L’Oreal True Match Super Blendable Compact Makeup

Remember how much I loved the True Match liquid? I thought I would like this just as much, if not more.  See, for several years, I wouldn’t use liquid.  I had to have compact makeup because I preferred the texture and the heavier coverage.  But this was the exact opposite.  The compact version of this is thinner.  It’s faster to apply by far, but the coverage isn’t as good and it feels…off. It doesn’t blend as well, either, and tended to streak.

Bottom Line: Stick with the liquid version.

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation and Powder

This is brand new.  I’m not sure why I was so gung-ho to try it.  But I am darned glad I did. It’s advertised as “Flawless.  Let’s the real you come through.  Beyond matching:  Fresh, Breathing, natural skin.”

I have to agree with all of these points.  The makeup is light and lets your skin breath.  It looks and feels really natural from the time you put it on through the end of the day. I have to touch this up more during the day than I do with say the Dream Matte foundation/powder.  But even so, it doesn’t cake or clump on my face.  Other pluses include the compact being cute and the fact that the cost of both is about what you’d pay for one bottle of True Match.

The downside is that this is very much makeup for good skin.  If you have issues like acne or a lot of dark splotches or bad under eye circles, this isn’t a good choice since the coverage is so light.  There is a concealer which I have not tried; maybe that would help.

Another issue is that there are so many colors to choose from , each with such subtle variation, it could take two or three tries before you hit your perfect shade – I was fortunate in that it only took two guesses for me.  The products are numbered, but if you look at the numbers on the foundation/powder, it doesn’t seem to match the concealer (I use 110 in the foundation and powder, for example, but judging from the website it looks as if I’d need 15 in the concealer).

The line includes blush (which I don’t wear very often) and bronzer (which I never wear) that are also guaranteed to match and blend.  If you do use these products, keep in mind again that the numbers don’t seem to be much help in choosing the right shade.

Bottom Line: Overall this is a foundation/powder combo that looks and feels good on good skin, and wears well all day.  But if you’re prone to issues or breakouts, skip it for something heavier.

Revlon ColorStay Aqua Mineral Makeup

I’ve talked before about my bad luck with mineral makeup. And again, I’m not sure what made me try this.  It is new.  And it’s one of the few that promise to hydrate skin with a coconut water formula.  Honestly, everyone raves about mineral makeup, dammit, and I want to be able to use it too!  Maybe this will convince me to give up?

Honestly, there was a lot to like about this product.  The container is one of the best made ones I’ve come across.  It is fairly easy to tip the product into the top so that you can blend it into the brush.  It was made to be portable so you could carry it around for touchups without making a horrible mess.  Also, the brush was wonderful!  Much better than the brush that comes with the previous incarnation of Revlon ColorStay minerals.  This one features soft, natural bristles that felt quite delightful against my skin.

The drawbacks though…first, my skin is just too oily for this stuff, which I should know by now.  I played with it some the evening I bought it, but the real test is the work day.  When I left the house it looked pretty good; not heavy, and more natural than I’m used to, of course.  But smooth and pore free.  This didn’t last.  By my first coffee refill I was an oily mess. My boss noticed I was starting to break out as well.

Bottom Line: Mineral makeup isn’t for me.  But this product has enough pros going for it that mineral fans should give it a whirl.  Especially if your skin is dry.

L’Oreal True Match Super Blendable Liquid and True Match Pressed Powder

I was really young when this first came out.  I remember being excited because I was so pale and hard to match.  But that was short lived, as the powder didn’t exist.  The only powder L’Oreal offered at the time was in a grey compact…I don’t remember what they called it, but I do remember the lightest shade being way too dark for me. I decided to give it another chance when I saw it on sale because a) matching powder is available now and b) I remembered Dita Von Teese saying it was her go-to drugstore brand.

Overall I do love the products.  They work well together to create a beautiful canvas to paint on.  The liquid is thick enough to even out skin and cover minor blemishes without feeling heavy.  The powder goes on really smooth with the sponge applicator, leaving a soft finish that, at least for me, isn’t chalky or cakey.  I love that it comes with a sponge, because it is really easy to clean.  Those of us with oily skin appreciate this a lot!  Also, the sponge is stored in the bottom of the compact, so it’s not constantly in contact with the product, which helps.

My oily skin does put this makeup through it’s paces, though.  I do have to touch up several times a day, but even so, it seems to hold up fairly well without getting separated.  I have noticed that on especially oily days I will get dark spots from powdering, but it’s minor.

