Review: Benefit Cosmetics Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer vs. Revlon PhotoReady Color Correcting Primer

Hello magnifique readers!

Just thought I'd squeeze in one post before I fly off to New York! I am still super determined to do my July beauty haul post so I'll make sure to get that done the weekend I get back to Columbus. But for today, I would like to bring you a primer showdown! Well, to be quite honest, it can't really be a showdown because one product clearly stands out over the other.

I originally just wanted to review the new Benefit Cosmetics Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer, but I decided that hey, since I'm doing a primer review already, I might as well just share with you lovely people how I feel about the previous (also the first) primer I had as well.

When the Benefit Cosmetics Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer was first released and many people in the beauty sphere were raving about it, I was intrigued but hesitant. The first reason being I have always been hesitant about trying anything by Benefit. Same goes to brands like Nars and MAC. I do own quite a number of MAC cosmetics, but it's a brand I always approach with apprehension. I've heard people talking about certain Benefit cosmetics having favourable scents to it and I was afraid of how my sensitive skin would react to it. The packaging for the Benefit cosmetics adds to the whole fear factor as well. Anything pretty and cutesy is likely to have ingredients that would aggravate my skin, in my opinion!

Sucks not being able to buy make-up or skincare products because I find the packaging interesting, doesn't it? ):

Another reason why I didn't purchase the Benefit Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer right away was because the one and only primer that I ever used never worked for me. I saw no difference in my make-up or just the product itself alone on my skin. And I know this is a problem many people encounter with primers. But I am extremely glad that I gave in to peer pressure (as some people may call it) and just got the Benefit primer anyway.

Now, I can't even do my make-up without first gliding the primer all over my face! And that's how the product works. You glide it over fresh, clean face without rubbing it in. Then, you just apply your foundation and just blend your foundation in with your fingers or your brush, whichever you prefer.

Personally, I've found that blending those two products with my fingers help maximise the primer's full potential. And although I've always likened my Real Techniques Stippling Brush to my fingers whereby they really do blend products into my face really well, I must say there is nothing that can compare to the warmth of one's fingers! LOL.

I also realized that my make-up does last longer than it would without me first applying a primer. It doesn't have a significant mattifying effect to it, which I am thankful for, but after a long day I can really tell the difference because my skin doesn't look AS greasy as it'd be usually. And since it is pretty humid this summer, that's always a good sign!

The only qualm I have about this product is that I might need to start purchasing a new one soon because it does seem like it's going down a bit faster than I thought it would. Only time will tell, though. I'll update you guys about that, fo'sho.

As for the Revlon PhotoReady Color Correcting Primer, I first got it because I wanted to give primers a try and see whether they really did wonders for your make-up. It was, sadly, very disappointing. I trusted Revlon because it is the only drugstore make-up brand that I would trust with my face, and I've heard so many good things about this primer as well.

However, it didn't seem to live up to its name. At least, it didn't for me. My skin tone is pretty uneven and I have redness on certain parts of my skin. The primer did nothing to correct it. It felt like I was just applying something to my face that did nothing for it. Mixing it in with my foundation, I did not see any difference from when I didn't have the primer on and when I did. Needless to say, after that I gave up on primers in general until I came across the Benefit Cosmetics Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer...

All in all, I would say, the Benefit Cosmetics Stay Flawless 15-Hour Primer is a must-try! It retails for $32, which is about three times the price of the Revlon PhotoReady Color Correcting Primer, but I love it! It's a staple now in my make-up routine.

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I've been thinking for a while now of doing videos because there are a lot of things that I feel would be better expressed through videos, especially when it comes to product demonstration. I also know a lot of people don't like reading as much anymore and even just a post like this may be too tedious for them. However, I do realize I don't have a large following for the need to actually make beauty videos. And I am not doing this to be popular, or to earn money. Starting this beauty blog has always been about sharing with the world what I'm passionate about and my experiences when it came to anything beauty. Writing is also very important to me and I intend to keep this blog for that. Video wise, I'm going to start vlogging during my trip to New York and see how I like it. If I do, I'll get a tripod and get this all started!

Until next time,
xx

Review: Simple Eye Make-Up Remover

I skipped out on hitting the gym today even when I had no legitimate excuse, so I have been PUSHING myself in my head for the last couple've hours to blog about what I've been wanting to blog about since a week ago. It's like a punishment, but not really since I love drafting up posts for this blog, but I can never get started! Does anyone else feel me?

I feel like this is my problem. I always know what's the right thing to do, what I should be doing, and the magnitude of things that I am capable of doing, but I can never get started. I can make to-do lists, download apps that will help me remind me things I have due, and repeat motivational quotes in my head, but the hardest thing for me to do is stop procrastinating and get started. And having an iPhone has only made it worse for me. I am pretty much such a sucker for the apps on my phone that I've become the kind of person I hate the most...you know, the kind of people who at any time feels mildly bored would whip up their phones and scroll through Instagram/Twitter/Facebook. I've been trying very hard not to do that when I am not at home, and so far it's working well. I like looking at things around me and being aware of my surroundings when I walk anyway. But when it comes down to needing to get stuff done, my phone is the first thing I turn to. It doesn't even matter whether there are things to see (time difference and stuff), I just keep refreshing my social feeds until I feel extremely disgusted with myself. But enough about my "problem", I am blogging now and I feel keep this momentum and transfer it unto my school work later!

