Current obsession-highlighters

That's my new stage. Came right after the bronzer, then the faux tan, then the bronzer take two, then the perfect blush. Then, it was the concealer phase-phew! thank goodness i'm done with that.

I have several highlighters i love- and own, obviously. Some are drugstore, some are high-end. Current wishlist highlighter-wise- The Make Up Store High Tech Lighter in Venus and Platina.

Venus is a light pink highlighting cream with champagne shimmer, listed as an 'eye lighter' but perfectly suitable for any other areas you wish to 'light' (Swedish description...!). Platina is a gorgeous snowy shimmer that works amazing on the brow bone, cheekbones, collar bones and everything else you want to add sheen to. 

The 'lighters' come in a rather significantly sized jar and, according to The Make Up Store website, are a multi-purpose product: 'This creamy product can be used for many things. Eather to light up and accentuate certain features of the faceor be directly applied on your lips or combined with lipstick or lipgloss. You can fixate glitter with High Tech Lighter or use it as a primer to your Eyedust. You can also mix the product with your foundation for a lustrous effect'.Hmmm! Inneresting!

Here you have'em:

Venus

Platina

 (image from  sminkliz.blogg.se)

So these are on my current shopping list, together with some wonderful makeup brushes (blush brush+powder brush) that are ON SALE (25% off)!!! So i guess tomorrow i'll be a very busy lady, testing, applying, sniffing, photographing (to see what it looks like, flash or no flash, etc). Oh what a happy day!

But i digress.

Here's my list of current possessions and obsessions. I truly like these products, i use them by rotation every single time i put my makeup on and i couldn't imagine not having them. Wearing a highlighter does make a difference!

1. Face Stockholm Highlighter in Dignity

I'd describe this shade as chiffon. That's the first word that comes to my mind, it's a beautiful pearled highlighter with golden champagne undertones. Perfect for every skintone, and the SA kept praising it as their most sold highlighter. Well...i can see why. It's perfect. I love the little classy packaging, the tiny mirror, the consistency, the tiny bit you need for the entire face, the multi-purpose-ness, the shade, everything. Not glittery, not chunky, not way too expensive (around € 17). 

2. Le Blanc de Chanel Sheer Illuminating Base

This is a foundation 'highlighter', a sheer base meant to illuminate the complexion, give a subtle glow and help the foundation glide on. Really great product, it helps reducing undereye darkness, pore size, fine lines and minor imperfections/discolorations. I never tried wearing this without foundation but i've heard many pale-skinned girls raving about this....interesting. It does change the complexion and makes even the most stubborn foundation glide'n'glow, but it doesn't help it last longer. So as a primer, it's not a perfect five stars thing, but as an illuminating base (its purpose), thumbs up for Chanel. Very expensive...

3. Max Factor Pan Stick (highlighter) in 001
My old stick...is a Max Factor! The old packaging, and it bears a '001' label on the bottom...so i assume it's one of the old formulations. That's what it looks like:

....and that's what the old Pan Stick packaging is like:

I think this must be it. I'm not 100% sure, but well. 

It's a beautiful cream stick highlighter, 100% sheen. A little goes the longest way ever (been using mine for years now) and it's perfect for evening do's...collar bone, face, even legs and shoulders. 

4. Helena Rubinstein Fairy Dust in 01 Angel Face

I got this on sale, okay. Loggen in on Makeupalley, one review only. Checked out YouTube and blogs and bam. I found one blogger who listed this as one of her favorite highlighters. The first time i used it i was a bit disappointed- it didn't seem to 'glide' as my other highlighters do. A rather tricky application i finally managed to master- it needs to be carefully and thoroughly applied, circular motions, or buffed in for a maximum effect. Comes in a perfect compact with a soft brush and a huge mirror that's always in my bag. It wasn't expensive considering the sale, but it retails for around € 44. Ouch. 

