Products of the Month

Deciding the stuff i've rediscovered in my hidden stash deserves a holla. Stuff i've loved and used over the years yet i somehow strayed..but they're definitely making a comback.

Estee Lauder Double Wear

Part of the 10 pan project since i've already gone through two bottles. While scratching my head and looking for a dupe i realized there is no such thing....hence the 3rd bottle. Unfortunately i had to purchase the same shade which doesn't quite suit me (Ivory Beige)...thanks to the understocked EL counter. Grrr. Anyways, the problem isn't a problem at all considering i love mixing this rather heavy foundation with moisturizer, face cream on colder days, Le Blanc de Chanel, for a lighter, glowy base, etc. The ways of this foundation seem to be endless indeed and i couldn't love it more. 

H&M Brow pencil & powder set

Why did i stray in the first place, i don't know...over the past two years i've gone through an endless amount of brow products and always ended up coming back to these ones 3-4 times a week on average...i guess they're my to-go products when i want something fast, easy and natural looking. The pencil is from their latest 'collection', an improved version of the old formulation, with a softer, longer brush and a wonderful pigmentation that's just a teeny tiny bit less gray than Clinique's Superfine Liner for Brows in 02 Light Brown. Lovely! 

Red Lips are making a comeback!!

As a neutral, pink lips person i found myself inexplicably attracted to more colorful shades...cherries, raspberries, even russian reds. Hmmm something's definitely coming. I am currently loving the Maybelline lipstick in Fatal Red, it's great for both a dramatic look as well as a paler, chapstick-looking lip. Had this lipstick in my drawer for a year now (almost) and probably used it twice or three times- hence the strong comeback. 

Max Factor bronzing powder

MF Bronzing Powder & The Body Shop concealer swatches

I cannot believe how natural looking and smooth this bronzer is. I'm also shaking my head at the enormous pile of bronzers i've accumulated so far...while being totally oblivious of this one.

Why did this happen in the first place?? well...most of my other beloved bronzers are amazing as well, different pigmentation tonalities, so i guess that explains it. However, given the age and dent of this bronzer i dare say its newly acquired status as product of the month will go on since i'm planning on finishing it up in combination with other bronzers. I like that it's very, very natural, more on the pink/fleshy side with no orange tones whatsoever (shame on you, Smashbox Bronze Lights!). It works perfectly with every brush, it doesn't stain or get muddy and it' very easy to blend. There are many beauty 'gurus' and bloggers who love this product- no wonder i wanna use it every day from now on. Perfect for contouring as well as for a bit of a sunkissed look. 

The Body Shop Concealer

The one shaped like a pencil. It's really a great find. I found this in my 'old makeup' box, have never used it before since i was the impression it was going to cake and crease, as every Body Shop concealer/foundation i ever tried. Wrong. It's a beautiful, natural looking concealer that i love using as a foundation as well because it's sheer enough, doesn't settle into pores or fine lines yet has a great coverage potential. Its newest job is to serve as an eyelid primer as well and it does work better than everything i ever tried before (except for Estee Lauder's Double Wear, that stuff works great as well). However, the packaging, while being cute and all, it's hard to maneuver...which translates in buying a jumbo size sharpener. From the Body Shop. Which is expensive. To use for the concealer only. Yep.

Yves Rocher Luminelle powder

Whilst not being a powder person at all, i could say, this stuff got me hooked because of the packaging. The lovely Plexiglas compact has thick, transparent bubbles on the lid and it looks like a fatty baby-powdercase :) just cute and sweet and adorable- had to have it. Quite intriguing since it also comes in one shade only, aimed at working as a powder with illuminating properties.

No shimmer, no 'light reflecting particles' (which is usually a decoy for glitter)..yet it does the job without caking. Pretty much like Max Factor's Creme Puff, only a lighter, much finer consistency in the sense that it feels as satiny but the product picks up less and looks less obvious on the skin. It's very cheap i believe, i got it on sale in Stockholm, and i've been using it with its retractable kabuki brush from Yves Rocher that i've been carrying around in my bag ever since.

Never before had actually CARRIED a powder case in my bag WITH a brush (a fluffy, powder one!). I might not be a powder person, or think i am not, but it does come in handy whenever my t-zone gets a bit shiny. I'm so out of the beauty planet-i just began taking makeup with me. Plain stupid not to do it on a regular basis, right? Oh well.

L'Oreal Elvital Hair Mask

An amazing product.

I am uber surprised with this- the shampoo worked beautifully for both my brushes and hair; this product comes in a 300 ml jar and i got it on sale...pretty good deal if you ask me. The thing is this is BETTER than anything L'Oreal i've tried before, even their Professional line (the champagne, silver and light yellow packaging). It smells very strongly but i don't dislike it since it's sweet and flowery and lingers on the hair long after you've washed and dried it (no more Crispy by French Fry for me).

