Review: FAB Face Cleanser

Hi guys! I hope you all enjoyed my previous food post, haha.  Still makes me hungry :X So last night I was washing my face as usual and I looked at my cleanser thinking, "hmm, I'm almost done with this again.  Oh well, better repurchase".  Then it crossed my mind that I should post about it! I have repurchased this cleanser twice, soon to be third time repurchasing! (Four bottles total)

FAB stands for "First Aid Beauty" and it is sold at Sephora.  This particular cleanser is $18, a bit expensive for a cleanser but I like it so much it justifies the price.  The brand, I think, primarily focuses on skincare rather than makeup.  What made me buy this cleanser? I was looking for something that was not a gel or a foam cleanser, as those types tend to dry my already dry skin out.  I stumbled upon this cleanser and I thought why not? My skin is not that sensitive but I like to use "for sensitive skin" products, because that never hurts!

Typically, I remove my eye makeup with my Lancome bi-facil eye makeup remover and remove my face makeup with Ponds makeup remover.  Whatever residue left over, I use this cleanser.  Since most of the cleansing is done with other products, I too, wondered how this cleanser performed on its own.  I kind of found out through this post!

Please forgive the lighting in the pictures! I had to take them in the bathroom and well, not the best lighting at all.

Pretty generously sized I think.  Simple packaging, nothing fancy. 

Okay, I'm not so sure about the "antioxidant booster" part but it does leave your skin with that "glow" after washing.  Keep scrolling! 

Voila! Ingredients. Nothing really rings an alarm, thank goodness. 

My favorite kind of dispenser.  What I usually do when there is very little product left is cut the tube in half.  Then I can get about 5 more uses.  I like the pump dispensers too but I find it wasteful when I know there's product left over but not enough to actually pump out.  And pump dispenser products have too hard a packaging for me to cut through. 

The airy cream texture.  Man, I can go on and on about the texture.  I bet clouds feel this way! It does not have any scent that I could tell of, which is ideal for cleansers targeted towards sensitive skin.

I wish I showed how little I used to get this much lather but I forgot to take a picture of that.  Anyway, it was really little.  Another reason why I love this product: It lathers up really nicely! Probably not the same kind of lather you would get from a foam cleanser but foam cleansers are too icky for me. 

DA DA DDUUUUMMM.  For the final test! I was actually curious about the results as well! Here are the products I used for the test: NYX cream rouge blush, Clinique gel liner, Kat Von D tattoo concealer, Loreal Voluminous Million lashes (water proof), TheBalm Staniac lip stain. 

From left to right:
Clinique gel liner, TheBalm Stainiac lip stain, Loreal Voluminous Million lashes (water proof), Kat Von D tattoo concealer, and NYX cream rouge blush

This is the amount of product I used.  I don't know why it looks like so much on camera.  I really used a small amount!!!

*cleanse cleanse cleanser*

The results!
I really do think my arm looks a bit more 'glowy' than it did prior to cleansing!

It got rid of the lip stain and concealer completely.  The cream blush - almost but not quite completely.  The gel liner and water proof mascara left the most behind after the cleansing.  I found this a bit disappointing, but I guess this is why they make a separate eye makeup remover.  I'm glad it got off all the concealer, considering how "heavy coverage" it's supposed to be.  So there you have it.  My favorite cleanser (still).

Remember ladies, thorough cleansing (especially if you wear makeup) is extremely important.  You want all that gunk OUT before going to sleep.  I recommend using actual makeup removers (for both eyes and face) then follow up with a gentle cleanser to get rid of anything left behind.  And once or twice a week, throw in a mask or exfoliator to give your skin that extra glow.  Masks and exfoliators work best when the skin is as clean as can be!

Tell me about your favorite cleanser! 

Recent Favorites

I know there are "monthly favorites" or "_____'s (insert month) hits and misses" but I decided I'd do a "recent favorites" post.  This is because I always have new favorites since I'm always trying new products/returning to previously loved products.  Having said that, I've used these products every day in the past 10 days. Like most other people, mine consist of both drugstore and higher end products. I've actually done reviews for some of the products, in which case I will link :)

1. Maybelline - The Falsies (flared) waterproof mascara

2. Revlon - Colorstay Blemish Concealer "Fair" [Click here for review]

3. Make Up For Ever HD Primer #1

4. Benefit High Beam  [Click here for review]

5. Urban Decay The Revolution Eyelash Curler  [Click here for review]

6. Lancome - Blush Subtil "Rose Doucer"

7. Cargo - blu_ray Pressed Powder #10

8. ELF - Eyebrow Kit "Medium"

Maybelline - The Falsies (flared) waterproof mascara

Bottle

Wand

I got this mascara for $5 I think. It was on sale and I thought "why not?". I'm glad I got it because I really am enjoying this! The wand is standard in length but "flared" out to give that falsies look for your lashes. Since it is waterproof, it does hold my curls quite well. I don't have trouble removing it and while it's not mind blowing, it does do a good job.  A down side is that it can clump but if you're careful, you will have gorgeous clump-free lashes! 

