L’ Occitane Light Comforting Cream

While I have tried products from L’ Occitane before, I have never tried their Shea products intended for moisturizing facial skin. I am so glad that I got the chance to receive a deluxe sample of L’ Occitane’s Light Comforting Cream free from Influenster (a website that encourages consumers to voice their opinions on many products) because it has helped me to combat many issues I’ve been noticing on my skin lately!

Skin discoloration and acne scars are two unfortunate skin conditions that I am no stranger to; I’ve tried many products- some that have helped and some that didn’t produce any results. L’ Occitane’s Light Comforting Cream is one of those products that has produced noteworthy results; it has worked wonders for my skin, because after about a week of daily use twice a day, the texture of my skin is noticeably more refined and flawless!

In the picture below, my cheek is noticeably smooth, which hasn’t been the case for me in recent weeks, until I started testing out this cream. Usually I don’t experience issues with my cheeks, but I had a breakout in this area which was taking longer to heal, since my cheeks tend to be dry and I generally only experience oiliness in my T-zone. Having a breakout in drier areas of my face is, in my case, worse than in other areas. Therefore, finding a product like this with moisturizing ingredients like shea, helped to seed up the healing process and help my cheeks become smooth again! These results are why #ineedshea!!

Upon initial application, my skin feels softer and looks more radiant. The texture of this cream is perfect; it doesn’t go on greasy and it dries nicely, making it perfect as a base for makeup or even to be worn alone! Over the course of about three weeks, I found myself using less concealer and foundation to cover up flaws, because this cream has helped my skin to recover, which was awesome!

L’ Occitane has definitely not disappointed me before, especially with their Light Comforting Cream! Because of the amazing results I’ve noticed after about 3 weeks of use, I plan on looking in to their other products- particularly from their Shea line- which include Shea Butter Fabulous Oil and Shea Butter Cleansing Milk.

I visited L’ Occitane recently, because their products have been working wonders for me, and my in-store experience was amazing! I love the bright yellow accents and the luxurious atmosphere. The staff were very friendly, and the Valentines Day event, featuring Kusmi Tea and L’ Occitane, was lovely! I picked up some goodies, and I hope to try more products from this amazing brand soon!! 🙂

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Aveeno’s Positively Radiant Targeted Tone Corrector

As promised in one of my earlier posts, here is my comprehensive review of Aveeno’s Targeted Tone Corrector. It’s a part of Aveeno’s Positively Radiant line of products, which I really look forward to trying after the wonderful results I’ve achieved with this tone corrector! It’s been a month since I started using it twice a day, and I’m happy to inform you all that I am #RadiantWithAVEENO! My experience with this product couldn’t have been any better, and I will be sharing my thoughts with you guys today.

I received this product about a month ago, complementary from Influenster for testing purposes . I’m so glad they chose me as one of the lucky 1000 lucky Influensters to test it, because I have some acne scars that need attention. My skin is medium brown, and my scars unfortunately shine through! In the past, I have used harsher, more expensive products in an attempt to diminish discoloration and scars, but it just didn’t work. All I got was irritated skin that made my scars more noticeable. Although my skin isn’t particularly sensitive, it does react badly when I come across a bad product.

Hydroquinone is a main offender in many skin-lightening/tone-correcting products. It’s the active ingredient that many companies incorporate in to their products to aid with scar lightening, but it’s not the safest and most effective active ingredient.

Aveeno took on a different approach; their tone corrector utilizes the natural benefits of Soy and Vitamin A to help you achieve smoother, clearer skin. Aveeno is known for making gentle yet effective products, and this one is no exception! They managed to create an awesome product that is gentle on the skin yet produces results in as little as 2 weeks! As a matter of fact, I noticed smoother, lighter skin in just 1.5 weeks! Overall, my skin is more radiant and even toned, because the product spread out to the skin around my scars, and not the scars alone. I really love that my skin looks so flawless, now. In the picture below, you can see how bright my complexion appears, and how smooth my skin looks. This is unheard of for me when it comes to tone-correcting. After a month of use, I am proud to say that my most stubborn acne scar is almost unnoticeable! I haven’t had any bad reactions. The formula is gentle enough for sensitive skin, so you should give it a try if other tone-correctors have aggravated your skin.

