How to clean the brushes/How to store the Lashes

So I just discovered the best product to clean foundation brushes/sponges or any kind of brush that you use for oily/thick products. It's a strong detergent meant for cleaning baby 'stuff'- toys, cutlery, strollers, and for disinfecting and cleaning surfaces of all kinds babies might come into contact with. It's really useful because it's so effective (I actually cleaned blueberry juice off white fabric with this baby) yet gentle. 

The product is Chicco Disinfectant and I have the Italian/European version. Perhaps it's found in different names/descriptions on markets outside the European Union. 

It comes in a large plastic bottle (700 ml, or 22.66 fl. oz) and it's a white liquid. Has an atomizer that you can turn to 'off' mode so you won't spill it or endanger the little ones if you leave it around the house.

It worked amazing on my foundation brush. I could never clean it properly, down to the base of the hairs, because foundations and primers always used to remain stuck among the hairs especially in the middle of the brush. Leftover makeup is quite gross and can breed a ton of germs if left uncleaned for a longer time; it also hardens, gets even more difficult to clean and affects the quality of the bristles and the adhesive. Boo.

I had to only spray this little miracle worker and the foundation residue just started pouring out of the bristles with no rubbing/touching of the brush whatsoever:

It gets dispersed in a bit of a foamy consistency when you spray it on; however it's runny, since it's liquid (duh) so careful not to stain your clothes:

The thing about this product is it's strength, as I said. It cleans everything, leaving the brushes squeaky clean yet soft at the same time.

Since it's designed for objects that come into contact with children, it has some ingredients that counterbalance the 'harshness' of the substances inside. Really great stuff. It also cleans makeup stains- I never mentioned this but I had a white t-shirt stained with Estee Lauder's Double Wear. Good luck trying to get that foundation off of anything, even after 90 degrees repetitive washes. Just spray this on the spot and wash your clothes as you normally do- it just works wonders. Very, very happy with it.

There are two 'disadvantages' with this product:

1. The scent- it smells very strongly of baby powder. It's the scent I always associate with babies and what I imagine fresh baby laundry to smell like. It's VERY strong, and it lingers a while after you've dried your stuff. If you use fabric softener then this wouldn't be a problem; however, if you don't like the scent, it will linger onto the surfaces/objects you've cleaned and it might bother you. I like it so that's not an issue for me.

2. It can make the color of darker brushes bleed- don't get me started on my Sephora #44 Platinum (BOO!). I always had problems with that brush and everything else makes the color bleed, even face soap. However, it was a real hemorrhage with this product. The color just wouldn't stop coming out, it stained towels and sinks/floors, even the top white bristles got blue so I had to wash them again to get the hue off...not cool. However, since the Sephora Platinum brushes ALL have this problem, I think it's not the product but the brush. My foundation brush didn't have this problem, so was the case with all my other brushes. If you're using something cheaper, it's almost certain the color will bleed. If you use MAC, test it on a couple of bristles first. You never know. 

However, it looks like it conditions the bristles as well, I didn't have to apply conditioner on them or anything else. 

If you don't have this brand, don't wanna buy it or just have something else you trust, I still think it's useful to get a generic baby disinfectant for your brushes, just to make sure you have cleaned and disinfected them thoroughly. Next time you give your brushes a bath remember to check in the middle of the bunch of bristles, as close to the base as possible- if you notice lighter areas, or residue leftover, that means your cleanser didn't do its job properly and maybe you should change brands or get this little baby instead. Highly useful to me. Not going to stop using it, ever. 

How I store my (used) false lashes:

Take a generic blush/powder, anything that has an extra compartment/that little plastic divider for the brush that comes with it, or the mirror:

Pull up the little 'wall', remove the brush (they're usually bad quality, weirdly shaped thus useless) and place your lashes on the pan. Gently press on the base of the lashes to make sure it will slightly attach to that bottom:

My blush (a no-name that I still like) came with a little mirror and a terrible brush I threw away on the spot. It's perfect for me because I always reuse my lashes and I never put them back in their bulky, uncomfortable to carry or prone to damage (cardboard!) boxes. This way I can always carry the lashes around, either for me or if I'm doing someone's makeup, and I can see all of them and choose accordingly. It really works and it's so easy and simple I slapped myself for not having thought about this earlier! The plastic packaging will also protect your lashes from humidity or other damage since it's a hard material, and you're also closing the lid and putting it in your bag/bag pocket. Crisis submerged! 

