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2011

Base Makeup

My Search For a New Foundation Love: Part 2

February 12, 2011

My foundation sampling experiences Part 2 with Chanel Pro Lumiere, Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Hydrating Makeup SPF 10, Dolce & Gabbana Powder Foundation, Laura Mercier Crème Smooth, Le Metier de Beaute Peau Vierge Anti-Aging Complexe Tinted Treatment, Make Up Forever Face & Body Liquid Makeup & Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua. Click read more to see the details on each.

Chanel Pro Lumiere Professional Finish Makeup SPF 15 ($54) This is an oil-free liquid foundation that provides a medium-to-full coverage with a semi-matte finish. I was matched best to Beige 40.

  • Pros: The texture is a slightly thicker than normal liquid foundation. Comes with a pump. I have gone through a full bottle but couldn’t remember why I never repurchased. I got another sample recently to see if I could figure why. The upside is you can easily control coverage depending on how much you layer. The finish is just as described “semi-matte” but you do need to set with powder.
  • Cons: I found this heavily scented, can’t quite put my finger on the smell, but it’s sweet which is something I wasn’t a huge fan of. Although this is described as medium to full, I found it more on the full side. I also found it a bit too heavy on the skin. If you have medium to dry with fuller coverage then I think this is a formula you will like. I found it too full and a bit fake looking even after blending it out with a sponge.

Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Hydrating Makeup SPF 10 ($46) Described on Dior.com containing, “40% Active Mineralized water, this fluid foundation offers a fresh and hydrating finish.” I’ve heard non-stop raves about this one so I decided I had to try it.

  • Pros: Lightweight, flawless finish, nice liquid texture, lasts all day. No allergic reaction. Blends easily to cover the skin naturally. Feels amazing. Softly scented but not overpowering. Keeps skin non-oily. What’s not to love?
  • Cons: Color selection is odd. I’ve tried 20, 21 and 30 – all of which are slightly off. The benefit of the natural coverage is that I’ve been able to get away with both 20 and 21 – but I think my perfect match would be if I custom blended 20+21+30 (and not in equal proportions). I love everything except the color selection. I’ve found this typical of other Dior Tinted Moisturizers and Foundations. Perhaps I just need to sit down with my artist and try all the shades.

Dolce & Gabbana Powder Foundation ($59) I do not have immediate in person access to Dolce & Gabbana. Those who have read my Dolce & Gabbana posts know I can’t rave enough about Nikki from Saks Houston. She matched me over the phone when I told her my Chanel shade. PERFECT match! I used 140 Tan in the summer and currently use 100 Warm.

  • Pros: Full but natural velvety coverage. It’s truly versatile. I apply with the sponge (dry) over foundation or with a brush to set my liquid foundation. I can apply alone over my serum/primer. I can use for touchups during the day. Long lasting and no detectable scent. Comes with a separate bottom compartment to store the sponge. This is my new holy grail powder foundation twin to Chanel’s DPF.
  • Cons: Hard to find any, but the price tag of $59 is pretty steep. The gold packaging gets fingerprints and can get messy looking easily but it’s sturdy and after a while it’s not something I notice.

Laura Mercier Crème Smooth ($50) I received a sample at a Nordstrom Trend Show in Sunny Beige and Vanilla Beige. They were featuring this one with a hard sell describing it as the perfect lightweight cream that has full coverage “without visibly settling into fine lines”(quoted lauramercier.com exactly!) The model looked flawless so practically EVERYONE in the crowd was intrigued (screaming with excitement is a better description).

  • Pros: Great color selection. I tried several and there were several shades I could have gone with. Provides natural finish and looks great … for 1 hour. It has a nice texture and blends well on the skin. I wish I could have loved this one. It’s thicker and creamy like in a pot. The amount of product you get for the price seems generous in my opinion.
  • Cons: I equate this to Armani’s Luminous Silk Foundation which looks great right after the application. Makes me look glowing and flawless but after 1-2 hours, I end up a greasey mess. It did settle into the fine lines in my face (and I don’t have many wrinkles yet). Definitely not long lasting. Perhaps just too heavy for my skin type. I know many have raved about it. If you like Chantecaille’s Future Skin (which I did not) then try this LM out.