 Make Up For Ever HD Primer #1

Pump

Not blended

Semi-blended

Fully Blended

Make Up For Ever makes tons of face makeup products and I've only tried two but I'm pleased with both I've tried.  Back in December, my friend got me a $30 giftcard to Sephora and I spent it on this.  I suffer from some redness around my face, especially my nose area but in general, I am a very pink-toned person.  Not in a very flattering way either! So I use this as my primer.  Since it's green, it neutralizes the redness but there are several other colors, including a transparent shade (#0) which is also quite nice if you do not want any color in your primer.  I like it because it's hydrating and it does not have that silicone feel to it.  Not to mention the sanitary pump dispenser! 

As you can see in the last picture, even after it is fully blended, there is some green tinge in it.  The key is to use only the amount you need.  Too much product will leave that green tinge.  But if you are using a foundation on top, it shouldn't matter.  Lately I haven't been in the foundation mood but I'm using this primer, a concealer, and a pressed powder for my face.  It's working pretty well for me! It gives me that "makeup but no makeup" look lol.  In the future, I would love to try the blue shade! 

Lancome - Blush Subtil "Rose Doucer"

No flash

Flash

Swatches 

This blush is from my last Lancome haul and I've been loving it! The color is more like the color without flash.  I was looking for something peachy-pink and I think this fits the criteria well even though it's a bit more on the pink side.  So far, definitely worth the splurge.  I'm surprised by how long it lasts (although I do use a makeup setting spray, sometimes blush is gone by the afternoon) and the shimmer is not as noticeable on my face.  This could be a good or bad thing but I usually prefer only a little shimmer for my blushes.  Too much shimmer can make you look oily!  

Cargo - blu_ray Pressed Powder #10

Back a few weeks ago, I was at the Sephora inside JCPenney's and I saw the entire Cargo line on sale! From my knowledge, Sephora doesn't even carry Cargo so I was so confused as to why this brand was there and on sale! I snagged this HD pressed powder (for $17!) because I've seen so many people rave about this and they're absolutely right! It's feels lovely on my face, with just the right amount of coverage.  So thrilled because I got it for nearly half the price. It's probably going to last me forever too! 

 ELF - Eyebrow Kit "Medium"

I ADORE this brow kit! I got it from Target for $3 I think and I have it in the shade "medium" which matches me perfectly.  I don't know how many other shades they make though, I only saw this shade at my local Target.  Anyway, it comes with a small dual ended brush which I thought was cute! lol. It's actually not as flimsy as you'd think.  But more importantly, the left is a gel to set your brows in place and the right is a powder to fill your brows with.  It's working so well for me and it's only $3! The lasting power is also great.  I can see myself buying this over and over again! 

And lastly... 

My mother made these brooches (among other things) about 25 years ago and she gave them to me when I was really little.  These were my favorite pieces from the ones she had given me, even as a little girl! I had forgotten about these but I rediscovered them a few days ago and I fell in love with them all over again! The color is still the same, and I thought the details were so amazing.  I think I'm going to pass these on to my own children! 

Anyway, what products do you guys use everyday?! Or are you like me? Hopping around from product to product? :p 

FOTD & Review: Dr. Jart Waterfuse BB Cream

Hi guys!

So today I will be reviewing the Dr. Jart Waterfuse BB cream. This is available at Sephora but I suggest you take a look at the Dr. Jart website to see what kind of products they offer other than the ones that are sold at Sephora.

The Basics:
-1.7 oz ($34 at Sephora, slightly different product for $42 on the Dr. Jart website)
-SPF 25 PA++
-Oil free
-Made with 50% water
-One shade
-Made in Korea

Immediately, I'm sure the price can make some feel uneasy but this is not a product anyone should be using a lot of.  You do not need a lot of this to cover your imperfections.  That being said, no, it is definitely not as cheap as the ones you can find in drugstores but I strongly believe this BB cream is worth every penny.