Bottom Line:  A great line to try for most skin types and tones.  Besides liquid, there are also two solid versions of the foundation and a new concealer I have yet to try…

Maybelle Dream Matte Mousse Foundation and Dream Matte Pressed Powder

I first bought these products back in the summer and wasn’t thrilled.  I am used to applying makeup with a sponge, but the consistency of this makeup doesn’t allow for that.  It truly is an air-whipped mousse – so dipping a the sponge into the jar was doing nothing but making a mess.  I also attempted to use the foundation brush, but that didn’t work either.  It was just a crumbly mess.  I wound up with more on my clothes and floor than I did on my face.  So this sat in my closet until a week or two ago when I had a brainstorm and decided to try again.  I would use my fingers!

Dipping my fingers into the jar carefully, rather than the sponge, didn’t create near as much crumbly mess.  The heat from my skin softened it and made it fairly easy to blend.  Once I have it mostly on, I run the sponge over it gently just to make sure it’s even, and voila!  A perfect velvety finish that lasts!

The powder I loved from day one.  The compact is stupid. It also has a separate compact for the puff, but instead of popping open, the lids slide away. It’s a pain in the butt to get used to.  But again, the puff stays a lot cleaner this way.  The mirror, however…  Still, the finish is flawless and the powder doesn’t seem to look chalky or feel cakey, even on my oily skin. The products work really well together, and I find I do not have to touch up near as much with this as I do with the L’Oreal True Match.  The finish stays mostly velvety and pore-free with little maintenance.

Bottom Line: Perfect for oily skin!  Not as many shades as the True Match, and both the consistency and the compact design take some getting used to, but well worth it.

Both Maybelline and L’Oreal have new foundations coming out this season.  And while I’m perfectly happy with these two products, I simply can’t wait to see what’s next…

I saw an ad for this at just the right time.  I couldn’t find the St. Ives blue clay mask I used as a teen, and my skin was freaking out from quitting smoking.  Messing with my cleansing routine isn’t something I do lightly.  And I’m generally not impressed when I do.  This impressed me.

The site says:

” Give skin’s surface the deep clean of a mask in an everyday form.

• Detoxifying mud cleanser complex deep cleans to remove impurities
• Lathers and rinses like a daily cleanser for thoroughly purified, clean skin”

I’ve been using this exclusively for only about two weeks; before that, I used this in the evenings after my workouts, and used the L’Oreal Pore Minimizing gel cleanser in the shower.

My skin didn’t suddenly clear up, or change in any fundamental way.  But what I’ve noticed is that my skin feels cleaning after I use this – much cleaner than it did with the L’Oreal.  My skin is fairly oily in the mornings, and this cleanser made it feel positively squeaky.  It doesn’t seem to leave behind any residue at all.

At the same time, it doesn’t dry my skin out.  The Dove sometimes did, even though it’s full of moisturizing cream.  But using this, I don’t have that feeling of tightness you can get with other cleansers or soaps.  It just felt clean.

Bottom Line: I will definitely buy this again, and suggest it to anyone who has oily skin.

This is supposed to plump lashes to “9x” the volume and it’s washable.  The formula contains collagen, and the “megabrush” is supposed to impart serious volume.

Nowhere does Maybelline claim that this mascara doesn’t flake.  Which is good, because it does.  However, the site does claim it doesn’t clump, but it does that, too.  Not horribly – the product is fairly thin and doesn’t contain any fibers, so the clumping isn’t as bad as it is with some formulas.  But it is there. The brush is easy to use.  The website says it removes easily with soap and water; I can’t speak to that, since I use cold cream and wear so much eyeliner…  What I do know is that it didn’t irritate my eyes at all or bother my contacts, though I don’t see any explicit statements that says it’s safe for lens wearers.

Oh, and it also comes in waterproof.

Bottom Line: A good enough mascara, but you won’t get the clump-free volume and drama shown in the ads.

Maybelline XXL Pro Curl Mascara (Washable)

This is fairly new. This promised to curl my lashes, and since I forget to use a curler, and never remember to travel with it, I thought I’d give it a go. I did like the L’Oreal two-step mascara, after all.  This is washable and contact lens safe, too.

XXL Pro is a two step mascara. You apply it the same way you do the L’Oreal Beauty Tubes – first, you apply the white base coat (labeled “1″) to curl, and then a coat of color (labeled “2″).  That’s it.

