Maybelline MasterShape Brow Pencil - Review

I don't really have a need for more brow products (don't judge!), but I've never used one of these waxy-crayon things before, and Maybelline's Eyestudio line is, for the most part, pretty great. So, when I found this product a month ago, and on sale, I decided to try it out.

The MasterShape brow pencil comes in several colors: Soft Brown, Deep Brown, Blonde, and Auburn. Despite my redhair, I usually use taupe/brown tones for my brows (since, my brow hair is not red, and red or auburn shades look all kinds of wrong on my brows). Without a taupe to lean on, I picked up Blonde, which suits me perfectly.

I like that the barrel of the pencil is color coded, and the included spooly is a must. Brushing this stuff through your brows really helps tame and shape them, and adds a more polished look. This product couldn't be easier to use if it tried - it glides on fairly effortlessly, and is the perfect balance of pigmented and not pigmented, so you'd have to focus on getting it wrong. The price is decent, about $5 - $7, depending on whether or not it's on sale, or if you have a coupon.

I have two problems, though:

1. I've used up a lot of this in the short time I've been using it -This sort of makes sense, coming from using brow powders (which last an eternity), that I would notice how short the pencil was getting.
2. Sharpening this thing sucks. It's coated in plastic. Not the same kind of plastic MAC uses for their Powerpoint pencils, which is fairly easy to sharpen. No, this is full-on, real, plastic. You must have a really nice sharpener, to make this work. I use UD's Grindhouse (yes, a $10 sharpener for a $5 product.

Overall, I like this brow product. I really do. But, powders seem to be a better value. Remember that Brow Tech Trio review I did? I've been using it daily for the past 8 months, and no pan in sight. I have a feeling I'll run out of Mastershape about 2 months from now. My previous brow powder, MAC's discontinued Brow Shader, is literally 5 years old, and still going strong. So, you may keep that in mind when considering this product.

Blog Sale Update!

Gah. I've been MIA, but I blame work and the holidays! Anyway, more on that stuff later. Check out the newly updated Blog Sale page!

Chanel Perfection Lumiere SPF 10 - Review

Almost every day since the beginning of March, I've been wearing the Tarte Amazonian Clay Balancing foundation. While I like the foundation, the color has never been just right - it's always been just a touch too dark. Blended out, it's fine, but with fall and winter stealing the sun away, it's been harder for me to blend enough, and I'm a foundation ho, so commitment is hard.


I've used Mat Lumiere from Chanel in the past and loved it (so much that I finished the bottle completely), I set out to repurchase it (flush with overtime money). At my Macy's Chanel counter, I was met with a somewhat sour faced girl who recommended their newest foundation, Perfect Lumiere, instead. I'm fairly certain she was just trying to sell a bottle of it, but I agreed to get color matched. Within a few minutes, she'd removed my foundation and applied Perfection Lumiere (using whatever Chanel's equivalent of a MAC 190 brush is). She, of course, applied powder and blush (after trying to tell me I wouldn't need to set it with anything - yeah, right). I liked the coverage, and knew I could always return it if things went sour, so I bought a bottle.


Chanel says:

Effortless to apply, with seamless blendability for a naturally flawless effect, this breakthrough foundation is the ideal all-day, everyday formula – suitable for all skin types in a diverse range of 20 shades.

Packaged in Chanel's standard fair for foundations, you get 1 fluid ounce of foundation in a frosted glass bottle for $55. The over cap comes off to reveal a pump (yay!). This is a liquid foundation that's a bit on the thin side, and I need to use one full pump to cover my face. This has a strange but pleasant florally-tea scent. I love it, though. More than Mat Lumiere, which had a border-line cloying rose scent.

Chanel touts this foundation as long wearing, and I agree. It lasts all day, and for the most part, stays in place. Because I have oily skin (and I've been experimenting with primers), I end up a little shiny by the end of my day. This causes the foundation to transfer somewhat easily, but I can't fault the product for my skin's own short comings. When first applied, my skin appears matte but luminous, smooth, and eventoned. The redness in my cheeks is greatly diminished (with help from MUFE's green primer). I've used the huge brush that came with the Amazonian clay foundation, and my Sephora 55 Airbrush brush; both work equally well. 

From left: Tarte Amazonain Clay foundation in Light, MAC Matchmaster in 1.0, Maybelline Fit Me in 115, Chanel Perfection Lumiere in 12 Beige Rosee, MAC Select MoistureCover in NC15 - with flash

The color match, as previous mentioned, is amazing. I've never, EVER, been matched to a pink-toned foundation. In MAC terms, I usually wear NC15 in the foundations that run a bit light (Studio Stick [DC'd], Studio Sculpt). In Bare Escentuals, I wear Golden Fair in the original formula, and I can't find a match in the Matte version (Golden Fair Matte is a hair dark). In Matte Lumiere, I work 02 Porcelain, Intensity 0.5, which was a touch pink. In MUFE's HD foundation, I've worn 110, which was a bit light, and a tinsy bit pink.