5. Isadora Diamond Glow in 27 Precious Jewels

Drugstore. Cheap. Cute packaging. Creamy texture. A little goes a long (really). Comes in several shades (a little 'diamond' design inside, silver, pink and bronze shades. Multi-purpose as well, especially due to the shade variation. Perfect for both winter and summer. Great stuff- despite the rather creamy consistency, it works very well with brushes, fingers, cotton buds and everything else you wanna apply it with. Due to the low price and high versatility, this is one of my must haves. I've had mine for more than a year and there's no dip in it. Perhaps a slight slant on the side i usually dab my brush on, nothing visible whatsoever.

Though i'm happy with these (and they're more than i could go through in ten years, to be honest...), i'm STILL going to try Venus and Platina..(and the brushes as well). Maybe they're on sale, who knows? :D

Face Stockholm Liquid Foundation Review

Today i managed to take some prettier pictures of what my Face Stockholm Liquid Foundation has looked like at its best. First thought- i love this stuff. I'm usually excited about all their products because they're so amazing (yet pricy), but this foundation has exceeded all my expectations. It's a very particular product and i'm uber happy for having purchased it.

Liquid foundation is known for not giving the highest coverage but to be honest i was getting kind of tired of the Double Wear's heaviness. I do like it and it's an amazing product but i just needed something lighter, something that would make my skin shine through and just breathe, feel and look as natural as possible. Yet it still had to conceal my minor imperfections (circles+sunspots) and be as moisturizing as possible. Face Stockholm also has the exact product with the sole difference that it has a matte finish (their Matte Foundation), which i don't quite fancy, in general.

The bottle is a little pricy, retails for the equivalent of 37 dollars (or 24 British pounds) and it's 29 ml of product only. To be honest i think this foundation is better than many other high-end brands i have previously tried (Chanel, Dior, Smashbox, Laura Mercier etc) and that were expensive as well. Plus, you really can't beat the fact that Face Stockholm is a professional brand created by two professional makeup artists. I tend to trust professionals more than i trust haute couture brands who took up makeup. But i digress.

My shade is Noble, a light beige with quite neutral undertones. No orange, no pink, no nothing, just a beautiful color that mimics my natural skintone to perfection. At first both I and the SA thought Swedish Summer would be more suitable but to be honest i'm waaaayyy over my 'tanned' phase (when i was buying darker foundations in bulk...go figure) and i just preferred to keep it simple. Therefore i was matched with Noble.

Coverage: This stuff gives coverage but not the heavy-duty type. If you expect something that would cover in the Double Wear or MAC Full Coverage way, this isn't like that. I don't mean to sound biased (i am NOT affiliated nor paid by Face Stockholm, ha!) but this foundation gives me coverage without looking like 'coverage'. I can personally spot when someone's wearing the 'full coverage' foundation because of the thick, most of the time matte finish their skin has, the unusual flatness of the skin and the complete opacity of the surface, even when it comes to a dewy finish. It's just easily noticeable, to make it simple. This foundation looks incredibly real, yet it covers a lot. I would probably say 75% coverage (considering 100% to be Kim Kardashian's Concrete&Wax foundation :) )
However, i don't have scars, acne or major spots/discolorations so perhaps if you're battling with any of these you might want to reconsider. It is, after all, a lot of money.

Finish: The skin is moist in a natural way. It's not Chanel Vitalumiere's greasy sheen, it's not powdery, it's not unnatural or the so-called 'dewy' (either oily or shimmery). It just settles in my skin and clones my skintone. The producers' website mentions it's also very buildable, all you have to do is to wait for the first layer to dry and then you can come back with dabs for a fuller coverage (i didn't try this).

Shades: It comes in a variety of around 23 shades, some of them named in Swedish-'Jord' (soil/earth), 'Uttryck' (expression), 'Mörk' (dark), 'Höst' (autumn); adorable, if you ask me. The thing about these shades is that they are extremely well calculated to mimic the real skintone of a human being. I still remember the utter disbelief when testing several high-end foundation shades- it looked like they had been created for aliens- oranges, purplish-toned pinks, etc.

