Today I have another review for you all and this time it’s for NARS concealers. I recently reviewed the NARS Lip Pencils, but I also picked up some NARS concealers at the same time and wanted to share them with all my wonderful Muggies!

These are the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealers. They come in a wand type packaging much like the Maybelline Fit Me Concealers. They are very similar in size with the Maybelline being .23 ounces and the NARS being .22 ounces. I really like the packaging on these. They have a  sleek see through container that allows you to see the product and a matte finish handle on the wand. The matte finish not only looks great but is easy to clean as well. The wand inside is a flat doe-foot wand which I really like a lot. When you apply the concealer the flat part of the wand allows you to put it on the skin effortlessly.

The formula is very creamy and very pigmented so you don’t have to apply a lot to get the desired amount of coverage. This means a little will go a long way. I like the way it feels as it is super silky, smooth and it has no odor to it. These concealers would be best for under the eyes or for light touch-ups. If you have blemishes the concealers that come with this type of wand are to thin, you want this for more for delicate areas and that’s why under the eyes is best.

The best way to apply it is to sweep it on under the eye and take a fluffy dome brush like the Makeup Geek Soft Dome Brush and gently blend it into the skin. This hides the eye bags and brightens the area a little as well. The price on these is $28.00 which I think is far to expensive for what they are. They are good products if you want a good concealer and don’t mind spending the money or just want a high-end product.

These come in 10 different shades so there is a good range of colors for everyone. These do run on the warm side with the only cooler toned one being “Honey”. The lightest color here will be great for you porcelain skinned gals, it’s “Chantilly” and the darkest shade is “Cacao”. For reference my shade is “Biscuit”.

1. Chantilly – True Ivory for Fair Complexions (Amazon) (Sephora)
2. Vanilla – Tiny Cast of Pink for Fair Complexions (Amazon) (Sephora)
3. Honey – Warm Peach Toned for Light to Medium Complexions (Amazon) (Sephora)
4. Custard – Yellow Toned for Light to Medium Complexions (Amazon) (Sephora)
5. Ginger – Golden Undertone for Medium Complexions (Amazon) (Sephora)
6. Biscuit – Medium Dark Natural Balance of Pink and Yellow Undertones (Amazon) (Sephora)
7. Carmel – Medium Dark Yellow and Golden Undertones (Amazon) (Sephora)
8. Amande – Medium Dark with Golden Olive Undertones (Amazon) (Sephora)
9. Cafe – Dark with Warm Red Undertones (Amazon) (Sephora)
10. Cacao – Dark with Deep Gold to Brown Undertones (Amazon) (Sephora)

These claim to be “Long wearing and crease-proof. Paraben-free, Alcohol free, Synthetic fragrance free, Non commedogenic” which means it’s great for those of you with sensitive skin.

ADVANTAGES

• Smooth
• Covers Great
• Great Color Range
• Good Packaging
• Highly Pigmented

DISADVANTAGES

• Price

These are good products if you are willing to pay the price but for me personally, I am going to stick with the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer as it is pretty much the same product at a fraction of the cost.

So I hope that help you all out and gives you and idea of what you will be getting if you have one of these or are planning to pick one up. Be sure let me know in the comments what you all think. And I really do hope you all are staying both happy and healthy!

XOXO,

Marlena

OK Makeup Geeks, I have a super fun video of some hot new products that I really wanted to share with you. I recently went to Sephora and got some new goodies and I wanted to show them to you and let you know what I think of them and if they are worth trying.

Cover FX Natural Finish Oil Free Foundation

I have been wearing this for over a week now and I can’t tell you how much I love this foundation. This foundation is paraben free, mineral oil free and talc free. This is great for me because my skin breaks out easily. This comes in a convenient squeeze tube and retails for $40.00 for 1 ounce of product. I wear the color G40. This will last a while though as a little goes a long way. The feeling is very silicon like and it feels amazing on the skin as it doesn’t cake up or feel heavy. This comes in a wide range of colors (24 to be exact). The water-resistant formula has Vitamins C and E which soothe inflammation and reduce redness.