The site says it curls to a 45 degree angle.  I didn’t measure.  But it does give a great curl to my lashes.  Much better than what I can get with a curler and better than the Hard Candy Curl Up and Dye. It’s a lot easier for me to use than the Beauty Tubes; I don’t have to be as exact with it.  The second step is barely noticeable.

It is also a ton easier to remove.  Of course, this mascara is all about the curl – it doesn’t build your lashes up like the Beauty Tubes do. I’ve been using it every day.  I haven’t noticed too much in the way of flaking, and it doesn’t leave residue on my contacts.

There are several other XXL Pro mascaras I’d like to try, since I liked this one so well.

Bottom Line:  I’m in love with this.  If you want real curl without the curler, go for it.

This isn’t the first product like this I’ve tried.  Avon’s Magix Face Perfector actually beat it.  That product is apparently doing rather well, judging by the online reviews and the line of foundations spun off it.  It was a big disappointment for me.  I didn’t think it felt good on, and I couldn’t see where it did anything for the look of my skin.

According to L’Oreal’s website, the product is supposed to perfect the skin’s texture, minimizing the look of pores and providing the ideal base for applying makeup.  While I can see a slight difference in how my skin looks (especially in the harsh light of my boyfriend’s bathroom), the real benefit here is what it does fore makeup application.   Smooth a little of this on after moisturizer, and makeup glides over skin.  It doesn’t settle into lines or pores, and depending on your skin type might even help makeup to last longer!

At around Fifteen Dollars for a small jar, it’s a little on the pricey end for a drug store brand.  And it does take some trial and error to get the right amount in the right places – that’s going to depend entirely on your skin.  But I feel it’s worth it, and I will definitely snag another jar of this.

Bottom Line: If you’re thinking of using a primer, give this one a go.  It’s certainly better than Avon’s offering.

I haven’t worn blush for years.  It wasn’t a conscious decision.  It was just a step I skipped one day, and didn’t miss.  The next thing I knew, I was giving my almost-full blush compact to my mother, who was out and late for a memorial service (or something; I don’t remember).  Even when I did wear it, it was very subtle and matched to my coloring.  I have this because it was packaged with the the L’Oreal compact mineral makeup and finishing veil and it has been sitting in my cabinet for ages.  I finally decided to crack it open and try it on with one of my favorite MAC lipsticks.

The good news is it hasn’t irritated my skin.  Granted, I’ve only worn it two or three times.  Still, by this point the other mineral products had broke me out in a rash.

It is packaged exactly like the L’Oreal mineral foundation and veil, with the weird little brush/lid thing.  It doesn’t seem as difficult to get the correct amount on the brush as the foundation.  The brush isn’t the greatest, but it does fit.  It goes on the same way according to the instructions:  you buff the brush into the color, tap, and then buff onto the cheeks.

The color is great.  My “light skin” kit came with Pinched Pink, which works fairly well with my coloring.

My only complaint is that it doesn’t blend well.  The color concentrates where you first place the brush.  I tried blending it with the brush and with a sponge, with no luck.

Bottom Line: I wouldn’t buy this again.  Blush should be subtle and soft, but this winds up looking a bit too harsh.

I grabbed a tube of this as soon as I saw it. I checked the package carefully first, of course; I am not about to sacrifice my green eyes for a chance that my lashes might get thicker, longer or darker! And according to the packaging, that’s exactly what you get – thicker, darker, healthier lashes, without a prescription, and without side effects.  Oh, and for about twelve bucks.

I’ve been using this stuff nightly for several weeks now, and I can tell you:  I have noticed no difference in my lashes at all.  Nothing.  They’re no darker, no thicker, and no healthier than they were before I bought this stuff.  But no side effects, either.

Go check out the product page (linked above).  There are six customer reviews, and all of them are raves, all of them so excited about how wonderfully the product delivered.  I don’t get it.

Bottom Line: I say skip  it.  Despite what the on-site reviews say, I saw no difference after several weeks of nightly use.

Clearasil Ultra Rapid Action Treatment Cream

I never had zits, even as a teen.  I would get a zit.  Singular.  Granted, they’d be huge.  But it wasn’t that often, and they generally went away if left alone.  The most I ever remember doing was dabbing tea tree oil on the really bad ones.