Next post- how I reuse my lashes and how I clean them (DO NOT clean them with alcohol! grr!)

Things I love this summer (part 1)

Just a few things, most of them old 're-finds'. And the Nivea chapstick!

Make Up Store Microshadow in Ghetto 

The best eye/brow shadow ever, pigmented and LARGE. It comes at a fraction of the price you'd normally pay for a MAC one. Too bad I expect the brand to be available in Sweden only...

It's very soft and natural, the color is fantastic for brows, as eyeliner (i don't use black...) or as a plain matte eyeshadow. I'd compare it to MAC's Espresso, only with fewer 'red' undertones (from the chocolate tint that one has). It's perfect! 

Make Up Store 'Ghetto' microshadow

I got this amount of product by only touching the pan- it's really pigmented and a little goes a very, very long way. Very soft, yet not silky- it doesn't pick up too much on the brush or gets dusty once you swirl the brush in the pan.

This is MAC Espresso:

Stars'n Rockets blog 

Looks lighter in the pan but the orange undertones are far stronger. Espresso on the brows:

You either must have a light hand, light eyebrows (mousy blonde) or mix it with something ashy...I can't see how otherwise. Anyways, the product is very popular so I can't say it isn't good at what it does, it's just that sometimes one can find 'better dupes' at lower prices. That's my opinion. 

Helena Rubinstein Illumination Loose Powder

The best powder, loose or pressed, I have ever used (notice how little I have left :( ).  Did my friend's makeup on her wedding day and she looked spectacular. The powder illuminates the skin, sets the makeup and doesn't make your skin look cracked...which is a first. It's translucent but it has some tonality, available in 5 shades (I think). On the website it says it's enriched with 'optical pearlisers' for a glowy and healthy effect. It really works wonders, I suggest everyone to try and get their hands on a sample..I use it in nr 05 Light, and had it in 02 as well but gave that one away since it was too rosy for my skintone. 

Nivea Fruity Shine chapstick in Strawberry

The effect after wiping the lips

Very hard to find (Cherry, Honey and Classic are always on the shelves, not this baby). I adore the tint it gives the lips, very natural yet 'blushed', just like a strawberry. It's very hard to find a lipstick/lipgloss that would mimic the color of strawberries since they are all either cold-toned (fuchsia pinks) or orange/scarlet..which isn't bad, but I wanted something strawberry-ish! 

Been cruising makeup stores and supermarket aisles for ever until I saw this baby right by the cashier's...hello lover! I absolutely love the texture, the color, the scent (it has a pleasant taste as well, no plastic-bad blueberry juice like every other 'fruity' lipgloss/chapstick has), the smoothness and the hydrating effect. Comes with an SPF of 10 as well.

It's not extremely cheap, but not expensive either, so if you just want gorgeous lips without all the fuss, I suggest this product, combined with a lipliner (currently using Rimmel's East End Snob and Lancome's Caramel). It's going to be gorgeous and very Lolita-esque (kissed lips!), and it's REALLY pigmented for a chapstick (more pigmented than a lipgloss, obviously less color than with a lipstick). 

Maybelline Super Stay 24h Concealer

I use it as an eyelid primer and it works wonders, my makeup doesn't budge. I got the wrong shade (03, the darkest beige) which is too yellow for me so I can't really use it under the eyes. It's also a bit drying, which makes it a perfect tool to hide some blemishes. I probably shouldn't be using it on the eyelids, but they tend to get oily so I guess the dry effect cancels itself during the day...great eyeshadow primer! 

Veet Warm Wax

This is great for summer. I'll tell you why:

-I always wax my upper lip. The tiniest hair will get stuck in foundation and the more, the merrier- you end up looking like you have a mustache. If you're a brunette, even worse. I think every woman should wax their upper lip...the hair will not grow stronger or darker, but weaker and slower since you're yanking it out from its root and not only cutting off its surface. But that's just my take on the issue. However, girls with bleached facial hair look horrifying..so I personally suggest what my beautician said, just wax it...in two years maximum it won't grow back at all. 

