Makeup Review: The Face Shop Face it Aura Color Control Cream (CC Cream)

Long time, everybody! I just went to Seoul for a great great holiday and have hauled back loads of skincare and makeup items with a similarly huge amount of samplers...Oh my...Seoul is such a girls' place!

By CC, it means color correcting or color control. It usually comes in a lighter texture than BB cream since it can't always substitute your foundation. But for people like me who only go for a little perk-up, I suppose CC cream is good enough to replace my BB cream and foundation. 

According to the official info, this Face it Aura CC Cream by The Face Shop offers anti-wrinkle, moisturizing and whitening properties with SPF30/PA++. 

I love this CC cream (02-Natural Beige) for its sheer second-skin finish and its color correcting effect. Many BB creams I've tried, whether it's Korean or French, tend to turn ashy or greyish on my skin. This CC cream brightens my complexion just to the right extent without turning ashy at all. That's exactly why they name it Aura! The texture reminds me of Diorskin Radiant Base - equally sheer, but better...despite the price difference. It blends beautifully with my natural complexion and puts it under a picture perfect spotlight. Because of the humid weather here, I finish up by dusting over some Chanel Vitalumiere Eclat (B20) with my fluffy Bobbi Brown Face Brush. Perfect for a no-makeup makeup. The best part of this CC cream is, it manages to stay put from 7ish in the morning to 11ish at night even under the 29-degree heat. I was surprised to see the natural glow and great complexion when I reached home after such a long day!

I will definitely purchase it in full size after using up these samplers! ;) 

Foundation Review: Giorgio Armani Designer Lift Smoothing Firming Foundation SPF20+++

Happy New Year!!! I know this greeting comes ridiculously late, but I have been struggling with several deadlines...Anyway, hope all our New Year's resolution(s) can be achieved this year!!! *cough*

To kickstart the new year, I tested out a firming foundation for the first time ever. I have never tried any firming foundation before and neither do I see any practical need to add one to my makeup kit...not yet, not yet...but I still did test out a sample sachet of Giorgio Armani Designer Lift Smoothing Firming Foundation in 04. How is it going to lift my face? Will it 'erase' my fine laugh lines? And the big question is, how different is it from the rest?

The fluid formula has a consistency that is slightly thicker than NARS Sheer Glow (see review HERE) and GA Lasting Silk UV, but definitely thinner than MAC Studio Fix Fluid (which I truly dislike despite its popularity). As a matter of fact, it doesn't play any magic, but it's still a pretty good foundation if you are not looking forward to a face lift. Like GA Lasting Silk UV, this one glided on effortlessly with a sheer natural finish and it survived (at least) 8 hours in wintry weather. It gave this blurring effect that 'smudge' your blemishes and fine lines without layering. The only thing is, I would expect the formula to be more moisturizing than it is since it targets mature skin. Even I have to layer moisturizer underneath. In this regard, I personally think Diorskin Forever (see review HERE) is a better option if you want a 'second-skin' foundation that is more skin-pampering.   

A Great Primer for Combo Skin: Shiseido Maquillage Sherbet Base

I should have reviewed this loooooong ago because I'd finished three bottles of it before I began falling for tinted primers and BB creams. It's a fun, refreshing, and pretty effective primer with a yummy name. If you are looking for a makeup primer that can control facial oil and keep your face feeling fresh the whole day, this one is for you.

I love the fluffy sherbet-like (or soufflé if you'd prefer) texture that melts into my skin instantly, leaving a smooth and mattified canvas for makeup. The minty scent and cooling sensation really perk me up too. The sale representative at Shiseido said it helps maintain the temperature of my skin under 25˚C, so the pores will be smaller and the skin less oily. Apparently, I didn't technically measure the temperature of my face, but all I know is that the gentle cooling sensation does last for quite a while. It did a pretty good job in oil-control and my makeup stayed pretty long. Although it was launched as part of Maquillage Summer Collection last year, I actually think the Sherbet Base is a brilliant makeup primer for combination skin all year round. I still use it from time to time when my skin (especially the T-zone) feels sticky and yucky.

Now that I'm obsessed with La Roche Posay Melt-In Cream (see review HERE) which gives me both SPF protection and light coverage, I sometimes wear the Sherbet Base underneath and finish with only MAC Blot Powder (see review HERE). The three items are pretty much enough to leave my face matt and even-toned for a no-makeup makeup look. With a bit of blush or bronzer, plus two swipes of Dior Addict in Nude (333) (see review HERE), I'm good to go!

As with all Shiseido products, I haven't experienced any allergic reactions or tingly sensations using it, not even over pimples. The only drawbacks are that it doesn't provide any SPF protection and it can't correct skin tone. But if these are not your concerns, you should really consider grabbing a bottle today!  

Great Complexion for A Great Day Off: La Roche Posay UVIDEA XL Melt-In Cream (SPF 50+++)

Can't be bothered to wear a full-on makeup, but still want something to perk up your complexion over weekends? MAC Skin Enhancer has been my fave (see review HERE), but it can't hide my dull complexion well enough under cool white light that beauty counters and some boutiques like to install. I hate it when the white spotlights reveal my blemishes and dullness like X-ray - what a holiday spoiler!!! La Roche Posay Melt-In Cream rescues me from my embarrassment and allows me to enjoy a foundation-free day off.