Price: $40.00

Where To Buy:  Amazon, eBay, Sephora

Cover FX Cream Concealer

This concealer comes in a squeeze tube and is easy to access. Mine is the color medium/deep simply because I need something darker for under my eyes to cover the dark circles. This has the ideal silky consistency for under the eyes. It glides on smoothly and evenly and doesn’t get cakey like many under eye concealers do. You get 0.33 ounces for $27.00 which will last a while as a little goes a long way. This also does not contain gluten, mineral oil or talc. This comes in 12 shades so you are sure to find one that works for you.

Price: $27.00

Where to Buy:  Amazon, eBay, Sephora

Cover FX Blotting Powder

I really wanted to check out this brand since are really trying hard not to use bad ingredients. This is their powder in the color Light, which I got for use under my eyes to brighten up the area. It also is available in medium and deep. The formula is very smooth and silky and doesn’t feel heavy at all. I love the sleek compact as it’s convenient for putting in your purse and taking it with you for touch-ups wherever you go. You get 0.4 ounces of mineral, paraben and talc free product which is great for the skin.

Price: $24.00

Where to Buy: Amazon, Sephora

Korres Quercetin & Oak Antiageing & Antiwrinkle Concealer

This is a lot like the Cover FX concealer, this is the color tan which great for under my eyes. This has a gel like consistency and doesn’t cake up, crease or get into the fine lines under my eyes which can make you look older. This aids and protects the skin around the eye and contains the natural antioxidants, Quercetin & Oak, which aids in minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This comes in four shades; fair, light, medium beige and medium tan.

Price: $22.00

Where to Buy:  Amazon, eBay, Sephora

Kat Von D Everlasting Blushes

These blushes are perfection! What I love about them is they are completely talc free but they are so smooth. I am very impressed by these. I love the packaging on these. They have a sleek black design with textured flowers on the front, perfect for a blush compact. I do feel like there could have been a wider range of colors but for the ones she did have they were really nice.

• Shady Business 1 – Pearlized brown with a slight gold shimmer. This will be great for light to medium skin, if you have darker skin you might be able to use this as a highlight. They also make a #2 which is better for darker skintones. This is a nice tan color that isn’t to orange and won’t make you look like an Oompa-Loompa.
• Truth – A natural flush pink shade with a matte finish. Very creamy and smooth.
• Wish – Nude peach with a subtle shimmer to it. This is ideal for light to medium skin; you dark skin girls can use this as a beautiful highlight. I got it because I am trying to incorporate more peach colors for the spring and summer.
• Essex – This is a cool rose shade that will look best or medium skin tones.

Price: $25.00

Where to Buy: Amazon, eBay, Sephora

Illamasqua Gleam Cream

This lightweight cream adds lifts and adds highlights to wherever you apply it. This has a creamy consistency that is perfect since my skin can be dry sometimes; this gives a dewy finish to the skin. It’s very smooth and non-greasy and non-glittery, which I love.

• Aurora – This has a golden under-base which won’t make me look pink at all it will just add a nice warm glow to the skin. Perfect for the summer.

Price: $26.00

Where to Buy:  Sephora

Tarte Glamazon Pure Performance 12 Hour Lipstick

These are pricey but I absolutely love these! I love the packaging with the bamboo at the bottom and the colored designed top; it’s amazing. These have amazing pigmentation and glide on smoothly for a stunning finish. These are long-lasting, creamy and don’t feel drying on the lips.

• Foxy – A true deep pink, fuchsia shade. This is great for all skintones but you darker skinned girls will look absolutely stunning in this color.
• Playful – This is a cool tones purple/rose shade that will look great on everyone.
• Whimsy – A bright medium cool pink color that will look amazing on every skin color. This is a fun, girly color to have for the summer.
• Fierce – This red has orange undertones that will look best on medium to dark skintones. I prefer cool toned reds for fair skin.
• Wild – This is a cool red that is almost a berry color. This color will look great on every skintone whether it’s light, medium or dark.

Price: $26.00

Where to Buy: Amazon, eBay, Sephora

Nars Lipstick in Scarlett Empress

This is a stunning plum shade that will be perfect for the fall months. This would be ideal on those days when you want to do minimal eye makeup and have stunning plum colored lipst to play up. This color will work for every skintone.

Price: $26.00

Where to Buy: Amazon, eBay, Sephora

Bare Escentuals in Swinger

This is a vivid magenta/purple shade with a satin finish.

Price: $21.00

Where to Buy: Amazon, Sephora

And that’s it for my Sephora haul. I hope you found something in here you are going to try and if you do leave me a comment and let me know what you think of it.

