After A While…

It’s been a while, esp. since the last hit pan post! However, since lately I’m especially boring in applying makeup, I always use the same stuff over and over again. So…ta-daaa!

SANA Maiko-han LP & Blush

Finished the loose powder, dented the blush. Bought them at Sasa, they’re really great products! Now I’m back to my NARS powder but honestly, SANA Maiko-han LP is so smooth and brightening on my skin, totally non-cakey; I would’nt mind repurchasing this drugstore stuff when my high-end powders finally run out! As for the blush, it’s rosy and can be glittery. Might not be my cup of tea before…but in the end it has definitely grown on me

Here’s some FOTD that I did with the LP & Blush:

Browhaus Brow Resurrection Result

Browhaus Brow Resurrection Result

Sana Maikohan LP + Blush

Review: Fancl Lucent Face Powder

Fancl Lucent Face Powder Set

From http://www.fancl.com:
Ultra-fine powder absorbs excess sebum for lasting makeup, while Brightening formulation enhances skin radiance and disguise skin dullness for a translucent finish.

Recommended to use with liquid type foundation for long-lasting effect. Available only in 1 shade.

My Skin Type:
Currently normal/combo. My t-zone can oil up after 5 hours…but it’s not bad when I use some kind of good oil control product.

Packaging:
Fancl sold the refill powder separately from the plastic container. I only bought the refill bag, and pour it to my old MUFE Super Mat Loose Powder tub

Texture:
Fine and smooth. Not as “discreet” and “dry” as MUFE Super Mat. It’s somehow creamier, not as powdery compared to NARS Loose Powder. I’d say it resembles Becca Fine Loose Finishing Powder more.

My General Review:
I bought this due to recommendation from my friend dear Maria. Being me, how can I resist pink loose powder? I could always use another tub of loose powder

Anyway, after trying it out, I didn’t feel sorry that I bought it. There’s not much to be said though, because it’s ‘typical’ top notch loose powder. It’s finely milled, non-cakey, and non-shimmery. It’s mattifying but not drying. It came with fluffy puff, very similar to the one that Chanel give you with their Cristalline Loose Powder. Even though it’s matte, it’s not flat or powdery. Oil control is okay on my skin, especially with oil controlling sunscreen underneath, yet it’s never drying on my sometimes parched skin. For some people, the pink tint will brighten your skin, but on my already neutral/cool skin, it’s just match my pale skin well. It does not oxidize. It lasts all day.

Below I attach an old pic of me. I only wore Fancl Sunguard SPF30/PA+++ underneath. No primer, no foundation. Then I directly patted the loose powder to set it. Not too shabby looking, eh? Great for great skin days! Quick and easy. Although there’s not much neck for you to see here, you can still compare my face and neck. Yes, it matches my skin well indeed.

Fancl Sunguard SPF30/PA+++, Fancl Lucent Face Powder

I would recommend this powder to people who love creamier powder texture, something like Becca. I love them both, but Fancl may be the easier-to-obtain, cost-effective solution Becca claims to be water resistant…but I’m not sure about that. Becca lasts, sure. However, even though I live in hot and humid tropical country, good powders usually last well anyway Becca is available in pale, pale, color though (the Eggshell shade), so upon application it will be more brightening perhaps on my skin, but I bet there’s not much difference after it sinks in.

Application:
Just pat with the enclosed puff to set your makeup/skincare. I also use a flocked sponge sometimes, for heavier finish (to set sunscreen, for example).

Availability:
You can find it at Fancl stores islandwide. I personally tend to get them from Fancl Jurong Point (JP1, near McDonalds etc) and Ngee Ann City (basement, near Takashimaya food court/Ajisen Ramen).

Price:
S$46.50  for 20gram refill bag, puff included. Should you want to buy the plastic canister too from Fancl, it’ll cost you another S$11.

Ingredients:
I already throwed out my box, so I don’t have the complete ingredient list on my hand, but this is what I found from Google.

Acrylates Crosspolymer, Mica, Silica, Acrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Synthetic fluorphlogopite, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Zinc laurate, Dexpanthenol, Hydroxyproline, Polyquaternium-61, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyapatite, Zinc Oxide, Dimethicone/methicone copolymer, Alpha Bisabolol, Methylhydrogenpolysiloxane, Dimethicone, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Aluminum dimyristate, Aluminum hydroxide, Lauroyl lysine, Talc Powder, Titanium(IV) Oxide, Iron Oxides.

Overall Rating:
5 out of 5. Great powder, quality is right there with high end loose powders. Recommended if you can get your hands on Fancl.

*This review will be cross posted in http://www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.

Review: BRTC BB Sun Pact SPF40/PA++

BRTC BB Sun Pact SPF40/PA++

From http://www.skinami.co.kr:
This airy BB Sun Pact is effective for long-lasting makeup for enhancing skin’s natural radiance with superior adhesion onto the skin.