The effects are fantastic for a drugstore product-it conditions and softens my hair without weighing it down or making it look greasy two days after, it also combats frizz (!), which means i no longer have to use anything for that, gives a healthy shine and overall, it does work wonders as a treatment. Add this to UV protection and intense moisture (no oils or silicone whatsoever) and you've got yourself a little wonder. Makeupalley seems to agree with me as well, this being one of L'Oreal's most voted non-professional hair products.

The Makeup Store Microshadow in Ghetto (matte)

....the perfect eye/brow shadow ever. Very pigmented. Great dupe for MAC's Espresso as well. Larger packaging and lower price. Very silky texture. Needs a light hand since it's VERY VERY pigmented. Loves it.

Isadora Blush in Coral Blossom

This blush is currently on a fast paced climb on the HG ladder. I love everything about it, the color, pigmentation, even the little brush it came with.

What i especially love about this is that it can be used as an overall blush-powder as well, whenever i feel like peaching up my complexion or even for slightly correcting mismatched/grayish foundations. To me it works pretty much like Benefit's Coralista plus the very intense pigmentation-a natural bristle brush + light hand advised. It's just lovely and i think this is the only blush i am actually able to gently sweep all over my face for a healthy, rosy complexion effect. I dab the brush on the pan, gently swirl it on my palm to remove any excess and with the little bit of product that's left, i go all over my face. Ta daaa! Really pretty and definitely worth the (kinda low) price. 

H&M Hello Kitty lip balm

My favorite lip balm of all times.

I hate that H&M comes up with new formulations of lip glosses/balms every two-three weeks and finding an 'old' product becomes virtually impossible. I used to be a die hard fan of their Raspberry Vanilla Hello Kitty balm, a creamy, double-shaded lip conditioner that came in a round little pot. They obviously discontinued that but came up with something even better ingredient-wise.

This lipbalm is great for me because, in comparison with other lip conditioners (Vaseline, Rosebud, etc), it isn't 99% petroleum jelly with some flavor in it. It contains aloe vera leaf extract, chamomile oil and beeswax apart from the usual vaseline-butene-polywhatever-ates (cheap) lip balms tend to be packed with. Another great thing about this is that *...drums...* i actually think it works as a bit of a lip plumper...to a certain extent.

I don't know if it's just me, but as soon as i apply it I can feel an intense (but pleasant) tingle and my lips get smooth-no more creases/lines. I've cheked and double checked and it isn't the effect of the product deposited on the lips-just plain old science! While i definitely can't say 'buy this, it will plump your lips' given the low price and no plumping effects advertised, i do think it makes a difference in my case. I use it on top of every lipstick, lipliner or just gloss, for a paler, more natural look, i like the aroma (sugary with a hint of bubblegum) and the price tag (under $3).

Puffing It On

One of my favorite powders, perhaps THE best translucent powder (not illuminating, that one is another one) has to be Max Factor's Creme Puff from my project ten pan.

I am still in the possession of a second powder i'm planning to use as copiously as i did with the previous one. I really don't know what's with Max Factor and their products- they have discontinued a number of 'old school, almost vintage products (Pan Stik) yet some of their products, especially lipsticks and powders, still have that old glamour thing about them-the 'creme' factor, the scent, the reusable pan-as if you're ever going to do it when you can't even find refills. 

This is something i probably used to apply on a daily basis and was my only face powder for a long time-not because i didn't literally have the possibility to purchase something else but because nothing compared with this one.

First of all, it's very 'creamy' as the makeup says. It feels like a whipped, uber soft powder that looks like cream foundation on the face. It isn't a dry 'dust' like 99% of the products out there, but a lovely, protecting film of natural 'blur'. This stuff will blur things from your face and give an overall aspect of evenness even when worn alone (tried it a couple of times by itself). However, it isn't recommendable to get your expectations too high since it's a translucent powder meant to fix your makeup and not your skin imperfections.

The shades, i really couldn't say too much because i've always gotten the 'universal' of them, the 05 Translucent. Comes in a simple black case with a loose lid and no mirror but a tiny, thin puff that works, despite most case puffs/brushes being serious crap. The 'old' version of the powder used to have a 'real puff' with micro 'feathers', like loft; nowadays it's made of sponge only (ugh). The Translucent shade suits all complexions and undertones, whether you're very olive skinned or pink like a rose it will just work wonderfully on you; i don't know how they do it but that's the truth, it's a cosmetic panacea.

Not only the texture is extremely silky but i found it also covers, as i said, giving an airbrushed look. It doesn't change the foundation/skin shade, as it is a translucent shade, but rather adapts to my skintone. The price is also rather low being a drugstore product. Now i don't know about European versions v. the US products- there seem to be many differences in both quality and prices as well (think L'Oreal is expensive in Europe and of better quality- a mascara costs around €15, definitely not $5).