XOXO,

Marlena

OK Makeup Geeks, today I have my new FAVORITE foundation to share with you all. I love when I find new products that I absolutely love and then I can share them with you. I recently went to Sephora to find a foundation that was talc-free, paraben-free, and mineral-oil free. This is a must for me since I have gotten older because my skin has become more sensitive. I was thrilled to find the Cover FX foundation.

Cover FX tries to be as organic as they possibly can and keep their ingredients simple. I have been using this for the last week and I love this foundation. This last all day and dries to a nice satin finish so it doesn’t appear to flat or look overly shiny on my skin. I find that I don’t have to use much powder with this as the foundation alone gives such a flawless finish to the skin. The big test for me was when I wore this to San Fransisco all day long in the wind and heat. The Cover FX foundation lasted all day and didn’t fade or oxidise or turning my skin orange.

This retails for $40.00 for 1 fl.oz. of product. The color I am in is G40. The colors are broke down into three separate categories, P (pink undertones), N (neutral skintones), G (golden undertones). The neutral shades range from N10 – N110, with the fairest shade being N10 and the darkest being N110. The pink undertones range in shades from P20 – P50 with the lightest at the bottom and moving up in color. For the golden undertones the shades are G20 to G80 with the lightest at G20 and the darkest at G80. The best way to find your perfect shade is to visit your local Sephora and have them color match you.

I love the packaging on this and that the product is in a handy squeeze tube. This makes accessing the product as simple as it gets. The texture on this is wonderful, it has a silicon feeling but it’s not. It is very silky and glides on smoothly and evenly without caking up or feeling heavy. This foundation really does feel amazing on the skin. They key to using this is knowing that a little goes a long way, so it doesn’t take much when applying it. There are no harsh chemical smells or anything that would aggravate anyone’s allergies or anyone sensitive to strong smells.

I also got the Cover FX Blotting Powder that I love as well but I don’t have to use it much because the foundation is just that good. They also have a cream foundation which I haven’t tried yet so if any of you have used it let me know in the comments below what you think of it..:-)

HOW TO APPLY

• Use a good primer, I am using the Clinique Pore Minimizer and apply with clean fingers.
• For my eye bags I have to apply a darker, peach colored concealer to counteract the darkness. Here I am using  MAC Studio Sculpt in NW35.
• Now for the foundation, you only need a little bit because the formula is thick. I dab small dots on face and then take a Beauty Blender and wet it and squeeze the excess water out really well, and use patting motions to work the foundation into the skin.

This covers so well, even the redness around my eyes. To set the under eye are I sweep on a small amount of the Cover FX Blotting Powder with a fluffy brush. I got my shade in Light (it’s also available in Medium and Deep) so I could use it under my eyes to brighten them. From here on you can apply your makeup the way you want to. For this video I used the Tarte Blush in “Tipsy”, a lipgloss by Smashbox in the color “Infinity”, and of course my L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara and that’s easy. Really easy, really simple!

ADVANTAGES

• Covers amazingly
• Takes very little
• Great packaging
• Applies smoothly and evenly
• No harsh odor
• Leaves a soft, satin finish to the skin

DISADVANTAGES

• Price, It does run on the expensive side with it being $40.00 for 1 ounce but it is worth every penny!

PRODUCTS USED

• Clinique Pore Minimizer – (Amazon) (eBay)
• MAC Studio Sculpt in NW35 – (Amazon) (eBay)
• Cover FX Natural Finish Oil Free Foundation – (Amazon) (Sephora)
• Cover FX Blotting Powder – (Amazon) (Sephora)
• Tarte Blush in “Tipsy” – (Amazon) (eBay)
• Smashbox Lipgloss in “Infinite” -(Amazon) (eBay)
• L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara – (Amazon) (eBay)

I really love this foundation and if have already tried it, or you do try it, let me know what you all think of it. I can’t wait to see if you all love it as much as I do.

XOXO,

Marlena

OK Makeup Geeks, today I have a review for you of one of my most favorite brands out there…TARTE! You all know I love their blushes and I am really liking their lipsticks right now as well. This was sent to me but I do honest reviews regardless of that. Tarte has come out with a new collection named “Aqualillies” and it’s so cute. The one thing I am really loving about this collection is the packaging. They are really playing up to the must have colors of spring, mint and coral/peach.