Super-fine powder texture blends easily onto the skin and formulated botanical ingredients leave the skin looking refined and flawless by controlling over-secretion of sebum.

Main ingredients: Lecithin coating powder, Allantoin, Bergamot extract, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Zinc oxide, Titanium Dioxide

My Skin Type:
Actually very oily, but surpressed with BHA exfoliator. Results in generally ranging from very dry to normal/dry skin. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive, and acne prone.

My Skin Tone:
Some said I have very fair, Casper-ish complexion. Frankly speaking, that’s what you see in my FOTDs, but I personally think I look (much) darker in person than in those photos. Still, yes, I’m quite fair.

Bottomline: my skintone range is lighter than MAC NC/NW15 to NC/NW20.

I have neutral cool undertone.

Packaging:
White square plastic compact. It has a separate compartment to put the puff. Nifty and travel friendly.

Color Selection:
Only a color available, and it matches my pale skin nicely. So if you have deeper skin tone, I’m afraid it’s not for you

Texture:
Finely milled and dry. Not creamy, but it’s not overly powdery. Just nice.

Coverage:
Pretty good! It evens out my skin tone, and if I’ve used a loose powder/MMU in the morning that is tad too dark for my complexion, this powder normalizes it all and presents me with pale skin like it should.

Blendability:
No problem at all. Easily blendable with the enclosed puff.

Finish:
Matte. But not flat or anything. It looks velvety and nice.

Oil Control:
Since I only have normal/dry skin, I don’t really have the right to talk about oil control, but I can say that it stays well and doesn’t feel heavy.

Sun Protection:
It claims to have broad spectrum protection, but since I don’t have the complete ingredient list with its percentage of UV filters, I can’t say much. It claims to have both Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide though, so it’s great.

BRTC BB Sun Pact SPF40 PA++ Protection Spectrum

Anyway, I think having PA++ in a touch up powder is good enough.

My General Review:
I’ve tried some SPF pressed powder to touch up my UV protection throughout the day and to refresh my makeup, but for some reason I never got around to review it I’ve tried MAC, Stila, Skinfood, Anna Sui, Shu Uemura…..and I have to say this BRTC is my personal favorite.

When I apply a pressed powder to freshen your makeup in the afternoon, I want them to provide slight coverage to make up for your fading morning makeup (due to heat, humidity, face oil, or when you accidentally touch/wipe your face). But the tricky part is, since I’m applying it on top of your various primer, foundation, loose powder, concealer, setting powder…..it’s more prone to cakey/powdery mess, I think. More coverage means it’s even more susceptible to cakeyness. And when you throw in some SPF into the equation…well in my experience it may become even more powdery/thick.

BRTC BB Sun Pact SPF40/PA++ was able to maintain the balance with all those three aspects. Proper coverage, non powdery, non cakey, protective. Glides smoothly over my huge open pores. Great color match for me too!

I’m actually surprised by the performance since this is my pressed powder with highest SPF number, yet it’s even less powdery the Skinfood Apple White SPF25/PA++. And the texture is much more pleasant compared to the heaviness of Anna Sui Powdery Foundation SPF12/PA++.

Here’s the ad for this product..

BRTC BB Sun Pact SPF40 PA++

As you can see it looks kinda darker in the pan than applied. Here’s me wearing this powder in the afternoon. Click to see the higher resolution version.

Trying Nikon D90

I usually apply it once or twice throughout the day. The pic was taken with SLR cam (Nikon D90, while I was holding another D90 in my hand, yes!) and while I’m lucky that it wasn’t focusing on my face…I think the finish of the powder is quite nice. It helped to cover my fading acne scars, but of course it wasn’t powerful enough to completely cover red angry zits. All in all for me it’s enough to help me fool a huge, black, intimidating SLR camera

I don’t mind the matte finish it gives. It’s not flat or anything. So I go with satin-matte or slightly dewy look in the morning…and gradually I would look more matte throughout the day…instead of looking dull and oily if I don’t touch up at all. Most heavy sunscreen will seep oil into your makeup you know!

I can’t say much about its oil control, since I’m not that oily to begin with, but one thing for sure: heavy sunscreen underneath or not, it’s not drying or oily on me. Just right.

What Else You Need To Know:
For glowy SPF powder, I love love love Stila Illuminating Powder Foundation….but it’s only SPF12

BRTC used to have another SPF40/PA++ powder: the UV Whitening Powder one. I read that it has Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Octisalate, and Octinoxate. However I can’t find it anymore in their web. Has it been discontinued?

BTW, the pic above was taken last week….so I’m still in sleep deprived state (the insomnia only gets better since the beginning of this week ) However I think my skin doesn’t look that unhappy. See for yourself the power of La Mer and EL ANR serum!

