Makeup Review: Chanel Mat Lumiere Extreme vs. Le Blanc Light Creator Whitening Compact Foundation SPF25/PA+++

I recently came across a comic strip from my friend's Whatsapp which illustrated how girls, or female in general, tend to spend loads of time to make sure we've packed into our luggages every little thing that's possibly needed in a trip. Although I do have girlfriends who are experts in packing up for their business trips within 30 minutes...What?!...and others who will only bother to literally chuck things into their luggages, I myself tend to fall into the stereotypical I-bring-everything category. I can remember how irritating it was when I forgot to bring my Clinique concealer (many years back) and the same item was not available in Melbourne at all...you know, not everything from the same brand fits your skin, especially when it comes to undereye concealer...But this years-long mentality of mine is recently proved invalid ;)

I was waiting for my flight to Ireland for a conference when flashback images of my Chanel Mat Lumiere Extreme (see previous review HERE) lying on my desk suddenly crossed my mind. I fished into my handbag. Not there. I dashed to the Chanel counter in Duty Free Shop, but my #20 Beige was sold out...Oh NO!!! I looked and looked and looked at the rest of the compacts. Should I get another Mat Lumiere Extreme or should I try something new? I ended up grabbing their Le Blanc Light Creator Whitening Compact Foundation, which was the only existing Chanel compact foundation that I hadn't tried. Ah-ha! The experience turned out to be a blessing in disguise! In fact, I like it more than Mat Extreme. 

What I have been very happy about Mat Lumiere Extreme are its oil control effect and lasting power which can pretty much stay put all day with a teeny bit of oil blotting. In this regard, the Le Blanc Light Creator Whitening Compact fares just as well, at least on my skin. Adding to the good things of Mat Lumiere Extreme is its slightly lighter shade (it's still in #20 Beige), which puts my skin under a natural-looking spotlight. Although Chanel didn't emphasize its hydrating effect, I do find this more hydrating than Mat Lumiere Extreme, and it smells way more pleasant as well. On a personal note, Mat Lumiere Extreme missed a mark when it comes to its fragrance, which smells too strong for me. As for the lasting power of this Le Blanc compact, like Mat Lumiere Extreme, it melts a bit after a few hours into a healthy glow. That said, I don't have to worry about how I look even in our hot and humid summer days and on days that I've to wear my makeup from morning till 11ish at night. In terms of coverage, the compact is very buildable. It can conceal the redness of my hormonal acne and some mild blemishes brilliantly. 

Weather conditions, and therefore skin conditions, vary a lot in different countries and regions. If I were to carry along a foolproof foundation in my travel handbag, this will absolutely be the one before anything new and better appears in my beauty junkie life. ;)  

Makeup Review: Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder

                                         

It's my first time using something from Make Up For Ever and the purchase is deemed absolutely value-added. With a price range similar to that of Bobbi Brown, this HD Microfinish Powder, as well as the HD Blush and Lift Concealer I purchased, are simply brilliant!!! I will write another review to go through what I currently use to conceal my rather dehydrated dark circles in replacement of the Dior Sculpt concealer (see previous review HERE) that I'd been using for years. Let's look at the HD Powder first.

This powder is literally the best I've ever used. For your information, I tried Shu Uemura, Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier, Shiseido, Clinique...Hmm, think that's all...At least for my skin, it is invincible for its lasting power and natural finish, which also makes it like the perfect powder to finish my under eye concealing work. Because it's so finely-milled, it won't settle into creases and fine lines even after 10 hours...unlike the ones I tried. The finer-than-dust texture...dust? Uh you get what I mean...doesn't give me the extra unwanted layer of color over my BB cream or liquid foundation, leaving my skin so much more supple and natural-looking. Mr. HCL actually thought I finally hung out without wearing any makeup, haha! 

The packaging is noteworthy as well. Gone are the days when you have to turn the case upside down to get the powder out and end up with a mess. The lid is specially designed with the centre converging downward, which fits perfectly to cover the meshwork, so it doesn't matter how you store or carry the box of loose powder in your bag now! The concave surface where you pick up the loose powder allows you to just swirl your brush swiftly in a circular motion to pick up the right amount of powder while leaving the case clean. 

Pros:

- Super sheer and natural finish

- Doesn't sit into creases and fine lines

- Can last over 10 hours on combo skin

- Smart packaging

Cons: Haven't observed any yet!

My verdict? I highly recommend this HD Powder, particularly to those of you who love wearing no-makeup makeup. ;)

  

Indulgence in Korean cosmetics: Innisfree Air Skin Fit BB Cream vs.Face Shop Face it Aura CC Cream

Oh my goodness! I have been in this almost-fatal addiction over Korean beauty products since my trip to Seoul in April. Somehow I just can't stop doing online and physical search of products from the popular names like Innisfree, Banila, The Face Shop and Nature Republic. I even have this deadly tendency to browse through online shops to reward myself for reading or writing a few paragraphs...And yes, I have new items to try out practically every single week...that's not good!...Oh dear...what a s***ty researcher I have become...!!!

One of the beloved items in my haul lately is this Innisfree Air Skin Fit BB Cream (#2 Natural Beige/Light Touch). Erm, I didn't purchase its full size with an empty head. It's really the samplers I got in Seoul that pushed me to buy it (I'm beginning to hate samplers - sinful marketing innovation!). If you have read my previous post, I also bought The Face Shop Aura CC Cream (see review HERE), which I loved. This adventure into Korean cosmetics is simply amazing. I seem to be discovering wonders after wonders as I try out the different products I bought. If I were to compare between the two, I will definitely give more ticks to this Innisfree BB Cream though the Face Shop CC Cream is really pretty good. 

Texture

As with all CC Cream, the Face Shop CC Cream does feel significantly sheerer. In fact, I was amazed by how little of it I need for the entire face if I want the finish to remain natural-looking. But for a BB Cream, Innisfree Air Skin Fit feels just as airy as it's named. It feels...nothing! And it's very buildable - great over blemishes.  What's more, I like its non-sticky, matte finish. I actually love how it looks before setting with powder (I'm using Chanel Mat Lumiere Extreme - see review HERE). If where you live is dry, I would highly recommend you do without any loose powder over it. 

Effects

What I like most about this Innisfree Air Skin Fit is that it gives my skin just the right amount of perk-up and it lasts the entire day! It brightens my complexion by like half a degree, in other words, fairer yet natural-looking. It blends beautifully into my skin, literally becoming my a second skin. I know it sounds a bit crappy, but I still have to say that the Innisfree Air Skin Fit gives a significantly better coverage compared with the Face Shop CC Cream. The best part is, even till the end of my working day (after dinner), my complexion is still appropriately brightened without a tinge of ashy or grayish tone. In fact, if I don't bother to touch up at all, which I usually do once or at most twice a day, it will just melt into my skin with a radiant glow. Perfect for concealing my haggardness...erm...

Packaging

The only thing is the packaging, or I don't know if I'm simply being too lucky to end up with a tube that's a bit leaky. Not that the BB cream really leaks out and stains my stuff, but there's always a bit around the opening when I remove the cap. So that said, I've never carried it out and I may double-wrap this particular tube if I really wanna travel with it. But this is really my one and only complaint about Innisfree Air Skin Fit BB Cream.

Pros

- Sheer texture

- Natural, matte finish

- Long-lasting

- Great for combination skin

- Doesn't turn ashy or grayish

- Brightening

- Highly buildable

- Gives a healthy radiant glow after long hours with the brightening effect intact

Cons

- Insecure packaging (at least for the one I got)