Le Metier de Beaute Peau Vierge Anti-Aging Complexe Tinted Treatment ($125) This is perhaps one of the most raved about miracle-workers for tinted moisturizers/face treatments. I was eager to try this out as I have not read a single bad review. I tried this in both shades on numerous occasions (in early July, mid-July, early September, and November).

  • Pros: The only upside I could find is that it has a luminous finish which gives an all over glow. Oh, it also comes with a pump. The packaging isn’t bad either.
  • Cons: I may be the only one who hasn’t liked this. Everyone I’ve spoken to loves this, but it made my skin worse. The texture dried to a thick uneven finish. It didn’t blend well on my face. I found the luminous quality too luminous and sparkly. Gave me reddish areas on the face with bumps around the hairline. Felt really difficult to clean off – it’s the type of product I had to slather cleansing oil all over, wash, then use my regular cleanser +rinse twice, and then use my toner to really feel clean. Perhaps it’s just not made for 29-year old normal-sensitive skin. Anyone else try this? Please share your experiences!

Make Up Forever Face & Body Liquid Makeup ($38) Another much-raved-about foundation. I loved the MAC Face & Body Foundation finish (so lovely) but within 2 days I developed cystic acne. I decided to try the MUFE version from Sephora. I was matched by a Sephora rep and I am disappointed to say I feel like I was unprofessionally matched. She just grabbed a random shade and said, “This looks good.” I asked her if she knew what the difference was between MUFE’s foundations and she said “they’re all matte, but this one is the most matte, I just LOVE this foundation.” Say what? How could this be the most matte when there is another one called Mat Velvet? I’ll keep my negative thoughts about Sephora reps to myself. There are definitely plenty of good things about Sephora.

  • Pros: Natural gel like finish. The one she used on me looked liquidy and felt a little like jelly. I wasn’t sure if it was just the tester or the real product, but it felt nice on the skin. It looked natural and felt slightly dewy.
  • Cons: I found the coverage too sheer and this foundation is simply too heavily scented for me. I couldn’t stand the smell. My skin developed a bumpy rash (odd because there was no red, just lots of bumps) within 30 minutes. I tried this several times at home to see if perhaps I didn’t have properly prepped skin. No luck. Don’t write this off – if you can try it at Sephora, I still recommend looking into it. They have a wide color selection. Chances are you’ll have to find a good match on your own though.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua (to be released in March in the US) I was lucky to get a couple sample packets included in Japanese magazines. This is supposed to replace the Teint Innocence Liquid. I was a bit skeptical but I did have a little bit of faith in Chanel. With the discontinuation of Teint Innocence Liquid (big mistake in my mind), this will be the THIRD time Chanel has discontinued my Holy Grail Foundation (Teint Fluide Universel and the original DPF powder have both been long discontinued).

  • Pros: Thin texture allows a little to go a long way. This is less dewy than Teint Innocence but gives a similar flawless naturally soft finish. Coverage is sheer to medium (more on the medium side). I think I have found my new Holy Grail!!! It’s like if Lift Lumiere and Teint Innocence had a baby with a slightly thinner texture. Coverage is perfect in my opinion. I’ve set with powder but I think you could get away without using powder on top. LOVE!!!
  • Cons: Not sure if I can find any. I got samples of #20 which I found a tad too light, but still looked pretty good in undertone. I hope it’s not too pricey (as in please be under $50). I’m still very VERY VERY sad Teint Innocence is being pulled from their product lineup.
If you’ve tried any of these – please chime in with your experiences! I will be doing a comprehensive review of the brands and formulas I’ve tried in Part 3. I would like to kindly ask if you have a suggestion for something that I didn’t list above – please save it for Part 3. I think it will help readers (and myself) sort through your suggestions, thoughts and experiences if they are all in one spot. Thanks 🙂
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Base Makeup

My Search For a New Foundation Love: Part 1

February 10, 2011


Ever since rumors surfaced that Chanel was going to discontinue their Teint Innocence Liquid foundation, I’ve received about a dozen e-mails asking me if I’ve found another holy grail replacement. Back in March of last year, I wrote about my other foundation, powder and concealer loves here. To date, my next best picks are Chanel’s Lift Lumiere and Giorgio Armani’s Lasting Silk Foundations but I am in between shades for both formulas. They are the next best thing, but not quite holy grail material.