-Bikini lines, especially if you're going to the seaside: salted water, chlorine and all those substances are known to irritate the hell out of the delicate skin or the upper thighs/bikini lines/inner thighs. If you're going on holiday and you're planning on shaving, think about the fact that if you're going straight into the water, you'll come out full of red dots; if you wait for a day (I tried waiting for 8 hours, didn't work), the hair is going to start growing back though it's (yet) unnoticeable. By this stage you can feel it already so no silk smooth legs. So you have to do it over and over again. Not nice. 

I strongly suggest girls, especially brunettes, to wax, since it's a healthy and perfect method of getting rid of body/face hair without paying a ton of $ if you can't afford laser/pulsed light/whatever else there is out there. I never shave on my upper legs/inner thighs/bikini, for fear of ingrown hairs (that always pop up when you go on holiday..especially when you swim/sweat) which look horrible in that area.

This wax is great because:

-it's not real bees wax. It's a combination of sugars and other substances that make it not that sticky as bees wax, easier to handle, with a higher boiling point (so you don't get burned as easily if you're a novice). 

-it does a great job at removing unwanted hair, from the thickest to peach fuzz. Really good for sensitive skin (me and some of my friends have been using this on the face as well with no problems whatsoever).

-it's hydrosoluble, which means it dissolves in water. Any drops/spots/traces can be cleaned really easily and fast.

-comes with a set of reusable strips (since it's hydrosoluble, you just let the used strips in water and in 20 mins they're ready to be dried and used again). 

-comes with a cute thermo sensitive applicator that 'tells' you when it's too hot or good to use

- if you're handy enough, you can apply it in a thicker layer (it doesn't crack no matter for how long you leave it on the skin, unlike bees wax that starts chipping if left for more than 2-3 mins) and then yank it with your fingers if you wanna save the product (of course, if you're waxing fuzz). 

-you can warm in it in the microwave. Super fast and easy!

Summer foundations

Nivea Beauty Lift, Vichy Normaderm and Estee Lauder Double Wear. Because they're so resistant and don't budge in heat/water/sweat etc. Will review the Normaderm very soon! 

Chanel Vitalumiere Satin Smoothing Creme Makeup Review

I'm finally back on track with a wonderful product I've been wanting to review for ever, since it's less popular than the 'classic' Chanel Vitalumiere, which I tried and didn't love. Not the case with this one. 

Price: I was fortunate enough not to pay anything for this baby since I got it as a present from a friend. I guess the price is around $ 50, which isn't cheap at all. However, there are some props with this specific type of foundation which clearly make up for the bucks you pay.

Packaging: I really like it, but it's not ergonomic. The squared glass jar looks beautifully, very retro for a foundation since it doesn't come in the typical bottle with a pump. I like this packaging more than anything else, regardless of the fact that it's a pain to carry it around for touch ups. The thing is...you don't need any with this baby.

Shades: It comes in 9 shades, beautifully pigmented and extremely realistic. I've always praised other foundations, especially my beloved Estee Laude Double Wear, for their pigmentation, coverage, endurance, etc, but none comes close when it comes to shades and their adaptability. Most of the shades available on the European/US markets are beige-toned, and the ones catering to rosier complexions are demure and very skin-like. I have mine in 20 Clair, and had the classic Vitalumiere foundation (the one in the bottle) in 30 Cendre (I think it was 'Shell' in English). They are pretty much the same thing- the same undertone basis, the exact same 'color', Clair being a little bit lighter than Cendre. Very nicely executed replica, since it's quite difficult to find consecutive shades that are really a scale and not a pallet. 

I think Clair suits anyone with a lighter complexion- NW 20-30, even 35 (in summer, when tanned), or NC 20-25. It has beige undertones but neither orange nor yellow, just 'cream'. 

Another huge prop of this foundation (perhaps given by its consistency as well as the shade's potential) is the chromatic adaptability- it doesn't suit my skin 100% (what foundation does it to the degree of perfect?), but it manages to blend in perfectly to the point where I can't tell where I have applied it and if I need to blend it in my neck/hairline. Awesome. This is prop number 2, it's never happened to me before, with any other foundation, not to this degree. Really impressed by it. 

Consistency: creamy. Like a face cream, think Nivea Visage. Doesn't run, doesn't dry up fast. It's really beautiful to look at, since it gives the impression of a luxurious product.

Honestly, that's all you need for half a face. I was very surprised since this foundation is identical in terms of consistency with Nivea Beauty Lift, but seems to 'multiply itself' when applied. 

I did my makeup using a normal foundation brush, as opposed to Chanel's brush indicated on their website (big surprise, right). It worked wonders. 

