Product was sent for review purposes. All opinions are my own, always *casts doe patronus*
Hey everyone, I have another #ShopLocal inspired post for you all, especially those living in jolie Quebec.
L’Atelier Candide is an e-retailer that sells recognizable and popular eco-friendly Canadian brands – Green Beaver, Graydon, and Kaia Naturals being some of the more familiar ones to me.
They were kind enough to send over the Belle & Candide Bath Milk, which is their in-house natural beauty brand! I chose the scent Eucalyptus & Lime, but they have other delicious-sounding scents such as Lavender & Hibiscus and Sugar & Spices!
INFO
SCENT: Eucalyptus and Lime PRICE: $20 CAD AMOUNT: 330g / 11.06oz PACKAGING: Glass bottle with metal cap MADE IN: Montreal
A natural fragrance of eucalyptus essential oil for a spa day at home!
As temperatures drop and winter sets in, there’s nothing better than a warm and relaxing time at home. In addition to promoting relaxation and helping you let go of tension, our bath milks will leave your skin soft and hydrated.
Benefits of a milk bath:
Promotes relaxation and well-being
Moisturizes, softens and prevents skin from drying out
Gently exfoliates thanks to the lactic acid naturally present in milk.
Off the bat, not happy that baking soda is the first ingredient. Baking Soda is great in small amount in skincare to adjust the pH, but as the main ingredient and it’s natural pH is 8.3, it’s not super skin friendly. I was hoping that the Bath Milk being diluted in a tub of whatever would help, but alas, I can feel the squeaky clean feeling on my skin after a soak.
The other ingredients however, I like! Milk Powder always makes my skin feel very soft and soothed, paired with oats, it’s definitely a great combo! I just wish they were the more prominent ingredients in the mix.
EXPERIENCE
USAGE: 3 generous shakes spread in the bath tub. Initially the product is chunky and you’d want to just break it down with your fingers, otherwise it dissipates pretty easily.
MID-BATH: The scent is noticeable on initial pour but not overwhelming.
RESULT: My body has a nice light scent after the bath of Eucalyptus and Lime! I really like how it’s not artificial smelling and overpowering. However my skin feels “squeaky clean” in general, not in a good way. There’s a bit of residue left from what I think are the oats, but definitely not a tub ruiner.
FINAL THOUGHTS
For $20, the Belle & Candide Bath Milks are a nice treat, and I really like that I don’t have to use half the bottle to get a lovely, lingering scent on my skin.
Aside from that, I really hope the brand considers swapping out Baking Soda for something else that will help the skin retain some moisture better after a steamy hot bath.
I’m typically someone who strays away from drugstore foundation due to one or all of the following reasons:
Never finding my shade and/or undertone properly
Oxidization madness
Looking cakey
Not long-lasting
Breaks me out
However, times have changed, and there seems to be a way better selection of base products than when I was in highschool! I received Revlon’s new PhotoReady Candid Natural Finish Anti-Pollution Foundation and Antioxidant Concealer to try out and I decided to do a wear test and review them for you all!
In this post, I’ll be sharing a wear test I did during Fan Expo 2019 with the Foundation and Concealer, and add some thought after wearing them for almost one month daily!
CLAIMS
PHOTOREADY CANDID NATURAL FINISH ANTI-POLLUTION FOUNDATION
CLAIMS:
This skin-enhancing, natural-looking foundation delivers a flawless finish—all day long—as it hydrates
You get medium coverage that feels weightless and looks like your best skin!
Feels good with: anti-pollution, antioxidant, and anti-blue-light ingredients to protect your skin
PRICE: $10.99 USD / $15.99 CAD AMOUNT: 0.75 fl oz / 22ml SHADE: 220 Sand Beige – medium with neutral, subtle olive undertones
PHOTOREADY CANDID ANTIOXIDANT CONCEALER
CLAIMS:
This concealer with medium coverage camouflages dark circles and puff, with a jolt of caffeine to help wake up tired skin
It’s also excellent at disguising blemishes and other things you’d rather not see
Feels good with: a formula that includes a protective antioxidant, along with anti-pollution and anti-blue-light ingredients
Feels better without: oils, parabens, phthalates, synthetic dyes, or harsh fragrances—making it ideal for delicate undereye skin and a great concealer for sensitive skin!