Just-washed, makeup-free face. Smoother, brighter skin with barely any acne scars!

This product has such a fresh, clean smell; and a little goes a long way! The texture is velvety smooth and it applies seamlessly on skin. There is nothing to dislike about this tone corrector. It is effective, safe, smells nice, and comes in a slim tube for easy storage! I no longer fear acne scars, because I know I’ve got just the right product to fix them in no time.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer

Today I want to tell you guys about an amazing product that I started testing out about a week ago. When I got a recommendation to try Maybelline’s Instant Age Rewind Concealer, I jumped at it because, upon further research, this really looked promising! It was affordable and meant for color correction/brightening: two things I love!

Skin on all complexions can be a bit dull sometimes, and I’m always looking for ways to combat it, especially around the under-eye area, because your face automatically looks so much fresher once you address just your under-eye issues; whether it be wrinkles, puffiness or discoloration.

Discoloration and overall dullness are my concerns. I want to thank Cecilia for recommending this concealer to me; check out her blog!! It’s an awesome fashion/beauty and lifestyle blog and she’s so awesome!!!! Thanks again, Cecilia!

So this product is for anyone that wants to fill in lines around the eye, correct minor discoloration,  brighten their eyes, and address signs of aging. I haven’t been using this concealer long enough to know whether or not it is effective as an anti-aging treatment, but I will post an update!

Darker toned women may have a hard time finding a dark enough shade, because the four skin-tone shades available are for light to medium skin. This is a bit disappointing! For this reason, I use it mainly as a brightener, but it definitely helps a little to conceal. I just wish I could find a darker shade. The darkest skin-tone shade is honey, and it’s a bit too light on my medium-brown skin.

You may have noticed I bolded “four skin-tone.” That’s because there are actually six shades, but the last two aren’t skin-tone specific. However, they still work better on light to medium skin. One is for “brightening” which basically means highlighting. If you’ve got light/medium skin and are just concerned about dullness, this may be for you. The other shade is “neutralizer” which is a light-colored corrector. This is for women who wish to eliminate dark circles under their eyes before applying their foundation on top. I personally think the neutralizer works better on lighter skin. However, if you’re darker-skinned, you can still try this, because you will have to layer a foundation/concealer that is your skin tone over this neutralizer, so the light shade may not be an issue at all!

The best way to apply this product is dotting it on your face, and I love the design of the applicator, because its shape makes it so easy to just swipe across the under-eye area or dot it on. I prefer to dot it on, and then use my finger or a small concealer brush to really press it in and buff it out. You really want to make sure you do this, because it will fill in the lines (don’t put too much product on though, because that will actually accentuate the lines!). After applying the concealer, I set it with a translucent setting powder. Eye concealer fades quickly, so don’t skip this part! If you used the neutralizer, you may want to add a concealer for better coverage before you set it. But, if you used one of the four skin-tone shades or the brightener, you can just go straight to setting.

Overall, this concealer is really awesome and I’m glad Cecilia recommended it! I definitely wish there were more shades available for darker skin tones, but this selection isn’t too bad. I give it an 8/10. There’s no funny smell, no goopyness and no straying if you set it. For the price, this under-eye concealer is amazing and it also treats as well as conceal! So, you’re not just masking your imperfections, you’re helping them. Next time you’re searching for an under-eye concealer+anti-aging treatment, please consider this before splurging on something pricier, it’s definitely a steal!

 

 

Recieved My First VoxBox From Influenster!

Today I’ve got an exciting post for all you bloggers! If you’re interested in joining the website I’ll be talking about, feel free to send me your email for a personal invite: annumoraa@aol.com, or leave your email in the comments. I will respond promptly and would be more than happy to invite you to join the Influenster community! 🙂

 