Application:
Easy breezy. Just pat it with the enclosed puff!

Price:
On par with other high end brand. It’s around US$35 in Korea for the 10gram compact. With shipping (more than US$10 with EMS!) it becomes pretty expensive.

Sasa listed it cheaper though, less than US$25 right now

Availability:
Usually bought BRTC directly from Korea. Guaranteed authenticity, fast shipping, and sometimes, ample amount of gifts

Alternatively, you can buy it online via Sasa too. The prices they offer seem to be nice!

Ingredients:
Unfortunately even though I bought the full size product, no English ingredient list to be found in the box Just hope they put enough Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide in there!

Overall Rating:
5 out of 5. UV protecting pact that goes on evenly. Velvety finish, and color matches my skin very well. Not powdery or cakey.

With SPF40, I think that’s the best you can get in a compact. I’ve already hit pan on this product, and still planning on purchasing but as usual I’m drowned with powders so we’ll see.

*This review will be cross posted in http://www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.

Review Update: Chanel Poudre Cristalline

And here goes a Chanel review to close the year 2009 Because admittedly, my addiction to anything Chanel goes even worse than ever at the end of this year!

Chanel Poudre Cristalline

Call me crazy. I was slightly undecided about this one, due to my perceived ‘too much shine’ finish; but a colleague apparently also have this and she said that it’s not shimmery, so I shouldn’t be afraid. She lent me hers, and unless my eyes played tricks on me, I found that hers is doesn’t have that tiny flecks my powder has @_@;;

And I tried to use hers on my face, this time because I’m not afraid of the microshimmers anymore, I use more powder than I usually do with my own tub. Yep, I love it instantly. No excessive glow at all.

So curiosity saves me. Now I’m back with my own tub, use more amount, and hell yeah! I think I was using too little previously, so the sunscreen shines badly. It the excessive glow was probably not caused by the microshimmers in this powder at all! Previously I thought the Chanel powder alone was too shimmery and I have to put an extra layer of matte powder (which I do, at noon, to touch up my makeup) to tone it down. I was soo wrong. Gahh I’m so ashamed that I almost locked a wonderful powder in the back of my drawer!

I guess because this product is silica-based, a little goes a real long mile, so very little amount can cover my whole face. Unfortunately, that little amount is not enough to tone down a shiny sunscreen. Moreover, at the previous review I was using the Banana Boat Sun Wear Faces SPF30, which is totally non-greasy but now I suspect that it’s shinier than my current sunscreen: Neutrogena Waterlight SPF50/PA+++. Never thought it’s possible since both finishes of nicely with the matte NARS Snow Loose Powder, but as the microshimmers of Chanel Poudre Cristalline brightens my face, slight additional shine underneath may contribute to the not so desirable finish.

Now with the right combination of base skincare/makeup and application, after I apply this to set my makeup, I immediately see the effect that I previously only in the afternoon after I touched up. Brightened skin, extra glow with NO visible shimmer chunks, soft focus effect, and heck, it even seems to diffuses my red acne marks! I love the effect more than my HG: NARS Snow Loose Powder.

Unfortunately I still have to give this stuff an imperfect rating of 4 out of 5. Blendability is admittedly worse than NARS, and at the price I’m paying I demand perfection from Chanel. But if I use a totally non-greasy sunscreen underneath, Chanel Poudre Cristalline goes on very well on my skin. And as far as the finish goes, it’s very true to its claim. Transparent, semi-matte, perfected look that epitomizes modern makeup

FOTD: Supportin’ In Stila

This is my FOTD when I joined the supporters for my division’s Volley team. This look is not exactly ‘..in Stila’, honestly But I like the sound….and hey! Even Laker Girls are wearing Stila!

Like always, my daily look is super quick and simple. Almost effortless. I only look to brighten my overall face so I wouldn’t look like a walking zombie Overall the look only took me around 10-15 minutes in the making.

Supportin' In Stila

Face:

Skinfood Mushroom BB Cream SPF20/PA+.
Applied with fingers in short strokes motion, and then buffed with a The Face Shop foundation sponge.

NARS Loose Powder in Snow.
Pressed down with a The Face Shop flocking puff.

MUFE HD Loose Powder.
As a finishing touch. Pressed down with The Face Shop flocking puff, then buffed with Everyday Minerals Long Handled Kabuki.

Skinfood Apple White Sun Pact SPF25/PA++.
Used to touch up the makeup and replenish SPF protection throughout the day. Applied with The Face Shop foundation sponge.

Eyes:

Stila x CanCam 10th Anniversary Palette.
Medium cool pink all over the lids. Chocolate in crease, blended upward. Pale champage under the browbone. All applied with ELF Eyeshadow Brush.

