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Wednesday, 30 September 2015

Review: NYX Matte Finish Long Lasting Setting Spray

Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be talking about the NYX Matte Finish Long Lasting Setting Spray! I purchased my spray a little while ago, and since then NYX has updated their setting sprays with much cuter packaging, but the product remains the same.


"Demand Perfection! For that fresh make up look that lasts, NYX Makeup Setting Sprays are lightweight and comfortable while working hard to make sure your makeup stays put. Available in a gorgeous Matte Shine-Free Finish or Dewy Fresh Glow.

• What it is: A lightweight makeup setting spray that works hard to make sure your makeup stays put. Available in a Matte Shine-Free Finish or Dewy fresh glow.
• What it does: Keeps makeup looking fresh with that “just-applied” look from day to night.
• Why we love it: When you spend the time for your makeup to be just right, it’s nice to keep it
looking that way.

Artist tips / Suggested use
• How to use: Shake, spray and set! Shake the bottle and spray onto your face from a 6 inch distance. The spray will then set your makeup resisting unwanted color fade


INGREDIENTS / INGRÉDIENTS: Water / Aqua / Eau, Alcohol, VP/VA Copolymer, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Niacinamide, Sodium Salicylate, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Mahonia Aquifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Phenoxyethanol."(1)
This setting spray is really easy to use, the spray is really solid and sprays out a lovely fine mist. It has an alcoholic smell, but it's not overpowering at all and dries down quickly. I find that it makes my face look much less powdery, but it doesn't make it appear any more matte when first applied. 

On these pictures I've set the left half of my face with the setting spray. The left photo shows the spray after it's first applied, the right photo shows the spray after 6 hours. Can you see any difference?
I'll cut right to the chase. I was quite happily using this setting spray because I could, and then while taking the pictures for this review I decided to test it by spraying only the left half my face so I could document the difference between the set side and un-set side. There really is absolutely no difference to using this setting spray and not, other than having a less powdery appearance, which happens if you wet your face with anything really.


What I Love
- Inexpensive
- Good solid spray
- Gets rid of any powdery finish


What I Don't Love
- Doesn't help make up last longer
- Doesn't help make up stay matte
- Doesn't make make up appear matte


Final Thoughts
This is another product that I have blindly been using and thinking that it was helping when in reality it just doesn't do much at all. This isn't a bad product at all as it doesn't do any harm and it makes my face look less powdery, but that's really all it does. It doesn't help my make up look matte, it doesn't help it stay matte or last any better than it usually would.
 
I wouldn't really recommend this setting spray at all because it really doesn't do that much other than making my face appear less powdery. I'd rather use the TonyMoly Pocket Bunny Mists because at least they have some skincare benefits!

Monday, 28 September 2015

Fail or Holy Grail Review: Etude House Help My Finger Pack

Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be talking about the Etude House Help My Finger Nail Finger Pack! I picked this cute little finger treatment pack in Taipei because it looked really interesting, but as it turns out, it's not very useful at all.

"Features
This Nail Finger Pack moistens and brightens up frequently colored, dull fingernails and its surrounding area.


How to use
1. Wash hands and cut along the pouch's dotted line.

2. Cover thumbs with the largest sheet and other fingers with smaller sheets.

3. Remove sheets after 10-15 minutes and gently absorb remaining contents into fingernails surrounding areas."(1)

I love that each hand is separated into two pouches there is also a lot of excess fluid in the pack even though the finger sheets are soaked.
There are two sides to the finger sheets, one side is dotted and one side is smooth. I found that the smooth side stuck better to the finger, so I recommend putting that side on your nails. The finger sheets are very much like a face sheet mask, cold and wet.
However unlike a face sheet mask, these finger sheet masts don't really seem to do anything at all. They don't moisturise my fingers and leave my cuticles as dry they were before.
  What I Love
- Inexpensive ($3USD)
- Easy to use


What I Don't Love
- Doesn't do anything for dry fingers and cuticles
- Doesn't brighten up fingers
- Helpless for 10-15mins


Final Thoughts
This nail mask is incredibly pointless. It didn't give my nails any hydration or brighten them up at all, it just makes me helpless for the next 10-15mins while I have the finger masks on!