Last month, I joined a website called Influenster. This website is for anyone out there who wants to turn their social influence in to rewards! If you live in the USA or Canada, love social media and love trying new products- whether it be beauty, skincare or even sports related products- you can join this website to share your opinions on all kinds of products, and possibly be selected to receive what is called a VoxBox. A VoxBox is a box that is sent to you complementary from Influenster (at no cost to you!), containing full sized products from many awesome brands that you may be interested in. Based on your profile, Influenster may be interested in sending you a VoxBox. I cannot tell you how much I love Influenster; time and time again, I have spent money on products that simply don’t work! Influenster gives you a chance to read reviews from honest Influensters, try products for free, and leave your feedback to help others make a more informed decision about purchases! I received an Aveeno VoxBox earlier today, and I am so excited to try it, because I could really use the product I received! Influenster does a great job at matching you with potential VoxBox programs. My box contained a tone corrector that is meant for correcting uneven skin tone and dark spots on the face. I generally like this brand for skincare, but I’ve never tried their tone corrector before, or even any products from this particular line (Aveeno’s “Positively Radiant” line). So, I look forward to telling you guys more about this product after I test it out for a few weeks or so!

Influenster is a great website to share your opinions and ask questions+receive answers about any product/brand you may be wondering about. Unfortunately, you can only participate in VoxBox campaigns if you reside in Canada or the USA 😦

BUT, the reviews on this website really are exceptional and the community of “Influensters” is awesome!! Regardless of their VoxBox program, I really think anyone who likes to find out more about products before they buy them should join, because you will find great reviews and can ask+answer questions on many products/brands. The user interface is great, and it’s such a fun website to navigate!!!

To learn more about Influenster and to answer any questions you may have after reading this, please click here. I really hope you enjoyed this blog post, and plan on joining Influenster!

 

Benefit’s Watt’s Up! Highlighter

Contouring and highlighting are two steps in any girl’s makeup routine that can really make the face POP. However, you need good products to achieve this look. Too often, “highlighters” (especially cheap ones) have huge pieces of glitter and sparkle in them, which will just make you look like a child with glitter all over their face. This is even more apparent with darker skin tones, because the glitter will create an even greater contrast with the skin. That is why I was so excited when I heard of Benefit’s Watt’s Up! cream-to-powder highlighter. Benefit is a high-end brand that is known for creating exceptional beauty products. However, I have a notable issue with this product.

What It Is

It claimed to have a champagne color that would suite all skin tones: “Our soft focus highlighter turns on ‘watt’ ya got with a delicate champagne glow that’s gorgeous. With a cream-to-powder finish…it’s a switch on ‘wow’ for all complexions. You’ll adore the smooth applicator & luminous sheen.” There’s also a swatch on their website that shows a beautiful, champagne-colored cream highlighter that’s not at all glittery, yet luminous. That is why I was a little disappointed when I tried this; the swatch couldn’t be more misleading! On my skin, you can see the obvious glitter that stands out, especially because I have medium-brown skin. On lighter skin, this may not be a problem. The champagne color itself is definitely beautiful for all skin tones; my only concern is the sparkle. To lessen it’s effect, I only use a VERY thin, well-blended layer on my cheekbones.

Beautiful champagne color appropriate for highlighting

On the first stripe (which isn’t blended at all), you can see that it has a nice soft-focus highlighting effect when applied sparingly. For the second stripe, I heavily swiped the highlighter on my arm so you could really see the color.

Both stripes fully blended out; obvious sparkles

 

Who It’s For

If you have lighter skin, this is the perfect highlighter for you! It has a nice velvety-smooth finish, and won’t irritate sensitive skin or smear any makeup you already have on. If you have medium skin, you may want to look for a different highlighter- especially if you have a problem with the sparkles. If your skin is very deep, I would definitely suggest looking for a different highlighter, because the sparkles will stand out too much. I wish it was more fine-tuned and not as noticeable, but I absolutely love the champagne color. I can look past the sparkles, because it isn’t bad on my skin  if I apply it in a very thin layer & blend well, and it definitely draws light to highlighted areas!

Overall, this highlighter is a 7/10 for me. If the sparkles were more fine and not so obvious, this highlighter would be an 11/10!!!

All About Color Correctors & Bobbi Brown Corrector Review

ALL ABOUT CORRECTORS

I have medium-brown, Asian skin and so it is no surprise that I’ve got a bit of discoloration! Thankfully, it’s not too bad, but for days where I want a flawless & radiant complexion, I always use my Bobbi Brown corrector in “Deep Bisque”. Bobbi Brown’s line of correctors are especially great for neutralizing dark spots, on any complexion. To clear up some confusion about “correctors,” it is exactly what it says it is: a corrector! Therefore, it is not meant to conceal your dark spots/scars etc. It is meant to neutralize the color- prepping it for concealer.