Firstly, both foundation and concealer contain antioxidants; In short, antioxidants help scavenge free radicals that cause oxidation (damaging cells). Camellia Sinesis Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopherol / Tocopheryl Acetate are in both formulas, and the concealer contains Niacinamide down the list as well. There may also be Iron Oxides in the formula, which are used as pigment in makeup. Both antioxidants and Iron Oxides have shown to reduce the effects of visible light and help with pigmentation issues. Lab Muffin does a great job at explaining all of the research behind this in a digestible manner – be sure to check out her blog post and others as well! https://labmuffin.com/does-visible-light-cause-skin-damage-and-how-to-protect-against-it/
Surprisingly, Revlon is indeed backing up its claims of their foundation and concealer being anti-pollution, antioxidant, and anti-blue light. However I am wary that some of those ingredients may be in too low amounts to do anything – I’m looking at more of SAP and Niacinamide. I’m not sure how much is needed to have an antioxidant benefit, but for the additional benefits those provide such as brightening and helping with acne, I typically aim for minimum 5-10% in my skincare routine. It still doesn’t hurt to have them in the formula though!
WEAR TEST – FIRST IMPRESSIONS
PREP: On top of a moisturizing SPF – my colleague wears both these products on the daily so I thought I’d dry them together.
TOTAL WEAR TIME: 11.5 hours
PACKAGE:
Foundation: Tube with a pump.
Concealer: Tube with a large doe-foot applicator
USAGE:
Foundation: 1.5 pumps on face and neck . Normally I apply a small amount in sections, but I wanted to see what kind of coverage one pump would do.
Concealer: One light swipe to just cover breakouts.
APPLICATION:
Foundation:
Left side used fingers – results were streaky; Right side used brush – more seamless. Had to go in with a sponge to blend out the foundation because I used too much.
Concealer:
Applied on back of hand first, and used a small dense concealer brush to apply and blend around chin and one on my forehead.
FINISH:
Foundation:
Glowy / luminous; to some it looks luminous and glowy, others it can look borderline shiny
Skin looks like my skin, boyfriend and friend couldn’t tell I was wearing anything
Didn’t notice any significant skin-perfecting qualities other than evening out my skin tone and making it look healthy
Having said that, doesn’t exaggerate any texture on my skin
Concealer:
Matte finish
Did not use primer or setting powder, wore the foundation on its own with cream cheek products.
FLASH-FRIENDLY? Yes. if you don’t powder down the “glow” from the foundation, it can be amplified.
OXIDIZE? Surprisingly, it did not!
OIL-CONTROLLING? Hard to tell because the finish gives a natural sheen. I did blot 5 hours in because to me, a previous oily-skinned gal, it looked too much; My friend on the other hand, said it didn’t look oily unless I was in bad lighting, otherwise my skin looked great most of the day.
END OF DAY:
Face still looked fresh and healthy
Coverage was still there
Bit of cakiness and dryness around my breakout areas
Sheen still on my skin but it didn’t look very oily
OVERALL THOUGHTS
PROS:
Foundation:
Gives a “my skin but better” look despite no blurring quality
Looks great in photos, with or without flash
Matched my undertone perfectly
Lasts a work day / school day on its own without the help of primers and/or setting products
Does not oxidize; I was able to build up the coverage in certain areas of my face, and it did not oxidize in patches either
Still look fresh by the end of a long day
Concealer:
Matches skin tone
Does not oxidize
CONS:
Foundation:
Not a full ounce provided
Concealer:
Doesn’t last on the skin
Creates dry patches
IN-BETWEEN FEELS:
Foundation:
The finish depends on how you prep your skin. It’s not guaranteed to give you a super dewy or satin finish unless your base has that already going for it (hence why my face was so moisturized in the Wear Test).
Buildable coverage, up to medium coverage.
As much as I like the MSBB look, I still wish it had SOME skin blurring properties so I wouldn’t have to worry about my pores.
Concealer:
Concealer does not look cakey on skin if you just need to hide redness and use a very light amount. I think it caked up around my breakouts because of the active I used in my skincare routine (Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid).
Normal to Dry-skinned peeps: I think you’ll love it; Didn’t feel like it dried out my skin, and it does not emphasize dry patches I have around breakouts. Oily-skinned peeps: May be too glowy for you, even if your base prep is rather matte. I’d recommend trying their Colorstay Foundation – it used to be my go-to drugstore foundation when my skin was very oily!
