On the Hunt: Laura Gellar Face Products

[Purchased by me}


For some reason, I was struck with the NEED to try Laura Gellar's Balance and Brighten face powder.  After encountering some disappointments during the onslaught of recent friends and family sales (and one very failed Hautelook attempt), I was happy to run into this little kid at Ulta.  The price tag said $25 but it rung up to be $20 (yay!), even though the retail value is over $80(???? seriously??).  It has a face powder, setting powder, blush, brush and primer.  Here are some first thoughts:

The primer is the only thing I haven't tried, but I'm not one to notice a big difference after using a primer (besides the Hourglass one, mentioned in a previous post).  If this does wow me, I'll be sure to note that.  The brush is also kind of a throwaway since it shed like crazy initially. After washing it, it seems a little better but nothing too amazing.

On to the really good stuff...

Matte Maker Invisible Blotting Powder, Balance and Brighten in Medium and Blush and Brighten in Boysenberry

The matte translucent powder is very nice.  It's very smooth and really mattifies the skin without any feeling of layering the skin with an additional product.  It takes away the shine but doesn't add any heaviness to the skin.  The Balance and Brighten has so far impressed me in the wear.  It creates a demi-matte finish that looks very natural and the Medium shade is a good match for my skin because this product doesn't have very intense coverage.  I would say it's on par with a light mineral foundation with better staying power.  It won't cover any dark spots but I think it makes for a nice setting powder for a light foundation as well as over just concealer for lazy days.  The blush has very nice pigmentation but kicks up a lot of powder when you tap it.  It's a great product for the colder weather and I really am pleasantly surprised. 

Overall, this is an inexpensive and cute little kit for people who are interested in trying the line.  I think I will continue to play with all these and keep an eye out for more sets going on sale in the future.   Keep your eye out for some empties and a Shu Uemura order coming in soon!

Quick Fall Transition: High and Low End

[All purchased by me]

Revlon Berry Smoothie, Clinique Black Honey, NYC Wine n Dine, Bareminerals Daredevil

It's pretty easy to see these are all in the same family.  The Revlon Lip Butter and Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey feel similar on the lips. They're both balmy and light on the lips with a buildable pigmentation.  The Revlon is definitely more pink and less berry but the focus here is on the formula similarities, not the color.  Next up are two products that I just mentioned.  Emily Noel just did a blogpost on this NYC Liquid Lip Shine here and validated that this is a total steal of a product!  This Bareminerals gloss is good.  Check it out.

Discontinued Lancome quad, Chanel Illusoire, Wet n Wild in Silent Treatment

This is also something to show more of the color family, not necessarily the product.  I like the copper shade in that Lancome quad and the forest green adds something special to boring neutral looks.  If I hadn't just thrown the ELF quad in Luxe (only $1 and I dropped it on the train so not going to save it), then I would recommend it here too.  I actually like the way those colors work together better.  That Chanel cream shadow is everything.  It's a showstopper in shade.  It looks kind of similar to the shade next to it in the Wet n Wild trio.  It may not be as multi-dimensional as the Chanel shade but it has a similar effect.  That Smashbox pencil I mentioned a few posts back in Black Gold is also SUPER recommended.

Bourjois Healthy Mix, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk

 Out of all the bases I've used, the Giorgio Armani is probably my favorite of all time.  It just has a perfect airbrushed effect that still manages to be skin-like.  People rave about this fora  reason and I think it's the perfect pick-me-up base.  The closest thing I've found in finish to the Armani is the Bourjois foundation, another popular option around the blogging world.  It doesn't stay matte on me as long as Armani, so it's not highly recommended for oily skin but I think it's a solid one to consider and an all around good base.