Chapped Lips: Remedies!

I used to have chapped lips. As in really dry and flaking. I've tried a number of balms and creams, and these are the ones I've found most effective in healing, softening, and smoothening my chapped lips - Skinfood's Cocoa Lip Blam, The Face Shop's Lip Care Cream, and Kiehl's Lip Balm #1:

Blusche haul #2

I still have full sizes of Blusche, but I couldn't resist the cute new packaging! So I went ahead and bought more full sizes of foundation (what will I do with four jars of Creme Brulee?) , concealer, and primer.

DreamWorld samples

If you order DreamWorld foundation samples and creme toppings, the first thing you'll notice about them is the generous amount of powder! It'll take a while before the baggie runs out, so you'll really get value for your money.

Another thing is that they run a bit light. The only ones I'll be testing are Amenti, Ashnan, Themis, and Hebe, which appear to be the closest to medium.

EDIT: I got the Sands formulation for everything, and the coverage is fantastic! Enough to cover imperfections, but not cakey. The finish is matte, but not dry-looking. Definitely fullsize-worthy. My best match seems to be Amenti, which belongs to the yellow-olive family, but I've only tested it under one kind of lighting so I can't say for sure yet whether Amenti is truly my shade. More testing is in order.

Buff'd samples

Buff'd is a heavy coverage foundation with a smooth, creamy finish. Because of its density, you only need a small amount of powder to do your whole face. A little really does go a long way. Shipping for their sample baggies is inexpensive, so it's budget-friendly as well.

The shades I got, with their website descriptions:

Ginger: Light shade with heavier yellow undertones.
Almond: Medium light shade with subtle yellow undertones.
Moccasin: Medium light shade with heavier yellow undertones.
Saffron: Medium shade with heavier yellow undertones.

The shades, to my eyes, run a little dark. My best matches: Ginger and Moccasin. I want to narrow it down to just one, so I'll have to test some more under different kinds of lighting.

Joppa haul

Joppa held a free shipping sale and so I ordered last February 6 and I received the package March 4. I just estimated the shades and ended up buying 4 full sizes because I wanted to take advantage of the free shipping! Free shipping (or even just reduced shipping) is always a great thing for international MMU addicts like me. ;)

At first glance, the Full Coverage Foundation in Medium #3 looked a little dark in the jar, and I was thankful that I ordered the Medium Light #3 too. But since I've always been a Medium, I opened the Medium #3 first. On application, the depth was just right. I would have liked a bit more yellow, but it's fine as it is. Not a perfect match, but close enough. It had good coverage - smooth, even, and not cakey. On my next order, I want to try the Soft Coverage.

The Bronzer Foundation in Bronzed Sienna looked a bit dark as well, but just like the Medium #3, it was just right when I brushed it on. It glides on smoothly (didn't clump) and has a nice, brownish-bronze sheen, perfect for summer. It's a pretty shade, not orange at all. And I liked the fact that it combined bronzer and foundation in one - how great is that?

The Simple Radiance Foundation in French Toast has a good amount of yellow. I didn't bother doing a full face, because it was already a great match when I swiped the brush in one stroke along my chin. It looks to be a better match than the Medium #3.

I was lucky I picked the right shades. Overall, I'm satisfied and will purchase again.

Ellana haul #2

I love Ellana so much that I got myself a second haul: Patience (a soft, light brown blush), Smile (a concealer), Harmony (a golden bronzer), a backup Hazelnut Latte foundation, and a backup Espresso Con Panna finishing powder.

Skinfood: Rice Concealer

The first item I decided to try from yesterday's Skinfood haul was the Rice Concealer.

The SA convinced me to buy it when she said it was good for dark undereye circles, which is a problem I have. The doefoot applicator made it easy to apply, using it to dot tiny amounts under the eye and to cover two small dark spots on my chin.

The spots virtually disappeared. As for the undereye circles, at first I was concerned that it was too light, making me look like a reverse raccoon, but in a while it settled wonderfully and blended into my natural color. And the staying power is remarkable. I applied it in the morning, and when I came home at around 8:30pm, it was still in place. It didn't crease, cake, or melt. But because of that staying power, I had to remove it with an eye makeup remover instead of just simply washing it off.

I would recommend this for times when you'll be out the whole day and won't be back 'til late, because it doesn't budge and lasts so long.