The Good:
I think this is most ideal for people with normal to dry skin. I've heard it works well for oily skin too, but you have to use some powder/blot every few hours. The finish is dewy, your face will look plump and 'glowy'. When I'm wearing a "full face" of makeup, I start out with this BB cream, apply some blush and mascara, then I'm good to go! I also like that this product has SPF 25. I use a teeny bit (and I'll explain later why) and blend, blend, blend! Ta-da! Most of my imperfections are gone! I'm not too crazy about concealing EVERY single blemish so even the ones that still peek through after applying this, I leave alone because there is enough coverage.  I love that it's oil-free but not drying for my face.  This is probably the main reason why this product could also work for oily skin. There is also a scent, nothing overwhelming, but it's slightly floral (kind of reminds me of my serum but not as strong as my serum).  It's a pleasant smell and it does not linger for me.

The Bad:
Okay. Great product. Everyone should be able to use it, right?
Unfortunately not, as this product only comes in one shade. If you are very fair or very dark, you will not be able to use this product without looking a bit 'off'.  I am on the lighter side and using too much of this will make my face face look darker than it is.  But it is absolutely fine because I only need a thin layer of this and I'm good to go.  I noticed that the more layers I put on, it made me look darker. So I can't really say this is "buildable" (unless you are exactly this shade) but I don't think it's something you really need to build!

Here is how the one from Sephora looks.

What they say. 

This is the consistency.

It feels cool, literally, and it feels moist. I can't quite describe it but it's almost as if I feel water droplets.

The consistency is almost putty-like, sort of a cross between pudding.. and cream?? 

Man, I really am not good at this.

In other words..

It feels nice! 

Semi blended

As you can see, it is too dark for my pale forearm before being blended. 

But after much blending, it's hard to tell it's really that much darker! 

...And I leave you with a FOTD! I tried to stand as close to natural light to show you guys how this looks on me and I think this pretty much looks like my own skin. As you can see, some of my imperfections peek through (especially my right cheek) but I personally think this is good enough. Unless it's for something really important, I will skip concealer. Like I've said in a previous post, I either wear foundation (or BB cream) OR just concealer but usually never both at the same time.

Ahh I'm dying to try some other Dr. Jart products! Can't wait 'til I'm done with this so I can try another BB cream from their line.

What is your favorite BB cream? Do you like BB creams in general or are you a foundation person?

Battle of the Concealers

Hello hello hello! Ugh, I have classes starting Monday and woooo long hours of commuting. I'm actually excited for my classes though... a bit nervous too, as ALL of my classes this term are supposed to be difficult classes.

Today's post will be about the concealers I'm using. I currently use four concealers, never all at the same time but I use different concealers for different days. Some concealers are used more often than others.

For days that I know I'm going to be out for a long time (a typical school or work day, in my case) I don't like having foundation on my face. It starts to feel heavy no matter how little I use or what the brand is. Concealers, on the other hand, I use for spots and blemishes. ONLY spots and blemishes, which saves the rest of my face from suffocating lol.

I use my fingers for application. I like to keep patting until it is fully blended into my face.  I strongly recommend those looking for concealers to get the right shade for your face! Especially if you're only going to cover spots and skip foundation.  It looks really weird when you have darker spots of concealer on your face,  you know? Defeats the purpose of doing it!

These are my concealers.  From left to right:

Kat Von D: Tattoo Concealer ($25) in the shade SAND
Revlon: Colorstay Blemish Concealer ($8) in the shade 001 FAIR
Canmake: Cover & Stretch Concealer UV ($10) in the shade 01
Revlon: Photoready Concealer ($10) in the shade 001 FAIR (also my current favoirte :D)

These are what the applicators look like. My favorite is the squeeze tube, simply because this is more  hygienic and I get more product out. Later when I'm almost done, I'm going to cut it in half to get every last product out of it. I'm okay with the Photoready applicator, which is basically just turning the bottom half to get more product.  I don't apply this directly to my face, I apply it to my clean finger(s) and then apply.  My least favorite is probably the wand applicator because I will not be able to get the products that are beneath the wand, which to me, is a waste :(

I wish I had gotten the Kat Von D in their lightest shade, the SA told me that I was the second lightest shade and it looks good in room light but in sun light, I look a bit darker. I usually don't like to use this on it's own, maybe under foundation or something because I feel very self-conscious LOL. The Kat Von D Tatto Concealer also came out with new packaging/shades so you might want to check that out.  By the way, I refuse to believe this covers a tattoo.  Maybe a white tattoo but definitely not a black tattoo.

