• hera black cushion foundation

    Foundations | My Hits & Misses

    March 17, 2020

    Hi Everyone!

    I’m sharing my hits and misses for all foundations that I’ve tried (that I can remember).

    Check out my other Hits & Misses posts!

    MAKEUP || Primers | Foundations | Powders | Concealers | Brows | Mascara

    SKINCARE || Eye Creams

    BRANDS || Bobbi Brown | Burt’s Bees | L’Oréal | Maybelline | Nude by Nature | NYX | TULA | Volition Beauty

    Before you read this post, please remember that we all have difference preferences and skin types. These are MY hits, misses and likes. You might love something I don’t like or dislike something I love.

    Just a heads up that there are quite a few cult fave foundations that I don’t love as much as everyone else. There are more foundations that I’ve tried samples of, but 1) this post would be way too long and 2) I don’t have a full opinion on them since I only used them a handful of times. This post will only include liquids/creams/cushions/sticks. I will include powder foundations in my Powder Hits & Misses post since I haven’t tried as many. It will also only include foundations that are still available. I’m going to keep my little reviews as short as I can especially if I have a full review of the foundation. I will link them so you can read them if you’d like.

    In no particular order, here are my Hits, Likes and Misses:

    Hits

    Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick (read my review) – This might be my favourite stick foundation I’ve tried to date. I even had the wrong shade. It was perfect for a girls trip. I packed this to use as foundation/concealer. This is one of my favourite Bobbi Brown items (Bobbi Brown Hits & Misses). I  bought it at the MAC Warehouse Sale and would definitely pay full price for it.

    Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Longwear Foundation Stick SPF21 – This would be my 2nd favourite stick foundation.

    Lancôme Skin Feels Good Skin Nourishing Foundation (read my review) – Love this. Even though it’s labelled as a foundation, it’s more like a tinted moisturizer. If only they had more shades available (I’m in between shades).

    Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation – I need to find the right shade because the one I was using is too pink for me.

    Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer – I feel like this has a little more coverage than what I’d consider a tinted moisturizer. It’s a great product though.

    dior backstage face & body foundation

    Likes

    Shiseido Synchro Skin Glow Luminizing Foundation – Beautiful foundation and one of the closest matches I’ve ever had. It does have fragrance in it and oddly enough, it doesn’t smell that great. I would rather try the self-refreshing one that doesn’t have any fragrance in it.

    Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation (read my review) – While this was a beautiful foundation, it just didn’t last long on me. I don’t know if the primers I tried were just too slippy or something. It looked beautiful on the skin, but I just couldn’t find the right shade match. It was either too pink or too orange.

    Laneige BB Cushion Hydra Radiance SPF50* (read my review) – Nice cushion foundation, but I’m between shades.

    Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation – Can’t find a good shade match, but this is a nice foundation.

    Maybelline Fit Me Hydrate + Smooth Foundation (read my review) – I wish this had a pump. I’m also not crazy about the scent of this. Not my fave foundation.

    Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick (read my review) – I liked it, but didn’t love this enough. It was just too full coverage for me (even when I used a very thin layer).

    Hera Black Cushion Foundation – My sister got this for me in Korea. I just picked a shade that I thought would be okay based on pictures. Even though I’m quite light, the shade is too light for me. Plus, this is very fragranced (like a lot of K-Beauty products). The foundation itself is nice, but the fragrance is just too much for me. Plus, it’s hard for me to get in Canada. If it is available, it’s more than I’m willing to spend. So, I’d rather spend the money on something else.

    The Ordinary Serum Foundation (read my review) – not my fave, but not my least fave.

    The Body Shop All-in-One BB Cream (read my review) – At the time I wrote the review for this, I really enjoyed it. Since then, I’ve tried other products I prefer more.

    Perricone MD No Foundation Serum Broad Spectrum SPF30 (read my review) – Nice foundation that looks natural and provides sheer coverage.

    shiseido synchro skin luminizing glow foundation

    Misses

    For the foundation misses, there are ones that either just didn’t impress me much, didn’t provide enough coverage or had too much coverage.

    Almay Clear Complexion Make Myself Clear Makeup* – I don’t really want makeup that has salicylic acid.

    NYX Bare With Me Tinted Skin Veil* (read my review) – not my shade and coverage was too light for me.

    Bali Body BB Cream (read my review) – This provided no coverage whatsoever.

    NYX HD Studio Photogenic Foundation – Broke me out and smelled like plastic.

    Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation and Concealer – Was way too thick for me and shade range wasn’t great.

    Garnier BB Cream – Shade range is terrible and it made my eyes water. Too much alcohol in it??

    Nars Velvet Matte Foundation Stick –  I bought this at the Shiseido Warehouse Sale and it just didn’t wow me. It sounds kind of mean, but there’s a reason that this is rarely on lists of Fave Stick Foundations.

