Review, Swatch and Tutorial: Mary Kay - TimeWise 3D Matte Foundations*


Mary Kay has recently launched the TimeWise 3D Matte Foundation ($28 cad), plus Blending Brush ($20 cad), to their line-up and, I am so excited to share with you my results! 

I have put this foundation to the test - left it on for approximately 14 hours, went through the wind, rain and eventually the scorching sun for 5-6 hours (yay for crazy weather here!). I also ran errands with my little toddler, did groceries.. went to a bridal shower for a few hours... dinner with the family and home! Results? It truly lived up to the claims of having a solid 12 hour staying power. 

For those of you who are readers of my blog, will know that I have oily combination skin, so being able to find a medium to full coverage matte foundation that works without making me look flat and cakey is a dream. In addition, finding one that is at a reasonable price range is honestly the big bonus. This new foundation checks all those boxes. It also comes in a variety of 28 shades so something is bound to match you!

Like I said above, this product offers a medium buildable to full coverage on the skin that looks natural. It still makes your skin look like skin and I find that very important. Other benefits of the foundation, as found on their site, is listed below:
- infused with their exclusive Age Minimize 3D™ Complex to help defend, delay and deliver for beautiful results, 
- includes encapsulated resveratrol, dual benefit vitamin B3 and an age-defying peptide. 
- long-lasting coverage with a flawless finish. 
- 12 hours of oil control
- weightless humidity and sweat-resistant formula
- won't settle to fine lines
- microspheres act like a sponge to absorb oils.

Below you will find the shades that were graciously sent to me swatched: 

Here I have Beige C140 applied to my face. At first, it looked a bit light but once I blended it out, it even-ed out all my discolorations on my face without having to do any color correction, and as you can see it matches my neck perfectly.  On the lips, I have their brand new Matte Lipstick in Paparazzi Pink which from May 16th to August 15, 2019, Mary Kay will donate $1 from each sale of this lipstick to the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation. These funds will support the Look Good Feel Better program and initiatives to prevent domestic violence. Therefore, with every purchase of this lipstick you really are supporting women in need.


Above features all the products that I have used on my face to create my makeup look and below are selfies I have taken through various times of the day for you to see how my foundation lasted.

6:30AM - Just woke up and getting ready to apply my makeup! 

8AM - first check in after makeup application, you see how much it even-ed out my skintone I loved it! It made my skin look airbrushed without piling a ton of makeup on. It is important to note that none of the photos above have any editing or airbrush on it!

2 PM - after spending all morning in the rain, wind then sun, I had to quickly head over to the bridal shower! My makeup was still lasting, usually around this time my makeup would be sliding everywhere but nope, still works! I was standing in a pretty bright party room at a condo so I look a bit lighter (apologies!). 

8 PM - back home, hair up after I gave my son a bath and put him to bed. I'm back in my own house so you can see in natural daylight how the end result looks like. A bit of the foundation did come off in the nose area but that is due to my horrid allergies this time of year and I was constantly blowing my nose. My blush, eyeshadow, highlight all stayed on my face, the foundation did not shift it at all and that's what you look for in terms of having a foundation with lasting power! 

Oh lastly, the blending brush that was created and released with the launch of these foundations - it works very well to blend out the product on the face and neck and what is great is that the foundation doesn't absorb too much or sink deep into the bristles, so you're not wasting product! Also, I really enjoyed using this brush to blend out my contour/bronzing stick! 

Until next time, XO - M.

**SPONSORED POST  (all products were sent to me for review, all opinions are my own.)

Review, Swatch and Tutorial: L'Oreal Infallible 24H Fresh Wear Foundation & Infallible Full Wear Concealer


Oh man, it has been a hot minute since I have reviewed a drugstore foundation here and when I was sent this package from L'oreal I was super excited. The last foundation (L'Oreal Pro Glow Foundation) I tried from them, I loved so my expectations for them was high this time around! Everyone, meet the L'Oreal Infallible 24H Fresh Wear Foundation.

The claims for this foundation is that it provides up to 24 hours of fresh wearing foundation with a medium to full coverage. This is said to help resist sweat, water and transfer. What I appreciate is that this product goes on like water (see swatches below) - only a thin layer of foundation was needed to help color the discolouration or unevenness in my skin-tone. It is ultra buildable too so full coverage can easily be attained with another light layer which goes on effortlessly as well, theres no cakey look. This foundation comes in 30 shades.

The pump bottle is a HUGE bonus - I needed only 2 pumps to to cover my entire face. 
Next, L'Oreal also released their brand new concealer called the Infallible Full Wear Concealer which comes in 24 shades. For those of you who want the Tarte Shape Tape concealer in Canada but can't get it because it's only in the US (unless you purchase online), look no further than this. This is the more budget friendly alternative and it works just the same. It comes with a large doe foot applicator and provides an ultra pigmented and full coverage finish. I only need one application (no need to re-dip the wand) to cover my panda eye circles, and other discoloration under my nose, tzone and jaw.  It is not greasy, it dries down to a matte finish that doesn't look too dry. It feels comfortable and doesn't crease, I didn't need to set it (or bake) and it didn't move around.

Below images starting from left to right: Bare Face, only foundation on the face (shade 430), and the last two photos are with the foundation and concealer (mix of shade 360 and 365) together.  
As you can see, the finish looks really nice, this was created with one layer so it is a medium coverage. I love it so much! These two are definite recommends and must purchase items!