My first choice was a Clean & Clear product, and it didn’t do anything but smell good and dry out my skin.  So I saw this on my weekly Wal-Mart grocery trip.  According to both the package and the website:

Benefits

Visibly reduces redness and spot size in as little as 4 hours! — fastest product in the market

Specially formulated with new breakthrough technology

Eliminates dirt and oil while accelerating delivery of maximum strength acne medication

Wrong.

Not only did it not reduce the size, appearance, or redness in four hours, there was no difference after leaving it on overnight.  I am severely disappointed in this product.

Bottom Line: Skip it.  Find some tea tree oil instead.

They still don’t have this on the website.  They don’t have the Color Impact lipstick on there either, but it’s already being advertised in Allure and it’s in stores.  Maybe they just need a new web design specialist?

Any way.  I’m not sure what to say about this makeup, other than it just plain didn’t work.  I tried it both with the PhotoReady powder and with my go-to MAC Select Sheer.  It didn’t look good with either.

It goes on smooth, and blends really well.  It just doesn’t have a nice finish.  It has way too much mica in it.  You don’t feel it, like you do in the Creme Gloss (thank goodness) but you can see it.  I noticed it especially around my eyes, since it tended to make the skin around my eyes look crepey.  Seriously…I’m not that old! I have really oily skin, and this made my skin look really dry (even though it wasn’t).    I just can’t find anything about the product that makes me want to recommend it to anyone.

Bottom Line: Skip it.  And the powder.

Revlon ColorStay with Softflex (Oily/Combination Skin)

Since I liked the dry skin version so much, I had to try this.

First off, “oil free” doesn’t mean “oil control.” This doesn’t do anything to help with oil on your skin.  It basically just amounts to a thinner version of the dry skin formula.  The texture is completely different, so the feel is completely different.  I bought the same color I used in the dry skin formula (Buff), and even that seemed a bit different.

Though this would probably be the better formula for my oily skin, I have to say I didn’t care for it as much as the dry skin version.  It’s not as comfortable, not as smooth, not as easy to blend. Though it has a great finish, especially with the MAC Select Sheer powder, and it holds up just as well throughout the day.

Bottom Line:  This one is a judgment call.  If you liked the Dry skin formula, you probably won’t like the feel of this as much.  Both are decent products, though, so I say try both and go with what your skin likes best.

Revlon PhotoReady Powder

I hardly know where to begin.  I want to say “Can Revlon just not do powder?”  because I wasn’t thrilled with this.

As I said, the PhotoReady powder/foundation combo is fairly new.  I picked up both the liquid and the powder to try out.  According to the packaging, “Perfected airbrushed skin in any light covers flaws and eliminates shine.”  The jury’s still out for me on the liquid, but I can dispute that statement on the powder.

The first thing I did not like was that it comes with a brush.  I just don’t believe you get the same level and uniformity of coverage with a brush that you do with a puff – I think makeup looks better when the powder has been patted on.  I also don’t like brushes for touch ups.  The one thing in a brush’s favor, if you have a good one, is that they are much easier to clean and keep clean than puffs are.  This one isn’t a good one.  That’s one thing for sure Revlon isn’t good at – brushes!

The second thing was the sheen.  It’s not listed on the package, but this powder must be pretty mica-heavy.  Not quite “sparkly vampire” skin (as my niece would say) but much more than I would like.

Third is the feel.  It’s not quite as chalky as the ColorStay powder, but it’s close.

And last but not least, the wearability.  It didn’t hold up very well over the course of the day.  It wasn’t good at controlling shine.  The touch up I did really didn’t help matters, and by the time I left work for my eye appointment, it was starting to visibly break down.

Bottom Line: It might perform better if used with a puff. It might perform better on drier skin.  But my advice is to just skip it.

“The next-generation in lip gloss with both full-coverage color and extreme gloss shine.”  Oh, I sincerely hope not!

This is the worst lip gloss I have ever tried to wear.  It’s neither smooth nor creamy; hell, it’s not even sticky.  It’s heavy and really grainy.  It has “light reflecting particles,” according to Revlon’s site, that are supposed to make lips look fuller.  Well it looks like glitter to me, and it didn’t make my lips look fuller.  I didn’t leave it on very long because it was so uncomfortable.

The color wasn’t as great as the site claims, either.  This is supposed to be a “highly pigmented” gloss, that gives the coverage of lipstick with the shine of a gloss.  Wrong again. The coverage wasn’t good and it wasn’t glossy.  It just looked like I’d smeared a lot of glitter on my lips.

Bottom Line:  This gets my nod for Worst Gloss of the Year award.  Skip it.