Maybelline Matte Maker Powder - Mini Review

When I posted a picture of this product, at lot of you asked for a review. I'm not going into much detail, as there isn't much to this powder..

The Matte Maker powder from Maybelline claims to be a mattifying powder, but I would say it's more of just a setting powder, as it doesn't really offer coverage and when you swipe your brush/hand on the powder, not much product is picked up. It's quite lightweight, and I think is ideal for just lightly setting foundation and concealer.

I have the shade number 30, and it is extremely light, and is more of an Ivory shade. This powder doesn't offer much coverage at all, unless the powder is built up.

The packaging reminds me of the Rimmel Stay Matte powder. It is quite cheap and plastic, however, it does screw it's lid into place, rather than the likes of the Stay Matte. 

It is a very affordable drugstore powder at only $11.95, which is the same price as the Australis Fresh & Flawless, so it definitely won't hurt your bank account balance. 

Overall, if you're looking for a powder to give you coverage and withstand a lot of oil.. I don't think this product is for you. This powder is more ideal for those with normal to dry skin types, who simply want to lightly set down their makeup.

Thanks for reading. X

Benefit Cosmetics Oxygen Wow Foundation - Review

Hey everyone, 

A lot of you asked on my Instagram for a review on this foundation, which I know a heap of you are curious about, which is the Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation. 

First of all, this foundation is a little pricey, being around $55 AU at Benefit Counters, and all shades are VERY yellow based. 

Packaging - This foundation has sleek, clear plastic packaging with a frosted, matte finish. It has a pump, and when you dispense the product, a device inside pushes the remaining product to the top. There is no wastage at all with this product because of this. Unlike most traditional foundations with a pump, which product gets left over and wasted in the bottle. The bottle itself is very lightweight. 

Formula - This foundation is very, very runny and thin. It doesn't have a scent I could particular pick up on. This foundation would probably not be very good for combination/oily silk types it is very dewy. All the foundations in this line are very yellow based, so be aware of that and keep it in mind if you're considering purchasing this product. I do not find that this product oxides on me at all. This foundation is not particularly long wearing, even on dry skin types as it is so thin and extremely dewy. This feels like you're wearing nothing on the skin, it doesn't weigh you down and doesn't look or feel cakey.

Coverage - This provides a light/medium coverage when first applied, and when built upon, can become medium to full coverage. It is very easy to layer as the formula is so thin.  

The photo below shows one thin layer on one side of my face, you can also see how yellow the product is. 

The next shows my whole face covered in one thin layer. It looks very natural and skin like, as some imperfections still poke through. 

The next photo shows my whole face with two thin layers, and definitely medium to full coverage.

Finish - This is definitely an extremely dewy finish foundation. I would not recommend this at all to those who have oily/combination skin. I feel this would only work for normal to dry skin types. This foundation gives you a beautiful healthy glow to the skin, and makes you look very radiant without looking oily. 

Overall, this is a beautiful foundation for those who have dry to normal skin, but I would stear clear of it if you don't.  If you love a nice, dewy finish foundation that won't feel cakey or heavy on the skin, this one is for you.

Thanks for reading. X

BATTLE OF THE DRUGSTORE FOUNDATIONS!

Today I'm going to review five of my favourite favourites that I have been reaching for lately from the drugstore. They range from light coverage, to full coverage and are all available at priceline, so they won't hurt your wallet.

 Loreal Nude Magique

This is an extremely runny, water like product. You have to be extremely careful  when getting this foundation out of the bottle, as it runs everywhere! I find this is best applied by dotting small bits of foundation all over my face, and then using a large stipple brush to blend it in. If you have dry skin, you don't really need to powder, as it sets naturally to a powder finish. This is a product that looks better the longer you wear it. It's matte when it's first applied, but as the day goes on, it looks beautifully glowy and dewy. Even though it is a powder finish foundation, it's certainly something that can be lightly builded upon to achieve a medium coverage. I have the shade 120 Pure Ivory. It looks quite dark in the bottle, but as it is such a thin and runny consistency, it doesn't look as dark on the skin. It retails for around $24.95 at Priceline, Target and Myer in Australia. 

The next is a cult favourite. The Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation. This is a medium coverage foundation, but is very easily builable to a full coverage. It has a lovely fruity scent, which makes applying this product a dream. This glides right on the skin as it is a thinner product. This foundation may not last too well on oily skin, as it is more of a satin/dewy finish. On my dry skin, it does last all day when set with a powder, but does end up a little dewy at the end of the day. This retails for around $30 at Priceline, and a bit cheaper on ASOS. I would highly recommend this foundation, along with the Healthy Mix Serum version, it's lighter weight, lower coverage sister.

