Physicians Formula Eye Liners

These little guys are totally the way to go! 

I used to always avoid Physicians Formula's products when i'm at the drugstore, simply because they are a little bit more pricier than the other brands. But I simply fell in love with the sapphire blue color that I knew I couldnt just pass up any longer. One day as i was strolling through CVS, they were having a 40% off sale for anything marked with a sticker. I was SO excited to get my hands on these especially seeing that there are only 2 of them left on the racks. Before the sale, this product was retailed at 10.99 at my local CVS. But i guess even at $11.00, you get 3 eye colors and its amazing.

How does it wear for me?

well, the colors are just absolutely amazing and it stays on my eyelids all day. Although I have dry to normal skin, my eyelids can get a little oily by the end of the night after perhaps 8-10 hours because I do have a side swept bang and produces a little oil. Even with a little oil on the lids, this eyeliner did not budge at all and it stayed for the whole day for me.

 As you can see, whats really special about these eyeliners is that they can stack and they can be taken apart like legos! Very handy if youre going on a short vacation for a day or two and you know you only need one eyeliner. Lets be real, come on, you dont need to take all three just for a weekend trip. And if you carry little make up bags with you in the purse, these are awesome to throw in individually as well!

 My favorite has got to be the sapphire blue. In the picture below, the blue seems a little muted and dark, but trust me, in the sun... its absolutely gorgeous! For comparison reasons, i have swatched MAC's blacktrack fluid line on the top and you can see for yourself that the black eyeliner from PH is just as dark, if not darker. The three colors are very wearable, even the blue! The brown is pretty standard and i think it looks great on the lower lashes if you just smudge a little on the outter lower lashes.

Why you might like it?

• pigmented
• long lasting
• wearable
• creamy

Why you might not like it?

• limited colors 

Comment below and YOU tell me what you think the darkest and most pigment black eyeliner there is!

Comparison and Review: MAC Studio Fix Powder vs. Milani Multitasker Face Powder

 Word goes on and on about how similar they are and they are even dupes of each other. But lets see if they really are, shall we? 

The products themselves is pretty straight forward. But lets start with MAC first, then i'll delve into the Milani powder, and finally wrap up with its similarities or differences.

MAC Studio Fix Powder:

This product contains 15 grams of finely mild and fairly soft powder. The item itself is price at $27.00 and can be found on the website (Link in name).When I touch it, the powder is very soft but I wouldnt say its dense to the feeling of a creamy feeling. The product does transfer true to color and it is probably my favorite powder of all time. But granted I have only tried 8-9 powders in my life so far. This shade is in NC35 but I feel that it can be build up to a point where if you are an NC 37 or NC 40, this is not too forgiving and will show up as too light for the skin. I'm currently leaning on the NC32 (haha) side and this product is still working for me. I dont think I will get any lighter, and considering it is approaching spring time, so i will say that this product will keep working for me for the rest of the year until winter time rolls around again. I love how there is a mirror on the inside without sacrificing its slim and sleek packing. Grade? A

Milani Multitasker Face Powder : 

This product contains 10 grams and can be purchased on their website for $6.99. Although this product is sold in drugstores and the prices do fluctuate (-.50 cents or + $1 to $2).

Right off the bat, i think a positive aspect of this powder is how great the range of colors are even for a drugstore face powder. Of course, Higher end products do come in more shades but considering this is a drugstore face powder, their range of colors can indeed suit multiple skin tones.