My best face: Pore-filling primer, thin layers, setting powder (get the most compliments when I do my makeup like this). Here’s my face after ~10 hours of wear on a regular work day, no touch-ups:
Overall I am seriously impressed with Revlon Candid Foundation and Antioxidant Concealer! For a drugstore foundation, I really didn’t know what to expect with its performance, and it definitely surpassed my expectations. I get compliments at work whenever I use this foundation, and I’ve been told that I still look bright and fresh by the end of a work day! I also wore the foundation for 14+ hours for boyfriend’s birthday, and blotted before we went out to celebrate!
I haven’t done a hair specific post before, but I’d thought no better time then now since I bought a LOT of items to improve my scalp and hair.
I’ve tried every single product listed below, but will wait another month to give them proper reviews. All you have to know for now is I’ve been getting positive comments on how my hair has been looking! My friend says it visibly looks smoother, my mother even noticed it looks thicker and fuller, particular at the front, and I’ve noticed my hair feels super soft despite having bleached/dyed ends.
My hair: Long (underboob length). Dark brown that gets natural highlights in the summer, tips are dyed because I’ve been growing out my natural hair – haven’t dyed my hair since December 2017. Pretty much straight 24/7 – although when I get a haircut there is a slight wave. Would say mostly my hair is 1A. Low porosity. Not thick like typical Asian hair but still considered thick (if that makes sense).
My Scalp: Used to be super inflamed when I bleached for years, to the point where I developed a disgusting amount of dandruff. Now it is fairly balanced – no dandruff, but scalp gets itchy by the 2nd day after washing. Scalp can get quite oily. I tried “adjusting” to wash my hair only 1-2x a week for a year and it never adjusted (yes, even without using heat, using SLS and silicone-free shampoo / conditioners, dry shampoo).
CALIA NATURAL
Broken record intro, yes, I heard about this from Holistic Habits lol.
I actually contacted Calia Natural customer service because they actually have such a huge selection of products, catered to any hair type! After explaining to them my current scalp and hair situation, they recommended for me the Purifying line for dry hair, the Balancing line, and to do a conditioning mask every so often. I opted for the smallest sizes of their Purifying Shampoo, Balancing Conditioner, and Intensive Conditioner. I’ve used these a handful of times and holy moly, my hair feels AMAZING. I’m no stranger to SLS-free, silicone-free shampoos and such. I’ve actually been using them for years. I think the biggest standout about their products is that they are attentive to the pH of their products. Their shampoos are around pH 5.5 (like the scalp) and conditioners around pH 4.5 (like the hair shaft). I am VERY impressed with these products so far, and totally get the hype around them.
THE INNATE LIFE + HASK
This brand has also been mentioned by Holistic Habits, but it was actually OrganicallyAnna’s review that convinced me to give this the Innate Life a go. I purchased their small bundle which contains their Scalp Treatment for Problematic Scalp, Herbal Hair Mask and Rose Hair Elixir. I have had an irritated scalp for years, and have always bought serums to help. Not once however, did I ever intently massage my scalp, or did I ever use something so oil-based for it before! I tried coconut oil in the past and honestly w-t-f is the point if I need to do 2-4 shampoos to get it out!? So far though the Scalp Treatment has been fairly easy to wash out, and very enjoyable to use! I love the scent of the Herbal Hair Mask, but it performs kinda meh; I’ll have to try it in different ways to see how it performs best.
Usually for hair oils, silicone always performs the best for me, hence why I purchased an amazingly affordable one from Hask – their Monoi Nourishing Shine Oil. I love how a small amount goes a long way and makes my bleached, dyed ends feels soft. However, I am equally as impressed and more obsessed with the smell from the Innate Life’s Rose Hair Elixir. O-M-G, yes, you smell like roses for majority of the day if you use this in your hair. Both hair oils have great scents actually, not super strong, quite subtle, but I prefer the natural scent from the Rose Hair Elixir.