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Two weeks ago, along with my drugstore beauty haul, I finally got an eye make-up remover that I thought would be PERFECT. Given the price point as well, I thought I snagged myself what could be the best eye make-up remover ever!

So, everyone knows Simple as the brand that does products for sensitive skin. I've been using their cleansing wipes for years and I've loved it simply because it was gentle enough for my skin but still cleansed it well, and it never gave me any problems. I've also used their cleansers before on one or two occasions but I never had any qualms about it.

That's why I thought this eye make-up remover would be perfect! And look, even on the outside of the bottle it says it is "kind to eyes"....what a load of crock. Seriously. I have never had an eye make-up remover that stung my eyes so bad, and I've been using your regular drugstore brands like L'Oreal, Maybelline, and even Malaysia's own SILKYGIRL. Those eye make-up removers never irritated my eyes and they work well enough to remove waterproof mascara too.

This remover I swear, felt like I was just using regular make-up remover for the face to take the eye make-up off. It was terrible! And I am just appalled, because imagine how much chemicals have to be in it for it to have stung so bad. Their claim is that they have no "harsh irritants" like perfume or dyes, and it is "safe for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers"...if only there was a drinking game for the number of times I rolled my eyes while reading those claims.

So, yes.
I am thoroughly disappointed with this eye make-up remover. Their cleansing wipes are still amazing though and I highly recommend them, but for the sake of the comfort for your eyes and the love you have for them, please don't purchase the eye make-up remover. If anyone has had good experiences with this particular eye make-up remover, let me know!

Until next time, my wonderlicious readers!
xx

Review: Nails Inc. Feathers Collection Swatches

Textured nail polish seem to have increasingly becoming a thing. Just five years ago, if I were to encounter a textured nail polish that wasn't glitter, I would have been very non-accepting to that idea, I think! Even back then, glitter nail polish was probably the most anyone would go. But with the rising world of nail polish addicts, NOTHING is impossible now.

I stumbled upon these nail polishes when the collection first came out on Sephora.com. Piqued my interest so I decided to give it a go! Feathers effect? How often do you see that?! I never bought into the  other fads that existed since the glitter nail polish. I was mehhh with the hologram and magnetic nail polishes and I hated the idea of the caviar nail polish because it just didn't seem right to me! But I mean, if you liked all those things, good for you. Everyone has their own taste and the different things that appeal to them, so it's great we're all so diverse, but those nail polishes just never appealed to me.

This feathers collection by Nails Inc. felt like it could stick around for a bit when I first saw it. I don't think it's something that will "catch on", but like glitter nail polishes, it can be a classic polish!

This color is in "Brighton". In the bottle, the color just looks absolutely beautiful! For the base coat, I used Maybelline Color Show in "Blue Freeze", which is a dark blue shade that looks a little purplish under sunlight. Love the mix of the colors for this "Brighton" shade, and I think it'll give you a different look if you were to apply it over a lighter shade as your base.

This is in "York". I thought this would be my second favourite out of the three I got, but when I was applying it, it felt like the brush was picking up more of the clear polish than the feathers itself. I ended up applying a few coats of the feathers, hence the thickness of the feathers as you can see in the pictures. That ended up ruining my base coat- Revlon in "Minted"- and the "little holes" formed in almost every nail, even though you can't really tell from here. Wasn't really satisfied with this one..

Unexpectedly, I love this one the most! Maybe it's because of the base coat I used- Essie in "Ballet Slippers". Applying this shade called "Cornwall" over my base coat ignited this love I never had for this almost pinkish-nude Essie nail polish. Love love love this one! And the staying power for this particular combo is pretty good. :D

The feathers polish were topped with a top coat after I waited some time for it to dry. It was recommended on the bottles themselves, and either way, I always apply my top coat when it comes to textured nail polish, since you don't want the coarse surface that's raw rubbing against your skin or anything...the top coat protects you AND your nails from chipping.

After doing the swatches for these nail polishes, I can proudly say that I am glad to finally be able to return to doing my own nail art! Applying these nail polishes for review purposes have made me feel like I'm a boring person with no creativity...even if I did get plenty of compliments on the way my nails looked. It looked like you put effort into it, but you yourself know that it was so easy. I think if you're the kind of person who doesn't like sitting around for your nail polish to dry, this is the nail polish for you! Granted, I did wait around because that's what I always do to ensure that the quality of my polish remains intact even after it's dried, i.e. no bubbles, smudges, weird holes. I would definitely keep these polishes to use them once in a while!

