{Review} Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder

 

Here's a review I've been meaning to do for a while now. I've been a long time use of the Stila Sheer Pressed Powder in light. I love that powder, but it is tooooooo expensive ($28). So I've been on the hunt for a cheaper alternative. Around the time I finished my last Stila powder I was hearing a lot about the Rimmel Stay matte Powder on YouTube and thought I'd give it a try. Here are my thoughts :)

 The shade I purchased it in is 001 Transparent. I wouldn't say that it is completely transparent. I think if I apply this over a moiturizer or a primer, it sticks better and I do get a bit of coverage. If you have a deeper skin tone I would go with your actual shade as this stuff may leave a cast.

As you can see I've had this powder for a while and have used up a good chunk of it. I apply mine with a medium powder brush. I use a smaller brush to set my under eye concealer. This is approximately 3 months of use for me. I apply it once in the morning after doing my makeup, a touch up around noon, and another touch up around 4 or 5 pm.

 The swatch above is quite heavy, I just wanted to show you the consistency. It is a finely milled powder, and if blended in very well can be undetectable. The powder gives a very very matte finish. If you like you skin to look more natural, more satin finish, this is not the powder for you. This gives you a fully matte look. Sometimes I will spray a bit of toner after I apply this powder, just to have a more natural finish.

As far as lasting power goes, it keeps me matte for about 4 or 5 hours. I'd say this is a decent powder. It does what it says. It's also a no frills kind of a powder. I was satisfied with the effect, but after using my Stila powder for so long and having gotten used to that soft lit perfect skin effect this powder didn't feel as luxurious. The only negative I would have to say about this product is to be careful about applying too much. You can really build this powder up if you wanted to, but then it becomes very obvious.

Overall, a good budget buy :)

Info:

Price: $4. 96

Ingredients:

TALC, MICA, MAGNESIUM STEARATE, POLYETHYLENE, PETROLATUM, PHENYL TRIMETHICONE, DIMETHICONE, POLYBUTENE, ISOSTEARYL NEOPENTANOATE, ETHYLHEXYL METHOXYCINNAMATE,

TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, METHYLPARABEN, COCOS NUCIFERA (COCONUT) OIL, PARAFFINUM LIQUIDUM/MINERAL OIL/HUILE MINERALE, PROPYLPARABEN, PARFUM/FRAGRANCE, ALOE

BARBADENSIS LEAF EXTRACT, BHT, BUTYLPHENYL METHYLPRO -PIONAL, BENZYL SALICYLATE, CITRONELLOL, HEXYL CINNAMAL, HYDROXYISOHEXYL 3-CYCLOHEXENE CARBOXALDEHYDE, LINALOOL, BUTYLPARABEN, [May Contain/Peut Contenir/+/-:TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), ULTRAMARINES (CI 77007)].

{Favorites} May 2012!

Hey there! It's been a while since I've done one of these favorites posts, so this is really a what-I've-been-using-for-the-past-three-months post and not just a May favorites post lol!

I've got a good variety of things too! I've really just been sticking to mostly basics lately because I've been on the go and working out a lot in the evenings, so I haven't been wanting to pile on a lot of makeup during the day only to have it melt off my face at the gym.

L --> R: Being True Energy Work Active Body Peel, Rimmel Fix &
Perfect Pro Primer, and RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream.

First up is skin care! I've really been trying to use as little as possible on my face. My skin has calmed down, post uni stress, and I haven't been breaking out. I have been using a sunless tanner so exfoliation is a must. The Being True Active Body Peel has been my favorite way of exfoliating for a long long time now (original review here). I reviewed it fairly extensively last summer, feel free to check out that review! I love it so much that this is actually my second tub of it! It's on the pricy side, $43 plus shipping, but worth every penny to me. It leaves my skin feeling super soft and my sunless tanning gel applies very smoothly, with rarely any streaks or patches. I highly recommend!

The Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro Primer has been another go to in this warm weather. I haven't been wearing a lot of foundation lately, but I like this as a hybrid moisturizer/mattifier. It's not necessarily the best of either that I've used, but at the price, around $6, it works well to make my skin soft and matte. It is a silicone based primer, so if you don't like the feel of those on your skin, this one will not be right for you. And it doesn't work as well as the Smashbox primers, but for the price, it does a good job.