I've always been the eye-rolling one while reading hundreds of reviews where the ladies praised various foundations, or even makeup brushes, claiming it cuts back on the quantity they use. In my case, I need two pumps on average, and another extra half pump for the undereye area and various spots/discolorations. With this foundation, I can happily say I have entered that 'I Only Need a Little' category.

Application: Smooth like nothing else, it works beautifully with anything- fingers, sponges, flat brushes, kabuki brushes (when I'm in a hurry), even with my stubborn Sephora #44 stippling brush, and I never got that one to work with anything, EVER. I guess it's the consistency combined with the strong pigmentation that allows for such a small quantity and a beautiful finish. I prefer using it with a flat brush, because I don't like getting my fingers dirty, and a sponge would suck up too much product. I also like the dewy finish, which doesn't quite happen when a sponge is involved.

Coverage: Five stars. The foundation is allegedly medium coverage, I find it to be full. Without the mask effect. No pores, no lines, no caking up. It's creamy and allows for building it up in as many layers as you please, without getting messy if used on primer, anti-shine gels, even powder. It's simply wonderful. 

Below are some photos taken at various moments of the day, with or without flash, in natural shade or lighting. 

Natural light, at noon, just blush on the cheeks (no powder)

Natural light, in shade, right after application (nothing else on top)

Natural light, opposing the sun (that's why my skin looks reddish), after 5 hours of dancing. Concealer under the eyes and a bit of blush on the cheeks. No powder on the face (just the hairline and lower chin).

Finish: Four stars. It has a very dewy finish than can feel oily, but it looks glowy. It usually happens the other way around with everything else I ever tried- you get an oil slick on your face while the product claims 'glowiness from within'. My skin is mixed, and I wore this in the middle of July for a wedding- it lasted beautifully throughout the night, with a bit of powder (Chanel pressed powder, review coming up very soon) applied mostly on the hairline and around the mouth (dancing and eating involved, thus extra measures had to be taken). It doesn't melt, it doesn't get cakey or sticky if you sweat (especially on the forehead or nose), and it doesn't stain. If you set it with a bit of powder, then you have an 8 hour guarantee. It also has an SPF of 15 and photographs beautifully.

In shadow, no flash light, after 8 hours.  

Right after the application, natural light, facing the window :) Just concealer (Clinique) under the eyes and blush.

However, it depends from complexion to complexion. My friend (the one who gave it to me) has tried it herself and cannot understand why I like it- on her skin it gets messy, gunky and basically dissolves in tiny balls around her cheeks and nose. She has normal skin with a bit of dryness- so she's the perfect choice for this foundation, according to the manufacturer. Many reviews warn about this foundation and oily complexions, and praise it as being the Holy Grail of dry or more mature skins. In her case, it just didn't work out, so the only flaw (and a major one) would be that it's a trial and error issue...which doesn't come in super handy when you have to pay $50 for the bottle. 

Overall: A fantastic product I intend to use for special occasions only. A little goes a long way, so those special occasions might come up every day. Since it's so pricy, I'll just use it wisely. Definitely going to repurchase this and not the typical Vitalumiere, which was a disappointment.

A short comparison between the Chanel Vitalumiere Creme Makeup and the Chanel Vitalumiere Fluid Makeup

-identical shades

-three of four times more coverage of the Creme v. the Fluid

-better finish of the Creme. The Fluid gets soaked in, looks very good and natural but tends to disappear around 3 hours after the application unless heavily set with powder. You need much more Fluid to cover what the Creme does with the tiniest amount

-endurance- the Fluid doesn't last nearly as long as the Creme. I'd say 3 hours v. 8-10 hours.

-the Fluid has a definite advantage in the packaging department; however, I'd rather carry a bulky bottle or depot it in something else than getting stuck with the Fluid. After all, it's about different densities of the products- that's why the 30 g of the Creme beats the 30 ml of the Fluid.

-the Creme will last you many months, daily use, while the Fluid lasts several weeks i assume (I returned mine after two uses, which amounted to 8 pumps. Ouch). You're not paying for water after all (70% of the Fluid) but for something more consistent (Creme).

-the finish is identical, minus the 'sleaking' part the Fluid has. They both look the same when applied, but the actual effect is different with the Creme.

I strongly, strongly recommend this foundation if you like the classic Vitalumiere, it's the same thing only ten times better.