    Burt’s Bees Goodness Glows Liquid Foundation – Washed off easily with water and looked patchy on dry spots. What would happen if I wore this when it’s raining or went on a Maid of the Mist boat tour??

    Nude by Nature Luminous Sheer Liquid Foundation* (read my review) – Not enough coverage.

    Nude by Nature BB Cream* (read my review) – Not enough coverage.

    Wet N Wild Photofocus Foundation – Shade was wrong, too matte for me. I know they came out with a dewy version, but I also didn’t like the smell or the fact that it used a spatula instead of a pump.

    The following foundations are ones I can’t give a definitive opinion on:

    Becca Ever-Matte Shine Proof Foundation – I think I had the wrong shade and also knew nothing about applying it. I ended up throwing this out despite not using it very often.

    Holika Holika Gudetama Photo Ready Cushion Foundation – wrong shade. Wasn’t my fave cushion though.

    Maybelline Superstay Better Skin Foundation – This was one of the first liquid foundations from the drugstore that I bought. It smells like chemicals, but I remember it being nice (I had the wrong shade though).

    Nars Sheer Glow Foundation – I can’t say if I like or hate this because I bought the wrong shade. I bought this before I knew what I wanted in a foundation. I never fully tested it out. I would prefer a foundation that has a pump (instead of buying one separately and NARS has nice foundations that come with a pump).

    To Try

    • Bite Changemaker Micellar Foundation
    • L’Oréal Infallible 24Hr Freshwear Foundation
    • Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer
    • Make Up For Ever Matte Velvet Skin Full Coverage Foundation
    • Shiseido Synchro Skin Self-Refreshing Foundation

    What are your fave foundations?

    Love,

    Products marked with (*) were sent to me for review.

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  • joico moisture recovery conditioner for dry hair

    Review | Joico Moisture Recovery Conditioner

    August 21, 2019

    Hi Everyone!

    Today, I’m reviewing the Joico Moisture Recovery Conditioner that I bought at the Shiseido Warehouse Sale.

    Check out my haul!

    A one-minute intensely hydrating conditioner for all hair types needing moisture and reconstruction.

    Marine botanicals, sea kelp, brown algae and essential minerals restore the hydrolipidic barrier and prevent dehydration.

    After just one use, this exceptional conditioner will detangle your dry hair to reduce breakage by 55% as it hydrates and strengthens. Your hair will become smoother and respond to styling better with greater fluidity.

    RATING: 5/5

    I love the scent of this conditioner and it makes my hair feel so soft and smooth. I wouldn’t say I have really dry hair, but if I don’t use conditioner, I can definitely feel the difference. I would definitely buy it again at a future warehouse sale. Would I pay full price at the drugstore? Probably not since I know it’s cheaper at the sale. I would just stock up on a year’s worth.

    Love,

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  • moms everyday makeup

    My Mom’s Everyday Makeup | 2019

    August 2, 2019

    Hi Everyone!

    So, here’s an update to my mom’s makeup routine!

    Check out my previous post here!

    Her skin type is oily and she uses powder foundations. She tried a cushion, but ended up giving it to me because she doesn’t like liquid foundation. She dislikes eye makeup (especially mascara), so she only ever curls her lashes.

    Morning Skincare – Update

    Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Day Emulsion – Mom loves the Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 collection. Originally, I bought her the Day Cream, but she didn’t like that it came in a pot (for her day cream…for some reason, she’s fine with using the potted creams for nighttime). So, we got the Day Emulsion which comes in a bottle with a pump. She must like it because she bought two more bottles at the Shiseido Warehouse Sale.

    She also has a few different SPF products floating around. I don’t know which one she’s currently using on her face, but we have the Shiseido Ultra Sun Protection Lotion and the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer one.

    Primer & Colour Corrector – Update

    Make Up For Ever Step 1 Equalizer Primer (Smoothing)

    L’Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream- Anti-Redness (read my review) – My mom said the smell is starting to affect her too, so if anyone knows of a product that’s similar, please let me know!

    Foundation – Update

    After the Sephora MicroSmooth Baked Foundation, she used the Shiseido Sheer and Perfect Compact Foundation in I20 Natural Light Ivory. This was a nice foundation, but the shade wasn’t quite right and she finished it fairly quickly compared to the Sephora foundation because the pan isn’t very deep.

    Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation in 5.5 – The shade 5.5 is a bit dark, so if she were to repurchase, she’d go down a shade or two. She’s enjoying the foundation – it’s very smooth and looks beautiful. One thing she doesn’t like about the compact is that it comes with a sponge and the middle part with the powder flops back and forth (like the Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer), powder collects in the sponge section which is wasteful.

