Category: Beauty

As usual, Westman Atelier has me scratching my head about whether I’m happy about this purchase. You may understand what I mean if you saw my review of their Vital Pressed Skincare Powder. This brand hasn’t missed with packaging for my taste, and this is no exception. The concealer is housed in a heavy, coated glass bottle with a doe foot applicator. The length of the doe foot is short, but I haven’t personally struggled to use it. So why am I confused with this one? My problem is not that it is a bad concealer. I was just having trouble justifying the price in my head after spending some time getting to know the formula. The truth is that I have cheaper concealers that can match the performance of this for my 41-year-old, dry eczema-prone skin type. Let’s get into the details.

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**Westman Atelier Vital Skincare Concealer, $48

Update October 2, 2024: Sephora has updated the size information to reflect the correct amount of product. I want to start by pointing out a discrepancy in the Sephora product information. The Sephora website lists this concealer as having 10mL of product, but my box and the bottom of the concealer state that it has 6mL. I have included a photo of my box so you can see the size for yourself. Hopefully, you could tell in the images at the beginning of this post how small it is, but if not, check the size comparison below. The Lancome concealer I used is only for reference in size and shade. The formulas are not dupes.

Continue reading “Westman Atelier Vital Skincare Concealer (T2 Swatch)” →

The name of this blush might be a little misleading, but I’m not sure I could have done a better job naming them. Of course, they could have just called them powder blushes, but where’s the fun in that? 😆 There is one shade in the range with noticeable shimmer, so the glow/luminosity is apparent. If you look at the other shades, there is a minimal sheen that you can see in the pan due to some mica in the formula. The finish is natural, and it smooths the skin. I would say they have a little radiance to them. I just don’t think of glow when I wear them. They are close to looking matte without being dry or textured, but at least when looking in the mirror, I don’t think “glow.” You can see the radiance in my swatches, but it doesn’t translate that way when blended out on the cheeks.

I’m not wearing highlighter in either of the looks shown below. The glow is coming from my base products and the way the light is hitting my face. In the first photo, I am wearing 30 Offbeat, and my foundation that day was the Anastasia Beverly Hills Luminous Foundation in the shade 365C. In the second photo, I am wearing 40 Mania, and my foundation is the NARS Light Reflecting Advanced Skincare Foundation in the shade Tahoe.

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Continue reading “Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Glow Blush (30 Offbeat, 40 Mania Swatches)” →

If you have to avoid products with lanolin or fragrant lipsticks, these will be a pass for you. But for many, the L’oreal Colour Riche Lipstick ($6.99 @ target.com) is still a cult classic from the drugstore. From what I can find, the Colour Riche line was released in 1985. In 2015, L’oreal released a collection of shades to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Colour Riche Lipsticks. If you are curious, I found a blogger (Simon Simons of Smoonstyle.com) who featured some of the shades in that collection.

I can’t tell if the colors I’m featuring today (Worth It and Worth It Medium) are new releases or repromotes. I assumed they were new since I think Emily Noel on YouTube got them in a recent PR package. However, sometimes, brands send out older releases just to increase awareness. She tried Worth It Medium (635) first in this Brand New Makeup video, and she tried Worth It (601) in this Lip Color Try-On video. Emily Noel is also the inspiration for these “What’s Old at X” types of posts that I do. I’ll list other posts like this if you are interested.

• What’s Old at Sephora (VIB Sale April 2021)
• What’s Old at the Drugstore (L’Oreal Infallible 24HR Eye Shadow in Bronzed Taupe)
• What’s Old at Sephora, Vol 2 (VIB Sale April 2022)
• What’s Old at Sephora, Vol 3 (VIB Sale April 2023)

Back to the lipsticks. I have always loved the shades and formula of Divine Wine (762) and Nature’s Blush (840) from this line. However, my gripe has always been with the added fragrance. Oddly enough, I’m not having an issue with the scent of Worth It or Worth It Medium. I also currently own Nature’s Blush (840), but I can’t remember how I handle that one because it’s been a while since I’ve actually worn it. The scent doesn’t strike me as having been changed, though, so I guess my tolerance for it has just shifted. I do think the scent is strong, though, so again, if you prefer fragrance-free lipsticks, these won’t fit the bill. I did add Nature’s Blush to the swatches below as a point of reference. Hopefully, if you are familiar with that shade, it may help. I also have swatches of Worth It and Worth It Medium with Pat McGrath Negligee, Charlotte Tilbury Nude Romance, and Estee Lauder Covetable. Again, just as points of reference, none of the formulas are dupes.

