Chanel Le blanc Oil-in-Cream Compact Foundation Whitening Thermal Comfort SPF40/PA++

Phewhh..just typing and reading the post title is a whole mouthful i tell ya. Haha

With that out of the way, lets get into the review of this new yet not new foundation.

What the little booklet in the foundation box says about this foundation:

Chanel Le Blanc Oil-in-Cream Compact Foundation reveals unprecedented power to deliver perfect evenness, hydrating sensation and lasting translucency. Complexion radiates a pure healthy light in comfort, throughout the day, despite the season.

Specifically designed for Asian skin.

Creates a breathable veil on skin.

Chanel's Smart Thermal Complex instantly forms a thermal buffer on skin that delays and diminishes the effects of climate variation such as redness. Allows pores from being highlighted even after passing throughout hot and humid conditions while maintaining optimal comfort throughout the day.

Contains ume flower oil known for nutritive properties contributing to skin comfort. 

Contains niacinamide.

Ok..its a long and lengthy explanation and i've cut out around half of the write up in the booklet. But decided to just get into the details.

Shade choice: i went with 10 beige. My usual shade. Its a shade that is safe for me as 20 beige can at times run a little dark on me. When blended out gives me a brightened look. Looking at the website shades only go up to 30 beige.

Scent: has a light fresh scent. Not perfumy and strong thank goodness. 

Packaging: its a compact much like a cushion foundation. First time buyers would have to purchase the full compact which doesnt come with a refill. But you could always purchase a refill once done with the previous one and slot it back in the compact. 

Application: at first i used fingers. But after awhile, i decided to put the sponge to the test and lo and behold, that was the best way to apply the foundation to me. By using the sponge provided, it applies the foundation in such an even and thin layer that makes my face glow! Never cakey looking. 

Texture: now this is the unique part. Its a cream compact. Upon seeing it for the first time, the top most layer made me think that it was a cushion foundation. But no no no. Its very much a cream. Surprisingly, it does not feel like a rich thick cream. Rather is it very cooling and somehow or rather feels like its full of water!amazing! And when spread over the skin, it takes on such a smooth texture unlike anything i have ever felt before. Looking at the ingredient list, water sit on the top most.

Ingredients: i am no fancy schmancy with ingredients. I can't pronounce more than half on the list but i can identify some. Some that i know are water(duhhh), synthetic wax, zinc oxide, dimethicone, titanium dioxide(nano), niacinamide, prunus mume flower extract(ume flower i presume), squalane, parfum. The rest you can check out the official site for.

Wear/longevity: for something that is dewy looking and not matte, the staying power is pretty darn good. I live in Malaysia where everyday if not raining is summer. Its also humid when it rains. If worn thick, it might separate. But i only use a thin layer and i had no issues with this foundation settling in my pores or lines. Didnt break me out despite the synthetic wax. Didnt break up on me either. Went for a good 5-6 hours without touchup. Not saying that i dont see oil come through, but when blotted, the face looks pretty much A-ok. Even if i dont blot, i would be fine with it. Didnt feel like the foundation was sliding off my face.

Verdict: 4.5 / 5. Why so? 0.5 taken off for the superbly expensive price. Which is RM 254. But i believe that the refill is a fraction of the price (RM179). Other than that, this is a keeper especially for our local weather. I dont hear many talk about this foundation and i think that maybe there wasnt enough buzz around the launching as i myself did not know of its existence until i saw a youtuber review it.

As usual, i purchase all my Chanel goodies from Miko at Chanel Sunway Pyramid stand alone store. They have the best service there!

Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation.

Well hello there readers, long time no see. I'm back with another foundation review! Woot woot! I've been accumulating foundation purchases and have been giving them a fair run and i have some thoughts on them.

For this particular post, from the title of it you already know what foundation i'm writing about. It's the Dior Backstage face and body foundation. I have with me the foundations in shade 0W and 1.5N.