MUFE Aqua Eyes in 2L.
It’s a bronzey brown color. Lined the upper lash line with it, and dotted it on the outer half of the lower rim for very subtle definition.

Stila Eyebrow Sets in Medium.
Applied with MAC #208 Angled Brow Brush.

Cheek:

NARS Angelika.
Applied with Everyday Minerals Flat Top Kabuki.

Lips:

I think I ate all the Stila Lip Glaze Stick in Plum My lips are already bare in the pic.

Review: Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder

From http://www.lauramercier.com:

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder is a lighter-than-air powder used to set Secret Brightener, Secret Concealer & Secret Camouflage, while adding an invisible lightening boost.

• Transparent white colour lightens and brightens
• Micronized pigments will not settle in fine lines or accentuate shadows
• Instantly delivers a soft touch & weightless feel on the skin
• Creates the appearance of the most naturally perfected skin & maximizes wear & coverage
• Formulated for all skin types
• 0.14 oz./4g

My Skin Type:
Actually very oily, but surpressed with BHA exfoliator. Results in generally ranging from very dry to normal/dry skin. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive, and acne prone.

My Skin Tone:
Some said I have very fair, Casper-ish complexion. Frankly speaking, that’s what you see in my FOTDs, but I personally think I look (much) darker in person than in those photos. Still, yes, I’m quite fair.

Bottomline: my skintone range is lighter than MAC NC/NW15 to NC/NW20.

I have neutral cool undertone.

Packaging:
Standar plastic jar like its loose powder counterpart. Seriously messy to travel with.

Color Selection:
Only 2 colors available. #1 is intended for fairer skin. I use this one. It’s stark white with tiny sparkles in the tub and it works well. If you have deeper skin tones, choose #2.

Texture:
Finely milled and dry. The sparkles don’t feel gritty or anything.

Coverage:
‘Covering’ maybe is not the most proper term for this powder. It’s more of brightening. So much, that it’s able to lighten my uber dark circles. Even more so than a sheer concealer. Very impressive for a setting powder.

Blendability:
Silica is second in the list, so this product is very easy to be blended.

Finish:
Natural. The tiny sparkles doesn’t show at all. It only brightens your under eyes imperceptibly. It doesn’t sink into fine lines…but being talc and silica, it may show when my under eyes are dry. So make sure you adequately moisturize your working area.

Oil Control:
Do undereye setting powders need to have oil controlling properties? Well, I have dry under eyes, so I can’t really measure the oil control

My General Review:
I got this after I saw the glowing reviews in MakeupAlley, plus an impressive before-after pic. And I didn’t regret it You can see from my description above, this powder excels in every category. It’s fine, it brightens, it sets concealer well. The price tag seems high but you really only need tiny wee bit to cover your entire under eye area.

Now, I got a question from Anya: is this product a must have?

Honestly, it’s a bit tricky to answer this question. I don’t know if this will be an essential everyday product for every woman. The best I can give is: if you wear a corrector, concealer or highlighting/brightening pen (like YSL Touche Eclat, Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener) under your eyes, I think this powder will improve the overall result, compared with if you use a regular loose powder to set them. Or if you have really light undereye circles, this powder alone may be able to lighten and brighten that area.

Another question is: will other white, silica powders like MUFE HD Loose Powder work like this?

I personally think the answer is no. I think LM Secret Brightening Powder works better to brighten, may be because of the tiny sparkles in there. Rest assured, the sparkles won’t fall all over your face. It won’t even show in the under eyes, it will only brighten the area.

Application:
I use this product on my undereye only. For lids, I use MUFE HD Loose Powder to set it, as MUFE doesn’t contain any shimmer.

I’ve played with several application tools, and I think LM’s advice is the most proper. LM have a Camouflage Powder Brush, but I didn’t buy that. I saw that the shape is somewhat similar to my MAC #194 Concealer Brush (synthethic bristles for concealer application), and true enough, MAC #194 applies this product wonderfully!

Price:
US$22. May sounds uber steep for 4gram worth of product, but it will really lasts, so I still think the price is decent.

Availability:
Laura Mercier is not available in Indonesia, nor in Singapore. It’s available in Malaysia though.

For me, I always order my LM products from US.

Ingredients:
Talc, Silica, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Ethylene/Methacrylate Copolymer, Zeolite, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Sorbic Acid, Methylparaben Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben Tetrasodium EDTA, Butylparaben, Orchis Maculata Flower Extract, BHT. +/- [May Contain]: MICA (CI 77019), Titanium dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Carmine (CI 75470), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Red 6 (CI 15850), Red 30 (CI 73360), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985).

Overall Rating:
5 out of 5. Great product for everyone who needs to conceal/brighten their under eye area

*This review will be cross posted in http://www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.