Scent: it's not scented. If you sniff it really hard (like i usually do, hehe) you might feel a whiff of something ...'cold'. I'm really not good at describing scents :) however, it really doesn't smell at all and there is no way you are going to experience any irritation because it doesn't contain fragrance.

There is something particular about this foundation. When I put it on, it looks exactly like in the bottle (which is lighter than my skintone); as i blend it in/rub it in, it gets darker and recreates my skintone. At first i thought it was the lighting and after finishing with the makeup application i dabbed a bit on my hand in front of then window; the first five seconds it looked like i ended up with something lighter, a weird fluid that was never going to cover anything or even adhere to my skin; immediately after the 'cloning' took place. I don't know if this is something characteristic to my shade or if the foundation itself it's meant to do this; their website says nothing. They also recommend both brush and wet/damp sponge as application methods so i didn't do anything different. I was definitely amazed. Not impressed, AMAZED.

Pics from today's makeup. I was really surprised at how well it matched my skintone (the peachy H&M blush applied in the hollow of the cheeks only). For the first time, my jawline and ears were the same color as my face :)

(excuse the unnatural contacts)



(the blush directly on the foundation, no powder applied. I loved how my pores were looking so demure and my skin looked all natural, with a hint of sheen from the blush)

(no blush, just the natural shade of the cheekbone)

(natural chin, not shiny, not matte. It did a great job with my pores)
Therefore..: Hands down, the best foundation i own and HG (HG list to update). I am still counting on Double Wear for 'rainier' days but this one is definitely going to be my staple. Hurray for beautiful skin!

Most Wanted Products (of the day)

Today i gave in and spent rather a bit more than usual for some things that i've been meaning to purchase for a while now but never did, always postponed, etc.



A good highlighter:

It has been a matter of utmost interest to purchase THE highlighter/illuminator, a good product that would become a staple and replace my old sheen stick (unknown brand, i suspect an old Lancome, but i'm not sure). Funnily enough, i've been using this for several years (after i got it in a swap from one of my best friends) and so far absolutely no signs of decay, plasticine smell or changes in consistency or color. It still works great; although there's just a tiny bit of the stick left and all the info has rubbed off, the bar code appears intact :)




This stuff is great- basically a frosted bar of shimmer- though a bit old, quite a little left and gray-pearly toned.



The sheen it gives is fantastic only if applied on made up complexion/eyes; on my bare skin it kind of shows its original silvery tint, which tends to look a sort of cheap-ish sometimes, pretty much faux.



I don't mind it, not at all, i absolutely love it. Nevertheless, given the aforementioned considerations, i figured it was time i got a new one....and the quest began. I started looking for highlighters in all their forms- loose/pressed powder, illuminating stylo (concealer included), creme, stick, etc. I didn't find anything. After a couple of failures (the Clarins Cotton Flower being discontinued in Sweden and the utter failure of YSL Touche Eclat) i entered the Face Stockholm store...and there IT was!

The tiny wonder is a small black lacquer compact with the brand name embossed on the lid, very chic and simple. I love the mirror inside every compact they sell, whether it's a tiny highlighter, a bronzer or face powder. Apparently this is a rather new or Europe-only design of the case since on Makeupalley the product is pictured in a similar packaging with MAC concealers and solid foundations- the ugly, plastic case with transparent lid. Bleh. This is so much better!
I have mine in Dignity, which according to the sales assistant, is their most sold highlighter. The product comes in a variety of 7-9 shades as far as i can remember.

This tiny fellow is so cute and classy i instantly fell in love with the miniature. The creme inside is WONDERFUL. It's a very pale champagne/pearly white with yellow-ish undertones. I absolutely loved it the first moment i saw it. with flash-



-without flash (lamp light)



It's simply stunning. I've been looking for THIS for many many months. Initially i assumed the YSL was going to do the trick simply because everybody raved about it. It just didn't work on my skin (upcoming post).