    Concealer – No Update

    Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Flawless Wear Concealer in Warm Light Medium

    She still uses this concealer and she likes the consistency.

    Eyes – No Update

    Tweezerman Lash Curler

    She doesn’t wear eyeshadow or mascara.

    Blush – Update

    Lancôme Blush Subtil in Aplum – Plum-mauve blushes are her favourite! The compact for this blush isn’t the best though. My mom accidentally dropped it and it chipped off the edge because it’s just plastic. Also, why do high end blushes have to come with those useless brushes?

    Lips – Update

    MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Spontaneous – I bought this at the MAC Warehouse Sale and my mom is just using it to finish.

    MAC Cremesheen Glass in It’s A Strike – Same as the patentpolish pencil, this is not the right shade for her and she’s just using it to finish it.

    Makeup she has in her purse to touch-up throughout the day:

    Clinique Superpowder Double Face Makeup in Matte Neutral – to get rid of the shine.

    MAC Lustre Lipstick in Midimauve – I gave her this one since it’s a more sheer lipstick than the satin lipsticks. It has a bit of pigment and shine – looks more like a tinted balm.

    Vaseline – glossy and easy to apply without a mirror.

    What do you use for your everyday look?

    Love,

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  • Haul | Shiseido Warehouse Sale 2019

    May 7, 2019

    Hi Everyone!

    Over the weekend, I went to the Shiseido Warehouse Sale in Markham. Thanks to my friend who let me know about it, I was able to score some goodies. They have a lot of high end brands like NARS, Bare Minerals, Buxom, Laura Mercier, Clé de Peau, obviously Shiseido and other hair and fragrance brands.

    It’s a three day sale starting Friday for VIPs who have tickets and then on Saturday and Sunday, it’s open to the public (no ticket needed). It’s located at 303 All State Parkway in Markham.

    If you’ve seen my haul from the MAC Warehouse Sale from 2017, then you’ll know that I went crazy buying stuff (especially lipsticks) back in 2017. This time, I had more self control (it was also because I just spent a lot of money during the Sephora sale. My Sephora haul will be up on the blog on Friday! For the MAC Sale, you need a ticket to get in for all three days and my sister got me tickets in September and December 2017. For the Shiseido sale, you don’t need a ticket for Saturday and Sunday, so it’s more accessible and I don’t have to rely on my sister to get it from work.

    At the MAC sale, the first time I went, I probably bought over 20 products. At the Shiseido sale, I only bought 9 products while my mom bought quite a few skincare products because she loves Shiseido’s Benefiance WrinkleResist line. I’ve banned myself from buying any eyeshadows until I hit pan/finish a few shades first. Maybe I can get some next year.

    I was pleasantly surprised that they had so many products left. While I’m sure there was a much bigger selection of complexion products on Friday and Saturday, they still had my shades in two of the products I wanted to try.

    Buxom Full-On Lipstick in Dolly | $10

    I couldn’t pass on this deal and the shade is so beautiful. It’s my kind of nude-pink lipstick!

    NARS Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer in Santo Domingo | $12 (not pictured because I accidentally missed it)

    This is a pretty shade and I wanted to try a lip lacquer.

    NARS Liquid Blush in Luster | $15

    This is such a pretty shade, I had to get it. I also want to get more cream and liquid products because they’re easier to blend and won’t look powdery.

    NARS Velvet Matte Foundation Stick in Fiji | $18

    I have been wanting to try the NARS foundation stick for a while to compare it to my others.

    Clé de Peau Concealer in Beige | $55

    I’ve heard good things about this concealer, but it retails for $95 in Canada and I’m not about to spend that much for a concealer stick. While $55 is still quite expensive, I wanted to try it and they had a shade that matched me pretty closely.

    Shiseido Synchro Skin Glow Luminizing Foundation in Golden 3 | $18

    I was so excited to see that they had my shade in this foundation. My mom said this was the shade that has been the closest shade match to my skin out of all the foundations I’ve been testing out lately.

    Shiseido Ultra Sun Protection Lotion for Face/Body SPF50+ (For Sensitive Skin & Children) | $20

    I thought I’d give this a try since it was more than half off the retail price.

    Dolce & Gabbana 3 L’Imperatrice Pour Femme | $35

    I liked this perfume a few years back and I had a sample of it. While it’s more floral than I usually prefer, I still really like it and it was $35 so I had to get it.

    Joico Moisture Recovery Conditioner | $10

    I know Joico is a higher end brand of hair products at the drugstore so I wanted to try it.

    I would definitely go again next year and we probably will be going so my mom can stock up on her Shiseido products. I think I would go on a Saturday, but it’s nice to know they have so much stuff left after the two days. They did have a lot of complexion products sold out (especially NARS foundations), but they still had some really nice products left over.

    Love,

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