Review: Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder

Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder -- Translucent

From http://www.lauramercier.com:
Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder is an extremely lightweight, sheer & silky setting powder that contains the finest French “cashmere” talc & a unique light-reflecting ingredient that creates a “soft-focus” appearance for fine lines & imperfections.

• Sets makeup to prolong wear
• Adds a velvety finish to any makeup or a bit of colour and coverage when foundation is not worn
• Looks natural & never cakey or powdery
• Oil-Free
• 1.0 oz./29g

Need a more convenient solution? Try our travel-friendly Mini Translucent Loose Setting Powder.

In Style Best Beauty Buy – Best Powder – April 2008

My Skin Type:
Actually very oily, but surpressed with BHA exfoliator. Results in generally ranging from very dry to normal/dry skin. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive, and acne prone.

My Skin Tone:
Some said I have very fair, Casper-ish complexion. Frankly speaking, that’s what you see in my FOTDs, but I personally think I look (much) darker in person than in those photos. Still, yes, I’m quite fair.

Bottomline: my skintone range is lighter than MAC NC/NW15 to NC/NW20.

I have neutral cool undertone.

Packaging:
Standar plastic jar with plastic sifter. May be messy to be transported.

Color Selection:
Small. 1 translucent color which should work for most skin tones, and 2 more pigmented options: Ivory and Beige. I used the transparent one.

Texture:
Fine! It’s more finely milled than NARS LP. Drier to the touch too. In terms of texture, I like this (much) better than NARS.

On the other hand, for talc-based powder, MUFE Super Matte LP may be more discreet. It may still be the best, but LM Loose Setting Powder comes close in second place.

Coverage:
Like all finely milled powdesr, this provides sheer coverage only.

Blendability:
Very  good! Due to the fine and dry texture. Again, it’s better than NARS in this department.

Finish:
Matte. And smoother finish on the pores, compared to NARS.

Oil Control:
I used to think that LM provides (much) better oil control compared to NARS…due to the reviews in MakeupAlley. Plus, some people say that LM is drying. But I was wrong! Now that my skin is on the oilier side, both LM and NARS performs well. On me, both have same oil control, which is pretty good.

My General Review:
I’ve always wanted to try this popular powder, but was afraid that it would dry out my skin. So when my skin is (finally) oilier again, I ordered this in a heartbeat

From the description above, you may conclude that it’s better than NARS LP. Well….almost. I’m sad to say that it fails in the one of most important department: color match.

I picked out the Translucent one hoping that it would work for my fair skin. And it didn’t! It’s too beige and tad dark…making my face looks duller than it should be It may work for NC20+, but anyone fairer than that, I recommend you to try out NARS Snow; it works much better for my skin tone.

What Else You Need To Know:
I’ve read that color range in Laura Mercier complexion products is not really good for fairer skin, and after I tried out this LP, I’m more convinced than ever that it’s true. I don’t have LM near me so I can’t test it out, but from the reviews and swatches, I can’t find a match either in their Mineral powder and liquid/cream foundations.

Why LM? While you have such great products in your arsenal! Expand your color selection…pretty please?

Application:
I usually apply this with a flocking puff. LM also advises us to use their puff, but it won’t work for everyone. Just try applying it with a brush and a puff, and see which finish you prefer.

Price:
US$34 for 29grams. Not that bad…considering that you’ll only need a little bit to cover your whole face. Still, NARS is more cost effective

Availability:
Sadly, Laura Mercier is not available in Indonesia, nor in Singapore. I think it’s available in Malaysia?

Anyway, I CPed this from US.

Ingredients:
Talc, Magnesium Myristate, Nylon-12, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Lauroyl Lysine, Methicone, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Ultramarines (CI 77007), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499).

Overall Rating:
4 out of 5. This would be a definite winner if the color range is better. But in the mean time, I am forced to pick NARS Snow over this.

Test this first if you can. If you can find a color that matches you, that I highly recommend you to buy it.

*This review will be cross posted in http://www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.

Review: T.LeClerc Loose Powder

T.LeClerc Loose Powder

From http://www.t-leclerc.co.uk:
Amazingly fine and light loose powder based on pure rice starch provides matte finish and visibly smoothes the skin. Poudre T. LeClerc incomparably masters light and hides flaws while magnifying the complexion. This powder is well-tolerated by the most sensitive skin, and also serves as protection against pollution and solar radiation.

Let your base or foundation be absorbed for few minutes before applying loose or compact powder. Apply generously with a velour puff over concealer or base. Use large powder brush for a more subtle effect when applying over foundation. Smooth off any excess powder.

My Skin Type:
Actually very oily, but surpressed with BHA exfoliator. Results in generally ranging from very dry to normal/dry skin. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive, and acne prone.