Now you may be thinking: Well what’s the point of “correcting” when I can just go straight to concealing??

This will not work. When you try to cover a dark spot with foundation or concealer, you will notice that the area looks dull and ashy, and probably a lot worse than before! This is because you basically put a mask over the dark area, which isn’t doing much to hide it, it is actually accentuating it. You might be able to get away with it if the discoloration/hyper-pigmentation is minor, but in many cases it won’t work. Even if it does work, you may want to add concealer on top to make the results last longer. You need to neutralize your trouble area with an appropriate tone corrector and then conceal.

All you need to do is find your appropriate tone correcting color (Bobbi brown has peaches and bisques, which work well for dark spots), then apply a concealer that matches your skin tone, and set it with translucent powder or setting powder. Bobbi Brown actually sells a Concealer Kit that contains a creamy concealer and setting powder! This is perfect if you are looking for a concealer and setting powder to go with your corrector; these products were designed to complement one another.

I have yellow, golden and red undertones; peach and bisque both generally work for me. I usually do best with peach (as do most darker skinned women). With this Bobbi Brown collection, however, the darkest peach available was still a little too light for my complexion, so I chose Bisque in Deep, which was darker and a perfect match. Their peaches are not as “peachy” or orange as I’d like. If you have light skin with yellow undertones and want to correct darkness, you may want to get LIGHT peach. If you have dark skin with yellow undertones, you may want to get DARK peach. So, according to your undertones AND skin tone, you can find the perfect corrector that is appropriate for your skin tone, not just undertone. I chose deep-bisque. Light bisque would look like a mask on me and make my skin look dull/ashy.

Now, what I explained above was more about correcting dark spots, which is common problem for many women (especially darker skinned women). But, redness is also a problem among many lighter skinned women, and green correctors are meant to combat redness. So, If you’re concerned about redness, check out MUFE’s concealer palette in No. 1; it contains many shades of concealer that are appropriate for lighter skin and also a green corrector! If you have darker skin, check out MUFE’s concealer palette in No. 4; it contains the appropriate concealers and an awesome peach corrector. I have No.4 and I LOVE it (I am actually planning on reviewing it!) MUFE also has two other palettes for olive and light Asian skin, each with complementary concealers and appropriate correctors; Palettes No. 2 & 3.

BOBBI BROWN CORRECTOR REVIEW

Now, on to my review of this awesome corrector!  What is really great about Bobbi Brown correctors is that they cover all skin tones (light to medium to dark) and the corrector neutralizes dark spots pretty well. IF dark spots are your concern, whether it be dark under-eyes or a dark muzzle area, you are most likely going to be able to find your perfect match in this corrector selection.

This deep bisque corrector is definitely creamy in consistency and highly pigmented, which is important for getting a decent amount of coverage. The creaminess makes it great for buffing out lines (I used a small foundation brush for buffing it out) and getting a nice finish. However, although the pigmentation is great for both bisque & peach, their “Dark Peach” is definitely not as peach-colored as it should be. Dark peach is intended for medium to darker skinned women, and so the peach should be more orange (Like MUFE’s peach corrector in their No.4 palette that I mentioned earlier) so it blends better with darker skin colors. This is the reason I chose Deep Bisque over Dark Peach; Deep Bisque was overall much darker and it corrected my dark spots better, while also adding some orange to combat the dullness in my brown skin. So, pigmentation is not the problem, but rather the color of the dark peach corrector.

Today, I used MUFE’s HD Primer in Caramel and MUFE’s HD translucent powder (I didn’t need more coverage, because the darkness isn’t too bad, so I skipped concealer). This primer provided a smooth base for the corrector and combatted dullness; it added a glow to my tired skin. The HD powder helped to set the corrector. In the before and after pictures below, you will notice that my skin is much brighter because of the HD Primer and corrector. I was super tired- which is reflected in my before picture 😡 so I definitely needed my corrector today!

Dull skin & dark under-eye area 😦

Brighter, smoother, luminous skin with no darkness under the eye! YAY!

