Guerlain: Lingerie de Peau Invisible Skin Fusion Foundation

Back in 2015 I purchased my bottle of Guerlain Lingerie de Peau, which is still to date the most I've ever spent for a foundation. While high-end foundations (and skincare in general) is no longer my thing as I've since realized there are many high quality and more budget friendly options from Korean and other international brands, I figured I would post up my impressions of this in case anyone was debating whether to buy this.

I posted up a video with me trying out the foundation live, so feel free to watch to get a better feel of the consistency.

To start with, the packaging is quite typical of high end brands, in a transparent and hefty glass bottle. The price is certainly not for the budget seeker, as a 1 oz bottle runs for $63. That said, what always drew me to this foundation is the incredibly smooth and natural coverage it gives my skin, without causing flakes and other issues (which I too commonly experience with other foundations due to my dry skin.)

The reason I haven't reached for it as much as hoped (I mean I've had this now for 5 years, but just can't bear parting with given how much I paid...) is because of the relative lack of skincare benefits and SPF vs the many Korean alternative BB creams I have, which also give good coverage. It feels unnecessary as well for me to wear such a high coverage cream in my day to day, as while I want to impress people, I'd rather do it while wearing something that's better for my skin.

I've included the ingredients snapshot below - indeed, a lot of stuff in there featuring chemicals (as I find to be true with most classic Western brands) and also SPF 20 is quite insufficient for daily use. As an aside, if your tinted moisturizer or foundation contains greater than SPF 30, you can usually use your FSA funds towards its purchase, as it qualifies for SPF benefits (at least for me that's been the case). Thus, it's always a shame when foundations shirk us with not only less protection but remove that option (and especially when they're as pricey as this one!)

That being said, the finish is undeniably beautiful. The consistency of the product is fairly runny, enabling an even application, and it never feels drying on my skin unless I've worn for the whole day (in which case, I do sometimes see some cracking). It's not the most moisturizing though, and I find my skin generally reacts better to hydrating BB creams and such. 

I keep this product sealed up in my fridge for now, which I hope will help it preserve its efficacy and strength. My recommendation for you? The landscape of face creams / foundations is so broad now, so venture out beyond the big names. It's a good foundation, but if I could go back in time I would not repurchase, as you could get 2-3 other great options for this price. 

 

Ipsy: August 2017 Glam Bag Unboxing

[Belated post] As of Aug 2017 I had been a loyal Ipsy subscriber for almost 2 years, and for good reason as each bag provided a plethora of worthwhile items. This month's bag contained the following:

First Aid Beauty

Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay

 

I haven't used many First Aid Beauty products, but this cleanser is surprisingly effective. It squeezes out a translucent red color, and is something between a cleansing milk and a traditional foaming cleanser. It doesn't foam up per se, but it definitely gets soapy, yet manages to be non-drying (and I have very dry skin, so am normally extremely sensitive to this. It also gets out all of my makeup, which I was surprised by - seriously, even eyeliner. 

The only thing I'm not a fan of is that it contains Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate as a top ingredient, which accounts for the slight foaming action. I'm not a fan of any Sodium Lauryl type product, as they can be very damaging to the skin. But I do like this and find it fun to use.

Eyeko

Black Magic Mascara

 
All Eyeko eye products, be they mascaras or eyeliners have generally impressed me, as I have historically experienced very little smudging (which is always a concern with monolids). To be honest, I unfortunately wasn't able to give this product a fair shake, as it dried up in its packaging before I had a chance to use it (this was about two years later). That in itself is a down mark for this, as I would hope that unopened mascaras could last longer. But alas.

LXMI
LXMI Crème du Nil Pore-Refining Moisture Veil 

 

This is definitely my favorite product of the month. I just feel like moisturizers are the most worth the money, especially when they are all natural like this. It squeezes out as a white cream, and is not heavy yet still moisturizing. I would definitely take their advice and use it together with a facial oil.

Ingredients

water, butyrospermum parkii (shea nilotica) butter, glycerin, squalane, octyldodecyl olivate, caprylic/capric triglyceride, candililla jojoba/rice bran polyglyceryl-3 esters, glyceryl stearate, cetearyl alcohol, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, hibiscus sabdariffa (hibiscus) hydrosol water, vanilla planifolia (vanilla) hydrosol water, hibiscus sabdariffa flower extract, sodium hyaluronate, gluconolactone, sodium stearoyl glutamate, stearoyl lactylate, xanthan gum, sodium benzoate, fragrance*. *natural.

 

I sadly lost details of the remaining two products (an eyeliner and stencil face brush), I think the brush was quite good but the eyeliner isn't super memorable

Ou; Glo

High Collagen Face Mask

I received this with my bonus points; to be honest I have no memory of it, although at this point all face masks seem interchangeable to me (all are hydration focused and to be honest not something I'm the biggest fan of since they make my hair greasy)

Petite Bunny Gloss Bar Review: Shade No.05 - Juicy Peach

Wanted to share photos of the Petite Bunny Gloss Bar I purchased (shade Juicy Peach) for ~$4.00 off YesStyle.