All the products come in this handy makeup bag which is great for putting in your purse or at your desk at work for quick touch-ups.

Palette

I love the packaging on this and the touch of gold. This has 8 eyeshadows and a matte finish peach blush in the middle that can also be used as a eyeshadow. As always with Tarte, these are great quality like many of Tarte’s powdered products. They are very smoothly and highly pigmented. The only downside to this palette was the two tan colors look identical. So I definitely feel there could have been a little more variety to the palette by adding a shimmery peach or a dark teal color. The price on this palette is $38.00 which isn’t  bad at all for all you get. I just wish there were more variety.

Price: $38.00

Tarte’s Light’s, Camera, Flashes Mascara

I like the wand on this, it is small but it gets into the lashes and makes them look super big. This mascara is formulated without parabens, mineral oil, petrolatum, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate & synthetic fragrance which makes it better to use around the eyes. The packaging is great and it doesn’t smudge or flake.

Price: $19.00

Where to Buy: Amazon, eBay, Sephora

Tarte Lipstick in Timeless

I am actually wearing this color right now and it’s a very pretty deep coral color. This will look great on every skin tone from fair to dark skin. These are very highly pigmented, creamy and very smooth. They wear a long time and aren’t dry, they are actually quite moisturizing. I am very impressed with Tarte’s lipsticks. These are really good even though they are on the more expensive side, they are worth it.

Gel Liners

These gel liners are smudge proof, highly pigmented and water resistant which makes them ideal to use in the waterlines. This collection has a black one and a shimmery teal color that is stunning. The teal shade would look beautiful as a base for an eyeshadow. The eyeliners also come with a  brush that is dual ended. It has a bent liner end and a regular straight brush on the other end. (NOTE: only the black liner is available as of now as it is part of their normal line)

Price: $26.00

Where to Buy: Amazon, Sephora

Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder

This is very similar to the Makeup Forever HD Powder. The only thing I don’t like about these types of powder is the white color. It does turn transparent on the skin but if you have dark skin this can actually make you look ashen. It is very smooth and doesn’t cake up and gives a nice matte finish to the skin.

Price: $29.00

Lipglosses

OK, I could not get these to work. These come in a tube that you “click” to get the product out of the brush end. I am not a huge fan of these types of applicators as it just seems rather cheap to me. The formula on these is sticky and doesn’t hold up as well in quality and packaging compared to their other products.

GIVEAWAY RULES

THIS IS A INSTAGRAM GIVEAWAY!!!!! You must be subscribed to makeupgeektv on instagram. We will post a picture of Tarte items that will be included in the giveaway. Leave a comment letting us know what you would use the tote bag for and you are entered. The contest will remain open for two weeks and a winner will be chosen at random. Easy to enter, easy to win! GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!

Hi Makeup Geeks!

You all know I love to try new makeup products, so I’ve compiled my “Best Of” series stating my favorite makeup products of all time!  My top picks are completely unbiased- I simply want to help you spend your money on only the products I know are amazing.  Trust me, I have tested, swatched, and worn just about every makeup product out there.

Enough blabbing…. On to the best blushes ever!

xoxo,
Marlena

1.  Illamasqua Powder Blusher – Naked Rose

My favorite products by Illamasqua are their blushes as they’re super pigmented, creamy, and last a long time.  I especially love the color “Naked Rose” as it’s a muted pink color that is easy to apply without looking too bright or clownish.

Price:  $26.00

Where to Buy:   Sephora  .  Amazon

2.  NARS Powder Blush – Amour

NARS is known for having the best high end blushes. Their color “Orgasm” has won an award every year for several years now. BUT, I chose the color Amour as it is a beautiful matte finish warm pink that is flattering on every skin color.

Price:  $28.00

Where to Buy:   Sephora  .  Amazon  .  eBay .  Nordstrom

3.  Inglot Powder Blush – #20

Inglot is also known for having smooth, creamy, and pigmented blushes but without the high price tag that other makeup companies charge.  This color #20 is the perfect matte pink that brightens your cheeks without being overpowering.

Price:  $12.00

Where to Buy:   Inglot

4.  MAC Powder Blush – Melba

To warm up the skin, this color Melba is perfect as it’s a muted peach color.  It doesn’t look too orange, and the matte finish doesn’t emphasize acne scars or pores like some shimmery ones do.