 

Overall, I can look past the not-so-peachy peaches, and give this corrector a 10/10, because it does such a good job and it stays on forever! One day, I actually had this on for about 10 hours, and when I was ready to take it off, it looked like I had just put it on. Seriously. No creasing or fading, I looked fabulous; makeup typically doesn’t last that long on my combo skin, even with my trusty MUFE primer+setting powder. I urge anyone with dark spots to try this if you’re looking for an awesome corrector!

 

Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara

I absolutely love this mascara. I got it last year, and I was pretty impressed. I’ve always sought after perfect, voluminous lashes that also felt nice. Of course, this is almost impossible, because mascara naturally stiffens lashes. Now the “feel” of eyelashes may not be the *first* thing that comes to mind when choosing mascara… but who wants scratchy eyelashes?? When your eyelashes are plush, they appear more voluminous. This mascara truly does give you the “mascara” look, while keeping it feeling natural. I was so surprised when I looked in the mirror and saw amazing eyelashes…. then felt them and realized that they were extremely plush; you really are left with “Mega Plush” lashes! Below Are 3 pictures, 2 of which are before and after. I didn’t curl my lashes or apply it to my bottom lashes:

 

Before

After: Looks pretty good; I didn’t even curl my lashes!

No clumps!

 

This mascara wore pretty well throughout the day and was easy to remove with baby oil/makeup remover. I would strongly suggest purchasing if you are looking for amazingly soft lashes+volume and definition.

Yves Saint Laurent LE TEINT TOUCHE ÉCLAT Illuminating Foundation SPF 19

Hey Everyone!!! For all you girls out there looking for a truly illuminating, flawless foundation, you’ve found the right post!!!

http://www.sephora.com/le-teint-touche-eclat-illuminating-foundation-spf-19-P375365

What It Is

This YSL Foundation is a 9/10 for anyone with dry to normal skin. I have combination skin, and without applying primer and setting powder, this will disappear from my face within 3 hours!! Crazy, right?? Well, paired with Make Up For HD Primer in Caramel (Caramel for combating dull brown skin) and Make Up Forever HD Translucent Powder, this can last up to 9 hours! I only retouch once or twice throughout the day, just be careful not to touch your face too often, because it does rub off (though not too easily).

Who It’s For

The coverage is light to medium, and you should use a concealer if you need to, before you apply this foundation, but after your primer (always start with moisturizer and primer). Concealers are generally thicker in consistency and won’t rub off when you apply foundation, whereas concealer will rub off your foundation if foundation is applied first. Also, by covering major trouble spots with concealer first, you are likely to apply less foundation because all major *flaws* are gone! So, you won’t have a “mask” of foundation on. This makes for a more natural, fresh and polished look.

This YSL Foundation is a 9/10 for anyone with dry to normal skin, but a 6/10 for oily skin. I have combination skin, but I always use foundation and a good, trustworthy setting powder (MUFE HD Translucent Powder & NYC Translucent Powder are both great!!! Will be reviewing soon). I gave it a 6/10 for oily skin, but if you don’t really mind retouching with powder often, this will look just as amazing on you as it does on less oily skin.For those with sensitive skin, this is not likely to aggravate it.

From porcelain to ebony skin tones, you can find your match!! There are even peach, gold and beige undertones; this makes matching even easier! I have medium brown, Asian skin and finding the perfect shade match isnt always easy. However, it took me less than five minutes to find the perfect shade at Sephora. My color is B70, pictured below swatched and blended on my arm. When blended, it leaves your skin looking flawless. I absolutely love the illuminating effect it gives!

 

You can see the slight golden+yellow undertone in this picture

 

The color adds more radiance to skin by matching your undertones and illuminating your natural skin tone

 

Blend with a stippling brush for a flawless, airbrushed look; I didn’t blend it completely in this post :X

 

Final Thoughts

Overall, this is worth being purchased and, even if you have oily skin, this is great if re-touching with powder throughout the day isn’t a hassle for you! It gives a nice, professional, dewy (not shiny) look, and it will not aggravate sensitive skin.

Questions, Comments & Suggestions!

Hi Everyone!

Thank You for visiting my blog! I created this post to welcome all comments from fellow bloggers and anyone that wants to leave a comment.

Feel free to leave any questions, comments & suggestions here 😀