I’ve been accumulating samples of foundations to try from other brands such as Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Bobbi Brown, Burberry, Guerlain, Laura Mercier, Le Metier and Make Up Forever to see if I could find another love. For me this is something big as I haven’t ventured to try other foundation brands for a long time. I’ve tried numerous foundations over the years (ever since my early college days) and can’t even describe how many times I’ve been let down by breakout and allergic reactions. Sometimes it would take 3 weeks for my skin to recover. I’ve been testing brands outside of Armani and Chanel while holding my breath. How have they held up for me?

First a quick overview in my skin type and what I look for in a foundation:

  • I have normal skin that is neither oily or dry, but somewhere in between
  • I am super sensitive (highly sensitive to fragranced beauty products)
  • I prefer medium coverage that’s natural
  • I look for something that will photograph well
  • My skintone is olive with yellow tones, I’m typically the 3rd shade in the line ups, my colors I’ve been matched to are Chanel Shell/Beige which is equivalent to what’s in between MAC NC30-35
  • I’ve never found a MAC foundation formula that works for my skin (all too harsh)
  • My skin is fairly quick to react

Second, my testing methods:

  • Each new foundation was tested from samples from around 3-6 days
  • After testing a foundation, regardless of how I felt (ie positive or if I had any negative results such as allergic reaction, itching or peeling) I would go back to my normal skin/foundation routine for a full 2 weeks to go back to my neutral/normal skin state
  • Samples were based on a combination of product description, makeup artist recommendations, bottle/packaging design and color selection
  • My application is either with fingers or a sponge
  • I’ve been testing for months!

In Part 1, I’ll review my thoughts on Bobbi Brown’s Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation, Burberry Sheer Luminous Foundation, Chanel Mat Lumiere, Guerlain’s Lingerie de Peau.


Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation SPF 15 ($45) This is an oil-free semi matte finish foundation with medium coverage. It’s supposed to be the revamp replacement of her original Oil-Free Foundation. I used to use items from her original line, but once she started adding SPF, I found my skin reacted with little bumps and red irritation. I stopped using her foundations years ago. I’ve historically been matched to Beige #3 in most of her foundations and the Natural Finish Long Lasting foundation looked promising. I got several shade samples and the best match for me was Natural Tan 4.25.

  • Pros: Loved the natural coverage, finish and wide range of colors for a good match. Coverage was medium and evened out skintone without appearing too matte.
  • Cons: After a few hours, my nose was an oil slick. I did not find it truly long-lasting all over the face. Within a few days, I had red bumps on my cheeks which I attribute to an allergic reaction.

Burberry Sheer Luminous Fluid Foundation ($52) I received samples of this on two different occasions in Shades 5 and 6. This comes in a light cream formula with a pump.

  • Pros: My best match was #5. Burberry’s foundation has one of the most beautiful finished I’ve ever tried which I’d describe as a flawless satiny glow. Finish was natural with shee to medium coverage. Long lasting with and without a powder. Evened and brightened the face. Photographed perfectly. I thought I had found my next HG foundation.
  • Cons: Within 3 days, I had developed deep under-skin bumps that felt like cystic acne. My skin broke out badly and it took a couple weeks for my skin to fully recover. If you can get a sample, I highly recommend trying it – my skin is oddly sensitive, if this works with your skin, then it’s amazingly beautiful.

Chanel Mat Lumiere Long Lasting Luminous Matte Fluid Makeup ($54) I’ve tested this on numerous occasions hoping I could get it to work with my skin.

  • Pros: Great color match in 40 Beige.
  • Cons: Hard to blend on the skin, regardless of moisturizer and primer. Just sat on my skin and felt uncomfortable.

