Yearly Archives

2011

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Jo Malone Tea Fragrance Blends: Fresh & Light

February 24, 2011

Jo Malone has released a limited edition collection of five tea inspired colognes perfectly described as “tempting, refreshing and engagingly unexpected.” There are three tea inspired fragrances Assam & Grapefruit, Earl Grey & Cucumber and Fresh Mint Leaf ($55 each for 30 ml). The other two colognes Sweet Milk and Sweet Lemon are the layering scents designed to be spritzed and combined with the other tea fragrances to reflect the actual tea drinking experience. Each scent in this collection is amazingly delicious and I ended up with four of the five.

Assam & Grapefruit citrus grapefruit with a spicy herbal undertone, mate, cardamom, almond and patchouli: Reminiscent of the Lime Basil and Grapefruit scents because of the citrus undertone, but overall more spicy and herbal with a musty smell. One of the more complex scents in the tea collection, but still simple and pure.

Earl Grey & Cucumber top notes are bergamot with cucumber, vanilla & musk undertones: Earl Grey is actually one of my least favorite teas to drink simply because it reminds me of a flower. The scent of Earl Grey is very soothing and delicious, I just am not a fan of flowery teas. Put into a bottle combined with cucumber and a hint of vanilla translates into a fresh and light cologne. Those who are familiar with Aqua di Parma’s Mirto di Panarea Eau de Toilette is similar in undertone (the bergamot) however, the Jo Malone Earl Grey & Cucumber is a lighter, milder and less spicy and overall less complex version of the Aqua di Parma.

Sweet Milk creamy sweet blend of star anise, almond and vanilla: This smells like a scrumptious tea cookie. Sweet creamy vanilla scents are hit or miss for me. There’s something calming about milk based scents but sometimes on the skin the fragrance can turn once mixed with one’s natural body chemistry. The result is sometimes nauseating. At a first spritz of Sweet Milk on the small paper strip, I almost gagged. My Jo Malone rep assured me it was not as sweet on the skin and he was right. I layered this with the Earl Grey and it turned out to be a surprisingly nice combination. Still, I don’t think this scent is for everyone, if you get a chance to smell this, try this on the skin rather than just on the paper.

Sweet Lemon lemon, sugar, pineapple, peach and fresh green cypress: A fresh sweet lemony scent that smells like something picked fresh from a garden. The peach undertones evoke a slight pear-like scent (very slight). The cypress gives this a slightly earthy smell which prevents this from being overly citrus.

Fresh Mint was absolutely delicious but I simply couldn’t picture myself wearing the scent. I think it would have made a lovely candle. The intensity of these colognes is soft which, unfortunately, makes lasting power only about 4 hours. After 4 hours, I can still smell remnants of the cologne on my wrist, but it is significantly faded. Still, I prefer more natural scents. It would be great if these were upped in intensity a few notches to last longer, but I love each of these for their pure and simple quality. Other than the intensity, the only other things I wish were different: why limited edition and why not in other forms like candles, body creams, and bath gels?

Have you tried Jo Malone Colognes before? $55 for the amount seems extremely pricey, but the exquisite clean packaging along with the luxe boxes make these irresistible to at least pick up and try. Neiman Marcus currently has a gift with purchase instore and online. The top photo features two mini colognes in Grapefruit and Orange Blossom in a small leather case with a $150 purchase.
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Neutral & Bright: Zoya Naomi, Rescue Beauty Lounge Pink Shimmer, Chanel Enthusiast

February 21, 2011

Nails of the day (from Sunday):
  • On the fingers = 1 coat of Zoya Naomi + 1 coat of Rescue Beauty Lounge Pink Shimmer on top
  • On the toes = 2 coats of Chanel Enthusiast


Yesterday I featured Zoya Naomi and mentioned how I felt it was a bit too warm for my olive-beige skintone. I experimented layering different sheer and glittery shades on top to see what different effects I could make and decided adding a coat of a sheer white-opal-pink shimmer created a nice neutral. The winner was adding one coat of Rescue Beauty Lounge Pink Shimmer (previously reviewed here). Here is the final result:


I decided to go super bright on the toes with Chanel Enthusiast 377 (Part of the London Madness mini collection from Summer 2009 & a Neimans Exclusive). It was a limited edition shade but extremely close to Chanel Coromandel, previously reviewed here (scroll down for comparisons). The difference is that Enthusiast is more vibrant, more orange, and has no shimmer.