The Melt-In Cream is more tinted than it feels. So if you do your makeup in a room lit with warm lightings, you can easily get over-enthusiastic about layering it because of its sheer texture. As you can hopefully see from the picture, it really melts into your skin like you have just rubbed in some lightweight day moisturizer. La Roche Posay has actually launched a BB cream, but I personally find this more comfortable to wear. And for such a lightweight tinted cream, the coverage it offers is impressive. When I use it as a primer, I only have to sweep a bit of powder/compact foundation (at the moment, Christian Dior Diorskin Forever Compact - see review ) on the dull areas to make sure my complexion is brightened throughout the day. And yes, I did say a bit. At least for me, my face looked cakey on the few occasions that I didn't trust the Melt-in Cream enough! And in fact, using it alone can already give you an almost-porcelain complexion if your skin is already pretty good.

Partially rubbed in

Comparing to MAC Skin Enhancer, the Melt-In Cream is more hydrating and more spreadable. My makeup stays longer when I used it as a primer. It provides a broader spectrum of UV protection, good enough for a day of hangout. What's more, it's a godsend product for sensitive skin since it's fragrance-free, paraben-free, non-comedogenic, and hypoallergenic. And not to forget the great coverage that I mentioned...You can already tell that I'm ranking this higher than MAC Skin Enhancer. Honestly, it's really this great!

The Basics of Dior Beaute Fall 2011: Diorskin Forever Fluid Foundation Flawless Perfection Fusion Wear Makeup SPF 25+++

I said I will test out Diorskin Forever Fluid Foundation when the weather cools down and I finally did so. The liquid foundation is as brilliant as the compact (see review HERE). The Forever foundation twins is by far the most lasting foundation I have ever worn.  Like the compact, it melts into a natural radiant glow after some time as if my skin is just nicely moisturized. Besides, I can see how this skincare-makeup hybrid maintains my skin's water-oil balance. Also like the compact, this fluid foundation saves me the trouble of midday retouches. I only need to blot the excess oil once or twice a day...or rather, when I remember to do so, and my makeup look will stay put for the entire day. What impresses me is, it is very sweat-proof, leaving no patches after patting dry my face!

In terms of coverage, though lightweight, I personally think that the fluid version provides a higher coverage than the compact without layering. You can layer it up for even better coverage, of course, but one thin layer is good enough to give me porcelain-like skin. I absolutely adore this Forever twins, although if I were to choose, I still prefer the compact as it is literally weightless.

Thanks to Forever, I will no longer look like a zombie at the end of the evening!

Review of the New Hybrid: Dior Diorskin Forever Compact Flawless Perfection Fusion Wear Makeup SPF 25++

I'm given a sample set comprising of a radiant makeup base, a fluid foundation, and a compact foundation, all from the latest Fall/Winter 2011 collection of Dior Beaute. I have only tested out the compact foundation so far for several reasons that you may also like to consider when you are struggling with what to include in your beauty haul.

Firstly and honestly, I have been super lazy with my makeup lately as I'm rushing through the final stages of my research like a racing doggie. What's more, I personally find the UV protection offered by the makeup base (with SPF 20+) too low to withstand the invincible sunshine these days. And again, the horrible heat actually makes it easier for whatever you put on your face to clog your pores. The thought of wearing a primer, fluid foundation, and a powder finish seems to spurt up my body temperature! It's good to wear powder or compact foundation in sweltering weather as it is more likely to melt into a natural glowy finish that is not too sticky for your summer hangouts. Think I will save the makeup base and the fluid foundation for later when the weather gets cooler and more comfortable, hopefully toward the end of this month...Anywayz, so much of reasoning...

I am actually beginning to like Diorskin Forever Compact over my beloved Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk UV Compact (see reviews HERE and HERE), which I know I have been raving about. It comes in 6 shades and what I received is in Light Beige (020). I apply it with my Lily Lolo kabuki brush (buy HERE with free worldwide delivery) and it's perfect in terms of both the shade and finish. Like GA Lasting Silk, the shade blends perfectly with my natural complexion, and the texture is so sheer that it really gives the second-skin effect that it vouches. It's almost indistinguishable whether I'm wearing any makeup and I just look brightened! 

But what Diorskin Forever really outshines GA Lasting Silk are its coverage and its amazingly lasting quality. Although sheer, it provides a noticeably better coverage than GA Lasting Silk. If the latter gives me an even-toned, no-makeup complexion, Diorskin Forever gives me an even-toned, no-makeup-but-better complexion. A porcelain yet natural-looking finish. The best part is, the skincare serum infiltrated in the compact foundation seems to be really effective in maintaining the water-oil balance of my skin. Great for combination skin. It manages to stay put for 9 hours (that's the longest I have tried...may last even longer...) with only occasional oil-blotting around the T-zone. No patches, no streaks, no sliding - Hurray! 

It's truly a brilliant hybrid of makeup and skincare. It feels nothing, but looks perfect. I will definitely purchase the compact after finishing this generous sample palette. Oh for your information, the compact is quite pigmented. All I need is a few light strokes over my face and this little will go a long long long way. Over here, it's sold at HKD 440 (USD 56.50) and it's worth every penny.