Overall, it smells and tastes faintly of peach which is nice, and the color payoff is super subtle (a bit too subtle for my liking, which is more related to the shade than the opacity of these lipsticks.

I find them to be generally moisturizing thought nothing really stands out. Photos after the break.

All about suncreens + a few of my favorites

I've been a religious wearer of sunscreen since I hit my early 20s, once the research started coming out on just how linked sun exposure is to not only skin cancer but also photoaging, wrinkles, spots, and other sorts of things that are better off avoided. As such, I've probably spent thousands of dollars on both hyped upscale and conventional drugstore sunscreens, and wanted to pass along some of my knowledge. If you click on the sunscreen label you'll also find some of the older reviews I've done on specific sunscreens.

General tips

1. Chemical formulations are a must for lighter, lotion-like clear formulas with no white cast. That said, the challenge with chemical sunscreens is like many of the common ingredients like oxybenzone have known issues, causing skin reactions and functioning like an estrogen. For kid-safe nonchemical formulations, physical sunscreens are an absolute must. For me, as a time matter I don't like dealing with thick and goopy physical formulations, though if I do have those I'll use them on my legs / arms where the thickness doesn't bug me as much as on my face.
   
   
2. Use your FSA funds to reimburse purchases of suncreens with SPF 30+: This is huge, and something I only just realized this year (doh!). Basically, any sunscreen related product, INCLUDING foundations / tinted moisturizer / BB cream with an SPF of 30+ when clearly shown in the product name etc. can be submitted to your insurer to reimburse from money you set aside tax-free for health related purchases in an FSA. Seriously, this means you can essentially buy tax-free, and you do not need to get your sunscreens from any specific source
   
   
3. More expensive sunscreens do not mean better - look at the SPF, check the ingredients, but at the end of the day sunscreen is sunscreen. I've fallen to the ploy of $50 tiny bottles of sunscreen marketed by big high end cosmetics shops, and honestly a lot of those probably aren't even as good as your basic drugstore brands. My go-to recommendation for high quality and value are Korean sunscreens, which I purchase through Yesstyle (much better prices for any Asian beauty product, do not be overcharged at more hyped up places like SokoGlam or Sephora, which I've checked are and always pricier for the same items). You can also find sunscreens at TJ Maxx or other outlets (but check expiration per next point)
   
   
4. Check expiration dates: Most sunscreens expire after 12-18 months, particularly chemical ones as they denature and become ineffective. Physical ones you can get away with longer (as it's literally there are a physical block), but they do tend to start smelling and feeling less nice after they age too long. Point is, there's not much point to hoarding sunscreen since it will go bad if you don't use it up
   
   
5. Makeup with sunscreen is not enough: Put it simply, to get the labeled SPF, you need to use a full teaspoon of product on your face. Most of us are not putting on that much make-up, plus most make-ups only include low SPFs of 15.  
   
   
6. Layer your sunscreen after moisturizer and before makeup: It makes intuitive sense, as you want to go from thinnest to thickest formulations as a general skincare rule. Skincare products should go directly on your skin, then sunscreen will go on to protect (give it a couple mins to sink in) followed by makeup which is for coverage.
   
   
7. Look at the PA rating - this is a Japanese system, hence you're likely to find more on Asian beauty products. The more +'s, essentially the more UVA protection and hence anti-aging / cellular damage benefit there is. PA++++ is as high as they go and is what I always try to opt for in my facial sunscreens
   
   
8. Reapplication is critical: Most sunscreens denature or wear off after a couple hours, so if you're out in the sun throughout the day, be sure to reapply every few hours
   
   
9. The morning and evening light is heavy in UVA: So yes it may be dusk and the sun may seem to be faint, but UVA rays are long and are strong in the morning and evenings.
   
   
10. Protect the lips: It took me years to get good about this, but I've realized that the lips are every bit as important, if not more so, than the skin. Additionally, if you are prone to cold sores, the number one cause of them is unprotected sun damage to the lips. So pick up a zinc-based lip protectant and reapply often (after eating and drinking especially).

Recent favorite sunscreens

These are the current ones in my arsenal, though chances are I've tried any sunscreen you're looking at. Leave a comment if you want a review on anything specifically. Note for the Yesstyle items you can use my code PSWCKU for a discount on the products (disclaimer, affiliate link).

1. MISSHA - All Around Safe Block Aqua Sun Gel SPF50+ PA++++: This is my current daily sunscreen. It's light, it's got a very high protection factor, and it applies so easily into the skin (a common theme you'll find in all of the sunscreens I'm showing here. It has a light and fresh scent
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

   

   Post-application - totally clear

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. JMsolution - Marine Luminous Pearl Sun Stick SPF 50+ PA++++: The stick foundations from this brand have really impressed me. You can't feel it on your skin at all, and it rolls on so easily. I have the flower one as well, but between the two I think the Marine one is a better value and just as nice. They have a very light scent, with the flower version smelling like rose (which is lovely)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

   

   Applies completely clear and can't feel a thing

3. Trader Joe's spray sunscreen: I don't love this, and the ingredients aren't by any means clean (has oxybenzone sadly), but nothing beats a spray sunscreen when it comes to applying to the body quickly in the summer. This is one of the few sprays I've found, and as I used to live close to Trader Joe's it was convenient and a good price (about $6 a bottle). Does the job.
   