Continue reading “What’s Old at the Drugstore (L’Oreal Colour Riche Lipsticks – Worth It, Worth It Medium, Worth It Intense)” →

The Wanderlust list is about pausing before buying something new to see if you have a product that already fits that “need.” If you like this style of content, you can check out my other versions of the Wanderlust List below:

• The Wanderlust List #1 (Natasha Denona Bronze Palette)
• The Wanderlust List #2 (Uoma Black Magic Poise Palette)
• The Wanderlust List #3 (Becca Light Shifter Veil Finishing Powder)
• The Wanderlust List #4 (Sonia G Cheek Pro Brush)
• The Wanderlust List #5 (Victoria Beckham Beauty Matte Bronzing Brick)

When I saw that this highlighter was being released, I got very excited because I liked the shade range, and it was fragrance-free. It is very uncommon for luxury makeup to be fragrance-free. I have sensitive skin and a sensitive nose, and it doesn’t take much to aggravate my allergies, so I avoid fragrance as much as possible. But as you know from the title and intro, this post is about not buying the new item I coveted. Today’s version of the Wanderlust List is a little different than older ones because I had every intention of purchasing the Gucci Glow Powder Gel Highlighter in the shade 03 Warm Gold, but I changed my mind once I saw it in the store. I love how Gucci’s packaging looks in photos, but when I physically pick it up in my hands, I’m always a little disappointed that it isn’t heavier. This highlighter is $59, so I want to be happy with every aspect of it.

Keep in mind that this is only my opinion. Tastes and preferences are very subjective and don’t always stay consistent from product to product. If you already like the Gucci Packaging, I don’t think you’ll have any issues with this highlighter’s packaging. It is not cheaply made; it looks pretty, and I didn’t notice any quality issues with any of the testers in the store. I just, personally, wish it was heavy like Westman Atelier packaging. If that extra weight doesn’t make a difference to you, then this could still be worth checking out.

While I was at Sephora this past weekend, I swatched 3 shades (03 Warm Gold, 04 Opal Pink, 05 Warm Bronze). I’ll show you those first and then wrap up with my thoughts on the formula.

Continue reading “The Wanderlust List #6 (Gucci Glow Powder Gel Highlighter)” →

The Light Reflecting Advanced Skincare Foundation is another NARS product that I wanted to share my thoughts on since there is still time left to shop their summer sale. On their website, you can get 20% off by using the promo code SUMMER. The sale ends at 3AM EST tomorrow (September 14, 2024). I know this is an older foundation to post a review for, but that’s kind of my thing lol. With how fast beauty releases move, it does seem old. However, it’ll only be 3 years old next year. It was released in January of 2022. 🙂

I briefly discussed this foundation in my Patrick Ta Major Skin Hydra-Luxe Skin Perfecting Foundation review. So you may already know that while the two foundations aren’t dupes, they are both glowy skincare-heavy foundations. I don’t think I remembered to mention it in the Patrick Ta review, but I do still prefer satin and matte finish foundations. So, while I can appreciate the formula of this foundation (and the Patrkc Ta), it isn’t my first choice for formula. Getting back to the current review, the NARS Light Reflecting foundation provides medium coverage, blurs minor blemishes and redness, and wears incredibly well for a glowy formula. I’m over 40 and have dry, eczema-prone skin, so keep that in mind as you read my thoughts.

Continue reading “NARS Light Reflecting Advanced Skincare Foundation (Syracuse and Tahoe)” →

The NARS Light Reflecting Eye Brightener is one of the brand’s newer products. I figured I’d finally post my thoughts on it since they have a sale going on right now. You can get 20% off by using the promo code SUMMER on their website. The sale ends at 3AM EST on September 14, 2024. [Update September 13, 2024: If you are also curious about the NARS Light Reflecting Foundation, click here to read my review of the shades Syracuse and Tahoe in that formula.]