Roc Retinol Correxion Eye Cream

The ROC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream my mom actually picked up for me because I mentioned to her I ran out of my Biore Cooling Eye Gel, which I was in love with at uni because I was pulling a lot of all nighters and it would make my eyes de-puff like nothing else I've every used. My mom has an obsession with eye creams and has tried to get me to use something with retinol for a while now instead of, according to her, wasting money on eye creams with no active ingredients. The RoC cream is a bit more expensive than other eye creams at the drugstore level, but then again this is supposed to be anti-aging, so around $22 really isn't too bad. Does it work to get rid of wrinkles? Well, I really can't tell because I don't have wrinkles, but my mom is also using it so I'll see how it works for her. I like it because it moisturizes, but absorbs very quickly. A lot of eye creams tend to be too heavy and just sit there. It also de-puffs! I was surprised because it's not really all that cooling or anything like that.

My only complaint with this product is the packaging. It's in like a metal/foil package, so I have to be careful to use it from the end in because otherwise too much product is squeezed out. Also, because there is constant pressure on the cream inside the metal packaging, the tip tends to seep a little into the cap, which can be messy sometimes. Other than that so far so good with this eye cream, but I guess time will tell! I'll be doing a full review in the future!

L -->R: Being True Energy Work Active Body Peel, Rimmel Fix &
Perfect Pro Primer, and RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream.

Stila 8 Pan Eyeshadow Palette

I've been meaning to get a palette for my Stila eyeshadows for a while now and when Stila was on Haute Look a few weeks ago, I jumped at the chance to purchase the 8 pan palette and I love it! So glad to not have to store my shadows in the little plastic containers they used to come in. I actually prefer organizing them in a palette as opposed to the compacts they are currently being sold in. For me it's a lot easier to store and travel with them this way. The case is sturdy and has a full size mirror. And the brush the palette comes with is pretty good too!

L -->R: Starlight, Cloud, Grace, Barefoot Contessa,
Jade & Lemon (empty was from Chinois--matte bone shade).

These aren't all of my Stila Shadows, just the ones that aren't packed away. I've mostly been using the top row, especially Starlight, Grace, and Barefoot Contessa. I really want Viola, which is similar to Grace, but warmer and deeper. Cloud is a nice shade, but more of a going out shade because it applies very silver. Jade and Lemon are nice, but I haven't been using them all that much lately. Lemon applies a bit too yellow/gold on my skin. The top row is my go to quad for any occasion.

L --> R: Starlight, Cloud, Grace, Barefoot Contessa, Jade &  Lemon.
(applied wet)

If you want to get similar colors for less, the CoverGirl trio in Shimmering Sands is a pretty good dupe for Starlight, Grace and Barefoot Contessa. Not the same shades, the Stila ones are a bit darker, but pretty close for under $5.

L --> R: Charlotte Ronson Lip Gloss in Anabelle, CoverGirl Lash Exact
Mascara in Black & Sally Hansen Liptonic Gem Gloss in Embellished.

Other than shadows the rest of my looks have been pretty simple. Most days I only do mascara and gloss. Click here to read my review of the Charlotte Ronson gloss. I'm in love with it! Such an easy look, a little taupe shadow, touch of mascara, and juicy sheer red lip. Or, same shadow/mascara combo, but a shimmery sheer plummy lip instead. Effortless, and looks very simple and chic for summer.

L --> R: Sally Hansen Liptonic Gem Gloss in Embellished, Charlotte Ronson
Lip Gloss in Anabelle & CoverGirl Lash Exact Mascara in Black .

And I've been loving the CoverGirl Lash Exact mascara for several reasons. If you've been reading my blog for a while you've probably noticed that I'm not a a bit fan of those plastic bendy mascara applicators. They tend to clump and leave my lashes looking long and spidery and clumpy, not a look I like. I'm more into thick and curled. This mascara, the waterproof version of it, for some odd reason, works. I was shocked. My sister had a tube and I borrowed it, fell in love, and bought one for myself. It gives me thick, lashes that stay curled day, and most importantly do not smudge at all at the gym, no matter how much I sweat! Not a big fan of the clean up at night, it takes forever to remove it, even with an oil based makeup remover, but totally worth it for me.