My Skin Tone:
Some said I have very fair, Casper-ish complexion. Frankly speaking, that’s what you see in my FOTDs, but I personally think I look (much) darker in person than in those photos. Still, yes, I’m quite fair.

Bottomline: my skintone range is lighter than MAC NC/NW15 to NC/NW20.

I have neutral cool undertone.

Packaging:
This powder has 2 option for its packaging: one is the regular silver jar with a mesh sifter, or a travel jar. I picked out the regular jar (pictured above) as it contains more powder compared to the travel one, and it’s cheaper.

Color Selection:
Quite a lot…including some color corrective powders. 18 shades are presented in their UK website. Nacre matches me pretty well. It’s almost an off-white color, similar to NARS Snow in intensity but Nacre has more yellow undertone compared to Snow.

Texture:
I wonder why some people regard this as finely milled. I can assure you it’s gritty compared to other high end loose powders like MUFE Super Matte, Shu Uemura, or even NARS!

Coverage:
Best coverage I’ve ever get from a loose powder.

Blendability:
Bad. This thing can’t glide on top of thick/greasy sunscreen. It cakes like mad. Unlike MUFE Super Matte or NARS.

Finish:
Matte.

Oil Control:
Good! Or should I say, great. I can’t use this on my dry days, it will only further dehydrates my skin.

My General Review:
Meet the worst-high-end-loose-powder-that-I’ve-ever-tried.

I bought this quite some years ago. At that time it was popular; a friend in France raved about this and it was on the MUA Top Picks list. So I CPed it in Nacre from France.

Having read all the reviews about how messy it was to open a new jar of TLC loose powder, I cracked this open in a very careful manner. Not bad…I only spilled very little amount of powder; it wasn’t a big deal. So yeah, opening this for the first time shouldn’t be an issue if you’re careful, and it’s good on your vanity. Even though it’s a bad idea for travel.

Unlike the majority of reviewers, the real issue I have with this powder is its actual product quality instead, not the packaging.

Initially I was not a big sunscreen junkie, so I didn’t have problem applying this evenly. I usually tap my flocking puff against the mesh sifter to pick up a bit of powder, and lightly pat it to my face. Result: even though it’s not the finest powder, it gives pretty smooth and even coverage.

Horror will start around 2-3 hours after inital application.

By that time, my face will be ORANGE and dirty. Literally. It oxidizes really bad! So much that I walked in to MAC counter to get a powder foundation and the MA insisted that I should use NC30-NC35. Mind you….in my normal state I’ll be around NC15-20!

After some experimenting, I know that the oxidation were exaggrated by the Olay White Radiance sunscreen that I was using, but still. This product itself doesn’t have the greatest chemistry with my skin. So I kept my jar on my vanity…and not using it that much even though the just-applied effect is pretty good.

Fast forward to the beginning of my sunscreen girl days.

At first I was really much of a Euro sunscreen, highest-PPD-that-I-can-get-is-the-only-thing-that-matters girl. So I used the old Avene SPF50 Very High Protection Cream that is absolutely, impossibly greasy. And TLC LP really failed to tame that down. Maybe due to the not-so-finely-milled texture, TLC really caked on top of greasy sunscreen, and made huge mess on my face. Even my cheap The Face Shop Dewy Flower Loose Powder performed better on top of that Avene!

So in the end I decided to swap this away. I can’t get much use out of this powder, literally. Tons of better loose powders out there. And some are cheaper! NARS Loose Powder makes a great example of that.

What Else You Need To Know:
This powder contains rice starch. Basically anything derived from food have the trait to feed bacterias in your skin. It’s alright on me but acne prone skin beware.

Application:
I usually apply this with a flocking puff.

Price:
Around EUR35 for 35gram. Pretty expensive.

Availability:
T.LeClerc used to be available in Indonesia in Metro Department Store, but then they pulled out. I CPed mine to a friend in Paris, and at that time I only pay around IDR300,000 (~USD30) for the jar.

Ingredients:
I’ve thrown away my box…So I don’t know the exact ingredient list. As far as I know it’s rice starch-based.

Overall Rating:
1 out of 5. Practically the worst high-end loose powder that I’ve tried.

*This review will be cross posted in http://www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.

Review: Benefit Dandelion

Benefit Dandelion Box-O-Powder

From http://www.benefitcosmetics.com:
pink perk-me-up face powder

why we love it:
This classic ballerina pink finishing powder takes your complexion from dull to radiant in an instant…a celeb fave!

what else you need to know:
To perk up throughout the day, dust on cheeks or all over complexion.

Complete with soft, natural-bristle brush.

My Skin Type:
Actually very oily, but surpressed with BHA exfoliator. Results in generally ranging from very dry to normal/combo skin. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive.

