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Samples of The Week: Tarte, Kat Von D, Giorgio Armani, Algenist, Laura Mercier, Clarins, Too Faced, Becca, Sephora & Josie Maran

August 10, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Whaddup Guys! Here’s another set of samples I’ve been playing and a lot of them are really interesting products to note. If you’re on the market for some new moisturizers, velvety lipsticks, a new signature scent, or even another mask, you may wanna read this.

1. Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Face Butter Unscented (1.7 oz: $40) – This is a good hydrating cream for those who suffer from dry skin. It also feels weightless and very softening. Has a bit of a milky texture, and it gets absorbed by the skin easily. I love that it doesn’t leave any film after a few hours of application and it also feels non-greasy. The unscented one has a bit of silicon-ish scent, but I’ve sniffed the Juicy Mango scent before and it was good.

2. Algenist Genius Ultimate Anti-Aging Cream (1 oz: $75, 2 oz: $112) – I’ve tried this before and it’s one of the best moisturizing cream I’ve ever tried. You may or may not like the scent, but I love it. It’s kinda like vanilla milkshake and it feels really good once applied on the skin. It has a whipped and creamy texture but it’s not oily. It’s rich and very smoothing. So ideal when you have dry patches around the face as this will deliver intense hydration. A little bit goes a long way.

3. Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment (0.35 oz: $38) – Such a perfect thick consistency for an eye cream. I love that it really hydrates the thin skin around the eyes that are prone to dryness. Very rich and also very moisturizing, but it doesn’t pill. It also doesn’t irritate the eyes and has a firming effect. It’s easily spreadable, non-greasy and I love the hint of maracuja or passion fruit scent.

4. Giorgio Armani Beauty Fluid Sheer in No. 7 Radiant Finish (Travel Size/0.6 oz: $40, 1 oz: $62) – This really goes on sheer but it has very tiny flecks of pink shimmers that is reminiscent of Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal. This feels like a strobe cream that adds definition to the face, which I really really love because I can’t seem to wear mattifying foundations well without looking flat. This is great to add with your foundation to achieve that natural dewy finish, or it can be used as a highlighter, blush or even as a bronzer using the darker shades.

5. Sephora Mud Mask Purifying & Mattifying (1 oz: $12, 2.03 oz: $20) – This is a fast drying mud mask with zinc and copper that resembles a bit like Glamglow Supermud. But this one has tiny clumps that would make the application a bit challenging. Though it didn’t really bother me as the mask is pretty much easy to wash out. This mask dries into a blue-green color and it has a pretty strong orange peel scent, which I kind of like, but some may find it to be too strong. The thing I like about this is the way it felt on my skin after rinsing it off. It is truly mattifying and it deeply cleanses into my pores. On top of that, this mask is also affordable.

6. Kat Von D

–Saint Eau de Parfum (Travel size/0.34 oz: $22, 1.7 oz: $65, 3.4 oz: $85) – This has a floral scent that’s slightly sweet but also very fresh. You could sense a hint of musky jasmine and a bit of sweet vanilla. This smells light and very summer-like. It’s also long lasting and quite irresistible.

–Sinner Eau de Parfum (Travel size/0.34 oz: $22, 1.7 oz: $65, 3.4 oz: $85) – A more intense version of Saint. It’s woody, earthy, and spicy, but not heady. It’s very long lasting and it’s an ideal scent for Fall or Winter. It has a warm and sultry vibe kind of scent that is unique and seductive.

Note: Both scents remind me of a blend of Estee Lauder and Marc Jacobs perfumes, which are the ones I still use alternately nowadays. Of the two KVD scents, I kinda love the Saint fragrance more because it’s a bit lighter and fresher, and its dry down is still irresistible, though I really like Sinner at the first few spritzes. Overall, they’re quite similar to each other, but they’re just at different intensities.

7. Clarins Double Serum Complete Age Control Concentrate (1 oz: $89, 1.6 oz: $122) – This is a 2-in-1 anti-aging serum that combines the oil & water soluble antioxidants to deliver a radiant smooth skin in just seven days, as per Clarins. While I love that it really moisturizes the skin with its thick oily feel, I saw that my face broke out a bit the next day after using this. Too bad, because I love its slightly powdery-sweet scent and it’s still a lightweight serum that has a plumping effect. Somehow, this made my face soft and moisturized, but this may not be for me.

8. Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Medium-Deep Matte Bronzer (Travel size/0.14 oz: $15, 0.35 oz: $30) – Smells like chocolate milkshake, so delish you could almost eat it. LOL. This goes on as very light and not as well-pigmented especially at first swipe, but it’s pretty much buildable somehow. I use it for contouring and for bronzing at times. I find that with my light to medium skin tone, I would have to really layer this a lot in order to achieve a more contoured effect on the face. The medium to deep shade is more like for lighter complexions than the medium warm ones.

9. Becca Ultimate Coverage Foundation (1.01 oz: $44) – This is supposed to be a full coverage weightless foundation that has the right balance of water and pigments in order to achieve a flawless good coverage without caking. Unfortunately, this was really hard to blend and a little too thick for me. It does seem to cake around and also quite drying, similar to a thick concealer.

10. Laura Mercier Velour Lovers Lip Colour in Devotion (0.12 oz: $28) – A perfect dusty rose shade that really has a velvety finish. It goes on like a cream but the effect is satiny matte without drying the lips. I love how well-pigmented this lipstick is, and it lasts even after eating. Most importantly, it feels like nothing on your lips.

11. Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Colour in Audrey (0.14 oz: $28) – Described as a neutral red, this has the right texture for a full-coverage lipstick that’s not too creamy and not too matte, with very good color payoff. I like that it feels creamy but it’s not like it’s melting on your lips. It’s also pretty long lasting and lightweight.

Final words, I had a lot of fun trying these products and there’s a lot of them that I really like, but if I have to choose a few that really stood out for me, it would be the; Algenist Genius Ultimate Anti-Aging Cream, Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment, Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer, Sephora Mud Mask Purifying & Mattifying, Laura Mercier Velour Lovers Lip Colour & LM Creme Smooth Lip Colour.

Have you tried these? Which ones are you gonna try?

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Samples of The Week: Clinique, Boscia, Bite Beauty, Kate Somerville, Lancome, Miu Miu & Tarte

July 28, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Happy Friday guys! It’s about time to wrap up some samples and share my first impressions about them. This week, I picked a mini lipstick, a sample of some clay foundations, a hybrid makeup remover, a few basic moisturizers, and a very interesting scent.

Shall we begin?

Lancome BI-FACIL Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover (1.7 oz: $15, 4.2 oz: $30, 6.7 oz: $39) – One of the best eye makeup removers I’ve ever tried. It erases my liner like a breeze and there’s not a single sting. I even use it on my face and it saves me a lot of time and effort. It’s also not sticky and it comes in different sizes.

Boscia Charcoal MakeUp Melter Cleansing Oil-Balm (3 oz: $32) – This is a blend of charcoal and oil/balm cleanser that you have to apply on your makeup face and massage it all over to get rid of makeup. It has a strong lavender scent, much like the Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser. This product becomes foamy and it really removes all your makeup but you’re going to need a spatula (provided if purchasing the full size) in order to scoop the balm. It’s pretty thick and a bit sticky, my fingers had a hard time grabbing the product. Other than that, this is a good alternative to traditional facial cleansers and makeup removers since this product combines the two.

Clinique Moisture Surge Hydrating Supercharged Concentrate (0.5 oz: $13.50, 1.6 oz: $39) – This a lightweight gel serum or moisturizer with spheres of antioxidants. It has no distinct scent but it hydrates very well. It’s a great hydrator for the summer and my skin absorbs this quickly. Just like most Clinique serums and moisturizers, you can never go wrong with this.

Miu Miu Eau de Parfum (Travel size/0.33 oz: $28, 1 oz: $68, 1.7 oz: $90, 3.4 oz: $118) – A fresh floral scent that will surely catch your attention. I thought this was gonna be more of a sweet scent, but this is actually fresh and delightful, like a blend of something earthy and green with a bit of jasmine. It’s also very long lasting and not boring.

Bite Beauty Multistick (0.17 oz: $24) – Reviewed the papaya shade thoroughly before, found HERE. This is one of the best multi-taskers I’ve ever tried. Almost all the shades from this collection are all good and wearable. It has a velvety texture upon application, and it glides well on the lids, on the cheeks as a blush, and as a lip color. They’re pretty easy to blend and they’re also well-pigmented. The effect is a matte monochromatic trend. I love this.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation Spf 15 (1.7 oz: $39) – A natural to mattifying finish full-coverage foundation that’s vegan and oil-free. This foundation really covered my redness and blemishes and it’s pretty long-wearing. It feels whipped but lightweight, and it blends into the skin well. I noticed a bit of pilling but they’re blendable and I love that it comes with an added Spf. My face looks flawless with this.