BEACH COSMETICS
After giving spot-on recommendations, I trusted OrganicallyAnna with another one of her favourites, Beach Cosmetics Mellow Out Leave-In Conditioning Detangler. After having horrid results from using Carina Organics Sweet Pea Leave-In Conditioner, I steered clear from leave-in conditioners for a while. I tried a sample-size of the Briogeo one and actually seemed decent, but I opted to support a more local brand made by a Canadian actress! I’ve used this detangler the least amount of times compared to the other products, but I still enjoyed using it the couple of times I did! It’s a lovely fine spray, leaves my hair actually detangled, feeling soft, and smelling like a cookie! It’s a bit too faux-fragranced for my liking, yet I can’t stop smelling my hair and feeling delicious. Either way while it’s in my hair it’s not overpowering and I don’t smell it unless I willingly sniff my hair (admittedly more often than usual). I may consider the Briogeo one in the future but for now I’m happy with the one I just got!
TEK BRUSHES + KITSCH
The only tools / accessories purchased in this haul! I feel like almost every channel I watched, TEK Brushes were ALWAYS mentioned! And on top of that, I haven’t found a brush that looks quite like it (well, I did, but the quality was poo-poo). I caved and bought TEK’s Oval Brush, which I have been loving! Basically a wooden brush is supposed to help massaging your scalp, help distribute your natural oils throughout your hair strands, and not cause a lot of breakage to your hair when brushing. So far the head massages have been nice and gentle, and I can’t really tell if the “oil distribution” part is doing much. Either way this brush definitely performs and is great quality! As for the Kitsch Microfiber Hair Towel Wrap – I like how microfiber absorbs a lot of water from my hair, for this has helped reduce the amount of heat I use significantly! I already had a microfiber cloth, but Kitsch offered a turban towel so I had to get it. I’m happy to report that it fits all my hair easily!
Honourable Mention: Revlon One-Step Dryer and Volumizer. Check out my Instagram post on it if you want to know more about why I love this tool!
And that’s that for the haul! I’m going to attempt to explain my haircare routine in the future, and I’ll be reviewing some of the products at a later date (I’m thinking July, since some of these products are made by Canadians!).
2018 flew by so freaking fast! It’s been a personal journey for me, but let’s reflect on the interesting stuff: MAKEUP! Below are the ones that hit me in the feels when I use it (I mean that in the best of ways). I understand the product, I look forward to using them, and I trust them.
It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream (Medium) – One of the best Western CC Creams that I have tried to date. Provides great coverage, literally makes it look like my skin but better, lasts a long time. It’s no surprise that it’s one I favour, for it’s made in Korea, the place where BB Creams became heavily popularized! I do sometimees notice my face looking paler than usual when using this, but it’s in the off lighting that you’ll barely catch me under xP
MAC Cosmetics Studio Face & Body Foundation (C2) – A great reach for when you literally want just a tint. The base is on the glowier side, so I find this more suitable for the winter time when my skin is more susceptible to looking lack-luster. I also found the coverage of this tint buildable compared to other ones I’ve tried.
Left to right: It Cosmetics, MUFE, Pixi, MAC
Left to right: It Cosmetics, MUFE, Pixi, MAC
MUFE Matte Velvet Skin Full Coverage Foundation (Y305 Soft Beige)– She is found – a natural looking, buildable, matte-satin foundation for DRY skin. Here’s the catch – the matte look doesn’t last that long, but it wears the way I want it to for a night out, which is when I tend to reach for this. I’ve worn it for a whole day and it will get quite dewy, but heck, the finish is there when it matters most and it’s been a while since I’ve been so comfortable wearing a foundation. Since it is buildable, I can also use this to spot conceal as well. It’s not 100% non-transferrable, but definitely better than when I used to use Too Faced Born This Way Foundation!
Pixi Beauty H2O Skin Tint (No. 3 Warm) – One of the better drugstore complexion finds I have found to date. It’s not orange, it’s an actual undertone. It always gives me a lovely satin finish, with a slight blurring effect.
Pixi Beauty Makeup Fixing Mist – At first the heavy fragrance in this turned me off, but it’s so damn good that I put up with it. Before makeup, it gives my skin a great healthy glow without looking oily, and really diffuses the texture I’m concerned with on my forehead. After makeup, gets rid of the dry, powdery look if I did overpowder.
I encourage you to check out my previous posts if any categories are missing. Like I said, I only include the ones that really hit me in thefeels the year I discovered it!
Anastasia Beverley Hills Soft Glam Palette– Hands down most used palette this year. I was really fond of using Orange Soda, Burnt Orange, and Sienna this year, all year long. Lately I’ve been loving a brown smokey eye!