My Skin Tone:
Some said I have very fair, Casper-ish complexion. Frankly speaking, that’s what you see in my FOTDs, but I personally think I look (much) darker in person than in those photos. Still, yes, I’m quite fair.

Bottomline: my skintone range is lighter than MAC NC/NW15 to NC/NW20.

I have neutral cool undertone.

Packaging:
Pretty cardboard box; I know lots of people hate cardboard packaging since the durability will be questionable compared to a plastic or tin, but me myself is quite okay with cardboard since I don’t do makeup in my bathroom.

Travel, of course, will make the packaging battered. My Makeup Reviews said that her Dandelion stands travels well; but mine is a bit broken at the tips of the box (I bought used one from Anya).

Color:
Dandelion is a neutral light pink with golden shimmer. Slightly warm in the box, almost peachy pink even. But it’s looks a bit cool on me when applied! Weird!

Anyway, the pic above is not so accurate. In the box Dandelion looks warmer than that. Anya kindly took a picture of Dandelion; but I personally think IRL it’s lighter, less rosy.

Benefit Dandelion

Texture:
Sadly to say, it’s not the finest blush around. Less finely milled compared to other popular blushes such as NARS or Cargo or even MAC and Stila.

Pigmentation:
Many say it’s (terribly) sheer. On my pale skin, pigmentation is actually sheer/medium. I only need to load my brush with the powder, and it shows up quite easily on my cheek. As a blush of course.

Blendability:
Good! No hard edges whatsoever.

Finish:
Gold shimmer looks pronounced in the pan but it’s really subtle on your cheek. All you got is a light pink glow.

Lasting Power:
Impressive!

Usually, my blushes never stay long enough on my cheeks; especially because I touch up several times a day with SPF powder to replenish my UV protection. Dandelion manages to look quite fresh even after lunch hour. Even though it doesn’t look as perfect as in the morning, it officially beats NARS or Shu Uemura in terms of lasting power on me.

My General Review:
I can’t stop wearing this for a week since I received this item It’s that good!

I was actually worried prior to buying this; often heard that it’s way too sheer. I understand that it’s meant to be an all brightening over face powder, but I prefer to use this as blush if I can. Lucky me, being a pale-faced Asian, Dandelion shows up easily as a blush! I only need to load my brush with the product. One layer for glowing from within effect, two to three layers for a more blooming effect. Any more than that, useless Since really, you simply can’t overdo this. Thicker layers will looks cakey and….thick. Literally. The product build up will be easily taken away by finishing swipe of a brush or even fingers; leaving only natural looking cheeks. Totally suitable for blush n00b.

On me, this is a neutral light pink. Looks slightly boring in the box, but looks brightening once applied! Also, it has gold shimmers in the pan, but they’re nearly imperceptible on the cheeks, even though it’s not flat matte either.

BTW, I don’t know how to use this other than as a blush. I’ve tried it as an all over face powder, but it makes no difference

The only downside is the miling. It’s not very finely milled, compared to other popular, high end blushes such as NARS or Cargo or Shu or MAC or Stila.

Application:
Dandelion is quite tightly pressed, to I prefer to use natural haired brushes to pick up a good amount of powder. I swiped a couple of times to load my brush with the powder and directly pat it to my apple of cheeks.

The brush supplied is made from goat hair. It’s not the softest, and it’s not the best in blending out the product; result can be slightly cakey. But at least it’s convenient for travel.

At home, I tend to apply this using MAC #168.

Price:
USD28 for 10grams of powder. Not bad. This will last me a while.

Availability:
Benefit is not available in Indonesia It’s available in neighboring Singapore and Malaysia though!

And another good news is: www.benefitcosmetics.com does ship worldwide with quite a reasonable shipping rate!

Ingredients:
talc, mica, calcium aluminum borosicicate, polyethylene, titanium dioxide (CI 77891), magnesium myristate, pentaerythrityl, tetraethylhexanoate, C9-15 fluoroalcohol, phosphates, zinc stearate, octyldodecyl stearoyl stearate, phenoxyethanol, B15-diglyceryl polyacryladipate-2, squalane, carmine (CI 75470), lecithin, iron dioxide (CI 77491), methylparaben, tocopheryl acetate, fragrance (parfum), glycine soja (Ssoybean)oil, tocopheryl acetate, iron oxides (CI 77492), BHT, retinyl palmitate, butylparaben, ethylparaben, limonene, alumina, Isobutylparaben, propylparaben, linalool, hexyl Cinnamal, benzyl salicylate, citral Butylphenyl, Methylpropional, citronellol, eugenol.

Overall Rating:
4 out of 5. Color is perfection for me at the moment. Pigmentation, blendability, and lasting power all are satisfactory. I just wish the powder is more finely milled.