The Healthy Mix Serum is a fantastic foundation as well. It offers light to medium coverage, with a dewy finish, and it offers a natural glow. Both these two foundations are very yellow toned, so if you fake tan, these foundations are what you're probably looking for. 

Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse is a satin finish foundation on my dry skin. I no longer use this foundation all the time, but as I used it for years straight, I have a thorough understanding on how this works for me and how it works on my skin. This isn't a very long lasting foundation and tends to get dewy faster than other foundations, even when using a matte primer. The reason why Iike this product is that it builds coverage incredibly well and provides an extremely smooth base. This retails for around $22 and I use the shade Light 4 Nude, when I'm tanned. This is a pretty good foundation if you have normal/dry skin, but I think would be a nightmare if you have oily skin. 

The next product is a great full coverage foundation. This is a favourite of many people worldwide. It is the Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 foundation. I have the shade 805 (as well as many other shades), which is no longer available in Australia (Don't say it is.. Trust me, I've looked everywhere..). This colour is fantastic if you're porcelain skinned, as it is extremely pale and doesn't oxidise. This foundation lasts a very long time when set with a powder, and lasts on me 10 hours plus without even need to touch up my powder, let alone the actual foundation. I wouldn't say it lives up to it's claims; a foundation, primer and concealer in one.. But it certainly does cover a lot and lasts a long time.. So I guess it sort of lives up to the claim. This is a well hyped up product for a reason. Most matte, long lasting foundations work better on oily skin.. Yet this works on pretty much every skin type, which in my opinion is awesome. This is only $19.95 from Priceline, Woolworths, Coles, Target and Kmart. 

The last foundation is the Revlon Nearly Naked which I do have a picture of. This is a very light weight and runny product and comes in a large variety of colours and tones. I have the shade 110 Ivory when I'm pale, and 170 when I'm tanned. This is a close dupe in my opinion to Nars Sheer Glow foundation. I compared the Revlon Nearly naked in 110 Ivory to Nars Sheer Glow in Mont Blanc, and not only are they extremely similar in colour and consistency, but also  in formula. This is an incredible foundation, hence why I own four bottles of it.. I have a preference for light weight, thin and runny foundations, so this certainly works for all my expectations in a foundation. This costs around $26.95 from Target, Chemist Warehouse and Priceline. I LOVE this product to death and will probably always continue to purchase it.

These may not be your favourite products.. But I hope this gives an insight into what foundations I love and continuely purchase and use. 

Thanks for reading and enjoy the rest of your Tuesday night. Xx

Chi Chi Cosmetics Fabulous & Flawless Foundation - Review

Hi there lovelies, 

A couple of days ago I posted a photo of the Maybelline Better Skin Super Stay Foundation, The Benefit Oxygen Wow Foundation and the Chi Chi Fabulous & Flawless Foundation. I asked you all to choose one of the products, and whatever was the most requested I'd do a review on. 

The Chi Chi Fabulous and Flawless won by a mile. So I thought I'd do a more in depth blog post on the product, so you can really know my thoughts and feelings towards this product.

First of all, I never even considered trying this foundation before I watched Shaaanxo's video and posts on this product, and whilst it was a free gift with purchase at Myer, I decided to pick it up.

I originally picked it up in the shade Fair 2 - Pale Skin with pink undertones. This was waaaaay too dark (and pink toned) for me when I'm not faked tanned, so I don't wear it much. But.. As it was a great foundation in general, I decided to pick up a darker shade (number 5), which matches my fake tan, so I could give it a second go. So here are my thoughts.

Packaging - The packaging of this foundation is amazing. It has sturdy, glass packaging, with a black, see through plastic cap. The glass itself is very good quality and has a frosted finish. It makes it look like a high end / more expensive foundation. The box it comes in has the Shade number clearly on the front, so there is no confusion - and along with the shade number, it also comes with a description of what colour the shade is, and what undertones suit the particular shade. For example, Shade number 5 says: Natural beige - For light to medium skin with neutral undertones.

I found this very handy when picking out a shade which matched my fake tan as my tan is yellow toned (bondi sands), and  the descriptions actually prevented me from buying a pink toned shade, which would of gone horribly wrong. 

The bottle comes with a pump, which is great for a 'drugstore' foundation. If this foundation didn't have a pump it would be quite annoying, as the foundation isn't  of a runny consistency. 

