Product Review: Sephora Mattifying Foundation Powder

I had heard a lot about this product...its got top star ratings on the sephora website. So I was very inquisitive to try it out. I was matched with the shade Caramel..and was first off very happy to even find that shade closest to my skin shade...trust me its been a battle till now..

Here is my take on this product ....

Packaging: This comes in a transparent black case with a sponge sort of pouf...quite similar to the MAC Studio Fix line... Its pretty convenient to use...but I wouldnt say its the best out there.

Quality: Well.. honestly.. I wasnt impressed... This powder can be used wet or dry..I tried both...I hated the wet finish/application.. It was all blotchy and left my skin looking very very funny!

Dry works better and this is hardly a foundation powder. At the most it can be used as a setting powder... but its too much money for a setting powder! There are way better drugstore brands that do a far better job...I have heard great things about Maybelline pressed powder!

Price: This compact costs $20!!!. Absolutely not worth it people. Atleast it the outcome was good, I would say its money well spent... I dont think this does justice.

All this being said, this product dint do any wonders for me. I mean, it does the basic job as acting as a setting powder, provides medium coverage and is very expensive. I would not repurchase! The only good thing about this powder is the number of shade options that are available.. Each and every one of us will surely find a match..:)

Updated: Foundation

A while back, I remember saying that I had finally landed upon the perfect foundation shade for my skin..WRONG!! Though I did like the MAC studio Sculpt for its consistency, I think I bought the wrong shade...for those of you who are wondering, I hover around NC 40-42. I noticed that the studio scuplt shades run a bit lighter. So ideally, I should have bought the NC 42.. I ended up buying NC 40 and it kinda turns ashy on my skin.
Any hooo.. thus my quest began...My search brought me to three different options.. each of which has its own pros...So here are my thoughts

1. MAC Studio tech: Category: Cream
This is a cream foundation ...no no it does not turn into a powder on application...
It stays cream. Which means that you still have to set it with a powder of your choice.
I loved this stuff.. With MAC I realised that a very little goes a long way! Its apparently the mantra of many MAC MAs' too.
I am a NC42 in this collection and I love it. It is very easy to blend and I figured that the best way to apply this is with a MAC 190 foundation brush or a beauty blender sponge! The finish is awesome, it stays put for hours when set with a powder and gives a matte finish. It does not streak either!
However, it does not have SPF so I think you may have to layer that on before putting this on!
It retails for about $28 and if used correctly, it will last a very long time!

2. MUFE HD foundation: Category: Liquid

After all the hype and hooplah around this baby, I decided to give it a try.
First off I must say that the color selection is AH-MAZE-ING!! really! I mean you can find a shade for every skin tone in this line.
I am a 153 in this line - just so you know.

I love the way it applies, very easy to blend, absolutely no streaking, comes out awesome in pics.. and when applied in the right quantity and manner, can be layered on!

It does not have spf.. it offers medium to full buildable coverage.
The moolah for this baby is a bit much, I thought. I probably would not repurchase just because of this reason, why would I when I can get the same stuff for less??!!

3. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer: Catergory: Cream/Tinted Moisturizer

This is one brand in which I have never ever ever found my shade.! It is so frustrating! UGH!!! I have bought and returned multiple times and finally settled for the Almond shade! The shade choices arent that many.
But the finish is amazing.. Its one of THE best tinted moisturizers out there.. Has the best rating from both ALLURE and Sephora!
Has 2 types of finishes for oily skin and normal skin... Nice packaging and all that good stuff.
I badly badly want to like this product line. Even now I feel that the shade almond kinda leaves an ashy tinge to my skin... but I just use a bronzer along with it and I kinda live the look. Its very light when applied and as long as its not layered on, you hardly feel it on your skin.. Some feel that it is quite heavy for a tinted moisturizer, but I dint think so. It applied very well and evened out my skin to a dewy finish! The finish is pure love..
If you are lucky to find your perfect shade in this line, then you just struck gold.
Price wise, again on the expensive side..but I guess for quality, you need to shell out this much? I am still contemplating when to hold on to this one or exchange it... I mostly may give up and exchange it..
But if you are on the look out for a tinted moisturizer, keep this as your option.. you wont regret it.

