Review: Revlon Photoready Foundation; 002 Vanilla

Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be talking about the Revlon Photoready Foundation in the shade 002 Vanilla. I picked this foundation up last year because the swatches looked quite warm toned and pale. I remember it being quite pricey, but I can't quite remember the full price, I also think it's been reformulated now as well.

This foundation has a moderately runny consistency, it's not thick, nor is it a thin liquid, but somewhere in between. It starts off looking like a lovely pale, yellow/warm tone, and after 10 minutes descends into Oompa Loompa territory with a dark orange hue.

I use a damp beauty blender to apply this foundation and I actually find it quite easy to blend into the skin. There are teeny glitters hidden inside this foundation, but I find that most of them are brushed off by the sponge or setting powder during application, so I never look like a disco ball.

I found the coverage to be quite average for this product, covering up some of my smaller acne scars, but not the deeper darker ones. It also did absolutely nothing for my  pores, making them look like giant craters on my face.

It's also ridiculously dark on my skin. Like, this oxidization is quite intense!

 

I was pretty impressed at the lasting power of this product! It kept me shine free for 8 hours and didn't break up around my nose and chin like most foundations seem to do now days.

Things I Love

- Lasts quite well

- Kept me mostly shine free for 8 hours
- Convenient packaging and pump

Things I Don't Love

- The lightest colour is way too dark
- Discontinued/re-formulated (Revlon Photoready Airbrush Effect)

Final Thoughts

Even though I enjoyed the lasting power of this foundation, the formula does nothing for my pores and scars, while making me look like an Oompa Loompa after about 10minutes. I've not had much success with Revlon foundations recently and this is just another average formula for me to be completely honest. 

Did you try the original Photoready Foundation or the new version? What did you think?

Fail Product: Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate

Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be talking about the Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate! I bought this Serum at the ridiculous price of $118NZD because I was given a free facial treatment by the Shiseido ladies and felt obliged to purchase something.

This serum comes housed in irritating metalic packaging, which reflects the light when I try to photograph it *shakes fist*. The packaging of the serum is actually glass, which helps with the longevity of the serum. It's very heavy, and I'm frightened that I might drop it onto the bathroom floor and shatter it.

"Powering skin’s beauty now, and over time.

Like your body, your skin has an immune system that functions less efficiently with time, environmental exposure and stress. Ultimune helps boost skin’s multi-defensive powers while helping to strengthen its resistance to day-to-day damage and signs of aging. Over time, skin looks smoother and more resilient, making wrinkles less noticeable as your complexion begins to glow.
 
* Shiseido’s exclusive Ultimune Complex* is formulated with a unique blend of Bulgarian Rose Water, Aqua In Pool and Yeast to protect, strengthen, and maintain healthy looking skin.
* Formulated with a unique botanical power blend with Gingko Biloba Leaf Extract, Shiso and Thyme.
* For women of all skin types and all ages.
* In 4 weeks: firmness and resilience are improved, making wrinkles less visible.
* To use: Apply two pumps morning and evening after cleansing and balancing skin. Apply Ultimune before using targeted serums." (1)

The claims of this  serum are pretty high, basically claiming to to give your skin a better immune system (or this is how the lady sold it to me!). The serum leaves my skin feeling silky soft, but after I wash my face in the morning that silky feeling also gets washed away, which indicates to me that it's not really helping my skin at all.

I then read this review on Paulas Choice which slightly shocked me.

"We wish we could say that Shiseido was kidding with this serum, because the formula is not only amazingly boring but also front-loaded with denatured alcohol, one of the most pro-aging ingredients known! Fighting signs of aging gets a lot harder when so much alcohol is present (you'll smell and feel it)—and, shockingly, despite all the statistical hype, this serum contains barely anything of true value for aging skin. It's mostly water, alcohol, glycerin, silicone for a silky feel, film-forming agent, and preservative." (2)

I'm not sure if this serum is actually bad for my skin, but it certainly broke my skin out really badly, and I didn't see any positive results from using it.

What I Love

- Makes my skin feel silky and soft

- Nice glass packaging

What I Don't Love

- Breaks my skin out really badly

- Costs an arm and a leg

- Doesn't feel like it does anything good to my skin

Final Thoughts

I'm certainly irritated that this fail Serum cost me so much money, but of course I can't say that it's a terrible product for everyone because I obviously have no scientific reasoning behind that claim. I don't trust Paula's opinion entirely either, because of course she would want to promote her own skincare line. The bottom line is that I've used half a bottle of this skincare, and I've had better results using one sample sachet of other skincare products (that are about 3% of the cost of this serum).

Have you tried the Ultimune Concentrate before? Did it break you out too?

First Impression: NARS Light Optimizing Primer

Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be talking about the NARS Light Optimizing Primer! I picked up a couple of these samples when I purchased the NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation and the NARS Soft Velvet Loose Powder in Taipei. All of the stores in Taipei and Kaohsiung were so generous with their samples, I wish NZ stores were like that too! ><

What Does It Do?

"Primed. Revived. Radiant. NARS Light Optimizing Primer SPF 15 dramatically extends and transforms the appearance and vibrancy of makeup. Weightless and oil-free, it minimizes signs of fatigue to leave the skin luminous and revived. May also be worn alone as daily sun protection and/or to create a natural luminous complexion." (1)

I was really surprised with the thick creamy texture of this primer, and the radiant appearance it had when blended into the skin! It seems to have a golden sheen, with small sparkles in purple and pink (ish) which is a new look for me, but interestingly I cant see any pink and purple glitter on my face at all, just a lovely golden sheen on the high points of my face.