To start off, you must be wondering why on earth does she need two different shades? Well...at first i saw this launch in Sephora Malaysia online and was afraid that it would sell out before i could get my hands on it. So i went on short google frenzy and thought the 1W was a bit dark from swatches, as were the N shades. So i thought it looks to be somewhat light coverage..maybe i could get away with 0W. When it came in the post..i was like "yikes..this is way off. ". Surprisingly enough, if i were to wear it lightly i could pull it off. But if i wanted more coverage, it would look too stark white on me.

A week later, went to Sunway Pyramid and chanced upon a Dior Store( as if i didnt intend on entering). Walked in, asked around and the SA was kind enough to mix and match me with 0W and 1.5N.  Which worked out great. But i must be consistent on the portions of the two shade mixed together. I still wish i had 1 that is my perfecr match. But because i had already bought the 0W, there was no other way about it.

So lets get on to the review shall we?

Shade:

I have it in two shades as mentioned above 0W and 1.5N. When mixed in the right proportions creates the right color for me. 

Scent:

Has a very slight floral fresh scent whih does not bother me. It smells very high-end and pleasing.

Texture:

This formula has to be shaken (if i am not mistaken). Its not too runny or thick. A good in between. Its fluid and not creamy. Spreads well.

Application:

It spreads well but this foundations sets fast and must work it in, in sections. As i use my hands to apply the foundation i have no problem with it setting to fast. I have yet to try it with a brush or sponge.

Finish:

Its a demi matte in my opinion. It does not look flat. But it sets to a surprisingly confortable matte where i feel i dont necessarily need to powder...But i do any way as per usual. As it claims, it is buildable to full and it builds well too even with finger application. It does not sit my my super large pores and fine lines..which is a bonus if you ask me. Oh and it looks better as the day goes on as to when i first applied it.

Longevity:

It claims to be waterproof & sweat-resistant and to my surprise, i could vouch for it. It lasted superbly well in the humid hot Malaysian weather. I wore it way longer than i should which would be past the 10 hour mark and it looked great and didnt fadr on my oily combination skin. I did blot once or twice but did not add more powder. I didnt get oily. But i read that alcohol was high in the ingredient list and as an oily combi skinned person, its fine but i cant say the same for dry skinned people. As for blush highlight applied on top, well it too lasted well throughout the day.

Price:

I was pleasantly surprised that this foundation is priced at RM155 for a 50ml bottle which works out to be great in terms of moneys worth! There are others much more expensive than this and being highend its mind boggling that its priced as it is.

Verdict:

I give the Dior Backstage face and body foundation a 4.8/5 as i find i cant use it every single day as the alcohol made my skin a little tight feeling. But overall i love this foundation! And if i need a foundation to last me the whole day, i would definitely reach for this again. 

Shout out to Jeralynn Lee of Dior Beauty Boutique for entertaining me and signing me up to a membership! Did you know that you can be a member and collect points with any amount of purchase?? Would love to know what are the perks of being a member as this is my first Dior purchase.

Thanks again for reading peeps! See u in another post real soon ❤

By Terry Sun Designer Palette - Review & Swatches

Summer 2018 releases have been so thrilling for me. The colors are so vibrant and eye catching. By Terry really does great palettes off late and most of them are limited edition unfortunately. They sell out really fast too. So i was not about to let the boat sail away.

Bu Terry came out with 2 Sun Designer palettes this summer and i got mine in no.5 Hippy Chic. The colors at first threw me off as they might be to vibrant and bright for me (a.k.a. Loud). But you really need only a tap of the blush and it would be enough. The colora can be sheered out for a subtle wash of color.

Me being me, i gravitate more towards the left side of the palette for a more subtle daily look. Buy really, the colors on the right really are beautiful when used sparingly.

A thing i like about this palette is that it makes mixing and blending colors easy. I could easily custom blend my own blush color. Now thats really worth the money. It retails for RM299 and you can get it at Kens Apothecary or Sephora(if its not sold out already)

Here are some swatches of the palette which i managed to snap pics of. Sorry for the lighting as the pictures were taken indoors.

Tarte Be A Mermaid & Make Waves Palette - Review and Swatches

Who picked this up during the Sephora sale in May? I did..i just couldnt resist. Its far from my comfy neutrals but lately i've been loving warm and shimmery eyeshadows.