The Revlon: Colorstay Blemish Concealer is for blemishes. NOT under eyes! It will be way too drying for your under eyes. First of all, it feels very light. I like to use this on my active blemishes because this does have 0.5% salicylic acid. I feel less guilty about covering my blemishes.  The odd thing about this product is that if it's a tiny pimple, it will do very little for the pimple. But if I have a big pimple, I notice that it does get smaller in size by the time I remove my makeup.

The Canmake Cover & Stretch Concealer is what I put around in my makeup bag. The only problem I have with this is that it has a strong yellow undertone.  Despite being Asian, my skin has a lot more pink underneath. I guess I'm somewhat neutral but I find this concealer too yellow for my liking but it's not specifically darker.  Just yellower! A pro about this product is that it is waterproof! It does "stretch" out, meaning, a small amount will cover a larger area. It is a Japanese product, and I assume it is more readily available in Japan. I got mine online. This has a bit of a thicker consistency but I wouldn't say it feels heavy.

And finally, my all time favorite: Revlon's Photoready Concealer!
I don't know why people complain about the glitters because I REALLY don't see it when it's applied on my face. Yes, I see it when its swatched but not when it's fully blended out on my actual face.  The consistency is creamy but with moderate to full coverage.  Buildable, but I advise you don't as too much of it can make you look cakey. But I really don't see why anyone would need so much of it, as the coverage is great!

So to show you guys how well these concealers cover, I drew lines on my arm with a waterproof eyeliner.  I was going to use a sharpie but I worried it wouldn't come off LOL. 

From left to right:

Kat Von D: Tattoo Concealer, Revlon: Colorstay Blemish Concealer, Canmake: Cover & Stretch Concealer UV, Revlon: Photoready Concealer

 These are the consistencies! 

Blended out

Revlon's Photoready Concealer concealed the most, followed by Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer, Canmake Cover & Stretch Concealer, and lastly Revlon's Colorstay Blemish Concealer.

I think because the Colorstay Blemish Concealer is supposed to work on pimples, it conceals less.  But between Kat Von D and Revlon's Photoready, Photoready takes home first place because it covers the most and I probably used less product than the other concealers.  I love this concealer! And I guess Canmake is doing well in my makeup bag, used for touching up if needed.  I still like the Blemish Concealer though!

Ahh, what do you guys think? Tell me about your favorite concealer! If you don't use any, maybe your favorite foundation? :)

My Beauty Addiction: Blush

I never had and probably will never have a lipstick addiction.
I never had and probably will never have a lip gloss addiction.
I never had and probably will never have a mascara addiction.
But I love my blushes and I will never give up my love for them LOL.

As the title of this post says, I am addicted to blushes. There, I said it!

Blushes are the only type makeup I will buy with less hesitation because of price. As long as the product is great, I probably won't mind the price tag.
I love blushes because they can give you that pop of color on your face when foundation and/or concealer washes out some of the color on your face.  It also adds more dimension to your face! What is there not to love?

Of course it's rather easy to "over do" blush, looking like a clown in the end. But with some practice and lots of blending, you can add a very nice touch to your overall makeup using blush!

Without further ado, my blush collection!

-NYX Rouge Cream Blush (cb02 Natural)
-NYX Rouge Cream Blush (cb05 Glow)
-Stila Custom Color Blush (Sheer Pink)
-Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush (Amused)
-Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush (10 Pink Frosting)

-Benefit (Coralista)
-Too Faced Leopard Love Complexion Perfection Kit (Candy Leopard)
-Illamasqua Cream Blush (Promise)
-Benefit (Bella Bamba)
-Benefit (Dandelion)
-ELF (Candid Coral)
-theBalm (Hot Mama)
-HK Memoirs of a Kitty (Shade 1 / Shade 2)
-L'Oreal Magic Smooth Souffle (824 Cherubic Candide)

I use one of these brushes to apply my blush.  From top to bottom: MAC 116, random brush I purchased from the IMATS, random angle blusher brush I got from TJMaxx.  This also happens to be in price order.  The MAC was probably around 20+ dollars, the brush I got from the IMATS this spring cost me $7 and the bottom brush from TJMaxx cost me $3 (originally $20 so it was a bargain!).  I absolutely LOVE the angle blusher and I use it more than I use the MAC brush. I wish I had purchased this first, I would not have bought the MAC brush. BUT the MAC brush is excellent for powder highlighters.  Both are very soft but I mean, $3 vs $20 is a big deal for me. Love them both.