Also worth noting- LOOK AT THE PACKAGING OF THE BOTTLES. If you're a sucker for that kind of thing, these bottles will definitely rock your boat! Each pigeon is in different colors and they have these feather-imprinted designs on the cap.

There's also another nail polish from this same collection called "Edinburgh" which I didn't get because I didn't really fancy it. These nail polishes go for $9.50 per bottle on Sephora.com!

xx

Review: Caudalie Beauty Elixir

There is something about reading about beauty products that are promoted in a non-hard sell way that makes me want to try them even more. Especially when the products are listed on websites I absolutely love visiting.

This Caudalie Beauty Elixir boasts smoothing properties while providing you with a glowing complexion. As much as I would love to love this product, I don't. Maybe I just haven't been using this often enough (more on why I don't later) or maybe my skin isn't as bad as I think it is to be seeing a significant improvement on my complexion.

What prompted me to purchase this product in the first place was this Caudalie x wine article. This beauty elixir does not have any wine in it at all (although it does contain alcohol which can be pretty irritating) but the brief mention of this product got me all excited. I am so easily amused! On Sephora.com itself, they've even list all the bad stuff that this beauty elixir is formulated without:

- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petro-Chemicals
- Phthalates
- GMOs
- Triclosan

Just looking at this list made me feel like I would be providing my skin with so much goodness! The name "beauty elixir" does more good than harm in instilling ideas in your head as well.

According to the glass bottle, this beauty elixir (sounds so magical, doesn't it?!) is "inspired by the 'elixir of youth' used by Queen Isabelle of Hungary." ROYALTY, PLEASE. It "visibly smoothes features, tightens the appearance of pores and provides a burst of radiance to the complexion."

You spritz this onto your face before you apply your moisturizer or even at any time of the day to refresh your face or set your make up.

The first time I used this I thought I got it in my eyes, even though I DID close my eyes prior to spritzing this wonder liquid onto my skin. I found out later on that like many products filled with alcohol, just it being on your skin irritates your eyes. I'm sure most of you know what I'm talking about. It's when you apply certain products that you KNOW have intense levels of alcohol in them and they get near your eyes and even without direct contact they just make you feel uncomfortable. And that was how it was for me. I even started splashing tap water onto the areas surrounding my eyes but to no avail, I still felt the same way. And throughout the night, the smell of the beauty elixir (which I can only describe as overwhelming levels of alcohol with a tinge of fragrance) stayed with me.

I know this product is part-toner, part-serum but I am never a big fan of toners.
I use toners, especially after I've worn make up for the entire day and I want to make sure I get those pores extra cleansed and tightened after my using my Clarisonic, but the way it tingles on my skin makes me not want to use them everyday. 

This beauty elixir seems to encourage consistent usage for beautiful looking skin, but I hate that "burning" feeling even though it is slight and manageable. The scent that stays on with me throughout the day is also why I deviate from the everyday usage of this beauty elixir. 

As for whether this does help set my make up, I really can't tell the difference. 

I just realized how inaccurate this review might be since I haven't used this much. So, for review's sake, I will be impartial and spritz this on every morning before my moisturizer. It hasn't given me any breakouts yet, so I guess the formulation of it is fine. I've read about people who have said the chemicals in it are really bad for you, so I definitely do not intend to keep this if I see no difference.

Stay tuned for an update! And let me know about your take on this beauty elixir if you've used it. Maybe I've been using it wrong or maybe you just want to suggest a better way for me to use it. In any case, let me know!

xx

-Day One-

My experience today with this beauty elixir was better than the previous times I've used it. I managed to cover all sections of my face with this alcoholic mist while keeping my the bottle at arm's length. Was afraid to open my eyes and feel the sting after spritzing it, but it wasn't too bad! It didn't irritate my eyes at all. One thing that I do have to note though, is that I would have preferred to be able to pat the mist for better absorption and so as to be able to cover every part of my face. But either the product absorbs really quick, or the mist just evaporates really fast due to the alcohol in it. So, theres that. My face does look clearer compared to the days before this when I would apply my moisturizer WITHOUT using this beauty elixir beforehand. This product is growing on me. So as long as it doesn't start breaking me 
out, I should be keeping it!

-Day Two-

My verdict today: same old, same old. Again, I was still afraid to open my eyes today after spritzing it onto my face...I guess as the saying goes, "once bitten, twice shy"..but it was, surprisingly, not irritating at all. Keeping the bottle at arm's length while I spritz was definitely the right move I discovered! No drastic changes in my complexion. Might just return it. It was $49 after all. /: but I promised to do five days worth of a review. So, three more days to go! Shout out to my mom who just started reading my blog as well! :D

-Day Three-

NOT GONNA WAIT. Returning this product. It's not worth the money (for me) and as the weather becomes more humid by the day, I think it only acts as a catalyst for my oily/combination skin.