In my opinion, they are of great quality and i dont even need an eyelid primer or to wet my brush for such intense finish. The mattes swatch a little patchy but actually apply really well. They blend well too. The packaging though..haha..a little extra dont you think? Beautiful none the less but a pain to store. If stored and kept in the box it came would be easier.

I know some have voiced out that the colors are repeatitive and rosy toned mauves but the finishes are different and there are pops of blue and turquoise in there. If only there was a dark matte for the outer corner, now that would be great and also a matte white or cream for a an all over the lid and browbone color. But i could always reach for another palette i own for that. To be honest, i'm not too sure if i'd bring this traveling as it doesnt seem like a stand alone palette and plus it is a bit on the bulky side. I guess this one will be saved for the dressing table which is fine to me. Tarte's palettes lately are a real win of late. With the textures of the eyeshadows being creamy and easy to blend. Especially the the Tarte Tartelette palette in Tease and Flirt.

If you can still get it, i suggest you do so. Especially if you are a collector (which i am not by the way..but edging on the thought of it). The colors are just right for "summer" or so "all year summer" in Malaysia. Tee hee...

Psst: Have you seen the Tarte x Aspyn Ovard palette? I looks kinda boring right..But i secretly want it because those are the kinda colors i would wear. Oh no...

By Terry Game Lighter Palette in 2. Pixie Nude -Review

This is a long awaited post for me as i have not had the time to publish this. I got this in February when it first launched and i have been constantly using it. I love it! psssttt..since its the Sephora sale with 20% off for Gold and Black members and 10% off for white, why not head on over to the online store and grab it while you can because its pretty comapct and the shimer shades are to die for!

CHANEL Les beiges Sheer Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturiser in Light -Review and Swatches

Oh my gosh. How exciting is the Les Beiges Collection 2018? I've been waiting for this since last years Les Beiges collection which i got myself the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation. I totally loved it and finished the whole bottle! I wanted to get another but was surprised that Chanel came up with another wonderful base for this particular collection. As usual, I got some samples from Miko of Chanel Sunway Pyramid and guess I'll be paying her a visit pretty soon.  As this brand spanking new base is the bomb!

What it claims:

A feather-light fluid that enhances the complexion with a sheer an a luminous healthy glow. Enriched with a hyaluronic acid derivative and kalanchoe extract, its non-occlusive formula moisturizes your skin all day long and protects it against environmental stress. Your complexion radiates the luminosity and freshness of the great outdoors. 

Here i have the sample sachet of the new tinted moisturizer next to my vitalumiere aqua. The sample sachet is in light and the vitalumiere aqua is in shade 10 beige.

If i am not mistaken, the two share the same sized squeeze bottle.

Here is the tinted moisturizer in action.

Top is the vitalumiere aqua in 10 beige

Bottom is the tinted moisturizer in Light

Here is the line up: 

1)Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua 10 Beige

2)guerlain Aqua Nude 1W1

3)By Terry Sheer Expert: 3 Cream Beige

4)Laura Mercier Candleglow in Ivory

Chanel Les Beige Tinted Moisturizer in Light

Laura Mercier is significantly darker and golden. I usually use it as a mixer for my lighter shade foundations and foundations that are thicker and heavier in texture.

My thoughts on the new Chanel Les Beiges Tinted Moisturizer:

Color-wise: it comes in 3 shades in Malaysia which are light, light-medium and medium. But if i am not mistaken, they have darker shades overseas. As someone who can use the usual 010 and 020 shades, Light in the tinted moisturizer is a good in between shade in my opinion. It does not oxidize on my oily combination skin at all and remains true to its color till the end of the day.

Texture: This one is an interesting one. as i swatched the other foundations which i chose only the light-medium coverage foundations..i find that the heaviest texture to be the Vitalumiere Aqua! Surprising isn't it?  and the lightest is the new Les Beiges tinted moisturizer. It truly has a texture of a light moisturizer which somehow does not feel siliconey but somehow feels a bit oily. Its very light in texture. It spreads really well and surprisingly does not streak for how light it is. 

