Laura Mercier's Mineral Line

After browsing around Amazon, I discovered that Laura Mercier has a mineral line! I didn't know that. :) I just assumed that it carries only "traditional" makeup. So off I went to Rustans' Essenses to inquire if it was available locally, and I was pleasantly surprised when the SA said that the primer, foundation, and finishing powder were already here!

He looked at my color and recommended Rich Vanilla, then proceeded to apply a little on my face. It was a perfect match! I ended up buying the three: Primer, Foundation, and Finishing Powder.

I roadtested them last night during a party, a few days after buying. The Primer has great slip and disappears into the skin (no white powdery clumps), the foundation had a creamy, polished, silky-looking finish, and the Finishing Powder did its job of minimizing oil.

Of course, during the 8 hours that I had the stuff on (6pm to 2am), some oil broke through, but it looked more dewy than oily, and there wasn't even much to begin with.

Am quite satisfied with them. :)

bareFaced samples

Samples ordered from bareFaced:

Smashbox: O-Glow

On my weekly trip to Beauty Bar, the SA suggested that I try Smashbox's bestseller, the O-Glow.

According to Smashbox's website, it's an intuitive blush that reacts with your unique, personal skin chemistry and turns your cheeks into the color of your natural blush. It's a clear, non-sticky gel that transforms into your customized flush, so it's wearable by all skintones. Isn't that amazing?

What I liked about this is that the color was immediately visible after the inital application, unlike some gel blushes that take a couple of swipes before the color shows up. Also, the O-Glow pretty much stayed intact during the day and didn't disappear. A very good buy; I'm glad the SA talked me into getting this!

M*A*D samples

Received my M*A*D samples after only 12 days! I ordered Light Medium Olive and Medium Olive, described on the website as being suited for skin with yellow undertones. I thought of getting samples of Golden as well (described as having "golden peachy undertones"), but I lean more towards yellow than peach so I just got the Olive samples. The picture is a little dark because it's nearly night time, but here it is:

I looked pale and wan wearing Light Medium Olive, so that one's definitely out. Medium Olive was perfect! Rich, beautiful color that blended right into my skin and evened it out nicely. Good oil control, too - it took several hours before I had to reach for blotting paper. It has medium coverage, so you only need one or two layers. I think I've found the foundation I can wear everyday - one that's not too heavy or too sheer, just right for class or work.

Ocean Mist haul

My Ocean Mist package has arrived! I took advantage of their Thanksgiving Sale last November, where it was buy-one-take-one for foundations and concealers/veils/finishing powders. Two for the price of one, wow! One of the best sales ever! So now I have two jars of Dandelion foundation, two jars of Saffron yellow concealer, and one jar of Black Sea eyeshadow.

Although it's a little pale for my undereye circles, Saffron is excellent at toning down redness. The areas near my nose are a bit reddish, and Saffron does a good job of neutralizing the red and making it closer to my skin color.

I love how Ocean Mist's foundation is so light yet makes me look put-together, perfect for days when I don't feel like using creamy and heavy coverage foundations. It gives a clean, pretty finish that makes me look like I have naturally great skin. I've tried putting on three layers, and somehow it still doesn't clump or look cakey. Highly recommended if you prefer light to medium coverage.

J.Lynne samples and lipcreams

Received my J.Lynne samples and lipcreams in less than a month! Yay!

First off, the foundation was great. Smooth texture, silky finish, and great coverage. Good oil control, too. It took several hours before I needed to use a blotting paper. Light Golden was a bit too light. Medium Golden was the best match; a tiny bit too tan if you look close enough under natural light, but hardly noticeable. A mix of the two is perfect, but I'm not a fan of mixing shades so I'm getting a full size of the Medium Golden when my samples run out. To adjust the color, I can always put a light dusting of yellow finishing powder, which J.Lynne thankfully has. I can definitely see why this brand is the HG of many girls!

I love the lipcreams even more! I needed to rub the stick a few times on the back of my hand to warm it up, but afterwards, it glided on easily and smoothly. Sheer, very pretty colors with a lovely bit of shimmer that isn't overpowering at all. I got Judy (described on the site as "neutral rose with brown undertones"), Mae ("neutral rose with russet undertones"), and Sophia ("soft, neutral pink"). I wish I had gotten more. I also discovered that they had the added benefit of making my chapped lips smoother. I just might get all the shades on my next purchase!

LaurEss samples

This holds the record for fastest shipping. I received my LaurEss samples in only SEVEN days! I paid on November 28, and the package arrived on December 5!

LaurEss has such a wide range of colors... It was because of their shades that I realized Gold may still be different from Yellow! I used to think they were exactly the same. :D

The shades are very forgiving; I can actually wear three. Pure Yellow is my best match. It's so dead-on, I might have to buy two jars of this so I could have a backup. Another HG added to my list! Pure Gold is also an excellent match, but I chose Pure Yellow because it makes my skin look a little brighter. I can also wear Soft Gold; just right in person but a tiny bit too light in pictures.

I love the texture of the powder; super smooth and fine. Glides on like a dream, and blends into the skin effortlessly. After sampling, I immediately went to their website to see what other products I could buy. :D

Fusion of Color samples

Received my Fusion of Color samples yesterday, after only 15 days!



Descriptions from the website:

Angie - medium with yellow
Butternut - light/medium yellow
Jonquil - medium yellow
Saffron - medium/light with yellow
Sandi - light yellow
Tifflee - light medium with richer yellow

I ordered nearly all the shades that had yellow in the description. The sample jars have a generous amount of product, enough to last for several applications. A sample jar can probably last me for at least a week!

Tifflee is my best match. I love the color match, oil control, and the even, matte finish. Will definitely be ordering a full size of this!

ArtDeco: Camouflage Cream

Browsing around Essenses led me to purchase ArtDeco's Camouflage Cream.

Unlike most concealers, it comes in a range of color choices so you don't have to settle for something too light or too dark; you're assured of finding something that suits your skintone.

For ladies who tend to get oily around the eye area like I do, I wouldn't really recommend this product for covering up undereye circles because it didn't stay put on me and melted a little by the end of the day. On the upside, it's a great concealer for dark spots and blemishes and did a good job in that department. The cream form made it easy for the foundation to adhere to it, and its consistency allows heavy coverage and layerable control over the parts that need concealing. Definitely a welcome addition to anyone's makeup kit.