these are high-quality, transfer-proof, matte-effect liquid lip stains that will surely give Dior’s Lip Tattoo, the popular Armani Lip Magnet, and even Lancome Matte Shaker a run for their money.

 

YSL Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stain 16 nude emblem 23 singular taupe

 

Have you had these yet?

 

YSL Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stain swatches

 

The YSL Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stain is available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Barney NY, & Bloomingdalesย 

 

Ciao for now!

 

For more lipsticks stuff, follow on Instagram: @reviewsandotherstuff