Price:  $12.99 – $20.00

Where to Buy:   Amazon  .  eBay  .  Nordstrom

5.  Milani Mineral Blush – Luminous

This Milani blush is the perfect dupe for the popular NARS “Orgasm”- a slightly shimmery peachy pink color.  It adds a beautiful glow to the skin without coming across glittery or too shiny. Plus the cheap pricetag will save you some money.

Price:  $5.00

Where to Buy:   Most Drugstores  .  Amazon

6.  NYX Powder Blush – Peach

Yes, yes, I know I have a lot of matte finish blushes on this list.  But shimmery blushes can sometimes accentuate things you don’t want anyone seeing! This matte pink blush (not sure why NYX named it “peach”?) is a great way to brighten your cheeks and add just the right amount of color.  Price is great too…

Price:  $6.99

Where to Buy:   Makeup Geek Store

7.  Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush – Tipsy

I own almost every single one of Tarte’s blushes. Why? Because many of them are matte finish, they come in lots of colors, and the formula is very pigmented and smooth.  This color Tipsy looks amazing on medium to dark skin as the coral color adds lots of warmth to your cheeks.

Price:  $25.00

Where to Buy:   Sephora  .  Amazon  .  eBay

8.  Illamasqua Cream Blusher – Rude

I am currently in love with cream blushes.  I’ve noticed that the older I get, the drier my skin gets (yay). So I have to add back in the dewiness to my skin by using cream blushes and cheek highlighters.  This Illamasqua one is very creamy, yet not oily looking.  And this color “Rude” is the perfect true peach color that warms up my complexion beautifully!

Price:  $26.00

Where to Buy:   Sephora   .   Amazon

9.  NYX Cream Blush – Rose Petal

NYX also makes some amazing cream blushes, but without the hefty price tags of other makeup lines.  I love this color “Rose Petal” as it’s a muted warm pink color.  It looks great on every skin color- from fair to dark.

Price:  $6.50

Where to Buy:  Amazon  .  eBay

10.  Stila Convertible Color – Petunia

I’m not sure why I didn’t discover these cream blushes sooner as they’re amazing!  I just wish Stila made more colors of them.  This color “Petunia” is a brighter warm pink that looks great on medium to dark skin. It adds a youthful glow to the cheeks and doesn’t look oily or feel sticky.  The best part:  you can use this on your lips too for a lipgloss.

Price:  $19

Where to Buy:   Sephora  .  Amazon  .  eBay  .  Nordstrom

Because so many blushes are aimed at medium skin, I wanted to share a few of my favorites for both fair skin and dark skin.

Fair Skin:

• Benefit Powder Blush in Georgia
• Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Tremble
• Stila Convertible Color in Peony

Hello Makeup Geeks, today I have a review for you of my new favorite face powder. I am so excited to share this with you as I love this face powder so much! As many of you know I have very sensitive skin and am prone to break outs quite easily. I have recently found out I am allergic to talc and it is so very hard to find foundations and powders that are talc free. Unfortunately, talc is used as fillers in a lot of cosmetics. It can clog pores and cause breakouts. For me it was essential I find products that did not include talc unfortunately, finding talc fee products is quite hard. I found this at a trade show recently and couldn’t wait to try it and see if worked as good as I had hoped. I was not disappointed.

Emani Pressed Mineral Foundation (Amazon)

These are talc free, paraben free, cruelty free and made in the U.S.A. These are vegan friendly as well. These retail for $32.00 for 12 gm or 0.42 oz. These have medium coverage but are completely buildable and have a semi matte finish. This can be used alone or along with your foundation for full coverage. The packaging is a sleek, matte black finish with the logo on the front. I am a big fan of this simple yet classic design. There are 13 shades to choose from and the one I am using ins Deep Golden which is the sixth lightest shade. They range in shades from Linen (very light) to Deep (a intense dark). These glide on smoothly without caking up or looking splotchy. Some other great additives to this is that it includes Honeysuckle for skin purification and Rosemary Leaf Extract to promote microcirculation. Which basically means this promotes blood circulation in the smaller blood vessels of the skin or capillaries.

To use this I applied my foundation as normal along with a concealer under my eyes and around my nose. Then, gently pat on the Emani Pressed Powder on the spots I get oily. For me that’s the T-Zone. I don’t apply this to my whole face so I don’t appear overly matte. If you have oily skin, you can use this on the entire face to help mattify the face and control oil. I dab a small amount on my eyes to prevent creasing because I do have concealer on there as well. It’s quick and easy and the finish is not to heavy.