My shade at the moment is 04 Light Tan. At first, I thought I could be a Tan based on its appearance in its clear lid. But when swatched, unfortunately, the product does come out darker than it appears in its pan. But knowing this fact, I hope this will make it easier for you to find your shade. Speaking of its con sides, lets discuss those things shall we? The packaging is a bit bulky but I dont blame them, they want to have a compartment to put a sponge in and also an area for a mirror (which could be found in the bottom compartment along with the sponge). Another con of this product is the scent. This is probably not news to you, but the scent is very floral and it smells like an old perfume bottle my grandma could've owned. But after applying, the scent does wave away and you are just left with the coloration and no more smell! :)

The product does not go on streaky or patchy, but I find that if i blend this product onto just one spot with a concentrated amount of product, the powder can look cakey. But no problem there, just dont buff in the product right away. Now, i place the powder into a larger area of the face and then buff altogether. Grade? A-

Swatched side by side on arm

 Comparison

As you can see the Milani has a more prominent yellow undertone that would cater very well with people with yellow undertones. It does for me! I dont find both of the products to be heavy or cakey feeling (after having to adjust the way i apply the Milani). It wears well, and I know that because when i take off my makeup with a make up wipe before washing my face, the product transfer into my wipe heavily. Personally, I think the Milani powder is not as soft or buttery feel as the MAC powder. The coverage is definitely the same and can be built up. The only thing I'm going to recommend is not be fooled by the Milani colors, the color you think is a right match for you may just be a little too dark.

VERDICT: I think they are not complete dupes of each other because 1) Color selection. 2) Texture in pan. But I do think they are VERY similar and will be happy with either one.

Comment below: Do you have trouble finding a correct shade in the Milani powder?
 

Lancome Teint Idole Freshwear Foundation

Lancome has definitely gave some of us quite a surprised with their foundation in 2010. Teint Idole has gotten much reputation over varius forms of media while most people gravitate towards the Idole Ultra 24h, not a lot of love is given the to the Freshwear foundation. I decided to try it out.

Freshwear has many claims, some more outrageous than others. Lets take a look at some of them. Taken straight from the Lancome website:

Benefits

• Weightless, ultra-resistant color-true formula stays put for up to 18 hours
• Ensures a fresh, shine-free complexion
• Won’t irritate skin or cause breakouts
• Helps protects skin from UV damage

How does it live up to its claim?

• I do think it is weightless 
• It stays shine-free for me
• It hasnt caused breakouts
• I like how it does give spf, but I still put a face suncreen underneath my makeup everyday (Neutrogena spf 70 sports face sunscreen)

Before I go into the review, I would like to briefly talk about my skin type and if there are any issues for the month. 

My skin is :

• dry to normal
• small pores
• no rosacea
• not acne prone

The foundation is pretty solid. To be honest, when I got this in the mail, I was quite taken back by how slim and small the box was. I was expecting a larger size tube.

The packaging is a tube, and it reminds me of Rimmel's Lasting Finishing 25 hour foundation. The packaging isn't all that special, although I do love the fact that it is in a squeeze tube and could potentially prevent unwanted bacterial to go inside. I just simply cant understand why some companys make foundation in jars or bottles without a pump. But anyway...

As you can see, the foundation is not your typical 1.0 Fl. oz foundation. It is 0.8 Fl. oz. Hence the tube is indeed fairly small. but the amount you need is definitely less than the size of a standard pea.

As you can see in the photo below...

This foundation was given to me as a sample as i was walking through macys.
To show its comparison, it is standing next to a mac fluidline (black track).

This foundation sample has lasted me about 2 months and I still have a little left over. What I do is unscrew the lid, cover the opening with my index finger and give it a little shake and some foundation will stick to my index finger. Then I just dab it around my face. Prisicely, 2 on each cheek, and 2 across the forehead, 1 on my forehead and 1 on my chin. If needed, I will go back and get another quarter size pea amount on my finger. Then I would go in with a dense flat top kabuki or simple use my fingers. The application is very smooth and blends in nicely.

Verdict:

I find that this foundation is very smooth, ultra light and dries to a powdery feel. The foundation does indeed last quite  a bit for me and I never had to touch up throughout the day. I do set with a setting powder. Currently ( feb 2013) I have been using Milani's multitasker face powder to set my liquid foundations. I'm currently an nc30 to nc35 in MACs studio fix but more on the 30 side at the moment. This shade is Bisque 4w and the foundation looks a tad bit darker when i dot it on, but it smooths and blends in almost immediately.  

Will you ever try this foundation and if you have, how do you think it holds up for you? Please comment below.