Top --> bottom: Sally Hansen Liptonic Gem Gloss in Embellished
& Charlotte Ronson Lip Gloss in Anabelle.

This picture really doesn't do the Sally Hansen gloss justice. It's so much prettier in person and  it's appeared several times on this blog. It was a staple in my makeup bag (see here) and it's even a dupe for MAC's Dazzleglass in Datenight (see comparison here!). All in all, it's replaced my Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire, which is crazy given I got this gloss for a buck at the Dollar Tree and paid over $26 for the Glossimer.

OPI Nail Polish in A Good Man-Darin is Hard to Find

My last fave for this month is a nail polish. I don't post many nail polish pics because I can never get the swatches or even pics of the bottles to show up accurately in pics. I'm gonna try to show more from now on, maybe swatch some on tape or something.

           OPI Nail Polish in A Good Man-Darin is Hard to Find

This shade is perfect for summer. I have been favoring neons a lot too, but this shade has been a go to for my feet. It's a bright orange, almost tomato-ish, but not too red. It looks very bright in some lights and almost red in others. A really pretty color for toes, especially with it being flip flop season. It's completely matte and you could get away with one coat in a hurry because it's very opaque. I've had it on my feet for the last three or four weeks straight and I always get asked what color I'm wearing!

So there's pretty much what I've been wearing these past three months. I've been keeping it simple, half out of laziness half out of determination to finish some of these products too haha!

Tried any of these products? Loved them? Hated them? Let me know in comments!

{Review} Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation in Ivory

I know a lot of people have been curious about this foundation because I have had several people ask for me to review this foundation, so here it is! It makes a lot of bold claims, that it treats acne and will keep skin matte, pretty hefty claims.


The people over at Rimmel really made sure that everyone knows that this foundation has something called a Skinpure complex, which is apparently supposed to help clarify your skin. I'm not just speaking about this foundation but others as well that claim using them will help treat acne. They are almost all lying. At best a foundation won't break you out. But I have yet to come across a foundation, even from more high end brands like Clinique, that on their own treat acne. And I doubt you guys have either because lets face it, wearing foundation isn't good for your skin, no matter how much the cosmetics industry tells us otherwise.


This foundation also claims to keep skin matte. It is specifically oil free to help with this.


"Oil free. Non-comedogenic. Non-acnegenic. Fragrance free. Paraben free." All this doesn't do is save kittens, lol!


I really like the dispenser. I find that many liquid foundations come in a glass bottle with a hole at the top, which is incredibly unsanitary. This one comes in a plain, fuss free, clean squeeze tube, definitely a plus.

A swatch:

I have this foundation in shade 100 Ivory, the lightest they offer, and it is a good match for my skin tone. I don't know if you can see, but the texture of this foundation is very thick. Much thicker than most liquid foundations. It is more like a cream foundation, except much more difficult to blend. That's probably one of my biggest annoyances with this foundation, how difficult it is to blend.

As for it's mattifying capabilities, well, it doesn't keep me matte. But then again, I do have very oily skin. If you are combination or only mild to moderately oily this foundation may work for you. Also, if you don't like heavy foundations, do not buy this. I really like a foundation to give decent coverage, but not feel like a mask. This one feels like a mask. I felt aware of the makeup on my face all day long, which is uncomfortable.

On the plus side, this foundation does give good coverage. I'd say it's medium to full. You can definitely build it up to get a more full coverage. I like the finish, which is very flawless. It wasn't matte on me, but less dewy than other foundations right after I apply, which I suppose is something. And as far as an acne treatment, I haven't used it long enough to really test its effectiveness, but I highly doubt a foundation can effectively treat acne.

In general, not a bad foundation, but it definitely doesn't live up to the bold claims that it makes. If you have combination skin, however, this foundation may work for you very well!