Dignity is similar to my old shimmer stick with several differences. First off, it doesn't contain glitter. The particles are indeed true light reflecting particles and a lot of shimmer. It's not the rather bulky grained shimmer from the classic drugstore highlighter but a creamy one. It doesn't settle into the fine lines or pores and doesn't look like 'glitter' or 'frosting' at all. I love it.


Biosilk Silk Therapy serum:

This was also another product i wanted to try for a while and i just decided to pick it up, once and for all :) The glorious reviews on Makeupalley and an aficionado friend convinced me. I haven't used it yet but i've applied a little on my skin to feel the scent...and i absolutely love it. I'm surprised by the negative reviews which bashed the scent, on the contrary, i think it's a fantastic, Nivea creme and roses scent that i really really like. It smells like clean, plump rose petals and i can't wait to try it on and see what happens.....


Face Stockholm Liquid Foundation:

After i decided to take a break from my Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation (nice stuff but not so cool shade...upcoming post 2) a new foundation was a must; something non-drugstore, liquid, sheer coverage, very light, that would come as close as possible to my real complexion tone and help it glow...in a healthy way. The Face Stockholm SA claimed this would be the best choice since the Picture Perfect Foundation tends to be quite heavy and more difficult to work with.
The foundation comes in a beautiful, square shaped glass bottle with a black plastic cap and the simple design reminds me of Erno Laszlo's Regular Normalizer.



It retails for 275 swedish crowns (30 € or 24 GBP)and contains 1 fl. oz (29 ml). Rather pricy, but worth it. I haven't applied any of the foundation from this bottle but i've worn it before and i absolutely love it.



One little downside is the absence of a pump and the 'stick system' Revlon foundations used to be marketed with...which i don't really like, but i don't hate either. Compared to Estee Lauder's Double Wear, which comes with nothing, not even a stick to give the feeling you're picking up the product in some sort of way, this is more than ok.
However, as i am going to commit to this foundation for several weeks at least, i am expecting final results and a verdict to take a while...so far i love it, but we'll see how it goes from now on.

Ardell 105 and 116 Lashes:






I never got the '100% human hair' thing about the Ardell lashes and i honestly don't want to give it too much thought. I'm not one of those who would easily wear human hair extensions, for example, but (apparently) i see no problem wearing human hair false eyelashes. These two models are by far my absolute favorites from the entire false lash model plethora i've ever tried (and seen). The 116 are a tad more dramatic due to the more prominent clusters of hairs, which give them an anime sort of look, and are slightly longer at the ends- Sherilyn Fenn eyes guaranteed.



The 105 are natural yet sophisticated because the model keeps it simple (i absolutely hate wacky lashes with sequins, feathers and other stories) and natural with a hint of glamour (the romantic length of the lashes). I don't really like the glue they come with but i have a no-name eyelash glue that dries navy-black so no worries there either. 

The 105- a real disappointment :(

Body America Organics Body Butter in Southern Belle- Peach and Mango



Courtesy of my lovely friend who got this as a gift but is allergic to strong scents...and the perfume of this body butter is more on the stronger side.
I'm really excited to be trying this because the Body America products are 72% based on organic fruit oils. The Southern Belle body butter contains no parabens and is based on organic Aloe juice, mango kernel butter, organic extra virgin coconut oil, apricot kernel oil, shea butter, peach juice extract, cocoa seed butter and glycerin. It's supposed to be a luxurious, deliciously scenting butter that locks in moisture from head to toe, leaving the skin plump and freshly moisturized 24/7.

The packaging- this butter usually comes in a jar but i got the pump version, which is safer, germ and travel-wise. The pump dispenser pushes the bottom upwards so no matter the color of the bottle you always know how much you have left.

While i can't say apricot scent is my favorite, i do like this product because it gradually fades away and leaves the skin gently perfumed with something very similar to one of my childhood's shampoo. Whenever i sniff my wrist i remember my hair scent during my fourth grade summer holidays, and it's a great feeling <3 !!!