CHEEK
Clinique Cheek Pop (Melon Pop) – So glad to have given cheek pops a try, and I was lucky enough to first pick out my favourite daily blush! I’ve watched Korean MUAs use them for its water-colour type finish. And they were right! It adds a beautiful hue to the cheeks and lasts.
Winky Lux Strobe Balm (Lit) – I actually like this better than RMS Beauty’s Living Luminizer! While that one is natural, the WL one is thinner, hence easier for me to use on top of any base. It’s also more dimensional and I find it works as a nice base for other highlighters.
LIPS
Bubz Beauty Liquid Lipstick (Girl Next Door) – The best neutral pink lip product I have come across. I can make it work with a warm and cool look, and it doesn’t make my lips look pasty or buttholey.
Left to right: Shu Uemura “S RD 150”, Bubz “Girl Next Door”
Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Sheer Shine Liptisck (S RD 150) – The perfect hot pink colour! Love that it leans warm, and you can wear it sheer or really build the colour. It really moisturizes my lips and I never have problems wearing it for the whole day. I’ve been searching for this colour for so long!
And there you have it, my makeup faves from 2018!! If I didn’t mention a product in a specific category, check out my previous “Best of” posts, I’m most likely still using the same stuff! In the selfie above, I used all products I mentioned (except 3/4 foundations… Cause you know, I only have so much face). List of products used are already captioned in my Instagram post.
Hope you have had an amazing 2018, and 2019 has been treating you well so far! Stay tuned for the Best of Skincare!
*clap clap clap* I have somehow managed to do a roundup for every month this year, and use up a ton of products along the way! Here are my favourites and empties for December, and stay tuned for the Beauty of Beauty posts!
Favourites
Skincare
Cerave Baby Healing Ointment – The regular one isn’t available in Canada, but I swear these have similar ingredients! This is my current go-to occlusive for around my eyes, smile area and any dry spots (let’s be real – my entire face). It has 45% petroleum, mineral oil, as well as *drumroll* CERAMIDES! You guessed it lol. Basically this is less greasy to use compared to straight up Vaseline (although still greasy) and is easier to thin out or mix with my moisturizer.
Tools
Sephora Pro-Diffuser Brush #64 – Another solid recommendation from my friend. This brush is the best complexion brush I have ever used. MAC Face and Body, MUFE Matte Velvet, cream blush. powder blush, general blending… Bless this brush, for it does everything!
Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Tea Tree Scalp Treatment – Love it more than the Phytopolleine I had prior. It worked fairly quickly at balancing my scalp, and I actually found I didn’t have a need for it until I *unbalanced* it with other hair products I’ve been trying. Will probably repurchase this.
Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum * – After much reflection on all the Vitamin C serums I have tried this year, I have concluded that this was the best one. Mainly because it benefitted my skin in a variety of ways, and the one major con is the price. REVIEW: Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel * – Holy cow, this took so long to finish, I actually used it in the morning as well. I got this back in October 2017 And pretty much used it every night since (aside from testing other stuff). A little went a long way and despite the price you really do get the full value of this cleanser!
Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Cream – This moisturizer will always have a special place in my heart. The only moisturizer I could rely on when my skin was Going from oily to dry while still breaking out from getting off of BC.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, 60+ EMPTIES LATER.
TOTAL EMPTIES
January – 4
February – 4
March – 6
April – 5
May – 4
June – 5
July – 3
August – 7
September – 10
October & November – 7
December – 7
62 MO’FREAKIN’ PRODUCTS! I know my bf helped me with some, but majority of them were on my own damn face! Keep in mind I didn’t purchase all these products, some were gifts and PR.
For 2019, I’m really going to try being more diligent at using up products I have before purchasing another one. I thought I was doing pretty good, but receiving PR that I care to use after review makes it difficult.
Hope you enjoyed my Roundup series! This year I may just do current favourites and empties based on the season so the video is more focused on a topic. Stay tuned for my Best of Beauty 2018 posts, they are almost done!
My interest of Dermalogica’s esspenssive Biolumin-C Serum peaked when I first tried it when I had a Dermalogica’s ProSkin30 Facial. I achieved the results below from cleansing, clay mask, toner, Biolumin-C, and a mositurizer with SPF.