So I have to give this a big two thumbs up! If have tried this, or if you do try it, let me know what you think of it as well. I can’t wait to hear from all of you! I hope you all are doing great and staying happy and healthy

Available at:  (Amazon)

Skin Perfecting Primer - 

This product not only is a makeup primer but helps control breakouts, reduces oil and minimizes the appearance of pores. It is a universal shade to match any skin tone. I love this product even if I don’t wear foundation I like to wear this instead of a tinted moisturizer. This is definitely my favorite product from group I chose to review!

Price:   $35

Where to Buy:    Amazon  . eBay

Price:   $16

Where to Buy:    Amazon  . eBay

 

Acne Treatment Concealer -

This oil-free formulated product treats blemishes with Salicylic Acid and provides long lasting coverage. I’ve heard some complaints from people with fair skin saying that the lightest color is too dark for them. The product comes in a stick and is pretty thick. I use a brush to pick up the product and apply and I like it as an acne concealer. I don’t like it for under my eyes though because it creased a little bit later in the day.

Price:   $21

Where to Buy:    Amazon  . eBay

Absolute Bronzing Boost SPF 15 - 

This comes with a pump which I like in a lightly thick liquid formula. The directions say to blend this evenly over your have and neck, the coverage is buildable. I am a NC20 so I’m pretty fair, I put this on very lightly and it was way to dark for my face. I put it on my chest and shoulders though and it looked really nice. I love the fact that it has SPF in it so it is a great summer product. I think this would look great on people with darker skin than mine!

Price:   $38

Where to Buy:    Amazon  . eBay

While I was in Paris, everyone there was telling me to try the French beauty products.  I figured they couldn’t be much different from the products back home, but I tried a few things anyways.  This Avene face moisturizer was one that my friend Helene recommended as she knew I had very sensitive skin.  I must say, it keeps me hydrated without breaking me out- yay!!  I wanted to review this for you all to get you exposed to products you may not hear of or haven’t seen in your local stores.

Avene is known for products that are specifically designed for sensitive skin but work well on any skin type. Most creams have preservatives in them, however, Avene’s blend of all natural ingredients don’t allow for them to have any added preservatives or fillers. These are very pure with literally only 4 or 5 ingredients listed on the packaging. The reason they can do this is because of the unique and innovative design of the tube the cream comes in. The end of the tube has a vacuum seal on the end of the cap. So basically when you squeeze the tube it dispenses a small amount and then literally sucks it back up into the tube locking the vacuum seal. This keeps the cream bacteria free as no air can get trapped inside the tube.

Avene Skin Recovery Cream is a face moisturizer designed for sensitive skin. It goes on extremely smooth but is very hydrating for the skin without being heavy or making your skin feel weighed down. It doesn’t leave a greasy feel to the skin and my skin doesn’t feel near as dry as it has been in the last few months. This is going to be perfect for most skin types unless you have extremely, overly dry skin and this may not be intense enough so I would advise you to use the Embryolisse Cream.

Advantages

• Great for sensitive skin.
• Hydrates very well.
• Unique packaging allows for no bacteria to penetrate the bottle and the need for fewer ingredients.
• Doesn’t cause breakouts.

Disadvantages

• Small tube.
• Can run a little on the expensive side.

You can find this on  www.skinstore.com  and www.drugstore.com  (Avene Cream for Intolerant Skin) for $26.00 USD. You can also find this cheaper on Amazon and eBay.

I hope this was helpful for you in finding a face moisturizer! This is the one I’ve been using all summer as it’s not too heavy, but keeps me hydrated.

Have a great week, makeup geeks!!
xoxo,
Marlen

Hello stunning Makeup Geeks!  :) 

Today I wanted to review for you one of my new favorite products:  Diorskin Forever Pressed Powder.  This is my go to face powder now as it’s super creamy and blends right into the skin.

Diorskin Forever Compact comes in 10 shades. This isn’t a huge variety of color and they tend to fall on the warmer side. If you have cooler skin tones these may not work as well for you.  I use the color #60 which is obviously too dark for me, but I use this as a bronzer instead of a pressed powder over my entire face.  I love the convenient compact which makes it perfect for travel and for throwing in your purse or makeup case to take with you on the go. I do wish the compact was a bit smaller to make it more suitable for travel.  This powder has a perfect velvety, creamy texture that applies smoothly without looking cakey.