Foundation Formula - The product is of a medium thickness, which definitely requires a pump to get it out of the bottle. The product has a strong smell, which you can smell for a short while after applying the product. It is a pleasant scent, but is fairly strong, so if you do not like fragranced products, this one is not for you. The foundation oxides on my skin quite badly. The colour Number 2 matches my skin quite well (when I'm not tanned) in the bottle, but the second you begin to blend into your skin, it turns A LOT darker. Which is why that shade is unwearable for me. Hence when I bought the shade number 5 for when I'm tanned, I went for a lighter shade. I was going to buy the shade 7 or 8, but because of how it oxides, I went for a much lighter shade, as it oxides like crazy when it sets. 

Coverage - This has a medium coverage, but is very easily buildable to a full coverage. This foundation, as the name suggests, provides a flawless finish. It's perfect for those days where you want your base to look it's best. 

The finish - This foundation (for me) has a satin/matte finish. I have fairly dry skin, especially in winter, and I found this foundation kind of sticking to my skin when applying as my skin is quite dry. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't stick to dry patches, but because my skin has no natural oil, it was a bit harder than normal to blend on to my skin. I wore this today, only setting my under eye area lightly where I applied concealer and my whole face set to a completely matte finish. It felt like I had set my face with powder. I think if you had more normal/ combination skin, this foundation would become more of a satin/dewy finish. 

Overall, this is a really nice foundation. It doesn't feel like it's a 'drugstore' product at all. It actually feels like I went to a high end counter and purchased this product as it thoroughly exceeds any other drugstore foundation I have tried (for full coverage). There is one thing I need to fret - please try this on your hand in store and come back a few minutes later to see what your shade is because of oxidisation, because you will be disappointed and the shade (like what happened to me) will be unusable.

Hope you enjoyed this post and it gave you a good understanding of this product. X

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer - Is it worth the money?

The Smashbox Photo Finish primer is available at Mecca Maxima for $54.95 for the full size or $21.95 for the small size 12ml, which is what I purchased. 

It seems a little excessive in price and I was very sceptical to see why it cost so much so that is why I opted for the smaller, 12ml size, to try it and out. I got the green, colour correcting version, which is the same formula as the original, just green in colour instead of clear. But what you're probably wondering is.. Is it worth the hype? And is it worth the money? 

I have loved this product from it's very first use. I wouldn't buy the green colour correcting version if you actually want to colour correct or tone down redness, as when you blend this primer in, it becomes clear, and doesn't tone down any redness whatsoever. But.. Why you should buy this product is the way it functions as a primer, 

I don't have oily skin, quite the opposite really, but after a very long day at work behind a coffee machine, sometimes my foundation breaks down on my chin and nose and redness comes through. I find that with any other regular primer, including Benefit Porefessional, there is no different in longevity of my foundation wear at all. 

This primer keeps ANY dewyness at bay for me. If I wear this on a day where I don't have work, and my skin won't get dewy, then my skin still feels a little powdery even 12 hours later at the end of the day. My foundation doesn't budge, and looks the exact same than it did at the start of the day. 

Overall, this is the best primer I have ever tried, and I have tired many. If you're not too keen on paying over $50 for a primers then get the small size. I've had mine for over a month now. I use it everyday and have barely made a dent, as it is silicone based and you don't need to use a lot. 

Thanks for reading.

xo, JARNAHBEAUTY

Mac Cosmetics Starter Guide - My Top Picks

I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with Mac Cosmetics. Their extensive range of products, formulas and colours.. But for those new to the Mac Cosmetics scene it could be a bit overwhelming to say the least. 

This is a guide of my top picks out of the Mac range, for those who want to try Mac without wasting their money on bad products, or for those who want to simply expand their growing collection. 

These items are extremely popular worldwide and would work on most people. 

The first is Studio Fix Fluid foundation. This is an extremely full coverage, matte finish foundation. This product covers up everything you could even think of covering up. It has a bad smell of paint, but when applied to the face, the smell disappears. If you're looking for a good foundation that will never fail you, try studio fix. For most people, it isn't an everyday foundation, but it is perfect for when you want a flawless complexion. This retails for $49AU at Mac Counters and I have the shade NC15. 

The next product is also in the Studio Fix line, and it is the Studio Fix Foundation powder. This is a foundation powder, so you can use it as your base, or you can use it lightly to set foundation for a flawless finish. I have the shade NC15. I normally wouldn't spend $49AU on a powder, but this is an exception. Their colour range is fantastic, and this is one of the only powders I have ever come across that matches my alabaster pale skin. Be careful though, if you're planning on using this to set foundation, you need to use a light hand or this can look real cakey, real fast. 