The mani & pedi combo:

L to R comparisons: Rescue Beauty Lounge Ani, Zoya Naomi, Rescue Beauty Lounge Pink Shimmer, the mixed shades, Chanel Enthusiast, Chanel Dragon, Chanel Coromandel


I sometimes get off the wall comments – just an FYI, I’m in Southern California where wearing sandals this time of year is do-able. We’ve had on and off rain, but the sun peeked out enough for me to slip on the flip flops and not freeze my toes off.
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Trying Out A Few New Nudes: MAC, Burberry & Zoya

February 21, 2011

I’m always looking for that perfect shade of nude even though I have quite a few favorites (Chanel Mythic & Luminous, Bobbi Brown Beige Gold, MAC High Tea). Everyone has a different interpretation of what they see as a true nude (see an older post here, What’s Your Definition of Nude?) – for me a true nude is something flesh colored. Light nude beiges don’t always work for me, many require tweaking with layering of extra gloss or liner (what I call my high maintenance nudes). Sometimes there are nude colors that are simply too neutral or beige and end up washing me out, but my curiosity always gets the best of me, I can’t help but check out every variation of beige.

A few new discoveries, thoughts, and swatches: MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick & Lipglass, Zoya Naomi Nail Polish, Burberry Trench Eyeshadow, MAC Gana Blush (from the Mickey Contractor collection).

First up are the newest additions to the MAC Viva Glam series: Gaga 2 Lipstick and Lipglass. Both are creamy neutral grey-beiges in the tubes but go on with a slightly peachy cast on the skin. These are true nudes, both of which I find fall under my “high maintenance” nudes category. The Gaga 2 Lipstick resembles concealer on my lips. It has full coverage (the amplified formula) with rich and creamy texture. Having tried other MAC nudes like Cherish, Creme d’Nude and Peachstock, I know this one will work better once layered over a darker liner (and blended of course) like MAC Stripdown and then topped with clear lipglass. I’ve swatched it alone below. Thumbs down by itself – the color just makes my skin look dirty and I look lifeless. Gaga 2 Lipglass is the exact same shade of nude, it’s not quite as flat and has the tiniest bit of sparkle in the tube. The shimmer doesn’t show up on the lips. For some reason the glossy texture makes it more forgiving on the lips. Thumbs up for this one! It’s a wearable nude, but I think MAC Revealing Lipglass is a more universally flattering beige nude. This one is also featured below alone (no lipstick or liner underneath).



In direct sunlight:

Zoya Naomi is an opalescent beige with a soft silver sheen. I ordered this from Zoya.com sight unseen along with a few of the Zoya Spoons. I haven’t tried too many Zoya Nail Polishes yet, but so far I’ve been extremely pleased with the finish, pigment and wearability of the colors. However, my experience with the Zoya neutrals is similar to my experience with Essie neutrals – what you see in the bottle doesn’t always translate to what you get on the fingers. In this case, I found Zoya Naomi a bit too warm for my beige skintone. I had to tweak it with a layer of a sheer silvery pink to get it to work. (Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post to see what I used.) Lovely color with 2 coats, just needed a slight change for my own liking.

Burberry Trench Eyeshadow is one of the best nudes I have ever tried. It’s deceptively boring and dull looking in the pan and swatched on my fingers, but it has a soft velvety texture that brightens and evens out the eye lids with a subtle luminescence. I love it. This isn’t entirely new (bought it back in late August in San Francisco’s Nordstrom) but I haven’t gotten around to reviewing it. I really love Burberry’s soft eyeshadows. I can’t wait for them to release more colors.

Burberry Trench finger swatched (on the hands it just melts/blends):

MAC Gana Frost Blush from the Mickey Contractor Collection was exclusive to select MAC Pro Stores and online. It’s a soft champagne grey pink shimmer powder that looks pretty on the eyes and as a highlighter on the temples. I don’t know if it’s still available or easy to find. It’s the closest thing I’ve found to Estee Lauder’s Tom Pecheux Highlighter (reviewed here) but with a pinkish/grey sheen. Those who can’t find it and want something similar that you can still find, MAC’s Beauty Powder in Play it Proper similar in effect.

Gana Swatched on bare skin:

All the new nudes swatched on arm, two views:


Have you tried any of these nudes I just reviewed? What are your thoughts if you have tried them? I’m especially interested to hear your thoughts on the Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick and Lipglass – how are you making these work for you?
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My Must-Have Eye Brushes

February 18, 2011

I’ve accumulated so many brushes over the years from dozens of different brands, I’m embarrassed to admit just how many I have. Finding the right tools are essential for good makeup application – I’ve played with each and every brush using them for practically every type of powder or cream, experimenting with different textured products, trying different application techniques, testing out different angles & applying different pressure. When I first started blogging I did a comprehensive post on all the brushes I own by type. I’ve linked it here Beauty Tools & Essentials: Eye Brushes for your reference.