*This review will be cross posted in http://www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.

Review: Chanel Poudre Cristalline Loose Powder

Chanel Poudre Cristalline

From http://www.chanel.com:
More than a foundation, this unique formula is the consummate skin-caring makeup. A special patented SOFT CRYSTAL LUMIÈRE™ complex creates a weightless ‘veil’ effect, while setting makeup imperceptibly and controlling shine, without a hint of chalkiness. complex visibly diminishes the look of wrinkles and fine lines. It beautifully evens out your skin tone as it helps deliver essential hydration. Firming polymers also provide skin with an impeccably smooth surface and the look and feel of an immediate ‘lift.’

My Skin Type:
Actually very oily, but surpressed with BHA exfoliator. Results in generally ranging from very dry to normal/dry skin. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive, and acne prone.

My Skin Tone:
Some said I have very fair, Casper-ish complexion. Frankly speaking, that’s what you see in my FOTDs, but I personally think I look (much) darker in person than in those photos. Still, yes, I’m quite fair.

Bottomline: my skintone range is lighter than MAC NC/NW15 to NC/NW20.

I have neutral cool undertone.

Packaging:
Signature Chanel. Big! Kinda hollow but it manages to feel bulky, even though it only contain 1ogram of powder

Color Selection:
Only 1 color is available. It’s chalk white that’s supposed to be transparent.

Texture:
It’s finely milled, like most Silica-based powders.

Coverage:
Sheer, it helps even out skin tone a bit.

Blendability:
Surprisingly, despite its seemingly fine texture, blendability is not so good. Maybe it doesn’t have enough Silica to give you that extraordinary slip?

Finish:
Glowy, due to the tiny sparkles. It’s too much for me, but I think it’s just me. I rather like matte powders like NARS or Laura Mercier. But I highly believe that there are market for this kind of finish.

Oil Control:
Being silica based, it’s good on my dry to normal/combo skin.

My General Review:
I’ve been eyeing on this one since its release, because I’m searching for a good silica-based, silica-blend powder. Root cause: 100% pure silica oxidized on me, despite its great texture So when I accidentally spot this in my regular cosmetic supplier store, I impulsively grabbed it

Initial impression was not that great with this one. I used a high protection sunscreen that gives a bit of sticky/filmy residue, and Chanel can’t glides well on top of that. Cakey mess!

Determined to love this, the next day I experiment with my most elegant sunscreen. Now it works! It spreads well on top of that, giving very smooth finish. It works well on my pores, and just like a pure silica powder, you’ll only need a tiny bit to cover your whole face.

Now, just like the name suggests, this powder has tiny sparks. Even though I only use very little to set my face, there’s still to much glow for my liking It’s just me though, I know lots of people adore glowy/non flat matte finish from a slightly shimmery loose powder like Lunasol or Paul&Joe.

For me, the best quality about this powder shows when I’ve touch up once; with a non-shimmery pressed powder or powder foundation. The glow will be toned down by then, giving very subtle glow that seems to radiate from within It makes my skin looks very smooth, very healthy, very radiant, very fair as it brightens so well.

The glow also gives soft focus effect, so my numerous red acne scars looks more diffused/even toned.

Application:
I usually pat this to my face using the included puff; like advised by Chanel. I really love the puff, it’s very soft and spreads powder really well

To avoid using too much product, I cover the sifter with the puff, turn the tub upside down once, and use whatever there is in the puff.

Price:
Sky high! I bought this on my usual beauty supplier at Mangga Dua, and it costs me IDR750,000 for 10gram. Twice the price of MUFE HD Loose Powder.

Availability:
I don’t know if Chanel beauty products is available in Indonesian shopping mall or not. They’re available at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. In town, we have a Chanel boutique here in Grand Indonesia, but I don’t know if they retail cosmetics or not. I (very) rarely go to GI.

Ingredients:
silica, boron nitride, HDI/trimethylol hexyllacotone crosspolymer, synthetic flourphlogopite, aluminum starch octenylsuccinate, lauroyl lysine, phenyl trimethicone, alumina, glycerin, methyl methacrylate crosspolymer, aqua (water), lauroyl methacrylate/glycol dimethacrylate crosspolymer, ammonium silver zinc aluminum silicate, methylparanem, propylpraben, dicaprylyl ether, polyurethane-15, dimethicone/methicone copolymer, palmatic acid, phenoxyethanol, cassia angustifolia sees polysaccharide, gellan gum, magnesium hydroxide, polyglycryl-2 dipolyhydroxystearate, CI 77120, CI 77891 (titanium dioxide), mica

Overall Rating:
4 out of 5. Too glowy for me, but some people may like it. Most importantly, Chanel should improve the texture. I think it’s supposed to be silkier and blends better.

*This review will be cross posted in http://www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.