I wouldn't really recommend this Nail Pack for anyone, seriously just save your money and buy a good cuticle oil! ^.^

Sunday, 27 September 2015

Review: Beauteque Head to Toe Fun in the Sun Bag

(Sponsored)
Hello Princesses!
Today I'm going to be talking about the Beauteque Head to Toe Fun in the Sun bag! I previously reviewed the Beauteque Head to Toe Skinfood bag which I absolutely adored so I was super excited to receive this bag for review too! 
Unfortunately customs seized my package and demanded to know what was inside before they would send it on, which is why I don't have any pictures of the postage, but this time my bag came contained in a bubble wrapped bag, and the cucumber gel was fully bubble wrapped which I was super glad to see!
As usual, this bag came with the little card detailing the prices and descriptions of everything that is in the bag. This bag costs $28USD plus $10.95 shipping.


Ostia Cucumber Soothing Gel - $15.50
Soothe skin with this rich cucumber gel. It will offer a cooling and soothing relief.
To Use: Apply all over skin, especially in sunburned areas.
The phallic packaging of this product is guaranteed to cause giggles to any adults in the room, as is the bumpy texture of the plastic! I'm super interested to use this product, but I haven't been sunburnt in about 7 years (I may be a vampire) and I don't feel too hot usually, so I don't know how helpful this will be for me personally!


Cellabon Naturatox UV Essence - $35.00
This 3-in-1 miracle product offers protection from UV rays, moisturising properties, and acts as a base to set your makeup all day. Willow Bark extract and Papaya Fruit extract increases cell turnover to help effectively detoxify the pores, and improve skin texture as it gently sweeps away dead skin cells and impurities that can dull the complexion.
To Use: Apply to face and body before going outdoors.
The packaging for this sunscreen is super luxurious, it even comes with it's own little stand! One of the only things I dislike more than unnecessary abbreviations is metallic packaging. Pretty - yes, but photogenic - no. I love that this has a little "on-off" switch so the pump doesn't accidentally depress during travel. I'm not sure how this will work as an essence, but it's really lightweight and leaves a moisturised finish. I don't love it on it's own because it makes my face feel a little greasy, but it works wonderfully under make up!


Tony Moly Mini Berry Lip Balm - $10.00
Flavoured lip balm protects lips with SPF15. Offers a pleasant flavour as well.
To Use: Apply throughout the day.
This cherry shaped and scented lip balm is ridiculously cute! It has a glossy peach coloured tint that looks super natural on the lips and doesn't taste too much like plastic. It's lightly hydrating and contains SPF15, I would definitely recommend this to Princesses that don't have super duper dry lips!


 Nature Republice Real Nature Mask in Cucumber - $3.89
The cucumber mask hydrates and provides skin with nutrients. It also increases skin absorption potential.
To Use: Apply 10-20 minutes to clean skin them remove. Massage remaining essence into skin.
This is a great choice of mask for summer because cucumber is always so cooling and refreshing!


 My Beauty Diary Hyaluronic Acid Mask- $3.89
The hyaluronic acid mask deeply moisturises. This mask infuses the skin to improve elasticity and firmness, and instantly enhances softness in the skin.
To Use: Apply 20-30 minutes to clean skin, then remove. Massage remaining essence into skin.
I'm not sure about using an intensely moisturising mask during hot weather, but I guess when you have dry skin it's usually dry! I'll be aiming to use this during Spring when my skin isn't too oily!


