sandr092

I own a several TheBalm blushes which I rate very highly, but it took me ages to even notice the Instain range, which has some more unique shades. The idea behind these is that they stain the cheeks and therefore last really long on the skin. TheBalm always delivers when it comes to powder products and this one is not exception. Texture: Formula is smooth, though a bit less creamy than Hot Mama and Frat Boy . It applies and blends with no problems, while the pigmentation of Houndstooth is good, but not very strong like other shades in this range, so I don't have to be very careful with it on my pale skin. Finish is matte. Colour: Houndstooth looks like such a unique and interesting shade in the pan. It's a muted mauve-pink shade that I expected to look like a mix between a pink blush and a taupe contouring shade, but instead it ends up looking much warmer on my skin and a very classic looking pink. Initially I wasn't that impressed with the shade, though it's pretty, ...

*ESSENCE Prime + Studio Mattifying + Pore Minimizing Primer Mattifying primers tend to be all the same silicone smoothing type of formula, but this is not much like it. The first strange thing is that it's grey and that's because it contains black clay, which absorbs excess oil. They greyness disappears when you blend it in, so there's no worry of the skin looking ashy. If you ever had Alverde Heilerde mattifying toner (the old one had some powder or clay particles) this feels somewhat similar, just in a lotion form. As it dries it leaves kind of a powdery feeling, which is not smooth, but it is completely matte. It promises to minimize pores, but this is not the product to do that and for that job you'll need silicones. My skin is barely oily on my forehead, so I'm not the best to say how well it performs when a lot of shine is concerned, but it keeps my skin very matte all day. I wasn't a fan of it because I had trouble applying foundation as it didn't app...

TheBalm has some of the best blushes in my opinion and their powder products in general are really good quality. I have a couple of their blushes, actually two of their most popular ones, Frat Boy and Hot Mama . On a daily basis I prefer more muted shades, so I don't wear them as often as I would if they weren't as bright and peachy, but I do pick them up more often in the summer. The Getaway Trio Palette contains three of theBalm's latest blushes, Balm Springs, Balm Beach and Balm Desert, all looked to me as the types of shades I'd wear because they looked like theBalm's try at less bright shades. All shades are sold individually, while this palette is a limited edition and a great value, so it's be great if they made it permanent. Texture:  Based on my previous experience TheBalm blushes they have a lovely finely milled, silky texture and these are no different. Pigmentation differs in this palette with Balm Spring being the least pigmented, so I need two lay...

MILANI Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation + Concealer 00A Porcelain I have the original "lightest" shade 01 Creamy Vanilla that I got as a part of my job a long time ago and I fell in love with the formula, but the shade is just nowhere close to being right for me, so when they finally released a super pale one (on their third try, hence the odd numbering), I vowed to get it. It took a while, but I finally ordered it as a birthday gift for myself and I can report the happy news that this is one of the best shades for me that I ever found. It's pretty much up there with Maybelline Fit me 110 / 100 and it's close in how light it is, while the undertone is pink-ish, though this is the most neutral foundation I own so far which is what makes it so great ( swatches ). Milani you were a massive disappointment from the start, but on your third try you bloody nailed it. Great job! I have a full review of this formula already of that other shade, but briefly I'll just s...