Finish: The finish is definitely soft sheeny glowy skin. I as always must set any base product with my Chanel loose powder. and even after i set it with powder it is almost undetectable by the eye. Its so fine and smooth that it does not act as a regular foundation, yet the coverage is way more than your typical tinted moisturizer. I have put it to the test for a whole days wear which to me is about 8 hours (with cooking and cleaning and caring for 4 kids), and what i can say is that it has worn really well despite its claim for glowy tint finish. It did not crease whatsoever in my smile lines and almost all foundations crease there on me. i did not get oily on my forehead and cheeks which is so surprising for me. the only draw back on this is that it got a little dewy on my nose. but i did try to reapply on the nose and all was good. I cant say it is transfer proof but what i can say is that if you dont go rubbing or touching your face, its not going anywhere because it didn't even melt or move in this hot and humid Malaysian weather. I guess it is really a good base for the Les Beiges collection as this collection is usually released during Summer. well done Chanel!

Scent: This has a slight typical Chanel foundation scent but not as strong as the rest. Its pretty mild and dissipates after application.

Application: i literally slapped this on with my fingers and it was not streaky at all. it literally melts into the skin as would a moisturizer.

Final Verdict:

10/10 !!! bravo! I really like this new Les Beiges Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturizer just as i loved the Healthy Glow Foundation from last year. Its a real game changer and i think many are switching from heavy foundations to a more natural wearable finish. and it really is fuss free. Loos like i'm going to have to head on to the Chanel store pretty soon. Thanks for dropping by to read. Lots of love!

Chanel, Herbivore, Kate Somerville, Dr.Brandt and Nuxe Empties. Would I Repurchase? (PART 1)

Chanel, Herbivore, Kate Somerville, Dr.Brandt and Nuxe Empties. Would I Repurchase? (PART 1)

Ok here are quite a few items I have used up and have formed some what of a pretty good opinion on. Some of these products were bought by me within this year 2017 and some were bought before this year but only now has finished. (Mind my English.. its the wee hours and my brain is not functioning as well). I will give you some info or thoughts about these items individually and let you know if I would or would not repurchase them.

.

The goods

Kate Sommerville RetAsphere 2-in-1 Retinol Night Cream

This 2-in-1 Retinol Night Cream is designed to gently infuse skin with pure retinol to help diminish the appearance of fine lines and even out texture and skin tone. The RetAsphere Smart Release Carrier System gently delivers pure retinol in a lipid shell that melts evenly into the epidermis -  where it is most effective - while seaweed extract, with bio-derived hyaluronic acid helps prevent over-drying by locking in hydration where and when the skin needs it.

What do i think about it? I LOVE IT! I am on to my second tube and I have a spare in my drawer..thats how much I love it. One pump of this stuff is enough for my entire face. Its a light yellow colored cream and I use it at nighttime after cleansing for 3-4 nights a week. I don't use this every night. What I have noticed after finishing up one whole tube which last me around 5 months or more is that it's not drying what so ever, my acne has gone down significantly, pores have reduced in size, less whiteheads, texture of my skin is smoother and firmer skin. But this could be in combination with my other skincare regime. But be warned, with any retinol products used, it is best to be used at night time only and always slather on SPF/suncreen during the day time. My skin has not reacted badly to this ever, and I am halfway done with my second bottle. Down side to this  product is that so far as I know, it can only be purchased through Sephora.com and in Sephora's physical store. You could buy from international websites but as i don't have a credit card, that is not an option. Another down side is that this stuff is pricey and the price just went up again! I originally bought this for RM387 ( around that price) and now it's RM405! I hope its not going up again. But as for now, this item is sold out. I would suggest getting this when Sephora has the 20% member sale. Hopefully they will restock by then.