Now for the middle brush I got from the IMATS, it's a small stipple brush I only use for applying my cream blushes.  I actually like that it's not too dense as this avoids picking up too much product.  I gently swirl the blush around my cheeks and I love how soft the brush is! I have no idea which brand it was from other than the fact that I got it from IMATS here in NYC. 

Without Flash

With flash

My three Benefit blushes! My favorite, or most used I should say, would be Dandelion and Coralista.  Bella Bamba is more of a brighter pink with many glitter particles. Usually, it's too overwhelming to wear on a normal day. Dandelion is very subtle and can be used as a highlighter.  Coralista falls in the middle of these two! I would love to purchase Hervana in the future! These are $28 each if I remember correctly.

 Without Flash

 With Flash

These are my other powder blushes.  In pan, ELF Candid Coral and theBalm Hot Mama look somewhat alike.  It isn't so when swatched and the quality of theBalm is better.  I think Candid Coral was one of my first blush purchases and I liked it very much in the beginning.  I wonder how Hot Mama compares to NARS Orgasm? I think it's a couple of shades lighter but still pretty comparable. I'm not sure at all though, as I do not own NARS blushes yet. 

The HK Memoirs of a Kitty was my first Hello Kitty for Sephora purchase. I own one more palette and I think these are pretty good for the price ($36).  You get 4 eye shadows and 2 generously sized blushes in a REALLY cute package. I already did a review on this so if you want, check it out here.

I purchased the Too Faced palette a while back and I think the packaging is really cute! I do like the highlighter (right) but I'm on the fence about the bronzer (left) because it's a bit too sparkly.  I really think bronzers should be matte! The blush is in the middle and it's a nice baby pink with some darker pink and peach mixed in as well.  The only problem I have with this is that it's very powdery. And it's not as pigmented as I'd like it to be.

I suppose the most interesting from these would be the Stila Custom Color Blush, which is pH based.  Basically the idea is to adjust to your skin tone this way it's like a "one color for all skin colors" kind of thing.  I can tell you that you have to use a light hand if you do not want to look like a toy but with a lighter hand, it does seem to show up a little different on my skin vs my friend's skin, who is darker than myself.  This is $20.

The Tarte Amazonian Clay is probably a cult favorite, EVERYONE loves these. My friend got this for me for Christmas and it's amazing. It's matte so it looks even more natural.  But the color I have it in is a bit bright, depending on how I use it, it calls for a lotttt of blending.  Still a wonderful blush nonetheless.  I recommend this to people who are first trying out, I guess, "higher end" blushes.

Without Flash

With Flash

These are my cream/not powder blushes.  I generally like cream blushes more, even though lasting powder for these babies may not be as long as powder blushes.  The reason I like it is because my skin is rather dry and I feel that cream blushes add some "dew" to my face.  I don't like looking overly matte because that does not look natural at all so these are my go-to blushes.

The Illamasqua one is in the shade "Promise" which may be limited edition, I'm not sure.  But it's such a gorgeous color. THIS IS MY FAVORITE BLUSH EVER. Out of all my blushes, this must be my favorite.  I love the consistency, the packaging, and the color! It does not feel sticky or wet and dries very nicely on my cheeks. The only downside is the $24 price tag for something I feel I would use up quicker than a typical powder blush. Even then, I would repurchase. Over and over.

The L'Oreal magic smooth souffle is also great, a little goes a long way for these. It's definitely under $10 at drugstores. I feared it might be too dark but by using a little and blending out, it looks very, very, very, nice.  Maybe if I bought this first, I might have not bought the Illamasqua.. but I really love my Illamasqua blush so I don't know. Another good thing about this blush is that it lasts a really long time. I love that about this blush. 

I like the NYX cream blushes as well but not nearly as much as I like the Illamasqua blush.  It is significantly cheaper, I bought it for around $6 at the IMATS.  The packaging is okay too! It's definitely a pass.  But I have a problem with the consistency of these blushes. They're very.. sticky and almost gooey feeling to me. I like "natural" more than "glow" as glow is too dark for me but to me, these almost feel like lip glosses... on my cheek. And they take a while to dry down on my cheeks.  Still, very pigmented and I absolutely love the look after it finishes drying lol. 

I'm sure by now everyone has read/seen/bought the Dream Bouncy blushes by Maybelline and despite most people not enjoying this, I pop this into my makeup bag during school days and apply this when I feel it's necessary (even if I did apply this specific blush in the morning).  It's not that bad, rather subtle in color but looks natural without many glitter particles. I love the consistency too! But I don't think I'll repurchase as isn't really great on it's own. 

Time for you guys to confess: What is your beauty addiction? Do any of these blushes interest you? Let me know!