Gloals
My face felt very calm and comfortable for the rest of the day and I was stunned myself to see the before and after. Mind you, I was out dehydrating myself for my friend’s birthday the night before 😛
Before the ProSkin30 Facial began, I mentioned in my consultation that I was acne prone, normal to dry skin, concerned with hyperpigmentation from acne as well as preventative aging. One of the products the esthetician recommended to me was the Dermalogica Biolumin-C serum. Check out my Instagram multi-post where I took photos of my experience!
Dermalogica was kind enough to send me the Biolumin-C Serum as a gift, and I decided to give it a 2-week run to see if I would notice any noticeable benefits from it. If you’re interested in learning a bit about what it’s done for my acne prone, normal-dry skin, then keep on reading!
Product was sent as a gift, it was not sent for review purposes. This post contains affiliate links. If you use the link to make a purchase, I will earn a small commission. Thank you if you decide to use them! If you feel uncomfortable, feel free to google a new link.
BIOLUMIN-C
“A high-performance Vitamin C serum that works with skin’s own defenses to brighten and firm. Advanced bio-technology fuses ultra-stable Vitamin C and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, helping to dramatically reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Formulated with advanced technology to deliver more Vitamin C into skin. This superior formula outperforms other Vitamin C products (including those formulated at higher concentrations). Other key ingredients include Vitamin C Complex for brighter, firmer, more radiant skin, Lactic Acid to accelerate cell turnover,Sophora Japonica Flower Extract to help return skin to a calm state after experiencing oxidative stress, and Salvia Hispanica (Chia Seed) Oil to hydrate and help quench free radicals.“
Price: $118 CAD Size: 1oz
Gluten-Free
Vegan
No Artifical Fragrances and Colours
Paraben-Free
Cruelty-Free
I haven’t been able to successfully find much online about Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phophsate or Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate, not even parroted information from other bloggers. Here are 2 links I found, feel free to share with me more info!
Despite the lack of online information to us mere consumers, I’ve been informed by a Dermalogica esthetician that the bioavailability score of Biolumin-C is 21, compared to leading competitors with L-Ascorbic Acid rating at 7 and 9. In layman’s terms, it penetrates the skin better than the unknown competitors.
USAGE
First Week: Used in the morning only, used AHA toner every night with OTC Differin. Second Week: Used morning and night, no BHA or AHA, with OTC Differin.
Fragrance: Light citrus scent. Possibly the Grapefruit Peel Oil in it. It is not strong at all and you only notice it for a second.
Texture: A runny type of serum but definitely on the more viscous side.
Application: I use almost half a dropper, placing on my forehead, cheeks, chin and neck. I make sure to massage the product all around my face and neck, and only the undereye area. I then tap the product in until it starts to feel tacky.
Long-Term Results (2 weeks): Spot on face (with Differin) faded. Spot on neck (without Differin) faded.
Differin only used on face
Without Differin
FINAL THOUGHTS
I like it, but I’m confused. Is lactic acid doing majority of the work? It also helps smooth skin, make it brighter, and contribute to anti-aging skincare. Is it helping the Vitamin C derivative penetrate better? Although it might be highly stable, does it just sit on top of the skin? Also, for the price, it’s asking too much of me to apply half a dropper day and night!
Despite my confusion, the product is showing results. Every Dermalogica product I have used has bettered my skin, so I am open to it being an efficacious Vitamin C derivative. They like using ingredients with endless studies proving its benefits, but also try to create innovative products using phytobotanical ingredients. Their description of Biolumin-C alone states that they formulated the serum to help the Vitamin C become more bioavailable, but unfortunately I’m not a chemist and wouldn’t know how they began to do that.
Despite my skepticism, I overall am enjoying the Biolumin-C Serum. Face feels and looks smoother, brighter, feels moisturized, works with OTC Differin, and is able to heal spots on its own (the neck spot). I feel like it cut down some steps in my skincare routine; I can pretty much use just do Cleanser, Toner, Biolumin-C, Moisturizer, SPF and call it a day (until my nighttime routine, obvs).
If you’re interested in learning more about it, Dermalogica actually talked about it on their podcast called Living Skin. Check it out here!
Do I recommend? I would recommend if this would be your skincare routine’s star player in a fairly minimal routine, and you purchase during the Sephora VIB Sale lol. Specific Skin-Type? I think all skin types would like this. Half a dropper may be too much for oily-skinned peeps though!