So to sum up, I think for now, I am alternating between these three and yea! my STudio fix fluid from MAc..and I love the au-naturale finish that all of them give when applied right....

Esp with MAC, I dont break out or anything, but ever since I realized that less it more..my MAC babies have become even more precious to me..:)

-Mysteeque!

Urban Decay – 24/7 eye pencil

Who likes dark kohl lined eyes? I do!! Don’t we all. I think kohl gives such an awesome definition to your eyes and makes them stand out. So obviously you will need a kohl pencil or a kaajal that does not bleed, does not burn your eyes and most importantly, stays put with minimum touch up! I found my holy grail!! And it is from UD!. Omg!!! This is one of the best pencils out there.

Why do I like it?

- Excellent pigmentation
- Great staying power
- Does not bleed
- Pretty decent price

Why don’t I like it?

- It gets over really fast. You should ideally sharpen your pencil before every use. So that way, one pencil will last you for about 2 months depending upon usage.

Is it worth a buy?

Hell yeah! It certainly is the best one out there and you will not regret it!

MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation

MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation
So I have been in search of the perfect foundation for a very long time. I have tried them all! Laura Mercier, Revlon, Smash box, benefit, Bare Minerals, MUFE, and what not!! But given my oily and uber sensitive skin, nothing worked! Everything would oxidize on my face and make me look like a saffron scarf! I recently tried the MAC Studio Sculpt foundation and I like it so far. It is a cream/gel based foundation and comes in a variety of shades to suit your skin. You can find it at any MAC counter or at Nordstrom, SAKS, Macys etc.
Why do I like it?
- Great coverage. You need very little to cover your face. So you can save a ton of product and your money!
- Very easy to blend. This is a feature that I have not seen in any other foundations that I have tried.
- It does not oxidize as much. So for oily skin, it may actually be a good product to use.
- A great variety of shades to choose from.
- Very good staying power. The product once applied, rarely needs any touch up if you use a powder to set it.
Why don’t I like it?
- It can be a little expensive. It almost retails for $30 and I don’t know how many of us would like to spend this sort of money.
- It may not be that moisturizing. So people, who have dry skin, may not like to go with this one and will have to use a moisturizer and primer before putting this on. I hate caking up my face and using so many products at the same time.
- Packaging. I wish it had a pump type of thing. I prefer that to a tube.
Is it worth a buy/try?
Depends on whether you want to. If you have other choices that you like and which you think suit you, go for those first.

Nivea Smooth indulgence hand cream

Nivea Smooth indulgence hand cream - Review
I bought this new hand cream. Being winter, my hands and my cuticles were getting terribly dry and flaky. And with flu scare and all that, it only makes sense to use a hand sanitizer. So of course a hand cream becomes a requirement.
The name of the hand cream is Nivea Smooth Indulgence and it is pure love! I carry it around wherever I go. I have gone through many bottles of hand cream across various brands including the very expensive L’occitane or whatever it is called.
This beats all of the ones that I have tried hands down. The packaging is cute and it is very handy. You can only find at your local Walgreens store.
Why do I like it?
- It is extremely moisturizing and not the greasy kinds.
- After you apply it, your hands and nails really look like they have been given a spa treatment.
- It smells divine.
- It is very affordable.
- It does not have to be reapplied often. By this I mean, it keeps my hands moisturized for quite a while
Why don’t I like it?
- Limited availability. It is available right now only at Walgreens, so I have to go to one to pick it up.
- The packaging may appear annoying to some!
Other than this, I really do not see any other negative point about this. It is definitely worth a try.