This blog uses affiliate links (marked with **).  I may earn a small commission when you purchase through links on my site.  Learn more here.

**The NARS Eye Brightener retails for $34 and is only available in 6 shades. It would be amazing if they expanded the shade range in the future. I bought the shade Magic Hour, which is the fourth darkest shade and is described as medium-deep. It was hard to decide on a shade because the next shade down (impossible dream -medium) was a better depth for me but showed up way too pink against my olive undertone. Magic Hour is a little too dark and orange for my skin tone (NARS Tahoe, Estee Lauder 4W4), but I thought that made more sense than something looking so pink. It would work more effectively for me if the shade was a little lighter. When used as a corrector before concealer, it is too dark and deepens the color of my concealers. I also can’t use it as an all-over brightener for the same reason. I was, however, able to test it with concealers that are lighter than my skin tone to get to know the formula.

Continue reading “NARS Light Reflecting Eye Brightener (Magic Hour Swatch)” →

This blog uses affiliate links (marked with **).  I may earn a small commission when you purchase through links on my site.  Learn more here.

The brand-new **Major Skin Hydra-Luxe Luminous Skin Perfecting Foundation from Patrick Ta has many people up in arms. There are many complaints about how glowy it is and that it doesn’t look good on textured skin. I have to say, based on the name alone, I feel it should have been obvious that you are in for a lot of glow. On the other hand, I get that several people review new releases even if they aren’t suited to their preferences. So, I think this foundation is getting somewhat of a bad reputation, but it delivers on what the brand claims. Before we get into some pictures of what it looks like on my dry, eczema-prone, 41-year-old skin, I want to also point out that this is ideal for dry, combo, and normal skin types (according to the brand and Sephora websites). So, if you have oily skin, this might be something you want to pass on by.

Another big complaint has been the price, which is $58 for the standard 1oz size for foundations. I can’t tell you if it’s “worth” $58; that is a personal decision, but I can tell you that the packaging is very luxe. It is a heavy glass bottle with a pump and a metal plate displaying the logo and name. It feels more expensive than his **$52 Creme Foundation and Finishing Powder Duo, and more importantly, I think it is a good formula (especially for my dry skin type). Would it possibly have made more sense to people if this had been priced closer to his previous foundation? Yes, I think so.

Continue reading “Patrick Ta Major Skin Hydra-Luxe Luminous Skin Perfecting Foundation – 18 Golden Neutral” →

This blog uses affiliate links (marked with **).  I may earn a small commission when you purchase through links on my site.  Learn more here.

Lancome claims the **Teint Idole Ultra Wear All Over Concealer ($31) is a crease-resistant, natural matte finish, full coverage concealer with up to 24 hours of hydration. The website also lists some additional benefits, such as sweat resistance, ultra-blendable, comfortable wear, suitability for sensitive skin, and the fact that it doesn’t cling to dry spots. As with many brand claims, they are promising a lot, and I’m shocked to tell you that several of these claims are true for me. I disagree that it provides full coverage, and for my personal facial features, it is only crease-resistant when used for spot concealing. As I mentioned in my concealer ranking, I have chubby cheeks, and when I smile, a lot of crinkling happens around my eyes. That causes me to work a little harder to keep concealers from creasing in the eye area. So, anyway, I need to pair this formula with powder to prevent creasing under my eyes, which is typical for me. However, it wears well without powder when applied to the face to cover dark spots. When I wore it without powder on the under-eye area, it was easy to re-blend with a brush or my fingers, and it looked good. This, however, causes a loss in coverage throughout the day.

Getting back to the coverage. If you have intense darkness, medium is the best you will get from this concealer. It does have a slight blurring effect due to the matte finish, which can make it appear to have higher coverage. However, if you tend to use color correctors, I don’t think you’ll experience this as full coverage, either. I do think it will be buildable to full coverage for some people, but since they are claiming full coverage, I have to disagree. This formula builds on itself well for me, but I’d still call it a medium coverage concealer.

Continue reading “Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear All Over Concealer 435 Bisque W (swatch comparisons and review)” →