Guerlain Lingerie de Peau Invisible Skin Foundation ($57) I wasn’t even remotely interested in trying anything from Guerlain’s powder/foundation line but the SA told me it was a best seller and when she offered to make me a few samples I couldn’t resist (gotta love Nordstrom for amazing customer service). I tested this in conjunction with their Meteorites Perles Primer (the pink one) and loved both so much I bought them both.

  • Pros: Super natural finish with medium coverage. You have to blend this one quickly with a sponge and work in small fast strokes. Waiting too long allowing it to dry before blending causes it to darken making it look uneven.
  • Cons: It can be hard to find an exact match – I was given two samples, 02 and 03, and picked 03 Beige Naturel since 02 Beige Clair looked slightly too powdery on my skin. I was tempted to buy both shades to custom blend myself (like I do with Chanel’s Life Lumiere and Armani’s Lasting Silk), but decided on 03 as the better pick. I wouldn’t recommend this for oily skin.

Have I found a Holy Grail replacement? I don’t mean to keep you hanging – but wait until Part 2 to find out.

*UPDATED 8:00 AM* Because many of you simply cannot wait – what’s coming next in Part 2: Laura Mercier Creme Smooth, Le Metier de Beaute Peau Vierge, Diorskin Nude, Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, Chanel Pro Lumiere, Make Up Forever Face & Body. This mini series is meant to include foundations I’ve just recently tried.

For your reference, in Part 3, I’ll include a comprehensive list of all the foundations I’ve tried and tested over the past 10 years (from my early 20’s). Many of you are suggesting brands and formulas I’ve tried before but had mixed feelings about. You might wonder, can I really remember everything I’ve tried in that time frame? Well – yes, but just for foundation. I have ridiculously sensitive skin that blows up like crazy from allergic reactions (allergic to Neosporin, most body sunscreens, some detergents etc.) so I’ve taken note of which ones took me weeks to recover. I’ve always been sensitive about how my skin looks. Most say I don’t need any foundation or powder but it’s something I feel better with.

Please take my reviews with a grain of salt. Everyone’s skin is so unique in skin type, coloring and undertones. We all have different preferences, likes and dislikes. There are many foundations I can’t use that my friends love and adore (and vice versa).

Stay tuned!

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Dior Nude Chic & Bond Street on Tips & Toes

February 7, 2011

A few weeks ago in my Nail Polish Styling post a few of you asked “what’s that Dior Nude with the Chanel Khaki Vert?” It’s Dior’s Nude Chic which was released three springs ago (I think). I don’t think they make it anymore, but I have noticed Dior has been going through a nail polish revamp. Perhaps it will be re-released? Who knows. I had it applied yesterday afternoon for a much-needed manicure and picked Bond Street for the toes. Boring but work appropriate.

Bond Street has previously been reviewed in detail. This is one of three limited edition shades released in NY and on Dior.com as part of the Gris City Collection. Refer to my Gris City Collection post here and here for more comparisons.

For those of you who like the look of Nude Chic but can’t get your hands on it, comparisons are shown below (scroll down to the bottom).



* This photo below is republished from my previous review for your reference




See the Bond Street comparisons linked here.

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NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Swatches Part 3: Club Mix

February 7, 2011

The last Velvet Gloss Pencil I have to swatch on the lips for you is NARS Club Mix. It is plum-grape perfection. I love it. A good plummy-grape is hard for me to find since many are either too red or too blue for my skintone. NARS has the best selection of plums that I’ve seen including Damage & Klute which I’ve used since my college days.

Club Mix is a deep plum with slight iridescent shimmer. It has a glossy finish like all the other glossy pencils. Being darker requires a precise application, which can be hard to achieve with the large tip. I had to blend the edges with a lip brush because the product kinda went all over the outside of the lip where I had not applied slowly. I recommend lining your lips with a plum liner like NARS Marnie or MAC Beurre first, blot and blend for an even finish, then apply Club Mix. It will help the color last longer and when it fades the stain from the lipliners will at least help to keep your lips looking even.


