Review: LUSH Emotional Brilliance Translucent Face Powder

Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be the LUSH Emotional Brilliance Translucent Face Powder! I've had this face powder for a little while now and I never really reach for it, so I thought it must be time to review it!

Fail or Holy Grail Review: Skinfood Peach Sake Silky Finish Powder

Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be talking about my all time favourite setting powder, the Skinfood Peach Sake Silky Finish Powder! I've been using this powder for almost two years now, and I'm still on my first 15g jar even though I literally use it every time I wear make up!

"Skinfood Peach Sake Silky Finish Powder is a finish powder made with Sake and Peach Extracts. Helps to relieve skin troubles caused by excess sebum. The ultra-fine micro-silica powder keeps the skin fresh and soft as silk. Peach extracts naturally soften your skin while hydrating it at the same time. It is also known to soothe oily and troubled skin. Sake extract is effective at controlling sebum production and regenerating cells for clearer healthier skin.

Benefits:
    Oil Control
    Matte Finish
    Relieves troubled skin
    Softens
    Hydrates

How to Use:
Apply on the entire face using a puff or a powder brush."(1) 

One of the only things I don't love about this powder is the packaging. It's cute, but not functional. It's absolutely massive for starters because it's a 15g jar rather than a 5-10g jar, it also has a hole in the top of the lid. 

This lets air out when you put the lid on, but it also lets powder out if you tip if over which is awful for travel. It also just get messy when you just take the lid off which is just ridiculous. I put mine in an old MAC powder jar so that I can take it travelling.

This powder can leave a white cast if you over apply it, but it leaves me with a very smooth feeling on my skin with one thin layer. It helps to smooth out my pores a little and provide the tiniest bit of coverage for my flawed skin.

I have been using this powder for all of my foundation/BB Cream reviews almost since I started this blog. Obviously I review other powders, but this is my go-to because I know what results to usually expect from it! Browse through my BB Cream or Foundation Reviews to see how this powder works with other products!

What I Love

- 15g for $10USD

- Lasts five-ever

- Smells like peaches!

- Works well to keep skin matte

- Not drying for the skin

- Suitable for oily or dry skin

- Helps to smooth pores

What I Don't Love

- Not travel friendly packaging

Final Thoughts

This is my absolute Holy Grail powder! It's cheap, last such a long time, has a pleasant smell of peaches and works really well for my skin. It helps my skin stay matte for as long as possible (not forever, it doesn't block my pores from producing oil at all) and makes my skin look and feel silky soft.

I absolutely adore this powder, and I would recommend this product for any Princesses looking for a good setting powder. ^.^

Review: Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be talking about the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder! I purchased this from ASOS ages ago, and actually talked about my shopping experience with ASOS here, which explains the old watermark.

Interestingly enough there are two very different descriptions for this powder;

"Stay matte pressed powder by Rimmel London. Featuring a lightweight formula, the powder minimises the appearance of pores for a natural matte finish that controls shine for up to 12 hours" (1) ASOS - where I purchased this powder from.

"Up to 5 hours natural shine control with natural minerals. Helps minimize the appearance of pores. Dermatologically tested." (2) Rimmel London Website.

This powder is translucent, even though it looks beige. I personally prefer loose powders rather than pressed powder, mostly for hygiene because I do need to dip the brush into the powder a couple of times, and I do have acne.

This powder mattifies my skin really well, but it doesn't help it stay matte like the name would suggest! It also makes my base appear cakier than it usually would (considering it's a light BB Cream here) which isn't exactly a plus.

What I Love

- Inexpensive

- Comes in translucent or coloured powder

- Mattifies skin well

What I Don't Love

- Cheap plastic packaging (not travel friendly)

- Doesn't help me stay matte for very long (under 5 hours, eg way less than a normal work day)

- Makes base look cakier than usual

Final Thoughts

Although this is a great starter powder, I don't think it's actually particularly any good at helping oily faces stay matte! I think it's a little useless that it claims to help you stay shine free for 5 hours, since for most people a normal working day is much longer than 5 hours and some of us (me included) can't be bothered blotting and re-powdering. It's great that it's very inexpensive, but in my opinion the packaging is terrible because it's not travel friendly at all, the top pops on and off at a whim and I can imagine it popping off in my handbag and wreaking absolute havoc.