Pros:
-Good coverage, medium to full.
-Not as dewy as some foundations.
-Flawless finish.
-Oil free.
-Hygienic packaging.

Cons:
-Thick texture makes it difficult to blend.
-Feels heavy on.
-Isn't really mattifying.

Info:

Price: $7.99

Ingredients: Water Aqua , Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Talc, Butylene Glycol, Mineral Oil Paraffinum Liquidum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Isostearic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Tromethamine, Lanolin Alcohol, Fragrance, Parfum, Sodium PCA, Xanthan Gum, Methylparaben, Octyldodecanol, Disodium EDTA, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Propylparaben, BHT, Titanium Dioxide. May Contain - CI 77891, Iron Oxides.

Disclosure: The product featured in this post was purchased by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in comments!

HUGE COLLECTIVE HAUL!!!

I know I've been away for a while now. I've been busy with school. As the semester winds down there is just so much that has to be done, so many tests. I'm almost out for the winter holiday break, but I promise to update as much as possible, especially since I do so much hauling over the holiday season. I have three hauls to share with you, all done on Black Friday. I though I'd share! Individual reviews are coming soon!

First up: MAC

I got the Smoky Thrillseekers pigment set and the 219 brush. I don't have pics yet, but I'll be posing a review for these tomorrow!

Next up, the Body Shop. Prepare yourselves cause this one's gonna be BIG!!!

The Body Shop had a 3 for $30 sale. You could pick three full size items (excluding gift sets) and each would only cost you $10.

I got:
Body Butter in Satsuma (sooooo delicious!!!!) ($20)
Tea Tree Blackhead Exfoliating Wash ($13)
Nature's Mineral's SPF 25 Mineral Foundation ($25)

Just these three items should have cost me $58, but I got them for only $30!!! In addition, they had a special, where you get a silver purse filled with a lot of full size and sample size (but mostly full size!!!) products for only $25! I don't see it listed online, but I know that they still have it in stores, but now it'll cost you $50 instead of $25.

Here's what's included:
Body Butter in Jolly Orange (Full Size, $20)
Carrot Moisture Cream (Full Size, $8.99)
Body Scrub in Jolly Orange (Full Size, $20)
Lip Balm in Jolly Orange (Full Size, $8)
Soap in Jolly Orange (Full Size, $5)
Bath & Shower Gel in Jolly Orange (Full Size, $13)
Peppermint Intense Foot Rescue Cream (Full Size, $18)
Hemp Hand Protector Cream (Full Size, $10)
Home Fragrance Oil in Jolly Orange (Full Size, $7.50)
Nail Buffer ($3)
Nail File ($3)
Bath Lily ($3)
Bath Brush (Large, $9)
Body Butter in Shimmer Coconut (Sample, .35 oz, $?)
Vitmin E Moisture Serum (Sample, .06 oz, $?)
Christmas Ornament ($?)
Purse ($?)

The ad claims that you're getting a $175 value for $25, but the products add up to $128.49. I suppose they included the cost of the samples, the purse, and the ornaments, to get their figure of $175, but they're pretty cheap. Either way, you still save a TON of money, even if you purchase it now for $50 and I highly recommend you do!!!

And finally, a small haul a Target:

Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation in 100 Ivory
Maybelline Color Sensational Gloss in Sugared Honey
L'Oreal Color Riche Lipstick in 745 Sugar Plum

That's all for now! Of the three, the only one I actually saved on was the Body Shop haul, but it more than made up for everything else I bought!

HAUL!!!

Ok, so not a huge haul, but a haul none the less. I stopped by Target, Sephora, a salon, Marshall's, and the dollar store, picking up these goodies!!!

What I got:
NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder in Translucent
OPI Nail Polish in Meet Me On The Star Ferry (Hong Kong Collection)
OPI Nail Polish in Extra-Va-Vanganza (Burlesque Collection)
OPI Nail Polish in Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous (Switzerland Collection)
Sephora Empty Sifter
Jordana Glitterama Eye Liner in Black Bash
Jordana 5 1/2 Eyeliner Pencil in Bloom
Jordana 5 1/2 Eyeliner Pencil in Navy
Bath and Body Works Tutti Dolci Gloss in Tiramisu Venezliano
Rimmel Precision Eyeliner in Navy Blue
Maybelline Mineral Power Blush in Fresh Plum

NOT PICTURED: My birthday was in October so I stopped by Sephora and got my free gift, which I will share and review later!!! Reviews are coming!