   
4. Etude House - Sunprise Must Daily Lotion SPF50+ PA+++: This one I remember being pleasantly impressed by, as one of the other formulations was dry and chalky (think the natural version of this).
   
5. TONYMOLY - Intense Care Gold 24K Snail Sun Cream SPF50+ PA++++: This was my go-to sunscreen for the better part of a year, because who can resist the claims of anti-wrinkle with snail and gold extract? Can't say I noticed a difference while using it, but it has a very pleasant texture and lightly tart scent. 
   
   
   Hope this review is helpful to folks!

Sephora Birthday Gift 2016: Marc Jacobs lipstick and eyeliner

It's the end of the year, and I just wanted to give a quick update on the Marc Jacobs birthday kit from this year. To be honest, I always regretted not picking up the Fresh rose mask and soy cleanser in place of this item, as I'm more of a skincare than a makeup product.

The lipstick is really cute, as it's super small and a very nice and wearable color. The eyeliner is a bit tough to apply, but does have incredible staying power (almost too much in fact, as I found I had to scrub quite hard to remove)

The one large disappointment with the eyeliner is that I had it in my travel makeup bag daily, and then one day it just suddenly became unusable. Not sure if it broke or something but literally one day I tried to turn the stick up and it was like the entire stick had disappeared. 

All in all a very nice and generous gift from Sephora, but I'd only recommend this pack if you are a major makeup or Marc Jacobs fan. I found it quite average. 

Shiseido Retinol Eye Mask and Gift with Purchase

This was from a while back, but I purchased two packs of the Shiseido Pure Retinol Eye Mask back when they were doing a free gift with $35 purchase, which worked out to a great deal given the bag and goodies it came with (see below).

The mask itself was fine, though I can't say I noticed much of a difference after using it. Retinol as a whole is meant to be quite effective against wrinkles, and I'm always wary of fine lines below the eyes. The material of the mask feels rather cheap, like rough cotton, unlike the Tony Moly gel eye mask I tried recently. It sticks on well to the eyes and the product is quite pleasantly scented.



The gift came with a very large make-up bag in a shiny metallic pink, plus sample sizes of the Power Infusing Concentrate, WrinkleResist emulsion, eye cream, makeup remover, and moisturizer.



The moisturizer was the biggest disappointment, as the packaging didn't allow for more than a few days use - it seemed to run out very quickly. The concentrate and emulsion feel quite nice and moisturizing, and the eye cream is light and effective. The makeup remover isn't one I'd really recommend as the packaging was awful (it kept getting all over the cap when you shook it to mix it up, despite tightly placing the cap on), and its makeup removing power was quite average, requiring rather rough swipes to remove.

I like Shiseido and would recommend this during another of their product promotions.

Ipsy: May 2016 Glam Bag Unboxing

Another month, another Ipsy, and I'm really becoming a big fan. May featured some products which I've now been able to take the time to adequately trial. There was a good mix of luxe and usable products.



Formula 10.0.6 Pores Be Pure Skin-Clarifying Mud Mask

I'm honestly not the biggest fan of mud masks, mainly because I have dry skin and rarely if ever see any noticeable results. I suppose they may help a bit with breakouts, but I've never really seen success with that, and my view is the only way to prevent breakouts is to have a thorough daily cleansing routine and not overdo your skin with too many pore-clogging moisturizers.

That said, this mask has a lovely berry smell, which is quite unexpected. It goes on smoothly and performs about par. Nothing of note, but nothing bad either.

 SLMissGlam Small Contour W07 Brush

This brush is soft, though fairly small. The brush is about the width of my thumb, and is a good size for contouring the cheeks and such.

BellaPierre Cosmetics Nude Gel Lip Liner Pencil



This product has proven to be quite a dud. The main reason is that try as I might, I can't figure out how to get the rest of the product out of the tube. Or maybe the tip is all the product that you get? I'm not sure what's going on, because otherwise I quite like the color and texture of this lip liner. It's a subtle my-lips-but-better shade of pinky nude.

The other negative is that this is manufactured in China, so who really knows what ingredients are in it.

 

Jersey Shore Cosmetics Lavendar Moisture Rich Balm

While not the most exciting of products (it's just a stick of clear balm), I quite like it. The scent is a mild lavendar, it's super rich and moisturizing on the lips, and while I wouldn't use it anywhere else (too rich), it's quite a good lip balm.

Smashbox Cosmetics X-Rated Mascara

I unfortunately haven't given this a whirl yet as my mascara stash is a bit out of control, but it certainly looks good. Will follow-up if it's worthy of a mention.