I would definitely recommend this powder for any Princesses that are wanting a cheap, decent setting powder, but don't have terribly oily skin. I would not recommend this  powder for Princesses that suffer from super oily skin, because it probably won't do your skin many favours!

Review: ELF High Definition Undereye Setting Powder

Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be talking about ELF's High Definition Undereye Setting Powder! I picked this up because Shaaanxo used to rave about it so much, and it was quite cheap so I thought why not! I usually review a lot of Korean makeup products because they are so financially viable in comparison to "drugstore" products in New Zealand, but we've just starting bringing in some ELF products (which are still ridiculously marked up, $10NZD or $3USD) so this is a great cheap product if you're not into Korean cosmetics!

"This light-diffusing powder camouflages fine lines, dark circles and imperfections, perfect for on camera or everyday wear. The silky powder adds a velvety finish ideal for wearing alone or setting in cream concealer. The Vitamin C & K infused formula helps to restore and strengthen skin for a revitalized appearance."(1)

This setting powder comes housed in a small, plain looking jar, and also comes with a tiny flat brush for ants. Seriously though, I'd have to spend so much time using that brush to set my under-eyes, it's much better suited as a lip brush! There's a little sifter holding the powder back from spilling everywhere which works well until you're down to the last little bits of powder.

The powder has a slight pink tint and actually contains very fine glitter. I can only see the glitter under my eyes if I apply it really heavily so I don't find it irritating at all.

I don't really find that the Undereye Setting Powder decreases the appearance of fine lines at all (not that I have tons of them, Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream is my new favourite) but it does help my eyelids from creasing throughout the day. It doesn't enhance the deeper set lines under my eyes (hereditary) but it does stop the mascara from rubbing off under my eyes excessively!

I compared the ELF Setting Powder to my regular face setting powder, Skinfood's Peach Sake Silky Finish Powder, which is of course isn't specifically a setting powder for under the eyes, but it's what I used to use before I bought this powder! I find that this powder looks much drier under the eyes in comparison to the ELF Powder, and also creases much faster, making my under eyes look quite old.

What I Love

- Super cost effective - $3USD
- Keeps my under eye from creasing and looking old
- Easy to apply
- Translucent, good for all skin types

What I Don't Love

- Marked up prices in NZ ($3USD = $10NZD? Nope)
- They include a ridiculously small brush that's not suited to applying the powder at all, but does work as a lip brush
- Contains glitter, some people hate this (I don't mind though)

Final Thoughts

I really like this under eye setting powder! I don't like how marked up they are to buy in New Zealand ($10NZD in stores, $3USD online which = $4NZD) and I think the little brush they include is absolutely rubbish for actually applying the product since it's half the size of my pinkie nails, but it does work really well for setting my under eyes! I definitely notice it creasing less and looking less wrinkled when I directly compared it to my regular setting powder so I'm a total convert for specific under eye setting powders!

I would definitely recommend this product for absolutely anyone that wants to set their under eye area, it helps to stop creasing and stops mascara from rubbing off too much. I'm really interested in the Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder, so if you've tried it let me know your thoughts! ^.^

Review: Etude House Dreaming Swan Veiling Pact and Brush

(Sponsored)
Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be reviewing the Etude House Veiling Pact and Brush! The Dreaming Swan line was created in collaboration with the Australian designer Kerrie Hess, and includes the Veiling Pact and Brush, Lipstick, Blush, Eye Volumers and Nail Polish. The Veiling Pact was very generously provided for review by Cosmetic Love, and I purchased the Brush myself from Cosmetic Love! ^.^

"Etude House Dreaming Swan Veil Pack SPF 25 PA++ 9g - $13.24
A pact that naturally covers up a dull complexion for smooth and bright skin all day long. Dreaming Swan Collection by Etude House X Kerrie Hess. A veiling pact that naturally covers dark area and keeps skin smooth and bright all day long.

1. Peppy bright skin: 'White Shimmer Powder' of transparent particles reflects glow to vitalize skin and naturally covers dull skin tone with peach color.