Epic circles (no makeup, just moisturizer)

Creme Puff on the undereye area +cheek

One particular thing about this is the scent- really grandma-ish, reeks of withered roses and baby powder. The scent lingers on the face for about 5 minutes after application but it didn't seem to irritate my skin or affect me in any other way than twisting my nose a little. 

I haven't used it lately because i don't need to and i don't know (yet) if it makes the skin look heavy when applied on top of Double Wear (my world seems to revolve around this foundation lately...). I'm going to give it a try, light hand use only, and see what happens. 

This is a very very special product to me because it embodies several nostalgic thoughts- the Max Factor brand, the scent, the texture, the 'vintage' product (Creme Puff and Elizabeth Arden's Pat-a-Creme were the 'it' face products of the post-war cosmetic world), everything altogether. Overall it is definitely a noteworthy product i think should be in every cosmetic case-you never know when you can fall back in love with it.

Project Ten Pan...

That's what happened- i finished these products so i figured, well, why not consider it a 'Pan project', right. I definitely need it...to cut back on my unused makeup/cosmetics in general.

Nivea Soft moisturizer- one of my all-time favorites, an old-school product i pair up with Nivea creme for perfectly hydrated skin. Never broke me out, in fact i always used it after some product went all bad on me and caused problems, such as Nuxe's Aromaperfection moisturizing& controlling lotion...'nuff said. This is a staple for me but since the Swedish weather is quite harsh right now i'm going to keep my A-Derma and Nivea creme regime for the time being and come back to this one in summer time.

Isadora Active Moist Makeup-i blogged about this here. It's a very good foundation that protects and moisturizes. Doesn't last as long as Estee Lauder Double Wear (whoa!), but it's a great budget find. You can't beat the SPF 30 either. Will come back to this as soon as i get over my Double Wear addiction.

L'Oreal Elnett hairspray- that's probably the only thing i will repurchase very soon since i can't live without it. Tried everything, and some stuff did come close to this one, but well, you definitely can't beat old' Elnett. Definitely tempted to try the Satin finish (or something like that), the new hairspray in a pink tube that Eva Longoria is currently on TV promoting.

Olay Regenerist Thermal Skin Polisher- blogged about it here. I already threw the tube away so no picture of the little fellow.

Nivea Ideal Finish foundation- another good drugstore dupe for Revlon's Colorstay. Thick, great coverage, a tad oily maybe. Going through it very fast cause i've got my mind set on several foundations i definitely want to try (discontinued stuff found online).

Max Factor Lasting Performance- a blah foundation. Nothing spectacular. I didn't like it because i have the Double Wear to compare everything with. Nice color range but well, no staying power. Anyways, glad to finish with this one. I wanted to throw it away at first. Maybe someone will want it, who knows.

Lumene Beauty Base Matifying Primer- i love their products wholeheartedly but this stuff is a huge flop. Didn't do anything for my skin. I mixed it with some other foundations i didn't like to create a tinted moisturizer...and get rid of it asap. Bleh.

L'Oreal Infallible foundation- a good product but way too dark for my skintone (purchased during my tanorexic phase). I mainly use it for contouring but the yellow undertones really put me off. I've got a stick foundation from Isadora in a darker color that i use for contouring purposes so this guy is not needed at all.

L'Oreal Star Secrets lipstick- one of my favorites of all time :( it's slowly dying and diminishing with each use, Will scoop out even the last drop but i can't lie and say i'm not feeling a bit of an urge to go shopping for a new one now...that my fave lipstick is over! Really, right? :D

Max Factor Creme Puff in Translucent- B.D.W., i.e. before Double Wear in makeup ages, i used to love this powder deeply. It was the only thing that felt good on the skin and looked extremely natural. Now that i don't need a powder to set my makeup with, i'm stuck with another backup of this. Definitely going to use it with other foundations (Face Stockholm, Nivea, etc) and on top of concealers-it's the only thing that doesn't make my makeup 'crack'. As you can see by the condition of the top lid this has seen better days when it was frantically used.

Guess it's time for new makeup purchases now...

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

The HG Mascaras

Over the years (i do sound so old) i have bought MANY mascaras, from no names to the highest of the high-end. I've been surprised by some, disappointed by many, and utterly upset by others that i've ended throwing away since nobody else wanted them.

On my current list, and in my makeup kit actually, there are several mascaras i always end up coming back to. I have been repurchasing most of these mascaras for about four years and i couldn't be happier. They deliver what i want, well, what we all want- full, thick, long and curly lashes- without necessarily costing an arm and a leg. I have got my mind set on two or three mascara additions right now- Elizabeth Arden (sheer curiosity), Lancome Hypnose (i've heard only great things about it) and Shiseido Volumizing mascara (owned it in the past and want to repurchase to have a complete collection thereof).