If you follow the Korean beauty scene, the latest skincare advice is to use vitamin C and vitamin E products together in your skincare routine. They have been talked about as a power couple and it is highly recommended to combine the two to really maximize both their skincare benefits.
The Benefits of Vitamin C and E Together
Boosting vitamin C effects on your skin
Protecting skin from sun damage
Neutralize any free radicals that occur after sun exposure
Help synthesize collagen
Maintain the cross-links between the collagen fibers
The Controversy Combining Niacinamide with Vitamin C
If you noticed on the Vitamin E Mask, niacinamide is one of the key ingredients. Some beauty companies advise consumers not to pair any niacinamide to vitamin C products; both combined will neutralize the other, rendering both ingredients ineffective in your skincare routine.
The only time I have heard otherwise:
Charlotte Cho from Soko Glam state that Niacinamide actually helps stabilize vitamin C and they’re very safe to use together
Paula Begoun explaining that old studies on their incompatibility were due to using unstable formulas, and today’s studies show the formulations they test with today are stable
Wishtrend conflicted itself; they had a youtube video saying to not combine the two ingredients together, yet on their Vitamin E Mask page, it describes how Niacinamide helps stabilize vitamin C and its own benefits are enhanced when combined
I’ve been using these 2 products as part of my night time skincare routine for a few months now, and I feel comfortable enough to finalize my thoughts on these products and how they work together.
To piece this review nicely, I’m going to start by individually reviewing the products and finalize my thoughts by how they perform together at the end. Also, because I’m reviewing two products, I didn’t include the section on claims and ingredients list, but I left links down below for you to check it out yourself. Read More »
Below are 5 products I’ve been using a lot and liking in January, as well as products I managed to finish during the month! I decided to start a post series called “Roundup” so I not only talk about recent favourites, but to encourage myself (and hopefully you) to use up your current products! As a beauty junkie, it’s easy to collect and not use. I’m trying to change this habit and stop holding onto products that I know I can just buy again.
StyleKorean sent me the Cosrx Clear Fit Blemish Cushion (shade #23 natural beige) to try out back in September. Despite posting a selfie with the product, I didn’t publish a review at the time because I couldn’t get over it not being my skin colour. I ended up wearing other products to match me so I put this cushion on hold until it was the middle of winter (which it is now) when I have a better chance at matching the product. I love Cosrx, they’re a very affordable and effective Korean cosmetics brand that really cater to us needy acne-prone skin peeps. So I was really happy to get a chance to review Cosrx’s first makeup product and share my thoughts with you now!
This post is unsponsored.
Product was sent for review purposes.
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All thoughts are my own, always. *casts doe patronus*
Description
“The cushion that not only covers acne prone skin but also calms and soothes
1. Contains trouble care and soothing essences to treat sensitive skin all the while providing excellent coverage
2. Provides perfect coverage to leave your skin looking flawless
3. Trouble & Acne Scarring Coverage + Calming + Care
4. Specialized for sensitive, acne-prone skin
Suggested Use:
Pat lightly over your skin using the enclosed puff
I really like the packaging. Soft square outline, sleek, and with a nice big mirror! If anything, the packaging does show off your finger prints rather quickly, but that’s only a concern for those that need to take photos of the product (like myself).
The puff is pretty standard. The website says the part for the fingers is a little bigger than a usual puff. I personally like puffs, for they’re so effective at applying any complexion product evenly and doesn’t soak any of it up. Using a puff is also how you should ALWAYS apply cushion foundation by the way.
Now onto the 15g/0.52oz of product. This is a very standard amount in cushion foundations, but it does automatically give an “aww” feeling to those of us that know that a regular foundation is just over double that! Higher brands like Laneige offer a refill, so it’s a bit disappointing purchasing this wont. However I’ll touch on the amount in a bit as we continue on.
Testing the Product
Application
For the love of Lee Min-Ho, do not press too hard into the compact. I did this the first time I used it and not only ended up with a full af coverage and cake face, I had a ton of product leftover on the puff that I could not put back into the compact! Light, minimal presses is key to making this cushion look REALLY good.
Coverage
(Lighting is altering colour of product. It doesn’t make my skin look darker by any means, it actually makes me look paler. This is one light layer applied)
Coverage is surprisingly and pleasantly natural. By that I mean, you can definitely get medium to full coverage, and it won’t look like you’re wearing product. Every time I used this cushion and asked my boyfriend or friends how my makeup looks, they could never tell I was wearing foundation.