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream (1 oz: $50, 1.7 oz: $65) – This feels like a gentle moisturizer that’s great for sensitive skin or even in any skin type. It has almost no scent but it hydrates the skin well and it’s also very lightweight. There’s a soothing feel to this and it hydrates some dry patches on the face.

Lancome Energie de Vie Smoothing & Plumping Water-Infused Cream (1.7 oz: $55) – Another water-infused cream that smells fresh and slightly like citronella. My skin absorbed this lightweight moisturizer immediately and it does have a plumping effect. Overall, this non-greasy cream hydrates the skin excellently and my skin felt soft after using this. The whole Energie de Vie line seems like a very interesting line to try.

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Beetroot (0.15 oz: $26) – Love this deep berry shade. I’m sure we’re all familiar with this lipstick. This line up has one of the boldest well-pigmented lipsticks ever. It’s extremely creamy and buttery soft, and while it does transfer a lot, the pigment stays put on the lips for a long time. I love that it’s made of au-naturel ingredients and the citrusy flavor is a delight. As to how it compares to the newly-released Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick? stay tuned, because a review of that particular lineup will be coming soon.

Verdict, I almost love all the samples I’ve tried, but if I have to narrow it down, I think I like the ease of using Lancome BI-FACIL Eye Makeup Remover, the scent of Miu Miu Eau de Parfum, the range of shades from Bite Beauty Multistick and Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation, the high-impact colors of Bite’s Amuse Bouche Lipstick and the hydrating effect of Lancome Energie de Vie Water-Infused Cream.

Have you had samples of these too? Which ones did you like?

T.G.I.F Everybody!

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Rouge Dior Matte Lipsticks Review

May 9, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Since my last “Samples of The Week” Review, I’ve been testing a few Rouge Dior Matte Finish Lipsticks. But, in order to do that, I needed to try and swatch them in real life and see the colors exactly with my own eyes. I’ve seen these lippies before and I’ve even swatched them several times before, but I just couldn’t bring myself to purchase one because I find the shades to be mostly in the reddish side. I wasn’t bothered by the texture nor the scent, but I wanted more warm neutrals, muted plums, rosewoods and brick tones in it, so I guess I waited a bit more to see if there were more shades being released.

Fortunately, it seems like Dior’s been listening and they’ve released a couple of limited edition shades every season. These shades are somewhat more inclined to my fancy and with my recent Samples of The Week Post (found HERE), I fell in love with the Rouge Dior 772 Classic Matte Shade. This whole lineup of Rouge Dior Matte Finish Lipsticks have more variety of shades now than when it was reformulated and released I think about a year ago. In fact, the whole range of Rouge Dior Lipsticks have been reformulated and enhanced with more shades to choose from. Apart from the popular matte finish, these lipsticks also come in satin finishes and shimmers as well.

Packaging is really sleek. These lipsticks come in black/silver tube with a black cap on the outside and red lining inside. I don’t dislike the scent, but some may find it to be too much. At first, I thought they smell a bit like baby powder and cotton candy, but the more I use them, I sensed the hint of musky jasmine in it. The texture can be a bit drying as I’ve said before, but it’s lightweight and pretty much long-lasting. They’re well pigmented too. Mine lasts 4-6 hours of wear with some traces of colors still visible on my lips. The price is perhaps one of the main caveat of these lipsticks. Each costs $35 so you really need to choose wisely. Other than that, I really enjoyed these lippies and I recommend them to each and every one of you.

772 Classic Matte – A neutral muted pinkish shade that I first fell in love with upon trying it from a sample. It’s the perfect everyday lip color and it doesn’t look over the top. Definitely a classic shade that works for any skin tone.
745 Terrific Matte – A muted rosewood shade that is probably my most favorite color of all the Rouge Dior Matte Finish lipstick line. This shade might be kinda hard to find because I think this is a limited edition for Spring 2017, so I’d better stock up on this color asap.
951 Absolute Matte – I love red lipsticks, but bright reds don’t love me, lol. Red bricks do. So I went and took this shade with me home. I love muted reds and this shade is the best red I could pull off.

Overall, I love these Rouge Dior Matte Lipsticks much. If you can stomach the price, I think they’re reliable and so worth it, just don’t sell your kidney for it, lol! Anyhow, I recommend you try at least one or two perhaps and see it for yourself. Alrighty?

These Rouge Dior Matte Finish lipsticks are available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Dillard’s, Lord & Taylor & Macy’s.

Don’t go anywhere, stay tuned because a review of the newly released Dior Lip Tattoo/Lip Tint will be coming soon.

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