Here it is compared to a few NARS Lipsticks: Shrinagar, Damage, Klute


Overall thoughts on all the pencils: LOVE! I was pleasantly surprised about the color payoff. Reason I’m surprised? You have to try the pencils in person to feel the texture to understand. They have a glossy finish and when swatched on my hand the colors with one swipe were sheer. After layering with a few swipes you really see the color show through.

The texture feels nice and moisturizing, although I can’t really confirm whether or not they are in fact moisturizing. These feel like the NARS Lip Lacquers (pot glosses) in a tube form without the icky smell. I do still love the lip lacquers – I actually prefer them for pigment, finish and lasting power. I hope NARS does not discontinue them – although I have noticed more and more colors are getting discontinued. If they could reformulate to change the scent the Lip Lacquers would be perfect and I think more people would buy them.

It’s also interesting to see how these apply on the lips. For me, the color really showed through even brighter than what I see in the pencils. I love the vibrant colors and feel like NARS released a diverse range of shades which is nice. I do find it interesting that the colors Baroque, New Lover and Club Mix make me look paler due to the contrast. I’m in desperate need of a tan.

My top 2 picks: Club Mix (plum) and Happy Days (peach).

Any rants? Yes, $24 is steep, especially given the size, formula and lack of sharpener. I feel like they will get used up really quickly.

But overall thumbs up, definitely worth checking out.

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NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Swatches Part 2: Hopi, Happy Days & New Lover

February 6, 2011


Edited Sunday 7:45 AM: I just had one of those “oh no!” moments realizing I mislabeled the lip swatch colors. I have corrected the labeling errors and included three colors instead of two.

After more testing & swatching I have to say these new Velvet Gloss Pencils from NARS are an enigma to me. They’re totally different than what I expected on the lips. Has anyone else experienced the same results? Maybe there is something with my natural lip tone and skin type causing them to change with my body chemistry? They apply on the lips a lot more vibrant than what I see in the tube or swatched on the hand. Here are lip swatches of Hopi (brownish peachy nude), Happy Days (bright peach) and New Lover (raspberry gold).



Hopi (brownish peach) in daylight:

Hopi at night:

Happy Days (peachy) take lip swatched at dusk:


New Lover (raspberry gold) swatched with 1/2 my lip in direct sunlight:

New Lover lip swatched at dusk:

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NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Swatches Part 1: Baroque & Frivolous

February 5, 2011

There are 6 Velvet Gloss Pencils from NARS which I arm-swatched a few days ago. I’m going to split up my lip swatches into three parts because my lips turn really pink after removing product. First up are Frivolous (sheer iridescent blue-pink) and Baroque (brick red with silver sparkle). I’ve been playing around with these for a few days and find it interesting how different these look on the lips compared to what you see on the hand.

I’ve included two sets, one taken during the day, one taken at night so you can see the difference based on lighting. I’ve noticed that I get 4 applications before these wear down to the point you need to re-sharpen. There is a noticeable plastic smell when you apply these but once your application is finished, you no longer smell chemicals. I sniffed my pencil a bit more and decided it’s not the actual lip product that smells but the pencil part.

Lasting power is like any regular glossy lipstick. The finish is glossy and beautiful but I do find you need to either use a regular lipliner or apply these with detailed accuracy or else you will end up with lopsided lips. Applying a regular liner first and blending will help make the edges appear seamless and more natural.

These are sheer but show up better on the lips. I do find your lip needs to be clean or evened out with your underneath color. Any overlap of foundation will show through since these have a semi-transparent finish, even for the darker ones.

So here are Frivolous and Baroque swatched on my hand. You can see all the colors lined up here.

Frivolous is a gorgeous pink in the tube but goes on clearish on the hands and lips. Layering is required to get it to show up on the lips. It’s very subtle. It might not show up on everyone. I wish it was just the slightest bit more pigmented but I’ve worn it several times since getting it already because it’s so naturally pretty. You definitely need a fully-cleaned lip or a darker pink lipliner beneath to make the most out of this. Here it is in daylight, without anything underneath.