Finish
The website again says matte, but I can’t agree. It’s satin finish at best. And I find saying matte will mislead the oily ones to think that this will be matte for a while. No no. You will get to dewville very fast while wearing this product! Although the product covers well even as it becomes dewy, this doesn’t help out my pores. At first it looks like it blurs them nicely but as the day goes on that look doesn’t last. It’s not like they look that awful, but it doesn’t look any better than what they originally look like. This also emphasizes dry patches off the bat. It’s particularly noticeable between my eyes!
Colour
23# natural beige is a very close match to the palest I can get, and this winter got me looking quite pale! When I originally tried this product I was definitely a medium skin tone, so the contrast of my face and everything else was too great. Hence, why it took so long for me to review this product! I wasn’t happy with the colour and I felt it unfair to judge that part of it because it was clear that it couldn’t blend into my skin properly. Now that I fall in the range of light in foundation shades, this colour matches my face spot on! I’m happy to see no funky kinda undertone *cough GREY* and it doesn’t make my skin look too white that there’s still significant contrast to my body.
Wear
Without powder or setting spray, and not doing many daily things, this will last a solid 8 hours on your face. That’s like a school/work day so it is a pass for me in longevity. Once it decides to actually fade, you can’t really tell on places where there is one layer of product. I put an extra layer on my chin (most problematic area), and I could tell by the end of the wear test that I had extra product in that area. I felt like I had a foundation goatee!
Extra Notes
Application for dry skin slightly problematic:
will cling to dry patches
reapplication will emphasize it more
using a setting powder will REALLY emphasize dryness
Oily skin problems / dewy problems:
This cushion becomes super dewy, you will be doing check-ups quite frequently.
It may fade faster, since it faded on my dry skin in time.
It doesn’t emphasize texture. It may emphasize the big bumps on your skin if you have, in which case, I would really precisely set certain areas to make sure that isn’t the case.
Between humid to dry weather, it’ll last longer in drier weather. It doesn’t look like you’re melting in humid weather, but if you’ll be outside all day, expect to touch-frequently.
Overall Opinion
Despite the 15g of product, a little goes a long way with application to get good coverage. I’m also this shade for a certain period of time until I fall into the light-medium/medium range again, so it’ll last me the time I need it. Also, I personally pay $40-$60 CAD for foundation in general, so the price isn’t too awful for me.
I feel like the skincare ingredients actually worked. Any redness I have before applying the cushion is gone by the time I do my skincare routine. It doesn’t make a huge difference on my pimples, but it’s always a plus when a complexion product doesn’t contribute to clogged pores or exacerbating the problems of your current acne!
It still looks natural despite the medium to full coverage. I’m always aiming to look as natural as possible when applying makeup, so I feel like for anyone who has more acne than I do will be really happy with that!
Overall, the Cosrx Clear Fit Blemish Cushion is like a Monet:from far away it looks okay, but up close, it’s just a huge mess (please get my Clueless reference).
By this description I mean, it looks really good at a distance; makeup doesn’t look melted, I have a nice natural dew going on, and my skin still looks like my skin despite the medium to full coverage.
However, up close is where all the issues I have with this cushion. It really emphasizes my dry patches. As the day progresses, and my T-zone naturally gets oily, the product just remained in my pore area and everywhere else it disappeared. Also, when I layered the product on my chin, my most red and problematic area, it looked like I had a foundation beard at the end of the day and you could tell that you’re using something to cover up.
Despite the natural medium to full coverage, good colour match and undertone, and not aggravating my pimples, I can’t bring myself to want to buy this. The knitty gritty of how the cushion foundation looks bothers me too much. Part of me thinks it’s just not good for my age, because my skin seems to show more problems if I wear something with heavier coverage. If you’re younger than me (I’m 27 as I write this), this most likely will look better on you.
It’s quite a bit of a summary, but I do hope this review helps you decide whether or not the Cosrx Clear Fit Blemish cushion is something you’d want to buy!
Where you can buy the Cosrx Clear Fit Blemish Cushion:
Another year, another round up of beauty products I have loved for 2017! And by love I mean… When I think about these products, it gives me the glo on the inside. I’ve actually discovered so many products in 2017, the skincare round up is a different post all-together! I don’t think it’s possible for me to live minimally. So much to try, not enough faces!