The brushes listed below are my go-to brushes that I love so much I have multiples of these. Some have lasted me over 10 years now. I wash mine with Neutrogena’s Body Wash as needed. Probably about once every couple of weeks to once a month. Note I do not have a crease so I don’t typically use brushes specifically for the crease or outer V.

I personally prefer full sized brushes with longer handles because they are easier to hold in the hands while applying and they are easier to store. For short-handled travel brushes, I’ve accumulated a number from different sets but have never found the perfect travel brush set. I usually tend to avoid those brush sets simply because I find the quality to be poor. Laura Mercier seems to be the exception and has the best ones I’ve tried and I love her mini brushes that come with special sets or palettes.

1. Stila #4 Precision Eye Liner Brush $20 – this one has lasted me since my senior year in high school, soft but precise for layering dark shadows over a pencil or gel liner

2. Laura Mercier Smudge Brush $24 – small dense smudge brush with a fine point at the tip, good for getting into those corners or detail areas, extremely versatile for powders & creams, I like that it’s dense but soft and easy on my sensitive eyes, great for smudging liner for a soft blended look

3. Becca Brush #11 – now discontinued, similar in shape to MAC 242 – this is my perfect brush for cream eyeshadow

4. MAC 224 Tapered Blending Brush $29 – soft loose and fluffy, best for a super sheer wash of color and good for blending colors

5. MAC 219 Pencil Brush $24.50 – small pointy and dense, good for a smokey eye and getting to corners for detailing along bottom lashes

6. MAC 217 Blending Brush $22.50 – one of my most favorite brushes ever, super soft and versatile, great for blending and layering, love that it’s big enough to cover a big portion of the eye but small enough to control color where you want it, definitely a must have in every collection

7. MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush $24.50 – another favorite, this is the best brush to pack on color by patting or sweeping, picks up product well and allows control depending on how much product you have on your brush and the pressure you use to apply powders on the lids, if you use it sideways (versus flat) you can use it to get a smudgey line, another great versatile brush, blends colors well

8. MAC 242 Shader Brush $24.50 – I like this for cream shadows that I don’t want all over the lid, the small size allows thicker more pigmented application, I’ve used this for smudging gel liners, it also works for powders too, but I mostly use this for creams

9. Bobbi Brown Ultra Fine Eyeliner Brush $25 – no comparison for gel liners, this is the best one I’ve tried, the tiny tip allows for a precise application even for those with unsteady hands

10. Bobbi Brown Eye Liner Brush $25 – another great option for powder eye liners and precise application with one sweep, I don’t like angled liner brushes because I find the tips too wide and harsh for my eyes, this one from Bobbi Brown is stiff but gentle

11. Trish McEvoy #21 Large Laydown $53 – pricey and a total splurge but well worth the price, love this for both powders and creams
12. MAC 227 Large Fluff Brush $30 – a great all over fluff brush that is densely packed but allows for an even wash of color all over the eyes with one sweep


Detailed close ups:

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Estée Lauder Wild Storm Nail Lacquer

February 16, 2011

I couldn’t resist the stormy steel blue grey shimmer from Estée Lauder’s Spring 2011 collection. I picked up Wild Storm ($19) the day it was released instore at Nordstrom about one month ago. Most of you have probably had a chance to test it out or see it in person by now. I haven’t tried many nail polishes by Estée Lauder but have been impressed by the ones I had tried to date. Wild Storm however was a bit of a disappointment for me. The silver shimmer left it looking a bit dull even with a shiny top coat. It’s a pretty color but just lacked luster for me. The wear was ok with no chips, but it wore down on the tips of the nails very fast, much to my disappointment (by the end of the day I saw visible tip wear). I have tried it three times (two manicures and one pedicure) with different top coats but all applications had the same dull finish. That being said, my hair dresser loved it when she saw it on me. Perhaps it will be something I’ll like later on in the season, this spring I think I have just been so completely smitten with Chanel Black Pearl, it’s hard for other darker shimmers to live up to it (for me).

Still the product is good for the price. Application is smooth with 2 coats. The texture is easy to apply and layer for intensity. The color is listed as Limited Edition for Spring 2011.