Until next time, XO - M.

*products were sent to me for consideration, all opinions are my own.

Review: Caudalie - Vinosource S.O.S. Deep Hydration Moisturizer*


Brand new to Caudalie is an intense moisturizing cream formulated from antioxidant-rich grapes - introducing the Vinosource SOS Deep Hydration Moisturizer. It retails for $51 Canadian and contains 50ml in a jar. As with all their products, the main ingredient is Grape - and this contains Grape Water to hydrate and soothe, Grape Seed Polyphenols for antioxidant protection and Squalane for its nurturing properties. 

This product is suitable for all skin types, even those with sensitive skin. It is important to known that this is vegan, cruelty and gluten-free and also is packaged in recyclable packaging. 1% of all purchases of this product is donated to a good cause for the planet - planting trees. 

If you take a look at the photos below, you will see that the consistency of the moisturizer looks thick and luxurious, but when applied to the skin it melts immediately to the face and it leaves it feeling so plump with moisture, hydrated and refreshed. You know how after you go for a facial, you just glow and your skin looks like you drank 10 bottles of water and has that plumpness to it? This is what I got from using this product. No joke.I have been getting compliments on my skin and I believe that this was a large contributing factor. This is also suitable for use in the summer time and is not too heavy at all. Throughout the day, or even before application of this moisturizer, I like to pair it with their Grape Water (featured below).

 

Caudalie's Grape Water is a cult favorite - it is what started it all, in my opinion. It contains a 100% organic formula that is suitable for all skin types and contains grape essence extracted directly from grapes in Bordeaux, France. It also contains polysaccharides, mineral salts and potassium and helps with hydration, and reduces sensitivities like redness, rosacea and rashes. You can apply this as part of your skin care routine, to set your makeup or even as a mid-day refresher. I personally like to keep this in the fridge so that in the hot summer weather, I can mist this on my face and it cools me down while giving me the skincare benefits. 


These two products are a definite recommend!

Until next time, XO -M

*products were sent to me for review, all opinions are my own. 

Review: Suncoat - Polish and Remover Gel*


For those of you who know me personally, will know that I am a nail polish lover - I switch my polish weekly, if not maybe twice a week and I am always on the hunt for new colors, or products. When I was set the above kit from Suncoat for review, I was really intrigued by a plant-based natural product that was created by a female chemist that is also Canadian! 

To be honest, I had never heard of this brand before so I read more about it on their website and included some information about the brand for you below, if you're new to them as well!

"Suncoat first entered the beauty market in 2002 when our founder and chemist Yingchun Liu, Ying for short, whose background includes both polymer chemistry and organic chemistry, found herself in a predicament: her seven year-old daughter wanted to experiment with nail polish. Yet Ying felt the bevy of hazardous chemicals in nail polish, which includes formaldehyde, toluene and acetates, posed too great a risk to her health. So taking to task her expertise in chemistry as well as her artistic eye for creativity, Ying created a revolutionary new formula of water-based, non-toxic nail polish, designed to provide the same quality and finish as the conventional stuff, but without any unsafe chemicals.
On a roll, Ying certainly didn’t stop with nail polishes, expanding Suncoat to include a collection of award-winning formulations for face, eye, lips and even hair, all born from the ideal combination of technology and efficacious natural ingredients. The model forms the heart of the Suncoat brand, to operate with a firm commitment to producing innovative, high-quality products from the best ingredients nature has to offer while maintaining the highest environmental integrity."
Their Mission:
"Suncoat is the pioneer in non-toxic nail polish, blazing the trail of natural beauty, fusing nature with technology to create innovative products founded on the balance of vegan, mineral-based ingredients and water, one of the principal components of our bodies. By putting nature back into nail polish, we’re motivating people to do the same in other aspects of their lives, thus inspiring a little more harmony back into the world."

 
 My two favorite shades sent to me are: Left - / Right -
The polishes itself come in a wide assortment of beautiful shades and finishes, just like regular polish - but the application of the polish itself is a bit tricky. You have to be really patient and accept that the first layer will always be streaky, and that the second layer will fix everything up. Patience is definitely the key here to achieve a smooth coat.

 

To remove the polishes, you actually have to use their in-house branded products as they are formulated specifically for the polishes. I have always promised my readers that I am giving honest reviews, so here it is - unfortunately didn't have much luck with the gel formula, it really didn't rub off and "melt/dissolve" the polish as it suggests it would. The one benefit though of the gel packaging is that it comes with a cuticle balm to help condition the nail beds. That product itself was fantastic, but I didn't quite understand the mirror on the lid. You wouldn't really need it to look at your nails, or your face? so not too sure what that was for. It's cute, but doesn't really serve a purpose. 

I therefore tried the pump liquid formula and had much better success. I was told that alternatively, I could soak my hands in warm water to peel off the polish that was formulated to be peel-able. Be forewarned though that both the remover products have quite a strong scent to them (not your typical acetone scent at all). This polish is made with corn starch fermentation and has vitamin E in it. It can be used to remove all types of polishes and is biodegradable and vegan. It has a oil-like texture to it so your fingernails and cuticles stay hydrated. 

Overall, I think that this product is perfect for those who really care about using a natural product on the nails that is safe and free of harsh chemicals. If you are one of those individuals, and have sensitive nails - then this is definitely for you. I will definitely be sharing this entire set to my vegan friend.

Until next time, XO - M

*products were sent to me for review, all opinions are my own.