2. Instantly smooth skin: 'Line Smoothing Powder' of tiny and silky texture is filled in pores and skin layers to provide smooth skin instantly.

3. Long-lasting smooth skin: Sebum-absorption controlling powder blots sebum preferentially to keep skin hydrated but not greasy for long.


How to Use
Apply a certain amount onto face with puff by lightly dabbing and gently press onto curvy areas."(1)

This absolutely gorgeous pink powder pact houses an extremely pale pressed powder embossed with pointe shoes and the Dreaming Swan logo. It also has a mirror in the cap, a divider for the puff to sit on for hygiene and of course a bow clad powder puff!

This Veiling Powder is rather opaque and pale for a universal setting powder! It's designed to naturally cover up a dull complexion for smooth and bright skin using "White Shimmer Powder". This powder is near enough to my own skin tone that it doesn't make my skin look chalky, but I can imagine that a fair few people would not be able to use this powder as it's not truly translucent.

This powder sits quite heavily on my skin, I don't find that it blurs my pores or makes my skin look silky smooth, but it also doesn't enhance my pores and uneven skin. It does however make all of the fine hair on my face stand out rather weirdly, and makes my skin look quite powdery.

This powder has incredibly oil control! "Sebum-absorption controlling powder blots sebum preferentially to keep skin hydrated but not greasy for long." I'm not sure about the powder keeping my skin hydrated, but it does an absolutely wonderful job at keeping my skin oil free/ish! I still have a little bit of oil in the T-Zone which is normal, but it's much, much better than any other powder I've tried before. 

"Etude House Dreaming Swan Veiling Pact Brush - $9.93

A face brush with gentle bristles that lightly brush powder onto face with its delicate touch that reaches even curved areas. 1. Natural clear skin expression: A brush only for powder texture to avoid powder smudged and help applied lightly and evenly. 2. Soft touch & delicate absorption: Fine and soft material with slightly cut edge helps applying even curved areas. 3. Bristles protection with Brush Tutu: Lovely brush tutu included to protect bristles falling out or damaged.

How to Use
Apply a certain amount onto brush and lightly sweep onto face. 2. Lightly touch onto curved areas such as sides of nose and around lips with tip of brush."(2)

This brush is absolutely gorgeous! The brush comes safely housed in a pink mesh tutu to protect the super soft pink bristles. The pale pink handle also has a rose gold barrel which is so princessy! I was SO glad that this brush was gorgeously soft, because when I purchased the Princesses Etoinette Brush set they were very very scratchy and also won't stop smelling like wet goat which is super gross. This brush is 100% better than the Etoinette brushes.

I believe that this brush is designed to apply the Veiling Pact, but I find that the brush picks up too much product for my skin. I would waste so much product picking it up and tapping it off, that I'm just much better off using a different brush. However, it works gorgeously for applying blush, and even better for bronzing!

What I Love

- Gorgeous packaging

- Functional products and packaging

- Veiling Pact provides fantastic oil control

- Veiling Pact Brush is gorgeously soft

- Veiling Pact Brush picks up powder and distributes it well

What I Don't Love

- Limited Edition!

- The Veiling Pact is too pale for darker skintones

- The Veiling Pact doesn't blur pores

- The Veiling Pact enhances fine hair on face

- The Veiling Pact can make the base look thicker or cakier

Final Thoughts

The Veiling Pact is honestly a little bit of an average product. I say this mostly because it only comes in one shade, and it's very, very fair. It makes darker skin look incredibly chalky, and it does make my skin look quite cakey unless I'm very careful about how much I apply. Having said that, it has amazing oil control, fits my skintone well, and comes in gorgeous and functional packaging. I definitely recommend it for any Princesses that have fair skin, don't mind a little cakey skin, and are wanting great oil control!

I absolutely adore the Veiling Pact Brush, there is honestly nothing that I don't like about it! It's amazing adorable with the tutu cover, and the bristles are super soft (unlike the awful Etoinette ones) and it's a good desgin to pick as a stand alone brush as it can be used for a variety of different things!

Thank you so much to Cosmetic Love for sending me the Veiling Pact to review! ^.^ You can still purchase the Veiling Pact from Cosmetic Love!