Overall – pretty, but not really my favorite for nails. I prefer this color for eyeshadows like these from MAC, NARS, Urban Decay and Paul & Joe (picture taken for Josie months ago). But who knows what my mood will be like 6 months from now. (My nail polish preferences are highly dependent on mood.)

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Loving Right Now

February 14, 2011
Happy Valentine’s Day! What are you loving right now? For me …



Chanel Rose Insolent Le Vernis (previously reviewed here)



Felix Doolittle Stationary – The most charming & delightful illustrations ever! I discovered Felix Doolittle when my sister gave me and my husband personalized mailing labels as a wedding present even though we never had a formal wedding. The Heart Candy sets make a perfect gift this Valentine’s Day for loved ones (I gave my husband the Love Bug magnet and he loves it!!!)



NARS Velvet Gloss Pencils – all of them (all lip swatched just a few days ago)



Edward Bess Soft Smoke Trio – looks boring in the compact but it’s magical on the eyes, absolute smokey eye perfection, there is no other black/grey/cream palette that works like this one


MAC Gana Blush from the Mickey Contractor collection – love this on the eyes for a soft glow



More hot pinks, on the lips Chanel Imaginaire Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss


NARS Angelika Multiple – hot cool pink with tiny microsparkles



His (Chanel Allure Homme Sport & Bond Cooper Square) & Mine (Chloe Lavande and Tocca Bianca)



Jo Malone minis & L’Occitane Hand Cream


Pup treats for Lucy & Jake from Sprinkles

Base Makeup

My Foundation Testing Experiences & Thoughts + Holy Grails: Part 3

February 14, 2011

Finding the perfect foundation is like trying to find the perfect pair of jeans. There are so many options it’s overwhelming to know what to look for. You have to try a wide variety of different types to find the one that’s right for you. So what are my holy grails and next-best-picks for foundations? Click read more to see my extensive list.



Quick Recap: I have normal but sensitive medium-toned skin with yellow and olive tones. I prefer natural but visible coverage (prefer evened out skin versus a very sheer tint). I tend to go with formulas that are liquid (versus solid, cream, gels) because I find them easier to work with. I’m 29 and have had decent skin for most of my life with the exception of occasional stress breakouts that happen once every couple of months or when I try new products that are too harsh for my skin.



My Perfect Prep Combination before applying makeup:
1. Cleanse with Clinique’s Foaming Cleanser
2. Tone with La Mer’s Tonic (the pink one) or Paul & Joe
3. Apply Laura Mercier’s Renewal Serum (I’m afraid this has been discontinued)
4. Apply MAC’s Prep + Prime

Holy Grails:
1. Chanel Teint Innocence Liquid in Shell
2. Chanel Double Perfection Compact in Tender Bisque
3. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua (shade to be determined)
4. Dolce & Gabbana Powder Foundation in Warm or Tan

Close to Holy Grail Material:
1. Giorgio Armani’s Lasting Silk 5.5+6.5 mixed (not to be confused with their Luminous Silk)
2. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation (used Punjab but it’s too dark now)
3. Chanel Lift Lumiere in Shell+Beige mixed
4. Guerlain Lingerie de Peau
5. Diorskin Nude (still searching for the right shade, will most likely have to mix)

Swatches of foundations from November 2009 linked here.