LOTD: Rimmel 126 Metallic Seduction

Just a quick Lip Of The Day for today! I was a flapper this year for Halloween, so I went out and bought a plummy dark lipstick. This one from Rimmel, is 126, Metallic Seduction. Like the name suggests, it's a metallic finish on a dark, plummy/burgundy lipstick. What I've really been liking about this lipstick is that it's very moisturizing. I'm not too keen on the smell, which is kinda like coco butter. The only other thing is that it does apply a bit sheer and does feel a bit grainy (because of the glitter/shimmer in the metallic finish), but my love of this color makes me more apt to disregard these annoyances. And the sheerness can be a good thing too. I've been dabbing it on my lips with my finger for a berry kissed look, kinda like a lip stain. It's perfect for fall!

Just a regular swatch:

More to come!

Review: Rimmel Lipstick in Paradise

As promised in this post a looooooong looooooong time ago (sorry for that!), here is a review on Rimmel's Lasting Finish lipstick in Paradise. And sorry in advance for the blurry pics-I don't know what happenned! I've never had so many blurry pics in one post, haha! I guess I was in a bit of a hurry...


The packaging is fairly simple, just a simple tube. It is a shimmery dark purple tube with a cute accent on the top. Except for it's slightly bulky feel, it's ok.

The shade is Paradise. And don't be fooled by the swatch on the bottom of the lipstick. It's really a bit of a plummy color-a purplish nude.




Here's a couple of swatchs:

On the left is a lighter application, just one swipe, and on the right, I really went to town, haha! One of the things I love about the entire line is that most of the lipsticks, this one included, are layerable. If I'm not in the mood for a dark lip, I just dab it on for a stained look. But if I want a more done look I can layer it on until it's fairly dark. Check out this pic for a better idea of the color, cause this one was definitely harder to capture.

Here it is on my lips:

I don't know how well you can tell from the pictures above, but it is definitely a bit purplish. This would be a light to medium application.

For a drugstore lipstick, this one is nice. There is a bit of a smell. Sometimes I feel that it isn't too bad, but every now and then I put it on and it does feel a bit cloying. It's kinda spicy, almost like cinnamon, if you've ever smelled those lip plumpers, it's kinda like that. What I really love, however, is that it has no taste!!! Taste is a biggie for me. I can't take lipsticks that smell good but then taste rancid. Ugh (*shudders*)!!! The lipstick is very layerable, as mentioned above, and also very pigmented, so a little goes a long way. Now, as for lasting power, it does well. Not great, but not bad. It lasted for about three and a half hours before I reapplied, but then again I apply it fairly lightly so that may have impacted the lasting power. I'm sure if you layer it on, it will last longer.

The lipstick itself applies very creamy, almost like a balm. However, while it doesn't dry out my lips I don't find it particularly moisturizing. If you have chapped lips, like many of us in the winter, I would definitely prep with a balm because it will emphasize cracks, and this is one of the downsides with this lipstick. If you are older and have wrinkled lips, this lipstick is not a good choice. It sinks into every line/little crevice, and the shimmery formula emphasizes every wrinkle, so either go for a lighter/less shimmery shade, or skip this lipstick altogether. Overall, it's a good drugstore lipstick. Not great, but a reasonably good pick for the price.

Info:

Price: About $5.49

Ingredients: Not listed on the product and I couldn't find them online :(

Disclosure: The product featured in this post was bought by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in the comments.

Upcoming Reviews!

I was just at the store and picked up a couple of items I wanted to let you know about in advance!!!

First off, the new Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Foundation (is anyone else annoyed by these really really long names!?).
















Image from Target.com.

Next up is a Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Paradise.












Image from drugstore.com.

Finally, I got the Maybelline ColorSensational Gloss in Touch of Toffe.












Image from drugstore.com.

Stay tuned for these reviews and more!!!