Here it is at night, with a flash:


Bad blurry pic but you can see the glossy finish:



Baroque was a surprise for me. It looked really sheer on the arm and more brown. On the lips it turns into a vibrant red without any hints of brown. I’m not sure if it’s just me or if there’s something about how this pencil reacts with warmth from my skin? I highly recommend you try this out before judging the color. Again, I can’t emphasize how much of surprise this one was. You definitely do not get on the lips what you see in the tube. Here it is on me, again on bare lips, no liner or foundation underneath. In daylight:

At night with a flash:


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NARS Calanque Eyeshadow Trio & Hollywoodland Soft Touch Shadow Pencil

February 4, 2011

There’s something irresistible about a shimmery palette of neutral eyeshadows for me. I immediately jumped on board for the Calanque shadow trio and Hollywoodland soft touch shadow pencil from the NARS Spring 2011 collection. Perhaps I jumped a bit too soon for the trio, although I do love the new shadow pencil.

Calanque Trio Eyeshadow $45: To date, NARS has released 2 eyeshadow trios, this is the first one I’ve tried. I bought the Calanque Trio sight unseen – my Nordstrom NARS SA was out for the whole week so I used the Order Online Pickup Instore option since there was no tester unit in sight nor were there any NARS reps available. The colors in the palette are:
  1. Pale soft champagne chunky sparkle
  2. Neutral camel fawn with a satin finish
  3. High shimmer bronze
I used this today over NARS Corfu Cream Shadow applying the powders on the eyes in layers with fingers. Step 1: Apply Corfu, Step 2: apply lightest sparkle first, camel second, Step 3: Apply a smudgy bronze liner, Step 4: Apply bronze with finger smudged and blended over the liner.

Thumbs up for the middle and darker shades. The camel color is soft and almost buttery like and blends easily. The darker shade is borderline khaki but has enough brown to be a beautiful unique shade. If you’re looking for that true minimalist look this is lovely.

Thumbs down for the poor layering quality. These colors really need to be layered over creams (cream base, cream shadow or smudgy liner). The powders in this trio do not layer well over each other. I normally layer and blend over creams anyways – these just take a bit more work. I recommend using a denser thicker brush to apply the colors by patting and softly blending. Thumbs down for the price as well (at least for the size and amount of product you get). The cons for me exceed the pros.

Amy from Café Makeup has a lovely review of Calanque for lighter skin. Her photos are phenomenal!

Hollywoodland Soft Touch Shadow Pencil ($24) is a gorgeous shimmery warm beige-gold. I have these pencils in Goddess (soft pink champagne) and Aigle Noir (black with gold sparkle) and like the lighter colors better. They are pretty when applied all over the lid alone, as a base, or just combined with a liner. Lasting power is medium for the lighter shades and non-existent for the darker ones (at least in my experience). Do they crease? I wish I could answer – the only cream product I have had crease on my monolids is NARS’s Eyeshadow Base (and yes I know it has no color, but it still showed crease lines on me). This pencil is gorgeous and right up my alley.

Calanque Comparisons (all swatched over UDPP, neutrals don’t show up well on my arm):



Hollywoodland Comparisons (over bare arm):

Overall – love the pencil, but I could have passed on the trio. I think the texture of Edie and Abyssinia singles are far superior to the Calanque trio. The colors are hard to dupe but not must-haves in my opinion. Perhaps it will take more experimenting for me to really like it. Surprise for those of you who think I’m way too obsessed with neutrals! I have found a neutral palette that is too neutral for me.

Applying with the fingers worked just fine this morning and lasted all day over the cream shadow, but it’s not ideal as the oils from my fingers are bound to ruin the surface texture. I thought I loved it earlier this morning when I applied it, I really liked the result, but after playing around with it more at home this evening with brushes I’ve become less in love, especially after comparing it to the soft texture of the NARS singles and duos. Again, I know this is supposed to give a minimalist effect – but All About Eve, Edie, Silk Road, Abyssinia & Nepal are all minimalist neutrals but give a better payoff enhancing the eyes much better with natural glowy highlights.

On the upside for NARS – you can see they are doing much better in their promotional campaigns with accurate photos! I received a spring flyer in the mail and you can see their photos are pretty darn good. Yay for better presentation to help us get a more realistic idea of what to expect before we get to see the real live product =)

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