I don't quite agree that this product dramatically extends the appearance and vibrancy of makeup, in fact apart from the lovely luminous look I got from the golden sheen, I didn't see any difference with the longevity or appearance on my foundations. It did make my skin look quite moisturized and plump though, which was quite nice. It was easy to apply and didn't leave a greasy feeling on my face like a lot of primers do.

Would I Purchase This Product?

At $54NZD for 30mls I would struggle to purchase this primer. For $30NZD I would have already purchased it by now, but for the extra money it's just so expensive and doesn't provide $54 worth of effects in my opinion. It's a lovely primer, giving my plump, luminous looking skin, I love that it has a bit of SPF in it, but it doesn't make my foundation or BB Cream last any longer, which is what I'm really looking for in a primer!

Have you tried any of the NARS Primers? What's your favourite primer?

Review: LUSH Life's A Beach

Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be talking about a new LUSH product called Life's A Beach! This product is just an Australian and New Zealand release, specifically fund-raising for two separate issues that we sadly both have. I will be touching on the New Zealand Seabed Mining below, and you can read about the Australian Grave Barrier Reef here. 100% of the proceeds of this scrub (minus GST) is donated to each cause.

"LUSH joins fight against seabed mining
Between April 7 to April 15 LUSH Cosmetics are joining Kiwis Against Seabed Mining (KASM) to save New Zealand’s natural coastlines. KASM and LUSH are aiming to put pressure on legislators to implement a moratorium on seabed mining operations, pending the commission and completion of thorough scientific research into the impacts and implications of such industrial activities. KASM has been already successful in blocking past seabed mining operations in the courts.

Some industry estimates claim as much as a third of future mineral production could come from beneath the oceans. It is therefore crucial that we learn to curtail destructive and environmentally irresponsible operations, which have the potential to eradicate marine life from huge stretches of seabed and cause massive habitat degradation.

Phil McCabe, founder of KASM, says ‘New Zealand is an Island Nation full of Coastal People. We love our marine environment and will not allow it to be damaged by an unproven industry called Seabed Mining. Our government has underestimated the destructive nature of seabed mining as well as the commitment of New Zealanders to protect our oceans for future generations. We’re stoked to have LUSH standing beside us as we call on our government to place a moratorium on seabed mining.’

The campaign aims to spread awareness and also to demonstrate public support for an immediate ban on seabed mining. Throughout the week-long campaign LUSH will be donating all proceeds (minus GST) from the sale of our exclusive, Limited Edition campaign product, Life’s a Beach body scrub (RRP $10.90) to KASM in support of their legal work against seabed mining." (1) 

 "Life's A Beach is an ocean inspired, brightening and uplifting body scrub. Full of fresh sea salt and sand, this limited edition body scrub has all the exfoliation power to smooth and rejuvenate all skin types. Scented with a fresh summery Melon fragrance, this fruity and light scent will perfume your skin and turn heads. Use sparingly after cleansing your skin to feel squeaky clean. Life's A Beach body scrub was created exclusively for Australia and New Zealand to support our campaign to Stop Seabed Mining. Whenever you buy a pot to scrub with, 100% of the proceeds (except for the GST) goes to Kiwi's Against Seabed Mining to help fund their campaign to Stop Seabed Mining!

Fine Sea Salt (Fine Sea Salt), Sand (Sand), Sodium Bicarbonate (Sodium Bicarbonate), Perfume (Perfume), *Limonene (*Limonene), Gardenia Extract (Gardenia jasminoides)" (2) 

Ok guys, lets get real here. This is a $10.90 pot of salt, sand, and smells. I struggled to get my head around the thought that I'm purchasing a tub of sand (my home town is a beach town, so sand is usually free for me) but it's just so convenient and smells so lovely!

The lovely LUSH ladies recommended mixing this Body Scrub Powder with a body wash so it forms a paste, and I think that it's a great idea! It works really well this way, because otherwise the sand tends to fall straight off instead of sticking to my body. You also get more product for your money by mixing it yourself! I prefer to mix this scrub with a more neutral smelling body wash (shea butter, coconut or vanilla) rather than a stronger or sweeter smells (I used LUSH's Snow Fairy in these photos) because the mix of strong smells is a little weird!

The scrub itself it so lovely! The Melon scent makes it smell quite summery and beachy, without smelling gross and salty. It's super easy to use, I mix mine before I get into the shower (I make the mix a littler drier because my hands will already be wet) but make sure to rinse the shower out after using it because it will be sandy!

The million dollar question is, does regular sand from the beach do just a good a job? Obviously self harvested sand from the beach is free, thus there is no money going towards stopping seabed mining, and it also doesn't smell nearly as nice. You might need to sift the sand to pull out any small or broken seashells/glass, and potentially boil it to get any nasties out of it, but in all honesty it works just as well!

What I Love

- Smells lovely, beachy and summery without being salty and gross

- The tub will last quite a while

- Inexpensive at $10.90 for 225g
- Works really well

What I Don't Love

- Regular sands works just as well, minus the lovely smell

Final Thoughts

I really like this scrub! It's more exfoliating than LUSH's other body scrubs or exfoliators, but it's not so harsh that I cringe while using it. It's easy to use, the scent is lovely, and you can mix it up with your own body wash to make it smell even nicer! It is $10.90 for a pot of sand, and in all honesty a jar of sand from your local beach will work just as well. If you would like a sand scrub that smells delicious and want to join the fight against Seabed Mining, then grab a pot of this gorgeous scrub! ^.^