It's Skin Babyface Waterproof Eyeliner - $11.00
Define eyes and defy sweat and water with this waterproof liner. Product will last throughout the day.
To Use: Apply to top and/or bottom lash line by lining from inner corner outwards.
The packaging of this pencil liner is absolutely adorable! It is actually quite smudge proof and waterproof, but I wonder how it will hold up against my oily eyelids! This is a great liner for summer if you want your eye liner to stay on while swimming, just try not to rub your eyes!



Blotting Paper - $5.00
Soak up oil from skin without disturbing makeup or sunblock. Reduce shine and feel refreshed.
To Use: Dab face with one sheet as necessary throughout the day or evening.
Blotting papers are another great choice for a summer bag, they are definitely a necessity for my oily summer skin! The little Eiffel Tower charm is removable too, how cute!



What I Love
- Great choice of items in the bag
- Fun shaped products (cucumber & cherry tint)
- Fragile items were bubble wrapped!
- Quick 1 week shipping to NZ


What I Don't Love
- Nothing


Final Thoughts
I really like this Head to Toe Fun in the Sun bag! I think that it has a great range of sun care items, including a full size sunscreen, and that it also had some fun, cutely packaged items - who can resist a little cherry shaped lip tint! I really like that this time the delicate items came bubble wrapped for safety, it makes me feel so much safer when I see items being bubble wrapped.

Thank you so much to Beauteque for sending this bag to me for a review! If you're interested in a full review of any of these products, leave a comment down below and I'll make sure to review them for you! ^.^

Saturday, 26 September 2015

First Impression: MAC Studio Waterweight Foundation

Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be talking about the MAC Studio Waterweight Foundations! I decided to do two First Impressions this week so I could fit this in because it's a new product, and really really interesting!
What Does It Do?
"Introducing an innovative foundation that delivers colour in an ultra-fluid, elastic gel- serum formula. With a virtually weightless feel, this formula is extraordinarily comfortable, lasting for hours. With stay-true colour and sheer medium buildable coverage, it softly blurs imperfections such as pores and fine lines, while also controlling oil. The addition of Moisture-Fusion Complex provides immediate and all-day hydration, leaving skin feeling quenched and silky to the touch. The unique dropper provides you with a drop of perfection.

    Provides comfortable, all-day wear
    Provides instant and all-day hydration
    Controls oil
    Offers broad spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 30
    Provides stay-true colour
    Non-caking and streak-resistant
    For all skin types
    Non-acnegenic
    Dermatologist tested
    Oil-free" (1)
The sample packaging is so ridiculously cute, it's minuscule, full to the brim of foundation and smaller than my index finger.
The lightest warm toned/yellow toned/NC shade is NC15, which is not really that light. It's not quite the right shade for my skin, it's a little too dark and quite beige as opposed to yellow.
The formula of this foundation is amazing, it's so lightweight, easy to blend and really looks like skin rather than a mask. It provides light to medium coverage, enough to cover lighter scars, but not enough to cover the more significant scarring. It doesn't make my pores or fine lines look smaller, but in combination with a powder my skin looks amazing.
Since I didn't like the way the NC15 looked on my skin, I was rematched to NW13. I have the Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NW10 and it can pass as an OK match.
NW13 looks strangely orange! It doesn't look awful on my skin, but it's not the right colour either which is unfortunate.
I decided to do a shade comparison including my sisters sample shade (NC20) and my NW10 Studio Fix Fluid. There is a massive difference between the NW10 and NW13 shade, so if you love your Studio Fix in NW10 you probably won't like the Waterweight in NW13. You can also see the texture difference between the matte full coverage of the Studio Fix Fluid and the thin lightweight Waterweight Foundation.


Would I Purchase This Product?
No, but only because the shades don't match! I could lighten the NC15 shade with a white mixer, but it's quite beige and I need a very yellow toned foundation. It has an absolutely gorgeous formulation and I think it would look lovely on most skin types, it made my skin look like my skin but way better, and it lasted all day without fading or breaking up. I really wish the made the NW10 shade or even better, NC10!