From left: Tarte Amazonain Clay foundation in Light, MAC Matchmaster in 1.0, Maybelline Fit Me in 115, Chanel Perfection Lumiere in 12 Beige Rosee, MAC Select MoistureCover in NC15 - without flash

Overall, I really, really like this foundation. I've heard others say it caused breakouts (none for me, after using it daily for almost a month now). I wash my face, and use my Clarisonic every night, though, so I know my skin is super clean. After a normal face washing, however, I don't notice a ton of makeup on my Clarisonic. I'm curious to see how long the bottle will last me, since I didn't need to use as much Mat Lumiere. At this time, I'd definitely repurchase!

Haul!

I've been neglecting this blog because I've been working overtime for the last, oh, 2 months or so. It's been tiring, but, now that those overtime paychecks have been rolling in... I've been taking advantage of my free money!

The stuff pictured above is all from QVC. It's what's left from the last Tarte TSV kits I received (including the 8th Wonder set [which had the Amazonian Clay foundation], and the Glow Your Way to Gorgeous set [which had the Maracuja Oil Concealer]). I kept only a few pieces, opting to sell off the pieces I wouldn't use. I kept the bronze Amazonian clay eyeliner, the Shimmering Moss Amazonian Clay Waterproof eyeshadow, the quad (which will make a great neutral eye look!), and the make up bag from the Glow Your Way to Gorgeous set. The rest sold on eBay last week, and I was able to clear enough to pay for two kits. I also picked up the next Bare Escentuals TSV (which will be promoted on 11/18/2011), because it included one of their Ready 2.0 eyeshadow duos, and their Round the Clock eye liner pencils. I'll do a review of these pieces later.

These items came from Macy's and Nordstrom. I needed a new foundation, because I was finding the Tarte foundation to be a little on the dark side (apparently, I had picked up a touch of color over the summer - who knew?). I decided to get two (I can't live with just one!), so from Macy's, I picked Chanel's Perfection Lumiere in the shade 12 Beige Rosee (which is an awesome match,) and because I'm a weak person, I also got the Illusion d'Ombre in Illusoire. From Nordstrom, I picked up Matchmaster in 1.0, and then preordered (and subsequently retrieved) a few items from Glitter & Ice, the holiday collection. I decided on the a Dazzleglass in Dressed to Dazzle, the lighter of the two nudes. I also got the beauty powder in Snowglobe, the Mineralized Eyeshadow in Snow Season, and a paint pot in Morning Frost.

I swatched everything from Glitter & Ice, and honestly, nothing else grabbed me. I had 2 of the Dazzleglasses already (and really didn't like She-Zam! at all - it was way to cool-toned for me). The other two paint pots were super thick-almost-sticky in texture, a lot like Blackground. The other beauty powder didn't wow me at all, and Snow Season was the only MES that I honestly loved. The others were not pigmented, or super cool-toned (which makes sense - who's hear of warm ice?). I can't buy any more lipsticks, since I never wear them, and hate Technikohl liners - they fade almost immediately, or, smudge themselves away. I'm super happy with what I got from Glitter & Ice, though!

Burt's Bees Natural Skin Solutions Sensitive Facial Cleanser - Review

BzzAgent was nice enough to send me a full sized tube of Burt's Bees newest cream cleanser, with cotton extract, just like the moisturizer reviewed here. Like with the moisturizer, while I received this product for free, I'm not being compensated in any way to say only positive things about it, although, I do like it.

Burt's Bees says:

This soap-free cream cleanser is clinically proven to moisturize sensitive skin while gently cleansing away dirt, oil and make-up without over drying or causing redness. Distinctly formulated with softening Cotton Extract to help skin replenish its outer layer and minimize the effects of potential irritants such as harsh soaps or cleansers, it also moisturizes with Rice Extract and soothes with Aloe. Naturally gentle and skin-friendly for daily use, it’s what every sensitive product should be.

• Softens and helps replenish skin's outer layer with Cotton Extract
• Gently removes dirt, oil and make-up without over drying or causing redness
• Formulated with Quillaja and Yucca Extracts to help remove impurities without stripping essential moisture
• Fragrance-free and hypo-allergenic
• Allergy-tested and dermatologist-tested

For $10 (the MSRP), you get a 6 oz tube of creamy, moisturizing face wash. I was a little surprised that there were no suds from this cleanser, and yet, it manages to remove my face make up relative easily, using a minimal amount. I remove my eye makeup separately, however. 

It really reminds me of sweetened condensed milk - thick, creamy, semi-transparent but not really.The amount shown above is enough for my face. My skin doesn't sting or tingle when using this cleanser, and feels softer after I've rinsed my face. I was relieved to find this cleanser rinsed very cleanly, since I'm not used to cream cleansers. 


The scent is... interesting. It's sort of medicinal, herbal, and floral mix. It's not unpleasant, and doesn't seem to last. 


Overall, I like this cleanser. I like others better, but, if you're in the market, and have a coupon or find Burt's Bees on sale somewhere, I'd recommend this one!