Now I am not saying that you have to run out and buy this because it is a little expensive, but that is a typical price for a Dior product.  This retails for $49.00 for 0.25 oz. / 10 grams, a little goes a long way so it will last for quite a while.  Overall, I give this product two thumbs up because of the remarkable texture and pigmentation of this product.

Pros

• Rich, buttery texture that feels amazing on the skin.
• Convenient compact great for travel.
• Doesn’t make your face look or feel cakey.
• A little goes a long way.

Cons

• Price, this sells for $49.00 USD at Sephora or Amazon
• I would like the compact to be a bit smaller.
• Not a good color range and they fall toward the warmer skin tones.

Overall this product is great especially if you are looking for something high end.  The powder is expensive but well worth it because of its phenomenal texture. The pigmentation makes it great to use as a powder or if purchased in a darker shade, as a bronzer. It goes on smoothly without a cakey buildup and gives your skin a flawless finish. I hope this helps you in deciding which products are best suited for you.

Have a great week!

xoxo,
Marlena

Check out my videos using Diorskin Forever Pressed Powder:  “Club Makeup” and “Summer Coral Makeup”.

Everyone woman wants long, luxurious eyelashes- that’s why we buy so many different kinds of mascara and wear false eyelashes.  Until recently those were our only choices, but now we have more options to getting those amazing lashes. Since I’ve had so many of you asking about my lashes, I wanted to do a 411 video explaining two methods I’ve experimented with:  latisse and lash extensions.  I’ll review both, so you can decide if you want to try either of these out

Latisse

I used Latisse a while back and finally stopped because I didn’t see a dramatic difference in my lashes. I normally have long lashes and was hoping this would make them thicker and fuller. On their website Latisse claims “More than doubles lash fullness in 16 weeks”. The product comes in 3ml, which is a very small bottle, especially for the price. This will run you $120.00 USD which is outrageous! It does work, but for the price I don’t think it works well enough to justify paying the extreme price. The directions on this are that you use it every day for 1 month. I used it every other day to make it last longer which made this $60.00 USD a month. My overall experience was that it did make my lashes longer but it did not make them appear any thicker or fuller.

Advantages

• Made my lashes slightly longer after 2 months of use
• Does not “ruin” your natural lashes

Disadvantages

• Very expensive
• You get very little for the amount you pay
• Did not add volume or fullness to my lashes
• Is annoying having to apply every single night

Lash Extensions

Lash extensions is a great option if you want something low maintenance and easy to upkeep. The key to great lash extensions is finding someone that does them well!  I repeat:  DO NOT GO TO JUST ANYONE.  I stress this as I’ve had some really bad extensions before that I had to have removed (in the process, I lost quite a few of my natural lashes.  They grew back, but it took a month) Do your research and look for recommendations. Ask your friends and see if they know of anyone they could recommend.

The price of lash extensions will vary by where you live and where you go to get them done. For me, the initial cost is approximately $100.00 – $150.00 USD. These last 3 – 4 weeks at that time you will get the fillers done which cost around $50.00. The way these work is they attach the lash extension to your natural eyelashes with glue. Then, as you shed your eyelashes the extension that is glued on to it will also fall out.

Advantages

• More cost friendly
• Adds volume, length, and darkness
• Last 3 – 4 weeks and are easy to maintain
• I don’t need to wear mascara all the time to have great looking lashes

Disadvantages

• You really need to find someone who is good at applying these, or it will be a nightmare
• The initial cost is expensive
• You cannot use makeup remover with oil in it, or it will remove the lash extensions

If I had to choose between these two methods, I would choose the lash extensions as long as you find someone who is really good at applying them. I love not having to wear mascara all the time, and it’s nice to be able to wake up to long, full lashes. The upkeep isn’t that expensive either.

I hope this review was helpful for all of you!  Post questions below, and I’ll do what I can to answer them

Have a great week, makeup geeks!!

XOXO,
Marlena

In the picture below, you can see I have extensions on the outer half of my eye.  They are just slightly longer than my natural ones, so it doesn’t look obvious that I have extensions.  When they fall out, it looks much more “real” as well