Here’s a quick breakdown of all the foundations I’ve sampled by brand (yes, it’s a mother-load, I can’t remember all the shades I was matched to). Do note I did not purchase most of these, foundation is one item counters are most willing to sample if you ask nicely.
  • Armani Face Fabric – lightweight mousse-like cream in a squeeze tube, had a soft matte-powdery finish, great concept however this did not blend well on my skin, looked ashy and emphasized any imperfections, color selection was extremely limited
  • Armani Lasting Silk – liquid foundation with a nice pump, one of my holy grail finds, I mix 5.5 and 6.5 (read review here)
  • Armani Luminous Silk – creamy liquid in a pump bottle, one of the original releases from Armani, matched to 5.5 and 6, looks amazing for a few hours but then slides off the face and made me look really oily
  • Armani Matte Silk (now d/c) – matte finish foundations, flawless and natural coverage, evened out skin, the only problem was that daily use resulted in clogged pores
  • Bobbi Brown Original Oil Free (pre SPF days) – loved the texture and natural coverage, but it left my skin super oily within hours
  • Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick – full coverage foundation in a thick twist up stick form, I tried her original version, I’m not sure if this is something that has gone through a revamp, loved it for full natural coverage, easy application, I never repurchased simply because it got used up so fast it didn’t seem economical to keep repurchasing
  • Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting – thumbs down (read review here)
  • Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturizer – sheer tinted moisturizer in a squeeze tube, I love the idea of natural tint, this one has an ingredient in their sunscreen that gives me a severe allergic reaction (deep red bumps all over the cheeks)
  • Bobbi Brown Oil-Free Even Finish Compact Foundation – solid cream compact foundation that gave a nice full coverage with a sponge, it did require extra blending to smooth out on my skin (with fingers or brush) however I had the same allergic reaction with her other foundations
  • Burberry Luminous Fluid Foundation – liquid foundation with a pump that has a great finish, I developed a bad reaction (read review here)
  • Chanel Double Perfection Fluide (d/c liquid glass bottle) – a very fluid but richly pigmented foundation, WHY did Chanel discontinue this???? It was the most amazing long-lasting matte foundation ever, medium to full coverage with a matte finish, the new Mat Lumiere formula does not compare at all
  • Chanel Double Perfection Creme Poudre (d/c black tube) – another discontinued favorite, the only true cream to powder finish foundation I’ve tried that stays matte all day and did not need any powder, absolute perfection in a black tube
  • Chanel Double Perfection Powder Foundation – compact powder foundation, both formulas (original and new) have been holy grails for me, the original was rougher in texture, the newer version (released about 2-3 years ago now?) has a softer more finely milled finish and the product you get is smaller
  • Chanel Lift Lumiere – liquid foundation with a pump that’s supposed to give lift to the skin, another holy grail, I don’t think I’ve ever reviewed it, but it’s a less dewey version of Teint Innocence with slightly more opaque coverage, I find the shades to be slightly lighter than the Teint Innocence, I custom mix Shell and Beige together for a perfect match, great long lasting finish, but you do need powder, can’t really say whether or not it gives me “lift” but I like the way it looks, feels and wears throughout the day
  • Chanel Mat Lumiere – thumbs down (read review here)
  • Chanel Pro Lumiere – I have so-so feelings on this, thicker and creamier in texture than most of the other Chanel foundations, but still very liquid, gave full coverage but found it too heavy in texture and scent (read review here)
  • Chanel Teint Fluide Universel (d/c) – another Holy Grail long discontinued
  • Chanel Teint Innocence Compact – solid compact cream foundation with full coverage, you need an exact match due to the full coverage finish
  • Chanel Teint Innocence Liquid – another soon-to-be-discontinued holy grail (curses!)
  • Chantecaille Future Skin – I tried this in Shea, this is a thicker cream in a tub with full coverage, I remember not loving this because the texture seemed a bit thick for my skin and it slid off after a few hours, I prefer thinner liquids, but so many have raved, I may have to try it again
  • Chantecaille Real Skin – sheer solid gel-like cream in a compact form, too sheer to even see what was on the skin, I got this in a swap and used it all up, but never repurchased
  • Dior Hydralife Pro Youth Skin Tint – tinted moisturizer in a pretty blue tube, limited shade selection prevented me from looking into this one in great detail, sampled two shades, both were completely off
  • Diorskin Nude Foundation – liquid foundation with a pump, semi-rave (read review here)
  • Dolce & Gabbana Powder Foundation – Holy Grail! (read review here)
  • Guerlain Lingerie de Peau – fluid in a pump bottle, close to Holy Grail material (read review here)
  • La Mer Fluid Tint SPF 18 – tinted moisturizer in a tube, I bought and used up the Medium shade, never repurchased, for the price it just didn’t wow me enough to justify repurchasing, gave sheer coverage just like you’d expect from a tinted moisturizer, has that classic La Mer ocean scent
  • Laura Mercier Creme Smooth – thumbs down, although if you liked Chantecaille’s Future Skin you might want to check this out (read review here)
  • Laura Mercier Foundation Stick (d/c) – amazing! gave wonderful coverage, goof-proof application, easy to apply on-the-go, why do brands discontinue great items?
  • Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation – liquid foundation with a pump, thumbs down for me, did not blend well on my skin (tried all the Laura Mercier techniques with the primer, moisturizer, damp sponge too)
  • Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer – great tinted moisturizer but best when mixed with a regular foundation, unless you find an exact match the luminous quality can look a bit too glowy on your skin
  • Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer – I used to love this and repurchased numerous times, the coverage is very sheer, I prefer something with more visible coverage, sometimes this can be too natural
  • Laura Mercier Mineral Powder Foundation – loose mineral powder, gives perfect glowy coverage but it’s a bit high maintenance and not good for oily skin, it’s difficult to get the right amount on, most times I either had too little or one brush stroke too much
  • Laura Mercier Silk Cremecream-to-powder type of formula in a squeeze tube, I found it close in concept to the Chanel Matte Foundation in the black tube, but you need an exact match or else the full coverage just leaves you looking too ashy or mis-matched, great coverage, matte finish, doesn’t need powder to set, long lasting
  • MAC Face & Body, Studio Fix Compact, Hyper Real, Studio Tint … I’ve never been able to wear any MAC foundation and I tried every single one (up until 3 years ago) hoping to find one that wouldn’t give me cystic acne, I’ve given up, the damage their foundations and powders do to my skin is not worth the risk, I can use their highlighting powders and blushes though without any problems
  • Make Up Forever Face & Body – thumbs down (read review here)
  • NARS Oil Free Original (d/c) – loved this one
  • NARS Sheer Glow – thumbs up (read review here)
  • NARS Sheer Matte – thumbs up, the shades in the Matte line aren’t an exact match to the Glow lineup, I need to get rematched again in this formula
  • NARS Gel Fraicheur (d/c tinted moisturizer tubes) – I remember loving the concept but the formula was not the greatest, best used when mixed with other foundations to give a soft tanned glow
  • Paul & Joe Light Cream Foundation – creamy liquid foundation in a white bottle with a pump, this was hard for me to find a good match, I ended up with 40 which is too dark, but 31 is too pink and 30 is too pale, it is not photo-flash-friendly, the SPF combined with flash photography results in a white ghost-like face and tan neck, it is a great foundation for normal-to-dry skin, soft and creamy and moisturizing with natural medium coverage
  • Paul & Joe Creamy Powder Foundation Compact – bought this in 40 which is deceivingly dark in the compact but a perfect match, have repurchased twice, love this for the nice thick creamy texture but applies smooth and matte, full coverage
  • Prescriptives Luxe – the good old Px brand, best known for their foundations, I was sad to see the line go, Luxe was the first luminous glowy foundation on the mid-high-end market, loved this one although it was probably too much coverage for what I needed when I was in my late high-school days
  • Prescriptives Photochrome – good in concept, came in a cream compact form, was supposed to auto-adjust to match your exact skintone, was a failure for me, simply too heavy and did not sit well with my skin
  • Prescriptives Traceless – the PERFECT tinted moisturizer, have never found one as good
  • Prescriptives Unmakeup – the PEFECT no-makeup makeup, I used the Px Gold, nothing has come close to this one either
  • Prescriptives Virtual Skin – probably one of the first foundations I ever purchased in high school, a classic but I remember it being hard to find the exact match sometimes
  • Stila – I used to love this brand, I cannot for the life of me remember which formulas I used to use since this brand has gone through so many changes (changes I am not loving), I did love their Illuminating Powder Foundation for a flawless glow, I remember when Jeanine Lobell was the director, I loved all the foundations because they had that wonderful olive undertone that worked so well for my skin
  • Trish McEvoy Even Skin Foundation – I have fallen in and out of this line, I loved her original Even Skin foundation but got a bit irritated with her constant revamps, I repurchased this one 3 times but stopped after discovering Chanel
There are a number of brands I have not tried such as Cle de Peau, Lancome, Shiseido, YSL, BE, Urban Decay, Tarte etc. I haven’t explored La Mer very much either. I avoid brands that are known to have highly fragranced products. Some brands are just overpriced in my mind. Packaging is also key. I like sleek simple classic looking packaging.

So now that I’ve shared my list, what are your favorites? Experiences you want to share? I used to rely heavily on the Product Reviews section on Makeupalley. I still find the reviews helpful to scan when something new comes out, but sometimes you will find such a diverse range of reviews and reactions it can be hard to sort through. Now that various beauty brands have picked up on Makeupalley as a valuable resource, I have noticed some seemingly overly positive comments which I believe are not from consumers like myself, bur rather from actual brand reps. While I do expect brand reps to represent their brands in a positive light, I think it’s a bit iffy for brands to participate in their own product reviews on a website that is known to be a community of consumers. Just my two cents.

If you’d like to share your thoughts, please include the following to help us all:
1. Your skin-type
2. Skin undertone (ie fair, light, medium, olive, pinkish etc.)
3. Age range (if you’re comfortable with that)