However. These are my present mascaras, they have their own satin pochette and a very very happy life. Plus, i don't know why, but 99% are drugstore mascaras.

1. Max Factor Masterpiece Mascara

There is nothing in this world that separates my lashes like this one does, period. It just coats EACH individual lash, and not in the marketing-babbling way- it really does it. I couldn't start applying anything else without this one as a base (to save my Shiseido mascara base for more special occasions). I love the gummy, cone-shaped bristles that look like little plastic spikes. The brush is rather triangular, medium-sized and it manages to catch all my lashes, from the tiniest to the longest. I will keep repurchasing this until they discontinue it (hopefully they will never do)

2. L'Oreal Lash Architect Mascara

 I don't know why most reviews are negative when it comes to this product. To me it's great. Nothing lengthens my lashes like this one. Being a L'Oreal mascara, it works on the same basis- it needs a tiny bit of oxygen exposure so the uber-creamy formulation can 'dry' up a little and not verge on the runnier side. I never experienced clumping or flaking with this mascara. To me it's a fantastic lengthening product, and one coat is enough for both eyes (a coat= one tube scoop with the wand). I like the long, slender brush and the thick, tightly packed bristles. The Masterpiece and this one are my usual daily mascara routine and i'm always out the door with fanned, thick lashes.

3. Rimmel Extra Super Lash Mascara

Already reviewed so i'll keep it simple. This has a special volumizing brush and a cream formula. I like it for a more dramatic finishing effect.

4. Isadora Extra Volume Buildup Mascara

Another GREAT drugstore find. First, the tube is huge-12 ml v. the usual 8 ml most mascaras are. The brush is rather huge, with thin, long bristles that catch the lashes for a real buildup effect. It doesn't clump, doesn't run dry and doesn't flake either. I initially tried it as a sample (that lasted me more than 4 months) and i fell in love with it. It's a great product, relatively cheap, easy to find. I strongly recommend it.

5. Max Factor False Lash Effect

A recent addition to my mascara collection, after reading a ton of reviews praising it and comparing it to the US version of the Covergirl Lashblast. Since Covergirl isn't available in Europe, and the packaging and formulation are said to be 99% identical, i thought i could give it a try and i was really positively surprised. It can replace my MF Masterpiece as a first mascara coat/base very easily, it doesn't clump, i like the fatty brush and the short bristles and the final effect- really natural lashes. Never worked it for a more dramatic effect, so i don't know if several layers would make it clump, but so far i like it.

6. L'Oreal Voluminous

Poor man's Yves Saint Laurent Faux Cils Effect Mascara. Most YouTube gurus and beauty bloggers agree on this one; i discovered this mascara many years ago, in highschool, and i remember the first time i got asked about it-it was a beauty sales assistant wanting to know what mascara i was using! I have been repurchasing this ever since, for about six-seven years or more. It's a great volumizing product as long as it's used three-four times before- a little bit of oxygen exposure will unleash its maximum volumizing&lengthening capacities.

7. Bourjois Volume Clubbing Mascara

This stuff came as an initial disappointment. I didn't like the 'bald' wand, the fatty (yet glamorous) tube, the runny consistency, the porn-star blueish black. It got better in time, after a serious oxygen exposure- probably a month after opening it. It's very tricky to use, you have to experiment with the brush in order to find the perfect angle to achieve the desired effect, and pay extra attention when you're applying the mascara on the lashes directly with the 'bald' side or the short bristles- it can be messy. It flakes a little but it's extremely resistant. I can easily remove it with my cream-based eye makeup remover (Olay), but many complaints in this department- if you use an oil-based mascara remover it's going to take a while to take it off and perhaps a couple of lashes as well. However, i remember it was a tad pricy, probably in the Lancome-Dior category, which is a bit of an eyebrow raise if you consider Bourjois to be on the less expensive side (not a drugstore brand, but still, it's not a high-end one either). The effect is wonderful- truly black, lusciously long diva lashes than can rival a natural set of falsies. Worth every penny.

8. Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara

Yet another MF favorite. The brush is fantastic, very thick and tightly packed, the formulation is just perfect, not too runny or too thick, it tends to clump a tiny bit if i insist with the brush and several layers but a 30 second break in between is more than enough to prevent it from drying up and making the lashes stick together. I use it as a 'base', a 'filler' but also as a 'finishing' mascara if i'm on the run or just feel like it. It's one of the few mascaras that i can personally use all by itself and be 100% satisfied with the results. It does volumize and lengthen, preserving the curl and giving a very natural look even after several coats. A five stars product.