VERDICT: REPURCHASE (DURING SEPHORA 20% SALE)

Dr.Brandt Xtend Your Youth Face Cream

This stuff is legit good! I bought this at 50% off on Kensapothecary online store and bought another for back ups. It has a gel-like cream texture and does not make me greasy or oily. It absorbs fast and leaves my face plump and moisturized. A few months back I got a scare. It was no longer available online and in-stores. I asked the sales assistant at Kens 1Utama, they said that they have no clue whether they are going to restock this item or its going to be discontinued. So i went on a hunt for the perfect daytime moisturizer. Luckily I stumbled upon this back in stores last Saturday and immediately bought one! It retails for RM239 for 50g and i mainly use it for daytime as it doesn't make my face oily. 

VERDICT: REPURCHASE

Dr.Brandt Laser FX Bright serum

Ok....just looking at this makes my eyes tear up. It's discontinued. *sobs loudly*. I bought this on Kensapothecary online store for buy one free one. I used up both with great results along side the vit dose Vit C serum. Why...oh why... Anywhooo.. I'm still hoping it will be restocked as I bought another of their serums with the same beneficial claims and it was no way near as good and twice the price. I hate it when this happens. Anyway, these were priced at RM200++ i can't remember exactly, but were worth every cent. It helped lightened my scars, better texture and brighter skin.

VERDICT: REPURCHASE ( I WISH)

CHANEL Poudre Universelle Libre Natural Finish Loose Powder.

Holygrail!!! This was my second tub and I am on to my third. It lasts pretty long and I love the puff it comes with (unlike Laura Mercier which I have to buy the puff separately..looking at you Laura...looking at youuu..).  and the puff actually fits inside the tub. This stuff is the only powder i find good for my oily combi skin and lasts a really long time on the skin. Its a huge tub. I have it in 20 clair. The only downside to this is that I originally bought my first tub at RM165, the it went up to RM175 and my latest tub is RM190. The price goes up every year and it kills me that i can't live without it. I have bought and tried out so many others but keep going back to this one. 

VERDICT: REPURCHASE EVEN IF THE PRICE KILLS ME

Herbivore Blue Tansy Resurfacing Clarity Mask

Yup yup.. resurfaces and clarifies. This is the first ever mask I fell in love with. I took a gamble at purchasing this solely based on reviews from Sephora USA website. And it did not disappoint. Acne went down so much and pores were clearer texture of the skin finer. Redness also went away. I bought another during the 20% members sale and i was up like a hawk that night just to catch the start of the sale and did not wait a second. snapped it up super fast and within a few minutes it was SOLD OUT! Breathed a sigh of relieve.... thank goodness I was fast enough. Haha. Lasts a pretty long time and i initially used it 3-4 times a week and went down to 1-2 times a week as i had a few other skincare items to go through. 

VERDICT: REPURCHASE (BEFORE THE CONTENTS FINISH)

Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm

This balm was my first true lip balm love. I was struck with dry..parched chapped lips spell and during our trip to Paris, I googled the best items to purchase at a French Pharmacie..ohhhs and ahhhs. I just loved the pharmacies there. When ever I see the + sign, my heart skipped a beat. Made my way all alone to St. Germain where they say that it was one of the best pharmacies around. Bought this and it lasted me 2 years! I love this. I think that Sasa Malaysia carries this brand but I have yet to check on it. I have tried others but I really do need to repurchase this as nothing else comes close. It doesn't leave the lips feeling oily or sticky. It has a honey smell, hence the "miel" part which meals honey. It has a matte finish which is awesome and i slather this on generously at night and wake up to plump juicy lips in the morning.

VERDICT: REPURCHASE!

I guess you could say that these items are biased as all of them are on my repurchase list. But to be honest, I hardly finish the ones that I don't like. But I have another upcoming blog post on another big "empties". Stay tuned for that one. And another thing to note is that I hardly make a dent in my makeup items besides loose powder, so it's kinda hard to reach empty bottle/pan state. So what i'm planning to do is a blog post on "Project Hit Pan 2018" where i gather up skincare and makeup items that are already in my stash that need more lovin. Its such a waste to leave them unattended and purchase other things when I have so much in my collection already. Lets see the outcome of that post at the end of 2018 whether I like the items or should I just chuck them out.

Till next time toodledoos!