The next product is my absolute holy grail concealer. It is Mac Prolongwear. I'm sure you have all heard of this little wonder, but if you haven't got it in your life yet, you definitely need to. This retails for AU $32. This is the third tube I have purchased, as it is just that good. It offers full coverage concealing, but with an extremely thin, runny formula, so it doesn't crease or cake under the eyes. I think this is a product that I will continue to purchase forever, as it's the best concealer that I have ever come across. 

I have the shade NW15. 

The next product is an eye product. This is the Paintpot in 'Painterly'. It is an eyeshadow base that doesn't budge, crease or fade. This particular colour is a pink toned, flesh colour, perfect for concealing and priming the eye for eyeshadow application or simply to wear alone. Whenever I use any of the Mac Paintpots, my eyeshadows don't budge at all, all day. You certainly don't have to get the colour 'Painterly' though, 'Soft Ochre' is available for yellow undertoned beauties, and there is also a good variety of coloured paint pots to use alone instead of eyeshadow or as a coloured base. These retail for around $32-35AU. My favourite coloured paint pots are 'Indian Wood' - a golden mid toned brown, and 'Rubenesque', a beautiful peachy, rose gold shade.

Another thing Mac is widely renowned for is their lipsticks. I have about 17 of them, and none of them I regret purchasing. They retail for $36AU and have a wide array of colours and finishes, from matte to glossy. They all glide right on without patchiness, even the matte shades. They all also have a delicious vanilla scent, which you can sort of taste on the lips, rather than the taste of chemicals with cheaper lipsticks. These are a personal favourite of mine, and my collection is ever growing. 

As pictured: Left to right - Girl About Town, Rebel and Happy-Go-Lucky. 

Now if you are a highlighter junkie like me, you won't be able to walk past this little gem. This is the Mineralise Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle. A beautiful champagne highlight with a little bit of pink in it. This is another of Mac's iconic products. I have had this for over a year and have barely put a dent in it. It retails for $47 dollars and is just stunning! 

The last item on the list is eye colours. If you're a fan of pigments, then look no further than Mac Pigments. They will literally last you a lifetime. They retail for $39 and have a beautiful array of colours. 

This beautful little gem is 'Copper Sparkle'. 

Hope this post was helpful if you're a bit lost on what Mac products are fantastic and are worth the money. As a fellow makeup junkie, I hate wasting money on products that are below par. 

xo, JARNAHBEAUTY.

Benefit They're Real Push Up Liner - Review

There has been a lot of hype about Benefit Cosmetics' latest release into the world wide market - The new 'Push Up Liner'. This liner is very innovative. I myself, am a very big fan of gel liner, and have used it for years. I prefer it over a liquid eyeliner, so when this was released of course I was very curious to give this new product a try. 

First of all, it has sleek packaging, with a twisting opening. I enjoy the fact that you have to twist the top to open the product because if you take this product on-the-go, the cap won't come off and you won't damage/waste the product. 

The very tip of the applicator, unlike a regular eyeliner pen/stick, is shaped like a thin angled brush, so creating a nice wing is very easily achievable. The tip is also made out of a flexible, yet firm rubber. The applicator holds down the lashes so they don't get in the way when applying the product, which is sometimes a problem when using other eyeliner products. 

The product itself is very creamy for a gel liner. A lot of people say this product is dry, but if you're a regular user of gel liners, you'll find this product is extremely smooth. It's very easy and smooth to apply. One thing I do not like about this product though, is that if you want to go over a part of the eyeliner you have already applied, if the liner has dried, it can take off the liner that is already there and become a little patchy. But it isn't a problem that's hard to fix. 

I think this product would be hard to use if you're after very subtle, very thin line. As the applicator isn't as precise as the likes of a lot of liquid eyeliner brushes/pens on the market. On first use of this liner, it was hard to not make the line dramatic. 

Overall, this is a great, innovative product that is certainly ahead of the pack in terms of packaging and innovation. The formula is good, and is one of the best gel liner formulas I have used. But.. I honestly don't think it's worth the hefty $35AU price tag that it will set you back. It is a great product, but for the price, there are better gel liners, such as the Rimmel Scandaleyes gel liner or the one by Maybelline, but if you're after an easy application, without the need for a brush, this product is for you.

xo,JARNAHBEAUTY